DECEMBER EVENT || SYNFLUX WORLD TOUR PART 1

[synfluxmods]

▷ SYNFLUX WORLD TOUR PART 1

CONTENT WARNINGS: drug use, gambling, violence against both kaiju and humans, human sacrifice

▶ 001. TOUR KICK OFF. (INTRODUCTION)

With the holidays just around the corner, Neo Tokyo seems to thrum with a more hopeful, different kind of life than it’s seen in recent years. Food is a little more plenty, things are a little safer. It’s now been two years since LILITH and the Outsiders made their arrival in the world, and it shows. People are happier and safer, and there has been a distinct change. The impact Outsiders have had is palpable. You have done this, Outsiders. You have made the impact, and people will show their gratitude. Outsiders aren’t always easily found, given that they keep those secret identities, but outsiders will find that locals have been leaving small gifts at the entrance to LILITH's base for their favorite outsiders. Things like foods, little trinkets, meaningful cards, addressed to their code names, and left with heartfelt little annotations, thanking them for saving them. Most in Neo Tokyo recognize that outsiders have been doing a great deal of work, and the gifts keep coming. LILITH will deliver them under a large, decorated tree for outsiders, labeled by code name, so outsiders might want to check back often!

But an outsider’s work is never done. While everyone else is gearing up for the holidays and New Year's, LILITH has tasks for the outsiders. This is a global organization, after all, and things have been… good. Too good, perhaps? There’s a sense that something is coming, and that Outsiders will be needed, but more importantly... Commander Yamakawa seems to be seriously considering the future of LILITH, and the future of the Outsiders. She reaches out to the Outsiders via their implants early in the month:

“Angels of LILITH, your impact should not be downplayed. Every choice you all have made is the reason why we have been so successful against the Kaiju threat. We don’t want to lose momentum, and while you all should take time to enjoy the downtime while it lasts… there is more to be done, I’m afraid. The places you have been before have continued to contribute something to the cause, and we want to cement the resources before it’s too late. We may need a lot more of each of them in the coming days.”

What does she mean by that? Well, assignments will be given out to different locations for Outsiders. Visiting different old locations can yield new possibilities, and maybe help LILITH prepare for the new year!

▶ 002. THE NEON OASIS. (NEW VEGAS, USA)

Viva, New Vegas, Baby! The city is thrumming with light and life as always. It’s getting darker earlier, and the city bursts to life spectacularly in the evenings. Lights, excitement, digital drone displays and large holographic billboards that sell everything, from showgirls to performance-enhancing drugs, casinos, and fight nights. The outlandish casinos on the strip are ever-changing and ever-expanding, creating new sights and works of architectural wonder. One new hotel has been generating a great deal of excitement, promising up-close-and-personal encounters with kaiju – advertised as (mostly) safe, of course, but what’s life without a little danger? Commander Yamakawa is organizing the response, and any Outsiders who join him on this leg of the journey will find that they’ve not only gotten suites in the hotel, but themed suites. Many of which feature prominent kaiju, and some will even find some based on outsiders – particularly ones that garner a lot of attention from the public, have had heavy hits, or KOs...but really, it could be anybody. (Go wild!)

The lobby of the hotel advertises many attractions, including a kaiju “zoo” filled with many smaller kaiju like nihonzaru, timonsutas, and some that outsiders haven’t seen before – like the local Bigger-horn Sheep (not to be confused with Nevada’s state animal, the Bighorn Sheep) or the Helarctrocine, and other smaller kaiju found across what locals proudly call the “Wildest West”. There’s also a kaiju-themed casino, bar and restaurant – with recipes that looks suspiciously like they were influenced by a certain kaiju kafe back in LILITH headquarters. All of this seems above board, but there are a lot of people staying in the hotel – and those who go to the casino for any entertainment there will see that there’s also a lot of money exchanging hands – or wrists, as it were! They are rumbling about something happening a few nights from now. Something...big. The truly crafty or charismatic may be able to weed out that in a few nights, it’s fight night. Who’s fighting? That’s a bit more mysterious, but they encourage outsiders to stick around. “It’s gonna be big,” they promise.

On the last night, some high-profile executives arrive from… Neo Tokyo, of all places! Those who’ve been involved with some of the shadier elements in the city might even recognize a lackey or two that they’ve encountered in the past. It all speaks to something… big, like was promised. What, however, is still shrouded in mystery. That is, until the night of, when the basement arena (which is truly a massive arena underground) is opened to the public, and the main event is ready to begin. What is it? The fight of the millennia, apparently, and while this hasn’t been advertised, the night of, suddenly it’s clearly advertised – the Ozark Howler versus The Akumas.

At Commander Yamakawa’s urging, Outsiders are asked to watch and be ready. This is illegal, but is it illegal enough to chance another international incident? The opportunity presents itself as the fighters are introduced – the Ozark Howler, a large bestial kaiju that supposedly stalks the mountains. The Akumas...they’re clearly spliced gang members, each one looks...dangerous. One crackles with electricity on his skin, another with molten cracks opening their now scale-like flesh, and another with sharp looking scales, and their body starting to lengthen, almost snake-like. The fight is caged, but not sealed, and it looks dangerous. The referee is projected via drone, and as it nears the beast, it swats the drone away, agitated and straining against the locks holding it down.

The drone sent flying, and it hits the bell in a wild tailspin, and the beast's locks release. The fight starts, and...

And...

The cage starts to lift, leaving no barrier between the crowd and the fight. The Akumas don’t look surprised at all. In fact, they look ready for this, rolling their shoulders and cracking their knuckles. They take to the Howler, but lightning shoots off from one, another has a long tail that whips out, and another’s lava is starting to seep over the stage, and into the crowd. People are starting to panic, standing, trying to force their way out, abandoning the floor, but there’s not enough exits, and intervention is required. Will you help escort people out, or are you going to take to the floor, and help incapacitate the fighters and the kaiju both?

▶ 003. THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE. (BUSAN, KOREA)

For some time, outsiders have been barred from entering Korea, and for reasons that are at least...sympathetic. The loss of so many people left the government somewhat tense, and nervous, and quite frankly? Hurt. Time, however, heals all wounds, and now that they have time to grieve, the government is opening themselves up to the Angels of LILITH once again. Although they promise that Outsiders won’t need to be doing much, and in fact, they should enjoy the sights and sounds of Busan while they are in town again.

Seok Dang is with the outsiders when they travel, and some will notice that while the man is generally jovial and in good humor on LILITH’s base, there’s something a bit more somber to the man, given that this is his first time back since the incident, he looks a bit like he’s just barely keeping his composure. Over the implants, outsiders will catch that he even sounds a little gruffer than usual; or more accurately, like he's trying not to sound choked up.

“Now don’t go causing too much trouble, alright? Let’s have a good time, and see me if you want to know the best places to eat!”

Outsiders are treated with respect, but a bit more formally than last time, and there’s still a slight chill from most locals as they explore the city. They won’t get treated poorly, but people are certainly nervous, and maybe still a little suspicious that things will go awry yet again. Though the city is electric and lit, there are still some districts in disrepair, and intrepid outsiders can learn from locals that a lot of mid-sized, local kaiju are encroaching on the rubble – including several Xiphosuransus – looking for food or, territorial fights, or otherwise. But the locals aren’t without their own resources, and getting a chance to deal with the problem on their own means that they’ve come up with a...unique way of handling the encroaching kaiju threat. Across several points are several speaker systems set up. Apparently, most of the kaiju that are making their way across some of the rubble are easily repelled by sound and light.

Outsiders interested in cleanup will be given an option to test out one of these speaker systems. They have sound boards, of course, and an array of sirens, calls, and other options. However, some outsiders will notice that there are other ways to deflect these kaiju, as some local bands use these sound systems as a way to both get in their practice and help the city! Music seems to be the most effective in getting them to move away, and outsiders are welcome to join in, either with the bands, or on their own to help repel the encroaching kaiju. Outsiders can also venture out to just fight them, if they want too. Messier, but just as good. After all, it’s a great way to build goodwill with the locals to help out!

Outsiders are also welcomed to enjoy some of the local concerts. Popular idols and indie groups can be found throughout the city performing at concerts that begin in the evening and go on until sunrise. The shows are full productions with flashing lights and firework shows. Concert goers can also collect lightsticks that come in various designs and colors. They're trendy but they can also be used to ward off weaker kaiju or signal for help in case of an emergency.

▶ 004. THE SEQUEL NO ONE WANTED. (BRASOV, TRANSYLVANIA)

Brasov has remained as isolated as ever. Most of the villagers were eliminated in the fallout of the Outsiders' actions around Halloween last year. The children in the village were taken, and are thriving in the orphanages in Neo Tokyo, and there hasn’t been much reason to return, now that the land is not quite as fertile as it had been when the Kaiju protected the land.

But one thing has still thrived, and a small group of LILITH regulars have been harvesting poppies for some time to help support LILITH’s needs, such as surgeries and other reasons for painkillers. That all has seemed to go well, and Outsiders are directed to Brasov to help with the transport and protection of the fairly large poppy crop from the year. While ready for processing, the staff hasn’t started to send it through, and LILITH and their staff are getting worried. Outsiders are asked to travel there, and help find out what caused the halt in materials. Dr. Spim is interested in developing new strains, and the doctor will come with the outsiders to assist with the transport, and to test the offerings for themselves.

Strangely enough, LILITH’s staff are nowhere to be found when the outsiders arrive through the teleporter. The village is still decimated after the destruction a year ago, and though nature has started to encroach on the ruins, it hasn’t gotten far. There are plenty of tents, but they look like they were abandoned within the past few weeks, other than the small house that’s been converted into a communications center, where eagle-eyed Outsiders will be able to notice that it’s been traversed recently.

The only other structure in the area is...the castle. Looming in the distance, and the source of strife for many just over a year ago. Outsiders with tracking abilities can locate signs of travel from the village to the castle, and they are fresh signs. Following the trail, Outsiders will find a trail of mud and...blood leading into the castle. Searching deeper inside feels a bit like deja vu, some of the bodies from their last visit are still there, though rotting. The entire location smells like rot, death, and, predictably, blood. There’s still so much blood. Outsiders will need to scour the castle, trying to find the location of the missing staff and harvest, but outsiders will find that the castle is peppered with small rituals around the castle. Some are occupied, some already hold the signs of a successful sacrifice.

“You’ve found what? Signs of sacrifice? Certainly they couldn’t be… No, no that must be it. You have to find them! They might be trying to revive the Pricolii! Quickly, find the rituals and stop them, they’re trying to gather enough energy to bring it back!”

Outsiders will find that some rituals are currently ongoing, and much of LILITH’s staff has been sacrificed or...tortured into participating, much like the outsiders before them, the cult has not changed tactics...much. Although without the Forest Lord, they’ve become slow and… human. Outsiders need to stop the rituals, and fast, because deep in the basement, something is… stirring. The longer they wait, the closer it gets, and the stronger the rift energy becomes. Quickly, Outsiders! They must be stopped!

▶ 005. TRADITIONAL RESTORATION. (KYOTO, JAPAN)

For those who want to stay closer to home, an option is also provided. From LILITH's main base in Shinjuku, the Outsiders can provide support to those abroad. They will be able to work with LILITH's other agents to provide and collect information, send supplies, and coordinate the various teams around the world. If necessary, they can also serve as back-up units to provide relief to the other teams.

However, there is still work to be done within the country, too. It's been nearly two years since Kyoto's base was restored and citizens began to return to the city. The population is small but steadily growing as the area becomes more stable. What was once a city that consisted mostly of LILITH agents and researchers is now a small city where civilians can also call home.

Kyoto has always been famous for its shrines and temples, and with the New Year approaching, the locals want to restore many of them to their old glory. For the most part, they have been able to fix up the ones within the city limits where it is much safer. However, some of the shrines in the outskirts are more precarious. These are the locations they ask the Outsiders to help secure and restore.

In particular, they are asked to take back the once prestigious Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kiyomizu Temple. Located in the outskirts of Kyoto, these sacred locations have been completely overrun by Nihonzaru, Marionants, and yama-kujira. Outsiders will have to clear these areas of kaiju while maintaining the integrity of the historic properties. Be careful not to destroy the buildings or gates.

As the perimeter is secured, some families will begin to venture into these areas. This will result in rest areas being set up for the Outsiders. These families take back old inns and tea houses. These accommodations are humble. They are run down, drafty, and have limited amenities but they offer everything they can to try and give the Outsiders shelter and a place to rest on their assignment. It isn't all bad, though. The traditional meals are simple but delicious and while the Outsiders do the fighting, the locals manage to clean up some of the old hot springs which they are proud to show off to guests.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Happy December, Outsiders! This year, Outsiders are invited to take a trip down memory lane... or experience something new. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean everyone is taking it off, and some groups are causing as much trouble as ever.

We hope you enjoy our little trip through Synflux's past, and stay tuned for part two mid-month.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. TOUR KICKOFF: Outsiders will find that everyone in Neo Tokyo is getting ready for the holidays, and fans are leaving small gifts near LILITH’s base for their favorite outsiders. Yamakawa is asking outsiders to help by traveling to prior locations to help out with some issues that are arising.
2. THE NEON OASIS First stop on our tour is New Vegas, NV! Outsiders are treated to a luxurious stay in a Kaiju-themed hotel and casino on the strip. Some may even find rooms themed around outsiders. There is a kaiju zoo, a casino, restaurant, and bar; and the entire stay culminates in a dangerous fight between some kaiju-spliced fight team and a large kaiju. Outsiders will need to help out, or help evacuate the arena!
3. THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE: Next is Busan, South Korea. The borders are now open, and South Korea seems poised to welcome Outsiders back. Seok Dang travels with the outsiders, and he seems to be grateful to be home. In the absence of outsiders, locals have taken to belting it out with music and sound experimentation to drive Kaiju away, and it seems to be working! Outsiders are welcome to come try and join in.
4. THE SEQUEL NO ONE WANTED: Last on our tour is Brasov, Transylvania. Some staff have held back to keep growing the materials necessary for the painkillers LILITH uses, but after some radio silence, Outsiders have been sent to check out what’s going on. Looking in, it’s apparent that something is very, very wrong. Some cultists snuck away after the attacks, and have been using LILITH’s scientists as sacrifices to try and bring back their Forest Lord. Outsiders need to stop them pronto, before we have another Vampire Invasion on our hands!
5. TRADITIONAL RESTORATION: For those who choose to stay in Japan, they can provide assistance from Neo Tokyo or head out to Kyoto to help with restoration efforts. The locals ask the Outsiders to help take back the city outskirts. Fight kaiju while protecting the historical landmarks. Locals will show gratitude by inviting them to their reclaimed inns, shops, and even hot springs.

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QUESTIONS

[synfluxmods]

Shirou Emiya | Fate/ Stay Night | Everlight

[projections]

1. Tour Kickoff

[During the last Kaiju fight, Shirou thought he was getting stronger. He could feel the efforts of his training paying off. Maybe this time he could actually start to make a difference. He felt more confidence in himself, which was a good thing. In the past, Shirou had assumed that his goal was so far that he wasn’t even at the starting line.

Now it was different. His actions were making a difference, and everyone seemed more noticeably happy.

In truth, that was all Shirou ever wanted. He didn’t want to see anyone cry. The very thought of seeing someone in pain made him ache. That’s why he wanted to become a Hero of Justice. If his adoptive father, Kiritsugu was able to do it, then maybe he could too. “I’ll carry your dream.” He said that as if it were a simple thing. Just like that, Shirou started to put the needs of others before his own. The holiday seasons are here. Festivities could be seen, and many people were leaving small gifts. Shirou can be found wrapping up some presents with a steady hand. By the end of it, he ties a ribbon and completes the gift. ]

All done. There are a few more left, but a quick break wouldn’t be a bad idea.

[He pauses, looking at the pile of wrapped gifts. Then his eyes wander over to the person sitting next to him. ]

Do you need help with anything?

2. The Neon Oasis

[To be completely honest, Shirou didn’t do too well in casino-like areas. Everything was so bright and flashy. He felt completely lost and almost a little helpless. The entire place just overwhelmed him as he just stood there with a baffled expression. He’d been thinking to himself that this had to be some kind of nightmare. Come on. Wake up already.

Nothing happened.

Shirou grew up in a more traditional household. By all accounts, he’d been modest and relatively reserved. So he largely keeps these idle thoughts to himself. He waves towards the next person. ]

Ugh, I'm not good with game centers. How about you?

[Maybe the others have had more luck that him.]


3. Network

Username: Emiya

Hey, it’s Emiya.

I’m working as a chef whenever we have downtime from our missions. I'll need everyone's help to make a good menu. What kind of foods do you want to see in it? Would you prefer Western style or Eastern style? If none of those work, I’m ready to start coming up with more ideas.

Eating well can improve our overall health and give us strength for the next battle.

I'm not going to overlook something as important as that.



4. Wildcard

[ Feel free to make your own prompt! ]

2!

[zauneyete]

[ For someone who is often found around the base looking... sour, and kind of like he's having a bad time, Silco looks like he fits in with all the lights and sound and neon. Or rather, like the neon lights match his one eye, even as Shirou waves, and pipes up.

Unfortunately, he's also a crudmudgeon. ]

I don't play games.

[ Sighs. Silco, please.

Thankfully, he keeps going, in usual stinky peepaw fashion: ]

If anything, the ones here are only excuses to siphon funds from the unwise and foolish, to allow them to... [ His nose curls. ] Make more themed bedrooms.

[ gross. ]

[projections]

They get you by making it addicting, and then it becomes hard to stop.

[Shirou lets out a heavy sigh. He doesn't understand why companies profit off people using underhanded tactics. It makes him really uncomfortable. His pragmatic side sees this as a total waste of time and effort. Well, even he can get into a grouchy mood when he's exposed to this environment for too long.]

Quit while you're ahead...or so they say. Do you wanna go grab something to eat instead? It's on me.

Raidou Kuzunoha XIV | Devil Summoner | Everlight

[the_fourteenth]

🞂 001. TOUR KICK OFF.

[It's sweet of the citizenry to deliver gifts and words of appreciation. Raidou would still do his work without it, as he did back home, but that doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy what they've brought.

He's used to the occasional fan spotting him in public, or visiting the shrine, but this outpouring is different. There are a few cards addressed to him, and a couple of gifts. One is a shirt box that contains a hockey-style jersey - a nod to his love of ice skating - with a sports team style logo of a fox on the front, the name KUZUNOHA emblazoned across the back with the number 14. Some fans were wearing these at the kaiju con several months back. The other gift bag contains a hand-sewn plushie of a black fox, complete with a miniature version of his signature hat.

Catch him near the tree, his eyes soft and a small, fond smile on his face as he looks these over. Time to enjoy this, as he's going to need this reminder considering where LILITH is sending him next.]

🞂 002. THE SEQUEL NO ONE WANTED.

[When Raidou is giving his mission to return to Brasov, he accepts it with a nod and reports for duty as he always does. There is no outward sign of the dread he feels hearing the details, or how his stomach turns at the thought of seeing that place again. No mention of how he wasn't able to sleep the night before arriving, or how his blood runs cold the instant they arrive on scene. Raidou is a dutiful summoner and investigator, and follows the signs and the trails, leading the team with intense focus and military-like efficiency. Total focus on the work.

It's only until they're close to the castle's walls that something starts to crack through his own. From leading the investigation to now hanging in the back alone, hand perpetually on the hilt of the sword on his hip. A slight stumble in his step, or a shaky exhalation of a breath, until he comes to a full stop several yards out from the entranceway.]

🞂 003. TRADITIONAL RESTORATION.

[After they return from Brasov, it might be hard to find Raidou. He's not really answering calls or texts, but he's not impossible to find if you're also in Kyoto.

Raidou is hard at work in the Fushimi Inari shrine, wanting nothing more than to help restore this sacred and important place. He'll spend time fighting yama-kujira alone, leading them away from the shrine into the woods. He shows back up at civilian settlements later, dragging behind him an oversized boar, ready for butchering for tonight's dinner. He doesn't stay for cooking, though, but takes some food to go, to retreat to a silent corner of the shrine.

If you enter the shrine and make it past the countless torii gates, you'll still have a ways to go until you find him. It gets colder and colder the higher you climb Mt. Inari, but that's where you'll find recent signs of work. Broken pieces of the gates piled neatly to the side of the narrow stone stairway, and the stairs themselves cleared of debris, moss, and snow. That's where you'll find Raidou currently taking a short break, sitting on an outcropping of rock, enjoying the famous view. Looking southward, it's clear enough to not just see what remains of Kyoto, but Osaka in the far distance. It looks so much different than when he visited in his home world as a child, the sight bringing up a pang of homesickness he hasn't felt in a long time now.

The sun will be setting soon, and it's an hour's walk back down the mountain. But you have a moment to sit, right?]

🞂 004. WILCARD.

[You know the drill.]

1

[eyescar]

[ Yuji, without hesitation, slips up behind Raidou and peers over his shoulder, one arm sneaking around his waist. He's getting a little more bold about public displays of affection, pushing the limits but trying not to go too far, and he grins as he hooks his chin over his boyfriend's shoulder. ]

Someone's popular.

[the_fourteenth]

[Over time, Raidou's gotten more used to the idea of public displays of affection. Any anxiety brought with him from his home world, and his own personal level of privacy have been eclipsed by his feelings for Yuji. He leans back against Yuji, holding up the little fox toy.]

They shouldn't go to all this trouble. But, it's still a nice feeling, yeah?

[He nods a chin to the pile of gift boxes and cards that surround the tree.]

There's plenty under there with your name on them too, you know.

003

[mrblueeyes]

[ Gojo likes staying busy. Not so much because he likes work, but because he doesn't know what to do with himself when he has too much free time. And he's used to fighting monsters and protecting people, so why not fight the kaiju where he's told that it's most needed? He has no interest in making any strategic decisions about what's most needed, so he's content to just take orders and go where LILITH tells him.

He's especially glad to be in Kyoto, though he doesn't tell any of his people that he's going. He has strange and mixed feelings about his home town, and seeing it in ruins has him melancholy--more so than he might have expected. So he works tirelessly clearing the area of kaiju.

Finding a young man he recognizes, Gojo strolls over to sit nearby, watching the view in silent companionship for now. He'll even bother to tug down his blindfold--a view like this is better appreciated with his physical eyes. ]

Leonardo Hamato | Relevation

[makesascene]

New Oasis Arrival - OTA
[Any chance to get away from the base is one Leonardo will take at this point. Sure, they've gone on plenty of trips, but it's never to places Leo really knows well. Not outside of passing mentions. Las Vegas (New Vegas??) is a completely different story. They aren't headed to New York, but, Leo definitely misses being in the states. Las Vegas will do.

Leo stretches his arm out, doing a slow spin in the hotel lobby, proving to be a pain to his fellow Outsiders trying to find their rooms assignments. Sure, the journey was long, but Leo is a cooped up teenage boy.

He's also gonna pepper some poor soul with Questions.]

Finally, I can get some real trash tier food! Maybe we could even splurge on fancy rich people food around here! [And he keeps going-] Have you ever been to vegas before? Did you do all the vegas-y stuff like on TV or were you just gambling the entire time?

Living It Up Suite Style - Closed to Donnie & Raph

With how long it took to get these keys, this better be the coolest suite ever. [Leo grouses back to one of his brothers as he smacks the keycard against the door sensor. It bings audibly before the door swishes open.

As Leonardo stalks inside, the automatic lights kick on. The room is gigantic by the turtles' standards. Classic Vegas opulence on display. Large waterbed in the middle of the room, surrounded by a comedically small 'pool', red and black furniture dotted in odd places.

Leo squints at the space, taking it all in. The space is so big, he's going to have to keep looking to understand it all.]

Why is everything so red- [it takes him a second to parse out why. There are murals of Raph painted on the walls. The blue clad turtle blinks, then sputters before he starts laughing. Shocked, amused and pleased all at once.]

Ohmigosh- RAPH!!! It's Raph! [He darts further into the room pointing at what should be a cool mural of Raph, but they got his face just... slightly wrong. It's not bad, but levels of handsome that verge on handsome squidward levels comedically too handsome to exist.] Did they give Raph a chiseled jawline?

Uncaged Fight - OTA

[Of course, there is always work to do. Leonardo isn't surprised. He knows what this gig is by now. Follow LILITH's instructions, stop some giant monsters and or baddies associated with it.

A cage fight with a Kaiju and spliced idiots is a new one though. The turtle can't help but stare a bit dumbfounded at the level of stupidity on display. He looks to his fellow outsiders for a moment before muttering.]

They cannot be for real right now-

[Unfortunately, they are. The situation only gets worse as the cage is lifted. The pandemonium that follows isn't a surprise. Leonardo is one of the outsiders helping guide people out. His cloaked disguise makes him look like an average teenager, be it one wearing a blue mask and plugsuit. He holds one katana over his head, motioning with his free hand as he shouts at civilians.]

Careful! Don't trample each other! [He grabs someone by the back of the shirt to keep them from trampling someone else.] Watch your step! You almost stepped on her!

[He releases the hold when the moment passes and there isn't a chance for a trampling.]

ARRIVAL we already have threads? idc im giving us more

[zauneyete]

I was once. I was almost hit by one of the cars.

[ He admits, because it's... well. It's kind of funny. In a weird way. He'd been testing a drug with Kaladin, and they'd been bickering the whole time, because that's... well. It isn't like the man has made it a practice of making friends, has he? ]

I didn't do much else. I know better than to waste my money on games of chance. Especially when the house stacks the odds, hm?

Living it up

[soft_shelled]

[Donnie is just quiet, mostly because this whole travel thing put a cramp in something he was planning on doing! But he's also not going to complain about being back in the States, even if it's not New York, it's at least kind of familiar?

So with his brothers he heads to the room they got and well... Leo's reaction is certainly one, as Donnie just kind of gapes at the room.]

This is ridiculous.

Taryon Darrington | Critical Role | Redemption

[likemybooks]

The Neon Oasis

[Taryon has seen photos of Las Vegas, and the fun colors and fantastic decorations have bewitched him. Obviously, he has to see what the city has to offer, despite the fact that the garish lights will start hurting his eyes after a few hours.]

I have to see if they have a suite based around me. Let's see if it's available! [That's the most important thing to check here: running to the hotel lobby and demanding a specific room.

Thankfully, once the excitement of theme hotels wanes, Taryon is ready for the mission. He brings Doty, explaining to audience members that this is just his bodyguard, and waits. The fight is fun, and Tary finds himself cheering from time to time before catching himself. He can't get too excited - this is all illegal, you know. Especially when the cage is raised.

The crowd disperses in a big mess, clogging the narrow escape routes, and Taryon remains sitting. He reaches into Doty's backpack, pulls out his transformed sword and his helment, and dresses himself.] ...I would say "charge", but I'm...the magic guy.

[He turns to you.] How do you feel about flying?

The Sequel No One Wanted

[This is where he died, everyone tells him. His bloody body was found in this very castle that he does not find familiar at all. True, he's supposed to be looking for the LILITH workers, but he must see the spot where his life came to an end.

Nothing about the forest feels familiar at all, save for recollections of walking through the Cyrengreen Forest in the winter. The odd artifacts scattered about and the gothic exterior of the castle feel like they could have been taken from the Truscan Vale. Taryon wonders if he appreciated the aesthetic of the village the first time he was here.]

Well. Here we are. [It's not like he's going into the creepy castle alone! He's got Doty, which is obviously enough protection.]

Wildcard

((Feel free to come up with your own starter or plot with me bia PM or at <user name = mutanthairything site = plurk.com))

neon oasis (part a bc silco always negging tary)

[zauneyete]

That excited, are you?

[ Silco's loitering and smoking in the lobby. He looks like he's going to blend right in with the scenery, sitting in probably the most uncomfortable looking chair in the entire lobby, and observing the comings and goings as they move through the lobby, like he's trying to suss out what's going on in the hotel.

To no avail thus far, so maybe he's doing this just to be a bit of an ass. ]

I would think the lot of us are reasonable enough to realize that the people here are probably going to get a few things wrong, hm?

Sequel

[sanguivorous]

[Astarion can tell Taryon's zest for adventure is quite subdued that day, but he isn't quite sure how to approach to ask why. What if it was due to something he had done? He didn't want to face that shame!

He travels with him through the forest, tracking the missing workers which was rather easy for Astarion to do, what with that delicious reek of blood.]

Yes, here we are. The smell of blood is much stronger here. [Beat, then in a petulant tone:] Gods, if I had known helping with this would make me so famished I would have brought a snack with me!

Dante | Limbus Company | Revelation

[followyourstar]

★ GRATITUDE

[All these gifts under the tree... These are from the people of Neo-Tokyo?

Dante stands in front of the tree, but doesn't go searching for their name below. They don't expect to see it. Even so, there's something about seeing them here at all, about seeing so many, about seeing the numbers grow every time they walk past.]

< Is it true? > [--they ask after a long moment of silence] < Are things really that much better than when we first came here? Is this all really... because of what we've done? >

★ LAMENT

Any necessary CWs that pop up during this thread will be warned for in the subject as they pop up.

[Maybe it was inevitable that they'd end up here one day--the place where so many Outsiders had suffered and bled. The place Ishmael had lost the man that she'd grown to love so deeply.

Not surprisingly, they're more subdued than usual, here in the midst of rot and death. And yet there's something about the way they hold themself, professional to a fault, unflinching.

Dante knows exactly what they're doing.]

< Hey. Before we go any further, I just want to make sure of something. These people performing the sacrifices... You're prepared to kill them, right? >

★ HOT SPRING HESITATION

[Working on all those temples sure is tough work. Even with their nanobot-reinforced body, Dante still finds themself worn out and sore by the end of the day.

The inn, frankly, is a blessing, even if it's clear the place has seen better days. A good, comfy futon is just what they need at the end of the day, and the draft is nothing a few extra blankets won't fix.

But as the days go on and the soreness in their muscles begins to build, they find themself stopping in front of the hall to the hot springs more and more, staring down to that far entrance as if a siren sweetly calls to them. Today it's at its worst, leaving them little more than an unmoving, ticking obstacle between the other patrons and their destinations.]

★ WILDCARD

((Want to do something with one of the other prompts? Feel like doing something else entirely? Want to plot? HMU via DM or at shadetoshade!!))

★ LAMENT

[tokakujuho]

[ The boy has no recollection of coming here before, let alone of what happened to his adult self or the aftermath of it all. He thought 'helping out' would include some sort of adventure, had hoped for it perhaps since he'd not been fortunate enough to leave his home country before.

But this place has no markings of adventure and all the markings of tragedy and misfortune. So just like any mission he used to go on back in school. ]

Yes, I'm aware.

[ Tone even, no sign of nerves. Despite his youth, it's obvious he's killed before. ]

Are you all right?

silco | arcane | brimstone

[zauneyete]

o1. card sharks (neon oasis)

[ Now, Silco wasn't the type that gravitated towards games of chance, or gambling. To be fair, his type of gambling was normally larger, and dealt with human lives and large investments. This sort of thing? For entertainment? Growing up out on the streets of a place like Zaun, he knew the methods. Of ripping people off by using quick fingers and quicker reads.

Mind, he can read people fairly well himself, though he's not using it to rip off people for money.

Which is where he sees an outsider, with a hand full of cards. They aren't good cards, are they? That is, until there's a flash in the your display, popping up with a terse: ]

Bid high, push him out.

[ Though he's sitting at a bar, somewhat nearby, sipping away at a drink, and puffing away at a cigar. Surprisingly, here? Here, he isn't out of place. There are plenty of people smoking, and for once, nobody is harasisng him to put the cigar out. Miracle of miracles.

But his advice? Is it actually helpful? Or is this a way for the outsider to just lose their money? ]

o2. the grift that stole christmas

[ Unlike most outsiders, Silco doesn't even stop by the tree, when he passes — which is rare as it is. He doesn't make much of an effort, and certainly doesn't go out of his way to be near it.

When he does, he mostly looks at all the cheery gifts and tags, it's with disdain. One of the little robot attendants tries to flag him down one day, after another, after another. At some point, he stubs out a cigar on the chrome head of the attendant trying to get his attention, as he walks by. ]

Yes, I know. No smoking.

[ He hears it every time, after all. It tries to protest, squeaking along with a sad wobbling sound, complaining softly about being dismissed yet again.

Was there something different it wanted? He isn't even giving it the opportunity, even as there's a sad little dark package darkening the back corner of the collection that it clearly was trying to reach for, and was told off for trying.

Guess he doesn't like gifts. ]

o3. wildcard!

[ hit me up if you'd like a separate starter! I'm willing to do other prompts in neon oasis (like the zoo or hustling some of the gamblers) or brasov! Silco might stop by for the nostalgia, though he isn't going to be helping much, because... it's silco. Hit me up on plurk at hundreds or on the discord! ]

TRADITIONAL RESTORATION. ( semi-closed )

[shadowban]

happy birthday, sensei!

[ okkotsu-senpai had the right of it when he said that gojo-sensei's birthdate might end up right in the middle of a mission: they're due up for a few clearing assignments, crossing the globe before inevitably rounding back home, right in tokyo. but it hadn't stopped megumi from putting together a few things, just in case. years of familiarity came into play, handily, as megumi scoured the surviving local markets for gojo-sensei's favourites. to be honest, not all of them could be found, or at least not their brand-name versions — but effort might count just a little, right?

tradition states he should put together one of those ridiculously sweet cakes he and tsumiki used to make, but he'd always left the prep and actual baking to his sister. megumi tries not to dwell on it too much.

it takes a considerable chunk of his saved credits to put it all together, including a store-bought one that he tries icing himself. on the dawn of the 7th, all of it goes into his shadow pockets. then he sends the rabbits out to specific people, arming the little guys with an envelope and a post-it note: let's all have lunch together today; please bring what you like. also, please write something nice for sensei.

it's an ambush approach in terms of invitation, megumi realises, but he figures he can apologise for it later. kill kaiju lurking around the fushimi inari shrine in the morning, eat lunch come noon, pretend it's not a very serious or meaningful day for the people involved. just as gojo-sensei asked. ]

Birthday boy, come bother him

[mrblueeyes]

[ Gojo knows perfectly well the nature of the ambush he's walking into. Megumi already guilted him into showing up, and Gojo knows that Suguru will help to enforce his presence.

He teleported home to change after a morning's work, so now he's cozy and cute in a gray sweater and blue scarf, gifts from Suguru. Dark sunglasses perched on his nose, since he hopes to not have to deal with crowds or anyone other than his boyfriend and his students. The mountainside is cool and sunny, December air crisp around them, but Gojo still thinks it's a rather perfect day for a picnic at the Inari shrine, so he's content enough.

He gravitates close to Suguru throughout the interaction, though he doesn't speak directly to him much. His outward attention remains on his students, but he keeps Suguru always at his side or at his back, feeling grounded just knowing that Suguru is nearby. ]

nanami kento | revelation

[tokakujuho]

[ Place holder for closed starters - bbmin is going to spend the better part of the month in Brasov.

Note/cw: Nanami disappeared towards the end of October and came back as his 19-year-old self; most of the memories of his time in Neo Tokyo are missing. Planning on letting him regain a few in Brasov where he was kidnapped and lost his arm and an eye to the cultists last year. ]

[shadowban]

[ if megumi's oculars are displaying the date correctly, it's weeks past the halloween season for the scenario presenting itself before him. picture it: transylvania, central europe, the whole town looking straight out of a goth girl postcard illustration. it's lurid bordering on grotesque that megumi would call it cartoonish, but there are actual dead and tortured people he's come across as part of the investigation team. it's like one of yuji's scary movies walked off the picture frame.

so here he is. castle, looming. clouds, darkening. atmosphere, cinematic and playing to type. one of megumi's eyelids keep twitching, either out of annoyance or disbelief he can't rightly say just yet. but he's following a lead that bears a strikingly familiar signature of cursed energy, and he's hoping for—— not the best, given his luck, but hopefully not the worst-case scenario.

he keeps his hands at the ready, his body poised to take off in the other direction at the slightest hint of ambush. ]

Hello? If anyone's here who needs help, make yourself known.

[ please don't be dead, please don't be dead—— ]

Izuku Midoriya | My Hero Academia | Redemption

[muttering_and_mumbling]

((ooc: Just a TL for closed starters since I don't have as much time this month to do a full proper TL. Toss whatever at me or DM me if you want me to do a closed starter for you. Happy Holidays, ya'll!))

closed headers.

[misclassed]

traditional restoration.

[misclassed]

[ The orders come in early in the morning, nearly two hours before sunrise, in the middle of a snow squall that he didn't think Kyoto could get this early in winter. (Though with the ice up north spreading as far south as Sendai during the last legs of summer, maybe it isn't so surprising. It's just rather far inland for a storm, and a snowy one at that.) The snow muffles the isolated silence of working by himself in Muramasa's forge, ringing hammer sounds dying merely steps outside his door by the deep snow that just keeps growing. The orders pop up on his ocular, reading out instructions from the usual deployment officer in a clipped tone. Kaiju infestation at Fushimi Inari, and they want to take advantage of the weather. With most of the Outsiders spending all their time in the other base and therefore being slowed by the side effects of the dataportal, he is being sent in as the van to scout and begin to secure territory for the proper reclamation effort later in the day. Take his drone, don't damage any of the gates or the shrine more than necessary, civilian disguise not negotiable. Normal, expected instructions, with one last thing tacked onto the end confirming exactly who it is accompanying him on this mission:

"Thankfully, you two have a good record together for this sort of thing, right?"

It's not hard to guess who his partner will be. There's only one other Outsider who stays in Kyoto, a bruise he only feels at the edge of his senses on days when there are no lessons to appear at halfheartedly. It makes sense, and Muramasa will do his job as it's required of him.

Their ride down to the shrine, in a heavy duty LILITH transport decked out for kaiju attacks, is... quiet. Awkward silence weighs heavy, like every other encounter with Yuta outside of the scope of the smithy and his small group of students since coming back from England, a far cry from the easy companionship of the months before, something that doesn't seem likely to change anytime. He just has to accept it as it is now. And for the most part, Muramasa has. He lets the feeling of disappointment wash over him and then slowly drain away as the world in its heavy blanket of white over a half reclaimed city rolls on by past the transport. In the dark reflection of the window, his apprentice sits bundled up with his scarf and jacket, Sesame a shadow in his hands, as pale fingers gently smooth over the dark feathers. From this perspective, Yuta only looks wan and tired; if Muramasa didn't know better, if he couldn't see just by turning his hand and looking at him, Yuta would seem like just a boy dragged too soon from his bed. If it were only that simple.

Even with Windsor weeks behind them, Yuta has chosen to continue to avoid Muramasa unless absolutely necessary, and every lesson since has had a shadow of some new hurt lingering on Yuta's frame, invisible to everyone but Muramasa himself. Muramasa can hardly blame him for the misery after what happened, and he hasn't tried to convince him that his presence is missed otherwise. Not when their argument in the smithy had made it clear just how badly he had hurt Yuta by not trying to wake him up, and not when Muramasa has decided that letting Yuta choose for himself how he wants to engage with his shishou in the time since is the only way to make up for it.

When the whip appears in Yuta's hand, instead of his sword, it's just proof isn't it? Muramasa watches the looping coil dance in Yuta's hand deftly as he tests out the weight and range, and tries to ignore the sudden feeling gripping at his chest. Better to hammer out the dent with his own work — his sword still is the same as it always has been. The sacred grounds of Inariyama are their own tool as well, making the part of him best suited to slaying monsters more powerful.

Passing under one gate, and then another, Muramasa moves through the snow-blanketed darkness with ease, warm despite his meager layers. His footprints reveal the dark stones of the path, and with each boundary crossed the scales begin to tip from smith to storm as they carefully clear out some of the smaller kaiju half frozen in the snow. Tsubame and Sesame zip through the growing grey-blue light, mapping out abandoned paths and monsters lurking under the eaves of overgrown trees. The change is gradual, until the sun finally climbs her way over the peak of mountain when they're halfway up the slope, chasing away the clouds with the help of a strong wind and muzzling the falling snow. Her brother grabs onto the wind, and as it sweeps down the stairs under the torii towards Yuta, it is warm and damp — tinged with salt, even this far inland, the wind from a summer squall over the sea heralds the other part of Muramasa taking over after a hundred sacred thresholds. ]

♨️

[misclassed]

[ The mission to Inariyama is over by midday, but their work doesn't end there.

LILITH is not only a kaiju fighting force but also the emergency service stand-in here in the growing city of Kyoto. Sometimes it's both. The call comes in just as they're finishing descending from the mountain, Muramasa shedding salty summer winds with a mortified sigh as he bears the brunt of the storm's wild and reckless monster-slaying, boulder-throwing, shrine-smashing escapade and all the burnt up stores of his energy that came with it. A herd of yama-kujira moving in close to one of the smaller settlements, an old spa town sitting over top of very useful geothermal wells, and one of the main power sources for the eastern half of the city itself. With the unseasonably cold weather and the snow, losing power could spell disaster for the growing community, risking both people and the anti-kaiju defensive measures protecting them. Easier to just load up the newly freed Outsiders into the transport once again, hand them some of the standard issue protein bars for a meal, and send them rolling up some different mountains through a fresh snowstorm for a few hours than risk waiting for the weather to clear.

Muramasa sleeps the whole way there, faintly radiating heat (banked coals, rather than his usual fire), arms folded across his chest to not encroach on Yuta's space, and slumped against the transport window with a petulant little frown on his face. Tsubame, now wide awake and bored in the confined space, busies herself with Yuta's general person; nuzzling in with Sesame, flitting from knee to shoulder to window to knee, or running her beak through Yuta's hair with a chattering scold for some unknown failure. The drive is slow going, the snow and debris turning a drive that would only be an hour at most in Yuta's time into three agonizingly long, silent ones with his sleeping companion, whose only movement the entire time is opening his eyes silently after a particularly violent bump on the road and then immediately drifting off again. By the time they arrive, there's barely an hour of daylight left — the sky is a shapeless, undefined steely grey shedding a constant rain of snow that makes everything seem ghostly and dream-like.

Still in sandals, his sukajan a bright spot of gold and red embroidered flowers in the snow, Muramasa stifles a yawn as they slip out of the transport silently. The reported kaiju are two adult yama-kujira and a small sounder of yearlings, all the size of bicycles at least, roaming the streets and looking for garbage amongst the snow. They probably followed the river up the valley when people started rebuilding Kyoto in earnest, and now the strange cold weather has pushed them back towards civilization and easy food again. It's not a particularly difficult assignment, but definitely warranted in this case, given all kaiju's propensity for property damage. The geothermal wells and power distribution plant have little more than a chain fence to keep children off the property, not nearly enough to stop two hundred kilos of angry boar.

Through the oculars he and Yuta divvy up the tasks in silence, as Muramasa accepts a small gift of RCT — careful to be professional (because that other part of him is simply incapable of it), he takes just enough energy to do his to work easier. Yuta's fingers are icelike against his palm as the power rushes into him, signaling to Muramasa that they need to finish this quickly. Even if RCT can repair something like ice burns, Yuta started out the day looking exhausted and now Muramasa's taking up that energy he'd need to protect his body from the wear and tear of the elements. If Muramasa can't take care of Yuta at his forge, he'll just have to find a way to make sure Yuta can't help but take care of himself. This is an old spa town, after all. There's probably a hot spring somewhere...

Once it's safe and the beasts are slain, Yuta doesn't even have a chance to step in and politely decline when the residents appear and gratefully offer a place to sleep. With the idea in his head and the bit between his teeth (and maybe a bit of boisterousness that still hasn't worn off from that morning) Muramasa accepts with a cheerful enthusiasm the moment he hears the words "hot springs," stranding them both for the night and holding Yuta hostage with people's gratitude. It's how they end up with the last room at the only rebuilt ryokan in town, as the transport vehicle attaches a plow to its nose and sets about to letting the autopilot start clearing the streets of boar carcasses and snow. It's how they end up with the tittering old cook complaining that growing boys need to eat a hearty meals if they're going to be fighting kaiju for people. It's how their soaking, gore splattered clothes are bundled away to be laundered (except the sukajan, which Muramasa managed to keep clean and dry by dropping it in the snow when he slew his monster, and then slinging back over his hearth-warm shoulders in his single piece of sartorial dignity) and are replaced with temporary yukata, which Muramasa seems to move in more easily than he ever has in modern clothes. It's how Muramasa convinced Yuta to go warm up and take a bath for his own sake ("You look like you need it," he'd said, in that tone of voice that all of his apprentices know means he expects to be listened to). It's how Muramasa, wanting to scrub himself clean of the feeling of salt in his hair and skin and to warm up by means other than his own power, ends up also making a trip down to the hot spring that evening.

Certain people have had things to say about Muramasa's "indecency" on most days. He disagrees, but is at least willing to acquiesce to their complaints when outside his forge. He wears shirts when necessary, modern trousers instead of his hakama, and even trades in his haori for the sukajan when he needs to look "presentable." But rules like that don't apply at an onsen, and besides, the baths are divided by gender. Of course Muramasa walks in dressed appropriately, by not being dressed at all. ]