synflux | DOWNTIME MINGLE #4

DOWNTIME MINGLE #4

CONTENT WARNINGS: suggestive themes, egg hatching, parenthood.

▶ 001. WINNERS CIRCLE.

During this time period, the Outsiders would typically have been met with a makeshift party with poorly placed balloons and streamers. However, this time it’s just a bulletin board with the following message scrawled out on it:

GOOD JOB:
LOREMIPSUM (K.O.)
REDMIST (600)
NICE TOY (600)
RISK (599)

Even though the mission was a partial success, there are still sponsors who were impressed with the actions of the recognized Outsiders. They also believe those who have contributed are still able to provide relief to the people, and should not be criticized too harshly due to their efforts.

In light of this, the base will have an increase of various lab-made spices delivered by a certain sauce company that heard a certain Outsider has a preference for spicy food. Apparently, the spices pair perfectly with their lab-made chicken.

Maybe it’s a coincidence with a certain network name but the Nice Toy Company also endorses the base and creates a whole line of toy guns in the airsoft and BB variety which replicate antique guns that any collector would salivate over! These are distributed on base and can be seen sold at many stores in Neo Tokyo. There has also been an influx of people who are passionate about fitness and training, sparking a trend for those who work out in bunny outfits. Supposedly, it’s something they’ve seen in a prior battle with the kaiju and so the workout is full of intense cardio, and even bunny hops.

Makima’s face will be found on several brands of what appears to be packaged dog food, however it is unclear if it is really dog food or not. Either way, several hundreds of packages have been delivered to base and are stored as “emergency rations.” Everyone on base is free to grab a snack or two at any time!

For those Outsiders worrying about whether or not they'll be docked pay for only taking down one Imugi instead of both, worry no more! Everyone will wake up one morning with a notification that 300,000 KRYPTOS (~2100 USD) have been deposited into their account. It seems pulling double shifts at their civilian jobs won't be necesssary...

▶ 002. PROJECT EGG.

With the last mission ending in the retrieval of the Imugi eggs, the research teams have been left with one major question: what will they do with them? After some initial discussions, it has been decided that they would keep the eggs and attempt to raise them into maturity in order to see if they could garner more insight into not just the kaiju itself, but of their abilities. It is also their desire to see what the relationship between kaijus and the rifts are, and they believe this would be the best opportunity to do so.

The only caveat to this, however, is who would care for them in the meantime? From previously documented research, they found that kaiju eggs are not easy to raise, especially those who mirror lizard-like creatures. They need special attention that exceeds that of what people would typically expect from egg-rearing. Due to this, LILITH is asking for help from the Outsiders to temporarily tend to the eggs. The Outsiders will be working in shifts to watch the eggs, and are expected to care for them properly. It is noted that for kaiju who have been separated from their mothers, the chances of them hatching are very slim, and so they are not expecting each and every egg to hatch. They are, however, expecting Outsiders to put forth their best efforts in spite of that. At least, it’s one less thing to be blamed for.

Outsiders are expected to sign up for egg raising shifts and will get a single egg to care for. They are to be with the egg at all times during their shift, and negligence will not be tolerated. Occasionally, the staff will send drones to check in and also deliver food items and energy drinks in order to ensure that the eggs are being properly cared for. Eating or destroying the eggs is prohibited.

Coming up with names, however, is encouraged, and Seok Dang has even set up a small contest for it....

▶ 003. OPEN FORUM.

As soon as the order is delivered for them to take care of the eggs, a new download will be prompted on everyone’s oculars. It comes suddenly and without any real explanation. When it loads in, people will find that it appears to look like the “forums” of old. They have various topics already posted, including a bolded one that remains pinned at the top of everyone’s oculars labeled “PARENTING FOR DUMMIES.”

When anyone clicks on it, or even allows their eyes to linger on it for too long, it will automatically open. The explanation at the top is as follows:

I see what you all look up in your free time and I think you could use the help.

Who wrote this cryptic message? Their identity has been kept anonymous, but it seems clear that Outsiders are meant to utilize this to field any questions in regards to the eggs they have been ordered to care for. Some of the questions already include “do I keep them warm by sitting on them?” and “what can I do to provide further enrichment?”

While most of these topics pertain to parenting, if one exits the parenting tab, they will find the forum is entirely opened up for other topics as well, including a GENERAL chat, and a thread created by Seok Dang called “AITA.” Apparently, this was all the rage once upon a time.

[ Note: Feel free to use this not only to discuss parenting, but also to discuss any other topics Outsiders may want to engage in. You can use the code below, or do it without! ]

EVERLIGHT

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REVELATION

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BRIMSTONE

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REDEMPTION

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▶ 004. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our fourth downtime mingle! For the naming contest, we are limiting submissions to one name per character. This is entirely for fun and there is no obligation to participate.

We decided to keep the mingle lighter this time due to the number of player events ongoing. Please do check out the SPA UPGRADE and the ROYAL GALA also occurring this month. Big thanks to Sky and Bijou for organizing these! Additionally, the LOCATIONS page has been updated with both Kyoto and Okinawa. Characters may now visit those locations at any time.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. WINNER'S CIRCLE: The heavy hitters/KO winners of the last kaiju fight receive their sponsorships, including spices, BB guns, training videos, and fancy dog food.

2. PROJECT EGG: Outsiders are tasked with caring for and attempting to hatch the Imugi eggs salvaged from Seoul. They are encouraged to try a variety of methods in order to get the eggs to hatch, as no data currently exists. Not all eggs will survive.

3. OPEN FORUM: Outsiders are provided with an open parenting forum to ask for and exchange egg raising advice. However, a certain someone seems to have also included a general forum for Outsiders to discuss whatever they wish....

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Taryon should not be in charge of a baby, much less an egg. His pet robots are sturdy and are fine if they are left on their own for a few hours, but a raising a living being has a much higher challenge rating. And yet, he has been tasked with finding ways to keep it warm and held, in case love is the secret ingredient.

With his magic, he manages to infuse a blanket with a heating spell that lasts an hour in lieu of a thermal blanket. The subtle magical energy would do some good for the monsters, and with all of those blackouts over the summer, its energy source is more reliable. Also, Taryon does not trust those battery-powered ones to be safe.]

There you are. [Taryon catches Raleigh outside, and he approaches the man and the egg while holding the square blanket by the corners.] Use this if you're going to bring it outside. It might be too cold.

[ No one should be in charge of a kaiju egg. Yet, they'd all be requested to sign up. More like expected to care for an egg. It does not, however, stop him from heading wherever he wanted while caring for it. He wasn't neglecting in any fashion. One didn't truly know how to take care of these kaiju eggs or even know what they'd need.

When an unfamiliar voice cuts through his thoughts he raises a brow. He has no clue who this stranger is. Taryon is, obviously, another Outsider but did that make him an expert on kaiju? Of the very thing that Raleigh fought back home. ]

What exactly is your blanket going to do for a kaiju egg?

[ Hey, it was a valid question. He also didn't know this man from Adam or Eve, so he wasn't just going to take a blanket he's holding. Not yet anyway. Maybe once he has an idea of what it would do he would. Besides, whatever was inside the egg wasn't going to feel something from a simple blanket. ]

[He rolls his eyes and tilts his head to the side far enough that when he snaps it back to the upright position, his hair does a little flip.]

To keep it warm, obviously. Every egg has to remain heated no matter the species. I understand you want to give it fresh air, but you're putting it in danger.

[He drapes the blanket over the egg, its corners catching on Raleigh's arms. Surprisingly, it's warm, as if it were just removed from a tumble dryer.] That should do it.

So, you want to treat a kaiju egg like a normal, every day, reptilian egg?

[ Was this guy some kind of kaiju groupie? Someone that Newt would've gotten along with. Or was he just trying to pretend that this was all normal? That they weren't taking care of the enemy. Something that could destroy them once it hatched and became bigger, assuming it hatched anyway.

When the blanket drapes over the egg and catches his arms, he raises a brow. ]

How long is it going to stay like that?

[ After all, blankets that come from dryers don't stay warm very long. ]

Yes? It's a guess, but an educated one. [And he was told to protect this egg, so he must work on this task with all of his power. It's the least he can do after their failure in Seoul. Something good has to come out of these eggs they collected for the horrendous price of many innocent lives. He must show LILITH that he - and by extension all of the Outsiders - are worth keeping.]

A few hours. 8, I'd say. The spell doesn't wane, it just ends all of the sudden.

We could be doing more harm than good. Kaiju aren't like your every day reptiles.

[ He knows about kaiju, from his own world. He's not a fan of them. If the thing did come out of the egg ahead of time then he wouldn't hesitate to put it down. If, of course, it came to that. ]

So it merely becomes a normal, every day, blanket after eight hours. Good to know.

At least we're keeping them contained, and I have the feeling some of us don't have any qualms if we must kill a baby animal. [Taryon himself is uncomfortable with the notion. He's not naming any names, but this guy with the egg seems like another candidate.]

When you put it like that...yes. But the thing is — I can add the enchantment again.

That's because a lot of us don't see kaiju as a normal, every day, animal. I've actually dealt with kaiju before, in my own world. They're not like every day animals. The babies are just as deadly as the parent kaiju.

[ Taryon wouldn't be wrong. Raleigh has no qualms taking out a kaiju. It wasn't a baby animal. It was nothing but a monster. Maybe if he came from a normal world where PPDC Rangers didn't fight kaiju for a living then he'd think differently. ]

You plan on staying out here with me the whole time I'm here then?

[ After all, he hadn't decided how long he was staying out yet. He doubted the other wanted to be out with a war-torn ranger. ]

Well- [Taryon recalls the baby orcas in his first fight and how they were just as deadly in a pod as their mother was on her own. Babies can be deadly, when trained as killers.] Sure. But we can try as see?

[He's too optimistic for his own good. Taryon wants to believe that everything will turn out well no matter what they do, even after multiple setbacks. He can't have these babies turn out to be monsters after all of the pain of collecting the eggs.]

Ah- no. I should get back inside and train. But [He laces his fingers together and keeps his gaze focused on the egg.] I can enchant a new blanket if you want to head outside later.

[ Kaiju aren't trained to be killers, they were killers. That is, at the very least, Raleigh's experience with them. He's not actively been around for any of the battles the others have experienced yet. ]

We can try to see. Though, it doesn't mean they won't be killers too, just as many other kaiju are.

[ Kaiju weren't his favorite. Not after losing his big brother to one. ]

Go train and if the warmth starts to wear off I'll find you.

Will do. [Taryon straigthens and gives Raleigh a quick salute. He may have accepted the blanket and isn't actively destroying the egg, but Taryon wonders if he's pushing it too far. His charming personality can only go so far.

He walks backwards, smiling all the way, and turns around when he is halfway to the door. There's only a few hours left in the day, and he has to squeeze in some time to get his exercises in.]

DOWNTIME MINGLE #4

▶ 001. WINNERS CIRCLE.

▶ 002. PROJECT EGG.

▶ 003. OPEN FORUM.

▶ 004. AFTERWORD.

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