victory_road | [video]

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[video]

[Unfortunately for the current residents of Johto, they might be unfortunate enough to find what might be one of the worst video feeds ever on the network. It seems to cut in and out at first, and even after it manages to stay on for longer than ten seconds, the video is really just... the world spinning endlessly. Ground, leaves, sky, ground, leaves, sky -- Occasionally a tree is visible for half a second and the direction of movement seems to change, but other than that, it's an endless loop of ground-leaves-sky.

It might eventually be obvious that the camera appears to be attached to something that is rolling quickly down a hill. It probably helps that the entire feed is accompanied by the sound of what's clearly a Pokémon "hooting" over and over - rather excitedly, at that - and a voice somewhere in the distance. Pay close enough attention and the words being yelled out are things along the lines of--]

Wait!! Come back!! Just-- Spread your wings and stop rolling already!!

[Does that sound like a new trainer in need of help? That's probably because that's more less exactly what it is.]

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... What did Lance do? [That's. What he assumes happened anyways. Sorry, Lance.] It -- hang on, Pidge. Last I remember, we were leaving the prison we bailed Slav out of. Where you found the footage of Matt.

[Score one for dad voice. It has very little effect on his end, because Luna hops up onto his shoulders, purring.]

Don't worry. It'll take me and Skarmory longer to get there. It -- it's really good to see you.

[Pidge almost wants to laugh at that. It's kind of just hilarious that he immediately assumes Lance did something. Of course then she has to go and remember what actually happened... Which she'd tell him about if he hadn't just said something that sounded... incredibly odd.]

What..? Shiro that was... ages ago. [Is this some kind of weird side effect? Did he start losing his memory again?

At least Pidge gets moving, though. She starts to pull herself off the ground - Rowlet deciding to with her the lazy way by fluttering up to the top of her head - and begins the trek back up the slope. After all that running she's just a bit worn down, but progress is still being made.]

Hey.. Are you okay?

[He weirdly doesn't look all that surprised when she says that. Probably because he's heard that before.]

That's what Hunk said. [He pauses for a moment, before looking her video feed in the eye for a moment, and, with a little half-smile, adding:] And Matt.

[Do you get what he's saying, Pidge? If not, he's willing to spell it out for her.]

Me? I'm fine, why? [There's an annoyed rumble from off-screen.] Actually fine, Red. She knows when I'm just saying that.

[He may not be surprised, but Pidge sure as hell is. She's giving him such a look over the network, that shock pretty much becoming the dominant emotion right now.]

Hunk and Matt are here?? [That's actually more of a relief than anything else, honestly. More science brains means better chances of figuring out what's going on and how to get back, right? So Pidge smiles back; if Shiro was expecting a bigger reaction than that, he's going to be mildly disappointed.] Good. I'm sure they can help find a way to get back.

[Her eyebrows come together for a quick second while she processes that response. Yes, it does sound like he means he's actually fine-- Which is probably the thing that's strange.] I don't know, you just seem... relaxed.

Hunk, Matt, Lance and Keith. We were just missing you and Allura.

[It... is surprising, yeah. But Matt also let it slip that she'd found him. If Pidge is from anywhere around that time, then, it makes sense she'd know. And maybe makes it a little easier to drop this bomb.] There's not a way back, Pidge. No one's found any. And I know people who've been here for more than five years.

[He's just sort of accepted it by now. If only because it's very, very clear time really does pause back home.]

It's amazing what sleeping habits do. When you actually have them.

[That's why he's so relaxed, honestly.]

[Her expression brightens some more as he lists off all the names. Her team. She's not even entirely sure she knows how to express how happy she is to know that everyone's there. She'll have a million questions to ask each of them when she sees them. Fortunately for Shiro she won't go bombarding him with all of it at once.

For now.

Of course, Shiro has to go and say that there's no way back home. Which really just gets Pidge to stubbornly shake her head, not believing that for a second.] Then I'll find out what's been tried already and build off of that. If there's a way to get here, then logically speaking there has to be way to leave.

[That comment gets her to laugh a little though, giving Shiro an amused but skeptical look through the camera.] You? Sleep? No way.

Hey, that's your call. I'm just saying, there's probably better things to look into while you're here.

[Things that won't be as frustrating for her. Like the Rotoms. Or the observatory. Or literally anything Ford delves into. She might actually like those adventures. As long as they're not outdoors.]

[But he's not going to shoot down her notion there, not just yet. She just got here, and there are more important things to deal with.]

Yes, way. Haunter -- [Which has the ghost, a Gengar, phasing in behind him. He's clearly aware of this, and just nods toward it.] -- has been helping out with it since it came on board with us.

There's... a lot to tell you, Pidge.

[Inwardly Pidge has to huff a little bit. Mostly because she still doesn't really like being told what she can and can't do. But also because she knows she'll take his comment into account because it's Shiro.

She lets the whole thing slide for the moment when that... ghost? Creature? Ghost creature? Whatever it is just appears on the screen behind Shiro. She kind of just stares at it for a while, a concerned look on her face, while Rowlet fluffs up and hoots at it in greeting.]

...And that includes telling me about all these animals, right? And why you seem to have... so many of them?

That includes telling you everything about the pokemon, yes.

[Which also includes... why he has so many, yes. Pidge hasn't even seen all of them yet. Just three. He nods to her, absently reaching up to rub Luna behind the ears as the Meowth makes herself comfortable on his shoulders.]

I've been here almost two years now, Pidge. And I know, you're going to say that's not possible. You've seen me. But... the closest I can explain it is that it's like a wormhole.

Time works differently here than it does where we're from.

[Haunter bobs its head area at the little Rowlett. Hello friend!]

Pokémon. [That must be the word that lady used earlier before she got ushered out of the building. Pidge hadn't known what in the world that meant at the time, but it sort of makes sense now. Pokémon are what the animals of this planet are called. She can roll with that.

What is surprising her is what Shiro says next. Two years? And on top of that he completely calls her out on the questions that sat at the very tip of her tongue, leaving her sitting there wide-eyed and slightly slack-jawed, staring at the camera.]

...You're-- You're not joking, are you. [It's a statement, not a question. Shiro can probably see the way her eyes wander a bit, taking in details that she must've missed the first time. The slight tan. The relaxed shoulders. Is his scar even slightly more faded than she remembers it being?]

But Allura hadn't-- I don't remember-- We couldn't have-- [Was she walking before? Because she's stopped now, back pressed to the nearest tree while she processes.

Rowlet doesn't seem to care about her current issues, though. Ghost friend!]

Easy. Sit down if you need to.

[Maybe he should have waited until they were face to face for this conversation. He'll just do what he can to reassure her in the meantime. Keep his tone even. Level. It's a lot to take in. It had been even more for Lance, since they were closer in timeline.]

I'm not joking. You can search my user ID in the 'gear if you want. [Which probably means she's going to see every embarrassing thing he's ever done while he's here, but oh well. That might help her.]

It's okay to feel disoriented. That... happens a lot when people get here. [And now time for the other bombshell.] You're in a better place than Keith. He doesn't even remember finding the Blue Lion in the first place.

[Pidge shakes her head again, stubborn even when she knows on some level that he's right. She should sit. But standing feels better, because then she can walk, and walking could get the blood flowing and help her think. Maybe.

Or it'll just fluster her more. One or the other.

Her gaze snaps back to the 'gear when Shiro mentions Keith, her eyes somehow even wider than before. Before the Blue Lion? Before Voltron. Before- Before everything. She doesn't even know what Keith was like before all of this started.]

What about everyone else? What do the others remember? Does anyone remember- or know about Lotor?

[She starts walking again, and he blows out a tired breath. Well, he tried. Now he'll get in motion, too, pausing to scribble out a note to stick on a fridge. And start heading outside. The 'gear captures all this, of course.]

[Right down to the fact he's walking out of a house onto a beach. What sound like seals and gulls in the background.]

Hunk and Matt I think are closer to where you are. Lance remembers the space mall, and nothing afterward. [But her question... He stops in the sand, frowning.]

... Lotor? Who's Lotor?

[Which. Probably should answer her question right then and there. Whoops.]

[His reaction to Lotor's name should make Pidge snort in amusement. It only doesn't because concerned about all this... timey-wimey oddness. How can all of their memories be so different?

Still, she just waves a hand dismissively at Shiro's question, and Rowlet even hoots in a way that makes Pidge wonder if he can read her mind.] That's not really important, I guess.

Do you remember exactly what Hunk and Matt remember? Or would it be better if I just asked them directly?

[It sounds like some fantasy character to him. Like something from an old draft of King of the Bracelets or something. But Pidge moves on.]

[Pidge moves on, and a giant metal bird pops up. Pecking idly at Shiro's right arm as he reaches up to smooth his other hand over the pointy face. Not even a little concerned.]

It would probably be best if you did. I... didn't really get too much of a chance to quiz either of them.

I was too busy pinching myself. [Especially when Matt Holt waltzed back into their lives again.]

[Pidge nods to herself, putting that on the mental To-Do list. There's a lot going on in her brain right now, so excuse her while she fails to notice that Shiro has apparently gone and wandered up to a giant metal bird.

She's kind of occupied by remembering the way Shiro had pulled Matt in for a hug when they'd first been reunited. In fact, she remembers the way she felt when she found her brother in the first place. But still...]

Wouldn't part of pinching yourself include asking them how they got here? It'd definitely be the first thing I ask.

[It's okay, Pidge, there will be plenty of time to meet Shiro's crew of pokemon. Just wait until you get to meet Green. The banana dinosaur. For the moment, he stays stroking Skarmory's head.]

They got here the same way as everyone else. One minute you're doing something important, the next, you're waking up in that house.

[He looks back at the camera.] Two years, Pidge. I've heard it too many times already. I've lived it.

[She looks back at him, just the tiniest hint of a frown on her lips. There are another million questions in her head again, but she can't ask them. Mostly because Shiro might not even have the answers to them. So instead they just sit there at the forefront of her mind for a moment until she figures out how to mentally shake herself and save them for another time.

Two years. It's so hard to believe.]

..I'll talk to them, then. [The haze of questions fully vanishes from her eyes as Pidge refocuses, walking a little faster now.]

I guess you have a place to stay, right? Is everyone with you there?

That's probably for the best. I'm sorry, Pidge. It... really did slip my mind.

[There's a lot going on here, for the most part. Then Keith happened and trying to fix everything with him... And figuring out where he stood with Matt and Jean and Armin and Sasha --]

[There's a long list of things throwing him off track.]

We've got a house. In the Sevii Islands. We usually come and go, but... it's our base of operations.

[She shakes her head slightly (a motion that Rowlet really doesn't enjoy and protests to quite loudly) and shrugs a shoulder.] No no, it's okay. I mean, I get it. Seeing Matt again after so long was kind of mind-blowing for me, too.

[Pidge even offers him a small, lop-sided smile. Everything's fine, Shiro. No need to apologize to her.]

Is it... okay if I stay there too? At least until I figure out an alternative, if necessary.

Yeah... yeah, I can imagine.

[Skarmory swings her head around to stare at the 'gear. Hissing like a giant metal goose at the Rowlett. Hush, child!! Adults are talking. She's an old lady and deserves her respect!]

[The hissing doesn't even seem to faze her trainer.]

Pidge, if you didn't come stay with us, I'd be offended.

[Not really, but you know what he means.]

Edited 2018-07-15 00:06 (UTC)

[Rowlet's head swings back around toward the 'gear to look at the big metal bird, feathers floofing up even more in some clear attempt to look threatening. Fight me, the trainer's messing up my perch!!]

[Pidge's smile grows slightly, but then falters when she realizes that something is going on between her little owl friend and the--]

Holy crow, Shiro, what is that? [Look who's finally noticed the other bird.]

What is -- Oh. This is Skarmory.

[She's one of the other pokemon who won't let Shiro name her. Or else she'd end up with a name like Iversona. For her cranky, irritable personality. She hisses at the Rowlett one more time, rattling metal feathers.]

... she may have an attitude problem. But she's the fastest flight I've got right now.

We'll get to you soon.

[Pidge can really only stare, but Rowlet keeps right on with his angry trills and hoots and feather puffing. He's not impressed, dammit.]

...How many kinds of, uh, Pokémon are out there?

[She shrills, clacks her beak at the screen. At least until metal fingers rap on her neck. Then she quiets, obediently. But she's still glowering.]

Hundreds. Probably close to five or six hundred, total. Here...

[He'll swing the camera around, showing her the beach. The Spheals rolling through the surf. The Wingulls and the Wailmer out further. The occasional Voltorb poking out of the sand.]

That's just here, where we live.

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