synfluxmods: (Default)
𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚡 𝙼𝚘𝚍𝚜 ([personal profile] synfluxmods) wrote in [community profile] synflux2024-07-12 11:07 pm

DOWNTIME MINGLE #3

DOWNTIME MINGLE #3


CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disaster, forced scenarios.

▶ 001. A JOB WELL DONE.

As Outsiders head back from Okinawa (or, perhaps they are already back, characters were able to leave Okinawa through the dataportal whenever) with plenty of coconut crab and mutated fish, Outsiders can expect to have the cafeteria filled with crab and fish food for the next.. well, undetermined amount of time. The power outages have been restored on the LILITH base, and while Outsiders have been enjoying their change of pace in Okinawa, there has been some celebratory news across the Outsider's ocular implants. It looks like it is a message from the big guy himself! Whoever that is. Wasn't his name.. Eiji something? Elijah?


"I'm not going to waste my time with introductions, because we have more important matters to discuss. First of all, good work. Second, while we have been met with several successes, don't let it get to your head. Third, continue following the lead of Yamakawa. ... This is why I don't do celebratory speeches. CODENAMES MONEYBAGS, DUELWIELD, BUSTERMOVE, CHAINSAW MAN and CURSE... great work. You'll see the rewards of your hard work momentarily. Report to me for a payout."

The announcement won't leave an Outsider's implant until it has been read, but just as the voice said, Outsiders will find a Sampo themed pachinko machine installed by the cafeteria near the vending machines. It looks like it's ready to be played! Why not give it a go? Because who wouldn't want to see this charm willingly.

A lot of toy companies are also wanting their skin in this game and have introduced the set of several actions figures based off Yzak and Dearka's gundams, which can be seen distributed on base. The caveat, however, is that you will need to build them piece-by-piece. Alongside this, there will also be Denji-themed plushies, even if it looks like a cross between a dog and human.

Thanks to Choso, hair care on the base has also gotten a lot better. Due to sponsorships, Outsiders are readily able to access more shampoo and conditioner options. Though, maybe thanks to the pictures on the bottle— buns are now trending.

Maybe give the pachinko machine a spin? Or try Choso's brand of shampoo your team's wing communal shower?


▶ 002. TRADITIONAL TANABATA.

The sun is hot but summer is traditionally festival season in Neo Tokyo; these old traditions have managed to hold up in this gritty society in attempts to keep a positive morale, so some citizens and organizers try to keep the tradition going and lift spirits by celebrating local festivals. Many districts and neighborhoods have their own festivals as well. One day, you might stumble onto a shopping district’s wind chime festival and the next day, you might find flyers for a neighborhood’s morning glory festival.

The largest festival of the month is the Tanabata festival. Since the holiday falls in an odd weekday this year, the main celebration is held the next weekend. Civilians and Outsiders can find various shrines, shopping centers, and community buildings with bamboo branches on display with holographic slips of paper that alternate colors. Characters that pass by may submit their wishes on their implants; a new way to keep the old tradition.

On the weekend, some stalls have been set up for people to celebrate. Attendance is low because of the heat and due to a food shortage, the options are lacking. However, there are plenty of games such as a toy shooting range with laser guns and kaiju targets. There are also goldfish catching games where people can catch a cheap goldfish drone that can “swim” in the air and water and shoot bubbles. As a bonus, LILITH will provide Outsiders with an outfit upgrade to help lift spirits. The outfit consists of a traditional summer yukata or jinbei.

Fireworks have gone out of style due to attracting kaiju attention. However, at the festival’s end, there is a drone light show. Hundreds of customized hummingbird drones take to the sky and create elaborate illuminations and shapes in the sky while music plays.


▶ 003. DR. RATIO'S RENOVATIONS.

Festival season means LILITH also has to get in on the action, and while a certain Outsider named Dr. Ratio has raised concerns over the stated of the LILITH base Library, LILITH has actually listened to his desperate plea to renovate the library. What a perfect opportunity for LILITH to use the festival as a way of raising funds so they don't have to dip into their kaiju payout funds (and pizza party fund.) It's time for LILITH's annual SUMMER FESTA. Every year, LILITH comes together with local organizations like fire stations, police stations, clinics, and nonprofits to promote public safety and awareness. It's a one day festival where people can get information about what to do to stay safe not only during kaiju attacks but in their daily lives. The funds raised at the festival will go to training, supplies, research, and maintaining services.

As usual, LILITH is raising money for disaster relief supplies and renovation projects across Neo Tokyo. Per request, LILITH has agreed to set aside some funds to help renovate the facilities on base, including the library. However, they will task the Outsiders with raising the money.

It's a festival so how they raise the money is both up up to them or they may take the suggestions according to their team placement below. Either way, Outsiders are required to work with other people on their same team but they're encouraged to make it fun. Set up game stalls, sell food, do performances, and ask for donations to raise as much money as possible for their projects. The team that raises the most money is promised a prize while the losers will be punished. Here are the team suggestions below and some of them may have some new, modern twists:

Everlight: Kingyo-sukui, which is goldfish catching with a paper scoop. Managing the takoyaki stands.
Revelation: Yoyo-tsuri, fishing for water-filled balloons with a “fishing pole” with a paper string. Managing the mask stands.
Brimstone: Shateki, shooting at targets for prizes. Managing the sparklers stands.. sparklers shouldn't catch kaiju attention, right?
Redemption: Wanage, ring toss. Managing the onigiri stands.

Outsiders will be given a week to prepare for the festival and they only have a single day to raise funds. In the evening, the winning team is announced: Revelation. All team members will receive can badges and a pizza party. A special donation will also be made to the library on their behalf: A stack full of self help books, yes, REAL books and not holograms or digital books, such as "Overcoming Your Depression for Dummies" and "How to Make Friends 101." Thank you for your effort, Team Revelation!

As for the losers, they will be given options: Sign up or the final fundraising event of the night or help clean up at the end of the festival. The final fundraiser is a punishment game where volunteers from each organization are dunked in tubs of water or pied in the face. It seems like a certain person (Seok Dang) was supposed to be LILITH’s tribute but he is nowhere to be found… maybe one of the other losers will step up and take his place to be dunked in water or pied in the face? Characters may also sign up a loser character without their consent. Come on, be a good sport!

▶ 004. MONSOON SEASON.

Despite the celebrations and attempts to raise morale, the heatwave persists in Neo Tokyo and with it, the problems from the beginning of the month. Food continues to go bad quickly and while fundraising attempts have provided some relief, the city is huge and shelf stable supplies begin to run low again. The energy crisis improves slightly with blackouts occurring less frequently as emergency personnel attempt to intervene. Though the weather is dreary, the renovations must press on! Fortunately, most of the things to do around the Library consist of staying inside. Dr. Ratio has given the following orders which Outsiders may help with in the Library:
- Install better lighting.
- Organize and add more books.
- Set up and secure tables and chairs.
- Add couches to once section of the library to convert it into a lounging area.

Characters may work together to help, or maybe they prefer to laze around and give the newly renovated Library a test run!

After a few days, finally, the rain meteorologists have promised arrives. The skies darken and heavy rain falls on the city which brings much cooler temperatures. People stay inside more often as it becomes too inconvenient to go out when the rain and wind are so strong. The rainstorms grow stronger and eventually become fully fledged storms. The ground shakes from thunder and lightning strikes light up the sky.

Everyone’s ocular implants will frequently give warnings about the weather. LILITH will task Outsiders with assisting across the city. Help evacuate citizens to higher ground during flash floods. After the storms subside, help clear the streets of debris and trees. Some neighborhoods will lose power because of lightning strikes and need their generators restored. However, every time they finish their tasks, a new storm will occur a few days later and they’ll have to repeat.

At first, it seems like the typical summer storm season but meteorologists become concerned when more storms begin to happen without following clear weather patterns and even the locals remark the season seems very active this year… could it be another kaiju? The last time Neo Tokyo had floods, it was sea water, but this is caused by heavy rain. Like clockwork, LILITH's investigating team is on the lookout for energy from a rift or any leads to what could be causing all of the heavy rain. Outsiders are instructed to keep an eye out for any emergency messages.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our third downtime mingle! While we would typically have a texting prompt, we instead have player plots for this event! Thank you Abbel and Eski for the Tanabata and festival player prompt and Sky for the Library renovations plot! We appreciate Eski for spending 500 bonus points to provide everyone with something to wear for Tanabata. For the character-run stalls as part of the renovation prompt, players are not limited to the suggestions given by the mods and are free to come up with their own stall ideas. Additionally, for characters signing up other characters for the dunk tank, please make sure you get OOC permission from their players first.

Please note also we have added new rewards: the Poison Dagger, Cat Ear Visor, and the Elemental Swords now come in the models Ice and Lightning. Please see the REWARDS page for more information.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points.


EVENT BREAKDOWN (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. A JOB WELL DONE: The kaiju heavy hitters get recognition with.. a pachinko machine and shampoo sponsorship? Outsiders can react to their fellow colleagues about this development, or maybe even talk to the winners themselves around the base.

2. TRADITIONAL TANABATA: It's Tanabata season, even in a post-apocalyptic world! Put on some old, traditional attire with your friends and enjoy a drone show.

3. DR. RATIO'S RENOVATIONS: LILITH has teamed up with the local safety personnel to get in on the festival season. Characters are encouraged to fundraise for renovations at the LILITH base Library. Teams may also visit other teams events and stands to donate, partake in, and.. maybe deliver some competitive harassment.

4. MONSOON SEASON: With the weather being hot and renovations needing done, LILITH works together to improve the Library. A few days later, the weather gets suspiciously intense and Outsiders are instructed to help civilians with power outages, flash flooding, debris from heavy wind and rain.
busternaut: (Freedom 003)

[personal profile] busternaut 2024-07-15 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
Hello mods!!!!

Silly little idea I wanted to make sure was kosher before I went including it in my top level as a prompt: considering the fame the ZAFT boy's mechs are enjoying, could they get away with actually having the ~real~ Buster and Duel present at the festival? Maybe help Revelation team raise some funds by charging for photo ops and the like? :')
bemist: (Where I can run)

Gebura | Library of Ruina | Everlight

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
I. TANABATA

[ A festival that isn't crammed with people sounds doable, and Gebura isn't actually one to stay inside and sit and do nothing except when she is actively trying to avoid literally everyone else, so she can in fact be found at the festival of her own free will and clad in a crimson jinbei, doing one of a few things:

a.) Staring in utter confusion at the wish tags fluttering nearby and muttering under her breath something like "Is this some kind of new request method?"

b.) Getting herself settled at the shooting range and maybe she's giving the laser guns an Odd Look for Some Reason, but oh well. It's some form of activity, so she'll lift an eyebrow to give you a challenging look.

c.) Literally anything else, you wanna just bonk into her and watch the drones or have the strap of your sandal break so she has to pick you up and carry you, you delicate individual, feel free-- ]


II. FESTIVAL THE SEQUEL

a.) [ As she's on the Everlight team (don't ask her why), Gebura can be found manning the goldfish game. For some kind of value of "manning"; she appears to be mildly judging your technique if you're someone coming to test your skill, lifting an eyebrow at you. ]

So, is your wrist always that limp or are you not ready yet?

[ If you're a teammate, of course, she's a little more merciful, leaving every so often to go on food runs and silently tapping you with a bottle of water or ramune or shoving a little paper tray of takoyaki in your face. Don't mention it. Really, don't mention it. ]

b.) [ And when all is said and done and the non-Revelation saps have to deal with the consequences of a contest she doesn't remember agreeing to in the first place? Well, then. Gebura makes her choice and it sure isn't cleaning.

Which is why she can be found staring you down, a future pie victim, face rather impassive and radiating far too much of an intimidating aura for someone you're about to whap with a pie/shitton of whipped cream. ]


Go ahead. [ Her expression doesn't budge. ] Cream me.

[ Alternatively, catch her afterwards. I mean, you may not recognize her, not the figure with a face absolutely buried in whipped cream, sitting down on a bench and trying to pat around and find where the nearby towel has gone while trying to wipe off what she can with a hand. What an absolute legend. ]


III. MONSOONER OR LATER

[ I'm obligated to give her like one cool prompt and that is when the storms really start kicking into gear, so too does Gebura. You'll probably have to drag her inside if you realize she's been at it for hours with each and every storm, but why would you do that? She's putting in work, and most of it involves--

... Well, you'll likely see her, evacuating civilians, and that means there's usually some elderly person clinging on her back like a koala, a few people tucked under her arms like footballs... it's fine. She's moving fine. She's just also drenched. ]


The closest shelter--where is it?


IV. WILDCARD

(Anything else! Feel free to PM me if you'd like a custom starter!)
siffriend: (046)

siffrin ☆ in stars and time ✩ redemption

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
tanabata
[ There is, at least in theory, a lot of color here.

But Siffrin's eyes only see gradients through dark and bright and all in between. There's shades they recognize -- that one is like the skin of a mango, the darker side of it; the yukata that pass by on their way through to rent their own remind Siffrin of sunsets, sunrises, times of the day he'd begun to pay attention to since that moment on the beach. He knows he's missing out on a lot. He knows that.

(There's nothing you can do about that, though.

They remember colors. You don't.)

Siffrin isn't really for the crowds in all honesty, but he can spend sometime among them... especially the smaller ones! Thank goodness. And being on the shorter side and sporting a starry-patterned kimono lends him to being doted on a bit, receiving a few free tries at the various games and food stands, but eventually...

a. Siffrin moves up to make a wish, watching as others impress theirs on the holographic slips and shuffling silently around to see what the stalks already have hung. They aren't sure what they'd like to wish for either, but more than that... it's such a weird way to do a wish?

In true Siffrin way though, he's quite content to stare at someone until spoken to. Sorry. This isn't going to change.

b. Siffrin moves off the beaten path, taking a breather from the crowds in the quiet sides. A perfect place to watch the eventual drone show, but not right now -- no, he's very much just splayed out ruining his kimono relaxing on the grass. A breather! A breather. Please don't step on them.

c. Siffrin begins to tag along behind someone, preferring the taller sorts that can act as easy guideposts. Cut through the crowds! They are 5'1", which means most people are taller than them, all they want to do is get a goldfish drone and they can fish for themselves they just need to get there--!

Besides. This way they don't bump against someone, as the lack of depth perception is wont to do.


At the end, Siffrin will enjoy the drone show with or without someone, so they can be found sitting quietly watching the birds fly about. These, too, should probably be more than the gradients harder to see against the dark sky. ]

renovations
a. ... Onigiri. Come get it. The delicious shape is sure to fill your stomach, no matter the size.

[ They're manning it for a little bit, soft-spoken as they are.

(Though really, you're tired of looking at onigiri. You had it almost every time.) ]


Triangle, round, I can even make a star...

[ ... That might work... ]

b. [ Time for their own show.

Siffrin has taken point in a somewhat unusual way. They aren't really for crowds, but one would never guess from the easy smile on his face, the way he holds up a single silver coin and rolls it across their bare knuckles, sleeves short. ]


For a small donation, [ their voice, normally soft, has an almost performative appeal to it; the way an actor projects, catches the ears of those in the room, ] I can wow your senses and amaze your eyes.

[ Craft has its uses, and Siffrin... has become quite adept at them. ]

If you're able to guess my trick, then the donation remains as-is, but if I can fool you, then you'll pay double for a good cause. Would you like to try your luck?

[ Step up, one and all! Sleight of hand is one of their specialties, and they quite enjoy tricks. ]


c. [ Working the dunk tank...

... has been a relief, heat-wise, but for every good shot he gets soggier and soggier.

Siffrin is taking a momentary break from being a volunteer to sit and dry in the unrelenting sun, looking no different than a sopping cat with their hair logged down and eyes closed. That's right, eyes -- because for this time, and this time only, they need their eye patch to dry as well, which means...

For a short window, more than the mirror can see the large scar that rakes over Siffrin's left eye, the reason for their covering. It isn't on his mind though, since he thinks he's found a pretty good spot away, but. Well. No one can control where the people walk. ]


all else
[ In general, Siffrin works at a cat cafe and can also be found there putting on a wonderful purr-formance as the local jokester, befriending the cats with his quiet charm and similar temperament.

Take them on a date at tanabata! For a little while. Catch them trying to fish at Everlight or Revelation stands! For a longer time. And of course, helping out with the monsoon efforts, even if... the wind... can pick them up...

If you'd like to plan anything in particular, PM this journal or hit me up at [plurk.com profile] sundrymunity! ]
Edited 2024-07-15 03:47 (UTC)
bemist: (You can't take me for a ride)

tanabata le c I gotta use her height for Good

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ Probably unsurprising that someone who is 5'11" is not that difficult to spot, and Gebura tends to cut through any forming crowd with purpose, despite not actually having a clear destination.

She does, however, come to a stop rather abruptly once she realizes she's being followed, and thankfully, this is not going to be a repeat of slamming someone against a rock, because she's at least only barely turning her head this time to verify.

... It might still take a few seconds for her gaze to lower enough to spot them. ]


...
siffriend: (051)

monsoonish

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ So what if one of the people she's ending up having to save is a certain scrawny fella. Because Siffrin sure is hanging out on a tree, wind whipping leaves back and forth... sort of looking like a cat that's gotten stuck.

Because he has. Gotten stuck. The kite they'd been trying to retrieve for a crying child has been freed, clutched in one hand, but how are they going to find that child and return it? They didn't think this through. They're going to die her. They're--




(Oh!

You wave your kite-bound hand in hopes of catching Gebura's attention and end up lifting a little off the branch. aaaaaaaaaaa) ]
siffriend: (048)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
...

[ Siffrin peers up at her, smiling hopefully. Thankfully, they've been watching where they're going. So he doesn't bump into her. In fact, it's a very conscious distance between them. ]

Knife to see you here.

[ ...

(Come on, Siffrin.) ]
bemist: (With diamonds and gold)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ One eye twitches. Barely.

Uuuuuugh. As usual, we're ignoring it!! ]


What are you doing?
siffriend: (046)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ (It won't get old!

Knife threatening her or not, it definitely won't get old!) ]


Following you.

[ Like it's obvious. ]

Where are you going?
bemist: ('Cause it's making me itch)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's hard to say what catches her notice. Maybe because the sky is a concerning shade of Dark and in the midst of that, the lightning sizzling overhead and the thunder rolling, a white-haired figure further up is Just Different Enough to stand out.

The waving also helps, her gaze snapping up, and for a few seconds, she looks legitimately startled--before something like Slight Concern gets into a momentary war with Exasperation and the latter wins.

All right, she's bracing herself against the wind and pushing through it, striding towards the tree. Thankfully, in this situation, she is not already carrying three people. ]
bemist: (I thought it would be fun)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ Why. Is she some sort of magnet lately? First a prince following her while she's off picking fights with crabs and now Siffrin? She hadn't made some kind of weird promise to guide them, had she? No, she'd remember that. She doesn't know this kind of festival herself. ]

Somewhere. [ Helpful! ]

Wherever's not going to be that crowded.
siffriend: (013)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ (You've been noticed!

You put your hand back down, clutching to the branch again, watching the now-familiar shade make its way through. Wow. She's really sturdy.

You realize she's going to have to grab you. That's fine. You understand this, so you can make sure you don't jump or startle or anything embarrassing whatsoever.)

Siffrin tightens the string around their hand and wiggles a little off the branch. Just a bit, because apparently he's-- he's going to jump? Just jump? Just let go and let the wind take them, again? Apparently?

(You think this is a great idea that cannot go wrong! Gebura's coming, after all!) ]
siffriend: (069)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
Can we go to the fish first?

[ ...

We? (We!) ]
bemist: (You keep making me ill)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
[ There's a part of this that seems weirdly... nostalgic.

Like yes, hadn't Kali during her early, early days as a Fixer rescued a cat that ate better than she did from a tree? Some fluffy white thing. Except she'd had to climb the tree to grab it. And now, the fluffy white thing is an... acquaintance, and she's not going to have time to climb the tree, because she sees them shifting and--

Oh.

He's going to jump, not bothering to try lowering himself first, and Gebura's eyes widen as she breaks into a run. ]


Id--!
bemist: (No opiates to send me into outer space)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ We????? ]

You can do whatever you want.

[ Why we???? ]
siffriend: (014)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
[ (That didn't work.

But you do... want to hang out.) ]


... Will you take me to it? I'm not that good with directions, just traps. So I was circling for a while before I saw you.

[ And started following her, quiet as a mouse but present nonetheless. ]
bemist: (to the middle of my frustrated fears)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
...

[ This is her new lot, isn't it. For some inexplicable reason, Siffrin has decided she's trustworthy enough to definitely be a guide. It's true that Gebura isn't bad with directions, a skill born of patrolling a set area of the City, of the observation she'd never really lost.

... ]


Fine. But keep up. I'm not waiting for you.

[ She's aware they're not slow. ]
siffriend: (057)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ --(iot! You can practically hear Loop finishing the exclaim. "What do you think you're doing, stardust?!"

You miss them, just a bit.)

The wind hefts them up as expected, though she'd never guess from the surprised panic that flits across his face when it happens, but Siffrin is at least weighty enough that he isn't sent into the sky.

Just more of thrown diagonally against Gebura when it swings her way as storms do. A real thump of a landing. ]
siffriend: (051)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
I won't slow you down.

[ They're quick, after all, and conscious of the steps they take. Always two behind right now.

...

Looks like it's the normal bid of quietness, for now. But the spring in their step is unmistakable.

(Fish! Fish! Fish! They aren't real, probably, but fish! Fish! Fish!

You decide you're going to give Gebura one as thanks.) ]
bemist: (To the middle of nowhere)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 05:07 am (UTC)(link)
[ So much for doing this carefully. Gebura is still mid-run in an ill-fated attempt to stop them; she'd be better braced, but as it stands, she isn't, and she very nearly falls backwards when Siffrin collides with her.

To her credit, she doesn't; her arms wrap around him instinctively, one scarred hand cradling the back of his head in the event that loss of balance happens in either direction, and she staggers, pivots to force her back against another tree. No falling. Not today. Thanks, tree.

... Give her a minute. ]
bemist: (I'm lyin' here on the floor)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... Yeah, it's like she can feel them sparkling. ]

Do you seriously like fish that much? [ Or was he that worried he was going to get lost? ]
siffriend: (046)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
Fishing is a fun, relaxing activity. Have you ever tried it?

[ Yes, they like fishing that much. ]
bemist: (And I swear you're just like a pill)

[personal profile] bemist 2024-07-15 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
Can't say I have. I wasn't close enough to the water in my area.

[ And given some of the creatures she'd heard were in certain other places, not really a place she would have wanted to try fishing. ]
siffriend: (023)

[personal profile] siffriend 2024-07-15 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
[ (It reminds you of the hug. But it's not quite the same, since you're in the held versus the hold position this time.

It is still nice though, actually. Warm and secure. You breathe in, and then out. You feel your eye close...)

... And their hand clutches at her side, protected from the wind and danger of being picked up again. The kite rattles against the branches above them, struggling in the minor gale to stay roughly in place.

(You're going to get an earful. But for now, there's a nostalgia in the arms wrapped around you, hand against the back of your head.) ]


... Thanks.

[ Just a word, strained to be audible. ]