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

[nya]

Sushi... like raw fish, right? Perfect!

( true to being a cat, seafood is her favorite food. she's not particularly concerned about how expensive it is, either, since the other girl so kindly offered to pay for it, despite... all of this ruckus.

so charitable! )

Wait, let me grab some towels for the champagne... ( and now back to reality. she leaves for a moment, then returns with an armful of paper towels, leaning over to start wiping the table. )

[ryototsukai]

We'll head there after your shift!

And don't worry so much about the mess... did you wanna sit down with me?

[ She was a waitress, not a hostess, Musashi. Still, she couldn't help but press her luck. It was going so well so far, right? Why not try to spend even more time with this gorgeous lady? ]

[nya]

I'm at work, you know.

( sort of. she just got dragged in here out of seemingly nowhere, and, honestly, a break would be nice, so after some more wiping... she shrugs and sits down across from the other girl, exhaling a long sigh. )

... guess it can't hurt to rest a little. This place is waaaay too crowded...

[ryototsukai]

[ Musashi had a talent for convincing people to make bad decisions. Not really on purpose, of course, but that's usually how it wound up panning out. One could call it charisma but she didn't have that Active Skill so. ]

Yeah, but that just means it has a really exciting energy, right? The kind of thing that makes you feel like anything could happen!

[nya]

( she's not wrong — it is exciting. crowded places like this were rare, back home; usually, people cramped together like this meant they were taking shelter during war, so... nothing quite as leisure. here, people seem relaxed; it's not a bad thing, watching humans and yokai alike let go, even though the knowledge they're actually dead still bothers her, somewhere in the crevices of her mind.

well, still... )

It's not something I'm used to, honestly. But it's not bad. ( she nods, watching someone slip and almost break their neck on the champagne spilled on the floor.

... oops. ) I'd say I should wipe this up before someone dies, but can you even die in hell?

[ryototsukai]

[ Musashi winced, seeing that spill. They... seemed to be okay, their friends helping them up and chastising them for being clumsy. Thankfully no one suspected that the spilled champagne was the fault of the staff, or a whole ordeal might have broken out... Hell, it still might, with how upset the person who slipped looked, letting out an inhuman growl. ]

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd want to find out...

[nya]

( she just pretends she can't see it, because she does Not want to be blamed for all that — )

... yeah, probably for the best to keep that one a question. ( she glances down to the crystal on her chest, expression thoughtful. death wasn't even a consideration for her before this — it's really strange. )

[ryototsukai]

[ The guy was still looking for a direction to spit his anger in, but his friends were at least trying to calm him down. Crisis, at least for the moment, averted. With a sigh, Musashi shook her head, her smile returning as she gave a wink to her new friend. ]

But I'm not worried, either. I may not have access to a lot of my abilities here, but I have faith in my sword, and I know it'll take a lot more than a place like this to drag me to Hell!

Well... figuratively, anyways. [ Since, literally... ]

[nya]

( she's not particularly worried, either. it's supposed to be hell, right? dying in hell seems... counterprodutive. aren't they supposed to suffer? then again, judging by the atmosphere of this place, that's not necessarily true, either... most of these yokai seem to be having fun, for what it counts.

maybe afterlife is more accurate than hell. either way, not something she's ever expected to see. )

Haaa... I wish I had my sword, at least! Anything! But I'm totally empty handed. ( and it does Not feel good. )

[ryototsukai]

I've seen some scary looking guys carrying weapons in the streets... makes me wonder if you can find a swordsmith here.

[ But that would require money, something she knows most of the people just arriving in this world haven't got a lot of. Hell, she was already racking up debt, herself. ]

I could loan you one of mine, too...

[nya]

Huh? Really?

( her eyes widen, at that. back in her world, sharing weapons generally meant you were driver and blade — but having a sword handy would be nice, especially since she's got nothing... )

I mean — it'd help, but I'm more used to scimitars... not sure if I'd know how to handle a katana properly.

[ryototsukai]

[ The significance was lost on Musashi. Even by the standards of sword masters of her time, she didn't put a lot of weight into her weapon itself. Hell, she'd never had a truly "nice" sword until she'd used the one Muramasa had made for her. Even now, the katana at her side were just approximations of the many nameless blades she'd held before, summations made by the Throne of Heroes, and not something she considered great treasures.

But they were sturdy, well made. And above all, sharp. ]

Eh, they're both single-edged blades used more for cuts than thrusts or wide swings. You'll get used to it, I'm sure! But I can't say I'd like leaving you unarmed, unless you'd prefer to have me as a bodyguard, Miss... uh...

... Actually, I'm not sure I caught your name.