June | Event: Terror in Tokyo

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Terror in Tokyo↲ OOC Plotting

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Life has been good for the refugees. While things may be strange at times, and the culture shock has no doubt taken some time to wear off, for the most part, Nippon has taken its vow to save them very seriously. New refugees are coming in every day, and research is on-going for how to fix the time loops that broke their worlds in the first place. Generally speaking, most citizens think very highly on the refugees, considering them both fascinating, and to some, heroic. Some are even welcome to the idea of allowing refugees to become permanent residents, if they so desire.

But not everyone feels the same way.

And as the refugees are about to learn, for all that Nippon has been able to rescue them from the cruel fate of being trapped in an endless time loop, when it comes to protecting them from threats within Nippon itself, they're woefully unprepared for the task. After all, for all that Gaia may be in the midst of an unprecedented era of peace, not everyone is on-board with maintaining such a status quo.

Blocked Party

In a show of gratitude towards the refugees, a wealthy benefactor has sponsored a week-long block party in their honor in the Kabukicho neighborhood of Shinjuku, starting on the 15th. Dozens of stalls offering festival food and games can be found lining the streets, along with every bar and restaurant giving exclusive deals and special drinks inspired by the refugees themselves.

No one seems to know who the benefactor is, but they claim to be the head of a wealthy family from the West, and they certainly have the Yen to back that up. The locals have chosen to take it as both a promising business opportunity, and a good way to give back to the refugees who saved their city back in March.

And of course, for the refugees themselves-- who doesn't want to go a week-long party dedicated all to them?

A Wild Week Shinjuku, Tokyo
While the party claims to last the week, most events are happening later at night, perhaps given the nature of the Kabukicho neighborhood. One bar is offering free drinks to refugees, while another is holding a drinking contest in which the winner goes home with ¥100,000! Just try not to get sick, or you'll quickly be disqualified.

To accommodate all this revelry, a number of love hotels are offering a free overnight stay to all refugees in groups of two or more. While many of these rooms are simple or slightly fancy hotel rooms, others are more stylized, or contain specific themes. One includes a small classroom and school uniforms, another has large glass windows looking into another room, and another has a bed shaped like a giant cup of instant noodles. Why? Look, don't ask questions. The room is free, right?

Of course, they're also pumping out aphro-incense into the streets. So characters should be careful if they walk by, or they might just find themselves inviting the first stranger they see to stay the night with them.

But perhaps the biggest draw to the party is a secret of supply of uki-laced snacks being distributed by the handful. The snacks are unlabeled, though anyone who has tasted uki will recognize the mildly sweet flavor it adds to anything it's cooked into. Unlike the West, where uki has long been considered a staple in Yokai culture, selling Uki without a license is illegal in the East, and such licenses are difficult to obtain due to strict trade agreements regarding the import of Uki from the West. But surely there's nothing wrong with indulging a little, right? After all, how many refugees actually know about that?

Seems Sus Shinjuku, Tokyo
As the partying continues, strange rumors begin to circulate around Tokyo. It seems some refugees attended the block party and never came home. While some brush it off as them simply getting too drunk and stumbling into a love hotel for the night given the free stays being offered, for some who have gone missing, it's notably out of character. And by the 17th, many businesses start to grow suspicious of the ever escalating going-ons, and begin hiring samurai from the Hanzaki Clan to keep the peace and investigate the disappearances.

At first, things seem to be running smoothly. But on the night of the 18th, things quickly turn south as a group of nearly twenty people abruptly disappears in the middle of a crowded street. Chaos ensues as the crowd begins to panic, while others storm participating businesses demanding answers. Overwhelmed, the Hanzaki are forced to call in the Samurai Guard, who begin making arrests.

But for some reason, refugees in particular seem to be be taken into custody to a higher degree than locals. The Samurai aren't forceful, but if asked, will simply say this is for their own good, before using powerful magi-tech to teleport refugees behind bars at the nearest jail one by one. No one seems to know what's going on, and it'll be a few hours before those taken into custody are given a proper explanation as to why. But by the next morning, it becomes known that over a hundred refugees have been reported missing, with the NRL confirming that none of those on the list have left Nippon.

But if that's the case, then just where did they all go?

Hostage Heist

In the midst of the reverie and celebrations, something sinister is afoot. Suddenly, and without warning, time stops. But only a few seem capable of noticing. Unable to move, or even breathe, their eyes remain seeing, yet they cannot look around. They won't see whose footsteps echo louder than anything they've ever heard before, as even the air around them become still and stagnant. A clawed hand draws over their eyes, and from behind, a raspy voice snarls in their ear.

"It's your turn."

And with that, they're moving. Time is yet still, and they remain incapable of controlling their body-- but they're moving. Like a puppet on strings, limbs bending in painful and unnatural ways, they're walked backwards towards a steamcar, the trunk popped open-- and as the cacophony of the party around them pours into their ears as time once more starts to move, everything goes dark.

Warning: These prompts contain darker than usual themes, including kidnapping, torture, human trafficking, and dubious consent. You are welcome to ignore any aspects of this event that you are uncomfortable playing.

Welcome to Hell ???, Tokyo
When the refugees awaken, they'll find themselves in one of a dozen possible locations, surrounded by a handful of other refugees, and seemingly no one else around -- but also, no way of escaping. There are no visible guards, and each refugee has been marked with a strange tattoo of two bold black lines circling their forearm: a curse mark, preventing them from using any supernatural abilities. Some may even find they've been horribly injured at some point before waking up, but due to the nature of the magic used against them, these injuries won't heal so long as they're trapped.

Most are simply left in a room, with only just enough room for everyone to sit, but not lay down. It's very hot, and only one faucet exists in the whole room to drink from, with no food. Their possessions will be missing, and any attempt at using powers beyond baseline human will cause them to freeze in place, their body contorting until they're been forced to the ground as if someone else were controlling them. While no one ever comes to torment them, they don't have to. Between the crying of fellow refugees and the hunger that's sure to set in, it'll be far from a relaxing experience. Mercifully, those kept in these confinements will be freed within three days.

Of course, not everyone will be so lucky. Far beneath the streets of Tokyo lay the ruins of numerous tunnel systems, long since abandoned even by the ground-dwelling people of Shitaya. Known by the locals as Jigoku, they've been used for smuggling contraband from Yokohama, and at times, makeshift tombs. And for select groups of refugees, the latter is where they'll be placed. They wake up in a long stone tunnel, sealed at both ends and only a single open pathway leading straight up, just wide enough for a single person to fit through. And even that's assuming they can see it, as this area will be left completely dark. Only when food is dropped down from above will they catch a glimmer of light overhead, with a steel trap door some 50 ft up. But considering the floor of the tunnel is covered in old charred bones, maybe they're better off not being able to see it. For these refugees, freedom won't come until after a full week in captivity, unless they find a means of escaping.

But perhaps the worst will be those hidden in plain sight. These refugees will wake up in a daze, finding themselves wearing unfamiliar clothing in an unfamiliar bar. Powerful hypnotic spells of persuasion keep them from leaving, or even attempting to call for help, no matter how much they may want to. Friend and foe blur together, and it becomes impossible to tell who in the bar is their enemy and who is their ally. These refugees will find themselves very susceptible to suggestion, doing anything they're asked, whether they want to or not. They may not even realize they're in a host club, being treated as regular employees by the staff and patrons alike. But what's real, and what's simply a result of the hypnotism? They may have trouble figuring that out. These refugees will be unable to escape, and may even attempt to fight off their rescuers.

Unfriendly Fire ???, Tokyo
But perhaps the greatest danger to those captured are their fellow refugees. There are thousands in Nippon, from all sorts of worlds -- and not all of them have the best interests of their fellow men at heart. In one of the crowded rooms, a very large reptile-like refugee suddenly attacks one of people around him, biting off their arm in a fit of hunger. Chaos quickly erupts as those in the room struggle to flee, but have no where to go, save for trampling one another. They'll need to take the lizardman down quickly if they want to return order to the room, which is easier said than done without their abilities.

In the host clubs of Kabukicho, some refugees are more lucid than others, and use this to their full advantage to ensure their own safety. Rather than take any customers themselves, they order other refugees around, in some cases preventing them from having even a moments rest. While it could be argued that some are only doing so out of desperation, some are certainly enjoying it more than others. The fact that some of these host clubs are functionally brothels makes the potential here much, much worse.

And in some cases, it may become clear that some among the captured refugees are actually their captors, disguised so as to catch them off guard in the event Tokyo fails to uphold their end of the deal. Nowhere is this most apparent as in Jigoku, as those capable of seeing in the dark may catch the mole sending messages, or even using their puppeteering against those trying to escape. More eerie still, some simply sit in the corner, never letting the others know that they're even there at all.

Fight for Freedom

Hardly a full day passes before the news of the kidnapping sweeps through the city. Within hours, the ones behind the block party are quickly revealed to be the very Yakuza group from Osaka who had high bounties placed on their arrest, known as the Puppeteers. After a number of bounties were claimed by the refugees, the group saw an opportunity, and sent a letter to the press announcing that they'll kill every single one of the kidnapped refugees if their members aren't released within a week. And clearly this group is nothing to sneeze at -- as the number of kidnappees is purported to be in the hundreds.

The Samurai guard are quick to figure out that there's no way over a hundred people are being kept in one place. And with their numbers stretched thin, they turn to the remaining refugees for help, offering them anything they need to carry out the job, including a set of the very same magic-resistant magi-tech armor they wear everyday.

But finding the refugees won't be easy. While some are easily sniffed out following tips and clues from locals in the Kabukicho neighborhood, others have been moved much further. Those offering man-power will be given specific locations to infiltrate, while those with the skills necessary to seek out the captive refugees will be put to the task of finding them out on their own. Will their power be enough?

A Messy Victory Shinjuku, Tokyo
Finding them won't be easy. Those being kept in small rooms are simply being held in the top floor of a number of different apartment complexes, but those in Jigoku are a different story. Not everyone knows it exists, and even if they do, it's clear that a powerful magic barrie is preventing anyone from sensing or teleporting to the captured refugees. But those who can sense magical auras may wonder why such powerful magic is suddenly coming from underground. Asking the locals in Shitaya will lead them to a very narrow network of maze-like catacombs, which could take hours to navigate. But in both cases, they won't find guards to ward off. They'll find fellow refugees, being controlled like puppets on a string, using all their strength to fight the rescuers off, all while pleading for the rescuers to save them. They'll have to take them out without killing them, while also making sure they aren't killed themselves.

But with the guards taken out, they'll need to contend with the magical barrier, powered with Sora magic. The barrier appears as a glowing wall of light, located in the catacombs, and in the hallways of the apartment buildings. These walls function as time surges, causing whoever passes through them to be affected in one of a few ways. Some may find themselves reverted to a younger age, while others may become elderly. And passing through with someone else may even cause them to switch bodies. They can be bypassed by breaking through the walls and going around them, but that might be easier said than done underground.

The actual puppeteers, of course, will be right at the entrance where the captives are being held. In addition to their puppetry, they're also skilled users of all four base elements, making them powerful foes. But should they be defeated, it'll simply be a matter of leading the kidnapped refugees back to safety. However, even if the puppeteers are killed, the mysterious wall-like time surges will remain. Were they not the ones who put it there?

But what of those being hidden in plain sight? Following tips from locals, rescuers will eventually be able to find them working in a variety of host clubs, all dolled up in make up and fine clothing. But while finding them is easy enough, saving them won't be. Due to the effects of the hypnotism, they'll insist that they're safe, and that they're working at the club by choice. Others may avoid answering at all, instead flirting with their attempted-rescuers, or even trying to seduce them into one of the backrooms. Attempting to remove them by force will cause other refugees to defend them, ultimately leading to rescuers being thrown out.

If they want to rescue them, they'll have to find a way to break the hypnotic spell. And perhaps the simplest way to do so is to break it with Kizuna. Some of the refugees have witnessed Kizuna's ability to manipulate reality, though so far, no one had learned how to do this intentionally. But there are two ways to produce large amounts of it: by doing something to dramatically increase the bond between two people, or by doing something to break that bond, causing the Kizuna between them to be released. How this can be done will vary between individuals, be it a sudden love confession, or slapping someone across the face and saying you hate them. But even still, breaking the spell is just the first step, because the other hypnotized victims won't let them go so easily.

After a long week, all refugees will have been rescued by the 25th. But unfortunately, despite capturing most of the puppeteers, the identity and whereabouts of the Clawed Man with a raspy voice remain unknown.

Convalescence NRL Psychiatric Hospital, Tokyo
Even after everyone is safe and accounted for, they're not out of the woods yet. Many refugees are injured or dehydrated, while many more are clearly traumatized by the experience. And due to the curse mark tattooed on their arms, healing magic won't work on them. It takes a number of specialists from the West to finally disable the spells a few days later, but unfortunately, the tattoo itself is permanent.

Things remain chaotic for the next week, as everyone is brought to the NRL to recover -- specifically, to the NRL's psychiatric hospital, adjoined to the main building, but typically off-limits to wandering refugees. Here, makeshift beds are set up in one of the largest rooms, allowing everyone to remain together. But while it may seem like this is done simply to keep everyone in one place, the reality is a bit more grim. Despite being a massive complex, most of the hospital's rooms and facilities are already occupied, with some wards bearing curious names, such as Time Afflicted and Looping Syndrome. One ward is even labeled Refugees! But of course, all of them are off-limits.

But those truly dedicated to snooping will be able to find a way into the Refugee ward, where every patient is clearly from another world, but seems to be trapped in some sort of catatonic state. Some occasionally burst into speech, repeating the same lines of dialogue over and over, as if in the midst of a conversation. Looking at the names on the doors, they might even see a name they recognize -- but they'll be caught and ushered out before they can confirm whether the name was accurate.

In any case, most of those kidnapped will be released after a week of rest.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's June event! There's a lot to take in this month, so please read everything carefully! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• As with all events, this event is optional! Characters who choose to remain in the Western Kingdom for the duration are free to not hear about it until after everyone has been rescued.

• Only characters who explicitly possess control over Time and/or Space will be able to fight off the Clawed Man's time-freeze magic. These characters have the option of catching a glimpse of his face from afar, but will be not kidnapped, as he will abandon his attempt if seen. Unfortunately, while he looks human, his face will be covered with a mask.

• Characters who have been kidnapped have the choice of waiting for a rescue, or organizing an escape! There is no limit on the number of isolated groups, so if only two people want to plan an escape, then those two will be in their isolated location along with NPC refugees. Likewise, rescuers have the option of freeing groups of refugees using whatever means at their disposal, so long as it doesn't conflict with other player's enjoyment of the event!

• Rescuers have the option of being captured and being placed with other kidnapees before the end of the week, and failed escape attempts may result in kidnapees being moved to different areas if you would like to play with multiple settings. No characters will be held captive for more than a week.

• The tattoos may be permanent, or will fade within a month. You are free to say some of the other effects still linger, such as the power dampening or the inability to be magically healed, due to the curse being buried too deep. This can be removed by more powerful magic specialists in the Western Kingdom. Likewise, characters who were hypnotized are free to retain the effects that force them to follow orders, or make them more open to suggestion.

• The names listed in the NRL's psych ward must be characters who would qualify as auxiliary characters. While most scientists will be too busy to offer any explanations, players who redeem a 3-star Bonus AC reward can find Shizuko, who will answer any of the their questions.

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