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

nia | xenoblade chronicles 2

[nya]

   ENTRY.
( this... is not a familiar sight. if anything, it reminds her more of the cold inside of the world tree, or the ruins of morytha — the technology, the cold distance, the white lights. when she glances over herself, she notices she's in her blade form — and with no way to change back into the comfortable guise of a human. then again, a lot of the people here seem... odd. disfigured, like monsters she'd fought back home, leering at the lost souls from every corner.

at the very least, she doesn't stand out. it's a small comfort.

dromarch, her companion, seems nowhere to be found, either. that's worrisome — but she figures she'll deal with the current situation first and look for him later. spending any more time than necessary here seems... counterproductive, somehow. so she takes a number, and heads back over towards the seats, glancing around attentively. long, catlike ears twitch in hopeless attempts at locating the voice of her tiger, but instead what she notices is an unnaturally extended arm trying to snatch someone's ticket. smack, goes her hand, fangs bared in a hiss as she watches the arm retreat, then turning to the unfortunate victim: )

Look out for yourself better, yeah? There's no telling what they might do to you in this place!

   STREET FIGHT.
( the city is even more overwhelming. she lived in gormott, a relatively low-developed city on the back of a large titan, with lush greenery and lacking technology. she's seen places like mor ardain, sure, where technology and metal flourished — but none of that was nearly this... strange. once again, the world tree comes to mind, and yet... it's not this kind of modern technology, either. flashy. bright. loud. overwhelming.

her ears flatten against her head, displeased with the ruckus. if dromarch were here, she could simply... hop on his back and run around, seeking the right address, but since he's not... she just ends up wandering into a completely random territory, suddenly surrounded by the sounds of brawls and connecting punches. she's never been a fan of violence, but she is a weapon — and though she feels rather... naked without her sword or her rings on her, she's not afraid to scratch the face of anyone who comes at her. a guy grabs her forearm — scratched, someone pushes her to the side — scratched and bit.

she's on high alert and looking worse for wear by the time she's almost out of shuten territory, so... when she sees someone approaching her, or passing her by, or reaching for her, her first instinct is to reach up and scratch the unfortunate victim's face like an angry cat. maybe even bite their arm, even if they meant well. and if that happens to be you... sorry. )

   HELP WANTED.
( she's always been easy to rope into things, despite verbal protests — being on stage is scary, when it's not just in front of her friends, but they promise she can tend the tables instead, so... that's what she opts for. her outfit might or might not have been mistaken for a get-up — it's not something she dwells on, instead taking this job probably entirely too seriously.

this kind of debauchery... not something she's ever seen happen this freely. coming from a place ridden by war and other pressing issues made it hard to focus on anything but — but similarly, she can't say she doesn't enjoy the atmosphere of relaxation that seems prominent here. watching humans and non-humans in this state — living beings, different from a weapon like her — is almost... calming.

she might've gotten a little distracted watching, though. she's definitely pouring the drink all over the table and now the person who'd ordered it. )

... ah! Oops! ( a cuss, as she yanks the bottle away and lets it fly out of her hand and down on the floor. was that a champagne you paid for? ) ... slippery little shits, huh?

street fight

[luxter]

[ Hinata has been through plenty of fights and the Shuten Territory managed to act as some kind of release for him to let go of the anger he felt at being trapped here. Fight after fight, punch after punch. It felt great. But the inhabitants of the place punched back a lot harder than others did in Nakawacho. He really got a run for his money, even though he felt it had been worth it.

Now on his way out of the district, Hinata looked a little worse for wear himself. His clothing had been ripped by a couple of blades, and he had a few bruises already blossoming on his face. Hopefully some rest would allow his body to heal up. As he walks, mostly minding his own business, he notices an oddly dressed woman looking quite wary. A cosplayer? It wouldn't be the first time he's seen one in public. ]

Oi, lady.

[ Hinata approaches her, his hand out to touch her shoulder to offer support, but that seems to be a mistake. Especially when she actually bites him like a damn cat that's she's dressed as. Hinata quickly pulls his hand back, doing his best to flick away the pain. ]

The hell? Cosplayers are fuckin' insane nowadays! Gettin' too much in character, ya damn kitty.

[nya]

( not unlike a wounded animal, she's quick to lash out at anyone who approaches: including a young man who seems to be reaching for her shoulder. now, if there's anything this district had taught her, it's that people here scarcely come at you with good intentions. and so, fangs bared, she chomps down on his hand before he can as much as brush his fingers against her shoulder.

her canines are thin, but there's two sets of them, both in the top and the bottom rows of her teeth — it's very easy to pierce through skin, and she only steps back when she tastes blood, hissing like a cat would. )

Haa?! What the hell are you talking about, you... bumblebee?! ( ... she does not know what cosplay is. and yes, she just took one glance at his hair and decided that's going to be his name — but to be fair, he started it?!

... sort of... ) If you want to fight, I can still take you on! ( a Very Serious threat coming from someone below five feet, but, you know. she assumes the more intimidating she tries to be, the less likely he's going to be to actually fight her. )

[luxter]

[ Bumblebee? Hinata blinks owlishly at the young woman before him. He then reaches up and lightly rubs one of his fringes in between two fingers. Bumblebee... Ah! It took him a second to realize that she's comparing him to a bumblebee due to his hair. Surprisingly, that's a new insult for him!

It's a funny one, he'll give her that. Having calmed down considerably, Hinata looks down at his hand and squints at the bite marks that are still there on his skin. He should have healed by now. Were his powers weakening here?

Tsk. How annoying. ]

I don't want to fight a woman.

[ It's something he had been told was a big "no-no" by Hidetoshi. He may be a criminal but that didn't mean he had to throw away the foundations of being a gentleman. ]

Besides. You're kind of small, aren't you? You'd go flying.

[ It isn't an insult. Well. he doesn't mean it to be an insult. More like an observation. ]

If you're looking for the red light district, you're going the wrong way. That's where you're headed, right?

[ That... has to be the reason for the costume. Right? ]

[nya]

( the notion of being apprehensive to fight a woman is entirely unknown to her — in alrest, blades and drivers alike can be of any gender, and she's never seen any fighters try to be gentlemen about it. it's foolish at best, she thinks, but... it's not as if she's got her sword, or any of her abilities to prove him otherwise. maybe this works out for her, after all — she's rather tired of this whole charade, anyway. )

Haa? Who are you calling small?! If you're gonna be a gentleman, go the whole mile! ( she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. ) If we were back home, I'd send you flying in an instant!

( fume, fume. she only stops when he mentions the red light district, at which she gasps, scandalized. )

W — wait! Why would I want to go there?! Why is that your first assumption?! ( she doesn't even know where she's supposed to go, honestly — the address on the slip of paper tells her nothing, when she's never navigated a city before, but this... ! )

[luxter]

[ She really does remind him of a cat. Or a very angry kitten due to her height. Hissing and scratching because she doesn't want to be underestimated. It's oddly amusing. He could hardly imagine her sending him flying. But she did mention if she were back in her world then she'd be able to.

It made him curious about her true strength. It's kind of odd to think there are other entire universes out there besides his own.

Seeing the women get all huffy about his assumption, Hinata simply shrugs. ]

Because you're dressed up like one of the girls in that district. You know? Trying to seduce the customers? The cat girl look is definitely unique. Appealing to otakus is good business. The ears look pretty real...

[ He lightly tugs on one of her ears. ]

Oh. ...That's some dedication.

[ It's stuck to her head like real ears.


...


Wait.

Different worlds. That probably meant different rules...

Ah! ]

Wait. Are they real?

help wanted-adjacent

[nemuru]

( —and there's ritsu sliding under the table to collect the bottle's shards to set aside before he laps at the alcohol like a good little bad kitty cat, evidently to the enjoyment of whoever he's entertaining right now... not for too long, because champagne is just "ok" to him and floor champagne is "less than ok" to him, and because he wants to check on miss distracted, too.

he smiles at the person, all fanservice and good looks— )

I'll get you a new one, alright? So don't give Miss Kitty a hard time here.

( ...and to nia, he asks, lower: ) You alright there? It's not good to get distracted in a place like this~. You never know what someone's gonna try to pull.

[nya]

( ... she watches him slide under the table with equal amounts of amazement and bewilderment, clutching the tray she'd brought the alcohol on to her chest as the patron turns their eyes towards the show. as gross as that undoubtedly is, at the very least, the person who was about to blame her for all of their wasted money is distracted enough to forget all about it, laughing in mirthful amusement. she watches as they extend their leg to maybe prod ritsu to do more, but —

before they can, he gets up, shooting the customer a practiced smile. not something nia's any good at. nice save. )

Oh... yeah... ( still a little bit in shock over the floor champagne thing. without a second thought, she reaches up to wipe the corner of his lips with a long sleeve, scrunching her nose up. ) You didn't have to... do... all that... ( and slowly, she's gonna start pulling him away from the table, before the patron suggests something weird.

they were wearing that kind of an expression. )

[nemuru]

( ...what a nice girl, he'll go with her, giving a small wave to the patron as they go. bye bye, remember his face, give him some tips later, thanks— )

First rule of show business is to play everything up a little. People like to think they're the only ones you're acting for... ( works as an idol, works here. sure, he's used to doing it with his unit and in purer circumstances, but his pretty looks and bedroom eyes get some use in gravure shoots, too. ) Mmm, but if you're not comfortable with that, don't worry about it. Plenty of people like the shy type, too.

( ...is that encouraging? maybe?? )

Gets the heat off of poor things like you real quick, too. ( which was more what he was going for, at least. feminism.

and he's making a face and bleugh-ing once they're DEFINITELY out of eyesight of that particular patron, nose scrunched. ) On the fence if it was worth it though, 'cause that floor tastes awful.

[nya]

Hmph. I'm not interested in being an entertainer.

( shy type, or the suave type... none of that for her, thank you. though now that the world is safe and she's apparently dead, despite having about 500 years worth of a lifespan left to live, maybe it's time for career change... but, ah, she can't do this without dromarch around. she needs her emotional support tiger for the confidence.

either way, she leads them a safe distance away and glances back up at his face, snorting in amusement at the BLEUGH. yeah... she could've guessed that one. )

And I'm not a poor thing. I don't need pity! If he tried something, I'd just kick his butt. ( which, yeah, she's like 4'8'', so she might not look particularly formidable, but she knows her way around a fight, promise. ) You should probably drink something else to wash that taste down. Or, better yet, rinse your floor-mouth out! There's probably... dust in there! You might get sick...

thinking of tiny 4'8" nia next to longcat 5'7" ritsu....

[nemuru]

( what a worrywart. )

There's probably a lot worse than dust on these floors, y'know.

( JUST SAYING,

but okay, he'll swipe a cup from a server when they aren't looking, swish the alcohol in his mouth, spit it in the cup, and put it on someone else's tray. solved. )

Mm... If you're not a poor little thing, then what's your name?

( SO HE DOESNT HAVE TO CALL YOU ONE )

street fight

[flamebringer]

[ Mòrag, unfortunately, is practically a walking target in her uniform, with all its regalia flashing gold with red trim like a beacon screaming i'm rich and of some importance, come pick a fight and rob me.

unlike Nia, Mòrag chooses not to engage. to an extent, anyway. oh— she'd certainly welcome a challenge in any other circumstance, if Brighid were at her side to lend her firepower, but Mòrag knows when she's out of her element and when to lay low. she finds a heavy cloak to shroud herself in, unwilling to discard the epaulettes of her uniform, and that helps. somewhat. the hood fits awkwardly over her cap but it also helps. somewhat.

—surely the disguise is working as intended, since Mòrag finds herself being raked across the face by an ally not long after, as she's distracted by something or other on the other side of the street. too stunned to speak or move out of the way, she simply allows herself to get scratched before a hand shoots out of her cloak to grab Nia's wrist.

dryly, but not unkindly, she chides: ] I'm aware we've had our differences in the past, but surely those conflicts are water under the bridge by now.

[ "hello Nia, fancy meeting you here." ]

MORAG... 🥺

[nya]

( in this state, she simply swipes at everything and everyone who comes close — especially tall, hooded figures with dubious intentions. or, well, that's how her brain tells her it is, anyway; after a fair share of slipping away from unnecessary fights, she's tired and frustrated and wanting nothing more but to find a place to rest. maybe find dromarch, if at all possible. find anyone familiar —

the relief on her face when she sees mòrag, then, is palpable. it takes actual willpower not to tackle the other with an obnoxious hug — instead, she scuttles in closer, expression brightening. )

Mòrag! ( ... and then darkening, realizing what she'd done. there's a red welt on the other's face, most definitely caused by her claws, and suddenly, she's embarrassed by how little control she has. ) ... what's with the get-up?

( it's probably prudent to keep a military uniform hidden, she thinks. still... mòrag is hardly recognizable like this. )

Haa... you say that, but I never took proper revenge for being thrown into solitary. ( from the hit series of 'nia complains about mòrag doing her job again.' ) ... sorry. Let me take care of that, would you?

niaaaaaaa 😭

[flamebringer]

[ she's pleased, really. if Nia clawed her up then that means her disguise works! or she just gave Nia a convenient excuse for a little payback for those long-past bygones. either way— it doesn't particularly matter, now that she's found a familiar face.

Mòrag pulls her hood down and dutifully removes her cap. the scratch doesn't seem to be bleeding, but all the same. ]

Fair enough. I leave my wounds to your capable hands.

[ from anyone else it would sound utterly sarcastic, but Mòrag is being completely serious. as usual. she slightly crouches, to give Nia easier access to her face. ]

... I don't suppose you've arrived with anyone else. [ it's odd, seeing Nia without Dromarch at her side. ] Unfortunately, I'm unarmed.

[ no Brighid, she means. she could always pick up a metal pipe and use that as a bludgeon, but where would the dignity be in that? ]

CLINGS

[nya]

( look, she promises she got over that already. sort of. mostly! enough to not attack mòrag on sight, at any rate. all's well that ends well and stuff.

at the very least, the scratch seems to be the only injury mòrag has sustained. she guesses the disguise is doing its' job — a military uniform would be a provocation at best, especially in these kinds of unruly parts of town. and... it's not bleeding, which is good, because with her powers so weak, a thin cut is about all she can fix up on the spot.

raising her hand, she hovers it over mòrag's cheek, allowing what scarce remnants of her power she can muster to close the sliced skin up. )

... no. Dromarch's nowhere to be seen, so I guess... he's not here. It wouldn't be like him to hide from me, and I... can't really feel his presence, either. ( should she be relieved? sad? of course, she feels like she'd lost an arm, without the tiger by her side — but considering people here insist they're dead, well... it's best for dromarch to not experience that. he's a blade — he shouldn't have to worry about this. ) Not having my sword is annoying, though. I have to resort to these instead.

( she flexes her fingers. the claws... like some sort of an animal. )

HOLDS

[flamebringer]

[ her eyes widen ever so slightly at that remark. ] You don't have your Blade weapon?

[ without even thinking, she touches the cut on her face as it's being healed. after so many battles, Mòrag would think she's familiar with Nia's healing touch (not that she had ever needed to be patched up as frequently as the others, she'd like to say), so it's not hard to notice how long it takes for that shallow wound to close— an imperceptible difference, but not one that would escape Mòrag's detection.

well, that's worrying! ]

How fitting, for a place they claim to be Hell.

[ for once, Mòrag is at a loss. if she's dead, then Brighid's returned to her Core Crystal. inconceivable. a part of her furiously denies it, that this is all a grand joke played at their expense, but Nia is right here in front of her with no scimitar and her healing arts weakened.

she frowns, her gaze moving down to Nia's claws. now isn't the time for mourning. ] Nia... I'd rather not see you fall to such drastic measures. It goes without saying, but we'd best stick together— but I had wondered, are you able to form an affinity link without your sword?

help wanted

[ryototsukai]

[ Musashi had half thought the overflowing glass was part of the club's gimmick. Like a champagne tower, right, but for one cup? Nevermind that it made no sense, she was too lovestruck by basically every girl she'd laid eyes on since being pulled into the club by that pushy barker that she had no mind to actually notice much of anything that was outside the dreamy quality of her surroundings. She'd even started to lean in to try and sip up the excess that was pouring over her the glass, bu then the bottle fell and...

Her instincts, immediately, both as a trained swordsman and also just someone who never passes an opportunity to offer a helping hand (especially to a beautiful girl!) compelled her to move in and also grab for the bottle.

Which was a terrible idea, because she just wound up slamming her head right into Nia's. Pretty hard, too. ]

Oof!

[nya]

( all of her senses are currently dulled — not even the catlike reflexes, something that comes to her easily, can help her dodge the woman who slams her head right into hers. )

Owww... — ! ( she sees white. then black. then the colors fuse together again, as her surroundings spin. how does she stay upright? not sure — she certainly doesn't feel like she made any considerable contribution to helping herself in this matter. when her vision sharpens again, and the dull pain begins to pulse, she finally looks at her assailant — )

What gives?! ( was this an attack? should she start fighting? very confused right now. )

[ryototsukai]

Sorry! [ Musashi was similarly reeled by the collision, rubbing at her head and wincing, though not just from the pain. How embarrassing, a swordsman like her, caught in something so easily avoided. Musashi's form of grace never seemed to manifest outside of duels, and thus she was left looking, and feeling, rightfully dumb as hell. ]

Sorry, I... I was reaching for the bottle at the same time as you and...

[ Wow this girl was... really pretty, huh? She let out a nervous laugh, blushing not just from her shame but also just to look at the woman before her. She didn't even question that she was a Lost Soul like her... she kind of fit in with the other girls at the club, with those ears... ]

C-can I make it up to you? I'll buy you a drink!

[ While on duty? The hell was she thinking. She immediately winced, again, realizing she'd said something stupid. ]

Or... you know, whatever, right?

[nya]

( at the very least, it doesn't seem like this was anything but an unfortunate accident. if she were attacked here, she wouldn't hesitate to fight back — but the woman in front of her seems apologetic, and it's pretty obvious she went through a similar kind of recoil. the headache can be shared, then... )

You're pretty clumsy, huh? ( says the one who dropped the bottle in the first place...

but anyway!! )

If I drink on the job, I'll probably be dropping even more bottles. ( needless to say, she doesn't have the money to cover any of that... ) I guess I can let you buy me a snack, though. It's about time for my break, anyway.

( and she needs to call someone to clean this up first — )

[ryototsukai]

How about dinner? After your shift?

[ Did she just shift that into talk of a date? Musashi, was this really the time?! ]

Ah, j-just kidding, but I'll definitely get you whatever you want! Within reason, of course...

[ She was already spending way too much money. Still, they kept giving her money to spend, so... Maybe the debt she was going to wind up in was worth it, right? At least she was meeting a whole lot of interesting people! ]

street fight

[peacewithouttyranny]

[What a troublesome and unpleasant Shuten Territory has proven itself to be. Every corner he turns to, there seem to be a brawl or a start of one, every so often blocking the path. Violence is something Soundwave is very much used to in life, especially so as a Decepticon, but unlike his Decepticon peers, he never once find pleasure in it. And he wasn't about to start even as he unwittingly got into some brief fights himself.

While he was able to make some reconsider after intimidating them enough, really helps being a towering 10-foot-tall robot here, some were really pushing to pick a fight with him. And, well, the small splatter of blood on his metallic knuckles is proved enough of how things had went. That said, he never felt great about it afterwards...

Fed up with it all, Soundwave looks to leave the territory. While he's close to the exit, he sees a very frazzled looking cat(?) lady, though doesn't stop moving for her. Only for the very next second, said small lady pounced at him like a damn angry cat when he made the mistake of passing a little closely by her.

Oh, for Primus's sake.

Quick reflex has his hand catches her jaw first, and then one of her arms from scratching him, holding her up in the air. While he doubts this little one could seriously harm, perhaps it was for the best that he caught her, otherwise she may come out of this with shattered teeth.]

Settle down, if you know what is best for you.

[nya]

( she doesn't even pay attention to who she attacks, in this state — so when her eyes re-focus, and she takes in the form of her supposed assailant, she pauses, clearly surprised. an... artifice? mechanical beings like him... do exist in her world, albeit scarcely — they're usually at the beck and call of the aegis blade, someone she happens to be familiar with. still, he appears a bit different from siren or aion — smaller, to begin with, though still big enough to make her pause, caught in tight grip. )

Ughhh... let go!! ( struggling out of said grip is her first instinct. he's holding her by the jaw and her arm, and it's not particularly comfortable. ) Let me go! I won't attack you if you do!!

( which implies that she somehow will while being held, which is also false, but, you know —

she's angry right now, so thinking about what she's saying doesn't exactly occur to her. )

[peacewithouttyranny]

I doubt you are capable of attacking me effectively in this situation.

[If she's implying such while in her struggle. His grip on her is firm to not allow an easy escape and comfort is not in his mind while holding his small attacker up, though he is mindful of his own strength to not also be causing her pain. Organics are often such fragile beings. Last thing he wanted was to harm yet another being, least of all one that seems to be attacking him reactively at a supposed attack, unlike his previous encounters with the youkais.

His vents exhale, lowering the girl closer to the ground but not letting her go just yet.]

I will put you back down. But first, calm yourself and cease your struggle. I have no interest in harming you or wanting a fight... I simply wanted to leave this violent district.

[Maybe it'll help if she knows she means no harm whatsoever. He'll make promise of his words and gently put her back down on the ground when she does stop struggling, otherwise have fun being held up in the air.]

[nya]

Haa? Don't test me!

( she helped destroy a way bigger robot before!! granted, it was with a full party and with her powers intact, but still — she doesn't like being doubted, ok. still... she's not stupid, and knows full-well that if the other wanted to squish her into pulp right now, he easily could — so she stops struggling, hesitantly, and narrows her eyes instead, expression showing off her discontent. )

... ( squinting in suspicion, she sizes him up again. well, he's not hurting her, despite keeping a tight grip on her limbs, and she guesses that if he'd wanted to fight her, he would've made a move already. wary from all previous encounters, she's not quick to trust, but she figures she'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

after all, that's exactly what she wanted to do, too. )

I won't attack you anymore, so you can put me down. ( she huffs out, finally. ) I was on my way out, too...