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.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ethan had been there to see the start of this one. It was over something that felt totally pointless. Someone didn't pay someone enough respect? Once one person started swinging, the whole thing went to hell. If his Arts were at full power, this wouldn't even be a problem. Instead he has to very carefully sneak his way past like three separate fist-fights while simply trying to not be seen, rather than guaranteeing it.]

[And when he does take an unplanned hit, it jettisons him right into something more familiar than anything else.]

Heyy, if it isn't Tequila! [a cheery enough greeting for the situation]

I'm not used to seeing you without a drink in my hand or, well, unless the Doctor's trying some unique strategies.

[Deployments were one thing. Most of the time that Ethan ended up spotting Ernesto were when a group was getting together for drinks. That smiley guy knew all the technical terms to use while Ethan was just trying a sip of whatever he could. Quite a few times people had drinks go "missing" and he's pretty sure Ernesto knew exactly who was taking then, sipping them, and moving them away for a laugh.]

Good to see you. Is that what we say here? Not sure if I should say "good" with this.

[ Well now there's a sight for sore eyes! Ernesto can't say he expected to see another Rhodes Island operator here, but there's some relief at the sight of Ethan. There might be more if the situation they currently found themselves in was a little less rowdy too.

Regardless of what's going on around them, Ernesto's smile matches the cheer in Ethan's tone. It's a good thing everyone is distracted enough by the fights going on around them, because this would be a very bizarre interaction to watch in the middle of this particular setting. ]

I know what you mean. This isn't my first choice for a meet up either.

[ Does he mean this street in the middle of a brawl, or hell? Because yes. ]

And I don't even have a drink to offer to make things a little easier, though...

[ He trails off as he finally looks back at the people throwing fists around them. ]

Alcohol is the last thing that needs to be added to this mess right now.

[The two of them are chatting happily as if a street brawl were no more inconvenient to them than a drizzle of rain. They certainly don't match the tone of everything else around them.]

Ah, yeah, everyone's getting a little too rowdy.

[He shuffles to the side, shoulder to Ernesto's shoulder (well, minus half a foot).]

I know it's technically not like we're on assignment or anything like that. Getting involved would be bad, wouldn't it? But, you know,

[He flicks his wrist and a blue sheen slides along a wire. While he had stepped carefully through the crowd he'd been leaving a line behind him. There was a loose twisting path with a shimmer of blue.]

Depending on which way you wanna get away we've got an option.

[If he tugs this string hard enough, a few people are probably gonna tumble over.]

[ "Safely" away from the fray, or at the very least out of immediately striking range. It would be easy to still catch a few stray elbows as people tussle around them though, so Ernesto doesn't love the idea of sticking around longer than he has to. While he can fight just fine, it's not his go-to means of conflict resolution.

Tripping some people up, and forcing them to put the violence on hold for a bit though...?

Alright, admittedly also not his go-to means of conflict resolution, but it's definitely an appealing prospect right now. These people are determined to have their row, and if Ernesto can't defuse it, there's no reason for him to get caught up further in it, right?

So consider the raised eyebrow and lopsided grin a good thing, as he makes a small waving motion with one hand. ]

I'm not saying no to that, but I hope you're ready to run fast after. I'm guessing a brief meeting with the ground won't deter anyone here for long.

[If their supervisors were there, they might talk sternly about whether or not this actually improves the conflict. After all, it does nothing to attack the root cause of the fights. If anything, when the angry combatants got up they would likely continue with renewed fervor. Ethan can imagine some disappointed faces.]

[But he can also imagine, hey, we've got two operators here we need to extract from the situation. No one ultimately gets more hurt. All these guys technically were combatants throwing the first punches.]

You kidding? Running's like what I'm the best at!

[he says it with a proud grin,]

I'm expecting you to keep up with me, got it? No point in getting separated after finding each other.

[ It definitely isn't about to make things better, but you'd think with some of the operators that Rhodes Island likes to employ, that they'd become used to their staff not always being the best at deescalation.

It does actually happen to be a specialty of Ernesto's, but it only works when people are willing to actually listen to him. There's no yelling over this racket.

At that demand in the form of a question, Ernesto shifts his stance, getting ready to make a break for it the minute they've got an opening. ]

I'm not too bad at running myself.

[ What a hell of a brag. ]

Ready when you are.

[Deescalation rarely worked with Infected hunters. So, a kid on the streets got used to running and hiding. By now, it was a point of pride, even with no one chasing him. Something about the two of them having a brag, setting it up as a little challenge,]

[well, it's fun. Almost makes him think that if the two of them run fast enough they'll crash into Amiya and get scolded at and everything will be normal.]

Right~ [he flicks down his goggles]

Three, two, one, hit it!

[With a flick of the wrist, the string that was hanging loosely is pulled taunt to attention. Wire that was previous easily stepped over in a brawl became a tripping hazard and when one guy fell he was likely to take at least one more guy down with it. He did have one thing that was a handicap in their little race- he had to make sure to actually retrieve his yo-yo from the mess of bodies which meant taking a more twisting way through the mess of falling youkai.]

[Still, it's not like it's the first time he's ever made himself the more obvious target so someone else could get out. Even without his Arts, he was confident he could run and get himself to someplace covered and shaded.]

February 2022 Test Drive

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