June 2022 Test Drive

[jigokumods]

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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Comments

[frogmarched]

I have. [He hates it here! Thank you for asking.

But more spirits? Well, he'd be happy to not have to deal with spirits anymore, but it's not like the prospect was that scary. Actually, it wasn't much different from Aizu, if you believed all the stories, though undoubtedly higher in volume.] Should I be impressed? More spirits just means more trouble... and if they're part of the pests like that woman before, it's like you said; another part of the rabble that always dirties the big city.

[He grins, though it's far from friendly. Kawase didn't really have much to back up his words, but he was still definitely willing to square off against a yokai.

The only moment of hesitation is when Matoba introduces himself-- and he's suddenly struck with the thought that he doesn't know what to use. Neither of his family names were worth very much, and neither of them really had any influence here, either. But, the grin returns once he's made up his mind.]

Segawa Eiichi. I don't have any need for an exorcist, but you're not so bad. [Was that a compliment. What does that mean. It's unclear. But honestly if Matoba had been serious about killing that crowd, he sure wouldn't stop him.]

[worldbent]

Haha, impressed? No... I don't think so. But humans and ayakashi are fundamentally different beings. Knowing that, you may let it color your perception of how you might go about carrying yourself in this place, and adjust before it has the chance to catch you offguard...

...Or perhaps not. [He smiles, emptily,] It's just information. Better to know anyway than not, wouldn't you say?

[Freely given, even. Look how generous he's being. Matoba looks at Kawase a little more closely, without being quite so obvious about it as he otherwise might. Gakuran, huh. How nostalgic. Then, he should be a student- late high school, maybe? ...Or...] Is that so? Same to you, Segawa-san.

[There's a pause in which he holds Kawase's gaze, just enough seconds ticking by that it might given him the moment to break the pause and speak up again, but Matoba speaks first before he can get a word in edgewise.]

Can you see them, Segawa-san? [Anyone who could, understood. No matter what the answer was, it would be telling.]

[frogmarched]

I guess it makes sense for an exorcist to be more concerned with these sort of things... [He tilts his head a bit. It's just an observation, but somehow he still sounds condescending, thanks to the sharpness in his tone.

Still, he supposed it was good to know. Like the worlds full of creatures and nonsense that Tamamori always imagined, or something. Though he supposed the threat was much more real.

Kawase meets Matoba's gaze easily... though the longer it drags on, without him saying or doing anything, the more Kawase just looks mildly perturbed. He narrows his eyes at one point in retaliation(as though it were something that needed to be retaliated?), but the only thing to be found in his own was barest glint of the hashihime's blue-eyed influence; though even that was barely more than a whisper.]

W-What's the big idea...? [Why is weirdo staring at him. The only thing he could see was the dark colors of clouds heavy with a coming storm forming behind Matoba's head-- but he's very well aware that that's not real, unlike a certain someone.]

I can see that dumb ofuda over your eye. [He holds up a hand as if he were just gonna poke it up, but he ends up just pointing from a distance.] If you're gonna attack me with your little ayakashi, shouldn't you not tell me beforehand?

[worldbent]

[Kawase gets an appreciative smile. Yet no matter how his expressions shift, none of his smiles ever manage to carry a feeling of sincerity.] I'm glad you understand. There are a great many considerations for one of my profession, in a situation like this. After all, if things were to grow unstable here, the result could spill over into the human realm, and that wouldn't be very good at all.

It's in my interests to see this place remain in a certain ... balance.

[The reaction that he gets from his patient observation is interesting. It wasn't necessarily intended to be a psychological test, and yet the way that Kawase cracks into nerves tells Matoba enough. Even the cursed space around them reacts to his shift in mood, and Matoba notes that, too. Stormclouds? For a moment, that is all he is considering, but as he carefully examines Kawase for further reaction, he sees it.]

[The first time he had seen that shade of blue, Tama was chased up a tree like a stray cat. It was in his desperation to be rescued from the isonade; he had looked at Matoba, and had some strange reaction to what he saw, and Matoba had seen it clearly; the unnatural shade of blue, like an aquarium tank. Here, he sees only an echo of that, something that reflects through Kawase's eyes from his inner spirit rather than an active reflection of his being. Matoba blinks, and his lips part as if to say something in surprise, and then he... smiles.]

It's interesting, right? If we were in the human realm, you might not be able to see it, but the influence of Hell is such that all mortals can see ayakashi and spells regardless of innate ability. [Matoba raises a hand to his face, and lifts aside the shag of hair that always fell over the right side so that he could see the charm more clearly. The ofuda had a design painted over it like a stylized eye, or a target ring.] This is a protective charm against a malicious ayakashi which seeks to devour my right eye. I have no reason to attack a fellow human, Segawa-san.

...Well, unless you give me one. [He smiles cheerfully as if it was a joke, and drops his hair again.]

[frogmarched]

[Balance...? Kawase wasn't really the spiritual sort, but still, it seemed an awful lot for one exorcist to keep scales balanced in a place like Hell. He wasn't sure what there was to balance in Hell, other than keeping the course between the living and the dead unhindered.]

'The ocean is so clear and blue today.
Someone must have drowned to death.'

[It sounds like a recitation of a poem; they're not his words, but they always sits heavily in his mind. Always a balance between good karma and bad, life and decay. Tt was the first time he'd ever found literature relatable, even if his own bad karma was no doubt reaching an insurmountable debt.

The perpetually bored look comes back, though, and he stares vacantly at the charm on Matoba's eye. Kawase definitely wasn't someone with innate spiritual ability, so it's not like he knew much outside of common knowledge and the little rituals and festivals they had in Aizu, much less containing some kind of violent spirit with you. Maybe Minakami would know more about that, but. Well, he wasn't Minakami. (And Minakami would probably have a much more different opinion on what holding the hashihime meant.)]

Tch... I'm not so stupid I wanna piss off some weirdo with a knife, you know. [Well, it's not the most vicious insult he's given. Really, he just didn't want to fight at all, least of all Matoba, after the guy had helped him out.] Or that ayakashi in your eye. Whatever an exorcist wants with this place has nothing to do with me.

[worldbent]

[Matoba watches, in the wake of Kawase's recitation, or whatever it may be; he looks a little pleasantly surprised, a little thoughtful. He thinks he understands.]

[It was a rather lovely proverb, he thought.]

It is our function, [He supplies, and tilts his head as he looks at Kawase.] We exorcists are a barrier which separates those who should not be troubled by the shadows of the other side.

[But now they were all, here, on 'the other side'. Supposedly. The least he can do is to keep it from getting any worse.] By any means.

[Matoba doesn't explain what he intends by that. Instead, he chuckles good-naturedly at Kawase's sour response, and crosses his arms into his kimono.] Oh, you misunderstand. Mine is not in my eye; it's ... wandering around here, somewhere; I had someone tracking it to see what it does when it isn't attacking me, but for now, it seemed as though it was not really a problem to let it go.

... Well, you might be right about that, though. [Or he might not be. Matoba did, after all, specify: Mine is not in my eye.]

[frogmarched]

[It was a bit esoteric for Kawase's tastes, but he supposed he understood. In a way, it was what he'd been struggling to do since he was a child, trying to protect Tamamori and Minakami from the worst whims of the universe, a death to bless a clear blue sky. But he hadn't really succeeded, trying to be a lightning rod rather than a barrier, and it had never been so clear cut as banishing shadows to their corners. Well, you could almost find a reason to envy the exorcists for that. All Kawase really does is cross his arms over his chest and look thoughtful about Matoba's words-- an empty look, but one that was still surprisingly bare-faced, given it lacked his usual offensive affectations.

But, well. Unfortunately Kawase is smarter than Tamamori could notice the emphasis on Matoba's words, and the tone that goes with it of someone that seems like they were always planning something.] You should probably keep track of something as dangerous as that. [His scowl returns, his gaze narrows once more, and the imprint of the hashihime is barely more than dust in the corner of his eye.]

...How much do you really know? I know it's more than what you're sharing in a 'casual' conversation.

[worldbent]

I didn’t intend to find you on purpose, if that’s what you mean, [Matoba replies with his same cheerful and casual tone; Kawase’s attempt to cut through the bullshit doesn’t phase him at all.] Actually, it’s probably very lucky for me. I don’t get lucky often.

[He makes a gesture in the air.] You know, on account of the curse.

[(If he really thought about it, actually, he did have quite a lucky streak all things considered. But ‘luck’ was just a concept invented by humans who did not fully understand the world around them anyways, and so in fact, he made his own luck quite handily.)]

It isn’t strong in you. I really have to concentrate when I look at your eyes to even see a trace, but most possessions are quite difficult that way. I’m surprised that I can always see it in him quite strongly... It makes me wonder, just how is it that no one ever thought to notice before?

That’s quite dangerous.

[frogmarched]

[Blaming it all on luck? He doesn't exactly look anymore amused about it. But if it was good luck for Matoba, then why was he so glad to have found him?

Apparently it was because of the 'curse.' At first, Kawase merely arches an eyebrow, his disposition souring more and more by the minute. But even if he hadn't already had suspicions, it was clear that 'curse' must have been referring to the hashihime. It's not like he's been going around possessed by any other entities. And he only knows a few people who could have it so "strongly."]

I don't have it anymore, so don't push your luck. [He sounds bored, but there's still a quality that makes him sound like he's spitting the words at Matoba.] You know someone else that has it. Who?

[worldbent]

Obviously not. [Matoba lofts his brow with a smile. So bothered. It was that important to him? Matoba supposes that when he had spoken with Minakami, the quality was the same. So protective, and so concerned with the particulars.]

[That hashihime really was an unnecessary annoyance.]

Should I be telling you that? I think that if you want private information, then you should obtain it from the individual that has it.

Unfortunately, Segawa-san, I'm not so mercenary that I would sell information on my own clan without cause.

[And not to someone he just met. Of course, the most obvious reason that could go unstated was suspicion of Kawase as their enemy; but Matoba doesn't think that. Not from the hardened eyes of someone for whom cruelty was a learned nature.] Ask him yourself.

[frogmarched]

Your own clan...? [That part he considers with careful thought. There was no such 'Matoba' clan near where they had lived, and if there was, they'd surely have gone through the Suizenjis-- which he doubts. Minakami was too smart for something like that, and that idiot Hikawa was too obsessed with technology to bother with old world exorcists.

...That left one option, at least from the people Kawase knew, and it did sound like Tamamori to get tangled up in something annoying like this.]

Hey, you're the one that brought it up first. Sounds to me like you're the one putting information in danger. Otherwise why would I even care about someone in your 'clan'...? [He sighs, apparently bored with the topic and looking incredibly put upon. Well, at least unlike Minakami, he's better at hiding it.]

Whatever. I'll worry about it myself, then, if you're going to be so annoying about it.

[worldbent]

If you have to ask, then I have reason to hold back, [He cheerfully replies, with the slightest tilt of his head.] I can determine if you have anything interesting to say without giving that information, so why should I?

I am sure I will find out soon enough what sort of person you are to him.

[Painfully practical. Matoba can see the way that Kawase considers his words, missing some vital piece, perhaps. Doesn't know about the Sutoku Alliance, maybe.]

[But he seems more willing to recognize when to let it go and less easy to rile up than the other one. At least he got something interesting out of him, already.]

Putting that aside, while you seem capable of handling them, do keep in mind that they aren't humans. If you don't have any protections against them, I'd advise you to be careful about what fights you pick. Here.

[Matoba tugs another of those ofuda from his sleeve, and holds it out pinched between his fingers.] If you keep this on your person, it should keep you from an injury caused by malicious energy.

[frogmarched]

In other words, you're just being annoying to be annoying. [He tilts his head, though this time it's more in exasperation, gesturing with one hand. It's not like Kawase didn't know what he was doing; people were usually easy to read if you were pissing them off, and supposes talking in circles was a sort of way to piss someone off.

He looks at the ofuda with something like disinterest. He doesn't really trust Matoba as far as he could throw him, but then, Matoba probably didn't trust him either. So, after a moment he swipes the charm out of Matoba's hand.]

Whatever I am to 'him' isn't any of your business, Matoba-san. [Honorific used in the most condescending way possible, of course. He waves the ofuda around a bit for emphasis, before tucking it away in his pocket.] But he's obviously already spilled enough to put me at a disadvantage. So you won't get anything else out of me. How annoying...

[worldbent]

Of course not. [Kawase's vibes do nothing to dampen Matoba's cheer.] I wouldn't bother if it was for nothing. You told me quite a few useful things just now, after all.

[He's right, after all. It's an important distinction to make. Matoba keeps the ofuda held out and watches Kawase mentally go through the motions of contemplating whether to take it; in the end, practicality wins out.]

[That, too, was information.]

It certainly isn't, [He agrees, and nods his head slightly. His eye never leaves Kawase's.] However, I should make one thing very clear, to spare undue blame.

They haven't told me anything about a third.

[frogmarched]

Obviously. And being annoying is a pretty good way to get information, isn't it? [He sighs again, the exasperation still clear in his voice. Well, there were stupid people that were annoying for no reason, but Matoba certainly wasn't that. And his vibes were absolutely atrocious.]

A third...? [It struck him as an... odd thing to say. Or maybe not odd, just... interesting. An interesting way to put it, he supposes.]

Hm? Then I can tell you one more thing for free, for the sake of fairness. [His smirk returns, sharp and... well, annoying.] If you think there is a third, you're gonna end up disappointed. Not like a 'second' would even do you much good.

[Well, Minakami could certainly fake his way into the draft, but Kawase would make a pretty pathetic mizusaki, past or present. For now, at least.]

[worldbent]

Are you going to be upset when it worked?

[There's a simple solution to that, is what he's saying- but of course it isn't his problem if Kawase wants to refuse, and remain an easy mark. Call it a life lesson (or don't, he's just being a dick, but who's gonna stop him?).]

[Kawase's answer to that is ... fascinating. Matoba tilts his head thoughtfully, letting the pondering of that information sink in and show plainly on his face.]

[As it stands there isn't any purpose to wanting to force that thing out of Tamamori and into anyone else, much less himself. But he takes Kawase's meaning to imply that their status as hosts was something that was not ...certain.]

[It was the power to replay events in time, wasn't it? So then, could the meaning refer to the order of events? The order of hosts? ...]

Oh? Is it only him, then? How interesting. [His conversation with Minakami that night had been enlightening, in a number of ways. To know now, that these hosts were so entangled, that there were so many layers to how that bothersome thing could manifest...]

[Really. It was too troublesome a thing that any should use it.]

[Matoba steps back and out of the alleyway, perching his target-ring umbrella back on his shoulder. Until this one was claimed by one of those monsters, he couldn't plan of what use he might be. But wouldn't it be interesting, if Tamamori spills the beans before they spoke again?]

Well, I must thank you for that information, Segawa-san. [He inclines his head politely,] Since it gives me a bit more perspective on your situation. I truly look forward to the next time that we will meet.

Should you find yourself under the umbrella of the Alliance, [He tips his, to be cute,] then our chat will be much sooner. Please take care not to get into too much trouble with the youkai until them, hm?

[frogmarched]

[The worst part is that it's a tactic that Kawase's used before... and it's not like he hasn't gleaned some interesting tidbits from Matoba, too, even in the obtuse way he obfuscates everything. If this guy was going to make himself a problem, then he had to stay on the alert. He hoped he wouldn't, but it's not like Kawase's hopes had ever been rewarded before. At least his 'eye' youkai could potentially come in handy.

But it's not like it was totally pointless; it was dangerous to lay the whole of the hashihime's powers on one person, especially if it was Tamamori of all people. But if Tama was here, then he would get the hashihime back, and then having one consolidated target would be much more useful.]

Yeah, yeah. [The smirk remains on his face; it smooths itself out, as if he was simply joking the entire time, but it never really shakes the malicious vibe with him.] I've got a nice little charm from you right now, don't I?

[He pulls his pack of cigarettes out, lighting up and blowing smoke in the air, even as he starts to turn away.] If you can do anything with that information, I'd like to see you try your best.