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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[He speaks in as calming a voice as he can muster, contrasting everything he sees in Ion's eyes.]

If you'd rather not speak with me right now, that's quite alright. But I'd like to check in on you.

[Damn them.]

[Despite all of Ion's feelings about Jade and drafts, his presence right now is actually welcome. Like a single island in a sea of confusion. His calming voice is far more comforting than even Jade probably realizes -- and hearing a familiar voice helps confirm the reality that they're still here.]

[But even still, he doesn't know what to say. "I'm all right" would be both the truth and an outright lie.]

I-I... [He tries to take a deep breath, but it still comes out fairly shaky.] ...we're alive.

[They're alive. It's a survival that's miraculous in a way that not even their survival of Akzeriuth was. Yet, it comes with a very different element of horror.

After all, this time, they died. Even if just for a minute, they died. No fonic hymn could protect them from that.

But, as Ion said... They're alive. Now they are. He offers something like a smile to the fon master.]

Yes, we're alive. That's a good sentiment to start from. [He places a hand on Ion's shoulder. Such gestures have never quite worked for him, but he knows that it could help someone like Ion.] Despite everything, we've been given a second chance.

A second chance... [It takes a moment for the words to truly sink in. He was already living on a second chance -- his entire existence here in Luceti was a second chance. So he knew well how such a thing could be put to good use.]

[He looks up, staring straight ahead just as Jade was. He's still shaking, but he steels his expression. They couldn't afford to waste time over this, could they?]

[The lives of his friends were at stake here, after all.]

...yes. You're right. We can stop this from happening now... [Finally he manages to take a calming breath, looking up at Jade from the corner of his eyes.] We have to.

[Jade has been alternating between looking ahead and looking towards Ion. He withdraws his hand quietly as he listens to Ion's words. The trauma is something that is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon, but at least Jade sees that Ion may at least be on his way towards holding himself together for the time being.]

That's right. We have a rare opportunity in our hands, to prevent a disaster. We're going to have to work as efficiently as possible if we're to succeed.

[He nods, taking in Jade's words and thinking how he could put them to action. He doesn't want to just be a burden on everyone again... he has to do something.]

Then I want to help as well. There may not be much I can do on my own... but if I can be of any use to you all, then I have to at least try.

[If there's something, anything he can do, he'll do it. The thought fills him with a sense of purpose, and little by little, he can feel his resolve strengthening. But although his words may sound strong, even now, he's still shaking. He may be able to push it down to fight, but just beneath the surface, he's still afraid.]

[His demeanor seems to be improving at least. Jade doesn't like the idea of the fon master risking his life on the battlefield, after everything he's been through already, but he also knows that the risk will be there at anytime during this draft.]

I admire your conviction, Ion. [He strokes at his chin.] Perhaps there are ways that you can be of use to us. However, I strongly advise that you stay close to Anise or anyone from our world at all times. That will be the best way for us to look after each other.

I... I'll do my best to stay close.

[It would keep him safe, on top of giving him the best position to support the others. Stronger artes took longer to cast, after all. And if there was one thing Ion had in his arsenal to help, it was strong artes.]

[He just has to hope he'll be able to use them without becoming even more of a burden in the process.]

I know you will, Ion. I trust you, after all. I know that you'll be careful, and that you'll only resort to using your artes when they're absolutely necessary. [He gives a casual shrug.] After all, if you exhaust yourself quickly, you'll only end up holding your comrades back. [And then he smirks.] Of course, you already know that. My apologies - I didn't intend to state the obvious. [Or rather, a reminder that Ion may or may not need.]

[He didn't really need it, no. He's already worried he'll be a burden just by existing on the battlefield -- knowing he has the power to help the others but could only further inconvenience them by using it was endlessly frustrating in situations like this.]

No, you're right. I'll just have to try my best not to get in the way. I don't want the rest of you feeling obligated to protect me the whole time we're out here.

Thank you, Ion. [He adjusts his glasses for a moment.] You know, protecting you won't necessarily be detrimental to our forces. To some people, it could provide a necessary focus instead of leaving them with more dangerous tasks. [He glances off in Anise's direction.]

[He glances off towards Anise as well, though his own thoughts aren't exactly in line with Jade's. He didn't even like the idea of her being out here. It wasn't as though he didn't believe in her strength... but war was different. And if anything happened to her...]

...it's true. I'm sure I could say the same about myself as well. [And it kind of goes without saying that he'll have to watch himself too to make sure he doesn't over do it. It's been a long time since he's seen everyone fight together, after all.]

My, my. [He tries for a light-hearted smile as he looks back towards Ion.] So you're looking into becoming a fon master guardian's guardian?

[He's said most of what he has to say, so perhaps he'll try to lighten Ion's spirits a little at least.]

That's a very bold move, Ion.

[It may not be enough to be a smile out of him, but the topic is a far more pleasant one than thinking about what just happened.]

She always protected me back on Auldrant. But I wasn't strong enough to do the same for her. Though I don't know if I could say whether I'm any stronger now than I used to be...

I would say that you're stronger. Physically, it's not a very dramatic transformation. But beyond that, this world has had you trapped here for years, Ion. Even with all of the unfortunate circumstances you've had to endure, I'd wager a bet that you've grown stronger by enduring it. In terms of stamina and mental fortitude, I would say that you've made significant progress in catching up to Anise.

...that means a lot, coming from you, Jade.

[There's even a ghost of a smile on his face -- though slight.]

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Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

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