dreams in digital

[thespaceopera]

[ Calibration Rooms ]
( for A-M characters )

Before you post your toplevel comment, please:
1. Check the first letter of your character's name as its written in our tags. A-M names comment here, and N-Z names go to the other post.
2. Make a note in your comment if anything especially triggering or graphic might show up in the Calibration. If you're not sure if something's worth noting or not, we suggest listing it anyway, just to err on the side of caution.
3. Put your character's name (it can be shortened or different from the tag, this time) in the subject of your comment. This will help visitors find you easily, and help us update the list below.
4. Post your comment! It's fine if everyone's Calibrations end up looking and reading very different from one another. As long as you're having fun and following our guidelines, you're good to go. :)
5. If you have any questions or concerns during Calibrations, you are welcome to send them towards the mod team at any time, as always.

ROOMS BY CHARACTER

A - C Akeldama Alisha Diphda Allura Baku Ben Douglass Belthazar Carl Grimes Connor

D - F Escha Malier Eithan Paine Felix Gaeta

G - I Glenn Rhee Grievous Haggar

J - M James T. Kirk (OU) James T. Kirk (AU) Kaname Bucanneer Keith Kitty Pryde Kogarasumaru Kolivan Krolia Lance Leia Organa Leilani Lavellan Libra Loki Lordon Gesh Lup Maggie Rhee Magnus Burnsides Manji Messer Ihlefeld Mikleo Mirage Farina Jenius

(last updated: 1/21/19)

Comments

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender

[tempredmental]

[For those who had the pleasure of being at the previous calibrations and happened upon the calibration room of one Takashi Shirogane, this place was familiar. Only, this time, it wasn't Shiro.

The vast space before the newcomer feels empty at first, but slowly, a few things come into view.

Behind you is a door. It just floats there, waiting, glowing white with the promise of something beyond. The feeling about that door is nervous, but it's faint... like whatever is there has been dealt with and there's closure.

To the right is an orange glow, like a fire, warm and welcoming in the distance. There's a fond feeling in that direction, nostalgia, something in the past that was important at the time, but is more of a memory than anything else. There's also affection.

In front of you, part of the starscape has highlighted stars in various colors... red, blue, pink, yellow, green, and purple. There are three of each other in varying sizes and brightness... the large ones are the brightest, the small ones are the dimmest. The larger bright ones feel recent and new.

Which do you choose?]

[the_tailor]

[It's beautiful. Lance can't help but smile as he looks around the sea of stars, eyes flicking from object to object.

It was here, in these rooms, that he and Keith finally came to understand each other more.

He notices the colored lights, and it doesn't take much effort to figure out what the colors mean. With a little chuckle, he reaches towards one of the blue ones.]

[tempredmental]

[Lance managed to grab one the middle one... mid-size between the other two, and mid-way in brightness, too. There a flash of fond warmth for a moment that fills Lance like drinking hot cocoa, which worked because the memory that comes to him is of them decorating the Lion's Den for Christmas that year. Keith was visibly younger, thanks to his time in the quantum abyss later, and the scar on his face wasn't there. A lot had changed in a year for them, though it was more visible in Keith's appearance.

For all the awkwardness and initial shock and weirdness that Lance's actions had put them through, they ended up in a good place. As the memory faded, Lance would find himself back in the astral space of the Black Lion.]

Figures you'd find that one.

[Keith was amused.]

[the_tailor]

[The sight puts a bright, fond smile onto Lance's face. This...was the beginning of one of the best things to ever happen to him. It feels good to see it again. Gives him all the warm fuzzies and makes him want to immediately find his boyfriend and kiss the stuffing out of him.

He hears Keith's voice when he returns to the previous area, and laughs.]

'course I would, babe.

[tempredmental]

It's a good memory to find.

[Keith was happy that Lance picked that one. He walked over and took his boyfriend's hand in his own.]

As weird as these things are, I'm... I'm kind of grateful, actually. It helped us come together.

[knowledgeordeath]

[Space. It's open and almost inviting. At times he might confess only to himself that he misses sights like this since he feels he doesn't get them with this Fleet. But only ever to himself.

Looking around, Kolivan spies several things. A door. A glow of light. A starscape. Based on the lights of the last one he feels like those represent the Paladins and memories associated with them.

Surprisingly, he looks to the orange glow before walking to it. It's hard to say why he's drawn to it but it could just be that he wants to see his Blades find happiness and he wants to know what brings this feeling for Keith. Just don't expect him to ever admit to something like that. Often at least.]

[tempredmental]

[As Kolivan got closer, he'd feel a strange energy. It felt like a presence reaching out to him, but also playing coy and hard to get. The glow around him grew and soon he was in the hangar bay of Sendak's ship. Hovering in a protective red particle barrier, the Red Lion waited, inactive, held in place with massive braces and cables. No one seemed to know how to bring down the barrier.

Suddenly, the doors opened and Keith, fresh from Earth, wearing his Red Paladin armor, came running into the room.]

Bingo. Let's get out of here. Open up.

[Keith stepped up to the barrier and placed his hand on it. Nothing happened.]

It's me. Keith. Your buddy. [Still nothing.] It's me! Keeeeeeiiiiith, your—I. AM. YOUR. PALADIN!

[Red stayed firmly sealed up... like she was mocking him.

After a moment, Kolivan, having been feeling Keith's building frustration this whole time, felt a suddenly sheepish idea of knocking on the barrier, like someone had previously suggested it, and he'd thought it was dumb. He brought his hand up and gave a small knock. Before any response could potentially happen, though, the doors to the hangar opened again and a bunch of sentries ran in. Keith gave a mental curse, activating his shield as he took cover from the weapons fire as best he could.]

I'm bonding with you! Hey! Come on! We're connected!

[Completely ignored by Red once again. Keith clenched his teeth for a moment, and then activated his bayard, jumping up and charging at the sentries.]

You're not getting this lion!

[Keith did his best against them, but he was still new to the whole Paladin thing. His fighting skills from home hadn't prepared him for something on this level, and he was soon in trouble. One of the blasts got through, and Keith barely got his shield up in time to block, but he was knocked back into the console that controls the doors. His shield still in place, he looked at the control, and then at the doors. He clearly wouldn't have known that Galra tech only worked for Galra and he didn't yet know he was part Galra himself, but he slammed his hand down on that control anyway. The doors opened to the vacuum of space and the sentries were sucked out. Keith clung to the console, grunting with the effort, until he was knocked loose by flying debris.

Suddenly, he was flying through space, untethered in the middle of a battle between the battlecruiser and the Blue and Yellow Lions. He was scared... very scared... Even his Garrison training, incomplete as it was from being kicked out, hadn't truly given him the experience he needed to be suddenly getting sucked out into space like that. It was one thing to know what one should do, but it was another to suddenly find oneself in the actual life-threatening situation... especially in the middle of a firefight of three massive space vehicles.

And then... she was there. With lightning speed characteristic of just her, Red swooped in, opening her jaws and taking Keith out of the battle. Despite her speed, she still managed to grab him gently enough to protect him and keep him from being injured. There was a sudden feeling of warmth and acceptance as Red seemed to thank Keith for saving her and defending her. As the seat slid into place and Keith grabbed the controls, he smirked.]

Good kitty.

Let's roll.

[Despite the effort, it was still a fond memory. Keith's relationship with Red was important. She helped him get through some difficult times and gave him a purpose. And for that, he was thankful. Having her choose Lance when Black decided it wanted Keith was good. Keith knew Red would be good for Lance. She'd help him grow. Keith had finally accepted Black's choice, but he would always have a fond place for Red and the family she helped him find.

Kolivan would find himself back in the mental plane, a warm fire where the glow had been, but feeling drawn back towards the center of the area he'd just left. There was more. Would he choose the isolated door with mixed feelings about something in the past or one of the colored stars?]

[knowledgeordeath]

[He actually finds himself smirking and crossing his arms as he watches this unfold. Somehow he had a feeling this would be how Keith formed a bond with the Red Lion. It suits him and the way his attitude is. Honestly Kolivan wouldn't have him any other way.

Looking into the fire when he's back, he shakes his head then looks to the door. A few strides takes him to it and he touches the handle to open it.]

[tempredmental]

[Beyond the door is the inside of a rundown shack. There was a large bulletin board on the wall to Kolivan's right covered in diagrams, pictures, notes... all connected with colored strings. A few pictures stand out.

One is young Keith with young Shiro. They're both in Garrison uniforms, Shiro as of yet untouched by the Galra Empire. Behind them is a hoverspeeder, and they both look a little dusty.

The other is Team Voltron as Kolivan would remember from when he first arrived on the Castle of Lions.

The third is a very young Keith with another man. Keith resembled him a bit, showing that he was a blend of both parents in more than just that he looked like a human male version of his mother.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash immediately is drawn to the brightest red color that he sees in the room.]

[tempredmental]

[It was a Fleet memory. Lance and Keith were together on the ice planet they just left. They were celebrating something... a wedding.

They were dancing, talking about the differences between their relationship in the Fleet and back home... somewhat concerned. They had made a lot of progress in growing together in the Fleet, but it just didn't seem to be connecting back home, and Keith was worried about how hard it was getting to go back and forth the few times they had. Who knew if it was going to happen again?

As they finished their dance together, the memory faded away back into the spacescape.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash smiles. Believing in love and knowing that if these two truly love each other that it should work out between them. He know he shouldn't but can't stop himself from touching one of the purple memories next.]

[tempredmental]

[The one Vash touches is the dim one, a sense of history to it, something in the past. When the space melts away into the memory, he'll find he's in a school. Most of the kids are young... pre-to-early teens... and one in particular stands out. It's Keith, and he's definitely not paying attention to the teacher as he stares out the window, a completely disengaged look on his face.

Up front, with the teacher, is someone else who would look familiar to Vash, but, in this, Shiro's hair was completely black and he had no scar across his nose. He also still had his own right arm. He was wearing a grey uniform of sorts, talking to the other students in the class. The students were all eager, and excitedly raised their hands at the idea of trying the simulator, as Shiro had told them it a little like a video game.

Keith barely acknowledged the idea.

The memory glitched to outside the school. The class was all huddled around the simulator as they all tried one-by-one to get the furthest. One kid managed to get higher than the rest, but still failed. As they got near the end of the group waiting, Shiro turned to Keith, who had put himself off to one side, separate and facing away from everyone else.

He convinced Keith to try. Vash would feel Keith's hesitation, like he was nervous and holding back. Still, once he was at the controls of the simulator, he was killing it. He raced through level after level, leaving the rest of the class in the dust. All the students came in close to watch, impressed. Even the kid that had done the best so far got up in Keith's space, trying to see how he was doing it. Keith glared at him, annoyed.

Over the mumbling of the other students (wow, the emo kid is doing it!), Vash would hear the teacher talking to Shiro. It was like Keith, even focusing on the simulator, had honed in on their words.]

Here's a list of all the best students in the class.

Is this kid on there? He looks like he's ready to fly the real thing.

Oh, I wouldn't recommend him. He has... discipline issues. Here. Let me introduce you to James Griffon. He's our best student.

[The young boy that had done the best after Keith was introduced to Shiro. There was a sharp flare of anger that Vash would know came from Keith, and he slammed his fists on the console in front of him, clenching his teeth.

They're not even going to give me a chance, are they? Keith's thoughts were clear as day. I'm just some washed up troublemaker. Fine. They want a troublemaker, they'll get a troublemaker.

Keith shoved past the other kids, abandoning the simulator (that was still running, only crashing and failing now because Keith had released the controls), and jumped into the large all-terrain vehicle Shiro had been using to tow the simulator capsule. He quickly figured out how to start it up, and took off, leaving everyone else behind.

It didn't take long for the cops to find him. He was in a military issue vehicle, after all. The most surprising part was that Shiro didn't press charges. He even helped cover Keith's bail to release him from the juvenile detention center, then offered to help get him into the Garrison. Keith was doubtful and wary, not trusting this to be real. There was a sense that Keith had been burned by offers like this before. But Shiro seemed genuine enough and kind. He handed Keith his business card before driving away.

The scene faded, leaving Vash back in the spacescape.]

[epistemically]

[ The stars are beautiful.

She wonders a little what room she's found herself in this time when she takes a glance at the door. It pulled towards her, comforted her, the feeling of closure lying just beyond. Krolia has to tear herself away for a moment -- she could revisit the door in a moment.

She instead she looks over at the stars, deciding to start there. She reaches for one of the smallest stars - wondering why it looked so far away, why it was so dim? Her fingers graze the blue one. ]

[tempredmental]

[The memory felt distant, like a lot had happened between what she was about to see and the present time.

She would recognize Sendak from before Haggar's "upgrades", missing an arm, and the control room of the Castle of Lions. He was being held in a particle barrier, slamming his fist against it as the Paladins looked like they were regrouping. There was a corrupted Balmeran crystal hooked up to power.

Keith walked over to a badly injured Lance. He crouched down next to him, reaching out for his hand, which Lance took.]

Lance, are you okay?

We did it. We are a good team.

[They manage a small smile at each other before Lance looses consciousness. Krolia gets the distinct impression that this was an "again" moment, that they'd just finished a tough fight against Sendak and that Lance had been unconscious, but awake, and then passed out, and then awake again, only to just pass out now.

Keith looked concerned right away. He caught Lance before he could fall. Carefully, he lifted him up. Allura guided Keith to bring Lance down to the healing pods, and the memory glitched. There was a moment with the whole Voltron team around Lance's healing pod, waiting for him to come out. Keith was tapping on the pod impatiently as they tried to compare seconds to ticks. When it glitched again, the team was around a table in the dining hall, filling Lance in on the fight.]

Sounds like the mice did more than you, though. [Lance gave Keith a look.]

I punched Sendak!

Yeah, apparently after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off.

We had a bonding moment. I cradled you in my arms! [Keith's voice actually cracked as he was really upset that Lance apparently decided that Keith hadn't contributed anything to getting the Castle back from Sendak or saving his life. His held his hands out in a pleading gesture.]

Nope. Don't remember, didn't happen.

[Keith crossed his arms, glaring at Lance as they moved on to talking about where Sendak was now, and the memory slowly faded back to the spacescape.]

[itsyagirl]

...Woah.

[Veronica has never seen anything quite like this. It's like standing in space itself, except she's not dying of lack of oxygen or eyes popping out from pressure or something horrific like that.

She spots the door first. Doors seem kind of...safe? Compared to the rest of this emptiness.

She heads in that direction then, nervously reaching out to open it.]

[tempredmental]

[Beyond the door was the inside of a rundown shack. There was a large bulletin board on the wall to Veronica's right covered in diagrams, pictures, notes... all connected with colored strings. A few pictures stood out.

One was young Keith with young Shiro. They were both in Garrison uniforms, Shiro as of yet untouched by the Galra Empire. Behind them was a hoverspeeder, and they both looked a little dusty.

The other was Team Voltron, all seven of the Castle crew. The team looked a lot like they had when Lance first went missing, and Allura was not yet a Paladin.

The third was a very young Keith with another man. Keith resembled him a bit, indicating a familial relationship.]

[itsyagirl]

Oh...

[Everything clicks as she steps forward to look at the bulletin board, and she tilts her head slightly, stepping closer to it. Everything connected with strings makes her smile faintly. It looks like a conspiracy board.]

Keith's home.

[Aw, young Keith and Shiro. Veronica smiles, fingers brushing against the picture.]

[tempredmental]

[The touch brought Veronica to a vast desert that she might recognize as the area around the Garrison, not far from the Grand Canyon. There were two hoverspeeders in the distance, racing each other as they skimmed over the ground and left clouds of dust in their wake. Shiro was in the lead with Keith following. Shiro was clearly challenging Keith to keep up, navigating through difficult canyons and ravines as if he was testing Keith's skill and discipline. Keith kept up easily as they jumped a ravine, landing effortlessly and perhaps even a little smoother than Shiro on a narrow rocky ledge on the opposite side. They both banked hard to the left as they landed, avoiding slamming full-on into the rock wall.

The race continued, leaving Veronica with a sense of exhilaration from both pilots, the adrenaline junkies they were...

The scenery flattened out again, opening wide just before the two approached a cliff. Shiro pushed the accelerator, leaping off the cliff and tipping down into a nosedive. Keith slid to a stop just short of going over, watching in shock as Shiro cranked the handle, shifted hard, and forced the nose of the speeder to pull up. He barely skimmed the ground as he took off.

Keith lifted the goggles from his face, staring in awe at the trail of dust Shiro left behind.

The memory shifted to later when Keith finally caught up to where Shiro had stopped. It was a quiet moment between them.]

How did you do that?

[Shiro explained that it was a matter of timing and feeling it out. Keith asked if he thought he was ready, and Shiro posed the question back to him. Keith smiled.]

I think I'll wait a bit and practice what I already know.

[It was one of the few times Keith backed down and didn't try to take more than he could handle. Shiro was Keith's stability and a calming influence on him... which he needed, being angry at the world like he was after being left as an orphan with a missing mother and a dead father.

Which was also where the conversation slowly turned, Shiro asking Keith about him growing up out in the desert, and Keith admitting that it had just been the two of them alone until his father died on the job trying to save people from a fire.]

They told him not to go back in, but he just wouldn't listen to anyone.

[Shiro seemed to hesitate for a just tiny moment out of reverence for the subject, but then he managed a small smirk as he attempted to lighten things up.]

Sounds like someone else I know.

[That got Keith's attention, and he blinked. Was he actually more like his dad than he realized? Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Keith wasn't sure how he felt about that, but his thoughts were cut off when Shiro suddenly flinched and gripped his right wrist. He pressed a button on a bracelet-like device he was wearing before quickly pulling down his sleeve.]

What is that?

[Shiro dismissed the question, reassuring Keith it was nothing and everything was fine before climbing back up on his own speeder. He said they should head back as it was getting dark.

Keith frowned a little and the memory faded, leaving Veronica in the shack.]

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Well, this is one hell of a trippy dream. Except, he knows it isn't. It's someone's room. And as much as he knows it is contained, it's still unsettling at first, feeling like he is floating in the stars without any protective gear, even if it is beautiful.

He glanced around and saw the objects that felt tangible and real. He bit his lip, debating, but ultimately stepped forward and reached for the door, thinking it might be a way out.. ]</sub>

[tempredmental]

[Beyond the door is the inside of a rundown shack. There was a large bulletin board on the wall to Kirk's right covered in diagrams, pictures, notes... all connected with colored strings. A few pictures stand out.

One is young Keith with young Shiro. They're both in Garrison uniforms, Shiro as of yet untouched by the Galra Empire. Behind them is a hoverspeeder, and they both look a little dusty.

The other is Team Voltron, though Allura isn't a Paladin, and Shiro looked as he did when he first arrived in the Fleet. There was also a ginger man with a bushy mustache who looked like he was the same race as Allura.

The third is a very young Keith with another man. Keith resembled him a bit, showing that he was a blend of both parents in more than just that he looked like a human male version of his mother, Krolia.]

[universal_charm]

_{[ Looking at the pictures, Kirk can't help but be drawn to the one of Shiro and Keith and the hoverspeeder, the machine reminding him of his own hoverbike. The two of them looked like brothers - not in looks, perhaps, but in spirit, the ease they seemed to have with each other. Slowly he reached out, brushing his fingers over the faces of the two in the frame. ]}

[this_loser]

[The door seems the obvious choice here. That's where exits are! So he'll just head that way.]

[tempredmental]

[Beyond the door is the inside of a rundown shack. There was a large bulletin board on the wall to Prompto's right covered in diagrams, pictures, notes... all connected with colored strings. A few pictures stand out.

One is young Keith with young Shiro. They're both in Garrison uniforms, Shiro as of yet untouched by the Galra Empire. Behind them is a hoverspeeder, and they both look a little dusty.

The other is Team Voltron, but the five of them, no Coran or Allura.

The third is a very young Keith with another man. Keith resembled him a bit, showing that he was a blend of both parents in more than just that he looked like a human male version of his mother.]

[this_loser]

[Pictures. Nice.

He pauses at the pic of younger Keith and Shiro.]