jigokufever | April 2022 Test Drive

Entry tags:

April 2022 Test Drive

1. CLEAN UP

The streets of Jigokucho are a mess after the incident at the Night Parade. There is the usual garbage in the streets after any large gathering but the steam explosions from below made everything that much worse: broken glass from blown out windows glitters on the asphalt, splintered wood makes the sidewalks treacherous to walk on, and grime covers buildings that otherwise escaped unscathed. Business owners have called on the faction leaders in their area to help with clean up and that work falls to you. Clean up garbage from the street, repair broken windows, and get the city looking presentable again.

The largest debris was cleared in the immediate aftermath so, thankfully, what remains is manageable on a person-to-person level. As you clean, you will get the impression that communities in every territory are very upset about what happened. The Night Parade was meant to celebrate (relative) peace in Jigokucho, after all.

Civilians will definitely show their gratitude to anyone choosing to help out, regardless of faction, and grant small discounts or favors to everyone lending a hand. Faction leaders have also promised bonuses for those who do the most good for their territory. The Sutoku Alliance is especially grateful, given their current state, and will not only offer a bonus but also free tickets to one of the rooftop amusement parks in their territory.

2. TURF WAR (PLOT RELEVANT)

It's Tamamo vs Shuten and everyone's getting dragged in!

Both clans want the currently unclaimed Underground for their own means and have sent their soldiers beneath the streets to secure the territory in a turf war. Even if you haven't been assigned your faction yet, you can expect either side to recruit you to head into the waterworks to help maintain their hold.

The quarrelsome Shuten Clan is taking the traditional approach to marking their territory, which is to say: direct combat. Shutens are arming everyone they send down into the tunnels with weapons with the expectation that they fight any Tamamo or Tamamo-allied they come across.

The Tamamo are more crafty, setting up traps and illusions to trick the Shuten Clan into getting hopelessly lost or actively injured from traps, such as explosive talismans or barrier seals. Magic and guerilla tactics are their favored methods and no Shuten or Shuten-ally is to be spared.

The Enma are still expected to conduct their patrols Underground but unless you're snooping around in the lowest levels, trying to get into the abandoned offices, or sneak past a keycard locked door they're probably going to leave you alone. That is unless they feel inclined to get in on the action, of course!

The River Kappa Tribe, part of the Sutoku Alliance, who once worked in the Underground, can be spotted sneaking around the sewers. Most of them are just trying to find anything that got left behind during the incident on the Night Parade. Sutoku allies are encouraged to help them out where they can and convince them that neither the Shuten nor Tamamo clan will have their best interest at heart, if they should take the territory.

3. COLLECTION DAY

Despite the on-going turbulence, collections go on.

Accountants for each faction have alerted leadership to the fact that it's that time of the month again. Most people pay their loans on time to avoid trouble but there are always a few stubborn holdouts who think they can get away with not paying up. It's up to you to go shake them down for the cash they owe.

Shuten Clan members are again assigned to the Celestial Phoenix Casino. It seems the owner learned nothing from the shakedown in March and has once again hired unaffiliated muscle in an attempt to weasel out of paying what is owed. The security is as armed and violent as last time but this time they have body armor. Beat them down and get the cash from the manager.

Tamamo Clan members are told to go to the Young Peach to extract payment. It is an older but still popular massage parlor in the area. The manager will do everything in their power not to pay! They may ask for an extension, offer cash bribes, or even offer a generous amount of free ‘services'. If those methods don't work, he suddenly transforms into a quick little animal to escape. Don't let that rat get away!

Sutoku Alliance members get sent to the hottest new nightclub, Enigma. If you go in expecting a fight, that's just what you get... but not in the traditional sense. The manager has hired numerous teenagers and 20-somethings to challenge everyone who comes in looking for payment to a dance battle! There is no dissuading them from their mission. If you get through them all, the manager will demand a final dance battle against themself. Teaming up is probably in your best interest against this veteran.

The Department of the Enma members will be investigating the Waxy Taxi cab company. Those who come searching for the owner of this business will find them waiting in a taxi. If you ask for payment, you'll be given a set of keys before she floors it and screeches off into the streets. The keys go to a nearby cab. You have to race her before she'll give up the goods. Don't know how to drive? Better find a buddy who does.

4. FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT

There are an awful lot of rabbits showing up in one of the public parks. They are each small, white, red-eyed and look like they might be escaped pets. They seem friendly enough. They don't run away in fear if you walk near them, however, if you do try to catch one it will hop away from you. It stops and looks back, as if beckoning you to follow it.

Most of the rabbits will not take you anywhere you particularly want to be: seedy little corners of the city where nothing good seems to be going down. You will get a lot of strange looks from the people around you, as you get the distinct impression you are definitely not supposed to be here. If you wanted to secure some black market goods, these seem like the folks that could provide for you. For a price, of course.

But if you stop to shop, you might lose track of the rabbit!

Following the rabbit beyond these seedy little alleyways will eventually take you to the banks of the Sanzu where there are four large and extremely intimidating isonade. They're a little bit different from your usual isonade, they're mutated and have arms and legs – extremely beefy arms and legs.

It seems like the rabbits wanted to show you what they were doing but by the time you get there the rabbit has skittered off and left you under the isonade's gaze. Whatever the sharks were up to, it's too hard to tell now. The isonades are angry and you're the target of their wrath. You've obviously interrupted something!

Be careful not to get dragged under the water, or worse. They sure do have a lot of teeth...

5. THE DAITENGU'S FUNERAL (PLOT RELEVANT)

The time has come for the funeral of the Daitengu.

All factions have gathered at the Tengu Temple grounds, dressed in black. The mood is dark but not unhopeful. Despite the war over territory in the sewers, Lost Souls might be surprised to note that the Shuten and Tamamo representatives are being exceptionally cordial and respectful to one another, even if they're keeping their distance. You will get the impression that a funeral is a particularly sacred form of ceasefire between the factions. Any disrespect shown here could blow into an all out war at any moment. For now, it remains oddly peaceful.

The only person conspicuous in their absence is the Enma and any of his high-ranking officers. This isn't surprising to the locals in attendance. The Enma never attends this kind of thing. It's actually a little taboo for the cops to be here.

When the time comes, all guests are expected to bow as the funeral procession makes its way past the gate towards the main temple. It proceeds to the shrine set up in honor of the Alliance's fallen leader. The Tengu Elders and the White Wolf Guard are the primary members of the procession, flanking a humbly dressed group of unknown individuals. Each of them wears silver hair similar to the Daitengu's. One could easily assume they are the direct family.

But wait! Didn't you see someone that looked like that earlier? A strange, lithe person with a light voice that was pestering you for where the food was? Then again, given everything that's happened, you're not sure you can trust your own memory. Everyone is unusual here, aren't they? Maybe?

That's what you think until you hear that voice again. It's speaking clearly over the crowd. You can't remember what their face looked like, so it's difficult to pinpoint them. It doesn't matter much now: they've decided to put on a certain mask

"You know, it's a shame, I was really hoping the big red guy would be here! The least he could do after paying for all of this was show up himself, right?"

That's definitely the voice you heard. It's the Daitengu, laughing as they pop out from the crowd and snatch up the box of their own 'ashes'. They're tossing it around in their hands like a toy. Everyone is too shocked to do anything about it. They just stare, slack-jawed in disbelief.

"The things you do to get the Enma's attention and he won't even give you the time of day. Am I right? Well, I definitely want you all to pay them your respects for arranging this! As for me, and well..."

They gesture to the box.

"...the other me, we're going to be leaving early to beat the traffic. Enjoy the rest of the funeral!"

And with that, a wild burst of furious wind shifts beneath the Daitengu's feet, kicking up enough dust to cloud their position. When it settles, it reveals nothing in their wake. They're gone.

Chaos erupts immediately. Whatever peace there was between the Tamamo and the Shuten clans breaks into fist fights and shouting. The Sutoku get involved as well, as each faction demands answers from the others. What is going on and how is the Daitengu still alive?! Who knew they were alive, who was hiding this from whom?!

Hope you don't mind getting blood on your nice, clean funeral clothes.

Welcome to the test drive meme!

Threads here can be considered game canon.
Characters can be recruited to do work for any faction until they're given their official assignment.
If you have any questions about the TDM content, please ask them here! You can find a player-posted summary the plot thus far here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
Reserves are open until May 5th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A thoughtful beat.]

I've never tried. Maybe we'll find out today.

[Home has lingering spirits and the liminal spaces between separate planes of reality, but the youkai like he's seen in Jigoku-cho are still just the stuff of legends and old folktales. He's seen so much in the realm of the bizarre, though, that the adjustment hasn't been too rough, all things considered.

...Which reminds him: he should really still be polite, even if she's threatened him at swordpoint.]

You can call me Kamui, by the way.

[So far, the sewers are quiet and empty; save for Andy, there's nothing out there in the dark that strikes him as immediately dangerous. But then again, he's got no real sense for the types of wards or spells that the Tamamo could be using.]

We're still clear back here. Do you see anything yet?

[ Well, this one has proper manners — polite, despite the circumstances, and going so far as to bother with introductions. It's a shame that kind of social nicety is largely wasted on Andy, who only makes a wordless little noise of acknowledgment without bothering to reciprocate. This is a woman who isn't in the habit of offering her name on a regular basis — even the fake one she calls herself: Andy.

She figures she's serving them both better by paying attention to what she's doing anyway. He'd mentioned something about their enemy being the stealthy types, hadn't he? So her eyes stay pointed forward, only glancing back over her shoulder at his question. ]

Not yet. It's almost too —

[ — fucking quiet, she was going to say. But she doesn't get the chance. Because her next step forward triggers a sudden flash of blinding light and smoke — an explosive talisman that shakes the tunnel around them when it goes off. ]

[So no names, then. If that's what she prefers, he's hardly bothered-- though it might make it hard to call out to her if they get separated. Kamui shrugs, impassive, continuing their wordless trek through the dark.

He's about to respond to the woman when the talisman's sudden flashbang rings out. It's deafening, the impact sending him stumbling to brace himself against the tunnel's damp, cold concrete. He can't tell yet if he's been injured, or where his new companion's gone: just that his ears are ringing and the ground's still moving.

For a second his mouth hangs open in shock. And just like that, he's recovered, gun in hand and eyes straining to see through the smoke.]

Miss-- [Kamui swears under his breath, turning his mouth and nose into the furry collar of his jacket to block out some of the smoke. In the haze, there's a flash of reddish-orange: a foxtail...?] There's Tamamo!

[ Over the vicious ringing in her ears, she can just barely register his warning. Miss? Really? Fuck's sake — ugh. Is that blood? Something sticky runs down the side of her face from her scalp, matting the loose curls of her hair to her forehead. Gingerly, she reaches a hand up to touch, grunting in annoyance when it throbs and stings. Rotting gods. The damned inconvenience of mortal flesh —

Feeling out the tunnel wall in the smoke she pushes herself to her feet, trying to get her bearings through the haze. At least she's managed not to lose her grip on her sword. Mortal she might be, but not helpless. Not by a longshot. She tugs her bandana up over her mouth and nose, keeping her back to the wall as she works her way along it until —

When she bumps into Kamui, it's half-luck that she recognizes him and that furry-collared jacket before reflexively trying to cut his head clean off his shoulders. Catching him by the arm, she tugs him forcefully into one of the tunnel's small alcoves. A little less fucking smoke there, and less out in the open too. ]

It's Andy. [ No more of that "Miss" bullshit. ] Where did you see them?

[It's the attempted murder that brings him entirely back to his senses. Thanks for that one, Andy.

He lurches backward, that glint of metal singing through the air and very nearly taking an inch off his bangs-- and then, he's still moving, dragged unceremoniously into the alcove. Andy's certainly not delicate about it: as he bumps against yet another concrete wall, he finally feels the tenderness of what can only be a nasty bruise forming on his shoulder and the wet trickle of blood creeping down the back of his neck. Great.

With the air clearer and a familiar-- familiar enough, anyway-- face in view, he pulls his coat off his nose and mouth.]

Heading east. There's only one tunnel going that way. [Kamui gestures toward it with an incline of his head, forgetting, of course, that he's just gotten a blow to the skull. He winces slightly.] We've seen her once. She's not going to let it happen again easily.

[ He'll survive the rough handling, she's sure of it — and not too apologetic either. Better a little bruised and bloody than dead. She isn't particularly gentle when she gives him a cursory glance, pushing Kamui's head forward a bit so she can look at the where the blood is coming from. Scalps like to bleed. It might look worse than it is. ]

I can probably take her. [ Andy unties her bandana, ripping off a strip of it to tie around his head. It won't be pretty, but it'll apply pressure, maybe stem the bleeding a little. ] You can stay here. Wait for me.

[ She doesn't know that she can take a fox spirit, of course. Hell, she's mortal now — powerless — and she knows fuck all about spirits. But the offer's there. ]

[At the first touch to his head, Kamui tenses instinctively. But he also doesn't attempt to resist Andy, now that she's not literally pulling him out of danger-- he's cooperative, maybe even a little pliant, as she winds the torn strip of fabric around his head.

At Andy's words he looks up, expression set:] You're not going alone. I've had worse.

[Sure enough, he doesn't seem to be phased by the cut on his scalp. If anything, it's his shoulder he's treating more gingerly: if it affects how he aims his weapon, he'll be of no use to either of them.

Further into the tunnels, a feeble orange light casts a distant glow. He inclines his (now bandaged) head in the direction of the light, shooting Andy a meaningful look. If he can just get back to the matter at hand, they can get over this whole wait for me business.]

Look. She's baiting us.

[ Somehow, she knew he'd insist on coming. He seems like that sort. And honestly, it isn't her responsibility to stop him either, so she won't argue any more than that. If they're both going to charge into this with a lack of self-preservation, then so be it.

At his prompting, Andy glances down the tunnel towards that faint light. A blatant trap. But, fuck it. Not like they have much else to go on. ]

Alright. Fine. [ She turns back to look at Kamui, giving him a onceover. Seems like the shoulder might give him trouble. That bit is her responsibility. She'll be conscious of it, when they move. ] Let me lead. You're the one with the gun — you back me up.

[ With that said, she ducks out of the alcove, sword in hand, moving quickly down the tunnel towards that glow. ]

Got it.

[Not like he's got much of a reason to let her get herself killed, either: they're both down here on Shuten's assignment either way. The sooner the fox is dealt with, the better it is for the both of them.

Kamui's quick at Andy's heels, handling the sore shoulder of his gingerly-- but not too gingerly. If anything, it looks like he's used to maneuvering around the injury. He only needs to squint through the darkness briefly; the glow, it appears, is many, many floating orbs of foxfire, red-orange and blue-green, that hover through the air, lighting up that section of the tunnel as they arrive.]

These are kitsunebi?

[Sure enough, their fox friend springs her trap. The orbs of light scatter wildly, an attempt to scramble Kamui and Andy's senses; out of the darkness, a fox woman darts out from a hidden alcove at Andy, her claws bared. Kamui swears again under his breath, pulling the trigger of his gun-- the bang echoes through the chamber as the bullet finds its mark, but it doesn't kill her so much as slow her.]

Damn it. She's fast... I caught her in the arm, but she's not down yet.

[ Gods-damn it, fucking —

It pisses her off, really. This whole being mortal thing. It's not even that she isn't capable of fighting with caution and strategy, but seven thousand some-odd years is a long time to get used to being reckless, and it's habitual now, the way she presses forward as if nothing can kill her. Before this, she would have just let that kitsune tear into her. Let the demon have her turn. Then, gored and bloody, Andy would have hers.

But it doesn't work like that now. Now, if those claws and teeth rip her open, then she bleeds and it doesn't stop. And she owes Kamui for his aim, sparing her the trouble. The trail of yokai blood will help too. Make it harder for their enemy to hide from them. Andy only pauses to let her hand rest briefly on Kamui's good shoulder, a touch of unspoken thanks before she's moving again, pursuing their injured prey. ]

Come on. Let's finish this.

Right.

[This is the third time now that she has touched him. And for the first time, it's gentle, rather than gruff. (Andy is a far cry from Emily, but the gesture brings her to the forefront of Kamui's mind anyway-- tending his wounds, smoothing down the wrinkles of his collar, squeezing his hand.) Just a few weeks into this timeline and already he's beginning to tolerate, perhaps even accept, the way that others put their hands on him so easily: even this small gesture is more reassuring than he expects it to be. A reminder that he's still a part of this world, and that, for a moment, Andy was grateful for it.

It's... weird.

But right now, he's not going to dwell: it's fox's blood they're after, and he is excellent at compartmentalizing these kinds of things. The unlucky kitsune has left a trail of red in her wake, leading towards another branch of these seemingly endless tunnels. At first, it's easy going, the bloodstains bright and large enough to follow with ease, but--]

You're kidding... [There's one last large blood spatter on the sewer floor. After that, a dead end.] Another trap?

[But it's a lot of blood on the ground, isn't it? This is the kitsune's last desperate stand: it's got to be.]

[ It's better not to dwell on those things. Better yet not to call her out on it, or she'll know he's already gotten a small measure of her. Wouldn't be wrong to say she's two parts gruff and one part gentle on most days, even if she'd deny the last third — and she isn't the type to forget someone who fights by her side either. Still, sentimentality and other shit like it has to wait until after the fighting's done.

Though that might be sooner rather than later. Dead end. There's a moment of quiet tension —

— then it snaps as the fox demon drops from above them with a snarl, all fangs and claws as she lashes out at Andy, who's spared having her face sliced open by reflexes alone. She manages to deflect those sharp claws with her blade, but just barely — and the kitsune is relentless, fueled by reckless desperation. ]

Kamui —

[ Can he get a shot off? Even if he can, it won't be an easy one. Not with her and the yokai locked in close combat. But maybe — ]

Edited (Sent from my Iphone.) 2022-05-26 08:33 (UTC)

[—just maybe, she’s had the good fortune to run into a crack shot down here.

As the fox lands, her first wide swipe of claw just barely catches Kamui’s face, leaving a long but ultimately shallow cut— but the intent’s to knock him back, so she can eliminate Andy first. And it works.

Though he picks himself back up quickly, no matter how good of a shot he is, in the dark and in the heat of the scuffle, it’s tough: one wrong move and it’s Andy who’ll take the bullet. Gritting his teeth, he steadies his hand, waiting for just one moment that she’s holding the kitsune steady…

The targets roll through his head rapidly. (Choices like these are important; they shape timelines; if he gets it wrong, god knows what’ll happen.) He aims for the head— quick and decisive— and yet the kitsune jerks away, catching the bullet in her neck.

Her hands are off Andy, scrambling instead at her rapidly-gushing throat.]

[ She hears the shot, even though she doesn't see Kamui take it, and for a split second, she isn't sure if he missed or —

But then there's the blood. And lots of it. Not a clean kill, but the kitsune has her hands frantically pressed to her own throat where the bullet must have caught her. Her face has that wide-eyed, panicked look to it that says she can feel her own life draining from her. Andy steps back and lets her collapse to the ground. She'll bleed out in a matter of minutes. Too many blood vessels in the neck to survive that.

She's only sorry that it was Kamui who had to do the deed. If it was up to her, she would have spared him that. With an exhale, Andy swings the blood from her sword before sheathing it, turning back towards Kamui. Look at the two of them, both bloody messes. With a weary wryness: ]

That's twice now.

[ Twice his aim has saved her. ]

Twice... [he echoes; he's not paying complete attention, his eyes instead on the kitsune dying, her vitality bleeding away onto the wet concrete as she wheezes ever-more-weakly.

It's regrettable. He prefers neat work; if he has to kill to save his own life (their lives?) he will, though he takes no pleasure in the suffering. He points his gun at the kitsune's head for just a moment, thinking to end it all her... but the truth is, she's sustained enough wounds that it's already over. As she gurgles her last and stills, Kamui holsters his gun again. The kill washes over him-- the faces of his Tamamo friends wash over him-- and in one breath he's tucked it all away with the weapon. If you can't compartmentalize, you can't be a killer.

Kamui turns to Andy. He's weary, too, and cold.]

We should keep going. They'll be searching for her soon.

[ They should keep going. But first. ]

Wait. Let me take a look at you.

[ She comes to close the distance between them, gently but firmly grasping Kamui by the jaw so she can get her eyes on where the kitsune's claws caught him across the face. The low light of the tunnel isn't helpful, but the blood makes it look worse than it is. The long cut isn't too deep — which is just as well, given that he's already got the head and shoulder to recover from.

Letting go, Andy gives him a light pat on his good arm. ]

You'll live. Shouldn't leave too much of a mark if you keep it clean. [ Wryly: ] It's almost a shame. Bet the girls would've loved you with a scar.

Hey-- [he protests weakly... he's growing accustomed to the fact that this is just how she is, but Andy, can you please stop grabbing him.

He rubs off some of the blood with the back of his hand, but it only succeeds in smearing it around. It's about then that he realizes: she's teasing.]

I think I'll take my chances without it, thanks.

[Wiping his bloody hand on his pants leg, he continues on-- hoping for a boring rest of their patrol.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

April 2022 Test Drive

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject