AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

[jigokumods]

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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

[dissimilar]

[ long head tilt. ]

I was under the impression you came here to obtain a gun, not a date.

[mindthebass]

You're underestimating my capacity of getting both.

(oh, dear...)

[dissimilar]

I see. I apologize for underestimating you.

[ suddenly, he holds out his hand. ]

If you don't mind. Squeeze my hand as hard as you can.

[mindthebass]

(what is this man.

shin slowblinks, but he does as instructed. his hand isn't soft as one would expect from his looks, instead, calloused where he presses against the guitar and chords, and it also squeezes as hard as he possibly can.

it's absolutely nothing. zero. zero strength.)

... Why are we doing this?

[dissimilar]

As I thought, with this grip strength I would be concerned about the recoil from a firearm.

[








"both" still includes the gun. ]

[mindthebass]

... I've tried, actually, firing one. Felt wrong, but I can't do much. Most of what I can do is just...

(well, his insults cause minor physical damage. his compliments cause the receiver to feel GoodTM, so. he'll show.)

Your sense of fashion sucks.

(a sharp pain to shou's ribs.)

... But you're handsome and kind. So, I can forgive it.

[dissimilar]

[ that twinge of pain echoes through him and there's not much to indicate he finds this bothersome besides a tremor of his ribs. more like it's less pain and more just a different sensation than normal. what he mostly reacts to is the way something else soothes over it just as quickly. carefully, his hand rises to steady over the spot, thoughtful.

it's different. ]

That was an ability of yours?

[mindthebass]

(nevermind that while shou goes through this rollercoaster of emotions and confusion, the other's hand is still held by shin, a squeeze to apologize for the pain he inflicted.)

Yes. It won't stop me from being stomped to death, though.

[dissimilar]

[ the squeeze seems to reorient him. right. ]

No, it won't.

[ almost reluctantly, he looks back to the vendors with their array of weapons. ]

[mindthebass]

Yeah. So that's why. I'm not going, but a lot of people I know are. I'm not happy about it, but I can't do anything to stop you hero types.

(please. the man was talking to his watch to get his combat gear.)

[dissimilar]

[ talking to his watch for his combat gear is a totally normal not nerd thing to do? regardless, he finally lets go to slip his hand from shin's grip. ]

Try a 9mm. The recoil will be less to manage for you. [ ...with that out of the way... ] I'm not familiar with how missions like this are organized here. Is this different from normal?

[mindthebass]

(NOOOOOOO. HE WAS SO HAPPY WITH THE HAND.

and he's been without nicotine too long, he realizes, with his stomach starting to ache. he'll take a cigarette from his pack, gesturing to the door.)

I'll tell you all I know, but let me smoke a bit. I was working and I didn't got nearly enough in my bloodstream to answer all the questions you will have.

(yes, he said it, the grammar spots are starting to show.)

[dissimilar]

[ there's a sort of flickered glance between shin's face and the cigarettes, but shou figures it's not his place to ask that nature of question. ]

Go ahead. [ he's sincere. ] If possible, I won't take up too much of your time.

[ also sincere. because he's dense. ]

[mindthebass]

Alright, alright, let's go.

(listen, the hand was nice, so that's what shin reaches for to drag shou out of the store with him. around shin's neck is a rather flashy necklace, and guess what, it's a lighter. once they're away enough from the flush of people, he clicks the button to light the tip of his stick, the smell of sweet cherry and smoke coming off his lips once he exhales.)

God, finally. Alright, ask me what you can. Don't worry about my time, I'm not doing anything more interesting than this today.

[dissimilar]

[ shou hadn't thought of offering his hand as anything more than a cursory thing, businesslike in its straightforwardness. so when shin reaches for it again, there's a slight tick in his nerves, a dancing sensation in his palm that is normal and smooth and untroubled by calluses like any normal highschooler's should be.

unphased by the soft click of the lighter and the flood of smoky-sweet that follows, shou considers where to start. ]

Truthfully, I don't expect this city to be peaceful, but it seems as though it's recently had something big happen. [ he pauses. ] The bounty operation feels unusual, even so.

[mindthebass]

(don't think shin doesn't notice just how smooth that hand is. something is wrong. so wrong. what? his own is extremely calloused, not only due to such activities, but because that's simply what happens when you train in music instruments for so long. he could burn the tips of his fingers and not feel it.

he drags the stick, a simple shrug as he releases the smoke from his lungs through his nose.)

I haven't been here too long. Two months, at most. It was fine. We had festivals, and minor problems like birds trying to rip my piercing from my face. Then, when we were working during Tanabata, the kidnapping happened, and someone...

(god, the crack. the thumping. he hates even remembering it, the inhale of smoke longer and the release as well, as if he was delaying to say it.)

I saw a murder the first time. It wasn't nice.

[dissimilar]

[ ...an awful thing for someone not accustomed to it. shou is desensitized to most forms of violence, but there's a tightening of his knuckles. whether it's comfort or tension where their fingers interlock isn't clear. only that it caused some kind of reaction in him. ]

That's why you decided to arm yourself.

[ still no gun, but he figures that's just as well. ]

[mindthebass]

... Yeah. I tried before, learning how to shoot and whatnot. I'm not into it.

(he notices the hand. another hero type?

for shin, he's got people to call in case things go sour, but he can't always do that. it's not fair, and honestly, there might not be time.)

[dissimilar]

While it's good to be prepared in case of danger, you don't have to force yourself to enjoy it.

[ to him, it might be more respectable to not enjoy it, but that's a self-indulgent thought that he's very aware of. ]

Was the murder related to the bounty that's been posted?

[mindthebass]

I don't want to hurt anyone.

(it's just that simple, but he might be starting to realize it might be a 'you or them' situation. it happened so fast that even the gun feels frivolous.)

Yeah. It happened at the festival.

[dissimilar]

When faced with an enemy, they'll do anything in their power to harm you. It's best to not hesitate. [ though... ] ...however, in cases like this, it might be better to have someone protect you.

[ a wish not to cause harm is worth protecting, he thinks. ]

[mindthebass]

The strong people I know can't be with me all the time, you know. That's the conudreurum.

(yes, trying to use new word, butcher it completely.)

[dissimilar]

Maybe so. Perhaps it's worth trying, though.

[ to be in a position to not want to have to fight is a rarity to witness. ]