DOWNTIME MINGLE #10

[synfluxmods]

DOWNTIME MINGLE #10

CONTENT WARNINGS: none

▶ 001. WINNER'S CIRCLE.

The return to Neo Tokyo is a quieter affair than usual, but that doesn’t mean that LILITH isn’t proud of her angels. After dispatching them to deal with smuggling rings and bringing in their latest set of Outsiders, there’s a little celebration in the cafeteria; sushi, yakiniku, tempura and other various seasonal foods are on offer, just… Don’t ask where the meat comes from.

The celebrations of the victories in Mexico are not to be ignored, however, and the traditional celebrations of the winning outsiders is business as usual:

GOOD JOB:
SOBA & R.A.P.H (K.O.)
JUSTISH (600) & GODDESS OF DEATH (600)

And, as might be becoming familiar to the Outsiders, the celebration of the victors comes with its own impact on the cityscape of Neo Tokyo.

The more fashionable of folk might notice a new trend flooding the market, especially popular with teenage girls who lean towards the more lolita fashion. The trend is a simple gothic one, nicknamed zen lolita, with black on black, thick earrings and zori shoes with sharp designs that all seem to call back to traditional Buddhist monk style. The sparks of colour in this style come from white and silver accessories - finger and nose rings, dangling chains with small, animal charms. While much of the style can be found in thrift stores and downloaded through the style chips, a significant amount of it can only be bought in high end, expensive boutiques.

Meanwhile, in the arcades of Neo Tokyo, a new game has become popular. Players enter a virtual simulation room and can use dual virtual swords to slash at incoming targets while listening to music. Targets can take on the shape of alien spaceships, asteroids, and even space robots. To win, you have to fight to the beat with certain songs having greater difficulty. Hardcore players can also purchase upgrades for their virtual swords to trigger special effects. The upgrades are all named after famous swords with some of the most impressive ones being Excalibur and Arondite.

Another emerging hit teen trend is a brand-new pizza from one of the bigger chains in Neo Tokyo. Painting their windows with reds and greens, little cartoon turtles and party balloons and celebrations, with mascots that are being sold as keyrings and plushies alongside the food. The main attraction is the new dish on offer: a Mutant Turtle Pizza! It’s a fairly simple dish, designed as a calzone (you can customise some of your fillings!) with a turtle shell crust, wrapped in paper matching their cute mascot design. If you come in cosplay, you get 10% off!

Those in Redemption might notice something… Odd going on outside room 006. In the weeks after the return from Mexico, deliveries have been made almost around the clock, the weary drivers dropping off box after box and bouquet after bouquet. It seems as if word of a certain someone’s hard work in fighting the kaiju has been heard, and they want to show their affection. Various bouquets of sunflowers, roses, tulips, daises and orchids can be found littering the floor, in various shades of blues, purples, yellows and white. At least it smells wonderful.

▶ 002. LOST IN TRANSLATION (TEXT MINGLE.)

Auto-translation software allows everyone in the world to communicate with each other, regardless of where they are from or what language they might speak. Everyone has it automatically installed and for the most part, this allows for seamless and instant translation no matter who they are talking to.

One day, everyone will receive a system message that consists of broken characters, code, and gibberish. After that, they will find that they have some trouble communicating with others. For some people, it might just be a few words not translating correctly, but for others, the miscommunication is more extreme.

The translation software might completely fail, resulting in Outsiders not being able to understand each other at all. They will have to rely on vintage translation services or body language Synthia will issue an explanation:

"We all know the results of modern projects. We are now solving the problem. Thank you very much."

"It seems instead of translating to multiple languages, she translated through multiple languages. Sorry. There is currently a problem with the translation software. We contacted support and they're working on it."

For the next few days, everyone will have to make do with broken or incorrect translations when speaking to each other. Even characters from the same world and country might find themselves suddenly speaking a completely different language. This might result in people saying the opposite of what they mean or the things they say might end up translated through multiple languages before the final result. They might even accidentally confess a secret that they did not mean to say. Eventually, a patch will be issued and things will resume as usual. This effects both text messaging and normal speaking.

▶ 003. CAULDRONS & KAIJU.

It seems as though September is for fun, and with it comes a rush of people in Neo Tokyo taking part in an exciting craze that seems to ebb and flow in popularity throughout the year: a class-based, live action role-playing game that is all the more exciting thanks to technology permitting light shows, downloadable costumes and guild systems. LILITH is quick to encourage the Outsiders to take part, in the interest of team-building and developing connections across the four groups on base.

The game itself is simple: organise yourself into a ‘party’, download your costumes and class features (such as light shows for magic users, custom weapons for your melee and ranged) and various upgrades to transform your features into different ‘races’ - your bunny and cat people, lizardfolk, and so forth. Once your party is together, you travel through a scavenger-hunt style series of games, puzzles, PvP and PvE fights to get to the final ‘dungeon’ - raid a dragon lair and get some gold and various other prizes. Try to create a balanced team of tank, magic user, support and damage dealer!

LILITH is more than happy to help set up the Outsiders with what gear they need, and makes the following recommendations for the ‘style’ of play for each team - and they recommend a mixture of all four for the best “party-comp”:

BRIMSTONE are the tanks. Ranging from dedicated, focused Paladin-style warriors using various different weaponry to Barbarians who use their rage for offensive purposes, they’re encouraged to don armour, get their HP buffed and lead their party into their quest. They can take more damage than the rest of their party and have special abilities to get monsters to focus on them.

EVERLIGHT find themselves as physical based damage dealers. This could be archery, swords, knives or their bare fists to hit for as much power as they can muster. They’re encouraged to do what they can to bash their enemies to pieces, and are more adept at 1:1 combat than groups. Their skills focus more on high damage ceilings for those who get to grips quickly and critical hits.

REDEMPTION are the support. This can range from straight-up HP healing skills or using buffs and debuffs to make it easier for the tanks (and those unruly DPS!) to survive whatever fight comes up ahead. Regen or shields, they could also be the Healer-DPS and heal by killing the enemy before it kills their party - with a little bit of poison and strength sapping magic, they’re nothing to scoff at.

REVELATION get to enjoy the fascinating and wonderful world of magic users. This could be using a wand, a book, or sheer natural talent to cast a variety of spells to get rid of the enemy as swiftly as possible. Elemental magic (your fire, ice, earth, lightning, etc) mixes with staggering areas of effect skills to try and make quick work of any threat that might lie ahead. Mages are far more useful for groups of enemies than single target, but are still devastating.

The actual ‘roleplay’ part of the event takes place with a series of different ventures for Outsiders to get themselves busy with across Neo Tokyo:

Various puzzles and riddles to crack between different markers on their maps.

Traps to trip players up and make them question everything.

Mysteries that need to be solved before they can move on to the next location.

Nature itself fighting back against the questing parties.

There are various fun elements uploaded onto their implants to make the game more engaging as well, as if they were playing in the simulation room: a HP tracker, item lists, spells and mana, party group chats and various other features. This will help when one of your party gets poisoned and loses -1HP per step they take… Uh oh! Feel free to have fun with whatever your imagination can come up with.

At the end of the trail is the dragon’s lair, where they’ll face various lair-based obstacles: smoke and fog, 'toxic' fumes and clouds, dragon breath (of various elemental flavours), terrain difficult to walk through, etc. All of this is created via a holographic simulation, of course, but it feels very real! Winning parties will win a treasure chest of “gold”... It’s chocolate, and therefore fake, but you get a really cool certificate and a place on the leaderboard for how fast you beat the dragon!

▶ 004. AFTERWORD.

This is Downtime Mingle / Team Building #10. All comments in this event count for 2 points towards September AC. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask them below.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. WINNER'S CIRCLE: The winners of the Mexico mission influence Neo Tokyo with lolita fashion, simulation videogames, flowers in the Redemption wing and a new pizza to try!

2. LOST IN TRANSLATION: LILITH's auto translation gets a bug and Outsiders must communicate by other means until it is fixed. Some effects will cause people to speak in a language they don't know or even confess a secret they did not mean to say.

3. CAULDRONS & KAIJU: A dungeon & dragons style simulation game! Outsiders must build a team and work together through various puzzles to reach the dragon's lair, slay it and steal the (chocolate) gold.

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Comments

2

[wwtd]

Hey.

[ someone nearby sounds a bit disappointed herself. like she was looking forward to being the physical based damage dealer instead and not carrying a quarterstaff and wearing some robes.

peace domain cleric hiyori iki in the house. ]

If you're the dragon, can I be the knight in shining armor...?

[intertwinedfates]

[Both of them got dealt the same lot as in life, huh? Bummeroonie! Which is why he has no problem with them mixing things up! Shaking his head, he grabs her hands and holds them tight.]

Of course! You'd make a stunning knight!

[He's now of two minds: Hiyori dressed like Bishamon in her full armor gear, or her in her Vaisravana era battle bikini...]

We can use the style chips to dress up for the part, okay?

[wwtd]

[ there's nothing inherently WRONG with being the healer but in a pretend game like DnD CnK, she'd like to be something OTHER than a healer. live her fantasy life. be the champion that takes over the world.

he always manages to make her smile somehow. she laughs, breathless. ]

I just want to swing a sword for once. It always looked fun.

[ yato................. ldskglsdg ]

Okay...

Yeah! I'm going to wear samurai armor.

[intertwinedfates]

[Yeah, he's of the same mind, truthfully. No role is bad, per se, but it sucks to have your real life job be the same in your pretendy funtimes... So a switcheroo it is for them!!

Relief washes over him at her happiness, and he gives her hands a squeeze, smiling.]

I'll even teach you, if you want. Because it really is once you know what you're doing.

[Hey, he's a man okay.]

Oooh, gotcha~ A sexy samurai or a traditional one?

[He's gotta ask, just so he doesn't get his hopes up too high.]

[wwtd]

[ they can have their OWN roleplay (lmao) ]

Like I'd want anybody else to teach me.

[ well, there are a few she COULD ASK but she wants yato. for Reasons. ]







A sexy... samurai...? Huh?

[intertwinedfates]

[LOL Rolplay in their roleplay! Inception!]

Oh good, I was worried you might seek out some kind of beefy, hunk of a sword instructor, like they always have in those pornos...

[YATO?!]

Uh huh! Think Bishamon's leather getup but with samurai armor. There's bound to be one out there somewhere!

[Boy's mind is in the gutter today... Or maybe he's just that frustrated at having to be a typical sword swinger that he's leaning into fiction again.]

[wwtd]

[





excuse??? ]

... I don't want to know.

[ WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING YOU HENTAI GOD

and boy yeah his mind IS in the gutter. porn addiction is real yato. once again, he's calling bishamon sexy. well, she knew. still, hello? your WIFE is right in front of you. good thing hiyori is chill as she just rolls her eyes a little. ]

Traditional, then. Although I'm well-aware of how much you like me in that sort of outfit. I wore it for the black market recon, remember? You couldn't look away.

[ especially in the CHESTICLE area ]

[intertwinedfates]

[He was trying to pick up tips, okay!!! He thought if he saw professionals™ at work, it would lead to better fun in the bedroom with her!]

Okay...

["BUST OR LUST" THE HENTAI GAMES...

He's just addicted to Hiyori, honestly. Can't get enough there, that's for sure. H-Hey, he didn't actually say she was sexy... (he's dense. and idiot, your honor)... Because Hiyori will forever be sexiest woman alive to him, for sure.]

Ehehe... Was it that obvious back then...? [Yes, Yato, yes it was... BOOBAGE.] But I love you in anything, so! Wear whatever you feel like, okay? Now what should I be, huh...?

[Should he try healer? He's not sure how well that'd go with his more forward nature in battle...]

[wwtd]

[ yato, you are a MORON. how do you learn what hiyori likes without asking hiyori yourself???!!!

gonna BUST his jaw for watching/playing hentai!!

it was obvious and the look she gives him seems to hint as such. as does the slight coloring of her cheeks and how they puff out when yato confesses he loves her in anything. ]

You wanted to try healing, didn't you? We could switch places.

[intertwinedfates]

[A GRADE A IDIOT... Clearly the answer is to study popular fiction!

KNOCK HIM OUT, HIYORI!!!

Ahhh, she's so cute when she's flustered and blushing~ This is why he teases, honestly. For the deliciously sweet reactions.]

Oooh, good idea. I could wear a flowing robe and be all mysterious and cool with a staff and all!

[Like Gandalf! He's an offensive wizard, Yato...]

[wwtd]

[ BZZT. WRONG.

as is knocking him out for being a lil PERVERT, no matter how much he asks for it. especially when he teases her. is he messing with he? does your wife NOT look good in everything lmao ]

Being a healer is about more than looks... [ a helpless smile tugs at her lips. ah well. it's just a game, right? yato won't be a damage only healer, right? one of those clerics that refuse to heal their party. noway noway. ]

Though you did look good in your Kamuhakari robes, so it should work. It'll be fun to see you carrying a staff.

[intertwinedfates]

[BOOOOO~!

At least that would be well deserved, haha... Because while his wife DOES look good in everything, she also looks good in nothing, so--! The conundrum!]

Ah, yeah, but it's important to look the part, right? That way everyone knows what your role is! [It remains to be seen just how he's going to play his part, although one thing is certain: he's going to heal every little cut and scrape on Hiyori first. Everyone else can fend for themselves lmao]

Hehehe... Right? I make everything look awesome! I can't wait to bonk unruly people with it! [YATO NO] Wave it around majestically and mysteriously, ehehe~

[wwtd]

[ PERV. (it's true) ]

Pff, well. You've always put more stock in looks, I guess. [ with his SWEATSUIT and FLUFFYFLUFF. saying it was his sweet and salty (WHAT) brand. or something. what does that even mean.........

meanwhile, hiyori, healing EVERYONE ELSE but herself probably. maybe she needs yato to put her first to balance it out. ]

I'll bonk you. [ proving her point by gently karate chopping the top of his head with a huff and a smile. ] Or you should bonk yourself. You're the most unruly.

[intertwinedfates]

[CLASSY PERV OKAY. (He wants a Hiyori painting done like those renaissance works...)]

Because it's important to advertise yourself appropriately, of course! [A carefully cultivated brand! The Yatogami™ look is distinct and noteworthy! There's nothing else quite like it! (Thank god.)

Haha, yeah, poor Hiyori, caring for all except herself. Watch her pass out from low HP if she was the healer. Meanwhile Yato only cares about himself and her... Leaves everyone else fending for themselves mostly haha...]

Eh? Whyyyyy? [He pouts, but gradually smiles all the same.] Ehehe... That's true, I suppose! I just might with a stick this big, though. They're pretty unwieldy, aren't they? How do most mages manage anyway?

[wwtd]

[ how has he not done it himself yet????????? ]

Sure, it is. [ patient. calm. tolerant. used to yato's crazy ideas. it sure is Distinct and Noteworthy in a lot of ways.

YATO, that is not healer mentality!!! or is it. hmm. maybe she'll play a tank, like a paladin. or a WARRIOR. ]

Huh? Are they? I guess you just get used to it after a while, like it's a part of you. Like a walking cane.

[intertwinedfates]

[He's been a good boy, that's why!! No more naughty art even if he wants it!]

Uh huh! [The Hiyori Brand is very much cool and collected and pretty, that much is true. Patient for sure. Much more than she used to be... With good reason.

Hey, he's new at this! Give him some time to warm up to the role! Ooooh paladin Hiyori would be epic...! Now he's gonna picture her as a Dragon Q*est warrior with the skimpy bikini armor........]

Oh, that makes sense. Just like my regular weapons, in that case. An extension of yourself! Yeah, that seems about right.

[He's gearing up for it now, setting his style chip to Mage Mode, complete with spiffy staff-- oh no, it tries to give him a monk's staff just like dear old dad, much to his dismay. So he quickly changes THAT, thankyouverymuch--!]

Whew... That was unnerving...

[wwtd]

[ wao!! such good. very boy.

with him, the most. he used to REALLY get on her nerves, no matter how much she loved him. not that yato doesn't still get on her nerves at times, but you know. married - and she'd still choose him. doesn't matter how irritated she gets.

STOP PICTURING HER IN SKIMPY AR - actually he can. that's his wife. ]

Aeug - [ as soon as she sees it, she can't help but make a DISGUSTED NOISE because she is also reminded of him. after finally, FINALLY losing his LAST NAME TOO. ]

Of all the weapons... that one......

[intertwinedfates]

[The boyest!!

Thankfully he doesn't do (most) things that would irk or piss her off, not like he used to, anyways. He cleans up after himself! He always puts the seat down! (Does he even use it...? It is a mystery~)

Hehehe he now has blanket permission to picture her in naughty wear!!! Wifestan, that's him.]

It's like coming across a gross bug, isn't it? [The faces they're pulling says that much for sure... But UGH WHAT'S WITH THE REMINDERS, HUH, NEO TOKYO??]

Right? Like what the hell gives?! Magic wand or staff with an orb, dammit! Not a monk's staff!!

[wwtd]

[ (NOT THE GODS DON'T POOP MEME!!!!!!!)

he has more than blanket permission tbh. ]

No. It's worse than a gross bug. [ literally, back home, when she saw him she couldn't help but make disgusted faces when he popped up. while she didn't understand why, or maybe it was because of how persistent he was to take her out to dinner and the like...

n - nothing against monks though!! like IN GENERAL. they're fine. they put them up when the base was destroyed, after all. ]

Doesn't the style chip work based on your own imagination...?

[ how does it work actually ]

[intertwinedfates]

[(DOES HE HAVE NORMAL HUMAN FUNCTIONS OR NOT HERE?? THE EASIEST ANSWER IS TO HANDWAVE IT!)

Yay! Permission to perv achieved, hehe~]

True that... [He really did have a fixation on Hiyori, huh... It's a good thing current Yato doesn't know about that or otherwise he'd be pissed and stomping his feet and having a fit. He's still not mature enough to handle competition...

Monks are fine! Just not... THAT monk. Daddy monk. No thanks. Blegh.]

Does it? I dunno... Though maybe that's why it came up with that... Because that's the first thing that popped into my head.

[Good question... It's another mystery! He's still getting used to it after all this time, honestly.]

[wwtd]

[ IN PRIVATE!!!

fixation is putting it lightly. the guy pretty much stalked her?? like someone e - nope, not going there. as different as fujisaki and yato were? there were some similarities for a while. unfortunately.

but it makes sense, doesn't it? yato was raised by that man. he was born from that man's wish. what's important is where they're different.

their hearts. ]

Not... the monks that worked with us a few months back?

[ any reminders of fujisaki do put hiyori in an unhappy mood. ]

[intertwinedfates]

[OF COURSE!! She's his and his alone. No other viewers.

Er... Yeah...... Stalkerish tendencies do seem to be Hiyori's lot in life....... Thankfully Yato got better, eventually. That's something anyway?

Unhealthy behavior was pretty much all he was taught, honestly and sadly. Nothing useful or good. He had to discover that all by himself, gradually and thanks to his shinki. And even then, knowing and doing are two very different things.

His heart has always been in the right place, though.]

Er... No? I mean... I still think about him a bit...

[A lot, actually. He fears that one day his father will show up and ruin things...]

[wwtd]

[ got better and married her. yeah, that sure is SOMETHING.

she furrows her brow. "a bit" sounds like more than he should. sounds like more than a bit. ]

Why...?

[intertwinedfates]

[Married the love of his life, even if she sometimes is a worrywart. Like now. Even though it's justified by his shoulders hunching up and the way his gaze slides away from her.]

...cuz. Whenever things started to go good for me before, he would reenter my life and take it all away. My shinki. Any friends I tried to make. The jobs I had. He'd make me come kill for him again and again.....

[wwtd]

[ she gets the worriwartiness from him, like as not. when you're around someone enough, you start to pick up on their habits. (no, hiyori is a worrier too.)

besides, she married the love of her life and he's just as MUCH of a worrywart. if not more. see? she had every reason to be worried too with how he can't meet her eyes.

though her mouth goes firm, her eyes soften. hiyori said as much to him before. why do you always have to take everything from him?! ]

But people remember you here. You have a shrine. Even if he did... show up, you don't have to do anything you don't want to.