takamagahara | (no subject)

TEST DRIVE # 09

Whether you're trying to figure out how your character would fare in this setting, trying to get some samples together, or just dipping your toes in the water, you've come to the right place! The Test Drive is here to make your life easy by letting you see what the game is like without actually joining it first. So here is how it works:

1: Post a starter with your character, including whether they are a god or shinki in the subject line.
2: Act like your character is established enough in the setting to allow your thread to go places.
3: Take on any god/shinki of your choosing, as long as they're not already in the game!
4: Comment around to the other people on the meme.
5: Have lots of fun!

To get you started, here are some ideas for thread-starters! Feel free to come up with your own ideas if these don't strike your fancy, though.

Old Officials

There's a business that is desperately wishing the older members of their workforce would bow out. They've been sitting on death's door for so long and are doing little to help the company. The younger managers only want to step up and take their place! Help convince these ancient businessmen to step down.

Peanut Party

A celebration for peanuts is sweeping through the city. Peanut butter, peanut cookies, even just plain peanuts are being sold, thrown, and praised all over. It's your job to help spread the peanut love, either by helping to make the tasty treats or by buying more peanuts from the next town over.

Quiet Quail

Oddly enough, a request has come in from a quail, of all creatures. It thinks very highly of itself and knows that it's super mega important, but it has such a hard time being anything but quiet. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to draw attention to this quail - make it stand out like not other quail has done before.

Roaring Riders

A rowdy motorcycle gang has been plaguing the streets for a few weeks. Every night, at midnight, they make their engines roar out in unison, waking everybody in town. The riders themselves are good guys, they just have this one nasty habit that they refuse to give up because it pays tribute to their patron god. Do you have the heart to get them to quiet down?

Slick Sevens

The newest tourist stop is a large casino. It's said that everyone who enters the casino has their luck stolen from them at the door. That might just be silly superstitions and bad gamblers talking, but there is definitely an ayakashi there who seems to feed on people's luck. Maybe that's what's causing everyone to lose so much.

If you're uncertain about anything, feel free to check out the Premise, Rules, and FAQ posts. And don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have on the FAQ!
When and if you're ready to join the game, check out the Taken Characters before throwing in a Reserve and starting on your Application
Have fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[These people and their business are not her problem. What happens after isn't any of her concern.

But if her god wants it this way, then she'll do it his way.]

Fine.

[In the exact unemotional tone she's used the entire conversation.]

They won't listen if I talk to them. I'm too young to be taken seriously.

[He looks at her in silence for another moment, but he can't really argue. He knows how hard it is to be taken seriously by the sort of older man who's used to thinking of himself as more important than young people, and he's sure it's even worse for a girl than it was for him when he was a brat.]

Good thing I'm old, too, then, isn't it?

[...Thirty-five isn't that old, but he's commanded people long enough that he's pretty used to demanding their attention whether they want to give it to him or not.]

[She looks at him for a moment, studying him.]

You're not as old as these men. You seem about the same age as the younger managers. You're also a stranger to them.

[Old people are stubborn and not prone to listening to people they've never met.]

[Even knowing Hijikata for a very short while, anyone would note that it's pretty rare to see him smile.]

[He makes an exception.]

I'm also a god.

[And... actually, he thinks his power could be very useful here, for once.]

[She notes it down, strange but... he must have a reason to smile like that.]

You are.

[It's true, after all.]

So have a little faith.

[That's appropriate, isn't it?]

Come on.

[He heads towards where the old man is. No point wasting time talking about it when there's a job to do.]

[A part of her thinks that's dangerous, though she's not sure why. But... he is her god and she wants to believe in him.]

Alright.

[She stays a half step behind him, studying their surroundings. The old man won't notice her unless she draws attention to herself, at least.]

[Figuring out an excuse to approach is always the most awkward part of missions that involve talking to people, honestly. And while the old geezer's just sitting around in his own garden?]

[Hijikata approaches the garden gate, removing a cigarette from the tin in his pocket. As he brings it near his lips, he pretends to have only just noticed the old man in the garden.]

Good evening.

[He acts as if he's a neighbor, going to just pass by after a cursory greeting, then pauses.]

I beg your pardon, sir, but you aren't a smoker, are you? I loaned my lighter to a client today and never got it back, and if you've got a light...

[And most of the businessmen he's seen around the Near Shore, especially the older ones, seem to be smokers, so a shared habit might just be an easy way to establish some initial rapport.]

[She stays off to the side, glancing around. Sure, this seems like a regular kind of prayer, no ayakashi involved, but they can never know when they might strike. They're attracted to gods, after all.

The old man greets him and pulls out a lighter and a smoke for himself. "Aah, clients are like that these days, aren't they?"]

[Trusting Homura to keep a good watch on the perimeter of the area, Hijikata focuses his attention on the old man, lighting his cigarette and taking a drag.]

Were they any better once upon a time?

[That's another possible angle -- maybe convince the guy that the old days were so much better that there's no point dealing with all the nonsense going on now. Old folks love thinking about the world that way, don't they?]