TEST DRIVE #11

[synfluxmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME #11

CONTENT WARNINGS: death, violence, insects (beetles)

▶ 001. ARRIVAL / CAFETERIA. (NEO TOKYO 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, your pod opens in a dim corridor with many others. Your new life is about to begin... whether you like it or not.

This is Neo Tokyo. 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 pods, 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:
Syndata File:

Are you a leader or a follower?

<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>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>Are you a leader or a follower?</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>

Outsiders will receive a quick debrief 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.

In the cafeteria area, food is being served. The kitchen can be seen and a few robots are busy stirring pots and preparing the dishes. The current offerings are cold soba with questionable sauces, leftover sand crocodile skewers, artificial rice and sweet shaved ice. As most robotic staff have been directed to finish rebuilding parts of the base, 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.

With SYNTHIA alongside them now that they are back to Neo Tokyo, she is happy to chime in.

"Greetings, my name is SYNTHIA and I will be taking care of you today while the rest of the crew is busy handling a recent issue. Worry not, my children. You are in safe hands."

▶ 002. RETURN TO NORMALCY?

As a result of a successful mission, the agents of LILITH begin to recover from their month-long ordeal. Commander Shiro has passed away due to the Sumerian flu while the rest of the team has successfully recovered. Captain Yamakawa has just been promoted to Commander in a brief ceremony, and anyone who would like to pay respects will find that Shiro has been cremated, and a memorial for him will be found for him at the Greenhouse. There is a lot to process and it will require time, but time is not something they can afford in this world. Research and missions must resume before the next threat approaches. Commander Yamakwa instantly heads to a RESTRICTED AREA of the base. She is going to be working hard during this time.

As far as the Neo Tokyo base, the most important areas have been constructed and reinforced but Outsiders will see there are some areas (mostly the additional ones) that are under construction.

However, the civilians outside of LILITH who were unaffected by the fever have concerns. They’ve noticed how quiet LILITH has been and somehow, rumors have been leaked on the internet about a crisis among their ranks. This has led to many civilians becoming anxious while others have decided to take advantage of the opportunity to take over the streets and bully the locals.

LILITH's first task is two-fold: reassure the citizens that all is well and help restore normalcy to the streets of Neo Tokyo.

Outsiders and LILITH agents will be tasked with community service and public appearances to show that all is well. This involves volunteering at the orphanage, helping with food banks, assisting at clinics, and providing whatever aid they can. Additionally, some will be scheduled to do news interviews or appear on talk shows to help convince the public that things are fine. Totally fine.

For those less PR-friendly, they will be assigned missions to take down local gangs, shut down various smuggling rings, and generally reduce crime in the city by any and all means. Some of these thugs have gotten too comfortable while LILITH has been down and they need to be dealt with swiftly.

▶ 003. THE GREATEST CATCH.

It seems while the Outsiders were away, they missed much of the rainy season. Instead of stormy days, the Outsiders will have to endure high temperatures and humidity. The city is carefully regulating the energy grid to prevent blackouts. Instead, they strongly urge citizens to seek other ways to cool themselves like hanging out department stores and libraries or trying out water activities.

Luckily, environmental groups and the local government have worked together over the months to clean up Odaiba Neo Marine Park. Thanks to special water filters and state of the art technology, they have created a small oasis within the city. The water in the immediate area is perfectly clean and safe for residents to enjoy! The locals gather to visit the park and enjoy the sand and calm waters. A popular pastime is to watch LILITH and the local defense forces fight kaiju on the horizon.

What?

That's right! While the waters might be clean, there's still the ever-present risk of kaiju attacking the shores. LILITH will task Outsiders to work with the local coast guard to fight off small pesky kaiju that take on the form of mutated sea life. Kaiju tuna, kaiju crabs, kaiju jellyfish, and more occasionally can be found in small numbers as well as other types of sea-kaiju. Get fishing!

▶ 004. HAKUNA MUTATA.

The kaiju that normally are on the outer edges of the city have grown bolder with the city's defenses being down. More local kaiju like the yama kujira have begun to venture further into the city in search of food. In this case, they seem to be seeking out beetles that have been mutated and begun to turn into kaiju because of the rifts. They bring havoc into areas that are unused to these sorts of intrusions. There are also strange reports of a… meerkat-like kaiju that travels with some of the packs?

Citizens may encounter yama kujira (and the meerkaiju) right in the middle of the populated Neo Tokyo areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and more. Unused to being in city centers, they attack their reflections and react erratically to the flashing lights of the city. They charge at cars, buildings, and tear up roads with their tusks and hooves. The elusive meerkaiju attacks with scratches and bites (where did it come from?).

Alerts go out to civilians to avoid boar kaiju and seek shelter while local defense forces try to take care of them. However, they lack the special equipment and skills LILITH has. LILITH will order the Outsiders to take down these kaiju and push them back to the edges of the city where they can't harm the general population. Bear in mind these areas are very much populated so they'll have to pay extra attention to avoid property damage, especially when LILITH is trying to restore their image with the public.

For those less inclined with combat, they can assist by setting up security barriers on the edges of the city. These barriers use electricity and special sonic frequencies to deter most kaiju from entering. There are also surveillance systems that will alert when kaiju of a certain class or size cross the barrier. While these barriers are usually in place, they require regular maintenance due to how often they are destroyed by kaiju. After a month of neglect, some of the systems have to be completely reinstalled from scratch.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: TIMONSUTA
HEIGHT: 60cm
WEIGHT: ???
CLASS: Intermediate
LOCATION: Recently seen in Neo Tokyo
ABILITIES: It has sharp claws which allows it to dig through the ground quickly at high speeds. It attacks by burrowing underground and surprising prey. Often seen with packs of yama kujira but it escapes quickly by retreating underground. Possesses sharp teeth that can easily break bone. Due to its habit of digging holes, use caution to avoid falling into them or it might attack.

WEAKNESSES: If it can be isolated and escape can be prevented, it is actually quite weak.

EXTRA NOTES: Authorities suspect TIMONSUTA might be a rift-affected meerkat from a local cafe.

█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:

▶ 005. I CHOOSE YOU, BEETLECHU!

After taking care of the yama kujira (and meerkaiju), the Outsiders might find themselves with some time to relax as long as they avoid beach duties. They can visit some of the artificial parks in the city where local children gather to play the hot new game: Battle Beatles also known as Beetlemons.

Beetle hunting is a popular pastime but thanks to the increased rift energy these days, many bugs have begun to show signs of kaiju mutation. These beetles grow to larger sizes and some of them even have special abilities like greater strength, enhanced speed, light electric attacks, and more. They also develop unique patterns and colors. Now that the yama kujira are gone, it's easier to get bigger and better beetlemons.

Outsiders can join in on the fun. They can stick to the artificial parks like the children or take advantage of their own abilities to venture outside the city limits to find even better battle beetles. These beetles can be trained to fight other beetles or if that's too childish, they can be sold at black markets that will use the beetles for various purposes like traditional medicines or selling them to collectors.

Some of the beetles also appear to have rather docile temperaments and can be easily tamed by people and trained for battle. In general, they do not pose much threat to people but can still cause some harm due to their size and special mutations. However, other beetles that have been subjected to prolonged rift exposure may be more violent and dangerous.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our 11th 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 APPLICATIONS when they 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 July AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. ARRIVAL / CAFETERIA: Newcomers arrive with ocular and brain implants, and are given a breakdown of the premise with an icebreaker orientation to complete. They will arrive in Neo Tokyo.

2. RETURN TO NORMALCY?: With Commander Shiro dead, Yamakawa is now in charge. Outsiders will be tasked with doing various community service activities in Neo Tokyo to alleviate rumors that LILITH is having a hard time.

3. THE GREATEST CATCH: A new beach opens up in Neo Tokyo. Outsiders can enjoy beach activities while also teaming up with the coast guard to protect the shores from lesser kaiju.

4. HAKUNA MUTATA: The yama kujira have begun to venture into the city while LILITH was out of commission. Fend them off and help restore the defensive systems on the city's edge to keep them out. A strange meerkat kaiju is spotted with the herds.

5. I CHOOSE YOU, BEETLECHU!: Local children begin to collect mutated kaiju beetles so they can fight. The same beetles can also be sold on the black market for various prices. Outsiders can engage in beetle collecting for fun or profit.

code

Comments

V | Cyberpunk 2077 | New Player

[mikoshi]

000. ICEBREAKER

V

+

Username: nightshitty
Civilian Identity: Alejandro Kimura
Age: 28
Species: Human
Origin: Badlands, Southern California

Syndata File: Who are you, fuckin' NCPD?

Are you a leader or a follower?

Leader, 'cause I like getting shit done and getting paid.

credit

001. ARRIVAL, CAFETERIA

[ Of course it's Tokyo. Out of all the cities in the universe, of course his luck would run out and land Vincent here.

The soba sucks, it's fucking cold. The sauces are off and the shaved ice tastes fake. He picks the farthest, quietest corner, perfect for sulking. He wanted to spend a few weeks brooding, process whatever the fuck happened back in Mikoshi, and then get back to the solo life. But there's no rest for the wicked. Now he has to contend with the fact his return to the glorious homeland Arasaka burned the world for is all by his lonesome.

The view ain't the same without you, Johnny, he thinks, sighing as he looks down at his bowl and chews, despondent. Even with the healthy dollop of mystery sauce, it tastes like ashes in his mouth. ]

002. RETURN TO NORMALCY

[ Now this is more V's style—beating the shit out of gonks. He has plenty to vent his spleen over, and now with this new lease on life? Might as well see how fast he can burn it.

Starts out well enough—trying to scare off some punks bullying an old lady. But shit, as always, escalates. Next thing he knows it's an entire gang of morons outta some shitty yakuza movie. Welcome to Japan, Nikkeijin. ] Fuck me. [ The punches start flying, someone takes out a knife, and that pisses him off.

So V starts throwing gangoons around. Picks them up like they don't weight a thing by their clothes or scruff, then launches them at each other. ] Get wrecked!

[ Caught up in the euphoria of battle, he doesn't notice an spectator, almost bowling them over with some punk who won't stop screaming. ] Can you move to the side a bit? Gotta break this gonk's spine.

003. NETWORK / UN: NIGHTSHITTY

Alright, think I'll blow my brains out if I have to taste cold soba again.

Good gyudon in this city, go. Or anything that doesn't taste like scop and crushed dreams.

004. WILDCARD

OOC: Got another prompt you'd like to do? Something else? Let me know either in PMs or over at tsuchinoko.

002.

[rebelsamurai]

[You know what? Fuck Neo Tokyo. That's how Johnny feels right now about this 'return to normalcy.'

There's nothing normal about coming back here and having to deal with some braindead gonks causing a ruckus. Johnny almost flatlined last mission. Fighting a 30-foot-tall, laser-breathing, fire lizard is apparently extremely hazardous to your health. Who would've thought? Johnny knew he didn't have a chance in hell to defeat that fucking thing but he still decided to try his luck. Thankfully, he's still alive and kicking. That's all that matters. He's alive to live another day and these fucking goons are ruining his evening.

He takes a long drag on his cig as the fight continues. Johnny has no idea who these gonks pissed off, but they found their match tonight. The dude is practically swinging these stupid fucks around like they weigh nothing. It's pretty hilarious, especially since these dickheads were acting all tough a minute ago. Thankfully, this Good Samaritan stepped in to clean up house.

However, all of that changes the moment he hears the guy's voice. Johnny stops cold in his tracks, eyes wide behind his dark sunglasses.]

The fuck?

[Whoa, whoa, whoa! He knows that fuckin' voice. He knows that voice very well.]

[mikoshi]

Johnny!?

[ That seals it. Mikoshi turned his brains into refried scop. Not that it wasn't before, but Alt wasn't joking about the irreparable damage. Why the fuck is Vincent seeing, hearing his talking, breathing brain tumor again?

Last hallucination. The dying gasps of a failing body. Only so much LILITH could fix, too good to be true, knew someone must be pulling his chain.

Unfortunately the battle won't wait for this Relic malfunction to pass. Someone aims a punch at Vincent's face, which would hurt, a lot, if his skull wasn't made out of titanium these days. ] Fuckin' busy here! [ Facetanks it, then uses the gonk's shock against him, slaming him into the ground, face first.

Everyone scatters after that.

Good thing too. Vincent's in no mood for it. ] I can't— [ He stands, frozen at first, then shaking. Eyes watery, expecting the nausea to drop him to the ground, his mouth to taste like copper like all the other times. But it doesn't come. Johnny doesn't glitch out of existence. He looks so damn real. As if he could just reach out with his hand, and...

Fucking cruel. ] —I can't do this again, Johnny.

[rebelsamurai]

[What the fuck is happening? There is absolutely no way this could happen.

He stares at the man for a long time, completely stunned. While the dude in question looks and sounds like V, there's no way to tell who he is. Perhaps LILITH is playing a trick on him again? How else can Johnny explain what he’s seeing right now?

But it sounds like him. It really does sound and look like V. There’s no way that LILITH could fabricate something like that.]

Fuckin’ busy doing what? Getting your ass beat, V?

[Johnny jokes while watching the altercation unfold like an average night at a fight club. As funny as it is to watch Vince manhandle these goons, Johnny wants to get in on the action.

He reaches for the nearest gonk and slams his head against a nearby street pole. Johnny rams the dude head into the street pole so hard that it makes a faint ping sound. It’s enough to make him chuckle a little. However, his laughter dies down once Vince starts talking to him.]

The fuck are you talking about’ about?!

[He nearly yells as he storms right over towards V. Yes, he looks real, doesn’t he? Gone is that strange blue-green filter. The Johnny Silverhand standing before him looks almost real enough to touch.]

C’mon—[Before V could utter another word, Johnny places his hand, his ‘ganic hand, on his shoulder.]

It’s me.

[mikoshi]

[ Okay, that definitely sounds like Johnny. Never wasted an opportunity to take a shot at him.

But it doesn't prove a thing. His traumatized brain could be holding onto delusions as a coping mechanism, the sudden quietude inside his mind after Mikoshi unnerving, habituated to the cacophony of Johnny and his endless quips. How fucked up is he, craving for the brain tumor to return? The very thing that was killing him?

(But if it was killing him, why did it make him feel so alive?)

Vincent doesn't register a thing, lost in his own head, until Johnny touches him. Touches him. It wrings a gasp out of him, recoiling as if scalded, pupils wide.

(System diagnostics: normal. Software, hardware, all normal. No Relic slotted, worn as a makeshift necklace now instead of inserted into his neck. Lesson fucking learned there.)

This can't be real. Isn't possible. ] I sent you with Alt. I thought, I f-figured it would— [ Take much longer. If ever. It's been less than a week since the assault at Arasaka Tower. Since he flatlined Adam Smasher, destroyed Mikoshi, sent Johnny off into the Blackwall and away. Forever.

It hurt. So fucking much. Getting his arms ripped out during a botched heist back when he was a teen? Benign in comparison. ] I don't— [ "You are dying. You have two souls within you—one wants to fight. The other is afraid."

"Which one's mine?"

"Both."

Guy who turns people into paste, hesitating to touch someone. Afraid, more than he's ever been in his life. But Vincent sucks in air, heart in his throat, closing the gap.

He places his hand on Johnny's shoulder. Squeezes muscle, bone. Pulls Johnny towards him, wrapping his arms around the rockerboy, tucking his chin onto his shoulder. Closes his eyes. Doesn't let go.

Inhales. Where there was nothing but ones and zeroes seemingly a lifetime ago now there's a scent: fabric, salt, musk.

Presses his forehead against Johnny's shoulder. Shuts his eyes tightly until stars burst behind his eyelids. Starts sobbing. ]

[rebelsamurai]

[Confusion plagues Johnny once he hears that V sent him away with Alt. While that might've been the plan all along after his conversation at the oil fields, Johnny didn't voice any of that to V. Why? Well, because he didn't want V to try and stop him. He understands how much V is willing to suffer for his well-being, and he was not about to allow his only friend in the world to kill himself for his sake. No, that is not what Johnny wants.

What he wants is for V to keep on fighting, to keep clawing against the systems of entropy as long as he can. That is what Johnny wants, not for V to die in obscurity and abandon all hope. If that meant he had to die again for V's sake, then so be it. It's not like death ever scared Johnny before.

So what's going on here? Johnny doesn't know but the second V yanks him in close for a hug, he gives in.]

Fuck. [He sucks in his breath as he puts his arms around V in this rare moment of intimacy.] It's really you.

[An awkward stillness falls over them as Johnny quietly ponders at the unexpected turn of events. Just when he believed he'd never see V again, the man appears after months of going at it alone. The enormity of the situation had him swaying.

V is here. He's back.]

003; @curse

[gimu]

there's an udon stand over in ikebukuro that serves a very good plate for cheap. the beer is as cheap as they get. good value.

what's a scop?

[mikoshi]

Preem username. Simple.

You had me at beer.

Single-cell organic protein. Fake meat, basically. Hoping that's not the case here.

[gimu]

[ new words, new uses. more little terms to puzzle over and fit against the conversation to suss the context. how curious. ]

yet yours sounds like how i feel. lets trade

the meat around here is getting more real by the day. the seafood is prime at least. vegetables are always fresh. when in doubt, the conbini will always provide

[mikoshi]

Not liking Tokyo either, huh? Won't lie, bit of a letdown so far.

Getting more real? Yeah, I hope Japan of all places has decent seafood. Spam musubi a thing at the konbini here, or is that too fake?

[gimu]

no. i like tokyo just fine. i just can't sleep and it's hot out here.

spam musubi is a stable of the konibi
also just nori onigiri
so much jelly
so many jellies



hey if you go, can you pick me up some lychee flavoured jellies

@ soba i had to

[gorb]

The cafeteria? I try to warn people about that.

[mikoshi]

That username. It's like getting a tip about guitar riffs from Kerry Eurodyne. Any place where the soba doesn't suck?

[gorb]

There's a hole in the wall place close by our nearest train station, if it's still standing then it serves better noodles. I'll drop you the location.

[mikoshi]

Nova. I'll buy you a bowl in thanks. [ Maybe cold soba doesn't have to suck? He's yet to have a good bowl of it. But maybe this city's food is hyped up for a reason. ]

[gorb]

( He doesn't like humans, but he does like free food. )

All right, I suppose it's only fair to make sure you're going to the right place. You might look like a tourist, they could try to take advantage.

002

[zauneyete]

[ The kid's screming, some of his pals are in a pile, nursing wounds from getting thrown, and then there's the guy V turns to, ready to launch another kid at a wall or some such. He's just... watching. Well, watching and smoking, but he hasn't moved to help either the gang that V's run into, or V himself. ]

Oh, do you? I don't know... What do you think, boy? Do you think you've learned your lesson?

[ He's whimpering. Please, please, please, fingers scrambling at V's, begging him to let him go. He'll behave, he promises, just let him go. He'll go and... help the orphans! That's right, the orphans.

Silco, from his place up against a wall, actually rolls his eyes.

He sure is laying on the dramatics, isn't he? ]

[mikoshi]

[ Always preem to have an audience. It's nice to be appreciated for doing a good job. Yeah yeah, do it for the love of the game, community improvement, whatever. But a little bit of acknowledgment? That makes V's heart sing. ]

Think he's fuckin' lyin', actually. [ Local yakuza helping out orphans? Shit's a stereotype for a reason. ] Nah, sorry. Sayonara, kid. [ And so this gangoon sails on too, albeit with a softer landing than the rest—atop a pile of overgrown grass. ]

Now rate my throw, if you're gonna watch. [ Pat a guy on the head, Silco. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco watches him go. Also notices that he lands in the grass, though there's a pained 'oomph' anyway, and Silco shrugged. ]

Ah, well. I suppose if they weren't strong enough to teach their own lesson, they may as well learn the one you're teaching them, hm?

[ The kid was wheezing and huffing, but once he's out of V's hand, he's disregarded him entirely. Sure, he'd spoken up for him, but only really out of curiosity. ]

Oh, I think the throw was quite good. Rather far. [ A quirk of one eyebrow. ] Most people can't throw another human to save their lives.

[mikoshi]

[ He can be a merciful cyberpsycho. The kid looks pissed scared, which is more than he usually gets. Killing's messy too. Hasn't figured out the outfit situation yet. ] That they better quit this shit while they're ahead? [ Ahead is doing a lot of work here when there's half-conscious bodies all over the place. Did he break one guy's leg though, bone poking out of his skin? Oopsie. ]

I can pick up a car too. Don't think the car deserves it though. [ Yeah, he's already casing the rides here. Not that he needs to rely on grand theft auto to get by here, but hey, might be a nice ride he could test drive before purchase. ] Sooo, you come here often?

[zauneyete]

Oh, very impressive.

[ The tone is mild, but it is. Where he's from, if you want to do that, you need to drink a proper dose of shimmer, and probably already be fairly strong as it is. Then again, since arriving, he's seen people with powers, augmented body parts...even one of his own hands is stronger than it should be. ]

Do I come here... outside often?

Oh no, I prefer my office to the... streets. Sometimes, however, one has to move from one point to another. [ He does, but Silco also is just that guy who... you know. Hangs in shady areas. ] You happened to catch me on my way back from a meeting, actually.

003 TEXT. UN: KENSUKE

[vorous]

_{[ Laios always hones right onto the real hungry ones. ]}

I can cook something for you if you would like! No charge. :)

[mikoshi]

[ Damn. People are nicer in Tokyo. Maybe Goro made some points. ] Seriously? Don't even gotta bring the ingredients?

[vorous]

_{[ But there’s a catch. Laios didn’t specify what it is he is willing to cook for V. A free meal is a free meal though, right? ]}

No need! You like meat, right? Like authentic kind? Nothing artificial.

[mikoshi]

Yeah, especially real meat. All they got is fake stuff back home. I'll do anything to eat an actual cow. Or chicken.