driftfleet | dreams in digital

Entry tags:

dreams in digital

[ Calibration Rooms ]
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ROOMS BY CHARACTER

A - C

Connor

D - F

G - I

Haggar

J - M

Lup

(last updated: 1/21/19)

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[Holographic window. Fancy.

He scrolls through the list. Kaname has treated him to some of her songs, but not all of the titles are familiar, and he's not sure if there is a right or wrong choice here.]

Lucky seven it is.

[He taps on the seventh track.]

[All around him the white stage and walls vanish. He finds himself in an audience, one among tens of thousands-- likely many more. Everyone around him is holding a glowstick shaped like a capital W, and he instantly knows it's for Walküre. He also knows to look upwards.

Above him is a mass of floating cubes, turning and tilting and shooting off lights no matter which way they go. In the center stands the group. Thanks to a combination of holograms, screens, and whatever else is used, everyone present has a nice view of the following show in all its splendor.

When it concludes, he's back on the white stage, walls as barren as before. Kaname's figure still smiles at him, but this one is more pleased than before.]

[His jaw is still hanging open when he finds himself back at the start.]

Wow...

Wow! That was...

[He struggles for words. There were so many people! And the lights, and dancing, and the massive special effects, and, and...]

That was amazing! That's what you do? Like, is it like that all the time?

[Holy shit, his girlfriend is like, mega famous!]

[Kaname chuckles then nods.]

For planned concerts, it very much can be. People from multiple planets and systems come to see us. It's a lot of fun.

[Her tone seems pleased that he finally gets to see her in action.]

It looks awesome. I wish I could see that for real.

[It was nice to see Mikumo and Freyja again, as well.]

Can I try another one?

[His finger hovers over the third track.]

[The track is selected, and the scene shifts. Walls and floors vanish, as does the pedestal. You're somehow watching outside the event, but you're present at the same time. The scene plays out.

You know the circumstances well enough. Mikumo's being held, and Walküre's receiving no information. So they decide to take matters into their own hands. They manage to break in to a certain point. Makina holds the guard back, Kaname runs.

Alarms sound and sirens blare with warning lights flashing at every turn. Kaname finds a place to hide. She throws her hair clip as a distraction, a hologram popping up. The other way feels right, so she sings, knowing her voice has to reach Mikumo. Consequences be damned, they need their friend back.

The singer reaches a door and slows down, voice quieting. Thanks to Reina, it opens. She hears the words before she sees the figure. Soft lyrics to match her own. Inside, Mikumo floats in a tube illuminated by green lights. Empty tubes surround her in an after thought.]

Mikumo...

[And the scene fades back into the sterile white walls of the stage.]

[It's all very impressive, until she reaches the final room.

Those look like the kind of tubes that would hold people. Clones. Not quite the same design, but similar enough. That Mikumo is floating in one just confirms it.

Back in the starting room, he gives Kaname a puzzled look.]

What was that?

[He knows what it looked like, but he needs confirmation.]

[The hologram smiles softly, shaking her (its?) head.]

A story for another day, when we're both ourselves.

[Kaname can't move towards him as a hologram, but she can reach out her hand.]

What would you like to do now?

[He's not satisfied with that. Too impatient and too curious. But he nods reluctantly and looks at the track list.

He taps the very first song.]

This one.

[She notices the expression on his face and chuckles to herself. As a hologram might. Probably. Still, as he taps the track, the scene shifts.

Surrounded by rubble and debris, gunfire, missiles, and explosions, Prompto will recognize Mikumo stepping to the forefrom. Transforming and joined by the others ejected from planes, they set their stage and do their thing.

Even as an onlooker, it's easy to tell this is just another day for them, despite getting fired at.]

[That was even more impressive than the concert. Even knowing what it is she does, he hadn't pictured that. There was a lot more violence, for one. Transforming planes - that was a surprise. Jumping out of those planes? His heart skipped a beat.]

You're really brave, Kaname. You know that?

[His statement gets her to shake her head.]

I'm not. I'm simply... accustomed to it now. And I'm their leader, I need to set an example for them to follow. That's all.

[Still, it was nice of him to think so.]

It means a lot that you think that.

Still brave.

[Jumping out of planes (without a parachute!? He did not see any parachutes!) and working under gunfire is brave. Sorry. He doesn't make the rules.

He considers the playlist again.]

Is there anything you don't want me to see?

[Who needs a parachute when there are rocket skirts??

Kaname tilts her head slightly.]

I think you're able to leave if you'd like. But... no. If there's anyone here I'd be okay with seeing everything, it would be you.

[Rocket skirt + parachute, safest option!!

That reply makes him unreasonably happy. It means so much that she trusts him with her memories.]

Even if they were really embarrassing?

[The picture next to #8 looks interesting.]

What about this one?

Even then.

[Of course even then. What a silly question.

She chuckles a little as he taps the track. The scene shifts again, along with a shift in appearance for three of Walküre and Messer. Undercover work, obviously.

They work well as a team, the other two girls hanging back for Messer and Kaname to do their part. Distract, bump, scratch, it goes without a hitch. Reina analyzes the sample, and they make their progress. Once Kaname states the military and police are affected, they're back in the white stage area, the selected song still playing.]

You guy even went undercover, huh? That's really cool. Like spies!

[He grins over at her.]

The cat ears were cute.

We're part of Xaos's intelligence division as well, we've got a few skills we use in our work.

[Can a hologram huff in amusement? Because this one does.]

Voldorans are cat-people. Ears, tails, claws... we needed to blend in.

Heh. Even Messer looked approachable.

[He looks over the list, feeling fortunate that she's allowed him to see so many.]

Axia. Is this one okay?

[At his suggestion, her expression flickers from jovial to almost uncertain. After a long moment, she nods.]

I said I'd be all right with anything.

[The look on her face makes him hesitate, but not quick enough to stop from selecting the song. He'll apologize later.]

[Freyja and Mikumo are down, watched over by Makina and Reina, leaving Kaname the only one standing. A flash of light appears in the sky, a new plane, not one of the enemy's. She looks up in surprise. It's obvious who it is, who it shouldn't be.

She's directly in the line of fire, but he saves her, blocking the shot and taking down an enemy. The angle is off, so down his Valkyrie falls. The cockpit opens, and he asks her to sing for him before the Var consumes him for good.

Of course she hesitates. She's not the voice of Walküre anymore for a reason. He says her name again, causing her to look back. Mikumo and Freyja are down. It really is up to her. Kaname nods. She understands.

The music starts, and she sings.

With a salute and a thank you, Messer's off, flying better than he ever has. The singer stands below, watching him soar and spin as his rival comes to meet him in the skies. She continues to sing, hoping, knowing the song reaches him. Her hands go to the bracelet music player he gave her, the one with only her song on it, the one that had served him for the past two years. It means so much to him, and now she's going to repay that faith he has in her.

Her words match his flight, they almost connect. Then they do, for a few wonderful moments. He has control, and he's matching anything they throw at him. She grips the bracelet, able to focus on what she needs to, what she can do now.

Then, through a cloud of smoke, a shot is fired, and it squarely enters his cockpit. She knows what that means. Everyone watching does. Time seems to stop, heaven knows the music does. So does her voice. His plane passes the other, angled downward where it keeps descending.

It's over. She falls to her knees, and her hands his the sand below her. Kaname shuts her eyes. She couldn't do it. She couldn't save him. A tidal wave of emotions flood her. Denial, disbelief, horror, regret, sorrow... He'd come to save her like he'd said she saved him before. Now, when it's her turn, when she knows about it, she can't. Why not?

Sorry. She's so sorry. She's so sorry she couldn't save you, Messer.]

[Tears are falling before he's even aware he's back. He swipes the back of his hand across his face.]

I'm sorry. For both of you. That, um... Guess I can't hug you here, huh?

It wouldn't work very well, no.

[Her smile's sad and almost forced, but not as much, because it's Prompto she's talking with.]

He saved me and everyone else.

Later, then.

[He nods, serious and somber.]

Yeah. I see that.

Um. [He looks over the menu again.] Is there an exit? I think I'd like to see you for real.

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axi - 2019-02-19 00:30 (UTC) - Expand

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this_loser - 2019-02-19 02:55 (UTC) - Expand

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