Mission: Burying the Past in Zompania

[lucetimods]

Who: Anyone who volunteered
What: A very special mission that will bring you honor. Or maybe just traumatic memories. Whatever.
When: July 20th - July 24th
Where: Zompania, or what's left of it
Summary: Mission detailed here. There are graves to dig and buildings to raze, and plenty more for the volunteers to stay busy with.
Rating: PG-13 for probable mentions of gore and other sad things

Direct further questions here!

Comments

[generalflirt]

[ He should be helping more than this. Searching himself, feeling around. But while he can do it okay enough for the others, he doesn't want to look at Davis right now. He closes his eyes and then looks around a little - to look at something else, anything else.

... There's some body parts there he can only sort of make out with the light issues. Ew ]

[endgames]

[He should probably work quicker. Masaomi is only here for his sake, after all - if he was sincere about that line about not wanting to force one of his best friends into things, he'd make sure not to keep him longer than required. There'll be time to inspect the body later in Luceti, when he has more light to work by. Here in the dark, however, he makes out that the source of the jingling seems to be a chain.

Inside of the one-size fits all gloves of their hazmat suits, his hands shake and he can't understand why they won't stop. This is nothing. It should be nothing.

Two more attempts, and at last he manages to work the chain from around Davis' stiff neck. A pair of dog tags weighs it down at one end, rattling faintly against each other in his unsteady grasp. He pockets them before getting back to the task at hand: Seal Davis in the scroll. Get Masaomi back to camp. With a cloud of smoke, Objective A is accomplished at least.]

[generalflirt]

[ Masaomi, in the end, stumbles off from Shikamaru and Davis. He's not sure that he wants to look at this whole show here. And he doesn't want to look about at the strewn parts of people who no doubt tired to defend their commander. He ends up looking, with morbid curiosity, at more people he might recognize among the more complete bodies back here. And as he flickers the light around-

... There's a glint.

Oh.

And he walks over to see the pristine body of Jewel. She looks untouched aside from damages to her wings and ... her eyes are missing. But her diamond-skin body is of course untouched, giving this eerie sensation of someone who isn't even decomposing. He shakes a little, stuck on it ]

[endgames]

[Quick and methodical, Shikamaru moves on from the space Davis occupied moments ago to the row of bodies they'd dragged around. The scroll is spread evenly along their feet; Shikamaru arranges the bodies neatly, counting them off before he starts anything more to ensure he has room.]

I can take two more, and that'll be it.

[This is a lie. But when his response is silence, Shikamaru raises his head, searching out Masaomi in the dark. He walked further from him than he had thought.]

Did you hear me? [Standing, he moves to approach his friend, his voice at last sounding less flat than it was before. It drops a notch, understanding something is wrong.] What'd you find?

[generalflirt]

It's... It's ah-

[ Okay, speak, speak. breathe. Why is this-

Norma was shot, he didn't even see it. He couldn't stop that. And while he was having someone die to save his pathetic ass, this woman was dying too-

His knees buckle a little, but he catches himself from dropping onto his knees and. Just gestures at Jewel without her eyes.

It speaks for itself, really. He grits his teeth, not trusting himself not to vomit if his speaks up ]

[endgames]

[Shikamaru comes to stand by Masaomi, right as he sways. He watches him with concern before managing to focus his attention on the body indicated at their feet.

She looks almost pristine.

Wordlessly Shikamaru crouches beside her, brushing a hand over her face to close her eyes. It's a small thing that doesn't hide their absence well, but it's better than looking at empty sockets. Then he turns to watch Masaomi.]

[generalflirt]

I... her eyelids- they must be diamond. Too. I mean.

[ They'd sink down if there was nothing there to cover, right? Right? He doesn't know ]

[endgames]

[It's not really consequential. Masaomi's just babbling.]

Yeah. That must be it.

[He indulges the break for now, at least long enough to let Masaomi get his wits about him again, and makes to pick Jewel up. If she's this intact, he shouldn't have to worry about losing body parts. When he has her in his arms, he'll carry her back to where the scroll was left.]

I'll be right back. Stay here, okay?

[generalflirt]

She's not heavy?

[ Are diamonds heavy? Is she hollow? He should help, right?

... His legs won't move. Okay inhale, exhale. This suit is too constricting ]

[endgames]

She's not heavy.

[She's not exactly light, but it's rude to comment on a woman's weight. Even a dead one.

Besides the scroll, Shikamaru lays her on the ground with care. From there it's a quick process of sealing her inside it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Well. That last one's probably trickier. Shikamaru heads back to Masaomi.]

[generalflirt]

[ He's being such a mess here. He shouldn't be a mess - he's killed more people than are scattered here. He's seen plenty of people die. He's been responsible for the death of people too. Those guys in Vaskoth and -

Norma got shot in the back. He inhales, exhales. No, no no. ]

'M being stupid.

[endgames]

You're not.

[But I am. For bringing you out here.

Well, it's stupid to dwell on should haves and shouldn'ts. Soon as he's near to him Shikamaru drops a hand on Masaomi's shoulder, squeezing gently.]

You're upset. This isn't a war anymore; you don't have to bite it back.

[generalflirt]

[ He looks up at Shikamaru - only to see the wall of his helmet. The peripheral vision in them isn't bad, but you can't look over your shoulder. He stares at the wall, but then huffs as he tries to get back on his feet. ]

I can handle it.

[endgames]

I know you can. [His grip turns firm, pushing Masaomi back down.] So take a minute and orient yourself.

[He sounded like he was on the brink of a panic attack moments ago. Pushing yourself right away back into that is stupid; it's better to calm down first.]

[generalflirt]

Yeah. [ Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the nose. Inhale. Exhale. He isn't experiencing his first panic attack, and he knows the process to break past it. Even then, though, he didn't want to do it in this suit - this is making his breath feel hot and it's echoing a little bit in here. Ugh, ugh... ]

[endgames]

[There's unfortunately not much Shikamaru can do about that, though he puts together that it's no doubt a problem. For a moment he speculates on whether he could make a dome utilizing the magic Twila taught him; whether or not such a barrier could protect them from the dangers of the volatile Shifts sweeping the area.

If what Bil said about Shifts affecting Shifts is right it should work, but it also seems too risky to attempt over something like this...]

I wonder how immune animals are to Shifting.

[If he can't help one way, he can at least try the basic approach. Talking.]

[generalflirt]

Animals, huh...? Some people don't have their Pokémon in suits, so there must be less risk there.

[ Plus there's carrion birds, and he saw at least a squirrel or three out here. Some mice... ]

[endgames]

We haven't seen any animals suffering from weird effects. What's more, they're not usually impacted by the ones that happen in Luceti...

[Even the standard that brings anyone else back to life when they die. He won't bring that up for obvious reasons.]

Maybe they're an exception.

[generalflirt]

Animals also don't have extra wings. Maybe they're brought in like ... items or something.

[ You know, like inanimate objects... that's a weird idea ]

[endgames]

The ones born here are like that too.

[generalflirt]

The parents didn't have wings either though. It's just a theory, but then, Linda doesn't have wings.

[ This is somehow much easier to talk about - something way out of his depth like this. He licks his lips, as he breaks into a better... breathing pattern. ]

[endgames]

[That was the idea. He hums. Masaomi sounds like he's beginning to do better now; that's good.]

Even species that have to be native to this world don't have them. Like Shift Hunters. Wonder what sets them apart...

[generalflirt]

Y-yeah... wonder if those are natural, or if they just got invented by someone.

[ Okay. Okay. He grips his knees hard and makes to stand properly. He can do this ]

[endgames]

[Shikamaru rises with him, offering a hand this time to help him if he needs it/wants it.]

[generalflirt]

[ ... Fine, then he'll take it. He doesn't need it to get up, but he's going to take this to hold his hand. There we go. ]