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

[heretic_blade]

[ t"You gonna take that?" A hollow voice echoes in his head. Well, of course Karasu is still here. Izō is normally a reactive person, but the tengu in his body makes it so much worse. His inclination towards violence is also that much worse. Common sense may have told him not to cause a scene in such a public area, however that's gone out the window now that Hazel escalated things. The only way to go from here is up!

Izō grabs the front of her shirt and gets in her face. At least he hasn't drawn his sword -- yet, anyway. ]

Say that again real fuckin' slow. [ Low, dangerous. ] Or did ya lose yer nerve?

[deadtective]

[there's no voice in Hazel's mind egging her on, but considering the choices she continues to make all by herself it's clear she really doesn't need one. shit, if anything she's outright ignoring any outside input on her decisions that might potentially influence her into bringing this encounter back down to a normal level. fuck that noise and also fuck this man's gross-ass face.]

Ohhh, sorry, was that too many words in a row for you? Let me try again.

[there's an overabundance of nerves in her demeanor now, several thousand of them having apparently been lit up the moment Izo grabbed her shirt. she doesn't appear to be afraid in the least - if anything her expression hovers dangerously close to the line of excitement, the sort of manic glee only reckless daredevils ever seem to sport. what's a better way to clear her skull of poisonous thoughts than getting it knocked around a few fucking times, after all?]

Suck shit, dickhead.

[just as requester, her words are exquisitely slow and drawn out. if they were in a kindergarten class right now rather than hell everyone would have just learned a few new words! the retort is incendiary enough, but Hazel fucking hates being pulled around the way this man's done to her; it's too close to the dehumanizing inspections she'd suffered at home.

even at her best she knows she can't physically shove him away without some leverage, but a verbal counterattack just isn't enough, so...with absolutely no regrets she goes for the second best thing and spits.]

[heretic_blade]

[ Tension builds as he stays silent. The crowd of lost souls and youkai lined up starts to move away from them towards the edges of the room. Disrespect is one way to push Izō's berserk button. He will not stand for this and reacts appropriately: with violence. Izō spits right back in her face, then brings up his knee into her stomach before tossing her aside. ]

So ya wanna die, huh?! [ He pulls out his sword after wiping his face on his sleeve. ] 'Cause I can make that happen!

[deadtective]

[the spit barely registers to Hazel in the first place, but when she's sent staggering to the side with a grunt all thoughts of anything else are immediately vaporized. she felt that. weakly, more diluted than she suspects a real human ought to, but she'd felt it.

this place...she'd known something felt off from the moment she'd awoken here, but running up against proof like this was enough to send her staggering all on its own. her senses were still dulled enough that she hadn't realized until being struck directly, but they were fucking here now. some part of her hurt, with the promise of more aches with every misstep she took.

this was dangerous. Hazel could feel herself unhinging in a manner that frightened what was left of her rational side, mania reflected in Izo's own burning gaze creeping across her flesh. what else could she feel now? how far could she push it? none of these thoughts were human, but - the fuck did it matter? she could feel it now.]

Didn't stick the first time from someone twice as scary. But shit, man, don't let me stop you from making an ass of yourself.

[there was no way they were going to actually manage to fight to the death before some horrifying youkai lumbered over to push both their shit in, but that only made the moment more electric. he was cleared as hyped up as she was now, wasn't he? they ought to make the most of their time together.

she laughs and pulls herself back up to her full (diminutive) height, pushing aside the concern of how wrong her expression must look in that moment before charging straight for the tengu lookalike and his blade. stab, slice, do whatever the fuck you wanted - she'd felt unstoppable before, and now she was truly unchained. it didn't even matter if the throat punch she was attempting landed so long as it got her within range to tussle. all she wanted was fucking violence in this moment.]

[heretic_blade]

[ He'd chosen his shorter sword because of the close quarters -- less chance of catching it on the wall or anything. He's not at all intimidated by her; he's dealt with worse and more terrifying. No, this is all about pride and Izō's was wounded. The tengu inside of him only eggs him on, of course.

"Don't you dare let her get away with this. Teach her a lesson she'll never forget."

He doesn't need the encouragement. Murder is in his eyes. He knows he shouldn't kill her, but grievous bodily harm is not off the table. Izō steps back so he's just out of reach of her punch, bringing up his sword. His intention is to injure, but not severely. His control is impeccable, able to check his swing enough so the blade skims her arm for a quick, clean cut.

They don't have long to settle this. Blood will draw attention very quickly. ]

I'm gonna take my sweet time killin' ya...Smart mouth like you don't deserve a quick death.

[deadtective]

[really, what's a little damage? if she can feel at all that means this place has don3 something to her abilities, to the very magic holding her together. doesn't it make sense to test how much of that has been altered now, before she was turned loose in whatever this godforsaken world this was? where were her limits now? as the man's blade bit through her skin, bringing with it the sting of pain, she couldn't help but wonder.

Izo was lucky, after all. you couldn't squeeze blood from a stone - no matter how warped Hazel's body had become, her veins were as empty as ever. surely that would grant them an extension on this scrap even if by a few minutes.]

Ooh, I'm pissing myself. Come on, how you gonna do it? Cut out my tongue? Make me cry?

[it couldn't be any more horrifying than the sickly sweet words of the man who'd first killed her. compared to that this hellion's aggression was practically fucking invigorating. Hazel's eyes shone with an open invitation for Izo to tumble straight over that edge he was teetering on, begging for him to make good on his words. shit, she might fucking thank him if he actually managed to off her again.

as much as she was spitting shit at Izo, it was clear he knew how to handle his weapons. this was no bloodthirsty thug looking to cause as much pain as he could; there were years of practice in just that little check of his swing. it was funny to think that she was the brute between the two of them, but that was the sort of irony she'd lived her entire second life. choosing to live up to her own inner expectations, Hazel made to grab for the sword with her bare hands. she didn't want to play a game of cat and mouse, she wanted this up close.]

[heretic_blade]

[ She can grab the blade all she wants, but the moment her hands close around it, he yanks it back. She's not bleeding and that disturbs him more than her words. Make no mistake, though, her words do light a fire in him. He won't stand for being mocked, much less by someone like her.

He would escalate this further, but it's about that time they're forcibly separated by two youkai employed by the department of the Emma. Izō, of course, yells and screams about this even as he's pulled away. ]

This ain't over!! If I see ya again, I'll fuckin' finish this!

[deadtective]

[Izo's denied her further pain with that move, but paradoxically it's also the first blow he's thrown out that's actually pierced Hazel somewhere vulnerable. it cleaves straight through the strange mania, the frustration over this whole fucking situation, practically slicing her in two just to reach her heart.

why had he done that? could he tell what she was despite the magic holding her together having been tampered with? the thought that even in hell she was still something repulsive and other was simply too much for her to bear. as if any of these fuckers had a right to look at her like that. genuine rage spasmed across her face at last, proof that whether he'd intended to or not Izo had struck a chord.

just as she was lunging for the feathery fuck, intending to force him to engage by tackling him to the ground, several massive pairs of arms wrapped around her body and lifted her clean off the ground. Hazel was delicate in stature for all that she talked a tough game - with her abilities muddled about as they were it was no challenge at all for the Enma's youkai to simply heft her away from the spat she'd tangled herself up in. she howled and struggled for naught, clawing at the stoic demon's skin as if that was somehow going to launch her back at her opponent.]

Better fucking keep that promise when you do, shitface! Otherwise I'm sticking that sword straight up your ass!

[it's not a ceremonious introduction to a new world (isolated, reprimanded, looked at with deep judgement once it came time for her to be processed) but deep down Hazel wasn't surprised. when had she ever done things the right way? fuck, when had she ever done things the easy way?

an inordinate amount of time had passed between being plucked from the general populous and finally being released from the government building. she doubts that the youkai would have been foolish enough to sort her and Izo close enough together for them to encounter one another again immediately...but she still finds herself lingering outside for ten minutes or so. just in case.

if she doesn't catch sight of him in that time, that's fine too. it's not like she's going to forget that face again - and there would definitely be a round two whenever they next met. no one was here to stop her from rebelling against those who looked at her with disgust, after all.]