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[marmoron]

[So here they are back on the swap moon at the space mall. Keith would say he has no idea what the fuck he's doing here with Lance and Allura, but..,he knows damn well what he did and that this whole thing could've been avoided if he'd just kept his mouth shut about sparkly shit.

Okay, so maybe he wouldn't be quite as unenthused if he didn't have to t bargain with Coran first to get some usable currency to pay for whatever the heck it is that Allura wants, but that sure was A Thing.

As the three of them pass by the first booth, Keith stops and grabs the first shiny object he sees which happens to be a rather tacky looking goblet of some sort.]

How about this?

[Are they done now, y/y?]

Comments

[quintessent]

[As if Shiro wouldn't also side eye you for trying to end it as quick as possible too, Keith. She's happy to have Lance on her side, as if that was any question, and at Keith's question she hums in thought,]

Well, This is my first trip to a Swap Moon, so I need to see what things there are first.

[And she knows it's not in this gaudy ship, so Allura turns back to continue her explorations, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the boys are following.]

Perhaps a hair pin? Oh! Or maybe a taleson chain!

[spazzed]

( okay buddy he is sooo not as malleable as space goo! maybe … uh … something a little less gelatinous but it doesn't mean he's a pushover when it comes to a certain altean princess —

except it totally does, and keith is totally right, but that's not the reason he isn't taking his side here. these kinds of trips are supposed to be fun for everyone involved, even if they're on a mission for something superbly sparkly ( and maybe he knows a thing or two about that, maybe ) that might take them a while to find.

he shrugs at the question, though. ) … 'Cause you always go all-out on them? I dunno, just use your imagination or something. ( he thought that might have made more sense, and maybe it hadn't. the point is, keet, that you can't just get in and get out and go on with your life.

when it comes to a space mall. you know what, just roll with it.

he hums in thought. ) A hair pin would look really nice. ( says the one that thinks she would look good in a burlap sack. ) Or some kind of comb, maybe? ( okay so he knows a little about sparkly things. not a lot. he's just a boy. )

[marmoron]

[Look, Shiro isn't going to take Allura's side by default and that's what matters, gosh!! He looks at Allura like he kiiinda wants to ask what a taleson chain is, but ultimately whether he knows or not isn't going to shorten the time they'll be spending at the mall so he's just going to write this off as "sparkly alien girl thing."]

Fine. ["Use your imagination" Lance says.]

We'll need to locate a mall directory in order to identify the stores that are most likely to contain what we're looking for. Stay alert and focused. Don't get distracted by non essential merchandise.

[His delivery is completely deadpan. He gives their surroundings a quick scan and spots the plaque with the mall directory just three stores down from the entrance. He starts heading towards it.]

Let's move.

[quintessent]

[Allura deadpans right back at Keith. They wanted him to be a little more serious about this and this is what they get. Let it never be said that Keith does things by halves. He's already moving towards the nearest directory kiosk and, with a sigh, Allura follows after.

To Lance,] Was he like this the last time you came here?

[She knows some sort of danger happened before, based on the mixed stories of her friends. What hurt you, Keith?]

[spazzed]

( this is honestly why you should never take lance's advice. ever. it never ends well for anyone and someone usually ends up taking things too seriously.

not naming names, here, of course. we would never. what hurt keith had apparently taken his sense of humor with it.

he blinks, follows a step or two behind allura. ) … I don't think so. ( he doesn't really have to think about it, because: ) I spent most of my time fishing coins out of a fountain. Maybe he was. ( and then, to keith's back: ) I was kidding —

( welp. here we go, kidlets. )

[marmoron]

[Right, so Allura isn't exactly thrilled with him right now, but he doesn't really know what exactly she wants from him. He was told to pretend this was a mission, so that's exactly what he's doing?? Either way, looking at the directory seems like a solid plan, so he's going to keep heading that way, pausing only to glance over his shoulder at Lance and Allura muttering conspiratorially.

A joke, huh. If he's being honest, he's a little taken aback by that because humor sometimes just goes right over his head and it starts getting awkward real fast, but...]

Well it wasn't very funny.

[He's not miffed at all.]

What're you guys talking about anyway?

[He'll come to a full stop at the store directory. There are... a lot of stores. Like way too many stores in his opinion and he's just going to shoot Allura a glance like please don't tell me you're still thinking about looking at everything.]

[quintessent]

[She's not going to ask why Lance was in a fountain, and even if she did, Keith is catching onto their whispering and she shakes her head, jogging to catch up.]

Is this the whole swap moon?

[Her eyes get a little big because there's a lot here. Almost entirely made of names that she has no idea what they reference. How is this supposed to help again, Keith?]

Why not start here? [She points to a random part of the map, conveniently deep inside of the complex, and where a collection of smaller stores seem to be gathered.] It will be easy to see what is for sale in each store in the center here.

[And if they look at every store along the way then so be it.]

[spazzed]

( it's usually best not to ask why lance does something at any given time — even if that time it had been for the sake of a game system that was super important — but. ) I thought it was funny … ( don't pout, boy. it really wasn't, and all three of you know it.

but honestly, keith. if you've ever been on the outskirts of a fight being the one to watch you run in full-force like your life depended on it? which it generally does? he's pretty much right. not that you've ever been capable of watching yourself work, but. uh. look, never mind. it was funny.

he's bringing up the rear as he goes to catch up to the other two, and when he pauses, he can't help but to be a little bit in awe of just. how many stores there are in this place. he hadn't exactly been paying attention to how expansive swap moons could be on his last trip.

maybe he's kind of siding with keith on this one for a second … because they're going to be here for a long time. ) Looks like as good a place as any. ( because they're literally not going to get anywhere unless they decide on a starting point.

conveniently placed within the mysterious depths. )

[marmoron]

[What is this a pout party? When will all of you learn Keith is immune to your upsid-down smiling....

That aside, he's giving the spot on the map that Allura's indicating a squint,. He looks like he wants to ask why there, but since she's already not thrilled with him for whatever reason, he keeps the question to himself. Instead, he;s going to start reading some of the names of the stores around that area.

Does that help? No. No, it really doesn't because he doesn't recognize any of these store names. He'll repress a sigh.]

Let's get moving then. Don't wanna get chased around the mall for no reason again.

[Grumble grump. Time to head towards the heart of the mall. He'll pointedly be ignoring pretty much everything and anything that isn't their intended destination so if there are any shinies along the way, someone's gonna have to stop him.]

[quintessent]

[She's not thrilled with you because this is supposed to be a fun trip, as payment for using her powers to help you, and so far he's only tried to make it as short as possible.

But that just means there is room for improvement, and she seems happy enough with their next destination, gaping at any interesting bit that catches her eye. The girl doesn't get out on non-diplomatic missions very much,]

I remember Coran talking about your last trip. What did you do to get chased anyway?

[This place doesn't look half as dangerous as Coran was making it out to be.]

[spazzed]

( it's tooootally not a pout party, keith. the fact that they seem to be doing it so close together is purely coincidental.

and of course! keith is barreling ahead like they really are on a mission and now that lance has made that joke and the other has taken it to heart, he regrets it, even though he's pretty sure this has everything to do with someone not having a sense of humor and taking everything literally.

he waves a hand dismissively, like he's about to tell a part of this story like it's no big deal. ) There was this mall cop that was convinced we were space pirates. Guy was out of his mind! ( and some shady dude tries to take keith's marmora blade from him.

which wasn't cool at all. )