Video Open | un: blacklion

[lionunchained]

[The video opens with a rather hesitant looking Shiro. There's really nothing behind him as of the moment, but he does glance over at something almost right as the video kicks on]

So... it seems this place just keeps getting weirder. It seems we had some recent arrivals from our world and well... it's better to show you.

[He turned back to whatever he had been looking at]

Come here. You can come here.

[Faintly in the background there was the sound of metal moving off screen then something walked into view of the camera so others could see it. It was quite clearly a black robot lion with glowing yellow eyes, several panels glowing blue, and red wing like protrusions on its back. It's was larger than a normal lion. It walked over and sat down next to Shiro, leaning in as though trying to figure out what he was holding]

This is the Black Lion of Voltron. However, its usually not this... small.

[Yes, he is calling a robot that's larger than a normal lion small]

I'm usually shorter than Black's foot. Let me see it.

[This he says to the lion, which does raise one leg to let Shiro have its foot, but it basically drops all the weight into his hand which makes him flinch]

You are still made of metal and heavy.

[Someone might be able to faintly hear the snickering in the background, but then the next thing that happens is that Keith suddenly fell into the frame of the camera as though shoved by something, a vague red blur before it vanished. Shiro jumped when this happened and the Black Lion got up heading off camera again only to return a moment later carrying a smaller red lion by the "scruff" of the neck as Keith sat up. Shiro just put his chin in his free hand watching as Black carried Red off before he remembered this was still rolling and turned back]

They don't know their own strength.


[ooc: Meet your new neighbors, two of the lions from Voltron! Black is about the size of large liger and Red is the size of a small lion. They are... slightly more active than normal, but will probably be around their specific paladin for the most part.

Either Keith or Shiro is available to answer. If you have a preference or if your character is pinging a specific person, just let us know. It can even be both if you'd like! If no preference, random response.

The log where they arrive is still ongoing]

Comments

text; @blacklion

[lionunchained]

[Yep, recognizes the username all right]

See you soon then

text > action

[bunnyhopped]

[ Fortunately for all, there were no traffic accidents involved in Hana's endeavor to get to the communal housing garage as quickly as possible from her and Genji's new residence. By the time she arrived to the basement level her mech's boosters were on cool down and she covered the rest of the distance on mech foot. She didn't spare a moment once she found the "mech parking" area, ejecting out of her mech and leaving it in the driveway without regard to anyone who might need to pass through. Because, whatever, they could always drive around her mech and if they accidentally hit it, she'd be more worried about the other person's car than about her mech.

Regardless, once she'd landed on her feet and walked to Shiro, she was folding her arms and her eyes were glued right to the Black Lion. She wasn't wearing her flight suit, but her usual casual wear of pants, a shirt, and a jacket. She was silent for a long moment just looking at the robot... lion... thing before she finally spoke up: ]

Guess you can't really pilot it at that size, huh?

action

[lionunchained]

[Well, that was one way to make an entrance. Shiro had been waiting for her now standing up, Black standing beside him. When the mech came rather abruptly landing in the garage where they were, Black didn't even hesitate to get between Shiro and the mech. Yep, still protecting its Paladin.

But before she reached them, Shiro stepped around Black to walk over to her, the lion following after him only a step or two behind]

No, we can't considering the cockpit is in the head. But they seem to be the same otherwise... if more active.

[And because the lion is standing there and almost at his height and hard to ignore...]

This is Black. Black, this is Hana, a friend of mine.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Shiro at least got Hana's attention briefly as he spoke before she went right back to staring at the lion because, yes, it was hard to ignore. It didn't really have... pupils in its eyes, yet Hana felt very much like it was staring directly at her. Possibly into her soul. How would she know? She was slightly tense, but more curious than anything else. If its head was supposed to be the cockpit, then it really was just a fraction of its original size. Which meant... it was supposed to be huge.

Like, as big as the colossal omnic she would be fighting back home.

Yikes?

But then Shiro was introducing them, and clearly this was like, a robot lion and not a person, so holding her hand out for a handshake was out of the question. ]

Hello, Black. I've heard so much about you.

[ So instead Hana tilted her head and, slowly, tentatively, she reached out, thinking to touch the top of Black's head between the ears but at the last second she looked up at Shiro. ]

Is it okay if I—?

[lionunchained]

[Creepy wasn't it. Eyes that were simultaneously blank but also looking right into you. Lance had said it when they met Blue; it felt like the lions could watch you with those pupil-less eyes. Their paladin got it the worse, but really anyone they focused on could feel like the lion was staring right through them. Now they were closer to human height. It was easier for them to look a human in the eyes.

The Black Lion didn't move as Hana spoke, as she turned her head to the side, just kept staring at her. Even the tail didn't move. Shiro glanced from Hana back to the Black Lion before back at her, watching Black out of the corner of his eye.

Then she reached out. Shiro was about to answer her, but Black made the first move. The lion stepped forward, right over to her. The lion paused a pace or so from her before it moved in the rest of the way, bumping the top of its head against her hand. Shiro smiled]

Well, I guess you can do that.

[bunnyhopped]

[ After it had been so completely still in its response (or lack thereof) to her introduction, the sudden step forward took Hana by surprise and she couldn't help but gasp; but she didn't move or shy away from the lion, instead staying steady in her place which worked out fine when Black closed the gap and... let her pat it on the head. ]

Oh—

[ She blinked slowly a few times at what just took place, staring down at the lion which felt like it was staring back again. Then she looked up at Shiro, a little confused and amused at the same time. ]

That's a good thing, right?

[ Slowly she rubbed the top of Black's head with her hand. Good... robot kitty? ]

[lionunchained]

That's a good thing. The lions really do have minds of their own.

[As Hana pet Black on the top of the head, he continued]

Our ability to pilot them works when their pilot develops a bond with them. Not everyone will be allowed to pilot one and the lions don't always cooperate with a paladin they've chosen, but haven't bonded to.

Commanding your lion pretty much doesn't work at all.

[There was a rumble from Black as though it were saying "you got that right" in response to Shiro's comment]

[bunnyhopped]

[ Her hand paused in petting Black when she heard and felt the low rumble of the lion's response; she hadn't expected it to be vocal, too. She leaned down a little bit to level her eyes with Black's, although it honestly didn't take much given its stature and her size. She glanced up at Shiro momentarily just to ask, ]

So that means you've bonded with Black, then?

[ Before she continued her staring contest with the Black Lion. You know, the longer she looked at it... ]

... You know, it's pretty cute!

[lionunchained]

[Yep, they were focal. She hadn't heard the roar yet, but they purred, rumbled, everything. Black just stared back at her. It's impossible to tell what a robot lion is thinking so it just looks back]

I have bonded with Black. It took a lot of work, didn't it, buddy?

[At her comment, Shiro chuckled and Black may have opened its mouth a little. Was that a robot lion smile?]

[bunnyhopped]

[ The curiosity in her face melted away into something sweet, both at Shiro's words and especially the way Black opened its mouth a little. She couldn't help it, but she pulled her hand away so she could cover her cheeks and— ]

Awww!

That's so cute. You two are cute!

[lionunchained]

[That comment though surprised Shiro when she said that. Had she really just called him cute? The lion had been called cute multiple times today, but... she was probably the first person in a while to call him cute]

Thanks.

[And now Black looks over her shoulder at the mech. The lion moved around her, heading over towards it]

I think Black is curious about your Meka.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Yes, she really just called him cute, and she meant it too. And when Black maneuvered around her she easily made way for him to do so. Usually she was a little more cautious about people getting close to her MEKA, but... this was an ancient robot lion. She had to be a little gracious. So didn't do anything to hinder Black, instead stepping aside and then finding her way to Shiro's side so they could look on at Black's inspection together. Unfortunately, the MEKA unit wasn't sentient, but Hana was curious as to what Black's impression would be regardless. ]

Yeah? Well, the engineers back home would probably get a kick out of that, an ancient alien robot lion being interested in their work. Too bad the MEKA unit can't talk with Black.

[lionunchained]

[Don't worry. Black's not going to ram into it or anything. Just wants to see what it is.

Shiro chuckled]

Yeah, I'm sure they'd be pressed to hear that. A ten thousand year old lion needing look at a much newer mech. I'm sure Black will be fine with it not talking back.

[Black did indeed walk over to the MEKA, looking it up and down before circling it, pausing to look at it several times. This included stretching up on his hind legs to look at the "arms", not touching the mech, which Shiro was glad for because the claws on the lions didn't retract. There was a weird feeling in the back of his mind...]

I think the Black Lion approves.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Hana's head tilted as they watched Black's... evaluation. And— okay, maybe she was a little worried Black would like, accidentally bump it or something but it all turned out fine, apparently, when Shiro spoke up. ]

Huh. Neat! [ She wasn't exactly looking for the Black Lion's approval – why would she? But hearing it nonetheless was nice. She would have had to question Black's taste if it hadn't approved of her beautiful mech. ]

Hear that, baby? The Black Lion approves of you!

[ She, of course, received no response from her mech. But it's still her baby. ]

[lionunchained]

[Shiro wasn't so worried about the lion bumping the mech as he was the lion deciding it was dangerous. She hadn't seen what the lions were actually capable of. Those claws weren't actually their best weapons in terms of fighting. If Black had decided it was dangerous, there might have been trouble.

But the lion seemed to be okay with it and that was good enough for Shiro. He chuckled at her response, glad to see Black coming back over]

Well, then you shouldn't really have much problem from the other lions either. Black, for obvious reasons, is the leader of the group.

[bunnyhopped]

[ She couldn't help but give him a teasing little look. ]

Oh? So the leader likes me, so everyone else has to, huh? Lucky me!

[ Whether she was referring to the leader as the Black Lion or Shiro, who knows? ]

[lionunchained]

Well, the other lions shouldn't be too concerned with your mech, let's say that.

[But he did smile at her in response. Even Black casually bumped his head against her as he walked by her heading back over to Shiro. Yes, both paladin leader and lion leader both like her]

Well, I can show you the weapons that Black has, but that's pretty much it.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Her eyebrows raised when she felt Black bump against her; she would have expected that behavior from an actual cat, but to receive it from an ancient robot lion... that was certainly something else. Her face lit up at the gesture, and she barely contains an aww before she hears Shiro's offer because— ]

Are you kidding me? I'd love to see what Black can do!

[lionunchained]

[Lion head butt! The best form of a robot animal saying hello.

Shiro smiled at her response as the lion came back over to him and sat down]

I can't show you the cockpit for obvious reasons, but I can show you the weapons they have. So, all of the lions have a laser in their tail.

[Black swishes its tail forward so she could see the yellow tip where the laser]

They also have a laser cannon in their mouths.

[Black opened its mouth now to show her the circle glowing the same blue as its markings before closing its mouth]

They also have the ability to create a jawblade for fighting. Picture it carrying around a dagger. And of course the claws.

[Dangerous looking things]

[bunnyhopped]

[ Hana lifted a hand to her chin thoughtfully and observantly as Shiro gave her a quick rundown of the Black Lion's... arsenal. Given that the lion was apparently shrunk to a fraction of its real size, Hana could only imagine how truly powerful the lasers and cannons would have been at their full scale.

Neat.

She leaned in to look at the mouth-cannon thing, but not too close, in case Black burped and accidentally fired it off or something - listen, she really didn't know how these things worked - but all in all she was thoroughly impressed.

Could Cisco put laser cannons on her mech, she wondered... ]

Very nice kit you guys have there, huh? It's going to be so different not being able to pilot your lion, though... shame. I would've wanted to go along for a ride!

[lionunchained]

[Nah, lion had a little more control over its mouth-cannon than that. Still, want to be careful around a robot that is now processing when to use weapons on its own...]

Yeah, it's a shame. They were interesting to fly. We could really feel a bond with our lions.

[Then Shiro paused a moment, looking right at Black before turning back to Hana]

I think Black just suggested I could ride on him.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Shiro gets a few slow blinks at that. ]

Like... a mighty steed or something? I guess that could work...

[lionunchained]

[Shiro just looked back at Black]

Well, I guess the lion is tall enough to do that. And would have enough power to fly even with someone riding it.

[bunnyhopped]

[ She squinted her eyes in thought, and then... ]

What about two someones riding it? You know, in case you ever needed to take a passenger or co-pilot with you.

[ you know... someone... like Hana? ]

[lionunchained]

[Shiro looked over at Black after she said]

Black would be willing to try with two people. I don't think we should really try going far because I haven't done this before.

[There was a clearly metal sound as Black shifted to lay down which would make it easier for them to get on. Shiro moved first, having to adjust to sit between Black's wings, which also helped with leverage to stay on. Once he was steady, he turned around and offered Hana a hand up]