memesofeternity | Test Drive Meme III

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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! ~~Is that battle music playing?~~

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 ~~just not on Friday the 13th~~. Enjoy a refreshing sea salt ice cream bar. Just because you’re here, it doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to a vacation.

K. WILD CARD

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I know you went to the Blades. We allied with Lotor. ...I vanished and came back. [He catches the glance at his arm and suspicions crowd in his mind. Later in private, not here.

Two years and some months for Keith. Well, that's pretty long. A faint pang of sadness brushes through his thoughts to have lost so much time. Yet...our Bayard. He sighs and smiles a little, unclipping the Bayard. He holds it up between them.]

I know we fought. Apparently, I get vicious with the whole team. I'm sorry, Keith. Whatever it was it won't happen here. This is our team.

Welcome back...not that you leaving for a while ever meant you actually left this team. You'll always be a Paladin to us.

[Well, he was only half-wrong there. He takes a breath, shaking his head as he places a hand on both the bayard and the hand holding it. Because he knows. He knows he never stopped being a Paladin. No matter how much he tried to assimilate into the Blades, he just couldn't do it. Couldn't match their moral code of the mission over all else. His mother helped him realize that was OK.

There's so much to tell him. Yet he has to start somewhere, so he settles on that apology.]

I know it won't. [There's no doubt in his mind, and it's reflected in his eyes and voice.] It... wasn't you. The you we found - I found - was a clone. None of us realized until it was too late and Haggar sprung her trap. We fought, and he caught me at my weakest point.

[And that's how he got the scar.]

[He connects the dots one by one and his eyes widen again as cold dread reaches up for him with an icy hand.

Keith found a distress signal you sent in a Galra ship.

Clone.

Haggar.

Witch

He looks away and drops his arm staring at the wall as if he's truly seeing it for the first time. You could have been our greatest weapon. His own laughter echoing back. He slides the weapon back onto his belt and looks back at Keith.

If what they found was a clone...what happened to him? His last memories were of blazing light.]

...thank you for telling me. [His voice sounds calm and measured just like always if you miss the faint shake to it.]

You were injured in that fight, right?

Edited 2018-07-15 01:51 (UTC)

[He probably would have caught that on a bad day, and disoriented as he is, it wouldn't be much of a surprised if he hadn't. Yet he catches that subtle difference, and his hand immediately goes to rest his hand on Shiro's shoulder. He's known himself too long not to. Was the only one that Keith truly let his guard down for the longest time.

He ignores the question in favor of gently steering his best friend to one of the couches.]

...I found you, too. [He'll use the words he first spoke to him in his arms when he awoke in that body. He has to. It hurts to hear that shake.] You and Black saved us.

[He allows Keith to steer him over to a couch. It should be the other way around but he can't help but notice how easy it is to support him and be supported.

He laughs a little as he sits down. His hand closes over Keith's on his shoulder.]

So...you saved me again. And this time I got to return the favor.

[Honestly, it's probably a mixture of the two. He knows he needs to sit down, himself. He feels that fight and the one after that still as he sits. More accurately, though: he needs sleep. Yet right now, he needs information more.]

You called out to me as I was falling. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in Black's mouth. And not just that, but... you helped me reach the rest of the team before- [Great. That's something else he has to tell them. He lowers his voice as he finishes the thought:] ...Lotor could kill the others.

[He leans into the cushions, the wince is barely noticeable unless you're looking for it.]

What's the situation here?

[He draws in a breath and lets it out slowly. They can have a much more private talk when they get home. He has so many questions. First.

Pale white weaves up between his fingers as he turns slightly and grips Keith’s shoulder. The light sweeps into him and he talks quietly.] First, all our old combat abilities are locked away when we get here. You have to pick up Asterisk at guilds to learn new ones.

I can’t fix all your wounds but I can get a portion of them. I can cast again before we dock at the Curti Center. Anyway, these Asterisk let us learn the new skills of a system called jobs. We don’t know why we’re here yet. As far as we can tell we’re here to try to save this world according to some legend.

People arriving from different realities has happened before but not to the scale of when myself and Hunk arrived. Since then events on this peaceful world have been moving. It feels like it is leading somewhere and it’s nowhere good. We did fight a god recently and that...was an interesting experience.

The Black and Yellow lions arrived after we did but their weapons and flight is locked. I can’t do anything special with my arm and as you likely noticed our armor is just armor. Supposedly we can work on it and unlock their abilities by adapting them to this reality. I think there’s a way to use them as they should be. I’m just not having any luck on finding the means yet. Until then I’m a different kind of Paladin and sometimes...

Sometimes I channel the power of dragons. [He draws his light wrapped hand back and reaches up to run his thumb over the scar. The light whispers over it. He can remember how tender his own scar was at first. But this is a burn and the nerves might be damaged there.]

I can’t do as much as a full fledged healer but things like this I can take care of.

[There's a lot that they need to talk about, but not here. Not in front of Hunk, either. There's some things that should probably stay between them at first. Though he'll have to tell Hunk sooner or later, he's not about to say what all that right arm is capable of. Keith blinks as the pale light. It's... familiar, yet different. And as it sinks in through his armor and into his skin, he begins to see why.]

...Explains why I've been feeling like I've fought for two days straight again. [He hasn't felt this sluggish since the Trials. Yet he listens closely, the gears turning in his head. One thing at a time he tries to tell himself, but as usual, it all comes out in a rush.] What legend? How large a scale are we talking about? And another god?

[Please tell him it's not another giant bug. The fact Black and Yellow are here is a slight relief, yet he can't help both wondering and worrying that their flight and weapons systems are offline. He remembers when Red went offline after he tried to end Zarkon the first time.]

Any ideas on how to do that yet? [Adapting their skills, he means. Before closing his eyes at how the light tries to weave it's healing into the burned flesh on his face.] Almost sounds like one of Pidge's games.

Edited 2018-07-15 18:06 (UTC)

[He runs his fingers over the scar one more time and withdraws his hand. The light fades away to nothing as he lets the power go.] It is a bit like her games. We’re considered Adventurers when we pick up quests to help other people.

I’ve been learning how to fly their ships here. Building contacts and favors. [His hand settles on Keith’s shoulder. It’s so nice to be able to do that again. He had missed him and even if their timelines don’t match up they are together. He can learn this changed Keith all over again.]

Before we came in batches we were only one to two every ten or so years. They don’t yet know what caused the change. I come out every time we get new people in case we can find more odd memories in the Dream Width.

And yes another god, a sea serpent under an underwater city. An actual god this time.

[He finally remembers his coffee and leans away to take a swig of it.] In my side pocket is a device. It’s called an iMog and has all my notes. You’ll get your own when we get to the Center. I’ll transfer a copy of them and all my reports I’ve drafted to you when you have yours.

[He tends to make notes and reports all the time. It helps to see their progress. He takes another swig of the coffee.]

As for the legend I’ll show you after we get back to base...home. We settled in a scholarly college town.

[It doesn't feel much different. Maybe appears a bit older, less angry-looking. His eyes open again at the familiar gesture of the hand on his shoulder and his body posture shifts. He sits up straight, turning his head to look at him better as he listens.]

Odd memories? And Dream Width? [He has heard a few things about the latter from the recordings playing in the background, but...] ... Got it.

[He's going to be reading through those reports and notes thoroughly and at least twice. Though, don't think he didn't catch that-]

A college town? [A faint smirk crosses his lips.] Thought you'd already graduated. [Yeah, now he's just trolling.]

I did. [His smile turns a little sly as he lifts his head.] It’s cheap housing and food. And we have access to a lot of information. And I get to be the mean old wet blanket when people are too loud.

[Teasing obviously. He laughs, his voice back to something warm and lighter.] I set up a few things around the house you’ll enjoy. We don’t have a training deck but we have a wooden dummy you can hammer on for days.

I’ve been thinking we can see if we can build hover bikes with the magitek. It would be a very useful way to get into Arito if they need us until the Lions can fight again.

[He takes out his iMog and opens it to pictures of the house and surrounding area.]

Nothing like the Castle but I wanted to be sure we had a place to stay that was ours as we figure out what’s going on.

[Congratulations, Shiro. That got a chuckle out of him. Sorry, but without the all-white hair, he's having a hard time seeing it.]

Don't tell me: you ask Black to roar in the direction they're the loudest. [It's what he would do. ...What?] Sure I won't end up cutting through it instead?

[...It's a very serious question, for good reasons that Shiro will probably learn about sooner or later. The idea of hoverbikes sounds good, though magitek is a new word and gets a raised eyebrow. At least, until he looks at the photos and his eyes narrow slightly in disbelief.]

...You trying to replicate home? [Another tease! Wow, he's on a roll today, and definitely didn't close his eyes briefly in an attempt to hide something there.] Because that sure is a desert.

Edited 2018-07-16 20:28 (UTC)

[Keith closes his eyes. He could ask but after what he's learned...Keith needs a break. He laughs tipping his head back and letting the air ring with it.]

First, the desert used to be a great home! It's the perfect place to drive off into the wild for a while. Second, I climb into the lion and direct the roar myself. I'm a motivated man.

[He has issues sleeping some nights and college partying can be really disruptive. After the first few times they tone it down after the first warning growl.]

And third, if I can't cut that thing in half with a two-handed sword, you'll do just fine. It will give you a goal, won't it?

[He really does, but... it's something he'll have to tell him eventually. Until then, he's more than fine with him laughing.]

Yeah? And how many noise complaints has that gotten? [He can't argue about the desert, but it feels so weird talking about normal things compared to what their normal is. Yet at the same time... he's smirking at the prospect. He remembers how Romelle reacted to Green roaring right behind her.

The third point gets a raised eyebrow. Really?] Our combat skills are lowered that much?

Fraid so. You're back to the beginning. [He grins at him, as full of faith as always.] You'll catch up in no time, knowing you. Things pick up pretty quick or that's how it feels being a Paladin and a Dragoon.

[Using swords and spears has been an experience. He hasn't used anything one handed and that...well that seems more Keith's area. Even if he still wishes Paladins were sword and shield.]

And not many. We're at the edge of the city limits out where the college kids party. They keep it to a reasonable level these days. [After he scared the pants off them with the Lion when they didn't listen to him personally. His eyes brighten and his grin turns to a smirk. He's the boss of his territory. Everyone knows it.]

I let them go as loud as they want on weekends unless I need to think.

[Were it not for the hand on his shoulder, he'd probably be slumped over right now. Instead he sighs, despite the determination shining in his eyes. Right. Be patient. Focus.]

You bet. [It'll be annoying, but there's no way he's going to let it keep him down. He has the others to think about. Speaking of:] You mentioned Hunk earlier. Are any of the others here? Anyone named Krolia or Romelle?

[There's a faint hint of hope, especially in the first name. Like it's personal.]

[His eyes widen and his eyebrows climb up. He can count on his fingers how often Keith formed a name like it meant something to him. Belatedly he notes the hope and he reaches to pull Keith into a tight hug.]

It has been just us. I'm sorry, Keith. I'll keep a watch for her. Can you give me a description?

['I left you once. I'm not leaving you again.' Yet he had. He left her with Coran and their wolf to save Shiro. It nearly cost her and their teams' lives twice in one day.

He hugs back, steeling himself before he answers.]

Galra. Between our height. One mark identical to my scar on both cheeks. She's a fellow Blade. Also, she's my mother. [He pauses.] Romelle's an Altean we met on a mission. Shorter, blond hair, green markings.

['Also, she's my mother.' The words echo in his head as he tightens his hold on Keith. There's no need to say anything to that. But, the later hit him like a bullet's impact and he jerks back to look at Keith with widened eyes.]

There are survivors? Does Allura know?

[She and Coran aren't the last of her people.]

[Keith's grateful he doesn't focus on it. This is something they can talk about later, in private. He briefly tightens his grip before loosening it to let Shiro pull back.]

She knows. Brought Rumelle with us when I came back. [Yes. Us. His mother is helping them too, now.] Didn't get to tell her the full story, but Coran does. We have a lot of catching up to do.

[Both here and back home.]

We do. There’s so much I want to show you here. And...a lot we have to talk about. [Private talk. For now he just relaxes with a smile on his face.]

There is a ship I want you to see the plans for later. They’re called Manacutters. One person manned ships that use the energy of a crystal and the wind to stay in the air.

...and dragoons. You have to see them, Keith. [There’s a longing in his voice just like when he spoke about space in that hanger all that time ago.] They’re beautiful. They borrow the magic of dragons to leap up into the sky.

It’s what made me decide to join them. I know you’ll love it if you pick it up. We can’t fly like we normally do but being a dragoon? It’s so close, Keith.

[Keith eases into about as relaxed as he ever gets in a strange place. Though he immediately latches onto the idea of the ship mentioned. Manacutters.]

Did the plans say anything about a max altitude? It's velocity?

[What are the systems like? He has to know. Not even the exhaustion from three major battles in a row is stopping his curiosity, now. Especially when he catches that tone Shiro uses for dragoons. He knows it far too well not to recognize it. His eyes light up at the prospect of a combat style that's meant to do jumps like that.]

You say it just as I stopped with the costly jumps in combat back home. [It's a slight tease, but also a way to say how far he's come since the last time Shiro's seen him fight hand-to-hand. He has a teleporting wolf now instead, but that's something to share later.

He's interested. And it's likely obvious for the one who scouted him into the Garrison in the first place. Interested, and maybe lowkey concerned like he always is. And, like always, never voices it.]

Well, now your jumps won't cost you. [His eyes spark with good humor. Keith is caught and he's more than happy to pull him in to share the wide world he's discovered with him.]

Dragoons use spears to make use of their max speed and help us when we come down. I can show you how your response time is factored by speed, wind direction, and the magic itself when we get back to our house. [He reaches back into his belt pouch and produces his iMog. He swipes across it and holds it out with pictures of the Mana cutter blueprints on the display screen.]

I've got a practice course set up for perfecting skills. We go pretty fast...but keep in mind your defense will be lower because of that speed and power. I compensate with the defense from my main job. In turn, Dragoon makes me a faster Paladin.

That kind of synergy is vital here. And there, in my iMog are all the airship plans I took pictures of. My notes on their velocity and max altitude will be on the right in each shot.

[Yeah, he's more than sold already. A two-handed weapon such as the spear would be different but interesting to master, and the thought of talking shop with Shiro again was too great to pass up.]

Can't wait. [He says, before becoming engrossed in the blueprints on the small screen. The gears are turning in his head already at the different plans, making a mental note of each as he looks through them.

And Keith might already be thinking of how to compensate differently for the loss in defense. Oh dear.]

Interesting. [He hands back the device.] So, any surprises I should be aware of before we land?

[Tell him about Gourmand, Shiro. You know you ~~don't~~ want to~]

Uh, yeah there's one you should be warned about.

[He pockets his iMog. He could draw up pictures or so. But this is better just told straight. Shiro puts his hands on his thighs and says, carefully.]

There's one job that...if you take it up. I will not judge you for taking it. There's a lot of benefit from it. But I won't make the mistake with you that I made with Hunk.

It's called Gourmand. [He glances to the side and looks back at Keith.] Hunk missed the guild demonstration and picked it up. I was a little rattled at the time or I would have talked to him about it.

...

Keith, they eat their opponents to gain their power. Alive. We fought a sea god recently and Hunk bit her.

ALL OF THEM

ALL OF THEM, INDEED

DEAR STARS SO MANY

...THE NAT 20 STRIKES AGAIN

DEAR CHRIST

HONESTLY AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHY I ROLL FOR IT. WE KNOW WHAT IT'LL BE.

The dice are with Shiro!!!

screaming

Laughing

cackles

Let the teasing begin

So much teasing.

If best friends can't give each other shit, who can?

No one, because there would be a fist in their face if they haven't gotten to best friend territory.

Exactlyyyy

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