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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.
no subject
[Well, he says that, but anyone who knows Bakugo knows his death threads and agreements to fatal violence would end up with... no death. He's a hero after all. But beating the ever-living shit out of someone and blowing them through five walls or more? Yeah, that's a result that can happen. What's that saying? You'd be surprised what you can live through.
Good news is for both of them, most Outsiders aren't gunning to hurt each other and Denji's strong enough to handle himself in most fights. Emotionally, however... someone could try to fuck him up, but Bakugo can't think of anyone who would from those he knows.
He breaks from the thought when Aki stumbles and reaches out to catch a hand on his ribs to steady him. Yeah, pretend all you want; he saw that.]
You two used to live together, didn't you. [There's a slight mental glance aside when Aki says Denji is the most important person in his life. Well fuck...]
no subject
He's held back in the past, but he's killed his fair share of Devils. He's known for his insanity, for the way he has a few screws loose, the way he's doggedly determined, but does that translate to actually killing people...? For Denji, maybe. He's done a lot of awful things in his life, not even stopping himself from torturing people, kicking the shit out of Denji himself when they'd first met, spitting on him...
But now... ]
Makima-san placed him with me when he joined our division, yes.
[ But it's more than that, isn't it? Aki sighs, slipping through the tunnel and twisting around what seems like a small bend. Weird. He appreciates Bakugo catching him, at least, and gives him a nod. ]
I was taking care of him since then.
[ How much has Denji told this guy...? ]
no subject
Though that doesn't mean he's going to stop said ally from punching their face in or something called for. Like what Bakugo wanted to do with those assholes at the immigration center before he got pissed off enough to blow up the ground floor. Yeah, that was kind of a whoopsie, buuut... he has a legit excuse.
No one died. Not even the person Bakugo exploded at. Damn. What a fucking shame.]
Ch, so you were roommates. And you still couldn't get him to pick up the damn floor?
[He's seen Denji's room, Aki. Come on, impart some fucking manners and cleaning skills! As for the past, no, Denji has not told Bakugo much of his history. Something about that name, Makima, brings up a red flag and he deliberately does not ask about the person.]
no subject
[ Taking a wobbly step down, frowning at the appearance of a small staircase, Aki sighs. This isn't where he thought today was going to go, but here they are now. ]
He couldn't cook properly when we met, so bad that the first time he cooked for me, it made me vomit. It was disgusting. But I know he's been forced to get better, and I'm proud of him for that.
[ It's not as if he was around for much longer after that. If he had been able to spend more time with Denji, he might have been able to teach him more... He could've taught him more meals, how to make more cute bentos, how to keep a house clean, how to do chores in an order that made sense... Maybe he shouldn't have been so content to do chores for him.
Shaking his head, he pushes forward until they get to a blocked wall - probably another door, and he shoves his shoulder against it. ]
I'm tidying his room now anyway, since I spend my time there. I'll teach him.
no subject
[Yeah, Denji hasn't revealed a lot to him. Bakugo hasn't pried either, so it's been a moot point between them. Someone with a bad past probably didn't want to dump all that baggage out on a person they were getting to know... without the baggage. Bakugo can't blame him for that. Plus he's never been someone to ask about other's feelings or pasts unless he was really invested in them. And Denji is... someone he's invested in a lot to the point of knowing it's not a fun topic.]
Aa. He can cook well enough now. [Enough to cook for Bakugo and get the hero's approval. They've cooked together a few times, with Denji learning something new each time. But teaching him to clean up his room has not been among those kinds of lessons. Though, considering Denji invited him to sleepover once... Bakugo's seen his room and now that's An Issue.
The wall's not moving. Considering they had to move a piece of furniture out of the way of this tunnel, odds are.., same thing out there. Bakugo gives Aki two tries before grousing at him to move aside.]
Teach him faster. I saw the state of it. Now cover your ears.
[And once he does... BOOM!!]
no subject
[ Aki moves, lifting his hands to cover his ears as the wall goes boom, and he thinks.
He's been staying with Denji almost since the moment he arrived, sleeping in a spare cot or sharing the bed with him. He hadn't thought about the possibility of him getting close to someone else, the idea that he might want to have people over, that he might want to explore things, moving beyond his obsession with breasts. There's a strange, tugging feeling in his heart, the sort that makes him feel... Sour, somehow.
Is he getting in the way?
Denji had mourned his death, even if he hadn't exactly moved on, and Aki being back had caused him pain. Thus far, he's been living his life in the way of someone who knows their life is over and has little meaning, do what he wants, with Denji's approval - Denji seemed to like him spending time with Tsurumaru, spending time with other people, as long as he stayed away from Makima. If his company is doing something to flatten Denji's own happiness...
Lowering his hands, he slips through the now open door into what looks like a dressing room, either for the servants to use or with a secret passage to the kitchen so that food can be delivered swiftly to guests. Either way, it's something new to explore.
Stepping around, Aki sighs softly. ]
I'll work on it, but I'm not his mother.
[ But... He kind of is. There's no denying it. ]
no subject
Unaware that he ticked the dreaded clock of doubt in Aki's mind, Bakugo follows him out of the passageway and stands up. He eyes the room, once again already cleaned out of anything valuable, though there are some pieces of furniture that sit against the walls. He pulls one arm across his chest, stretching his shoulder and popping it slightly. Aki can ask Denji what he feels about that, but considering how things are going, it's not really a problem.
One thing he does know that's true is-]
You help him.
[Bakugo can tell the mixture of happy contentment and weighty protection that Denji feels towards being with the other boy. He knows there's a lot of guilt there too, pain that Denji feels towards Aki that manifests in the desire to protect him and keep him close by. But at the same time, the proximity hurts him... It's not something Bakugo's commented on, because he knows it's a black and white facet. To keep it hurts, but to remove it would possibly hurt even more.
The devil you know versus the devil you don't.]
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He wouldn't say he's been putting on a carefree attitude towards Denji, or that he has been that kind of relaxed around him, conscious of the pain and suffering, but at the same time... They've been taking it easy. Aki doesn't want to prod and poke at old wounds, no matter how good Denji is at handling it, because that's not what he wants his company to be to Denji.
There are a few dressers, and he begins to poke his way through them, as if a sword would be randomly hidden here. ]
I try my best to help him, where I can.
[ Whatever that might mean.
Cooking for him, being at his side, holding him in the night, finding happiness, because that's what Denji wants from him... All the kinds of things that Aki can try and do now.
His life continues to tick, tick, tick away. ]
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There are some items in the dressers, though a sword or a blade, no. Bakugo leans against the wall to scroll through the map in his mind, then moves over to the table and projects it across the surface.]
He cares a lot about you.
[Bakugo want to believe that's for the best, but the guilt Denji feels doesn't help that notion. Not until the other boy forgives himself for whatever happened. He figures Aki doesn't know whatever happened, and Bakugo wouldn't ask either way.]
You're his best friend.
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His best friend.
His hands clench around nothing, and he shakes his head. Is it like that, really? Power was always his best friend - they always got along better - and while Aki is well aware of the importance of their relationship... Is that how it is? He's never really said to Denji the level of comfort he finds with him, how much he likes him, cares about him, so... ]
I care about him as well.
[ Another swallow. Ack. ]
I don't know if I'm his best friend, but he's my family.
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The way Denji talks about Aki and what he says about him give Bakugo the feeling "best friend" is what Denji considers the swordsman. He questioned the half-devil at one point about their relationship back home, though only out of curiosity since he'd just learned Denji was rooming with Aki back then too. But... despite the issues between them at the end... yeah.]
Those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive.
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[ ... Since he's been gone.
It's been many months since Aki died, since he was ripped away in the cruellest way - the Future had shown him that, so he knew, before Denji dropped the bombshell on him - and in that time Denji has grown up a lot. He cooks, he cleans, he finds what happiness he can, he pushes forward, but he hurts, too. There's some pain in there that Aki can't understand or touch, and it makes him feel a little guilty, in a way he can't explain.
He wants to take care of Denji - he wants to be there for him, to stroke his hair when he cries and sit beside him when he's laughing. He wants to be the one that Denji can rely on, but right now Denji just wants to protect him, instead. Aki wants to keep being the person that Denji turns to for help, but that's not his role any more. It feels a little pathetic, to think that he's lost that part of his life because of his own demise, but there's nothing he can do about it other than keep being at his friend's side.
If he can give Denji even a fraction of the happiness that Denji had given him...
The privacy is definitely needed now as he sticks his face into a wardrobe. ]
I'm probably more of a nag to him.
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[Bakugo's only been around Denji and this is his thought. He's never met Power and Denji doesn't really talk about his past and the other people in his life that much. But what he's seen and heard of Aki through Denji, it's hard to think the guy was closer to anyone else. But the pain in Denji's life isn't going away either. Bakugo can't fathom to explain it with the little he knows. Someone like that who's suffered in his life without much in the way of stability to grasp onto...
Fuck it. Bakugo can control what he can control in his own life and he's going to make sure he's never listed among the failures that have made up Denji's past relationships. No betrayal. No lies. No abuse. No leaving. What Denji sees, Denji gets. Aki's desires for Denji are something he really should communicate with the other boy. Denji's not some helpless kid to be pandered to and pampered, even though the guy can certainly be a pillow queen for wanting that. He doubts Denji will turn down Aki's help and care for him. The guy likes positive attention. It's just... figuring out how to bridge the painful barrier between the two boys.
And that's not Bakugo's job.]
He needs to get fucking nagged.
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[ Though... Aki is definitely taking it on board. He knows that he can definitely take care of Denji, also knows that he can probably be a little more determined about encouraging him to do other things, too, but... There's a softness to him that comes from the emotional side of things, the fact that he doesn't want to make Denji sad. He doesn't want to make things that difficult, when he's caused Denji enough pain.
Stepping away from the wardrobe, he sighs a little. ]
I don't think we're going to find anything useful in here, let alone anything for Tsuru.
[ Aki is invested in that... His... Well. Person. Whether they're dating or 'together' or not is another matter entirely. ]
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[Bakugo nags a lot of people. He won't call it that at least. Aki will have to work things out with Denji to find out if the other boy considers his presence an encouragement or a limitation. He thinks it's more the former than the latter, despite the guilt that Denji feels over his friend. Maybe it's something like Bakugo and Midoriya... He'll never get over the abuse he heaped on his childhood friend all those years, but Bakugo's not letting that guilt divide them now. Something he'll have to deal with internally forever, but never letting it drown him.]
Not in this room.
[Bakugo gestures to the map he has on the table, the projection a greenish hue with a few orange highlights, since that's Bakugo's choice color scheme if black's not involved.]
Here's the center of the palace. We should get to the roof and see if there's a way in from there.
[Wandering the halls will just get them lost.]
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He should've probed Tsurumaru more about the situation with Kyoto, but he knows that might have just caused problems in the long run, so he had let it go: Tsuru isn't the kind of person that takes being peppered with questions that well, so he had let it slip from his fingers. It's something he can ask him later, Aki thinks, tucking the thought away into the back of his mind.
At least the map helps.
Nodding, he looks around, arms crossed. ]
Do you think we should walk through, or climb up the side?
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Climb up. [Bakugo puts a marker on the map, then shuts it off and heads for the nearest window. Might take a few rooms to get to it... tch, he brings the map back out to track their progress.] There. See if that one will open.
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Following after Bakugo, he peeks for a moment before he reaches out and starts to push the window, to try and get it open as quickly as he can. He's a little stressed, being in such a quiet place - the last time he was trapped somewhere like this he almost died. ]
Have you known him long? Tsuru.
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Since the start. He was in the same first arrivals.
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That long. And you're still friends with him?
[ Tsuru is endearingly annoying, and Bakugo seems the type to not tolerate that. ]
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What!? We're not friends! He's fucking exasperating on purpose! [Then again, Bakugo won't admit to being friends with anyone, even if he is. Well, there are a scant few people he might growl about but not outright reject...]
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[ Aki, unfortunately, sort-of likes it, because he gets special privileges...
Slowly, he begins to try and make his way up, relying on the Future to help guide his hand. ]
He probably cares about you, if he does that.
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[Granted he hasn't blasted Tsusumaru yet, but he's certainly threatened to very closely... Bakugo abruptly shoves his arm under Aki's, grips him hard around the opposite side with his hand on his ribs, and then blasts them both upward. The palace walls fly past them and suddenly vanish as the pair peak past the roof. Perfectly timed arch to land on their feet without an issue. Bakugo lets Aki go and checks their location on the map again.]
We don't have all fucking day.
[Normally Bakugo doesn't treat people differently due to disability, trusting them to power through if they're determined. He respects those who continue to work in spite of their limitations, even if some people can find that respect hard won depending on the limitations.
But in this case... they have a time limit.]
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A warning would have been nice.
[ Jerk.
And then he tilts his head. ]
Don't think about hurting him.
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[The tiled roof grits and clicks under his feet as he walks across it, projecting the map of the place in front of them. At best they have an aerial view to go by, so he has to track their position with a marker. Simultaneously, Bakugo's looking for damage or holes in the roof. The further towards the center of the palace, the less easy access points to the interior. That's basic security.]
Don't order me around.
[And way too late on that. He's already threatened Tsurumaru plenty of times. Hurt him? ... Not really any more than Bakugo's hurt other people he threatens.]