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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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- NEWBIE TOP LEVELS
ra*bit...! tamamo clean up
but for now? ]
Sure. [ these baths can be tricky. it's not his first time being in one, though he certainly didn't participate in anything outside of bathing unlike some of the workers and customers. ]
... ugh, it's filled with... mmm.
[ he can't describe it. rather, he can, but he doesn't want to out himself. so. ]
Are you sure you want to go in there?
₍ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ₎♡!!
[Even if he could describe it-- saying it out loud feels... no, he doesn't want to. That will just make it harder to do what he needs to. Some things were better if you didn't think about them too hard. There would definitely be time for that later, so instead he just nods both agreeing and accepting his fate.
He wasn't about to toss anyone else in there if he could manage it himself.]
Well! Just leave that dirty work to me~ I'll be in and out before you know it!
[Hopefully.]
i love nii-chan...
Maybe we can find some kind of stick or hook or something that'll help. [ his stomach aches just thinking about touching any of it. again. ] It's not worth getting that dirty over it.
[ even though it'll probably require one of them to go in there... he rather not see nazuna do it. he is a slightly more experienced tamamo clan member, after all. ]
aaaaa I'm so glad
...'shard to see how deep it goes... It'd be nice if neither of us had to go in there at all, but... something tells me it's not gonna be so easy.
[While he's definitely not eager to test those waters, as he listens to himself he becomes more and more determined. He'd be disappointed in himself if he backed down now. If he can't handle this much, then there was all of no hope for him in the days that would follow.]
Ahhhh what'm I sayin'!! I'll be fine! My lung capacity is pretty good and so's my control of my breathing... If I stay focused and keep pace, I can have it empty in no time!
pyonpyon...
the pink haired boy quietly pats his side, makes sure his weapon is firmly attached to his side: a pretty generic short sword. it's a weight at his hip that brings him some kind of comfort. even if he can't use it properly, it's better than nothing. ]
If... if you say so. [ even if he can't convince nazuna to not go in, he can provide some kind of support! ] I'll back you up.
[ and then he looks back toward the bath. ugh... the scent is making his head ache. just like the blood rain from before. ]
no subject
It's pretty obvious the water-- if it can even be called that anymore... it's really bothering the other boy. And with good reason, even if he can't pinpoint the exact cause. All the more reason to stand strong now. He doesn't want to look bad in front of his new clan members. Now it's up to him to pull his weight and make that good first impression.]
I'll be counting on you~♪
[Not wasting any time, he steps up to the edge; stretching and preparing himself to dive.]
Alright-- ready... let's go~
[A deep breath and he dives straight into the center; creating a bit of a splash.]
no subject
so. he does follow in. slowly but surely, sliding into the muck while trying to keep his hand on his blade. yes, his clothes are going to suffer from this but that's no big deal. he has spares, he has a full wardrobe nowadays, with plenty of outfits and--- ]
... hello?
[ his voice echoes. where did his partner go? ]
Are you okay under there?
no subject
It's muffled, but he can hear his partners voice.
He uses his leg to kick up a small splash-- to let him know he's okay... and hopefully give him a general idea where he's at in his search. There's definitely something down here more than just the unpleasant water. It feels unnervingly like hands. Gripping him. Guiding him.
Nazuna doesn't like it one bit. He struggles against their grip, to keep moving... keep searching but after a minute or two he has to come back up to the surface for a breath.]
Haaahh... couldn't have put a long chain or something on this thing, could they?
no subject
when he realizes nazuna has been under for what seems like too long, he readies himself to go down and see if he can find him but is interrupted by him resurfacing almost right up in his face. ]
Oh!
[ a sigh of relief follows, and his shoulder slump, held by tension that leaves him as soon as he sees nazuna. ]
I guess they could've... but they probably didn't expect anything like this to happen. Do you want me to try?
no subject
[Having felt what it's like under there, he knows he absolutely can't ask anyone else to do that. But he might just have to rely on his new partner for backup. He was exceedingly careful before, but if he gets caught...]
But there's something else I want you to watch out for. Something down there tried to grab me... so if I'm not back in two minutes or if something seems strange, I want you to drag me back up.
no subject
[ he doesn't doubt nazuna. if anything, that just confirms to robin the kind of danger they could both be in. having been exposed to this blood before, it makes the boy a little more fearful for their current situation.
still. ]
Right. Okay, I can do that... I promise, I'll save you.
[ he's finally got the strength to do it. ]
no subject
[He knows the look of someone who's determined to do something. So Nazuna knows he can trust him with this. At least being small means he shouldn't be too much of a burden to pull out of the water.]
Alright. I'll be back as soon as I can.
[Another deep breath-- and he dives back down, shooting straight for the bottom.]
no subject
but after a moment or two, he just. he has to follow. he doesn't want anything bad to happen.
sorry nazu-nii. he's worried about you. ]