jigokufever | February 2022 Test Drive

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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.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( ... 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. )

( ...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.

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...

( 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 )

Maybe... but you didn't lick anything worse, did you?

( squints... as she watches him spit in a cup and put it back on a server's tray like nobody's business. that's... so gross??? she makes a disgusted face, even though ritsu doesn't seem at all bothered. )

Ew... remind me to never get anything off these trays again... ( if it's so easy to just SPIT IN THERE!!!!

anyway... ) I'm Nia, and I don't actually work here!! ... you?

Ritsu, and neither do I. Shuten's way too noisy to hang around though...

( not to mention energetic. tamamo clan @ him please this seems easy enough. )

This place seemed nicer. ( ... ) What about you?

Um... I dunno.

( she admits, easily, shrugging her shoulders. ) The paper they gave me meant nothing to me, so I threw it away and went to look for my partner.

( and speaking of... )

Have you seen a big white tiger wandering around here?

( ...well, that kind of thing'd be real hard to miss or forget, but ritsu does her the courtesy of thinking about it before he shakes his head. )

Mmm... Is it your pet? ( or, no, she said partner, so... ) Familiar? Like a witch.

Like a witch... well, sort of, I guess!

( she nods, knowing full-well dromarch wouldn't appreciate being called a pet, despite... well, kind of being one... still a blade, though, so. )

Slim chance, but I wanted to ask just in case... you came here alone?

...Yeah.

( which is weird, now that he thinks about it, because he'd been hanging with some people last he can remember--

mmm. ritsu pushes it from his mind, tilting his head at her instead. )

But it's not like I have anyone really attached at the hip to me, either. ( sighs if only maakun would become conjoined with him.......... ) Guessin' you're the same, seein' as your kitty cat isn't around?

Yeah, but... ( by all definitions, dromarch should be here with her. to begin with, they are attached as driver and blade, so...

she wrinkles her nose. not that she wants dromarch to die, or anything, but he's a blade, so he can't — then again, so is she, and yet... ) I guess I'll see if he turns up. If anything, he probably got lost in all of this mess.

( big city... scary )

I'm not used to so many lights! It's so damn loud, too! Annoying...

Ahhh, so you're a bumpkin like Mikarin...

( she doesn't talk like one though.......

ritsu gives a glance around, then down at outfit... ugh, if he wants to change back to his normal clothes he'd have to go find someone and tell them he's done, but that sounds like a pain—he's not super keen on crossing the floor again anyway, so he'll jerk his head to the side. )

You wanna find somewhere a little less flashy then? A city this big's gotta have its hideaways, too.

Haa? Who are you calling a bumpkin?!

( ... not that he's wrong. even in her world's standards, gormott is pretty... well. it sure is a countryside. still, she doesn't appreciate it!!

she huffs, and glances at the people still stuffed in the club. somewhere more peaceful would be nice... being around humans is cool, but after a while, it can also get tiresome. there's so many of them... )

Do you know anywhere?

Mmmhmm. I'm great at finding places to hide.

( and there's no one here yet who can find him without fail, so he's got it made. anyway, come along nia, he'll motion her to follow him and start slipping out to the back and out the backdoor before anyone notices them...

maybe her tiger's found somewhere to hide too, or something. too many people, too bright of lights. he's kind of enchanted with the idea, he's never seen a tiger in real life before— )

See, the best way to tell if a spot's a good one is if there's animals around it instead of people. Most strays don't like it when there's too much foot-traffic, so you can't go wrong with following 'em. ( take notes. ) Places people don't usually think to check's good, too... Like the roof, or in bushes and stuff.

( in his movements, he reminds her a little of a backalley cat — street smart and able to fit into any space, somehow. curiously, she follows after him; if he's gonna give her good ideas, maybe she can use them to hide later.

... yes, she does technically have a government-assigned apartment, but sitting in there alone seems like a pain. it's better to be out and about, right? maybe people-watch from a safe spot — )

Ah... makes sense. Animals are smart. ( she nods, approving. ) A roof, huh? That sounds perfect. Away from the annoying sounds of the city. It's so loud out there... ( and no bushes to see, either. )

( if they end up in the same faction they should just live together, it'll be the start of a cat colony-- even if they aren't he likes her enough off the bat to go harass and slum at her place, true cat affection hours )

Then let's find a nice and easy way to climb up and get a good view of the city.

( nice and easy because he is but a bébé,

the alley they exit into is ... it sure is a back-alley. ritsu makes a face at the trash and a few unidentifiable fluids, stepping carefully around them. ugh, yeah, the roof is gonna be so... so much better. )

Watch your step, Nia.

( honestly she has no plans of living at her own place because cats will be cats so look... they should absolutely slum together somewhere. need someone to replace her tiger as her pillow... )

Mmkay! There should be a staircase somewhere, right? ( it's not as if she can climb up walls or something... or, well, not as she is right now.

maybe fully powered, she'd be agile and strong enough to, but that aside — )

Oh — ( ew. whatever is on the ground, she steps around it carefully, unwilling to get her heels dirty. not until she finds the place she's supposed to be doing laundry at... not... that she knows how to operate a modern washing machine... ) It's so dirty everywhere! Gross.

( big brain cain... grips your paws enthusiastically. )

This is Tamamo Clan territory--didja expect any different? ( bold words and big talk for someone not in their clan. but like... ) Mmm, I mean, they seem kind like the brothel-type of group, so they've gotta "do business" anywhere, if you get my drift.

( the shit i have to type. )

I dunno much about the territory stuff yet. ( she wrinkles her nose, disgusted with the smell.

slowly, she's learning all about the hierarchies and other, largely insignificant things, but — she's never been particularly interested in that sort of administrative stuff. it's not something she's ever had to pay attention to. )

... huh? Like out on the street?! ( her ears flatten against her head. ) Gross!!

( he loves her ears they're the best. her reaction in general makes him laugh, because yeah, gross. but kind of fun. no hassle, no having to pay for a room...

he will wisely not mention any of that and instead they can have (spins a wheel) a dumpster that looks like it might hold their weight, maybe, if you squint. ritsu stares at it, then points. )

Ladies first.

( no hassle, he says, but this seems like a hassle to her? having to find a spot outside of prying eyes, to begin with — in a place this crowded, that's enough of a challenge as is!!

... anyway, logistics of that aside, she looks at the dumpster and makes a face. )

Ew... I don't wanna climb on that... it smells really bad. ( but... she doesn't wanna seem like some weak lady who can't handle trash, either!! so with a displeased expression, holding her breath, she climbs up onto the dumpster.

don't look up at her while she does, ok!! )

... do you need help? ( getting up here, she means. )

( he's not looking at her he's looking to the side of her, judging the distance between the dumpster and the roof, it's very different... she has nice legs... they should be able to get up without that much hassle. )

...Hm? Ahh, no, I'll be okay for this part.

( ritsu'll be up after her with a bit of effort, bleh-ing at the smell like he's a little kid— looks at her... judging... if she's not too heavy he guesses he can help, so he holds out his arms. )

Up and at 'em. Pull me up after, alright?

( pull him up... it should be possible, she guesses. she'll need to find some leverage, given that she's at the level of an average human (or less, given her stature) right now, but...

they can cross that bridge when they get to it. )

Don't drop me. ( she huffs, and stands between his held out arms, waiting for him to pick her up so she can... grab onto the roof and crawl on. )

Wouldn't dream of it, princess.

( and he'll pick her up... grumbling a little, but he's piggy-backed mao before with no trouble so whatever. it's okay. he can handle it, even if she's heavy. up we go— )

Got it?

( if he grumbled any more, she'd hit him over the head and risk falling in the garbage, so listen... he's better off holding back.

but she figures it's just... a normal amount of strain... he does look like a noodle, so she doesn't expect much. instead, she grabs onto the edge of the roof and pulls herself up with a bit of gasping herself, finally settled on the roof. )

Yup! C'mon! ( and she reaches down, to try pulling him up, second hand grabbing onto the roof again, for leverage. )

February 2022 Test Drive

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

with heels and ears she reaches his height i beliEVE IN HER

I BELIEVE IN HER TOO... NIA SUPREMACY

TICKLES HIS FACE WITH TIPS OF HER EARS

crying he'd get so annoyed by her so quick for that

he has to learn to deal with it !

NOT HE HAS TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH ITTT uhh... JUST for her.

:3c

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