TDM

[akudamods]

AKUDAMA test DRIVE

Welcome to the test drive for akudamax! Events and locations used in this test drive meme are unique to the meme.
They represent the game in spirit but are not considered game canon. Please enjoy!

ARRIVE
In the blink of an eye, you are somewhere you weren't supposed to be - unless by sheer coincidence you happened to be wandering the streets of Dotonbori. Regardless, you're in cyberpunk land now, and your crimes are beamed all over the city to warn its citizens of your presence. They call you by a strange title. You are avoided. Fortunately, a lot of the places here are self-automated, so you shouldn't have too much trouble gathering information from robots - as long as those robots aren't police robots. You'll have a little time to bump into others in the same situation first, but eventually they'll try to round you up.... best to decide if you're going to hide, run or fight.

THRIVE
Somehow, you've managed to avoid capture long enough to slip out of the laser eyes of the law - and you've wound up in another part of the city with fewer warnings of your presence. This is Shinsaibashi, an enormous shopping district. The vast array of establishments provide a good opportunity for procuring a disguise, or other useful goods. If nothing else, it's a little bit of peace to regroup.... or to rob some rich people before they find you again. Very few people carry cash, so you might wind up 'borrowing' a seal if you go that route. But I mean, they're calling you a criminal anyway, right? What's a few more crimes?

CONNIVE
While living large in Shinsaibashi and trying to figure out what's going on, you've wound up with a group of your fellow Akudama inside of the underground shopping mall, Crysta Nagahori, which seemingly lined the sides of a subway... but currently it is dark and abandoned. A bit spooky, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Suddenly, though, decrepit hologram projectors flicker to life, showing strange cartoon stick puppets of a pink bunny and a blue shark just bouncing about. The image occasionally glitches because of the faulty technology, making them look even creepier. And worse, they begin to talk - and being children's cartoon characters this sounds exactly as patronizing as you'd imagine.

"Hey Sharkie!"
"Yeah, Bunny?"
"These new X-Class Akudama are making way too much of a fuss, aren't they!"
"You said it, buddy! Just look at all these teeeeeeerrible things they did in the past week or so!"

A photo slides up from the bottom, with a funny sound effect, as it floats behind the little puppets who flip around to make horrified expressions. Several others follow from different sides, as if stacking up. The photos are of all of the X-Classes doing crimes in Kansai. Some of them, you might remember, if you actually did some crimes. Others not so much. The photos also make a point of showing off the flashy abilities they may have.

"I've seen a lot of things, Bunny, but organized Akudama? I didn't even think they were smart enough for that!"
"Well, you're not too bright yourself, Sharkie... ANYWAY, it's a big problem, so it needs big guns! We're still rebuilding after the Executioners turned out to be such bad ol' meanies, after all. Here's what the cops have to say!"
"Oh, I know! They said... ANY Akudama who kills one of these X-Classes will immediately get a full pardon for being on the side of justice now!"
"Of course, that includes the X-Classes themselves. It's possible that SOME of them are just here by mistake, even if they're mostly part of a big conspiracy! This is their chance to prove that to everyone! Yaaay!"
"But... don't they get some other kind of prize for doing that too?"
"You're right! They'll also get a whole basket of fruit!"
"WHOA! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST!? NOW THAT'S LUXURY!!"
"Anyway, this offer only lasts a week, before we really get serious."

Bunny's voice deepens as it comes menacingly closer to the screen with its face in a dark shadow at that last part. Then it immediately bounces back and holds hands with Shark. Together, they bow.

"That's it for now! We're looking forward to the redemption arcs! Buh bye!"

Well... this is an awkward time to be in a place with a bunch of other X-Classes, isn't it?? What will you make of these freaks?

SURVIVE
a) It's been a while since the announcement, and whether you left the mall or not... now, you feel like you're being watched. Suddenly, you catch a glimpse of a laser. The person hunting you is the Super S-Class Akudama 'Sniper' - but if he has his way, he won't be called that for long. You'd better take cover and figure out where he is, FAST. Just getting away from him probably won't be enough.

b) Maybe killing isn't a big deal to you. Maybe you're hungry and that fruit looked really good. Maybe you just want to get the target off your own back. But for whatever reason... you've decided to go for the pardon. This too, you decide, is a form of survival. Now, how will you try to get another X-Class alone to go for the kill?

STRIVE
The week is almost over, but you've finally found what you need to move forward.

a) You have been approached by a talking cat, who upon further assessment is a hologram. The cat says he snuck in to advise you, since the plan went wrong. It turns out there really was a conspiracy - the mysterious person operating this cat offered a huge reward, enough that you agreed to come to this world and help him overthrow the government. It was memory loss the whole time... Now it's time to reach out to your apparent co-conspirators and figure out how you feel about being in yet another recycled Kodaka plot device.

b) Way to go, you managed to off someone, and now you've been invited to a special chamber to receive your fruit basket - and probably more importantly, your pardon. Others who did the same thing are with you. 3 Holographic Noh masks surround your lot, floating in golden rays and looking very grandiose. They are pleased with your work. So pleased, in fact, they've decided to hire you to do this sort of thing full time. Work for them, and with your abilities you could even be treated like superheroes.... As they drone on, you begin to feel strange, unnatural bliss, and see strange colors and lights. They must not trust you that much, if they're trying to brainwash you. It's not easy to resist, though. You'll have to work together to fight off the effects.

CONTRIVE
The wild card epilogue option! This test story is all fake anyway. Why don't you decide how it ends?

Comments

ARRIVE... 2!

[conways_retribution]

_{[oh boy]}

Can you list your crimes off the top of your head? Because each and everyone is listed.

_{[Still, he revved his motorbike, leaning forward to make room for one more.]} But it's not like I'm in any position to talk, seeing as I'm up there too. Hop on. _{[Jake you're stupid, that's a given, but how's this pirate-era guy going to react to a vehicle roaring?]}

[woodeneye]

...Crimes...?

[ Oh. Thaaat doesn't sound good. That sounds bad. Ragetti swallows, knowing he's not quick enough on the draw to come up with a plausible-sounding explanation for his appearance on what he now understands to be a futuristic wanted poster. Identical cousin? Even he probably wouldn't fall for that one. Visions of the gallows dance in his head. ]

Ain't there a statute o' limitations on these things? I ain't done nothin' since I got out o' jail the last time! Been keepin' me nose clean, I have! Well... mighter killed some people... but it was mostly fish-people, and they was tryin' to kill me too, so -

[ Wait. This man doesn't actually seem immediately inclined to turn him in to the Navy, or whatever it is they have here. Ragetti stops to breathe for a second, and that's when he notices what his possible savior's sitting on. He... has no idea what that is. Bicycles haven't even been invented yet when he's from. He has no frame of reference for what this is other than a thing - and then, suddenly, a very loud thing. He jumps back with a shriek, just barely clapping a hand over his eye in time to stop it jostling out of its socket. ]

What's that?!

[ HE IS NOT GETTING ON THAT CONTRAPTION IN A THOUSAND YEARS T H A N K S ]

[conways_retribution]

_{[Only now does Jake realize that what he did was not exactly the best thing to get a y'olden days (almost) everyman to get out of dodge with you. Smooth moves! How're you gonna explain?]}

It's a vehicle from... 1969. It's called a motorbike. It's made for going fast. Faster than... a horse? Maybe even a cheetah? Do you know what a cheetah is?

_{[Jake looked around, seeing one or two police robots converging on their position. He's not exactly what you'd call charismatic, but I think that anything intent on arresting both people in the conversation is good motivation.]}

Point is, we're gonna have to go as fast as we can if we're gonna get away.

[woodeneye]

Nineteen sixt...?

[ It takes him a second to recognize the number Jake just dropped as a year, and when he does, Ragetti's eyes boggle so hard it's a miracle the wooden one doesn't fall out anyway. Two hundred years. He's got a lot to catch up on. ]

Cheetah's those big cats in Africa, ain't it? D... do they eat people? 'Cause beggin' yer pardon, mate, this thing sure seems like it wouldn't mind takin' a bite outer me, if'n I looked at it funny.

[ And since most of the ways he looks at things are funny, he wouldn't ordinarily be too inclined to take the risk. But this man seems pretty insistent, and a beat later, looking around them, Ragetti clues in to why. Land or sea, no matter what year it is, cops bad.

He looks at the billboards. He looks at Jake. He looks at the robots, still closing in, and he makes a decision. ]

All right, scoot over - !

[ With a deep breath, and not at all convinced he's chosen the option that will result in his living much longer, Ragetti launches himself onto the back of the motorcycle. He overbalances and his skinny arms latch onto Jake from behind, barely managing to hold himself upright. Hell machine, get them out of here. ]

[conways_retribution]

Don't worry. She won't bite. _{[Jake started to look... amused almost. Revving his motorbike again, his hand reached into his jacket, pulling out his only means of defense other than his bowie knife. His revolver could almost certainly be recognized as some manner of pistol, but not like the flintlocks of yore.]} Alright, hold onto that eye, because we're gone!

_{[And so they took off, that motorcycle gaining speed at a rapid rate, as fast as it could without the built-in boost. It was like the flesh was the hurricane winds blowing against the body of the air. 60 miles per hour now. 70. 80. Almost 90. It sure did get them away from those police robots. And any other police robot that would try and follow, assuming there aren't any police vehicles in this hell city.]}