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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He doesn't even think to call her by her codename; after all, the Scarlet Witch was not the name of a fellow X-Man, but of an enemy. And Wanda was so much more than that.

He looks her over carefully as he tries to figure out how to handle this.]

Are you alright?

[Well there was a loaded question. Wanda didn't think she would ever be "alright" again. Though, there were plenty who would argue she hadn't been "alright" going into this mess.

Her aura sparks and fizzles, as she tries to process this question, glancing around, erratically. In the very least, there are no serious looking wounds on her. Some cuts and bruises, she looks more than a little singed, but overall uninjured.]

I-- have to help everyone. I can't-- I can't let you get hurt, again. I have to-- help.

[She has to kill. It's her job, now.]

[He flinches as her hex factor sparks.]

Whoa, slow down there. It sounds like you've done a lot so far. What you need now is some rest.

[There go her eyes again, back and forth, like she's watching some sort of invisible tennis match.]

Rest? But-- what if something happens... I could have stopped it. I need to... I have to finish what... was started. ... right?

[She's uncertain. Gambit said to let loose. There's still much left to be 'let loosed' upon. But Kurt is smarter than she is. If he's saying 'slow down' maybe there's a reason for it. ]

Wanda... Listen to me. [He tries to look her in the eyes, pleadingly.] Right now, the only person you can stop something from happening to is yourself. You've done enough. It's time to stand down... Please.

[Oh, that's just uncalled for. She had met his gaze, and was letting what he said sink in; Stand down! It was a very militaristic order. It was the sort of thing she could respect and listen to. But Please?

That just made her want to cry, for some reason. Cry and cry and never stop.

She stiffens up, as her hands go to cover her face. Mutant soldiers do not cry. Especially not on the battle field. But it's too late. Even if there are no actual tears, she can dry sob.]

I'm sorry. ... I'm so sorry! God...!

[She will sink down to her knees, unless otherwise acted upon. Standing under her own power is no longer an option.]

Wanda...!

[He leans down and tries to drape his arms around her in concern. He's worried for multiple reasons - they're still on the battlefield, enemies could find them at any moment, and he was afraid that trying to teleport her in this state might upset her more.]

It's okay, it's okay... I'm just trying to help.

[Wanda is not a master tactician. She has two modes, really: Off and On. Especially now, she is simply oblivious to the potential danger around them, any more.]

I... you're... good. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! [She doesn't even know what she's apologizing for, as she shakes her head back and forth, 'no, no, no'. ]

I'm just... so tired. But-- I couldn't stop the fighting-!

[He rests his hands on her shoulders calmly.]

You can now. You can stop the fighting and we can find you some rest. Is... is that what you want, Wanda?

I don't know, I don't know... I want the fighting to be done. I'm ...

[What. What were you going to say. So tired? Mutant Soldiers don't GET tired.]

... I want it to be done. I want the fighting to be done. Then I can stop. [She looks up at him, eyes searching his face for something. Allowance, forgiveness, understanding? He is like a beacon to her, right now, though. A familiar face, a good person in a sea of awfulness.]

[He tries his best to convey some mix of that. Forgiveness, allowance, understanding. Worry.]

The fighting can't stop just yet. No matter how hard we try. But you can stop... for now. Otherwise, if you keep going on, something's going to happen to you. And I... I don't know what I'd do, if it came to that. I care about you, Wanda. [More than he ever thought that he would.]

[His sweet, kind nature is incredible. It makes her feel awful, though she doesn't understand why. How can he be so good...? How does a person be that way? And why is he HERE. Why is he in this miserable hell-hole, and why is he taking time for her? Wanda can't think of a single reason she deserves such kindness.

She nods, making a sort of choking sound again as she sobs without tears, unable to meet his eyes.] I can stop... I can stop. I can. I-- yes. For now. I'm sorry.

[She continues to mutter a string of these same general words, almost like a mantra. In the very least she stops sparking and glowing with her hex aura. It's time to stop. Time to-- pull back. Never retreat. Kurt is smart. He says stop, it's time to stop.

If only she could stop replaying everything in her head.]

Thank you, Wanda. And don't be sorry. [He tries to wrap his arms around her in a hug, closing his eyes and trying to shut out everything he's seen before this.] If you want... I can get you to somewhere safe.

[She turns into the hug, hiding her face against him. She is so tired, and he is so safe. Surely, she'd be safe no matter where she was, so long as she was with him? But... that's naive, and even she knows it.]

Yes. ... Please.

[She wants to wrap her arms around him in a return hug, but currently her arms are wrapped around herself, trying to keep still and not hex, even with all the emotion and tiredness. She's afraid she'll hurt him if she moves her arms too much.]

[And he tries to embrace her as well as he could. And to accept her.

As scary as she seemed... she was really lost and afraid and angry. Just like Rogue was back at that cliff. So he couldn't turn his back on her. Especially not now, in such a desperate surrounding.

One bamf later, and they're in an abandoned shop. It's run down and somewhat eerie, but it's empty. And safe. He hesitantly pulls his arms back.]

We're out of the frying pan, at least... not to mention the fire.

[Taking a long breath in through her nose, she lets it out, slow and shuddering. Somewhere safe. She doesn't know where it is, but if he says it's safe, it must be. It's at least away from the sounds of battle.]

... Thank you...

[She draws her knees up, hugging them. She still can't quite look at him, so her eyes remain down cast. A million thoughts run through her head. All the death she's seen. All the deaths she caused. And in the middle of it all, Kurt. Kurt who seems to be all things good and kind, surrounded by everything awful and damning. How could he even exist in a place like this?]

How... are you?

[It may seem like an odd question, so mundane on the surface of things, said in her dry cracking voice. She could pass out from exhaustion here and now, but her mind doesn't seem to want to quite relax yet.]

It's been an outrageous ride. And not in the good way. [But that much could be inferred from how solemnly he declares that.]

I'm not cut out for this kind of thing, at all. [He sighs. His swords are sheathed at each of his sides.] Logan would be disappointed in me...

Logan's... not here. [Her voice is a little muffled, as her sits atop her knees, propping her head up.]

... and you're not. You're-- really not. You're too good for all this.

But that's the thing. Logan's not here, so someone has to be good enough for this. Man enough for this. [he's now crouched down sadly near her.]

If something goes bad and someone gets hurt, it'll be on me now.

What? [She sits up, trying to pay attention now. That didn't sound right to her. Not at all.] No! You're-- you're not a-- fighter. You're like my brother. [She means that in a good way, honestly.] You're... Made for defense. And support. But not-- this. This isn't what you were made for.

[He looks into her yes sadly. The words do sound right, and he feels a tug at his heart, but the guilt is still there. He doesn't even comment on the brother part, but it sinks in.]

It's not what I'm made for, but it's what I have to do! All of our teachers are gone, all of the adults are gone. I have to make the difference or no one else will!

I will. ... [She can only hold his gaze for a moment, before she has to look away, ashamed.] Or-- I thought... I was trying.

[Kurt was suffering because she couldn't finish this fight fast enough. He was having to fight, because of her failure. ]

H-hey. This isn't your fault. [He says with a pained voice as he reaches for her, trying to take your hand.] This is your first draft. You shouldn't have to be doing this. And I... I should know better by now.

[When Kurt takes her hand, she looks at him in surprise. She's not used to people taking her hands. They're like weapons. Especially now, with all the blood she's seen because of what her witchy twichy fingers can do. It makes her think of Kurt as both brave, and compassionate. And she is far to tired to completely understand that confusing brew of emotions.]

... It isn't your fault either. And yes-- I should! [Why doesn't he understand that?] Fighting-- war-- This is what I've always been... been trained for. It's what my life's been leading up to. ... I've always known that. Always.

[She pauses having a moment, as they say, of clarity.]

... and I hate it.

[His eyes go soft at that. What kind of upbringing did she really have, if that's the way that she thought of herself. He tries to speak to her calmly, hurt ringing in his voice as his eyes meet hers.]

Wanda... I would be worried for you if you didn't hate it. [And he tries to squeeze her hand supportively.] You shouldn't have to do this. You should be safe from all this. You're just a kid like the rest of his, Wanda.

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