▶ TEAM BUILDING EVENT #2

[synfluxmods]

TEAM BUILDING EVENT #2

CONTENT WARNINGS: forced scenarios, altered mood, illness, disaster aftermath, kidnapping, interrogation & torture, violence.

▶ 001. FLOWER VIEWING.

The Neo Tokyo Meteorological Agency is very excited to report that cherry blossom season has begun, and the cherry blossom (and plum blossom) trees are blooming right on schedule once again. It’s a rare time where the concrete jungle of Neo Tokyo blossoms in beautiful shades of pink and white, and due to past conservation efforts to protect the natural cherry blossom trees, there are natural trees in season all over the city. It’s a sight to behold, and the people are very excited about it, setting up picnic mats and enjoying the beauty of nature with their friends and family. Even with all the distractions of technology, even with the looming knowledge that the next Kaiju could advance at any second, Hanami continues to be a popular custom, still being practiced centuries after the world was first at siege.

Outsiders are free to do as they like during this period. Some of the city still needs to be rebuilt from the recent floods, but stall owners have organized themselves splendidly to capitalize on the season. Traditional foods and snacks to enjoy with your loved ones at Hanami include dango, cherry blossom cookies, sakura mochi, onigiri, and hanami bento sets including sushi rolls, kamaboko and tamagoyaki. Prepare your own, or grab one at the many stalls offering them on their menu. Lots of places are selling sake at half off.

For Outsiders who want to do more than sit at the picnic, they can break up fights between the locals over the best picnic spots (they are very intense about this), or help track when the trees are blooming throughout the city and report directly to the Neo Tokyo Meteorological Agency. They’re happy to pay. If Outsiders choose to report where trees are blooming, they will accept a small form on their ocular devices and encouraged to walk in a pair or group for accuracy when gathering information. The form will include date, location, the kinds of trees blooming and how well they are blooming. (Players are free to head canon any information about this.)

Those who stay too long amongst the flowers might find themselves coming down with an … interesting form of hay fever. Symptoms can include flu-like symptoms, or uncontrollable giggling and elation. Looks like the flood waters from before are affecting the trees in some way.

"Mrrow … The effects will wear off in a few days. I’m a busy cat. Drink water, get plenty of rest. Come back when there’s something to actually worry about. Now, Alex, where did you put my mousey – "

▶ 002. WHITE DAY.

Here in Neo Tokyo, LILITH wants all its Outsiders to be happy and bonded as a team. A team that cannot work together will crumble in the next Kaiju attack. While it’s a great sentiment, the organization is a little too fond of … coercive methods. Just as chocolate was provided last month for Valentine’s Day, Outsiders will be airdropped several boxes of chocolates on March 14th, also known as White Day. A brief is beamed to their implant:

█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Return the chocolate previously handed out to you on Valentines’ Day.
✖ For new Outsiders and Outsiders with leftover boxes, hand them all out to other Outsiders by the end of the day.
✖ Failure to comply will be grounds for disciplinary action.

Just as before, a failure to comply with these requirements will result in Outsiders being saddled with cleaning duty of the cafeteria and communal showers for a week, or a house arrest of 24 hours in their rooms.

As a note, we are leaving it up to players to decide how many boxes they are saddled with and how much they need to do to avoid punishment.

▶ 003. BUDDY UP.

With new Outsiders arriving at the base, LILITH wants them to feel as welcome as possible. Older Outsiders will be tasked to take a newbie under their wing and buddy up with them for a number of days (to a few weeks). The newbie, meanwhile, will be ordered to shadow a more experienced Outsider throughout that whole time to learn as much as possible about life as a LILITH recruit. LILITH expects the oldbies to act as a true senpai, but will ultimately leave it up to them to decide how best to nurture the new arrivals. A Shutterstock image will appear in the implants along with suggestions. Some suggestions provided by the LILITH Outsider Management Committee include:

✖ Giving them a tour of the base and city.
✖ Training sessions in fighting, use of weaponry and use of technology.
✖ Welcome parties and dinners to make them feel included.
✖ Shadowing the older arrival throughout their daily routine.
✖ Heart to heart sharing sessions about their worries and anxieties.
✖ Physical and mental health check ins.
✖ Buddying up with them during upcoming missions, simulation training and even the Kaiju fight.

These team ups will be assigned by LILITH randomly, and one newbie can be buddied up with multiple older recruits (the system might glitch on occasion and pair older Outsiders together too). How long the pair ups last is up to player discretion. Non-compliance on the part of older or newer Outsiders will be punished with increased cleaning duties. LILITH hopes to foster a culture of mutual growth and support within its employees!

As for recruits who have not been getting along, old and new, LILITH has been hearing everything spoken between Outsiders. Some need exercises to get along. Outsiders will be asked one morning to meet in the Simulation Arena and line up in an orderly fashion. Captain Yamakawa will be going down the line, shuffling characters who need to get along together. She will place a small, metal device on their wrists.

With a push of a button, two characters will be linked together by the wrist by a pair of invisible handcuffs. They are asked to spend between 24 - 48 hours together and go about their day, encouraged to talk about their vulnerabilities or things they have in common. This is to encourage them to get along.

✖ Spend a day or two with someone you hate and find a common ground. Good luck!

▶ 004. AID & REBUILD.

LILITH is dedicated to protecting and flourishing the city of Neo Tokyo. That’s why it’s pulled in Outsiders with such a wide array of skill sets. Every Kaiju attack devastates the citizens in some way - whether it’s through physical hurt and pain, emotional grief and stress, or losing a home or livelihood. It doesn’t help that there was panic around animal hybrids being let loose in the city shortly after. That’s why Outsiders will receive a similar objective each time: Rebuild the city of Neo Tokyo. This general objective is broken down into many small missions that Outsiders will receive throughout the month.

█ █ █ ASSORTED MISSIONS:
✖ REBUILD THE CITY. Following the repeated flooding, many apartments and businesses have been destroyed. Outsiders are tasked with helping to rebuild homes and support the local businesses to recover. This can include aiding the construction work (particularly along the beach and near to the coast) and helping out at local shops. Many shops selling specialty Hanami treats are looking for help making their goods. Never made sakura mochi before? Today, you will learn. Outsiders are free to assume that their workplaces were affected and call out for help.
✖ AID THE PEOPLE. Outsiders with skill sets in healthcare or healing (or whoever wishes to help) will be tasked to support the clinics and hospitals manage their patient load. This can include cooking for hospital kitchens, changing linen and caring for the sick and wounded.
✖ CLEAN UP. Exactly as it says on the tin. Clean up any marine waste that’s been washed onto the shore or rubble that’s fallen in the wrong place. Hazmat suits in outrageous colours are provided on request.
✖ CAPTURE REMAINING HYBRIDS. Though most of LILITH’s specimens have been contained, Dr. Spim (who’s been saddled with inventory work) reports that there are some still missing - and this includes their most valuable specimen of all. Outsiders are tasked to go hunting for these hybrids and bringing them back to the base. They may need to scour the streets or look through social media to find them. They may also need to steal a beloved pet, if said pet looks more like a winged rabbit than a regular rabbit. (Outsiders who have smuggled hybrids for themselves should take care not to be found ❤)

▶ 005. LEVEL 000.

Later during the month, some Outsiders will be tasked with a very specific mission. Remember those auctioneers who were captured at The Sapphire Room? They’re currently in the custody of LILITH, and with most of LILITH’s staff focused on organizing and containing the hybrid specimens that have been captured as well, they are far too bogged down to conduct their usual interrogation processes. This is where the Outsiders come in. Some Outsiders will receive a special mission to interrogate the captives and retrieve information by any means necessary. It works out splendidly too, because it shows the organization just what their imported workforce is … morally capable of. Outsiders will be paired up and brought to LEVEL 000, a basement level within the main base that is restricted access only. Did we always have a basement level? Best not to think about it.

A guiding drone will lead them to the cell room and instruct them to keep their eyes forward. There’s no need to look at the other cells around you. There is no one of interest there. Within the cell is one of the captives from the raid, who’s bound to a chair by metal shackles.

█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Extort information from the captive by any means necessary. LILITH requires information about the whereabouts of Dr. Tanaka Junichiro, the organization behind the kidnapping, how they managed to trip up LILITH’s systems, and information about the whereabouts of the remaining hybrids (including their most valuable specimen).
✖ Outsiders are permitted to use any method they see fit, including physical and psychological torture. Weapons of torture such as blades, pliers, tasers, whips and torches are available for use. Outsiders may not take any weapon with them when they leave the cell.

Following the interrogation, they will be escorted out of LEVEL 000 by the guiding drone, and they will not be able to access it again without special clearance. Successful extortion of information will be rewarded with 50,000 KRYPTO debited to their accounts.

NOTE: This mission will be shared with only certain Outsiders, so it is essentially opt-in. Players who want to receive interrogation clues about the Starlight X mini-plot can comment below and receive an RNG clue. We will leave it up to players to NPC their own captives. Most of them are small-time gang members looking to make an extra buck or mercenaries hired to guard the auction. For extra moral panic, there are one or two regular people down on their luck who ran into the wrong crowd. Please note that due to the limited number of captives and the information they may know, players may receive duplicate clues.

UPDATE 3/16: Players will have until the end of March to submit for interrogation clues.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our second CR Building event! All prompts are highly encouraged but OOCly optional. Feel free to ask any event-related questions below!

As always, you are free to check out our main base and locations page and make up your own prompts!

Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 reward points each. Have fun! The next log will feature the kaiju fight and will be posted on APRIL 1st in lieu of a TDM.

code

Comments

WHITE DAY

[cranekin]

(Did Bakugo want to be alone while baked his cake? Was it supposed to be a secret? Because if it's a quiet and unsuspecting hour with no one around... of course, Tsurumaru is going to show up to surprise him.

He's drawn to the kitchen because he hears noise when there usually wouldn't be. It smells sweet and good and he's always had a bit of a sweet tooth. He's quiet as he makes his way across the dining room to the kitchen. He's always been light on his feet and he pokes his head into the kitchen... and lets out a very loud gasp,)

What's this? It smells good in here! Are you cooking?

(He's excited so he's talking... pretty loud. If anyone walked by they would definitely hear Tsurumaru making a scene.)

What are you making? I want to see!

[blastedass]

[GENERALLY YOU LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE WHEN THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY BUSY WITH SOMETHING, DAMMIT!! And no, it wasn't supposed to be a secret. Bakugo just wants to get it over with so he doesn't have to deal with this shitty forcing of White Day events.

While he doubts he'll ever run into a time when the Everlight dorm is completely empty, there are certain people here he'd like NOT to see when he's working. And that sudden gasp from a voice he hasn't heard lately, but definitely has no means of forgetting, jerks his shoulders up good and hard from the surprise and instant irritation.

Why this guy?!]

Of course I am! What's it fucking look like I'm doing?!

[Somewhere in that angry response is the hidden command to go the fuck away, but of course Tsurumaru's not going to catch it, right? And the volume...]

Urusei! You're so damn loud!

[You're not going to see from way over there, you know!]

[cranekin]

(Of course he isn't going to leave. In fact, he takes the conversation as an invitation to come over and bother him even more. Wow, he looks around around the kitchen and just--)

So this is what the kitchen looks like here. (He's never been back here.) Eh, I'm usually not allowed in these places...

(THE FIRST SIGN THAT BAKUGO SHOULD MAYBE KEEP AN EYE ON HIM...)

Do you need help, Bakugo-kun?

(He sounds... too excited.

Please say yes please say yes please say yes please--)

[blastedass]

[Why the hell does an angry response get translated to an invitation to come bother him further?! Bakugo continues to whisk together the dry ingredients, glancing up to look at the approaching swordsman in the reflective surface above the sink.]

Haa?! How the hell have you NOT been in the kitchen?! [Tsurumaru lives in the same dorm as everyone else in Everlight! Though the second comment largely answers the first one's query.] Then why the fuck are you in here...

[Growling at him under his breath, almost like a threat to tell the swordsman to get the hell out. He's not babysitting a kitchen wrecker! ... Bakugo rolls his eyes. It doesn't look like he needs help, dammit.

But-]

You can wash the things in the sink.

[Mostly plastic bowls and wooden utensils from last night's leftover dinner someone left there soaking.]

1/2

[cranekin]

(Because he has to be the most annoying person in the room at all times. But man... he looks over at the sink.)

... Eugh.

(Gross.)

[cranekin]

(AND INSTANTLY CHEERING UP,)

Let me cut something.

[blastedass]

[Why the hell is he not surprised this guy's gonna pout over being told to do the fucking dishes. Didn't he say he wanted to help!? Working in a clean kitchen is good, dammit!]

IT'S A CAKE, IDIOT!! YOU DON'T CUT SHIT FOR THAT!!

[Well, depends on the cake...]

[cranekin]

... Not even a little?

(Really? He's truly a sheltered spirit that has never had to cook a day in his life.)

[blastedass]

Have you ever had cake before?

[He's not going to ask about cooking because that answer's pretty obvious now.]

[cranekin]

Of course, I have!

(He had one for Christmas, even!)

They're popular sweets in this era. I had a "short strawberry cake" last week!

(Strawberry shortcake. He means a strawberry shortcake.)

[blastedass]

[Guess that answers that. Bakugo's still wary about letting this guy do any sort of help in the kitchen, but... he doesn't seem to be leaving short of getting ejected out by force.]

Tch. [Even butchers the cake name. Whatever. It only takes a few seconds to grab a cutting board from the counter cabinet and slap it down on the counter near the sink.] Get a knife from the block.

[cranekin]

Really!?

(He looks surprised. He jumps to attention and his eyes are so wide, they're practically sparkling up at Bakugo........ he's so excited.

He goes to get a knife but on his way back--)

You said you can't cut a cake.

[blastedass]

I said you don't cut shit FOR cake! Don't make me sound like an idiot, dumbass!

[Sure, there are ingredients you do cut for a cake, but most cakes that come to mind instantly don't require cutting ingredients.

Anyways, Bakugo's sweeping the small pile of White Day chocolates across the counter over to the cutting board and Tsurumaru.]

Chop those up.

[cranekin]

(He doesn't get it... he's a spoiled sword but he looks down at the pile of chocolate in front of him and begins to chop. For someone who isn't allowed in the kitchen, he really does have good knife work. He holds it well, he's careful to not cut his fingers, and he cuts quickly.)

Is this for the cake, too?

[blastedass]

[At least Bakugo already unwrapped those... Not like he really wanted someone to come in here and find him at the counter with all those stupid boxed treats as a conversation starter. (Currently the boxes are on the dining room table, free to good use if wanted, or for recycle later.)

Bakugo glances over to Tsurumaru, about ready to tell him not to chop his fingers off... but the guy's pretty skilled with a knife. So no comment. Do all swordsmen have good knife-handling skills? Unlikely. There's a big difference.]

Haa?! What else would it be for? [It's obviously sitting out here with ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTS! Ugh, context clues.] Don't ask stupid questions, Jiji!

[cranekin]

I don't know what cake we're making!

(He mumbles...)

There are a lot of kinds, you know...

[blastedass]

White chocolate there and raspberries! They're right there on the counter!

[Just scanning around the ingredients should have giving him a clue. So Bakugo's high expectations would demand.

Ignore him, Tsuru.]

[cranekin]

(Maybe he noticed but he just wants Bakugo to talk to him... He understands what raspberries are but he looks down at the chocolate on the board and tries one piece. He's quiet for the first time in awhile as he takes in the flavor and considers how it would go with the fruit,)

Mhm.

(He nods,)

I think it'll be good. Who are you making it for?

(Is it for someone special or..........)

[blastedass]

[The sweetness of white chocolate contrasts with the tartness of raspberries. That's the element he's going for with this cake. Bakugo's already moving onto the wet ingredients, melting butter and sugar in a saucepan while cracking eggs into another bowl to prepare for water and oil in ratio.]

Tch, I'm not making it or anyone. I'm just getting rid of that crap.

[Indicating the White Day chocolates Tsurumar is chopping up.]

[cranekin]

(The sweet and creamy taste of the white chocolate with the tart and fresh flavor of the raspberries will certainly pair well. Tsurumaru may be lacking when it comes to preparing food but when it comes to taste, he's said to have an excellent palette.)

There are other ways to get rid of them. There's no reason to go through so much effort...

(He hums to himself, clearly thinking of something as he chops at the chocolate. Bakugou can probably hear the lingering "BUT" coming...)

... What other hobbies do you have, Bakkun?

[blastedass]

[Bakugo shoots the guy a look from the side when he hums that comment. Of course he knows there are easier ways to get rid of these things, but with the risk of punishment (which he unfortunately already experienced in an earlier event) for not doing it the "proper" way means he can't just chuck them out the window or throw them at people passing by. And hell if he's going to individually hand them out...]

I'm not bending to their shitty whims! I'll do it my way.

[And that involves using the candies rather than wasting them WHILE technically "giving" them out to other people. All without having to bother himself with the intended social aspects of this damn holiday.

If he wants to give a White Day to someone important, he'll do that on his own.]

Between my job, studies, and training, I do whatever I want.

[cranekin]

(He just laughs, light and airy,)

Back in my day, most boys had the same hobbies. They practiced their penmanship or read and wrote poems. Those who wanted to use their hands more would arrange flowers. Others played board games...

(All of these are old hobbies, things that are just considered "traditional" now but still practiced today by enough cultural hobbyists.)

Of course, some made their combat training a hobby too.

(He stops chopping to slide the pieces to the edge of the board neatly,)

How interesting, it feels we've returned to those ways.

(Preparing for battles, always training, and trying to enjoy lighter things on the side... Hm.)

[blastedass]

[Bakugo finishes up with the dry and wet ingredients' incorporation respectively, then begins to mix the two together by pouring the wet a little at a time into the dry while stirring it constantly.]

You really did come from a feudal age.

[That's not a compliment. The idea of penmanship and poems as a hobby is just strange as hell, though flower arranging and board games aren't... all that weird. Even if Bakugo wouldn't be caught dead doing the first one. He gets competitive over any kind of game, so board games turn into a battle with him.]

Training as a hobby just means you're not serious about it.

[Especially if training should be part of your job or career. Like heroes.]

Returned?

[cranekin]

(No comment but isn't that confirmation enough? He is from a feudal age. )

Or you love your job.

(Which isn't a bad thing. In fact, doesn't that mean you're lucky if you love your job so much you make it your hobby too? That you expand on it in other ways?)

There was a long era of peace before... and now it seems we've returned to conflicting times.

[blastedass]

[He'll take it as a confirmation at least.]

Then you're just doing more of your job on your off time.

[Technically doing your job as your hobby wouldn't be expanding at all! Not that he can really talk, since his hobbies continue to include heroics and working out. Though rock climbing at the arcade isn't the worst, and his self-study courses aren't exactly required here.]

Peace never lasts forever, no matter how much you try. [It's not a positive view, but it's realistic. As much as heroes want to live in a world where there's no need for them, that will never happen.] Must be hard, getting pulled from a peaceful time.