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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.
photosympathies: (xlix.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-21 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Are you guys friends?

( He's nosy, he knows it. But it's fascinating to him, this new world with these new people and their interconnecting relationships. He wants to know more. He also wants to be distracted from all of his thoughts, so.

Two birds, one stone.
)
lifeprice: (pic#16920278)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-22 11:58 am (UTC)(link)
We're family.

[ It makes him feel warm, even now, saying it - that he and Denji are family, because they are. They share a name, don't they? Denji took it, so...

Smiling, a little fond, he nods. ]


I hope he wasn't too much trouble.
photosympathies: (xliv.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-22 12:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh!

( Vash softens a little at that, the same way he does any time someone mentions family. He immediately understands the smile, and it warms him up to Aki instantly, taking another step closer so he can lean against the nearest wall and not lurk like a weirdo. )

No! He was great, real fun guy to talk to, actually. A lot of people here are. Also he promised not to arrest me even after I told a whole bunch of people I was a prostitute, so.

( A beat, and then panicked. )

I'm not! It was a misunderstanding.
lifeprice: (pic#16920244)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-22 12:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well. Aki tilts his head, watching the other man for a moment, not sure what he ought to say about the sudden shift in him. He's still not that used to all the strangers, considering how small his world of friends was back home, but he's adjusting. Slowly. ]

...

[ The look on his face says it all, before Aki shakes his head and breathes out. ]

I don't need to know the context. Thanks.
photosympathies: (xcii.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-22 01:14 pm (UTC)(link)
( He makes a little erk of sound, embarrassed. It's not that he thinks there's anything wrong with being a prostitute either! He just wouldn't be very good at it.

But wisely Vash lets it slide, looking Aki's way again.
)

So have you been with LILITH long?
lifeprice: (pic#16920253)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-22 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's just an awkward topic of conversation, so he's happy to leave that side for now, thanks.

It's much easier to focus on the pleasantries of meeting someone new. ]


Over six months, now. Some people have been here longer than me.
photosympathies: (xxiv.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-22 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Six months is still a pretty long time. Is that how it is regularly?

( He keeps his tone open and even, still friendly, only mildly curious. It is something he's been wondering - just how long will he be here for? Nothing will chang back home, he doesn't think. Nothing can with Vash here. But the way he left things -.

Best not to think about it.
)
lifeprice: (pic#16920236)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-22 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
I've seen people stay here as long as me, and some people come and go in a month.

[ There's no real way that he can explain it - it's not as if he understands LILITH or anything like that. ]

They've said there are 'glitches', at times, where people appear and disappear quickly.
photosympathies: (xliv.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-24 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Huh. That's interesting. I wonder how they do it, I wonder how they power it.

( He doesn't sense any of his sisters here, a fact that should set him at ease - they're not here, abused as a source of power - but truthfully just makes him feel tired and alone. A part of Vash knows he should also be asking more questions, investigating what happened here, but any time he tries his thoughts skitter away like a spooked horse.

He'll be fine, he'll get better. For now he plasters another smile on his face.
) Do you like it here? I know there are Kaiju! And apparently terrible weather. But are the people nice?
lifeprice: (pic#16920221)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-24 12:25 pm (UTC)(link)
The technology here is advanced, so it might be something like that. I'm not sure they'd give a real answer if anyone asked.

[ Aki doesn't want to think too much about it either, if only because he's a little concerned that poking and prodding might get him into trouble, and he doesn't really want that. ]

The people are fine, and during downtime it's peaceful. You can do almost anything you want.
photosympathies: (xcvi.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-24 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
( Vash nods attentively, thoughtful. But unfortunately he's a curious soul, always trying to get to know people more. Aki's the latest victim. )

What's your favourite way of using your downtime?
lifeprice: (pic#16452035)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-24 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I cook.

[ An easy response to offer, and Aki almost smiles a little wider. ]

I like to make lunches for myself and Denji.
photosympathies: (xxvi.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-24 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Neat! I can kind of work a stove but it's never really been something I've done a lot of, you know? But lunches! That's cool. Do you use those cute little boxes I saw one of the stores selling? With the compartments and the smiley faces on the lids?

( He wants a cute bento box. But what to put in it. Donuts? )

What's your favourite meal to make?
lifeprice: (pic#16920228)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-24 03:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Sometimes. I think Denji might like them, but other times if he's working I'll use a plain one.

[ If he was making one for Tsurumaru he would definitely use the cute boxes. ]

Traditional Japanese meals. Rice balls, omurice, things like that.
photosympathies: (xxxviii.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-24 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, nice! I've seen a few restaurants around with stuff like that. It all looks so good! You don't get a lot of rice where I'm from.

( Or a lot of anything, really. )

Maybe I should learn something like that while I'm here.
lifeprice: (pic#16920230)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-07-24 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
It's one of the most common ingredients where I'm from. It's versatile.

[ Some people might find it boring, but he doesn't. ]

I'm sure there are people that wouldn't mind teaching you.
photosympathies: (xciv.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-07-27 12:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Like pizza.

( Vash, no. )

Maybe I'll try to learn, I guess we do have a lot of downtime. I'm not really used to that.
lifeprice: (pic#16356566)

[personal profile] lifeprice 2024-08-01 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
There’ll be plenty of people that will be willing to teach you.

[ Aki nods his head, smiling softly. ]

Be careful. The kitchen likes to serve kaiju.
photosympathies: (cxi.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2024-08-02 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, that's okay. I've eaten worm before. It was pretty good?

( A thoughtful hum as Vash scratches aimlessly at his cheek. )

And besides, at least it's not wasting something, right? People have to eat.