takamagahara | Test Drive #34

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test drive

Test Drive #34

TEST DRIVE # 34

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.

Jingle Jeans
The fresh new spring fashion trend is accessorized denim. Super-accessorized! Bells, chains, beads, zippers, belts and more drip from every inch of this season's hot styles, and the stores need someone to model their new stock -- and bring in the buyers. It's your job to convince the fashion-savvy residents of Tokyo that these new jeans are exactly what their wardrobe needs, without getting your five chain belts tangled.

Kitty Kibble
A huge, panther-shaped ayakashi is haunting the streets of Asakusa, and the pigeons at the local pigeon shrine have disappeared! Take care of this feline predator so the surviving sacred birds won't end up as dinner on the wing.

Lagging Laundry
The residents of an Ikebukuro high-rise have an unusual problem: no matter how sunny the day or how long it's been hanging, their laundry just won't dry! Do they have a moist microclimate? An ayakashi of mold and despair? Or do they just need someone to get all that wet laundry to the nearest laundromat with a dryer until the weather warms up?

Melon Mania
A gardener in Ueno has planted a brand-new strain of muskmelon in his window boxes, and this plant is going wild! Vines have taken over the exterior of his apartment building, and beach-ball-sized fruit are popping up all over. He needs help bringing in the harvest… but his neighbors are begging for this plant to wind up in the compost heap so their lives can go back to normal. Whose side will you take?

Nice & Neat
A community art project is being hosted at the Tokyo Art Museum! Jigsaw-shaped pieces of wood about the size of a hand have been handed out to artists and crafters throughout Japan, and the pieces have just been shipped back. Now, they have to be assembled into one giant jigsaw puzzle for display. There's just one problem: someone forgot to number the pieces before they were shipped! Now they've got a 20,000 piece puzzle whose pieces don't match, and it has to be finished this weekend for the grand opening. Help!

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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[ maybe it's a byproduct from going relatively unseen by the living that causes Avenger to feel more sensitive to when eyes are on her, but it doesn't take her very long to realize that she's being stared at.

she shoots her "fellow model" a sidelong glance with raised brow. ]

You can read it when I'm finished with it.

[Chris's face turns red, and she has to resist the urge to lower her head out of view. Knowing she's caught, she replies.]

U-uhm. Thanks. I look... forward to it?

[ that was so easy.

too ... easy?

Avenger is actually surprised at the girls reaction. she should feel some pride in getting anyone to kowtow to her requests. but instead she feels no satisfaction in this at all. she didn't earn it.

no, it's not that. it's downright out of place.

she lowers the magazine and arches her brow up even higher. ] Does it interest you that much?

[Chris is just easily flustered when it comes to looking at fashion and looking nice, so that's why she's not pressing it.

In any case, she's a bit confused as to why the other girl is pressing this.]

E-eh? Well... I guess it does. But I can be patient?

[ it could be something to do with the way the shorter girl looks. it could be that she's bored. after all, Avenger dislikes few things as much as the act of being idle. even if this job wasn't to her liking or utilized her talents in any way, she might as well try to make something of the experience even if that something is becoming more familiar with the other person stuck with her. ]

Hm. If you have any actual money to spend on such things, be my guest. I see little point in browsing now that I think about it. [ so she'll just sort of hand the magazine over. though she definitely dog-eared a few pages... ]

[Chris was about to suggest maybe letting her slide in to pick up another copy of the magazine, but before she can, Avenger is handing it off to her. She blinks, and nods, saying "thanks" before she begins to look through it.]

I like to at least look at them and think about it. Normally I'd be pretty embarrassed to dress up, but I like to look for a new outfit every three months.

[She notices the bookmarked pages, and smirks to herself. Looks like this other girl is more interested than she lets on. Let's see what she took an interest in...]

[ three months. what's the passage of time to those who have passed on to the next life? they ought to be prepared to spend an eternity in this service, shouldn't they...? Avenger finds it pointless to dwell on, and even more so to try and plan ahead that far. she doesn't even know what tomorrow might bring; perhaps some much needed excitement. a good fight.

oh, but she's found herself distracted enough that she didn't notice at first the pages she had marked were being specifically targeted. heavy jackets lined with fur, boots with an abundance of straps and buckles, tall heels with metallic toe-caps and studs, an assortment of wide leather belts that were black save for a pop of color here and there.

Avenger narrowed her gaze. ] What are you doing?

Oh nothing. [Chris looked up with a subtle grin.] Just somebody marked these pages. Maybe they wanted to come back to it?

They seem to like the whole "hardcore" look. Leather, fur-lined jackets, a lot of metal. The kinda look that just screams 'I'm the toughest bitch around', y'know?

[She begins rifling through more pages.]

You can make a really powerful statement with a look like that.

It... could just be the corners ended up like that by mistake. The paper is so flimsy!

[ Avenger huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, initially, doing a poor job of deflecting any apparent embarrassment. though the additional commentary kept her from completely turning away. ]

But. I think I can agree with that. Based on some of the items in this catalog. [ ahem. ] That's purely conjecture on my part. I barely remember the leather boots I saw, much less the rest.

Yeah. But that would mean someone else'd be rifling through this, right? And it's funny, I saw them put out new copies of this rag only a little bit ago.

Who coulda done it, I wonder...

[Chris's grin has grown more overtly shiteating.]

Yeah, you got such a glancing look at it, I bet. But I gotta say. I could see you pulling that look off pretty easily.

[ Avenger's gaze narrowed at the girl the longer she went on. doesn't she know when to let things go...? ] If it bothers you so much, return it to me and get your own!

[ huff. luckily, the compliment quells some of Avenger's fiery reaction. ]

...is that so? Just what exactly are you picturing? [ she doesn't particularly care for opinions, but since praise was mixed in it at least leaves her curious. ]

[Chris snickers, before handing the magazine back to Avenger. She picks up a second copy off the rack, and begins flipping through it. When she finds what she was looking for, she turns it around to show her.]

The studded boots... [flip] this choker... [flip] and this shirt... [flip!] Would go pretty well with this leather jacket. Add some finger-less gloves and I think you'd look pretty bad ass!

[ the more items the girl pointed to the more Avenger seemed to take note of them. she could visualize that in her mind rather easily despite the wild difference to any fashion she could recall seeing on a real person. why were all these models so... cheerful, too?

anyway. that isn't the point. ] Hm. Hmm. I see, I see.

[ Avenger pointed at the price for the jacket, an uncertain look on her face. ] Is that... a fair price?

Hrm. Well, how long you'd have to do so depends on how long you've been here, but it's a designer label so you'd have to save up for it. But it's not too bad, as far as those go.

[She smiles wide.]

Really, I tend to like softer looks myself, but. For you, I think it'd definitely be worth it.

[ now Avenger has to think about how far she's willing to go to actually go for something that would be for herself and not necessarily for the overall success of her temple. she's not directionless, entirely, but having goals for herself of the more personal nature... that's something people have been pushing on her lately. it might be nice to indulge and also get them off of her back.

at the same time. encouraging them? not something she's keen on. Avenger looks deep in thought. ]

I suppose it would help me blend in among the living easier...

[ walking around in her armor isn't exactly practical. it's lucky for her that cosplay exists - and that she hasn't drawn the sword on the wrong person - or else she'd probably have been arrested by now. ]

If you need a reason to justify looking good, then I won't judge.

[She looks at Avenger with a somewhat knowing, sympathetic look, crossing her arms behind her back.]

I had to do the same for myself, once. It... it helps you make decisions, you know?

[ she raised a brow at the shorter girl. if Avenger had been judged, she'd just fire back, but it was still appreciated that she didn't feel a need for it. the other part, however... ]

What do you mean by that?

Eh? W-well...

... sometimes people have things that make them feel like they shouldn't do things for themselves? Or because they want them. Because... you feel like you don't deserve them... Or you need a special reason or something...

Huh? [ Avenger might be missing the subtle message here. this is how bad she is with people. ]

Why should you need a special reason for any of these? Clothes are clothes. They can serve as much purpose for protection as they do for modesty. It's all in the function. And... maybe a little consideration should be given for the sake of appearances. [ after all, no one's going to find her wearing warm pastels, or stark whites. it's just something she cannot see for herself. ]

[Chris looked away in embarrassment. Don't worry Avenger, Chris isn't much better.]

I like looking nice, okay?! It makes me feel good about myself... that should be enough reason. Everyone needs to indulge themselves!

[ with that said, Avenger rethinks her stance on this. it's still kind of odd to desire fancy clothes when there are so many other things one could spend money on. but clothing is also more long-lived than other items one might treat oneself with. ]

Hm. If you are satisfied with that reason, then that's your business. If it gives you something to strive for - a goal - that should suffice.

... Alright.

[Chris eases up now that she's no longer on the offensive like this.]

Can I just say one more thing, then?

[ Avenger simply gestures expectantly at the girl. go on then. out with it. ]

... Bottling up when you want something, only trying to be practical... I can't tell you how to live your life, but I had a friend who tried to live that way, and she didn't seem very happy like that.

[She does her best to smile at Avenger, still looking nervous, but is at least a bit more confident than when she was talking about herself.]

But, more important than any of that, I think you'd look fucking awesome like this. I still think you should go for it.

Perhaps you have a point. [ and appealing to Avenger's ego is one way to help make said point. ] I'll consider it.

I suppose, first, we have to complete this request. [ but how to attract attention to the store creatively... Avenger has no experience doing something like this, and it's obvious, but there is an idea that comes to her mind.

she steps away from the wall, directly into the path of pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk, and stands firm. when a man and a woman holding hands come close to her, she leans out and collides her shoulder with the man with enough force to daze him, shock his "date", and then drops her magazine.

Avenger might have attempted to look wounded, but she's just not able to make the proper expression for it. rather, she looks as intimidating as normal, gazing down at him. ]

You should watch where you are going. [ he seems to be surprised, and the woman with him is more apologetic than anything. she turns to her. ] If you wish to make amends, go into this store and peruse these wares. Then I won't complain to the manager about your companion's poor conduct.

[ well that's... one way to get people to go inside? ]

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trustheart - 2018-12-09 21:15 (UTC) - Expand

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