February 2022 Test Drive

[jigokumods]

MAIN NAVIGATION

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.

Comments

3

[baecon]

[Fortunately for Shinobu, the someone in front of the cat had pretty fast reflexes. He also happened to be a ghost, though that hardly stopped him from snatching the cat in between a set of claws and hoisting the animal into the air. Despite the animal's(?) best efforts to break free, it couldn't snack out of The Snatcher's grasp. A fact that delighted the shadowy specter to no end.]

And just what do we have here?

[The voice that bellowed out from the shadowy specter was equal parts loud as it was mirthful. At least someone was enjoying the situation.]

[rippedoff]

[Though Shinobu's posture relaxes a little in relief that someone was able to catch the little four-legged thief, her brows stay tense as she glances at the cat wrangler in front of her - some kinda ghost? But yet he seemed a little different from the beings around town.

Perhaps to a person that hadn't gone through as many strange circumstances, they would have a hard time processing the sight of a ghost man catching a cat. However, Shinobu can only accept it with a sigh - of course it's some seemingly do-gooder apparition that came to her assistance this time.]

Not bad. [Being able to catch the cat that fast when it had eluded her own capture. With the little thief immobilized, Shinobu takes the chance to get closer to get a better look at the situation. And well... hopefully collect her wallet.] Can you hold this thing for a second while I get my wallet back?

[baecon]

[A do-gooder? Him? Just the thought would send shivers up his nonexistent spine if anyone ever said that to him in person. Perish the thought. Although...taking a good look at this woman, she does seem quite capable. Nobody carries a sword around in this day and age unless they know how to use it. Making allies here wouldn't be the worst idea. Especially since he's currently lacking in the power department. Sure he towers over most people here, but that means little compared to how awkward it is to move around in this form without his abilities.

What to do in this situation... Hrmmm....]

I suppose I can take the time out of my very busy day to hold this furball still. Although...you only need your wallet, right? Surely you don't care about the other belongings this little pest managed to snatch.

[rippedoff]

[Her expression perhaps goes a little dull over this being's delivery, but considering that he was kind of maybe doing her a favor here, Shinobu keeps quiet on any sort of insults. Perhaps she really had no fear of running her mouth, but she also wasn't stupid either. And hey, she was capable of showing some gratefulness, no matter what the intentions in mind might actually be.]

Yep. Just my wallet. And[Though Shinobu herself was too honorable to claim any other lost loot the cat might have claimed, there was no way to know just who might be missing their shit, even if Shinobu was in a particularly noble mood.] It's really no concern of mine of what you do with the rest of the stuff.

[baecon]

[He's totally doing her a favor! ...while also doing himself a favor. Nothing wrong with some mutually beneficial arrangement.]

And like that, you're already one of the more pleasant people I've met here! I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

[As promised, Snatcher lowers his arm, the one still firmly holding the pesky """cat""", making it easy for Shinobu to search for her belongings. Of course, he's still watching her. After all, this was only a verbal agreement and he's never really been a fan of those. He likes to get these things in writing; just in case the other party tries to get any funny ideas.]

[rippedoff]

Yeah, yeah. Just don't be stealing my shit and we'll get along fine, I'm sure.

[There's perhaps a little bit of a sarcastic tone to her response, but that was pretty much her default mood. At the very least, she was being more or less truthful in that much - he probably was going to be okay by her, just as long as he didn't cross her or anyone she was aligned with.

Even if she didn't really trust this guy, Shinobu reaches over to reclaim her wallet out of the stash of things the cat stole. For what it was worth, she did kind of owe this guy, so he might as well take whatever he wanted out of what was left - it's not like she was going to stake any claim on it anyway.]

That's all I need. Thanks... I guess.