TRAVEL LOG #1

[synfluxmods]

TRAVEL LOG #1

CONTENT WARNINGS: potential mentions of drugs, suspected mind-control, alcohol, and gambling, gore.

▶ 001. A RUDE AWAKENING.

On the morning of the 15th, the Outsiders will hear an alarm sound in the early hours. No matter what you’re doing, the alarm will not stop sounding, and it’s because they’re playing directly into your oculars. If one is sleeping, they may even be roused by the spark of colors on their oculars dictating an emergency. After a few minutes of this, the following message will appear:

PLEASE REPORT TO THE DATAPORTAL AT THE TOKYO BRANCH AND BE PREPARED FOR DEPARTURE.

"Captain Yamakawa speaking. You’ve done a great job in testing the data portals. Now that we are able to travel, we were sent a call for help in another city due to lack of personnel and resources abroad. You will be looking for evidence of a new kaiju around the rendezvous point. It may be a difficult journey, so prepare yourself. SYNTHIA will still be online to help you make it to the city. Report to the POD CHAMBER where we have installed an international dataportal and prepare for transportation."

Following the success of the dataportal testing, the engineering department was able to fine tune its abilities and widen the reach of the portals. The portals can connect even abroad now!

Despite their best efforts, however, they cannot guarantee that the same symptoms won’t appear, and ask all Outsiders who are utilizing them to practice caution. Additionally, through all their testing, they found that people who hold hands or make contact with others as they pass through will be hit with less issues.

▶ 002. WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS.

When one passes through the data portal, they will see the refuge city of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Similar to Neo Tokyo, it is also rich in life and known as the city that never sleeps. Incidentally, it is also famously noted as a place of endless vice. The city is built up around a strip of land of roughly 4.2 miles. A vast majority of the city was built up over the wreckage of the old, and some fixtures were simply made new with whatever was left preexisting. The Mojave Desert has expanded towards surrounding cities, though it will take a vehicle to get there in a timely manner.

The city has no shortage of hotels and with each hotel, a casino. While Outsiders here are on a mission, there’s no stating they couldn’t participate in the fun of Vegas while LILITH crew begin their investigation. While some hotels will be clearly abandoned or less traversed, there is no end to all card tables and slot machines, all asking for your KRYPTOS.

The hotel the Outsiders are slotted to stay over the course of the next few days is one where they built directly over the hotels of the old. While it offers a decent place to sleep, it’s not without a refurbished pirate themed bed, or the columns of what appears to have been from Caesars Palace. Is that a giant clown face staring at you in the room? Don’t worry about it. The hotel offers that this is the best place to depart into the desert from. For this mission, Outsiders may bunk up with whoever they would like, and each hotel provides two queen sized beds.

Excited to venture out into the city? Even under the threat of kaiju, the city doesn’t sleep. Outsiders may venture through the Las Vegas Strip and treat themselves to a fun night of drinking, gambling, shopping, partying and circle-style performances. The Grand Canal Shoppes, a Venetian-inspired high end mall, boasts a man-made canal with gondola rides for a fee, along with many retail outlets and restaurants. There are also numerous spas and carnival-style rides to enjoy. Las Vegas was once known as the ‘Marriage Capital of the World’, and in a world besieged by kaiju, the people don’t seem to think they have anything to lose. Outsiders may spot a few bride and grooms-to-be partying in the street.

(LILITH does not have a stance on whether or not Outsiders are permitted to get hitched as long as it does not affect their performance. )

▶ 003. TROUBLE BREWING.

It’s normal for fights to break out with so much alcohol being passed around, but something … isn’t quite right with some of the locals here. Outsiders who keep an eye open might notice people acting erratically, and not just from being intoxicated. There are people ready to pick a fight from just being looked at, people falling into despondent sadness and lethargy, people wandering mindlessly and people becoming distressed from seeing things that aren’t there. Ask the locals and they will tell you these cases seem to be popping up more often the past week.

The most concerning of all are the stories of people disappearing completely. One little girl will tell you she cried as she saw her mother mindlessly walk into the desert, as if called by a voice no one else can hear. There are many other accounts of this happening. In fact, all the people acting erratically seem to disappear within a few days …

Outsiders may interact with civilians who are acting erratic and aggressive, but asking questions they may receive answers that do not make sense, are perverse and inappropriate or may trigger aggression. Any Outsider to gets into a fight and is severely injured may report to a local hospital here and will find they are pretty packed with other civilians acting strange, hurting each other and themselves. Certainly, this was the main cause for concern that got LILITH's attention anyway.

▶ 004. FOUR FOR THE ROAD.

Within a day or two, the Outsiders will once again be called to action by a blaring notice in their implant.

YOUR VEHICLES ARE PREPARED. ASSEMBLE OUTSIDE THE CITY IMMEDIATELY.

When they gather at the location provided to them, they will find a fleet of armored campervans waiting for them. Each campervan comes equipped with beds, a kitchenette, and bathroom facilities, and will fit about 4 people. Within the campervans, they will find desert-appropriate attire designed to protect them from the scorching sun. These campervans also come with some basic artillery such as a mounted machine gun. There are also supplies in the form of water bottles and MRE ration packs.

Those who have driven large vehicles in the past are encouraged to take the driver’s seat. If the group does not have any driving experience, they will be given a crash course on driving recorded by the man himself, Seok Dang. (He probably shouldn’t be doing this with the stunts he’s pulled, but the Commander does not have any time to be teaching anyone driving, and Seok Dang volunteered so eagerly…)

"Listen. If you’ve ever handled a ▄▄ before, the joystick is exactly like that. You gotta tug it, but not too hard. Gently, yeah, like that, that’s the path to ecstasy … "

If it eases anyone’s worries, the campervans are armored and highly shock resistant, so they should withstand a crash or two.

(Those who finish his course and successfully drive 100km while supervised will receive an international driving license.)

▶ 005. THE HUNT IS ON.

With everyone settled into their campervan, the large scale road trip begins. LILITH has a general idea of where the biggest energy signal is located for the rift and they will feed the coordinates to the Outsiders. The journey will take about a few days into (and around as LILITH is searching for both people & the source of the rift energy) the Mojave Desert, and Outsiders will be permitted occasional rest stops to give drivers a break and to investigate the terrain. The terrain itself is a harsh desert, with cacti and small local fauna abundant. (Those not wanting to eat ration packs can take this time to hunt the local fauna such as birds, lizards and desert foxes.) While there is nothing else around, observant Outsiders may notice signs of human life - footprints in the sand, a shoe or torn piece of clothing being left behind, and even the odd human carcass being torn apart by vultures.

The logical conclusion would be that those missing humans have been here, and the only thing left to do is find them … but Outsiders and civilians aren't all that lurk here, and time will tell what lies beneath the desert surface ...

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our very first travel log! Each campervan will accommodate anywhere between 3-5 people, with 4 being the ideal and 5 being a squeeze. Players are encouraged to connect with each other to fill up a van but the mods will not be enforcing it. If you need help finding roommates, there is a FIND A ROOMMATE header below that you can make use of.

If you'd like to test your gambling luck, we also have an IC SLOTS HEADER for you to comment to for you to see how well your character does at the slot machines. This is entirely for fun, and of course you are always welcome to have your characters winning or losing at the slot machines as much as you want in your prompts so long as they aren't winning jackpots.

Following this log, all characters who have purchased style upgrades will receive an update to their chip enabling them access to desert attire and popular styles within Las Vegas.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points.

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Comments

[stonehearts]

( Aventurine watches him out of the corner of an eye -- not suspiciously or ungratefully, just... watching. He feels raw and vulnerable, desperate for his flashy finery to hide behind or something sharp and witty to deflect.

But he's tired and exhausted, his heart still hammering against his chest. If it were anyone else he'd have done a better job to play it off, to minimize how he aches with the memory of it. Pressing his hands to his face, the heel of his palms against his eyes until he sees stars replace the faces of his dying family. It hurts, but so does everything else. It's not new, and he'll be fine in the daylight.

And even though it's Ratio, even though it's the one person here he trusts implicitly, he still can't quite get the words out to confess just how bad they are. That he's had them every single night since waking up here, that all of his tricks he's used before just aren't working this time. )

What good would it have done, doc? They're nightmares, I've had them before.

( Not for the first time is Aventurine glad that he's never had to speak much about his past to the other man. Ratio knows, from the brand on his neck to the news about his clan to what is simply a matter of public record. So he doesn't have to explain. Ratio will just know; that makes it easier. )

[curingidiocy]

[ He sighs again, running a hand through his sleep-trussed hair. Aventurine still didn't trust him enough to ask for help when he needed it. He expected as much—the man refused to rely on anyone if he could avoid it—but there was a part of him that wished the gambler would lean on him from time to time. And like this, hunched over, exhausted, and so vulnerable looking—it activates a deep desire to protect him.

But Aventurine is not some delicate waif that needs protection. He ignores the feeling, squashing it in some far corner of his mind, never to be examined again. ]

Have they always been this severe? When did this start?

[ If the nightmares were frequently disrupting his sleep, then this was a matter of health and was something he had to solve for Aventurine's overall well-being. A sleep-deprived colleague would not be performing at his best, and that would be inefficient. His eyes sharpen and his gaze rakes over the man, a doctor examining his patient. ]

[stonehearts]

( Resting his head on his knees, Aventurine turns it to fully look at Ratio -- it's not... he doesn't consider it something he needs help with, because it's just nightmares. Everyone has them, Aventurine certainly isn't a stranger to them in his life. He'd be more surprised that he wasn't having the occasional one every so often. But like this? The kind that disturb his rest and send him jolting awake in a scream?

No, Aventurine knows exactly when they started. )

This bad? After my run in with the Nihility. Can't say I was expecting this particular side effect.

( He's not supposed to have nightmares when he's dead. )

[curingidiocy]

[ If they had been normal nightmares, Ratio would have agreed. They are a normal part of life, and one such as Aventurine would no doubt be plagued by them. But Aventurine's words confirm his thoughts. ]

So not even your Cornerstone was enough to protect you from the effects of Nihility.

[ It had been just a fraction of an Emanator's power versus the full might of one. Perhaps he ought to have expected this outcome. Perhaps he should be glad that Aventurine survived at all, and mostly intact. This side effect, though hazardous to Aventurine's sleep, was nothing compared to what could have happened.

Ratio presses a hand to his face, closing his eyes to think. Ordinarily, if they had been back home, he would have recommended an appointment with the Doctors of Chaos. They were most adept in treating the effects of Nihility, and had the tools to counter its effects. Mundane techniques would not be nearly as effective.

Had he known an Emanator of Nihility would appear on Penacony, he would have read up on their work in preparation for the potential consequences. For all the planning they'd done before stepping into Penacony, this had not been within their expectations—not until they'd left for the Land of Dreams, and news of the Everflame Mansion's demise made its way to their ears when it was too late and Ratio had begun suspecting something had run afoul.

The only thing he can vaguely remember from a time he had perused their works in idle curiosity was that the Doctors of Chaos did not believe in absolute nihility, and that even the most meaningless of details had its own irrefutable purpose. He has no idea what kind of nightmares plague Aventurine, but...

He opens his eyes and stares at Aventurine in consideration, quiet. ]

[stonehearts]

( He knows that Ratio is scrutinizing him, and it almost makes him want to pull the covers up and hide from his gaze, from the threat of being known and of Ratio... what? Deciding he'd just leave him there in this place that reminds the both of them too much of Penacony for their own comfort? But the sweat is still cooling on his skin, the image of his family being torn apart still fresh in his mind.

They're here, alone, without anything that they could use to work on this particular problem of Aventurine's. But it's fine, he's survived this far -- his luck will surely carry him forward. )

Apparently not. ( And a wave, as if he's trying to dismiss Ratio's concern. It would be well founded with anyone else, but he's certain he's taught the other man the most important lesson early enough for it to stick: he'll always win. ) Don't worry yourself over it, Doctor, and go back to sleep. You need your beauty sleep more than I do.

( The tease feels hollow, empty, and Aventurine almost kicks himself for how pathetic it sounds. He's supposed to be better than this. And yet there's a part of him that is achingly grateful he's having this particular problem in front of Ratio instead of some random roommate. Because that would be bad. Ratio can at least keep it a secret, and would understand the necessity of doing so. )

[curingidiocy]

[ Ratio does not answer; a sign that he is considering Aventurine's problem seriously. He only continues to gaze at Aventurine, his sunset eyes intense, piercing.

There must be something he can do right now. No doubt Aventurine has exhausted all the options he can accomplish on his lonesome. The gambler is intelligent, and Ratio trusts that he has done his due diligence. What then, can two of them accomplish together? There are no tools here, nothing he can create to mitigate the effects of Nihility on Aventurine, and he is not nearly familiar enough with current research to know if there are specialized techniques that can be used without the assistance of a device or another Pathstrider.

Absently, he notes to himself to delve into Nihility research as soon as they return home.

Evidently, sleeping alone or in the presence of another was not enough to keep the nightmares at bay. But... there's a shift in the scholar's expression, slight, as an idea brews in his mind that he is hesitant to voice. But he stares at the gambler's tired expression and eventually makes up his mind.

What happens in this room will only be between him and Aventurine. And they need not speak any further of this during waking hours. ]

...oxytocin is a neuropeptide normally produced in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary. It plays a role in managing stress, reduces blood pressure and cortisol levels, as well as promotes growth and healing. Increasing the production of this hormone might lessen the probability of these nightmares occurring.

[ He is not looking Aventurine in the eye. ]

[stonehearts]

( Wait. His eyes snap to Ratio, search for something in his gaze and finding the other man unable to look at him. What--

It takes a while for what Ratio is saying to sink in and be translated into words that Aventurine understands, and he's suddenly struck by two opposite urges at the same time: to blush deeply and then to laugh in the absurdity of the situation. )

If you wanted to cuddle, doctor, you only had to say so. ( He says, but it's not as biting as it could be. Instead it sounds achingly fond, even to Aventurine's ears. But it's one of the nicest things that someone has offered to him in-- in years, if he excludes the note he'd left with him. Especially when offered by Ratio, who notoriously wears a plaster bust in order to keep the world at arm's length. This is a sacrifice he's willing to make for Aventurine, and he'd be a fool to truly spurn the offer.

Especially when he could use any help he can get. So instead he scoots over on the bed, patting the now empty space next to him. ) Let's get to making that oxytocin, shall we?

( The grin he gives Ratio reaches his eyes, unspoken gratefulness lurking within. )

[curingidiocy]

Must you word it like that? I am only suggesting this as a potential solution to your nightmares.

[ Said in a weak grumble, which is unusual for the scholar, who usually prefers to enunciate his words clearly. But he stands up and crosses the small space between their beds, sitting in the space Aventurine has made for him after a moment's hesitation.

Now, he looks at Aventurine properly, to observe his reaction, to try to detect even a hint of unwillingness (that he knows he will not find, because even he can hear the fondness in the other man's words.)

They are crossing an unspoken threshold here. Sharing a bed with other person does not necessarily mean intimacy, but willingly joining another in bed when there is space to remain separate is different. Especially for Ratio, who prefers to keep to himself, and Aventurine, who loathes to trust others. This is intimate, for both of them, and he finds he already knows the name of the heat thrumming in his veins, and the beat of his heart, quick, loud, when he reaches out for the gambler's hand and settles his own atop it gently.

He also knows that he must seal that name deep within his heart, for he refuses to burden the man before him with more than he can bear. ]

It may be sufficient with just this much contact. If not, we may consider further increasing our proximity.

[stonehearts]

( It is intimate, even Aventurine would not try to argue otherwise -- a sign of trust to let Ratio into his space like this, when he rarely allows others to see past his smile. But he does trust the other man, has even before Penacony or he wouldn't have included him in his schemes for the planet. Ratio is, in spite of his prickly attitude, a kind man who believes in the potential of humankind when they've long proven to Aventurine that sometimes people are no better than their base instincts, base desires.

Settling back down, he could... look away from Ratio. That probably would be the smart thing to do, but then the doctor rests his hand over Aventurine's, and turning his back to the other man becomes impossible. Not with the way he feels his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest for an entirely different reason. He'll deal with the consequences tomorrow, if they even talk about it.

For now he's content to let the warmth of the other man seep into him, letting his breathing even out and his eyes drift shut -- the tension slowly ebbing out of hunched shoulders and tight expression. He could get used to this; that's a far more dangerous thought than anything else. What is he going to do when they return back to LILITH and he has to go back to his own room?

It's a thought for later. For now-- )

You're the only man I know who could make the concept of holding hands seem like something out of a textbook, even if we are doing it for science. ( Another fond tease. He should really stop doing those. And then, quieter: ) Thank you, Ratio.

( It doesn't feel like pulling teeth like it might have in the past, in the daylight, because the other man should hear it. It belongs in the darkness, in the space between the two of them in the bed, along with their hands. Thank you for this kindness, for the words to keep him from the Nihility, for his support through countless reckless gambles. For his trust. )

[curingidiocy]

[ Ratio watches as tension releases from Aventurine's shoulders, as his expression smooths out and his body relaxes. It... pleases him, to know that the other man finds comfort in his touch, and he is content to let Aventurine relish in the contact. He could wait forever—a thought that should scare him more than it does.

And then the man opens his mouth. He sighs, exasperated but fond, and he shifts so his feet are on the bed proper and his body is parallel to Aventurine's. ]

Go to sleep, gambler. We have much to do tomorrow.

[ He squeezes the other man's hand lightly, letting his actions speak the words he does not voice: 'I will be here for you.' ]

🎀

[stonehearts]

( He's too comfortable to continue to tease, and instead moves his hand enough to hook his thumb over Ratio's hand. For once he'll do as he's told and sleep.

And sleep he does, to pleasant dreams and hazy memories. )