lucetilogs | Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

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Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

Who: All Draftees
What: This is your death. Followed by your time-traveling life and desperate bomb hunting.
When: From May 22 to May 20 to early May 23 (days 1-4)
Where: Zompania
Summary: Information post here
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post is for the draftee-only portion of the Zompania draft--the day 3 death, time travel to day 1, and then the events until the arrival of the reinforcements. Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Please note that there is a specific top-level comment thread for:

The day 3 arrival of the draftees and the 6 hours that follow until the bomb is dropped
Death--This thread can be treated as REFERENCE ONLY. Responding to it isn't necessary.
Threads prior to departing for Zompania--post resurrection freak outs, arguments over how to proceed, etc.

All other threading, from day 1 until the reinforcements arrive, should be conducted as normal.

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

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[Before, and even once or twice in Luceti, Cilan has been in some pretty tough situations. He's fought Team Rocket and been in dangerous situations and battles with legendary Pokemon, but this...this is somehow on a completely different level than any of those fights had been, and he had certainly never experienced death before...well, until now.

He checks his pokeballs--the Pokemon are alive, confused and concerned, but at least alive. Other than that, though...

He's never wanted to know what the taste of death would be like. And even now that he knows, there's not enough words to describe it. For once, Cilan's actually quite speechless, so for a minute there, he's just...quietly trying to collect his thoughts, remain calm, and resist the temptation to throw up before he's going to be capable of speaking again.]

[ Ash was standing. Still shaky and clinging to Pikachu as much as he could but he wasn't on his knees anymore. He could sit down and calm himself a bit more but there was at least one person he wanted to find before they had to go back out there.

He wanted to find Cilan most of all.

Nearly stumbling around he looks until he finds his green-haired friend. And once he's close enough he'll speak. It's small and strained from the all his crying but it's there. ]

Cilan?

[It's actually pretty impressive--or perhaps, concerning, that Cilan is behaving rather calmly, simply sitting in silence for a moment and thinking, rationalizing things to himself. You'd almost think he was alright, maybe. I mean, it's not the first time that we were close to death, right? Remember when those Litwicks threatened to send us to the "spirit world" or whatever nonsense that was? Yeah, that was kind of scary, but we walked away from that just fine, so...we can deal with this too. That...thing, whatever it was, that could have just been a delusion his mind created from the stress of the fighting here, so...

That is, until he turns to look when he hears his name being called.]

...Ash? [For a few seconds, Cilan is just...staring at him. As if surprised to see him there, but then there's the thought that dimly reminds him, oh, that's right, Ash is here too. Ash was called to fight in this draft too, and he was there when the bomb...dropped...

It's the sudden realization that Ash died too...the idea of what he can recall from it happening to Ash too, that is what causes Cilan's face to suddenly go very pale for a second before he's turning away and...erm. Perhaps using a very horrible food-related pun here, proceeds to now experience the second-worst taste he's had so far today by trying to not completely "lose his lunch", so to speak, in front of his best friend. Thankfully, it seems like he's mostly successful in this endeavor and nothing's happening, but he definitely doesn't seem to be alright anymore, hand over his mouth and visibly shaking now.]

[ When Cilan did nothing but stare at Ash the feeling he already had in his chest just got heavier. He had realized that Cilan must have gone through the same thing he did which is why he wanted to try and find his best friend. He wanted to say something but couldn't.

Not until Cilan's face paled and he turned away. ]

Cilan!

[ His voice cracked as he stumbles forward his legs nearly giving out on him again. Pikachu also calls out Cilan's name in his own language in response to Cilan's movements. But he pushes forward, more concerned for his best friend's health more than his own health and well being. Even though he can feel his eyes welling up again he blinks them back and pushes his voice again. ]

What's wrong?

[ Please be somewhat okay Cilan. What is he going to do if you aren't. ]

[For a moment, Cilan doesn't answer and isn't really looking at his friend, simply attempting to breathe again, to try to calm down, but...]

...What's wrong...hah... [It's the first coherent thing that manages to come out once he's capable of speech again, but Ash may recognize it as that oh so less-than pleased tone that tends to creep into Cilan's voice whenever he's really angry, and now that he is talking, it just sort of...pours out...] As if there was anything right about this taste at all, but, you...you shouldn't be here. You shouldn't have been called upon for this fight, you shouldn't even be in Luceti right now. You should have been gone by now, just like Iris, Ingo and Emmet, just like everyone else that came here before, so...why are you still here? Why couldn't they have just left you back in Unova with everyone else? Why couldn't they have just sent you back before now, like they did with Iris? Why...why couldn't they have just left me alone again here instead?

[Because now, now he has to watch certain people from home he cared for, his best friend and one of the first real friends he had ever made back then, suffer and die in this place, and now he's realizing that's even worse than the loneliness he had to deal with for the last year or so.

There's a long pause of silence coming from him for a second or two, but when he speaks again, despite sounding slightly calmer and less bitter, now he just sounds sad.]

...I'm sorry, Ash. I wish you hadn't been here to taste--no, experience something as horrible as this. Even though, I promised that everything would be okay...and that you wouldn't get hurt...

[Now he sounds like he's trying to not cry...but unlike the attempt at not throwing up, he might not be quite as successful at this task.]

[ It's a rare tone that Ash doesn't hear very often but he catches it. It was hard not to. Not after Cilan starts pouring out how he felt. How this whole situation was unfair and that Ash should be back home instead of here with Cilan. That Cilan should be left here alone instead.

And the whole time Cilan is talking Ash just stares. First with a stunned look but by the time Cilan was finished it looked hurt more than anything. And while Cilan is silent Ash doesn't say nor move. Instead he's there just trying to process everything that Cilan said. Trying to process the fact that he would rather be left alone here. By the end he finds himself looking down, his face nearly buried into Pikachu's fur as he hugs his partner just a little tighter but not so much as to squeeze him.

Even after Cilan apologizes that's the only movement from Ash other than his shivering body. And it's another moment until he finally speaks. ]

Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault. I... I'm scared. I don't wanna be here. I don't wanna fight and see people get hurt anymore. I don't want my Pokemon to suffer anymore. I wanna go back to the village. But--

[ He swallows before he continues. He wasn't even sure if any of what he's saying his coherent with how much he hurts. With how his voice must sound like by now. But he continues. ]

But I don't wanna leave you here. I dunno why I'm still here and I don't care. I don't care that you think I shouldn't be here. I--

[ His voice chokes a little at this point. But he refuses to end without one last thing: ]

I don't want you t' be lonely.

[But it is our fault, Ash. Maybe it's not our fault that you died, but we should have told you more about this place, no matter how unsavory some of those details were. We should have made sure that you'd be better prepared for when another draft occurred, but...instead, we just kept playing around.

It's not that he doesn't want you to be here, Ash. He's been so happy to get to spend time with his best friends again. For a little while there, with both you and Iris there, it was almost like old times again. It's that he doesn't think you should be here, getting drafted to fight in a war that they had no business being apart of. The only battles you should be involved in are gym battles, tournaments, the occasional Team Rocket scuffle at the absolute most...

Hearing Ash say that he's scared and doesn't want to be here just makes him feel worse and worse, but it's that last "I don't want you t' be lonely." that actually brings some of the tears. Even now, you still manage to be such a great friend to others, no matter what kind of horrible things happen, huh? That's...that's something of a relief, actually, as he tries to wipe some of these tears away with the back of his hand. When was the last time he had ever cried in front of anyone? Even when they thought Victini was gone, or even recently when he and his brother had been briefly fighting with one another, he had held it together rather well, but now...]

...Thank you, Ash. That...makes me really happy, hearing that. [You've always been such a nice kid, Ash. It's why he's happy to have you as a friend, despite their different personalities and age difference. He gives a weak laugh, but it almost sounds more like a sob.] You shouldn't be here, but...I'm actually...really glad that you are here, sometimes. You're one of my best friends, so I was really happy that I got to see you again, after all that time being here without you or Iris...but now... [It would have been better if they were safe at home--if someone had to be here from their world, then it should have just been him, to carry that kind of burden himself instead of allowing his friends and family to suffer as well.]

I...I don't want to be alone here either, but...if that would have kept you out of harms way, then that's for the best, isn't it? [He doesn't mean to phrase it as a question, it just sort of comes out that way.]

[ It was partly Ash's fault too. Masaomi told him that there was a war outside. That he should go and ask Cilan more about it because 'it wasn't in his place'. But he didn't do it. The idea of a war being outside was something he instantly pushed to the back of his mind. Playing around and having fun was a much better idea than worrying about some war that's outside.

Even if he knew the details, the likelihood of him thinking about it wouldn't have been much higher. He might have even pushed it even further back into his head so he could just continue enjoying himself here in Luceti. Hang out with Cilan, Gold, and everyone else. He probably shouldn't be here but he is. And he has done the best to make the best of it.

He felt a better hearing Cilan's words. At least until the end, with the sentence phrased as a question. ]

No.

[ He blurted out the response without even thinking the moment Cilan stopped talking. Deciding that he's already responded he'll continue without even thinking about his words before he says them. ]

It's not for th' best. It's not fun to be lonely. I don't wanna think about you bein' alone here. Loneliness should never be th' answer. Even though I'm here...

[ He pulls together a small smile. Right now all that matters to him is to reassure Cilan that it's okay. That he would rather be here than for one of his best friends to be alone again. At this point he's not even thinking about himself anymore. ]

It's okay if you're not lonely.

Yeah...I'm sorry, that was kind of a ridiculous question to ask... [It's just been a long day for him. A long year and a half of having to be away from his home and his friends and family. Even if one disregarded the taste of death, still briefly lingering in the back of one's mind, it was probably inevitable that he'd cave a little at some point from all the stress. The fact that he lasted this long to begin with was impressive though.

He gives a small smile of his own, accompanied by a weak laugh.] My, and I'm supposed to be the intelligent one here...haha, what a bitter taste. I'll have to do something to change this flavor to a more positive one, somehow...

[His odd manner of speech is there again..but the smile slides away again as he frowns a little, sounding serious again.] ...Ash. I really should have told you more about this war, when I had the chance to. Maybe it wouldn't have changed anything, but you should have been more informed nonetheless, no matter how unsavory it was, and for that, I am sorry.

[...Cilan doesn't hug people very often, but after a moment of hesitation, he reaches out to wrap an arm around Ash's shoulder. Not being quite as close as say, the icon I'm using right now, due to Ash currently holding Pikachu at the moment, but...]

...This time, I'll make sure that you don't get hurt again. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that you go back to the village safe and sound soon, so... [There's a slight pause, and maybe his grip is a little tighter than he means for it to be. Maybe this time, he can do a better job of protecting Ash, as long as they stick together as much as possible during this battle, so...] Please, don't leave us alone out here. Stick close by and don't wander off too far away on your own if you can help it, okay?

[ Ash shakes his head a little. Cilan doesn't have to be sorry. It has been a long day for the two of them. Ash has only been here for a few months and he's had at least Cilan here the whole time. So while he doesn't really understand what Cilan has been through the fact that he has been lonely was enough for him to mean everything he said.

Even if he didn't know he would have meant it. ]

I think y' just need t' keep bein' yourself Cilan. What better way is there?

[ Ash held his smile until Cilan's smile slid away. His did the same as he looks towards the ground past Pikachu's head. ]

It... It's okay. [ There's a bit of a pause before he continues speaking. ] Masaomi told me that there was a war outside and that I might have t' fight. He told me t' ask you but I... I didn't. I didn't want t' talk about it.

[ Although he doesn't hug or get hugs very often from anyone besides his mom and Pokemon he finds Cilan's hug comforting. ]

Okay. We won't leave you alone out there.

[ The tears were coming back, but he tried to blink and rub them away with his arm. He doesn't seem to be bothered by the tight grip as he's too focused on Cilan's words. Pikachu, not exactly liking the enclosed space and to allow the two their moment, moves down to Ash's heels before agreeing with what Ash said.]

We'll stick together and I wanna do whatever I can t' help you back to the village safe and sound too. 'Cause... 'Cause we don't wanna be alone either.

[ By the tone of Ash's voice is that last part that makes him scared the most. More than anything here. ]

[Just be ourselves, huh? That might be a little harder to do out here on the battlefield of this war, where seriousness is an absolute must, but for Ash, we can certainly try.]

Mm. [There's a moment of quiet, before Cilan speaks up again, trying to wipe away his own tears with a free hand.] ...I must admit, this has been quite a sobering experience--I don't usually let myself be overwhelmed by such a negative atmosphere, but this particular taste was truly dreadful...

[But then he manages a smile again, and a little of the normal Cilan dramatic cheerfulness is back in his voice--a little forced, but...it's better than the depressing tone he had before, right?]

But now, we can work together to make sure that this taste does not continue to persist forever. In many movies, I believe this is the part where the heroes get back up and say that "it's action time", because now they're ready to try again to defeat the villain and save the day...just like the brave Pokemon Knight from the movie we were in, remember? [...Which, the logic of which slightly falls apart when you remember that Cilan was the main villain in that movie, unless you equate the "real antagonist" Team Rocket to the current enemy they are facing now instead. And yes, movies are not like real life, but dang it, that's something Cilan is more familiar with than actually dying and this other heavy drama.]

So...as long as the two of us look out for one another and continue to try again, then we too will surely succeed, just like how the Pokemon Knight did in that story. How does that sound to you, Ash?

[ It's okay if Cilan find it harder to do so on the battlefield. Just as long as Cilan is the same after all this is over with. And in return Ash will try to stay the same as well even though he's not asked to. ]

It's okay Cilan. [ How many times has he said that now? Not that it matters he'll continue to say it as much as he needs to. He opens his mouth to speak again but unsure how to form it into works closes it and just pushes whatever he thought about saying aside. Seeing Cilan's smile and hearing - albeit forced - his best friend's dramatic cheerfulness he instead manages his own smile after Cilan is done talking. ]

We're gonna get back up and try again t' help stop this. And.... and as long as we're together we're gonna make it. And win. Just like the Pokemon Knight.

[ As much as he wants to think 'what if I can't do it' he can't. There are things at stake and at the very top are his friends. ]

We can do it Cilan. We can defeat the villain and save the day. We can't give up.

Yes, that's the spirit! [Just like how Ash prefers a happier-sounding Cilan, so too does Cilan prefer hearing Ash speak more confidently. Ash isn't really the Pokemon Knight, obviously, that was just a role that was played in that movie, but...]

You're a very brave person, Ash, and one of the strongest people I know. [Slowly, Cilan pulls away so that he's not quite gripping Ash in such a tight hug anymore, but he still has his hands on his friend's shoulders, giving what he hopes is a reassuring smile, even with evidence of tears having previously been falling still there.] So don't worry, because I know that you will do your best out here--as your friend and as the person who played the great Pokemon Sorcerer who fought alongside the brave Pokemon Knight, I can say this with absolute certainty~!

[Which, is a little silly to say, and Cilan's not really the role he played in that movie either--not the villain, not even the magical Pokemon Sorcerer that fought by the hero's side, but he will certainly swear to fight for his friend and protect him, just as his character did in the movie.]

Edited 2014-05-29 23:05 (UTC)

[ The reassuring smile and compliment that Cilan gives Ash is enough for Ash to give him a better smile back. ]

And I know that you'll do your best Cilan. Because not only did you play the Pokemon Sorcerer who helped the Pokemon Knight but you're also one of the best gym leaders I know!

[ It doesn't matter whether or not it's silly to Ash because it looks like it's cheering Cilan up. And in return also cheering him up so it's a win-win situation. ]

Oh, now you're just flattering us! [As if Ash even knows what that means, but Cilan is beaming anyway from the praise.]

But thank you Ash, I'm glad you think so. After all, now would certainly be a good time to display our strength as one of the Gym Leaders of Striaton! [Watch out bad guys, you've made the mistake of having a gym leader as your enemy here?]

[ Ash nods his head. Nope he doesn't know what that means but it's a good thing if Cilan is beaming! ]

Yeah! Show 'em what you can do, Cilan! 'm sure you'll do your best out there.

[ Pikachu climbs onto Ash's shoulder and chirps in agreement. You have both Ash and his Pokemon having full faith in you! ]

[At some point after Ash speaks to Cilan, Lugia will be paying him a visit as well after having found Silver.

The large legendary will land near him before inclining his head and looking at both him and his Pokemon.]

Are you all right?

[He remembers meeting Cilan, but he hasn't spoken to him again since then.]

[Ah, yes, that time we met, Cilan had been the great Pokemon Sorcerer, the guy who had spells at his disposal and acted like a magical knight from a fairy tale kingdom that would help those in need. Except now, he's not the role he had played in that movie--he's simply an ordinary human. None of that magic was real, and so he can only use his wit and intelligence to help his friends and his Pokemon.

When Lugia lands next to him, he does startle for a second, but otherwise he seems...okay. Not perfect, not even completely okay to be honest, but getting there. His talk with Ash probably helped a little.]

I'm... [...Somehow, the idea of lying to a legendary Pokemon and saying that everything's fine with him seems like a bad thing to do. And normally, he would be fanboying really hard about Lugia in general, but he just doesn't have the energy for it right now, so after a second or two, he sighs, sounding tired.]

...No, not really. [However--] But...I think I'll be all right after this is over, once I'm sure that Ash and the others are safe again.

I understand.

[Lugia kinda feels the same way. Though he's putting his feelings aside for now to focus on protecting and helping as many people as he can. Especially the other Pokemon and their trainers]

I will be here to help you should you have need of me.

[Cilan and his Pokemon look up, faintly surprised for a second. Then, after glancing at one another, they manage a smile.]

Thank you, I would really appreciate your help. [At the very least, please let there be someone other than ourselves that will make sure Ash is okay, if we end up getting separated at any time.] ...And we'll help you too, if you need it. It's only fair, right?

[His Pokemon chime something in agreement. Let us help you out too, Lugia!]

[Lugia had already told Ash that he would be there to protect him as well. So he's got your back Cilan.

The legendary Pokemon looks between the gym leader and his Pokemon and nods.]

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Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

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