jigokufever | June 2022 Test Drive

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June 2022 Test Drive

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

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"The Neo Sapien Organization," they begin, and their tone shifts to one that feels a little more memorized, "Is an organization dedicated to the housing, education, safety, and wellbeing of meta-humans like myself living within New Gate City. As a marginalized people within New Gate, we require a safe place to exist when no others are willing to rise to meet us."

The rote memorization fades shortly after that, but a friendly smile stays on their face. "I've worked with them for years. I don't know if I'd call myself a face of the organization, but I definitely come to enough public events that the headlines are content calling me one." And Leviathan has such a fantastic history with making headlines. "A lot of the people who run it, including Dr. Annan as far as I can tell, are more on my page about things. That it's not heroics, that it's just doing the right thing. But there's still some people who have a very... comic book view of what meta-humanity is like."

"It... does sound pretty comic-book like, when you put it like that," Ursula let out another anxious, uncertain laugh. Hell, the whole concept sounded that way to her, but where was she to judge? For all she knew, the idea of witches and magic academies sounded just as fantastical to Levi.

Thankfully, they didn't have to really confront that idea too heavily as the bar in question was just around the corner. A western-style affair, done up almost like an old fashioned British pub. There was a doorman to greet them, a young inugami with a wagging tail...

"This is the place I was told about, for sure. I remember them mentioning the doorman."

Levi laughs, though, because, well. Ursula is right. It does sound almost exactly like that, to people who are removed from it—and to most people who aren't, they're sure. They just remember Zeke popping off about it on a regular basis and it only enhances the smile on their face.

When the two of them arrive, well. It is difficult for Levi to contain themself, because they should be used to things like this at least a little bit by now. Strange occurrences, yokai that don't match with what they've come to expect. Not to mention that they're almost certain they experienced this sort of thing among the meta-human population in New Gate City. And yet.

"Oh my gosh," they whisper, their eyes widening and both hands going to their mouth. It gives the impression that if they also had a tail, it would be wagging extremely powerfully. "Ursula. Is that a dog person."

Ursula immediately, and very nervously, laughed, nice and loud, to cover up Levi's lact of tact, tugging at their sleeve to sort of get their focus back to her.

"Please... don't just ask that out loud."

You're in someone else's house, Levi, show some goddamn manners.

They will not. Okay, no, they will; it's easy to tell very quickly that they have screwed up, so they just put their arms back down at their sides and try not to look too red in the face. (Which is a pretty bad way to start a conversation, as it were, since their heart rate's elevated in a couple ways now.)

"Sorry," they say with some urgency. "Sorry. I don't think I've—right." Deep breaths, Leviathan. Think of rivers and streams and peaceful meadows. "Okay. Let's get some wine and I'll try to be a little less rude."

[ The doorman, for his part, mostly just thought the two of them were awfully anxious... Newbie Lost Souls were always like that, he supposed. Hoped they didn't get scammed.

The two made their way inside the bar, which wasn't particularly crowded, and seemed at least a little roughed up from the curse, but otherwise nice and cozy feeling. The great mahogany bar was lined with black leather-topped stools, and the shelves behind the inugami bartender were packed with several western-style spirits and some wines, both familiar and foreign.

A light jig and reel played over the jukebox, all of it working together to create a sort of facsimile of a pub. It wasn't a half-bad attempt, all things considered. ]

A glass of the house's preferred white, please.

I'll have the white as well.

[it might be a surprise how quickly leviathan can shift themself into a more composed mode like that, how their back straightens and their tone gets just slightly more respectful. how even their body language has a tight, controlled grace to it once they walk in and sit down. they don't know who owns this or to which faction anyone here necessarily pledges fealty, but they don't care; they're a representative of the enma right now, as far as they know, and on top of that a representative for meta-humanity.]

[and besides. they have to keep doing it or they'll fall out of practice.]

So. Did you have any other questions about the NSO, while we're discussing things? Or we could talk about what Luna Nova is like, if you'd like.

I... guess that depends on if you have any burning curiosities about me, in that case.

[ The two glasses were served quickly enough, as well as a small plate of cheese and nuts for them to snack on if they chose. Delightful, really, but she mostly just really needed to get that wine, going through about half of the already large glass in a single go.

... Yeah, she was still rattled. ]

[ah. well, some people cope with nerves better—and some people prefer their light alcoholic beverages to come from cans, but levi isn't going to cast judgment on anyone. they drink a more modest sip of the wine and go through the motions of pretending to taste it before swallowing, but really, they don't know what they're looking for. still, they're not the sommelier and they're not on trial here.]

Well, I think I've already talked a little about my field and why I'm part of it. What drew you to teaching, Ursula?

[they reach forward and lance a little square of cheese with a toothpick. it's almost like they never left the central ward.]

[ Look, Levi, she's French. It's fine.

Though she's not particularly picky about her wine, she fines it's agreeable and just what she'd been after. Already she can feel her face flush a little and her blood start to warm slightly. It did indeed help her relax... ]

Well, as for why I started teaching...

[ Guilt. Shame. ]

... I think just wanted a career where I could help pass on my passion for magic, and foster the growth of the next generation of witches.

[see, that just seems nice. levi smiles after that answer and their little cheese bite.]

I think that's really admirable. That's part of what I want to do within the NSO, too. Meta-humanity doesn't really have a lot of advocates, and since I've been with the organization for so long, a lot of the newer people kind of look up to me. So I want to be a good example for them. [they take another drink, letting the polite veneer slip just a little as they settle into a more comfortable conversation and no longer feel the shame of their earlier faux pas over their head.]

What is it that makes you so passionate about magic? If you don't mind me asking.

[ Ursula helped herself to a sip as well, and there was... a certain shift in her expression, as she let that question settle. She looks into the middle distance, but rather than seeming lost or hazy, her features seemed to warm, her smile smoothing out, well more natural... ]

I've always loved magic. More than its practical functions, I loved that magic could delight, could inspire creativity, could embolden the imagination and make it real. The sort of happiness it inspired in others just to see the spectacle and wonder of it all...

[levi smiles, watching ursula discuss this. she has a nice voice, and it's nice to hear about this kind of thing from an adult. someone who knows how terrible the world can be and recognizes the importance of whatever levity someone can get.]

Can I ask what your favorite spell to show others is? I mean, I assume you've done some kind of performance, if you're speaking so highly of everything that magic can do for other people. Like you have a firsthand account of it, you know?

Oh I'm... not a performer at all. [ A lie. But not one that makes itself obvious. But she does finish off her glass. ]

No? Just a fan, then. [they don't pick up on whether it's a lie or not, but even if it were, it wouldn't necessarily be their business. (they might suspect more if ursula hadn't already shown that she definitely knew how to handle her wine.)]

So what kinds of creations does magic inspire, where you're from? Does everyone have magical talent, or is it kind of a... [they laugh through closed lips.] Hero worship dynamic?

All people have a baseline ability to interact with mana on some level. They just need training in order to tap into that ability.

[ That being said... ]

However, mana is only really present on either known leylines, or nearby sufficiently rich Sorcery Stones. So it can't be used just anywhere. This limit is a big part of why magic has... fallen behind practical technology and machines in recent years.

[ She had to be realistic. The bartender refilled her glass, taking a pensive sip of it. ]

Truth is, these days, most of the world treats magic less like a viable career field and more like an eccentric hobby; held up by traditions and obligation to culture rather than anything practical...

[ And she constantly went back and forth with herself on what that ultimately meant, and if she even believed if it was actually true... The answer came so much more easily to her in her youth. And she saw that same energy in Akko, at least... ]

[levi is enthralled by this sort of explanation, very interested in how it all works together in the world that ursula is from. (maybe even here? they'll have to ask at some other point.) it's when she mentions that line about upholding tradition and obligation that they think they understand a little more about the regard in which it's held.]

So nobody really wants to believe that it's something that's actually of use in the modern world? [they can understand it very well when they shift around ursula's words a little.] Let me guess, because society has moved on past that and the system that you have now is working perfectly fine. [they roll their eyes.] I really wish people would open their minds to ideas that they might otherwise write off entirely. Maybe that kind of thinking would've stopped things from going quite so bad at home.

[they take another cheese bite.]

[ More wine, a warmer face, and Ursula let out a sigh, nodding to Levi's point. ]

On one hand, I don't blame them. Practical science and engineering are just more accessible. Why bring in a witch to do what you can do yourself with a little education and elbow grease, but...

[ Another long drink. That's two glasses finished, Ursula's voice a little rocky as a result her lips a bit slower than her tongue. ]

Magic can inspire so much. There are scientists and engineers out there who only did what they do because they were inspired by magic. Why can't we just have a world with both, you know?

[meanwhile, levi is barely through with one glass, but they're not going to call ursula out on anything. after all, it was her idea to come here in the first place, and it would be rude just to say something quite so bold.]

I agree. [they're smiling, in slightly better control of their words but still taking time to form sentences.] There are people who would call what I'm able to do magic—and of course, it's all science, it's biology, but it's still a brand new field, you know?

[but they gnaw at their lip like they don't like the words that had just come from their mouth.]

We aren't science experiments, though. [they think of one of their closest friends from home and feel something tighten in their gut. to try to untangle it, they take another, longer drink of their wine.] We're people. So it's different. Sorry, I got a little excited there. Forgive me.

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June 2022 Test Drive

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