synflux | DOWNTIME MINGLE #4

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....

code

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're an asshole but I agree with you
They should put implants in themselves before they go asking us to do it!

[ Silco's not the only one in the camp of 'unwilling soldier with no superpowers'. Elan's got a big robot, but as far as he's concerned anybody can learn to pilot it. ]

Are we the real sinners, here, when we are hardly demanding to save this world?

I simply think that it creates a bit of buy-in, if they are to participate alongside us, hm? People who have not fought for their livelihoods become weak and gluttonous on the backs of others.

Maybe they don't want to put weapons in the hands of people they can't control!
Easier to leash us Outsiders and force us into the dangerous work

[ too bad for the room distance, or Elan might have heard the bark of a sarcastic laugh. ]

Please. If they can't control their own people, that's even worse. There are plenty of ways to go about that.

Keeping them weak and gluttonous seems like a good way to me
How would you go about it?

Only good for dependency, if they keep them like this.

No, they should give them a taste of it. What it feels like to do something for themselves, to stand up against the threat that keeps them fearful and their bellies empty. Let them have one experience with that power, and then take it away. Offer it only to those who comply, and remind them, time and time again, just like they do with us — that it is contingent on them.

Teach them where the power comes from, but do give them the power to help themselves. Really, I'm surprised LILITH hasn't thought of it.

[ this is how you get a city full of drug addicts ]

[ Okay. This guy sounds a little unhinged? But hey, let's treat it as a hypothetical. ]

What if they decide not to use their power for good once they have a taste of it?
I mean, this is the apocalypse. People could go and steal resources from others, make their own lives comfortable, and forget the rest
LILITH only has so much control over what we do because they have us microchipped

[ Buddy, it's about to get worse. ]

If they're so concerned, why not microchip them, then? If it's good enough for us, why not them?

And well, if they can't, then perhaps someone with more power should stop them. Heaven forbid someone with the fortitude to grasp power does so. They certainly need to learn to clean up their own problems at some point, regardless. Teaching them to do so is, perhaps, something we could actually do for them.

[ You mean better? This is the kind of extreme that makes the internet entertaining. ]

We're just tools to them. That's the difference! Obviously they'll treat their own citizens better. Besides, why give anyone else power when things are working out fine for them? That's just asking to be toppled.
Unless by teaching people you're trying to instigate a revolt. Then by all means!

Oops.

Guilty.

[ The fact that he admits it probably means that he isn't.

But he has certainly thought about it. ]

More importantly, if we are "only tools" to them, then I think they will likely learn the hard way what a bunch of us are willing to do. Their control will only take them so far, I think. There's a clever few here, I think they will find a loophole soon enough.

You might want to delete your statement. You never know if they're on here reading it!
Then again I doubt anyone will seriously stand up to them. You don't know how many excuses I've heard. Even the cleverest can't escape the microchip, you're deluding yourself if you think you can

As I told someone recently, I am actually a model outsider, and would never do anything to upset LILITH and her ilk. Anything untoward you can assume is mere sarcasm. I apologize, text makes that difficult, doesn't it?

[ He is Exhausting. ]

I have heard all of the excuses as well, my hearing is perfectly fine. However, that only means there is a solution not thought of. Nothing is a guarantee, after all. Simply because one has not found it does not mean that it does not exist. Who knows, it may be as simple as death, but we'll see if anyone is bold enough to try.

[ not him though ]

Riiight.

[ Nice retracting there. ]

Can't say I've thought of that method! I'll give you points for creativity.[ 'creativity' more like...wtf? ] You let me know how it goes! Though I guess if you succeeded you wouldn't be able to...

Edited 2024-09-23 01:54 (UTC)

Oh no, you misundersand me. Not me.

[ Can you IMAGINE?? ]

But I'm sure someone could try it. One example amongst many, of course. I think we should just not assume that there are no solutions.

[ Elan's wondering why he thinks anyone else would want to try, but he decides to not proceed down this line of questioning. ]

Got any ideas that don't involve death and dying?

[ Yeah, Elan, that's probably not the way to go ]

Oh, there is always some way to manipulate it. For all we know, there may be another faction out there with as much technical know-how as LILITH's crew. Not for certain, but I've only been here briefly thus far. I just simply do not think it is a proposition we should give up on.

[ He has good instincts when it comes to clocking shady adults, but not good enough to like. Stop talking to them. ]

Wouldn't that be convenient! Then it'd become a bidding war between them for our strength. Or maybe there are underground surgeons who know how to tamper with implants...but you didn't hear that from me!

See, now we are thinking creatively.

What is it they say? Where there's a will, there's a way?

There's also the saying it's easier said than done, but I like your spirit!
If you think of any other brilliant ideas, let me know

Oh, perhaps I will.

Then again, maybe I'll just sell them to the highest bidder, instead. No need to give away too much brilliance for free.

Way to be an opportunist! What if I said I was interested?

That is who I am.

And if you are, well. I'll let you join in on the bidding war.

I was thinking more we could trade ideas

Oh?

One for one? That can be both advantageous and disadvantageous, you know. Depending on the quality of the idea.

You seem like someone who knows how to play their cards carefully! What's there to worry about? I only suggest we take any further talks offline

[ Since you know, conspiring on redd*t where anyone can read posts is not a good idea. ]

you are 10000000% correct!!!

zauneyete - 2024-10-06 02:51 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

DOWNTIME MINGLE #4

▶ 001. WINNERS CIRCLE.

▶ 002. PROJECT EGG.

▶ 003. OPEN FORUM.

▶ 004. AFTERWORD.

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cw: man i guess this is a suicide mention vaguely?????? sorry

it's cool! silco...is he okay

i mean.................. he's fine.............ish??????????????????

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i'm not sure where i'm going with this but i heard silco gets along with shady teens so...

you are 10000000% correct!!!