lucetilogs | 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

[If he's bothered by her using his lightning bolt to charge up, it doesn't show. In fact he seems more amazed that he had been able to control it for so long. When she asks him to do it again, he raises the hammer with more confidence than he had the past two times. And then he looks over at her with raised brows.]

A rubber ball? Really? [He doesn't think the two things are similar at all, but he changes his focus to the sky, repeating what he had done before. He draws forth another small lightning bolt and brings it down to the hammer. Once the bolt touches the hammer Steve tries to visualize the rubber ball as she had asked. It holds for a moment and then Steve begins to struggle to maintain it.]

Yes, a rubber ball. I'm trying to put it all into terms you'll understand since I've never taught anyone to do this before. It's instinctual for me.

[When it comes down again, she watches him, nodding approval once more. It seems to be held in place, and not going wild. That means he's got it relatively well bottled up.

Saori points over to a nearby laundry line.]

Now I want you to will it to strike that pole. Concentrate on the target and push the power over to it.

[He strains for a moment to keep the bolt contained before switching focus to the laundry line. His eyes focus on it as he tries will the lightning to strike it. The energy of the bolt wells up and for a moment Steve thinks it will go out of control, but instead it shoots towards the laundry line...and misses by a few inches, striking the wall besides it.]

...Points for sending it in the right direction?

[She gives him a wry smile and inclines her head. Good Steve, good! We'll have you shooting lightning like a Sith Lord soon enough.]

Yes. It's not easy to aim, I know, but it doesn't have to be accurate if you're firing into a crowd. Remember, electricity is attracted to metal and it will arc if you hit just right.

Try once more, but this time try and focus it. When you release the energy, envision a line of electricity. Force it into that shape, and...connect the dots. Make the vision of the line hit your target in your mind and it'll be more accurate.

So, most of this is just a matter of will power. I will the energy to target a specific place and it will. It's not so much a matter of taking aim as pointing it in the right direction and just...wanting to hit a specific target?

[It's strange to go from wielding the shield, where this is such a large margin for error if he doesn't throw it exactly right.

He looks to the clothes line again, focusing on it. Raising the hammer, the energy from the sky descends towards it and Steve feels it gathering. He imagines the energy striking out towards the line, hitting it. He's so focused on the image in his mind that it takes him a moment to realize that he's done what he meant to. He blinks as the line is engulfed for a moment by the bolt's energy.]

Essentially yes. The hammer seems to do all the actual magic for you, so...

[She claps excitedly when he manages to hit the target. It's really a lot simpler than she'd been thinking, seeing the way the artifact worked. It really was calling down the energy, and she can see how it's flowing, how the charge is gathering, and the will Steve is exerting on it through the weapon.]

That's exactly it! Very good, Steve!

Well, I kind of figured out that much. I know it's not coming from me. [There's not a magic bone in his body as far as he's concerned.

He grins as he surveys his success before turning to face her. He feels like his ability to use the hammer is a lot more reliable now. Not that he thinks he doesn't still need some practice. But he seems a lot less like an accidental threat to his own allies now.]

So, what's next?

Field testing, of course.

[With a little grin of her own she walks over towards the edge of the building and looks around.]

Let's find you a target, hmm? Some enemies you can try it on with just me around. That'll be best I think.

[He follows her to the edge of the building and scans the streets below. He understands her reasoning. It won't hurt her if things get out of hand.

At first he doesn't see any targets on the ground. But after a moment a group of three cultist round the corner, walking in their direction.]

Targets acquired. [He nods towards the cultists.]

[Saori looks down where he's indicating and gives the Captain a toothy grin.]

Alright, Steve. Show me what you've learned.

[With a nod, he walks over to the side of the roof that's closest to the cultist's position and gives him the best view. He raises the hammer towards the sky with a smooth ease he didn't have the previous times.

Energy travels down from the sky and gathers at the hammer as Steve concentrates on the cultists, imagining the energy raining down on the heads. When he's sure he's gathered enough to be effective, he releases it.

The energy travels down in bolts of lightning directly towards the cultists. They look up and see it coming, but it's too late for them to get out of the way. The lightning finds its targets.]

[Saori nods with some certainty, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze. It's good, impressive really, how fast he'd figured it out.]

Good job, Steve. I think you've definitely got the hang of things. If you like, I can stay with you for a while till you're more comfortable with it.

[He lowers the hammer and turns to her after casting a last glance at the now fallen cultists.]

Yeah, I would like that. Better to be safe, right?

I think so, yes. And we've always worked well together, anyway. So, let's go find some place to help out.

[With that, she calls up some clouds so they can lift off and get down to business.]

Zompania Draft - Draftees only, days 1-3.5

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