"Now be careful paladins, the air on the planet's air is slightly toxic, so don't keep your helmets off for too long." Coran's cheery voice echoed over the comms in each of their helmets.
"Actually, you may just want to keep them on, the Vari can't replicate non-organic matter, so you'll be able to tell who the real versions are."
"Real versions? Coran what are you talking about?" Lance's bored drawl filled the comms.
"Wait, sightly toxic?" Pidge asked.
"The Vari are shapeshifters Lance." Allura supplied gently in her sweet, British accent.
"Wait, Whaaaa?" Keith could just imagine Lance's eyes bugging out of his head.
Allura continued, "They're also touch-telepaths, which means-"
"They can turn into unlimited numbers of the gal of my dreams! Ho ho yeah!"
"LANCE!" the team groaned in unison.
Hunk's quavering voice added, "They can't, like, touch us through our suits, though right? That could be seriously embarrassing getting our thoughts read."
"Got something to hide Hunk?" Pidge's picture popped up on Hunk's dash a sly expression on her face.
"N-no!"
"Guys! Let's focus on the mission," Keith's irritated voice cleaved through the banter. He had been on edge ever since the black lion had made the mistake of choosing him as its paladin. "You know, helping planets fight against the Glara? Building relations with our allies?"
Lance piped up, "How come there aren't any Glara here anyway? Besides you Keith." Pidge, Lance, and Hunk chuckled.
"Good question Lance," Coran interrupted the laughter, "I believe it is because the Galra couldn't find them."
"You mean they turned into trees or other inconspicuous things to avoid detection? I'm beginning to like them more and more." Pidge put in.
"You got it number five!" Coran applauded. "And, to answer your previous question, slightly toxic is relative. Our sensors are calibrated to Altan physiology. I haven't had time to fix them. Maybe just keep your helmets on at all times, just to be on the safe side!"
"Let's just get down there already," Keith sighed. He thrust his hands forward, shooting the black lion forward. The rest of the lions followed suit flying in their classic 'v' formation.
The lions landed without trouble in an open field of coarse purple grass. Mountains scraped the sky, the only large geographical monuments on the horizon, save the huge city in the distance.
"Jeeze, I hope the Vari aren't hiding as the grass." Pidge said as she tread carefully, stepping from her lion. Her voice slightly tinny because of her helmet.
"Only one way to find out!" Lance said brightly.
"Lance. No." Allura said calmly through the comm in her helmet. "They're right over there." Lance stopped with his foot poised in the air to stomp on the blades of grass to see Allura standing in the mouth of the blue lion, pointing at the hill ahead of them.
"Oh." Sheepishly Lance lowered his leg. Allura called out to their hosts and started making her way up the hill, her teammates falling into step behind. Keith was glad she had taken the lead, diplomacy was, obviously, not his strong suit.
The Vari varied greatly. It was hard to tell what they truly looked like. All of them were different species, shapes, and sizes. No one looked like the other. A burly orange creature with eyes on his massive stomach approached the team.
"Greetings Voltron!"
"Hello Vari." Allura replied, addressing the population. "I am princess Allura, daughter of King Alfor of the Alteans. I am pleased to see you are still allies to Voltron in our fight against the Galra."
"Yes, we dislike Galra, they always try to take us away, but we manage to hide. And Altea? I have not heard from them in many many years, but we remember." He gave a nod and behind him the assembled Vari shimmered. They all transformed, becoming humanoid, glowing marks adorning their bodies.
Allura gasped, tears sprang to her eyes, "Alteans…" she whispered.
"Come, you must see our beautiful city and what it has to offer in aid of Voltron." The self-anointed leader had not shifted but remained in the huge, orange body.
"Does that mean delicious, alien food?" Hunk inquired, eyes alight. The leader's boisterous laugh boomed.
"Of course, yellow one!" He slapped Hunk on back. He started to walk toward the city. They all followed, Pidge chatting to a shifted Altean Vari asking excitedly about their technology. Lance was giving eyes to an attractive Vari who shifted to a rather grotesque looking ostrich once she became aware of his ardor. Lance slyly shifted his gaze elsewhere. Allura was happy to be surrounded by Alteans again, even if they weren't completely real. Keith lagged slightly behind adhering to his role as 'the loner.'
Many Vari changed back into comfortable skins.
Keith caught a flash of purple out the side of his eye. He brushed it off, so many of the planet's inhabitants sported luxurious colors. It was probably coincidence.
He spotted the purple again this time he saw a Galra soldier, holding a small child of some alien race in a tight grip. It looked absolutely terrified. Keith's instincts took over and he gave chase.
"Hey Allura? How hard would it be for a Galra to hide itself here?" Keith asked panting slightly.
Allura froze, "quite easy." she whispered so only the team heard.
Silence filled their radios for a moment then Keith's cool voice rent it apart, "Guys, I've spotted a… situation. I'm going to go check it out."
"No wait!" Allura and Hunk said in unison.
"Hold on Mullet, I'm coming!" Lance yelled.
"Keith!" Pidge cried. Yet, the black paladin had disappeared into the crowd. Some Vari children thought it was a game and each turned into Keith and began running in different directions.
Confusion spread through the Vari and the paladins.
Keith had no concept how incredibly stupid he was. He was the leader now, he had to think more rationally. Unfortunately, he was too focused on catching that Galra and helping that kid to think any reasonable thought.
When the pleas of his team members became irksome, which was almost immediately, he shut off the comm link. His feet pounded on the soft ground, his breath came in short bursts. He held Shir-his bayard ready to be activated.
The mountain of caves broke the flat prairie's monotony. As he approached he narrowed his eyes, searching for the barest movement.
An echo came from the cave to his right. His head snapped to the right to look. He entered the cave, hemet instantly converting to night-mode. Wary Keith swung his head from side to side, searching. A few meters in he found an open chamber. Crystalline stalactites dripped like candle wax from the relatively high ceiling. Massive stalagmites shot up from the ground easily able to hide a Galra soldier.
A drip of water from a stalactite, startled him.
Claws raked his back, below the hard, white armor. He cried out in pain. Bayard activating, he spun and swiped at the attacker. The Galra jumped back landing in a crouch, ears flicking. He had managed to land a blow on the Glara's stomach, bright orange blood seeped from the wound. His own blood seeped from his back.
The child was nowhere in sight. Keith yelled and charging at the soldier. This Glara was obviously well trained, dodging swiftly and striking accurately. One such blow from his elbow hit Keith's helmet causing the glass to crack.
"Gah!" Keith cried out. Thrown back from the attack Keith's back hit the dirt. The cold alien air brushed his face through the new opening.
He sat up dazed only to find the Glara had disappeared. Shakily Keith got to his feet, this time his shield was up, the soft blue, giving a foreboding cast to the cave. He saw a slight movement from behind a boulder, he stood ready.
Just as he was about to charge, a familiar figure stepped into the light. Keith nearly dropped his bayard.
There, hunched and weak looking, wearing the black and purple attire of a Galra prisoner, stood Takashi Shirogane.
"Shiro?" No, it couldn't be! The crack in his helmet, the whack on the head, he must be hallucinating!
"Urgh, Keith?" Shiro held his left hand to his head, "what?" Keith was too shocked to move. His heart was thumping. His brother was back, alive! Relief washed through him, he didn't have to lead anymore!
Sweating profusely Keith reached to take off his cracked helmet, he had to see with his own eyes.
Shiro's Galra arm was missing, leaving only a stump. Yet, he smiled warmly, holding out his good arm. Keith threw down his helmet, "Shiro, you're alive!" He ran to hug his brother. He was too happy to worry, too happy question.
When Keith was about a foot away Shiro lashed out, fist slamming into Keith's temple. Unsuspecting Keith dropped like a stone. Crumpling to the dirt floor of the cave, unconscious.
Shiro stood over the prone body of the red-clad paladin, smirking. "Tch, foolish child."
Like a pebble being tossed into a still pool of water Shiro's face changed. His body shrunk and his hair grew long and dark. He removed Keith's armor, not being the least bit careful with the current inhabitant, and adorned it himself.
A few minutes later Keith looked down at himself, smirk playing on his new lips.
He reached to grab the discarded helmet but froze when the Keith on the ground moaned slightly. His arm reached back to the wound on his back seeking to stem the flow of blood. The new Keith bent over and smiled down at his sad counterpart. "You miserable crea-"
He was cut off by the sudden appearance of a blade in his shoulder. He looked down at the sorry form of the previous Keith. His eyes were ablaze yet slightly glassy. Ragged pants escaped his lips as he struggled to hold himself up. Sweat tangled his hair and plastered it to his face.
The dagger pulled at his skin. It felt as if it were growing. Keith-the real Keith held the glowing, growing dagger and wrenched it left, cutting just above his doppelganger's breast bone.
Orange blood bubbled up from the fatal wound. False Keith looked rather surprised for a moment, but then the wound sealed as if it had never been there. The dagger shrunk, still gripped in Keith's hand, and fell, with a thump, to the ground.
Disbelief shone in Keith's eyes as his last vestiges of strength had been wasted. He fell back slightly, the effort finally proving too much. At last he let go of his Galran blade and slumped back to the dirt, chest heaving.
"A valiant effort young paladin," fake Keith said as he picked up the blade, "yet it accomplished nothing." He toyed with the dagger in his fingers for a moment. "I feel that I have a duty to return this beautiful blade to its owner," he paused, "you stabbed me first. I think it's only fair that I return the favor."
He held Keith's treasured blade above him, as if sacrificing an animal. It was hard for Keith to think straight, a child, a Galra, Shiro? He had stabbed himself, but not himself? Someone who looked like him? Oh, wait,they were on a planet with shapeshifters. What had Coran said about poison? Too many head injuries. A dull pressure arose in his side. He would have swatted it away but his arms felt like he had been training non-stop for a week. In fact, his whole body was buzzing. He began to shut down, all he needed was a good nap.
"Right where it belongs," Keith's voice echoed. The dull purple symbol lighting the liquid dark pooling in the dirt.
Sliding his helmet onto his head he turned to exit the cave, For good measure, he kicked Keith's head, chuckling as it lolled like a doll.
Dusting off his hands the faux Keith left the cave. Red blood trickled down the lax face, soaking into the dirt. Laughter echoed around the cavern but it fell on deaf ears.
Vari Keith was both elated and impressed how easy it was to lure the paladin away. Getting one of those lions would be a piece of cake if the rest of the team was as gullible. He shook his head smiling, his performance was immaculate.
It had been a simple feat to make it appear as if he held a captive, when in reality the 'child' was his own body. It would be an equally effortless job to steal a mechanical lion from under these paladin's noses.
Putting his hand to his head to appear dazed, he shuffled to the entrance of the cave to begin his debut.
"We'll never find him in those caves!" Hunk's stomach grumbled, "I wish Shay were here, I bet she could talk to this planet and make it spit him out."
They had managed to spot Keith heading into the nearby caves, yet they were uneager to explore the multitude splayed out before them.
"That idiot, running off like that." Pidge grumbled, "I mean seriously?! What gives? He saw 'a situation?' Situation could mean anything!"
"I've smoothed it over with the Vari," Allura supplied, "I said we'd join them once we found our black paladin, I'm sure he's not far."
Lance yelled from the top of a large rock on the hill on which the team were sitting. "Wait guys, I think I see him!"
Sure enough white and red armor appeared from the mouth of one of the of the caves. Keith stumbled out holding his helmeted head. The team rushed to their rash leader.
"You idiot!" Pidge was quickest to reach Keith. "What happened to sticking together? We're supposed to be a team."
"Sorry guys, I uh, don't know what got into me." Keith raised his head.
Lance gasped, "Oh man, Keith, your helmet is cracked, what are we going to do?"
"We cannot continue the mission if you're slowly getting poisoned!" Allura put in. Lance looked uncharacteristically worried toward Keith.
"Uh, yeah I cracked it in the cave, I fell and kinda scrambled my brain. I'll just go back to my lion. You guys can do this without me." Keith swiveled and began walking toward the nearby group of lions. The team exchanged worried looks. Lance jogged to catch up to him.
"Hey, uh Keith? Where ya goin buddy?"
"To my lion?" His short strides were taking him in the direction of the red lion. Keith turned his face toward Lance and raised his eyebrow. Lance stopped. Snagging Keith's arm he brought him to a halt as well.
"I think that fall broke your brain, Mullet, red is my lion now, remember? And we can't do the mission without you, you're our leader. The fierce black paladin." He expected Keith to come up with some snappy retort but was disappointed.
"Oh, Right…" The rest of the team had caught up to them.
"No problem," Hunk supplied, "I never go anywhere without duct tape." As he spoke he magically produced a squashed roll of silver tape. He pounced on Keith.
The top right of Keith's helmet was stripped with tape. Not the most beautiful fix, but it served its purpose. Keith looked warily at the grey blob jutting down across the glass. It made him appear as if he had one angry eyebrow. The team turned away, walking toward the Vari's city.
"Alriight, let's go strengthen our friendship! And perhaps some other relationships" Lance wiggled his eyebrows and patted Keith firmly on the back causing him to stumble forward. Keith remained oddly silent and didn't send any glares toward him. Lance shrugged it off and moved ahead of him joining Pidge, Hunk, and Allura.
Vari Keith was quite confused, the colors of the uniforms didn't correspond the lions? That made no sense. And he was the leader? The famed black paladin?
The shapeshifter stopped, sighed, and turned face the huge lions sitting on the horizon wondering if he should just leg it.
The leader? This stupid kid was the leader? Of Voltron?! Crap, and he had to lead these bipeds? Still gazing at the ultimate goal: the lions, he hastily he gathered his leaderly thoughts and addressed 'his' team:
"Alright team, here's the plan-"
The terrifying sound of four bayards powering up behind him made his orange blood freeze.
He turned, cold dread hidden behind his inquisitive face. "Guys?"
"All right, who are you?" Demanded Hunk. Massive blaster aimed directly at Keith.
"Nice try 'team leader.'" Lance challenged. His gun poised near his face.
"Where's Keith?" Pidge pressed.
"What have you done to him?" Allura bit out, her whip bayard glowing taught in her hands.
Keith gave a nervous chuckle, raising his hands to calm them down, "guys, what are you-?"
"I thought you got some toxic fumes in your helmet, but this is too much." Lance gibbed. "Our Keith would never say that."
Thoughts swirled in the Vari's mind: what kind of leader was this kid? How can I spin this? Should I just run? What to do? Shift! Shift!
He realized the jig was up. He sneered, pulling away the hindering helmet, "so, you aren't as dumb as you look."
White bits of Keith's armor fell away as the Vari's body grew. The black under armor, just skin patterned to look like the fabric, melted back into his body.
His rippling, changing body morphed in front of their eyes.
Seconds later a massive grey and purple creature stood before the shocked team. Six headed with teeth as tall as Hunk, the creature roared, lavender spittle spraying from each maw.
Before they could attack, an even more massive orange hand wrapped itself around his abdomen. What had previously been Keith was being squeezed by the leader of the Vari!
Forced to shrink to escape being crushed, he crumpled into a cross-looking, pufferfish-like form. Two Vari enclosed the fish in a sphere, glowing runes scattered on the surface.
The orange leader had shrunk down to address the paladins. "My apologies paladins, some are not as loyal as we imagine. Do not think this act reflects all our feelings." The team's mouths hung open at the swift scene that had happened. "I have seen his wrong doings and he will be punished accordingly."
"Which cave did he come out of?" Pidge questioned Lance.
"I don't remember, they all look the same!" cried Lance.
Allura huffed, "Coran? Can you scan the caves for lifesigns?"
"Can do princess. It may take a while that rock is quite thick."
"We don't have a lot of time Coran," Hunk interjected. "Keith is in there without his helmet or armor!"
Coran spoke up again sounding rather nervous. "Yes, I uh, calibrated the sensors and, well, it seems that approximately twenty doboshes of exposure to this atmosphere is lethal to humans.
"We can't know how long he's been exposed!" Pidge cried.
The Vari leader spoke up, "My people will aid in the locating of your friend." He raised his hand, now shrunken to its normal size, and pointed his three fingers at the caves. The team waited anxiously.
Like the perfect surfing wave the Vari changed, shrinking and multiplying into small insects. They set off into the caves. A dobash later the Vari signaled that they had found the correct cave.
A drip of water startled Keith awake. Ugh he'd only ever had a headache this bad when… He shook his head, which turned out to be the absolute worst thing to do. Pain seared through his temples and traveled down his spine. Eyes blinking bleary, he tried to remember what happened.
Shiro? He had seen Shiro. No, not his Shiro, he was lost. A trick then? And then, himself? Whom he stabbed but without merit. Orange blood?
The scratch on his back which he received from what he thought had been a Galra soldier, now burned. He could feel it crusted with dirt and bleeding sluggishly. Then it clicked. He had been touched! Touch telepaths! The claws! Even if it was only for a split second. The Vari knew who he was thinking of, who he wanted to see most. Of course.
And Shiro's metallic Galra arm, Coran said that they couldn't form non-organic matter! How stupid he felt. How could he have left himself so unguarded? And then, it had turned into him! He, Keith, the leader! Oh gods.
He needed to get out and find his team, warn them. He tried to sit up. A tug came from his abdomen as he moved. Keith hazily glanced down at the his stomach. The hilt of his dagger glowed. It took a few ticks until he registered that it was embedded in him.
His breathing hitched, all he could manage were small gasps. The hilt twitched as his lungs jerked. The sticky black pool beneath him suddenly made a lot more sense. Pain that had eluded him finally surfaced, jolting through him like lightning. Black spots danced before his eyes.
He let his head fall back to the floor, too exhausted to hold it up. The cave seemed to be getting darker and the air harder to breathe. He heard footsteps but his eyes wouldn't open. When had they closed? Heat pressed down on his chest, he felt cool hands on his face yet he couldn't stop consciousness from slipping away.
Lance, Allura, Hunk, and Pidge all ran into the cave just in time to see Keith's eyes flutter closed. Lance ran to his side, taking in the silvery dagger and dark blood covering a good portion of the ground.
Keith's chest did not rise steadily. His lungs worked overtime pulling raspy breaths from the toxic atmosphere.
"We gotcha buddy." Lance spoke softly turning Keith's face gently. Hunk trod behind handing Lance Keith's taped helmet. Luckily he still wore the black skintight suit which lessened the exposure of his body. The red paladin gently slid the helmet over Keith's head with the help of Hunk.
Keith expelled a shuddering breath.
For a few ticks Keith did not inhale.
Then he gasped, and the filtered air of the helmet filled his lungs. His breathing regulated and the team also breathed a small sigh of relief.
"What about the dagger," Lance asked the team.
"Leave it in until we get to the castle," Pidge said, "he's less likely to bleed out."
"Let's get him home." Allura said. Each nodded. Hunk scooped Keith into his arms, slightly more worried that Keith stayed so silent, and let his team lead the way.
"Coran, prepare a pod," the princess instructed, "we're returning to the castle."
The red lion was empty but it followed her paladin faithfully, back to the castle.
"I thank you for your help in finding our paladin Vari," Allura contacted the Vari though the castle ship's main screen on the bridge. "We will return as soon as he is well."
"That is not necessary." Allura was taken aback. "That is not to say you are not welcome, but you should not spend precious time here when there are other planets in need of Voltron." The team smiled. "Come at anytime and we will be ready to fight at your side." The transmission ended, the picture of the Vari vanished.
The first sensation Keith preserved was cold. Frosted glass disappeared from in front of him. Suddenly he was falling forward, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.
He pried open his eyes, squinting at the bright light of the castle sickbay. His memory returned in fragments. He had been deceived, twice, he would not be deceived again!
Frantically, Keith pushed away. "Stay back! You're not real!" He reached for his knife to find he was devoid of weapons. He raised his fists instead, blinking away the blurriness in his vision.
"Woah, Keith!" Hunk was surprised how fast Keith recoiled from him.
"Take it easy buddy," Lance said hands out, gesturing for Keith to calm down. "We got you out of there, we're back at the castle." Keith's eyes narrowed.
"The real Lance would immediately challenge me to some competition. All he cares about is some stupid rivalry." Lance's heart sunk, is that how he felt? That Lance was so cold hearted?
"Later Mullet," he waved his hand dismissively, "you had a concussion, a stab wound, claw scratches, and toxic exposure. I think you could do with a break from our epic competition. Besides, I remember this bonding moment, I cradled you in my arms."
Keith's eyes widened. His fighting stance relaxed slightly.
"I say Vol- you say-..." Lance said as he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Voltron! Dammit man just say it," Keith spat, "One word: Voltron. There, then it's done. Why draw it out?!"
Warily Lance crossed the room. Prodding Keith in the chest, "you're real."
Keith stepped back slightly. "I suppose you are too."
"Yeah we're the real deals. Some of us have the brains not to get captured by some weird Zarkon enthusiast who tries to replace us." Pidge countered. "What the quiznak were you thinking running off alone?" Keith smiled.
Hunk added, "you should be hungry after three quintents in that pod. What flavor food goop do you want?" Before he could reply Allura's soft voice came from the door.
"Ah, Keith you're awake,"
Coran came bounding in behind her. "Good to see you made it Number Four."
Keith's smiled widened as he realized these truly were his friends. When a thought struck him, "Wait, how did you know it wasn't me?"
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Well," Through tears of laughter Pidge supplied, "you acted like an actual leader!" Doubled over in laughter, the paladins held their stomachs. "Alright team, here's the plan…" Pidge said in a mock Keith voice. Another chorus of laughter belted out.
"Wow guys, thanks for the support." Keith crossed his arms, expression grumpy. But soon his face broke into a smile, "you guys know me too well." laughter once again filled the chamber.
"Guess I'm not cut out to be a leader." The hilarity and boisterous atmosphere immediately stopped.
"Keith, we didn't-" Pidge started.
Keith cut her off, still chuckling, "heh heh, no I. I get it." a bitterness to his tone that no one had heard before.
"Keith, no, that's just not the type of leader you are." Allura said.
"Yeah, you give it your all and don't worry about plans or… you know… I mean-" Lance stuttered. "That came out wrong. The point is you're not a phony leader like that Vari, you lead with your gut. And I'm your impulse control, your right hand guy."
"Woah, Keith!" Hunk cried as he saw tears forming in Keith's eyes. He ran to Keith's side. "Hey man, you're not still a clone right?" chuckling lightly.
"I-I'm sorry. I- just." And all at once Keith's face was blank and stoic. "I messed up. I put lives in jeopardy-"
"Your life!" Pidge yelled, "You put your life in jeopardy! Don't think we don't care what happens to you mister!"
"And I'm sorry!" Keith exploded. "I'm sorry I can't lead! I'm sorry I can't wait! I'm sorry I'm not Shiro! I thought a child's life was in danger! What did you expect me to do? What was I supposed to do? Have us all charge after him? Cause a panic? I did what I thought was right!"
They stood in stunned silence. Keith's chest was heaving. The tears that hadn't fallen before, fell now.
Lance stepped forward, not breaking the utter quiet, and slid his arms around the black paladin. Hunk joined seconds later along with Pidge. Allura, her own tears streaking her cheeks joined as well. Coran enveloped everyone in the group hug.
Keith's knees buckled, yet was held up by the group. Lance smiled. "See mullet, even when you fall down, we're here to hold you up. We're a team, a family."