Shiro's March Exploring (OTA)(no, really)

[vrepit_no]

🧙 WHO: Shiro and you!
⚔️️ WHAT: Generalized shenannigans like exploring the town, practicing magic, fetching the rest of his stuff out of the wardrobe and figuring what to do about it, meeting people, etc.
🕒 WHEN: Mmmmmmarch. Whenever fits best in your personal timeline.
🗺️ WHERE: Around the city and nearby surroundings. Perhaps Red Spring and the sea cliffs.
⚠️ WARNINGS: missing limb, scars, really bad dad joke level puns


I. Liminal spaces are weird.
Being in a hotel after all this time is weird enough on its own, but having a roommate he doesn't know is even weirder, and not altogether comfortable. There's way too high a risk of accidents. So Shiro spends a lot of his time wandering around the town, listening and occasionally talking to people. Lending a hand if someone looks like they're in trouble. (But only one hand at the moment because, well. That's it's a whole other thing.)

At some point or other Shiro finds himself sitting crosslegged on the ground in a grassier area, bemusedly perusing an honest to god pamphlet someone had handed him entitled So You're New to Elementalism. You know... he'll take whatever help he can get.

II. Who needs an arm when you've got metalbending?
"Ha!"

....Nope. The iron bar hasn't budged.

Shiro sighs and frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. He's heard it explained so many times he could recite it by heart, but that doesn't mean performing magic is easy. Maybe it's because he's done something similar but different?

"Okay, try again. Here we go." Focus... reach out... move it. "Come o~n, move!" he mutters under his breath.

III. Wardrobe, wardrobe, by the wall...
Shiro patiently waits his turn, and is visibly relieved to find a pile of black and white armor in there with a necklace and a bracelet on top. Immediately, he scoops up the necklace and pulls it one-handed over his head, touching the dogtags where they rest on his chest as if he's afraid they'll vanish. Turns out that there are two rings that were hiding under the necklace, and he pulls them out with an exclamation. "Oh good!" Wait a minute. "Ah." Hm. Putting rings on is a little more complicated, but with the help of his chest and some ingenuity, he's soon got a gold wedding band and a brilliant different ring on atop it on his left ring finger. Bracelet next - a series of differently colored V shapes in wood and a metal squiggle holding them together. Then it's armor time. Plop the helmet on and picking up the rest of the main portions, he tilts his head. Turning to the others around, he asks, "Would someone mind setting the boots on top of my stack, here?"

IV. Wildcard!
[Where did you find him? Wherever you want to!]

Comments

I

[seasoflight]

Felih is nothing if not curious, and an eternal social butterfly. Spying a handsome face resting out in the open surprises him- not many folk just sit out in the open like this. It's still too chilly in his mind, the Miqo'te better suited for warmer climes, but the man appears Hyuran, and they've always been a bit hardier in the cold, haven't they?

He goes and peeks over the man's shoulder before plopping down beside him.

"New here, then?" he chirps, noting the pamphlet in the man's hand. "I'm Felih- I've only been here a short while, all things considered... but I like to help new folk when I can."

Re: I

[vrepit_no]

Shiro starts and his head whips up so fast there's an audible crack in his neck. "Felih...?" Shock and disbelief rapidly give way to purest joy. "Felih!" He scrambles to his feet, leaving his poor familiar looking up indignantly as his cozy lap space vanishes.

Shiro reaches for the Mi'qote as if to embrace him. "I'm so glad to see you! Did the Arcana mess up? Doesn't matter - you're here."

[seasoflight]

Felih is... incredibly spooked when this- oh wow he's very big- man just stands and reaches for him, especially because the sound of his neck cracking is disconcerting and concerning. His tail poofs up and his hands come up, frozen in the air a moment before he decides to accept the embrace.

It's just like before- a few times before, now... Someone he doesn't know, but who clearly knows him. On the one hand, it's almost a relief to know that his various other selves are still just as good at gathering allies as he is, but on the other hand, it means he never knows the people who so clearly care about him so dearly.

"I... ah... I'm safe and well, darling," he murmurs, at a brief loss. He never does know how to break the news... "The thing is... I don't recall having met you before...? My sincerest apologies. 'Tis not the first time I've met a stranger who knew me in another realm."

[vrepit_no]

Shiro visibly relaxes when he hears the term of endearment, but... Immediately he releases Felih and steps back, raising his hand palm outward in apology.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." Dismay tightens around his eyes and mouth, and tension fills his broad shoulders. Felih doesn't remember him? After. After everything they were to each other? A hard lump gathers at the base of his throat, but he swallows it down and ruthlessly crushes his anguish back into a tight corner of his mind. Instead he presses his palm over his chest and half bows. He won't touch Felih without permission ever again. Not with his history. He must have terrified him.

"I'm Shiro. I knew a... a version of you, I suppose. An alternate you. I apologize for my actions. You're right - I'm new to this world. I was just trying to get my bearings." He gestures to the pamphlet his familiar is idly chewing on.

[seasoflight]

Felih is equally startled by just how quickly Shiro removes himself from his space, ears pinning back slightly from the suddenness of it all. It's incredibly confusing, and upsetting- this situation. Shiro's heartbreak is visible, easy to read, and Felih suddenly feels very much as if he doesn't deserve the bow and formalities and courtesies the man is offering.

"It's- it's alright, darling," he murmurs quietly, faltering for a moment. "So you do know me. I... I'm truly sorry. It's not the first time this has happened. Apparently there are many realms I- or some other me- have been pulled into. To my knowledge, I can only recall one other before this place, a city called Duplicity."

"But that's not important. I wish to know you, Shiro. Will you sit with me? I can offer you knowledge of this realm, in exchange for your company and conversation."

[vrepit_no]

"It's all right," Shiro says softly with a smile. "If you don't remember then it must have been another version of you. It's okay. It's not like you have any control over this either."

"I'd appreciate your insight, if you're willing, but don't feel obligated to. This was just as much of a shock for you as it was for me. If I've made you uncomfortable, you really don't have to stay."

He'll be okay. Besides. Felih is never short on companions. He'd probably rather be in his nest with someone he cares for now.

[seasoflight]

Felih blinks at this man for a moment, watching his face so carefully, tilting his head in the process as an ear twitches.

The way Shiro behaves... as if trying to soothe a skittish animal. So gentle, so polite, his voice so soft. Keeping his distance, waiting for him to make the first move. It's odd, and it makes him curious- enough that Felih simply steps back into Shiro's space and meets his gaze.

"Shiro, it feels very much as if you're convinced yourself you've done something wrong here," he chirps softly. "That's not it at all. Come, sit with me. I'm fine, truly. You've not done a thing to harm me." He reaches out and takes Shiro's hand, although he briefly glances over at the situation with his other... limb. He's no stranger to folk missing limbs, after all- it's common in his world. Still, he knows it's usually better not to ask about how someone lost their limb.

[vrepit_no]

Shiro catches himself before he tries to chirp back, thank everything. He lets Felih take his hand, gently wrapping his fingers around the soft, smaller hand. Felih's still so beautiful. He moves the same. Speaks the same way. Shiro's chest aches.

"I never, ever want to bring you harm," he says, adamant in his conviction. "But if you're sure, I'd be grateful for your help. This place is a lot different from my universe."

III

[doctorintern]

Fenton just happens to be wandering by when the request catches his attention. Looking over, he smiles. "Here, I gotcha!" he says, quickly heading over to scoop up the boots. "Where did you say you want 'em?"

Re: III

[vrepit_no]

Shiro blinks once then smiles and lowers his armor stack within reach. "Just up on top of the pile here, please."

Trust him to run into a duck. There have got to be a million jokes in there somewhere. But it's not like he hasn't seen animal-people or talking animals before. Maybe not a duck per se, but still.

"Thanks, sir. I'm Shiro. May I know the name of my rescuer?" he grins.

[doctorintern]

Walking over, he places the boots on top of the pile. "There you go!" he replies with a smile of his own. "Pleased to meet you, Shiro. Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, always happy to lend a hand."

It's only at that moment that he realizes that that might not have been the best way to phrase that.

"Oh, uh...sorry. I didn't mean to, uh..."

[vrepit_no]

Shiro laughs, not at all forced. "Don't be! I make jokes like that all the time. You haven't offended me, don't worry." He grins. "Great to meet you, Mr. Cabrera. Would you mind closing the wardrobe? I don't want to get in other people's way."

Putting action to words, he scoots sideways out of the immediate range of those who are waiting their turn at the magic box. "Have you been here long?"

[doctorintern]

He manages a laugh as well, relieved, as he makes his way to the wardrobe to shut it. "Oh good! And please, call me Fenton."

Though he can't help inspecting the wardrobe for a moment, trying to figure out how it works. More magitech? Pure magic? What makes it function?

"Not too long, actually! I just arrived a few days ago."

[vrepit_no]

"Mm, me too. Welcome," he says wryly. "There's a lot to take in. Apparently we all can use magic. That's a new one."

[doctorintern]

"Tell me about it! I'm not entirely unfamiliar with magic, but this is the first time I've ever been able to wield it myself. I'm more of a man of science, so this is all quite new to me."

[vrepit_no]

"Exactly!" The lift in Shiro's spirits translates into a positively dazzling grin. "I'm an astrophysicist and shuttle pilot, back home, but I've run into magic before. I'm just not usually the one using it. Have you discovered what you've wound up with?"

II

[bendless]

Sokka looks at Shiro trying to move metal. This would probably be normal for someone practicing metalbending. However, Sokka has experience on how most of the elements work so he might as well try and save him some time.

"You know, with most of the elements, you don't control the existing element. You create it."

Re: II

[vrepit_no]

Shiro straightens, running his hand through his forelock. "Really? I'm not really familiar with these things." His smile tweaks up wryly. "Last time I tried to create an element I wound up mangling the candleholder instead."

II

[tempredmental]

Keith scrunched his eyebrows together as he watched for a moment. He'd been working on his own magic a lot since arriving, having a few of his own issues with it, too. He could relate. But he smirked just a little, unable to resist the opportunity he was being presented with.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that patience yields focus?"

Re: II

[vrepit_no]

It takes an awful lot of self control not to jump. He knows that voice. He knows that voice better than his own sometimes.

"Keith!" The familiar bright, warm, relieved grin lights Shiro's face as he turns and heads right for his friend. Protégé. Leader. Labels don't matter - it's Keith. He'll throw them all away anyway.

Shiro stops just short of enveloping him in a one-armed hug. "It's good to see you," he says, a little more quietly this time. "It's been about four years, for me at least." And the last time had been a very complicated mix of feelings as he came up out of that healing pod down an arm but plus the rest of the body.

....stars, he'd missed him.

[tempredmental]

Consider Keith surprised in return. Sure, the smile and everything was normal, and Keith answered with one of his own. But the hesitancy to finish that approach in the expected hug added to the admission that it had been four years since they'd last seen each other... Keith was still trying to wrap his head around the whole "different points in time" thing.

"Four... years...?" Yes... Keith was Concerned. "What happened?" Alternate reality? Time slippage? Keith's brain raced trying to fill in the blank of why it would have been four years since they had seen each other. Shiro was his brother. They loved each other. There was no way they'd stay apart that long unless something had happened...

Also, it had honestly not been anywhere near as long for Keith. Granted, Shiro had been here in Avalon when Keith had first arrived, but they hadn't really had much time before he had disappeared again. And, talking to some of the residents, that was a thing... people came and went and came back and sometimes remembered, sometimes didn't... it was all because of the weird timeline issues they were trying to fix. That was okay. Keith could deal with that. But, even without Avalon's issues, Keith had just seen Shiro back home as they had been prepping the Atlas for launch. Allura had been able to create an arm for him. They had the whole team, and a new support ship, and they were about to go out and start working on stabilizing what the broken Empire had left behind while trying to stop Honerva from tearing apart existing realities. It had only been... maybe a month? Keith wasn't sure, but he hadn't been in Avalon all that long.

[vrepit_no]

"Alternate universe - very close, I suspect, but I can't be positive." Shiro can't stop looking Keith over, searching out all the little details that say 'Keith' to him, and all the little things that have changed. He lingers on the burn wedge across Keith's cheek, a twist of guilt tightening the corners of his eyes.

"I was pulled out just after I woke up in the pod after Allura put me into this body." His voice softens a touch more. "You found me. Again. Making a habit out of that."

[tempredmental]

Alternate universe... yeah. That could explain a lot. Keith nodded a little. The idea that Shiro had been somewhere else for four years between home and Avalon didn't shock him maybe as much as it might someone else.

For all the things that had changed and stayed the same, Keith didn't look all that much different from what Shiro would remember having seen when he woke up in that pod. It hadn't been that long for Keith. He still had the two years of growth that he'd returned to the Castle with after his stint in the quantum abyss, the longer hair, the broader shoulders and chest, the somewhat calmer and more mature demeanor. But, yes... he was still Keith as Shiro would remember him. He still had that soft look of adoration for his mentor... friend... brother. He still loved Shiro.

"Again... even here." Keith smirked a little, feeling a bit better that the four year separation wasn't something worse than a forced situation they'd had no control over. The idea that they hadn't talked for four years because of something other than one of them being yanked out of their own reality against their will was actually pretty heartbreaking, and Keith found himself relieved that the reason had been that. "As many times as it takes, right?"

Keith would always find Shiro. It was like he gravitated towards him. Shiro had given him a light when he'd been in a very dark place, and Keith was pretty sure he'd never be able to fully repay that.

However, standing here, almost arm's length apart, when he knew Shiro hadn't seen him in four years, that was near torture. He reached out and grabbed Shiro's hand, even if it wasn't exactly their normal hug because of that missing right arm (which Keith also still felt guilty about), and pulled them together. No, Keith wasn't big on hugs, especially with those outside his close circle. Shiro was one of the few inside that circle, though, and Keith would always give or accept hugs with him. Always.

[vrepit_no]

Shiro curves his body into the hug, dislodging their hands so that he can properly wrap an arm around his... well, his brother. He doesn't deserve this kind of loyalty, but he's painfully grateful that somehow he's inspired it here.

He clears his throat slightly, trying to get rid of the tight feeling. "Missed you," he murmurs. It's a big admission, and not one that he usually says out loud, but four years in another place between universes has taught him to start saying the little things. The assumed things. You never know when they're going to disappear and leave you full of things unsaid.

"I promise to try and avoid any mysterious magic or portals to other dimensions for a while." Yes, turn it into a joke. This is the best coping mechanism.

[tempredmental]

Keith easily let go of the grip and completed his own hug with that arm as well. It felt good, and he could feel how much Shiro wanted this through the contact. He closed his eyes, relaxing into the hold. The words hit him hard, though, and he wanted to answer that admission, even smiling just a bit as he took a breath, but Shiro continued... in typical Shiro fashion.

A younger Keith would have gotten annoyed for making light of a serious situation. This Keith, older, mature, somewhat more stable Keith who'd gotten that two year chance to resolve some of his family issues with his mom... he snorted a little in amusement.

"Good," he said. "I'll hold you to it. I don't want to have to keep chasing you down." Because he would, and Keith had a feeling Shiro knew that.

After a bit, Keith pulled back enough so they could see each other again. "I'm glad you're here," he said. Going through problems with time and reality like this, that was easy to say, honestly. It was better for people like them to be in a situation where they could work to fix it, then trapped in the loop, unaware and unable to help. They were That Type... unable to sit by when there was a chance they could be useful.