lucetilogs | DRAFT - The Battle of Vaskoth

Entry tags:

DRAFT - The Battle of Vaskoth

Who: Anyone on the draft
What: The Battle of Vaskoth! Zombie uprising!
When: 25th to 28th (a second log will follow)
Where: Vaskoth
Summary: Please read here for event information
Rating: Z for Zombies

On the 25th, Lucetians are ushered in to join an already growing army to repel the Cultists.

On the 26th, strange symptoms are reported. The first Runners appear and by nightfall, the hospital is lost.

On the 27th, the cultist horde is completely lost to the virus. They send no more reinforcements.

On the 28th, the situation is grim and an evacuation is called. But the battle is not over.

Notes: There will be two NPC threads. One for Specialist Davis and another for Carol.

If you like creating your own NPCs, then check out this spreadsheet and be sure to contribute! This was originally set up by Griff for the Kin'cora event. It's been revised as a semi-official tracking spreadsheet for characters created on the fly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good. I guess we have an agreement then. When we find a place, maybe we can take turns being lookout while one of us rests?

[She's watching you, Aang.]

I suppose. As long as you rest first. I've been sitting all day. [Researching and working or watching over friends, but mostly sitting.]

I-if you say so, Mia. Looking out for each other is... It's a good thing to do.

It's what friends do, isn't it? [Thinking he still looks somehow unsteady, she puts a hand on his back as they walk.]

It is. [He smiles at her, appreciating the support.] You're a good friend, Mia. And this is coming from someone who's an expert at having good friends!

Thank you for saying so. ...Have you given any thought to having the chance to go back now?

Wh... Why would I do that? There's still people here counting on me.

Because there are people in our village that are also counting on you. To come home - safe.

[He finds himself thinking of Katara's letter. And he breathes a name without thinking.]

Ikki.

[Though she hadn't been thinking of Ikki specifically, yes, Ikki.]

You would have given everything to keep her from going through this. Does she not deserve the same consideration about not...not losing you?

[He stops a moment, considering this.]

You might be right. About that. But... but it doesn't feel right to leave everyone here. Everyone's doing their part, a-and Robin became one of them. All my other friends... should be able to come back too. I don't want to abandon them.

Robin? A friend of yours? [Personal motivation for staying is something she understands very well.]

Maybe it's selfish of me, but I don't want to have to return to Luceti and explain to Ikki why you aren't there. [Most of the time she isn't so harsh in her reasoning. That's going to be a painful thing for Aang to think of and she regrets it immediately.] I'm sorry. That was unfair.

He is. He was like my brother when we thought we were from the same world, and they got him somehow. I want to make sure he's okay.

It's alright. I deserve it. I tell her... all these stories about our old adventures and the great things we did, but I can't save everyone here. I can't be a hero now, when it counts the most.

You don't deserve it. [Accompanied by a firm shake of her head.]

What do you mean when you say "be a hero"?

I mean... saving people. Stopping the battle. I'm the Avatar. It's the kind of thing I'm supposed to do, and I'm gonna come back a failure. I couldn't save Robin and... and Moro.

[Oh, Aang. She pushes her own similar worries aside completely, stopping him with a hand and giving him a reassuring smile.]

You aren't a failure. Nobody was prepared for this and to do the best that you can is more than enough.

Did I do my best? Moro got... got ended. [He mutters it out as clearly as he can.] And I helped. How can I still be a hero?

[That gives her pause. She hates all of this "merciful" killing that keeps happening. Hates it. There must be some other way.

That's not the answer Aang needs to hear.]

No one here is asking you to be that kind of hero. Despite that...you didn't make the decision to help lightly, I'm sure, and it wasn't one you...you didn't want to. To hurt her. You would take it back if you could.

[He responds in a choked voice.]

I would.

That is what separates you. [They aren't even walking anymore, are they? Mia puts both of her hands on Aang's shoulders again.] I don't know if it makes you a hero. I think it does make you a good person. Someone to strive to be like.

[He feels something like comfort from the touch, briefly looks up to her eyes, but then he flickers down to the ground.]

I... I guess you might be right. Thanks. We tried, we tried, we could never hold her still for long and she was so dangerous... But I - Could I still face them, if I go back? With... what I've done?

The hard thing to hear is that you will have to face them with it because you've already done it. [Please look at her. If he doesn't she'll gently try to make him by lifting his chin.] War, like this...is hard. It's painful. [And she isn't being flippant or cavalier about saying it.]

You are still Aang. That hasn't changed. Though it may feel like it now, Ikki's love for you will not diminish because you've had to make hard choices. ...For example.

[He'll need to be lifted by the chin, but... then he'll stay looking at her. Blue eyes. Like Katara's.]

Do you mean it, Mia? Do you... really mean it? If I am... if I'm still Aang, then... then I...

[He finds himself wrapping her in a hug as the tears start to come out.]

I want to go home. I want to see them again.

[Even without using any Psynergy she can feel how tired he is; returning the hug is as much about holding him up as it is comforting him.]

I know. We all do. This time, you have the chance, and I hope you take it.

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28 - 1/2

28

28