The decision has been made. LILITH Japan orders the Outsiders to mobilize to pursue the Imugi.
Given that they are in a foreign country, they are largely dependent on LILITH Koreaโs resources. In response to the decision, the Korean branch provides some assistance: the Outsiders are given just enough vehicles to help transport them, essential supplies, and only a few operatives to help guide them. This is the most the Korean branch is able to give, as they must focus on relocating people and restoring peace following the attack.
LILITH announces that the Imugi is currently resting near Gangneung on the east coast and they must move quickly. The effects of Rift poisoning will grow stronger as they approach the source; a sign that they are close to a kaiju. Upon reaching the mountains just outside the city, LILITH informs them that they are right on top of its location.
However, there is no Imugi to be found. After searching the area, Outsiders will discover the source of the trace and the poisoning: eggs. They will find about twelve eggs. When they report their findings, Seokdang will curse. In their rush, they had followed the wrong trace. They didnโt track down an injured and resting Imugi—they tracked down the Imugiโs nest. So where is the Imugi?
Not long after, Outsiders will receive an update on their implants: the Imugi reappeared in Seoul. After seeing the corpse of its mate, it went berserk and attacked the city again. While many of the citizens were evacuated to nearby Incheon and remaining shelters, just as many perished, with the death toll at 168,000 and rising. LILITHโs Korean base is destroyed.
The Imugi was last seen flying north, but the Korean government prohibits the Outsiders from pursuing it again through their territory. By choosing to pursue the kaiju, the Outsiders have abandoned humanity and thus will receive no further support. They are ordered to leave the country immediately.
LILITH Japan will order them to collect as many eggs as possible and continue to the abandoned city of Gangneung, where they will arrange pick up and return to base in Tokyo.
โถ AFTERWORD.
Thanks everyone for participating in our first major Event Decision! We hope you had fun discussing what to do both ICly and OOCly.
After failing to capture the second Imugi and also failing to save a large portion of Seoul's population, characters will be shipped back to Japan. The events of the TDM will springboard from there. Feel free to use this post to thread out any aftermath threads if you would like.
All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards August AC.
[ Not a god any more... She's right. As a Servant, her divinity had been limited, but here? It's all but gone. Then what does that makes her? Human? Ah. That sounds like a bad joke. She always wondered what life as a human would be, and that's what she is as one?
Humans are capable of miracle. She's only been capable of failure. She lowers her hands, but does not look at Lucy yet. ]
You are Ereshkigal. A girl with long, gold hair, mysterious powers, and compassion for all life. [ She says it so plainly, matter-of-fact. It's the truth as far as she knows or cares. ] That's why it hurts so much to see something like this. Because your heart aches for others.
[ In reality, she's a little envious. Or, more than a little. Very envious. Ereshkigal isn't too far off from the version of herself she wonders about, had things been different in her own world.
She glances over at her and reaches out, but her hand hesitates in the air. Debating. Deciding. Then finally she places it on the goddess' shoulder as featherlight as possible, expecting her to shatter into a thousand tiny porcelain pieces. ]
Tearing yourself open over something beyond your powers to change...you're not allowing yourself any compassion.
[ That... That's such a spontaneous and heartfelt answer, she's taken aback. Lucy is such a kind and gentle soul. People have used all sorts of words to describe her. Humans who only knew her for the role she fulfills, gods who only guessed through hearsay what she could be like. And rarely were any of the descriptions flattering. So to hear that string of words...
Her name. A mere girl who just so happens to have powers in this world. Kind words painting a description of her devoid of any malice, a description that speaks of who she is, and not what she is. They've only talked a few times, and yet it sounds as though Lucy knows exactly the right words. ]
I...
[ S-She hadn't been crying, but now she is! Oh no no, it's so embarrassing! She knows herself, it's a big one. She won't be able to swallow her tears and force a smile. Normally it's not a problem, she's all alone down there. But here? ]
I-I'm sorry, I am st-still getting used to controlling my emotions in public. P-Please pretend you're not seeing anything...
[ Startled, her hand lifts up off her shoulder. Cripes, she did it now, didn't she? Or...that's what she thinks until she gets a better look at Ereshkigal's face and those wobbling words tumbling out of her mouth.
Relief giving way to concern. Mere seconds. She pulls in her lips, thinking, before nodding slowly. ]
It's better to cry. Keeping all of it in...it's just poisoning yourself. [ Her hand trails up to rest on the back of Ereshkigal's head. Shakily, her fingers stroke along golden strands. ] If anyone says anything, I'll yell at them. They should know to look away when someone's crying. It's basic courtesy.
[ There is no helping it. Maybe she could have managed to hold it all for a few more minutes, but with those words of hers? The floodgates are open. She's not shed a tear ever since that disaster happened, she knew it was coming. She just hadn't imagined that... That there would be someone with her when it happens.
Breaking out in tears? A common occurrence, she's lost count of how many times it's happened in the course of her existence. But someone holding her and comforting her? It's never happened before. Why is she so kind? Can't she see she failed humanity? She is too kind and pure of a soul. Someone like her doesn't deserve to be comforted by her, surely.
She tries really really hard to bring it all under control, but... T-That's useless, isn't it? So she rests her head on Lucy's shoulders and keeps crying. She feels like she should say "thank you" or apologize once more, but...
[ Comforting others isn't ordinarily one of her strongest points. She can only call things as she sees it, be honest, and try to be tactful with her blunt words. Still, she figures there don't need to be words this time. Ereshkigal needs to cry and she'll let her cry without commentary.
The most sound out of her is a soft hum as she continues to stroke her hair. Whatever god she was before, she doesn't care. There's a crying girl in need of a shoulder, and hers is bare enough for leaning on. How could she turn her away when she wished for this very same gesture oh so many times before?
Her eyes do stay closed, however, even as she tilts her head toward her. It's the easiest way to block off the sympathy tears Ereshkigal's crying brings out of her. ]
[ It takes a good five minutes until she finally starts calming down. Ereshkigal would absolutely object to the notion comforting people isn't one of Lucy's strong point. Just silently being with her, holding her while she cries? T-That's so much. ]
T-Thank you...
[ Some goddess of death she makes... But she's right. There are no deities here. In a strange way, this world is not so different from her Underworld. No matter what one used to be in their world, here? They are all equal. Only who they are and not what they were matters here.
She pulls back from her shoulder, eyes still cast downward. ]
I... I've often dreamed of people seeing more than just the goddess in me. [She smiles a bit sadly. It's bittersweet, isn't it? Lucy has granted her wish. But-] If only it hadn't come at the cost of such destruction...
[ Relief washes over her as the blonde's crying steadily wanes. Even as she sits upright, she only takes her hand away once Eresh speaks up again and slowly returns it to her lap. ]
Imugi killed so many, but we killed her mate and now have her eggs. One dragon is a threat, but the destruction of fourteen of them would be catastrophic.
[ She says that, but she still sighs. She can't be fully happy with the results even if it'll be better in the long run. ]
We prevented this happening to so many more cities than just Seoul, for now. So now, we have to keep moving forward. [ a pause ] We can't avenge them right now, but someday...
[ She understands the argument Lucy is trying to make, but... They would have been mere babies. They could have tracked them down before they can grow, surely. But maybe trying to look at this under this perspective makes things less painful. Yes, something bad happened, but perhaps it could have been worse.
She's not the only person suffering here. Lucy is, too. And she needs to hold onto something to handle the situation, right? ]
... You're right.
[ She doesn't believe it. But she doesn't want Lucy to feel worse about this, and a gentle lie is preferable to saying a cruel truth right now. I-It must be the first time in an eternity she has actually said a lie. She will sometimes lie about herself, by saying she is okay when she's not, but that feels different. ]
Though... Do not see it as vengeance. [A pause.] But protection. Of those we can yet save.
[ She wants to be gentle, but the laugh she chortles out is skeptical regardless. Vengeance, protection, what's the difference? As far as she can see it, the only difference is who it's protecting. The former is for one's own pride and the latter is for others besides oneself. ]
Hate to break it to you, but I don't really have an altruistic bone in my body. Not for humans, anyway. Protecting the whole of humanity is secondary to what I want. Hell...maybe even third in line.
[ And yet, their failure stings the longer she looks at Seoul or remembers the charred corpses. ]
[ Somehow, she doesn't believe what Lucy just said when she claims not to have an altruistic bone in her body. She wouldn't be here trying to comfort an old and tired goddess if so, would she? At least she corrects herself by mentioning this is as far as humans are concerned.
This reminds her a bit of what Set told her... ]
... What are the first and second things?
[ If she doesn't want to answer, it's fine. She's just... curious. ]
[ Confessing her wants is mortifying. She's only done it a couple of times, but each time doesn't sting any less than the last. Revealing to someone else that she's a human being with wants and needs and feelings is revealing it to herself too, and it's always a dreadful experience. ]
[ The way Lucy had talked, she'd expected... Something strange, something unexpected. But those two things? ]
These are good things to want. [She smiles. Life is precious, you should want to conserve it. Or to be given one, if you haven't lived so far and only survived. And a place where you can live...
... She really can relate to both of those, heh.] You deserve them. And I think many people here would agree.
[ Ever the pessimist, she wants to doubt Ereshkigal. Even if only a little. "Many people," huh? She doubts she has that good a standing with many of the Outsiders. Maybe just a handful, and even then...
But her words are kind. She can't be a sourpuss back at her when she's trying to cheer her up. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
synfluxmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synflux2024-08-22 04:03 am
no subject
[ Not a god any more... She's right. As a Servant, her divinity had been limited, but here? It's all but gone. Then what does that makes her? Human? Ah. That sounds like a bad joke. She always wondered what life as a human would be, and that's what she is as one?
Humans are capable of miracle. She's only been capable of failure. She lowers her hands, but does not look at Lucy yet. ]
Then what am I?
no subject
[ In reality, she's a little envious. Or, more than a little. Very envious. Ereshkigal isn't too far off from the version of herself she wonders about, had things been different in her own world.
She glances over at her and reaches out, but her hand hesitates in the air. Debating. Deciding. Then finally she places it on the goddess' shoulder as featherlight as possible, expecting her to shatter into a thousand tiny porcelain pieces. ]
Tearing yourself open over something beyond your powers to change...you're not allowing yourself any compassion.
no subject
Her name. A mere girl who just so happens to have powers in this world. Kind words painting a description of her devoid of any malice, a description that speaks of who she is, and not what she is. They've only talked a few times, and yet it sounds as though Lucy knows exactly the right words. ]
I...
[ S-She hadn't been crying, but now she is! Oh no no, it's so embarrassing! She knows herself, it's a big one. She won't be able to swallow her tears and force a smile. Normally it's not a problem, she's all alone down there. But here? ]
I-I'm sorry, I am st-still getting used to controlling my emotions in public. P-Please pretend you're not seeing anything...
no subject
Relief giving way to concern. Mere seconds. She pulls in her lips, thinking, before nodding slowly. ]
It's better to cry. Keeping all of it in...it's just poisoning yourself. [ Her hand trails up to rest on the back of Ereshkigal's head. Shakily, her fingers stroke along golden strands. ] If anyone says anything, I'll yell at them. They should know to look away when someone's crying. It's basic courtesy.
no subject
Breaking out in tears? A common occurrence, she's lost count of how many times it's happened in the course of her existence. But someone holding her and comforting her? It's never happened before. Why is she so kind? Can't she see she failed humanity? She is too kind and pure of a soul. Someone like her doesn't deserve to be comforted by her, surely.
She tries really really hard to bring it all under control, but... T-That's useless, isn't it? So she rests her head on Lucy's shoulders and keeps crying. She feels like she should say "thank you" or apologize once more, but...
Words just won't escape her lips. ]
no subject
The most sound out of her is a soft hum as she continues to stroke her hair. Whatever god she was before, she doesn't care. There's a crying girl in need of a shoulder, and hers is bare enough for leaning on. How could she turn her away when she wished for this very same gesture oh so many times before?
Her eyes do stay closed, however, even as she tilts her head toward her. It's the easiest way to block off the sympathy tears Ereshkigal's crying brings out of her. ]
no subject
T-Thank you...
[ Some goddess of death she makes... But she's right. There are no deities here. In a strange way, this world is not so different from her Underworld. No matter what one used to be in their world, here? They are all equal. Only who they are and not what they were matters here.
She pulls back from her shoulder, eyes still cast downward. ]
I... I've often dreamed of people seeing more than just the goddess in me. [She smiles a bit sadly. It's bittersweet, isn't it? Lucy has granted her wish. But-] If only it hadn't come at the cost of such destruction...
no subject
Imugi killed so many, but we killed her mate and now have her eggs. One dragon is a threat, but the destruction of fourteen of them would be catastrophic.
[ She says that, but she still sighs. She can't be fully happy with the results even if it'll be better in the long run. ]
We prevented this happening to so many more cities than just Seoul, for now. So now, we have to keep moving forward. [ a pause ] We can't avenge them right now, but someday...
no subject
She's not the only person suffering here. Lucy is, too. And she needs to hold onto something to handle the situation, right? ]
... You're right.
[ She doesn't believe it. But she doesn't want Lucy to feel worse about this, and a gentle lie is preferable to saying a cruel truth right now. I-It must be the first time in an eternity she has actually said a lie. She will sometimes lie about herself, by saying she is okay when she's not, but that feels different. ]
Though... Do not see it as vengeance. [A pause.] But protection. Of those we can yet save.
no subject
Hate to break it to you, but I don't really have an altruistic bone in my body. Not for humans, anyway. Protecting the whole of humanity is secondary to what I want. Hell...maybe even third in line.
[ And yet, their failure stings the longer she looks at Seoul or remembers the charred corpses. ]
no subject
This reminds her a bit of what Set told her... ]
... What are the first and second things?
[ If she doesn't want to answer, it's fine. She's just... curious. ]
no subject
To live. And to have a place where I can do it.
no subject
These are good things to want. [She smiles. Life is precious, you should want to conserve it. Or to be given one, if you haven't lived so far and only survived. And a place where you can live...
... She really can relate to both of those, heh.] You deserve them. And I think many people here would agree.
no subject
But her words are kind. She can't be a sourpuss back at her when she's trying to cheer her up. ]
Thank you.