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!
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Reserves are open until September 5th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...Only about two months now. I got here and was almost immediately put to work.

[Which is fine. Two months to settle in to this new afterlife (even if Aerith says they don't have to die to get here, how else would they? This is Hell, not another dimension.

He'll grab one shirt out of the bags and start leading Martin to the bathroom. Plucking out an extra towel and everything to use.]

I'll get some tea going while you clean up. All right?

[Even if he looks like he doesn't want to let Martin out of his sight... Those blood stains are ever present and he should really see about getting it washed for him.]

[ No objections from Martin. He takes the towel and the extra clothing, already moving to get out of his ruined jumper, at least. ]

Tea would be lovely. I'll - do what I can to help, yeah? I assume they help you with the job finding part ...

[Jon watches him, hand lingering on Martin's arm before squeezing it gently.]

I'll explain everything when you're done.

[He gives one more reassuring squeeze before letting go. And once Martin closes the door, he sets to work. Digging out whatever spare mug he has, getting the kettle going. He has a couple spare takeaways in the fridge he'd picked up the day before in case he got busy. Getting put to use now is better than going bad, he supposes. And then starts digging through his cabinets. He knows he bought a nice caramel rooibos to keep on hand - mostly when he started missing Martin, he'd sit with a cup and be lonely for a bit. But now that he's here, well there's only one obvious choice, isn't there?

When Martin comes back out, there's fresh hot tea being set out to steep and he's gotten the takeaways split into two plates of hot curry and rice with shrimp.]

[ Meanwhile, Martin takes a bit longer than usual in that shower. First to enjoy the shower itself - good lord he missed hot water and being clean - and then to just be overwhelmed by everything. He has a good long cry as the water streams down his face, and he hopes the redness around his eyes will look like the result of a good scrubbing rather than tears.

Thankfully, the mirror is fogged up by the time he’s done, so no concerns there. He emerges soon enough in that blue shirt and dark jeans, feeling better than he has in … god, how long since the apocalypse started? Since then, however long that was.

But he feels even better seeing Jon with actual honest-to-god takeaway and tea. After months of hell? Actual Hell seems downright heavenly.

He settles into the chair across from Jon, tears threatening to spring up again. ]

Oh. Oh it’s lovely…

[If Jon notices the amount of time taken, or how red Martin's eyes look, he doesn't comment on it. He'd had much the same reaction after being given clean clothes and a meal from Kim.

he'll pull the chair out for Martin to sit with a little smile. The last real reprieve they had was at Salesa's, and he isn't sure he even counts that with how on edge he must have been around Annabelle. He wishes he could remember more of those few days.]

Right? It's - most of the food around here is quite good, actually. Help yourself.

I - well. I will, but - tell me if I’m taking too much of your portion?

[ Because now that he has actual food in front of him he might just devour all of it on the spot. He absolutely starts to put a large portion of each on his own plate. ]

[He chuckles softly, a way he hasn't since he got here. God. Martin does just soften the edges.]

I will certainly tell you. [No, he won't. For now he'll settle to mixing some sugar into his tea. And watching Martin, like he hasn't seen him in a million years. Honestly he nearly looks a bit lovesick.]

So. Until someone claims you, you're staying here. Not hear anything else of it until then.

[And if some faction besides Enma claims Martin, well. They'll cross that bridge when they get to it.]

[ Martin digs in, then. It’s probably more satisfying to watch how pleased he is with every bite, anyway. God it’s been SO LONG. And the tea, with actual sugar -

It takes him a moment to respond, he’s so pleased. Clean AND fed.

Also he pinks. ]

I mean - I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you - but I would like that very much, Jon.

[That does get another laugh - not an unkind one - as he reaches to touch at Martin's arm.]

You could never inconvenience me, not for this.

[And he'll finally take a moment to portion out his own. It's a fairly smaller portion and not as much curry as he'd have normally gotten at potlucks.]

So don't worry about a thing for now.

[ It’s still A portion. enough to make Martin stop and think about it. ]

Are you eating again?

[He already had a bite on its way but he stops and smiles a little.]

Um. Yes, actually. Still- working my way up to sturdier foods, but. Eating, sleeping properly. All of it.

…

And. Ah. the Eye. Is it - gone?

As far as I can tell. Haven't been able to Know anything since I got here, heart's beating again.

I haven't seen hide nor hair of any of them.

Though. There are the tsuchigomo. But they aren't related - still very firmly in Japanese mythology and not... Our lot.

Not necessarily Web.

[ Possible, of course, but …

But at this point? even having the excuse of blissful ignorance makes Martin dizzy with relief. Tears start to gather at the corners of his eyes again. ]

[He sees it, already readying a napkin for him.]

I haven't been able to confirm if they're here but if they are... They're very quiet. I've- [He doesn't want to talk about the hospital check up, but he can at least give this.] gotten it confirmed. I'm perfectly, normal human again.

Oh god.

[ He’s definitely going to cry into this napkin, then - but they’re happy tears. ]

This - that’s - I’m so glad for you, Jon.

[As long as they're happy. He isn't going to bring up how his unnatural inhuman healing came back recently. It has implications he doesn't want to think about, and surely it's just a dead person thing. It has to be.

No, for now, he'll let Martin have that napkin and take another bite.]

I am as well. It's- Honestly, aside from the work? I could almost take this as a decent afterlife.

Better than we deserve, right?

[ He blows into the napkin noisily. ]

...Better than I deserve, anyway.

[Just giving him a couple more napkins while he finishes his smaller portion.]

That does bring up this place though. It's- It's quite a bit, if you want to hear it.

Of course. Honestly, after a shower and some food? I think I’m ready for anything.

[He nods, focusing now on just his tea. He'll explain the four factions, the turf war. The way each one claims a Lost Soul, how this place is a sort of metaverse hub of sorts. It's a lot of information quickly, as is the only way he can really do that. All at once, or a stuttering mess that never shares.]

And that's it, really. Until you get claimed by one of them, and then they put you to work.

[ Good lord. Martin is glad for the tea, because that’s a lot? Though at least still nowhere near the madness they both came from.

At least he gets to listen to his boyfriend’s excellent voice. ]

Which one claimed you, then?

[That.... Jon starts to slump a bit, hand over his face. It's the most normal sort of irritation he's felt in ages.]

The Department of Enma. The.... [Eugh.] Records office for the police department.

[The way he slumps, he's forgotten he's wearing his officer badge and ranking - a plate setting indicating room for at least two more promotions past the one he's received.]

[ Oh. OH. Martin’s eyes are suddenly drawn to that as well.

He looks horrified a moment, and then - he laughs? ]

Well. They have no idea what they’ve done.

[He's ready to launch into a full rant, well practiced from living alone and working regular hours now so he can complain to himself. Just talk about how frustrating it is, and how many times he's requested a transfer out of the police office and-]

What's that supposed to mean?

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