takamagahara | (no subject)

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test drive

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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!

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Absolutely not!! [And just like that, the fire sparks back into Youmu.] Sure, Yuyuko-sama is a sloth that doesn't lift a finger to help, and sometimes she eats all the treats and leaves nothing for me. And she doesn't go for her sword exercises and, and sometimes I end up having to leave the Netherworld and do her duties instead--!!

[Urgh why is she bad-mouthing her mistress? All this pent-up frustration she's feeling isn't aimed at Yuyuko. Which is...surprising, because for so long it's Yuyuko that's aggravating her.]

...a-anyway, what I'm trying to say is that my mistress is very strong.

[ She's not really painting a perfect picture of this Yuyuko. She sounds kind of lazy. ]

A shame her work ethic hasn't rubbed off on you.

Eh!? [Saw certainly knows how to push Youmu's buttons. She's indignant enough to sit up and glare at her shinki.] Shouldn't you be saying it the other way around!?

[ Meanwhile, Saw is only marginally invested in this argument. She still can't get over the fact that she is now a literal sword. How does this work? How can she see without eyes? How does she feel the rain?

These are questions she shouldn't be asking as a psychological, shadowy other version of her human self with giant horns and claws for hands. ] No.

I'm just saying. If you're doing someone else's job, you're doing something wrong.

Hmph. What do you know about my job anyway.

[But speaking about her job...Youmu's tone loses all the argumentative bite in it when she asks Saw a question softly.]

Do you...think we'll ever see our world again? Or are we going to be stuck here forever?

[She draws her knees up, hugging them close.] I...I need to go home. I need to prepare Yuyuko-sama's meals. And patrol the grounds, in case there's another incident. She must be so angry at me, I've...never been away from my duties for so long.

[She's glad Saw can't see her face right now. Or how she's getting slightly teary.

Or at least, she thinks Saw can't see her face because it's not like the giant chain-saw sword has eyes, right? So...so it's OK if her eyes are starting to prickle and sting a little.]

And if I'm not there, who's going to take care of the garden? Who's going to take care of Yuyuko-sama?

I'm dead. I won't ever see my world, so no. [ She doesn't seem too bothered by it, for whatever reason.

But oh no a young girl with insecurities and feeling down. Her human side's profession can't help but want to listen and care from the depths of her memories.

And so there's a flash of discomfort, and her tone is almost begrudging at herself to offer her own strange sort of reassurance: ] Think of it this way. Without you, she'll finally do her own job. If and when you return, she should be thanking you for the lesson in responsibility.

But...you could be a spirit in your own world. Isn't that better than being spirited away without warning?

[And hey, technically Youmu is half-dead herself. Her phantom half bobs down, and she pulls it closer for a hug. Again, technically hugging herself there, but she needs something to hug right now and it's not like she's going to go to Saw for comfort.]

I think...Yuyuko-sama would probably make me shovel all the snow from the gardens during winter as punishment. [She mummers into her phantom-half.] I bet the manor will be in a mess when I get back too. Just to spite me and give me more work. Honestly, sometimes I have to be the adult in the house, eventhough Yuyuko-sama is so much older than me.

[It's strange, sharing about all these old aggravations to Saw of all people. She could've gone to any of the other Gensokyo girls that were stuck here too...but what if they ended up thinking she isn't the loyal servant of the Saigyouji family that she's supposed to be? What if they told her mistress when they returned?? No, she definitely, definitely cannot talk about any of the private ongoings in the Netherworld with them.

Still, it's unbecoming anyway to be such an emotional, blubbering mess. Youmu sniffs and secretly tries to rub her eyes, ducking her head behind phantom half.]

...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have burdened you with my problems. And...and I'm sorry I called you fat. You're not fat or ugly. [Might as well go for broke then, since all these apologies are bubbling up.]

I'm sorry I didn't listen to you from the start. I...I can't slash ayakashi on my own. I know that. I just didn't want to admit it.

[ There's only so much she can do as a literal sword stuck in the ground. Talking is one thing she can do, and that's enough. Saying the right things and asking the right questions is just enough to have the girl realize her mistakes. But. Is she hugging her in her sword form. Really.

Uuuuugh. ] Apology accepted. [ She says at last, although she mentally tucks away various bits of information to ask about later. Even if this Yuyuko is lazy, she's piqued Saw's interest. She wants to know what sort of relationship she has with her god, and how much she influences her. Obviously a lot, but it seems bizarre that this young half-phantom need to take care of an irresponsible adult.

In Saw's opinion--- what a waste of talent; the girl could be working for someone a lot better. Maybe the girl has been brainwashed? Whatever, these are questions to ask at a later time. ] Working with others may be the most difficult hurdle you will have to overcome. [ Understatement, since ya know. She's working with Saw. ] Are you truly crying over this? It simply takes practice.

E-eh!? I'm n-not crying!! It's, it's just the rain!!!

[Just gonna quickly smush those tears out of the way, thanks. And stiffle those sniffles.] Besides, you don't have eyes! How do y-you know--I mean, you can't see anything, right?

[ Saw's just going to cut her off. ] Don't ask about it.

I don't want an headache.

[ She doesn't want to think any harder of how she "sees" or feels right now than she currently is doing! ]

R...right.

[Hoping that her eyes aren't red, Youmu finally gets to her feet.] Sorry. It must be uncomfortable to be left like that for so long. I'll get you out.

[It takes a little tugging and grunting, but eventually Youmu pries her free from the ground, nearly stumbling backwards into a puddle. This rain sure isn't letting up.] I need to call your name to turn you back right?

"Black Gold Saw".

[ She's back into her regular form, stretching out her arms casually.

She takes a moment to look around at the scene, noting the destruction, as well as a couple of people caught in the disaster lying on the ground. ] Are we done here?

Yes, we are--...

[Oh. Wow. She's following Saw's gaze and that's...quite a lot of destruction she left behind. Great. Now she feels even more awful. And to top it all off--]

Ah-choo!

[It seems that gods aren't immune to colds. Two more sneezes follow that one in quick succession.] I...I think we need to get out of this rain.

Edited 2016-10-03 07:45 (UTC)

[ ....Hah. She sneezed. She never thought she'd see a god sneeze, but there it is. ] You should return to your temple.

Hmm. [Come to think of it...where has Saw been staying all this time? Their first encounter hadn't gone well, and Saw had decided to live somewhere else. Which suited Youmu for a bit, but it's been a week and to be honest? The huge grounds that Youmu calls home is lonely, even more so due to the fact that she's the only one living there right now.]

...do you...[It's hard for Youmu to ask Saw anything though. This prayer request was more of a challenge from the shinki to the god, and that's how they were both present today.]

...it's--...since I'm going to be calling on you in the future, then...unless you want me to release you, and that's, that's OK too, but if you want a place to dry off and get rid of the blight, and maybe get some sleep, then even if you're not my shinki I don't mind...

[She's not...very good at this. Perhaps it's because of her teary confessions and the challenging fight, but right now Youmu isn't putting up her usual tough, stoic front.]

[ Alright, here's the thing. Saw can admire talent in fights, and for all of Saw's verbal attacks on her, the girl has it in droves. And the sneeze and sniffles? That's cute.

But if she thinks that they're going to be buddy-buddy and live together-- well okay the thought is kind of nice, she has to admit. Beats dozing underneath a rock. ] Oh, don't worry about me. [ She dismisses, placing a hand on her hip. Then she leans down, looking at her steadily. She's got quite the height on her. She lifts up a claw, raising one finger to poke her, not that gently either, on the sternum. ] But you're doing that again. Thinking you can fight alone.

[ What is with this girl, to say that she would release her right after a battle that clearly demonstrates that she needs someone to fight these things. Saw doesn't straighten up, either, instead choosing to loom over her and gauge her reaction. ] When I find someone else, I'll tell you. But unless you want to keep me by then, you better prove your worth.

[ Saw is, in part, a manifestation of an ego. She's cocky, no surprise there. ]

[Owch! Income finger flick! Youmu flinches at the slight sting and rubs the patch. But unlike the other times when Saw was trying to give her advice in her own roundabout way, Youmu actually keeps quiet and humbly listens. When Saw gives her that challenge at the end though, Youmu glances up with shock.]

So, so you still want to be my shinki...? Even though I was rude and ungrateful for all your help?

[She almost can't believe her ears. Youmu immediately bows low to Saw.] Then I'll do it! I'll prove my worth to you as your god, Saw-san, and fulfil my responsibilities and duties to you as your god!

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