synflux | TEAM BUILDING EVENT #3

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TEAM BUILDING EVENT #3

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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A. It's a lovely morning in Neo-Tokyo, and—

[—a horrible (space) goose is chucking a snowball right at your head.

That's it, that's the situation here. It's a bright and crisp morning, the sun is shining, the snow is sparkling, the children are laughing and playing, and the city is deep in the spirit of the holidays. It's an idyllic scene, except for the snowball. It may whiz right by your cheek, or you may not be so lucky as to get missed by it.

Regardless: incoming!]

B. The Season of Giving

[It's impossible to miss the gift-giving spirit being pushed this time of year, either. All the shops are having their biggest sales on their fanciest displays. Advertisements abound! Signage everywhere keeping count of how many days are left until Christmas! Don't forget, there's still time!!!

It is around December 23rd that a message gets posted to the network:]

@ FutureTerror: WAIT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET PRESENTS FOR PEOPLE OR SOMETHING

[Oh no.]

C. Godzilla vs. Blanketfic (1972)

[No one builds a nest like a kaiju! You humans ain't got nothing on this: a big, lumpy, floppy pile of blankets much larger than any human would need. Is this a monster itself? It does appear in various places around the base, abrupt and uninvited, whenever there is a power outage happening. Blocking a hallway in Brimstone, oozing into the entrance to the Everlight dorms, in the middle of the cafeteria, by that precious fireplace in the library . . . you could stumble over it anywhere while the lights are out. Literally, you might trip on it if you're not careful.

Careful or not, you might also see a head sticking out of the pile, craning back to look up at you.]

You getting in or what? Don't worry, I learned all about this blanket-sharing thing once before! They're not even threatening to freeze us if we don't do it this time!

[Are. Are you getting in? Hmm.]

D. Wildcard Wonderland

(( HELLO FRIENDS I am down for much more than just what I wrote prompts for, so hit me up if you want to work something else out! Or just surprise me, I love it. You can reach me in Discord, on Plurk, or at this journal.

Gigan is in human form by default for all of these prompts this time (well not the network one. but you know) but if you'd rather blanketpile with the kaiju form, and why wouldn't anyone, feel free to assume he is in monster form for that one, or any other wildcards that aren't in public off the base. ))

Edited 2024-12-01 01:23 (UTC)

❄️ 1. ICE SCULPTURES

[After having heard about the ice sculpture contest in Yoyogi Park, Yato hurries down to sign up for it, bringing along all his weapons plus a plethora of knives and tools that might prove useful. During the allotted time he spends a good portion of it piling snow up high to about six feet before beginning to work out a blocky shape that eventually, after much effort and hard work, becomes a shrine bearing his name.

It's even hollowed out inside to accommodate some lights to make the front glow beautifully, making it look inhabited. Proud of his work, he stands off to one side with his sleeves rolled up and hands on hips, admiring his handiwork with a grin.]

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

[And then he starts working on a larger-than-life sized ice figure of Hiyori. Complete with striped panties and tail. Because he just be like that. Idiot or artistic integrity? You decide.

Feel free to interrupt him at any point during his sculptures' construction!]

☃️ 2. SNOW ANTICS

[Always one for indulging in a bit of play, during the day Yato can be found outside in winter gear throwing himself into snowdrifts with a shout, rolling down piles of snow, and otherwise just getting up to mischief.

Such as how he tosses snowballs at random passersby, pointing and laughing as they nail their target before ducking down to try hiding from any potential retaliation. He's hardly the most stealthy, though, so sometimes the top of his head sticks up enough that someone with good aim could probably get a clean shot in on him...

Or making snow angels out in the middle of the paths where the snow is smoother and less deep. Never mind the fact he's getting in the way of everybody and making them walk around him with annoyed looks on their faces.

Then he's making snowmen of all the people he knows, using all manner of props. Among the recognizable people is a spiky-haired person wearing a mask, a girl with twintails, a lizard that is distinctly Godzilla, a woman doctor with a tail, and others, so feel free to have your character spot their likeness among the snow army he's built!]

🔥 3. SNUGGLE UP

[With the power going out so frequently, Yato's decided to just. Bring a handknit blanket anywhere he goes on base. Off to the cafeteria? Blanket. A trip to the spa? Blanket. Eventually he's opted to follow suit with a lot of other Outsiders and take up residence in the library by the fireplace, wrapping in - you guessed it - his oversized blanket.

Sniffing a bit from the cold affecting his nose and making it run, he glances around at everyone else there before fetching a hand out to point around at the others, while the he holds a hot toddy in his other hand.]

We should play a game! How about Never Have I Ever! That's a fun one! I'll start: never have I ever attended school regularly.

🃏 4. WILDCARD

[Feel free to come at me with whatever!]

[ It's a snowy Monday morning. Ereshkigal leaves the LILITH headquarter - as she does very day besides Sunday - to go and work at the flower shop. But just as she exist the building, she stops in her tracks and looks at the white world before her with wide open eyes. ]

W-What is this?

[ She very tentatively takes a step forward and walks on the white thing that covers everything as far as the eye can see. H-Her weight causes her feet to sink in! Could it be... Is this? ]

Snow...?

[ She starts sparkling and gets down on a knee, excitedly grabbing snow with her hands. W-Wow! She'd read a lot about it, but she had no idea it actually looked that pretty! And it feels so weird to hold. If she compacts it then it becomes like ice, but if she pelts it off the ground then it's like dust! Now of course she's a goddess, she knows exactly how this all works on an elementary level. But to see and feel it for herself...

It's so wonderful, ehe! It's like a dream coming true! ]

❀ 2. … AND YOU'RE WATCHING…

(With winter here, there are plenty of illuminations to check out. Some places have tried to stand out and offer a more unique experience so if you visit a certain park in downtown Tokyo, you'll find the typical illumination fare as well as stands selling light up wands and toy swords that let off some holographic effects when they're swung. The wand leaves sparkles in the air and the swords leave bright slashes. Children can be found running around having dramatic duels in the snow and while they may be the main target audience, that doesn't stop older customers from trying to take creative pictures to post on their socials.

In some ways, Tsurumaru is easy to miss when he's dressed in mostly white from head to toe, blending in with the snow and reflecting all of the light around him. On other, it's impossible to miss him when he takes one of the light up wands, aims it at you and yells,)

JOYOUS CHERRY BLOSSOM LIGHT ATTACK ݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚ ~

(And a shimmer of holographic hearts and glitter come flashing towards you. It's just light so it won't do anything except maybe leave you seeing stars and spots in your vision for a bit.

And the next minute, Tsurumaru is laughing and twirling the wand in the air.)

Hahah! Hey, help me think of another attack name.

(Yeah, you.)

You know, like the ones on "the stream."

(Streaming services. He means streaming services.)

❀ 3A. WINTER'S COLD, DARK EMBRACE

(Here you are, minding your own business around the base, trying to keep warm and what have you when someone approaches you from behind and puts their cold fingers on the back of of your neck. When you spin around, Tsurumaru has already jumped some feet back and is holding up his hands in the air. He doesn't even try to look innocent.)

Surprise.

❀ 3B. COLD STEEL

(When the sun goes down and the air outside becomes even colder, Tsurumaru can be found shuffling through the base. Wearing a long sleeved turtle neck under his usual casual clothes and a black haori around the base, he whines when he walks through a particular drafty part of the base. When he sees someone, he shuffles over closely,)

I'm going to go make some tea. (And he sure is just striking up a conversation,) Do you want some?

❀ WILDCARD

if you want to do something else other than the above then feel free! if you want a custom starter, you can hit me up at

yosakoi or discord (ask)

▶ 001. LET IT SNOW

[While Raidou has been spending a lot of time travelling back and forth to Okinawa, he's actually more of a cold weather fan. Now that the ice skating rink is open, any free time he can manage to wedge into his schedule is spent there. It's one of the few hobbies he had as a kid, and it's probably his favorite.

If you've never tried it, or you look like you're struggling out on the ice, he'd be willing to help give you some pointers. Any company is welcome, too. You'll also catch him out there racing quickly, and attempting the occasional jumps when the rink is clear enough. He's out of practice since last winter, but agility and speed are Raidou's two greatest strengths. He's a natural out there.]

▶ 002. SNUGGLE UP

[Raidou is dismayed as anyone after returning from work in Okinawa to a base with no heat. Here we go again, like last winter. He's tempted to just go and camp out in Okinawa for the night, but he wouldn't want to leave everyone else to shiver. Since he does a lot of junk shop and thrift store shopping for supplies anyway, he will return to the chilly base with blankets collected from his treasure hunt. He'll be handing them out (after running them through the laundry, of course) to any and all who want one.

Since these are second-hand pickings, you can't afford to be choosy. Raidou might be handing you something weird, or cutsey, or maybe festive. Whatever it is, at least it's free?]

▶ 003. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE

[With everything else Raidou has in his schedule, volunteering for medical trials may have been a bad idea. These side effects are definitely interrupting his day. It's so hard for him to say no to the doctor cat, though.

You'll find him sitting in the cafeteria with several empty plates of food, his shinto studies text next to him as he was attempting to at least read while eating dinner. Instead, he's now sitting there looking at plates with a subtle look of dismay, because even after all of that, he's still hungry. It feels like he hasn't eaten anything at all!

He gets up and clears his place, and returns with two more plates of food, looking no less concerned. And is also really hoping the people sitting nearby him aren't judging him too hard.]

001. let it snow i.

( There is a vast difference between reading about something in a book and experiencing it first hand. So far, Vash has been fairly good at keeping his reaction to surprising things on a normal, even-keel. But then he wakes up from an impromptu nap - read: a no other choice loss of consciousness from running about too much - and the entire world outside has been covered in white. Which means now he's under an awning nearby, not quite out in the open yet, the red of his coat a splash of colour. Each movement is a little slow, a spooked Toma feel, as he lifts his flesh hand to pull the glove from it by his teeth, extending it out from under his shelter palm up to catch a few of the flakes.

The first contact makes him flinch, but then he laughs, loud and bright, breath gusting in steam. It takes him barely any time after that to push himself out into the open, arms spread wide as he spins, kicking up the lain snowfall as he does. Snow, he's finally seeing snow. It catches in his hair, along his shoulders, drips down his glasses. And Vash clearly loves it, if the way he's still laughing is anything to go by, crouching down to run the very same set of fingers through the inches at his feet. )

Oh, it's crunchy.

( He'd thought it would be soft. Like fluff. )

oo2. let it snow ii.

( The next thing to surprise him is the Christmas Tree. It's off to one side in the middle of a busy shopping street, and Vash is absolutely causing an obstruction standing right in the middle of all the busy shoppers to peer up at it with barely concealed awe. )

You know -. ( To whomever is (un)lucky enough to be right beside him. ) - Rem told us about a winter holiday once. She said people put up lights, and they sing songs, and it's a time for family. Only everyone else was in Cryosleep and Nai didn't like parties so we never got to. ( He huffs out a breath, amusement tinged with melancholy. ) It's a shame, I think it's pretty. Maybe he would have liked it if he'd have seen all of the warmth.

oo3. snuggle up.

( One thing that Vash did not consider with the snow, nor with all the traipsing about out in it, is the cold. Already a creature prone to running a little chilly, he hasn't exactly anticipated just how badly the change in season would affect him. In the desert this had been a godsend, but here not so much. Which means that during one of the power outages, Mr. The Stampede is experiencing his first chill-related full-bodied shiver.

His teeth are chattering. It is not a fun time. )

O-ow. ( Hands shoved under his armpits, Vash shuffles along to the row of flasks, peering down at the miserably. Is it normal to feel clumsy? He hopes so. His hands are shaking a little as he picks up a little Styrofoam cup. ) I wish there was o-one big enough for me to put my whole body in.

( Oh no, wait. Tank related trauma. ) Actually, n-nevermind.

oo4. wildcard.

( Anything goes! Make him build snowmen. Come help him look after the orphans. Give him food. If you want specifics find me at sadgaydna on discord or qingya! Also just a heads up he has a toy drive post if anyone's interested. )

spoilers for jjk.

oo1. let it snow.

( In the middle of the shopping district is Geto Suguru, looking wildly out of place and absolutely miserable about it, loitering by an alleyway with a cigarette clenched desperately between his fingers. Because the unfortunate thing about being a semi-behaved genocidal maniac is that eventually you will have to do normal, human things and are absolutely not allowed to kill anyone about it. Holiday shopping was the worst before he decided he hated humanity. Now it's an exquisite kind of torture.

And while logically he's sure nobody would blame him for ignoring it entirely - dying on Christmas Eve wouldn't exactly fill anyone with the holiday spirit - he's loathe to actually give in to his winter blues. He has to try. That doesn't mean if he sees an equally harried Outsider he's not going to give them a wry grimace though, shrugging one shoulder. )

It almost makes you miss the Kaiju, doesn't it? They're less rude.

oo2. snuggle up.

( There's very little point hiding in his room if the power's out, so here Geto is, slouching in his sweatpants and sweater, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his battered pink Nintendo DS tucked into one arm. Out here at least there's hot chocolate, and if anyone's paying very close attention they'll see him spiking his own with a tiny bottle tucked away in his pocket.

He mimes shushing, if he catches a glance, then takes his hot chocolate to the nearest chair to work on his game. Which maybe prompts a -. ) What are electric types weak to again? Ground?

( Tinny Pokémon music comes from the speakers. It's an entire thing. He's an evil cult leader, don't you know? )

oo3. wildcard.

( Quick and dirty top level as I'm being forced out of the house right this very second. If you want anything specific please absolutely feel free to let me know and I'll get you a starter. Or you can hit me up with something. Throw a snowball at his head, he deserves it. Once again I'm at qingya or sadgaydna on discord! )

one. Smoke Break

[ Once the snow starts to fall, an observant eye will probably notice that Tezcatlipoca is much more base-bound than normal. He’s the kind of guy that comes and goes often, heading out into the city to do god knows what, then wandering back with no particular pattern. But with the cold?

Yeah, no. He’s a god of the jungles of Mexico. He is not well-suited for cold weather. It’ just too bad for him that he also has a serious nicotine addiction to nurse.

There’s a particular stairway that leads to the roof of the base, and any smoker knows that heading up there is the best place to go take a smoke break without having to leave the base entirely. So, whether you’re a smoker yourself or you just feel the draft coming from the cracked door (please don’t lock him out), if you head up there, you might find Tezcatlipoca. He’s almost comically bundled up, but at the very least, he’s looking at the snowfall with a pensive expression… At least until someone else joins. He tosses you a toothy little smile. ]

Comin’ to join me? Weather’s shit, but at least it’s pretty.

two. Update: He Got Locked Out

[ yeah, you know who doesn’t like that door being propped open and letting out the heat? LILITH, who is footing the bill. so. ]

@ nice toy
hey whichever asshole closed the damn door up to the roof fuck you

it’s cold as fuck out here

can someone let me back in

three. Padorumas

[ Even Tezcatlipoca’s (civilian) workplace is getting into the holiday spirit. If you frequent some of the less than reputable districts of Neo Tokyo, you’ve probably at least wandered by a bar called 12 Steps Down. And whether you’re a regular or the idea of some alcohol warming you on your walk just sounds appealing, when you go down the stairs, it’s looking much more festive.

This, of course, includes the bartender on duty.

Tezcatlipoca is fully decked out in an interesting costume, complete with having his hair braided up into a bun. His boss had insisted, for some reason? But, hey. He’s getting more tips, so he actually can’t complain, even if he doesn’t get it.

It’s not very busy, which is a good thing, because as soon as an Outsider walks in, Tezcatlipoca laughs as he leans on the bar. ]

Before you get too excited, no free drinks, even for coworkers.

four. Cold Hands

[ Well, he was cold before, but now!! What the fuck!!

Which is to say, once the power goes out, you’ll find Tezcatlipoca almost exclusively in the library hogging some of that fireplace space. After all, he’s both a cat-coded and a serpent-coded deity, so this is all perfectly in line with such stereotypical behavior. He’s bundled up in as many blankets as he can find (re: steal), but it’s still not quite enough.

So, if he remotely knows you? Even if it’s just exchanging a name? You’re getting beckoned over, since he is both cold and shameless. ]

C’mere. These blankets don’t do shit, so you and me, we’re getting’ close.

[ And if there were any doubt about what he’s demanding, he even holds open a blanket slightly. It is cuddle time. ]

wildcard.

[ Have another idea? Hit me up! I’m open for anything, including perhaps some of those kissy/spicier prompts from medical trials…! If you have questions, you can hit me up at runthejewels ]

1. Snuggle up (ie. I'm sick and making it Dan Heng's problem...)

[There are all sorts of new experiences to be had in this new world... Some are more pleasant than others…this is one of the more unpleasant varieties. Sore throat, congested to the point he could barely breathe, and a headache pressing against his sinuses…he was not aware he could catch a common cold. Lovely. The lethargy made it hard to figure out at first…of course he’d fall ill after the trials he’d faced recently. Or maybe it was his body demanding more rest. He doesn’t know.

At least it’s not as bad as trotterpox…

At first he’d stayed in his room to ride it out himself, but then the power started cutting out. Right then…he needs to find a reliable heat source. Torpor is the least of his problems now; he can’t generate his own fever with dragon blood, so he needs external sources…

And that’s how you find a bleary eyed dragon guy curled up in one of the lounge chairs by the library fireplace. It may look like a pile of blankets at first but uh. No. There are horns poking out of that pile, Dan Heng himself huddled around a book. There’s a box of tissues clutched in the crook of one arm, and a small wastebasket nearby he’s using to dispose of the used ones. Guy set up a little station here, huh…

He notices you, and sniffles. One hand comes out to wave, then immediately retreats back under the covers.] It’s probably not contagious. But I can leave if uh. This bothers you. [Does he mean the stifled coughs? Or being ill in general? Unclear. But he can probably find a better heat source somewhere.]

2. Let it Snow!

[Once better, Dan Heng ends up taking one of the Transylvania orphans out to see the lights and such. Erika Jean, newly missing a tooth and full of enthusiasm for all things new and colorful, tails him for much of it. He…can’t blame her. It’s like she’s full of the spirit of the Trailblaze. He wonders if that helps keep them both warm in these freezing temperatures…a coat insulated with portable heating packs certainly helps in his case. Along with the scarf gifted to him recently, long sleeves, boots, etc. etc.

He’s not unused to snow. Spending time in Belabog’s eternal freeze will acclimate one quickly. He’s…not the biggest fan of it, but as long as the stuff remains powdery instead of slushy and getting in his boots, he can handle this.]

a.) [You can find them investigating the lights and Dan Heng’s general info dumps about how they work. Even as Erika keeps asking “why” about…all of it. He seems to have endless patience for stuff like this, even as she pulls him along from shop to shop. He’s…not sure what kind of things Erika might like, but it seems he’s finding out.

It takes him a moment to notice you. He gives a small, wry smile.] I wasn’t prepared for all the advertising around here. More than usual. Is this normal for the winter season? [(Yay Christmas shopping)]

b.) [A bit later, he’s somehow roped into ice skating. He’s not very good at it. You may be skating as well, or observing on the walls nearby. Either way, a nonplussed dragon guy slides up to you on his back, having fallen for. He doesn’t know how many times now. But he’s here, staring up at you with a very sheepish expression. Oh and there’s a child sitting on his chest, laughing and demanding “again, again!”

The sight is not unlike an otter floating along a stream, their young cradled safely on their chest. Except then said young gets up and tries to drag him back up, which Dan Heng tries to oblige, horribly clumsy on the slippery ground.

(Help? Or push him down, I’m not the boss of you. Also the child npc doesn’t need to be super involved, I just didn’t know how else to get him to willingly ice skate :V )]

3. Take your medicine (Side effects may include: zoomies??)

[...maybe after recovering from a nasty head cold, he shouldn’t go into testing the vampire cure. But always wanting to help, especially with the lingering effects of…that. Well. He didn’t see any reason to refuse Dr. Spim.

Maybe he should have.

Because then he wouldn’t be running around in the snow with a burst of energy, turning the corner and bowling over the Outsider on the other side. Oops!] Oh! Apologies, here.

[He helps you up, his hands freezing as usual even through the gloves. His face looks flushed, and he’s. Shivering...something royally messed with his internal heating regulation. But he seems…abnormally chipper about it? Dan Heng smiles, a bit sheepish but no less enthused. Anyone who knows him at least a little would definitely find that…weird.] I was going to get something to eat did you want somefood too or maybe you needed help with something or maybe you were going shopping I didn’t mean to interrupt-

[Please make this stop. Sorry about him.]

Wildcard:

[As usual, hit me up on plurk or the group discord or PMs if you wanna plot something, or just hit me with something random not on the list, I don't mind! As said, I am...sick. So replies may be a little slow, gomen. Still wanted some winter wonderland shenanigans haha]

001: Random Encounters

[ The first few days of December sees a very restless Godzilla taking advantage of the downtime to partake in some solitary wandering unlike anything he's been able to do since arriving in Neo Tokyo nearly six months ago! There are a variety of locations you could bump into him including;

A: The Base's Roof (lizard mode)
Attracted by the snow and the way the city seems almost peaceful as the white blanket falls across it, Godzilla has wandered his way up to the roof to sit and ruminate. He's been out there for quite some time, long enough that he's entirely covered in a lair of snow himself. If you make your own way up there after awhile you may notice the seemingly sculpted mound of snow next to you is in fact breathing and one of its eyes glows with the telltale light of an active ocular implant. Whatever he's up to Godzilla is either too distracted to notice company or he just doesn't care. Poke at your own risk?

B: Okinawa (lizard mode)
Despite many of the Outsiders he now considers to be enemies being involved in the Okinawa project, Godzilla himself is far too drawn to the environment to avoid it. There's a particular area of beach the big guy seems to have claimed for himself, and fortified in his own way. Sand has been piled up in mounds to form a circle around the area, drift wood carved by claw into sharpened stakes jutting out here and there, the emptied shells of giant crabs and their claws also used to add to the barricades here and there.

Inside the crude walls is a fire pit dug into the sand and surrounded by rocks but its mostly empty space, aside from two perfectly spaced trees and a very busy Godzilla. The big guy is working at tying up a hammock, an honest to god(zilla) hammock, between the trees. Something that would probably be easier in human form but he's so much more comfortable in his scales out here, he'd rather do things the hard way.

C: Kyoto Wilderness (lizard mode/human mode.)
[ The woods, streams, and rivers of the Kyoto area are teaming with wildlife. And now also Godzilla. If you're out there for whatever reason you may see a snow covered scaley hide slipping between trees, hear an annoyingly familiar roar in the distance when he's spooking off some wildlife he doesn't want to deal with, or find the big guy taking his time breaking the ice in the waterways to shift through the beds for... something.

You could just as likely run into a very humany Godzilla riding his motorcycle back and forth from the wilderness and to the remains of the city to return to the data portal. Or, well. Trying to ride it. You're just as likely to find an overturned bike getting kicked by a man cursing in, well, dinosaur language, or simply carrying the damn thing over his shoulder and walking down the road. He has no idea how to use this machine please send help.]

002: Godzilla is friend to all the children (Maybe. Probably. Don't worry about it.) (human mode)

[ Despite what is surely the ire of certain elements within the Outsiders Godzilla has been doing his best to look after the orphans from Transylvania, attempting to help them get over their issues while at the same time fighting against his own.

He's doing pretty well actually! There are various days where he can be found out and about watching over the youngsters like a hawk whilst they enjoy the winter wonderland that's popped up around them. Down at the Red Brick Ice Rink he's helping the younger children tie their skates and ensuring any who fall aren't hurt, and are given cocoa while they recover.

Another likely place to find him is supervising while the orphans play out in the snow. The big guy watches on implacably with arms crossed whilst children build things out of snow, make angels, and pelt each other with snow balls. More than once snow gets hurled his way, at first possibly out of slight rebellion, but before long it's a game. He keeps stepping out of the way of the hurtling snow balls with casual indifference, the orphans seem to be challenging each other to try and hit the weirdo that most of them probably know is a giant lizard in disguise.

It greatly improves his opinion of the children, go figure. Having the ambition and courage to come at him like that whilst keeping hate from being their motivator almost inspires the big guy. Of course you wouldn't tell that by looking at him, he's stone faced as ever throughout the day. ]

003: Wildcard
[ Y'all know the drill. Throw whatever at me, hit me up on dm, discord, or plurk for plotting, poke me for a custom starter. I'm flexible as ever~ ]

[ Well, the power being out is... Not a problem at all, actually! For one, the Phantomhive manor didn't have electricity, so this was quite normal for Sebastian, really. Just as would be the case at home, he's gathered candles and whatever reflective surfaces he can find to help distribute the light further around the fireplace in the library. After all, he's also gained a secondary task to keep himself busy.

Quilting. Thanks to Vash for giving him the idea just before it became a problem! He's been hard at work already, so you might even find an extra quilt or two to help keep you cozier. Would you like hot chocolate with that? He'll happily prepare you a mug.

In exchange, maybe you can help him work on his current patchwork? He's happy to teach the process to anyone curious. But. Much more importantly.

As he's dutifully working away at his own pieces with remarkable, practiced ease, he thinks having a little group is indeed a perfect time to get to know his new coworkers better. ]

Well, while we are all here. Why not play a little game just to chat and pass the time? I have heard of a fun one called two truths and a lie, in fact...

[ ooc ; and here is a little toplevel for anyone that wants to to play two truths and a lie IC! and quilt, if they so desire! feel free to just make a sub-toplevel underneath this one for your character(s), which I'll also be doing for grandma demon here ]

[OOC: Click on the headers to open the prompts!]

001. ▶ WELL DESERVED QUEST. --> (Mid November - December)

💥 ➊ QUEST. - Morning Mingle

[Yeah, he knows it's cold. He knows it's morning. He knows the sun's only halfway above the horizon. But at least it's not snowing or icing yet! Bakugo's finally gotten the permission to lead escorts outside the city for searching. His aim? Medical plants that might be lurking within the overgrown fields, highways, and surrounding areas. Blame the constant Outsider missions to other locations foreign to Neo Tokyo. Perhaps searching for plant life at the onset of winter is a foolish attempt, but there's a break in the general chaos of their usual lives. He's determined to at least see what can be found outside. Even if they can't find any of the medical flora until spring, they can search out potential locations that look promising, as well as scout the surrounding areas for future quests.

Among the gathered group, likely smaller due to the chilly weather and the nature of the quest, Bakugo passes out a self-made field guide with multiple herbs and plants, complete with reference pictures, habitat notes, warnings for any toxic or irritating to the touch, and whether to collect the seeds, uproot saplings, or take a cutting (yes it includes instructions on how to do the latter two). Anyone who wants to pass on the physical guide can get a digital version 'emailed' to their inbox for download into their ocular. Each provided harvesting pouch contains bags, pruning shears, a small spade, and other tools to use.]

The more we find, the more we can stock medicine and anesthetics. Unless you want it to hurt like hell when you're in surgery. [He's in this to avoid the nigh-torturous experience of upgrading, for current and future Outsiders.] Anything you find is useful. We move as a group; anyone who wants to break off, partner up. If you see a kaiju or some mutated beast, back off.

You're all my responsibility and no one's getting hurt on my watch. We're searching and collecting, not fighting. [Odd to hear Bakugo say something so peaceful, but he's serious.] I'll make sure we're all back before sunset. If you have a question, ask now.

💥 ➋ QUEST. - Herbalist Harvest

[Bakugo might be the responsible leader of the excursion, but he's not about to baby the people who came with him. He trusts their intention to help, as well as their ability to read and handle the basics of the quest. Depending on where they go each time, difference landscapes present themselves to the Outsiders. An abandoned highway crawling with vines and surrounded by overgrown ditches, a small gas station and rest stop now reclaimed by nature, a peaceful field of grasses and shrubbery interspersed with patches of looming trees and studded with boulders. Each of the locations are a strange combination of desolate and tranquil in the frosty air. As the sun rises further in the sky and their bodies move, warmth returns to the air until no one can see their breath anymore. Bakugo stays at the head of the group, though checks on the flanks and rear at periodic intervals.

Once they get down to it, he works alongside the other Outsiders rather than walking about them like a manager. Getting his gloved hands working in the cold earth, opening the field guide to compare pictures of plants with the ones he's parsing through. Bakugo brushes aside some bushes, scanning the ground around their bases, then backs off to look elsewhere. Other times, he grins in success at locating a matching shrub! Find him working the small shear and knife into a branch to harvest a cutting before placing it a bag half-filled with dirt. Or did you want to help Bakugo with mapping out the surrounding areas? He'll even take people on an explosive-powered flight if they need the higher vantage point for it.

Beyond running into a few deer and winter-hardy birds or rodents, the wildlife out here is rather scarce for the cold weather. That's good new for him, as he'd rather not run into a damn kaiju while out on this work. Probably won't be so lucky when it comes to doing this in the spring, however. Bakugo pauses beside a hill, then calls you over to look at this. What appears to be a collection of rubble turns out to be a collapsed structure, possibly a stand of sorts.]

We can take some of this back for Shashou's greenhouse in Okinawa.

💥 ➌ QUEST. - Sundown Shelter

Let's wrap it up! We're going back! [True to his word, Bakugo refuses to let anyone on his watch stay out after the sun goes down. Once it begins descending towards the horizon, he quickly makes his rounds to gather the group back into close proximity, helping anyone who needs to finish collecting a plant or scouting an area. Once rounded up, the pace back to Neo Tokyo is a quick clip so they'll be back in the city before dark. Head count and verbal check in make sure everyone's accounted for and uninjured. Minus any potential small bumps or scratches from messing around in nature all day. If someone wants to review their findings with him on the way back, feel free to approach him and talk about it.

Once they arrive back at the city and approach the base greenhouse, Bakugo helps the Outsiders unload whatever they collected, offering to handle it from here if they're tired and want to go back to their rooms for a warm shower and rest. Otherwise, he'll direct his coworkers to the greenhouse space LILITH set aside for him in the nursery. It's warmer in here under the lights and enclosed glass, so if you want to stay and help him pot some plants or compile some map notes, feel free to finish up with another hour or so before going back to the base.

It might be a rare thing, but you'll get a gruff thanks for your help.]

002. ▶ LET IT SNOW.

💥 ➊ SNOW. - Cold Weather Sucks

[Anyone who's been around Bakugo for the past few months knows he's not a fan of cold weather. At all. It messes with his Quirk, which messes with his results, which messes with his image, which messes with his attitude and pride. He prefers to stay indoors more often, studying in his room, working out in the gym, training in the simulation area, or tending to things in the greenhouse. Despite the Christmas spirit, the grumpy hero seems to ignore most of it, bundling up in jackets, warm pants, and scarves while outside.

Occasionally he'll stop to look at the holiday decorations, hands in his pockets and mouth hidden in the wrap of his scarf as the cold weather dusts his nose and ears with red. While the decor of the city brings a nostalgic cheer from his own world, it's also a painful reminder that Bakugo's been gone from his home for a year now. A bittersweet anniversary. Perhaps you find him in a store looking through some potential gifts. Or sitting quietly in a small cafe looking out the window at the snow outside with a quiet air of reflection. Or heading back to base amid a gentle snowfall with his hair and shoulders dusted in the winter flakes. At least he's up and around. Doing things.]

💥 ➋ SNOW. - Blades on Ice

[There's a certain someone Bakugo vowed to best last winter. At fighting? Nope! At ice skating. White lines trail after his skates atop the frozen pond beside the large snow-dusted shrine up the nearby trail of steps. His hands rest in his pockets, sheltered from the cold inside gloves as he turns on his skates and flows backwards across the ice. Graceful isn't a word often used to describe Bakugo, but he's not about to end up a clunking ice skater stomping around the ice. Powerful motions from his legs push him along the surface, shoulders leaning forward or to the sides to arc a curve before pulling into a hard close-knit circle. He takes a moment to rest before starting laps around the pond, beginning with a warm up or two then escalating into rising speeds to push faster and faster. If you feel up for joining him, perhaps challenge Bakugo to a race? Otherwise, he might catch you lingering by the edge of the pond, either putting on your skates or suspiciously watching without attempting to try.]

Oy. If you're gonna stare, get out here.

[Feel free to set this at The Yokohama Red Brick Ice Rink if you want! The microscopic nanobots fitted in the ice lead to some really interesting lights showing up when touched, leaving glowing striking colors trailing behind your skates for patterns and displays. Bakugo may or may not be a complete dick and write something on the ice...]

💥 ➌ SNOW. - Winter Wars

[Alternatively... WHAP!! Incoming! Another white missile screams through the air, prompting a harsh duck. Snow scatters against the tree trunk and Bakugo snarls behind the built-up fortress walls. These bastards had him and his team pinned down in their last stronghold. Five more enemies lurk outside on the field, behind small divots of snow pushed up to serve as mid-field shelters. Bakugo glances over his shoulder at the stockpile of snowballs. They don't have unlimited resources either. Peeking up from the wall of the fortress, he surveys the ground, then drops down as another snowball whistles past. PAFF!!]

Pack that! [Ordered at his teammate in a gruff voice.] If those bastards are gonna give us ammo, we'll use it! [Before grabbing a bottle of water from the inside of his jacket. He stuffs it into the snowbank intending to cool it down.] Time to crash them to pieces. [Is he serious?! Coating a snowball in ice?! ... DAMN RIGHT HE IS!! Going for that CLUNK!! ~~don't try this at home, kids. it can seriously hurt someone.~~]

003. ▶ SNUGGLE UP.

💥 ➊ SNUGGLE. - Keeping Warm

[Great. Neo Tokyo's back to the power outages again. Bakugo remembers these fucking flickers from his first December here. Lights going out, the hum of the heater dying, computer switching to battery, and everything else plunging to black stillness. At least they seem to only last for a few hours this time, rather than leaving them for a day or three without power. He growls about not being able to build a damn fire in the base, though is less intent about doing so since the power outages are less severe this time. Bakugo's not good with cold weather in the first place, so having to deal with bouts of chill in the base leaves him irritated.

* He usually retreats back to his room once the power turns off, so you might find him heading down the halls, one hand cupped in front of him as small explosions burst and snap around his palm to light the way. This might end up sitting in his bed under the blankets for a casual talk about how dumb the weather is... or nostalgic memories.

* Another log's shoved in the fireplace and Bakugo returns to the couch to tuck under the blanket again, opening the book to his stopping point to resume reading in the glowing warmth within the hearth. If you want to bother him about what he's reading or try to encourage him into some activity, go for it.

* If you accept his invite or tail him, you might get to "cheat" a little and sit with Bakugo in his car with the heater running. Pester him enough and he'll probably drive around the city to look at the decorations too. A certain someone will get something extra...

* Bakugo swipes a cup of hot tea from the table before rolling his eyes at the other call. Dammit, he doesn't need to get involved in these stupid childish games! Barking over his shoulder about it doesn't help, and eventually he's sitting on the couch, grumpily participating in one of those party games: Never Have I Ever, Two Truths and a Lie, or Charades.]

[OOC: I'm down for any other plans or plots you might have! Feel free to send me a PM to discuss or plot anything, or leave an OOC message here to work something out. I'm good to write individual starters if you like. Inbox threads are also A+ if you want to play around with that. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!]

Let It Snow

[Manjoume hates the cold--it's why he wears long sleeves all the time, even in the summer. As such, he is bundled up even tighter than usual, coat actually closed for once and wearing several scarves around his neck along with gloves. But since it's a day where he's actually feeling good enough to be outside, he's gotten bored enough that he tries shaping some snow to make dragons out of--way cooler than just some boring snowman.

At least, until he spots someone that has their back to him, and is in the perfect position for him to gather up some snow, curl it into a ball... and then toss it, so sorry pereson who happens to be nearby. Hope you're prepared for a snowball to come flying through the air and smacking you right in the back of the shoulder. Or even right in the head, depending on how good Manjoume's aim ends up being.]

Snuggle Up/Games

[This stupid weather (and the medication he's on for the vampirism) have been making him colder than he'd like to be, so he is encouraged by the offer to sit by a warm fire with some blankets and have a hot drink to help him feel better during this time. Although, just sitting here drinking or looking at his cards can be a little boring, so he ends up taking part in any games people want to play with him here, starting with...]

"Never Have I Ever"? Fine, let's see... "never have I ever traveled to--" oh wait no, I have done that. Never have I ever rode in--wait no, the family helicopter, that's right, nearly forgot about that one. Never--nope, not using that one, that's just embarrassing.

[There's a pause as he really thinks about it for a moment, and then...]

Never have I ever... shoplifted?

[Yeah, that works to start with. Sure.]

Take Your Medicine (cw: medication side effects involving hallucinations)

[As mentioned before, Manjoume is one of the people still recovering from the vampirism disease that got spread around during the last mission, so during the periods of time when he isn't feeling well enough for socializing, he can be visited upon in his room in the Brimstone dorm. Thankfully, it's not really the vampiric hunger that he has as big of a problem with lately, it's mostly the side effects of the serum that's being tested for curing it, and as such, one may hear what sounds like a rather loud one-sided conversation coming from his room when approaching...]

How many times do I have to tell you idiots that my cups are not mean to be used as swimming pools, for fucks sake... no, don't encourage them! I'm not drinking any of these now after they've gone and used them like that! [Silence] Huh? No, I'm not. [More silence] Ugh, just shut up already, none of you are helping my headache right now...

[Do you want to... interrupt?]

Wildcard

[Hit me up here if there's anything you'd like to do with me that doesn't fit in the other prompts! You can also PM this journal or message me at

wailords for any plotting...]

Edited 2024-12-05 20:52 (UTC)

01 || SANTA WAS HERE (it's hiyori) 🎁

[ ain't no rest for the .... festive.

with a hefty bonus, hiyori is splitting some of those kryptos to go towards her holiday shopping. friends of hers can definitely expect SOMETHING to show up at their doorsteps around christmas time, but everyone is going to get a little something either way.

it's her favorite time of the year ok SEASON OF GIVING

nothing major. all of her crafty skills goes towards making these funny little DIY stockings with candies or nice-smelling soaps inside. stocking stuffers and the like.

feel free to catch her dropping off the little gift bag in front of your door. she isn't slick. ]

02 || ICE SKATING ⛄

[ sometimes all the hi-tech integrations leave hiyori feeling like a kid again, amazed at the spectacles put up around tokyo. such is the case during a winter activity with knives on her feet! she looks down at the ice below her as she skates, enthralled by the light trails she leaves behind her

aaaand most likely running into anybody else on the rink who might've stopped suddenly in front of her or is minding their own business

she has just enough time to yell ]

OH, C - WATCH OUT!

[ before imminent impact ]

03 || NEVER HAVE I 🧊

[ cold is great when you're playing in it and making snow angels, having snow ball fights, and building ice sculptures. love it.

cold is not so great when you're out of power and the temperature is dropping, fast. hate that. by the only operational fireplace on base in the library, there is a lump of blanket that is quivering very subtly. she can hear the games going on around the best and under her breath, ]

N-never have I ever b-been so c-cold...

[ ah. wait. ]

Never have I e-ever been so cold, in my own b-body...

04 || WILDCARD 🎄

[ happy holidays yallllll ]

1: Baby it's Cold Outside
[The money for, basically doing nothing, is a godsend to Donnie. As the colder weather means he needs to invest in some warmer clothing, so during the month he can be found, cloaked of course, at whatever clothing stores he can find. Which honestly the cloak is useful, but it makes getting clothing for his true self a bit hard. Also he's not used to anywhere that's not New York City.

So aside from knowing how to get from the base to his work? He's also getting lost a lot in his winter clothing quest. Help?]

2: Reptiles Need Blankets
[The power going out at base is, annoying at best. And awful at worst. Donnie has made attempts to get his hands on as many blankets as possible, which hasn't been going so well with the possibility of other Outsiders cleaning up or just taking blankets if he leaves them unattended. But at times, the turtle teenager can be found as a mound of blankets that will hiss at anyone who disturbs him.]

3: Wildcard
[December mush brain has got me, so if you got any other ideas and wanna thread 'em? Go for it, or hit me up at

JustAshu or in the Discord.]

Edited 2024-12-06 05:13 (UTC)

[Jamie still keeps to the bare bones of his daily routine in December - self-defense training and keeping his Zoid tuned up, mostly - but he spends very little time in his room or the Redemption wing in general, instead keeping himself busy in other areas. Aside from distributing blankets to people who look like they need them, he can be found tinkering with small electronic devices in the common areas; they mostly seem to be salvaged toys that he's trying to repair for the orphanage's toy drive.

But when he leaves for one of his several part-time jobs, he's gone for longer and longer spans of time every day, often not returning until late in the evening. During some of that time he's out shopping - picking up more blankets to hand out back at base, or more broken electronics to fix up. Other times he's just...hanging out at a ramen stall or wandering along the sidewalks, observing the lights and festivities somewhat absently. Regardless of where or when he's found, though, he looks frayed and exhausted. Or maybe it's just the light, little of it as there is.

At one point near the middle of the month he disappears for several days without a word to anyone, and upon his return seems more melancholy than before he left. He does look a little more rested, though.]

[[OOC: some bare-bones prompts for the nerd this month, they're all wildcard-lite so if any sound interesting to you, go nuts. you can also PM this journal or hmu on discord for plotting.]]

Threaded | Flat

▶ 001. WELL DESERVED REST.

▶ 002. LET IT SNOW.

▶ 003. SNUGGLE UP.

▶ 004. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

PLAYER PLOTS.

Gigan | Godzilla | Brimstone

Yato | Noragami | Everlight