#The blue lions are a complicated tapestry

[theeeveetamer]

Okay but imagine Dimitri ever trying to explain his family situation (assuming Lambert married Rodrigue somewhere between the first divorce and his death). "Okay so there's my dad dad, my bio-dad who I've never met (may or may not be Rodrigue), my stepmom which is how I'm related to Edelgard, and then my stepdad which is how I'm kinda related to Felix and Glenn. Also to make things kinda weird my youngest and Felix's kid are probably going to get married"

And that’s not even starting in on all of the non-blood/marriage connections!

“Ah yes well, Ingrid has been one of my closest friends since childhood and then she brings her wife Dorothea and then they both bring their adopted kids that are kind of my niblings. Sylvain is also a childhood friend but technically family since he’s married to Felix? We never really liked Miklan but we put up with him because Glenn brings him and we don’t want Glenn to stop coming to the family gatherings... Let’s see... Oh we kind of adopted Ashe in High School and he insists on bringing his ‘platonic justice buddy’ Caspar so I guess we’re stuck with him too, and occasionally Hubert brings his daughter. Really we would prefer if Ferdinand brought her instead, but he refuses to be in the same room as his ex-husband and Hubert has to come or Edelgard won’t come... Oh, and my deadbeat ‘uncle’ brings his daughter and her wife and their kids, and then we lock him in the basement for being a shitty father while the rest of us eat Turkey... Yes, I think that about covers it?”

And then whoever he’s explaining this to slowly backs away because this is much more complicated than they thought they were just wondering how he knows the famous chef dude and the famous chef dude’s asshole partner.

[hopelesslygazingthestars]

In Valentines Day spirit... a lil love... and a lil angst.

Fools And Love.

Since long before Ashara’s flower blossomed, she knew that love made fools of men. There were many that came and went, fell over themselves and professed love for her pretty eyes and tinkling laugh. Even a Dornish prince had played the fool for her and sworn off marriage, and instead pursued fleeting desires.

Elia broke her promises and chose Rhaegar. When she uttered the rejection, Ashara literally heard her ribcage crack from the explosion beneath her chest. She had finally conjured up the confidence to confess long-hidden feelings and Elia gave a response she never foresaw. Her sweet Elia, the one she trusted above all others, and the one that loved her like none. The irony was not lost in that, at the beginning, she had wanted to apologize in advance because she thought it would be her to accidently break Elia’s heart and run, just like she always had. Yet, in the end, it was Elia who ripped her heart out and abandoned her.

It was only in Elia’s abandonment that Ashara realised she never healed what was broken inside of her. Elia was the tourniquet to her being, and without her, she was left bleeding on the cold, hard ground.

First, came an agonising emptiness which left her powerless to rise from her bed. Then, a volatile rage she unleashed on anything in her proximity. Next, she chased an oblivion in endless goblets of wine. Lastly, came the venomous desperation, which had her acting out for Elia’s attention in the most foolish ways.

After a long confinement, when Elia had not come chasing as usual, Ashara returned to court like a hurricane, on the centre stage of the Realm’s biggest and most extravagant tourney.

Lord Whent’s tourney at Harrenhal attracted nobility from every hill, river and rock in Westeros. From the sour lords of winter to the prickly roses of the Reach; to the stags of Storm’s End, to the old keeper of the Mountains of the Moon. Even Mad King Aerys, looking haggard and unhinged, crawled out of the dragon’s den for the first time in years, much to Rhaegar’s dismay. However, noticeably, the lions of the Rock were nowhere to be seen, except the newly knighted golden cub, Ser Jaime.

The tourney was as much a political event as it was an athletic melee. Treason was in the air, and the Great Houses of Westeros had more in mind than jousting, archery, and merrymaking. Ashara knew of the great efforts Rhaegar and Elia underwent to secretly fund the tourney in guise of calling a Great Council and initiating Rhaegar’s ascension to the Iron Throne.

After the opening ceremonies, when the dancing walls were hung with magnificent tapestries, each emblazoned with the symbols of the Great Houses, the psychological games began. Aerys made his own power plays and officially named Ser Jaime the youngest knight in kingsguard history. A clear spite at his Hand, thereby claiming the heir to the Rock his own.

Nonetheless, Ashara had plots of her own in mind. Driven by foolish attempts of attention seeking and many a cup of heady Dornish Reds, Ashara dragged Prince Oberyn up after a long evening of introductions and tedious niceties.

“Now, come. Let us show these stiff Northerners how to dance properly, my prince!”

Always ready for mischief, Oberyn set aside his wine before Ashara swept him to the centre of the dance floor.

Ashara expected the many eyes which stalked them, the distrust for the Dornish and their strange ways was something she was long accustomed to. Yet, there was only one pair of dark orbs Ashara cared to attract.

She took one of Oberyn’s serpents and waved to the musicians, who picked up their instruments and began to liven up.

The technicoloured red and blue serpent slithered up her arm and down her exposed mid riff.

Ashara was a foolish maid in love, recklessly seeking the love she was deathly afraid of losing. When she gazed up at the princely couple, seemingly besotted with one another, she knew she would sooner withstand Elia’s blazing rage than her careful distance.

She brought the serpent’s head close to her face and stuck out her tongue as its forked one did the same. The music swelled and she began to mirror its movements seductively as Oberyn stalked around her gyrating form. She moved with a slow and sensuous purpose as the snake coiled around her and slithered into Oberyn’s grip. Her body wove itself lithely in tandem with the growing rhythm of the seductive beats.

To dance was her freedom, to dance was to become a shooting star, and in the crumbling ruins of Harrenhal, Ashara came alive for the first time in so long.

Her movements flowed with a dazzling grace that took away the breath of every person in her audience. She felt her soul become one with the music and she unleashed her emotions into the dance; heartbreak, jealousy, longing. In that moment, she needed to dance as badly as she needed to breath. She wanted to shine and be seen in the darkness.

When she noticed that Elia’s attention remained on her husband, despite the audience she drew, Ashara grew more desperate. She was determined to draw such spectacle that Elia had to do something. Anything. It was not a well thought out strategy, merely a frantic attempt to salvage what had been shattered between them.

When the song ended and the applause came, Ser Barristan the Bold, stepped out another fool in love.

“Lady Ashara, I must insist on the honour of dancing with you. I am no great dancer, but I am certain your talents will more than make up for my lack of skill.”

She nearly declined until she caught Elia curiously watching her. She took it as a small victory and laughed loudly, throwing her head back.

“Ser Barristan, the honour is all mine.”

She took his offered hand, and it was the first of many. She danced with an entire host of men; princes, knights, and lords alike. Ashara was in her element, gliding close to whichever man she held close in her long arms and dared hope to see vexation in Elia’s expression.

She chased Elia and they chased her.

The men would take and so would she, for it was clear love was not meant for Ashara. These men would flirt and dance, perhaps even take her to bed, or to wed, but she knew none of them meant to see her beyond the violet eyes and fair golden skin. The only eyes which had ever seen her were so dark she could scarcely breath sometimes, and now they were blinded by fire.

Despite the sparing glances, Elia made no movement towards her, and Ashara descended further.

She left behind willing partners looking forlorn as she bounced to her next conquests. She flirted outrageously and was vitalised by the scandalised looks.

She was entirely content to continue her path of self-destruction until she saw dark grey eyes watching her. She noticed them follow her as she danced with Barristan, Prince Lewyn, Ethan Glover and Jon Connington. Always watching yet without hungry lust as some, or barely disguised disgust as the others.

She knew he was a Northman from the rigid way he sat between the boisterous young storm lord Robert Baratheon and his patron, old Jon Arryn, the Lord of the Vale.

Her curiosity fell away when from the corner of her eye, she saw Elia gaze over at her before whispering something to Arthur, and when he walked over to her, she felt victorious in her rebellion.

Yet, those hopes were quickly dampened.

“Did she send you here?” She asked.

Arthur sighed and looked at her apologetically.

“No.”

Elia did not want her. Ashara feared that this new meek woman that was Rhaegar’s wife would never love her like Elia of Dorne had.

Were things the way they once were, Elia would have risen from her seat and joined in the merriment long ago, propriety be damned. Ashara yearned for Dornish nights and Rhoynar rhythms, of small soft hands and blood orange scented kisses.

Ashara was taken out of her reverie and reminded of exactly where she was. On the dancefloor of a crumbling castle with near enough every pair of eyes on her except the ones she wished for.

Arthur gently caught her hand.

“Sister, dance with me,” he prompted.

She knew Arthur’s intentions were to soothe her suffering as he always had. For the pleading in his expression, she accepted the request and rocked with him to the slowing tune.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but you will learn to breathe again without her,” he explained interrupting the stillness between them.

“I don’t want anything without her.” She answered petulantly, cursing herself for sounding like a spoilt child.

She felt more childish when he leaned back slightly and peeped down at her seriously.

“Ashara, you have to learn to live for yourself, not for anyone else, not even for her. For so long you held love with an iron grip but at arm’s length. You could have had your sweet Elia long ago. Inevitably, it would still have ended the same way because duty was always going to call for the prized sun of Dorne…”

His words stirred something uncomfortable inside her. They were difficult truths to accept. She made many excuses for why she waited so long to reveal the depth of her feelings. It always came down to her own inadequacy and inability to feel deserving of love.

“…You deserve love, Asha. Just because it no longer resides where you believed it to, does not mean it is not out there for you,” he finished.

Deep down she still felt like the neglected child that begged for scraps of her mother’s attention – like the abused girl that was sullied long ago.

It was an arduous and complicated set of issues to settle, but for the first time, Ashara was confronted with the truth.

“I don’t know who I am without her,” she admitted.

“Then perhaps you ought to find out.”

She took a moment and considered Arthur’s suggestion.

She wondered if it truly was time to attempt to move on. It left her chest feeling tight because it was something she never even fathomed to consider before. It was in the unknown to exist anywhere that was not Elia’s side.

Before she could respond, she was swiftly whisked into the arms of another, the charming Brandon Stark. He had made himself as well known as the young storm lord that evening, and it would be a lie to say her eye had not wondered to him during the introductions.

“Lady Ashara,” he greeted with a mischievous smirk and mirth gleaming in his eyes.

She feigned disapproval but continued gliding along with him despite it.

“The Sword of the Morning will not take too kindly to that, lord Brandon. I fear you may have made yourself a formidable enemy in the lists tomorrow.”

Brandon was not typical of the stony-faced Northmen. He was bold and confident, which she found attractive, although she would never admit that aloud; there was a cockiness to him that raised her defences.

“It’s just harmless fun, why should he make an enemy out of me?” He countered.

He acknowledged Arthur and nodded in respect, although the twinkle in his eye remained.

“You have a sister do you not – how pleased would you be if a man took off with her?”

The smugness fell from his expression momentarily.

“I suppose for her honour, he would become my enemy,” he answered gazing towards a young dark-haired girl Ashara assumed to be his sister.

She was a pretty thing, with the same teasing glint in her eyes as Brandon.

“Then what makes you exempt from my brother’s wrath?”

His knowing smirk returned as he peered at her with his grey eyes, and she hated how it made her blush.

“For a start, you think me quite handsome, and you enjoy me.” He winked with a growing grin.

Ashara laughed despite herself.

“And that’s enough to warrant his forgiveness?” She countered.

He shrugged playfully before brushing her hair back from her shoulder, with just the right look of heat in his eyes and moving in so close she could feel his lean body pressed up against her.

“Then perhaps I ought to give him better reason to make me his enemy.”

She pretended to be indifferent to Brandon’s seduction. It would not do to allow someone with an ego like his know how much power he had. Thus, she refused to lean in or seem too keen.

“You’re very sure of yourself.”

“As are you, Ashara.” He looked pointedly at the men that stood peeved in the wake of her abandonment.

“If you came over to insult me Brandon, you can surely return.” She scolded as she recoiled.

Ashara was not a stranger to rumours, men and women alike often set their tongues wagging over tall tales about her. Unlike Dorne, the rest of Westeros were prude little creatures when it came to pleasures, but she would be damned if the would-be Warden of the North, who had his own whispers of lovers and bastards, would question her integrity.

“My lady please forgive my impertinence. In fact, I truly came here to request a dance of you, with a man far more honourable than me.”

Confusion washed through her, but strangely, she was intrigued. Man after man had taken what they wanted from her this night, and it was odd that one remained reserved.

“That won’t take much… but go on, who is this poor fellow?”

A wide grin spread across his features.

“My young brother is too shy to approach you. Don’t be so hard him. Whilst I was blessed with all the charm in the family, he is good and honourable, a man worthy of your time.” He spoke with pride.

As audacious as Brandon had been, it was evident now that it was act to make his brother appear the better man.

“Very well, but I shall decide that for myself.”

Brandon returned to his table and Ashara was surprised to find that his shy brother was the stiff Northman that had been watching her all night.

Ashara could not help but chuckle endearingly when she saw the younger Stark’s back stiffen and panic wash across his features as Brandon whispered to him.

The young Stark was not as tall as his brother, just of a height with her; he kept his long hair tied back messily, and unlike Brandon, wore simple clothing unadorned with any marks of House Stark.

It would be difficult to guess they were brothers if their features were not so similar, and even then, where Brandon was always smiling, the young Stark already had frown lines across his brow.

“My lady, I thank you for the honour of a dance,” he greeted, inclining his head rigidly, and offering his hand.

She took his hand and led him to the dancefloor.

It was awkward at first, because even at their slow pace, it was clear Stark did not have the grace of a dancer. She rearranged his hands until they were in the correct position, and led the steps, anything to occupy herself from meeting his mystifyingly intense gaze.

“Do you happen to have a name?” She wondered, once they swayed in rhythm to the languid tune.

“I do.” He answered, adding nothing further even as Ashara tilted her head in curiosity.

“You’re not very talkative, are you?”

“If you might give me your name, I shall give you mine.” He said unsmiling.

When she finally met his expectant stare, she saw the beginnings of a smile pulling at his cheeks, and something akin to intrigue flared inside her.

In that moment, instead of seeking Elia, she found herself regarding Stark, questioning if he was not shy at all, but instead, reservedly confident.

“It appears you already know who I am.” She answered with a cock of her brow.

“I would rather get the name from the lady herself than the fame which precedes her.”

Ashara found herself pleasantly surprised by their exchange.

“I am Lady Ashara Dayne, lord Stark.”

“Thankfully, I shall never be lord Stark… I am Eddard Stark, although you may call Ned.”

A teeth-baring grin spread, and his face transformed. She found herself strangely attracted to the quiet wolf.

“Ned.” She said testing out the syllables on her tongue.

The song picked up pace, as did she.

Her feet struck the floor in perfect synchronisation with the building tempo and his pursued with every step. Ned’s grey eyes shone behind the shy expression as they advanced, retreated and pirouetted.

The rapidly enclosing space between them felt electric and burning. There was something she could not explain about this quiet Northman, who stared into her eyes as if he could see past all that she armoured herself with and saw the frightened girl inside. She felt admired, as one might the stars on a clear night.

“Why do you keep staring at me?” She finally asked, fascinated in his unravelling scrutiny of her.

His answer made the flirtatious grin fall from her face.

“You have danced and laughed quite a lot tonight… But I can’t help by notice, you don’t seem all that happy, my lady.”

Shaken, she abruptly halted her movements.

She remembered the pain in her chest and found Elia across the room, glaring at her with fire behind her eyes. She was confused because this was what she initially wanted, but now she had it, it felt nothing like victory. For with Ned, for just a moment, she put aside her heartache… and breathed.

“You’re very perceptive.” She answered, a slow panic filling her.

“I’ve said the wrong thing.” He commented apologetically, noticing the change in her.

She looked up at him wide-eyed, contemplating the stirring emotions inside her.

For reasons unclear to herself, she lurched to kiss him, but he pulled away just as quickly.

Embarrassment filled her and she exploded into blazing anger.

“Is this not what you wanted, Ned – to say you had an easy Dornish wench to your brother and friends?” She spat turning to walk away.

He chased her before she could escape, appearing ahead desperately.

“I meant no disrespect, lady Ashara. I would never dishonour you in such a way, only when I kiss you, I want it to be because you want it, not because you think that’s what I want.” He interrupted.

That he could read her so easily, and was not scared away by it, terrified her. Just like she always did, she crumbled under her fears and lashed out.

“What honour is there in getting your brother to do your courting? I pity you Ned, that’s why I danced with you.”

He flushed in embarrassment, and deep down, Ashara was ashamed for it.

“Then allow me to rectify my actions, may I do something no other has done today?”

Despite her urgent need to flee, she was intrigued.

“Go on.”

“Will you come sit with me, Ashara?”

“What?”

Again, she was surprised by this strange Northman.

“I want to get to know you, is that so hard to believe?”

She carefully maintained a neutral expression. Yet, even in that, he read her disbelief.

“Come on, Ashara, get to know me, take a chance on a fool in love.” He pleaded.

Love.

The word spun around in her head, and she realised, for the first time, it was something she truly yearned for.

Warmth began to spread through her blood and hammering seized her chest.

“I-I…”

Despite her epiphany, her tongue fumbled in her mouth. She did not know how to articulate such desires and succumbed to old behaviours.

“…I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Without a single glance back she fled, a maid made a fool by love.

[ac-liveblogs]

Why do you think the BL route is best route ?

It genuinely shocks me that there are apparently people that don’t think Blue Lions is the best route. 

In terms of character writing, BL just knocks it out of the park. Complicated yet intruiging interpersonal relations? Check. Multiple unique characters that interact with the main plot? Check. (I was so excited when I realised Ashe and Sylvain were plot relevant, you have no idea.) A dynamic main character with a well-established and super strong character arc that is both incredibly emotional yet extremely uplifting?

Check!!

Blue Lions fucking rules. I remember being consistently blown away very early on by the amount of thought and care put into the BL’s supporting cast. The Dimitri-Felix-Sylvain-Ingrid square stands out extremely well as an example of those complex inter-personal relations I mentioned, but complex individual characters are here too (Sylvain. Just. Sylvain.) 

It’s fun knowing that the characters are connected and most of them have years of baggage to sort through. It’s great knowing their families are relevant, because it makes the Kingdom’s world-building extremely relevant. Every single Blue Lion is linked into the plot in an interesting way, so they don’t just feel like tagalongs here for the hell of it (@Crimson Flower). 

There are so many little details woven throughout the BL’s narrative that ties it together beautifully. Glenn’s death and the cascade of effects that had on the main cast? Phenomenal. Dimitri’s dagger? Perfection. Mercedes’ little brother that she keeps comparing Felix to? Chekhov’s Gun is working fucking overtime, here. The end result is a beautiful tapestry of complex character relations and set-up for situations that get paid off later down the line.

Blue Lions pays dividends, damnit. 

did you think the Dagger Incident brought up in an entirely missable support conversation was just a one-off joke? i did. i did and that fucking dagger almost brought me to tears 40 hours later. 

All the Blue Lions, including Dimitri and Byleth, have a theme of needing to come to terms with some aspect of their past - in the route about their lord coming to terms with his history and learning to move on, it’s a nice little parallel to include there.Even Byleth fits into this theme. (Dimitri and Faerghus itself also parallel each other, I was so excited when I realised.) 

Speaking of Dimitri…

Walking into the game I assumed Dimitri would be pretty whitebread until something went horribly wrong during the timeskip. I did not expect Felix to warn me to stay away from him on the first fucking day. I didn’t expect Dimitri to already be so horrifically damaged, the extent of which only becoming clearer over time. I did expect him to be a kind-hearted dork that loves his friends, but I wasn’t expecting the extent to which he cares about you. 

Every time Dimitri slipped, I felt the tension build up. He felt like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. I stayed up all goddamn night trying to figure out what happened next, and I wouldn’t trade the reveal of Edelgard’s identity being during Blue Lions for the fucking world, because that buildup was phenomenal. Dealing with this slow buildup added a great deal to Academy Phase, and got me extremely interested in Dimitri. 

I felt real, genuine fear for Dimitri once the timeskip hit, because I knew whatever I ran into on the other side wasn’t going to be pretty. And it wasn’t. It was somehow worse than I expected. The game never once tried to pretend it wasn’t as bad as it was, never once pulled it’s punches. Touches like Dimitri being unable to support or attend class dug in even deeper how bad the situation was.

The fact that it isn’t Byleth that drags Dimitri out of this is just the cherry on the fucking cake. Dimitri’s arc is so brutal, and yet so uplifting, because it isn’t just about Dimitri and Byleth - it’s about Dimitri and the people that care about him. (Yeah, Dimitri’s recovery is somewhat sudden, but this is a game, and they had to unlock his support functions sometime.)

Dimitri’s character arc is great. His relationship with the people around him is great. There’s less focus on Byleth’s origin in this route, which I’m honestly fine with because Byleth-the-teacher is more interesting to me than Byleth-the-psuedo-Goddess.

Yeah, I’m a bit disappointed we never dealt with Those That Slither in BL, but since Dimitri’s arc is about learning to let go, the fact that he killed most of them without realising it sorta works. (an effort was made. @crimson flower.) 

As for Byleth? Byleth felt very linked into Blue Lions compared to other routes, which I think mostly comes down to Ashe and Sylvain actually being relevant to Lonato and Miklan, which gives BL a sense of “we’ve been through some shit” very early on. Since Byleth was the one that helped the BL early on with those incidents, the 5 year meetup promise feels a bit more meaningful than other routes.

Byleth works well in BL - I mentioned before that Byleth fits into BL’s general theme of “learning to move on” (re: Jeralt) and being fucked over by Slither OR the Church (every BL member has been affected by them in some way), but I think special attention can be given to their relationship with Dimitri.

I always felt a bit closer to Dimitri than other House Leaders? It probably helps that Dimitri opens up to you more, but Dimitri’s the one empathising with Byleth over shared trauma and offering his support because he gets it, or routinely asking if Byleth’s okay, or… almost fucking losing his mind over the thought that Byleth’s lost to the void.

Setup and payoff is strong here, too - Dimitri admitting that Byleth’s lack of expression and perceived distance freaked him out flip around beautifully into Byleth being the one unable to reach Dimitri in War Phase. Dimitri finding solace in how similar he and Byleth are flips brutally into War Phase when he throws Byleth’s quest for revenge after Jeralt’s death (which he consoled Byleth over) in Byleth’s face as a gotcha to point out that Byleth’s a hypocrite.

Light/dark themes? A dynamic and meaningful relationship? Byleth actually not being integral to Dimitri’s recovery, but helping as best they can anyway? Chekhov’s fucking Gun, again? 

ffffuck this route has so much 

which isn’t even getting into dimitri having feelings for byleth and the extra layer that adds. (i am disgusted dimitri isn’t a bi option. this is a slowburn love story, damnit) 

It’s a bit of a shame you also don’t deal with Byleth’s past here, or any of the Church’s shadiness (despite the BL cast being extremely well positioned to have personal beef with the Church, Crests and Those That Slither, so… you know, dealing with that here would’ve been more emotionally satisfying than in GD, but I digress), but I guess Claude needed something to do.

Anyway tl;dr Blue Lions is fucking PHENOMENAL and I wasn’t expecting it to be half as good as it is, which only made it even fucking better when I played through it.

And also made every other route look much worse by comparison. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s pretty fucking fantastic nonetheless.

[transslyblue]

Also "1-99"

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed?

Haha, closed. I don't like seeing the dark void that I call a closet

(2) Do You Have Freckles?

Yea, but you can't really see them unless you're close

(3) Can You Whistle?

Yes

(4) Last Song You Listened To.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame musical, the Tavern Song

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour?

Blue, but I also like a variety of purples and greens

(6) Relationship Status.

Single and not looking

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now?

69º F

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky?

Yea, unless I wake up myself

(9) How Many Followers?

118, but I need to go through and block any bots. (;w;)

(10) Zodiac Sign.

Leo

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour?

Blue/green hazel. My eyes are multi-coloured so they have blue, green, and brown with a very grey look to them.

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily?

I forget daily

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower?

Yup!

(14) What Books Are You Reading?

I really want to get back to reading some more Lovecraft, but i don't have much time to read

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14.

"Minutes before librarians ate him."

(16) Favourite Anime?

Uuuuhhhhhh, hm. I guess it'd have to be InuYasha, but I like a lot of anime

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of?

Err,,, it was a very close friend. Idk if they'd want me to say who they are tho

(18) Do You Collect Anything?

Rocks and those snowglobe musicboxes

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch?

Yogurt and a protein bar. Ik, ik real healthy and filling

(20) Do You Dance In The Car?

Depends on the song, but not really

(21) Favourite Animal?

Owls and cats

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics?

Not really, but when I do it's the diving Olympics

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed?

2am

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now?

I don't wear makeup. Though I have considered it

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean?

Either. Pool is safer though

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog?

Oof, idk if I can pick just one, so imma name a few. @ohhimarx @mirosuikaaa @masochist-incarnate they're all really friendly and nice

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water?

Whichever is most convenient at the time

(28) What Makes You Happy?

The sound of rain, art, my friends talking to me, I have a list that I've posted, so I won't list out here

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music?

Haha, I don't study;;;

(31) Dogs Or Cats?

Cats

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be?

Blue-tiful lol, for real though probably bubble blue

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox.

Does Switch/ds count?

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean?

Idunknow

(35) Do You Believe In Magic?

Not really, but I won't bash on anyone who does

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing?

Black, but is a Link being a meme

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue?

Yes

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It?

I save more then I spend.

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You?

Yea, it's a pink pillow of Lion from Steven Universe and a music stand from when I was in middle school

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now?

Kirby in general

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly?

Nope, but I have touched one before

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People?

Yes and no. It really depends on how long I've been around them

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams?

Omg yes! I remember a few and they were all lucid dreams! (I looked up the term from last time I answered this question)

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes?

Never been on one

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry.

Of Mice and Men

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds?

Both

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be?

Panic!At the Disco, Fallout Boy, or The Neighborhood

(48) Are You A Picky Eater?

Not really. There are some foods I refuse to eat, but otherwise I eat pretty much anything

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper?

Yes

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning?

Nope! I actually like thunder

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write?

I enjoy reading. As for writing, eh. I'll write out my ideas but I'mno good at fleshing them out to be interesting

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud?

Yes. But not too loud, just enough where I don't hear everyone around me

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents?

Carve pumpkins! I really am bad at wrapping presents

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up?

Hurts - Illuminated

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather)

Spring and dying from pollen

(56) What Are You Craving Right Now?

Idk, something salty tbh

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed.

(58) What Is Your Gender?

I'm a transgender male, so i use he/him pronouns.

(59) Coffee Or Tea?

Both, but I like tea more

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About?

I'm not in school anymore soooo no

(61) What Is Your Sexuality?

Idk. Questioning I guess

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning?

No

(63) Favourite Pokemon?

I already answered this one, so I'll say a new pokemon that I love. Rowlet!

(64) Favourite Social Media?

Bruh I am not a fan, but Tumblrs the one I'm on most.

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories?

Idk. I don't have an Instagram

(66) Do You Get Homesick?

Yes

(67) Are You A Virgin?

Yes, and I plan to stay that way for awhile

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now?

I use Suave, but I also use TeaTree when I get really bad dandruff

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free?

Depends on the place. But most likely I'd risk the motel.

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life?

My mom yes, my biological father... It's complicated

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters?

I don't really watch movies, so none

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex?

I don't have an ex

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

Be the person you needed when you were younger. I have no clue who said it, but I live by that

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest?

Eyes in general are great. Idk how anyone can not find something they like in any eye colour

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set?

YesYesYesYes

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate?

Nachos

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone?

Voez and Pokémon Go

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not?

Yes, because no oen deserves to die. I'd do my best to help any homeless person

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight?

Haha, not today. Yet

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network?

Not really

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People?

Yes!

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them.

I don't wear jewlery much. But I would like to get my ears pierced properly

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed?

Closed! I don't want people or my cat to walk in

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today?

I woke up, did laundry, answered these questions

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed?

Pajama pants and a t-shirt

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now.

I've got none. Unless you want me to name what body wash i use. :/

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person?

Night person

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc.

Phone: Voez, Pokémon Go

Switch: Legend of Zeld: Breath of the wild, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Kart 8, PuyoPuyo Tetris, Bayonetta 1&2, Hyrule Warriors, Just Dance 2017, Super Mario Party, Let's Go Eevee, Mario Odyssey, Undertale, Shovel Knight, Pokémon quest, Mom Hid my Game, Deemo, Sonic Mania, Detention, The Coma, Cave Story

3DS: Kirby Clash Deluxe, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, Kirby Planet Robobot, Kirby Canvas Curse, Kirby Mass Attack, Kirbg Super Star Ultra, Kirby Squeak Squad, Pokémon Y, Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Pokémon Heartgold, Legend of Zelda Link Between Worlds, Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask, Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D, Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass, Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks, Super Smash Bros, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon, Wario Ware Gold, Super Princess Peach, Animal Crossing New Leaf, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, Cooking Mama, Cooking Mama 2, Sonic Colors

Gameboy Color: Pokemon Blue, Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening

This is over the course of many years

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened.

I had this dream where I was flying a red paper plane. It took forever to carry it up this tapestry, but i did it. When I finally took off this group of white paper planes were chasing me so I shook them off and landed, taking shelter in this museum. This museum held other people hiding and was actually an abandoned grocery store. Then I woke up.

I don't rememebr when this was, but I wrote it down. I have a few more if you're interested.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink?

Strawberry Ramuné

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite?

Rainstorms,

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More?

Jeans, since I can't wear sweatpants to work

(93) How Do You Look Right Now?

Uhhh, probably a slob since I've been in pajamas all day

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You.

Stuffed animals

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want?

Idk. Haven't really wanted one. Maybe a connect the dots one.

(96) Favourite YouTuber?

Idk. I watch Pyrocynical and Markiplier, but other than that I listen to music, watch speedpaints, and speed plays of various videogames

[some-cookie-crumbz]

Aquamarine

Aquamarine Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Pairing: Kidge Summary:Continuation of [this] fic; warning for a lot blood! With time running out, Keith is now face-to-face with the Almighty Jufaruta to determine if he is worthy of the elixir that could save Pidge’s life. Standard Disclaimer: If you read and enjoy this, please give it a like/ reblog so I know if I should write more. AN: Not much to say except that I hope you all enjoy Day 6 here!

The inside of the temple was dank, smelling of stale water and damp dirt, and the chamber he walked into was a deep, rich violet color. There were bright yellow tapestries depicting the same creature as the statues fighting off various other creatures to protect the denizens of the planet. There was another small staircase across the room from him, leading to the next chamber, but settled on the top of the steps was a large beast similar to the statures outside. They were the size of a horse, with a thick coat of sandy colors with a white muzzle and black tufts on its ears and in intricate swirls along its shoulders and paws. The two upper sets of eyes were closed and the lower set were just barely cracked open. It’s tail swayed and twisted behind it, the mace-like object seeming to be made of soft, fur-like material. “Are you the Jufaruta guarding this elixir?” He asked cautiously.

The Jufaruta turned, walking toward the open passage to the next area without a sound, and a small platform raised in the center of the room. There was a small golden jar on the top.

“Wait, what am I supposed to do? Can’t you give me a hint?” He called out, frantic.

It looked back at him over it’s shoulder, standing just past the threshold of the next chamber, before it’s third set of eyes closed and the door slammed shut behind it.

“Okay, so I’m on my own?” He grumbled angrily, pinching the bridge of his nose. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, a conversation from a long time ago.

“These things never make any sense,” He grumbled, his head tilted as they watched the protagonist of the film jump past a pit of spikes.

“What do you mean?” Pidge asked, lifting her head from his shoulder to gaze up at him curiously. She reached into the bowl of psuedo-popcorn they had brought out with them for the film, grabbed a handful, and tossed a piece into his mouth. They had decided to marathon a few action flicks since they had the free time and, being on to the third film, he’d noticed a trend developing in regards to Gaduratu’s most recent exploration of some extinct-cultures ancient artifacts.

“These ancient temples always have super-complicated secrets to figure out in order to get through them,” He said, indicating the latest chamber that was filled with marked stones and a floor of lava.

“They aren’t super-complicated,” She explained with a small snort, “if you’re good with riddles. That’s all they really are at their core, after all; riddles that you have to solve in order to get through. They’re not too terribly difficult if you concentrate. Just think of it like the trials from when you were joining the Blade.”

He took a deep breathe and slowly approached the jar in the center and eyed it curiously. “What did that plaque say, again? Something about tasting without consuming, sensing without seeing, trusting without knowing and speaking without hearing, I think? So I guess this would be that first one then,” He mumbled twisting off the top of the jar. Underneath what looked to be a long, slim needle of some sort. There was a small liquid dripping from the jagged tip; either a poison or some kind of drug, he reasoned.

With a nervous gulp, he reached forward and prodded the tip of his index finger against it. The tip was as sharp as he expected, leaving a small cut. He then pressed the cut into the liquid, forcing himself to hold steady despite the sting until he was sure a decent amount had gotten into the wound. A rumbling noise echoed in the chamber and the door lifted again. “So I guess that was the right approach. Thanks for the tip, Pidge,” He mumbled, glancing from the cut to the open entrance. He paused long enough to use a small bandage to cover the little mark and then rushed forward.

The Jufaruta was settled beside a large glowing orb in the center of the room, which seemed to be suspended by an electric current running through it via two plates on the ceiling and floor respectively, cleaning it’s paw with long strokes of its pale blue tongue. The walls of the room were a bright and welcoming yellow hue. There were more tapestries hanging from the walls, identical to the ones in the previous room, but were actually a smoky grey color this time around. The Jufaruta’s lowest set of eyes were open now, a luminous and glowing orange color with lime green pupils that looked like a diamond as opposed to a circle, and the second set up were cracked just a bit now. It perked up and licked it’s chops at the sight of him, almost seeming to be grinning. It carefully hoped down from the orb and took a few steps closer, it’s nose twitching as it sniffed around.

It got close enough that Keith could have touched it, gently tapping its cold nose against the very tip of his covered finger, before letting a soft purr-like sound that he took as satisfaction. It then retreated back towards the orb, tail flicking back and forth in an almost amused fashion. Keith noticed in specific that the little orb at the end seemed to be more solid and firm now as well. It hopped up in one long jump, and skid it the edge of it’s tail along the plate keeping the orb in place, seeming to flick some kind of switch. It wobbled and teetered, barely kept in place by the lower current, and it began to get darker, the top half of the orb flickering off. The rumbling continued and that was when Keith realized that it wasn’t only the orb wobbling, but the whole room itself. The orb maintained both the lighting of the room but also the gravitational pull of it.

He received another purr as his only warning before the Jufaruta dragged it’s tail along the lower plate and sent the room into darkness and orbit.

Keith growled and pulled out his blade, digging it into the ground below him as everything flipped upside down around him. He heard the orb crash into what had previously been the ceiling and roll about as the room slowly rocked back and forth. “Okay, the second part… Sense without seeing… Which I assume means that I need to get that orb back in place and turn those switches back on again,” He grumbled to himself before there was a whooshing noise in his ear, something loud slamming into the stone just past his head, landing in beside his sword. A skittering noise that reminded him of insect sounds started to creep closer and he growled. “Of course there had to more to this than that!” He snapped, yanking his sword free and curling into himself as he headed towards the ground, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Sense without seeing, huh? Well, good thing they’d had that training exercise with the Lions.

He forced himself to find his center and suddenly a strange tingling sensation crept up from the small cut in his finger, up his arm and settled all throughout his body. When he opened his eyes, it felt as if he wasn’t actually seeing, but instead reading the energy. The room was still pure black, but the walls were outlined in a low dim white hue while the orb was a near-blinding gold. It was also rolling its way to be beneath him. He reached his arms out and pushed on it once he got close enough, pushing it back and managing to get his feet settled on it. It swayed from side to side and he had to keep moving, but he had a decent handle on it. He stole a glance up to see the creature that had attacked him, which was outlined with bright red energy, hissed and dropped down to join him.

Through what the energy revealed, it was like a giant three-tailed scorpion with horns akin to that of a bull. It dropped and narrowly missed landing on him, pushed back by his block with his sword. He growled as it’s jagged back legs jabbed into the orb, cracking it a bit and creating a makeshift foothold for itself. It swung at him with all three tails, trying to impale him, but he shifted and blocked. He stole a quick glance around then smirked, shifting to push the orb to the left.

When he did, the creature hissed in distress as it was dragged along in the wide circle.

It was hard keeping his balance as he ran atop the sphere, managing to flip from the original ceiling to one side of the room, but he managed it somehow. And as long as he kept moving, the creature seemed unable to dislodge it’s limbs from where they’d stuck them in. He grinned and looked at the wall opposite him, trying to track down the first platform that needed to be reactivated. Once it was locked partly back into place it was just a matter of using his jet pack to reach the upper switch. The creature hissed again and one of it’s tails swung at him blindly, narrowing missing his cheek. He stumbled back, rolling the orb, then growled. He ran across the orb until where the creature was pinned was underneath the orb and then charged forward.

He flinched at the loud crunch of the creature underneath the weight of the glorified pinball but quickly focused again.

From where he was positioned, he would be able to reach the switch if he jumped for it. He walked along the wall until he was face to face with it. He only knew where it was because, strangely enough, it was the only portion of the room that wasn’t lit up with some kind of energy. He felt around and smirked at what felt like a slim, narrow piece jutting out from a part of it. A quick flick up and sudden;y the room rumbled again, the orb starting to float beneath his feet.

He jumped free of it and activated his jet pack, making his way towards the top as the light slowly began to creep back into the room. He used his blade to nudge the other switch back in to place, worried that the current might zap him or something. The whole room was briefly enveloped in light so bright he had to shut his eyes, and when he opened them again his vision had returned to normal. A quick glance around the room revealed that any damage that may have been done by the orb crashing and rolling around was gone, as well as the nick in the stone from where he’d lodged his blade. There also seemed to be no evidence of the strange scorpion beast that had attacked him.

But the Jufaruta was also gone. Meaning it had probably snuck out once the room turned into a carnival ride.

He headed through the next passageway, using his jet pack still in hopes of spending the process along. This room was a smoky grey while the tapestries were an almost teal color this time. The center of the room, however, was a bit strange. Unlike being the same color as the ceilings or walls as the other two rooms had been, the floor seemed to be make of soil here. He scoffed a bit and focused on the open passageway ahead of him, assuming that this room was just a small rest spot before the last two trials. The minute he passed to about the halfway point of the room his jet pack suddenly cut out and he was plummeting downwards. The surface he fell into was not soil, but more akin to something like the bed of a swamp, and he ended up only being in up to his waist. “Damnit!” He cursed, trying to push his way through it. The more he squirmed, though, the farther in he sunk towards the center.

It was something like quick sand, he realized with a small snarl. It didn’t take long until one of his arms was completely submerged and the other was only loose because he had the foresight to lift it above his head. “Why are you doing this, Keith?” A tired voice asked in front of him.

His head shot up and he gasped at the figure squatting down in front of him. “Pidge,” He breathed.

She looked like her but also unlike her, as odd as it sounded. She wasn’t clad in her Paladin armor any longer, but was still wearing her flight suit and she still have bits of dried blood and grime on her. He knew she wasn’t physically with him; both because it was a logical impossibility but also because she cast no shadow and she seemed to be hovering less than a centimeter above the strange molasses-like substance. She leaned her elbows on her bent knees and flashed him a small, sad smile. “Were you expecting Santa Claus?”

“How are you here?” He asked, his struggling halting completely. If he didn’t move, he noticed in the back of his mind, it seemed like the substance stopped pulling on him so much.

“Astral projection,” She explained with a small shrug. She then looked back at how deep he’d sunken in and sighed. “Keith, this isn’t going to help anything, you know.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll figure a way out of this,” He said, glaring down at the dark brown liquid.

“You know that isn’t what I meant,” She said. His head snapped up to focus in on her, a heavy weight made of dread starting to weigh down on his stomach. “You need to stop this. This whole mission… It’s ridiculous. You’re just wasting time and resources.”

“No, I’m not!”

“A long time ago, you told me that the lives of two people weren’t more important than the rest of the universe,” She said calmly. He tensed up and bit the inside of his cheek to keep from arguing. “I have accepted that I won’t be making it out of this alive, and now you need to. I have enough strength to pull you out of there and get you back to the ledge before I have to return to my body and wait for the final moment. This is the way it has to be, Keith.” She offered one hand to him and he stared between it and her, feeling his heart start to ache. A flicker of movement behind her caught his attention suddenly.

It was the Jufaruta. The second set of eyes were now open – lime green irises with bright pink pupils – and the third set was cracked. Trust without knowing.

He took a breath and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. She let out a small startled noise and he only stopped tugging when their foreheads were nearly touching. He tilted his head and gently pressed his cheek against her hand, surprised that it felt real but disappointed at how cold it was, and held her gaze steady with his own. “I will save you, Pidge. I promise,” He vowed before taking another deep breath, releasing her, and willingly diving underneath the surface of whatever he was trapped in.

“Keith!” She cried just as he disappeared, but then everything went silent. He tried flapping one of his hands near his ear, expecting to hear the slight jostle of water, but no sounds came from it. He shifted and started to swim in the direction he’d been getting pulled towards. The closer he got, the easier moving got, until he reached a point where he simply let whatever current it was drag him along. He tried to remain calm the longer he was under, but as he got closer to running out, he became fearful that he had chosen the wrong path. His mouth opened, letting what little air he had left out, and he grabbed at his throat.

And suddenly he was falling again.

He landed on a soft, blush surface that slowly slid apart and pushed him down, kind of like some strange automated slide. He forced his eyes open and took in a heaving breath, looking up at the dimly glowing ceiling of what he could only call an underground cavern. There were stalactites hanging from the ceiling, little flickering stones of various colors decorating them, and for a moment he just laid there pliant and trying to catch back up. There was a dull ache in his head, so he pressed his thumbs up against the tops of his eyes to try and get it to subside, at least temporarily. He then smirked and flipped the bird at the ceiling. “I was right,” He said before lifting his head and starting to push up.

As he did, the material he was leaning back against shifted to help push him upright. The whole area that he was in was lit solely by the stones in the stalactites, creating a pathway towards a large, glowing room a few feet away. Still a bit unsteady on his feet, he moved at a regular walking space along the path, wondering what the next trial the Jufaruta had for him would entail. The only virtue left was speaking without hearing, but he wasn’t exactly sure how that worked.

The cavern he walked into was a gorgeous underground lake.

The room was filled to the brim with pastel colored stone, with a narrow path leading to a circular sitting area in the dead center of the lake, and bore a pleasant aroma that made him think of milk and honey. There were two small benches there, with Pidge settled at one and the Jufaruta seated beside her. The Jufaruta was sitting behind the bench with it’s fore paws resting on the empty space beside Pidge, all three eyes open and watching Keith with what he could only call amusement. Despite how far away from it he was, it’s eyes were glowing so bright he could still make out the colors; bright pink for the irises with pupils that were the bright orange of the lowest sets irises. He stole a quick glance at the waters of the lake, where he was certain the smell was coming from. It was the same color as the tapestries in the other room and he now recognized the color as being aquamarine.

He looked ahead and walked along the path towards the Jufaruta, his headache becoming more aggressive with each step.

“Please, take a seat, traveler,” Pidge said once he got within earshot, her lips turning up a small grin and one hand gesturing with an elegant wave. Keith scowled and then gasped when he looked at her eyes.

They were not the usual warm honey tint he was used to, but had become three rings of orange, green and pink. “So you created a figment of Pidge to try and trick me,” He growled lowly, but moved to do as he was told. Once he was seated, he crossed his arms and let one leg bounce, rage rushing through him. But how had the creature figured out what Pidge looked and sounded like? Or know about her at all?

Pidge giggled and covered her mouth with one hand, an act far too demure for his liking. “Heavens me, you think so loud! But to answer your question simply, no, this is not an illusion or a trick. I was able to call forward this young woman’s astral self by using your memories to put together what was motivating you through my trials!” She said calmly. As she spoke the Jufaruta purred, low and pleased, along with her. “Which, I must say, I am impressed. It has been many a century since last a warrior came to seek my fortunes and even more so since they made it this far. Tell me, what brings you here?”

“I have come to get the elixir, so that I can save her – Pidge – from dying,” He said, looking first at the Jufaruta itself and then to Pidge when he specified her name. His gaze softened on her astral form seated there. “She shouldn’t be dying like this, not right now.”

Pidge heaved a small sigh and rolled her eyes. “Is that all? You are not the first come for the elixir with such a reason. Playing God under the false pretense of saving a loved one seems to be a favorite of the selfish that have come here before you,” She said, seeming bored now.

“She isn’t meant to die now or like this,” He said, forcing himself to remain calm despite the rage slowly brewing inside of him.

“You do not know that; you are simply deciding that for yourself,” She scoffed. It got under his skin, how this thing was using her voice and her mouth to tell him lies. “The truth tends to be difficult for baser life forms such as yourself to hear, but I won’t censor myself. Now, either explain to me why your desire deserves to be fulfilled before I eviscerate you for wasting my time.”

“That’s the thing; it doesn’t necessarily deserve to be fulfilled,” Keith admitted, causing the Jufaruta to perk up. All six eyes blinked in unison and it said nothing, so he continued on. “The fact is that everyone’s morality is different, and all requests are selfish in some way, shape or form. There’s nothing I can say or do to truly convince you that my reason for wanting this elixir is any better than anyone else. All I can do is be genuine in saying that I love Pidge and I am afraid of losing her. And I would rather rush off to take a shot in the dark to save her than simply accept that there’s nothing I can do to change this.” The Jufaruta stared at him for a moment before it grinned again, Pidge’s expressions mirroring it, and both their eyes began glowing with the same white lights the statutes had emanated outside.

When he was able to see again, he was in the first room all over again, the golden jar sealed before him. The Jufaruta was seated at the top of the stairs again, but he noticed there was no longer a passageway behind him. Astral Pidge was gone, as well. He looked from the Jufaruta to the jar before cautiously twisting off the lid.

Instead of the needle and dripping drug, the jar was hollowed out and filled near to the brim with the aquamarine liquid from the underground cavern. He stared at his reflection in the small surface before slowly lifting his head to stare at the amused creature watching him. The tingling sensation from before surged through him, and his mouth opened without his urging. “I see with eyes that are unclouded, baser life form. By speaking to me on my terms and rejecting to hear the logic of the world you hail from, I chose to fill your request,” When his mouth closed, the sensation was gone and he shook his head in surprise.

“Thank you, Almighty Jufaruta, He said, quick but sincere, and bowed to it before snatching up the jar and making a beeline out of the temple. According to the time, he’d be able to make it fifteen minutes before Pidge’s time was up if he was fast.

…………………………………………………………

In the end, he made it even sooner. He had apparently impressed the Jufaruta quite a bit because his ship had been sitting right outside of the temple when he stepped out, which saved him a full thirty minutes of hiking. The minute he was out of the thicket and able to open the comms, he called up the Castle Ship and told them what he’d acquired. Shiro had been stunned but also clearly thrilled, turning around and starting to bark orders to the rest of the team about getting everything set up in preparation for whatever the procedure could entail. Allura had flashed him a proud smile before telling him that she’d get in touch with Matt to let him know that Pidge should be healed and safe once he arrived.

Keith had flown reckless and fast before but never as much so as he did making it back to the Team.

Coran greeted him the minute he disembarked and the two walked as quick and in step toward the medical wing as they could. “How much did it give you?”

“The jar is completely full,” He said, looking from door to door in search of the one Pidge was in.

“How much do we need to give her to heal her?” He asked as they rounded a corner. The rest of the team was standing outside of the door, watching them with anxious and red-rimmed eyes.

“Dunno. Gonna give her a bit, see how much it does, and give her more as I need to,” He said bluntly as they headed into the room. Lance and Coran were right behind him while Hunk, Shiro and Allura watched through the large window into the room. The curtains had been drawn earlier but they were wide open now, leaving them to gaze at his back as he came to her side. The shrapnel was still in her, but it had been shaved down some. “We’re gonna have to remove that first, or else the injury might try to heal around it.” He pointed out.

“I’ll get a fresh blood bag ready,” Lance said, darting over to the cooling unit that they were kept in. Keith had never been more grateful that Lance had taken an additional interest in the healing and medical technology of Altean’s as he was in that moment. Once it was all hooked up and situated, Lance headed over to another drawer and started shifting through until he returned with a syringe. “We can put the elixir in this to make it easier. If we wake her up to have her drink it after we move that metal out of her, she might go into shock and choke on it. If we inject it straight into her heart it should spread fast enough before she can bleed out.” He nodded and opened the jar, watching as Lance filled it up. He made a small noise of surprise at the color and then set it on the small supply table beside Pidge’s bed.

“You might want to step back for this,” Coran advised. Keith did as he was told, moving to stand in the space above Pidge’s head so Lance could take his spot and leaving the closed jar on the supply table in case they needed more of it. Between Lance and Coran, they shifted Pidge slowly and carefully to her good side so they could remove the shrapnel. An egregious amount of blood gushed out from both ends of the wound and for a moment Keith felt panicked that she’d be dead before anything more could be done. Her chest had been rising and falling slowly as it was, but with the severity of the hemorrhaging it started to slow even more. With a small, determined growl, Lance seized up the syringe, jammed it down in the center of her heart, and pushed down on the syringe plunger steadily until it was empty.

A quiet thump sounded from outside the room and Hunk’s face disappeared from the viewing. Keith felt a pang of sympathy; if not for his adrenaline pumping so hard he would have fainted, too.

The three watched, holding their breath, as slowly little flickers of light began to bloom from Pidge’s injuries. They glimmered and gleamed like the stones in the cavern, appearing over where her skin had been sliced and diced, and then fading out to the same soft peach color as her skin. Her chest began to heave more and more, breathing steady and normal, and slowly she cracked her eyes, whining a bit at the bright lights around her. “Katie?” Keith breathed uneasily, shaky hands coming up to hover just above her face.

They opened about halfway and shifted to fix on him, tired but also the breathtaking brown hue he’d become enamored by. She flashed him a tired smile, licking her lips a bit in preparation for speaking. “Let Kolivan know I’m kicking his ass next time I see him,” She croaked out, trying to be playful.

A hiccuping sob of relief bubbled out of him and he pressed his forehead against her, hands finally resting against her cheeks to trace with his thumbs. “I’ll hold him while you hit,”

[avidbeader]

Voltron fanfic: “Scattered” Chapter 17

Season 2 AU. No ships, K+ to T rating. Begin at the beginning here.

Got another rec, especially for those who like their Voltron stories without any romance and with plenty of Pidge. Check out “Though She Be But Little” by TheRedScreech over on FF-Net for a delightful series of roughly-connected Pidge-centric stories!

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The moment they entered the bridge, Lance shouted at Coran and Matt, who were bent over Coran’s control panel. “Allura said we can contact our families! How do we do that?”

Coran looked at Matt. “Do you remember what to do?”

Matt grinned. “Yes, sir!”

“Lance, go to your station. Matt will help you.”

Coran turned to Hunk. “How about you, Number Two?”

“What? I can talk to my mom?”

“Yes, we can initiate both links at the same time.” Coran walked over to Hunk’s station and pulled up his comm panel. “Do you have a number for reaching your mother’s communication device?”

“Oh, quiznak.” Hunk concentrated, trying to remember the number that he had programmed into his phone years ago and promptly forgotten. The phone that he had left sitting on the nightstand of his room at the Garrison because Lance was in such a hurry to sneak out that night. He had the entire periodic table at his mental fingertips, but couldn’t remember his mom’s number. “Does it have to be a number? We can do vid calls with email addresses.”

“Hold on a tic… I need to access Number Five’s alphabet converter…There! Enter your information here.”

Hunk did so. On the other side of the bridge he could hear Lance going a mile a minute in Spanish. And then a video screen popped up on his panel, showing a round, dark face with graying hair.

“Tinā? It’s me…”

“Tsuyoshi? Lo’u atali’i?’ The woman looked away from the screen and screamed, “Nani! Nani!”

In the background, another woman responded, “What is it, Iolana?”

Hunk felt the tiniest bit of queasiness as the screen he was watching moved and spun, showing him his aunt. Her face lit up and she whooped in delight. “Yoshi! You’re alive!”

“Of course I’m alive, uso-Nani!” As he watched, the screen whipped back around and his aunt moved into view, sitting beside his mother. “Tinā, I am really sorry I didn’t call or anything. We’ve been on a bit of a trip through a wormhole to the other side of the universe where we ended up fighting an evil empire—”

“Two months!” Iolana snapped. “It’s been almost two months—”

“Whoa, I had no idea. We’ve been so busy—”

“It’s been two months and THEY TOLD US YOU WERE DEAD!”

“What?” Hunk’s expression did a one-eighty from placating to baffled. “They told you we were dead?”

Coran had retreated to give Hunk some privacy, but his head snapped up at that. “Oh, dear. That’s going to complicate things.”

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Matt entered the address for a vid call. As Lance waited for the call to connect, he tried to rehearse what to say to his parents. Disappearing off the face of the Earth in an alien ship for a few weeks was just a bit higher on the scale than hijacking his older brother’s waverunner or getting caught trying to hide a camera in the girls’ bathroom at school.

Finally, his mother picked up, not looking at the screen as she soothed a toddler in her arms—was that his niece Lydia? She had changed so much! A thread of disquiet ran through Lance’s chest. How long had they been gone?

“Look, I don’t know which network you’re from, but you get the same answer as everyone else. No comment, no comment, no comment!”

“Mamá?”

Her gaze sharpened on the screen and her eyes widened. The child in her arms laughed, reaching for the tablet, and shrieked, “Lan-Lan-Lan!”

Bedlam resulted. Faces crowded behind Rosa, all talking at once. Lance tried his best to keep up, not noticing when he switched to Spanish. Finally, as someone actually tried to snatch the tablet from her hand, his mother took control.

“Enough! Mina, take Lydia. All of you, stay here! Seamus, come with me!” As Lance watched, his mother dragged his father out of the family room and into…his old bedroom? But where was his stuff? The room looked nearly empty.

“Mom? Dad?”

They moved the tablet so he could see them both, and he felt his smile go watery. Don’t cry, don’t cry, you’re a Paladin of Voltron and Paladins do NOT cry!

“Hello, mi querido. We are very glad to see that you’re alive.”

“Um, of course I’m alive? We just sort of got sidetracked when the Blue Lion took us through a wormhole across space.”

His father shook his head. “You don’t understand, son. The Garrison told us you’d been killed in a training accident. You, your friend Hunk, and the Gunderson boy. We were told it was an explosion, not enough left of the bodies to bury.”

Lance stared at them, slack-jawed. It had never occurred to him that the Garrison might lie about their disappearance to their families. “Dad, Mom, I am so sorry! We would’ve tried to get in touch faster if we’d known!”

“We believe you, hijo. But you’re back now. When can you come home?”

“Allura promised that she’d find a way for us to visit. I’ll ask her as soon as she finishes healing Keith—”

His parents interrupted at the same time.

“Visit? You’re not staying?”

“Healing him? Why does he need healing?”

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Allura worked with a delicate touch. She was very afraid of hurting Keith, even though he seemed calm and still next to her. She pictured the Quintessence as a ribbon for the embroidery she did as a child, pulling it gently from Keith like an unwinding skein and threading it into the tapestry of the Castle.

As she extracted the excess energy from him, Allura realized that it had a…taste, for want of a better word. She didn’t remember that from the Balmera. At the time she was too focused on actually controlling the transfer, taking the Quintessence from the Castle and conducting the ritual that would multiply it in large enough quantities to heal the enormous beast.

But she could feel Keith in this energy. It seemed to carry his scent, the light musk of his skin and the leather of his jacket. She could sense his self-imposed isolation, even within the team of Voltron, and his driving need to better his skills in order to protect the others. There was a dangerous edge to his Quintessence, a volatility that could slip from control in an instant. And yet the energy was warm and vibrant, welcoming like a good fire after a cold day. Allura knew that from now on she would be able to identify Keith’s presence and find him if she concentrated just as she did with the Lions, though probably not from the same vast distances. She wondered briefly about a way to safely duplicate this process for the other Paladins.

Then something growled in her head, with a clear indication that she should stop.

But…we’re not all the way to normal levels of Quintessence for humans yet.

The growl repeated, louder and more insistent. She realized it was the Red Lion.

Allura hesitated, unsure whether to trust her own instincts or the Lion’s. When a second growl echoed the first—Black­­—she relented. She closed off the flow of Quintessence and carefully disengaged her link with Keith. She opened her eyes to see him deeply asleep, his face open and serene. He looked startlingly younger without the perpetual frown that was his usual expression. She glanced at Shiro and caught her breath at the open affection, the caring in his face as he looked at his fellow Paladin. She wanted to ask, but didn’t dare interrupt the moment.

He noticed that she no longer glowed and turned to her. “Did it work?”

She nodded. “He’s stable now. The cryo-pod should be able to handle anything else.”

“Let’s get one ready, then.”

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Pidge wanted to babble about everything to her mother, about the adventures and dangers and joys and sorrows. Before Kerberos she had shared easily with her mom. A distance had grown between them immediately after the news of the failed mission broke, mostly due to her own insistence that it wasn’t true, that Shiro would never, ever, have made a mistake so grave. It was only when she got into the Garrison’s databases long enough to see the key video evidence from the probes showing absolutely no evidence of a crash that Colleen began to believe. The fact that Iverson banned Katie completely from the premises helped convince her. By the time Katie Holt hatched the plan to become Pidge Gunderson, her mom was completely on board.

But she could hear in the background that Lance and Hunk were having tough conversations with their families, learning that the three of them had been declared dead as well. She was not at all surprised at that. For one thing, she had searched their names and found the stories published in the last couple of months while keeping watch over Keith. For another, she already knew that the Garrison was capable of lying to cover up evidence of alien activity.

So Pidge kept things simple, assured her mother that she was good, and let her father have most of the conversation since they had been gone longer. She caught Matt’s eye and gestured an invitation to swap places with him and he nodded.

“Mom, I’m going to step over and help Lance with his call so Matt can talk to you some more. Dad can keep me posted on when we can get together – it’ll be easy between the cloaking device on my Lion and our personal camo units to slip in.”

“You should let the other families know that – I’m getting texts from the McClain girls because Lance has already let it out that he’s not planning to stay here.”

“Will do. Love you, Mom. See you soon!”

Pidge moved to stand behind Lance. He was still going in Spanish, a language in which she only had novice skill, but she could tell that he was agitatedly trying to answer two questions at once.

When his parents spotted her, his mom caught her breath and switched to English. “Hello, darling!”

Mr. McClain nodded. “Gunderson, good to see you survived all this as well.”

His wife elbowed him. “That’s Katie Holt. I told you, Seamus. I told you what Colleen said about her daughter disguising herself as a boy so she could get into the Garrison.”

“Oh, yes, I think you did. Katie, then. Are you looking forward to getting things back to normal?”

Oh, no wonder Lance was panicking.

“Well, not yet, sir. We have to go back and finish taking care of the Galra Empire.”

“You…what? No, you’re just kids!”

She shrugged. “We may be kids, but we’re the ones that the Voltron Lions picked. Now, I can arrange for Lance to visit without the Garrison knowing, but it can only be a visit. We have to finish what we started.”

She laid a hand on Lance’s shoulder, and he straightened. “You heard her. The galaxy needs us, Dad. And the sooner we get back and take care of Zarkon, the sooner we can come home for good.”

If Pidge’s matter-of-fact rebuttal had surprised him, Seamus was floored by Lance’s reply. Rosa laid a hand on his arm.

“Not now, Seamus. Lance, how much longer can you talk right now? You should say hello to Jeremy and your sisters and Abuelita while everyone is here.”

Lance looked at Pidge. “I don’t think we’re in any hurry at the moment since we’re waiting on Allura.”

She nodded and moved the hand on his shoulder into a pat. You got this?

He nodded back. I think so.

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Iolana Garrett could handle things. She had been able to handle things all her life. She had handled the death of her father at a young age and growing up with her mother working two jobs while she went to school and took care of the house and her sister Konani. She had handled the desertion of her husband of less than a year, leaving her with a tiny boy to raise. She had handled the fact that her child was a gifted maker, always pulling his toys apart to see how they worked, by channeling some of that energy into cooking.

And she thought she was handling the death of her son in a training accident until she screamed at poor Colleen Holt over her insistence that the story was false. Colleen had not tried to contact her after that but the guilt ate at Iolana. Yes, it hurt to hear another mother cling to false hope, but was flinging facts in her face at top volume the way to handle that?

And now she was looking at a screen with her not-dead son and some red-haired fellow with strange ears and an enormous moustache. And after her initial shout of fury, she might be handling this. It was clear that her Yoshi had no idea of the Garrison’s story about a training accident.

“I am going to fillet that commander when I get hold of him! Why would he lie to us?”

“Tinā, it’s okay! I mean, we did sort of disappear without a trace. And they didn’t want people to panic about aliens being so close to our planet.”

Coran tried to offer support. “And since then Hunk and the others have been very busy trying to help destroy an evil empire! But now that we know how to contact you all, he can stay in touch!”

Iolana peered at the pointy-eared man, trying to decide whether the greater affront was telling her that her child was a soldier in a war that wasn’t his problem, or calling him that awful nickname that had stuck around since elementary school. But she could handle all this, especially if they now had a way to communicate regularly. The man was still talking.

“…and as soon as the princess finishes with our Red Paladin, we’ll see if we can get Hunk down there for a visit with you!”

A princess? She could handle a princess if it meant actually getting to hug her son again.

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With Keith safely in the cryo-pod, Allura and Shiro headed for the bridge. They paused in the doorway, seeing pairs of people at three stations, talking to comm screens.

“Is now a good time to contact this commander?” Allura asked in a low voice. “There’s a comm panel in the meeting room.”

Shiro shook his head. “I want them to stew for a while. I also want Keith back at a hundred percent and the chance for all of us to discuss the options before we tackle the Garrison.”

“Then…do you want to contact your family?”

Shiro looked surprised at that. “I…they think I’m dead. And I’m not sure I could do that to them again. Be alive again but leave them and possibly get killed fighting Zarkon.”

Allura inhaled sharply at that. She seized his arm and pulled him back down the corridor to the nearest room, which happened to be a lounging area with enormous gallery windows looking out. Shiro was reminded of how scarily strong Allura was.

She turned him to face her. “Shiro, whatever you decide, I will ultimately support it. But I want you to reconsider. I would give almost anything to be able to speak to my parents again. And I will never have it, not even second-hand.” Tears formed in her clear-sky eyes at the memory of having to destroy the artificial intelligence of King Alfor. “Your family is something that is irreplaceable. You can surround yourselves with the best possible friends and come close, but it’s not the same.” She stepped forward and embraced him. He reflexively brought his arms up to return it.

She pressed her cheek to his face. “Think about it.” She withdrew and left him alone in the lounge.

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Colleen was still chatting with Matt, mainly listening as he rhapsodized over the Altean ship and its technology. She was already steeling herself for him to leave with Katie when they returned to wherever it was. She might get him to stay for a month or two if the Voltron Force promised to come back for him, but that would be it.

A notification flashed in the corner of her screen. It was from Daichi Shirogane: The Garretts and McClains say their sons have made contact with them. We haven’t heard from Takashi. Do you know what is happening?

Colleen typed a swift reply: He might be working with the princess. From what Matt and Katie have said, he is the leader of their team. I’ll ask.

She focused back on Matt. “Sweetheart, could you find out why Shiro hasn’t called his parents yet? They really want to see him.”

“Sure thing, Mom!” She watched as he jumped up and left her screen.

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Matt nearly ran into the princess as he charged for the door. “Oh, sorry, your highness!” He tried to bow in passing and nearly fell. Allura steadied him and laughed lightly.

“No ceremony needed, Matt. ‘Princess’ will do and there’s no need to bow unless it’s a formal situation. Why the hurry?”

“I need to find Shiro. His parents are asking the other families why he hasn’t gotten in touch yet.”

“So they know he’s alive?” Allura’s face lit up.

“Oh, yeah! Mom told them right after we talked to her the first time, just like the others.”

“That’s wonderful news! Go, Shiro’s in the viewing gallery down the hall!”

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Tinā – Samoan for “mother”

Lo’u atali’I – Samoan for “my son”

uso-Nani – this is a mashup of the beginning of the phrase for “aunt” and her name

Mamá – Spanish for “mom”

mi querido – Spanish for “my darling” or “my dearest”

hijo – Spanish for “son”

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