TRAVEL LOG #3

[synfluxmods]

TRAVEL LOG #3

CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, abduction.

▶ 001. TARGU MURES AIRPORT.

In the early morning of the 1st, Outsiders will receive a message in their oculars.

"Oh, seriously? You’re putting this on my plate now when I have so much to do? Tch … Outsiders currently caring for Imugi eggs, bring them to the medical bay. I’ll take over for now. Captain Yamakawa needs everyone to report to the hangar right away. There’s been a distress call from a distant land and we’re noticing some strange readings. We need you to go investigate this.

…Put some catnip on my plate, Alex. It’ll be a long night."

True enough, a SPECIAL ALERT will blare through the implants shortly after, asking those who would be willing to help with a distress call to head to the hangar. The reward will be an additional bonus pay, as this seems to be different from detecting a kaiju. There, they will see a familiar sight: the LILITH SKY CRUISER, a spacecraft capable of carrying 80 passengers. There is little time for seat assignments, so seating will be on a first come, first serve basis (hopefully you don’t get the middle seat!) and the flight will last about 10 hours. Just like any aircraft, Outsiders may stand up and walk around once the seatbelt signs turn off. There is inflight entertainment consisting of AI movies or virtual reality games (see TRAVEL LOG #2). Characters with inhuman features are required to wear their cloaking devices.

The plane will touch down at Targu Mures Airport, Transylvania, Romania, which appears to be abandoned and desolate. There isn’t a living soul to be found.

"Most of the country was destroyed decades ago, so there shouldn’t be anyone still living here. Yet, these readings ….. And we can’t ignore that call for help. We’ll need to investigate further. My Angels, go the rest of the way on foot..."

There isn’t a data portal in Romania, and there’s just no way to transport the number of cars needed for over 60 people via plane. Let’s hope you managed to get proper rest on the way here, because the hike will take about 5-6 hours through the dense forest, with the Captain feeding directions through the ocular based on where the kaiju readings are most pronounced.

All teams will be traveling together along a treacherous terrain which will include both harmful flora & fauna. Outsiders can expect to come across brown bears, wolves, European lynx, golden jackal & wild boars. Although the forest is dense, these animals are scarce to come by, but they can appear, especially when the hike takes place at dusk and into the night.

In this time of the year, hay fever is a common occurrence in these forests. Those sensitive to pollen may be sneezing and feeling fatigue through this hike. There will be steep hills, slippery ground and eerie sounds of the night to serenade the Outsiders. It doesn't help that the further they travel, the thicker a dark fog gathers around them, making the surroundings difficult to make out. Everyone will be provided with flashlights, but those with abilities to see in the dark or cast their own light will be encouraged to lead small groups. Everyone is going in the same general direction, but giving each other some space might be helpful. There will be no time to rest, no matter how tired Outsiders may be.

Just when it feels like they might need to trek through the forest forever—is that smoke coming from a fire up ahead?

▶ 002. BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA.

Wander further through the bushes, and behold, it does appear to be smoke—but not from any natural fire. It’s coming from a chimney! The Outsiders will stumble upon the historic region of Brașov, known for its Gothic architecture and medieval towns. Romania has been classified as a desolate region for a very long time, and as far as LILITH is concerned, this city should be completely destroyed and abandoned. Yet, there is smoke coming from the chimneys, fresh laundry hanging on lines and the faint chatter of children playing. There are very clearly people living here, and this has LILITH completely dumbfounded.

"So it’s true … The resilience of humanity cannot be understated. I’ll need to report this to the Commander right away. My Angels, embark on the town. We need to find the source of this distress call and investigate these kaiju readings. I know we’ve had setbacks recently, but I’ve always had my faith in you."

One thing Outsiders will notice when they step into the town is how it appears to be lost in time. The date is still 2278 as far as anyone knows, but there’s no sign of any modern technology—no computers, telephones, or any sign of electricity or plumbing. Each and every house looks like it could have been plucked right out of the 1700s, and there even appear to be horse-drawn carriages parked along the pavements.

The townspeople themselves also look plucked out of time, with the women donning petticoats and aprons, and the men sporting waistcoats and riding boots. They welcome the Outsiders with warmth, delight, and over-the-top hospitality; more than happy to show the visitors around Brasov on their carriages. With how rarely they meet anyone from outside the village, the children are full of curiosity, following the Outsiders around and poking at their technology while bombarding them with questions, such as where did you come from? Do you know how to play any games? What do you like to eat?

Outsiders will be presented with food, clean clothing, and a room to stay at the village inns (2-3 people per room). They are free to roam and explore the village, where they will find taverns, fresh food markets, shops, inns, and a church dedicated to the village god.

One notable aspect of the town is the fact that they appear to have fresh, non-lab grown food. The vegetables taste fresher and are vibrant in color. The meat tastes much richer than it would back in Neo Tokyo. This is owed to the fact that the people of Brasov actually tend to their own farmlands, a lost practice in these times. Venture a little out of the city and you’ll find it: acres of farmland, growing wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, grapes and sunflowers. They even have livestock!

The people of Brasov are more than happy to answer questions about their town and way of living. Outsiders who go around gathering information from the villagers will learn the following:

• Why is the land so fertile? This is all owed to their benevolent village god, the Lord of the Forest. No one goes hungry because their god takes care of them. Observant Outsiders will see a common symbol plastered around town: a canine skull.
• There was a distress call. Is everyone okay? The townspeople would respond in confusion and assure the Outsiders that nothing is out of the ordinary. They have been living peacefully for centuries and it’s because their god protects them. They don’t seem to know anything about what’s going on outside their town and the word ‘kaiju’ is lost on them.
• Who is the Lord of the Forest? The townspeople will sing his praises, telling the Outsiders about how he has been providing for and protecting their town for many years.
• Where is the Lord of the Forest? He lives in the forest and mountains that surround the village. Sure enough, if the Outsiders look around, they will see they are completely surrounded by foggy forest and mountains as far as the eye can see.
• Can they go into the forest? The villagers will look worried. While the Lord of the Forest keeps them safe, the forest is still filled with dangerous creatures. Also, the thick fog and trees makes it easy to get lost. Only the most skilled hunters venture out to catch prey like deer and bears. Characters who venture into the woods will get turned around and lost but will eventually find their way back to the village, to which others will reply it is the lord's guidance that brought them back to safety.

Outsiders can do as they please. The villagers are very friendly and will try to accommodate them however possible. There seems to be very little crime in the town and the people look happy. LILITH has been quiet for some time now. Maybe this is a great opportunity to have a well-deserved break? How can you not when the people are so kind and the food looks and tastes so delicious? In fact, the longer that Outsiders stay here, the more some of them may begin to feel like they belong here.

▶ 003. BONFIRE FEAST.

On the night of the 7th, the villagers will knock on doors inviting everyone to a bonfire party! It’s just about time to harvest their crops so food is abundant. They can’t think of any better way to use it than to prepare a feast. The bonfire will be held in the council square. Tables and benches have been set up and an impressive spread of fresh food is laid out for everyone to enjoy. Outsiders can enjoy bread, cheese, fresh pork, stew, roasted chicken, seasonal vegetables and free flowing alcohol. There are live musicians on the scene as well, playing merry tunes on their instruments. Some of the villagers have even started dancing around the bonfire and they’re pulling people in to join them! At the center of the table, a canine skull is placed, and the villagers give thanks to their god before partaking in the food.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary … Full and content, everyone will feel tired and want to retire for the night. Characters that do not need to sleep will also feel tired.

Night passes, and daybreak comes. Outsiders might notice that their numbers have dwindled; certain people have gone missing and are nowhere to be found. There won’t be a trace of the captured Outsiders aside from their belongings that they may have left behind.

The villagers do not seem bothered and everything seems normal in the village. Asking the villagers about these disappearances will result in no answers—they claim to have no clue as to the missing Outsiders' whereabouts. It also won’t be possible to contact them, or even LILITH for that matter. It is almost like communications have been cut off completely and their implants receive weak reception.

Observant characters may notice that a heavy fog has descended upon the village overnight and though it gets better during the day, it never lets up.

Captured Outsiders are as followed:

Aventurine
Choso
Dan Heng
Denji
Ereshkigal
Hiyori Iki
Kabru
Kaga
Lucy/Kaede
Maki Zenin
Makima
Malkuth
Loop
Nanami Kento
Rover
Sampo Koski
Taryon Darrington
Wriothesley
Yzak Jule
Zagreus

▶ 004. THE CHOSEN (KIDNAPPEES ONLY).

A separate log for KIDNAPPEES ONLY can be found HERE.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our third travel log!

There are no assigned seats this time, so characters may sit wherever they choose. Inhuman-looking characters will need to wear their cloaking devices so as to not alarm the people of the town. A separate log has been prepared for kidnappees only. An additional prompt will go up for non-captured characters before the kaiju fight. The scheduling will depend on actions in the captive log. We will announce it on plurk.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards October AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. TARGU MURES AIRPORT: There has been a distress signal. Characters caring for eggs must leave their eggs with Dr. Spim and report to the hangar to board their flight. The Outsiders will touch down in Targu Mures Airport, and will need to hike the rest of the way through the forest.

2. BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA: Romania was thought to be a desolate country but one village seems to be thriving. The town of Brasov has historic, medieval architecture and the people seem plucked out of the 1700s. They are friendly, welcoming and curious, having never seen technology like what the Outsiders have. Outsiders are provided free lodgings, fresh clothing, food and water. The villagers raise their own livestock and grow their own food, which is unheard of in these times. They don't know anything about a distress call. All around the village, the symbol of a canine skull can be found. This is the Lord of the Forest, the god of this village whom the villagers worship.

3. BONFIRE FEAST: The villagers invite the Outsiders to a bonfire party where fresh food is abundant. After a night of merrymaking, they find that certain Outsiders have disappeared from their numbers and nobody seems to know what happened to them.

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Comments

[nutkick]

[ ooc: i'm glad you're okay! welcome back ♥

half and half. now that’s an easy one to connect the dots, and denji snaps his fingers as he thinks, ‘shoto!’. slowly but surely, he’s learning bakugou’s language, and he takes great pride in it. as he watched his boyfriend survey the plants, he found himself mimicking his posture, crouched down and watching him up close as he pushed through the bushes, and between all the shades of green they come across more dazzling colors. this time flowers. honestly? he thought the concept of this mission wasn't nearly as entertaining as their previous outings together, yet he knew it was something bakugou had wanted to do ages ago. it didn't mean denji was equally invested or keen to spend a day getting lost in a forest, but ...

but-

it’s a bit therapeutic, isn’t it? the peaceful asmr of katsuki's hands digging through the bag, the rustle of leaves, and the clip of his scissors, every step was organized with a knowing touch, and denji couldn't look away. the genuine interest is growing; he started asking questions, he’s observant, he’s helpful- or, trying to be. he even asked to be the one collecting the sample next time, promising his boyfriend he had memorized the process by now. he got this. when they face each other again, there is a purplish flower nestled over the curve of denji's ear. don't ask why, and play along. he's in a mood. ]

It shouldn’t be hard to find or make something like that, right? I know some outsiders are asked for a boost or extra weapons. We’ll figure it out when we get back.

[ it would save him the time and stress about feeding, and maybe he’d be able to come back home without getting assaulted by the cleaning crew and end up coming out of the mission with few stains on his clothes instead of dry gunk from head to toe. and then, casually- as if he just thought about it. a brain fart, one might say. ] Or ... blood pills? I wonder if that will work ... something to toss in your mouth and yeah.

[ it would be a lot easier and less messy to just pop a pill, and with the magic of science, it might burst/melt inside his mouth, giving denji the boost to keep going. then again, bakugou mentioned it should be fresh, and that earned him a ... wide-eyed stare. he can't put the finger on it, but that terminology was eerily accurate and perceptive from bakugou. it felt like he was talking to an experienced public safety official, someone who always knew the laws of devils better than denji himself. true, it had to be fresh and full of life, so maybe a pill wouldn't be the smart choice. still, there is something uneasy about how comfortable bakugou is talking about ... this. uneasy, yet fuckin flattering too. what a wild twist of emotions it was to coexist with each other at the same time. ]

... I guess I'm still trying to get used to that. [ the boyfriend thing? no. the fact bakugou isn't disgusted by him, even when he wouldn't blame him if the hero wanted to skip off the gory side quest of their relationship, but he'd never once felt shamed by it. even the occasional 'ew' from the hero came off more comical than genuine repulsion. yeah, he will never get used to it anytime soon, to feel this accepted. he closed his eyes, all smiles, all flustered— the ear holding that flower is a lot redder than normal. yeah, that's a growing rash. another toxic friend is discovered. ]

Alright, deal. Operation blood tasting is a go once we reach the base. Let's see how long we can get away with it before the other everlight folks ban us from the kitchen. Heh ...

[blastedass]

[most of his nicknames are related to someone's physical appearance, ability, or personality trait that's fairly obvious. if someone knows the person he's talking about and thinks about it a little, bakugou's childish names are easy to figure out. he's simply not nice enough to use people's real names even if he's talking to a complete stranger. at least until they bitch about it and call him out, forcing his hand half the time. much to the guy's annoyance. these damn extras can be such wusses. at least his boyfriend's not a wuss. a sap and a half, but not a wuss. over there mimicking his posture as he looks through plants, obviously not having the time of his life, yet still accepting the outing for katsuki's sake. it means a lot to him.

when denji begins to ask questions, he answers with far less of his usual brusque manner. explaining why bushes and similar plants can be regrown from cuttings, bakugou shows denji where to locate the nodule on the branch and how to use the scissors and knife to make a cut that won't kill the plant's limb. of course, there's a difference in other plants that lack the bush-like hardiness which need samples of the roots or the entire root collection itself. these he shows denji how to dig them up gently and transplant them into the bags, letting the other boy get his hands dirty with the actual extraction. "somehow" a purple flower ended up being the half-devil's ear...]

It shouldn't. They can repurpose containers they already made. [lilith obviously works with high-tech devices and chemical sciences that would utilize metal canisters. sparing some for one of their outsiders shouldn't be difficult, especially since it's to make the mercenary more effective. denji's come up with a good idea to refresh himself in the middle of battle without having to resort to dining on the kaiju or his allies. katsuki's pretty damn sure they've got no chance coming out of any kaiju fight looking fresh and clean, but his partner could prove him wrong...] That'd be a lot of pills for how much blood you can drink.

[denji doesn't guzzle it outside of rampages and a messy need to regenerate a shit-ton of damage, but even spilling a leaking handful into his mouth would be more than ten large pills, and that's being low end estimate. besides, he'd have to carry the pills anyways, returning to the bag vs pillbox vs metal canister decision. but it's an idea to consider and katsuki files it away in his mind for later investigation.

oy, what the hell is that look for? he's been with you for a while, ripcord pec. he knows fresh is best when it comes to blood. never once has he seen denji scrape dried blood off a wall or person and crunch away on it. that's just dry, saying nothing of old blood long ago. blood is proof of life. why would life-giving blood not require it to be full of said life? a pill could work, since blood can be frozen, refrigerated, and otherwise stored for later use without it "spoiling" fast. that's why there are blood banks and storage for it in hospitals. as for his comfort with the topic... 1) blood itself isn't gross. 2) denji's chainsaw man powers are as "quirk" as any quirk in katsuki's world, meaning his nerd side finds it eternally interesting to explore. and 3) he knows of three people in his own world who use blood for their own quirks; one of them is even a hero, the homeroom teacher of class 1-B himself: Sekijiro Kan, aka the Blood Hero: Vlad King.]

Keep trying. I won't stop even when you are. [he'll always hold denji in positive regards, regardless of how gory his life and power get. that doesn't mean he won't try to clean him up and avoid the gore when he can, but that's because he's a neat freak who likes things a certain way. cue those occasional face twists with a "gross" coming from his lips. denji should know by now it's nothing personal; his boyfriend's a jerk. a smart one, since he notices the half-devil's ear is getting redder. is that a blush or is his skin reacting to the flower's oils?]

Oy. [katsuki indicates denji's ear via pointing at his own.] Your ear's getting red.

[calling out his boyfriend's blush or allergic reaction, that's up to the other boy to decide.]

No one's banning me from the kitchen.

[nutkick]

[ with grabby fingers, denji asks for his turn; even when bakugou has already collected a sample from the same herb, he still wants to bring along a second one because it's his turn to do it. and, surprisingly, denji had some skills with mimicking — while it was slow and less of an experienced touch, he did manage to follow bakugou's steps with enough care, harboring a useful sample and gently placing it inside the bag with the rest. he takes a mental note of his little plant between the others, trying to memorize the shape of its leaves (or trying to) because that's the one he will take care of when they return to the base. ah, are they going to grow their own plants, or will bakugou have to give them up to the authorities? denji didn't consider that part— it would be a shame if someone tried to take his little buddy ...

again, he's a bit baffled with the details coming his way. yes, they do spend a lot of time together on missions, and logic begs that someone as sharp as katsuki will do the math on his own, but it was still impressive. shame on denji for not noticing that cute little obsession with bakugou and analyzing different powers— if he'd known, he would've asked him to figure out ways to enhance his abilities a lot faster. he wonders if there is a hidden notebook summarizing the abilities of all the outsiders, kinda like the one deku carried around. well, it wouldn't be surprising since he's holding one of bakugou's creations as he speaks, the one covering all the herbal details. cute. super cute.

more importantly, it felt like they had a solid plan for their future missions; a few ideas were shared, and they were all worth testing. they usually had a few weeks between each mission, which was enough time to test out adding more garments to his suit and maybe try out the blood pills. anything would be better than depending solely on getting close enough to an aggressive kaiju for a bite. as for the long-range techniques, it didn't seem possible ... then again, he didn't think he could grow mini chainsaw from his finger either. it was getting a bit exciting to see how far he could go. he flips through another page, unsure why he got called out for blushing as if he didn't get this flustered over the tiniest things when he's around his boyfriend. yeah, he figured that's what bakugou was talking about and nothing more serious. which explains the dumb grin on denji's face as he answers. ]

That's called ... being smitten. A more scientific term is 'blushing'! You only do it when we're fucking, but I experience it when I think you're being adorable!

[ yes, talking about them squeezing out blood from raw meat in the middle of the night is adorable in denji eyes. subconsciously, he reached up to nudge the flower, and the slightest brush of his finger over his agitated skin urged him to — scratch it a bit. except, he kept scratching. the shade grows darker under his nails, and it spreads to his cheekbones. ah, he can feel his face warming up, but not in a normal way. a blink, and then denji picked up the same flower, taking a closer look at it. his skin is on fire, even when the half-devil doesn't seem to be in panic over it. ]

.... do we need this one?

[ he drops it to the ground, not willing to let bakugou touch it if that's the kinda reaction it triggers in people. maybe they can collect another one without touching the petals. as for his ear, yeah - it's fucking red. denji knew he shouldn't, but it felt sooooo good to fall into the temptation of that itch. more scratching. ]

Fuck, do you have some water? I need to wash this off.

[blastedass]

[bakugou's not going to turn down the request for a turn and passes the knife and spade to denji for his shot. he scoots to the side and opts to watch his boyfriend work on the plant. despite the half-devil's poor background, the hero's never thought the other boy was stupid. he's lazy and sporadic with some priority issues, but has a good instinct and intelligence that he never got a real chance to use. he learns quicker when he's invested in something and enjoys it, and he's pretty damn good at copying movement and actions from physical lessons. fuck giving these up to LILITH; he's collecting them because he wants to and apart from showing them to the "border patrol" upon going back, they're his (and denji's) to utilize. noticing his boyfriend trying to map out the plant in the bag, bakugou cuts a little notch out of the upper right side. there, now it's marked.

no, he does not have a nerd notebook with creepy notes about all of his outsider teammates like a certain green-haired shitnerd who's way too obsessed with writing down everything. it was just recently confirmed deku wrote down ideas and dreams about what kinds of things he'd do if he had his classmates' quirks, like a fanboy writing fanfiction. midoriya's a vault of hero and quirk trivia that's honestly freaky in ways. he won a hero trivia quiz game once and scared the audience with his fervor. all that said... katsuki does have some notes about his allies, though they're limited only to people he's actively worked with or sparred with, and focus on their skills and powers. improvement ideas, curiosity questions, training suggestions, weakness point outs, and other things. ...huh, guess that does sound pretty creeper nerd. and yes, denji has his own chapter.

katsuki's expression flattens when denji retorts in that way. smitten? really? of course he knows he's smitten! the guy makes that clear almost all the time they're together. usually tolerated, sometimes less patiently than others. that big happy grin does a fantastic job of making his chest feel all fluttery and coloring his face from embarrassment over feeling fluttery, dammit.]

I KNOW WHAT BLUSHING IS!! I DON'T BLUSH WHEN WE FUCK EITHER!! [yes he does and they both know it; hell, he's getting hot in the cheeks even now.] I said "ear"! One! That one! [specifically pointing to the one that's far redder than the other one. dammit, denji has to turn this into a mortifying flirt, doesn't he! until denji starts to rub at his ear like that.] Oy! Don't scratch it!

[holy shit, he's having an allergic reaction to it this quickly? bakugou quickly moves forward to pluck the flower from denji's hand and flick it off his ear, keeping his plugsuit on so there's no contact with his skin, but denji's too fast for him and drops the thing first. however, he doesn't go for the water. instead, he quickly hunts around for a plant he saw recently-- there! and snaps off an aloe plant leaf. one strip of the knife fillets the green covering off and he squeezes the gel out into a napkin-like cloth.] Stop scratching at it. You're gonna make it worse.

[either denji's allergic or the plant has an oil-based compound to elicit the reaction. meaning water won't do anything but spread it. he presses the gelled cloth behind denji's ear and against the side of his cheek, smothering the irritation.] Don't touch anything else with that hand.