TEAM BUILDING EVENT #3

[synfluxmods]

TEAM BUILDING EVENT #3

CONTENT WARNINGS: medical content

▶ 001. WELL DESERVED REST.

With no sign of upcoming city-level threats, LILITH has made the decision to provide Outsiders with a well-deserved break: there will be no official missions for the month of December. Outsiders are free to roam the city, continue their usual civilian jobs or take a holiday to any of the locations available via data portal. During this period, LILITH leadership will also be taking time off and any attempts to contact them will be met with an ‘out of office’ return email unless it is an emergency. (Dr. Spim is still around, but … he is a cat and doesn’t answer anyway... unless he feels like it.)

That isn’t to say it’s going to be a completely quiet month, of course. Our players have kindly prepared several player plots that anyone is welcome to join. Please refer to the top level here for links to the relevant plots. An updated quest has also been listed here.

Additionally, the Outsiders Program has successfully finished its first year! LILITH will be giving all Outsiders old and new a thank you bonus of 500,000 KRYPTOS (approximately 3230 USD) to spend freely on their holiday. Try not to spend it all on pachinko!

▶ 002. LET IT SNOW.

Starting December 1st, the temperature in Neo Tokyo will take a dive as the country enters into winter. The first signs of snowfall will occur on December 1st, and as it continues, the city will be transformed into a winter wonderland. The shops and restaurants of Neo Tokyo are capitalizing on the approaching festivities, putting up Christmas lights, Christmas trees and decorations. Many stores are having sales on warm clothing and popular gifts. Isn’t it the perfect time to find some nice gifts for your friends?

While only a suggestion, it is encouraged to support the integration of the orphans from Transylvania by taking them out on a winter adventure.

Winter activities found in Neo Tokyo include:

- Christmas Winter Illuminations. Certain parts of the city will be lit up in Christmas lights and holographic, winter-themed illuminations. Stop by at the right time and there might even be a drone show to watch.
- Ice sculpture building. Artists have gathered in Yoyogi Park to showcase their latest ice sculpture creations. Outsiders may view the attraction or join in on the ice sculpture contest. Winners will get prize money.
- Ice-skating. The Yokohama Red Brick Ice Rink is open again and characters are free to go skating with their friends. As a part of its latest attraction, the ice has been fitted with microscopic nanobots that light up when touched, causing the ice to glow or showcase striking colors as people skate across it.
- Playing in the snow. Even under threat of kaiju, the people of Neo Tokyo take the time to have fun when they can. Through the streets, there are people making snow angels or pelting each other with snowballs.

Characters may visit Las Vegas, Kyoto or Okinawa using the data portals. Kyoto and Okinawa continue to be uninhabited, but they can camp there if they wish. They are free to book a hotel and enjoy their holiday in Las Vegas too, where the city will have its own brand of winter activities (winter illuminations, Christmas shows, ice-skating and holiday-themed Vegas shows). While the weather is still cold, it will be snowing in Kyoto but not in Okinawa or Las Vegas.

▶ 003. SNUGGLE UP.

All the lights and festivities happening in the city are putting some strain on the power grid, and this leads to occasional bouts of power failure during the month of December. These seem to be happening in the base and throughout the city of Neo Tokyo, and they last for a few hours each time. With hospital equipment running on back-up generators, it isn’t a huge cause for concern, but it certainly is an annoyance; especially with the weather so cold.

LILITH robots will be offering Outsiders on the base extra blankets (traditional and emergency foil blankets) along with heat packs to get through the cold. Starting a fire within the base will not be allowed since it is a hazard, so those who still need the extra warmth will need to find other creative ways to obtain it. A snuggle never hurt anyone, right? There is one operational fireplace in the Library, and Outsiders may notice an influx of small tables throughout the base with self-serve hot beverages on battery operated kettles, such as tea, hot cocoa & artificial coffee. As Outsiders congregate around the base, snuggled up in their new festive blankets, perhaps now would be a good time for some classic party games such as Never Have I Ever and Two Truths and a Lie.

▶ 004. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE.

Dr. Spim takes regular cat naps anyway, so he doesn’t see the need to take a holiday. As a result, he has continued to work tirelessly on finetuning the cure for the vampiric disease. Throughout the month, he will make several requests for volunteers (those with and without the vampiric disease) to participate in the ongoing clinical trials.

The serum he is testing will not cause harm to the body, but it might result in any of the following side effects:

- Dizziness, fatigue and difficulty coordinating movement.
- Fever, chills and a desperate need for warmth.
- Mood changes, which can present as euphoric or depressed or both.
- Hallucinations or delusions.
- Increased hunger, thirst or other physical needs (interpret as you wish.)
- A ravenous need for blood (for vampires.)

Certain volunteers may encounter no side effects at all, while some may experience all of them. Luck of the draw, really. The side effects are not permanent and last for a few hours. As always, Dr. Spim will explain the possible side effects and get consent before administering the medicine.

By the end of the month, a stable cure will be finalized and LILITH robots will deliver it to all those affected by the vampiric disease (if your character was already a vampire, don't worry about it). It is highly encouraged to take the medicine! Dr. Spim has no time to chase down the people refusing to take their medicine, so he might pay some of their friends to do it for him. He is a cat. He has better things to do (such as knock this beaker off the table….)

As an OOC note, please do not let your character remain a vampire unless they are already a vampiric character. The vampire event in Transylvania was meant to only have temporary effect.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our third team building event! All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards December AC.

We have a lot of player plots this month, and are using this log to encourage players to participate in the player plots since the event itself is light. As a reminder, the mod team will be taking a break during the month of December and will not be answering any questions at this time.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. WELL DESERVED REST: Outsiders enjoy a quiet month with no kaiju attacks, but are provided plenty of things to do (via player plots) and they are welcome to use the data portal to travel to Okinawa and Las Vegas at this time.

2. LET IT SNOW: Heavy snowfall turns Neo Tokyo into a winter wonderland with many snow related activities to participate in such as ice skating, ice sculpture making, etc. LILITH encourages the Outsiders to allow the misplaced orphans to participate in some of these activities.

3. SNUGGLE UP: The power outages strike again, this time from too many festive lights that overheat the generators. LILITH provides Outsiders with emergency blankets and hot beverages during times of outages.

4. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE: Dr. Spim trial runs an antidote for the vampiric disease that struck Outsiders during their mission in Brasov. He takes volunteers who are both vampires and not. Finally, a cure is made, and all Outsiders are asked to take it (please do not let your character remain a vampire unless they are already a vampiric character.)

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Comments

[wwtd]

[ wouldn't say ENJOY!! but she does stare a bit. if you can believe it, not the weirdest thing she's seen so she smoothly doesn't mention it.

yet. ]

I guess that makes me feel better. [ HE TRIED. ] How weird?

[ no they're having a conversation in the hall now you can't escape her that easy ]

[soft_shelled]

[GOSH, he's not trying to escape... Yet.]

... Like tried to eat me weird?

[Which probably sounds weird as heck, not knowing he's a soft-shelled turtle.]

[wwtd]

[ IT'S WEIRD but somehow? ]

Oh, yeah, I've been there.

[ he's run into the girl that was nearly eaten. multiple times. ]

With a giant ayakashi frog. And other ayakashi, too. They like spirits. That was back when I was a kid, though.

[soft_shelled]

[Wait wait... That word, he's seen it. Not heard ayakashi said, but he did have a text conversation with someone else who mentioned those things before. Donnie has to bring it up, since Yato's post was audio and she most certainly does not sound like Yato so...]

You're from the same world as the guy with the username Destiny then.

[Not a question, more like a statement.]

[wwtd]

[ that's

kinda out of nowhere. not wrong, though. what's with that look what did HE DO ]

Aha. You've met Yato. [ there's a pause. ] Same world, but... different time.

[ LONGER PAUSE. ]

If he offended you in any way or anything...

[soft_shelled]

We talked over text, he was... Alright?

[As hilarious as it could be to get someone in trouble, Donnie can hear in the back of his head a little voice that sounds like Raph telling him to not be a total jerk here.]

No offense was had, so don't worry about it.

[wwtd]

[ as if yato isn't IN touble every goddamn day of his immortal life.

anyway. she's somewhat relieved to hear that. it's in her tight smile looking a bit more relaxed and natural rather than nervous. ]

Phew. Good. He just tends to - never mind. You were talking about ayakashi with him, too? How'd that come up?

[soft_shelled]

I mentioned the fact that yokai in my world are alike to what I am, and he brought them up. We didn't really discuss them though? Just a kind of mention of it.

[Which is true, Donnie never felt the need to pry into it and the conversation was pretty normal in his opinion?]

[wwtd]

[ yato being normal. incredible. it can happen. ]

Hmm. I guess there isn't much to talk about. They feed off the darkness in people's hearts.

... You're like a yokai?

[ - or he thinks he is. ]

[soft_shelled]

[Miracles can happen, etc etc.]

I mean, a yokai made me and my family how we are? I'm a mutant. But yokai look like mutants, or maybe mutants look like yokai. It's complicated.

[Not that he's been open about it in person with anyone outside of like, maybe three people have seen him as himself. The nerd tends to go cloaked a lot, even on base. But hey, she seems okay?

If she freaks out, she freaks out. The blankets wriggle and shift and out pokes his head and all its turtle glory, and purple mask with eyebrows drawn on.]

[wwtd]

[ "how they are" gets answered before she can ask.

hiyori doesn't freak out, so much as look amazed? she DID see the three-fingered hand reach out, after all.

not only that. she has seen a lot, especially since going half-ayakashi herself at fifteen. that was years ago. not to mention, since arriving here she's seen a lot. there are all manner of people. there are KAIJU she considers herself friends with. she met a rabbit boy named erenville. one of her closest friends is a PLANT.

once thing sticks out and a smile tugs her lips. ]

Did... you draw those eyebrows on?

[soft_shelled]

[Ah, Hiyori's expression kind of surprises Donnie. Although it reminds him of meeting April way back when back home, the amazement that is. So he visibly relaxes a little.

Until she asks about the eyebrows, then he just looks incredulous.]

You don't just ask someone if they drew eyebrows on their mask.

[wwtd]

Sorry! I couldn't stop myself.

[ she's quick to apologize, all but grinning. it's pretty obvious to anybody she thinks it's delightful. ]

It's too late to take it back. [ also she's curious ]

So, did you?

[soft_shelled]

[He harumphs, as in he literally says "harumph" when he does it. Crossing his arms over his plastron, not that she'll see it what with the blankets in the way.]

So what if I did?

[wwtd]

[ but she can imagine it, which only turns her expression a bit more amused. ]

Then you did and that's that. [ waves a hand!! ]

It makes it more personable, I think? Or maybe expressive. Masks are usually used to hide your identity.

It makes me think of those famous wrestlers or... like a hero.

[soft_shelled]

I didn't do it for any of those reasons! [He did it when he was like, nine. So probably just to look cool/different from his brothers.]

... And yeah? My family are heroes. We saved the world twice.

[Just not saying that it was kind of their fault the world was in peril in both situations. What with the family duty with the Shredder and then the whole thing with the Key and Leo and the Krang... Not anything Donnie will talk about or dwell on though!]

[wwtd]

[ o-oh?

"why'd you do it?" doesn't get past her lips.

hiyori wants to believe it. those that are brought here are usually pretty special. it makes her being here an ENIGMA but she has supportive friends. ]

... With you here we should have no problem saving this world then, huh? Third time's the charm.

[ yet her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes as they've dropped to the floor. A MOMENT LATER!! ]

I'm going to keep guessing unless you tell me to stop. Why'd you draw them? Did you do it when you were little and it's permanent marker?

[soft_shelled]

[Donnie is bad with reading people, so Hiyori's smile not reaching her eyes doesn't even register with him. Also;]

That might be harder than you think, I'm the only one from my family here.

[There might be a slight tinge of sadness in his words, but it's dashed aside when she keeps picking at his eyebrows.]

It's fabric marker, to be exact. [Still not telling her why he did it.]

[wwtd]

[ it's been pretty difficult as it is.

unlike donnie, hiyori is pretty good at reading people. he just got here and he's the only one? he must be lonely. on Christmas, too.

she ALSO notices he's not telling her. nor is he telling her to stop. ]

Aha! So, it is permanent! [ GOT ONE. ] But that fades over time and those are pretty crisp eyebrows.

[ on fleek. from one thing to the next with hiyori: ]

Do you celebrate Christmas?

[soft_shelled]

That's because I had to get a new mask, I didn't come in with one.

[He's a horrible liar, so no point lying about the state of his mask(s). But yes, the holidays. Kind of a weird subject?]

I mean, kind of? Not anything like what everyone around here is doing... So many parties.

[Donnie does not do parties, moreso when he doesn't know anyone at said parties.]

[wwtd]

[ so he went out of his way after getting here to get a new one and drew on it. he called himself close to a yokai.

she's getting

a vibe but she doesn't know him well enough to start prying. not yet, anyway. ]

Not a fan of parties?

[soft_shelled]

[Look, he looks ridiculous without the mask. So of course he had to replace it asap.

He gives a dismissive wave at her asking him that about parties.]

You don't really go to many when you look like this, and live in the sewers.

[wwtd]

[ hey, man, whatever makes you comfortable we ain't here to judge

maybe he doesn't look like an average human, but who cares? because he helped save the world. TWICE. he's good in hiyori's book. ]

That doesn't make sense.

[ all of this makes her a bit incredulous. maybe a bit miffed. maybe a bit sad. like, does he CHOOSE to live in the sewers? or - ]

You're a hero and if you're telling me you're treated like an outcast...

[soft_shelled]

Because mutants aren't normal.

[He sees nothing wrong with it, really. It's just how things are.]

And no one knows we saved the world, which is fine. Better than the alternative.

[wwtd]

So? Normal things aren't always good. And some not-normal things are good. It's about giving them a chance.

[ she's passionate about this!! and can't really believe what she's hearing. ]

What's... the alternative?