KAIJU FIGHT #7

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #7

CONTENT WARNINGS: death, mummies, quicksand, organ harvesting, nightmares, gun violence, survival scenario

▶ 001. EGYPTIAN DINNER.

As the days go on, more and more evidence begins to show that the kaiju is, indeed, hiding out somewhere deep within the desert, approximately in the West area around the Qattara Depression. LILITH’s crew embarks first with all of their supplies to set up a temporary base in the ruined city of El Alamein, a small city at the edge of the desert. Outsiders are requested to wait there until further instructions, and this temporary base will be a safe haven if things get too treacherous. After all, even after all of their research, who knows what this monster is capable of doing?

Once the base is set up, Outsiders will move out, either on their camel or other means they may have to arrive at the base. The days continue to grow shorter, nighttime beginning to descend as early as 3 PM. Outsiders will also be highly recommended to consume the cyber caffeine once again as its effects from the plane ride are beginning to wear off. To their surprise, when the Outsiders arrive, a large buffet of Egyptian food will be waiting for them. Koshari, shawarma, falafel and Egyptian stew will be served. All fresh and natural ingredients! Everyone settle in and dine together… it could be the last meal you have.

LILITH suggests waiting until there is more sunlight before they hunt down the kaiju. Outsiders can rest, but do not sleep! Maybe wait for the sunrise together? Find other ways to kill some time? Maybe there are new Outsiders that would like to know about the previous kaijus? As the sun begins to rise, it paints the most beautiful sunrise that maybe Outsiders have ever seen. Were some of those new colors in the sky? How romantic.

▶ 002. QUICK AS SAND.

After the sun rises, Outsiders and LILITH prepare to leave the temporary base and head further towards the Qattara Depression. The trek starts out pretty easy, but the geography soon gets more and more dangerous, leading into what seems to be a large crevice in the Earth. Captain Yamakawa gives a report once the Outsiders have reached this area:

“Angels of LILITH, we have evidence that this area is filled with many sand crocodiles. We have supplied everyone with more shotguns and ammo, but use any other means to keep yourself safe. We have received evidence that the kaiju is in this general area. Keep alert! Who knows what sorts of powers it possesses that we may not know about!”

While it’s true that the area does contain many sand crocodiles popping out and spitting embers, there is no sight of any other kaiju. Yet, all evidence points to the fact that it is here. The rift energy is immense in this location, and those exposed may be hit with nightmares, bad memory sharing or a weakness to sunlight. As characters move along, following Yamakawa’s lead on her camel, those with keen hearing will detect it before anyone else: moaning, groaning. Sounds of agony, all coming from beneath them. It gets louder, causing Yamakawa to halt. But as soon as everyone stops, they will feel the ground start to sink beneath them.

It’s quicksand!

Yamakawa and any other Outsiders who may have been traveling close with her will soon be engulfed by the sand, first taking the camels by their legs. It’s never good to panic while in quicksand, and Yamakawa remains calm as ever, but if anyone tries to pull her and others out, she will say,

“This is it… This is how we get down below. The kaiju is under us! Angels of LILITH, hold your breath… Let the sand consume you if you wish to go further with me!”

As characters vanish beneath the sand, they will see that Captain Yamakawa is correct — the quicksand leads to a hidden, ruined city beneath the Qattara Depression: a perfect lair for a kaiju who is sensitive to sunlight. Outsiders slowly fall and hit the rocky ground not-so gently, heaps of sand flowing after. Rub it from your eyes and remove it from your ears to marvel at a city that time has forgotten.

In the middle of the ruins, there is a large temple. It’s time to find that kaiju!

▶ 003. TOMB RAIDER

The inside of the ruins are dark and mostly devoid of natural sunlight. However, there does occasionally seem to be flickers of light, as the sand above them runs fluidly across where the sky would be, almost like water. Due to the lack of visibility, Outsiders will need to utilize their LILITH-provided equipment or find other methods or sources for light. Everyone will have access to a flashlight, but there will also be abandoned torches nearby should anyone really want to impersonate Indiana Jones here. Once they arrive deeper in, they will see some of the torches spark to life, operated by a mysterious technology.

It's clear that these ruins were made for the sole purpose of housing the temple at its center, which appears to also be a type of tomb. There's a certain silent reverence to it, as it naturally demands respect. Or, it's the ominous presence of the sand crocodiles slithering about in the sands. The crocodiles can be lurking under any surface of sand, and so Outsiders will be cautioned and asked to be on the lookout, not only for themselves, but their fellow teammates.

If the crocodiles weren't alarming enough, as one enters the tomb itself, they will discover several booby traps awaiting them. If one steps carelessly, they'll find themselves at the other end of a vicious trap — some are triggered by stepping on the wrong stone, or grabbing a nearby torch. Some are even activated just by making eye contact with the wrong painting on the wall. If Outsiders feel any vibrations, they will get warnings on their oculars that a boulder may be swiftly approaching! Run and seek an alcove to hide in!

For those who are savvy with dismantling traps, they will find that some of them do have workarounds if you know the right methodology behind each one. As for if they will be given the time for it, that's another story, but maybe another Outsider can do the honors of triggering it while another suppresses it?

People should also do their best not to be drawn by some of the treasure or gems that are placed into several of the rooms with tombs. Picking up even one sliver of gold, or a gem will cause the mummies to reanimate. The mummies have an ability to produce sounds that can render people unconscious, or even cause their inner eardrums to bleed. While they are slow moving, they are also incredibly persistent, and as they're already technically dead, get on the wrong side of one and you may be stuck with it following you around. Fire seems to slow them down pretty effectively, as well. Should you be stuck with an aggressive one, however, it will do everything it can to try and harvest your organs. Completely dismembering them will un-alive them again.

Outsiders will get a notice when the rift energies increase in intensity as they traverse deeper within the tomb. Unexpectedly, it isn't the end of the tomb they're being led to, but the center of it.

▶ 004. HEART OF THE TOMB.

At the very center, the first thing everyone will notice is the rift. The rift effects will be strongest in this area. Thankfully, unlike the kaiju in Transylvania, everyone will still have full access to their abilities. One thing that can be noted, however, is that the rift energy may feel stronger than before, and Outsiders may feel an odd tingle that can be felt even through their suits. They may also find that if their attention strays for too long, they can feel their limbs go a little numb, so this battle will require all their focus.

While there are rift effects, hopefully that doesn't get in the way of anyone's performance. Especially as it doesn't take long for the kaiju to kick itself into gear.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Kabus
HEIGHT: 3 m
WEIGHT: 10 T
CLASS: Extremely Dangerous
LOCATION: Qattara, Egypt
ABILITIES: Shortens daylight, infiltrates a being's consciousness and body through their dreams to stop their heart.
WEAKNESSES: Ice, water, sunlight, any symbols that reflect "light" or "life".
EXTRA NOTES: This is a kaiju that has never been documented by LILITH before—not much information can be provided. Proceed with extreme caution.
RIFT EFFECTS: Bad memory share, weakness to sunlight, nightmares.

█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO: SEE ABOVE

This kaiju is capable of trapping people in nightmares and illusions, as well as sharing them. In addition, by looking its target in the eyes, it’s capable of causing them to feel intense fear to the point of paranoia. These effects can last even when no longer in the presence of the Kabus. The Kabus uses the disorientation caused by its abilities to render its victims incapable of fighting back, and uses its dark and inky black tendrils to trap its victims. The tendrils cannot be cut, and almost appear illusory as well.

The mummies also seem to be working in tandem with the Kabus and will gradually make their appearance in this deepest region of the tomb. However, they seem less aggressive and are far more interested in grabbing, or biting down on Outsiders to decrease their overall mobility, especially if they fall under the Kabus nightmares.

Unlike the permanent rift in Tokyo, LILITH will eventually send in help by blocking off some rift signals, enough to eventually get them shut down. Without the power of the rift, the Kabus’ power will also begin to dwindle, which hopefully all the Outsiders take full advantage of.

▶ 005. AFTERMATH

It's an intense fight, and Kento Nanami along with Cagalli deliver the hardest blows with 600 HP each, the monster grows weaker. It somehow knows it is about to die, though, especially when Choso's toxic blood poisons it. It's spiteful, seeking revenge for the pain it is feeling, and when it is attacked again, it lashes out, temporarily blinding Power and releasing a deafening screech to disorient Rico. The final blow is delivered by Muramasa, and when it dies, it speaks to him, something inaudible but it sounds like it is speaking in Arabic. It dissipates into sand, and LILITH encourages Outsiders to round up the sand for further evaluation. From the looks of it, though, it appears to be nothing special.

When the Kabus is eventually defeated, Outsiders will have a pocket of time in which they must make their escape before the tomb is completely buried in sand. Perhaps, without the kaiju there, the structure is no longer stable. If Outsiders don’t want to be buried in sand, they will have to make their escape swiftly.

... But not without gathering samples: Outsiders will be prompted to collect as many samples as they can. Some of these samples will be given over to the research institute, but the researchers of LILITH also feel like they could find a use in the sand and bloody bandages that the lynx left behind.

The Outsiders and LILITH crew escape successfully, moments before the underground is filled with sand. They high trek it back to the Alexandria Institute, where they are greeted with something that Outsiders have probably been craving.. along with crowds cheering, some falling to their knees in gratitude, LILITH & the Outsiders are provided the following before flying back to Neo Tokyo:

Free lodging at the most comfortable hotels with the most comfortable beds. Finally, they can rest easily and as much as they want to without the threat of the kaiju around! It takes one full day cycle for daylight and night time to return to normal, and after a long, sleep.. LILITH encourages the Outsiders to sleep as much as they would like because they deserve it.

Right when they close their eyes, though, one more message flashes across their oculars. It's been awhile since Outsiders have heard from their robotic-tentacled Commander. After all of that, he has a few words. On voice, he speaks, but then he also sends a text message:

“... Good job. Most impressive."

...👍

- Medical staff will be on standby.

- Effects from the kaiju can last 24-48 hours to fully dissipate. (Note: This is up to players how they want to play this out. It could also come and go, so it does not affect their ability to play in any other aspect of the game in the meantime).

- As Outsiders were able to discuss and piece together some clues: they were able to rendezvous with the lynx in the desert and collect a hefty amount of samples (sand from the lynx, bloody bandages from the lynx, mummy parts.) Some of these samples will be used for medicine, while others for their suit. While Greece is still unresponsive, it may just be because of the rifts.

- LILITH will offer the energy drinks freely to those who want them. However, since it seems like some Outsiders get carried away, there will be a daily cap of two.

- The ESSENCE generator shows signs of working again, now with all aspects of the rift gone (the rift itself and the kaiju.)

- There will now be a simulation option once Neo Tokyo base reopens to mimic traps, so people can practice avoiding them. Even the ones with random screaming being used to lure people in. (They can’t believe this works).

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our seventh kaiju log!

Aftermath details were gathered from reading through the chat logs of the last post and from IC discoveries and explorations that took place in which unearthed the location of the Kabus.

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

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. EGYPTIAN DINNER: Investigative efforts and careful research has led to the Outsiders next location. They are moved out from the comfort of their temporary base and are now having their last supper before they head out to the hunt.

2. QUICK AS SAND: They encounter more foes in the desert in the form of sand crocodiles. Everyone is provided weapons and ammo to hold these creatures back and minimize initial damages to the team. However, it seems the one of their biggest mysteries get solved. It's quicksand! .... and it looks like there's a lot more to unearth beneath them.

3. TOMB RAIDER: Outsiders arrive at the entrance of the tomb. Once in it, they are prey not only to the sand crocodiles, but the various booby traps set out for them. They will also encounter mummies which seem to be reanimated or powered by the kaiju.

4. HEART OF THE TOMB: Outsiders will find the kaiju at the heart of the tomb. As the preliminary report states, the kaiju infiltrates a being's consciousness and body through their dreams to stop their heart. Outsiders will need to be wary of this fact while battling the kaiju.

5. AFTERMATH: Recap of the usual aid provided to Outsiders. As well as some thoughts and details moving forward as a result of investigative efforts and details noted from prior log.

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Comments

yuji itadori / jjk

[eyescar]

001. QUICK AS SAND (MEMORY SHARE).

001. GRANDFATHER.

[ The memory opens in a hospital room.

It's clean, and the smell of antiseptic and flowers floods the space. As Yuji stands by the window, an old man in the bed behind him keeps bringing up Yuji's parents, but it's shut down quickly; Like I said, I don't care, grandpa. As the conversation goes, the two of them nitpick at each other, even as Yuji focuses on taking care of the plants.

But then his grandpa rolls over, and the only thing that can be heard is the voice of the older man. He doesn't sound frail, or old, despite his advanced age and sickness, and everything he says seems to be... Haunting, somehow, as if it's burrowing deep within Yuji's soul and making a space for itself there.

Yuji... You're a strong kid, so... Help people.

It doesn't have to be all the time. Just whenever you can. You may feel lost. Don't expect gratitude. Just help them.

When it's your time to go, make sure you're surrounded by others. Don't end up like me.

And then there is silence.

Yuji, standing facing the wall, stops still, silent for a long moment, before he reaches out to take the phone, lifts it, and swallows.

He's crying, doing his best not to, biting his lip and sniffling, and his grandfather...

His grandfather is dead.

The scene flickers to him speaking to a nurse, and the hurt is painfully obvious, even as he speaks; Well, it's my first time experiencing this. It hasn't really sunk in yet... My grandpa would be mad if I moped around, so I'l just have to laugh while I burn him up. ]

002. ON TRIAL (MANGA SPOILERS).

[ The scene opens with a man swinging what looks like a giant gavel down on Yuji's head, who lifts his arms up to block the hit with a hiss. As it pushes down on his arms, forcing him back, his voice croaks out a shout - and it if wasn't obvious what Higuruma was before now, it might be obvious from the way Yuji yelps. ]

I want a retrial! I get a second trial, right?

[ Yuji's thoughts seem to echo around the room, as if they're in his head themselves, as if they're part of him, somehow. It thrums, a pulsing heartbeat. Judgeman was the one who decleared my guilt and sentences me. If I don't admit my guilt, I can request a retrial and Judgemen can't refuse... ]

I want a do-over!

[ A creature emerges from behind Higuruma, the room transforming - it's no longer an abandoned theatre, instead a courtroom, Yuji behind one stand and Higuruma and Judgeman behind the other. Yuji is leaning forward, waiting, breathing heavily as he recovers from the fight... Until Judgeman speaks, an echoing sound that makes him feel as if his guts have been ripped out. ]

Yuji Itadori stands accused of mass murder in Shibuya on October 31, 2018.

[ Silence. Nothing. And then Yuji lifting his head, staring forward, blank, empty. ]

Yeah. I did that. I'm not lying, and I won't deny it.

[ Judgeman's face, twisted, until it shouts: ] Guilty! Confiscation! Death penalty!

003. SUKUNA'S VESSEL (MAJOR JJK MANGA SPOILERS).

[ Enchain.

Yuji, mid-run, stops. It feels as if he has lost total control over his body, and something, an echo, flashes inside of his mind. Something sharp overcomes him, and a sickness possesses him as another voice echoes in his mind, deeper and more menacing than his own.

I have two conditions. You agree to let me take over your body for one full minute when I chant 'enchain'. And you will forget about this agreement.

I cut a binding vow with the boy not to kill or hurt anyone for one minute. However... From here on is a gamble.

Sukuna reaches down, and physically rips off Yuji's pinky on his left hand, laughing the entire time. Holding it up, he begins to laugh louder, a more feral, crazed sound as he speaks, gleeful and manic.

That boy is such a dumbass! That vow not to hurt anyone didn't include him!

In a flash, moving faster than what might seem physically possible, Sukuna crosses the space on the rooftop they're on and grabs Fushiguro Megumi by the jaw. He shove Yuji's finger into Megumi's mouth, forcing him to swallow it down, and then everything goes black.

When Yuji comes to, he's looking at Sukuna in Megumi's body, his own eyes wide with horror. The only thing that he can feel is agonising grief, and he steps forward to reach out for his friend, before...

Before Sukuna hits him directy in the stomach and ends him flying across the sky and into another building, leaving Yuji looking desolate. ]

004. SPECIAL GRADE.

[ The scene opens with Yuji on the floor, a crater in the wall behind him and one of his hands missing, bleeding out onto the ground in front of him. In front of him is a monster, giving off an aura of such strength and power that it's powerful and overwhelming. Yuji, looking strangely small and fragile, pushes himself up as he speaks, his voice low and hoarse. ]

I got ahead of myself. I thought I was strong. At least strong enough to die on my own terms. But I was wrong... I'm weak.

[ Looking down at his other hand, the tips of his fingers are burned off. The pain is agonising, flooding his body and making him feel sick, even as he lifts his broken and blooded limbs up to his face to try and stop himself from crying. It doesn't work; the tears roll down his face and he practically wails, hurting and terrified. ]

I don't wanna die! No! But... I'm about to...

[ The echo of his voice shifts. He's not speaking out loud any more - these are Yuji's thoughts, echoing around the memory.

A natural death... I was too naive. Even then, being able to say that your death was natural...

In that case... Hatred, and fear, and regret. Let it all out!

Yuji rushes forward to punch the monster, directly in the face, and it does... Nothing.

The monster laughs, and Yuji winces. ]

▶ 002. TOMB RAIDER.

[ Yuji grabs one of the torches off the wall, and begins to walk through the tomb with only a little bit of trepidation.

Tiptoeing through, he looks a little bit awkward as he makes his way through, peering at the walls and tilting his head as he tries to drink things in. Even as he shifts to look one way and then the other, there's an edge of something almost childish about it as he breathes out and shakes his heae. ]

This is kind of creepy, huh...

[ But Yuji is Yuji, and despite his ridiculous levels of strength... He steps forward and ends up stepping on a false stone, glancing down and widening his eyes. The rumble of the boulder coming up behind him makes him yelp, and the only thing he can think to do is grab the person walking beside him, lift them over his shoulder, and bolt. ]

Sorry, sorry! I'll get us out of here!

[ When it comes to the jewels and gold, though, Yuji is leaning close, his eyes widening and curious as he tilts, staring. ]

Woah...

▶ 003. HEART OF THE TOMB.

[ Yuji is back in true form in this kaiju fight, throwing himself into it without hesitation.

Running through the strangeness of the rift, he throws himself at the kaiju without hesitation, irritation at the strange paranoia that floods his body. He runs at it without too much hesitation, building his cursed energy and throwing himself into punching the creature with all the strength of a Black Flash. It sparks in the air with reds and blacks, and when he stumbles back he's not breathing too heavily, mustering his strength again to try and muster another one.

As he runs around under the kaiju, he focuses with all that he has, trying to use his new abilities to the best of his strength, sending his cursed energy out to try and use dismantle on it; he leaps up to get his hands on the monster, slashing at it's body and leaving cuts in his wake.

Each time he drops down from his attack, he's running around and trying to make another one, not seeming to stop to breathe or relax. His focus is on getting rid of this creature as soon as he can, without any pause.

If he sees anyone he recognises, he's rushing to their side immediately, skidding to a halt and breathing out harshly. He's definitely a little bloodied, and a touch sweaty, but he tries his best to look as positive as he can. ]

Hey, you okay? Do you need to get out of here?

▶ 004. AFTERMATH.

[ Yuji doesn't even make it to his hotel room, not at first.

He managed to get himself to his hotel, but he ends up flopped on a sofa in the lounge, dozing away with streaks of sand and dirt on his face and a few bruises that seem to be healing hiself as he goes. The position doesn't look particularly comfortable, with his legs askew and his arms flopped here and there, but it's painfully difficult to wake him up. It seems as if this is a teenager who could sleep through an earthquake...

Later, he can be found in the medical bay, offering help for anyone who needs it and offering healing to those who doesn't want to get involved with LILITH (despite his adoration for Dr Spim himself). Otherwise, he's around here and there, doing whatever anyone might ask of him and offering his help without hesitation.

Despite how tired he seemed a few hours ago, he seems much perkier once the kaiju is dealt with - no matter what memories other people saw, he's shoving them aside and focusing on the now. ]

@silco ( major jjk spoilers )

[eyescar]

[ The scene opens on Yuji standing with Choso and some of the others, speaking to each other in quiet, careful voices.

My body allows me to convert cursed energy into blood. If Yuji absorbs our brothers, he should gain a body capable of that, alongside some cursed technique. That's not all. Our bodies allow us to compensate for the technical aspects of the technique. That means the main limiting factor behind reverse cursed technique, its immense cursed energy expense, doesn't apply to us... I think.

It's Choso talking, Yuji hovering at his side as he swallows, looking... Awkward. Unsure.

The scene shifts and flickers, just a little. Choso and Yuji are still stood together, but instead of being around some of their peers they're sat in front of a series of strange test tube, Yuji looking a mixture of pained and determined, hand shaking as he reaches out to take one.

Choso puts a hand on Yuji's shoulder, and he closes his eyes before he takes the strange creature out of the test tube. Without too much more hesitation, he opens his mouth, tilts his head back, and...

He eats the strange little creature, swallowing it without chewing even once. If there are tears gathering in his eyes, neither of them choose to mention it. ]

[zauneyete]

[ He lurks to the side of the entire thing, like a specter. Like an onlooker stuck to the corners of the room, but Silco isn't content to just watch. This is the kind of place that reminds him of Singed's laboratory. There had always been vials and tubes and jars of body parts, creatures, human parts, and even heads. Things even deeper down in there that he'd never seen, he knew the Doctor kept a private lock on most of his work, but Silco had always been curious how deep and how depraved the experiments got. (laughs...bitterly...)

He watches, he watches the boy, and Choso, and he wonders to himself what these really are. our brothers he said, and his eyes look at the tubes again.

Yuji picks one up, and... yes. He knocks it back like back-alley swill from a shady dealer. He swallows it, he's crying.

Silco picks up one of the test tube, and looks closer at it. A black pitch of an eye peering into it, staring into the little eyes of the creature. It looks... nascent. Half-formed. His lips thinned, and he looks beyond it, to Yuji, and then to Choso. He didn't shake the creature in the tube, but he stares at it, then at Yuji.

Is he going to eat more of them, he wonders? He doesn't know if this sort of thing will work, Geto had not explained much about curses to him, and well. What good would that do for him? He didn't know anything about them, after all. ]

[eyescar]

[ There's a strange thrum of grief in the air, even as Choso reaches out to put a hand on Yuji's shoulder, even as he does what he can to support his younger brother.

It's clear that, despite his determination, Yuji doesn't necessarily want to do this. He had made a promise, had made a vow, that he would do whatever it took to make sure his friend was safe, and if that meant eating more and more of his own brothers, then...

He reaches out for the next one, and this time he mumbles aloud. ]

Sorry, Sho-oso... Thanks.

[ And down the gullet goes the next one, with the same wince of hurt and sadness. ]

004

[gimu]

[ a nap in the lounge, to choso, is as good as a nap in a proper bed. which is to say, he’d tried waking yuji earlier, but had seemingly failed spectacularly, as now he perches on the arm of the same sofa that yuji has occupied.

hunkered like a strange, sand-blasted gargoyle, choso watches over his little brother, squinting and peering at every other person who wanders by. ]

jjk spoilers!!

[eyescar]

[ Yuji shifts in his sleep, blood calling for blood, and he leans closer to his brother without hesitation. His fingers reach out and wrap around his brother's arm, and he wiggles a little, lost in sleep, but something a little more sour unfolding under him, a nightmare shifting from the imaginary to the real.

The battlefield won't be familiar to Choso, but it's painfully so for Yuji. There's heat, agonising heat, burning at the edges of his senses and making him feel sick and unprepared, fingers grasping for nothing. When Yuji lifts his head, the only thing in front of him is his brother, and the pain, the grief that he feels is immeasurable. It's obvious what is happening: within that heat, Choso is burning.

Sorry I wasn't a good teacher. I'm more the instinctive type...

The scene shifts. Choso will recognise it - the garden, the table, the memories of brothers together as Yuji and the dream Choso speak to each other. Yuji manages to keep hold of his grief, but the most important words echo around him:

Is that what you think? You stood by me in the hardest times, and that's enough.

Thank you... Aniki.

Yuji wakes up with a sharp noise, a gasp, tears in his eyes as he looks around, panicked and afraid. ]

Choso...?

1 - grandpa... 😢

[asagami]

[Falling. It's the last thing Fujino recalled as the ground gave way, and every grain of sand submerged her entirely, plummeting her into the dark...before a strong, sterile scent hits her, mingling with florals.

'...?'

This has to be some kind of dream, for sure. Most likely belonging to that person she's talked to on the network that one time-- Yuji, was it? --judging by the pink hair and how the features of his face look softer compared to Sukuna. And from what else she can make out, she figures that old man with the spiky gray hair is probably related to him as well. Whatever convo was going on between them, she doesn't quite get it. Or even make sense of it, for that matter.

Not until the old man says that speech, those last words.

When she sees the visage of Yuji trying to hold back his tears.

Until the very end, when the scene shifts and in spite of his light-hearted statement, the feeling is anything but.

'...'

But, after all of this- she still doesn't quite understand. Not back home where she's experienced something similar, and even now, seeing full well just how hard death can affect someone. Yet...there's a tiny pang tugging at her heart, as an unfamiliar feeling stirs within her.

Her eyes flutter as she comes back to reality of what seems to be now the underground ruins. Ugh, she really can't leave it like this. It feels awkward- heck, given what she saw, it was more than improper! She'll take the moment to readjust herself and try to find Yuji before making her way towards him.]

Um- sorry to bother you, but do you have a moment to spare...?

😢

[eyescar]

[ The memory is almost a nostalgic one for Yuji now, months and months of other griefs and trauma overtaking him and making the loss of his grandpa feel like the most natural loss. It had kickstarted his entire life as part of the world of curses and fighting, and he can't help but wonder, absently, if his grandfather would be proud of him, or if he would be disappointed that he wasn't able to save more people.

As many as you can, grandpa had said, and he had really, really tried.

Pushing himself up, rubbing his face from the sand, he looks around. He hasn't quite realised that it was a shared memory, not quite yet, and his expression flickers as he spots the young woman in front of him; all he can do is lift his hand and wave. ]

Hey. Are you okay? Need something?

[asagami]

Um-

[She stutters for a moment. Briefly, she wonders if she can just not say anything instead, about what she saw. Wave it off and proclaim some silly concern about quicksand not guaranteeing for a gentler landing. But, the thought of having to lie, especially with something personal like that moment?

Somehow, it doesn't sit right with her.]

This is probably going to sound weird, but I think I might have seen something. And for that, I sincerely apologize...

001-002

[the_fourteenth]

[Having the scene turn from a battle to a courtroom so suddenly is pretty disorienting. Y'know, on top of being dropped into the middle of someone's memory on top of it. Just as Raidou is putting it all together, some strange demon - no, a curse? - is accusing Yuji of mass murder. He wants to raise his voice but isn't sure what to say, until Yuji confesses, and the creature calls for the death penalty. No way. The word is escaping Raidou's mouth before he even realizes it.]

O-Objection!

[The voice comes from behind where Yuji stands. Sure, this is a memory. He probably can't really affect anything, and he knows that Yuji must make it out of this alive. Still, he can't just stand by as Yuji tries to plead guilty.]

[eyescar]

[ Yuji jumps when he hears the objection, his eyes widening as he turns his head to look at Raidou. He's immediately leaping over the bench to run to his partner's side, sliding in front of him and breathing out harshly. The Yuji of the moment doesn't necessarily recognise this boy, but the heart knows him - and that is impossible to ignore.

Lifting his arm, he shakes his head. ]

You can't argue with this! It's true. It happened.

[ His eyes drag back up to Higuruma. ]

I don't think you can lie in this domain.

[the_fourteenth]

It's not a lie.

[He also shoots a glance to Higuruma and the judge. Maybe he'll just get booted for interfering, but he wants to try. Guess he's a character witness now. When he speaks again, it's loud, addressing the three of them.]

Someone else was in control of him at the time. How can he be blamed?

grampa

[wwtd]

[ when hiyori was around yuji's age, she also lost her grandmother. she had been in the same room as she passed, just like yuji. she had heard her dying words, just like yuji, as she took the hand of a shinigami and left this world.

where yuji's grandfather told him to help others, hiyori's grandmother told her to be with the one she loved the most while she lived.

and just like yuji, those words struck her to the core and made a home there forever. the last words of a dying grandparent.

she fits in as a doctor in a hospital. but wherein his memory there was only yuji and a nurse in the room, hiyori stands in the doorway. it's the last line, about laughing and burning his grandfather up, that has her reaching forward. grabbing for his hand and holding it tightly.

even if she knew he lost his family, besides choso, she didn't pry for details. here she is, given them freely. tears are stinging in her eyes if he turns around. ]

Yuji-kun. What do you think about sitting in his room? I'll sit with you. For as long or as little as you like.

[eyescar]

[ It's strange, being in a memory and being outside of it, being aware that it's some kind of strange dream but at the same time knowing that it's real in its own way.

This is a memory he revisited a lot, a memory that gave him strength, but also made him weak, in some ways. He relied on his grandfather's words to give his life meaning after he ate Sukuna's finger, and he relied on that to try and justify all the things that he had to do, but in the end... He realised that isn't fair of him, to put all that on the memory of someone who meant so much to him.

It's why he's different to Sukuna, even now. He grew up with his grandfather's love, and Sukuna grew up without it. If Sukuna had been given that kind of human affection in the past... How different would things be? Would he still be the same curse?

Turning to face Hiyori, he blinks up at her before he rubs the back of his head. It's not quite Yuji-in-the-memory, but it's not quite the Yuji she knows, either, some in-between from the kaiju's power. ]

Ah, we could, but... There's not much point. He's not here now, and I think there's somewhere I need to be.

[wwtd]

[ it breaks her heart to hear it. "there's not much point." as the only family member, it's too much responsibility on a young man's shoulders. it was too much for her to be there when the spirit of her grandfather took her grandmother away from them. it hurt. it hurt so much, but she's glad she was there now.

hiyori takes a breath. ]

My grandmother died when I was sixteen. I was there in the room with her and heard her last words when she took the hand of a shinigami and left this world. I cried. I thought I'd never stop crying. I never really experienced loss like that until then. And then... I took her last words to heart and went looking for the person I loved the most to bring him home.

... Help me help you, Yuji-kun. Please. What can I do?

aftermath

[tokakujuho]

[ It might not show as much as when he first arrived, but the conditions - the communal living, the communal showers, the constant presence of people, the resemblance to campus life - are still less than ideal for Nanami. While the hotels have a nice touch, the lack of solitude and privacy are still an issue for him. Back home they'd get bloodied and beaten up too but then they'd be able to rest in the back of a comfortable limousine driven by one of their managers who are all excellent drivers.

He's on his way out to find something to quell the irritation when he comes across a pink-haired starfish. These careless kids... Nanami knows the boy well enough to forego any attempt at waking him; simply drapes his jacket over the kid so he doesn't catch a cold.

Later Nanami finds the boy in the medical bay - sat on the ground - and approaches him, touching a cold can of coke against Yuji's cheek to catch his attention. ]

Did they run out of chairs around here?

[eyescar]

[ Yuji wakes up with Nanami's jacket over his body, and he keeps hold of it as he travels through the base, checking in on people and making sure they're okay. It hangs a little loose in some areas, but Yuji's grown some bulk in the last few weeks, so in some places it almost fits. He knows he has to return it eventually, but his tiredness catches up with him sooner than he would like.

Sitting is easier, even as he makes himself comfortable, stretching his legs up - but when he hears Nanami's voice, feels the coldness against his skin, he squeaks a noise and looks up. ]

Nanamin!

[ His brightness, his excitement, is obvious as he leans up, resisting the urge to tug at Nanami's suit leg. ]

The floor was fine... But hey, wait! We should be congratulating you, right?

[tokakujuho]

[ Nanami has all but forgotten about his jacket thanks to the current climate conditions, which have him running around in just his shirt, tieless, with the sleeves rolled up. Seeing it on Itadori reminds him that it exists but he's not asking for it back yet.

He's more surprised by the cheerful face peering up at him, the excitement obvious in the grin. Uncertain about what to do with that, the ex-salaryman crouches down and hands over the can. ]

Congratulating me? For what?

special grade.

[gorb]

( He knows it's a memory. They have a specific tint to the air that he's used to by now. And this is not the first time he's been brought into one of Yuji's. Still, he crouches in front of the boy with great care, hands hovering like he might want to touch, his dark gaze skipping over his hand, up to his face, brows furrowed with his own strange pain. This is too much. It has always been too much. None of them should have had to live like this.

And yet -. )

Yuji-kun?

( He isn't sure how this memory will act. Will the boy before him speak? Will he be somewhere else, watching it all unfold like Geto had been in his memory with Okkotsu watching? Is he even in here with Geto? Maybe it would be better were he not, but he needs to find out. )

Can you hear me?

[eyescar]

[ Yuji is himself, but he's not, too - the reality is that he's as lost in the memory as Geto is, but he's conscious enough of the people he's come to know that he has some recognition of them. When he turns his head, he knows that this is Geto in front of him, but there's so much of that terror and uncertainty bowling him over that he doesn't know how to survive it. ]

Geto-san...

[ Breathing out, he looks down at his mangled hands, feels his heart racing, and he blinks. ]

Hey, Geto-san... I think... I'm going to die soon.

@rin

[eyescar]

[ The memory opens in what seems like a void, but it's a landscape broken and destroyed by fighting. Yuji is standing in front of a blue haired, patch-faced creature, man shaped but with something clearly off about him, while... Yuji himself looks mangled, bleeding and shredded to pieces as he stands in front of the curse, looking completely different from any sight she might have had of him before.

This is Yuji deep in his grief, in his rage, and in his darkest despair.

As he speaks, he walks towards the creature - Mahito - and the aura he gives off is monstrous. Deadly. ]

You're right, Mahito. I'm you. I wanted to reject you, convince myself you were wrong, but that doesn't matter now. I'm gonna kill you. Even if you come back as another curse, I'll kill you.

Change your name.

Change your form.

I'll kill you again.

I don't need to find meaning or a reason.

Maybe a hundred years after my death, the meaning behind my actions will become apparent, in the grand scheme of things I'm probably nothing more than a cog...

But I'll keep killing curses, for as long as I can. That's my role in this.

[ Mahito runs away, sobbing, but can't get far, wounded as he is. Twisting, crying out in terror, all he can do is throw rocks at Yuji - who doesn't flinch. He barely looks away from the curse in front of him. Then -

in a flash, as if moving faster than sound itself, Yuji is kicking the creature, sending him flying. He ends up at the feet of a man in the robes of a monk, stitches on his forehead, with Yuji looking on with a vague sense of... Horror. ]

002.

[misclassed]

[ Giant boulders aren't really an appropriate hazard for spirits. Even ones that are diminished from their natural state. All he has to do is hit it at the right angle, a fast sweep from below, and it'll shatter the boulder and its momentum right there in its tracks, leaving them to —

Huh? What?

The fellow Everlight he'd found himself teamed up with (with that familiar looking pink hair, and terrible aura like Okkotsu) has him hoisted over his shoulder, and is running from it, before Muramasa even has time to shift into a proper stance to summon a blade and smash the boulder to smithereens. Between the growing feeling of unease from that rift, his low mana levels, and general shock — he can't believe this is happening to him. ]

Put me down, you moron!

[ why does he keep getting picked up. why is his vessel such a shorty... shirou emiya, whoever you are, this is your fault. ]

[eyescar]

[ Yuji is acting on instinct more than anything else, which is obvious from how quickly he moves and goes. He blames himself for activating the trap, obviously, so he takes it upon himself to do what he can to make sure that no one else gets hurt. If he thought a little harder about it, he might have just turned around and punched it to break it into pieces...

But saving someone else comes first in his head.

When he hears the complaints, though, he skids to a halt, his eyes widening. ]

Huh? What's the problem now?!

@raidou

[eyescar]

[ It hurts.

Trying to recover from the memory is impossible, and Yuji doesn't know how to deal with it other than stew in his anger and his hurt. He wants to be bitter, he wants to lash out, he wants to find Gojo and cry, he wants to go to Nanami and complain, he wants to do something, but he doesn't know what he can do other than try to survive. It all hurts a little bit too much, and the grief is overwhelming.

Instead of doing any of that, he uses his tracker to find Raidou, going out of his way to take the longest route he can until he's standing in front of his boyfriend, as if that would ease his mind.

He looks as if he's been punched, tears still prickling at his eyes, and all he can do is stand there, his words suddenly disappeared. ]

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou had been subjected to many memories this time around, dealing with so many bad feelings and overwhelming emotions. Couple that with the dosappeance of some Outsiders, he's feeling unmoored. Disconnected from things. Sorting through feelings from things that didn't actually happen to him, but felt so real.

He doesn't know what he needs right now. His first instinct is to go to Yuji, and he plans to. But first, he stops to sort out his thoughts, if he ever wants to articulate things properly. He does so by sitting just outside the base, in the dark, to sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the brilliant night sky. It reminds him of star gazing in the desert outside of Las Vegas with Yuji, a time that seems so long ago now.

He's not checking his tracker, but his sense of magic means he can feel Yuji approaching just before he arrives, his instincts sharp in that regard. When the other boy comes into view, even in the dim light from the base, Raidou can tell something is wrong. It only takes a moment for him to set down his mug and get to his feet.]

Hey. Are you-- What happened?

[He takes a few steps towards Yuji, a hand reaching out.]