synflux | TRAVEL LOG #1

TRAVEL LOG #1

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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( Aventurine recovers, though not nearly as quickly or as smoothly as he likes, settling back into the passenger seat and attempting to yank open the glove compartment, looking for something to occupy himself with. )

Using such underhanded means to secure a victory by any means -- have we finally spent enough time around each other that you've decided that playing my way is the best option in any scenario?

[ Ratio only offers him the quirk of an eyebrow, expression just as impassive as it had been before, as if he did not just flirt back and say something extremely suggestive. ]

In any scenario? Hardly. In this one? I judged it to be the most efficient solution. Perhaps you'll think twice about provoking me in the future, now that you can no longer use past behaviour to predict my response.

[ And as he turns to sit in the driver's seat, should Aventurine be observing his expression, the gambler might catch the flash of a smirk cross his face, when it's impossible for the boys in the back to see it. ]

Edited (I'm sorry I keep editing my tags fjgjg) 2024-05-17 13:53 (UTC)

( He surely hadn't lost a gamble that he was hardly trying for, but for a moment Aventurine can't see what he's gained, so instead he crosses his arms and leans back into the passenger seat now that he's been ousted so effectively.

He does see that smirk, and reaches out to shove Ratio's leg with his foot in retaliation, ignoring the way something in him reacts to seeing the other man with that particular expression. He can recover, though, and another smile crosses over his face, almost as smug as the one Ratio is wearing. )

I don't know, doc. What if I like this new side of you? ( He leans forward, a finger reaching out to gently stroke the stick, as sensual as Aventurine can make it be, tracing over the stitching with care. Though Aventurine's eyes don't move from Ratio's face. ) Now I'll just have to make a point to rile you up more often.

[ The action instantly wipes any hint of amusement of Ratio's face, and he glares at the shorter man instead. He doesn't break eye contact for the most part, eyes only flickering to the stick for a fraction of a second as if to confirm Aventurine's mischief, and his eyes narrow in irritation even more. ]

If you attempt to distract me while driving, I will abandon you in the desert.

[ Not even a hint of jest in those words. He means it, Aventurine. ]

( Aventurine throws his hands up in concession, though his grin still remains in place. )

Alright, alright. As much as I want a refresher course on surviving alone in the desert, I'll pass this once.

[ Aventurine is a menace and he knows it. It doesn't help that he's been indulging the gambler more, ever since they arrived here. He's gotten so soft for the shorter man. When did this happen?

He decides not to think about that at the moment. It wasn't the correct time.

Now that he's in the driver's seat, he takes the time to familiarize himself with the controls of the campervan. Nothing too complicated, and he's soon got it running. A few more checks and they're off!! He handles the stick quite deftly, and without any of the nonsense Aventurine was doing earlier. ]

As much as I would like to keep you out of this seat, we have a long drive ahead of us. Once I fully understand this vehicle, I will properly teach you how to operate it.

( He was showing off his skill with a shaft, Ratio. You can't tell him you weren't even a little interested, can you? Aventurine relaxes into the seat after looking back at their companions who all seem to be relatively prepared for the road ahead. Metaphorical road, because-- )

They didn't give us a map, did they? Sure they gave us enough supplies for a few days, but we should start pulling straws to see who gets eaten first--

( It's another tease, though this one not as pointed as perhaps it could be. )

[ He wasn't. ]

What map could lead us to a destination that is unknown? It would be wise, however, to keep track of our distance from the city. It will be crucial to know how far and in which direction we should move, should we find ourselves in need of aid.

I have gathered further supplies, but they should be reserved for emergencies.

[ His subspace storage is filled to the brim with food, medical supplies and the like. He's putting the money he asked for from Aventurine to good use. ]

( Rude. )

Or just a general overview of the desert, Doc. Getting lost out here isn't something I'd wish on the worst person I know. ( At the news that Ratio has always been one step ahead, though, he brightens. ) Always thinking ahead, aren't you? Well, it should be alright. The boys in back don't look like they'd be particularly tasty, too.

[ Yuji, who has been mostly checked out of their conversation - there's something a little suspicious about the two of them, and he's definitely throwing the other passengers some looks, hello? - when he hears the reference to how tasty he might be, and he pokes his head up.

Why does it always come back to cannibalism when he's around? Damn. ]

I'm pretty sure my blood is poisonous, so I'd taste awful, actually. And human stuff tastes bad anyway.

[ Speaking from experience, there, too. ]

Edited 2024-05-26 21:52 (UTC)

[ There is a pause when Yuji pipes up and inadvertently reveals he's eaten human flesh before. Does he want to know the circumstances? He suspects it's related to the cursed energy that Yuji has talked about before.

Ratio gives a pointed look to Aventurine after a moment. ]

It seems it is you who ought to be concerned about being eaten, gambler. Perhaps you will be far tastier than them.

[ He's not smirking, but there's a note to his voice that is only evident to Aventurine, who has known him for a long time—he's teasing the Stoneheart. ]

[Raidou also hadn't been paying super close attention to the conversation, though he'd perk up any time Yuji would through him a look just to hear whatever ridiculousness their drivers were going on about now. All it would get from him is a slight grin and a shake of the head.

When they're mentioned as being on the rations list, Raidou gives them nothing but a raised eyebrow that seems to say bring it. Mountain boy here might be new to the desert but he's got some survival skills thanks to that upbringing.

This is completely derailed when Yuji mentions poisonous blood, but also "human stuff". Excuse me. He speaks quietly, hoping Ratio and Adventurine don't hear, but it's a small space.]

... The fingers, you mean. Yes?

Edited (what is formatting) 2024-05-26 22:10 (UTC)

Ah...

[ Suddenly, Yuji looks incredibly sheepish, with an edge of nervousness to him. This isn't exactly what he anticipated happening out here in the desert, but...

Leaning back, dodging away from Ratio-sensei and Aventurine-san, he blinks as he turns his head back to Raidou. This is going to go either really well, or really badly. ]

The fingers is one part of it, but not the entire thing, actually.

[Raidou didn't mean to call him out in front of everyone else, and does feel bad about that. He's also not sure what to think of that vague confession. Does he want more details on that?]

I... see. Something similar, I take it?

[ It's not as if he's been particularly quiet about the fingers thing, announcing it in front of everyone as he has in the past, but this is... ]

Kind of. It was a cursed object again.

[Raidou makes a "hm" noise, looking to be in thought. His eyes do shift to the pair in the front seats for a moment, before going back to Yuji. That's when he gets a text.

The two have suddenly stopped their hushed conversation, it seems.]

Oh? With my luck, I will be.

( Is Ratio... flirting with him? He is, isn't he? Aventurine can work with this and, while he really wants to get back to what Yuji's saying, he can't help but lean into Ratio and grin, slow and sure. )

If you ever want a taste, Doctor, you know where to find me.

[ Unfortunately, now that he's driving, he can't pull off another stunt that is sure to fluster the gambler. Not that he should be—not in front of the young teenagers in the van with them, anyway. Ratio has always been a very private man, keeping his personal life well out of the eyes of others. But with Aventurine, he ends up making many exceptions to that rule.

Just as the boys in the back have gone silent, he thinks perhaps it might be worth teasing the shorter man through text, but instead only opts to give Aventurine a look, dark with something lurking in its depths.

And then it's gone, like it never happened at all. ]

I hope you are paying attention to how I am operating the van, gambler. I will not give you control if you fail to meet my expectations later.

[ Choso, cocooned in his new flowing desert wear with arms crossed comfortably over his chest, is a bulwark in this rumbling sand van, a great stone around which the currents swirl in eddies, twisting patterns ever undulating. Or so it feels. The inner workings of the humans both fore and aft of Choso possess the same alien novelty as the goings-on of tropical fish puttering about their corals, as unknowable as the tides. In the back seats, Yuji and Summoner Raidou with their eyes alive with light, a warm presence at Choso's back. At the front, however...

Could this be nothing less than a courtship ritual? For all the words bandied about, no less than half the exchange is in the clash of Ratio and Aventurine's gazes, in the way bodies angle in conversation. Whatever it is, it is a dance at play, and Choso watches it with a great fascination. Which is to say, he stares at the men at the helm with his usual flat stare, attention flicking between the two as if tracing the trajectory of their volley with an eerie and idle interest.

Yet for as much as he'd like to see more-- ]

If he comes up short, may I drive next?

[ Ratio stiffens in surprise when Choso suddenly pipes up, glancing back quickly to confirm that it was indeed he who spoke.

It's not that Ratio had forgotten about the man, but he was usually silent and preferred the company of Yuji and Raidou over Ratio and Aventurine, so the scholar had eventually tuned out his presence, having long been used to being stared at during his normal routine back home. ]

...I suppose, yes, you may, if you have adequate driving experience. If not, then I will subject you to the same test as Aventurine to verify your skill.

[ Being a generally reticent sort, Choso hasn't been one for chit-chat since the drive began. With so much going on upstairs, it left precious little resources to bother wading in with idle conversation; was it not more efficiently entertaining to let the waves wash over him instead? ]

This is my first experience with anything vehicle-related. Anything can be learned.

[ He's got great faith in the halls of education, at least. ]

[ Ratio smiles at that. ]

A wonderful attitude to have. Very well. You will be taught and tested as well. It will certainly be to our benefit to have three drivers in rotation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TRAVEL LOG #1

▶ 001. A RUDE AWAKENING.

▶ 002. WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS.

▶ 003. TROUBLE BREWING.

▶ 004. FOUR FOR THE ROAD.

▶ 005. THE HUNT IS ON.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

4/4

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