TEST DRIVE MEME

[eternitymods]

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. None of you know how you came to be here or where you are going, and the door to the cockpit is locked as the pilots focus on navigating the treacherous obstacles of the Dream Width. You might as well take this moment to introduce yourself to your fellow travelers. B. CURTI CENTER There’s an almost overwhelming aura of excitement in the tower as researchers rush to document this unprecedented number of interdimensional travelers. Over the commotion, the leaders of the Center struggle to explain, ‘Welcome to Vaikuntha. We don’t know why you’ve been brought here, but this is your new home.’ The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, provide maps and pamphlets about the world 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 under the circumstances. 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. WILD CARD Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Comments

[warpstriking]

That's fine, Shiro - for Noctis has a similar look on his face as well. Though he has no visible items on him that could feasibly seem like a weapon to any normal person. He only fiddles with the ring on his right middle finger slightly. Almost expecting even a tiny little hint of light in the white crystal set within. Yet nothing happens, much like it hasn't since he awoke on that cot.

"Same here," he admits after a long pause, glancing down as his eyes narrow slightly. No, not with that amount of anger - of pain, guilt, anguish and grief. It's not the first time he's lost, well, time, but it's been so long since then that he just... froze slightly thinking about it. Yet the fact he was standing was enough proof that it hadn't been anything similar to what had happened back home.

"If we were back on Eos, I might have had a few ideas." He muttered under his breath, just audible for Shiro to hear. Most of those ideas involved one man that he both pitied and hated with every fiber of his being. "But here? It could be anything."

[spaceforged]

He watches and listens, attuning himself little by little to how Noctis operates. Or at least what he is allowed to see. It reminds him faintly of Keith. That tiny reminder makes him feel an ache to know his team are alright and at the same time grounds him. He shuts his eyes against it and narrows his focus back to the problem at hand.

"And likely won't be something we'll expect. Any bias we have towards certain conclusions will only slow us down." He focuses on the problem and makes himself comfortable against the wall. The details can be filled in as they go. "...hopefully when we get to where we're going there will be some leads to follow."

That is a hope.

[warpstriking]

Despite the older man's physique, he couldn't help but get the same kind of strategist vibe he did from Ignis. Despite the fact that his adviser and close friend was there with them, likely still resting or talking with Prompto at this point, it's good to know there's at least one other person they could all turn to for advice.

He'll hear no arguments about expecting the unexpected. At this point someone could tell him there's a star with a purple sky, or one where humans were monsters and vice versa and he'd likely believe that. This whole day has just been that insane.

"There better be," he replies, not even bothering to disguise the authority in his tone or his posture. "And when we do get there, whoever's waiting for us better be ready."

Not just to give answers, but help keep the less level-headed of their motley gathering calm. They were lucky that he awoke here when he did and not a moment sooner or he'd have torn the entire ship apart, instead of standing tall and resolute despite how his entire world view is falling apart.

[spaceforged]

Again that flicker of fire like the heat of a sun seen reflected in his read-outs. He turns his attention to it and the authority in that tone like a lodestone orienting itself. In a way it grounds him like nothing else will.

"I imagine they will be." He says, his voice carrying its own authority but with less fire to it. It's more like a steady wind. "They knew what to do about us arriving. The numbers might be surprising but there has to be some sort of protocol to have this much set in place."

His mind works on well worn paths. Laws. Rules. Regulations. It's like all the checks he used to have to do for take off. "Assuming that's the case might not be a bad thing, actually. They might be used to panicked and scared people. Keeping ourselves focused might mean the difference between a lot of information or just a little."

As much as he wants to demand and call and call into the void. That won't help them. He'll approach this slowly and methodically. No matter how desperately he wants to get back to the fight and to the team that need him. But whenever he has a moment alone, that's when it all will hit him.

Just how far from where he's needed he really is.

[warpstriking]

If it is something he can offer in this unsettling time, then the voice he had as the last in the line of Lucis was something he was willing to use. He would wait until he was alone and not surrounded by practical strangers to focus on everything else. Like then, there was no other choice. He couldn't think about what would be waiting for him at home, where he needed to be. Only what they need him to be here. Ignis, Prompto, and Cindy.

The rest could wait. Had to. Even as he let himself be distracted by this new acquaintance's insight. It too was spoken with authority, one he could have easily mistaken for the Marshal's were Shiro older.

"And here I thought we agreed having 'any bias to certain conclusions' would 'slow us down.'" Noctis pointed out with a bit of dry humor, but that didn't necessarily mean he ignored the point. Quite the opposite, in fact.

[spaceforged]

"I said we can't have any bias towards what brought us here. Making reasonable guesses based on how our rescuers behave isn't the same thing." He doesn't smile but he raises an eyebrow and his expression that had been serious lightens a little. It's his own brand of dry humor showing.

"All those cots. These ships." He jerks his head to indicate the ship they're on. "That's already a lot of resources and that's only what we've seen." Search and rescue takes effort and not a blind shot in the dark. "Wasting all this...I wouldn't know a race alive that would do that unless they knew what they were risking it for."

Yet they hadn't found the Black Lion or the rest of Voltron. He looks out the window briefly as if he might see the glare of yellow eyes and the burning blue light of a massive sword. Nothing.

"Makes me wonder what they know about where we were that we don't." He lets out the breath he'd been holding in without realizing it and turned storm grey eyes back on Noctis. "Heard anything mentioned by the crew at all?"

[warpstriking]

Noctis shrugs a little, unfolding his arms in doing so and revealing his calloused hands in the process. "All I'm saying is: I wouldn't discount the possibility that they could have their own agendas beyond the search and rescue business."

He's far too familiar with someone offering assistance for their own personal gain, and making a mockery of the selfsame acts from others. A part of him hates that he, someone who is supposed to be the hope and savior of his star, has to bring up the possibility he prays isn't reality. There needed to be more good and honest people in the universe.

"Pilots are locked in the cockpit and refuse to answer. Other than that, most of those I've talked to are just as in the dark as the rest of us." Some more than others, he thinks and tries to hide that grimace though he only succeeds by frowning deeper. "There's one thing I did notice. Don't know how relevant it is to you, though."

He paused briefly, holding out his right hand and almost expecting something to appear in it and yet... nothing. "Whatever this place is, it's blocked magic. At least, foreign magic."

[spaceforged]

He touches the U shaped item on his hip again. As he lifts his head their stares connect. It’s in his eyes that he knows they could be riding towards being prisoners and or slaves or anything like that. Shiro looks away from Noctis and shuts his eyes. He shoves back memories of hot sand and creatures so much larger than him. “I noticed. I can’t access anything I normally would have. If matters communication tech isn’t working either. I can’t raise my team.”

He hadn’t checked on the pilots just yet but the fact they are refusing to answer...a faintly haunted look passed across his face and his hands clench on his arms. He shouldn’t make conclusions. He can guess they were brought out for a reason but that reason of search and rescue could be anything.

It’s you. The champion.

Anything at all.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re transporting more than people. But they could have harness rigged below.” He can’t see. But he is still certain he would know if the Black Lion is being moved.

[warpstriking]

He pulled his hand back from before him, rubbing the back of his neck with it instead with a sigh. What a mess this could and probably would be.

"No service on my phone, either. Prompto will be upset about a possible rematch..." He tried, at the very least, to lighten the mood. "Though the fact we aren't bound is a good sign."

He couldn't see either, though there might be crew members about that could answer the questions far better than their imaginations could. At least, he hoped.

[spaceforged]

“The fact there’s no guards watching over us is another good sign.” Or could be their confidence and a sign of how often they take captives. He shuts that cynical thought up and lets it stay in the back of his head. He pauses. The mood really needs to be lighter. “If Pidge is here I’ll have to go stop her from harassing any engineers. All we have to do is listen for a lot of questions fired out all at once.”

Or a bit of violence if they try to detain her. The thought makes him breathe in quick but no. Pidge would be fine. Shiro sinks down against the wall, legs folded and hand on the ground. It’s the closest to relaxed he’ll be until they arrive. “We could get up and go see what staff are around. ...and possibly to listen for shouting if I know some of my team well enough.” Keith. Keith might get very testy very quickly if they don’t answer and he feels he has a goal they’re impeding.

The shouter would be Lance. Always dramatic. He sighs and scrubs at his face.

[warpstriking]

"Right." It's easy to agree to that, though his mind goes to a similarly dark place. Yet there are no daemons on board, so he can at least breath that particular sigh of relief. Though he raises an eyebrow at that comment. Oh, boy.

"Sounds like you have quite the group of friends, too." He said it with a slightly more obvious amount of amusement than before. Watching him carefully. The guy doesn't show much, but having been raised around Gladio and Ignis, he can tell some things right off the bat. The stress, for one.

"I know two of mine are here, but if I hear someone say Pidge's name, I'll let you know." He pauses. "What do they look like?"

[spaceforged]

He smiles tiredly but his voice that had been even and calm, lightens. His people are so important to him. “They’re quite the bunch. Trouble all of them but the best kind.” If some of Noctis people are here maybe... he doesn’t let himself hope as he launches right into their descriptions. “Pidge has short, sandy hair and glasses. Her armor is marked like mine is, green. Lance is tan skinned, light brown hair, slouches and can be pretty dramatic. His armor is marked with blue. We’re all color coded.”

Why that is he will keep to himself. “Hunk is tall, thicker than the rest of us and gentle hearted. His armor is marked in yellow. He wears an orange head band and looks darker skinned than Lance.” His voice drops to a softer, more personal tone. There’s history in how he frames the name. “Keith. Is dark haired, sharp eyed and won’t miss anything. If you make eye contact and seem like you’re recognizing him he’ll come directly to you. Red marks. But like I said, seem like you’re after his attention and you’ll have it.”

Mention his name and Keith will move mountains to find out what you know. He keeps that to himself too. He keeps the Princess’s description to himself too. His tone returns to normal. “That’s all of them. We all carry the U-shaped weapon that isn’t working right right now. Let me know if you hear about any of them. Anyone you want me to listen hard for?”

[warpstriking]

Noctis, for his part, is quiet and committing their names and appearances to memory. Joining the other against the wall, one arm resting over his knees. Pidge, Lance, Hunk, and Keith- a bit more descriptive there, but he won't point it out to him. Just noting it to himself he probably means just that little bit more. Just like Luna was- is to him.

"Will do. You have my word." As king. "Only one missing from my group is Gladio. Tall, long dark hair and red eyes. Has an eagle tattoo on his arms and back. Likely wearing a similar black jacket to mine with an eagle on its back. Almost never wears a shirt." Clearly, that was the most important part. Save his obsession with cup noodles. "The two I've run into are Ignis and Prompto, if you come across them. Ignis has light brown hair and slightly less pale than I am. Always wearing shades. Prompto's a bit shorter than me. Blond hair. Looks like a chocobo's tail feathers. All of us wear black with some sort of skull and crossbone motif."

[spaceforged]

He nods and pauses at the unfamiliar word. “Choco-what? I assume that’s some kind of...bird?” Birds have feathers but maybe even that isn’t accurate. He raises his eyebrows and adds. “I’ll keep an eye out. If I see him I’ll contact you immediately.” Approaching wouldn’t be wise. More over that kind of thing is private between comrades.

He finally lets out a breath. He’s covered every single angle he can to find to keep his team safe. He doesn’t think Zarkon could show up here. But it would be foolish not to consider the possibility. For now this is all he can do.

[warpstriking]

"Chocobo. Large bird, mostly used for off-road travel or racing back home when trained." Something he knew a bit about, having been fascinated by the sport growing up. "Their feathers are usually some shade of yellow. Others used to be more common back home, but their populations have been dwindling the last few decades."

Like that poor black chocobo chick... It's a weird thing to worry about, given their current unknown situation, yet here he was. A king, worried about a little girl chickling they'd saved as an egg. Wondering just how she and her surrogate parent were doing, along with everyone else on Eos.

"Thanks." He says at last, staring up at the ceiling. Things would be better if he could just... talk to Umbra. Ruffle that pup's fur for a second. Feel some sort of tie to his Star. Have some sort of reassurance that they were fine... Would be fine no matter how long they were stranded here, wherever that or their destination may be.

Yet the gods remain silent, his eyes a midnight blue.

[spaceforged]

He catches the movement out of the corner of his eye and drops his hand down onto his helmet at his side. “We’ll figure this out. It’s just going to take some time.” He can’t make himself sound calm about it. Not when flashing across his mind’s eye is Zarkon’s mechanized suit. “...these chocobos sound a bit like our horses. There used to be wild herds of them all over the world. They were in a variety of earthy colors. Hooved and have a kick that you never want to deal with.”

Noctis might know horses. But the idea is to see the common link. And to give them something to think about that isn’t going to add stress or worry to their backs. He needs to shift his focus for both their sakes.

[warpstriking]

Noctis, to his credit, didn't bother to make an effort to show that he noted the stress in the other's voice. Instead, he kept his voice carefully monotone. Or rather, tries to. He can't help some of the worry that seeps through. "Yeah. I know. Been one hell of a day, though."

He won't focus on it; only point that much out. His friends are probably surprised he isn't asleep again, already.

"We don't have horses, but those sound a lot like spiracorns. Just missing the horns bit." He chuckles under his breath. "Wouldn't dream about riding one, though - they definitely aren't tamable. More likely to attack just for walking twenty or thirty feet away from them."

No, he totally didn't know that from experience. What are you talking about?

[spaceforged]

He grins and laughs. "And you definitely don't know that from experience." He...hasn't really experienced horses. "I can't say I've tried to ride a horse but I know they can be. People try to ride bulls." It's a sport and he winces anytime he's ever seen it. Shiro leans back and shakes his head. There's a little bit of humor in his voice now. Why not. "Usually after a waver..."

"They're bigger than horses, have a lot more muscle, and have horns facing forward." It has been a hell of a day but talking about ridiculous crap has eased the tension in his shoulders. "How many horns do spiracorns have? One in the forehead?" If they're violent.

It's a bit hilarious and a bit terrifying.

[warpstriking]

"Had the pleasure of having to fight and kill a few, yeah. Try to ride? Not even close." He's had enough back injuries to last a lifetime, and he's only ever had the one. Never again the dark times. "Bulls?" Okay, now he's curious. He glances over, shifting slightly though keeping his back against the cool surface of the wall. "I'd say that almost sounds like a behemoth, but I'm pretty sure what you're talking about isn't the size of a decent four bedroom, two story house. Or purple, for that matter."

And yes, he has fought one before. Killed a few, too. Though, getting back to Spiracorns... "Two, curved around one another into a spiral. Hence, spiracorn. There's some without crooked horns, but they're rare."

[spaceforged]

Two curved horns. All the better to gore people with he supposes. He tries to construct a mental image of a behemoth and fails. Purple. "Just how purple is a behemoth? What shade?" This is going to make meetings with the Marmora a bit funny. In his head.

Shiro pulls one leg up against his chest, stretching the other one out. He's been in a cockpit for several hours. If he doesn't stretch now he'll be sorry for it later. "...while we've taken on things that size. Fighting what sounds like a giant bull...that's certainly one for memories."

Memories and photos from a hospital or the latest reason to be in a healing pod. "Bulls aren't that big. They're in the hundreds of pounds not tons."

[warpstriking]

"I'd say... mauve?" If only he had his phone, he'd just pull up a picture of it. Or the photo album they kept on their journey. Either or. So, he shrugs a little helplessly there. Can't help what he can't share. Still, it's a little nice knowing that Shiro's having just as hard a time with different animals and beasts as he is.

Different stars are wondrous things.

"I- normally I'm able to turn any drink into a healing potion, so we don't usually end up in the hospital. Don't think it'd work here though, if my weapons are stuck, too. the normal populace, though... Yeah, it would be."

He hums, stretching his arms out with his fingers locked and interlaced together before leaning back again. "Gotcha. So more like a garula- Big, tusked creature. Shoulders are a bit taller than I am. Commonly used as a herd animal, though vicious if provoked."

[spaceforged]

“Sounds about right. There are different kinds of bulls. From the ones they use for the sport of bull riding or herd bulls.” But Noctis brought up a point. He shifts his arm and attempts to activate the particle shield. Nothing. “Looks like all the functions of my armor are on the fritz. Good thing to know now than later.” Like leap from a high height and think the jet pack will work kind of later.

He picks up his helmet and turns it around in his hands. His armor is as much a symbol of being a paladin as the Bayard on his hip. He sets it by his bent leg. “Anyway. So long as we don’t have a repeat of a giant bug hatching out of a moon, I think I won’t complain too much about weird creatures.”

That had been an experience. He would rather never repeat it.

[warpstriking]

"Huh. Interesting." Noctis hummed, thinking. At the very least there were some similarities. Things to help cross a culture barrier of exponential proportions. He waits patiently for Shiro to try and activate something. Raising an eyebrow when he confirmed his hunch.

"Yeah... Trying to summon my father's sword was the second thing I did." Noctis shrugged, looking down at the ring on his right middle finger. Trying to cast Holy had been the third. "So no magic, no weapons. Juuust great."

But he won't panic. Not yet. Not when he has to be his friend's king first. If he panics, they'll panic. Especially Prompto.

Though that thought makes him pause. "... A giant bug. From a moon."

What the fuck is your world, Shiro.

[spaceforged]

He nods, leaning back against the cool metal of the wall. “We were sent there to deal with it without knowing about it. It wasn’t that bad of a task but I would have rather known what the team was getting into.” They could have planned accordingly. But the wild goose chase they went on did serve as decent training.

Shiro pops his shoulder and breathes out with obvious relief. That twinge has been bugging him. “It wasn’t the only bug on that mission. I just count that as the weirdest part of the whole thing.”

[warpstriking]

"Sounds about half the odd requests we took, too." He sighs, exasperated at the memory. Dino really needed to work on the hazard pay beyond just some piece of jewelry...

He can't believe he misses the guy.

"We once had to hike up a volcano. With the lava flows still not solidified. For a photo of the summit." Their poor, poor boots. Rest in pieces. "Pretty sure it was the one time Prompto could honestly say he didn't skip leg day, though. And it's good he's not here to hear that. Pretty sure he'd have been stuck in the ceiling at just the thought."