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

[ribbonbon]

[Well, they had already died once. Compared to that, a trip into a sewer drain can't be that bad, right? As they go, she does her best to try and avoid anything that looks too heavily guarded. However, even though they have a better idea of what to look for, she kind of feels like she's just dragging Firo around aimlessly.]

Uh, s...sorry about this.

[foundafamily]

[Firo's attention is caught between saying alert for enemies and searching the ground and the walls around them. He blinks when she speaks, wondering if there's something he missed.]

What're you apologizin' for?

[ribbonbon]

W-Well, you told me to take the lead, but...well, I'm not really doing all that much.

[She figures there's probably no point in pretending to be a competent adult in this situation.]

I, um, I guess I'm still like, freaked out, you know? [After all, the last thing she wants is to get them both killed or something.]

[foundafamily]

Don't apologize for that. I wouldn't be doin' any better.

[He tilts his head as he looks at her.]

Freaked out about bein' dropped in a warzone or gettin' killed by a bomb?

[There's a lot of freaky stuff afoot these days.]

[ribbonbon]

[She thinks she gets what he's trying to say; really, what isn't there to be freaked out about? She smiles (though it's not a happy one) and then begins to scan the area around them, looking for a drain or opening of some sort.]

Oh...Y-yeah, I guess pretty much everyone is pretty freaked out right now, huh? It's like...it's just...a lot. I guess. It's kind of hard to concentrate or think or anything.

[That's an understatement. Unfortunately, Pilouette isn't exactly at her most articulate right now.]

[foundafamily]

You can say that again.

[He sighs and shrugs.]

Just... try to forget about some a' the weirder stuff.

[Yeah. Because that'll be easy.]

[ribbonbon]

[She nods, trying to keep a reasonably serious expression on. Maybe if she pretends she's not scare, she won't be.]

Y-Yeah. We don't really have a lot of time to think about that stuff anyway, do we? After all, we still haven't found a way in yet...

[foundafamily]

Yeah, exactly. So just don't think.

[Firo doesn't realize that some people can't turn off their brain so easily.

He's trying to think of some more not-so-sage advice to offer her when he spots something up ahead. It lies flat on the landscape, a different color than the ground around it...]

...Hey, what's that up there?

[Maybe he's getting ahead of himself, but it looks like it could be a sewer cover.]

[ribbonbon]

[Just don't think, huh? She really can't help but wonder if not thinking is such a safe idea in a situation like this. However, when he points it out, she cranes her neck to try and get a better look. She smiles, just a little...For someone who's not thinking he really made some progress here...!]

Hey, I think you just found our way in...! ...Do you think you can lift it? I mean, those are supposed to be pretty heavy, right?

[foundafamily]

[And now Firo's faced with a tough choice. It does look awfully heavy, but his pride makes it hard to admit that.

After a moment of internal struggle, he comes to something of a compromise with himself.]

...It might go faster if we try it together. You up to helpin' me?

[ribbonbon]

[She's not terribly strong herself and she frowns for a second, wondering if she'll be any help at all as feelings of nervousness return. However, either way they don't have much of a choice and she couldn't refuse if she wanted to.]

Y-Yeah...! [She carefully looks around to make sure they're in the clear. Hoping she hasn't missed anything, she gives Firo a firm, but anxious, nod.] Let's go...!

[foundafamily]

[He nods, rolling up his sleeves as they approach the cover. One they're there, he'll lean down to grab one end of it.]

Ready?

[ribbonbon]

[She grabs the other end. They haven't even started lifting it yet and somehow it just feels heavy or at least what one expects heavy things to feel like. She takes a breath and nods.]

I-I'm ready!

[foundafamily]

[Firo nods back and starts lifting.

It's really heavy, but Firo tries to put all his remaining strength into it. Maybe with two of them they'll be able to get it...]

[ribbonbon]

[Pilouette is likely not anywhere near as strong as Firo, but she's doing the best she can, trying not to concentrate on the weight of the cover. Once it's lifted a bit, she uses her foot to try and wedge her first aid kit underneath it in an attempt to make it easier to lift...or at least to keep it held up a bit if they don't get it on the first try.]

[foundafamily]

[Firo's just about to lose his grip on the thing when she wedges it open. He glances up at her and smiles as he slowly releases the cover.]

Smart.

[With it wedged open, it's easier to deal with. He's going to try and grab the cover again to shove it off to one side.]

[ribbonbon]

[Pilouette smiles back, just a little. She can't help but feel a tiny bit pleased with herself for a moment despite being in a warzone. She watches as Firo shoves the cover away, then peers down into the hole. She can't quite tell how deep it is just from looking.]

S-So do we just...?

[She looks back to Firo, motioning towards the hole. Though she's asking, she's sure there's only one thing to do...]

[foundafamily]

[He watches her gesturing and shrugs. He's pretty sure he knows what she's getting at.]

Just jump in? Unless there's a ladder or somethin'.

[He peeks down at the side closest to him, but there's nothing helpful there.]

[ribbonbon]

[Pilouette gulps. She picks up her first aid kid and, holding it over the opening, presses the cross on the front causing it to emit a bright light. She peeks into the hole again.]

It...It doesn't look like it's that far of a drop, right?

[She edges just a little closer. It'll be fine. Just fine, right? She'll just have to jump in. Jumping in isn't falling. She definitely won't fall, probably, and she definitely won't get hurt while not falling. Maybe.]

[foundafamily]

[That first aid kit is pretty handy. The hole isn't that much less scary now that they can actually see it, but the light will definitely be a big help once they're actually moving.]

...Nah, it'll probably be fine.

[He looks from the hole to her.]

Want me to go first?

[ribbonbon]

[She feels guilty for even considering it, but...]

I-If that's okay with you...?

[She smiles nervously. After a second she takes the ribbon from her ponytail and ties it around her first aid kit to keep the cross pressed in so it stays lit, before offering it to him.]

If you want, you can take it until I get down there.

[foundafamily]

[He nods, forcing a half-smile to cover up his nervousness.]

Sure. There's probably nothin' down there--a lotta the dangerous stuff is probably waitin' in the city or back at the front lines.

[Hopefully. Of course, that doesn't mean it'll be fun when they start getting closer to entering the city.

He's a little embarrassed at how relieved he is that she offers. He nods and takes the case.]

Thanks. I'll tell you if it's all clear.

[And then he jumps. It's not a long enough fall to be dangerous, but he doesn't manage to catch himself. She'll probably hear him cursing before he calls up that it's safe to come down.]

[ribbonbon]

[Her eyes widen a little when she hears that swearing, but when he gives the all clear, she sits on the edge of the hole for a moment before jumping down, letting out a quiet squeak. She stumbles a little when she lands, only just keeping her balance.]

Oof...! I hope this thing isn't too long...

[Even with their light, she finds it a little creepy.]

[foundafamily]

[He keeps out of the way to watch her land, ready to step in if she looks like she's floundering. A little stumble isn't bad, though, so he keeps his distance and starts walking as soon as she looks ready.

He glances over at her remark.]

You're that eager to jump back into battle, huh?

[Please just ignore Firo's terrible attempts at humor.]

[ribbonbon]

[She pouts a little bit, clearly not amused, as she follows him.]

No...! I'd just rather be above ground than in some...creepy gross drain tunnel or whatever.

[She looks around a little, trying to stick close. The quiet echo of their voices isn't doing much to decrease the creepiness.]