Voltron: A New Legend Begins
Chapter one: Re-adjustments
The blue marks looked like two pools of sparkling cool water against, the sandy tan of the young man's skin. The former Blue Paladin felt the breeze blow through his light brown hair as his blue eyes slowly became moistened by the sight they beheld. The hollow smile infinitely carved across his beloved Princess Allura's statue, only made his heart ache more. The thought of her being gone still stung as much as the day she departed their presence; saving all realities forever. He knew that that was what needed to be done, but still couldn't ignore the angered feeling of the possibility of some other alternative; and had given up hope of ever laying eyes on her ever again. Lance turned his back to the twenty-foot statue and stood there in its shadow, then after a few moments; walked away with his hands in his pockets.
Shiro flipped through page after page, each one different than the last. He knew the life of an Admiral would be different; but never imagined it like this, though he didn't mind. Life, he knew, would never be the same as it once was. But the pain and suffering he went through, throughout the last few years still clung to him like a wet blanket. Allura was gone... and Adam... and he didn't even see the Paladins as much now. Of course, he saw Katie and her family all the time. As they were helping to train he next generation of Legendary Defenders. And it had been about eight months since the lions blasted off on their own from Altea. Shiro couldn't help but wonder why they took off, but pushed the thought away and marked it as insignificant. He missed Keith much since he went to straighten out the New Galra Empire. Accompanied by his mother; Krolia, and the former leader of the Blades and, now, step-father; Kolivan. Hunk saw working in the kitchen all the time, but Shiro almost never had the time to stay and chat. Shiro stopping sifting through the papers a moment and sighed lowering his head and closing his eyes. When he opened them again they settled upon his prosthetic right arm, and recalled something that Allura had said to him...
"There are those with the power to destroy,... and those with the power to create."
Allura created more than she destroyed, and that's what made her so different from the witch; Haggar; as she was formerly known. Tears attempted to break him and a distant pressure in the back of his mind weighed weakly upon him, but he shook it off and resumed his paperwork.
Keith observed the his surroundings carefully, the small lake of a group of Galra gathered in newly built courts conversing with one another; as they prepared for the meeting at hand. Keith's dark blue eyes scanned every person carefully, to think that they were all related to him by mere DNA seemed, strangely, unlikely given his appearance compared to theirs. Then he remembered Lotor's former generals; Acxa, Zethrid, and Ezor, all looked different than the full Galra mold of the rest of the population; at least most of it. Keith looked forward to their weekly dinners though, each of the five Paladins, I guess now former Paladins, would all go to Altea to have dinner with Coran in the new Altean palace grounds next to the Allura statue. Coran was still trying to figure out the best way to crown a new ruler; but after Allura's passing, he continued to put it off. Plus rebuilding Altea and re-educating its people took a lot of time away from that as well.
The robot beeped and blipped at her, Chip was nearly completed. Pidge had continued to work on him as soon as Allura's appreciation dinner was over and she'd returned to Earth. She tightened another screw and tapped the buttons on the computer panel next to her. The robot jerked and thrust its arms around in a very choppy fashion, then dropped motionless. Pidge coughed and shielded her face from the mini explosion before her, still grasping the screwdriver in her hand. She sighed and lowered her head, as she gazed down at the robot lying awkwardly on the floor. Had really been almost two years since Allura sacrificed herself to save the universe? Well a year and eight months, but still; had it really been that long? It still feels to her, and the others, she guessed, like it'd been just yesterday. The memory of Allura saying goodbye to each of them, still, fresh in her mind. The girl sniffled and wiped her nose on her right sleeve; now holding a wrench in that hand. She then began to continue her work on the robot; and tried to ignore the painful memories stabbing her in the chest.
The perfect blend of smells in the kitchen filled Hunk's nostrils. He'd been preparing meal after meal after meal, and never tired of it. And with the help of the other cooks; life was never boring. He was always encouraging them to change it up, and try new things to keep it interesting for anyone eating their food. Though even, he too, had moments of missing Allura; and pondering all that had happened since that final battle with Honerva. He hoped in his heart that they would one day see her again, in what ever place they go to after death; and wherever it was he hoped they'd see Allura there. But, for now, he'd continue to spread the message that she stood for until then.
Shiro stepped out of his office, having finished his paperwork, he decided to go home for the day. But then he realized what awaited him there... silence. Without a villain to defend the universe from, and the Paladins off doing their own thing, and nothing else needing done here; he would just be sitting in his Garrison dormitory... alone. Shiro stood there outside his office, unsure of where to go or what to do. He began to hear a distant whispering sound and the gentle pressure from earlier return, and he continued to stand there; waiting for it to pass.
"Shiro?" Sam's voice caught his attention, as the commander was now standing before him, wearing a quizzical stare on his face.
"Oh,- uh.. Sam. It's you." Shiro realized, recovering himself.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked, his eyes searching Shiro's.
"Yeah." Shiro responded, pinching the bridge of his scarred nose between his fingers; realizing how tired his eyes were. "Its just been a long day."
"Oh I hear ya." Sam's expression softened. "The Galactic Coalition has gotten stronger than ever. I've been hearing good reports so far. And I'm sure your job is knocking you out as well."
"You could say that." Shiro smiled, half humorously. Sam chuckled heartily.
"Ah well, no one said the job of an Admiral was easy. Just ask Sanda." Shiro's gaze dropped at the mention of their deceased comrade. "I'm sorry Shiro." Sam apologized, seeing his distress of the situation returning. "But you realize that this is what you've been working for your whole life, right?"
"I know." Shiro answered, after a short pause. "And the old me wouldn't have loved it, but-" Shiro trailed off, almost not wanting to finished his statement.
"But." Sam pried, attempting to gain Shiro's glance.
"So many things have changed." Shiro finally met his gaze, the desperation in his eyes taking Sam off guard. "The Kerberos mission, the Galra imprisonment and experimentation, becoming a Paladin and fighting this...forever-long war. Or at least that's how it feels." Shiro's gaze settled on the plain grey floor and remained downcast. "And- losing Allura... and... Adam." Sam looked at him with a tender, pained expression silently agreeing and understanding how he felt.
"Look, Shiro, I know it was hard saying goodbye to the Princess. But she had to do it. None of us would be here if it wasn't for her. Even she knew it. That's why she did it. And I'm sure she would have wanted to be here if she could. You know that as well as I." Shiro still stared at the ground.
"I know." He said, closing his eyes, then after a couple seconds had passed, he looked up again. "So was there something that you needed?"
"No, I was just coming to see if you were still going to the weekly dinner with your friends on Altea. Katie asked me to check." A slight smile made it's way to Shiro's face.
"Tell her that I wouldn't miss it for the world." Sam grinned and nodded, before starting on his way again. As Shiro watched him go, he lowered his gaze in a depressed frown.
The dinner table was full of chatter and friendly voices, but Shiro still felt a little down from the conversation he'd had with Sam just a few hours before. He wore a smile on his face, but when each of the Paladins noticed it; they all could tell it was fake.
"Shiro? What's wrong?" Keith asked sensitively.
"I..I'm not sure I follow?" Shiro answered, avoiding the question completely.
"You've been kinda quiet tonight." Lance agreed. "What's going on?"
"Ah, nothing." Shiro answered glancing down again. "It's nothing."
"Shiro?" Pidge's echoed.
"It's nothing I-" Shiro's statement was interrupted by the sudden onset of another gentle pressure on his head. As the wave hit him, he slid back his chair and lowered his head slightly. The other Paladins rising from their chairs at once. "It's fine!" Shiro said, stopping them by putting a hand up. "It's just a migraine... a minor one." The pressure slowly subsiding and he straightened up again. Pidge's shocked look changed to a serious one.
"How long has this been happening?" She asked inquisitively.
"I don't know." Shiro responded dryly sliding his chair forward again. "A few months? It's hard to tell." Pidge, then, looked at Coran.
"We need to take a closer look at this." Coran gave her a nod of agreement.
"Guys, I feel fine." Shiro protested, as Pidge and others forced him to lie down in the medical bay in the Castle.
"We'll be the judge of that." Coran told him, returning to his full height. He turned to another Altean with long blonde hair and blue Altean marks. "Begin the standard assessment." The Atlean girl nodded and obeyed the order. Shiro turned his head straight and laid it back in defeat.
"Ok, so unfortunately our initial assessment showed nothing out of the ordinary, but I want to keep an eye on you until we're certain that it is, in fact, nothing." Coran decided after a while.
"I told you, it's probably just from the stress of the adjustments that have been happening lately." Shiro stated.
"Maybe, you're right Shiro." Keith gave in. "But as soon as something changes, no matter how small; you get right back here and tell us about it."
"Fine." Shiro agreed.
Shiro lay in darkness when the floor seemed to shift him upright turning into a scene. He opened his eyes to see Altea in all its glory. Besides Earth, he'd never seen a more beautiful planet. The Altean children ran and played, then he wondered why he was on Altea. Shouldn't he be on Earth working? There was so much to do each day, he didn't get to come to Altea or anywhere very often. And he didn't currently have a family to go home to, so what was he doing here? He turned to leave, but every way he went he ended up right back where he started.
"Shiro." A voice called out; echoing around him. Shiro was shocked at who this distinct voice belonged to. His eyes flashed in recognition as he turned to look for the origin of the voice.
"Shiro." The voice said again, and Shiro searched for it some more, unable to tell for certain where it was coming from. When a light appeared behind him. Shiro immediately whipped around to see Princess Allura standing there just a few yards away from him. Her hair was let down and blowing in the breeze, her dress and cape-like tails flapping in the wind. Her smile as bright at the sun and her eyes glowing with a warm relief in them. She reached her hand out to him, and a yellow light shot out to him. The light hit him like electricity and he felt the shock...
Shiro scrambled upright in the bed, the adrenaline from the dream pounding through his body. As he calmed his breathes, he noticed his head hurt a little with that migraine-like pressure; as he laid down again and went back to sleep.
Hey everybody how's it going?! So I don't know about you guys, but I felt like season eight was not quite as satisfying as it could've been. So this is kind of an AU or a version that I wish it would've have ended. That being said, Shiro is not gay in my story. And some things that I either would like to have seen it things that may have been confirmed are in here, along with some of my own personal speculations on some things.
Phew! With all that said, and hopefully in mind. Enjoy!! And let me know in the comments(or PM if that's easier) what you guys thought of season eight, both as a season and as the series finale. And then of the series as a whole! I would love to hear you're thoughts!! Also who else wants a spin-off series?! Let me know!!! Thx!!!!