Chapter 3: Well, that didn't last long
"Hunk! On your left!" Lance shouted as he dodged an attack himself.
The Yellow Lion managed to swing out of the way of an oncoming laser.
"Thanks, dude." Hunk told Lance.
"No problem, buddy." Lance replied.
The Paladins were currently defending a planet from Galra forces, who had come for the rare minerals unique to the planet. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of the planet were a peaceful and technologically underdeveloped species, meaning they didn't have the right weapons to defend themselves from the Galra or even the ships to escape the planet. Leaving the Paladins to fight the invading Galra while also making sure they didn't target the innocence on the planet.
"I don't like this." Keith voiced. "This is too easy."
"Can't you just appreciate that we're winning?" Lance said, even though he saw Keith's point.
Keith's reply was a grunt.
"Keith's right." Shiro said. "We need to be on guard for a trap."
It wasn't long until the reason for the fight being too easy showed up.
"Something's heading towards the planet's surface!" Coran warned.
A visual was brought up on their screens and they all groaned when they recognised the familiar shape of a robeast container. The Paladins didn't even notice that the rest of the Galra forces were withdrawing as they flew to where the container would land, wanting to make sure it wouldn't harm those on the planet.
Before the container could hit the ground, it opened up to reveal the robeast inside.
At first, the robeast seemed small and rather round, but then then metal plates expanded out, connected to each other with bolts of purple energy, and at the centre seemed to be the power core that connected all of the pieces. The metal pieces continued to expand out until they formed a creature with two long, spindly legs, a long neck with an ugly mask for a face, and bat-like wings for arms, all formed from the metal pieces connected to each other and its core by the purple energy.
"Well," Lance said. "At least it has a visible weak spot."
"I don't think it'd be that easy, Lance." Pidge told him.
The robeast flew at the Lions, forcing them to scatter, its metal plates functioning as both blades as they extended from its body and shields against the Lions' attacks as they fired at it, the metal coming out unscathed from the attacks.
"Alright team!" Shiro called. "Form Voltron!"
It took a couple of attempts to form the legendary warrior, the robeast wasn't exactly going to wait around to let them form and so they had to dodge a lot, but they eventually managed to come together and form Voltron.
As Pidge predicted, despite the robeast's power-core being on full display, Voltron was unable to reach it, every time they struck out to damage it, the metal plates shifted to defend it from attack. And the metal shield-blades that made up the creature were lighting quick, defending and attacking faster than Voltron could keep up with. But despite that, Voltron wasn't taking too much damage, which got the Paladins suspicious.
"This robeast doesn't seem to be as strong at the others." Keith said as he directed the sword to block some of the sharp metal plates from hitting Voltron as the robeast flew past. "Something's up."
"Maybe it was sent off the robeast assembly line too early." Hunk suggested hopefully.
"I doubt the Galra would send something half-formed." Shiro said. "Pidge, can you scan it?"
"Already on it." Pidge said.
Voltron continued to attack the robeast without success until Pidge's scan was finished.
"According to the data, the energy-core is increasing in power each time we his one of its panels, the energy from our attacks is traveling down those energy beams and into the core." Pidge said.
"So, it's using kentawhatic energy to power itself?" Lance asked.
"It's kinetic, Lance, and yes." Pidge corrected.
"But what's it using that energy for?" Hunk questioned. "It doesn't seem to be using it to get stronger."
Hunk got his answer when the metal plates of the creature shifted away from the core and spun around it, the core itself glowing brightly.
"Hunk! Lance! Evasive manoeuvres!" Shiro ordered.
Moving quickly, Lance and Hunk quickly manage to move Voltron out of the direct path of the laser the robeast fired, but Voltron was still struck by the force coming from the blast as it past them by, knocking them out of control.
"What would have happened if that hit us?" Lance exclaimed.
"Nothing good." Hunk answered.
"Scans say that the energy-core has gone back to normal, it expended its energy with that laser." Pidge said.
"Okay," Shiro said. "We need to be careful with our attacks, we can't let it gather enough energy for another laser."
"How are we supposed to defeat it then?" Hunk questioned. "It just blocks every time we try to go for the energy-core."
"If the sword doesn't work, maybe your cannon can." Keith suggested.
"Or the robeast can just block it and absorb the force from it." Lance stated.
"It's worth a shot." Shiro said. "Form shoulder cannon!"
Hunk took out his bayard and thrust it into the slot in his lion, Voltron withdrew its sword and the large shoulder cannon formed.
"Fire!"
The shoulder cannon shot out the multi-shot energy beam at the robeast, it did its best to dodge but was eventually hit and enveloped in a cloud of smoke.
"Did that do it?" Hunk asked.
The smoke faded away to reveal a ball of metal, the panels of metal then expanded outward again to reveal the robeast unscathed, and the energy-core with more charge.
"Its panels are too quick at defending its core, we need to slow it down somehow." Pidge said.
"How?" Keith asked.
"How about we freeze them?" Lance suggested. "Stick it together and weigh it down with ice."
"That's actually a good idea." Pidge said.
"You don't need to sound so surprised." Lance pouted.
"Alright, team, disassemble." Shiro ordered.
Voltron split apart back into the five Lions.
"Pidge, Hunk, Keith and I will distract the robeast." Shiro said. "When it collects its plates to defend against our attacks, Lance will freeze them together. We keep doing this until we can get a better shot at the core."
"Right." Everyone responded.
As planned, the four Paladins distracted the robeast with fake attacks, causing it to gather its metal plates to defend itself, and Lance would then hit them with ice, fusing them together, leaving the robeast with large gaps in its form where the metal plates couldn't move back into place. The process repeated until there were many gaps in the robeast defence and it was significantly slower, but the robeast also got wise to their plan.
The Paladins didn't have time to react as the robeast gathered the extra energy it had manged to gather from the force of the ice hitting it and shot it in a laser directly at the Blue Lion, the beam didn't have the same destructive capabilities as the fully charged version, but it still did damage.
Lance screamed as he was hit, his Lion shutting down as it was blasted towards the planet's surface.
"Come on, girl." Lance said, frantically trying to use the controls, ignoring the pain he was feeling from the impact of the laser.
At the last possible second, the controls flickered back to life momentarily, allowing Lance to pull up just enough to avoid a disastrous meeting with the ground, but then they shut off again and the Blue Lion was still given a less than pleasant landing.
"Lance!" The Blue Paladin heard the call of concern through his helmet.
"I'm fine." Lance groaned, feeling the impact from the blast and rough landing now that he had time to breath. "But Blue's down for the count."
"Stay put, I'm pretty sure we can take the rest from here." Keith told him.
Lance frowned as he climbed out of his Lion and looked up into the sky where he saw the other Lions fighting the robeast.
"Stupid mullet." He grumbled. "It's like he's saying I'm not needed."
Lance looked around and noticed that he was at the edge of the city, not that far from the shore of the ocean. The citizens were coming from the city towards him and his fallen Lion.
"Blue Paladin, are you hurt?" One of them asked when they reached him.
"I'm fine, I was just knocked around a bit." Lance answered with his usual smile in place.
Without the Blue Lion to form Voltron, the Paladins couldn't go through with the plan to form the sword again, so they had to attack the robeast at a closer distance, the robeast could still use its panels to defend, but it was much slower. Eventually, Keith managed to get past the defences and attack the energy-core with the Red Lion's jaw-blade.
Lance and the aliens around him cheered as the robeast stopped in the air and then fell towards the ocean. But just after the pieces of the robeast sank beneath the surface, the core suddenly exploded and a resulting, giant wave rose from the ocean, heading for the city.
"A wave of that magnitude will completely engulf the entire city!" One of the aliens exclaimed. "We won't survive.
Lance looked desperately at Blue, reaching out through their connection, but the Lion remained still on the ground, still too damaged to move, let alone summon the energy to freeze the oncoming wave.
"Don't worry, Lance, we're coming!" Shiro told him.
Lance wondered what they could do to stop the wave from destroying the city and everyone along with it, but that thought was quickly cut short when he spotted something behind the Lions as they headed towards him.
"Guys, behind you!" He shouted.
The Galra ships that had fled had returned with even more forces, stopping the lions from moving any further as they were forced to fend them off. Help wouldn't be coming for Lance and the aliens in time.
"You must save us." One of the aliens begged as they took hold of Lance's arm.
"What can I do?" Lance questioned. "Blue is too damaged to freeze anything."
"We know that you have the capability, we can feel it." The alien motioned towards Lance's thigh, where his gem was covered.
Lance gasped and his hand went to his gem, there aliens somehow knew.
"How?" He asked.
The alien shook their head, signifying that now was not the time for that question.
"But…I don't even know if I can control something that big." Lance said, eyes wide. "I've heard that my mum could move oceans, but I've never even tried anything at that level. What if I don't have the strength?"
"We will lend you our strength." The alien said confidently, moving their hand to rest on his shoulder. "We are with you."
The other aliens gather around Lance, resting their hands on his shoulders, or each other's shoulders if they couldn't reach him, forming a crescent around him, the space in front of him that faced the ocean left open. Trying to control the ocean, any ocean, was far different than trying to control normal water in Lance's experience, it wouldn't always listen, but Lance had to try.
Lance took a deep breath and looked at the giant wave that was almost upon them, he held out his arms and closed his eyes, searching for the feeling of the flowing water. Lance felt the power of the wave, it was strong and overpowering, not wanting to listen to him, but Lance remained insistent. The wave was angry, the ocean was a powerful force and would not be stopped by Lance, something so small and simple compared to itself, it would claim the land as part of its own, as was its nature. But Lance begged it to listen, this was not the way to claim the land, this wave was not the cause of the forces of nature, and thus the land would not be fully claimed by the ocean as it should, the victory over land would be tainted. Instead, it should work with Lance and bring justice to those who sought to taint it.
The Paladins were struggling to get past the Galra to reach Lance and the aliens of the surface, but they already knew it was too late, even if the Galra suddenly disappeared, they wouldn't reach Lance in time. They saw that the aliens were gather around Lance, their hands on each other, just as the wave crested over them. In the back of his mind, Keith wondered if they were praying.
But then the wave suddenly stopped just before it could be brought down upon the city, at first the Paladins wondered if time had stopped on the planet's surface, but then they noticed that the water in the wave was still moving.
Keith felt a great amount of energy and brought up the view screen of his Lion, focusing it down on Lance and the group of aliens. Lance had his eyes shut and his arms out, looking strangely at peace. But then Lance's eyes snapped open and his expression became fierce, his arms moving about in a pattern.
The Paladins watched in amazement as the giant wave suddenly morphed into a giant lion that looked like the Blue Lion, but made of water, it leapt into the air and slammed into the Galra ships with a silent growl, the water crushing the ships and sending them into the ocean. The water lion then returned to the ocean itself, the water becoming calm.
With both the treat of the giant wave and the Galra gone, the other Paladins quickly piloted their lions down to the surface, where Lance and the aliens were.
None of the noticed the singular ship that had managed to escape the water lion's fury, flying away into space.
The four Paladins ran out of their Lions as soon as they landed, sprinting over to where Lance stood.
The aliens that surrounded Lance let go of him and each other, each looking rather exhausted. But they were nothing compared to Lance as he turned around to face his teammates.
"Hey, guys." He said, slightly slurred.
Lance was very pale and looked like a zombie, swaying on his feet with a drugged expression. A trail of blood was dripping down from his nose and onto his armour.
"Did you do that, Lance?" Keith asked, motioning towards the ocean.
Lance looked confused before realising Keith was talking about the wave.
"Oh, yeah. Didn't know I had it in me." Lance giggled drunkenly. "Okay, I'm gonna pass out now."
Lance closed his eyes and his legs collapsed beneath him, but he was saved from hitting the floor by Shiro catching him.
"Let's get back to the ship." Shiro said, picking Lance up. "We can discuss this when Lance gets out of the healing pods."
Author's note: Thank you all so much for your support so far, it really inspires a creator when she gets so much feedback on her work. With this chapter being the reveal of Lance to the Paladins, I wanted it to be longer, but this is just how it turned out, but I managed to keep to my rule of writing at least 2000 words for each chapter.
For the references in chapter 2, people managed to spot that I used Stork from Storm Hawks as the former Green Paladin, or a different Merb with the same characteristics if you want, since the former Green Paladin is now dead.