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Chapter Text

Your POV:

The cryopod bursts open, and I slowly open my eyes. I shiver once my body makes contact with the cold air surrounding me. The planet I managed to land on is freezing.

I wobble out of the pod, and my eyes squint from the brightness surrounding me. Goosebumps ripple on my skin and the sun on this planet is not doing much to help with the gnawing cold from biting into my skin. Pushing through the wreckage of my ship, I start chipping away at the metal door which has been frozen shut. 

“Stars above,” I grumble, hauling all of my body weight into the next push. “Damn it, open!”

The metal door creaks under the pressure, but it refuses to budge. My breaths come out in shallow, visible puffs, and the chill seeps into my bones. My fingers, already numb, fumble for the makeshift tool I salvaged from the cryopod’s emergency kit—a jagged piece of metal that’s seen better days. 

"Stupid piece of—" I growl, jamming the shard into the icy seam of the door and levering it with everything I have. The door finally gives, groaning loudly as it swings open. “Yes! I did it!”

The sudden rush of air nearly knocks me back, a biting wind swirling in and carrying more of the relentless cold. I step out onto the surface of the planet and blink. 

The landscape is a vast, glittering wasteland of ice and snow. Jagged peaks rise in the distance, their edges shimmering like glass under the pale sunlight. The ground beneath my boots crunches with every step, and the air is so thin it feels like I’m inhaling daggers. 

Great. A tundra. Couldn’t have landed somewhere warmer, could you, you damn scrap of metal?

I wrap my arms around myself, my tattered clothing doing little to shield me from the cold. My body aches from the cryostasis, and my stomach growls loudly—a painful reminder of how long it’s been since I’ve had a decent meal.

“This planet better have food,” I mutter to myself, trudging forward. “Or shelter. Or literally anything alive.”

But as far as I can see, there’s nothing but endless ice and snow. The only sounds are the howling wind and the faint crunch of my boots on the frozen ground. 

No Galra ships. No sentries. No drones.

The thought is both comforting and unsettling. Comforting, because I’ve finally managed to escape them. Unsettling, because I have no idea how long that will last. 

I glance over my shoulder at the smoking remains of my ship, half-buried in the snow. It won’t take them long to find me if I don’t get moving. 

They always find me.

Shaking the thought away, I focus on what’s ahead. There’s no time to dwell on the past. No time to think about the endless fights in the arena, the scars on my back, and the faces of the other prisoners who didn’t make it. I’m free now. For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m free.

And I’m not going back.

|••••••••••|

Hours pass—or at least, I think they do. Time is hard to measure in a place like this. The sun hasn’t moved much in the sky, and the bitter cold is starting to take its toll. My legs feel like lead, my fingers are numb, and my breath hitches with every step. 

I need to find shelter. Or food. Or both.

A sharp crack suddenly pierces the air, and I freeze in place, my heart pounding. It sounds like ice breaking—close. Too close. My eyes dart around, scanning the horizon for the source of the sound.

Nothing.

Another crack echoes, louder this time, and the ground beneath me trembles. Panic grips me as I realize what’s happening.

The ice is giving way.

“Shit—” I manage to gasp before the ground splits beneath my feet. I lunge forward, scrambling for solid ground, but the ice collapses faster than I can move. I fall, plunging into darkness.

|••••••••••|

My head throbs and my body feels like it’s been run over by a Galra transport. I groan softly, forcing my eyes open. 

The first thing I notice is the glow—a faint, bluish light illuminating the cavern around me. I sit up slowly, wincing as pain shoots through my limbs. My surroundings are surreal. The cavern walls shimmer with veins of ice and crystal, casting eerie reflections on the frozen ground. 

I’m alive. Somehow.

Thank you, High Priestess Marmora. 

The second thing I notice is the warmth. It’s faint, but it’s there—a stark contrast to the freezing wasteland above. I pull myself to my feet, my legs shaky but functional, and start to explore. 

As I move deeper into the cavern, the glow intensifies, and the air grows warmer. I can hear the faint sound of running water, and my mouth waters at the thought. 

Finally. A break.

But just as hope begins to bloom in my chest, I hear another sound—a low, guttural growl that stops me in my tracks. My heart leaps into my throat as my eyes dart around, searching for the source.

The growl comes again, louder this time, and I realize I’m not alone. 

From the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes emerge, followed by a massive, hulking figure. The creature—some kind of ice predator—stares me down, its fur bristling and its fangs glinting in the bluish light.

“Of course,” I mutter, my hands clenching into fists. “Because freezing to death wasn’t enough.”

The creature snarls, and I drop into a defensive stance. My body protests every movement, but I don’t have a choice. 

I refuse to die before Emperor Zarkon does. 

“Come on,” I say through gritted teeth, bracing myself for the fight. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

The ice predator prowls closer, its massive paws crunching against the frozen floor. Its glowing eyes remain fixed on me, its low growls rumbling through the cavern. I crouch lower, my hands shaking slightly—not from fear, but from exhaustion. My body isn’t ready for this. It’s barely recovered from cryostasis and every muscle aches from the cold. 

Still, I have endured much worse. 

The Galra rings were a death sentence, but if there is anything I am, it is a survivor. 

The predator lunges.

I sidestep, barely avoiding its claws as it slams into the ice where I’d been standing. The ground shudders from the impact, and a spray of frost and snow obscures my vision. I pivot sharply, using the shard of metal I’d salvaged earlier to slash at its flank. 

The blade connects, and the creature howls in pain, its glowing eyes narrowing with fury. The sound echoes through the cavern, and for a moment, I wonder if it’s calling for backup. 

I back away as the creature recovers. Blood—dark and viscous—drips onto the ice, but the predator doesn’t seem fazed. It circles me now, more cautious, its growls deepening. 

“You think I fear you, beast?” I grit out. 

I keep my eyes locked on it, my breathing steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. My fingers grip the shard tightly. 

The creature charges again, faster this time, and I have no choice but to meet it head-on. I duck low, aiming for its underbelly, but it anticipates my move. Its paw catches me across the side, and I’m sent sprawling across the icy floor. 

The impact knocks the air out of my lungs, and pain flares through my ribs. I roll to the side just in time to avoid its jaws snapping down where my head had been. 

I gasp, scrambling to my feet. The predator snarls, and I notice its movements are slower now. The wound I inflicted earlier is taking its toll. I just have to outlast it.

Easier said than done.

It charges again, but this time, I’m ready. I sidestep at the last moment, slamming the shard of metal into its shoulder as it barrels past me. The predator yelps, skidding to a halt before whipping around to face me again. 

Blood drips from its wounds, staining the ice below. Its growls are weaker now, more labored. 

“I’m sorry,” I whisper under my breath, my hands trembling as I deliver the final strike. 

Once I’m sure it’s dead, I collapse to my knees, and my side throbs where its claws grazed me. 

But I’m alive.

"Stars above," I mutter, staring up at the cavern ceiling. "What kind of luck is this?"

The faint sound of running water reaches my ears again, and I force myself to my feet. I follow the sound of the water deeper into the cavern, my steps unsteady. The purplish glow intensifies as I go, the veins of crystal in the walls pulsing faintly. It’s almost soothing, in a strange way. 

The source of the light reveals itself as I round a corner: a small pool of water surrounded by glowing crystals. The air here is noticeably warmer, and I feel some of the tension leave my body as I approach the pool. 

I kneel by the water’s edge, hesitating for a moment before cupping my hands and bringing the liquid to my lips. It’s cold but refreshing, and I can feel the energy returning to my limbs with each sip. 

As I drink, I catch my reflection in the water—a pale, gaunt face framed by messy hair. My eyes stare back at me. For a moment, I see someone else there—Emperor Zarkon. My father. 

I shake my head, splashing the water with my hands. 

No. Not him. Never him. I don’t look anything like him. 

I step away, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. My hands tremble as I open the bag slung to my side. I look through it, digging through the scarce materials I brought with me. I grab my journal and a pen that is beginning to run low on ink, feeling grateful that there is some scarce light in this cavern. 

Journal Entry: #12

Day: Unknown

Topic: Starvation

I’ve just awoken from my frozen state. I don't know how much time has passed. The stars are different from how I last remembered them. And this planet is so damn cold. I fell through the ice and I nearly died. Some tundra creature attacked me and I nearly died. Hopefully, a third near-death is not in my future. 

From what I can see, the planet I currently occupy is empty, save for the creature. I don’t think there is any civilization here. 

Planet Solitare, the temporary name I have given this planet, seems to have it out for me. I did manage to find a water source, so hopefully, I will survive long enough to make it off of this cursed planet. 

I am so, so hungry. I might venture back and grab that creature and cook it over a fire. Oh, wait. I have no means of starting a fire. 

I've been sleeping in my healing cyropod for the stars know how many years. Physically and mentally, I am still eighteen years old. That’s the beauty of frozen sleep—you remain completely frozen. It is as though I had a dreamless sleep. 

Hopefully, I have been asleep for no more than three years. I was heading to Earth to see where I come from. My birth mother was apparently human—that’s what my brother Lotor told me. I’ve never met an Earthling before. I wonder how much they would look like me. 

What languages do they speak? What is their religion? What food and customs do they have?

Earth is an anomaly for the Galra Empire. They are primitive creatures and so, Emperor Zarkon has no use for conquering the planet. If I somehow make it there, I should be safe. 

It’s strange, isn’t it? To long for a home I’ve never known. To wonder if there’s a place among them for someone like me—a Galra, tainted by the Empire’s cruelty. But I’m not like my father. 

Am I?

Sometimes I don’t know what to believe anymore. 

I wonder if Lotor is still alive. He was always cunning, always one step ahead of Father, but the Empire is relentless. If Emperor Zarkon knew about his defiance...  

No. Lotor’s smart. He’ll be fine.  

And if I make it to Earth, maybe I’ll find a way to reach him. Maybe I’ll find allies.

My entire ship is destroyed, including my distress beacon. Given the circumstances of my departure, it is unlikely I would have used it. I did also manage to disable the tracking system, but one can never know with the Empire. There could be something I missed. 

I fear I may lose my mind if I don’t find a way off this planet soon.

I hope my journey to Earth is successful. I’d love to see where I come from.

(Y/N).

My right/left-hand trembles as I set the pen down. I gently close the notebook and put everything back in my bag.

"(Y/N)," a voice calls as I stand. 

My heart skips a beat. 

"What...?" I whisper, stumbling back. My back collides with an icy wall. 

Am I hallucinating? I have officially lost my mind. That didn't take long at all.

"Come to me."

“Come to you?” I ask, confused. My head whips around the cavern. “ Who are you?”

The voice pauses. “Walk down the hallway of the cavern. Follow the glowing purple crystals.”

I blink, turning my attention to the path the voice tells me of. “Why?”

The voice sighs. “Stars above, (Y/N), just walk.”

Pursing my lips, I huff as I follow its instructions. 

I better not get killed.

I whisper a short prayer, asking the goddess Ara for a safe passage.

My mouth hangs open as I stare at the end of the path. A ginormous robot in a purple dome stands before me. I blink several times and rub my eyes.

Still there.

A light violet force field surrounds the Purple Lion. With only slight hesitation, I reach out and touch the dome. It immediately dissolves. I slowly walk towards the giant robot, and it opens its mouth, gesturing for me to come inside.

I stumble back at the sight of its mouth opening wide. A pathway lights up.

“Are you going to eat me?” I ask.

“No.”

I slowly enter the beast, and it takes off at a fast speed.

I throw myself into the pilot’s chair and clutch onto the armrests. My breathing quickens, but I try to steady myself. 

"Welcome (Y/N)," the lion greets.

I raise my eyebrows and look around. "Um, hello," I respond cautiously.

"No need to be afraid," the feminine voice calmly states. I can sense a slight smile in her words. "I am the Purple Lion, the Lost Lion of Voltron. You are now my Paladin."

I blink. “What?”

“I said that—”

“I heard you just fine,” I interrupt, watching as we soar through Planet Solitaire’s atmosphere. “Wait, where are we going?”

"We are making our way to our new home: Planet Arus. As for my name, you can call me Violet."

I shake my head, frowning. "You couldn’t have done this later? I was getting ready to eat." My stomach grumbles. 

I could really go for some food right about now.

Violet laughs softly. "We have a long journey ahead of us. I suggest you rest."

Chapter Text

Your POV:

I stare out the front window, watching the stars go by. "Are we almost there?" I ask. I sigh and rest my head on my palm looking out the window with more interest. It's a peaceful thing: space. Nothing out there except a large void of emptiness with stars and planets.

Leaning back in the seat, I slowly lift the hem of my shirt. Purple bruises and shallow scratches run along my ribs where the ice predator got me. The claw marks aren't deep, but they sting with every movement. I let the shirt fall back into place with a wince. The healing pod would have taken care of this in seconds, but I don't have that luxury anymore.

"You need to take better care of yourself," Violet chides gently. Her voice resonates around the cockpit, calm yet firm, like a mother scolding a reckless child.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, that's hard to do when you're being hunted by giant ice monsters and starving to death."

Violet hums in acknowledgment, her voice softening. "Your struggles are not unnoticed, (Y/N). You've endured much. But you'll find your strength again."

I huff, leaning back in the chair and crossing my arms. "Strength is overrated when you're starving."

Almost as if in response, a compartment in the console pops open, revealing a neatly wrapped package. My eyebrows shoot up as I lean forward to grab it. Unwrapping it reveals a protein bar-like object, simple but unmistakably food.

"Is this...?" I trail off, hesitating before taking a cautious bite. The taste is bland, but it's food. Real food. My body reacts immediately, and I scarf the rest of it down like I haven't eaten in weeks—which, let's be honest, I haven't.

"Consider it a small gift," Violet says. "I'll do what I can to sustain you until we reach Arus."

I swallow the last bite. "Thanks. I guess you're not as bad as I thought."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she replies with a laugh.

My thoughts wander, unbidden, back to the arena. To the sound of the crowd roaring for blood, the burn of every lash, and the ever-present fear of failing and being discarded like the others. To the prison cell I spent the majority of my life rotting in.

"Violet, why me? Why choose me to be your Paladin?"

"You ask as though you're unworthy," she replies. "But you've proven otherwise."

"I'm not a hero." My voice falters. "I'm not even whole. I'm broken."

"None of us are whole, (Y/N)." Violet's tone is kind, almost comforting. "You have the heart of a warrior, the spirit of someone who refuses to break."

I glance at the stars streaking past the cockpit window, my chest tightening. "I'm not sure I deserve this."

"Your past does not define you. The choices you make now will. And I believe you are capable of great things."

I chew on her words for a moment, unsure whether to feel inspired or terrified. The truth is, I don't know what I'm capable of anymore.

"When we do arrive, I have a favor to ask of you. You will have to hide me somewhere."

I raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Hide you? Why?"

"Yes, you must hide me. Where we are going is... complicated."

"Complicated?"

"Your ancestry also brings in certain levels of complexity."

I blink. "What do you mean?"

"Because you are half Galra, my dear paladin."

A blush slowly creeps up on my cheeks, and I sit up straighter. "You can tell?"

"Of course," Violet replies smoothly, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and seriousness. "I could sense it the moment you entered my core. Your energy, your essence—it carries the unmistakable trace of the Galra. But it is not something to be ashamed of."

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, avoiding her words. "It's not exactly something I'm proud of either."

"Your lineage does not dictate who you are," she says gently. "You are not your father, nor are you bound by his choices."

I'm silent for a moment. It's hard to believe her. "You sound like you've been waiting for me," I finally say, trying to deflect.

"In a way, I have. Voltron has always sought out those with untapped potential, those whose hearts burn with the desire to protect and fight for something greater. You were not chosen by chance, (Y/N). You are the one I have been waiting for."

"What happens when we get to Arus?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "What's so complicated about it?"

"I have been lost for a long time, and my presence will raise questions—questions you may not be ready to answer."

"You mean about me," I say flatly.

"Yes." She hesitates for a moment before continuing. "There are those who may judge you unfairly because of your Galra heritage. They will not see what I see. You must be prepared for that."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Perfect."

"They will learn," Violet says firmly. "They will see your strength, your resolve, and your heart. But until then, caution is necessary. You must hide me and stay out of sight until the time is right."

"Hide a giant glowing robot lion?" I scoff. "Sure, that'll be easy."

Violet chuckles softly. "I have faith in you."

I shake my head, leaning back in the chair again. The ache in my ribs is a dull throb now. "This is insane," I mutter. "All of it."

"Insane, perhaps," Violet agrees, "but necessary. The universe is on the brink of something far greater than you or I. And you have a role to play in it. You must also be patient with the Princess of Altea."

"The Princess of Altea?" I ask. "Why?"

"Because Emperor Zarkon killed her father."

"Oh." I run a hand through my hair, my shoulder slumping.

We slowly start our descent, and I see a bright blue planet with organically shaped green spots. Blue bodies of water dominate much of its surface, and shades of green, brown, and white are also spread across the surface.

What is this planet?

"This is Earth," Violet says as if answering my question. "Your future teammates come from here."

My eyes widen. "They're Earthlings?"

"Yes. All five."

"It looks beautiful."

I sigh glumly, looking down and frowning.

Guess I won't be seeing Earth up close any time soon.

|••••••••••|

"How do you know all this?" I ask.

We've been traveling for a while now. None of the constellations or planets look familiar.

"I have a lot of knowledge when it comes to Voltron."

"But what is Voltron?"

Violet pauses. "How do you not know Voltron?"

I tilt my head to the side. "My education didn't exactly consist of magic robotic lions."

She sighs, a soft sound. "I suppose you are right." Violet pauses again. "Very well. Let us have a brief history lesson. Once upon a time, there was a trans-reality comet that crashed into Planet Diabazaal over 10,000 years ago a—"

"Wait." My hands clench on the armrests and I sit up abruptly. "10,000 years ago?!"

"Please refrain from interrupting me. As I was saying, over 10,000 years ago, this comet carried a unique material with extraordinary properties. The Alteans, a people gifted in alchemy and technology, forged it into five robotic lions. These lions, when united, form Voltron—a weapon of unmatched power and a symbol of peace."

I blink, trying to process this. "Have I been in cryostasis for 10,000 years?"

What? Is Father still alive? Is Haggar still alive? Doubtful. Someone has to have killed them by now.

I blink again.

Stars above, maybe I really am free.

I pause.

Wait. Is Lotor still alive?

"And the creation of these lions was made possible by quintessence."

"Stars above," I whisper, not fully processing her words. I am wholeheartedly shocked.

"There are five main Lions. The Green Lion's Paladin is inquisitive in nature, always observant and curious. The Yellow Lion's Paladin is earnest and strong-willed, believing that true strength comes from unity and love. The Blue Lion's Paladin is free-spirited with an unrealized potential for greatness. The Red Lion's Paladin is stubborn and determined, relying on their instinct and skills to guide them through. And the Black Lion's Paladin is charismatic, heroic, and a natural leader."

Pause.

I shake my head and rub a finger on my temple.

Huh?

"Violet, stop." My voice cracks. "Stop." My head is spinning with everything Violet has told me. Robotic lions, ancient wars, quintessence, and Voltron—none of it makes sense.

Violet falls silent, and the hum of the ship fills the space around me. I press my palms into my eyes, willing myself to breathe and sort through the chaos in my mind.

"Why are you telling me all this?" I finally whisper. "What am I supposed to do with any of it?"

"Because, (Y/N), you must understand what you are becoming a part of," Violet says gently. "You have been chosen for a purpose larger than yourself. The universe teeters on the brink of war, and Voltron is the key to tipping the balance. You, as my Paladin, are vital to this fight."

A bitter laugh escapes me before I can stop it. "Me? Vital? I'm a wreck. I can barely fight, and my ribs are bruised to hell and back. You picked the wrong person, Violet."

"The wrong person?" Her voice shifts, growing firmer now. "You are alive despite the horrors of your past. You have the mark of a warrior."

I glare out at the stars streaking past. "I didn't ask to be a warrior. I don't want any of this."

"No one ever truly asks for destiny," she replies quietly, "but it finds us all the same. You are more capable than you realize."

My hands clench into fists against the armrests, anger, and frustration bubbling up inside me like a storm. "And the Purple Lion's Paladin? What is their trait?"

Violet is silent for a moment, and I can feel the weight of her hesitation before she speaks. "The Purple Lion's Paladin is resilient—a survivor. They endure. They do what is necessary."

I scoff bitterly, shaking my head. "Survivor? That's just a pretty word for someone who knows how to suffer."

"Endurance is more than just survival," Violet counters softly. "It's the ability to carry on, to adapt, to keep moving forward despite the odds. You embody that, (Y/N), whether you see it or not."

"And why aren't you a main lion?"

"I was created last using a different, experimental strand of quintessence. I am a final resort."

"Meaning?"

"I only enter Voltron's formation if the universe is in dire need of me." She clears her throat and it jolts me. "We are approaching Arus."

My attention snaps back to the window. Through the streaks of stars, a planet comes into view—beautiful and vibrant, yet oddly serene. Its surface glimmers with oceans of deep blue and a large, sprawling green landscape. White clouds swirl like delicate wisps of paint across its atmosphere.

"Arus..." I breathe out.

"It is here that your journey will truly begin," Violet says. "There, you will meet others like yourself—lost, unsure, yet destined for something greater. But for now, we must be cautious. As I mentioned, my presence will raise questions."

"Right," I mutter, pulling myself together. "Hide the giant glowing lion. Easy."

"You have a talent for sarcasm, (Y/N)."

I snort softly despite myself. "It's one of my only talents."

The lion dips lower, and the planet grows larger with every passing second. My heart pounds in my chest. This is it. A new world. A new beginning. And yet, all I feel is dread.

As the atmosphere swallows us, Violet's voice softens. "Whatever happens next, know that I am with you. You are not alone."

"Thanks, Violet," I murmur, staring at the world below.

Arus grows closer, its beauty almost blinding against the cold darkness of space.

Violet soars down into a cave near a big castle. The castle is mainly white, with light blue stripes glowing along its sides. A large white bridge leads up to it. Outside of the cave, I see a Blue Lion with little specks in front of it. They appear to be moving.

I climb out of Violet and take off my helmet. I inhale deeply and can smell the sweet scent of nature. A smile grows on my face as I take in all the greenery around me.

I turn my gaze back to Violet. For some reason, I feel that my connection to this robotic lion is something more.

I may be her paladin, but I feel like she's not telling me something. Like she's purposely hiding something from me. And I intend to find out what it is, even if I may risk being a paladin.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Crossing my arms, I look at the Purple Lion. "You'll really just hide out here?" I ask. "You don't even want to attempt a connection with the other Paladins?"

"I must remain unseen for now," Violet replies calmly. "Trust me, this is the best for everyone. If I do need you, we have a connection now. And if you need me, I'll come as your lion in shining armor!"

"I'm pretty sure it's Galra in shining armor."

She chuckles. "It's time for you to go and meet the other Paladins."

I glance back at the castle, watching the tiny specks that move near the Blue Lion. My curiosity burns with each passing second. Uncrossing my arms, I shrug. "Okay." Sighing, I walk forward and touch her paw. "Bye."

"Good luck, my dear Paladin," Violet says.

I exit the cave, walk uphill, and pause to admire my surroundings. A very large Altean castle is standing right before me, glittering in the sunlight. Pursing my lips, I study it. It looks like the Altean castle from the time of King Alfor's reign.

But why is it here and not Altea?

My brain strains as I rub my forehead, nearly tripping on a tree root.

Oh wait... Altea was destroyed, wasn't it?

The trees around me are thick with green foliage and wildflowers litter the lush ground below. The air around me smells unlike any I have ever smelled: crisp, rich with cleanliness, and almost sweet. It's invigorating and new, and despite the unease I feel towards Violet and Voltron, I can't help but admire the beauty of Arus.

Now why couldn't I crash land here? Why'd it have to be a damn tundra planet?

Arus is filled with color. So much color. Colors I have never seen so clearly before. Various hues of brown, green, blue, and yellow fill my vision. On the ground, beneath the thick trees, lie white and pale pink flowers, scattered all over. Their aroma is even sweeter than the air, a soft, fragrant whisper.

I can hardly believe that there is so much color out here in the universe.

I pass a large, mossy tree stump and pause for a second, eyeing it longingly. The rich green looks impossibly soft and as though on instinct, my hands feel the plush plant beneath me. It is softer than anything I have ever felt, cooler than I thought it would be.

Something moves in the greenery and I pull my hand back. A small creature with large ears and round eyes jumps from the moss.

"Oh, hello," I whisper. It glances up at me before scampering away.

The sun is shining and I pull my hair back as I trek uphill towards the bridge. Walking until I reach the castle doors, I pause and take up a fighting stance, bracing myself for any attackers. The last thing I want is some crazy middle-aged Altean man trying to kill me.

The doors open and I blink.

No alarms? Really?

I slowly step into the castle taking all of its beauty within. It is so beautiful on the inside, and light reflects across the walls. There's a bit of dust, but it's certainly a step up from where I was before.

Now this is a castle.

As I continue my stride, the castle looks as if it hasn't been used for a while. The dust continues to thicken, and it gradually gets darker the farther away I walk from the entrance. I suppress the urge to cough.

Where is everyone? And where are those Paladins Violet was talking about?

I slide my hands across the walls. They are smooth and cool to the touch.

"Hold for identity scan," a loud, robotic voice states ahead.

I flinch at the sound and soften my steps as I quietly jog to discover where the voice came from. Hiding behind a pillar, I see some kind of alien species. Some are pale, and others are shades darker, and they all have varying heights. And all of them have rounded ears.

"Why are we here? What do you want with us?" a large, muscular one asks. He is wearing a black suit and has a metallic tech arm.

The hallway lights up as the castle's computer scans them and I lean in further, trying to catch the design of the strange being's arm.

That metal arm seems Galran, but that makes no sense. He's an Earthling. How would he have gotten a Galra tech arm?

"Whoa!" they exclaim in awe.

"I guess we're going that way," the small one states.

They start making their way down the hallway and I stagger behind them, observing their every move.

Are these really the Paladins? They're so small. Are all Earthlings this small? Or am I just too used to larger beings because the Galra are naturally large?

I trail behind the Earthlings as they continue walking down the hall until they come to a stop in a large room with a control console in the center.

"Hello?" the big one with a bandana exclaims.

"Where are we?" the brown-haired one with a green jacket asks.

"It's some kind of control room," the small one with glasses replies.

Two cryopods pop up but don't open. The big one yelps and hides behind the console. I stare at him and blink.

He's so anxious, how is he going to be a Paladin?

I inch closer behind my pillar, observing the Earthlings intently. I take a moment to look at the darkened cryopods. There is a female Altean wearing a dress with white hair. Alongside her, there is an older, aged Altean man with orange hair and a mustache.

Who are they?

"Are these guys... dead?" the big one asks.

I quietly snort to myself. Have these creatures never seen healing pods before? How odd.

I lean in closer to look at the handsome one with a red jacket. He has yet to say anything and has a broody expression on his face. He looks in my direction and my eyes widen. I duck back behind the pillar, heart pounding. For a moment, I could swear he was looking for me.

Suddenly, the pods open. Water vapor clings to the air.

The female gasps. "Father!"

The Earthling with brown hair catches her.

"Hello," he says with a smirk.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she panics, looking around frantically.

"I'm Lance. And you're right here in my arms."

"Your ears."

"Yeah?"

"They're hideous. What's wrong with them?" She frowns in disgust.

"Nothing's wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said about them!" He then screams.

The princess quickly pins him down by pulling his ear, and I stare in disbelief. The big one jumps and goes to hide behind the Earthling with the metal arm. "Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my castle?" She gets close to his face and glares at him.

"A giant blue lion brought us here. That's all we know!" Lance strains.

"How do you have the Blue Lion?" She releases him. "What happened to its paladin? What are you all doing here? Unless... How long has it been?" She starts pacing.

"We don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help," the Earthling with the metal arm says.

"I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea. I've got to find out where we are and how long we've been asleep," she says. She walks to the console and presses her palms on both sides, powering it on. A blue screen appears.

"Okay, that's how that works," the small one says.

The second pod opens shortly after, revealing the mustache man. He gasps at the sight of Lance.

"E-Enemy combatants!" he shouts, stuttering while struggling to get into proper stance. He then jumps towards Lance, but he sidesteps him. The middle-aged man loses his balance and falls on the floor.

"Quiznak! You're lucky I have a case of the old 'Sleep Chamber Knees'. Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so and—One, two, three—" The middle-aged man imitates his fighting moves and snaps his fingers. "Sleepy time!"

"Well, before you did that, I'd—Hoo! Ha! Hiyah!" Lance says and does some kind of dance. "Like that."

These two share the same number of brain cells. Good to know.

I smile faintly at the foolish beings and slowly move to a different hiding place, hoping to remain unseen.

"Oh, really?! Well, how could you do that when I've already come at you with this?!" The middle-age man bends down and pretends to strike repeatedly. "Ha, ha, ha, ha-ey!"

"Man, these guys are good," the big one says.

"It can't be..." the Princess says as she stares at the console.

"What is it?" the middle-aged man asks.

"We've been asleep for 10,000 years!" she shouts. She is in complete disbelief, and her voice cracks at the end of her sentence.

I tilt my head and look down at my fingers, counting them.

Ten thousand years Altea was destroyed but I was also—oh. Violet might've rounded.

"Planet Altea and all of the planets in our solar system have been destroyed. Coran, Father is gone. Our entire civilization..." she says sadly. Her face then hardens. "Zarkon!"

He's dead. It's been way too long.

The white bangs alien looks terrified. "Zarkon?" he asks.

"He was the King of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people."

I close my eyes and exhale a soft breath. I allow myself to smile and a single tear rolls down my face. I can't believe it. Emperor Zarkon is truly dead, thank the stars. I open my eyes and I see the brooding one turning in my direction.

How does he keep finding me?

"I remember now... I was his prisoner."

My eyes nearly bulge out of my head and my breath hitches.

"He's still alive? Impossible!"

"I can't explain it, but it's true. He's searching for a super weapon called Voltron."

How is my father still alive?

"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."

|••••••••••|

"Princess, you must eat. It's been 10,000 years!" Coran says pushing a plate of food goo towards Allura. Everyone is still gathered in the room.

"I'm not hungry," she says stubbornly.

"Man, 10,000 years? That's like one thousand plus ten," Lance calculates.

I stifle a snort. Seriously? Even I know that kind of math, and I was raised in space.

"That's times ten," the brooding one in the jacket corrects.

Smart man right there.

"Whatever, dropout."

What's a dropout?

"I haven't eaten since breakfast, and I'm starving," the big one says.

"Yeah, but you've thrown up, like, five times," the small one reminds.

"Hmm... Good point." The big one then begins eating the food goo, makes a face, and continues eating. My stomach growls.

That protein bar didn't nearly fill me up.

"I can't believe your civilization created such advanced technology 10,000 years ago. It must have been an incredible place," the one with white bangs says.

"Yes, it was... but now it is gone and we're the last Alteans alive," Coran says.

"Hello," I greet nonchalantly, stepping out of my hiding place and walking towards the big one. "You don't mind, do you? I am utterly famished." I place my hand in the platter to scoop up some goo, tossing it in my mouth.

I grimace and my nose scrunches, but I continue eating.

It's very slimy.

They all stare at me in bewilderment.

Coran gasps, quickly scrambling into a fighting stance and running towards me. "Another enemy combatant!" He tries attacking me, but I easily defend myself by tripping him. He falls on the floor. I take another bite.

"What do you want from me?" Allura questions. She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes on me.

"Why do you automatically assume I want something from you? Your ego is almost as big as this guy's," I chuckle and point at Lance. I take another bite. "Can't a girl just drop by to say hi?" I help Coran up. "Sorry about that. A bruised back is probably not the best thing for a man of your age." He blushes.

"All this for what exactly?"

I turn to look at the brooding Earthling. So he does talk. "What? I'm hungry."

Lance snorts. "Who are you? Another stowaway from space? Are you following us? Because I get it—" He winks and points at me. "People just naturally gravitate toward my magnetic charm."

I roll my eyes and glance at him flatly. "Yeah, sure, let's call it that."

The brooding one steps forward, arms crossed. His eyes scrutinize me like he's trying to peel back my very existence. It's unsettling, but I meet his gaze head-on.

"Who are you? And how long have you been here?" he demands. His voice is steady and sharp, edged with mistrust.

I give him a small smile, eating more food goo. "My name is (Y/N)," I say, my mouth full. He makes a face. "And what's your name?"

He blinks, startled, and Lance snickers beside him.

Princess Allura nods and then mourns. Coran quickly rushes to her side and comforts her with an embrace. Little squeaks echo from her cryopod and four Altean Mice scatter across the room towards her.

"Looks like we're not the last, after all," she smiles and picks them up.

The Castle Ship's alarms blare, red flashing all around us, and a Galra warship appears on the screen.

I stare at the screen in disbelief and gulp.

They found me.

"A Galra battleship has set its tracker to us!" Coran shouts, clicking away on the screen.

"How did they find us?!" Allura says, shocked.

"I'm not sure, but I bet it's Keith's fault!" Lance says, giving the brooding one a side glare.

Brooding Earthling's name is Keith.

"Say whatever you've got to say to make yourself feel better... after getting us stuck on the other side of a Wormhole!" Keith clenches his hands into fists and returns the glare.

"I'LL STICK YOU IN A WORMHOLE!"

Lance leans into Keith and Keith appears ready to throw a punch. I stare at them as I continue eating, but before Keith can land a punch, the Earthling with the metal arm separates them. Lance throws his hands up in the air and Keith's shoulders slump.

"Stow it, cadets!" the Earthling shouts. "This is no time to place blame, it's time to work as a team. How long before they arrive?"

"At their speed?" Coran pulls out his fingers to calculate. "Oh, well, uh, carry the two... I'd say probably a couple of days?"

My nose scrunches as I pull out my fingers. "Really?" I ask, counting my fingers. "I think they're closer than that."

Keith blinks at our fingermath.

"Good. Let them come," Allura says. "By the time they get here, you five will have reformed Voltron, and together, we will destroy Zarkon's empire!"

The big guy burps, looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry! Food goo."

"Princess, there are five of these Lions. How are we going to find the rest?" the Earthling with white bangs asks.

Allura gestures to us to follow her, and we all go in the Castleship's Bridge with a Crystal above. She then stands in the center.

"King Alfor connected the Lions to Allura's life force. She alone is the key to the Lions' whereabouts," Coran informs us.

She activates the computer, opening up a map of the entire universe. Stars and planets fill the room.

"Whoa!" we all say in awe.

This is incredible.

"These are... coordinates. The Black Lion looks like it's in the same location as the Blue Lion," the small one says.

"Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage!" Coran shouts excitedly.

"Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the Castle," Allura states.

"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."

"As you have found, the Lions choose their pilots. 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 sends the Black Lion hologram towards the man with white bangs.

"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."

Okay, Shiro. When did we establish each other's names? I must have missed them while I was hiding.

Allura moves the Green Lion's hologram towards the small one with glasses.

"The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion. The Blue Lion—"

And that one is Pidge.

"—Whope, hold up, let me guess: Takes the most handsome slash best pilot of the bunch?" Lance flirts.

"Oh great," I mutter sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Just what everyone needs to deal with right now."

Allura looks annoyed at Lance and then continues. Lance winks at me.

"The... Yellow Lion is caring and kind." Allura sends the hologram Yellow Lion towards the big man. "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." Hunk questionably points to himself.

Food goo Earthling is Hunk.

"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 asks as he glares at Keith. Keith then returns the glare.

I snort at both of them. "Unbelievable," I mutter.

"And what's your problem?" Keith retorts, shifting his glare at me.

I purse my lips, turning my attention back to Allura.

"Unfortunately," Allura continues, "I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet. There must be something wrong with the Castle. After 10,000 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 smiles.

I look at Coran, and he looks at me as if he's waiting for a reply. Blinking, I give a hesitant nod. "Yeah, I guess they sound similar," I respond with a small smile.

The hologram Lions roar and charge together, forming Voltron.

"Wow," I say as I watch them in awe.

"Once all the Lions are united, you will form Voltron, the most powerful warrior ever known, the Defender of the Universe," Allura cheers.

"Awesome!" Lance shouts.

Hunk nods. "Yeah."

"Really, really cool."

"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?"

"What about her?" Keith asks, looking me up and down.

"Checking me out, huh? Do you like me that much mullet?" I say sarcastically.

He huffs, a frown evident on his face. "What do we do with her?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There are only five lions and you popped up out of nowhere. What if you're our enemy?"

I scoff incredulously. "I am not your enemy. You wanna take Emperor Zarkon down, I want to take Emperor Zarkon down. I know a lot more than you're giving me credit for."

"What do you mean, (Y/N)?" Allura asks. She looks more intently at me.

"Oh." Frowning, I look at her and my fingers subconsciously trace the faint scars that cover my hands. "Um, I was... I was a prisoner aboard Emperor Zarkon's ship."

"You don't need to explain." Shiro puts his hand on my shoulder, and a wave of understanding passes between us. He looks around the room. "We don't have much time, so we should split up to find the lions. Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here with (Y/N). If you locate that Red Lion, go get it."

Keith opens his mouth to argue, but nothing comes out. I look over at him.

"In the meantime, I'll get this Castle's defenses ready. They'll be surely needed," Allura says.

"I'll ready a pod a-and load in the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion," Coran replies, springing out of the room.

The two teams take off, Lance with Hunk in the Blue Lion and Shiro with Pidge in a flight pod. Allura readies herself to open a wormhole with the Castle Ship's power.

"We can only keep the wormholes that lead to the other Lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick about your work. The good news is that, according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. So, if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives. Enjoy the trip!" Allura cheers and sends them off.

"Wait—" Pidge yells.

"Wait! What? No! OK—!" Lance screams.

"I did not receive the memo on this," Hunk yells, frustrated.

Keith and I are the only remaining ones in the room. I take a step closer to him.

"We could get to know each other if you want," I suggest to Keith, smiling as I look up at him. "Maybe we could be friends? Or, at the very least, establish some sort of mutual understanding."

"Whatever,"  he mutters and leaves me.

He's so closed off, I love it.

And with that, a thoughtful smile appears on my face. I watch his retreating figure and turn to look out the windows.

I like this guy.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Why does Keith kind of smell?

I continue staring out the window, taking in the greenery with a small frown.

If the Galra are coming, this planet is done for. I can’t even imagine the technology they were able to come up with after 10,000 years. Are they truly as bloodthirsty as they were prior to my cryostasis?

I sigh.

They’re probably worse.

Turning away from the window, Coran appears through the door. Keith is still missing. 

What am I going to do now?

I walk up to Coran. "Do you need help with anything?”

He looks at me and smiles. "No, no! The Coranic is fully capable of maintaining this fine castle.”

“Oh.”

I look at the four Altean mice and they squeak as they run towards Allura.

Coran looks at me again, pushing me out of the control room. “Go on now, (Y/N).”

I have two Earth hours that I need to waste. How long is an Earth hour? Maybe I should explore the castle?

I allow Coran to push me out of the control room and spin on my heel, walking down the hallway. As I walk, I pass by portraits hanging on the walls. They appear to be the Altean royal family lineage. I stop walking at the most recent family portrait. It’s a family of three: King Alfor, Queen Melenor, and a young Princess Allura. Their smiles are bright and King Alfor is holding the two of them tightly.

I stare at them and as I do, my heart feels heavy. 

Is this what a happy family looks like?

Swallowing hard, I step closer to study King Alfor’s smile. 

Father never smiled at me like that. Nothing I did was ever good enough. I am not good enough.

Closing my eyes, I touch the portrait softly, stroking the dried paint streaks with my fingers. 

Could Lotor still be alive? I can’t believe it’s been so long. Stars above, how much I miss my older brother. I miss him so much.

I turn away from the portrait and form my hand into a fist as I continue down the hallway, bitterness slowly creeping into my heart.

I'm a halfbreed, a weak link to the Galra name. I have evil blood coursing through my veins. I'm the daughter of a monster... I am a monster. Everyone disappears. Everyone leaves me eventually.

I blink away any tears and sigh. 

I am not a monster. I need to stop spiraling. 

I open a door and peek inside. It's a training room. Naturally, I go inside. It looks like it was untouched for thousands of years. Dust covers the entire area and I cough a bit after inhaling too much dust.

I scavenge around, looking for some sort of weapon. I find a dusty sword and start twirling it around in my hands. The faint reflection of light shimmers in my eyes. I blow the dust off the sword, and it stings my eyes.

Staring down at the sword, a smile spreads on my lips. I close my eyes and practice the fighting sequence that’s been drilled into me since I was a girl. Despite the trauma of the fighting rings, something is calming about the traditional Galra sword movements. Not everything has to be a constant battle.

I missed this. I feel like me again.

I set the sword gently down on a bench. I swat the dust from my eyes and start looking for some cleaning supplies.

Time to get to work.

|••••••••••|

"Training Level Four complete," the robotic voice says.

I pant and grab a towel. My heart is pounding, and sweat drips from my hairline. I start patting my face dry. I pick up the new, clean clothes and undergarments I found in the locker room and walk to the bathroom.

I go into the bathroom and wash the sweat off my face. Pulling the clothes I escaped from the Galra Empire with, I am left standing naked in the cold tiled room before a large mirror. I stare at myself, my eyes trailing over all of the imperfections. The tips of my fingers trace the worst of my scars and my eyes linger on the wound from the ice creature from Planet Solitaire. My fingers pause at the bruises on my ribs, a mix of purple and sickly blue. 

I force myself to look away and walk to one of the showers, turning it on. The hot water fills the bathroom with steam, and I grit my teeth at the stinging of the hot water on my battered body. Closing my eyes, I allow the warmth to envelop me, washing myself clean.

|••••••••••|

"Paladins, please hurry back! I can't hold the wormhole much longer!" I hear Allura shout in the hallway of the command room.

I enter the room, and Keith approaches me. "Where were you?" he asks, analyzing me. He looks me up and down. “Are those new clothes?”

"Training," I simply reply. "I, for one, like being prepared.” I smile at him. “And I took a shower.”

"Whatever," he utters, rolling his eyes.

"Do you have a relationship with that word or something?" I tilt my head in confusion.

He looks down at me, and I can tell he's amused, even though he’s trying to hide it. "Huh?"

I laugh softly. "You say ‘whatever’ a lot."

"No, I don't."

I gape at him. "Yes, you do. I suggested we should be friends, and you said whatever. And just now you replied with whatever again." I cross my arms and stare at him with my eyebrows raised. “Whatever, dropout." I wink at him.

His face turns a light shade of red, and his expression hardens. "Did you just pull a Lance on me?"

"I believe I did," I say sweetly before walking towards Allura. Just then, the four Paladins walk in.

"You made it!" Allura says, looking rather cheerful.

"Yeah, just barely. That was a nightmare. I almost puked out there. I felt like Hunk!" Lance exclaims exasperatedly.

"Poor you," I snort.

"Think how I felt. I am Hunk." Hunk looks at Lance, shaking his head.

"Yeah...we had a tough time, too," Pidge says.

Shiro stifles a chuckle and the two of them share a knowing smile.

"Did we find the Red Lion yet?" Shiro asks.

"Allura just located it. There's a bit of good news and bad news. The good news is, the Red Lion's nearby. The bad news is, it's onboard that Galra ship now orbiting Arus. But wait, good news again. We're Arus!" Coran cheers.

"Yes!" I say as I fistbump the air.

"They're here already?" Shiro facepalms.

"Yes. Guess my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting—I-It's more of an art than a science. Hmm?" Coran explains.

"Why are you so happy?" Hunk asks me, breaking up my short-lived victory.

"Because now we get to fight some Galra,” I say, smirking.

A video transmission overtakes the Castle's screen and Commander Sendak appears.

"Princess Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the Known Universe. I am here to confiscate the Lions. Turn them over to me, or I will destroy your planet.” The transmission ends.

I stare at the screen with my mouth wide open. I quickly close it and shake my head.

Are you actually quiznaking kidding me? He is still alive, too?

"All right, let's not panic," Shiro says calmly.

"Not panic? Th-The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship toward us. We only have four Lions!" Hunk panics.

"Technically, only three working Lions," Pidge corrects.

"That's right. Thank you, Pidge. Three working Lions an-and a Castle that's, like, 10,000 years old."

"A-Actually, it's 10,600 years old. You see, it was built by my grandfather—" Coran starts.

"Thanks, Coran. Thank you for that. See? Now is the perfect time to panic!" Hunk yells.

"Wait! This Castle has a particle barrier we can activate," Allura says.

"Girl, you've already activated my par—" Lance flirts.

"—Lance!" Shiro yells, stopping Lance.

“Now is not the time!” I slap my hand across my head at his attempts. 

"The particle barrier won't hold Sendak's ion cannon forever. The Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last," Coran says looking a little pale.

"Panic now?" Hunk asks.

"No. We've just got to figure out our plan of action, aaand... figure it out quickly," Shiro says.

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

"I second that. Yes. I mean, we tried to find all the Lions, right? We gave it the old college try," Hunk states.

I look up at him, confused. "What's college?" I ask.

He tilts his head. "You know, like school?"

"Oh."

Do Earthlings not have Dayaks?

"Couldn't do it, we couldn’t find all the lions." he continues. "We only have three. We can't form Voltron. I mean, I guess we could form a... snake? Or a worm! To go through that hole, Lance, that you were talking about."

Lance nods. "Then, it's settled. Allura, you ride with me," Lance smirks. "One of you take the old guy."

Coran seethes and glares at Lance as if he's an idiot.

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

I nod in agreement. "We can’t let Commander Sendak destroy this planet. We need to fight back.”

"Okay. If we run, then maybe Sendak will follow us and leave this planet alone, like when we left Earth. We form the snake-worm thingamajig, and we—hiss out of here." Hunk says, making his arm a snake.

"Sendak could destroy the planet and then come after us anyway. Staying is our only option," Keith explains, pointing to us. "(Y/N) and Pidge are right."

"Here's an option: shut your Quiznak," Lance counters.

Keith’s eyes narrow. "I don't think you're using that word correctly." 

"What do you know, Mullet?"

"We're staying."

"Leaving!"

"Staying!" Pidge yells, butting into Keith and Lance's verbal fight.

"Snake!" Hunk yells.

"Quit it!" I shout.

"Guys, stop!” Shiro yells. The Paladins break apart and cross their arms, glaring at one another. I shake my head in disbelief. “Princess Allura, these are your Lions. You've dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we're facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?" 

"I... I-I don't know," she says sadly.

"Perhaps your father can help," Coran says, looking at her.

"My father?"

Coran and Allura step out, leaving me with two idiot paladins.

"You two are so childish," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, if you saw me n—" Lance begins.

I pull him by the collar and glare him down. "Lance. If you finish that sentence, I will make sure you won't be doing anything with that for the rest of your short life."

His eyes widen and he gulps. “N-never mind.”

Leaning in, I narrow my eyes. "Good." I let him go.

"Are you somehow related to Keith because you two both seem to be short temper-" Hunk starts. I glare at him. "N-Never mind."

“Earthlings,” I mumble.

"I like you!" Pidge beams. "You're tough." I smile at Pidge. 

Keith crosses his arms and looks at me. "Earthlings? Was us all being human not obvious enough for you?"

My lips form a straight line, and I look at him unamused. "Sorry, are people from Earth not Earthlings? Did you miss the part when I literally said I was a prisoner on a Galra ship?" I flatly ask. "Where the hell do you think I was raised, Keith? A college?”

Lance puts his finger up but thinks better about it. Keith’s brows furrow. “ Humans are raised in houses.”

I press my palm to my forehead. “You mean to tell me that none of you were raised on a ship?” I look around the room, and they all shake their heads.

“You are really strange.”

I shoot Keith another glare. “I am not strange.”

Allura returns with Coran. "You five Paladins were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you and you alone. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. We are the universe's only hope," she strongly says.

"We're with you, Princess," Shiro replies.

|••••••••••|

Allura brings us to the armory where multiple pieces of Paladin armor are.

"Your suits of armor," Allura smiles.

"Cool!" Lance says, looking at them.

"Outstanding," Shiro says in awe.

"Nice," Keith simply says.

"Oh, neat!" Pidge beams.

Hunk starts comparing his body with that of his suit, doubting he will fit. "Hmm... Mmm... hmm."

"Don't make such a fuss, Hunk." I smile at him. "It'll fit."

"Princess, are you sure about this? They aren't exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer," Coran questions.

"No, but they're all we've got," Allura says, looking optimistic.

"Boys, it's time to suit up!" Shiro says.

The Paladins put on their armor.

I stare at them as they reemerge. "You five actually look like a team,” I say.

Coran walks up beside me. "We'll find something for you, too." 

“Thanks.”

Allura walks over to a table and touches it. "The Bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins of Voltron. It takes a distinct shape for each Paladin,” she says.

The Paladins receive their Bayards and Hunk’s transforms into a large gun. Keith’s becomes a sword and shield. Lance’s becomes a gun and Pidge's becomes a small grappling hook with a knife head.

I stare at the weapons. I wish I had one.

"Aw, you got a cute little bayard," Lance coos.

Pidge then strikes Lance, and he is electrocuted.

"Yeah, it is pretty cute."

I snort at Lance’s body on the floor and walk up to him, gently kicking his side. “You still alive, Lance?” I ask. “I’d be happy to become the Blue Lion’s Paladin.”

“What?!” Lance shrieks. “No!”

Hunk helps him up.

"Shiro, I'm afraid your Bayard was lost with its Paladin," Allura says sadly.

"I guess I'll just have to make do," Shiro says with a small smile.

|••••••••••|

"You'll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak's ship," Allura tells Keith the moment we return to the bridge of the Castle Ship.

"That's a... pretty big ship. How are we gonna know where the Red Lion is?" Keith asks, staring at the screen.

"Oh, it's not a matter of 'we'. It's a matter of 'you'," Pidge corrects.

"Pidge is right. Once we get you in, you'll be able to feel its presence and track it down," Hunk says.

"Yeah. You know how you felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?" Lance asks.

"Yeah. You made fun of me for that," Keith mutters.

"And I'm proud of that, but turns out it's exactly like that mumbo-jumbo."

"Keith, remember, the Red Lion is extremely temperamental. You'll have to earn its respect," Allura says.

I raise my eyebrow, peering over at Keith.

Will this work?

Shiro places a hand on Keith’s shoulder. "All right. Here's our plan of attack," he states. "The Galra Empire knows about the Blue and Yellow Lion, but they don't know we have the Green Lion, too. Hunk, Lance, you'll act as a decoy by pretending to give yourselves up. While Sendak is distracted, Keith, Pidge, and I will sneak onto the ship in the Green Lion. Keith and I will find the Red Lion while Pidge guards our exit. (Y/N) will have to stay here with Coran and Princess Allura. Hunk, Lance, find some way to take down that ion cannon."

"Sounds like a plan."

|••••••••••|

LANCE: "Pidge, what's your ETA?"

PIDGE: "We're in."

(Y/N): "Be careful, guys."

KEITH: "We'll try to be."

HUNK: "What's that thing?"

LANCE: "I think that's our signal to get out of here!"

(Y/N): "Hunk! Lance! What's happening?"

HUNK: "They're shooting at us!"

LANCE: "Hunk, you dismantle the ion cannon while I take these jerks on a space ride!"

HUNK: "Ten-four!"

SHIRO: "I've been here before. After I was taken by the Galra cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here."

That explains Shiro’s arm.

PIDGE: "So, that means your other crewmembers, they might be held captive here. We... We've got to rescue them."

SHIRO: "Pidge, we don't have time. We have to get the Red Lion and get back to Arus."

PIDGE: "But we can't just leave prisoners here!"

SHIRO: "Look, no one understands that more than me, but in war, we have to make hard choices. Now, let's get moving."

PIDGE: "No! Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones on the Kerberos Mission with you."

Coran freezes and he and Allura exchange a look. I scratch the side of my head.

When did this turn into a finding family mission?

SHIRO: "Commander Holt is your father?"

PIDGE: "Yes. I've been searching everywhere for him and my brother. And I'm not going to give up looking when I'm this close. I won't!"

(Y/N): “Sorry to interrupt, but our priority is the Red Lion.”

SHIRO: "I'm coming with you, Pidge."

KEITH: "What?"

SHIRO: "I remember where the prisoners are held. Keith, you go find the Red Lion."

KEITH: "By myself?"

SHIRO: "Minor change of plans. You'll be fine. Just remember, patience yields focus."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. (Y/N): "You're making Keith go by himself?"

KEITH: “What’s that supposed to mean, (Y/N)? You think I can’t handle it?”

(Y/N): "No..?"

SHIRO: "So—Run!"

KEITH: "Great. Now, which way?"

(Y/N): "You okay, Keith?"

KEITH: "Peachy."

What's a peachy?

(Y/N): “Well, where are you?”

KEITH: “In the Galra ship.”

I blink and huff out a sigh. (Y/N): “Keith, are—”

HUNK: "What the quiznak? What is that? A force field?"

These Earthlings are so damn hopeless.

(Y/N): "Hunk, just shoot at it a bunch of times. That’ll weaken it."

"Particle barrier up!" Allura shouts from behind me. 

I turn to look out the window. The particle barrier almost activates but fails.

"Is that what's supposed to happen?" Coran asks.

"Why isn't it working?" I ask.

Allura and Coran look inside the Castle Ship's systems through a small hole.

"All the barrier crystals are out of alignment," Coran sighs.

"We have to fix it immediately. Without the particle barrier, we'll be defenseless," Allura says with a small frown.

I turn my attention back to the sky, trying to see what’s going on.

(Y/N): “How is everyone?”

LANCE: “Fine!”

HUNK: “Trying not to die!”

"We're all too big. What can we do?" Coran asks.

The Altean Mice run inside the small hole, squeaking.

"The mice!" Allura exclaims.

"How do they know how to do this?"

"I can hear them talking to me. I think our minds are connected. It must be from sharing the sleep pod for 10,000 years."

The Altean Mice put the crystals back in alignment.

"Thank you, friends." Allura smiles.

Coran starts staring intensely at the Altean Mice.

"Coran, what are you doing?" Allura asks.

"I'm trying to get them to make me a sandwich.”

Grunts of annoyance crackle in the comm. KEITH: “You gotta be kidding me!” He groans quietly. “Patience yields focus. Gotcha!"

(Y/N): "Got who?"

KEITH: “Your nose, (Y/N). Honestly, who do you think?”

I cross my hands and glare at the cruiser. I sniff and use my index finger to check that my nose is still on my face. (Y/N): “Keith, you are a rude, rude man. And I still have my nose.” I want to crush him like the little grandvei he is.

SHIRO: "That thing saw us. We should get out of here."

PIDGE: "Wait. I think this might come in handy. Now, I'll just reset the controls... and it's working for us! I'm going to call you Rover. Follow me! Open up."

SHIRO: "Excellent, Pidge."

PIDGE: "Dad?"

SHIRO: "Don't be afraid. We're here to help you escape."

I hear quiet voices.

SHIRO: "Wh... What did you call me?"

PIDGE: "We don't have much time."

SHIRO: "Let's get to the escape pods. Let's go. Come on!"

(Y/N): “Can we bring the focus back?”

LANCE: "Whoa-ho-ho! Yeah, buddy! This is way more fun without Hunk's barfing!"

KEITH: "Bingo. Let's get out of here. Open up. It's me. Keith. Your buddy. It's me! Keeeeeeiiiiith, your—I. AM. YOUR. PALADIN!"

(Y/N): "Keith, your lion is not a four-year-old child."

Keith huffs into the comms. KEITH: "Come on, Red Lion! I'm bonding with you! Hey! Come on! We're connected! You're not getting this lion!"

I huff in frustration. (Y/N): "Why couldn’t I be the Red Paladin?" Keith’s shouts and groans echo through the comms and I blink. Several times. 

KEITH: "Good kitty. Let's roll."

Coran turns to look at me and chuckles. I roll my eyes and turn my head away to hide the blush that’s crept up on my cheeks.

PIDGE: "Hurry!"

SENTRY: "Halt!"

PIDGE: "Shiro? Shiro, what's wrong?!"

"Thank you, Shiro," I hear something say.

SHIRO: "Wait! How do you...?"

PIDGE: "Shiro, that was amazing! Where did you learn to fight with that?"

SHIRO: "No idea."

HUNK: "Come on, just break, you stupid thing! Score one for Hunk! You guys made it!"

PIDGE: "Kitty Rose has left the stage!"

LANCE: "Let's get the heck out of here!"

HUNK: "I hope I stopped that cannon. I could barely make a dent in it!"

|••••••••••|

“Whoa,” I whisper. 

Coran smiles as he pushes the suit closer to me. “Now you and Princess Allura match.”

I take in suit and smile faintly at the purple accents. “This is awesome.” My eyes connect with his. “Thank you, Coran.”

He smiles and pats the top of my head. “Oh, look!”

Turning around, Allura has her hands clasped together, waiting for the Black Lion to be released. A few ticks later, it opens. 

SHIRO: “I’m in.”

The Castle Ship's alarms blare, red lights flash and the warning screen flickers on.

"Oh, quiznak!" Coran exclaims, running up to the computer.

I blink at the fast-approaching fleet. “I thought you guys damaged the fleet,” I say.

"Sendak is entering the Arusian atmosphere. We need Voltron now!" Allura commands.

The Paladins fly the lions out and I gasp as I see the ion cannon charge, sending a strong purple laser blast to the Castle Ship. The entire structure rumbles and I cower, gripping the edges of the console to hold myself steady. 

HUNK: "Man, those Galra guys repair things fast."

CORAN: "The barrier gets weaker with every blast. Once that shield goes down, the Castle will be defenseless."

ALLURA: "I can give you cover with the Castle defenses for a while, but you have to form Voltron now, or we'll all be destroyed!"

HUNK: "Jeez, no pressure."

A second blast from the ion cannon hits, weakening the barrier. Everything shakes.

(Y/N): “Form quiznaking Voltron already!”

SHIRO: "Listen up, Team Voltron! The only way to succeed is to give it all you've got! This looks bad, but we can do this! Are you with me?"

HUNK: "I'm nodding. Is everyone else nodding?"

LANCE, PIDGE, and KEITH: "Yes."

SHIRO: "Let's do this!"

(Y/N): "Good luck, guys."

The Lions run forward and exit the barrier under heavy fire from Galra fighter jets. I run towards the window, pressing my palms against the glass.

LANCE: "Uh, how?"

SHIRO: "Good question. Does anyone have any ideas of how to form Voltron?"

HUNK: "I don't see a 'Combine Into Giant Robot' button anywhere on my dashboard."

I stare at the running lions in disbelief. (Y/N): "Why aren’t you in the air?”

The Galra fighter jets bombard the lions with attacks.

KEITH: "All I feel is us getting hit!"

(Y/N): “Then stop getting hit.”

I hear grumbling. KEITH: “Stop talking, (Y/N). It’s not helping.”

PIDGE: "This is insane! Can't they just cease-fire for one minute so we can figure this out? Is that too much to ask? How are we supposed to feel it when all I feel is us about to die?!"

Pidge loses her temper and attacks the fighter jets, destroying two. Keith fires the Red Lion's tail cannon to destroy two more.

KEITH: "We've got to do something."

HUNK: "Combine!"

Hunk slams the Yellow Lion into the Red Lion, knocking it over.

KEITH: "Hey!"

HUNK: "Okay, that didn't work."

(Y/N): "I'd laugh if our lives weren't in jeopardy."

ALLURA: "Quickly, Paladins! Our energy levels are getting low!"

SHIRO: "Maybe if we fly in formation, we'll just combine. Take off on my cue. One, two, three, Voltron!"

I watch out the window as the lions take flight. (Y/N): “Finally! Someone with some sense!”

KEITH: "Here we go!"

LANCE: "Come on, come on!"

SHIRO: "Nothing's happening."

LANCE: "Hey, w-wait, wait, wait! I feel something!"

HUNK: "I do, too. I feel it. It's like we're all being pulled in the same direction!"

SHIRO: "Uh, guys, I think I know why. Look up."

(Y/N): "You five are getting sucked in the tractor beam!"

LANCE: "What the cheese?"

PIDGE: "Sendak's ship is sucking us in like a black hole!"

The warship blasts the Castle of Lions particle barrier, destroying it.

"Argh!" I groan as I crash into a wall. It’s solid against me, and I feel my bones crushing. Before I can fully recover, I feel another collision as Allura crashes into me, adding to the chaos of the moment. “Oh, come on,” I mutter. Allura struggles to get up and then tumbles again. I push myself up against the wall, trying to ignore the sharp pain coursing through my body. I help Allura up.

SHIRO: "Oh, no!"

HUNK: "I-I don't care what you say, Shiro. I'm panicking now!"

Hunk starts screaming, as usual.

(Y/N): “Hunk, stop screaming!”

PIDGE: "It can't end here!"

LANCE: "This is it!"

KEITH: "It's been an honor flying with you boys."

(Y/N): “If you five don’t pull it together, so help me, I—”

HUNK: "Oh, no!"

SHIRO: "No! We can do this. We have to believe in ourselves. We can't give up. We are the universe's only hope. Everyone is relying on us. We can't fail! We won't fail! If we work together, we'll win together!"

ALL: "Yeah!"

The Paladins unite and form Voltron. I run to the window, my eyes wide. (Y/N): “Stars above, you actually did it!”

Coran yelps and runs, hugging Allura. 

KEITH: "I can't believe it!"

PIDGE: "We formed Voltron!"

HUNK: "I'm a leg!"

LANCE: "How are we doing this?"

SHIRO: "I don't know, but let's get that cannon!"

I stare out the window as Voltron destroys the ship. It explodes in a huge ball of fire.

Good riddance, Commander Sendak.

|••••••••••|

Allura, Coran, and I run out of the Castle Ship. I’m now in the armor Coran gave me. Hunk is lying on the ground, Pidge is panting, Lance is taking off his helmet, Keith’s shoulders are drooped, and Shiro is running up the stairs.

"Good work, Paladins!" Allura congratulates.

"You five were amazing back there," I say with a wide grin. “Really waited until the last possible second, but you did it.”

"Thanks, pretty ladies," Lance smiles.

“Of course, pretty boy.” I give him a wry smirk.

"We did it," Shiro says with a small smile.

"Heck yeah, we did," Keith says, taking his helmet off.

"How did we do it?"

"I was just, like, screaming the whole time. Maybe that did it," Hunk says.

Snorting, I shake my head. “Yeah, Hunk, that definitely did it.”

I turn to Pidge, who looks disappointed.

"We're not going to stop searching until we find your brother and father. Wherever they are, I know they'd be proud of you," Shiro says, resting a comforting hand on Pidge’s shoulder. She offers him a small smile.

Poor girl, it’s hard not knowing what is of your brother.

"We won the battle, but the war has only just begun. I'm afraid Zarkon will not stop until he gets these Lions," Allura sighs sadly.

"Good thing you Paladins know what you're doing because you're going to have to form Voltron again and again," Coran says.

"Totally—Wait, what?" Hunk says, looking pale.

"We barely survived forming Voltron this one time!" Lance groans.

"And you only had to fight one ship. Wait until you have to fight a whole fleet of them! It's not going to be easy being the Defenders of the Universe," Coran smiles.

“Oh yeah, you five are going to be amazing Defenders of the Universe,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms. “Maybe if they weren’t panicking every five seconds.”

We all take a look up at the five massive lions. The sun reflects on them, making them appear beautiful.

"Defenders of the Universe, huh? That's got a nice ring to it," Shiro smiles. 

They pair up. Shiro and Pidge walk alongside one another, Coran and Allura walk back into the Castle Ship, and Hunk and Lance chase each other.

Keith walks to stand next to me and looks down at me, his eyes with a hint of disdain. "Well, I guess we can check  'expert wall-bouncer' off the bucket list," he remarks dryly. “Sorry, do you know what a bucket list is?”

“Yes, I do,” I reply. I pause for a moment and roll my eyes. “Whatever, Mullet.”

The corner of his eyes crinkle. “That’s it?”

I sigh. “Why am I an 'expert wall-bouncer'?”

He points to my forehead. “You have a bump forming.”

I touch my head and look up at him. “You are an aggravating person to be around.”

My feet move on their own accord, and I sit on the stairs, lifting my gaze, drawn upward by something unfamiliar yet magnetic.

Keith follows, sitting down beside me. “What’s wrong?” he asks as he tilts his head. 

I manage to tear my eyes away from the sky long enough to meet his, but the sky beckons me again, and I find myself helpless to resist its call. My breath catches in my throat as I take in the view above. "Nothing," I murmur, the words barely more than a breath, carried away on the wind. The awe in my voice betrays me, revealing the wonder that has seized hold of me. "I just… I’ve never seen anything like this before."

“Never seen…” His voice trails off as he follows my gaze. “You mean a sunset?”

“A sunset,” I whisper, testing the word on my lips. It feels unfamiliar, almost magical, as it rolls off my tongue. My eyes continue looking up at the colors, the warmth, the gentle fading of day into night in a daze—it’s all so surreal. The brilliance of the colors is overwhelming in its beauty. The sky is ablaze with orange, pink, and purple hues blending together in a masterpiece that feels too perfect to be real. 

We sit until the warmth of the sun begins to fade, the sky's vibrant colors deepening into richer shades of crimson and violet. The first stars start to peek through the twilight, tiny pinpricks of light that seem to pulse with life. Tears well in my eyes as I look up in awe.

“You really haven’t seen one before, have you?” Keith asks, his voice quiet.

“No, never,” I admit, my voice carrying a note of wonder. “All I’ve ever seen are stars.”

Keith’s gaze is fixed on the horizon as the colors melt into one another. Something about the fading light playing across his features makes him seem softer, almost gentle, and I catch myself staring at him.

“Y’know,” Keith begins, his voice low and thoughtful, “when I was a kid, I used to sneak out to watch the sunset. Didn’t matter how many times I saw it—it always felt like… like something was ending, but at the same time, something new was about to begin.”

“It’s beautiful,” I say, looking back at the sky. 

Keith glances at me. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “It is.”

I close my eyes for a moment, letting the cool breeze brush against my skin.

When I open them again, Keith is still watching me.

“What?” I ask, a little self-conscious under his gaze.

He shakes his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Nothing.”

Chapter Text

Your POV:

"(Y/N)." Violet's voice rings in my head. It echoes repeatedly and progressively gets louder. "Come to me."

My eyes open slowly. I remain lying on my back and stare at the ceiling. It's dark in my room despite it being all white. The only light in the room emits from the light blue accent lighting along the walls. Princess Allura gave each of the Paladins and me our own living quarters. Down the hallway where I am, the other Paladins are fast asleep. The room across mine is Keith's.

My room has a bed pushed against the wall, but I am currently on the floor. I attempted to sleep on the bed, but it was too comfortable. I have not slept in a bed since I was sixteen years old, and even before then, my beds were never as soft as this Altean one. The moment I went to sit on the mattress, I melted into it. It was too plush for my liking, so I grabbed my pillow and went flat on my back.

"(Y/N)." Violet's voice rings in my head, firmer this time. "Now."

I groan as I get up from the floor. My back aches, and I stretch my limbs. I rub the temple of my head and trudge outside of the Castle Ship. The sun is shining, and it is barely morning. The sky is an array of blue, pink, orange, and purple. I look up at the sky in awe.

Is this a sunrise? It's just as beautiful as a sunset.

I slow my pace as I near the cave where Violet is hiding, careful not to trip on the terrain. The cave is a long walk from the Castle Ship. Violet is in the dark, deep within the cave.

"What?" I ask, my voice laced with irritation.

"Good morning," she purrs.

I sigh and sit down on a boulder. It's cold, and it sends shivers down my spine. "Why did you wake me up?"

A soft chuckle emits from her. "I am sorry, my dear. I just wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing."

I nod and pick at my fingers. I look up at her and sigh. "I'm fine. I have a good idea of who these Paladins are. The Alteans are predictable, as well."

A moment of silence passes between us. "I worry that you might be a little reserved with them, considering your upbringing."

I rest my head on my palms. "I cannot bring myself to trust them just yet."

She sighs. "I understand your hesitancy. In time, I hope you can trust them more."

I shrug. "Maybe in time." We stay in silence once more. "Anything else?"

"That was all I wanted to talk about."

My mouth forms into a line. "I thought we had some sort of long-distance connection."

I feel her smile. "I like being able to see you."

I stand up and stretch. "In the future, please don't wake me up so early."

|••••••••••|

I jog back into the Castle Ship and alarms blare as I approach the bridge. I roll my eyes and cover my ears. Upon entering the room, Allura and Coran wave to me.

"Good morning!" I shout over the alarms. "What's going on?"

Allura holds a microphone up to her mouth. "Everybody up! Zarkon's attacking! The Castle's about to be destroyed! Go, go, go! We need Voltron now! Hurry! We can't survive much longer!"

I look at her, confused, and then look out the window. There is absolutely nothing out there.

Attacking where?

Walking up to them, Allura turns to me and smiles. "Good morning, (Y/N)."

Coran shakes his hand and gestures toward the microphone. "Yes, good morning. I hope your first night was well." He shifts his focus to Allura. "You've got to sell it a little bit more." Coran clears his throat. "Oh, no! Allura is dead! Aaaah!It'ss horrible! Her head fell off! Wait! What? Her severed head is trying to speak to me! What is it, Allura's head? What are your final words?" He bawls. "Ahh! They've gotten to (Y/N) too!"

The blaring alarms stop and the Paladins enter the bridge. Most of them look dead on the inside.

Pidge looks a little tired as she wipes her eyes and puts on her glasses. Hunk looks a little dazed, not fully aware of what is happening, and dressed in his pajamas. Keith looks a little angrier than usual and stands with his arms crossed, and he is dressed in his regular clothes. Shiro is the only one who does not look completely taken aback by the alarms, dressed in his Paladin armor and ready for battle.

Keith glares at me. I put my hands up and wave as I walk to his side.

"Good morning, Keith," I grin. He stays silent, his glare becoming more menacing. My grin drops, and my lips form a straight line. "Will you please stop looking at me like that?" His gaze remains unmoved. "I guess you're not a morning person, either."

He huffs and rolls his eyes before turning his attention to Coran and Allura.

"Coran..." Allura says, looking a bit irritated.

"Oh, yes, Princess, I'm listening," Coran weeps.

"It's over."

"Oh, I know! Uaaaagh! If only Voltron had been formed..." Coran then looks up and sees the four Paladins. "—Oh! Time!" he says, stopping a timer.

"I guess this isn't an actual attack," Shiro says, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope," I say with a tired sigh.

"And it's good that it wasn't because it took you... Coran?" Allura asks, gesturing to Coran. She looks really frustrated.

"Seventy-five degrees. Oh, sorry. No, this is a meat thermometer," Coran smiles.

Allura sighs. "However long it was, it was too long. You must always be ready to do battle with Zarkon. Look at you!" She gestures to me. "(Y/N) was the only one here on time. She doesn't even pilot a lion!" She puts her hand across her forehead, rubbing at the tension there. "Only Shiro is in uniform. Keith, Pidge, Hunk, where are your Bayards? And where is Lance?"

As if on cue, Lance enters the bridge with a loud yawn and looks well-rested. He is wearing a pair of Altean pajamas, and blue lion slippers, his face glowing, and holds a cup in his hand.

"Morning, princess." I wink as Lance walks towards us.

Lance smiles at my greeting. "Good morning, everybody. What's going on?" He yawns and then proceeds to take a sip from his cup.

"Coran and I have been up for hours getting the Castle back in order. We had to run a test on the alarms and decided to test you as well. Guess which one failed?" Allura asks.

I make a gesture pointing to the Paladins.

"Hey!" Hunk yawns. "You got to sleep for 10,000 years, man. Monday night, I was on Earth. Now, I've flown through space, fought some evil alien named Zarkon, and eaten goo in some weird Castle. That's a lot to process in, uh... I don't know. What day is today?"

"It's the third quintant of the Spicolian movement. Hump day!" Coran says excitedly.

"—It's a lot to process."

"It's only Wednesday?" Keith asks exasperated.

"You must understand the stakes of our mission". Allura brings up a map of the universe from the Castle Ship's computer and displays the number of distress beacons they've received. My throat bobs. "Over the last 10,000 years, the Castle picked up distress beacons from the following locations. So, we have to assume that Zarkon has conquered almost the entire known universe," she continues. Allura moves the map to the Milky Way.

"Whoa," I whisper as I study the areas that Emperor Zarkon has conquered.

When I left, he hadn't conquered nearly as much. We had the planets we conquered before the destruction of Daibazaal and the few dozen Emperor Zarkon conquered during my time in the Empire. His influence has outstretched significantly.

"Earth is here. An attack on your planet is inevitable," Allura says, zooming in.

I stare at Earth and then at the Central Command fleet. My head tilts slightly as my eyes trace back to the remains of Daibazaal. The distance between the two planets is jarring.

How did my mother get captured by the Galra?

"Oh no..." Hunk says, looking worried and sad as he stares at the map.

"Exactly." Allura powers off the projection. "Our mission is to free all those planets. Coran and I are getting the Castle ready to leave Arus. You must learn to form Voltron during that time so we can begin fighting Zarkon."

"The Princess is right. Let's get to our Lions and start training," Shiro commands.

"Wait." Pidge turns to look up at Shiro. "But I want to talk to the prisoners we rescued from the Galra ship."

"Ah, negative, Number Six." I give Coran a confused look. "I have you all ranked by height, okay?" He turns his focus back to Pidge. "The prisoners must remain in the cryo-replenishers until tomorrow."

"That's right. Now, get to your Lions," Allura directs.

The Paladins head to their Lions, and I sit on the floor playing with the mice. I stroke their soft fur with my index finger, looking out the window and waiting.

HUNK: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on? What's going...?"

I hear a loud thump, and the mice jump into my lap. "It's okay," I whisper, holding them close, "I'll protect you."

HUNK: "Aw, come on. You've got to be kidding me."

(Y/N): "Hunk, it's been ten minutes already. What's taking so long?"

LANCE: "Should someone go in after him?"

A flash of yellow appears and the Yellow Lion finally arrives, going near the others. I point the Lion out to the mice, and they start squeaking. A tiny one climbs to the top of my head, and I snort as the other three follow.

HUNK: "Hey, sorry, everybody. Seriously, though, can't they park these things, like, a little closer to the bridge?"

SHIRO: "All right, guys. Let's just fly in tight formation until we're totally in sync."

ALLURA: "Feel the bond with your Lions and your fellow pilots until five become one unit and you form Voltron!"

The Lions take off, flying in sync.

Coran comes up to me, handing me a large serving of food goo and I smile, holding it close as I watch the Lions flying in circles. Handing some goo to the mice, we sit there for a long while.

|••••••••••|

HUNK: "Whoo... Am I the only one who's still pretending to be excited?"

Sighing, I put the book in my hands down, focusing my attention back on the Paladins.

SHIRO: "Clearly, this isn't working. Let's settle down for a little bit."

KEITH: "Maybe we should be building Voltron from the ground up."

SHIRO: "What do you mean?"

KEITH: "I mean, let's try literally building Voltron, like, stacking on top of each other."

LANCE: "Like a cheerleader pyramid?"

KEITH: "You got a better idea?"

SHIRO: "It's worth a try."

I snort as I watch the Paladins stack their Lions on top of each other. (Y/N): "I doubt this will work, Keith."

KEITH: "Oh be quiet, will ya."

My lips purse. (Y/N): "I'd rather not be quiet, thank you very much."

SHIRO: "Hunk, what are you doing?"

HUNK: "What do you mean?"

SHIRO: "You're supposed to be the leg, over there."

HUNK: "What? No. No, no, no. I'm pretty sure that when we did it last time, I was the head. Right?"

(Y/N): "No."

LANCE: "You yelled, 'I'm a leg!'"

HUNK: "Yeah, I was yelling a lot of things."

KEITH: "Shiro's the head."

HUNK: "All the time?"

(Y/N): "Yes..?" I turn to look at Allura and she nods. "Yes, Hunk."

SHIRO: "Let's just try it my way for now."

(Y/N): "Just let Shiro be on top."

HUNK: "Okay, but next time I call head."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. (Y/N): "Hunk, the order can't change."

The Paladins stack the Lions properly, Shiro carefully hovering the Black Lion above the others until it stands on top of them.

SHIRO: "Okay. Arms and legs... and I'll form the head. Feel the bonds with your Lions. Now, channel your energy into forming Voltron. Focus... Focus..."

I stare out the window with curiosity. Nothing happens. (Y/N): "I don't think you're focusing enough." I try suppressing my laugh, but it goes through the comms anyway.

Keith sighs through the comms. KEITH: "(Y/N), maybe if you spent less time mocking and more time helping, we'd get somewhere."

(Y/N): "Keith, I don't pilot a Lion. I'm already doing my part by being the audience and boosting morale."

PIDGE: "If that's boosting morale, I'd hate to see what dragging it down looks like."

SHIRO: "Okay, everyone, let's regroup. Clearly, this isn't working. Let's go back to the Castle and re-evaluate."

LANCE: "Wait, wait! I have an idea. What if we dance the Lions into formation? Like a choreographed move! It's all about rhythm, right?"

HUNK: "You know, that's actually not the worst idea. Plus, I could use a good groove session."

KEITH: "Yeah, because dancing is going to save the universe."

LANCE: "Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it, Keith. You might learn something about rhythm. Or fun."

PIDGE: "Let's just focus on the pyramid."

SHIRO: "Is everyone bonding and focusing?"

LANCE: "Why was this so much easier before?"

Shiro sighs. SHIRO: "Let's take a break."

ALLURA: "Sorry to interrupt, but I may be able to help. Yesterday, you weren't able to form Voltron until you were in the heat of battle."

PIDGE: "Yeah."

LANCE: "I'm listening."

SHIRO: "You're right."

KEITH: "Yeah, I guess."

ALLURA: "Perfect. Because I need to run a diagnostic test on all of the Castle's defenses. This should help!"

The Castle of Lion fires blasts from its particle barrier, bombarding the Lions and I jump up, staring at the Paladins fleeing with a wide smile.

LANCE: "Okay, go, go!"

KEITH: "Allura, what the hell are you doing?!"

(Y/N): "Now this is fun!" I laugh at the sight of the paladins scrambling not to get hit.

ALLURA: "Running a diagnostic test on the Castle defenses and inspiring you! I believe in you, Paladins! Let fear be your guide! Form Voltron!"

Blasts continue hitting the Lions and I'm laughing so hard that I clutch my stomach. Allura stands at the controls clapping her hands and waiting with a hopeful smile.

LANCE: "Oh, forget this! I'm heading back to the Castle!"

The Blue Lion runs away from the other four. (Y/N): "Lance, what are you doing?"

LANCE: "Surviving."

He pilots the Blue Lion towards the Castle Ship, dodging the attacks, but is thrown back by the particle barrier, sending Blue spiraling down the hill.

HUNK: "Please stop! Please! Have mercy on us!"

ALLURA: "You think Zarkon is going to have mercy on you? He's probably on his way right now to destroy us all!"

I turn to Allura and she presses a button on the Castle Ship's computer screen and walks away.

COMPUTER: "Auto-lock-on engaged."

|••••••••••|

We're gathered in the Castle's lounge, a room filled with a sunken semi-circle couch. The four Paladins that are here look exhausted. Hunk is leaning back, Lance is slumped with his feet dangling down, Keith has his arms crossed, Pidge is huddled into a ball, and I sit on the floor in between Keith and Pidge.

What can I say? It's comfy.

Keith huffs as he looks at me.

"What?" I ask, meeting his glare with a raised eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that. You're the ones who couldn't form Voltron. Cheerleader pyramid? Seriously?"

"It was a good idea," he mutters, crossing his arms tighter. "You just couldn't resist making fun of it."

Pidge stifles a laugh beside me, but Keith's glare shifts to her, and she quickly adjusts her glasses, pretending to be serious.

The door slides open and Allura and Coran enter, their eyes trained on the small devices in their hands. "Are we at full power on condenser number five yet?" she asks Coran.

"No, still just 84 percent," he tells her.

Allura looks up with a smile as she notices the Paladins. "You did it! You formed Voltron!"

"No," Keith says, looking at her. "The shooting stopped, and the particle barrier shut down, so we just flew in."

Her face falls into an annoyed glare. "What?"

"Oh, right. Uh, sorry, Princess. I had to turn off the Castle defenses to test the fire suppressors," Coran says.

Shiro enters the room from a different door. "What are you guys doing in here?" He places his hands on his hips. "We're not taking a break."

"Shiro's right. You should be training," Allura agrees.

I look at the four Paladins with a slight frown before glancing at Shiro and Allura. "Breaks are a good thing," I chime in. "You shouldn't overexert them."

Hunk groans. "We've been training. When are we going back to Earth?" he asks.

Pidge sits up and leans against the backs of her knees. "I'm not going back until I find my family," she says.

"Guys, there won't be an Earth if we don't figure out how to fight Zarkon," Shiro says.

"How are we going to fight? We can't even figure out how to form Voltron," Lance groans.

"Well, I'm not surprised," Coran says. "You know, the original Paladins fought hundreds of battles together, side-by-side. They were like a pack of Yalmors linked at the ears." He pulls at his ears.

"Wow. Yeah, that's definitely not us." Lance throws himself back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

They all look so hopeless and I scoot closer to Lance, resting my hands beside him before pursing my lips and placing a gentle hand on his. "It'll be okay," I say, attempting to be encouraging.

Coran sighs. "During the last attack, your survival instincts forced you to work as a team, but that will only get you so far. You'll have to become a real team to have any chance of forming Voltron and then beating Zarkon next time. You should try working out on the Training Deck."

Hunk raises an eyebrow. "There's a Training Deck?" he asks.

I quickly nod, my head snapping back to look at him. "Yes! It's so cool, there are drones and robots and simulations. It took me a while to clean it all up, but I think I got up to Level Four?"

Allura blinks at me, shock coloring her features. "You've already passed a few levels and cleaned up?" she asks.

I shrug, placing my hands back in my lap to keep them from trembling. "Training helps me clear my mind."

It's why I'm still alive.

"It sounds like you know what you're doing then," Shiro says with a reassuring smile.

I frown. "That's one way of putting it."

|••••••••••|

"I'm ready," I say, cracking my knuckles. Forming my hands into fists, I stride towards the entrance of the training deck, and Coran yanks me back, grabbing the collar of my armor.

"Not you, (Y/N). Only the paladins."

My shoulders slump. "But I like training."

Coran gives me a small smile, leading me up a staircase. "You're going to like this more. Trust me."

We enter a room that overlooks the training deck and Coran hands me a microphone. I stare at it for a moment before fumbling to put it on.

He clears his throat to check his microphone and I watch as the Paladins form a circular formation.

CORAN: "Two, two, one, two. Okay, listen up, guys. The Paladin code demands that you put your team members' safety above your own. A swarm of drones is about to attack. It's up to each of you to do everything you can to protect the other members of your team."

I walk up to the window. (Y/N): "Just don't get hit and you'll be fine."

The sequence of drones starts, and the team tries to defend each other, but their positioning is off. Keith and Pidge form shields.

"Wait, wait, wait. What's going on—Whoa!" Hunk yells, then forms a shield. "Did you guys get one of these?"

Shiro and Lance form shields, too.

"Get ready," Shiro says as he gets in position. They all huddle near each other.

The Altean drones fire lasers. Hunk dodges and ducks, but Pidge is struck, dropping into a hole that opens up underfoot. My eyes widen as I look back at Coran.

Where did she go?

CORAN: "Protect your teammates, or no one will be there to protect you!"

Hunk cowers and is hit, sending him dropping next. The remaining three back up and shield themselves. Lance almost gets struck.

(Y/N): "Get ready!"

CORAN: "Time to increase intensity."

The drone fire becomes rapid.

"You keeping up over there, Keith?" Lance asks.

"Just concentrate on keeping me safe," Keith says, clearly irritated.

Lance scoffs. "Me? I own this drill. You're the one who needs to concentrate."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. (Y/N): "Stop bickering and focus."

The drones fire at their heads. Shiro and Keith dodge, but Lance is distracted and does not. He lifts his foot to avoid being shot, and Keith is shot instead, disappearing into the hole with a loud yelp. Lance tries to defend Shiro but is struck himself, sending him into the hole. Shiro turns around, distracted, and gets struck.

They all failed.

I slap my hand across my forehead, a loud sigh leaving my lips.

Coran facepalms, mumbling to himself, "We're so quiznaked."

Nodding in agreement, I help him set up the next simulation: an invisible maze. Lance is up first.

CORAN: "To form Voltron, you must trust in each other. This ancient Paladin maze will teach you that trust. Your teammate can see the walls, but you cannot. So, listen carefully. You'll get a slight shock if you touch the walls."

"Wait. Who's guiding me through?" Lance asks, sounding irritated.

I walk next to Keith, handing him a microphone. He takes it and stares at the map in concentration.

KEITH: "Take two steps forward."

"Oh, no. Not Keith. Why does he get to be the man on the mic?"

I sigh. (Y/N): "Lance, it's okay. Try to focus."

CORAN: "Now, just sit tight, Lance. You'll get your turn."

Keith presses his lips in a tight line. KEITH: "Like I said, take two steps forward, turn right, and take three steps in that direction."

Lance only turns right and hits a wall, getting shocked. "You did that on purpose!" he shouts.

KEITH: "You're not listening."

"You said, 'Turn right.'"

His eyes twitch in frustration and he rolls them. KEITH: "But, before that, I said, 'Take two steps forward.'"

(Y/N): "Two steps forward, turn right, and take three steps in that direction."

"Two steps—" Lance steps in the wrong direction and gets shocked again. He jumps and stomps his feet on the floor. "That's it! We're switching places right now!"

"Someone's on their big girl thing," I whisper to Coran. He chuckles and shakes his head.

|••••••••••|

The next test requires the team to fly their Lions.

CORAN: "You'll never be able to form Voltron unless each of you has a strong bond with his Lion."

I furrow my brow and tilt my head as I watch the Lions outside in the sky.

Is Pidge... not a girl? She smells female.

"No problem. Me and Blue are best buds for life, for real," Lance says confidently.

I snort.

Sure you are, Lance, sure you are.

CORAN: "Perfect! Then you won't have any issues with this exercise. Everyone, put your Lions into a nose dive! This is an expert-level drill that you really shouldn't attempt until you've been flying for years, but, uh, we're in a bit of a rush, so here we go." He pulls up a screen. "Activating training helmets!"

Lance screams. "Coran, what's happening?! I can't see!"

CORAN: "You must learn to see through your Lions' eyes. The goal is to pull up right before you crash into the ground. Feel what the Lion feels!"

"Mine feels scared!" Hunk shouts. He panics and pulls out of the dive right away.

(Y/N): "Hunk!"

"You still going, Keith?" Lance asks.

"You know it. You?" he answers.

"Going? I'm speeding up!" Lance speeds up his dive.

"Oh, yeah?" Keith speeds up his dive.

My mouth hangs open. "Quiznaking fools," I mutter. Coran sighs behind me.

"Must be getting close."

"Must be."

"You getting scared?"

"I'm not scared!" Keith growls.

My shoulders slump as I watch the two of them crash into the ground with their Lions half-buried. The Blue Lion loosens, rolling away.

Of course, that happened.

"Ow..." Lance groans. "I win."

(Y/N): "This wasn't a competition." I sigh. "You both crashed."

"Wow, really? I didn't realize," Keith replies.

(Y/N): "If it was a competition, though, Keith won. Red crashed first."

Lance whines. "Whose side are you on?"

Shiro and Pidge are still in a nose-dive.

"What was that noise? Did they crash?" Pidge panics. She pulls out of the dive but hits a cliff.

Shiro remains in a dive and pulls out of the dive in the last second. He flies through several rocky areas and is the only one to complete the task successfully. "I think I'm getting this," he says.

CORAN: "Excellent, Shiro!"

(Y/N): "Good work!"

Coran and I both cheer.

I clear my throat, putting every ounce of authority in my voice as I speak. (Y/N): "Reconvene in the training deck."

"Yes, ma'am," they all respond.

|••••••••••|

The Paladins sit in a circle in the Training Deck with special headsets on. I sip on a juice pouch, spinning myself in one of the chairs in the room overlooking the deck.

CORAN: "Now, the most important part of Paladin training is melding your minds and focusing on one thing: Voltron. Everything else has to fade away. This technique will be essential every time you form Voltron."

A screen depicting the Paladins' thoughts appears before each one. Keith thinks of some kind of house. Lance thinks of people who look like his family. Hunk thinks of food. Pidge thinks of a photograph with a male and female standing next to each other and smiling. I lean closer to try and get a clearer look, but the image is obscured. Shiro thinks of some kind of mission.

CORAN: "So, relax and open your mind. There should be no walls or secrets between Paladins. Come on, everyone, clear everything. Now, focus on forming your Lion."

The Paladins, except Pidge, form their images into their respective Lions and move towards the center to form Voltron.

CORAN: "Bring your Lions together a-and form Voltron. Keep your minds open, and work together. Good! Keep focusing! Only one to go!"

A few moments pass, and the Green Lion still has not appeared. Pidge's mental image remains static-filled.

Keith peeks one eye open and opens them fully, looking at Pidge with mild irritation. "Pidge, stop thinking of your girlfriend," he snaps.

Pidge's mental image disappears, and she crosses her arms, glaring at Keith. "I wasn't! Hunk was rooting around in my head!"

Hunk opens his eyes with a frown. "I-I thought we were open. You can look in my headhole."

(Y/N): "Inhale, exhale, and focus."

CORAN: "Everyone has to be able to look in everyone's headholes! Clear your minds!"

The Paladins try again. This time, Pidge is able to manifest the Green Lion. The mental Lions move together.

(Y/N): "Good! Almost there."

The mental Lions begin forming a mental Voltron.

CORAN: "Now, form Voltron. Yes!"

The Green Lion attaches to the mental Voltron but becomes the same static-filled image as before.

Lance opens his eyes and crosses his arms. "Pidge!" he snaps.

Pidge huffs in frustration and throws the headset off, standing up. "I'm done with this! Look, I don't like everyone grubbing around in my head!"

"Oh, come on, Pidge. We're starting to get the hang of this," Shiro says.

Her shoulders slump. "I'm just... I'm just tired, okay?"

Shiro frowns. "Okay. Let's take a break."

"It's about time!" Lance yells. He takes his headset off and jumps to his feet, stretching.

I grab extra juice pouches and rush down the stairs, entering the training deck. I hand a pouch to each Paladin. Hunk and Lance lean on each other, sipping happily, Pidge quietly sips, and Keith has a small smile as I hand him one. Grabbing a couple more for myself, I sit with my legs crossed in between Shiro and Keith, handing Shiro his own pouch.

Shiro inspects it confused.

Looking at him, I sip on the straw. "It's just juice."

"You have been working hard. Maybe it's time to relax a little," Coran says, sitting down beside us and I hand him a juice pouch.

Allura enters the training deck blinking at us. The four mice are on her shoulders and she puts her hands on her hips. "What are you doing lying around?" she asks, her voice sharp. "You're supposed to be training!"

"Just resting a bit. Y-You know, you can't push too hard."

Keith gives me a look and then looks back at Allura, sipping his pouch with a blank expression.

"What do you mean, 'can't push too hard'? Get up, you lazy lumps! It's time you faced the Gladiator!"

"Can't we finish our juice first?" I mumble, grabbing my fourth juice pouch of the day. I poke the straw through and sip it all down in a matter of a few seconds.

Keith watches me, raising an eyebrow.

I stare back at him. "What?" I ask. "This stuff is good."

|••••••••••|

The Paladins stand in the middle of the Training Deck with their Bayards.

CORAN: "In order to defeat the Gladiator, five paladins must fight as one."

The Gladiator robot drops from the ceiling, wielding a polearm staff.

I watch the robot and nod.

Ah okay, it's called The Gladiator.

Hunk starts firing his bayard at the robot, but the shots go towards Keith and he has to raise his shield to protect himself. "Hmm? Whoa!" Hunk panics as the robot trips him, sending him flying onto his back. The Gladiator electrocutes him with the tip of its staff.

Pidge fights the robot next, but it strikes her head, sending her to Hunk. Lance raises his bayard and shoots at The Gladiator, but meets the same fate, being tossed into Keith and leaving them both sprawled on the floor.

Shiro is the only one remaining and powers on his robotic arm. The Gladiator rushes to Shiro, and he freezes. Keith launches himself from the floor to block The Gladiator's attack on Shiro with his sword. Shiro stares at the floor in a panic.

I blink, realization dawning on me. I've seen that look on his face before—it's the kind of look that only appears when you're thinking back on something painful and frightening. I know that because I do it too.

I throw my microphone onto a table and run out of the room, down the stairs, and into the training deck.

"Shiro, are you okay?" Keith asks.

Shiro doesn't respond, still staring blankly at the floor before The Gladiator knocks Keith into him, sending them both to the floor. The Gladiator powers off and Allura approaches them.

I jog to them, lowering myself onto my knees. "Shiro?" I ask quietly. "Shiro, are you alright?"

His eyes flicker, the glassy look still lingering in his gaze. His breathing is shallow, but his pulse is still steady. I place my hand on his shoulder, gently trying to rouse him from his daze. "Shiro, you're safe. Are you okay?"

His head slowly lifts, and for a moment, I see a flash of confusion before recognition dawns on him. "I... I'm fine," he mutters, his voice hoarse, almost apologetic.

Keith, still groaning beside us, pushes himself up and brushes dust off his armor. He frowns as he gazes at Shiro. "Are you sure?"

Shiro pulls himself upright with a grunt, shaking his head. "I'm fine. Just got a little too... distracted."

"That combat simulator was set at a level fit for an Altean child!" Allura yells, unaware of the situation at hand. "You're not even close to working as a team, let alone ready to face Zarkon!" She pinches the bridge of her nose. "(Y/N), would you like to show them how it's done?"

I stare at her with wide eyes. "Me?" I frown and look around at the Paladins. "Can't Coran do it? I do not like fighting in front of a crowd."

Her arms cross tighter around her chest. "You said you made it to level four."

I gulp and nod. I pick at my fingers and stare at The Gladiator for a moment before inhaling deeply. "Okay, I can do it."

She smiles and gives me a thumbs-up. "Thank you. Follow me, Paladins."

They all leave, and I stand alone in the middle of the ring.

ALLURA: "This will be the same level as before. Ready (Y/N)?"

I nod and crack my knuckles. I grit my teeth and stare at The Gladiator, closing my eyes to take another deep breath. Feeling the vibrations of The Gladiator powering up, my hands start shaking and my hands tighten into fists so tight that my knuckles turn right.

I open my eyes right in time to move out of its way as it jabs its staff towards me, blocking all of its blows.

KEITH: "Shouldn't we have given her a weapon or something..."

The Gladiator's staff hits me in my gut, and I groan but keep my feet planted. I narrow my eyes and quickly kick it, jumping across the wall as I take hold of the staff, trying to grab it for myself. It throws me off and comes again, faster this time, twirling its staff, but I thrust myself towards it, grabbing the staff from its hands. I flip in the air, bouncing off the wall, and swing its staff at its head.

The Gladiator falls to the ground and powers down.

CORAN: "Good job, (Y/N)!" His applause crackles through the microphone.

I drop to my knees and softly pant. I look down at the staff; blood is dripping off it. I throw it out of my hands, and it clatters to the floor. I look around the room, my heart is racing. I can hear the crowd cheering as I frantically get up. My legs hobble, and when I look behind me, there lies the beast I fought against. It's disfigured, its limbs cut away from its body and its eyes bulging out of its head.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice cracking as I stare at the beast in horror.

Pain runs through my body and I look down at myself, holding my hand against my stomach. There's blood gushing out. I look at my arms, and they're covered in cuts, and blood trickles down them.

I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster.

I close my eyes and shake my head, bile rising in my throat. When I open my eyes, the team is staring at me with shock. I force my body not to tremble and the training deck is the training deck again. My breathing comes in short bursts and I walk to a wall.

"Now, if only (Y/N) was a Paladin," Allura snaps, looking at the team. "Then maybe there would be hope."

Lance wraps his arm around me, and I flinch. "Please do not touch me," I force out. I clench my hands into fists to stop them from shaking out of control.

Lance puts his hand up and walks back. "Oh, sorry," he apologizes.

Keith looks at me with a concerned expression. I look up at him blankly.

"Not bad," he whispers as I stand beside him.

"Thanks," I reply, my voice flat. I look at the Training Deck and frown. My hands cannot seem to stop trembling. I put them behind my back, pursing my lips.

I don't ever want to go back into those fighting rings.

|••••••••••|

We all sit in the dining hall: me, Pidge, Keith, Lance, Hunk, and Shiro. I stare at the food goo, my stomach rumbling, and reach out to poke it.

Coran stands at the head of the table, his hands clasped behind his back. "Ahoy, young Paladins!" he says. "I've whipped up a big batch of focusing food. After this meal, you'll be forming Voltron six times a movement and twice on the astral conflux!"

"Smells great, Coran," Shiro says with a small smile. "Thanks."

I smile at the plate of goo, reaching out to grab a spork. Coran pulls out a remote and presses a button, handcuffing all of us together. My eyes widen, my mouth hanging open.

"Hold the phone!" Lance yells.

"I saw a lot of solid individual performances today, but you're still struggling to work as a team. So, welcome to the final bonding exercise of the day," Coran says.

"Hey!" I yell, trying to yank my hand free from Pidge's. "I'm not even a Paladin, I just want to eat!"

"This is a team bonding experience. Whether you like it or not (Y/N), you are now a part of the team!"

Hunk tries to free himself from Lance and then Shiro. Both attempts fail. "Coran," he says, pointing a sharp glare in Coran's direction. "I want you to think about what you're doing."

"Oh, this one's a classic. You get to feed each other, like a pack of Yalmors!"

"Stop it with the damn Yalmors," I snap, trying to break myself free. I push Pidge in the process.

"Hey, stop!" she exclaims.

Allura walks in and seats herself at the head of the table, angrily eating her portion of food goo.

"So not fair," I grumble, struggling to lift my spork.

Lance flings Hunk's food goo on accident.

"Ow!" Hunk whimpers.

"Sorry," Lance apologizes.

Hunk tries to eat again, but Lance's fingers end up Hunk's nose and mouth. Lance pulls away and I look at the two of them with amusement.

"Ew!" Lance exclaims, flinging the goo onto me and Pidge. "Ugh..."

Hunk pulls back Lance, causing Lance to pull Keith's hand into his plate of goo.

"Oh, nice. You defiled my food goo!" Lance whines.

"It's your fault! This is ridiculous," Keith snaps.

"Stop pulling!" Pidge shouts.

"Listen to Pidge," I say, grabbing the spork and loading a portion of goo on it. "Pidge open."

She turns her head to look at me and opens her mouth. I slowly lift the spork to her mouth and we're nearly successful, but Lance pushes Keith, causing my spork to fling at the wall. Pidge and I both turn to look at the green splatter and our shoulders droop.

Allura growls in frustration. "Do Earthlings ever stop complaining?" she mutters.

"Can't you just give us a break?" Shiro asks, looking at her. "Everyone's been working really hard today."

Keith stands abruptly and I glare at him because the action pushes me and Pidge. "Yeah!" he exclaims. "We're not some prisoners for you to toy with, like... like..."

"Like a bunch of toy prisoners!" Lance finishes.

"Yes! Thank you, Lance!"

Coran's eyes widen. "—You do not yell at the Princess!"

"Then you shouldn't have handcuffed us!" I shout.

Pidge scoffs. "Oh, the Princess of what? We're the only ones out here, and she's no Princess of ours!"

Allura flings a spoonful of goo at Pidge and I look at her with disbelief, but swipe my tongue at the goo that landed around my mouth.

What if I just put my head on the plate and eat?

"Go loose, Pidge!" Keith yells, flinging his plate at Allura.

Coran blocks the attack and tosses a huge scoop of goo all over us.

Hunk shakes his head with a smirk as he eats the goo on his face. "Oh, it's on now." He takes the entirety of his goo and throws it at Allura and Coran.

Keith looks at me and I fling my entire plate at his face with a chuckle. The goo slides off him and he's glaring, and Coran shoots a bunch at my face. I open my mouth and catch it. We're all standing and throwing goo at each other and laughing.

The fight simmers down, and Allura leans back in her chair, exhausted. "Enough!" she shouts. "Do you see what you're doing?" The Paladins are silent, but Allura smiles. "You're finally working together as one!"

"Hey, she's right." Keith smiles, looking at Lance.

"I actually don't hate you right now," Lance replies.

Hunk pulls his arm. "You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" he asks.

"Let's go form Voltron!" Shiro shouts.

"Yeah!" The Paladins cheer.

"Actually, I was thinking dessert. But, yeah! Let's do it!" Hunk cheers, throwing his hands up in the air.

Since we are still handcuffed, Hunk's cheering causes all of us to topple over each other, causing me to land in between Pidge and Keith. I lift my head and give Hunk a dry look.

He lets out an awkward chuckle. "Oops, sorry."

|••••••••••|

SHIRO: "Everyone ready to do this?"

PIDGE: "Roger that!"

LANCE: "It's on!"

KEITH: "Yes, sir!"

HUNK: "I was born ready!"

SHIRO: "Then let's go!"

PALADINS: "Yeah!"

As the Lions form Voltron, Allura, Coran, and I stand outside the Castle of Lions waiting.

My eyes widen as I look at them. "They did it!" I exclaim, jumping up and down. "Finally!"

"I told you I could get them to do it," Allura says, glancing at Coran. "They just needed a common enemy."

"It's true. Like the old proverb says, 'A man can be driven to do anything if a beautiful woman is just really, really mean to him.'" Coran sighs.

I look over at Allura and her face falls.

"And they had two beautiful women being really, really mean to them," Coran continues.

I burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer, and roll my eyes.

|••••••••••|

"Man, that was cool! I'm so charged up, I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep tonight," Lance shouts, fist-bumping the air. We're all in the lounge again, now dressed out of our armor and sprawled across the couch.

"Not me. When my head hits the pillow, I'm going to be lights out," Keith says.

Hunk sinks down, sitting between Lance and Keith, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "I just want you to know that I realized when we were in Voltron, we're brothers, man." He pulls them both into a tight hug, closing his eyes. Lance smiles but Keith looks at him confused. "You know? Like, we're totally connected. No secrets, no barriers, no nothing. Brothers all the way." Shiro glances at Pidge and places a hand on her shoulder. She smiles and pats the Altean mice on their heads. "I love you guys," Hunk says sincerely. He turns to look at me. "You too, (Y/N)."

I smile at Hunk, feeling bittersweet.

"G-forces mess with your head a little bit?"

"Yeah, maybe a little." Hunk scratches the back of his head. "I-I don't know. It's been a tough few days."

The Paladins all get up to head to bed, except Pidge.

Shiro stops and turns around. "Going to bed, Pidge?" he asks.

"In a minute," Pidge answers.

"Good work today. We're really coming together."

They all leave and Pidge frowns, pulling out the photograph she had during the mental training.

"Is that you?" I ask, sitting down beside her.

She jumps and hides the picture. "Y-You're still here?!"

I glance at the picture, pointing to the man. "Is that your brother?"

Pidge blinks. "How do you..." she trails off, carefully picking her words, "know?"

My eyes snap to hers and my mouth opens. I'm confused. "Is it supposed to be a secret?"

"No." She sighs. "It's...a long story." She glances at the picture again, tracing over the man's face. "This is my older brother. Matt." I nod and she sniffles. "I miss him and my dad so much. They've been missing for a year already." Her voice cracks and she buries her head in her palms. I hesitate before wrapping an arm across her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug.

"I know the words don't make up for losing an older brother but," I say quietly, "I'm so sorry, Pidge."

She looks up at me and wipes her tears away. "You have a brother?"

"I used to." I smile softly, remembering Lotor.

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know," I admit, my heart breaking a little. "It's been years."

Pidge nods. "It's the worst, isn't it?" Her eyes glisten. "Not knowing what happened to them."

I give her a small smile. "You'll find him, Pidge. Him and your dad."

|••••••••••|

I walk into my room and change into the pair of pajamas Allura gave me. Staring at the bed, I shake my head, grabbing a pillow and blanket before exiting the room and heading back into the training room.

Once I enter, I slide the shirt off, I am left in a tank top and pajama pants. I power on a training sequence and train until I can't stay upright anymore. The sequence powers off and I sink to my knees, pressing my hands against my eyes to dry the tears that have fallen.

I lay on my back, letting sleep consume me.

Keith's POV:

I watch (Y/N) silently from the doorway, her silhouette bathed in the soft glow of the training deck's lights. Her movements are fluid, almost graceful, as she focuses on the sequences. She's not just going through the motions; there's a raw intensity in the way she fights the training bots, her strikes sharp and precise. She is incredibly skilled.

I changed into my pajamas, but I heard her slipping out of her room two hours ago and she still hadn't returned. Once the sequence powers off, she sinks to her knees and I can hear her ragged breathing from where I stand.

I should leave. I shouldn't be here.

Shaking my head, I leave back to my room.

My heart starts thumping faster, and I run a hand through my hair, willing myself to go. I freeze, my hands forming into fists as I hear her faint cries.

Why do I care?

Chapter Text

Your POV:

The cell around me is small and suffocating and I am huddled into a tight ball, my breaths coming in erratic bursts. It is cold and unforgiving with no windows. The only light source comes from a flickering bulb in the ceiling that casts eerie shadows and they dance along the grimy walls, taunting me.

I try to move, but there is no room for me to stretch my limbs out.

“Hello?” I call out. My voice is cracked. “Can anyone hear me?”

Silence.

I rock back and forth, the motion sending waves of pain throughout my body.

“I am not a monster,” I whisper repeatedly. “I am not trapped.”

My hands shake and I begin clawing at the metallic walls. My nails become raw and bloodied and my efforts are in vain. I can’t escape.

“Let me out!” I scream, now banging on the walls. “Let me out!”

No one comes. There is no one here to save me. I scream until my voice is hoarse. My throat burns, and salty tears sting my eyes. My fingers graze my lips, and I feel how chapped they are. Bruises and cuts litter my body while blood trickles down my head. I can't breathe, I'm trapped.

A choked squeak echoes in the cell as the flash of a body clouds my vision. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking at the dismembered body. “I’m sorry.”

The body does not respond.

I look down, and blood is gushing out of my side, pooling underneath where I sit. Ripping a portion of my shirt off, my hands shake as I wrap the cloth against my side, trying to slow the blood spewing out.

“I’m a monster.” I sob into my hands and bury into myself. “I’m sorry.”

The walls of the cell start to close in, the shadows stretching and twisting into grotesque figures. They loom over me, whispering in guttural tones, words I can’t understand, but their intent is clear. They mock me, accuse me, and confirm the worst of my fears.

"Monster," they chant. "Traitor. Worthless."

My ears ring with the echoes of their taunts, and I scream again, clawing at the walls. I press my hands to my ears, trying to block them out, but their voices seep into my skull. My breathing grows faster as panic grips me tighter and tighter.

Suddenly, the sound of clanging metal jars me, pulling me from the suffocating haze. My eyes snap open, and I see the door of the cell rattling. The flickering bulb overhead flares brighter for a moment, blinding me.

And then he’s there. Him.

A hulking Galra sentry, clad in dark armor, steps into view. His glowing eyes pierce through me, his presence a reminder of where I am and what’s coming.

“No,” I whisper, crawling back into the corner of the cell. My heart thunders in my chest and my head shakes frantically. “Not again. Please, no.”

The sentry doesn’t speak, but the cell door creaks open. He steps inside, his shadow swallowing me whole.

“You’re up,” he growls, his voice deep and menacing. “The crowd is waiting.”

“No!” I scream, but my voice is weak, barely a whimper. My hands scramble against the floor as I try to push myself further into the corner, but there’s nowhere left to go.

He grabs me by the arm and yanks me to my feet. Pain shoots through my body, and I cry out. My legs feel like jelly, barely able to support my weight.

“Move,” he snarls, dragging me forward.

I struggle weakly, but his grip is like iron. The cell fades behind me as I’m hauled through dimly lit corridors of Central Command that seem to stretch on forever. The muffled roar of a crowd grows louder with each step, their cheers and jeers making my head spin.

I dig my heels into the ground, desperate to stop, but the sentry doesn’t even flinch. “I don’t want to fight!” I cry, my voice breaking. “Please! I don’t want to do this anymore!”

He doesn’t respond. He drags me through one final door, and the blinding light of the arena floods my senses. The crowd’s deafening roar hits me like a physical force, and I stumble, my knees buckling beneath me.

The metal beneath my feet is warm, stained with blood—so much blood. My stomach churns, and bile rises in my throat. Across the arena, a hulking opponent stands, their eyes glowing with fury, their fists already clenched. The announcer’s voice booms over the speakers, but I can’t make out the words. All I hear is the pounding of my heart, the roar of the crowd, and the ringing in my ears.

“No,” I whisper again, tears streaming down my face. “I can’t do this. I’m not a monster. I’m not—”

The massive opponent charges.

I blink, forcing my legs to move. My body reacts before my mind can catch up. I dive to the side, narrowly avoiding The Reaper’s charge. The ground shakes beneath his weight as he crashes into the spot where I had stood moments ago. My palms scrape against the metal floor, and pain radiates through my hands, but I don’t have time to focus on it.

The crowd erupts, their cheers and jeers causing me to flinch.

I know the rules of this arena. Fight, or be killed.

The opponent turns to face me, his expression a mix of fury and bloodlust. His lips curl back in a snarl, and I can see the sharp glint of his fanged teeth. My stomach twists, and I feel the overwhelming urge to vomit, but I force it down. Survival instinct takes over, drowning out the voice in my head that screams for this to stop.

“Fight!” the crowd chants, their voices pounding in my skull. “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

I scramble to my feet, my body trembling with exhaustion and fear. My opponent charges again, faster this time, his heavy footsteps reverberating through the arena. I manage to dodge once more, but not unscathed—a powerful fist grazes my side, and the pain explodes through me like fire. I stagger, clutching my ribs, and bite back a cry.

The crowd erupts into frenzied cheers, their bloodlust ignited by the sight of violence.

I need a weapon. I need something.

My eyes dart around the arena, scanning for anything I can use. Then I see it—a jagged piece of metal, half-buried in the bloodstained ground. Desperation fuels me as I lunge for it, my fingers closing around the cold, sharp edge. I ignore the sting as it slices into my palm.

The Reaper is on me again, and I whirl around, swinging the makeshift weapon with all my strength right into his left eye, driving the piece so deep I swear I hear his brain puncturing.

He roars in pain, stumbling back, and collapses onto the floor. Gritting my teeth, I jump on top of him, hacking away at his face. Warm blood splatters across my face as I drive the jagged shard into him again and again. My breaths come in ragged gasps, my body trembling from the exertion and terror. His hands flail weakly, trying to push me off, but his strength wanes with each strike.

“Monster!” the crowd cries out.

“I’m not a monster,” I sob, the words spilling from my lips like a prayer, even as my actions betray me. My grip tightens on the shard, my knuckles white with tension. “I’m not a monster. I’m not—”

I freeze, paralyzed by fear and the weight of my own despair as I stare at The Reaper’s body.

Then, I feel it—a searing pain in my side, the gash reopening. Blood trickles down my body, warm and sticky. The metallic taste of it fills my mouth as I bite down on a scream. My vision blurs and my sobs grow more frantic.

And then—a sweet scent whooshes past me. The scenery changes, and I am no longer fighting. I collapse onto my knees, trying to find air, but being unable to.

I see a young woman with lilac hair and deep brown skin. She is holding a newborn child and singing softly in their ear. The baby has light lavender skin and bright blue eyes and she gazes up at the woman.

"This is my story," a strange voice whispers.

I reach out weakly, my fingers trembling. My voice is but a whisper. "Who are you?"

The woman's face flickers, her expression shifting between joy and sorrow, but she doesn’t notice me. Her song continues, soft and in a language I can't understand. The baby giggles, her tiny hand reaching up to touch her face.

"This is my story," the voice echoes again, clearer now, though it doesn’t belong to the woman.

The scene shimmers like a mirage, and for a moment, I am filled with warmth. My chest tightens—not with pain, but with longing. This is something I crave. Family. Peace. Love.

But then the warmth dissipates, replaced by coldness that claws at me. The vision starts to crumble. The lilac-haired woman looks up suddenly, her eyes meeting mine.

There’s hate in her gaze.

|••••••••••|

I jolt awake, my entire body trembling. Cold sweat drenches me as I gulp deep breaths of air. I quickly feel my sides for open wounds and find none. Tears well in my eyes, and I run a hand through my hair with shaking hands.

I sit up and analyze my surroundings. I am still in the Training Deck, but when I turn to the side, someone is next to me. My heartbeat quickens and I hold my breath, slowly getting ready to pounce. I pick up the dagger beside me and strangle the figure.

"Gah!" the voice shouts.

"Lance?" I scream, leaning in closer.

"No, not Lance! Keith. It's Keith," he struggles, trying to pull me off.

My eyes widen. “Keith? Why are you here?" I ask, lowering my dagger. "What are you doing?”

"What do you think I was doing? I was peacefully sleeping, and then you strangled me!" He takes in a deep breath and tries to calm down. I am still on top of him. His eyes flicker in the dim light, and he frowns. His voice comes off quieter this time. "I’m sorry. You were screaming, and I wanted to make sure nothing was happening. I fell asleep, but I swear, I had no bad intentions. (Y/N), are you okay?"

I swallow hard, pulling away from him and sitting criss-crossed. "I'm fine," I whisper. "It was just a nightmare." My dagger clatters on the floor, and I put my head in my hands, trying to calm the racing of my heart.

He sits up as well. "Are you sure you're okay?" I look up at him, and he looks worried. He offers a small smile. "You can tell me anything. We're a team."

We sit in silence for a while.

"I dreamt of where I grew up," I start silently. Keith leans in closer, and I look him straight in the eye. "You probably don’t want to hear.”

His gaze softens. “I know we’ve had our…” he trails off, pursing his lips, “differences, but I mean it. You can tell me anything.”

I hesitate, my fingers playing with the hem of my shirt. The words feel heavy in my throat, threatening to choke me. “I…” I start, my voice cracking. I clear my throat and try again. “I grew up… somewhere dark. Dangerous.”

I glance at him, gauging his reaction. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t look away. I take that as a sign to continue. “My—” My voice catches, the word tasting bitter in my mouth. “Emperor Zarkon made me fight when I was his prisoner. I was forced to. In this… this arena. It’s like a game to him. Or maybe a test. I don’t even know anymore.” My hands curl into fists, and I press them against my thighs. “Every time I fought, I thought, this is it. This is where I die. But I didn’t. I survived. I hated myself for it.”

Keith’s eyes widen, but he doesn’t interrupt. His hands rest on his knees, his body tense but not in judgment—more like he’s trying to keep himself from reacting too strongly.

“I had to fight The Reaper, this enhanced Galran man who was at least four times my size,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. My hand slips underneath my shirt, tracing the scar that covers the majority of my right side that reminds me I am alive. “I killed him and they called me a monster. And maybe they were right. I’ve… I’ve done things, Keith. Things I can’t undo. Things that haunt me. I see their faces every time I close my eyes.”

I feel his hand lightly brush against mine, hesitant as if he’s afraid I’ll pull away. “You’re not a monster,” he says firmly, his voice low but steady. “I don’t know everything you’ve been through, but I know one thing. You’re here now. Fighting with us. You’re trying to be better, right?”

“Trying doesn’t erase the past,” I mutter, pulling my hand away and hugging my knees to my chest. “You don’t understand. You’ve never—”

“You’re right,” he cuts in, his tone sharp but not unkind. “I don’t understand. I can’t. But that doesn’t mean I’ll let you sit here and call yourself a monster when I know you’re not.” I blink at him, stunned into silence. His cheeks flush slightly, and he looks away, scratching the back of his neck. “I mean, you’re strong. Smart. Demanding as hell sometimes, but not a monster. Far from it.”

“I am not demanding.” A shaky laugh escapes me.

Keith looks at me, his lips quirking into a small, almost shy smile as he lays back down. I watch him and scoot closer, draping the blanket over both of us before I lay down.

Turning to my side, I tuck my hands underneath the pillow, meeting his gaze. “Thank you.”

He shrugs. “Anytime. Just, uh, maybe don’t strangle me next time?”

I snort, rolling my eyes. “Fine.”

|••••••••••|

I trudge to the dining hall and plop myself on a chair. The door opens again and Shiro, Lance, Keith, and Hunk walk in.

“Great job training today, guy,” Shiro says. “We’re really getting the hang of Voltron.”

“Seriously. How far do you think my lion kicked that broken alien ship?” Lance crosses his arms, pleased with himself. “Must’ve been like a mile.”

Shiro and Hunk come and seat themselves at the table, Shiro at the head and Hunk at his left.

Keith’s eyes narrow. “Yeah, that’ll come in handy when the Galra challenge Voltron to a soccer match.”

“Hey, I did something cool and you can’t handle it. I get it.”

“Your kick ruined our balance.” Keith walks away. “We fell.”

Lance trails behind him. “Well, that falling part was Hunk’s fault.”

“Hey,” Hunk says, frowning.

“Alright, save your energy for fighting Zarkon,” Shiro says.

I look at Hunk who’s sitting across from me. “What’s soccer?” I ask.

Hunk blinks at me for a moment, then his face lights up with a grin. "Oh, soccer! It’s, like, this game back on Earth where you kick a ball around and try to score goals by getting it into the other team’s net. Super popular sport. Think... less life-or-death than what we’re doing now. Unless you count a really intense championship game."

Lance perks up, cutting off his banter with Keith to chime in. “Hold up—less life-or-death? Have you seen an international soccer match?”

Keith rolls his eyes and mutters, “Still not the same as fighting a Galra fleet.”

Ignoring him, Lance plops down beside Hunk and leans across the table toward me, his face animated. “Imagine this: you’re on a massive field, there’s a crowd of thousands screaming your name, and you’ve got the ball. You fake left, dodge a defender, and then BAM!” He claps his hands together, making me jump slightly. “You kick it so hard it rockets into the top corner of the goal. That’s what soccer is.”

I blink at him, trying to imagine the scenario. It doesn’t sound entirely unpleasant. "So... it's like combat, but with less blood?"

“Basically!” Lance says, grinning ear to ear. “Unless someone gets fouled. Then it’s a whole thing.”

“Sounds strange,” I say hesitantly, earning a laugh from Hunk.

“Yeah, it kinda does when you put it like that,” Hunk agrees. “But it’s fun! We could teach you some time if you want.”

Keith scoffs. “How about we focus on forming Voltron instead of wasting time with pointless games?”

Lance narrows his eyes. “It’s called team bonding, Keith. Ever heard of it?”

Keith crosses his arms, shooting Lance a glare. “Not sure how kicking a ball around is supposed to help us defeat Zarkon.”

“Maybe if you actually tried it, you’d relax for once,” Lance fires back. “You’re so wound up, you probably couldn’t even kick the ball without overthinking it.”

Keith’s jaw tightens, and he starts to retort, but Shiro steps in, his voice calm but firm. “Alright, that’s enough. If soccer helps us bond as a team, then I’m all for it. But let’s save the lesson for another time.”

Coran soon enters the room, holding a large platter. "Hello, guys! How was the Voltron workout?" he asks.

"We're getting there,” Shiro answers. “Are you and Allura almost done fixing the Castle so we can leave this planet? I feel like we're sitting ducks here on Arus."

"Just about. In the meantime, to get your minds off those duck seats you're worried about, I made you guys an authentic ancient Paladin lunch!" He reveals what he’s cooked and it smells sour. I cringe at the green food. It doesn’t look nearly as appetizing as food goo. Lance covers his mouth and leans away and Keith’s eyes water. Shiro only blinks.

"Coran, you just got me hooked on that goo and now you're switching it up?" Hunk groans.

"This is packed with nutrients."

Hunk leans in and sniffs and Coran smiles.

"Oh, it smells disgusting!"

"I know! That's how you know it's healthy!"

Hunk grabs an Arusian plant from out of his pocket. "Coran, we're on a planet now with fresh herbs, spices, and... whatever this thing is. A tuber? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back to the kitchen and spice things up." He gives us a thumbs-up before heading to the kitchen.

"Where's Pidge?" Shiro asks.

Coran starts eating the strange food and speaks with his mouth full. "He's probably checking on those... prisoners we rescued from Zarkon. They'll all be waking soon in the infirmary."

Shiro stands to leave and Coran offers him a spork full of his cooked meal.

"Open the hatch. Food Lion coming in!" Coran coos and then makes jet sounds.

"No. Just... no," Shiro shudders, carefully backing away.

"You don't know what you're missing!"

Coran stares at Shiro’s retreating figure and frowns as he sits down.

Sighing, I get up and move around the table, seating myself in between him and Lance. "I'll try some authentic Altean food," I say quietly. Coran beams and hands me a bowl. I slowly put it in my mouth, trying to avoid the smell and widen my eyes. "This is actually not that bad."

Coran smiles and Keith looks disgusted. "Glad you like it!" Coran exclaims.

"Food is food." I keep munching on the nutritious lunch and after a few moments, Hunk brings Keith and Lance visibly appealing food. The two Paladins wolf the food down while Coran watches in sadness. I stare at them as they eat. Whatever Hunk whipped up, it smells absolutely delicious.

I take my fork and scootch closer to Lance. He notices my movement and raises an eyebrow, still chewing on Hunk’s dish. He swallows dramatically and holds his plate away, smirking. “Oh, no, no, no. You had your chance with Coran’s five-star delicacy. This is mine.”

I narrow my eyes, and without a word, I make a quick jab with my fork, aiming for a piece of food on his plate. He yelps and pulls it back just in time.

“Hey!” he cries, clutching the plate to his chest like a prized artifact. “Do you even know what personal space is?”

“Not when it comes to food,” I retort, lunging again. This time, I manage to snag a bite. It’s warm and savory, with spices that tingle on my tongue. “Mmm. Definitely worth it.”

Lance gasps in mock betrayal, leaning away. “Unbelievable!” Keith snorts from beside Lance and he glares at him. “Oh, like you wouldn’t freak out if someone stole your food.”

“I wouldn’t let it happen,” Keith says smugly, crossing his arms.

Coran leans closer to me and nudges my side. “See? I knew you had good taste,” he says with a wink. “Altean cuisine grows on you, doesn’t it?”

I nod, though my eyes keep darting to Hunk’s dish. “Yeah, sure. Definitely... edible.”

“Wow,” Lance says sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “High praise.”

Allura enters the dining hall with a wide smile as she sees Lance and Keith scarfing down all the food in front of them. "They like the Paladin lunch.”

Coran looks offended as he crosses his arms. "I don't want to talk about it," he mumbles.

"I just got the final nebulon booster working. We should be able to leave Planet Arus tomorrow and take the fight to Zarkon."

I lean over and smile cheekily at Keith before stealing some of his food. “Mmm,” I sigh. “This is so good.”

Keith glares at me, his fork pausing mid-air. “Really?” he says, his voice dripping with annoyance. “First Lance, now me? Do you even have boundaries?”

I chew slowly, savoring the taste just to spite him, then shrug. “Not when it’s this good.” Glancing at Hunk, I give him the Earthling gesture: a thumbs-up.

Lance bursts into laughter, nearly choking on his food. “Oh, man! Keith, you’re just gonna let her get away with that?”

Keith groans, shoving his plate farther away from me, and mutters, “Why do I even try?”

Hunk chuckles from across the table, clearly enjoying the chaos. “Hey, food’s meant to be shared, right? I can make more if you’re that protective of your portions.”

“No!” Keith snaps, then glances around, realizing how defensive he sounded. “I mean, it’s fine. I’m done anyway.” He pushes his plate toward me with a resigned sigh. “There. Eat.”

I smirk, picking up his plate like a prize. “Thanks, Keith. You’re so generous.”

The Castle Ship’s alarms begin blaring and red lights flash around the dining hall. Setting my fork down slowly, I slump in my seat, frowning. Allura brings up a screen showing someone approaching the Castle.

"I just want to enjoy my meal," I mutter bitterly. Lance snorts at my reply.

"What is that?" Keith asks, looking at the screen.

"I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a local Arusian. He's approaching the Castle," Allura says.

The Arusian yells as it comes closer and hides behind rocks.

"Aw!" Hunk smiles.

"Doesn't look too dangerous," Lance says.

"You never know," Keith says. He stands and summons his Bayard.

I stare at the sword and nod in agreement. “Exactly.” I gesture to the screen. “He seems armed. Is that a knife?”

Allura looks at his drawn weapon and shakes her head. "No, Keith. Alteans believe in peace first. Let's go welcome them." She leaves with Coran.

"That's adorable," Hunk smiles as he starts jogging after them.

"Hey, maybe we can knit him a little sweater!" Lance suggests.

"I'm not taking any chances," Keith says, still holding his Bayard in ready position.

I shrug and return to my plates of food. Opening my mouth for another bite, my fork clatters on the table as Keith hauls me up. “Keith!” I yelp with a pout as he starts dragging me away from the table. “I’m still eating.”

Keith doesn’t slow his pace; his grip is firm but not rough as he drags me. “You can eat later,” he says, his voice clipped. “We need to be ready if something goes wrong.”

“I doubt the Arusian’s planning a sneak attack,” I grumble, but I don’t fight him off. “He’s tiny. What’s he gonna do, tickle us to death?”

He glares over his shoulder at me, clearly unamused. “That ‘tiny’ guy could be a scout or a decoy for something bigger.”

I notice Lance still has a drumstick from Hunk’s meal in his hand. He notices my glance and waves it at me smugly before taking a loud bite.

I roll my eyes.

The doors to the Castle open slowly and we approach where the Aurisian is hiding in caution. Allura smiles. "Greetings. We know you're there. No harm will come to you.”

The Arusian jumps out and brandishes his sword, pointing it at Allura. She doesn’t flinch.

"Aw!" Hunk awes as he clasps his hands together.

"Wait!” Keith stands between the Aurisian and Allura with his bayard, putting a hand up to block her. “He could be dangerous.” “Drop your weapon!"

The Arusian points the sword at Keith with narrowed eyes. "No one takes Klaizap's weapon!"

"Keith put that away!” Allura says, placing a hand over her heart. Keith keeps his eyes trained on Klaizap as he lowers his bayard. “Please, kind sir, accept my most humble apologies.”

"I am Klaizap, bravest of our warriors. Our village is over Gazrel Hill. I come seeking answers as to why the Lion Goddess is angered with her followers."

"Followers?" Coran says, confused.

"Lion Goddess?" Hunk says, also confused.

"The one the ancients spoke of," Klaizap answers. He gestures to a carving of a Lion-headed deity that the Arusians worship.

Allura’s gaze softens. "What makes you think she's angered?" she asks.

"Destruction is everywhere. In the past few suns, fire has rained from the heavens, and a giant has danced in the sky.”

"I think he's talking about Voltron," Hunk says, leaning in and whispering to me and Lance.

"Yeah, I got that," Lance says.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Obviously.”

"You have not angered the Lion Goddess," Allura assures.

Klaizap frowns. "How can you be certain?" he asks.

"Because I am Allura, and this is my Castle."

"Huh? Lion Goddess." His mouth falls open and he drops to his knees, bowing. His head rests on the dirt ground.

"Please, bravest warrior, take us to your village so that we may meet our neighbors."

Keith raises an eyebrow. "What about our mission to get off this planet and fight Zarkon?" he asks, turning to look at me. I shrug.

"Part of the Paladins' mission is to spread peace and diplomacy,” Allura says, turning to look at him. “Arus has been our host for 10,000 years. These people deserve our thanks."

|••••••••••|

Keith and I took the Red Lion, Coran and Lance took the Blue Lion, and Hunk and Allura took the Yellow Lion. The three of us drew sticks to decide who would ride with who, much to Lance’s dismay.

I smile as I see all the Arusians. Hunk hands stuff out, Coran hugs one of them, and I let myself get dragged by some children to a nearby patch of vivid wildflowers that shimmer faintly in the sunlight. The children giggle, their tiny hands tugging on mine with surprising determination. One of the children points to a particular flower—a glowing light purple bloom nestled among the others—and beams up at me with wide eyes.

“Warrior flower,” the child whispers reverently.

I kneel down to inspect the flower, its petals radiating a faint warmth when I touch it. “It’s beautiful,” I murmur, gently plucking the flower. I tuck it behind the child’s ear, eliciting more delighted giggles.

Walking back to the team, Keith stands rigid while the others interact with the Arusians.

"Oh, Lion Goddess, I, King of the Arusians, formally beg your forgiveness,” he says, putting his hands together. “Please have mercy on us and accept our traditional Dance of Apology as atonement for our wrongdoings."

We all exchange a look and Lance shrugs.

The Aurisian king claps to summon an Arusian female to dance. "MoonTow, Commence Dance of Apology! Hoorah!" The king bows down and Arusians hit on drums.

MoonTow dances to music.

Allura raises an eyebrow. "Please, there's no need for this.”

"Moontow, halt!"

MoonTow freezes on one foot.

"The Goddess has refused the apology. Start the sacrificial fire. We must throw ourselves in."

The Arusians light an enormous pyre. I look at them with wide eyes as they begin to line themselves up. I start laughing. Lance glares at me. "I know, I just find this whole sacrificing thing funny."

Allura’s eyes widen. "No! No sacrifices!"

There’s already an Arusian tied to a pole, ready to be thrown into the fire.

"So, we may proceed with the dance?" The king asks, turning to look at Allura.

She nods. "That's a better alternative."

The king claps again and MoonTow dances. All the Arusians bow to Allura.

"Oh, my! Please, please, rise. Thank you for that, but I am not a great being worthy of your worship. I accidentally put you all in danger. It is I who should be apologizing to you. I am Princess Allura, and these are the Voltron Paladins. Although we originally came from different worlds... and have very, very, very different traditions, we wish to live alongside you as friends," Allura says.

"But the mighty robotic angel... has it not come to destroy us because of our immoral ways?" The king asks.

My lips tighten as I stifle a slight laugh. What were they doing that was so immoral?

"Voltron? No. In fact, that mighty robot is here to protect you. Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being throughout the universe!"

The Arusians cheer and celebrate by hugging the team. Keith tries to leave, but an Arusian jumps up and clings to him.

The little female from before comes to me with a wide smile. She puts her hands up, and I gladly pick her up. Soon, I’m getting piled on and I sit on the ground as they bring me wildflowers.

Keith blinks at the Arusian hanging on to him. "I don't... usually hug strangers, but, uh…” He pats their head. “Man, you are cuddly.”

The Arusian speaks in a contrastingly deep voice. "Thank you."

Keith’s eyes widen, and a soft giggle escapes my lips. The Arusian children near me start giggling, too, and I soften at their unburdened glee.

Too much sweetness for my cold heart.

|••••••••••|

Keith is standing with his back pressed against a tree with his arms crossed while Allura continues interacting with the Arusians. I’m staying under the shade playing some sort of hand game with an Arusian child while four play with my hair.

SHIRO: "Team, come in! We need backup!"

(Y/N): "What?"

ALLURA: "Shiro?"

SHIRO: "Where is everyone?"

KEITH: "What's going on?"

The ground begins rumbling, and I look into the sky to see an incoming spacecraft.

"Oh no,” Keith says, his eyes wide. “We gotta get to our Lions!"

I’m immediately on my feet, scooping up the smallest of the children. The Arusians start running to hide.

"Everyone get inside and stay down!" Allura shouts.

"I'm on it!" Hunk yells, running with them.

"Huh?"

Hunk tries to flee with the Arusians, but Keith drags him back toward the Lions.

"Not you," Keith sighs.

The Arusian village is chaos as Allura, Coran, and I try to rally everyone to safety. It’s difficult because the ground keeps rumbling.

KEITH: "Lay down some covering fire so they can get out of there!"

LANCE: "I'm on it!"

HUNK: "Check this out! Battle-Lion head-butt!"

KEITH: "You guys okay down there?"

SHIRO: "Still alive for now."

HUNK: "Are the Galra behind this?"

SHIRO: "I think so, but I've never seen anything like it."

LANCE: "So, what's the plan? Shoot at it with everything we've got? Take out its weapon? Call it names?"

SHIRO: "If we want to take this monster down, there's only one way to do it. Form Voltron!"

The smallest of the children start crying and they clutch onto the older Arusians.

SHIRO: "Remember, we are one unit, fighting with one goal."

The entire ground starts shaking violently and I scoop up the children as we run into a cave for protection.

KEITH: "I thought Voltron was the most powerful weapon in the universe!"

HUNK: "Yeah, so how is this monster kicking our butts?"

I stroke the cheeks of the Arusian child crying in my lap, staring outside the cave’s entrance. (Y/N): “You barely formed Voltron yesterday. It’s been, what, two days?”

Voltron is thrown near the village and the ground shakes, debris falling from the top of the cave. The Arusians cower and huddle closer. I close my eyes, holding them close. “Goddess Ara,” I whisper, “stars above, please protect us.”

SHIRO: "Oh, no! The village! We have to protect those people!"

My mouth hangs open as I look at the beast.

What…

The Galactic Gladiator fires an energy orb and Voltron takes the hit, narrowly missing the village, and flies off to lure the Robeast away. The Galactic Gladiator follows Voltron.

SHIRO: "That was close!"

PIDGE: "We got him away from the Arusians, but we can't take him down!"

LANCE: "I got it! I'm going to power-kick that orb thing!"

KEITH: "No! The last time you did a kick, we fell!"

LANCE: "Stop living in the past! Oh, no!"

SHIRO: "Pidge, fire lasers now!"

PIDGE: "Got it! Fire! Oops! Ah! Uh…"

SHIRO: "No! Lasers! Lasers!"

The sobs grow louder.

HUNK: "Every time we focus on that orb, we're blindsided by the monster, and every time we focus on the monster, the orb hits us!"

LANCE: "Then what do we do?"

HUNK: "Orb!"

KEITH: "Shiro, we gotta move! Shiro, are you there? Shiro!"

SHIRO: "That sound... I recognize this monster from my time in Zarkon's prison. I know how to beat him! Listen, there's a loud sound when the orb returns to the base of the weapon, and every third time, that orb needs to charge up. That's this monster's weakest point. That's when we strike."

HUNK: "Okay, so what do we do in the meantime?"

SHIRO: "Defense! Pidge, we need that shield! That's one. Two more to go! We can't take much more! Last one! Everyone brace for impact! Now!"

PIDGE: "It didn't work!"

LANCE: "So, now what?"

SHIRO: "When I attacked him before, I had a sword!"

HUNK: "Orb! Orb!"

PIDGE: "We can't take another shot like that!"

KEITH: "Wait a second, guys! I think my Lion's telling me what to do."

LANCE: "Well, whatever it is, hurry up and do it! He's about to fire his third shot!"

I stare at the fire explosion and flinch at the sound, curling inward.

PIDGE: "We did it!"

HUNK: "How did you do that?"

KEITH: "Whoa... Heheh. Thanks, Red."

A dark cloud of smoke emits from the fight and the Arusians cheer.

|••••••••••|

Sitting on the bridge that leads up to the Castle Ship’s exterior, a small smile tugs at my lips as I look at the golden hue of the sky. I close my eyes, leaning back and letting the tranquility wash over me.

“So beautiful,” I whisper. The mice squeak, crawling from Pidge’s lap onto me.

"Pidge,” Shiro’s voice breaks me out of my reverie, “there you are." He sits beside her.

She glances at him. "Why would you hurt my brother? You were friends." She frowns and looks down at her lap.

"I did it to save him."

"What?" She looks up at him.

"My memory of the event came back when we were fighting the monster. Your dad was being sent off with the weaker prisoners to a work camp. Meanwhile, Matt and I were forced to fight in the gladiator arena. Matt was going to fight first, but he was scared. We all were."

My head snaps at the mention of the arena.

"You saved him? You attacked him so they would choose you instead." She looks like she is about to cry.

Pidge hugs Shiro, his eyes wide, and he pats her back. "I'm so sorry I doubted you! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"I can tell you really miss them. I know they miss you, too. Your brother and father would be proud of you, Katie." Shiro smiles. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

“Katie?” I ask, tilting my head.

“It’s my real name,” she replies.

“Why ‘Pidge’?”

She smiles faintly, petting one of the mice as her gaze fixes on the setting sun. “It’s a nickname Matt gave me.”

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Splashing cold water on my face, I look at the water droplets as they fall. My fingers graze over the scar that stretches from underneath the right side of my jaw to halfway down my neck and a cold shiver trickles down my spine.

The girl who stares back at me is a stranger. I do not know who I truly am.

Shaking my head, I grab a towel and pat my face dry.

I step out of the bathroom and return to where the celebration is being held. Allura opened the Castle of Lions up to all the Arusians in the neighboring village. Weaving through the crowd, I stand near Keith and next to Lance.

The Aurisian King stands at the top of the stairs, Allura watching them with a small smile and her hands clasped in front of her. Seven Arusians act out Voltron's battle against the Galactic Gladiator.

"The monster fell from the sky! It was an epic battle, but Voltron was victorious!" the King says.

The Arusians pretending to be the Robeast knock down the other Arusians pretending to be Voltron.

"No. I said Voltron was victorious."

The Arusians reposition themselves and end the battle accurately. The Arusians cheer, raising their glasses in the air.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for that... wonderful production.” Allura makes a slight face. “It saddens me that we must leave tomorrow, but we must continue our battle with Zarkon and spread peace throughout the universe.” She hands the king an Altean communicator. "Your Majesty please accept this gift. This will allow you to contact us anytime you need help. Arus will be the first planet in the Voltron Alliance."

"Hoorah!" the king shouts. He holds up the communicator up and the Arusians cheer.

Hunk approaches us and Lance lifts his cup. Keith crosses his arms.

"We ought to get something like that," Hunk suggests.

"Like what?" Lance asks.

"You know, like, a cheer. Like, a team cheer that we do."

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, okay. How about, uh... I say 'Vol' and you say 'Tron.' Vol—!"

"Uh... Vol-tron?" Keith says, but it comes out more like a question.

"No! No, no, no, no, no. The cheer includes the instructions. I say 'Vol' and you say..." Lance pauses waiting for Keith's answer.

Keith pauses. "Vol-tron?"

Lance sighs, shaking his head, and turns to look at me. “(Y/N), you get it, don’t you?”

I blink and give a slight nod. “—Tron.”

He smiles. “I say 'Vol' and you say 'Tron.' Vol—!"

“Vol-tron!”

Lance’s face falls. "We'll work on it."

Keith shrugs at Hunk and Lance lifts the cup to his mouth, taking a big gulp before he starts coughing violently. I look up at him and tilt my head.

"Coran, what is this?" Lance asks, looking disgusted.

Coran takes a small sip. "Oh, this is Nunvill, the nectar of the gods," he answers.

"It tastes like hot dog water and feet."

"Yeah, makes a wonderful hair tonic as well."

Coran sprinkles Nunvill on his mustache, and it grows a little. Lance gags and Keith and Hunk stare at him. My eyebrows lift as I look at Lance and Keith pokes him, sending him to the floor. I gently prod at him with my foot and Lance groans, clutching his stomach.

I crouch down, poking his forehead. “Lance?” I ask.

Keith grabs two cups from a floating platter and hands one to me. I stare down at the purple liquid, bringing it to my nose and sniffing it. My face contorts slightly.

“Don’t do it,” Lance mutters.

Keith brings the cup to his lips and his eyes widen as he immediately spits it out at Hunk’s face. Hunk turns away, rubbing his face violently.

"Ow, my eyes!" Hunk yelps.

Keith and Hunk laugh, causing the Arusians around us to laugh. I glance between the two of them and then down at Lance before taking a tentative sip of the Nunvill. I make a face.

"Why is it salty?" I ask as Lance pulls himself to his feet.

He grabs another cup, staring down at it with a small frown. "I guess we should get used to this space juice. Who knows when we'll get back home again?"

Hunk blankly swirls the cup in his hand. "Yeah, if ever," he mutters.

"What do you mean?"

A tray passes by them and Hunk grabs the bowl on it. "I mean, if this Zarkon guy has been ruling for 10,000 years, how long do you think it will take for us to fix it? You know, if we live."

I stare at Hunk in disbelief.

Lance’s shoulders droop. "Right. That."

Hunk starts eating. "Hey, what do you think the chances are of us landing on a nacho planet?"

"Well, there's only one planet with Veradera Beach, pizza shack looking over the water, and the garlic knots and... my mom's hugs..." Lance starts to tear up. I frown. "I'm sorry. I think this Nunvill is getting to me. I gotta go."

He leaves, heading up the stairs. Coran gives him a look as he passes and I shrug, jogging up the stairs behind him.

Wow, this Earthling walks fast.

He rounds a corner and continues all the way to the bridge.

"Lance?" I call out, running to catch up to him. I walk through the door leading to the bridge. He sits down, his shoulders slumping.

A faint sniffle passes through him as he looks up at me, tears shining in his eyes. “(Y/N)?”

I pause, caught off guard by the raw emotion in his voice. Slowly, I step closer and sit down beside him, careful to give him space but close enough to show I’m here. “You okay?” I ask gently, even though the answer is obvious.

Lance chuckles bitterly, wiping at his face with the back of his hand. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just—this. All of this. It’s a lot.” I don’t say anything, letting him find the words. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, and stares out the window. Night has fallen across Arus. “I miss home,” he admits quietly. “My family, the beach, even my niece and nephew stealing my stuff.”

I nod, thinking of the Arusian children from earlier, their tiny hands clutching at me for comfort. “Homesickness is a normal response and sometimes, that pang of sadness in your heart is a good thing.” He pauses and looks at me, confused. “It reminds you that you have something to look forward to once you return to Earth.”

“Mind if I join you?” Coran’s voice causes our heads to snap up. He approaches and glances between us.

“How far from Earth do you think we are, Coran?” Lance asks.

“Let’s take a look.” He powers on the map. “Earth is over here.” He moves the map. “And we’re aaaaaall the wayyyyy overrrr—”

Lance’s face falls. “You ever notice how far the planets are from each other, Coran?”

Coran continues sifting through the map for Earth. “Yes, haven’t you been paying attention?”

He stands and walks up to Coran. “Yeah, but, like, they’re really, really far away. Like, say Earth is so far, I can’t even see it. T-the blue oceans, the white clouds, the green grass. I-I-I can’t see any of it.” His shoulders droop.

“You miss Earth, I understand.” He puts a supportive hand on Lance’s arm. “I miss Altea.”

The door to the bridge quietly slides open and I slip away.

|••••••••••|

When I return to the celebration, the Paladins and Allura are apart from the Arusians.

"Pidge, no." Shiro frowns as he regards her. I walk up to them, confused.

"The download from the Galra ship was enough to at least get me in the right direction to start my search. I have a pod all ready to go," Pidge says.

Keith approaches her and stares her down, his hands wounded up into fists. "You can't leave," he says.

Pidge’s stance becomes defensive. "You can't tell me what to do."

"If you leave, we can't form Voltron. And that means we can't defend the universe against Zarkon. You're not the only one with a family. All these Arusians have families. Everyone in the universe has families."

"Yeah, I have a family. They live on Earth. I want to be with them. Is that—Is that, like, a thing that can happen?" Hunk asks, piping up.

Allura turns her gaze to Hunk with wide eyes. "You want to leave, too?" she asks.

"Of course I do. Look, Voltron is super cool, don't get me wrong, but I never signed up for a lifetime in space fighting aliens. I want to go back home, too."

“But Voltron is the only thing that can stop Emperor Zarkon,” I say, crossing my arms.

Keith growls under his breath and his eyebrows tremble with emotion as he stares at the ground before pointing his glare back to Pidge. "You’re putting the lives of two people over the lives of everyone else in the entire galaxy!” He takes multiple steps towards her and she backs away.

Shiro grabs Keith by the arm. "—Keith! That's not how a team works. People have to want to be a part of it. They can't be forced," he says. Keith frowns, staring at the floor, and crosses his arms tightly over his chest. Shiro turns to Pidge. "If you want to leave, we won't try to stop you. But, please, just think about what you're doing."

Pidge looks conflicted but remains firm. "I'm sorry. You're going to have to find someone else to pilot the Green Lion."

Allura’s face falls. “I can’t believe it, this team is falling apart.”

I look between the team and shake my head, jogging up to Pidge. "Pidge, you can’t just leave!” I call out.

"Why?" she asks, turning to me.

“Because the Green Lion chose you for a reason and you can’t ju—”

The entire Castle shakes and the sound of something exploding reverberates through the halls. Debris falls from the ceiling and all the lights turn off.

“Was that—” I ask.

“The crystal!” Allura exclaims.

My eyes widen and I take off into a sprint, trying my best not to trip on anything. “Lance!” I shout, rounding the hall. “Coran!”

The team follows behind me and Coran is lying on the floor, slowly sitting up. Smoke covers the bridge and I cover my mouth, coughing.

Shiro places his arms on Coran. “What happened?” he asks.

Coran grunts, slowly opening his eyes. “I’m not sure.”

I wave my hand through the air, pushing away the smoke, and spot Lance lying on the floor. "Lance?" I ask, rushing to his side.

Shiro’s right behind me, falling to his knees, and lifts him up. “Lance...? Lance!"

I put a hand underneath his nose. “He’s barely breathing,” I say.

"We have to get Lance to the infirmary," Pidge says.

"Without the Crystal, the Castle has no power," Allura says.

Frowning, I push the hair out of Lance’s face and my thumb gently wipes the small cuts on his face. “You're going to be okay, Lance,” I whisper. “Just hold on.”

Shiro frowns. "He doesn't look good."

I look up at him. "No, he doesn’t.”

The Aurisian king enters. "Lion warriors, our village is under attack. We need help!"

"Let's get to the Lions," Keith says.

"You can't.” Allura frowns. “They're sealed in their hangars. There's no way to get them out. We're defenseless." She runs a hand down her face.

"Will you not help us?" the king asks.

"We'll help you. We just—" Keith starts.

Lance groans in pain, and I focus my attention back on him. "Don’t make any sudden movements, Lance. I think your ribs might be broken.”

He groans in response.

"This is bad," Hunk says, stating the obvious.

"We must get a new Crystal to get the Castle working again. But, to get a new Crystal, we need a ship," Coran says.

"The pod I was loading, we can use that! I left the bay door open," Pidge says.

"I can use the scanner in the pod to see if there's a Balmera nearby. Hunk, you come with me. I'll need someone big to help me carry the Crystal."

"A Balmera?" Hunk asks, confused.

"It's where the Crystals come from. I'll tell you about it on the way!"

Coran, Hunk, and Pidge leave for the flight pod.

"I'll go see what's happening at the Arusian village," Keith says, glancing between us.

"I'll go with you, Keith,” Allura says. “I brought this on the poor Arusians."

Shiro nods. "We’ll tend to Lance and stand watch over the Castle.”

Keith’s gaze lingers on us before he nods and he and Allura rush out of the bridge.

I pull my hair back and lean in closer to Lance, inspecting the wounds I can see. My hands hover over his torso, pressing gently, and his face stirs. “We need to get him out of here.”

Shiro glances between the two of us. "Do you, by any chance..." he starts but then pauses.

"Do I what Shiro?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow and shifting my eyes to look at him.

Shiro’s face contorts into something awkward. "Do you… like Lance?"

I stare at him for a few ticks before blinking. “Like…?”

“Romantically.”

A snort erupts from me. “What? No.” Shaking my head, I get to my feet. “Come on, let’s get him out of here.”

|••••••••••|

Lance is slung over Shiro. "Hang on, buddy. Help is on the way," he says.

We turn a corner and the Castle’s entrance comes into view, but there are several beings at the door. My eyes widen, and I gulp as we both freeze.

“Commander Sendak,” I whisper. We back up and Shiro gently takes Lance off of him. I wrap my arms around Lance, holding him upright.

"Sendak!" Shiro yells as he walks to the front of the Castle.

"Stand aside," Commander Sendak orders.

"No! You're not getting in."

Shiro activates his prosthetic arm and prepares to fight.

"Yes, I am."

Shiro furiously battles Commander Sendak, but his arm is not nearly as large. Both throw a punch and end up locked at the knuckle.

I lay Lance down and pat his head. “I’ll be right back, Lancey,” I whisper, running to find some sort of weapon to help Shiro.

"I see you spent some time with the Druids. They do love to experiment. Too bad you didn't get the latest model," Commander Sendak smirks.

He launches his gauntlet, throwing Shiro back inside the Castle all the way to where Lance lies. They continue to fight and end up poised with each other's glowing hands against their throats.

I search frantically for anything. Weapon, weapon, where can I find a quiznaking weapon?

A thump echoes in the hallway and when I turn around, Lance is thrown onto the floor. "Let him go, or your friend won't make it," a soldier threatens. Four robotic sentries have their guns raised at Shiro and Lance. I freeze and groan internally.

I can’t go up against six Galra without a damn weapon.

Moving silently behind a pillar, I hide in the shadows. Commander Sendak strikes Shiro unconscious, throwing him next to Lance.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Stars above, what do I do?

Commander Sendak smirks, clearly pleased with himself. "Voltron is ours."

"Not for long, it’s not," I mutter through clenched teeth and tighten my hands into fists.

Two of the sentries grab Shiro and Lance by the legs and drag them away. Another sentry is transporting a Galra crystal. All of them have their guns raised and my heart thunders within my chest. They go to the bridge and I trail behind them.

How is Sendak still alive? How is Father still alive? And Haggar is alive? How the quiznak is everyone still alive? It’s unheard of for Galra to live for so long. Is there dark magic involved? Are they clones? Are they—

"Power up the Castle," Commander Sendak commands.

The sentries connect the crystal to the control room and I stare in disbelief as the Castle of Lions powers up in Galra violet. Emperor Zarkon’s red insignia appears on the screen I shudder, sinking deeper into the shadows. A computer screen shows all the Voltron Lions are in place.

I purse my lips as I stare at the screen. What am I going to do?

"The Lions are all in their bays. Raising particle barrier. Begin launch sequence."

The particle barrier activates, preventing anyone from the outside from entering.

"Make contact with Emperor Zarkon, Haxus."

The solider complies, pressing various buttons on the control panel. My heart skips a beat and I peek slightly to gain a better view. Emperor Zarkon appears on the screen, and I swallow hard as I see his glowing purple eyes. It takes all that is within me not to run away.

"Sendak," Emperor Zarkon says.

"My mission is complete. I've captured the Altean castle, along with all of the Voltron Lions. I am preparing for launch and will deliver them all to you shortly," Commander Sendak informs him.

"This news is most pleasing. You have done your duty. Vrepit Sa."

Commander Sendak places his arm over his chest in salute. "Vrepit Sa!"

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head.

The transmission ends, and I spot movement from the corner of my eye.

"Haxus, ready the Castle for takeoff."

"Yes, Commander."

Static rings in my ears as Pidge's voice suddenly comes through the comms.

Her voice is in a barely audible whisper. PIDGE: "Keith, can you hear me?"

KEITH: "Pidge! Is that you? Where are you?"

PIDGE: "I'm inside the Castle. Sendak has taken over and he's preparing for launch. He's got Lance and Shiro."

KEITH: "What about (Y/N)?"

PIDGE: "I'm not sure."

Commander Sendak’s ears twitch and I take a few steps back, praying that no one hears me as I step out of the control room. I swallow hard, moving quietly down the hall. (Y/N): "I’m in the Castle.”

PIDGE: "(Y/N)? Are you okay? What’s going on in there?"

(Y/N): "I’m fine for now, but we’re quiznaked if we don’t stop this.”

ALLURA: "Listen. If they've started the launch sequence, then we don't have much time before liftoff to stop it."

This would have been so much easier if Allura was still in the Castle.

PIDGE: "What do I have to do?"

ALLURA: "You have to get down to the main engine control panel and disconnect the primary turbine from the Central Energy Chamber. If you can do that, Sendak will have to reset the whole system. That might give us enough time to find a way to stop them. (Y/N), try to distract them if necessary."

I nod. (Y/N): "I can handle Commander Sendak—all I need is a weapon.”

And all the rage I have stored within my heart.

I see movement again. PIDGE: "This way to the elevator shaft.”

I follow behind her. (Y/N): "Got it.”

We force entry into the elevator shaft with Rover, her drone.

"Hey, Rover," Pidge says.

Rover follows us inside the shaft and hovers in place.

"Okay, Rover, here we go," Pidge says, looking down.

Rover follows us down the shaft to the bottom as we use the jetpacks on our suits to jump down. We reach the Central Energy Chamber and run to where the engine is.

PIDGE: "Okay, Allura, we’re near the turbine. I think it's started."

ALLURA: "Then you'll have to hurry. Cross the catwalk to the main column in the center."

(Y/N): "Okay."

ALLURA: "Now, open the hatch. Find the central computer control hub and enter the following sequence..."

PIDGE: "Wait, wait, wait, wait! Which one is it? All the labels are in Altean!"

The engine starts rumbling, and the Castle Ship starts to shake. I scratch my head and scramble all the Altean characters I came across, reading the labels over and over. I make a face as I look over at Pidge’s panicking face.

PIDGE: "I can't tell which one it is! Allura? Allura? Uh..."

I look up, my eyes wide, as the blue light of the engine glows stronger.

(Y/N): “Middle! The middle one!”

PIDGE: “Whatever.”

Pidge slams the Green Bayard into the engine turbine, and the impact throws us back. We both lean up and watch as the engine powers off.

“Oh, thank the stars,” I mutter, sighing in relief as I lean back down against the cool metal floor.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

ALLURA: "There's not much time before they get the ship running again. You must shut off the particle barrier so we can get in."

PIDGE: "You got it. Tell me what to do."

ALLURA: "The particle barrier generator is beneath the main hull. Have you made it to the Generator Room?"

The door to the generator room slides open, revealing multiple streams of purple electricity.

(Y/N): "We’re in.”

PIDGE: “This technology is so advanced, I don't know if I can figure it out."

ALLURA: "Yes, you can. The lives of your fellow Paladins are at stake. You can't give up."

PIDGE: "Okay. Talk us through it, Allura."

ALLURA: "Shutting down the barrier from this room can be dangerous. Remember, the barrier is also a weapon. So, stay away from the energy arcs."

PIDGE: "Don't touch the giant lightning bolts. Got it."

ALLURA: "Now, what I'm going to need you to do is—"

My head snaps as Rover shoves Pidge out of the way. She barely avoids getting shot.

“Run!” I shout, narrowly avoiding a shot.

ALLURA: "Pidge! (Y/N)? Hello? Are you there?”

We dive into a corner and I peek through. My eyes widen as a sentry shoots at me and I duck my head back.

“There’s four sentries,” I say.

Pidge's map shows an exit shaft above us. "Our only way out is two floors up? Seriously?" Pidge groans. She glances over her shoulder and yells as she ducks back.

“We could take them,” I say.

Her eyes widen. “No, we can’t, you don’t even have a weapon.”

Pursing my lips, I glance over the wall again. There are eight sentries now. “Quiznak,” I mutter. Clicking my tongue, I look back at Pidge. “I just need a gun.”

Pidge frantically types on her wrist console, trying to map a way past the sentries while I keep my eyes peeled. "I don't think we have time to outsmart them," I whisper, my eyes darting between her and the sentries.

"Well, unless you’ve got some brilliant plan, this is all we’ve got," she hisses, not looking up.

Another bolt of Galra energy crackles past us, narrowly missing my shoulder. My heart is pounding, my chest feels tight, and my fingers twitch like they have a mind of their own.

Fine. Time for reckless improvisation.

I snatch a piece of broken paneling from the ground and weigh it in my hand and it'll have to do. I’ve survived with worse. I lock eyes with Pidge. "Cover me. I’m going for a gun."

"What?!"

I flash her a grin and dart out before she can argue. Pidge shouts after me, but I’m already moving. Vaulting over a low railing, I launch myself at the nearest sentry. My makeshift weapon collides with its head, and sparks erupt as it crumples to the floor. A second sentry swivels toward me, but I’ve already grabbed the downed sentry’s gun. I roll out of the way as purple energy scorches the floor where I stand.

I fire back—one shot, two. Both hit their marks.

"Yes!" I shout, the weapon humming warmly in my hands.

Pidge emerges from cover, gaping. "That was... unexpectedly awesome."

"No time for praise! Take their attention. I'll clear the way!"

We split up, moving through the chaos. I duck and move between the sentries, firing off bursts of plasma. My hands sting from the force of the recoil, but I don’t stop.

A stray bolt grazes my arm, and I hiss in pain. Still, I press forward.

"Pidge, head for the shaft!" I shout.

She doesn’t hesitate, making a mad dash for the exit above. Rover zooms ahead, blasting one of the sentries that block her path.

"Almost there!" she shouts.

I bite back a curse as a sentry steps into my path, its weapon charging. I don't have time to think—only to act. Throwing myself forward, I slide under its legs and fire upward. It collapses with a mechanical groan.

"Move, (Y/N)!" Pidge yells from above. She’s already halfway up the escape shaft, using her grappling hook to hoist herself up.

"I’m coming!"

"Watch out!"

I look up just in time to see one of the sentries aim at me from above. My chest tightens. And then Rover barrels into it, knocking it off balance. The sentry plummets, landing with a heavy thud.

"Rover, you beautiful drone!" I shout, scrambling for the shaft.

Pidge generates a hologram of herself from her armor and a sentry fires at it. The hologram is destroyed and the sentry accidentally hits an energy arc, causing it to explode and take out three more.

Gripping the edge of the shaft, I haul myself up, my arm burning with every movement. Pidge grabs my wrist, pulling me the rest of the way.

"Got you!" she says, breathless.

We collapse in the narrow shaft.

"You okay?" she asks, scanning me for injuries.

I nod, gulping down air. "I’ll live. We make a good team."

Relaxation doesn’t last long and two sentries start firing at us, following after us in the shaft. I turn around, aimlessly shooting at the sentries and I yelp as Pidge and I get knocked off balance, sending us down a different section of the shaft. Pidge uses her bayard and connects it into a crack, stopping us. Rover holds us steady and I aim the gun at the sentries, destroying them both.

"Rover! Nice save, buddy," Pidge says, looking relieved.

Sighing, I throw the gun up and begin climbing up the shaft. Pidge uses her bayard to slice through the panel and I kick it open. We exit into an empty hallway of the Castle.

Pidge frowns. "You know, I haven't always been there for my team. But this time, I will be.”

A small smile spreads on my lips. “Come on,” I say. Rover follows after us as we run. “You go back to the Central Energy Chamber. I’m going back to the bridge.”

|••••••••••|

Commander Sendak paces around the bridge. "Haxus, report in."

Pidge’s voice comes through. "Haxus is gone, and you're next!"

He rolls his eyes, stepping closer to Shiro and Lance. "You've slowed me down, but this ship is mine. You will turn yourself over to me immediately."

"Never!"

"Well, then, maybe your leader can convince you." Commander Sendak steps closer to Shiro, whose hands are bound behind him, and powers on his robotic arm, purple electricity crackling in it.

"What do you want?" Shiro grits out.

"Your friend wanted to hear from you." Commander Sendak smirks.

"Shiro?" Pidge asks.

"Pidge? Pidge, don't listen to—" Shiro starts. He screams as he’s electrocuted and my grip tightens on my gun.

"No!"

"You can make it stop. Turn yourself in. His suffering is in your hands."

A sentry cuts the transmission off and Shiro collapses on the floor. Lance is still out cold.

Gritting my teeth, I step through the shadows and train the gun at him. “Commander,” I say, my voice low.

Commander Sendak spins toward me, his smirk fading and his one eye blinks. For a moment, he’s taken aback. “Princess?” he whispers. “You’re alive?”

His sentries swivel to face me, their guns charging with an ominous hum.

"Tell them to stand down, or I’ll shoot.”

“(Y/N)...”

"Stand. Them. Down," I repeat, gripping the gun tighter to hide the trembling in my hands.

Commander Sendak takes a step closer. “Y—”

I fire. The plasma bolt streaks past his head, narrowly missing on purpose. "Next one doesn’t miss," I warn.

The room goes still. Even the sentries hesitate, their glowing optics flickering as they process my actions. He narrows his eye, a frown forming on his lips. “You’re supposed to be dead. Your photo was flashed all across the Empire many millennia ago.” He steps forward, his looming figure casting a long shadow across the dimly lit bridge.

My stomach twists, but I steady my aim, keeping the gun trained on his chest. “I mean it, Sen. I’ll kill you.”

Commander Sendak freezes, his fingers flexing. “You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I? I am still eighteen and my memories are at the forefront of my mind. Perhaps it has been 10,000 years for you, but your betrayal is still fresh for me.”

“That was a long time ago,” he says quietly, almost as if trying to convince himself.

“Not for me,” I say, my voice hardening.

“I was a soldier of the Empire. I had my orders.”

“You were more than that!” My voice cracks. “You were my friend.”

He hesitates and I see real doubt in his face. His fingers flex at his sides, his mechanical arm whirring faintly. With a swift motion, I fire at the nearest sentry, taking it out in one precise shot. The others whirl to life, their weapons charging, but I’m already moving. I dive behind a console as plasma bolts light up the room, narrowly missing me.

“Stop her!” Commander Sendak roars, his moment of hesitation gone.

I grit my teeth, popping up to fire again, but I am met by his clawed gauntlet.

|••••••••••|

My eyes open in a daze and when I try to move my arms, I realize they’re bound together. I groan quietly, moving to sit up. Shiro is beside me, his head hanging low.

"I'm impressed that you managed to escape,” Commander Sendak says. “Perhaps it would be worth the trip to your planet to see if the rest of your kind have your spirit. Of course, they will all end up broken, just like you. Now that we have Voltron, every planet, every race, all share the same fate."

Shiro’s eyes are distant and he trembles. Gathering the spit in my mouth, I throw it at Commander Sendak’s feet. He looks down at the spit with a flicker of disdain, but he doesn’t retaliate. Instead, he lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head.

“Such fire,” he says, almost admiringly. “A shame your fire is so misdirected.”

I bare my teeth, straining against my restraints. “I’m going to kill you.”

He crouches, bringing himself to eye level with me. “Really? And h—”

I spit in his face this time, eliciting a low growl from him, but he doesn’t take the bait. Commander Sendak sneers and walks over to the computer, preparing for launch again.

When I look up, Pidge is standing at the doorway. He launches his gauntlet at her, but she dodges out of the way. Commander Sendak starts chasing her.

“Pidge, no!” I yell, my voice cracking. He picks up his pace, rounding a corner.

My eyes widen as another Pidge rushes into the bridge.

She used another hologram.

Pidge goes to Shiro first. "Shiro, wake up. It's me, Pidge—" she says. Commander Sendak's gauntlet flies through the air, grabbing her and holding her up in the air.

"You really thought your little hologram trick would work with me?" he yells, enraged.

“Let her go!” I shout, struggling against the restraints.

Keith and Allura enter the bridge, and Keith summons his bayard to fight. Lance stirs beside me.

"Stand back," Commander Sendak growls.

A whirling laser shot spins past me, and Commander Sendak is struck from behind by Lance's bayard rifle, causing him to loosen his grip on Pidge. Lance passes out again and Shiro stands, charging at him, but is thrown aside. Keith charges, slashing his sword at him, but the clawed gauntlet wraps itself around Keith and he is thrown. Pidge severs the energy chain to Commander Sendak’s gauntlet, rendering it useless.

"No!" Commander Sendak exclaims as he charges towards Pidge, but she wraps her bayard around him. Keith raises his sword, yelling as he charges, but his attack is blocked.

Allura is rapidly typing on her computer and she turns around to look at the fight. "Keith, now!" she yells.

Keith jumps in the air and kicks Commander Sendak into the center of the bridge where the crystal is. A light blue barrier is raised, leaving him trapped.

My shoulders slump and Allura rushes to me as Pidge breaks Shiro’s restraints and Keith goes to Lance.

“(Y/N)? Are you okay?” she asks hurriedly.

I struggle against my restraints. “Get me out of these,” I groan. Allura quickly unties the restraints, but her hands pause briefly, and her eyes narrow as she notices a faint scar running along my wrist. I notice the look and snap my hand away, standing shakily as I rub my wrists. “I’m fine,” I insist, avoiding her gaze.

Commander Sendak pounds against the barrier, his voice echoing with rage. “You think this is over? I’ll have you all bowing before Emperor Zarkon soon enough! Starting with you, Princess.”

My blood runs cold at the word and Allura’s head whips behind as she glares at him. She gets up and goes to the computer, pressing something, and the next time he touches the barrier, a strong electric zap knocks him out.

|••••••••••|

Lance is placed in a healing pod and Commander Sendak is contained.

"After a day in here, he should be fully healed," Allura says.

I stare at the blue liquid as it fills the pod and place a gentle hand on the glass.

I’m so sorry, Lance.

Shiro approaches Pidge and the rest of us follow. "Pidge, we can't thank you enough for all you did,” he says. “I can't help but feel that you were meant to be a part of our team... but I understand if you want to leave."

Pidge closes her eyes, guilt swimming in her eyes. "Dad used to tell me how close he was with his crew members. They were like family. Now, I understand what he was talking about." Shiro smiles at Pidge. "I'm staying with you guys. Let's stop Zarkon for all of our families."

“For all our families,” I echo softly with a small smile.

Keith’s expression softens as he regards Pidge and smiles. "Good to have you back on the team," he says.

Sighing, I tuck the loose strands of my braid behind my ear. "This has been a long, long day. I’m going to bed.”

You were my friend, I had said to Sendak. But the truth is more complicated than that.

Because once upon a time, he had been more than just a friend.

And now, he’s my enemy.

|••••••••••|

Pidge’s face is pressed up against the glass of the healing pod, Allura looks up at him confused, Keith is examining Lance with his arms crossed, Hunk’s shoulders are slumped, Shiro’s head is tilted, and I’m huddled between them, sipping on a juice pouch.

Keith's stare shifts to me and I stop sipping, offering him the straw. He raises an eyebrow, his lips twitching like he’s trying not to laugh. “No thanks,” he says dryly.

"I can't tell if he looks healthy... or not," Hunk says, analyzing Lance.

"I think he's breathing weird," Pidge says.

"He's not breathing weirdly," I say.

Keith’s shoulders slouch and he groans. "Oh, come on." He taps once on the pod and Allura pushes his hand away.

"Not yet! A few more ticks," she scolds.

His arms cross again. "How much better do you think he's gonna get in a few more ticks?"

"And what exactly is a tick?" Pidge asks.

"You don't know what a tick is?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, a time-slice," Allura says.

"What, like a second?" Shiro asks.

"What is a... 'second'?"

Pidge takes out a clock counting seconds to show Allura. "Like this," she says.

"I'm not sure. I think ticks are bigger. Coran, do you have a ticker?"

Coran is standing at the console and pulls something out. "Right here, Princess." He holds up the ticker.

Allura, Pidge, and Hunk walk up to him and Hunk leans in closer.

"I think ticks are a little slower," he says.

“I can’t tell,” Pidge says, her gaze shifting between the timer in her hand and the ticker.

Crossing my arms, I watch them from where I stand. "You should probably start at the same time,” I say with a slight chuckle.

"Exactly, right.”

"Okay.” Keith and I walk down the stairs. “Ready, go!" Coran shouts.

Both counters start together, and everyone huddles around to watch.

Shiro peeks from behind Hunk’s shoulder. "Yes! I think we're winning," Hunk cheers.

"Winning what? The intergalactic time-measuring competition?" Keith asks. I snort at his sarcastic tone.

Hunk gives him a look. "Yes."

Lance stumbles over to us. "You guys having a clock party?"

Hunk’s face falls and he groans. "Aw, Lance, you just ruined it. Uh—Hey, Lance!" He hugs Lance happily.

"What happened?"

Allura places a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We can tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?" she asks.

"Talking? Eating? Are you asking me out on a date?" Lance flirts.

Allura’s face falls and she is unimpressed, as is most of the team. She crosses her arms.

"Yep. There he is," Pidge says.

"Yep, he's okay," Shiro adds.

"Classic," Keith sighs.

I roll my eyes and give Lance a light punch.

"Ouch!”

“Let’s get you dressed, pretty boy,” I mutter.

|••••••••••|

Lance sits at the head of the table in the dining hall, scooping green food goo into his spoon and eating it. Coran, Allura, and Hunk stand on the right, behind the chair, and Shiro stands on his left, leaning on the chair. Pidge is crouching by the table and Keith and I sit on top. The mice squeak near Lance’s bowl and he holds his spoon out, feeding the largest mouse with a smile.

"He'd be Sendak's prisoner right now if not for Pidge and (Y/N)," Allura says, looking at us.

"Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new Crystal," Pidge responds.

"Wow. Thanks, everybody. Sounds like the mice did more than you, though," Lance chuckles.

Keith’s eyes widen, his arms tightening around his chest. "I punched Sendak!" he exclaims.

Lance scratches his chin. "Yeah, apparently after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off."

"We had a bonding moment. I cradled you in my arms!"

He crosses his arms, shaking his head. "Nope. Don't remember, didn't happen.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and one of the mice climbs up on my arm.

“So, what happened to Sendak?" Lance asks.

"He's frozen in a cryo-pod,” Allura replies. “We're keeping him here in the Castle."

"Are we allowed to visit?" I ask. Allura nods.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?” Lance asks. “Keeping him in the Castle, that is."

"He's too dangerous to be set free. Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him," Allura says.

"So, what's the plan now?"

"We have to get back to the Balmera and save Shay and her people," Hunk responds.

Lance looks at Hunk incredulously. "Wow, you are really hung up on this lady." The mouse climbs into Lance’s bowl and eats all of the food goo, collapsing on its back once it’s finished.

I scoff. “You’re just mad Hunk found himself a lady before you did.”

Hunk shakes his head. "No, it's not like that. Look, guys, when you see how Zarkon has treated these people and destroyed their home—They've been under his thumb for so long, they don't even know what it is to be free. It's up to us to set this right. This is what being a Paladin of Voltron is all about. It's time to man up."

Pidge frowns, and Keith jumps off the table.

"Then let's get moving. Time to go defend the universe," Shiro says. The rest of the team begins to leave the Dining Hall.

"Wait,” Pidge says, standing straight. “I have something to say first. I need to come clean and... I'm afraid this may change the way you all think about me. Just so there are no secrets between us anymore, I can't ‘man up’ because I'm a girl." Lance looks flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. "I-I mean, I can ‘man up’ because that's just a figure of speech. I don't have actually to be a man to ‘man up’ I just have to be tough. But what I'm saying—"

"Huh—Eh—Wha—?! You're a girl!? HOW!?" Lance yells.

I look at him amused. “You really didn’t know?”

"I've known for some time, but I'm glad you've shared it with everyone," Allura smiles.

"Yeah, I figured," Hunk says.

"Oh, yeah, me too," Keith says.

"Wait, w-we were supposed to think you were a boy?" Coran asks.

"Pidge, owning who you are is going to make you a better Paladin," Shiro smiles.

Pidge sighs in relief. "It's good to get that off my chest. Now, let's launch this Castle Ship!" She runs off after the team.

Lance is still confused and he shakes his head. "Wait, what?” he exclaims. “Pidge is a girl, and is the Castle a ship? How long have I been out?"

“Barely one day.” I snort and push him to start moving. "Come on, Lancey. Let's go."

We walk to where the team is. Well, it was more like I was dragging Lance behind me.

Allura places her hands on the controls and the crystal glows. Chairs emerge from the floor and I tilt my head, counting them. My shoulders slump and I pout slightly. There are five stations, one for each Paladin.

Wow, Violet really is a secret.

“Activate interlock,” Allura says.

"Dynotherms connected," Coran responds.

The Castle rumbles. "Mega thrusters are go."

"We are ready to depart planet Arus on your mark, Princess.”

"Firing main engines for launch."

The Castle slowly detaches from the cliff, revealing the engine below its base.

I rush to look out the window with wide eyes.

Quiznak, Violet!

As if on cue, her soft chuckle echoes in my mind. "When you need me, I'll come as your lion in shining armor."

This again?

“Oh, my apologies. Your Galra in shining armor.”

“I just leave you here?” I reply internally.

She sighs. “As discussed, I am a last resort. Voltron doesn’t need me yet.”

My shoulders slump as the Castle Ship breaks through Arus’s atmosphere and I take a final glance at the cave Violet is hiding in. “What’s the point of me having you if I can’t reap the benefits?”

Violet is silent for a moment. “Just trust me, my dear.”

|••••••••••|

Hunk is pacing the bridge while Lance, Pidge, and I sit on the stairs. Keith is leaning on a wall with his arms crossed and Shiro simply stands with his hands on his hips.

"Okay,” Hunk says. “So, when we get there, what do you think? Do we just roll up and like, start blasting? Or do we land and have some... kind of public address system, like, 'Attention, Galras. This is Voltron. Turn yourselves in!'" He pauses and looks around. "No. Blasting, right?"

Keith shifts, raising his hands. "Hunk, calm down,” he says and he leans back. “And yes, blasting."

"Definitely blasting," I nod, turning to rest on my stomach and planting my head in the center of my palms.

Shiro chuckles. "Eh, it's our first big rescue mission. He's excited."

Pidge smirks and leans back on the stairs, glancing at Hunk upside down. "Excited to see his new girlfriend," she teases.

Hunk gasps in defense. "She's not my girlfriend! She's just a rock that I met and I admire very much."

I glance between them. “What’s a girlfriend?” I ask.

Everyone turns to stare at me with a mix of confusion, amusement, and disbelief. Keith raises an eyebrow, Hunk freezes mid-step, and Lance nearly chokes on nothing at all. Pidge, however, is the first to recover.

“Wait... you’re joking, right?” Pidge asks, blinking at me.

“No,” I say plainly, sitting upright and brushing imaginary lint off my sleeve. “What’s so funny about that?”

Lance lets out a loud laugh, clutching his stomach. “Oh, man! Are you serious? You don’t know what a girlfriend is? Did you grow up in a cave or something?”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“It’s like… uh…” Hunk scratches the back of his neck, searching for words. “It’s someone you like a lot. More than a friend.”

“Like… a teammate you really admire?” I ask innocently, tilting my head.

“Sure, if by ‘admire’ you mean having googly eyes and wanting to hold hands all the time,” Lance says, still grinning like an idiot.

Keith rolls his eyes and leans back against the wall. “It’s not that complicated. A girlfriend is someone you have romantic feelings for. And before you ask, romance is—”

“I know what romance is!” I snap, cutting him off. My cheeks heat up. “I’m not that clueless.”

These quiznaking idiots are so annoying.

Shiro, sensing my discomfort, steps in. “Alright, alright, let’s not overwhelm her. Everyone grows up differently.”

Violet’s voice chimes in my mind, soft and mocking. "You're doing splendidly, my dear. Absolutely blending in.”

“Not helping,” I snap back silently.

I cross my arms over my chest as I glare at all of them, besides Shiro. “You could’ve said courting. I know what courting is.”

Lance bursts into laughter again, nearly toppling over, and even Pidge lets out a chuckle. “Courting? Who even says that anymore?” Lance wipes a tear from his eye.

Unusual alarms start blaring and we’re alert.

"What is it?” Shiro asks. “Are we being attacked?"

Thank the stars. I groan dramatically and stand.

"No, it seems to be a distress beacon. It's coming from a nearby moon. Apparently, a ship has lost power," Allura answers.

Pidge stands and holds her chin. "I wonder who it is," she says.

Hunk steps beside her and puts his arms on his hips. "Whoever it is will have to wait. Shay has first priority. We can check back on them when we're done," he says.

"The Paladin Code states that we must help all those in need," Allura says.

He crosses his arms.

"Wow!” Lance exclaims, walking up to them. “This is so cool. It's like we're space cops on space patrol. Coran, do we have a siren we can turn on?"

"Uh, no, but we could record you making a siren noise and broadcast that to them," Coran says.

"Perfect!" Lance tries to imitate a siren. Shiro places a hand over Lance's mouth.

"No, not doing that," he says, shaking his head.

I sigh, glancing between the two of them. “Good thing you stopped, otherwise I would’ve tossed you back into that healing pod.”

"Where do you get all these ideas?" Keith asks.

"My brain, of course."

"Ah. I didn't realize you had a brain."

I freeze and narrow my eyes at him. "I have a brain, Keith."

|••••••••••|

We enter the moon’s atmosphere.

ALLURA: "Attention, damaged craft, this is Princess Allura. We are coming to assist you.”

The Castle Ship lands and Allura turns to look at Coran. "Stay aboard and try to get as many of our systems clear of that Galra crystal energy as you can. We'll see who hailed us," she says.

"Yes, Princess," Coran says.

We all descend to the moon's crust using one of the smaller ships.

"You don't know how glad we are to see some friendly faces.” A purple alien male stands. He has some sort of wrench in his hand and a hat over his head. Beside him is a yellow alien female wearing a small smile. They have multiple crates behind them. “Most folks don't want to get tangled up with anyone who's on the run from the Galra."

Running from the Galra? I look at their ship. In that thing?

"So, you guys are fighting the Galra?" Keith asks.

"Well, I don't think Zarkon is exactly quaking in his boots at the three of us, but we do what we can. I'm Rolo. This is Nyma, and our cyber-unit, Beezer," Rolo says.

"Hi," Nyma smiles. Her amethyst eyes sparkle.

Lance looks struck by Nyma's beauty, a heavy blush painting his features and his mouth hangs open.

Pidge looks amazed by Beezer. "Cool robot!" she gushes. She and Lance rush to them.

Lance takes Nyma's hand. "Hi! Name's Lance," he flirts.

Nyma smiles, accepting Lance’s flirtatious advances and I roll my eyes. Keith crosses arms, studying the three. He’s suspicious, and I am too.

"Was your ship damaged in a fight?" Shiro asks.

Typical Lance. Typical Shiro.

"Yeah, we've really been through it with the Galra. Parts are hard to come by. Luckily, we were able to limp to this moon about a week ago. If you didn't pick up our distress signal, I didn—" Rolo starts.

"Why are the Galra interested in you?" I ask, stepping closer. "What did you do?"

"(Y/N)!" Allura says, looking embarrassed. "Sorry. She's not great with strangers. Anyway, we're happy to help. I am Princess Allura of Altea, and from now on, you won't be alone fighting the Galra. You'll have the Paladins of Voltron by your side."

Rolo compares the serious Shiro, Keith, and Hunk with Lance and Pidge, who are goofing off with Nyma and Beezer. He doesn't look impressed. If I looked at us I wouldn't be impressed either.

"...Okay," Rolo says.

"I don't think they've heard of us," Shiro says.

"It has been ten thousand years," Keith says.

"Voltron? Five robot Lions that combine into this big robot... guy?" Lance says, trying to spark their memories.

"Sounds impressive. I'd love to see it.” Rolo looks confused. “Or—Or him. Them."

"Why don't we just get to work on your ship? I'm sure we all have places to be," Hunk says.

"Sure." Rolo opens his spacecraft. "Pretty much our whole flaxum assembly is shot. I don't know what kind of extra parts you carry in this rig of yours. I've never seen anything quite like it."

Lance raises an arm, flexing his bicep and he continues flirting with Nyma. She covers her mouth and giggles. Shiro smacks him and Lance frowns. I walk up to them and jab my elbow in Lance’s side.

"I'm sure we can get you back up and running,” Allura says with a kind smile. “Give Hunk a list of what you need. Coran can show you where to find it."

Hunk hesitates, looking between them. "Okay," he says.

"We'll go with you. Don't want you to have to carry all that yourself,” Rolo says. “Come on, guys." He tries walking toward the Castle of Lions, but Hunk stops him.

"Uh, I don't think so.” He crosses his arms. “You can just wait out here.”

"Hunk, don't be rude," Allura scolds.

"Yeah, mind your manners. There are ladies present," Lance says as he winks at Nyma.

The team groans. Shaking my head, I whack his head.

"Hey!" Lance whines.

Shiro sighs.

"Oh, I'm sorry,” Hunk says, a deep frown on his features. “Oh, but does anyone remember the last time we let our defenses down? Someone kind of set off a bomb. Remember Lance? You were almost killed."

"Oh, yeah..." Lance says, his shoulders drooping.

"Hunk's right.” Shiro steps forward. “Sorry, but we have to be cautious.”

"Hey, I don't take it personally.” Rolo walks up to Beezer and grabs the sheet of paper he printed out. “That's how it is out here. You've got to look out for your own. You're doing a good job, big man."

Rolo hands Hunk the list of parts from Beezer.

"Yeah. Thanks," Hunk says as he snatches the list and heads into the Castle Ship.

|••••••••••|

Night has fallen on the moon and we sit by a fire while Pidge plays with Beezer. Keith scoots closer to me, playing around with his helmet. I trace a shape into the condensation on his visor. He traces the same shape and I give him a look.

“Don’t copy me,” I mutter, doing a different shape.

"My planet was destroyed by the Galra, and I was taken captive. I managed to escape, but not before I lost something," Rolo says as he shows us his prosthetic left leg. He knocks on it.

"I know exactly how that feels." Shiro clenches his robotic arm.

I look between the two of them and frown.

Hunk drags a hovercart full of parts over. "Well, I hope there are some parts in here that'll fit," he says. He takes his helmet off, shaking his head. Rolo does not respond. "...You know, to get your ship moving?"

Rolo raises his hand with a small smile. "Great! Thanks."

"So, what can you tell us about Zarkon's forces? Where are they concentrated?" Allura asks, sitting on the crate beside ours. Pidge rides Beezer in the background, shouting with glee.

"Well, his Command Ship sits right in the center of the Empire. He mostly calls the shots from there and has his minions do the work, depending on who's closest. This is the territory of a real nasty bugger named Sendak," Rolo says.

"Oh, we've met," Keith says.

I scoff, shaking my head. “Oh, we’ve met, alright,” I mutter.

“Yeehaw!” Pidge squeals, clutching tighter to Beezer’s head.

Keith eyes me with mild amusement. I sigh, meeting his eyes. “What?”

“You probably don’t know what that means, either,” he says, leaning in closer. Pursing my lips, I shake my head. “It’s an exclamation we use back at home.”

“Oh. Yeehaw," I mutter quietly, testing the word under my breath. Keith’s lips twitch into a faint smirk, but he says nothing.

"How far are we from the center?" Shiro asks.

"We're way out on the fringes," Rolo says.

Hunk walks over. "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I think you guys are kind of keeping Rolo from working. It's just that we're in a hurry. A hero named Shay saved my life, and I swore I would return to do the same for her and her people. You understand.”

Rolo stands. "Sure. Sorry." He pats a hand on Hunk's shoulder and then walks over to the hovercart to inspect the parts.

Shiro approaches Hunk. “Hunk,” he whispers, “we’re gonna get going soon, but I think Rolo might have some information that could be helpful to us.”

Hunk points a sharp side-eye at Rolo. “Not for nothing, but I don’t trust this guy as far as I could throw him.” Beezer starts ringing and Pidge panics. “I think we gotta leave him with a box of parts and just say ‘Adios amigo’.”

“‘Adios amigo’,” I repeat quietly, tilting my head.

Keith snickers. “That means ‘goodbye, friend’ in Spanish. Don’t tell me you don’t know what that means either.”

I glare at him, heat rising to my cheeks again. “Leave me alone.”

"Hey, bud!” Rolo calls out, turning to look at Hunk.

“Keith,” I whisper, leaning toward him. “Do you trust them?”

He glances at me sideways. “No. Do you?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Sorry, but do you think you could hunt down a length of thermal pipe about yea long?" Rolo asks, gesturing the length.

Hunk groans and rolls his eyes. "On the way," he mutters, leaving.

Shiro approaches Rolo first. "So, are there more freedom fighters? Any kind of organized resistance to the Galra?" he asks. We walk up behind him.

There used to be a lot.

"Only folks who haven't been colonized yet, or the lucky few, like us, who managed to escape somehow," Rolo replies.

"Well, we're going to change all that," Keith says.

"That's good to hear, but I've got to warn you, it's pretty bad out there. You don't know what you're up against." He turns away, shifting his focus back to the hovercart.

I take a hesitant step, curiosity gnawing at me. “How bad is it?” I ask.

Rolo pauses for a moment, glancing at me. “Zarkon and his soldiers stop at nothing.”

“And Prince Lotor? What of him?”

He shrugs, a small laugh escaping from him. “Exile or something. But between you and me, I think the guy’s just a myth.”

I frown. Exile?

Hunk and Rolo tinker with the ship, but a loud boom echoes, and when I look up, I see the Blue Lion leaving the Castle.

I blink, my mouth hanging open. “What a damn fool,” I mutter.

"Oh, Lance," Hunk sighs, shaking his head.

"Ah, let them have their fun.” Rolo places a hand on Hunk’s shoulder. “Thanks to you, this thing is just about ready, so we're going to be on our way soon. Too many light years on that guy, I guess."

Hunk suspiciously eyes the part he replaced. "Yeah."

Rolo suddenly exits the engine of his ship, jolting me and Keith who lean on one of the walls. "I think this thing is just about ready for a test flight. Beezer, come co-pilot for me. Be back in a tick."

They rush into the ship, shutting the door.

"Uh..." Hunk trails off, lifting his goggles.

Rolo's spacecraft takes flight without issues and I turn away, trying not to get sand or dust in my eyes. They disappear into the air.

I stand there, dumbfounded.

|••••••••••|

"How many ticks have they been gone?" Pidge asks, kicking a pebble. We’re all sitting around on the crates they left behind.

"I don't know,” Allura admits. “I hope they didn't break down again."

"Something ain't right," Hunk says.

"I think they played us for some fools,” I mutter, staring at the direction they flew in.

LANCE: "Guys? Hello? Little help?"

SHIRO: "Lance?” Everyone puts their helmets on. “Lance! Are you all right? W-What's going on?"

LANCE: "Well, I'm kind of chained to a... a tree."

HUNK: "I knew it!"

LANCE: “And I think Nyma and Rolo just stole the Blue Lion.”

HUNK: "I knew it!"

I shake my head. (Y/N): “Great.”

Allura looks at me and groans, cursing under her breath. She pulls up the GPS tracking and walks Northeast.

ALLURA: “I’m coming to get you, Lance.”

SHIRO: "Where are they?"

LANCE: "Uh... space?"

HUNK: "Uh, I never trusted those guys, right from the beginning!"

|••••••••••|

I smile wide as I enter the hangar the way Lance usually enters and hold tightly onto the zip line.

(Y/N): “Stars above, this is so cool! You guys do this every time?”

Hunk rants at length. HUNK: “I mean, y'know, at first, it was just like a feeling in my gut, you know? But when I was replacing that thermal pipe, the pipe was cracked, but none of the hardware around it was damaged."

Letting go of the zip line, I fall into the blue machine and hold onto the controls.

KEITH: "Okay, we get it."

HUNK: "I mean, if the thermal pipe is cracked, then, obviously, hello, the entire assembly should be totally roasted."

KEITH: "Okay! We get it."

HUNK: "We should've had to replace the entire undercarriage of that reactor. So, right then, I was, like, positive. Foul play."

ALL: "Okay, we get it!"

Pausing at the floor of the hangar, I look around at the remaining Lions. Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge are already boarding theirs.

“Wait,” I call out, looking between them, confused. “Who am I—”

Keith pulls me by the collar of my suit, dragging me towards the Red Lion.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I thought I wasn’t allowed near your precious Red Lion,” I snap, stumbling after Keith as he drags me up the ramp.

Keith smirks faintly but doesn’t let go. “Well, we don’t have time to argue, do we?”

“You could’ve just asked,” I mutter, reluctantly climbing into a seat behind his pilot one.

Keith straps in, flicking switches with practiced ease as the Red Lion roars to life. “Strap in and hold on. You’re in for a wild ride.”

“Just don’t get us killed, Mullet,” I quip, earning a glare.

|••••••••••|

(Y/N): “Look! There!”

We gain on Rolo's spacecraft, but they fly into the asteroid belt. All the Lions come to a halt.

PIDGE: "We'll never get through this asteroid field!"

HUNK: "Maybe I can just bust through!" Hunk slams the Yellow Lion into an asteroid, causing all the asteroids to bump against each other. "Nope. That was wrong. That was a bad idea."

SHIRO: "Keith, you're the only one who could possibly fly through this. We need you, buddy. Get in there and flush him out."

KEITH: "You got it. See you on the other side."

I grip my seat and glance at Keith. (Y/N): "Wait, why only Keith?”

SHIRO: “Keith is one of the most talented pilots of his generation.”

Keith smirks as he pursues Rolo in the Red Lion, navigating through the asteroid field easily. I stare at how we move in disbelief. Soon, we reach them. Rolo’s ship fires laser blasters at the Red Lion, and Keith dodges the attacks, firing Red’s mouth cannon in retaliation and steering us away from the asteroids.

My grip tightens and my heart races as we fly. He is an incredible pilot.

Rolo veers hard left and Keith grunts, gripping Red’s controls and using its thrusters to prevent us from crashing. He powers on the Red Lion's jaw blade and flings it at Rolo's spacecraft, disabling the ship's weapons and causing them to explode.

(Y/N): “Nice, Mullet!”

They increase their speed, but Keith is right on them, firing the Red Lion's mouth cannon at their engines. The action causes another explosion and their spacecraft spins out of control, knocking them out of the asteroid belt. Keith catches them with the Red Lion, inserting its paws into the metal of the ship, and uses the thrusters to slow them to a stop. The other Lions arrive.

KEITH: "Yeah! Haha! Hey, Lance, I got your Lion back."

LANCE: "Thank you, Keith. Now, can you come and unchain me?"

KEITH: "What's that? I, uh... Y-You're cutting out. I can't—I can't hear you."

LANCE: "Oh, come on! I thought we bonded. Keith? Buddy? My man?"

I snort. (Y/N): “Did Allura still not find you?”

I hear soft chuckles on the other side of the comms. ALLURA: “Oh, I found him. I am simply taking a moment to enjoy the view.”

Lance sighs, and I hear him thrashing. LANCE: “All right, ladies, I’ve learned my lesson. Please unchain me.”

|••••••••••|

Rolo and his crew sit on top of a crate looking defeated.

"Since your ship really doesn't work now, you'll have to wait here for a rescue," Keith says.

"Thanks... for sparing our lives," Rolo says.

Hunk keeps his arms crossed, glancing at Shiro. "Now that these guys are dealt with, let's get to the Balmera and save Shay and her family," he says.

"You may not believe this,” Rolo starts, grabbing our attention once more, “but I hope you do stop Zarkon. A lifetime of fighting the Galra led me to where I am today."

Hunk frowns, looking guilty, and he and the team leave, walking to the Castle Ship.

I stay behind and circle them, holding my hands crossed tightly in front of me. Pausing in front of Nyma, I shine my violet-yellow eyes for just a tick. It's a trick I learned when I was little that leaves anyone who sees it feeling unsettled.

Nyma's confident smirk falters as she meets my glowing eyes. Her breath hitches, and for the first time since we met, she looks nervous. "What's your deal?" she asks, her voice laced with forced bravado.

I lean in slightly, just enough to make her squirm. "My deal?” I lower my voice, letting it turn cold. "If you three were to have stolen my Lion from me, I would have hung you by your insides and let you dangle as a warning to anyone who dared to cross me." I crack my knuckles. “You should count yourself lucky we didn’t leave you drifting in space.”

Nyma flinches but holds her tongue, her hands clenching into fists on her lap.

I straighten. “Remember this moment the next time you think about crossing us. Because there won’t be a next time.”

Rolo's face pales, and he swallows hard, clearly unnerved as he nods. "We wouldn't dream of crossing you again," he stammers.

"See to it that you don't," I say, turning to walk back to the Castle Ship with a smirk on my lips.

Bounty hunters, Commanders, dark magic—not even death itself—is going to stop me. I will make them all pay.

I am the harbinger of justice, and my wrath is inevitable.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Darkness fills the area, stretching endlessly, a suffocating void that weighs heavily on my chest. The air is cold and damp, laced with the sharp tang of iron. My bare feet touch the freezing metal floor, each step sending a shiver up my spine. Ahead of me stands a massive throne, drenched in crimson light that seems to pulse like a heartbeat. The silence is broken only by the soft, maddening drip of blood falling from nowhere, splattering onto the floor.

I approach the throne, its imposing form a perfect replica of Emperor Zarkon's. My hand trembles as I reach out, compelled by an unseen force. The moment my palm meets the metal, searing pain shoots through me. My skin sizzles, and I cry out, stumbling backward.

"You are a monster," a voice murmurs. "A half-breed traitor. All this blood is on your hands, and more is yet to come."

The words twist in my mind, sinking deep into my heart. The floor beneath me becomes slick with blood, spreading like an endless tide. My breaths come in ragged gasps as the crimson pool rises, engulfing me. It's thick, suffocating, dragging me down into its depths. My lungs burn as I thrash, desperate for air, but the blood invades, filling me with its metallic tang. I sink deeper, my body straining, until the darkness swallows me whole.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the scene shifts. I'm gasping for breath, greedily sucking in the cool air. My body trembles as I find myself in a familiar place—the training room in Emperor Zarkon's Central Command. Two children stand before me, their voices echoing with youthful laughter.

A broad, fluffy-eared Galra boy, no older than ten, watches in awe as a younger girl—dressed in a deep burgundy dress and dark purple boots—twirls in place. Her form shifts effortlessly, eyes glowing as she transforms fully into her Galra state.

It's us. Me and Sendak.

"Show me that trick again, (N/N)!" Young Sendak's voice is eager, full of admiration. His bright eyes sparkle with excitement.

I want to look away, but I can't. My heart aches as I watch my younger self giggle and oblige, her transformation fluid and full of pride. She's carefree, untouched by the weight of the world. Of the Galra Empire. "Stupid, stupid girl," I mutter through my teeth. "Stop."

"Okay!" she says, twirling again. Her confidence shines through her smile as she takes a seat beside him. "Dayak Zlak says I'm special."

Sendak's ears flick, and he pouts. "You need to teach me."

She pats the fur on his head, grinning. "But then I wouldn't be special anymore, Sen."

The door slides open, and both children straighten as Dayak Zlak enters. His gaze sweeps over them, a hint of curiosity in his stern expression.

"What is going on here?" he asks.

(Y/N) purses her lips, her gaze shifting as she stands and begrudgingly makes her way to her governor. Her shoulders slump. "Nothing," she says quietly.

Zlak gently caresses her hair and peeks at Sendak. "Shouldn't you be training?"

Sendak stiffens under Zlak's scrutiny. "Yes, Dayak. My apologies. I'll resume immediately." He grabs the wooden training staff at his feet, holding it tightly, though his ears flick nervously.

Zlak hums in approval, but his gaze lingers on the young (Y/N). "And you, little one? Why are you not at your lessons with Prince Lotor?"

"I finished them early," (Y/N) replies, her voice small, as she scuffs the floor with her boot.

Zlak sighs, grabbing her hand and escorting her out of the training room.

The scene flickers and shifts again, leaving me disoriented.

Now, Sendak is thirteen, his frame taller and his demeanor more assured. I—now ten—sit on the floor, pressing a rag to an open wound from training. She trains with Sendak, Lotor, and other young Galra every day, much to her Dayaks' dismay.

"When I'm older, I'm going to explore the universe," Sendak announces, his voice carrying a note of wonder.

"Are you going to leave me, Sen?" she asks softly, her voice tinged with fear.

"Never." He crouches beside me, taking my hand in his. "I'll take you with me. We'll be adventurers who voyage the universe, just like you've always dreamed."

A tear escapes my younger self's eye, and she smiles. "Do you promise?"

He presses a quick kiss to her hand, his own trembling slightly. "I promise."

The warmth of their bond fills the room, only to be shattered as the vision shifts again.

"Sen?" (Y/N) looks up at Sendak. Now, I'm fifteen. My fingers brush through the fur on Sendak's cheeks as he gazes down at me. The air between us is thick with unspoken emotion.

"Yes, Princess?" he murmurs, his voice soft. A warm smile is on his features as he gazes down at her.

I rise onto my toes, pressing a tentative kiss to his lips. His eyes widen in surprise, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, his arms tighten around me protectively.

"(Y/N)... you shouldn't," he whispers, his voice laced with regret.

"I wanted to," I say, my cheeks burning. She fidgets with the sleeves of her dress and takes a small step back. "You mean so much to me, Sen. I don't know what I'd do without you."

His ears flick back, his expression conflicted. "What we are... what you are... you can't let feelings cloud your judgment."

My younger self's gaze hardens and the hurt is evident in her eyes. "Because of what I am? Is that what you think of me?"

Sendak sighs heavily, running a hand through his fur. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just... you're Emperor Zarkon's daughter. A-and your mother... if anyone found out—"

"Why does it always come back to him?" (Y/N) snaps, her voice rising. "I am my own person, and I—"

"Enough!" Sendak barks, his voice echoing through the dimly lit corridor. He steps back, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "You don't understand what's at stake."

"I understand perfectly." Tears sting her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. Her voice trembles. "I understand that you're too much of a coward to stand by me."

Sendak flinches and he shakes his head, embracing her. He inhales her scent, closing his eyes. "Stars above," he whispers, his voice cracking. "I will always stand by you."

My fists tremble with anger as I look at them. "Liar," I whisper.

The scene fractures, dissolving into chaos. Alarms blare, purple and red lights flashing as members of Rez'or storm the command center.

"Sen? What are you doing? We have to leave!" she shouts over the noise.

Sendak remains with his sword drawn, his eyes flickering to the incoming Galra sentries. "You're not going anywhere."

Amidst the carnage, I see my younger self standing before Sendak, her eyes wide with betrayal.

"You ratted us out?" she whispers, blood splattered across her. "How could you?"

Sendak's voice is cold. "I did what I had to. You've become delusional. You talk of freedom and you've let these rebels poison your mind."

She charges at him, her sword clashing against his. He disarms her effortlessly, slamming her into a wall. Her screams echo as Druids arrive, their shadows darkening the room.

"Her defiance nearly cost us the Empire. Emperor Zarkon shall reward you greatly for your service to the Galra Empire. Vrepit Sa."

"Vrepit Sa!" Sendak salutes, placing one hand over his heart.

(Y/N) shakes her head frantically, trying to claw her way free. "No!" she screams, thrashing. "No!"

I flinch at the sight, but it is the final vision that leaves me breathless.

(Y/N), now nearly eighteen, sits battered and bruised in a cold cell and her bottom lip is busted. She has been forced to fight in the Arena for two years already, and each fight chips away at her soul. Her chains rattle as Sendak kneels before her.

"Will you make me the happiest Galra alive and marry me?" he asks.

(Y/N) freezes, her mind screaming in disbelief at Sendak's words. Her breath catches as she stares at him kneeling before her. His face is a mask of stoic determination, but she can see the flicker of vulnerability in his eyes—a silent plea, buried deep beneath layers of duty and pride.

"You want to marry me?" she spits, her voice sharp and brittle like cracked glass. "After everything you've done?"

Sendak doesn't flinch, but his ears flick back ever so slightly. "(Y/N), I—"

"You betrayed me!" she shouts, cutting him off, her voice echoing against the metal walls. "You handed me over like I was nothing. You stood there and watched as they broke me—piece by piece—and now you dare to ask me to be yours?"

Sendak's jaw tightens. His voice is low, measured. "It wasn't betrayal. It was survival. For both of us."

"Survival?" Her laughter is hollow, bitter. "You call this survival? Look at me, Sendak! Look at what your survival has cost me!" She gestures to her battered body and her ragged clothes. "I'm a monster. And you—" Her voice cracks, and tears sting her eyes. "You let it happen."

"I didn't have a choice," he growls, his composure fracturing. "Do you think I wanted this?"

Her gaze burns into his. "Why now?"

His hands twitch at his sides, and for a moment, he looks away. "Because I still love you," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because despite everything, I can't imagine a future without you in it."

"I'm going to kill you, Sendak," she snarls, lunging at him. Her thumb digs into his right eye, and the blood is warm and sticky against her skin. I flinch.

He cries out in pain, throwing her against the wall.

"It is marriage to me or death, (Y/N)," he roars. "Emperor Zarkon is willing to spare your life."

Her voice is steady, venomous. "I would rather die than become your wife."

He looks at her in a rage. "Don't beg for death so easily because I will not hesitate to snap your neck."

"Then kill me, damn it!"

The scene darkens as Sendak storms out, his heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor. He pauses outside the cell, clutching his injured eye. His breathing is ragged, his composure slipping further with every passing second. His shoulders slump, but he shoves the emotions aside. Duty over sentiment—always.

Inside, (Y/N) collapses against the wall, the chains biting into her wrists as she cradles her battered body. Her chest heaves, each breath a struggle. The flickering light above casts ominous shadows, making her feel even smaller.

A voice crackles through a hidden speaker embedded in the cell. It's Haggar's. "You truly are your father's daughter."

I focus my attention back to (Y/N), and she's huddled on the floor crying. Her quiet whispers float to me and my hands clench.

(Y/N) collapses, her body shaking as she whispers a quiet prayer to the stars. Her voice trembles but carries a spark of defiance. "Stars above, grant me safe passage. I know you are out there listening to me. I vow to restore the Galra Empire and bring peace to the universe. I shall be better."

The scene fades and I wake up panting. Placing a hand upon my racing heart, I shake my head and pinch myself to make sure I am no longer dreaming.

Pain is my reminder.

Red circles form on my arm, but I pinch until I see specks of blood.

I am awake.

Looking up at the cryo-pod, I take in Commander Sendak's frozen state. I stand and stare up at him, mixed feelings swirling. "I trusted you with my life, Sendak, and you betrayed me." My voice is barely above a whisper.

My hand raises to touch the glass, and I rest it there. He looks almost demure and harmless. Almost. For a fleeting moment, I see him as he was—my Sendak, the boy who promised me adventures among the stars. But that boy is gone, buried beneath layers of treachery and ambition. The man before me is a stranger wearing his face.

I lower my hand, bitterness crawling up my throat. "I ought to kill you, but my team needs answers from you." I clench my hands into tight fists. "Do not mistake this as mercy. I will kill you when the time comes."

Walking back to the bridge of the Castle Ship, the entire team is huddled by Princess Allura. They are all out of their Paladin armor, wearing their typical, casual clothes.

Keith looks at me quizzically as I walk to his side. "Where have you been (Y/N)?" he asks.

"I needed some time alone," I say, my voice steady but quiet. My gaze flicks to Keith and lingers for a moment. His eyes narrow slightly, filled with concern and unspoken questions, but he doesn't push.

"Are you all right?" he asks, softer now.

I nod. "I'm fine." He glances at my hand for a moment before focusing back on Allura.

"We'll be arriving at the Balmera soon," she says, glancing at Coran as he follows the map. "Liberating these Balmerans from Zarkon's grasp will not be easy so we will have to give it our all."

Lance gives her a side glance. "So, what's the plan?" he asks. "We go in there and just—Pow, pow, pow!" He imitates laser fire, making hand gestures. "—And free the prisoners?"

Keith's face falls and his features show a slight expression of disgust. "What was that noise?" he asks, putting a hand on his hip.

Lance smirks, pleased with himself. "Laser guns."

Hunk shakes his head. "No, Lance, I think you mean—" He imitates a huge laser cannon. "—Pow!"

"That sounds like fireworks."

Pidge snorts. "Technically, they're more like—ba-choo, ba-choo, ba-choo!" She imitates firing a small laser gun.

"Okay, enough with the bad sound effects," Shiro says. Pidge's shoulders droop. "Besides, it's more like— blam, blam, blam!" He imitates firing a laser gun.

"What?" Keith asks.

"You're crazy," Pidge states.

"No way," Lance says.

"Nuh—Wrong," Hunk shakes his head.

“It’s like this,” I say, putting my hands together. “Pew, pew, pew."

Allura sighs as she looks at us and shakes her head. "Paladins, focus," she scolds.

Hunk nods. “Besides, we can't just shoot at the Galra. This Balmera it's, like, alive. And from what we've seen, it doesn't look very good. I don't want to risk anything."

"Yes, it's an atrocity what the Galra have been doing to this grand beast,” Coran says with a frown as he keeps his eyes locked on the screen. “Stealing its Crystals, its very life force, without ever performing the energy rejuvenation ceremonies to heal it."

"After seeing Shay's people enslaved, it made me realize how bad Zarkon really is. And we're the only ones who can stop him."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I keep my eyes fixed on the scannings that show how damaged this Balmera is and frown.

"Okay, so we can't go into the tunnels guns blazing,” Shiro states. “Plan B. We figure out how to draw the Galra up to the surface and battle them out there."

I nod in agreement. “The Balmera can’t get hurt if you’re in the air fighting.”

"Wait, I know!” Hunk exclaims. “If we attack all of this big mining stuff on the surface, the Galra troops will have to come out to defend it. Then we beat them up and head down to the tunnels, Voltron saves the day."

Keith raises an eyebrow. "But how will we know how many are left down in the tunnels?"

"We can track the Galra and the Balmerans using Biothermal Life Indicator Point Technology," Allura says as she brings up a drone hologram.

"Oh, BLIP tech!" Pidge says excitedly. Allura does not understand and stares at her silently. Pidge adjusts her glasses. “It's an acronym?"

"One of you will need to fly around the Balmera and drop sensors into the shafts on each side." The hologram imitates the plan. "Then we'll be able to see where the Galra and the Balmerans are. There are already sensors built into your suits."

"I can do it. I just modified the Green Lion with the invisible maze's cloaking ability. I should be able to fly around unnoticed."

Coran brings up an image of the Balmera's surface on the screen, zooming in on a Galra structure. "That's their main power generator. If you take that down, it will severely weaken their defenses," he says.

"We'll stay in cloud cover and give tactical support. With the Castle's defenses weakened from Sendak's Crystal, we won't be of much help to you," Allura states.

"I'll take out the power generator,” Shiro says. He turns to look at me. “Someone’s going to need to be on the ground. (Y/N), can you handle it?”

I nod. “I can handle it.”

“Keith, Lance, Hunk, you take out these big mining rigs around the area.”

"Yeah!” Hunk exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. “Okay, let's do this! Let's go kick some alien butt!"

|••••••••••|

I stare at Keith, who is now dressed in his Paladin suit while I am in the Altean armor Coran gave me, and raise an eyebrow. “So…” I trail off as he grabs the zipline, “I just, what? Hold on to you?”

Keith rolls his eyes. "Unless you’ve got a better idea for getting down to Red, yeah. You hold on to me."

I huff, crossing my arms. “Fine. Just don’t drop me.”

“Don’t worry.”

He hooks onto the zipline and offers a hand. I grab it and Keith steadies me as I grip his waist.

Once we reach Red, I strap myself into the same seat. Keith glances over his shoulder to look at me.

“You good?”

I nod, giving him a thumbs up.

Lance’s chuckles echo through the comms. LANCE: “You’re like Keith’s passenger princess, (Y/N).”

Keith rolls his eyes, his hands already moving over the controls to fire up Red. His ears are just barely pink. KEITH: “Shut up, Lance.”

LANCE: “No, really! It’s cute. You’ve got your little sidekick now.”

HUNK: “Keith and (Y/N), sittin’ in a lion…”

I cross my arms over my chest. (Y/N): “You’re lucky you’re over there.”

Lance snickers. LANCE: "You think the Balmerans will have a parade for us after we've freed everybody?"

Keith sends a video transmission to Lance and I flip him off. Lance copies me.

KEITH: "It's not about the glory, Lance. It's about freeing prisoners from Zarkon."

The video transmission ends.

LANCE: "No, I know. I know. But still. When they—"

The Lions fly towards the Balmera's surface, and the Galra structures start firing lasers at us.

SHIRO: "This is it. Get your heads in the game. Remember, the Balmera is a living creature. Make sure you pinpoint only the Galra installations and not its surface."

I sit up in my seat, pointing out the window. “Look out!” I shout. “Immelmann turn, dive up!”

“I know how to pilot my Lion,” Keith grumbles, peering at me through the corner of his eye.

The ship banks hard, and I’m pressed into the seat as Keith executes the maneuver flawlessly, dodging a stream of laser fire. My heart races as Red surges forward, the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

KEITH: “Next time, trust me. I’ve got this.”

(Y/N): “Sure, but next time, maybe don’t wait until the last second?”

Keith huffs a laugh, his focus locked on the controls. “Noted.”

The comms crackle again, Lance’s voice chiming in. LANCE: “Look, if (Y/N) wants to do all the backseat flying, I’ll trade. My Blue Lion loves passengers.”

KEITH: “Not happening, Lance.”

The Red Lion dives again, and the Galra lasers scatter wide as Keith rolls through the air.

PIDGE: "Initiating cloak."

The Green Lion separates from the group and turns invisible to drop BLIP drones. Lance and Hunk destroy the Galra’s weapons. Shiro uses the Black Lion's jaw blade to destroy the power generator and soon Pidge finishes dropping BLIP drones.

PIDGE: "All sensors delivered."

The power generator still has an active, massive laser cannon attacking the Red Lion. After dodging, the Red Lion fires its heat ray to melt through the cannon's tower.

My mouth hangs open.

KEITH: "Whoa! Did you guys just see that? I got firepower!"

I lean in closer, watching as the metal melts. (Y/N): "That's so cool!"

LANCE: "Hey! I want that!"

The cannon tower begins to fall towards the Balmera's surface.

(Y/N): “Keith!”

KEITH: "Oh no!"

Hunk immediately flies the Yellow Lion underneath the tower and struggles to hold it upright. HUNK: "Hey, we can't let this thing hurt the Balmera!"

LANCE: "I think my Lion knows what to do!" Lance uses the Blue Lion's freeze ray to freeze the tower in place.

I stare at the forming ice. (Y/N): “No way, Blue’s got ice powers?”

LANCE: “Ha-aw, snap! These rays are super cool, just like me!"

SHIRO: "Great job, team!"

The Paladins land the Lions on top of the frozen canon and wait for troops from the Galra Empire to appear. Nothing happens.

KEITH: "Where are all the troops? They're not coming to the surface."

HUNK: "Yeah, I remember seeing a lot of Galra guys down in the mines."

ALLURA: "We've located a hangar full of Galra fighters just below the surface. Someone has to take those out before they can launch."

SHIRO: "They're luring us down, but we have no choice. Keith, (Y/N), Lance, you guys hit the hangar. Hunk, you’re going to head to the prison to rescue Shay and the other Balmerans. Pidge and I will track down the Galra soldiers."

Red starts moving again. KEITH: "Yes, sir!"

(Y/N): “Got it!”

LANCE: "Ten-four!"

PIDGE: "On it!"

HUNK: "Let's do this!"

|••••••••••|

There are dozens of Galra fighter jets deep within the cave and their red lights glow ominously against the purple metal. Lance, Keith, and I quietly slide down to get a better look.

"The entire hangar's only being guarded by a few sentries," Keith states.

“They should be easy enough to take out,” I say, keeping my eyes fixed on them.

Keith readies his Bayard, powering on his sword, and prepares to attack. "Let's go!"

As Keith and I prepare to leave, Lance grabs us both by the collars of our suits. I fall into Keith and he glares at Lance while I huff.

"Whoa, w-w-whoa, whoa!” Lance says. “Cool your jets! Don't you remember all that stuff about this Balmera thing being a sensitive animal? Geez, the two of you are like the same person."

"Oh. Right.” Keith’s face falls.

"Yeah, so we can't just blow things up like a psycho."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"I do.” Lance points to a spot in the distance. “We sneak into the control room to shut down the bay doors. That'll trap the ships in."

"That—” Keith stops midsentence, his shoulders slumping. “Actually is a better idea.”

"Wow," I say, my tone dry. "I guess you've got looks and brains."

Lance chuckles. “Oh, so you think I look good, (Y/N)?”

Keith scoffs. “Zip it, both of you.”

|••••••••••|

In the hangar's control room, we’re in a shaft above the computer. Keith powers on his bayard.

"No, no. It's over here," Lance hisses, pointing in the other direction.

"I know what I'm doing," Keith snaps back. He uses his Bayard to slice a hole in the ceiling above a sentry. Lance kicks the hole open, crushing the sentry underneath its weight as we hop down. Pursing my lips, I look at the crushed robot.

"Keep an eye out for those guards,” Lance says, seating himself in front of the controls. “I'll see if I can find a way to shut the hangar doors."

Keith stands guard and I lower myself, trying to loosen an arm of the robot.

"Uh... Hmm. Nope. Maybe. Uh... Uh... Mm..." Lance presses buttons to no avail. "Ah, I don't know what I'm doing here. It's all Galra gibberish."

“It’s not gibberish,” I mutter, tugging harder. “We just need a handprint.”

Galra technology always works with Galra physiology.

"Let me see.” Keith moves away and inspects the console. He puts his hand on the handprint and activates the bay doors, causing them to close.

Lance’s mouth opens. "Whoa! How'd you do that?" he asks.

Keith blinks. "I just put my hand on the handprint."

I scratch my head, letting go of the sentry’s arm and moving over to them. "This thing is defective or something." I bend down to look at the wiring and they look at me weirdly. Glancing at them, I stand up straight and shrug. "Faulty wires or something. You have to be Galra to operate Galra tech.” I turn to look at Keith. “Unless... Keith, are you Galra?"

His eyes open wide. "What? No. Why would you say that? I'm not Galra!"

"I was just asking.” I stare at him and blink, raising my hands in surrender. “Like I said, probably faulty wiring.”

ALLURA: "Paladins, are you there? The Galra troops are moving down the tunnels. It looks like they're going down toward the center."

HUNK: "They must be headed to the core of the Balmera. That's where they're holding Shay."

SHIRO: "They're drawing us into an ambush, but we don't have a choice if we want to save Shay. We have to follow. Lance, Keith, (Y/N) get to the core. I think we're going to need everyone together to get through this firefight.”

LANCE: "Copy that. We're on our way."

Lance and I start running to the door and Keith uses his bayard to destroy the computer. Once we’re out of the control room, Lance shoots at the pad, rendering it inaccessible. We start running through the tunnels.

PIDGE: "Hey, team, be careful. The Balmera is very unstable."

(Y/N): "Got it."

We’re met by a squadron of Galra sentries that open laser fire and dive to take cover.

"Their shooting is destroying the Balmera,” Keith says. “We gotta do something!"

The Balmera is crying in pain.

"Well, we can't shoot back” Lance exclaims. “It'll just make it worse." He looks around and devises a plan, trying to direct Keith with motions instead of words. I roll my eyes.

"Huh?" Keith does not understand, but he looks around and stops his gaze at a ladder. He nods and points to it, beginning to climb. I climb up after him.

Lance is unamused but soon jumps out in front of the sentries, waving his arms. "Na-na Na-na boo-boo!" Lance defends himself with his shield as the sentries fire at him.

Keith jumps down from above and attacks three of the sentries, destroying them. I jump down and land directly on a sentry, snapping its head off. Lance gives us a thumbs-up.

Keith turns to look at me. “Did you just—”

“I’m strong,” I cut him off, a small smile on my face. I drop the head of the sentry.

Lance jogs up to us. “Okay, not gonna lie, that was kind of awesome.”

Keith looks down the tunnel, shaking his head. “Alright, let’s find the team.”

Hunk and Shay are at the other side of the doorway. The moment we reach the core, the doors immediately shut.

My head whips around and I blink. “Are you quiznaking kidding me right now?” I mutter.

"Not an ambush. More like a trap," Hunk states.

"Whatever it is, keep your guard up," Keith says, clutching his bayard.

"The Galra, they gained knowledge that you would return to the Balmera," Shay says, frowning.

"How?" Pidge asks.

"I know not. But they set this trap just for you. I was the bait."

"Who could have possibly known that we were heading here to save Shay?" Shiro asks.

"Rolo! Those liars must have told Zarkon," Hunk says.

I shake my head. We should’ve just left them to rot in space.

Shiro looks around the core. "Whoever betrayed us does not matter right now. We have to figure out how to get out of here.”

"Wait!” Lance exclaims. “We have a giant Castleship hovering in the sky.”

LANCE: “Allura, can you please come get us?"

"How do you expect her to do that, genius?" Keith asks.

"I don't know, maybe they got teleporters or something."

ALLURA: "We're quite occupied at the moment. We're completely surrounded by Galra ships, and we're taking heavy fire! Paladins, you need to get out of there as soon as you can!"

Lance looks dejected. "This is it! We're going to die in here. I can say bye-bye to that parade."

No one is impressed with Lance's whining.

"Will you relax?” I ask, looking at Lance with my arms crossed.

“Get it together, guys,” Shiro says. Lance’s shoulders slump.

SHIRO: “Allura, we'll get there as soon as we can."

"Perhaps my people can help us get out," Shay suggests. She places her hand on the Balmera's core. "This is how we communicate. The Balmera senses our vibrations and sends a message to those in the tunnels."

"Are you sure someone will be able to hear your... hand from all the way down here?" Keith asks.

"The Balmera will deliver the message." Shay focuses, and the area around her hand glows. The Balmera groans as it sends the message to someone.

ALLURA: "Paladins, the Lions are in danger! You must get back to them immediately! Paladins, do you copy? There's a battle cruiser locked onto us. If it fires with its ion cannon, I don't know if we can survive."

LANCE: "We're trying, Allura. Shay's pressing her hand against the wall, which apparently sends vibrations to the other rock people, who vibrate back or something? Hand talking? I guess the answer to your question is, 'Yes, we copy.'"

"Shay, are you sure the Balmera is sending your message?" Shiro asks.

Shay focuses harder and there’s a rumbling noise coming from one of the doors behind us. When I turn around, the Balmera crushes the metallic doors. Four beings come through the wreckage.

"Rax!" Shay cheers.

"We must make haste. We know a shortcut through the tunnels," Rax says.

"Allura, stand by. We're on our way up," Shiro states.

We run out of the core and into the tunnels, careful to avoid the falling rocks and dust clouds.

ALLURA: "Paladins, hurry! They're taking off with the Lions!"

Shiro launches his speeder towards the Black Lion and zooms off.

Keith turns to me as we run. "Good luck."

“Good luck.” I give him a small smile and our paths diverge. I follow the Balmerans deeper into the tunnels.

I glance over my shoulder as Keith disappears into the dust-filled tunnels. The echoes of his footsteps fade quickly, replaced by the grinding groan of shifting rock. The Balmerans lead the way with urgency, their movements sure despite the chaos around us. Rax gestures sharply to a narrow passage, barely visible behind a curtain of falling debris.

“This way,” Rax urges.

We slip into the passage just as a series of metallic booms reverberate through the tunnels, signaling a fresh wave of Galra reinforcements. My pulse quickens. I find the corpse of a destroyed sentry and grab its gun. I tighten my grip on it and take the lead, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

SHIRO: “(Y/N), status?”

(Y/N): “Still underground, heading for the surface. It’s... busy down here.”

SHIRO: "Guys, did everyone make it to the Lions in time?"

LANCE: "Come on, Shiro. Who you think you're dealing with, a bunch of amateurs—" A metal clang echoes through the comms.

SHIRO: "Do you really want me to answer that?"

LANCE: "No."

The passage widens into an open cavern, where a squad of Galra sentries is waiting. Their robotic eyes lock on us instantly.

“Down!” I shout, shoving Shay behind a boulder as the first volley of laser fire scorches the air.

The Balmerans scatter for cover, their movements slow and uncertain. I slide into position behind a jagged rock, leveling my gun at the nearest sentry. A single shot catches it in the chest, and it crumples with a metallic thud.

“Keep moving!” I call to Rax, popping out of cover to lay down suppressive fire. The sentries return fire with ruthless precision, forcing me to duck back as a bolt shatters the rock near my head.

Quiznak, there are too many.

SHIRO: "Let's go!"

PIDGE: "Hunk, watch out!"

SHIRO: "Got you covered!"

HUNK: "Phew! Thanks, guys!"

My heart pounds in my ears as I adjust my position.

“I have an idea!” Shay shouts, putting her hands on the Balmera. She closes her eyes and the others follow. The Balmera starts to tremble, the rocks on the ceiling of the cave loosening.

My eyes widen as I take in two young children cowering in a corner and I throw the gun to the side, kicking my legs as fast as I can to reach them.

ALLURA: "Paladins, I need you immediately! Five more ticks, and we're finished!"

SHIRO: "Okay, team, let's form Voltron!"

PALADINS: "Yeah!"

The ground beneath me shudders violently, dust and debris raining from the ceiling. A ray of blue light flashes in the sky—the Castle of Lions blasting the Galra warship through. Bright orange and red fire paint the sky. The children look up in terror.

PIDGE: "Nice shot, Princess!"

The rumbling intensifies as the Balmera heeds Shay’s desperate call and they stand. Cracks spiderweb across the cavern walls and chunks of stone dislodge, crashing to the floor. The Galra sentries falter momentarily, recalibrating as the terrain shifts unpredictably. I don’t waste the opportunity. Scooping up the two trembling children, I shield them with my body and sprint toward a narrow alcove on the far side of the cavern.

“Hang on!” I yell, ducking as another volley narrowly misses us. The Balmera buries the sentries.

LANCE: "Yeah! The parade's back on."

I press my back against the wall, cradling the children, who clutch at me with wide, tear-filled eyes. The trembling Balmera is deafening, but I manage a small smile for them. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

KEITH: "Mission accomplished."

“Voltron saved the day.” I glance toward the cavern’s far edge, where a faint sliver of light promises an exit. Setting the children down, I kneel to their level. “Stay close, and do exactly what I say, okay?”

They nod, their tiny hands gripping the edges of my armor.

ALLURA: "And just in the tick of time. The Castle's defenses are battered and will need to recharge fully."

LANCE: "What the heck is that?"

Something crashes onto the surface of the Balmera causing debris from the cavern to rain down even more heavily than before.

SHIRO: “Trouble.”

The children scream as massive boulders fall around us and I shield them with my body as the tremors worsen. Dust and rubble choke the air, making it hard to see or breathe. The ground beneath us shifts violently again, and I glance upward just in time to see a massive slab of rock begin to give way.

PIDGE: "Oh, no!"

HUNK: "Please tell me there's not a giant monster in there. Please tell me it's empty! Or full of space candy. One of those two. Either one is fine."

LANCE: "I don't think it's a piñata, Hunk."

"Move!" I shout, grabbing the children and diving to the side as the boulder crashes down where we’d been standing.

KEITH: "If it's the same kind of monster that attacked us on Arus, we already know how to beat it."

SHIRO: "Hold your ground!"

The Balmera shakes again.

HUNK: "It's not candy!"

LANCE: "And it's not the same monster!"

I sling the smaller one on my back and lift the other one. (Y/N): “Stop hitting the damn Balmera!”

SHIRO: "We need to draw its fire away from the Balmera's surface!"

Clutching the two children, we run behind Shay, Rax, and their family, grabbing others as we move through the cavern.

LANCE: "We can't hold out!"

PIDGE: "My Lion's weakening! If the shield sustains structural damage, we're done for!"

KEITH: "Pidge is right!"

LANCE: "Oh, Pidge is right. I'm the one that said, ‘We can't hold out!’"

KEITH: "Lance, watch your footing!"

SHIRO: "Okay, Team Voltron, disband! Everyone, evasive maneuvers! It can't shoot us all at once!"

The Balmera rumbles, causing us to pause in our run.

(Y/N): “Are you trying to bury us alive?”

LANCE: “Sorry, this Robeast is making it really hard!”

The Balmera stops trembling and debris stops falling.

SHIRO: "Okay, it can do that too. Keith, try to draw its fire! I'm coming in from above!"

KEITH: "Roger!"

LANCE: "We need to find its blind spot!"

PIDGE: "I don't think this thing has a blind spot. It has a thousand eyes."

HUNK: "Laser eyes. Laser eyes!"

PIDGE: "What do we do? Fighting this thing is like fighting an entire fleet at once!"

KEITH: "I think we've got to aim for those laser eyes and take them out."

ALLURA: "We'll cover you from up here!"

Shay points to an opening up ahead and we follow her.

ALLURA: "We're taking heavy fire up here! We're in trouble!"

SHIRO: "Princess, pull back! Get out of its range, now!"

ALLURA: "We will not abandon you!"

SHIRO: "You're not abandoning us. We're about to pull back anyway."

HUNK: "We are?"

SHIRO: "We can't hold out. We have to. Lions, to the mine shafts! It's the only place the monster can't get us."

PIDGE: "Roger that!"

ALLURA: "Heading into orbit!"

We exit the mineshaft and see the Lions landing. I set the children down, but they cling to me, their wide, tear-streaked faces peeking out from under layers of dust and grime. I crouch to their level, brushing debris from their faces.

“Are you hurt?” I ask softly, scanning them for any visible injuries.

One of them, a small girl, shakes her head. The boy, younger and trembling, nods silently. His leg is scraped and bleeding, but it’s nothing life-threatening.

The elder Balmera female approaches me and lays a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you,” she murmurs. “You have a brave heart.”

“What is happening?” Rax asks. I stand and see Hunk, Keith, and Shiro.

“There’s a monster up there that Zarkon sent to destroy us,” Keith says.

“A monster?” Shay asks. “Will Zarkon’s savagery never abate? Perhaps our people were never meant to be free.” She turns to her father and he wraps his arms around her.

Hunk frowns. “Shay, don’t give up. Zarkon’s power grows with every planet he conquers, but he’s weakened by every that fights back.”

“Fight back? Against a monster like that? How?”

“I don’t know, but we can beat it.” He glances at Keith. “Tell her, Keith.”

Keith glances at him, raising an eyebrow. “Can we?”

“Yes we can,” Shiro says. “This is our first mission and we’re not going to fail. We can beat it. We just need some time to come up with a plan.”

“See?” Hunk says. “Told you we can.”

“We don’t have time,” I say with a frown. As if on cue, the Balmera shakes, its ground cracking.

HUNK: “Do you guys feel that over there?”

LANCE: “Yeah, we feel it.”

PIDGE: “It’s that sound again. What is that?”

“That great noise comes from the Balmera itself,” Rax says. “Our home crumbles beneath our feet.”

My eyes trail over the large cracks. “The Balmera is dying,” I whisper. The tremors cease.

SHIRO: "Coran, Allura, are you there?"

ALLURA: "Shiro, we're here."

SHIRO: "The Balmera—"

CORAN: "We already know. Our scanners are showing the life energy draining from the Balmera."

PIDGE: "How does that happen?"

CORAN: "Removing crystals from a Balmera is like removing a vital part of the mighty beast. The Balmera needs time to regenerate itself to stay healthy, but the Galra's greed may have cost this noble Balmera its life."

HUNK: "So, what's gonna happen?"

CORAN: "Its core will collapse, destabilizing the entire skeletal structure. Anything or anyone remaining on the Balmera at that point will be crushed into dust."

SHIRO: "How long before its core collapses?"

CORAN: "Probably a matter of hours. The mighty organism willingly gives itself to all, but not all return its kindness."

ALLURA: "Then our time is short. We'll evacuate the planet. We need to get all the Balmerans to the Castle of Lions before the planet implodes."

(Y/N): "Okay, that sounds like a good plan.”

HUNK: “How on Earth do you plan on landing the Castle with that monster-thingy on the surface?"

PIDGE: "You'll need a distraction."

SHIRO: "We'll engage the beast in our Lions. With it distracted, Allura and Coran will land the Castle and load all of its citizens."

LANCE: "Or we could load Balmerans into our Lions a few at a time and shuttle them to the ship. No engaging ferocious laser-eye guy.”

I purse my lips. (Y/N): “Absolutely not.”

LANCE: “How long would that take?"

CORAN: "Days? Weeks?"

KEITH: "We only have hours."

SHIRO: “Look, we don’t need to beat this thing. We just need to bait it away from the ship.”

(Y/N): “Provoke and evade.”

HUNK: “Okay, here’s the thing. I’m worried that we’re gonna be really, really good at the provoking part and then like, really bad at the evading part. But if this is what it takes to save Shay and everyone on the planet, then I’m in.”

Keith turns to look at the group. “Can you contact the other Balmerans?”

Shay frowns. “I can, but I know not what they’ll say. Leave the planet? Our home?”

“It’s the only option,” I say quietly.

ALLURA: "I'm coming down to join you (Y/N)."

(Y/N): "Okay, I’ll be waiting."

CORAN: "Princess, no! It's too dangerous!"

ALLURA: "Someone has to be there to lead these people out. (Y/N) cannot do it alone."

PIDGE: "You're coming down? That thing will spot your pod and blow it to pieces."

ALLURA: "Let me worry about that. You just focus on keeping the creature distracted."

|••••••••••|

HUNK: "Okay, we've provoked. Time to evade!"

SHIRO: "Princess, we've lured the monster away. It's time."

ALLURA: "I'll contact you all when I'm on the ground."

LANCE: "Is that Allura?"

HUNK: "We gotta protect the Princess!"

Yet you're not protecting this one right here.

I watch as Allura’s pod lands.

ALLURA: "I'm on the ground."

SHIRO: "Hurry! I don't know how long we can hold this thing off."

"Shay, I'm going to need your help," Allura says, running to the entrance of a tunnel.

"Princess?" Shay asks.

Allura places her hand on the tunnel wall.

"Have you contacted the other Balmerans?"

Shay and her family look dejected. I avoid her eyes.

"What is it? What's going on?" she asks, her expression growing more serious. Her eyes flicker between me and the Balmerans. “(Y/N), what is it?”

Swallowing hard, I meet her gaze. “They wish for an honorable end,” I whisper.

"All Balmerans give thanks for the kindness you and the Paladins bestowed upon us, but, alas, we cannot take leave of our home," Shay says.

"What?" Allura frowns.

"If our great Balmera's life cycle is over because of us, then our desire is to stay with it until the end."

"But you'll never survive."

"We contacted the others, and all agree. It's not right that you risk your lives for us. Please, away. We ask for no more guilt and shame upon us," Rax says.

"It is our wish. The wish of all Balmerans," Shay states sadly.

"No,” Allura says. “I won't give up on you. I won't give up on any of you, no matter the circumstances."

"But we do not ask this of you. Please!"

"I have heard your words. Now let me speak mine. I want to talk to the Balmerans. Can you get a message to them from me?"

"There is no need to speak for you. You have a unique power within. The Balmera will carry your words," the older Balmeran female smiles. She points to Allura's glowing hand on the wall. Allura recoils at the sight. “Speak your heart, child. All can hear you." She takes Allura's hand and places it back on the wall.

Allura focuses and speaks aloud, but her words are transmitted to all Balmerans. "Balmerans, this is Princess Allura. You don't know me, but I am here to help. I know what it's like to watch your home planet die. For I come from planet Altea, a planet that has long been destroyed by the Galra. But I refuse to give up. And now, you all have the same choice. You can decide now to devote your lives to making sure this never happens to another planet. I am eternally sorry for what has happened to the Balmera, but I beg you, do not let its dying be in vain. Honor the Balmera's death by refusing to give up. Join me in my fight against the Galra," she strongly states.

The older Balmeran female puts her hand on the wall to hear the response. "Your words have touched our hearts."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you. You've given us reason to hope again."

"Everyone, head to the caves just under the surface."

CORAN: "Princess, your speech must have worked. The Balmerans are moving toward the surface!"

We lead them out.

(Y/N): "Coran, we're just beneath the surface.”

ALLURA: “Triangulate my position. This is your landing zone."

CORAN: "Yes, Allura. Readying ship. Castle of Lions, coming in! Paladins, how are you holding up?"

KEITH: "I think we've got him pretty distracted. Are the Balmerans in position?"

(Y/N): “Nearly.”

ALLURA: "They're making their way to the top."

The two of us assist in helping the Balmerans climb up as the Castle of Lions lands just outside the mineshaft. There are transport pods and hundreds of Balmerans running all throughout the shaft.

As I help a young girl up the ladder, the Balmera suddenly rumbles violently, causing the mine shaft to crumble and rocks to slide down all around us. I lose my grip and grunt, struggling to see from all the dust blocking my vision.

"(Y/N), no!" Allura shouts, trying to grab me.

She fails.

I hear Balmerans panic, wailing in alarm, as the Balmera continues to tremble and the young girl clings to me.

We're all going to die.

CORAN: "It's on the verge of collapsing! We have to go!"

ALLURA: "But (Y/N) and the Balmerans!"

“Can you grab that rock?” I ask, strained.

The young girl nods, trembling, and stretches out a shaky hand toward the rock I’ve indicated. She grips it tightly, her small fingers white with effort. Dust clouds around us, making it hard to breathe or see clearly, but I tighten my hold on her with one arm, trying to find footing with the other.

“Hold on tight. I’ve got you.”

HUNK: "Every hit weakens the Balmera. Have you evacuated yet? What's happening?"

CORAN: "The Balmerans are trapped. Just keep distracting that beast!”

HUNK: "Uh, do you want us to distract it by dying? Because that's what's going to happen!"

KEITH: "(Y/N)?"

(Y/N): “Don’t worry about us.”

Above us, Allura’s voice echoes through the chaos. “(Y/N)! You can’t stay down there! The entire mineshaft is collapsing!”

“I’m not leaving her!” I shout back, coughing on the dust. The Balmera’s groans grow louder, and the trembling threatens to shake us loose from the precarious perch.

The young girl cries out as the rock she’s holding shifts. I manage to grab her just in time and pull her close to my chest. My instincts kick in and I use the strength in my legs to leap to another ledge, narrowly dodging a cascade of falling debris.

(Y/N): “Allura, you have to save as many as you can. I’ll—”

ALLURA: “No! Don’t you dare finish that sentence!”

I glance down at the trembling girl in my arms, her wide, terrified eyes staring up at me. “I’ll find my way out,” I promise her softly, though my heart pounds with doubt. “Stay calm.”

SHIRO: "Guys, remember when I said we didn't have to beat it?"

HUNK: "Yes, I remember that."

SHIRO: "Well, we might have to beat it."

The rock crumbles beneath us and my eyes widen, but two Balmeran males come to our aid, wrapping their arms securely around us. They haul us to a more stable part of the cliff. The young girl trembles and I look up at the one holding me, my throat tight.

“Thank you,” I croak out.

They help secure the young girl, passing her up to another group higher on the ladder. She looks back at me with wide, tear-filled eyes before vanishing into the hands of her people. All of the Balmerans close their eyes and press their hands onto the rock. Light blue light glows from where their hands press against the planet.

Looking up at the sky, I see that the Paladins have formed Voltron. A large shoulder cannon resting on the Yellow Lion counterattacks Robeast's energy blast. The entire Balmera glows in a magical light blue light and the Robeast is thrown over the entrance of the mineshaft, casting a long shadow before it crashes into the Balmera’s surface.

I immediately scale the wall, my palms getting sliced during the process, but I hoist myself up until I reach the surface of the Balmera. Voltron disbands and I sprint as Allura falls onto the ground.

Shay gathers Allura in her arms. "Princess, are you all right?" she asks.

Collapsing on my knees, one of my shaking hands holds Allura’s. I smile weakly.

Allura stays unconscious for a few ticks but soon wakes up. "Did it work?" she asks as she blinks slowly. Shay helps her sit up.

Rax puts his hand on the ground. "Yes, the Balmera lives. It thanks you," he tells Allura.

Allura looks at me, and relief registers on her face as she squeezes my hand. The Paladins run to where we are, but the Robeast suddenly reawakens a second time, preparing to attack all of us on the ground.

I stare up in horror. "Stars above, you've gotta be kidding me," I mutter.

"No," Allura whispers.

The Robeast fires up its green laser, but the Balmera suddenly courses its crystals through the Robeast, destroying it and encasing its body. I watch in disbelief as the robot shuts down and becomes trapped.

"No. Way," Hunk whispers, amazed.

"The Balmera just saved us." Coran smiles.

I smile wide as I lean down to press a kiss on the Balmera’s surface. “Thank you,” I whisper.

Allura’s eyes widen with delight as she looks down. "Look at the crystals!"

It is a beautiful sight. Crystals start to form all across the Balmera’s surface and Hunk joins me on the ground. He begins petting the planet's surface. "Oh, who's a good Balmera? You are. Who ate the big monster? You did. Yes, you did. Yes, you did.”

Shiro, Keith, and Lance stand above us, all their arms crossed and all their faces contorted with confusion. I pat the Balmera.

"What are you doing?" Keith asks, crouching beside us.

"What? It's alive, and it wuvs my scwatches."

Keith pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. I nudge him, rolling my eyes.

Hunk laughs, still patting the crystal-studded surface of the Balmera. "Keith, you just don’t understand the power of positive reinforcement. This Balmera just saved all our butts. It deserves all the love."

Keith raises an eyebrow. "It’s a giant space rock."

"An alive giant space rock," I correct, pointing to the glowing crystals.

Lance smirks, nudging Keith. "C'mon, dude. Pet the Balmera. Everyone’s doing it."

Keith stares at Lance, incredulous. “No.”

“Suit yourself,” Lance says with a shrug, plopping down beside me and Hunk. He pats the ground in exaggerated motions. “Good Balmera. Best space rock in the galaxy.”

|••••••••••|

After the battle and we help Balmerans with first aid and family reunification, Hunk sits with Shay near the Yellow Lion.

"Thank you for honoring your vow to return," Shay says with a small smile.

"I should be thanking you. You made me understand what's most important.” Hunk gazes up at the stars. “Zarkon and his Galra Empire are destroying lives. I'm a part of a team that can change that. I know that now.”

The two of them smile at each other, and Shay notices the sun rising.

"What is that?" she asks.

"It's the dawn of a new day.”

Hunk and Shay watch the sunrise beside one another. Unbeknownst to them, Keith, Pidge, and I are watching them in the background on top of the Red Lion. I lie my head on Keith's shoulder, feeling exhausted, and examine my bloodied palms. I pick the dirt from beneath my fingernails.

Pidge sits next to us, spying on Hunk and Shay.

Keith looks tired as I shift to peek at him. A faint yawn escapes his lips, and I lift my head from his shoulder, not wanting to be a bother. I squint my eyes on Hunk and Shay as Pidge squeals quietly.

He lets out a silent groan as he runs a hand through his hair and leans back against Red. "I am way too tired to deal with this."

I scoff softly and look at him. "What, you’re not a fan of young love?”

Pidge shushes us as she puts the pair of binoculars closer to her eyes.

Where does she get these things?

Inhaling a deep breath, a sharp stinging sensation travels through my body as I press on my palms.

"You alright?" Keith asks in a soft whisper.

I glance at Keith, his concern evident even in the dim light. "Yeah," I murmur, but my voice wavers slightly. "Just... scratches." I turn my hands over, trying to downplay the fresh cuts and dirt marring my palms.

He frowns. "You should clean those. Infection’s the last thing we need."

I nod absently, but my gaze shifts back to Hunk and Shay, their silhouettes illuminated by the faint glow of the sunrise. There’s a quiet hope in their shared moment that makes my chest tighten. For all the chaos, for all the near-death experiences, there’s something beautiful in seeing someone find peace.

“Let me see,” Keith says, pulling me from my thoughts.

I hesitate, but the look in his eyes leaves no room for argument. Reluctantly, I extend my hands toward him. He examines them, his touch surprisingly gentle. His calloused fingers graze over a particularly deep scratch, and I flinch.

“Sorry,” he mutters, pulling his hand back. “This one’s bad. You need bandages.”

Pidge snickers, clearly eavesdropping.

Keith shoots her a half-hearted glare and stands, motioning for me to follow. “Come on. Let’s find something to patch those up.”

I glance at Pidge, who’s still fixated on Hunk and Shay, then back at Keith. His expression softens when our eyes meet, and I find myself nodding again, standing to follow him down the lion’s side.

As we climb down, the wind shifts, carrying the faint scent of ash, even though the Balmera is healed now. I bite my lip, the guilt of not saving everyone gnawing at me.

Keith glances at me as we reach the ground. “You did everything you could.”

I stiffen, surprised by his words. “I—what?”

“You’re blaming yourself,” he says simply, crouching to dig through a supply crate Coran must have left nearby. “I can see it on your face. But you saved lives today.”

“I didn’t save all of them.” My voice is barely a whisper, but Keith hears it.

He straightens, a small first aid kit in his hands. “No one could’ve saved them all. Not even Voltron.” He gestures for me to sit, and I comply, perching on a nearby rock as he kneels in front of me. “But you didn’t give up. That matters.”

Keith carefully cleans my palms with an antiseptic wipe. The sting is sharp, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I focus on the precision of his movements, the way his brows knit together in concentration.

“Thanks,” I mutter when he finishes wrapping my hands.

Keith shrugs. “Don’t mention it.”

Pidge’s voice cuts through the quiet. “You guys are missing it!” she hisses from above. “Hunk just said something cheesy, and Shay blushed! I think they’re gonna—”

“Pidge,” Keith groans, standing and brushing dust off his knees. “Go to sleep.”

“You go to sleep!” she shoots back, but her grin is audible even from a distance.

I laugh softly, shaking my head.

Third Person POV:

Keith looks at (Y/N) sadly as a sharp pain buries itself in his chest. He feels connected to her. Every time she looks his way, a seedling of joy and happiness plants itself in his soul. He does not feel like the lonely person he was prior to joining Voltron.

He feels more whole.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Pidge's gaze is fixed on her computer as she types at an impressive speed. I stare at the Galran crystal in the Green Lion's hangar, my head cocked to the side. The crystal pulses with an ominous glow and I lean in closer.

That's odd.

CORAN: "(Y/N) and Pidge, please come down to the detainment room."

I jolt from my position, placing a hand over my speeding heart. Pidge sighs in frustration and her head dips. Snorting, I lift myself from the floor and loop my arm with hers. "Come on," I say with a small sigh.

Pidge pouts. "I just want to study the crystal."

We turn left. "I know you do."

Pidge continues to pout as we make our way to the detainment room, her boots scuffing slightly against the Castle's pristine floors. She keeps glancing over her shoulder as though the crystal might disappear if she looks away for too long.

"You know Coran wouldn't call us unless it was important," I say, attempting to pacify her grumbling.

She narrows her eyes at me. "Define important."

I shrug. "Something that doesn't involve poking at a crystal that probably wants to blow us up."

"That's just it!" she exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "We don't know if it wants to blow us up. That's why I need more time to figure it out!"

I smile at her determination but give her arm a playful tug to keep her moving. We round another corner, and I catch sight of Coran waiting outside the detainment room with the other Paladins.

"Okay, guys, Sendak's almost all hooked up," he says. "But, look, I have to warn you, this technology was used to keep Altean memories alive, not to interrogate prisoners." Coran powers on a screen and types something.

My lips form a tight line as I look at Commander Sendak and cross my arms over my chest.

"Coran, we understand this isn't what the technology was meant for, but if we can extract Sendak's memories, we may gain valuable intelligence on Zarkon's troop locations," Shiro says.

"Yeah, and then we can just be like, 'Knock-knock.'" Lance knocks on the side of Hunk's head. "'Who's there?' 'The avenging fury of Voltron, son!'"

I stifle a snort, shifting to look at him better. "Your words never cease to amaze me, Lance."

"Is that an insult?"

Pidge steps closer to the cryopod. "Fascinating. So, how exactly does this work?" she asks.

"As the memories are extracted, they're written bit by bit on individual molecules of the micro-storage strands," Coran replies.

Lance smirks. "When I go, I want all the stuff in my brain stored in a giant ship," he says.

Keith raises an eyebrow as he regards him. "The amount of information in your brain could be stored in a paper airplane."

Lance's eyes widen. "Oh, yeah? Well, the amount of information you have, Keith, could be..."

"...Yeah?"

"Uh... it's less than what I have!"

Hunk smiles. "Oh, good one, Lance!"

I snort. "Creative," I dryly reply.

Keith's shoulders droop and he pinches the bridge of his nose. Shiro looks at us and sighs, shaking his head.

"So this is how you incorporated King Alfor's memories into the Castle of Lions?" Pidge asks, standing on the tips of her toes to lean over Coran's shoulders.

"Precisely, but it's never been attempted before on an unwilling participant," Coran says.

The memory storage device activates, but nothing appears.

"Uh, is this what's supposed to be happening?" Hunk asks.

"Let's give it some time," Shiro says.

|••••••••••|

It is an extremely long wait. I blink at the empty screen.

Shiro and Keith are the only ones still standing while Coran tinkers with the screen. Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and I sit on the floor.

"Well, I can't wait around anymore," Keith says, lifting himself from his leaning position. "I'm gonna go hit the training deck." He leaves the room.

More time passes with no results.

"Okay, if anyone needs me, I'll be in the lab. Maybe I can pull some information from Sendak's Galra crystal," Pidge says, getting up to leave.

Still, no results.

"Time to feed the beast. I'm going to make some breakfast," Hunk says tiredly and leaves. Lance rolls on the floor.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't wait here any longer, either." Coran raises his arms up in the air and stretches. "I have a million duties to attend to. Between that Galra crystal infecting our system, and then fighting off those ships and performing the Balmeran rejuvenation ceremony, the old Castle of Lions has taken quite a beating. Every system needs to be recharged and repaired."

"I'll stay. Somewhere in Sendak's mind is the information about Zarkon that we need," Shiro says.

Nodding, I keep my gaze fixed on Commander Sendak. "I'll stay, too." A soft yawn escapes my lips.

"Okay, well, while you guys do that, I think I'm gonna get my chill on." Lance stands and cracks his back. "Maybe kick back with a lemonade or space juice. Something."

"Oh, hold on there, space juice," Coran says, putting his hands on his hips. "You're going to come and help me."

"What? Why? Why me?"

"Because you're the last one here and because your activity isn't very important."

"Wait, did I say 'chill with a good lemonade'? I meant I gotta do homework."

"Nope. Too late." Coran is already walking away.

"Fine... Let us know if anything happens." Lance begins walking away. Shiro does not reply. "Shiro?"

He snaps out of his daze. "Y-You got it," Shiro answers.

Lance leaves with Coran while Shiro remains staring at the cryopod.

Moving to stand, I walk beside him. "You okay?" I ask.

Shiro glances at me, his expression distant. For a moment, I wonder if he's even heard my question. Then, he sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Just thinking about everything. Zarkon, Sendak... all of it."

I nod slowly, gazing at the still-empty screen. "I'm sorry," I say after a while.

"What for? For the takeover?"

"Yeah. Maybe if I fought harder, you and Lance wouldn't have been captured."

Shiro shakes his head. My stomach rumbles and a small smile spreads on his lips. "You should go eat."

"You'll be okay by yourself?"

He nods and gestures to the cryopod. "It's not exactly like he can do anything from there."

|••••••••••|

"Hey, Hunk." Stepping into the kitchen, I reach into a cupboard and grab a bowl.

He looks inside the tube that dispenses the food goo and clicks the lever. Goo explodes violently on his face. "Agh, my eye!"

My eyes widen as the dispenser rapidly shoots goo everywhere, and I dive behind the counter, the bowl clattering on the floor. Hunk follows behind me and Pidge walks by, seeing the chaos. She tilts her head in confusion. I yelp, trying to avoid the food goo attack.

"Help!" I squeak.

"What is going on in here?" Pidge yells.

"The goo has us pinned down!" Hunk cries, avoiding the flying goo.

Pidge sprints to our position and presses the button that opens the dishwasher. She pulls out plates, handing one to Hunk and one to me before grabbing one for herself.

"Okay, we're going to have to flank the goo to shut it down," Pidge says, getting ready to stand.

"Okay, wait. Wait! It's been a pleasure cooking with you," Hunk says and salutes us. "Go!"

We charge at the goo dispenser from all sides, using the plates as shields. Pidge and I pin the goo dispenser tube down while Hunk ties the tube in a knot, stopping it. The knot overflows and goo starts emerging from the cracks. We stand there and stare at the oozing goo.

"Probably a malfunction?" Pidge asks, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, yeah..." Hunk trails off, nodding. "Guess the kitchen system needs to be rebooted, too."

The two share a look. "Leave it for Coran?"

Hunk nods and they both leave, whistling. Glancing both ways, I grab my bowl from the floor and scoop some goo from the wall into my bowl.

As I eat, I go to check on Lance and Coran who are cleaning pods in the sleeping chamber. I wave to them and smile, wiping some goo off my forehead. I walk up to Lance and offer him some.

Lance squints at me before shaking his head.

I shrug, taking another bite. "More for me."

"Ugh," Lance grumbles, turning back to buffing the pod. "Since when did 'you sleep in it, you clean it' become a Voltron rule? Also, how is it these pods have the ability to heal a human from near death but don't have the ability to clean themselves?"

I snicker and Coran laughs. "Oh, self-cleaning pods. Now, that's a good one! You know, this kind of reminds me of my time as a young cadet. I had just enlisted in the Altean space squad, aeronautics sub-tech nano-weaponry unit and I was sent off to boot camp. Our sergeant had us cleaning cryopods day and night. I got so good at it that I earned my first set of stripes!" He turns around and continues talking.

Lance steps inside of the pod he is cleaning and gets trapped inside. He knocks on the pod from the inside, but Coran doesn't hear. I scratch the side of my head as I step to the pod.

I tap on the pod. "Open pod? Please open."

I yelp and look down at the pod's descent. I tap my foot on the pod and shrug. "Oh well, I'm sure Coran will find him sooner or later."

"—Oh, those were the days. Anyway, you keep up the good work, and maybe someday you'll earn some cleaning stripes, too." I whistle as I slowly back away from where Lance is trapped and Coran's shoulders droop as he realizes no one's cleaning with him anymore. "Lance? Lance! Ah, Paladins..."

|••••••••••|

The lights in the Castle Ship's hallway go off and someone's scream ripples through the air. I stop in my tracks, looking around frantically.

"What's happening?" I whisper.

"Someone help! I'm trapped in the airlock!" the voice screams.

"I'm coming!" I shout as I run towards the airlock. Lance meets me there and the doors close behind him. I blink at him. "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?"

"This isn't funny." Crossing my arms, I resist the urge to punch him. "Unlock the doors."

Lance makes a face and turns around. "Okay, ha-ha. Good joke. You guys got me. Nice."

Alarms start blaring, flashing red, and I stare at him in disbelief. The color from Lance's face drains.

"Airlock opening in 30 ticks," the computer states.

I start pounding on the door and pulling at it with all my might.

"Okay, joke's over! You got me!" Lance shouts.

"...29, 28, 27..."

Lance comes next to me and bangs on the airlock doors.

"Guys? Guys! Eugh! Help!" Lance yells. "Help! Help! Help!"

"Stop screaming in my ear!" I shout, hitting the doors harder.

"...twelve, eleven, ten... nine, eight, seven..."

Keith runs down the hallway fighting The Gladiator with his bayard. The Gladiator kicks him to the airlock doors.

My eyes widen. "Keith!" Lance and I yell.

"...six, five..."

Keith gets up and sees us. "What are you doing in there?" he asks.

"Trying to get some fresh air!" I shout. "What do you think? We need help, Keith!"

The Gladiator swings its sword towards Keith and Lance cowers. I glare at Lance, my eye twitching.

Is he serious?

"If you don't get me out of here right now, I'm going to be sucked out into space!" Lance panics.

"We're going to get sucked into space!" I yell, correcting him.

"One."

The doors open and the pressure in the airlock increases.

"I'm getting sucked out into space!" Lance screams, holding onto a wall.

"We're getting sucked out, you idiot!" I hold onto Lance's legs tightly, struggling with my grip. "Stars above, stop squirming!"

Keith battles The Gladiator and then presses the airlock's button, opening the door. The Gladiator whips by us and flies out into space.

"Keith!" Lance screams, reaching his hand out. "Keith, come on!"

Keith manages to pull us both up and Lance and I collapse on the floor. He then pushes another button, closing the airlock, before sagging down beside us, breathless.

My entire body shakes and my heart races, but I reach out and squeeze his hand tightly. "Thank you, Keith," I say breathlessly.

Keith leans against the wall, his chest rising and falling, while Lance lies sprawled on the floor, clutching his sides dramatically. Keith glances at me. "You're okay?"

I nod, though my hands are still trembling. "Yeah. Thanks to you."

Lance props himself up on his elbows, his face pale but his expression as dramatic as ever. "What about me?"

Keith glares at him. "What were you doing out there?"

"Who was that guy?" Lance asks, yelling.

"He was trying to kill me!"

"Well, is he the Castle? Because that's who's trying to kill me!"

Both of them exchange a look and jump up, sprinting down the hallway.

Scrambling to my feet, I run after them. "Kill us!" I yell. "Us, Lance!"

Coran watches as we run down the Castle Ship's corridors. "Paladins?" he asks. "(Y/N)? What's going on?"

"The Castle is haunted!" Lance exclaims.

He gives him a look. "This again? I told you—just a few malfunctions."

Eerie noises echo in the hallway and Lance whimpers, stepping closer to me, and clutches my arm. Raising an eyebrow, I sigh and pull him towards the Green Lion's hangar bay. "The ship's not haunted," I say.

Coran and Keith trail behind us and the door to the bay slides open. Hunk and Pidge are sprawled out on the floor groaning.

Lance's eyes practically bulge out of his head as he releases me and stomps into the bay. "How can you guys be taking a nap while this castle is trying to kill us?" he asks, yelling.

Hunk slowly gets to his feet, clutching the side of his head. "Taking a nap?" he asks. "We've been floating around in Zero G! You know how scary that is?"

"That's not scary! That's fun! I was almost ejected into space!"

"We were almost ejected into space!" I yell at him.

"Well, I got attacked by killer food and that's the most horrifying thing you can imagine!" Hunk exclaims. "The stuff of nightmares! It'll haunt me to my grave!"

Keith takes a step forward. "Well, I had a robot trying to kill me!" he shouts, throwing his arms into the air.

Lance turns on his heel and looks pointedly at Coran. "I don't care what you say, Coran. This castle has gone apples and bananas!" he says.

Coran groans, his shoulders slumping. "Perhaps the infection from Sendak's Galra crystal is worse than we thought."

We all turn around to stare at the glowing purple crystal. "Well, let's get rid of it," Hunk suggests.

"It's too late. When Sendak plugged it into the ship, it corrupted the entire system."

"Sendak? Wait. Has anyone seen Shiro?" Keith asks.

"Quiznak." My eyes widen. "I left him alone," I say, already sprinting out of the room. Keith follows me.

The doors to the detainment room slide open and Shiro is leaning, clutching his head with his robotic arm.

"Shiro, are you okay?" Pidge asks.

"Where's Sendak?" Keith asks.

"I... I had to get him out of here. I was hearing his voice. He... He can't be trusted on this ship," he says. His arm shakes, and his eyes look frightened.

My chest tightens as I turn and see the now empty pod. No.

"It is the ship!" Lance exclaims. "I got stuck in a cryopod, then in an airlock with (Y/N). Keith got attacked by a robot and Hunk and Pidge got attacked by food. It's been a weird morning."

A screen beeps, blinking red, and Coran's eyes widen. "What? How is that possible?" he asks.

Keith turns to look at him. "What is it?" he asks.

"The ship is starting a wormhole jump!"

|••••••••••|

"Allura, what's going on?" Shiro asks as the doors to the bridge slide open.

"We're going to Altea." She turns around and smiles. "We're going home. My father is taking us."

Shiro tries to run up to her, but there is a barrier and he falls back. King Alfor pops up on the screens. "Stay away from my daughter!" he shouts.

"Uh..." Hunk says.

"Allura, wake up!" Shiro shouts.

"The crystal must have corrupted King Alfor's artificial intelligence," Coran says. "It's taking over!"

Fire flashes before us and I stare in horror at the Castle Ship's trajectory.

"We're headed straight for a star and it's about to explode!" Pidge shouts.

I start banging on the barrier. "Allura, wake up!" I shout.

"Father, I can see Altea," she murmurs.

Coran joins me. "Allura! Allura, wake up! What you're seeing isn't real," he shouts.

Her gaze softens and she leans down. "The juniberries—the most exquisite flower of all."

"Allura, please! You've got to listen to me!"

She turns. "Is this real?"

"Of course, it is real, Daughter. That flower you're touching is real," King Alfor states.

"But where is the fragrance of the sweet juniberries?" Coran asks.

Allura sniffs the fake flower and her face falls. "Huh? That's not Altea."

"When that star goes supernova, it will destroy the entire system. Allura, you must reset the course and get us out of here," Pidge says.

Allura moves to touch the controls but she's zapped and thrown out. Shiro catches her and holds her steady. "Father, please, I beg you to turn this ship around. If we don't do it soon, we will all perish!" she says, her hands touching the barrier.

"I know. That is my intention," he replies.

"What? Why?"

"Don't you see, dear daughter? Zarkon can never be defeated. He's been ruling for ten thousand years."

"But we must continue to fight!"

"Fight for what? It is all over for Altea. You don't have to live a lifetime of war. You can be with me and the rest of your people."

"Father, please! The Paladins and I can still stop Zarkon! Somewhere in there, you must want that to happen."

"Allura, my A.I. has been corrupted. You must disconnect my power source—We can stroll across the Blossom Canyon every morning, just like we used to. Remember how much you loved that?"

She closes her eyes, her breath hitching. "I remember. I'll see you soon, Father." She turns to us, her hands clenched. "I've got to get into the A.I. chamber to disconnect my father's power source manually."

"But that means losing King Alfor forever," Coran says.

"Paladins, get to your Lions! I need you to slow the Castle's descent into the star."

"I can try to override the system to open the hangars."

|••••••••••|

King Alfor disappears from the controls.

"She did it," Coran whispers.

I blink at the controls, my hands pausing. "Um, Coran?" I ask, turning my head. Alarms start blaring louder and red flashes at a quicker pace as warnings litter the Castle's screens. "We have eighty ticks before this thing blows!"

Allura runs into the bridge and goes to the controls to power on a wormhole. ALLURA: "Paladins, get to your hangars. We're getting out of here."

|••••••••••|

Allura sits on the edge of the controls, her head in her hands. Soft sobs escape from her and Coran and I hesitantly step closer to her. She slumps in on herself and I sit beside her, gingerly rubbing her back.

Coran sits beside us. "I'm sorry, Princess," he murmurs, tears filling his own eyes.

Soon, the team enters and Shiro sits beside her. The other four Paladins remain standing. "I'm so sorry about your father, Princess," he whispers.

"We all are," Hunk says.

Allura wipes at her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Thank you. But that was not my father." She stands. "The real King Alfor was a great man and a great father. He may not be here with us anymore, but his dream lives on through all of us, and his legacy is Voltron."

I glance out the window to look at the stars, a frown covering my features.

Commander Sendak is dead now. Right?

|••••••••••|

The door to my room slides open with a soft hiss, and I glance up from where I'm sitting on the edge of my bed.

Keith's cautious expression meets mine. "Hey," he says quietly, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Hey," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Can I sit?" he asks, motioning to the spot beside me.

I nod, and he sinks onto the bed, careful to leave a small gap between us.

"You okay?"

I shrug, staring down at my hands.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Peeking over at him, I shrug again. "Not that tired, I guess," I answer quietly.

His lips twitch into a slight frown and he gestures to my door. "Can I show you something?"

Sighing, I stand. "Yeah, just give me a tick to change."

I walk over to the pajamas neatly folded on top of the dresser and start taking my long-sleeved shirt off, lifting it over my head.

Keith clears his throat and stands, immediately avoiding my eyes. "I-I'll be in my room," he says, scurrying off.

Raising an eyebrow, I see him exit as I take the shirt off.

What's his problem?

I take my pants off next and bite my bottom lip, my eyes flickering between the three sets of pajamas Allura gave me. One is a floor-length lavender-colored nightgown with long sleeves, the second is a navy blue tunic with pants, and the third set is the ones I've been wearing—a deep burgundy shirt and pants with yellow accents.

Traditional Galra sleepwear. From whom, I have no idea. I was surprised when she gave them to me in the pile of clothing. I would have thought that she would've tossed them out or burned them the tick she woke up, but she only shrugged her shoulders.

"Clothes are clothes," she said.

Despite everything the Galra Empire put me through, the colors are comforting. They remind me of home.

Of Lotor.

I stare at the sets of pajamas, fingers running over the soft fabric. The lavender nightgown seems too delicate for my current mood. My eyes linger on the Galra sleepwear but they need to be washed. I settle on the navy blue tunic and slip the set on, feeling the soft cotton against my skin.

Just as I finish adjusting the tunic, I hear the soft sound of footsteps behind me. I turn to see Keith standing awkwardly by the doorframe, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, looking everywhere but at me.

"Uh, you decent?" he asks, his voice a little too high-pitched, and I can't help but stifle a laugh.

"Yeah, you can come in," I reply, my tone light.

Keith steps back inside, rubbing the back of his neck, and gives me a sheepish smile. "Right. Sorry."

"You said you wanted to show me something?"

He nods and the two of us cross the hallway into his room. "I was thinking about it the other day," he starts and the doors slide closed, "about us having a thing."

I blink as my eyes land on the pile of blankets and pillows on top of his bed. Juice pouches are placed neatly beside the bed and a small smile finds its way to my lips as I turn to look up at him. "And what exactly is this?"

Keith shrugs. "When I was younger, I used to make forts out of blankets all the time. It was kind of a way for me to escape when things got too overwhelming." His voice drops a little, almost shy as he rubs the back of his neck again. "I thought maybe we could, you know, do that now. For fun. Or... to forget about all this stuff for a bit."

I stand there for a moment, surprised by the invitation, but the sincerity in Keith's eyes pulls me in. Nodding, I step into his room fully.

"Blanket fort?" I repeat. "I've never done one of these before."

Keith's lips quirk up in a half-smile. "I promise, it's really easy."

We work together, tossing pillows and blankets around, trying to make the fort big enough to fit both of us. Keith gets really into it and soon we're laughing like we haven't been through the horrors of war and galactic survival these past several days.

Once it's done, we both crawl inside, huddling together in the dim light of Keith's room. The blankets above us act as a small barrier between us and the chaos of the universe outside.

"This is ridiculous," Keith says. There's laughter in his voice, and for a moment, I can only stare at him—entranced by the way his hair is messier than usual, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the curve of his smile.

I blink, snapping myself out of it. "I think it's nice," I say, propping myself up against the pillows.

Keith shifts, pushing the blanket up a bit to settle more comfortably beside me. "There's more."

I turn to look at him. "More?"

He reaches over and presses a button. A screen projects onto the wall across from his bed and my brows furrow. "I haven't figured out if the Castle Ship has access to movies or anything, but I did find out that Red has a recording option. I don't know." I glance back at him and his cheeks are slightly tinged pink.

Smiling, I hold a pillow close to me. “Let’s watch you chase Rolo.”

|••••••••••|

The entire team is gathered behind Pidge as she types on the computer in her Paladin’s station. The Galra symbols reflect off of her glasses and my eyes skim the text.

"Somewhere inside Sendak's memories, we should be able to find the inside information that gives us the key to take down Zarkon," Allura states.

Coran raises an eyebrow. "I don't think your father would approve of searching through an enemy's memories."

"I know, but we have to do everything we can to defeat Zarkon."

"Once we learn all his weaknesses, we can drive up to his front door and challenge him to a fight. The winner gets the universe," Lance confidently says.

The entire team looks at him unamused, but Lance keeps his arms up. The smirk doesn’t leave his lips.

Shiro sighs, focusing back on the computer. "Anything good yet, Pidge?" he asks.

"We were only able to salvage bits and pieces," Pidge confesses.

Keith sighs, his shoulders slouching. "We need something to work with. Right now, we don't even have a decent map of the empire," he says.

Lance crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Who needs a map? After 10,000 years of conquering, I could probably fire my bayard at any random point in space and hit a Galra ship," he states.

I peer at him and shrug. “Honestly, yeah.”

"If we could just find troop locations or supply routes, small targets we could hit-and-run, then we could start to free planets one by one," Shiro says.

Lance snorts, leaning into Shiro. "Boring. I want the big kaboom." He raises his fists in the air, mimicking an explosion, and Shiro crosses his arms.

“Me too.” I copy Lance and put my hands together, making another explosion. “Kaboom.”

Keith glances at us, exasperation evident on his face. "Can we focus, please?"

I stifle a laugh, giving him an apologetic look. "Sorry. Go on, Shiro."

"Zarkon's been building his empire for 10,000 years,” Shiro continues. “We're not going to tear it down overnight with five inexperienced pilots and one support ship. Hitting him where he lives would be a huge mistake."

Sighing, I nod. “There are far too many of them and not enough of us.”

"Okay.” Pidge pulls our attention back to her. “I've cross-referenced Sendak's memories with the info I got from the downed ship back on Arus. Most of it was a garbled mess, but one thing kept repeating, something called a ‘Universal Station’."

"Universal Station?” Hunk leans in and crowds the screen. “Like, the kind of station that controls the entire universe?"

She pushes his head out of the way. "Well, we are translating it from Galra, so it could also be 'Galactic Hub'."

"Or 'Space Base'," Lance says, pointing a finger gun. The team gives him another look. "What?"

I walk forward and lean in. Mol o Spa’tei—the hub of space, or, simply put, ‘Space Hub’.

Coran walks away. "I'm pulling up the location of your Universal Hub Station Base on our screens now.”

Two planets appear on the Castle Ship’s screen, but the Space Hub is nowhere to be seen. It must be hidden somehow.

Hunk blinks. "So, where is it?"

"I don't know. Our long-range sensors are unable to find anything at those coordinates."

"Maybe he remembered it wrong," Keith guesses.

Shaking my head, my eyes stay glued to the screen. "This Space Hub could be a top-secret base in Commander Sendak's memories.” I shift my eyes to Allura. “I think we’ve stumbled upon something of great value.”

Allura’s eyes flick back and forth. "Only one way to find out. Let's go take a look."

|••••••••••|

Hunk is asleep on the chair of his Paladin station upside down. I keep my eyes fixed on him, now dressed in my armor, and he lets out loud snores. The jolt causes him to topple over and I cover my mouth to stifle my snort.

"We should be close enough to get a good scan but far enough away to avoid being noticed," Allura says, slowly guiding the Castle Ship to a halt.

The Space Hub comes into view and I walk over to the window. There are three cruisers there now—two leaving and one arriving.

"There it is," Shiro says.

"It appears the gravitation between the two planets warps the electron emission spectrum enough to keep the planet off the deep space scanners," Coran states.

"So, you can only see it if you really know where to look," Pidge says.

"They are one smart species of aliens," I confess, looking into the void.

This is actually a brilliant location. I wonder how long it took them to build it.

"This place must handle shipments from all over the Galra Empire," Shiro says.

"If this is some big airport where shipments come and go, why is it hidden?"

"There must be more to this than we're seeing."

"Then, we'd better go down to take a look.” Allura zooms in and pulls up the plans. “We'll need to enter here: the central control building."

Keith’s brows furrow. "I'm sorry, Princess, did you say 'we'?"

"I'm going with you. I've traveled through the Galra transportation hubs many times with my father before the war began. I know more about them than any of you."

My lips twitch and I keep my gaze fixed on the Hub. Yeah, okay.

"Princess, I'd rather you stay here," Coran states, turning to face her.

"I'm a part of this fight against Zarkon as much as anyone. I'm going. Does anyone have a problem with that?" She looks around at everyone.

"Uh..."

Lance whistles while Coran stammers.

Shiro glances at Coran before shrugging. "Fine. Suit up," Shiro says.

Coran’s face falls.

“I think this a great idea,” I say, smiling. “You know, with the Princess’s knowledge and all.”

Shiro nods. "We'll go in low, fast, and hopefully undetected. Coming around the dark side of the nearest planet should keep them from getting a visual on us. Thanks to Pidge's modifications to the Green Lion, we'll have 30 seconds of cloaking."

"I can flood their short-range sensors with a radiation burst,” Coran says. That should buy you a minute or so, while they assume it's cosmic interference. But, after that, it's up to you to be out of sight.”

“Wait, do we all have room in Green?” I ask, tilting my head.

Lance’s eyes twinkle and he smirks. “My lap is wide open.”

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. "Tempting, Lance. Truly."

Keith groans audibly.

|••••••••••|

The door to the central control room silently slides open and the Galra soldier standing guard over the robotic sentries lets out a loud yawn. Shiro sneaks up from behind and knocks him out. The two sentries turn and Hunk and Lance use their bayards to dispose of them. While they do that, Keith, Pidge, Shiro, Allura, and I rush down the stairs. Pidge pulls out her computer and Lance drags the sentries to the side. Hunk leans down, pops out the controls' paneling, and pulls out wires. Keith leans over the console, his eyes scanning the outside.

"How's it look out there?" Shiro asks.

"All clear,” Keith replies.

"This shouldn't take too long,” Hunk says, standing up.

"We'll have all the information we need in a few minutes," Pidge says. The computer starts beeping. "Hunk and I have made some improvements since the last time I tried to download Galra's info. We should get a nice, clean translation immediately. Hunk had a great idea about how to do it."

Hunk sits down on one of the sentries. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, do you guys remember when we studied algorithms at the Garrison, and Mr. York told us that joke about the ghost learning symbolic logic and innumerably infinite sets?"

Lance raises an eyebrow. "Boring."

"Right, yeah, totally, it was boring. Anyway, the joke goes—"

Lance makes a face.

"Hey, guys, sorry to interrupt, but I think we got company," Keith says.

Looking up, a large Galra cruiser casts a shadow over the control room. We all duck as it parks and gather around Pidge.

"Think we should get out of here?" Keith asks.

"We just need a few more seconds," Pidge says as she continues typing.

"Stay low,” Shiro says. “We need this intel."

I peek up to glance at the cruiser. The computer beeps with warning and Keith’s eyes widen.

"Get down!" Keith whispers, pulling me down. The team gets out of view.

"Huh?" a Galra soldier says, confused.

"He's still looking. I think he's waiting for a signal or something," Lance says.

Looking over at Lance, I nod. “Probably needs clearance to unload,” I whisper.

Keith glances at the screen. “What do we do?” he whispers.

"I got it," Hunk replies. He stealthily takes out one of the robotic sentries and pulls it up, making vague hand signals.

The screen clicks off.

Pidge sighs in relief and Lance stands. "Nice job, Hunk,” he says.

"Thanks,” Hunk says, holding up the sentry’s hand. Lance gives it a high five.

"Okay, download complete," Pidge says.

I smile. "Mission accomplished."

"What's it say?" Keith asks.

"Nothing. This place doesn't have any useful information. Just a schedule of the ships coming in and out," Pidge says.

"Well, I guess this mission was a bust," Lance groans.

"Let's get back to the Castle," Shiro sighs.

I look between all of them. “We didn’t risk our lives for nothing, there’s gotta be something,” I say.

"Hold on.” Allura looks up and points to the cruiser. “Pidge, do you know where that ship is headed?"

"Um, it's scheduled to be here for about half an hour, then head off to Central Command," Pidge replies.

My eyes snap up to the cruiser. Central Command?

"That's where they have the information we need, and I'm going to sneak aboard that ship and get it for us."

"What? No way!" Lance exclaims.

"How are you going to get in?" Keith asks.

She takes off her helmet. "I'm going to walk right through the front.” Allura smiles and transforms into a Galran.

My mouth falls open and I look at her with wide eyes. Allura is purple.

Alteans can shapeshift, too?

"How the heck did you do that?" Hunk asks.

"The Alteans are a chameleon-like people who can blend in with the local populations. It's the ability that's made us great explorers and diplomats throughout our history," Allura says.

"So, can you turn into, like, a balloon?" Lance asks.

"How many different colors can you be at once?" Pidge asks.

“Can only Alteans do it?” I ask.

"Aren't you afraid you'll rip your pants?" Hunk asks.

"No, just one at a time, yes, and I will need a change of costume. I can use his uniform as a disguise," Allura answers, pointing to the Galra soldier still knocked out.

Tilting my head, I look at Allura more closely.

Only Alteans can shapeshift?

"I can't let you go in there alone," Shiro says.

"Excuse me? I do not need your permission."

"It's too dangerous.” Shiro walks forward. “I'm going in with you.”

Her eyes narrow. “You will stick out like a Shoferiak's nose."

"You're going to need that nose, Princess,” Pidge says. She pulls on his robotic arm. “Shiro's hand is made from Galra tech. It's the only thing we have that will allow us to interface with their systems and gather intel. I can monitor the download remotely from here."

Allura sighs. "Fine, you can come."

I lean down and grab the broken arm of one of the sentries. “Or,” I say, waving the hand. “I go by myself and use this thing.”

The team looks at me and Lance crosses his arms. “You will stick out like a sore thumb.”

“I don’t think risking a crucial part of Voltron or a princess is a good idea.”

“And risking yourself is better?” Keith asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I can handle it.”

Shiro shakes his head. “Absolutely not,” he says. “No solo missions—too dangerous.”

I bite my tongue and drop the robotic arm. It lets out a metallic clang as it touches the floor.

Allura looks at me for a tick. “(Y/N) can come, too,” she says. “We’ll need someone good at combat.”

"Uh, you guys better hurry up if you want to get on and off before the ship leaves for Zarkon Central," Hunk says, staring up.

Keith looks at our current shortness compared to Allura. "How will you get on board?" he asks.

I pull off the Galran male’s helmet and toss it to Allura. He doesn’t even stir as I start taking off the rest of his armor.

|••••••••••|

Shiro and I huddle together in a metal crate as Allura carries us. She is disguised as a Galra soldier.

"Halt," a soldier calls out and Allura stops moving.

Shiro’s eyes widen and we both hold our breath.

Please don’t open the crate, please don’t open the crate, please don’t open the crate.

We remain paused for a few ticks. "Move along,” he says.

Thank the stars.

Allura sighs as we enter the ship and a few more moments pass before I feel the crate being set down. We slowly get out and make our way through the ship.

Shiro closes his eyes.

Allura leans in closer to him. "Shiro, are you all right?" she whispers.

He looks a bit dizzy. "I just remembered how I escaped from the Galra prison ship. Listen, most of the ship's personnel are sentries," he says.

"So?"

I nod. “So they’re robots,” I whisper, “and they’re programmed with schedules.”

"Exactly. When I was a prisoner, I timed their pattern."

"Do you remember it?" Allura asks.

"Let's find out." We stand and quickly make our way to a room with a computer. There are two sentries standing watch.

Shiro powers on his arm and takes out both sentries. I stare at them as they fall and shrug, moving to pull them out of the way.

"We only have a few minutes before the next patrol comes by,” Shiro says. “Watch the door."

"Got it,” Allura says.

Shiro places his robotic hand on the screen. SHIRO: "Okay, Pidge, start the download."

PIDGE: "Generating access code." Blue flashes on the screen. "We're in."

Emperor Zarkon’s insignia flashes on the screen.

SHIRO: "Pidge, I think there's a problem."

PIDGE: "Sit tight. I'm trying to work around this."

COMPUTER: "Scanning for information."

SHIRO: "Pidge?"

PIDGE: "I'm on it, I'm on it."

I stare at the screen, Galra symbols flashing on it. (Y/N): “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

"What's going on here?” a Galra soldier demands. “Who are you?"

I look up, startled.

Quiznak.

Allura scrambles and leans against the doorframe. "It's about time you got here,” she says in a loud voice. “Where is the rest of your squad?"

"Uh, what squad?"

SHIRO: "Hurry up, Pidge."

PIDGE: "Almost there."

"The squad that is to escort me and my associate to our ship," Allura states.

"Who's back there? What's going on?" he asks.

She places a hand on his chest and pushes him back. "We are part of Zarkon's high command. Our work must not be disturbed."

"Where's Chief Information Officer Plytox?"

"Uh, he's in there. Say hello, Plyrox."

"Uh...Uh…” Shiro whispers.

I deepen my voice. “It's 'Plytox'!" I snap.

"Oh, sorry. See?" Allura asks.

"Oh. Vrepit Sa, sir!” the soldier shouts. “I get his name wrong all the time, too."

"Whew," Allura sighs.

(Y/N): “Pidge, are you almost done?”

The comms are silent for a moment. PIDGE: “Um, sorry. Yeah.” There’s another pause. “Keith found something.”

Footsteps echo in the hallway again.

"Um..." the same soldier starts. "Sorry to bother you, officer."

"Yes?" Allura asks, clearing her throat.

"Do you think I could get assigned to Zarkon's unit? Nothing happens on this ship."

"Oh, well, I don't know. What's your bloodthirstiness on a scale of one to five? One being 'No, thanks, I'm full,' and five being 'Unquenchable.'"

A small smile spreads on my lips and I shake my head.

"Hmm... If I'm being honest, about a three."

"We can work on that."

My eyes connect on aver’sa and my eyes widen. “Quiznak,” I whisper.

Shiro’s eyes snap to me. “What? What is it?”

Alarms blare and flashing red lights fill the room.

"Huh?" the soldier outside asks.

"Huh?" Allura echoes.

"Fugitive prisoner 117-9875 detected. Remain where you are. Security alerted," the computer blares.

I pull Shiro’s arm off and try to shut the warning down, but my hands accidentally touch the handprint pad as I type. “High-security fugitive prisoner 001-114 detected. This is not a drill. High-security fugitive prisoner 001-114 detected.” I gulp and snatch my hand away from the console.

"Uh, help! Intruders!" the soldier yells, pointing a gun at us.

Allura clicks the door pad and the doors slide closed. He starts shooting at the metallic doors.

"I think we're in trouble," Shiro says, walking up to Allura.

"You think?" Allura facepalms and charges through the metal doors, colliding with the soldier outside.

I stare at him as he collapses onto the floor and she grabs his gun. Shiro and I look up at her in disbelief.

She glances at us. “What?”

A squadron of sentries turns around the hallway and starts shooting at us.

"Let's go!" Shiro shouts.

We sprint down the hallways and turn several corridors.

SHIRO: "Pidge, fire up the Green Lion! We're coming in hot!"

Two sentries appear in front of us and we freeze. Allura shoots the gun, but the beams are shot behind us. I turn around and look up at her incredulously as one of the sentries from the squadron chasing us collapses onto the floor.

Shiro powers on his robotic hand and takes out the two sentries blocking our path. I take the gun from Allura’s grip and lower myself to one knee, keeping my grip firm. I squeeze the trigger, aiming at the six sentries trailing us. The pulse from the weapon hums, the shots connecting with one sentry’s chest plate. Sparks fly, and it collapses mid-step. I take out the other five just as easily.

Standing, I hand the gun back to Allura.

Shiro’s eyes are narrowed up at her. "I thought you said you'd traveled around the galaxy.” He grabs the gun from her hands and fixes it, giving it back to her. “I mean, you fly a spaceship. How could you possibly not know how to hold this correctly?”

We start running again. "I'm tense!” she exclaims. “This is a tense situation."

“Argue later!” I shout.

"Secure hatches,” a male’s voice echoes through the cruiser’s speakers. “All personnel take positions for departure."

More squadrons catch up to us.

"The escape pods are up here!" Shiro shouts and points up ahead.

"Formulating navigation. All crew, assume secure hyper-speed positions."

“We’re running out of time!” I shout.

Allura throws her helmet off. "Hurry!” she shouts. “We can't leave once the ship goes into hyper-speed!"

We reach the pod and Shiro places his hand on the door pad to shut the doors. The sentries continue shooting at us. One of the sentries manages to insert itself into the door and tries plying it open. Allura runs to hold the doors closed and I grab the gun from the floor, trying to shoot at them from the cracks. Shiro powers his arm and tries melding the metal doors together.

"It's taking off!” Allura yells, strained. “Get in the pod!"

Shiro continues melting the metal. "I'm not leaving you!"

I manage to shoot one down and the pod’s doors shutting echo in the space between us.

"You have to!"

Everything happens in a flash. Allura picks Shiro up and throws him into the escape pod. The sentries ply the door open and I struggle to shoot them down at such a close range. Shiro gets up, his eyes wide, as he stares at us through the window. One of the sentries grabs me and I kick it off, but before I can shoot again, one of them presses a gun to my head.

I freeze.

Allura is pushed onto her knees and she puts her hands up behind her head.

The pod launches into space.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter as I go on my knees.

Keith's POV:

Staring down at my now healed hand, the adrenaline from fighting the strange cloaked creature is still pumping in my veins.

How the hell did I heal almost instantly? That guy completely burned my hand. What was in those damn containers? Quintessence? What does that even mean? What is that stuff? Some sort of instant healing magic? Is magic even real? This is crazy. And why did it turn purple after the magic zapped it? Is it like corrupted quintessence? Is the yellow quintessence raw? Am I going to get sick from exposure? Am I going to die?

The door that leads to the Green Lion’s cockpit slides open and I turn around. Shiro steps through alone. I wait for a few seconds and lean over to look behind him. "Where are Allura and (Y/N)?" I ask, glancing at him.

He walks over to Pidge’s seat and leans on it, panting with his eyes closed. I frown as I watch him.

"Shiro?" Lance asks, leaning in. “Why are you all alone?”

His expression is full of pain and guilt. "Allura sacrificed herself to save me," Shiro says in disbelief. "They ran out of time. They—" his voice cracks and he’s shaking. “They had guns pointed at them.”

My heart sinks. Is (Y/N) okay?

Pidge sits up. "So, they're still on that ship?" she asks.

"The ship that's headed to Zarkon's Central Command?" Hunk asks.

"The place that's way too dangerous for us to attack?" I ask.

Shiro’s hand clenches into a fist and he stands up, opening his eyes to look right at me. "It doesn't matter how dangerous it is,” he says. “We can't let Zarkon get Allura or (Y/N)."

Hunk frowns. "But you said going there would be a huge mistake. You said for us to attack that place head-on would be the dumbest possible thing we could ever do."

"I know, but now we don't have a choice."

|••••••••••|

The doors to the Castle Ship’s slide open.

Shiro takes his helmet off. "Pidge, scan the download from the ship. Find out where Zarkon's central command is."

"On it!" she replies and jogs to her computer station with Hunk.

Coran turns around, his expression confused. "Where's Allura? Where’s (Y/N)?” His eyes widen with panic and he rushes to us. “What happened?”

Shiro frowns. "They’ve been captured. Allura threw me on a pod to save me and the information. I didn't have a choice," he states.

"How is that possible?"

"Coran, I'm sorry things didn't go as planned, but we can't focus on what went wrong. We've got to figure out how to make it right. Pidge, anything?"

She presses something on her screen. "Guys, look at this.”

"Look at the size of it," Coran whispers.

We are so quiznaked.

"I think we should go in right away. Every minute we waste gives Zarkon time to prepare for us," Pidge says.

"I agree,” Lance says, crossing his arms. “We form Voltron, fly in, fly out, dust off our hands, and walk away."

This ship is way too damn big.

"Um, do you guys not remember the Balmera?” Hunk asks. “We could barely take out one fleet. But this a base this size could hold a thousand fleets."

I shake my head. "Or maybe we shouldn't go on this mission at all,” I say. “Think about it. We'll be delivering the universe's only hope to the universe's biggest enemy."

"Keith, that's cold, even for you. What if it was one of us? What if it was me? You wouldn't leave me, would you? Would you?"

Pursing my lips, I stare at them. “I'm not saying I like the idea. I'm just thinking like a paladin."

"No, you're thinking of yourself because you're too scared to do what's right!” Lance exclaims.

I narrow my eyes. “You think I want to let (Y/N) be captured again?” I snap, taking a step forward.

Pidge shakes her head, her eyes focused on the screen. "Okay, we're all upset because we lost Allura and (Y/N).”

"No, Shiro lost them!" Coran corrects.

"Okay, okay!” Hunk shouts. “This isn't helping. We can't just sit here and bicker like this."

Shiro sighs. "Let's focus. How are we going to get Allura and (Y/N)?" he asks.

Lance walks over to his Paladin station and starts brainstorming.

I look out the window again. “I can go by myself,” I say. “In and out.”

Shiro shakes his head. “You going solo risks too much.” He turns to look at Lance. "Anything?"

Lance shakes his head, a large frown forming on his features. "There's just no way in. They'll have us tracked from every direction," he states.

"There's gotta be something. Keep looking.”

I glance over potential routes, my leg bouncing up and down with nervous energy. Blinking, my eyes stop on something and I project it onto the Castle Ship’s computer, sitting up. “What about this?” I ask.

Your POV:

We were tossed into a cell at least a varga ago. We are trapped for the foreseeable future.

Allura is back in her Altean form and has a thick gash on her neck. The sentries and soldiers were not gentle as they imprisoned us. She looks at me and her entire body is trembling, her eyes glassy.

“They will come for us,” she whispers, but I notice the quivering of her lips. She is paralyzed by fear and the cold.

I grimace and shake my head, sitting up and undoing the top of my suit. “If they were smart, they’d leave us here,” I whisper.

I tear at the hem of my shirt and shift closer to her, tugging at the top of her armor. When I pull it down, she is left in a light blue long-sleeved shirt and a patch of red seeps through the fabric. Frowning, I pull up the sleeve as gently as possible. The blood causes the shirt to stick on her skin. I wrap the bloody gash on her right arm with cautious knots and she lets out a slight whimper, pushing away from me.

“Allura,” I say softly, holding my hands up to show I’m not a threat. “I’m just trying to stop the bleeding.”

She hesitates, her gaze darting between my hands and my face. Her breathing is shallow, but she finally nods. I reach out again, slower this time, and continue tying the fabric around her arm.

We sit in silence for a few ticks as I secure the makeshift bandage. She moves around to face me better. The lights in the cell flicker, and I close my eyes, trying to remain calm.

"When we were in that room,” Allura says quietly, “and Shiro was at the computer, it announced ‘high-security fugitive prisoner 001-114 detected’. Why is your number so low?”

I freeze at her question, my hands stilling on her arm. “It's... complicated,” I mutter, leaning back against the cold wall of the cell.

“Complicated?” she echoes, her voice sharper now despite the tremble.

My jaw tightens, but I stay silent.

“(Y/N)?”

I swallow the lump that has lodged itself in my throat and glare at my hands, at the faint scars from my life here. “Do you hate all Galra or just Emperor Zarkon?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Allura flinches, her expression caught somewhere between confusion and wariness. “What kind of question is that?” she asks. Her voice is soft, yet it holds a defensive edge.

I keep my gaze on my hands, flexing my fingers as if to loosen the tension crawling up my arms. “It’s important. If you could wipe them all out—the soldiers, the workers, the innocents—would you?”

Her eyes narrow, and I see her clench her fists. “This war is against Zarkon and his empire. The ones who perpetuate his reign, who enslave and destroy—those are the ones we fight.”

I glance at her, meeting her gaze for the first time since we were thrown in here. “But what about the rest? The ones who had no choice but to serve him? The ones trapped just like you, like me?”

She stiffens, her lips parting as if to argue, but no words come. Her brow furrows deeply, and her hands tremble in her lap. “Why are you asking me this?” Her voice is barely a whisper now.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and drop my voice. “Would you kill innocents?”

“I—Zarkon destroyed Altea.”

“King Alfor destroyed Daibazaal.”

Silence stretches between us again and she sniffles beside me.

“My father did what he had to,” she whispers. “Daibazaal was crumbling. H-he had to evacuate and destroy the planet.”

Frowning, I look at her. “What was it like?”

Allura blinks. “Daibazaal?”

“Life before the war.”

Her gaze is distant as she recalls it. “The Karthulian System thrived. I would visit Daibazaal with my father at least once every couple of phoebs. I loved the rocky terrain it had, the red and gray soil. It was so different from Altea’s greenery.”

I gently nod, letting her reminisce, her voice softening as she speaks of Daibazaal. Despite the dire circumstances, there’s a strange solace in hearing her describe a time when the universe wasn’t at war.

Her expression turns wistful, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “The Galra people were proud. Stubborn, yes, but there was a warmth to their community. I remember their artisans and engineers, their warriors... It wasn’t just about conquest back then. They had a culture, a soul.”

I lean back against the cold wall, folding my arms. “What happened?”

She frowns. “Zarkon and Honerva were corrupted. My father always said it was the quintessence—too much exposure, too much power. It twisted them both.”

I sit up at the name, my brows furrowing. “Honerva?”

Is that Lotor’s mother?

Allura nods and shrugs. “The Altean alchemist who married him.”

My eyes widen. “Emperor Zarkon was married to an Altean?”

“He was. And his royal whor—”

The cell doors open and Haggar stands before us with two of her Druids. The color drains from my face and Allura looks confused.

She’s still alive.

"Come with me," Haggar hisses. “Your presence has been requested.”

Sentries crowd the cell and Allura tries fighting back, but one hits her on the head. Hard. Restraints are put on her wrists and she groans silently. Haggar looks over at me with watchful, studying eyes, and I swallow hard, putting my hands out.

“I’ll cooperate,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

Haggar smirks as a sentry restrains me and another hits the back of my head with the butt of its gun. Hard.

|••••••••••|

My eyes blink in a daze and I watch as Haggar’s dark magic holds Allura up in the air, choking her. It takes several ticks for my eyes to adjust to the blinding lights and my head lolls as I see Emperor Zarkon.

Allura collapses onto the floor, her chest heaving. "Voltron is going to put an end to your empire!" she states weakly.

Emperor Zarkon narrows his eyes. "No, it will only make me more powerful. Your father knew that as well as I. That's why he led me to believe he destroyed it all those years ago. But now, your new Paladins will come for you, and they will deliver Voltron to me and, with it, the key to unimaginable power." He snaps his fingers and a sentry bashes the side of Allura’s head again, knocking her unconscious.

Haggar and her Druids take a step forward, and Emperor Zarkon glares at them. “Leave us,” he commands.

“But, Your Majesty—” Haggar starts.

“I said leave us!”

My hands begin to shake as I try to break free.

Once we are alone, Emperor Zarkon tilts his head at me and his face contorts with rage. He takes long strides and grabs me by the collar of my suit, hauling me up. My back collides with a wall, and I let out choking sounds as his grip tightens around my neck.

“You dare make a fool out of me?” he whispers, anger in every ounce of his words. I struggle to get air into my lungs, and my vision blurs. His eyes blaze with fury, boring into mine. "Answer me!" he demands, shaking me violently. My head smashes against the wall again, sending a wave of pain through my skull.

My eyes roll into the back of my head. "N-no," I gasp, trying to force the words out despite the pressure on my throat. "I swear, Father." Black spots dance at the edges of my vision.

"Liar!" he roars, his voice echoing off the metal walls.

I narrow my eyes, and with the last of my strength, I bring my knee up sharply, aiming for his stomach. He loosens his hold just enough for me to collapse to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. My knees scrape against the cold floor as I clutch my throat, still feeling the phantom pressure of his grip. I grimace at the soreness in my throat as I swallow and desperation courses through me. I scramble to my feet, darting back to where Allura lies on the floor.

His hand clamps down on my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. "You're not going anywhere. Not until you answer me."

I stare up at him, defiance and fear warring within me, and take a protective stance in front of Allura. "I am not your prisoner anymore," I manage to choke out, my voice hoarse. “I will never bow to you.”

"Oh, you will," he says, almost whispering. "Or you'll wish you had."

With a swift, forceful motion, he strikes me across my face and I fall to my knees, clutching my stinging cheek. My heart races, searching for a way to escape with Allura so we can make it out of here alive.

Emperor Zarkon laughs, creating a cold, mocking sound. "You’re supposed to be dead—I disposed of you many millennia ago. How are you alive? Are you a clone? Tell me.” He takes a step closer. “Surrender now, and perhaps I'll show mercy."

Tears blur my vision. "I would rather die than surrender to you," I whisper.

“Very well, child.” He pauses and takes a step back, a smirk tugging at his lips. “It appears Voltron has decided to come rescue you.” Calling for a sentry, he gestures to us. “Return them to their cell.”

The next time my father strikes me, I fall onto the floor beside Allura.

|••••••••••|

The ship trembles and I groan, clutching at my throat. I can’t breathe properly. The door to the cell bursts open. I glance over at Allura, who remains motionless on the floor. My chest tightens. Her breathing is shallow, but she’s alive. I take a shaky breath, trying to steady my trembling hands, and reach out to her. "Allura," I whisper urgently, shaking her lightly. "You have to wake up.”

Her eyes flutter open, and she groans weakly. I can see the strain on her face, the toll the dark magic and beatings have taken on her. “(Y/N)...?”

Tears obscure my vision and I tug on her arm. “Hunk’s here. They’re here to save us.”

Hunk rushes to our aid and hands me a communicator. I place it on my ears and he bends down to pick up Allura. His face contorts with horror as he takes a closer look at us and I can’t stop the silent tears from flowing. He wraps an arm around my waist. "You're safe now," he says gently. "Let's get out of here."

Allura stirs awake and her eyes open with incredible slowness. "What are you doing here?” she asks as she frowns. “Tell me you didn't bring Voltron straight to Zarkon's central command. Where's the Black Lion?"

LANCE: "Hunk, did you find the girls?"

“We have to save Shiro,” I say.

HUNK: "I got 'em, but there's a change of plans."

|••••••••••|

Dozens of Haggars crowd my vision and Shiro cowers on the floor.

"And now, Champion, your time is over," she shouts. Her cackles echo across the walls.

Hunk lets Allura down and powers on his Bayard. "Which one's the real one?" he asks.

I scan the room carefully and point. "Hunk, fire there!" I shout over Haggar’s booming laughter.

Hunk fires and the images falter. Shiro jumps up and charges for her, but she disappears.

Allura rushes to his aid and helps him up. "We've got to get out of here!" she says, holding on to Shiro.

"Where's the scary lady?" Hunk asks, standing.

"Hunk!"

"Oh, right."

"Let's go!" I shout.

We split up. Allura goes to the Castle Ship, Shiro goes to the Black Lion, and I remain with Hunk in the Yellow Lion.

CORAN: “Keith? Keith, can you hear me?”

There is a brief silence before coughs echo in the comms. KEITH: “I’m in Red.”

Coran lets out an exasperated sigh. CORAN: “Don’t do that again, Keith. Going up against Zarkon by yourself was foolish.”

KEITH: “Noted.”

ALLURA: "All right, Paladins, time to get out of here!"

I buckle myself into an empty seat and take careful swallows. I blink as I process the brief exchange between Coran and Keith. (Y/N): “Wait. Keith, what did you do?”

I hear him huff. KEITH: “No time to explain.”

HUNK: "Hello? What's going on? I don't see a wormhole."

CORAN: "The Galra barrier is jamming our ability to create one! They have us completely surrounded!"

The purple dome glitches and shuts off.

PIDGE: "What just happened?"

HUNK: "Who cares? Wormhole!"

I grip the edges of my seat. (Y/N): “Keith—”

KEITH: “We’re all okay. That’s all that matters.”

A blast of dark magic bursts from Emperor Zarkon’s Central Command ship. The Castle Ship manages to create a wormhole and the Lions follow closely behind it. Alarms blare in the Yellow Lion and I cover my ears in agony.

SHIRO: "Coran, what's happening?"

CORAN: "The integrity of the wormhole has been compromised. It's breaking down!"

LANCE: "What does that mean?"

CORAN: "It means we have no control over where we're headed!"

(Y/N): "What's happening?"

We scatter away from the group and the Yellow Lion begins to spiral out of control. I close my eyes and try to ignore the searing pain that spreads throughout my body.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

LANCE: "Keith! Shiro!"

HUNK: "I don't wanna die!"

I blink at him. He is not holding onto the controls, causing us to spin out of control. Taking my helmet off, I throw it at him. It hits the back of Hunk’s pilot chair and he whips his head around.

(Y/N): “Focus!” The alarms blare and I look to my right to see that Blue is getting too close. “Damn it, Hunk, steer!”

HUNK: “I can’t!”

LANCE: "We gotta stay together!"

HUNK: “I think I'm gonna be sick!"

My eyes widen. (Y/N): "Please don't throw up on me."

The turbulence gets worse and the Yellow Lion shakes. Our screams are the only thing in my comms. We’re thrown outside of the wormhole, crashing into an iced-over ocean.

Another tundra planet?

My head hits the back of the chair hard and I wince. Yellow’s lights flicker. The coldness hits me, causing a shiver to trail up my spine.

First I crash land on an ice planet now in ice water—I am sick of the ice! Why can’t I crash land somewhere warm for once?

I unbuckle myself and slowly stand. My legs wobble, but I manage to stand upright. It’s dark where we are. Hunk looks at me and winces. He throws up, and I cover my nose, moving to grab my helmet before he gets it dirty.

(Y/N): "Hunk! In your lion?"

LANCE: "Hunk, you okay? Hunk? (Y/N) wha—"

HUNK: "I'm fine."

LANCE: "You just threw up, didn't you?"

HUNK: "Yeah... You would too if you got sucked out of a wormhole at light speed, then crash-landed on an ice planet and ended up underwater."

LANCE: "That literally happened to all three of us!"

HUNK: "Oh, right."

LANCE: "My main system is down. The crash must have screwed it up. Does yours work?"

HUNK: "I'm on reserve power. My lion's pretty much dead in the water."

LANCE: "This situation's bad enough, Hunk. Don't make it worse with puns."

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. (Y/N): "I should’ve gone with Shiro in the Black Lion.”

Hunk weakly smiles at me. HUNK: "I'm just shocked we hit a planet. I thought Pidge said space was 90% empty.

LANCE: "Well, apparently, Pidge's science is wrong."

I pinch the bridge of my nose as we continue sinking. (Y/N): "Pidge is right, space is just really big."

Hunk starts typing on the controls. HUNK: "We need to contact the others and get back to the group immediately. Hello, anyone? This is Hunk and Lance of the Yellow and Blue Lions."

LANCE: "They know the color of our lions!"

HUNK: "Okay, yeah. I always forget that. My bad. This is Hunk, Lance, and (Y/N). Does anyone copy?"

The comms stay silent, and Hunk starts fidgeting.

(Y/N): “Anyone?”

My hands move across my suit to check if there is any damage from previously, but there don’t seem to be any cracks. I inspect the helmet next and sigh.

At least things aren’t entirely hopeless.

I dig into my suit and feel my throat. The skin is sore and tender to the touch.

Stars above, I should’ve killed Father when I had the chance. Or at least kicked him harder.

Both Lions crash onto the bottom of the ocean and I nearly trip on my feet.

LANCE: "I gotta check for damage and get these lions running."

HUNK: "Copy that."

LANCE: "Oh, good. The Blue Lion's coming back online now. Welcome back, beautiful."

Lance powers on Blue’s headlights.

I roll my eyes. (Y/N): "Isn’t Blue a water lion?"

My eyes catch a mysterious creature swimming near the Lions at a rapid pace. "Huh?" I whisper as I take a step closer to the window.

LANCE: "Uh Hunk, did... did you just see something swim by? What? No. No way! This is going to sound crazy, but I think I just saw a mermaid."

"A mermaid...?" I whisper again. I squint my eyes, trying to spot the creature again.

HUNK: "Oh, boy. Okay, how hard did you bang your head when we hit the planet?"

LANCE: "Dude, I'm serious! Look! There it is again!" Lance gasps. "Hey, come here! Where are you going? Hey, slow down!"

Blue begins going in circles. I watch the Lion in disbelief. (Y/N): "Lance, stop!"

HUNK: "Lance, knock it off. We have to stay focused and get to the others.”

Blue stops spiraling, and its hatch opens. I look out and see Lance swimming out in the open. Hunk moves to my side.

HUNK: “You're outside of your lion.”

(Y/N): “Great."

LANCE: "I know we have to find the others. I'm just saying maybe this thing can help. Also, it's a mermaid. A mermaid! Come on, let's find it."

Hunk shakes his head. HUNK: "No. No way. Nope. Not going out there."

LANCE: "Okay, you stay here, by yourself, in the dark, all alone in a lion that's out of commission."

(Y/N): “I’m literally right—”

Hunk adjusts his helmet and sprints out of Yellow through the hatch, leaving me alone, to go to Lance. HUNK: "Don't leave me!"

My shoulders slump. (Y/N): "This is a horrible idea.”

LANCE: "Come on!"

They start jet-packing away and I sigh, annoyed.

"Damn Earthlings," I mutter, rolling my eyes, and put my helmet on. I rush to the hatch and dive into the water, trying to swim in their general direction. I have never been in a body of water this large before. I look up, trying to find the surface, but there is nothing but darkness.

I power on my jetpack, trailing behind them. (Y/N): “Is this a bad time to mention I can’t swim?”

HUNK: "I can't believe this! We're really chasing a mermaid."

(Y/N): “Can one of you wait for me?”

I spot the mermaid, but she swims away.

LANCE: "Hey, wait, wait, wait! We're friendly!"

Lance and Hunk gasp. I catch up to them and see a gigantic underwater palace. In front of the palace, there are rows of houses. It’s bright and bustling with activity. I pant and struggle to steady my breathing. I squint my eyes in the distance. (Y/N): "Is that a mermaid village?”

Lance turns to look at me with a startled expression. LANCE: "Huh?"

Hunk’s eyebrows furrow. HUNK: "Aren’t you injured? I thought you’d want to rest."

I turn around to look at them and cross my arms. (Y/N): "You two are so lame for leaving the coolest member of Voltron behind."

LANCE: "Hey, I thought I was the coolest member!"

HUNK: "We all know it's not you, Lance."

I tilt my head. (Y/N): “As if I am going to stay stranded with two Lions of Voltron while the two of you explore. I love exploring.”

Lance spots the mermaid again. LANCE: "Whatever, let's follow her!"

I clutch onto Hunk’s leg. (Y/N): “Don’t you dare rush off without me again.”

"Hello. Welcome to my village.” A voice from behind says. Lance and Hunk scream and I whip my head around. It’s the mermaid. She has a yellow and pink tail with large eyes and flowing hair. “Here, all are safe and warm." She smiles.

Three muscular mermaid guards come from behind and we all scream this time, hiding behind the mermaid female.

(Y/N): “I knew this was going to be a bad idea!”

"Please, do not startle our guests,” she says. “I am Florona. The almighty Queen Luxia, keeper of our land, would love to meet with you," she greets.

"Wait. How did your queen know we were here?" Lance asks.

"Queen Luxia knows all." She begins swimming away with the guards.

I look at their retreating figures incredulously.

(Y/N): “Let’s just go back to the Lions and wait for someone to find us.”

They bring three large creatures and Lance smiles wide.

LANCE: “Seahorses!”

(Y/N): “Lance—”

He goes on one and turns to look at us. LANCE: “Come on, let’s have some fun.”

Hunk sighs, mounting one. Giving in, I mount the third and we’re escorted to the palace.

HUNK: “Lance, I know this mermaid thing is a dream of yours, but we really gotta go."

LANCE: "We will, big guy, we will, but let's meet this queen first. Besides, maybe she can help us. And, if I just happen to find the future Mrs. Blue Lion, well, then that is all right with me."

I give him a pointed look. (Y/N): “Are you joking?”

Lance winks at me. LANCE: “Don’t be jealous, (Y/N).”

I glare at him. (Y/N): “I’m not jealous. This is a horrible idea.”

We reach the palace grounds, and a unit of guards escorts us to a large throne room. A mermaid with a crown sits on the throne and greets us.

"Space travelers, I am Queen Luxia,” she says. “I welcome you to our village as honored guests."

Lance bows. "The honor's all ours. I'm La-a-a-ance," he stutters as he floats up.

I look up at Lance and roll my eyes. Hunk pulls him down by the leg and I look back to the queen, giving a curt bow. "I am (Y/N)," I say. I look around and note possible exits. There is only one exit, and ten mermaid soldiers heavily guard it.

"Uh, Mrs. Queen, Your Honor, Your Excellence, I'm Hunk, and me and my buddies here, we crash-landed on your lovely planet, but we really need to get back in touch with our friends who are in space. Would you possibly have any way of doing that?" Hunk asks.

"(Y/N), Hunk, and Lance, I can solve all of your problems. Here, we are all safe and warm." The Queen smiles again. Her smile is haunting, and her eyes appear glazed over.

"You use magic, don't you? I bet this palace is a ship. This palace is a ship, am I right? Just don't say anything if I'm right."

"Here, I've brought you these. The bubble coral will provide you with all the air you need."

A guard comes to us with a shell and it blows a bubble over Hunk’s head. He pops his helmet off. "Whoa-ho-ho! Thank you, Fish Queen,” he says.

A bubble is blown on Lance’s head and he takes his helmet off next. “Cool."

I blink as the bubble coral is blown over my head and hesitantly take my helmet off. “Thanks,” I say, my hair flowing in my face.

"And rest assured, your space vessels will be well protected,” the Queen says. Looking up, the Blue and Yellow Lions’ protective domes are powered on and they’re being transported by large creatures.

“Those are huge manta rays,” Hunk murmurs.

“Now, please, follow me."

"What is that?" Lance asks, turning his attention to a glowing biome.

"That is the giver of life to our people, the Baku Garden. When the waters froze over, we were forced to live down here. The garden provides us with the warmth and food we need to survive. Because of it, we are taken care of. Here, all are safe and warm."

I peer over at Queen Luxia. She’s too placid and even-tempered. I study her expression and body language, and I frown. Something must be in the water here, or she’s simply too eerily calm.

There is  something fishy going on here.

|••••••••••|

Although the feeling that something is amiss is still prominently lodged in my heart, I must admit that the dining hall in the palace is beautiful. There is colorful coral all over and glowing plants hanging from the ceiling acting as chandeliers.

Queen Luxia sits at the head of the round table and mermaids crowd Lance, giggling and touching him. He laps up the attention with a smug grin. “Ladies, one at a time! There’s plenty of Lance to go around.”

I roll my eyes so hard I almost see the back of my skull. “Calm down, pretty boy,” I mutter.

Hunk stifles a laugh.

Queen Luxia’s serene smile doesn’t falter. “It warms my heart to see you enjoy yourselves. Please, eat. Our finest delicacies are prepared for you.” She gestures gracefully to the spread of glittering, jewel-like dishes.

I glance at the food suspiciously. It’s beautiful, sure. Is it trustworthy? No, not really. Hunk and Lance don’t seem to mind, though.

"Your Royalness,” Hunk says, swallowing a bite down and clearing his throat, “if I may, this food is amazing. It's even better than Balmeran cave bugs."

She smiles. "I'm glad you enjoy it. It was picked fresh from the Baku Garden. And I hope you enjoy the entertainment.” She looks at me and gestures to my plate of untouched food. "You should try some, (Y/N)."

“Yes.” I blink, staring at the plate of food, and look up at her. "Thank you, Your Majesty.” She shifts her attention from me, and I pick some pieces of food from my plate, dropping them on Hunk’s plate. I pretend to chew something as she focuses back on me with a small smile. I gulp down and nod. “Delicious.”

Lance has two mermaids slung on both sides and turns his attention to the curtained stage. "Whoa," he says in a trance, blushing. Both mermaids play with his hair and slide their hands all across his body.

The curtains of the stage are pulled back, revealing an octopus with a fish on its head and I stifle a snort as it begins dancing. Lance’s eyes widen and he frowns.

Hunk turns his attention back to the Queen. "So, about us getting in contact with our friends, how can you help us?" he asks.

"Please, let's discuss that after the dance."

The octopus shifts, showing us its tentacles, and begins to move in a circular motion. Almost like it’s trying to hypnotize us.

Damn it, I hate and love it when I’m right.

"Whoa, this dance is amazing,” Hunk murmurs. “It's the... It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

"I'm glad you enjoy it. Put your mind at ease. Let your consciousness drift like the tide."

"Yes, I will do that. I... Weren't we just talking about something?"

She swims up from her seat and places a hand on Hunk’s shoulder. "You were just telling me how much you like it here, how much you wanted to stay forever."

"Oh, that's right. Here, we are all safe and warm. Guys, I think we should stay here forever."

"Okay," Lance says, looking dazed. A mermaid starts to nibble on his ear and he closes his eyes, smiling.

I look between Lance and Hunk and blink, confused. I try copying their body language.

"(Y/N), how about you?" the Queen asks. "Don't you think it's just so safe and warm here?"

I stay silent for a tick and nod, swaying to the music. "Y-Yes." I smile, pretending to be in a trance. "We are all safe and warm here, Your Majesty."

|••••••••••|

The guards escorted us to a bedroom and locked the door on their way out. I tried opening the door, but it didn’t work. I’ve been practicing my swimming as Lance and Hunk sleep. I swim back and forth from one wall to the other, pressing myself forward with my legs and arms. The burning of my throat doesn’t subside, but I need something to do other than stare at these two quiznaking idiots.

Hunk begins to snore, and Lance mumbles to himself. "I don't need pants," he mumbles, fumbling to take off his suit. "I'm a mermaid.”

My eyes snap to the crumbling rock and three mermaids with weird-looking creatures on their heads break into our room. I blink at them and their tails.

Stars above, I hate mermaids.

One approaches Lance with a blanket and he stirs awake. “Huh? Who are...?" he falls back asleep and she wraps the blanket around him.

“Who are you?” I ask. All three look at me and I shake my head as one approaches me with rope. “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” The mermaid tilts his head and another pushes Lance through the opening they made. My mouth falls open. “Lance,” I whisper. “Lance, wake up!”

The third mermaid wraps a blanket around Hunk and I look between them.

How am I supposed to defend us with no weapon when they’re intoxicated by something? And when the Queen has the Lions in her possession?

“Quiznak,” I mutter, swimming through the opening. “First a creepy Queen and now creepy kidnappers—just my luck.”

The one with the rope approaches me and I sigh, holding my hands out. He restrains me and I frown, bitterly shaking my head.

Taken captive twice on the same day.

They try to get Hunk, but he doesn't fit through the hole.

"Leave him," one of them says, grabbing Lance.

"We have to get out of here," another says, grabbing me.

“Where are you taking us?” I ask. Before I can ask more questions, one of our kidnappers knocks me out.

|••••••••••|

Something taps me, and my head springs up. Something is blocking my vision.

“Was knocking me out really that necessary?” I mutter, fumbling with my hands and trying to get loose. “I was very cooperative.”

"Shh!" one hisses, gently nudging my feet. I kick at them.

"Hello? Good morning. Where am I?" a drowsy Lance asks.

"He's awake," one says.

"Why am I blindfolded? Is this a game? I like games." He still sounds loopy.

I groan in frustration, my shoulders slouching. "Lance shut up for once."

He lets out a high-pitched squeal and I smell something bitter. "Wait, where am I? Why am I blindfolded? Is this a game? I hate games!" A suction noise comes from him.

"It's okay. You were mind-swished, but now we want to—" one starts.

"Kill me? Think again!" The sound of his jetpack powering on snaps me back to reality.

"Wait! Come back! Huh?"

I frown. What is going on?

A loud clatter and yelps echo wherever we are, and I break out of the rope containing my hands. I feel my face for the object obstructing my vision, and it is a warm, squishy being. I pause as I stare at it with a small smile. It looks like a star.

"Aw! Don't hurt me!" Lance pleads in the far distance.

Sighing, I gently put the creature down and swim towards the noise. I stare in awe at all of the creatures in the cave.

"Please, we are not here to hurt you,” the one with the blue creature on her head says. “We brought you here to ask for your help. I am Plaxum."

"Blumfump," Blumfump introduces.

"Swirn," Swirn says.

"Are you saying names, or is this some kind of weird spell you're putting on me?" Lance asks, frowning.

Turning my attention back to Lance, I shake my head. "They're just saying their names." I turn to face them. "I'm (Y/N), and this is Lance."

"We believe you are our savior," Plaxum states, and they bow down.

I suppress a snort. "Lance? Your savior?"

Lance frowns. “You guys think I'm your savior? What do you want with me?" he asks.

"The queen is mind-swishing everyone, controlling their thoughts," Plaxum says.

"We believe you can stop her," Blumfump states.

Lance’s face contorts and I frown, swimming closer to him. I undo the bindings on his wrists and he glances at me. “I’m sorry, (N/N).”

Sighing, I let them fall onto the ocean floor. “It’s not your fault, Lance,” I say quietly.

“But—”

I shake my head. “Let’s just focus on getting back to the Castle Ship.”

The three mermaids take us to a different part of their cave and Lance sits down, crossing his legs. I copy him and pick up the star creature from earlier, squishing it with my index fingers.

"Wait. Wait a minute,” Lance says, looking up. “Okay. You're trying to tell me the Queen is brainwashing people? But she's so safe and warm."

"What do you remember from yesterday?" Swirn asks, swimming up to him.

"I remember we crashed, saw the mermaids and the village, then we had dinner, and then, uh.. we, uh..."

"You can't remember because you were under her control."

"Our theory is that the queen controls minds by using her voice to strike certain head switches in your ear pan," Blumfump says, holding up a drawing.

I blink, looking up. “Is that paper?” I ask.

Plaxum swims to us and shows another drawing. "And her magnetic stare locks on to your eye-to-brain pathway plug," she says.

Swirn shows a third drawing. "Plus, her mind-control sonar is always broadcasting through the waters. Bong! Bong! Bong!" she shouts.

Is this some kind of special water-resistant paper?

"And she trains her people to use hypnotic movements to lull you under her control."

"I do remember a dancer," Lance says.

I cross my arms. “Do you remember those two mermaids, too?”

A deep blush spreads across his features. “I might remember something like that.”

“Good,” Blumfump says, setting the papers down, “because I haven’t finished my picture for that one.” He leans in closer to Lance. "You see, she was infecting your brain!"

"Holy crow! I had a mind-controlling brain infection." Lance yelps as Plaxum drags us. She pulls at the collar of my suit and I fall on top of Lance as she releases us.

"Sit," she commands.

Blinking, I look at the creatures that float up. Swirn swims behind us and ties kelp on Lance’s forehead and then mine to measure the size of our heads.

“The entire village is under the queen's mind control,” Blumfump says. “The only reason we aren't is because we wear these jellyfish that hide our brains from her powers. It's like we have no brains whatsoever. You can't control what doesn't exist."

Snorting, I shake my head.

Lance purses his lips and nods. "Right. Of course.”

Blumfump leans in closer. “Our heads are completely empty!”

“Yeah, I get it.”

I sit up and look at the creatures Blumfump called ‘jellyfish’ with a small smile. I have never seen a jellyfish before. Reaching my hand out, I poke at one of its legs and snatch my hand away with a yelp. I frantically shake my hand, and Lance looks at me, confused.

“You know you’re not supposed to touch their tentacles, right? They sting.”

I glare at him. “I can see you laughing, Lance, and it’s not funny.”

He shrugs and pets the top of another jellyfish. I watch him for a moment and hesitantly pet the top of a different jellyfish, my nose crinkling as I feel it—slippery and somewhat squishy.

"Many years ago,” Swirn says, “the queen froze over the surface by blocking the thermal vents. She forced everyone to the depths, where she began to brainwash them. They became her prisoners."

"What size?" Plaxum asks, scanning through the jellyfish.

"Eight and seven-eighths aquameters."

Swirn swims to me to remeasure. "Eight and four-eighths aquameters.” She stares at my neck and averts her eyes from my gaze.

"But what's the point?” Lance asks. “Why mind-control the mermaids?"

"To kill them!" Blumfump exclaims.

"Really?" I ask.

"Well, we don't know that for sure, but hundreds of mermaids have disappeared and never come back."

"We've tried to take out the queen but failed several times,” Swirn says, swimming next to Blumfump. “And every attempt depletes our numbers. Now, there are only three of us left. Without you, there is no hope."

“What if the Queen eats them?” I ask.

Lance looks at me incredulously. “You mean cannibalism?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Oh, what if that’s what you and Hunk were eating yesterday?”

Lance’s face pales, and he looks like he’s about to throw up. “Stop talking (Y/N). Please.”

"Found one," Plaxum says, holding a deep maroon jellyfish with light blue stripes.

"What do you want from us?" Lance asks.

"We saw the mer-cat you came in. We think it can stand up against the Queen and her forces," Blumfump says. Plaxum swims over to Lance. “But first, you’ll need one of these.”

His nose twitches. "They don't smell great," he grimaces.

"If my theory is correct, the smelliest ones block the most mind-control rays."

Lance crosses his arms, looking warily at the jellyfish. "Are you a scientist?"

"No."

“Also,” Plaxum says, “they can sometimes make your face swell and you might experience hearing loss—”

“Would you just put it on already?”

Plaxum places the jellyfish atop Lance’s head. A tick passes by and his face swells. “It quiznaking stung me! It burns!"

"That means it's working!" Blumfum exclaims.

I blink at Lance’s swollen face and turn to the three mermaids, shaking my head. "I am not putting one of those on. I like having my head full.”

“Your head is already full, (Y/N),” Lance grumbles, his face puffed. “Full of sarcasm.”

I cross my arms, glaring at him. “At least I’m not full of jellyfish venom.”

Plaxum grabs another jellyfish, this one light blue with dark purple circles. “Don’t worry. This one is much friendlier. We call her Wiggles.”

“Wiggles?” I deadpan, raising an eyebrow.

She sighs. “Without the jellyfish, the queen will brainwash you as soon as you get close.”

“She’s not wrong,” Lance mutters. “The second she gives you that safe and warm speech, it’s game over.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhaling slowly. “Fine, but if Wiggles stings me, I’m not saving you when you mess up, Lance.”

Lance pouts. “I don’t always mess up.”

I pout, staring warily at the jellyfish. “Let’s get this over with.”

Plaxum gently places Wiggles on my head. I feel a sharp, electrifying sting, and my jaw clenches. “Ow. Quiznak. Why does it feel like my brain is getting acupuncture?”

“That’s just Wiggles syncing with your neural pathways,” Blumfump says cheerfully.

“Fantastic,” I grumble. “I feel so much safer already.”

“So, what's the plan?" Lance asks.

They lead us to a room with a model battle table.

“Here’s what Blumfump came up with,” Plaxum says.

Blumfump picks up two figurines. "These are you. You both must act like you're still in a trance and get past the guards. Get the Blue mer-cat and grab the Queen. We'll mount a full-scale attack on the palace and free the people."

Lance raises his fists. "Then, I'll be a hero," he says, picking up two rocks. "[high voice] 'Oh, Lance, you're so handsome!' [normal voice] And modest. [high voice] 'Oh, thank you for saving us. Can I kiss you?' [normal voice] Maybe just a little." Lance makes the two rocks make out, making wet kissing sounds.

I blink at him and grimace. “You are so weird,” I mutter.

Blumfump crosses his arms. “Well, now you’re just making a tree kiss a turtle.”

Lance stops the noises, looking confused. “That’s a turtle?” He looks down. “But there’s an actual turtle right here.”

“We needed the turtle to play the wall!” Blumfump reaches into his pocket, annoyed, and throws a fish toward us. “If your acting fails you, this holds three doses of antidote to use on the guards. It should interrupt the queen's mind-control long enough for you to escape."

"I don't think I'll be needing this. I missed 14 days of the third grade for a stomach ache I never really had,” Lance smirks.

I roll my eyes and grab the fish. "Come on, Lancey," I groan as I grab his hand. “We have a mission to accomplish.”

|••••••••••|

We swim up to the palace, and four guards block our way. "Hello, mer-guards! Isn't everything just so safe and warm here? Anyway, I'm off to my lion—" Lance says as he tries to make a swim for it. He fails, and both of us get caught in a seaweed net.

"Oh, come on!" I exclaim.

The guards escort us to the throne room.

The Queen Luxia smiles down at us. "I had a feeling you'd come for your vessel. Servant, take Lance and (Y/N) to the Baku Garden."

Some doors slide open and Hunk appears, his eyes glossed over. He grabs both of us.

"Hunk? Hey, buddy, it's me. Snap out of it. It's Lance.” Lance turns, grabs the fish from me, and tries to spray Hunk with the antidote. Hunk pushes out of his hands. “Darn it!"

We try to swim up and catch the fish.

"Everyone, capture them!" Queen Luxia yells.

A guard swims towards Lance and tries to strike him down, barely avoiding getting hit. I swim and snatch one of the staffs, using my feet to kick it loose.

“Stay back!” I shout, pointing the blade at them.

Hunk grabs Lance and starts jetpacking away with him.

"Hunk, please! I don't want to hurt you!" Lance cries out.

"Must keep Queen safe and warm," a brainwashed Hunk says.

I kick a button on Hunk's suit and he goes flying back, knocking out some guards in the process. Lance grabs my hand and jetpacks us toward an exit, but Hunk returns and pulls us in the opposite direction. I kick Hunk in the groin, and Lance sprays him with the anecdote.

Hunk lets go of us and blinks rapidly. Soon, he is back to normal. "Whoa! Whoa! Where am I? What am I doing? Is that a jellyfish on your head?" Hunk asks, looking between us. He inhales sharply, and tears fill his eyes. “Wait, did you kick between my legs?”

"Hunk, you've been mind-controlled by the Queen, and you're trying to kill us," Lance answers.

"Oh, really? Sorry. My bad." His words come out strained.

"We're kind of in the middle of a battle,” I say, looking over my shoulder. I swim and grab the staff.

“Right,” Lance says. “We need your help, Hunk."

"Got it,” Hunk replies.

Just as we start jetpacking towards Blue and Yellow, a dozen mer-guards block our way. Swallowing hard, I point the blade at them, but a fish is thrown at one of the guards. Swirn, Blumfump, and Plaxum swim behind us, throwing more fish and jellyfish. I kick one of the guards with my legs and hit another’s head with the butt of the staff. Lance starts fighting one, pushing him out of the way.

Hunk forms himself into a ball. “And who are these weirdos?” he asks.

“Those weirdos are with us,” Lance says.

Plaxum swims up to us. "Come, we must hurry to your mer-cats."

Hunk nods, grabs my hand, and jetpacks us to the Yellow Lion. I buckle myself into a seat as he powers her on.

LANCE: "You hanging on?"

HUNK: "What's the plan?"

LANCE: “We—”

PLAXUM: “We need to grab the Queen and take her to an ice prison Blumfump built where her mind control powers will be trapped because of the thick ice and the jellyfish!”

I blink. (Y/N): “Who gave her a comm?”

HUNK: "Okay, who's that?"

LANCE: "It's Plaxum. Just go with it!"

The Lions begin moving.

HUNK: "There she is!"

Plaxum throws fish at the Queen and her guards. The antidote is transferred through the green smoke and Plaxum lassos her into Blue's mouth.

LANCE: "Got her!"

A few ticks go by, and the comms stay silent. (Y/N): "What's going on?"

LANCE: "Apparently, the Queen isn’t controlling anyone. She’s saying that the Baku is the problem."

HUNK: "Wait a second. We've been eating that plant. And it's delicious! It's so safe and warm."

Something clicks in my head. (Y/N): "That explains why I wasn’t in any trance."

LANCE: "She’s saying that the Baku has been harvesting all the missing mermaids and using them as a food source.”

HUNK: "Um, look out the window."

I look out the window and see a giant sea serpent with razor-sharp teeth swimming towards us. Blinking, my mouth falls open. Hunk’s hands start shaking on the controls. Blue releases Plaxum and the Queen and they swim away.

LANCE: "Okay, change of plans. The Queen is actually good, and that thing is bad. Let's take it out."

The Baku strikes Yellow, and we are thrown into a wall of rock. My head bangs on the back of my seat and I feel dizzy again. I gulp and struggle to keep my eyes straight as one of my hands clutches at my side.

Did I break something when we were at Central Command?

HUNK: "That thing's too quick for me. I can't hit it! My lion's not very good in the water."

LANCE: "Really? My lion's moving better than ever. There's something about fighting underwater that's making me feel extra quick and powerful. I think I know how to stop that thing."

HUNK: "How?"

I grip the handles on the side of my seat until they shake. (Y/N): "Strike where it might hit next.”

Lance gasps. LANCE: “How did you know I was going to say that?”

I grit my teeth. (Y/N): "It’s common sense, I fear."

The Yellow Lion stays still, and Blue whips past us. Lance strikes the Baku with an ice blast.

LANCE: "Oh I got it! Now, the hunter becomes—Oh, no, he's free!"

Hunk rams Yellow into a gigantic boulder, sending it sinking down. It falls on the Baku, but it breaks free.

LANCE: "What? Here goes nothing!"

Blue forms some sonar weapon on its back and it shoots signals at the Baku, causing rocks to fall. The entire rock wall starts to collapse, burying the Baku.

LANCE: "This place is coming down! Let's get out of here!"

|••••••••••|

I unbuckle myself from the seat and Hunk pukes in the bucket by his chair. I grimace and head to the hatch. My legs wobble as I exit the Yellow Lion.

"That was a close one," I tell Lance.

Lance smiles and shrugs. "Lancey Lance is a pretty good pilot, don’t you think (Y/N)?”

I blink, and my eyes twitch. “Lancey Lance can take his silly little mermaid fantasies and shove them up his—”

Blumfump swims to us, and I shut my mouth. Lance chuckles and looks at him. “It was the food," he informs.

"Well, I did say they were theories. Mer-science isn't always about getting the right answer," Blumfump shrugs.

Queen Luxia turns to look at us. “I want to thank you all for what you’ve done,” she says. “You’ve freed my people and I will do all I can to protect that freedom; vow to be the voice of my people.” She, Blumfump, and Swirn talk amongst each other.

Lance hugs my side. "I'll try and listen to you next time (N/N)," he smirks. “I didn’t realize you were so possessive.”

I shrug him off and roll my eyes. “I need a long break from you when we return to the Castle Ship.”

"I wanted to personally thank you, Lance," Plaxum says as she kisses Lance's helmet. He makes a face and wipes the kiss off as she turns away from him. "I can finally remove this thing." She takes the jellyfish off of her head, and a beautiful young mermaid appears.

My mouth falls open. "You are so pretty." I smile as I nudge Lance.

His eyes widen. "Whoa!" Lance exclaims and blushes.

Hunk looks at us and rolls his eyes, swimming up to the Queen. “Queen Luxia,” he says, “the reason we came here in the first place was to see if you could help us find our friends.”

The Queen nods. “Of course,” she says, gesturing to her guards who pull a giant clam. “It has been many years since we activated the energy beacon, but perhaps it is time to rebuild our civilization and reach out to interstellar travelers once again.” The lid of the clam opens. “Activate energy beacon!”

A strong ray of yellow light emits from the clam’s pearl and I stare at it in awe.

The Queen swims up to the beacon. “There is a mer-cat that appears to be heading our way.”

My shoulders sag with relief as Lance and I swim over to Hunk. “Pidge,” I whisper, a small smile forming on my face.

"See? I told you they could help us.” Lance’s tone is smug as he crosses his arms over his chest. “The next time I go swimming after a mermaid, I hope you two won't be complaining the whole time.”

Hunk shrugs, smiling. "Lesson learned."

I look at the two of them and shake my head. “Doubtful.”

Chapter Text

Your POV:

The moment the Yellow Lion enters the Castle of Lions, I rush out of the hatch and smile. I throw my helmet onto the floor, and it clatters on the floor, leaving a loud echo to ring throughout the hangar. I take off my suit of armor next, and it feels as though weights have been lifted off my shoulders. I am left in a tank top and a pair of underwear. I bend down to pick everything up and turn around to see Hunk and Lance gaping at me.

I tilt my head as I survey them for a moment. "What's up, guys?" I ask.

Hunk coughs and averts his eyes from me. "(Y/N), why are you so undressed?"

I look down at my body and look back up at them. I furrow my eyebrows slightly. "It's not like I'm naked."

Lance guffaws and gives me a once-over. "Well, it's not exactly like you're decent either," he muses.

I roll my eyes and walk to the end of the hangar where the changing rooms are. They follow close behind me. "You two act as though you've never seen a girl in her underwear before," I reply, my voice dry and somewhat teasing, as I put my armor and helmet away in my locker.

Lance comes up next to me and puts his helmet in his locker. "Never so casually, (N/N)."

I smirk at him. "And here I thought Lancey Lance had experience with women." I put on a pair of loose black pants.

Hunk chuckles and walks to the locker next to Lance's. "Lance might be a flirt, but he didn't have too much success back on Earth."

Lance nudges him and blushes. "Hey!"

I chuckle and then wince. I gently stroke my hand along my neck and close my eyes for a tick or two. The pain is unbearably fresh still. When I open my eyes, Lance and Hunk stare at me with concerned expressions.

“What happened, (Y/N)?” Lance asks. His eyes scan me again, trailing up and down my body, slower this time, and his face shifts. “Oh my gosh, you’re bruised all over.”

I frown and shake my head. “The Galra happened,” I mumble as I grab my shirt. “Emperor Zarkon nearly killed me.” I pull the oversized long-sleeve shirt over my head, slamming my locker closed. “I’ll be fine. Time heals all wounds.”

Ignoring the severe ache in my chest, I tug the hem of my shirt down.

|••••••••••|

"What happened?" I ask the team as I walk into the room. My voice is slightly raspy and hoarse. Shiro is closed inside a healing pod, soft grunts of pain escaping as his eyes are closed shut.

"Is he okay?" Hunk asks as he walks in behind me, looking worried.

"Sometimes, the healing process can cause involuntary brain wave reactions," Allura replies. She is not wearing her usual attire. She is in oversized clothing and has bandages wrapped around her head and right arm. Her lip is busted, and she has a deep purple scar on her jaw.

"He looks like he's having a bad dream."

Keith crosses his arms and frowns, his eyes not leaving Shiro. "He just got blasted by a space witch and mauled by giant lizards. What dream could be worse than that?" he asks.

I stare at Shiro’s frightened sleeping face and frown. I take a slight step closer. "Shiro must be pretty shaken up from what happened." His body twitches.

Is he dreaming of his time as a prisoner of the Empire? What was it that Haggar called him—Champion? The Empire's "greatest weapon"? What does that mean?

Keith glances at me and dawns on an even more worried expression. His frown deepens, and he steps closer to me. "What happened?" he whispers gently. His eyes are wide and glistening as he studies my face and body. His hand twitches, and he pulls it into his jacket pocket.

I sigh and avert my eyes, hoping the burning sensation I feel on my cheeks is not visible. I shrug, feigning nonchalance. "That brief encounter with the Galra was more intense than expected." I force a small, shaky smile.

He nods, looking like he wants to say something, but stays quiet. He looks between Allura and me, and the frown on his face deepens. I peer at him, it’s like he knows I’m not being entirely truthful.

"What exactly did you two go through?" Hunk asks, unaware of the tension that clings to Keith. Hunk looks away from Shiro to Keith, waiting for a response.

Keith clears his throat and shakes his head. "Let's just say that we're very lucky to be alive," he replies. He looks between Lance, Hunk, and me and raises his eyebrows in a scrutinizing manner. "What happened to you three?"

"Where do I even begin?” Lance chuckles, and I glare at him. “These two dummies got brainwashed from eating the food off of some evil sea serpent. Me and Lance got kidnapped. We almost died.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “I wanted to stay in the Lions, but did they listen to me? No. Lance was too busy thinking with his downstairs instead of his upstairs." I make the gestures for the last sentence and Lance’s face contorts into a mocking grin.

"Yeah, right," Lance muses.

"At least I wasn't the one who was love-struck by a strange mermaid," Hunk counters.

"Two strange mermaids," I correct, holding my fingers up. "The only reason that we almost got eaten by that sea serpent was because you wanted to get with some mermaid."

Lance opens his mouth to argue but is cut off by the sound of Shiro's healing pod beeping. I turn my attention back to Shiro as the liquid drains and the pod door slowly opens. He stumbles out, looking disoriented and as though he just woke up from a nightmare.

"Someone helped me escape," Shiro pants, leaning against a console. "I have coordinates." Keith steps forward, placing a hand on Shiro's shoulder to help him stand steady.

I look at him strangely, tilting my head. "Someone helped you escape?"

|••••••••••|

Pidge plugs a cord into Shiro's robotic arm as Keith helps him dress. I pull the zipper of Shiro’s vest up and Keith bends down to secure his boots. Hunk and Lance leave. When they return, Hunk has a tray of food goo in his hands and Lance has two juice pouches. He hands one to Shiro and one to me.

“Thanks,” I say, poking the straw through.

Shiro’s hands shake as he tries opening it and he closes his eyes. Keith frowns, gently taking the juice pouch, and opens it for him. "Take it slow," Keith says softly, handing the opened juice pouch back to Shiro. His expression is serious but filled with concern.

Shiro nods, taking a small sip.

After a few moments, Pidge sighs. "I'm not finding any coordinates in here. Are you sure this wasn't just a dream?" she asks as she unplugs the cord. She plugs it in again.

"I'm positive. Someone helped me escape," Shiro states, sitting down. He presses his other hand against his forehead, rubbing at the tension there.

Allura crosses her arms. "And he was Galra?" she asks.

"Yes."

"You know you cannot trust them."

Shiro’s brows furrow as he looks up at her. "Your father must have trusted them once. Zarkon was the original Black Paladin, wasn't he?"

Her resolve flickers. "That was a long time ago," Allura sighs.

And then the quest for quintessence ruined it all. What would my life have been like if Father hadn’t been corrupted?

"Wait, what?" Lance asks, looking dumbfounded. “Zarkon used to be a Voltron pilot?”

Keith crosses his arms over his chest. "Didn't you see how he stole the Black Lion right out from Shiro? Or that he could do all that cool stuff with his bayard? Shiro's Bayard? You know, the black one?" He looks around the room.

Shiro frowns and looks down. "Why didn't you just tell us the truth about Zarkon?" he asks.

Allura stays silent for a moment. She is looking down at her hands, and I can tell she is unsure of how to approach the situation. "I wanted to protect you from the dark history of the Paladins so that you would have a chance to bond with your Lions on your own,” Allura admits. “You are the Black Paladin now, not Zarkon."

"Yeah, well, the Black Lion may have a different take on the matter."

"Wait a second," Pidge interrupts, breaking the icy tension that has begun building in the hangar of the Green Lion. "I think I see it now. Some repeating numbers in all this Galra code. Let me extract it.” She projects the findings onto a larger screen. “They are coordinates! They lead here: the Thaldycon system."

"Then that's where we're headed," Shiro states.

Keith looks at the large screen with the location and then at Shiro. He touches his robotic arm, the move gentle. "Shiro, are you sure you can trust this? I mean, after all the Galra have done to you... They... They took your arm," Keith says.

Shiro nods, his gaze somewhat softening as he looks at Keith. "It's worth the risk. Someone helped me escape. If we can locate some allies in our fight against Zarkon, especially ones from his own side, we might just find a way to take him down."

"There might be rebels,” I whisper, blinking. “We can find them work together."

The plight of Rez'or endured…even after nearly 10,000 years.

Allura rubs a hand on her temple and closes her eyes. "We can check the location, but I do not like this. The Galra are not to be trusted," Allura bitterly snaps. She leaves the room, and the others follow. Only Keith and I remain.

I look at the screen and inhale a shaky breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions within me.

They hate the Galra. They are going to hate me, too, once they find out who I am.

Closing my eyes, I can see the faces of those I’ve lost. I can picture their final moments before they were stolen away from this life. The loss of life in the Galra Empire for those who disagree with Emperor Zarkon runs deeper than these Earthlings and Allura will ever know. They have no idea what goes on in that Empire. They have no idea of how devastatingly close Rez'or was to eradicating Father and his regime before Sendak betrayed us. The torture and pain that—

Something grazes my forearm, and I flinch in alarm. I pull all my weight into trapping my attacker and hold a dagger against their throat. Keith’s eyes widen, and he stumbles back. “S-Sorry (Y/N),” he stutters. “I thought you heard me.”

He trips, causing me to trip, too. Keith lands on his back and I land on top of him, my dagger clattering on the floor near us. My face heats up and I look down at him, my eyes wide.

I shake my head and hurriedly get to my feet, taking a step back. “I didn’t,” I force out, looking anywhere in the room but at him. I cross my arms and narrow my eyes on him. “What do you want?”

He rises to his feet and his face is a shade of deep red. He raises his arms in surrender. An awkward, self-deprecating chuckle escapes his lips and he averts his eyes to look at the door. “You do this a lot,” he mumbles.

“And you sneak up on me too much,” I scowl. “I’m going to kill you by accident one of these days.”

|••••••••••|

"Well, this is it. No sign of any activity at all, living or otherwise," Coran states pointing to the location the Castle Ship just landed at.

I sit on the floor looking out the large window and sigh. There doesn’t seem to be much of anything here besides the stars in the far distance and the large green-blue clusters.

Shiro walks over to me and stands looking out the window. "Can we get in there to take a closer look?" he asks.

"I don't want to bring the Castle any closer. Those xanthorium chunks contain highly unstable nitrate salts. Even bumping one of them can blow us straight to Wozblay."

"Are you sure this is right?"

"These are the coordinates Number Six gave me."

“There’s no way these are right,” I mutter, shaking my head as I continue watching out the window. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

Pidge looks up from her Paladin station. "Hey!” she exclaims. “My decryption is solid."

"There must be something we're missing," Shiro says, not willing to admit this might be a dead end.

"We should get out of here,” Allura announces, her voice firm. “We've checked it out, but now, it's time to move on.”

"No. There must be something more to this. I can feel it. I think we should wait."

I look at Shiro and he is staring out the window with calculating eyes. He wears a deep frown and his hand is formed into a fist. Alarms blare and I am up on my feet. Shiro looks at me with wide eyes and I shrug.

"There's an intruder in the Castle!" Coran shouts.

"How could someone just sneak aboard the ship?" Lance asks.

"I knew coming here was a mistake!" Allura snaps. She pulls up the video camera feed and displays it on a bigger screen. "There he is. Level five."

"Everyone, suit up," Shiro commands as he sprints to the lockers. Lance, Hunk, Keith, and Pidge run after him.

I grab a communicator from near Coran and he tries to stop me, but I run out of the room and head to level five. I put the communicator inside of my ear and push my sleeves up.

LANCE: "I got him."

SHIRO: "Keep eyes on him, Lance. We're all headed toward you."

"Hold it right there!" I hear Lance yell.

I sprint towards him and see a figure running towards him. Lance shoots his bayard but misses. The figure jumps over him and runs. Lance looks at the retreating figure in awe and I start running after him.

CORAN: "Careful, he's faster than an angry klanmüirl! But he can jump like a sprightly globinheffer!"

LANCE: "Coran, you're not helping!"

(Y/N): "Less talking, more running!"

CORAN: "Somebody's as mad as a wet chüper. Coming your way, Number Six!"

I turn the corner and spot Pidge. Pidge grabs him with her Bayard. PIDGE: "I got him!" A tick later the intruder runs, dragging Pidge behind him. PIDGE: "I don't got him!"

CORAN: "He's dragging Pidge away!"

Pidge struggles to stop him. I run past Hunk and he looks at me in confusion. He points his gun at the retreating figure and begins to shoot, but misses.

PIDGE: "Hunk!"

I resist the urge to turn around and scold Hunk for opening fire when I and Pidge are practically in his shooting range.

HUNK: "Huh? Sorry!"

CORAN: "Oh, Hunk failed the team, guys."

HUNK: "Hey!"

CORAN: "All right, it's up to Keith now."

KEITH: "Copy that. I'm ready."

Lance and Hunk sprint behind me and I force the air down my lungs. My throat burns and my vision becomes spotty, but I push forward. I need something—anything—to help me feel more in control.

CORAN: "Oh, this is exciting! He's got a sword. One young Paladin, one seemingly indestructible foe... Swing and a miss! Oh, another swing and a miss! He can't touch him! He's too fast!"

I catch up to Keith and Pidge and pat my sides for a weapon.

Quiznak.

I left everything in my locker. All I have to defend myself with is a small dagger. Shaking my head, I focus back on the intruder.

Keith manages to hold his bayard at the intruder, but he hesitates for a moment. That’s all the time the intruder needs and his bayard hurls out of his grasp. Keith’s eyes narrow and his hands tighten into fists as he prepares to throw a punch. The intruder knocks Keith down with Pidge, sending them flying across the hall. Keith lets out a loud grunt and tries for the intruder again, but now is thrown in Lance and Hunk’s direction. The four Paladins lay sprawled out on the floor unconscious and I turn to look at the intruder.

I blink up at him and grip my dagger, my knuckles turning white from how tight my hold is. The intruder towers over me and is at least double my size. He stays still, carefully analyzing me. I move to take the oversized shirt I’m wearing off and fling it onto the floor, leaving me in a tank top. The last thing I want is to make a false move and get tangled in my clothing.

I glare at the intruder as his eyes trace up and down my body and swallow hard. He readies his sword and I point my dagger up. He charges and I duck out of the way, running my dagger into the side of his armor. He does not falter and instead lifts me off the ground with his free arm. I try to take his mask off but he spins me, leaving me disoriented.

My legs flail as I kick at him. A growl escapes the intruder’s lips, but he remains wordless. He pushes me up against a wall and my heart skips a beat as he tightens his arm around my neck. I gasp in agony and he grabs my dagger from his side and holds it against my neck. I pause, my cheeks flushing from my overexertion, and white spots fill my vision. I struggle to keep my head up.

"I do not fear you, masked coward," I whisper, staring at the black mask the intruder wears. It has three bright purple circles illuminating a bright light. Father’s haunting, glowing eyes flicker for a tick and I blink hard. My eyes swell with tears and I glare at the intruder. I struggle and he pushes the dagger deeper into my neck. A warm sensation slides across it as droplets of blood trickle down. It glides across my dagger and I let out an unamused chuckle and he tilts his head. "Be done with it,” I grit out, my tone bitter and frustrated. “I welcome death.”

Shiro comes up from behind the intruder and raises his robotic arm to his head. The intruder drops the dagger to the floor and releases me. I fall to my knees and heave large breaths of air, clutching at my sides.

Damn it, I think I fractured some ribs.

I put a hand to my neck and feel the specks of blood on my fingertips. I look up and the intruder unmasks himself.

"Galra," I grimace, struggling to keep myself conscious.

"Ulaz?" Shiro asks and lowers his robotic arm.

Allura comes and pushes the intruder to the wall. "Who are you?" she demands. She is furious.

Shiro’s eyes widen. "Stop! It's him! This is the Galra who set me free."

"You've come," the intruder says, ignoring Allura and looking only at Shiro.

Allura releases Ulaz with a deep frown and looks at me. "Someone, restrain him.”

“I’ll do it.” I look at Allura and rise to my feet while Shiro stands in disbelief. Inhaling a shaky breath, I pick my dagger from off the floor. "Follow me, Ulaz.”

Ulaz’s eyes stay trained on me and he follows me without hesitation into the Castle Ship’s lounge area.

“I can see that you respect your princess,” he remarks, his tone dry. His eyes, cold and distant, seem to pierce through me as I work, fastening the restraints around his wrists and ankles. They pulse with light blue light and energy.

Ulaz sits down as I pull away, rubbing a hand across my temple. My head pounds like a drum, my neck aches where bruises bloom, and somewhere deep inside, my heart feels like it’s beating just to remind me that I’m still alive—barely.

He lowers his gaze, studying me with a flicker of confusion. His eyes meet mine. “You look hurt.”

“And you look like you're stuck here for a while.”

His gaze shifts, zeroing in on my neck. “I apologize for your neck,” he mutters, his voice a strange mixture of guilt and confusion. “I didn’t think I was pushing that hard.”

I roll my eyes, the motion making my head spin for a moment. “This ‘necklace’ isn’t your doing,” I say, touching the bruised skin lightly before offering a mock bow. “Courtesy of Emperor Zarkon.” I straighten, and the flash of recognition in his eyes is instantaneous, a silent acknowledgment that makes my stomach turn. My legs feel weak, the room tilting ever so slightly, and before I can stop myself, I sink onto the couch beside him.

"I don't think this is necessary," Shiro calmly states as the team walks into the room.

I run my hands up and down the tops of my thighs. "Why are you looking at me like that,” I whisper, studying him.

His eyes flicker from mine to the team and back to me. “You are Galra,” he replies, squinting his eyes at me. “Do they not know?”

My hands fiddle as I look at him with frustration. “Who I am is not of importance.”

"I will not have some quiznaking Galra soldier on the bridge of my ship!" Allura snaps. Ulaz and I turn our attention to her.

Technically we're not in the bridge.

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already," Ulaz states with calculated calm.

I blink at him and shake my head.

Yeah, because that will get Princess Allura to feel better about this situation.

"Are your Galra threats supposed to win my trust?" Allura glares at Ulaz.

"I'm not trying to win your trust. I'm trying to win a war. And, because of Shiro, we are closer than we've ever been. Our gamble on you paid off better than we could have ever imagined.”

"When you released me, you also mentioned that there were others working with you," Shiro states.

"Yes. We are called the Blade of Marmora."

A hint of a smile twitches on my lips. Marmora—The High Priestess.

Hunk scratches the back of his neck. "Uh, others? Are they here?" he asks.

"Hunk, can you try not to act so scared around the chained-up prisoner?” Lance asks, crossing his arms. “It makes us seem a little lame." He sighs, shaking his head.

I turn my attention up to Lance and cross my arms in my seated position. "What if Ulaz was female?" I inquire.

Lance smirks. "Then that would be a whole other story."

"I'm sure it would be."

"I'm imagining Galra females to be hot."

I roll my eyes and sigh. "I’m sure they are."

This guy worries me.

"I am alone on this base," Ulaz responds to Hunk's question.

My eyebrows furrow. "Alone?” I ask, unable to mask the surprise in my voice.

“The smaller the numbers, the less likely for there to be traitors in our midst.”

“Right,” I mutter, pursing my lips.

"What is this base you're talking about? Shiro's coordinates just led us to this wasteland," Allura says.

"The base is hidden,” Ulaz says. “Now that I know it is Shiro that has come, you are welcome to our outpost. It lies dead ahead."

"Behind all the xanthorium clusters?" Pidge asks.

"No. Right in front of it, in a hidden pocket of space-time."

"Coran, are you hearing this?" Allura calls out, looking up at a corner.

CORAN: "I am picking up some kind of anomaly on the screen. I suppose it could be a cloaked base."

"Just fly straight for the center of the xanthorium cluster. You will see," Ulaz calmly states.

"You think you're going to get me to destroy our ship just because you say so?" Allura snaps.

"We came out here to find some answers. Are we going to turn back now?" Shiro asks.

Keith sighs and takes a hesitant towards Shiro. "You know I trust you, Shiro,” he says patiently, “but this doesn't feel right.”

"And you know I hate to agree with Keith, but it's a big fat ditto for me," Lance sighs.

"Galra could have implanted fake memories of the escape in your head," Pidge states.

"Oh, come on, that would be so evil, which, of course, they are. But they'd have to come up with some molecular-level storage unit, which his hand does have. But, to be linked up to memory, it would need a direct pathway to his brain, which... yeah," Hunk says.

I look at the team and shake my head. "We didn’t come all this way for nothing.”

Shiro frowns. "Ulaz freed me. Without him, we wouldn't be here."

Allura takes a resigned breath. "Fine. Slow and steady, Coran. Head for the xanthorium cluster," she commands.

CORAN: "Yes, Princess. Beginning approach. Impact imminent in five, four... three, two... Well, that's something."

"What is it?"

CORAN: "Putting it up on the screens."

The screens light up and the xanthorium clusters aren't there anymore. Instead, we're traveling through space in some sort of tunnel.

"Amazing. They're folding space," Pidge says with awe.

"It's like a space taco. Or a space calzone. Or a space-time soup dumpling and we're the soup. Hey, is there a cafeteria on this thing?" Hunk asks.

I stare blankly at the flashing colors. “I’m pretty hungry, too,” I say.

The Castle Ship exits the tunnel and a dark metallic structure appears on the screen.

"Welcome to the Blade of Marmora Communications Base Thaldycon.” Ulaz stands. “Now, if you'll free me, I need to send a message to the leadership. They need to know I've made contact with Voltron."

"Go with him and keep an eye on him. I'm staying here," Allura responds.

"Oh! Can we go?" Hunk asks.

"I want to see how they make the space pocket!" Pidge yells excitedly.

"You guys go ahead. I'll hang back and protect the Princess," Lance smirks and winks at Allura.

"Ugh," Allura groans.

"I'm coming, too," I state to the team, shifting closer to Ulaz to take off his bindings.

"Then let's go." Shiro smiles, relieved Allura gave in.

Hunk and Pidge talk animatedly as they exit the lounge, Keith stays with Shiro, and Allura leaves, Lance trailing behind her.

“Proud unto death,” Ulaz murmurs, voice low, his eyes scanning me again with a wary intensity. The weight of his words pulls at the already frayed edges of my consciousness, but I force my attention back to remain steady.

I swallow hard, my throat dry. I can feel the burn of his stare, but I refuse to meet it. “I’m fine, I’m not dying,” I manage. The sharp ache in my body tells me otherwise, but I push it down, deeper, where it belongs. Pain is my reminder. “I’ve endured worse.”

Ulaz moves forward, slow and deliberate, towering over me, the movement fluid. He is a trained Galra soldier through and through. His hand extends in a silent offer. I shake my head quickly, brushing off the gesture like an unwanted burden. The floor tilts slightly as I force myself to walk. My hand instinctively presses against my side, trying to wrest away the throb.

He watches me carefully. “Why are you torturing yourself?”

The words make me flinch, but I turn around and stand tall. “Because this is a war where every tick counts and I intend to win.”

|••••••••••|

Ulaz, Pidge, Shiro, Hunk, Keith, and I are in the Red Lion.

"This is the gravity generator that creates the space-time fold that hides the station. It was created by a reclusive genius engineer named Slav. His technology allows the Blade of Marmora to remain hidden while we work to take down the Galra Empire. Zarkon would do anything to get his hands on this technology," Ulaz states.

That's actually genius.

I gaze at what he is speaking of as I rest my head on the back of Keith's chair, holding myself up by leaning on it. My fingers are wounded tightly against the seat.

“Who created the Blade of Marmora?” I ask.

Ulaz pauses, his gaze fixed ahead as Keith pilots. “We stem from Rez’or.”

My throat tightens and my grip on the back of Keith’s chair tightens, knuckles whitening.

Pidge tilts her head to glance back at Ulaz. “Rez’or?”

Ulaz nods. “A tale from 10,000 years ago about a group of fighters who saw tyranny where others saw expansion. The Blade seeks to continue the mission of putting an end to Zarkon’s reign.”

"So there are Galra out there that aren't loyal to Zarkon?" Keith asks. He shifts in his chair to look up at me for a brief moment before returning his focus.

"We thought expanding the Galra Empire would bring stability. We learned too late that a tyrant doesn't seek stability, only power."

And Emperor Zarkon’s thirst for power is unquenchable.

Red comes to a stop and we head inside the base.

Keith takes his helmet off, holding it with his right arm. Walking up to him, I take my helmet off and stare at the purple energy.

He glances at me, his eyes narrowing with subtle concern. “You okay?” Keith asks quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m fine,” I reply quickly, brushing off his concern, though I know he can hear the strain in my voice. The dull ache in my side sharpens with each step, but I force myself to straighten, to project strength.

“If something’s bothering you, you can tell me.”

Pursing my lips, I don’t dare look at him. “I didn’t think you’d come for us.”

Keith takes a step closer, a frown tugging at his lips. He places a hesitant hand on my shoulder. “Of course we came for you.”

A self-deprecating chuckle bubbles up my bruised throat. “You came for Princess All—”

“No.” He cuts me off. “I came for you. I will always come for you. I promise.”

His tone is so sincere, so raw, that I can’t help but meet his gaze. His eyes bore into mine, brimming with something that makes my chest tighten—a strange, unyielding promise that feels like safety and chaos all at once.

“I…” I start, but the words catch in my throat. My voice trembles against my will. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Keith’s brow furrows, his jaw tightening as his hand on my shoulder steadies me. “I don’t break promises. Not to you.” His voice is firm, leaving no room for argument.

"With our members working on the inside, planning coordinated attacks with Voltron, we may finally have a chance," Ulaz states.

I turn and notice the team huddled by Ulaz as he projects something on the screen. Clearing my throat, I walk over to them, Keith trailing behind me.

"So, you have agents working within Zarkon's ranks?" Hunk asks.

Ulaz nods. “How do you think you got away from Zarkon in that last fight? Do you think those shields around Zarkon's command center went down on their own? We've got people risking their lives in this war, just like you.”

"If you have people on the inside, can they tell me where my family is? They were taken the same time Shiro was," Pidge says.

"I knew others from Earth were captured. I never saw them, but I have some records of Galra prisoners here. I can transmit them to your ship." Ulaz clicks some buttons.

Keith’s eyes remain on the blade that is slung across Ulaz’s back. "What's that weapon you carry?" he asks quietly. My eyes follow Keith’s and stay fixed on the glowing purple insignia etched on the crossguard.

Ulaz takes it out and lays it in his hands, pushing it forward to us. "It's a ceremonial blade that each member of our order carries."

My eyes trace over the symbol signifying Marmora. Whoever these Galra are, they are very purposeful, intentional, and traditional with the name they have chosen. My eyes slowly skim across Ulaz’s features. His skin is light purple with white accents and his eyes are entirely yellow. He’s pure-blooded Galra—there’s no doubt about it.

Keith's eyes flicker between the blade and Ulaz. "Hmm, nice." He nods.

There’s a sudden wail of alarms and red lights flash across the base, casting frantic shadows on the walls. My heart skips a beat as the screen zooms in on an unfamiliar, Galra spacecraft.

“Oh no!” Ulaz exclaims, panic breaking through his usually calm demeanor. He turns around to face us. “You were tracked!”

Pidge’s eyes widen. “What?” she asks. “Us?”

Keith’s hands clench into fists at his side and he glares at Ulaz. “If Zarkon knows we’re here, it’s because you ratted us out.”

Ulaz stiffens under Keith’s accusing gaze, his back straightening. “I would never—”

“Wouldn’t you?” Keith interrupts, his tone harsh. “You’re one of them.”

I nearly flinch at the words.

You're one of them.

Swallowing hard, I keep my eyes fixed on the incoming spacecraft. “We need to calm down,” I say, my voice coming out flat and even, though the storm inside me rages. “Pointing fingers isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

Keith’s gaze wavers, his anger briefly flickering before something softer takes its place. His shoulders sag as he looks back at me and his breath hitches slightly before he exhales, the sharpness in his features dulling. “That’s a good point,” he mutters, the words less an admission of defeat and more an acknowledgment of reason.

The spacecraft turns horizontal and the front pops off, revealing a gigantic robot. It starts flying towards the base and I grit my teeth.

"It's another one of Zarkon's robot... beast... ro-beasts!" Hunk panics.

Emperor Zarkon is such a coward.

"We have to get back to the ship," Shiro commands.

"Shiro, wait." Ulaz reaches into his pocket and pulls out a flash drive. "These are instructions on how to reach the Blade of Marmora headquarters. Before you go there, find out how Zarkon is tracking you. If you lead him there, our entire underground network, everything we've spent centuries building, will be lost."

The others begin filing out quickly to get to Red, but I feel Ulaz's grip latch onto my arm, pulling me roughly to the side. I yank my arm free, my glare sharp as steel, my pulse pounding in my ears, and lunge to punch him, but he dodges. My moves are too sloppy, too slow.

His towering frame looms over me, and there’s a low growl rumbling from his chest as he draws his ceremonial blade, the blade gleaming coldly in the low light. "Did you do this?" His voice is laced with accusation, his eyes burning with suspicion as they lock onto mine.

My fists clench at my sides, and I step forward, refusing to let his size intimidate me. “If you dare lay a hand on me again, I will slit your throat.” My voice is steady, but the heat of my anger simmers just beneath the surface, my heart hammering against my ribs. “You don’t know me.”

“I know enough.”

“You don’t know a damn thing,” I hiss back.

“Hey!” Keith’s shout breaks through the charged air as he rushes back toward us, his eyes flickering between me and Ulaz, reading the danger in the space between us. He stands protectively in front of me like a shield. “What’s going on?”

Ulaz’s furious expression does not falter, but he steps back, still keeping his blade trained on me. “Vae pan radyr o vaer se’tar,” he mutters, his voice tinged with warning and he walks away. “Radyr se’tar.”

I stand there, dumbfounded.

You are a betrayer of your blood. Blood traitor.

“What was that about?” Keith asks quietly.

I swallow hard, my throat dry, and avert my eyes. “Nothing,” I lie, the word barely audible. My hands tremble at my sides, and I quickly clench them into fists, hoping he doesn’t notice.

Keith’s frown deepens, his dark eyes searching mine for a truth I’m not ready to give. “That didn’t look like nothing,” he presses. “What did he say to you?”

“Probably some kind of Galra nonsense—it doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter?” Keith repeats, his voice rising slightly. “He pulled a blade on you! That’s not nothing.”

“It’s over, okay?” I snap.

Concern tightens his features as he steps closer, his hand resting on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” His voice is softer now, protective.

Heat rises to my cheeks, and I pull away, pushing his hand off me with a quick, irritated motion. “Thank you, Keith, but I could’ve handled it by myself.”

Without waiting for a response, I turn sharply on my heel and march down the hallway to where Red is. I keep moving, refusing to let the dizziness take hold or the ache in my body to slow me down. There's no time for weakness. Not now. Not ever.

|••••••••••|

"I knew he cannot be trusted!" Allura shouts as we walk into the Castle Ship’s bridge.

"It wasn't him," Shiro says.

"How can you be sure?"

"How can you not be?"

"It doesn't matter now. What should we do?" Coran frantically asks.

"Why can't we hide here in the space clam and wait for it to go away?" Hunk frowns.

"Everyone get to your Lions, but don't launch. We'll wait to see what it does. I don't want to risk fighting it if we don't have to," Shiro commands.

I stare at the five Paladins as they leave the bridge.

How does the Empire keep finding us?

PIDGE: "We should be safe as long as we're hidden in the space pocket."

The Robeast charges forward and I swear it almost looks like a face. Its eyes scan back and forth before it opens its mouth and powers on its tractor beam. The clusters slowly get consumed by it and the Castle Ship’s computer zooms in.

CORAN: "He's drawing in the xanthorium clusters." He clicks on his keyboard.

The Robeast closes its mouth and a tick later it fires a strong beam at the xanthorium clusters, causing a ripple of explosions. It flies forward.

HUNK: "I think he knows we're here."

SHIRO: "Hold."

The Robeast fires again.

CORAN: "Direct hit! He definitely knows we're here!"

"Get the particle barrier up!" Allura commands and Coran obeys.

The Robeast uses its tractor beam again to collect more xanthorium clusters.

CORAN: "He's readying another attack!"

ALLURA: "He's pulling us in as well! Paladins, I think it's time to launch!"

Stars above, are these Robeasts Haggar’s experiments? Are they using quintessence and dark magic to create these beasts?

SHIRO: "Form Voltron!"

Voltron launches and strikes the Robeast. The Castle Ship shakes violently and I struggle to hold myself up.

"We're exposed! The space fold has been lowered!" Allura shouts.

An escape pod passes through the front of the Castle Ship and my eyes stay trained on it as it disappears.

"Well, there goes Ulaz," Coran says.

"I knew we should never trust a Galra!"

Slamming my hands against the control console, I glare at her. "Will you ever stop blaming the quiznaking Galra?" My voice rises, fueled by the heat in my chest, my blood already starting to boil over.

Coran’s eyes widen as if I’ve committed some grand offense. “(Y/N)! Now, that is not the way to treat the Princess!”

I turn to him, the frustration simmering into something colder, sharper. “Princess of what exactly, Coran? Of a planet that was destroyed 10,000 years ago?”

I shift my glare back to Allura. "The entirety of the Galra is not to blame and the Blade is proof of this! If you stepped out of your bubble of self-righteousness for one tick, you would see that Ulaz has given us a gift by revealing their existence. There is more to this war than just black and white—Galra innocents, Galra children, Galra prisoners, Galra individuals who are fighting the same fight we are. But no, you’re too focused on your hatred to see that. Too blinded by the pain Emperor Zarkon has inflicted upon you.” My words come out like venom, each one hitting with a sting I don’t bother to hide.

Allura’s face tightens and I scoff, taking the comm from out of my ear and placing it roughly on top of the control board. The doors leading out of the Castle Ship’s bridge slide open and I walk out.

The corridor is dimly lit and I move toward a nearby hallway, seeking a moment of solitude to cool down. Once I’m out of sight, I slide down the wall, my back resting against the cold metal, and let out a shaky breath.

I try to steady my racing heart, but the pain in my side is biting and I can hardly breathe. My head droops forward, heavy with exhaustion, and I can feel my eyelids growing heavy despite myself. As I close my eyes, a wave of peace washes over me, wrapping me in its gentle embrace, tempting me to surrender to the darkness creeping in.

Stay awake. Stay awake. Stay awake.

The chaos of the world fades into the background, and peace’s warm embrace wraps around me.

|••••••••••|

“(Y/N),” a voice echoes, cutting through the fog of my brief slumber.

I slowly lift my eyes open, the bright lights of the corridor blinding for a moment. As my vision clears, I see the entire team staring at me, concern etched on their faces. A blush creeps up my cheeks, and I become acutely aware of my surroundings.

“What happened?” I croak out, my throat dry as I gradually push myself out. My legs wobble slightly, but Lance is there, reaching out to steady me with a firm grip. I clutch onto him as I look up. “The Robeast?”

“Defeated.” Lance’s response is immediate. “Ulaz sacrificed himself to save us.”

Ulaz is dead.

I blink and I instinctively place my hands on my neck, half-expecting the familiar pain, but to my surprise, the throbbing has subsided. Touching my side, the pain there is gone too, vanished without a trace. It’s as if the battle itself has been erased from my body.

I shift my gaze back up to the team, confusion swirling in my mind as I realize where we are. “You put me in a healing pod?” My voice trembles slightly, disbelief coloring my tone.

Keith’s fingers clench and unclench at his sides before he puts his hands deep inside his pockets.

Allura steps forward, her expression softening. She looks revitalized, the strain of what we endured in the Empire lifted from her shoulders. “You passed out vargas ago, (Y/N).” Her voice is gentle like I didn’t explode on her. “You had fractured ribs and a concussion. We should’ve gone in the healing pods the moment we got back to the Ship.”

Pidge looks up at me with slight anticipation. “We thought you would be happier healed instead of suffering for weeks waiting for your wounds to heal.”

Hunk nods. “Yeah.”

My lips form in a line and I’m not entirely sure what to say. I nod and pull up my sleeves, examining my arms. They are in near-perfect condition—no bruises, no cuts. The faint white marks from my past remain as a reminder.

Scars are trophies, Lotor’s words from my childhood echo in my ears. They show you are strong.

I can almost feel his fingers gingerly tracing the fresh cuts on my arms, his touch both tender and careful. He had cleaned them up for me that day, sneaking into my room despite orders for us to remain separated. His eyes filled with a sadness that made my heart ache. It was as if he were trying to convince himself of the words he spoke, just as much as he was trying to convince me.

Don’t cry, he murmured, tucking the hair behind my ears. You are so strong, (Y/N). Stronger than you know.

I shake my head slightly, trying to dispel the memories, but they cling to me like shadows. I stare at the faint markings before my eyes flicker back to the team.

“I could have endured it just fine,” I reply. The bitterness lingers in my throat, and I can’t shake the feeling that I should have been able to handle it myself, as I always have.

Palen Bol.

“You’re not a burden, (Y/N),” Lance reassures me, his grip still firm on my shoulder. “We’re a team. We take care of each other. Remember?”

Allura clasps her hands together and gives a hesitant smile at the team and me. I can still see traces of tension in her from our earlier dispute. “Now that the Robeast is defeated, (Y/N)’s awake, and all the repairs are done, take the rest of the day and enjoy yourselves.”

|••••••••••|

I smile as I walk down the hallway to Lance's room. Taking a deep breath, I knock on his door. I hear footsteps shuffling inside and Lance opens the door. He is in a dark blue Altean robe with yellow stitched embroidery. His hair is wrapped in a white towel and he smells fresh.

"Oh," Lance smiles as he looks down at me. "Hi (N/N)."

"Hi Lance," I grin looking up at him. "Can I come in?"

He steps aside, gesturing to his bed. Lance sits on one end of the bed and I on the other.

"What’s up?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Can we get facials?"

His eyes shine and he gives an amused smile. "You remembered that, huh.”

I nod eagerly, crossing my legs and folding my hands inside my lap. “I could use some relaxation time.”

“Well, you’re in luck because I was just about to do that."

Lance gets up and walks over to his dresser to grab some items. He tosses them to me and I stare down. "Thank you."

He points to the bathroom. "Go and wash your face."

I hold the four containers and walk inside the bathroom. I open one and hold it up to my nose, sniffing it. Tears fill my eyes. “Lance," I call out. "Can you please help me out?"

Lance steps into the bathroom and leans on the doorframe. He points to the container on the left. “You use that first and lather it with some water in your hands.”

I follow his instructions and catch my reflection in the mirror. My face is covered in white, soapy bubbles and I smile before bending over the sink to wash everything off. Lance hands me the towel and I pat my face dry. He hands me a small cylinder and pops the lid off. “This is lip balm, you look like you need it.”

I stare at it and hold it close to my nose. It smells like something I’ve never smelled before. I peek up at him. “What’s this aroma?”

He tilts his head and chuckles. “What’s with you and smelling everything? Just use it.”

I bring the lip balm to my lips with hesitation but awkwardly smear it on. He gawks at me and a blush covers my cheeks. I put the cylinder down and put the lid on. “I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before.”

Lance shrugs and opens his mirror to grab another container. He pulls me back into his room and seats me on his bed. He opens the container and the same scent as the lip balm fills my nostrils. The container seems to show long purple plants with green stems. Each stem holds clusters of small blossoms.

Lance watches my gaze and points to the plant. “This is lavender, it’s a flower back on Earth.” He grabs a brush and dips it into the container. He begins to spread it across my face and a cooling, tingling sensation washes over me. He turns the brush over and does it to himself. "We should do this more often," he chuckles, sitting sprawled out on the bed.

I watch him with a small smile. "This is secret (N/N) and Lance bonding time."

He smiles and then turns up to the ceiling. A moment of quiet passes over us.

"What are you most excited about when we get back to Earth?" His voice is soft, almost somber.

I lean down beside him and close my eyes. I pause for a moment. "I’ve never been to Earth.”

His eyes open and he peeks at me. “Sometimes I forget you were raised in a ship.”

Shifting to lay on my stomach, I kick my feet up in the air and reach for the juice pouch stash he keeps underneath his bed.

Lance raises an eyebrow as I pull out one of the juice pouches, holding it up triumphantly. “How do you always know where I hide these?” he asks, smirking.

“Please, Lance. You’re predictable,” I say, poking the straw into the pouch and taking a sip.

He snorts, turning back to his ceiling-gazing position. “Predictable? I’m a man of mystery, thank you very much.”

I roll my eyes dramatically, and he notices, letting out a chuckle. “Fine, Mr. Mysterious. What about you? What are you most excited about when we get back to Earth?”

Lance tilts his head thoughtfully, tapping a finger on his chin. “The beach,” he says after a moment. “The ocean, the sand, the sun.” He sighs wistfully. “I miss the sun. And the smell of salt in the air. And the ladies.”

An amused snort escapes from me. "Alien ladies aren't good enough for you?"

He smiles, showing his pearly whites. "Don't get me wrong, all women are very beautiful.” He trails off for a moment. “It's just... I've been working on some pickup lines that humans for sure would understand."

I furrow my eyebrows, curiosity getting the better of me. "Oh, please go on."

"Are you a hurricane, because you blow me away. Your name must be summer because you're making me sweat."

"Sweat is not the most ideal thing to put into a pickup line, Lance."

"Shut up." He nudges me gently. "Are you a mountain because I can't get over you. Did you swallow any magnets because you're attractive. Do you know what's on the menu?"

He pauses and I look at him confused. I sigh in resignation. "No, I don't. What's on the menu?"

"Me-n-u."

"'You in me'?" I take a moment to think about the meaning and I scrunch my nose. "Lance! That's inappropriate."

"It was 'me AND you', you freak.” He rolls his eyes. “Are you chapstick because you're da balm. On a scale of one to ten, you're a nine. And I'm the one you need."

I grumble to myself. "Are you done yet?"

"I’ve got a lot more from where those came from." He grins, nudging my shoulder with his. “And you’re my space sister—it’s my job to annoy you.”

Lance's playful grin makes me shake my head in mock exasperation. “Well, you’re doing a stellar job of it.”

“Thank you,” he says proudly.

I sit up in the bed and hop down, walking over to the sink in his bathroom. “So do I wash this off, or what?”

He sits up and nods. I wash the facial off, patting my face dry with a towel.

Lance continues where he left off. "Did you sit on a pile of sugar? Cause you got a sweet a—"

"Wait, Coran! Do you think the Galra ever went to Earth? Is that possible? They would have taken it over, right?" A faint voice asks. Keith.

"Oh, I think you'd know if the Galra were there." Another responds. Coran.

"The Blue Lion was there. Did a Galra pilot the Blue Lion, too?"

Lance perks up, the towel on his head almost falling off, and runs to the door. I roll my eyes.

At least he’s done with those wretched lines.

"Hey, why are you asking about my lion? How many lions do you need?" Lance exclaims, sliding the doors open.

I sigh and walk over to them.

"What? No, I-I was just—" Keith starts.

"Don't 'what? No, I-I was just' me!” Lance pokes Keith in the center of his chest. “You've had your eye on the Blue Lion from day one!"

Keith blinks, confused. "Well, yeah. It's the first one we found—"

Lance sticks his hands in front of his face, making quick gestures. "Ah! Bah-bah-bah-bah! The Blue Lion's with me and we're very happy together! Very happy!" He throws his hands in the air and walks away.

Keith blinks suddenly. "(Y/N)?" he asks as his eyes register me standing before him. "What are you doing in Lance's room?"

"Trying to bond, I guess," I shrug. "But so far it's like he’s torturing me."

"S-Sorry."

PIDGE: "Guys! Check this out!"

Coran leaves and Keith is standing outside the doorway. I look back into the room and point to Lance’s clothes thrown messily across his dresser. “Get dressed,” I say. “I’m giving you thirty ticks before I drag you by the ear.”

Lance scoffs, making no effort to change. He looks at me for another tick and sighs, grabbing his clothes and trudging into the bathroom.

Keith lingers awkwardly by the door as I lean against the frame. He’s looking anywhere but at me, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“Did you need something?” I ask, glancing at him.

Keith blinks, his gaze snapping back to mine. His ears are turning a shade of red that rivals the Red Lion. “No! I mean, yes—well, not really. Bye.”

I stare at his retreating figure and stifle a laugh. Lance emerges from the bathroom and I drag him to the Green Lion’s hangar where Pidge is. I give Lance a side-eyed glare as he whines about having his relaxation time cut short. Shiro and Coran stand behind her computer station and Keith leans on something with his arms crossed.

"Oh, oh!” Hunk exclaims, leaning in closer. Lance moves to his side. “I've seen this experiment. But, question: Why do we need to get electricity from a potato?"

"What? No, no. I was able to crack the 'sporse code'." Pidge chuckles. "I ran the bioluminescent pattern through a variety of code-breaking sequences, including this homemade virtual Turing machine. Of course, I had to make a few tweaks to the original design, because, obviously, there have been several advancements since he designed it. Although you have to admit, Turing was a shining light in the world of science in an age when far too many were still—"

"Pidge. What does it say?" Keith asks.

"Oh, yeah. 'Under attack. Galra. Help.' And then, there are coordinates."

"It's a distress signal. Good work, Pidge. Get those coordinates into the Castle Ship's navigation system," Shiro commands.

|••••••••••|

"What were you and Lance doing in his room all by yourselves?" Keith asks, emerging now dressed in his Paladin armor.

I stop in my tracks, turning to face him. We are nearly at the Ship’s bridge. "We were just bonding."

"Yeah, yeah, but what were you doing?” His eyes narrow, probing deeper.

I furrow my eyebrows, irritation bubbling up inside me. "What’s it to you?"

Keith's lips press into a thin line, his gaze flickering away for a moment. His cheeks tint pink, but his voice remains firm, if not slightly defensive. "It’s nothing. Never mind.”

Rolling my eyes, I go through the doors leading to the bridge.

The Castle Ship’s screen projects images.

"The signal came from Olkarion, home to the Olkari, a proud class of engineers, builders of vast cities that could change shape at the whim of their creators," Coran states.

"They had a seemingly magical ability to manipulate solid metal. With just a wave of their hands, they could build a computer inside a block of steel," Allura says.

"Whoa." Pidge smiles.

"An Olkari once gave me this!" Coran says excitedly. He turns around and holds out a small metal cube made of dark metal and light blue light emits from it.

Pidge steps closer and looks at it. Lance leans in, crossing his arms. "What is it?" he asks, looking confused.

"Uh, hello? It's a floating cube!” Coran laughs. “Oh, this guy. And watch! My name is Coran and I'm a gorgeous man."

"My name is Coran and I'm a gorgeous man," the cube repeats.

My brows furrow as I step closer, examining the cube. Pidge’s mouth falls open and she clasps her hands together in excitement, turning to look at the entire team. None of the Earthlings share her enthusiasm for the talking cube.

Keith crosses his arms. "Why would a society full of literal tech wizards use spores to send a distress signal?" he asks.

She glances at him. "Who cares? When do we get to see that city?"

"Actually, Pidge, the distress signal isn't coming from the city.” Allura pulls up the coordinates and projects them onto the screen. “It's coming from the forest."

Pidge’s shoulders slump and the excitement she once held disappears. "Oh."

My eyes widen. “A forest?” I look around the Earthlings with a smile, but the only one who shares my enthusiasm is Keith. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

"You tagging along?" Lance asks as we walk down the hallway.

I look up at him, a hint of amusement dancing in my eyes. “You think I’d miss out on another exploratory mission?”

He shrugs nonchalantly, his easygoing demeanor unwavering. “I guess not.”

“Right. I’m riding with you.”

Lance raises an eyebrow, casting a quick glance behind us. “What about Keith?”

"Today’s your lucky day Lancey Lance, I choose to ride with you."

"Alrighty, let's go."

|••••••••••|

My fingers drum on the armrests of my seat with anticipation as I glance out of Blue’s window. The sun casts a golden glow on Olkarion’s surface and mountains. The trees are yellow and full of leaves and a small sound of awe escapes from me.

PIDGE: "Why doesn't anyone ever send a distress signal from a cool place? I hate the outdoors. Nothing but sunburn and poison oak.”

KEITH: "I like it out here. It's quiet."

Arrows shoot up from Olkarion’s surface, hitting each Lion.

(Y/N): "I think you spoke a little too soon, Mullet."

HUNK: "What was that?"

KEITH: "Uh, are we being attacked?"

SHIRO: "I don't know, but something's dragging my Lion down to the surface."

LANCE: "Yeah, something's pulling Blue down, too."

We pass through the trees and land on the surface.

HUNK: "Are those wooden mech-suits?"

LANCE: "Are you kidding me? We got taken down by a bunch of tree people."

I shift in my seat to look closer. The Olkari have staffs and guns pointing at the Lions.

SHIRO [over speaker]: "We come in peace!"

Pidge climbs out the hatch atop the Green Lion and holds up the spore in a container. PIDGE: "We found your distress signal!"

The Olkari set their weapons down and break out into cheers.

|••••••••••|

The Paladins and I are led up a tall structure.

"My name is Ryner. When the Galra attacked, only a few of us escaped the cities. We were forced to flee into the forest," she states.

Shiro walks up behind her. "How long have you lived like this?" he asks.

"Many deca-phoebs. But, as you can see, our people are resilient. We never stopped evolving. Instead, we adapted our skills to the environment."

We go down a set of stairs and my hands graze the massive tree trunk as we climb. It is solid and rough beneath my fingertips. We are led to a structure that glows green and Pidge runs forward. An Olkari fiddles with something that looks like a winged bug in his hand and sends it flying toward us.

Pidge’s gaze follows the being. "Coran was right, Ryner. You really are the most incredible engineers in the universe. To be able to switch from working with precision machinery to a bunch of sticks! I mean, what you've done with these trees is just mind-blowing."

Ryner smiles. "Nature's designs are superior to any that we could devise."

"No offense, but I'll take my computer over a tree any day."

Shiro glances between them. "You two can talk science later. Let's assemble Voltron and get rid of these Galra invaders."

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid. The Galra have our leader, Lubos," Ryner sadly says. "If you attack, who knows what they'll do to him?"

"Then, we'll just have to rescue him."

|••••••••••|

"Um Ryner, where are we?" Keith asks.

We stand deep in the forest where flowers of red and yellow cover the ground.

"This is the armory," she responds.

An Olkari places their hand inside one of the flowers and it transforms into a gun with glowing green accents. It shoots green beams. Walking over to place my hand in one, Shiro pulls me back. My shoulders slump.

Ryner walks over to the tree trunk and places her hand on it. Green light travels up the trunk to one of the spheres hanging off the branches and the ground rumbles as it falls onto the ground, transforming into a machine.

"Huh?" Hunk blinks.

"Cool!" Lance exclaims.

Keith blinks, his mouth falling open. "Uh, can I get one of those?"

Nodding quickly, I take a step closer. “Me too.”

"Of course. You can each have one.” Ryner walks over and opens a pouch, grabbing six devices. “Now, the key to operating it is understanding that the nanocellulose responds to electrical impulses from the neural pathways connected through this."

"Do what now?" Lance asks as he examines the crown-like object.

Hunk sticks his tongue out and licks it. "Mm. Mm! Makes my tongue itchy.”

Furrowing my eyebrows, I bring the device close to my eyes and stare at the light emanating from it.

Pidge places it atop her head. "That's your interface?"

Ryner smiles. "Of course, all commands need to come as binary coded messages."

She walks over to the tree trunk. "So, like this." Pidge places her hand on the tree and light disperses from it. Soon, a machine like the one before falls down.

"Yes! Excellent!"

I place the crown on my head and walk over to a tree. Placing my palm flat against the trunk, I close my eyes and try to focus. Keith, Lance, and Hunk go to the trees around me and try the same.

"I think mine is just a tree," Lance frowns.

"You must have a deep connection with nature," Ryner says.

"Not really.” Pidge is now in the machine and Shiro smiles up at her. “My allergies and pale skin don't mix with outdoor living."

"Pidge is our resident tech expert," Shiro states. His entire demeanor is proud.

"Well, that explains it,” Ryner says. “Like the Olkari, you understand that, at the deepest level, trees, metal, you, me... we're all made up of the same cosmic dust, all arranged by the laws of mathematics.”

Pidge’s face falls flat. "Does this mean I should start gardening?"

"It means you're going to need to give your friends a ride.”

The light catches my eyes and I step toward the edge of the forest. The dense canopy stretches out before us, sunlight filtering through the leaves in soft beams. Keith glances at the machine before walking to my side.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I murmur, my voice barely louder than a whisper. My gaze sweeps over the towering trees, the vibrant golden leaves fluttering in the gentle breeze, and the distant calls of birds echo through the air. Everything feels so alive, so untamed. So free.

Keith’s eyes flick to me, curiosity sparking in his expression as he steps a little closer. “What?” His voice is soft, as if he doesn’t want to break the spell that the forest has cast over me.

“This,” I reply, gesturing to the vast expanse of nature before us. “The trees, the nature. It’s so beautiful.”

I can feel Keith’s gaze linger on me, a quiet intensity in the way he watches, but I keep my focus on the landscape before us. His nod is subtle, almost as if he’s agreeing with more than just my words. “Yeah, it’s beautiful.” The way he says it, almost under his breath, makes me wonder what he’s really thinking. “Really beautiful.”

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye to look at him again, but his gaze focuses back on the forest, no longer focused on me. He looks lost in thought as if the tranquil beauty is pulling him away from the burdens we carry, or he’s contemplating something else. A ghost of pink paints itself across his cheeks, but I leave it alone.

|••••••••••|

“This way!" Ryner exclaims inside one of the machines. Hunk, Lance, and Pidge are in one while Keith, Shiro, and I are with Ryner. "To the edge of the forest! To save our king!"

The machines continue through the forest and the trees slowly begin to become replaced by metallic structures.

I sigh feeling a bit glum. I'll miss you, forest.

Coming to a halt, Ryner turns on a screen and zooms in. The other Paladins appear on the screen.

"Their headquarters are impenetrable from the ground.” She zooms in on the robotic Galra sentries stationed all over. “But there is one way in, a small opening in the roof. It goes all the way down to an open courtyard."

Keith raises an eyebrow, leaning in closer. "That's quite a drop."

"But there you will have total access to the building. The hard part will be getting onto the roof undetected."

"That won't be a problem," Shiro says.

I lean in over Keith’s shoulder, tilting my head. “The Galra have been busy.”

"Hey, hey, what's that? Is that part of the building?" Hunk asks through the screen.

"My Lubos! It can't be!" Ryner says in disbelief, zooming on on the large structure.

"Hey! That looks like the cube Coran gave me!" Pidge exclaims, holding it up to show through the screen.

"I haven't seen one of those in many deca-phoebs. We used to play with them as children. But this... Only King Lubos could have designed one that size."

"Why would he do that?" Keith asks.

"They must have forced him to reveal his designs and reconstruct it as a weapon. From the looks of it, I'd say it's almost finished."

"Okay, we need to act fast," Shiro says.

I peek at Shiro. “You already have a plan?”

He nods. “Everyone, back to base. First, we'll need to get to the top of that tower. Since the Green Lion has stealth capabilities, Pidge, you're the drop ship. You'll take (Y/N), Keith, Hunk, Lance, and me to the roof, then drop back to a safe position. After the drop, we'll use a sensor to scan the building for any Olkari biorhythms."

|••••••••••|

The hatch to the Green Lion opens and I make sure my helmet and suit are secure. Hunk, Keith, and Lance drop first. Shiro glances at me and I drop next. He’s the last one to exit the hatch. We all use the jetpacks of our suits to slow our descent and I set the scanner while they draw out their weapons. The scanner emits a blue light and blinks.

(Y/N): “Pidge?”

PIDGE: “All good.”

SHIRO: “Copy that.”

Shiro takes the lead and we crowd behind him as he signals us to a stop. Two sentries pass by and we wait for them to leave, rushing down the hallway to the necessary door. Soft groans echo through the door and I furrow my eyebrows. The doors slide open and we stealthily make our way to the source of the noise.

Blinking, I shake my head. “Are you quiznaking kidding me?” I whisper as my eyes connect to a large screen. It is playing some sort of movie.

Shiro’s face falls and Keith looks confused. Lance and Hunk’s eyes widen.

"Betrayal!” the voice cries out, sniffling loudly. “She loves you!"

"King…Lubos?" Shiro asks, stepping behind the seat.

The Olkari prisoner turns around abruptly and King Lubos finishes eating, slowly turning around in his seat.

"Yes? Who are you? The jesters I requested?" King Lubos asks.

Lance peers back, holding his bayard steady. "Um, we're here to, like, rescue you?"

King Lubos remains seated and moves his hand. "Hmm." He presses a button on the armrest of his chair.

The dim light of the room is immediately lit. Large doors slide open as alarms begin to blare, revealing ten sentries in a line with their guns raised. A bulky Galra male with a robotic eye stands in the center of them.

Hunk keeps his bayard trained forward but looks over at the King. "You could have just said no thanks."

"Looks like someone came to rescue you, Lubos," the Commander spits.

My lips curl as I watch them.

I can totally take them on.

Shiro turns back to Lubos. "You turned your back on your people to save your own skin?"

"I'm doing this for my people!” the King exclaims. “They wanted to fight the Galra, but they are too powerful! The Galra could destroy us!"

“They'll destroy you either way, fool,” I spit out, scoffing.

"So, you helped enslave your people to build some super weapon?" Lance asks incredulously.

"Don't make me the bad guy! He forced me to do it!" King Lubos says, pointing a finger at the Commander.

"Did he force-feed you, too?"

I stifle a snort at Lance’s dry remark.

"Uh..."

“You’re no king,” Keith scoffs, eyes burning with resolve. The servant shoves King Lubos forward and his bayard hums with power as he holds it against King Lubos’ neck, his stance fierce and unyielding. Hunk and Shiro’s eyes widen and Lance’s mouth falls open. “Okay, we’re walking out of here! Anyone tries to stop us, and Lubos gets it!”

The tone of his voice sends chills down my spine and I blink, caught off guard, my mouth hanging open slightly in disbelief.

Oh my—

My cheeks are warm, heat spreading rapidly across my face. I clamp my mouth shut, embarrassment flooding through me. My heart skips a beat, but luckily no one is paying too much attention to me to notice my flush.

"Whoa, K-Keith," Shiro stutters.

Lance’s eyes are wide. "That came out of nowhere!"

I clear my throat and try to register what is happening.

"La-sai, what are you doing?" King Lubos asks.

"You betrayed our people. I can't live this lie anymore," La-Sai responds.

Keith’s focus shifts back to the Galran Commander, baring his teeth. "You don't want me to hurt your genius engineer, right?"

The Commander smirks. "Oh, be my guest,” he replies, his voice tinged with faint amusement. “His work is done. The cube is complete.”

The King’s eyes widen in shock. "What? But-But I thought we had a deal!"

"Sentries put them all out of their misery."

The sentries power on their guns but before they can shoot, a large blast comes from the right wall. Fire explodes around us and I cough, covering my mouth.

The Green Lion peeks through the hole. PIDGE: "Your ride is here!"

Keith comes to my side and powers on his shield as the sentries open fire again. Shiro uses his shield to protect La-Sai and King Lubos and Hunk and Lance open fire as we sprint towards Green. Using our jetpacks, we jump onto Green’s back.

Smoke erupts from the cube and I look frantically around us.

SHIRO: "The cube is operational! We've got to get back to the other Lions and form Voltron!"

PIDGE: "On it!"

|••••••••••|

Shiro grabs King Lubos by the collar of his tunic and throws him onto the dirt ground.

Ryner glances between us. "What's going on?" she asks.

"While your countrymen starved, King Lubos was well taken care of by the Galra,” Shiro answers. “He willingly helped them build that cube, willingly helped to enslave his own people. I know you're devastated, but it's time to be strong and use your Olkari spirit to fight alongside Voltron and take back your planet!"

Ryner’s frown deepens as she looks down. "Lubos, how could you?"

"I—I was only trying to—" King Lubos starts.

"Enough!” Ryner turns around to acknowledge all the Olkari who have gathered near us. “We must free our people!"

|••••••••••|

SHIRO "All right, team, let's take that thing down! Form shield!"

KEITH: "Let's see how tough this magic cube is."

PIDGE: "Did it just absorb our lasers?"

SHIRO: "We need to increase firepower! Hunk, use your blaster!"

PIDGE: "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

HUNK: "Got it! Yeah, I think it's working!"

SHIRO: "It's giving back whatever we fire into it, like Coran's echo cube."

PIDGE: "That's what I was trying to tell you guys! It's learning! Making its own versions of our weapons to use against us!"

LANCE: "We can't just sit here. We've got to move!"

HUNK: "How do we beat it?"

LANCE: "Maybe, if we form our sword, we can cut through the surface and hack right into the center-thinking point place?"

KEITH: "Can't be any worse than what's happening now."

SHIRO: "Let's do it. Form sword!"

PIDGE: "It's working!"

I jump out of the machine and charge with the staff an Olkari gave me, jabbing it through a sentry. The Olkari stare at me, their eyes wide for just a few ticks before they notice the others fighting against the Galra.

“What’s happening?” one asks, running up to me.

Taking out the staff from its chest, I glance up at him. “Liberation.” The Olkari exchange glances, their expressions torn between disbelief and hope. I don’t have time to wait for them to process it. “If you’re able to fight, fight. We need all the help we can get.”

SHIRO: "It's still operational! Re-engage!"

HUNK: "We did it! They're going down!"

LANCE: "Uh-oh!"

SHIRO: "We've got to move! Move! We can't fight them like this! We need to split up! Back into lions!"

I grit my teeth as I cut off the head of another sentry. (Y/N): "Outsmart the damn cube already before it destroys everything!”

LANCE: "We're trying! Let's see if I can freeze these guys! Oh, no! So cold, so cold! Oh, oh. Thanks, Keith."

KEITH: "You got it."

HUNK: "Shiro, what are we going to do?"

SHIRO: "There doesn't seem to be any way to stop them, but we can't let this weapon get into Zarkon's hands! Pidge!"

HUNK: "Pidge! Are you okay? "

SHIRO: "Where are you, Pidge? We need you!"

I aid a group of Olkari as they plant bombs along the bottoms of the structures and run out of the way as they light up. More of the tree machines appear, bringing Olkari from the forest with their guns and staffs. They destroy several sentries and I wipe my hand on my helmet as I watch the fire and smoke reign over the city.

KEITH: "Pidge!"

PIDGE: "Guys, hang on!"

HUNK: "Whoa, Pidge! What's going on? You're booking!"

PIDGE: "I'm not sure, but I feel more connected with my lion than ever! I know what I have to do!"

LANCE: "Whoa! How'd you do that? That's right!"

PIDGE: "Circle up, everybody! Get some of this!"

HUNK: "Vines. Well, that is not the way I thought a giant cube of death would go down."

I cough, pushing the burning in my throat away. (Y/N): “You defeated the cube?”

KEITH: “Yes. Are you okay?”

“Look!” an Olkari shouts.

Turning my eyes to look up, the Commander’s Galra cruiser lifts itself into the air and breaks through Olkarion’s atmosphere, going into hyper-speed. The Olkari cheer, gathering in celebration, and the staff falls from my grasp, my chest panting.

The Paladins land the Lions in the city and Ryner walks up to them as they step out. "I want to thank you all,” she says. “You helped us get our home back. And, for that, we will never be able to repay you."

"Just promise me that when it's time to take the fight to Zarkon, we can count on the Olkari for help," Shiro says.

The two of them shake hands. "Now and forever. And you." She turns to Pidge. "The spirit of the Olkari resides in you. The bond between you and your Lion has grown stronger than ever."

"Without you, I would never have been able to unlock my lion's hidden power." Pidge smiles.

Hunk slings an arm across my shoulder and I take my helmet off, smiling at him. “Food goo when we get back?” I ask. He laughs, shaking his head.

Lance walks beside us and wipes my face with his hand. I push his hand away, making a face, and he sighs. “You can’t even tell we did facials—your face is streaked with dirt.”

|••••••••••|

Pidge sits on the base of the control center in the Castle Ship and we’re all cleaned up, dressed in our regular clothing.

Shiro looks down at her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Nice job, Pidge.”

Her brow furrows slightly as if she’s processing something deeper. “You know, it’s weird,” she starts, her voice quieter now, more introspective. “I’ve always been into tech. It’s how I connected with the world around me, through machines, circuits, and coding.” She pauses, her gaze drifting toward the endless stars visible through the viewport. “But today… for the first time, I feel like I’m connected to everything. Like Ryner said—like we’re all made of the same cosmic dust.”

Keith’s eyes widen slightly, the realization dawning on him as he speaks. “So that means we’re all connected. This ship, those stars, the Olkari.” He looks up at the vast expanse outside the window, wonder sparking in his voice. “Even the Galra.”

There’s a pause as Keith stares out at the stars, the weight of his own words sinking in, and for a moment, his expression softens in awe. It’s as though the entire universe has opened up before him, reshaping his understanding of everything.

I walk beside Keith, gazing at the stars.

For from the stars of Gala we were created, so to stars, we shall return.

Hunk quirks an eyebrow and smirks. “Uh oh. I think Keith just blew his own mind,” he teases, glancing around the room. I can’t help but laugh and the team joins in. “What?”

Keith turns, a faint blush coloring his cheeks, but his eyes remain fixed on the stars beyond. He shakes his head, unable to argue, still caught up in the enormity of it all, and crosses his arms tightly over his chest.

I glance at Keith and then look up at Hunk amused. "Next thing you know, he’ll be quoting starry-eyed poetry about how we’re all one big cosmic family."

Keith shoots Hunk and me a look, half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

"Well, that was a productive trip." Coran sighs, pulling the cube out of his pocket. “Look at all these cubes they gave me!” He throws them up in the air and they begin circling. “Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man!"

"Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man!" The cube repeats.

"Ah, sounds pretty good."

"Ah, sounds pretty good."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Oh no, Coran clones," I groan, shaking my head.

"Oh no, Coran clones."

Hunk smiles and makes fart noises, snickering to himself as the cubes imitate the sound. Shiro’s face falls.

The alarms pierce through the quiet of the Castle Ship and red flashes in the bridge. My heart jumps into my throat, and I turn just in time to see Coran’s expression shift from confusion to dread.

"What's that..? Oh, no," Coran mutters.

"What's that..? Oh, no,” the cubes repeat.

My eyes snap to the screen and my mouth falls open. “The Galra quiznaking Central Command,” I whisper. My breath hitches and I swallow hard, glancing at Keith who is standing close, his brow furrowed with fear and worry.

Coran collects the cubes and puts them away.

Allura’s hands clench into fists as she glares outside. “Zarkon! How did he find us?”

I can’t shake the feeling that Emperor Zarkon’s arrival is more than just a coincidence.

Has he come for me?

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Keith runs his fingers through his hair, the tension in his movements clear as he paces in front of the window with widened eyes. “His commanders must have radioed him from Olkarion,” he mutters, frustration lacing his words as he glares at Emperor Zarkon’s fleet, as if willing the universe to give us a break.

Shiro clenches his hands into fists. “We need to wormhole, now! Everyone to your stations! We’ve got to put some distance between us and Zarkon. This could be the fight of our lives.”

The urgency in his words snaps the team into action. The Paladins scramble toward their respective stations, each movement efficient, practiced. The Castle Ship’s bridge fills with the sound of boots hitting metal, the hum of systems powering up, and the clicking of buttons being pressed as they all fall into their roles.

But I remain still, caught between the chaos and my own hesitation. I blink, trying to figure out where I can go.

A violent jolt rocks the entire Castle Ship as the first of Emperor Zarkon’s ships opens fire. The attack is sudden and fierce—explosions echo outside. The force of it sends a shudder rippling through the ship.

Before I can brace myself, my feet are yanked from beneath me and I yelp. Gravity slips away momentarily, and I crash hard against the cold floor. Pain shoots through my elbows as they slam into the floor, and I blink rapidly, disoriented, as the world spins.

The Castle Ship jolts again, harder this time. A groan escapes me as I’m thrown back onto the floor, the impact rattling my bones. My fingers scrabble against the smooth metal, desperate for something to hold onto, something to stop the world from spinning out of control.

Keith's voice cuts through the chaos, sharp with concern. “(Y/N)!” He twists in his seat, eyes wide, watching as I struggle to stay upright. There’s no time to respond, no time to think.

Another blast hits and the Castle Ship shudders once more. “Oh quiznak,” I grit out, frustrated. I try to push myself up, but the shaking floor betrays me, knocking me back down. “Stars above.”

Why don't I have a station?

The bitter thought echoes in my mind and I wince as the metal digs into my skin.

Maybe if Violet were here, they would take me more seriously.

Keith’s grip tightens on his control panel, his knuckles white. His eyes flicker between me and the controls, a silent war playing out in his expression. He wants to help, I can see it, but we’re under attack, and he’s needed at the helm.

The Castle Ship shakes again, but this time I’m ready, pushing against the floor with all my strength to stay upright. Coran is almost immediately by my side, dragging me to the control panel and forcing my hands to clutch onto the board. My knuckles are white from how hard I am gripping the console and I lean in, trying to catch my breath.

These quiznaking Galra are really starting to get on my damn nerves.

"Allura, can you evade these fighters? We can't have them following us through the wormhole," Shiro yells.

"I can try," Allura responds, shifting the Castle Ship’s defenses.

"Keith, Lance, let's lay down some covering fire."

"Lance, incoming, 12 o'clock high!" Pidge screams.

"Got it!” I watch as Keith moves to steal his shot. “Hey!" Lance groans.

"Sorry! Gotta be quick!" Keith shrugs.

Lance scoffs, hitting into Keith. "How's that for quick?" Their drones start banging on each other.

"You, knock it off, you two! Stay in your zones!" Shiro shouts looking very stressed.

"Yeah, Keith!" Lance snaps.

“Stop arguing and shoot the damn fighters!” I snap.

"Keep calling out those fighters, Pidge. Hunk, how are the defenses holding?"

"I don't know. Ten percent? Fifteen maybe? Everything's a blur. I've been up too long. I have tired eyes!" Hunk shouts as he rubs his eyes.

"I know we just came off an intense battle, but we've got to stay focused, just until we jump."

"And when is that?” Keith asks.

“They're still too close! We need to gain more speed!" Coran yells.

"With these stats, we’ll never make it out of the Galra’s grasp!" I shout, my eyes locking onto the screen. The numbers are grim, flashing red with warnings—energy levels dropping, shields flickering on the edge of failure. My pulse races in time with the Castle Ship’s alarms.

Allura’s fingers play a frantic dance along the control board. "I've got an idea! Hold on!" The Ship's speed increases and I hold on tighter.

"Allura, what are you doing?" Pidge asks.

"I'm going to use this moon's gravity to gain speed and put some distance between us and Zarkon."

Within the span of a dobash, Allura manages to steer the Castle Ship ahead of Emperor Zarkon’s Galran fighters.

"We're clear to wormhole!" Coran announces, his loud voice blaring in my ears alongside the alarms.

Allura quickly wormholes us to safety, but the alarms still blare.

"We got away from Zarkon, how come we're still on alert?" Lance asks.

"What's going on?" Keith asks as he shifts in his seat to look at us.

My heart sinks as I look at the screen.

“We're about to exit this wormhole a lot sooner than we planned!" Coran shouts.

The Castle Ship lurches violently as we’re pulled out of the wormhole, sending my stomach into a freefall. The alarms are deafening, overlapping with Coran’s frantic shouting and the confused murmur of the Paladins. We exit and the stars shift outside the viewport, revealing a strange, eerie landscape.

Huge, jagged formations of ice drift lazily through the vastness of space, illuminated by the dim light of the stars. The ship is surrounded by massive chunks of ice, some the size of entire planets, floating aimlessly in the abyss. It’s like we’ve stumbled into the frozen remains of some long-forgotten battlefield, suspended in time.

"Whoa," Keith breathes, his voice low and filled with awe as he stares out at the icy graveyard.

"Where are we?" Lance asks, eyes wide as he leans forward. "It’s like some kind of iceberg graveyard."

I tear my gaze away from the screen to glance at Coran, who’s furiously typing into the controls, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.

"Teludav malfunction," Coran mutters, more to himself than to us. He sighs and shakes his head. "It must’ve overloaded when we wormholed. We’re lucky we didn’t end up inside one of those icebergs."

"Lucky," I echo under my breath, still trying to shake the lingering dread. The ice formations drift eerily outside, casting ghostly reflections into the cockpit. I can't help but feel a chill run down my spine.

We could have died from an iceberg, not from Emperor Zarkon.

I swallow hard as I shakily loosen my hold on the control panel. I close my eyes for a tick.

Thank you, High Priestess Marmora.

Allura’s voice cuts through my thankfulness and I open my eyes. "Coran, what's the status?" she asks, her voice weak and strained.

Coran starts clicking on the panel again. "Checking that now. We didn't make it to our exit point, but we're several galaxies from Zarkon's fleet.”

Allura stumbles onto her knees and Coran rushes to her side. The rest of us trail behind him. "Allura! Allura! Oh, no, you look exhausted. You must rest. You've been exerting way too much energy.” Coran hops over and rushes to the bridge’s doors. “I'll go check on the main turbine and figure out what's going—Whoa!" He slips into the wall.

I blink several times, trying to make sense of what just happened in the last dobosh. I pinch the bridge of my nose and my back aches from earlier.

There’s always something. Why is there always something?

Lance’s head whips to the left. “Whoa, are you all right?" he asks.

Coran freezes before turning around to face us. He places a hand on the wall and leans against it. "I'm fine. Look, I tell you what, I've probably hit a slippery spot on the ground there.” His boot glides across the floor, emitting a squeaking sound. “Someone, please wipe that up there!" He gestures to the wet spot on the floor and I grimace slightly.

Allura shifts, placing her hands in her lap as she looks at him. "You're sweating,” she points out. “You might have a case of the slipperies.”

Coran’s eyes widen so much, part of me is scared they’re going to pop out of his head. "What? No! No, that's an old person virus, and I'm not old. I'm young. Well, young-ish."

Lance tilts his head to the side. "What are the slipperies?" he asks.

Allura blinks and nods, as though she just remembered none of us are Altean. "It's a common Altean virus that occurs... later in life.” A small smile appears on her face. “It's not harmful and usually only lasts a couple of days, but it causes one's body to secrete extremely slick fluid."

The entire team and I’s faces fall and we huddle together.

Pidge gawks between her and Coran and rushes to clutch onto my arm. "Ew!" she cringes.

Coran crosses his arms over his chest, huffing. "Yes, it is gross, so it's a good thing I don't have it!"

Covering her mouth, Pidge dashes away from the group and throws up. Hunk stares at her and does the same. I shake my head, letting out a loud sigh.

"Coran, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Allura smiles looking sympathetically toward Coran.

"I'm not embarrassed because I don't have it! And, now, I'm actually going to leave because I've got to fix the main turbine.” Coran begins walking, but he’s stuck in place due to all the sweat secreting from him. He slips and slides out the doors. “Quiznak!"

Denial.

Coran glides out of the control room to who knows where.

Shiro’s mouth remains slightly open but he shakes his head. "All right," he says, shifting the subject to something else. "Since Zarkon has no idea where we are, this is the perfect time to focus on our next step.” Hunk and Lance groan while Keith keeps his arms crossed and gaze fixed on Shiro. “Maybe we can find that secret group, the Blade of Marmora. Pidge, where are those coordinates? "

Pidge is huddled on the seat of her Paladin station, her knees lifted up to her chest. She still looks nauseous. "Hang on a sec,” she replies as she slowly types on her keyboard. “I'm so tired, my brain's not working."

Lance groans loudly, turning my attention to him, and his shoulders slump. "Yeah, neither is mine." He runs a hand through his hair and tries to wake himself up.

I look at him with faint amusement. "Yeah, because what we did earlier was so tiring," I remark dryly as I lean toward him, crossing my arms over my chest.

Lance gives me a bored look, pouting his bottom lip. “Oh relax, I’m not talking about ‘(N/N) and Lancey bonding time’,” he rolls his eyes, “I’m talking about the quiznaking Galra almost killing us.”

I feel a pair of eyes on me and when I flicker my gaze, Keith’s eyes are narrowed on Lance before he turns his focus back to me. He blinks as he meets my eyes and immediately shifts his focus to the screen, clearing his throat.

"Hello all! I've checked the engines," Coran states through the screen as he slides.

"That was fast," Pidge mutters.

"Well, I slipped right down—” he falls on the floor. “I mean, hurried down. Anyway, the good news is, the Galra fighter did minimal damage. I flushed the turbine and it's fine. The bad news is, the teludav, or wormholer, as you Earthlings call it, is in bad shape. Several scaultrite lens stones of the magnifying beam generator are cracked. As you know, the magnifying beam generator uses a crystal to convert Altean energy into usable fuel. That supplies the power needed to wormhole. Well, anyway, I need to remove the cracked lenses and readjust their trajectory temporarily until we can replace them. I'll also need to divert power to make up for the lost energy.” Lance, Keith, and I cringe as more sweat drips off Coran. Allura stands behind us. Hunk gags. “Anyway, it's going to take at least a quintant."

“All right,” Shiro says. “We’ll hide the ship here and get some rest while Coran works on a solution. Tomorrow, we’ll be sharper, more focused.”

Allura smiles as her eyes sweep over the team. “Until then, take the rest of the day to relax.”

"Pool time, baby!" Lance practically explodes with energy, the weariness forgotten in an instant as he bolts out of the control room. His shout echoes down the hallway, his footsteps fading fast. A small chuckle escapes me despite everything. Leave it to Lance to be the first to jump at any chance to relax.

The rest of the team goes off in their separate directions and Allura leaves the bridge to find Coran.

I sigh, letting my back slide down the cold metal wall until I’m sitting on the floor, my legs stretched out before me. The coolness against my skin is grounding, but the fatigue still clings to me. I reach up and tuck a loose strand of my braid behind my ear, my fingers lingering there for a moment as I rub my temple. The edges of a headache are starting to form, likely from the chaos of earlier.

"(Y/N)?" a soft voice pulls me from my thoughts.

I tilt my head up and blink, meeting a familiar pair of dark eyes. Keith stands there, shifting his weight between his feet, his brow furrowed with something like concern. He’s not the best at expressing it, but it’s there, in the way he lingers, the way he hesitates before speaking.

"Hey," I murmur, offering him a faint smile, though I know it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. My body feels heavy, weighed down by more than just the exhaustion of the day. There’s something about Keith’s presence that always puts me a little off balance.

He awkwardly rubs the back of his neck, his gaze flicking down to me and then back to the floor, unsure of what to do next. For a moment, I think he’s going to leave like the others, but then, with a resigned sort of sigh, he sits down beside me, his movements a little stiff, like he’s not entirely comfortable. But he stays, and for me, that’s enough. We sit there in silence for a few moments, the quiet between us strangely comforting. Keith doesn’t push for conversation, and I don’t feel the need to fill the silence with words.

Finally, I lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes. “You don’t have to sit here, you know. You could go join Lance at the pool,” I say, my voice light but tired.

Keith lets out a short, almost amused breath. “I’d rather be here.”

I don’t open my eyes, but I can’t help the small smile that tugs at the corners of my lips. “Yeah,” I whisper. “Me too. I like the temporary silence.”

Keith sighs beside me and I open my eyes to look at him. Something is warring in his gaze, but he keeps his eyes locked on mine. "I’m sorry about earlier," he says, the words coming out in a low murmur, almost like he’s forcing himself to say them. His voice, usually so firm, now carries a note of vulnerability that I’m not used to hearing from him.

For a moment, I just stare, surprised by the apology. Keith doesn’t usually say things like that—he’s more of an act-first, talk-later kind of person. I can tell that whatever he’s apologizing for has been bothering him, gnawing at him since our earlier confrontation.

My chest tightens, the irritation I’d felt at him earlier now dissolving under the weight of his sincerity. I take a deep breath, feeling the tension ease out of my shoulders, and sit up slightly. I shrug. “It’s okay,” I say softly, my voice gentle. “We’re all under a lot of stress.”

But Keith, being Keith, shakes his head, his expression hardening with that familiar stubbornness. “You don’t need to make excuses for me,” he says, his tone firmer now, but there’s an edge of frustration in it—at himself, not at me. “With Ulaz—I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.” His voice falters, and he rubs the back of his neck, his fingers running through his hair as he struggles to find the right words. “I—I don’t know. I just… I don’t want to be that kind of person to you, and I’m sorry.”

I nod and give him a small, reassuring smile. “Keith, we’re okay. I promise.”

His eyes soften at my words, the storm of emotions swirling within him beginning to settle. There’s a flicker of relief in his expression, a subtle change that makes him look a bit lighter, as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. “Okay,” he replies, the word almost a breath. “Okay.”

We sit in companionable silence for another moment. The quiet feels sacred, almost like every other moment I share with Keith. I can hear the distant hum of the Castle Ship’s engines and the steady breaths he takes.

Keith turns his focus back on me, an amused smile tugging at his lips. “You feeling alright, (N/N)?” he asks, his tone more playful than serious now. “You fell quite a lot during our little Galra encounter.”

I breathe out a laugh, rolling my eyes. “Don’t even start with me, Mullet.”

|••••••••••|

"Uh, I thought you were exhausted. Why are you making cookies?" Pidge’s voice asks as I walk through the kitchen towards my bedroom.

Hunk rolls his eyes slightly but keeps his focus fixed on the tray in his hands. "Because baking clears my head, Pidge. Okay?” He sets the tray down and Pidge picks up something. “I thought you were gonna help Coran with the wormholer."

Pidge sighs and adjusts her position on the countertop, tilting her head. "One mention of the slipperies and he got all sensitive and kicked me out. I hate not being able to read Altean.” She leans in closer to inspect the tray of cookies. “What is this stuff? Are you sure you're making food?"

I walk over to the two of them, setting the bowl aside and hoisting myself up on the counter. I grab one of the cookies from the tray and try to bite it, wincing. "If these are what you Earthlings call food then you all need help." I throw the cookie to the ground and it makes a loud sound. I blink down at the cookie and quickly inspect my teeth with my tongue to make sure I didn’t crack any. "This is worse than Nunvill."

Hunk mock pouts and picks up one of his cookies. "You're gonna try and tell me that these aren't cookies?" He picks one up and tries to eat it like I did. A choked gasp escapes from him as he drops the cookie and curses under his breath, walking to face the wall and cool down. He taps his foot on the floor and shakes his head. His shoulders sag as he returns. "Okay, I might have overcooked them. Wait, where you going, Pidge? You don't want to wait for the next batch?"

I turn and catch the back of Pidge’s head as she scurries out of the kitchen. I chuckle at her antics, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Better luck next time, Hunk," I smile patting his back. "You might wanna start learning some Altean so you can step up your cookie game."

He sighs, the pout still on his lips. “Can you help me?” His voice is soft and sort of endearing.

I sigh and nod in resignation as I see the hope in his gaze. “Yeah,” I murmur, rolling my sleeves up and washing my hands. “I’ll help you, Hunk.”

|••••••••••|

I pick one of the new batches of cookies up and hold it to my eyes. I can see Hunk pretty well and I blink as I hold it closer to my eye. “I’m not that fluent in Altean, but I don’t think they're supposed to be blue and see-through like this," I say, tilting my head.

He snatches the cookie from my hand and shrugs. "I'm not sure." Hunk then bangs the cookie on the countertop. "Besides it—” he gets cut off by the sound of alarms blaring.

I visibly deflate and frown. "What now?" I mutter to myself.

A violent shake erupts throughout the Castle Ship and I clutch onto Hunk, my hands digging into his forearm. The tray with the fresh batch clatters on the floor.

“Hey!” he whines.

I look up at him and shake my head. “I am not falling again, Hunk.” I let out a huff of air and drag him with me towards the control room.

"Particle barrier! Up!" Allura shouts as she frantically types on her screen. The barrier is raised. "Coran, are you there?"

"I'm here! Over here! Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Coran slips on the screen.

"Zarkon is back! What's our status?"

"Wormholing will be a problem. The lenses haven't been readjusted! I don't know if the teludav will generate enough power."

"Do everything you can!"

We cannot let Emperor Zarkon get a hold of Voltron.

Lance and Keith burst into the control room, breathless, their footsteps echoing off the metal floor. Both are stripped down to swim trunks, towels slung lazily around their necks.

I blink, my mind struggling to shift gears from the chaos at hand to the surreal sight of them—of Keith more specifically—in their swimwear. My fingers, which had been gripping Hunk’s forearm with white-knuckled intensity, slacken as I stare. The tension in the room falters for a split tick, replaced by an almost absurd sense of disbelief.

"They found us again?" Lance gasps, eyes wide, still trying to catch his breath. "How is that possible? Is that possible? That doesn't seem possible!" His voice cracks with panic as he throws himself into his Paladin station’s chair, his towel slipping to the floor in a forgotten heap.

"I see your little pool party got interrupted,” I remark dryly, my voice barely masking my amusement. My gaze flickers to Keith as I tilt my head, unable to stop myself from glancing at him up and down. His body, now more exposed than I’m used to seeing, reveals a lean, muscular build, his skin taut over well-defined muscles. His biceps twitch subtly as he sinks into his seat at his station, his hands moving with a practiced fluidity as they wrap around the controls.

I quickly avert my gaze, feeling heat creep up my neck, though Keith remains completely oblivious. His jaw clenches, the flicker of irritation still evident from whatever argument they’ve just had.

He rolls his eyes, his expression hardening as he shifts his focus away from me and toward the navigation screens. “We got into an argument on the way down,” he mutters, his voice tight. His glare snaps over to Lance before he adds, “We were so busy arguing about who’d get the pool first, neither of us even got in.”

Lance, ever the opportunist, throws his hands up in mock frustration. “I told you we could’ve rock-paper-scissored for it, but nooo, Mr. Competitive here wanted to settle it the ‘right way.’”

I smile slightly. Mr. Competitive.

Keith huffs, his lips pressing into a thin line, clearly not in the mood to engage. “Like you would've listened to reason.”

As they bicker, I can’t help but steal another glance at Keith. For a moment, I wonder if his skin is as soft to the touch as it looks. I quickly shake my head, turning my focus to the task at hand. “Alright, enough,” I say, cutting through their argument. “Focus.”

Pidge is the last to enter the control room and beelines to her seat at her station.

Allura’s eyes are locked on the screen, her fingers moving rapidly across the controls as she plots an escape route. Her face is set in determination, but there’s a sharpness to her gaze, a recognition of the danger pressing in from all sides. “Right now, we must figure out a way to get out of here,” she states, her voice firm as she scans the incoming data for a clear path. The alarms still wail in the background, a relentless reminder of the imminent threat.

Keith shakes his head, dark hair falling into his eyes as he stubbornly counters, “Or we can stay and fight.” His hands ball into fists at his sides, and his voice, though steady, carries an edge of frustration. “Now’s our chance, Allura. We can form Voltron. Enough running.”

Allura’s brow furrows, her hands pausing momentarily as she turns to face him. “It’s too dangerous!”

I nod quickly, locking my eyes with Keith’s. "Allura's right,” I say over the alarms. “We can't take on Emperor Zarkon and his entire fleet. It’s too risky, Keith.”

His jaw tightens, and I can see the war in his eyes, the desire to fight burning brightly. But I tear my gaze away from him, turning to the screen. Hundreds of Galran fighter jets swarm across the sky like a storm, darkening the horizon. My heart sinks as the reality of our situation settles in. If we fight, we risk losing Voltron. There are too many for us to take on. I glance back at Allura, my frown deepening. “As much as I want to agree with Keith, we need to get out of here. Running is our safest option.”

For a moment, Keith sits rigid, his fingers flexing at his controls as he stares at the incoming swarm. His body is coiled like a spring, ready to launch into action. But then his shoulders slump slightly, a small, reluctant nod escaping him. “Alright,” he mutters. “We run away. Again.”

“They’re right,” Shiro says. “We can’t take on Zarkon and his entire fleet. Remember what happened at Zarkon’s command center? We wouldn’t have escaped if the Blade of Marmora hadn’t shut down the shield.”

Coran’s face appears on the screen again. "The turbine's up. Still working on the worm—" He cuts himself off as he slips. "Uh, guys, I think I'm realizing now that I do, in fact, have a case of the slipperies. I'm sorry I yelled at you, Pidge. I may need your help, after all."

I grip the control board tightly. "So glad you figured your life out when we are about to die," I remark through gritted teeth as the Castle Ship violently shakes once more.

Pidge quickly fumbles with the seatbelt and jumps up onto her feet. "I'm coming down."

Shiro is frantically scanning the screen. "Let's clear a path, Allura," he says.

Allura nods and changes gears, driving the Castle Ship away.

I stare at the Green Lion’s Paladin center for a tick before commandeering it. The computer turns on and my eyes fly across the screen.

"Lance, there's a fighter advancing on your nine!" Keith shouts and Lance takes it out with his drone.

"Thanks for the heads-up! And you've got one going for the lower barrier," Lance replies.

"Good eye!"

“Keith, fighter on your six,” I say.

"What's going on?” Lance asks. “I lost control of my defense drone!"

"I got you covered!” Keith exclaims. “Uh, I don't got you. Oh, there must be a system failure."

I furrow my eyebrows and try to make sense of the jumbled symbols on the screen. "Quiznak, this is not good," I mutter.

"Nope, that was us,” Pidge says, leaning in on the screen. “We're diverting power from non-essential systems to get the wormhole generator working."

Meanwhile, Coran is gliding back and forth in the background. I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Coran," I snap, “get a grip.” He crashes and I huff out a frustrated breath. "Get it together before we die."

Lance stands, raising a fist in the air. "Shooting bad guys is pretty essential, Pidge!" he shouts.

"We lost secondary controls! Thermal regulator's offline!" Hunk shouts. "Oh, no, there goes the particle barrier!"

I blink in disbelief. We’re nearly defenseless now. We’re going to die. We’re going to quiznaking die.

"Okay, try it! We should be able to make one very small jump,” Coran says, gliding closer to the screen. “I hope."

“You hope?” I ask, my voice higher-pitched than usual.

Allura looks at the incoming fleet, panic clear in her gaze, but forces herself to close her eyes. She puts both hands on the two columns of her controls and exhales a slow breath.

"Is it gonna hold?" Pidge faintly asks.

"We're about to find out,” Coran replies.

A wormhole pops up. My shoulders sag slightly and I study the incoming fleet on the screen carefully.

"The wormhole's open!" Shiro says as Allura guides the Castle Ship into the wormhole. It’s shaking violently as we enter.

"Oh, no! The lenses are breaking down even more! We'll be out of the wormhole even sooner this time!" Coran yells. As soon as the words leave his mouth, we’re exiting the wormhole.

We land on some sort of gas planet with heavy winds. We’re alone. For now.

Lance slumps in his shoulders and Keith leans into his seat, resting his head on his right hand. He closes his eyes.

"Zarkon keeps finding us. It's like... he knows how to track us down,” Shiro murmurs, to himself or us, I’m not sure. “Maybe he planted some kind of tracking device.”

Is Father tracking me?

Allura clicks on her keyboard, scanning the Castle Ship once more. "Well, it is nothing on the ship,” she mutters in frustration. “The Castle would have detected any tracking devices and I’ve already scanned three times."

I swallow hard and clench my hands into tight fists. They're tracking me, they have to be. Twice now I have escaped death at the hands of the Emperor.

"Until we figure out exactly how he's doing it, we should assume that he could show up at any minute. So, stay alert."

"Oh, man!” Hunk’s snoring cuts off and he falls out of his station seat. “Oh, what's going on? What are you guys doing? What are you looking at?" He stands up abruptly.

Keith crosses his arms over his toned chest and shakes his head. "You woke yourself up snoring," he points out, his tone dry.

Hunk’s mouth forms an ‘o’ shape and he sags down. "My bad."

I look at Hunk unamused. “How did you even fall asleep? We were just fighting.”

He looks back at me, a sheepish smile on his features. “What? It’s been a long day.”

I sigh and give a slight nod. “Yeah.”

"Coran, what's our status? Any good news?" Shiro asks.

They pop up on the screen again and Coran slides across the floor, making figure eights. "Actually, there is a bit of good news. I'm finally getting used to these slipperies. My mucus glands are working at an incredible rate!" He smiles with glee.

Shiro grimaces. "Any good news about the teludav?"

Coran stops sliding. "I'm afraid not. The last jump overloaded the lens-stones. Now, even more of them are broken. I'm going to try some readjustments to change the beam trajectory. Until then, wormholing away will be impossible."

"Hey, there's a giant metallic storm ahead of us. I think we can hide in the eye of the storm. It should give off enough interference so we can't be tracked," Pidge says, looking at her screen.

"It's worth a shot," Shiro states.

Allura nods and quickly drives the Castle Ship into the eye of the storm for us to take refuge there.

"Brilliant, Pidge." Allura’s eyes light up as she scans the screens. "We're essentially invisible to any radar, radio waves, universal scans, or any other known technology."

A tick later the alarms blare. Looking up, I spot it. Central Command.

No way.

"Okay,” Pidge rushes out, “I don't know how he found us, but it definitely wasn't with normal instruments."

Allura sighs in defeat. "It's me." She frowns and all of the team looks at her. "It's been me all along. That's how they found us on planet Arus."

I furrow my eyebrows slightly, trying to make sense of our situation.

I was on Arus, though, when the Galra attacked the first time. Did Haggar or a Druid plant a tracker in me during my time in the Empire? Is that how Commander Sendak found us? But then why did they not find me when I was on Planet Solitaire? Why now?

I eye the team warily and keep my features in an expressionless mask. I don’t need them to see the suspicion swimming in my gaze.

If it’s Allura, then why now? Why now are they able to track her? Could they not track her when she was in the cryopod? None of this makes any sense.

The fighter jets start shooting at the Castle Ship and the team makes quick work to try and defend it with the limited defenses we have remaining.

I keep my eyes fixed on them. What if the Galra are tracking one of them?

My eyes land on Shiro, more specifically, Shiro’s robotic arm. I blink, as though the world around me suddenly makes sense again. It’s Shiro’s arm… it has to be.

Shiro stands and faces her. "It doesn't matter, Princess. We're in this together. We're gonna get out together."

"Uh, how? We're trapped," Hunk says, pointing out the obvious.

"We need to form Voltron and go through the storm."

Lance opens his mouth wide and stands abruptly. "The storm? What are you, nuts?" he yells, looking hysterical.

Hunk stands and shakes his head. "Yeah! What do you mean? Yeah, why would we do that?"

"It's risky, I know,” Shiro says, “but it's our only chance. We have to go through the storm, then lure Zarkon's ship away, giving Allura some time to get into open space.”

I look out at the fleet, my lips in a tight line. "This is worth the risk," I say, my voice steady, despite the building frustration I feel internally. "We need Voltron."

Allura glances at me and then back at Shiro. "Voltron forms and then what?" she asks.

"Then we wormhole away,” Shiro states getting up from his station. “Coran, remember how you said getting this Castle to wormhole is impossible? Well, I need you to do the impossible. Everyone go to your Lions!"

Will Voltron be enough?

|••••••••••|

The Paladins exit with their Lions while Coran is working to fix the wormhole problem. Allura and I stay back in the command room.

SHIRO: "Form Voltron! Team, let's draw those fighters out! I think it's working! They're following us!"

ALLURA: "How's it coming, Coran?"

CORAN: "In order for this to work, each remaining lens stone will need to take the equivalent of five beams! There's no way it can hold that kind of power! The whole thing will explode!"

(Y/N): "There's got to be something you can do Coran."

CORAN: “Thinking as I go.”

SHIRO: "They can't follow us in this storm! It's tearing them apart.”

HUNK: “The debris! It's gonna tear us apart if we don't do something!

SHIRO: “Pidge, we're gonna need that shield!"

PIDGE: "On it!"

(Y/N): "Paladins, you can do this.”

KEITH: "At least someone’s still optimistic."

SHIRO: "And, Keith, the sword!"

KEITH: "Yes, sir!"

SHIRO: "Legs, I need everything you got!"

HUNK: "Roger! Engaging lower thrusters!"

LANCE: "I'm right there with ya!"

ALLURA "Coran, here we go!"

Allura flies the Castle Ship out of the storm, scrambling against the controls to get as far as possible from Zarkon's fleet. I grin and high-five her as we start separating from the Galra.

KEITH: "It worked!"

HUNK: "They escaped!"

KEITH: "What's going on?"

SHIRO: "My Lion! Zarkon! Zarkon's taking control of the Black Lion again!"

KEITH: "Fall back!"

LANCE: "We can't!"

Allura's face hardens.

"They’re getting sucked in by the tractor beam,” I say, staring out the window. “We have to do something."

She nods and turns back, firing the Castle Ship’s laser at Central Command.

ALLURA: "Paladins, now's your chance! Get out of there!"

SHIRO: "I forgot how intense Zarkon's connection to the Black Lion is. We have to keep our distance, or we risk losing Voltron. Let's disband and get back to the Castle."

The Lions quickly disband and enter the Castle.

KEITH: "Why haven't we wormholed yet?"

CORAN: "Because we can't! We're missing several scaultrite lens stones! They've shattered! Gone! Don't exist! Sloven-day-ho! That's Altean for 'gone'."

PIDGE: "Wait, did you say 'scaultrite'? I've seen that somewhere before. I think Hunk was making some terrible cookies from that stuff!"

Realization dawns on me and I quickly nod, sprinting to the kitchen. (Y/N): "You’re right! And that could work as a substitute! Pidge, you're a genius!"

PIDGE: "Well, uh..."

I take an armful of cookies and shove as many as I can into my pockets, heading to where the teledav room is. Coran picks one up as I set them down gently. He holds it up and compares it to the schematics on the computer. The Paladins walk in.

"Unbelievable!” Coran exclaims. “These cookies do have trace elements of scaultrite."

"Could they work?" Shiro asks.

"They might be able to hold for one jump, but we'd still need several people actually physically holding them. And, if the trajectories were calculated just so..."

I turn to the Paladins and smirk.

|••••••••••|

I pout as my body contorts in a position that is not at all comfortable. "When I said the Paladins, I meant only the Paladins. Why'd you drag me into this?" I frown, glaring at Keith.

He grins. "We're all in this together (N/N). Besides, I loved the face you made when we forced you to be part of your brilliant plan."

"It just warms my heart that people are enjoying my cookies," Hunk smiles. He’s the only one sitting down while the rest of us are struggling to stay upright.

I snort, glancing at him. "Yeah, we’re really enjoying them.”

"Okay, there. Now, nobody move if you want to live," Coran yells, gliding out.

There's a shake in the air.

"I think I moved! I think I moved!" Lance panics. He’s hanging upside down with his arms out.

"Well, then move back to where you think you were!"

"Lance! Just stay where you are," I snap, glaring at him. He freezes in place.

"Okay, now, I'm going to monitor the beam from out there." Coran glides on an empty spot. "Wait a... oh quiznak."

"What is it, Coran?" Keith asks. He’s held upright with one hand and leg while the other half of him hangs out.

"(Y/N)'s not in a good spot."

I roll my eyes, standing still. "I'm in a perfectly good spot.”

Coran glides towards me. "Yes, but we've got to move you."

"Oh, come on.”

He grabs hold of my sleeve and drags me towards Keith. "There you go." He helps me climb one of the discs and adjusts my arms, looping them around Keith’s body, gliding away once we’re situated.

Keith snorts as he looks at me. "This plan of yours got ten times better.” I can feel his breath on my face.

Narrowing my eyes, I lean in closer until I can see the scattered specks on his cheeks. "Shut it, Mullet," I grit, my right hand tightening on one of the discs. "Now is hardly the time for your gloating.” His nose twitches and he takes a slight inhale. My cheeks flush and I purse my lips. “Are you hinting that I smell bad?”

His eyes widen. “What? No,” he rushes out. “You smell like… what is that? Lavender?”

My eyebrows furrow slightly. “Yes. Do you think it smells bad?”

Keith purses his lips this time. “You don’t smell bad, you smell good.”

"Wait, Coran! How dangerous is this?" Hunk asks. I shift my gaze to him and he looks nervous.

"Honestly, this is the most dangerous thing I've ever seen, or heard of, but since we're probably going to die anyway, what the heck, let's give it a shot!” He turns around as the door slowly slides closed and salutes us. “Good luck, gentlemen and gentleladies. It's been a pleasure. Don't touch the lasers!”

It’s dark now, the only light coming from the small lights on each Paladin’s suit.

CORAN: “They're in position!"

The teledav’s laser slowly powers on.

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Lance yells.

"Lance." I exhale sharply, the air pushing strands of hair from Keith’s face and mine. "Stop quiznaking panicking.”

There is a rumble as the teledav room stirs to live, but it soon stops.

"Hold tight, Lance!” Pidge says, keeping her arms straight.

Lance screams as the lasers start reflecting, but it shuts off. “Hm?" he asks, confused.

CORAN: "It's not working!"

ALLURA: "Coran, what's happening? Zarkon's right on top of us!"

CORAN: "The stones aren't reflecting properly! I need something to shine them up! Oh, wait a second. I think I've got it. Hit the wormhole in ten ticks!"

ALLURA: "Ten."

Coran opens the door and glides in.

"What's happening?" Shiro asks.

"Coran!" I huff.

ALLURA: "Nine."

"No one move!” Coran exclaims. “I've got to shine these stones! Good thing I've got a case of the slipperies!"

ALLURA: "Eight seven six five four three two."

Coran glistens my cookies and his sweat lands on my cheek. I scrunch my nose.

ALLURA: “One!”

Coran glides behind the reflective circles and takes cover while a laser shoots out of the air and reflects off of the cookies. I quickly close my eyes, moving my head slightly until my forehead rests against Keith’s.

“It’s going to be okay,” he whispers.

“It’s going to be okay,” I echo, swallowing hard.

The sound of the laser powering off causes me to tentatively open my eyes. My shoulders slump in relief and when I glance at Keith, he’s already looking at me.

"Was that it?" I ask, untangling my limbs from his. Keith only shrugs, dropping down first before helping me down.

The door slides opens and Allura rushes in. "Great work, team! We made it!” she tilts her head as she surveys the team. “Huh?"

I snort at the horrified expression Hunk has on, the dazed expression on Pidge’s face, and Lance’s panicked one. Lance immediately falls over on his head and I rush over to him, laughter mingling in the air between us as I lower myself onto my knees.

"Are you okay, Lancey?" I chuckle, putting his head onto my lap. I take his helmet off and gently brush the hair from his face.

"Absolutely great," he groans, closing his eyes. He shakes his head. “I need a long, long nap.”

|••••••••••|

The team is gathered in the Castle Ship’s control room. Allura is sitting down and Coran has a hand placed on her shoulder. "There's no point in debating this further. Zarkon is clearly tracking us through me," she states.

"Aww, space baloney," Lance says, shaking his head. He crosses his arms as he leans against the controls.

"That's not possible," Pidge says.

"Why would that be so hard to believe?” Allura asks. Zarkon's forces showed up on Arus only after I awoke."

And after I showed up.

I stare at Shiro’s robotic arm.

And after the Earthlings showed up. It’s gotta be that quiznaking arm or me.

"She's got a point.” Lance rolls his shoulders back, stepping closer to Allura with that all-too-familiar smirk as he bows. “I would absolutely travel across the galaxy to find you." He winks.

I snort, crossing my arms over my chest. "Sure you would, Lance."

"It's not you, Princess Allura. It's me," Keith says quietly. I turn my attention to him, noting the deep frown on his lips. He's isolated himself from the group, standing further apart from the rest of us and he leans against the seat at his station with his arms crossed. My frown mirrors his as I walk until I am beside him.

"Because...?" Hunk trails off, looking at him.

Keith avoids his eyes. "I just think Zarkon must've imprinted on me during our fight or something."

“I don’t think he did,” I say softly, trying to coax Keith’s gaze to look at any of us, but his eyes stay focused on the floor.

"Look, the fact is, we don't know how Zarkon is tracking us. It could be through the Black Lion,” Pidge matter-of-factly states. “Every time Zarkon gets close to it, Shiro has to fight him for control."

Coran stands, placing a hand on his hip. "That's only when Zarkon is nearby. No Paladin has ever been able to connect with a Lion over a vast distance."

"But Emperor Zarkon isn't just 'some former paladin',” I counter, turning my attention to him. “He’s got dark magic, Druids—stars know what else.” Keith eyes me.

"So what are we going to do?" Hunk asks.

"Look, it doesn't matter how he's tracking us because we're gonna take the fight to the Galra soon enough,” Shiro says. “They've been chasing us from galaxy to galaxy. The last thing they expect is for us to come after them."

"The hunter becomes the hunted, hmm? Awesome! That's the tagline from like six of my favorite movies," Lance smiles.

Pidge walks over to her station, seating herself at her computer. "As it happens, I took our list of recent Galra attacks and analyzed it for both commonalities and anomalies among the attack sites. I was hoping to create an algorithm that would, within a statistically acceptable margin of error, provide a list of target-rich Galra environments color-coded, of course, because what are we, animals?" Pidge states, scrolling and typing as things pop up around the room.

"Cool! What is it again?"

"It's a Galra finder?" Hunk asks.

"I guess?” I say, looking at all of the images and maps.

"Well, 'finder' suggests that it locates the Galra, whereas it would be more accurate to say that my model predicts their likeliest…” She trails off as she sees us standing confused. “Fine. It's a Galra finder."

"So, where are the Galra?" Lance asks.

"The nearest ones are right here. A planet called Taujeer."

"Then that's where we're headed. Everyone should get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll find that Galra fleet and take it out," Shiro says.

Lance shoots up his thumb, giving us a thumbs up. “In that case, good night everyone.”

Hunk nods, yawning loudly as he starts trailing after Lance. “Yeah, night everyone.”

Allura and Coran linger, staring at the images and then at Pidge. The three of them huddle as they exit the control room, sharing a small conversation. Keith, Shiro, and I stay, and I can’t help but look at the screen. I sit down, taking it all in.

The glow of the holo screen bathes the room in an eerie blue light, casting faint shadows on Keith's brooding face and Shiro's solemn one. My eyes drift over the Galra finder’s data, clusters of charts, images, and trajectories blinking in and out as Pidge’s predictive algorithm processes the information. The cold efficiency of it sends a chill down my spine. Each dot on the map represents a place touched by destruction, suffering—lives lost or shattered. It’s an overwhelming reminder of how vastly spread the Galra are. It’s bittersweet looking at this.

How many Galra are brainwashed, forced to adhere to the propaganda of the Empire? Do they truly all believe that we are the superior race? Do they truly all believe that we should be colonizing and murdering beings all across the universe in the name of our Emperor?

Keith is still standing off to the side, arms crossed, his gaze locked somewhere beyond the screen. I wonder if he’s replaying past battles in his mind, questioning every move, every decision. Keith does that—a silent spiral into his own thoughts. I can’t help but feel the pull to try to reach him, even if I know he won’t make it easy. There are times when I think I’m getting through to him, and there are times when he is as solid as stone. Does he think the same of me?

Probably.

Shiro’s quiet presence, on the other hand, is steady. His hand is resting near his Galra prosthetic, the subtle clench of his fist betraying the calm exterior he projects. I catch myself staring at the arm, thinking back to Allura’s words. The connection between Emperor Zarkon and the Black Lion runs through Shiro, too, doesn't it? How is Father finding us? Is it Haggar who is finding us?

It’s painful having someone in the mind, having someone warp and manipulate the thoughts until you can’t trust your own mind. The searing pain that follows, the scars it leaves. The gaps in my memory I swear used to be different. Sometimes I can’t tell what is reality and what is the product of Haggar and the Druids’ torturing.

I swallow hard, my eyes wandering back to the screen, and my fingers trace faint circles on the edges of where I sit. Pidge's Galra finder continues to update, the rhythmic flicker of data soothing in an odd way. I lean closer, squinting at the details. I rest my chin in my hand, staring until the lines blur and exhaustion starts to creep in.

"Is everything okay?" Shiro’s voice jolts me and I turn to see him walking towards Keith.

"Yeah. Why?" Keith asks, avoiding Shiro's gaze.

"You just seem a bit anxious."

"I'm fine. Just tired. Like you said, I should get some sleep."

As Keith excuses himself with a brusque nod and heads for the exit, I track his retreating figure, the tension in his shoulders radiating outward. There’s so much he doesn’t say, so much he keeps locked inside, and it’s infuriating. Not because he’s secretive, but because I know how much it’s eating at him. Keith’s hurting and I want nothing more than to bear the burden for him.

"Don’t worry about him," Shiro says, his voice low and reassuring, like he knows exactly what’s running through my head.

"That’s easier said than done," I reply, pulling my gaze away from the doorway. Shiro gives me a faint smile—tired, but warm. “You should follow your own advice,” I add, pointing to his clenched Galra prosthetic. His expression shifts, a fleeting shadow of vulnerability crossing his face before the composed leader’s mask slips back into place.

"I'm managing," he says simply, but his voice wavers.

Managing. It's such a hollow word, one that carries the weight of survival but none of the solace. I nod, not trusting myself to press further. Shiro is like Keith in some ways, carrying burdens he doesn’t want to share. But unlike Keith, his silence feels more like protection, like he’s shielding us from something he’s afraid we can’t handle.

I can’t even begin to understand what Shiro endured to gain a prosthetic arm, but I can imagine some scenarios. He was also experimented on, and he fought to survive. He remains strong for his friends, but he can’t be much older than the rest of the Earthlings. All of them—thrust into roles they never asked for.

But that is the thing with war, isn’t it? Sacrifices must be made.

I turn back to the Galra finder, letting its rhythmic updates fill the silence between us. I watch as another blip lights up on the map—a probable fleet location marked in ominous red. My stomach twists.

Each dot isn’t just a target; it’s a story, a tragedy.

I think about what Taujeer must look like now. How many people are displaced? Fighting to survive under the Galra's oppressive grip? And how many won't survive long enough for us to help? How many more will suffer at the hands of my Father and his reign?

My mind wanders further. Back to the Galra ships we’ve destroyed, the soldiers we’ve faced. They’re not all mindless robotic sentries, though sometimes it’s easier to believe they are. I’ve seen hesitation in some of their eyes, fleeting moments of fear or doubt. How many of them are victims of Emperor Zarkon’s regime, trapped by fear, propaganda, or circumstance? How many of them started out like me? How many of them were forced to be shaped into weapons? Forced to kill and endure pain beyond imagination? How many of them subscribe to the ideals that believe that pure-blooded Galra is the ideal and those like me are scum? Not worthy of bearing the Galra name?

How many of them are like Ulaz? Like the apparent Blade of Marmora? How many of them are willing to stand up against a 10,000-year regime?

"You're still thinking about it," Shiro observes.

I glance at him, startled by his insight, but his expression is gentle, encouraging me to speak.

"It’s just... This war is bigger than us," I say, gesturing to the screen. "Bigger than the Paladins or Voltron. These people—some of them don’t even have a choice. They’re brainwashed or forced to fight. Not all Galra are evil. What if—what if we’re fighting people who could be saved?"

Shiro studies me for a moment, his gaze steady and thoughtful. "You’re right. Not everyone we face is beyond redemption. But not everyone will be willing to change, either. We have to be prepared for that reality. It’s not easy, but that’s why we’re here. To protect those who can’t protect themselves. To give others the chance to make their own choices."

I nod, but it’s an empty action.

How do you balance fighting for freedom without losing sight of the lives on the other side? How much death until there is peace?

The finder pings again, the sound cutting through my thoughts. Another red dot blinks into existence, this time closer to Taujeer. My chest tightens.

Shiro rests a hand on my shoulder, grounding me. "Get some rest. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."

I nod again, offering him a faint smile. As he turns to leave, I let my gaze linger on the screen one last time before forcing myself to follow his advice. I need to do something.

|••••••••••|

The door to my room slides open and I bite my bottom lip, picking at the edges of my fingers before I inhale and exhale. I reach into my pillow case, pulling out my journal.

Journal Entry: #17

Day: Unknown (Pidge says it’s September 28, 2414—whatever that quiznaking means)

Topic: Leaving

It has been nearly one month of working with these Alteans and Earthlings, and I have absolutely no idea how I am still here. The amount of near-death encounters we have had is unbelievable. They are the most untrained, unprepared, inexperienced beings I have ever met, and yet, I have grown quite fond of each and every one of them. I can hardly believe that when I escaped from the Empire, I would find people that felt like family. Working with Voltron has been my honor. Truly.

They have welcomed me with open arms and I feel guilty for keeping secrets from them. I feel guilty for not telling them that I am the daughter of Emperor Zarkon, but how can I? How can I tell them that the very monster we are fighting is the man I come from? I haven’t even admitted that I am half-Galra.

I can’t bear the thought of them hating me or looking at me with fear in their eyes.

I fear they will not believe me if I tell them that I want to kill Emperor Zarkon more than they can ever imagine. I owe it to all those destroyed by his reign. The sins of my father are my burden—my duty to take care of. If I don’t fight, then I put Voltron at risk. I put the entire universe at risk.

I would rather sacrifice myself tenfold than let the Galra destroy my team. I would rather suffer through years of torture, years of mental manipulation, and bodily mutilation than have any of them die.

After all, I can handle it, can’t I?

I hope I will know peace once I have completed my mission. Once the tyrants of the Empire are taken care of, I don’t care what becomes of my life. I must correct the wrath of the Galra. To avenge all the lives taken by the Empire.

My duty is to right the wrongs of the Emperor.

I am leaving tonight. No one on the team knows for sure how the Empire is tracking us, but I believe it is me. My memory has been wiped before, not entirely, but altered. Shifted, twisted to serve some purpose. It’s taken me weeks before to recover them, and sometimes I think I haven’t recovered them entirely. I could have a tracker inserted somewhere in my body and I would be none the wiser.

If there is hope for the Galra race, let it be me. Let it be the Blade of Marmora. Let it be Voltron.

Stars above, grant us peace.

If anyone is reading this from team Voltron, I am terribly sorry for keeping these secrets from you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, it was not my intention to deceive any of you.

To Lance, you have made my heart happy and given me memories I vow to cherish.

To Hunk, you have brought a smile to my face so many times.

To Shiro, you have guided me.

To Pidge, you have given me a dear friend. A sister.

To Coran, you have filled this Castle with kindness.

To Allura, though I know how you feel towards Galra, you are wise. You are capable of guiding Voltron—trust in that.

And to Keith, it is an honor to have met you. You are so much more than you think you are. So capable and strong. I know how much you struggle with your impulsive nature, but you are brave and far too hard on yourself sometimes.

I swear I won’t forget you.

Since I am on the topic of honesty, let me put things out in a simple form: I am the daughter of Emperor Zarkon. I am the exiled Princess of the Galra Empire. I have offered you half-truths, but my connection to all of you was fully genuine. You have taught me so much about myself, and I am grateful for our time together. I was in frozen sleep for 10,000 years and I

I hesitate for a moment.

I have the Lost Lion of Voltron. I am going to Arus to retrieve her and take the fight to Emperor Zarkon.

May the light of the stars, hung by the High Priestess Marmora, be my guide, and may the Goddess Ara protect me. If I am to perish, let them guide me into the afterlife. For from the stars of Gala we were created, and to the stars we shall return.

A'nah Sava Am, Nissin'terai Kana'ya.

(Y/N)

My right/left hand trembles as I stare at the words and gently set the pen down. Closing the journal, I let out a quiet sigh and place it underneath the pillow. I want someone to find it once I am gone. Standing, I take one final glance around my room, a sense of melancholy washing over me. I grab my bag with a spare change of clothes and my sword, heading towards the hangar bay before I can change my mind.

The hallways of the Castle Ship are dark as the door to my room slides open. My eyes linger on the door to Keith’s room. He’s just across from me, probably asleep. I will never see him again. My breaths come shallow as I clutch the bag tighter, trying to steel my resolve. Leaving them is the right thing to do. I’m endangering them just by staying.

I don’t look back, because I know if I do, I’ll never be able to leave.

I make a short stop in the kitchen to eat some food goo before walking toward the hangar bay.

“Princess, what are you doing here?" Keith asks in the distance. I abruptly stop as I see them ahead of me. Keith has a bag slung across his back and he’s dressed in his full Red Paladin armor.

Allura freezes halfway climbing up the pod. "Oh.” She’s startled and falls down. Keith catches her and she jumps out of his arms. I blink several times, tilting my head. Allura places her hands behind her back, staring at him. “I might ask you the same thing."

Keith puts his hands down. "Nothing,” he says quickly. “Just taking a walk. Late at night. Near the... pods."

She leans in and peeks behind his back. "In full Paladin armor, with a bag of your belongings?"

He sighs, looking down. "I have to know if Zarkon is tracking me. This is the only way. Don't try to stop me."

"I'm not going to stop you. I'm going to join you."

"What are you two doing?” I ask, stepping from the shadows with my arms crossed.

Keith blinks rapidly as he sees me and Allura gasps, putting a hand over her heart. “(Y/N), w—” she starts.

“What are you two doing?” I repeat.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Keith looks down at me. “We’re leaving.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“We have to know if Zarkon is tracking us,” Allura says.

“Why are you here?” Keith asks.

I purse my lips. “Because I need to know if Emperor Zarkon is tracking me.”

Keith raises an eyebrow and Allura glances between us. “All right,” she says, climbing up the pod again. “I guess all three of us are going.”

Throwing my bag up, I take a seat beside her and strap myself in.

Keith hesitates, his hand still clutching the bag slung over his shoulder. His brows knit together, but he eventually sighs, climbing into the pod after us. "All three of us sneaking out at the same time," he mutters, settling into his seat and strapping himself in.

|••••••••••|

"So," Keith starts after a few vargas.

“So,” Allura echoes.

I stir awake, staring at them. Guilt gnaws at me. I must tell them. Yawning briefly, I stretch myself out in my seat. “I have something to say," I say quietly.

Allura furrows her brow. “What is it?”

I sigh, picking at the edges of my nails. “I am a liar.”

"What do you mean?"

Swallowing hard, I force myself to meet their eyes. Confusion is clear in both of their gazes. “I am half-Galra," I whisper, looking down at my hands. My cheeks burn with indignation.

For a moment, neither of them say anything.

"You're what?" Keith’s voice comes out in a soft, raw whisper, his voice cracking. The guilt only digs deeper into my bones.

"They are tracking me because I am Emperor Zarkon’s d—"

Coran's voice echoes through the speaker interrupting me. CORAN: "Princess, Keith, (Y/N), where are you?"

Allura draws in a sharp breath, turning to look out the window. ALLURA: "Exactly where we should be, far away from the Castle."

SHIRO: "What? Why?"

ALLURA: "We must know if we are the ones Zarkon is tracking."

PIDGE: "They're isolating the variable. Well, isolating three variables."

LANCE: "In English, please?"

PIDGE: "In order to test a hypothesis—"

LANCE: "I said English!"

Pidge huffs in frustration. PIDGE: "Never mind!"

ALLURA: “Pidge is right.”

(Y/N): "If Emperor Zarkon finds you despite our absences, we will know with total certainty that we are not the ones he is tracking."

SHIRO: "Splitting up the group makes us far more vulnerable. Come back to the Castle immediately."

Allura frowns, looking down. ALLURA: "I'm sorry, Shiro, we cannot do that."

Keith stares at me before clearing his throat. KEITH: "If Zarkon does find us, I can pilot us to safety. We're in wide-open space with plenty of room to maneuver. Plus, we'd be able to outrun him. Pidge added that booster rocket."

CORAN: "That thing's still on there?"

SHIRO: "We need the three of you back here now!” An explosion echoes through the comms. “What's goin' on?"

HUNK: "We're in some sort of debris field."

CORAN: "I believe it's coming from Taujeer. Correction: I think it is Taujeer! "

ALLURA: "Coran, what's going on—"

The communicators echo static and we can no longer hear them.

|••••••••••|

No one has said a word ever since communications stopped working. No one has said anything since my admission. It’s tense. I feel tense like an explosion is about to happen.

Keith presses something on the screen and scans the area. "We've been here for hours. Still no sign of Zarkon," he states, breaking the silence. His gaze continues flickering between me and Allura, and I know he wants to press further, but he chooses not to.

"Well, I'm glad I don't have to wait here alone,” Allura replies, a weary smile on her face. It doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she looks at Keith. “You understand, I could never live with myself if Zarkon was finding us because of me. I must know. We face such a dire threat from the Galra.”

"Well, sure, they're bad—no doubt about that.” Keith fidgets with the controls. “But at the same time, couldn't at least a few of them be fighting for good? I mean, (Y/N)'s half-Galra. And just look at Ulaz. He sacrificed himself to save us."

Allura’s brows knit together, her hands folded tightly on her lap. "For all we know, Ulaz’s sacrifice was a ploy. One life means nothing to Zarkon."

"It means something to me! It means some of them are actually willing to help. And we could use all the help we can get."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "Any offer of help from the Galra is merely a prelude to a trap. I know all too well how quickly they turn."

Keith glares at her. “It just seems crazy to lump everyone together.”

“Listen. If there are any good Galra, they have had 10,000 years to take down Zarkon. I would never count on them for help.”

“Are you serious?” I whisper, meeting her eyes. “What are you trying to imply, Allura?”

She frowns. “That you are not to be trusted.”

Letting out a bitter laugh, I scoff. “Let me assure you, if I were not to be trusted, I would have killed you all and taken Voltron for myself the moment the Black Lion was unlocked from the Castle Ship. I would not deliver Voltron to my father. Believe me when I say that I am no stranger to having blood on my hands, Princess Allura.”

Allura’s expression stiffens, her lips pressed into a thin line as she meets my gaze.

“I have risked my life fighting alongside you and Voltron,” I continue. “I have had countless opportunities to turn on you and I have not.”

Keith shifts in his seat, glancing between me and Allura. “Allura, come on,” he says, his voice softer now but edged with frustration. “(Y/N) just told us something huge. Something she didn’t have to share. That’s gotta count for something.”

Allura frowns, still avoiding my gaze. “I do not wish to diminish the bravery it took to confess this,” she replies. “But you must understand. The Galra destroyed my people, my family, my home.”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands. “I will not deny the horrors my father and the Empire have caused,” I say, keeping my voice calm despite the lump forming in my throat. “But I am not him. I fight against Emperor Zarkon with every fiber of my being.”

No one speaks.

Keith, sensing the brewing storm, leans forward. “Look, this isn’t the time for us to tear each other apart,” he says firmly. “We’ve got enough enemies without turning on each other.”

Allura sighs deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Perhaps,” she admits, her voice almost reluctant. “But trust must be earned. And for me, that will take time.”

I nod, swallowing the bitterness threatening to rise. “And here I thought I had already earned your trust,” I say. My heart aches at her rejection.

Keith looks at me, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “Thanks for telling us the truth, (Y/N). For what it’s worth, I trust you.”

His words are like a balm to my wounded spirit, and I manage a small, grateful smile. “Thank you, Keith.”

"What happens if Zarkon does come after us?” Allura asks quietly, facing Keith. “You said you could pilot us to safety, right?"

Keith pauses, looking at me unsure. "Sure, but after that, could we even go back to the group? And if we don't, who would pilot the Castle or create wormholes?" he asks.

"Well, what about you? Without you, the team cannot form Voltron.”

I stare out into the vastness of space. "This was a horrible plan.”

“Yeah,” Keith replies. “It was.”

Coran’s voice rushes through the communication line, panicked and hurried. CORAN: "Keith, Allura, and (Y/N) are you there?"

ALLURA: "We're here, Coran. What is it?"

CORAN: "Zarkon is definitely not tracking us through either of you."

KEITH: "He's not?"

(Y/N): "Coran, what's happening?”

Allura sits up in her seat, her eyes wide. ALLURA: "How do you know?"

CORAN: "Because you're out there, and a Galra fleet just showed up here! We need you now!"

ALLURA: "We'll be there in two doboshes.”

She looks at me for a moment, and I see it in her eyes. The flicker of fear.

I narrow my eyes, yanking my helmet off. Setting it in my lap with my elbows atop the fronts of my thighs, I bury my head into my palms, rubbing soothingly at my temples. My head pulses and I can’t bear it anymore. “I do not serve the Empire.” My voice comes out in a cracked whisper. “Not anymore. I am not him.”

I am not a monster. I am not a monster. I am not a monster.

Keith’s jaw tightens as he looks away, clearly grappling with the situation. My breathing is shallow as I try to steady my racing heart. The mantra echoes in my mind, fragile yet defiant: I am not a monster.

Allura has the decency to look away from me, looking at the blinking light on the control panel. "What is that?" she whispers.

Keith blinks, breaking his stare to flicker at the button before returning to me. "It's the booster fuel Pidge added to this pod.”

I stare deeply into his eyes, trying to find the same flicker of fear, but it is not there—no fear, no malice, no hatred in his gaze. Keith takes a deep breath, not breaking eye contact, and pushes the button.

I am not a monster. I will prove it.

At the press of the button, the pod explodes. I can hardly process what’s happening and breathing becomes difficult.

Pitch black.

Keith's POV:

My heart pounds, the pod’s systems flickering wildly as I struggle to regain control. Smoke fills the air, and I can hear Allura coughing beside me. The booster explosion sent us spiraling, and now we’re spinning out of control.

“Hold on!” I shout, gripping the controls tightly. “I’m trying to stabilize us!”

Allura gasps for air, gripping her chair as the pod shudders violently. “What—what just happened?”

“I don’t know!” I growl through clenched teeth, jerking the controls to level us out. “But we need to figure it out fast.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see (Y/N), slumped in her seat, her helmet rolling to the floor. “(Y/N)!” I shout, panic lacing my voice. “Are you okay?”

She doesn’t respond.

“Allura, check on her!” I bark, focusing on steering us away from the debris field we’re dangerously close to entering.

Allura hesitates, still clutching her seat, but she finally reaches out, her expression shifting to concern. “She’s unconscious,” she says, pressing her fingers to (Y/N)’s neck. “Her pulse is weak.”

“Damn it!” I hiss, slamming a hand against the controls. The pod’s systems continue to flicker, a warning alarm blaring and we’re ejected into space.

The world spins before my eyes, hurtling us into the void with no clear direction.

“Allura, (Y/N)’s helmet!” I shout, desperation creeping into my voice. The cold vacuum of space doesn’t care about loyalties or bloodlines—it’s an equalizer. If we don’t act fast, (Y/N) is going to die.

“She took it off!” Allura’s voice is strained, tight with fear and frustration. Her hands flail, searching for her helmet as she jetpacks. “I can’t—there’s no time!”

My heart drops into my stomach. (Y/N)’s unconscious, exposed, and there’s no immediate way to protect her. No, no, no. “Try!” I shout, wrestling with my suit to turn on my jetpack. Sparks are flying from the pod, but there isn’t time. “We need life support. She needs oxygen, we don’t have any quiznaking oxygen tanks.”

Allura’s hands tremble as she puts the helmet back on (Y/N)’s head, her gaze flickering to me and her eyes widen with panic. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know.” My voice cracks and I hold onto (Y/N)’s arm. Her chest is still, so painfully still, and her eyes are closed. I swallow hard, pulling her closer to me. “I-Is she even breathing?”

“Oh, (Y/N),” Allura croaks, her eyes brimming with tears, “oh no, no. This was a terrible mistake. We never should have left.”

My hands tremble as I hold onto (Y/N), the emptiness of space a cold and merciless witness. The sound of my own breathing fills my helmet, frantic and unsteady, and I wish I could give her my air.

Allura’s voice wavers through the comms, thin and panicked. “Keith, she’s not responding!” she sobs, gripping the edge of the emergency harness that had come loose in the chaos. “We can’t lose her. Not like this!”

My grip tightens on (Y/N)’s limp form, vision blurring with unshed tears. “Allura,” I say, forcing the tremor out of my voice. “We need to get her inside the pod. Now. We’ll pressurize the cabin manually if we have to, but she’s got no chance out here.”

Allura hesitates, scanning the damaged pod. It is battered from the explosion, panels torn open to the void. Her voice shakes as she answers. “The pod’s integrity is too compromised! We can’t seal it properly!”

I clench my jaw, glancing down at (Y/N). Her lips are beginning to take on a faint bluish tint, her body eerily still. A surge of desperation courses through me.

“Then we stabilize the life support systems,” I snap. “There’s no other choice!”

I activate the jetpack of my suit, propelling myself toward the pod with Allura close behind. Sparks erupt from the damaged consoles as we enter, and the alarms scream warnings of critical failures. Allura immediately goes to work on the life support system, her hands moving with frantic precision.

I hover over (Y/N), my fingers trembling as I adjust the seals on her helmet to ensure it is airtight. My voice cracks as I whisper, “Come on, (Y/N). Stay with me. Just a little longer. (N/N), please.”

“Keith!” Allura’s voice calls out, trembling with a flicker of hope. “I think I can reroute power to the auxiliary oxygen reserves. It won’t last long, but it might be enough!”

“Do it!” I don’t dare to take my eyes off (Y/N). I gently tap her helmet, trying to wake her. “Hey, (Y/N), you can’t check out now. You’re stronger than this. You said it yourself—you’ve endured so much. Don’t let this be the end.”

It fails.

“Quiznaking piece of garbage!” Allura shouts, slamming her hands against the controls.

Something flickers in the distance and my head snaps up. "Allura, look."

Allura gasps. "The Red Lion found you! And someone else has come to save us!"

I stare at the Lion behind Red in disbelief. “It’s purple.”

She comes to my side, her gaze shifting from (Y/N) to the strange Lion. “Purple. Purple? There is no—”

"Allura, it’s right in front of us."

As we exit the wrecked pod, the Purple Lion then opens its mouth. "Give me the girl," a voice whispers. Feminine, warm, sweet, and kind. “I can save her.”

Did it just talk?

I look at Red and at the Purple Lion, nodding. Allura trails behind me. Inside, I set (Y/N) on the pilot chair, strapping her in and taking off her helmet. I press my fingers to (Y/N)’s neck, searching desperately for a pulse. There—weak and erratic, but still there. Relief washes over me like a crashing wave, and my breath hitches. “She’s alive,” I choke out, gently stroking her hair as a watery smile breaks across my face. “She’s still alive.”

Allura’s lips tremble as she lifts her helmet and wipes at her eyes. “She’s still alive,” she echos, her voice cracking.

“You need to get back to the Castle Ship,” the voice whispers. “I’ll take care of her.”

The Purple Lion’s voice lingers in the air as its inside pulses with a gentle glow, but I can’t tear my eyes away from (Y/N). Her face, frozen and contorted in pain, makes my heart ache all over again. I’m still clutching her hand as if that alone could anchor her to this world. I can hear the soft beeping of life support, signaling (Y/N)’s fragile pulse. I close my eyes for a moment, willing her to wake, wishing with every fiber of my being that she’d just open her eyes. That we’d be alright.

My throat tightens as I look up at Allura, her eyes wide and searching, her hands trembling. I can feel the same panic she’s experiencing. We’re in the unknown now.

"Keith," she whispers, her voice fragile. "Who... who is this? What is happening?"

I don’t have an answer. I don’t even have a real explanation. I just know that the Purple Lion’s presence doesn’t feel like an accident. It’s here for a reason.

“My name is Violet,” the voice speaks, soft and melodious. “I mean her no harm.”

The tenderness in the Lion’s voice does something to me—soothing yet full of an unspoken power. For a split second, I’m not sure if I trust it, but something in me knows this isn’t the time for hesitation. “Are you sure you can save her?”

The Purple Lion doesn’t hesitate. "She has strength in her. She just needs time and care. Her spirit is strong."

I nod without thinking, still holding (Y/N)’s hand, still willing myself not to break. “Okay,” I whisper. “Just... please.”

“Tei'rah alesul,” Violet whispers as the faint glow fills the entirety of the cockpit. “Voltron needs you. Go fly the Red Lion. Time is not on our side. You must hurry."

Chapter Text

Your POV; Memories :

Pidge lays across from me, her stomach pressed against the floor and her legs kicked up in the air. Casual and relaxed. Her head rests on one of her hands as she concentrates, marking deliberate lines on the paper in front of her. Her pencil scratches softly against the surface, the sound filling the quiet lounge.

I sit across from her, arms crossed tightly and brows furrowed. My eyes flit between the paper and her hand, trying to make sense of the symbols and patterns she's been drawing.

“I still don’t get it,” I finally admit, leaning back slightly with a slight pout. My gaze narrows at the grid she's drawn, as if sheer willpower could make the game’s rules click into place.

Pidge peeks up at me from under her messy bangs, her glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of her nose. She pushes them back up with her finger and lets out a soft sigh, though her tone is patient. “It’s tic-tac-toe,” she says with a reassuring smile, tapping the paper lightly with the eraser end of her pencil. “You’ll get it. It’s simple once you understand.”

I glance down at the grid again, biting the inside of my cheek. “Simple for you, maybe,” I mutter, picking up my pencil and tracing over one of the circles she’d already drawn. “You’re good at this stuff. I don’t even know where to start.”

And what are these odd-looking symbols?

Pidge’s smile grows slightly, and she leans forward, brushing her hair out of her face. “It’s not about being good at it. It’s about strategy. You just have to think ahead. Plan your moves, but also try to predict what I’ll do next.”

My head tilts as I consider her words, still frowning. “So… it’s a guessing game?”

“Not exactly,” she replies, sitting up now and adjusting her posture. She draws an “X” in one of the empty boxes and then points at it. “It’s like a puzzle. You’ve got to think about every possible outcome before you pick your spot.”

I stare at her move and then at the remaining empty spaces, my pencil hovering hesitantly over the paper. “Okay, so if I go… here,” I say slowly, marking a circle in the middle box.

“Good choice!” Pidge exclaims, sitting back and crossing her arms with a grin. “The middle is the strongest position. You’ve got options in every direction.”

“Really?” I ask, my lips curling into a small smile for the first time since we started playing.

“Yup,” she says, leaning back down on her stomach and watching me closely. “Now, watch what I do next.”

Her pencil darts to the corner of the grid, marking another “X.” She sits up, raising a brow at me as if daring me to figure out her plan.

I stare at the grid for a moment, tapping my pencil lightly against the paper. My mind feels like it’s moving in slow motion as I try to piece together the strategy she mentioned. Finally, I make my move, drawing a circle in the opposite corner.

Pidge’s grin widens, and she nods approvingly. “Not bad,” she says, already moving to make her next mark. “You’re learning.”

The game continues, each of us taking turns with a quiet intensity that’s almost comical given how simple the game is. But for me, this isn’t just about tic-tac-toe. It’s about understanding something new, finding a way to connect with Pidge, and maybe proving that I can keep up with her brilliant mind, even if only for a moment.

As the grid fills up, I realize I’m one move away from winning. My heart races slightly as I glance at Pidge, who’s watching me with a knowing look. “Don’t overthink it,” she says, her voice soft but teasing.

I smirk, marking the final circle in the row. “Tic-tac-toe,” I declare, my voice triumphant.

Pidge blinks, then looks down at the grid. Her eyes widen in mock surprise, and she places a hand over her chest. “You got me!” she exclaims, her tone dramatically exaggerated. “I’ve been bested by a novice. My reputation is ruined!”

I can’t help but laugh at her theatrics. “Maybe I’m not such a novice after all,” I reply, crossing my arms and grinning.

Pidge leans back, her smile softening into something more genuine. “Told you you’d get it,” she says simply.

We sit in comfortable silence, my heart feeling full, the grid between us a small but meaningful victory. “Thanks for teaching me.”

I haven’t lived the kind of life that allows me to do something as simple as playing a game on a piece of paper. This change, this… friendship is a nice one.

Pidge shrugs, brushing it off as if it’s no big deal. But there’s a warmth in her expression that tells me she doesn’t mind at all. “Anytime. Besides, it’s nice to have someone to play with. The others don’t usually have the patience for this kind of thing.”

I nod, smiling softly. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to be your new opponent then.”

Pidge chuckles, reaching for the paper to draw a fresh grid. “Deal,” she says, her green eyes glinting with playful determination.

“What are you two doing?”

I whip my head around and see Keith, standing there with his arms crossed as he surveys us. He stands in the doorway, his sharp gaze darting between me and Pidge. His usual scowl is firmly in place, but there’s a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. He doesn’t step into the room, just leans against the frame with his arms crossed like he’s trying to decide whether to join us or walk away.

Pidge glances up at him, completely unfazed. “We’re playing tic-tac-toe,” she says matter-of-factly, as if that explains everything. Her pencil taps against the fresh grid she’s just drawn. “Wanna join?”

Keith raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Tic-tac-toe? Seriously? Isn’t that, like, the easiest game ever?”

I bristle slightly at his tone, a defensive retort bubbling to the surface before I can stop it. “It’s not as easy as it looks,” I say, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the edge in my voice. “There’s… strategy involved.”

Pidge smirks, clearly enjoying the exchange. “That’s right. And for someone who thinks it’s so easy, I bet you’d lose.”

Keith snorts, his expression bordering on amused now. “Oh, please. I could beat both of you without even trying.”

“Is that a challenge?” Pidge asks, her eyes narrowing with playful intensity as she adjusts her glasses. She gestures toward the spot beside her. “C’mon, then. Prove it.”

I glance between them, a smile tugging at my lips. Keith doesn’t usually stick around for things like this, but the idea of watching him try to outsmart Pidge is weirdly entertaining.

For a moment, Keith hesitates, his pride clearly warring with his disinterest. Finally, he pushes off the doorframe and strides into the Castle Ship’s lounge. “Fine,” he says, dropping into a cross-legged position beside Pidge. “But don’t cry when I win.”

Pidge lets out an exaggerated gasp, clutching her pencil like it’s a sword. “Oh, it’s on now,” she declares, drawing a new grid with quick, precise strokes. “You’re gonna regret underestimating me.”

I snort at her tone, though I’m also mentally placing bets on who’s going to come out on top. Keith has the confidence, but Pidge has the brains. And me? I get to sit back and enjoy the show.

“Who goes first?” Keith asks, leaning forward and studying the grid like it’s some kind of battle map.

“You do,” Pidge replies smoothly, handing him the pencil. “I’ll even give you the advantage. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Keith doesn’t waste time, marking an “X” in the center square. He sits back, a smug look already forming on his face. “There. Strongest position, right?”

Pidge quirks an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Not bad,” she says, taking the pencil and marking an “O” in one of the corners. “But let’s see how long you can hold onto it.”

The game quickly devolves into a tense back-and-forth as they grow more competitive with every turn and they’ve barely even started. I watch in silence, my amusement growing as Keith starts to realize he’s in over his head. Pidge doesn’t just play; she calculates.

“I think you’re losing, Mullet,” I murmur, leaning in closer to look at the paper.

Keith turns to look at me, his lips forming into a thin line and he rolls his eyes. “I’m not losing.”

Pidge places an “O” and Keith blinks.

“You think you’re so smart,” he mutters under his breath as he blocks her potential winning move with an “X.”

“I know I’m smart,” Pidge shoots back without missing a beat, marking an “O” in another spot. “And I know that if you put your next mark here, I’ll win the next turn from now.”

Keith freezes, his pencil hovering over the grid. He glares at her, then glances at the paper. “That’s not—”

“It is,” Pidge interrupts, smirking. “Go ahead. Try me.”

I stifle a laugh as Keith scowls, clearly trying to figure out if she’s bluffing. He ends up marking a completely different spot, but Pidge’s grin only widens. The game is over, and she’s victorious—just like she said she would be.

“Ha!” she exclaims, throwing her hands up in triumph. “Told you!”

Keith groans, leaning back and rubbing his temples. “Okay, fine. You win. But this game is stupid anyway.”

“Uh-huh,” Pidge replies smugly, crossing her arms. “Keep telling yourself that, loser.”

Keith shoots her a glare, but there’s no real heat behind it. I catch the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, though he hides it quickly.

I lean back with a satisfied sigh, glancing between them. “Well, that was entertaining. I think I’ll stick to playing against Pidge, though. At least I know she’ll go easy on me.”

Pidge laughs, nudging me with her elbow. “Don’t count on it. You’re my new rival now.”

“(Y/N) beat you?” he asks.

I beam at him. “I suppose that makes me smarter than you, Mullet.”

Keith shakes his head, pushing himself to his feet. “You two are ridiculous,” he says, snorting. “I’m going to go train. You know, do something productive.”

As he heads for the door, Pidge calls after him. “Let me know when you’re ready for a rematch!”

Keith doesn’t respond, but I catch the faintest hint of a chuckle as he disappears down the hallway.

Pidge and I share a look, and she grins. “Told you tic-tac-toe was fun,” she says, picking up her pencil to draw another grid. “Ready for round two?”

I laugh and nod, going to lay on my stomach. “You’re on.”

|••••••••••|

"(Y/N)!" Lance’s voice thunders.

"Oh quiznak," I whisper, looking at the cloth in my grasp. "I shouldn't have taken his sleeping mask..."

Before Lance finds me, I sprint to the training room. As I'm about to turn the corner, I bump into someone’s chest. Hard. I huff and look up.

It’s just Keith.

My shoulders droop in relief. “Oh good,” I whisper. “I thought you were Lance."

Keith narrows his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest. “What did you do now?” he whispers in reply. “And why are we whispering?”

I open my mouth to respond, but I’m cut off. "(Y/N)!" Lance yells. "You quiznaking thief, where did you go?"

Giving Keith a slight smile, I grab his forearm and pull him into one of the closets in the hallway that leads to the training room. He yelps as I press myself against him to close the door as silently as I can and I lean up, placing my hand over his mouth.

"Are you serious?" I scold in a stern whisper voice. "You're going to get me caught, Mullet. Be quiet.”

He blinks as he looks at me, his throat bobbing up and down. After a tick, he lightly pulls my hand away. “Why did you drag me into this?”

"You're joking, right? You're a terrible liar, Keith."

"I am not."

"You most certainly are. You have ticks—like scratching the back of your neck. Or avoiding eye contact.”

His brows furrow. "How do you know that? Do you like looking at me, or something?"

I roll my eyes, scoffing softly. "I like paying attention to you. I'm a very observant person.”

Keith scoffs this time. "I’m observant too. Your left pinky twitches when you lie.”

Blinking, my eyes narrow on him. “It does not.”

His eyes flicker down to my hands. “It does.”

The closet door abruptly opens, the blinding lights of the Castle Ship’s hallway flooding the dimness. "Ah ha!" Lance yells, a big smirk plastered on his face.

Oh quiznak.

Lance’s smirk falters and he pauses, stepping back to look at the two of us. "Wait, is this your guys' rendezvous spot?”

Keith huffs, a light blush spreading across his face. "We were just talking."

My eyes shift between the two of them, as though they are speaking an entirely new language. "I don't get it," I say, confused. "Rendezvous for what?”

Lance snickers and Keith groans, placing a hand on his temples to rub at them. "We’re not hooking up, Lance. Stop looking at us like that.”

I blink, more confused. "Hooking up?" I ask. "What’s ‘hooking up’?”

“Oh, this is too good.” Lance shakes his head, still laughing. "I guess I'll have to teach you, (N/N). Unless Keith wants to teach you himself." He winks.

"Lance!" Keith snaps, looking like he’s about to shove him into the nearest wall. Lance squawks and sprints down the hallway.

“So,” I pause, turning my head to look at Keith, "are you going to teach me, Mullet?"

“Teach you—what no,” he rushes out.

I frown, crossing my arms over my chest. "Please, Mullet, enlighten me in your Earthling ways."

His face flushes. "(Y/N), I am not enlightening you in anything related to hooking up.”

"Is it fun?"

He stands there, frozen. Silent.

“Is it like a group activity?” I press on. “Is it with rope or something? Do you get hooked up to a computer?”

Keith looks like he's fighting a battle within himself. His face is as red as his armor, and his hands hover awkwardly at his sides, clenching and unclenching. “(Y/N),” he finally says, his voice strangled. “It’s not… No! None of those things. I’m not—this isn’t my job to explain!”

I tilt my head, utterly perplexed. “Then whose job is it? Lance’s? He did volunteer.”

“No!” Keith nearly shouts, then lowers his voice with a frantic look at the open hallway. “Quiznak, no. Do not let Lance explain this to you.”

I tap my chin thoughtfully. “So it is some sort of secret human tradition?”

“It’s not a secret. It’s just—” He cuts himself off with a groan, running a hand down his face. “Look, can we just drop this? Please?”

“But now I’m curious!” I exclaim. “You Earthlings are always so weird about these things.”

Keith glares at me but there’s no real heat behind it. “(Y/N), if I explain this, will you promise to never bring it up again?”

I beam at him. “Of course! You know I’m great at keeping secrets.”

He mutters a that’s debatable under his breath and then, with a resigned sigh, he leans closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Hooking up is when two people—uh—kiss. Or, sometimes, they…” His voice drops even lower, and his eyes dart around the hallway like he’s afraid someone might overhear. “…do other stuff. Together.”

Seriously? Does it just mean kissing?

I blink up at him. “That’s it? Why didn’t you just say so?”

Keith looks like he might combust. “Because it’s not something you just say. It’s… personal.”

“Hmm.” I tap my chin again. “So it’s like sparring? That’s personal too.”

Keith chokes. “It’s not like sparring. At all.”

“Are you sure?” I press. “Because when we spar, there’s lots of physical contact and—”

“Quiznak, stop talking!” he hisses, looking utterly mortified.

I stare at him for a moment, then shrug. “Earthlings are so strange.”

“I’m aware,” Keith mutters, rubbing the bridge of his nose like this conversation has physically pained him.

The sound of Lance’s cackling echoes from further down the hallway, and Keith glares in the direction he ran off. “I’m going to kill him.”

I pat Keith on the arm. “Thanks for the lesson, Mullet.”

He groans again, turning away. “I need to learn how to say no to you,” he mumbles.

|••••••••••|

I fall face flat on top of Keith’s bed, letting out a groan so loud, it echoes on the metallic walls. Keith sits beside me, the mattress dipping at his weight. "What are you thinking about?"

"How annoying all of this is,” I mutter, muffled by the mattress.

Keith chuckles softly, getting up and shuffling around his room. When I lift my head, he’s changed into his pajamas: a red long-sleeved shirt that fits his form nicely and gray sweatpants. I still don’t understand why they’re called ‘sweatpants’ because he never wears them when we spar.

I prop myself up on my elbows, watching Keith as he rummages through a drawer. “Do Earthlings have names for all their clothes, or just the weird ones?”

Keith glances over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “You think sweatpants are weird, but you don’t question armor?”

I wave a hand. “Armor has a purpose. It’s practical. Sweatpants just sound… misleading.”

He snorts and pulls out a bundle of clothes, tossing it onto the chair in the corner. “They’re just comfortable, okay? Not everything has to make sense.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” I tease. “You analyze everything.”

Keith shakes his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Not everything.”

There’s a comfortable silence as I flop back down, staring up at the ceiling. “Hey, Mullet,” I mumble, “why do you let me hang out here?”

His movements pause. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I take your bed, your time, your patience…” I trail off, turning my head to look at him. “And you never kick me out. Why?”

Keith leans back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as he studies me. “I guess…” His voice is softer now, thoughtful. “I don’t mind.”

“You don’t mind?” I press, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. “You’re… different from the others. Less… overwhelming. And you don’t treat me like I’m some hotheaded loner all the time.”

I sit up, crossing my legs beneath me. “You’re not a loner, Keith. You just like your space. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

His gaze flickers to me, something unspoken in his expression. “Thanks. I guess… I like your company too.”

A warmth spreads through my chest at his words, and I can’t help but grin. “Aw, Mullet, you do like me.”

He groans, throwing a pillow at me. “Don’t push it.”

Laughing, I catch the pillow and hug it to my chest. “Fine, fine. I’ll behave.”

Keith rolls his eyes but there’s a softness in his demeanor that wasn’t there before. As he settles back onto his bed, the room feels quieter and more at ease.

“Hey, Mullet?”

“Yeah?” he replies, tilting his head slightly.

“You’re not as scary as you think you are.”

His lips twitch, a small smile breaking through. “And you’re not as annoying as I thought you’d be.”

“Wow,” I deadpan. “The compliments just keep coming.”

Keith chuckles, his laugh low and genuine. It’s a sound I don’t hear often enough, and I find myself smiling despite myself. He pulls out extra blankets and pillows, wrapping an extra large blanket around us. I scoot closer to him.

“Do you have a preference for tonight’s viewing?” he asks.

“Hmm,” I murmur. “Let’s watch Voltron destroying the Robeast on Arus again.”

|••••••••••|

Allura walks into the lounge with the sunken couches looking exhausted. Glancing up from the book in my hands, I give her a small smile and she returns it.

"Hi Allura," I say.

“Hi (Y/N).” She sits beside me, looking at the book in my hands. "You know Altean?"

I follow her gaze, shrugging. “It’s a children's book. I’m trying to learn some.”

"I can help if you’d like." She yawns and stretches out her arms, sinking further into the couch.

There are prominent eyebags underneath her eyes. "Long day?"

She nods. "I'm exhausted."

I pull the pillow from behind my back, handing it to her. "Rest.”

"Oh, I really shouldn't."

Shaking my head, I remain holding the pillow out. "You'll feel better if you take a nap. Besides, we can't defend the universe if the one in charge is tired."

She stares at the pillow and grabs it with a smile. "Thank you." Shifting to set the pillow down on the arm of the couch, she lays herself down. She turns inward towards the couch, shutting her eyes.

Silence envelops us like the warm blanket slung across my shoulders as I continue reading the book. So far, all I understand is that there are two Altean children and a mouse involved.

What does this even mean? Why is Altean so much more complicated compared to Galran?

The doors to the room open and I look up, setting the book down in my lap.

"Alright, how 'bout this one?" Lance asks as he takes a step closer to Keith. "Feel my shirt." He pulls on his shirt and Keith tilts his head but grabs Lance's shirt. "Know what it's made of?" Keith shakes his head and lets go of the shirt. "Boyfriend material."

Keith blinks. "Lance, I'm going to kill you. Stop practicing your pickup lines on me."

I give them a look, but they're too busy glaring at each other. Grabbing a pillow, I chuck it at them. They turn their heads in confusion. "Zip it you two," I hiss.

Lance hops over the couch, landing on his bottom. Keith walks around, sitting down.

"Oh," Keith whispers, looking at Allura’s sleeping, stirring form.

"Hey (N/N)," Lance says. My eyes flick up to meet his. "Are you a parking ticket? Because you've got fine written all over you." He gives me a wink and Keith groans loudly, grabbing a pillow to cover his ears.

"I don't get it,” I say.

Lance sinks into the couch and pouts. "You two don't appreciate my genius enough."

|••••••••••|

"Hunk," I snort. "Quit it."

He smiles and bumps into me again. "Why won't you give me a hip bump?"

I pick up the bowl and go to the opposite side of the kitchen island. "You're going to make me spill."

Keith walks into the kitchen, sighing and putting his head down. Shiro jogs in behind him, taking a seat beside him. Hunk and I stop joking and look at the two of them.

"Is everything alright Keith?" I ask, taking a step closer and setting the bowl down. He doesn't move and I look at Shiro.

He gives me a small smile and shakes his head. "He's just a little tired." My lips form into a line but I don't pry. "What are you two up to?"

"Hunk and I are trying to make Lance's favorite food," I respond and there's a huff. I grab the bowl to show it, but Keith’s head remains down.

"It's a struggle so far," Hunk adds. "We can't exactly make garlic knots without any of the earth's ingredients."

"I don't know what garlic is, but Pidge told me she loves it."

Keith lifts his head up, peeking at the bowl and he sits up fully.

Hunk grabs the bowl and covers it with a towel.

"What’s that for?" I ask.

"The dough has to grow,” Keith replies.

I turn to him, raising an eyebrow. "Wow, Mullet cooks."

He rolls his eyes. "I had to survive on something."

Shiro lets out a snort. "Yeah right." He turns to Hunk and I. "My boyfriend would cook for him sometimes… excuse me.” He gets off of his seat and heads towards the door.

Hunk stares at Shiro’s retreating figure. "You know what I miss about Earth?" he asks.

"What Hunk?" Keith asks.

"Fa'apapa."

"Fapapapa?" I repeat slowly, furrowing my brows. “Fa’papa’pa?”

"Fa'apapa, (N/N). It's a Samoan sweet coconut bread, we used to eat it for breakfast sometimes."

"Coconut is an odd word."

There's a moment of silence and Keith clears his throat. "Why are you two making Lance's favorite food anyway?"

"Lance is a bit homesick."

Keith scoffs. "We're all homesick."

I cross my arms. "Fine. What's your favorite food so we can make it for you?”

He leans further on the island, looking between the two of us. “Microwave lasagna.” Hunk furrows his brows, nearly dropping what’s in his hand. “Don’t look at me like that. I lived in a desert shack and I had better things to do than cook. I had it nearly every day.”

Hunk’s mouth hangs open further. “Microwave lasagna every day?”

“Nearly every day,” I correct.

"That’s... tragic," Hunk says, his face a mixture of shock and pity. He sets the bowl of dough down gently as if the sadness of Keith’s culinary past might somehow contaminate it. "Keith, we have to introduce you to real food.”

I can’t help but laugh at Hunk’s horrified expression. “He has a point, Mullet,” I tease, leaning on the counter, propping my head on the bases of my palms. “You’re overdue for a proper meal. We’re adding you to the list.”

Keith rolls his eyes but there’s a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll survive. Besides, this isn’t about me—it’s about Lance being homesick, right?”

“Exactly,” Hunk chimes in. “But maybe next week we’ll have a ‘Keith learns what flavor is’ day.”

Shiro returns, looking slightly more composed but still distant. “Everything okay?” I ask quietly, turning my head to look at him.

“Yeah,” he says with a small nod, though his gaze flickers to Keith briefly. “Just needed a moment.”

There’s a beat of silence before Hunk claps his hands together, breaking the tension. “Alright, back to cooking! (Y/N), you’re in charge of the seasoning for the sauce.”

Keith raises an eyebrow. “You trust her with seasoning?”

I feign offense, clutching my chest dramatically. “Keith, I’ll have you know I am excellent at seasoning.”

“Yeah, right.” Keith snorts.

Hunk laughs as he hands me a set of spices and a ladle. “Don’t let me down,” he says with a mock-serious tone. “Lance’s happiness depends on this.”

I tighten the apron around me. “I got this,” I reply confidently, turning to the task at hand. As I stir the sauce, I can feel Keith’s eyes on me. “What?” I ask without looking up.

“Nothing,” he says quickly. When I glance at him, he’s staring at the dough-covered countertop, his expression thoughtful.

“You okay?” I ask, keeping my voice low so Hunk doesn’t overhear.

Keith hesitates, then nods. “Yeah. Just... thinking.”

I don’t push him, even though I really want to. Shiro, from his seat, seems to notice too. His gaze moves between Keith and me before settling on the dough.

“Alright, let’s see if this works,” Hunk announces, pulling back the towel covering the dough.

The three of us lean in expectantly, and Keith mutters under his breath, “Moment of truth.”

The dough has risen, albeit slightly lopsided, and Hunk lets out a triumphant cheer. “We did it! Well, sort of.”

“It’s alive,” I joke, poking the dough lightly.

Keith smirks. “Not bad for a kitchen in space.”

Shiro chuckles from his seat, the earlier tension in the room easing. “I think Lance will appreciate it, even if it’s not perfect.”

“Exactly,” Hunk says, already starting to shape the dough into small knots. “It’s the thought that counts.”

I smile at all of them. “Uh-huh,” I agree, reaching into the bowl to grab my own section of sticky dough.

Keith's POV; present:

(Y/N)’s body is hooked up to a healing pod and she’s been unresponsive for days. Days. Three days of me pacing around the Castle Ship, three days of staring at her through the glass, three days of wishing that she would show any sign of waking up.

Three days of utter agony.

Three days of silence.

Three days of trying to figure out what to quiznaking do with myself.

We saved the Taujeerians, we went to the Space Mall, and I tried getting answers for my blade—nothing is helping. All that would help is her waking up and I know she will wake up, but the pod doesn’t open until she’s fully healed. It’s taking too damn long.

I sit on the floor of the infirmary, back against the wall, staring at the glowing healing pod where (Y/N) floats, motionless. Her face is peaceful, like she’s sleeping, but the faint bluish tint still lingers on her lips, a cruel reminder of how close I came to losing her. My fingers drum against my knee, restless. I haven’t been able to stay still since we got back.

Every time I close my eyes, I see the explosion. The way her helmet rolled across the pod. The way her body went limp. And the words she whispered before everything went to hell: “I am not a monster.”

A pang of guilt twists in my chest. I should have said something sooner. I should have stopped her from taking off her helmet. I should have... done more.

“Allura’s worried about you.”

I glance up to see Shiro leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed. His expression is calm, but his eyes give him away—he’s worried too.

“I’m fine,” I mutter, turning my gaze back to the pod.

Shiro doesn’t move. “You’ve barely left this room in three days, Keith. You haven’t eaten, you haven’t slept—”

“I said I’m fine.”

I don’t want to talk about me. Not when (Y/N)’s still in there.

Shiro lets out a sigh and walks over, crouching down beside me. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself,” he says gently. “(Y/N) wouldn’t want you to.”

“She wouldn’t have to want anything if I’d just kept her safe,” I snap, my voice breaking. I press the heels of my hands against my eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. “This whole plan was stupid. We never should have left the Castle.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment, just places a hand on my shoulder. His grip is steady, grounding. “You’re right,” he admits quietly. “It was a bad plan. But (Y/N) made her choice to go with you. She trusted you, Keith. Don’t forget that.”

I swallow hard, the lump in my throat refusing to go away. “She trusted me, and I let her down.”

“Keith.” Shiro’s voice is firm now, cutting through the haze of my guilt. “You didn’t let her down. You fought for her. You brought her back. And she’s still here because of you. Alive because of you.”

I don’t respond, my eyes fixed on the faint rise and fall of (Y/N)’s chest inside the pod.

Shiro stands, his hand lingering on my shoulder for a moment longer. “You’re not alone in this,” he says before turning to leave. “When you’re ready, we’re all here for you.”

The door slides shut behind him, and the silence returns.

I push myself to my feet and walk over to the pod, placing a hand against the glass. “You have to wake up,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I know you’ve been through so much. I know you’re tired. But we still need you.”

My reflection stares back at me, pale and haggard. I don’t recognize the person I see. I haven’t recognized myself since I saw the insignia on Ulaz’s blade.

“I need you,” I admit, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “You’ve been there for me when I felt like I didn’t belong. When I didn’t know who I was or where I came from, you reminded me that I still mattered. That I was still part of this team.”

I lean my forehead against the glass, my breath fogging up the surface. “I don’t care what Allura says. I don’t care what anyone says. I don’t care that you’re Galra. I don’t care that you’re Zarkon’s daughter. I just care that you’re you. You’re not a monster, (Y/N). You are one of the best people I know. And I’m not giving up on you. So please... don’t give up on me.”

The room is quiet except for the soft hum of the healing pod.

“Please, (N/N),” I whisper, pressing my hand harder against the glass. “Please wake up.”

I let myself imagine her opening her eyes, her voice soft but teasing. “You worry too much, Mullet.”

But the silence remains.

‘Mullet’ is a nickname that’s just stuck. I don’t know how I don’t know why, but her calling me Mullet doesn’t aggravate me. Her presence, her voice, her glare—nothing about her bothers me.

I stare at the pod for what feels like an eternity, my mind cycling through memories I can’t suppress.

The first time I heard her call me Mullet, it was because I was staring at her. How could I not stare at her? We had just entered an alien Castle Ship and she appeared out of nowhere and I was captivated from the moment I saw her. How could I not stare at her? She looked so unlike anyone I’ve ever seen, and I was so sure she was going to kill us.

But she didn’t.

No, she saw me staring at her and was sarcastic.

How many times has she spoken through the comms to calm me down, and to reassure me when I am in doubt? Too many times to count.

(Y/N) has this way of cutting through tension with just a look or a word, grounding me when I feel like I am spiraling.

And now she’s the one who needs grounding. Except I can’t reach her.

I pull back slightly, watching the way her hair floats in the healing pod’s gel. It’s strange—so many things about her are quiet now. She’s always been full of life, sharp remarks and sly smiles, the kind of person who makes you feel seen even when you don’t want to be. Now, she’s just… still.

I hate it.

I hate that the room feels colder without her sarcastic quips. I hate that I keep expecting her to wake up and call me an idiot for hovering like this. I hate that I’m starting to realize just how much I need her voice to break the silence. I hate that her last memory is filled with sorrow.

How much has she kept from us? How much courage did it take for her to admit that she is from the Empire, the literal daughter of Zarkon?

I don’t know what to do.

I’ve fought countless battles, faced down Galra warships and monstrous Robeasts, but nothing feels as impossible as waiting for her to come back to me.

With a sharp exhale, I turn away from the pod, pacing to the far side of the room. My footsteps echo in the stillness, and I find myself glaring at the floor like it’s somehow to blame for all this.

What would she say if she saw me like this? Probably something snarky. Something like, “Mullet, you’re brooding so hard I’m surprised the Castle hasn’t imploded yet.”

I can almost hear her voice in my head, teasing and warm. It makes the ache in my chest worse. I miss her presence so much.

I rub the back of my neck, trying to shake the heaviness settling over me. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop the thoughts from circling. The memories. The what-ifs.

(Y/N) is my friend.

When I glance back at the pod, my shoulders slump. Her face is still serene, untouched by the chaos that’s eating me alive.

“Why do you always have to be so stubborn?” I mutter, my voice rough. “You couldn’t just let me handle it, could you? You couldn’t let me and Allura just go alone, could you? You had to go and—” I stop myself, my hands clenching into fists. I know it’s not fair to blame her. She was trying to protect me. Protect all of us. That’s just who she is.

And that’s why I can’t lose her.

I sink back to the floor, kneeling before the pod, pressing my head into the cool glass. “You don’t get to give up now,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Not after everything we’ve been through. Not after you’ve put up with me.”

The words feel hollow against the quiet hum of the pod.

But I mean them.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all this chaos, it’s that she’s more than a teammate. More than someone who keeps me grounded or makes me laugh when I least expect it.

She’s a part of me.

And I don’t know how to let her go.

I don’t want to let her go.

“I’m not giving up on you,” I murmur again, my voice steady now. “So don’t you dare give up on me.”

Your POV:

I am alone in the darkness. Motionless. Afraid.

Is this what death feels like? Is this what failure feels like? I am such a fool. I can’t be dead, can I be? I still have so much to do. I still need to kill Emperor Zarkon. I need to kill Commander Sendak. I need to kill Haggar. I need to find out if Lotor is alive. I need to avenge all those lost in this war.

The darkness is heavy, oppressive, yet my body feels weightless, like I’m floating in nothingness. There’s a dull ache in my chest, a faint and persistent reminder that I actually am still alive. For now.

I hear faint voices, muffled and distant, like echoes in a vast cave. I try to focus on them, but they’re just out of reach, slipping away whenever I get close.

Who is here? Where am I? Are Allura and Keith both okay?

I want to wake up, try to move, to reach the voice, but my limbs are heavy and unresponsive.

“Please, (N/N),” the voice begs again in a broken whisper. “Please keep fighting.”

I’m here. I’m listening. I’m fighting.

“Tei’rah alesul,” a different voice whispers. “Vae pal lider. The stars have spoken. Your destiny is written.”

I remain frozen, but anxiety wraps its cold claws around my very soul. The darkness shifts. Not in a way that I can see—because there’s nothing to see—but I can feel it. It grows heavier, more oppressive, pressing against my chest, making it harder to focus on the voices.

“Tei’rah alesul,” the voice repeats, low and resonant. “Tei’rah alesul.”

My destiny? What does that even mean? Who are you? Why are you telling me these things?

I want to scream at the voice, demand answers, but the darkness swallows my thoughts, my strength, my will to move.

Then, faintly, like a crack of light breaking through storm clouds, another voice cuts through the haze.

Keith.

His voice is hoarse, desperate, barely audible. But it’s him. “I need you,” he whispers, and the raw emotion in his words hits me like a shot to the heart.

The ache in my chest deepens.

Keith.

I am here. I am alive. I am listening.

But then the other voice returns, quiet and otherworldly. “Alesul, you cannot escape what you are.”

A shiver runs through me, though I can’t tell if it’s from the voice itself or the truth it carries.

What I am.

What I am.

What I am.

What I am?

“(N/N), please,” Keith’s voice says. I can almost feel his hand pressed against the glass of the healing pod, the way he always reaches for me. I cling to his voice, his presence, like a lifeline.

I am not a monster.

I am not a monster.

I am not a monster.

I am not a monster?

But the darkness doesn’t relent. It pulls at me, dragging me deeper into the void.

Keith’s voice grows fainter, though I still hear his last plea, raw and filled with pain. “Don’t give up on me. Please.”

I want to tell him I won’t. I want to reach for him, to let him know that I’m fighting with everything I have. But the weight of the darkness is too much.

“You are a fighter,” he whispers.

I feel it—a faint spark of warmth, like a distant star flickering in the night sky.

I am not a monster.

I am a fighter.

I am a survivor.

I am alive.

And I am not done yet.

|••••••••••|

Hobbling towards the control room, I catch snippets of the conversation the team is having.

"Coran, how soon will we get to the Blade of Marmora's base?" Shiro asks.

"Based on the coordinates that Ulaz gave us, we should be there within a few doboshes," Coran responds.

"Good. That’s good.”

"I can't wait to see their base. I mean, they were able to fold space-time, and that was just at an outpost!" Pidge exclaims.

I smile at the sound of her excitement.

"Mm, the space taco. It left us too soon." Hunk sighs.

"Well, sure, but my point is, imagine how amazing their home base will be!"

"Exactly. It could take on any shape. Like a space jelly donut. Or long, like a space éclair. Or a space cheese blintz with a cherry sauce on top. Maybe a little dusting of powdered sugar. That's the stars."

Lance’s shoulders slump. "Aw, now I'm hungry for breakfast!" he whines.

Keith sinks in his chair. "Guys, this is a serious mission. We need to focus."

"We need to focus," Lance mocks.

"I mean it." Keith’s voice cracks with emotion. “No more unnecessary risks. Not after what happened to (Y/N)."

“She’s going to be okay, Keith.” Shiro’s voice is soft. Patient.

“It’s been three days already.”

“She’ll wake up,” Pidge says quietly.

“She will,” Allura agrees.

My lips quiver, tears filling my eyes. They really do care.

A chime echoes and I wipe at my eyes. "The Blade of Marmora's base is in range," Coran states, clearing his throat.

"Alright.” Shiro breathes. “Take us in slowly."

"That might prove the tiniest bit of a challenge."

I take a tentative step to peer inside the control room. Outside of the Castle Ship, the Blade of Marmora's headquarters are extremely guarded.

"Is that a black hole?" Hunk asks.

"No, no, no, no, no. It's two black holes and a giant blue star."

"That's not better."

"No kidding,” Pidge says. “Just inside a black hole, the temperature is one-millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But, just outside of that, it's hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius."

Hunk’s eyes light up. "Okay, it's like when you try to nuke a frozen burrito in the microwave, and it comes out all scorching hot on the outside, but it's still frozen in the middle, right?"

"Now I'm hungry for lunch!" Lance groans, throwing his head back.

"Guys, quiet!" Keith snaps. I can hear his exhale all the way from where I stand. "Coran, where's the base located?"

"In between those three deadly celestial objects," Coran states.

"The perfect defensive position," Pidge says.

"Or the perfect trap," Allura says.

"Yeah, I'm with Allura. Maybe we shouldn't, like, go in there at all?" Hunk asks.

"What are you talking about? We have to go in. This is the whole reason we came out here! There is no other option!" Keith exclaims.

Lance turns around and looks at him, making a motion with his hands. "Okay. Keith. Calm down. You’re running on fumes. Have you slept at all?”

There’s a moment of silence.

I can’t bring myself to step in just yet, frozen by Keith’s outburst. He’s usually intense, but this is different. There’s a desperation in his voice that pulls at my heartstrings.

"Keith’s right," Shiro finally says, his tone calm but firm. "This is why we’re here. We need the Blade of Marmora’s help if we’re going to win this war. But we’ll proceed carefully. No unnecessary risks."

Keith doesn’t respond. He’s staring straight ahead, fists clenched, his jaw set. Lance glances at him, then sighs, crossing his arms.

I take a breath, steeling myself. They’re about to head into danger again, and I’m standing here like a coward. I force my legs to move, stepping into the room.

Everyone turns to look at me. The room falls silent again.

Lance blinks. "(Y/N)?" He is the first to react, his voice breaking the quiet. His face lights up almost immediately. "You’re awake!"

“Oh!” Coran shouts, clasping his hands together.

Shiro visibly relaxes, his eyes flickering to Keith.

Pidge and Hunk gasp. “(Y/N)!”

"Not exactly stealthy, are we?" I joke weakly, managing a small smile. My voice is hoarse, my body still weak, but I’m upright. That counts for something.

"(Y/N)?" Allura exclaims, rushing to my side. She steadies me as I wobble slightly. "You should be lying down. You’re still recovering."

"I’m fine," I insist, though the trembling in my legs says otherwise. “Just a little loopy from the healing pod.”

Keith takes a step forward, his expression torn between relief and frustration. "You’re supposed to be resting."

"And you’re supposed to keep a cool head," I shoot back, raising an eyebrow.

For a moment, he just stares at me, his lips parting as if to argue. Instead, he closes his mouth, looking away. "You shouldn’t push yourself," he mutters, softer this time.

Before I can even process anything, Keith is embracing me. His arms wrap around me with a fierce intensity, as though he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go. I freeze for only a tick, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, but then I sink into his embrace. He smells faintly of ash and metal, and there’s a warmth in his hold that drives away the lingering chill in my body.

“You scared the hell out of me,” Keith murmurs, his voice muffled against my hair.

My arms slowly come up to return the hug, though I can’t muster the same strength he’s holding me with. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t mean to.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” he says, pulling back just enough to look at me. His violet eyes search my face, his brow furrowed in a mix of relief and worry. Tears sheen in his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re awake,” he whispers, sinking back into me.

Allura joins the hug. “I’m so, so sorry, (Y/N),” she whispers against my side. “I’m so sorry. You’re right. I should never have—”

I shift against Keith to look at her, pulling her closer. “It’s okay, Allura.”

“It’s not. It doesn’t matter that you’re half-Galra.”

“You’re Galra?” Lance asks.

The room goes deathly silent. All eyes snap to Lance.

I feel Keith stiffen against me, his arms still locked around my frame, and Allura pulls back slightly, her expression twisting in a mix of panic and guilt.

“Lance—” Shiro starts, his tone warning, but Lance, ever tactless, barrels on.

“No, seriously, you’re Galra? Since when? How did I not know this?” His voice is incredulous, his hands gesturing wildly. “We’re like—”

Keith’s grip on me loosens as he turns to face Lance. His glare could probably melt the metal walls of the Castle Ship. “Does it matter?” he snaps, his voice sharp and cutting.

Lance blinks, caught off guard by the venom in Keith’s tone. “No! Of course not,” he stammers, raising his hands defensively. “I’m just surprised, that’s all!”

I sigh, gently stepping out of Keith’s protective hold, though his hand hovers near my arm, like he’s ready to catch me if I falter. My legs feel like jelly, but I steady myself, my gaze locking onto Lance’s confused expression.

“Yes, Lance,” I say. “I’m part Galra. I didn’t tell any of you because… I didn’t know how. I thought you’d all look at me differently if you knew.”

Lance’s face softens, his earlier shock giving way to something closer to understanding. “(Y/N), come on. We’re a team. A space family. You’re one of us. It doesn’t matter if you’re… uh, purple on the inside or whatever. You’re still you.”

Hunk nods emphatically. “Yeah! We’ve all got secrets or stuff we’re not proud of, but we’re still here for each other. Always.”

Pidge pushes her glasses up, her expression thoughtful. “And honestly, it kind of makes sense now. Your strength, your reflexes. I thought you were just freakishly good at training simulations.”

A small, relieved laugh escapes me. “Thanks, I think.”

Even Allura, who had been so visibly shaken when my heritage was revealed, steps closer. Her hand finds mine, her eyes shimmering with sincerity. “I was wrong to judge you, (Y/N). I let my pain and prejudice blind me. But you’ve proven time and time again that you’re loyal, brave, and compassionate. That’s what truly matters.”

I swallow hard, my throat tightening as emotions threaten to overwhelm me. “Thank you,” I manage to say, my voice trembling.

Keith steps closer again, his presence grounding me. “She’s more than proven herself,” he says firmly, his gaze sweeping over the team. “She’s risked everything for this—for us. And we wouldn’t even be standing here if it wasn’t for her. So if anyone has a problem with her being Galra, they’ll have to deal with me.”

Lance raises his hands again, his voice rising a pitch. “Whoa, okay! No one has a problem! I don’t have a problem! I was just curious, that’s all.”

“Good,” Keith says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

My brows furrow as I look at Keith.

Hunk, ever the peacemaker, smiles warmly. “So, uh… group hug, maybe?”

Before I know it, I’m surrounded by the team, their arms draped over each other and around me in an awkward but heartfelt embrace. A soft moo pulls my attention and I go on my toes, peeking over Shiro’s shoulder.

“What is that?” I ask, breaking free. A black and white creature with two horns and udders projects on Lance’s screen. It’s in a room that looks like a field.

Lance grins, trailing behind me. “Oh! This is Kaltenecker.”

I tilt my head. “What is she?”

Hunk snickers. “A cow—an Earth animal.”

“So…” I trail off, “we have an Earth cow and four Altean mice living in the Castle Ship now?”

The Castle Ship’s computer beeps and when I look up at the screen, Galra words and symbols scatter on it.

"Identify yourself," a female voice commands.

Allura furrows her brows as she looks at them, Coran already moving to return to the console.

"Open a hailing frequency, Coran,” she says.

The console beeps as Coran presses a button.

"We are the Paladins of Voltron, sent here by Ulaz," Shiro states.

A momentary silence fills the room.

"Three may enter.” The symbols change. “Come unarmed."

Allura blinks at the closed transmission. "Why would they insist we come unarmed? Shiro, this doesn't feel right.”

"We've come too far to turn back now," Shiro replies.

"They just sent us a route to the base, but we'll have to move quickly. Because of the solar flares, it's only open for another varga." The Castle screen highlights the path and then shows a blinking icon on top of it. "Then, it will be closed for two quintants," Coran states tapping away on the computer.

"They're gonna close it for two years?" Hunk asks.

"Two days," Pidge corrects.

"Oh."

"So, any thoughts on who's gonna join you on this little mission? I'm thinking things might get a little hot, so you're gonna want someone who can stay cool," Lance says with a smirk.

"You're right.” Shiro nods and turns. “Keith, you're coming with me.”

"Wha—? Keith's a hothead! He's probably going to shoot first and ask questions later! And they're not gonna be able to answer his questions because they'll be dead!" He leans closer to Shiro, staring him down.

"We haven't yet severed Zarkon's link with the Black Lion, so it has to stay here." He puts his hands on Lance's shoulders and lightly pushes him away. "And the Red Lion can withstand the heat from that sun. So, yes, it'll be Keith."

Lance pouts. “Well… can I be the other one?”

Shiro shakes his head again before hesitatingly looking at Keith. And then at me. “And (Y/N).”

“Wait, what?” Keith and I say at the same time, our voices overlapping.

“You heard me. (Y/N) is coming with us.”

“Shiro, she just woke up!” Keith protests, stepping in front of me like a protective barrier. “She’s still recovering—she can barely stand!”

“Hey!” I object, though I can’t entirely deny his point. My muscles ache with every step, but I don’t need him stepping in for me.

Shiro holds up a hand to stop Keith. “I wouldn’t ask her if I didn’t think she was ready. We need someone who can think quickly and read a situation before it escalates. (Y/N)’s instincts have saved us more than once. And her… background might help us with the Blade of Marmora.”

Keith’s eyes narrow. “You mean because she’s part Galra.”

“Yes,” Shiro replies bluntly. “They’ll see her as one of their own. That could be the difference between gaining their trust or leaving empty-handed.”

I resist the urge to snort. Yeah, right. They’ll see me as one of their own.

Keith turns to me, his expression a mix of anger and worry. “You don’t have to do this.”

I meet his gaze. “Yes, I do.”

His frown deepens. “(Y/N)—”

“I’ve been out for three days,” I say, cutting him off. “Three days while you’ve all been fighting, risking your lives. I’m not useless and I’m not letting you do this alone.” Keith opens his mouth to argue, but I shake my head. “Keith, I’ll be fine. I can handle this.”

He looks like he wants to keep fighting, but Shiro steps in, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have time for this,” he says gently. “You know she’s right.”

Keith exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Fine,” he mutters. “But if you so much as stumble—”

“I’ll be fine,” I say again, giving him a reassuring smile.

"The course to the base will be quite treacherous, to say the least. You're walking a razor's edge between the gravitational pull of the black holes and the sun. One false move, and you'll either be crushed into infinity or burnt to a crisp," Coran states, showing us the map.

“We can do this.” Shiro nods. “Allura, you’re in charge while we’re gone,” he says, turning back to the rest of the team. “Coran, keep the Castle steady. We don’t need any sudden movements with those black holes around.”

“Understood,” Allura says, though her eyes linger on me with concern.

As we make our way to Red’s hangar, now changed into our armor, Keith walks beside me, his steps tense and purposeful. He doesn’t say anything, but the furrow in his brow speaks volumes.

“You don’t have to hover,” I tell him, attempting a light tone.

“Not hovering,” he grumbles.

“You’re hovering.”

Keith sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just… I don’t want to lose you again.”

I stop for a moment, reaching out to touch his arm. “You won’t,” I say softly. “I promise.”

He doesn’t reply, but the look in his eyes says enough.

We board the Red Lion with Shiro, the Castle Ship growing smaller behind us as we follow the narrow, treacherous path to the Blade of Marmora’s base. As the base looms closer, Keith finally speaks, his voice low. “If anything goes wrong in there, I’ll get you out. No matter what.”

I glance at him, my heart tightening. “Keith—”

“No matter what,” he repeats, his tone leaving no room for argument, his hands tightening on the controls.

Shiro clears his throat from the seat beside me. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

The base’s entrance looms before us, a massive structure bathed in the eerie glow of the nearby star.

There’s another couple of ticks of silence before Shiro sighs, his lips formed in a line. “Keith, you'll have to control your emotions if you're going to lead this group someday. I know it’s been a rough few days, but we can’t have you exploding on the group.”

My eyes snap to look at Shiro, but his gaze is fixed on Keith.

A huff of a laugh escapes from Keith. "Lead the group?" he asks.

"When we were stranded, I told you, if anything ever happens to me, I want you to lead Voltron."

"I thought you were just delirious with pain. Why would you make me the leader?"

"Because I know what you're capable of. If you can learn some self-discipline."

"Why are we even talking about this? Nothing is gonna happen to you."

Shiro places a hand on Keith’s shoulder. "It's just in case. I need you to get focused. The team needs you focused.” He turns to glance at me. “When you three ran off it put the entire team in jeopardy.” Shiro focuses back on him. “If you're going to be a leader, you've gotta get your head on straight.”

Keith sighs, his shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “Just had a lot on my mind."

Red violently shakes. An alarm blares and Keith immediately starts pulling things onto the screen for a visual. "We're getting drawn in by one of the black holes!" he shouts.

"Get us out of here!" I shout.

Keith pulls a lever, scrambling to engage the Red Lion's thrusters, pushing them out of the gravitational pull. He uses an incoming asteroid to push us up and Red trembles as Keith steers us back on the safe course Coran specified.

"That was close," I whisper, closing my eyes. My head falls back against the seat as I wait for my heartbeat to go back to a normal beating pattern.

As the Red Lion docks, I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. We exit Red, but there is nothing here. No one is here to greet us. Keith’s eyes flicker to mine as he takes a step closer and Shiro’s brows furrow in confusion. I turn around, staring at the light blue rays of light from the nearby star.

“It’s really pretty here,” I say quietly.

“Yeah, but there’s nothing here,” Keith says. “This place just looks like a plain asteroid.”

All of a sudden, the ground opens, revealing three beings dressed in the same uniform: black with gray accents, a hood, and a mask that covers the entire face. The exact attire worn by Ulaz. I stare at the three beings, tilting my head as I notice that one has a tail.

He is not pure-blooded Galra. How strange.

One gestures to us to follow, and we step on the platform, descending into the heart of their base. As we walk to the center, there is a row of Blade members standing in formation: two lines that block off all exits.

Swallowing hard, I turn to look at Keith and Shiro.

I don’t like this. No weapons, no exits, no chance.

My eyes trail over the masked beings and though they are entirely covered, I spot at least three more who are not pure-blooded Galra. I blink, confused. We slowly make our way down the hallway and my hands twitch in anticipation. There, at the end of the line, stands their leader with his arms behind his back. Above him lies the insignia of their group.

"I am Kolivan, leader of the Blade of Marmora."

"My name is Shiro, and this is Keith,” Shiro announces. “We are paladins of Voltron." He turns and gestures to me. “And this is (Y/N).”

"I know who you are."

"Then you know we were sent by one of your own."

"Ulaz was a fool to reveal this location to you. He had a penchant for ignoring orders and following his impulses. That's what got him killed."

Shiro’s eyes narrow on Kolivan. "He gave his life to save us, and it is thanks to him that we are here. We are ready to assist you, so I need to know if we are welcome here or not."

Kolivan turns his head. His expression is unreadable, his silence deafening. The other Blade members remain perfectly still, their presence imposing. I fight the urge to step back, forcing myself to meet Kolivan’s stare head-on.

"You," Kolivan says at last, "are not entirely unknown to us."

I narrow my eyes, anger flaring within me. "You know nothing about me."

"Our intel says otherwise, daughter of Emperor Zarkon.”

Shiro inhales a sharp breath and I feel Keith’s gaze flicker to me, but I don’t look at either of them. Instead, I take a step forward, straightening my posture. I brace myself, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “I can help end this war.”

Kolivan tilts his head, studying me. “Your presence here is not welcome.” He turns to Keith. "You were told to come unarmed."

What the quiznak is this guy’s problem?

"You also told us to identify ourselves,” Keith spits out, clenching his hands. “The Lions are as close as we get to an ID."

Shiro nods. "If anything happens, believe me, you'll be glad you had the Red Lion on your side," he says.

“I wasn't referring to your beast," Kolivan replies.

A Blade tackles Keith onto the ground, pulling a knife from his person. It’s a Blade of Marmora. My eyes widen as I try to shrug off the two Blades pinning me.

"Keith!" Shiro shouts, but he is also being held back by two Blades.

"He has one of our blades,” the Blade hisses from on top of him. He holds the knife closer. “Who did you steal this from?"

Keith squirms beneath him, struggling to pull himself free. "I didn't! I've had it all my life."

"Liar.”

“Do you take us as a Blade of Fools?” Kolivan booms, stepping closer to us. “You dare bring Zarkon’s daughter and a thief onto our base?”

"I swear I’m not a liar! I've had this knife for as long as I can remember,” Keith shouts. "I saw Ulaz had a knife like this. Tell me what it means."

"Our organization was built on secrecy and trust. You three should leave. Now."

The Blades loosen their holds on us and Shiro’s at my side immediately, his eyes narrowing on Kolivan. "We came here to form an alliance, but we are obviously not welcome. C'mon (Y/N). Keith, we're leaving."

Keith stands and looks at Kolivan, shaking his head profusely. "Not without some answers. Somehow one of your knives ended up with me on planet Earth. Tell me how."

"Your friend is right. It is time for you to go,” Kolivan says.

"Where did it come from? I have to know."

"You seek knowledge? There is only one way to attain knowledge here."

"How? I'll do it!"

My mind whirls as I look at him. “Keith, no,” I say.

"The trials of Marmora,” Kolivan states. “Should you survive, you may keep the blade, and its secrets will be revealed.”

"Survive?” Shiro echoes in disbelief. He walks up to his side and places a hand on his shoulder. “Keith, this is crazy. If they're not going to help us, let's get out of here."

I walk up to them. “Yes, let’s go,” I say.

Keith hesitates for thirty ticks, his eyes flicking between me and Shiro before he shakes his head. "I'm not going anywhere. I have to do this."

"Antok,” Kolivan says, “give the boy the blade.”

The large Blade with a tail walks over to us, holding Keith's knife out to him. Keith stares at it and outstretches his hand, grabbing it.

“We will meet again,” Antok growls.

Keith’s grip tightens on the handle. “Can’t wait.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “Keith,” I say quietly, my heart pounding. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

I don’t care if these damn Galra are fighting against Emperor Zarkon—we know nearly nothing about them.

Keith’s jaw is set, his eyes blazing with a determination that I know all too well. “I have to know,” he says firmly. “If this knife is connected to me, to my past, I need answers.”

Shiro and I exchange a look. There’s nothing either of us can do to change his mind.

“These trials result in one of two things,” Kolivan says. “Knowledge, or death.”

Victory, or death. My mouth hangs open. No. Knowledge, or death.

I’m gonna kill him.

|••••••••••|

Keith was given Blade armor and his knife to wield. Shiro and I stand in a room to view the trials with Kolivan and Antok to our left.

“Damned idiot,” I whisper, watching as Keith battles one of the Blades. He is a good fighter, but not nearly good enough, resulting in many punches and kicks. The Galra Blade is faster, more agile, and larger. Soon, Keith is struck on his shoulder blade. It’s all too much, all too quick.

Shiro’s eyes don’t leave Keith’s fighting figure. "Come on, Keith," he whispers.

Keith is grappled and effectively disarmed, his arm pulled behind him and his head forced down with a yell. The Blade’s sword rests on the back of Keith's throat.

"Surrender the blade and the pain will cease," he says.

"I won't quit," Keith pants out.

"Then the pain continues." The Blade removes his sword from Keith's neck and lets go of his arm. Keith falls to all fours, gasping. He gets to his feet, looking at the Blade in confusion. He steps aside, pointing to the door across the room. "You are not meant to go through that door."

Keith ignores him, starting to run towards the door. Two more Blades appear to fight him.

"This is not a fair fight," I whisper, turning to look at Kolivan. I want to punch him.

"Nor is taking on the Galra, yet that is the fight we face,” Kolivan replies.

Keith is beaten. Again.

"Surrender the blade and the pain will cease," a Blade states.

"Never!" Keith yells.

He steps aside. "You are not meant to go through that door."

The trials continue, Keith, facing three, four—all the way up to seven Blade members at a time. It’s been several hours already—at least, twelve vargas since Red departed the Castle of Lions.

Shiro’s hands clench into fists. "How long does this go on?" he asks through gritted teeth.

"Sometimes, the greatest challenge is knowing when to stop," Kolivan says.

"He'll never quit."

"One way or another, this will end. Knowledge, or death."

My hands go out before me to lean on the cool glass. How long has Keith been fighting? How much more can he endure?

“It’ll end in death,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

“This is the way of the Galra.” Kolivan turns to look at me. “You of all people should understand this, Princess.”

I flinch at the title and turn to look at him. The Galra and their damned honor.

Eight Blade members now.

Keith is visibly shaking, breathing heavily while holding his injured shoulder. His eyes narrow as he charges forward, barely escaping the eight he is facing. He throws his knife, which spirals past the Blade members and lands in the panel to prevent it from closing. Keith fights them unarmed and one throws him, causing him to slide across the floor, a smirk etched on his features. He grabs his knife and slips through the still-open panel.

"Keith!" Shiro shouts.

“Where did he go?” I demand.

"He's right there," Kolivan answers pointing to the screen.

My mouth presses into a thin line. I can’t tell if this is Kolivan’s attempt at dry humor, but it is not appreciated.

“Did he do it?” Shiro asks.

“Did he pass?” I ask.

“Not yet,” Kolivan replies.

My shoulders slump and my hand forms into a fist, hitting the glass.

Keith steps out from the floor, hunched over and holding his shoulder. "Guess I really wasn't meant to go through the doors," he mutters to himself in a groan.

A soft, breath of a laugh escapes from me. “Oh, Keith,” I whisper.

He passes out from exhaustion a few ticks later, his limbs splayed awkwardly.

A hologram of Shiro makes its way to a passed-out Keith. "What?” Shiro asks, turning to look at Kolivan. “Is that a hologram?"

"His suit has the ability to create a virtual projection of his mind. In this phase of the trials, he will be tested based on his biggest hopes and fears,” Kolivan explains.

“And if he fails this phase?” I ask, though I fear I already know the answer.

“Then his mind tortures him until death.”

I swallow hard. “Oh.” My voice comes out in a hushed whisper. Foolish of me to think otherwise, I suppose.

The viewing chamber feels like it’s suffocating me, wrapping its presence around my neck the more time passes and Keith remains passed out. My hands tremble as they press against the glass, and my breath catches in my throat when I see Keith’s holographic form stirring awake. He’s standing now, looking around a familiar landscape that shifts and wavers like a mirage. The edges are jagged, crackling like static, and the room flickers between memories.

Does he know this isn’t real?

“What is this?” Shiro demands, his voice tight.

Kolivan remains impassive, his arms crossed. “The projection is drawn from the deepest recesses of his mind. His choices will determine his fate.”

“That’s not an answer,” I snap, glaring at Kolivan.

He turns his gaze to me, his expression unreadable. “It is his trial, not yours.”

I grit my teeth and turn back to the screen, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails bite into my palms. The pain is grounding me. On the display, Keith stands in the center of a darkened forest. Shadows dance around him, faceless and shapeless, whispering words I can’t make out. He’s clutching his blade, his stance defensive but faltering.

“Keith,” Shiro whispers, his voice thick with concern.

The forest melts away, replaced by a burning battlefield. Galra ships fill the sky, their weapons firing mercilessly on an unseen enemy. Keith is alone on the field, shouting for someone—anyone—but his voice is drowned out by the deafening chaos.

He runs, dodging explosions and debris, his desperation palpable. My chest tightens as I watch him stumble, falling to his knees. The blade slips from his grasp, clattering to the ground.

“Please,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Keith, you have to get up.”

The scene shifts again. This time, it’s not a battlefield—it’s the Castle Ship. The team is there, but something’s wrong. Their backs are to Keith, their expressions cold as they walk away, leaving him behind.

“No,” I breathe, my heart breaking at the sight of Keith reaching out, his hand trembling. “That’s not real. We’d never leave you.”

Keith’s hologram staggers after them, his voice cracking. “Wait! Please, don’t—don’t leave me!”

The image flickers again, the projection fading. Keith’s physical form stirs awake, and there Shiro’s hologram is. Waiting. Calculating.

Shiro sucks in a sharp breath beside me, but I can’t tear my eyes away. It chuckles. "Hey, man.” The hologram steps forward, holding his hand out as an offering. “You did it."

Keith smiles weakly, then grimaces. "Shiro?" he whispers, reaching out to take the hologram’s hand. It pulls him to his feet by his injured arm.

"Kolivan told me you lasted longer than anyone ever has in those battles. You don't have to keep this up."

Keith looks up at the hologram, clutching his arm. "What are you talking about?"

It smiles. "Just give them the knife and let's get out of here."

He frowns. "I can't give it to them, Shiro."

“The suit,” I whisper, glancing at Shiro. “It’s reflecting Keith’s greatest hopes and fears.”

“And your friend desperately wants to see you," Kolivan finishes, looking at Shiro.

"What is it with you and that thing?" Hologram Shiro spits out, narrowing its eyes at Keith. “Just give them the knife and we can go home."

Shiro freezes beside me and I take his hand in mine.

"It's the only connection I have to my past,” Keith whispers weakly, looking down at the knife. “It's my chance to learn who I really am.”

"You know exactly who you are. A Paladin of Voltron. We're all the family you need."

"Shiro, you're like a brother to me… but I have to do this."

"No, you don't. So just give them the knife."

Keith’s eyes narrow. "I can't do that."

"Just give up the knife, Keith! You're only thinking of yourself, as usual! Reckless, impulsive! You’re being hot-headed!”

Keith’s face falls, his bottom lip quivering, and then he looks away. "I've made my choice."

"Then you've chosen to be alone."

Keith looks down at the knife, then back up at the hologram’s retreating figure. "Shiro! Wait!" He runs after it, but it keeps walking away. Keith crumples to the ground in anguish and Shiro squeezes my hand, his breath hitching.

A hologram of me shows up next and my blood turns cold.

"Well, well, well," it smirks, crossing its arms over its chest. The hologram looks down at Keith unamused.

Keith weakly looks up. "(Y-Y/N)...?" he asks.

It crouches, the expression on its face changing into one of anger. The hologram of me glares at Keith, its voice sharp and unforgiving. “Do you even realize what you’ve done, Keith? Dragging us here, forcing us into your mess. You’re always so selfish.”

Keith’s face contorts in pain, and he scrambles to his knees. “No, I—I didn’t mean to…”

The hologram rises, looming over him. “You didn’t mean to?” it spits. “That’s all you ever say. Do you think you’re the only one who’s suffered? The only one who’s lost people? You’re a liability, Keith, and you’ll get us all killed.”

I feel my stomach drop as I watch Keith visibly shrink, his shoulders hunched under the weight of the words. “That’s not true,” I whisper, pressing my palm against the glass.

Shiro stands rigid beside me, his jaw clenched tight. “This is cruel,” he mutters, barely above a whisper. “Why would they make him go through this?”

Kolivan doesn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the projection.

Keith’s hand tightens around the blade, his knuckles white. “I’m not selfish,” he says, his voice trembling. “I’ve been trying to do what’s right. I—”

The hologram cuts him off with a harsh laugh. “You? Doing what’s right? Don’t kid yourself. You’re a hot-headed fool, Keith. No one will ever trust you. No one will ever follow you.”

“Stop it,” I whisper, my nails digging into the glass. My reflection stares back at me, a mirror of the hologram’s cold eyes.

Keith shakes his head, tears brimming in his eyes. “That’s not true,” he insists, his voice firmer now. “Shiro trusts me. The team—”

“Shiro’s gone,” the hologram interrupts. “And the team? They don’t need you. They never have. We don’t need you. I don’t need you.”

Keith falters, falling to his knees. He looks down at the blade in his hand, and for a moment, I think he might drop it.

“Keith, don’t listen to her,” I whisper desperately, as if he can hear me through the screen.

He falls onto the floor, flat on his back. His eyes close and the projection shifts. Keith is in a golden room with an older Earthling man. His face contorts with pain, but his hold on his knife remains steady.

Shiro swallows hard. “Kolivan, this has gone far enough. End this.”

Kolivan shakes his head, his voice is as steady as ever. “The trial must be completed.”

“By breaking him?” I shout, spinning to face Kolivan. “He’s already proven himself ten times over! This—this isn’t a trial. It’s torture!”

"You need to get him out of there," Shiro demands.

"He can decide when to leave," Kolivan firmly states.

Shiro lets go of my hand, whirling on him. He’s frustrated. "You're messing with his mind. You're going to kill him!"

"Knowledge, or death."

Shiro grits his teeth and starts walking towards the door. "I'm calling this off."

Two Blade members block his way and I try pushing my way through them. “Get out of my quiznaking way,” I snarl, clawing at them.

A different Blade member frantically runs into the room. "The Red Lion is attacking the base! It's trying to break through!"

"It has a link with Keith. It knows when he's in danger. It's coming for him," Shiro shouts.

Debris collapses into the room and I take the momentary distraction to punch at their sides, Shiro elbowing the largest member and we break through. I bolt through the hallway, my feet carrying me to Keith as fast as they can.

He’s on the floor, battered and bruised, but alive. Alive.

“Keith!” I drop to my knees beside him, my hands hovering over his injuries. “You idiot,” I choke out, tears blurring my vision. “You absolute idiot.”

"Keith, are you okay?" Shiro asks, frantically helping him to his feet.

Keith groans in response looking like he’s going to pass out again. His nose is bloodied, patches of skin torn, and he’s bruised all over. “What is it?” he rasps out. “What’s going on?”

Blade members run in behind us. All five block our only exit.

"Stop what you're doing!" Kolivan shouts.

Shiro puts Keith's injured arm over his shoulders, supporting him while Keith stands and loosely grips his knife in his left hand.

“Get out of the way, Kolivan,” I say through clenched teeth.

The base rumbles, debris falling faster every moment. "Call off your beast!" Kolivan shouts.

Shiro starts walking towards the exit. “We’re leaving.”

"You're not leaving with that blade,” Kolivan states. “It does not belong to you. You failed to awaken it!"

Keith’s brows furrow. “What does that mean?”

Antok pulls the sword from his back out and charges toward us. "Give up the blade!" Shiro lets go of his hold on Keith and I quickly wrap my arms around him to hold him upright. He activates his prosthetic arm and moves to stand before us. It clashes with Antok’s sword.

"Wait! Just take the knife!" Keith’s eyes widen and he shifts in my hold, offering the knife to them. Antok pulls back. "It doesn't matter where I come from. I know who I am. We all need to work together to defeat Zarkon. And if that means I give up this knife, fine. Take it." Keith sighs as he stares at it. Suddenly, the Blade insignia glows faintly. The light becomes a blinding purple hue and I turn away from it.

Kolivan takes a step closer. "You've awoken the blade." The knife glows brightly, shifting into a long, curved sword. "The only way this is possible is if Galra blood runs through your veins.”

Does that mean I can also have a blade?

I examine the sword, taking in its dark display. It’s made of luxite, a rare metal, and a strip of purple light glows on the curve of the blade. I’d like to have one of these, too. Looks sharp and extremely effective.

I freeze.

Wait…

I look at Kolivan, my mouth sputtering. "G-Galra?" I ask, my eyes wide. “Keith's Galra?” My grip tightens on Keith, who sags against me, barely conscious. Shiro freezes mid-motion, his face a mask of disbelief.

We’re both Galra…

I blink.

That explains a lot, actually.

"No," Keith mutters weakly, his voice trembling. His gaze flickers to the glowing blade in his hand, then to Kolivan. "That's not possible."

|••••••••••|

As we descend from the Red Lion, Kolivan trails behind us. Keith doesn’t move more than a few steps and I stay back with him as Shiro goes with Kolivan to introduce him to Allura. I watch as Kolivan’s mask vanishes and he kneels in front of Allura. Turning my attention to Keith, I catch the way he’s already looking at me.

“(Y/N),” he rasps out. His usually confident, stubborn demeanor is replaced with vulnerability. It’s like I’m being punched in the gut. “(Y/N),” he says again, his voice barely audible. His face is pale, but his eyes remain fixed on mine. There’s something raw in his expression, something pleading.

I step closer, my hands instinctively hovering near his arms in case he stumbles. "Keith, you need to rest. You’ve been through—"

“Am I... different to you now?” His words come out in a rush, but they stop me in my tracks. His gaze flickers to the blade in his hand, then back to me, his expression torn. “I didn’t know. I mean, I suspected, but I swear, I didn’t know.”

“Keith…” I start, my voice catching in my throat. Of all the things I expected to face today, this wasn’t one of them.

How could he even think I’d—

“No, don’t say it doesn’t matter,” he interrupts, his voice gaining strength. “I’ve seen the way people react when they even hear the name Galra. I—” His voice cracks, and he looks down at the blade, gripping it tightly.

My heart aches at the raw fear in his words. I reach out, placing my hand gently on his. “Mullet, look at me.” He hesitates, but his eyes meet mine. “I care about you.” Giving him a small smile, my thumb brushes the back of his hand. “What is it you told me in the healing pod?”

Keith freezes. “You could hear me?”

“Only some parts,” I admit in a whisper. “You told me ‘I don’t care what anyone says. I don’t care that you’re Galra’. You’re my friend and I’ll never judge you because there is nothing wrong with you, Keith.”

His throat bobs, tears filling his beautiful eyes. “I…” he starts, but the words don’t come. Instead, he lets out a shaky breath, his shoulders dropping slightly as he leans into me for support.

I wrap my arm around him, steadying him. “Come on. Let’s get you inside and patched up. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”

He nods silently, letting me guide him up the ramp.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

What am I doing? Why am I still here?

Vulnerability has never been easy for me, and yet with Keith, with these Earthlings and Alteans, I feel all my defensive walls crumbling away. I feel all my doubts turning to ash. I allowed myself to befriend them and now I can’t find it in myself to leave. I know that I should—have to leave. I was ready that night, ready to leave them behind.

And Keith had to ruin all of it. Seeing him beaten for hours broke something in me, and I don’t want to witness something like that ever again. I can’t bear to see him in pain, and I would take every ounce of it if only I could.

When Sendak betrayed me, I made a promise to myself that I would never open my heart up again. I was bitter and heartbroken. I was broken and lost. He was my best friend, my first love. He was the boy who promised me adventures among the stars.

When did it all go wrong? When did Sendak change how he saw me? When did the claws of the Empire dig its nails into him?

Growing up, he never made me or Lotor feel less than simply because we were only partly Galra like the others did. Never did he treat me like I was dumber or weaker.

Not until I was fifteen.

Stars above, what a fool I was to trust him. I should’ve known he was manipulating me when he said what you are. I should never have told him about Rez’or, Dayak Zlak’s involvement, or my wish to escape the Empire.

I was taught to keep my emotions in check, not to show fear, not to show weakness. I was taught Victory or Death. Vrepit Sa. Palen Bol. The Galra Empire is eternal and ever-reaching. Everything I do must be done for the glory of the Galra Empire.

What a load of quiznaking garbage.

For years, I was forced to be a killer, a means of entertainment. A monster. I was forced into the arena and fought tooth and nail to survive, only to be tortured by Haggar and her Druids later, forced to salute Vrepit Sa, and forced to live in a prison cell.

I am alive because that is what Emperor Zarkon willed. I grew up being told that I am lower than scum, weaker, ruined because I am not pure-blooded Galra. I am tainted. Flawed. Not ideal. Not good enough.

Never good enough for Father.

But I was more than enough for my Dayaks and for Lotor.

And now, I am more than enough for team Voltron.

But now Keith…

Keith is part Galra.

And he is so afraid. I can see it as he leans on me, letting me guide him to the medical wing of the Castle Ship.

Is the Blade of Marmora truly different than the Galra Empire? How Galra does one have to be to join their rankings? Do they believe in the teachings before Emperor Zarkon’s 10,000-year regime?

Does Keith want to get more answers? Does he regret enduring the trials? Does he wish he wasn’t Galra?

I sigh softly to myself, keeping my footing small so Keith can keep up as we walk.

Sometimes I wish I wasn’t Galra. Perhaps in a different reality, I am at peace. And yet, if I were to be Galra in every reality, I would wish to be Galra living in the reign of Empress Adali—the Noble One.

The Galra, many millennia ago, were once a noble people, guided by values of honor, loyalty, and unity. It was a time when strength came not from domination but from mutual respect and understanding. She was a warrior-scholar who believed in the potential of all Galra, regardless of their bloodlines. In her era, they were not seen as abominations and were given positions based on their skill.

All Galrans thrived under her reign, with art, philosophy, and science flourishing alongside military might. We remained on Daibazaal and nearby planets. We had heart. We had compassion. We had peace.

I can’t help but wonder whether a reign like that is still possible.

Tei’rah alesul. Vae pal lider. The stars have spoken. Your destiny is written.

Things click into place as we walk.

Hail the Chosen One. You shall be leader. The stars have spoken. Your destiny is written.

I had whispered a vow to the stars in the darkness of my cell.

Stars above, grant me safe passage. I know you are out there listening to me. I vow to restore the Galra Empire and bring peace to the universe. I shall be better.

I don’t want to restore anything. I want to kill Emperor Zarkon and inflict my wrath on those deserving of it. I want to fulfill my duty and return to the stars.

Keith leans heavily against me, his breaths shallow but steady. He is burdened with questions he doesn’t yet have answers for—the same ones I’ve carried my entire life.

I glance down at him as we step through the Castle Ship’s halls. His face is pale, bruised, and bloodied, but his grip on the blade remains firm. Even in this state, Keith doesn’t give in easily. He’s a fighter through and through.

And it terrifies me that he lacks self-preservation. It terrifies me that he was willing to risk his life for answers.

We enter the med bay, the sterile scent sharp in my nose. I help Keith onto one of the beds, and he flinches as he lowers himself. He looks at me then—really looks at me. I can see the storm in his eyes. Questions. Doubts. Fear.

“Do you regret it?” I ask softly.

He blinks, startled. “What?”

“The trials. The blade. Everything. Do you wish it had gone differently?”

Keith is silent for a moment, staring at the blade in his hand. His thumb brushes over its hilt, and for a second, he looks like he might break. “No,” he says finally, his voice quiet but firm. “I needed to know.” He lifts his gaze to mine, his jaw tightening. “But I didn’t expect this. I didn’t want this.”

I nod slowly.

Keith exhales, his shoulders slumping. “I thought I knew who I was. But now? I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I’m enough for anyone—not for Voltron, not for the Blade, not for—” He stops himself, looking away.

Not for who?

“You are enough for the team, Keith,” I say firmly. Walking towards a cabinet with my eyes scanning along the shelves looking for a first aid kit, I hear him shuffling.

Keith groans behind me. "I can do this myself, you know," he rasps out.

"I know." I grab the kit and return to him. "But I want to help you.” Clearing my throat, I open the kit and set its contents neatly on one of the bedside tables. Bandages, saline, clean cloths—anything and everything for addressing wounds. My eyes meet his. “Now, take your armor off. I need to see the consequences of you acting like a quiznaking idiot.”

His eyes narrow and he scoffs, but the movement makes him wince. “I was not acting like an idiot.” He doesn’t make any effort to take his Paladin suit off.

"Take off the armor, Keith."

"Not gonna take me out to dinner first?"

My lips press into a tight line. "Are you seriously cracking jokes right now? Take the damn suit off, or I’ll do it for you.”

He averts his eyes. "Fine. I'll take it off." He lets out a sigh and slowly lifts himself off the bed, taking his armor off slowly. “You’re so demanding.”

I watch as he takes it off and I grab parts of it, placing the suit onto the bed beside us. Keith is left in a t-shirt that clings to his torso and a pair of pants.

"Okay. Now take off your shirt."

Keith blinks at that, a blush creeping up on his neck.

"Take the shirt off before I slice it off."

He shakes his head, jolting into action. "Okay, okay." He quickly slips his shirt off and sits on the edge of the bed.

My lips purse as I take in the state of his body. His lean, muscled skin is covered in blue and violet splotches, and where those aren’t present, the deep crimson red of blood coats him.

“Are you mad at me or something?” he asks quietly, avoiding my sharp gaze.

“Yes.” My answer is almost immediate as I walk over to the sink to wash my hands. I step between his legs and squirt the saline solution onto nearby wounds, probably a little bit more forcefully than I should. “You are the one who said no taking any unnecessary risks before we left for the Blade, and what did you do? You risked your life, Keith.”

Keith hisses slightly as I start cleaning a particularly nasty wound. "This was different," he mutters, wincing as I press a clean cloth to his side. His muscles tense under my touch, but he doesn’t pull away. "I just had to do it."

"That’s your excuse?" I shoot back, focusing on the gash along his ribcage, dabbing away the blood. "What would’ve happened if you didn’t make it out alive? What then? Huh, Keith?"

His silence speaks volumes. He looks down, his jaw tightening, but he doesn’t answer. Keith looks like he wants to argue, but the fight seems to leave him. He slumps forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. “I don’t know,” he admits. “Every decision I’m making lately seems to be a bad one.”

My hand stills, my anger faltering if only for a moment.

“Can you tell me something?” he whispers, grimacing. “To distract me? Please?”

I pause for a moment before giving a slight nod. “When I was a girl,” I begin quietly, “I used to look up at the stars and think that’s where freedom must be.” My voice softens, my hands still gently working to clean the wounds on his side. “Out there, beyond the Empire’s reach. I imagined there were worlds where people could just be.”

Keith watches me intently, his eyes searching my face as I speak. His expression softens, the tension in his body easing slightly as I continue.

“But,” I add, my voice dropping, “the stars I wished on were the same stars that watched over the Empire, the same ones that I couldn’t escape, no matter how hard I tried.”

His brow furrows. “That sounds like a terrible way to grow up.”

“It was,” I admit, pulling away for a moment to rinse the cloth.

“My,” Keith exhales, his gaze lowering to his hands, “mom left me when I was a baby. I guess… I guess that’s why I have abandonment issues. I’m not really used to having a team. To having people depend on me. I’m not used to worrying about the consequences of my actions.”

His admission catches me off guard, and I glance at him, his head bowed, hands fidgeting with the hem of the bloodied t-shirt now balled up in his lap.

Keith grew up without a mom, too?

“I get it,” I say quietly, working gentler. “It’s hard to trust people when you’ve been left behind. You start to think maybe you’re not worth sticking around for.”

Keith looks up sharply, his eyes locking onto mine. There’s a flicker of recognition in his gaze, like he hadn’t realized anyone could understand. “Yeah,” he mutters, his voice hoarse. “That’s… exactly it.”

I grab a fresh bandage, tearing it open and pressing it carefully against one of the deeper cuts on his side.

“Every person I start caring about disappears,” he continues in a whisper. “My mom left, my dad died, Shiro disappeared for a year on the Kerberos mission, you nearly died. It’s like I’m cursed.”

I give him a small smile, brushing his hair back to get a better look at the cut on his temple. His hair is soft beneath my fingers. “You’re not cursed, Mullet.”

Keith huffs a quiet laugh, though it’s tinged with bitterness. “Yeah? Well, it sure feels like I am.”

Rolling my eyes, I scoff. “If you were really cursed, you’d have Coran dressing your wounds. Or Hunk and we both know how squeamish he is.”

His lips twitch with amusement and I slightly touch a soft spot near his sternum, eliciting a quiet groan. His skin is warm beneath my touch.

"Does that hurt?" I ask as I focus back on his face and press again.

He nods, groaning louder. "Just a little," he struggles to say.

My eyebrows furrow as I lean in closer to look at him. “Mullet, be honest.”

Keith avoids my gaze, shifting uncomfortably under my scrutiny. “Okay, maybe more than a little,” he finally admits, his voice strained.

I sigh, shaking my head. "You’re going to get yourself killed." My voice wavers slightly at the end, but I force myself to keep it steady.

His eyes meet mine, wide and full of guilt. "I know. I know, okay? But I didn’t have a choice. Knowledge or death, right? I had to prove myself a-and without the Blade... we don’t stand a chance against Zarkon."

My hand stills over the bandage I’m pressing to his side. I know his pain all too well. That endless, gnawing need to prove you’re more than what the world sees you as. To prove you’re worth something.

I take a deep breath, my fingers brushing lightly over his shoulder before I pull back. “Keith, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

He scoffs lightly, though it’s devoid of real humor. “Easy for you to say.”

“No, it’s not.” My voice is quiet, but firm. “Because I’ve spent my entire life trying to prove I’m worth something. And you know what? It doesn’t matter how hard you fight, how much pain you put yourself through. People who care about you? They don’t need proof. They just—” I pause, swallowing hard. “They just do.”

Keith stares at me, his lips parting like he wants to say something, but the words don’t come.

I smile faintly, pulling back. “Okay, enough chatting, Mullet. We gotta put you in a healing pod so you can go back to saving the universe.”

He huffs a soft laugh, shaking his head slightly. “Okay, Doc.”

|••••••••••|

Kolivan crosses his arms over his chest as I approach the control room. On the screen, a large image of Emperor Zarkon’s Central Command is projected onto the screen.

"I think we've got something here. It's dangerous and there are a lot of moving parts, but if we can coordinate everything just right, then—" Shiro starts.

"Zarkon's reign will be at an end, and the savagery that's poisoned our universe can finally be cleansed. You've done it, Shiro," Kolivan finishes.

"We did it together."

“As long as we all stick to the plan, it should work,” Allura says.

I stare at the screen before looking at them, tilting my head. “What plan?” I ask.

At that, Kolivan raises his eyebrow, his eyes flicking between Shiro and Allura before landing on me again. “You can’t possibly be thinking about telling her the plan,” Kolivan says, his voice flat.

“She is the literal daughter of the Emperor,” Antok adds, crossing his arms.

“Okay, pause,” Lance says, looking between us with his hands flailing. “Can someone explain what’s going on? Because I feel like I just walked into the middle of a space soap opera.”

Kolivan narrows his eyes. “This is not a matter for jest, Blue Paladin.”

He shrugs dramatically. “I’m just saying, maybe if we all communicated a little better, we wouldn’t have this”—he gestures to the group—“awkwardness.”

Shiro sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lance, not now.”

Lance’s eyes widen. “So you all know that (Y/N) is Zarkon’s daughter?”

“Hey, I didn’t know either!” Pidge exclaims. She turns to look at Coran. “Did you know?”

“Of course, I didn’t know,” Coran sputters.

“First we learn (N/N)’s part Galra, then we learn Keith’s part Galra, now we learn (N/N)’s Galra royalty?”

Pidge shakes her head. “What kind of team is this?”

Lance pats himself. “Am I going to end up being part Galra?”

“Allura,” I say, ignoring the commotion, “what plan are we talking about? If it involves Emperor Zarkon, I have a right to know.”

Kolivan steps forward, his towering presence casting a long shadow. “You’ve made your loyalties clear by standing with Voltron. But there are risks—calculations that cannot afford sentimentality.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” I snap.

“It means,” Kolivan says, his tone low, “that your connection to Zarkon is a liability. Your presence on this mission endangers its success.”

“I’m the liability?” I counter, stepping closer, my voice shaking with restrained anger. “I have no loyalty to my father—no loyalty to a Galra Empire that has spread its tyranny across the universe!”

He doesn’t flinch, stoic as ever. “It’s not personal. It’s strategy.”

“Enough.” Shiro’s voice cuts in. “(Y/N) has more than proven herself. We’re stronger because she’s here.”

Allura steps forward. “The plan is to infiltrate Zarkon’s Central Command. We believe we’ve identified a weak point in its defenses, one we can exploit to weaken the Galra Empire’s grip on the universe.”

My heart clenches at the thought. Infiltrating Emperor Zarkon’s Central Command feels like stepping into a nightmare.

“And you weren’t going to tell me because…?” I ask.

“You’re emotionally compromised,” Kolivan says bluntly, “and that could jeopardize the mission.”

Shiro holds up a hand, silencing Kolivan. “We weren’t planning to leave you out of the loop. But we did want to prepare first.” He meets my gaze, his expression softening. “We trust you, (Y/N). I trust you. But Kolivan isn’t wrong—this mission is dangerous, and we can’t afford any missteps.”

My eyes shift between him and Kolivan. Reluctantly, I nod. “I understand,” I say quietly.

Keith reenters the bridge and walks to my side, handing me a juice pouch without a word. His hand brushes against mine briefly as I take the pouch, poking the straw through with more force than necessary, and sip it silently as I glare at Kolivan.

"Huh! What? What'd I miss?" Hunk suddenly gasps waking up.

Lance smirks, crossing his arms. "Oh, nothing important. We've just figured out a way to defeat Zarkon," he says, as if it's nothing.

Hunk sits up fully. "Really? I dozed for ten minutes, and you guys figured out how to defeat the forces of evil?"

"You've been asleep for three hours," Pidge flatly states, pushing her glasses up. “Oh, and it turns out (Y/N)’s Zarkon’s daughter.”

His eyes widen and he scratches the side of his head. "This (Y/N)?"

I snort, shaking my head. “Yes, this (Y/N).”

Kolivan stares at me momentarily before focusing on Allura again. "The plan will work,” he says. “Perhaps, then, you'll learn that not all Galra are as bad as Zarkon."

Allura raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "(Y/N) and Keith are enough for me.”

Antok sighs at the resolution of the team. "Ulaz was right to trust you all.”

"He sacrificed everything to bring us together. Let's honor him by taking down Zarkon," Shiro says.

I take in a deep breath and stare at the diagram.

If this plan works, then Emperor Zarkon will be stopped once and for all. My duty will be fulfilled.

Hunk stares at all of us. "So, what's the plan?" he asks.

Lance runs up to the diagram. "The plan is amazing!" He beams as he throws his hands in the air. "First, we infect Zarkon's ship with a virus. Then, we make an extra-large wormhole and lure Zarkon inside of it, zapping him a bajillion light-years away. Then, when he pops out on the other side, all like, 'Oh, why doesn't my ship work?' Voltron kicks his butt! Pew, pew, pew! Womp, womp, womp! Huh! Hi-yah! [deep voice] 'I'll form the head!' [normal voice] That's what you say, Shiro. Yeah, yeah. Yeah! We won for all time!"

Hunk blinks at Lance. "Wow. So, this is it."

"I guess the only question is, when do we strike?" Pidge asks.

Coran pulls something up on his screen and projects it. "As soon as we build a teludav big enough to wormhole Zarkon's ship," he states.

Hunk’s shoulders slump. "Oh, man. The teludav again? Does that mean we need more scaultrite?" he asks.

"That's just one of the many things we'll need," Allura sighs.

"Am I, uh... Am I sensing a trip back to the space mall here?"

"I'm afraid not. This is gonna take a lot more scaultrite than we can find at any Unilu shop. For this plan to succeed, we're gonna need to split up. We all have a task to do," Coran states.

Coran, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge stare at me. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “One question,” I say.

Lance opens his mouth to speak, but Pidge elbows him in the gut, interrupting him. "Let her ask her question, Lance."

He doubles over, groaning dramatically. "Okay, okay! Geez, Pidge, you don't have to use violence."

I ignore their antics and turn my attention back to the group, my gaze steady. “What happens if this plan fails?”

Kolivan meets my eyes, his expression grave. “If the plan fails, Zarkon will double down. The universe will face destruction on a scale we’ve yet to witness.”

“But,” Shiro interjects, “we’re not going to fail. Every angle has been considered, every contingency planned for. We’ve got this.”

My jaw tightens as I process his words. There’s no guarantee, no margin for error. And yet, the determination in their faces fills me with a sense of hope. “Okay,” I say finally, straightening my posture. “Let’s do this.”

Shiro claps his hands together. “Alright, team. Let’s get to work.”

As everyone disperses, Lance sidles up to me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You know, (N/N), when this is all over, you should totally write a book about your life. ‘Galra Royalty to Voltron Rebel’. Oh! And her best friend ‘Handsome Earthling to Devestating Defender’. I’d read it.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “What makes you think I’d include you in it?”

He gasps, clutching his chest like I’ve mortally wounded him. “How could you? I’m integral to this story!”

Pidge walks by, smirking. “More like comic relief.”

“Hey! I bring charm and morale!”

Snorting, I roll my eyes.

I glance back at the screen one last time. Emperor Zarkon’s ship looms, a shadow of my past and the source of so much pain. The path ahead is clear, but the stakes have never been higher.

One wrong move could cost us everything.

|••••••••••|

Looking at Violet, I tighten my hands and begin marching towards her. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, Princess,” Lance says, yanking on the collar of my suit. My brand new suit. A purple Paladin suit. Coran and Allura made it for me while I was in my coma and now I really feel like I belong on this team.

My nose scrunches at the name as he hauls me back. “Don’t call me that.”

Keith stares at the two of us with his arms crossed before turning his attention to Coran.

"Keith, Hunk, (Y/N), you three will be in charge of getting the scaultrite. If any one of us fails, the entire plan fails," Coran states.

Allura clears her throat as she looks between Lance and me, stepping forward to hold my hand. “Are you sure you can handle it?”

I nod with a small smile. “I’m practically brand new thanks to your Altean healing tech.”

She embraces me and Lance snakes his arms around our waists. “Aw, look at the two princesses getting along,” he coos. I nudge him hard with my elbow and he grunts. Shiro and Keith embrace tightly as Hunk and Pidge shake hands. They're both crying.

As we part, Coran looks at Lance with a shake of his head.

Allura's eyes flicker to Shiro and Keith. "Keep an eye on Keith," she whispers.

"I will,” I whisper back.

"He needs time to cope. I—It can’t be easy for him.” She looks at me.

I nod. "I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now.”

Lance pulls me in for another hug. "Please come back, (Y/N)," he says into my hair, his voice cracking. “We can’t handle another round of you being on death’s door.”

Smiling into him, I hug him tighter. "It won’t come to that,” I say, pulling back and giving him a reassuring smile. Lance struggles to keep his composure as he looks at me and Pidge comes behind us, wrapping her arms around my waist. I turn around to properly hug her. “Be safe, okay?” I whisper into her.

"You too, (N/N)," she says softly, pulling me closer. Tears well in our eyes and she shakes her head, letting out a breathy laugh.

Coran gives me a brief hug, patting the top of my head. “Good luck.”

I smile and lean my head on his arm. “Thanks.”

When it’s time to say goodbye to Shiro, I hold my hand out for him to shake it and he gives me a small smile, pulling me into a hug instead. I rest my cheek on his chest and he leans down into my ear. "Be careful," he whispers.

My eyebrows knit together as I look up at him. "When am I not careful?”

He gives me a knowing look. “Good luck."

We release and I smile. "Good luck, Champion."

I wave to the team as we step into the Yellow Lion. Keith’s fully healed, but his face is still glum. I strap myself into a seat.

|••••••••••|

"Why does Allura get to take a leisurely visit to the Balmera while we have to fly into the belly of a giant space worm to get scaultrite?" Hunk mutters, breaking the silence.

I turn my attention away from the stars, looking at the pilot chair with a small smile. "What, Hunk?" I chuckle. "Are you jealous?"

He sighs. "Maybe? I was hoping to see Shay."

"Aww,” I coo in a singsong voice.

Hunk’s face darkens and he scratches awkwardly at the back of his neck. "Stop."

I snort, shaking my head. “It must be nice having someone like that."

Keith clears his throat, his arms crossed. "You heard Coran. Building a huge teludav isn't easy. Everyone has a job to do and this is ours," he states.

Hunk frowns. "But I always get the worst jobs. Go to a Galra-occupied planet to get my lion. Go to a Galra-occupied Balmera to get a crystal. Go into a belly of a beast with the only Galra alien team members."

I nod. "Yup, and together, me and Keith make a full Galra."

Keith whips his head beside me, his eyes wide.

Hunk sighs. "Right."

"I'm not an alien," Keith says softly.

"Well, you're kind of an alien. You're way more alien than me. You're at least some alien. I'm-I'm none alien.”

I snort. "You only think you're not alien because you're used to humans," I say as I roll my eyes. “To me, I think that the Galra are ‘normal’ and the Alteans, for example, are aliens.”

Keith sighs. "Let's just concentrate on the job here," he says, looking at the stars again.

Hunk doesn’t drop the subject, glancing behind to look at us. "Was your mom the alien? Your grandpa? How Galra are you?" he asks.

"I don't know."

"Did the Blade of Marmora, like, teach you the secret handshake, or something?"

"No. No one said anything."

I dramatically gasp. "They didn't teach you the secret Galra handshake? Ho—” Keith's eyes narrow on mine and I close my mouth, going back to being silent.

"The Blade of Marmora, they're real tight-lipped, aren't they? I get that your society is secret, but is everything a secret?" Hunk pushes.

Your society?

"Okay, look, it's bad enough that Allura hates me now. Can you just lay off?" Keith snaps.

"Allura doesn't hate you," Hunk says empathetically. "She doesn’t hate either of you. It took her a few days to accept the fact that (Y/N)’s Galra, the race that destroyed her entire planet and all of her people… but she did, didn’t she?”

I blink at Hunk’s bluntness. Several times.

"Let's just watch the video Coran uploaded and stay on task. We need to find out how to collect this stuff," Keith huffs.

Hunk nods and presses a button on his screen.

"Hello, brave Altean," Coran on the video says.

"No way. Is that Coran?" Hunk’s shocked as he leans closer, softly laughing.

I grip my seat, also leaning in closer as my mouth hangs open. "Wow, Coran was good-looking,” I say. “Look at his hair—and his arms.”

Keith glares at me and I laugh.

"So, you're about to go into the belly of a weblum to harvest scaultrite. Good for you! Scaultrite is an important substance, with thousands of commercial and industrial uses, including fabrication foam, insect night vision goggles, teludav— " The video stops and instead of hearing Coran's young voice, we hear static.

"Uh..." Hunk trails off.

"—anti-fungal klanmüirl lotion and other such lubricants."

"What's wrong with the video?" Keith asks.

"It's ten thousand years old. It's probably corroded." Hunk shrugs. He presses a few buttons and the video continues.

"I could go on for days. But you've got a weblum to enter and some scaultrite to collect. Oh, look! There's a weblum now. Hello, big fella!" Coran on the video waves to a weblum.

"Hey, Coran! I'm off to eat some planets. There's one now! Nyum, nyum, nyum, nyum, nyum!" the cartoon weblum states.

"We'll see you soon! As you probably remember from school, the weblum is an enormous creature and an integral part of keeping our universe functioning. It survives off of the—[static]—left over from dead planets. It then reconverts the quintessence remnants by—[static]—becoming the building blocks of new solar systems. Incredible, isn't it?"

My head tilts, my confusion growing.

"Of course, these are no gentle giants. They're actually giants that are quite deadly, which leads to rule number one. It's an important one, so listen closely. Stay away from its—[static] You got that?"

"No. No, I didn't," Hunk flatly states.

"It's like a rhyme. Say it with me. Stay away from its—[static]"

"Oh, come on!"

"Other things to remember include avoiding the poisonous—[static]—eye sockets—[static]—could lead to certain death!"

I blink. Maybe we are going to die.

"Whoa. What are those?"

Outside, debris litters the space before us. My lips press into a line as I take in all of the wreckage.

"They look like... dead planets," Keith says.

“They are,” I say quietly. A frown tugs at my lips as my eyes trail over the billions of pieces of rock.

"That's strange. The charts I'm looking at show these planets should still be thriving. Wow. What do you think happened to them? Asteroid strike?"

"Something tells me they died an unnatural death."

"Look!"

An enormous creature passes us by. It’s blue with horns.

"Guess that ancient Altean weblum tracker put us right on the money."

"We gotta get out of here! We haven't watched the entire video yet! We don't know what to do!"

"We're not leaving. You fly, keep our distance. I'll skim through the video."

"So, you've made it into the weblum's first stomach!" video Coran exclaims.

"Rewind!" Hunk yells.

"I know!" Keith yells back.

Weblum... weblum... weblum...

What the quiznak do you do when there's a weblum? I shake my head. I never learned any of this stuff.

"So, you've identified a weblum. Great! Now, remember rule number one. Stay away from its face," video Coran says.

"Wait, that's rule number one? We broke rule number one! Oh no! What's it doing?" Hunk screams.

"Get us out of the way, now!" Keith yells.

Oh quiznak! Why did we decide Hunk’s the best pilot for the job? I could’ve piloted Violet instead.

Hunk grunts as he steers us away from the beam the weblum shoots at us. My eyes widen as we barely escape it.

"The weblum's natural defense—[static] venomous laser, deadly acid—[static] total annihilation—[static] death monster—[static] to find its blind spot on the back of its neck, just below the gills," video Coran informs us.

"That's your way inside! If I can't see ya, I can't kill ya!" the cartoon weblum exclaims.

Flashing red alarms beep in the Yellow Lion.

"This isn't good. This isn't good!" Hunk yells as he grunts, struggling to pilot us out of the weblum’s line of sight.

"Damn it, Hunk!" I seethe as I clutch to Keith and the chair. "Do something!"

We spiral for what feels like an eternity before coming to a sudden halt. I inhale a deep breath before daring to open my eyes, letting go of Keith.

"We're attached to its back, in its blind spot," Hunk rasps, his chest heaving.

Keith blinks, his head falling back in his seat as his hand skims my thigh before running up and down on his own. "Good. Great.” He pauses, shaking his head and unbuckling himself. “We're going in."

Hunk’s head whips around to look at us. "Wait, what do we do when we're inside the beast? We're going inside of it?"

"Yes, Hunk," I say, slowly unbuckling myself. "Isn't that why we came here in the first place? We need to get going, we're wasting time we don’t have."

"She's right, Hunk," Keith says. He puts his helmet on and I do the same. "We need to complete this mission ASAP."

"A quick recap of what to do when you're inside the beast. One, avoid things that want to kill you. Two, get to the third stomach and find the scaultrite gland. Three, activate the weblum's defense mechanisms and collect the excess material from the gland. That's the scaultrite!" video Coran states.

"Seems simple enough." Keith shrugs.

"Seems under-explained," Hunk says skeptically.

"Come on."

Hunk sighs in disapproval, but he puts on his helmet and stands.

|••••••••••|

The jetpacking takes a few moments to figure out. Hunk keeps trying to back out and return to the Yellow Lion. I hold his forearm tightly as we jetpack to a part of the weblum that opens and closes—its gills.

My grip loosens and Hunk starts spinning. Again. "Got it, got it," he grunts jetpacking into the weblum.

Keith looks at me. “Well,” he prompts. “Come on.”

I purse my lips, hesitantly following them inside and down a long, slimy tunnel until we reach the part of the weblum filled with green gas.

"Uh, yuck!" Hunk yells after stepping onto a sticky puddle. "What am I standing on? A mucus pocket? I do not like mucus! And is that steaming stomach acid? Lookit, right over there. Oh, man, I really hope I don't see any blood."

"Hunk! Knock it off. You're freaking yourself out," Keith says.

"No,” Hunk stomps his foot, “standing inches away from a pus-bubble is freaking me out."

I grimace. “Let’s stop talking about this.”

"Look, we're inside a disgusting worm. There's no way to sugarcoat it. We're gonna need that big brain of yours if we want to make it through. Will you be all right?" Keith asks.

Hunk continues groaning and looking around.

"I said, will you be all right?" Keith asks again.

"Uh... Okay, okay," Hunk replies as he inhales deeply. "I'll be okay."

"Good. I gotta be able to count on you.” He briefly places a hand on Hunk’s arm before turning away. “Besides, no one knows an explosive digestive tract like you."

I snort and Keith starts to jetpack away, Hunk and I trailing behind him.

Hunk shakes his head, confused. "Wait, wait, wait. Did you just make a joke? Seriously, that was a joke, wasn't it? You're saying I throw up a lot. I get it. It's funny. I do. Wow. Galra Keith is way funnier than regular Keith."

"He's still the same Keith,” I reply. “Same mullet, same everything—just now we’re aware he's part Galra."

"Are you two done? We need to find a way around the stomach acid," Keith says, looking around.

I jetpack closer to him. "Come on, Mullet."

"What is it with you and my mullet?"

"I like your mullet." I wink.

He blinks. “You really need to stop hanging out with Lance.” Keith shakes his head, muttering something under his breath about bad influences as we hover over the bubbling, green acid.

“Okay, so... what’s the plan to get across this?” Hunk gestures at the stomach acid. "I vote we avoid touching it."

“Brilliant idea.” I nod, smirking behind my helmet.

Keith scans the area, his sharp eyes catching movement up ahead. "Over there. Those hanging... things." He points to what looks like dangling tendrils attached to the walls and ceiling of the stomach chamber. They sway slightly, their surfaces coated in a glossy, slimy sheen.

Hunk groans. “Of course, the answer involves grabbing onto gross, alien spaghetti vines.”

“Unless you want to swim,” Keith replies dryly.

I snort and hover closer to inspect the tendrils. "Looks sturdy enough. And by ‘sturdy,’ I mean it probably won’t disintegrate under our weight."

“Comforting,” Hunk grumbles.

Keith motions for us to follow his lead as he reaches out and grabs one of the tendrils. It stretches slightly but holds firm. He starts to swing, gaining momentum, and then leaps to the next one. "See? Easy."

I glance at Hunk, who looks like he’d rather face a horde of Galra sentries than swing on alien vines. "Come on, sweetie," I say, nudging him. "If Keith can do it, so can you."

“Not the pep talk I needed,” he mutters, but he grabs a tendril nonetheless.

I follow, the slimy surface making my grip slip slightly. "Okay, this is definitely disgusting," I mutter, swinging forward and grabbing the next one. Keith’s already halfway across the chamber, moving with a determined grace.

“Don’t look down, don’t look down,” Hunk chants behind me.

“You’re wearing a helmet, Hunk. You can’t look down even if you wanted to,” I say, laughing.

“Not helping, (Y/N)!”

Keith lands on a ledge at the far end of the chamber and turns to watch us. "Hurry up. We don't know how long we’ve got before this thing decides to digest its lunch."

"Not helping, Mullet!" I call out, gritting my teeth as I swing to the last tendril and land beside him.

Hunk finally makes it over, collapsing onto the ledge with a groan. "Why is everything in space trying to kill me? I didn’t sign up for this."

Keith helps him up. "You signed up to save the universe. This is part of the deal."

Hunk gives him a sour look but doesn’t argue.

“Let’s keep moving,” I say, taking the lead this time. The tunnel ahead glows faintly, the walls pulsating like a living thing. Which, of course, it is.

“Third stomach, here we come,” Keith mutters.

As we jetpack deeper into the weblum, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched. I glance around, my eyes narrowing at the shifting shadows in the glowing tunnel.

“Anyone else feel like we’re not alone?” I ask quietly.

Keith stiffens, his hand instinctively moving toward his bayard. “Stay alert.”

“Oh great,” Hunk groans. “Because this wasn’t terrifying enough already.”

A low rumble echoes through the tunnel, and I freeze. “Uh... was that the weblum, or... something else?”

"Huh?" Hunk asks looking up.

Little blue creatures with two legs at their bottom appear, floating around us.

"What are these things?" Keith asks, looking up.

"Uh... Uh... I don't know. Maybe they're bacteria? Uh... Oh..."

"Hunk!" I snap, my eyes widening as they start placing themselves onto his suit. "Don't let them on you!"

"Wait, wait, wait. They seem friendly. They seem friendly. Maybe they're good bacteria. They like me. They're." He chuckles. "They're tickling me. Wait, that's not tickling! That's hot acid!" He screams shortly after. "They want to kill us! They want to kill us! I think they're part of the creature's digestive system! They're trying to break down the food and we're the food!"

"Why didn't you listen to me!"

Hunk starts shooting at them and Keith slices them with his Bayard. I draw my Bayard—a double-bladed staff—out and begin slicing them just as quickly.

Goop gets thrown onto Hunk’s helmet. "I can't see anything!" Hunk yells. He starts backing up, falling into one of the weblum’s fleshy walls and getting sucked in.

"Hunk!" Keith and I shout. I immediately try to go after him.

"(Y/N), stop! There’s too many!” Keith shouts, slashing his sword.

HUNK: "I'm here, surrounded by blood. I hate blood!"

The small creatures surround us and we’re forced to walk to the edge.

(Y/N): "Keith! We're surrounded!"

KEITH: "You've gotta find a way out of the circulatory system. Hunk! We're outnumbered here! Meet us in the third stomach!”

Before I can try to find a different route, Keith’s hand grabs mine tightly, dragging me with him into the pool of acid.

"Did we really need to do this?" I shout before splashing into it. The creatures speed behind us.

“Yes!” he responds. Our hands disconnect and I push my way down the pool, my hands flailing to find Keith. “We gotta get out of this acid." His hand finds mine again and we’re pushed down a small hole. As we descend, both of us spin out of control and I use the thrusters of my suit to slow down.

We crash into something. Well, Keith crashes into something. I land on top of him. His back arches at my weight and he groans, his head falling back as he turns it to the side. Looking down, we crashed into some sort of ship, and someone’s stuck inside.

"(Y/N), huh?" Keith grunts out, one of his hands trailing onto my waist.

I shift off of him, scampering to my feet as I try to open the ship.

He blinks. "What the—? Impossible,” he whispers, rising to his feet.

Hunk screams. HUNK: "I don't like blood-slides. Oh, no."

(Y/N): "You okay, Hunk?"

HUNK: "Oh yeah, totally fine."

"We need to get them out of here," Keith says.

I nod and take out my Bayard, the two of us cutting our way through the thick vines that have wrapped themselves onto the ship.

“How can we get them out?” I ask, trying to pry the window open with my hands.

He pauses for a moment. “What if I just break through the glass?”

I look at him abruptly. “And if you miss?”

“I don’t miss.”

“Yeah, okay,” I mumble. Stepping aside, I power off my bayard and cross my arms over my chest, waiting to see what he’ll do.

Keith looks at me for a moment, his cheeks flushed red, and points his bayard to the glass. "Don't move. I'm here to help." In a quick motion, he slices through the glass, barely missing the being's head. Tiny fragments litter their suit and I reach in, holding out my hand to help them up.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

Before I can process anything, Keith grabs the being from my hold, steals their weapon, and points the gun at them. "You're Galra."

My eyes widen, my gaze moving back and forth between them. “We are also Galra!”

The creatures from before begin to appear, forming a massive clump.

"Not those things again,” Keith grumbles. The Galran pulls up their screen and flashes of red fill the space between us. “What are you doing?”

“Are you turning this ship into a bomb?" I ask.

The Galran doesn’t bother answering either of us, choosing to continue tapping on their screen instead. The creatures charge towards us and soon the ship explodes, the fire blast so strong it propels us forward. Keith immediately slings his arm around my waist and powers on his shield. I grab the Galran and hold them close as we go through another of the weblum’s holes. We fall onto the fleshy ground.

"Ugh," I groan, shifting to rub my head. Something heavy is on top of me.

HUNK: "Keith! (Y/N)! Keith, are you there? Keith, answer me! (N/N), are you alright? Anyone?”

When I open my eyes, Keith is pressed against me. A warmth spreads onto my cheeks and he blinks as he looks down at me. He blinks again and his eyes widen, making quick movements to get off of me. He falls onto the fleshy ground beside me.

The Galran runs towards us, pushing Keith out of the way to grab their gun. They point the weapon at him and I reach out to grab him as he powers on his shield. The gun goes off, but it’s not pointed at either of us. Rather, it is pointed at the creatures from before. Three of them fall onto the ground.

My shoulders slump as I lean into Keith, closing my eyes in relief.

He powers off his shield. "I guess you can keep your weapon," Keith quietly says, looking at the Galra.

I let out a deep sigh. "I thought you were going to get shot."

Keith nervously chuckles and awkwardly touches the top of his helmet. "So did I."

Narrowing my eyes, I shove him. Hard. “I thought we agreed to be more careful!”

Keith stumbles slightly but manages to catch himself, turning to face me with a sheepish look. "This was me being careful," he mutters, brushing off imaginary dust from his armor.

I groan in frustration, throwing my hands in the air. “How was this b—”

HUNK: “Uh, guys? I know I’m not there, but could we maybe save the argument for when we’re not inside a giant space worm? Kind of worried about the whole... imminent digestion thing?”

The Galra—still holding their weapon, but no longer aiming it at us—steps closer.

Taking a step, I poke them square in the chest. “How about you use words next time you point a gun at us, huh?” I snap. “You know? Talking? With your mouth? Communicating that the—”

Keith sighs loudly. “(N/N), are you kidding me?” He steps between us, yanking me back.

|••••••••••|

HUNK: "Oh, my gosh, I found it! Oh, my gosh, don't throw up. Don't throw—" Hunk gags. "Keith! Keith, you made it! We made it! (Y/N), you made it, too! Who is this?"

The Galra flies forward and away from us, not bothering to talk or offer any explanation.

KEITH: "Someone we found. He doesn't talk much. Also, he's Galra.”

I cross my arms, giving him a pointed look. (Y/N): "They are clearly female. They have too much patience and level-headedness to be male.”

Keith stares at the retreating Galra, pursing his lips. KEITH: “You’re female and you have almost no patience.”

I scoff.

HUNK: "Are you two done yet?"

I blink and flush slightly and Keith looks away, clearing his throat and avoiding my glare.

KEITH: “We’ll finish this later.”

Hunk groans dramatically, his hand covering his face. HUNK: “Great. It’s like I’m stuck with Mom and Dad arguing while the universe tries to eat us.”

I shoot him a look. (Y/N): “Who’s the mom in this scenario?”

Hunk doesn’t even hesitate. HUNK: “You, obviously.”

(Y/N): “I am not the mom.”

KEITH: “Totally the mom.” It comes out as a mutter and I jab him in the side with my elbow.

Hunk stares at the Galra. HUNK: "Wait, so, what, do you guys all know each other?”

I wish I could pinch the bridge of my nose. (Y/N): “No, we do not all know each other. You think all Galra know one another?”

He leans in closer to us. HUNK: “Are you sure we should be rescuing a Galra soldier right now?"

KEITH: "We're Paladins of Voltron. We can't just leave people to die even if they are Galra. Now, come on. Let's get what we came for and get out.”

Keith looks at me for approval. I bite my lip and nod reluctantly.

(Y/N): “Keith’s right.”

HUNK: "Okay, well, that—that might be a problem, too. The scaultrite gland somehow secretes mucus, or saliva, or something gross, which becomes crystallized. The only problem is, I think that we have to trigger the weblum's defense mechanism.”

The weblum rumbles and when I look up, those strange acid creatures are back.

Keith lets out a loud groan. KEITH: "Not again.”

My shoulders slump and I pout. (Y/N): “Seriously?”

The creatures begin to form together into this massive cluster and shoot at us.

HUNK: “Run!”

We quickly jetpack away and Keith draws out his Bayard to slice them. Hunk follows, shooting at the massive cluster. The creatures form back together and Hunk lets out a scream.

HUNK: "They're everywhere! Oh, whoa.”

I try to find my footing, jumping towards Hunk and somersaulting in the air. I land on my feet with ease. Turning around, the massive cluster of acid creatures starts getting pulled in by a strong current.

(Y/N): "What's happening?"

The current starts pulling us in and I grab onto Hunk’s leg, holding on for dear life.

HUNK: "I don't know but we probably should try to not get sucked up with them! I think this thing is getting rid of the excess gas produced from its multiple stomachs.”

Keith looks up at us and grabs my foot with his free hand. KEITH: "What?"

HUNK: "It's farting!"

Hunk lets out a laugh and I giggle.

The current comes to a halt and I fall onto the ground, lifting myself up to stand.

KEITH: "Hunk, what do we gotta do to get that scaultrite gland to goop?"

HUNK: "Uh, oh. Uh... Wait a second, wait a second, wait a second. ‘Stay away from its face.’ The blue laser. Ah! I know what to do!"

Hunk jetpacks away.

KEITH: "What?"

(Y/N): “Where are you going?”

HUNK: "If we want that third stomach gland to secrete the ooze, I need to get farted out of the weblum's butt and attack the face, getting it to fire its laser puke. For the sake of the universe, I'll provoke the beast! You three stay here and get that scaultrite!"

The acid creatures form another cluster and shoot at us. I push the Galra out of the way before they get to them. They pull out their gun and start shooting as I power on my bayard and Keith starts slicing.

KEITH: "Hurry! I don't know how long we can hold these things off."

The current starts again and I look at Hunk's retreating figure before he’s farted out of the weblum.

“Watch out!” the Galra shouts, coming up from behind me and shooting at the creatures.

I turn around, my eyes wide and a cocky grin plastered on my face despite our current ‘fighting for our lives’ situation. (Y/N): “I told you they were female!”

Keith’s cheek twitches and he looks exasperated as he cuts through more creatures. KEITH: “Now is hardly the time.”

HUNK: "I'm out! Heading to my lion now."

A very violent rumble tremors within the weblum and the creatures form into the largest cluster I’ve ever seen. My mouth hangs open as I slash the staff around me.

KEITH: "Hunk, whatever you're gonna do, do it now!"

(Y/N): "I wanna get out of here!"

HUNK: "Roger that. Provoking giant space worm now. Come on!"

They keep attacking us and some hit Keith while he's holding his shield.

KEITH: "Hunk!"

HUNK: "Let's see you ignore me now.”

(Y/N): “Hunk!”

HUNK: “Yoo-hoo! Over here! Yes! Yes, it's gonna do it! Oh, no, it's gonna do it!"

The creatures stop attacking and scatter away.

KEITH: "It's working! I think it's about to get hot in here."

A strong blue light starts emanating and the three of us jetpack into a corner of space to take cover. I make myself as small as I can, leaning into Keith’s side as he powers on his shield and turns his head away towards me. The Galra huddles closer to me and soon a very hot blue laser passes by us.

Swallowing hard, I peek at Keith whose eyes are closed tightly, cheeks flushed pink, and mouth formed in a thin line. The light grows stronger and I close my eyes.

HUNK: "Oh, yes! Oh, no! Oh, yeah! He's out!"

Hunk yells a lot through the comms.

Once the laser diminishes, we disperse and Keith opens several bags. My eyes study the floating translucent pieces of blue and I reach out to grab one.

“Just like the cookies,” I mutter with a faint smile. Keith snorts beside me.

HUNK: "Tell me you got the scaultrite."

KEITH: "Grabbing it now."

|••••••••••|

I fill another bag, turning to glance at Keith. “Do you think these are enough, Mullet?” I ask.

Keith hums in reply and shrugs as he starts counting how many bags we managed to fill. My eyes follow his finger as he mutters under his breath, “Seven, eight, nine…”

The whirring of a weapon draws my attention and I turn to see the Galra stranger pointing her gun at Keith.

I blink, surprised. “Please don’t shoot,” I say, shifting closer to Keith, my hand inching towards my bayard.

He frowns. "So, you're just like the rest of 'em," he whispers.

She keeps her gun steady and lowers herself down to reach for a bag, slinging it over her back. Keeping her gun trained on us, she slowly backs away before breaking out into a sprint and jetpacking away.

Furrowing my brows, I stand and power on my bayard to chase after her, but Keith’s hand firmly grabs the shaft of the staff, stopping me in my tracks.

“Mullet—”

He shakes his head, rising to his feet. “It’s not worth it. Let’s just go.”

KEITH: "We're coming out."

HUNK: "On my way."

My eyes linger on Keith before I reluctantly nod. I put my bayard away, crouching beside him to grab the bags.

“I don’t know who she works for,” I admit.

Keith glances at me, grabbing another bag. “Me neither. Her suit wasn’t the standard imperial one we’ve been seeing.”

I look at where she flew off. “Exactly. And her suit had blue.”

Blinking, his hands falter as they grab the bags. “What does the color blue have to do with anything?”

A soft laugh parts from me as I focus back on the scaultrite bags. “Traditionally, that shade of blue means freedom—power. Why would anyone wear blue under Emperor Zarkon’s reign? It would be like hoping for change.”

“So… blue is outlawed by the Galra?”

I shrug. “Not outlawed, but certainly looked down on. Wearing it would be like opposing the very Emperor himself.”

|••••••••••|

After Keith and I stow the bags of scaultrite in the belly of the Yellow Lion, we walk into the cockpit. I strap myself in.

"Where's your buddy?" Hunk asks, looking at us.

"She’s long gone by now,” Keith sighs as he straps himself in next to me, “and she got a bag of scaultrite.”

"What? Should we go after her?"

“That’s exactly what I wanted to do,” I grumble, looking out at the stars.

"Whatever the Galra are planning won't matter after we defeat Zarkon,” Keith says.

"Copy that."

"By the way, Hunk, you really came through in the clutch back there. Without you, the mission would have been a failure."

"Aw, thanks, Galra Keith. You're all right. I think turning Galra has made you a better human."

Keith’s face contorts. "I didn't just turn Galra!"

I laugh the moment I see his face change. "I have to agree with Hunk. Galra Keith is a lot better."

His head falls back against his seat and he stares at me. "You too?”

Smiling at him, I turn my attention over to Hunk, still laughing. “Galra Keith is also a lot funnier.”

"Agreed," Hunk grins.

"However, I really like Human Hunk."

"And I really like Galra (Y/N)."

“Are you two done yet?” Keith asks, his eyes still watching me.

“I think we ought to continue the rest of the flight back to the Castle Ship,” I say.

Hunk nods. “Galra Keith is also a lot quicker.”

“And loyal.”

“And grumpy.”

“And—”

“Galra Keith is also very annoyed right now,” Keith chimes in with a loud sigh.

My nose scrunches to hold back a snort as I turn to look at him. “Oh, you’re annoyed, are you?”

Keith leans back in his seat, crossing his arms with an almost endearing scowl. “Yes, I’m annoyed. You and Hunk won’t shut up.”

Hunk throws his hands up dramatically. “Excuse me for trying to lighten the mood after nearly getting digested by an intergalactic space worm.”

Keith rolls his eyes but doesn’t respond, his jaw tightening as he stares out the window.

I tilt my head, a sly smile tugging at my lips as I lean toward him slightly. “You know, Mullet, you’re kinda cute when you’re grumpy.”

His eyes flicker to me, a faint hint of pink dusting his cheeks. “Don’t start.”

“Start what?” I tease, feigning innocence. “You’re the one who’s always brooding. It’s like your default setting.”

Hunk snickers. “She’s got a point.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Keith mutters.

“Oh come on, Mullet,” I say, smiling sweetly at him. “We’re bonding.”

“Sure doesn’t feel like it.”

Hunk sighs, throwing his head back dramatically. “Okay, but can we just acknowledge that I got farted out of a space worm? Because I feel like I’m not getting enough credit here.”

I laugh. “Don’t worry, Hunk. I’ll make sure we all remember your heroic sacrifice.”

Keith lets out a small snort, his lips twitching into a reluctant smile. “Yeah, Hunk. You really took one for the team.”

Hunk grins, puffing out his chest. "That's right. Hunk Garrett, defender of the universe, one worm fart at a time."

I love these guys.

Chapter Text

Your POV:

Hunk stares at Keith, whose eyes are shut. His head is tilted back and his arms are crossed over his chest as they often are. Keith's lips are slightly pouting and stray strands of hair form a curtain over his features, the strands moving with each breath he takes.

I want to frame this moment—he looks so cute.

Keith opens one eye and raises a brow, glancing at me and then at Hunk. "Are you trying to see if my skin is purple?" he asks.

Shaking his head quickly, Hunk focuses back on the course. "No."

I lean in closer, inspecting Keith's face through his helmet. "Maybe we should get a closer look to ensure."

"Not a chance, (Y/N)," he mutters.

"Oh, come on, Mullet."

"Can you stop bringing up my—" he bites off his words like he's just realizing how ridiculous this conversation sounds. "Forget it."

I grin, leaning back in my seat but keeping my gaze fixed on him. "Bringing up what? Your mullet? Your Galra genes? Your charming personality?"

Keith groans, dragging a hand down his face. "Why do I even talk to you?"

"Because you secretly love it," I say with a cheeky smile. "Admit it, Keith. You'd miss me if I stopped."

He scoffs, rolling his eyes, though his gaze lingers for a tick too long. He is looking at me like he did in the medical wing of the Castle Ship. The way he looks at me when it's just the two of us. "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

For all his grumpiness and walls, Keith Kogane has a heart bigger than he realizes. And whether he knows it or not, it's already got a pretty strong hold on mine.

Hunk chuckles. "Okay, okay, enough teasing Keith before he actually turns purple. Let's focus on getting back to the Castle without another worm incident."

"Agreed."

I glance out the viewport, watching the stars streak past as we fly.

Hunk clears his throat. "So, (Y/N), how are you holding up? That was a pretty close call back there."

"I'm fine," I say quickly, waving a hand. "Nothing I can't handle."

Keith's eyes shift to me, and for a moment, I think he's about to say something. Instead, he just presses his lips together and looks away.

"You two have had a lot of close calls actually," Hunk continues. "(Y/N) with the pod fiasco, Keith with the Blade, both of you with the weblum and Galra stranger. Is it in your Galra DNA to get into trouble?"

"Trouble seems to find us," I reply, shooting Hunk a grin. "Or maybe we're just really unlucky."

"Unlucky," Keith mutters under his breath. "That's one way to put it."

I tilt my head at him, raising a brow. "Oh? Got a better explanation, Mullet?"

He glares at me half-heartedly, the corner of his mouth twitching in what could almost be a smile. "Yeah, you're a magnet for chaos, and I get stuck dealing with it."

"Excuse me," I retort, feigning offense. "And just how many times did I save your life, mister? A little gratitude wouldn't kill you."

"Yeah because snapping at the Galra soldier when she had a gun in her hands was so smart."

Hunk groans loudly. "Alright, alright! Let's not start another argument. Geez, you two are impossible. Seriously, just kiss already and save the universe from all this unresolved whatever-this-is."

Stars above.

Both Keith and I freeze, turning to stare at him with wide eyes.

"What?!" we both say in unison, our voices higher-pitched than normal.

Hunk shrugs, completely unfazed. "I'm just saying what we're all thinking."

Keith's ears are red, and he refuses to meet my eyes as he mutters, "I'm going to kill him."

I can feel my own cheeks heating up, but I roll my eyes. "Seriously, Hunk, there's nothing here. Just standard teammate bickering."

Absolutely nothing. Keith and I are just friends.

Hunk snorts. "Yeah, because when you were in the healing pod, Keith definitely—"

Wait, what did Keith do while I was in the healing pod?

Keith's head snaps toward Hunk, his glare sharp. "Hunk, I swear if you say another word—"

The computer of the Yellow Lion beeps loudly, cutting off both of their sentences. I blink and sit up straighter as I take in the panic of Allura's expression.

ALLURA: "(Y/N), Hunk, Keith, are you there? Can you hear me?"

Keith's cheeks are dark red and he sits up in his seat, clearing his throat. KEITH: "We're all here. What's going on, Princess?"

ALLURA: "You must return to the Castle! I need you!"

KEITH: "We're on our way."

HUNK: "We'll be there soon."

The computer beeps again and Allura's face disappears.

I frown and the joking mood is no longer present. "What do you think is happening?" I ask, sobered.

"I'm not sure," Keith says softly. "But whatever it is, it can't be good."

A wormhole quickly appears and Hunk takes us through it. As we exit, the Blue Lion flies beside us and I blink at the sight before us.

It's the damn Drazil Robeast and it's shooting at the Castle Ship with its green laser beam.

I grip the armrest tightly as Hunk maneuvers Yellow out of the way. (Y/N): "Are you kidding me? I thought the Balmera ate it!" My eyes narrow incredulously as I look at it closer. "It doesn't even have a head!"

KEITH: "How did we beat it last time?"

HUNK: "We formed Voltron, then I stuck in my Bayard and shot it with my blaster right in its arm lasers. But that didn't stop it so then we had to punch it."

SHIRO: "So we're gonna need Voltron."

PIDGE: "But we only have two Lions."

LANCE: "Well, maybe we can form the legs and kick it?"

(Y/N): "And how is that supposed to work, Lance?"

LANCE: "Do you not think that that's a good idea?"

The Robeast shoots towards us again and we dodge the attack. The lasers hit two moons instead and they explode. I cower at the sound and flinch at the fire that fills our peripheral.

(Y/N): "No Lance! I don't think it's a good idea. We need Voltron!"

The impact from the moon explosions shakes the Yellow Lion and Hunk struggles to stabilize it.

Keith grips the edge of his seat. KEITH: "We need a plan, now!"

HUNK: "I'm open to ideas! Preferably ones that don't involve being vaporized!"

Alarms begin to blare louder.

I need to get to Violet.

SHRIO: "That new laser is much more powerful. We're definitely gonna need all the Lions. Hunk, you distract it so we can fly into the castle. Once we get our Lions out, we'll cover you so you can fly Keith in for Red."

The Blue Lion leaves our side, flying towards the Castle Ship.

KEITH: "And (Y/N) for the Purple Lion."

LANCE: "Kinda forgot we have a secret lion."

SHIRO: "We need all Lions."

HUNK: "Wait, wait, wait. I have to hold that thing off by myself?"

PIDGE: "You have Keith."

LANCE: "And (Y/N) who is basically the best one out of all of us."

HUNK: "Yeah, but they're both in here with me!"

The two exchange looks: Keith deadpanned and Hunk freaked out.

SHIRO: "There's no time to argue. We got to do this now."

The Robeast turns its focus on us, raising its arms and crystals. HUNK: "Oh, quiznak."

It starts shooting its laser beam at us and I see the tremor through Hunk's body. I unbuckle myself and rush to Hunk's side, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Hunk, sweetie," I say softly, trying to keep the frustration and panic inside, "focus. You can do this."

"Those crystals are blocking all of our attacks!" Hunk yells.

"Yeah," Keith chimes in. "Focus on the fact that if you fail to distract the Robeast, the others might die and we can't form Voltron. And then the Balmera is in danger yet again."

Did he just...

I turn my head, glaring at Keith. "Why would you say something like that? You should try to encourage him!"

"I'm only stating the obvious."

"Hunk hyperventilating means we can't distract the Robeast! Which means we're all dead!"

As if on cue, Hunk starts to shake his head, trembling even more. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this," Hunk sobs as he pilots Yellow. "I can't defend this evil robot on my own!"

"Keith," I seethe. "So help me I will strangle you the minute we defeat this robot."

Keith leans back slightly, throwing his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay! I'll... try to be encouraging." He pauses, clearly struggling to find the right words. "Uh... Hunk, you've... done this before. You've got this. Probably."

I glare at him, crossing my arms. "That was the worst pep talk I've ever heard."

Keith scowls. "Well, maybe you should do it then!"

Hunk lets out a panicked whimper, his knuckles white on the controls as the Yellow Lion narrowly avoids another laser. "Guys, now's not the time to argue! I need help, not a front-row seat to your bickering!"

Taking a deep breath, I place both hands on Hunk's shoulders, leaning in close so he can hear me over the blaring alarms. "Hunk, listen to me. You are the heart of this team. You've handled worse than this, and you've always pulled through. You've got two people in this Lion who believe in you. You're going to outfly this Robeast and keep us safe because that's what you do. Got it?"

Hunk blinks rapidly, his breathing evening out just slightly. He nods, his grip on the controls steadying. "Okay... okay. I can do this."

"That's my guy," I say with a firm pat on his shoulder before sitting back down.

Keith mutters under his breath, "Show-off."

I smirk at him. "It's called effective communication, Mullet. You should try it sometime."

The lasers hit the Castle Ship, knocking down its particle barrier. "Oh, no! The Castle is doomed unless we distract that beast." Hunk rams the Yellow Lion into the Robeast, separating its crystals, and I grip both of my arms onto the chair. We start moving backwards and the Robeast follows us.

"Good, it's chasing us," Keith says, sighing in relief.

The Robeast starts shooting at us once again.

"Bank left!" I yell.

"Barrel roll!"

"Hard right!"

"Nose dive!"

"Quit back lion driving!" Hunk says as he follows what we say.

Lance's face appears on the screen of Yellow's computer. LANCE: "I'll distract it! Go get the Red and Purple Lions!"

"Oh ho ho, good timing, Lance!" Hunk responds.

"You are literally my favorite person right now," I say as relief washes over me.

Lance winks and his face disappears.

Hunk quickly steers Yellow towards the Castle Ship and Blue steps in.

There's a sudden violent jolt throughout Yellow as the laser hits us.

"Aaah!" Keith and Hunk scream.

LANCE: "Guys!"

I close my eyes tightly, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms as I scream. My entire body burns, the temperature unbearably hot. The systems shut off and we begin freefalling, breaking through the Balmera's atmosphere.

"Hunk, do something!" Keith yells.

"I can't move!" Hunk responds. "I'm hit. Nothing's working! Come on, boy. Come back to me."

The Green and Blue Lions start firing at the Robeast and Shiro comes with Black, grabbing onto the back of Yellow.

LANCE: "I'm getting real sick of that crystal. Let's take it out."

PIDGE: "On it. Shiro, it's on its way to the Castle!"

(Y/N): "Well then do something!"

SHIRO: "I got it!"

The Black Lion releases us and heads to where the others are attempting to fight.

HUNK: "Well, who's got me?"

Keith unbuckles himself, heading to the back.

"Where are you going?" Hunk asks, looking over at him.

"I'll jump out and jetpack over to the Castle," he responds. He's already gone.

Hunk laughs. "Good one. Wait, seriously?" he asks.

I unbuckle myself, giving Hunk a brief wave as I follow after Keith. "Bye Hunk, good luck!"

SHIRO: "Form jaw blade!"

As Keith and I exit Yellow, Shiro attacks the Robeast in the distance.

"We gotta hurry!" Keith says, jetpacking upwards.

I turn on my jetpack and follow behind him.

PIDGE: "We'll keep the crystals busy. Shiro, you attack from the other side."

SHIRO: "On my way."

The Robeast fires its laser again and the green beam nearly consumes us.

KEITH: "(Y/N)!" His voice cracks, his eyes wide as he jetpacks towards me, pushing me out of the way.

(Y/N): "Keith!"

I clutch onto him tightly as we spiral away from the laser. Keith's arms tighten around me as we spin through the vacuum of space, the force of the laser's energy still vibrating in my ears. I focus on the sound of Keith's rapid breathing.

We stabilize midair, his jetpack roaring as he steadies us both. I blink, trying to shake the disorientation from the close call and find myself face-to-face with him. His eyes are wide, pupils blown with adrenaline.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his voice gruff but filled with concern.

I nod, my hands still clutching his armor before I reluctantly let go. "Yeah. Thanks to you." A sudden blast from the Robeast sends another shockwave rippling through the vacuum of space, and I grit my teeth, grabbing Keith's arm to pull us closer to the Castle Ship. "Come on!"

HUNK: "Hey, my Lion's working again! I'm back, baby!"

The Yellow Lion soars past us and when I turn around, the Robeast grabs Yellow, powering on its laser. Blue, Green, and Black immediately fire at the Robeast, and Keith and I are sent spiraling once again. The Castle Ship fires next and Yellow is released from its grasp.

KEITH: "Guys, we're still out in open space!"

(Y/N): "Are you trying to cook us al—Violet!"

Violet comes into my vision and my shoulders sag with momentary relief. Keith and I part ways and I rush into her, taking my seat and grabbing the controls.

HUNK: "Okay. Let's go. Oh, whoa. Wait, what? Oh, man! Not again! Oh, no, no, no!"

Red comes and shoots the Robeast in its chest. KEITH: "Sorry we're late, guys."

LANCE: "Okay, let's form Voltron and take this thing down like we did last time."

KEITH: "I don't think the Robeast is gonna sit around and wait for us to transform."

SHIRO: "Keith's right. We'll need to think of something else."

(Y/N): "We need to somehow distract it."

HUNK: "Hey, at least we outnumber those crystal shields."

LANCE: "Yeah, he can only block two of us."

We continue to shoot at the Robeast, the Lions circling it on all sides. I keep Violet's laser beam steady on it.

PIDGE: "I think I've got an idea. Guys, see if you can get me an open shot at its chest."

SHIRO: "Got it!"

Lance quickly freezes the crystals on the Robeast's hands and Pidge shoots at its chest. Thick vines sprout out of the crystal.

SHIRO: "Nice job, Pidge. Now form Voltron!"

ALL: "Yeah!"

As they fly up, Violet and I are being dragged in the direction that the others are.

I blink. "Wait, Violet, what's going on?" I ask.

She's quiet for a few ticks. "We're about to form Voltron with them." Her voice is somber. "This is in preparation for what has yet to come."

"What has yet to come?" The blood drains from my face. "What do you mean? Is there something more powerful than Voltron? Is that why we're being pulled in?"

"They are advancing." It's barely a whisper, barely audible, but I catch it anyway. "It's happening too fast."

The pull toward forming Voltron is overwhelming, a gravitational force drawing Violet into position. My heart races as I struggle to process her words.

What is coming? What could be more powerful than Voltron? What does she mean by advancing? Who's advancing? The Galra? The Empire? Haggar's creations?

"Violet," I whisper, my voice trembling. "What's happening?"

Her response is faint, almost reluctant. "The stars have spoken. Your destiny is written."

My chest tightens and I swallow hard. "You're the cryptic voice in my head?"

All of a sudden there's a blinding white light and when it dims down, I can see that I'm in a different position. I am the heart—the center.

"Stars above," I whisper with wide eyes. "I'm part of Voltron."

The Paladins yell as we move towards the Robeast, Keith driving the sword straight into its chest where its crystal rests. The Robeast sputters, electricity crackling out of it before it explodes into a blinding fire. Millions of tiny pieces scatter across space, the debris shooting towards us as we back away.

ALLURA: "Great work, Paladins. Now return to the Castle so we can get back to Olkarion."

|••••••••••|

After Voltron dissembles, the Paladins and I walk to the control room of the Castle Ship. Allura is with a light blue creature. He's lying on the consoles and Allura watches him with her arms crossed over her chest.

Violet's words keep repeating in my mind. If she was the voice, why didn't she tell me? Why make me suffer through fear and anxiety? Does she think I can't handle the truth? Because I can. I can handle a lot of things, and this shouldn't be any different.

What destiny does she keep referring to? My vow to restore the Galra Empire? They were just words whispered in desperation, I didn't think the stars were actually listening.

"Why is there a grand entrance on the 40th floor? And what's with all the ziplines? You have hover technology," the strange creature says, flicking a piece of earwax towards us. I blink and tilt my head.

Ew.

"Well, you know what? Ziplines were quite fashionable 10,000 years ago," Allura snaps.

"Allura, have you heard from Coran?" Keith asks.

"Yes." Her eyes are still trained on the creature.

"So we ready to pop through the wormhole and get back to Olkarion?" Lance asks.

She shakes her head, turning her focus to us. "Yes! I've checked in with Coran and the teludav is nearly complete." She smiles at us. "Thank you for getting the scaultrite."

"No problem," Hunk says, giving a thumbs up.

Lance smirks. "We did pretty great, too. We brought in this guy, didn't we?"

Shiro grimaces. "Slav is..."

Slav flicks another piece of earwax and Allura stares at him for a few ticks before pinching the bridge of her nose and walking towards her controls with a loud sigh.

"Uh..." Pidge starts and I turn to look at her. "Is no one going to question the fact that the Purple Lion was part of Voltron?"

"Yeah," Hunk adds. "What was that about?"

I purse my lips. "Violet joins Voltron in dire circumstances."

Lance shrugs, taking his helmet off and shaking his hair. "Who cares? We won, we defeated another Robeast. That's a win in my book. I'm taking a much-needed nap before we reach Olkarion."

"Rest sounds great," Hunk mutters, already heading for the door behind Lance.

Pidge hesitates but then shrugs. "Honestly, I could go for a quick nap, too." She peeks at Slav. "He's like a walking headache."

I offer her a small, tentative smile. "Sleep well."

Violet's voice echoes faintly in my mind again, her tone as solemn as before. "Your path will diverge soon. Be ready."

My heart skips a beat, and my smile falters. I force myself to focus on Keith, who's now watching me with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"You okay?" he asks, his brow furrowing.

I nod quickly, plastering on a smile that I don't quite feel. "Yeah. Just tired. Long day."

Keith doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't push. "Get some rest."

"I think I'm gonna go train for a bit," I say, turning to leave.

If my destiny really is written in the stars, I have no idea what it means for me—or for us. Why will my path diverge soon? Nothing Violet's told me makes any damn sense.

|••••••••••|

"Combat drones," I mutter to myself. "Let's make this quick."

Sweat drips on the back of my neck, clinging to the hair there. I'm panting, my heart is racing, but my mind is still all foggy. Training is supposed to help clear my brain and provide clarity. It's supposed to make all the frustration and fear go away. It's supposed to fix me.

It hasn't done anything besides feed my anxiety.

Violet refuses to answer me. It's like she's intent on keeping the secret until the very last possible moment.

I took off my Paladin armor after defeating The Gladiator, needing to feel like myself. If there's anything I've taken from the imperial fighting arena, it's that you can't count on anything like armor. I need to sharpen my senses again. Who knows what is coming?

Flinging my shirt off, I am left in a burgundy tank top. I push the hair out of my face with the back of my hand. My braid has started to loosen. I bounce back and force on my feet, making sure to keep my heartbeat elevated.

The room lights up as drones begin to emerge from the walls, their movements deliberate and sharp. I sink into a fighting stance, fists clenched, muscles coiling. The first drone lunges, and I move on instinct, ducking low and delivering a sweeping kick that sends it crashing into the wall. Another two come and I power on my Bayard, driving the double-bladed staff into both drones simultaneously.

The hum of the training room intensifies as more drones activate, their glowing optics fixed on me like predators stalking prey. My pulse pounds in my ears and the tension in my muscles feels electric. This is what I need—something tangible to fight, something I can destroy.

A drone fires a low-energy bolt at me, and I twist, narrowly avoiding the shot. Spinning my Bayard, I strike the drone's core, shattering it with a satisfying crack. The staff hums in my hands, vibrating with power. I grit my teeth and whirl around just in time to block another drone's strike, the clash of metal against my Bayard sending sparks flying.

"Come on," I mutter under my breath, adjusting my grip. "Is this all you've got?"

As if answering the challenge, three more drones emerge from the walls. My arms burn, sweat drips into my eyes, but I refuse to falter. This fight is more than just training—it's a way to drown out the endless noise in my head. Violet's cryptic warnings, Keith's worried glances, my own spiraling thoughts—they all melt away in the rhythm of combat.

I can't afford any distractions.

I vault over one of the drones, landing behind it and slashing with precision. It collapses in a heap of sparks and shattered circuits. Another drone closes in, and I sidestep its attack, driving my elbow into its center before finishing it with a downward strike.

A drone circles me, calculating, its movements eerily deliberate. My breaths come in short bursts as I track its every motion. "You're smarter than the rest, huh?" I taunt, my voice low.

The drone lunges, and I meet it head-on. I block its strike, pushing it back with sheer force. It retaliates quickly, and I'm forced into a defensive stance, deflecting its blows with precision. My arms ache, and my muscles scream in protest, but I refuse to let up.

Finally, I spot an opening. With a sharp cry, I twist my body and slam the Bayard into the drone. The impact sends it skidding across the floor, its lights flickering before going dark. Another drone charges towards me and without missing a beat, I kick it into the air, sending it flying across the room.

Silence fills the room, broken only by my ragged breathing. I stand there for a moment, my Bayard still poised, waiting for another attack. When none comes, I deactivate the weapon and let my arms fall to my sides.

My heart is still racing, but it's not enough. The clarity I was searching for hasn't come. The unease remains. I clench my fists tightly, nails biting into my skin so hard it might draw blood.

"Impressive," a voice says from the doorway.

I spin around, my Bayard powering back to life.

Keith.

He stands there, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. His helmet is gone, and his hair is slightly disheveled, as if he'd been running his hands through it. His expression is a mix of curiosity and concern, though he masks it with his usual stoic demeanor.

"How long have you been standing there?" I demand, trying to steady my breathing.

"Long enough," he replies, pushing off the frame and walking toward me. "You didn't hear me come in?"

I deactivate my Bayard and wipe the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. "No."

Keith stops a few steps away, his gaze scanning the scattered remains of the drones. "Looks like you've got some things on your mind."

I snort, walking past him and grabbing a towel from the bench. I drape it over my shoulders. "You think?"

He tilts his head, studying me in that intense way he does, like he's trying to read my thoughts. "Did it help?"

"Yes."

His eyebrows furrow. "(N/N), be honest."

I meet his eyes, and for a second, I consider telling him everything—Violet's cryptic warnings, the fear gnawing at me, the uncertainty about what's coming next. But the words catch in my throat.

"I'm fine," I say instead, forcing a smile. "Just needed to blow off some steam."

"Are you sure?"

Brushing past him, I head for the door. "I said I'm fine."

"(Y/N)—"

"Get some rest, Keith."

I don't look back.

|••••••••••|

We stand in one of the buildings of Olkarion, staring down at the massive structure before us.

"We've made great progress while you were gone. And now that we have the scaultrite, we should be finished in less than a quintant," Coran says.

"Wow. That is one giant teludav," Lance says in awe.

"Nice work, Coran," Keith says with a slight smile.

"Good job, Coran. Fist bump." Hunk slings one arm over Coran's shoulder and gestures a fist bump. Coran pounds it. "Now blow it up."

Coran's eyes widen. "Oh, don't you dare!" Coran gasps, pushing Hunk off and pointing outside. "It took forever to build this teludav. And let's not forget it's a pivotal piece that we need for our plan to defeat Zarkon."

Defeat him once and for all.

Slav's face appears on the screen.

"Aaah!" Coran screams and runs to the screen, looking at Slav with widened eyes. He lets out a soft whimper.

"I've made some improvements to your design," Slav says in a matter-of-factly tone as he bangs on the teludav. "This will increase our chances of survival in this reality 205 percent."

Coran turns to look at us. "Is this guy a little...?"

"Yes," Shiro says, closing his eyes.

"No doubt," Pidge says quickly and looks away.

"Not a fan," Lance strains.

"Stop hitting the teludav!" Coran screams.

There's a small explosion and black smoke fills the screen.

"Ow," Slav groans.

"What an idiot," I mutter, turning to rest my head on Keith's shoulder and letting out a quiet groan.

Keith stiffens when I lean my head against his shoulder, and for a moment, I regret the impulsive action. But then, to my surprise, he relaxes slightly. I feel his arm twitch as though he's debating whether or not to put it around me. His arm doesn't move, doesn't shift to reciprocate, but his stance softens just enough that I know he's not about to push me away.

I'm too exhausted to move, too emotionally drained to care about anything. His shoulder is solid beneath my cheek, and the steady rhythm of his breathing grounds me in a way I desperately need. I close my eyes and let myself pretend that the world isn't falling apart around us, that we're just two people leaning on each other because it's easier than standing alone.

"You okay?" he asks quietly, his voice low enough that the others don't hear.

I shrug, still staring at the smoke. "Just tired, I guess. Long day."

His gaze lingers on me and I can tell he's not entirely convinced, but he doesn't press further. Instead, he shifts his stance, subtly leaning closer as though shielding me from the world. "You're pushing yourself too hard," he says, barely above a whisper.

"I'm fine," I reply automatically, the same words I've been repeating for what feels like forever. They sound hollow even to my own ears.

Keith huffs softly, not buying it.

I clear my throat, avoiding his gaze, lifting my head up. "Sorry. Didn't mean to... you know."

He shakes his head. "Whatever you need—I'm here for you."

|••••••••••|

Pidge and I sit at the edge of the teludav, our feet dangling down. Lance, Shiro, Hunk, and Keith stand behind us. The sun is setting, casting a golden yellow glow upon Olkarion. A faint breeze pulls at my hair and my heart feels heavy as I look at the massive structure.

"What's everybody thinking about?" Pidge asks.

"Zarkon," Shiro states.

"Calzones," Hunk says almost immediately. We all turn to look at him. "I mean, uh, heck, yeah, I'm thinking about calzones, okay? I mean, does it always have to be about Zarkon? He's a bad guy. We're trying to defeat him. I get it. I'm hungry." Hunk groans and his stomach rumbles.

I smile faintly, turning to look back at the setting sun. "Honestly, me too."

"We've come a long way," Keith sighs, seating himself beside me.

Lance snorts, sitting between us and glancing back. "Yeah, remember when Hunk used to throw up from riding in the elevator?" he asks.

Hunk groans. "You guys remember that Arusian, Klaizap? I think his name was? Cool name," he says.

"Yeah, Keith tried to beat him up even though he's the size of a peanut." Lance chuckles, nudging Keith.

Keith glares at him. "He was their bravest warrior!"

I snort as Lance pouts and leans his head on me. I rest my cheek atop his head, peering at Keith. "Oh, come on. He was a cute little guy, Mullet" I chuckle.

"How about the time the food goo machines attacked us in the kitchen?" Pidge asks.

"That was the scariest thing that's happened to me the entire time I've been here." Hunk shudders.

I smile. "Truly terrifying."

"Oh, come on." Lance sighs.

"What? It's the truth!" Hunk exclaims.

"We faced sentries, a haunted castle, giant Robeasts, a mall security guard."

"And don't forget that cool cube thing," Pidge adds.

"Yeah, and that awful cube thing."

"And the mermaids," I chime in.

Lance blushes.

Keith leans back to look at me. "What about you? What are you thinking about?"

I hesitate, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. "I guess... the future," I admit.

He just nods. "It's hard not to think about that with everything going on."

Lance leans back on his hands, tilting his face toward the sky. "Okay, serious question. When all this is over, what's the first thing everyone wants to do?"

"Eat," Hunk says without hesitation.

"Same," Pidge adds.

Shiro smiles faintly. "I'd probably sleep for a week."

"That's boring," Lance groans. He looks at me, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, (Y/N)? Any big post-saving-the-universe plans?"

I blink, caught off guard by the question. Honestly, I haven't let myself think that far ahead. The idea of a life beyond the war, beyond Voltron, feels distant, almost unreal. The thought of having a life at all after all of this feels almost unreal. I'm willing to die if it means taking down Emperor Zarkon.

I keep my gaze fixed on the horizon. "I don't know," I say finally. "I guess... maybe find somewhere quiet. Somewhere I can breathe."

"That sounds nice," Keith says quietly, his tone contemplative. "I wouldn't mind that either."

Lance makes a face. "You two are so boring. Quiet? Breathing? Come on, dream bigger!"

Keith glares at him. "Not everything has to be about showing off, Lance."

"Yeah, but what's the point of saving the universe if you don't have a little fun afterward?" Lance shoots back, grinning.

"You know, once we defeat Zarkon, the universe won't need Voltron anymore," Shiro states.

Lance's gaze softens. "We can return to Earth."

"I can look for my family," Pidge says with a faint smile.

Keith shrugs. "And I guess I could look for mine."

My heart breaks a little. "You'll all be able to move on with your lives."

He turns to look at me. "The Galra will need a leader."

Tei'rah alesul. Vae pal lider. The stars have spoken. Your destiny is written.

I swallow hard, forcing my eyes ahead to the horizon. "Yeah," I say softly, the word barely audible. "The Galra will need a leader."

A half-Galra Empress after Emperor Zarkon's 10,000-year reign is almost laughable. I will never light the Flame. I don't care what Violet or the stars say—the next leader of the Galra Empire isn't going to be me.

"This is it," Shiro says. "As long as everything goes according to plan, we can't fail."

I nod. "We'll be ready."

|••••••••••|

Brushing my teeth in my bathroom by the locker room, water drips from my hairline as I hold the towel tightly around myself. As the cool water runs down my neck, I stare at my reflection, wiping away the droplets from my face.

Lance steps behind me, dropping a fresh towel on my head. I snort as I brush my teeth, draping it better across my shoulders.

He walks into the sink beside me, a robe tied around himself, and I hand him the toothpaste. He's half asleep as he sticks the toothbrush into his mouth.

"Thanks, space sis," Lance mutters, his mouth full.

Giving him a small smile, I lean down to rinse my mouth.

Keith's pale cheeks turn into a light rosy color as he steps into the bathroom. He stands there for a moment, only blinking. His eyes flicker toward Lance, still brushing his teeth beside me, then back to me, like he's trying to read the situation.

Lance finishes brushing his teeth, and with a sleepy grin, he slaps me on the back. "Good night," he says, biting back a yawn.

"Night, Lancey." My eyes connect with Keith's through the mirror. "Hey, Mullet," I say as I wipe my mouth.

His arms cross tightly across his chest as he steps in. "Hey," he responds, his voice rough. "Didn't realize you were in here."

I shrug. "Well, it's a bathroom. You know, kind of where people go to... do their thing."

His lips twitch, but he doesn't smile.

My eyebrows furrow. "You good?" I ask.

"Um..." he trails off. "Just... yeah."

Keith's POV:

I watch Lance shuffle out of the bathroom, still half asleep, a faint grin on his face. His casual attitude, the way he just slapped (Y/N) on the back, made me tense up more than I'd like to admit. I force my jaw to loosen, but it doesn't help. I force my hands to stop clenching and unclenching, but that doesn't help either.

I probably look so pathetic.

My eyes fall back on her. She's standing there, towel wrapped around her, hair still damp from the shower. She doesn't even seem to notice how much her presence is affecting me. Her eyes are focused on the mirror, wiping at her mouth, and for a split second, I forget how to breathe. I swallow hard, trying to clear my throat, but my mouth feels dry. I don't know what it is, but something about the way she's standing there, so effortlessly herself, makes the air feel heavy.

"Hey," I finally say, keeping my voice deliberately casual. "Didn't realize you were in here."

She looks at me through the mirror, her face lighting up with that little half-smile of hers, and it hits me like a punch to the gut. It's all I can focus on—the warmth in her eyes, the ease in her smile. I almost forget what I was going to say.

"Well, it's a bathroom," she responds, shrugging as she finishes wiping her mouth. "You know, kind of where people go to... do their thing."

I should've laughed, should've said something witty or sarcastic, but all I can do is watch her. The towel around her frame, the way her wet hair clings to her skin... I can't stop my mind from wandering, even though I know it's wrong.

I feel stupid standing here, staring at her like some love-struck idiot. But something about her tonight, how tired she is, how vulnerable she looks—it breaks me.

I want to say something, anything, to make this less awkward, but instead, I just stand there, my arms instinctively crossing in front of me as a shield. I can't let her see how much she's affecting me, how much I want her to notice me the way I notice her. How much I just want her.

"You good?" she asks, her voice pulling me out of my thoughts. Her eyes are on me now, studying me with that familiar, gentle concern.

I hesitate. What's the right answer?

"Um..." I trail off, rubbing the back of my neck, my gaze flickering to the door where Lance just left. "Just... yeah."

Is this a trap? Is this a loaded question? Why is she looking at me like that? Why does she look so beautiful with her cheeks flushed from the warmth of her shower?

I swallow hard.

I thought I lost her, nearly lost her so many damn times. I don't know what I would've done if she didn't wake up from her coma. I don't know what I would do if she wasn't part of my life.

Quiznak, I think I love her.

I want to say something real, something that's been building up inside of me for weeks. The jealousy I've tried to bury every time I see her with Lance, the longing I've kept locked away because she doesn't know, doesn't feel the same way.

I know I shouldn't feel this way. I know it's stupid. But I can't help it.

I really love her. I'm in love with her. I have been in love with her.

I glance at her again, and this time, my eyes linger on her for just a second too long. Her expression doesn't change, but she's trying to figure me out. She tilts her head in that way she always does, subconsciously biting her bottom lip, her gaze unwavering.

I force myself to look away, stepping back a bit to give her space, but it doesn't help. I need to leave. I need to get out of here before I do something stupid.

I move to turn away, but I pause for a moment. Her scent, fresh from the shower, fills my senses, and I swallow hard again. She smells so good.

"Good night," I manage to mumble, not daring to look back as I make my way toward the door.

I'm halfway out the door when I hear her voice, softer than before.

"Keith?"

I stop. The sound of my name on her lips—it does something to me. Makes my chest tighten in ways I don't understand. I turn to look at her, my heart skipping a beat.

"Yeah?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her gaze locks onto mine, and for a moment, I swear time slows. She's holding the towel tighter around herself now, her fingers gripping the fabric like it's anchoring her. She hesitates, biting her bottom lip again and the look in her eyes is enough to make my pulse race.

"Thanks," she says finally, her voice quiet but steady. "For, you know... always having my back."

Oh.

That's not what I was expecting.

I nod, swallowing hard. "Always," I say, my voice rough. "You don't have to thank me for that."

She offers me a small smile.

I know I should leave. I should walk out of this bathroom, let her finish getting ready for bed, and pretend this whole interaction never happened. But I can't move. I'm rooted to the spot, torn between staying and going, between saying something and staying silent.

Her eyes drift away from mine, her gaze falling to the floor. "Good night, Keith," she says softly, almost like she's dismissing me.

I hesitate, the words I've been holding back threatening to spill out.

Say something. Tell her. Just—

"Good night," I manage, forcing my feet to carry me out the door.

As I walk down the hallway, my heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might break through my chest. My mind is racing, replaying every second of that conversation, every look, every word.

I run a hand through my hair, frustrated with myself.

I'm such a coward.

I stop just outside my door and turn around, staring at (Y/N)'s door. How cruel it is for the one person I want wholeheartedly to be so close to me, yet so out of my reach.

Maybe someday I'll have the courage.

I scoff, shaking my head.

Who am I kidding?

Your POV:

I stare at the door of the bathroom, blinking. My heart is racing, my pulse thundering in my ears. I lean against the sink, gripping the edges tightly as I try to steady myself.

What is this feeling? Why do I only have it when I'm with him?

What just happened?

Keith had looked odd. His usual stoic mask was still there, but something about him felt off, like he was holding back. And then there was the way he'd glanced at Lance before looking at me. Did he think...?

I snort and shake my head, laughing silently to myself.

Did Keith think there was something between me and Lance? Now that's an absurd thought. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see that there's absolutely nothing there.

Lance is like a brother to me—annoying at times but fiercely loyal, and not at all someone I'd think of that way. I press my palm to my forehead, letting out a long sigh.

What was that look in Keith's eyes when he saw Lance standing next to me? Was it jealousy?

No, that doesn't make sense.

Why would Keith be jealous of Lance?

|••••••••••|

Everyone is dead.

The Olkarion sun has set, plunging the landscape into shadows, but the horizon glows ominously. A sickly red hue paints the sky, unnatural and suffocating. Smoke rises in thick plumes from the buildings below. Fires rage uncontrollably across its surface.

I stumble forward, my chest tight, my breathing erratic. The air smells of burning metal and something acrid and sickening churns my stomach.

My feet crunch over the debris. The ground beneath me feels uneven, like it's trying to pull me down. "Hello?" My voice cracks, barely audible over the distant roar of destruction.

No answer.

"Keith? Lance? Pidge?" My voice rises, panic taking hold. "Shiro! Hunk!"

Still nothing.

I break into a run, desperate to find someone, anyone. I run for what feels like days.

And then I see them.

Their bodies.

My breath catches in my throat as I skid to a stop. They're sprawled across the rubble, their armor scorched and broken. Shiro lies slumped against a twisted metal beam, his eyes staring blankly at the sky. Lance is face down, his helmet cracked and his Bayard lying just out of reach. Pidge is curled up on her side, her glasses shattered. Hunk is sprawled on his back, his face frozen in an expression of terror, his hands clutching at the wound in his chest. And Keith—

Keith lies closest to me.

His blade is still in his hand, his body twisted as though he fell mid-swing. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth, staining his lips a dark red. His eyes are closed, his face eerily calm, like he's simply sleeping.

Not again, not again.

"No," I cry out, my voice hoarse as I drop to my knees beside him. My hands shake as I reach out, brushing against his cheek. His skin is cold. Too cold.

"Keith, please," I whisper, my throat tightening. Tears blur my vision as I clutch at his armor, shaking him. "Wake up."

But he doesn't move.

None of them do.

Not again, not again.

I let out a broken sob, my head bowing down. The ground feels like it's crumbling beneath me, threatening to swallow me whole. The fires roar louder, the heat stifling, but I don't care. I can't tear my eyes away from him.

"(Y/N)." The voice is faint, but familiar.

I look up through the tears. "Violet?" I whisper. She is a ray of light, and I can barely make out the bright blue of her eyes.

"Your path will diverge soon. Be ready."

Looking down at Keith's limp body, my lip quivers. "Is this the future?" I whisper.

"If you do not set yourself apart, yes."

The fires rage louder as I shudder. I force myself to look at her fully, tears still streaming down my face. "Set myself apart? What does that mean?" My voice cracks with desperation. I am suffocating.

Violet's gaze softens, her eyes like twin galaxies swirling with mystery and sorrow. "You are more than what you believe yourself to be, (Y/N). The choices you make will either bring salvation or doom. You must embrace what you fear."

"What I fear?" I repeat, my voice barely a whisper. My hands tremble as I glance back down at Keith's lifeless body, the sight twisting the knife in my chest. "I don't understand. How can I—how can I stop this?"

Violet steps closer, her light momentarily blinding me. "You must return to the Empire."

Swallowing hard, my hand clutches Keith's hand, my eyes wide with fear. "I can't, no. I won't."

"You must," Violet says, her tone gentle but unyielding. "For their sake. For his sake. There are forces too powerful at large."

I shake my head, my tears dripping onto Keith's chest. "And if I don't?"

Violet's gaze is piercing now, her words ringing with finality. "Then this future will become your reality. And the stars will mourn your failure."

"What awaits me in the Empire?"

"Pain." She is silent for a moment. "It must be you."

Before I can respond, the world tilts violently. The fire grows brighter, swallowing everything in its path, until all I see is blinding white—

|••••••••••|

I bolt upright, gasping for air. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst out of my chest. My skin is clammy with sweat, and my hands are trembling as I clutch the sheets.

It was a dream.

Just a nightmare.

No, it was a warning.

My chest heaves as I struggle to calm my breathing. I press a hand to my forehead, trying to will away the images. The room is dim, the faint hum of the Castle of Lions a comforting reminder of where I am.

My team is safe. Keith is safe.

The sound of hurried footsteps outside my door snaps me back to reality. There's a soft knock, and I flinch, my heart still racing.

"(Y/N)?" Keith's voice calls out, low and concerned.

I freeze, the memory of his broken body flashing before my eyes. My throat tightens as I struggle to find my voice. "Keith?" I manage to croak, my voice hoarse.

The door slides open cautiously, and there he is, alive and whole, his dark eyes scanning me with worry. He's in his usual black sleep shirt and sweats, his hair tousled as though he'd bolted out of bed. The sight of him—real and breathing—makes something inside me crumble.

"I—are you okay?" he asks, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "I heard... I thought I heard you scream."

I hadn't even realized I'd screamed.

"I—I'm fine," I lie, my voice shaky. "Just a nightmare."

Keith frowns. "Another one?" He moves closer, his gaze softening as he takes in my trembling form.

I turn away, hugging my knees to my chest. "It was just a stupid dream. Nothing to worry about."

There's a long pause, and then I feel the bed dip slightly as he sits beside me. "You're shaking," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

I press my face against my knees, trying to steady myself. "It's nothing, Mullet. Really."

"(Y/N)," he says, his tone firmer now. "You don't have to tell me what it was about, but... I'm here, okay? You don't have to go through it alone."

His words, simple as they are, break something inside me. I lift my head, meeting his gaze. The concern in his eyes is genuine, raw, and it makes my chest ache. Without thinking, I reach for him, my hands clutching the front of his shirt as if he might disappear if I let go. He doesn't pull away. Instead, he shifts closer, his arms hesitating before wrapping around me carefully, like he's afraid I might shatter. I bury my face in his shoulder, closing my eyes and memorizing the feel of him because deep down, I know I will do what I must.

"You were all dead," I whisper, my voice trembling. "All of you. We didn't defeat Emperor Zarkon."

Keith stiffens slightly, his arms tightening around me. "It was just a dream," he says quietly, his voice steady. "It wasn't real."

"But it felt real," I choke out, my tears soaking into his shirt.

He wraps himself tighter around me and I hear the shaking of his breathing. "You're safe, (N/N). No one is going anywhere."

I'm not safe. You're not safe. No one is safe.

I unwrap myself from him, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, planting my feet on the cold floor. The need to move, to do something, anything, burns in my veins. Maybe if I push myself hard enough, I can forget. Maybe if I exhaust myself, I won't dream again. Maybe if I train, I can change the future.

"(Y/N)?" Keith's voice stops me as I stand, my legs unsteady beneath me. I glance over my shoulder to find him watching me, his brows drawn together, his jaw tight. He looks like he wants to say more, to pull me back, but he doesn't move. "What are you doing?" he asks, his voice low.

"I need to train," I mutter, shaking my head. "I need to do something. Anything." My hands tremble as I tighten them into fists, trying to stop the shaking.

"It's the middle of the night," he says, standing now. He takes a step toward me, his tone softening. "You don't have to do this right now."

"I do," I snap, the desperation leaking into my voice. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to rein in the panic rising in my chest. "You don't understand, Keith. I—I saw all of you. You were dead. Everyone was dead, and I couldn't stop it."

He doesn't reply immediately, but when I open my eyes, he's closer. His gaze is intense, unwavering. "You think training will stop a dream from coming true?"

I flinch at his words. "I don't know," I whisper, my voice cracking. "But sitting here doing nothing won't help either."

"I know you think throwing yourself into training is going to help." Keith exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. "But you're not alone in this, (Y/N). You don't have to carry it all by yourself. Whatever's coming, we'll face it together."

I want to believe him, to trust that he's right, but the image of his lifeless body keeps flashing in my mind. "You don't understand," I say again. "I saw you, Keith. I saw you, and it felt so real. I—I can't lose you. Any of you."

Keith's expression softens as he takes another step closer, his voice quieter now. "You're not going to lose me, (Y/N). I promise."

His voice is sincere, but I can't bring myself to believe it. Promises don't stop death. Promises don't change destiny. Promises don't put an end to a 10,000-year regime.

Actions do.

I turn away, taking a step toward the door, but Keith grabs my wrist gently, stopping me in my tracks. His touch is warm and it makes my heart skip a beat. "You're exhausted," he says, his tone firm but kind. "You need rest. Training isn't going to help right now. It'll only make things worse."

I glance down at his hand on my wrist. "I need to see Violet."

"Please," he says, and the vulnerability in his voice catches me off guard. "Just... stay."

I meet his gaze. "I can't," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "I'm sorry."

|••••••••••|

SHIRO: "Everyone lock into position. We're taking this thing up."

My hand toggles the control and I steer Violet closer to the teledav, opening her jaw and locking on.

(Y/N): "Is everyone latched?"

LANCE: "Blue's good."

HUNK: "Yellow, too."

PIDGE: "Yup."

KEITH: "Let's do this."

SHIRO: "Copy. Princess, we are go for launch."

ALLURA: "Charging the main turbine.

The Castle Ship goes up into the air and I power on Violet's thrusters, following their lead as we transport the teludav into space.

|••••••••••|

The team is gathered in the Castle Ship's control room. Shiro takes a step forward, pulling up the schematics of the plan. Slav stands in between Pidge and Hunk while Antok and Kolivan stand opposite of them.

"All right, guys, listen up. I'll use the Black Lion to lure Zarkon's fleet to our current location and make sure he's within the teludav's area of effect. Keeping the teludav hidden behind the space-fold until the last possible second is essential. We can count on you, right, Slav?" Shiro asks.

"Absolutely. I'll be fine. I'm not sure about the gravity generator, though," Slav mutters.

"What? What was that last thing?" Hunk asks in a panicky voice.

"Hiding a ship is one thing, but I've never had to build a gravity generator for something this large before. I know it'll work, but I'm not really sure for how long."

"Well, that's a risk we'll have to take. Once Zarkon's ship is in position, Kolivan and Antok will coordinate with Thace. Together, they'll take down Zarkon's security system and upload the virus," Shiro says, looking at the diagram and studying it.

"And then, he'll be a sitting du-flax," Pidge smirks as she plays with her glasses. Everyone stares at her. "What? A du-flax is an Altean creature with a beak and webbed feet."

Keith hasn't spoken to me since last night, and I can't help but wonder if I upset him somehow.

"We'll wormhole Zarkon 500 million light years away, and he'll be in the Yggiz Galaxy before he knows what's hit him!" Coran sings as he jumps around, throwing stuff out of the way.

I blink and duck behind Keith and Lance. Lance pinches the bridge of his nose and Keith sighs as Coran breaks something.

Shiro subtly shakes his head and turns around. "What about Thace?" he asks.

"He should be getting into position now," Kolivan states. "We received his last communication three quintants ago. We should hear from him soon."

I nod, glancing at him.

"Let's do it." Shiro nods.

"Good luck Shiro." Keith leaves us to give Shiro a brief hug.

A small smile tugs at my lips as I look at them.

Lance snorts beside me.

"What?" I ask, glancing at him.

He continues snickering as he slings an arm across my shoulders, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "You're staring at Keith again."

My stomach does a weird flip, and I immediately shrug off his arm. "I was not staring!" I hiss, crossing my arms over my chest. "I was... just... thinking."

Lance leans in, his grin growing wider. "Thinking about Keith, huh?" His eyes flicker to Keith. "You look at him like hung the stars or something. It's kinda cute, actually."

I shoot him a glare, but my cheeks betray me, burning red-hot. "I'm serious, Lance. Stop."

"Fine, fine," he says, holding up his hands in mock surrender, though he's still smirking. "But, you know, you're not subtle. You might want to work on that if you don't want him to notice."

"Notice what?" Keith's voice cuts in suddenly, and both Lance and I freeze.

My eyes widen as I whip around to face him. Keith is standing there with his usual neutral expression, but there's something sharp in his gaze as he looks between Lance and me.

Lance, of course, recovers first, his grin returning full force. "Oh, nothing," he says, his tone overly casual. "Just talking about how (Y/N)'s got—"

"Lance!" I interrupt, my voice a little too loud, my cheeks burning even hotter. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Don't listen to him, Mullet."

Keith's eyes linger on me for a moment before returning back to Lance, narrowing slightly. "Right," he says, clearly unconvinced. "Whatever." He turns on his heel and starts walking away.

I turn to Lance, who's now doubled over laughing, completely unbothered. "What the hell, Lance?!" I snap, shoving him lightly. "Why would you say that?"

"You're welcome," he manages to say between laughs.

"For what?"

"For planting a seed of doubt in ol' Mullet," Lance says, straightening up and brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders. "I'm doing you a favor, (Y/N). Trust me. Now, he'll be too busy wondering what's going on between us to keep sulking."

I blink at him, stunned. "What makes you think he's sulking?"

Lance raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? (Y/N), the guy's been shooting me death glares all morning. He's practically oozing jealousy."

"Jealousy? Of you? Lance, you're actually delusional." I shake my head, dismissing the idea.

Lance gives me a knowing look. "You're clueless, aren't you?"

"I am not clueless," I retort.

"And you're so hopeless."

"Am not." Furrowing my brows, I elbow Lance in the stomach. "You're so quiznaking annoying," I snort, rolling my eyes as I take a few steps back.

"Oh, you totally are."

Huffing, I walk towards Allura, Lance's chuckles still following me.

"Can I talk to you about something?" I ask, soft enough so no one else can hear.

She turns her head to me, curiosity in her gaze. "Of course," she replies.

I peek at the team, most of them busy doing their own thing. Focusing my attention back to her, I sigh. "It's about the Purple Lion. I need you to do something for me."

|••••••••••|

Allura walks slowly inside of Violet and she freezes, as if sensing the exact same things I've felt.

"Where did she come from?" she asks, her eyes trailing over the control console.

"I found her on a tundra planet." I shrug. "She told me she was created last using a different, experimental strand of quintessence."

Her brows furrow. "My father never mentioned a Purple Lion before."

"That is because King Alfor did not create me," Violet says, her voice soft.

Allura blinks, shaking her head. "It's so strange she can talk."

"I can hear you, as well, Princess Allura."

I let out a soft laugh as I lean my back against a wall. "So who created you then?" I ask.

An entire dobash goes by. "I created myself."

"What?" Allura's mouth hangs open for a tick. "How?"

Violet sighs and she goes silent.

Allura blinks. "Hello?"

Shrugging, I push myself upright. "She tends to do that a lot," I say. "I wish I could just disappear whenever I want."

We disembark the Purple Lion and Allura sits down on the floor, her back leaning against Violet's paw. I sit down beside her, inhaling a deep breath.

"What is it?" she asks softly. "You've been off lately."

I turn my head to look at her better. "Killing my father isn't going to be enough."

Her brows furrow. "What do you mean?"

"Emperor Zarkon is only part of the problem. If we are to take down the Galra Empire, we need to take down his witch and her Druids. We need to take it down internally and I can't put the team in jeopardy." I take a shaky breath. "Once Emperor Zarkon is killed, you must get everyone out of there."

She shifts to sit up further. "(Y/N)—"

I take her hand in mine. "I trust you to keep the team safe—to get them out of there."

Allura frowns. "You don't have to do this alone."

"I must." Tears escape from my eyes. "Swear to me that you'll get them out of there, no matter what happens."

She's silent for a tick before she solemnly nods and pulls me in for a hug. "I swear."

|••••••••••|

Shiro's face appears on the Castle Ship's screen. SHIRO: "Zarkon took the bait. He's got my location. Is everybody in position?"

"We've not yet heard from Thace. He was supposed to contact us two vargas ago," Kolivan states as he looks at Antok.

"He could've been captured," Antok adds.

"Or killed. We need to abort the mission immediately."

"Abort? No!" Allura exclaims. "We cannot back away now."

Antok turns. "The Blade of Marmora does not take chances. It's how we've survived for so long where others have failed."

My eyes snap to Antok and Kolivan as the familiar ache of despair fills me. I push it down. It's been deca-phoeb already.

Allura shakes her head. "It's held you back. Your caution is the reason Zarkon is still in power."

"We would rather wait than jeopardize everything. Besides, it's too late to get someone else on the inside," Kolivan states, shaking his head.

"I'll go," I say.

Keith stands up. "I'll do it," he says.

My eyes widen as I spin to look at him.

"What?" Allura asks in disbelief. Her eyes flicker between the two of us.

"I'll sneak onto Zarkon's ship," Keith continues. "I'm Galra, so I'll be able to interact with their technology."

"Like hell you are," I say, narrowing my eyes.

"Pidge, you can rig up one of those pods with a cloaking device, right?" he asks.

"Well, yeah," Pidge says after a few ticks looking at him with confusion. Her eyes are on me, too.

Kolivan shakes his head and turns around to face us. "Going onto Zarkon's ship is a suicide mission," he says. "I would never command someone so inexperienced to go on a mission so dangerous."

"No one's commanding me. I'm doing it," Keith says, keeping his eyes trained on him.

Kolivan turns to look at me. "Do you even have experience?"

"More than him, that's for sure," I say.

Keith frowns. "You can't be serious."

"Last time I checked, we're even on the 'near-death experiences', Mullet. I am doing this."

"I volunteered."

"And I said it first."

Keith glares at me, his jaw tightening as he steps closer. "This isn't a competition, (Y/N). I'm going because I can handle it."

I cross my arms over my chest, refusing to back down. "And you think I can't? That's rich coming from the guy who acts first and thinks later."

His brows furrow. "This isn't about you proving a point."

"Exactly. This is about doing what needs to be done. You're impulsive."

"And you're reckless!"

Hunk groans loudly. "Oh, I can't take this anymore." Shaking his head, he walks out of the bridge.

Kolivan raises his hands, stepping between us. "Enough! Both of you go," he says stiffly. "You're both too stubborn to let up."

SHIRO: "Pidge, get that pod ready." He's quiet for a few ticks. "Keith... (Y/N). Let me know when you're on your way. I'll give you cover."

|••••••••••|

"I'm sorry," I say quietly, looking down at my hands.

Keith sighs, his hands tightening on the controls of the pod. "I'm sorry, too." He turns to glance over at me. "I'm not being fair to you."

I blink in surprise. Is Keith apologizing? He has no reason to.

"I just..." he trails off, gripping the controls tighter before exhaling sharply. "I don't want to see you hurt, okay? Not for this mission, not for anything."

SHIRO: "They're here."

Exhaling, my hands run up and down the tops of my thighs.

"Ready?" Keith asks, looking at me.

I nod, gripping the edge of the armrest. "Let's do this."

SHIRO: "I've got Zarkon on the hook. Bringing him your way. Keith, you ready? You've only got one shot at this."

KEITH: "Engaging cloaking device."

The pod goes into hyperdrive.

(Y/N): "Moving toward the fleet now."

SHIRO: "Roger that. I don't see you, but I'm locked on your signal. I'll clear a path."

I stiffen in my seat. "Stars above," I whisper. "That's a lot of Galra." My eyes widen. "Bank right!"

Keith grunts and steers the pod in the path left by Shiro, avoiding the debris and fighter jet explosions.

KEITH: "Thanks, Shiro."

We enter the hangar of the imperial ship at immense speed.

(Y/N): "We're in!"

KEITH: "Coming in hot!"

The pod crashes, crushing several sentries on its way in. Keith wastes no time, unbuckling from his seat, powering on his Bayard, and charging into the hallway. They shoot at him and he powers on his shield, slicing off the heads of two sentries. I'm right behind him, using the double-bladed staff to take out three more sentries. Their guns fall onto the floor and my chest heaves.

"You good?" he calls out, taking out another sentry.

"Yes," I say, slicing into the sentry whose gun is raised toward Keith. "Follow me!"

I break out into a sprint, jumping over the corpses of the sentries and trying not to trip on any of their limbs or guns. Keith grabs one, sheathing his Bayard. The metallic walls of the ship stretch endlessly and we turn several hallways until we're in the main hub of the hangar bay where the Galra keep the fighter jets.

Hearing footsteps, I grab Keith's arm and press him against the wall, the shadows concealing us as the footsteps grow louder. His body tenses against mine and we stay perfectly still until their footsteps fade into the distance.

"Clear," I whisper, motioning for him to follow. We make a run for it again.

At the end of the hallway lies a door with a handprint. Keith stares at the touchpad and then at me.

Pursing my lips, I gesture to his hand. "You do it."

He nods and a tick later, the door hisses open. We rush down another purple-lit hallway.

KOLIVAN: "Okay, you've made it to the lower communication deck. Head left down that corridor."

Keith nods and starts running, me trailing closely behind him, looking back for any sentries.

ANTOK: "Based on the schematics from Thace, there should be a large door up ahead. This is the central hub for the Galra fleet."

KEITH: "I see it."

The door hisses open as we approach. It's a room draped in red light and at the very end lies the computer. As we run down, Keith pulls up the blueprint for the plan.

KEITH: "Kolivan, we're in. Now, what?"

KOLIVAN: "Now, you need to reset the system, using the codes that Thace obtained." Keith lowers the gun to the ground. "It'll be down for a dobosh. That's when we'll upload the virus."

Keith nods beside me and starts typing on his screen, trying to upload the code to take the system down. The computer beeps, Galra symbols flashing on the screen.

"Access denied?" I mutter, taking a step closer, my eyebrows pinched together. He tries again. "They must've changed the codes."

(Y/N): "It doesn't seem to be working."

KOLIVAN: "Try it again."

I hear footsteps again and Keith grabs the gun before we dive for the wall near the computer. A Galran man runs to it.

KOLIVAN: "(Y/N)? Keith, are you there?"

He clicks on the computer, his fingers flying across the screen as he presses several keys.

The door slides open again.

"And now, we know you were attempting to shut down the system," a low voice says.

I stiffen. They're Druids. Quiznaking Druids.

They rush towards the man and he finishes punching in the keys, turning around, his back crouched. They tortured this man—it's painfully obvious. His left eye is bloodied and swollen shut, blood stains his clothing, and parts of his skin are seared. He has a quintessence wound on his left side, just below his pectoral, that glows purple.

"You're too late," he says, his voice weak but confident.

"No, Thace. You're too late. We already changed the code," the other druid replies.

The computer is rapidly beeping and Thace gasps. The Druids float into the air, powering on their dark magic. Keith vaults, flinging his blade of Marmora into one of their backs. The Druid chokes and electricity crackles from his body as he vanishes in a cloud of black smoke.

The remaining Druid teleports and I charge after him, thrusting all that I have into trying to strike him. He shoots a ray of dark magic towards us and I have to dive onto the metal floor to escape the hit. My stomach crashes onto the metal. Hard.

Keith gets thrown off of the bridge but catches himself using his blade, propelling himself upwards with his jetpack. Thace and Keith start swinging their swords at the Druid, but he's too fast.

I growl as the Druid hovers in the air, forming two balls of dark magic and aiming them towards Keith. Pushing my legs against a wall, I leap into the air and raise my bayard, one of the blades slicing into the Druid as I fling him into the electrical wall.

He sizzles and the smell of burning flesh fills my lungs. The Druid vanishes like vapor into the air—just like the first one.

Keith's breathing is heavy as he touches the computer, turning to look at the missing Blade member. "Thace, I'm Keith, a Paladin of Voltron," he says.

"And a fellow Blade, I see," Thace says, gesturing to Keith's sword. "I guess we haven't failed."

Keith's face turns grim. "Not yet."

"Some optimism wouldn't kill you, Mullet," I say, powering off my bayard.

Thace looks at me, tilting his head. "Aren't you—"

I raise a hand, shaking my head. "Princess (Y/N)? Yes," I mutter. Scoffing, I turn my attention back to the computer, clicking on the keys.

Do they have some kind of picture on their Blade of Marmora bases with my face labeled: Princess (Y/N) of the Galra Empire? I mean, come on. How does every damn Blade of Marmora member recognize me? I have been "dead" for millennia. I don't want to be recognized.

He studies me, his one good eye narrowing as he decides how to answer. "You carry her signature," he says after a moment.

I freeze. "Her?" I shake my head, pushing the curiosity away. "You know what? I've had it with the cryptic messages—we don't have time for this."

Keith clears his throat, nodding. "Right." He goes to the doorway and slices the control panel of the door using his bayard.

Thace watches me. "Come." He starts pulling wires.

"Okay." I hesitate but do as he says.

He peers over at me momentarily. "You look different than I thought you would."

I furrow my eyebrows. Looking at him is like looking at two ghosts.

LANCE: "This is getting hairy. How you both doing, Keith?"

KEITH: "The Galra switched the codes. We're trying a work-around."

LANCE: "Really?"

KEITH: "And we found Thace. I'll explain later."

SHIRO: "Copy that."

Thace and I attach the wires to the sides of the computers.

"What exactly are you doing?" Keith asks, walking up behind us.

"I'm using the main power to overload the system," Thace replies.

His eyes widen. "You're turning the room into a bomb?"

"It's pretty smart," I mumble, securing the wires.

"It's the only way," Thace says.

I jolt at the sound of the door melting and exploding. Fire and dark smoke fill the central hub. Thace is undeterred, keeping his focus on the computer and taking the system down. Keith stands ready and shoots the sentries, but more keep coming.

"We need to block the doorway!" I shout.

"On it!" Keith yells, pointing his gun up and shooting at it. It crumbles, blocking the entire entrance.

I blink.

"That solves one problem," Keith says, "but now we're trapped in here." His gun is still trained at the doorway.

Thace turns. "No, we're not. There's an exit through the main power conduit. It leads to the second deck." He points to the left and Keith and I move, looking down. It's a long drop. "Go, now."

"What?" I ask, glancing over my shoulder.

Keith shakes his head. "No, I'm not gonna leave you."

Thace frowns. "You must. I will shut down the system. This is where my journey ends. As members of Voltron, you have a bigger mission. You must understand that."

His shoulders slouch slightly. "It was an honor to meet you."

"The honor was mine."

"Thank you," I whisper.

The entrance blasts open once again.

"Go! Now!" Thace yells.

Keith nods, handing him the gun, and grabs my hand. We fling ourselves off the bridge.

May the light from the stars in space guide you to High Priestess Marmora, and may goddess Ara protect you. For from the stars of Gala we were created, so to stars, we shall return. Safe journey into the afterlife, Thace. A'nah Sava Am, Nissin'terai Kana'ya.

I repeat the prayer until my feet hit the floor.

"(Y/N)," Violet whispers in my mind. "You're running out of time."

"Faster, Mullet, come on!" I shout over the blaring alarms. The hallway tremors and explosions echo down the metal walls, knocking us into them.

I don't dare look back.

Keith goes faster, slinging his arm across my waist and powering on his shield. My eyes widen as I see the fire following closely behind us. The fire reaches us and I grit my teeth, but the walls explode, flinging us into space in a spiral.

(Y/N): "Keith!"

I hear his breathy laugh crackling in the comms. KEITH: "The virus!"

I turn, looking at Emperor Zarkon's entire fleet shutting down—the fighter jets stop firing at the Lions, the cruisers go dark, and the Central Command's ion cannon powers off.

My eyes widen. (Y/N): "Thace did it! They did it! We did it, Mullet!"

Jetpacking to Keith, I throw myself into his arms, holding him tightly. He catches me easily, his arms wrapping around my waist. For a moment, we're weightless, suspended in the void of space, the stars glittering around us as the Galra fleet falls into disarray. I pull back slightly to look at him, our helmets reflecting the faint lights of the explosions still rocking the fleet.

"(Y/N), I-I l-"

Allura powers on the teludav and begins lowering it on Emperor Zarkon's imperial ship. The Red Lion appears and Violet follows from behind. Keith clears his throat, shaking his head. I tilt my head as I look at him, releasing my hold.

"What?" I ask.

Keith hesitates, his grip on my waist loosening as he looks away. "Nothing," he says quickly, his voice low. He pushes me gently, signaling for us to start moving again. KEITH: "We're safe."

SHIRO: "Copy that."

I wave to Keith and jetpack into Violet. Red leads and I follow behind them, pushing the controls to full speed.

CORAN: "Hurry, Paladins! We must make it in before the wormhole closes!"

All the Lions trail behind the Castle Ship and a few ticks later, we're out.

PIDGE: "We did it! I can't believe we did it!"

SLAV: "See, I told you we could do it."

SHIRO: "It's not over yet. Everyone, form Voltron!"

Violet and I get dragged into the direction of the other Paladins and we become part of Voltron once again.

"Violet," I whisper, taking my helmet off and attaching wires to my head. "Start the process now."

Violet's voice fills my mind, calm and steady amidst the chaos. "Remember, (Y/N). Lotor is the priority."

Voltron flies towards the Central Command ship.

SHIRO: "We've gotta act fast. The power will only be down for 20 minutes. The Blade of Marmora's schematics showed four targets we need to hit. The weapons systems, the engines, the bridge, and the shield generators. Now, let's put an end to Zarkon, once and for all."

ALL: "Yeah!"

Lotor is the priority.

SHIRO: "Form sword!" The sword forms and we advance on the ship. "Hit the engine systems!"

"Is my brain going to fry?"

Violet is silent for a moment. "I'm afraid I cannot confidently say no."

"That's reassuring."

Voltron's assault is thorough as we use the sword to destroy the engines of Emperor Zarkon's imperial ship. Bursts of fire paint the space ahead of us.

SHIRO: "Stay focused. We've neutralized the engines. Let's target the bridge."

A huge ball of dark magic forms under Voltron.

LANCE: "What is that?"