Zompania Draft - Draftees and Reinforcements, mid-day 4-early 7

[lucetimods]

Who: Draftees and Volunteers
What: The draftees and the reinforcements must hold against the Third Party army until rescue arrives
When: From May 23 through the wee hours of May 26 (days 4-7)
Where: Zompania
Summary: Draftee information and Volunteer information
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post is for the rest of the draft, beginning when the volunteer reinforcements arrive. Look up in the sky--your friends are parajumping in! Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

Zuko Days 4-6

[lordhotman]

[Day 4]

Zuko is still helping to clean up the bodies littering the city on this day. He's very quiet and solemn, but at least it gives him a bit of a break from the fighting. It doesn't do any good for his mental health, though.

[Days 5-6]

Injured and exhausted, Zuko is pretty much just hunkering down wherever he can find a place. He's still fighting, but he's trying to avoid it as much as possible. Survival is mostly on his mind now.

Day 4

[yourhatred]

Itachi approaches the boy silently at one point, offering his assistance with his current load. Were it not for his poor eyesight, he would have been watching Zuko more closely, but as it is he can recognize someone who's not as familiar with death as he is. That makes the brave face the younger man is putting on all the more respectable.

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[Zuko looks up as someone he doesn't know offers to help. He nods, having no problem with a little help. There's a lot of bones to clean up after all. And he'll lead the way to the mass grave where they're being dumped. After a few moments of silence he'll speak up.]

Thanks. Don't touch the wing bones if you can help it. They make you feel sick.

[He's already experienced that.]

Day 4

[yourhatred]

[Itachi nods in return. He's already aware of this, but he sees no need to point it out when the teen is being helpful.

This whole scene is enough to make one feel sick anyway.]

Is this your first time seeing something like this?

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[That's very true, he'd in fact gotten sick when he'd first seen the pile of bodies. And almost again when he had participated in burning them. By now... he was getting use to it. As use to it as one can anyway.

At the question, he looks away. Was it so obvious?]

Yeah.

Day 4

[yourhatred]

[No one should have to witness something like this at all, really, though in a way he's glad that Zuko isn't someone who's had to be exposed to it before now. War, and the repercussions of it, has always been what he's tried to help stop. Seeing this here... He lacks any influence he once had, and it tears at him.]

Don't worry if it isn't easy. It shouldn't be.

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[While his world had only just gotten out of war, there was never anything quite this bad. At least nothing that he had seen. There were stories of his great grandfather Sozin, and his own father had nearly done the unthinkable... but still.]

You sound like you've seen this before.

Day 4

[yourhatred]

[He's caused this before, though on a smaller scale. That doesn't get a mention.]

... When I was four years old. At the end of the third Great Ninja War. [He shouldn't remember it as well as he does, but it shaped his life greatly.] And to lesser degrees since.

It's never any less of a waste.

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[Zuko is quiet for a few moments as he digests this.]

My world has seen a lot of war too, but nothing quite like this.

[Nothing that he had witnessed anyway.]

Day 4

[yourhatred]

[Itachi tilts his head toward Zuko, wondering if this is really true or if the boy simply hadn't been exposed to any of it until now.]

War is never pleasant in any case.

It's worse still when some of the reasons still elude you.

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[Perhaps a bit of both. Although really Zuko couldn't think of anything that could compare to this massive slaughter of innocent people. ... Except what happened to the airbenders. But that was long before he was born.

Zuko nods though, certainly in agreement that war is never pleasant.]

Even if you know the reasons, it still doesn't always make sense.

Day 4

[yourhatred]

That's true.

[Small talk isn't Itachi's specialty, but any talk at all will help keep Zuko from focusing on the dead bodies he's helping to move.]

You are a fighter, though. I can tell. [And not by the burn.]

Day 4

[lordhotman]

[Well you know what they say, it takes one to know one. And Zuko has a feeling that's the case here.]

I've had to fight most of my life.

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

[What's up? Not much, just gliding through the sky looking for my bff Zuko.]

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[What's down? Zuko is. Aang will probably notice that there's someone firebending down below. The occasional burst of flame being easily spotted from the air.

However, the firebender himself is in trouble. An elite managed to catch him off guard and he's struggling to fight. Injured and tired, Zuko definitely isn't at his best.]

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

[Firebending is a lot better than a flare, because it's specifically firebending. And... you know, Aang's looking for one of those firebendy uys.

Aang descends to get a closer look and is immediately worried when he sees the Elite. So he quickly tries to swoop down.]

Zuko, look out! [He drops down to the ground and is earthbending the minute he hits the ground. Specifically, a large chunk of earth is uprooted and thrown at the Elite. It won't hold him off for long, but Aang takes the chance to run towards the hotman.]

You're okay!

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[Already beat up and bleeding, Aang's voice is something he's very glad to hear. Zuko quickly ducks out of the way of the earthbending and limps his way towards his friend. A cut on his head already starting to bleed a little bit.]

Yeah, I think so. Thanks.

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

Zuko, your hand! [He quickly goes to try to grab at the injured hand and calls for Nala in a panic.]

Nala! [That should probably heal it to some extent. But he's taken his attention off of the Elite, who is ready to charge back at them.]

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[Zuko blinks as Aang grabs his hand, grateful for the help but... when he sees the elite charging back at them again he yanks it away and quickly firebends a fire stream at the oncoming cultist.]

We don't have time for that right now!

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

[Whoops. Aang turns his attention after Zuko does towards the oncoming Elite.]

Just be careful, okay? [And then earthbends some rocks at the enemy to try to slow him down.]

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[Zuko glances at Aang for just a moment.]

You too.

[He then charges forward, knowing full well this elite won't leave them alone until he's dead. His swords in both hands again, he sends several fireballs at the cultist as he runs. Counting on Aang to back him up.]

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

[Don't worry, Aang's got your back! Aang tries sinking the ground beneath the Elite's feet to trap him, but the Elite is able to forefully pull himself into the air. The trickiness of enemies whose wings actually work...

Zuko's fireballs seem to be at least hurting him somewhat whenever they hit. Aang gets in closer and tries pelting him with more rocks to get his attention.]

Hey big face, over here!

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[Zuko slides to a stop as the Elite becomes airborn. Being able to generate lightning would be nice right about now.

However, Aang's distraction seems to be working and Zuko pulls back a bit as the elite now goes after him, waiting for the right moment.]

Day 5

[savedtheworld]

[Aang tosses some balls of air at the Elite, primarily to agitate him more.]

Come on! Can't you catch me? [He moves over towards a sewage drain.]

Day 5

[lordhotman]

[The agitation tactic seems to work and the Elite charges at Aang, and Zuko follows him, using his stealth to try and get into a good position while the cultist is distracted.]