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

entry

[ He never thought death would be so... bureaucratic.

If Banba had to die - which he was very sure he would much sooner than most people his age - he was hoping it would be interesting. Someone like him would not be going anywhere good, he supposed, but this is enough to put him to sleep. The sights are interesting, but his feelings are more annoyed than disturbed. Maybe it's because he expected hell. Maybe it's because there's an air of disappointment hanging over his head, knowing he's died before completing the one thing he was hoping to accomplish before dying.

Maybe because he won't see his friends again. Maybe because he knows he left Lin alone in that apartment.

Damn it.

He lets out a sigh and rubs the ticket he's 'earned' between his thumb and finger, tapping his foot on the floor. ]

D'ya think the line is our actual punishment and damnation here? Look at that thing...

city

[ Banba, for better or worse, has found himself gainfully employed. Or something. He's never liked working with organizations, though he's always had to walk alongside them in his line of work. You can't be what he is and not know the names of all the criminal factions in your city. Whether for PI work or assassin work... well...

He has never been good at navigating places that aren't Hakata. He is a Hakata boy, born and raised, and isn't much into traveling outside of the area. This place isn't unfamiliar in its layout and aesthetic, but it's confusing and he's lost all sight of where he's going.

Banba is a little old-fashioned and definitely stubborn, but once his dogs start barking, he's ready to throw in the towel of manly pride and approach someone who seems at least somewhat respectable. Respectable by his skewed measure, at least. ]

Any idea where the entertainment district is? I've totally lost track of my feet here.

help wanted

Hey, hey, listen! I'm too old for this kinda thing. I graduated already. Seriously!

[ Banba doesn't particularly miss being a host and he certainly wouldn't volunteer for the work, so why is he getting roped into this again? He's got a uniform in his hands that brings up bad memories and his usually jolly face has turned frustrated.

He is definitely not in the mood for this and, well, he's IN hell already, right? He's dead, so he's not afraid to raise a fuss. He'd already been long past that fear in his own world.

So, instead of getting dressed, he has decided to fuss at the door, complaining loudly about not being fit for this kind of thing anymore and get back here and let me outta this place. This is his actual punishment in hell, isn't it? Back to this kind of thing? He's not about to accept it easily.

Perhaps calming him down so he doesn't get his ass in literal hot water might be best... unless that's your kind of thing. ]

Eh?

[Gojyo had just been chilling and minding his own business one step ahead of the line when he heard Banba mutter out his complaint. Head tilting back curiously, tiny red antenna-like strands of hair bobbing in the process as he looked his neighbor in line over.Well, yeah, this line was boring as shit. And hell yeah, it was long. But it was far from all-out torture, in Gojyo's opinion.]

I don't know about that. In my opinion, it feels more like we're thrown into another one of those random 'ah you're the chosen one here's this world-saving task' jobs as any other. Stand in line, talk to the youkai, get the job done. In and out with a little bit of foreplay in between, you know?

Nah, torture would be if they were playing lousy elevator music while we waited.

[ Hinata totally gets the resistance that the guy is putting up. He had never been into host clubs back in his own world. He always found the guys to be pretentious there. Or maybe that was just how most hosts were in Nakawacho. That place seemed to either bring out the best in people or the worst. It was usually a flip of heads or tails on that.

Still. This guy is making a bit of a scene, isn't he? Standing out like a sore thumb in this place seems like a bad idea. Especially since there is still a lot that they don't know about it.

Hinata approaches the guy from the side and tugs on his ear. ]

Oi. Stop yelling. It ain't that big of a deal. You're a grown man, quit embarrassing yaself.

[ Hinata huffs a little bit, hating that his Kansai accent went in quite thick there. ]

You're making a scene.

[ There. That's better. He's still holding onto the man's ear, ready to give it another squeeze in case he has to drag him inside himself. ]

[ honestly? badou was feeling kinda chill about this whole thing. he knew he needed a job, and what better one than one that's thrust into your own hands? hell, it's just nice not having to break his back looking for one in the first place!

then again, he has absolutely no shame, so it ain't like he really cares if he has to wear some dumb outfit to get some dolla dolla bills.

but this other guy who got roped in with him's putting up quite the fuss, and it's kinda nice that badou isn't the one making a scene this time. feels good, feels right. ]

...yeah, yeah! He's too old for this kinda thing! Don't you want customers??

[ Rokurou had never really thought about death—not what was beyond a man's final breath, anyway. All life is ephemeral, especially when kissed by his blade. The thrill of battle is one for the living and that had always been his focus. There were only two things he knew, comfortably, about what his death would bring: that he would rot in hell and that whatever torture awaited was probably pretty shitty. Nice things don't happen to daemons, betrayers, and the unrepentantly selfish.

Which is why he pauses when the man questions whether or not this is their punishment. Not because that's some kind of revolution; the samurai hesitates, single visible eye a little wide before he answers. ]

Wait, you mean there's a chance that this isn't the torture? I figured it already started.

[ He doesn't regret all of the terrible things he's done, won't regret them, but an endless drone of bureaucracy for the rest of eternity is kind of making him wish he did just a few more good deeds to offset them. ]

I was just headed that way.

[ Julieta was looking for food herself. Maybe they would have something good there. She thought she recalled seeing some stands. Because of that reason she'll agree to escort him. Maybe just a little bit she wouldn't mind some company. ]

February 2022 Test Drive

Banba Zenji | Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

Entry~

help wanted

help wanted

entry.

city