jigokufever | February 2022 Test Drive

1. ENTRY

It feels like a dream as you wake up in what appears to be a government office. It is remarkably mundane: white walls, small screens with the number that is being served and at what desk, chairs along the perimeter of the room, and pleasant music playing from unseen speakers. There's nothing out of the ordinary, right?

Then you take a look at the inhabitants in the office: Lost Souls and youkai alike make up the ranks of a never-ending line in front of a desk manned by an akaname in a suit. However, another youkai, a hyakume, is your first contact in this world. You're instructed to take a number and stand in the queue. Take a seat if you want– but you're reminded to be quick when your number is called or you'll be passed by.

Congratulations: you're in Hell.

If you're lucky, you're in line behind a fellow Lost Soul. If you're less lucky, you're stuck behind any number of youkai that may be disturbing to look at or ones that may actively try to harm you. The ones with long arms may even try to steal your ticket from further back in the line.

Make small talk, try not to freak out, and keep your ticket safe (or maybe try to steal a better one) as you make your way up in the line.

2. THE CITY

Once you've been processed through the line, you're given your assignment to one of the four possible clans with directions to their respective clan offices. The city itself looks remarkably similar to a modern Japanese city, complete with narrow alleyways connecting wider streets. Glaring neon signs advertising various businesses compete for your attention, even the most mundane businesses.

Once you tear your attention away from the myriad distractions, your task is to find your way to the office. The akaname didn't exactly give you clear directions, just a piece of paper with an address printed on it. You’re on your own to find your way there.

Those assigned to the Shuten Clan are directed to the gambling district.
The Tamamo Clan members are directed to the red light district.
New members of the Sutoku Alliance are pointed to the entertainment district.
Those assigned to The Department of the Enma are sent to the administrative district.
Ask your fellow Lost Souls for directions or stubbornly find your way to the office all on your own. No matter how you get there, once you've made your way to the office you're given your lodgings (for rookies, it’s always the cheapest inn or apartment block in the area) and told to go out and get a feel for the city.

3. STREET FIGHT - SHUTEN TERRITORY

Scuffles break out all the time in Jigokucho, especially in the district dominated by the Shuten Clan. Whether it's a rival clan posturing over someone being on the wrong turf, shakedowns of all sorts, or just someone with a chip on their shoulder picking a fight: it always draws a crowd of onlookers.

No matter what street you're going down or what you're on your way to do, there always seems to be a fight to block the way. Take a look, take bets, or maybe you're the one caught in the brawl. Maybe someone decided they didn't like the way you looked at them or maybe they're trying to catch you in a petty scam. You may also feel the need to step in when fights are looking particularly one-sided.

Get used to this happening.

4. STICKY PAWS - SUTOKU TERRITORY

One of the more adorable features in the city is a cat cafe. Located within Sutoku territory, it always draws a steady crowd. If you're lured in by the adorable cats in the window, you're welcomed into a pleasant, cat-friendly environment with cats of every shape, color, and size lounging on various surfaces while being doted on by patrons. Of course not everything is as it seems: these are no ordinary cats. They're bakeneko in disguise and this cafe is a clever way to spirit away a few more coins for the Sutoku Alliance's coffers.

You may notice your wallet is a few (thousand) bills lighter at some point during your visit or your wallet may be missing entirely. Maybe it was one of your fellow patrons helping themselves while you were playing with a cat or maybe it was one of the cats. Who's to say? You quickly realize this place is not on the up and up; you have to do something about it.

Chase down one of the cats, confront your fellow patrons, or maybe try to shake down the owner for information. The latter won't get you very far, but maybe it'll make you feel better about losing your cash to a cute scam.

5. HELP WANTED - TAMAMO TERRITORY

CW: potentially NSFW, optional aphro

If you find yourself in the red light district, you might find yourself pulled into something else entirely. A scout in front of one of the numerous clubs drags you in off the street, assuming you're from the Tamamo Clan. It doesn't matter if you are or not, the scout is not listening to your protests. They say something about staffing shortages as you're shoved into the employee area of the club. The club manager then pushes some clothes at you and tells you to get out onto the floor once you're dressed. It might be a host club, it might be a bikini or banana bar, or maybe something even more salacious – whatever it is, you're working there for the night.

There are also barkers aggressively recruiting clients for these clubs, promising a good time for anyone who wants it. Whether it be the company of a pretty host or hostess, the lurid appeal of a strip show, or perhaps even other pleasures of the flesh: there's plenty to tempt even the most resistant.

Work at a club for the night or partake in the pleasures. Drinks flow like water, some with a little something extra to help things along. Everything is transactional here. As you have the money, you're bound to find something that tickles your fancy.

Welcome to the test drive meme!

Threads here can be considered game canon.
If you have any questions about the TDM content, please ask them here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
Reserves are open until March 5th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ it almost felt like the waiting was never going to end, but one way or another, six manages to get out of that particular room with another paper in hand. he hasn't looked at what it says if only because something (someone) else catches his eye. there's someone standing in the middle of the road as though there's a problem.

his ears perk up — magnify, the guy says, and that's enough to make his head tilt. magnify what? ]

... Do you need something?

[The first thing he captures is the scent of lavender.

The second thing: the weird cadence of feet as they approach and stop in their tracks. Intriguing as it is --stride, stride, a soft stutter-step while they move around something, stride, stop-- he grabs that particular bit of information and shoves it into this figurative back pocket.

Well. It's not like he expected hell of all places to be lacking interesting people.

The desk workers', the whole environment. While the city streets cast themselves familiar and welcoming (welcoming? In this economy? Welcome to Mamoru's life) even through the wire-grid frame projected into his sight, it's like the air feels thicker here. Wave a hand and the fog will dissipate, show you its true colors.

He's also trying to not get too distracted by the set of ears on the top of this guy's head. Dirt lickers and blobs with too many eyes are fine.

Yet this looks like shitty cosplay.

He's not the biggest fan of sharing details about himself, but he flicks the paper in his hand with an address within the Administrative sector towards the line of the cosplayer's sight.]

I can't see what's in this. [The shades don't capture writing unless there's some sort of dent to its letters. As is, the paper in his hands may just as well have a recipe for a cheeseburger.] What does it say?

[ that moment when you're already seen as a shitty cosplayer when this is just who you are.

not that six would have any idea this is the perspective others have of him, or at least when it comes to this guy with harsh opinions. his head tilts to the side; what the man tells him is a curious thing, enough of a glimpse for the erune to make the connection. if he can't read it, then it probably only means one thing.

maybe. ]

It's an address. Shall I lead you towards where it's telling you to go?

[ he could also just recite it but this feels like it would be less trouble later on... (well, it's a hassle regardless, since six can just leave the guy to fend for himself, but he can't really back out of what he offered now.) ]

[After some time living with a 12-year-old and an otaku, one starts to think things in a certain perspective.

That perspective is relatively intrigued that those ears, while moving, don't seem to elicit any mechanical sound aside from the rustling of fabric. This guy tilts his head, pushes his shades upwards.

He had taken in weirdly shaped folk back in the office but this close, it seems so farfetched--

--yet. He's in hell, right?

The address will take him to the place he's supposed to go, to get the tools he's supposed to use. As is Mamoru is empty-handed, no cane.

(No sword. He feels like he should consider this some sort of addiction, and his mind can't help but jab that he looks like a petulant child with a craving.)

Revisiting the 'while he doesn't like this idea's, applied to the fact that he really doesn't need a guide, that lack actually makes him consider.] Sure, if y'er headed that way.

[ this is hell, and now both a shitty cosplayer and a man who can't read are stuck with each other.

six doesn't really mind helping the guy out. after all, it's better for other newcomers to stick together rather than leave this sort of thing to fate— he's learned that the hard way. not that he would ever bring it up, since it isn't really relevant, not anymore, so he takes one look at the address once again and tries to reorient himself with where they are right now.

he isn't too familiar with the lay of the land just yet, but living in hakagemachi at least helped him get used to modern cities. still, the most he's got is just a guess.

taking two steps forward, he casts his gaze towards the direction he thinks they should go and gestures for the man to follow. ]

It's along the way. Come.

[ he won't assume the guy needs his hand to be held, considering he managed to get out of that poor excuse for a DMV just fine. ]

[A shitty cosplayer and a man that can't read walk into hell...

Pretty sure there's a joke there somewhere.

The streets are familiar - strangely so - save for the weird energy that keeps Mamoru's hairs standing on end, they weave like the underbelly of a Japanese city that doesn't pay their cops enough.

He never thought that hell of all places had a predilection for what seemed like neon signs.

Tilting his head slightly at those steps again, an eyebrow arches hidden away by the mass of black hair on his forehead. Mamoru can't help the slight twitch to his lip, however.] How are ya findin' this place?

[ the joke is that neither one has any idea of where they're headed.

regardless of that, six heads down the direction he chose and follows the street. the landmarks aren't very familiar to him, but it's fine. soon enough, he guesses, they'll see a street sign that will say they're headed at the right direction. (they won't, but it's not bad to make him hold onto that belief.) ]

Hm?

[ the question strikes him as odd. what's there to think about a place like hell? ]

Seeing youkai is nothing new, so it hardly bothers me. Of course, others might find it disturbing given how strange they can be... Why do you ask?

[ it doesn't really answer mamoru's question. six is bad at that. ]

February 2022 Test Drive

2. why is mams like this...

why are you pretending you don't like it

i can't believe mams is already insulting my boy

I mean six thinks Mams can't read now I think they're p even

they are both so stupid

That's not news for a character of ours....

no subject