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aro-paladin-pidge · 2 years ago

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So, yesterday (I think) I posted about some vague ideas I had for what might have happened if the Galra had found Blue pre-canon, right? So I just had an absolute brainwave last night, and now this is a full-fledged au.

A little while ago, I made this post about how bad the character motivations in Voltron were (long story short, only 1 of the 5 paladins’ motivations worked for the plot) and I’ve been contemplating ways the show writers could’ve fixed this (for Lance and Hunk in particular) for quite a while and yesterday’s post fixes goddamn everything.

So, the empire gets the Blue Lion. For plausibility’s sake, I’m going to stretch the date on this way back to ~200 years pre-canon, let’s say after World War 3 (yes World War 3 canonically happened at some point, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it line from Season 7), which could possibly be around the 2100s (no concrete dates are given, so I’m just going off what feels right). The Galra conquer Earth, have Blue for long enough that Haggar/the Druids figure out some way to measure a person’s quintessence for similarities with the Blue Lion, and this quintessence-testing process goes into effect across the universe as the Galra attempt to find a blue paladin.

Eventually, Lance is born, and when he’s 13-14 years old (my best guess for when the Garrison would start taking students, based on real-life military academies and the Season 7 Keith flashbacks) he enrolls in the Garrison, (A Galra-controlled military school in this au) and as part of his physical for entry, they take some of his quintessence, as has been standard policy for the last few decades. They run some tests on it, compare it to Blue’s, and it’s similar enough that he could be a paladin.

So, based on what Allura says in s1e1 about the Lions choosing their paladins based on personality + how Red makes Keith prove himself before choosing him, despite their assumedly compatible quintessence, it’s clear that the lions choose based on two factors: similar quintessence (which seems like the minimum requirement, they HAVE to have similar enough quintessence to make a bond possible) and personality (personal criteria, aka why they choose someone to be a paladin. If the criteria are initially met, but then the paladin changes, like with Zarkon, a Lion can revoke their bond in favor of a better suited paladin. This shit is fascinating, imma write a post on it at some point) but, all this to say that the Galra would probably take Lance to wherever they’re keeping Blue, probably in that giant Central Command ship.

Blue obviously chooses Lance as her paladin, so the Galra basically kidnap him and force him to like, fly Blue for them. Lance is a decent person, so he doesn’t want to, but since the Galra control Earth in this au, they use his family as leverage to force him to. So, for the ~3 years until canon, Lance is a paladin/prisoner of the Galra, so he gets experience as a paladin, actual information about the modern Empire, and a motivation to fight them!

On earth, things would proceed mostly as they do in canon. I’d imagine Keith would know about his Galra heritage and probably have spent some time with the Blade/his mom, but she probably would lose track of him after his dad dies, so he’d still end up with Shiro, as in canon.

Shiro would be a Galra soldier in this au, a talented graduate of the Garrison that maybe has some doubts about the Galra’s mission. He’s assigned to fly a research mission to Kerberos with some scientists (including Matt and Sam, but not just them) and while he’s there, the team comes across something they’re not supposed to, like an Altean ruin or something, idk, this part’s not completely ironed out. So the team disappears, Kerberos mission is scrapped and chalked up to pilot error, and Shiro is sent to the Gladiator pits where he learns the truth about the empire.

Pidge enlists in the Garrison late, as a communications cadet, in order to spy on the Galra and figure out what happened to their family. I’d imagine that they pretty quickly figure out just how bad the empire is after their family goes mission, so they’re a bit of an anti-imperial activist.

Hunk stays mostly the same because he’s already an excellent character that deserved so much better. He and Pidge are placed on the same team with like, James or someone as their pilot. Since James is a jerk, Hunk bonds with Pidge over their shared nerdiness, and when Pidge eventually tells him about how evil the Galra really are, he decides to work with Pidge to find their family and maybe to fight the empire.

When canon hits, the Blade has the same motivation as they do in the show-to get Blue out of the Galra’s hands. Ulaz finds Lance, and eventually convinces him to defect from the empire, promising that the Blade will get his family out of harm’s way. He stages Shiro’s escape as a cover for Lance’s defection, and implants the coordinates for the Blade’s base in Shiro’s hand, telling them to input those coordinates once they’re sure the Galra can’t track them. They both escape on the Blue Lion, but Lance doesn’t really trust these people he’s met, like, twice, so they decide to go back to earth to make sure that his family is actually safe.

On earth, things go bad, because the Blue Lion is 1. Extremely noticeable and distinctive 2. Widely known as the most powerful ship in the Galra arsenal and 3. Was just involved in a major prison breakout. Yikes. Shiro and Lance are ambushed by Galra soldiers the instant they hit ground, resulting in a very big, public battle.

Keith, who is not a weird desert hermit, as Blue is no longer calling out to him and keeping him in the middle of nowhere, sees it on, like, the news or smth, immediately recognizes Shiro, and, just like in canon, rushes in to rescue him. Pidge and Hunk, back at the Garrison, realize that that’s Shiro, who disappeared with Pidge’s family a year ago. They rush out to find him, and all of the paladins meet up in Cuba, right in time for another big battle where they learn how to work together. They manage to defeat the Galra, but more reinforcements are coming, so they decide to get the hell out of dodge and get to the Blade headquarters.

Unfortunately, the Galra send a giant fleet after them, resulting in a huge, destructive battle, and Blue is forced to flee through a wormhole, sending them to, surprise surprise, Arus. Cue the rest of the series, but with paladins who have actual motivation to form Voltron and fight the Galra, characters who have worked together before, and someone who knows how to fly the Lions.

I do have another version of this au, which I think is way more interesting, both plotwise and characterwise, but it would dramatically upend the status quo of the story, change pretty much everything about the power scaling and overall stakes of the series, so I’m not sure about it. I’ll outline it briefly here.

Basically, the Galra Empire has to have some pretty great propaganda, right? I mean, they’re an incredibly oppressive, authoritarian empire that has had absolute control over the universe for 10,000 years, there’s no way that happened without excellent propaganda. So, what if Lance, who is 13 years old and signs up to be a Galra soldier at the Garrison in this au, is actually convinced by the Galra that he’s doing something good by serving the Galra? Idk how Shiro would get out of the gladiator rings here-maybe the Blade instigates a prisoner revolt, and Ulaz recognizes Shiro as the guy who’s most likely to survive, and gives him the coordinates bc of that-but he gets back to earth, finds Keith, Pidge, Hunk, and maybe even Adam, and they get to the blade headquarters, find the Red Lion, and get to Arus from there. This would make Lance a kind of villain for the first few seasons, and make the paladins unable to form Voltron, which I think would be fascinating, but would kinda necessitate an entire rewrite. This is where the ‘No Blue AU’ name came from, since the other one does have Blue in it. Maybe I’ll call that one ‘Yes Blue AU’.

#Voltron #Lance #Blue #paladins #but like it’s mostly focused on those two #au #voltron au #Voltron rewrite #mine #No Blue AU #Yes Blue AU #yes I’m going with that now #I told you guys this was going to be good #I love this #expect more VERY soon

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the-lightning-strikes-again · 3 years ago

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Hiya! I just thought of something.

What Allura piloted Sincline with Lotor? Romantic/Nutruel. I think that Allura taking charge somewhere would boost her leadership credibility 🤔. Being with Voltron is helpful but in a community-based way. Shiro was good but Allura came in under Keith's Leadership, which was questionable at first. It'd be best to learn how to lead under someone who has experience vs. someone who didn't even want to lead and doesn't have experience.

The whole search for a new blue would be something or maybe Coran could step in or it could go back to the 5, or something 😀 maybe the new "colony" would have a blue Paladins. Endless choices.

If Altas was still a thing in this storyline, then she'd be a bit more prepared to lead since Lotor taught her what he knows in a way she'd understands. If the Atlas doesn't, then her piloting Sincline would be enough! Hell, maybe she could unlock OP techniques or skills for Sincline (which Lotor will just fall in love harder than he was before. Or he could just have high respect for her as a teammate).

Just random thoughts, what do you think?

Hi, anon! Thanks for your note!! It's been a crazy time irl with trying to find affordable housing, so this was a welcome distraction! I think Allura showed qualities of leadership right from episode 1 of the show. In several ways, she was more prepared to take charge than other characters who ended up leading for the sake of maintaining old franchise lineups.

Allura could definitely have piloted any mecha, and in fact I still wonder why she wasn't accepted for Black Lion when her life force was the only one magically tied to the whole of the mecha, per Alfor's strange magic mentioned in episode 1. But Sincline or Atlas, sure, I think she could have done some cool things through those mechas too.

MECHAS FOR ALLURA

(Sincline's design is still my fav)

(Maybe if Allura knew Sincline was a mecha and was piloting it, she could have shut down things before they got too crazy in s6, oop. Or...would she have been corrupted also from the quintessence madness?? Hmm.)

#Voltron #VLD #Allura #Sincline #Atlas

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fandom-trash0116 · 4 years ago

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Klance AU

Okay, so I'm still pissed that keith left lance and the rest of the team (I hold grudges sue me) so a while back I came up with this whole elaborate au about what if lance thought the team abandoned him?

- so just imagine sometime after keith leaves and lance is abandoned the castle get hit with some beam and the Paladins are hurtled through the galaxy, and lance was hurtled through space to a distant planet in around the same system that keith was stuck on the space whale, inhabited by magic aliens, but not like Alteans that use the power of quintessence

- on this planet, quintessence is the magic around you, and the aliens on this planet use the magic within them, which is much more powerful, called ajā

- so anyway, the blue lion crashes on the planet and goes unresponsive, for some reason, and lance is stranded

- because time works different there, Lance is there for like three years, while it's only like two weeks for the rest of the team

- on the planet, everyone is ruled by an emperor or empress, along with their three or four generals, who rule alongside

- each general has like a sort of spirit animal, who accompanied them at all times

- lance befriended and got close too the next empress, who chose him as one of her generals

- Lance is chosen by this huge blue sea Bird with like iridescent wings, so he leads the flight division of the army, and get good. Like, REALLY good

- lance never really gives up hope that his team will evebtually come for him, so he always keeps the armor, but he starts going to red less and less and devotes more and more time to his new home

- The empress and the rest of the generals really don't like the team because they feel like keith is unworthy of their brother (btw the main value of society on this planet is loyalty)

- so after searching for like two weeks, the team manages to locate the red lion, but something seems off

- for lance, at this point, it's been like three years, and he thinks that they just decided he wasn't good enough

- once Voltron lands on the planet, Lance is away on a mission, and the rest of the leading group decided to mess with Voltron a bit, because they abandoned one of their own so fuck them

- so one Voltron arrives at the palace, they ask if theyve come across the blue lion or it's paladin, and the empress tells them that they have the blue lion, it arrived three years ago, and in the red lion was a very badly hurt boy dressed in blue armor, who later died

- the empress invites them to stay for a bit and mourn their lost brother-in-arms, and the paladins take them up on their offer, everyone be in shock from the news

- on like the day lance comes back but before he realizes what's happening, the Galra attack

- before the battle lance seeks out the empress and the other generals and is like "wtf did you do" and she's all like "okay so we kinda sorta maybe told them that you were dead"

- and lance is like "WTF WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT"

- but before he gets his answer, the alarms go off, and lance runs to his fighter, and red then roars, calling out to her paladin, Lance almost crying because he thought red was dead for good

- so once runs to red and joins the fight, and the rest of the Paladins think that someone on the planet bonded with red and they have a new red paladin

- until they land, and they wait for one of the aliens to walk out of red

- and then

- SUPRISE

- it's lance. But like older. And bigger. And more grizzled (according to keith)

- and the empress and posse is like "lol sorry appreciate our brother more or we will find you"

- and lance tells them about the last few years and the team is like "damn it's been like two weeks for us."

- and keith is like "oh no he got HOTTER"

- and since lance was on the planet for a long time, he leaned to control ajā, and was now able to pilot the castle

- after their wedding, klance heads back to the planet to tell Lances other family (empress and co.) and their like "Oh FINALLY. Do you have any idea how many times lace whined about missing you. Like do you. We took rurns listening."

~*The end*~

#klance #klance au #voltron #vld #vld lance #vld keith #Lance deserves better #i’ve been thinking about this for a while #voltron legendary defender

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mizu-writes-kumo · 4 years ago

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Au where Lance was separated alone at the end of s1 (and also without Blue). And it's been long like 2-3 years (and 2-3 weeks/months cause uhhh space time shit) and Lance comes back with scars and maybe a missing limb only to find there has been infighting and separation and fuck all and guys please it's been a really harrowing long ass years, you all are tearing the family apart

You know I actually kind of had a similar idea to this like a while while back. So I am going to take some bits and pieces of it and adapt it to this!

Also this is long...so more under the cut!

So at the end of season one when all the Paladin’s fall out the Castleship and wormhole, Lance ends up just in a random spot in space, though unlike Pidge there is nothing around him at all. Blue shuts down because of everything, so Lance is just...stuck in open space. But he does decently try to problem solve to one get a line of communication with someone, or two get Blue up and running. He knows some minor engineering stuff, cause it’s standard for all pilots to have basic understanding of how to fix things on their ships. Blue being a alien ship with a conscious, throws a wrench in that a little, but Lance still tries. And he is very careful to stay close to Blue at all times, and have some kind of tether connected so he doesn’t float off into space as he works. He is doing all he can...which...admittedly is a lot of begging Blue to just wake up, because like she isn’t an Earth ship he knows how to work with.

But as he works and tries different thing, suddenly the middle of nowhere open space he is in...just like...cracks open. And it’s happens to so when Lance has untethered himself to move to a different spot. Meaning he gets sucked right in, before he can grab on, and his jet pack is too weak to fight the pull. (Blue doesn’t get sucked in because she is too big). Lance get’s sucked in to the cracked, and dumped into a sort of pocket dimension. It’s this crazy forest alien jungle like place, filled with, as Lance quickly discovers, lots and lots of dangerous things that have it out for him. And the crack pretty much immediately closes behind him...leaving him stranded.

For a while (like the first few months), Lance main goal is to get out of there or get communications going. He finds a lot of things from other alien ships that have crashed there, no other friendly life-forms though. And he does what he can, and working out the best plan to get out there. But as time passes, and passes, and the tally he makes in his tree top base group to being uncountable...Lance shifts more to just surviving. Try get communications to work less and less, and he stares at the sky less and less. Why do the same thing that does work over and over again. And he just tries to survive.

On the other side of things, it doesn’t actually take the Paladin’s terrible long to find Blue Lion once Allura rescues everyone. They track Blue’s signal to the spot in middle of no where space. Coran gets a little freaked out, because it is actually a section of space where ships are known to just go missing and no one knows why. Aka...the space Bermuda Triangle. So the Paladins find Blue, but no Lance. Like there is just so signal of him, his suit would still have enough enough power to broadcast a single, no matter what. But there is just nothing. And Blue refused to leave the spot she is at, and is just sort of staring out into one fixed point is space. And all the Paladin’s sort of have this scenes. of “We can’t leave this place.” Like it just...feels wrong to them, so they stay as they try to figure out what happened to Lance.

A few days pass, and suddenly like the point in space that Blue Lion had been staring at opens up. Like tears open, and everyone just kind of stares at it. Coran and Pidge taking readings and scans off it, cause like they have no clue what it was (and maybe it would explain what happened to Lance.) It stays open for like an hour or two, then it starts to close. And as it starts to close, a tiny little ship...thing, comes shooting out, and Blue Lion moves for it. Suddenly Lance’s Paladin Armor signal is back up and running, giving all sorts of damage and other readings, and Blue returns to the Castle.

Everyone rushes to Blue’s hanger, just as she sort of spits Lance out. (Not really, he kind of stumbled out and collapsed into a roll in relief that his plan worked (or you know maybe he’s dead)). Everyone kind of cautiously race towards Lance to where he was lying in a heap on the floor. Because his armor looks like he has been through some stuff...like a lot for the maybe week or so that he has been missing. And Shiro is very much picking up on the fact that they need to not completely rush Lance. But as they approach, Lance slowly shits up, and turns around...and...

Holy quazinack, he has scars that are visible healed and old looking. And he’s thinner, in a way that was both clear he had been stranded for a while...and like he aged a bit. Also one of his eyes is completely messed up, and is missing his whole left hand. And he looks pissed as hell as he gets up to his feet.

“It’s been years, and you guys just now decide to save me.” He spits out angrily as he sort of stalks forward with a pretty visible limp. And everyone is confused, because it’s been like maybe two weeks, what the hell is Lance talking about years. They had only been there for like eight days since they found Blue lion. What in the world does Lance mean...years. However when Shiro asked, it just kind of makes Lance bit more angry, before he drills in the point that he was trapped in the place for like three years, trying to get out, or get a communication line, and trying to just survive, and barely managed to escape through the crack in the sky that was only open for like a handful of seconds. And Allura is quick to explain, no it’s only been like a couple of weeks, and the crack had been open for a few hours...and...

Coran quickly jumps in a loud statement of “pocket dimensions!” And how that was probably what Lance experiences, and how it was a (conspiracy) theory as to what happen to this area of space. That there were pocket dimensions slipped into, and disappeared. And because they were little random pockets, the rules of physics and speed of time might be different in them. They open up occasionally to release energy build up, and suck in new matter partials to keep existing. Explain that must have been what Lance experienced, and that they should really get him to a healing pod, to get fixed up and make sure there aren’t any adverse effects. Coran quickly just sort of guide Lance away before anything else can happen, and helps get him into a pod while everyone follows behind them.

Form there everyone kind of gathers themselves, and figure out what happened. Coran runs all sorts of scans on Lance while he is in the pod, that was actually working hard to fix what it could. (It couldn’t fix of a lot of Lance’s old scars and injury, but works to realign bones that healed wrong when broken, and fixed his joints and limp.) Finding that yes, Lance actually had aged a few years, and experiences a different flow of time. Allura runs some quintessence tests, to realize Lance had experience something different than normal. While Pidge and Hunk pour over the reads from the crack the opened, to find some stuff that didn’t exactly align with stuff they know about science. Shiro and Keith help out where they can. All in all they figure out that yes, Lance experience something all together different from their universe.

They all try to put together a presentation to explain to Lance once he gets out of the healing pod. Lance is a bit better when he get out, though still a bit hostile and mad that it took so long to get rescued. Everyone presents what they have to him as he eats a meal Hunk made for him. It is a lot for Lance to take in, and he does have some trouble letting go that he was abandoned for so long, because it’s just so hard not to feel that. Even knowing he was experiencing time a different rate. But he goes to room and rest and just try and readjust.

It takes a while for things to even out and sort of “go back to normal”, but it does eventually happen. Not without a few bumps in the road. Lance had some abandonment issues that surface from time to time, and become rather use to fighting for himself. Not to mention a whole a lot of trauma that happened to him, that he doesn’t talk about much. Sometimes Lance will just seem to snap over nothing. Everyone does there best to adjust to him, and be what he needs, and make it know they would never abandoned him. They kind of make sure he is never alone on a mission for too long.

And yeah...

#lance gets separated au #badass lance #vld Lance #this hurt me #but yeah

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voltrontranscript · 4 years ago

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VLD S7E13: Lions’ Pride, Part 2

Season 7 Episode 13: Lions’ Pride, Part 2

Transcript by @dragonofyang

Summary: With Earth safe from Sendak’s attempts at destruction, Voltron and Earth’s defenses find themselves facing a wholly new and mysterious enemy unlike any they’ve ever seen.

[Google Doc]

Allura: No!

Keith: Paladins, brace for impact. Hunk, help me with Shiro. Hunk, get Shiro to the Atlas. We’ll cover you.

Hunk: Got it.

Allura: That energy spectrum completely deflected our attack!

Man: We got it from here.

Hunk: Shiro is aboard the Atlas.

Lance: Keith, we got you covered. Get out of there!

Hunk: Anyone have any idea where this thing came from?

Pidge: No clue!

Allura: We just defeated an entire Galra armada, and now this?

Keith: Paladins, I know we’re all in bad shape, but we have strength together. This is Earth. This is our home.We’re going to defend it.

Coran: And we’ll be by your side!

Allura: Good to have you back, Atlas.

[Cut to the IGF-Atlas.]

Veronica: We’ve taken a direct hit. It’s aligning for a second attack.

Shiro: I need to get back.

Medic: But Commander…

[Cut back to Voltron.]

Keith: Atlas, we need you to hold the beast back temporarily so we have time to form Voltron. It’s the only way we’re gonna beat this thing.

Coran: Affirmative.

Keith: Paladins, let’s finish this fight.

[Cut to the bridge of the IGF-Atlas.]

Iverson: Coran, what’s our next move?

Coran: Oh! This ship is so different from the Castle of Lions. I… uh--

Shiro: Coran, hold course.

Coran: Oh, thank the ancients you’re here.

Iverson: Captain, are you okay?

Shiro: I’ll be fine. Shields report.

Veronica: They’re at seventy percent!

Shiro: Iverson, the port side cannons.

Iverson: They’re fully charged.

Shiro: Shields down. Fire!

Sam: We lost an energy inverter on two cannons. Diverting power!

Keith: Thanks for covering for us, Atlas.

Shiro: Coran, take us up to covering fire position. Iverson, once those cannons come back online, we’ll need to give Voltron some support.

[Cut to Voltron as they face the white mech.]

Lance: Guys, my bayard port just opened.

Pidge: Mine, too.

Keith: Pidge, shield!

Shiro: Launch fighters!

Griffin: We’re coming in. Covering fire.

Shiro: Paladins, what happened? Are you okay?

Hunk: Those blades, they sapped our energy.

Pidge: It felt like the Komar.

Keith: Pilots, fall back. Those blasts can vaporize you.

Shiro: Keith’s right. You’ve successfully drawn its fire. Rendezvous with the Atlas ASAP.

Griffin: Roger that.

[Cut to the bridge of the IGF-Atlas.]

Veronica: The enemy has turned its attention back to Voltron, sir.

Shiro: Sam, how are those cannons?

Sam: Coming back online now.

Shiro: Fire! Shields up!

Veronica: We’ve lost shields.

Sam: It’s destabilizing the molecular reflection arrays!

Shiro: Pull out of range!

[Cut back to Voltron.]

Pidge: The power this creature is generating is unheard of. My surge indicators are spiking every time it’s about to fire. That sickle absorbed our quintessence. It’s using our own energy to power its attack.

Allura: Like the Komar.

Keith: Then we’ll have to avoid direct contact. Everyone, up!

Hunk: Guys, we need to be careful! There are innocent lives down there.

Keith: Then let’s take the fight to the sky!

[Cut to the bridge of the IGF-Atlas.]

Iverson: We can’t get a clear shot!

Veronica: Rebooting shields! Five minutes out!

Sam: Rerouting power.

[Cut to Voltron.]

Keith: Pidge, the cannon!

Pidge: The Atlas! No!

[Cut to the bridge of the IGF-Atlas.]

Shiro: What’s our status?

Coran: Stabilizing thrusters are gone. I’m attempting to override.

Iverson: The cannons are offline again, all of them.

Sam: Initiating backup generators!

Shiro: No.

Coran: Shiro, the shields are gone and we don’t have any countermeasures! What do we do?

Iverson: Captain, cannons are still offline.

Coran: It’s charging up for another attack! What do we do, Shiro?

Veronica: Shields are offline. Sir, what are your orders?

Iverson: It’s got us in its sights. We have no countermeasures.

Sam: I’m rerouting power, but we’re at least five minutes out!

Shiro: Bring us up. Set coordinates for upper atmosphere.

Coran: But Voltron!

Shiro: Commander Holt, I need all the power we’ve got.

Sam: Copy that.

Shiro: Atlas crew, hold tight!

[Scene change to Voltron and the white mech on Earth.]

Keith: Everyone, report in.

Hunk: I--I can barely move.

Pidge: Voltron’s power levels are depleted.

Allura: I’ve never seen anything this powerful before.

Lance: Guys… Is that… the Atlas?

Shiro: Paladins, are you there? What’s your status?

Keith: We’re here. How did you…?

[Cut to the bridge of the IGF-Atlas.]

Shiro: I’m not exactly sure, but we’ve got you covered.

Veronica: Hostile returning for another pass.

Shiro: Get me eyes on the target.

[Cut to Voltron.]

Lance: We have to do something. It’s gonna destroy the Atlas.

Keith: That’s it. It’s the only place on that thing that isn’t armored. We have to strike there right before it fires.

Allura: That’s a split-second window. How do we do that?

Lance: My bayard.

Keith: Team, we’ve got one chance. Give it everything you’ve got! Lance!

Hunk: Anyone? Hello?

Pidge: I’m here.

Keith: I’m here, too.

Allura: Blue Lion, checking in.

Lance: Did we do it? Did we beat that thing?

Keith: I think so. Atlas, what’s your status? Atlas, are you receiving me? They’re offline.

Lance: What is that?

Pidge: Surge indicators coming from that thing.

Lance: I thought it was down.

Hunk: It is. Oh, no.

Lance: What?

Hunk: It’s powering up. It must have some kind of self-destruct mechanism.

Pidge: According to my readings, the blast radius alone will envelope half of the earth.

Keith: Then we need to get it out of here. Come on! Come on! It’s been an honor to fly with you all. Now, everyone, give it everything you’ve got!

[Scene change to outside the Galaxy Garrison some time later.]

Shiro: Today is a solemn day. Today, we look back at the lives that have been lost, and the sacrifices that have been made here on Earth and across the universe. There isn’t one of us here today who hasn’t experienced the tragedy of losing someone close. It truly feels like a light has gone out in our lives and the sun itself couldn’t reignite it. But that light, that fire, has not gone out completely. It is fueled within each of us by the memories and the love of those we’ve lost. And now we must move forward in their names. And shine that light onto a new path for future generations. Today is a solemn day, but it is also a day of hope. Earth is now stronger than ever, and it stands as a beacon of light to help guide those fighting against tyranny and oppression. From here, we will spread peace, and together we will hold strong as the defenders of the universe.

[Scene changes through various shots of Earth rebuilding, and then transition to the recovery of the white mech.]

Sam: As you know, we’ve spent months recovering the pieces of this creature, but we never found its power source until now.

Allura: An Altean?

End.

#vld #voltron #transcript #voltron transcript project #allura #coran #keith #shiro #lance #pidge #hunk #sam holt #commander iverson #James Griffin #veronica mcclain

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mermaider00 · 5 years ago

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The Black Lion’s Choice

(An AU fic)

“I can’t believe it. I just can’t! Can you guys?”

In the hangar of the Black Lion inside the Castle of Lions, Lance spun around to his teammates and friends. He had his paladin’s helmet under one arm and a brightness in his eyes as he looked at everyone who was left waiting with him. Keith, Shiro, and Allura only stared back at him.

Lance’s armor was freshly polished and his face held a gleam from a sheet mask applied that very morning.

Keith, with his arms crossed over his own red and white armor, gave a shrug from Lance’s excited outburst. “I don’t know. Nothing’s happening.”

“It’s gonna happen,” Lance argued with a determined nod. “Shiro said so.”

Shiro held up his hands in defense. “I didn't exactly say what you think I said, Lance.”

“I think we all heard you loud and clear, buddy. Today, Black is getting herself a new paladin.” He turned back to the Black Lion, sitting quietly and majestically and gigantically. His chest puffed up and he set a fist on his skinny hip. “And that paladin is gonna be Lancey Lance.”

“I’m... honestly in awe by this news,” Allura muttered. Unlike the other two boys, she wasn’t dressed in her armor, choosing instead to wear her flight suit for comfort. Shiro was without his too, she realized, glancing over at him and frowning some. He was back in his civilian clothes, and seeing his usual vest zipped up against his chest was somehow a disheartening thing to her eyes. A vest he’d needed help to zip up, she thought sadly, considering he was without his prosthetic arm that had been destroyed, and a new one had yet to be built for him.

After the battle with the clone of their Black Paladin made by the witch Haggar, Keith had told her that the spirit of Shiro was trapped inside the Black Lion, kept safe there by the beast machine after his body had been incinerated by quintessence. With the great power of magical Altean Alchemy, she had extracted that spirit and replaced it inside the body of his clone. The time waiting for that body to accept a foreign soul had been tense and painful, but they’d managed it.

In doing so, his bond with the Black Lion had been destroyed, and Shiro could no longer pilot her.

An end of a great era, Allura thought with sorrow. But perhaps it would make way for something new?

Would the choosing of Lance as Black Paladin begin a great and glorious new era for Voltron and the Coalition?

“I think we should go over it one more time,” Allura suggested, coming to stand next to Shiro. His new pure white hair would take some getting used to. “In case we’ve missed something?”

“Good idea, Allura,” Lance said happily.

“Yeah good idea,” Keith muttered with an unconvinced lift of his brow. “Because I’m having a hard time understanding it.”

“What’s not to understand? Shiro said I’m gonna be Black Paladin.”

“That’s not what I said,” Shiro grumbled out, sighing deeply and rubbing his temples with his one hand for a few moments before he went through all he knew yet again. “Let’s go through the timeline. All of your written and oral reports tell me there was an altercation with Lotor that resulted in a big misunderstanding between Team Voltron and the Galra Empire, which could've threatened our alliance with the greatest faction in the known universe. During this altercation, Keith takes out my clone, and Allura ultimately saves my life.”

“You mentioned the Black Lion speaking to you,” Allura added, staring up the great head of Voltron before them. “When she was keeping your soul safely inside her. Would she speak to you in the same way the bond works between Lion and paladin?”

“It was... something like that.” Shiro sighed again, softer this time. “The bond is like a voice in your head that isn’t a voice at all. The Lion gifts you with new abilities to unlock when the bond is strong enough, and they can sense you as if you were one being. Black has also been known to show me events of the past during an astral projection, but it isn’t a voice. None of those things are a voice, it’s all just deep emotional and spiritual connection. My experience with Black while she housed my soul was something else entirely.”

“Still not understanding,” Keith cut in. “If she cared about you so much and had that kind of connection with you, why is your bond broken now?”

“I don’t know,” Shiro admitted, finding the yellow eyes of the Black Lion and once again trying to feel something. He felt mostly nothing. “The whole time I was in there, it felt like she was waiting for someone. She took me, my clone, and even Keith to fly her, but the choosing of Keith to take my place only happened because I influenced it, and she temporarily agreed. I don’t know exactly why she’s not accepting you anymore, Keith, but I think it has something to do with her waiting.”

Keith went quiet as he tried to think. Apparently, the only reason he was able to pilot Black was because Shiro made it all happen after he’d died and been absorbed by the beast machine. Black would not take him at her controls anymore.

But the Red Lion had welcomed him back home.

Allura crossed her arms over her chest. “This was all so much easier to manage when I just assigned you all to your Lions. Now you all have history with more than one of them that makes this predicament entirely too complicated.”

“Black won’t take me or Shiro,” Keith began, seeming to speak his thoughts out loud now. “But Red took me back and won’t take Lance. I thought maybe the Lions wanted our original lineup but that’s obviously not the case, even more so since Blue still wants Allura.”

“She’s waiting for someone,” Shiro said again. “It’s why she won’t let me fly her. I think she’s been waiting a long time, and she’s finally standing firm and getting what she wants. When I was with her, it wasn’t like the bond when you’re a paladin. I heard her voice. I heard her speak to me.”

“What did her voice sound like?” Lance asked.

“It’s... hard to describe. I felt it everywhere, in my ears, in my head, in my heart and even in my blood. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced with her before. She told me her paladin was a boy she knew. One who longed to fly her, who was part of the team, and one who was as quick and sharp as the Altean blade he wielded. All of those things describe Keith,” Shiro continued, giving a rueful smile to his longtime friend. “But apparently Keith is not the one. And the only other person who meets all those requirements... is Lance.”

“Yes!” Lance cheered, pumping a fist into the air. Not only had he polished his armor for the occasion, he had polished the armor of the Black Paladin, and was wearing it proudly. “I mean, it’s sad to leave Red. I’m definitely gonna miss that speed, and Blue has bonded pretty hard with Allura. Hunk doesn’t fight with a sword and in his heart we all know he prefers being with Yellow. I’m the only other guy left. And I’m a guy without a Lion now.”

“It does make sense,” Allura said. “What doesn’t make sense is how the Black Lion is responding at the moment.”

“I know, what’s up with her?” Lance murmured as he stared up at Black again.

The Black Lion looked anything but receptive to a new pilot at the moment. With two former Black Paladins and one possible new one in the hangar, her safety shield was up around her body positioned in a sitting pose. A waiting pose, Shiro thought again, but the waiting should end any moment. When they had originally found Blue in that cave back on earth, Blue’s shields had been up as well even though her next paladin had entered the space with her.

It had taken a little time for Lance to break through the shields, and carry them all off to their destiny.

Keith then suggested, “Maybe Black doesn’t like the fact that you’re wearing the Black Paladin armor before she even lets you fly her.”

Lance looked down at his chest and the black symbol of Voltron painted there. “That can’t be. I think I look kinda dashing. It just means I’m ready for her.”

“Girls don’t like it when you’re presumptuous.”

“Okay, stop before this turns into a thing,” Shiro interrupted before a spitting match between the boys could begin. “Lance, you’re the only one of us who makes sense based on what I know. Black has been waiting for you. Maybe it was solving the altercation with Lotor peacefully instead of resorting to emotional violence that couldn’t be taken back, or maybe it was you mastering the skills of two other Lions, I don’t know. But you will be Voltron’s next Black Paladin.”

“You’re quiznaking right!” Lance said excitedly, setting his black and white helmet down onto the floor and approaching the safety shields around the Black Lion. “C’mon, girl, loverboy Lance will treat you like a lady.”

Allura heard the entrance doors to the hangar whoosh open. Someone was entering. Probably Coran or Pidge.

“Maybe...” Lance continued softly, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Maybe I’ll just do the same thing I did with Blue, huh? Maybe I’ll just knock.” The boy lifted a hand, fisted it before knocking with the exact same pressure he’d once used to knock on Blue’s shields.

And just like that... the shields went down. Lance grinned in victory.

“Princess.”

Allura and all three men spun around at the sound of a familiar voice. Through the doors entered Emperor Lotor, the sound of his boots clicking along the floor and his hands placed gracefully behind his back. His eyes held no desire or appreciation for a quick break with Team Voltron and his mouth held no friendly smile. He entered the hangar with what felt like regret and obligation oozing from his skin, and he was quick to be rid of it.

“Our meeting, Allura. Shiro,” Lotor added, nodding to the one man in the room that didn’t make his heart clench inside his chest. “I’ve anchored my flagship to the Castle of Lions, as you’ve requested. I don’t have much time to give you or your comrades. My Empire needs me.”

After a woman named Romelle had been brought back from the Altean colony beyond the Quantum Abyss, she had accused Lotor of unspeakable crimes that ultimately turned out to be proven false, and nowhere near as heinous as she’d believed. It was a misunderstanding that had cost Team Voltron a lot, the biggest loss being the Emperor of the Galra’s trust in them. Blooming friendships had ended and Voltron was to return to Princess Allura’s castle instead of being given another home aboard the Galran Central Command.

Not only had friendships and camaraderie been ruined... but any possible romances as well.

Allura tried not to frown. The biggest mistake of her life had been made when she’d chosen the word of a stranger over their most important ally.

The alliance between Voltron and the Empire, however, had survived the devastating fallout.

Protecting the innocents of the universe from being threatened by another Zarkon was far too important to all of them.

“We will be right with you and your subordinates, Emperor Lotor,” she said softly, folding her hands in front of herself and setting her shoulders back instead of slouching forward. “There is a quick matter we’re addressing at the moment.”

Lotor’s eyes studied the scene before him. So much was different, he realized, staring at the new appearance of Shiro and the new armor the boy with the high-pitched voice and pointy chin was now wearing. The armor of the Black Paladin, he saw, his white brows lifting in surprise and maybe a little amusement as well. The armor of his father, and standing before the Lion his father flew too. Shiro, the only one aboard the castle Lotor did not carry any resentment for, was not in uniform at all, and held a very masked disappointment inside him. He would no longer be Black Paladin, Lotor realized.

Without Shiro, Team Voltron had all but collapsed before the earthling solider had returned in the form of a clone.

What would happen to them now?

“You will fly the Black Lion?” Lotor asked Lance out of curiosity. He wanted to leave the Castle as soon as possible, but this was a very interesting thing to behold.

“Damn skippy,” Lance answered proudly. He’d always known his day would come. “Look, she even dropped her shields for me, what a good girl. Hey, Allura, I might even be the first guy in intergalactic history to fly three Lions, huh? We should be writing this all down.”

“Yes, Lance,” she uttered, trying to sound cheerful but it certainly wasn’t showing on her face. “Ah... Lotor, I think you should be here for this moment. Lance will soon be Black Paladin and the head of Voltron, though Shiro and myself will still lead. I think it’s best for you to be aware of any new developments within our group.”

Lotor didn’t answer her. Instead, he stared up at the Black Lion. A spectacular beast machine, he thought, and one that came with an emitting warmth within her hangar. Could the others feel the warmth too?

Deep inside his head, he heard a very soft calling that was somehow both familiar and unknown.

“Well, it’s time to boot up my girl,” Lance declared, picking his helmet up from the ground and setting it over his head in preparation. “Once I get the hang of her controls, I think we should fly out in formation, just to see how it feels. And I’ll form the head!” he shouted with a dramatic deepened voice, doing a little jig before taking a few steps closer to the Black Lion.

Lance then yelped when Black’s shields shot back down, sending him back a few inches before it could slice off his toes.

Allura gasped, and Keith and Shiro straightened up in shock.

“Hey,” Lance groaned, pushing himself up from lying on his back. “What gives! First you let me in then you throw me out? What’s wrong with her, Shiro?”

“I... I don’t know,” Shiro said softly, his eyes quickly traveling all over Black for some foreign intrusion that had spooked her. “I don’t know what happened.”

“Maybe she doesn’t like you,” Keith said.

“Oh shut up, Keith!” Lance barked. “She likes me just fine.”

“Something isn’t right,” Allura murmured. “What could have gone wrong?”

“Shiro, you said she wanted me.”

“That’s not what I said!” Shiro all but yelled, then stopped to take a breath. “I only told you what she told me and we’re coming to these conclusions ourselves with machinery we still don’t really know or understand. I could be wrong, and she’s waiting for someone else.”

“But...” Lance lifted himself back to his feet, bowing his head a bit before shaking it and turning to them all. There was a slight redness in his cheeks right under his eyes. “I don’t have a Lion anymore. If I can’t fly Black then I don’t fly at all. It makes sense. You said it makes sense, Allura.”

“These are magical machines, Lance,” Allura calmly told him. “I can’t possibly know what they want at all times. Perhaps my father could, but I cannot.”

“This is the Black Lion,” Lotor then interrupted, taking a few steps closer to the beast machine, and quietly marveling over it. “The Lion that is the most skilled in combat and the one who takes the most energy from her paladin. Perhaps you do not hold enough energy to her liking, young man.”

Lance scoffed at him. “That’s ridiculous, I have more energy than everyone in this room. Back on earth, I could go to school at the Garrison all day and then party with the ladies all night.”

Nearby, Keith rolled his eyes.

Lotor stared up at the Lion, continuing to feel that warmth. He’d once been inside it with Shiro, what felt like an eternity ago. Even then he’d been aware of its power and the great toll it took from her paladin. The Blue Lion was friendly and the Red Lion was picky, but the Black Lion took only the great leaders who could carry the burden and form Voltron.

“There’s something,” Lotor murmured, looking straight ahead at the safety shields, the light reflecting in his blue eyes that were still shadowed from the fallout he’d experienced with those he’d once considered his friends, and more. He lifted a hand, claws pointed up. Warm, so warm. “She is... waiting.”

All four paladins went still behind him.

And when Lotor placed his hand on the shields of the Black Lion, they instantly went down again.

Not only did they go down... but Black moved, and gave a great roar that rocked the Castle of Lions.

Before, Shiro had felt nothing from Black. He’d tried, again and again, sitting in front of her or touching her or even climbing into the cockpit to take hold of her controls, hoping something would happen, that she would communicate to him again, or wisp him away to the astral plane for more answers about what she wanted and who she was waiting for.

Now, the very last and dying embers of his connection to the Black Lion flared to life like a great inferno, and the knowledge he’d been craving crashed into him like a raging storm.

I’ve been waiting... for the baby.

Her voice, he was hearing it yet again. Shiro’s eyes widened, went as white as the hair on his head and as bright as Black’s as she celebrated the return of the baby she’d been waiting for. He saw it all before him, saw the past as it was instead of a simple story Coran could only repeat from memory. He saw the paladins of old, including Allura’s father and Zarkon before corruption. He saw Haggar, smiling and glowing as a younger woman.

No, not Haggar, Shiro thought as he watched closely. Honerva. She’d once been called Honerva.

And inside her was... a baby.

A baby the Black Lion had waited patiently for.

I felt his heart beat. I felt his heart stop. His tiny, tiny heart. I tried to save them all.

Shiro watched as Zarkon offered Honerva to the rift out of desperation, his eyes zeroing in on her swollen middle covered by the baggy cloaks she wore to conceal her belly. Zarkon and Honerva had tried to keep their pregnancy a secret, knowing they would not be received kindly by anyone because of Honerva’s deteriorating condition in the pursuit of science that had come before her own unborn child.

And they’d all died. All three of them.

I have been waiting centuries for the child of Zarkon. I know him. I see him. I want him.

Together, he and I will fly.

Shiro suddenly gasped loudly, clutching his chest when the images were sucked away and the last of those embers fizzled out to nothing. The only hand he had left clutched his chest and only then did he realize he was being held. Keith had his shoulders, that worried line between his dark brows. Allura had a hand on his cheek and kept repeating his name, and Lance stood nearby for support.

Lotor only stared back at him.

“I’m fine,” Shiro breathed, rubbing back his white hair. “I’m fine.”

“What did you see?” Allura asked him, taking a step back to give him some space. “Your eyes were glowing, and so were the Black Lion’s.”

“She wants Lotor,” Shiro announced, knowing it to be true now without a doubt. “That’s who she’s been waiting for. She wants you,” he said to Lotor. “She wants to fly with you.”

“What!” Lance exclaimed, even stomping a foot down. That slight redness on his cheeks turned into a frustrated blush. “But... I’m supposed to fly her. I changed my armor and everything. You said...”

“I know what I said,” Shiro told him sternly. “This time, I know. Her paladin will be a boy she knew, and Black has known Lotor since before he was born. One who longed to fly her, who was part of the team, and one who was as quick and sharp as the Altean blade he wielded, that’s what she said. There must have been a part of you that wanted to fly the Black Lion of Voltron,” he then said straight to Lotor. “Every boy at some point wants to be like his father, to earn his father’s respect, even if that feeling is fleeting and he doesn’t deserve it. You’re also part of our team, whether you’re happy about it or not, and you’re an Altean swordsman. You meet all the criteria. You, Lotor, are the next Black Paladin.”

What a thing to hear, Lotor thought as he looked at Shiro, ignoring the others staring open-mouthed at him now. Following in his father’s footsteps, just like Zarkon, he thought, feeling the pain in his chest as he heard the ugly comments in his head all over again. This is how he would follow in his father’s footsteps. This is how he was just like Zarkon.

The Black Paladin, Lotor mused, glancing up at the great beast machine. She had been calling to him all his life, and he hadn’t known her voice or her warmth.

The Black Lion then leaned down to him. He wasn’t afraid though she was a gigantic being, and the hangar was filled with the unmistakable sound... of mighty purring. Black gently set her snout against Lotor, and the purring increased.

You are my cub now.

He heard her, Lotor thought with wonder. He heard her clearly, as if she’d opened her mouth and said the words.

Without thinking of the others, Lotor couldn’t help but place his hands on the Black Lion, his cheek against her metal, and close his eyes to feel that all-encompassing warmth he’d been without all his life. That intense love he’d never been properly given.

And during these quiet and meaningful moments, he shared his thoughts with her, his emotions, his deepest of feelings. She had to understand. She had to know.

The Black Lion accepted it, and would wait again.

“Oh, so now she’s purring,” Lance spat out, ripping his helmet off and wanting to chuck it in great disappointment. “Blue or Red never purred at me.”

“Lotor,” Allura began, needing to forget Lance’s feelings for now. There were more important things to discuss. “You must fly her. You must become Voltron’s next Black Paladin.”

It would be hard to voice his decision, Lotor knew, caressing Black one last time before she eased away, and sat up straight. It would be so very hard, but his heart could only take so much in one lifetime. It had been one tragedy after the next, and now he was finally able to change this universe for the better and live without others constantly hurting him.

Now, he would live without great hurt.

“I appreciate the offer, Princess Allura,” Lotor began, then turned to them with the poise and calm of an Emperor. “But I would not join this team as is even if you all dropped to your knees and begged me.”

Lance’s mouth fell open, Keith winced, Allura paled some.

Shiro... couldn’t say he was surprised. Not even a little.

Lotor gave the Black Lion one last look before gracefully making his way to the exit of the hangar.

I will come back for you he told her, and knew she heard him through their bond. One day, we will fly together.

I will be waiting, my cub.

“Now that I have defeated the Fires of Purification, now that I am supplying the Galra with unlimited quintessence extracted humanely and have the last living population of Alteans under my protection and loyal to me after saving them from extinction, I must say that I do not need to form Voltron to defend this universe. Everything I have worked and bled for, everything I almost died for,” Lotor added, staring at each and every one of them, “is now well within my grasp. I will be awaiting you, Allura, and Shiro aboard my ship for our meeting,” he said, the doors whooshing open for him. But before he left, he turned to them one last time.

“When it comes time to choose the next generation of Voltron paladins, I will answer the call to fly the Black Lion and lead them. She is waiting patently for me and I will not disappoint her. But I will not fly alongside this team who so quickly called for my death.”

Lotor walked through the exit, held their gazes as the doors began to close.

“Perhaps you should ask Romelle,” Lotor told them, and grinned as the doors closed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy Lotor Appreciation Day!

#vld #voltron #shiro #allura #lotor #lance #vld keith #voltron legendary defender #no4forlotor

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lanceville · 6 years ago

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bold of any of you to think i’ll ever let the fandom acknowledge what s8 has done. THIS is how the last season went:

the first episode starts with their discharge from the hospital. on his way out, shiro notices a familiar figure in one of the hospital rooms, sitting on the bed with his head that’s wrapped in a dozen bandages facing the window, face unseen. however, shiro thinks it’s just his imagination and tries not to dwell a lot on it and swallows his hope. he needs to stay strong for the universe, for “him”, just for a little longer.

lance asks allura out in the first episode, and she accepts. the klance sunset scene still happens the way it did. but when they go out on the actual date, she tells him that she doesn’t think a romantic relationship between them will work out, that she does care about him and cherish him, but only as a dear friend, and not in the same way he cares about her. she rejects him softly and gently, tells him that he’s a great guy and that many would be lucky to have him. it’s just that she can’t see her and his future together playing out well, and that maintaining their relationship as friends would be much better for both of them. she also tells him that he deserves someone who’d love him and cherish him the same way he would for them, a person with a heart full of kindness and love like lance’s. tells him that that person already exists, and that lance knows who they are without her specifying anybody. she thanks him for always being a good friend to her, and hugs him tight. lance accepts her rejection with no hard feelings, yes, he’s a little heartbroken, be he somehow feels relieved. relieved that he has realized that he doesn’t need to be in a romantic relationship to have others care about him and value him strongly and love him for who he is. relieved to still have allura as a friend, and relieved that she was honest with him, and that he didn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to. he just wants her to be happy. they spend the rest of the night hanging out, and lance is content.

the next day when keith sees lance, he asks him how the date went. lance smiles bittersweetly and tells him that it didn’t work out. he still feels heartbroken a little, but not at all as bad as he thought he’d be, and will feel better in a couple days. keith’s eyes become gentle, and he puts his hand on lance’s shoulder to show his support and smiles softly. he tells him that he will find happiness one day, and that he will be there for him all the way if he needs any support. that he is there for him now in case he needs some comfort. lance smiles and tells him that some sort of distraction right now would be great, so they go racing down the mountain on hoverbikes. lance feels much better afterwards.

lance still provides allura with emotional support like always, and she’s so grateful for that.

shiro gets a new prosthetic arm (this time a normal one) and it glows like the old one, though it also leaves a trail of sparkles when he swings it. romelle suggested that, and, well, shiro kinda likes it if he’s honest with himself. it also has the sky symbol of the black lion on the bicep which keith insisted on adding, since shiro will always be the rightful leader of voltron and the best of them. lance seconds that and tells shiro that he’ll always be his role model and his hero. and yes, shiro is still part of team voltron and goes on missions with them, along with krolia. he also dyes his hair black. when he looks himself in the mirror and sighs “god this looks so much better on me” allura glares at him and asks him if he has a problem with white hair. she glares daggers at him for the next five solid minutes he fumbles to find words. keith saves his ass and tells her that black happens to be shiro’s favorite hair color and that he has nothing against her white hair. allura doesn’t look convinced though.

the small, intimate, private talk between lance and keith still happens, though lance is worried about what lies ahead in the final battle, and if all of them will make it out, and even when he feels that he’s grown a lot since their journey started, he worries that he still might not have what it takes to ensure everybody’s safety. keith reassures him that it will all work out fine because they have lance on the team, and tells him that they’ll always have each other’s back and protect each other, and that he’d never let anything harm anyone on the team. lance laughs softly and points out how keith has changed a lot since the beginning too, and they spend time reminiscing about the past and how far they’ve come. they clasp hands, but it lingers longer than necessary as neither of them attempts to let go that quickly.

there has been also another thing on lance’s mind... but he doesn’t tell keith that because it revolves around keith himself.

before they all go to space again, the team takes allura, romelle, and coran to an amusement park. the alteans have the time of their lives. allura breaks the high striker strongman game. she looks so proud of herself, and everybody’s impressed, but not really surprised.

i have no idea what the plot was or who they fought or what happened outside of character interactions this season because i didn’t watch the past two, but during one of their battles, lance uses his altean broadsword. he conjures it to strike someone aiming for shiro’s back, and keith stops mid-battle to just. gape. he would’ve had his ass handed to him again if lance didn’t turn his bayard into a riffle again and accurately shot whoever was aiming for keith. lance smirks and teases him: “cat got your tongue, keith? never seen a handsome sharpshooter who’s also a swordsman in your life?” and he winks. keith’s flustered for just a second before he smiles softly and tells him while they resume fighting: “yes, lance. you’re the first handsome sharpshooter swordsman i’ve seen.” allura is heard giggling somewhere from behind them while chopping off some dicks with her battle ax bayard and krolia shouts “good one, son” while judo-flipping some guy and breaking his neck. lance just stays silent, and when keith looks over to him, his face is hidden, and lance just mumbles “let’s just get this over with.” keith and lance fight with their swords back to back.

lance unlocks his own voltron bayard upgrade, which is a cannon on each of voltron’s shoulders - one shoots magma, while the other shoots a freeze ray.

when they go to haggar/honerva to stop her from whatever she’s doing, they meet lotor trying to do the same. everyone is shocked to see him back, especially allura. hunk places his hand on her shoulder. lotor tries to ignore them, to not look at them, and focuses on defeating haggar. they’re fighting somewhere near a neutron star like the one keith and krolia orbited on a space whale. the imbalance in the threads of space-time lets them see some of the horrid memories lotor went through because of zarkon. and since haggar is trying to open a portal to jump to other realities or whatever, they got to see how other realities are like, where zarkon and his family are not zombies thirsting after quintessence - where they’re a normal family. this, however, is hard for lotor to see. he’s about to charge at haggar in anger and frustration when allura grabs his arm and tells him not to, that he wouldn’t be able to defeat her alone. long story short, allura finds a way to defeat her, though a sacrifice on her part must be made, since she holds all the magic.

so, in order for allura to let haggar and lotor die in peace and return to the realm of the dead, she sacrifices her altean alchemy knowledge and her marks of the chosen. she won’t be able to use magic anymore, and all her knowledge of altean alchemy would disappear, along with the lions’ connection to her life force. so she gives that up, and while doing that, she rises to the sky and shines like an actual angel, light that appears both plain white and vividly colorful emitting from every inch of her. the lions are heard roaring, letting go of their connection to her. the light then starts to morph into the shape of a white lion above her. her eyes glow a bright, beautiful turquoise, and when she looks down at haggar and lotor, the white lion charges at them with its fangs fully exposed, but instead of attacking them, it passes right through them, and they’re flooded with light surrounding them from all sides. before their souls disappear into sparkles, lotor and allura lock eyes, and they smile gently, and both honerva and lotor thank her. before the light fades out, alfor appears semi-transparently, and tells allura that he’s the proudest father in the universe. with that, the universe is saved.

they go back to earth to rest for a couple days after all of this. with her magic gone, the pink in allura’s eyes disappears, and they become just turquoise (that’s like, to physically showcase that she lost her magic). romelle, hunk, and lance assure her that she’s still as beautiful as ever. since the connection between the lions and her life force is gone, so is her bond to blue. she goes to her to tell her how grateful and honored she feels that she’s got to pilot her, and that she’ll never forget that experience. blue keeps purring softly at allura. lance is with her, keeping a respectful distance for some private chat between her and blue, glad to see that both of his beautiful girls are safe, happy, and doing fine.

the night they return from space, after he and allura return back from where blue was and have dinner with everyone, with lance sitting next to keith like always, lance goes to see shiro before bed. lance tells shiro that he’s always liked keith, and that he wants to start something with him, but he’s afraid that it’s still too soon and that he’s rushing things, especially that he got over allura just awhile ago and should probably wait a while longer before he starts confessing romantic feelings to anybody again. he knows that keith cares about him, because it shows, but he’s... afraid that it might not be in the same way he does. shiro breathes out a soft laugh and places a hand on lance’s shoulder, saying: “keith reciprocating your feelings is the last thing you should worry about. you’ll be surprised when you find out.” lance just stares at him confusedly, and shiro continues “if you need time to put your feelings into words, then take however long you need. keith will be waiting for you. he’s always been.”

lance spends the next two days staying close to keith, hanging out with him and stuff, contemplating whether things between them might work out after all or not. they clean their lions together, prank slav and coran, race on their hoverbikes, teach allura and romelle about pokemon and how to play it (romelle especially is hooked), make sure shiro is getting enough rest and is relaxing and not falling asleep in the gym, play with lance’s niece and nephew, and watch the sunset together (lance still doesn’t know how this part is considered “hanging out” but he’s not complaining). lance never misses the soft smiles and tender glances keith keeps sending his way, so he makes up his mind,

on the third day, lance tells keith that he wants to talk to him about something. they climb the black lion and sit on his head (this has become their usual private spot), and lance begins talking...

“i’ve always wanted to explore the skies and to become a pilot. i loved looking at the stars and dreaming of discovering the secrets they hold as much as i loved the ocean and- and you know how much i love swimming, haha.... anyway, when i got into the garrison, i was extremely joyful and excited. there, i met you.... the little bratty lonewolf mullethead who never talked to anyone and kept breaking the rules and- yes it’s true, keith, don’t deny that, you were such a brat when you were a kid i swear- but- but as much as you annoyed me and got on my nerves, i loved seeing you fly. you made it seem so natural, so smooth, so easy, so liberating. you were... really amazing... and you were my goal. you made me want to become better and better, and do my best to be as good as you are. i admired you so, so much. i won’t deny that i didn’t have any feelings of jealousy though.... haha..... i was...... pretty jealous of you too.... like you were close to shiro, my number one hero, and you’re a natural prodigy who barely put in any effort in training and yet bested everyone, even the instructors, and you were really popular, man, like even i- *awkward cough* anyway, i tried my best to reach you on the top, because if i reached the place where the best pilot is and then surpassed him, i’d be considered the best, and then i’d be recognized and acknowledged, and gain what i’ve always wanted before: attention and glory. but you never noticed me, and that really saddened me and got on my nerves.... made it seem like you were a stuck up belittling me and thinking that i’m not worthy of your attention, so.... so i created this rivalry with you... deluded myself that i hated you.... tried to grab your attention in the pettiest ways because you would never look at me otherwise........ but when we got trapped together in space and were forced into a team together, i learned more about you, and even though you look like an intimidating mulletted emo from the outside, especially with that intense frown of yours that never left your face and that made me think you’re always plotting someone’s murder, you’re just a stupid dork with a soft heart from the inside... and..... and i grew to like your soft mullet, your murderous frown, your rough voice that can grow exceptionally soft at times, your eyes that harbor numerous galaxies inside of them, your impulsive tendencies - even though they make you seem suicidal sometimes which is not acceptable at all, you idiot - your cute smile, your fighting style....... i grew to like you, keith. deep down i knew it, but for some reason, i didn’t wanna admit it. allura... allura was my ideal. she’s a perfect goddess who everybody is captivated by, and it was only natural that young, stupid, flirtatious, immature me would try to score with her..... but i grew to genuinely care about her too.... though it was... more platonic than romantic at first. i started caring about her as a friend more than anything... and i was about to give up on liking her romantically in favor of being friends especially that... that you and i grew closer after shiro disappeared, and i thought- i thought there might be... some chance for me to accept my feelings for you and to voice them when i’m ready, but you left for the blades, and any hope i had for anything between us shattered... heh... i know it might sound silly coming from me of all people at that point of time but - but i took your abandonment of the team pretty hard.... you have become the closest person to me, and i used to spend most of my time with you... so when you left... i felt so lonely, especially that the rest of the team have each other and know their place... i used to be your right hand man after shiro disappeared, and you always listened to what i had to say... gave me the acknowledgement and validation that i was in need of.... treated me as an equal.... and listened to my worries and reassured me... so when you were gone, i lost all of that... clone shiro didn’t need a right hand man in the first place, and nobody seemed to need me around.... so i started doubting my place on the team and my self-worth again, and i thought maybe... maybe if i found love, i wouldn’t feel like that anymore... so i turned to the only other person i’ve had feelings for - allura, and i... tried projecting my feelings for you onto her, but somewhere along the line, those feelings became genuine, and i truly liked her, and i thought, maybe this would work out after all, and when i came to you, you encouraged me too, which... which made me think that maybe it’s time to move on from you now but.... when allura rejected me, i was heartbroken, but not as much as i thought i would be? i felt some kind of... relief. i felt complete. that i’m my own person, and that i should be proud of that... and i finally realized that i don’t need a romantic relationship to feel validated... allura still cares about me and i care about her too, and that didn’t change and won’t change, whether we were in a relationship or not. romance isn’t the solution to everything, and i shouldn’t pursue it thinking that it is. i’m really glad that it ended like that between allura and i. this way we can comfortably be friends without any awkwardness or discomfort or mixed feelings, and it’s not just allura who accepts me for who i am. i have a lot of people who i cherish and cherish me back - shiro, romelle, coran, hunk, pidge, my family, and most importantly.... you, keith. you were actually the one who provided me with the most emotional support that i badly needed to realize my worth and place in the universe. you are always there for me when i need to talk and you always comfort me.... i feel most comfortable around you. talking to you is easy and comes naturally to me, and you always make me feel better when i’m feeling down. this is why- this is why i want to always be with you, keith. you make me feel happy, and i want to make you feel happy too. i really, really, really like you, kei- whoa! dude?!?!!?”

when lance turns his head away from the sunset to look at keith after the longass heartfelt speach he gave, he sees that keith’s face is smudged with tears... no wonder keith stayed silent without a word for this long because the boy looks barely able to breathe, let alone speak. lance is taken aback, and tries to ask keith if he maybe said too much or something wrong when keith jumps on him and stuffs his face into lance’s neck, holding him really tight. lance relaxes into the hug and holds keith just as tight. keith mumbles through the tears: “i really like you too, lance. i always have”

the next day, the go on a date to the beach, except that everyone else tags along, and they only spend like 30 minutes of walking alone together on the beach shore, fingers intertwined and swinging between them, before they hear everybody shouting and race back to see that coran thought that the watermelon was a beach ball and threw it to allura and romelle who wanted to play beach volleyball, and when allura tried to spike it, the watermelon burst open and fell all over her face. they thought hunk was crying because he was scared allura got hurt, but it turns out he’s just tearing up with his face in the sand because he’s laughing too hard. when he looks up with his face covered in sand and tears, he says: “me? scared that allura would get hurt by a watermelon???? this is the funniest thing i’ve ever heard since we knew zarkon had a son!” and then he dissolves into half-laughing-half-crying in the sand like a dying ostrich.

the garrison along with the rest of the planets in the galaxy prepare a prodigious festival to celebrate the defenders of the universe’s victory. when shiro is about to pass a corner to go to his room to get ready, he bumps into a tall man with slightly wavy chestnut hair, bangs falling to his eyes, one of which is lightless, rectangular glasses framing them, right side of his face paler than the rest of his tan skin due to a scar extending from his neck to the corner of his eyebrow. he forgets how to breathe, and so does the other person. me manages to let out a chocked “adam...?” before his vision goes blurry and his eyes well with tears. they hug, forgetting everything else for now that they’ve finally found each other after so long, and go to talk in shiro’s room. when shiro tells adam that he thought he was dead, still dumbfounded that he’s alive, adam deadpans: “talk for yourself. if you think i’ll ever forgive you for making me believe you were dead for good and have me grieve over your stupid soul for years without even thinking of sending me a text message once to reassure me you’re not and then coming back with the title of “defender of the universe” after you’ve adopted like five kids besides keith and transferring your soul into body that was your clone’s is just straight out unacceptable, takashi, hope you’re ready to pay for all of the compensations.” and shiro is horrified and feels really guilty for not taking adam’s feelings into consideration, so he tries to make it up to adam and take responsibility: “i’m ready to pay all the compensations and more if it means that you won’t be mad at me anymore.” adam looks at him and says: “well, the first thing you have to pay for is a house. if you want to move in together again then at least buy a better house this time than that ugly apartment, takashi.” shiro looks up at adam and stares. adam’s face softens and he continues: “i was mad at you because i loved you, and i’m still mad at you because i still love you. you make me worry too much about you, takashi. if you promise you’d take better care of yourself, i’d consider participating in paying the expenses of the wedding we planned before instead of throwing all of them in your face. so, what do you say?” shiro is still staring at him. he snaps out of it a few moments later, and his eyes go tender and teary: “trust me, i have experienced enough things to last me ten lifetimes. i want to do nothing for the rest of my life besides drinking orange juice on the beach sand with you.”

“are you really solo-planning out the rest of my life for me, takashi?”

“you still have the option to accept it or reject it”

“you idiot. you know that i’ll accept it”

shiro and adam have their wedding that they’ve always deserved and it’s a huuuge one! when adam throws the flowers, they fall into lance’s hands. a second later, another bouquet falls into keith’s, and when they both look up, they see shiro and adam winking at them, and adam says: “takashi and i both bought flower bouquets for each other. convenient, huh? now you both get to have one to gift the other after the wedding.”

as for their future, they rebuild altea all together as their final mission as voltron. allura becomes the queen of the new altea, with coran and romelle as her advisors (romelle is only an advisor in title though, she mostly spends her time gossiping with allura). hunk is a galactic diplomat, and he visits shay constantly, and sometimes works alongside allura, or for her. he also still works in the garrison as engineer, but only when he’s needed. pidge builds a robot factory, and works as a technician and inventor in the garrison. despite what shiro said, adam and shiro still work in the garrison as instructors, but only part-time. they love flying way too much to abandon their jobs, honestly. keith stays in the blade with his mom along with lotor’s generals, and the blade of marmora becomes a humanitarian and direct relief organization. lance becomes one of the best instructors of the garrison and a renowned pilot. he’s sometimes asked to do other, very unrelated jobs, like modeling for a fashion magazine, or helping out hunk with his diplomatic work, or teaching kids how to milk cows. he’s also become part of the blade of marmora with keith and helps him out occasionally. keith and lance take vacations from time to time and go to different planets on dates.

they’re all happy and safe. and that’s a constant in every reality.

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rueitae · 5 years ago

Text

Too Soon and Not Soon Enough - Chapter 3

Read on Ao3

Keith finds himself a part of a team and he likes it very much. He also has his mom, which is nice. He’s also terrified because he’s 13 and this is the canon equivalent of the pilot episode. (about 3300 words)

~~~~~

“They are children!” Shiro’s desperate voice boomed past the door. “It’d be one thing if they were older cadets, but they haven’t even - they haven’t had their first class yet.”

It wasn’t his loud voice that shook Keith to his core, but rather the way his hero’s voice broke at the end - for him and the other kids - that rattled him. Shiro was so invincible and strong and smart and amazing…

Keith knew broken when he heard it.

“We have not been given much of a choice,” Allura said sympathetically. “I do not like it either, but I can feel the pull of their quintessence - I’ve no doubt you are all meant to be the Paladins of Voltron.”

“And she’d be right!” Coran piped up. “King Alfor tied the Lions to Allura’s quintessence, she knows better than anyone.”

“Pssst,” Lance hissed annoyingly - yet quietly - in his ear. “I can’t see the alien princess - scooch over!”

Moments later, Lance was squirming to get underneath him and Keith lost his view of the bridge, waylaid to the other end of the door.

Hunk moved out of Lance’s way and sighed. “Maybe we shouldn’t have eavesdropped.”

“Are you kidding?” Katie aired incredulously, seated on her knees on the other side of the door. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Earth is being invaded as we speak. We all have family there, I want to learn everything I can to help.”

Lance hummed in agreement, chest puffed out in indignation. “I should be in there, I piloted the Blue Lion here.”

Keith frowned. “I thought you said it was on autopilot?”

“Oh burn,” Hunk snickered.

Lance glared back. “You’re the one to talk, Hunk. You listened in on the entire phone call I had with my m-” His anger faded as suddenly as it appeared, face long as if he’s been abandoned.

Keith knew that feeling too.

“Mom,” Lance finished lamely.

Keith bowed his head in solidarity. Even more than they spy on an adult meeting, he felt like he was intruding on something too personal by just being here. Especially when he’d just found his own mother, and their families are back on Earth - at the mercy of an alien race that he was half of.

There had been a lot for him to process over the last day. Keith wasn’t sure it had quite sunken in.

“We can’t sit here arguing for much longer,” Krolia interjected in the meeting. “Zarkon already has the Red Lion and its been millennia since anyone has seen any of the others. He will be hunting down the Blue Lion and Lance with prejudice. We have to move.”

“We are sitting duflaxes here,” Coran chirped, though his tone is far less peppy than when he awoke from the cryo-pod. “Perhaps we could contact this Blade of Marmora, we could certainly use all the help we can get.”

“No.”

“Princess…”

“I cannot,” her voice broke. “Not yet.” She took a deep breath. “But we do need to move and gather the Lions before Zarkon can.”

Shiro growled in frustration. “Still, there must be someone else…”

“Sendak will be here in two varga,” Krolia interrupted, arms crossed. Her aura carried agitation and restlessness. “At the very least we need to get everyone out of here.”

“We cannot leave the Castle,” Allura fretted. “The Black Lion is locked away in its hangar. It will only open once the other Lions and their new Paladins are gathered.”

Keith held his breath as Shiro takes a deep one. When he opened his eyes, Earth’s best pilot looked worn and defeated. “Then we really don’t have a choice. We can’t let Zarkon have the Lions, can we?”

“Absolutely not.”

Krolia and Allura stared at each other, surprised they had spoken the same words at the same time.

Allura cleared her throat, cupping a fist to her mouth. “Your home planet has already seen why,” she addressed Shiro. “Voltron is the only thing stopping Zarkon from doing the same to the entire universe.” She bowed her head. “He had a good start ten thousand years ago… I can’t imagine how far he’s come now.”

Keith bit his lip. Across the universe, there were kids just like him whose parents were separated by Zarkon’s stupid war. It wasn’t fair.

He stood before he realized what he was doing.

“Keith, what are you doing?” Hunk whispered harshly.

“I want to help!”

The adults stared at him in surprise. Righteous fire burned under his skin, angry at Zarkon for doing this to the universe… angry at himself, because if not for Zarkon, Krolia and his father never would have met.

He got to exist at the expense of the universe.

Keith decided right then and there that he will do everything in his power to make it up to everyone.

Coran crossed his arms, looking like his father whenever Keith was in trouble. “I distinctly remember not inviting you kids to this conference.”

Keith opened his mouth to retort, but he doesn’t have to.

Lance stood next to him, fists clenched with a dark look in his eyes. “I’m already the Blue Paladin, right?” he declared clearly in his best effort to sound authoritative, though it doesn’t take long for his voice to crack, his hands shaking. “That… that means I have to be in talks like this. It's my d-duty...right?”

He sounded so… so alone. Keith knew how that felt, after so many years without any family.

“I’m helping too!” Katie interjected angrily, popping up between him and Lance. “My family - all of our families - are on Earth. We don’t even,” her face softens, brows creasing in uncertainty and fear, “know if they’re safe.”

The anger still burns, but it began to feel more like a strength; the others backing him up feels more like a warm campfire on a cold night.

Hunk wrapped an arm around his shoulders, though he faced the adults. “Everyone in the universe is hurting, right? And we can do something about it? We… we should do something.”

“Please,” Keith implored, strengthened by the support. “Tell us what we need to do.”

There was a heavy silence before Shiro sighed, looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He nodded. “Let’s focus on what we can do now.”

For the first time since meeting her, Allura smiled. “Thank you.”

Straightening her posture, Allura stepped forward onto a dias at the top of the bridge. As she touched each of the twin pedestals, the room erupted full of stars - a map! On it, the five Lions scattered across the universe.

“The Lions do not take just anyone for their Paladin,” Allura explained. “They each seek individuals with specific characteristics. I believe you five have those special qualities, as Lance has already proven.

“This is what we must do.”

~~~~~

After declaring his service to the universe, waiting was the last thing Keith expected to end up doing.

Because apparently the Red Lion didn’t want to be found.

“The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It’s pilot must rely on instincts rather than pure skill.”

That suited Keith just fine. His instinct had led him back out to the desert, where he was able to reunite with his mother against all the odds.

It would have been nice to use this down time to ask her about a lot of things - how she met his father, details about why she had to leave, other family he might have. But right now she was with Lance and Hunk, looking for the Yellow Lion. The only other person he wanted to confide in was Shiro, but he was with Katie, looking for the Green Lion.

Keith’s job kept him at the Castle, sitting on the wide steps that led down to the lower bridge, waiting on Allura for any clue on the Red Lion’s whereabouts. His Lion. One of only five in the entire universe. The only weapon that could defeat Zarkon from conquering the rest of the universe.

He was thirteen. And the second oldest of the proposed Paladins.

Keith always wanted to do something important. His father always used to say he would grow up to do amazing things. But he wasn’t even close to grown up - just a delinquent, alien kid (the same aliens conquering the universe, Keith thought has he held himself close). Maybe he should have thought about volunteering to be a Paladin through a bit more before saying anything.

“Deep in thought, my boy?”

Keith jumped not just at Coran’s voice, but the fact that the red-haired Altean man loomed over him. Friendly countenance or not, his presence chills Keith. Not just that the Galra were responsible for the destruction of his (and the Princess’s) planet, but also they were a reminder that Earth could very well see the same fate. The more he had time to think, the more Keith realized that their situation was incredibly vulnerable. They may have the universe’s most powerful weapon, but Earth may as well be a hostage.

“It’s nothing,” Keith lied, pointedly looking away.

Coran somehow took that as an invitation to sit beside him.

“You kids are being very brave,” Coran said, his tone carrying a tinge of sadness and plenty of sympathy.

Keith clenched his fists, curling his knees to his chest. He knew all about sympathy. Adults always looked at him like that - before getting to know him and then never seeing him again.

He doesn’t want that to happen with his mother. At least he knew she hadn’t left because she hated him, but now he’s terrified she will change her mind when she gets to know him. Blame him for not keeping Dad alive.

Keith doesn’t realize he was shaking until a hand on the shoulder stopped him.

“Keith,” Coran said softly. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine,” Keith responded quick enough that even he knew it was too quick. “I just don't want to screw up. This is important.”

Coran took him into a hug before Keith knew what was happening.

“I am sorry that this is a burden you must bear. I swear I will do everything in my power to help.”

Coran doesn’t let go and the longer he was held, the less Keith wanted to let go, instead intertwining his fingers on the cloth of Coran’s suit.

“And I know your mother will as well,” Coran continued, as if knowing exactly what was on Keith’s mind.

Even if it doesn’t come from Krolia herself, it’s nice to hear.

A light cough broke Keith from the peace. He leaned up and away from Coran as Allura approached them.

“I have found the whereabouts of the Red Lion,” Allura told them, though she does not look happy about what should be excellent news.

Keith’s stomach churned. What if the Red Lion doesn’t choose him? What if Allura was wrong? “Where is it? I… I should try and go get it, right?”

Allura shook her head. “No, not until the others are safely back. The Red Lions is… it is on Sendak’s ship. I cannot send you there on your own in good conscience.”

The thought of going on one of the Galra warships on his own terrified him. It wasn’t like lashing out at school, the Galra would not send him away with a harmless punishment. The memories of the early invasion footage run through his mind, of robot soldiers killing indiscriminately - they would shoot him first if he were to go on the ship, no questions asked.

But they needed the Red Lion. Everyone was already doing their part, except for him, even though he’d been the first to promise his help.

“I can do it,” Keith insisted, his voice sounding much clearer than he felt. “We have to have all the Lions to form Voltron right? That’s what the Blue Lion told us back on Earth.”

“Not at the risk of your life, Keith. There will be far too much of that in the future,” Coran said. “If we wait for the others, we can come up with a plan together.”

Patience yields focus, is what Shiro would say.

~~~~~

Keith couldn’t afford to be patient in the end and yet he knew this was now the stupidest thing he had ever done.

But there was no turning back now. The pod he’d borrowed was destroyed.

With no weapons and no armor of any kind, Keith ran down the corridors of the Galra battle cruiser. He passed rows of magenta light and dark grey walls, but every few minutes he arrived back at the same purple insignia.

Keith huffed. “You have to be kidding me,” he wheezed, utterly deflated. Perhaps he should have listened to Allura and Coran, and taken Shiro’s mantra.

Patience yields focus.

Keith breathed in. Then out. Slowly.

The Blue Lion had called to him in the desert. He may not have been destined to be its pilot, but perhaps he could talk to the Red Lion like he had the Blue Lion. If the feeling was similar, all he had to do was concentrate.

So Keith closed his eyes, and reached out.

He looked and looked, his mind coming back to Krolia finding him, the news reports on the television before they all went out, the pain and sorrow when his father died, the loneliness he’d felt since then. The fire of anger burned bright the more he thought of all the innocent people being hurt.

An amazing thing happened, Keith felt like smiling. He felt the ember of the others backing him up like… like teammates. Like friends. There were coals igniting under the relationship with his mother and a steady blaze of Shiro’s promises - promises that he had so far kept.

A roar - a slightly higher pitch than the Blue Lion - echoed in his mind.

Keith grinned and opened his eyes. “Gotcha.”

He ran unhindered, following a trail of ashes he hadn’t seen before, not even stopping when he reached giant double doors. They open and Keith doesn’t spare them another thought as he finally stops and beholds the Red Lion.

With no enemies in sight, Keith slowed to a walk, catching his breath. The Red Lion was even more awe-inspiring than the Blue Lion, every inch of it felt like a raging inferno but Keith was not afraid, even if it was the element that took his father from him. With Red, he felt he could save anyone from a fire.

Just like Dad lived to do.

With renewed conviction in his promise to save the universe from Zarkon, Keith dared to place a hand on the force field Red had around itself. All Lance had to do was knock, maybe Red just needed a touch.

Nothing happened.

An icy fear threatened to cover all the embers of joy in his heart. If he wasn’t the Red Paladin, who was? Keith’s entire plan was based on flying out with Red - he has no other way to escape. He’d already taken such a huge risk getting here.

Clinking footsteps sounded in the distance. Keith gasped and turned to look towards where the hangar door was still wide open. Robots that made up the core of the Earth invasion force lined the corridor two across. He had nothing to fight with, if Keith doesn’t do anything, he would die.

A control panel was only a few feet away from him. Opening the airlock would be suicide without any protection on.

Keith gulped and turned to the Red Lion, acutely aware of his own trembling.

“Allura says you’re one of the good guys, and that we might be a good match,” he began, his heart beating faster and faster as the footsteps grew louder. “I don’t want to die yet - I just met my mom and I might have friends for the first time ever. I don’t - I don’t want to lose that. So please,” Keith begged. “Please help me. I want to defend the universe.”

Red roared louder than before and its eyes flashed yellow.

~~~~

Keith moaned in contentment. His pillow was soft and his position warm. Large fingers ran through his hair and he smiled, the light scratching could only be coming from Krolia. It felt… nice to be cared for like this. He wanted it to continue.

“I should do a perimeter check,” Krolia said softly. “Sendak and Haxus could have escaped, they aren’t idiots.”

“You stay with the Paladins,” Coran answered. “I’ll have a looksie around. I’ve still got the strength of a Yxthulax and the mind of a Teveran even after all that time in the cryo-pod.”

Keith had no idea what those things were, nor did he care much as long as he could continue resting.

Forming Voltron had been… exhilarating. Never had he ever felt so connected to a group of people. Defenders of the universe, Shiro had said after the battle. Keith smiled and curled up in delight at the memory. This was his team, so unique in the universe that it couldn’t be compared to anything he knew of. They were going to save everyone - save Earth - he was sure of it.

“I can go,” Shiro interjected.

“You should be sleeping, Shiro. That battle took much out of you,” Coran advised.

“I’m not really sleepy,” he countered.

“Then look after your team.” Keith could almost see the soft smile on Coran’s face. “I haven’t seen a group so exhausted since the original Paladins all got the flu together!”

Shiro afforded him a half laugh. “All right. Thanks, Coran.”

Keith flipped over onto his back as the door whooshed closed behind Coran. “What time is it?” he groaned, still in a sleepy fog.

Lance and Hunk are sprawled out next to each other across the room and Katie was similarly fast asleep slumped over on Shiro, who sat alert with his back against the wall.

“You still haven’t slept enough,” Krolia said gently. “None of you have rested since before we left Earth.”

Keith’s eyes wander to Shiro, expecting him to still be angry for going after the Red Lion himself. But instead, the Galaxy Garrison pilot smiled warmly. “She’s right, Keith. You were really brave today. Scared us all half to death,” he admitted, “but if you hadn’t gone after the Red Lion, I’m not sure we’d all be here now.” He sighed lightly, eyes downcast as if accepting a truth he would rather not. “I’m going to have to trust you all a little more. We’re a team now and we have a big job to do.”

“And you will not be alone,” Krolia added firmly. “The Blade of Marmora already has a network of spies that runs deep into the Empire. We will have safe harbor at headquarters so that you can prepare your bodies and minds.”

Keith frowns and shifts to sit up. “Train you mean? But we formed Voltron. We can go after Zarkon and end this. Earth is in trouble now. What about…” his gaze wandered over to his new teammates. He doesn’t know Lance and Hunk’s families, but he’d spoken to Matt Holt a time or two, and Katie’s father practically wrote half the coursebooks he’d been asked to buy. They were all still back on Earth… while he had everyone he cared about right here in this room.

It didn’t seem fair.

Krolia wrapped an arm around his shoulders and brought him in close, a comforting hug that Keith melted and clung into. “You’re a good person, Keith. Just like your father. Don’t ever lose sight of that.”

Shiro offered and easy, tired smile of his own. “We’ll go back, Keith, I promise. When we have allies and a plan. We’ll save them, I promise.”

A soft rumble in the back of his mind supported Shiro and Krolia both, a consistent hearth that hasn’t left him since the Red Lion opened up to him back on Sendak’s ship.

Each one of them had chosen him. The least he could do was give that trust back.

#voltron legendary defender #vld keith #vld fanfic #vldgen #keith #team as family #rueitae #listen i would have written this so long ago #but alluras characterization in this au plagued me #i hope its decent #canon divergent au #just felt like i needed to have something out for keiths birthday

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scattered-winter · 1 year ago

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Hey, if all of the Paladins were captured/incapacitated, who do you think would be the best candidates to pilot each of the lions until the Paladins were rescued/healed?

OOOOH this was a fun one to think about hehe

so in the event that all 5 paladins were somehow unable to pilot, the lions Could still have pilots but there wouldn't really be much of a bond there and forming voltron would be extremely difficult (because, if you remember, one of the reasons why voltron works is because all 5 quintessence colors are present in equal amounts. without that balance, it would be very very hard to make the connections fit. of course it's possible, but the temporary team wouldn't be able to have the cohesiveness that the paladins do even as voltron.) the temporary pilots would still need to be a pure/almost pure color of quintessence in order for it to work (the rules can be bent a little bit for short-term temporary pilots, especially if there's A Situation that requires it, but for actual paladins that the lions are bonded to the situation is. a lot more delicate. so a good number of people with mostly black quintessence probably COULD pilot the black lion in a pinch but they would never be able to actually connect with her the way a black paladin could.)

so, that SAID, here's the tentative lineup for if this ever happened:

black: allura (she could actually conceivably pilot any of the lions; her quintessence colors are largely black and red, but she's connected to all 5 so she Could pilot any of them. but black and red are the best matches.)

red: allura would also be a good candidate for red, but in a situation where all five lions needed piloting, she would probably pilot black, and thus can't pilot red so it'd have to be someone else. but i DO think renee could pilot red in a pinch (she's red and blue with juuuuuust a few touches of green)

green: matt. he has some blue and black mixed in there, but he has enough green and he embodies green traits well enough that it could work fairly well

yellow: coran. he's actually mostly yellow with a good amount of blue, so honestly he could do either, but I think yellow would be his most likely candidate

blue: renee could also be blue, potentially, since she has about equal amounts of red and blue. but if she's piloting red, then someone else would need to be blue and that would probably be denny. he hasn't had very many scenes Yet but he's very, very blue. with a streak of yellow and maybe a few spots of red

#i had a few more candidates but im trying to stick to people y'all have met lmao #do i ever think this will happen?? no. was it fun to think about?? yea <3 #adam Could have been on there....like he's mostly red+yellow with a few spots of black #but he would Literally rather die than pilot the black lion can u fuckin imagine him having to step in for shiro TWICE #he's already at the end of his rope lmao #and there are ppl who fit red and yellow better than he can. however ig if renee piloted blue he could be red...#idk. he's my little freak (affectionate). he was not meant to pilot a lion and he would be perfectly happy with that #xpegasusuniverse #voltron #quintenary stars series

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neflor-hnoss · 6 years ago

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Five years after Allura’s sacrifice, they’re all living the life they choose but keeping in contact with each other and reuniting every year on the anniversary of her death. During those years Shiro and Curtis dated, got married and adopted a little boy, Hunk and Romelle started dating (in my head, but Hunk and Shay is fine too) and their restaurant chain became the most loved and popular in the whole galaxy, Pidge came out as non binary and started dating Ina and they were widely known as the ultimate science power couple and used to disappear for days when they were researching for something, Keith became the face of the BOM and everybody in the whole universe knew about him and his team of half galra women and Lance lived the simple life he wanted and became more and more quiet and contemplative. All the members of the team went to see him when they could and one time Lance’s mother told Keith that Lance was more like his old self when one of the paladins was around, so he made a point of going to see him every time he had a bit of free time. The McClain’s farm almost became his second home and they spent a lot of time together just hanging out in the flower fields.

Buuut, as I was saying, five years after Allura’s death, they all feel this weird sensation, something similar to the mind connection with the lions, and it is warm and fond, yes, but it feels urgent, like a warning. Lance is the only one who recognizes Allura and he starts to frantically call the others. Keith is the only one who doesn’t answer immediately but, when he finally joins the group call, he brings bad news: there’s a new danger for the universe (I don’t even know what). While he explains what’s happening, they all hear a loud growl. The lions are back (I didn’t even take the time to think about how that’s gonna work. Don’t even care. I just want them back as a team of Defenders for a last time).

They all clearly feel this energy urging them to move and it clearly feels like Allura telling them that they need to save the universe.

They leave. All the MFE pilots, the three half galra ladies, Romelle and Matt and gf go with them. Curtis stays back with the baby but understands why Shiro must go. They agree to videocall every time they can. Coran stays back too to look on Altea but he’s involved in every strategic meeting.

They find their old dynamic easily but there’s an Allura-shaped hole and they all miss her more than ever, Lance even more than the others. But they all feel her.

During that time, Lance is very cheerful and smiley. He is suffering a lot but he tries to put his old mask back on, just less flirty and loud. He misses Allura, he’s kinda jealous of all the happy couples he has around him (meanwhile even Veronica and Acxa got together) and he feels bad for that.

Everybody sees right though his act but they don’t know what to do.

Keith, who’s been in love with him for a very long time but just silently stepped aside, stays with him and quietly supports him though the grief.

They spend more and more time together, just them or with the others, and Lance feels more and more loved and his mask starts to crumble. Until one day he just breaks and cries his eyes out in front of the whole team.

They all comfort him.

Even Blue.

Even Red.

Even Allura’s energy.

Then it starts to get better and he starts to slowly heal.

When he realizes he’s in love with Keith and that a very well-hidden part of him always was, he panics. He feels guilty and like he’s betraying Allura’s memory, so he pushes Keith away and starts avoiding him.

Keith believes that Lance noticed his feelings for him and gives him space, understanding why he might want to distance himself.

They still fight together and they still have each other’s back in battle but they don’t hang out anymore.

Lance comes up with the strategy to finally beat the “enemy” (yeah, it was all to give him his moment to shine in battle. Sorry not sorry) and after winning the final battle they all hug and congratulate him, minus Keith. He just pats him on the shoulder and smile, telling him he did great.

Lance finds himself longing for that hug but suppresses the thought.

The mysterious energy just disappears and they take their time to mourn the loss again during their journey back.

After six months, they are finally back to their previous life.

Shiro is back with his husband and son.

Pidge, Ina, Matt, N-7, Veronica, James, Ryan and Nadia come back to the Legendary Defenders project. Hunk and Romelle join them.

Keith, Ezor and Zethrid are back with the BOM. Acxa too, but she spends half of her time on Earth with Veronica.

Lance goes back to the farm and is left confronting his feelings for Keith and his feelings for Allura.

it’s during one of Shiro and his family’s visits that he finally decides to let go and openly talk about his feelings.

Shiro and Lance talk about Adam and Allura, about loss and about the strength needed to move on. They talk about Curtis and Keith. It’s then that Lance feels that energy again. It’s warm, loving, supporting and Lance understands immediately what it means.

He loved Allura, still does and in a way always will.

But he can love someone else. He does love someone else. And it’s different.

He feels hope for the future, his future, for the first time since Allura’s death.

But he needs closure, so the next day he goes to visit Coran, the one who was closer to Allura and her only family left, and ask for forgiveness. Coran tells him that there’s nothing to forgive, that Allura would have never wanted for him to spend his life mourning and that he deserves to be happy too.

So, he goes to see Veronica and Acxa. When the latter departs for the BOM, he goes with her.

Keith is stunned to see Lance, even more when he hugs him.

They talk for a long time, finally confess their feelings for each other and kiss.

After that moment, they spend half of their time with the Bom and half with Lance’s family at the farm.

They marry two years later and they retire to live in Lance’s farm, except for Keith’s occasional mission.

One year after their wedding, they adopt a baby girl (in my head she’s a little, curly-haired, dark-skinned earthling) and name her Allura.

Five years later, Allura wakes them up very early in the morning. She has a very serious look in her dark eyes.

“Papa” she says to Lance “The beautiful white-haired lady wanted me to tell you that she is proud of you. And she wanted me to tell dad she says thank you.”

Lance and Keith are both stunned and Lance’s eyes start to water, but they’re both smiling.

“Allura” Lance says “Do you want to hear the story of the woman you’re named after? She was the bravest, strongest person I’ve ever met…”

Keith watches his husband pull their daughter on his lap and smiles.

They’re happy.

Alternate, very self-indulgent, ending:

Pidge and Ina, after working on this for the seven years after Allura sacrificed herself, find a way to bring her back using the lions’ quintessence, altean magic and the energy she left inside Lance.

They talk with the others and they all decide to try it.

They succeed.

Allura is with them again and she brought Lotor with her, so he too has another chance at life.

They didn’t age a day and still look like twenty years old while Lance and the others are older, but it doesn’t matter. They cry and hug and they’re incredibly happy to be together again.

Lance and Allura look at each other and smile. They’ve both moved on and that’s fine, maybe for the better.

They still love each other.

And they love all of their team.

They’re family.

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angels17324 · 5 years ago

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The Violet Paladin (Keith x Reader) Ch. 2

Word count: 1963 Update schedule: Every Monday [Masterlist] [Ch. 1]

We made it to the other side unharmed, there was a planet near us, but not much else, and the other ship didn't follow us.

"The lion seems to want to go to this planet. I think it's going home," Lance tried to explain as we flew into the planet's atmosphere. We all huddled closer to Lance... Mostly for the stability of the chair.

"Is it just me or is anyone else having second thoughts about flying through an unknown wormhole?" Hunk asked.

"It got us away from the alien warship didn't it?" Lance questioned back. "I don't know if you've noticed but we're in an alien warship!" Keith retorted "What you scared?" Lance smirked.

"With you at the helm? Terrified," Keith glared.

"Cadets!" Shiro warned in a commanding voice. "If we're going to get through this we're gonna have to work together," He told us.

"There's a castle over there," I pointed out. We flew closer until we landed. "The lion would tell us if the air was unbreathable right?" I questioned before following the others.

"Only one way to know, but let's be careful still," Pidge said. We walked out and onto the ground, the lion suddenly roared loudly... very loudly... Jeez, I thought I listened to music too loud. However, it seemed to have opened a door for us, we walked in.

"Hello!" Hunk shouted.

"I thought the steps would have been bigger based on the size of the lion," Pidge analyzed.

"Well someone had to have built the lion and the castle so they wouldn't be much bigger than us if they're still around that is," I responded. Looking around it looked abandoned. That is until a light scanned us. Shiro tried questioning the light before a path lit up for us.

"Hello?" Hunk kept calling out as we walked through the hall. We reached a large room with a podium in the middle. Two pods soon rose from the floor, I looked at them amazed. The first pod opened to reveal a girl who looked not much older than me.

"Father," She cried out as she almost fell, Lance, catching her. "Who are you? Where am I?" She questioned.

"I'm Lance, and you're right here in my arms." He tried flirting.

"Your ears, they're hideous what's wrong with them?" She asked I cupped my ears feeling slightly offended. Before she grabbed Lance and pulled his arm behind his back and pinched his ear. After Lance explained how the blue lion brought us, she had more questions than answers, but we found out her name was Princess Allura. She went to the control panel when the other guy emerged, and immediately attacked Lance, I almost felt bad for him, but it was kinda funny to watch them explain a battle that never happened.

"It can't be, we've been asleep for ten thousand years!" Allura shouted. Allura told us about Zarkon, which Shiro informed us that he was still alive for over ten thousand years and that he was looking for Voltron.

I looked around at the technology they have, for being over 10,000 years old it looks thousands of more years beyond the current speck of our tech back home. A flashing red alert brought me back, and I looked to see another one of those ships we had just escaped.

"Let them come, by the time they get here you six will have reformed Voltron, and destroy his empire!"

"Princess there are six of these lions, how will we find the other five?" Shiro asked Allura lead us to another room where a platform lit up, and then a star map appeared around us.

"The black lion looks like it's in the same location as the blue," Allura told us how the black lion is in the castle. Then she went on to explain the Lions mirroring their paladin's quintessences... still, don't understand what that is, but I am curious to know which one fits me.

"The black lion is the decisive head of Voltron, and takes someone who's men will follow his command," No real surprise there that the black lion is Shiro's "The violet lion is a creative one ever changing, its pilot must be adaptable and creative. As the heart of Voltron always between the mind and body and balancing everyone out," She smiled at me.

"The green lion has an inquisitive personality, and need's a pilot of intellect and daring," The green lion is Pidge.

"The blue lion-" Lance interrupted her.

"Let me guess, best/ most handsome pilot of the bunch,"

"The yellow lion is kind and caring, its pilot puts the needs of others above his own," Hunk is now the yellow lion.

"The red lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master, the pilot needs to rely more on instinct than skill alone," Keith is the red lion.

"Wait, this guy?" Lance asked.

"However I, unfortunately, can’t find the red lion at the moment, the castle might need some tune up after 10,000 years," She explained.

"Alright team, we don't have much time," Shiro said. "Pidge and I will take a pod and go for the green lion, Lance and Hunk take the blue lion and go find the yellow lion, Keith and (Y/n) go for the purple lion as fast as possible, and if you find the coordinates for the red lion go get that one as well," Shiro explained.

"I'll load pods with the coordinates, and send them to the blue lion" Coran left with us following shortly after. "Now make quick work of your missions we can only keep the wormhole open for about two of your earth hours,"

"Wait, what!" we all called out moments too late as we'd already flown through the wormhole. I sighed a bit not knowing much other than Coran said it was a peaceful planet. Keith piloted the pod towards the planet.

"You pilot way better than Lance," I said trying to make small talk, no response, "Not much of a talker?" I tried again, still no response... "You know this will be a really boring trip if you don't at least try to talk." I tried a third time, still no response so I just gave up until we landed.

"Let's hurry," He finally said hoping out shortly followed by me. I walked around trying to sense the lion or something and I felt as if I were being pulled in a direction. "Hey, do you even know where you're going?" He asked. "Not really."

"Are you trying to get us lost or something?"

"You can always go back to the pod," I told him, while still walking. "Besides I feel-" I screamed slightly as I fell through the floor. I landed in the middle of a cavern with a glowing light down the hall.

"Are you okay?" Keith asked I could almost feel a smirk from him.

"Fine, just go back to the pod or something I'll meet you when I get out," I said before walking towards the light, I heard him say something but not what as I already walked in pretty far.

I turned to an opening and saw the violet lion in a similar state to how we found the blue lion.

"Wow..." I said slowly walking up, I placed my hand on the forcefield which disappeared after just like with the blue lion she knelt down to let me in. "You're gonna have to help me," I said as I sat in the seat, she pulled me forward and almost as if I could hear words she showed me what to do, and I flew out. After I had met up with Keith we were the first group back, shortly followed by Shiro and Pidge. Then finally Hunk and Lance who seemed to have been through hell.

"You made it." Allura seemed happy.

"Yeah, just barely that was a nightmare. I almost puked out there. I felt like Hunk," Lance groaned.

"Imagine how I felt. I am Hunk!" He said.

"Yeah, we had a tough time too," Pidge smiled at Shiro.

I chuckled a bit, "Us too." I looked over at Keith who just shook his head.

"Have we found the red lion yet?" Shiro asked getting back to business.

"Allura just located it, There's a bit of good news and bad news. Good news is, the red lion is nearby, Bad news is it's on a Galra ship orbiting Arus, oh but good news again we're Arus!" Coran said.

"They're here already?" Shiro said I swear I heard a bit of fear in his voice.

"Yes, it seems my calculations were off, finger counting is more of an art, not a science," Coran said.

A large screen suddenly appeared in the room which what seemed to be a purple furry creature like being was this a Galra I thought.

"Princess Allura, I am commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of emperor Zarkon, lord of the known universe." He stated everyone, gasped, " I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over to me or I will destroy your planet." The transmission ended.

"Alright let's not panic," Shiro said.

"Not panic? That scary purple alien thing is driving his ship right towards us, and we only have five lions,"

"Only four working lions," Pidge noted.

"Thank you, Pidge. Four working lions and a castle that's 10,000 years old!" Hunk continued.

"Actually it's 10,600 years old. You see my grandfather-"

"Not helping Coran," I said.

"See? Now is the perfect time to panic," Hunk said.

"Wait, this castle has a particle barrier we can activate,"

"Girl, you've already activated my par-"

"Lance!" Shiro scolded.

"The particle barrier won't hold against the ion cannon forever, the Galran technology must have advanced since we last fought them,"

"Panic now?" Hunk asked.

"No. we just gotta figure out our plan of action and figure it out quickly," Shiro said.

"I say we pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day," Lance said.

"I second that. Yes. We tried to find all the lions, right?" Hunk tried to get everyone on board. "We only have four lions, we can't form Voltron. I mean we can form a worm and go through that wormhole Lance was talking about."

"Alright it's settled, Allura you're with me, one of you take the old guy," Lance said.

"We can't just abandon Arus. The Galra will keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them," Pidge said.

"Okay. If we run, then maybe Sedak will follow us and leave Arus alone as we did with Earth, we form the snake worm thing, and fly out of here,"

"Sendak could destroy the planet and come after us anyway," Keith told him.

"Staying is our only option."

"Here's an option: Shut your quiznak!" Lance shouted.

"I don't think you're using that word correctly,"

"What do you know, Mullet?"

"We're staying!" They got in each other's faces, honestly, if I didn't know better I'd think they were five.

"Leaving,"

"Staying!" Pidge shouted.

"Snake!" Hunk shouted.

"Idiots," I muttered.

"Guys stop!" Shiro shouted. Everyone separated from each other, with Shiro and I in the middle.

On one hand, I had agreed with Pidge and Keith, we needed to stop the Galra on the other I agreed with Lance and Hunk, although probably not for the same reasons, we don't know exactly what you're up against.

"Princess Allura these are your lions, and you've fought the Galra before what do you think we should do," He looked at her.

"I... don't know," She seemed conflicted.

"Perhaps your father can help," Coran said. The two left and I just hoped they'd hurry in whatever they were doing or we'd be in big trouble.

[Next] If anyone wants to be added to a tag list please message me.

Tag list~

@somebodytouchedmysaeran @ittie-bittie-tittie

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calligraphist-artemisia · 5 years ago

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Across Time and Space (Chapter 8)

Summary: Sequel to I’ll Take Her Place. Slav is showing off a piece of experimental equipment, when it malfunctions and blasts Katie and Keithir to another universe. At the same time, it drags Pidge and Keith over into theirs, effectively swapping places. With their fate resting in the hands of Slav, will they be able to get back home? Or are they stuck to live the rest of their lives in the wrong universe?

Also posted on AO3 and fanfiction.net under the username “kishirokitsune”.

Chapter 8

NEAR RANVEIG'S BASE – (STOLEN) GALRA FIGHTER

Patience had never been something Keithir had an abundance of, (as Thace loved to remind him) which made sitting back and waiting for the right moment a monumental task. The familiarity of his borrowed Blade uniform and the feeling of a mask hiding his face from view served to aid him, a physical reminder of what was at stake.

He kept his eyes on the orbital base. At any moment, he would have his sign that it was safe to approach. Kolivan had laid out the plan very clearly and Keithir wouldn't be the one to deviate from it.

There!

Keithir leaned forward, hands gripping the controls as a cruiser departed the base and sped a good distance away before going into hyperdrive. He let a few more ticks pass and then a low frequency hum came through his comms and he guided his ship towards the base, keeping a wary eye out for unexpected movement.

He anchored it to the underside, out of sight in case Ranveig or anyone else returned sooner than expected. After that, it was a matter of slipping in through a nearby maintenance shaft and avoiding all sentries as he made his way to the security center, where Krolia was meant to stay and monitor all transmissions until Ranveig's return.

Keithir made it past all of the patrols he encountered without making a single slip-up, ducking out of sight and waiting until their heavy footsteps went by. He paused just outside the door, taking a moment to prepare himself before going inside.

She stood at the center console, her eyes on the screens around her to keep track of what was happening witch Ranveig. She glanced at Keithir as he walked in.

“I told Kolivan it was too early for an extraction. There's still more I can do here.”

It took everything in Keithir's power not to react to hearing her voice for the very first time. He never thought it would matter that much. Honerva was his mother; she'd raised and cared for him all his life, not always perfectly, but in the best way that she could. He never needed more than that. But the moment he heard Kolivan say that Krolia was alive, all of that changed.

“Kolivan wouldn't have sent me if he didn't think it was important,” he said, once he found his voice. He deliberately shifted to his human form and then removed his mask. “We should hurry, before Ranveig returns.”

Krolia looked taken aback by his appearance, staring at him for a tick too long before collecting herself and nodding. “I just need a moment to set the hangar doors to automatically open as Ranveig approaches. The longer it takes for him to realize I'm gone, the better chance we have at getting away.”

“I may have something to help with that.” Keithir removed a small drive from his pocket and handed it to Krolia.

She took it and looked it over critically, recognizing it as Blade tech. “What will it do?”

“Exactly what you're trying to do, but it will also cause a lockdown once Ranveig is inside. Katie designed a quick learning virus to thwart any attempts to override it,” Keithir said, trying not to smirk. He loved bragging about how smart his wife was. “That will keep him busy for a while.”

Krolia looked unsure, but plugged it in anyway. “I hope you're right. Ranveig is smarter than he looks.”

“And Katie's a genius. If she says it will work, then it will,” Keithir easily countered.

Krolia let the virus download onto the ship and then removed the drive, passing it back to Keithir. There was no more talking as Keithir led the way back to his ship, continuing to carefully dodge patrols. (The less Ranveig knew about Krolia's disappearance, the better.)

Keithir was well aware of his mom watching his every movement as he unhooked the ship from the underside of the base and began to pilot them back to the Castle of Lions. His palms began t sweat.

Surely she had noticed his age didn't line up with how much time had passed. She had to see how much older he was. Any moment, she would asked about that.

“Did Kolivan tell you about the strain of unusual quintessence we found?”

“I'm-” Keithir stopped himself as his mind processed what she was actually asking. He furrowed his brow, thinking back to everything Kolivan told him earlier that day. “He said that it was more powerful than any quintessence he has record of, but that Ranveig used all of it on some kind of weapon. Should we go back for it?”

While it wasn't part of the mission, if it meant turning the tide more in Voltron's favor, it would be worth the risk.

“No, it's too dangerous to transport,” Krolia said. “I spent time analyzing the radiation of the ship we found it on and all of my readings indicated that it passed through the Quantum Abyss. We have to find out for certain.”

Keithir had first heard of the Quantum Abyss from his mother – Honerva. It was a place where the flow of time was easily disrupted and distorted; where hostile creatures capable of taking out entire fleets lurked in space rock and debris. She'd told all of that to caution him about the perils of space flight when he was first learning to pilot.

Naturally, the possibilities of what could be found there fascinated him as a cub and it was a long-held dream of his that one day he would be good enough to explore and map it himself. As he got older and heard more stories of those who'd tried to do just that, his enthusiasm waned and he turned his focus onto things that were less life-threatening. At least, until some time during his fourth year of marriage to Katie, when she stumbled across files detailing the unusual zone of space and they worked together designing drones capable of entering it and mapping out a safe path. All of their work came to a stop when they adopted Yorak shortly after.

It wasn't worth the risk.

Keithir kept them on track to the Castle of Lions. “I can't. My mission is to take you back to Kolivan.”

“He would understand that we have a duty to find out where this quintessence came from,” Krolia argued. She kept her voice level and calm, but there was a spark of heat there. “If this is the work of Zarkon and his witch, we have to destroy the source before they can use it against us.”

Keithir flinched. “I can't,” he repeated, thinking of Katie. He took a deep breath, keeping his thoughts on her, and relaxed his grip on the controls. “If you really feel like you need to do this, I'll help you once we get to the Castle of Lions. There are Altean shuttles there that would be better equipped for your journey, but I can't go with you, mom. I'm sorry.”

There was a silence so still that Keithir's ears rang, though that may have been because his control over his shifted form was slipping. He quickly adjusted his focus to keep from doing so in front of her.

The last thing he wanted to do was try to explain that he was from an alternate reality while they were stuck in such a cramped cockpit.

“So you already know.” Krolia's voice was soft when she spoke again.

“Dad has pictures. He likes to talk about you.”

Krolia's smile was a sad one. “I've missed him. I've missed both of you so much, Keith.”

Keithir had to swallow his words as the radio crackled to life and Coran's voice came through to say he had a lock on their location and was opening a wormhole to bring them back.

Space lit up blue in front of them.

In a way, Katie was glad for something to do. With her lack of focus, her only other option was to pace back and forth on the bridge. She was sure Coran was equally as grateful, if his relieved sigh when she made an excuse of going to see the Lions was any indication of his feelings.

Of course, that had only been an excuse to get away. Coran didn't need to know that her real goal was to sneak down and find where they were keeping Lotor prisoner. She had enough context clues to know that it was somewhere near the cell she was kept in when she first arrived. If she could find that, it would be her best starting point.

Katie traveled down through the Castle, checking out rooms and halls as she went. Her footsteps echoed around her, no less eerie than the first time she noted the emptiness of the Castle. It made her wonder how Pidge was handling things back home. There was always someone awake and walking around there. Did she miss the quiet?

She supposed it was peaceful, in a way, and allowed the paladins time to bond without distraction.

It also made it impossible to sneak up on anyone.

Katie slowed to a stop the moment she heard a second set of footsteps echoing alongside her own. Within a few ticks, Lance strode up next to her, his hands in his pockets.

“You're going to see Lotor.”

“I don't want to talk to him, I just want to see where he's being held,” Katie said truthfully. The last thing she wanted was to give Lotor something to use to his advantage. Seeing that he was there would be enough for her.

Lance looked at her for a moment with a frown on his face. “You don't trust us when we say he's safely locked up?”

“I don't fully trust Beta Traz to keep him and I helped update the security there,” Katie said. “It's not you guys that I don't trust; it's Lotor. He's talked his way out of trouble too many times for me to not be cautious.”

Lance relaxed at her words. “Yeah, I kind of get that vibe from him. Hunk keeps telling me I need to relax and appreciate that he's willing to work with us, but it feels so wrong to me. I tried talking to Shiro too, but he just brushes me off! It makes me actually miss Keith. He'd be with me on this.”

“How did Lotor end up here, anyway?” Katie asked, sensing an opportunity to get some answers while no one else was around.

“He used his super-powered comet ship to take down a barrier and save us from a galaxy destroying bomb and then turned himself over to us, so naturally we now listen to whatever he has to say,” Lance told her, sounding bitter. “It doesn't make any sense! Just a month ago he was trying to kiss us, and now he's here telling us everything he knows about the Galra, and sure, it's all turned out true so far, but how long will that last? What happens when he gets tired of playing nice? What does he want from us?”

Katie stayed quiet, letting Lance go off on a much-needed rant.

“I keep thinking about what you said earlier; what does he get out of all of this? He could've let us all die and then there wouldn't be anyone around to stop him anymore! Is it because of the Lions? Zarkon was always after them, so maybe Lotor wants the same? But he already has a ship made from the comet, so that doesn't make any sense!

“I just... I don't know what to do,” Lance admitted, loosing a bit of steam. He slowed down to catch his breath. “Everyone else acts like I'm making a big deal about this. Maybe I am. Maybe Lotor has made a change for the better and this is his way to make amends.”

“It took us three years before he slipped up badly enough that we got proof of his wrongdoings, and Keithir and I almost died for it,” Katie said. “The Blade had been looking into his actions for even longer than we did. None of us could predict what he would do next or what his goal was. I guess what I'm trying to say is, at least when the moment comes, he won't take you by surprise. You'll be ready.”

Lance didn't look very reassured by that, and Katie couldn't blame him.

“Hey,” she said, nudging him. “Wanna help me sneak in to get a look at the security? I may have an idea for an improvement or two.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to make sure you get nowhere near Lotor, buuuut...” He dragged out the last word as he grinned at her. “If you find your way into the room next to him where there's a one-way mirror, I don't see how that's breaking any rules.”

“Lead the way!”

ALTEA – CASTLE OF LIONS

The more Shiro tried to explain the bond between the Lions and Paladins, the more confused Pidge felt. It was on a completely different level from what she'd experienced and it was hard to wrap her mind around it all.

They were sentient beings, with unique personalities and preferences, and that was pretty much the same, but then Shiro started talking about their form of mental communication and how they could use it to influence their chosen Paladin. He lost her more when he made mention of a second type of bond shared between the Paladins and how it was strongest between the two arms and the two legs.

“It's an impossible feeling to describe with words,” Shiro said. He looked at Pidge and Keith as they sat on the floor together and tried to focus on “reaching out to their Lions”.

Keith frowned.

Pidge groaned and stretched out her legs, giving up on any type of meditative pose. “This isn't working.”

“Then lets try something different,” Shiro said, being supportive. “Instead of trying to connect to the Lions, why not each other?”

Pidge glanced over at Keith, who scowled at his knees. “We've never felt that kind of bond you keep talking about. And I'm not sure it'll work. Lance pilots the Red Lion where we're from.”

Shiro blinked in surprise at the information. Somehow, during the hour they'd been working at connecting to the Lions, the subject of which one they piloted never came up. Pidge was sure she'd mentioned Green, but Keith hadn't breathed a word.

“Then which one does Keith...?”

“Black,” Pidge responded promptly, but Keith had a different answer.

He got to his feet and avoided looking at either of them. “None of them. I'm not a paladin anymore.”

Pidge gaped up at him. “That's not true!”

“Yes it is. Shiro pilots Black. You have Green. Lance has Red. Hunk's in Yellow. Allura pilots Blue now. Sorry, but this wasn't a good idea. I can't help afterall.”

Shiro's and Pidge's protests fell on deaf ears as Keith pulled up his hood, hiding his facial features from view, and headed back towards the paladin wing.

Pidge stood up, unsure of what to do. Should she chase after him? Give him space? It was so hard to know which one was best for Keith when he was in a mood like that.

And it had been happening a lot since they arrived. (Or at least, Pidge couldn't remember Keith being so broody during their time on the Castle of Lions.) It was like there was something weighing him down – dragging him down – but if he wouldn't open up and talk to her, then what could she do? She couldn't force him to talk and trying would only result in him closing himself off.

She glanced at Shiro, wondering if he had any advice, but he looked just as lost as she felt.

It was something she would have to figure out on her own.

Too bad they didn't share the type of bond Shiro mentioned. That would have made it much easier to understand what was going on with Keith. He sounded okay when he suggested the Lions the night before, so what changed? Was it because he couldn't communicate with Red or Black? She was in the same boat with her inability to reach Green, so she understood that it was discouraging, but maybe there was something beyond that. Maybe It was a bunch of little somethings all piling up and adding up over time until it became too much.

“Sorry, Shiro,” she apologized as she pulled on her hood. “We'll have to try this again later. Thanks for helping us.”

Pidge saw him nod before she turned and left, finding her way back to their room and hoping she'd find him there. Luck was on her side, as he was sitting on his bed when she walked inside. She approached slowly, giving him ample time to ask to be alone, but he didn't move as she sat next to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Keith?”

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It's been a stressful few days. I'm surprised I haven't broken down yet. I've been told I get mean,” Pidge said, only half joking. “We'll take a break and then we can try something else. I'm not willing to rule out the Lions yet, are you?”

Keith weakly shrugged. “I don't think it'll work for me.”

“Why not?” Pidge asked gently.

“None of them came to help the last time I was in trouble.” Keith took a deep, shuddering breath, the simple statement draining him more than he thought it would. “I... When Naxzela happened... you guys were so far from the command ship. I had to try and do something. None of our attacks were working. I... I was desperate.” He looked at Pidge and there was something pleading in his gaze. “I knew if I could take out the barrier, Matt and the others would have a chance. I thought... I thought my ship would be enough.”

Pidge went cold.

Keith hadn't really-!

“That thing Shiro was talking about with the bond, I've felt it. Or I think I have,” Keith continued. “The other times Red came in to save me, there was this weird feeling. Like... I don't know. An emotion that wasn't my own. But that didn't happen then. I didn't feel anything.”

Pidge wasn't aware of the tears spilling down her face as she scooted closer to Keith and stretched her arm across his shoulders, giving him an awkward hug.

“Sorry, Pidge,” he apologized again.

With some hesitance, he shifted to wrap an arm around her waist, reciprocating her hug.

#voltron #fanfiction #kidgemas #kidge #reality swap au

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rainforestgeek · 5 years ago

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If you lose your strength to stand (I’m gonna reach for your hand) pt. 10 “Don’t You Dare Break Now”

Part 9

AO3 link

Pidge and Lance found Allura and Hunk in the hallway outside the construction hangar that held the sincline ships they were working on with Lotor, and excitedly shared their idea, that they could connect with Shiro’s spirit through Voltron because he was still bonded to Black.

Allura was firmly unconvinced. The mood in the room soured immediately and Lance started getting on the defensive. It quickly devolved into an argument between them. The sudden change nearly gave Pidge whiplash, and she and Hunk could only look on in horrified fascination while the blue and red paladins got progressively louder and redder in the face.

“Allura, don’t you remember when we were trapped in that huge root ball and we all went into that void thingy? Shiro was there, with us! The real Shiro is alive and he’s out there!”

“If the clone could pilot the Black Lion, then there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t connect to Voltron the same way,” Allura replied firmly.

“But the clone doesn’t remember any of it! And when we were all connected like that, that was the first time it felt like Shiro in phoebes. I know it was him.”

“Do you have anything to base this off other than a feeling Lance?”

“He was talking to me.”

“Let’s say you’re right, that Shiro is alive and we could talk to him. What then? We would’nt have time to do anything about it. We’re already en route to Oriande. Sacrificing any time or people is not an option when Haggar may already have learned the deepest secrets of Altean alchemy.”

“But we’re missing a Black paladin. What good will Voltron be against an immortal crazy witch if we can’t form Voltron?”

“We’ve been through this before! Keith searched for movements and couldn’t find any trace of Shiro. We have to accept now that he’s…gone. And it’s terrible. But this time around we still have five paladins.”

“You’re not seriously going to make Keith pilot Black again? Did you forget back when he ran off with his ninja buddies just to get away from that?”

“Of course not. He left behind another Black Paladin that time. You should be more confident that Keith will follow his sense of duty – and we cannot afford to lose more time when we can already form Voltron.”

“Afford to lo – this is Shiro, not some lost cause! He’s rescued you and all our butts more times than I can count. We need him.”

“Keith is more than capable – ”

“Trying to be the leader almost killed him, Allura!”

“Do not interrupt me, Lance!”

“I will not stand aside and let Keith get burned out for good this time! If you cared at all about him you wouldn’t force – ”

“Guys, knock it off.” Hunk pushed his way between them with his hands up like he was negotiating a ceasefire. “We need to table this discussion until Keith’s here to talk about it, too.”

Pidge had never seen Lance and Allura fight like this. “We should remain on course for Oriande,” Allura said. “This time just close enough so Pidge can scan the area for any sign of Haggar, without the energy tear apart the Castle. It’s time we defeated her once and for all.”

Pidge was already thinking about the problems with engaging in battle so close to a white hole. Something pushed her to jump into the conversation. “Ask Lotor if he knows how big her fleet – wait wait wait!” She smacked Lance’s arm with the back of her hand. “Haggar replicated Shiro’s consciousness almost perfectly. There has to be clues on her ships about what happened to him. She might even have him!”

Hunk looked doubtful. “The druids have extensive data on Shiro’s physiology from his time in the gladiator pits. I bet anything that included all the brain scans in existence.”

“You don’t know that! So maybe Shiro’s not there but there still might be some indication about what really happened to him!”

“Allura, please. It’s at least worth a try.” Lance said.

Pidge looked between them. “If Shiro’s alive and we contact him, we could know for sure if we’ll find him when we reach Haggar.”

Allura looked at Lance for several seconds with a mask of royal composure on her face, and flicked her eyes to Pidge. It made Pidge fidget uncomfortably with the hems of her sleeves.

Finally the princess relented. “You’re right. Find Keith, please, we should need him as well.”

“On it.” Lance left.

Allura had the bridge of her nose pinched between her thumb and forefinger. (It was so weird Alteans had the exact same fingers as humans – sometimes the similarities legitimately scared Pidge.) Hunk hesitated at the door, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows.

“You go on and work on the quintessence ships with Lotor, Hunk. I need a moment.”

He did so but didn’t look happy about it. Pidge stayed exactly where she was, while Allura sank onto the nearest chair with her head in her hands and sighed heavily.

Pidge debated with herself internally. Allura was clearly exhausted and frustrated – that was, like, Body Language 101 – and maybe she needed to be left alone but maybe not? And Pidge wasn’t usually helpful in emotional situations. “What’s wrong? I mean, I know there’s everything and their mother going on right now, but is there something specific making you all…” she gestured awkwardly at Allura’s stance, “…morose?”

“I’m fine, Pidge.”

That’s a non-answer. “You don’t look fine. And back home, Matt used to make me talk about it when I was upset and it actually helped. So if you need to talk. I’m here.”

Allura stared into the middle distance. “Voltron needs to be united to win this war. All this squabbling puts us at serious risk.”

“I think we argue to figure out what’s the best choice. We’re still one team.”

“And what if those decisions aren’t the right ones? What if I’m dishonoring my people, my parents, by compromising instead of winning? What if we’re making too many sacrifices to broker peace?”

Pidge couldn’t wrap her mind around the agony the princess must feel about being one of two sole survivors of a genocide. “It makes sense that you feel alone. I know we’re not your family, but you’ve got all of us.”

Allura surprised Pidge by standing and pulling her into a hug. “You are my family, Pidge, all of you. Though I fear I’m losing Lance.” She said the last part so quietly Pidge would’ve missed it were she not talking right in her ear.

Pidge patted her on the shoulder then pulled away as gently as she could. “You don’t get rid of Lance. Once he likes you he latches onto you and it’s impossible to get him off. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

“Perhaps. But I broke his heart and he’s angry with me.”

Goddammit. There were way too many feelings to keep track of now and it made Pidge uncomfortable. Not least because apparently some of them were hers. She chewed her tongue and thought carefully about her response.

Finally, she said, “You did the right thing. Falling in love with you made him miserable, and frankly, it was really annoying for the rest of us. You gave him permission to move on and he is.”

Allura grinned weakly but her eyes looked brighter. Thank God. “I hope so. And thank you, Pidge. I couldn’t ask for someone more like a sister.”

And that? That made all the uncomfortable awkwardness worth everything. Pidge smiled. “Let’s go find a magical solution to an economic disaster.”

When Lance got to the elevator, the door slid open and Matt tromped out. He had his arms crossed, hands balled into fists, and everything about him looked tense and just that much closer to snapping.

Good God, why were all the Holts so scary? Sam wasn’t this frightening. Lance’s stomach contracted at the thought of meeting their mother – she’s gotta be a wildfire of a woman if she raised kids like this.

“What’s wrong?”

“I hate interrogations,” Matt grumbled.

“She get under your skin?” When he got no response, Lance cleared his throat and changed the subject, “Is Keith still down there? I need him for something.”

“I don’t know. He seemed pretty upset by what Ezor said about Shiro…Shiro being dead. He left to cool off.”

Lance narrowed his eyes. “Left as in ‘stomped off without an explanation?’”

“Yeah, so?”

A deep, long-suffering groan traveled from the dark recesses of Lance’s soul and out of his mouth like a sick Kaltenecker. Keith was going to make him tear his hair out one day and he’ll never forgive him for it.

“What?”

“He’s not cooling off, he ran off! He’s probably scouring the universe for Shiro right now!”

For Keith, the violet light and soft humming of the Black Lion’s cockpit felt like remembering his dad. A bitter familiarity of lost love lingering in his heart.

When the fuck had he become a poet?

He touched down in the hangar for the Blade of Marmora headquarters. A number of Blades congregated around Black as he disembarked, so it was easy to find a commander to fill him in on what he needed to know.

Keith paced the familiar trail to one of the main tactical chambers, pressed the door buzzer, and entered at the go-ahead. Both Kolivan and Krolia looked up from their work at him. Their faces were both unreadable.

“Kolivan, I need to talk to my mother alone, please.”

The old galra nodded in assent and exited unceremoniously, the door swishing shut behind him.

Krolia took a step closer to him then hesitated. Keith had infrequently known galra to act nervous, but she stood awkwardly like she didn’t know what to do next. She was rubbing her thumb over her closed fist at her side, something Keith did too when he was anxious. Seeing her in front of him felt so strange but so familiar. Like she was an old, half-forgotten dream.

“Keith.”

“How did you meet my dad?”

Part 11

#plance #pidge #lance #allura #hunk #pidgance #flirtyrobot #fanfic #vld fix it #katt #keith #matt #matt holt #kolivan #krolia #katie holt #vld #voltron #voltron legendary defender

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therecusant · 6 years ago

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VLD: I Will Always Find You (1/?)

Author’s Note: So I just kinda felt like doing a little writing practice by doing a post-VLD finale Kallura story, as that was my personal pairing of choice during the show’s run. The “1/?” is because I don’t know how long this story will be, most likely 3 parts total as it’s not meant to be a whole fanfiction adventure. Let me know what you think, hope you enjoy :)

“When I learned you were Galra...”

“Keith, you can do this. The Black Lion has chosen you.”

“The Blade of Marmora can go on without you, but Voltron cannot. We cannot.”

“I’ll always be with you Keith and I’ll always love you.”

Keith shot out of bed with a heavy gasp, his heart racing and his body drenched in sweat. He raised a hand to his head and rubbed his eyes as they strained to make sense of the black that was his room now. It was late enough in the night that even outside the window to his right he could see nothing but darkness. Again, the young man thought, while pushing some of the black hair off to the side of his face. He had been hearing her words in his sleep for the last few weeks, on and off again. They were the words he clung to after she left. It was the only way he could think to describe Allura’s leaving at the time and he remembered the confusion and hurt on Coran’s face as he told him.

Keith always struggled to find the words to explain what they had seen in that realm. Her last moments, giving them all an invaluable lesson to carry with them going forward. She was always teaching them – teaching him – new things. He could never have imagined any sort of diplomacy in his future but here the former paladin was, staying in the guest chambers of a Galra-occupied planet to discuss the next representative of the Galactic Coalition.

Keith did not particularly care this time around, knowing how well Kolivan and Krolia were received by the Galra. They would be re-elected, as expected, and he would fly back to the Blade of Marmora to continue their relief work. He grinned at the realization he was doing exactly what Allura insisted him to do, years ago. Between the three years they jumped ahead to once the Castle of Lions’ entered the Quintessence rift and the two years spent in the Quantum Abyss, it really did feel like a lifetime ago.

She was right when saying he needed to join Voltron’s relief work but of course she was. Allura was always right, even when she was wrong. How much more time he could have spent with her was something often on his mind in recent days. Keith tried to avoid that kind of thinking but since her words started resurfacing it began gnawing at him. Time wasted, time they could have spent together much sooner.

His eyes had finished adjusting to the black, enough to skim over the room and see the framed picture beside his bed on the nightstand. It sat alongside his luxite blade as one of his most cherished belongings. Keith picked the picture up and brought it close to his face to better see it in the darkness. Her arm around him, tight on the red sleeve of the Garrison uniform he wore for the date. She laughed at him when seeing him still in uniform, despite her getting so much more dressed up for the occasion. It was his first and only date and he lacked any real experience in the area but she was so patient with him as he stumbled through the motions.

He originally planned ahead and asked Hunk if he would be willing to help by preparing a meal for the duo but his friend immediately shook his head. At first, Keith felt guilty. It was Hunk’s last day on Earth too, what right did he have to make such a request and take up so much of the Yellow Paladin’s precious time? Of course, he was wrong. Keith misunderstood the meaning behind certain actions often. His mother leaving, his father running back into the burning building, Allura condemning him for joining the Blade of Marmora. He didn’t give himself time to think and understand the why of it. Thankfully, Hunk made a point of it to say it was not his place to be a part of Keith and Allura’s last night together, even as a culinary expert.

It was for that reason the Red Paladin spent the few hours before meeting Allura to find someone capable of helping and ended up doing so through Colleen Holt of all people. Pidge’s mother grinned as she saw him, then glanced over at her husband Sam on the other side of the room, who flashed Keith a similar knowing smile. He knew then that someone had told the Holts about his date and found it then especially annoying when Colleen feigned ignorance to force him to say it himself. She even managed to get him to blurt out he’s liked Allura for a long time and always found a connection to her. His face had never been redder than that moment.

He recalled news of the date reaching Coran and the old man confronting him that afternoon, accusing him of trying to plot a Galra coup once wed to Altea’s princess. He was struck with an initial stutter, confusion and embarrassment overwhelming him, as Keith was hit with the idea of marriage. It was an almost foreign concept given his upbringing. His mother and father had never married and no one ever even knew they were together. He did not even know they were together – or that his mother was an alien – until nearly two decades after and a trip across time and space.

Coran’s usual mixture of silly-stern kept Keith nervous the entire time leading up to the date but he somehow managed to find himself outside Allura’s chambers at the Garrison and calling her name in sync with the knock. The immediate sight of her – white hair usually worn up in a bun let down to the long flowing locks that stretched across the entirety of her back, the earrings in the shape of two leaves, the pink dress that ran only halfway down across her arms and legs, he remembered it all so vividly – left him speechless. He handed her a Juniberry flower that her eyes lit up at as she held the pot close to her chest and smiled back at him before asking how she looked. Keith’s smirk widened in the bed as he repeated the same thing he whispered softly to her back then. “Wonderful.”

They had enough time – thanks to Kosmo – to spend the remainder of the evening watching the sun set on top of the Black Lion. Between them was a single picnic basket and inside a Juniberry pie Keith prided himself on baking, though he did owe the ingredients and preparation to Colleen and Coran respectively.

The spot they watched it from was Keith’s favorite place in the world. It was where his father had taken him as a boy after his first fight, one Keith easily won and was nearly thrown out of school for. He thought his father would be mad – and to an extent he was – but he lifted Keith up over his head so his legs sat on the shoulders and his hands rested on the man’s messy short hair. When Keith transferred to the Garrison, he ended up at this same spot after racing Shiro, a race Shiro easily won. It was his special spot, for the people most important to him. He remembered turning to Allura and seeing the spot of red on her lips that she quickly wiped off with a napkin when he pointed it out and how he snickered when seeing her frantically remove it. He knew he could count Allura among those closest people too.

The night came and they climbed down from the Black Lion this time – Allura was not a fan of using Kosmo’s teleportation, or the wolf itself – before walking back to the Garrison. They stopped by a dead tree and Keith remembered the way Allura walked up and healed it with just her hands before turning to him and telling him that, after all that happened, she was grateful to have met him. It was Keith’s turn to look embarrassed but he managed to compose himself and say the thing that had been on his mind for the longest time, two years too long. He told her that he loved her and she then returned the words before embracing him.

Keith eyed the woman in the picture frame as though he were trying to pull her out of it with his mind to bring her back but he knew it was impossible. Healing all reality was never going to be without a cost. He just found it hard to accept the cost was his entire universe.

The old man smiled gratefully as he took up the jar of food Keith held out and walked out from the front of the line, leading the next in Keith’s column to come up and receive the rations. In each container was a large volume of the same green goop that Keith and the other paladins survived on in the Castle of Lions. He remembered how just a little help from Hunk had enhanced it to the point of something worth looking forward to eating.

“Thank you, sir,” one of the men in Keith’s line said as he took his rations and turned around. Keith nodded, smiling, and then continued offering more until the entire colony had received their share. It was only a day’s worth of food but Keith had only been there to hand it out initially. Behind him was Zethrid, the muscular half-Galra former general, carrying a massive box with even more of the food goo, months of it at the least. She let out a groan as she placed the container down with the loads of others, totally at least three deca-phoebes worth for the group.

The people waved and smiled as he and the others got back on their ship and flew out. Keith normally took the role of pilot but today he was feeling a little under the weather, having had another of the reoccurring dreams. No, dream was not the right word for it. In a dream, you’ll see something. All he had were the sounds. The sounds of Allura’s voice, whispering to him as though she were right up beside him. It reminded him of the aftermath of Nacxella and the hug – more of a tackle, really – that she gave following his attempt to stop Haggar’s bomb.

“You look tired.” The voice brought his eyes off the comet field he had been eyeing from the red-visor window of their ship and towards its origin, Acxa. The blue-skinned, blue-haired woman was staring at him fairly intently, arms crossed and a quizzical look on her face.

Keith gave a small smile as she stepped a little closer. “Some trouble sleeping,” he confessed while turning away. He could feel her eyes on him even sterner than before and with brows raised to further emphasize her skepticism. It was a half-truth and Keith thought it better to give that than the full thing. He was sure mentioning Allura would only draw the others’ concerns unnecessarily. It was just a couple of nights in reflection.

Looking at the reddened reflection of himself coming off the ship’s window, he saw bags under his eyes that told him it was much more than a couple of nights. Acxa seemed to notice them too. “We’ll be meeting up with the Atlas soon, you should get some rest before then.”

“Yeah,” Keith nodded, his gaze back on the comets. He did not notice her leaving but soon Acxa was gone and he was alone in the room.

“Keith, it’s been so long!” Hunk’s hug was so tight that Keith thought he might break under the grip but he managed to squeeze his arms through the vice grip to reciprocate the gesture. “There are so many things I have got to tell you about!” A whimper came from beside Keith and the former pilot of the Yellow Lion released the hold on his friend to greet Kosmo too. “And hello to you too,” he laughed while reaching a hand down to pat its light blue fur. “Man, he’s gotten big.”

“And still wants to jump up on me,” Keith chuckled. The three began walking through the Atlas, passing by halls that contained familiar memories. The former pilot to the Black Lion glanced into the greenhouse Colleen grew the juniberries in and the kitchen unit where Keith learned to bake the pie. Then came the old rooms he and the other members of Voltron stayed in. He froze as they passed Allura’s while Hunk and Kosmo continued on.

“Go have fun,” she told him in that room after the ship docked for Clear Day.

“It wouldn’t be fun without you,” he wished he had said back then. It would have been different had he stayed instead. Could he have stopped her from accessing the entity? Would it have been better that way? Those were two questions he had asked early on after her sacrifice but they soon faded. One still gnawed at him though: what you could you have said to get her to come with you? Not for the entity, not for the war or Honerva or the team. Just to have another night, another memory with her. Why had he not fought harder to have something else?

Kosmo’s whimper pulled him away from the door and he met Hunk’s saddened eyes. “We…we should go meet Shiro and Iverson.” Keith nodded and followed.

At the brig was Iverson, Shiro and another man with dark brown skin and short hair, smiling welcomingly at Keith and Kosmo. “Cadet,” the former Garrison instructor began as he approached, Shiro following close behind.

“How have things been going with the Blade of Marmora?” Shiro asked, though Keith was sure he already knew. They all kept in touch in some way or another, through direct messages using the Coalition’s shared communications or actual video chats. In the case of Pidge, who had often become so consumed with her work she went days without sleeping – which would normally have been a concern, if someone did not know that was just how she was, the group would receive notification logs of her progress. She had gotten something called “CHIP” running apparently, last he heard.

Keith described their latest work while Shiro nodded as though it were all new information and not from the most recent message Keith sent out days prior to their arrival on the Atlas. By the time he was done, Hunk had already left and managed to convince Kosmo to join him with the offer of new treats and Iverson and the man beside Shiro both moved on to other work. Shiro, though, grinned all the while and then placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder when finished. “That’s good work you’ve been doing, I’m proud of you, Keith.” The two former pilots of the Black Lion shared a smile before Shiro then added, “Allura would be proud too.” It stung a bit, the sudden comment. Keith knew he was not the only one thinking about it but he never heard anyone else say it and that helped to lessen the pain slightly.

Shiro seemed to notice the subtle changes in Keith’s expression the same way Acxa did. His brows furrowed and his lip bent a bit, the bags under his eyes making his demeanor all the more noticeable. Rather than comment on the observation though, Shiro simply suggested that he and the rest of Keith’s crew stay the night on the Atlas which Keith accepted.

“I’ll always be with you Keith and I’ll always love you.”

He panted loudly as he shot out of the bed and grasped his head. It stung badly, like there was some pressing against his skull from the inside to try and pry it open. The harsh needling continued as he sat up on the bed and clutched the sides of his head, wincing. Finally, like an explosion, it let out one last jolt of pain before stopping and he grimaced before slowly removing the fingers at his head.

He was in his old room on the Atlas. Kosmo slept close by, at the foot of his bed. He had to be careful not to disturb the wolf’s sleep. Keith was not sure why he was getting out of bed but he left the room and entered the dimly lit hall. He trailed along it until finding himself outside the same room he hovered in front of while touring around with Hunk. His hand moved up to knock before stopping, realizing nobody would answer.

He entered and looked around the empty space, inspecting it as though he were searching for clues. There was nothing to find, he knew. Allura was gone and there was no mystery behind it. All he was doing was wondering what could have been.

His first thought was to leave the room right then and go back to sleep but his eyes fell to the bed they laid in and the thought of having spent another night struck at his heart. He inched closer to it and saw her laying on it with that determined but sullen expression she often had, the one they seemed to share. “It’s okay,” he wanted to tell that face, “you’re going to do it. You’re going to succeed.” Allura seemed to have always been racked with responsibilities and guilt for what had befallen the universe since the destruction of Daibazaal. She was always careful about how she described it though, once she accepted him as half-Galra; to condemn the entire ten thousand years of history meant condemning Keith’s incidental existence, which he already had done enough of himself.

He could feel her hand on his chest, telling him that she was grateful to have met him. That the War, the Galra’s conquest, was able to create something meaningful. Something beautiful. “Something wonderful,” he could hear her whispering again to him.

“I’ll always be with you Keith and I’ll always love you.” Her lips were against his and he could feel her body pressing against his chest, her arms locking around his back and the embrace as he reciprocated.

“I’ll always love you too,” he whispered to the ghost of a memory as the image of Allura in that moment faded from his mind.

#vld kallura #kallura #keith x allura #voltron kallura #kallura fanfic

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