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.

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Comments

[gundemn]

no
i used it before because i didn't have a choice
then i got pulled here and they stuck me with it

[saudadist]

then
what do you want to be called?

if that's not your name, I don't want to use it

[gundemn]

i don't have a name
none that i can remember anyway

[saudadist]

then make one
one that's yours and yours alone

[gundemn]

it doesn't matter
it's not like they'll let me change my handle and i wouldn't want it in their system

[ They would just own him under a new name. ]

[saudadist]

it matters to me
I want to call you by YOUR name

[gundemn]

well sorry to say i don't have one!



ugh
now i'm the one worked up

[saudadist]

no, it's okay
I'm sorry
I didn't mean to upset you

[gundemn]

it's fine
i'm not upset

you can call me what you did before
i didn't dislike it

[ Usually he has better control over his emotions. Why did he let it get to him? Because the past week has been hellish? Because she cared to know him? ]

[saudadist]

[ She relaxes a little. She hadn't thought much about the nickname since she came up with it on a whim, but it's...nice, to know he doesn't hate it. ]

okay, El
I'll just use that

[gundemn]

[ While he recalibrates himself, he looks through the stickers on the app and sends her a smiling one akin to ☺️ ]

anyway
you wanted to blow off steam right

[saudadist]

[ She wonders if that sticker is actually how he feels, but she lets it go. He seems frazzled enough. ]

yep
turns out shooting targets is a good way to do that

and I'm guessing you have a lot of steam to blow

[gundemn]

hah yeah alright
i'll join you
but let me pick the spot

[saudadist]

oh?
that's fine
just send me the location when you're ready

[gundemn]

the trains don't run there
it's faster if i pick you up!
and pack light we're going by motorcycle

[ It's a good thing she can't see his expression because he's conflicted as he hits send. She doesn't need her arsenal of weapons because he doesn't plan to take her to a gun range at all. Considering all the shooting they did this month, he disagrees that more shooting is the way to blow off steam and had messaged her with every intention to mislead her, but then their conversation had gotten sidetracked into names and now he's feeling weirdly perceived and self-conscious about pulling off this deception. ]

[saudadist]

[ Motorcycle? Since when does he have one of those, she wonders? That's not what tilts her head though. No, she's wondering what to bring if she's supposed to "pack light." Maybe just one of the Eagles...? ]

okay
should I bring water or something?

[gundemn]

and a snack!
let me know where to meet you

[ He will toss some stuff into his backpack that look suspiciously unrelated to firearms and head out. ]

[saudadist]

outside of wherever you keep your bike I guess

[ She's already dressed and ready to go, but only because she's been dressed in a long T-shirt and shorts this whole time. Not difficult at all to throw on some running shoes and grab a hat on her way out. Though, she stuff the hat into her duffel bag along with water, some actually decent granola bars...and one of the Eagles. She has to. Just for shits and giggles. And maybe because she wants to show it off. Maybe. ]

[gundemn]

[ Elan sends her the location to one of LILITH's lots at base where his motorcycle is parked. By the time she arrives, he's committed to the bit and greets her with an innocent smile. Sorry about your shooting plans Lucy... ]

The weather's not bad for a ride! A bit muggy but I'll take it over acid rain on the forecast.

[ He wears a motorcycle helmet and sunglasses, and he passes her a second helmet as he settles into the seat. ]

Grab on to me.

[saudadist]

[ No sign of any guns on him. Hrm. Perhaps she should've left hers in her room. Maybe, maybe not. No sense worrying about it now. How much trouble could they get in on just a ride around?

She wonders if she's baiting trouble with such a thought.

Lucy takes the helmet with a soft "yeah" and slowly slides it on over her head. The inside scrapes a little against her horns, but briefly. Not enough to be uncomfortable for an extended period, thankfully. And once it's secured, she climbs on behind Elan.

She hesitates to actually grab onto him. This is close...too close. It's just because of safety but still, she takes a moment longer to prepare herself mentally before her arms finally slide around his waist. Her face burns more than she'd like as she sinks against his back. ]

Ready.

[gundemn]

Relax and let's go!

[ Don't worry, he has a license which he obtained a while back to ride his motorcycle around Tokyo (and maybe someday, even farther away). This is his first time carrying someone though, and he's in a good mood, grinning ear to ear as he pulls back the throttle.

They weave through traffic for a while before turning onto an old road leaving Tokyo. The city streets give way to overgrown paths and if she's asking any questions, he's deflecting them with vague answers. It's a surprise, you see, and so on.

Eventually, Elan pulls to a stop in an old lot. Cicadas buzz in the distance. A ferris wheel peeks out from behind the trees. They're at the abandoned theme park. Come to think of it, it had been Nyuu who'd come last time and not Kaede. He parks the bike and pulls off his helmet. ]

We've been gone a whole month. Good to see the kaiju haven't trampled the place.

[saudadist]

[ She's not one to get motion sickness, thankfully for the two of them, but her stomach still lurches as they speed off. Lucy gradually forgets the initial awkwardness of holding on in favor of just watching the city go by. Blurs of lights, cars, people, signs; all pass by as if they're just illusions. It would almost enough to put her to sleep if not for the sudden turns or the natural jostling of riding a bike over uneven pavement.

She perks up as the ferris wheel comes into view. This park looks familiar even after all this time, and she's likewise surprised to see it still standing. She stays on the bike as she lifts the helmet off her head, but her gaze stays on the park with visible curiosity. ]

This place is...this is from months ago, isn't it?

[gundemn]

Yeah. It's out of power, sorry to disappoint, but I still come out here to get fresh air.

[ It's sorta his getaway, since base feels like a cage, and the city can be too noisy and crowded. Elan dismounts and stretches his arms over his head. His secret plan is really to just touch grass, chill out, and when they have no steam left to blow, then they can take to the gun range with a cool head. Though obviously he wouldn't mind whiling the whole day away with her... ]

Come on, I'll show you around.

[saudadist]

It's fine. I don't think I could handle a rollercoaster right now anyway.

[ She shrugs with a smarmy little smirk on her face. She hops off the bike and sets the helmet on top of it before turning to fully face the park. ]

Still pretty cool you set up your own base in a place like this.

[gundemn]

[ Secret base...yeah. That describes what this place has become to him, and Kaede is the first one he's shared it with. The rides are defunct now, so there's no way to find out, but he wonders if she's scared of rollercoasters like Nyuu. That would be surprisingly cute.

Leading her further in, they come to a rusted trailer with new curtains on the windows. Evidently someone's been fixing things up. There's rustling in the bushes as they approach, and if Kaede looks fast enough she might glimpse the tail of a scampering cat. Elan unslings his backpack and pulls from it a bag of cat food, which he dumps in a bowl at the foot of the vehicle to pspsp the stray cats back. ]

Usually there's a pack of them running around here. They can be kinda prickly around humans. Like you.