Androgyny Event: Order vs Chaos (Escape from Club Apophis, 14)

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STORYLINE: Deep in the Neu Seoul headquarters of Monstrum, MasterGin lounged with the poise of a cat who had clawed open a birdcage only to find the prize dull. The sanctum’s grand mirrors, polished obsidian reflecting a glitchy, fragmented reality, caught him in splintered fragments—silver skin, silky cuffs, a grin rehearsed for an audience not yet assembled. The air, heavy with the scent of synthetic of oriental spice and overclocked servers, held a faint electric hum. And a neon pink glow from the bioluminescent cave garden outside pulsed erratically, casting lurid shadows that danced like phantoms across the mirrored walls.

The Ruler’s presence announced itself long before he appeared. He did not enter; he descended. A vibration crawled through the chandelier’s crystal bones, a hum that made the very air hold its breath, a digital sigh. His form materialized from a swirling vortex of shadow and shimmering code, a storm with no need for thunder. Even in tailored modern attire, the ghost of a Pharaoh clung stubbornly to him: broad shoulders draped in shadow, long golden dreadlocks arranged across one side like a polished nemes. His eyes were molten ore, terrible in their patience, with a faint, low-res static flickering deep within them.

Gin, ever the performer, adjusted his hair in one sweep and arranged himself into his most provocative silhouette, defiant mischief lacquered onto every angle.

“You disappoint me, Lucien.”

He did not raise his voice, yet the velvet syllables dragged centuries of command behind them, a resonant echo that vibrated deep in Gin's bones.

“Your unauthorized indulgence risks exposing us. Scandal won’t lull human curiosity, -- it will sharpen it.”

Gin flicked invisible dust from his shoulder with a hand too languid, too deliberate. The pout that followed was operatic, designed for drama, but for a split second, the performance dropped. The muscles in his jaw tightened, a flash of something hard and bitter crossing his features before it vanished.

“You could have ordered him into obedience,” the Ruler said at last, his shadow lengthening until it coiled like a leash. “Instead, you left him raw. Exposed.”

“One doesn’t break a spirited horse, Darling. Let it choose the bridle of its own volition. I’m an artist, not a butcher.”

The Ruler’s silence stretched. It pressed against the room, against Gin’s skin, as if a blade hovered just above the vein. The air grew perceptibly colder, the electric hum from the walls dipping to a near-silent thrum.

Gin’s grin faltered, then reassembled itself in defiance. He met the Ruler’s gaze.

“You will apologize.” The Ruler’s words dropped like iron, and his breath, when it came, felt hot and arid as a desert wind.

Gin blinked, his lashes fluttering. “To Jihoon? He should apologize to me for refusing my devotion. I gave him—”

“No.” The Ruler’s lips curved, cruel and amused. “To the President of the United States.”

For one heartbeat, even Gin had no script. His perfect posture broke, his back arching slightly in shock. Then he let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a cough. “Oh. …ah… that little… misunderstanding.”

“You threatened to melt his face off. On live satellite stream.”

“Darling!” Gin gasped, spreading his hands like a martyr. “It was metaphor. Performance art. Americans are so literal.”

The Ruler did not blink. “You will apologize.”

Gin collapsed backward into the velvet couch with mock despair, the bio-fibers of the couch shifting to accommodate his weight. He draped an arm across his eyes. “What a ghastly punishment. To abase myself before that decrepit man. Very well—if I must. But I’ll do it on my terms. A gala. Lights, cameras, an audience worth my humiliation. My apology will be spectacular.”

The Ruler stepped closer, and the air chilled. His gold eyes burned like twin suns sinking into an eclipse. “Don’t mistake indulgence for mercy. Your leash is mine. Pull once more against it, and you will choke.”

Gin’s smile remained, but the set of his jaw revealed steel beneath the glamour. He rose slowly, sweeping his silver locks from his shoulders in a practiced cascade.

The Ruler’s voice followed, low and commanding, his voice a disembodied whisper as if from a thousand miles away: “Get your equipment. You are keeping your appointment and apologizing if I have to drag you by the hair myself.”

“As you command,” Gin murmured, bowing low.

The Ruler’s hand rested briefly on Gin’s shoulder. It felt cold and unyielding as stone, yet the weight of it was strangely familiar, a chilling point of contact that felt less like a touch and more like a brand. It was the same touch that had once pulled Gin from mortality and into a new life of eternal servitude and shared dominion. For a moment, a memory flickered between them—of a promise made in blood and a bond forged in centuries of shared secrets. The Ruler gestured toward the doors. Together, they left the sanctum, a storm of elegance and menace, bound for a world unready for their theatrics.



This image was inspired by the Lanneah dress, Marilyn Monroes's "Happy Birthday Mr President" and details from this week's chapter in the ongoing Apophis series. It was a very challenging chapter and image concept. The setting was built from scratch, even the Washington Monument! But enough about the behind the scenes, here are some details of the cool items shown....

Over at Sabbath is the another luxurious sexywear outfit by YUEBIN for men and women, with panty options. The deep scoop neckline is very cool, and there is scoop in the back too! Double the cool.   (BONUS Scoop: There is wonderful PBR limited edition gift version of this outfit in the Enchantment Nevermore Hunt. Hunt the YUEBIN store for the raven to find the gift.) ...Over at Androgyny Event ending soon, are Cult's must have pair for boots for fashionably daring men, the Lanneah boots. It includes fits for female avatars too of course.   ...From Trap is the adorable Doll Collectable. You just pick the hair style you want with the outfit you want, and buy it. You can buy additional eyes. And there is a free developer pack to make your own textures too. Its mod, so I added  to the little fellow a little shine effect and a Jihoon's trademark teal shirt. The doll comes with 6 doll poses, a hud to change the eye art, and they each trigger an avatar hold pose for the doll. Very fun!   ...From Yummy is great glam goth jewelry set for men! I used the Gianni fit for Legacy Male with no trouble. I love this exists, now I want a PBR version.   ...The stole I picked up on the last weekend sale at Dernier, perfect timing.   ...The  nylon bodysuit by Bas de Laura Store looks simple, but close up its very detailed with texture and well placed steams like nylons. Love it.  ... I am forever searching for the perfect Sakura. In this post are some of the best yet, the LOVE Cherry trees and the very detailed TC Wild Gnarly Sakura.  The detailed one has a large land impact, so use as a statement piece instead of landscape.   ...The Tame hair by BonBon has a bit of a modern update to the Marilyn style hair.   ...I looked for the perfect bar stool and found a nice one by Dogma that was also mod! So could change it up with PBR textures that suit the scene.   ....The sidewalks come from the Make a Mark Japanese Sakura River site model2, and I added the led lights to cyberpunk it up, and created the Washington Monument with simple prims.

On Him MasterGin:

Boots: CULT Lanneah, Legacy Male [mesh](Androgyny Event)(369L)

Dress: YUEBIN Luminara dress and panty, Legacy male, white [mesh](Sabbath)(350L)

Jihoon Doll: Trap Doll collectable [mesh](Androgyny Event)(199L)

Jewelry: Yummy Blood & Prayer Set - Linked Earrings, Necklace, male (395L)

Hair: bonbon tame hair, naturals[mesh][mesh](439L)

Fur: Dernier Endrit Fur Stole, White [mesh]

Bodysuit: Bas de Laura Store Laura's White Sheer Bodystocking with Long Sleeves [BOM](150L)

Makeup: DeeTaleZ Glitter Eyes, and cheeks, Silver, EvoX [BOM](gift)

Head: LeLUTKA CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: *{( konpeitou )}* mermaid  (slight pose edit)

Setting:

Sakura: Tsunami Creations Ultimate Japanese Wild Gnarly Sakura Tree w. animations [mesh](200L)

Sakura: LOVE Cherry Blossom Tree pack [mesh](499L)

Stool: Dogma Letona Bar Stool Black [mesh](90L)

Sidewalk: MAke a MArk Japanese Sakura River site (model 02) [mesh](249L)

Water: MBC Realistic PBR Water [mesh](250L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky 

 

CYBER FAIR is coming September 2 - 22

CYBER FAIR is coming September 2 - 22

For More information go to: https://www.access-sl.com/cyberfair

Midnight Order: The Hunt (Escape from Club Apophis, 13)

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STORYLINE: The humid air in Lisa Liemawr's apartment smelled of desperation and two-day-old noodles. She didn't have the energy to fight the funk, only to shove the carton toward Happy, the DinoDog chomping with a gusto that made the sad leftovers sound like gourmet. Loyal bio-constructs like DinoDog don’t complain. Her own complaints were scattered across the room, a silent collection of failures.

By the window, the light snagged on a frame: a hospital snapshot. A girl bandaged in gauze, bruises blooming under tape. A brand-new cyborg arm, not a replacement but a monument, wired to a drip. A baby DinoDog curled in her lap. That girl's fearless grin wasn't just a smile, it was the triumphant sneer of someone who'd just been reforged in wreckage. That girl smiled like she’d beaten the world. Lisa now… wore a different smile. The kind you put on so no one sees the cracks.

She spun her chair toward the corner, the worn casters groaning on the floorboards. Seven avatars stood in neat rows, a catacomb of her former fame. Their chrome limbs, once polished to a dazzling, poreless sheen, were now dulled. Their led lights, meant to glow like life-affirming halos, blinked like faint heart monitors. Each avatar was a flawless, dazzling version of herself, -- the face the world knew. But the real Lisa sat here, a woman with a plain face and a body that was more wire than flesh, commanding her bot army from the safety of her apartment.

Across the room, her halophone pulsed a fever-hot red. It wasn't just collection notices; it was a digital scream. Court summons, lawyers circling like vultures, all threatening the one thing she needed to survive: the power to run her army of avatars and drones. Her once-celebrated swarm was now an expensive liability, a tomb she couldn't afford to maintain.

And looking very much like a prop torn from a crime drama, was an evidence board sagging with glossy faces and glossy lies. At the center: Dr. Ginevra. White lab coat, immaculate. The miracle sculptor, promising to turn scars into perfection, disasters into pageant winners. Surrounding him, a constellation of his work: presidents with camera-ready jaws, idols with skin too flawless for pores, athletes carved like marble.

And then ...Yoon Jihoon.

On the left: a smudged “before,” a boy who looked like the air had given up noticing him. On the right: an “after” so dazzling the lens adored him. Taller, sharper, radiant with effortless charm. Kyra the cheerleader clung to him in the photo, lips pressed against his cheek while cameras gasped with delight.

And below that: Jihoon engulfed mid-combustion. A human torch, running like a stuntman through flames.

Across it all, Lisa’s hand had scrawled one word in fat red marker: SUS.

The phone buzzed. Caller ID: GIN AESTHETICA™

Lisa let it ring twice, then scooped it up. “Liemawr here. If this is about my extended warranty, you’re already too late—I expired years ago.”

“Neither of us desires this call,” came a silken, disdainful purr. The voice dripped condescension, velvet lined with razors. “So let us keep it mercifully brief. Your reach is… adequate. Let’s put it to proper use. Yoon Jihoon. Ruin him.”

Lisa’s tracer program flickered awake on instinct. A halo of code shimmered across her smart lens. She leaned back, grin tugging at her lips, a bloodhound catching scent.

“Ohhh, really? The poor guy spontaneously combusts in the middle of his debut glory, and you want me to kick him while he’s—what?—medium rare?”

“Not kick, my dear.” Gin’s tone slipped lower, decadent, theatrical. “Discredit.”

A hologram bloomed across Lisa’s vision, chasing the call.

“Expose him as a fraud. A slow, delicious public execution. You know the menu. The standard ingredients: DNA hacking, black-market augments… a perfect recipe for expulsion and ostracism. Your cheerleader accomplice can assist as an eyewitness to his shameful pursuit for fame at any cost.”

The tracer pulsed. Once. Twice. Code flared like heat-lightning across her digital vision, and for a moment, her grin faltered. The signal wasn't bouncing off some anonymous offshore server farm. The signal drove straight down, punching through the city's foundations like a nail into bone, to a place no one was supposed to be. One hundred fifty meters beneath the earth, into the festering heart of the Forbidden Zone. A place of rumor and rot, where the air itself was a whisper of plague. This wasn't arrogance; it was a declaration. Gin wasn't a surgeon, he was a god ruling an underworld. Lisa's finger flew to her console, saving the trace with a single, furious tap.

“Odd obsession, Doctor," she licked her lips, eyes narrowing. "You’re the world’s most fabulous scalpel-slinger, and you pick a broke kid as your pet project? Trademarked his body like a sneaker brand—‘Lathandro™,’ mole on the ass and all. And then, poof, up he goes in flames the moment the cameras adored him. Suspicious doesn’t even cover it.”

A pause. Then a low, rolling laugh oozed through the line, theatrical and venomous. “Truth is fragile, Miss Lisa Lies More." he chuckled, satisfied with his little joke. "Outrageous lies, however, they’re what gets you eyeballs. Now, be a darling and do as instructed, if you want the lawsuit to disappear.”

Click.

The silence was absolute. She exhaled slowly and swiveled toward the board. Jihoon’s face stared back at her through the flames.

For years, this apartment had been her command center, her sanctuary, her cocoon. The world knew the flawless Lisa, the avatar she broadcast, never the one who sat in a creaking chair. But this wasn't a game she could win from a distance. She grabbed her old visor, scarred and scratched, buckled on the belt with her forgotten blade.

Happy’s tail thumped against the wall, sensing her rising pulse.

The Forbidden Zone shimmered on the horizon, its neon bleeding red like a wound that refused to close. For the first time in years, she was going out into the field, putting the real Lisa at risk. And she was not afraid.

She patted Happy’s head, her grin wide and defiant. “Let’s go get him.”

I hope you guys are loving the ongoing story and coolness from the overwhelmingly awesome Midnight Order round, ending soon. The big feature here is the brilliant Desert Nomad avatar by Logo. They are known for thier mesh heads, but this a complete avatar and I am loving it! The head is basic, but if you own any of the Logo hud and addons you can upload those into this avatar. The shape is editable, and clothing textures have a hud or colors to pick from in a desert style palette. I hope there are more awesome compelete avatars in the future by Logo!   Adding unsettling look, is the black Mortuvia Eyes by Hellbourne.   ...How about that DinoDog! He is an adorable animesh with multiple animation built into him. You get a fatpack to change his textures, or buy a single color.   ...Lisa's weapon another gorgeous Sword by FOE. This set comes with long sword and dagger. Includes texture hud to customize its look, and has all the good stuff programed into it, not just drawing and sheathing, but many poses for the sword too.   ...The Vintage Billboard by Dirty Rat is so much fun. It has a retro vibe that works well for Fallout like wastelands as well as retro 50s Americana. It includes lighting projectors and built in reflection probe for PBR textures, but also includes a non PBR version.

On her, Lisa Liemawr:

Complete Avatar: LOGO Desert Nomad [mesh](Midnight Order)(1999L)

Weapons: FOE x Decree Dagger, Dominion Longsword & Sheath [mesh](Midnight Order)(699L)

Eyes: Hellbourne Mortuvia Eyes, White (NoPupil)[BOM](Midnight Order)(299L)

Pose: yzk mens pose 4 hero1

Setting:

Billboard: Dirty Rat Vintage Billboard w/probe [PBR][mesh](Midnight Order)(375L)

Pet: Aardvark Wyrmlings Animesh - Earth Claw [animesh](Midnight Order)(399L)

Location:

MOTHERLAND // Social Hangout + Sandbox

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky : Nomad avatar shown without helmet.

 

Midnight Order, Androgyny Event: Into The Forbidden Zone (Escape from Club Apophis, 12)

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STORYLINE: The Forbidden Zone began like a bad memory—gray where the world should be colored, silent where life should echo. Kyle crossed the perimeter and felt the city change under his feet, like stepping from dream into nightmare.

The air pressed down, thick with the smell of metal and rain on hot stone. Neon bled from somewhere far away, too faint to throw shadows. His footsteps landed too loud, the sound bouncing off skeletal buildings and vanishing mid-echo. He had adjusted to the gray. The Zone was a world drained of everything he hated about life—no bright smiles, no warm colors, just ash, rust, and silence. Even the stray dogs were muted, skulking shadows that at least had the decency to look miserable.

Half a block in, Kyle felt a creeping itch between his shoulder blades. The instinct to turn around, to run. He resisted and kept walking. Something shifted in the corner of his vision, a shadow retreating behind a cracked checkpoint booth. His stomach dropped, his pulse skittering. He blinked, and the figure was gone.

But the feeling lingered. A sense of being watched. A low hum started, a sound like a failing transformer, and a single, flickering streetlight ahead began to pulse, its halo dimming and brightening like a slow, metallic breath. He heard a scrape behind him, the whisper of something on the pavement. He spun around. Nothing. The silence deepened, pressing in.

A voice, low and clear, cut through the quiet. “Kyle Baek.”

He hadn’t seen anyone step out. He hadn’t heard so much as a footfall, but the figure was there. It was tall, black-robed, and blurred at the edges, like the night sky had been poured into a human shape. It smelled of old gunpowder and wet earth. The face was sharp and pale, the eyes an impossible amber glow.

Kyle froze, the fine hairs on his neck standing up. “Do I know you?”

“No,” the figure said. “But I know you. I am Hwan. Jeoseung Saja. Collector of souls.”

Kyle’s jaw tightened. “Right, and I’m the guy who sweeps up the city streets on weekends. Cut the mystic crap. I’m here about a friend who got hurt.”

The figure chuckled softly. "Once, I guarded this border as a soldier. Once, I failed to protect a friend, and the Ruler of the Night claimed him. My curse is to remain here, watching more fall to evil.”

Kyle’s skin prickled. “Yeah, well, I’m just here to find the bastard who—”

"I saw him," Hwan cut in.

“Saw who? The tooth fairy? Santa Claus?” Kyle’s voice dropped low, a growl, the acid of old snark bubbling back to the surface.

"Your friend," Hwan said, voice flat. "He was marked the moment he stepped into the Monstrum's domain."

Kyle gave a short, bitter laugh. “The what?”

Hwan's gaze didn't move. "The creatures that own this place. Older than empires. Cruel enough to keep playing with humanity just to see how we break."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "The government calls it a quarantine zone. Cursed. Radioactive. A biohazard wasteland. Lies… just enough truth to keep people afraid. Out there, they see a dead city. In here—"

He gestured toward the alley, where a weather-faded poster clung to a wall: a black serpent swallowing the sun, its image violently crossed out in red paint.

"—in here, it’s their city. Their market. Their hunting ground." Hwan’s eyes flicked back to Kyle, gold catching the dim light. "That symbol? The Monstrum put it there. To mark a place where their laws reign supreme. But the cross? That's mine. It's the mark of a Safe Zone I created. A place where their rules can't reach."

“I made this,” Hwan said, gesturing around the alley, colors soft and surreal unlike the black-and-white decay outside. “So others who come inside might escape. Your friend was the first to make it out. But only part of him returned.”

The words hit like a coffin lid slamming shut. For the first time since Jihoon went down, the acid in Kyle’s stomach wasn’t anger. It was something else—a strange weight tightening behind his ribs, a cold pebble settling into place. He clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white. His breath shortened, a shiver crawling up his spine. His eyes flicked to the ground, unable to meet Hwan’s steady gaze.

Hwan’s golden eyes didn’t waver. “You still have a choice. Do nothing, and watch him fade. Or take the path I failed to walk: drag him back from their terrible claws.”

“So,” Kyle said, voice steadier than he felt, “you got a map of these safe zones? Or you just gonna keep hovering like a ghost in the breeze?”

Hwan’s golden eyes narrowed, a slow smile flickering at the corners of his mouth, as if amused by something only he could see. “Maps are for the living,” he said. “In here, you’ll need something else entirely. ...Without love, you’ll lose the will to live. You’ll rot in this place forever.”

Kyle’s laugh was bitter, venom on his tongue. “Love? Don’t make me sick.”

Hwan didn’t flinch. “And yet you came. You crossed the Zone for Jihoon. Call it revenge if that helps you sleep, but revenge is only love with teeth.”

Kyle’s mouth opened, but nothing came. The silence itself felt like betrayal. He took an involuntary step back, a chill running through his bones as the truth of the statement landed.

Hwan stepped aside. “It’s too late to deny it. You’ve already chosen. Now... be guided.”

The gray mist parted like a stage curtain opening. Color bled in like an open wound. Pinks and golds bloomed where no light belonged, smelling of crushed flowers and something metallic. From it stepped Romance, Saja of Love, radiant, unbearable. His every gesture a grotesque performance of affection.

Kyle froze, face twisting with raw horror. "No. No, no, no. Not this. Anyone but this."

Romance spread his arms wide, a slow, sickening smile on his face, beckoning him in for a hug, his billion-dollar idol grin glittering like a weapon.

Kyle screamed—and ran.

Kpop Demon Hunters was a fun movie, I just had to take a stab at doing one of the Saja Boys.  Over at Midnight Order, you can get your fix of Saja with the Dope+Mercy Hanbok, trousers and gift Gat hat. The Hanbok you get in white, Saja, or black, and the fatpack has cool detailed textures. The Gat hat is unrigged and mod, with sheer and solid options so you get whatever works best for you. The pants also have a texture options. There Fatpack is where you get the Abby style leather. The boots that work with the pants can be found at the main store.   ...From HISS is the corrupted Patterns tattoos. This set is really nicely made, with many options like opacity, fade, and tint. And even cooler, each of the Saja Boys have thier own face patterns too! Nice sweet detail. Also from HISS is the Jinu makeup set with eye makeup and lip tints.  ...From RavenBell is the well timed Starlit Earrings. This are super cool! They swing and are animated! And look very Saja Romance too. So of course I had to use them. If they hud you switch the colors, turn on and off animations. Plus several different styles of earrings too. Brilliant.   ...Over at Androgyny Event, the Saja madness goes on. The Usagi Society Jin hair with the heart Bangs, was just too Saja Romance. lol I had to use that too.  I love the all the color options.   ...And to add a little more glamour to Romance, I used the Diamond Glitz Shine on thee EvoX head by !Body Expression.   ... Subject 13 has another set of fun claws, prefect fashion for the Saja! These are tintable.   ...And the only blip in my Saja Romance parade is the Baby Collar by Minuit. (I hope Romance isn't mad at me for that, lol) I wanted to emphasize the Heart on the collar for Romance, and deemphasize the lettering Baby so I made it darker. The collar itself very well made and lots of color option too!  ...Thanks for Akira and Lin for help on the setting. They let me break apart settings by ZEROICHI and K&S and recombine to create the look of the Forbidden Zone - Safe Areas.

I hope you are enjoying the continuing story... Escape from Club Apophis. The Character of Kyle is inspired by the first person I met in SL, a griefer. He was quite a character. 

On him, Saja Romance:

Coat: Dope+Mercy Saja Hanbok, LegacyM, Saja [mesh](Midnight Order)(350L)
Pants: Dope+Mercy Saja Trousers, LegacyM, Black[mesh](Midnight Order)(250L)

Hat: Dope+Mercy Saja Gat, Sheer [mesh](Midnight Order)(Gift)

Earrings: RavenBell Starlit Earrings, Moonlit [mesh](Midnight Order)(350L)
Makeup: HISS JINU MAKE EYE [BOM](Midnight Order)(200L)
Tattoos: HISS PATTERNS FACE ROMANCE - 100[BOM](Midnight Order)(250L)
Hair: Usagi Society Jin Hair, Male [mesh](Androgyny Event)(350L)
Claws: Subject 13 Plague Claws x Solstice Set, LegacyM [mesh](Androgyny Event)(275L)

Collar: {minuit} Baby Choker [Rigged M] [mesh](Androgyny Event)(499L)

Shine: !Body Expression Diamond Glitz, Legacy, EvoX  [applier](Androgyny Event)(200L)
Skin: MUDSKIN Hajimu, C, Brow, WINTER (gacha)(The Arcade)(75L)
Boots: L&B Swear Havoc Ops Boots, LegacyM, Black [mesh](499L)
Eyes: {Rue} Eyes/Grimalkin: Saffron

Head: LeLUTKA CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Del May DM Treasure (slight pose edit)

Location:
Set 1: ZEROICHI  SHINOBI STREET [mesh]
Set 2: K&S Back alley. Backdrop [mesh]
Set 3: K&S No way out. Backdrop [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky :

Midnight Order: The Dare (Escape from Club Apophis, 11)

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STORYLINE: Kyle Baek was not a pleasant person. He could find fault with a rainbow. Puppies? Overrated. Free pizza? Cardboard with marketing. If joy walked into the room, Kyle would be leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, listing the reasons joy should sit back down and shut up. He didn’t just rain on parades, he summoned a Category 5 typhoon, then complained about how wet his shoes were.

No good deed survived his snark. No sweet moment escaped his venom. Even trolls found him exhausting.

It was almost an art form.

And yet…

As much as Kyle specialized in rejecting the very concept of warmth, there was something gnawing at him. A hairline crack in the wall of his spite.

It was guilt.

Because Kyle was the one who dared Yoon Jihoon to spend a night in the Forbidden Zone. The dare had been a joke, one of those stupid schoolyard challenges meant to make you look tough in front of the guys. Go into that haunted club, Apophis, prove you’re a man.

No one who entered the Forbidden Zone came back. No one.

Except Jihoon.

Only… he wasn’t the same. Different face. Different voice. Different everything.

He didn't tell anyone he was not ok. Overnight, he went from bookworm to celebrity. How could anyone have guessed?

During the season opener, with half the school chanting his new nickname, Lathandro, the sun broke over the stadium roof. Jihoon’s skin ignited in the sick, blistering way meat flares in a microwave. By the time the fire was out, he was in a coma, wrapped in bandages, breathing through a ventilator.

Doctors muttered about “severe photothermal injury.” Rumors bloomed: black-market augments, DNA hacking, doping. No one could explain it.

But Kyle could.

Club Apophis.

And that was on him.

Just like his favorite heroes from Film Noir, he wasn’t the type to admit fault, ... self-reflection was for people with therapy budgets, so he framed it another way. Someone else had done this to Jihoon. Someone in the Zone. And that someone was going to pay.

That’s how Kyle Baek found himself standing at the rusting perimeter fence, staring into the gray murk of the Forbidden Zone.

Kyle had never been this close to the fence before.

Sure, he’d loitered near the bus stop a few blocks away, daring other idiots to go in, but that was different. You could still smell fried chicken from the corner stall out there. You could still hear people laughing.

Here, the air was still.

The chain-link perimeter stretched in both directions like it had no end, and the metal was eaten through in places by rust the color of dried blood. Government warning signs, a chaotic collage of BIOHAZARD, RADIATION, and NO TRESPASSING, were plastered over one another, all screaming the same message: Don't. Someone had spray-painted a crude skull over one of them, its grin melting down the corrugated steel.

No one actually crossed the line. No one sane. Unless something inside was already broken. 

Kyle felt the crack widen as he stepped closer.

Long hours as a campus security guard, supplementing his income, had taught him two things: how to stay awake when nothing was happening, and how to keep moving when too much was. Neither skill made stepping toward the Zone a good idea, but they made it easier.

The gap in the fence looked cut from the inside, as if whatever lived here had tried to escape.

He stood there a long moment, hands in his pockets, wind tugging at his jacket. It would have been smart to walk away. To head home, forget this place, pretend Jihoon’s face, what was left of it, didn’t come looking for him every time he shut his eyes.

Smart? Kyle had never been smart when it counted.

Instead, he told himself it was just another dare. Just another stunt to shut people up.

But there was no audience this time. No crowd waiting to see if he’d chicken out. Just the gap, the silence, and the gray beyond.

One step more, and there’d be no coming back.

Kyle smiled like a man about to do something very, very stupid.

Wooo woo. It's a new season for my ongoing story, and more coolness from this round of Midnight Order! 

From Graal is a fun, and interactive!, detective outfit. It comes with a hud to trigger drawing the gun and holstering it. I love that! There is also a pack of cigarettes for the pocket and a hanging pocket watch at the waist.   ....For extra Sylus-like strappy coolness, I added another layer of harness with the Fake Society Nate, and Gabriel leather bracer. ...From Mana are the eyes with no pupils, Jelly Eyes, dark and light eye whites, and several options to wear/apply the eyes.   ...From TRASH is the sinful Lucifer hair. Kyle is wearing the hair without the devil horns, but that is an option for each set. The horns are seamlessly shaped from the hair.   ...The setting is the brilliant Corrupted Chapel by LORE. This is such an awesome building. Beautiful outside and inside. And two options, normal and corrupted. Includes pews you can move around also. The corrupted version has red glow below the floor and thick vines growing through it. It reminded me of the Upside Down in Stranger Things. So naturally, I had to add the animesh Demadog to the scene from Vaal.   ...Also from LORE are the Confessional stalls. They have several wood texture options with door openings.

On him, Kyle Baek,

Outfit, gun: GRAAL Midnight Detective, legacyM [interactive][mesh](Midnight Order)(549L)

Hair: TRASH Lucifer w/o Horns V1 - Rainbow pack [mesh](Midnight Order)(299L)

Eyes: Mana Jelly Eyes,  Clear [BOM] (Midnight Order)(399L)

Skin: MUDSKIN Hajimu, C, Brow, WINTER(gacha)(The Arcade)(75L)

Glasses: SOLE SA, Glasses Penta CP, Black [mesh](339L)

Tentacles: Aii&Ego Forbidden Ritual Body Tentacles, M [Bento]

Bracer: Gabriel ::GB:: Leather Bracer, Legacy [mesh]

Harness: Fake Society Nate Harness, Black, LegacyM [mesh]

Shoes: Mazzaro Cicero Loafers, LegacyM [mesh](200L)

Gloves: Izzie's 03 Short Leather Gloves black [BOM]

Shine: [AURO] Ambrosian, Body FX Materials, legacy [applier]

Head: LeLUTKA CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: momomuller / 3M [3M]_jump1_1 (gun pose added)

Setting:

Church, pews: LORE Corrupted Chapel [mesh](Midnight Order)(1500L)

Confessional: LORE Old Confessional [mesh](Midnight Order)(650L)

Dog: [vaak] Animesh Demadog [animesh](299L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky :

 

Midnight Order: Escape from Club Apophis, 10

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: A dense fog curled over the stadium like a digital filter gone rogue, muting color and casting everything in a washed-out grey.

Still, the crowds came.

Fans poured in from all sides, decked out in crimson Jae Won Dragons jerseys, reactive face paint, and pulsing halo banners. One projected a flickering “GO DRAGONS!” in bold red above a kid’s head. Another shimmered with a sarcastic thumbs-down emote, aimed squarely at the freak weather.

Overhead, news drones buzzed like flies drawn to prophecy.

Then Lisa Liemawr’s voice dropkicked the stadium speakers like a pop idol crash-landing onto the PA system.

“Don’t adjust your glasses. No, your optics aren’t glitching,” she purred. “It is seriously foggy out here! Like—OMG, who ordered the haunted mansion DLC for opening day? Someone cancel the séance and bring back the sun!”

Her laughter crackled like static glitter.

“But don’t panic. Your girl Lisa is locked in with a full drone squad, so you won’t miss a single steamy second of our cyber-prince, Lathandro, making his legendary baseball debut!”

She winked into the cam drone. “This is Hexa Herald Live, your #1 source for everything scandalous, cyber-beautiful, and definitely not school-sanctioned.”

A sharp burst of static.

Then a clipped male voice: “We apologize for the unauthorized transmission. For official coverage of the Jae Won Dragons Season Opener, please connect to the Jae Won Athletic Portal.”

Cut to Lisa, already halfway up a stairwell toward the upper deck, red hair swinging as her drone hovered behind. “Okay, okay. Maybe I wasn’t technically authorized to hijack the PA system. Boo, censorship!”

She gestured behind her at the looming glass skybox, carved like a luxury mausoleum into the stadium’s upper ring.

“That, my scandal-hungry sweets, is the brand new Obsidian Lounge. Gilded ceilings. Black-tinted views. Total donor drama. And I’m getting in.”

Cut to her crouched by the matte-black door, holding up a silver device.

“I know what you’re thinking. Lisa, isn’t this wildly illegal?”

Grin.

“Only if you get caught.”

Click. The door hissed open, icy air slipping out like breath from a crypt.

“Behold. Where megadonors sip nutrient wine... and pretend to care about sports.”

She steps inside. The drone follows, revealing sterile opulence: hover chairs without a crumb in sight, temp zones, anti-UV glass, mood lighting like a Bond villain’s spa.

“Bougie much?”

No chatter. No drinks. Just rows of blank black monitors. 

Lisa’s grin falters. She shivers, rubbing her arms. “Okay, exclusive tour complete. Time to bounce before they send security.”

She spun to leave, and froze.

Where there had been an open doorway, now a thick curling fog coiled inward, slow and deliberate, seeping across the polished marble like something alive.

Her Cam Bot whirred, zooming ahead, just before static fuzzed the lens.

The tall figure stepped from the fog like royalty arriving late on purpose. His heels clicked with absolute disdain. A cape of white trailed behind him like smoke. He paused on the marble threshold, lifted his gloved hand, and slid his sunglasses up just enough to hide the faint, unnatural glow beneath.

Lisa’s eyes widened. Her camera bot hovered uncertainly beside her, still streaming.

She forced her signature grin. “Okay, Dragonlets, plot twist! We have a surprise cameo from none other than Dr. Lucien Ginerva, founder of GIN AESTHETICA™, biotech visionary, and the megadonor behind this gorgeously extra Obsidian Lounge! Aaaand I definitely did not break in to get here.”

She gave a theatrical shrug, trying to keep it light. “So, what do you think, Doc? Worth the donation?”

MasterGin's smile was elegant and rehearsed, yet somehow colder than the fog curling around his boots. "Functional. Though the security is appallingly thin."

Her laugh flickered, high, hollow, and a little too loud. “Haha, classic rich-guy shade. Sooo... you here to catch your golden boy’s debut? Lathandro’s big moment?”

He turned slowly, savoring the question like a fine wine. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he purred. Then his smile thinned. “We need to speak privately.”

He pivoted with surgical grace, navy leather gloves catching the light, each fingertip tipped in gleaming gold. As he flexed his hand, a visible arc of electricity jumped claw to claw.

The first thing to die was Lisa’s cam drone.

Zzzt.... A snap of blue light. The drone spiraled and crashed in a plume of smoke.

Then he turned to her, claws still humming.

“You and your cheerleader accomplice should have stopped at fan merch,” he said smoothly. “But you profited off what doesn’t belong to you. You sold what I created: the face, the body, the name, the branding. Everything Lathandro is a registered trademark under GIN AESTHETICA™... right down to the perfectly placed mole on Yoon Jihoon’s ass.”

Lisa stepped back, posture faltering. “You can’t… you wouldn’t,” she said, her voice stretched taut behind the flicker of a falling grin. “Let’s make a deal. I’ve got reach. Influence. You want to control the narrative, right? I can help—”

“Enough. Your little puppet show’s over,” he said coldly. “My lawyers are en route to your apartment. Yes, where your real body sleeps behind a firewall that won’t hold.”

Her avatar twitched, lips flickering with a static stammer.

“I look forward to your prison stream, my dear. No filters, no enhancements. Just you, as you really are. A tragic downgrade.”

Zzzt.... Another flash of voltage.

Lisa’s avatar collapsed like a doll with cut strings, glassy eyes flickering once before going dark.

With a whiff of ozone and scorched plastic, MasterGin stepped past her crumpled body as if she were a steaming pile of refuse befouling his polished obsidian floor.

From behind the tinted windows, Lucien Ginerva raised his chrome-sight binoculars.

The thick fog gripped the stadium like white velvet steeped in rot, soft and suffocating, leaving just one immaculate sightline: Jihoon, alone in the dugout, head bowed.

He wasn’t wearing the high-tech gear personally designed for him. Not the UV-proof bodysuit laced with nanofibers. Not the smart boots. Not the reenforced carbon-fiber bat etched with the Lathandro™ brand.

Instead, Jihoon was with her, that grimy little machinist with a spinal column of schematics. She was touching his Lathandro, defiling those perfect cheekbones with drugstore sunscreen.

Gin’s grip tightened on the viewing rail. His rings creaked.

*I warned you, Little Worm… You don’t belong among them anymore. Daylight will crack your pretty dollface.*

Jihoon’s eyes immediately flew open and frantically searched the stands for The King Cobra.

From his lofty perch, the doctor stepped into the hazy daylight, his long white hair whipping like fire. In one hand: an ornate bottle rimmed in gold—an exact twin of the SPF 100 Nano-Serum he had sent Jihoon.

He flicked a gold claw. The bottle opened. Then, slow and deliberate, he poured its priceless contents across the ground. The serum hissed as it hit the warm concrete.

No smile. No parting glance. Just a turn, heels clicking into fog like a metronome counting down to tragedy.

Outside the skybox, he paused.

Above him, the stadium’s half-dome loomed, the curved jumbo screen flashing Jihoon’s face in slow motion as he stepped up to bat, smiling nervously at the crowd.

The fans chanted, “LATHANDRO! LATHANDRO!”

And by the time the King Cobra reached the garage, the fog had thinned. A black limousine idled. Diplomatic plates gleamed. Gold flags on the hood bore the crest: a snake swallowing the sun.

Just behind it, sleek, low, and quietly seething, hovered his personal car, penned in by the limo.

His eyes narrowed. 

This wasn’t a pickup. It was a leash.

The chauffeur stepped out: tall, faceless, chrome-masked, “The Ruler is expecting you. Your flight to America is waiting.”

MasterGin said nothing. His claws tapped once against each other. Then he turned, flung his cape over one shoulder like armor, and entered the waiting car with a haughty sneer.

The door hissed shut behind him like a blade into its sheath.

Through the rear window, the fog that cloaked the stadium began to dissolve, retreating like a fading shield.

The crowd roared. A bat cracked. Then a gut-wrenching screech cut through the air.

A terrible hush fell over the stadium.

Ambulances screamed past as the limo glided onto the elevated expressway. 

Enraged, MasterGin’s hand slammed the console. Mozart’s Requiem surged through the cabin, loud and relentless.

He sat rigid, every muscle locked tight as he fought the flood inside, -- the grief, the anger, the silent plea.

A single tear slipped down behind his dark sunglasses. Hot. Traitorous.

He wiped it away.

No one should ever see cracks in a perfectly sculpted mask.

For followers who made it this far in the ongoing Apophis series, thank you. This is an ending but with a strong option continue in a sequel. 

Midnight Order is going strong and this round there are several gothic themes not covered before, such as Kpop Demons and the Dark Ages! For this image, I focused on Elegant and Gold. MasterGin is wearing the OneDays Regalia Outfit gold fatpack. The cape comes separate. A single color version is 350L, You know I love me some fancy.   ...Speaking of fancy, check out the gorgeous ISHIKU Dionaea guided crystal drink and bootle set. I hope you can see from the picture how nice it is. Masterful textures and materials.  ...And it goes perfectly with the Eclectica- Gothic Bar Set. I love the arches on the wall and dresser display! The barstool includes several poses, the bar includes useful poses for the bartender including cutting limes, polishing glass, pouring wine, stacking glasses. It can Rez bar items like tap, port, wine, limes, and anyone can sit on bar to trigger items. Just touch the glass/bottle/barrel to get your drink.   ...My bartender for the image is the Whats Lost Spirits TV MAN. His face inside the tv is an aniamated eye. It's mod so I gave him a slight gold tint. to make it fit with slightly cyber theme instead of retro, I hid his rabbit ears antennas. He is a very fun sculpture!   ... {anc} always excells at elegance and mood. The panel lamp stands are more soft winners that can add a dreamy polish to a room.   .... From Random Matter is the Stargazer [Part II], part of a themed set. You can find other items in the at thier booth in Midnight Order.  ... From CABALPIER is the elegantly twisted Forgotten Birdcage. I included a 2nd image below so you can see the poor bird who didn't make it.

On him, MasterGin:

Outfit, cape: Onedays Nightborn Regalia Outfit gold fatpack, Athletic [mesh](Midnight Order)(1500L)

Bottle, glass: ISHIKU Dionaea Guilded Crystal Set[mesh](Midnight Order)(470L)

Hair: Ginko Hair #97 Hair - Rigged, Male [mesh]

Gloves: CURELESS[+] Nepenthes Glove L / LEGACY M[mesh]

Cigarette holder: GRAAL SMOKING SNAKE [mesh](349L)

Glasses: Kumaki Glasses K_gs Kasha_R2 [mesh]

Eyes: S0NG Vampy, Old Ice Eye [BOM]

Skin: Skin Arcana Maverick, FAIR [BOM]

Head: LeLUTKA CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: ZZANG Strength 002 (edited in firestorm)

Setting:

Bar: Eclectica Gothic Bar set [mesh](Midnight Order)(550L)

Globe: Random Matter Stargazer [Part II] Globe, Gold [mesh](Midnight Order)(125L)

Lamps: {anc} panel lamp stand 2Li (amber) [mesh](Midnight Order)(269L)

Birdcage: CABALPIER Forgotten Birdcage <PBR>  [mesh](Midnight Order)(345L)

Bartender: Whats Lost Spirits WLS - TV MAN  [mesh]

PBR Walls, Floor: Erfe Design Medusa Floor PBR Material [PBR]

Skybox: CANARUN Rock/Concrete Loft Skybox [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky :

Androgyny Event: Escape from Club Apophis 9

 

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE:  Jihoon didn’t know it yet, but this quiet night of introspection, investigation, and confrontation would change his life just as much as the dare that led him into Club Apophis.

His reflection was a stranger now, but Minjo still saw someone worth saving. Why else would she have come?

He stumbled into his bedroom, slamming the door shut with an awkward wobble in high-heeled boots. His heart hammered. Skin flushed. Mouth dry.

He pressed his forehead to the cold wall. 

Just breathe.

From outside the door came a mechanical bark. 

Frantically, he pulled on the soft, pale teal button-up to cover himself. Then he dropped to the floor, checking beneath the loose boards. The black snakeskin box was still there, the SPF 100 nano-sunscreen nestled inside. As he slid it carefully back into hiding, the box gave a faint, pulsing coo.

He steeled himself and opened the door. Scrappy 2 barked a greeting and padded in, chrome paws ticking softly on the floor. Its muzzle swept side to side, humming softly as it scanned the room. It looked like a dog, but Jihoon knew better. Minjo didn’t build toys, but this was first time he had seen Scrappy scan for surveillance tech. Jihoon had no idea what else the dog could do, and wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

In the living room, Minjo had already peeled the casing off the Smart Mirror. Her tool kit lay open like a field surgery kit. The mirror’s motherboard pulsed faintly, wired into her handheld. Tiny holographic schematics flickered between her palms and screen, casting dancing shadows up her cheekbones. 

She didn’t look up. “You’re back. Good. It’s okay to talk now. All bugs are disabled. Does ‘Evil Queen’ mean anything to you? That's the mirror's login.” 

Jihoon cleared his throat. “No.” 

He hovered in the doorway, shirt fluttering around his hips, hands shoved awkwardly into the cuffs. 

“You’re still wearing the heels,” she said, finally glancing up. 

Jihoon looked down. “I… I couldn’t find my sneakers.” 

“You mean the ones by the door?” 

He flushed. “I didn’t feel like putting them on.” 

Minjo blinked. Not mocking. Just observant. 

She yanked a piece of motherboard loose and tossed it like a frisbee. Scrappy 2 barked and, with a delighted whir, caught and crunched it in his powerful jaws. Tail buzzing on its piston, the robot dog settled down to chew contentedly, like it was gnawing a bone.

Minjo then pointed to a faint symbol glowing on the motherboard, -- a logo with a snake swallowing the sun. 

“What do you know about Monstrum?” 

Jihoon crossed the room and sank beside her, drawn in by the glowing symbol. Whatever shame he felt blurred behind the pull of a new mystery. 

“According to the AI,” she said, “your mirror was running a second OS, Built beneath the visual feedback layer. It used subliminal cues to rewrite your self-perception. Based on microreactions.” 

She gestured up at the dorm’s flickering LEDs. “It even synced to the lighting—highlighting your features when you did something it ‘liked.’ Training you to pose. To chase the approval of the camera. Dopamine hits, basically.”

Jihoon raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?” 

She nodded grimly. “It was gamifying your reflection.” 

"That's so messed up," Jihoon breathed.

"Indeed." Minjo set the tech down and rubbed her eyes. “I need to scan you next. Thoroughly. No gear. No shielding. Just skin. I need a clean signal to figure out what’s changing you.” 

A deep flush rose in his cheeks. He’d fantasized about being naked with Minjo before—but not like this. Not stripped raw in the harsh light of clinical curiosity.

She tossed him a cotton sheet. “You can cover up. Just I need that suit off.” 

Wrestling out of the haptic mesh and zipped tight tall boots was like peeling off a second skin, slow, awkward, and far too intimate. 

He stood frozen for a beat, sheet clutched around him, brain still catching up to the moment. 

Minjo nodded toward the couch. “Lie down. I need a full body scan.” 

Wordlessly, he obeyed, collapsing onto the cushions like someone heading into surgery. 

Minjo worked with brisk professionalism. Her scanner pulsed over him, flickering red and blue. She asked permission for each test, even to draw a tiny amount of blood. But her readouts stayed stubbornly blank. 

At last, she sighed and flopped down. “Nothing conclusive.” 

Jihoon pulled the sheet around him tighter and slid to the floor beside her. “Thanks for trying. It means a lot. You make me feel… safe.” 

“What really happened at that club, Jihoon? Everything started after you took that dare from Kyle.” 

He rubbed his temples. “I try to remember, but it’s like trying to hold onto smoke. There was a party. Lights. Glamour. And him, -- The King Cobra. Dr. Lucien Ginevra. He got close. I remember his scent. I remember his ...kiss.” He touched his neck. 

“But the last thing I remember, vividly, was panic. Pure terror. Like I was drowning in my own skin. I didn’t care where I was, or who I passed. I just had to get out.”

Minjo tilted her head. “What do you think is happening to you?” 

He ran a hand through his hair, then down his face, as if trying to erase a thought. His voice dropped to a near whisper. “...Vampire.”

Minjo laughed, until she saw his expression. Her smile faltered. “Wait. You’re serious? You think you're turning into a vampire?” 

Jihoon didn’t speak, but his gaze met hers, unwavering, and again touched the side of his neck where the memory still lingered.

“Listen, Jihoon. There’s no such thing as vampires," she blushed. “This is black-market tech. Malware, biohacks, maybe a slow-burn DNA rewrite. And the clothes?” She waved toward the pile. “That designer jacket. Those cleats. The high tech gloves. Stuff you couldn’t afford. Stuff that doesn’t even look like your style. It’s alien. None of it belongs.” 

“I don’t trust any of it,” she said, rising. “We need to burn every gift you’ve received since that night. The clothes. The gear. They’re all from Dr. Ginevra, right? Nothing’s free, Jihoon. Every thread comes with a hook.” 

She grabbed a trash bag and began gathering items with practiced precision, like she’d already done a mental inventory.

Jihoon was quietly amazed by how well she knew what belonged to him and what didn’t. 

“I’ve got some leftover scholarship money,” she said, sweeping the white bodysuit into the bag. “We’ll go shopping. Get you clothes that fit this new body. Stuff you choose. Not something someone else programmed into your closet.” 

Jihoon watched, a little mournful. “Anything I want?” 

“School wear first,” she deadpanned. "After that? Whatever makes you happy, and keeps you from accepting gifts from predators.” 

Jihoon blinked. “Anything?” 

Minjo blushed. “Did you think I’d judge you? You looked great. And for the record, half my stuff comes from the men’s section.” 

“What?” 

“Women’s clothes are marked up threefold," she huffed. "I'm not playing that game.” 

Jihoon chuckled. "That’s so you. Hey, ...my old stuff’s too small now. If there’s anything you want, it’s yours. Consider it a thank you.” 

She stopped, surprised, and smiled softly back. 

They got back to work. Jihoon even surrendered his hidden stash, tossing it into the trash bag like a weight off his shoulders.

“I want to be there when Kyle sees you wearing my jacket,” he snickered. 

“I’ll have Scrappy filming the whole thing,” Minjo winked. Then her tone softened. “I brought something else.” 

She pulled a small white kit from her bag and pointed to his cheek. “Sorry about that.” 

“You didn’t burn me,” Jihoon said gently. “The sun did.” 

“No,” she said, unfolding the kit like a ritual. “I exposed you to it. I wasn’t thinking. You kept flinching when my glasses caught the light. I tested a hypothesis. I didn’t think it would actually hurt you. So… I, uh... brought this.”

Inside the kit: cooling paste and medical-grade concealer. 

“Stuff I use on Scrappy when his shell overheats,” she added. 

Jihoon blinked at the minty scent. “You use makeup on your dog?” 

“He’s a robot, Jihoon. It’s thermal paste with micro-reflective shimmer. Not glitter.” 

“...Oh.”

He closed his eyes. “Whatever helps. I trust you.” 

He didn’t care what it was. Just that she was still here. Still helping. 

He felt her presence, her warmth, but she didn’t move.

He opened his eyes. Minjo was just staring at the burn, her hand frozen mid-air. 

“I don’t get it,” she murmured. “Why would the sun burn you? You’re obviously not a vampire. Even if they were real, sunlight destroying them is just Hollywood crap. So… what’s going on?”

She shook herself. “Anyway, we should get to the incinerator before the junkyard closes. Then we can shop and grab dinner.”

Jihoon nodded, still wrapped in the bedsheet. “Give me a moment to change. I’ve got a few things that still fit— 

But then he froze, eyes wide, like he’d seen a ghost.

Minjo’s expression shifted. “Jihoon?”

His legs wobbled and he sank hard to the floor.

“Jihoon! What’s wrong?” She rushed over, scanning his face.

Wordlessly, he turned toward her. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Slowly, he slipped one hand out from beneath the sheet.

His fingers trembled. And in the blue overhead light, she saw it, -- a claw, black and glossy, pushing out from the tip of his finger like living obsidian.

“They didn’t used to grow like this,” he whispered. “At first, they’d just… be there. When I woke up. Then 3 a.m. Then midnight. And now...” He swallowed. “Now they start growing before dinner.”

Minjo stared, stunned. 

“I clip them. File them. Every day,” He gave a weak laugh. “I keep thinking it’ll stop. That it’s just stress. Or some kind of gene mod, or cybernetic augment. Something explainable.”

“This is real,” she said, voice quiet but firm. “And if it’s real, there’s a rational reason for it. Your body’s mutating. That much is clear. Maybe a virus, a DNA hack. But it’s technology, Jihoon. It has to be. Not magic.” 

Jihoon didn’t answer. He just stared at the claw. 

“It’s not just this,” he whispered. “There’s more.” 

She waited. 

“I hear things. Whispers. Like… someone’s inside me. Watching. Waiting. And sometimes… the shadows move when they shouldn’t. And I hear things I shouldn’t. I can hear your heartbeat. Like when you scanned me, I heard it speeding up.” 

She looked down, cheeks flushing pink. 

“I thought you were afraid of me,” Jihoon said quietly. 

She shook her head. “I’m not afraid of you.” 

Her voice softened. 

“I’m scared for you.” 

She reached out slowly, letting him pull back if he needed to, but he didn’t. Her hand settled on his, warm and real and steady. 

The claw twitched beneath her fingers. 

“I don’t believe in vampires,” she whispered. “But I believe in you.”

Jihoon closed his eyes, drinking in the comfort.

Tomorrow, the world would cheer for Lathandro at his big baseball debut. But tonight, Jihoon showed one person the truth, and she didn't flinch.

And it's a wrap! Season Finale for Escape from Club Apophis. *throws confetti* I hope you all have enjoyed the journey. It's been intense. I have plans for season 2, but I might take a break from the main storyline for a bit.

Its summertime, and over at Androgyny Event is the perfect funwear, the Domus Day swimwear for boys and girls. It and there a free gift water shooter too to spray your friends with. It will turn our swimwear from dry to wet. You can also touch the outfit to change it manually. I love the sporty stripes on the top and bottom too. (It's perfect for the sporty theme Jihoon.).  ...Over at the Sabbath Event, is the Bunnytauris Shirt by YUEBIN. This is another great interactive item with 3 stages of dress. I love the little detail of the bunny buttons! The flatpack comes with a large selection of colors. The shirt comes with fits for Belleza Jake, Ebody Reborn and V-tech Waifu mod, Legacy Female perky V-tech, and Legacy male Athletic. (NOTE: To fit the cyberpunk theme, I added a bit a latex like shine to the shirt in the edit menu)  ...Also from Androgyny Event are the avant guard Pantheon Piercings. They come in one piece, or left and right versions, plus a center lip long piercing too. Textures are PBR and non PBR.   ...In the picture below, you can see the Cult Dagny boots. it comes with fits for Kupra, Legacy Athletic male and female, Maitreya and Lara X. Includes a texture hud.   ...Minjo is wearing Tri-Lens DUV goggles by S I G N A. The goggles come in 6 colors, and they are mod so you can resize and move them around.   ...From KORPOV is the cute Exo Girl for Legacy, Lara X, reborn. It has fun cat head power pack in the back. The mecha  boots are built in too, perfect for the girl gear heads.   ...Over on Minjo, she is wearing the beautiful male skin Hajimu by MUDSKIN now available at The Arcade. It's gacha, so only 75L a pull! This color, PEACH, was prefect for her, and with darker lips, its like she dressed up pretty for Jihoon. How cute. The skin being male actually works for her because she is a bit a tomboy. The gahca includes bandaid and face scar drops. The Moon skintone will be perfect for Jihoon. The Arcade has returned to its original style. Just play the gacha, try to win, and you can trade your earnings with others because they are transfer once more again. I recommend you have a budget in mind before you go, so you don't overspend. Good luck and have fun!

On him, Jihoon:

Swimwear: Domus Dae Pantie {Legacy At} [mesh](Androgyny Event)()

Shirt: YUEBIN Bunnytauris Shirt (Legacy Athletic) [mesh](Sabbath Event)

Piercing: Nefekalum Pantheon Piercing PBR // Add [mesh](Androgyny Event)(199L)

Boots: CULT Dagny,  Legacy Athletic Male [mesh](Androgyny Event)(369L)

Claws: Slay Plague Claws, Legacy Male/Athletic [mesh](Androgyny Event)(275L)

Shine: +ARANA+ Bios Suit&Face+Lines BOM 3D Materials Shines [BOM, Applier](499L)

Hair: Exile Rory [mesh](390L)

Stockings: ISON black leather thigh highs [BOM]

Bodysuit: CURELESS[+] Incubus&Succubus, Diabolus Bodysuit, white [BOM](249L)

Collar: Cruel Sulfur Gorget, Legacy M [mesh](100L)

Head skin: outernaked Soo skin, EvoX, pale, wb [BOM]

Eyes: Poetic Colors Jaded Eyes - Jade [mesh](150L)

Head, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Animosity M-210-7 (Mirror) (with Firestorm edits)

On her, Minjo:

Goggles: S I G N A Tri-Lens DUV [mesh](500L)

Skin: MUDSKIN Hajimu - A - Nobrow - PEACH (gacha)(The Arcade)(75L)

Outfit: KORPOV Exo Girl black [mesh](299L)

Hair: Wasabi Pills Cleo Mesh Hair [mesh]

Glasses: GRAAL STORE Elion Glasses [mesh](249L)

Bodysuit: +ARANA+ Bios Suit&Face+Lines BOM 3D Materials Shines [BOM, Applier](499L)

Head: LeLUTKA CAMILA [mesh](3990L)
Body mod: Maitreya Mesh Body - LaraX FlatChest Add-on [mesh](499L)

Pose: (Firestorm edits)

Setting:

Skybox: EDERIGON Resident V Apartment [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky.