acatalepsy_rpg | [Video]

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[Keith spent a long time debating whether to bother with video for this or just go with text. But the truth is, for what he's aiming for, it's better to do this virtual-face to virtual-face. Or something. He's even done bothering with the frankly ridiculous mask. For now.

The video opens to a fairly normal looking teenager (aside from the fact that what's visible of him is definitely dressed in a skin-tight vaguely glowy futuristic space suit), hesitating a moment like he's still debating on how to begin.]

So. Uh.

[Good start, Keith. Solid.]

I guess all of us are stuck in the same boat whether we want to be or not. And apparently that boat is headed for some other world before we know it.

I'll be honest. I don't know if we can trust this Astoria as far as we can throw her. [And he knows she can hear this, but he's said as much to her face, so there's that.] But for now I guess I plan on going along to see how things play out. [Which after discussing with Shiro, he feels pretty okay about, as plans go.]

But... just waltzing into other worlds, and potentially meddling in them... that could go bad really quickly if someone makes an enemy of the wrong person. If that happens, it might not be a terrible idea to know what we've got on our side.

Not just magic either. Because... that's really new to me at least. But we all bring some experience or skills or knowledge or something to the table, right? If we're gonna be any sort of team, we may as well know our strengths. And what we might be lacking.

[Maybe? Keith is now wondering if it was a bad idea to give him a way to talk to so many people at once. But he's committed now, no help for it. So he'll even go first.]

I'm Keith. Uh... I guess I'm pretty good with a sword. Pretty good in anything that flies. And I'm mostly used to being in space, lately. But it does't sound like that'll be helpful in this El Minha place. Also apparently I can fly now. So... there's that.

Anyone else feel like sharing?

(( hit him up, hit each other up, threadjack as you like! ))

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Be there in a few ticks.

[Because he is already in motion. There will likely never be day that Keith is not entirely up for flying, especially flying with Shiro, no matter which form that happens to come in.

And as promised, he's outside and finding Shiro not long after, walking up to take a look at the straps that Shiro has laid out.] Huh. Not bad. Looks like it'll work.

[Keith settles down at that answer, nodding. Okay. Good answer.]

Good. People -- whatever sort of people -- should get to choose who they are by what they do. Not by how they're born.

[He's calmer now before he adds, by way of sheepish not-exactly-apology,] I'm only half human. And the other half... not all Galra are monsters.

Uh... yeah. I think that's true. Voltron is a symbol of hope for a lot of people.

[One that turned the tide of the war. he shakes his head.] Sorry. It's probably confusing. I know it was when I first got dragged into it, and I had the benefit of being there in person, not just hearing some idiot teenager talk about it.

Yeah, that's right. I guess you've met him?

[Shiro is kind of unmistakable, really, hard to forget once you've met him. At least, that's what Keith thinks.]

Yeah, my closest friend from back home. He's here too.

[Though he'd been somewhere else before, which Keith is still worrying about, very much.]

...good point. I'd rather not plummet to my death. Not the way I'd want to go.

[Was that too casually mentioned?]

[He shuts off the call on the watch and sits in the clear area in the center of the straps. Shiro looks up at Keith's approach and rolls his shoulders back. When he'd cobbled the harness together he'd had a thought of how it should be put on.

For the ease of the rider and himself...] It should. I tested the strength the straps.

I had an idea when I considered this design. Let's see if it works.

[He changes shape in the familiar swirl of purple light. As the magic expands into the lion, the straps are caught by the changed body and slip into place. He lifts himself up on his back paws and flexes. The harness holds. Shiro drops back onto four paws and feels more than a little pleased.]

Thought so. The magic is solid once I'm in the lion's shape. Check the straps to make sure they're secure. It feels that way but we have to be sure.

He turned into a robot lion right in front of my eyes.

[. . . so that's a yes]

Yeah he... he does that, these days.

[It's trippy as hell.]

At least it's a smaller version of the real thing.

[Keith steps back without intending to at the first flash of the magic. It's still kind of shocking to watch, to see his closest friend just plain change shapes. But he's quick to step in closer once the transformation is done, walking around Shiro halfway, reaching up to tug at one of the straps, nodding.]

Not bad.

[But yes he will check them out. Another tug before he makes his way to the other side and then without thinking too much about it, just floats himself up to land lightly on Shiro's back, checking the harness there as well.]

Seems pretty secure to me. But we should really test it out to be sure. Put it through the wringer.

[He adds,] I mean if it's gonna get shaken loose or fall off we should find out. And it should be me. [Since chances are he should be able to catch and right himself without issue.

In theory.]

[She has enough context and experience of her own to pick up some of what she thinks Keith is trying to say and not say, so she smiles gently, shaking her head.] Not at all. I appreciate how much you've shared with me about your experience. I hope my questions haven't been too invasive.

[She's just very sick of adults failing and the responsibility falling on the shoulders of almost literal children.]

[trippy as hell is one way to describe it]

I think turning into a robot lion is up there with flying, personally.

It'll suck if we couldn't. I hope we can trust her. [ he wants to trust her.

she seems so nice and he likes what she's pitching to her and the others. all daylight ever wants to do is help others out if he can but after keith did bring up the (legitimate) concern to be cautious, he does find himself waffling on his certainty.

it would be pretty awkward if there was, like, a plot twist and they found themselves in conflict with her and possibly(?) others. he didn't have nightbreak and the gang to back him up if it did happen. ] For now- I guess it wouldn't hurt to presume we can look after each other? We're all in this together and all that.

Of course it will be you. I asked you to go flying.

[Technically he suggested it but details. Shiro chuffs a laugh at Keith's eagerness to fly. He likes chuffing better than the rolling growls that was an attempt at human laughter. Probably sounds less disturbing too.

He's not used to someone climbing up on his back without warning but it's Keith. He lifts his great head and peers back over his shoulder.]

Strap yourself in and we'll take off.

[A series of straps serve as a safety line for the rider. The ground is going to be a long ways away and it won't always be Keith riding him.]

It's pretty impressive, yeah. But honestly... kind of weird seeing your best friend turn into a smaller version of the thing you used to fly inside.

[But Keith has gotten used to weird.]

Something tells me we're eventually going to see weirder.

[so has Akira]

Yeah yeah. And here I am.

[Ready and absolutely willing. Eager is right. Keith is always happy to jump into a cockpit, never mind this, where he gets to actually hit the sky with nothing between him and the open air.

Doing it with Shiro is even better somehow.

Keith takes a moment to figure the straps out, making sure that he's secured -- as secure as he's going to be anyway.]

Okay. I'm strapped in. Go for it, Shiro.

[He bursts into motion and races across the ground with a low pleased rumble in his chest. He's always happy to fly but doing it with a friend who has known him a long time is better somehow. He's never been the sharing his troubles sort.

But sharing something like this? He launches into the sky and steadily pours on the speed in their upward climb. He levels off when they clear the trees and the walls of the temple.]

Holding up okay?

[Shiro slows down to adjust himself and circles the temple, giving Keith time to get used to being strapped in before they test just how fast he can go now.]

[Keith grips at the straps, ducking low to keep his profile down and along Shiro's, cut down on drag as they rise up. He straightens just slightly when Shiro levels out.]

Doing great. It's an easier grip with these.

[So far anyway. ...and well.]

So... let's see if you can shake me. [A challenge.]

[He answers by making a hard turn and blasting towards the forest. It puts the speed of their flight to shame. He can feel his speed increasing like he's got an internal console to keep watch of. Shiro misses being a pilot and feeling united with the Lion but being the Lion is an experience in of itself. It's freedom in an odd way he couldn't ever experience before.

He stops trying to play anything safe. It's like letting chains slip through his fingers. Keith can handle it. The boosters in his legs and wings fire, sending them tearing through the sky as faster than a hoverbike. Enough to notice before their speed levels off and can't ramp up any further.]

You're the rider. What does our speed feel like?

[ . . . aha. ]

We have people in our world, born in a country named Ishval. They have dark skin, red eyes, practice a different religion than most of the people in my country . . . human, but if you asked people in Amestris, they were little better than animals. Their civilization was nearly eradicated in a brutal war.

[ he pauses. ]

You should take pride in your heritage, regardless of what ills they've committed, or what wrongs have been committed against them. Racism, discrimination, hatred, ignorance . . . they're the true monsters in the world. I don't have much taste or patience for men who believe otherwise. You shouldn't either.

Yeah, we're all in this together all right. I want to believe that. We should have each other's backs as best we can.

[They may not be a team per se just yet, given that they hardly know each other. But they might get there. And in the meantime, they are all in the same boat, so it makes sense to help each other out.]

That's my plan anyway.

That sounds awful. But... you're right I think.

[Keith is rethinking his kneejerk reaction about this guy in general. Hmm. He nods in agreement with the last bit. He can agree with that.

Though, he will add,]

With the Galra, it's hard to blame people for their reactions. Zarkon's empire spent the last ten thousand years conquering the universe planet by planet, destroying worlds, enslaving entire populations. That's what people know about Galra. But they're starting to learn... the Blade of Marmora have been fighting against Zarkon from within the Empire the whole time. And now they're a big part of the coalition that's beaten it back. So people are changing their minds. A little.

[A momentary jerk, but Keith holds on, leaning down closer to Shiro's back, trying not to grin like a maniac as he does it, but it's kind of hard to keep that expression off his face.

Once it seems they're done accelerating at least, he leans up.

And the only answer that Shiro will get at first is a laugh. An entirely pleased adrenaline-filled laugh.]

Fast. Real fast. Faster than anything open-air I've flown in before. But the harness is holding. ...you might knock someone loose who isn't ready for it though.

So slow acceleration and a lot of warnings. Got it.

[He can't smile with metal jaws but he can still sound amused. ...after months of moving at the speed of a wild animal the increase is so welcome he laughs. It's a rolling series of growls just like the last time he tried to laugh like a human being.]

I still think a special harness is in order. A few more safety straps to make it safe for people not used to riding or the speed we might have to go in emergencies.

[He can't put more speed into a turn so he just warns Keith with the words 'turning left' and puts them in a smooth turn to sweep over the left side of the forest that stretches below them in seemingly endless miles.]

I don't blame you. Although, that... does remind me of one piece of advice I do actually have.

I don't know how it works here, but please take death seriously. Getting used to it is a serious problem I've seen, and it shouldn't be used as a means to be reckless.

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