(~)
Keith took in a deep breath as he stood before Allura's door. He pushed this back long enough, he had to come clean. He rose his fist to knock, only to literally jump up like a scared alley cat when he heard his girlfriend's voice from behind.
"Keith? Everything alright?"
"A-Allura! Phew! You scared me."
"Sorry. Did you want something? You look a little… frazzled."
Keith should have known Allura would be able to see right through his nervousness. He barely slept a wink the night before thinking about how he was going to address this. "I-I need to tell you something but, can we go somewhere private?"
Allura nodded her head and allowed him inside her room. The doors closed behind him. "What's wrong?"
Keith calmed his nerves by breathing heavily. "I know I should have told you this before, and I'll understand if you get upset, but I wasn't sure how to tell you, and you were already dealing a lot with the banquet and Shiro missing, and I'm still not sure if-"
"Keith!" Allura stopped his rambling by gripping his upper arms. She smiled warmly and cupped his left cheek. "Whatever it is, you don't have to be afraid to tell me. You already told me you are half Galra, I highly doubt you can tell me anything else that is more surprising than that."
The young paladin chuckled, his nerves of her getting angry were wavering. Yet, his concerns of what would come afterwards still lingered.
"Okay." he sucked in his lips before continuing. Allura led him to her bed where they sat facing one another. Her hands never once letting go of his. "You remember when Shiro and I were stranded on that alien planet?"
"When you piloted the Black Lion?"
"Yeah. You told me it responded to me as a desperate attempt to save Shiro."
"Well, that was more of a theory, but you didn't want to dwell on it so I let it go."
"That's just it. After that, Shiro…" Keith averted his gaze, looking down at the floor where the mice listened attentively. "He told me something. At first I thought it was the pain talking and he wasn't thinking straight but…" he couldn't get the words out. It was too unbelievable, even in his own mind. It felt more like some crazy impossibility that was worlds, if not dimensions apart from reality.
"What did he tell you?" Allura asked, seeing Keith's hesitation.
"He told me, that if anything happened to him… he wanted me to become the leader of Voltron."
Allura's eyes widened. She was both surprised, yet at the same time… not surprised? It was evident that Shiro had a vast amount of faith in Keith, being close friends, but she could understand Keith's hesitation.
Her boyfriend was known for many things. His impulsiveness and temper, which she knew was aligned with his passionate side. His unrestrained honesty to the point of bluntness. His unwavering kindness and devotion to his loved ones. His hesitation to fully open up to new people, something she learned when they were at the younger days of their newly formed friendship. Yet, while Keith did posses a hard shell, he was also capable of great unconditional love, evident by how far he was willing to go for her.
And, while confident and aware of his talents as a pilot, Keith was never one to boast. He was modest and gave credit when credit was due, even if it was someone like Lance. But, his modestly at times subtly indicated his still lingering, submerged uncertainty in himself, often frightened of the possibility of letting others down.
In Allura's eyes, she has been examples of Keith's capability to be a leader many times, and his growing bond with the paladins helped bring out that side of himself, even if he did still struggle with his temper and impulsiveness, that didn't damper Allura's belief in his potential. Last night at the banquet, Keith stepped up and showcased he could take control of a situation, even after he messed up, and mainly because he was doing it for Allura's sake not her own.
Shiro choosing Keith as his successor made a ton of sense in her mind, but she knew Keith did not share her perspective on the matter.
Allura's silence concerned Keith. Had he made another mistake in waiting this long to tell her? What would she say or think? Would she agree that Shiro was right? Most likely, she was his girlfriend, so she would say so to be supportive. But, would she agree with Keith that he wasn't cut out for the job?
"I know! I know I should have told you that sooner, but I honestly didn't think it would come to that. But, now Shiro's gone and I just-I don't-"
Allura cut him off by placing a soft kiss over his lips. "It's alright. I understand why you didn't tell me right away. And I'm not mad. But, I can't say I agree with you."
"What?"
"You think you won't make a good leader of Voltron, but last night proved otherwise."
"You mean the banquet? All I did was-"
"You told the leaders the truth. You told them we couldn't form Voltron, but not that he was gone. Not to mention, you reminded them that the strength of Voltron doesn't come from the weapon itself, but from its team. You showcased that you have what it takes to take control of a situation." Allura held his hands tight in her own. "And you did rescue me from a tight situation."
Keith felt his cheek heat up. He didn't even think of it that way. He just saw the whole thing as him helping his girlfriend, not as an example that he could be a leader. "Talking to a few leaders is one thing but, leading everyone into a Galra battle?"
"Keith, I've seen the way you take charge, even in small situations. Hunk told me how you managed to pull him back to his senses while you retrieved the scultrite from the Weblum. And when Shiro was down during that last fight with Zarkon, it was you who rallied everyone together to protect him. I understand your hesitation to lead. Believe me, I too was terrified when I had to take up my father's mantel, and I still wrestle with that fear almost every day. But, even so, you reminded me I didn't have to go through it alone. And neither will you during this time. I promise. Whatever happens, we can work through it together just like we always have."
Keith still wasn't entirely convinced all of those moments was proof that he could be a good leader, but regardless of his doubts, a part of him felt relieved to know that he wasn't alone in his uncertainties. Allura understood what it was like to have to follow in someone's footsteps, and the fear of letting them down looming over their heads. He still wasn't sure if he should be the leader, but he was thankful Allura was there to support him. He didn't know what he would do without her.
Kissing her full on the lips and stroking her hair, he sighed in relief. "Thank you."
"So… should we tell the others?"
"I don't know. I was able to pilot the lion once but, who's to say it'll happen again? What if it really was a one time deal?"
"I'm not sure. We'll just have to find out."
(~)
The young couple entered the lounge room, where Coran and the rest of the paladins were spread out on the couch, minus Coran who stood in the center. All eyes fell on Allura and Keith when they entered. Hunk was the first to jump from his seat.
"Allura! Oh, good you're here!"
"Everything alright?" the princess asked with concern.
"We were just talking about how we were going to find a new Black Paladin." Pidge said.
"Yeah, what took you guys so long?" Lance asked, eyeing the two with a frustrated look in his eyes. "Where were you two? Here we are, trying to think of a plan, and you guys were wandering off somewhere!"
Keith opened his mouth to protest, but Allura stopped him by speaking up first, trying to prevent another argument between the two. "What have you come up with so far?" she asked.
Pidge spoke up first. "Well, when we all came here you told me I would fly the Green Lion and I thought there was no way. But then I found it and I flew it, and then Hunk flew the yellow lion and he's not even a pilot. In fact, you told everyone who would pilot which lion."
"Yeah! How did you do that?" Hunk asked, eyes wide with interest, and hope. "Did we ever find out how you did that? Can you do that now?" he asked, giving her big puppy dog eyes.
"Sadly, no." Allura replied. "When you arrived at the castle, I immediately recognized the special qualities in each of you. But, I don't have the power to search the entire universe for a new black paladin."
Allura was careful to leave out the detail of what Keith had just told her. She didn't want to just blurt it out or place Keith on the spot. They agreed to both inform the team together and gently so they wouldn't get any crazy accusations.
Of course, their plans were quickly disrupted when Coran spoke. "Keith, you piloted the Black Lion when you saved Shiro. Perhaps you're the one."
Keith turned his eyes away from the older Altean man. He really didn't feel right about this. Being the Black Paladin? He just wasn't cut out for it, he knew that. Allura may believe he could be a leader, and maybe he could one day, but right now… he just wasn't ready.
"Keith would be the worse leader of Voltron!" Lance said. Keith wanted so much to roll his eyes. Of course Lance would be the first to object to it, but as much as it annoyed Keith to admit it-even to himself-the Blue Paladin was right in a sense. Maybe Keith wouldn't be the "worse" leader ever, but he certainly wouldn't be the ideal one.
"Yeah, we all have our thing." Pidge said, motioning to each team member as they voiced their individual qualities. "Keith's the loner, I'm the brain, Hunk's the nice guy, Allura is the decision maker, Coran is the wise old guy, and Lance is the goofball."
"Yeah, totally, I- Wait a minute!"
Allura had to suck in her lips to keep herself from laughing. Lance was fully on board with what Pidge said a moment ago, only to come to the realization of her words a little too late. It was downright amusing to see.
"I'm not the goofball! I'm like the cool ninja sharp shooter!"
Keith was the first to chuckle. "You joking?"
Clearly, Lance did not take likely to that comment and rose from his seat, his anger fuming. His face was slowly turning red like a tomato while pointing a finger at Keith. "I'm being completely serious when I say I don't want you to lead me anywhere!"
"I don't want to be the leader, that's just what Shiro wanted!"
And just like that, they could throw all possibility of laying the news gently out the window. More like, shooting it out the window at lightning speed until it crashed into a nearby asteroid and blew up to smithereens.
This is exactly why Keith didn't believe he was capable of being a leader. He lashed out and acted before thinking, just like the banquet. Sure, he fixed it, but who's to say he would get lucky again?
Allura didn't look mad, rather just as disappointed and saddened as Keith was. He recoiled and timidly turned his eyes away from everyone else. Allura placed a hand on his shoulder in in silent comfort.
"What are you talking about?" Hunk asked, eyes the size of diner plates while the others looked confused and or startled.
"Shiro wanted you to be his successor, didn't he?" Pidge concluded. Keith didn't respond. They already knew the truth, so what was the point of even explaining it to them?
Lance felt both shocked, yet at the same time unimpressed. Of course, Shiro would place Keith-his literal right hand man-to lead the team. Only, why Keith? He was short tempered, reckless, not to mention has very little to no experience leading anyone or anything. This was the same guy who's been considered a social outcast from nearly everyone at the Garrison, despite his natural piloting skills. He rarely talked to anyone, save for Shiro, and he's lived as a hermit for an entire year after Shiro disappeared after the Kerberos mission.
The guy knew how to work on his own, so why place him in charge? Anyone could have made a better leader than Keith.
"Well I never heard Shiro say that, and how convenient that you're bring it up now when Shiro is gone."
Oh, so now Lance was accusing Keith of intentionally trying to take Shiro's place? Honestly, the nerve of this guy just infuriated Keith to no end sometimes. He never asked to become Shiro's successor, he just outright stated it out loud not two minutes ago! He could understand why Lance would be hesitant to let Keith lead, but that was just a low blow. The very last thing Keith would ever want is to replace Shiro.
"You want the job so badly, you can have it!" Keith exclaimed in anger, his hands clenching into fists.
"Hang on! I called the head from the very beginning!" Hunk said.
"What about me?" Pidge exclaimed, also raising from her seat. "I was the one who picked up on the radio waves that led us to Voltron in the first place!"
Coran stepped in, ceasing the arguing. "Hold your gazugas everyone! It's not our decision to make. We must allow the lion to decide."
Keith felt a little bit better. No matter what Shiro said, it wouldn't matter unless it was the lion's wish. He was fully on board with this. He turned to Allura, nodding his head in agreement. Let the others take a turn at seeing who else the Black Lion chooses.
Allura picked up on his silent signal and nodded as well. "Coran is right." she said to the others. "We must all present ourselves to the Black Lion, to see who will bear this glorious burden."
"Wait, you too Allura?" Keith asked in surprise.
"My father created Voltron. How can I allow other to risk their lives in battle and not be prepared to do so myself?"
"But, won't you be needed to pilot the castle?"
"Only to create wormholes. Coran is more than capable of piloting the castle without my help. I must try."
Keith was surprised by her decision, but didn't debate on it further. If she believed she needed to do this, then he would support her. Besides, if there was anyone he believed was worthy to lead this team in a way that would make Shiro proud…
It would be Allura.
(~)
One by one, the paladins and princess all entered the Black Lion. Seeing its lifeless body spread out on the cold floor of the hangar was still a distressing sight. It served as a constant reminder that Shiro was still gone.
Allura was the first to go in. Keith gave her a peck on the cheek for good luck. Once inside, Allura focused on bonding with the lion, but she didn't feel anything. No spark, no tingling feeling, no nothing. After a few minutes, the princess emerged, simply shrugging her shoulders, accepting the fact that she wasn't meant to lead Voltron herself.
She wasn't disappointed, for she still held onto the possibly of Keith being the one to lead. But, even if by chance the lion choose someone else, she wouldn't be upset. She really didn't care much on whether or not she were the one to form the head, just so long as Voltron would be formed again. The team was more important than any need for glory in her eyes.
Pidge was next, and just like with Allura, she didn't feel any connection. Unlike the green lion, the seat and controls were built more for someone taller, so the poor thing couldn't even reach the controls, even if she sat on her helmet.
Hunk tried next, but he only lasted two minutes. As for Lance… he lasted far longer. The others questioned this, but once the Blue Paladin came out, he wore a pouty expression, his arms folded and they could practically see the team coming out of his ears.
"It's useless! The Black Lion hates all of us!"
It was then, all eyes landed on the last remaining paladin. Neither Pidge, nor Hunk dared to say a word. They honestly didn't know what to say to encourage Keith to try, but thankfully, Allura did.
"Keith, the black lion hasn't responded to any of us. You have to try."
Every time a new paladin entered the lion, Keith prayed incessantly in his head to please, please, pleas let this paladin be the one. He was even hoping Lance, of all people, would be chosen instead of him. But, it would appear that fate had woven its tapestry into Keith's less than ideal vision of these events.
Allura kissed his cheek, just as he had done for her when she tried to bond with the lion, and he took a tentative step forward. Entering the now lifeless lion send a chill up his spine and into his chest, making it heavy. It grew heavier when he sat down on the chair.
Shiro's chair. Whether he was here or not, this was still Shiro's chair. This was still his lion, no matter who sat inside of it. Keith didn't feel right doing this. He felt he was trying to fill a void that could never be filled, even by himself.
Was this how Allura felt when she had to take on the mantel of her father? To be placed in a role of great responsibility at the expense of loosing someone they love and looked up to for guidance and wisdom. To have to become the one responsible for the well being of others without having them beside you to say whether or not you're doing this right? To have to learn on your own? To fail and have to get back up on your own, with nothing but their memory to guide you?
It was a great burden, as well as a lonely for some. Not because they wouldn't have other people around them, they both had that… but they knew none of the other paladins could ever fully comprehend this kind of heaviness this new role came with.
That is what makes a job like this so lonely. Knowing not everyone could understand what it was like unless they lived it themselves.
"I know you wanted this for me Shiro." Keith took the controls, his hand hovering over them before his fingers gripped them tightly. "But I'm not you. I can't lead them like you."
Closing his eyes, Keith's mind flooded with memories of his old friend. With each moment that flashed, he knew in his gut that only Shiro could ever be the leader of Voltron. Keith just… wasn't.
How could he possibly lead this team? How could he expect them to have faith in him when he didn't even have faith in himself? He didn't ask for this. All he wanted was to help save the universe from Zarkon's reign. To free these innocent planets, to spare anymore lives from getting killed, to prevent families from being separated from one another.
Just as he had been separated from his. That was what he wanted. What he and Allura wanted. What Shiro wanted, what the paladins wanted, what everyone in the universe wanted.
A faint light penetrated his closed eyelids and in a flash they opened. The cold dark room suddenly became warmer, the sound of a lion's growl was muffled in Keith's ears. Just like the red lion, they were wordless, yet he comprehended every word.
The computer screen buzzed with life and the room was lit with its famous purple glow. Keith's hand trembled. What was happening? How did he do this? What did he do to make this happen? He wasn't asking for it like last time! Why was the lion responding to him after he just outright said he couldn't do this?
"Please, no!" he begged, his voice cracking. He closed his eyes again, praying the lion would shut off, but it would seem that every desperate attempt he made to get the lion to stop only further cemented its final decision.
From outside, the lion's neon blue lights returned and the creature stood back on its four legs, releasing a proud roar that shook the entire castle. The majestic beast looked more radiant and majestic than it ever did. Allura could only imagine what could be going on through Keith's mind as this occurred, but she couldn't deny the part of herself that swelled up with pride.
The lion lowered its head, its mouth opened wide and Keith stepped out. As expected, he wasn't at all too thrilled with what just happened. If anything, he looked downright irritated.
Hunk, Pidge and Coran were silently happy for him. Seeing the Black Lion up and about again gave them hope that things were going to work out somehow. As for Lance… as if being rejected by the black lion, and being deprived the chance to prove he was more than just the goofball wasn't humiliating enough, once again, it was the talented Keith who got chosen to become the leader.
As disappointing as it was, also seeing the equally disappointed, and no doubt pained look on Keith's face, made Lance realize he had allowed his insecurities to get the better of him again. If the mystical thousand year old robot lion had chosen a loner rebel to be the leader and not the eager to please Lance, then… maybe there was a reason for it. Besides, what was more important? His need to be somebody, or the team? If this is what it took to get Voltron back then so be it.
Allura was the first to approach the newly appointed black paladin. "I'm proud of you, Keith." she said, and she really meant it. "I wish you were getting the job under better circumstances, but congratulations."
She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck, and despite his still lingering disappointment, he returned the hug by wrapping his arms around her waist. Pidge and Hunk both shared their happiness for Keith, minus Lance. Though, it was very difficult to apreciate their support, and Allura's hug when the undeniable truth still remained.
"No. I don't accept this."
Allura knew this was coming. Never the less, there was no questioning the lion's choice. "Keith, I understand this is difficult to accept, but the black lion has chosen you for a reason."
"I can't replace Shiro! You guys were right, I'm the loner. I'm not the leader Shiro thought I was."
"Yes you are." Allura insisted. "And you're not just "the loner", you are capable of so much more than you think."
"How can I lead this team into battle if I can't even control my own anger?"
"Don't forget, my father was once pilot of the Red Lion as well, and he led his people valiantly. But, even he didn't start out that way. He grew into his role, just as he believed I could." she said as she cupped his face. "Just as I know you can too."
"Allura's right." Lance said, finally speaking up after moments of silence. "Besides, no one is asking you to replace Shiro, but the black lion wouldn't choose anybody it didn't feel was worthy to lead Voltron. I respect it's choice. You should too."
So, everyone-even Lance, surprisingly- all were willing to accept Keith as the new leader while he still wasn't sure of it himself? Was it possible that those small moments really did indicate his capacity to be a leader? He certainly didn't feel like one, and all those times in which he did take charge it was only because he was trying to defend those he cared about.
Which, now that he thought about it, how was it any different from how Shiro lead them? Or how Allura led them? Only, is leading by simply caring for the well being of others enough? He would need to make tough decisions that benefited everyone, and give encouragement when they were down, and…
Wait. Hadn't he done that before? Specially, with Allura? But, he was her boyfriend, offering words of encouragement was a given. There was that time at the Balmara, when he empathized with Hunk's thrive to save Shay and her people and gave words of encouragement without sugarcoating the reality of things. Keith was the guy who found and fell in love with an alien princess in an astral plane so he was not one to doubt defying the impossible. Then there was that conversation he had with Lance after the incident with Nyma, and Lance actually listened.
Was it possible he could be a leader. Maybe not a perfect one, and certainly not forever but, enough to keep them afloat until Shiro came back?
Maybe. If everyone else was willing to give him a shot, maybe Keith should give himself a chance too?
"But who's gonna fly the red lion?" he asked. That was still one last issue to resolve. With Keith in black, who would take red?
"Well… I suppose… I could try." Allura suggested, her tone a mixture of uncertainty and hopefulness. "Like I said, it was my father's lion, and while we were lost in space it managed to find us when I used my quintessence to amplify your bond, so… maybe…"
In all honesty, Keith was more than happy to let Allura fly red. After all, if there was anyone he trusted his lion with it more than anyone in the universe it was her. It's the lion that shared the most personal link to her family, and he was honored to have flown it. He could think of no one more deserving of it than her.
"That's perfect!" Keith said, his earlier gloomy responce to the black lion's choice already fading. "You'll fly Red, I'll fly Black, and we'll have Voltron working again!"
"And you'll get to be a paladin!" Pidge said, equally excited. It would be nice to have another female pilot on the team.
"I still have to try." Allura said, easing her possible excitement and tried to be more somber. "The lion is the one who needs to choose whether or not I'm worthy."
"Of course you are." Keith said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her pointed ear, his thumb caressing one of the pink markings on her face. "Besides, you'll look good in red."
Allura giggled at his casual flirting. A sure sign he was feeling a little more confident in himself, even if just a tad. Besides, if the Red lion did allow her to pilot it, then she would be Keith's right hand. They would be working together on the field, and she would be a part of Voltron.
The memory from when she experienced their formation first hand was one of the most unforgettable sensations she had ever experienced. Maybe it was a bit of a selfish desire, but she most certainly would love to be a part of that again. And to fight alongside Keith, literally side by side rather than him out there and her in the castle half the time, it was just all just too perfect.
(~)
Once Allura sat on the chair of the red lion, her heart felt heavy. Her father once sat in this chair. Sometimes Allura would sit on his lap and watch as her father piloted the creature as if it were a part of his very being. The experience made Allura fall in love with the idea of flying. Of having adventures like her father.
Even though Keith had flown it, both he and Allura never lost sight that the lion would always, in a sense, be Alfor's. He was the original red paladin, and no doubt the lion had chosen a very worthy successor.
Was this how Keith felt when he entered the black lion? To be seated in the same spot as the one person she admired and thrived to be? The person she missed every single day, and the person who she had wished were still with her? To guide her and offer her advice whenever she was in doubt?
She understood she could never replace her father, but just as Keith was chosen to cary on Shiro's right, she was more than ready to carry her father's.
Allura took in a deep breath. "Hello, Red." she said, speaking to it as if it were an old family friend. Which, in a way, it was. "It's been a while since I've been in here. This… may be difficult for you to hear but with Shiro missing the Black Lion has chosen Keith to be its new paladin. At least, for the time being until we find Shiro."
Silence filled the room. Her concerns grew.
"I know the change is sudden, but I'm sure you and the other lions understand the stakes of our mission. So, I came here to ask if you will allow me to pilot you."
She gripped the controls, closing her eyes, hoping to feel something between her and the mechanical beast. "I want to carry on my father's fight, but I need your help. Allow me to follow in his footsteps as your paladin."
Allura waited patiently for the beast to respond but, much to her fearful dismay, she felt a hollow silence penetrate through her heart. It was the same disconnection she felt when inside the Black Lion, only while it didn't bother her as much then, now it felt like a direct spear through the heart.
Was she not worthy to fly the red lion? Had she not the qualities it required? She suspected she didn't fit to the proper description that she original explained about the red lion when the paladins first arrived. Keith was no doubt a better fit, but if the Black Lion could choose him then maybe there was more to their reasoning than she originally thought.
She didn't doubt the decision of the lions. Their paladins were chosen for a reason, even if it wasn't always crystal clear. Had she hoped too high for the chance to fly the red lion? Could it sense she wasn't ready? Had she said something wrong? Had she angered it?
"Please, I must do this!" she pleaded. She couldn't let Voltron down. They needed another paladin in order to form. Couldn't the lion see that? She was trying hard to appease to it, but nothing she said, or did, or even felt, seemed enough.
"Others are risking their lives in this fight and I can't continue to-" Allura stopped herself. Her heart even heavier and the silence engulfed her like a black hole.
There was no denying the truth. The red lion-her father's lion-Keith's lion-had rejected her.
The pain was indescribable. To be turned down by the lion once owned by her own father felt just as painful as when her father was stripped away from her. She wanted to be angry with the lion, but she knew it was futile. If it didn't choose her then, maybe she just wasn't cut out to pilot the lion.
Not cut out to be a paladin.
And Keith, with his new role as the leader she didn't want to let him down. He was always there to not only encourage her, but to remind her to keep on fighting no matter what. She wanted to do the same for him.
Maybe that's all she was supposed to be. Be mission control, the one to open up wormholes, offer support from the sidelines, and be a political figurehead when needed.
Tears cascaded from her eyes, her shoulders trembling and teeth clenching. Despite the darkness, she heard a very faint purring sound. It was similar to when she had ridden with Keith, only the unspoken words said didn't make her feel any better.
"I'm sorry…" it said. "You will soon understand why it must be like this…"
(~)
Allura stepped into the lounge room and all heads looked up at her. If they thought Keith's melancholy responce to the Black Lion was hard to look at, the princess's look was akin to a small child who just discovered their parents perished in a car accident.
Keith was the first to approach her. He didn't need to read between the lines to understand what had happened. He was just as disappointed as she was, but more angry than anything.
Why didn't red choose her? What was the problem? Was it because she wasn't a reckless, hot-head like he was? Okay, she could be scary and dauntless at times, all for the greater good of course, and maybe she wasn't as much of a wild card as Keith was in terms of piloting, but if the Black Lion-who was said to choose someone who was in control at all times- could somehow make an exception, why couldn't Red?
"I'm sorry, Princess." Coran said. "I know how much you wanted to pilot the red lion."
Keith tried his hardest not to let his frustration rise up. "If you want, I can maybe have a talk with Red and-"
"It's alright, Keith." Allura insisted, smiling in reassurance. But it was a very weak smile, and her eyes still looked drained, loosing their natural shimmer. "I'll be fine. Let's move on, we must find a new paladin… again."
The paladins discussed possible candidates for a new red paladin, specifically from the planets they had already visited. Their talk would need to be placed on hold for the now when one of the leaders from the previous night called on them, desperately asking for their help. Allura assured him the lions would arrive as soon as possible, deliberately leaving out the part about there still being only four lions. They managed to get through this far with only four, hopefully they would have the same luck as before without needing the giant warrior.
The paladins each left to their respected hangars, with Keith instinctively going for the red one. They still hadn't found another paladin yet, so maybe he could just pilot red until they found someone else? The reluctantly realistic side of him was telling him 'no'.
He stopped and turned when Allura called his name. "The Black Lion has chosen you. You can do this." she smiled lovingly. There wasn't a shred of doubt to be found in her eyes or body language.
Her words, along with his rational side, quickly won over his own uncertainty and Keith stepped into the platform which would take him to the Black Lion. He didn't think he deserved this honor, but the lion had made it's decision. Even if Keith didn't fully comprehend why it would choose him, for the team's sake-for Shiro's-he would do this.
"This one's for you, Shiro." he said as he took the controls and flew the lion out the castle alongside the others. He hoped he wouldn't mess this up. Once they were out in open space, Keith took in a deep breath and repeated the same mantra over and over again in his mind.
"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this… I hope I can do this."
"Alright guys, we're not about to let the Galra take back this planet, so follow me." Even right after he said those words out loud he knew it didn't sound one hundred percent like himself. He already feared he was trying to hard, and they hadn't even reached the planet yet.
"Wait, where's Lance?" Pidge asked.
"What?"
Keith looked to both sides of his windows. He only saw Hunk and Pidge's lions, but Lance was nowhere to be found. He reached out to him through the communication on his dashboard.
"Lance, where are you?" Keith asked, more concerned than anything. Concerned as to why he was taking so long, and concerned… well, in general about the whole thing. He wasn't normally the type to get nervous-or show it-but right now there was so much at stake he couldn't risk anything going array.
"My lion's not responding to me!" Lance cried out in exasperation. Keith blinked in confusion. What did he mean it wasn't responding?
This was just fantastic. First day on the job as the Black Paladin and already things were going wrong.
"Well figure it out and catch up with us as soon as you can!"
Just as they were nearing the planet, a bright purple flash appeared, nearly blinding them, and a ship, one they had never seen before, emerged from the beam. Judging by the purple glow, and the ship's dark shades with dark blue assets, it was painfully obvious this ship was Galra.
Only, why did it come to them? And why was there only one ship? They barely touched the planet, and yet these guys just showed up like they were… expecting them?
A voice was heard through their intercommunications. A voice they had never heard before, but from their perspective it sounded like a young British young man. Just from the sound of his voice alone they knew he exuded charm and commanded respect. But the thing that paralyzed the paladins even more was exactly who he said he was….
Prince Lotor… the son of Zarkon!
So many questions ran through their minds right now. Zarkon was down for the count and his son. A son! Whoever the mother was they immediately felt pity for her. Unless, he was adopted but Zarkon didn't strike them as the type who would ever want to have kids, unless this Lotor guy was nothing more than a replacement he had groomed to become his successor if the time ever came and there really wasn't any form of affinity between them. Just a twisted dark mentor/dark apprentice type of deal with "father" and "son" being merely a form of tittles.
Yeah, that sounded about right.
But they had bigger problems then trying to understand Zarkon's twisted family tree. This whole thing had been a trap! One of the leaders actually helped in leading the paladins into a false rescue mission in order to capture them.
Keith immediately started barking orders, mainly without thinking. His survival instincts just kicked in and the three lions attempted to fend off the fleet that came at them. They had them outnumbered three to ten, maybe even fifteen or seventeen.
And more were coming at them. Pidge kept on shooting and maneuvering, with Hunk swooping in to protect her using his lion's hard armor, hoping it would hold up long enough.
Meanwhile, Keith was struggling to fly his new lion. This large cat wasn't as fast, or even as nimble as the red lion, it was like trying to fight underwater against a powerful current. He called out to the others for help, but the three of them just weren't going to be enough for this ever growing fleet.
Allura and Coran witnessed the events unfold from their screen. The lions were struggling and Lance was nowhere in sight. Allura hurried to the hangar to see what was keeping him.
"Lance, what's wrong?" she asked. Lance was standing right in front of his lion, which had its particle barrier up, denying him access.
"I don't know, Blue is shutting me out!" Lance's eyes dropped. "Maybe Pidge was right. I am just the goofball. Not only am I not meant to be the leader, I guess… I guess now I'm not even meant to be a paladin."
Allura was just about to tell him how absurd that was. Of course Lance was meant to be a paladin. The Blue lion never would have chosen him if he wasn't. She never got the chance to really tell him however, for the roar that came from the hangar not too far away beat her to the punch.
Both Lance and Allura turned their heads, the roar echoing within the walls of the castle. Allura recognized that roar and her eyes widened.
"So, this is why…" the pieces came together in her mind almost at the speed of light. It all made sense now. This was why the blue lion wasn't responding to Lance. Maybe Keith wasn't the only one who needed to switch lions today. Maybe this was all part of the lions's attempt all along.
"It's the Red Lion! You must go to it!"
"No way! Keith probably trained it to bite my head off!" Lance said, folding his arms in protest. His eyes softened for a moment. "Maybe it's roaring for you."
Allura knew Lance was only trying to help her, and no doubt him going to the red lion wasn't something he had originally planned, or wanted either. But, one of the many things Allura had learned throughout this adventure it's that not everything goes the way you plan, or even desire. She hoped to fly the red lion, but she knew in her heart it was not meant to be. Recalling the moment Keith was chosen as the black paladin made it all clear for her.
"I would love nothing more than for that to be true, but I know the red lion is not meant for me. It is choosing you."
"I don't understand."
It still baffled her sometimes that, after all this time, there are still moments where Allura needed to be reminded that these paladins were still young, much like herself. Trying to find themselves while simultaneously dealing with a war.
As annoying as Lance cold be at times, Allura did consider him a loyal and true friend. He needed to be reminded that he was just as important to this team as anyone else.
"My father built Voltron, but he knew Zarkon was a better leader in battle so he became Voltron's right hand." she placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Lance, when you accepted Keith as the new leader of Voltron it proved that you value a strong team over your own need for glory… just like my father."
Allura's eyes darted to the side. Even speaking of Alfor made her feel she'd be on the brink of tears.
Lance was still unsure of this, but he knew he should believe Allura's words. She was willing to accept the red lion's rejection for the sake of the universe, and Keith was out there on the black lion despite his own hesitation. It was still confusing as to why the lions would want to switch paladins all of a sudden, but maybe they knew more than he did.
His time with Blue allowed him to see just how mysterious and wise these lions could be. The blue lion gave him a purpose, a chance to become something bigger than himself. In a way, it cared for him like a mother would. And, like any mother, she understood when it was time for him to leave the nest.
Lance had made up his mind. "I won't let him down." he said.
Allura nodded. "Go."
Lance hurried to the second hangar, but looked over his shoulder to take at least one last look at the blue lion. He felt he was saying farewell to an old friend. Still, if this is what needed to be done, then so be it.
Once he was gone, Allura was just about to head back to the control room… where she belonged, it would seem. At least Lance would arrive shortly and help the others. Maybe with four they'll have more luck.
The princess came to an abrupt halt when she heard the particle barrier around the lion disappeared. Allura stared in confusion. Why did the lion just now stopped being stubborn? Should she call Lance and say his lion had finally decided to cooperate? Was this some kind of joke on their part?
The mechanical beast hummed to life and a soft, welcoming roar rang in Allura's ears. There were no words, and yet she comprehended what it was saying flawlessly. A strange sensation filled up within her, like electricity dancing on her muscles yet she felt no pain, rather comfort.
The red lion's words replayed in her mind. She now understood why it denied her, not because it didn't care, but because it cared enough to understand what she was supposed to do.
The princess smiled and the lion roared softly once more. "Hop on, Princess!"
(~)
"Keith, what should we do?" Hunk asked.
"We need to attack the ship!"
"Could you be more specific?" Pidge said, her voice higher than normal. A sure sign that she was already at the end of her rope with these guys. "We need an actual plan!"
How more specific could that have been? Attack the ship, how hard was that? Or, was Keith supposed to give a detailed description on how to attack it? Which side of it they should hit? The weak spot? Which was the weak spot?
His mind was going round and round that he was completely thrown off by one of the beams of the ship when he got closer. Pidge cried out his name, asking if he was alright.
In all honesty, no. No, Keith was not alright. They were dangerously outnumbered, Keith was struggling to give proper instructions, and, oh yeah, he couldn't fly this quiznacking lion like he was supposed to! He felt like those high school sophomores taking their driving test for the first time, and failing at it miserably!
No. No, now was not the time to get angry. He had to keep his head on straight. He had to try and calm his nerves and focus.
"I'm fine, but we can't fight this guy alone!"
"You won't have to!"
Never in his entire life, or in a million years, was Keith ever happy to hear the blue paladin's annoying voice. But, his relief was immediately overtaken by surprise, mixed with confusion, shock and… just a whole bunch of questions.
Lance wasn't piloting his usual lion but… Red?!
Lance was piloting the Red Lion?! Keith's lion?! Lance?! How?! When?! Wh-Keith quickly stopped himself, there would be time for questions later. Still, the actual reality that Lance was piloting his former lion was… a very odd feeling to say the least.
Even more surprising… he was actually good at flying it. Well, for the most part. He managed to shoot several ships at once and at great speed. But, much like Keith, he too was very new to his lion and started bumping into things. Well, at least Keith felt a little bit better about himself, but also worried Lance might scratch the lion.
Even if he wasn't piloting anymore, Keith still held the lion in high regards. It was once flown by Allura's father, it was basically a family heirloom.
"Hey, be careful with red!"
"Oh, fly your own lion, Keith!" Lance snapped back, only to get a taste of his own medicine when one of the ships bumped into him, sending the new red paladin spiraling through space in front of the others.
"I meant to do that!"
"Wow, we're really kind of a mess!" Pidge pointed out. "We need to get organized. Keith, what should we do?"
At first, he was touched that they were willing to give him a chance as a leader, but man, were they really placing him on the spot here!
"I don't know!" he confessed. "We need to form Voltron but we're short a lion!"
"Not anymore!"
Keith turned his head to the voice that suddenly came through. Then, his jaw literally dropped when the blue lion came shooting out of the Castle….
With Allura piloting it!
So, the red lion rejected Allura in favor of Lance, it would seem, and when the blue lion was rejecting Lance, it was to give way for Allura to pilot it?
Keith had even more questions than before, but truthfully, he was just as happy about the reveal as Pidge and Hunk were. They were literally cheering for her, while Keith couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face.
Allura was a paladin now! He couldn't be more proud.
Sadly, that sense of pride was met with even more worry. Allura was a paladin now, and Lance had taken Keith's place as the red paladin, while he was still the new leader. A leader who couldn't even give a proper order right.
As if things couldn't get even more surprising, Lotor and his fleet just decided to up and leave. Everyone else was happy about it, but Keith kept his glare on the ship which flew at warp speed.
"Allura, you and the blue lion? How cool is that?" Pidge said ecstatically.
"Yes, it was a bit of a surprise, but a happy one."
Keith contacted her through the controls, seeing her happy smile on the screen. It was contagious, making Keith smile along. "Well, it's not Red, but at least it matches your eyes."
Allura couldn't help but giggle at the compliment. The moment was tainted when Lance groaned out loud. "Look, you guys are adorable and all, but all of this flirting while on the job is gonna give me cavity."
Keith ignored his comment and got back to the present matter at hand. "Now we know that Zarkon has a son."
Allura's eyes widened. "This is… deeply disturbing." she said. She wasn't sure which part was more disturbing. That they now had a new Galra leader to deal with after all the struggle they went through with taking down the first one… or the fact that someone actually had a kid with Zarkon.
"We need to find out more. Let's head back to the castle."
After a battle like that, getting to rest back inside the safe walls of the castle ship was like Christmas vacation for the paladins. Once they had arrived, Hunk and Pidge were bombarding Lance with questions about how he got to pilot the red lion. Naturally, he was more than happy to boast about it, most likely an attempt to lighten the mood after all of that madness.
Keith stepped a few feet away, exiting the black lion, where Allura greeted him a with hug. "It's it wonderful? Now we know we can form Voltron again!" Allura said with renewed enthusiasm. It would seem piloting the blue lion got her pumped up and ready for the next fight already.
"Yeah." Keith wanted to feel as excited as she did, but all this battle did was reassure him that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing.
Seeing his distress, Allura simmered down her joy and comforted her boyfriend. "I know this wasn't the most… ideal first day on the job, but we'll get there."
Keith ran his hand through his dark locks, his eyes looking drained from everything that had happened. "I know. I'm just tired."
Tired was an understatement in Keith's case. Disappointed was more like it. Knowing Allura, she would try her best to lift up his spirits and insist he will be a good leader. But Keith really wasn't in the mood for a pep talk right now, not after what he had just been through.
Allura wanted to say words that would make him feel better, but quickly realized she didn't know what to say that she hadn't already said. She couldn't change what happened, and this whole thing no doubt placed a great damper on Keith's self esteem as a leader. It was probably best to just let him be.
Seeing the saddened look on her face made Keith feel a pang of guilt. Here he was, mopping about his own failures that he had nearly missed the fact that his own girlfriend had bonded with the blue lion.
Allura was a paladin now, something she had always hoped for but never really believed it would happen, and accepted it as a fact. She never let it weigh her down, but still. This was something she was happy about, the least Keith could do was be happy for her.
Allura let out a surprised gasp, followed by laughing when Keith scooped her up and spun her around like what those animated Disney couples do in their movies. Once her feet were on the ground again, Keith placed an eager kiss on her lips.
"I'm proud of you." he said, and he meant it. He was proud of Allura, he was always proud, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited about the notion of him and her being co-paladins from here on out. It didn't matter if she was an arm, or a leg, what mattered was that they would be working side by side from now on, just as they always wanted. Allura couldn't hide her excitement, and Keith didn't want her to.
It was then, Lance walked up to the two of them. He removed his helmet as a form of respect to Keith, who stared at it in surprise.
"I understand you're not all too thrilled about me piloting Red, and I'm not you, but I just want you to know that even if this wasn't what any of us had in mind, I promise, to both of you, I will take good care of him."
Lance outstretched his hand, hoping for Keith to shake it. He was right, this was hard to accept. Giving up red was hard, but then again, it was most likely just as hard for Lance. He was giving up blue to Allura. He was maturely accepting their new roles, but Keith could catch the sadness hidden beneath.
The new black paladin shook Lance's hand firmly. "Just try not to get too many scratches on him, okay?" he said with an amused smile, which helped lift off some of the weight from Lance's shoulders.
Afterwards, everyone settled into their rooms, but Keith never once removed his paladin armor. He was pacing back and forth inside his room, with the space mice sitting on his bed, watching him and squeaking amongst themselves on what they should say to him.
Keith replayed the fight over and over again in his mind. Everything, from their lions, to their formation, their normal fighting routines was all over the place. On top of the fact that their defeat of Zarkon ended up resulting to nothing in the end.
The Galra Empire still had a leader, and a very formidable one at that, one of which they knew nothing about and managed to lure them into a trap with ease. Who knows what this new guy held up his sleeve. They didn't even know Zarkon had a son! Not even the Blade of Marmora knew of him, for if they did they would have alerted them beforehand.
The smart thing to do would be to train first, and then get Lotor. Find out more information about him. Yet, every bone in Keith's body was against it. If he waited, who knew what other schemes this guy would concoct. What if they didn't have time to train? What if this had been the Galra's back up plan all along?
Any time in the past whenever the paladins thought they could catch a breather, BAM! Galra fleets, Zarkon attacks, the works. These guys were no laughing matter, and if Lotor managed to fool them in a way even Zarkon himself never did, it was evident Lotor was not someone to take lightly.
He even fought and schemed differently compared to his so called father. Zarkon was direct and ruthless, but this guy lures them out of hiding and then just up and leaves once all five lions are together? Something didn't feel right, and Keith knew he wouldn't be able to focus on anything else until he figured it out.
Lotor's reign was new, for Zarkon had only been gone for a short while. If they took him down now then the Galra Empire would be short a leader, and if they waited too long to figure out stuff about him then he could use that time to make the Galra army even stronger. They were already vast in numbers, and for all he knew, they could be ready to enslave more planets for all he knew.
Sleep seemed impossible at this point. He had already failed in leading them the way Shiro had and….
Wait… maybe that was the problem. Maybe Keith was trying too hard to be like Shiro, maybe he just needed to figure out his own way to lead. Well, if there was one thing Keith knew for sure, he wasn't someone who left things halfway.
During the fight, while arguing with Lance about being careful with Red, he had managed to place a tracker on his ship in case they would go after him later. At first, he was hesitant to do so, but after much thought, striking Lotor before he would strike first just felt like the proactive thing to do.
The remote which was linked to the tracker beeped. Lotor was still in the same galaxy as they were. If they left now, then they could still catch him. Maybe at least weaken him so they could have a fighting chance.
He had already lost Shiro three times, he had believed he lost Allura-and the pain of it was something no mere words could ever convey-he wasn't about to loose anyone else now.
They've worked too hard to weaken the Galra Empire. He wasn't about to let all of their efforts go in vein because of some new smooth talking Zarkon wannabe Jr.
(~)
Allura was hoping Keith would be the first to see her new paladin armor, but she ran into Lance in the Blue Lion's hangar while on her way. She managed to catch a few words he told the blue lion. The poor boy, he was really going to miss her, but she still admired his capability to maturely accept things as they were. He really was growing into his own as a paladin. She was proud of him.
The castle hangers always had some extra paladin armors at the ready in case any of the others got damaged. However, while Allura wore the same style as the other paladins, instead of having any color corresponding to the five lions, her's was… different.
"Pink, huh? Not what I was expecting, but I like it." Lance said, not soundly even the least bit flirty when he did. It would seem those days were long behind them now, which was just fine with Allura. It was just another sign that he was maturing.
"Yes. On Altea we wear this color to honor our fallen warriors. I wear it to honor the paladins of old…" her eyes darted to the side, her smile morphing into a frown. "And Shiro."
She still refused to believe he was dead, and in his case it was in honor or his absence, that he was still important to the team.
Lance took out his bayard and handed it to Allura. She almost had to suppress her smile. It was still almost unreal. She was actually a paladin. Maybe she wasn't flying her father's lion like she had hoped, but even so she was still honoring his legacy by being part of Voltron. The princess accepted the weapon, the blue surprisingly not clashing too much with her pink armor.
"If I had to lose Blue to someone, I'm glad it was you."
Allura was both touched, as well as saddened by his words. She vowed to take care of Blue, for now she understood how much he had meant to Lance. Hopefully, he could form as close a bond with Red as well, and she had a feeling the feline would treat Lance well.
"Princess! The Black Lion is leaving the castle!" Coran cried out in terror, startling and confusing the two new paladins.
"Keith, where are you going?" Allura asked. Why was Keith suddenly leaving without telling anyone? Without telling her? This wasn't like him.
"I put a tracker on Lotor's ship. Tell everyone to get their lions, we're going after him." she heard him reply.
What was he planing? Why didn't he tell anyone before? Something wasn't right, Allura knew it. She sense anger in his voice, and it concerned her. His next sentence was what cemented her concerns.
"You wanted me to lead Voltron… this is how I lead."
(~)
Normally, I like to plan out my chapters beforehand, but with these characters things just seem to come up as I write and I go off script, both cannon wise and fanfic wise.
I was trying to find a good enough reason for Keith going after Lotor that made sense in the contexts of his character as well as in this fanfic, so hopefully this chapter can speak for itself.
Until next time, God bless, *kiss, kiss*