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sinfucks2024-04-26 03:31 pm
synfluxmods) wrote in sinfucks2024-04-26 03:31 pm
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▶ 004. TEST DRIVE & SIMULATION #4
TEST DRIVE & SIMULATION #4
▶ 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 to desire your normal life. When you awake, 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 wakens each Outsider. When 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, a set of gray loungewear to wear as LILITH makes the final decision in organizing the Outsider 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, and feed 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 2278, 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 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 10,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 66), 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.
Once they leave the medical bay, they’ll be able to grab a quick meal in the cafeteria and mingle with the other Outsiders just waking up. Today’s menu is creamy crab onigiri & ginger salad, all packed neatly in a food ration tray.
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 wakens each Outsider. When 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, a set of gray loungewear to wear as LILITH makes the final decision in organizing the Outsider 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, and feed 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:
What is your fantasy?
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 2278, 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 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 10,000 KRYPTOS (about USD 66), 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.
Once they leave the medical bay, they’ll be able to grab a quick meal in the cafeteria and mingle with the other Outsiders just waking up. Today’s menu is creamy crab onigiri & ginger salad, all packed neatly in a food ration tray.
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 busy handling a recent issue. Worry not, my children. You are in safe hands."
▶ 002. CLEAN UP THE LAND OF DREAMS.
After nearly a month of investigation and monitoring everyone’s health, Tokyo Disney is finally cleared. Outsiders will be sent back to Tokyo Disneyland to resume their work. LILITH will order them to go collect the rotting remains of the Yamadenki and any bodies that were left behind from the battle.
When they return, they will find the park is still left in ruin from the battle and the air smells horrible. They will have to sift through the rubble for the remains of Yamadenki, rift mutated corpses, hybrids, and fallen scientists and mercenaries. It’s dirty work but someone has to do it. Luckily, LILITH has provided a sanitation suit that some Outsiders may remember. There are only a few in various colors, and those who reject the sanitation suit will be provided with gloves and encouraged to activate their plugsuit instead. After they’ve removed the bodies, they will be told to help clean up the park. The park has always been a popular place for teenagers to sneak off to and while they can keep the area closed off for the safety of the majority, there’s no way to keep out the most dedicated troublemakers. Some of the rides have some residual charge in their engines and can be ridden.. maybe test drive them for a spin? Nobody has to know you're doing it, right?
Furthermore, LILITH is interested in what remains of the secret labs. Most of the computer hardware and records have already been confiscated but considering how they’ve had almost a whole month to rest, they should be fit and ready to do some heavy lifting, surely. Most notably, LILITH will task the Outsiders with moving and transporting heavy machinery such as the electric generators, refrigerators, freezers, incubators, water distillers, and all sorts of fancy equipment. They will have to find a way to drag all of this out of the tunnels, up to the surface, and to the transport vehicles waiting to take them back to LILITH. If they look around, they may find a few golf carts in the tunnels but whether or not they have keys or even work is to be determined.
Observant Outsiders will spot some men in suits appraising the park and nodding their heads. Could there be plans for a revival of Tokyo Disneyland?
When they return, they will find the park is still left in ruin from the battle and the air smells horrible. They will have to sift through the rubble for the remains of Yamadenki, rift mutated corpses, hybrids, and fallen scientists and mercenaries. It’s dirty work but someone has to do it. Luckily, LILITH has provided a sanitation suit that some Outsiders may remember. There are only a few in various colors, and those who reject the sanitation suit will be provided with gloves and encouraged to activate their plugsuit instead. After they’ve removed the bodies, they will be told to help clean up the park. The park has always been a popular place for teenagers to sneak off to and while they can keep the area closed off for the safety of the majority, there’s no way to keep out the most dedicated troublemakers. Some of the rides have some residual charge in their engines and can be ridden.. maybe test drive them for a spin? Nobody has to know you're doing it, right?
Furthermore, LILITH is interested in what remains of the secret labs. Most of the computer hardware and records have already been confiscated but considering how they’ve had almost a whole month to rest, they should be fit and ready to do some heavy lifting, surely. Most notably, LILITH will task the Outsiders with moving and transporting heavy machinery such as the electric generators, refrigerators, freezers, incubators, water distillers, and all sorts of fancy equipment. They will have to find a way to drag all of this out of the tunnels, up to the surface, and to the transport vehicles waiting to take them back to LILITH. If they look around, they may find a few golf carts in the tunnels but whether or not they have keys or even work is to be determined.
Observant Outsiders will spot some men in suits appraising the park and nodding their heads. Could there be plans for a revival of Tokyo Disneyland?
▶ 003. DATAPORTAL TESTING.
Following the clean up efforts at Disney, things begin to happen at LILITH. The engineering department gets to work and it isn’t long until they announce they’ve finally managed to get some of the dataportals running. It seems the Yamadenki remains had some special properties that they could use to stabilize and power the right technology. This is excellent news or LILITH and the administrators get to work communicating with other organizations around the world.
In the meantime, these dataportals need to be tested and Outsiders will be asked to volunteer. Should they agree, the engineers and technicians will explain that they’re going to try a short-distance test first. They still have access to their old base in Kyoto. It was abandoned years ago after a particularly devastating kaiju attack. While they were able to secure most items of importance in their evacuation, it wouldn’t hurt to go back and do another sweep for things that may have been left behind like medical supplies, tools, technology, and food/drink supplies.
Characters will be able to travel back and forth between Kyoto and Tokyo while they test the portals. There are some known effects of portal jumping but whether they start to take effect on the first jump or after a certain amount depends on the person. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, dizziness, and a loss of spatial awareness so they may get into people’s spaces, bump into things, miss targets, or get lost easily.
In the meantime, these dataportals need to be tested and Outsiders will be asked to volunteer. Should they agree, the engineers and technicians will explain that they’re going to try a short-distance test first. They still have access to their old base in Kyoto. It was abandoned years ago after a particularly devastating kaiju attack. While they were able to secure most items of importance in their evacuation, it wouldn’t hurt to go back and do another sweep for things that may have been left behind like medical supplies, tools, technology, and food/drink supplies.
Characters will be able to travel back and forth between Kyoto and Tokyo while they test the portals. There are some known effects of portal jumping but whether they start to take effect on the first jump or after a certain amount depends on the person. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, dizziness, and a loss of spatial awareness so they may get into people’s spaces, bump into things, miss targets, or get lost easily.
▶ 004. KYOTO & KAIJU.
Outsiders will be transported to the Old Kyoto Base with a small team of operatives. In terms of structure, the Kyoto Base looks similar to that of Neo Tokyo, with the remnants of a training ground, research labs and dormitories free to explore. Once upon a time, this base was filled with LILITH personnel. What had happened to them, along with all the other residents of Kyoto, is anyone’s guess.
With some work, they’ll be able to kickstart the emergency generators which will be enough to provide the power needed to search parts of the base. Characters can also leave the base and explore what remains of Kyoto. The streets are empty and the city has been abandoned since the attack. The Imperial Palace is still standing, albeit in decrepit conditions from years of neglect, and the once picturesque, historical streets now sit in ruin. Keep searching, and you will see the scars left behind from the attack - monstrous claw marks against a building wall, and forgotten human remains.
With the lack of human interference, Kyoto has become overrun with wild animals such as macaques, deer, foxes and tanuki. A herd of boar-like Kaiju have also taken their place at the top of the ecosystem. This Kaiju, the Yama-Kujira, is of special interest to LILITH.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Yama-Kujira
HEIGHT: 10 meters (adult), 2 meters (infant)
WEIGHT: 200 kg (adult), 60kg (infant)
CLASS: Piglets are harmless, Adults are a moderate threat
LOCATION: Kyoto, Japan
ABILITIES: The adult Yama-Kujira compensate for their terrible eyesight with a vicious attitude. They will charge at everything and everyone at the slightest disturbance, be it the sound of footsteps or even a bird flapping its wings. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing, and sharp tusks that they use to maul their prey. Fiercely territorial, especially near to their nests. Hates loud noises and the colour red. In groups, they have the ability to cause a minor earthquake by stomping into the ground. The Yama-Kujira piglets, on the other hand, are blind, harmless, docile and do not have tusks. May charge ineffectively to practice their skills and are strong enough to knock a person over. They enjoy fruit, nuts and milk.
WEAKNESS: They are virtually blind and rely on their smell/hearing, so taking those senses out will disorientate them. Otherwise weak to being flipped over and has a soft underbelly. Getting their tusks trapped in something will temporarily immobilize them as well.
EXTRA NOTES: Eats primarily vegetation and local wildlife but the adults will kill anything that moves.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Eliminate all adult Yama-Kujira within the area.
✖ Lure in and capture infants to surrender to LILITH.
✖ Bring back Yama-Kujira specimens, alive or dead.
✖ Scavenge for useful technology or supplies from around Kyoto and the Kyoto base.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:
With some work, they’ll be able to kickstart the emergency generators which will be enough to provide the power needed to search parts of the base. Characters can also leave the base and explore what remains of Kyoto. The streets are empty and the city has been abandoned since the attack. The Imperial Palace is still standing, albeit in decrepit conditions from years of neglect, and the once picturesque, historical streets now sit in ruin. Keep searching, and you will see the scars left behind from the attack - monstrous claw marks against a building wall, and forgotten human remains.
With the lack of human interference, Kyoto has become overrun with wild animals such as macaques, deer, foxes and tanuki. A herd of boar-like Kaiju have also taken their place at the top of the ecosystem. This Kaiju, the Yama-Kujira, is of special interest to LILITH.
█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: Yama-Kujira
HEIGHT: 10 meters (adult), 2 meters (infant)
WEIGHT: 200 kg (adult), 60kg (infant)
CLASS: Piglets are harmless, Adults are a moderate threat
LOCATION: Kyoto, Japan
ABILITIES: The adult Yama-Kujira compensate for their terrible eyesight with a vicious attitude. They will charge at everything and everyone at the slightest disturbance, be it the sound of footsteps or even a bird flapping its wings. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing, and sharp tusks that they use to maul their prey. Fiercely territorial, especially near to their nests. Hates loud noises and the colour red. In groups, they have the ability to cause a minor earthquake by stomping into the ground. The Yama-Kujira piglets, on the other hand, are blind, harmless, docile and do not have tusks. May charge ineffectively to practice their skills and are strong enough to knock a person over. They enjoy fruit, nuts and milk.
WEAKNESS: They are virtually blind and rely on their smell/hearing, so taking those senses out will disorientate them. Otherwise weak to being flipped over and has a soft underbelly. Getting their tusks trapped in something will temporarily immobilize them as well.
EXTRA NOTES: Eats primarily vegetation and local wildlife but the adults will kill anything that moves.
█ █ █ MISSION OBJECTIVE:
✖ Eliminate all adult Yama-Kujira within the area.
✖ Lure in and capture infants to surrender to LILITH.
✖ Bring back Yama-Kujira specimens, alive or dead.
✖ Scavenge for useful technology or supplies from around Kyoto and the Kyoto base.
█ █ █ ATTACHED PHOTO:
▶ 005. MAID DAY.
While Outsiders test out the portal technology and the engineers make adjustments to make traveling more stable, the administrators will announce they’ve touched base with other organizations around the world and have begun to process travel documents for everyone.
In the meantime, they will have to help do paperwork which includes repeatedly confirming details like their birthdays, hair color, age, blood types, and so on. They will have to fill out multiple forms again and again for administration, insurance, and passport reasons, as well as reasons that just don’t make sense. The paperwork is endless and it’s a lot to keep track of but everything is due on May 10th. To make matters worse, there is the longest line at the immigration office that does not seem to be moving at all. For some reason, paperwork submission needs to be done in person, even with all the advances in technology.
On the day of the deadline, something bizarre happens. Those with style upgrades should be familiar with LILITH’s state-of-the-art clothing-changing technology. On May 10th, nanobots will engulf some Outsiders and overwrite their clothing, forcing them into a maid outfit (or butler outfit, depending on player preference). Seok Dang’s back from his suspension (is that why he’s been so quiet and nobody has seen him around base?), and he was given the task to encourage all the Outsiders to finish their paperwork.
Outsiders will find themselves dressed in maid costumes until everyone has completed their paperwork, so LILITH is heavily encouraging you to persuade your friends! Once everyone has submitted their paperwork, they’ll be able to uninstall the maid upgrade… but they can keep it as a gift! Those who would like to opt-out can simply have their clothing not be effected, and this prank works with those who have a style upgrade or are in their LILITH given attire (plugsuit or loungewear.)
In the meantime, they will have to help do paperwork which includes repeatedly confirming details like their birthdays, hair color, age, blood types, and so on. They will have to fill out multiple forms again and again for administration, insurance, and passport reasons, as well as reasons that just don’t make sense. The paperwork is endless and it’s a lot to keep track of but everything is due on May 10th. To make matters worse, there is the longest line at the immigration office that does not seem to be moving at all. For some reason, paperwork submission needs to be done in person, even with all the advances in technology.
On the day of the deadline, something bizarre happens. Those with style upgrades should be familiar with LILITH’s state-of-the-art clothing-changing technology. On May 10th, nanobots will engulf some Outsiders and overwrite their clothing, forcing them into a maid outfit (or butler outfit, depending on player preference). Seok Dang’s back from his suspension (is that why he’s been so quiet and nobody has seen him around base?), and he was given the task to encourage all the Outsiders to finish their paperwork.
“I’m back, baby! Daddy’s hoooome!! Did you like the frills? Enjoying them? Everyone say ‘thank you Seokdang-oppaaaaa!’. The Captain says you gotta do your paperwork, and some lazy bastards haven’t turned theirs in yet. Unless you wanna be in that cute lacy skirt forever, let’s encourage everyone to do their homework, okay? Well, if you guys decide to just stay like this forever, I ain’t complaining. It’s pretty easy on the eyes. Next time, maybe I'll put you hot kittens in some tight leather. Who knows!”
Outsiders will find themselves dressed in maid costumes until everyone has completed their paperwork, so LILITH is heavily encouraging you to persuade your friends! Once everyone has submitted their paperwork, they’ll be able to uninstall the maid upgrade… but they can keep it as a gift! Those who would like to opt-out can simply have their clothing not be effected, and this prank works with those who have a style upgrade or are in their LILITH given attire (plugsuit or loungewear.)
▶ 006. AFTERWORD.
Welcome to our fourth TDM! All TDM threads are game canon; characters who don't app will be glitched out of this world. As TDM will act as the event, existing characters are heavily encouraged to participate. We encourage this format for top levels: CHARACTER | CANON | CURRENT / NEW CHARACTER. '
There are currently 16 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
None of the prompts suit your fancy? Feel free to check out our main base and locations page and make up your own prompts!
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 May AC.
There are currently 16 available player slots. New players are welcome to use this TDM to get samples for when APPLICATIONS open.
None of the prompts suit your fancy? Feel free to check out our main base and locations page and make up your own prompts!
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 May AC.
TDM #4 BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)
1. ARRIVAL PROMPT: Newcomers arrive with ocular and brain implants and told a breakdown of the premise with an icebreaker orientation to fill out. Their first cafeteria meal is crab onigiri & ginger salad. Newcomers are placed in gray loungewear while they are being sorted into teams.
2. TOKYO DISNEYLAND CLEAN UP: Outsiders are sent back to Tokyo Disney to gather resources from the Yamadenki attack. Outsiders may wear a sanitation suit or use gloves. Some rides have residual energy should anyone want to try and take them for a spin.
3. DATAPORTAL TESTING: Resources gained from the Yamadenki creature have supplied LILITH with enough energy to use the dataportal to teleport outsiders to a former base location in Kyoto. Using the dataportal may give Outsiders limited side effects.
4. KYOTO & KAIJU: In lieu of a Simulation in Seok Dang's absence, Outsiders who teleport to Kyoto will be given the task to fight and clear out the Yama-Kujira, a boar like creature.
5. MAID DAY: Outsiders must fill out repetitive paperwork, which foreshadows travel in the future, and threatening not to will result in a forced maid outfit, courtesy of Seok Dang and his return.
▶ 002. IMPERIAL PALACE.
Hearing footsteps puts Bakugo on alert, but quickly categorizes them as human steps rather than a boar wandering the place. He rounds the corner and narrows his eyes at the other figure. Takes a second, but then recognizes him by his hair of all things.]
Oy, Topknot.
[While he's not had much interaction with Aki, he knows a fair bit about him from Denji.]
no subject
Lowering his cigarette a little, he turns his head to peer at the stranger, blowing out a soft haze of smoke. Should he not have a cigarette like this around kids? Aki doesn't really care that much, since they're outside - he was more conscious of it back in his apartment, where he'd slip out to the balcony to light up, but here in a public place it's less of an issue.
Lifting his metal hand, he waves with one sharp flex of his wrist. ]
Denji has spoken about me.
[ Either that, or Bakugo is weirdly good at putting codenames to faces. ]
no subject
Bakugo narrows his eyes upon seeing the cigarette in Aki's hand. What the fuck? That's disgusting. He's too young to be smoking and the blonde immediately shifts his path to stand upwind of the other boy. Like hell is he getting that on him. Doesn't want other people smelling it and thinking he smokes out here.]
Put that shit out.
[Doesn't mean he's not gonna comment on it. He has a record to uphold. (Well, back home... fuck it, here too!) At the moment, he's not gonna snatch it out of Aki's mouth, buuut... depends on Aki's decision going forward.]
I've seen you as well.
[Denji pointed him out in the cafeteria and he saw Aki at the onsen guy's night out. Topknot is a perfect nickname.]
no subject
Aki gives Bakugo a look, and then just... Continues to smoke his cigarette. There's a handful of people in the world who can tell him what to do, and while a lot of them happen to be here (Makima and Denji), he's not going to take commands from some random teenager. Yes, he's aware that smoking is bad for him, he'd said so before he'd started, but...
It calms him, and it reminds him of good times. Better times. ]
Do you need something from me?
[ Or are you just here to criticise his bad habits? He gets enough of that from Denji, probably. ]
no subject
But instead, Bakugo sticks his arm out and blatantly attempts to flick the cigarette out of Aki's fingers. He wasn't fucking around with that request. It's bad for you, it stinks, and he doesn't need Denji's friend getting lung cancer, on top of the other things previously listed.
If he succeeds, so much the better. If he doesn't, he's none the worse...]
They're going to be teleporting the first wave back in two hours.
[So a heads up on the time frame for exploring.]
Did you find anything here?
[Nothing "of use" would really be in the palace, but there are curiosity things to encounter.]
no subject
It's not as if his smoking matters, with how little time he has left, here and at home.
It does, at least, tug a small, amused smirk onto his face. ]
Nothing that would be useful to LILITH. Just a lot of rotting furniture and abandoned curtains.
[ Which he doubts anyone wants. ]
What about you? Any hidden gems?
no subject
One of his friends in middle school smoked and Bakugo treated him the exact same way. Bitching and all.]
Didn't think so. Bandits probably robbed this place blind over time.
[Treasure and money will motivate anyone, even with the threat of kaiju.]
I was looking for some swords, but they're either relocated, stolen, or locked in vaults.
no subject
Are there that many people living out in the wilderness? He hadn't given a lot of consideration, but now that it comes to mind, he can't ignore the thought. ]
Either that or LILITH has taken it all for themselves. It seems logical, for an organisation that appears as powerful as they are.
[ Having more swords is appealing, though he is conscious of making a certain sword-boy jealous. ]
It's a shame there's not more to see.
no subject
The idea of people living out in the wilderness never really occurred to him. Perhaps they have? But then again, most wouldn't survive and why not go to the cities that still exist? Only 30% of humanity remains after all.]
I doubt it. They wouldn't have had so much left here for use to take if they'd already picked this place clean. If anything, they lost contact with Kyoto in the process.
[There are signs of attack, of evacuation, but still plenty that was left behind. The teleportation tech had to be repaired after all too... This was likely a continuation of work that stopped a long time ago.
Ironic that said sword-boy is why Bakugo was interested in looking for swords. Jiji's "self" was in Kyoto last he said, right?]
Tch, you're not looking hard enough then.
no subject
He thinks of the Gun Devil and scowls, flicking his cigarette out of his fingers and putting it out with his heel. Bakugo accidentally wins, at least for today. ]
I wasn't really trying to find anything when I walked through before. I was just curious about how much remained.
[ He's a Japanese boy at heart, and he's never been around the Imperial Palace much, so he was just... Curious. He likes the peace and quiet, too, so that had been a win for him. It's not as if Denji was going to come and bother him in some old, abandoned building.
He watches Bakugo, curious. ]
You just want swords?
no subject
If he were more petty, he might comment on the cigarette. Nope, he'll take the silent victory, or else Aki might light up another one just to fuck with him. That'd start a fight.]
They didn't ask us to get anything from the Palace. [It just "happened" to be there. Bakugo finally turns from the wall and heads back into the building, intending to keep searching. Aki can come along if he wants.] I was gonna try and find Jiji's sword.
[If you MUST know.]
no subject
[ That has Aki's attention, and it's obvious from the shift in his body. There's only one person on the base that he has an awareness of that might relate to that, and it makes his heart pound a little bit in his chest. It's not like he's been hiding his relationship with Tsurumaru in any particularly way - not when he had stolen him away to kiss him at the onsen evening - but there's something to be said for politeness and decorum.
When he can manage it, at least, which is around most people. Just not his family.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he watches Bakugo for a moment. ]
Are you talking about Tsuru?
[ Forgetting that, perhaps, he should be using his full name and not a nickname if he's trying to be subtle. ]
I didn't realise his sword was here, if that's who you mean.
no subject
As far as Denji knows, Bakugo was curious about Aki being aware of how annoying Tsurumaru could be. Look, the guy gave himself a reputation to Bakugo and now the sword has to fucking live with it! Annoying! That's what he is. Tch.
Anyways, Tsurumaru's sword might be here, but Bakugo's not putting much bet on it.]
You know anyone else with white hair who acts like a geezer?
[Bakugo's not someone to talk about using people's full names. He doesn't even use their real names. Most people...]
He mentioned his sword was in Kyoto for a while. You coming or not?
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For now, the idea of finding Tsurumaru - if it is possible - here in Kyoto has his attention, and a little spark of motivation echoes inside of him. If he hadn't already put his cigarette out he'd be doing so now, attention turned back towards the Imperial Palace as he frowns, thoughtful. ]
No, but I haven't met everyone here.
[ Aki suddenly wants to see Tsuru. It's not as if they're ever that apart, it's not as if it's been days and days, but the notion of him being here alone... It stings somewhere deep inside of him, some old, scarred over empathy. ]
I'm coming. Let's go.
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Looking for swords is nothing more than something a hobbyist or passing interest would suggest. Ancient Japanese palace? Sure, go for the swords. Why not?
His boots grit against the occasional dirt or gravel left on the palace floor, treading on plant vines or dead leaves along the way. Is there a map of this place? Such a thing probably wouldn't be available for download, at least nothing that showed the secrets and vaults. Bakugo searches the net to see if there might be a visitor's hand guide at least. He hears Aki move behind him, obviously intending to follow before his words confirm it.]
If there was an attack, most of the artifacts would be moved to a vault or some place for safe keeping for the duration.
[That much is obvious, but the question of where the vaults are, and if they're open, is the big one. Still, nothing says they can't wander and maybe find less valuable replica?]
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It'll be something for him to talk about later, to see what Tsurumaru has to say in response.
Following after Bakugo is easy enough, and Aki lets his hands slide into the pockets of his trousers as he trails along, not sure where to begin. He did a quick look through, but he didn't see anything that seemed like it could be called a hiding place, or a secret route. Maybe he'll have to look a little harder...
Frowning, he nods his head. ]
It'd likely be below, then, or somewhere in the deep back of the Palace. I don't know my way around well, but it's possible there's a hidden door somewhere.
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Bakugo pushes his hand against one of the large doors and it swings open with some force, leading into other halls. The palace obviously had to be updated for modern times, especially if they were going to hold court and political meetings and other shit. So there are some computer terminals, electrical outlets, and the likes alongside sconces for torches and traditional desks for scribes. An interesting clash of past and present in the future.]
You wanna start breaking open walls or beating on them?
[Or they might have the entire issue resolved if they come across a gaping hole in the floor.]
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[ This would probably be easier if he still had Kon with him, and Aki feels a little bit of an ache. The other Devil Hunters still have their contracts with him, but Aki feels a little bereft without his. They'd worked together for a while, after all, and even if it was Aki's fault that the contract had been destroyed... Well, he doesn't know if he can be blamed for feeling a little depressed about it.
Walking down the halls, Aki frowns. Where do they even begin...? He could ask Tsurumaru, but he sort of wants this to be some kind of surprise. ]
I'll check the left-hand walls, and you can do the right hand. If we trail our fingers and knock, we might hear something useful.
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We should get to the center of the castle and work out from there. They're not going to keep important shit near the walls.
[That's just asking for someone to break in and steal it before the guards can get to it. Besides, with the royals in the middle, there should be a lot of hidden exits to help them get away in case of attacks. For example.
But as Aki suggests, he's heading to the right. They can at least check the walls along the way to the center. He rests his hand on the dusty walls and knocks his knuckles against it at intervals while he walks.]
You're not half-devil too, right?
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The deeper, the safer. That's logical.
[ His fingers trail along the wall as he goes, metal hand going up and down, pushing into the nooks and crannies he sees as he moves slowly. He doesn't imagine there'd be much to find here at all, but at the same time, there's no point not putting in the effort.
For Tsurumaru.
Bakugo speaks again, and Aki turns his head to glance over, frowning. ]
No. I'm a human who makes contracts with devils.
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Sometimes. Japan's known for earthquakes, remember? [Not everything was buried in the ground. Some was kept up top specifically to avoid the quakes causing a cave in and making recovery of the items impossible. Though generally Aki's right. A place like the castle would use underground bunkers most likely for its safekeeping.]
How do you make contracts with them?
[He's seen a few contractors here. Summoners actually. Ren, Raidou, Manjoume.]
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[ Yes, is what he means, he does remember. They're prone to earthquakes there, and while he doesn't remember a great deal about his childhood - he tries not to when he's forced into it - he knows there were times when they had to deal with that sort of thing. It was inevitable, before the Gun Devil came. Those memories are hazier now, locked somewhere deep inside of him.
Work is easier to talk about. ]
You ask, and you offer something in trade. The Fox Devil apparently likes handsome Devil Hunters, and he used to eat my hair and skin, for example.
[ Gross or not? He can't tell any more. ]
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(Look, the fact the Earthquake Devil hasn't been introduced by now is a bit suspicious.)A T-breaks in the halls means they have to choose to go right or left together unless they split up, so Bakugo steers them to the hall that continues towards the middle of the castle, taking the right wall again for continued tapping.]
Haa?! What kind of disgusting shit is that?! [Aki says it so casually too. That's fucked up on a whole bunch of levels.
At least there's some distraction when Aki's next tap causes the wall to give way a bit, a fragment sinking inward like a stuck door giving when it hadn't been properly shut before.]
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[ Either way, Aki won't be around to see it!
Following after Bakugo is easy enough, Aki content to be led for now, especially if it means he can focus his attention on trying to find the right direction. If he can figure out anything that might help Tsurumaru then he'd be happy, he'd be content... That would be enough for him, for this journey. It's not as if he has other emotional connection to Kyoto.
Then the wall gives way, and Aki is turning, pressing his metal hand into the fragment and frowning, beginning to push.
He's still a little in lecture mode as he goes, though. ]
The trades make you more powerful, so it's worth it.
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[What kind of turf war bullshit is that?
Bakugo pauses when he hears Aki's voice fade a bit, the telltale of someone left behind, and looks over his shoulder to see the guy pushing at the wall. Fuck, finally. He twists around to return there as the panel behind Aki's hand begins to drag and scrape backwards. It certainly looks like a secret compartment, leading into a tunnel that would required stooping a bit to get through. Probably a servant's passage to enable easy access from one area to the next.]
And humans are just casualties in the way.
[He reaches over Aki's shoulder to push at the wall closer to the hinges, causing it to grind backwards further and slide into the nook in the wall.]
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