AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

[jigokumods]

MAIN NAVIGATION

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.

Comments

[ahost]

No, no, no! It won’t be!

[ god, that made him laugh louder than he expected. it might have to do with realizing how rude he was to poor megumi, or the fact he just fucked himself over by sharing this secret with someone who might be involved in their life. regardless, he does explain to akira that he is in good hands, and he is a decent cook.

the path from the tamamo territory to the enma is not a short one, but yuuji kept the flow of the conversation at an easy pace— not too overwhelming but certainly lighthearted. he shared with akira everything he knows about the leaders, any major events that happened so far and what to expect once he is assigned to a faction officially. yuuji didn’t miss out on pointing out his favorite places along the way, happy to share the best restaurants, local stores, and his favorite karaoke spot. (he makes a good tour guy, okay?)

eventually, they approach the designated building, walk up the stairs, and finally reach his apartment’s door before he unlocks it. ]

Ta-da! Welcome to our cute home!

[ small space, humble with a calm style and plenty of plants in each corner. he waits for akira to step in before kicking the door shut behind them. he brings his hands together, more cheerful now. ]

So, tell me what you would like to eat.

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ Moving further away from Tamamo and having a variety of conversation is definitely helping Akira’s mood; especially with Yuuji’s upbeat personality. It’s infectious, really, and Yuuji might have caught Akira smiling a few times throughout their conversation. He doesn’t speak of anything about where he is from other than it’s a version of Tokyo.. and also reveals the year of 1987. He talks about going to school and being seventeen, but that’s about it.

Once they arrive, Akira slips off his shoes at the entrance and tucks his hands in his yukata sleeves, taking a gander around. When asked, he brightens up. He gets to pick the meal? Oh. He knows he is going to stay here awhile with such a generous host (Yuuji is really loving up to his username.) ]</sub>

Do you happen to have yakiniku?

_{[ Such a specific entree for someone who is gonna mooch. ]}

Or.. shabu shabu?

_{[ His standards are high, huh. ]}

[ahost]

[ pretty high standards, but he's the guest— so, yuuji will comply. in which he offers him a playful thumbs-up, already tugging up on sleeves to get everything prepped for their upcoming dinner. luckily for akira, they filled up their fridge yesterday and everything is within reach.

but, before he could start— ]

You should clean up. If the gossips are real, you really need to take a shower and get rid of those clothes too.

[ something about him making a huge mess? also, the way akira was sweating a while back and their little trip are all an invitation to freshen up. he nods towards the bedroom he shares with megumi, stepping in and quick to dig through the closet; pulling out a black shirt and sweatpants to match.

the bedroom is more— personal. on one wall, there is a poster of a blond woman in a lewd bikini, and let's not forget the body pillow of the same actress on it. the room screams heterosexual energy, yet it's all a trap. ]

Oh, and we run out of hot water fast so ... be careful of that.

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ it's his first day here and he's already gone through so many different wardrobe changes..

He would typically oppose taking a bath, but Yuuji is right, it might help him wash all of his concerns away. Plus, Yuuji is being very generous and hospitable towards him after he was rude to him. He feels like he has to do what he suggesting for now. He clenches his teeth when Yuuji mentions the rumors. ]</sub>

I didn't make a mess..

<sub>[ The clean up crew had to make an appearance. Akira doesn't want to think about the fact maybe he'll make the news with his accident. He feels sick when he thinks about that.

Akira holds the clothes he is given and looks in the direction he thinks the bathroom is. ]</sub>

Right. I'll try to make it quick.

[ahost]

Ah, okay ...

[ right. he didn't make a mess. yuuji doesn't believe that, but he did promise to drop this subject as the other is, clearly, unwilling to indulge in it further. the incident inside the palace will not be discussed again. however, they do have to discuss other matters when akira is in a better mood— probably after he is fed, or during ... or before. maybe right now? yuuji is impatient.

the words linger on the tip of his tongue, but akira was gone before he could spit them out. well, fuck.

anyway, he's back in the kitchen preparing their late meal. he sets his phone on the nearby corner, listening to the latest beats from the local radio as he soaks the pot with water and some dashi powder, switching on the heat after. he then starts chopping some vegetables- ]

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ Shower it is. The perfect opportunity to be alone with your mind and have all of those wonderful intrusive thoughts. He already had a meltdown about potentially being dead and failing humanity and he wasn't shy about keeping those kind of emotions to himself. After all, you'd want to vent a little too if you were aware Earth was on the brink of a demonic apocalypse.

He finishes as soon as the water starts to get cold and gets properly dressed, surfacing and heading to the kitchen or dining area-- where ever Yuuji is at. ]</sub>

... It's small, but it's not a bad place you have here.

_{[ A nice place for him to live now that he thinking about it, especially if he's going to have his own personal chef (only one chef cause Megumi doesn't count.) ]}

[ahost]

You'll get a small place, too. Once they assign you to a faction.

[ sir, you're not invited to stay yet! for now, yuuji kept his gaze low, careful as he prepares the thinly slices rolls of beef; the dipping sauce is already done— adding some final touches to akira's request. a humble shabu shabu.

the room fell into silence, nothing more than the hushed sound of the water simmering; the udon noodles are almost ready as well. he then casually asked: ]

What are you, exactly?

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ Akira doesn't know if he likes that. Living alone in a place like this? An opportunity for him to be by himself with his thoughts of being a failure? A failure to humanity— a failure to Ryo— to Miki. All the people he cares about. Akira's shoulders slouch at that and he sounds a little unsure about that. His parents left him with Miki's family when he was a child, so all he knows is living with people in a bustling household. ]}

Oh. That's.. good at least.

_{[ Yeah.. he is going to go quiet for a moment until Yuuji breaks the silence with that honest question. ]}

What do you mean.. "what are you?"

_{[ Yuuji didn't see the incident. Was it really obvious he was something inhuman? ]}

[ahost]

[ no one wants to be alone, and akira will most likely get an invitation to rest here tonight, maybe more— but it all depends on his answer to the following question. the sorcerer shrugged, gently placing the knife in the sink, now rinsing his hands clean. ]

Not everyone is human in here, and it's normal. It's not a weird question to ask.

[ he turns to face him; yuuji's expression is far too relaxed. there is no judgment, nor fear. just curiosity. the food is ready, all he had to do is assembled everything on the dining table— but he made no effort to do so. yet. ]

You were awfully feral for someone who was charmed by the Tamamo's games. So, what are you?

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ Akira is eyeing that food lustfully. It looks so good.. all of that meat. His appetite has become a lot more carnivorous ever since Amon melded with him. He's almost salivating just by looking at it and smelling it. His eyes snap back to Yuuji once he responds, a bold brow creasing his forehead slightly at the reintroduction to the Tamamo competition again. This guy just won't drop it, huh? ]}

I was just trying to help with that. They needed volunteers.

<sub>[ Which is.. not a lie. But it was his instinct that kept him around; the smell of sex in the air and the way his heart thrummed in his ears with excitement from being around such a scandalous bunch and doing such a scandalous thing. His human nature feels filthy, but his demonic nature wanted more.

Akira has no problem revealing what he is anymore. He's not in Earth's realm anymore; monsters are all over the place here. He settles his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand, scoffing slightly. ]</sub>

Didn't think it was so obvious. I'm not entirely human, no. I'm a being with a demon's body, but a human's heart and consciousness: a Devilman.

Does something like that interest you, Itadori-kun?

[ahost]

[ he's really not asking about that experience; yuuji is merely pointing it out when he started doubting whether akira is human or not. therefore, there is no effort from his side to go back and forth about what they should leave in the past. instead, the glint of interest is evident behind his eyes— not as dramatic as one might react to hear the word 'demon'.

which isn't surprising— considering where they are. the city is crawling with all kinds of creatures who are complementary to hell. ]

Human heart and consciousness ...

[ so, akira is merely given 'powers', but he's not sharing his body with a living, breathing entity? the 'devilman' might be a teen's way of making sense of what they become. does it interest him, though? a smile followed that's full of warmth and maybe a tad cheeky. ]

Don't make it weird. Anyway, it sounds like an edgy hero name. Is that what you are? You're using your powers for good?

[ he then turned and started setting up the table, finally allowing akira to try the homemade meal. as for drinks, he slams down an unopened bottle of red wine (that belongs to megumi)— and also some juice. he's lowkey, gently, nudging the juice closer to akira; seducing him to be more responsible. however, the alcoholic option is there too because he's a good host. ]

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ As soon as the meal is set out before him, Akira grins wildly, his set of fangs poking through his mouth as he rubs his hands greedily together. He almost digs right in but pauses to give thanks for the meal.. then he goes right to it. Of course, he’s picking at all of the meat in the hot pot first, avoiding all the healthy stuff. The juice gets ignored as he reaches for the wine. He’s not ever had wine before, but he’s had beer and liquor before. Alcohol is perfect cause he’s feeling very shitty about himself right now. The glass is poured (just gonna assume that Yuuji at least uncorked it) and he swallows his first bite, already seeming in a better mood. ]}

I have to, Itadori-kun. I sacrificed myself to save others, so there is no other reason for me to not.

If I do not save others, my existence is meaningless.

_{[ Finally, he reaches for his glass of wine and tentatively sniffs it, making a small face before ripping the glass back and trying it. It’s not bad, but he prefers something else. ]}

[ahost]

[ he joins the other, facing akira from across the table before reaching out for his chopsticks. regardless of their rough start— this guy seemed like he is kindhearted and his new earned 'power' might be more of a blessing than a curse; so long as he's not really sharing his body with something else. and yet, yuuji couldn't help but keep a wary eye on him, slowly bringing the first bite close to his mouth.

he did say he is half-demon, so he probably adopted a few of their traits; unjustified aggression might be one of them. akira was a bit feral back then. however, yuuji assumed he can handle a few tantrums. ]

... Do you hate it?

[ -this new body and all. while he doesn't know akira's background, surely that boy didn't actively seek to be possessed by some demon. right? ]

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ He's a selfish guest. Anytime it looks like Yuuji goes for some meat in the hot pot, Akira tries to snatch it out from under Yuuji's chopsticks. There is a bit of challenge in his expression of Yuuji bothers to see it, one side of his mouth quirking upward. He lifts the glass to his mouth and takes in more of the wine, wondering if he grew a likeness for alcohol since merging with Amon. The demon might have been a connoisseur of wine for all he knows. Blood wine, maybe? Not a bad idea. ]}

It has its definite draw backs, but I sought our the demon to possess me. I'm grateful for the body, though, because without it, I would not be able to fight or protect others.

_{[ The smile fades for now as he looks at the hot pot, thinking. ]}

In fact, I was willing to risk death for this body. It has changed my life and given me a purpose where I felt helpless and weak beforehand.

<sub>[ It's chilling for him to think about it sometimes.. that he just threw himself into the fray without knowing the outcome if he would survive Amon's possession or not. Did he really dislike the weakness he had that much to nearly commit suicide for the sake of protecting humanity? Of course, now it doesn't matter since he is apparently dead according to the paperwork. Yuuji will see him in deep thought, and finally, he goes for anything in the hot pot. Whatever is closest to eat.

Failing breaks his heart. Time for a change of subject. ]</sub>

Do you want to see it? The demon form that I have.

[ahost]

[ yuuji was a breath away from seriously judging that boy for actively seeking possession— that is until akira simplified why he did it. still, it felt a bit extreme, and he could've died, but it somehow worked out for him in a way. yuuji, at the end of the day, is the wrong person to preach. he did the same bullshit by risking it all and eating sukuna's finger.

so, he's keeping his mouth shut on this one. instead, he seized a piece of the meat before it touched akira's lips. hah! too slow, sucker.

he chews his bite slowly, half-scowling in confusion at that bold offer. that felt like a stupid idea to encourage, especially since they are indoors and that 'devilman' might expose that same aggression he'd seen earlier.

and yet— ]

Sure!

[ he shrugged and took another bite. maybe its a cute little devil. who knows? ]

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ It’s probably a smart idea to show Yuuji his other form. After all, he doesn’t want to be mistaken as an unruly youkai around anyone in the Enma department. It just makes sense to him.

Akira nods and makes a small noise. ]</sub>

Alright. Once we finish, we can step outside and I’ll show you.

_{[ Looks like he’s close to finishing his meal anyway, and for someone who doesn’t drink often, he seems to be handling just one glass of wine just fine, feeling pleasantly buzzed which is also helping him get into a better mood. He smiles at Yuuji. ]}

What about you? Can you do anything cool?

[ahost]

You're that big, huh ...

[ it's not like him switching with sukuna had that drastic change to his physical body, but let's not start comparing. yuuji didn't touch the wine, instead he settles for the safer option— and unlike akira, he didn't forget about the side course of their meal: the veggies. it seems megumi nagging him about eating healthy is working, after all.

he's almost done with his share, savoring the last bite while refilling his guest's glass. ]

Oh! I can perform an exorcism on cursed spirits. My roommate and I are sorcerers. That's why I found it odd that you were willingly seeking possession. But, I understand why you did it now.

[ he watched the other finish the last few nibbles, smiling a bit. ]

Are you ready?!

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ He's not.. that big, but his wings are! And maybe he'd like to show them off a little too. Yuuji's explanation makes some sense; Akira isn't certain there's anything like that back home to fight demons (also, there is the question on how different a cursed spirit is from a demon, but that's a discussion for another day.) The point of the matter is there's a lot of stuff happening in Akira's world right now that could be considered similar to what Yuuji was dealing with before they arrived here.

Akira has polished off both his drink and his meal and he's feeling rather pleasant, but not quite intoxicated. It's probably for the best considering he's going to transform. He finishes his meal with a thanks and slides out of his chair. ]</sub>

Yeah. Let's head to the roof top.

[ahost]

[ a part of him was tempted to leave the mess on the table and walk out, but — he knew they shouldn't burden megumi with their own filth. with a sigh, he gestures for akira to give him a minute, in which yuuji was quick to clean up their used plates and glasses, rinsing them with soap before drying them. he gives the surface of the table a swift sweep, and ... ta-da! it's done!

it takes them another few minutes to leave the apartment; sneak through any prying eyes, then manage to reach the rooftop. while the building itself seemed like it was barely holding itself together— the view up here can almost make up for the shitty interior.

they're alone and out in the open space. yuuji threw his hands up, grinning. ]

Do it!

1/2

[mrfuckwit]

<sub>[ While Yuuji decides to clean up, Akira decides to bypass helping with that. Cleaning up was never part of his interests anyway, even if he was a kind person. After all, he’s a guest so he shouldn’t have to.

Yeah. He could totally get used to this.

He sneaks off on his own, probably to the restroom again, and undresses, not wanting to tear clothes that he was given. For now, he’ll halfway shift to censor himself, allowing his lower half to become a demon and cover himself with fur and give himself a tail to boot. When he surfaces onto the rooftop, Yuuji will see him in this half form and he laughs lightly. ]</sub>

Okay, for some reason I’m nervous.. but I think that’s cause I’ve never done this just to show someone before. Anyway, here it goes—

2/2

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ Akira steadies himself, and the transformation starts at the crown of his head, shifting into the bat wing ears and giving himself more of a muzzle than a mouth. The rest of his body expands, both in muscle and in height, and since he’s on the rooftop, he allows his wings to expand out at the end of the transformation, the wings shaking to reach their full length at one point before folding back against him. Akira settles his hand on his own chest once he is finished and exhales. ]}

Behold, Itadori-kun! Look at my alternate form. Yes, it is scary and a monster, but I assure you, this is the body I have that is used to protect others. I don’t mean anyone harm.. anyone who does not deserve it. If you see me on the streets like this, I want you to be rest assured it is just me.

[ahost]

[ he lost him after 'behold, itadori-kun' — the rest is gibberish words that were easily muted down into utter silence.

was it scary? it was, but not in a sense that startled yuuji. the slow transition was an interesting sight, and his gaze followed that drastic shift in akira's features, noting the height between them became more evident; almost towering over him. for a brief moment, the vivid lights throughout the city were concealed behind wings that seemed to expand endlessly, somewhat giving a sinister chill of being immersed by darkness, only to crease behind the devil's shoulders — sobering yuuji back into reality.

and breathe.

the thought of this creature being 'scary' rings in the back of his mind again, but this time yuuji's lips curled up. ]

... and it's that easy?

[ to get possessed, survive somehow, and now he can use this new body without any obstacles? how could someone earn such powers without any given risks? there is no way his 'good heart' is in control the entire time. ]

[mrfuckwit]

_{[ cont. ]}