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𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚡 𝙼𝚘𝚍𝚜 ([personal profile] synfluxmods) wrote in [community profile] synflux2025-05-15 08:31 am

DOWNTIME MINGLE #8

DOWNTIME MINGLE #8


CONTENT WARNINGS: disease, epidemics, COVID-like illness, lockdowns

▶ 001. WINNER'S CIRCLE

In light of everyone's recent help with both the ocean exploration and the clinical trials, the Outsiders will return one day to a surprisingly well-decorated area within the mess hall at the Kyoto base. It's been adorned with some of the flowers that have wildly bloomed on the outskirts of the city in various areas, as well as those that the researchers had been personally working on fostering in the LILITH greenhouses. Beneath it will be not a pizza party for once, and charcuterie and other donated food items will be there for Outsiders to enjoy. There is even some recognizable cuisine from Egypt for them as well!
GOOD JOB:
FORGERY (K.O.)
AKATSUKI (600)
BANKERBOY (600)
Thanks to the Outsiders’ hard work, they are met with positive reception by the general public, which seems to have grown astronomically since the past two missions. This has only grown from their recent success abroad. Per usual, there are a few oddities that have caught on in the city.

While Neo Tokyo has always been noted as being a city of technology (even with their dwindling resources), a new trend of collecting swords has sparked in the city. Maybe they've seen it in certain Outsiders, but the idea of both collecting swords, displaying them, or even holding exhibitions for them have become more common. Some have even taken to hunting for them in the wild.

If any Outsiders are interested, there appears to be several posts online in which they think older blades may be laying in sleep. But, as with most rumors, there's no guarantee it isn't a wild goose chase.

On TV, the new spring line up is out. A new live action series featuring a group of friends who fight kaiju using mecha has made its debut. Their mecha are animal themed and can combine to create a super mecha. The new lead is a hot headed female character with a lion mecha, which spawns a line of action figures in stores across the city. The lion mecha is the most popular and often resold online for inflated prices. Maybe an Outsider can get their hands on one without paying the scalping fee?

Oftentimes when it comes to the Outsiders and the general masses, there's a distinct disconnect. Which is why it all seems to hinge on rumors and hearsay. Who knows where the information stems from, but they heard a certain Outsider has a liking for bread. There will be no shortage of bread sponsorships for the base, though... some may be far more experimental. However, some claim lab-grown bread may actually be tastier? Only one way to put it to the test. The lab-grown bread conveniently also comes in cans.

▶ 002. FROM SUMER WITH LOVE.

Around the same time, a few LILITH employees show signs of a common cold – nothing noteworthy at first really, if only out-of-season. But then the disease starts spreading at an alarming rate within the headquarters, its symptoms evolving from a mere cold to a severe life-threatening flu. Preliminary analysis reveals the disease to be unlike any known on this planet – perhaps this is why no medicines work. Symptoms include chest pain, trouble breathing, nausea, excessive vomiting and diarrhea, chills and high fever.

To make matters worse, news from LILITH locations around the world reveal all known bases to be afflicted by the same mysterious epidemic, only affecting LILITH staff and not Outsiders at this time. This cannot be a coincidence: LILITH is under attack.. but how is something like this possible?

As researchers race to try and understand the disease, LILITH will request everyone to quarantine themselves on base for the safety of the public. Gradually, the disease spreads across the base only for tests to reveal: the Outsiders are left unaffected.

As the month progresses, more and more of LILITH’s employees find themselves bedridden with the deadly disease until by the 30th of May, only Outsiders are left standing and healthy; all the LILITH crew has been affected. The civilian population outside the base is safe for now, but for how long? Unless something is done, it is estimated all humans working for LILITH will be dead by late June.

"Greetings, my children. Worry not. I come here to report some concerning news: both Captain Yamakawa and Commander Shiro have fallen gravely ill. Since I am an A.I assistant, my health is optimal. Seok Dang has also fallen ill, though he is still in denial of it. I will do my best to take care of each and every one of— "


"BULLSHIT!! This is nothing! I've had hangovers worse than this, you hear me? Calm your terabyte-tits, bitch. I'm here. There ain't nothin' that is gonna stop me, in fact, with the higher ups feelin' like shit, that would put me in command, right? W-Wait, hold that thought, I.. feel like I'm gonna throw up."


Seok Dang tried to stay on the line, but all that was heard was gut-wretching vomiting, to which SYNTHIA promptly cuts his connection. Sorry about that.

It is up to the Outsiders to find the source of the disease and resolve the crisis before all hope is lost. Is this somehow related to those Outsiders who recently disappeared? Wait, aren’t there a few Outsiders here who have seen this flu before and can recognize it…?

▶ 003. LIVIN' LA VIDA LOCKDOWN.

While everyone is quarantined on base, they are encouraged to communicate with each other through the network. During this time, they can do research, share ideas, and try to figure out what is happening as the disease spreads across base and around the world.

While they are in lock down, LILITH encourages the Outsiders to pick up some new hobbies and interests to keep themselves active. They will have access to various workout videos. Some of the videos are hosted by cyborg coaches that expect Outsiders to do things with their bodies that probably aren't physically possible. Other Outsiders might get simple ovens and jars of suspicious "starters" to bake. Of course, there are other hobbies like growing miniature artificial plants, board games, virtual reality games, and more to keep them interested while they're trapped inside!

After about a week, when it becomes obvious the Outsiders are unaffected, they will be allowed to leave their rooms and roam freely to assist. LILITH does not understand why they are not affected but they are depending on the Outsiders for help now more than ever.

Though they are free to wander and seem to be immune for the time being, LILITH warns if they experience any cold-like symptoms, they should report their status and quarantine immediately.

▶ 004. AFTERWORD + SPECIAL NOTE.

Welcome to May's downtime mingle! All tags on this log are worth 2 points.

The June Event is a player plot that is going to differ from regular events in a few ways: Outsiders have to find the location for the next Kaiju fight on their own using hints given in the From Sumer With Love prompt, and correlating them with the past and ongoing disappearance of various Outsiders. They can use LILITH’s equipment to look for anomalies across the globe, however there is not enough time to scan or contact every region in the world. Outsiders need to guess where the anomaly likely is before they can get confirmation. There is a PLOTTING post for this event over here.

Furthermore, they will have to reach this destination through their own means as there is no LILITH staff left to fly them there. Vehicles can be requisitioned, but will have to be flown by Outsiders on their own. This also means Outsiders are free to stay behind at the base if they prefer, as nobody will force them to go. Pain-relieving medicines can also be developed if the true nature of the disease is found and the appropriate characters work on it, though nothing short of defeating the anomaly will solve this crisis and save everyone.

Last but not least: this event will have two Kaiju battles, one on each log as well as many different challenges the Outsiders will have to solve on their own if they want to save LILITH and bring home their missing friends! Please use this thread to ask questions and offer your proposals as to what the Outsiders should do (location guessing, transport, etc). Proposals made in this thread will affect the first and second prompts of the first log.


EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. WINNER'S CIRCLE: The heavy hitters/KO winners of the last kaiju fight receive their sponsorships and inspire new trends, including an interest in collecting swords, a new live action series (like Power Rangers), and free bread.

2. FROM SUMER WITH LOVE: A mysterious disease spreads across LILITH's bases. The symptoms are like the common cold/flu but much more severe. There is currently no cure. Outsiders seem to be immune to the disease. After quarantining, they are encouraged to investigate and come up with plans for the battle to come.

3. LIVIN' LA VIDA LOCKDOWN: While on lockdown, Outsiders are encouraged to try some new hobbies. They can also communicate through the network and do research to uncover additional clues and come up with more plans.
newphew: (of an angel)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
oKAY GooD To KNOW. We need to go to "Iraq", wherever that is.

Multiple people should stay behind with you, then.
newphew: (you are not on your own)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
WhAT? A spell to regrow kidneys//
intertwinedfates: talk (24)

[personal profile] intertwinedfates 2025-05-19 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
you're the sort who can split himself up, huh? that's pretty damn impressive

though 'fraid all of our break's over for the time being. maybe afterwards we'll get the chance to rest, but... we gotta stop Eresh and help her and everyone who's disappeared first
newphew: (thank you blue earth!!)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[ it takes a while for hunter to show up, mostly because he's hunting down painkiller injections. it's not exactly easy. but he doesn't want dante to be in pain ]

[ so he has a little bag when he does show up, knocking at their door. flapjack is resting on his head ]


It's me. I found something for you.
newphew: (as you plant your)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ tee hee ]

Don't unDERestimate me.
newphew: (the world awaits)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks.It DOES look like a good spot, and I could use earthmagic there too, if we needed.
newphew: (YOU JUST GO AWAY)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 06:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Sounds more like an offer made out ofdesperation. And one rAtio wouldn't want.

[ going right for it ]
newphew: (YOU CAN FLY AWAY)

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I dont" think so in this Case.
newphew: ((you can flyyyyyy))

[personal profile] newphew 2025-05-19 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll See what I can dig up.
misclassed: GAME; SPRITE. (☸ 117)

[personal profile] misclassed 2025-05-19 07:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Do I look like a goddamn bird to you?
stonehearts: 🦚 fanart → <user name="cs_ao3" site="twitter.com"> (pic#17671470)

[personal profile] stonehearts 2025-05-19 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Legends about her, perhaps?
the_fourteenth: (142)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2025-05-19 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[He nods, grabbing the nearby sheath for his sword.]

I certainly do. I was practicing my exorcism techniques. [He holds the sword for a moment, power radiating from it for a moment in a great green haze before he puts it away.] I have a feeling they might be needed soon, from what
Tezcatlipoca-san tells me. However, I wouldn't want to use it on you.

[It might actually be quite effective against Yuji, and he wouldn't want that. Instead, he walks over, smile a little stronger now as he falls into a fighting stance, sans weapon.]

Instead, I know I can count on you to challenge my speed. If you're up for it.
eyescar: (pic#16788486)

[personal profile] eyescar 2025-05-19 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
that would make sense
is she actually from iraq i wonder
misclassed: GAME; SPRITE. (☸ 118)

[personal profile] misclassed 2025-05-19 07:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Go further back a couple thousand years until you hit the Age of Gods.
eyescar: (pic#16062299)

[personal profile] eyescar 2025-05-19 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
i failed history
misclassed: MANGA; SHIMOSA. (☸ 57)

[personal profile] misclassed 2025-05-19 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
That's why I'm telling you the direction to start looking.
eyescar: (pic#16060214)

[personal profile] eyescar 2025-05-19 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
ok
ill try muramasa-san
eyescar: (pic#16963632)

[personal profile] eyescar 2025-05-19 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
It's fine, you can use it on me. It's probably more useful to have a good target, right?

[ It's not as if this is the first time he's sparred properly. ]

We can do both, if you don't mind me using a little bit of cursed energy.
the_fourteenth: (139)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2025-05-19 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh. Great, yes-- Just, um. Be warned. It's... it's pretty bad.

[The med bay is pretty much full, and some of the LILITH employees are quite bad off. Raidou's relieved to have more help, though.]

There are gowns, more masks, gloves... Put everything on you can. Can you, ah-- What can you do? Know how to change an IV bag?

[Thankfully Raidou got some triage medicine lessons back during the Vegas mission. He spent that kaiju fight helping with emergency care instead. As bad as it is in here, it can't hold a candle to how bad that was.]

Or just talk to people, get them drinks, and um. There's always lots to clean.
the_fourteenth: (031)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2025-05-19 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hunter will get sent a wider map snippet showing him right where it is.]

It's a big place. It's also much closer to Alexandria. I would recommend we talk to them and see if they can help us sending some scouting drones to the areas we're considering before we go.
followyourstar: (19)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-05-19 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[Dante lifts their head slightly when they hear the knock, then gestures for Hunter to enter, finally sitting up fully and spinning around in their desk chair to face him.]

< Had some good luck, huh? Glad to hear it. >

[While they sound perfectly normal on the surface, the ticking behind their words is a bit more sluggish than usual.]

< Probably about time for me to take a break anyway. How you holding up? >
the_fourteenth: (018)

[personal profile] the_fourteenth 2025-05-19 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[He thinks it over for a second, but shakes his head. Sure, Raidou could use the practice. But he doesn't want to hurt Yuji if he doesn't have to.]

No, it's okay. Let's do this. Feels like I focus a lot on weapons thanks to the kaiju. I could really use more hand to hand work. Besides, if I can manage to outmaneuver you and land a hit? Then I know I'm good for now.

[Sure, he probably could with his sword and techniques. Hand-to-hand is another story.

He adjusts his stance just slightly.]


On your ready.
eyescar: (pic#16989127)

[personal profile] eyescar 2025-05-19 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Do you think I'm gonna make it easy for you?

[ Yuji might think it's a better idea for Raidou to actually try and use his exorcism and practice, but he's not going to argue when they're both already so stressed and unsure. If things were better... If this was a normal spar?

It would be different.

Stretching his arms out, he cracks his back before he grins, getting into position. ]


Try it.
followyourstar: (09)

[personal profile] followyourstar 2025-05-19 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
What, not going to count your kidney among the losses?
coordination: (pic#17196697)

[personal profile] coordination 2025-05-19 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't need, but somehow always get, no matter where we are.

[ Muttered: ] Thank goodness my team doesn't do this shit...

[ He did, in, fact, see that. Yzak actually pays close attention to the network when there's not buffoonery happening on it. He raises an eyebrow when Dearka brings that up specifically. ]

What, does it bother you? Obviously you wouldn't, but you know how paranoid people can be. And if she's that guy's daughter, is that level of it really surprising? Especially considering our own concerns about in-fighting and going in for a kill.