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croc-odette · 4 years

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i love ds9 and here are some episode premises that i wish had happened

DND EPISODE: already talked about this but a dungeons and dragons holosuite episode. jake is the overly prepared DM obviously, nog, ziyal, and alexander are players. nog’s player is clearly his idea of sisko, a lawful good paladin; ziyal plays as a cardassian rogue (played by dukat, but clearly based in personality on kira); alexander plays a mage who is kind-of worf kind-of jadzia and keeps switching between them through the game). there’s an NPC version that’s clearly also based on sisko at one point, but from jake’s point of view knowing him as his dad to compare how differently jake and nog, a cadet, see him.

as the game progresses, it becomes clear that the Big Bad is based on a combo of dukat/winn (corrupt government/religious figure). ziyal struggles with the classic DND question of ‘just because i would do this, does that mean my character would?’ except she’s realizing that her dad wouldn’t do any of the selfless things she wants her character to do. alexander keeps trying to solve shit through weird cantrips or puzzle solving instead of fighting and jake is like ‘it’s not deep it’s just a cave bat please roll initiative’. bashir and garak show up as like, the old couple from the princess bride and everyone has to be like ‘jake they’re not dating in real life this rpf shit is kind of inappropriate’ and he’s like ‘wait what? i thought they were dating’. miles is an NPC and dies. nog thinks jake’s-sisko-npc is too silly and disrespectful and jake is like ‘he’s MY dad’ and they have to take a break to argue about it and jake is like ‘your dad is cool too’. nog’s character changes to lawful good paladin rom. actually this whole game is ‘arguing about dads’ time now that i think about it, which jake is not really equipped to jump in on since he has a normal cool dad who he basically just thinks is embarrassing because he’s the ~messiah~ or some goofy bullshit. ends with them calling it a day after the final boss battle and then jake and nog privately talking about whether or not they can trust ziyal if she has to choose between ds9 and dukat, which was an ulterior motive of the game. ziyal is clearly clearly rattled by what the game made her realize and goes to see kira, who she doesn’t tell about the game but who still gives her a hug, and ziyal realizes that kira’s her hero (and like, her mom). alexander tells worf and dax about the game and dax thinks it sounds fun as hell and asks alexander if they can come next time, and worf is like ‘....... only if i can be a blood mage’. nog and jake go home and tell their dads they love them.

shit i blacked out

PRANK WAR EPISODE: escalating series of pranks starting with jadzia putting hair dye in bashir’s shampoo and ending with the space station accidentally going into a meltdown self destruct scenario. garak is torn between helping jadzia and quark, who are clearly the better pranksters, or helping julian and odo, who suck at pranks but are his lunch friends. everyone has to tell garak that he’s way too intense about ‘pranks’ which are actually just really dangerous booby traps he puts in people’s quarters. sisko ends the episode by grounding everyone; no holosuites for a month!! yes even dax

GREAT RACE EPISODE: there’s some kind of macguffin resource on a planet (a klingon escape pod with a survivor with crucial intelligence information?), but they can’t teleport directly to it. a vorta and jem h’dar team and a ds9 team beam down on opposite sides of its location and are both racing to get there first, having to macgyver together vehicles and tools on the way. lots of excellent outdoor on-location settings and comparison of the jem h’dar/vorta dynamic and the ds9 federation dynamic. ends with the jem h’dar almost winning but turning on the vorta at the last few yards, and sisko’s team beams out as the jem h’dar chant victory. no i refuse to think this is same plot as ‘the ship’ or whatever

KASIDY EPISODE: set earlier in kasidy/sisko’s relationship, kasidy agrees to go with jadzia as a third-party observer to negotiations with a nearby bajoran colony over a trade agreement with the federation. jadzia and kasidy bond over gossiping about sisko on the way, but once they get there kasidy disagrees with the starfleet’s contract during negotiations which causes tensions, and recommends that the bajorans reject it. she and jadzia get into an argument about starfleet and its ideals, and why kasidy chose to be an independent captain rather than a starfleet captain, and how that doesn’t make her lesser than starfleet captains. jadzia realizes that kasidy is right and petitions superiors for a new contract, which kasidy approves of. they go home tenser then when they left, but when sisko asks jadzia what she thinks of kasidy, she very seriously says that she has incredible compassion, intelligence, and integrity, and that she doesn’t need or want jadzia’s approval. but has it anyway

MUSICAL EPISODE: someone already outlined a great musical ep where lwaxana comes in with a betazoid cold and it makes everyone burst into song in another text post and like 100% cosigned

SHAKESPEARE EP: holosuite shenanigans; every character is suddenly stuck as someone from a different shakespeare play. garak is an enthusiastically combative beatrice, kira is cordelia, worf is hamlet, jadzia is a very amused katerina, julian is puck, miles is duncan (”i get MURDERED?”), odo is benvolio and kind of bummed he’s not romeo, etc. i actually don’t know any shakespeare play that well but i think it could be neat. julian is the only fucking person on ds9 who actually knows any of it well enough to figure out what’s going on, except for sisko who doesn’t really care for shakespeare but generally knows about the plays (maybe a good opportunity to talk about the racism in most ‘classic Earth’ pop culture that star trek tends to uphold without criticism). i don’t know shit about the 40 plays that shakespeare wrote about british kings but i could see sisko ending up in that kind of intense role and refusing to play into it, as do the rest of the characters who refuse to fulfill their respective roles and instead find another way to end the program.

KLINGON OPERA EPISODE: goodddddddd can we see some klingon opera, mac. i’ve been dying to see some klingon opera. premise is they believe that someone is assassinating ambassadors and so they tag along with a andorian ambassador who loves opera to see if they can figure out who the assassin is, however the andorian plays it down as over-worrying and that they should use it as an excuse to enjoy themselves. worf and jadzia go and have a lovey dovey time, sisko and kasidy go and have a lovey dovey time watching worf and jadzia get super into the opera together. julian is asked to go in case there’s poison used or first aid needed, and miles is like ‘the last time i went undercover i came home with trauma and someone’s cat so no thanks i hate klingon opera’ and after some increasingly overt passive aggressive implications that julian should take HIM, julian asks garak to go with him. bonus points if for some reason they are wearing the stupid tuxedos from doctor bashir i presume. a lot of loud arguing about the opera which almost gets them kicked out. at the end of the first act, one of the actors DOES try to kill the andorian but jadzia jumps in front of the phaser beam (cue worf being very concerned and annoyed that she could have gotten killed, jadzia being very smug and pleased with herself, her head in his lap, in a pose mirroring an earlier couple in the opera). julian feels like he would have noticed if he hadn’t been distracted by garak, and when it turns out the andorian ambassador has sensitive info about cardassia’s civilian government, julian accuses garak of intentionally trying to distract him to make sure the andorian actually died, which turns into a huge argument (ideally in a very opulent klingon opera house bathroom). during the argument, julian realizes that garak was trying to hint to him that something about the assassination attempt was off; he pieces together aloud that the andorian and the actor must have been in league together, to fake the andorian’s assassination so they could not be tried for profiteering by illegally selling weapons to the cardassian central control during bajoran occupation, which they are currently under investigation for. the other ambassador assasinations were planned by the andorian to cover their tracks. the andorian is arrested, as is the actor. at the ballroom afterparty, sisko and kasidy, in a good mood that everything worked out, agree to join in on traditional klingon dancing. worf and jadzia take a peaceful walk through the gardens and worf recites some really lovely klingon poetry about how sometimes it’s NOT a good day to die if someone loves you, that none of us fucking understand without looking it up. julian and garak talk on the balcony, and julian posits that garak is loyal to cardassia, but which part of it? garak answers, very close and meaningfully looking at julian, ‘like most things... it’s complicated.’

i was about to say ‘fake wedding episode’ but literally LITERALLY that was the shotgun wedding lwaxana/odo ep. i love star trek

KEIKO BOTANIST EPISODE: kira accompanies keiko to bajor to help find a medicinal plant that was thought to be wiped out during the occupation but might still exist in a remote mountain region based on local reports. a nice episode where we learn more about bajor and see how bajorans are coping and healing. over a campfire, kira thanks keiko for accepting her into their family. keiko tells kira that she was really intimidated by her when they first met, and then realized she’s one of the most loving people she knows. just a nice episode, maybe some mild nature survival conflict, but ends on a hopeful note of them finding the plant. miles beams down with the kids to have a picnic with keiko and kira, and kira’s happy to see children playing carelessly on bajor again.

JAKE AND ZIYAL EPISODE: everyone thinks jake and ziyal are dating because they’ve been hanging out. julian’s an idiot and mentions to sisko ‘must be hard, huh’ and sisko’s like ‘WHAT must be hard’ and julian’s like oh my god were we not supposed to talk to him about this. jake and ziyal aren’t dating but as soon as sisko tries to talk to jake about it jake is like ‘i’m not but actually maybe i SHOULD ask her out’ and sisko is like fuck. okay no that’s fine. this is more of a B-plot but basically give jake and ziyal age-appropriate love interests they’re both RIGHT there

#i'm really about to write fake screenplays for episodes for a tv show that ended 20 years ago #star trek blogging #THIS GOT OUT OF HAND.

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calligraphist-artemisia · 5 years

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Instinct (Part 1/3)

Summary: In which the paladins are unprepared for the strength of Keith’s instincts and Pidge is taken off guard by her own feelings. Pairings: Keith/Pidge; background Shiro/Curtis

Also posted on AO3 (note: I no longer post to fanfiction.net)

---

Part 1

There was a small, brown package on her desk.

Her desk, in her family's private quarters, and further locked behind a passcode that few people knew.

Pidge frowned when she saw it, barely able to take her eyes off of it as she shrugged out of her casual jacket and hung it on a hook near her door. She'd only been away for an hour, attending another meeting to address the fact that technically Katie Holt never attended the Galaxy Garrison, never mind her instrumental role in freeing Earth from Sendak's control before going on to stop Haggar from ripping apart every reality.

No, no, none of that really mattered once the war was over and the Garrison was placed under the control of the Worldwide Leadership Council, whose proclaimed goal was “peacekeeping” for all of Earth.

Pidge scowled.

Millions of people displaced from their homes, exposed to the cruelties of a ten-thousand year old war, and they were most worried about their public image.

She hated politics. She especially hated them when it stood in the way of her doing anything useful with her time. So what if she'd hacked Garrison records at fifteen, enrolled herself under a false identity, and launched her own personal investigation in the wake of the disappearance of the crew on the Kerberos Mission? They should be thanking her for exposing such a flaw in their system!

Okay, maybe that was too much, but if she hadn't illegally attended the Galaxy Garrison as Pidge Gunderson, she never would have witnessed Shiro's return with Hunk and Lance. They never would have been there to help Keith escape with him. They never would have found the caves where the Blue Lion was hidden for so long. They never would have gone to space, awoken Allura and Coran, and freed so many different planets. Earth never would have been prepared for the invasion.

Pidge would never try and claim full credit for saving the universe, it was fully a team effort, but she knew she played a pivotal role.

She shook her head gently, clearing herself of negative thoughts. She had a mystery to solve and it was much more deserving of her time than dwelling on the way things were being run in the past few months.

Pidge cautiously approached her desk, searching the package for any clue about who could have left it there. It was wrapped in plain brown paper and on top was a tiny note card bearing her name in vaguely familiar handwriting. She found herself relaxing at that. It was unlikely to be a threat if it was someone she knew well enough to recognize their handwriting.

She was careful not to jostle the package as she picked it up and began peeling away the wrapping. With no indication of who it was from, she let her mind wander to the different possibilities, based on who she'd given her personal code to.

Hunk and Lance were out of the question. The last she'd heard from Hunk, he had made it back out to the Dalterion Belt with his band of chefs (and Shay) and was seeing what food sources the various asteroids and planets in the area had to offer. Lance was busy with the small farm he ran with his family and was always quick to tell her when they were in the area to visit Veronica.

Shiro wouldn't go out of his way to sneak a package into her room when he could just pass it off to anyone in her family or give it to her directly. It just wasn't the way he liked to do things.

Keith was equally as unlikely, though she had to admit, she had no idea where in the universe he was currently located. Once it became clear that Earth was safe, he took up Kolivan's offer to lead a team of his own in peacekeeping efforts. He called when he could and sounded completely wrung-out whenever they talked, but there was a deep-rooted pride in his voice that spoke of how much he was enjoying his work.

It had been a while since she last heard from Coran and Romelle, who were both working hard at establishing order and blending cultures of the past with those of the hidden colony on the newly restored Altea. It was tough work and Coran often despaired at how much of their history was lost. Sometimes he'd send something to Pidge (bypassing all Garrison channels) either for her to research or as a gift, but always with a long note of explanation.

Maybe it was Matt, who knew how much her frustration was starting to get the best of her. He liked to surprise her with little gifts now and again, but like with Coran, he always signed his, if he bothered to wrap them.

Her parents then. Except not, because even they would have signed it or given it to her directly.

Pidge stared down at a metallic green box as she fully pulled away the paper. There was a simple latch on one side and hinges on the other, so she cautiously opened it up, prepared to shut it if there was anything weird or dangerous.

Hair pins.

At least a dozen of them, in an array of colors and styles; some practical and others more ornate, meant to be used as decoration rather than holding hair in place.

Looking over the box and wrapping one last time, Pidge determined that whoever it was from, they were determined to remain a mystery.

She'd just have to wear them in order to show her thanks.

---

Everything was a mess.

Shiro groaned as he received another message requesting a meeting to review Pidge's “questionable” standing in the Galaxy Garrison. He'd spoken openly about his feelings on the subject a number of times – just as Admiral Iverson and Commander Holt had done, as well as many others who knew her – and he didn't see why they needed him to repeat himself for a fifth time. They had it all on record! All they had to do was play any of the last four meetings or read the minutes from them.

But if repeating himself would be what allowed Pidge to get back to the work she loved without being scrutinized over her every action, he would do it. Again and again and again.

That didn't mean he couldn't be annoyed by it.

“Don't they have better things to worry about?” he asked bitterly, more to himself than his current house-guests, one of whom was sitting at his kitchen table eating leftovers.

Kosmo woofed quietly from beneath the table.

“Are they still complaining that I didn't go through the proper channels to dock on Earth, or whatever it was?” Keith asked. “Because we already explained why that wasn't possible.”

“Although highly amusing, I'm not sure Zethrid telling the port administrators to shut up and do their jobs correctly is a proper explanation. Why did you leave it up to her anyway?” Curtis asked, sounding amused. He neatly placed a plate on the drying rack and then reached for the next one, running his soapy sponge over the surface.

Keith shrugged. “She needs the practice. And I figured they'd give us some new bullshit excuse about why we can't dock again, which meant my best bet for smoothing things over was going straight to Iverson. He may not be my biggest fan, but at least he takes the time to listen to my requests instead of denying them from the start.”

Curtis's smile dropped and he looked immediately to Shiro, whose frown was firmly in place. “So we were right. They've escalated restrictions on entering and exiting Earth.”

“What am I missing here? Restrictions are common on every planet,” Keith said.

“Which is why we didn't fight them at first,” Shiro agreed. “You haven't been here since the Worldwide Leadership Council took over operations and have been forcing harsher and harsher restrictions to pass. The official word is that they're afraid an influx of new technologies and cultures could lead to the start of a fourth world war, but...”

Curtis crossed his arms over his chest. “They're clearly targeting the Galra. At least primarily, but there are others who have been affected.”

“Anyone of Galra descent tend to make people uneasy. Its understandable, but not when they're denying entry to known allies. We couldn't have won the war without Kolivan and the rest of the Blade of Marmora, but it seems that all it's taken is a year to forget all of that. Then there's this whole thing with Pidge...”

Keith snapped to attention. “What's wrong with Pidge?”

Shiro was slightly taken back by Keith's quick interest, but it was a chance to rant about another situation to someone who wasn't already in the loop, so he quickly summed up everything going on with Pidge, watching Keith's expression grow more thunderous by the minute.

“She's a hero and they're treating her like some kind of criminal,” he growled, fury in his voice. “No one cared about her age or any of that when we were busy fighting in a literal war, but now it's over and they think they can cast her aside? How can they do that to her, Shiro?” His anger broke, giving way to something Shiro rarely heard from Keith, except when he was concerned about someone he cared deeply for.

“We've been trying to work it out for months, offering any idea that could appease them and let Pidge join Commander Holt and Matt on the Defense Program, but we've made no progress,” Shiro said. “All that's done is had them restrict her time in the classroom labs even more.”

“We think they're trying to force her out. They want to cover up that they were bested by someone who was fifteen when she hacked the system.” Curtis voiced the (until then) unspoken opinion shared by everyone involved.

Keith was quiet for a moment. He reached under the table to pet Kosmo as the massive wolf nudged his leg for attention.

Shiro and Curtis gave him time to mull it over. It was a lot to take in on a normal amount of sleep, and it was clear from the bags under his eyes that Keith clearly wasn't getting enough rest.

It seemed not even Kolivan could train out the way Keith tended to broadcast his emotions, easy to read for anyone who cared enough to pay attention. Shiro could see the emotions playing out across his face – the anger on behalf of the youngest paladin, frustration, the furrowed brows of wonderment, and then stubborn determination.

Keith had some sort of plan formulating and Shiro couldn't wait to hear it.

Shiro gestured for Curtis to sit down with them at the table. (Why he felt the need to clean them every time he came over, Shiro did not understand. The plates were fine. Shiro could do them after he left, but no, Curtis insisted--)

“How quickly do you think they'd give in if I refuse to leave until she looks over the ship we arrived in?” Keith asked them.

“It's unlikely they would at all. They'd insist that you use one of the Garrison engineers and if you refuse that's grounds for imprisonment, no matter who you are. But... we could try?” Curtis sounded unsure of himself and Shiro couldn't help but reach over and squeeze his hand.

Keith raised an eyebrow at the action, but said nothing. Shiro was sure he'd be questioned later, once Curtis was gone for the night.

Curtis continued, slightly emboldened by the comforting gesture. “It's no secret that they don't like that you bypassed protocol and landed here, but they may be more willing to go with what you want if you extend your stay by other means. Like, say, a vacation?”

Shiro quickly caught on. “Not as a pretense, Keith. Contact Kolivan and tell him you're all finally taking some time off.”

“Going to tell me I look like shit next?” Keith asked.

“Not in those exact words, no.”

Violet eyes stared him down from across the table and then Keith tipped his head in acknowledgment. “I know the others would appreciate a vacation, even if they'll complain at first. I have eight others with me and they'll all need someone to show them around.”

“We have volunteers for just that,” Curtis said. “And I think I already know who can show Acxa around. She and Veronica got along well when we were all on the Atlas together. I don't know about anyone else though.”

Shiro was absolutely not volunteering to watch after Zethrid or Ezor.

“So, we take a vacation and on the last day make the request for Pidge to look over the ship?” Keith guessed.

Shiro nodded. “It might help if there are any repairs that need to be made.”

“Oh, like our communications system? Since somehow the Garrison couldn't hear us until we were already coming in for a landing, despite the fact that Kolivan, who is lightyears away, can hear me perfectly?”

“Best not mention that last part,” Curtis advised. “But yeah. It's even better, since Pidge enrolled herself in the communications program when she was here. Regardless of how she ended up in the Garrison, they can't deny that she studied the exact thing you need fixed, and she was good at it.”

Maybe it would work.

Shiro didn't have many positive things to say about the direction things were heading with the stranglehold the Worldwide Leadership Council had on the Galaxy Garrison, but it was more of a chance for Pidge to do something than they'd had in a while.

They just needed to be careful.

---

Even when it was just the four of them, dinner was not a quiet affair for the Holt family. There was always someone talking about the work they'd done that day or a new discovery that was made or even just something funny that they'd seen or heard.

Colleen wrapped up her enthusiastic description of a new variant of Juniberry she helped cultivate and while Sam launched into a round of questions, Matt leaned over to Pidge with a grin on his face.

“You know, Keith arrived today.”

Pidge looked up from her food, already more interesting in what her brother had to say than the ongoing conversation about plants. “Really? Is everything okay?”

“According to Shiro, he's here for a vacation with his team, and the first person he asked about is you,” Matt said, his grin growing wider.

Pidge knew that tone. It was the same one she and Hunk used when teasing Lance about his crush on Allura. She rolled her eyes, not for one second falling for his attempt to get her flustered. “Other than Shiro, I'm the only other person he knows is on base. It doesn't mean anything.”

“What doesn't mean anything?” Colleen asked.

“Nothing,” Pidge and Matt said in unison.

Colleen narrowed her eyes as she watched them pretend there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. After a moment, she went back to her conversation with Sam, though neither Pidge nor Matt dared to bring up the topic a second time, knowing their mom would hone in on it in a heartbeat.

Pidge was thankful that Matt knew better than to involve their parents in his teasing. Their mom would definitely take it seriously, and while their dad would accept it as a joke at first, the more Colleen treated it like a genuine thing, the less he would see it as the teasing that it was.

The last thing she wanted was for them to insist on supervision while she was around Keith. How embarrassing would that be?

“So how's the Defenders Project going, Matt?” Pidge asked, changing the subject completely.

“You know we're not allowed to talk about it outside of the labs,” Matt said apologetically. “But without going into too much detail, it's going a little more slowly than we'd like. There are some new restrictions being passed on what goods can be brought to Earth and by who, and until they work out all of the details, we can't get in the equipment and materials we need in order to continue.”

“Seriously? What are they thinking?”

Sam set down his fork, turning his attention to their conversation. “In a way, it does work to our benefit. We have more time than expected to run checks and extra tests to ensure everything will work the way it's meant to.”

“Except that all we can do is run simulations, which can't account for the differences that Altean tech makes when combined with our own,” Matt pointed out, sounding bitter.

Colleen cleared her throat. “I think that's enough work chatter for tonight.”

Pidge and Matt exchanged a glance, silently communicating: “What else is there?”

“Well then, how about a little good news?” Sam asked. “We have officially been granted permission to host a festival celebrating the liberation of the galaxy from Galra control.”

“Wait, really? Dad, that's awesome!” Matt cheered.

Sam nodded. “I need you all to keep this a secret for now. They won't be making the announcement for another few days, since they're finalizing the location and central theme, so no talking about it to anyone else.”

His family was quick to agree to that and the rest of their dinner was spent trying to guess what a Garrison-run festival would be like.

---

Pidge woke up in high spirits the next morning and, after breakfast, slipped into her comfiest clothing with the intent of finally sitting down to binge the new show Rizavi hadn't shut up about for weeks. With the longer pieces of her hair pinned out of the way with two bright green clips, she flopped down on her bed and reached for her remote.

“Katie, you have a visitor!”

She tried not to groan as her mom's voice rang out, loud and clear. She swore if Rizavi was at the door, waiting to drag her and Kinkade off on another crazy adventure that was sure to land the three of them in Iverson's office, she was going to run away and join Lance on his farm, just to have a moment of peace.

Okay, maybe that was a little extreme.

Pidge would hate living on a farm.

She bid goodbye to her relaxing day in as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her small purse, knowing it was best to be prepared when it came to Rizavi. The other girl wouldn't give her a chance to speak, let alone grab her things. (Honestly, she loved that Rizavi included her in outings, she just wished the pilot knew how to slow down sometimes – a sentiment shared by Kinkade.)

Pidge took a deep breath and opened her bedroom door. “Ri-- Keith?!”

Standing near the front door was Keith, his black hair tied back in a short ponytail, looking mildly uncomfortable in what she assumed was clothing borrowed from Shiro. (The cuffs on his pants were rolled up, for one, and the t-shirt with Godzilla on it had been a gift from Matt.)

Keith smiled softly when he saw her. “Hey, it's been a while.”

Pidge found herself smiling back. “Too long. Welcome back!”

“Did I come at a bad time?” Keith asked, gesturing to her bag.

Pidge glanced down to see what he was talking about. “Oh, no! No, you're fine. I kind of thought you were Rizavi. She likes to drop by unannounced when she has free time and I've learned its better to be prepared before I open the door. Do you want to sit down?”

Keith shook his head. “Actually, I was hoping you would go out to the city with me. Shiro was going to take me so I could pick up a few things, but they called him and Curtis in for some meeting this morning. He suggested I ask you.”

That was not a request Pidge expected to hear from him, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to go shopping with Keith.

“I'll go, just let me grab Matt's keys,” Pidge said, turning away to grab her brother's passkey from its spot on the counter. She knew he would be down in the lab all day and wouldn't mind her borrowing it. “Mom, I'm going out with Keith!”

“Have fun, dear!” Colleen called back from elsewhere in the apartment.

Keith looked at her curiously as they left, moving out into the hallway and towards the exit. “Why do you need Matt's keys?”

“It'll get us into the garage so we don't need to take the shuttle or ask anyone else to drive us,” Pidge explained as she slid the card into her purse. “Technically I'm not supposed to have one, but the guards don't care as long as I'm careful and get back on time.”

“And here I thought I was the rebel of our team.”

Recognizing it for the joke that it was, Pidge teased back: “worried that I might steal your crown?”

Keith glanced down at her. “Depends. Do the guards really let you leave with a car or does it involve more sneaking?”

“Sneaking at first, but now they know me by name,” Pidge admitted. When he smirked at her, she rolled her eyes. “Well, alright then, King of the Rebels, what's the best story you've got?”

Keith took a moment to think about it, studiously ignoring the stares they received as they walked the halls.

Pidge figured they must have made an interesting sight. Her, the daughter of Sam and Colleen Holt, walking around in starry leggings and a too-big shirt that fit more like a short dress. And then him, almost a stranger to the Garrison after his time away, dressed in clothing equally as ill-fitting.

“I stole Shiro's car once.”

Pidge nearly stopped dead in her tracks. “You didn't!”

“I did,” Keith said with a nod. “He came to my school to talk about the space program and he brought this portable simulator so my class could try it out. I... I was difficult then, is the easy way to put it. Didn't get along with anyone. Didn't want to.”

Pidge had a sarcastic comment ready, but there was something about his tone of voice that had her hold her tongue.

“Anyway, all it took was one stupid comment and I needed to get out of there. Saw Shiro talking to my teacher and figured it was a lost cause anyway – the Garrison wouldn't want some troublemaker like me even if I did give it a chance. So I stole Shiro's car.” Keith shrugged as though it were no big deal. “I got caught, of course, and would have spent the night at a juvenile detention center if it weren't for Shiro speaking up for me. Even after all of that, he said I should apply to the Garrison. And the rest is history.”

Pidge let silence settle between them. She knew that he and Shiro were close, but it was the first time she heard the story of how they met.

“I, uh,” she paused for a moment to recall what they were talking about before. “I ran away from home and joined the Garrison under a false name. How's that for rebellion?”

Keith chuckled. “Not bad, but I punched Iverson and then ran away to live in a house in the desert before he could give me an actual punishment.”

“Wait, wait. Let me get this straight; you stole Shiro's car and you also punched Iverson? And Lance says I have no people skills!” She threw up her hands in defeat.

“So does this mean I'm still the king?”

“For now,” Pidge responded and for a moment had to wonder just what kind of challenge she'd accidentally initiated. But then they shared a glance and broke out into laughter over the whole thing.

They spent the rest of their walk just catching up on what they had been doing for the past few months. Keith spoke of the planets he'd seen and the people he helped, all the while keeping Zethrid and Ezor from terrorizing everyone with their playful antics. Pidge deliberately avoided her issues with the WLC, instead focusing on her personal projects and stories of Bae Bae running rampant through the base.

“Luckily, Iverson thinks she's hilarious and the MFE crew basically adopted her as their mascot, so she's living the best doggy life,” Pidge said as they reached a door to the garage. She took out the keycard and pressed it to the scanner so they could enter.

After a quick glance around to confirm there was no one around who would cause problems for them, Pidge held out the keycard to Keith. “It's your pick.”

Looking confused, Keith took the card. “My pick?”

“I know it's been a while since you last drove here on Earth, and I thought you might like to while you're here,” Pidge said with a shrug. “I normally drive one of the standard sedans, but the choice is all yours today.”

Keith took a moment to look around. There were all of the standard off-road vehicles favored by the Galaxy Garrison, built to handle the harsher terrain of the desert, but there were a surprising number of smaller cars mixed in, likely due to the expanded staff in the wake of the invasion.

Somehow, Pidge wasn't at all surprised when Keith gravitated towards the newest model of their Hoverbikes – one capable of switching between street and off-road modes. While it wasn't red like the one he drove while rescuing Shiro, it did have bright splashes of orange pain set against Garrison gray.

He climbed on first, checking over the controls and getting a feel for the bike, but soon he held out his hand to help Pidge up. While she got settled, he dug through a latched compartment until he found two pairs of goggles and handed one back to Pidge.

“Ready when you are,” Pidge said, carefully sliding them on over her glasses.

Keith took her words to heart and started the bike, which came to life with a humming purr and lifted up off the ground. He carefully guided it through the garage, hyper-aware of Pidge's light grip on his waist.

Pidge waved to the guards when they stopped at the main gate to scan the keycard one last time. “We'll be back by curfew!”

She squealed as Keith sped up on the other side of the gate, sliding her arms fully around his waist so she felt less like she would fly away at any second. Her hair whipped around her face, stinging slightly, and she pressed closer against Keith's back, using him to block the worst of the wind. Her heart pounded in her chest at first, but calmed down by the time they reached Plaht City.

Keith pulled into the first parking lot they found and miraculously found an empty space to pull into. Once he turned off the bike, he helped Pidge slide down and she laughed a little breathlessly, a massive grin on her face. He watched her pull free the hair pins and try to smooth out her hair, realizing after a few seconds that he was staring, and then joined her on the ground. He pointedly looked away, taking in the changes that they city had gone through.

The rebuilding seemed to have gone well, though there were still a few skyscrapers under heavy construction deeper in the city limits. What really caught his attention were the colorful tents lining the streets, full of goods from all over the universe, and arranged in a way that they didn't block any of the brick and mortar shops who had also thrown up bright banners to entice people inside. All of it did restrict the flow of traffic, however, leaving just enough street space for bicycles and a new trolley system to travel both ways. (Keith supposed that if an emergency vehicle needed to get through, there was enough space as well.)

It was an entirely different Plaht City.

“So, where to first? Or do you just want to walk and pick places as we go?” Pidge asked.

“I just need clothes,” Keith said, warily keeping his eyes on the crowded streets. He swallowed, wondering if he was really up for being surrounded by that many strangers, even with Pidge there to watch his back. There were too many unknown variables for him to be comfortable with.

Pidge seemed to pick up on his worry, because she nodded and said “I know a few good places, so it shouldn't take us long to find what you want. We'll just go until you're satisfied with what you've found.”

The two set off down the street, Keith following Pidge and hoping that she was right. After being in space for so long, he felt grossly unprepared for dealing with large crowds – even with his current peacekeeping tasks. At least with that there were only a few locals he needed to talk to, usually the leaders and those they brought with them to help transport supplies.

Keith kept an eye out for any threats and ways to make a quick escape if it came down to it. He didn't realize he was doing it until Pidge softly called his name.

“We don't have to do this today, you know,” she offered. “You just got back. We could ride around the desert or something.”

It was a tempting offer.

Keith shook his head. “Maybe once we're done, but I don't want to keep borrowing Shiro's stuff.”

“Not a fan of Godzilla? More of a Mothra kind of guy?” Pidge asked teasingly.

Keith couldn't help but chuckle at the silly direction their conversation turned. It did wonders to help him relax and he wondered if Pidge was doing it on purpose. “I think giant monsters are more Shiro's thing. I'm more into cryptids. Local legends. That sort of thing.”

“So not Mothra, but Mothman. Got it.” Pidge grinned up at him, pleased by her own joke.

Keith wasn't going to let her have all of the fun. “Let me guess, you're a Bigfoot fan?”

“They are the classic cryptid, with variations all across the globe, and you can't go wrong with that. Besides, I can appreciate that they've made a game out of teasing Bigfoot hunters over the years,” Pidge said.

(How was that a real conversation they were having? It was surreal.)

“Well, now that I know you've secretly been a nerd this whole time, I have to show you this place Matt and I found. You'll love it!” Pidge excitedly reached for her hand, tugging him along as she began walking faster.

Keith increased his stride in order to keep up with her.

It didn't take long to reach their destination, which was a small clothing shop tucked away in a corner next to a salon and a pizza place. Pidge pulled him inside and cut straight to the back of the store, where Keith quickly discovered the reason for her excitement.

Specialty shirts, separated by their subject matter. Cryptids were all lumped together and sorted by alphabetical order, with a miscellaneous category for any that were more rare. Across the back wall was an even larger section labeled 'Area 51'.

Keith didn't know where to start.

Pidge let go of his hand and laughed gleefully as she dove into the nearest rack. “This is where Matt and I did our holiday shopping. Ooo, look!” She held up a shirt with a picture of a purposefully pixelated image of the Loch Ness Monster.

He snorted in amusement and Pidge went back to her search. While it wasn't a place he normally would have picked to do shopping at, he figured he could at least get a shirt for Pidge, as a thank you for joining him. It was with that goal in mind that he joined the searching, holding u anything interesting for Pidge's approval or disapproval, and laughing at some of the more bizarre (and sometimes inappropriate) ones they found.

They each bought a shirt before leaving, and it was with high spirits that they set off to accomplish the rest of their mission.

Pidge was an interesting travel companion. She could talk about nearly anything and didn't always expect for him to have a reply, but it wasn't idle chatter. She knew a lot about how the city rebuild was going and which parts had been left mostly untouched, versus what had to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. More importantly, she did know the shops of the area.

By the time lunch rolled around, he had a decent set of clothes that would last him through his week vacation. After the last one, they grabbed a meal from the food trucks in the area and ate as they walked back to the hoverbike.

“Pidge, thanks for coming with me,” Keith said sincerely. “I'm sure you had other things you wanted to do today and I really appreciate it.”

She slowed down a little, staring up at him with a furrowed brow. “I can do those things anytime, you know? But you're only here for a little while and I'd give up a full week of work to spend time with you.”

Keith felt his cheeks heated up and he looked away from her, hoping she didn't notice. He struggled to find they right response without letting his own feelings spill out. “You, uh, might regret saying that when I tell you I'll be here for at least a week.”

“You are?” Pidge asked in surprise. “That's awesome! And okay, I slightly take back what I said before, because I know you'll want to spend time with Shiro too, but I really did mean it. I... I've missed having you around. More than I thought, actually...” She trailed off, lost in her own thoughts and clearly not expecting an answer.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence, tossing their trash into the proper bins once they were done,and then there was no more talk as they drove the thirty minutes back to the Garrison.

#voltron #kidge #kidgemas #fanfiction #background shurtis #post season 8 #galra courtship #mostly canon compliant #Instinct

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calliecat93 · 5 years

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Dexter Grif Analysis, Part Two (Sorta)

I had been thinking of doing a follow-up to my Grif Analysis from last year... but this past season didn’t really provide much for Grif. At least, not enough for me to really do a full-on Grif: S17 Analysis. Maybe I’ll do one for Donut, haha. However we DO have the finale with him and Kai, and that IS analysis worthy. I already talked about it some, but I’m gonna do Grif more specifically and how this affects his characterization, both past and future.

Okay, so in the finale, we find out that all along, the draft story was a lie and that he indeed enlisted. Now, this debunks canon that people have been going by for many years now, though tbf the draft was NEVER brought up in canon until now while the enlistment was brought up at least twice (the very first episode and in S16). Not even the Fanguide mentioned it. Still, it does still debunk what people had been going by for a long time, so... what does this do to the character?

Well, let's think about it. So we all know that Grif had a shitty home life from what has been said in canon. His parents preferred Kai over him. His father was ’unstable’ and probably not in the picture much, especially since neither he nor Kai mention him in the S17 finale. His mother was a circus performer who also ‘turned tricks behind the Elephant cages’. He had to take care of Kai more or less on his own despite being... what, two or three years older most likely. And if The Labryinth is anything to go off on, he had an asshole gym teacher who more or less bullied him on some level, and who knows how many other people treated him like shit for whatever reason.

Grif’s life sucked, and there was nothing that he could do about it. He had no control over the situation and no way out of it. And as much as he loved his sister, his mom couldn’t give him what he wanted, and he knew it. So he tried to find a way to get what he wanted. To have some form of structure in his life. A way to take control and not have it be shitty. So he tried college away from Hawaii, and that didn’t work. I imagine that Grif didn’t have the motivation to put effort into his studies cause... well he’s a lazy person who hates all fo that, even if he is smarter and more fit than he’d ever admit. I mean, while it was from a PSA and technically not canon, he was smart enough to at least get accepted into Harvard. But it didn't work, and Grif had two options: go back home and resume his shitty life or try something else. He chose the latter, and he decided on enlisting.

One problem though. Telling Kai that he was leaving to go to college? That was probably something that she could understand. But the military? Which, if you recall, was at a time of a massive war. Grif could easily die, and as such, he’d have to tell his family about why he’d want to drop out of school and enlist. Which would be the right thing to do... but Grif would more or less have to tell his own sister that he wanted away from home and to have his own life. So, because Grif is an idiot who sucks at dealing with emotions, he decided to lie about it. He got drafted. He was leaving because he was being made to, not because he wanted to get away from his life. He now could avoid what would be a very painful conversation of trying to explain to Kai everything and risk upsetting her or make her feel like he was abandoning her willingly. He would never intentionally do that. He loves Kai more than anyone else. But she was a part of a life that he was tired of, and to get the structure that he felt that he needed, he had to leave her behind. And having to admit that to her was simply something that he couldn’t do. Lying was easier.

And what happened after? His life got worst. He was pushed even more than he likely was in school and he hated it. He found out about his family home being set on fire, and he felt too guilty to go back or reach out, and that’s even if he could by that point due to the military. He couldn't just quit one he enlisted, after all. If you believe the fanguide, he got sent to a doomed colony where he was likely miserable AND everyone but him ended up dead. Then after that, he’s re-assigned to Red Boot Camp and thus sold off as a SIM Trooper without even knowing it. And thus, Blood Gulch happened where he was surrounded by people that he hated and who hated him. Yeah, they cared about each other eventually, but still. Oh and then his sister shows up and now he had to make sure that she stayed safe AND avoid bringing up anything.

In other words, Grif quit on his family because he was sick of the constant struggles and tried to do what he wanted. As it turned out, what he thought was better for him wasn’t. It just left him miserable. And it wasn’t the last time that he did this. Look at Season 15. The season where he quit the team, essentially leaving behind his makeshift family. Why? Because he was sick of the constant struggles and decided to do what he wanted. In this case, he actually DID tell them to their faces the reason why instead of lying like he did with Sister, but it’s still Grif deciding that he’s had enough and doing something for himself. And, like before, it made him miserable. He no longer had anyone. There were no more adventures, but he also had no one with him but himself. That drove him crazy. He can’t stand being alone. He loves the Reds and Blues, and he realized that he needed them. It’s why he went back and he apologized the first chance that he got.

He shouldn't have left the Reds and Blues, and that’s how he felt about Kai. He shouldn’t have left. It’s hard to not blame Grif for his choices. because... yeah, he had every right to call bullshit on a life that he hated and try to change it. Both times. But both times, he found himself in something worst and was just as unhappy as he was before as he found himself in situations beyond his control. It’s like no matter what he did, he couldn’t escape it. He was always going to be like a pinball, knocked around over and over no matter what he did. The fact that he never just tried talking out never helped. He never talked his feelings out to Kai. He never talked them out to the Reds and Blues. He kept running form his problems instead of just getting it over with to get through it as quickly as possible.

While S17 didn’t do a very good job of illustrating Grif’s development, it was still there. He had quit complaining about his the constant work, for example. And I think that the finale does illustrate that on some level, he did learn. He ends up in Kai’s Labryinth, and he finally decides to come clean about everything. How he lied. How he was unhappy and tried to find more structure for his life. How he hadn’t meant to cut Kai out, and he felt too guilty to bring anything up himself. And he outright says that whenever Kai wants to talk about it, he’ll do it. He’s willing to talk the feelings out, both his own and Kai’s. He never would have done this in the beginning of the series, not even with his own sister because he always avoided those kinds of talks. He did talk his feelings out some with Simmons in S15, which was a good step, but he still avoided talking in depth about it by just saying that he hated everyone, but he still needed them and was their ‘hateglue’. Yeah imo, he just said that as a copout to avoid talking any further about his actual feelings about the constant adventures, which he did finally talk about with Huggins a season later. So this is a big step forward for him as a person since he’s at least now willing to talk to his sister about everything.

So how does this affect Grif’s characterizaiton? I don’t think it changes too much. I mean, yeah he wasn’t drafted which may affect things some fan perceptions. But it is still using what’s been given in-show for him. He was still essentially forced into things beyond his control over and over again, even after his military service was more or less over. He never got anything out of it, at least at first. Remember how Doc didn’t mention him when he pointed out how everyone got what they wanted in S10? Yeah, because Grif hadn’t. He hated the military and was only then starting to not hate the people that he was stuck with. Has he gotten what he wanted now? To an extent. He has people that he loves and realized that he didn’t want to be without. He’s actually trying to work through problems now and starting to realize that he needs to talk shit out instead of avoiding it. But he still hates the constant adventures and he’s not 100% there yet, but he’s certianly progressing. Kind of like how Tucker has still been progressing these past few seasons. I’d say that at this point, Grif is starting to find that structure and is certianly int he place that he needs to be. The structure is still a little shaky and incomplete, but it’s certianly a work in progress.

Simply, Grif is in a better place than he had been before. As I said, he’s still got progress to make and S17 could have done a better job in that area, but he’s certianly on his way. I think what has to happen with him now is for him to start opening up to the others more like he was able to with Huggins, or at the very least to someone like Simmons or Kai. He can't control them getting dragged into another adventure, but if he can vent it out and have that support, he can endure it. He may still moan and groan about it some, but he’s not going to quit anymore, he’s going to work through it as quickly as he can. He’s becoming better, now he just needs to find some form of stability.

#rvb #rvb17 #dexter grif

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ironeyedkiller · 3 years

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Mo' Penis, Mo' Problems

Vishous: *Almost a month had passed since the Brotherhood brought Xhex in to test the trainees. Almost a month of cop being gone. Almost a month of trying to figure out what the fuck was normal now. Half of my night was spent with the King at the audience house. Tohr_hharm_bdb, #Phury, #Rhage, and #Z was getting ready to escort #Wrath back to the mansion. I had decided to stay behind, logging into the secretary computer to do some more screenings for the Trainee Program. I had hours to kill and the night off. Just then the civilian phone line rang on the desk and I let it go to voicemail. The voice on the other end of the line was not who I expected, and I picked up the receiver before she finished her sentence.* "I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. If you would have asked nicely, I could have given you my personal number." I mused.

Xhex: [Why the hell does the earth never open up to swallow you whole when you really need it to? Like now.] Vishous. I don’t have the words to express how much I am /not/ in the mood for you right now. [Seriously, it’s not that hard to let shit go to voicemail, but no, apparently the civilian line has some sort of old school answering machine function that lets people pick up before you’ve said your piece. At least @MurhderBDB_ is still in my underground room, though I doubt that will last long. Tapping the button for speaker, I set my phone on the counter as I start filling my kettle.] Look, I need to meet with you. Somewhere neutral, because I won’t be alone. And fast. [Sighing, I switch my phone back as I set the water to boil. If I’m lucky, this will all get handled quickly, and without any grief. Then again, when has Vishous ever /not/ given me grief?]

Vishous: *smirking as I parked my ass in the leather chair around the desk.* "Not alone and fast? You must have enjoyed yourself so much at our last encounter that you want to bring a friend. I'm not opposed to threesome's but I didn't peg you for that MO."

Xhex: [I can hear the smirk through the phone, the twist of the lip creating a tone that is unmistakable. Fuck business. Vishous has a knack for getting my back up, under my skin, and in my head all at once.] So you went bragging, and /that's/ why John Matthew showed up at my cabin in full bonded male mode? I'm amazed you both survived. [There is nothing to punch in easy range, except walls. Nowhere near as satisfying as the throat of a certain male. Who would probably enjoy the pain. Scrubbing a hand over my hair, I wait for a response.]

Vishous: "I'm not one to brag, however your scent on me must have pissed him off. So instead of asking the right questions, he went to you. *Shrugging even though you couldn't see it* "It's not my business what happens between you two. So you want to tell me why you called this phone? Or are we going to flirt through this line all night?"

Xhex: [Growling low, I shake my head. Fuck, if I knew what one drink would lead to…] I called the Brotherhood line about Brotherhood business. As for flirting with you? Between John Matthew and… the other male who showed up at my cabin? Mo' penis, mo' problems.

Vishous: *chuckling at your statement but then very quickly back to business* "Brotherhood business? Start talking."

Xhex: [Finally! Still wishing I had been able to leave a simple voicemail, I know there is no easy or gentle way to do this. And I hate beating around the bush anyway.] Murhder. I got home last night, and Murhder was in my cabin.

Vishous: *I set my jaw, sitting up straighter in the chair.* "How exactly did he get into your cabin?"

Xhex: [Confession time.] I gave him a key. A long time ago. [No way am I going into the details of that with anyone, let alone Vishous. I knew it was dangerous to go to the colony. I knew I might never come back. And I knew Murhder was getting attached. It had been almost dawn when I pressed the key into his hand, and told him how to find my cabin. Then I wrote him a letter, explaining what I was and why I left, and dematerialized to my father's people.] I don't know what to make of his reason for coming back now. So. Where do you want me to take him? [Waiting for an answer, I lean over to check my front door for my houseguest.]

Vishous: *My diamond eyes narrowed and I found myself clenching the receiver a little too tightly.* "What makes you think the Brotherhood wants anything to do with the male. We kicked his ass out because he's bat shit crazy, feel me? As far as I'm concerned it sounds like a you problem."

Murhder: *I stood at the front door, having spent the dawn in the cabin's basement. I didn't sleep. I couldn't. Instead I focused on every creek the floorboards made as she walked along them. The ding of the microwave and the smell of coffee as she prepared her cup. The scents of soap and sounds of rushing water as she bathed. And at last the sounds of her breathing as she slept. Did I let myself in? Knock? Fuck. I knocked.*

Xhex: [Of all the fucking short-sighted, narrow-minded, pass the buck bullshit… Vishous had to call me on mine. Fuck.] You're right. It is my problem that he showed up at my place. Then again, he might not have been able to find any of you males, since you all live at Club Testosterone now. The Commodore wasn't even built the last time Murhder was in town. [Raking a hand through my hair, I try to moderate my tone, as much as I want to snarl and rip someone's throat out, it's not productive.] Look, I'm not so sure on the crazy. What he's describing does not sound like how my… how symphaths work. Kicked out or not, he still has a Brotherhood scar, and a Brotherhood name. You can't cut that loose in Caldwell. [Hearing a sharp rap at the door, I am done with reason.] Give me a time and an address, or I'm at the front door in fifteen. [Checking that the blade holstered at the small of my back is still secure and accessible, I march to my door, my bootheels ticking off the seconds.]

Vishous: *Well I can't argue with that* "Meet me at your club, we can talk in your office. Currently I don't want him anywhere near the First Family." *I hung up before she could argue locale and made my way out of the Audience House. I did a double check on my weapons before dematerializing into the crisp night air.*

Xhex: The club is hardly… [Too late to protest as the line goes dead. At least Vishous agreed to meet with Murhder. Shoving my phone in my back pocket, I reach out to open the door. My eyes narrow on the male on the other side. I hope he's ready for this. I may not be able to get John Matthew to unbond, but maybe I can help get Murhder back where he belongs.] Vishous has agreed to see you. We need to get downtown. I'd take my bike but [Vishous might decide against the meeting if we take too long] it's built more for speed than passengers. We can dematerialize in stages. Some parts of the city have barely changed.

Murhder: *I was about to knock again when the door swung open. Judging from her facial expressions and tone she was less than thrilled.* "I'm not going unarmed, and I'll follow your lead."

Vishous: *I made my appearance around the back of the club, before walking around to the entrance. I cut the line and the bouncer immediately let me inside. I push past the moving bodies to the staircase that led up to Xhex's office. There was another bouncer standing by the entrance.* "I have a meeting with your boss. She's on her way. I'd like to wait for her inside." *He eyed me up and down and I assumed he realized he wouldn't win that battle, before opening the door and letting me in. He didn't close the door. He was watching me. Whatever. I parked it on one of the couches in her very large office. And waited.*

Xhex: [Not sure if I'm relieved or disappointed that things are going down with this meeting so quickly. Part of me expected a fight, and part of me wanted one. Nodding once, I search my memory for some of the least changed areas of Caldwell. The police station hasn't changed anything except the paint in decades. Well, the cameras may have gotten an upgrade, but they're easy to wipe.] You remember where the cop shop is? There's a flat roof section at the back with the mechanicals. It will keep us clear of the police, and give us good sight lines to get down to street level. [Grabbing my jacket, I pull it in and lock the door, before scattering myself to get downtown.]

Murhder: *Nodding, I scattered my molecules to the wind until I reached the destination she mentioned. I made sure to reappear on the roof like she said, keeping my body low and instantly scanning the area before she appeared. I didn't want to take any chances, especially with her safety, even though I knew she could handle herself. When I knew the area was clear I stood up. The streets were definitely busier, louder, and smelled. The lights were blinding. It was almost an overload to the senses. But beneath it all it felt like home.*

Xhex: [Reforming on the roof of the CPD, I take a moment to assess Murhder. Everything I can see passively looks like the warriors he is, collected and ready for anything. His grid is impossible to get a read on though, almost like Everything's OK brand sheetrock to hide the emotional structure. Neat trick. Leaning over one edge of the building, careful not to cast a shadow on the ground below, I look down to see a perp walk in progress. Putting a finger to my lips for quiet, I follow up with three fingers, then a square, and a direction point. Three blocks that way is a blank lot, beside a warehouse scheduled for the same demolition fate as the patch of land I've indicated. I wait only long enough for an acknowledgement before dematerializing to the target.]

Murhder: *Shifting back into full warrior stealth mode, I watch her hand signals and nod as she dematerializes again. I wait a moment before following her.*

Vishous: *Growing God damn impatient, I shoot Xhex's bouncer a look and stand up to leave. I hurry down the staircase and leave the building through the back entrance. I guess I'll find her myself, she wouldn't be stupid enough to bring him to the Audience House. With my blood in her system she will be easy enough to track. I concentrate and dematerialize a few blocks away from the club.*

Xhex: [Taking shape in the vacant lot, I scan for any random humans. This stretch of land is painfully open, despite being in the shadow of a warehouse, but people are rarely smart. Luckily, there are no stray junkies or drunks tonight, but there is a tent set up right beside the abandoned building. Jogging over, I reach for my blade, knowing Murhder should be here any second in case there's trouble.]

Murhder: *I reappeared a few meters away from where Xhex was now jogging. Her blade was drawn and I immediately withdrew a blade from it's holster and ran to catch up. I made sure my footfalls were quiet. Something wasn't right, but I didn't have time to figure it out. Shit hit the fan and fast.*

Xhex: [Despite the odd location, nothing about the tent stands out on closer inspection, my ears perk up at noises from inside the warehouse though. The building is boarded and taped, but the door is wide open, the lock clearly cut. Checking behind me for Murhder, I slip inside the door, and quickly off to one side. The stench inside is unmistakable. Lessers.]

Murhder: *Riding Xhex's ass was an understatement. I could smell Lessers all over this place. Before I could tell her this was definitely a bad idea and we should wait for V or backup, she had slipped behind the wide door. I followed her, keeping low and moving in front of her. I cursed to myself, wishing I had come more armed. A dagger and a few knives wasn't going to cut it. But I'll make do. I've worked with less. And my female was armed. And she knew how to shoot. My female? No Murhder, not anymore. I shook my head to let her know this was definitely a bad idea when I heard footsteps coming closer from inside. I held up my fingers, four maybe five. I widen my stance, the handle of the blade to my chest, pointy end outwards, and waited.*

Vishous: *Reforming my molecules to a dark corner near the entrance of an abandoned warehouse, was definitely not where I expected Xhex to be. I knew immediately from the stink that this was not where we should be. Heavy footfalls came from around the corner and I palmed my glock. The lesser reached in the back of his pants but I had my gun drawn and fired off a few rounds in his skull. More than likely alerting his friends. I moved to where he went down and kicked the gun from his hand. I unsheathed a dagger and plunged it into his chest cavity. With a flash of light and a pop he was no more than a slick puddle of black oil. I wiped the dagger off on my leathers and sheathed it. Then I crouched, keeping my gun pointed to the ground and went inside to the entrance of the warehouse. I found cover off to the side where I spotted Murhder and Xhex across from me. Bullets whizzed past my cover and lots of shouting. Fucking great they had guns and there was at least five of them. I waited until there was a pause in the gunfire before popping up from my cover and aiming for whatever limbs I could see. The warehouse was dim, and echoing bullets left and right. It was hard to pinpoint the exact location of gunfire. I tucked down again and reloaded my last clip. I glanced over to Xhex and Murhder and raised up my gun, signaling I was almost out. The voices were coming closer, gunshots louder. Fuck.*

Xhex: [Nodding in agreement at Murhder’s assessment of the numbers we’re up against, I’m already planning my first attack when I feel an echo of my own blood materialize outside. For maybe the first time in my life, I hope it’s Vishous. And then a gunshot rings out from outside, putting all of the lessers inside on high alert. The first bullet inside confirms that any chance I had of cloaking myself and taking the enemy out quietly is gone. Damn. Pulling out the dagger from the small of my back, I know I’ll have to wait for a reload. Seeing Vishous duck in with a Glock in hand, I really hope his shot wasn’t the one that started this party. Not that it changes anything now. Five of them with firearms, three of us with only one gun, and limited ammo. At least the lessers seem to be burning through their bullets without bothering to find a target first. Idiots. Cocking my head to the side, I focus on the one steadily approaching set of footsteps. Adjusting my grip on my blade for a low attack, I raise my left hand, pointing to the spot I expect to the lesser, and count down, folding in my fingers. Three. Two. One.]

Murhder: *My dagger hand burned and I sensed something in the air, my head turned to see a huge male with diamond eyes tuck in cover from the entrance. Had to be Vishous, and he was armed. I returned my attention to the short pause in gunfire and Xhex had changed her stance, she was going to go in for an attack while the lesser was reloading. As she moved in, Vishous was providing cover fire but another lesser stepped out of the shadows and I moved. A fucking blur of shadows as the lesser raised his handgun at my female. I only saw red before I jumped him, my dagger plugged into the side of his throat. Black blood spewing. He stumbled back with me on top of him. I snapped his arm with the gun and he screamed as the gun fell with a clatter. I had his body pinned on the ground with mine, my knees on his thighs. I clawed at his face, and his chest with my hands. Shredding cloth and meat. My hands soaked in oil slick blood, squelching as I rearranged his organs. The fucker had stopped screaming and I pulled out another dagger and plunged it into his empty chest cavity. Sending him straight back to the Omega. Another lesser turned the corner, he dropped his gun in horror and V popped him with a bullet between the eyes. When the lesser went down I finished him off as well.*

Xhex: [The split second of time it takes to clear the corner is all the time it takes for everything to go to hell. I don’t know why I expected Murhder would let me take the lead, but his charge throws off my own planned attack. With two blinding flashes in quick succession, I lose track of the remaining enemies, but not the fully loaded gun that dropped. Diving for the weapon with the burning afterimage interfering with my vision, I rely on my hearing to track enemies as my hand closes on the butt of the gun. Vishous has his hands full with one lesser, but where is the last? Running through my count again, I feel my stomach drop as I hear a gunshot. Swinging around to the sound, I plug the fucker quick, four compass point shots to center body mass. It's only as I reach for my dagger to finish off my target that the sequence of events registers in my mind. The lesser I just shot had Vishous dead to rights. But he's still up. And Murhder isn't. Closing my eyes against the flash, I plunge my dagger into the oozing chest cavity. There's red blood too, and way too much of it. Pulling out my phone to dial Manello, I snap at Vishous.] Quit playing, Murhder's hit!

V: *I was out of fucking ammo and Murhder just had to play raging vampire. I knew he was crazy, but I didn't realize he was “hey let me charge a lesser without a gun” crazy. I moved quickly as Murhder was plunging daggers into bodies. Two left. I moved past Murhder, palming a dagger when a lesser turned the corner and slams me up against the wall. My dagger slides out of my hand and I knee the fucker in-between his legs and shove hard. He staggers enough for me to get a hold around his body, but he is big and it's a power struggle. A gunshot goes off right, close enough to make my fucking ears ring. The lesser gets an arm free and uppercuts my solar plexus. Multiple gun shots. I twist and put a hand on each shoulder, bringing his head down. I slam my knee into his face, once, thrice. Black blood spews and he goes down. My ears stop ringing enough for me to register shouting. My name. I quickly pull out a dagger and finish off the lesser in front of me. Nearly out of breath I turn and access the situation. Xhex is screaming at me, holding a phone to her ear while her other hand is covering Murhders neck. The blood was spilling like a fountain and the brother was gagging and turning blue.*

Xhex: [Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! This is way beyond basic bandaging. Hitting the speaker button, I drop my phone on Murhder's chest so I have a free hand to search for something I can use on this wound.] How the hell am I supposed to know what too much pressure is? His color sucks, but I don't know if that's blood loss, or if I'm choking him trying to stop the bleeding! [Pulling a scarf out of my pocket, something from Trez on a recent cold night, I wad the fabric up and press it firmly to the wound. I'm sure the human doctor is using his most calm voice, but the words are a meaningless buzz beyond the obvious fact that his voice coming through the phone means he is not here to take over. Vishous, though, is a trained medic. Even though it sets my teeth on edge, I turn to the male.] Tell me what to do to help you. Manello is on the way.

Vishous: *I go over and get to my knees* "Hold him up and move the scarf so I can see the wound." *She manages to get Murhder in a somewhat upright position and I notice the bullet wound from the side of the males neck. I speak loudly so Manny can hear me* “Bullet wound to the side of the throat. I'm going to have to perform an emergency tracheotomy.” *I pull out a pen from my jacket and unscrew the tip off, pulling out the ink cartridge and tossing it aside. I unsheathe a clean dagger and make a small incision on the anterior side of his neck. I put the dagger down and insert the empty pen to open a direct airway so that he can breathe. Manny is shouting ETA but I hear none of it. My glowing eyes flick to Xhex.* “Don’t worry he will live.”

Xhex: [The field aspect of the surgery happening in front of me is the only thing saving me from a full on panic attack. Swap that dagger for a scalpel, and I would be hyperventilating in a corner.] He better. He just saved us both. [The need to get away, to pace, to move, is making my skin crawl. I can't even look at Murhder anymore, knowing the only thing I can do is exactly what I am doing. Years later, when Manello /finally/ arrives - it's probably two minutes, but whatever - I'm too numb to help lift the male into the surgical unit. Not tracking anything anyone is saying to me, I still manage to scramble into the back of the vehicle. Some noise of protest follows, because nobody wants the symphath with the fear of hospitals screwing up life saving surgery.] You need a female in case he needs to feed. [Dead. Silence. The clang of the closing door starts up all the chatter and activity again. I park my ass on a stool in a corner, unsure what I just started, but very certain that it will come back to bite me. Soon.]

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laryna6 · 7 years

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There are things that I want to reblog, because something needs to be done, but they’re just vile. I feel dirty just reading them.

I’m reminded of seeing someone say ‘there was a lot more attention when Marvel made Captain America Hydra than when it made Magneto Hydra,’ and I think that’s because people considered making Captain America an ahistorical fuckup.

At the time, sure, Irish people were targeted along with black people by America’s eugenicists trying to eliminate their populations by keeping them from having children. Making Captain America Hydra at the time would have been racist as fuck.

These days, well, having a black president doesn’t mean racism against black people is over, but if we had another Irish Catholic president, this time only complete nutjobs would be going ‘America will be dragged into sin because the Pope rules the country now and he’s an agent of the devil’ rather than that being enough of a ‘valid concern’ to get discussed in official interviews. (It’s Muslims these days.) Racism against Irish people is really not a thing in modern America, so when someone made an Irish person in the WWII era Hydra, you could blame them not realizing that Steve Rogers was part of two groups targeted for genocide (Irish and disabled) on not doing the fucking research. People saw it as an error that should be corrected.

Everyone knows the Nazis and other eugenicists wanted to eliminate Jewish people. Making Magneto Hydra... you can’t blame that on ignorance. That’s a ‘fuck you this is deliberate.’ You stop engaging in dialogue and start engaging in boycott.

The thing is that racism against the Irish is over in America.

Finally.

For now.

Eugenicists considered Irish people monkeys, just like black people. Racial purity means purity. If we let them start rolling back progress? Organized racism against Irish people is within living memory. The KKK was founded to oppress the Irish. Racists want to roll back civil rights to an era when we did not have white privilege, and if you think they’ll take away everyone else’s rights and leave ours alone you’re effing delusional.

Using divide and conquer tactics on Celts and POCs, playing them against each other to keep them from allying to overthrow the white masters is American tradition going back to the very first (Celt) slaves brought to the colonies that became the US.

If these bastards aren’t stopped, they’re going to try to use the Irish as a ‘model minority’ again. Well, it didn’t protect us from genocide last time.

If you’re Irish-American, what’s going on now is your problem. If you let them swindle you, you have no right to call yourself Irish...

...but giving up your cultural identity still won’t make them consider you white.

‘The blacks of Europe’ were often used as overseers, cops, and other buffers between POCs and ‘real’ humans.

Ireland had been colonized for centuries and still hasn’t gotten its ancient cultural centers back. The big migration of Irish people to America was caused by a genocide: the English were taking food from Ireland for England while the Irish starved and depicting Irish as monkeys in newspapers. It was too easy to turn ‘we’re not monkeys’ into ‘you’re not like the other POC, right? You don’t want to be treated like them?’ Irish people were treated better in America than in their colonized homeland. They were used to seeing people treated as inferiors on racial grounds, that was how the world worked under British plantation owners. A lot of them failed to realize that no, it was not nice not to be at the bottom of the heap for once.

An Irish person who votes Republican is voting for the ideological descendants of the people who banned them from getting college educations on racial grounds. Who turned them into serfs (like slaves, but not worth money: more where they come from, they breed like the animals they are) in their own homeland and banned them from practicing their traditional culture? You’ve seen Riverdance? How they’re so stoic and barely moving from the waist up? That was so the overseers watching them over the hedges wouldn’t catch them preserving traditional dance.

How do you think the English learned the native culture and religion elimination tactics they use on Native Americans? They had colonialism down to a science before they hit the Americas. There’s a reason the French and English treated Native Americans so differently, and it’s because the English already had a tradition of turning natives into slaves and taking away their land and justifying it on the basis of race. They were so good at running colonies because they’d been doing it for centuries.

The idea that the fifties was a happy time is bullshit: there’s a reason the people who became adults in that era were called the Beat Generation: they were beaten down, even the white males. People were getting hauled in for fucking thought crimes.

But some idiots want to go back to that era. They want to recreate the social structure at the time, with whites at the top. Getting crapped on and hauled in by secret police yes, but less than everyone else.

And Irish people should be very afraid of this, because back then we weren’t white.

There’s that quote about ‘first they came for the... then they came for me.’ Eventually, they will get around to the Irish. It’ll begin with the Irish having to ‘prove they’re white’ by ‘serving the country,’ as police, as military, as enforcers so good whites don’t have to deal with the dirty POC.

By the time Irish people aren’t allowed to get college educations anymore, other non-whites aren’t going to like us very much. Why would they stand up for us if we were used to beat them down when they stood up for themselves, just like before?

My dad votes Republican and it drives me crazy, because he was there for the racist objections to Kennedy seeming like ‘perfectly logical concerns,’ he was there for America’s first non-WASP president getting assassinated, he was able to get a college education and become a doctor because Irish Catholics were finally getting the ability to be upwardly mobile and it really wasn’t a coincidence that this happened in the Civil Rights Era..

Irish people have white privilege now. If/as racism intensifies, the concept of losing white privilege and getting treated like POC is going to get scarier and scarier. It might be too easy to fall into the trap of being treated better than POC provided we’re of use to the real whites, even if of course we’re not ‘real people’ to them.

tl;dr Irish Celts in America from the Thirteen Colonies to the Civil Rights Era were in a position where we weren’t POC but we were not white either., and we should be very afraid of anyone who wants to ‘restore American traditions’ like using minorities against each other because becoming a ‘model minority’ did jack shit to protect us from genocide the first time.

Also, because of all that time when Irish people were being played against black people, most POC consider Irish rights as laughable as Men’s Rights. If we as a group hang them out to dry trying to get treated like citizens instead of serfs like in back in effing Jamestown, why the hell should they speak up when the eugenicists come for us once again?

#non-fandom rants #what's going on is scary and disgusting

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