synflux | DOWNTIME MINGLE #3

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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.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ The trifecta is complete.

But off they go, with Gebura taking the lead once again. If Siffrin was following her as a way to avoid the crowd, might as well step up. If she remembers right-- ]

There should be an area above the shrine. It'll be quieter.

[ No problems there! They are quick, after all. The pair of fish aren't as, but Siffrin makes sure to keep them close as he follows. ]

You really do know all the good spots. How long have you been here?

This would be the third month. Because I had more time and space to explore than I have in a while, I took advantage of the time to do that.

[ And now she had maps from Elysium to cover the rest. But the quieter, lesser known spots? Gebura had already found those on her own.

It's a bit of an incline now. ]

[ Incline... Their short legs will persevere. ]

So you were someplace small before?

I was stuck indoors.

[ So, yes. ]

[ Oh. ]

I can't imagine you stuck anywhere.

Believe me, I wasn't thrilled about it either.

[ It's okay, the incline is ending! And it brings them up on a grassier knoll, overlooking the shrine and its grounds. ]

[ ... This probably looks amazing for those who remember color. The gradients remind him of flowers, fields of them, with ants miling about. Siffrin stands at the top, breeze offering little relief from the heat, and carefully takes a seat. ]

And that's where you were with your colleagues?

Yeah. Two different locations. Our roles changed up a little, too.

[ But either way... she exhales, returning to her cotton candy. ]

This is probably the closest thing to freedom we've had in years.

[ Freedom, huh. The takoyaki balls are "colorful" too, now that you compare the sights. Three down, five to go.

(You've almost forgotten what that was like, too. Freedom) ]

I'm glad you have the chance to stretch your legs then. As a traveler I get to a lot, but... I haven't been able to as much lately. End of the world and all.

[ He doesn't remember if he's said anything about it. ]

[ She... doesn't think so? ]

End of the world?

[ Yeah. That doesn't sound familiar. ]

[ (Oh.

So you haven't. Okay.) ]

... At least, of Vaugarde. Where I'm at now. We're at the final point of our journey together, [ (and have been for longer than they know,) ] and we're going to kill the King. Because he's freezing the country with Time Craft.

[ And then, once all is said and done, it will end.

The journey ends, and everyone will part ways.

(They don't remember, but you do. Their plans for the future. Not a one including you, or anyone else.) ]

So the most traveling we've done was to collect the orbs to open the House of Change he's transformed, and now we're set to beat the tar out of him.

And if you fail, he freezes the whole--well, the country.

[ Well, that sounds like a pain and a half. ]

I guess coming here right when you were set to do that probably isn't the most reassuring situation. [ That's a lot to go back to, waiting for him. ]

At the very least, our fight is more or less over. [ It had just been a lot of fighting all at once. ]

[ Truly not ideal, but they set their boat of balls aside to lay in the grass, eye closing.

(You aren't hungry anymore.)

Siffrin seems pretty relaxed, all things considered. ]

What were you fighting for?

If I had to put it as simply as possible...

[ She huffs a little, under her breath. ]

The Light. Humanity's potential. But it wasn't really that... [ simple. It had never been that simple and instead of closing her eyes, she gazes up at the sky. ]

I fought a lot of people to the death, Siffrin. For the slightest chance that we could set things right. For the hope that the person who dragged me back from resting again would change her mind. Those people came to us because that place held the answers to what they desired most.

And I killed all of the ones that made it to me.

[ Maybe it really was that simple. Simple facts. People had entered the Library and the Librarians had killed them and even if it wasn't as though they had stayed permanently dead and the Librarians had been made to forget that death was impermanent for them there with every fight, the fact remained. ]

It wasn't anything as noble as trying to save the world or even a city.

... But what does it have to do with your dream?

[ The one she got a step closer to, once. All of that... but for what? Set what right? ]

[ Well, she should have known they'd ask. ]

I wanted to protect the ones who couldn't protect themselves. I wanted a world where if I tried hard enough, I could make sure that no one else had to go through what I did. Just me. That was enough.

[ But...

But. ]

It all went wrong. Even though I could save a few more people, in the end, I couldn't protect the closest thing to a home I had. Even though we came close to helping people actually start to have dreams of their own, even after all of that...

[ Her voice tightens. ]

I just got caught up in one thing after another. Lost myself a few times. Dealt with a betrayal. Had to agree to a compromise just so we could even stand a chance of bringing the Light to the City properly.

Even here, I'm still fighting under someone else's orders.

[ Siffrin opens their eye as she talks, watches her from the ground.

From what he's learned about her, that sounds right. She doesn't like to be called nice or kind. But she does things that would inspire others to call her that, and even now... that dream is a kind one, is a hope that they're certain persons of their family members share. To make sure nothing like what's happening in Vaugarde will ever happen again. To make sure that no one sees the stilled bodies of their roommate, of their fellow students, frozen and trapped in time. To make sure that no sisters have to call out for their little siblings to run, run, run, to make sure no one finds a kid crying on the road.

(You think it's a wonderful dream.

You understand it too, not wanting anyone else to go through what you are, what you have. That's why you won't tell your family members. It's fine, if it's just you.)

Even here, she's still fighting under someone else's orders.

(...

But you do understand more than just that. About not being able to protect the closest thing to a "home" that you have, even though you promised, promised, promised them that you would never, ever, let something hurt them again.

Because they're important to you. Because they're your family member.

And then you failed.

You stupid, gullible idiot.

There's no space to say that, though. Not right now. But it strikes with you anyway, and you inhale softly, chest hurting.) ]

But you still want your dream to be a reality.

[ It's more of a cautious, careful inquiry than it is a statement, even posed as such. ]

Even if you're fighting because someone else is telling you to, you'd do it anyway. Because you're...

[ ... Not kind, not nice. Those words aren't ones she wants to hear.

(You don't know the right words. But you didn't the first time, either.) ]

Because you're you.

[ It's not a statement, she can tell that much. There's a tentative lilt to it, as though Siffrin is aware it's a delicate subject, an assumption that she might flare up at. Which isn't wrong. She doesn't like people thinking they know her. It's what she told Callisto; skewing her words, making assumptions about her without knowing much... she can't stand things like that.

But if the statement is true, despite how much she doesn't like to admit it...

Gebura's exhale stirs her bangs lightly.

Because she's herself, huh. Not Kali, the Red Mist. Not the machine who controlled the Disciplinary team. A mix of both, with some parts discarded and some parts preserved, and above all else, the desire to protect that still burns fiercely within her. ]

As long as I can call myself alive, I don't want to give that dream up. The me that's here right now can decide that much for herself.

But I also don't want to act like what I did wasn't anything. So watch yourself around me, got it? If I act like a threat to you, treat me like one.

Edited 2024-07-16 14:52 (UTC)

[ She mentioned something similar enough at the beach, too. The second one. They remember. ]

Okay. I can do that much, as someone with good reflexes.

[ Siffrin won't be caught by surprise if Gebura starts acting odd towards him. Still, ]

Will you accept "cool"?

... "Cool"? What, as a descriptor?

[ Why-- ]

Why?

[ She just said she killed a bunch of people?? ]

"As long as I can call myself alive, I don't want to give that dream up."

[ A soft recitation, eye closing again. ]

I think that's cool.

[ That's all. She says things in a cool way, and she means them. That's punk. ]

[ That is punk.

Haaaaa. ]

If you have to call me anything, sure.

Nice and cool, like ice cream.

[ Mm. Ice cream. ]

Have a favorite flavor?

[ Back to talking about absolutely nothing, it seems. ]

[ This is just in track with the Library. Sometimes Roland had some serious thing to talk about and sometimes it was threatening Chesed over provoking her for her expressions. ]

I haven't had enough to have a favorite flavor. Sounds like you might have one, though.

▶ 001. A JOB WELL DONE.

▶ 002. TRADITIONAL TANABATA.

▶ 003. DR. RATIO'S RENOVATIONS.

▶ 004. MONSOON SEASON.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

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