January Event: Fade to Black

[lifeaftr_mods]

JANUARY EVENT: FADE TO BLACK

Who: Anyone and everyone!
What: Your true self comes to roost
When: January 21st - 23rd; January 25th - 28th
Where: All over!
Warnings: Dark subjects such as violence and self-destruction are likely to come to the forefront - please mark your content accordingly!

Down in that Darkness

This log is primarily for the Shadow and Light portions of the event, for ease and convenience. Your Shadow can be either the Persona-inspired sort - a "brutal, bitterly honest recreation of a character's worst flaws, darkest fears, and deepest secrets" - or the edgier, more laughable variant. The Lights, on the other hand, will do their utmost to convince their real selves of their best qualities, no matter how little they want to hear them.

Remember that the Shadows will be present from January 21st to January 23rd, and the Lights will be present from January 25th to January 28th.

On January 25th, we will post a separate log for Rejection Rooms!

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Some useful links, for reference:

[ ♆ ] OOC Event Post
[ ♆ ] Rejection Room Sign-Ups; remember to note your interest in these as soon as possible!
[ ♆ ] Deaths Page; death penalties have been reduced for the duration of this event, but still do let us know if your character dies regardless!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] January 20th: The monthly Storytelling occurs.
[ ♆ ] January 21st: Shadows of both initial variants appear.
[ ♆ ] January 23rd: Shadows of both initial variants disappear.
[ ♆ ] January 25th Lights and Rejection Rooms appear.
[ ♆ ] January 28th: Lights and Rejection Rooms dissipate. Those still trapped in their Rejection Rooms by the event's end will suffer a character death.

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[diplomacycheck]

They remembered. The universe remembered what you, Zarkon, Trigel, Blaytz, and Gyrgan fought and stood for. You did not fail, Father. You made mistakes, just as we all have.

[Honerva and Zarkon are to blame; not Alfor. Not her father or the others. Yet her tone says it even though she doesn't directly: So has she. He already knows her second biggest error.]

Ours would not have nearly have shone as brightly nor so quickly were it not so. You are being too hard on yourself.

[Especially for what he's hinting at. What she wouldn't give to be able to share with him some of her memories; to show him their own struggles and their triumphs.

...Quiznack. Her gaze wavers for but an instant, before she tells him of another blunder.]

...I have seen another. One where you never send me or the Lions away and the Galra no longer exist. In a way, it is far worse than the one we know.

[alchemisted]

[That memory... he wonders at it. But he doesn't argue now, instead offering a soft smile, grateful for it. For the kindness. It's that kindness that he sees in his daughter that he's most proud of. For all that she's been through, she can still be kind.

But his expression grows serious as she continues, as the topic turns to stranger tides.]

How have you seen another universe?

[That should be impossible, shouldn't it? Except.] ...another rift?

[diplomacycheck]

[Of course she can be. Yet she knows she can also be cruel. Her shadow showed her as much. Yet it means nothing compared to having these moments to spend with her father and her team; to mend some of the damage her mistakes have caused.]

Yes. [And, here it comes.] We received an Altean distress signal not long after Keith took over as the Black Paladin, and what we found... was an Altean exploration ship half-caught between our reality and another due to an accident with a trans-reality comet it held. Only... It was far worse.

The me in that reality became the first Empress of an Altean Empire that stripped the free will of those who fought back against subjugation they incorrectly labeled as an initiative to "spread peace." ...I would have fallen for their delusions were it not for the others.

[alchemisted]

[That is a horrifying story, Allura. Alfor's eyes widen for a moment before his hand tightens around hers.]

Then you've surrounded yourself with good people, to draw you free of it. I'm glad you did not have to face something like that alone.

[But it is a startling thing to consider. For all that he's considering what's waiting for him in the future he knows, who's to say how else that future could go.]

[diplomacycheck]

It is more accurate to say that they surrounded me. [She smiles faintly at the memory of putting Lance in an arm lock. Ahh, good times.] Blue did lead them to the Castle of Lions.

[Her smile fades slightly.] The point being: your future is not yet set in stone, Father. What we've experienced is only one potential outcome, and what happened in that other reality another. You can't hold yourself accountable for something that hasn't yet happened for you. Especially when it is not your fault; it is unfair.

[Just as unfair as it would be to take on the guilt of what another her in another reality had caused for countless souls.]

[alchemisted]

It came home. [And brought new family with it, it sounds like. That is the comfort in what he's learned of the future. Voltron has landed in excellent hands, and Allura has found people who care about her that she can rely on.

There's a visible hesitation in him as she continues, but he ducks his head, voice quiet.]

Yes, you're probably right about that. [He summons up a smile.] I shall try to keep it in mind, when my sunnier self gets back from his errands.

[diplomacycheck]

It did. Though not all of them made the best first impressions. [But that is a story for another time, unless it'll make him feel better. It's up to Alfor on that one.

She smiles faintly. Well, at least he'll make that an attempt.]

That is all any could ask. Though hopefully he will not until you are ready.

[There must be a reason most of them are seeking out others their original selves know first... She doesn't want to know why.]

[alchemisted]

I hope you'll be ready to speak with yours by then as well.

[Right? She can worry about him, but he will worry about her right back. That's only fair, and is, in fact, a non-negotiable term.]

Someday, I'd like to hear about all the adventures you've had, even if I fear some of them may age me prematurely with worry.

[diplomacycheck]

I hope so, too.

[She won't even bother trying to sway him not from worrying about her; she'd been rattled enough by her shadow to know she needs the tiny amount of comfort in that... and in his presence alone. Parents will be parents.]

I'd be more than happy to. Once this is over.

[And she either finds a drink, or drags one of the others back to the beach to spar. Keith would likely jump on the chance. He finds the challenge and sparring in general the most fun of all of those currently present.]

And I promise not all of our adventures are that bad. [She just won't specify the percentage.]

[alchemisted]

Ah. Not all of them. How very reassuring, daughter.

[He teases gently. It's still... strange... wrapping his mind around the fact that his little girl is a grown woman who is clearly capable of taking care of herself. He's proud of the woman she's become, but it's hard to quell the urge to protect her from the world.

Life is complicated.]

You're a paladin of Voltron. Some danger seems to come with the territory. But I'll look forward to hearing them, regardless.

[diplomacycheck]

And that is why I said not all of them.

[She teases right back.]

Though none are quite as embarrassing as some the others have gotten themselves into. Coran was rather protective until the Blue Lion chose me.

[And then he couldn't be nearly as much as he'd been when she was the one in charge of the heavy fire power support.]

One time, he refused to allow me to join all of them on a swap moon that had become a space mall in the ten thousand years we'd missed. I do not know how, but apparently the others angered the security guard and escaped on Lady Kaltenecker's back -- that's the black and white creature that Lance has at our cottage.

[alchemisted]

[Alfor blinks, considering for a long moment as if he's combing over the details of that little tale.

Then he nods.] Yes, that sounds about right for a shopping trip with Coran.

[He misses Coran.]

Do you know the trouble he caused at the last swap moon that he went to? It was quite the fiasco, but the story that came out of it was entertaining enough it made it worth it I think.

[diplomacycheck]

[Allura's eyes sparkle slightly and she clasps her hands together. Is is story swap time? Please say it's story swap time.]

Vaguely, but none of the details... [Tell her all the juicy details, Father. You know you want to.]

[alchemisted]

[Alfor laughs, his own eyes near sparking with amusement. Yes. Story swap time. He is absolutely in for that, even if much of the story humor may be a bit at his dear friend's expense. Coran would forgive him, surely.]

The worst time, when I caught up with Coran, he'd traded away his shoes and shirt and was close to losing the rest of his wardrobe. I'd like to think he'd have stopped at the point he started getting cold, but I can't be certain of that. He was a bit determined to make that particular trade.

[And Alfor had to pretend to be the serious, somber leader of Altea and not the man who wanted to give his friend and adviser a well-deserved world of teasing for the situation. Royal life is a challenge.]