jigokufever | (OVERFLOW) AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

Entry tags:

(OVERFLOW) 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!~~ 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

[ wo~oa~ah it's the overflow. ]

Edited 2022-09-08 21:02 (UTC)

[ what best way to get around a strange new place than slinking through shadows? he does not wear his recognizable coat or hat— at first glance it looks like he is hiding, dressed up but on second glance, anyone who can recognise him would see that it is hiding in plain sight.

dostoevsky may have known or this may be mere coincidence (ha, as if! he's never left anything to chance). the poncho provides adequate protection for his disguise, except from where it hung a little too loose on that bony frame. the drink has splashed onto the collar, staining fabric.

dostoevsky smiles with little warmth and even less sincerity. he knows you. ]

I am sure it will not stain.

[ meaning: it absolutely will. ]

[ ...and he knows you.
A shuttering inhale betrays the stab of shock?, excitement?, dread?, that hits him.

The dabbing slows gradually to a stop. The act beginning to crumble away in real time as Gogol plants one hand on the table in front of his dear friend so he can reach out to pinch the staining fabric peeking out from the poncho. The pretense of being a earnest participant in this contest not as much lost as it is immediately discarded at the notion of this discovery. ]

On a scenic vacation in hell are we? What a coincidence! Me too.

[ how sweet the ties of friendship feel when they're both in hell! it is as they deserve and still, dostoevsky ought to be angrier about it than he actually is. then again, his true rage tends to be carefully measured out and directed at particular individuals.

the smile stretches and softens, warmth visible as he reaches one hand up, knuckles skating along gogol's jawline until his fingers brush his ear. ]

[ --and that is a terrible wig.

his smile fades, and he grabs at the pale silver locks concealed beneath, hard. ]

[ Fyodor, for all that he's physically no match for Gogol, gets the jump on him. Should've seen it coming: of course the guy is mad. Maybe it's because there's no one else Gogol would be this provoked by seeing here that it happens with the clown not seeing it coming.

His shoulders lift up to his ears as he tries to move along with the tug to minimize the pain. ]

Haha, ouch! Uncle! I'm calling uncle!

[ kolya is taller, more muscular, but fyodor is annoyed and he's not going to be easily dislodged now that he has a handful of hair in his hands (though he does relax a little, less about ripping a few strands out and more about drawing the other closer). ]

No, that's not how it works, my very good friend.

Don't you have something else to say to me?

[ Gogol twists so he can at least rest his chin on his wrist to help his center of balance. It doesn't look too comfortable but how can he being while held in place by his hair?

It's truly unfortunate he gets to be the most satisfied party involved in the whole mess (of his devising, of course). Fyodor likely wants an apology but how can he apologize when his bid for free will came out on top? ]

I'm about as heartbroken as I am happy to see you, my dear friend. I don't know what to do with myself!

[ His eyebrows lift and it's a softer expression as he looks up at Fyodor now. The tables around them playing audience are a little bit weirded out by this display but clearly not enough to make eye contact with either of them. ]

How was it? ...Did you cry?

[ an apology would be nice but he also knows better, gogol will clown as clowns do and while he's not completely unpredictable, fyodor does not always read him. hence why-- well, prison break setback.

finally finally he releases nikolai's hair, calloused fingers drifting down along bare skin, before returning to his side. there is an urge to inject venom in this encounter, to poke holes in whatever kolya thinks this means. this isn't freedom, this is something else. ]

No, though I am curious as to how you found yourself in this place.

[ That deceptively gentle touch is a life threatening thing--if he didn't know better, that is. The slight shiver is involuntary.
With the jig being up he takes the wig off to drape over top of a hand.

Despite the time spent thinking "ah, how fitting. I am in hell." Gogol hadn't been thinking about the how. In a way he doesn't care it implies he's dead. What's the point? He was willing to die the first time around, until he wasn't, so? It's fitting that he has died under mysterious circumstances on the second go. Everything that's come after it kind of just feels like a plus, you know? So excuse his vapid smiling. ]

It's a really thought provoking question, Dostoy, it really is! ...Do you think we should tell him?

[ He's turned to talk to his wig wearing hand like a puppet. Hand-san makes a motion: an approximation of nodding. ]

I'll be honest with you since we're best friends. I have no idea.

[ there is a rather unimpressed expression visible on dostoevsky's face and oh how he wants to grab the end of that lovely silver braid and yank. but a trick won't work twice on kolen'ka and an attempt would suggest he is angrier than he actually is.

but fine.

answer given, fyodor turns on his heel to head out of the way, his poncho is wet and he will not lower himself to invite gogol to follow. the clown either will or won't. ]

[ Oh, he missed that face; was going to miss that kind of reaction dearly. Now he doesn't have to... How terrible. It's like being re-shackled by sentiment in record time! It's so soon to resume agonizing over it. ]

[ Obviously he kicks the geta off, which immediately disqualifies him from the competition, just so he can trail after. Fyodor must've known he'd invite himself along. With hardly any time to reclaim his own shoes, slip them on, and catch up to the retreating back he just barely manages it.

But not before dropping the wig on some random person's head on the way out. Snickering. ]

Oh? What's this Dos? The service must've been preeetty bad if you're willing to add "dine and dash" to your long list of evildoing.

[ ah, there it is. dostoevsky's mind calculates and switches gears; even killing him hasn't changed gogol's... sentiments. not that fyodor is an expert on the matter but at least there are no signs of that sort of shift just yet. they are still the most dearest of friends.

the poncho is slid over his head and then flung at gogol once he's close enough.

there, see? he's acknowledging gogol without really acknowledging him. except he clearly has turned towards gogol, enough to flash a mean little smile. ]

chap 101 spoilers

quizpersona - 2022-09-09 01:29 (UTC) - Expand

Nikolai Gogol | Bungo Stray Dogs | Overflow

1+wildcardish

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Fukuda

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Luchino

no subject