lifeaftr | April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

INTRO LOG: APRIL

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: April 3rd and onward
Where: Ziziphus
Warnings: Mark as needed!

A9: Sow the Seed
Unbeknownst to new arrivals, the archipelago of LifeAftr has recently seen the appearance of a new island, as chosen via voting - and they have been unceremoniously placed there instead of upon Ensō, where most newcomers would typically appear. It's probably for the best that the island of Ziziphus is so outwardly peaceful.

There are worse places to find yourself, all things considered. The mana pool glimmers with a greenish light, the stone ring containing that peculiar fluid set firmly into the earth. The surrounding land fits neatly into that general aesthetic: rippling fields stirred by the occasional crisp breeze alternate between amber-golden and rich, verdant green in coloration, and irregular patches of color signify the presence of a great deal of flowers of all sorts.

It's a peaceful scene.

We're sure you're all about to make it go horribly wrong.

B9: Reap the Harvest
For the unluckier, or the more adventurous, something far less tranquil awaits. Perhaps you woke up on this particular map square instead, or you saw fit to journey a little farther, just to see what might happen. In any case, you'll quickly discover that this may not have been the best idea, when an ordinary grassy mound abruptly detaches itself from the ground, hauls itself upright on bristling legs, and starts scuttling near.

SPINDLANKS have now been unlocked in the bestiary.
What might initially appear to be a leafy hillock will very quickly prove to be something far more...mobile, if you get close enough. That clump of grass and red ferns will abruptly hoist itself up on six vine-like tendrils, crawling for its prey like a very large, mossy spider. While it's fully capable of swiping at its foes with its massive, leafy arms, the spindlank's favored method of dispatching its prey is simply to scuttle forth until it's positioned directly above you and drop down. If its weight does not crush you and choking on the clods of earth doesn't smother you, don't worry; the spindlank intends to eat you alive with a set of fleshy jaws set deep in its center, buried somewhere in its underbelly.

For despite their appearance, spindlanks are very much carnivorous. Their size can vary from anywhere between six and ten feet tall when their appendages unfurl entirely. They are, in essence, very large plants, and thus can be easily dealt with, if you can burn them.

Just try not to get overwhelmed.

All new arrivals will awake with knapsacks, their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can all be found in your acceptance notices!

As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

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[Several things happen at once. Keith emerges out of the thick grass and is hit with something moving fast that sends him stumbling to the left to recover his balance. His mask disengages leaving his face exposed.

Thankfully it just makes his short urgent two note whistle louder. A bird of flame drops down from above and curves around the Spindlank to distract it. Red and orange flames lick at the plant's leaves turning them charred and black. The creature jerks back.

Composed, he glances in the direction of what hit him. His heart freezes. There's no way he could ever forget the familiar patterning of the Voltron armor. But what stops him cold for a precious second is the black coloring and the familiar edges of a face he hasn't seen in months. He whistles for Ember to make another pass and turns his knife into a sword. He turns and plunges into the fight. It feels like finding ground under his feet again.

Shiro is here. He has no idea from that short glance if he's hurt or not. He carves his blade right to left, cleaving through a leg of the beast and moving fast away as Ember hits the other side.]

Hey! Shiro! You okay back there?

( this was unexpected.

more than unexpected, actually.

it feels like all of the wind had been knocked out of his lungs when he hears the sound of keith's voice cutting through the air. hope and relief swell up within him as he pulls himself back up to his feet, just a little unsteady. if keith is here then there's a chance that the others were here as well. had this been the result of that last fight with zarkon? getting thrown here?

he doesn't know and now isn't the time to ponder. )

Keith! I'm fine!

( then he's rushing forward all over again, throwing himself back into the fray to help finish off the spindlank by severing its back legs. although, it might be more accurate to say that he dealt the final blow for the bird of flame to finally be able to set the whole thing alight.

that's also something he has questions about. along with the armour keith's wearing, but the most important question comes first. )

Are you alright? Were you hit hard?

[The Spindlank sags to the ground as Keith drops his sword point towards the ground and signals to the phoenix to keep watch up above. One breath in and he meets Shiro's eyes letting his words wash over him. He can't quite believe Shiro is here and yet. It's like finding the light again after walking in the dark for who knows how long.]

I'm fine. You didn't hit me that hard. [His armor absorbed most of the impact. He'll feel it a bit later but right now he's still full of adrenaline and antsy at being out in the open. Keith scans around them with a wary eye. What else could be lurking?]

Better not to linger. If there's two there's going to be more. Tends to be how it is here.

[He orients himself and signals to up above with one flick of his wrist. 'Follow'. He yanks his hood back and finally, smiles just a little. His guard has been constantly up when he stood among the Blades and even here. He's never let it down. Letting himself look as tired and relieved as he feels? That's difficult.]

It's good to see you, Shiro. Camp's west of us, I can answer your questions on the way.

Edited 2018-04-09 08:28 (UTC)

( "tends to be how it is here."

just how long has keith been here? a myriad of questions buzz around in his head, each one more nagging than the last. there's a lot to take in here and every conclusion that shiro finds himself drawing is less than satisfactory. concern etches its way onto his expression, manifesting itself through the tightness of his jaw and the wire in his lips. )

It's good to see you too.

( then there's a pause as he flicks his eyes over keith once more. )

How long have you been stuck here? Where's the Red Lion? Your armour?

( those are not the first questions he wants to ask as he falls into step beside keith, but they're what he knows should be asked first. )

[He openly stares at Shiro as his eyes go wide. Confusion starts to visibly build on his face. What...why ask him that? He takes a breath and leads the way, his sword returning to a knife for now. It's easier to focus on walking than to try and unpack why that got asked. The more he dwells on it the more he doesn't like what might be the answer.] ...Shiro. What's the last thing you remember before you got here?

[He needs to answer the rest. But it's like the ground got kicked out from under him.]

I've been here for several months. You're the first person from our universe I've seen here.

Edited 2018-04-09 09:15 (UTC)

( that's definitely not a good sign.

is he missing time again? is that why things feel a little fuzzy to him? just how much time is he missing? there's a falter in his step then, a brief pause, before he continues along side keith and reaches out to grab at his elbow. )

We defeated Zarkon. All of us. I had used his bayard and then—

( a pause as he takes off his helmet, as if that might help him see keith's face better. )

There was a light. I don't know after that. I woke up here.

( he pulls his hand way from keith's elbow then, instead lifting his hand in a "wait" gesture. )

Wait, Keith. Several months?

[Everything is wrong. He turns to face him as the helmet comes off. The hair is too long and shorter in the back. He'd gotten used to seeing the uniformly short, dark hair in the vid screens.

He reels, swaying slightly and reaches to grab for Shiro's elbow. It's solid beneath his hand just like always but the world feels too surreal and dangerous right now. As if it will turn and bite him. Keith breathes in deeply and focuses on cutting his way through the confusion.

Answers first.]

Yes, months. We're sort of outside our reality here. As far as I understand it. The last thing I remember was a big push to reclaim a third of the empire from the Galra.

[The details can be skipped. He doesn't want to come close to talking about the brilliant red glare and that brief feeling of weightless terror that would have been his last thoughts forever. No.]

We don't know why we end up here. We just do and the being called Storyteller has been assisting us as they can. I think the packs we wake up to with our names on them are their doing.

( none of that makes any sense.

every word that comes out of keith's mouth might as well have been spoken in another language entirely because shiro can't piece any of it together well. so far, what he understands is that time works differently here—assuming that's what keith means by being "outside reality"—and something called the storyteller was assisting them.

for a wild paranoid moment, shiro wonders if he had died. the thought is dismissed instantly as keith hadn't been alarmed to see him and he would expect some measure of concern if the dead came back to life. )

Okay.

( shiro starts as he takes a breath. getting panicked won't help either of them. both of them need to calm down before they continue down this conversation. that and also pick one topic at a time. he places his other hand, his prosthetic hand, over keith's where it's clinging to his elbow and he offers him a small smile. )

Let's take this one thing at a time. What can you tell me about where we are now? We can talk about the other stuff later.

Edited 2018-04-09 10:25 (UTC)

[The hand on his is so familiar and so welcome it eases up the tightness in his chest. He relaxes despite how confused he feels at the differences in what they remember. It's like confronting the team to ask to be let go all over again.

Treat it like a mission. Emotions, as Kolivan always says, are a luxury they can't afford.

Keith shakes his head slowly.]

Okay. ...like I just said we don't know why we end up here. There's a central island called Enso that's a constant. The outer islands aren't. The last island, [He shuts his eyes for a moment.]

was bad. This one supposedly only has vegetation on it. Naturally like most things here, there's dangerous creatures that want to eat or do something to us. Tech is on the fritz. My hand scanner is busted.

[That makes him pause, his eyes on Shiro's prosthetic hand. Is it alright? He'd seen him use it just now but.] ...your arm is completely fine, right?

( this is a start. while shiro can't say that he fully grasps the situation yet, this is definitely better than what they had been doing just a moment ago. )

I'm going to take a guess that food and shelter here is just what we make of it. ( said gently. it's always like this for them, isn't it? a struggle. ) Is there something that makes Enso special? Is there anything I should know about it?

( the remark about the hand scanner is curious, but shiro decides he'll ask about it a bit later when he's not already overwhelming keith with questions.

his eyes flick down to his arm then back up to keith's face. )

So far. I haven't noticed anything unusual.

( but from keith's point of view, he should be able to see the sigil emblazoned on it. )

[He scans over Shiro's arm with his eyes and pauses at the sight of the sigil. He raises his hand from Shiro's to hover his fingers over it.] I've seen this mark before. It powers my lantern. I only see it when its on.

Each island supposedly has a god. Or at least a being that can do a lot more than we can. Enso is Storyteller's domain. Their temple is there.

But yeah we have to look after ourselves here. It's not so bad. [He finally slips away from him and leads the way. He could almost kid himself that they won't talk more about why he isn't in Paladin armor and why Shiro looks...off. A little younger and from a time he suspects...is the last time he looked like this.] Made me appreciate spear fishing. That's harder than it looks.

Edited (thanks phone) 2018-04-10 17:10 (UTC)

Is that something I should be worried about?

( although he says that, he's obviously a little worried about any new additions to his prosthetic arm. he's really not in the mood for any surprises with this thing. )

The Storyteller?

( another mysterious thing. none of this is going to be simple, is it?

but he cracks a smile at imagining keith spear fishing. )

Oh, yea? That's something I'd like to see.

You'll see it soon enough. This island just has plants on it. [They don't have much farther to go. He can spot the glimmer of light on the glowing green water of the manapool.]

Storyteller is the first god we met. Their scope and knowledge is limited to the island and those who accept stories. It's a little annoying but it's not like they think the same way we do. We're probably just as frustrating.

[He glances down at his lamp and back at Shiro, eyes on the sigil.]

But...I don't think you have anything to be worried about. You can ask them yourself. They don't hide from us.

Those who accept stories?

( "first god we met", huh? keith has truly been here for quite some time. it's hard to reconcile with when he had just been in battle with him.

his eyes close then in an extended blink as he reflects on what a mess everything is. he'll definitely have to go speak with them as soon as he can. he has so many questions. )

I'll look forward to it then.

( that's probably all they can talk about regarding the layout, but there's an itching question. )

Do you have any idea how we got here?

No. I've looked into it as much as I can...haven't gotten any closer in months. All I can guess is some kind of tear between realities? But we weren't taken from the same sections of space and time so, even that feels off.

[His left arm twinges and he flexes his fingers to dispel it. Of course it would start aching again. Keith shoves aside the last of the tall grass and steps into the clearing beyond it. He marches right over to where he made a fire pit that morning. He signals to Ember and the bird drops out of the sky. A hissing sound fills the air.]

Step to the left and back, he's about to- [Ember bursts into flame and settles inside the pit with a chirp.] That.

That pool is called a Manapool. It's got some kind of energy in it that lets us use them like wormholes. ... [He slips his pack off his shoulder and drops down beside the pit. He knows he's stalling. Or maybe they both are. Keith digs out the first aid, and works his gauntlet off. The bandages underneath are stained with blood on the underside.]

...there's so much that happened between when you're from and where I'm at in our timeline. [He starts unwinding the bandages with a practiced hand and looks up at him, more guarded than usual.] So just start anywhere.

Edited 2018-04-17 01:01 (UTC)

( uh.

well, that was certainly an answer. not quite the answer he was looking for, but shiro isn't willing to push it too far when keith is obviously already anxious. at the moment, there is no immediate danger and his questions aren't anything that can't wait. he can try to squeeze a little more out of keith later or find it out on his own when he starts surveying the islands.

shiro lets out a small sigh before the bird swoops in, flames bright, before it settles inside of the fire. he barely has time to step away, following keith's instruction. )

I hope this isn't your only friend here.

( then a glance over at the manapool. )

Is that supposed to mean that you jump into them to travel?

( he already knew the answer for that, but he feels the need to ask anyway. what he doesn't know the answer to is what keith means by timelines. he's just about to ask, but it's another question shelved when he sees the blood soaking through the bandages on keith's arm. he's right by keith's side immediately, gently trying to push keith's hands away. )

Let me help. What happened?

[Keith moves his hand away and drags the first aid kit closer. It will be faster if Shiro tends the injury while he talks. He folds his legs under him and holds his arm out straight. The cut spans along the wrist almost to the middle of the forearm. It's not deep enough to require more than re-bandaging. But it definitely hurts.]

The last island had a group of people who punished anyone who showed emotions, was different...the list was a book long, Shiro. I had to use a spear's edge to get out of my bindings when we escaped.

[He hadn't even realized he'd been cut when he marched into the water with the red thread wrapped around his arm. Some of the tension leaves him, his shoulders falling. They're on a far safer topic. Guilt stabs at him. He knows he needs to tell him all he can. But he doesn't want to hurt him with the future.]

...Didn't have time to think about it until it was over.

( there's a tenderness to the way that shiro handles keith, his metal hand cradling the underside of keith's arm to keep it still while he unwraps it to inspect the wound. he doesn't exactly trust keith not to downplay his injuries or tough it out. it's something that he, selfishly, needs to see for himself in order to know the extent of it. as the bandages come off, it's easy to see that it's a sizeable wound. it must be very painful.

with expert precision, he gets to work on sterilising it, applying an ointment, and then rewrapping it. )

It sounds like you've had it really hard here. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner.

( gently rubbing his fingers against keith's arm in an attempt to comfort him, he smiles at him just a little. )

You've done a good job making it out here for so long. Hopefully you won't mind me joining you.

( a soft joke as he takes his time with keith's arm.

then, there's a question. )

After the battle, did we take Zarkon out for good? You said you were working to reclaim a third of the empire back?

[All the tension is draining out of him. He knows better than to let his guard completely down but, it's Shiro touching him. He's safe. They're both safe. He lets out a breath as warm fingers rub against his aching arm soothing some of the pain away. It had been aching for a few hours. He'd have had to stop for the day around this time and tend it.

His head tips back and he shuts his eyes for a minute. He starts to say something and stops when Shiro asks him a question. It hasn't been that difficult. Or maybe that's the problem. He can function on his own far, far too well.]

We hurt him pretty badly. [He starts and sits up straight. He'd started to relax but they're treading right into territory he'd rather not. Shiro's smile makes it easy to speak. Things will be okay.]

His son Lotor took over for a while before he recovered and caught wind of what his son was up to. Lotor was branded a traitor for something he was doing and is on the run from the Empire. We had some troubles for a bit but, yeah. Last thing I remember was the tail end of the mission.

[The explosions had done little to hide Lotor's ship. He could think about that but right now he's really tired.]

It hasn't...been too difficult here. And I'm always glad to have you around.

Edited (rereading it spotted errors (doing thus far summary for keith)) 2018-06-04 07:44 (UTC)

( it's impossible not to notice that way that keith is tensing up, hesitant to delve into the subject of matters regarding to voltron. it's not a good sign, hasn't been a good sign the entire time, and shiro can feel the weight of his own unease in the bottom of his stomach.

zarkon wasn't defeated. couldn't be with that description.

lotor took over, but turned coat? that doesn't sound right. it doesn't help that the phrasing seems to imply that lotor isn't exactly an enemy.

he still wants to know about keith's armour. )

Keith.

( he presses two fingers to his own eyebrow, trying to steady himself. )

Are we working with Lotor? Why aren't you in paladin gear? Because of that?

( he doesn't truly think so, but he just wants to encourage keith to keep talking. )

No. [The word has all the weight of a stone falling. He's not relaxed anymore and the ice is spreading through him. Of course Shiro wants to know why he's in Blade armor and not Paladin. It makes sense to conclude maybe he'd become their bridge with the prince. Keith looks away from Shiro's face.

He doesn't want to see how he'll react.]

I'm not in Paladin gear because I left the team. [He checks over his arm and notes the other scars there ones he didn't have before the Blades. He can't leave it like that.]

We defeated Zarkon but didn't kill him. ...and the price was costly on our side too. Black was unresponsive when it was over. We had to haul it back to the ship. [His fingers tighten into a fist as he looks back in time to the still and empty cockpit.]

You were gone. The bayard as still in the console. [He looks at him at last. All the cheer of before is missing, even as he tries to hide it his eyes are full of pain.] I looked everywhere, Shiro! In the end we had to find a way to form Voltron again...and Black chose me.

Allura was selected by Blue and Lance....Red called for him. [It was what had to be done. Even if he never wanted to lead.] But we found you after we got used to things again. Black had teleported you as far as we can guess. We were all glad you were back. But your style of leadership and mine are different.

We started clashing. It was small at first but it was hurting the team. [And he ran.] I had started training with the Blades to get better at leading and it just made sense to do it full time once Black took you back.

[There's a world of a story there and he's not up for explaining it in detail.] I asked, you let me go. I didn't part on bad terms. And the team is just fine.

What?

( the question all but falls out of his mouth in a hurried breath as shiro tries to piece together all of the information that keith is laying out in front of him. so much had happened. just how many time had passed? he feels a little sick, suddenly dizzy as something like panic sparks in his chest. he had vanished, keith took up the lead, but gave it back to him? he pushed keith off of the team?

none of this could be right.

he doesn't doubt keith and his words, but it doesn't sound real. how could he let that happen? how could he weaken the team like that?

the hand that had been on his forehead shifts, now clutching at his mouth as he tries to hide the way he's started breathing erratically. )

How could I—?

( he needs a moment. he needs to step away. )

Shiro! [Shit. He should have worded it gently. But he had wanted to get it out and get the rejection out quickly. Instead, he'd hurt him. His guilt stabs at him as he reaches out, grabbing his arm.]

...It will be okay. I mean it. We'll be okay. [Keith keeps his voice soft and gentle. The sounds of the fire mask how Shiro is breathing. But he's never seen him cover his mouth the way he is now.]

Do you need a moment?

No, I'm fine.

( that's a lie. it's an absolutely a lie. shiro desperately needs to take a moment to remember how to breathe before he does something impulsive, but he isn't willing to look weak or unresolved in front of keith. not when he has so much to say that shouldn't be doubted.

shiro takes the hand that keith had placed on him and clasps it in his before using keith's hand as a way to pull him close enough for a hug. he holds him tight against him, trying to convey something that he can't express in words alone. )

I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, but I should have never undermined your command or made you feel that you had to leave the team.

( a breath. )

When I told you that if anything happened to me, I wanted you to lead the team, I meant it. I failed you when I went back on that.

( but why had he. . .? )

[It feels like the world flipped over and he's still hanging in mid-air. Going with Shiro's tug is as natural as breathing. But the hug feels...desperate in a way he's never had to deal with. Keith wraps his arms around Shiro and hugs him back just as tightly.

The words don't make sense to him. He was a bad leader who didn't want the job. He jerks his head up to look into Shiro's eyes and only feels confused.] Shiro. I was bad for the team. I didn't want the job! I was so focused on certain things that I nearly got people hurt or worse.

Black took you back because I was away too much on Blade Missions...sort of on purpose but. It's the work that suits me. I left of my own choice.

You didn't drive me out. I was my last call as a leader. Stepping down. You don't need to apologize for anything. I made the mistakes! Not you.

[Never Shiro. Shiro had made the calls to save everyone. Gather allies. Work together. He...he hadn't. Nor did he want to.]

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