TRAVEL LOG #4

[synfluxmods]

TRAVEL LOG #4

CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disasters such as flooding and tornadoes, toxic gas/rift poisoning.

▶ 001. RECENT REPORTS.

The week leading into the new month is characterized by the distinct shift in weather patterns across Japan. Within Neo Tokyo, heavy rainfall with low level flooding is disrupting the business and commute of the local people. Even more temperate regions around Okinawa, and the small outer islands, will find themselves with an influx of tropical storms. Northern regions such as Hokkaido will find that some of the snow will have melted down, and the sun is running hot for the season. These strange occurrences seem to have the research team running on overtime, seeing if this has any link or correlation to any kaiju and the rifts.

To make matters worse, the Imugi hatchlings have begun to exhibit strange behaviors they never have before. While the hatchlings did seem to gain stability over the past month, now they are showing signs of extreme distress. They seem more on edge, enough to the point where entry to visit them has been appropriately blocked off until they find the source of their stress. The researchers have found in recent days that this seems to directly correlate to the weather, and what they see as rift energy in various parts of Japan. Over the week they narrow down these rifts to two specific locations which have a high chance of being the source -- Kagoshima and Yamanashi.

LILITH believes this is deeply connected to patterns that they've seen in records from South Korea, before their connections were severed due to the battle that took place last year. As a result, LILITH's Japan branch is doing their best to see if they're able to work with the tensions of the past in order to receive further research and information from the new government that rose from the destruction of Seoul, and is presently in Busan. While efforts to rebuild a branch there are progressing, they are reluctant to offer anything outside of the bare minimum or what is readily known to the public.

In light of these events, Outsiders are told to prepare for their leave soon. Unlike the sudden blare of their alarm, they offer the Outsiders time to begin preparing for the next mission. They will be given an additional stipend that amounts to 200 USD to be spent on supplies, or other personal resources necessary. Outsiders are encouraged to group up however they would like and go on a shopping spree to places such as FamilyMart, 7-Eleven and Don Quijote. Remember, only buy what you absolutely need!! (Or don't. It's not like LILITH is gonna be monitoring that.)

▶ 002. DATA COLLECTION.

After much back and forth, the branch in Busan does provide limited reports on their tracking of the Imugi's movements, both prior and after the catastrophe in Seoul. Per their reports, they are able to come to several conclusions in regards to the Imugi.

The Imugi that had escaped has further evolved, and even from the point in which it appeared in South Korea, has evolved to be even stronger than before. This Imugi is able to adapt to any weather condition, and even retains some control over the environment. The Imugi possesses intellect which seems to surpass many of the kaiju they have encountered in the past. The Imugi is able to use the rifts as a means of travel. Unlike some kaiju which appear from the rifts almost arbitrarily, the Imugi seems to have full control over its ability to travel within them, which makes it effective at evading most tracking methods. In addition, after further studies, it was found that the Imugi is able to inflict severe Rift poisoning due to its connection with the rifts. They state that while Seoul was physically devastated, most of the casualties were from the rift poisoning which took place after.

With the reports they receive, they also find that the two locations in Japan exhibited similar flows of rift energy, and are most likely to be in connection with the kaiju. As there are two locations in which have to be physically monitored, the Outsiders will once more need to be split up into teams. Everlight and Revelation will be sent to Yamanashi, while Brimstone and Redemption will be sent to Kagoshima. With this confirmation, it's highly likely that the female Imugi has returned.

Within those groups, LILITH will ask for those with experience with the Imugi to handle briefing others in their team who are not as familiar. As the Imugi does possess a variety of skills, Outsiders will also be asked to stick with those from an opposing team as a safety precautio as they believe each team member should be able to supplement for another. In addition, these teams are asked to stick together even prior to leaving the base in order to increase their ability to work as a team for the duration of the mission. While the travel time to each place is relatively short, videos on teamwork and strategy will be played and cannot be muted or turned off. Here is a recap of the Imugi from last year's debrief sheet with some extra information:

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: IMUGI ♀
HEIGHT: 1000 feet across, 30 feet high
WEIGHT: 2000kg
CLASS: Extremely Dangerous
LOCATION: ???, Japan
ABILITIES: Control over weather conditions, including summoning of heavy storms, lightning strikes and hurricanes. Can fly up to 1000 feet. By flying amongst the clouds, Imugi releases chemicals into the atmosphere that bring about acid rain. Armored scales, sharp teeth and claws.
WEAKNESSES: Piercing it in the gaps between its impenetrable scales. There is also a particularly weak spot under on it's neck that will deal significant damage if pierced.
EXTRA NOTES: From its initial appearance and behavior, specialists believe that this female Imugi confirmed to be the mother of the hatchlings. This appears to be the female counterpart to the kaiju in Seoul that was killed by the Outsiders after causing havoc on South Korea. Despite them both being the same type of kaiju, likely derived from the same rift, this kaiju seems slightly more agile and openly aggressive.

Once each group arrives, they are expected to explore each region and gather whatever data they can.

▶ 003. KAGOSHIMA.

Reports continue to come in from the various outposts and remaining settlements around Kagoshima. There are constant tremors in the area and some of them manifest as full blown earthquakes that can be felt across other parts of the country and trigger tsunamis along the coast. While the region is no longer as populated as it once was, there are pockets of unfortunate civilians taking refuge in abandoned houses who will need to be rescued and evacuated (some may put up resistance). As these are typical signs of an imminent kaiju attack, the area is on high alert.

Ominously, the Kagoshima Bay area seems is exhibiting strange occurrences of dead and mutated fish washing up on the shore and any other animals in the area meet the same fate. These animals have extra limbs or organs, mysterious burns on their flesh, and have grown in size. Some animals have survived but they have mutated into unstable kaiju hybrids. They aren't very strong and don't live for very long but before they die, they become extremely violent.

LILITH researchers who try to investigate eventually become extremely ill and it has hindered their progress. They experience typical symptoms of Rift poisoning (headache, nausea, impulsive behavior, hallucinations) but also burning of the eyes, skin, and lungs. Before onset, they report spelling something foul in the air.

While getting close to the bay is difficult, it's easy to see that something is wrong. Aside from the loss of life, the water in the bay appears more polluted and smells rotten. The famous Sakurajima Island at the center of the bay has always been active but now it lets out unusual multi-coloured smoke. The clouds carry volcanic ash that completely covers large areas making it difficult to move and hard to breathe. The volcano constantly erupts and wind carries shards of cooled magma slivers. The shards cut skin, sting eyes, and can cause serious internal damage if breathed in.

The waves are too dangerous and flight conditions are poor so it is difficult to approach. However, the constant lava flows over the years have created a bridge on the other side of the bay called Ohsumi. Despite the high risks and plentiful unknown factors, Outsiders are tasked with investigating the area around Kagoshima Bay and reaching Sakurajima by this bridge.

Be careful of the toxic gases in the air, Rift poisoning, earthquakes, kaiju hybrids, and volcanic shards. Outsiders are strongly urged to keep their suits on. Outsiders will be flown near to the area via aircraft, and proceed the rest of the way using camper vehicles to reach Ohsumi and find out what kaiju threat is approaching. (Camper vehicles sit 4-5 people each and Seok Dang has kindly programmed his questionable pre-recorded driving lessons into each vehicle.)

▶ 004. YAMANASHI.

Closer to home, the residents of Neo Tokyo can sense that something is happening outside the city. The sky is clearer in the winter months, allowing everyone to see Mt. Fuji in the distance. From the city, everyone can see that dark clouds have gathered around Mt. Fuji. There is widespread panic that Fuji may be preparing to erupt but despite the perceived activity, there have been no tremors. Meteorologists report that this is purely an atmospheric phenomenon.

Clouds spread every day and begin to affect Neo Tokyo. Weather patterns become unpredictable and extreme. Heavy rains flood lower parts of the city one moment and then turn to a mix of snow and ice the next. The temperature drops dramatically and suddenly spikes to warmer weather at other times. Strong winds cause serious damage to buildings and there are reports of tornados touching down in the outskirts. These worsening conditions not only put a significant strain on the local businesses, but there are reports of these strong winds blowing away children and the frail elderly, and flash floods drowning those unable to escape in time. This entire time, Mt. Fuji flashes as lightning repeatedly strikes it. Given the mountain's significance to the people, they worry that this might be some sort of sign that something terrible is coming. In a panic, people begin to stock up on emergency supplies. They buy out stores, hoard goods, and stick closer to the entrances for underground shelters. Some even resort to crime, looting the evacuated apartments or stealing supplies from other people.

While Outsiders may be asked by other authorities to help keep peace in the city, LILITH's priority is investigating Mt. Fuji. They will be sent to Yamanashi prefecture by camper vehicles. (They sit 4-5 people each and Seok Dang has kindly programmed his questionable pre-recorded driving lessons into each vehicle.) It takes about 6 hours to arrive in Yamanashi due to the destruction and weather. It won't be a smooth ride, either. The weather continues to storm, with heavy winds knocking over trees to block their paths, the rain triggering landslides, and lightning strikes that keep conveniently striking wherever they are. On top of that, the rift-affected animals found a month prior have further mutated. The local fauna have grown in size and viciousness, and they make the trip there treacherous. Outsiders may encounter mutated boars slamming into their camper vehicles, or oversized, snarling monkeys trying to captured people and swoop them away. Find a safe and secluded area to park and help out any citizens who may need help.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our fourth travel log!

There are no assigned seats this time, so characters may travel with whoever they choose or assume that LILITH has assigned you. All camper vans come with a driving instruction program installed. You can find more information about these vehicles here. It is highly encouraged to stay within your assigned team mission, but in the chaos LILITH is not going to enforce a relocation if somebody ends up where they aren't supposed to be. Communications remain open across all teams but might be a bit spotty in the weather conditions.

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

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. RECENT REPORTS: The weather across Japan has become unpredictable. The Imugi hatchlings have become very distressed and LILITH is temporarily restricting access to them. LILITH is reaching out to their sister base in South Korea to find out whatever information they can.

2. DATA COLLECTION: LILITH South Korea provides some information regarding the Imugi. We find out that is has become stronger than before. It has evolved and is now able to control not only the weather, but rift travel. It can also inflict severe rift poisoning. Outsider and split into two teams to explore two key locations: Kagoshima and Yamanashi.

3. KAGOSHIMA: Brimstone and Redemption are being sent here via campervan. There are reports of earthquakes, dead/mutated animals along with signs of severe rift poisoning in researchers. The volcano in Sakurajima island is emitted toxic, multi-coloured smoke. Outsiders must cross the bridge to get closer but beware rift poisoning, earthquakes and kaiju hybrids.

4. YAMANASHI: Everlight and Revelation are being sent here. Neo Tokyo is experiencing worsening weather conditions such as floods, unusual snowfall and tornadoes, which is causing a panic amongst the people. Outsiders have to take a campervan to travel toward Mt. Fuji but they may be faced with extreme weather conditions (such as lightning) and kaiju hybrid attacks.

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Comments

[fursuit]

[ As they tumble beneath the surf, the rocky shore feels like the immediate comeuppance for stepping against his ideals. Silco may not take much of an impact, but Tezcatlipoca does. That’s mostly fine—he’s made of stronger stuff when he’s armored—but there’s one area where he’s more fragile to some kind of damage. His obsidian leg isn’t purely for the sake of imagery.

He knows what happens immediately, even if he doesn’t feel any more pain from the snap than anyone with a prosthetic leg would. But it’s inconvenient, to say the very least. When Tezcatlipoca comes up from the water as well, Silco will probably feel the difference, even if he doesn’t know the source. His swimming isn’t quite as strong, but at least it doesn’t need to be. They’re nearly where they can stand. ]

Good answer. But you’re gonna have to help me out with something else first, turns out.

[ Tezcatlipoca huffs out a breath of effort as he gives them one strong push forward together, and that’s at least enough for him to put one foot on the uneven seabed. The offer doesn’t reach, and he growls out a noise of annoyance. Yeah, that’s an annoying break, seems like. ]

C’mon. [ He continues to tug him forward, even if it’s with less grip, but it doesn’t take long for Silco to be able to stand too. ] When you can stand, go ahead. I’ll be right after ya.

[zauneyete]

[ Have to help him? He narrowed a single eye, before he starts to find his feet on the sand bar, trying to hoist himself up and to a standing position as soon as he was able. He half-stumbled, before his hand gripped thick, waterlogged sand, and he forced himself up. ]

Help out...?

[ He slurred, blinking away salt spray and water, before he moved his hands around in the water to remove the sand, reaching up to run hands through his hair as he started to walk through the foul-smelling water, struggling with each step, but he's managing. The sand is starting to give way to rock, and he's starting to finally walk a little bit more evenly. He ran a hand over the skin around his eye, the makeup is already streaked, but he can't blink the salt away. It stings something horrid.

He barely notices, considering how much it always hurts.

He finally reached the actual rocky shore, and finally tapped up the mask of his plug suit, the foul air finally starting to get to him. His eye aches, his lungs ache, everything aches.

He turned back toward Tezca, a quirked brow and one narrowed eye. ]

[fursuit]

[ As soon as Silco is able to stand on his own, Tezcatlipoca unwinds his tail from his thigh. He’s at least careful to not cut it more, but the wound still remains. Though, honestly… It might be more convenient, considering. As much as Tezcatlipoca jokes about it, he doesn’t actually expect the more, uh, colorful version of mana transfer.

Notably, he stays low in the water while Silco walks, since it’s easier for him to swim until it’s no longer practical. The dark, polluted water makes it hard to see what the problem is too, so it would seem like the capricious god’s whim, if not for the scowl on his face. Once Silco is securely on the shore, Tezcatlipoca paddles after him then uses the buoyancy of the water to at least stand on the good leg.

The extent of the damage is revealed to both of them at the same time as Tezcatlipoca looks down and sighs heavily. His obsidian leg had shattered below the knee, leaving a jagged, sharp break. He doesn’t seem to be in pain at all, and for all appearances, it truly does just look like a piece of rock, even though Silco has personally seen how it acts like anything but. ]

Yeah, took a tumble. Pain in the ass…

[ He grumbles out the last part, and it trails off into the smooth syllables of Nahuatl, but it’s to himself. Tezcatlipoca looks up at Silco and holds out his arm on the broken side, clearly asking for Silco to come be his crutch for the moment. ]

C’mon, help me out. Ain’t gonna just hop outta the surf like an idiot.

[zauneyete]

[ The wound hurts, seeping blood, the rush of saltwater against it, but Silco ignores it. Does he know that it is some sort of mana transfer? No, not really, but Silco would hardly know what it means, or that he could provide it this way. He doesn't reach down to block his leg either, but there's the slightest of winces at his eye, the moment the salt water rushes against the wound.

He wonders if it would infect, or get worse. Would it not be like the other time this happened? Silco's pitch eye turned to look at him, and then downward at his leg. A tumble?

His lips twitched, before he moved forward to help him.

Hey, for all of Silco's flaws, he knew better than to deny help to someone like Tezcatlipoca, who was not only a god who could probably slay him outright, but was invested in him.

Maybe this was what an acolyte does? He doesn't know. ] That bad?

[ He reached out with a thin, reedy arm, to wrap around his back, and yes, actually be a crutch.

He's thin enough that he could probably be wheeled around as needed, actually. ]

[fursuit]

Not that bad.

[ His response is quick—tellingly quick—because even as relaxed as Tezcatlipoca can be about many things, his pride is still fierce. He doesn’t like asking for help, but in this case, he needs it. So, the sharpness is all that he says rather than any further criticism. He loops his arm around Silco and makes an affirmative noise as they start to make their way out of the surf. ]

Can’t feel it, I mean. Lost the actual leg Suns- [ He corrects himself, since the language is imprecise enough that he feels like Silco might not understand what he means. ] —Eons ago. Can’t get it back, so.

[ He gestures down to the obsidian. It’s a more fantastical version of it, since it’s always moved as if it were functionally flesh, but past that? It’s not that unfamiliar to Silco, really. It’s just an advanced prosthetic that happens to have a divine twist. ]

[zauneyete]

I didn't realize it was actually missing.

[ He admitted. He'd never noticed it on his human form, and though he has seen Tezca's... godlike visage, he'd never really realized that the oddness to his leg was more than just decoration. That it was actually missing. He supposed he'd always thought gods could get out of those sorts of things. Their limbs regrown, muted, whatever. He's seen set form and dissipate and reform in sand, and he'd seen what it would take to kill a god.

Though, he supposed, it was more likely that a fellow god took it. ]

Dare I ask how you lost it?

[ Was it the obvious perpetrator?

The waves are still lapping at their calves, and it's slow going, but the rocky beach is getting closer. Dry land, which would be preferrable for the both of them at the moment, given... well. Look at them. ]

[fursuit]

[ To be completely fair to Silco. This is where his design is stupid and I have to shrug and go “idk” in reality, but in making sense of it— ]

Well, don’t show it in my other forms. It’s something I lost in battle, so I show it in battle. More or less.

[ aka it’s tezca so he explains nothing, really!! But once they’re out of the surf, Tezcatlipoca huffs and nods to a boulder that’s big enough for both of them to take a seat, which is important for what he has in mind. ]

If I’m bein’ honest, then Cipactli ate it. A kaiju, basically. Had to kill it to make the world habitable for people, so used my leg as bait to draw it out.

[ He clicks his tongue in irritation as they take a seat, but it’s absolutely irritation that stems from the “but” that’s obvious in his tone. Taking a seat is fine, and in fact, he just works on eliminating some discomfort as he grabs his hair to wring it out. ]

But if I’m bein’ petty, it’s Quetzalcoatl’s fault. That idiot doesn’t have any sense of tactics at all, so I’m the one that had to suffer for it.

[zauneyete]

[ Oh, of course it was her. He starts to pat at his pockets for a cigar before he realizes — ah yes. The water. His hands fall back down, and he offered a snide little look, a roll of his eyes, as his hater instinct is activated, and he says: ]

Ah yes, of course it was.

[ Because there's only one person who's almost as good as Tezca at hating on Quetz, and it's Silco. ]

Are you sure it wasn't intentional? Causing you to lose your leg for her advantage? [ Silco also, unfortunately, thinks Quetz is smarter than she really was. Thanks to a series of mishaps. ] Did she... take over, after you?

[ or whatever it was they did when they shifted who was the "top" god. He had the basics, but... ]

[fursuit]

[ Honestly, Silco is better at it, because Tezcatlipoca’s grudge is tempered by the understanding of how Quetzalcoatl is necessary. Silco is a hater through and through… Which is why Tezcatlipoca waves a hand dismissively after he’s satisfied with how much of the muck he can squeeze out of his hair. ]

What, him, do something intentionally? Fuck no. He was just doin’ the equivalent of banging his head against the wall and hoping for a different result if he did it long enough. My leg was a sacrifice, and that’s why it’s gone forever. Intentionality and all that.

[ He clicks his tongue in irritation, then leans forward to inspect the damage on his leg, then sighs as his gaze drifts to Silco’s instead. The wound his tail had caused isn’t too bad, at least, so it’ll heal just fine. In his opinion. He pats Silco’s leg lightly. ]

Anyways, let me have some of your blood, since you’re just bleeding everywhere. Will give me some mana to grow it back.

i went email diving for this tag

[zauneyete]

[ His eyes flick down to his leg, the seeping wound. It had been exposed in the water, and he expects it will rot off if not treated. Perhaps it will anyway. He'll keep an eye on it, although wrapping it will do little for the festering wound. His eyes then return to Tezca. Once, he'd said: ' I'd guess a Servant would suck all your mana dry in an instant.', and he'd assumed it had been something lewd.

Well, well, he supposed it wasn't.

(Silco, it was. You just did not want to ask more questions about that.) ]

You're not going to... [ A blanch ] Take too much, will you? Is this one of those... acolyte duties?

[ He sighed, heavily and shifted so he could take what he needed. ]

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca laughs, amused and sharp as he takes Silco's question as permission enough. He shifts his weight a bit, then braces his hands on Silco's leg so that he can lean down comfortably. Just from positioning alone, it looks suggestive, but there's not much that can be done about that. ]

Ha, so you were listening. And here I thought that god shit was in one ear, out the other for you.

[ ...He still thinks that, honestly. Silco was just probably listening to that particular one because it could be potentially relevant, and you know what? He wasn't wrong. ]

Nah. Blood isn't the most efficient way to get mana, so you'll be fine. Figured you're not up for the more efficient ones, but I'm not exactly inclined at the moment either.

[ Like. He's certainly not opposed to the idea, since it really doesn't mean all that much to him when it comes to a ~mana transfer~, but. Being sopping wet in polluted water doesn't exactly work for him. He pulls at Silco's clothes to expose the wound a little more, then glances up at him with a mischievous little grin. ]

We can call it an acolyte duty if you want. It's either that or you help me wobble my way back to camp, which is way more of a pain in the ass for you.

[zauneyete]

Hm. Well, let's say I'm getting you patched up out of my... duty to you, hm? Paints me in a better light.

[ Silco... was not concerned by that at all, actually, but framing it as something he's doing for Tezca, rather than himself has advantages, doesn't it? Pays him back for the crime of losing it while saving him. Maybe that's petty, but Silco believed firmly in equal exchange. Something that Tezca knew, and understood quite well. The man wouldn't begrudge him this, he thinks. ]

So while you're... [ He looked at his hand on his leg, leaning down, he has a distinct sense that he's going to regret asking.

But Silco hasn't been privy to this conversation yet, and I think it's funny, so — ]

Taking mana.

What's the more efficient way? Killing someone? Bathing in their blood?

[ He suspects it may be something else (just based on his wording before), but he isn't saying it out loud. ]

sighs. cw for nsfw discussion

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca nods agreeably to their "deal" here, since he certainly understands how Silco values business and exchanges. He does too, sure, but definitely not as much, since he believes it'd be just as much his right to demand it of an acolyte, but. No need to do so, is there? Especially not as he dips down lower and snorts out a laugh at Silco's question. ]

Ha, nosy as you are, figured you would know. My personal favorite would be eating your heart, but, y'know, not exactly survivable for you.

[ He's explained it (poorly) to a few people on the network, after all. But, hey, he thinks it's funny every time, so he doesn't have a problem doing so again. He just pauses before giving the explanation to drag his tongue against Silco's skin and take the blood (and gross water...) that's already there in one big sweep. It's very much like an animal rather than anything sensual, which makes it a funny contrast as he gets to that explanation. ]

I suck your dick, you fuck me, whatever. Semen's more potent than blood on the scale of things.

[zauneyete]

[ The heart, at least, makes perfect sense. He could have guessed that one from the way he'd consumed them from time to time. Whether it was the sacrifice Silco had once brought him, or the Kaiju, that tracked with what he knew of the man.

He leans down, and Silco narrowed an eye. He'd expected him to just. Put his fingers in the wound, or something. Maybe draw the blood out.

He's licking instead, and it's clear from the way his thigh is locked down, that he is forcing himself to stay in place.

It isn't that he doesn't trust Tezca, but... It was unexpected. Perhaps he should have clarified — Silco keeps making the same mistakes when it comes to these divine and demonic forces. ]

I see.

[ He says, his tone like the man that has just figured out what this actually means. ] I think the blood will have to suffice.

[fursuit]

[ Honestly, it tastes terrible. That’s not Silco’s fault, but the remnants of the water that linger on his tongue are putrid, and Tezcatlipoca has a sneaking suspicion that he might regret this later. Somewhat. He’d still (stubbornly) insist that it was necessary overall, since it’s not like shifting back to his standard appearance would turn out well. Have to fix the leg problem here before shifting back, lest he have the leg problem there too. Et cetera. An upset stomach is better than that.

Still, he laughs at that “I see”. Silco is a smart guy, but… not with everything. It’s part of why Tezcatlipoca likes him, though. ]

That’s what I figured. You don’t exactly strike me as a casual hook-ups kind of guy.

[ And with that one long stripe taken, Tezcatlipoca squeezes his thigh tightly to encourage it to bleed more. With a bit of a stream, he just laps at it, which is probably also contrary to Silco’s normal, vampiric expectations. On the other hand, it’s very feline how he takes the blood, so maybe not completely. ]

Or a fucking kind of guy in general, honestly. When was the last time you even got laid, huh?

[ yeah this is where the conversation is going somehow ]

[zauneyete]

[ He hissed, at the way he tries to draw more blood out. How mortifying, to have a god doing this, but he suspected it was better than trying to make it back to the line of vehicles, which was a far distance off. Fine to walk for a god and a human, less pleasant if they are limping along back. He says he can regrow it, so he lets it happen.

Even though it stings. He wonders if Tezca taking it will clear the toxins from the wound. Silco has no need of a second infected wound.

At least, until... ]

I'm not.

[ He said, automatically. The type for casual hookups. Tezca keeps going though, and Silco pointedly stares away from the man drinking his blood more like a cat than a vampire. Not quite guilty, but... Tezca knows Silco well enough to pick up that there's a little odd energy there. Not nervous, but perhaps the look of someone thinking very quickly.

As if he's trying to come up with an answer. ]

Ah. It has been some time. [ "some time"??? What a vague way to say that. ] I don't make a habit of seeking such things out.

[fursuit]

[ Luckily for Silco, Tezcatlipoca doesn’t have his omniscience/omnipotence to really pry out the truth, but unfortunately, he’s still smart. The way Silco actually looks away gets Tezcatlipoca to glance up his way, and his attention probably feels scrutinizing. Some of it might be in Silco’s head, but… Not completely. ]

…Uh huh.

[ It’s a disbelieving “uh huh” if there ever was one, and it’s allowed to really linger as Tezcatlipoca focuses on the task at hand for a few long seconds. ]

Wouldn’t have pegged you as shy, gotta say.

[ Has he misinterpreted or is this a trap? Who knows. ♥ ]

[zauneyete]

[ Tezcatlipoca's gaze feels heavy enough to Silco, maybe it is in his head, but he feels it all the same. His lips flatten into a thin line, but he doesn't turn his head to meet what he imagines is something too-heavy. ]

Shy? [ A scoff. ] How about secretive?

[ Which. He was. But also... that kind of gives something away, doesn't it? Silco keeps going, maybe to rush past that, or maybe to keep diffusing it. ]

Have you ever once known me to spend time with that sort of thing? There is always something more important to focus on.

[fursuit]

Secretive...

[ He mulls over the word with a smile that Silco can truly feel, considering what Tezcatlipoca is doing. There's another silence that probably feels too meaningful, but in truth, he really is considering it. It could be Silco being defensive in general, which would be no shock, of course. But what if, right? ]

Sure haven't, nope. But haven't known you all that long in the grand scheme of things, for one, and two?

[ He draws back a little as he licks his lips. He might need more still, but he'll see how he does with that little infusion of mana. It doesn't need all that much, but he's trying to conserve his energy as much as possible so that he can use it for the real shit later. Tezcatlipoca sits back and holds his broken leg out a bit, which starts to turn smoky where it's broken. There's a light, twinkling sound, and slowly, the crystal starts to just regrow.

It would be a marvel, if not for how Tezcatlipoca's eyes are on Silco's instead of the process taking place. ]

You keepin' secrets from god? [ said with the tone of capital-g God, though] That's no good. I'm the best person to tell secrets to.

[zauneyete]

[ Tezcatlipoca's gaze feels like a weight. He may not be able to read silco's mind, but he certainly makes Silco think that he might be able to, the way he stares at him like he knows. He doesn't shrink from it, but he stubbornly doesn't shrink under it. The tinkling sound of crystal regrowth is a welcome distraction, but it also reminds him of...

Hm.

He sniffed, and it's a little stiff. Pointed. ]

I don't doubt that you are. [ He placated. A tight smile for show. He hadn't really considered that it was a secret at all, but... That's because there's little to describe what's actually going on there.]

Since you're not a gossip, I'll give you something to sate your curiosity. [ He's playing cagey maybe, which... Isn't really helping his case. Then again, neither was lying outright, or obfuscating, either. ]

It's been more recent than the last kaiju.

[ go king go give us nothing ]