Wings of Power
Iverson had seen some exceptional flyers in his days at the Garrison. All had their skills and abilities that brought great pride to the military facility and to their program. Some of the best flyers, both in and out of the jets had come from here and he was proud to say that he had helped more than his fair share into those jets.
Though dealing with individuals with wings could be a great deal irritating and frustrating at times as well. Mostly because with the wings on a person's back came instincts that they had to allow to flow free and for them to follow.
Once such thing was finding a flight partner, a person who could match one's skills for skill and keep up with them or just balance them out. The first search for a partner happened around the age of sixteen and it would happen outside where they could all demonstrate their abilities among others to attract an appropriate partner. Normally a flight partner ended up being a life mate later on in life but not always.
Iverson himself had gone through several flight partners before he found his late wife. He smiled sadly at the thought of the woman, knowing that she would be sad he hadn't gone out to find another but he just could muster up the effort anymore.
Instead he helped others find suitable flight partners for the program and to prevent any turmoil that could occur if one of his students didn't find one.
Which had happened two years ago when one Takeshi Shirogane had refused all possible flight partners presented before him. To be fair, the Commander had never seen such a flyer like that lad had been. He had never known that a person could perform such maneuvers to begin with. It had almost given him a heart attack when the kid had come to a complete stop at what had to be only an inch off the ground with one full pump of his giant black eagle wings.
Wings that big shouldn't have been able to move a man that size around easily, but Shirogane had done just that each and every time, out flying anyone who came near him and a screeching at them in anger at daring to try.
Iverson chuckled as he remembered how Admiral Sanda had gotten on his case for not reprimanding the cadet but he just couldn't. The boy was in his right to allow his instincts to distinct who was capable to being his flight partner, no one else.
Though Shirogane had eventually been paired with an older fighter pilot at the time, one Adam West that kept up with Shirogane admirably if not perfectly.
He puffed out his greying brown owl wings gently as a wind swept across them, his single eye straying to the sky to the current batch of cadets looking for Sky Partners.
The mixture of brown, black, tan, gold, and white was always enjoyable to watch on days where the sun was high and glinted off the glossy wings. He was itching to spread his own but he didn't dare interrupt the partnering process, watching as pairs set up and settled to the ground to talk.
He grinned at the ones that landed, speaking rapidly between them, before his eyes returned to the sky to settle on one particular individual that was garnering attention from many of the other cadets.
He already knew before this day had occurred that that boy was going to be just as troublesome as Shirogane had been.
This particular cadet had come from Cuba, from a large family of flyers that were used to maneuvering among typhoon winds and tropical updrafts. He had expected him to have difficulty adjusting to the more dry heated drafts and the lack of water in the air here in Arizona, but he had been proven wrong. The boy had taken to the skies easily, as if he had flown them all his life.
Iverson had almost had a heart attack when the then thirteen old boy had flown up high into the sky, higher than any cadet had before and even some of the more trained commanders as well, before folding his golden brown hawk wings into his body and falling back to earth. All of the personal and students had watched with wide terrified eyes as the boy got closer and closer to the ground, waiting for him to open his wings and save himself.
Over half the facility had darted to catch the boy when it was obvious he wasn't opening his wings to save himself, everyone could only think suicide at the time.
But it was only an inch off the ground when he opened his wings and came to a dead stop before settling on the ground as if nothing had ever happened.
Every teacher, commander, admiral, flyers, and anyone with any sort of authority had just about ripped the poor boy open for his reckless behavior.
It hadn't stopped him from repeating it over and over though, a wide smile on his face as he would shoot back into the air a second later to perform a more risky and dangerous maneuver than before.
Iverson dreaded the day of this kid's Flight Partner day and he was right to do so as he watched those golden brown wings spread wide before speeding away from the group of cadets trying to match his movements.
He could only sigh as he watched one after another fail at matching the boy. For being a cargo pilot, Iverson could only think that the kid had more skill than all of their current fighter pilots combined. He could see the potential in him just like he had Shirogane but due to bad written scores, the boy had been delegated to cargo. If he had a chance though, Iverson knew he would move the boy up to Fighter in a nanosecond. He'd just have to wait and see if a chance ever came.
But right now, they had to see if anyone could match up to the boy. Their instincts demanded that he match up with someone to fly with for companionship and a release. They needed to fly with someone that could keep up, otherwise they could fall into a depression and molt when it wasn't time. It could be damaging to their systems and their wings as Flight Partners were normally the ones to help preen and clean the feathers, being trusted enough to get near another's wings.
He could already see that it wasn't going to be easy. He sighed as the boy flew up high into the sky, his potential matches trailing heavily behind him as they struggled to climb as sharply as him.
He growled when the boy pulled his wings back against his back and fell down, diving towards the troupe there. He could already see what was going to happen and groaned when he dove right into the middle of them and then slammed his wings wide open, screeching out in anger and annoyance at them.
They instantly scattered away from him. Iverson rubbed at his face, watching as all the cadets that had once been clamoring for the boy paired off with each other instead. Soon there were only just two left flying up in the sky, glaring at the other as if it was their fault that they hadn't found a partner.
This was the main reason they had always made it there were forty students per year. Twenty pairs, even it off and if they had too, they could pull students from above that had lost their pairs or just wasn't working.
But that was only if they didn't have to and he prayed he didn't here. Mostly because he knew he had no one to go with the McClain boy. He was too good of a flyer and too good at out flying everyone there.
So he prayed that Kogane could keep up. He knew the boy with the black raven wings that had hints of purples and grays and red could hopefully keep up. He was like a younger brother to Shirogane and flew with the older man before he had gone off to Kerberos. He knew that Kogane knew how to fly with Shirogane and so knew how to fly with McClain. It helped that the boy was currently the top student in the fighter pilot course. Maybe that would appeal to McClain.
He just hoped he could prove himself, otherwise the Cuban with the skill in flying that rivaled Shirogane would be stuck flying with no one because the Commander knew they had no one else. He almost wished he could call West here to deal with the kid, but he already knew the man wouldn't deal with another Shirogane. Not after the Explorer Pilot had refused to stay on earth due to illness and had gone on anyways. West wouldn't be able to handle it.
So he watched as McClain pumped his wings once before folding them and falling to the earth. Kogane didn't even hesitate as he followed the other mere seconds later and plummeted to the earth as well. He knew the boy couldn't pull up like McClain or Shirogane, but he also knew the kid had other tricks to keep up.
So he watched as McClain stopped just an inch off the ground and shot right back towards Kogane. The raven hadn't flinched a minute as McClain twirled around him and instead did a graceful loop and flew back behind the other flyer. He wasn't even bothering to try and gain headway and instead just followed behind. He had seen West do the same to Shirogane several times and smiled as McClain seemed to calm at this tactic.
He watched the Cuban lead the Texan in several flight patterns and stunts before slowing down and flying at the other's side, their wing tips brushing against each other.
Iverson sighed in relief as the two landed on the ground and separated, going different ways. Obviously they weren't at the talking stage yet, but he was just thankful they had paired off to begin.
It could only get better from here.
WP
It had only gotten worse from there.
To be fair, everyone had gotten along fine for a while. Iverson could see the pairs all getting along just fine. Griffin with Kinkade, Leifsdottir and Rizavi, Garret and Amanual, and finally McClain and Kogane being some of the better ones.
Though McClain and Kogane just barely made that list as they hadn't really talked and would only go out flying when in need. Other than that, they ignored each other rather frightfully, though it seemed McClain had tried at first but had given up.
Either way, the pairs were working at the moment and seemed to hold up during simulations later on as well.
But then news of the Kerberos Mission Team disappearing came to light.
There were no vital signs or communication from the team at all, they had lost all contact and also their ability to track the team as well.
They had called it a 'Pilot Error' due to Shirogane's health issues and closed the case. Said the team had died and that there had been no survivors at all. Iverson had felt it had been premature but he could do nothing under Admiral Sanda's direction and so continued on with the teaching of new cadets and prayed none of them would meet the same fate of those of Kerberos.
It snowballed from there as Kogane went rogue, looking for information on the man that had been so much like a brother to him. The boy had stepped too far out of line when he had almost caused his Flight Partner to crash when he had attacked the other boy in frustration and Iverson had suspended him to cool his head. Told him that Shirogane wouldn't want him to waste his life getting into fights again and that getting expelled would be the last thing to honor the man. He had sent the boy off the facility to West's home to cool off, he would allow him to return after his suspension and return to classes.
Only, the boy didn't return and the news that he had never arrived to West's residence came to light. Police, MP's and many other's searched but could not find the boy.
Iverson shook his head at the loss of potential but also at the loss of a Flight Partner for another boy.
It only got worse when Amanual dropped out and switched to a different school. He thought he could put Garret and McClain together for the time being but the transfer of Gunderson happened and he turned out to be a perfect match for Garret's own flying abilities.
That meant McClain was left without a partner to fly with and would suffer from the affects if they didn't find one soon.
WP
It was the screaming that caught his attention that night. A couple of months after the Kerberos mission had failed and Iverson was growing hopeless at McClain ever finding a flight Partner at all.
It had been another failed day at fighting the boy a flight partner and so Iverson had decided to go for a walk about the facility to think it over and clear his head at the same time. Not that it really worked as he couldn't think straight knowing that the boy was already suffering from mild depression from flying alone. It was apparent in the way he flew slower every day and how it was more gliding than actual flying at this point.
He was just passing by the cadets' quarters, lights out having been hours ago, when a scream caught his attention, along with sobbing and begging and whimpers.
His gun was out in an instant, knowing that it shouldn't be an intruder but it was entirely possible still. He wouldn't take chances now, especially as the last time he was careless he had lost his eye.
He made his way slowly to the location of the crying and screaming, scowling as a voice spat out "Quiet or we'll hurt your friend as well." It was a young voice so it had to be a cadet, most likely harassing another cadet for one reason or another.
He came to the door of the room all the noise was coming from, surprised there weren't any of the other personal here, drawn by the sound. He glanced at his watched and frowned when he realized that shift change was occurring at the moment and normally lasted ten or so minutes depending on information that needed to be passed on.
This was too set up for his liking.
"We should have done this the moment you dive bombed us, you stupid arrogant freak." That was a different voice there and he thought it might have been…
A scream cut off his thought and he didn't dare wait any longer. Whoever was in there was hurting a fellow cadet and that was punishable by expulsion and even possible charges on how bad it was.
"Halt." He snarled as he slammed the door open, ignoring how the lock broke apart and glared at the students in the room.
Garret was huddled on the bed, his arms and legs tied with a piece of cloth shoved in his mouth, wings tethered together behind his back, and tears falling from wide brown eyes. HE seemed unharmed and was left alone at the moment.
Iverson's eye moved over to the grouped cadets, six of them positioned around another one with wide eyes. Two of the six were standing on top of the joints of wings, pinning them to the ground as the other four were kneeling down with knives in their hands that had blood dripping from them.
Iverson could only stare in horror at the broken, cut, torn, and mutilated feathers that littered the ground, laying in pools of blood.
Things had gotten so much worse when Kerberos had fallen in so many ways.
WP
Shiro sighed as he flexed out his wings, enjoying the feeling of knocking out the kinks he had been feeling since they had all began training that morning with the Princess. His once completely dark eagle wings now had primaries that faded into white and scars that stood out from underneath the feathers. They still held his weight perfectly though and he could fly just as well has he ever had in the past, if a little bit more carefully because of paranoia.
Though that wouldn't stop him from taking to the skies with his burgeoning flock, flying with others to calm the depression and frantic energy of being alone for so long. Now was his chance to calm his instincts and reorient himself. "Alright guys, let's go take to the skies!" He called to the resting paladins around him, eyes roving over them with amusement.
They were all spilled over the floor of the training room, gasping from breath from training against the gladiator together. Their armors, color coded to them and their lions, were scratched up and dirty but still in pretty good shape. He was also impressed that the armor conformed around their wings so that they were out in the open and ready to be used.
He frowned at that thought as he turned to the Blue Paladin, Lance, as he remembered how the other's armor hadn't opened up but seemed to blurb outwards to accommodate the space there. He wondered why the other wasn't using his wings but shook his head before ushering the exhausted Paladins onto their feet. It was none of his business as long as the boy would fly with their flock.
"I'm way too tired to go flying Shiro." Pidge said with a glare at the man. His golden orange wings were puffed out in agitation, the fluff of still young wings showed his real age but no one mentioned it. "I'll just fall out of the sky."
"Oh no you won't!" Hunk cried out with a fist in the air even as he laid on the floor, his own spotted brown and gold wings splayed on the floor. "I wouldn't let you but I agree, I'm way too tired for this."
Shiro raised a brow at that in curiosity. "Their Flight Partners." Lance spoke up from where he stood just a little to the right of Shiro, Bayard still in his hand in its rifle form. They had all learned that Allura could hit that sequence at any time nowhere was safe. "They work rather well with each other too so it wouldn't be a surprised if Hunk actually caught Pidge." He shrugged.
"Huh, that's convenient." Shiro smiled as he glanced to where Keith stood with his arms crossed. "You mind being my partner again? It's been a while and I wouldn't be surprised if you found another in that time." He had left Keith in the Garrison after all for that reason. The boy had needed to find another person to take his place and help him when he wasn't there to do so.
He blinked at the silence as Hunk and Lance glared at Keith while Pidge just sighed in annoyance. Keith himself just raised a brow at the two, obviously curious about why they were glaring too.
Shiro was curious as well as he had thought that those two were the most easy go and hardest of people to anger. They hadn't really shown an aptitude for battle and seemed to talk more jokingly among themselves than taking anything seriously. Lance joked way too much and Hunk was frightened of just about anything that came near him.
To see them seething at Keith like this was rather surprising and unusual.
"What?" Keith questioned with a hiss, his feathers fluffing out as he started to see Hunk's own wings puffing up.
It wasn't Hunk who answered though,it was Lance. "I will never fly with this asshole ever again." He growled out, moving his glare from Keith to Shiro. "I won't." Shiro could see his shoulders lifting but his wings were still pinned under his armor and so unable to bristle fully.
"What! Why?" Shiro's head snapped between the three, watching warily as Hunk got to his feet, Pidge following and taking his hand to keep him from doing anything the bigger guy might regret.
"Because he abandoned me once already! He almost hurt my wings and made me crash! I won't suffer that again!" Lance let go of his snarl and instead went to frown instead. "So you can fly with him all you want, but I won't fly with him myself."
"I never did anything to you!" Keith snarled at the accusation, wings flaring behind him. "I've never even met you before you showed up when I was rescuing Shiro!"
Silence once more, this time it was more hurt than anger from Lance while Shiro had to physically stand in front of Hunk while Pidge held onto him tightly, otherwise the yellow paladin might have actually jumped at Keith.
"You…I can't…" Lance's blue eyes misted as his lips twisted back into a snarl of hurt. There was no anger in it, just pain. "I was your flight partner at the Garrison." He whispered, stunning Shiro.
Keith actually stopped at that and frowned as he thought. "I had some kid named Taylor as my Flight Partner. He flew way too well and I was the only one who could keep up with him." Keith stated as he crossed his arms. "Last I checked, your name is Lance and I've never seen you fly before."
If Shiro hadn't been watching, he would have thought Keith had slapped the other with how Lance jerked back sharply. He was about to step in when Lance took a step away and then turned away from them, walking away from the group with stiff shoulders and his armor shaking where his wings rested underneath. "Go fly without me."
Shiro could only watch as one of them left and the rest were left in discontent.
He had to fix this before they could even fully think about forming Voltron because if they couldn't figure this out, then the universe was doomed.
WP
It took the rest of the day but Shiro eventually got the story out of Hunk, the only one who was apparently really there to see what had happened. Pidge hadn't entered the Garrison yet and Keith apparently didn't remember Lance at all, getting a nickname mixed up with his real name.
Only Keith, really, only he could do something so ridiculous.
Shiro sighed as he laid in his bed, trying to figure out how he was going to fix this. Not to mention he still had to get them all together and do a preening session. None of them had had a chance to in the week they had been out here and his own wings were starting to itch at the inattention.
He might even invite the Alteans to the session to teach them how to preen as a bonding session, as they didn't have wings and so didn't have to bother. This, he felt, would help them get to know each other better and maybe get the princess to let up on the brutal training sessions.
He wasn't sure anyone but he and Keith could keep up with the training sessions and that was only for a few more days at most. They would need a chance to rest and groom and bond and just calm their instincts. Especially after today.
IT wouldn't be easy and Shiro knew that, especially hearing from Hunk how Keith had nearly caused Lance to crash into the ground when he had jammed their wings together during a flight. It only got worse when he heard that Keith had been suspended and never returned to the school afterwards, leaving his Flight Partner alone and without a backup.
He himself knew how that felt, how debilitating it could be to have no one to fly with and preen with. It took a toll on a person, bringing depression, a loss of appetite, damaged wings, lack of grooming, and a lot more as well. IT had been pure luck that Iverson had found Adam to fly with him and he could imagine that Lance hadn't been as lucky to find another person to fly with if it was true about his skill.
Shiro was curious about that as well. He had never really found anyone who could match up to him, neither Adam nor Keith could, and it was tempting to ask Lance to fly with him to see if the teen could. They were only two years different in age and he could see it being a possible match in flying if what was said was indeed true. It would be a relief to have found someone to fly with that could hold up with him.
He smiled at that thought and nodded his head as he decided. He would ask Lance to fly with him tomorrow and see if they could be flight partners.
WP
He didn't get to ask.
The Arusians had found the castle and they all went to meet them. Then a monster from Haggar had appeared, almost killing them all and the Arusians, but they defeated it soon enough by forming Voltron. From there a party at the castle had occurred and all hell broke loose.
A bomb had gone off during the party, taking out the crystal and almost killing Lance in the process.
The castle had been taken over.
By the Galra.
By Sendek.
Shiro snarled as he glared at the larger Galra with a much bigger arm. "It has been some time Champion. It is good to see you well." The smirk was large and showed off his teeth. "I'm sure Haggar will be more than pleased to have you returned."
Shiro flinched at the mention of the witch before shaking his head. "Then take me back to her and leave Lance here." He bartered as his eyes glanced over to the unconscious form of his teammate. His helmet was gone and it was obvious the amount of damage done. Shiro had seen almost the entire back piece of his armor had been melted and one solid hit would break it entirely.
He prayed Lance's wings were still in once piece and thankful that they hadn't been out.
Sendek hummed as he walked over to Shiro before turning to take in the handcuffed form of the Blue Paladin. He scoffed after a moment as he reached down and grabbed hold of the broken armor in his robotic hand. "Tell me Champion, do all of your kind have wings?" He questioned.
Shiro gulped as he watched that hand, hoping it would do damage to those precious limbs. "Yes." He answered and just about shrieked in fury as that hand broke the rest of the back armor, causing Lance to groan in pain beneath the Galra. "Leave him alone! He's already injured!"
The second in command stopped Shiro from moving closer as he held a gun to the Black Paladin's head. "Don't move or you die." Haxus growled, the gun already charging.
"I just wish to see if he has as magnificent wings as your own." A chuckle as more of Lance's armor was removed and then Shiro could only watch as the back of his flight suit was ripped from his neck down to his waist.
Only they all stopped to stare at what on the teen's back. Shiro in horror and the Galra in confusion. "It seems the Blue Paladin is more useless than I first assume." Sendek finally stated as he stood up and walked back over to the screens that were counting down to take off. "Just another toy for Haggar to play with."
Shiro didn't hear that though as he stared at the mutilated wings. He could tell that the bones had all been left and most of the skin as well, but the feathers hadn't grown back like they should've, and that most of it was all scaring where what little feathers couldn't cover. The scarring was horrific and it would tell of why the feathers hadn't grown back yet and he wondered if they ever would.
He hardly even remembers the rest of the battle for the castle, only knowing that they had defeated Sendek and now they could only wait for Hunk and Coran to return with another crystal so that they could heal their friend.
Though he wasn't sure if it was worth healing Lance, not with the way his wings were.
WP
"Do we know when he'll be out?" Shiro questioned after three days of Lance residing within the Cryo Pod. Coran had originally thought that the teen would be in for only a couple of days, but so far there had been no signs of him waking up.
"I truly do not know number one." Coran spoke as he looked over the readings. "All I can say is that Number three's vitals are all steady and there doesn't seem to be anymore injuries for the pod to heal. He should have been out yesterday."
"Then we must be missing something." Allura stated as she too stared at the sleeping Paladin. "Did Sendek cause further damage that we do not know?"
Shiro shook his head. "No, none. He just looked at his wings to see if they were like mine. He was greatly disappointed though." Shiro said, ignoring the look Hunk was giving him. "Apparently he doesn't like brown."
"Well that's a good thing then." Keith stated next. "It means that whatever it is doesn't have to do with his wings. HE should still be able to fly when he gets out." No one saw Hunk or Shiro flinch at that, but neither spoke of what was truly wrong with that sentence.
Shiro had made sure that he was the one to change Lance into his cryo suit and put the boy in. He wasn't going to let anyone else see the boy's wings until he was ready to speak up. Just like how he wasn't saying about Pidge's identity. They needed to come out and say it in their own time.
"He'll come out when he's ready then." Pidge spoke up, adjusting their glasses. "It's not like Lance hasn't always taken his time to be ready for anything before anyways."
"Alright then, while he heals the rest of us can work on fixing the castle and preparing to leave." Allura decided with a stout nod of her head. "Pidge, you and Hunk can help Coran with the computer systems. Keith, you and Shiro are going to be our main labor workers as the two of you are much stronger than the rest of us, and I'll be working on the energy output of the castles and going over systems." With their jobs given, she took off to go and do as she said.
"Come Number one, two, four and five, we've got much work to do!" Coran stated as he turned to leave.
"Yeah, you guys go on ahead, I need to talk to Hunk real quick." Shiro said as he grabbed hold of said teen by the shoulder and held tight to him. The others looked at them before shrugging and taking off to do their jobs.
'You have to ask Lance." Hunk said instantly, not meeting Shiro's eyes as he looked elsewhere.
"Hunk, this could be dangerous to the team and more importantly, to Lance. I assumed he could fly, what would have happened if we left him behind by accident?" He questioned the other with stern and worried eyes.
"I wouldn't have let that happen." Hunk snapped as he glared at the other with wobbly lips and teary eyes. "I would never leave him behind! I would stay with him, even if it meant dying."
Shiro sighed as he rubbed at his face and then ran his hand through his hair. "That isn't the point Hunk. You two put the entire team in danger and we can afford to do that." He tried to explain.
"Because Lance is part of Voltron and Voltron is going to rescue the entire universe." Hunk stated, throwing his arms up. "I get it! I get it but I can't make Lance do something he doesn't want to and what happened was horrible all around! You saw his wings Shiro! How could he have brought that up in the first place!?"
The Black Paladin had to agree with that as he grimaced at the memory. The few feathers there had been were bent or horrendously cut in awkward angles. The scar tissue was bad and he could see several places that skin had either been pulled taunt or grafted on. It was apparent that some of the skin on the wings had been fillet off in chunks, leaving muscles and veins exposed.
There really wasn't a way to bring it up and now Shiro understood why they hadn't. Yes, Lance being unable to fly had been a disadvantage but the two probably could have worked around it but now the three of them could work around it together. At least until Lance was ready to explain why his wings were hidden and why he wouldn't fly with them. It also probably meant that what little preening was done to Lance was done in private, so group preening was now out as well.
HE sighed as he hid his face in his hands. This was getting much more complicated than he thought it would be.
WP
It took almost two weeks before Lance was out of the pod.
They had completed all the repairs and maintenance of the castle within that time frame. They had all gathered just outside of the healing pod to create a preening circle so that the necessary cleaning could be done and they could all keep an eye on the Blue Paladin.
"I can't believe you have this much dust in your feathers." Pidge groused as she ran her fingers through Hunk's spotted brown and gold owl feathers. "How do you even manage it?"
"I honestly have no clue." Hunk's own hands straightened out several of Keith's feathers as he picked out some of the more bent and crooked ones so that new ones could grow in. "My moms were always surprised at how much dirt could get in them as well, even when I didn't go outside."
Shiro laughed and struggled to keep his wings from fluffing from it as he knew that Keith got annoyed with him when he did that. His own fingers went over the down that was still Pidge's own, simple to clean due to the fact they were still maturing. He understood why it was still juvenile feathers as her identity to him came clear. "I had that same problem but that's because I have huge wings to begin with, so they catch a lot of dust and dirt while I fly." He had the longest wingspan with Hunk right behind him and then Keith and finally Pidge. He wondered what Lance's own length had been but said nothing.
"That makes sense." Pidge hummed as her mind ran.
They continued to chat restlessly as they preened, warning each other when they had to remove damaged feathers or what the other's preference was when it came to spreading oil on the feathers.
None of them realized that the healing pod had opened.
Not until a scream brought their attention to their flock mate.
WP
It was freezing cold.
That was the first thing he realized when he woke up from whatever. He groaned as his body fell forward and he dropped to his knees, exhaustion was converging on his body even as he came back to the wakeful plain.
The last thing he remembered was pain and before that was moving so his body covered Coran.
Ah, that's right, the Rover dupe that had caused an explosion. He must've been rather hurt and he knew about the pods because Coran had talked about them. So that was where he must've been and that must be why he was cold.
That didn't explain the weight on his shoulders that felt both uncomfortable and yet natural at the same time.
He scrunched his eyes for a moment before forcing them open and making his eyes adjust to the light. He blinked several times until they were cleared and then looked over his shoulders.
He blinked as he stared, the image not deciphering into his mind. There was just not anyway that what he was seeing was true.
It was a sight he hadn't seen for almost a year now. One that had been lost to him when those Cadets had broken into his and Hunk's dorm room and pinned him down.
He had been told there was nothing anyone could ever do to save them and that he would be flightless.
He wasn't supposed to be able to grow his wings back due to the damage done to the nerves and skin and all the other medical terminology that he hadn't understood but knew he was never going to fly under his own power again.
But he was staring at an impossibility now. Two fully grown and fully feathered and uninjured wings.
He wasn't even going to stop the scream that fell from his lips as tears filled his eyes and fell down his face. His hands reached backwards as he twisted uncomfortably just to touch them and make sure they were real.
His fingers carefully moved over them, tentative touches that were light and unsure and he didn't want to break them! Not again, not ever again.
"Lance!" A voice screamed as warm arms wrapped around him and the scent and sight of Hunk registered and the Cuban could help but scream right back at the bigger boy even as Hunk screamed, "Oh my god your wings!"
"Wings! My Wings Hunk! MY WINGS ARE HEALED!" Lance screeched as he turned to stare at his friend with wide eyes. His wings flared behind him and the weight hurt but felt so good! "I can fly again!"
"Oh my god! How is this possible?" Hunk questioned as he stared at the stretched out wings, wondering how sore muscles that hadn't been worked would be but Lance didn't even seem to flinch at that. Maybe the pods had healed that too but he wasn't sure. "They were destroyed!"
"I don't know!" Lance looked back at his wings, disbelief still filling him even as the other three of their group began to speak as well.
"We need Allura and Coran." Shiro said with wide eyes as he took steps away to find the Alteans. He wanted to know how this was possible as well as he stared at the now fully healed wings Though he guessed that they had their answer on why the boy had taken so long in the pod.
"What do you mean his wings were destroyed!?" Keith and Pidge, both watching the two crying teens with wide eyes, even as their eyes kept flickering to the wings that apparently hadn't been there when Lance had gone in.
"What's going on?" Pidge screeched, trying to get answers.
"How long was his wings hurt for?" Keith's own question came out.
Lance and Hunk ignored them though as they looked at the newly healed wings in awe and happiness. Both constantly moving hands to run through feathers to make sure they were really there and they weren't just hallucinating.
There was just one thing both were wondering though as they continued to look.
"Why are they blue?" Hunk questioned.
WP
No one really had an explanation for why Lance's wings had healed in the pods. Not even Coran could understand. "From what you told me, his wings were almost completely destroyed." The Altean said as he looked over the pod. "Not even the pods can heal everything and this, well, I just don't understand."
"There was a power surge about two hours after Lance went in." Pidge spoke up not too long after, computer in her lap. It took an hour to find the surge and everyone was unsure of what to make of it.
It had come from the Blue Lion.
"I had no idea the Lions could even access the castle like that." Allura explained as her brows furrowed. "Though it should have been obvious as this is where you all reside and you are all their responsibility."
They had dropped it as it had gone into complications not too long after and all the explanations had just confused Lance.
All he cared about was that Blue had healed his wings and now he could fly. He owed that lion everything and he would make sure to find a way to pay her back for this miracle and gift and show his appreciation for her.
Until then though, he was going to use the gifts she had given him.
The explanation had also explained the coloring of his wings now as well.
He had once held beautiful golden brown wings that were speckled with dark brown spots and strip with white streaks in the under plumage. They had shined prettily in the sun like spun gold. He had loved the coloring of his wings as they spoke of the hawks he had been compared with but also because they had been the longest in all of his family. Even longer than his father's and older brother Marcus's wings.
His current wings were almost nothing like they had been. The feathers that line the top ridges of his wings were the once upon golden brown with dark speckles but as soon as they started down from there were two colored feathers. They started off as dark blue before lightening to pure white at the ending tips. They were even longer and broader than what his old wings had been, just barely shorter than Shiro's own.
He couldn't wait to fly with them.
But Shiro had stopped him from running outside the moment he had been released from the infirmary. The man had made him go to the training deck and then worked the both of them through stretches for their wings.
Lance would never admit to how euphoric it was to stretch his wings in such ways to anyone aloud. He would keep how the stretches made his legs weak with pleasure and then almost buckled under him when his shoulders had rolled and his wings lifted so high he just about groaned in pleasure.
Shiro had then made him go sleep and Lance struggled for several reasons.
He had a small nest to start with because he hadn't needed the extra space for wings that weren't there. So he had to make a new nest that could accommodate said wings. Then it was adjusting to sleeping with wings again as he hadn't needed to for a year. There was no more laying on his back as the wings were too large and didn't fit neatly against his back like his torn ones had.
So it was awkward to try and sleep and he knew it would take some time to get used to them once more.
As soon as morning had come, Lance had leapt up and raced out of his room to go for a fly.
Only Shiro had grabbed him by his arm and dragged him into the lounge where Lance was forced to sit in the makeshift nest in the middle of the floor for all the Paladins.
No one had touched Lance's wings since he had been discharged from the hospital after the incident. He wouldn't allow them and he hadn't touched them himself. That was why there had still been damaged feathers and the skin had been so uncared for.
He just couldn't stand having someone else touch his ruined feathers.
He hadn't even realized what Shiro was going to do until fingers were gently sliding against his feathers and rubbing against the skin soothingly, just about dropping him off into lala land almost instantly.
He hadn't even been aware of his wings flaring up against the other hands, startling a laugh out of the man, or even how all the others entered into the room watching the preening session.
Lance had forgotten how soothing preening could be and how pleasant it was when someone who knew what they were doing did the job. He knew right there and then that he was going to have Shiro do his preening no matter what.
He dozed while his wings had been preened, the white and blue feathers put into place after a restless night.
He had woken though to a dimmer lounge, wondering where everyone else had gone off to. He was so confused, his mind racing over everything that had happened, flaring his wings out happily again and rejoicing at the feeling of his wings stretching.
God, it felt like sex!
No, better than sex!
But there was something that would be so much better than just stretching. He grinned as he looked around and saw no Shiro in the way at all. He didn't even bother standing straight and instead crawled frantically out of the nest and out of the lounge in seconds. There was no way he was going to waste this opportunity of Shiro being nowhere to be seen.
He ran down all the hallways, wings trailing behind him like flags of freedom and hope. He crowed in excitement as the entrance of the castle came into view and then screeched in victory as he spread his wings at the entrance had gave a hard flap.
When he was younger and he had taken his first flight with his family, he hadn't needed to be told how to. He just did. He had spread his wings and outflew everyone in his family in seconds. It was all instinct that he knew how and his skill had just always been there. No practice required.
That was what was happening now for him. He didn't need a second to get reacquainted or to test flight wings he hadn't had for a year.
He took to the skies like he had never left and the screech he released was of victory, relief, and pure happiness. He was back where he belonged and he felt like he would never leave again.
The sounds of other flyers reached him and he didn't slow down. If they wanted to fly with him, then they needed to keep up with him and show him their skill.
He screeched his challenge and got two in return.
He smirked as he climbed high into the air, pumping his wings powerfully as he got higher and higher. He could feel another person join him at his side and he could see eagle wings with white primaries and then he was falling backwards. The other kept up and they moved almost in sync the entire time.
He knew they had lost the other flyer well into the climb but this one was keeping up easily. They were moving together, doing loops and twists and barrel rolls and dives and so much more.
This flyer was keeping up easily and Lance was enjoying the feeling of finally having a match that could fly with him on his returning flight. It was all so good and euphoric and his instincts were singing.
Then there was something singing in his bones and he screeched with it, enjoying the returned screech before both of them were pumping back up into the sky, as high as they could. They didn't need to say anything as they faced each other, grabbed the other's forearms, and then fell down to earth, wings tucked tightly to their backs.
Lance met the other's forehead with his own gently, staring into deep dark onyx eyes and a scarred nose. He trilled and cooed at the other in pure excitement, enjoying returned coos and trills as well as the intermittent rumble.
God it made his blood boil with such a burning that he wasn't sure what exactly was happening.
All he knew was that when they stopped just an inch from the ground, hovering with pure control, was that everything was falling into place.
A flight partner that he could fully immerse himself in and the returned of his wings. He could feel the flock surround the two and cooed and trilled and screeched with the two as they fought to come back to their human minds.
But really, it didn't matter because Lance knew he would return and he would wake to a world that was bright and happy and he wouldn't hurt anymore. The nightmare of pain and depression and the loss of wing wouldn't be there.
Instead a flight partner, his flock, and his wings would all be there now waiting for him. Making him happier than he had been after his wings had been stolen.
With that thought he allowed his feet to touch the ground as he flared his wings behind him and screeched with all he was worth, with victory, his flock joining him.
Nothing could have been better than that moment right there.
WP
A.N. Holy shit this was a long one shot and I hope you all love it because I did and I've always wanted to do a Wing Fic but I just didn't have an idea for a chapter fic and instead this idea for a oneshot came to me and I loved it so I wrote it and I hope you all love it! Review and let me know!
I would like everyone to think about some of the authors on Fanfiction that died recently or a while ago. Some of them died in tragic accidents or illnesses and have left stories unfinished or had others finish them for them in memory. I would like everyone reading this to lower their heads, clasp their hands together and pray for those who have been lost. Allow there to be a moment of silence for wherever you, the reader, are and remember not just the writers here on this site but those who have been lost in your life or in tragic events.
Please remember that life is short and that you should love those in your life while you can and show your appreciation for water comes into your life.
Again, thanks to those who have lost their lives for spreading inspiration through their works.