KAIJU FIGHT #6

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #6

CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disaster, destruction of city, blood, gore, medical needles, toxic gas

▶ 001. SOMETHING IN THE SEA (KAGOSHIMA.)

It takes time to traverse the difficult terrain and fend off the corrupt wildlife but eventually, Redemption and Brimstone will arrive at the Ohsumi, where they will be sent coordinates to travel towards Sakurajima. There, they will find a very thin strip of land that forms a sandy and rocky path towards the island. They will be advised to wait until low tide when the path is easiest to cross.

Fortunately, as they wait, they will be largely undisturbed. The poison here is significantly more concentrated and any wildlife that lingers too long suffocates. For safety, Outsiders must continue wearing their protective suits to avoid the same fate.

Finally, the tide begins to recede and gives way to a rough and rocky path towards Sakurajima. The ground is hard and difficult to traverse; some parts are slippery with water. As they cross, a great tremor starts and the waters around them become turbulent. There isn't much to hold onto, but they're at high risk of falling into the sea especially when the land begins to rise.

When the tremors stop, there's a loud, hissing roar. The Outsiders will find themselves on the back of a giant turtle that is disguising itself as a small island. It appears this kaiju is the cause for the rift energy on this side of Japan.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Gigakame
HEIGHT: ???
WEIGHT: ???
CLASS: Extremely Dangerous
LOCATION: Kagoshima, Japan
ABILITIES: Breathes toxic gas, inner core is hot with magma, spits fire.
WEAKNESSES: Electricity, destroying and separating the turtle from its shell, filling the core with water.
EXTRA NOTES: This is a kaiju that has never been documented by LILITH before -- not much information can be provided. However, just like normal turtles, it uses its shell as a shield for defense and can be weakened if the shell is destroyed and torn from its body.

█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:

The Outsiders will have to cut off all energy supplies to stop feeding the newly named Yamadenki and then defeat them.

Outsiders will be instructed to use water as their advantage as the creature uses fire and magma abilities. Electric attacks will weaken it, but the key is to tear off its shell from its body. Outsiders will be instructed to try this tactic, and after everyone's effort, the Gigakame will be defeated.

▶ 002. KAGOSHIMA AFTERMATH.

The Gigakame washes up on shore dead. The bizarre weather begins to normalize, but the poisonous miasma still lingers. Outsiders disembark to Kagoshima's base to depart and assist their other team mates.

Thanks to the clear weather, it's much easier to return to Kagoshima's research base. There, the researchers reveal they have a few emergency teleporters which are only allowed to be used during an emergency. Presumably, there are just enough to evacuate the researchers, but unfortunately, there are more Outsiders. The staff admit they probably won't have enough power to warp everyone safely; they guarantee that the first handful to go through will arrive in Tokyo with minimal issue, but the more they push their machines, the worse the side effects they'll suffer.

Redemption and Brimstone must decide who to send forward first to assist. Either way, everyone on both teams will be successfully teleported to Neo Tokyo, though those who have drawn the shorter straw (literally or figuratively) will suffer more sickness than those who teleported sooner rather than later.

▶ 003. SOMETHING IN THE SKY (TOKYO.)

While a huge sigh of relief sweeps the country when the kaiju in Kagoshima is defeated, there’s no actual time to relax. Outsiders will be ushered to go through the makeshift portals and/or are encouraged to find other means of arriving at the outskirts of Tokyo immediately. The Imugi has been spotted, and time cannot be wasted-- this is due to the influx of rift energy that is surrounding the city of Tokyo. While LILITH did complete the basic evacuation measures for the citizens of Neo Tokyo, there’s still an ominous air around the city and it’s not just from the rift poisoning, either. With small rifts cropping up here and there within the city, appearing and disappearing, the LILITH base is the most likely target for the Imugi.

While the hatchlings were moved to different facilities for safekeeping and monitoring, the Imugi seems largely uninterested in chasing them at present. The Imugi is resolved in its movements, and no amount of mimicking the hatchlings' vital readings can sway the Imugi off its intended path. As expected, within three hours of the initial fluctuations in rift energy, the Imugi appears at the emptied base. Similar to its behavior in Seoul, it sweeps over the base erratically, almost as if enraged. Its state is a direct mirror of how it appeared when avenging its mate, and it seems this is just the start.

Utilizing the insurmountable amount of rift energy it has built up around Tokyo, it eventually releases a deafening sound that causes the hatchlings to react, drawn to their mother. They make their way through the rifts, traveling through them at her beckoning, only to end up at the basement of the base. Just like that, the Imugi sinks its large claws through the roof of the structure and destroys not just the base, but also its young.

The energy produced by this creates a devastating explosion that destroys parts of the base and some of the surrounding area. While there were limited casualties due to the evacuation efforts, the area is now heavy with rift poisoning and the Imugi has every intention of destroying the city. It becomes clear that it did not desire to chase its young, but to use them to exact revenge.

▶ 004. TOKYO AFTERMATH.

The storms increase in intensity as the Imugi circles around the sky of Neo Tokyo. Fortunately, its ire still appears to be largely focused on the area around the base, and so the torrential downpour and lightning only seems to reach around this immediate area. LILITH tries to keep this space contained, attempting to work on stabilizing some of the rifts in order to cut off the Imugi’s potential escape routes. In the meantime, they will offer Outsiders as many resources as necessary to remain in the fight. They will send in supplies occasionally, including their specialized energy drinks and medical equipment. The new injections they drop off are able to heal light wounds and minor injuries, which can be administered quickly on the field. They anticipate this to be a long battle and advise Outsiders to pace themselves and work together.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: IMUGI ♀
HEIGHT: 1000 feet across, 30 feet high
WEIGHT: 2000kg
CLASS: Extremely Dangerous
LOCATION: Neo Tokyo, 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.

By the latter half of the battle, all Outsiders should be accounted for in the final fight.

As expected, the battle lasts for over half a day and with the rift energy dwindling, the Imugi appears to be weakened. In fact, the Imugi has shrunk down to its original size prior to Seoul. Feeling its life is at risk, it uses the last of its energy to flee to the foot of Mt. Fuji. Fortunately, it doesn’t make it to the summit, and the Outsiders will be able to make quick work in pursuing it. For those that require it, ground vehicles and planes will be provided accordingly. Let's make sure it doesn't get away!

Upon arrival, they will see the final battlefront isn’t nearly that dramatic. The Imugi is significantly weakened, barely staving off attacks. Instead, it seems to focus on consolidating energy into its core while thrashing about. Eventually, a killing blow will be delivered but even then, it doesn't die easily. Similar to its young that were sacrificed, it appears to be using its own body to summon a final rift. Unfortunately, it cannot be stopped. Outsiders will be advised to temporarily retreat, after seeing the destruction that its young can do. The Imugi's body glows, increasing in intensity as it continues to gather energy. This is the warning to retreat. Within a matter of minutes, it self destructs, and a new rift is seen in its place. All Outsiders and LILITH are safe. The researchers immediately alert the area to be closed off for inspection.

Upon preliminary examination of this rift, they find that not only did it level a good portion of Mt. Fuji, but the power from it is unparalleled. Unlike the rifts they’ve encountered in prior battles, including their most recent venture in Transylvania, they discover this rift cannot be closed. What could this mean?

▶ 005. RE-GROUP.

With parts of the base destroyed and Neo Tokyo undergoing cleanup from the aftermath of the battle, Outsiders will be advised to take a break in the underground bunkers between Mt. Fuji and the city outskirts. As part of Mr. Fuji was also destroyed, some of the bunkers aren’t accessible, but Outsiders will find it is an entire maze of a city beneath the surface. If one traverses far enough, they will find it even connects to the amusement park that they saved last year. Exploration aside, Outsiders will be provided medical assistance and anything else required, and LILITH staff that are on hand will remain devoted to getting things back on track.

In the meantime, Outsiders can utilize whatever supplies are available and use the rooms at the Kyoto base freely. Each room contains anywhere from 2-4 beds, and everyone will be encouraged not to be alone in case of another emergency, especially as the rift remains open at the base of Mt. Fuji. These rooms are set up like traditional houses rather than a flashy base, with sliding doors and tatami mats. Floor futons will be used instead of Western style beds. There is one communal and traditional bath house for all sexes to use, a makeshift medical area, and an underground market that have several restaurants... but the food options and quality of amenities are questionable. They are mostly run by gritty characters or A.I robots.

As the portal between Kyoto and Neo Tokyo is still active, for those who are still able to, they will be advised to assist in retrieving any Imugi parts that remain from the scuffle. While its main body is being contained and promptly dealt with by LILITH, there are parts and scales scattered around Neo Tokyo and the old base. All parts are to be bagged, marked, and returned to LILITH. It's hard to say just how much of LILITH's base was destroyed and Eiji Shiro along with Captain Yamakawa are evaluating the state of the base before sharing a detailed report of the destruction. Stay tuned until February 25th for a follow up post.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our sixth kaiju battle, and it's a double whammy!

There are two kaiju to attack this time. Please read the instructions at each header about how to play. Remember, you only have to fill out your attack information once and we will RNG a HIT or MISS result two times per character.

It is highly likely that if your character did not pack certain belongings with them that they could be amongst the rubble of the base. The state of the base will be explained in a follow up post on February 25th, but fret not, you may assume whatever items are still in tact and operational and can be retrieved shortly. If you'd like for items to be perished and destroyed, be our guest!

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

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. SOMETHING IN THE SEA (KAGOSHIMA): Teams Redemption and Brimstone arrive at the Ohsumi to receive coordinates to Sakurajima, where they must wait until low tide to cross. The poison in the area is significantly concentrated; Outsiders are advised to wear their suits to avoid suffocating like the rest of the wildlife. Once they are able to cross, they discover that the land they are on is not an island, but a giant turtle kaiju responsible for the influx of rift energy on this side of Japan. Outsiders will be instructed to use water against the kaiju and try to separate the shell from the body.

2. KAGOSHIMA AFTERMATH: After defeating the Gigakame, Outsiders will be instructed to join their other teammates in Tokyo via emergency teleporters located at the Kagoshima research base. There is a limited amount of power to warp everyone safely, and Outsiders must decide who to send through the teleporter first. Eventually both teams will safely arrive in Neo Tokyo, but those who have gone through the teleporter later may suffer more side effects.

3. SOMETHING IN THE SKY (TOKYO): The Imugi has been spotted in Tokyo with a large influx of rift energy and has its sights set on destroying the LILITH base. Although the hatchlings were moved to different facilities, they are inevitably drawn to their mother and travel through rifts to the empty Tokyo base; however, instead of a reunion, the hatchlings sacrifice themselves and the ensuing explosion destroys parts of the base and the surrounding area.

4. TOKYO AFTERMATH: The rematch with the Imugi and the Outsiders begin, with LILITH working on stabilizing rifts to cut off the Imugi's escape and sending in supplies in the form of energy drinks and new medical equipment. The battle lasts for over half a day, with the Imugi attempting to escape to Mt. Fuji, weakened to the point where it can't reach the summit. Outsiders are advised to retreat as the Imugi self-destructs and creates a new rift, one that can't be closed.

5. RE-GROUP: With parts of the base destroyed, Outsiders will temporarily stay in the underground bunkers between Mt. Fuji and the city outskirts. While Outsiders are provided medical assistance and anything else required, LILITH staff that are on hand will remain devoted to getting things back on track. Outsiders are welcome to help themselves to the limited amenities and room with others; however, sharing is encouraged and the food options are questionable. As the portal between Kyoto and Neo Tokyo is still active, some Outsiders may be asked to assist in retrieving Imugi parts. At this time, Eiji Shiro and Captain Yamakawa will assess the damage on the base before sharing a detailed report at a later time.

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Comments

Dr. Ratio | Honkai: Star Rail | Redemption

[curingidiocy]

 001. SOMETHING IN THE SEA. 
  — "Let me provide support."

[ Fighting a kaiju while standing atop it wasn't on Ratio's bucket list of things to do, let alone things that would ever happen to him. Epic battles with huge creatures were the purview of the Astral Express and other combat oriented Pathstriders, he'd always thought. Yet here he was, with a squad of talented combatants, doing just that.

Life is truly unpredictable like that, isn't it? But he doesn't let the novel experience throw him off. On top of the gigakame is perhaps one of the safest places to be against the creature. Here, it can't unleash its fire upon them. He wouldn't have to worry about dodging so much and would be able to focus purely on attack, even with the unstable ground. Nothing a little application of imaginary energy couldn't solve.

The real problem was the gigakame's weaknesses. Lightning and water. Neither are elements Ratio is capable of wielding. His attacks will be less effective than usual. No matter. He has always known his role was not to be the attacker, surrounded as he is by incredible warriors. What he can do, however, is be a good support.

 a. A bit of a pinball machine

[ At the beginning of the battle, Ratio can be seen using energy planes to ricochet his chalk in different angles, striking the gigakame in the head in the direction it least expects in attempts to injure and distract the creature. One particular shot nails the giant turtle in the eye, causing it to roar in pain and rear back. Ratio braces himself, imaginary energy keeping him stuck on the shell, but if anyone were to lose their footing and fall past him, he'd reach out to grab ahold of them. ]

I have you!

 b. Like cracking open a crab

[ Later on in the fight, Ratio takes advantage of the spidering of cracks spreading across the turtle's shell. With a flourish of his hand, a giant pillar slams down onto the biggest crack on the shell. A closer look at the pillar would reveal that its bottom has been modified to a point, making it a gigantic nail rather than a pillar. The stone nail widens the cracks, chipping large pieces of the shell off. Turning towards anyone in the vicinity, he yells out. ]

Strike the pillar from the top! The shell will crack open with enough force!

 002. TOKYO AFTERMATH. 
  — "Failure comes with heavy costs."

[ Again. Yet again, another city is in ruins. And this time, it's their home. The home they'd managed to carve out from the rubble of this broken world. Their one little bastion of safety, peace and relaxation. His room. The cats. In this destruction, there's no way they survived.

Grief curls in Ratio's gut at the thought. Did they suffer, or did it end instantaneously? What if they'd sensed their impending doom and cried out for him and Aventurine? Echoes of their meows resounded in his mind—something he'd never get to hear again.

Oh, he'd loved them so dearly, so so deeply that the force of it startles him. But now is not the time for him to fall apart. He cannot let it end like it did last time, with a frenzy of productivity that blocked out everything else in his life.

Again, he stays in the back for the battle against the imugi. It's not difficult to tell that they will succeed in slaying it this time, but the taste would be bittersweet. The price for their failure from before had already been paid.

Ratio will appear to be distracted during the fight, almost to his own peril, with how sluggishly he responds to some near misses to himself. Feel free to pull him out of the fight or rebuke him for being a liability on the battlefield. ]

 003. REGROUP. 
  — "The body cannot rest when the mind is unsettled."

[ As usual, the doctor is all busy busy busy in the aftermath of the battle. He doesn't stop, checking in on other Outsiders in one breath, and assisting with the recovery of Imugi parts and salvaging of Neo Tokyo in the other. As much as he wants to help with the recover of the base as well, irrationally, he stays away from that area.

But if there's one thing that never changes about Veritas Ratio, it's his love of baths. The one and only time he can be found relaxing during these trying times is during his one hour bath soak at 8PM every day. There is nothing more soothing than a hot bath after a long day of work.

Even that, however, has proven difficult for him, his mind constantly abuzz with thoughts upon thoughts upon worries and fears. He'd long established a rule that work could not be brought into the bath with him, lest what is meant to be a respite turns into yet another space for his respnsibilities to weigh on him, but thoughts were the one thing he could not leave at the door.

Thus, in an effort to empty his mind of the 'filth', he does something a little different today. Once he's settled in the bath, he takes a moment to observe his surroundings; take in the stone underneath his finger tips, the glistening of the damp wood surrounding the bath, the cool air that counterbalanced the heat of the bath. And then, with a deep breath, he submerges himself completely under the water.

Here, the heat is all-encompassing. It cuts through the tumble of thought and emotions, leaving him only with sensation. It's warm. Comforting. It feels like nothing else matters. Ah, this is the wonder of baths.

He stays down there for less than a minute, resurfacing only when the lack of air starts to become uncomfortable. Then he perches on the edge of the bath to allow his body the chance to cool off. Other bathgoers are free to catch him engaging in this weird activity and ask him about it. ]

 004. Wildcard. 
[ Always down for some wildcarding! Feel free to hit me up at tenkomi or on the unofficial discord to plan something! ]

regroup—

[rikugan]

[ guess who's here to ruin ratio's peace and quiet?

gojo never visited the bathhouse at this hour, when the base was still intact. (he prefers to get cleaned and/or a nice soak in at less reasonable hours, so 8pm is way too early for him.) it's truly a stroke of luck that he is here tonight, fully clothed with his blindfold neatly wrapped around his eyes.

he will be the first thing ratio sees after he emerges from his little water dunking, gojo having crouched down at the edge of the bath with his chin palmed. ]

Are you trying to drown yourself? [ he couldn't sound more light-hearted and good-humored right now. ] 'cause I think you're doin' it wrong~

[curingidiocy]

[ Ratio glances up to see who's addressing him, and— ]

You should not be wearing your outdoor attire in here.

[ ...yeah, that's what he decides to focus on. Baths are a sacred place, and Goji is bringing filth into it. ]

[rikugan]

But I'm not taking a bath, so why should I strip down?

[ and who is going to stop him from doing what he wants anyway? ]

You look stressed. Did you not have fun today?

[curingidiocy]

[ The scholar's eyes flicker down to Gojo's shoes for a second before he looks back up, disgust clear on his face. ]

At least remove your shoes, you philistine.

[ True. Ratio is not going to be the one that strips those shoes off him, as much as it pains him to see Gojo walking around the bath area in them. What he will do is ensure the area is thoroughly cleaned after Gojo leaves.

With a disgruntled noise, Ratio settles back down into the water, brows furrowed in irritation. ]

Don't ask me stupid questions.

wildcard/regroup.

[stonehearts]

( Aventurine, having seen that Ratio was safe at the end of battle, only approaches him once they've been resettled and allowed to seek out those they're sharing rooms with. Not only are the aftereffects of whatever the hell Silco slipped him just fading, but there's the fact he has to see Ratio when they both know what they've lost.

Stupid cats. He should never have insisted on bringing them back and making them feel at home. They'd probably still be alive if they weren't--

Aventurine grits his teeth, sets his shoulders, and finds Ratio getting ready for his usual bath. There's something hollow in Aventurine's eyes, the grin he flashes to Ratio -- enough that could easily be called out on, should the other man wish. It's habit at this point, rather than a desire to keep Ratio an arm's length away. At least not for this. )

Open to some company, Ratio?

[curingidiocy]

[ Having the incident at Seoul at the forefront of his mind, Ratio had sent messages to Aventurine letting the other man know what he would be doing and that they could reunite once everything has settled down, unless Aventurine desired his presence. He would not make the mistake he did then. It was important that Aventurine knew he would make him the priority this time.

Still, they had not managed to reunite until now. And it only takes him a glance to know that Aventurine felt the same as he did.

They had both loved those furry little creatures, hadn't they? ]

You are always welcome.

[ He extends a hand out to Aventurine, hoping that perhaps the contact would be of reassurance to both of them. ]

2

[queenofkur]

[ An attack that may or may not have hit Ratio is suddenly blocked by the earth itself erupting in front of him, shielding him from the attack. Immediately after, Ereshkigal lands next to him. ]

Doctor!

[ She isn't nearly half as awkward as she usually is - though fighting isn't her element, she's still pretty proficient at it when need be. And she can keep her emotions in check until the crisis has passed.

Two of her Gallû Spirits appear and... Grab Ratio. They're not very strong so he could easily get rid of them, but right now it appears their instruction is to take him and carry him to safety. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ Ratio flinches in surprise when the earth erupts upwards in front of him, but the reason makes itself evident soon enough when Ereshkigal lands next to him.

Has she ever dealt with the souls of animals, his brain inappropriately supplies, delaying his response to her appearance, but he's quickly brought out of his thoughts when the Gallû spirits pick him up. ]

Unhand me!

[ His protests are half-hearted though—he's more than aware that his heart isn't in the battle. Even though it is the imugi that killed the cats, it will die anyway. There's no reason for him to be here. ]

[queenofkur]

I'm sorry doctor, but I'm not going to let you die like that.

[ Both spirits grab a shoulder each and fly off towards a safer space. I-It's probably not the most elegant way to be carried away, but it wouldn't be fair to Aventurine, should those spirits get to bridal carry him!

Ereshkigal follows after, making sure to raise more earthly shields if the need arise to protect them. He can hear her talk to herself if he pays attention. ]

Dammit... I knew we should have left a team to protect the base.

[ She'd even talked about it with Bakugo. She can't believe LILITH didn't foresee that possibility... That's it, next time she goes to the commander and gives her own suggestions, chain of commands be damned. When they finally arrive to a somehow safe place, the spirits finally do unhand Ratio. Ereshkigal still remains wary in case some debris or something falls on them though. ]

02

[the_fourteenth]

[Staying up front and on the imugi is difficult in this battle, the wild trashing often throwing the Outsiders away, or its whipping appendages keeping people from getting too close. Raidou is only equipped with his flight boots and swords, so he's been getting tossed around like a chew toy by this kaiju as he's been up close at its face to attack.

Almost quite literally, too. At one point, the imgui bites down on him, shakes him and then tosses him away. Thanks to his strength nanobots, he's not crushed instantly, but it's still not a great time. Suit torn and covered in blood (both his and the kaiju's), he gets back on his feet after a moment of getting his bearings, and rockets back into the battle.

That's when he spots Ratio about to get slapped by the dragon's tail, and changes course. In the nick of time, he's there to grab the good doctor under his arms and zip out of the way. It's not the most graceful of moves, as they skid to a halt and Raidou lets him go, skidding to a stumbling halt himself.]

Are you alright?

[curingidiocy]

[ Normally, Ratio would not put himself anywhere in the vicinity of being tail slapped by any creature. He is no fighter, even if his status as a Pathstrider grants him more durability compared to the average human. But he hasn't been calculating the flow of the battle, and hasn't been positioning himself to avoid any locations the Imugi could be thrown towards during the course of the conflict.

It is only by luck that Raidou notices and saves him in time, and he has to admit, once he's been set down and given a moment to collect himself, that he can no longer participate in the fight. ]

Physically, yes.

[ Mentally? Well. He doesn't say, letting the other come to his own conclusions. Instead, he looks at Raidou, eyes trailing along the various nicks and scratches on the summoner's body. ]

Allow me to heal you before you re-enter battle.

[the_fourteenth]

[Ratio is hardly alone in the mentally unwell department, but there will be time for all of it to catch up with Raidou later. It will be evident when he vanishes from the bunker for a couple of days, refusing to answer anyone's calls on the implant. Even Yuji's.

For now, he's focused on the battle, maybe too focused. The fact that he stopped to help anyone in this overdrive he's in the middle of is a surprise, even to him.

Catching his breath, withdrawing his sword from his gloves again, his head momentarily turns to the imugi fight in the near distance, and Ratio. He can see it in Raidou's eyes that he wants to protest, that he wants to get back in there as fast as he can. If any other person among the Outsiders said the same thing to him, he'd definitely brush it off with an I'm fine and jump right back in. Something tells him Ratio won't accept a no.

He relents with a nod.]

... Alright. But it's not as bad as it looks.

02

[kidobutai]

Hm, I don't think this is a good place for you.

[The words were spoken as she roughly pulls him out of the way of falling debris with surprising strength.

Just as she had done in the fight against the Gigakame, Akagi allowed her summoned aircraft to operate as they saw fit, while she herself multitasked. Replacing any that were lost or ran out of ammunition, or, as it so happened in this case, making certain anyone caught in a sticky predicament, would be kept safe and sound.

It's not quite how she'd want to act, but Akagi figured it would be the best course of action as far as the current situation goes.

No matter, there's still a teasing smile playing on her lips at this person's expense.]

That is, unless spacing out is part of some grand strategy of yours.

[curingidiocy]

[ He does not yelp when pulled backwards suddenly, but he is startled when debris crashes down in front of him. He hadn't seen it coming... if that wasn't proof that he was unfit to continue combat, then nothing else would be. ]

No, it is not... I cannot disagree with your observation. As I am right now... I am only a liability on the field.

[kidobutai]

At least you recognize it.

[It's a relief for her. Akagi isn't really in the mood for arguments, drama, or to spend much time with someone who is likely to get themselves hurt, or worse.

In the meantime, she goes ahead and takes out a pair of paper shikigami. Throwing them into the air as they become engulfed in flames that mold them into the shape of a pair of small airplanes, now circling above their heads. They're meant to both act as scouts and to provide them cover from above.

Just in case.

They're small, yes. But their size only hides what they're capable of.]

But recognizing it and acting on that recognition are two different things. So, will you allow me to help escort you to somewhere safer and less stressful?

[Straight to the more immediate point. Again, highlighting that she doesn't have the time, or the gummy bears, to spend on yammering when immediate action is needed.]

wildcard. it's just cats.

[cosmarchy]

[ The outskirts near the ruined LILITH base is eerily quiet. At least, that would have been the case if not for the chorus of distressed meows echoing through the rubble.

Jinwoo crouches near the remains of a collapsed structure, his hands outstretched as a cluster of cats surround him. Their fur is matted with dust, their ears twitching at every sound of shifting debris. Some are pacing anxiously, nervous despite being in no further danger. Not while Jinwoo is around, at least. But the cats are clearly shaken, because their home — whatever it had been — is now gone.

He sighs, letting is presence settle. His movements remain slow and deliberate. Thankfully, working at a cat cafe has allowed him to learn how to handle the more skittish ones. That experience is serving him well now. ]

Easy now.

[ He murmurs, reaching out to a particularly tense cat. It flinches, but doesn't back away, its eyes locked onto his hand. He lefts the cat sniff his fingers before gently scratching it under its chin. Its purring starts cautiously, and then it gradually deepens. ]

Guess you guys had it rough too, huh?

[ Soon, other cats approach him, all clamouring for his attention. The meowing becomes louder, but he doesn't seem to mind. It does, however, keep his attention focused on the cats, failing to remain aware of his surroundings should anyone come take a look. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ Initially, he had been avoiding the base for fear of confirming that the cats he and Aventurine kept were dead, but it didn't take long for him to get over that irrational excuse. This was no Schrodinger's cat situation; either they were dead or they weren't, and no avoidance of observance was going to change that.

So once everyone had settled into the Kyoto base and the amount of work Ratio had lessened, he made his way towards the Neo Tokyo base. The devastation was tragic to see, and every step increased the anxiety roiling in the pit of his stomach, but he continued forth regardless. If they were alive.... then he had to find them as quickly as possible.

He turns a corner and stumbles upon Jinwoo and the cluster of cats. Immediately, his eyes stray to the cats, looking for any black one with collars in the mix as he approaches. ]

...so some of them survived.

[ He shouldn't hope, yet he can't help but hope that extended to his cats too. ]

[cosmarchy]

[ There's a split-second where Jinwoo freezes mid-scritch.

He wasn't expecting to have any company, but that's his mistake for letting his guard down. There's a cat climbing up his shirt to bump its head against his cheek by the time he turns to face the other man. It's a comical sight, but he doesn't look all that bothered by it. ]

... There are probably more of them lingering around. They just haven't shown themselves yet.

[ He gestures at the cats with a dip of his head. ]

Are any of them your own?

wildcard for more cats

[newphew]

[ hunter's about the same level of exhausted as usual, if not more. he's spent most of the clean up effort digging through the rubble to try to find his -- and other people's belongings, as well as any stray people or animals that are missing ]

[ luckily, he's found one such cat, a black one with a cute collar. he thinks it belongs to ratio and aventurine, but he's not sure ]

[ so he approaches ratio, wherever he may be, pi securely in his arms --- and biting his shoulder in a playful way. hunter is wincing. but at least pi is not scared anymore? flapjack is on hunter's head, and pi's tail keeps thwapping hunter in the mouth as she senses flapjack but apparently can't figure out where he is. meow ]

... Ratio?

[ hello. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ Quark and Joule were located thanks to Jinwoo, which has brought Ratio much relief, but their last cat—and unfortunately the dimmest one, Pi—was still missing, meaning he could not yet rest. This time, he was coordinating with Aventurine to search for Pi. Surely, if two of them survived, the third also did right?

He doesn't hear Hunter initially, desperately peering through the rubble, looking for gaps in the debris a cat could have slipped through. ]

Beep boop! Target located!

[ A hummingbird drone that had been circling overhead drops down to hover over Hunter and Flapjack, tweeting obnoxiously. Ratio whirls around, locking eyes with Hunter for a second before he spots the cat in his arms. ]

Pi!

[ He approaches with great haste, expression full of concern and trepidation. Pi spares him a glance... and then goes back to looking for Flapjack, tail lashing about in interest. He laughs, quietly and full of relief. ]

Just as stupid as ever I see.

[stonehearts]

( That the cats hadn’t had an unfortunate end as a pile of ashes might be just his luck, and Aventurine is riding the high of two out of three being safe that he’s certain Pi will be found in one piece. She has to be.

Which is why, when the drone that Ratio programmed to find the other on Pi’s discovery comes buzzing towards Aventurine, he stops everything to follow it. Clambering over rubble to get back to Ratio, he stops for a moment when he sees the black cat in Hunter’s arms.

And then he picks up his speed, nearly tripping over himself and the rubble in order to get closer. )

Pi! You’ve found her!

belated DON'T LOOK AT ME!!!!!!!!

[coordination]

[ One evening, not too long after their return, and once things begin to settle slightly from both the immediate work they had to start in the aftermath as well as getting accustomed to their new and temporary lodgings, Yzak is continuing to make the rounds to check in on his teammates that he hasn't seen much of. Ratio is one of them, as the two ended up simply not crossing paths. Different schedules, most likely. ]

Doctor. It's Yzak.

[ Spoken after a soft knock at his door. ]

Crawls in here late....

[curingidiocy]

[ There's a few soft noises that come in response to Yzak's knock and a muffled 'Just a moment!' from Ratio, and then a beat of silence before the door is opened to the scholar carrying a black cat in his arms, looking far more casual than he usually does, and more relaxed too. ]

Greetings, Jule. Is there something you need from me?

scratches out the date of this tag so nobody sees it

[coordination]

Yzak is fine.

[ He looks at the cat, and ... is thankful that he probably doesn't smell like cats and cat treats since he hasn't been back to his job since they left on the last mission. Still, cat ... cute...

He looks back to Ratio. ]

I just wanted to see how you were doing. I haven't gotten around to checking in with a number of people since our move because things have been so busy.