So. My insanity knows no bounds. Have another VLD Flame theory fic. This time focus on Lotor!
Lotor coming into the Castle of the Lions was something Allura never anticipated would happen. An enemy, in her Castle. The entire coalition was not happy about it either. Why were they letting one of their most hated enemies live in the first place? They asked.
Allura didn't know. It had not been her decision to listen to Lotor. Rather, it had been Keith, Matt, and surprisingly, Lance. Shiro had tried to reason that maybe it was a bad idea, but the former Blue Paladin had glared at his leader and instead deferred to Keith.
But seeing Lotor now, Allura realised that maybe bringing the former prince in was a good idea. His eyes were dead, as if he had not been getting any sleep. His arms were hanging limply, as if he had broken them. A question from Lance startled her out of her thoughts.
"Where are your teammates?" Lance asked. "Shouldn't they be here with you?"
Silence. But a glimmer of despair and betrayal showed in Lotor's eyes. Along with... a dying orange flame tinged indigo?
"Shit," Matt cursed, "He's in shock. Lance, Pidge, I'm going to need you both! Keith, help me bring him to my room!"
The nods from both Lance and Pidge was understandable, but Keith? Keith, who was perhaps the one who was most adamant about finding Lotor in the first place, agreeing to help Lotor? It didn't make any sense! Shiro even looked confused as to why he wasn't being consulted! Hunk looked like he actually realised what was going on, however, and without any input, ran to get their medical supplies. Why weren't they using the pods?
Allura found herself eavesdropping on the small group that had gathered in Matt's room. Shiro had gone to talk strategies with Coran, deciding that he was not needed. But Allura wanted to know what was going on with the rest of the humans on the team.
"... explains so much. I mean, he has the natural charisma and is able to inspire loyalty like all Skies, but he also has the manipulative trait that's common among Mists," Pidge said. Skies? Mists? What?
"I'm guessing the girls on his team were his elements too," Lance muttered. "If he was betrayed..."
"Broken Sky bond. No wonder he was in shock," Keith agreed. "How old is the damage, Matt?"
"Not old, obviously," Matt said. "He has a broken Cloud bond dating to when Zarkon declared him a traitor. And his Rain, Lightning and Storm bonds were all broken recently, at the same time too."
Hunk winced, "That many in such a short time?"
"What's worse is that he awakened his Flames as the bonds were broken," Matt continued. "I'm surprised he hasn't died from the loss of those bonds."
Allura was confused. Flames? Was that what she saw in Lotor's eyes? But what were they? Why did the humans on her team know about it?
"We're going to have to teach him aren't we," Pidge sighed. "Should we ask Shiro to teach about Sky Flames?"
"Honestly? I wouldn't do that if I were you," Matt said.
"Why not?" Hunk asked.
"He's not our Sky is he," Lance said, certainty in his voice.
"Wha - What are you saying Lance!" Pidge yelled.
"... When did you notice?" Keith asked.
"He took a big risk that trapped us on Naxzela. He ignored my advice to leave the planet before the barrier fully formed. The real Shiro would never take risks like that. The real Shiro would never completely ignore my advice. And I decided to check our bond. It isn't there," Lance explained.
"What?" Pidge's voice sounded shocked.
Allura had enough. They were accusing Shiro of... not being Shiro. Of trying to kill them. She barged in.
"Allura?!" Lance yelped, surprised at her presence.
"What is going on here, team? What have you been keeping secret? What are these Flames that you all have been talking about?" Allura yelled, anger at being kept in the dark fueling her.
Looking around, Allura could see that Hunk had not noticed her, still in shock from the revelation Lance had given them. Pidge had heard her, but her face was still blank in a similar shock. Lotor... was asleep, a gentle blue flame covering him, Lance's hand covered in the same flame, as if he was controlling it. Keith was cautious, reminding her of how Keith had been during the first few months in the Castle.
Matt was the one to react. The one to sit her down and explain things. About humans. About how humans found a way to harness their life energy and manifested it differently from Quintessence. About Flames. About the bonds that formed between the Sky and its elements. About how loosing a bond like that feels.
Allura, in the end, was shocked. And left the room, rethinking about her view of the humans on the ship, and about the revelations about Shiro... if it really was him.
She would have to come back and ask more. She did not want to doubt. And for that, she needed to understand fully.
Kay that bit at the end was a bit flimsy but it'll do. I don't really intend to write more? Maybe some Keith and Lance bonding but that may take time. Or Allura activating her Flames. Maybe.
If you were wondering: Zarkon - Cloudy Sky, Honerva - Misty Cloud, Lotor - Misty Sky