pidge_out | Victory Road IC Inbox

See? Rover's got the idea. Let the dude fight. Don't be an overprotective Pokemom.

[Heh. Get it? Pokemom? Lance thinks that's his best pun today.

And don't hit him or else you'll get The Toe.]

Because everybody names their Pokemon. It belongs to you, so you name it. Didn't you have a dog at home? Did you name it or did you just call it Dog?

[Pidge glances over at Rover, who simply puffs up his feathers excitedly at the idea of FINALLY being allowed to go beat up some losers, then just lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes.] Fine, geez. It all still seems like some stupid, testosterone driven bullshit to me, but fine.

[Rover looks so pleased, though. So does Porygon, actually.]

Of course we named him, but that's-- I don't know, that just seems different.

Well, Kaltenecker's a girl and she wants to fight everything she sees, but if you want to tell her she's full of testosterone, be my guest. Just make sure to call me when you want me to drag you to the Pokecenter for healing.

[See, kids! Uncle Lance is looking out for you and your Pokemon battles. He'll convince your mom to allow anything!]

Not that different. These guys live with you. You feed them and take care of them. It's like a pet. Or Allura's mice. They've got names.

[She rolls her eyes and waves a hand dismissively.] That's not what I mean. It just feels like this whole situation... this whole world is like a manifestation of some guy's aggressive desires.

[Anyway. Pidge is just gonna scoot back a bit so she's sitting with her back up against the edge of the bed, staring at Porygon like doing so will give her a great epiphany.]

...I'm not that great at naming things, though.

Are you gonna go all rawr girl power on me now?

[Because Lance is just not ready to argue the theory of some guy's male ego creating this world. For starters, that is not his wheelhouse and secondly, it's an argument Lance would promptly lose. He ain't that smart to try.

He reaches out and playfully ruffles Pidge's hair, knowing she'll fuss about him noogying her.]

Just think over it. You don't have to do it right now. Just get to know it and see what comes to mind. You did it for Rover, you can do it again. I got faith in you, Pidge,

[She snorts.] I do that all the time, Lance.

[It's not her problem that he doesn't notice.

Also, RUDE. She reaches up to bat his hand away. He's lucky her brain is split into a few more directions than usual. Lance has to go and give her a Faith In You speech like Shiro does, and now it's like the pressure is on.]

Rover was easy. He reminds me of him. This one is... different.

[Of course he had to. He learned those kinds of speeches from the best. Who knew they actually did listen to Shiro's speeches (except for ones pertaining to them not having to pay anything towards the house, apparently.)]

And this one doesn't remind you of anything?

[Lance peers over Pidge's shoulder at the Porygon, squinting until he comes up with a similar likeness.]

What about Quackie Chan? Duck Norris?

[It's now obvious what the Porygon reminds Lance of.]

[Speak for yourself, sir. Pidge is not a Leader type, so she doesn't actually learn Shiro's speeches. She just listens to them.

But now she's giving Porygon such a critical look, ignoring Lance's invasion of space for the time being. Porygon is mostly just standing there watching Rover, who is still hopping around in circles and hooting like he's explaining what's what around here.]

...I guess it does kind of resemble a duck. Like a really low-poly digital model of a duck.

[Rover is so not helping with this naming decision thing, mainly because neither of the humans understand his racket.]

Quacker Jack? Cheese and Quackers? Quack Efron? I'm giving you all my best puns here, Pidge.

[If those are his best, then his best will never be good enough.]

I can't come up with any that roll with "a really low-poly digital model of a duck."

[She snorts, cracking a slight, amused smirk.]

As much as I appreciate them, I'd rather not get too puntastic when it comes to naming these guys.

[God, Lance, what the hell did you name your pets on Earth?]

Oh right. No fun allowed. I forgot.

[Well, fine then, Pidge. He'll take his super cool names and go home. Or just flop back on the bed, hands tucked behind his head, one leg propped up on the other.]

Do you have any ideas of your own so far?

Hey, I never said "no fun allowed."

[Because she does actually really enjoy those dumb puns.

And then she's quiet again, staring at Porygon, thinking and frowning and disappointed in herself for not being better at naming things.]

...No. I'm probably just... gonna have to sit on it for a while.

Well, it's not going anywhere. I think until you can think of a good one, it'll answer to Porygon still.

[The Pokemon does that nifty foot spin again, clearly confirming Lance's statement. It's a strange little Pokemon, this Porygon, but at least it has some kind of sentience to it.]

Anyway, you doing anything later today?

Yeah, that's true. [Pidge tilts her head at it, only for it to head tilt right back and do that footspin again. And she smiles a little.] It's kinda cute, huh?

[It's a thought that's neither here nor there, but whatever. She thinks it's a cutie in its own funny way.]

I was gonna see if I could get any further on recreating Killbot, but that's all. Why?

Shiro gave me tickets to the aquarium for my birthday and I had asked him if he wanted to go with me, but then I realized how weird that is. He gave me a gift and I'm using it on him, you know?

[He's staring up at the ceiling, almost bashful when he probably shouldn't be.]

So, wanna go? I know this means you have to leave the clown party basement, but I mean... we haven't hung out in a while and with Hunk gone, it's just us left.

[Us, being the most recent Garrison cadets. Everybody else in this house has graduated or been expelled or aren't from their world to begin with.

Plus, Lance is lonely. That's why he's still hanging about in Pidge's room without admitting that out loud.]

Oh-- [Pidge immediately smacks herself on the forehead. Lance's birthday. How could she have forgotten?!] Quiznak, I didn't get you anything for your friggin' birthday. Some friend I am...

[She feels awful about it. If Hunk was still there he would've reminded her for sure, and then they all probably would've gone off somewhere and done something stupid to celebrate. They may not have been close when they were still cadets in the Garrison, but as the three youngest members of Team Voltron they always stuck together in their downtime. They would've celebrated. They should have celebrated something as major as Lance's birthday.

Which might be why she doesn't think, doesn't hesitate, doesn't second guess when she responds in the next second.]

Dude, of course I'll go with you.

It's cool. Don't worry about it.

[Lance wasn't too tilted about Shiro being the only one who remembered. Keith doesn't know anything and Matt isn't that acquainted with Lance to even know when his birthday is to begin with. He just assumed Pidge was tied up in settling in, catching up with her brother, and upset about losing her other tech buddy, Hunk. It also helps that Lance is still convinced he's the forgettable and replaceable guy on the team, so having people just bypass the day he came into existence seems part and parcel of the plan.

That's why he's surprised Pidge answers so quickly.]

Really? [Lance sits up to make sure she's not like trolling him or anything.] You really wanna go?

[She just rolls her eyes at him a little - though she's not sure why on Earth he sounds so damn surprised.] Yeah, I just said I'd go, didn't I?

[Lance is a lot of things, and sometimes he's definitely Too Much and more than Pidge can make herself deal with. But he's also one of her closest friends and completely irreplaceable. It's easy for her to forget that he's not from the same point in time as she is because he's still so Lance, but in a lot of ways it's a shame he doesn't remember all the stupid things they've done together on the castleship.]

When were you planning on going?

[Lance hasn't yet realized that the team needs him more than he'll ever know, that he's just as important to them as he wishes he could be. The future seems a little bleak to him, especially when he begins wondering if a new Paladin will come on the scene and even the Blue Lion will decide he's no longer the one it wants. Maybe everybody else is aware how his and Pidge's friendship grows deeper over time, but right now, Lance sees himself on the outside of the house relationships. Shiro has Matt and Keith, Keith has Shiro, Pidge has Matt. Jean and Armin and Sasha have each other. Lance has nothing now that Hunk is gone. The short stick is the one he seems to be pulling forever.]

Uh... today? If you're really not busy. Or tomorrow if you are. Or whenever you're not busy.

[Does he sound desperate for company? A little, but he hopes with enough options laid out on the table, Pidge will pick one.]

[Pidge takes on a thoughtful look for a moment, lips pursed slightly while she goes over her mental checklist of What To Do Today.

There's not much. No time like the present, then. Waiting any longer would just means Lance's birthday celebration is even more belated, and that sucks.]

Today works. Let me just get my shoes on first.

[And up she goes, onto her feet, walking past Porygon and Rover (giving the former a little pat on the head as she goes), picking her shoes up from where she'd simply abandoned them in a random spot near the door.]

Awesome.

[Lance can't restraint himself with all the excitement bubbling through him. It's just the aquarium, but he's finally getting out of the house for something other than work and Pokemon hunting. It's not until recently that he realized he fell into such a routine. Sure, after the insane last few months of constant war and unexpected almost fatal injuries a routine is great, but this one is lackluster and boring and the boy needs some shaking up.

He scoots to the end of Pidge's bed and slips his long feet into his shoes and sits here watching Pidge move around with the biggest smile on his face. She doesn't know how much she just made his day.]

You can bring your guys if you want. I think they let Pokemon in everywhere here.

[Pidge smirks over at him while she gets her shoes on, tying up the laces.] You seem way too excited about a trip to the aquarium.

[It's worth pointing out, but... Well, Lance is Lance. He's just kind of an excitable person.

She then turns her attention to the two Pokémon, who look right back at her when she does so.] You guys up for a trip?

[Rover lets out a shrill, excited noise, spreading his wings out and fluttering them just a bit. Porygon twirls its feet, its eyes closing in what looks like a smile. Looks like a unanimous "yes" to her, so that settles that.]

Okay, cool. Are you gonna brings yours too, Lance?

Hey, come on. When's the last time we saw fish in space? We didn't even get rain, much less tanks full of water. Don't blame me for being excited to see what the Pokemon version of Shamu is.

[And besides, when is Lance not excited? Be worried when he's not because he's probably just sick then.]

Nah. They're too big, I think, and Bruce probably doesn't want to see his friends in tanks.

[And mostly because Kaltenecker still doesn't know how to act and Lance is a little more than just embarrassed he hasn't gotten the hang of controlling his starter. Admitting that to Pidge just feels weird. He hasn't told anybody but Shiro about that and that's probably why Lance hasn't progressed. Asking for help is hard, okay?]

Didn't you see mermaids at some point? They'd be classified as marine life, technically.

[Not the same as fish maybe, but. Her point stands.

But whatever, Pidge continues going around to room to get ready, grabbing both Rover and Porygon's PokéBalls so the two can be returned to their little... trans-dimensional home pocket things. Once that's done she checks herself one last time - shoes, jacket, belt with Pokémon, 'gear - before turning to Lance again.]

In that case, I guess we're all set.

Those were babes, Pidge. Totally different form marine life.

[Somehow this works out in Lance's head as something that makes complete sense. Of course once it comes out his mouth it's nonsense, but what else is new?

Lance stands and moves toward the door, glancing at Pidge over his shoulder. He's still grinning, still excited, and nothing can bring him down from this high.]

Okay, cool. Let me just grab the tickets from my room. Meet you outside?

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