TEST DRIVE #9

[synfluxmods]

TEST DRIVE #9

CONTENT WARNINGS: nudity, medical procedures, possession, puppets, bug kaiju, monster mutations

▶ 001. ARRIVAL / CAFETERIA. (KYOTO BASE)

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, you regain consciousness in a pool of stasis liquid along many others. You realize you are underground. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.

When the pool mostly drains of its liquid, each Outsider will find themselves in what appears to be a large pool of some sort; they are underground. The base in Kyoto isn’t fully equipped with individual pods, and so the newly arrived will find themselves in a tangle of limbs, or depending on when they wake, utterly alone in this vast space. While normally they arrive in their undergarments, there is a chance that they could arrive totally nude due to lack of resources in Kyoto. Those who are not nude, however, may find themselves in whatever undergarments LILITH could provide for them at the time. Maybe it's something basic and simple like whitey tighties, or something saucy like a lingerie set, maybe matching Hello Kitty bra and panties. When they fully regain their bearings, they will be ushered into the medical bay space right across from the stasis pool, in which several grey LILITH-issued yukata will be prepared for them.

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 stasis pool, 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:
Syndata File: 🎉 NOW PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE 🎉

Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?

<raw code><table width="80%"><br><div align="center"><img src="IMAGE_URL" style="width: 200px; border-radius: 15px; border: 1px solid #7F7F7F; box-shadow: #8D8D8D 1px 1px 1px;"> <!-- CARD --> <div style="width:230px;padding:20px 0 0;border:1px solid #f2f2f2;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:center;align-items:right;gap:5px;background:#fff;"> <!-- CHAR INFO: start --> <div style="width:150px;font-family:courier;font-weight:bold;font-size: clamp(14px, 1vw, 10px);letter-spacing:1px;line-height:1;color:#000;"></lj-raw><font color="#00686E">NAME</font> <lj-raw></div> <!-- CHAR INFO: end --> <!-- COLLAPSIBLE START --> <div style="width:230px;background:#eee;"><details><summary style="cursor:pointer;text-align:center;font-family:arial, sans serif;font-weight:bold;text-align:left;display:flex;justify-content:center;align-items:center;background:#ccc;color:#000;">+</summary> <!-- COLLAPSIBLE: content --> <div style="width:190px;margin:0 auto;padding:7px 0;font-family:arial, sans serif;font-size:11px;text-align:left;color:#000;"> </lj-raw><b>Username:</b> !!ANSWER HERE!! <br> <b>Civilian Identity:</b> !!ANSWER HERE OR SAY UNDECIDED!! <br> <b>Age:</b> !!AGE HERE!! <br> <b>Species:</b> !!SPECIES HERE!! <br> <b>Origin:</b> !!ORIGIN HERE!! <br></br> <b>Blood Type:</b> !!BLOOD TYPE HERE!! <br></br> <b>Syndata File:</b> !!CURRENT CHARACTERS LINK THEIR SYNDATA FILES, NEW CHARACTERS CAN WRITE A SHORT BLURB THAT CAN BE IC WRITTEN OR AI GENERATED|| <br></br> <b>Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?</b></br> </br>!! ANSWER HERE !!<lj-raw> </div></details></div> <!-- COLLAPSIBLE: content end --> <!-- COLLAPSIBLE END --> </div></div> <!-- CARD name: END --> <!-- CREDIT --> <div style="width:100%;margin-top:-15px;font-size:10px;color:#ddd; text-align:center;"><a title="code credit!" href="http://10billionghosts.dreamwidth.org" style="text-decoration:none;color:#ddd;">credit</a></div></center></table></raw code>

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! Also, current Outsiders will see that their Syndata Files are now accessible for all to see. (If you would like your Syndata file to be private for some reason, just assume it is inaccessible for some reason.)

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 mess hall at this base is on the surface level; not underground, and while larger, it does have a lot of empty space that still needs to be fitted in. The kitchen can be seen and one or two robots are busy stirring pots and preparing the dishes. The current offerings are a spicy turtle soup and deep fried vegetables roots that have been cultivated at this base in Kyoto. Not all the veggies used are a hit, some more pungent than others. There also seems to be several mystery meat dishes for those who wish to explore a new culinary world. Some are made as lab meats, and some most definitely come from smaller kaiju, but nobody needs to know that. Additionally, as only so much robotic staff could be brought over at a time, and since most are being used to rebuild parts of this base and the one in Tokyo— Outsiders will also be encouraged to make their own food. The recipes will all be made available on their oculars, but considering these meats come from various sources, they’re not all guaranteed to be tasty.

Someone else is here to check in with the newcomers; none other than Dr. Spim, the lead medical doctor here. A genius in an adorable, cat-sized body.

"So sorry about the weird question, but because of the previous damage done to the NEO TOKYO BASE, SYNTHIA has been acting kind of funny lately. Apologies for that. We are working quickly to fix her so she can return to purrfect operation."

▶ 002. KYOTO: THE BASE.

The Kyoto base was originally built as part of a large temple and its smaller structures, blending into a traditional yet modern building. As a result, it has all of the fixtures one may find in a temple, including several tori, as well as other areas of quiet meditation. If it weren’t so overgrown, a lot of the sights could have been considered idyllic at one point.

While Outsiders were encouraged to go to the bunkers after the mess of Tokyo, they are now offered a space within the base in Kyoto, as well. Though, the catch is that they have to help rebuild it. While the robots have been quick to rebuild the most important parts of the building, including the area for the giant stasis pool, a barebones research facility, the mess hall, and some rooms, it’s clear it’s still a work in progress. As mentioned, it has some area underground, such as the stasis pool and medical room.

The rooms available are designed as a traditional washitsu, where there are tatami floors, and futons to sleep on. As not all the rooms have been prepared yet, Outsiders will also be required to room up during their stays in Kyoto, unless they prefer to travel between the Tokyo bunkers. Each room can hold a maximum of three (3) people, four (4) if they push their floor futons very, very close.

The main temple ground is currently being retrofitted into a training ground. While there is no simulation room, they do have hologram options in which characters are able to choose to fight with several different kaiju, as well as general soldiers, and they’re even able to link memories from their oculars to fight against– whether this be an enemy from their respective home worlds, or otherwise. The only issue is that their powers haven’t been scaled yet, so enemies which seem weak, can be strong, and vice versa. LILITH also wants to be sure Outsiders get as much practice as needed, even without the simulation rooms, and so all manner of futuristic weapons will be offered to play around with.

While many have been made familiar with certain spaces at the base, including the mess hall, or the medical bay, there will also be a general map of the rest of the base, and Outsiders are free to explore those freely. Just like with the bunkers, there are communal baths, and even a library. Most of the reading offered here are of older texts, but there will be some books that were on base that may have been moved sometime between last year. They may have even mistakenly put up books salvaged from the base that may be personal items, whether that is a diary, notebook, or even doujinshi that Outsiders could have been keeping. Surely some of these doujinshi don't look like you, right?

Getting settled is priority number one, however one glaring issue will be made apparent during the initial week of them moving onto the base in Kyoto. The monks who were residing nearby, or even utilizing the abandoned temple spaces on the outskirts of the base, all seem to have issues with the Outsiders being there. As such, LILITH hopes to offer them assistance in exchange for giving up those areas. Monks will be asking Outsiders for help with numerous tasks, and are allowed to call upon any Outsider they see— whether they need them to clean some of the halls of their own living spaces, or even to help cultivate plants nearby. Some may even ask them to put on a performance appropriate for their cultural celebrations. It’s never too late to learn something new! On the bright side, in two weeks time, they will (probably) be out of everyone’s hair, right?

▶ 003. KYOTO: REBUILD .

Kyoto itself had been largely abandoned before the Outsiders first stepped in last year. Since then, some pockets of civilization that existed nearby have made the move to Kyoto in hopes of a better life. Additionally, those who have been scarred by the battle in Tokyo have decided to also make this move. Some originally from Kyoto, are grateful for the help of the Outsiders as they can finally return to their old family homes.

Outsiders are expected to use this time off from battle to not only assist the civilians in their efforts in rebuilding their lives, but to also help create an impact in Kyoto!

This is where the Outsiders are able to assist in pitching their idea of necessary infrastructure to Kyoto. As of right now, there are only so many resources, and whichever ideas are most well-justified will likely end up becoming a part of Kyoto. As of right now, the civilians themselves seem to want hospitals, shops/entertainment businesses, and even parks! Outsiders will be expected to help not only plan these ideas out, but to go around and rally support for these projects, which can be them creating annoying ads via oculars, participating in city hall debates, and/or even clogging up the network on why their idea would be best.

Despite bringing in a fair amount of food supplies to start, not only growing some of the food they had successes in raising via the lab, growth time is still a huge factor, especially as the LILITH-grade greenhouse is still in the works. In the meantime, Outsiders will be expected to hunt and gather their own food. Kyoto is still largely overrun by some populations of smaller boar kaiju, and even off the coasts of Osaka, there are several fishing spots available. As for whether they’re safe for consumption, everyone will get a ping on their oculars which includes a whole archive of signs of what is safe or unsafe to consume. Some will also find some fish will still be supersized and may take more than one Outsider to reel in.

Who doesn’t like a bit of risk to go with their fishing?

( After the TDM, characters will have the opportunity to rebuild Kyoto in a meaningful way, just like playing a game of the sims! In the next event, players will be encouraged to share their ideas for infrastructure and LILITH will provide assistance with building it. Interested characters may even have the opportunity to take up roles in running and governing the city following that. As a mod team, we are looking forward seeing the fruits of a player-run city. So rally your ideas and let's make Kyoto a great new place to live! )

▶ 004. PUPPETMASTERS.

While the new beginning is exciting, things never stay calm for long. Outsiders will receive a briefing that there is trouble afoot in Awaji Island, an island close to Osaka. Awaji Island, now mostly deserted, was once known for its traditional puppet theater. These puppet shows, of course, have not been running for decades, but they are still remembered fondly by the people who used to live there. Following a mass exodus by the citizens living there a long time ago, these puppets now lay abandoned in the theater, untouched for decades.

Recently, LILITH has received reports of puppets coming to life and walking the streets, causing panic within the small population still residing in Awaji Island. First, they were simply feeling their feet, roaming the island with no real aim in mind and giving the residents a scare. Eventually, they have started to attack people. It was reported that a young woman was ambushed by animated puppets, and all that was left of her remains were bones and tufts of hair.

Outsiders will be mobilized immediately to Awaji Island with the goal of dealing with the situation. They have the option of boarding a LILITH-issued ferry to the island, or donning an Ocean Gem, gem-like implant that temporarily gives them the gills and tail of a marine creature. These gems will be provided temporarily to all Outsiders requesting them and will need to be returned following the mission. Please note that the transformation can be quite uncomfortable.

Upon arrival on the island, they will be tasked with hunting down the animated puppets, investigating the situation, and eliminating the threat. The capture of one specimen will reveal its true nature. Within the hollow body of a marionette, there appears to be an infestation of ant-like creatures, and much like hundreds to thousands of tiny puppetmasters, they are animating the puppets and using them for protection. These insects have learned to move within their marionettes in a way that’s similar to humans, and within the marionettes, they will attack as humans do, brandishing readily available weapons such as knives and farming tools. When the shell of the puppet is cracked open, they spill out, swarming the nearest human they can find and attempting to eat them or infest their body.



█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Marionant
HEIGHT: 2cm
WEIGHT: 2g
CLASS: No threat when alone, moderate threat when in a swarm
LOCATION: Awaji Island, Japan
ABILITIES: When in a swarm, they act in a hive mind and are highly coordinated. This allows them to take down much bigger prey. Razor sharp mouth pincers with a mild, stinging venom that can become lethal if a prey gets bitten too many times. More durable than your average ant, able to withstand 100kg of force without being crushed. Shows ability to think and plan their movements when working as a hive mind. When they infest a body, they seek to control it while eating up its insides, turning that body into a puppet slave.
WEAKNESS: Fire or drowning in water.
EXTRA NOTES: It is very difficult to stop them once they have started infesting a body. Avoid this at all cost. Seek medical attention immediately if you or a teammate has been infested.

█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Rescue civilians from the ant kaiju.
✖ Avoid infestation or lethal bites.
✖ Use fire or water as it is their weakness.
✖ Seek out their nests and destroy it without letting them scatter.

█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO: Linking Photo (cw: bug illustration)

▶ 005. THE RIFT .

Following the events of the month before, Mt. Fuji has now been cordoned off and put under restricted access. This means that no civilian may go anywhere close to the area. Outsiders are given patrol duties in groups of 2-3 around the area and instructed to eliminate any stray kaiju that try to rear their head out of the rift. These kaiju can include common kaiju such as the boar kaiju, the coconut crab or the yamadenki. These shifts are designed to not last very long, as prolonged exposure to the rift can result in rift poisoning effects (headache, nausea, impulsive behavior, hallucinations). It is not recommended to stick any part of your body through the rift, given that we are working with what we don’t understand (please contact a mod if your character decides to do this).

While nothing seems out of the ordinary at first, reports pour in within a few days of trespassers spotted within the restricted area. With a large, visible portion of Mt. Fuji now destroyed, it’s only natural that civilians will become curious. Against their better judgement, a group of civilians have sneaked into the restricted area during a change of patrols. There is little video record of how this had happened, but being near to the rift without LILITH’s protective suits has made for a devastating consequence for the foolish and daring group. Mutations! Outsiders will come across several mutated humans, their bodies mangled with grotesque growths. Some of them might have developed tentacles, some others multiple eyes or hardened shells. They flicker between lucidity and ferociousness, at times crying and begging to be saved, at other times trying to kill and eat people.

The orders are to subdue these people and bring them back to LILITH for further investigation and treatment. While lethal force is highly discouraged, LILITH will not extend punishment toward Outsiders who see fit to exterminate the threats as a last resort.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our 9th 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 15 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. Current Outsiders will have their Syndata files accessible for all to see. New characters will not have a syndata profile but players can write a short blurb about the character for this.

Please note that all tags in this log will count for 2 points each and will count towards March AC.

TDM #8 BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. ARRIVAL PROMPT (KYOTO): Newcomers arrive with ocular and brain implants, and are given a breakdown of the premise with an icebreaker orientation to complete. They arrive in the Kyoto base in a communal stasis pool which is underground.
2. THE KYOTO BASE: Most of the base in Kyoto has been rebuilt. It sits in a large temple which has been modified to accommodate for LILITH's needs. There is a giant stasis pool, a research facility, a mess hall, dorm rooms, medical facilities, a library, a training ground and a communal bath. Each room houses 3-4 people. Outsiders may fight in the training grounds, where they can train against holographic monsters or enemies from their home world. Outsiders will need to appease disgruntled monks by completing chores around the base.
3. REBUILD KYOTO: Civilians have started to move back to Kyoto in search of a better life. Outsiders are tasked to support them in rebuilding Kyoto. Gather ideas and rally support for these ideas. This is a lead in to a future event where players can present their ideas for mod consideration. Outsiders are also expected to hunt and gather their own food in the mean time. There are many boar kaiju available for hunting in Osaka and fishing spots available.
4. PUPPETMASTERS: Outsiders take a ferry or Ocean gem to Awaji Island where there is trouble afoot. Puppets are coming to life and attacking people! Inside these puppets there appear to be a swarm of ant kaiju that are highly dangerous. Eliminate the threat at all costs.
5. THE RIFT: Following the last event, there is a huge open rift at Mt. Fuji. Outsiders must take patrol shifts of 2-3 and kill any kaiju that jump out of the rift. Civilians are banned from visiting Mt. Fuji, but a group of civilians trespass illegally and become heavily mutated from rift exposure. Subdue these mutated humans and if necessary, kill them.
.

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Comments

Zelgadis Greywords || Slayers || Current Player/New Character

[golmi]

Zelgadis Greywords

+

Username: N/A
Civilian Identity: Akai, Reizo
Age: 21
Species: Chimera
Origin: █████

Blood Type: ANOMALOUS

Syndata File: AI Overview: A heartless mercenary who wanders the lands of █████ in search of knowledge and coin. Thanks to the intervention of the Great Sage Rezo the Red Priest, Zelgadis has received augmentation to attain greater strength by combining the body of a human with that of a rock golem and a brau demon. The changes render him resistant to attack and greatly expand his bucket capacity for magic. Symptoms of chimerism include:

- Stone skin

- Alloy wire hair strands

- Increased weight

- Self-loathing

- Rejection by society

Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?

Stop not making sense. Go away.

credit

001. ARRIVAL

[ It's much easier to see once the liquid has drained some, but look, over there: lying at the bottom near the center of the pod-pool seems to be a figure, blending mostly into the blues of the room's lighting, rather like a strange stone statue. Weird. Why does it look like it's reaching for the ceiling? Maybe it's an Outsider who hasn't woken up fully, having sunk to the bottom of the pool like, well, a rock.

Or maybe it's just a poorly-placed obstacle on which you stub your toe in this over-crowded sauce bowl. Oh, god, is that a rock in this weird science pool? Oh god, was that a sea urchin you just stepped on!? Try not to get dragged under: the thing under the surface is beginning to thrash. ]

002. KYOTO BASE

[ With most of the unpleasantness of his last few, first hours put firmly behind him, Zelgadis has taken to wandering the run-down halls of this 'base' to gain himself a better idea of the layout. The personal quarters and communal baths raise possibilities he doesn't want to juggle just yet, so he leaves them be with only a cursory glance down their respective corridors before hurrying along.

And hurry Zel does, quick on cloth-wrapped feet as he darts across doorways and halls, loathe to let himself be seen before he finds a small haven in which to hide, a bastion of silence(?) away from the curious mass of Outsiders: the library, or what stood for one in this place.

Too relieved to give the place a proper inspection, he fetches up against a wall to catch his breath, only to sigh with greater annoyance before he sets to trying to extricate the back of his head out of the old, thin wood of the wall paneling. Is... is he stuck? How!? ]

003. KYOTO REBUILDING

[ Help out, the voice said. Pitch in and help the local civilians. That was all well and good, but the problem was with the 'civilian' part of the equation and the fact that since he'd awoken, Zel had only really been able to find an old haori to drape over his head in a sad attempt at a hood. How was he to go and be a "good Samaritan" like this?

Easily: he wasn't. Talking to the people of the area, that was business best handled by folks who weren't him. Now fishing? Grab a pole, dig up some bait on the way, easy. It lets him get away from the bustle of the base, lets him poke and prod his way through the information pouring out of the thing behind his eyes while he walks; text and pictures and maps scroll across his field of vision like gauze, filling up the space while never quite obscuring the cracked grey road underfoot or the alien landscape surrounding him.

What an odd figure Zel makes for, out here in the ragged remains of Osaka Bay: swathed from head to toe in cloth buckled down by a sword and sheathe of considerably greater grade, he perches on the end of a dilapidated dock, staring out at sea while his line bobs peacefully and largely-forgotten in the water. ]

004. PUPPETS

[ None of this, see, none of this is Zelgadis' circus and none of these people are his monkeys, but the stipend he's received for existing thus far isn't going to get him very far in this world and he knows it. So he volunteers to go out to Awaji, even if it means having to rub elbows with these strange folk.

Maybe it's on the ferry you bump into a very immovable elbow, itself attached to a very odd guy done up like a shady merchant of olde, with nothing showing but his strange eyes and flashes of his hands when they aren't tucked away in his swathes of cloth.

Or maybe it's on Awaji Island itself. Look: there's one of the new Outsiders, approaching the old Honpukuji Water Temple ruins with sword drawn. A stray puppet clatters on the pathway before him like a gatekeep, moth-eaten sode swaying in its unnerving dance. This would be a good time, perhaps, to lend a hand, or it would be if he wasn't so impatient; look, there he goes, closing the distance between himself and this odd adversary to slice the thing in twain. It's like slicing reeds, it's like breaking a paper doll, it comes apart under his blade with such an ease he would have laughed if he weren't so busy staring intently at the swarm that flows out of the desiccated remnants. The swarm that surges toward him.

Yet, somehow, it's you he turns to with a hand raised in warning, barking a short: ]

Get back! They'll come right for you!

005. THE RIFT

[ The way Zelgadis sees it, the more of these tasks he takes from LILITH, the more he gains in the long run. So here he is, on a late afternoon patrol around the mountain with a handful of others, trying his best to keep attention on their surroundings rather than himself. Normally, this is a harder task than it sounds like when it comes to strangers, and that bossy pink guy seems harder to get through to than most.

It's probably why he's strayed away from the patrol troupe to approach the Rift himself. Something of this scale manifesting in the physical world like this, how could he not be interested in it? The power of it is palpable, it rolls off the thing in waves that conjure an ache in his skull that throbs in time with his pulse, it squeezes his organs like a fist inside his ribs. This thing, they said, this thing appeared in the wake of a great kaiju's destruction, like a doorway ripped into the fabric of the world. This thing was the very reason he was here.

Zelgadis, boldly and more than a little worryingly, steps closer to the Rift with hands held out, palms down, and he begins to speak a weird little ditty while a weird little light starts to gather around his fingers: ]

Dwelling within the eternal and the infinite,
source of all souls,
everlasting flame of blue--

(hello! wildcard is open season! i can be found on plurk @ apicultist )

005

[saudadist]

[ A thin hand claps onto Zelgadis' shoulder as he speaks, the voice clanging out like a bell of warning. ]

Don't stand so close to it.

[ For all her barking, she looks every bit the grouch too. Her lips set in a thin line as she watches Zelgadis near the rift, and there's the slightest twitch at the corner of her mouth. Like she might start scowling any moment. ]

You'll get sick.

[golmi]

[ It's aggravating, surely, how little mind he pays her, but he doesn't shrug her off even if all he offers her is a flicker of his eyes. The danger is considerable, yes, but he isn't done, and his chant comes a little more intently, the light grows in his palms with greater intensity. ]

-let the power hidden in my soul be called forth--

001

[intertwinedfates]

[While Yato isn't one of this month's newbies arriving, he's decided to make himself useful to those who show up by being on hand to help out and direct them to their new facilities. He knows from experience that having an actual person instead of a robot can make a world of difference in the orientation process.

So in skimming the arrival pool with his piercing blue eyes, he notes what could be... a body down on the floor of it? With the refraction of the water and the blue hues, it's tough to tell-- at least until they start thrashing about. Then it's clear they're in need of assistance.

So with a yelp of surprise and worry, Yato dives in, hurriedly swimming down to whoever it is and grasping them by the arm to try pulling them to safety. ...except they're extraordinarily heavy even for his superhuman strength. After a couple tugs, he opts to use his one other skill that'll help in this situation: teleportation.

In a flash of light both of them disappear from the bottom of the pool, materializing on the edge of it instead, with Yato hurriedly patting the guy on the back to help get the water out of his system.]

You okay? That was close...

[golmi]

[ The last time Zelgadis was deep enough underwater that he couldn't reach the surface, there'd been a rope tied to his waist and a fishing boat bobbing high over his head. This nasty little moment is a horrible throwback to more terrible times, but unlike those times, there's actually someone else down here to share in the misery.

Wait, no. They're trying to help, if the tiny tugs on his arm were any indication. He worries a moment about finding his bearings to try and help this person help him, but with a flash of light and a nasty lurch of reality, he finds himself on hard, dry land only seconds later. Unfortunately, when he collapses beside his savior, there's a little crack as spiderweb-fine fractures appear in the tile under his bare knees.

Those Pompompurin undies of his sure are working hard today. ]

Tha-ha-hank hyou.

[ He looks up through a wet coughing fit, for a moment forgetting himself in the face of this gratitude. ]

What wh-hhacck- what was that?

005

[30storieshigh]

[ With everything that's been going on Godzilla has taken it upon himself to make sure any new Outsiders don't end up hurt, maimed, misguided, or otherwise rendered incapacitated before they can get used to the things going on around them. He's also been keeping to his human form on patrol, half to put jumpier fledglings to the packs at ease and half for the sake of any wandering civilians.

Of course that still leaves him 7 feet of short patience and overbearing protectiveness. Once he notices part of his patrol's gone wandering off he of course goes to retrieve them, only to find the newest recruit doing something... not exactly ideal. ]

I would ill-recommend such action.

[ He says while grabbing Zelgadis by the back of his clothes, scuffing him essentially, and bodily dragging him back. ]

One is uninformed as to the depths of the Rift's poisoning nature. It is best not to draw close.

[golmi]

[ 7 feet of overbearing pinkness isn't enough to interrupt Zel's spellcasting, just like Lucy's wasn't enough to throw the incantation off its tracks.

As Big Pink scruffs him, Zel digs in his heels stubbornly, leaning against the force of the hold with his own considerable weight to point the power in his palms at the swirling Rift below, gathering his breath to cast with a ringing shout, ]

Ra Tilt!

[ And as the light in his hands promptly goes out, a pillar of light and pale blue flame erupts from the center of the Rift, like a stone dropped into a deep pond. It lasts no longer than a few seconds before it dissipates, but its afterimage lingers in the eyes for long moments afterwards.

With that done, Zelgadis strains to lean forward again, peering at the Rift expectantly as much as Goji's hold allows him to. ]

005

[lostdestiny]

Hey!

[ Shinn isn't on a formal LILITH Rift patrol, he's just working on his pet project of building weapons emplacements in the area. But not being technically on duty won't stop him from accosting this guy -- a guy who, in light of his skin color and the fact that they haven't met before, Shinn assumes is one of those civilians who's tried messing with the Rift before and ended up with unusual mutations. ]

Aren't you already blue enough? Quit messing with it!

[golmi]

[ At this point, is it messing around or is it just a really high-stakes game of fishing? There's something in there, he's certain, and his spells reach to an extent, but he must know more. He must do more.

Fortunately, this loud guy shows up as Zel is winding up to fire another spell, and says all the right things to get him peering over his shoulder with narrowed eyes instead. The annoyance rolling off him right now is palpable. ]

... You know what? No. I could do it some more.

[ Blue, huh? Blue? He could be blue. He could be so blue, just you watch, you. ]

002

[coordination]

[ Yzak has always been a constant library-goer. And in the new place? He's there even more, curious about all of the new and different things he can find and get lost in.

As a constant library-goer, it's easier for him to spot something amiss, and he's got genetically enhanced eyesight to boot, so when Zel skulks in, he peers over at him curiously, one eyebrow arching up. He's never seen this guy before...

And then that eyebrow goes up more, disappearing under his bangs, when this guy starts wiggling about in such an odd way. Almost like he's ... ]

Are you stuck?

[golmi]

[ Crap. Zelgadis freezes on the spot, head snapping toward the source of the voice like, like a burglar caught in the act. The twist of his head shows that whatever it is stuck into the paneling seems to be coming from his head. Or his hair. Wait. Is that his hair stuck and splintering the wood? ]

No!

[ With a mighty yank, Zel sends himself into a stumble as he tears himself away, clutching the back of his head as he goes.

Behind him, several thin, glistening needle-like things jut from the paneling like burrs in a boot.

Ow. ]

2

[peoplewatch]

[ Not all parts of the base has been fixed up, it looks like. Kabru continues to explore it, keen to see what's available to them now know his way around the place. He ventures into an older part of the temple that contained a library, gaze flicking around for any books that might be of interest. There isn't a lot in the way of electronic entertainment in this decrepit town, so he'll have to go back to the basics.

He wanders toward an area that seems even more worn down than the rest, and notices ... the backside of a man? ]

... Sir? [ He can't be standing there for fun, right? His skin also appears to be an interesting colour. ] Are you stuck?

[golmi]

[ This temple is riddled with rotten wood and breakables. In the place of sensible stone, Zel must navigate this place with greater care or more idiocy like this will happen.

This being the second wall panel he’s managed to maim on accident. All he’d wanted was a book to peruse, you see? Something to get him a better idea of what life was like in this strange new world, right, but he’d made the mistake of leaning against a wall while he flipped pages, and now those split-ends were acting like barbs and there was someone else here to see.

Is this what mice felt like in the traps? Is this what bandits felt like when Lina had them corralled? Eugh. ]

I— [ No matter what he says, it would be a lie. He IS stuck. He is NOT fine. ]

— am a little stuck.

Don’t laugh.

5

[newphew]

[ his patrol partner is with him, mostly trying to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble, but the last thing he expected was for this guy to start using magic on the rift. worriedly, he puts a hand on the man's shoulder, trying to snap him out of it ]

Stop--- it won't work, you're just going to hurt yourself!

[ stop it. get some help ]

[golmi]

I won’t.

[ Won’t stop or won’t hurt himself? But the hand on his shoulder warrants a look, all stone and hair too stiff to even move. ]

It’s fine, see?

@KENSUKE

[vorous]

_{[ hold up.. ]}

You’re a demon and a golem together?

@???

[golmi]

[ AGH ]

And human. What of it?

004.

[blastedass]

[Everything about this place reeks of a horror video. Dilapidated buildings overgrown with vines, windows half broken half cracked, faded cloth fluttering in doorways and reaching through frames as dusty hands. All saturated with the occasional clatter and clacking of wooden joints and metal gears as un-living things wander the streets, shadows, alleys, and more. Why anyone would want to live here is beyond him, but people are people. And it's not like any of the islanders had known the centuries-old puppets would suddenly come to malicious life. Tch... they better get ready to relocate this shit.

Someone's yelling. The shadows between two buildings seem to suddenly flare in a sizzle of orange before a young man clad in a black stealth suit emerges from the gloom, hood and high collar closing off most of his face. Red eyes narrow and his left hand seems to glow bright orange yellow white before- KA-BROOM!! As if he underhands a swath of explosions in a rush several feet along the ground, swallowing both the swarming creatures and the puppet they came from in incendiary flame.

Bakugo walks out of the smoke a few seconds later, moderately impressed this guy even knew he was approaching earlier.]

That's exactly where I fucking want them to come. [Sparks and tiny explosions pop around his hand.] To their death!

[golmi]

[ He really should be more grateful that these folk seem to be as capable as Lina and the others, but something about loud people with that colour palette throwing explosions like alms… It’s not that he’s exasperated, no, but it’s a really close cousin to it.

At least this guy isn’t in danger of being eaten. Striding out of the murk with that level of confidence is almost like a taste of home. ]

That’s one way to take care of it.

[ It’s like the swarm isn’t also now clustering around and up Zel’s feet and ankles. Up they get, clambering and skittering all wild and out of control, but rather than panic, he just seems… annoyed. Like they were little more than the pest they looked like.

With a last glance to make sure blondie really wasn’t becoming a snack, Zel lowers his hands with palms cupped. He murmurs something inaudible, eyes gone unfocused for all of a beat before water begins to pour from his empty palms to soak the ground below. As if he stood in some unseen cylinder container, the water begins to quickly rise, bubbling up over his ankles and shins to soak the hem of his yukata. The marionants (damn it) litter the water like debris. ]

I didn’t see you on the ferry. Has it been that long already?

[ Time really flies when you’re having fun destroying things. ]

@Gisei

[harboredfeelings]

A rock. That's new.
I suppose we can always push you out of a plane as an impact weapon.

[golmi]

[ The text function is proving to be the greatest test of his sanity of all. There is nothing between the scroll of words and his kneejerk thoughts in this hellish scenario. ]

Why is that your first thought!? What is wrong with you!?

@akatsuki

[lionize]

What's a brau demon?

[golmi]

[ He wants to sink into the earth. ]

I want to sink into the earth.

[ Damn it. ]

It’s a creature closer to a goblin than a demon. Its magical capacity is far greater than a human’s.

@jasper

[not_laurent]

You knowingly took on these augmentations knowing it would turn you into a social outcast?

[What a tragedy... And combining with a demon all for the sake of power?! This poor lost soul!]

[golmi]

[ Technology was a mistake. ]

I didn’t know at the time.
I’m not a
social
oh who am I kidding I am
What do you even know anyway???