takamagahara | (no subject)

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test drive

(no subject)

TEST DRIVE # 03

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.

Keening Karaoke
For some reason, karaoke clubs have suddenly popped up all over the Heavens. Not only that, but they are the big new hotspot for residents of the Far Shore to hang out at and everyone around you has been pressuring you to join them. Do you continue to fight back or give in to the peer pressure weighing you down?

Little Lies
Everyone believes that white lies do no harm, so the people of the Near Shore are happy to use small lies whenever they need to. Tiny ayakashi have been springing from these little lies and are now teaming up to form into a huge ayakashi, and it keeps getting bigger with every passing moment!

Marriage Madness
With spring in the air, the season of weddings is upon the Near Shore, and boy do the people of Japan seem eager to get married this year. In fact, it's so crazy trying to book anything that there are literally hundreds of prayers being sent up asking for monetary deals as well as luck with finding the right place to marry. Help some poor people out.

Necklace Nuisance
A cursed necklace has sprung up in the city and there are a lot of people dying because of it. The weird thing is that no one who has actually worn the necklace has died, just everyone around them. This cursed necklace has fallen into the hands of a depraved young man who is more than happy to use its bad luck in order to start 'taking out the trash' of the world...

Overt Ogling
As the temperature rises, so do the skirts of teenage girls. Unfortunately, there are a lot of pubescent boys who are more than happy to take a gander whenever they can. Catching some peeping toms, how is a resident of the Far Shore supposed to react? Or even warn the poor girl who's being spied on?

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

Wh-- Bats?

[Don't worry about him. Doooon't worry. He's keeping a good couple of feet away from the yellow line.]

No way, there's no way there're bats that big!

If there were, they'd live in a place like this, wouldn't they?

[Clack clack clack CLACK CLACK CLACK... oh, it's just a train coming into view and sighing to a stop in front of them. What a surprise!]

Well, yeah, but--

[Shit, why did they come down here? Hakkai never said anything about bats! Is that what a subway is? A giant bat? Why would you travel on a--

Oh. That's a car thing. That's not a bat.]

Th' hell, you said it was a bat!

No, I said it was a train.

[Perfect innocence. The whole bat thing was a hypothetical, after all! He can't be blamed if Goku took it a little too seriously.]

And see, it is!

But you said--!

[The bats were going to eat him, Hakkai! That's totally what was said.]

Ugh, fine, nevermind. So this thing's a train?

That's right! [The doors whoosh open with a recorded line repeating the name of their stop, and Hakkai steps forward, beckoning for Goku to follow.]

It runs on the tracks down there.

Oh.

[Huh. Goku very, very carefully steps forward and on to the train car, testing his weight on it for a moment... And once it tests out okay, everything is fine! Riceball, meet mouth. At least he's swallowing before talking again.]

Does it go fast?

[Hakkai laughs cheerfully, hooking one elbow around the nearest railing. Goku's nearly gone through all of the riceballs already, hasn't he? They'll have to hit a convenience store on the way back to distract him for one more underground trip.]

Very! It's much faster than we can run.

[A recorded voice warns everyone to stay clear of the doors as they sweep shut and the train begins to pick up speed.]

You can't see how fast we're moving here, but there are places where the trains run above ground, too.

[Nearly all of them! There's one left, outside of the one he's currently shoveling down. But he definitely won't argue about a trip to the store! More food is always good.]

Wow, really?

[The train is obviously moving now, though. And even though the windows are only showing the platform they were on, it's quickly moving away, and Goku is crawling up to kneel in a seat and watch as it gradually disappears out of sight.]

Are these faster than cars, too?

That's a good question! I'll have to look it up for you later.

[He leans over, watching the platform disappear over Goku's shoulder.] It is much bigger than a car, so perhaps it doesn't go quite as fast.

We'll get off after the next stop.

But we'll still get there faster than walking!

[The platform now out of sight, Goku turns back around and sits in the seat, finishing off the final rice ball. It seems like, for the moment, all of his worries are gone.]

D'you think gods ever get married like humans do? I bet there'd be all kinds of awesome food.

That's a good question! Even if they do, it wouldn't happen very often, so I think you'd have a better chance of getting good food at the holiday parties.

[He taps a finger thoughtfully against his chin.]

Hmm.... I wonder what holidays the gods celebrate?

Yeah, I guess you're right.

[Ooh, but holidays! ... what holidays are there, anyway?]

Birthdays? Do gods have birthdays...?

Only the ones who started out as humans, I suppose.

But I'm not sure they'd care anymore!

[Not being particularly enlightened himself, he couldn't say for certain, but wouldn't enlightenment and ascending to higher planes really limit the amount you cared about your birthday?

Maybe.]

They could each have their own festivals.

Maybe we should ask! If they do still care, it'd be kind of bad not to throw a party, right?

[Read: Goku just wants party food, and he's coming up with excuses.

But it does make him wonder a little. If some of the gods started out human, would they maybe consider the day they became a god like a sort of birthday? Would they celebrate both? Two birthdays!? And then festivals, oh man--]

Yeah! Festivals! I bet they've got all kinds'a food at festivals!

I think that's your best bet! We should look up the dates of shrine festivals. Maybe there are some for the cherry blossoms....

[It's spring, and that means the cherries should be blooming soon. Yes, it's a good time of year for festivals, just like it is for weddings. And other new beginnings.

The train sighs loudly to a stop, and Hakkai glances up to check the map.]

Ah, we're here! Let's go.

Even if there's not one, I bet we could still make a picnic or somethin'!

[Food. It's all that's ever on his mind.

The train slows to a stop, and Goku peers out the window at this new platform, which looks relatively like the one they'd been on previously. Huh. It's almost like they didn't go anywhere at all. He shifts from his seat, standing and stretching and mourning the empty container that once held riceballs, but he'll follow Hakkai off the train once he disembarks.]

Hey, Hakkai? Y'think we have birthdays too? I mean, we're dead, and if I had one I can't remember it, but.

[Maybe not all that's ever on his mind, but it certainly makes for a good distraction, Hakkai is learning. He smiles, threading his way through the crowds towards the exit.]

I'm sure we did, but I can't remember mine either.

Perhaps we could use the date we became shinki. It's like being born again, isn't it?

[Neatly, he hops the turnstile again, and squints at the signs for exits. Even with the monocle over it, his right eye is almost useless; there's something else there, he thinks, that he can't remember.

It feels like they've been cheated, being born anew in bodies with all the old scars.]

[As they move, Goku stays close to Hakkai. There are other people around, sure. Other humans, anyway. But they can't see either of them, and he knows it, so it's like they're alone anyway. But the presence is kind of comforting, and Hakkai's presence more so.]

Huh. Yeah, I guess! But does that mean we have the same birthday?

[Maybe this is too confusing. If they're dead, do they really still need birthdays? Maybe they can just make up a day, or else a whole bunch of shinki will end up sharing the same birthday, if they all keep showing up all at once. ... or maybe that's the best part of it. One huge party!

Goku, at least, is looking in earnest for the exits. Short as he is, he still is able to spot one off to the side, sort of in the same place layout-wise as the previous platform area. And like hell he isn't ready to take those stairs three at a time.]

Hakkai, there's the exit! C'mon, let's go!

Yes, I think it does! We'll have to throw a big party next year.

[He laughs, mood lightening despite himself, and breaks into a run to keep up with Goku as he heads for the stairs.]

[Really, he's just eager to get the hell out of the subway tunnels and back in the sunshine. And skipping several steps along the way is totally worth it, because up here and away from the shade and fluorescent lighting of the subway, he feels so much warmer.

Goku does at least stop at the top, turning and waiting for Hakkai to catch up before he goes any further. Besides, he has no idea where he is or where he's going.]

Hey, hey, how far is this place, anyway?

[Hakkai double-checks the magazine, and leans out of the subway entrance to check the signs at the nearest intersection.]

Ah -- two blocks that way!

[It is nice being out in the sun again. He takes a deep breath.]

I think I can smell the plum blossoms from here.

[Time to go intimidate a receptionist!]

[Plum blossoms-- yeah, now that Hakkai mentions it, Goku can smell something like that. There are flowers all around, but plum blossoms smell a certain way, and they're easy to pick out. ... his sense of smell really is sharp, and it kind of surprises him, honestly.]

Yup! That way! I can smell 'em, too!

[And onward he goes!]

Goku! There might be more than one plum tree--

[But Goku is heading, rather to Hakkai's surprise, in the right direction. Hakkai breaks into a jog after him, picking up speed as the front gate of the venue comes into view.

It really does have a nice garden, even if the receptionist is rude.]

[Oh, there's more than likely multiple plum trees around. But there's a really strong scent coming from this way, so that has to be it! Right? Right.

Luckily, he is right, and soon Goku is rewarded with a large garden full of the things. No worries about him getting ahead, though. He's stopped right at the front gate, staring up at the trees in awe.]

Wow... No wonder this place's so popular.