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sinfucks2025-01-01 12:00 pm
synfluxmods) wrote in sinfucks2025-01-01 12:00 pm
Entry tags:
▶ 008. TEST DRIVE #8
TEST DRIVE #8
▶ 001. ARRIVAL / CAFETERIA.
It happens in the blink of an eye, a dash of time – you're taken from where you were. What you were doing... it isn't important anymore, and slowly, you give up the desire of your normal life. When you awaken, figures are looking down on you from a surgical table.
"Yeah, this one will do; let's take them to the rest." That's all you see before losing consciousness again, only to wake up in a pod with many others.
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, as I'm sure you will have many," a female, robotic voice says.
Just then, your pod opens in a dim corridor with many others. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.
The pods drain their stasis fluid which wakes each Outsider. Outsiders emerge from their pod in only their undergarments which have been supplied to them, and head to a locker room in the medical bay to find a towel to dry off with and a set of gray loungewear to wear as LILITH makes the final decision in assigning the Outsiders to their rightful teams. If a character has any accessibility needs, they will be found here. It's about then they will feel a sharp pain at the back of their eyes, almost like there’s a foreign body lodged on the inside of their head. This pain will subside quickly as their body adapts to the changes, but there will always be a sensation of something being not quite right; that their bodies have been changed forever. They would be correct in thinking that. In the pod, all Outsiders have been surgically fitted with ocular and brain implants that will enable them to communicate with LILITH and the rest of the crew, as well as providing them the information they require. Almost like a computer screen has been loaded into their brains, they will see a loading screen as the implant completes its download. A questionnaire will then pop up, waiting for their answer. A voice, robotic and feminine, will also read along in their brain for them.
█ █ █ LOADING COMPLETE … BEGIN ORIENTATION …
The system will give Outsiders one chance to provide a truthful answer and choose their username and civilian identity. Should they refuse to cooperate, the implant will download the answer directly from their brain (and give them a username or civilian name against their will). This questionnaire will then be posted on the network for all to view and reply to. Almost like an ice-breaker, if you will. LILITH wants all their newest recruits to learn about each other!
Outsiders will receive a quick brief about their situation: they will be told that the year is 2279 and they have been taken to Neo Tokyo, one of the last bastions of mankind in a world terrorized by various Kaiju and monsters. Only a third of the population remains, and LILITH has gathered talented people from other dimensions here as a last ditch effort to save humanity. Outsiders are free to continue asking LILITH questions through their implant, but there’s no guarantee that they will provide them with a straight answer …
Outsiders will also notice an implant in their dominant wrist. This implant has a barcode in it that will enable them to purchase goods from the local stores in Neo Tokyo. They will receive a starting balance of 15,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 100), which is barely enough for a few good meals, groceries, and supplies. They can view their current balance through a hologram window projected by their ocular implant.
The cafeteria will be hosting its own version of a feast to ring in the new years. The robots on base will be offering a savory mochi soup with both lab-made and fresh vegetables procured from Transylvania. There will also be a self-serve bar of soba noodles with a simple broth. These are all accompanied by vegetables which have been prepared in various ways to last throughout the month, and act as side dishes to every meal. As the vegetables are a work in progress, some will look or taste peculiarly, or have a bitterness that remains on the tongue.
Additionally, an impressive bronze cauldron now sits proudly in the corner of the cafeteria, marked by a small sign reading "LILITH's Community Perpetual Stew."
True to its name, the stew is now a constant presence, and after every mission, the cauldron’s contents are conspicuously replenished, ensuring it's always filled to the brim for all to enjoy. What the stew evolves into over time is anyone's guess, but for now, it boasts a hearty medley of Transylvania's freshest meats and vegetables, seasoned to perfection.
Visitors and team members alike are encouraged to contribute their own ingredients, with one rule in place: the robot staff, ever vigilant, are programmed to detect any malicious tampering. Should anyone attempt to add something harmful, they will be politely but firmly asked to leave the premises.
That familiar robotic voice is heard again:
"Yeah, this one will do; let's take them to the rest." That's all you see before losing consciousness again, only to wake up in a pod with many others.
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, as I'm sure you will have many," a female, robotic voice says.
Just then, your pod opens in a dim corridor with many others. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.
The pods drain their stasis fluid which wakes each Outsider. Outsiders emerge from their pod in only their undergarments which have been supplied to them, and head to a locker room in the medical bay to find a towel to dry off with and a set of gray loungewear to wear as LILITH makes the final decision in assigning the Outsiders to their rightful teams. If a character has any accessibility needs, they will be found here. It's about then they will feel a sharp pain at the back of their eyes, almost like there’s a foreign body lodged on the inside of their head. This pain will subside quickly as their body adapts to the changes, but there will always be a sensation of something being not quite right; that their bodies have been changed forever. They would be correct in thinking that. In the pod, all Outsiders have been surgically fitted with ocular and brain implants that will enable them to communicate with LILITH and the rest of the crew, as well as providing them the information they require. Almost like a computer screen has been loaded into their brains, they will see a loading screen as the implant completes its download. A questionnaire will then pop up, waiting for their answer. A voice, robotic and feminine, will also read along in their brain for them.
█ █ █ LOADING COMPLETE … BEGIN ORIENTATION …
Name:
Username:
Civilian Identity:
Age:
Species:
Origin:
Blood Type:
What are your new year’s resolutions?
The system will give Outsiders one chance to provide a truthful answer and choose their username and civilian identity. Should they refuse to cooperate, the implant will download the answer directly from their brain (and give them a username or civilian name against their will). This questionnaire will then be posted on the network for all to view and reply to. Almost like an ice-breaker, if you will. LILITH wants all their newest recruits to learn about each other!
Outsiders will receive a quick brief about their situation: they will be told that the year is 2279 and they have been taken to Neo Tokyo, one of the last bastions of mankind in a world terrorized by various Kaiju and monsters. Only a third of the population remains, and LILITH has gathered talented people from other dimensions here as a last ditch effort to save humanity. Outsiders are free to continue asking LILITH questions through their implant, but there’s no guarantee that they will provide them with a straight answer …
Outsiders will also notice an implant in their dominant wrist. This implant has a barcode in it that will enable them to purchase goods from the local stores in Neo Tokyo. They will receive a starting balance of 15,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 100), which is barely enough for a few good meals, groceries, and supplies. They can view their current balance through a hologram window projected by their ocular implant.
The cafeteria will be hosting its own version of a feast to ring in the new years. The robots on base will be offering a savory mochi soup with both lab-made and fresh vegetables procured from Transylvania. There will also be a self-serve bar of soba noodles with a simple broth. These are all accompanied by vegetables which have been prepared in various ways to last throughout the month, and act as side dishes to every meal. As the vegetables are a work in progress, some will look or taste peculiarly, or have a bitterness that remains on the tongue.
Additionally, an impressive bronze cauldron now sits proudly in the corner of the cafeteria, marked by a small sign reading "LILITH's Community Perpetual Stew."
True to its name, the stew is now a constant presence, and after every mission, the cauldron’s contents are conspicuously replenished, ensuring it's always filled to the brim for all to enjoy. What the stew evolves into over time is anyone's guess, but for now, it boasts a hearty medley of Transylvania's freshest meats and vegetables, seasoned to perfection.
Visitors and team members alike are encouraged to contribute their own ingredients, with one rule in place: the robot staff, ever vigilant, are programmed to detect any malicious tampering. Should anyone attempt to add something harmful, they will be politely but firmly asked to leave the premises.
That familiar robotic voice is heard again:
"Greetings, my name is SYNTHIA and I will be taking care of you today while the rest of the crew is occupied. Worry not, my children. You are in safe hands."
▶ 002. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
While normally the shrines tucked away within the bustle of the city are quiet and exude a certain tranquility about them, they will be brought to life with celebration for the New Years. Similarly to years before, they will have street vendors offering all the traditional classics, but some will also have a spin to them. For the year of the sheep/ram, there will be fluffy cotton candy to represent the fuwa fuwa of sheep, onigiri in the shape of a ram, and hearty lamb curry.
The temples themselves will have several offerings, but the biggest event is always the bell chiming in for the new years, as well as the celebration for the first sunrise of the year. In light of this, many vendors will be passing out sake, as well as energy drinks. Regardless of the timing, the area for one to purchase their fortunes will be made available. For those who get an awful one, thankfully, there is no shortage of people who are queued up in order to hang up their bad fortunes in order to cast them aside for the coming year.
Outside of this, there will also be corners in which people can write their new years greetings out to their loved ones. Both digitally, or in the form of a physical postcard. People are encouraged to decorate and send their own, and they may or may not be pressured to do so if they so happen to catch the eye of enthusiastic locals. Those who find themselves trapped into this, will find themselves compelled to be honest as soon as their pen hits paper, or for those who opt on a digital card, their true thoughts will be conveyed instantaneously.
The shrines and vendors outside of them aren’t the only ones getting into the spirit of things. The shopping districts are also banking on the continuation of the holidays. As with every year, they will have special sales, and every store will put out their “lucky bags.” The lucky bags will often be sold at discounted prices, but there is no telling what the actual items in them will be. Perhaps, you can test your luck and make a profit while you’re at it?
The temples themselves will have several offerings, but the biggest event is always the bell chiming in for the new years, as well as the celebration for the first sunrise of the year. In light of this, many vendors will be passing out sake, as well as energy drinks. Regardless of the timing, the area for one to purchase their fortunes will be made available. For those who get an awful one, thankfully, there is no shortage of people who are queued up in order to hang up their bad fortunes in order to cast them aside for the coming year.
Outside of this, there will also be corners in which people can write their new years greetings out to their loved ones. Both digitally, or in the form of a physical postcard. People are encouraged to decorate and send their own, and they may or may not be pressured to do so if they so happen to catch the eye of enthusiastic locals. Those who find themselves trapped into this, will find themselves compelled to be honest as soon as their pen hits paper, or for those who opt on a digital card, their true thoughts will be conveyed instantaneously.
The shrines and vendors outside of them aren’t the only ones getting into the spirit of things. The shopping districts are also banking on the continuation of the holidays. As with every year, they will have special sales, and every store will put out their “lucky bags.” The lucky bags will often be sold at discounted prices, but there is no telling what the actual items in them will be. Perhaps, you can test your luck and make a profit while you’re at it?
▶ 003. NEW YEAR MERCENARIES.
Amid all of the public celebrations, local businesses and organizations throw New Year parties for their employees and members. Many of these parties take place at luxury high rise hotels or award winning restaurants in the city. These celebrations are easy to plan, safe within the city limits.
However, there are some groups that won't settle for just safe and easy. No, they have to show off their wealth and influence by going on luxury trips outside the city to the traditional inn on the outskirts of the city. The journey outside the city is risky– there is a high chance their entourage may be attacked by kaiju on the way to the inn and when they arrive, their activity will surely draw attention from even more kaiju. Still, that doesn't stop them from setting out and reveling in celebrations.
These figures will hire mercenaries to escort them into the mountains and keep them safe through the duration of their stay. Most of them are wealthy CEOs and politicians who may or may not have certain shadowy connections so they can afford to pay for protection. They promise high commissions and even offer to pay for a shared room and meals.
Sure, they have to share a room and they might not get the same high quality meals and drinks as the main party but it's not so bad, right? They're free to use the hot springs after everyone else is finished, too. All they have to do in return is spend some time out in the freezing cold and keep kaiju away so everyone else can have a good time.
Just remind yourself: You're doing it for the money!
However, there are some groups that won't settle for just safe and easy. No, they have to show off their wealth and influence by going on luxury trips outside the city to the traditional inn on the outskirts of the city. The journey outside the city is risky– there is a high chance their entourage may be attacked by kaiju on the way to the inn and when they arrive, their activity will surely draw attention from even more kaiju. Still, that doesn't stop them from setting out and reveling in celebrations.
These figures will hire mercenaries to escort them into the mountains and keep them safe through the duration of their stay. Most of them are wealthy CEOs and politicians who may or may not have certain shadowy connections so they can afford to pay for protection. They promise high commissions and even offer to pay for a shared room and meals.
Sure, they have to share a room and they might not get the same high quality meals and drinks as the main party but it's not so bad, right? They're free to use the hot springs after everyone else is finished, too. All they have to do in return is spend some time out in the freezing cold and keep kaiju away so everyone else can have a good time.
Just remind yourself: You're doing it for the money!
▶ 004. A DEADLY SOAK.
A few days into the new year, people living outside the Neo Tokyo metropolitan area have been having a hard time due to the recent appearance of medium-sized kaiju. No one knows where they had come from, but there’s reason to believe that a small rift has emerged somewhere and it’s mutating the local wildlife. One popular, family-run business that is going through some hard times is the Yuryo onsen, in Hakone, an outer suburb of Neo Tokyo. Seasoned Outsiders might be very familiar with this onsen resort already, as it’s one of the last surviving ones outside Metropolitan Tokyo and hosts a huge colony of feral cats.
Drawn in by the comfort of a warm bath in the cold winter, a troop of mutated macaques have made said onsen resort their home, and they have made it impossible for any customers to visit. These monkeys vary in size depending on rift exposure, with some of them as large as a lion, and others as large as an elephant. Business for the local onsen has been impossible with the macaques occupying the hot springs, stealing food and harassing guests. Though appearing docile as they sit and bathe in the springs, these macaques have become fiercely territorial following the rift’s influence. When they identify a threat, they will let out a piercing scream that’s enough to make ears bleed. Their claws and teeth are sharp, and primates are known to be brutal when tearing apart their enemies. It’s a situation that needs to be contained immediately if people are going to continue living in the outer suburbs.
The macaques aren’t the only wildlife that have been affected by rift. Pockets of Yama-Kujira have been seen roaming the forests and abandoned small towns. While a large portion of the outer suburbs are uninhabited, there continue to be some stragglers toughing it out in the abandoned houses. They all have their own reasons for choosing not to live in the armored city but they will need to be protected all the same. The Yama-Kujira are blind but vicious, making up for their lack of eyesight by charging into anything and everything. Refer to our bestiary or previous TDM for more information about this boar kaiju.
With the increased reports of mutating local wildlife, LILITH has requested that Outsiders also round up the colony of feral cats that normally roam the onsen. If a pride of mutated felines were to emerge in the outer suburbs, the results would simply be disastrous … These cats, fearful of the kaiju, will be skittish and very, very difficult to catch.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Nihonzaru
HEIGHT: 2-10 meters
WEIGHT: 20-200kg
CLASS: Moderate threat
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
ABILITIES: A piercing scream that can cause ringing in the ears, temporary deafness and bleeding from the ear canal with frequent exposure. Razor sharp claws and teeth. Considerable strength and muscle. Highly intelligent, capable of using basic tactical strategies, using tools (please do not leave your weapon unattended), capitalizing on weaknesses (please do not leave your children unattended) and reading the movements of their enemies. Family orientated and attacks in groups.
WEAKNESS: With how intelligent they are, they might not find a battle worth fighting if they are at a clear disadvantage or there are benefits to being passive. This means they can be bribed to a degree. It also means they will run away if outnumbered. Their skin is not particularly dense and they are weak to being stabbed in their vital organs.
EXTRA NOTES: Juveniles are playful, mischievous and can build bonds with humans, mistaking the humans as their family. Some of the adults can also build bonds with enough bribery.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Incapacitate and capture the Nihonzaru and Yama-Kujira and bring them back to base. Large cages will be provided for this purpose.
✖ Kill the kaiju if necessary, especially if they are threatening the people in the area.
✖ Capture the feral cats and bring them back to base.
✖ Following the return to base, these cats will require care. As LILITH does not have the resources for this, the ban on pets on base will be lifted and Outsiders will be encouraged to care for the cats.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:
Drawn in by the comfort of a warm bath in the cold winter, a troop of mutated macaques have made said onsen resort their home, and they have made it impossible for any customers to visit. These monkeys vary in size depending on rift exposure, with some of them as large as a lion, and others as large as an elephant. Business for the local onsen has been impossible with the macaques occupying the hot springs, stealing food and harassing guests. Though appearing docile as they sit and bathe in the springs, these macaques have become fiercely territorial following the rift’s influence. When they identify a threat, they will let out a piercing scream that’s enough to make ears bleed. Their claws and teeth are sharp, and primates are known to be brutal when tearing apart their enemies. It’s a situation that needs to be contained immediately if people are going to continue living in the outer suburbs.
The macaques aren’t the only wildlife that have been affected by rift. Pockets of Yama-Kujira have been seen roaming the forests and abandoned small towns. While a large portion of the outer suburbs are uninhabited, there continue to be some stragglers toughing it out in the abandoned houses. They all have their own reasons for choosing not to live in the armored city but they will need to be protected all the same. The Yama-Kujira are blind but vicious, making up for their lack of eyesight by charging into anything and everything. Refer to our bestiary or previous TDM for more information about this boar kaiju.
With the increased reports of mutating local wildlife, LILITH has requested that Outsiders also round up the colony of feral cats that normally roam the onsen. If a pride of mutated felines were to emerge in the outer suburbs, the results would simply be disastrous … These cats, fearful of the kaiju, will be skittish and very, very difficult to catch.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Nihonzaru
HEIGHT: 2-10 meters
WEIGHT: 20-200kg
CLASS: Moderate threat
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
ABILITIES: A piercing scream that can cause ringing in the ears, temporary deafness and bleeding from the ear canal with frequent exposure. Razor sharp claws and teeth. Considerable strength and muscle. Highly intelligent, capable of using basic tactical strategies, using tools (please do not leave your weapon unattended), capitalizing on weaknesses (please do not leave your children unattended) and reading the movements of their enemies. Family orientated and attacks in groups.
WEAKNESS: With how intelligent they are, they might not find a battle worth fighting if they are at a clear disadvantage or there are benefits to being passive. This means they can be bribed to a degree. It also means they will run away if outnumbered. Their skin is not particularly dense and they are weak to being stabbed in their vital organs.
EXTRA NOTES: Juveniles are playful, mischievous and can build bonds with humans, mistaking the humans as their family. Some of the adults can also build bonds with enough bribery.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Incapacitate and capture the Nihonzaru and Yama-Kujira and bring them back to base. Large cages will be provided for this purpose.
✖ Kill the kaiju if necessary, especially if they are threatening the people in the area.
✖ Capture the feral cats and bring them back to base.
✖ Following the return to base, these cats will require care. As LILITH does not have the resources for this, the ban on pets on base will be lifted and Outsiders will be encouraged to care for the cats.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:
▶ 005. AFTERWORD.
Welcome to our 8th TDM! All TDM threads are game canon and characters who don't app will be glitched out of this world. As the TDM will act as the event, existing characters are heavily encouraged to participate. Please use this format for top levels: CHARACTER | CANON | CURRENT / NEW CHARACTER.
There are currently 9 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
Use the code provided in the ARRIVAL prompt if you'd like to participate in the ice breaker, and place it in your top level along with your other prompts. Anything such as civilian name or username can be marked as UNDECIDED if you're unsure of what you'd like your character to have for now. Though it says 'Orientation', existing characters can still participate in the ice-breaker.
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 reward points each and will count towards January AC.
There are currently 9 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
Use the code provided in the ARRIVAL prompt if you'd like to participate in the ice breaker, and place it in your top level along with your other prompts. Anything such as civilian name or username can be marked as UNDECIDED if you're unsure of what you'd like your character to have for now. Though it says 'Orientation', existing characters can still participate in the ice-breaker.
Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 reward points each and will count towards January AC.
TDM #8 BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. ARRIVAL PROMPT: Newcomers arrive with ocular and brain implants, and are given a breakdown of the premise with an icebreaker orientation to complete.
2. HAPPY NEW YEAR: Outsiders are welcome to visit local temples for New Year's activities, which include drawing fortune slips and writing down their wishes for the new year. Many sheep-themed goods and foods are also on sale to welcome the Year of the Sheep.
3. NEW YEAR MERCENARIES: High-profile businessman and politicians are hiring bodyguards and protective mercenaries to keep them safe as they enjoy new year's travel and celebrations. In return for being out in the cold and fighting smaller kaiju during the holidays, they offer high monetary compensation.
4. A DEADLY SOAK: Monkey and boar kaiju are attacking the outer suburbs of Tokyo, including a popular onsen spot. Capture/kill the kaiju and protect the people living there. Round up the feral cats to prevent them from rift exposure.
.
no subject
jinx should pull out her gun. shoot him in the heart. defeat this wrongness. move — move forward.
she doesn't want to. so her pistol remains in her pocket.
tilting her gaze upwards, she searches his face for something. something she can't name. something that requires a sign. but she can't find it and her mind slips from her fingers once more. grief is too comforting a blanket to remove.
jinx manages a weak chuckle. ]
You're not lying to me, are you?
no subject
Of course I'm not. What reason would I have?
[ The voice is right, he even reeks of cigars like Silco always has, his head tipped a single eyebrow furrowed down, the skin around his good eye narrowed, and —
And — ]
What —
[ He reached up, to brush under her eye with a thumb. They aren't — They're different. Why are they different?
His own mind is a traitor, and it starts to spiral, questions birthing before he's dashed them aside as quick as anything. Is this a falsehood? Is this not her? Is someone trying to trick him? Had anyone found out? He'd been so careful, the only people who could possibly know were — no, no — LILITH said she lived — was this the doctor's doing? He'd considered it, taking her to him, before — Before — He'd woken up a world away, understanding only that she was dying in his arms, and — ]
What happened?
no subject
it wavers. but only just. ]
If you are Silco, you should know. This is the shimmer that saved me.
[ she doesn't remember much of the procedure. beyond the contortions, the pain, the screaming. singed was there. blurry phantoms. ghosts. silco. straps around her wrists. ]
Why don't you remember? You were there.
[ she's sure of that. because she had left him there, slumped over a chair. jinx had broken out, the shimmer leaving her disoriented and dazed. spiralling. she had to get out.
but silco — silco should know that. he knew her. he knew the end. the look in his eyes.
this looks is still familiar. still right. but not quite. not quite. ]
no subject
But if he'd been there for that — What had she meant —
Then they hadn't lied. He wasn't there for that yet, but yet he was to her. His lips twitched, his eyes looked from the gun to her, searching her gaze — she's upset, of course she is — but he would never leave her, he couldn't leave her, they were all they had and after —
No, it couldn't be that — His mind only has one answer for that — ]
Before I was taken, I had just found you. [ His mouth works around words he is trying and failing to describe. The time before this, now here, how long had he believed that she was — ]
I thought you were dead.
[ He would have burned universes down with that knowledge. He'd tried. He'd done everything in his power, given up almost everything on just that assumption.
She's alive, he'd known after asking LILITH, but the details...
Shimmer. It was shimmer, and that left his heart thudding in his chest, something sick rising from somewhere in his stomach, the knowledge that she wasn't — He doesn't dare reach out until she lowers the gun. He knows better, but his fingers twitch, tense at his sides. ]
no subject
he's from before. someone hadn't fucked with her head, someone fucked with his. silco does not remember, hasn't lived through — a choked sob bursts from her mouth as her grip on the gun shakes. he doesn't remember and she's doing it all over again.
jinx drops the gun like it scalds her. it clatters onto the ground loudly and noisily. her eyes well up with tears. she could do it over. she could make it right. the possibility wraps itself around her, thorns and all. ]
I — I made it.
[ she swallows down the present and the past. her voice wobbles. ]
I'm okay.
no subject
The gun clattered to the ground, and he didn't so much breathe a sigh of relief at the gun being lowered (who hasn't had their daughter threaten them with a gun, lads?) as he did at the fact that she was alive. She was okay. Different, maybe, but Silco knew something about nearly dying. About how it changed you. About how it always reforged something new from the experience.
The first time, when he'd found her in the rain, she hadn't been through it. Now...Now... ]
You're okay.
[ He repeats it. Like it's a mantra. Okay ]
I almost lost you.
[ Because of them. The Enforcers on the bridge (a cruel twist of fate it was) or the sister, or whoever else it could have been. He would torch it all down, if given the opportunity, even now. ]
no subject
she'll jinx it. eventually.
but it doesn't have to be now.
she moves closer, but it's more tentatively. more uncertain. she wants to bridge the distance but. it'll kill him. she'll eventually kill him. ]
— I'm still Jinx. I chose Jinx.
no subject
A small part of him had worried, and wondered, and fretted that his daughter would be something different, less than who she'd been. Trying to pretend and warp her explosive, colorful, everything to fit a mold that would strain at the seams to contain her. Powder was dead, they both knew it, she'd had to die. In the same way the old Silco had, on a night so long ago, in the river.
It's important to her, to tell him this. Why else would she? He'd been so worried, with the sister, and — ]
No matter what anyone says, Jinx.
[ She won't breach it, with her wobbling tone and tentative approach, but Silco will. He'll reach for her, bridge the gap, because it has been so long for him. He has nothing to fear from Jinx, does he? (🥹) Hand on her shoulder, to nudge her closer. ]
You're perfect as you are.
no subject
they're the same he said before. the words engraved in his heart.
she tucks her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. this may be the last time she ever gets to do this. the last time they'll be together. time is so precarious. and her luck —
her luck only holds for so long. ]
I missed you.
no subject
Silco isn't strong, but his arms are as tight as he can get them around her. So Long. He'd believed for so long that she was dead — and to be told it was fine, but to not see it was another altogether. To be told she would be one and not know how, after so long believing it — ]
I know. [ How long has he been gone?
And more importantly, who took him from her? ] I missed you, too.
[ He well, and truly had. It didn't matter that everything was falling apart. Not when faced with the difference. Sevika had told him to wait, that she would come to him, and what had happened? She'd gone and nearly gotten herself killed.
If it had happened, he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself. He would have taken them all down with him. ]
I had started to think I'd never see you again.
[ If he returned, would he remember anything from being here? He didn't know. He doubted it. ]
no subject
you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, it's all gone.
he's never going to see her again. once this bubble bursts and it will, it'll all end. what she spins here will spin out of control. the fire will come. the bridge will burn. the end is written on their skin.
she just tightens her arms around him. ]
It's okay. I'm here now.
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He's been fighting so long to even just see her again, that this truly does feel like it isn't reality. How can it be? Is this just a hallucination — an implant glitch — something. It feels unreal, like something he cannot quite grasp, like something that will so readily slip through his fingers, if he only looks away for just a second. That insidious part of him, that whispers in his ear, the reminder that it's all going to fall apart, reminds him that he'll lose it yet again.
And again. And again. Like sand. He can't let it happen. Not again. ]
Oh? Isn't that what I'm supposed to say?
[ He says it with a half-chuff of a laugh, his voice somewhere between chiding and amused. It's ironic, he thinks, that she says it to him, instead of the other way around. How long has it been? ]
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and she's more too, brimming along the edges. ]
You snooze, you lose, old man.
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The more? He does not see it. It's there, but he's blinded to it, by everything else.
Will it damn him, in the end? Probably. Silco was blind to everything else too, as Sevika would have always said, too. ]
Forgive me for being a little sluggish, and out of practice, hm? Nobody is quite as quick as you are.
[ It's more a joke, but well. Nobody burns quite as bright in his eyes. ]
I should help fill you in, shouldn't I? You can tell me how things are —
[ Since he's left? He's still gone? A twitch of his lips, he still doesn't know ]
Come with me? There's better places to talk.
[ Where people weren't coming in and out, and could learn things about him. ]
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since he's been gone. dead in the water. he was not reborn. he didn't come back. there is a finality in her. endings upon endings. she can see it in her mind's eye, looming ahead. things had been good. with isha, with sevika. palms on her shoulders, bug games in the dark.
what does she tell silco? he's going to notice her new finger. the change in her. the weight that has settled, the anxiety that has ebbed to a quiet flicker of a flame.
will he ignite it? he might. he could. she may not even want to stop him.
or. she might stop him anyway. she's jinx but she's — she's changing still.
jinx tucks herself against him as they walk, letting him take the lead. ]
You go first? Mine is — is a lot.
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[ It is automatic, confident.
He'll notice — soon. For now, for now — he's been too long away, Jinx is a construct in his mind as much as she is a person, all memories of what he thought made her Jinx. From the bright excitement and interest, the explosive wit and violent quickness, it's all mangled and jagged, the violent mania and low points. Jinx is all of these, and he will notice that the shape of the mold is too small for the person she is becoming.
How will he not be able to notice?
For now, he is blind, because Silco has always been blind when it comes to Jinx. If Silco had a weak spot, it is that. It is why, a world away, he carefully protected the only thing he had and slowly descended into madness, fighting like a caged animal and lashing out wildly; it is why now, he keeps the secret close. Nobody can know, because it can be used. ]
The first, I'll tell you on the way. [ He holds her tight, tucked in, he wrapped his hand around her shoulder. She is real — he spares only a moment for their belongings scattered on the ground, her gun, his lighter — before he led her down the hallway. ]
They have put something in your head. An electronic implant. [ A tightening around one eye, his lips flatten, before with more bite: ] Did they try to force information out of you with it already?
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she keeps her tone light and breezy. ]
Like what?
[ she cants her head, giving a sly grin. ]
As if lil ol' me has secrets.
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Anything. Even idle thoughts.
[ A scoff. ]
Someone heard mine and tried to kill me. Imagine!
[ It's played off as a joke now, but it hadn't been much of a Joke at the time. One could almost think it's just Silco being dramatic (as usual) but... well. He did bring it up. Clearly, it's important enough to address, which becomes obvious as he keeps going. ]
You'll want to be careful. Like with the... questionnaire. If you don't answer, it will make you. The answer isn't always the one you want everyone to see.
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Pretty sure my thoughts would make someone's head explode.
[ a brief solid beat. ]
Actually, wouldn't mind seeing that!
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Wouldn't that be a sight?
[ Silco, for just a second, imagines Sebastian's head blowing up. :') ]
The implants can control you, too, to stop you if you do something LILITH doesn't sanction.
[ don't worry, Jinx, he'll get to the fun part (blowing up monsters) after he's a debbie downer for a bit. ]
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but. she will deal with it. eventually. the noise is static at the moment. ]
And no one's gotten it out? A little surgery should do it, shouldn't it?
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Your guess is better than mine, I think.
[ You're the genius here, Jinx. ]
I have done little to upset it, thankfully, so it hasn't intervened. It only really cares about Outsiders. Civilians...
[ Eh. He's hired people to kill them already. It sure as shit doesn't stop that. ]
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hm. hm. thoughts for later. ]
I'll work on it.
[ curt and crisp. ]
What else?
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Hm.
[ he says, considering. There's a lot, and most of it is mundane
and can be done offscreen, but... there's the thing he thinks would be most interesting. He turns the corner with her, only with a momentary pause to peer down it.Suspicion stays on Silco like a heavy coat, it seems. ]
Did they tell you what they brought us here for?
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Something about . . . cashews? cajuns?
And saving humanity. I tuned out.
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wrapppped