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memesofeternity2018-07-14 03:33 pm
eternitymods) wrote in memesofeternity2018-07-14 03:33 pm
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme III
  A. RETRIEVAL
Dreams fade slowly, and awareness returns in increments. The hum of machinery, the smell of recycled air, the murmurs of others waking up around you. The interior of the ship has been outfitted with cots for those Biggs and Wedge retrieve from the Dream Width. Outside of the makeshift infirmary, windows set into the walls of the worn lounge area offer a view of space. It’s time to meet your fellow new arrivals who have been brought together on Biggs and Wedge’s airship. The other newly-awakened people have no idea how they came to be here, but now's a good time as ever to introduce yourself to the others on the airship and glean what information you can. B. CURTI CENTER
The researchers at the Curti Center are not quite so unprepared as last time, but it is still obvious that they are struggling to understand the sudden influx of interdimensional travelers from the Dream Width. "Please step into the lobby for a quick survey. Perhaps there is some common thread we haven't discovered yet..." The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, write down all proffered information they can about the arrivals' homeworlds, provide maps and pamphlets about Vaikuntha and the destinations within it, and even guide the arrivals to a neighborhood where housing has been provided for you. Yes, due to the strange influx of arrivals, you’ll be expected to share, but the Curti staff are doing the best they can, considering they are still housing the previous arrivals here on the island. Experiences like these bring people together. Perhaps you are the only one here from your world, but at least you are not alone in this experience. Others are right beside you, learning the same information, planning trips to visit the same new cities, checking out these Job things, and settling in to their new (temporary) homes. C. UP IN THE SKY
There’s a whole new world to explore. It’s almost enough to distract from the fact that there’s one place you can’t go- home. You are on an Airship, the main mode of transportation between the major cities of Vaikuntha. While the majority are owned by airlines, perhaps you hitched a ride with a friend that has their own. You can go anywhere in a matter of hours — One can only hope you don’t have motion sickness. D. GUILDS
Proud representatives of the Guild are lined up, ready to demonstrate their skills for the new initiates. Make sure to stay behind the designated line, this might get dangerous. So you want a new Job? You'll have to first travel to the Guilds, sign the papers, go through the orientation and introductory lectures, and get basic training. Afterwards, you can freely chat and practice with your fellow members, celebrating your new powers, and checking out your new wardrobe. E. LET'S BE ADVENTURERS
Separated from all of your material possessions, connections, and everything you know, and really, what you’re left with is time. Better try to make the most of it. Enough expository banter. It's explorin' time. Maybe instead of spending every day in your room, you'd rather spend it living it up in the city of Lavode, or betting on Chocobo Races in Sparks Goldsaucia. Or maybe you'd rather go and explore the caves and ruins near Arito. With Airships and Chocobos at your disposal, you can go nearly anywhere! F. SIDEQUESTS
Maybe you’re telling yourself, ‘I didn’t sign up for this.’ But wait, you did. At least it pays. It all started when you checked the Quest Board. All you wanted was a few gil to spend, and here you are in the wild, hunting for a Malboro Vine. Or maybe you are in some ancient and decrepit ruins looking for an artifact. Or you could be asked to be janitor for a week. Consider yourself lucky though, at least you don't have to do that alone. G. GET A JOB (THE OTHER KIND)
You’ve got a Job, but Claire keeps sighing and muttering about layabout space-people not earning their keep, so it might be time to seek out Employment as well. There are plenty of opportunities to earn some gil in Vaikuntha, no matter where you choose to settle down. Your iMog slate includes listing for employment opportunities. Hopefully you can find something you can live with so that you can start saving up for an airship or the security payment for your permanent housing. H. MOGNET *Ding!* You’ve got Mog-Mail! Thankfully, you can instantaneously chat with your friends around the world thanks to you iMog Slate. And unlike old-fashioned Moogle Letters, you can even send messages to everyone in a blink of an eye! However, despite the change in technology, the old tradition of Mognet Strikes have never gone away. Nobody knows any more whether the Moogles have legitimate reasons to go on strike or if they are just lazy. But today, Mognet is down, and to get information you have no choice but going to the public boards or risk message corruption and mishandling. I. RANDOM ENCOUNTER
The ground trembles, and out of nowhere, something hostile appears! You were minding your own business walking around, and suddenly monsters attacked you! Time to put to use the skills you've learned with your Jobs! Will you try to fight on your own or seek help? And remember, you die in random battle, you die FOR REAL. There’s no shame from running from enemies that are a higher level than you! J. SUMMER SUN
[insert Sheryl Crow track here] Vaikuntha offers opportunities for many summer activities. Only some of the beaches hold the risk of being attacked by aquatic monsters, the others are a perfect destination for a day trip on a sunny day. Take a hike up the mountains and relax in some hot springs at the top. Go camping in the woods K. WILD CARD
Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours! |
no subject
He doesn't mean to, and he doesn't notice himself, but nothing about trying to adapt to this new place makes the guilt sinking in his stomach even lighter.]
It's not so bad here - almost reminds me of home, just if you replaced all the normal Earthling animals with ones from deep space. [If he acts like he's just...nostalgic, then surely he won't ping any concern. That's how it works, right.]
no subject
Lance, I know little bits about the future. Hunk told me about it in our first few months. I don't know why those things are happening but...there's...if you have anything you want to say I won't yell. I won't ignore it. I promise I'll listen.
You have nothing to fear from me. You don't even have to talk if you don't want to. But, I'm here whenever you're ready.
no subject
He looks away, turning it over. There's no easy way to apologize to someone, to tell them you should have done more, that you're sorry you didn't realize what was happening, but-
But...
He glances over at Shiro, eyes tracking his hair, his arm, before his gaze turns to the water.]
If...you already know, then there's no reason to sweat the small stuff. It's all fine with me if it's fine with you, Shiro.
no subject
He draws in a breath to combat the sudden tight feeling in his chest.]
Whatever will happen...I'll be fine with it if all of you make it out of it safe.
[That is all he asks. All he wants. They are part of the war because of him. He'll see they get home.]
well those s6 spoilers are happening for sure
Replaced by a clone? A puppet? Lance isn't even sure, didn't see whatever Keith saw, but he knows enough. He was there, he saw Allura, he should have listened to Shiro from the beginning, he could have-
He could have stopped things from going that far if he had just listened to Shiro.]
We...will. [He can at least say that for certain. They lost the castle, but they survived and they kept the universe for being destroyed.
Not a definitive win, not yet, but. They're alive.] We will.
s6 spoilers all up in here
Hey. Whatever did happen to you. It's okay. If everyone made it out that's what matters. We can't focus on what went wrong.
All we can do is look at what we can fix and repair it. [His smile grows as he adds, a touch lighter.] And we'll do that together.
Just like always.
spoilers and knife emojis
He can't meet Shiro's eyes, because if he does, then he'll know too. He'll know just how much Lance failed him, and Voltron.
(Some Red Paladin, huh? Maybe they should have let him step down, let Keith take his rightful place at Shiro's side - he would have heard, would have pushed to figure it out.)]
It's not me I'm worried about. It's- [He makes a noise, frustrated and upset, pulling his knees up to his chest.] It's my fault everything's gone, and I'm...I'm sorry, Shiro.
spoilers and I raise you a cleaver
No. Lance. It's not you. ...Haggar had been working on plans for me long before we became Voltron. [He shifts his right arm tucking it against himself out of sight.]
She told me herself, 'I could have been her greatest weapon'. I guess...that came to pass anyway. [He ducks his head and shuts his eyes. All of his fears came to pass then?
Witch.
The word builds up speed in the back of his head as the mental image of the yellow-eyed double with his laugh turned sinister reflects in his mind's eye.]
So the one who should be sorry...isn't you.
spoilers and i don't have an appropriate icon so this is just the face i'm making at you
It doesn't make him less of a failure, less of a burden on the team. It just means he failed to save Shiro from Haggar's clutches when he could have - when he was the one Shiro called out to.
Shiro trusted him, and he failed him. It's as simple as that, and right now he can't see how that's anything but the undeniable truth.]
I didn't listen to you. I could have - [He presses his fists into his eyes, turning away.
God, he's so stupid. Why did anyone think he could be Voltron's right hand man? Why did he let himself think that?]
I could have saved you.
spoilers AND GUESS WHAT IM LAUGHING AT THE FACE YOU'RE MAKING
He's taking his responsibilities seriously. Too seriously.] We don't always see what someone else is trying to tell us. We don't always have the time to stop.
We're in a war. [He wraps both arms around him letting him take that warmth in for a moment.] We made it out alive. Stronger than ever from the sounds of. Yes, we lost a lot. But we will rebuild, Lance. We will be ready for whatever else we face. I'm proud of all of you. You've come so far.
...just, don't fixate on your responsibilities as the right hand of Voltron. They will crush you if you put too much weight on your shoulders. Lean on the rest of us. We'll help you.
why u bully
You were dead. The whole time, you were dead, and you were replaced, and you tried to tell me but I didn't listen.
But he holds it back. He takes a breath, still staying tense in Shiro's arms with his face in his hands. He doesn't want Shiro to see him cry, he doesn't want Shiro to think he's more pathetic than he already does.
He doesn't say as much, but he knows the same way he knows he should have tried harder, should have tried to figure it out. But he didn't, too concerned with himself and silly things that don't even matter anymore, not when there was a war and someone who was so important to him was just - was just dead.]
But I have to, don't I? Or else why would Red have let me pilot her?
[His voice is soft and frail, and he...He already regrets letting that out. He already wants to take it back, but it's too late for that.]
Offers a pick me up speech??
Red chose you for a lot of reasons. You’re a skilled pilot and you care about the team as a whole. You want what is best for them. ...but you have to remember to take care of yourself too.
A leader who focuses only on their duties forgets to be a person. They burn out, Lance. You have to find a balance between duty and yourself. Never short change yourself. Take little moments for you. And remember that we all play our parts in this team. Together we make it through.
Keith wouldn’t have had the opportunity to bring me home if the right hand wasn’t capable of commanding while he was away. And the team wouldn’t have held together well while we both were gone without you. You are a strong part of this team...our family. I know it will take time to process and deal with everything that happened.
That’s okay. Let yourself have those moments. There’s never any shame in it. We’re all hurting with you in our own ways and we will all help each other as we deal with our pain.
denied.
And actually listen. There's still doubt eating at him, he still can't believe all of it - the team is more important then him. If he wasn't there, Voltron could continue to operate. It could be Keith and Shiro like it's supposed to be, and...
Well. Maybe Shiro wouldn't have died in the first place if Allura had piloted Blue.
Right now, it's hard to see how he could be so important to keep the team together, when he's always been the weakest link.]
...
[He scrubs at his face, grimacing. Embarrassment starts to wash over the guilt and the despair, tangling it up and making things feel even more uncomfortable. He can't believe he just cried all over Takashi Shirogane.]
Yeah. Yeah, you're right.
[But his heart's not quite behind those words just yet, even though he pulls back from Shiro nonetheless. He sniffs, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand.]
It's too early to act like it's the end, huh?
[He tries to smile, to laugh, but...he doesn't quite make it.]
Sad sighs
It is, but you’ve been through a lot. Let yourself deal with that. It’s okay. Hunk and I had our moments here too.
His slightly tamer than mine. [Okay. Not really. His was just far more subtle and only picked up on when his anxiety spiked like an alarming hospital reading. He snags his water and twists off the cap to take a long swig. He pauses and offers the bottle.]
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
He at least has the decency to not hand it back, instead curling his hands around it and holding it close.]
But the two of you are doing okay?
[He can deal with things later. (Or never. Never is probably a good idea. He hates this scratched raw feeling his has right now, like a stiff breeze could send him tumbling back down. If he never has to feel like this again, that'd be perfect.)]
Nothing's...happened. Right? You've been safe.
[He shakes his head at the offer of water, though he's sure he'll regret it later.
He tried!!
This world is mostly peaceful but monster populations have been increasing. I've seen it on my flights. In the dream width Hunk ran into a strange memory that didn't seem to belong to anyone. We fought an awakened sea god.
Something is starting. So, we've been preparing for it. ...The next job I pick up might be a healer class. I experienced it in a memory and as a team, I want to make sure we're covered. In the meantime, I've been looking for ways to get the Lions operational without having to adapt them to this world.
gold star for effort, buddy.
It's strange to think about, so he won't. His brows furrow, and he frowns.]
A sea god...? [His voice is raspy, throat scratchy, and he grimaces. Maybe should've taken that water instead of trying to play it cool, huh.] That's a big "no" on being safe, then.
[He frowns, shaking his head.]
You shouldn't tax yourself too much. You're not alone here, okay? You've got a team. You don't need to shoulder every job possible.
[What do you mean that's hypocritical after the conversation they JUST had? Why would you....how could you POSSIBLY think such a thing?]
Is it an accurate gold star?
And I know I'm not alone. We'll all work together. This isn't a safe place but that's alright. [His voice lowers as he stresses the words, not pleading but just trying to convey how important it is to him.] We can make a difference here and save lives while we're here. We can't go home just yet, but we'll find a way.
[The tone eases as he sits up a little straighter.]
Make sure you don't overtax yourself either. Take breaks, pace it, and you'll do fine. As for the sea god...that's a long story.
one leg is just a little bit shorter than the rest
[He takes a sip, hoping it'll bolster him. It doesn't, because it's just water, but it makes his throat feel less scratchy.]
You're a part of the team and you shouldn't...you shouldn't have to feel like it's up on you to take care of everyone else. I- We are here to help and we can do things for you.
[Really, he's just afraid. Afraid that Shiro will try to take on the world just so somebody else doesn't and it'll come at a cost that he's already paid. He doesn't - he can't lose Shiro again. None of them can. If he dies here, it's not like he can just come back. It's not like Haggar is here, ready to infiltrate them to break them from the inside again.]
I mean, how hard could it be to be a White Mage? Bet I can do it and keep an eye on your back for once.
[Because it's okay if Lance takes this on. Any impact Voltron can make here won't be because of him - but if he can help those who can actually make a change, who can actually find a way to keep people safe, he will. It's the least he can do with who he is.]
Too long to tell now? Because I'd...I'd like to know.
Wow
[Lance is practically lecturing him the same way he’d tried to talk to him. His lips twitch at the corners but he keeps a smile at bay. Something had happened to him and his fellow Paladin is rattled. He touches his shoulder.]
I do pace myself. I always have. That’s something that helped me reach my goals. [Even when he got a nasty surprise that nearly took his career from him. Even if it...He shuts away old hurts with a quiet click of a door best left shut.] I know it takes all of us to ensure we make it out alright. And you have watched my back in the past, on the ground and in space.
But, if you want to take up healing...that is your choice and I think you’d do well with it. I think you’d do well in whatever job you pick up. You can make a difference here no matter what you do. We’ll stand by you every step of the way.
deal w/ it
The fact that Shiro's touch gets him to shrink, to tense up all over again, surely...means nothing. He's fine! Totally fine.]
Your pace always seemed harder and faster than everyone else's. You... [He shakes his head - he's not sure what he means, just knows that he feels an incredible amount of concern for Shiro. Shiro was someone who had meant so much to him for so long, and...And while he's sure Shiro doesn't need someone like Lance looking out for him, wouldn't want him to either, he can't help but feel like it's duty to...to help. To fix things.
Isn't that what the Red Paladin is for? To be what the team needs him to be?
Isn't it about time he finally stepped up?]
Maybe you were just better than us. [He shifts, trying to force himself to relax. Trying not to think about what he needs to do to live up to these expectations Shiro seems to have for him.] I want to help. If...healing is how, I'll do it.
rude also vague spoilers
Then he looks back at him with a thoughtful look on his face. He can approach this slowly and carefully for both their sakes.]
Lance, you have to do what will make you happy. If healing will do that, I won't say no. No matter what you do you will be helping.
...
What happened to me was no one's fault. I knew the risks. I accepted them when I went to Kerberos and I accepted them when I became a Paladin. [He glances down and feels...uncertain. He's not sure how to navigate this. He rubs at his face and speaks carefully.]
..but it hit you pretty hard. I recognize that too. [There. Maybe? He looks at Lance, his uncertainty written all over his face. He doesn't want to hurt him. Not his friend and teammate.] I think what you should be telling me is what you need from me as your friend to help you through this. I want to help you too.
winky face (the spoilers aren't vague anymore)
Then he shows up here. Where it's Shiro, with black hair and his Galra arm, who's. Who's real. Who might still turn on them, might still attack them, might change his tune if Lotor follows them here...
He doesn't know what to do. He knows what he wants, desparately - and that's for his team to be safe. To be whole. To keep all of them together and to not let them go if he can manage it. Maybe it makes him selfish and maybe it's impossible, but he would stay here for the rest of his life if it meant none of the other Paladins would suffer.
If it meant Shiro wouldn't fall back under the thumb of Lotor and Haggar.]
I just want everyone to be safe. [His voice is small, and he pulls his knees close to his chest. He feels stupid admitting it, but...He can't have this family be left behind, too.] But that's not going to happen any time soon, so... I guess I need to make sure I'm not holding everyone back.
[Shiro and Hunk had already been managing without him. They would manage, still, if he left, but he doesn't want his appearance here to cause them to stumble. He doesn't want to just be something for them to worry about.
So, he'll be the one to pick them up.]
Insert whining (the spoilers are here)
We do need a healer. If that's what you want to pick up I'll help you as much as I can. But I want you to do one thing for me.
For yourself.
[He itches to lay a hand on his shoulder and reassure him but he keeps his hands on his own folded legs.]
Keep sharing with us how you feel. Communicate it as much as possible. And find something you enjoy here. Something that when you need a break you can turn to it and relax. Okay?
[It's a start. Tiny as it is, he could work with him slowly and get him to open up and see what he's talking about. He'd have to talk to Hunk and see what advice he could give him as well. Maybe Hunk would have ideas how he could approach the damage done to their Red Paladin.]