Update

[synfluxmods]

▷ DECISION UPDATE

▶ OUTCOME: BURNING BRIDGES

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 Korea’s 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 didn’t track down an injured and resting Imugi—they tracked down the Imugi’s 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. LILITH’s 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.

▶ 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.

code

Comments

[30storieshigh]

This is good. It would be unwise for them to do so. My patience with LILITH's humans is currently very thin 😤.
I shall see you soon, Friend Kaede 👋.

text -> action

[saudadist]

[ There's something oddly hilarious about a giant lizard coming to a shooting range. She's curious to see if he tries to use one.

By the time he gets there, she's already fired off a few rounds using her desert eagles. They pack a hell of a punch given their magazine size, but she's resolved to master them regardless. Better still that she can feel her vectors returning, albeit a bit...well, "wobbly" and imperfect. She can't fully control them yet, but once she does, she'll have an even better handle on the recoil. She's certain. ]

[30storieshigh]

[ As hilarious and as much as he'd rather he be a giant lizard, Godzilla of course shows up with his cloaking device on. That's not to say he doesn't look ridiculous though, he's taken the safety instructions almost as if they were word of law. Large ear protectors, tinted shooting glasses, the only reason he's not wearing gloves is because he hates how they feel.

When it's clear she's not about to fire any more rounds he makes his approach, raising a hand in greeting as he joins her at her lane. ]

Greetings, friend. You have been making many eyes at the auroch so far? [ Bullseyes. ]

[saudadist]

[ Someday, she will understand all of his malapropisms. But that day is not today. Especially not when she's still got the ear protectors on and only lifts one off of her ear when she hears his garbled talk. ]

Huh?

[30storieshigh]

Ah. The sound lesseners, apologies. [ Well that name's somewhat close at least. ] I inquired to the success of your practice. It is going well?

[saudadist]

Oh.

[ With her initial confusion over, she actually smiles a little bit as she pulls the earmuffs down around her neck. Careful not to brush them against her horns, that is, as they're still sensitive even after all the healing.

Lucy points to the desert eagle in her hand and ejects the empty magazine with her finger, letting it fall into her palm. ]

It's got a hell of a kick to it, but that's because of the size of the bullet.

[ She reaches over to the box of bullet she has on the table and holds one up. ]

It needs a lot of force to shoot something this big, so it's really powerful. You have to be careful with your hand positioning and be ready for it.

[30storieshigh]

[ He listens intently as she explains it, eyeing the bullet curiously. Not really asking permission, because he's Godzilla, he takes a bullet from the box and proceeds to sniff the damn thing. Which apparently tells him something because he's nodding as he places it back. ]

Sulfur, the sour crystals from the southern waters mixed. Four hundred... grains, I believe is the measurement? Humans certainly do not half do things, it is an impressive projectile.

[saudadist]

You think that's impressive, look at this.

[ She holsters the Eagle and sets it aside in favor of taking out her other big toy: a Triple Action Thunder, looking like the ray guns they used to put in old comic books. She opens the back end of it before reaching for another box and taking out a bullet. This one is enormous, big enough to take up nearly all of her palm. ]

This one is the Thunder. It's got a recoil suppressor in it, but with how big the bullet is, it still has a hell of a kick.

[30storieshigh]

I see.

[ Once more Mr. Grabby Claws takes another bullet from the same box as her, sniffs it... and proceeds to put it in his mouth. Before Lucy can stop him he turns to face down range and bites down, crushing the primer, igniting the powder, bang.

He has to take a step back from the recoil but doesn't end up on his ass or with a broken neck. After a moment he drops the spent casing into his palm, nodding with approval as he looks back to Lucy. ]

You are very correct. There is a lop of walls packed with in. [ Packs a wallop. ]

[saudadist]

[ They're extremely lucky this is a range safe for LILITH personnel because like...? REALLY? ]

WHAT THE HELL?! I had to pay for these!

[ Yeah because that's the problem and not the fact that he BIT IT AND FIRED IT? WITH HIS MOUTH?? ]

[30storieshigh]

[ Wow he's heard her yell but never at him before! Guess he still has a lot to learn about acceptable human behavior. At least he has the good sense to scratch the side of his head sheepishly. ]

Ah, I seem to have committed to the antagonist's paw. [ Faux pas. ] My apologies, I shall reimburse you the cost.

[saudadist]

I didn't even know you could do that.

[ Just gonna...grind her palm into her forehead. She shouldn't have yelled. ]

At least ask before you do that. You scared me.

[30storieshigh]

Truthfully? I was not aware I could either. It was a guess.

[ Wow everything he says makes it worse. At least he's kind enough to give Lucy a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ]

I shall refrain from frightening you in the future, Friend Kaede, you have my promise.

[saudadist]

[ She's quiet for a moment longer. Awkward, especially with that pat. She pulls herself together quickly enough to shake her head and hold the empty Thunder toward him, barrel pointed downward. ]

Did you want to fire it properly?

[30storieshigh]

[ He looks down at the empty weapon for a moment, then back at her, after a beat holding out his hand to accept it from her. ]

If you are willing to instruct me in its usage.

[saudadist]

[ Lucy chuckles softly in the back of her throat. ]

Wouldn't have invited you if I didn't plan on it.

[ She holds the gun closer to him, speaking as she maneuvers her hand, so he can grasp the handle. ]

First thing: don't point it at anything or anyone you're not prepared to shoot. Keep it pointed at the ground. Make it a habit, even if it's empty. Likewise, keep your finger away from the trigger until you're ready to shoot.

[30storieshigh]

[ You can say a lot about Godzilla. Idioms and slang escape him, his ego's bigger than his head, he snores, but you can't say he doesn't pay attention. When he asks someone to teach him anything they say he commits to memory.

He carefully takes the weapon from Lucy, bouncing it lightly in his grip, finger well away from the trigger. ]

Hmm. The weight is surprising for such a compact device, pleasantly so. [ Makes sense. He's a big guy, a big gun's going to feel comfortable in his hand. He examines the back closely, idly sliding back the cover to the chamber. This makes him raise an eyebrow. ] The projectile enters through the rear? This is not typical.

[ Give him some credit he's seen at least one tv show or movie by now. ]

[saudadist]

Yeah, usually there's a magazine so you can fire a lot one after another. But this one can't. The bullet is too big to fit in a magazine like that, so you load it in the back.

[ She holds the bullet in her hand out to him. ]

Once you've loaded it, aim at the target. Put on the earmuffs first though. And before you fire, hold the handle with both hands. This gun has a recoil suppressor in it, but it's always good to hold these with two hands instead of one.

[30storieshigh]

[ With a nod he pulls up his earmuffs and takes the bullet from her, then faces the line fully. Carefully he loads it into the opened chamber, closes it, and takes up a firing stance. It's not Great. His feet aren't spaced out wide enough for stabilization, his back is a little slouched as he peers behind the weapon to line up the shot, but at least he has both hands on the gun. Then he pulls the trigger and...

Nothing. Pull. Nothing. Pull. A tilt of his head as he leans to look at the side of the weapon. ]

Ah.

[ And after flipping the safety he's still in that exact same Off positioning with his head tilted to the side as he fires the gun. The Thunder roars, the bullet goes flying, and the gun stays... completely fucking still. Pointed straight a head as if it didn't just shoot a .50 caliber bullet down range. Godzilla's legs and shoulders tensed after firing but that's really the only sign his body gives that a recoil happened at all.

He manages to hit the target too! On the outer edges of it but it's still a scoring shot. Some bit of common sense is in him too because before anything else he pulls back the chamber on the gun, ensures it's empty, and carefully sets the weapon down on the lane's table before lowering his muffs. ]

You are correct. Even with this "suppressor" it indeed is kicking like a hoofed pack beast. I am impressed you handle such weapons, it seems excessive for one your size.

[saudadist]

[ There's a small smile on her face as he realizes he left the safety on. It's a smile that instantly vanishes from her face as she watches him completely no-sell the recoil. Sure, the gun has a suppressor, but surely there should've been more impact? Something to make him wobble a little??

But then, she remembers his true form and it all makes sense. Of course he has enough mass to withstand such a blow. ]

That's why I'm practicing so much.

[ She glances out to see where he hit the target, and she whistles at the hit. It's not perfect, but it's a hit regardless. His next one will probably be dead center now that he knows what to expect, she thinks. ]

My vectors are back now, so I can use them to absorb some of the recoil. I'll use them less and less as I get used to the kickback. [ A glance his way ] Think you can aim closer to the center now that you know what kind of kick it'll give?

[30storieshigh]

[ He listens attentively to her while he ensures the weapon is cleared. Opens the chamber, tilts it, grabs the still hot casing as it falls without a care in the world, carefully sets it on the bench of the firing lane. One must never litter. ]

Good. Perfection is unlocked by practice.

[ He loads another round, takes aim at the target. A question coming to him before he pulls the trigger. ]

Vectors? These are the Hands you spoke of? Firing.

[ And same song and dance. Bang, he barely moves, the bullet goes zipping, it hits the target. And Godzilla frowns. ]

Ah. I have missed the center. I must work at this.

[ But he has nailed the body silhouette right square in the groin. Dead center of it. That fake individual would be having a really bad time. ]

[saudadist]

[ She barely has time to answer with a "yes" regarding her vectors before he fires and her voice drowns out from the sound. She peeks at the target and feels her jaw go slack. ]

No, I uh...I think that would definitely take your target out if that were a living thing.

[ It doesn't matter who it is, an attack at the groin would be shocking at best and at worst...well, catastrophic. ]

You wouldn't have to worry about them standing up for a uh...long, long time.

[30storieshigh]

[ Despite the devastating hit Godzilla still seems troubled by his accuracy, frowning as he removes the spent casing and loads another bullet. ]

Indeed, though this is not the task. One is meant to hit the center of the target, the auroch's eye as I understand it.

[ He raises the weapon, pulls the trigger, and... dead center the bullet goes. Through the silhouette's head, between where the eyes would be. ]

Hmm. I seem to lack aptitude for this.

[saudadist]

[ Again she looks up at him in bewilderment. ]

Are you kidding? That shot would've torn a real person's head right off their shoulders...

[30storieshigh]

[ Once more the chamber is unloaded, though this time he leaves it cleared and sets it down on the table. Turning to return Lucy's look he scratches a spot behind his ear, the side with his implant. ]

A kill to be sure, though that is not the task given. One is meant to strike a target's center during practice, are they not?