The Week – Part Two
The next morning Allura met Larmina out at Green's den, where she was getting the Lion ready for flight. She smiled when she saw her Aunt, and Allura said "Hello, are you set?" Larmina nodded her head, feeling much better about her flying. Allura said "I heard good things about your flight time with Pidge and Hunk." Larmina nodded her head, thinking how much it had helped her.
Yellow Lion was like a remote controlled tank; all that she had needed to do was point him in the direction and go. For some reason, the maneuver she couldn't accomplish in Blue was easy in Yellow. Green was also pretty easy fly, once she quit holding the control bar with what Pidge called 'the grip of death'. Green was definitely more agile than Yellow, but both put up with her mistakes very well. Larmina thought it was funny though, that while Hunk didn't care if she blasted music in the Lion, Pidge wouldn't let her, even Stereolatic's songs. He said that Green didn't like it too noisy.
When Allura stepped inside Green Lion, she thought about the last time she had been here. She looked at the pilot's chair, and remembered being with Pidge, sitting with him. The memory of how Pidge had made her feel brought a smile to her face, and suddenly Green's control panel started to glow softly, and the Lion let out what could almost be considered a purr!
Larmina was looking forward to showing her Aunt what she had learned, and figured that was why her stomach felt all upset. She was hopeful that once she got going, it would go away. Now, hearing Green making a sound she had not heard before, and the glowing control panel she wasn't sure if her stomach was going to settle down.
Allura, when Green purred, was pretty sure she knew why. She turned her back on Larmina, so her niece wouldn't see her blush. Allura knew they all had telepathic links to the Lions, and Green had always been Pidge's Lion from the start. She was a little disconcerted to realize the Lion had probably felt everything she and Pidge had felt that night. Mentally she said to Green 'Oh behave!'
"What was that?" Larmina said to her Aunt, in a shaky voice. Allura looked over at her, and was surprised at how pale her niece looked; she said "I think he was just saying hello. Shall we get going?" Larmina nodded her head, so they powered up the Lion and got under way. Allura was impressed with how well Larmina launched the Lion, and once they were airborne she leveled the wings, and accelerated with no problem.
"Very good Larmina! Now, let's go join the others!" Allura told her, bringing up the charts of the trials they needed to complete. They were about halfway to the rendezvous point, when Larmina said "Aunt Allura, I think I'm going to throw up!" Allura said "I've got the controls." Larmina got up and lurched to the back of the ship, but Allura didn't hear anything else.
After a couple of minutes, Allura asked "Are you all right?" Her niece replied "I haven't thrown up yet, but I keep on thinking I'm going to, and I'm really dizzy, plus my head hurts." Allura said "Ok, I'll take you back to the Castle. Let me let Keith know." When she had done that, Keith said "Can you come back and do the trials? One of the tests is forming Voltron and we need all five Lions for that." Allura told him "Not a problem. Let me take Larmina home, and I'll be back."
Once Allura had gotten Larmina turned over to Nanny, she went back to Green's den and stepped into the Lion. She sat down in the pilot's chair, and felt the Lion shift around some. She powered the Lion up, and heard him roar as he came to life. She was surprised though, when he let out another loud roar! Allura was wondering if Green was upset because she was going to pilot him. However, when she sent that thought out, all that came back was a wave of happiness. Allura giggled, and stroked Green's control panel, while thinking 'I'm glad to be with you too'.
She knew that Green would not answer her back like Blue used to do, because she didn't have the full bond with Green. The lions were all tuned into the pilots, but only your lion spoke directly to you. Even then, Blue had not been terribly chatty with her. From what Hunk and Lance had told her, Red, and Yellow Lions great conversationalists, while according to Pidge, Green was rather bossy, but had a good sense of humor. Keith had never said anything about Black, so she had no idea what went on there. And considering how things had turned out, she didn't want to set foot in Black anytime soon.
Allura had never flown Green Lion before, but because of her relationship with Pidge, she felt very welcomed by Green. Getting airborne, they made it to the rendezvous point in no time as Green was speeding along. Yellow had just finished the first part of the course, and now it was her turn. She proceeded to put Green through his paces, which he did very quickly. Allura was not used to handling such a nimble Lion, and she kept on having to adjust her hands on the control bar, to compensate for how Green moved.
She also discovered that he had the habit of what she almost felt was like he was kicking up his rear heels as he flew. It caused her to bounce around some, and she was quite glad that Larmina was not along, considering how her stomach was. The first part was done, so she returned to the group, waiting for the second round.
While the first course had been agility, the second course was distance and altitude flying. She was not surprised by how well Black and Red Lions did, but watching how well her old Lion, Blue did, made her smile. Suddenly, she felt Green almost growled as she had that thought. She reached out and stroked his control board, mentally saying 'I am very happy here with you, but I can think about old times!' Allura was finding it interesting that Green seemed to be so tuned into her, and almost possessive too. After she had stroked him, he settled down until it was his turn.
She and Green did the course really well, and she enjoyed how Green would catch the upwind and downdrafts to help him climb and descend. She was letting him control their movements, when suddenly it felt like the air dropped out from under them! They started to plunge down, and Allura had to grasp the control bar tight, and pull back, using all of her strength to get him up and level again.
Allura was trying to catch her breath when suddenly Green let out a loud roar, and almost bucked his rear end up in the air. He then proceeded to go quite happily through the rest of the trial. She heard Keith say over the com line "What happened back there?" She replied "I was letting Green ride a downdraft, and then we lost it." Hunk said "Up until then, you were on track for the best flying time. I guess Green likes you!" She heard Daniel laugh over the open link, and then Lance came on "He must be having a good time!"
When she heard Lance's comment her eyes flew open, and she reviewed her morning flight in the Lion. Thinking about what she had had to do, to keep Green flying, and then that sudden plunge; it all came together in her brain. She sat straight up and said to him 'You naughty Lion!' She then felt him almost toss his head as he gave a loud roar! She thought to herself 'oh please, don't let Lance make any remarks about this.'
After the trials she returned Green to his den, telling him 'I bet you'll sleep well tonight!' He gave a soft purr as she patted his head. Allura went back to the Castle, wondering if she would be able to tell Pidge about the whole thing without blushing too much!
That night, as on other nights, the Lions were talking among themselves. They didn't need to be together to do it, but knew how to make their energy all meet in one place. Black normally did not take part in these conversations. Usually he was sleeping, but for the last couple of weeks he had been kept awake thinking about his pilot.
Black felt bad for his pilot, 'the Seeker', and felt his heavy heart every time they flew. He wished he could show his pilot the future, so he would know how wonderful it was going to be. Black felt sure that if 'the Seeker' could see what was in store for him, it would help him over his current trial. However, life didn't work like that, and 'the Seeker' had a lot of hard work ahead of him. Black hoped he would be able to take the leap of faith, and see it through.
All the Lions thought it quite interesting that 'the Impudent One' had figured out how faith worked with the Lions. Black still remembered how Blue could not believe that the young boy was his next chosen pilot. Blue had tried to talk to Black about it, but Black reminded that it was all destiny, and Blue needed to trust that. He would have liked to have reminded Blue about those concerns now, but knew that Blue would not appreciate hearing 'I told you so.'
Blue and Red Lions were scolding Green for what he had done today, while Yellow listened. Red was more annoyed that Green had almost beat his time, while Blue was upset because of how Green had carried on with his old pilot, 'the Daughter of Arus.'. He said to Green now "You should be ashamed of yourself! Acting like that!"
Green laughed and said "You never told us that she has lovely hands! 'The Wizard' is a lucky man." 'The Wizard' was what the Lions called Green's pilot. Green was pleased with himself. He had also, when 'the Daughter of Arus' was sitting in his pilot chair, seen into her future, and how he was part of it. He knew she would be pleased if he could tell her what was going to happen, but understood the rules that said he couldn't. 'Well, not yet anyway.'
Green knew that Blue, deep down, was still annoyed that his pilot had transferred her allegiance. After the night that Green and his pilot had rescued her, it was clear that her loyalty would be to 'the Wizard', and not necessarily to her Lion. Blue knew that it had been written long ago, and that 'the Daughter of Arus' had another destiny to fulfill. He was coming to accept it, and forging a strong bond with 'the Impudent One' as they all called his pilot. Blue knew that he was teaching the young man important things along the way.
Yellow was glad that he did not have to take part In the discussion, not liking it when Blue was in a mood. He had been annoyed with Blue for a while, after the way he had behaved with 'the Little Daughter of Arus'. Blue had almost been proud of how hard he had made it for her to try to fly him, which Yellow thought was unfair.
Yellow had been honored that 'the Daughter of Arus' wanted him to work with the young girl, and he did his best to help her increase her skills. She was a better pilot than she realized, and he enjoyed the fact that she had the same taste in music as 'the Giant'. Yellow got very tired of Blue's attitude at times, and had not had too much sympathy for Blue when he lost 'the Daughter of Arus' to 'the Wizard'.
Red, in addition to being annoyed about almost having his time beaten, was envious of what Green had done. He too felt his pilot's heavy heart, and knew it was harder for him because none of the other humans had ever realized how deep his feelings were for 'the Daughter of Arus.' Red's pilot was referred to as 'the Joker', but even joker's have hearts. It annoyed him that everyone felt bad for Black's pilot, but no one thought about his pilot. And then today Green had thrown it in his face, about 'the Daughter of Arus.'
Black did not blame Green for what he had done; he had taken advantage of his opportunity. Black knew that eventually things would all settle down. Until then though, only Yellow would be getting any sleep.
