( closed ) let's get 'em

[leveling]

WHO: jinwoo & others
WHAT: catch-all log
WHERE: everywhere
WHEN: march 2024 onwards
WARNINGS: n/a

Comments

MARCH

[leveling]

» lapis

[leveling]

[ After finishing his daily workout, Jinwoo decides to leave the main base and spend the day outside after fighting a losing battle with LILITH's system—the fact that he can't edit his file. Honestly, he hopes for the best (maybe no one checks the profiles) and prepares for the worst (what if one of these robots will throw confetti into his face in front of other people?). While Jinwoo doesn't feel strongly about his birthday, it's impossible not to think of how for the past few years he celebrated only with his little sister.

Well, he doesn't want the attention either. Even if no one notices, he'd rather be safe than sorry. Besides, checking out the area is something he should do as soon as possible. If they're supposed to be fighting real monsters and not ones that belong in a simulation, it's better to have as much intel as possible.

Can he really sneak out completely unnoticed, though... ]

[crisantemo]

[ (Un)fortunately for Jinwoo, there is someone who does check the profiles - it's always been drilled in to Lapis to get as much information as possible, so it's best to learn about who exactly she's working with. Of course her attention mainly goes to those she has already spoken to, so when she notices a particular date on Jinwoo's...

Birthdays are something Lapis never really cared for; her sister made the attempt to celebrate hers, and Lapis did her best in return, but that was it. But... being brought here all of a sudden, and being alone...

Another (un)fortunate thing for Jinwoo is that his presence is one she's becoming used to picking out, amongst all the other strange auras of the base. Probably because she's spent a bit more time with him than others... Either way, when he's trying to leave, a voice calls out behind him; ]

Wait a moment, Jinwoo! [ And she's wearing some simple civilian wear, but that's not going to last for long - ]

» lapis

[leveling]

[ Maybe if Jinwoo contacted Lapis instead of rushing back to the base after buying a bouquet of white flowers from Tsuru, he wouldn't be leaning against the wall in the Redemption block's hallway just next to the doors leading to her room. To be fair, Jinwoo could contact her even now, but he doesn't mind waiting—it's not like he has anything else planned for today.

Hopefully, she'll be back soon. If not, he'll have Iron fetch a vase filled with water in the meantime. ]

[crisantemo]

[ Unfortunately for Jinwoo, Lapis does take a bit of a detour - mainly on a quest to feed Tsuru in return for her own bouquet, a small bundle of pink flowers. So when she comes back to the base and senses Jinwoo outside her block, she's a little stunned.

But she does hurry over when she picks up on him, perking up when she spots him just... waiting. The bouquet in his arms immediately catches her attention too, but for now it's time to figure out why he's just standing there. ]

Jinwoo? [ There's a small wave in greeting as she approaches, brows furrowed just slightly. ]

What are you doing here, are you waiting for someone?

[ No, it does not register he's been waiting for her. Surely he would have messaged her if he was, right... ]

» march (mochi pounding)

[leveling]

[ From Jinwoo's one-day experience, the local businesses mostly needed help with deliveries or cleaning, but this doesn't seem to be the case for this confectionery shop. He's relieved to see a familiar face near the entrance—since the owner asked for two people specifically, Jinwoo assumed that he's going to get paired with another Outsider.

After greeting March, he slides the door open... and as soon as they're inside, March gets a long wooden mallet right off the bat. The explanation comes next, followed by a presentation on mochi pounding—the owner is the one turning the rice mass in the mortar while a robot is swinging the mallet, though it's a little slow. Actually, it's so slow that the owner just shows them a hologram to let them know what kind of speed he's expecting here. ]

Whoa... I had no idea this is how you make it.

[ He's already rolling up his sleeves. ]

[bowtography]

I'm not sure what mochi even is, but it looks fun?

[ Very stretchy. Super dough-y. Incredibly fascinating, and she adjusts her grip on the mallet. Should she be allowed to wield this? Maybe she should have done some kind of test to get her mallet-wielding license first?

Oh, well. ]

I just have to be careful not to hit your fingers, I guess!

» lapis (handcuffs)

[leveling]

[ When Captain Yamakawa orders him to stand next to Lapis, Jinwoo isn't sure what kind of a task they're teaming up for. What he does know is that if she's his partner, it should go smoothly.

A few moments later, they end up being handcuffed to each other. Jinwoo opens his mouth to clear up that misunderstanding, but Yamakawa is already handcuffing another pair and doesn't even pay attention to him. The only explanation everyone gets is that they have to sort things out with their assigned partner during the next 24-48 hours. ]

She's gone already. [ Yamakawa storms off as soon as she announces that the Outsiders are dismissed, leaving them in this... Situation. ] LILITH sure has... interesting methods.

[ If he was stuck with someone he didn't like, Jinwoo isn't sure if he would change his mind in 24-48 hours. ]

[crisantemo]

[ When Jinwoo is ordered to stand next to her, Lapis peeks up at him with a brief, faint smile - whatever their task is, surely it will be something they can both handle.

Only to end up quietly stunned when they're handcuffed together, glancing between their cuffed hands and Yamakawa with a faint frown. While she does try to catch the woman's attention, it doesn't... look like they're going to get out of this. ]

They sure do... I wonder if that's actually effective. [ Since Lapis knows if she doesn't like someone, this will be more than enough to make sure she doesn't change her mind. ]

Sooo... Just to get it out of the way, how should sleeping arrangements work?

APRIL

[leveling]

» lapis (post surgery dataverse)

[leveling]

[ After three days of excruciating pain which was a result of the surgery he's undergone, Jinwoo hoped that his condition would improve. In a way, it did—the pain wasn't as immobilizing and his muscles didn't burn whenever he sat up on the bed, but it came for a price.

He couldn't see anything save for the LILITH's system screens. The doctors reassured him that the side effects should subside after a few more days, but he couldn't do much in this state. Lapis helped him a lot during that time—it was embarrassing to show her his vulnerable side, yet it didn't change the fact that he was very grateful for her presence. ]

You had surgery too, you should go back to your room and rest. If I need anything, I will just ask Igris.

[ One of the nurses has already urged Lapis a few times to leave for today and come back tomorrow. When she saw Igris kneeling down next to the bed, she never dropped by the room again, but Jinwoo didn't want Lapis to push herself too hard for his sake. ]

Here.

[ Lapis should be able to see a new notification—it's an invitation to join Jinwoo's dataverse room. ]

Go back to your room, lay down, and meet me there.

[crisantemo]

[ It's been a difficult couple of days, between Lapis' own recovery and her growing worry over Jinwoo - of course he would get both surgeries at once. Then there was the side effects... The hallucinations were uncomfortable at the very least, images and echoes of memories she would rather not think about ever again. Jinwoo not being able to see meant he couldn't see how much these upset her, at least, though she imagines he could hear it.

But even with these ghosts lingering at the corners of her vision, she still did her best to help him. Even with the nurses urging her to rest, she just shook her head and insisted she stayed. Lapis didn't want him to deal with this alone. ]

But... [ But Jinwoo is right, he has his shadows and she can feel Sylvia fret and stress at the back of her head. There's the sound of her sigh, fingers rubbing at her eyes as she tries to ignore another flare-up of these hallucinations, before her eyes drift to the shadow solider kneeling by the bed. ]

Okay. Okay, I'll trust Igris to look after you. [ A vain attempt to lighten the mood a little, a hand patting on Igris' shoulder as she pushes herself to her feet. There's still lingering aches and pains, but she could ignore it. Though then she blinks at the notification, squinting at it before there's a hum of acknowledgement. ]

Mm, I'll be there soon. [ With Sylvia helping to guide her back, it doesn't take her long to get to her room. She'll lay down, scrub her hands against her eyes and accept the invitation. ]

» lapis (a few days after the kaiju fight / space birb lore)

[leveling]

[ How do you casually ask about your friend's space bird form without sounding weird? Jinwoo is about to find out. Or not.

A few days after their first kaiju fight, Jinwoo drops by Lapis' room in the evening with some pancakes he's made. It feels as if after their fairly long downtime, a lot of things were crammed into just a few days. Jinwoo finds it a little difficult to wind down, but spending some time in the kitchen making pancakes (edible!) helps a little. He made sure to use some powdered sugar and blueberries as toppings. ]

I'm glad that you're doing okay after the fight.

[ Lapis has been using powerful attacks during the kaiju fight, so Jinwoo assumed that fighting in her other form might have been taxing. ]

You're full of surprises.

[crisantemo]

[ Of course Lapis was thrilled when he brought over the pancakes, her expression lighting up the moment she dug in. Though Jinwoo also had to deal with her needling at him to eat one, at least one, since food is better eaten together, right?

Now she's finishing one up, licking powered sugar from her lips before she huffs - something almost sheepish settling over her expression. ]

Thank you, though I'm sorry for causing any trouble...

[ The moment Lapis switched back to human form, she had basically deflated - exhaustion hitting hard, enough so that Jinwoo probably had to help her back to the medical tent. As powerful as that form is, it comes at a cost; even the act of changing drains her, inhuman power forced into a human frame, and here it's only become worse.

It's aggravating, being limited like that, but so long as fights like that are spread apart she should be fine... ]

I promise that's the last big one. [ She absently twirls with her hair, a little... embarrassed now. ] I try not to use that form often.

MAY

[leveling]

» lapis (maid in japan)

[leveling]

[ Jinwoo's witnessed quite a few glitches on the courtesy of the style upgrade chip and their plugsits, but it's pretty much his first time experiencing it himself. Well, at least he got to see a few amused faces while he was delivering burgers and sushi throughout the day.

He might be off work now, but there's no rest for the glitches—he's still donning the butler outfit when he enters the kitchen in the main base. Making pancakes for Lapis seems like a very silly idea considering his current appearance, but maybe Jinwoo wants to see her expression when a butler knocks at her door with a plate of pancakes.

Well, except this isn't how it goes. He's in the middle of decorating the pancakes when he notices no one else than Lapis step into the kitchen. ]

Oh, hi. Actually, I'm preparing a snack for you, Milady.

[ A little roleplay shouldn't hurt, right? ]

[crisantemo]

[ At this point, Lapis has started to get used to wardrobe malfunctions - and at the very least, she's not alone in suffering in this. Though some people seem to be taking it better than others, but this isn't the worst outfit she's ever worn. It's actually kind of cute... Even with the cat ears.

But this outfit does give her an idea, and it's an idea that draws her into the kitchen. And while seeing someone else there isn't too surprising, the fact it's Jinwoo... in a butler outfit... is enough to make her pause.

... Hmm. She's starting to understand why he gets so flustered when she's put in certain outfits. Especially when he calls her that, and she can feel how her cheeks quickly heat up in response. ]

Hi... Y-you're really committing to the part, huh. [ Just gonna quickly clear her throat, gotta get her composure back. ]

So, what's my dutiful butler making?

» lapis (reunion)

[leveling]

[ Glitching out ended as abruptly as it started—Jinwoo had no idea how much time had passed, and he didn't really have the mental capacity to think about it, not when new memories flooded his brain. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jinwoo's chest rises and falls. His attempts to calm himself down prove futile when it dawns on him that he made people back home forget about him.

While he didn't regret the decision back then, and he certainly doesn't right now, an anxious feeling leaves his chest feel tight. What if there was a slim chance it affected people in LILITH's base? He's not sure if that makes any sense, yet the fact that he's become the Shadow Monarch doesn't either. 

Before Jinwoo realizes it, he's already back on his feet, leaving his room in the Brimstone block. Springing through the hallways brings him temporary peace—when he's running, the memories stop emerging one after another, and he desperately needs to be in the present right now.

When he finally reaches the Redemption hallway and stops in front of the doors leading to the room numbered 10, Jinwoo knocks at the door, perhaps putting too much strength into it because of all the noise in his head that comes from the amalgamation of memories. As soon as he sees Lapis, however, he finds himself at peace, even if just momentarily. ] 

La—Do you know me?

[ Jinwoo bites his bottom lip. No, if she doesn't remember him, he shouldn't mention her name. Knocking at her door all of a sudden must be weird enough. That's when Jinwoo realizes he doesn't even know what time of the day or night it is. ]

» lapis (vegas date)

[leveling]

[ Whether it's Neo Tokyo, Kyoto, or now Vegas, Jinwoo always makes sure to scout the area as soon as possible. This might not have been included in the initial plan to explore the Strip and the places nearby, but it turns out that it's a great method to find great places for the first date.

After looking through the places he has seen, Jinwoo has decided that their first stop would be the restaurant where they could have a nice brunch. It's a bit on the fancy side, which makes Jinwoo wonder if it's a good idea in the first place, but Beru convinces him that it's the perfect place for their tryst. The gondola rides appeal to Jinwoo as the next stopping point after a meal. Besides, riding a gondola gives an excellent excuse to cuddle a little.

That thought makes him let out a laugh. They don't need excuses for that now, do they?

Then, there's the Chocolate Factory, which seems like a perfect first stop considering Lapis' sweet tooth. Enjoying treats made out of chocolate while walking around the cacti garden sounds quite enjoyable and relaxing, too. And for the last spot, Jinwoo makes sure to get tickets for the High Roller that Lapis mentioned during their game of truth or dare.

Of course, he doesn't forget about the right attire. The fact that they're living in one room in Vegas makes the picking her up for the date part a bit ridiculous, but Beru is more than glad to suggest an idea that gives Lapis time in the morning to get ready for the date without Jinwoo around. 

What Jinwoo never expected was that Beru could get so fussy about a bouquet. When Jinwoo knocks at the door to the room they share, he's holding a bouquet of 24 white roses, and all of his shadow soldiers have received the order to withdraw to his shadow. ]

Hi. [ After a slightly awkward greeting, Jinwoo laughs softly and holds out the bouquet for Lapis. ] Here, for you. 

JUNE

[leveling]

» lapis (memshare)

[leveling]

[ One moment, Jinwoo is dozing off back at the hotel after the fruitless sandworm chase and the next his eyes flutter open to the altar hidden in the depths of the double dungeon. At this point, he's a little amused that the memories of that day still appear in his dreams...

The enormous door is pushed open by the group of hunters and Jinwoo sighs softly. If he could wake himself up, he would—even if he understands why fate led him to this dungeon, it doesn't mean it's pleasant to look at. On top of everything, he notices Lapis among the hunters and frowns deeply. While the people who have just entered the altar room don't seem to notice them, Jinwoo isn't sure if this isn't the same for the lifeless statues that will start moving just in a few minutes. ]

Are you okay? [ Jinwoo rushes to join Lapis and check on her. ] Why are you here?

[ Maybe it's pointless to ask, all things considered. Jinwoo takes her hand in his while his gaze shifts to Jinwoo from the memory for a moment. ]

Stay close, we might get attacked.

JULY

[leveling]

» lapis (beach episode)

[leveling]

[ When Beru said that he has a special surprise for Jinwoo and Lapis, the hunter expected something extraordinary because he knows Beru well enough at this point to know that he's that 'go big or go home' types.

Considering that Beru has managed to build a huge sandcastle with a room for Jinwoo and Lapis to rest in as well as a sand statue of them in a rather flashy pose (clothes and wings included). ]

Beru...

[ Jinwoo doesn't even know what to say, so he lets out a brief laugh before peeking at Lapis to check on her. Hopefully, she'll get used to Beru's grand gestures quickly. ]

My liege...! [ Hearing Jinwoo laugh is more than enough to make Beru emotional. It's not that difficult in the first place, to be honest. ] This is the highest praise I could dream of! However...

[ Since Lapis hasn't said anything yet, Beru's attention is all on her. What does his liege's beloved has to say? He must know. ]

AUGUST

[leveling]

» lapis (seoul date)

[leveling]

[ After Seok Dang announced that their style upgrade chips got a downloadable hanbok, the sight of Lapis wearing one is living in his head rent free. It's not like he's asking Lapis out on a date just to see her in a cute hanbok, but... well, it's up high on the list of many reasons why they should have some fun in Neo Seoul.

The good thing is, after running around for an hour or two, he managed to check out a lot of places. It was quite surprising to see a familiar cafe on Seoul Sky's building map. With the date spot figured out, he shoots Lapis a text right away: ]

Are you free for the rest of the day?