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!

Threads here can be considered game canon.
Characters can be recruited to do work for any faction until they're given their official assignment.
New characters can link their toplevels here!
If you have any questions about the TDM content, please ask them here! You can find information on the story so far here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
Reserves are open until July 5th
NEWBIE TOP LEVELS

Threaded | Flat

questions about the tdm? post them here!

i. sutoku clean-up

[ Yeah, she's not helping with clean up. That's peasant work. However, she will check out the arcade in an effort to immediately see if there's anyone there that can win her a prize! If something's cursed or flying around and causing problems, Totoko's making it a point to completely ignore it.

Instead, she walks up to someone who may be presently trying to do something productive and taps them on the shoulder. ]

Hey, that cute one there... can you win that for me?

[ Her smile's bright, and she's dialing up the cute just so they'll agree! Look at how cute she is! ]

ii. cursed corners

[ Personal failings, eh? That's a shame, because Totoko Yowai has zero. Absolutely none. As she passes by one of these corners, she's more annoyed when she's stopped at the beginning until a vision starts up.

She's singing her song at one of her underground idol concerts, and... the place is completely empty. Save for six dumbasses who don't seem to presently have a face, but couldn't exude any larger simp energy if they tried. After her song is done, she collapses on the stage, clearly irritated at the turnout.

Once that's done, she nods to herself. ]

That's so nostalgic! If only more people were there to see it.

[ As she's able to walk again, she overhears a few locals talking about the silly fish girl, singing a completely rotten song, looking stupid on stage singing to a group of losers. Was she trying to be cute or something? Most of this goes ignored since really, who cares what any commoner thinks of this. She's not mad.

Until she hears the loud, booming cackle. A large old lady laughing at her and how terrible all of her concerts are and that she'll never attract hot men that way. Which gets her to stop and stomp her foot, yelling up at the sky. ]

Shut the hell up, uggo! What do you know?! You couldn't even attract flies if you were covered in shit!

[ Louder than she needs to be, she just can't stop herself from making a scene! ]

iii. wildcard

[ Have any other ideas? DM me and we can work somethin' out! Feel free to catch me at perpendicular as well. ]

[ A. Cleanup (Tamamo) ]

[ She has many questions, but in the meantime, it's best to be productive and despite not knowing much of the situation or what's to be her future situation, Haru is sucking it up and going with the first problem that's been brought to her attention.

Well. Someone had dragged her in with an explanation along the lines of "blood is not as actually as good for the skin as you'd think" and although Haru had quailed at the sight of the bloody water, she'd decided to just roll up her sleeves and Deal With It.

Or maybe not.

If you walk in to clean the baths, you'll see churning water and one of those cleaning pool brushes being waved rather viciously above the water before it's brought down to try and hit something.

Maybe investigate that? Or walk away. We won't judge. ]

[ B. Haunted shark doo doo doo doo haunted shark ]

[ One arm is bleeding. Haru is gingerly grasping it and when you approach, you'll find her talking to a group of kids who really do not want to give up the totem.

From the increasingly loud and absurd demands the kids are giving, ranging from their very own ice cream flavors to a castle, it's not going too hot.

Haru, to her credit, does not look like she wants to throttle them or wring some necks, she just hums quietly and thoughtfully. ]

If it were a mansion-- I-I mean, I'm sorry, no, that's unreasonable!

[ C. On the (cursed) street where you aaaaare ]

[ Today, you will not be witnessing Haru's traumas or regrets unless one of those people recording everything decides to put it on social media. But she's not thinking about that right now. Maybe you're knee-deep in Trauma Town when you feel a light hand at your elbow to try to nudge you from it. Or maybe it's released you or you're minding your own business walking past the crowd when you see this short curly-haired girl with a soft gentle voice...

Get right up in someone's face?? ]

Excuse me. I'd appreciate it greatly if you could stop being complete and utter scum for a moment and delete that?

[ D. Wildcard ]

[ Hit me up if you wanna do something completely different, I'm simple! ]

((OOC: I am totally faction-agnostic for the purposes of the test drive, so if you want to assume something, feel free. I'll roll with it.))

I: Ghost Sharks

[Azula wasn't particularly bothered by the sight of the spectral creatures attacking people. At first, it was sort of an amusing diversion.

But then she steps too close to a blood puddle and one actually tries to attack her. She doesn't have her full bending, so she's forced to simply dive aside as one of the beasts attacks her- and then, as she gets too close to a second puddle, another, and then another, and-

You can find her either trying to navigate these bloody streets- too unfamiliar for her to know where to avoid yet- or you can find her trying to bully the kids away from the totem.]

II: Cursed Corners

a)
[She was supposed to be done with this. Visions, hallucinations, whatever they are, she thought she was free.

A broad and dizzying array of people might be tormenting her. The most likely is a woman who looks a lot like her, but older, gentler, and more soft-spoken. Other possible candidates for torment include an intense and wild-haired teenage boy with a horrific burn scar stretching from one eye up to his hairline, a severe man with long hair and an elaborate beard, or a pair of young women her own age- one dark, brooding, and dour, the other bubbly and athletic.]

b)
[Azula might also intrude upon somebody else's visions. Assume that she won't be terribly sensitive or sympathetic if this happens, but one thing she won't be is neutral about it. Go ahead, give her a show.]

III: Wild Card!
[Have an idea that you don't see here? Feel free to PM me! I'm flexible.]

[ I – Ghost Sharks ]

[Shun has barely been around enough to understand where he's found himself now when he's sent out to deal with that totem. It's fine. It's better to be busy than to let himself think about–

Better to keep his hands busy, whatever form that might take. Even if it means dealing with ghost sharks; after the last few years, that's hardly enough to make him blink.

The group of snotty kids actually gets the ghost of a smile from him. He might have hurried about dealing with them, some months back, but now… He remembers now. The things that matter.

He snorts and tilts his head faintly when they get snotty about handing over the totem.]

So you won't hand it over, and I won't leave until I can take care of that thing.

[He holds their gazes for a moment before sighing and drops into a cross-legged seat, a knife appearing between his fingers from one moment to the next, though Shun is careful to not actually point it at the kids.]

If you get me some wood, I'll try to carve a replica as replacement. [His carving skills are passable enough to get something resembling a shark.] Last and only offer.

[Do not make him get up, children.]

[ II – Cursed Corners ]

[Shun's horrors are just that. He is frozen in the memories of his burning hometown, of terrifying robot soldiers towering above him, people – his comrades – dying around him, his sister–

Whoever pulls him out… he doesn't seem to notice them – at least not at first. The horrors of the past, the regrets of not being able to protect… He only snaps back when he notices the people filming him. Commentating things they know nothing about.

To them he's just entertainment. A game.]

Are you having fun?

[The quiet calm of his voice, belies the fury in his veins as he turns his eyes at the most daring of the spectators.]

You seem to feel awfully safe… considering that this place is a battlefield.

[Better step in… unless you want to see this escalate quickly.]

shuten

[ if anyone thinks for one second that arataki "the pride of oni" itto isn't going to not only locate other oni (why are some so much bigger than him) and join in what looks like fun based on all the singing and laughing, then that someone needs to get their head checked immediately. it's easy for itto to be as boisterous as any of the other youkai, borderline shrieking out the lyrics (he is making them all up despite hearing the words and kind of figuring them out).

however...

what starts out as some morale boosting activity becomes a startlingly frightening one. as reckless as itto's enthusiasm can make him, even he knows that some of these things can't POSSIBLY be his fault. planks of wood that just crumble and splinter as soon as they're picked up, leaving behind shards that make stepping around dangerous. hammers that just slip out of a hand and go flying towards his face, nails that bend or break or somehow dodge the swing of a proud oni who already has a few red marks on his forehead from things randomly striking him.

either way? perhaps someone's in danger of a shaky looking ladder looking to collapse while you're on it or underneath it passing by. maybe there's a random bag of cement that falls from above, ready to squish someone? or even worse--- taking a step on a piece of surprisingly camouflaged wood that's about to come up and give an unsuspecting person a smack in the face.

itto will see it. he'll immediately run to intercept it. maybe he'll shove them aside and pin you against a wall. or he'll just watch and stare. either way, at least he looks natural in the shuten-required clothes, even if one of those pieces feel a little snug... ]

tamamo

[ clean baths? easy job for babies. even easier for oni. he's not really sure why anyone would need help with something like this. he can't really imagine a scenario where this could go horribly wrong for anyone.

until... he sees the state of the baths. stained with blood and other dark liquids that don't look particularly good for anyone who might try to take a bath right now. he's not even going to take a step into one just quite yet, staring down into one before looking around for someone who might be willing to... join him? in the bath?? ]

Hey. You! Come over here for a second.

[ as he approaches, itto forgets one of the rules of being around any kind of pool of water--- baths included--- that running is usually not allowed. why? because as soon as he gets over in a somewhat hasty fashion, something slick causes him to stumble. slide. lose all balance and traction. with wide eyes and frightened expression, arataki "numero uno" itto slips right into the disgusting bath and its tainted water. ]

Ugh! What the... this is gonna mess up my hair...

[ he is filled with regret. either way. ]

Can you see where the stopper is in this thing? Might as well get it over with.

ghost sharks

[ children. he loves children. he also hates children. itto is normally often challenged by kids in general, so it's no surprise that these ones particularly... prickly. a little more mean than other ones. with those things in mind, it's their demand that makes itto's skin crawl and causes him to start sweating bullets. they're quite familiar with oni, which is unusual and rad, but in this sense... it's very bad. very not good for itto.

as he stands against a tree, he knows several things: these children have acquired slings. they have loaded said slings with beans. various kinds of beans: dry beans. cooked beans. jelly beans. bean-shaped objects. each of these slings sit on a table. and itto is blindfolded, though he's also sort of... trembling? or maybe he's trying not to burst in anger? or something.

there's a sign: pelt the oni! free ammo! hit him with each and win a prize!

the prize? the totem.

so yeah. he's... he's willing to do this. kind of. no he's not crying, you're crying, and he's just got something in his eye. the blindfold is a little rough, okay?! ]

[ooc: Shi Qingxuan is canonically pretty genderfluid and changes between male and female forms in the canon. She was pulled in while in her female form, so she'll be stuck in that form until she regains enough power to change.]

Clean-Up

A. Shuten

[Shi Qingxuan is happy to help, really, except...]

Really, that uniform can't all be mandatory, right? Wouldn't it be more helpful to everyone for me to look inspiringly cute?

[She pouts, really not looking to change out of her white cultivator robes, which is a look she knows she rocks in both of her forms.]

B. Tamamo

[Ok, maybe physical labor just isn't her strength. It's fine. Helping at a bathhouse might be fun.

Shi Qingxuan, still dressed in pure white robes, takes one look at the bloody pool, with a ghostly hand reaching up from the dark depths in the middle, and the color drains from her face.]

Ha... haha... hahahaha. [Nervous, panicked chuckling as she slowly backs away from the water's edge and casts around for something to fan herself with. HELP.]

C. Enma

[Finally, something Shi Qingxuan is qualified to help with. PR! Nobody is as good at maintaining a good heavenly...er, well, hellish now, reputation as she and her brother.

The key is obviously to throw a bunch of money at the problem until it goes away, right?]

Please, please, we'll make sure everyone has everything they need. Food, water, booze!

[She's definitely not a representative of the Enma faction at the moment, but she assumes that as long as she makes a note of what the people need, SOMEONE there will have the resources to make it happen.

She listens to a complaint, smiling and nodding sympathetically, then jotting down what they are asking for and then a little more.]

For your troubles, [she says with a wink. So, um, if someone wants to stop this rogue agent from writing checks for Enma to cash, please do.]

Wild Card
[ooc: Got another scenario in mind? PM or plurk me at

demonrubberducky

i. clean up

a. Tamamo
( With pants rolled up and determination in his expression, Shealtiel seems keen on doing this on his own. Maybe you're directed in by the Tamamo clan specifically to help this sad excuse for recruited labor out. Or maybe you just walk in on it like a surprise! Either way, he grips sadly at the air in front of his own chest in an attempt to summon his weapon. Of course, it's missing, and the faint blue circle that had appeared there fades just as quickly, leaving him to grumble to himself as he steps closer to the drain. )

Fine... How hard can it be?

( What's a little blood! He's seen it so much, after all. Right? But the longer he stares at the thick liquid filling the baths, the more he feels sick, and so he decides the best method at this point is to race forward and stretch out to yank the drain plug. Phantasmal hands stop him, grabbing at his ankles, his wrist, and his clothes as he's pulled closer to the blood pool. )

S-stop! ( If someone isn't quick to aid, he disappears beneath the blood with a heavy splash. Or maybe he'll be helped just in time? )

b. Sutoku
( Another recruitment job, another way to be exceptionally mediocre or terrible at it. Well, Shealtiel is determined to have that not be the case, and so he can be found hunched over one of the claw machines, heavily focused on the game itself even as coins from another malfunctioning machine pelt him from behind. Honestly, it looks kind of painful... They keep hitting him in the head and he looks like he wants to scream. )

Come on, come on...

( The claw grazes the top of a cute stuffed white bunny with horrible red eyes and fangs, and just as it seems like it might grab onto its ear, the whole claw jerks down too far and the plush slips free. The key ring he'd been after is still hanging easily on the bunny's ear in question. Shealtiel lets out a frustrated yell as the claw retreats, stepping back to kick at the machine.

Another coin hits him in the back of the head, and then as he bends over to clutch at it, his ass. It's almost like retaliation. How mysterious! Well, now Shealtiel is crouched in front of the claw machine rather pathetically, holding his head like he wants to rip all of his hair out. It's so hard to be good at things, sometimes. )

ii. ghost sharks

( Shealtiel may not have his angelic spear, but he has apparently picked up a sizeable stick. It's not spear length. It's more like the sort of stick you'd find a dog holding, a little frail, but sturdy enough to not snap on the first impact. It flies from his left hand at the first bursting appearance of a ghost shark from a puddle, and as the illusion "pops", the stick hits the water and flops over into it.

Not a defeat, then. He frowns as he steps closer, bending to pick up the stick. At that point, laughter rings out nearby. A group of children, loudly making fun of Shealtiel's attempt.

The blonde stands, anger clear on his face as he grips at his now slightly-soggy stick. It almost looks like he might fight these children. Surely he wouldn't fight children, right? He—

Okay, no, he's definitely raising his stick to start a physical fight with these children. He doesn't have a boss here yet, and so what's the point in bargaining? (For the record, he will absolutely start beating the crap out of these children if he's not stopped. He can do that much, at least.) )

iii. cursed corners

( Someone is trapped.

Shealtiel knows all too well what it's like to be stuck in your own memories, hauntings, visions, hallucinations— it's something that no outsider could ever truly understand, right? When you're living with your own hell.

So, no matter the type of person he sees before him, whether demon, human, angel, or something else entirely, he reaches out and grabs a piece of clothing or an arm and yanks to pull them back. He's rather short himself, at only 5'3", but there's a surprising strength to his grip, and he intends to save whoever this is from whatever horrible memory they're reliving.

He'll even pretend he didn't just witness it, only glancing briefly to check on their expression. )

It's not real, so snap out of it. Are you okay?

iv. wildcard

( ooc. I have an info page on Shealtiel here. If you play anything demonic, human or angelic in nature, it's relevant to his reaction, but we can certainly have him just assume incorrectly if there's anything that would give him the wrong impression. Feel free to PM me with any questions or wildcard anything you'd like! I can also provide unique starters if requested. )

cursed corners

[ Kerakera onna?

What kerakera onna?

The towering, cackling apparition filling the sky isn't the first thing on her mind - miraculously, even as her every laugh cuts down through the air, lashes her shoulders. She registers none of her commentary, no stinging remark, no verbal bruising. No, the kerakera onna gets very little attention from Kirigoe Mima; her voice might as well tune away with the voices of the rest of the people on the street, dimming slowly to a droning buzz, voices slurring together.

Eyes. All around her, eyes. Still, sidelong stares. The bright edges of faces flitting in the corner of her gaze, brightly lit like masks in the slanting neon of the streets, eyes shadowed and stark. Their brightness vanished as soon as she turned her attention to them, doubling away behind the harsh wash of colour that flooded every street. First a few, and then every face, turning to stone just out of her field of vision - melting back into their own lives, stoneflesh slipping away beneath her frightened glances.

Eventually, as she staggered from one bewilderment to the next, they didn't look away anymore.

Some formed a small arena around her, their forms melting together in the brilliant shadows of street signs and red-light advertisement. Devices held out, capturing her unraveling in approximate frames. Two things the shadows cut into their faces, as they formed a ring around her - their watching eyes, and their smiling, amused mouths.

Air assaults her. Mima lowers her head and clutches the strap of her bag, as though she would fall through the pavement if she didn't. Impossible pressure, crushing at her chest. One figure dwarfing the rest, made completely of dim blackness.

She turns to escape and stops. ]

wildcard

( or hit me up!!! i'm super flexible and open to plotting over pms! )

1 | enma department ~~clean-up~~ exorcisms

[ Shenhe’s people skills leave much to be desired. Which is to say she has very close to none. She understands the task at hand well-enough, but the way in which she goes about asking if people need help needs a lot of improvement— when she bothers to ask at all. More often than not, she can be found simply going and doing whatever it is that needs to be done, whether it’s picking up heavy debris, repairs, or whatever else, paying no mind to bedside? streetside manner for those in need.

So she’s not snappy at the angry people, per se, but she’s certainly far from warm. ]

Your home is extremely cursed and in need of an exorcism.

[ …Case in point. But at least she actually seems comfortable with the idea of exorcisms? ]

Heart be pure, evil be erased. Mind be purged, world be saved.

[ In combination with an elaborate hand gesture or two, the incantation is said, well-practiced in its ease, natural compared to literally anything else she says. Still, the disgruntled denizen doesn’t seem entirely grateful, and she finds herself on the receiving end of a rant.

And Shenhe, whose people skills really, really need work, clenches her fist as her lips draw into a thin line. Please help before she gets angry! ]

2 | do you want to punch a ghost shark?

[ Isolated mountain girl meets metropolitan, neon hellish city-type place. What could go wrong?

There is no shortage of surprises to be had at nearly every turn, Shenhe finds, and although she isn’t expecting a large, spectral shark to lunge up from a puddle she’s nearly stepped into, there isn’t the barest hint of any emotion on her face. Instead, she lifts an arm in a sweeping, graceful motion and delivers a powerful strike at its body just as its toothy jaws are about to close in around her. It disperses momentarily, but it’s only in that moment that Shenhe looks… perplexed. ]

…Hmm? That blow was… weak.

[ It’s not supposed to be weak. But another puddle behind her ripples, as if another shark is about to emerge from its depths without her noticing. ]

3 | cursed corners

[ The vision is simple. There is a young girl, no more than six years old, sitting and crying.

”Please, father, don’t leave me here…!”

And Shenhe stands over her, frozen in place as the seeming apparition of her younger self continues to sob and wail and cry out for her father. Behind the younger one lurks a monstrous, shadowy form with gleaming, red eyes. ]

Enough. This needs to stop. Why do I have to see this?

[ And yet, she can’t seem to move away or even look away even as a curious audience begins to emerge, phones and cameras in-hand, ready to record. ]

4 | wildcard!
( feel free to PM me or hit me up at

camerata if you’re feeling up to something else! )

Edited 2022-06-24 19:11 (UTC)

[1. Enma Cleanup]

[ Getting stuck cleaning up other people's messes truly is hell, and as of late, seems to be her life. The mundane things are simple enough, at least. Things that she feels are well below her station, but there's maybe an odd sense of satisfaction in helping those in need?

Maybe Daba and his rebels were on to something...?

That said, more than once, she does end up in shouting matches with those demanding exorcisms, mostly because she just got here, she doesn't know shit about exorcising anything. It might do well to butt in before she gets physical with a local...! ]

[2. Cursed Corner]

[ On one hand, there's much worse memories that could have been dredged up here, but her first sortie against the L-Gaim, where Daba made a total fool of her, disabling her Auge's cameras with just a hoverbike and a bazooka. The stupid boy's audacity...! She's practically burning up with anger and frustration and embarrassment - she's one of the best in the military! That Auge is a symbol of Emperor Poseydal herself, granting it to Nei was an honor, and she gets shown up by some common rebel--?!

It's very juicy to watch for the voyeuristic, but that rage spiral is gonna go out of control once she's free of the memory and the locals start commenting... ]

[3. Wildcard]

[ Hit me with whatever feels fun, or PM me here or at

reapthegirlwind! ]

I/ Cursed Corners
[ Monika had noticed the gatherings around specific corners and alleyways. Suspicious... So she had avoided them and asked people what this was all about. And? No thanks. She has whatsoever no desire to see her dead friends appear around her. Worst, perhaps she'd be made to relive her own deletion. She's not going to step in there and have her past on display for people to laugh at.

Unfortunately, not everyone was as cautious as her. Someone had already crossed the cursed corner and of course, no one was trying to help. Why would they, when the failures and regrets on display were entertainment?

It was distasteful. Horrible. Those people were truly shameless... She paused for a moment and took a deep breath before stepping in, placing a hand on the shoulder of whoever was unfortunate enough to have gotten trapped in this vision. ]

Hey... Are you alright?

II/ Ghost Sharks
[ People trying to go after the magic totem will be greeted by a very very sad sight. Monika with bags under her eyes, yawning profusely, barely able to keep her eyes open and clearly sleep deprived. And most importantly? There's a bunch of kids around her asking for the "next game."

She'd thought herself clever enough to easily get past a few kids...! She'd promised to play a game with them in exchange for the totem. But alas, five hours later the kids are still full of energy and she... She needs sleep. A lot of it. Those children are absolutely ruthless. They don't get tired. They don't stop. They can play for hours and hours and never get bored. Clearly they must be demons.

Please help her. She's too much of a pushover to tell them to stop. She may not survive long at this rate! ]

III/ Tamamo Clean Up
[ Monika looked down at her hands as she was scrubbing the floor around one of the bloody pool. It was funny, in a horrifyingly morbid way. She had literal blood on her hands now. It had been so easy to delete her friends. Clean and impersonal. But it had really been a horrible crime. She could see that now, even if she was too selfish to give up on her happy ending.

And as she was lost in thoughts, one of those ghostly hands reached for her leg and grabbed her ankle. Her eyes widened as ot tried dragging her into the pool- But she was able to kick it off ]

Oh gosh...

[ Her breath was short and she did look scared, but she was noticeably less panicked than what you'd expect from an average high-schooler after a ghost tried to drown them in a pool of blood. She brought a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. But then...

Two more hands surged and tried pulling her in. Too abruptly for her to react. When you come in, you will find her struggling against the hands with just her head left above the cursed water. ]

A little hand please...? I'm in over my head...!

[ Yes, that's a pun. Yes, she's about to die. Her brain just works that way, she can't help it. ]

cleanup, tamamo

[ Not aware of the fact that he's meant to assist in the cleaning effort, Yang descends down to the bathhouses to indulge in a timeless ritual of relaxation. When the man opens the door to one of the rooms, he's confronted with a more sinister scene than he anticipated. Making note of the blood water sloshing around in the bath, particularly the familiarity of that sharp smell, he squints towards something in the distance. Someone. Looks past them, towards the bamboo pipe dripping pale red water from its spout, before peering directly at them. ]

Did you do this? [ His tone isn't accusatory or caustic. It's mere curiosity. The thought is an entertaining one, after all. ]

cursed corners
cw: brief mentions of blood and violence

[ It figures that what manages to consistently take Yang back is not the criminal underworld that infests this place, but the supernatural elements. Turning into a previously abandoned alleyway, he's frozen until a particular scene unfolds. Nothing too dramatic: the hallucinations depict a much younger, teenaged version of himself getting beaten to the pulp by five other gang members.

If he could, he would simply leave, cast aside the vision as easily as he's discarded this particular memory from his mind, but now he's a captive audience edged in shadows. Yang feels the fury rise when he notices that the younger version of himself give up fighting. As he pays careful attention to the details, he can even discern some moisture seeping from his swollen eyelid.

Once he's freed, the show over, he shudders. Keenly aware of the scrutiny of others — a small camera crew, a more innocent camera crew, Yang walks over to close the distance between him and the unwelcomed audience. He holds his silence, before offering a glower, steady "words of advice." ] Get lost.

the enma speaks

[ For a man who despises feeling bored, Yang is certainly finding himself in a lot of potentially interesting situations that end up leading to nowhere. That bitter aftertaste of disappointment must be why the reporters teeming around in this large crowd are so furious once the announcement ends, without any questions sufficiently answered.

Personally, Yang could not care less about how helpful or unhelpful the Enma happens to be. Instead, he seeks an opportunity. More blood in the water. He discerns a lot of potential in his midst, as any practiced criminal would. All in order to resolve one particular predicament: he's out of cigarettes, and he's broke.

Someone astute enough might feel the briefest touch against their pocket or bag, so long as it's located against their back or towards their side. Alternatively, there could be a witness to one particular crime — notably, a half-full carton of cigarettes nicked from the back pocket of a reporter's blue jeans.

Unless directly confronted in that very moment, Yang makes a quick escape to the periphery of the crime. He might catch a sidelong stare or two. Opening the worn cardboard lid with a flick of his fingers, he pulls out one cigarette and offers it wordlessly to the stranger. ]

wildcard

( open to anything! feel free to pm me or shoot me a dm over disc at ravenna#8120 for plotting )

[CLEAN UP - TAMAMO]

[The man barely has his feet under him as he wades into the bath, trying to focus on the matter at hand and not the way the blood is already mixing with the mess his clothes were to start with.]

Come on... Just... Let me through...

[He's taking it slow and steady as he inches slowly closer to where he's fairly certain the drain is. He continues murmuring his placations to the water, but by the way his hair is drenched and sticking to his forehead and neck, it's clear he's already failed a few times at this.

It seems like this might be the one though! He stops to squint at the water before carefully starting to lean down and-]

Augh- [It's the most undignified yelp as he either trips or is pulled under with a splash.

And a few breaths later turns up at the other end of the bath with a sputter, spitting out some of the water and glaring.]

Was that really necessary?!

[CLEAN UP - SUTOKU]

[Perhaps a clean up task requiring more physical work wasn't really the best to ask of Jon. But something more patient and less strenuous may be right up his alley.

He squints intensely at the UFO catcher machine, trying to guess where the best way to hit a prize is. Clean out the machine of its prizes seems simple enough. He'd been decent enough at these sorts of machines growing up, though not good enough to write home about.

At one point, he's almost got one to the prize chute-] Yes, yes, come on, let's get on with it. [- before it falls out of the crane arms and back into the pile, wiggling happily that it wasn't caught. He bursts a bit louder:] Oh, come on!

[It isn't until later that he manages to get a few into the prize chute, kneeling down to get them out and add them to a pile. But there's the unceremonious yelp of an Englishman as that door does close on his hand.]

All right, of course, just - Come on, let go. Let me go. [Said with all the force of a man telling a small puppy to let go of a ball so it can be thrown again. It's clear it might take a while without some assistance.]

[GHOST SHARKS - A]

[For a man who's clearly already seen some danger judging by the amount of weird scars on him, Jon doesn't seem too bothered to be hit and attacked by these spectral entities. Mind, he would prefer not to be, given the way he still tries to dodge out of their way.]

Look - I'm not entirely sure what you even want with me here, I'd just like to keep walking down the street please.

[Of course, he's trying to talk to the puddle. He looks down at his right hand, with a few bits of bite marks already before he shakes it out and tries again, giving it a bit of a berth before one pokes its little smooth nose out and lunges again. Jon will try to dodge from the looming mass of energy, but he isn't exactly able to see if the way is clear.]

I said- [He may be bumping his small shoulder into someone or something. Whoops.]

[GHOST SHARKS - B]

[What's funnier than a guy treating a surely possessed crane game like an untrained puppy? The same man glaring blandly at a group of children.]

I'm not sure why they even want to bargain with you. That thing is causing trouble in the streets, so you'd best just give it up.

[Where normally he'd have a bit of sympathy for a situation like this, the kids' attitudes have all but worn that emotion down to annoyance.]

No, I haven't got any money to give you, let alone that exorbitant amount. You're quite annoying, you realize that? Just hand it over, and then I can leave and you can go back to doing whatever it is you do.

Edited (sorry for the edits, mods, saw I forgot a couple open brackets) 2022-06-24 19:52 (UTC)

1. clean up | sutoku

[When Marie was recruited to the Sutoku clan, she didn't think that her job would involve her going to the arcade first. What great fun this would be! She never got to enjoy these sort of things back home, and maybe she could take her mind off of being in an entirely different place on these crane games.

Of course, as luck would have it, it never worked out that way, and she isn't oblivious to the odd things happening to these machines.

Ever the cautious one, when she does manage to win something and she reaches for it, she reflexes back and jerks her hand away before the machine can clamp down on her hand. It's jerked back to her side, and she's quick to examine everything else around her. Only to spot that this wasn't the only machine doing this. In fact, it was all the machines, and the only way to make them stop was to get these keys. That. Would obviously not be easy to get, even with all of her military training behind her.]

Uh. I think we need an exorcist... Or something.

[And, as if on cue, she's met with another machine spitting out a coin, and hitting the middle of her forehead with enough force that she stumbles backward. The coin leaving behind a visible red mark on her ivory skin, that she tries to rub away. Instinctively kicking the machine, which doesn't help calm the machine. In fact, it seems even angrier than before.]

2. ghost shark

[Listen, she can't resist approaching a bloody puddle in the middle of the road. Temptation, and pure curiosity get the better of her, and she can't help but stand over one of the puddles. Eyes cast downward, and raising an eyebrow.

Sharks are the last thing she'd expect to appear, so she's caught off guard as one barely manages to take a bite out of her before her fist meets the shark. It dissipates against her fist before it can do any real damage to her, and she's about had it up to here with everything attacking her this week. So, when she manages to get her bearings after being attacked by the shark, she immediately spots that totem surrounded by children.

Despite being a headmistress of an entire school, and having children of her own, she's only good with teenagers. Not young children. So when they start to crowd around the totem and refuse to listen to her reasoning and bargaining... Well.]

Give me the damn totem already! Do I have to fight you kids?!

[It wouldn't be the first time, given how many students she's trained.]

3. cursed corners

[Despite her old age, her regrets from the war in her world never stopped haunting her. They would always playback in her head every now and then. Sometimes, it would be bad, sometimes it wouldn't be.

For this place to force her to experience all that bloodshed, the smell of blood, the blood on her hands... It was a very cruel reality. One that she had to recall every now and then. It doesn't affect her as much as it used to, and she can only wince when she experiences all those killing again. All the innocent people she failed to save. She couldn't even run away this time to stop the visions and hallucinations that were happening in front of her again.

When it's over, she nearly jumps out of her skin as laughter fills the air. She ignores it, though, and runs. If only so she can try and find people who are trapped in their own hallucinations and visions.

So, don't mind Marie grabbing people by the arm, trying to shake them out of their vision or hallucination.]

Hey! It's alright, you're just hallucinating!

4. wildcard!

[Hit me up with anything else! feel free to DM this journal as well, if you want to plot.]

ooc;

(hello! please feel free to dm this journal for anything! marie's world info is here! And her personal info here and here!)

[ 1. Clean Up (Tamamo) ]

[ Akiyama legitimately has no idea what he's gotten himself into. That isn't exactly in uncommon occurrence -- he's used to getting involved in things that go much, much deeper than he ever anticipated. This isn't like anything he's ever been wrapped up in, though. Hard to say if that's better or worse.

The least he can do is try to help out. Akiyama squats down at the side of one of the baths where someone is attempting to drain it. ]

If you'll excuse the phrasing, you look like you could use a hand. Need some help?

[ Phantasmal hands, conspiracies that run up to the highest levels of government. What's the difference? ]

[ 2. Unexpected Side Effects - NSFW ]

[ After dealing with whatever that was in the baths, a nice soak is definitely in order. What he doesn't account for is the effect the water has on him. It's ... fine. He's not a teenager, for god's sake. He can handle himself.

Or so he thinks. That confidence lasts about as long as it takes him to run into another person. Akiyama puts on the most charming smile he can given the circumstances. ]

You... [ Are attractive and in front of him. No, try harder than that. ] look like you could use some company. You new here, too?

[ Smooth. At least it's not as desperate as it could've been. ]

[ 3. Clean Up (Sutoku) ]

[ A redlight district isn't complete without arcades. Akiyama goes into one, woefully unprepared for what awaits him. He'd been told something about hauntings, but like everything else, he expected it to be nothing more than an urban legend.

Turns out this really is Hell and he needs to adjust his expectations accordingly.

He barely dodges a token shot out of a machine, putting his hands up to guard the flurry that comes after. ]

You got a key for this thing? I could really use some help right about now!

[ 4. Ghost Sharks ]

[ Akiyama has been startled by a shark jumping out of a puddle more than once as he gets his bearings. His first instinct is to ask around and see if anyone has heard anything. He kept contacts within the local homeless population in Kamurocho, so why not try here? They aren't nearly as welcoming, but with the help of some food and drink, he manages to get the information about the totem out of them. He thanks them for their help and leaves an extra bento and some beer for their trouble.

Armed with this information, he goes to the park and finds ... someone arguing with children over the totem. Akiyama gently pulls them aside with a smile. ]

If you want to get anywhere with them, you need to try something different. Mind if I give it a shot?

[ 5. Wildcard ]

[ These prompts not doing it for you? Got an idea? Drop me a starter or PM me here or on discord glitzkrieg#0673 and we can work something out! ]

Edited 2022-06-24 20:23 (UTC)

if you need to learn how to talk to a lady, ask your mum ➤ CURSED SHARKS

[ As far as unwanted trips to the underworld goes, this could be better. There's hardly even a shop here to her tastes; of course, what's a girl to do when she lacks even a bit of pocket change, anyway? Shopping is hardly something that should be on her schedule, so Bayonetta takes to perusing the streets, taking to awkward small talk, and being mistaken for a youkai on her own. (The lady is over eight feet tall, of course.) Sunset comes quickly, and it's when the whole of Jigoku is under the warm orange glow of the artificial sun that her unusual crawl through the streets lands her in a fascinating spot.

Perhaps you're being accosted by the ghost sharks, or maybe you're watching the whole ordeal unfold. It's a spectacle, for sure. A school of ghostly, ghoulish sharks is swimming ever closer to a lone civilian, smelling blood in the water. It's hardly something anyone wants to see. ]

Well, well! What a display.

[ A signpost barrels past between them, narrowly missing the accosted party. At least Bayo can aim well. The "STOP" sign speaks for itself, but she can't help herself. Perched atop some street railing with her legs crossed, the leggy woman leans over to rest her chin on her white gloved knuckles, and her elbow rests upon her knee. She tilts her head, and smiles, glasses catching sunlight and glimmering. ]

I didn't know the fish market ran so late here. And how fresh the cuts are. But they're compensating for something, I see.

[ The ghost sharks, of course, are turning with fury to the woman harassing them back. ] Insecurity has never been a good luck for anyone, dear.

[ Surely this will be fine. ]

whaddya buyin'?! ➤ SHOPPING

[ What was that about the fashion not being to her taste? Well, it turns out that you can't pass up a chance for free duds if you're Bayonetta. Without much insistence from anyone, she'll find herself in one of the shops allowing for some free clothing, and look. No one said that she had to stick to one thing.

So, there's an eight foot tall British woman trying on clothing. ]

Mm. Never been anything a bit of dress couldn't fix, I'll say.

[ What's she got on? A yukata, perhaps, or maybe a strange choice of costume, or something else. Pick your poison. Tell her she looks good. Or don't! She's a big girl. She can handle it. ]

flock off, featherface! ➤ CURSED CORNERS

[ She's just not a sharing sorta girl, you see. While a number of tasteless individuals are making a show of mocking others, the head honcho that towers over the streets is what gets her goat. It's not her business, and she's as unattached as possible (really, she swears, totally), but Bayonetta would love to get some beauty sleep in. It's not like working hours don't cut into that as is, so in the early morning hours, Lipsticki meets her match in the closest thing to Hakushaku Onna right now.

If you're around to see it, you'll know.

A door knob gets kicked into Lipsticki's face. It lands— hard. Bayonetta isn't even hiding it was her, hands on her hips as she walks across the rooftop of some neon lights business. Where did the knob come from? Questions, questions with no satisfactory answers! Come up with your own reason. She's busy. ]

Some of the city's resident have no idea what self-care looks like. For example, your recommended daily sleep allowance should be about eight hours... Hmm. [ Watching Lipsticki fume for a moment, Bayonetta tilts her head before continue. Meanwhile, all the cameras are on her, turned away from the recollections of trauma unfolding below on the streets. It's quiet. Too quiet. ]

But they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so don't give up trying.

[ Uh oh. ]

let's rock, baby! ➤ WILDCARD

[ You can hit me up with a BYOP, if none of these interest you. I'm playing fast and loose with Bayonetta's faction right now, so I'd prefer not to commit to any one in tags. On that note, if you wanna plot something out or have question, PM this account or hit me up @ hagclub. 💗 ]

Edited 2022-06-24 20:47 (UTC)

I. CLEAN UP, SHUTEN

... I can move around fine in this.

[ a mite of a man, clad from the neck down in pure black shinobi garb with a shock of white fluff to top it off, stands at the edge of the work site, mouth pressed in a disgruntled line while a pair of oni with wood propped on their shoulder frown at him.

"c'mon, man, can't you see yer ruinin' the vibe here dressed like that?" "shinobi or no, yer too sullen! even i think ya reek of death, and i'm an oni! gahaha!" ]

...

[ silent as the night, gabimaru seems to be quietly simmering, expression giving nothing away. ... before he sighs, and pulls away his sash. ]

Guess I've got no choice.

II. CLEAN UP, SUTOKU

[ somehow, he's pulled in to help clean the cabinets, despite doing his utter utmost to steer clear of all those flashing, neon lights and ringing music. mask pulled over his nose, gabimaru busily scrubs at the blood, more home in the dirty crust and grime, eyes squinting to focus as though he were battling a headache.

the machine he's working on suddenly lets out an ominous groan, quaking and rattling on its legs before — ]

!

[ — it spits out a stream of golden coins, straight past him and towards the nearest person. ]

Damn, look out!

[ but gabimaru is already moving, throwing an arcade coin bucket with the swiftness and accuracy of a kunai, mouth inward, between the oncoming tokens and their next victim. ]

III. CURSED CORNERS

[ a series of images like wood-block prints appear, stroke after paint stroke, around one sullen ninja, caught between rifts in dream and reality at the mouth of an alleyway: a kind-looking young woman, a demon of an old man, flitting about around him. her voice is like wind-chimes, soothing to the soul, but she evaporates into white mist, like a smoke bomb set off. in her place is the old man, sneering and cackling.

"it was all an act, from beginning to end. we shinobi should remain emotionless!"

it's then that the kerakera-onna makes herself known, having been peeking over the cross of a telephone pole before standing, and joining in the jeering.

meanwhile, gabimaru stands there, apparently taking the abuse. he turns, away from the specter, towards the youkai, and bows. ]

I'm sure you lived a hard life, too. Thank you for your services.

a. now watch time disappear [cursed corners]

It was supposed to be a simple walk through the city at night to try to get their bearings. They weren't supposed to be standing there, ruined eye showing their brain a shattered image of the circumstances that brought them to their life as it is now (or at least, as it was until very recently). An older blonde woman hugs a younger, green-haired one in something that has never been more one-sided; the younger person is limp as a dead fish with a small pack of belongings on their back.

"Hope," says the woman once the hug ends, and there is no reaction. "Please take care of yourself in that wretched place." The person with green hair turns and walks away, out of the camera frame. On the stage, the scene changes so very gradually to two adults, the woman from earlier and a man of roughly the same age, standing in front of a crowd of people. There is little dialogue, but the projected image of a newspaper headline reading CARASSIA ENERGY HEIRESS HOPE, 18, FOUND DEAD gives enough of the game away.

The kerakera-onna cackles from behind Leviathan as the scene comes to an end, and they can feel reality crashing in around them. Their head swivels to the onlookers, the people who have come to see this scene from their past. The day that they died. And they growl, and their fist sparks blue. "Do you think this is funny?" they say, turning on their heel and glaring up at the yokai. "Do you think it's good content? Finding some way to tear out my memories and put them on display like this?"

The kerakera-onna grins back at them. "Do you think it's funny hiding who you are from people? At least I keep things real, Leviathan." When Levi punches at the air, expecting a lightning bolt to arc from their fist, nothing happens. The massive woman cackles even louder. "Please. Keep trying! That pathetic excuse for an origin story would barely make a yonaki-ishi shed a tear."

b. show me a sign or be destroyed [the enma speaks]

Okay, well. This is one way to be introduced extremely quickly to the delicate politics that run this city. Levi is no stranger to being forced to be a public figure, and usually knows how to compose themself fairly well for it. But they're usually briefed for these things, they usually know a little more about what the hell is even happening, and right now they have none of that. They have what they've picked up from context clues, and they have what can only be described as an anemic statement from the Enma. And because they're here as a representative of the Enma's faction, they are for some reason expected to have every answer.

It's stressful. And stress and Leviathan have historically never gone well together. They pull away from the pack, trying to deflect as many questions to their superiors as they can—whoever their superiors even are, because it cannot be emphasized enough how little they know what the PR-approved line is or what it is they should even be answering for. "Sorry, the Enma said that we'd be investigating Haniyasu," they say while shoving their way to a secluded area. Once they're there, though they have no idea how secluded these areas even are, they press both their hands to the nearest guardrail and let their electricity loose.

It's not as much as they would have expected, barely more than a fizzle, but the beads of sweat on their brow and the way their heart is pounding inside their ears lets them know that it's still just as dangerous. They sigh. "Am I being hazed?" they ask to no one in particular. "This is ridiculous."

c. a world in limbo waiting, opening up [wildcard]

((please check out levi's info if you have any questions about them!! if you wanna do anything else here, hit me up here or at

roseward.))

i - Shuten Cleanup

[ What the hell. What. Why. She gets dragged into literal Hell - is she actually dead? - and put to work at manual labor! If it wasn't for the desperate need to distract herself from questioning her status on this mortal coil she might have already fucked off but she does know how to work for a living, as unglamorous as this is.

Then she bashes her hand with a hammer. ]

Motherf-goddamn-

[ With a choked scream she chucks her hammer hard at the ground.

The head pops off and bashes her on the shin, taking her down in an instant, rolling on the ground clutching the injury and trying not to cry like a little weenie (she's not doing a very good job). ]

ii - Ghost Sharks

Why is it sharks?!

[ For some reason she kept the broken hammer, and hurling the head through one of the ghost sharks seems to delay it long enough for her to try to bail. ]

I can't get away from things that want to fucking eat me!

[ Her voice is rising - angry and panicked. At least she had weapons to fight the dragons with - this ghost sharks aren't actually getting hurt by anything anyone does. ]

Please tell me this isn't normal here...

iii - The Enma Speaks

...what's that. Who's that? Who-what?

[ Chris just went with the flow. Of avoiding work. And, well, a big important guy getting out of the hospital is actually pretty juicy ain't it? But she has like no context for any of this, which is honestly a bit frustrating. ]

-1- Cleanup (Sutoku)

[ Surrounded by the chaotic lights and sounds of the arcade is a masked girl, practically glued to the UFO machine. It was annoying at first, but it's pushed beyond that. Now it's personal. ]

Who do you think you are, machine?! I've defeated foes far greater than you! Your cheap tricks won't save you!

[ The machine clamps down on her fingers again, derailing her tirade. In frustration, she starts pounding on the glass, threatening to break the machine. The weird part of the scene is that, for some reason, all her yelling is in a mildly-elevated monotone, and there's no expression on her face at all.

Still, you should probably stop her before broken glass gets everywhere. ]

-2- Ghost Sharks

[ Ghost sharks! Attacking in the streets! But fear not: It seems a hero has risen to oppose them!

Her naginata is unfortunately missing, but Kokoro has made do by arming herself with a lead pipe she found. After bashing the shark in the head, it disperses and reappears nearby, giving her time to place herself between it and its next would-be meal. She strikes an overwrought pose with her pipe, like something out of a kabuki performance. ]

Wicked spirit! Blame your own misfortune for choosing this day to feed on innocent humans... for today, I, Hata no Kokoro, shall punish you for your misdeeds!

[ Kokoro isn't a hero, not really. She's a performer, though, and when evil forces are about, what better role to perform? Also, maybe if she's cool enough, she can win over some of those kids and get her hands on the shark totem.

To destroy it, of course. Not to use it for herself. Definitely not thinking about how much fun that kind of chaos could be. No, sir. ]

-3- Cursed Corners

[ Well, playing the hero built up some momentum, so might as well stick to the role for today. Being a wicked youkai can wait until she has a better understanding of the political landscape, or at least some of her powers back.

In these cursed corners of the city, it's not hard to pick up on what's going on. No idea what a cell phone is, but these humans(?) are having their dark secrets and sins displayed to an ogling crowd. How better to help them than to draw attention away from them?

So, Kokoro drifts between corners, doing whatever she can think of to get all eyes on her. Sometimes, she plays the horror villain, obscuring her face with a frightening mask and asking if people find her beautiful. Sometimes, comic pratfalls or ridiculous jokes and monologues. Sometimes through abstract old-fashioned dance, which she's quite good at. All of them delivered with a variety of different masks and the same blank facial expression.

Hopefully once the distraction has done its job, at least some people will wander off in search of a new spectacle. You're welcome? ]

[1. shuten clean up (soiya soiya soiya!)]

[For how unfamiliar and oppressive the atmosphere in Jigoku-Cho has been since Beat's arrival, the chance to familiarize himself with some locals, earn some goodwill, and declutter his thoughts with physical work is pretty much the perfect thing he could have asked for. He might not know the specific work songs being sung, but it doesn't take long for him to feel the rhythm, learn the melody, and join in the chorus.

The one thing he's requested is to keep his mask on, awkwardly wrapping the hachimaki over the front of it.

Even as incidents and accidents start piling on, he's trying his best to keep spirits high, taking a moment punctuated by nearby swears and oaths to start a different work song going.]

[3. cursed corners (prelude: exile, lento maestoso)]

[Amidst the backdrop of night and flickering lights, there is a show being projected. Passers-by watching a figure, transfixed, as he watches a ghostly, unreal recreation of a moment long ago. Of Beat Knight, knelt in chains, jailed aboard a ship being tossed about a storm. In the hallucinatory rain, a gaunt and sharp-angled figure throws the cell open and cuts the chains. "The emperor was too soft on you. But I won't question orders, unlike your sort," they say in an emotionless but melodic voice. "What good are orders if the voice that gives them is corrupt?" comes Beat's hushed, gravelly reply.

A laugh from the jailer, low and quiet. "That's the kind of stupid question that gets you into this situation."

It's a replay of his punishment, his sentence of exile. Of the last moments of his voyage away from home. His armor plates clatter and chime in the shuddering wind and phantom rain that assails the space before him. A deep wound and personal reminder of the journey that led him here. To hell.

And here's a crowd of people forming to watch.]

[5. wildcard (improvise!)]

[Permissions and first impressions are here! I'm open to any and all other ideas; if you want to plot, feel free to hit me up at

alqemizzy.]

Edited 2022-06-24 21:44 (UTC)

en. arcades (sutoku clan)

(... did he die...? sure, he was arrested, but he doesn't quite recall pissing off someone so greatly to the point they would sneak into his cell at night. no one is that passionate... they could definitely have waited till he was out to kill him. maybe he died of a broken heart...?

figuring out how or if he passed seems like a useless exercise right now, when he finds himself in a city in a state that he has never seen before. assigned cleaning... feels a little bit like repentance, so he sighs, making his way to one of the arcades, facing the chaos once he opens the door...

and turning right around. hell no. he isn't equipped for this.)

två. cursed corners cw possible mentions of underage drug use in this prompt

(innocent he still is about the nature of this world, even though he is quickly hardening up to it. it's more of a matter of ignorance rather than being naive - that, shin certainly isn't.

he just wasn't expecting to see hachiko once he turns around a corner, the one he truly considers a mother to him, looking at him with disgust and anger. the shock glues his feet to the ground, his heart pounding nearly out of his chest.

"you ruined everything. blast's image is going to be tainted forever because of you, shin-chan... they'll think of you in jail now instead... why couldn't you just think? you were doing so well..."

he's so taken aback he can't even hear the cameras flashing, even if he sees the light hit him from all directions - a telltale sign he should get the hell out of this spot. take hachi, run-- his feet won't abide by his will.

shit. shit.)

tre. children will be children cw underage smoking

(sharks...? why does it gotta be sharks!! why can't it be bunnies, or maybe cute cats!! but no!! it's sharks!!!!

nothing in the world will dim the pout he has on his lips, the whine that comes out of him along with the smoke from his lungs.)

Why do we gotta do it?! I'm just a musician!! Just a musician!! I don't know how to convince kids!!! Couldn't they just send a lawyer...!!!

(shin a lawyer would make matters worse)

fyra. wildcard

(throw anything at me! if you have questions, or would like to speak to me beforehand, you're more than free and welcome to pm this account! leggoooo!!!!)

[It was safe to say Kokichi was more than a little upset with this being the third time he'd been pulled into another universe just...because. He'd be willing to admit at this point that this one had gotten a bit less of his attention being that he just lost a potential first boyfriend (immediately after confessing to him), but he did at least have Pixieduster (his hybrid Calvary Lance/Crossbow, designed by Ruby Rose) with him, so that was something.

Especially since something seemed to involve something being up in literal Hell.]

a) cleaning - tamamo
[Bloody water. That always brought him back to a certain magic trick he'd been forced to behold, and that was never good - or, thoughts-wise, back to the sound of rushing waves Sayo had described to him every now and again from Rokkenjima. The water hitting the rocks violently, as if in itself crying out for freedom.

But there was no freedom in a bathhouse, unless you counted sexual expression, and that'd just get him frustrated all over again with his situation. So he was going to go in, clean up, try to take it easy. Cleaning was a mindless task, anyway, and he was decent enough at those.

He walked in with his bucket and mop, and began strolling towards the drain.

That's when the hands made themselves apparent.]

Oh, you've gotta be kidding me.

[He sniffed indignantly, waving the broom around like it was a weapon in itself.]

Back. Back, y'gastly gropers, there ain't jack SHIT for you here!

[Whoever walks in on this scene is probably in for a bit of an odd one.]

aa) cleaning - sutoku
[Kokichi, in all honesty, felt pretty at home in an arcade. He had his arms folded behind his head, strolling past the UFO machines - almost a sight that made him homesick. DICE would've hung out here, back in the day. But he wasn't part of DICE anymore. He was on the lower end of the food chain. And he had to work himself back up.

So. They were haunted, huh? Keys, keys--ah. He walked up to one of the machines, the machine seeming to almost pettily spit some coins at his leg - which he took with only a small frown. Yeah, okay.

Good thing he played every game on nightmare difficulty, since he was now laser-focused on the UFO machine in front of him....while one behind him seemed to be preparing itself to shotgun change at his back. He didn't seem to notice...?]

b) - ghost sharks
[Finally, a mission ideal for him! Kokichi had almost jumped at this mission - both to prove his worth, and because he knew it was something he could do. Dealing with kids was one of his specialties. The sharks...were a bit alarming. But the kids, provided they were tracked down, were definitely something he could handle.

So, this resulted in him crouched down next to a little boy who was clutching the totem tightly in his fist.]

Alright, buddy. What's it gonna take for me to get that shark totem? I've got a couple ideas. I caaaaaan...win something for you at the arcade. I can get ya some snacks. Or! Or. We could make this interesting. [He winks at the kid, raising one finger.] A competition. I'm super good at games, and I bet you're the same, yeah? What if we use it as part of a bet, huh?

And just so it's fair...

[Kokichi glances around, and then points towards someone.]

They'll decide what we play if you're in. What'cha say, kiddo? Wanna try your luck? I'll get something even cooler for you if you win - and I'm only asking for the shark totem if you lose...

c) - cursed corners
[Kokichi's heard of the corners, by this point. He's pretty tech-savvy, so considering the popularity, he's not going to stop being sly for one minute. He's nearby one, stuck between the voyeurs. And, honestly...

These people disgust him. Which is why he's being remarkably petty at the moment.

The minute someone turns up to the corner, Kokichi carefully spins back, making it just so the momentum is right for someone to bump into someone else...and their phone to go clattering to the ground. He's trying to do this as much as possible without being noticed, and he's gotten a few upset onlookers thus far, but nothing too substantial. No one has seemed to notice him yet, either.

That is, until someone freezes up at the street corner. Kokichi crosses his arms, expecting they might help themselves...and then cuts his losses when he realizes they're kind of stuck. Paying no heed to their memory, he strolls up behind them, grabbing them by the shoulder.]

Hey, buddy. Snap out of it.

wild card
[Anything else? Hit me up at

osomatsuniisan. Kokichi's taken from a small stint in Deer Country in which he's learned some fighting training and been through a few trials against his past.]

( GHOST SHARKS )

[At this point Sagiri isn't sure how many of the strange (oddly plump?) ghost sharks she's cut down, but the number is somewhere in the high twenties. Each time she comes across one she resists as for as long as she's able, but honestly... they're somewhat cute, but each time she delays they leap out of the nearby puddles for an attack. It's become tiring on top of frustrating, so by the time she runs across the group of children holding the totem hostage she's more than ready to gently convince them to hand it over. It's been a long and confusing day and all she would like to do is return to some semblance of peace.

What's happening now is not peaceful.] Y-You really musn't treat adults this way...!

[Is her flimsy attempt at scolding the kids, as she stands in the middle of the group tied by what appears to be... a jump rope. The rope has been wound several times around her body and now she unsteadily stands, arms bound to her sides as the kids pull and laugh. She grunts and shakes her head, giving them probably the most unimpressive glare they've ever seen.]

If you continue to keep this up one of you might get hurt!

[Says the woman currently tied up?? She knows she could break free if she wanted, but her concern for the kids stops her from doing so. She lets out a disgruntled sound, hanging her head low.]

I am filled with shame...

[Girl.]

( DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA )

[It should go without saying that someone who wields a sword as easily as she does holds a responsibility to protect those weaker than herself. This is what she tells herself as she makes various rounds about the city on behalf of the Enma, offering to clean up bloodied areas or help carry supplies to those who need it. She isn't much of an exorcist but she's also been offering to protect people on their way around town— just in case a lingering ghoul or spirit decides to try something under their nose.

But after a long day of truly not knowing where she is or how she got here Sagiri is ready to call it quits. That is, until an iso onna flags her down and waves a soaking wet kimono sleeve in her face.

"You Enma are taking responsibility for all this, aren't you!? Then just hear me out for a second!"]

Eh? Good madam, I think there's been a mistake...

[Except she hasn't. Sagiri soon finds herself looking down at a large round fish bowl, filled with water but devoid of actual fish.

"There's ghost fish in there, I'm sure of it!"

She has a headache.]

( WILD CARD )

[You know what to do!]

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totoko yowai | osomatsu-san