KAIJU FIGHT #3

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #3

CONTENT WARNINGS: mind control, parasitic worms, gore

▶ 001. POSITIVE THINKING.

The aftermath of the last kaiju battle, has had LILITH researchers scrambling to find an adequate way to combat the aftereffects of the kaiju discovered in the desert. While their research is still very much a work in progress, for now… it’ll have to do. In the early hours of the morning, a message will appear on everyone’s oculars, asking them to suit up immediately and meet at the given coordinates, which will act as the Outsiders rendezvous point. These coordinates lead to an abandoned hotel within 1 mile to the outskirts of the strip.

"The system is updating…

The system is updating…

Downloading: ⇓"

A new update awaits each Outsider on their oculars. There is no option to decline, and right away it prompts you through several steps. This update was all in part thanks to the various dreams that the oculars have been reacting to. The researchers for LILITH figured out a way to combat these pesky mental side effects by forcing the mind into a state of equilibrium. In order to do this, Outsiders will be asked to think of their happiest memories. Perhaps, due in part to everyone downloading this update at the same time, people will automatically feel an odd sensation as they think back on these memories, almost as if their mind is connected to a collective. These memories will leave each Outsider feeling fulfilled, or even a temporary sense of high as the download continues. As a result, Outsiders may feel giddy or a sense of calm. Some may be motivated to talk about their happy memories with others the first time they do this.

▶ 002. BREACH OF THE CITY.

Once the download is completed, there’s zero time to rest. It looks like whatever they found in the desert isn’t interested in just sitting and waiting. They’ve come to the city with clear intentions of gradually infiltrating its borders. Who are they? Why, the missing people of course.

Apparently, as part of the kaijus life cycle, it lays eggs, which then hatch into younger worms, similar to actual earthworms. These young worms, unable to protect themselves, control the minds of other living entities in order to do their bidding and keep their own bodies safe. Once infected, their hosts become vicious and hungry for meat, attacking any living thing in sight and trying to eat its flesh to nourish the parasite within.

It’ll be up to the Outsiders in order to scope out these young worms controlling the people of the desert, while simultaneously knocking those individuals out of commission. In some rare circumstances, there will be no turning back for these individuals; if the young worm actually burrows themselves into the bodies of the controlled, they are no more than a reanimated corpse, and will need to be eliminated immediately. The longer these worms exist within these people’s bodies, the larger they grow, and by extension, the more influence they can exert over a larger net of people.

Instead of the camper vans, LILITH has provided other sleeker vehicles in order to quickly traverse the city. The vehicles are equipped for speed and are meant to assist in getting to the various coordinates LILITH sends out to everyone’s oculars. The coordinates all mark where these “controlled people” have been seen via drone footage.

▶ 003. WORM ON THE MIND.

While the attention will be focused on destroying the monsters that have come up to the city, there will be occasional tremors that can be felt that seem to come from far below— almost as if they were cries from the old city that lay forgotten below. Unfortunately, it’s much worse.

In the middle of staving off the attacks from the mysterious creatures, there will suddenly be the sound of the defense alarm blaring, and without any additional warning, something breaks through the center of the city. This will first be punctuated by the sounds of the building around them crumbling, followed by the clear visual of the large serpentine creature they’ve encountered in the desert. The large sand worm doesn’t even pause to regain its bearings. As soon as it recognizes the presence of other organisms, it begins glowing a fluorescent shade in varying indefinable colors—

Thanks to the updates on the oculars, there will no longer be hallucinations that follow any contact with the worm, however, if one stares too long, they will still be met with splitting headaches and a pressing sense of agitation, so Outsiders are cautioned against prolonged exposure. That said, it won’t always be easy to take a breather against such a large creature.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: ALITTA VIRENS
HEIGHT: 400 metres
WEIGHT: 1,900,000 kg
CLASS: Extremely Dangerous
LOCATION: Las Vegas, USA
ABILITIES: Mind control. Although full details are UNKNOWN, its young can take control of human and animal hosts. Once under their control, the hosts will become aggressive and hungry for meat, which is theorized to feed and nourish the young worms until they are ready to emerge.
EXTRA NOTES: According to what the researchers have surmised, similar kaiju have appeared on a much smaller scale and are susceptible to water poisoning and electrical shocks. LILITH has not found a way to fully free the hosts from the parasite, but they can be stunned after receiving multiple electric shocks.

"
YAMAKAWA: Angels of LILITH, please be advised of your roles moving forward. With the city already infiltrated, we will need to be quick."

A brief is sent along with her message.

█ █ █ MISSION ROLES:

✖ GROUP ONE: Those who fulfill this role will need to be equipped with brute strength and the ability to survive the attacks in a city that is the midst of being destroyed. They will also need the stamina to keep the worm at bay as the others complete their tasks before also gathering to exterminate the kaiju.
✖ GROUP TWO: With strong mental fortitude, these individuals will be expected to clean up the group of controlled individuals; not all will be able to be saved, and the ability to make that distinction is imperative for this role. Those who appear too far gone will not be able to regain their senses. They will need to be killed.
✖ GROUP THREE: This group will be concentrated on being able to property evacuate the citizens that remain in the city of Las Vegas. Preferably those who are quick on their feet, or are able to stealthily circumvent the dangers in the city in order to get the people to safety would be ideal for this role.
✖ GROUP FOUR: Those with support skills or a medical background will be expected to assist those in the other groups, whether by healing, additional abilities, or by assisting the other groups as needed.

Note: Roles can be decided by the characters themselves as to what they figure is appropriate and most fitted to their skill set. Everyone will eventually fight the worm (so this does not affect the fight mechanics of the worm itself) and people can also jump from one role to another.

▶ 004. LET'S WRAP UP.

The areas the worm has traversed leaves the ground above it weak and unsteady. Due in part to this, those who have evacuated will need to remain in the shelter until further notice. As a result, it’s up to the Outsiders to clean up the city. Aside from the large gaping hole in the center of the city that they can’t address immediately, they are first expected to get rid of the carcasses of the larvae.

Each Outsider will be provided with a suit and will even be given hover packs to scale down the side of these large holes. They will also be given traditional ropes and lines for those who want to get creative with scaling, or who simply didn’t make it there quickly enough to grab a hover pack (with the destruction to the city, some supplies are still in transit). They will be expected to review each carcass and tag which ones can be sent to the lab for further review, and which should simply be discarded as being unusable.

A coordinated effort is needed to adequately dispose of the largest kaiju. The alitta virens will need to be cut into several thousands of pieces, and so work needs to begin immediately. It’s not like the people can return to everyday life with a giant serpent-like entity laying on top of their city. Outsiders should be particularly cautious with it; even when dead, as it still seems to have strange tendrils inside of its body that appear to be writhing even after its death.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our third kaiju log!
Feel free to NPC your characters' fights with the smaller kaijus. The main fight with the largest one will be determined via a HP-based system (See below). Feel free to ask any other questions below!

All tags on this log are worth 2 points.

EVENT BREAKDOWN (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. POSITIVE THINKING: LILITH has updated everyone's implants and encourage them to think of their happiest thoughts to give the technology the mental boost they need. Some characters may feel high or giddy and want to express their happy memories to someone else.

2. BREACH OF THE CITY: The worm larvae have a parasitic nature and are taking over the bodies of civilians. Outsiders are tasks to seek out those affected, killing worm larvae or civilians with parasites who are beyond help.

3. WORM ON THE MIND: The largest worm breaks through the ground in the heart of the city and Outsiders are encouraged to attack within their arranged group.

4. LET'S WRAP UP: After the sandworm monster is killed, Outsiders will be tasked with clean up efforts.

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Comments

Raidou Kuzunoha XIV | Devil Summoner | OTA

[the_fourteenth]

▶001. BREACH

a.
[Sorry, but you're in a vehicle with Raidou Kuzunoha behind the wheel. Hopefully you don't get too motion sick before arriving at their next point designated at the map, as he can either seem to drive smoothly and slow, or fast and unsteady. He's opting for the latter.

As they approach the next batch of zombified civilians, he throws open the doors, but doesn't move from the driver's seat. If you press him, his hands tighten on the wheel, and he shakes his head with a grim expression.]

I will stay. In case we need a fast escape.

b.
[You can try to convince him to come, or you can simply wait. The moment anyone with him seems like they might be in trouble, in danger of being hurt or infected themselves, it's suddenly like Raidou has appeared from nowhere at your side. The swordsman is lightning-fast dispatching the threats, and addresses you while keeping his eyes on the targets.]

Are you alright?

--

▶002. GROUP FOUR

a.
[One might expect to see Raidou to fall into group two or three, but instead, anyone bringing injured civilians in will find him helping out in group four. Despite being armed with his gun and sword, he's instead performing first aid, and using his healing upgrade to help anyone who needs it. The line seems endless among this chaos and destruction, and while he's already starting to look exhausted, he's not letting it slow him down.

Whether you're here because you're injured, or bringing in someone who is, Raidou will approach you to make sure you're okay.]

How are you feeling? Are you injured? [This asked with an outstretched hand as an offer. If you look visibly hurt, this offer is non-negotiable.]

b.
[Or perhaps, you're in the medical area minding your own business, when a nearby corpse, covered in a sheet, begins to writhe and undulate underneath. Quick as a flash, you're being pushed out of the way, and Raidou has drawn his sword.]

--

▶003. WRAP UP

[Maybe you're healed up, or not injured, but just need a breather. This was a horrendous event, and everyone will need time. Clean up isn't easy, and is sure to take a toll after needing to fight the kaiju first. If Raidou spots you taking a break, or looking distressed, he'll be there to join you, sitting down beside you.]

LILITH had said before the battle that thinking back on happier memories will help. Perhaps you have one to share?

[And the more it's shared with, the better it will still work, hopefully.]

003.

[frostfist]

[ It's miserable. No matter how many of these fights he goes through, it always leaves him feeling the same: empty, sick, helpless even despite their victory. Can it even be called a victory when so many bodies lay dead and so much property is now nothing more that scattered debris?

But moping won't get them anywhere, so Wriothesley manages a tired smile when Raidou takes a seat next to him. ]

A few, I suppose. Most of them are from here though. [ He means Neo-Tokyo. ] Think those still count?

[the_fourteenth]

[Each kaiju battle had been worst than the last. Raidou sees now how lucky they were with the last one, with minimum civilian casualties, keeping the beasts contained outside the city.

This was infinitely worse. It's hard not to let it consume his thoughts, wishing there was more he could have done.

He gives Wriothesley a light nod.]

I have many good memories from Neo Tokyo myself. Despite everything. They definitely count.

[He takes a moment to think.]

Have you seen the sun set from its outskirts? You'd almost think everything is normal as you watch. And when you turn around, the whole city in the distance is lighting up for the evening. It's a wonderful sight.

[Strange, to feel a light pang of homesickness, though nothing like what he felt when he first arrived in the strange new city and time.]

[frostfist]

[ He hasn't but that doesn't stop him from trying to imagine it now, closing his eyes and letting Raidou's description wash over him. He's no artist but it's an easy enough picture to paint. A nice one too that fills him with feelings of peace and comfort. ]

You'll have to show that to me sometime, once we get back.

[ Because everything is better in the company of friends, right? Though, hm, guess it's his turn to share now... He opens his eyes again, pursing his lips. ]

I'm usually not a fan of busy get-togethers, but it wasn't so bad having all the guys together at the hot springs that one night. [ Even if some of the conversations were...well. ] I don't really get the chance to be around that many people just to chat very often, so it was a nice change of pace.

[the_fourteenth]

Sure. I'll take any excuse to go on a hike.

[He grew up in the mountains and likes any reason to go out exploring.

It's funny that Wriothesley mentions that, because Raidou felt the same way. The idea manages to finally get a bit of a smile from him.]

It was nice, wasn't it. Neither had I back home. A lot of things I never got to do until I arrived here. Life here is very different for me.

[It's been nearly seven months since his life was completely changed in almost every way, and he wonders if he'll ever really get used to it. He wonders all the time what his friends and colleagues from back home would think of his life in this place.]

I get the idea that it's probably similar for you, too.

001. a.

[gimu]

[ it's hard, dashing out into the fray just to leave Raidou behind, but he can't deny it's a comforting thought to know that the summoner would be safer on the rear line. and yet... ]

Your marksmanship would be a help. Are you certain?

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou's brow creases as he looks down, away from him. Choso is only one of two people that Raidou mentioned that he didn't want to fight anymore, seeing himself only as a liability. His shaken confidence hasn't had much time to recover ever since arriving in this world.

He hesitates, because he isn't certain. He wants to be out there, helping.]

... If they get close enough, I'll be ready. But you have my energy at your disposal. I know you can handle them.

[gimu]

[ it is not choso’s place to tell Raidou what to do, where to go, how to do, but still he lingers, gazing at his summoner with questions in his eyes and the unspoken words cluttered on his tongue.

he is safer like this, but are any of them really safe? were they not, all of them, brought here for this purpose for a reason? ]

I know. I know, too? that your eyes would be a boon.

[ how strange, that this should make him feel so fretful. ]

If you change your mind, I will come to you. We will walk the field together as was meant to be.

[the_fourteenth]

[That last sentence hits him hard, and he suddenly turns to Choso, trying to hide his worry under his stern expression.

He can't keep holding Choso up. Raidou knows this hesitancy could cost precious lives. But his hands feel glued to the wheel, as if he didn't have enough strength to remove them.

He gives Choso a fast nod, barely perceptible.]

I will have my weapon ready. Just say the word.

▶001. BREACH

[blastedass]

[I'm not top-leveling this time due to schedule, so you get a double Boom.]

You were better in a fucking go kart! [Katsuki presses his hand hard against the roof of the car, half to brace himself from the unsteady sling and swerve of the car, half to ready himself for opening the door and attacking the second they need it. But with Raidou's handling skill decreasing in opposition to the vehicle's speed increasing, he's starting to have second thoughts about whether the guy's really the one for this! His motorcycle driving is a shit-ton better!] You're getting car practice when we get back to Neo Tokyo!

[No but's about it. As the next cluster of civilians appear, he flicks the lock on the door, then slings himself out as soon as it opens. Explosions burst in a flurry as he barges straight into the group, using his hands to dodge any attempts to assault him and his legs to slam into shoulders, necks, and heads with every intention of knocking people out with one fell kick.

It's not until the whole group is down that he lands with a grit of stone under his boots and turns back to the car. Where Raidou still sits inside. Gravel grits beneath his soles as he walks towards it and rounds the summoner's open door.] Oy, Shash-

... [Katsuki's growl cuts off when he notices how tightly his friend's hands are on the wheel, and the expression on his face. His angry surprise eases off a bit and the boy's red eyes linger quietly on Raidou.] What's wrong?

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou had already spoken to Katsuki past about his doubts as to whether or not he would fight going forward, since the last mission had gone so wrong for him. While Katsuki had done a good job giving him a pep talk, those feelings had returned in Raidou after he had managed to run off into the desert after phantoms, and hurting others in order to try and chase hallucinations.

It doesn't matter that it happened to many Outsiders, and that they had no defense for it. It happened to him, and it was causing him to question his own competency all over again, playing on those same concerns after not long after he arrived. Concern that Katsuki now had direct experience seeing for himself, thanks to the worm as well.

Raidou's hands stay on the wheel and his gaze at the windshield rather than his friend. He spots the next group of unfortunate civilians approaching in the distance.]

I said I will stay here. If they get too close, I can use my pistol.

[He pauses briefly, biting his lip.]

More coming from the north. You should go.

[blastedass]

[He's well aware of those thoughts and feelings, recalling the conversation they had together about Raidou's abilities compared to other Outsiders. Hit with a hard reality check against the geckos, and now smashed once more with the worm's mental warfare, is it any surprise that Raidou's confidence has been shaken? ... Somewhat. Katsuki hadn't lied when he said the sorcerer is one of the strongest people he knows, specifically because he fights even despite the power gap.

But what happens when you come to care about someone? Is it really heroic to voluntarily put someone in harm's way, when you know they're out of their league? Or do you foster the ambition that some would call a delusion... Katsuki frowns as the debate rises in his mind. Can someone without a Quirk be a hero? Logically, no. Not like other heroes. But that heroic heart... he can't crush that just because of a power gap.

Seeing Raidou's past makes the decision even easier.]

Fight with me. [He reaches his hand out, eyes narrowed and expression firm.] I trust your strength. [Even if you don't. The best way to combat doubt is to prove it wrong.] Raidou.

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou really expected him to go, but in this moment now, with Katsuki's hand stretched out towards him, he knows that was a foolish thing to think.

Those words hit home, and there are some emotions he's only holding back on expressing on his face as he looks at that hand. Briefly, his eyes flick back to the approaching group. He can't keep wasting time. Katsuki should really go.

But he can't turn down that offer, either.

With a solitary, strong nod, he finally releases his grip on the steering wheel and grabs Katsuki's hand, so he can be pulled quickly from the vehicle. No sooner is he out that he's drawing his sword.]

▶002. GROUP FOUR

[blastedass]

[While Katsuki sees where Raidou's coming from in his decision, he can't agree with it completely. Everyone's been rattled by the worm's mental attack earlier in the month. But letting fear and worry about what if's stop activity? ... In Raidou's case, it's not stopped activity, but relocated his focus. He can't tell the summoner it's wrong to do, won't demand that he return to the front lines, but... the reason is what bothers him. Tch. Later. Now's not the time to try and convince his friend otherwise.

Explosions herald his arrival and Katsuki curves upward from a previous dive, carrying a teenager over his shoulder and a small child in his teeth (via the back of his shirt, not across the jaws like some fucking monster!) who won't shut the hell up. He lands on his feet and heads into the medical area. He drops the boy off with a soft "p-tah" from his mouth, letting a nurse comfort it, but carries the older brother to Raidou. There's a burn mark on his back and a cauterized puncture wound, but luckily the worm didn't get far enough inside to take over. With the summoner's help, he should recover.]

I'll survive. Help him first. [There's blood running down the side of his face, and the shoulder of his costume's been ripped off by a gash, but the hero doesn't seem like he's in worse shape.] Don't be reckless, dammit.

[Even not on the front lines, Raidou's going to be Raidou, isn't he...]

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou is no medic, but he's been a help here in group four. He can heal, even if it's not the fastest method, but every person he can heal with his upgrade is also medical supplies that are spared for another time. He's been getting help on learning first aid on the go as well, something he never had to worry much about previously, thanks to having demons with healing spells. He'd been too reliant on them, he feels, taking their presence for granted. Now it's time to learn.

He nods at Katsuki as he approaches, and leads him over to a free cot that he can place the boy down on.]

Him first, then you. Sit. Take a break.

[Raidou slides over two stools, one for him and one for Katsuki. He gently takes the hand of the boy, his other hand on his arm, and closes his eyes. Concentrating.

As for that "reckless" comment...]

It's fine. I can put up with being tired.

[He's uninjured, and as long as he's conscious he can keep working. That's all that matters to him.]

[blastedass]

[Katsuki has medical training, a few camps and classes during his boyhood while also getting more advanced first-aid knowledge in U.A. and self research. Stopping blood flow, setting bones, suturing wounds, binding injuries, cauterizing, CPR, he can do things like that. But he's not a field medic. And it's not the same as Raidou's ability with his healing implant. As much as he wants to work beside him, right now their skills are divergent for the groups they're in.

He surrenders the teen over to the summoner to handle, though his intent to return to the battlefield gets arrested by that "Sit" right against his ribs. Grrr... Despite the growls, Katsuki takes a seat on the stool, elbows resting on his knees, breathing slightly heavy from the exertion.

A small break.]

That implant takes your stamina, right?

[It's not trading life energy as far as Katsuki knows. Because he'd have a serious issue if his friends were trading their lives for healing other people.]

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou expected some protest from him, but he'll take just the growl so long as Katsuki sits down.

His question gets a nod, the summoner's eyes still closed.]

Yes. Do it enough, and it catches up to you. But worth it, if you ask me.

[The exhaustion creeping into his voice says enough on its own. But, he gets to help so many people this way, in what he sees as little cost to himself. The surgery was worth all the pain.]

2a

[yormama]

[ Yor isn't in the same group, but she's come by to drop off a young woman she found while dispatching with the worm-infected people.

She pauses after setting the woman down and smiles, though as Raidou extends his hand, she's also got her healing on as she grasps it. ]

I'm alright. What about you? How long have you been keeping vigil?

[the_fourteenth]

[He recognizes the feeling of her own healing being used, and he smiles faintly, shaking his head.][Same thing can be said about himself. Between lending his energy to Yuji and Choso on the battlefield, to all the healing he's been doing, he's running on fumes.]

I've lost track. Are things improving out there at all?

[yormama]

[ The mutual healing fixes up her own bumps and scrapes, earning him an appreciative giggle. Or it does until she recalls the situation in the rest of the city. Her expression tones down considerably, but she does still try to smile albeit tiredly. ]

Somewhat. The infected are growing easier to manage, but I'm not certain how they're faring against the bigger worms.

[ The situation still makes her skin crawl on principle. ]

phone tags aren't worth it, i somehow deleted an entire sentence up there

[the_fourteenth]

[He nods at that; it's slightly better news than he expected, but that's still not great.]

Have a seat. Take a break before you go back out there. Get something to eat.

[It's his turn to be the fussy parent to Outsiders.]

It's easy to lose track of time in a situation like this, so do it now, while you're here.

003

[lifeprice]

Not particularly.

[ Aki truly doesn't know what he can say about 'happy memories', given how difficult the last few weeks of his own life have been. Reliving his own traumatic memories, as well as drowning in others, hasn't given him much scope for finding the joy in it.

Shaking his head, he glances away. ]

Do you?

[the_fourteenth]

[There's a bit of concern on Raidou's face, but he nods in understanding.]

After everything recently... It's hard to picture anything good.

[Especially looking at the carnage nearby to where they're currently sitting, and how much work they have left to do. Raidou looks at it all with a heavy heart.]

But that makes it all the more important to try, right?

[He pauses, thinking.]

In the wintertime, at the shrine near the base, you can go ice skating on a pond near there. They rent out skates and everything. It had been the first time I'd done it in years, and it felt great. Like I'd never stopped. I got to take several friends to it too. I can't wait for the weather to get cold again.

[He wipes some sweat from his brow and eyes.]

Especially after being here for so long.

[lifeprice]

[ Welcome to Aki's life, Raidou. Sorry about that. ]

There are some happy memories here, but I'm not sure if I want them tainted with fighting a monster.

[ Because the memories he is making here, the relationships that are developing, the people he cares about so deeply... The idea of them being twisted up with a giant worm that might somehow take advantage of those memories and destroy them, somehow? It doesn't feel right.

Aki has truly had enough ripped from him to last a lifetime or two.

Looking over at the younger man, he nods his head. ]

It's too humid. Autumn will be a welcome relief after all of this.

[ Winter... Less so. ]

[the_fourteenth]

Not tainting so much as... refocusing. [Thinking happier thoughts instead of dwelling over the bad ones. Raidou found it hard to be optimistic in this world, and it took a lot of effort. Remembering the good times since he's arrived is what keeps him going. The memories he's made with the people he's met here, and the potential to make more in the future.]

Ah. [He grins a little sheepishly.] It will be humid when we get back, won't it. We've been here too long. We'll be dropped right into summer.

[He sighs, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Just for a moment. He was exhausted to the bones.]

Hopefully LILITH won't send us somewhere hot come autumn, then.