melodiesofkupo | [open video, 4/20 squeaky voice]

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[open video, 4/20 squeaky voice] | Skill Sharing!

[ The screen blips on to Hunk, reclined across a couch. Balmogra the moogle's pom-pom occasionally drifts into the top of the frame, and Hunk's eyes keep glancing towards it. As he starts talking, he's entirely oblivious to the fact that his voice is high-pitched and squeaky. ]

Hey, so with other people asking about things like our stories, our worlds, and our jobs, I realized that we don't actually know a lot about what we can all do! Like... I learned that some people have never been grocery shopping before! Or some can't cook! Or some people don't know how technology here works. Since we're all stuck here, we might as well try to help each other out, right? So what are some things you know or want to know?

Me, I know about cooking and engineering and mechanics. But I don't know anything about magic. Or how to defend yourself from a monster that's up close and trying to eat you. Or how to use a giant fork in a fight? Or why they use forks here to begin with.

[ He pauses for a moment, looking almost uncomfortable, and then- ]

And if you're embarrassed to say something you can't do, you can always send it to me and I'll mention it for you!

( This is super open and threadjacking is possible and totally okay! )

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[He switches to voice since he's going to have his hands busy doing some cleaning.]

They're practice staves, like the ones we use against the gladiator in the castle training room. I'm referring to the speed and force a dragoon jump. A staff I'll have to carefully consider how to land that isn't tip of the staff first.

It won't hold up to that.

[ Hunk follows suit, but it's clear he's munching on something. ]

I dunno, can't you just put a foam ball on the end? Like a giant cotton-swab ear-cleaner thing. Hit me with that hard enough, it'll still hurt.

[ He laughs. ] Unless that defeats the point?

Remember when Coran had us practice seeing through the Lion's eyes by covering our eyes while we were in a nose dive? I need a means to brake without destroying my weapon and brakes.

[Paper rustles as he jots something down on his end.]

I think if I use smaller jumps I can mitigate a lot of the need for any kind of brakes or need to stop the gained speed. ...and I'm not sure they have foam here.

I might be over thinking this. [He probably is. For once he has something utterly new to explore and learn.] Anyway, we'll do that and see how it goes. We can always adjust our approach as needed.

[ Hunk stares just a bit as Shiro writes something down and starts to pick apart the logistics of Dragoon jumps. Shiro didn't have any trouble with those nose dives- Hunk remembers, he gave up as soon as he started falling. Why the hesitation now? Hunk sees he has a job to do, and he puts on his cheeziest, most posh wizened accent. ]

It will be fine, grasshopper. [ He nods sagely, and the act is gone. ] Seriously Shiro, if we're both freaking out, something's definitely gonna go wrong. And I thought I was worrying enough for both of us.

[He almost says he isn’t but then sighs. He’s not used to Hunk being a voice of reason. Worry yes, this much reason no.]

Maybe I’m freaking out just a little bit. This is all so new and strange. Nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced. I’ll burn off that feeling off first so it won’t affect our spar.

[ Hunk pauses at Shiro's vulnerability, and just sighs. The leader of his group admitting that he's freaked out, that he's out of his element? This is weird, because Shiro always knows what to do. What to say. ]

I... I'm freaking out too, Shiro. [ There's a uneven shake to his voice, and it's clear that he's a little rattled. ] We're just better at hiding it than the rest of the team. [ And a chuckle! A glint of mirth! ] Or at least you are. I cook when I'm stressed, sometimes. [ And he's been cooking quite a lot. Sure, he cooks when he's not stressed, but details. ]

[ He sighs again, trying to breathe out the tension. ] The only reason I'm not losing it all the time is because this is like the start of Team Voltron. [ He smiles ever so slightly, and the change in tone is evident in his words. ] We got suddenly ripped away from our lives and forced to keep going in some foreign, unknowable land where we have no idea who does and doesn't want to kill us or if we'll ever go back home. It's just asterisks and monsters instead of bayards and Galra.

[ But the smile turns to a frown, and a whimper escapes Hunk's throat. ] I guess now that I think about it... you didn't get to see it that way, since... [ Hunk freezes up, realizing he was referencing the trauma-shaped elephant in the room. ] ...sorry.

[He draws in a slow breath and lets it out. They're both in the house. And this is not something he wants to broadcast over the network. He gets up and locates Hunk. He shuts his iMog as he says, quietly.]

It's alright. I actually didn't realize that until you pointed it out. [He'd had a build up of anxiety from the battle and no knowledge of how it turned out. It had been important then suddenly, new world, new skills, fighting to find the reason he was even there. He stares down at his Galra hand for a moment and back up at him, the anxiety bleeding off now that he knows the source.]

There's nothing to be sorry for, Hunk. But you're not giving yourself enough credit. There's a reason you're one of Voltron's legs. You've been holding the team up and you've been a big help here.

What's been eating at me is just...[He drops his gaze to the floor for a moment and looks back up.] We don't know why we're here. I'll try not to let it bother me as much.

[ Hunk was... a little surprised to see that Shiro was in the house. He knew, deep down in his subconscious, that they were having a video call despite being in the same house. The walls helped, but it was nice to see Shiro face-to-face given the topic. So he closes out of his own iMog, and stands up. ]

You... We... [ Hunk stumbles over his words, letting out a panicked little whine. He knows Pidge and Lance, and he can wing it with Allura and Keith, but Shiro? The leader of the Paladins? He isn't sure he can do this, but he takes a deep breath. He has to. He'd be a terrible Yellow Paladin if he didn't. ]

We don't need to know why we're here. Not yet. [ He says it with as much confidence as he can muster, and he's even surprised himself a bit. But all that anxiety, all that fear, it's got a use. A great one, this time. ]

The moment we know why, we're going to do something about it. All of us. [ Hunk lets out a deep breath, trying to keep himself from freaking out at all the unknown variables as he says something that makes his skin crawl. ] If we're not careful, if we're not ready? That creepy little girl's gonna be drawing a lot of dead bodies.

So why... [ Hunk trails off for a moment, the confidence he had built from overthinking every little variable fading away. Now? It was just anxiety. Fear. A nagging question, burning a hole from the back of his mind to the forefront. There's more than a little pain in his voice. ] Why didn't you bring this up sooner?

[He waits, silently disagreeing with a few of the points but not willing to interrupt him. They need to know what they're here for. Not knowing feels like claws at the back of his neck. But Hunk isn't wrong. Stressing too hard about anything leads to being useless when things count. His hands stay at his sides even if he considers crossing his arms.

It would look like closing off. He won't do that. Shiro spreads his hands apart, as he breathes in and releases it slowly.]

You've had enough to deal with in the present. Focusing on the future and the long term has always been part of my job. [His imposed calm softens a fraction as he meets his eyes.]

This is how I've done it the entire time we've been Paladins. [It's true. One only has to look back to see Keith isn't the only one who plays their cards close to their chest.] ...Do you want me to be more open with you? I understand if you'd rather not.

But we will be ready when we figure out what these warnings and signs that girl showed us mean. Or as ready as we can get. That won't change no matter what you decide.

[ Shiro has... good points. He's not the only one who hides his emotions. But the rest of it, it makes Hunk's own hands ball up into fists. The faintest traces of tears well up in the corners of his eyes. ]

I figured back home you'd still talk to someone. [ Keith, Lance, Pidge, Allura, maybe even Coran. Hunk leaves himself out of that list. ] It was just never me, which was fine until we got trapped here.

[ He closes his eyes, and he sighs. ] It's not my job to worry about the future, but I do it anyway, especially when you were gone. But it is my job [ Hunk's eyes open and he looks at Shiro, and tiny tears flow down the sides of his face. ] to support my team, including you.

[ And his eyes go wide, realizing that whoops, he's crying. So he chuckles in bitter embarrassment, and a hand wipes the tears from his cheeks. ] So be as open as you're comfortable with. No pressure. You're not alone, okay Shiro?

[ And neither is Hunk. The thought gives him the faintest hints of a smile, even though part of him is terrified that his friend will disappear again. That'd be just his luck. ]

[He steps forward to put his hands on Hunk's shoulders and agree that being trapped here had changed things when words he hadn't been prepared for register like a gun shot. He takes a step back and stares at him.

What had he just said? The words echo and repeat as he internally reviews the last thing he had been doing. He'd passed through the mental space and stolen Zarkon's- his Bayard back. He dimly registers Hunk is still talking while he searches his memories. Zarkon had been back in his head trying to claw his way inside and take the Lion.

The console had beeped and a side panel risen up as the pain spread through him. Had something happened after that? He finally finds his voice.]

...Hunk? [He winces at how quietly that had came out and presses forward, saying more as dread curls in his mind and all the scenarios of past that moment play out in the back of his head.

While you were gone.]

My last memories are of holding off Zarkon's mental attack when we fought his robotic suit in space. The Lion told me to use the Bayard. I was moving to do so then I woke up in the Dream Width.

[He vanishes. That. There's no way he can't be upset about that. He looks away and off to the side as his hands clench at his sides.] What...what happened,

[Shiro turns his gaze back on him, concern running to the front of the pack of emotions racing through his head.] Past that point?

[ Hunk's eyes, though they're forcing back tears, notice the step forward, the step back, the... the pause. Something's wrong. Hunk isn't sure if he's hit a sore spot from Shiro's past or what, but his eyes go wide, and his nerves prime him to spring into action, to do something, anything.

But then Shiro starts talking. And it's weirder than anything Hunk could've predicted. If this wasn't in the middle of them talking about nerves and fears and trust issues, he would've made a joke. He still wanted to, because he couldn't believe what he was hearing. ]

Shiro, you really... [ His eyes grow even wider, and Hunk just gasps. ] You really don't remember?

[ Sure, okay, he was gone and wasn't around for some of it, but... they filled him in. He needs to hear it again from Shiro. That this isn't just a bad joke, because that's his thing. But Shiro doesn't joke, not like this. If he's serious, if this is really happening?

It'll change the world as both of them know it. And Hunk's already preparing. ]

Everything that happened after that? There was a lot.

[Shiro pushes the long white forelock of hair out of his eyes and shakes his head.]

None of it. [There was a lot. Yes, he assumed as much with that while you were gone. He's never been one for teasing or sarcasm when a matter is important but he almost says something. Some things are too much.

He puts his emotions into a box and shoves them aside to focus on Hunk. He can sit in his room or go for a long walk later to let it all sink in.]

If I was gone... [He places a proverbial bridge over everything. Start simple. Work with facts and build from there.]

Keith should be your leader.

[ At the suggestion that Keith should be the leader, Hunk just smiles weakly and gestures towards a chair. This could be... a lot. ] You should... you should sit down for this, Shiro.

[ And Hunk waits a moment to give Shiro a chance to react accordingly. If he wanted to stand, that's on him. Hunk, meanwhile, hesitates. Interacting with people from past Earths, like Makoto and Adrien, didn't cause some kind of time paradox. But that could be from different Earths in different universes. This was Shiro, and this was definitely the Shiro from his universe. Is this... is this conversation safe? ]

Keith was the Black Paladin for a while. [ Hunk wholly dodges the part where their buddy had some struggles getting used to his role. That'll make this even harder for Shiro. ] But you came back, and he went to focus on his Blade of Marmora training.

[ And then he hesitates again. This is definitely his Shiro from his universe. He's not, like, Swedish. Is this where he went while he was gone? If so... what happened to him to make him get so angry sometimes? So reckless? Was... it this conversation? The fact that he knew what was supposed to happen? That he couldn't tell his teammate, who went through all this with him? ]

So you had Black, Lance had Red, Pidge and I kept Green and Yellow, and Allura took Blue. She's a great Paladin.

[ And Hunk waits for a reaction to register. Maybe he has questions. Anything would be better than this hesitation and worry and fear about whether he's making a mistake by trusting his teammate, his friend. So he takes a deep breath, tries his hardest to cram all those negative emotions in a box, to silence every wailing siren of anxiety. Shiro deserves to know. ]

[He leans against the wall and crosses his arms. The suggestion of a chair doesn’t settle well with him. He knows he isn’t going to like what he hears. That isn’t what makes him shove his emotions further down. Hunk pauses and pauses again. Is he afraid of how he’ll react? That had been the barest bones explanation he has ever heard.

His brows come down as he internally goes down the list.] Why did Keith give up being the team leader to me? That’s not how this works. If he sat down in the chair it makes no sense to give it up for an old leader. I should have been on support and stayed there.

[What made Keith shift his focus from the team to the Blades. The question brings up another. He keeps his voice calm and level.]

When did he even start training as a Blade?

[ Hunk pauses, becoming woefully aware of the fact that he doesn't know what goes on in Keith's head. He didn't want to make something up, to lie. ]

Shiro, you were gone for... [ He closes his eyes for a few seconds, trying to figure out the best way to share the information. ] ...a long time. We'd just gotten a new rhythm going and it was weird for all of us for you to just hang out in the castleship and run support. [ Hunk jumps a bit, realizing his words. ] Not bad, just... different.

But I guess he started working with the Blades after you came back, and he just... didn't stop. [ Hunk shrugs and sighs, shaking his head. ] He was with them when we needed him, so the Black Lion took you back.

[ But then, Hunk gets a bit startled. This conversation was full of misinformation landmines, especially with how close Keith and Shiro were! ] But it was fine! We were all happy for him, and there was a lot of crying. We still work together, and I think his heart's really into being a space ninja.

[ The conversation was dark, and grim, and it needed some kind of joke. Anything to ease the tension. He'll take poking fun at the Blades of Marmora than most things. ]

[He isn’t laughing. Keith never does anything without a reason for it. He wouldn’t turn to the Blades while leading the team unless he had a reason for it. He can’t ask that of Hunk. Only Keith knows why he moved that direction.

When we needed him. Keith wouldn’t ditch the team when they needed him. His face is unreadable.]

Exactly what happened when I came back and where did you find me? [He can start there and work his way forwards. It occurs to him that he hasn’t been gentle on Hunk. He sighs.]

I can’t know what is going on in Keith’s head or what happened to make him step away if I don’t examine all the details you can give me. He never does anything without a reason behind it. Something triggered that shift and I can’t figure out what it is yet.

Edited 2018-05-14 01:23 (UTC)

[ Hunk just sighs. He really wishes Keith were here. ] Keith found a distress signal you left in a Galra fighter. You stayed around and supported the team for a while, but...

[ His brow furrows, and he looks away, loathing the position he was in. Ugh, why did Shiro have to ask questions? He hates throwing people under the bus, but he knows that Shiro isn't going to relent. Or if he would, it wouldn't be in a good way. ] Keith was on a mission with the Blades when we got a call for help and went out with four Lions. It would've been bad, if you hadn't been there to pilot Black.

[ He whines, shifting his weight back and forth from one foot to another. It felt like an interrogation that Hunk couldn't have been prepared for, and the worst part was that he couldn't fault Shiro for it. The Yellow Paladin was sure he'd be worse if the roles were reversed. ] I don't totally understand why he did it, but he made his decision and I trust him.

[ And then Hunk scoffs, rolling his eyes. ] But you got lucky, Shiro. Sendak and Zarkon were bad, but Keith got to deal with Lotor. I wouldn't want to be the Black Paladin and deal with him, ohoho-no! [ He didn't want to be the Black Paladin at all, just the Yellow Paladin forming the head, but details. ]

[Hunk doesn’t know what caused the shift or has any idea why. He won’t get those answers from Hunk. He looks up at the ceiling and lets that go.

He needs to talk to Keith. Shiro shifts tacks as smoothly as he can, latching onto the subject of the Galra.] Who is Lotor and what is the status of the Galra Empire right now?

What happened to Zarkon? [He’ll ask about the fact they found him Through clues in a Galra Fighter in a moment. That better not be what he thinks it means.]

[ Hunk smirks at Shiro's mention of Lotor, of the Galra, of Zarkon. It worked, they don't have to talk about Keith anymore! So the Yellow Paladin looks tense for a moment, both from bottling his sigh of relief and, well, the tension. ]

Lotor is Zarkon's half-Altean son. [ And Hunk pauses, because that's a bombshell. ] After you disappeared, Zarkon was out of the picture for a while, and Lotor took over. We really didn't like each other. [ And Hunk pauses again, holding something in, until he just sighs. This conversation is exhausting. ]

Zarkon got better, because of the Space Witch and her quintessence. And he branded Lotor a traitor, a criminal. [ He looks away, clearly annoyed. ] Team Voltron and the Coalition, including Pidge's brother Matt, got a big win against the Empire because Lotor came in and helped us at the last second. Enemy of my enemy and all that.

[ He rolls his eyes, and then closes them tight. ] So Lotor worked with us. As a prisoner, feeding us intel, then as an ally. Zarkon wanted to trade Pidge's dad for Lotor, but it was a trap. You, Pidge, and Matt took out the generals who betrayed Lotor and you rescued the Commander. And Lotor took out Zarkon. For good.

[ And he gasps, catching his breath for a few seconds. ] We're not even to present day yet, but you gotta have questions. It's still crazy when I think about it.

[He drops his gaze to the floor to let himself deal briefly with the entire Kerberos team being alive. They all made it. Battered, likely different, but alive. Later he will process that as long as it deserves to be.

The war is always too important to permit himself to slow down. Hunk is hiding things. He doesn't fault him for that. There are clearly details that need to get directly from Allura, Keith, and Matt himself.

Shiro raises his head, watching Hunk's reactions. He isn't happy with Lotor. Shiro himself has very mixed feelings about an heir to the throne of their enemy among them.]

Let's start off small. Do we know anything about why Lotor was branded a traitor? Why did he even bother to help us? There has to be an objective or reason behind that.

You don't turn against your own for nothing or feed the other side intelligence without a goal in mind.

[He needs to know everything he can to put him on decent footing to handle their possible ally. And so he can anticipate if that's a real alliance or if he has to shield Hunk from a knife headed for their back.]

Well, Zarkon is crazy and terrible, and Lotor was running the Galra Empire. [ Hunk's eyes narrow, and despite the obvious snark, he's being completely serious. If anything, working in broader strokes makes Hunk a bit more comfortable. Less pressure, less scrutinizing. ] Zarkon blew up planets for energy, do you really think he'd be okay with a replacement emperor running around?

[ And then Hunk laughs, because what a wild time that all was. ] Lotor was in exile for a while. [ And he shrugs, nonchalantly. ] I don't know all the details, but it might have something to do with the fact that Lotor doesn't like destroying planets for Quintessence, and that he wanted to usher in an age of peace.

[ But then his demeanor turned decidedly neutral. Sterile. ] So as soon as he became the Galra Emperor for real, he and Allura started working on that. Fix the mistakes of the past. And that's where we are now. [ And Hunk smiles- it's a little forced, a little uncertain, and pretty weak, but it's there. ] Lotor's an ally, believe it or not.

[ But not a friend. Not yet. He tried to kill them too many times for that. Maybe if he ever started cracking some jokes or having some fun. ]

So, [He starts and he silently adds Lotor to the list of people he'll need to have a long discussion with should they ever show up here.] Should he show up here, we'll either be dealing with an enemy or an ally.

[He believes Hunk. Who he's not sure of is Lotor. But...he killed his own father. That is a level of dedication to a cause is undeniable. He feels uneasy about it. He'll have to see the man for himself and judge based on his actions.] Whether I trust him or not will depend on what I see. I do believe you, but this world isn't ours. He could change his mind here. We'll see.

[Zarkon is a power hungry tyrant with an obsession over the Black Lion. He pushes away from the wall. He won't need it at his back and this is more like a debriefing by now.] Thank you for telling me all this. I have a clearer picture of the state of the Empire and our team. Can you tell me about the state of the rest of the universe?

With Zarkon down and Lotor in power, that has to have caused wide sweeping changes. And a power vacuum that needs filled.

The rest of the universe is pretty fine, but... [ Hunk raises a hand, gesturing for Shiro to stop. If Lotor showed up from the past? That could be a massive problem. Given how much Shiro grilled him on Keith? He won't let his friend be unprepared. ] There's more you need to know about Lotor.

He's smart. And clever. [ But then he starts counting off on his fingers, and his demeanor becomes more stern. ] He's got purple skin, long white hair, yellow eyes, and pointy ears. He beat Zarkon in that crazy suit of armor, with all his quintessence, using just a sword. [ And while the hand goes down, Hunk locks his eyes onto Shiro's. They're already breaking the time-space continuum like a Jenga tower, may as well go all-in. ]

The worst thing is what he does to you. [ And then his expression turns angry, and those tears he was holding back start to well up again. ] You snapped at us. You yelled at us. You disregarded the entire rest of your team to take Lotor to the Krav Maga, and both of you almost died! [ Hunk realizes he's shouting, and his hands fly to cover his mouth as he blurts out a frantic "S-sorry," as if that'd stop the volume. A second later, they go down, but the tears start to flow and it's clear the only thing with composure right now is his volume. In fact, it's sunk to a pleading whimper. ]

If you find him... please be careful.

What? [He stares at Hunk in alarm, eyes slightly wide and leans back away from Hunk's anger. He's seen him annoyed. Been considering a mute button on his com a few times when he fixated on how he was right about Rolo. But this? This is his fault or will be. Guilt wars with self loathing and confusion. He stands there unsure what to do until the tears start to fall.]

...it's alright, Hunk. Stand here for a moment. [It's hard to walk away. He slips into the bathroom and gets a wash cloth, he returns and offers it to him. The short walk gives him time to think about what to say.] First, I'm sorry.

No matter who caused that, we are a team and a team discusses the course of their actions together. I should have listened to all of you and I should never have raised my voice at you. You have a right to be angry.

[Why...would he fly off the handle like that? He has never lost it at the team. Once at Slav but Slav is confusing, self focused, ignored all but his own needs while his team and friends, what he has in this universe were in danger. No matter what he did some ridiculous remark came up and he'd snapped. But the team is different.]

I have something important to ask you. ...If you don't have an answer that's okay. But it may give us a clue to what's going on. I'll give you a minute before I ask. [He waits that moment and takes the bayard from his belt. He holds it up.]
Has the Black Lion ever responded to Lotor?

[open video, 4/20 squeaky voice] | Skill Sharing!

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