𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚡 𝙼𝚘𝚍𝚜 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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synflux2025-05-15 08:31 am
synfluxmods) wrote in synflux2025-05-15 08:31 am
DOWNTIME MINGLE #8
DOWNTIME MINGLE #8
▶ 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!
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.
GOOD JOB: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.
FORGERY (K.O.)
AKATSUKI (600)
BANKERBOY (600)
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.
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…?
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.
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.
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.
no subject
[ Aki is down with his own set of arm upgrades that he's checking over, and makes his way over to sit opposite Vash. He has what seems like a set of blades and a gun, alongside a... Chainsaw?
Totally normal things.
Leaning back in the chair, he sighs softly. ]
How does it work?
no subject
( The wire reels back, disappearing back into his arm again. )
It had been tampered with before I got here. ( Knives' fault. ) And I'd thought I'd fixed it, but now I'm not so sure. So I'm trying to get it to be speedier.
( Maybe if he'd have been a second faster -. )
How -. ( A pause, and then. ) - how are you holding up?
no subject
[ He is curious, though, about Vash's arm, wondering if he could get a grapple for his own. Perhaps he could ask LILITH later, if they manage to get everyone back, and he doesn't go insane. ]
All my attachments are from them too.
[ Ah, well... ]
I'm getting ready to find him. I'm going to do whatever it takes.
no subject
( And then his expression softens ever so slightly behind his glasses. )
I know. We'll get him back. We'll get all of them back. If LILITH can snap us up from our home worlds then we can figure out the same thing, right? He'd want you to be safe too, though. I know I let you both down by not catching him, but you can trust me now, Aki. I'm going to help you.
no subject
[ Don't make him feel his emotions right now!! ]
You didn't let anyone down. It seems like this was unstoppable, since he's not the only one. We just need to find where they are, and then I can - do something. I can ask the Future, or another Devil.
no subject
( The Future sounded very important, Aki. But he doesn't know what that means. )
no subject
The Future Devil lives in my eye. I don't know if I can talk to it here, but I can try.
no subject
( He leans forward a little more, curious. )
Is there anything specific you need to access it?
no subject
[ He rubs his eye absently, as if it aches. ]
Normally he just... Shows up.
no subject
Sounds complicated. Vash has to bite back his other questions, curiosity rearing its head. He wants to focus on Tsurumaru, and he's certain Aki does too. )
And he hasn't since you came here? How long have you been with LILITH, Aki?
no subject
[ Aki frowns, glancing away. ]
It made a contract with me because it wanted to see me die. It's a sadist, not a good creature. Not really.
no subject
Maybe we shouldn't contact him, if that's the case.
no subject
[ Aki sighs. ]
It would be worth it.
no subject
I don't think Tsurumaru would want you to do that, Aki. I don't think he'd be happy with you risking yourself. And we're working on it, right? We're trying to figure out a plan. Maybe wait a little?
no subject
[ His metal fingers flex a little. ]
But I will do whatever it takes.
no subject
We're working on it, Aki. We'll get them back. But we want them to have things to come back to, you know? So just hold fire a little. I'll start asking around more.
no subject
I can't lose anyone else. I... [ He stares at his metal arm. ] I don't think I'll survive that.
no subject
( He shifts forward, into Aki's eyeline. )
We're going to get them back. We'll find them, and we'll rescue them, and we'll wake up LILITH and then we'll be all right, okay? Because unfortunately I'm like, super stubborn. And I'm not going to abandon anyone here. But that means we have to be smart. Rushing into things won't get us anywhere. It'll only make things more unstable. And I don't want Tsurumaru mad at me when he gets back if I didn't tell you not to do something bad for you. I already failed him by not catching him, don't make me do it again, okay?
no subject
[ His voice is low. Quiet. ]
I've been to Hell, and I've come back from that. But if anything happens to him, or to Denji, or to Power?
[ His eyes flicker. ]
I'll use everything I have.
no subject
( He's aware enough of the stubbornness to know there's no talking Aki around it. That doesn't mean he's going to just let it happen though. He'll have to think of something. )
When you do, can you tell me you're going to? Like a spotter? I'll come and make sure nothing bad goes down.
( Tsurumaru, please note he tried to save both husband and son, okay??? 🤞🤞🤞 )