jigokufever | AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

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AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

1. SHUTEN TERRITORY - Muscling In

art by tohdraws

In the aftermath of the curse crisis, the Shuten Clan forgave a bunch of protection payments in the region, and helped cover the costs for rebuilding. Unfortunately, some of the street gangs in the area are much less civically minded. They have used the Shuten's relaxed policies as an opportunity to turn their own screws on the local business owners. These unaffiliated youth gangs have been much rougher with the locals, and have been asking for even larger collection fees. This has pissed off the folks who are just trying to get their lives and businesses back on track!

Unfortunately, the opening of Sai no Kawara in the underground drew so much of the clan's focus and manpower, that the issues up top just slipped through the cracks. Until now! Toraguma is in a bad mood and is looking for people to take it out on: the youth gangs will do just fine.

Volunteers are being solicited to join the regular Shuten enforcers in driving these interlopers out of Shuten territory. The gangs are wise to the usual Shuten tactics, though, and they're prepared for a fight. They are also appealing to the influx of Lost Souls: they act as though they're the victims of the factions' power struggles! They propose that taking up arms against the Shuten Clan will win them favor with the other groups in the city. (It will look less good with the Shuten Clan, should you be assigned to them.)

Fight with the Shutens, or with the gangs. Either way, a fight is coming.

2. TAMAMO TERRITORY - Throat Goat (NSFW)

at by akai riot

This prompt is overtly sexual in nature. Please use the proper NSFW labelling in your top levels and threads.

While the Palace of Sai in the underground is doing well, that doesn't mean the other businesses in the Tamamo Clan's collection have been slacking. One of the least "classy" soaplands has decided they're going to hold a contest to drive up business for themselves! They are partnering with some of the other sex clubs in the area for the sleaziest of events.

The Hyottoko Cup is looking for volunteer participants! The competition is pretty straightforward: a ruler is drawn on the throat of each participant and an array of members is presented to swallow. Whichever contestant can take the guests deepest and longest will take home the "coveted" Hyottoko Cup! Ok, there's a little judge favoritism involved too, so put on a show.

The guests have likewise been pulled in as volunteers, with instructions that they don't have to make this easy on the participants. Guests are provided with special seals that they can use for the length of the competition to enhance their natural assets. For those lacking the equipment entirely, there's a seal for that too.

Have fun and play nice.

3. TAMAMO TERRITORY - Strike a Poise (GEN)

Other businesses looking to jump start this month's earnings are also getting in on the spirit of competition! Businesses less oriented towards sexual service have come together as a means to draw in the high dollar clients, and one local club has proposed something old school.

Sign up for the Poise Contest, where contestants are placed into more and more ridiculous geta while tasked with serving drinks to the guest. Spills are expected, and the guests are cheerfully kitted out with cheap club-branded ponchos to protect their clothes. (Marketing, am I right?) While spills are expected, the contestant will lose points for each of the spilled drinks. Try to keep your balance as you attend to increasingly absurd drink orders. The intensity of the traditional footwear will only make your job that much harder.

Do you have what it takes to pour a champagne fountain while wearing teetering tengu geta? Prove your balance and dexterity is the best and the take home prize is some sweet cash. For Lost Souls freshly in the city, the chance to win some extra money can't really be passed up, huh…

4. SUTOKU TERRITORY - Jigokucho's Got Talent

Ever since Moonday's beloved singer – Ringo-chan – was kidnapped at the Tanabata festival, the band has had to cancel all of their scheduled gigs. Unfortunately, they were a hugely popular act, booked solid in most of the Sutoku Alliance's various nightclubs. This has left a ton of empty spots that need to be filled quickly, before the crowds get upset and demand… refunds.

That's where you come in, Lost Souls! Desperate promoters and talent bookers are literally grabbing Lost Souls off the street and begging, pleading, with them to perform a set for the night. They just need to have something to fill the space Moonday would have otherwise occupied. At least give the crowd something to see!

Acts do not need to be of the musical variety. Any performing talent is accepted, no matter how esoteric or bizarre! If it can fill out a 15-30 minute set, the club owners will be happy and the customers will at least see something interesting; even if it's a bad kind of interesting. So get on stage and show this city what you've got!

( Help us fill our time slots, please! We're desperate! 😩)

5. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA - Sticky Paws II: Outta the Bag

The Enma Department is busy: they have a kidnapping to investigate, a primordial god to pin down, and the crisis of their ever-shifting public image to manage. However, crime never sleeps and is always there to add to the troubled Department's workload. Worse still, we thought this little crime spree was over six months ago! But here it is again, much to the Enma's chagrin.

Cat cafés are a popular tourist attraction all across Jigokucho. About six months ago, a gang of bakeneko infiltrated several of the cafés to rob customers occupied with kitty bliss. Wallets, jewelry, and anything else those sticky paws could snatch away were being picked in droves. The cat capers are afoot once more!

Are you a hapless victim of these furry thieves, or are you helping the Department of the Enma track down these cat burglars? Unfortunately, the bakeneko are exceptionally clever and are using a seal to disguise their secondary tails. This makes them look just about like any normal cat. Better make sure your lead is good, or you'll be chasing down an ordinary Felis Catus. Soft to pet, but not going to return your pilfered cash.

Of course, the café staff might be in on this caper too… It's never easy to tell who's getting a cut of the profits. Be careful who you trust out there.

6. ALL OVER - The 100 Billion Yen Man (PLOT RELEVANT)

The local TV news has been announcing that Kaberou Kannazaki – the legendary finance wolf and the father of kidnapping victim, Ringo-chan – will be making an announcement this week. People have flocked to television sets throughout the city; at the squares, around TVs in bars, electronic stores, each other's phones, and any other venue with a connection. The kidnapping has been a highly public ordeal and the talk of the town. Many of the locals were present at the festival and witnessed the crime. They want to hear what the word is!

The public doesn't have to wait long. Wolf-eared Kaberou sits at a press desk, surrounded by microphones, and dazzled with flashbulbs. He clears his throat and, as he begins to speak, he is direct and to the point; not unlike a wolf lunging for the throat.

"As of today, I am issuing a bounty on the man known as the Iron Bear, who has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of my daughter, Ringo Kannazaki. The payout to the party responsible for bringing me Iron Bear, dead or alive, is 100 Billion Yen. Individuals or groups, I don't care. Just bring my daughter back to me, and the money is yours."

Well! The Department of the Enma's hopes of an orderly investigation have been dashed, but this is certainly an opportunity for anyone brave enough – or, more accurately, stupid enough – to traverse the Wasteland. Maybe one of you out there will find the legendary Iron Bear and bring him to some form of justice.

Local businesses are quick to leap at this opportunity, too. They begin to aggressively push sponsorships at would-be bounty hunters. Weapons? Armor? Survival gear? All at discount prices! Each faction has their interest in collecting the massive bounty as well. They will all be putting a lot of pressure on recruits to get ready to head out to the Wastes.

If you just got here? Well, it would definitely be in your interest to start finding gear, and finding people willing to collect that bounty with you. It could mean a big step forward toward your eventual contract, after all.

Welcome to the test drive meme!

First of all, big thanks to our discord chat for the "Throat Goat" prompt idea. Stay golden, gang.
IF YOU'RE TOP-LEVELING A NEW CHARACTER, post it here!
Characters already in the game can top level as well.
Threads here can be considered game canon.
Characters can be recruited to do work for any faction until they're given their official assignment.
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 September 5th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nude gate?

[ she says, with a tone in her voice that implies she knows exactly why that's incorrect. not that she's going to dwell on that for long, when leviathan's just told her something waaaay more interesting than that first bit. ]

Ohhh, is that so... You're not into boys, huh? [ and then, just in case levi's got the wrong idea: ] Nice. I can dig it.

Edited 2022-08-26 07:39 (UTC)

[there's a lot to correct with what nazuna just said, and for a moment, they're tempted just to let her go on believing it. it doesn't matter that much. but at the risk of sounding like a joke, it's gonna bother them if they don't. they try not to let irritation show, but they can hear it creeping into their voice all the same.]

People with penises are fine, okay? I just don't like sex.

[ that's an unexpected turn. for a moment, nazuna's casual grin drops; she just sort of stares at leviathan as the two walk. like this, it's harder to read the girl; like this, those piercing blue eyes seem almost alien in their intensity.

and then she laughs, almost apologetically, and pulls one hand out to scratch awkwardly at her neck. ]

Ah. Gotcha, gotcha. It's not an innie or outie thing, huh...

[ it sounds like- well. it sounds like she gets it, on some level. and it sounds like she also doesn't understand in the slightest. but most importantly, it sounds like she's taking it at face value, rather than pressing levi for weakness. ]

...I know a guy like that. [ it's weirdly confessional in tone. like it's not something to gossip about, for the first time. ] Good kid. 's got a good heart and a good head on his shoulders. You'd probably like him.

[ she trails off for a moment, that odd expression still on her face...

...and then she scowls playfully, and reaches out to poke at leviathan's arm. ]

-ah, but don't even think about making a move on him! [ she sounds angry, but - well, it's clearly for show. play-angry, rather than anything substantial. ] He's spoken for already, alright?! Hands off the merch!

[they aren't paying attention to the first part of that, because they're trying to calm themself down. any time it gets bad enough that they can hear it in their own voice, they know it's time to start breathing more carefully and think of things that calm them down. unfortunately, right now the biggest candidate for that is someone else who's been on their mind a lot recently, and it's unhelpful in a similar yet distinctly different way.]

[which is to say their face is still a little red when they return to the conversation.]

I wouldn't try. I'm looking at someone else right now anyway. [move past it, levi.] So he's your partner?

Yep! A gen-yoo-wine partner, through and through. A buddy I can rely on, y'know?

[ she's. using partner without even the slightest inkling of the romantic inclinations, isn't she. ]

Some days, we just play M*rio Kart- [ how did she do that with her voice? ] -and some days we're fighting for our lives, but he's got my back the whole while! Great kid, great kid. A little on the shrimpy side, but that's just how things are when you're a middle-schooler, y'know?

[ when you're a what now. ]

[...]

[huh.]

Sorry. Your partner is in middle school? And you and I met at a—[they don't really know how else to say it.] Dick sucking competition? [there must be some context they're missing. right?]

There really isn't a good answer to this question, but how old are you?

Yep. Kids, am I right? [ she says it in the tone of voice of someone who's heard it and never actually considered what it might mean. especially not in this context. ] And I think it's just how far down you can go. You know, deep throat? That kind of thing?

[ she even pronounces it in english. what a weirdo. ]

How old am I, huh... [ she stops in her path. she spins on one foot, facing leviathan directly. and then she leans in, light glinting off those eerie blue eyes. ] Why don't you take a guess?

[the line between deep throating and sucking dick is nothing but sementic. as blurred as what's on their neck. they don't want to guess, but they doubt they'll get out of this without guessing. instead, they put one hand on their hip and act like they're giving nazuna a real look of consideration.]

I think you're... [and they can't help themself for thinking they're a little clever with how they end the sentence.] Dodging the question. I would easily give you your early 20s, but I think you might be looking for a different answer.

[they certainly hope so.]

Heh. You're a real smartypants, aren't ya?

[ her gaze drops down to leviathan's hand, dangling at their side. she'd seen the discharge earlier, of course; noted it, put it away for later. all sorts in this place, demons and youkai and hoodlums and all. but this person? what are they?

she finally says, after a moment: ]

Do you believe in vampires?

[hm. well, that's certainly one way to answer the question. they straighten up, a maneuver that's always been very difficult for them, and look anew at nazuna.]

I live in Hell now and I just had drinks with the daughter of a financial magnate last week. I don't think I have much of a choice but to believe in whatever I see.

[ ha! it's because they're not very straight. get it. get it. i got the joke. praise me ]

Oya, oya... Smart and adaptable. Good on you.

[ she reaches up, tugging one lip out of the way. like this, under the lights of the city, there's no mistaking the wicked fangs where incisors should be. she lets go a moment later, still giving that languid little grin. ]

I haven't been in my twenties for a long time. Are you catching my drift?

[ ...okay, so it's barely been ten years since she was in her twenties. but it isn't like leviathan has to know that. right? right. she's the best. ]

I do believe I understand, yes. In fact, I think I understand most of what's happening here.

[there is, however, still one extremely important question that they feel the need to ask. they cross their arms over their chest, as guarded a motion as they think they can safely make right now. they know about vampires, and they don't want to make any sudden or incorrect moves. and the words in the back of their mouth are both of those things.]

But you are still dating a 13-year-old?

...eh?

[ the moment leviathan brings up "dating," a marked change happens. nazuna freezes in her tracks; her eyes go wide, her cheeks immediately flushing bright pink. for a moment, all she can do is stare, completely dumbfounded by this new accusation.

and then it sinks in, and nazuna makes a sound much like a whistling teapot. ]

Nnnnnnnnno! No, no, no, NO! [ her hands fly up; she waves them back and forth uselessly in the universal symbol for "what the fuck man." ] No way! I don't- I'm not-

[ whatever levi thinks nazuna is about to say, it's probably not what ends up stumbling out: ]

I don't do r- ro- romantic- [ she practically tries to charade it out, then gives up in dramatic fashion. she can't even say the word without stuttering. ] -boyfriend-girlfriend stuff! That's not my style! Gross! Weird! It's- It's not me, so...

[ is she. is she shaking? she is. she's shaking like a terrified chihuahua. she covers her face, all but yelling through her hands. ]

And he's fourteen! Not thirteen! At least get that right!

[this is supposed to be the fearsome, intimidating vampire? leviathan is... not for the first time in this conversation, somewhat stunned. this whole reaction feels—well, it feels childish. and maybe that's the thing here, you know? maybe the issue is that in vampire terms, nazuna is still very young. maybe that makes it an actual reasonable thing to do, what she's doing.]

[levi tries very hard to be open-minded. they really do.]

I see now that maybe I overshot your age a little bit. [sometimes, though, they can't resist making a jab or two.] You're okay with people putting their parts in each other's mouths, but holding hands is a little too far for you? You are... one of the most interesting vampires I've ever met, Nazuna.

[it doesn't answer the question! nothing does! but. they're also not really asking that question right now.]

What is he to you, then? You certainly seem possessive enough of him that he could be your boyfriend.

Shut up, shut up, shut up! [ not that it sounds very convincing, muffled and behind her palms. ] Age has nothing to do with it! And putting parts into someone's mouth is perfectly normal, okay?! Animals do it! Humans do it! Vampires do it! It's the l- luh-

[ you've got this, nazuna. let it all out. ]

-lovey-dovey crap that's weird!

[ nailed it. nailed it so hard. ]

He's my prey, got it!? My local blood bag! I get good meals off of him, and he gets the honor of a gorgeous, sexy, super cool and super hip vampire chick drinking his blood! [ and that'd be a really bad reflection on her, if she knew how to keep her mouth shut for even a fucking second. ] And yeah, sure, we're friends! So what?! He's a cool kid! Way cooler than you! What, just because he doesn't work in finance and wine and dine some corpo head, that makes him someone not worth my time?!

[ uh. ]

Get real! Fat chance! He's- he's at least twice as cool as any other lame servant I could have chosen! He doesn't wanna become a vampire because of some stupid reason like- like love, or romance, or any of that other dumb shit! He just understands what it's like to be a part of the night, okay!? Get off my case! He's not my boyfriend, he's not my lover, and he's definitely not a boytoy or anything like that! Kou-kun's my best friend, okay?! My friend!!

[ this seems like. it might be addressing some issues that leviathan never even brought up. ]

So if he- If he, you know, does end up- You know-

[ do they???? ]

-then it's not my fucking problem, got it!?

[see, everything that levi needed to hear began and ended with "he's my best friend". everything else just seems... well, a little unnecessary, but also very funny. they try their best to keep a straight face, but by the end of it they are laughing quietly with their hand curled up in front of their mouth.]

I understand. [they don't think they do. they really don't think they do. but it's okay, because it's funny. this reaction is so over the top that it makes leviathan feel like they have the upper hand—though, well, they do have one part of this record that they absolutely need to correct. everything else, they no-sell. they wait for nazuna to calm herself down and thank whatever god is listening that they're not that bad (anymore).]

But I'm not in finance and she's not a corpo head. Say what you want about the rest of me, but I'm absolutely not the kind of person who would make themself any corporation's lackey.

Good! Good. Guess we see eye to eye then.

[ this person's laughing at her. and, well - that sucks, but at least they're not saying any more gross and weird stuff about- you know. relationships.

... ]

Fine. Whatever gets your salary, then.

[ yeah, she's just kind of deflated at this point. the earlier stammering fury is just gone. ]

Mentoring meta-humans and vigilante philanthropy.

[they say it after a long pause, worrying that maybe they've done something incorrect. the freakout stopped far too quickly—but they don't know, really, do they? they're not good at reading people, much less vampires. they are going to try not to dwell on it. already, it is not working; they can even feel their speech stiffening along with their shoulders.]

That's how I used to get paid. I was a trusted enough member of my organization to be left with the development of new members of meta-humanity in my hands. It's not exactly the same here.

Meta...

[ she understood approximately half of those words individually, and definitely not any of them put together. ]

Hey now, hey now, are you just making things up?

[they tilt their head. it shouldn't be a surprise to them anymore that people don't really know what meta-humanity is, but they thought that, you know. a vampire might be able to piece some stuff together? well, maybe that was also part of the bit. either way, they're not gonna leave her hanging.]

No I'm not! Meta-humanity is... it's a new step forward in evolution, if you believe certain scientists. Basically, it's otherwise normal humans who were born with some sort of mutation that grants them extra abilities. [they can't quite generate a harmless ball of lightning in the palm of their hand yet, but ever since that letter from the daitengu they've been eager to get back to the casual spark lightshow that they use to self-regulate, so they do that with the tips of their fingers. it's a similar display to the one that they don't know nazuna had seen.]

For example. I generate electricity inside of my body.

[ nazuna hears a lot of words, once again, that she doesn't really bother keeping up with. evolution, and scientists, and mutation - but that one shows up in videogames sometimes, so maybe she'll still pay attention, y'know?

and then leviathan shows the lightning again. a part of nazuna's brain finally lights up - this is something she understands, now! - and another part completely shuts off, and she says with a cheery smile: ]

Ohhh! Gotcha, gotcha. Sheesh, you should've just said!

[ did she... did she actually get it? ]

So like, humans with magic, right?

[ no. no, she did not. ]

[no. well, yes. well, not really. they don't exactly correct nazuna, but they don't want to get totally the wrong idea across, either.]

In a sense. It's biological instead of magical, though—mine is all localized within my heart. I knew people who were extremely strong, or who could generate fire the way I generate lightning. Things like that.

[they think by saying more, they're just going to bore nazuna. but they also think that they can't stop themself.]

If you believe the propaganda, we're evolving so humanity can take its new place among the stars. I'm not sure how true that really is, but it's still a new phenomenon. Maybe that's what it's for after all.

...you're human aliens with magic?

[ sorry, leviathan, you said the magic word. she looks starstruck. ]

Holy shit! Hey, how strong is the lightning? Can you make it rain? [ she grabs leviathan's shoulders, staring up at them with a look of utmost sincerity. ] Have you ever been on a spaceship?

[oh, no.]

[well. this is a better reaction than the alternative. and it's not like they've never run into people who are super excited about meta-humanity before... just not in this way in a while. despite themself, they feel their lips turning up in a smile.]

We're not aliens, and I've never been on a spaceship. [they laugh gently at the idea. (of course, they'd been slated to see what carassia energy's partners had been developing on mars, but that was before the troubles.)] We're just humans with a little extra, and honestly, cyberware is so advanced that you can emulate a lot of meta-humanity with technology.

[they have... mixed opinions about that, but they try not to let it show on their face. still, they know they're looking off to the side, not caring about the way their shatterscar eye glimmers in the ambient light. they can pretend that it's all okay in the name of education.]

The lightning is usually pretty strong, but I think it's on a resistor here to prevent me from... well, taking out the entire power grid. And no, I can't make it rain. It's just electricity.

Ah, come on! You've gotta get a spaceship at some point, right? If technology's so far ahead, where's the UFOs, huh!?

[ if nazuna notices levi's own opinions wavering, she sure doesn't show it. and at the same time, if nazuna thinks levi's scarred eye or powers are weird...? she doesn't show that, either. ]

Damn, the whole power grid!? Are you a superhero? Are you Th*r!? [ HOW DID SHE DO THAT A SECOND TIME. ] Ah, sheesh, that's so cool... You gotta stop that, man, you're making me look like a wuss over here! Humans aren't supposed to be stronger than vampires, y'know!?

[ but she sure doesn't sound upset about it. not in the slightest. ]

cw: mild casual/unintended transphobia ig???

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cw: age gap except not really except kind of? nazuna's canon is. yeah.

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