Test Drive Meme #36

[godsoffortune]

TEST DRIVE # 36



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.



Testy Testers
Welcome to being part of the test market! Here, in this small room filled with other volunteers, you will be asked your honest and unfiltered opinion on any number of products. Potato chips made only from the peel (clearly the best part), candy themed after the latest fashion trend (zippers), gloves made from 100% recycled paper (just because we can)... the list of odd and fabulous items goes on.
Conversation brings out more opinions, so you’re free to discuss your thoughts with other testers, but just don’t get in a fight over it, okay?

(Real-world inspiration for items can be found here!)


Umpire Usurp
Recently, one baseball umpire has been making headlines for an unfortunate reason. His calls at the plate have been getting progressively worse, calling obvious balls strikes and vice versa, to the point where the fans are livid and ready to riot.
Protect this umpire and get to the root of his problem? Join the side of the raging fans? Or maybe dig a little deeper and find out that someone stands to benefit from this umpire’s fall from grace.


Violence vs. Violin
After the disastrous earthquake and tsunami in East Japan, a violin maker made a violin from the driftwood. The sound of that violin is incredibly beautiful and soothing, touching the hearts of all who hear it.
Turns out, the power of the “tsunami violin” extends to the Far Shore as well.
At this concert, a grouping of small chick-like spirits that resonate with positive wishes have gathered. Unfortunately, that group attracts a pack of snake-like ayakashi that would love to devour those positive spirits.
It’s an unseen battle that will hopefully go unnoticed by the concert-goers and performers, if you do your job of dispatching the ayakashi well!


Wandering Whippoorwills
Traditionally, the Whippoorwill bird isn’t found outside of the Southeastern United States, but now astute birdwatchers are reporting seeing them in the vicinity of temples and shrines to Amenohiwashi-no-kami. Nature professors, veterinarians, auguries, and many others curious about the event have flocked (!) to the area to see for themselves if this is true.
The congestion around such a minor god’s temples and shrines is a little much for the caretakers to handle, though - from birds and people both - if you’d care to help out. For starters, there’s garbage collection, crowd control, rinsing off the sidewalks, or restocking some of the temple and shrine supplies that visitors want to take with them.


Xièxie
There are plenty of Chinese restaurants all over the globe, and they draw in crowds for many reasons. A less common one growing in popularity is young students trying to practice their language skills by reading the menu and ordering in their clipped Mandarin.
At the threshold of some Chinese restaurants, small pig-faced ayakashi are loitering, waiting to catch a ride in on a student’s shoulder. Then, no matter the student’s natural personality, they become progressively more brash and insulting as the ayakashi affects them.
The ayakashi are nimble despite their pig-like look, and if threatened will run around between people’s feet, making them difficult to catch.




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!

Comments

Tidus | Final Fantasy X | Shinki

[zanarkandian]

umpire usurp

[Very little rattles him more than injustice on the field of play. While he might have jumped into the argument head-first once, he's been pulled back often enough by his god to have the sense to stand back and observe first.]

Whoa, seriously? That guy was clearly nowhere near the line. Either he seriously needs to get his eyes checked, he's being bribed, or there's some kind of foul spirit play going on. But I don't see anything. Do you?

[He's a new shinki and still learning. Please help.]

Xièxie
'Scuse me, coming through!

[Why do they cram so many tables in? He silently curses the lack of space as he squeezes past servers to cast a line spell, hoping to slow at least a few until his god, another god, or a more powerful shinki shows up. It's not going well.]

Man. Shame I can't ask 'em for a meal after this.

[He pushes a serving cart out of the way, muttering apologies that will likely fall on deaf ears.]

wildcard
[Something else? Feel free to catch him trying, failing, or inexplicably running at 5 AM all around town. Or anything else you might desire.]

umpire usurp

[pockydeka]

May~~~be he needs to try glasses first~~~~~ if there's nothing else obviously wrong than his sigh~~~t.

[ Just a suggestion. If it is just glasses that the umpire needs, then they won't have to dig further for ayakashi that might not even be there. ]

[zanarkandian]

Okay. I like that plan. Did you see them in any nearby stores?

[He's...not always the most attentive.]

[pockydeka]

I thiii~~nk that there's at least one down a street not far awayyy?

[ Kuga doesn't really know yet either. He is unfamiliar with the area, and opticians are not particularly high on his list of priorities. ]

[zanarkandian]

Okay. Think I've got some pocket change. I'll be right back, lemme know if anything changes, okay?

[It's maybe five minutes before he returns, noticing that the crowd has become even more riled up in that time.]

...I'm guessing it got worse. We've gotta get these to him.

[pockydeka]

Huh? Oh~~? I just need to keep an eye on things~~~? That's fine~~~~

[ He's not going to get involved, though. Sports is mostly beyond him anyway, so he just stays there watching. ]

Apparently~~ there is something about a foul or red car~~d? That he shouldn't have callllled.

Umpire

[icameinlikea]

YOUR ANALYSIS IS CORRECT. THE CALL WAS NOT ACCURATE. POOR OFFICIATING DETECTED.]

[The metal ball promptly sprouts four legs as an extremely large hamster pops out of the hatch, angrily shaking one tiny little paw at the officiant and squeaking.]

[A moment later, two double-barreled assault cannons pop out in turn, clattering noisily and dramatically as they feed ammunition into their chambers.]

COMMENCING EXTERMINATION.

[zanarkandian]

Whoa, whoa!

[Tidus jumps to his feet, waving a hand in front of the weapon because he has little self preservation instinct.]

I don't think that's really necessary. I'm sure we could figure it out if we just talk to him. Or complain to the field manager and get a replacement.

...Maybe it's the ayakashi? And we don't usually need heavy artillery for that!

[icameinlikea]

[The machine stops its motion save for the central eye swiveling to look at him. Up top, Hammond tilts his head, then squeaks.]

THIS WAY IS QUICK AND EFFICIENT. EXPLAIN ADVANTAGES.

[zanarkandian]

Uh...advantages. Let's see.

If you go in guns blazing, you're gonna scare people. And panicky people are prime targets for ayakashi. And that makes more danger, which then makes more angry spirits if it gets really bad.

So you see how it could get out of control.

Xièxie

[puzzlingly]

「There is one that actually listens to the racket, one who observes the other man trying to keep at bay the small ayakashi, though, he doesn't do much as he finishes his plate of Kung Pao Chicken. It doesn't take him too long.」

Hey.

「Yes, yes, this strange haired guy is actually addressing him! Without further ado, Atem simply offers the guy a plastic bag containing an oyster pail and a pair of chopsticks.」

You deserve a break, I'll take over.

[zanarkandian]

[Wow, that looks good. Just as the earth spins, just as gravity keeps its hold, Tidus's loyalty can always be won with food. He's surprised, but clearly grateful.]

You sure? I'm not too good at all this yet, but I'll be right here if you want a backup.

[He's rather curious to see how it's really done.]

[puzzlingly]

I'm just a rookie myself, doesn't mean I shouldn't help you. You seem to have your hands full as it is.

「That said, he turns his head towards the line the other had traced. Was this truly all they could do for now? There is but a slight pang of frustration that he can feel. If only they could do something without the need for their gods to be around...」

As soon as those from the Near Shore cross the line our efforts will be useless. We should capture them before they become a real problem.

「Bossy much?」

[zanarkandian]

Right, right. New plan. Come on....

[He glances around at the nearby supplies. Brooms, chairs, buckets...hm. He picks up a bucket and turns it over in his hand.]

Wait. What if the line was here?

[He trailed a finger over the rim of the bucket.]

[puzzlingly]

「Ah, now he's talking! Atem smirks at the plan, it doesn't sound too bad!」

It could work. 「It could, right?」 I'll help you either way, better than trying to do it all by yourself. Would you rather eat first or celebrate later? You might need the energy, though.

Xièxie

[mysticadventure]

We can always go somewhere else, if you'd like.

[Sakura smiled brightly up at Tidus as she approached. She wondered if her own magic would be useful in this case, but likely not. There were too many people around and really, her magic could not destroy ayakashi.

But, now that she found Tidus, it would likely go a lot better!]

My treat!

[She squeezed between two tables, and then promptly cried out when her foot caught a chair that suddenly backed up at the patron went to leave, causing her to trip and fall.]

Hoeeee!

Xièxie

[zanarkandian]

Really? Because I kinda...

[Oh dear. He scrambles over and offers his hand.]

You okay?

umpire usurp

[icecreamchampion]

[There's a woman all in black sitting next to Tidus in the stands, and to be honest, she looks as lost as he is. Not to mention, she's wearing an all black ensemble including a coat in the middle of spring. How is she not sweating up a storm?! But no, she looks comfortable and immaculate, more or less.]

I can't really tell if the rulings are wrong, but everyone sure does seem unhappy. You think this might be an ayakashi's doing?

[zanarkandian]

It's possible. How do we tell, again? We'd see it, right?

[He fumbles for his binoculars and squints.]

Nothing weird.

[icecreamchampion]

I imagine they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves. But in some cases, these sorts of things tend to hind in plain sight.

... Hm.

[She narrows her eyes... and casts a borderline, right at the umpire's hat. It won't harm him, but maybe there's something hiding on his person...]

[zanarkandian]

[He squints at the sight. There's a rustling...crow?]

Hm. Think a little birdie told him to pull for the Bears. Do we charge?

umpire

[doodlebuginette]

[Baseball really isn't something she can claim to know much about. But even still, the thought of someone needing help outweighs that little technicality. So it's no surprise to find her here.

And sure enough, the umpire's calls are just about as bad as people have been saying. Fortunately, she's not alone. And fortunately, Tidus is more knowledgeable than she is.]

I think you know more about baseball than I do. Is there some logical explanation for why he's making the wrong calls?

[Marinette really has no idea, so she's hoping Tidus is able to shed some light on the matter. Is it so wrong to hope that there isn't some kind of ayakashi interference going on here this time?]

Re: umpire

[zanarkandian]

[He exhales, tugging at his hair as he glances at Marinette.]

Could be he's being paid by someone who really needs the other team to win. Is there a lot of sports betting going on around here?

[doodlebuginette]

[If she's this confused, she can't even imagine what it must be like for Tidus. And he makes a good point.]

That's one possibility. And I don't really follow a lot of sports, so I couldn't say for sure if there's a lot of betting going on.

[zanarkandian]

Rats. Of course it's not that easy.

We might have to get in there and really listen. Think we can squeeze closer?