When we made it out of the other side of that space hole thing, we were somewhat confused and frozen in place.
“Whoa. That was…” Lance started, but Hunk interrupted by vomiting right beside Keith and I.
Lance looked away in disgust as the larger boy apologised.
“I’m just surprised it took this long,” Pidge said, adjusting her glasses.
Same though. And I am very thankful that he didn’t throw up on me.
“I don’t recognize any of these constellations. We must be a long, long way from Earth,” Shiro observed.
“Well if that thing that we just went through is what I thought it was, that wouldn’t be surprising,” I said as I gaped at the galaxy around us.
“The lion seems to want to go to this planet,” Lance said as the cat flew toward a planet that looked a lot like Earth. “I think...I think it’s going home.”
As we entered the planet’s atmosphere, we were coming in at such a fast speed, that sparks and radiation were forming around the lion. The lion shook, and I felt like I was in a huge comic. This planet obviously had a source of gravity or magnetism. Luckily, it wasn’t too long before the atmosphere became stable, and we were able to fly better. The gravity did start to pull us all in together though, so we were all somewhat smushed against the back of Lance’s control chair.
“Guys, personal space,” Lance complained. “Hunk, your breath is killing me.”
“Um, is it just me, or is anyone else having second thoughts about flying through a mysterious wormhole?” Hunk asked randomly. “Why are we listening to a robotic lion anyway?”
“It got us away from that alien warship, didn’t it?” Lance replied.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but we’re in an alien warship,” Keith said.
“Yeah, but this one wasn’t trying to kill us, and I think that act alone should show that it deserves our trust!” I said.
“Yeah, but it could double cross us at any moment,” he explained.
“I feel like if it’s letting Lance pilot, it obviously doesn’t plan on doing anything to us,” I said.
“Oh, Keith. Are you scared?” Lance taunted.
“With you at the helm? Terrified,” he glared.
“Alright! Knock it off,” Shiro directed to us. “No one’s happy to be in this situation, but we’re here now.”
“Actually, I’m quite comfortable,” I said, leaning forward on the back of the control chair.
Shiro glared at me, pointing out that I wasn’t helping the situation one bit. I looked down in embarrassment.
“If we want to get through this, we’ve got to do it together,” he finished.
“So, what do we do now?” Pidge asked.
“First, we find out where we’re headed,” he said. “Lance?”
“I don’t know,” he sighed.
He looked around, trying to think of something to do.
“I’m sorry. The lion’s not talking to me anymore,” he thought for a second, then perked up. “Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Shh! Listen. I think I hear something.”
We were all trying to listen, but all we heard was a high pitched squealing noise. It seemed to be slowly getting louder.
“I’m hearing it too,” Hunk said.
Wait a second.
”Lance…” I warned.
Then, we all knew exactly what he was talking about. It wasn't a matter of hearing, but a matter of smelling.
“Ah! Come on Lance!” We all complained.
“But seriously, there’s a castle up ahead,” the boy smirked.
We all looked up to see the beautiful masterpiece before us. It was this space-like castle made up of four towers surrounding a tall one in the middle. It was a gleaming white, but it had shapes of teal adding detail and depth to the architecture. There was an ancient narrow bridge leading up to this castle, but most of the pillars holding it up, weren't even touching the ground any more. We all gasped at the perfect sight of it. The way the sun’s rays bounced off of the structure was phenomenal! The castle seemed to acknowledge the lion’s presence, and started to give off a subtle glow.
The lion landed smoothly right outside the castle doors. As we stopped, Shiro seemed a bit tense.
“Keep your guard up,” Shiro commanded.
“Something wrong?” Pidge asked.
“My crew was captured by aliens once. I’m not going to let it happen again,” he said.
We walked out of the lion’s large mouth, and towards the castle. We stopped, not really sure whether to approach or not. But, the lion got up, disrupting our thoughts, and sending us all into a panic.
“No! I knew it was a going to eat us! No!” Hunk screamed as the lion roared loudly.
As Hunk whimpered, the doors of the castle opened, as if the lion’s roar was the key to letting us in. Hunk slowly came out from his hiding place behind Shiro and I.
“Oh, the door is open,” he said. “Guess I was wrong about you,” he said to the lion.
We all walked into the darkness of the castle, quiet confused on what was happening.
“Hello?” Hunk yelled through the corridor.
We all glared at him, mentally telling him to shut up. He just shrugged, like his yelling in an alien castle was fine. Yeah Hunk, just alert all the aliens that we are in their castle now. Yeah that’s a great idea. Note the sarcasm.
“From the size of the lion, I expected these steps to be bigger,” Pidge observed.
Then, all of a sudden, the ceiling shone a beam of bright blue light onto us, encasing us in a blue diamond.
“Hold for identity scan,” some unseen computer said.
We all gasped, not sure whether to move or not.
“What?” Pidge whispered.
The light around us started going up our bodies, scanning us. What would it do to us, as intruders?
“Why are we here? What do you want with us?” Shiro asked the voice, as the computer finished its scan.
As an answer, the castles lights illuminated on, showing the real architecture and magnificence of the castle.
“Whoa!” Lance gasped.
“Bruh,” I whispered.
The lights kept lighting down a hallway, beckoning us forward.
“I guess we’re going that way,” Pidge concurred.
We slowly walked through the castle, lights activating as we passed. It was somewhat strange, since there didn’t seem to be any life in sight. Hunk made sure of it, by saying ‘hello’ in each room or hallway we walked through.
“Where are we,” Lance asked as we entered a big circular room.
Smaller circles lined the floor, while a control center type place stood in the center.
“It’s, some kind of control room,” I said as I observed some of the inactivated screens on a pillar.
It activated before my eyes, lighting up blue shapes. It’s command caused some pod to emerge from one of the circles on the ground, displaying a human-like silhouette inside. A second also arose close to the first. We all stared at them, wondering the same thing.
“Are these guys...dead?” Hunk asked.
Nobody had an answer. The first capsule lit up, and the cover disappearing, revealing a beautiful girl, almost like a princess. Her white flowing hair, and young dark skin brought out her natural features. Her pointed ears and markings beside her eyes made her look somewhat like an elf you would hear about in a fairytale. She seemed to awake, but didn’t realize, I guess…
“Father!” She gasped as she started to fall from the pod.
Luckily, Lance caught her before she fell, but immediately went into flirt mode after looking into her blue eyes.
“Hello,” he said with a smirk.
The girl, still quiet confused, looked up at him for answers.
“Who are you? Where am I?” She asked.
Her British accent flowed through her voice.
“I’m Lance. And you’re right here in my arms,” he said sweetly.
Ugh. I just slapped my forehead as I watched the cringy scene unfold.
“Your ears,” she said, completely ignoring his flirtatious comments.
He looked at them, kind of confused.
“Yeah?”
“They’re hideous. What’s wrong with them?” She said bluntly, taking herself off of him.
“Nothing’s wrong with them!” Lance spat. “They heard exactly what you said about them! Ah!” He screamed as the girl grabbed his ear and his wrist, twisted him around, and held him kneeling on the ground.
“Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my castle?” She demanded as Lance whimpered.
“Maybe if you let him go, we’ll tell you!” I warned, but Shiro advised me otherwise.
“A giant blue lion brought us here. That’s all we know!” Lance pleaded.
She let go of him, very confused.
“How do you have the Blue Lion? What happened to its paladin?”
“It’s what now?” I asked.
“What are you all doing here,” she asked. “Unless…”
Hunk just hid behind Shiro for protection, while Lance got up from the floor, very annoyed, and stood beside me.
“How long has it been,” the girl asked, regaining her train of thought.
“We don’t know what you’re talking about,” Shiro explained. “Why don’t you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help.”
“I am princess Allura of planet Altea. I’ve got to find out where we are, and how long we’ve been asleep.”
She walked towards the pillar that had brought her pod up, and placed her hands on it, activating it again, this time, projecting a screen.
“Okay, that’s how that works,” Pidge said.
As Allura pressed buttons on the control pillar, the other pod-type thing opened up. Inside stood an older looking man, with orange hair, and a big curly mustache. He didn’t seem as startled about his surroundings as Allura was, but he did notice the strangers standing in his palace.
“Ah! Ah, enemy combatants!” he cried.
He sprung out of his confinement, aiming his feet at Lance, but the boy just slid out of the way, prepared this time for what the alien had planned.
“Quiznak! You're lucky I have a case of the old sleep chamber knees,’ he told Lance. “Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so, and one, two, three---Sleepy time!” He said, making very weird hand gestures.
“Well, before you did that, I'd-whoo! Ha! Ya! Like that,” Lance replied, making equally weird notions.
“Oh really? Well how could you do that when I've already come at you with this? Ha! Ha! Ha! Hey!” The old man jabbed at the air with his hand.
“Man, these guys are good,” Hunk commented.
“Ugh,” I sighed, facepalming.
“It can't be,” Allura stated, looking at the encryption displayed on her screen.
“What is it?” The man asked.
“We've been asleep for ten thousand years,” Allura said.
What! Ten thousand years? How is that even possible. My friends and I all gasped, glancing at each other to see if we had all heard correctly. If what they had said was true, these guys were old! They looked really good for their ages though.
“Planet Altea and all of the planets in our solar system have been destroyed.”
I gasped, covering my mouth in shock.
“Coran,” Allura explained to the man, “Father is gone. Our entire civilization…” she choked, holding back tears. “Zarkon.”
Her face hardened with anger, and her eyes were like fire. Shiro gasped at the name. I looked up at him, and I noticed beads of sweat appear on his forehead at the name.
“Zarkon?”
“He was the king of the Galra,” Allura explained. “A vile creature, and enemy to all free people.”
“I remember now…” Shiro said. “I was his prisoner.”
What. Shiro was his prisoner? And he had managed to get out alive? Tears pricked my eyes as I thought of how much Zarkon had taken from Shiro. I had to hold the tears in. I couldn't let the others see me like this. I didn’t even know who this Zarkon was, yet he was turning my world inside out! He had taken so much from me, yet I couldn't imagine how much he had taken from Allura and Coran.
“He's still alive? Impossible!” Allura said.
“I can't explain it, but it's true. He's searching for a super weapon called Voltron,” Shiro said.
“He's searching for it because he knows it's the only thing that can defeat him, and that's exactly why we must find it before he does.”
Minutes later, Allura was back to work, while we all stood and watched, waiting for answers. Keith, Lance and I stood over to the side, while Shiro, Pidge and Hunk stood closer to where Allura and Coran were.
“Princess,” Coran begged, “you must eat. It's been ten thousand years.”
“I'm not hungry.”
“Man, ten thousand years? That's like one thousand plus ten,” Lance said.
“That's times ten,” Keith corrected.
“Whatever, dropout.”
Knowing that they were probably going to fight, I gave both the boys a look that shut them up.
“I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starving,” Hunk explained.
“Yeah, but you've thrown up, like, five times,” Pidge said.
“Hmm, good point.”
Hunk grabbed some of the green chunky goo displayed in front of him, and started gobbling it up. Gross.
“I can't believe your civilization created such advanced technology ten thousand years ago,” Shiro gasped. “It must have been an incredible place.”
Hunk gagged at the taste of whatever he had just eaten.
“Yeah, can I get some of this tech? It is amazing!” I explained.
I could feel eyes of Keith and Lance looking at me, but I turned to see, and they were looking elsewhere. I could have sworn...get your head out of the clouds (Y/N)!
“Yes, it was quite amazing….but now it is gone, and we're the last Alteans alive.”
Coran looked at Allura, but she couldn't look him in the eye. Her eyes went to the floor, as she tried to keep in tears. I know how that feels. To have the people you love taken away from you. But, they had it much worse. I only knew a fraction of their pain.
Coran, sensing her pain, hugged the Princess. Tears started to slide down my cheeks, and I sniffed, trying to quickly wipe them away.
“Are you crying?” Keith asked me.
“What?”
I looked to my left, and both boys were looking at me. Lance put a hand on my shoulder.
“What! No, I'm not,” I sniffed and took Lance's hand off of me.
I rubbed my arms, and looked at the floor. Sometimes I just wish I could hide in a hole for awhile, then when I get better, I can come out. I could still feel the eye’s of the two boys on me, so I kept my eyes on the floor.
Suddenly, we all heard squeaks echo across the room. Allura looked up from Coran’s shoulder, letting go of him. She followed the noise, and found some Altean mice. A blush arose on her cheeks, filling her with hope.
“Looks like we're not the last after all.”
Alarms blared across the castle, alerting me, making my head jolt up in response. The pillar's display screen showed of what caused the alarm. A ginormous purple ship, much like the one we had to run from, was displayed on the monitor.
“A Galra battleship has set its tracker to us!” Coran exclaimed.
“How did they find us?” Allura asked.
We all moved closer to see what was shown on their screen.
“I'm not sure, but I bet it's Keith's fault,” Lance glared at him.
“Say whatever you've got to say to make yourself feel better. After getting us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!” Keith argued.
“I’ll stick you in a wormhole!” Lance yelled.
“Guys, if you don't shut up right now, you're really going to regret it, after you see what I'll do to you once I stick you both in a wormhole!” I screamed.
“Stow it, cadets!” Shiro said, shoving us away from each other.
“But Shiro!” I objected.
“Yes (Y/N), you have a valid point, but this is no time to place blame. It's time to work as a team,” he told me firmly.
He placed a hand on my shoulder, as I looked down at my toes. I was just trying to shut them up, but, I knew he had good intentions. It didn't used to be like this a year ago, but, we had both grown up.
“How long before they arrive?” Shiro asked.
“At their speed? Oh, well, carry the two...I'd say probably a couple of days,” Coran said, counting on his fingers.
“Good. Let them come!” Allura challenged. “By the time they get here, five of you will have reformed Voltron, and together, we will destroy Zarkon's empire!”
Hunk burped loudly, having finished his goo.
“Sorry. Food goo.”
“Wait, only five of us?” Lance asked, looking at us, trying to decide who wouldn't be getting a lion.
“Yes. Unfortunately, one of you will be left out. But, that is not for me to decide,” she explained.
“Princess, there are five of these lions. How are we going to find the rest?” Shiro asked.
Answering his question, she led us into a new room, lighting up at her entrance to the center. It seemed to be another control room, but of more importance and detail.
“King Alfor connected the lions to Allura’s life force,” Coran explained. “She alone is the key to the lion's whereabouts.”
At the cue of Allura opening her eyes, a galaxy of stars surrounded us. It was a map of space, filled with planets, asteroid belts, and constellations. The room was dark, only being lit by the map encasing us. We all gasped, looking at the places shown around the room.
“These are coordinates,” Pidge said.
Around us showed different locations of where each lion was.
“The Black Lion looks like it's in the same location as the Blue Lion,” I said, as the coordinates drifted past me.
“Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage,” Coran told me.
“Ugh….thanks?” I replied.
“Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the castle,” Allura explained.
“To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present,” Coran told us.
“Smart,” I said, trying to find the other pictures of lions floating around the room.
“As you have found, the lions choose their pilots,” Allura said. “It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain.”
Allura maneuvered her hand, guiding each lion towards their pilots.
“The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion.”
His expression stayed motionless, but I could tell he was glad to be put in charge. Shiro had always been one to hold back his emotions for the sake of others. But, if you knew him well enough, you could read them.
“The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion.”
A smile spread across her face as she gazed upon the creature she was chosen for.
“The Blue Lion--”
“Huh, hold up,” Lance interrupted, “let me guess. Takes the most handsome slash best pilot of the bunch?” He smirked.
Allura's face was beyond annoyed.
“The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one who puts the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty. As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together.”
As the image came to Hunk, he was quite confused as why he would be chosen as one of the five.
“The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will fly the Red Lion.”
“What? This guy?” Lance asked, looking at me.
A smile spread across Keith's face, happy that he hadn't been the one left out, but then realized that I had.
“What about (Y/N)?” He asked, his smile fading.
“Yeah, does she not get one?” Pidge asked.
“I'm sorry, but no,” Allura said. “It is not a matter of getting, but a matter of being chosen by the lion itself. The only reason I know which lion you are the paladins of is because I knew it the moment I saw you.”
I could feel all eyes on me. Sure, I was upset. Really upset actually, but, I didn't need a lion. I didn't need to be a hero. It would just be nice. But, I didn't say a word.
“Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet,” Allura said, bringing us back to the point. “There must be something wrong with the castle. After ten thousand years, it might need some work.”
“Don't worry, we'll find it soon. They don't call me ‘The Coranic” for nothing. It's because it sounds like ‘mechanic’. So...Coranic, mechanic. It's not--It doesn't sound...exactly like it. It's similar.” Coran rambled.
Keith looked so done, until the lion in his picture came to life, roaring and flying around us, and through the digital galaxy. The other four lions joined his, becoming Voltron.
“Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron, the most powerful warrior ever know, the Defender of the Universe.”
At the end of Allura's words, the map around us disappeared.
“Awesome,” Lance said.
“Wait. Okay, we're going to be in there and flying lions. Got that part. How do lions turn into legs? Also, is this going to be a long trip? Because I have to pee. Do you people pee?” Hunk asked.
“We don't have much time,” Shiro ignored his questions. “Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, (Y/N), you stay here. If you locate the Red Lion, go get it,” Shiro ordered.
“We have to stay here?!” I asked.
“Yes. You'll be better help to Allura than us,” Shiro said.
“In the meantime, I'll get this castle's defenses ready. They'll be sorely needed,” Allura said.
“I'll ready a pod and load the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion,” Coran said.
Once the Princess opened two wormholes, they all left, leaving Allura, Coran, Keith, and I at the castle. Allura offered, if we were bored, that we could try and help get the castle up and running again. However, with everything we did, we just seemed to be in the way. So, I decided to go outside.
I walked out in the blinding sunlight. It was a beautiful planet, reminded me of Earth. There was a crumbling bridge laid out before me. I walked along it, pondering things. I got about ten, maybe fifteen feet out on the bridge, and I sat down, dangling my legs over the edge. Wind whipped through my hair, chilling my face. I still had my Galaxy Garrison uniform on, and my black combat boots. I didn't even have my phone, because Commander Iverson had taken it from me when he sent me to detention. Not that it would do me any good, because there aren't electrical outlets in space to be able to charge it with.
Ugh. I looked down at my uniform. So this is what I'm going to wear for the rest of my life. I could have chosen so many better outfits. I hate these uniforms. I was the only person there without normal clothes on, and I doubt the Princess would have anything I would like. Besides, I would never ask her.
I lifted my right leg onto the edge of the bridge, and I rested my right arm on it. The horizon wasn't much compared to Earth's. There were no clouds, just a dull blue. It didn't help my mood. I was all the way out in space, able to do something amazing, and I wouldn't even be able to. I wouldn't be able to find Matt. There would be no point in me staying.
Relaxing my arm, it fell off of my knee, and onto my stomach, hitting and getting cut on the one thing I still had from Earth. I flitched, forgetting what I had held on the belt of my uniform.
I looked down to see blood oozing from my arm, and out of the sleeve of my uniform. The silver blade held tightly onto my waist, now having a tint of red. Great. I knew I was clumsy, but this was the third time I had cut myself with that thing since Matt gave it to me. I brought my arm up to my mouth, rolling up the sleeve, and sucking the blood away, trying to make it stop. I had cut myself in the same place every time somehow since I had received the dagger. Well, I guess I was just bound to have a scar on my right forearm forever. I guess I was also supposed to have a huge hole in the sleeve of my uniform as well.
“Hey.”
I looked to my right, and saw Keith standing beside me. He sat down next to me, dangling his legs over the edge as well. His black hair flew in the wind. He didn't have his jacket on. The wind was chilling, and he only had a dark gray t-shirt on, but he didn't seemed bothered by the weather.
“Hey,” I said, looking back to the horizon, wiping my arm on my uniform.
“So…” He started, “I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but..you knew Shiro?”
I half laughed, unrolling my sleeve and covering the huge gash on my arm.
“You're just not going to let that topic go, are you?” I asked him.
“I don't usually take no as an answer,” he shrugged.
I sighed. I might as well tell him, or he wouldn't give up.
“Well...he was in my old crew at the Garrison.”
“Old?”
“Yeah. When Shiro and my crew went missing, I was assigned with my crew now.”
“Wait, Lance, Pidge, and Hunk are your crew?!” Keith asked.
He looked at me wide eyed.
“Yeah. Why so surprised?” I asked bluntly, squeezing my arm, and trying to stop the blood with my sleeve.
“I just...I don't know...you're so different from them,” he muttered.
“How so?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Nevermind,” he mumbled.
We sat there awkwardly for awhile. I kept glancing at my arm, which I had now hidden from Keith's view, and saw the blood slowly making a huge stain on the long sleeve covering it. Great. Finally, I brought up something that had come to my mind.
“Earlier, you had said that you might know me somehow…”
“Oh, I don't know. Maybe I saw you with Shiro or something.”
“And how do you know Shiro?”
“Well…” he sighed.
“You don't have to tell me, I guess..” I looked back at the blue sky.
“Look, I'll tell you, just not now.”
“Alright.”
Silence came again, but this time, he broke it.
“Are you okay without having a lion?”
I just sat there, not wanting to answer. No, I wasn't okay! I was devastated! Why would he care though. He has one, and he only seems to care about himself, most of the time, at least.
“I don’t know..I guess I just feel kind of left out. I actually wanted your lion, but I didn't want you to not get one. I didn't want anyone to not get one! Maybe it's best that I’m the one who wasn’t chosen.”
I sighed as my bangs flew in the harsh wind.
“Hey, I know we just met, and you seem to know everyone else, but…” Keith rubbed the back of his neck.
“But?”
Curiosity surged through me, but I bit my tongue.
“If you ever want to fly a lion...I'm sure Lance will let you.”
“Wow Keith. That is so nice of you!” I said sarcastically.
“You can fly mine too. Just giving out suggestions.”
I laughed.
“Maybe we should go back inside. See if Allura has found your lion yet?” I suggested.
He nodded, and we got up from the bridge, and ran back to the castle.