TRAVEL LOG #5

[synfluxmods]

TRAVEL LOG #5

CONTENT WARNINGS: death, nightmares, gun violence, survival scenario

▶ 001. EYES WIDE OPEN.

"Angels of Lilith, report for duty in the DISPATCH."

The day starts off with alarms blaring and oculars shining bright lights in the Outsiders' heads, waking them up early for an emergency dispatch. Although the current Rift at Mt. Fuji needs to be explored and examined, the Rifts continue to appear in different parts of the world, and this Rift is no different. Captain Yamakawa continues,

"We have received a distress call from EGYPT. Much of the region fell during the first kaiju crisis. Now it is a desolate land that survives with the help of a generator called an ESSENCE which is currently malfunctioning. We assume the cause is Rift energy—according to our radar, there is a heavy amount of Rift energy coming from that area. We will move out immediately. Pack all the things you may need, but each Outsider will be supplied with a care package of their own containing essentials."

Even though it is 4:00 AM Tokyo time, LILITH hopes you all have slept well. It could be the very last good sleep in awhile. While the dataportal to Egypt is operational on Japan's end, because of the malfunctioning generator, Outsiders are unable to come out on the other side. The old method of using the flying cruiser will be used once again.

There will not be assigned seating for this other than by teams. Everlights will sit with Everlights, Brimstones with Brimstones, and so on. The Outsiders will be encouraged to rest on the flight, and a few hours before landing, an in-flight meal will be provided. The meal is surprisingly delicious and consists of chicken or pork katsu cutlet, but with the warning that all Outsiders will know about: it contains high amount of cyber caffeine. This sort of newly innovative caffeine can keep Outsiders awake for several days, but sometimes it may cause restlessness or hyperactivity, causing characters to have a jittery amount of energy but razor sharp focus. Other times, it simply keeps characters awake and they feel no different. The cutlet will be served with KAIJU™ Energy Drink. Any Outsiders that require a different diet will be provided with what they need, and the cyber caffeine will be added to it if they would like.

Yamakawa gives instructions again:

"We have received more information about the kaiju. Civilians have died in their sleep from horrible nightmares, and we are encouraging Outsiders to sleep together in pairs or groups, or disregard sleeping at all until we obtain more information. We are still receiving facts about this monster, but this meal will help with keeping everyone awake as a safety measure."

Those who do not want to have the highly caffeinated meal can have everyone's favorite: a ration bar that isn't spiked with any energy, but it doesn't taste good at all. Outsiders may be more likely to fall asleep and be in danger by choosing this meal. The balance of a dystopian society.

▶ 002. ARRIVAL IN EGYPT.

When they finally arrive, the air is temperate and dry in Alexandria. The Outsiders might have to check their clocks once more to make sure everything is right; everyone is expected to land in the late afternoon and every clock says it should be close to evening, but the city is already growing dark with the sun setting quite early. Because of the ESSENCE disruption, Alexandria is running on back up energy, which makes for spotty lighting and loss of basic power.

LILITH will be greeted by a small group of researchers at the airport and they will help take the Outsiders to their base: the Alexandria Institute which was once the University of Alexandria. They will give the Outsiders a quick run down of the situation and some background.

1. LILITH does not have a strong defense branch in the region any more. Instead, the branch here seems more focused on research, especially on the origin of kaiju and rifts.
2. This region is extremely prone to spontaneous Rifts. Many of them are small and pass quickly but this most recent one is unprecedented.
3. One evening, in the final week of March, the Alexandria Institute received a corrupt file from their fellow researchers in Greece. It shut down much of their research facility (including their warp portal) and all they have been able to recover so far are the words, "Do Not Go To Sleep."
4. The next morning, they awoke to find the sun rising later and setting earlier. It feels like the days are getting significantly shorter.
5. Many locals developed a fear of the dark and going to sleep. They would then die in their sleep within the next few days.
6. The autopsy of these victims have shown no cause of death, puzzling coroners.

Progress has been slow because the corrupt file shut down many of their facilities. They have not been able to track the source of the Rift or identify the kaiju responsible for it. They believe the answers may be within the corrupt file and will be happy to receive any help they can get from the Outsiders.

When they arrive at the Institute, Outsiders will be set up in the old student dormitories. Each room has 2-4 beds depending on the room, with a common shared area on each floor. Given the current threat, there is also a supply of energy drinks and bars boosted with cyber caffeine. Outsiders have two options:

1. OPTION ONE: Stay in Alexandria and help the researchers with the generators, while keeping themselves and teammates awake during the night by playing games.
2. OPTION TWO: Go out into the Egyptian desert on camel-back, spending time getting to know their camel before heading out.

OOC NOTE: While players may write prompts for both options, we ask that you submit for a clue only once per player (not per character, as we have a lot of characters in game now!)

▶ 003. LEARN & EXPLORE. (ALEXANDRIA RESEARCH.)

Times are hard in Alexandria right now with their generators malfunctioning and efforts being split. The researchers are trying to get the generators back up and uncorrupt the data they received from Greece. LILITH will instruct the Outsiders to help with the research but also warn that they cannot afford to just sit around and wait to crack codes. The researchers also agree. Sometimes the best way to get research data is to go out into the field, but they haven't been able to do it due to not having much protection. The desert is vast, and there have been sightings of other small kaiju lurking beneath the sand and in some smaller cities.

Outsiders can decide to stay in the city of Alexandria to help crack the codes, or they can opt to go out into the field. For the latter, they can choose to stay close to home and investigate within Alexandria.

Those who wish to help with the ESSENCE generators and researchers will stay in Alexandria, using any downtime when not investigating to try and stay awake, slumber-party style. Two Truths and a Lie? Maybe Spin The Bottle? Perhaps some games can keep Outsiders enticed so they don't doze off.

▶ 004. FEELING SANDY (DESERT EXPLORATION.)

For those who wish to explore the desert and smaller cities, Alexandria Institute will supply what they need, such as water, food, essential tools for digging, sleeping bags (no sleeping, but maybe for resting!) and anything else. To conserve energy, the researchers supply camels for the Outsiders to use. The camels are mostly tame, but have their own distinct personalities, so they may need a little more handling and can be coaxed to behave with treats like artificial carrots and bananas. Outsiders can spend time getting to know their camel if they are going to explore the desert or cities. A camel can seat two people on its back comfortably, but also carry any essentials that travelers need to bring along.

In the distant small cities and across the desert, Outsiders will come across Sand Crocodiles, one of the smaller kaiju that have been inhabiting the desert. These monsters are basically crocodiles but with a twist: they can spit fire if angered and they can camouflage in the sand. They hide strategically, and one wrong step will cause them to push their jaws out of the ground, harming a person or camel. The stubby quills along their backs or rounds of their horns aren't entirely covered while hiding, so watch carefully. Fortunately, Outsiders will be supplied with a shotgun. Aiming between the eyes or in the mouth will kill it, but also beating it with the back of the shotgun will also do the trick. And yes, they also taste like crocodile too, if anyone is hungry.

After exploring, Outsiders are requested to report their findings back in Alexandria.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our fourth travel log!

Welcome to the new and improved Travel Log! Below, you will see the link to the MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET post that has information about the kaiju below along with RIFT EFFECTS. Fill out the form for RNG Attacks and whether you would like to receive a RIFT EFFECT. This should give characters some ideas for the status of their character in the next log, which will have more action and monsters in it. Outsiders may use the CHAT to report and discuss any findings.

We thank you in advance for your patience as we try out this new format!

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

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. EYES WIDE OPEN: Outsiders travel to Egypt after receiving reports of their power generator, ESSENCE, being unstable and malfunctioning, leaving citizens in peril. They are instructed to "stay awake." They are supplied cyberpunk caffeine and told to try not to sleep or stay in pairs to be watchful of any danger.

2. ARRIVING IN EGYPT: Arriving in Alexandria, the Outsiders are confirmed that citizens have been dying in their sleep, with coroners unable to determine the cause. The days are mysteriously getting shorter and people are unable to stay awake.

3. LEARN & EXPLORE: Outsiders are given options to stay in Alexandria to help with the generator or find clues to assist the research team. Between researching, they are asked to continue to stay awake by any means possible. Those who will be exploring the desert and smaller cities for clues are given a camel for transportation. Outsiders are encouraged to get to know their camel before traveling.

4. FEELING SANDY: While looking for any clues out in the desert, Outsiders encounter smaller kaiju known as Sand Crocodiles. They hide in the sand and attack at the opportune time, snapping jaws and spitting fire. Shooting them between the eyes or in the mouth will K.O. them.

code

Comments

tezcatlipoca ; fate/grand order ; brimstone

[fursuit]

one. Fortune Teller

[ Tezcatlipoca is a fairly light, minimal sleeper in the first place, so at first, this prospect doesn’t bother him. He’s used to staying up all night tending the bar, so helping that process along with some extra caffeinated beverages works for him. It’s like chewing the rare coca leaves from the south, except now that he’s saddled himself with a human body, he’s really feeling it.

So. He’s feeling, uh. Creative with all of that energy.

You’ll find Tezcatlipoca at a table with two wheels made of paper roughly like so. One wheel contains dots, and the other contains many glyphs that are easily recognizable as Aztec, if you know such things. But once he catches someone’s attention, he beckons you over with a toothy grin. ]

Yo. When’s your birthday?

[ …That’s certainly a lead in, huh. ]

two. He's A Cat Your Honor

[ Eventually, though. Not even extremely caffeinated beverages are enough.

He does well, all things considered, but his human body can still only handle so much. He at least takes the advice they were given seriously (perhaps surprisingly), but in true Tezcatlipoca fashion, this also presents itself in an extremely rude, pushy way. If they need to sleep in pairs or groups, that’s fine with him. Everyone is just so sleep-deprived that maybe he tried waking someone up to no avail or maybe you’re familiar enough that he figured it was fine (probably).

But regardless. When you wake up, you’re not alone. The resident god of conflict is, well. Cuddled up next to you, actually.

Surely, that’s fine, right? ]

three. Desert Visions

Potential CW for drug usage.
[ When the chance is given to get out of the city, Tezcatlipoca is one of the first to volunteer. He has some personal reasons for that, but if you decide to accompany him, it’s fairly obvious that heading out into the desert is somewhere that he’s more comfortable. These sands are very different and distant from the deserts to the north of Tenochtitlan, but he still feels some fondness for them. That’s part of why he wanted to come out here, but that’s a private matter.

They may not be able to take a good rest, but once the night falls, Tezcatlipoca is pensive and dutiful in making a campfire. It’s fairly cozy, all things considered, and in the deeper, earlier night, he seems more relaxed. He looks up at the stars for a while, but then as he settles by the campfire, he reaches into a pocket of his jacket. ]

You smoke?

[ …Oh. He’s talking to you, apparently. He pulls out a pack of cigarettes that’s slightly crumpled from the journey, then waves them playfully. ]

I even got some special ones, if you catch my drift.

etc. Wildcard

[ If you have another idea for a prompt or want to do something different, just let me know! You can hit me up with questions via PM or runthejewels. Tezcatlipoca can potentially be involved with everything here, so I'm down for whatever! ]

closed starters

[fursuit]

for silco

[fursuit]

[ They’ve been out in the desert for a bit now, perhaps a few days, even. Tezcatlipoca had insisted that Silco come with him, but he also refused to explain why. The most that he would ever give was “it’s important” and “trust me”, the latter of which was only given after a lot of prodding. He knows that’s asking a lot from Silco in particular.

At least he’s made it fairly easy and painless, as he’d promised. Besides dealing with the heat, Tezcatlipoca doesn’t ask anything of Silco. He seems to just be searching for something, but for all he knows, it’s just the clues that LILITH seeks. That is, until Tezcatlipoca had suddenly wandered off from camp one evening with a cryptic “be right back”.

Maybe it’s no surprise at this point that when he returns to the campfire, he’s glistening with blood. Clearly, it's not his own, since he seems happy and perfectly fine. This too goes unexplained, but he has a dripping sack in one hand, and he heads to his little section of camp to pick up his pack and sling it over his shoulder. With a toothy little grin, he looks right at Silco. ]

Come on. Time for you to see why I brought you out here, bossman.

Re: for silco

[zauneyete]

[ It's probably also no surprise that Silco had pestered him for word about what they were doing. Coming to Egypt has been a touch bittersweet, considering everything. It means something to him in a way it wouldn't mean to most Outsiders from other worlds. Even someone from his world wouldn't blink an eye at the place. Maybe compare it to Noxus, but Silco... feels differently. Maybe there's still an old tugging at his soul that never quite left, or maybe it's just his imagination.

He feels it, part of it is Set, and part of it is that old tie that he feels to this place. Egypt had never been real to him, but he'd known of it, of what it meant, and everything it had been meant to the person who guided his hand in that time before. The darkness on the sands, when it is night, he feels a little bit of that old loyalty, not quite excised, but faded without the ever-present influence clawing its sharp nails into his soul —

Once, they had nearly shared a soul, he and Set. The loud, boisterous god had touched his face in the beginning, but more than that, they had shared that terrible secret that would have led them down the path to destruction, had either of them ever shared it. Silco and Set had been where they were for their children, Silco protecting Jinx's soul; Set protecting Anubis' jars. They'd shared a soul, a purpose, and perhaps they had been on other sides of the war, but that hadn't mattered. They had both been working the war to ensure the thing that was most important to the both of them would survive. Silco would have taken Anubis with him, and Set would Jinx. It was everything to them. Set had forgiven him even Quetzalcoatl's death, for their children. They had both felt it, that tugging at their soul. Becoming one in a way that now feels so distant, and wrong.

In the sand, he feels as if that lost part of him returns a little bit. Those memories weigh on him; and he knows that it is better here. Of all things. He'd come out the other side of that feral madness, doggedly protecting himself and his daughter's precious, delicate soul; and he is here, she's not in danger, and —

Has he gotten away with something?

Was Set the cost? Is it worth the cost?

Surprisingly, Silco's been less of a complainer the whole time. More quiet. He kept his gaze mostly shielded from the oppressive sun, and when he left, Silco had thought nothing of it. Maybe it's fitting that he's out here alone with his thoughts — as if that isn't where he is his most dangerous — but true to his word, he reappears. ]

Oh? The mysterious purpose you weren't telling me about?

[ Hey, but he'll follow. Maybe because he's supposed to be his acolyte, or maybe because he just doesn't feel like fighting him.

Then again, they'd both been close to Set. Maybe he was feeling it too? ]

for kaladin (this is also on april 4th fwiw)

[fursuit]

[ First, Kaladin gets a voicemail from his favorite (/more realistically, most alarming) contact. Usually, this means someone is gravely injured and Tezcatlipoca is calling him in, but his tone is lighter than that, thankfully.

...Why does that also feel ominous, then? ]

Yo. Happy birthday, Kaladin. As decided by yours truly, naturally.

[ You can practically hear the smile in his voice, but beyond that, it's hard to tell what emotion this is coming with. ]

You still up for fighting god?

@shash

[gyve]

( When Kaladin returns Tezcatlipoca's call, he sounds tired. They all do by now, but there's nothing they can do about it. Besides, it's a nice distraction. )

Tez. I can't say I'll be at my peak with everything going on, but... yes. I'm available.

( He'll ensure the terminally sleepy Noctis is in someone else's care before getting ready to go. )

Thanks for, uh... well-wishing. What do people normally say on their birthday?

3

[hachikai]

I do.

[ Except his nose crinkles at the sight of the cigarette packet. Much like the processed foods of the 21st century and this current era, their tobacco products are vile. Laced with substances that ruin the experience of smoking. ]

Elaborate on what "special" means in this context.

[ He wants to know exactly what to put in his kiseru, thanks. ]

[fursuit]

[ He sees that nose crinkle, mister!! …And actually, he doesn’t disagree, really, but. He sees a chance to be a pain in the ass, so he’ll take it, naturally. He wags the pack at him teasingly. ]

Well, if you’re gonna give me a look like that, dunno. Seems like you’re too picky for sharing.

[ It’s at least mostly clear that he’s joking… ]

[hachikai]

[ He fixes the man with a withering stare. The kind that epitomizes "really?" in physical form. ]

If being "picky" means I don't smoke what I don't like, then sure.

1

[curingidiocy]

[ It's been a while since he'd last gotten to chat in depth with Tezcatlipoca, so when the god had looked over at him in obvious askance, Ratio had approached, but this certainly wasn't the question he expected to hear. ]

Another one of your ancient rituals?

[ Clearly, it has to do with the two paper disks, but there's little else Ratio can glean from the situation. ]

[fursuit]

Something like that. But you'll dig this one. No sacrifice involved for a reading, promise.

[ He's far too casual with that joke as he tosses him a toothy little grin. But he taps the circle containing the glyphs. He actually taps at a glyph that's associated with him, but it's not like Ratio knows that. ]

It's a calendar. Simple version of it, since I can only do so much with paper and a pencil, but works well enough. Every day is unique and important, so the calendar of the Azteca reflects that.

[ And by giving it a closer look now that Ratio knows that, he might have some idea of how the circles are meant to work. The circle with dots has thirteen possibilities, and the other circle has twenty glyphs. Rotating one would rotate the other, and you get a unique combination of dots and glyphs because of how the numbers don't match. That said, it also wouldn't add up to the 365 days that Ratio has become familiar with on Earth, so maybe there's more to it. ]

I'm a god of divination, so can give a fortune based on where your day falls in the tōnalpōhualli.

2

[peoplewatch]

[ Kabru isn't really sure when he had fallen asleep, but it sure did happen, which is surprising in itself as he's normally an insomniac. It could have been that he had worn himself out buzzing around the aircraft, high on caffeine and trying to talk everyone's ear off. Sleep was posited to be a bad idea, so he had been avoiding it just to be safe, but he seems to be fine, for the most part, with the exception of an unpleasant nightmare that he's choosing not to dwell upon. Why focus on such things, when they happen so often anyway? Also, something else is catching his attention right now.

There's a man snuggling up to him. He's met them before, and with his good memory when it comes to people, he remembers their name too.

Tezcatlipoca looks too comfortable to risk waking up, so Kabru is happy to lie there, pulling up a blanket over the other man's shoulders. ]

[fursuit]

[ For all of Tezcatlipoca’s usual off-putting temperament, it’s a bit of a funny contrast. He’s someone that seems hellbent on riling people up just for the sake of it, and yet, here he is, sleeping contently and even cuddled up comfortably like this was something perfectly normal and familiar. There’s even a serene look on his face, so it’s sure to add to the impulse not to disturb him. As the blanket gets pulled up, he only barely stirs to murmur a quiet note of approval and drape an arm over Kabru lightly.

Maybe it’s comfortable enough that Kabru dozes off too. Maybe it’s more like a daydream, the half-awake dreaming where you know it’s something you could easily wake from if you wanted to. But the dream is unique enough to linger.

It’s dark, after all, but it’s not a normal darkness. It’s a strange twilight that’s immediately recognizable to someone that’s experienced the phenomenon before, but even so, just a glance up at the sky makes it clear. A black sun hangs in the sky, a total solar eclipse, but the extremely tall, animal-headed people that mill about in this open air temple don’t seem to pay it any mind.

Standing in the center and overlooking a strange city from this high vantage point is a young man that Kabru doesn’t recognize, but as he looks back to Kabru, it clicks. The pale, blue eyes are a clue, but he also just knows, somehow. This is Tezcatlipoca. ]

Huh. Not often that I get visitors this way. What era are you from, temicnamictiani?

[ Look. He’s a god. Of course he gets to be more aware of the dreaming nature. ]

1

[intertwinedfates]

[High-five for the sleepless gods! Although Yato's gotten used to sleeping fairly regularly in these months since he's become sorta human, he still has an easier time staying awake than the average person. The caffeinated drinks and food are definitely helping that along, it must be said.

So after wandering around, getting into the luggage compartment, and otherwise causing trouble for other people, he finally flops down beside Tezcatlipoca to see what the other god is up to. He's curious at the best of times, and now he's outright nosy given the fact Tez is asking for people's birthdays.]

Dunno. I chose August tenth, though. Whatcha got there? Some kind of horoscope thing?

[fursuit]

[ Compared to everyone else, asking Yato was more on the level of joking, because the idea doesn’t really make as much sense for a god… However, he laughs a little at the answer, since that’s a pleasing one. It’s essentially what he would do, after all. ]

August 10th? ‘Kay, then let’s see…

[ He turns his attention to the wheels as he starts to carefully turn the larger of the two. There are little notches that (loosely) turn the other one, making the dots match up with the glyphs. He concentrates as he does it, but not so much that he can’t answer. ]

Kinda. It’s the calendar of the Azteca, but you get a horoscope out of it, more or less. Every day’s got a special meaning and all that.

1

[egraegis]

[Wow, sure is. Not even a name. Athrun quirks a brow, but it means nothing to say it, so:]

October 29th. Why?

[fursuit]

‘Cuz I’m bored and trying to stay awake. And in this case? That benefits you. More or less.

[ He starts to turn the larger of the wheels, and with the rudimentary notches made in them both, it helps him turn the other. Glyphs are matched up with dots, but the meaning isn’t exactly clear, since it looks like he’s going through multiple rotations. ]

You got horoscopes where you’re from? Kinda like that. Basic divination for the day you were born.

1

[gilgamess]

[ Human bodies are something Gilgamesh has become a little unaccustomed to, but it does seem he has more needs in this world than he did at Chaldea -- or maybe that's just a lack of Master and mana flow catching up to him here. He is still figuring out the particulars at this time.

But even before he became a Servant, he was a demi-god, so his endurance should be far beyond that of ordinary mongrels. Staying awake is not extraordinarily difficult for him. The only concern is really the possibility for overworking one's self. Another accidental death when one nods off for a nap... would be a most unfortunate occurrence. And here, he would not even have the joy of annoying Ereshkigal, seeing as how she's in the above world too. So, best he stays awake for numerous reasons.

Naturally, Gilgamesh has no idea that Tezca is from his world, let alone a deity, and for that matter, any recognition he has of Aztec symbols is a bit dim. Sure, he encountered Quetzalcoatl, but her culture was an alien one he knew nothing about. Perhaps quite literally alien, all told. So he does not really make any connections when he encounters Tezcatlipoca here. But Gilgamesh will not pass up an opportunity to talk about himself. ]

My birthday? [ Gilgamesh places his hands on his hips, pleased and beaming as he approaches. ] Ah, an excellent question. If we measure by the cycles of the moon in conjunction with the celestial alignments recorded in my Epic, and factor in the rotation of Uruk’s sundial system, then it lands squarely on the one hundred and seventy-third day within the five thousand five hundred and sixty-sixth year of Anu's reign. Which, of course, converts to… well, it’s complicated. Are you certain you have the proper divining instruments to comprehend such knowledge?

Or, put in another way, the day of my birth is also called by my people: International AUO Appreciation Day. Well, or so I would decree something of the sort now that the first concept exists, anyway!

[fursuit]

[ When he speaks to Gilgamesh, it’s with a slightly toothier grin, because while he doesn’t recognize Gilgamesh in particular, he at least recognizes what he is. A lot of Tezcatlipoca’s abilities may be (drastically) reduced, but he’s still a god of magecraft at the end of the day. A being like a Servant still stands out easily, since there’s just a way about them that’s different from your standard mortal.

…This includes their personalities too, though. Since it doesn’t take all that long for his toothy smile to slip, because that’s more of an answer than he was expecting. At least it answers a curiosity he’d been wondering about, though. With talk of Uruk and an Epic, there’s really only one guy this could be. Poor Ereshkigal, maybe? ]

Fuck no, I don’t. [ Look. He’ll at least admit it. Maybe if it was a culture closer to his side of the world, but… ] I ain’t wasting energy to figure it out either.

[ Like, technically, he probably could, since divination lands solidly in his domains, but when kaiju-hunting is on the horizon? He’s a bit more conservative with how he chooses to tap into his actual abilities. So, he returns to the classics. Even if Uruk is never a place he’s directly been, he still understands the heavens like they were a part of him, so. ]

We’ll estimate, if you don’t know. You know where Venus and Mars were by any chance?

one—

[rikugan]

[ as someone who usually only sleeps for three hours, gojo is thriving with the number of people who're staying up late into the night now (or at least trying their best to). will he eventually need to get some shut eye? maybe. maybe not.

no better time than to test out the full extent of his rct now, eh?

sliding into the seat across from the resident god, gojo lowers his gaze through his blindfold at the two wheels. ]

December 7. Am I going to win the lottery this year?

[fursuit]

[ This guy… Resident pain in the ass that manages to get under Tezcatlipoca’s skin, but he can’t even be mad about it! That’s his whole deal!

But, you know. It’s not in mind now, since he just scoffs as he starts to turn the wheels. It’s fairly particular, so Tezcatlipoca has to concentrate, but not so much that he can’t hold a conversation. ]

Yeah, ain’t that kind of fortune. More about the auspicious ways to lead your life, that kind of deal.

1

[copy]

[ The apparent non sequitur sure catches this already perpetually sleep-deprived guy off guard and in all his jittery glory, Yuta's actually glancing around to make sure he's the one being addressed before sheepishly responding and meandering his way over. Sorry for the awful cursed vibes his presence brings with it. At least he seems innocuous enough? ]

Oh, um, hi? It's on March 7th.

[ The wheels and the symbols are utterly unfamiliar to him, but it isn't exactly hard to put two and two together. He's peering over curiously, intrigue quick to replace the previous uncertainty. ]

Are you telling fortunes? Do you need my birth year too?

[fursuit]

[ You know, cursed vibes are fine, since it’s not like they bother him. A god of death tends to have a dark vibe all their own, after all. Tezcatlipoca does look a bit more intensely at Yuta, but whether it’s that or just meeting someone new… Who knows? ]

More or less. Figured it would be a more interesting way to stay awake. Give people some culture or something like that.

[ He snickers, so clearly that’s a joke, but the punchline there is hard to say… It’s a joke for himself, apparently. ]

Anyways, yeah, your birth year will make it the real deal so long as you were born on Earth, anyways. Part of why I didn’t ask, since we’ve got plenty of people where that ain’t a straightforward answer.

1. Fortune teller

[cranekin]

(Oh, that's a question that gets Tsurumaru to stop and think...)

Hmm... it was so long ago, I can't remember.

(Heh doesn't sound bothered by this. It's just an ordinary fact considering what he is.)

Do you have one?

[fursuit]

Ha, you can’t say that. Compared to me, you’re practically a kid, y’know?

[ He’s teasing, as is clear by his tone. They have some ancient beings here in LILITH, and at least Tsurumaru’s would be within recordable history… But Tezcatlipoca laughs as he leans on his little table, since he can accept Tsurumaru’s answer more than he might for most. ]

But nah, I don’t. I existed before humanity, so. Before calendars too. But I’d just pick my festival day if I had to, so May 20th or so if you're goin' by the modern calendar. Shifted a bit depending, but always fell around there.