secondnature | IC CONTACT ( meadowlark )

Well ... if it's even anything close, I think it'll do the trick. [For him. He hadn't ever been a sharpshooter like Lance, but Keith's not bad once he's shooting. Half of piloting in those scenarios involves being able to move and aim at the same time, which is something he's never struggled with. He's an undeniable ace. The best of his generation.

Etc.]

Maybe we can get a two player one. I'll carry you through it.

[ while Jughead has had his fill of video games, they've always been the television variety, and not the whole ... VR type in-your-mind variety. ]

You haven't done this before, have you?

[ because it sounded like Keith hadn't done this before. ]

Video games are usually a waste of time, but I had to do a lot of simulations when I was in school to become a pilot. It's how I got recruited. [As strange as it is, he's now reminded of Shiro here, and how he helped Keith. Jughead reached out to Keith, but it's turning out that Keith might be able to help him put his energy elsewhere.]

And after flying a lion, I have a feeling this will be a breeze. Maybe I could fly your ship, too.

It's a good way to blow off steam when you've got nothing else. Simulations probably aren't far from the same thing.

[ he played them at Archie's house, since his wasn't exactly the best place to do it. they had fun together. but Archie wasn't here, and suddenly he's very aware of how alone he is. ]

You could, but let's give it a try. I kind of want to do it myself.

[ it takes him a moment to figure out how to connect his neural implant, but the station they're standing at lights up. Jughead seems to look, maybe, just a little proud. ]

... Cool.

[Once they're inside, Keith can't help but feel like he's seeing some amazing Earth technology, partly because it's almost on par with Altean technology. Like—the Garrison never had anything quite this good. It's amazing. The simulation that Shiro gave everyone back in the day as a test wouldn't stand up. What's before him and Jughead looks like an actual terminal, with ships up ahead of them.

He reaches out after a moment, taking Jughead by the shoulder.]

Let's go. We've got some flying ahead of us.

[ it's like he feels like he's ten again, the same swell of wonder and anticipation with a new game at the arcade—not that anything compared to this. for the first time since he's arrived, he really wishes that Archie were here with him to see this. there aren't many good things about this place, but seeing some of this firsthand is amazing.

Keith's taking his shoulder, but Jughead is already jogging toward one of the aircrafts like a kid who got an early Christmas present. ]

You don't have to tell me twice.

[ he's already taking the ladder onto the wing to drop himself in the pit. ]

[Once he's in his own cockpit, he makes a derisive sound.]

I'm not surprised, but most of the tech here is simple. [Keith has been piloting robots and Galra Tech for the past few years. Oh, and some Altean tech. He's done that, too. He's not the best judge.] It should be pretty intuitive for you, so if you don't mind, I'm gonna skip the tutorial.

[Which will skip it for both of them.

Whoops?]

[ that's fine, he's ignored enough gaming tutorials and smashed enough buttons to know how to work without them. it doesn't exactly always turn out, but this is just like on the screen, right? he's definitely got this.

his fingers itch, stretch, and then grab on to the stick. it's not too hard to figure out how to start it up, his fingers clumsily poking at a few buttons before he manages the right ones. when the machine hums to life he grins like a kid with an extra dessert. ]

Whatever, man, I can figure it out.

[ he's not gonna say he can't. he pulls the control column and takes off, because of course he does. ]

It should be simple. [Says Keith, flyer of alien stuff. He takes off rather gracefully himself. This simulation is advanced enough that he's able to do it with ease, falling into pace with what's going on. There are some aliens that come out of nowhere to fight, because of course they are.]

Tell me what's on your right! That's in my blind spot.

[ it's just like a fast car, right? a motorcycle? (it's not like either of those things.) that he can definitely do.

you know what's on your right, Keith? it's Jughead. and it's Jughead veering off to do something crazy but instead falling back and literally flying

right into Keith's plane in a very anti-climatic crash.

the VR simulation puts them right back where they started. ]

...

Huh.

How did that even happen? [It's an easy enough question. They're back in the hangar bay, ready to go through the motions to get back into their ships. Keith is annoyed by it, but he figures that's how the game works.]

Just—just tell me so we can keep it from happening again.

[ well, all right then. Jughead goes to grab the ladder again and heft himself back up into the pit. ]

Uh—[ a pause. ]—I think I, um ... flew? [ a short inflection, then, making a motion with his hand, he says: ] Right into you, dude.

It's kinda cool, actually.

Not really.

[Maybe it's because Keith has experienced it himself. Feeling Lance's lion smack into him hadn't been fun, and there were some other times around then that were less than enjoyable.

Now he's experiencing it in virtual reality.

He'll pass.]

Crash into someone else. Like the bad guys. At least they'll go down with you.

[#keithwisdom]

[ look, he's not the one who skipped the tutorial just because he knew it and Jughead figured he played enough videogames to get it for himself. so now Keith gets to be smacked with a plane in VR world. ]

Right, I'll keep that in mind while I'm trying to map the space-invaders pattern.

[ because this isn't a top-scrolling arcade shooter, whoops.

INTO THE PIT HE GOES. ]

A ... what pattern? There isn't a pattern. [As far as Keith could tell. The good news about futuristic video games is that they're meant to be more randomized, so it would take more than one go to figure out what's going on.

The bad news is ... this exact moment here.

They're definitely gonna crash again.]

Haven't you played Space Invaders?

[ Keith is so serious about this, it's kind of fun to watch him to find ways to correct the sarcasm.

Jughead dumps himself back in the pit again and grins widely like he's behind the wheel of a car—it's the first fun that he's had in a while. the inter-dimensional trauma still wafts over him, but he welcomes the break.

they're off and back in the heat of being shot at by rival AI-constructed planes. ]

No ... I've fought actual invaders. In space. Because that's where I've fought before. [Keith is so serious that some of the humor is lost on him. If Lance were here, he'd understand exactly what Jughead was talking about. The two of them could laugh at Keith and how awkward he is (though Jug would presumably be nicer) about it.

As it is, Keith is mindful to not let Jughead crash into him. He's aware, paying attention to the buzzing and ticking sounds emitted by the game. He hadn't expected Jughead to be a problem, and yet. Well, he's not an enemy, but he's ... a liability. Which is mean. In a video game.

But Keith is having a good time, too. Even if he's super serious fighter pilot starship guy.]

[ it's very mean in a video game, Keith, wow. who takes video games seriously? this isn't Smash. there's some smug satisfaction in the way that Keith doesn't get it, and he heads out again with a little bit more finesse this time. ]

Hey, whenever I play these things I always skip the tutorial. [ who doesn't skip the tutorial? at least he's shooting straight, now. ] I think I'm doing pretty good.

[ RIGHT. ]

[Keith never played FPSes online because he'd be that guy raging and blaming all of his teammates before he got his redemption arc and proved he grew up. It's probably a good thing.]

So ... you don't care that I skipped it? [It's said as if he was expecting the opposite.]

As long as you don't care that I suck until I get the hang of it.

[ because Keith seemed to care a little bit more about that. ]

I don't care. [It's just that Keith is exceptionally good, and that's not Jughead's fault.] Let's keep going. I'll see if I can pass on some tips.

IC CONTACT ( meadowlark )

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