takamagahara | TEST DRIVE # 23

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test drive

TEST DRIVE # 23

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.

Gross Garbage

Waste removal has become an intense process in many cities in Japan. Because the sorting of different trash can be very complicated, some residents just end up saying to heck with it. However, the neighbours are vigilant, and heap curses upon those who break the rules. Putting out the wrong thing on the wrong day, mixing plastics with the burnables, putting out the biodegradables the night before, which attracts crows that scatter the rotting food all over the place… the infractions are many.
Will you join in cursing the ones who can’t follow the rules, or perhaps instead gracefully try to mend their ways?

Honoured Helper

For the last 20 years, Hanako has worked faithfully at her cleaning job, 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, without a single day off.
The momentous achievement was celebrated with her coworkers, but it was unanimous among them that Hanako really should take some time off! But the woman is stubborn, and is completely unwilling to take the time offered. (What would she do with herself, even?)
All her friends and coworkers can do is pray that someone can convince her to take a well-earned rest… It might take some heavenly intervention.

Ingenious Insects

While crows are famous for being clever, there seems to be an insect following in their footsteps. Rhinoceros beetles have been getting in everywhere. It’s late in their lifespan and people are generally hoping the lot of them die off soon, but in the meantime people have been coming home to find the large beetles getting into every room, even when they’re carefully closed up. Probably the only ones thrilled with this are kids who like to collect the bugs for fighting matches.
Residents of the Far Shore will be able to see that there are beetle-like ayakashi running with the mundane ones, and they seem to be on the hunt for something.
Try to figure it out, protect the kids who might mistake an ayakashi for a real rhinoceros beetle, or kill every bug ~~with fire~~?

Jilted John

John’s girlfriend Julie says she loves him, but she’s up and left for another guy named Gordon. Julie is cruel, heartless, a slut and a bitch! Gordon thinks he’s tough (so what if he’s bigger, better looking and more trendy than John) but he’s actually a moron, a cheap creep and a puff!
John is now desperately wanting someone to deck Gordon the moron good. Preferably smashing his face in. Help Jilted John out?

King’s Keeper

King Koopa, a stout, shorthaired two-year-old tabby, is headed straight for YouTube fame as a video-game-playing cat. Or he was, until, just last week, he completely lost interest in the keyboard. His desperate owner has been trying everything: bird screensavers, a catnip mouse, even treats hidden in the keys... but nothing brings back Koopa's love of the game. Is he just camera shy? Feeling blue? His owner needs divine intervention to help teach a young cat his old trick!

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!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

There's a difference between lying for the sake of being dishonest and keeping something to yourself. You're not a liar, though.

[Instead of saying anything else, she just offers him a kind smile. It was, admittedly, kind of surreal to be having this conversation with Adrien, of all people. But she'd gotten used to the surreal being the new norm.]

I'm pretty sure everyone knows someone like that.

[She'd really just been trying to distract herself, and she supposed she should've been more careful. It wasn't the first time he'd called her that. Chat did it all the time, and she'd always been able to shrug it off. Why did it have to be different when Adrien was the one saying it?]

I'm okay! I just... swallowed wrong. Don't worry.

[But he was worried, and she couldn't help feeling guilty for causing that worry. When he withdrew his hand, she set her drink aside and pulled him into a hug.] I'm sorry for worrying you.

[What else was she supposed to say to that? What could she say? The truth was out of the question for obvious reasons. Mirroring his earlier actions, she's rubbing his back in what she hopes is a comforting manner and holding him close.

When he finally spoke up again, she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the irony.]

You would never have to force someone to love you.

No. No, I'm not.

[He laughs softly then hums.]

I hope no one ever feels that obsessive about me. I feel like if someone really cared about you they'd be sad but still want you to be happy.

[He's blinking at her before giggling. Only his goddess. He knows she's clumsy. She's tripped over air before.]

How do you swallow wrong? Did you inhale when you took a sip or something?

[Suddenly, she's pulling him into a hug and Adrien tenses just for an instant. He may pitch his drink into a nearby bin just so he can wrap his arms around her. It doesn't matter he can buy another.] It's fine. You're not really hurt so it's okay.

[His fingers curl into the dark fabric a her back. Feeling her hand rubbing along his back he seems to melt into her tension ebbing out of him in waves. With the softest of sighs, his head comes to rest against hers, a low purr leaving his throat.

Some part of him tells him she's wrong. That he's fought and longed for love for a very long time. But there's warmth and comfort here and he wants to believe. She makes him want to.]

You wouldn't either.

You seemed quite concerned for their welfare...

[He frowns a little, because if Kagaho won't do it, he'll have to calm the children down himself, and if there's one thing he knows about children, it's that they can be...unexpectedly grabby. He doesn't know why he has to keep his distance, just that it's important that he does.]

[The fact that he's holding the bug that the children want is part of it, too.]

If you want to get rid of it right now, I can trade. [Trade duties, that is—calming the children for getting rid of the ayakashi. Because yes, he's lording it over Kagaho. Just a little.]

[Marinette had no idea what to even say to that, so she just smiled.]

That's the way I feel about it, too. I guess I just don't understand how he can claim to love her so much in one breath and then go on to act like... that without missing a beat.

[Oh thank heavens, he bought her half-assed explanation.] Mmm... that must've been what happened. But I'm good. Don't worry!

[She felt him tense up, and for a moment she worried she might've overdone it. But he was just as quick to relax, and she released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. It wasn't the first time she'd hugged him, but normally she gave him a bit more warning than that, so she'd been slightly worried about crossing a line.] It'll take more than that to hurt me.

[Well, that sounded a little less comforting than it had in her head. She'd only intended to give him a quick hug to reassure him that she was fine. That there was no reason to worry.

And she'd done that. But the way he'd latched onto the back of her shirt and melted against her almost instantly made her want to just... hold him there for as long as he'd let her. But that would be pushing it. She was about to try and untangle herself when he leaned his head against her and purred.

Mari knew she should be the responsible one, but he made it incredibly difficult sometimes, and he didn't even realize he was doing it. Instead of pulling away, she found herself sliding a hand up to stroke his hair.]

You're right. I'd want... someone to love me on their own and not because they were forced into it.

I almost forgot. I am sorry, Kagaho.

[All she saw was the manner of his death, that's it. Nona still feels like she has a responsibility though.]

Really? I'd say it has its uses, though something like going after someone's famous cat out of jealousy is just shameful and lowbrow.

[She shakes her head, in a manner that rings a little more offended about the subject than she actually is.]

No, please, keep going the way you were, I think it was working better.

[Ema was hanging outside of view long enough to hear Charlotte's abrupt switch in tone, but rather than seem surprised or disturbed, she looks like she finds the whole thing a little funny. With a slight wink, she pushes herself up and steps forward.]

Though I don't know that bothering her out of the workplace was what you were going for, hm?

[Charlotte turns her big, innocent eyes on Ema, batting her eyelashes delicately for a second. After that fails to have an effect, she scowls. She's not wasting a cute act on another woman.]

I'm just telling her how it really is! If she keeps this up, she's just encouraging everyone to take advantage of her! You think they're gonna offer her time off again if she turns it down now?

Heh, this is somewhat of a special case, isn't it? But yes, I do think she's allowing herself to be taken advantage of a little, even if she doesn't think it herself. Some people don't want to be told how it is.

[Ema seems completely unperturbed by Charlotte's attitude, but she taps a finger against her lip as if considering where to go from here. Honestly, walking in on something like this is as good as she could hope for, since it says being level with this woman isn't going to get her to take that leave.]

That's not to say brutal honesty couldn't be useful for this...

[ Hibiki does not look particularly impressed by this explanation. Surely it has nothing to do with her own, Shikyoin Hibiki's, life in any way, shape, or form.

She lowers her lashes. ]

It's a deep cleaning, either way.

[ What would fix it.....?

....More time with her? ]

[ He's just touching everywhere else and Yata yelps, trying to squirm away, his face suddenly red. Watch where you put your hands, Judar! ]

What the hell, dude!

Edited 2017-12-13 15:13 (UTC)

Well, what else am I supposed to do? Drag her out the door by her ankle? I'm not babysitting her to make sure she doesn't just come back, ya know!

[What a hassle! This is annoying. Everything is annoying.]

Ugh, people who don't want to help themselves are such a pain.

That's not what I meant, no. [Ema puts a finger to her lips briefly as if telling a secret, though at this point Hanako's attention seems to have slipped from their conversation anyway since she's no longer being directly addressed.]

I'd say the only way we're going to get her out is to convince her that her taking a vacation will help the company. A bit silly, but if someone won't help themselves, then you have to convince them that it'll help other people instead.

[ You should feel honored. Also he's getting frustrated because nothing seemed to stand out in a way that would act as a tool or medium. This would go so much faster if you didn't wear so much, like him. ]

How much can you use that, anyway?

[ There's no way you have endless amounts of energy, much less a great amount of it. ]

[Charlotte's mouth twists in disgust at Ema's suggestion.] Is anyone really that altruistic? Ugh.

[Well, maybe they're just that dumb. She thinks it over for a second and then hops down from her bench. With a dejected sigh, Charlotte drops down onto a chair closer to Hanako, puts her hands under her chin and looks despairingly up at the ceiling.]

Ooh... I'm just so worried about Mr... Tanaka with all this. [That's the boss's name, right, it's his name on the sign-] All this gossip going around about him mistreating his employees and overworking them... That's the kind of bad publicity that could ruin a business like this! [Hanako pauses in her scrubbing, still not looking up but probably listening to Charlotte's dramatic whimpers.] I think I heard someone call him a slave owner earlier! If only they knew how sweet and kind he really is! Ooh, that poor man...

Sadly, yes. [Ema smiles in a manner that's somehow half-apologetic, yet half still amused. She doesn't really understand being that altruistic either, but...well, something has to be done.

Keeping right along with the new attitude Charlotte takes up when she sits down, Ema leans against the desk, a hand to her chest as she shakes her head.]

It's terrible, isn't it? That they think he's the kind of man that pushes his most faithful employees' noses to the grindstone. And nobody's doing anything about it, either...rumours only get more powerful the longer they spread unchecked, you know?

[Hanako tilts her head slightly - it's not quite looking up, but it's more attentive listening than they were getting, so Ema will take it as progress.]

Going after animals at all is just indecent.

[ He says as he pets the cat. ]

But I don't really know how it has it's uses.

Mmm, it is a bit, isn't it? [It's not like they can do anything about it, really, so they're unfairly easy targets.]

Not everything can be done above the board though, you know.

... I guess you could call it that.

[It's a bit like dealing with an akuma though so - He's reaching into his pocket for his phone. He can just search her up can't he? He'd done that before - he knows he has even if it's hazy.]

We need to find the core issue though. We'd only be putting a band-aid on it if we didn't which is no real help.

Exactly! If you really cared about someone you could never say such hateful and hurtful things. I mean not if the feelings were still there and were real.

[He laughs softly and smiles.] What am I going to do with you? Clearly you need supervision. [His tone is teasing and playful as he nods at this.] Don't worry I'll babysit you.

[Logically, he knows that if she were truly in danger she'd have done or said something to get his attention but it never hurt to be attentive either. What if there was a time she could't do anything? Best not risk it. But rather than press it all she gets is a soft - ] Okay.

[He shouldn't have done that and he's still weirded out by his purring thing but she's so warm and so kind. He can't help but want so bash in that gentle radiance that only comes to him in her presence. He's soaking it up like a sponge.

Feeling her hand starting to pet his hair, that redoubles the purring; it's louder and more obvious. His head is leaning, pressing into that touch. His own hands sliding along her back slowly. He wants to give her that same comfort but doesn't know how exactly.]

I can't see anyone not loving you, My Lady.

Hmm.

[ That's all you get out of Hibiki. Partly because she's being noncommittal about whether or not she approves of this approach, and partly because she's waiting for inspiration about what sort of treat would make a woman who's working to cover a hidden ache decide to enjoy a luxurious life instead.

They better think fast, though, because Hanako should be back soon. ]

[ You wanna bet? ]

How much? I dunno? I haven't ever run out, if that's what you mean.

[ And he's going to go stand over here now. Significantly farther away than your reach. ]

Eeek! [Yes, she just said "eeek!".] It's so scary! If someone said such mean things about me, I don't know what I'd do! Oh, how terrible!

[She looks almost faint. Hanako looks almost nauseous.]

Some people can be just so cruel!

If only there was someone who cared enough to prove them wrong...they'd have to be a faithful worker, though, not just some newcomer people are going to think they set up as a stooge. But none of the old hands want to take holidays. What a pity for the company.

[Ema shrugs, as though it can't be helped. Hanako's definitely paying attention now, not yet having gone back to her scrubbing, and looking rather troubled to boot.]

[Admittedly, she couldn't claim to know all that much about the subject. The extent of her knowledge was growing up watching her parents together, and what she felt for the oblivious blonde in front of her.] Heh... maybe we shouldn't be too harsh. Love makes people do crazy things sometimes. [Wasn't that how the saying went?]

You have no idea. [It was a good sign that he was laughing, right? Either way, she had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out an answer to that particular question. No need to make things ridiculous.] You're so good to me. That's kind of a full-time job.

[But amazingly, she'd actually been a lot less likely to trip over nothing since they'd come here. It was almost amusing. Still, she didn't want to worry him for no reason.

She decided not to comment on that soft little 'okay', mostly because she had no idea what to say. What could she say to that, honestly?] Thank you for being so sweet.

[Well, it could've been worse. It occurred to her that they probably looked ridiculous, but she didn't really care at the moment. He did seem more relaxed now, and that had been her main concern.

Still, the purring was nice, comforting, even and she finds herself combing her fingers through his hair, nails lightly grazing his scalp. She was absolutely pushing it now, but it seemed safe enough, and it wasn't like she was giving away anything.]

You'd be surprised.

[It'd been on the tip of her tongue to thank him for being so sweet, and then he'd hit her with that, and she was suddenly swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking away unshed tears.

She couldn't even ask him not to call her that because she knew he was just being respectful. It certainly wasn't his fault that it killed her a little bit every time he said it.] I think you might be a little biased, though?

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TEST DRIVE # 23

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