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.

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Comments

2

[copy]

[ Between not wanting to stress out the camels with his cursed presence and the large number of people already going out into the desert, Yuta's decided to remain with the researchers. He might get Rika to carry him out there later, but for now he's fine with making himself useful in Alexandria. Mostly that's split between helping out with the research — not entirely his forte when he's more of a combat strategist, but he's clever enough to make do — and making sure the researchers and their aid don't fall asleep. If the latter means he gets an excuse to approach a familiar face? All the better. ]

I think so? I have a way that will work faster and better for staying awake though.

[ If he were the type, this is where his smile would turn conspiratorial, but alas it's still a subdued, polite kind of beaming. Yuta doesn't seem too affected by all the sleep deprivation; it's almost like he's used to it. (He is.) ]

But you have to promise to still take a break, Kuzunoha-san.

[ Because it's important and it'll be bad for his eyes to keep staring at the same thing otherwise. ]

[the_fourteenth]

[It's not that Raidou hasn't done some marathon research or study sessions before. It's just that it was usually with that, it was with books and topics he was actually interested in. This is getting monotonous, on top of being exhausted already.]

Ah? How so? And I will, I promise.

[He always has to promise, because people never believe him when he says he's going to take a break.]

[copy]

[ His smile brightens, pleased at the promise. With Raidou's word given, Yuta might as well proceed and just show him. It's easier than explaining it. The movement of his hand is projected so as not to startle when Yuta puts it down on Raidou's shoulder. An odd gesture so out of the blue and coming from someone as polite and mindful of other people's personal space as Yuta, but the reason makes itself apparent soon enough. As Yuta channels positive energy through the point of contact, it will suddenly feel as though Raidou's gotten a full night's sleep, leaving him pleasantly refreshed. ]

Reverse cursed technique. [ Yuta explains, letting his hand drop away again while he pays the wooziness that follows on his own end no mind. Perhaps one of his fellow sorcerers might have mentioned the technique before. ] Better than caffeine, right? It gives you a fresh brain to work with.

[ It's kind of an unconventional use of RCT when it's normally utilized to heal injuries, but really, Yuta's just doing what Gojo does to keep Limitless up perpetually without frying his brain, only outputting it instead. The benefit of being a prodigy who can both apply it to himself and others. ]

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou has heard of the RCT from Yuji, of course, but he had no idea it could be applied to other people. It's so strong and sudden that he can't help but look surprised.]

I-- that's incredible. I didn't know it could work on others. Thank you.

[Still, he's been sitting here awhile, and it's a good idea to get up and stretch, maybe take a short walk.]

Just as long as you have enough energy to keep yourself going, okay? Think I might still go for that cup of coffee. Do you want some?

[Raidou loves coffee, and it's so much easier to get it in this part of the world. It's time to enjoy it while he can.]

[copy]

No problem! Not many people can use it on others, I've just been very blessed.

[ Probably putting his lineage mildly when it's enabled him to have such incredible powers, but he's never cared about what the source might be — he cares far too little about himself to even be curious — only that he can use it to help others. He might be depleting his cursed energy a little fast going around boosting others, but... ]

Don't worry, I have a second reserve to replenish my cursed energy, so it'll be fine. [ He's trying not to dip so low he'll have to make use of Rika though. Trying being the keyword. RCT will never not be a quick drain. ] I'm afraid I'm not very good with caffeine, but I'll just make some tea instead.

[ A sheepish admittance. Coffee only makes him jittery and his anxiety way worse, he's been avoiding LILITH's caffeine-enhanced stuff as much as he can. ]

[the_fourteenth]

I'll be sure to put my energy to good use then. Even if this work is a bit monotonous.

[Raidou loves to read, but staring at a computer screen isn't something he was made to do.]

Not that I don't like tea, but coffee can be so hard to find back in Japan. [And here he thought it was hard enough to find in his own time.]

Have you been getting any research done? Found anything? I haven't, not yet anyway.

[copy]

Let's do our best.

[ Said with a hearty yet sympathetic nod. Frankly, he's struggling with the monotony of continuously staring at a screen too, which is why he's taken to doing rounds to check-up on everyone every now and then. It's a welcome break even if his generous doling of RCT ends up tiring him out faster than squinting at a screen will. ]

Then this will be a good time to stock up and bring some back.

[ Surely they're allowed that much once the mission is over? He hopes so for the sake of all the coffee lovers among them.

At the question he sighs and shakes his head, rueful. ]

No, I'm not having much luck with the research so far either. I think I'll go into the city and ask around there tomorrow, I feel like I'll be better suited for that. [ It's like going out into the field and investigating curses, something more familiar and within his wheelhouse. ]

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou tries and fails to suppress a sheepish grin.]

... Already have some set aside for home.

[Got plenty of room in your luggage for coffee, when a style chip upgrade means you don't have to worry about packing as much clothing.]

Ah. Me too. I think I'm going to do the same. [A thoughtful pause, then:] Back home, I was a detective. Junior detective. Mostly a cover to investigate supernatural occurrences, but... I'm more used to field work, I guess.

[copy]

[ That gets a good-natured little laugh out of Yuta, kindly amused. ]

Smart thinking, it's good to be prepared. I'll have to see if they sell Royco here so I can do the same.

[ It'll be one more excuse to go into the city and mingle among the locals instead of staring at a screen all day. When Yuta barely owns anything, he can afford to stuff his luggage full of Royco seasoning on the way back. ]

A detective? That's so cool! [ Genuinely impressed. ] In our work as Jujutsu sorcerers, we do a lot of investigating too. Talking to locals, figuring out where the curse is and what its nature is if our Windows haven't already figured it out, stuff like that. Looks like we'll both be better off in the field here.

[the_fourteenth]

[Let Raidou get his hands on that Royco once the base kitchen is up and running!]

Our positions seem to have a lot of overlap. I have to do a lot of the same. People would come to our agency with "strange or unusual" cases, and almost always they would lead to demon activity. But most of the general public only believe in demons on a superstition level. And while demons can effect humans, unless they have a command of magic as I do, they cannot do the same back. They can't even see them.

[Raidou, however, is the lone summoner in charge of protecting and investigating in the Capital. Not that he never has help, but it's mostly just him. Summoners in total are about as numerous as jujutsu sorcerers, really.]

Ah, what is a "Window" in this context?

[copy]

[ Yuta will be more than happy to share whatever Royco he can manage to get his hands on. By all means, please help spread the taste of Africa! ]

Huh, it really does sound almost exactly the same as back home. It's kind of uncanny how similar aspects of different worlds can be.

[ It's also endlessly fascinating to him. It sure makes being a Jujutsu sorcerer seem a lot less isolating when there's some multi-universal constant to be found in this place. Whether it's curses or demons or devils, the threat and those who oppose it come down to the same thing no matter the world, it seems. It's almost kind of comforting. ]

A Window is a member of Jujutsu Tech who can see curses, but who isn't a sorcerer. They're non-combatants who do the preliminary work and act as liaisons between Jujutsu society and the general public. They're like our managers, in a way. Their help is really invaluable.

[ Someone's gotta do all the tedious paperwork side of things, too. ]

[the_fourteenth]

[He nods in recognition. When your work is so secretive, people like that are indispensable.]

I see. My clan's orders mostly come from what is known as the Yatagarasu Organization. A secretive group of summoners who work to keep Japan safe. So secretive, that my orders and help come from a representative whose name and face I don't even know.

[It sounds strange, when he says it out loud. But that's how it's always been.]

There are people like my boss at the detective agency who know of demons, but isn't a summoner in any capacity. But thanks to him, I'm able to perform my duties with not just cover, but with someone who's an experienced investigator.

[Mostly, anyway. Raidou pauses, smiling a little to himself.]

It still feels strange. Saying these things out loud to people. But even among Outsiders... there aren't many who truly get this sort of work.

[It's nice to have another person on the short list Raidou feels like he can talk to about these things.]

[copy]

[ Perhaps it might be strange to others, but not to Yuta. Rather, he finds in the statement yet another similarity between their worlds that's striking and his eyes briefly widen with the surprise at this strange, specific commonality. ]

Ehh, really? It was the same for us! The higher ups always stayed behind shoji screens so we couldn't see them either. I never got to see their faces or know their identities.

[ Speaking in past tense there because they're all dead now. Yuta had stood outside the door with his classmates while Gojo killed them all, not allowed to set foot inside the room but wanting to be there to share his teacher's terrible burden all the same. He can't say he's particularly sorry about the loss. Not when they'd been eager to see him and Yuji executed and sent Yuta out as Yuji's executioner in the wake of Shibuya. Every decision the elders made after Shibuya had been awful, immediately working to undermine every bit of good Gojo's ever done; they'd practically sealed their own fate.

He can only hope it's different in Raidou's world — that the Yatagarasu Organization isn't as corrupt and resistant to positive change. At least... ]

Your boss sounds incredible. I'm glad you have him to rely on.

[ And Yuta's smiling and nodding himself at that final sentiment, very much sharing it. ]

It's not a line of work that's easy to understand unless you're doing it. Back home the entire world's learned about the existence of curses and us sorcerers recently, so everything is probably going to be different now, but it's hard to imagine how. We've worked in secret for so long.

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou's expression darkens a bit when he thinks on it. The way he left things, right before coming here, the secret might be out. The Yatagarsu Organization is good at covering things up, but... things were about to get very, very bad. And, as far as he knows, all thanks to his failures.

Something dawns on him though, and he goes to say something and stops. From what Yuji has told Raidou, he knows a bit of what's gone on in their world. But, he's not sure what time Yuta is here from. Even Yuji, since they arrived, has "glitched" and lived months and weeks back home in almost no time at all here. So, in what he desperately hopes is vague enough to confirm his suspicions, without arousing any if he isn't from around Yuji's time, Raidou offers a one-word question.]

... Shibuya?

[copy]

[ Between the darkening expression and the way Raidou stops himself from saying something, Yuta's interest is definitely caught and tipped in the direction of unsure concern. Did he say something wrong? He offers a curious, polite tilt of his head; a silent question while he internally debates whether to ask it aloud.

But then Raidou goes on to say that one word and it catches Yuta off-guard entirely.

He stares in surprised shock for a beat or two. Mentally he's instantly narrowing down the list of who among those previously and currently present of their kind would have told Raidou about Shibuya. The conclusion he arrives to is quick and simple. There's really only one that seems the most likely candidate and who knows the full extent of what went down in Shibuya through firsthand experience. ]

Did Itadori-kun tell you about that? Yes, Shibuya is what started it all, but we had a huge fight in Shinjuku that was live-streamed all over recently too.

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou nods solemnly in answer to the question. Should he admit how much he knows? He doesn't know a lot of the details, surely, but Yuji told him everything from his perspective of that terrible night in Shibuya. Raidou will never forget it, and the overwhelming grief that poured from Yuji as he recounted it all.]

Hard to keep it hidden, after that. Things must have been quite different once the world learned what was happening.

[It would make things harder, he thinks, not easier. Overly curious or confident people who know nothing about the supernatural, or only things they read in legends or stories, who think they know what they're doing.]

At least secrecy isn't a concern here. [There's no way everyone on the planet doesn't know what a kaiju is.]

[copy]

[ It says something about how close Raidou must have gotten to Yuji to be told about Shibuya at all. Yuta knows how hard it had been on his junior and not even he himself knows everything that went down there while he was away overseas — has only been told the important bits and seen the devastation left behind in both the place and on the loved ones who had to endure it and come out irrevocably changed. It will forever be a strong regret that he didn't return to Japan sooner; that he wasn't there when his friends needed him most. At least he's glad to know that Yuji made such a good friend and found someone to confide in here. He deserves it.

Yuta gives a little affirming hum, expression growing a touch distant with the recollection. ]

There wasn't really any time for us to adjust. It was pretty much battle after battle and preparing for more after that.

[ They didn't really get to experience what the change of awareness meant beyond the instance in which the military was send after sorcerers during the Culling Game, they were simply too busy, and having only just come out of the battle with Sukuna for barely a day, Yuta has no idea what things are going to be like back home and what it will mean for the future. It's a concern for when he gets back. ]

I guess there's still some secrecy involved here, but it's not nearly as bad.

[ Better to have their status as otherworldly Outsiders hidden than the enemy itself. Not that the kaiju could even be kept secret when they're very much visible for everyone to see. ]

[the_fourteenth]

I don't know a lot of the details, but... I know that it was all quite bad.

[He does know that, in the end, the battle against Sukuna was won, and that it came with extreme loss of life, both civilian and sorcerer.

Speaking of. Raidou's quiet for a moment, insides still boiling over the idea of Sukuna being among the Outsiders now. His voice grows cold.]

... They brought Sukuna here. I could live to be a thousand and I don't think I could ever understand why.

[copy]

[ Yuta nods grimly. Quite bad is something of an understatement and just recalling it has him feeling infinitely exhausted. Especially when, in coming here, it turns out that their final battle was not so final after all. Their struggle is not over since—

Well, Raidou brings it up. The King of Curses is here. Neither the mention or the frosty tone come as a surprise this time. It's Sukuna. ]

I know. After everything we sacrificed to stop him, for them to just bring him here...

[ Yuta has been nothing but mild-mannered and polite in Raidou's company before, so it makes the quiet fury that takes hold all the more palpable. It's there in the darkening of his expression, the disgusted wrinkling of his nose, the brief balling of fists by his sides. It's a helpless sort of anger given that LILITH has his hands tied on the matter and forced him into a corner to conspire with the likes of Geto to try and find a way to take Sukuna out behind their back. It was supposed to be over. ]

I understand that they would want him for his strength, but he is not worth the risk.