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!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Kitty Kibble

[Adam dodge rolled out of the way of the ayakashi's claws as it leapt at him. His reflexes were enough to keep him from getting mauled. But he also had no idea how exactly he could defeat this thing. He definitely couldn't do it alone.]

C'mon, can't you be a good kitty?

[He roar and leapt again. Nope. It couldn't. This time, as Adam dodged he managed to land a kick at its back to send it sprawling away. He wished he had his memories to figure out why this all felt like second nature to him. But, now wasn't the time to really think of such things. He panted a bit and caught sight of someone else in the area.]

Could use a little help here, buddy!

Melon Mania

[Arms full of muskmelon, Adam felt like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. The owner wanted him to harvest the melons while the neighbors wanted him to throw it all away. He understood both sides, but could anyone really win? He sighed.]

Why not just let him harvest the ones that have already grown and then the leftovers get thrown out? Sir, you can grow a new batch somewhere else after, can't you?

[That sounded like a neat compromise to him! Except they didn't seem to be listening to him now, arguing over him in fact.

Sigh. What to do with these melons?]

Edited 2018-11-01 14:44 (UTC)

[Kitty Kibble]

[An ayakashi the size of a panther? Not exactly a walk in the park, but not the toughest thing Ruler has ever fought. The real problem, honestly, is what happens after the final blow is struck. With the danger gone, the pigeons return, and all of them seem... eager to show their gratitude.]

Um--!

[Yep, this poor shinki is covered in birds. They're perched on her shoulders and arms, and a few on her head; the pigeons coo happily, a few are nibbling at her hair, and generally being the happy content birds they were before the shadow of the ayakashi fell over their temple.

... Ruler, on the other hand, looks equal parts amused and puzzled. This is all very cute and all, but she can't stay here forever! Nor can she try to shake the birds off! Wouldn't that be disrespectful????]

I'm... I'm very glad all of you are grateful! Believe me, I understand! B-But...!

[There's a hint of desperation when she glances over and spots the nearest god or shinki. Friend, please help...!]

[Melon Mania]

[Now this is more like it. There's something about all of this, of lugging the produce away from the vines and into crates, of trimming down the dead leaves and shriveled vines, that feels... soothing to Ruler. It was tedious work, but she liked it - and she was good at it. Or... at the very least, the manual labor part of it.

It's probably pretty amusing to see someone with all the build of a lean teenage girl balance a stack of about ten melons in her arms as if they weighed nothing, all while conversing with one of the man's disgruntled neighbors.]

I understand your concern, this must be... quite a difficult obstruction to work around. But perhaps a compromise can be made? [She offers a smile to the neighbor, who looks a bit skeptical.] Are a few overgrown plants worth starting a war over? Or ruining friendships?

[The neighbor doesn't seem quite convinced, but... not as angry?]

Perhaps working together to care for the melons will keep them from growing out of control? And in return for your assistance, he can offer you a choice of the harvest?

[The neighbor... seems to think about it. Meanwhile, Ruler returns to her work. It doesn't look like she needs much assistance, but... more hands are always welcome, right?]

Edited 2018-11-01 22:05 (UTC)

[A thunderous laughter can be heard probably by half of the ward and it certainly reaches Ruler. It source being a huge man with red hair. He's got his own stack of melons and is talking to a stern looking middle aged woman, surely one of the poor gardener's neighbours.]

My good lady but you could make a hit of it! I'm sure you can! Just think about it. You lend the guy a hand, he shares with you, you both benefit from the good harvest. You can make melon dishes for your restaurant, ask your daughter to take pictures and put them on the social media. Maybe she can invite some friends over. They're would share to their social media. Just to spread the good word. I tell you whole city won't stop talking about this new cool - that would be yours - restaurant!

[The woman doesn't look totally convinced but she's not that mad either. Maybe she was too quick to criticize the whole melon idea. The guy's excitement is quite contagious. She starts to think that maybe it could really work. Her restaurant could certainly use some publicity. And if it could make teenager eat more fruit and vegetables instead of all those fast foods...]

Just think about it.

[Red hair man nods to the lady and then leaves to unload his melon stack to the very same crates as Ruler. He smiles when he notices her. The Heavens are getting pretty crowded with all those Heroes of Humanity. Not that he's going to complain. Iskandar is always happy to see more Servants coming to Far Shore. The more the merrier.]

Hi, there! You're here to help too? That's pretty good harvest but I see where this poor guy's headache comes from.

[As a shinki, Ruler doesn't immediately recognize the pull inside of her at the presence of another Servant, but she smiles anyway at the large man's approach. It's... hard not to have overheard his conversation with the woman, with how loud he is, and she's glad more people are trying to find a middle ground in this conflict. ]

Oh, absolutely. It's one thing if these were mere flowers, but melons? I understand their frustrations at those growing all over. [She simply shrugs, brushing some dirt off her hands.] But I'd hate to see things fall apart between all these people over something that can be solved so easily. How could I not help?

Ha! That's exactly what I thought myself!

I admit it's pretty invasive but it's also edible and sweet. I tried to tell the guy maybe he should organize a feast. Everybody loves feasts.

[Iskandar shrugs off the memory of this poor, timid fellow almost shouting at him "But nobody would come! They hate me already!". Well, that didn't end well. Who would have thought the guy is terrified of talking to people. Maybe that's why he prefers plants.]

He wasn't very keen on the idea so I had to intervene in person.

Kitty Kibble

[Was this what Tyzias would normally like to be doing as a part of her daily routine? Maybe not. Maybe she'd rather spend the day holed up in a library, but the fact of the matter was that she had this job now and she won't just bow out of it. The panther ayakashi was within sight now, anyway, so she might as well.

After that moment of indecision, the grey-skinned alien god let out a sigh.]

Okay. Let's go.

Melon Mania

[Ah, a dilemma. How to go about this one, then? Tyzias could take the side of the gardener and effectively tell the other residents of the apartment to deal with it. Or she could take their side, and rip up the plant to take it to the trash.

But there could also be a third option. Harvesting the fruit and throwing it away as she goes. That way, the other apartment residents would be happy and she would have harvested the fruit as the gardener asked. That, and the guy could easily just grow the fruit elsewhere for next harvest now that he knows how much space it's likely to take up.

Only, now there was the problem of where she would even put the ones she harvests? In the gardener's apartment, perhaps?]

So. Here's the deal, then. I harvest the fruit, upend it as i go, and either you mmmmove wwwwhere you growwww this, or you can mmmmaybe ask for help frommmm your neighbors so this doesn't happen again.

[The gardener doesn't look very happy about this decision.]

[She says this in a drawn-out, tired tone that may sound like she's lazy, but no, she just hasn't slept in a week, thank you for asking.]

Nice and Neat
[Oh joy. A 20,000 piece puzzle? Well, Tyzias hasn't slept a wink for several days, and with the way things are looking, she's glad to have something to focus on and keep her awake. She's sure she'll get it done in time, putting together one of the edges already, but a little help would not go unnoticed.]

Edited 2018-11-02 02:20 (UTC)

[ Have no fear, your call of help has been answered! But first, Caster has to shoot a quick photo- because Ruler covered in pigeons is absolutely a sight one can not ignore. It had to be immortalized you see, for, uh- idk, science? ]

Sure they like you, don't they? [ He says as he approaches with a wide smile. How friendly~ if he wasn't such an asshole to make a photo of Ruler's trouble, that's it. For what it's worth at least the pigeons shy away from the side he's close to.

Which means they are joining their friends on the other side. ]

You must have done them a great favor to earn such gratitude. [ And cooing.

And that's when he takes out something from his pocket, held in closed hand but earning the interest and trust of the pigeons - big man what do you have there, is it food? It must be food! ]

[The teasing only gets a somewhat defeated sigh out of Ruler. She's still not quite used to Caster's antics and the way he teases... but it could be worse, right? The worst she has to worry about is that picture getting back to Zelda.

... Right?]

I was simply doing my duty. I don't need any sort of thanks for fighting ayakashi.

[Many people might come off as smug or cocky when saying such things, but there's nothing but sincerity in Ruler's voice. Helping people - or birds in this case - feels right, like she was meant to do it.]

... What've you got there?

Kitty Kibble

[ An enemy has been identified and it must be eliminated. There's no joy in the task, of course, it's simply what must be done. Slaughter all those who oppose him. Red spear in hand, he sets to his task and destroys the ayakashi. It's brutal, merciless, and a little bit disturbing.

Berserker turns to the see the pigeons return, but they're avoiding him and have gone silent, as if they can smell the stench of death on him. He also knows he was being watched. He doesn't turn, just speaks. ]

I didn't need help...Did that show upset you?

Lagging Laundry

[ It's a pointless task, but it's a request that can easily be done. Instead of hunting for an ayakashi that's causing it or anything else, he simply takes down the laundry, house by house. Berserker is just carrying an armful of laundry to the nearest laundromat. A few stray articles are dropped behind him, but either he doesn't notice or doesn't care because he doesn't stop to pick them up.

Maybe give him a hand. ]

Edited 2018-11-02 04:21 (UTC)

Don't you need more than one kind of food for a feast, though?

[It sounds like a good idea, both as a way to manage the crop and to bring the apartment's residents together, but... hm. Could use some work.]

I'm sure there are plenty of snacks and desserts that can be made from melons, but a full feast might be tricky..

[ That's a reasonable worry because he would absolutely click SEND soon after making that photo. Zelda needs to see this, her shinki and lots of birbs, isn't that cute? ]

Something interesting- [ He says in a conspiratorial tone as he leans closer (what is personal space) and then suddenly throws his hand up, opening it, allowing all the precious bread fall on the ground--- if his hand wasn't absolutely empty to begin with.

The gesture is so familiar it does trick the pigeons who immediately are sent into short fluttering flight as they land on the ground, awaiting the delicious rain to fall on the ground. Wait, what- there is nothing. ]

Looks like it was your freedom! [ Not one of the best of his jokes. And the pigeons are realizing they've just been tricked. A new challenger appears? ]

[ You know that is someone you would not expect to be carrying laundry around. Like. Ever. So against any better judgment, the right choice to do is:

step 1: pick the long elegant stocking that just fell on the ground
step 2: smack Berserker's back of the head with it?
step 3: let it rest there
step 4: survive???????

Okay, instead of smacking Caster just goes with throwing it at his head instead- close enough. ]

You know it counts as littering, right?

[Ginia sits on a nearby rooftop observing the scene. Normally she'd assist with eliminating ayakashi, even if the extent is throwing up a borderline so they can't escape. It's a little different with Berserker. The safest spot is out of the way really.

It's still a little strange seeing two Cú Chulainns around, especially ones so different from each other. Fascinating on one hand, disconcerting on the other. Hardly enough to keep her way.

When he address her, Ginia pushes to her feet and leaps down to the ground, landing lightly on her feet behind him.]

No, not really. They're ayakashi.

[The message is typed and played through her phone, a stilted digitized voice speaking for her.]

[ Sometimes things had to be done. Sometimes things had to be done by people that are far too pointy to be carrying laundry.

Berserker dodges it easily and lets it fall into the pile. His eyes narrow as he shoots a mildly annoyed look at Caster. ]

Do you have a point? The task is getting done, regardless.

[ He turns on his heel and levels his spear at Ginia for a moment before lowering it. His guard isn't fully down and he's not interested in standing unarmed for now. ]

It doesn't matter. Sometimes my methods disturb those around me. [ Not that he was truly concerned with that, really. It's simply a formality. ] Why were you watching me, anyway?

I wonder...

[ Caster doesn't have a point. He is just being annoying, and he knows it. There is an aspect of morbid fascination about that man, molded from the same base, but changed. ]

Let's see if these clothes can get dried at all- [ He says as he keeps walking in the same direction. Sure he could probably just use a spell to see if they dry or not - best way to check the supernatural is to confront it with other supernatural. But he also got some time to kill, and-

-he kind of want to see what happens next. ]

[Ginia's eyes flicker to the spear and back to him, hand twitching briefly into the halberd position for a borderline. Could she even strike down a borderline fast enough to stop him? It's something she would rather not find out. She'd also rather not take her eyes completely off him, but typing necessitates that.]

Curiosity. I was passing through and the fight caught my attention.

[As the message plays, Ginia glances at the pigeons settling back around, still silent, still keeping their distance from him as they peck at the ground for bits of scattered seed.]

Does it bother you being watched?

[well it sure is a good thing that Ruler doesn't care one bit about the damage such a silly picture might do to her image. It just gets so embarrassing when her god gently teases her about these kinds of things...!

Before she has the chance to question his vague answer, she lets out a startled yelp at the sudden mass of fluttering wings-- a yelp that quickly melts into laughter.]

You're terrible! [Said without any real scolding tone of voice.] Tricking a god's sacred animal like that... you should hope they aren't offended by that.

[Her warning is too late, it seems; those that realize they've been tricked are pecking at his feet, like a little birdy attempt to push him around. You offered food, but didn't give it!! How rude!!]

So you don't have a point.

[ Berserker's tone doesn't change, the same indifference in his words. If Caster wants to invite himself along on this errand, so be it. Just another minor irritation in a pile of them. ]

I wish they would try more things themselves before making a request...

[ There's no enmity coming from the Servant. It's simply how he is -- until proven otherwise, everything is a threat. He puts the spear upright in a neutral position now. It's not that Berserker feels safe, it's that he has no interest in another fight right now. Nothing would be gained from a fight here. ]

Bother me? Only in the sense it makes it harder to focus on my fight. I don't know if you're a threat or not, so I have to split my attention. It's an annoyance.

[As he moves the spear into a neutral position, Ginia's posture relaxes a fraction. Her free hand opens into an open palmed position at her side. She's not here for a fight either. She glances at the spear again, pausing to admire it. Gáe Bolg. She's seen the version Archer's projected several times for Caster, slimmer, less monstrous and spiky. She's also heard the stories from Caster, read modern accounts of his legend (poor Ferdiad).

'What made you you?' is the question on her mind, but her curiosity has its limits and her manners win out.]

My apologies. Let it be known I mean you no harm unless you give me a reason to.

[Manners may win out, but sometimes sass wins out more too.]

[ Cú Chulainn versus the birds. Round two. The fact that parts of his feet are exposed definitely does not help. ]

Ack- [ He takes a step back, but the assault continues. Dammit!] Looks like they are- wait, fine, fine!

[ Here is a comical image of this mage-this god dancing furiously to get rid of the pecks on his toes - while also looking for something in the pocket of his robe. He finds a small bag, undoes it and throws the content away from himself- ]

Just don't choke on that rice- [ He turns to Ruler a little disgruntled, but that quickly fades away- because he can't feel bad when she's laughing, in fact, he has to laugh himself ] What can I say, it worked!

They might as well have. [ Caster tone turns just a little serious. He snags a shirt- as it falls from the file but before it touches the ground. ]

Usually, when mortals turn to us it means they exhausted their own resourcefulness. [ He writes a rune on the shirt, a simple, most used from his repertoire. Of course it's Ansuz rune, and of course, it sets a cloth on fire- or normally would. Because the moisture held by it doesn't allow the fire to stick.

But something else might got stirred by it, annoyed even. ]

No, no no. That's the whole point! It should be a melon feast. Melon prepared in as many different ways as possible.
So that people could see how useful and delicious they are and they would be less annoyed they have to cut through the vines to get their windows to open each morning.

[Iskandar looks towards the overgrown building. The situation wouldn't deteriorate so fast if the gardener was friends with his neighbours. They would have helped him instead of fuming and protesting. And Iskandar, being a god and seeing this, can't just give this man only what he asked for. He must give him what he needs. It might be more difficult but all is possible for those who try.]

The plants would eventually wither and die. As all plants do.

[He looks back to Ruler. It seems he has a plan. She can help him shall she wishes to.]

Yet the memories will remain. So it is only right to at least try to make them good. This plague can be made a boon. A bonding moment for community.
Nay, it can make them a community. I don't see they are one now. They just live in the same place. Everyone irritated they have go through yet another hardship. Still it is nothing other than hardship that builds strongest bonds. They just need a nudge in the right direction.

[Yeah... Zelda can't carry nearly as much as Ruler apparently can, and so she has taken to making herself useful mostly by cutting away at the vines crawling up the apartment complex. She has a decent sense of balance and no fear of heights, so it seems like the best place for her, even if Ruler seems to be much more adept at every step of this process...

From her place on a ladder, she listens to her conversation with the neighbor, generally ignored as denizens of the Far Shore are by mortals when they aren't directly interacting with them, and some time after Ruler finishes, she makes her way down.]

I must say, you make for quite the diplomat, Ruler.

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Test Drive #34

Adam Park | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers | Shink (will match format)

Ruler (Jeanne d'Arc) | Fate/Grand Order | Shinki

Melon Mania

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Tyzias Entykk | Hiveswap Friendsim | GOD

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Cú Chulainn (Alter) | Fate/Grand Order | God

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Lagging Laundry

Kitty Kibble

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melon mania