Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

[lucetimods]

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

Comments

[cilantro]

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?

[friendshipfirst]

[ 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. ]

[cilantro]

[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?

[friendshipfirst]

[ 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.

[cilantro]

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.]

[friendshipfirst]

[ 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. ]

[cilantro]

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?]

[friendshipfirst]

[ 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! ]