DOWNTIME MINGLE #3

[synfluxmods]

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.

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Comments

[bemist]

[ 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--!

[siffriend]

[ --(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. ]

[bemist]

[ 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. ]

[siffriend]

[ (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. ]

[bemist]

[ They're definitely going to get an earful, but Gebura at least recognizes that now isn't the time. They're talking, at least, she'd caught them in time, she hadn't been too late this time, and she reminds herself of that twice more before she speaks up. The bark feels rough against her back, stinging from the force she'd used; it's grounding. ]

Can you walk or do you need to be carried?

[ It's not condescending, just matter-of-fact. She can definitely carry someone this short without problems, barring current weather conditions, but if Siffrin wants to move on his own, he can. He shouldn't be at risk of blowing away now that he's on the ground, though the way the water's been rising with the flash flooding doesn't bode well either. ]

[siffriend]

Second. I kept getting pushed by the wind on my way over.

[ (You weren't, really.

You aren't that weightless. Even if you're certain you feel like a bag of grapes to Gebura. But the water's rising higher anyway.)

They raise their kite-bound hand a little, shifting just enough to start wrapping the string around their palm to reel it in properly where they couldn't before. ]

I have to return this to a little girl. She was crying because it was a gift, and she thought her mother would be mad at her losing it.

[bemist]

I kind of think that losing something like that in a storm like this would have been inevitable and not actually her fault and there was no point in you putting yourself in a life-threatening situation like that.

[ Gebura just says this outright, pushing herself up straighter now that she's regained her balance. ]

Either way, they should have moved on to higher ground on the meantime. I'll need my hands free for now, so you'll have to move to my back. All right?

[ A pause. ]

Are you injured?

[siffriend]

I'm not.

[ So they can move to her back, that's fine.

(You really are pathetic, aren't you?)

The words have otherwise rolled off him, answered with a small shrug and no argument to her point -- it was foolish, but Siffrin can't stand a crying face. There's ultimately no reason for them not to have helped, if the only reason against it was "because it's dangerous".

... Okay, let them move to being piggybacked before they speak again. ]

You keep coming out here.

[ He noticed her shade less around the halls. ]

[bemist]

[ Gebura takes a moment to readjust, to pop Siffrin a little higher on her back and angle her head so her very wet ponytail at least falls over her shoulder and doesn't end up in his face. With the wind, it might not actually make much of a difference, of course. But then she starts walking once she's satisfied they're secure, heading upwards. ]

The storms keep happening. [ It's a verbal shrug, more or less. ] I don't really see a point in staying inside when that happens.

[siffriend]

[ Spoken like a true Defender. Siffrin huffs a quiet laugh, watching the kite flutter above them. It isn't at a height where it'll catch on anything now, and not low enough to hit them. ]

You don't catch colds easily?

[bemist]

It hasn't happened yet.

[ Actual sickness didn't tend to happen in the City, for the richer folk. Given that her body is technically formed from the Light now, she has to wonder if she can even get sick now. ]

And if it does, I'll deal with it. Either way, I wasn't the one who wound up in a tree in the middle of a storm. Or the one who jumped out of it without thinking.

[siffriend]

I knew you would catch me.

[ Simple as that. As soon as they saw her, they knew they'd be fine. And if she hadn't come along...?

... Well. That didn't happen, so it doesn't matter. ]

[bemist]

I'm dunking you in the port harbor at the next opportunity.

[ It's definitely a grumble, bracing herself yet again as they're pelted by the rain. Yes, she caught them and yes, she would have done anything in that moment to ensure she caught them, but the last thing she needs is someone else relying on her.

She's not heroic. ]

[siffriend]

[ (What you wouldn't give for your hat right now.)

Siffrin ducks as much as he can against her to escape the rain, laughing softly. ]

As long as you don't harbor any ill will to me afterward, I'm fine with that.

[ They're fine enough to make jokes, so it's fine. Catch them curled up sick in a few days though. ]

[bemist]

[ Good. Don't text her, you did this to yourself.

Again, she chooses not to acknowledge the pun, lifting her head to peer through the rain to see if she can spot any other figures moving along. No one who seems to need help, they're moving at a decent pace. ]

Just keep an eye out for that kid.

[siffriend]

[ (...

What "color" had she been wearing...? You try and remember. It was...) ]

... Ribbon. Same color as your eye. Left one.

[ They lift their head enough to keep a single eye out themselves, though it won't be anywhere near the danger. ]

And... a dress, like the afternoon sky. With suns on it. I thought it was a nice wish, for clear days.

[bemist]

[ A gold ribbon and a blue dress with suns on it? Well, easy enough. Gebura can also look around, though she's not really planning on slowing down otherwise. ]

I'd take this storm wrapping up, though it just seems to mean we'll end up with another one a few days later. [ Even Gebura's getting tired. Not sick, but tired. ]

Listen. Head back to the base once we find them. This should be the last sweep anyway, or close to it.

[siffriend]

Will you be back after that?

[ The neverending storms aside, Gebura does need to rest. Even they know that. ]

[bemist]

Probably. [ There's a few days of reprieve in between these things, at the very least. Then again... ]

They might need me for some heavy lifting, but after that, I'll head back. [ Maybe. This is so second nature to her she's not even really thinking about it. ]

[siffriend]

You promise.

[ Not a question. ]

[bemist]

Promise you what?

[ Fight her. ]

[siffriend]

That you'll come back after this sweep.

[ He will. ]

[bemist]

I'll come back when I'm not needed.

[ Good enough!! ]

[siffriend]

[ ("You aren't needed.") ]

There's other people who are helping, too. You don't need to do everything, Gebura.

[ A whole load of soft-spoken, but firm crock coming from them, but do as they say not as they do. ]

[bemist]

[ So you mean "scruff them in the future", okay, got it. ]

I'm not doing everything. I'm just doing what I can.

[ And sometimes what she can do is "powering through to do way more than she should", and that's fine, surely. ]