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, as "the bitch is back" blares over a radio in the background

[pr159]

[ ...

Well, he probably shouldn't be surprised that they've managed to end up in the same situation again.

He gets the disgusted sigh and eyeroll out of the way before he approaches, so it's with a cool smile that Rideaux comes to a stop next to Julius and looks up at the projection. ]

If they've got an open tip line, I can think of a few more things to add to your list.

[ Predictably, their lists of crimes are strikingly similar, though "hijacking a train" and "terrorism" can be switched out for "taking hostages at a peace treaty signing" and "extortion". ]

BLEH

[superstructure]

[ Julius doesn't even turn to look in his direction, that frown turning into a grimace as he adjusts his glasses.

The profiles cycle to Rideaux's, and it gets another laugh from him. ]

Funny, I could say the same thing about yours. [ ... ] Though I'm guessing you have nothing to do with this.

[ Like, it'd be a fair assumption to make, but that mugshot of a picture that just got blasted on the projection is enough to tell him that he didn't have enough of a say to get a different selfie or whatever up there. ]

[pr159]

[ Rideaux's eyes narrow slightly at that reaction — at least look at him when he addresses you, asshole — but he just huffs and pushes his hair back over his shoulder. ]

Obviously. If I were behind this, I'd be more selective about my company.

[ ...And the picture, yes, but let's not talk about that. He frowns, crossing his arms. ]

You don't actually recall departing for any sort of fractured dimension, do you?

[ It's hardly the sort of thing that happens by accident unless the Key is involved. He supposes that's not necessarily out of the question depending on how Bisley is using the girl's power right now, but it still doesn't feel right. Usually whatever place he ended up in would be at least somewhat recognizable, even if it was a far away point on the timeline from his own, but from where they're standing, he doesn't see much of anything that's familiar so far. ]