synflux | ▶ TEAM BUILDING EVENT #2

▶ TEAM BUILDING EVENT #2

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.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ As someone who enjoys nature, this really is so nice, and he's happy he gets to spend today with the people that he likes. Megumi is sitting quietly in a black hakama and coat, looking very comfortable and toasty in the cool, spring weather. With how unruly his spiky locks can be, petals seem to get caught in them easily, but he doesn't seem to have noticed. On his shoulder is Gari, the black hummingbird drone.

With his own Hanami bento on his lap, he looks fairly excited to eat it (as excited as Megumi is capable of looking). He breaks the chopsticks and quietly thanks the world and the shop owners for the food. ]

Itadakimas -- [ That's when a petal seems to blow right into his face, tickling his nose in that way that isn't funny, and he lets out an undignified, delicate little sneeze, dropping his whole bento box on the ground in the process. ]

Oh .............

[ Now this is just sad. ]

Edited 2024-03-16 09:15 (UTC)

[ Yuji is having fun, darting around the flower viewing as if he's never experienced anything like it before - it's nice, to dress up and do something fun and relaxing rather than worrying about risking their lives. He wants to see more of the flowers, wants to see Spring in bloom - it's something that he can't hide, and it might make his happiness a little infectious.

When he turns his head and watches disaster unfold, his eyes widen before he steps over. Uh oh... ]

Hey, Megumi... Are you okay?

[ He squats down, offering out his own bento. ]

Here, you can share mine.

[ The other boy seems to be having fun, so Megumi was trying not to bother him. He's too fussy to eat spilled rice from the floor (and hasn't had to do that in a decade after Gojo came into his life), so he was pretty resigned to quietly going without lunch. That's just what he gets for sneezing, and he doesn't really care if he eats or not.

While he wouldn't have called the other boy over, he isn't too surprised when he approaches. Yuji was dense in many ways but attentive in others. ]

I'm fine. I -- [ There's another little sneeze, higher pitched than he usually sounds, and he's finding it embarrassing now, turning away and hiding half his face behind a sleeve. ]

You eat more ... so you need it.

No way, I can just get another one if I need it.

[ It's a little bit concerning that Megumi is sneezing like this out of nowhere, and he frowns as he shifts to sit down beside his friend. Should they go back to base and try to go to the clinic or something? Or maybe they could go to the hot springs and try to warm him up a bit...

Shaking his head, he reaches out and touches his hand to Megumi's forehead, frowning a little. ]

Are you getting sick?

[ It's not bad to be fussed over but his best friend. Though Megumi's turning away, he definitely doesn't hate the attention. There's a blush that creeps up his face when the other boy puts a hand to his forehead, his heart beating quicker. ]

I'm not sick. It's probably just -- [ Here come another series of sneezes, which he tries to hide behind a sleeve because it's embarrassing. His forehead does feel warmer than usual, like he has a slight fever. ]

Don't worry about me.

[ Yuji's expression tightens, and he tilts his head, frowning. Megumi definitely feels like he's getting some kind of fever, so he's already a touch more worried. Has he ever seen his friend get sick before...? No, he's never been the kind, even when he's been pushing himself and working hard.

Hand dropping away, he looks around. No one else seems as effected, so... ]

Don't be dumb, of course I'm worried. If you're sick we should go to the clinic! You shouldn't have to sit here uncomfortable like this.

[ C'mon, he's tugging gently. ]

[ In response to being tugged, Megumi does get up, but that doesn't mean he's going to accept the help right away. ]

I'll ... go then. [ Maybe. Or he might just go home sadly and take a nap. More sneezes, and he's starting to look miserable. ]

You can stay here. It's fine. [ The other boy was definitely having fun here and he doesn't want to trouble him by taking him away from it all. ]

Why would I stay here? What if you faint or something on the way back to the base?

[ What a stupid idea. Yuji's already up, grabbing their bentos and tidying them up before he shoves them into his bag and turns back to the route leading to the base. ]

Maybe you'll get to meet the cat doctor.

[ He doesn't think he's that pathetic, right? ~~Even if he's fainted twice in canon.~~ Sure, he's lost fights, but he doesn't think he's so pathetic he would lose a fight to some mild flu symptoms. ]

I don't trust that guy. Even if he's a cat. [ After what they had done to his friend two months back, Megumi has not taken a liking to the medical staff in LILITH at all. Though Yuji has already started to take their things and walk off, Megumi still feels like he should protest this. He hobbles along, sneezing once more but trying to suppress himself. ]

You're ... having fun with everyone, so I don't want to take you away from them.

Whatever, I can always come back.

[ It's not that big a deal! He hovers by Megumi's side without hesitation, hefting the bag up over onto his shoulder. It's familiar, carrying people's things for them. ]

Even if you don't like the cat, Alex was nice to me too. They were comforting when I had the surgery. Or you can go back to your room and I can find you some cold medicine.

You already know my thoughts on that ... [ If they were truly so comforting, they could have afforded a bit of anesthesia. It isn't like LILITH didn't have the money to spend on useless technology. There's no point arguing about this now and he feels another sneeze coming on, so he doesn't.

Achoo! ] I'll go back to my room.

[ Though, he does consider the offer for medicine. It would be nice to not be sneezing and feeling tired for the whole day. ] If you really want to come with me ... fine, do whatever you want.

Yeah, yeah, I know. You're mad about it, Nanamin was mad about it, Kugisaki was mad about it... [ The only one who had seemed pretty relaxed about it all had been Gojo-sensei, but that probably suggests how crazy it was to begin with, not that it was a sensible idea.

Sighing, he starts to think about the best route to find a chemist or something...

When Megumi sneezes again, he frowns. ]

We should hurry up so you can lie down and rest.

I told you, it's nothing. Probably just hay fever.

[ Which he's never had before, so that's interesting. Megumi sneezes a few more times, the fever starting to give him chills. He's forced to wrap his hands around himself, feeling a bit dizzy at the same time. It probably doesn't help that he still has the petals in his hair, so he's still in contact with what's making him allergic.

It isn't bad to be fussed over though. ]

That still means you should rest.

[ Tug tug.

Frowning, Yuji looks at him with a tilt of his head and a small frown. He's definitely a little more worried now, and the temptation to just grab Megumi and run with him back to the base is pretty high. ]

You can take the day off.

But the patients ...

[ Those poor, sick little animals.

He really is feeling under the weather though, sneezing more and holding on to the other boy's shoulder. ]

Will be fine with the other staff, right? And you don't want to do a bad job because you're not thinking properly.

[ You're sick! Take it easy! ]

[ Yuji has a point there, which happens less often when it's between them both. Megumi sighs, having run out of arguments to give. ]

Fine ... let's go then. [ He actually would like to be on his bed right now, instead of hobbling around with a small fever and sneezing every few seconds. It'll be a while before they can get to the base, though. They probably even have to take the train. ]

[ Yuji grins, nodding. He lets Megumi take whatever pace he wants, happy to walk alongside him for now. At least they're getting him back to base and to rest, which makes him happy enough. ]

I'll get you some cold medicine, or some hayfever stuff, when you're safe.

You really don't have to go so far for me. [ Okay, he did have one more complaint to give, but he's really done now and accepting of his fate of being fussed over.

The two boys make their way back to the base by train, with Megumi leaning slightly over onto the other boy's shoulder while in the carriage. They arrive at the base and go to the Revelation dorms together.

Yuji doesn't actually come to his room very often with how Megumi prefers to walk to Everlight, but nothing in it should be very surprising. Everything is neat, tidy and spotless. He has a book shelf with those non-fiction books he enjoys. He also has a perch for Gari, and a little house and some toys for the bird. There's no reason to have these things since Gari is a robot but it is oh, so cute...

Megumi also has a calendar that might be very familiar to the other boy, opened up at March. The photo isn't too revealing at least. ]

Why wouldn't I? You're my friend, Megumi, of course I want to help you and take care of you. [ Yuji follows Megumi to his room without hesitation, letting them walk together as he makes his way over. As soon as he can get his friend close to the bed, he's nudging at him to get in and make himself as comfortable as possible.

He does notice the calendar, though, his eyes brightening. ]

Hey, you got one!

[ Walking over, he peers at it. It's not weird that it's set to his picture, considering it's his month, so - ]

I look pretty good, don't I?

[ That's just about the answer he was expecting from him. Then again, Yuji was just that sort of person - kind and earnest. That's why Megumi came to admire him so quickly. He falls to silence after that, having nothing left to protest, but there's an aura of ease around him, like he's happy. Happy that someone cares about him and would take out time from their day to make sure he's okay. ]

They gave me one. [ He corrects quickly, because he knows owning one is a bit embarrassing. He's more shy when he admits the next thing. ] You ... do, I guess.

[ It's a cute photo. He still has a copy stored in his implant.

Fussy person he is, Megumi dislikes getting into bed in his going-out clothing. The yukata would be constricting around the hips too. With Yuji looking elsewhere, he grabs some comfortable clothing and hastily strips out of his robes. ]

[ The picture looks fine, and Yuji lets himself flick through the other months absently. It doesn't register in his mind at all as something weird that Megumi might have one of these, because a calendar is a calendar, and he might as well have one that was trying to help out a charity, right? Especially since he helped make it.

Eventually, he turns his head and realises that Megumi is stripping down and out of his robes and his eyes widen as he looks back at the wall, cheeks a little red. ]

You should get into bed when you're ready.

[ Megumi was expecting the other boy to be turned away. He's also, admittedly, not thinking too straight with how under the weather he was feeling. The yukata gets stripped off, and he hops into some comfortable black sweats and slips beneath the covers, pulling them up to his chin and turning himself into a cozy ball. ]

What are you going to do?

I'll probably see if I can find you some kind of medication?

[ Cold pills, or some hayfever relief, or something like that...

Turning back, he smiles fondly at his friend. ]

I'll try and find soup, too.

[ It really is nice to be taken care of. Tsumiki would fuss over him like this too. Megumi hugs the pillow, leaning his face against it. ]

Will you stay after that ...?

▶ TEAM BUILDING EVENT #2

▶ 001. FLOWER VIEWING.

▶ 002. WHITE DAY.

▶ 003. BUDDY UP.

▶ 004. AID & REBUILD.

▶ 005. LEVEL 000.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

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