Coran was rummaging through one of the Castle's many storage areas, muttering under his breath.
"I'm - sure I can find at least - one - aha!"
He'd seen what he needed on one of the top shelves. He tried reaching up for it, but it was a very high shelf. He tried jumping, but still without success.
Just as he climbed onto the first shelf and pulled himself up, a voice spoke beside him.
"Hey Coran."
Coran yelped and flailed.
"Ah! Quiznak!"
He was unable to regain his balance, and landed with a thud on the ground.
Pidge stood near him, looking at him interestedly through her over-sized glasses. A huge smile crossed her face as she asked,
"Whacha doing?"
It must be - yet another - Earth joke.
Maybe, at some point, he would be able to understand most of them.
Coran sighed as he regained his feet. "Nothing. I was just - um - well..."
Pidge looked up towards the top shelf.
"Trying to reach something?"
"Yes - it's - something the Princess made, a long time ago."
A small hand tapped him on the shoulder.
"Here," the Green Paladin said. "Give me a boost. I think I can reach it."
A few minutes later, Coran held the small, framed picture in his hands. It was a child's drawing of a valley full of flowers.
Juniberry flowers, to be precise.
"They are - or - were - her favorite," he said. Pidge looked from the drawing down towards the floor before looking back at Coran, her eyes sad.
"Native to Altea, huh?" she asked.
Coran nodded. He didn't really think he could talk just then.
Pidge didn't say anything for a moment.
"I'm sure she'll love it," she said.
Coran shrugged. "It's not the same as...as a real juniberry flower...but..."
Pidge laid a hand on his arm, and he looked at her.
"Coran," she said. "It's okay. She'll understand, and -"
Just then, the Green Paladin's eyes lit up.
"You know..." she said, and Coran felt curiosity at how she seemed to be smiling into the far distance.
"This gives me an idea."
It was a small thing, this holograph device that Pidge and Coran and the other Paladins made. All it could do was project a few images, but given Hunk and Pidge's ability to amplify any machine's abilities, they managed to create a virtual field of both juniberry flowers and...what had Lance called the other kind?
"Sa - ku - ra," Lance said, enunciating each sound carefully for the third time.
The Blue Paldadin was leaning against Hunk's side as his best friend made a few last-minute adjustments to the projector.
"Sakura," Coran said. Lance grinned and gave the Royal Advisor a thumbs-up.
"Yep."
"So...what are they to Shiro?" Coran asked.
Keith looked up from where he sat on the ground, close to the door.
"A reminder of home," he said.
"Aw, Keith, you are sentimental sometimes," Lance said.
Keith just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Lance grinned and elbowed Hunk in the side. The Yellow Paladin sighed, but at that moment, Platt rushed in, his fellow mice behind him, each one of them squeaking in excitement.
Coran jumped to his feet, feeling both nervous and happy at the same time.
It wouldn't be the same as having the real thing, of course.
But maybe - just maybe - it would be enough.
