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.

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[ She's all muscle, Tifa is, and although she leans back with her, Aerith is determined to keep her upright. They connect, and Aerith balances on her own feet to keep them both from going back. It's a feat to remember, considering the fact she trips over air at the worst of times. Her gaze falls on Tifa's expression, and she notes the surprise she's pushing back. The gears are working in Aerith's mind...

Something's wrong, isn't it?

Of course, it's not a surprise to Aerith. Isn't there always something wrong in Hell? Whether it's something small or big, they always find something to trip them up. Really, it's a shock they got away with an interrogation last time everyone was gathered somewhere.

To try and keep Tifa balanced, Aerith offers her another hand, and waves the kitsune she knows off with a smile and cheerful assurance. Eventually, she gets the hint, and bows on out, shuffling away in her geta. It'd be impressive if Aerith weren't half convinced some kind of trickery was at place, really.

Turning back to her friend, she tries to lead her into a corner that's nearly deserted. A table or two where people are conversing, dressed in their little provided ponchos as they wait for the competition to continue. She's not about to let Tifa get caught like this— though someone distantly barks out, "Gainsborough, you were disqualified!"... Naturally, she pays it no mind, and keeps going. ]

Leave it to you to actually manage to get in them and walk! [ Looking back, Aerith makes sure they're not about to walk into someone else before continuing. ] Okay, just a little more... you trust me?

[One would think that she would think to simply slip out of the geta to walk, but hearing someone shout at Aerith about being disqualified has her thinking twice about that thought that sits at the back of her mind. If she did, would she be too? No matter what she thinks about this situation, Tifa could use every piece of coin in her pocket that she can get, and she isn't one to ever want to give people a reason to dislike her. It's all about connections, and she can't burn those bridges before she's even tried to cross them.

So, she's thankful for Aerith's help as she helps shuffle her over into a corner, taking her friend by both hands in a grip that she belatedly realizes might be a bit too tight that she adjusts, her eyes going wide at Aerith's question.]

I do, but... I wouldn't call this walking...

[It's more of a shuffle that she is very self-conscious about.]

What was that about... back there?

[The person who was shouting at her, as she motions with a subtle nod of her head in that general direction.]

[ It's a question that catches her off guard, in truth, but she knows she shouldn't be surprised. Aerith raises her head from the floor, where she was watching their feet move carefully, thinking to herself that moving like you were cutting through water was probably the way to go with this... the thought is interrupted as Tifa asks something shockingly normal. ]

Huh? Oh... [ Aerith looks down at her normal clothing, the pink dress fluttering around her legs. She catches the fabric of Tifa's yukata then, the deep blues like a starlit night sky. She pouts and huffs before shaking her head. ]

No big deal. They asked me to participate, but I hated the shoes, so I took them off. It disqualifies you... or so I heard.

[ They both heard. ]

They really just... wrapped you up soon as you walked in, didn't they?

Yeah, they did. I didn't even get a chance to pick my outfit.

[And she'd felt self-conscious through the whole thing, right up until they helped her slip into these ridiculous shoes. There were a few unsavoury looks exchanged, and it made Tifa's stomach turn, and she'd gotten out of there as quickly as she could shuffle away. Thankfully, most of the people in this place have been kind, if not encouraging, and having Aerith here helps to chase down any nervousness she still feels clinging to the back of her throat.]

I mean, it's not that I mind it.

[Her smile turns crooked, but genuine as she looks down at herself, at the dark blue yukata and the pastel yellow gradient that spreads across the bottom and up the sleeves, like a sunrise chasing away the night.]

I kind of like it, actually. What do you think?

[ The truth of the matter is that Aerith believes that if Tifa likes it, it's lovely for that reason alone. She knows, however, that's not quite the answer she wants, so Aerith takes a moment to look along the yukata, watching how it falls on her form, and tracing the design with her eyes. It would be a lie to say it isn't lovely, or that it doesn't suit her. ]

It's absolutely lovely on you, Tifa.

[ Tamamo magic had a flair for the most beauteous things in life, and dressing someone up to be beautiful was natural for them. Hands still in Tifa's, Aerith squeezes them. Her smile, sincere and bright, finds it way back to her lips. ]

For clothes, they don't always ask. But usually, they'll never force you into something.

[ Briefly, she wonders if Tifa had a choice between this and the other side of Tamamo's festivities. ]

They must be hedging all their bets on you if they went all out with your yukata!

[She flushes.]

Funny. I didn't even tell them that I poured drinks for a living.

[Tifa isn't so sure about them putting any bets on her, and she laughs as she looks down at her feet where her toes wiggle in the socks.]

But I wouldn't have after seeing me trying to walk in these things...

[And almost faceplant, despite her usually impeccable coordination, and she laughs again, only this time, there's some awkwardness lining its edges when she feels Aerith's hands in her own again, and that elephant in the room sticks its head in.]

... I should get back out there soon, though.

[Is she trying to dance around it? Maybe.]

[ She can dance around it as much as she wants. Aerith sympathizes, something that is easily seen in the way her smile falls, slipping away as she looks out into the wider area, where most of the commotion is on-going. It opens up, with a tall ceiling, a decadent and luxurious looking spiral staircase for guests to ascend and competitors to nearly break their necks upon, and miles of branded ponchos.

Turning back to Tifa, still offering her an apologetic smile. Still, she gives Tifa a look, as if to ask her if she really wants to do that— her hands keep their place, too, determined to be the anchor if her friend needs. ]

It's not always about success... Not in Tamamo, at least. Maybe they're seeing how you perform. You know, in this particular clan.

[She doesn't, and her eyes speak the volumes of that feeling that she doesn't otherwise say out loud for fear of being overheard. Still, Tifa spots the way that Aerith's smile tumbles away before she looks elsewhere, and she feels a small pang of guilt rise in her chest. She'd brought her here to ask about this place, but here she is avoiding it now that it's finally come down to it.

She's nervous, needless to say, about it all. Everything. Not just the present situation she's gotten tangled up in.]

Not much of a performer myself. ... You seem more suited for that.

[That's a compliment, as she looks over Aerith again, and this time around, her eyes land on the pin at the front of her kimono.

Reaching out, she gives it a light tap. She thinks it could prove her point.]

What is this?

[ Watching her, Aerith gets the impression that she's not exactly keen on this whole situation, kimono aside. Pretty as it is, getting into it and what it's associated with perhaps sours it; even if it doesn't, why should they even bother? Tifa points out the Tamamo pin on her chest, and Aerith's gaze follows her ginger, lingering for a moment before she replies. ]

A reward. For good behavior!

[ It isn't a lie, but presented as a half-truth, and maybe someone else might argue it is as such. To Aerith, it's nothing more than that— proof she's been on her best behavior. Sort of. Still, Tifa will see the imprint of the Tamamo Clan's insignia upon it: The same one that's on the company branded ponchos. ]

Might as well use it to our advantage.

[ What's the point of having rank if you don't use it to your own benefit? Aerith drops down to her knees, intent on getting Tifa out of those geta, now. Why should they stay and play by the rules, honestly? Just because she got a nice kimono out of it? Surely no one will miss it, and if they do, well... Aerith certainly isn't going to squeal. ]

C'mon, let's blow this popsicle stand. I'm disqualified, and you're not a performer, so let's find something more fun to do!

[She does spot the insignia but understanding what it means is still something she's puzzling together among the hundreds of other things she's trying to all at the same time. So, she simply offers Aerith a crooked smile and a nod to go along with it.

Maybe it won't be so bad if she has her here. She only took the job because she had been alone, or thought she was. That she would have to find her own way like she's always had to in the past, but this time... this time feels different. Uncomfortable as she is with this whole situation, having a familiar smile to guide her makes it all a little less frightening.

Confusing? Not so much.

But she's more willing now, at least, to heed Aerith's words, and she slips right out of the geta.]

Let me go grab my things. Maybe you can show me around the district...

[ There's worse places to be in the world, and all of them seem to coincide with the knowledge of being far removed from Tifa. Aerith moves them along at Tifa's request, nodding and mumbling something "right!" before they start the slow shuffle... back. It could be worse, Aerith thinks, turning to watch her back as they move, they could be sending her out there for people to oggle or... something else. Yuck. ]

I know the whole place like the back of my hand, Tifa. The city's all connected, just split up by clans— Tamamo, Sutoku, Shuten, Enma... all four of them have their own spots here. You just missed a big clash between two of them, actually. It really sucked.

[ To say the least. ]

Say, what's the last thing you remember? You know, from up top?

[That would have been some Welcome to Hell party, and Tifa makes a disappointed face. Not because she's sad she missed it, but because... well, that feels like the exact sort of thing that would happen in a city like this. It reminds her of the darker parts of living on the ground floor of Midgar.

And while she should be glad for Aerith's question for dragging her mind off that track, she isn't sure that this is the track she wants to be on, either.

There's a long moment where Tifa's quiet as they move towards the back together, and it may seem like she's not going to answer at all, but once they're far enough from the crowds where it's safe, she slows down.]

... The end of the road. At that portal...? I thought that maybe that's what led me here.

Edited 2022-09-07 14:20 (UTC)

[ They make their way to the back of the whole operation, where clothing and personal items are being kept in little lockers. The first thing Aerith wants to do is help Tifa out of her geta, so she maneuvers her down to a chair for ease's sake, but the whole while, her brain is working over time.

She and Cloud haven't discussed the timeline thing. Aerith never discusses things with anyone, but it's Tifa who always seems to see through that. She knows Cloud and her aren't quite from the same point in time and space, for Aerith remembers the rain, and walking in it through a mountainous desert terrain, looking for a ride to haul them to the next city. Tifa does not. Cloud does not. Sephiroth remembers Geostigma and the Lifestream and...

Anyway. ]

That so? Me, too.

[ She lies, a little bit. No need to stress her friend out in a new situation. ]

Could have been. The portal, I mean, but, you know? It's not the worst. Once you get your contract signed, you get an apartment and for the most part, people are actually nice out here. Want me to set you up with a bar job?

[Tifa's expression hardens, only ever so slightly.

There's something off about the way Aerith responds, and the way she so quickly veers them away from the subject that she has a harder time buying it. She'll give her the benefit of the doubt, but there's a bit of a pout to her lip as she eyes her friend carefully.

She'd rather talk about home, if she's honest, than let the realization sink in that she's here, but Aerith talks so quickly that she doesn't even get the chance to sneak in a protest and has no choice to just roll with it instead.]

Oh, um—

[A bar job!?]

Doesn't that feel a bit too soon?

[ Keeping up with Aerith is a chore in itself, most of the time. Elmyra wasn't shy about that, and as she's moving away to rattle the lockers, trying to find her own, Aerith casts Tifa an apologetic glance. Her lips pucker into a thin line, nostalgia tugging at the back of her brain. ]

I know.

[ Her locker opens. The door swings open; a cellphone is inside, and a wicker basket. Her clothes are tucked into it, the remnants of unsold flowers peeking out from beneath. ]

When I got here... about six months ago? The city was in the middle of preparing for a festival. It was incredible, there were floats, and booths everywhere, and everyone was working together... [ She's lost a number of friends along the way, but gained just as many. Her gaze lingers on Tifa for a moment longer before she smiles, an apology still tucked into it. ] But they put us to work immediately. You'll have options. I just gave you another one.

[ With a little huff, she steps back to look at the wall of lockers. ]

Which one's your's, Tifa?

[There's that ever-present air of uncertainty that buzzes around her. It's always there, more and more these recent days especially, but even as she distracts herself with the lockers, pointing out her own before moving to swing it open—and it's much emptier than Aerith's, with only the clothes she came in with inside—there's that doubt that furrows her brows ever so slightly.

As she pulls out her very neatly folded clothes, she glances aside to Aerith.]

... Do you know anyone who might be looking for someone?

[She'd rather a person that Aerith can vouch for than some random bar.]

[ Don't mind Aerith much as she leans over to snatch Tifa's clothes out of her hands, to stuff them into her basket. They'll smell like flowers after this, but she waves a hand, then a finger to her lips. Keep the yukata. They won't miss it. ]

As a matter of fact... I do

[ She shuts the locker, deposits their keys into the designated spot, and continues lightly. ]

A friend of mine. His name is Shylock, he runs a bar in town called Hemlock. I can take you by when he opens up, if you want. [ Aerith doesn't mention that Shylock is a bit dramatic in that friendly way that people who work in entertainment can be, but she also thinks that perhaps Tifa doesn't need to be briefed about that. ]

Could work for me, too. If you want.

[There's only a small sound of dumbfounded surprise when Aerith just... takes her clothes from her, but that is quickly replaced by a fond, if not a bit sheepish, smile.

She's listening keenly and intently about this Shylock person—a name that she tucks into the back of her mind to note for later. She's still going to ask around, but it's always good to have all of her options laid out in front of her.]

Speaking of options—

For you? [Colour her very intrigued that she slows in her tracks to fix Aerith with that same surprise all over again.] You have a place too!?

[ Poor Tifa. It's been close to six months without her in Hell, and it must be overwhelming to see what that span of time has been like for Aerith, and by extension, Cloud. ]

We're opening officially soon. Wanna go see it?

[ There's an apology written into her expression, again, as if to try and make up for all the time that she's missed out on. She showed up at a pivotal moment, though, and that's what matters.

She'll lead Tifa all the way there— they have too much to talk about in one place, after all. Dandelion is largely empty, and it's the perfect little pocket of privacy for two people to catch up. ]

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AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

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decided to go with a different canon point from first tag, sorry i keep switching things on you!!

💗 no worries at all!

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🎀