I couldn't think of a better wrestler name. If you've got a better idea, then let me hear it! Also, I apologize for my inability to write fight scenes. I've done the best I can. Enjoy.

...

Chapter 9: Red Lion

The Temple's warp pad glowed, and the four Paladins returned to their home.

"What on Earth made you think shooting a blood pallet was a good idea?" Blue asked Hunk. Keith couldn't tell if she was angry, upset, or worried, but she definitely wasn't happy with Hunk. "Look at all the gunk you got in my hair." There was only a small spot of the red gunk in her her bangs, but Blue didn't like it when her hair got messed up. "And look at Keith." She pointed at Keith. He was covered from his feet to his neck in the same red gunk.

"It's not that bad." Keith protested.

"See? He's okay with it." Hunk said happily.

"He is not going to be okay with it when it hardens." Blue replied. What happens when it hardens? Keith wondered. He got his answer when he realized the goop had harden to the point where he could not move his fingers. He attempted to move towards the kitchen, but as soon as he got close to the sink, the sludge hardened completely, leaving him stuck.

The other Paladins didn't notice. "You cannot continue to endanger the rest of us with your antics." Blue scolded.

"It's not like I want to put us in danger! I just try to help where I can. It's just something great about me! Right, Shiro?" Hunk said angrily.

Shiro had been silent before, but he spoke in a serious tone. "Hunk. You are a Paladin of Voltron. You need to act like it."

Hunk flushed, and for a moment, it looked like he was about to cry. But he ignored the pain, let out a sharp fine, and marched into his room. "I think we got through to him." Blue said. Keith couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. "Uh, guys?" Keith asked the remaining Paladins, but they both went into their respective rooms, leaving Keith alone in the kitchen.

...

It was late at night, and Keith had fallen asleep in his little cocoon. He was sleeping peacefully when a sudden noise startled him awake. It was the sound of the temple door opening.

He looked over to see who it was, hopefully Shiro with something to get him out of this, but it turned out to be Hunk. What's he doing? Keith wondered. Hunk went out of the house's front door. Keith wanted to go, but he was still stuck. But then, he heard a cracking sound. The cocoon turned brittle, and Keith busted out of it easily. He ran out on the porch, and saw Hunk running towards Garrison. Curious, he followed after him.

...

Keith followed after Hunk all the way to the other side of Garrison. Where is he going? Keith thought, running out of breath. Eventually though, they stopped running though the streets and came upon an old, abandoned building. At least from the outside it looked abandoned. On the inside, it looked like some kind of gym, with a big wrestling ring in the middle. There was a table next to the ring, with some kind of announcer sitting at it, and around the ring, there was a decently-sized audience sitting in fold-out chairs. Why would Hunk come here? Keith asked. He got his answer when he saw Hunk walk onstage, shape-shifted into a giant wrestler.

He had gotten rid of his normal clothes, including his Voltron headband, and switched it for a wrestler costume. His costume was yellow-orange color, and was pretty basic except for a mask that was about as big as a Mardi Gras mask and was shaped like a lion's head.

"And tonight, we have the Yellow Lion, the single most hated wrestler in Garrison Underground's history!" The announcer said enthusiastically into the microphone. Everyone one in the audience booed. "His opponent, or should I say victim, the Hitman." He pointed to another wrestler in the ring with Hunk. The "Hitman" was wearing camouflage and had some black streaks under his eyes. It was painfully obvious that it was Klaizap. If he was trying to look like a tough assassin, he was doing a poor job.

"I'm going to end your reign of terror!" he promised. He ran towards Hunk, screaming in rage. But Hunk just held up his hand. Klaizap ran smack dab into Hunk's open palm, and passed out. "Ooooo! That was quick!" The announcer cheered. Hunk picked Klaizap up, and threw him out of the ring. Keep in mind, Hunk is far from a heartless monster. He did not through Klaizap simply to gloat. (although that may have been a small part of it)

No, Hunk had thrown Klaizap in an effort to get him on the Underground's emergency stretcher. But that's not what Keith saw. He saw an opportunity to learn how to fight.

The crowd continued to boo the Yellow Lion, until he finally ran off the stage and out the side doors. Despite the hate and mockery, and the fact he had nearly killed someone, Hunk was smiling the whole time.

...

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh." Hunk sighed, shape-shifting back to his normal form. He started to walk back towards the temple, but he stopped when he felt something grab his arm. "Hunk!" a voice said. Startled, Hunk grabbed the hand of his attacker, and threw him over his shoulder. He flushed when he realized it was Keith. "What are you doing here?" he asked, panicked.

"Are you a secret wrestler?" Keith asked, getting up from the ground. Hunk blushed. "Well... um, I wouldn't say, uh... what is a secret, really?" Keith gave him a look. "Okay, yes, I am a secret wrestler." Hunk admitted.

"Why?" Keith asked.

Hunk thought for a moment. "I guess it's because, in the ring, no one can really tell me what to do." Hunk said. "And if they try, then I can hit them in the face with a chair."

"People like that?" as terrible as Keith was with reading people, he had a hard time believing anyone would enjoy that. "Well, people hate it, but they also understand that that's part of it. Unlike Blue and Shiro." Hunk sighed. "You have no idea how hard it is with them on my case all the time."

Keith scoffed. "Seriously, Hunk?" Keith pulled his messy bangs forward in a funny pattern, matching Shiro's forelock perfectly. "Keith," he said mimicking Shiro's voice, "I've told you before not to rush into things without a plan." He then pushed his mullet so it was covering his eyes completely. "I'm not going to say anything," Keith said in Blue's almost emotionless tone. "But I expect you to realize that was wrong." Keith fixed up his hair. "Let me wrestle with you." he asked.

"No." Hunk told him. "Keith, you don't have any experience fighting. You could get hurt."

Keith sighed. "But you could teach me!" Keith argued. When Hunk said no once more, Keith knew he was being forced to take drastic measures. "Guess if you won't let me fight..." he said darkly, "I'll just have to tell Blue and Shiro about this."

Hunk paled. "Okay! Fine!" he yelped. "I haven't won the tag team belt, anyway." he muttered under his breath.

...

The next night was Keith debut as the newest wrestler in Garrison Undergrounds as "Red Lion."

"Real original." Hunk said happily as the pair sat off to the side. Keith's costume was exactly the same as Hunk's, except it was red. They were going up against some guys dressed like construction workers. The plan was Hunk would go first...

...and Keith wouldn't go at all because he had no fighting experience. "Just take notes, and try to enjoy yourself." Hunk instructed.

"What happens if you need help?" Keith asked.

"Then I'll tag you." Hunk said. He turned to the ring. "Wish me luck." he said happily, running to the center to meet his opponent. The announcer began. "Tonight, we have Concrete Cole and Dumptruck versus the Yellow Lion, and our newest competitor... Red Lioooooon!" He called into the microphone. "Let the match... BEGIN!"

Hunk and one of the builders (Dumptruck?) ran towards each other. At the last second, Hunk shifted his weight so that he struck Dumptruck across the face. Dumptuck fell over, and it seemed it would be a quick match, but Concrete Cole snuck up behind Hunk and slammed a traffic cone on his head, blocking his vision. The announcer made a joke about the attack, but Keith blocked him out. That was totally cheating! he seethed.

"It might not seem fair, but anything goes in wrestling." Mr. Announcer said.

Anything goes, huh? Keith smirked evilly. Hunk was trying really hard to yank the traffic cone off his head. While Dumptruck was still out, the other guy was trying to push Hunk over. "HEY!" Keith yelled. Hunk's attacker turned around, and Keith punched him in the face, the same way Hunk had punched his opponent earlier. Concrete Cole fell to the ground, out cold. Hunk yanked the cone off his head.

He looked at Keith, jaw hitting the floor. But it closed when Mr. Announcer declared them the winners.

"Good job." Hunk told his friend, both smiling wide and proud, even as the audience booed them off the stage.

...

For the next few weeks, Hunk and Keith snuck out almost every night to go wrestle. It was a fun secret between the two of them, although there were several times Blue and Shiro had come close to figuring it out. Keith had once left his mask on, and worn it around the house for nearly two hours before Shiro noticed it. "What's that?" he asked. Hunk had been heading into the kitchen and had heard the question. Both of the secret wrestlers stumbled over each other before Keith blurted out that it was part of an old Halloween costume.

The second time they almost found out is when Keith had dropped a ticket stub in the living room. Blue had picked it up, and given him questioning look. He had simply snatched it from her, and told her it was a grocery store receipt. He couldn't tell if she believed him or not, but she hadn't said anything. Another time Shiro had found Keith's costume mixed in with his laundry. Keith had not been present for that incident, but according to Hunk, it had been a tricky one to find a way out of.

For the weeks the pair spent wrestling, Keith learned more and more about fighting. Hunk taught him all sorts of tricks. He learned how to one of those cool moves in anime and old karate movies where you dodge a punch and kick someone's legs out from underneath them. He learned how to strike people, where it would hurt, and what part of his arm to use. Keith loved learning how to fight. "I don't understand why the others waited so long to teach me anything." he said to Hunk after one match.

It was a clear night, and the two were walking home together. Hunk thought for a moment. "Blue didn't really want you to get hurt and Shiro thought you were a bit too impatient." Hunk told him. "Guess I just went along with it."

"I wouldn't hurt myself." Keith defended. Hunk raised an eyebrow. "No offense Keith, but you are a bit reckless." He told the young Paladin.

"No I'm not!" Keith yelled back.

...

As it turns out, Keith was wrong. He was incredibly reckless. So much, in fact, that he had slammed right into someone's fist and gotten himself a black eye. The Yellow and Red Lions still won their match, but there was no amount of makeup that could hide the black eye from Blue. The next morning she grabbed his face and demanded that he explain himself.

"Well, I was playing baseball with some kids in town, and I got hit in the face." Keith lied. Blue looked at him. She looked past the concealer and eye shadow, into his eyes. Into his very soul. "Keith," she asked, "what really happened?"

For a brief second, Keith considered telling her the truth. He didn't. "I got hit in the face with a baseball." he told her. Blue stared at him with another blank look on her face. But she nodded, accepting his answer. "Okay." she smiled. "I trust you." with those words, she left the living room, and went back into the temple.

Phew. Keith thought. She believed me. But...

Blue trusted him, and he lied right to her face.

...

"Keith you ready for our big match tonight?" Hunk asked, excited. Keith was sitting on his bed, and looked over. "Hunk, why do we have to lie to Blue and Shiro?" he asked, slightest bit of pain in his voice. Hunk was a little shocked by this question, but he quickly recovered. "Because they wouldn't understand, and they would make us stop." Hunk explained.

"So, does that mean we're bad?" Keith asked. He didn't want to disappoint his friends.

Hunk sighed. "Keith, it doesn't make us bad for liking something other people don't. You shouldn't let anyone make you feel like garbage." Keith looked to Hunk. "Is that how you feel?" he asked. Hunk smiled, and turned towards the loft steps. "It hurts, sometimes, to be talked down to. But you shouldn't let it bother you." His grin grew even wider. "After all, they're just words people use to describe how they feel about you." Somehow, Keith felt a little better.

...

"Residents of Garrison, Fans of wrestling... Welcome to the Tag Team CHAMPIONSHIP!" Mr. Announcer cheered into the microphone. The crowd went crazy. "Tonight we have the Good-Looking Gang vs. The Kings of the Jungle!" The Kings of the Jungle was the name Keith and Hunk had earned for themselves after crushing literally everyone. The Good-Looking Gang was composed of twin brothers who Keith never bothered to learn the names of. It's not like it would matter after tonight. Mr. Announcer (I think his real name is Iverson, or something) quickly explained the rules. They were pretty much the same as every other match except you had to grab the Tag Team Belts hanging from the rafters.

One of the Good-Looking Gang members and Hunk got in the ring. The spotlight was shining down on the two wrestlers, they both looked ready to tear each other to pieces. But the spotlight was suddenly cut, and something completely unexpected happened.

Shiro and Blue landed in the ring between the two opponents. "What are you doing?" Hunk asked, alarmed.

Shiro looked mad. "What are you doing?" Shiro asked angrily. "Looks like we have some new opponents!" Iverson announced.

Shiro yanked the microphone out of Iverson's hand. "No! We're not!" he said, loud enough for everyone in the building to hear. "This match is canceled!" The crowd began to protest, shouting boo and spitting out curses.

"Why?" Keith asked, kind of angry himself. "Why? I can't believe you two! Hunk! You know how I feel about this kind of stuff." The last bit was whispered under his breath, to the point where Keith barely heard it. Blue spoke, "We are a team. How do you think it makes us feel that you cannot trust us with something like this?"

Hunk flushed, and then he growled. "It's bad enough your always on my case, and now you've got to ruin this for me too!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Keith felt the anger drain out of him. He had never heard Hunk talk like that. "Hunk, go back to the Temple." Blue ordered, her voice hard.

"I don't want to!" Hunk pushed Blue back as hard as he could. She flew back a few feet, before she regained her balance. Everyone was shocked, letting out gasps of surprise. Except for Blue.

She didn't react. "Don't do this." she warned. Hunk didn't listen. He ran straight at her, swinging his fist at her. She caught it as if it was nothing. Blue sighed, before punching Hunk in the gut. He flew straight into the back wall, leaving a giant indent. Hunk was momentarily dazed, but he quickly regained his senses. Hunk ran at her again, and again. Each time Blue pushed him away, whether it was with a punch or a kick. Soon, the whole building was shaking on its foundation, the pressure too much.

"STOP!" Keith yelled. He snatched the microphone out of Shiro's hand. "We just wanted to come here to have a little fun! It's hard! The pressure can be a bit too much sometimes." he spoke into the microphone. "This is a way to relax, cut loose, have a bit of fun." His words carried to everyone in the gym. The three older Paladins all stared at him.

"Can't we just wrestle?" he asked, questioning look to Blue and Shiro. Blue an Hunk had abandoned their fight, and Blue's sole focus was Keith. She stared at him for a moment. "No." she said with an air of authority to her voice. Everyone in the room was shocked by this response. How could she still say no after that beautiful speech?

"Because we are the evil gang of... wrestling haters." Blue said, obviously lying. What is she doing? Keith wondered. Blue made a "help me" gesture to Shiro. Shiro's eyes widened a fraction, and he nodded. "Yes!" he agreed. "We want to destroy all wrestling, everywhere!" he said dramatically.

"Noooooo!" Hunk cried, getting in on the ruse. "We will stop you, and save all wrestling!" Hunk and Keith ran at their friends, and "attacked" them. Shiro fell over after Keith pretended to hit him, and Blue fell flat on her back after Hunk pretended to punch her.

"Sorry I was so judgmental. You always bottle up your frustrations for the sake of the team. Don't be embarrassed to let them out." Blue smiled at Hunk. He smiled back, dopey grin on his face.

"Hunk." Keith said, gaining the citrine's attention. Hunk looked up, and spotted the tag team belt hanging in the rafters. Understanding what Keith meant, Hunk threw him straight up. Keith latched onto the belt, and brought them bag down to his friend.

And just like that, Yellow Lion and Red Lion became Garrison's new Tag Team Champions.