Takashi "Shiro" Shirogane (銀貴) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
padadin) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fablelands2018-11-19 10:12 pm
padadin) wrote in fablelands2018-11-19 10:12 pm
Entry tags:
[Open]
Who: Shiro and you
What: Arrival and exploring
Where: Southern Shore, cabins, the forest around them
When: Throughout the month
Warnings:is reusing some of my tdm a warning For the wolf prompt, mentions of blood and imprisonment, PTSD.
1. Awakening | Southern Shores
[Leaves. He wakes up on a pile of leaves, and at first Shiro thinks he's dreaming. The smell of the sea assaults him, too, and he hasn't been to the sea in forever. The Garrison was in the desert, and he spent time in space after that... only to return to more desert. So lying down on the ground, feeling the breeze through his military uniform, brings back memories of his young life in Japan. Of his grandfather, taking him to the beach because the sky is much more clear there, perfect for his new telescope. Or his dog, digging in the sand to bury her ball. Of building sand forts against imaginary aliens.
This definitely isn't home, though. One quick look around tells him as much. Has he been wormholed here by accident? Has he been kidnapped? But a kidnapper wouldn't leave a bag with supplies, now would they? Shiro only takes a superficial look into the bag to check what is before throwing it over his good shoulder. He can see some houses in the distance, so it's time to do some exploring and try to find other people.
He moves slowly, and carefully, always keeping an eye on his surroundings. He doesn't know if there are enemies around, or dangerous wild animals. But sooner or later, Shiro feels hungry, and the stuff in his bag should be saved for emergencies. So sorry, random person who happens to be in the area, for the metal arm that flies past you to grab an apple from a nearby tree, or to catch that little rabbit over there. Shiro is concentrated on the task and doesn't mean to startle.]
2. Cabin area
[Shiro wants answers, and he wants them now. Usually he's a very patient man - the most patient person in the universe, some would even say. But he's also a workaholic, someone that needs to be active all the time. Adding to that the fact he's apparently been kidnapped? Yeah, not a happy camper at the moment. So you can find all over the place:
A. Investigating the cabins. He's leaving no house untouched, no room unseen. Will he find your character in an awkward situation or just chilling? Or maybe a fellow explorer? If that's the case, then he'll mumble-] Sorry. [Before quickly regaining his serious attitude to ask.] Were you brought here as well?
[B. At the shore of the lake, the sleeves and pants of his military uniform rolled up as he tries to fish with his bare hands. Except there's nothing to catch in the first place. Frustration obviously shows on Shiro's face.] I'm not seeing things, am I? Those are fish in the distance. It's almost as if there's an invisible force keeping them away from the shore.
[C. A bit of a wildcard! Shiro will be doing all the things required to survive: hunting, gathering wood, taking water, testing the things found in the cabins, etc. Feel free to find him during any of these activities! He'll be observing the tree carvings as well, mumbling the name of the animal under his breath as he goes from one to the other, in case you wanna chat about them.]
3. Exploring / big bad wolf (mentions of blood and imprisonment, PTSD)
[Something -someone- is watching him. Following. And it's getting on his nerves, making the paranoia that usually haunts his nightmares worse. The first day he can ignore it, but as time passes, he gets more and more jumpy, and the signs he's finding are not helping. Blurry memories of blood on the walls of the room where he was kept try to leave the back of his brain and assault his senses, the smell of death almost pushing him to the edge of a panic attack--
Crack. It's just someone stepping on some twigs, but it's enough to make him snap, and Shiro sends his arm flying to punch the trunk of the tree next to the poor random that has found Shiro like this - aka you. Sorry about that, this (a bit over) six foot beefy man is usually gentler than this.]
Who are you? Are you the one that has been following me?
What: Arrival and exploring
Where: Southern Shore, cabins, the forest around them
When: Throughout the month
Warnings:
1. Awakening | Southern Shores
[Leaves. He wakes up on a pile of leaves, and at first Shiro thinks he's dreaming. The smell of the sea assaults him, too, and he hasn't been to the sea in forever. The Garrison was in the desert, and he spent time in space after that... only to return to more desert. So lying down on the ground, feeling the breeze through his military uniform, brings back memories of his young life in Japan. Of his grandfather, taking him to the beach because the sky is much more clear there, perfect for his new telescope. Or his dog, digging in the sand to bury her ball. Of building sand forts against imaginary aliens.
This definitely isn't home, though. One quick look around tells him as much. Has he been wormholed here by accident? Has he been kidnapped? But a kidnapper wouldn't leave a bag with supplies, now would they? Shiro only takes a superficial look into the bag to check what is before throwing it over his good shoulder. He can see some houses in the distance, so it's time to do some exploring and try to find other people.
He moves slowly, and carefully, always keeping an eye on his surroundings. He doesn't know if there are enemies around, or dangerous wild animals. But sooner or later, Shiro feels hungry, and the stuff in his bag should be saved for emergencies. So sorry, random person who happens to be in the area, for the metal arm that flies past you to grab an apple from a nearby tree, or to catch that little rabbit over there. Shiro is concentrated on the task and doesn't mean to startle.]
2. Cabin area
[Shiro wants answers, and he wants them now. Usually he's a very patient man - the most patient person in the universe, some would even say. But he's also a workaholic, someone that needs to be active all the time. Adding to that the fact he's apparently been kidnapped? Yeah, not a happy camper at the moment. So you can find all over the place:
A. Investigating the cabins. He's leaving no house untouched, no room unseen. Will he find your character in an awkward situation or just chilling? Or maybe a fellow explorer? If that's the case, then he'll mumble-] Sorry. [Before quickly regaining his serious attitude to ask.] Were you brought here as well?
[B. At the shore of the lake, the sleeves and pants of his military uniform rolled up as he tries to fish with his bare hands. Except there's nothing to catch in the first place. Frustration obviously shows on Shiro's face.] I'm not seeing things, am I? Those are fish in the distance. It's almost as if there's an invisible force keeping them away from the shore.
[C. A bit of a wildcard! Shiro will be doing all the things required to survive: hunting, gathering wood, taking water, testing the things found in the cabins, etc. Feel free to find him during any of these activities! He'll be observing the tree carvings as well, mumbling the name of the animal under his breath as he goes from one to the other, in case you wanna chat about them.]
3. Exploring / big bad wolf (mentions of blood and imprisonment, PTSD)
[Something -someone- is watching him. Following. And it's getting on his nerves, making the paranoia that usually haunts his nightmares worse. The first day he can ignore it, but as time passes, he gets more and more jumpy, and the signs he's finding are not helping. Blurry memories of blood on the walls of the room where he was kept try to leave the back of his brain and assault his senses, the smell of death almost pushing him to the edge of a panic attack--
Crack. It's just someone stepping on some twigs, but it's enough to make him snap, and Shiro sends his arm flying to punch the trunk of the tree next to the poor random that has found Shiro like this - aka you. Sorry about that, this (a bit over) six foot beefy man is usually gentler than this.]
Who are you? Are you the one that has been following me?
2B. Or not 2B. (More like 2A/2C.)
Mornings see him up for a run at or around sunrise, sometimes making a circuit of the lakeshore, sometimes venturing into the forest. Almost always he’s dressed in his tactical gear, and he’s always armed, still somewhat mistrustful of what might be in residence here. This island, or whatever it is, hasn’t yielded up any answers to the question of its purpose, and Bucky’s trust doesn’t run very deep.
Still, the daily runs are a welcome exercise and — for all the strangeness associated with arriving here — he certainly has no complaints about having a gorgeous landscape in which to take them.]
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He's slowly getting into one here, but a morning run isn't pat of it yet, even if he's dying for one. He doesn't know the area well enough yet, doesn't know if there are any dangers he should look out for. He's doing the necessary exploring first, getting to memorize all twists and turns before going back to being the gym rat he is.
Nightmares mean he sleeps like shit, so he's up before sunrise, already washing his face at the lake and starting a fire to cook... something. Meat, probably, since fish seem not to be coming over any time soon. And it's simple enough, it doesn't require mixing, which means Shiro won't screw it up. Because guess which smart strategist leader sucks at cooking?
This morning he's so concentrated on following that rabbit that he's startled by the sudden steps on leaves that come his way. Out of instinct, he raises his arm ready to defend himself against-- ah! A person.
...who also has a metal arm. Huh. Shiro quickly lowers his.]
Sorry, you took me by surprise. [And a surprised soldier with certain reflexes is never a good thing.] You aren't a native, are you?
[That would too much to hope for...]
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Suits him just fine though.
Coming through a break in the brush though brings him up short; on top of not expecting to run into anyone, he’s definitel not expecting to run into someone who immediately drops into a defensive stance with arms raised — one of which is distinctly not a human appendage. It immediately sends him into his own half-crouch, arms raised though he doesn’t go for either the gun or the knives at his hip and back.
The idea of being able to wait for some sort of introductory move and not needing to immediately attack is a luxury indeed.]
No. [There’s wariness in this voice because running into another person with a high tech prosthetic arm isn’t how Bucky had anticipated his morning to go. But it seems pretty clear to him that whoever this guy is, he’s new.
Or he’s a really good actor, but it probably says something that the possibility is the least likely of occurrences.
Bucky straightens slowly, arms returning to his sides, albeit a little warily.] New here?
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Yes. I woke up near some rivers, then made my way here by foot. I found two friends of mine in one of the cabins, but not sight of other person in miles. [He sounds incredibly frustrated, and it shows on his frown.] Let me guess, you have no idea of what is going on either.
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Hate to tell you this, but that’s becoming pretty common around here. [He glances past the guy to the fire — just out of curiosity; a fire gone wild could be disastrous — but it looks well made and contained. Clearly this guy has some grasp of survival skills or common sense (or both).]
I’ve no objection to sharing what I know, but it’s not much.
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The fellow metal arm helps a bit too, he must admit. And what he says... well, it matches what Lance and Keith have said so far too. Shiro nods.]
Any information you can share would be welcome. Something is better than nothing. [He takes a couple of steps towards the guy, not coming to his side yet but showing some friendliness to start with, since it seems they're all stuck together in this.] I'm Shiro, by the way. I suppose the word "Voltron" doesn't mean anything to you, does it?
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[The newcomer takes a few steps and Bucky shifts to meet him halfway. They really do have to start somewhere, and it'd be nice for it to not be steeped in suspicion and mistrust. Besides, he does trust his own instincts to react to an attack, should one be coming.
He shakes his head at the question though.] Bucky. And it doesn't, sorry. But I'm going to guess that the word "HYDRA" doesn't mean much to you?
[Which is actually okay with him, truth be told. There are more questions he wants to ask, sure, but they have to start somewhere. And while Bucky still doesn't think he's the best at disseminating information, he sees no reason not to share what little he does have. Just because this place hasn't shown itself to be overly dangerous just yet — at least not to him — doesn't mean that it isn't coming.]
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[He isn't expecting any more than the basics, although it would be nice if one of these random house had a hidden stash of snacks. Maybe a can of beer, but that's too much to ask for.
The word "hydra" does ring a bell but obviously it's not what this guy is going for, or he wouldn't ask like that.]
Nice to meet you, Bucky. Circumstances aside. [Having more people around is good. Shiro doesn't like isolation. Also shaking his head now.] I take it you don't mean the creature. No, it doesn't. This would be confirming the alternative reality theory I was discussing with my friends.
[His teammates... who come from his past. Still wrapping his head around that.]
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[Really it'd been a lucky find, the water skin he'd scavenged out of a hut. But Bucky is definitely thankful for it, and doesn't mind sharing it. It's forcing him out of his comfort zone sure, but he's found it's easier than anticipated in a place where most of the people he's met don't know who he is and where HYDRA's influence isn't present. It's more freedom than he'd ever anticipated having.]
Circumstances could be worse. [Which is true enough, sadly. Bucky's shoulders do relax a little bit at the mention of the mythological creature though. If that's the only way Shiro knows HYDRA, it's more than fine with him.] I don't, and trust me, it's a relief. [A beat.] You know, a few weeks ago I would have laughed at a theory like that. Now I'm not so sure.
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[It also means they weren't the ones to do this... probably. Too subtle for their style, although considering the witch... No. It wouldn't make sense. Especially since they apparently there are people from other worlds here. This wouldn't be their use for such a power.
Sympathy appears on Shiro's eyes when he hears that last part. There isn't much that can surprise him nowadays, but he understands what is like to have your world turned upside down.]
So if I ask if you're human and if you've only encountered humans so far that will be weird too, huh.
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[Shiro might notice the knowing way that Bucky says it, but he's not trying to hide it. And he's getting the feeling that he's not the only one with so-called "bad guys" back home. He's still not sure how much he'd feel comfortable about sharing though. Maybe this conversation will go a ways to figuring that out.
The question though makes him laugh. Sure, it should be strange, but after his conversation with Peter? Well, maybe Bucky isn't the strangest thing in a room at a given time. It's an odd comfort (and probably an odd thing in which to find comfort).]
I'm human, don't worry. That question isn't as strange as it was before I got here.
[What he doesn't say — and probably doesn't need to say — is that he's a modified human. That's probably pretty obvious from his arm alone.]
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Not that he expects good answers for that anyway...
The fact the question makes the man laugh is encouraging and welcome, to say the least. It seems Shiro can talk about The Weird (TM) without much trouble and that, he must admit, it's one less thing to worry about.]
It's not a worry. I'm surprised it's only been humans so far. What have you found in his place besides a couple of people? Any clues?
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Human-looking anyway, but it's probably a safe bet to say that we're all human. Unless someone's hiding something, but if so they're doing a very good job of it.
[And if so it's not like he or she would be the first person to hide something about themselves. Bucky's hiding quite a bit, and he's probably not the only one.
He does shake his head at the next statement though, clearly a little annoyed by having to admit the negative.]
Sadly, no. No clues about what might have brought us here or why. No one who seems native to this place, unless they're very good at pretending. [A beat.] I was told that some time ago a girl's voice was heard in the mirror — you were told about the mirror, right? — but that she couldn't be found. There's not even any proof that she was a native here, and it happened before I got here.
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Fair enough. Human or human-looking is still pretty specific.
[As he listens to what else Bucky has to say, Shiro turns around for a moment to send his arm after the rabbit he had been chasing before - rustling of leaves tells him it is back. And this time he manages to catch it, hooray! So he returns to the fire with something to roast, and he takes a seat across from his new acquaintance.]
Yes, my teammates told me about the mirror. So this girl's voice, do you know what she say? The matter of natives is extremely weird. I would almost say the island hasn't been dwelt on, but those cabins say a different story... and yet there are no signs of fighting or traveling. It's like whoever used to live here just... vanished.
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[The fact that aliens are, in fact, a thing? Something that Bucky is still processing. It's not that he doubts it in any way, it's more that he just really doesn't know what to think. Then again, it's probably not the craziest thing, considering that they're all somehow here with no explanation, and that time displacement — for lack of a better word — is apparently a thing as well.]
Okay, I'll bite, because mine definitely doesn't do that. [He nods to Shiro's rabbit-fetching arm, even as he's pulling a combat knife from its place at his back. He'll offer it hilt-first, if the rabbit is still alive, as a way to quickly put it down.] Voluntary, or not?
[There's no judgement in his voice, but because Bucky's own hadn't been a consensual thing, he's not sure where the line is with others. He's surprised that he hasn't been asked more direct questions himself, but those most likely to have asked had shied away from it.
He does shake his head though, agreement with Shiro's observations and just frustrated at the lack of direction or explanation.]
From what I was told, just a lot of screaming. And that they never found her. [There's a small hum of agreement about the cabins though; that's been Bucky's observation as well.] Yeah. I can't believe an entire, I don't know, society would just up and vanish, but what other explanation is there? Everything's too lived-in, while at the same time looking untouched.
Unless it was prepared specifically for us, but there's no evidence of that either.
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Yes, it's voluntary. I control it. [He pats the glowing piece on his shoulder.] It's connected to my brain through my nervous system. I used to have one like yours, though. It wasn't detachable, but it glowed like some kind of energy blade.
[That one hadn't been consensual at all, but hey, details. The how of his arm loss is not something he likes to think about, but he can deal with some chatting about prosthetics.
Both of Shiro's eyebrows go up as soon as he hears "screaming" - that's never a good sign. The fact she hasn't been found doesn't help either. That theory though...]
For us. Like a reality show, you mean. Not impossible, but like you said, it looks lived-in.
[...]
Unless the previous occupants also were brought here just for this?
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Yeah, took some getting used to at first. But it's been useful.
[Which seems to be a neutral enough statement, and a good way to transition away from talks about strange metal grafted onto one's body. Easier to focus on the bigger question: why they're here, and where here even is.]
Possibly, though who's watching us? And how? I haven't been able to find any evidence of any kind of monitoring system.
[Though that's not to say that anything of the sort would be anything he'd recognize. After all, they're communicating with magic mirrors.]
Maybe? For all we know, we could have been the previous occupants and had our memories wiped to start whatever this is over again. There's probably a dozen more possibilities and no concrete answers.
2A / 2C
It's on their way back to the place they have been calling home for the last couple of weeks that they stumble on something that Keith could have sworn hadn't been there before: a set of cabins - fifteen or so - all put together next to the lake. He wonders if the lake is so big that they never managed to noticed this place from their own. He wonders, too, if they messed up their directions at some point, because the idea was to get back through the same way they came, but they didn't pass this place before. Either way, given the position of the island on the lake, he has a fairly good idea of which way to go so they can get back.
Yet, since they are already here... Might as well explore the cabins, right? Most of these are probably empty, which means, there can be things they can use inside.
Not really crossing anyone on the way, they make their way into the first empty house, easily opening the door and walking inside.]
... [Not much here, is there?] ... Maybe we can take the blankets?
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The new cabins by the lake give him some pause too, though, so before long they're exploring. So far they haven't actually seen anybody among the cabins, and their scavenging habits have let him forget about knocking when there never seems to be anyone around, so they just enter the nearest one. ]
Oookay, just one room for six people, why not...
[ It's not a lot of privacy, he's just saying. He nods at Keith's suggestion though. ] Yeah, good idea. [ It might not get super cold here now, but who knows when it's gonna change its mind about that. Time to gather those up, except then the door opens and Lance's hand immediately moves to the handle of the hatchet.
And he sees the figure in the doorway.
Shiro has always been pretty recognizable, but the white hair- the Garrison uniform-- the arm, all of it, it throws him a little, and so he stays rooted to the spot. ] Shiro?
[ Is it? For real this time? ]
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He raises his arm before opening the door, ready to strike a wild bear if needed... and instantly drops it when he sees who is there, doing the same thing he is. Eyes widen, surprise written all over his face.]
Lance? Keith? Guys!
[It only takes him a couple of steps to reach them, and it's enough to get him in full mama bear mode. He looks at them from head to toes, searching for injuries, puts his hands on their shoulders to check they're real, and the worried tone makes it appearance too.]
Are you ok? Did you wake up here too without explanation? What about the others?
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Either way, no one seems to be staying here right now.
After Lance agrees with him, Keith nods, and follows him towards the closest bunk-beds. That's when he hears the door opening, too. He turns, quickly, taking his dagger from its sheath - he is wearing his normal clothes minus the jacket, which stayed home - and holding the handle tight, eyes fixed on the figure that comes into view.
... And his heart almost drops to the floor when it fully does.
Lance is saying the name in his mind - Shiro...? - but the sheer relief and excitement at the first impact of seeing Shiro again begins to fade and be replaced by something else - something very different - as Shiro starts making his way towards them.
He sounds like him. Exactly like him. He looks like him, too - white hair and everything, like the last time he saw him, after Allura saved him. But...
... Something's off.
The uniform is all wrong. Is it-- A Garrison uniform? But... how? Most confusing, though, is the arm. That arm--... That's not Shiro's. It's wrong.
He doesn't really have time to do much between the surprise, the confusion and, finally, the suspicion, before Shiro's hands are on his shoulders. But the moment they are, Keith immediately tenses up, taking perhaps a second too long - it's Shiro and yet - before moving backwards and away.
He stands, instead, in front of Lance, the hand with the dagger raising, slightly, in a somewhat defensive stance. It doesn't turn into a sword though. Not yet.]
-- W-Who... Who are you?
[They have seen weird things in this place. So far, they hadn't found any familiar faces at all. But this--... This is cruel, if it is some sort of fabrication. Shiro was still recovering. He wasn't dressed like that. He definitely didn't have his arm, mainly not something like... that.
So who is this? What's this all about?
He eyes the open door behind Shiro. If a fight breaks out, this is the worst possible scenario. They are in a closed space, there's not much room left behind Lance or to move at all. Maybe if he can turn them around... Yeah, Lance should be able to get out-- He'll try to follow. Not that he wants any of this.
He really, really doesn't want to have to go through this again.]
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But Keith is putting himself between him and Shiro, and he thinks, well, he thinks about the scar on Keith's face that he still hasn't asked about and that yeah, he might have a point here, as much as he hopes to whatever is out there that Keith is wrong. So he takes half a step back, wary eyes moving from Keith's back to Shiro. ]
Whoa, yeah, I mean... last time we saw you you definitely didn't have that arm, never mind a Garrison uniform. So what gives?
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So when this happens now, it stings, because he had gotten used to things being well after all. But he doesn't blame them for it, it had to happen sooner or later. And the current situation is probably not helping, especially considering he's surprised them. So yeah, there's hurt in his eyes, but also resignation. Guilt. Shiro steps back, giving them space, and raises both his hands to show he's come "in peace".]
It's alright, it's alright, buddy. It's me. Not the witch. [And boy does he hate her even more now. He always has, but it gets worse every day, because she keeps ruining things for him. Destroying what he loves.] I-- I'm not sure what you mean. I saw you hours ago at home, before I woke up here. We were assigning the lions their entry points in the Atlas. You don't remember the arm? Are you feeling okay?
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Yet-- It stings. It stings to see that look on Shiro's face and it stings to hear those words. Soft, soothing, reasonable. It's so hard-- So hard for him not to immediately let his defense down and believe him. But-- None of this makes any sense at all. Not what he is seeing and not what Shiro is saying, either.
He clenches his free hand and doesn't move from his position between Lance and Shiro. Yet, he does allow himself to listen-- how couldn't he? One day, it might be his death sentence, how willing he is to believe Shiro, to follow the man he considers his brother everywhere. But it's not just the two of them, here. And he still isn't sure of what exactly is going on.]
What... are you talking about? [... Home? What home? And--] What's the Atlas? [What the Hell is he talking about?] And no, the last time we saw you, you-- [Had no arm.] -- I-- [He turns his head to the side, breaking eye contact with Shiro for a moment, thoughts of that battle returning. He was fighting for survival. But he still hates that it got to that. That it got to him having to do that.] ... Your arm was gone. [He meets Shiro's eyes again.]
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Yeah I'm with Keith. The last time we saw you was after we fought Lotor and decided we'd be going back to Earth. You were barely conscious, man, and you definitely didn't have two arms. After that, we woke up here. Well, not here here, but we've been stuck in this place a few weeks now.
[ With Keith in front of him, the view is mostly blocked, but Lance looks travel-worn enough to back up his words. His clothes are stained and worn, there's a cobbled-together bow slung over his shoulder and an old hatchet at his belt-- where he was lean before, he now verges on thin. ]
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Confusion reaches him too when he hears Lance adding that explanation.]
A few weeks? That's impossible. I just got here and I was with the whole team before I woke up in that forest. The battle against Lotor was months ago--
[His hands fall when he remembers the little Lotor issue, and he looks around the house as if he was seeing it for the first time. Three years for the universe, but only minutes for them... is that what is happening here?]
I think there's a time problem here. This may be another universe - another dimension. [Where are Coran and Pidge when you need them to explain stuff?] Like the place the comet they made Voltron of came from, or that reality you guys visited. For me, the battle you mention has already happened. We've already arrived to Earth, and Allura made this arm for me from one of Sam's prototypes. How can I prove it to you?
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The suspicion in Keith's expression, albeit still present, slowly starts to be replaced by confusion. His shoulders relax a little - and so does the hold on the handle of his dagger - his eyebrow lifting ever so slightly.
Again, that doesn't make any sense. But as Keith starts to think about it, Shiro speaks as if he was reading his mind. That this place could be another dimension isn't far-fetched at all. And Shiro has a point-- This seems to be a time problem (if what he is saying is true).
The events he describes from the past coincide with what Keith remembers. They did visit another reality. They met an alternate version of Shiro there. Alternate versions of Alteans, too. But--...]
... So you're saying that you're from the future? [... It sounded less weird in his head.
And how can he prove it? How can they know something from the future if they haven't gotten there yet? He tenses up at that again and, keeping a safe distance from Shiro still, he turns his head to look over his shoulder, at Lance. It's an unspoken request for suggestions and/or ideas.]
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But Shiro mentions they've made it to Earth, and Lance steps up next to Keith before he even notices, blurting out, ] Did you see my family? Are they okay?
[ He has to know. Of course, realistically only Veronica would even be at the Garrison, but they all recorded the messages, so maybe at least Pidge's dad would know if they received it, if they said anything in return. ]
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[He'd be a bit more freaked out about that if it wasn't for the fact he saw Keith come back from a whale trip with two extra years on him, or seeing the universe go through three years without them. Time isn't an issue, this place and who brought them here is.
Ah, but then Lance asks about his family, and Shiro expression softens, a little smile appearing.]
Nadia and Sylvio ran to hug you as soon as we put foot on Garrison ground. Everyone is fine, Lance. They all are very proud of you. Veronica is part of the Atlas crew now.
[And then he remembers the reaction from before and-- gosh, it's going to be hard to mention things for a while until everything gets explained.]
The Atlas is the replacement for the castle that Sam built. I'm her captain.
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This? This was a bit of a shock. And perhaps this is how they felt when they first saw him after two years had passed for him (but not for them), but giving what happened recently with--... Well, with all those clones, it's hard not to do a double take here.
But Shiro's words make sense. And then Lance is by his side, asking about his family, and Keith's eyes soften a little as he looks at Shiro again. His reaction seems genuine.
Though the names don't ring a bell, given the topic at hand - and how they don't really sound like common English names - Keith figures Shiro is talking about members of Lance's family. Which is something that Shiro couldn't have known - that he is aware of - at the point in time they are from. The words are nice, too, the things Shiro says.
Straightening himself up, he allows his shoulders to finally relax, fully, returning the dagger back to its sheath on his back. Then, he moves that same hand to Lance's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze and offering him a small smile before letting go and looking back at Shiro.]
Sorry. [He starts, before starting to approach him.] I--... [Had to make sure.] ... Didn't mean to--... [He looks down, a moment, before looking back up, meeting Shiro's eyes and offering him his hand to take on their usual handshake.] It's good to see you, Shiro.
[Even if this is still a bit hard to wrap his head around. Because if it's true that this Shiro is from the future, it means that their Shiro, the one from their time, that will eventually become this Shiro, might still be out there, somewhere, inside a pod, fighting to stay alive.
... Could the fact that they were brought here jeopardize that? If this Shiro suddenly disappears, will that mean that--... Okay, no. He's just not going to start wondering about all the whats and ifs. If this is Shiro-- That has to be enough, for now. He has to believe that, wherever the Shiro from their time is, he is safe, hopefully still with the others, where he is supposed to be. On the way to becoming this Shiro. Back to Earth. Getting a (weird) new arm. And--...
There's a small smile on his lips. It's still not a smirk, still trying to fully wrap his head around all this, but. Baby steps.] Captain, huh?
[He nods. Makes sense.]
Suits you.
this boy is too expressive, I never have the right icon
But Shiro talks about his family, and Lance covers his mouth with one hand before hurriedly raising it to wipe his eyes. ] They... they must be so much bigger now. [ He didn't get to see it. He missed so many birthdays-- but they're okay, and-- well it's not like he's crying or anything. ] I- I'm glad they're all okay... [ His shoulders slump and he sniffs, not the most dignified thing in the world, but he never pretended he wasn't homesick.
But then there's Keith squeezing his shoulder, and he looks over at him. His throat feels too tight, so he just nods before he manages a shaky smile. ] Thanks man. [ His voice is quiet, catches in his throat. But he means it, because it's comfort, and it's needed. Welcome reassurance. He doesn't have his family, but he's not alone either.
They all are very proud of you. The look he gives Shiro is one of gratitude, still kind of teary-eyed from how close to home that statement hits, but he's slow to follow, letting Keith and Shiro have their moment. Gives him time to pull himself together. Or... somewhat more together, anyway. ]
Y-yeah. Captain of the Atlas sounds pretty cool. [ And he smiles. It's going to be different from the Castle, isn't it? With actual crew on it? Not the vast empty feeling of the Castle with just a handful of people, some mice and a cow. ]
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It's alright, Keith. You did what you had to do. I don't blame you for being defensive against possible danger, especially after everything that has happened. [He takes that hand and goes for their usual hug without hesitation, making sure to add an extra squeeze in there. It's fine. At the compliment, he smiles. He does like the sound of "captain", he can't lie.] Thanks. It's good to see you too.
[And then... oh, Lance. Shiro gives Keith one last pat on the back before moving towards Lance because yes, he needs comfort, and Shiro can provide that.]
Come here, buddy. [He gives Lance a hug too, less ritual-like than Keith's, but still affectionate. To be fair, after so many hours alone, Shiro is needing all this too. He doesn't like loneliness. Lance gets his hair ruffled before he pulls back, ready to return to the conversation now.] Thanks to you too. The Atlas is incredibly cool. She also transforms into a robot - bigger than Voltron, I must say. Now I can grab the lions by their necks like kittens.
[Just a bit of teasing. Trying to lighten the mood! Be thankful he's not being morbid at the moment... And now that the tension is (mostly) off, he takes a better moment to look at them, to notice any changes. Weeks here? Geez.]
There's a lot more I could tell you, but I'll only say as much as you want me to. So you two are okay, then? Nobody else from home is here? What is "here" anyway?
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It's good to hear that he doesn't blame him for what just happened. It's extra so because he would do it again, if they somehow could turn back time. This is all still too weird, that this Shiro here is not the same as the Shiro that was with him and Lance before they were brought here and yet it is the same Shiro. Only... from the future. A future that Keith and Lance have absolutely no way of knowing about.
But, after what he said, after what he saw, he trusts him enough to believe him. Trusts him enough to be able to relax into that hug, to be able to hug him back and add that extra squeeze back, too. Thanks. He moves back then, letting go, a smile still on his face. It's relief - finally - even if his head is still wrapping up around everything.
He moves back a little, when Shiro goes to Lance after that back pat, letting them have their moment, too. He is happy for Lance, happy that the news this future!Shiro brings are good, that they will hopefully bring him some peace of mind until they manage to get out of here and back to where they are supposed to be, back to the place that will take them (hopefully) to the future Shiro knows.
What Shiro says, once he lets go, makes Keith cross his arms in front of his chest, eyebrows raising in surprise.] Oh? [And a snort.] Yeah, I bet. [Bigger than Voltron, huh? Really?
And at what Shiro says next, well. Keith looks down a moment, before looking back up.] Will you telling us anything going to... you know, mess things up? [He's seen a couple of movies. Not a lot, but. He's aware of how messing up with time can lead to less than desirable things. Still...] I mean... I guess I just want to know if we all make it back alright. [To Earth, that is.
As for the rest.] Yeah. We're okay. [His arms move again, hanging beside his body.] And no one has answered us so far... I think it's just us. [Thankfully? Yeah, probably thankfully.] As for where we are... [He looks at Lance before looking back at Shiro.] ... We've no idea.
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Lance would agree that it's a good thing Shiro doesn't blame them - it's been a weird... however long it's been. Too long. He doesn't expect Shiro to hug him too, but it's definitely welcome. He hugs him back, shoulders slumping, grateful for the contact. The hair ruffle makes him huff, but it's hardly protest.
And then it's back to business. Lance's mind is still partially on his family, but he shoves the thought down and away, swallows the lump in his throat. ] Huh. Must be really big. [ He smiles at the mental image. It's pretty amazing that Pidge's dad and the people on Earth were able to build something like that.
He nods along to what Keith is saying, though. ] Yeah, I mean, I've seen enough movies about time travelling to know that stuff goes badly a lot, so let's not with the details and stuff. Or, you know. More details.
[ And he's nodding again. ] Yeah, what he said. There's some other people, it looks like most of 'em are humans. The place is really Earth-like, but there's like... borders to it, so it can't be real Earth. Also because it just doesn't make sense. But, you know. [ Vague gesturing. Magic or somethin'. ]
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[He hopes they can see what he's trying to go for here: war is still war, and his answer shouldn't been seen through rose colored lenses. But it's hard to say that without going into the details they're trying to avoid. Lance's family is fine, but it's not fair to say Earth as a whole is.
Now the hugging is done and the real talk has started, Shiro moves to sit on a chair, his elbows (or shall we say, his elbow and a half) resting on his knees as he takes in what his friends have to say about this place. Which is... not much, but it's obviously not their fault. What they say matches what Shiro has observed so far.]
And all of them were kidnapped too, weren't they? No signs of natives. [And that's what confuses Shiro the most. A frown.] We were brought here for a reason, I want to believe, but there's nobody around to actually check on it. So why going through this trouble? I guess they could be watching us through magic methods but--
[Ok yeah, gonna interrupt himself right there to close his eyes and take a deep breath. The idea of someone watching from the shadows by using magical means gives him too many clone-as-babycam vibes.]
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He is glad though, to know that they make it back to Earth alright. Even if with some 'complications'. The thought almost makes him snort: it wouldn't really feel real if there hadn't been any complications at all. It's never like that, to them.
He watches as Shiro moves to sit on a chair, gaze lingering a little too long on his arm. ... It's so weird. Is it really okay? How can he control it? How's it connected to his brain? ... Doesn't it hurt?
He's called back to reality when Shiro speaks again, and he meets his eyes before frowning and crossing his arms over his chest, leaning back against the stairs of the bunk-bed he was standing next to.]
Yeah. [No signs of natives at all.] That's what we've been wondering about, too. [Between a million other things.
The way Shiro stops himself doesn't go unnoticed, and the frown in Keith's face is replaced with worry, watching him close his eyes and take a deep breath.] ... Are you okay? [He is ready to move to him, if need be.] We think they might be monitoring the mirrors... or that there might be cameras hidden around. [Or both.]
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Shiro sitting down prompts him to also sit down on one of the beds, next to where Keith is leaning. ] Yeah, I mean, there's gotta be some kind of point to it... plus bringing our stuff is super weird? I don't know. Whoever's doing this has power over the whole island, I guess-- [ He cuts off, looking at Keith and then back at Shiro. Same question, is he okay? ]
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I'm not following you! I'm just taking a walk, crazy cyborg person!
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He just attacked a young girl.
Shiro's eyes widen, and guilt takes over. This can't be happening, not again! What is this place doing to him? As the arm returns to his side, Shiro falls to his knees on the ground, taking some deep breaths. He can't let this place (and that "presence") get the best of him. He can't.]
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. [He rubs his eyes eyes with his human hand.] There's something out there that has been following and-- [Driving me crazy, he thinks, but he won't say as much. He looks at the girl again.] Are you okay? Did I hurt you?
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[Kamala runs over to his side and leans down so she can check him out.] I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you that. You didn't even graze me! I just got really scared for a second, I promise. It's fine.
[She hopes that's reassuring.]
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Please don't apologize. I should've watched where I was aiming. Sorry I scared you. [Trying to be reassuring too, he offers a little smile.] If it helps, I'm not a cyborg. My prosthetic was made by an alien princess.
[Shiro that's not comforting that's just weird...]
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Thank you. I'm Shiro, by the way. [He takes a deep breath and finally stands up. He can still feel the presence of something wandering in the shadows, watching, but with this young girl by his side, the protector instincts take over.] You were also brought here against your will, I'm guessing?