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synflux2026-03-14 10:23 am
synfluxmods) wrote in synflux2026-03-14 10:23 am
THE MOON'S CURSE
THE MOON'S CURSE
▶ 001. WINNER'S CIRCLE
As everyone settles into the anomalous zone called Florida, the team at Cape Canaveral try to make their guests feel at home. Outsiders are welcome to help themselves in the cafeteria where they can eat delicious local foods!
Most of the food is highly processed, in MREs, or freeze dried. Would you like to try some mashed potatoes or concentrated soup paste from a tube? The freeze dried key lime pie and ice creams are an office favorite. Fortunately, there are also some fresh foods like oranges, fried gator tail, oysters, and kaiju ceviche. Those items are popular and limited so you'll have to run to the cafeteria to get them! It seems that the rest of the fresh supplies were sent up to space and this is all that remains.
The researchers and residents will also try to talk to the Outsiders. They're interested to hear about some of their past assignments. They're impressed by their track records and want to know about the things they've learned, the kaiju they've faced, and if there are any cool stories. Don't be surprised to be suddenly accosted in the hallway or outside by a stranger wanting to hear stories.
In particular, the three most recent heroes will find themselves in the spotlight, and the tale of outsider victories still carries all the way here in Florida.
A new pachinko game has been a favorite both in Neo-Tokyo and in Florida. It has a gacha mechanic to add to the mystique, and you can pick from a variety of characters that seem to be money-themed gijinkas. Most people have fairly bad luck, however, and it’s easy to sink time (and real money!) into it.
And on the subject of games, there’s also been a hot new dating sim / cult simulator game that’s been very popular with the youth. In it, characters play an anthropomorphized sun at the center of the solar system, as they build their followers across planets, and meet a cast of date-worthy astronomic characters that can help or harm your efforts! It might be fun to spend some time with it on the upcoming trip.
And, in Florida especially, it is Spring, and with Spring comes both the resurgence of life and flowering plants, as well as wildlife, and Florida is very serious about their wildlife here. Fans of a certain flock of cranes that has been nesting in the area for the winter has gained the attention, and fandom of the locals. They have been drawing lots on the mating choices of the cranes, because they mate for life, and the locals near the base have even knitted and made homemade crane-themed clothing and hats to celebrate their favorite young cranes as they pursue their romantic partners. Before Outsiders begin their long journey, they are invited to join the locals on base for a little send-off party for the flock, as the cranes begin their migration north.
Most of the food is highly processed, in MREs, or freeze dried. Would you like to try some mashed potatoes or concentrated soup paste from a tube? The freeze dried key lime pie and ice creams are an office favorite. Fortunately, there are also some fresh foods like oranges, fried gator tail, oysters, and kaiju ceviche. Those items are popular and limited so you'll have to run to the cafeteria to get them! It seems that the rest of the fresh supplies were sent up to space and this is all that remains.
The researchers and residents will also try to talk to the Outsiders. They're interested to hear about some of their past assignments. They're impressed by their track records and want to know about the things they've learned, the kaiju they've faced, and if there are any cool stories. Don't be surprised to be suddenly accosted in the hallway or outside by a stranger wanting to hear stories.
In particular, the three most recent heroes will find themselves in the spotlight, and the tale of outsider victories still carries all the way here in Florida.
A new pachinko game has been a favorite both in Neo-Tokyo and in Florida. It has a gacha mechanic to add to the mystique, and you can pick from a variety of characters that seem to be money-themed gijinkas. Most people have fairly bad luck, however, and it’s easy to sink time (and real money!) into it.
And on the subject of games, there’s also been a hot new dating sim / cult simulator game that’s been very popular with the youth. In it, characters play an anthropomorphized sun at the center of the solar system, as they build their followers across planets, and meet a cast of date-worthy astronomic characters that can help or harm your efforts! It might be fun to spend some time with it on the upcoming trip.
And, in Florida especially, it is Spring, and with Spring comes both the resurgence of life and flowering plants, as well as wildlife, and Florida is very serious about their wildlife here. Fans of a certain flock of cranes that has been nesting in the area for the winter has gained the attention, and fandom of the locals. They have been drawing lots on the mating choices of the cranes, because they mate for life, and the locals near the base have even knitted and made homemade crane-themed clothing and hats to celebrate their favorite young cranes as they pursue their romantic partners. Before Outsiders begin their long journey, they are invited to join the locals on base for a little send-off party for the flock, as the cranes begin their migration north.
▶ 002. EVERYBODY GET UP
With increased rift activity on the moon, any lingering work in repairs or supplying the ships is rushed through. At this point, they are space-worthy, and the remaining repairs will be quality of life. Outsiders will need to wear their plugsuits on the trip up, and keep their masks on. The ships are not particularly large, but are large enough that with most of the necessities stripped out, Outsiders can strap themselves in. The scientists apologize for the amount of time that it’s going to take to reach the moon, they’re going old school with these ships, since they’re fairly old, and it will take outsiders 30 hours to reach their destination.
These ships do not have artificial gravity, so as you leave, the forces will make it difficult to even leave a seat until you have finally breached Earth’s gravitational pull. Thankfully, the ships do not require a pilot, as the scientists are able to remotely control them, and once Earth has let go of the ships, outsiders are welcome to unbuckle their seatbelts and float around the cabin. There are facilities, and plenty of space-friendly food in tubes and freeze-dried to consume. The windows on the sides of the ship offer a view of space, and you can even see Earth from above. Very keenly observant Outsiders will notice, especially around the Mediterranean, that the countries look like they are outlined more heavily than necessary. On the other hand, if you stare out into the blackness of space for long enough, you may get the feeling that the void is staring back.
Outsiders can “tune in” to a local radio filled with pop and rock singles of the 90s and early aughts, and a shock jockey comes over the transmission, with an artificial voice that sounds both soft and scratchy at the same time.
Note that information doesn't have to be entirely truthful nor does it have to be filled out by the character. If you want, you can play it loose with some of the details or have an AI fill it out for you.
These ships do not have artificial gravity, so as you leave, the forces will make it difficult to even leave a seat until you have finally breached Earth’s gravitational pull. Thankfully, the ships do not require a pilot, as the scientists are able to remotely control them, and once Earth has let go of the ships, outsiders are welcome to unbuckle their seatbelts and float around the cabin. There are facilities, and plenty of space-friendly food in tubes and freeze-dried to consume. The windows on the sides of the ship offer a view of space, and you can even see Earth from above. Very keenly observant Outsiders will notice, especially around the Mediterranean, that the countries look like they are outlined more heavily than necessary. On the other hand, if you stare out into the blackness of space for long enough, you may get the feeling that the void is staring back.
Outsiders can “tune in” to a local radio filled with pop and rock singles of the 90s and early aughts, and a shock jockey comes over the transmission, with an artificial voice that sounds both soft and scratchy at the same time.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had anyone join us up here in the Artemis Colony. You must be really special if you’re welcomed here. Now I know you all probably already signed your agreement to join us, but we can’t greet you if you don’t fill out the survey that’s coming up in just a few minutes.
Until then, kick back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment on the rest of the way in.”
Within minutes, comes in the hinted-at survey. A get to know you offer from the colony – and unsurprisingly; it’s available for Everyone else to see, too! Although that’s certainly not made explicit until Outsiders start responding.Until then, kick back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment on the rest of the way in.”
Note that information doesn't have to be entirely truthful nor does it have to be filled out by the character. If you want, you can play it loose with some of the details or have an AI fill it out for you.
▶ 003. IT'S TIME TO SLAM NOW
Landing is surprisingly smooth. The moon has a set up made for comfort, and as the Outsiders arrive, they will find that the spaceport is clean and large. There’s also nobody to greet them when they arrive. Other ships that are much newer sit dead in the port, and above, through clear plexiglass ceilings, you can see the dark of space. The lights are on in the spaceport, but the void of space feels closer than ever, and no amount of light seems to dispel that dark feeling encroaching on the edge of your vision.
Outsiders will be free to start exploring immediately. The voice of TIM SERV-U pipes in occasionally on your implants, pointing out landmarks, shops, and “Specials” in shops that appear closed. Every single one is locked, though the glass is easily shattered. There is everything from jeweled golf clubs and designer bags. They might even find some specialty shops that sell kaiju goods and defense items though the latter seem to be more like collector items. Are you interested in a Magical Mouse themed rifle?
Interestingly, the food is the hardest to find. There are supermarkets and food stands that seem to sell food but they'll only find menus with pictures or hologram images on empty shelves. There is a code on each image that can be scanned with their wrist implants and it adds the item to a virtual shopping cart. However there seems to be no way to pay or actually get the item. You can't even see how much the item costs. They will, however, see a message to pay at the register which seems to be their only clue.
If they go to the register, they will find robots. The robots are unresponsive and seem to be dead. The Outsiders will have to find a way to reactivate them. Outsiders who are tech savvy can work to reactivate them, by rewiring them, finding generators to plug them in, and connecting them to the network. They all respond to “TIM SERV-U”.
After reactivating the robots, they will be able to purchase food. Again, there is no price on the items in their shopping carts. They won't find out until they're ready to pay at the register and they'll find that the prices are criminally high. 2000 kryptos for an apple?! Over ten thousand kryptos for a tiny steak?! Even a bottle of soda is sold for hundreds of kryptos. If they choose to pay the price, a hologram will appear in front of them and manifest into a real item.
Food is ridiculously expensive on the moon. It's almost like it's a luxury to be able to eat and drink. Some stores may have physical items and characters can opt to steal those however, as they leave the shop, they'll be slapped with a transaction message saying they've been charged for the item and their kryptos will be missing. On top of the exorbitant price, they'll also be charged a fee for stealing. How did the shop know? Were you being watched the entire time?
Outsiders will be free to start exploring immediately. The voice of TIM SERV-U pipes in occasionally on your implants, pointing out landmarks, shops, and “Specials” in shops that appear closed. Every single one is locked, though the glass is easily shattered. There is everything from jeweled golf clubs and designer bags. They might even find some specialty shops that sell kaiju goods and defense items though the latter seem to be more like collector items. Are you interested in a Magical Mouse themed rifle?
Interestingly, the food is the hardest to find. There are supermarkets and food stands that seem to sell food but they'll only find menus with pictures or hologram images on empty shelves. There is a code on each image that can be scanned with their wrist implants and it adds the item to a virtual shopping cart. However there seems to be no way to pay or actually get the item. You can't even see how much the item costs. They will, however, see a message to pay at the register which seems to be their only clue.
If they go to the register, they will find robots. The robots are unresponsive and seem to be dead. The Outsiders will have to find a way to reactivate them. Outsiders who are tech savvy can work to reactivate them, by rewiring them, finding generators to plug them in, and connecting them to the network. They all respond to “TIM SERV-U”.
After reactivating the robots, they will be able to purchase food. Again, there is no price on the items in their shopping carts. They won't find out until they're ready to pay at the register and they'll find that the prices are criminally high. 2000 kryptos for an apple?! Over ten thousand kryptos for a tiny steak?! Even a bottle of soda is sold for hundreds of kryptos. If they choose to pay the price, a hologram will appear in front of them and manifest into a real item.
Food is ridiculously expensive on the moon. It's almost like it's a luxury to be able to eat and drink. Some stores may have physical items and characters can opt to steal those however, as they leave the shop, they'll be slapped with a transaction message saying they've been charged for the item and their kryptos will be missing. On top of the exorbitant price, they'll also be charged a fee for stealing. How did the shop know? Were you being watched the entire time?
▶ 004. Make Sure You Don't Hurt Nobody
As Outsiders explore the station, the long shadows and large panes overlooking the surface of the moon seem to grow darker, they seem to even...move? Or maybe it’s just a trick of the light. Sometimes, something moves, clatters off of a surface. Is there tapping on the glass from the outside? A movement at the edge of your eye, and a chill that runs down your spine, as if you are being watched. Every moment here, is a moment that Outsiders begin to feel watched. Agitated. The rift energy is high everywhere, and there are several locked spaces in the residential area that seem to give off the most rift energy. This area spans a vast part of the base, and it looks... nice. Idyllic. It’s practically a neighborhood. Except every home seems to have tight security. From the locked gates that throw up force-fields, to cameras on the doors that promise more direct protection, it seems like even this nice quarter of the residential area houses people who are very concerned with even their neighbors taking whatever they have inside. And here, that feeling of being watched is worse. The shadows under trees, or the dark spaces in the houses’ crawl spaces all feel like at any moment, they too will reach out and grasp for your ankle, and drag you under.
But it doesn’t come. What does come is that with the passing hours, even days, the rift energies seem difficult to resist, but instead of feeling sick, or weak, Outsiders begin to feel bolstered...they begin to feel...something negative. Negative emotions, opinions, and traits are difficult to shrug off. They seem to flare quickly to the surface, and as outsiders begin to express them: lashing out in anger, or taking more than they need, or perhaps even giving into their most envious of urges, they’ll find black splotches on the surface of their suits. It doesn’t quite permeate at first, it doesn’t show up on the skin, but the more they do it, the worse it becomes. Some may notice splotches on any exposed parts of their faces, necks, and bodies. The more they get, the more they can see, the shadows have forms. They have faces. They are reaching out to Outsiders, but to no avail.
But to those who do start to give in...they can reach you. Outsiders hear it, if they give in too many times, if they falter in keeping their head.
Outsiders who give in will feel stronger and faster, but their thoughts are muddied. You may see that whatever negative trait manifests in some way. (For example, an explosive temper may manifest in a psychic burst, or someone given to bouts of sadness may be able to paralyze a person near you. Nothing too damaging, but have fun and be creative!) They will hear voices in their heads, as if they are calling to them from somewhere distant. It’s difficult to tell who is an ally, and who is not. Is that a shadow you are lashing out at, or is that a friend? If your character gets to this state, please comment here as there is more information they will receive from the voices calling to them from elsewhere.
You may have to fight someone you care about, but pulling them out of this can't be done only with words; it can only stall them. Can they even hear you over the sound of what’s calling from across the void? Except...they seem to stay near the houses, they seem to be trying to break into the houses. Outsiders who keep their heads on straight will need to not only fend off the attacks from their teammates, but they’ll need to break into the houses, where they will find shrines that radiate rift energy. Made up of trinkets and pieces, similar to those Outsiders had been searching for only earlier this month. A quick scan with oculars will determine that they are the source of the rift pockets, and they need to be destroyed. There are more than enough to go around. The more that are destroyed, the weaker this creature’s hold is on the base, the moon-base residents, and your teammates.
Each destroyed shrine leaves tendrils of shadow that dissipate when exposed to light, writhing under it, before it dies off. The shadows that before were difficult to see become more tangible with time, before finally, you find that they are people. The very people who have been trapped here all this time. Before they come to their senses, however, everyone who was infected by the shadows: residents of the Artemis Base and outsiders alike, let out a final howl before they collapse to the ground.
A voice from somewhere, echoing from the weary lungs of all who were possessed:
But it doesn’t come. What does come is that with the passing hours, even days, the rift energies seem difficult to resist, but instead of feeling sick, or weak, Outsiders begin to feel bolstered...they begin to feel...something negative. Negative emotions, opinions, and traits are difficult to shrug off. They seem to flare quickly to the surface, and as outsiders begin to express them: lashing out in anger, or taking more than they need, or perhaps even giving into their most envious of urges, they’ll find black splotches on the surface of their suits. It doesn’t quite permeate at first, it doesn’t show up on the skin, but the more they do it, the worse it becomes. Some may notice splotches on any exposed parts of their faces, necks, and bodies. The more they get, the more they can see, the shadows have forms. They have faces. They are reaching out to Outsiders, but to no avail.
But to those who do start to give in...they can reach you. Outsiders hear it, if they give in too many times, if they falter in keeping their head.
“C̵͓̗͇͖̠̈́͋͐͋́͠Ǫ̶̙̝̠̦́M̴̢̼̦͚̤͕̠͚̻̪̳͆͊͐̉Ë̵̙̗̼̤́̔̃̓̈́̄̉̀̓͊.̷̨̖͖̯̆̒̐̉͘ ̶͕̞͎̄͑͂̆͐͂͋̍̒̈̚T̶̺̲̻̮̗̐̀̒̄̇̇̈́͊̊͌͐͐̿͋͠͠͝H̶̡͕̱̗͍͍̙̣̲̃̐̍̆̎͌È̵̞̹̞̳̩̟̻̤̻̰͒̀͋̄̂̀̑͛̅̿̈́͑́͊R̶̢̛͙̯͖̥͓͎̪̂̅̔̑̀̒̄̈́̿͛Ë̵̡̛̙̤̳̤̪́́͒ ̸̼̙̝̫͉͕̞̫̝̩̽̎̍̈͐͋͌̽̚͝Ì̴̡̨̡͕̣̰̯̯̙͇͍͙͍͑̑̇͊̅̇̓̆̒̆Ś̵͇͈̥̺̫̤̫̳̪̬̘̞͈̺̹̎͂̂͌̽̕ ̸̢̞̯̭̙̝̬̦͈̓̃̈́͜͝N̶̢̞͔̥̭̫͇̰̟̱̲̒͊̋̒̽̓̌̄̋̍͛̐̋̎̆̐O̷͉̾́Ť̴̪̮͍̐͗̒͒̽̒̈̍͒̿̚̕Ȟ̷̢͉̗̖͎̠̺̲̎̎̈́̓̔͂̕̕͘͝͝Ḯ̵̢̳̱̼̰̗̂̾͐̌̐̉̾͆͆̎̓͒̔̓̌͝N̶̡̠̩̜̗̬̓͑̉̿͌̕G̵̨̰͈̮͍̠̞͐̎͑̽̓̉̀͒́͆̊́̾̆̕͝͝ ̵̢̛͈̦͚͎̬͖͓͈͔̪̻̪̄̀͒̂́̕͜ͅF̷̡̢̼̺̱̟̗͍͇̻̱̀́̑͑̃͗̀͌̽̿̕̚ͅÔ̸̥̲͖̭̄̑Ŗ̴͖̺̦̘̹̩̤̪̣͈̪̋̈́͂̔̏̊̿͂͊̈́̄̅̚͠͝͝ͅ ̷̢̜̥̜̦̏Y̶̨͕̲̣̽̎̅̃̄͂̀͐͠O̴̡̳̗̼͐̈́̈́̽͑̌̈̾͗̈́͝Ǘ̷̧̡͖̰̣̝̻̲͇͍̱̳̱̱͘ ̸̡̣̜̜͓̜̳͕͈̣̹̐T̷̨͓̠̫̠̯̱̪̗̞̜̮̬̗̦̳̑̉̆̃͛̽̓͂̋̂͗̈́̑͝H̸͎̹̗̥̦̱̩̖̘͙̟͖̼̹͑̄́̚͜Ë̶͔̫̰̤̥̻̙́͛͌̐͊́͑̑͗͘͠R̶̡̼͖̠̺̺̰̰͇͎̫̜͛͋͊̏̏̊́͑͆̅́́̀̓͆̚͜Ȩ̸̮̙̺͙̀̏.̴̟̬̓͐͗̂̊̚͘͝͝͠͝͝ͅ ̵̢̭̮̯̹̦͕́̇͒̉̐̔̌̐̓̀̒̓̄͠ͅͅ ̸̧̡̹̗̖͓̤̘̫͉͉̯͗Ẁ̵͔̺̌͜E̷̯̟͈̗̮̲̞̊̉͐̿̃ ̵̜̣̰̱̺͍̗̯̣͌̎̋͜͜W̴̭̞͖̗͔̠͊͛̾̅͛͐͝Į̶͖̙̺̲̜͚̦̥̝̫̬̞̰͂͋̏͐͒̓̌̕͜ͅL̸̡̨̝͕͈̮̟̟̲͎̃̔̓̅͜Ļ̶̥͙̲̲̠̰̏̋̋̒̍̌̈́͛͘͜͜ ̸̢̡̗̤̟̺͈͓̘̤̈́̐̈́͘͜͠ͅT̸͉̙̲̤͙̣̃̅Ȃ̷̯̫͙͓̺̳̊̒̏̂̑̔Ḱ̴̺͍̣̪̙̙͙͚̍̀́̽̌̈̊́̎̈͑͗͘͝Ȩ̶̟̰̪̻̞͈̭͈̦͈͋̎̈́̎́̀͋̓̄̀́ ̵̧̡̳̱͍̗̞̙̘̤͓̜̺̉̅͐͂̃̃͆̂́́͗͜I̴͔͔̤͎̟̗̻̓̀̏̽̃͌̄̆̉̒̽͑̑͠T̴̡̡̫̝͙̬̺̫̾́̀̽̑͌̉̈́̽͋͋̃͆̐̚͘͘ ̶̘̱͙̲̹̜̊̉͛͌̈̓̉́̑̕͝A̴̙̪̘͖̺̥̓̈́̎͋̇̚͘L̷̢͇̰̖̬̻͎̖͎͔̙̟̋́̃̂͊̿͒̍̚͘̕͘͠͝L̴̡̜̝͉͚̳͎̻̖͉̗͕̣̗̖̆͛́̂̀̿̔̿̾̿͊͗̉̀͝.̴̧̡̢̡̧̛̼̹̮͔̝̩̗͙̤͊̈̔͑̍̔͗͆̄͊̎̏́͘̚͜ ̵̥͎̮̙͎̼̲̟̟̞͙́̾̃̈́̒͌̅̔̚͠͠”
Outsiders who give in will feel stronger and faster, but their thoughts are muddied. You may see that whatever negative trait manifests in some way. (For example, an explosive temper may manifest in a psychic burst, or someone given to bouts of sadness may be able to paralyze a person near you. Nothing too damaging, but have fun and be creative!) They will hear voices in their heads, as if they are calling to them from somewhere distant. It’s difficult to tell who is an ally, and who is not. Is that a shadow you are lashing out at, or is that a friend? If your character gets to this state, please comment here as there is more information they will receive from the voices calling to them from elsewhere.
You may have to fight someone you care about, but pulling them out of this can't be done only with words; it can only stall them. Can they even hear you over the sound of what’s calling from across the void? Except...they seem to stay near the houses, they seem to be trying to break into the houses. Outsiders who keep their heads on straight will need to not only fend off the attacks from their teammates, but they’ll need to break into the houses, where they will find shrines that radiate rift energy. Made up of trinkets and pieces, similar to those Outsiders had been searching for only earlier this month. A quick scan with oculars will determine that they are the source of the rift pockets, and they need to be destroyed. There are more than enough to go around. The more that are destroyed, the weaker this creature’s hold is on the base, the moon-base residents, and your teammates.
Each destroyed shrine leaves tendrils of shadow that dissipate when exposed to light, writhing under it, before it dies off. The shadows that before were difficult to see become more tangible with time, before finally, you find that they are people. The very people who have been trapped here all this time. Before they come to their senses, however, everyone who was infected by the shadows: residents of the Artemis Base and outsiders alike, let out a final howl before they collapse to the ground.
A voice from somewhere, echoing from the weary lungs of all who were possessed:
“Ṱ̴̢̢̛̰͓̝̦̦̯͖̖̳͖̭̞̙̉̈̅̈́͋̉̀̓͠͠Ờ̷̢̛̖̯̼̼͑́̃̅̽́̉͛͝O̵̱̿̿͋̈͊̅́̐̈́̀̋̽ ̷̪̳͕͖͘ͅL̴̗̟̯͍̎͐͊̓̄͊̕̕͘A̸̡̝̞̱̩̟̤͙͗̅͆̈́̚̚T̵̳͉͉̫̆̄̒͌̈͛̅͒͑͌̓̒̔̐̚̚͝E̸̢̡̧̢̬̩̻̤͎͕͍̠̞̰͒̌ͅ”
▶ 005. GONNA TAKE IT INTO OVERTIME
As life returns to Artemis station, and the locals settle back in, the station itself brightens up considerably. The high ceilings and stylish decor seem more ritzy than they do imposing, but negotiating to take a nicer ship is...difficult, actually. Outsiders will need to negotiate for it, but they seem unwilling to give it up as a reward for being saved. They are, after all, throwing the Outsiders a gala instead! Black Tie! Oh, you don’t have a black tie? That can’t do, maybe they should buy one. Tim Serv-U has such an eye for these sorts of things! Oh, and they have to buy a table, too, if they want to attend. Nothing in life is free, after all.
Outsiders might be able to coax them into giving it up with a silver tongue, or just strong-arm them into it... or maybe the tactic is to convince the limited amount of engineers to just give it to them anyway. Or steal the ship.
However they manage it, boarding the ship to return to Earth is noticeably different than taking the rickety ship from Earth to the Moon. The seats are roomy and comfortable, a meal service served by drones, and even drinks. Making it back to Earth takes just as long as it did to leave. Though as the Earth grows, a few things become clear, even before communications return to Earth. The continents appear...darker? As you approach, there’s little communication, the cheery swing jazz and pop singles are all that play on your comms, and it almost feels like reality doesn’t quite mesh with what you’re seeing.
Something is wrong.
It still takes several hours from when the changes are easy to spot, to when communications finally come back online with Earth. Within minutes, Bjorn’s voice, in his ancient tongue start speaking frantically, panicked. Following Bjorn’s untranslated words, in comes Eadmund’s voice, frantic.
Once comms are opened, LILITH will help guide the ship on a trajectory back to Neo Tokyo, where everything comes into clarity. Rifts are opening everywhere, people are panicking, and the earthquakes that had only been rumored before everyone left, are now present everywhere on Earth. Small kaiju are bursting through through, bringing death and and destruction with them. Kaiju-focused forces like LILITH are stretched thin.
While Outsiders were in space, something happened. LILITH needs your help, Outsiders. You're Earth's only hope.
Outsiders might be able to coax them into giving it up with a silver tongue, or just strong-arm them into it... or maybe the tactic is to convince the limited amount of engineers to just give it to them anyway. Or steal the ship.
However they manage it, boarding the ship to return to Earth is noticeably different than taking the rickety ship from Earth to the Moon. The seats are roomy and comfortable, a meal service served by drones, and even drinks. Making it back to Earth takes just as long as it did to leave. Though as the Earth grows, a few things become clear, even before communications return to Earth. The continents appear...darker? As you approach, there’s little communication, the cheery swing jazz and pop singles are all that play on your comms, and it almost feels like reality doesn’t quite mesh with what you’re seeing.
Something is wrong.
It still takes several hours from when the changes are easy to spot, to when communications finally come back online with Earth. Within minutes, Bjorn’s voice, in his ancient tongue start speaking frantically, panicked. Following Bjorn’s untranslated words, in comes Eadmund’s voice, frantic.
"Bjorn picked it up before we did. He keeps telling us that 'They are coming, they are coming', but he can't tell us how, or why. Everything has been very strange, and since you left, rifts have been opening everywhere. LILITH asked us to come and help track down the source, but there are too many disasters. We have not been able to do so. Give us a little more time."
Once comms are opened, LILITH will help guide the ship on a trajectory back to Neo Tokyo, where everything comes into clarity. Rifts are opening everywhere, people are panicking, and the earthquakes that had only been rumored before everyone left, are now present everywhere on Earth. Small kaiju are bursting through through, bringing death and and destruction with them. Kaiju-focused forces like LILITH are stretched thin.
While Outsiders were in space, something happened. LILITH needs your help, Outsiders. You're Earth's only hope.
▶ 006. AFTERWORD.
Welcome to our "text mingle", with a twist! We hope you enjoy visiting Artemis Base, and we hope you come back soon! (Next time, pay for the travel package. They aren't running a free resort up there!)
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 points each and will count towards March AC.
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 points each and will count towards March AC.
EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. WINNER's CIRCLE: Even here in Florida, Outsiders are celebrated for their achievements!
2. EVERYBODY GET UP: Flying to the moon takes a long while. Better behave in close quarters, and enjoy a little text mingle, hosted by TIM SERV-U!
3. IT'S TIME TO SLAM NOW: There is Nobody left on the moon, other than derelict robots. Outsiders can fix the service robots, or steal what they need. Everything is ridiculously expensive.
4. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HURT NOBODY: The source of the missing residents is, of course, a Kaiju. It is speaking across the rift, and corrupting locals via rift-infected "shrines" in their homes. People become corrupted based on their worst instincts.
5. GONNA TAKE IT INTO OVERTIME: As the shrines are destroyed, locals seem... ... ... grateful...? They want to throw a gala for outsiders, but it's expensive and you have to buy a table. Why does everyone charge for everything here? Outsiders are best served by hurrying back to Neo Tokyo, where on the way back they find out... something has gone very, very wrong while they were on the moon.
QUESTIONS
FROM BEYOND
nanami kento | revelation
Gojo Satoru | Jujutsu Kaisen | Everlight
[ Gojo's gone to the crane send-off party. He's been in a romantic mood lately, and he was drawn by the pitch that the cranes mate for life. Even though he dodges the betting, he accepts a deeply absurd crane hat. Maybe it'll be enough to distract from his other significant accessory addition: a black jade and platinum ring on his left ring finger. ] Did you sign up to be one of the officiants for the crane weddings? [ This is not a thing. He's full of shit. ]
errybody get up to get down
[ At first, all the charming space age food and the vintage ships are a fun novelty, and Gojo's enjoying the whimsy of it all. But after just a few hours, he's bored and fidgety, missing the comfort of first-class flights or the convenience of teleportation. With the rift energy so high, he's been warned off his clever idea of just teleporting to the moon. (He hasn't been before, but he's always been tempted to try it--he's theoretically capable of computing the necessary complicated mathematics onto his teleportation technique.)
His husband's an expert at keeping him distracted (these two menaces almost certainly joined the hundred-mile-high club shortly after the seatbelt sign was turned off), but there's only so much that even Geto Suguru can do in terms of keeping Gojo contained for thirty hours. He'll be bouncing (literally) around the cabin, too fast and with dangerously narrow margin for error.
As he slams into an empty chair with enough force to rock the whole row, legs lazily crossed and posture as if he's been slumped in this exact chair for hours rather than milliseconds, he holds up a couple of packets of the space food. ] What's your favorite flavor of freeze-dried key lime pie? Strawberry, chocolate, or [ he consults the packet dubiously ] ... 'mojito'?
there goes to neighbormoon ... moonborhood? neighmoonhood.
[ Really, Gojo had expected more from a moon vacation. Where are the 1960s silver go-go miniskirts? Moon buggy racing?? Low-gravity bounce houses??? They don't even have Dippin Dots????
Instead, it's just expensive, empty, and depressing. Gojo's snippy as he continues exploring, negative traits roiling near the surface. It helps that he and Geto are good at blunting and taming the worst of each other's negative traits ... except that they're both massive trolls and enable each other in that. If you've found them together, they're likely to toy with you like two cats with a mouse.
If you've found him alone, you'll need to worry about his negative traits of being reckless and disrespectful, to say nothing of the god complex. Would you like to fight? He'd love to fight. ]
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BIRTHDAY: December 7
AGE: 29
HEIGHT: 6'3" / 190cm
Origin: Kyoto, Japan
NET WORTH: Priceless, baby
1. If you had a million kryptos, what would you do with it? Buy a sweet house for me and my boo
2. What is the most valuable thing you own? My husband's love
3. What is the most expensive thing you have ever destroyed? A Tokyo neighborhood
4. At what price would you sell your secrets? I'm an open book~
5. How much would you charge someone to forgive them? Doesn't seem like a monetary value kinda thing
@vessel
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what's the question?
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@IcyHot - Text;
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oo2.
Unless it's a real mojito I'll pass.
( Thirty hours is a long time. He almost wishes he'd packed the sake, then he could have spent it drunk out of his mind and avoiding everyone. Well, everyone but his husband. Blind, Suguru lifts a hand to snack Satoru by the wrist like a tether, thumb stroking against the bone there. )
You can have mine. ( A hum. His eyelashes lift just a little, eyes opening for a glimmer of sight. ) On a scale of one to ten how manic are you right now? Do I need to focus?
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Groaning at the question, Satoru tilts forward, planting his face in the center of Suguru's chest, like an extremely lazy motorboating. He whines by way of answer, because defining his mood into words or numbers feels impossible at the moment. ]
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Bakugō Katsuki 💥 Boku no Hero Academia 💥 Everlight
▶ 002. EVERYBODY GET UP
💥 ➊ GET UP. - Take Off
[We're going to the moon. That had to be one of the dumbest things he's ever heard grace his life. Humanity was always interested in space, but in Bakugo's world, humanity's attention was wrenched from space once the Quirk phenomena took hold of society. Why look out there when everything interesting was happening down here? Space lost a lot of its allure when what was supposed to be fiction in comic books and movies began to become reality. All that to say, Bakugo's never really thought much about space. Much less given any attention to astronauts. And zilch has his mind visited an idea of actually going to space.
... so anyways, now he's strapped inside a space shuttle WITH NO IN PERSON PILOTS getting shoved back into his seat by g-forces rivaling the speed of his own explosion-powered flight. Arms crossed, eyes narrowed, head turned to the side to stare out whatever window's closest because he's never reached these heights before on either airplane or his own flight.]
OY! Move your head! I can't see out the damn window! [He's only gonna do this once in life and to hell with anyone interfering with his once-in-a-lifetime view!]
💥 ➋ GET UP. - Floatable
[You bet the second those "unbuckle belts" lights come on, Bakugo's snapping out of his seatbelt and pushing off his seat. Thanks to his Quirk's natural resistance, he's never had much in the way of motion sickness. Always bouncing around the air and tumbling acrobatically between explosions through the sky. But this sense of weightlessness? He doesn't dare ignite an explosion right now, fully aware the lack of gravitational resistance would result in him spinning in space like an out-of-control top! Attempts to correct it would only make the situation worse. So he focuses only on straight lines, going from one surface to the next in catch, push, release motions through the shuttle cabin.
You can find him wandering by the windows, looking out at the earth below with a strange focused expression.
Or find him taking a quick repast, though he's only sustaining himself on the freeze dried fruits and vegetables, having almost puked when someone tried squirting concentrated soup slurry out of a tube like fucking toothpaste.
You can also find him floating on his back off in a corner, tethered via his waist close to the wall, hands behind his head and one leg crossed over the other knee as he either sleeps under muffled earphones, or listens to a podcast via the same.
Whatever to pass 30 long ass hours.]
▶ 004. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HURT NOBODY
💥 ➊ MAKE SURE. - Stopping a Friend
[This again? He felt its call soon after arriving. The lurking voice in his mind, unintelligible and quiet, but reaching a tongue into his darker thoughts and tangling bony fingers within his own doubts and irritable nature. Whispers of arrogance suggesting these people around him are nothing to him, calling up his own ideas of grandeur and success. Wouldn't it be easy to be rid of them? There are so few left after all. Blah blah fucking blah. This might have been a success if it hadn't already happened to him... how many times have they had to deal with mental corruption by now? Three? Four times? Do it enough, anything begins to grow resistant. His immense pride, his heroic heart, his logical nature, his dogged resolve. All of it pounded down and crystalized into the resource he ignites now and blows off those shadowy tendrils in his mind. Stalking forward into the base once more, full costume and grenades primed in ready pose. Whatever's on this moon picked the wrong bastard to try seducing.
And he's had enough of it.
*whoosh!*
No warning behind you. Only a figure of black orange green with glowing red eyes beneath his choppy blonde bangs blitzing into the air at your back with one orange-glowing hand reaching for the other Outsider's ribs.]
WAKE THE FUCK UP!! [*KA-BOOM!* A massive explosion! Crashing heat and force into his companion's side with full intent to send them flying away from the house or store or whatever the fuck they're trying to assault at the moment.] Or am I gonna have to kill you to snap you outta it? HAa?!
💥 ➋ MAKE SURE. - Breaking a Home
[So all of this leads from the homes. He would've though the damn thing was lurking around in the center core like a decent space movie. Instead, the source is inside these residential impressive-as-fuck home. Bakugo scowls at the building towering over him, a far-too-ritzy three-story home that reminds him, at least size wise, of his own home back in his world. Or his parents' home at least. Of course they don't have a damn key to get in. And while he's always been a "good kid" when it comes to following the law, when heroes are working, sometimes, you're not gonna win without a bit of collateral damage.
One hand plasters to the shielded window at the front of the house, red eyes narrowing as he concentrates his blast into his palm's center, and-
KA-BOOM!! Blows the entire window straight through its frame. Smoke blooms outward, clatters of metal and glass sprinkle within the shadowy area out of sight. Sure LOOK like he's breaking in!]
💥 ➌ MAKE SURE. - Wrecking a Shrine
[*BombBOOMboboombbbom!* One piece of trinket-built effigy after another. He prowls through the home with a frightening efficiency, kicking open doors and peering around rooms with a flick of the light switch or another explosion lighting up any stubborn enough to stay dark. Finding those shitty pieces his ocular quickly denotes as another rift point key. Feels like they're stalking around through some weirdo with a junk sculpting hobby, though these pieces of "junk" are all pulled from other points and places through the rift. No wonder they're exuding all these readings; none of these are supposed to even be in this world! Just like that ship crashing out of the ice two months ago.
Bakugo charges up once more before-] FUCKING DIEE!!
[WHA-KABROOMSH!! It looks like the entire third floor erupted! Two windows blow out from a certain room and smoke billows from their scorched sockets. A few seconds later, the blonde hero emerges from one and jumps clean to the air. He drops and two small explosions boomboom catch his fall right before he lands feet first on the ground in front of another Outsider.]
That one's clear. How many have you done?
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BIRTHDAY: April 20
AGE: 18
twiceHEIGHT: 172cm (5'7½")
Origin: Earth
NET WORTH: The hell?
Everyone will also have to answer at least 1 question from the following:
1. If you had a million kryptos, what would you do with it?
Invest and save it for our new living arrangements.
2. What is the most valuable thing you own?
Buzz off.
3. What is the most expensive thing you have ever destroyed?
Nutsack Face's dreams. Heh.
4. At what price would you sell your secrets?
The hell is up with these money questions?
5. How much would you charge someone to forgive them?
Depends on what they did. 5 Howitzer Impacts to the face for getting me kidnapped AT LEAST!
Floatable
then he spots him. bakugou is exactly where he expected, far away from the group, acting like the lone wolf he likes to believe he is. okay, to be fair, 30 hours is a long damn time to be around people, so for once no one can judge him for seeking an escape. for a second, denji hovers there, suspended a few feet away, watching. he noticed the line at bakugou’s waist keeps him from drifting far, but the slow sway of his body still happens with every tiny movement of the ship, like he’s rocking in invisible water. it's adorable to see that peaceful look on his fiance's face. he must be in a deep trance, total and utter relaxation. denji’s mouth tilts a little - his first instinct is immediate and stupid.
flip him.
it would be easy. so fucking easy. just one shove and bakugou would spin like a kicked soda can. but, nah. that's too cruel. instead he pushes off the wall and glides closer, slow enough that he only bumps into bakugou with a light nudge. then denji leans in, letting his head settle against the other’s shoulder. his body drifts with the contact, weightless, until he finds his balance by loosely catching the hem of the hero's shirt between his fingers.
yeah, he's just gonna ... stay there. no reason given. ]
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all that to explain why he's content to take a floating nap away from the hustle and bustle of their group. would've preferred to pick a separate room and close off, but this and that reason precluded him from being able to retreat. so this is his compromise. let him sleep through this 30 hour bus ride through space. he had his two hours exploring the shuttle and window gazing at their planet. anything else would be listening to those extras chatter and asking stupid questions and getting into trouble. he checked out.
look, he wasn't gonna experience weightless sleep again! this is an experience too! the lack of resistance and pull, akin to floating in water without pressure all over his skin. rocking ever so slightly in the open air, only occasional tugs at his waist from the tether offering any hint of motion as the shuttle moves.
flip him and you're dead.
a slight bump is enough to rouse him from his slumber. he can pick whether he wants to deep sleep or light sleep. this was the latter. didn't wanna wake up groggy if some shit went down. his waking moment's filled with a familiar scent. one he wakes up to each morning now. red eyes part halfway, gazing aside his chest as a head settles on his shoulder.]
You better not've woken me up to sleep...
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@black mist
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get up.
There's a distinct lack of smiley faces on all the tech.
( It's a greeting as anything can be. Today he has his hair tied up, but parts of it keep trying to lift upwards still. Maybe he understands why Rem went for the ugly bowl-cut now. ) I'm rating it a 7/10 experience. What about you?
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You didn't design the ship. [No wonder flowers and smiles aren't all over the place. For a moment, he has a fleeting though of the space station seeing the shuttle approaching, with a giant ass smiley face plastered across the front. They wouldn't know what the hell they were seeing.
Yeah, don't show him the bowl cut... He'll take the undercut.] About the same.
[Doing something fun for work downs it a little.]
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me looking at pictures of no man's like it IS just sand.
desert paradise!
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silco | arcane | brimstone
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AGE: 50
HEIGHT: 5'6
Origin: Zaun
NET WORTH: More than most of you combined.
1. If you had a million kryptos, what would you do with it? Perhaps you should ask me instead what I am doing with that much money. 2. What is the most valuable thing you own? I'm interested in the utility of an item, not the value. 3. What is the most expensive thing you have ever destroyed? I have destroyed men's lives. Oh, you mean things with a monetary value, don't you? Well, I was destroying an entire city's entire way of life and industry before I was taken. 4. At what price would you sell your secrets? You can't afford them. 5. How much would you charge someone to forgive them? I would have someone killed before I entertained that idea.
o1. Space Case
o2. Thick as Thieves
o3. Intimidation Tactics
wildcard!
oo1.
( Coming somewhere off to Silco's right, more silent than usual due to lack of footsteps. It takes a little wrangling to get settled in a more nonchalant fashion by the window his friend is occupying, but if Geto is not mentioning how awkward all of this looks then Silco better not.
His bangs are doing a floaty thing. They did that sometimes, but usually when there was more evil intent. )
I don't think I like it. ( Grumbling. ) How are you, Silco-san? You remember who you are now, yes?
Taryon Darrington | Critical Role | Redemption
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BIRTHDAY: February 9
AGE: 32
HEIGHT: 5'9" / 176 cm
Origin: Deastock, Dwendalian Empire
NET WORTH: 250,000 Gold
1. If you had a million kryptos, what would you do with it? Buy supplies to build some robots!
2. What is the most valuable thing you own? Doty. There's a lot of material that I've used in him over the years.
3. What is the most expensive thing you have ever destroyed? Probably a vase in a smuggler's hideout I bumped into.
4. At what price would you sell your secrets? It depends. Enough kryptos to buy a video game.
5. How much would you charge someone to forgive them? None, obviously. I'm not going to forgive anyone just because they gave me money.
Gonna Take It into Overtime
I think pooling our resources for a table is doable. You have your heart set on any sort of table?
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[He laughs nervously, quickly adding that explanation at the end to keep Raleigh from asking too many questions. It's not the best strategy, but it's Taryon's idea.]
How about...the one by the window? I think it would make for a lovely backdrop.
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Gonna Take It into Overtime
[He looks nigh aghast.]
You doubt my ability to talk our way in there?
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[He sticks his hands into his vest pockets. The gold pattern downloaded onto he fashion nanobots shimmers in the hallway light, though some of that effect comes from the metal of said nanobots.]
I figured that money is always a good backup plan.
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nanami kento | revelation
▶ 004. Make Sure You Don't Hurt Nobody