Summary: Kagome, a sweet and caring girl who was destined to fall into the past at the young age of 15, is now a cadet at the Galaxy Garrison. Without warning, she's swept up in a new adventure with a new team. Her docile nature is shed away and is replaced by a trained warrior. Inherently strong and a formidable force to be reckoned with, she's not what her appearance makes her out to be.

Pairing: [Endgame] Kagome x Keith; lots of minor shipping, though.

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Chapter Eight

The longer she remained in that odd place, the more familiarized she was able to get with her memories, even the ones she thought she'd forgotten entirely. Constantly with her was Alfor, at her side and watching alongside her. Despite the fleeting joy she felt at recounting her memories as if they were a movie for her, the longer she remained, she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

The cloud of white before her evaporated as she turned away from it, a frown marring her delicate features. Alfor was surprised when she so suddenly turned away, and he followed her by turning as well. "What is it?" he asked, confusion in his voice. Kagome glanced down and shook her head.

"I have to go," she said decisively. "I can't just stay here. I have to get back to my team."

"You can't go yet," he said, and Kagome felt her frown deepen. "You've not yet healed fully. Until your body has had the chance to fully heal as your energy has, you must remain as you are. If you push yourself then you might end up going too far." He saw the frustration on her face, and, once again, it was like a mirror to Azilu. He approached her and rested his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed them gently and encouraged her to look up. "You share her resistance in surrendering," he said then, and Kagome averted her gaze to her feet. "I fear that might not be a good thing."

"It feels like they need me," she whispered then, her voice almost too quiet he couldn't catch what she said. "Something feels… wrong," she said, this time letting her voice grow bolder. "If they need my help, then I'm gonna help them!"

There was a brief moment of silence on Alfor's end. He drew his hands from her shoulders and let them fall limply at his sides. "If it will help placate you, we can oversee how they're doing from here," he said, and instantly Kagome's eyes lit up.

"How?" she asked, and Alfor couldn't help the smile that flashed across his face. He extended a hand to her, and she took it after a moment's consideration. He pulled her to his side and let his other hand hover out in front of them. After a few seconds, a void seemed to open up where his hand was, and he let his hand lower once more. The void opened more, and when she peered into it, she realized she could see the others of her team as if she was hovering over them and looking. "... Wow!" she gasped.

Alfor chuckled at the childlike wonder she had in her eyes.

Together, they watched as the team headed to the Balmera and they watched as they took care of the Galra foes that faced them. It placated her and made her feel at ease. Even without her there to form Voltron, they were still fine. It made her feel at ease.

However, a sight of a large beast heading towards the Balmera made that feeling fade away as suddenly as it appeared. "No… No! Not another one of those things," she said, recalling very clearly the last one they had to go against. It didn't seem like the same kind, and that meant they'd have to come up with another way to take it down.

She watched in horror as it engaged them in battle, its dozens of lasers easily gaining an upper hand on the five in their lions. It continued to attack the Balmera, weakening its structure as it neared collapse.

Kagome turned back to Alfor desperately. "I have to go help them," she said. "I-I know I'm still weak, but there must be something I can do. I'll-" She was cut off by Alfor placing his hands on her shoulders.

Alfor sighed and resisted the urge to shake his head. "Your physical form will not awaken until it's recovered from its wounds."

"There has to be another way!" Kagome insisted. "I have to be able to do something, anything!" she pleaded. "They can't form Voltron without me, and the Balmera will be destroyed if that thing keeps it up."

He could feel the panic and worry rolling from her in waves, and he carefully took both of her hands in his own, holding them palm up.

"King Alfor…" Kagome's voice faded to a whisper, "please, please tell me there's something I can do. If not… then so many innocent lives will be lost, and I refuse to let that happen."

"Kagome…" His voice was soft, and he squeezed her hands to comfort her. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head in denial. "No!" she snapped at him. "I have to be able to do something, anything!" A pink sparkle coming from her chest caught her eye, and she let out a startled gasp. Alfor let his grip on her hands fall, and he glanced at the sparkling jewel, as well. "Oh! The Shikon no Tama!"

For some reason, the jewel seemed to have woken up in this place. She suspected it was due to her own aura and desperation, and not anything done by Alfor or the place they were in, since it'd been calm and dormant up until then.

"That jewel…" Alfor trailed off with a look akin to astonishment in his eyes. He hadn't seen that jewel in so long, and now it was so radiantly bright.

Kagome looked up at him, bringing one of her hands up to curl around the pink stone. "If there's nothing we can do, then maybe the jewel can help me do something," she said, and Alfor looked befuddled. A second later, he nodded, knowing she wouldn't change her mind no matter what he might think to say.

Kagome clasped both hands around the jewel and took a deep breath.

"Please hear me, Shikon no Tama…"

Though she didn't speak those words aloud, they still echoed out around the pair standing together. Alfor glanced up at hearing her voice echoing out around them.

"Lend me your strength so I can help my companions."

It was silent for a moment, and Kagome opened her eyes fearing the jewel denied her request. However, to her surprise, a pink glow soon lit up around her. She felt less-solid than before, and she looked up at Alfor.

"Good luck," he said softly, and before she knew it, that place faded from her sight.

Soon enough, she felt her feet touch sturdy ground. Her attention focused above her as the Castleship landed on the ground, making it tremble some as it settled on the Balmera's surface. She saw Coran leave the Castleship and she held a hand out to him. "Coran!"

He ran to where Allura was with some of the Balmerans, never pausing as if he couldn't hear her. She frowned and glanced down, her gaze straying to the hand she'd held out. Her eyes widened when she saw that her body was transparent. After a moment, she shook her head.

"They can't see me or hear me," she whispered. She looked back up when the sound of screaming from the tunnels reached her ears. The Balmerans were getting trapped as the ground began to collapse. "I have to do something..." she whispered desperately.

She could feel the Balmera calling out to her, and she slowly looked down at its surface. She gasped and dropped to her knees. It wasn't just calling out to her, but to her energy. Kagome set her hands on the rough surface, letting a pink glow spread from her hands and into the Balmera's surface. She could feel the Castleship's crystal energy pouring into the Balmera's surface, as well. It joined her own energy, and the ground under her began to glow.

She pushed her energy into it, but she knew she wasn't enough to give it all it needed. It'd been neglected for far too long. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. The glow from her energy spread out from under the Castleship, but she had to pull her hands away not long after when she felt exhaustion budding inside her.

The glow caught the attention of Shay, and she turned to face the Castleship. "The Balmera!" she gasped, and the rest turned to where she was facing. "The ground below your ship appears to be healing. The essence is thriving, but how?"

"The castle!" Allura exclaimed. "It must be restoring some energy into the Balmera." The ground below her began to glow, and she looked down.

"It's not only the castle," Shay's grandmother said. "You, as well."

Coran turned to Allura. "That's true," he said. "Your Altean energy is combining with the ship's crystal. It's rejuvenating this area of the Balmera."

Allura's eyes widened. "That's it! Maybe we can perform that ceremony you mentioned earlier, Coran. Maybe it's not too late to save the Balmera."

"What ceremony?" Rax asked, and Coran turned to face him.

"In the days of old, whenever Alteans were given the gift of crystals from a Balmera, we would then repay it by performing a ceremony and giving it some of our energy in return. A scared Altean would re-infuse the Balmera with Quintessence, as a symbiotic relationship."

Allura shook her head, a frown on her face. "The Galra have done nothing but take from the Balmera. It's time we give something back to it." She looked to the Castleship. "I can connect with the crystal in the Bridge and use the Castle's power to amplify the energy going into the Balmera." She led the way over to the Castleship, the rest following behind her.

Coran followed after her in worry, stepping around her when she stopped in the glow under the Castleship. "Princess… When your father performed the ceremony, it was always on a much smaller scale," he said, and Allura turned from the Castleship and to him. "To heal the entire planet… it might end up taking more energy that you possess. You might not live through the process," he said.

Her expression softened when she saw the worry in his eyes. She set a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're worried for me, Coran, but I must try," she said. "If I don't…" Allura trailed off and looked down. She didn't want to think of what would happen should she fail.

Kagome walked to join them as they stopped in the middle of the glow. Despite knowing she couldn't feel it, she set her hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her worries some. "Don't worry, Allura," Kagome whispered, even though she knew she wouldn't hear her. "I'll help." She'd make sure Allura pulled through, no matter what.

The Balmerans knelt to the ground, resting their palms on the planet's surface. Allura stood below the castle as she connected to the ship's crystal. A beam of light encased her, and the glow below them began to turn more vibrant.

Kagome glanced at the jewel around her neck and closed her eyes. She felt the power radiating off of it. It hadn't been this strong in a long time. "Please," she whispered, "lend me your strength, Shikon no Tama." Kagome fell to her knees as a pink glow surrounded her, starting from the jewel. Allura fell shortly after, both of them resting their palms on the Balmera's surface.

A turquoise glow began to spread over the surface of the Balmera, a pink aura following right over the turquoise as the planet began to heal all over.

The rest of the Paladins froze momentarily, observing as the two colors ran over the planet's entire surface. Kagome stood up after a moment, and the glow below her began to fade into the Balmera. She looked towards the rest still in their lions, only to freeze when she heard the approaching steps of the Robeast, once again closing in on them.

She whirled to face it, a furious glare on her face as it readied to fire at them some more. They seemed to catch onto its presence again, and they began to dart around to try and get away.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kagome cried out, even if no one could hear her. She concentrated as the Balmera absorbed the energy she, Allura, and the Balmerans gave it, standing back up from her kneeling position. Her eyes narrowed as a pink aura surrounded the tips of her fingers, the glow soon spreading and taking the shape of a large boomerang.

It was the same as Sango's Hiraikotsu, but this one glowed a pure pink. She readied it and slung it forward at the Robeast right as it began to pursue the others again. It struck it in its middle, a pink glow erupting from its body as it broke into two. Both halves of the Robeast fell as the Hiraikotsu evaporated. Her energy fell to the surface of the Balmera, and it absorbed the last little bit she'd offered.

She exhaled and fell to her knees, exhaustion creeping up her spine. She looked to the Balmerans and Allura, smiling when she saw they were alright as well. Allura soon fell unconscious due to the amount of energy she'd given away, and she was caught by one of the Balmerans. Kagome glanced at the one who'd caught Allura, and she sent her a peaceful smile.

The Paladins landed on the surface of the Balmera and left their lions as they went to join the rest. Kagome stood up and her exhaustion grew stronger. Before long she felt herself fading from that spot, blackness clawing at her vision.

Hunk looked at Shay, who had gathered Allura's unconscious body into her arms. "D-Did Allura do that?" he asked, referring to the defeated Robeast that was now motionless on the Balmera's surface.

Shay looked at him, smiling as she shook her head. "No," she said. "Your other friend did," she said, much to the surprise of Hunk and the rest of the group. "Oh…" Shay glanced around, only to spot the face had gone. "Where did she go?"

"Who are you talking about?" Shiro asked.

"The one who helped with the rejuvenation ceremony," Shay responded. Allura stirred slowly, and Shay helped her stand on her own feet again. "She had long dark hair and blue eyes… Oh! And a pink jewel around her neck!" She turned and pointed to a spot, and getting a look at it, it appeared that pink sparkle flies still hovered in the area. "She was right there…"

"That… That sounds like Kagome," Hunk said, but he didn't understand how Shay had seen her.

"Oh, is that her name?" Shay asked, smiling brightly. "Do be sure to tell her our thanks!"

Allura looked at the rest, and they all shared looks of confusion. Kagome was still in her pod, recovering from Sendak. Instead of saying that out loud, Allura only nodded. "Yes… I'll be sure to carry over your thanks to her when I see her next." The rest were silent as Allura said, and she glanced at the Balmearns. "So did the ceremony work?" she asked.

"Yes," Rax said, kneeling and placing a hand on the Balmera's surface. "The Balmera lives. It thanks you."

They watched in amazement as crystals began to grow all over the Balmera's surface, life returning to it thanks to the energy that had been offered. The surface practically glowed with the turquoise crystals covering it. Even at ground level, dozens and dozens of crystals could be seen growing.

"It's beautiful," Hunk said, and Coran nodded.

"I thought the same my first time seeing a healthy Balmera," Coran said. "Great work, team!"

A searing burn along her skin caused her to recoil, falling back and out of the magic circle with a sharp hiss of pain. Haggar landed on the ground a few paces away from where she once stood, glowing yellow eyes narrowing as the remaining burn slowly faded from her cold skin.

"... It can't be," she whispered quietly, but she wasn't able to convince herself of that. She slowly pushed herself back up onto her feet, fixing her robes back into place as she turned to face the door. She left, heading directly to the throne room, where her Emperor would be found.

She entered and saw his back facing all who came in. He remained silent, even as he turned to face her, her form slowly drawing closer to him as the door closed behind her.

"What news have you come with?" Zarkon asked Haggar as she came to a halt before him.

"I've managed to feel the resurgence of her jewel."

"Impossible," Zarkon responded, eyes narrowing. "It is gone, just as she is."

"I thought the same at first," she said, "but there is no mistaking it." Haggar was silent for a moment before finally saying the rest that she'd felt. "Her energy was with it. It seems as if she's returned at last, Sire."

Zarkon let silence overcome the room as her words sank in. Soon enough he turned away from her. "I see," he said eventually.

If her words were true, then it wouldn't be long before she was seen again. There was only one place where her energy would resurface.

In the White Paladin.

The ceremony was beautiful in her opinion. She remained at ease, never daring to let fondness stray from her warm eyes. She felt tempted to cry, but she swallowed her tears down with all the strength she had inside her.

"It was for the best," she reminded herself.

The way both Zarkon and Honerva looked to each other with so much happiness and serenity, she told herself her choice was for the best. But… even with how many times she kept repeating that single thought to herself, she wasn't able to ignore the pain she felt in her heart. She hid it well from where she stood with other onlookers as the wedding was finalized. She squeezed her hands together in front of her, holding them together until her knuckles turned white and pain started in the joints.

"I still think you should've told him," a quiet voice from beside her whispered in her ear. She jumped, startled by the sudden voice, before turning her attention up and glaring at the man at her side.

He was tall and quite a few years older than her, having already been a teen when she was born. He had the same pale complexion she had, and he shared the same dark hair that fell in long waves. It was pulled back in a low ponytail, but two sections of bangs framed his face. Emerald eyes looked down at her with nothing but warmth.

"Ciyras… I can't do that," she said, and her gaze softened as she looked back at the pair in front of her. "I… You see how happy they look, how happy he looks," Azilu said. "I could never take that happiness from my friend."

"I still think you should tell him," Ciyras said, and he saw her lower her gaze once more. He knew she wouldn't ever let her secret spill to anyone other than him, but he wished she'd at least be honest for the sake of giving herself closure on her feelings for the Galra Emperor. "And that's the honest opinion from your wonderful, good-natured big brother, Azilu."

She glared at him without humor, despite his jovial expression. "Wonderful? Oh, you've gone delirious, have you?" she responded, and he had to bite back his chuckle.

"Oh, you wound me, sister," Ciyras responded, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I can see how much my words scathe you," she deadpanned. She glanced back at Zarkon and Honerva, only to look back at her brother a moment later. "Don't you dare ever say anything about my feelings for him," she cautioned him, narrowing her usually gentle gaze. "I mean it," she said. "It's too late to say anything, and I don't want my relationship with either of them to change."

Ciyras sighed and shrugged, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck. His earrings jingled some as he did so. "Yeah, yeah, you've got my word."

Azilu smiled and leaned into him, pulling his free arm into her own as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you."

… … …

"Azilu!"

The raven-haired girl turned for only a moment before shaking her head. "I'll be fine," she said, but she had yet to stop. A hand took her by her wrist, and she was met with resistance.

"You shouldn't go ahead on your own," Zarkon gripped her by her wrist and tugged her to a full stop, his weight not budging as she tried to take another step forward. "You're far too reckless to go without an ally.

Azilu turned to face him. For a moment, her gaze darted down to her wrist, where he still held her in a gentle but sturdy grip. A second later she sighed and shook her head. "I can manage by myself," she said. "Have a little more faith in me, would you?"

"Azilu…" Zarkon let his grip tighten for a moment before he let her wrist go. As soon as he did, a foreboding feeling spread through his chest. "Fine," he said. "Don't let yourself get surrounded."

As he said that, he was unable to shake the undeniable feeling that something was wrong. The smile she beamed at his agreement wasn't enough to chase that feeling away

"You've got nothing to worry about," Azilu said and she turned and bounded ahead.

When she got out of their line of sight, she was keen to be more careful. She drew her sword, a pink glow surrounding the blade as she swung it at the ground. The enemies pursuing her were subdued, falling to the ground out cold.

She turned, looking for who might come for her next, but she was suddenly struck and knocked to the side by a harsh kick to her back. She hit the ground and rolled to face the one who'd targeted her turned back. A large blade swung down at her, and she squeaked as she tried to evade as fast as she could. A few strands of her hair floated to the ground as she got back up on her feet.

She readied her own sword to guard, and he brought his down to meet hers. The furious clang of metal echoed around them, the shrill ring hurting her head. He brought his sword down again, and this time her weapon shattered, a small, pink jewel hitting the ground as it fell from the sword's hilt. She recoiled and put more space in between them. He ran in with a barrage of attacks that she couldn't fend off, and she threw up a barrier to guard her.

Her barrier cracked and shattered, to her surprise, and her energy faded fast as she tried to dart back. She realized then that the jewel had hit the ground, but she was unable to recover it. She didn't move fast enough before the large blade swung out towards her. The force of the hit cracked her armor open, and she felt the sharp edge dig into her skin as it sliced diagonally down her body. A harsh gasp came from her, air suddenly running away from her no matter hard she fought for it.

She dropped to her knees, blood pooling around her knees as flecks of black began to invade her vision. Her foe towered over her, bringing his sword back up for one final strike to her. She neglected to heal herself as she lifted a hand up towards the figure. His blade struck her hand but would budge no further. A pink glow ran up the metal and soon consumed him, destroying his weapon and rendering him fallen just like the others before him.

She was motionless as she sat there, sharp pained gasps falling from her lips as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding from the large wound that ran from shoulder to hip. Nothing she did seemed to work, as she had used what was left of her strength to take her opponent down.

She could taste her own blood, the metallic odor becoming too much as it dribbled from the corner of her mouth. Her weight swayed backward as her head began to spin from blood loss.

"Azilu!"

She hit the ground as soon as she heard the shout, unable to remain upwards any longer. Her team made it to her side, and she finally forced a weak laugh from her throat. The pain began to sear through her entire body, nothing batting it away. The pink jewel that had fallen from her sword flashed brighter before dimming entirely, it's color fading to a hazy white. "Haha… I… I guess I-I might be a-a little reckless, after all," she whimpered.

Both Zarkon and Alfor fell to their knees on either side of her. She felt fingers gently rest on her chin as her head was carefully turned to the side. Her eyes fluttered a few times. Keeping them open was getting harder.

"Azilu… hold on," Zarkon demanded softly, urging her eyes to open and look at him.

She looked at him for only a second before her eyes slowly closed. "...'m sorry…" she murmured weakly. " I- I lo..." Her feelings for him repeated through her head, and now she wanted to let him know before it was too late for her, but she couldn't make the words form, no matter how hard she fought to say them. Darkness swallowed her vision as the world around her faded.

"... Azilu!"

… … …

"Her injuries were too severe," Zarkon said, his voice quiet as the rest of the Paladins looked on. "There was nothing we could do before she…" he trailed off, not wanting to say the rest.

"No way," Ciyras said, disbelief in his voice as he spoke the words no one else could bring themselves to say. "You mean she's gone… just like that?"

Alfor nodded, glancing down at the ground they stood on as tears blurred his vision.

In his hand was the colorless jewel she used to wear, the same one she'd put into the hilt of her sword. At once Ciyras turned his attention down to it. "It was hers," Alfor said, holding it out in an offer to him. "It's only right it goes to you."

Despite the connection it had with the Lions of Voltron, he knew none of them had a right to keep it.

Ciyras slowly took the jewel, and he silently looked down at it. No longer did it have the same vibrancy. It seemed that, just like her, it had died.

He wouldn't keep it. It was to be with her in death, where it belonged. No one else should have their hands on it.

… … …

The White Lion had dived to a kneeling position, its giant mechanical maw open as if accepting him. After a moment, he turned to face the two men who'd come to find him. He was silent as he stared them down. He knew he looked like a mess. For the past few days, weeks, months... however long it'd been, grieving had been his only companion. Time became faceless, and nights bled into days without him ever keeping track. He didn't even know how long it'd been since…

"What do you want?" he asked, finally exhaling and letting go of the breath he'd been holding captive inside his lungs.

"How have you been faring, Ciyras?" Alfor asked, his expression soft. "I haven't seen you around since her burial," he told the older man.

He glanced away, anger flashing through his usually gentle green eyes. The color always highlighted the bold, wine red marks under his eyes. The skin around them was puffy and flushed, making it obvious he'd been crying not long ago. He ignored Alfor's question. "What do you want?" he asked a second time, exhaustion bleeding into his voice.

"We're here to ask you to become the White Lion's Paladin," Zarkon said, and Ciyras froze for only a moment before whirling around and glowering at the taller man.

"What?" Disbelief filled his voice, but it was far from the good kind. Anger burned right below it.

"Azilu's loss has hurt us all, but we also need a Paladin for the White Lion, otherwise Voltron cannot be formed," Zarkon said, and Alfor nodded in agreement.

"The White Lion has accepted you," Alfor said. "Perhaps it is by Azilu's wish. This… carrying on her legacy might be what you need for closure on her loss," he said finally, and Ciyras turned his gaze towards him.

"Oh," he said off-handedly. "Quite a surprise to see you coming for a replacement so soon." His words were scathing, and Alfor took a step back. "I care not for the sake of Voltron. I lost my younger sister, my only family, and the two of you are here to try and make me her replacement."

"What are you saying?" Alfor asked, a sharp pain surging through his chest at the harsh accusation. "None could ever replace Azilu, but we've got to make the best decision for the fate of the entirety of the cosmos."

Ciyras narrowed his eyes, barking out a harsh laugh a second later. Cold emerald eyes stared the Galra Emperor down. "She loved you, and I don't think I'll ever know what she saw in you," Ciyras said, his voice as cold as his glare. Zarkon froze at his words and turned back to the Altean. Ciyras froze too, his eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said. A second later he scoffed and glanced down. "What's it matter if you know now since she's gone…"

"Azilu…" Zarkon trailed off, unable to finish the thought, and Ciyras turned back to him.

"Loved you," he finished for him, heat entering his eyes as he stepped forward. "My sister loved you. She trusted you and depended on you, and now look what's happened! She's gone, and she'll never return." Tears finally began to fall freely down his cheeks. "I should've never agreed to let her be the stupid White Paladin! She had potential! She could've been great if not for this… this thing!" He bellowed, motioning towards the White Lion.

"Ciyras…" Alfor tried to console him and his rage, but he turned furious eyes to him next.

"Don't you dare!" he yelled. "What kind of friend are you!? Voltron wouldn't be a thing if not for her, and now it really is nothing! She poured her energy and her soul into this thing. You were her friend, and now you come to me trying to get me to take her place as if she didn't even matter!"

"That's not-" Alfor tried to speak, only to be cut off.

"You used her to make this, and now that she's gone you need a replacement," he said coldly. Ciyras shook his head. His long, black hair was free from his usual ponytail and flowed messily down his back. "Well, it won't be me," he said decisively. "All of you failed her when she needed you. Her death is by the fault of all the Paladins, and this is only but part of your punishment."

"Azilu wouldn't want you to be angry," Zarkon finally said, and Ciyras turned back to him.

"Oh, I know that. She was radiant and she saw beauty in everything," he said. "But what she might've wanted doesn't really matter anymore, now does it? Since you let her die," he said coldly before ultimately turning on his heel and stalking away from the pair.

Alfor turned to Zarkon upon Ciyras' departure. "If he refuses to be the White Paladin, then forming Voltron is impossible," he said. The White Lion could only be piloted by someone who bore the same aura as Azilu did. It was bound to her. If not him, then there was no one else for the task. "We'll have to manage with just the five lions for now, it seems." He paused and glanced down. "Maybe… Maybe Ciyras will come around if we give him time."

Zarkon was silent as he listened to Alfor's voice. He wasn't able to get the words Ciyras had told him moments ago out of his head. The pain that came with them was new. Never in a thousand years would he have thought Azilu saw him as anything more than a friend and comrade. She never showed any indication of deeper feelings. If he'd known… if he'd known she saw him in such a light then he knew things would've been different now.

"Is there really no way to have her return to us?" he mumbled quietly, and without any other words to say, he began to walk away.

"Zar- huh?" Alfor turned to the Galra Emperor, only to spot him walking away. "Zarkon?"

She abruptly fell forward as the pod she was in opened. She landed with a weak whimper, unable to even catch herself in time before she landed. She hit the ground, and she stayed there for a moment as she tried to piece everything together.

Her mind was hazy, fuzzy, and she couldn't make sense of anything. She slowly pushed herself up onto her knees, her arms trembling as she glanced around. Pink pupils surrounded by blue irises took in her surroundings as she slowly lifted a hand to rub the side of her head.

"W-what happened?" she whispered softly. "W-where am I?"

She heard the patter of light feet bolting to her, and she turned to face the direction. In the distance, she could see the form of a small, white feline bolting towards her. When she made it into the room, recollection came racing back, and she sat up with a smile. Kirara phased into her larger form with a joyous roar as she ran the rest of the way.

"Kirara!" Kagome cried as she bolted over to where she was still seated on the floor. She pushed herself up onto her feet and stumbled into her, and Kirara let her knock her to the ground. Kirara laid on her side, her tails lifting to cover Kagome's lower half as she purred contently.

"Kirara ran down this way!"

A familiar voice came from the same hall she had come from, and she froze as she glanced down the dark path. Several sets of feet were bolting down the same hall, their footsteps thundering as they ran to where she was. The others made their appearance known, and Kagome sat up with a smile as the other five Paladins burst through the threshold, Allura and Coran following not far behind them.

"You're awake!" Lance exclaimed, his eyes getting teary at seeing her tucked into Kirara's form.

"We were prepared to wait for days," Allura said as she leaned against the doorframe. She was still tired from the ceremony earlier, but she was happy to see the last member of their team seemingly all recovered and better.

Kagome sat up some more, slowly standing as Kirara helped her back up onto her feet. "I…" she glanced down and shook her head. "What happened?" Everything was a blur to her. She remembered the party, and she remembered Sendak, but that was it. It felt like she was missing something, but she couldn't figure out what that was, exactly. Although… she still felt completely exhausted, and she yawned. "...'m tired, too," she added on as an afterthought.

Shiro smiled and approached her. He set a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her, only to freeze when he saw her eyes. They hadn't looked like that before, that much he knew. He looked back at her eyes. He blinked, and when he looked again, the pink pupil had faded. He thought he might've just been imagining things, and he brushed it off. "Let's get you to bed, then," he said, his voice fond. "We can talk about this tomorrow," he said, looking at the rest. "We could use a good night's rest, all of us."

The rest were unable to argue with his words, and they all nodded agreement. They soon filed out of the room, but Lance stuck back as Kagome slowly left with Kirara in tow. She paused and looked at him, confused. "Something up?" she asked, her voice soft.

"H-Huh?" Lance looked at Kagome, shaking his head a second later. "No, no," he said, but something in his tone kept her standing firm. Kagome frowned and approached him, her hand planted on Kirara's back to keep her upright.

"Lance?" she said his name, and he looked at her.

"Thanks, Kagome," he said abruptly, and her eyes widened in confusion.

"What for?" she asked softly. Even though she was confused, she was unable to keep the smile from her face at his gentle gratitude.

He looked at her and matched her smile with his own. "I dunno if you remember it, but that thing you did when we were under attack by Sendak," he said. "You did something, and it healed me. I wanted to thank you," he said.

Her eyes widened as that memory came back. A second later a fond smile appeared on her face. She lifted the hand she wasn't relying on, and she gently set it on his cheek. "You don't have to thank me," she said then. "I'd do it again for any of you in a heartbeat," she said. "I'm not gonna let anyone hurt my team."

Lance smiled, the warmth of her hand comforting him just as much as her words did. Without warning, she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest as she gave him a hug that was filled with that same warmth. There was something so comforting about it, and he returned it without a second thought.

Kagome looked at the group with her, her posture somewhat tense. She wasn't sure if they could realize the unease she felt, but no one tried to pressure her into talking, even as they sat waiting. They were patiently calm, quietly waiting for her to speak.

When she woke that day, she woke up with the resolute urge and confidence to share even the worst parts of her past. She didn't understand where this desire came from, but she wasn't going to overlook it. But… now that they were here and all waiting, she felt the smallest bit of uncertainty.

"Kagome…?" Shiro's calm voice pulled her from her musings, and she looked his way. He smiled and nodded, both gestures encouraging her. "You can tell us whatever's on your mind," he said. "We're your team. We're gonna be here for you," he said out loud, and the rest gave noises of agreement with his words. Kagome felt tears sting in her eyes, and she slowly nodded.

"I know that," she whispered, a serene expression washing over her face. "I have a request from you all, first," she said, and they waited to hear what it was. "No matter what, don't interrupt me. We'll be here for a while, after all."

When they nodded to accept her simple request, Kagome took a deep breath, inhaling as she thought about where to start. After a moment, she let go of the breath she held inside her and sighed. "It might be best to start from the beginning," she said, mostly to herself. "It started on my fifteenth birthday…"

She launched into her story, leaving out no detail she thought was important.

She told them about the well, and about finding Inuaysha on the Goshinboku tree. She told them about removing the arrow pinning him to the tree, and about the jewel that had gotten ripped from her body. She went further into the rabbit hole of her past, talking in great detail of her friends and enemies alike that she'd met on the quest to piece back the jewel she now had.

True to their word, the rest of them remained quiet as she spilled her secrets to them. She fell silent after so long of talking, sighing and fisting her hands into her skirt. She knew she'd said a lot, but she couldn't help herself. She felt so much better with it all off her chest. The weight of her burden was gone, and talking about it brought back several happy memories she was grateful to still recall.

"Woah, that's wild!" Lance exclaimed as soon as Kagome gave the okay to speak. She looked at him, a dry smile on her face at his statement.

"You're telling me," she said. "I've gotten used to the crazy side of life, I guess." She frowned a second later, and she looked at the group with her. "I… I hope you can understand why I hid it for so long. I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I know secrets don't help a team function."

"I think I speak for everyone when I say, we get it," Shiro said. "You don't get close to people, and I see why." His words pulled her attention, and he smiled at her. "I just hope you know you can rely on us a little bit more. We're a team. You don't have to stand on your own so much anymore, not with us."

She felt tears prick in her eyes, and she hated herself for getting so emotional over his words. It'd been so long since she was able to be so honest with someone else. "I know that now," she said, nodding as she agreed with his words.

"... Are we just ignoring the part where she said there are demons just walking around on Earth?" Hunk spoke up after a brief moment of silence settled over them. "T-That sounds bad."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "I wouldn't worry too much about it," she said. "Some are bad, but not all. The good ones typically keep the bad ones out of trouble." She thought of Sesshoumaru and shrugged. "Most have adopted modern lifestyles and coexist with humans. So much so, that you might meet a demon and never even realize it."

"Anyway, we're in space. I don't think you've got the time to worry about demons, buddy," Keith said, and he leaned back with his arms behind his head. Hunk nodded.

"You're completely right," he said as an afterthought. He held his hands out as if weighing something. "Demons that Kagome says are peaceful, vs. aliens that wanna destroy planets…? Hmm… aliens are definitely the bigger threat here."

"I think we're all missing the bigger picture here," Pidge said, eyeing the rest with her before looking at Kagome with sparkles in her eyes. "We know someone who completely defied the laws of time and traveled into the past to save the world. That's sooo cool!"

Kagome blinked and laughed at Pidge's excited outburst.

"Yes," Allura said with a smile on her face, Kirara resting on her lap as she still rubbed behind her ears. "I think I see why you've managed to adapt to all of this so well," she said as she looked at Kagome.

Coran twirled his mustache as he took in the appearance of the jewel she'd shown them all as she spoke. He remained quiet, not commenting on it even as it struck something deep within him.

It was brighter than the last time he'd seen it, if it was indeed the same. The last time he saw it, it was that hazy white color, but now it seemed to shine even brighter than when Azilu had it in the first place. It was certainly something.

C.R: Kagome's now awake, and she's finally shared her full past with her new team, the good and the bad. Sooo expect more mentions of Kagome's demons friends and past experience with her team~

Ciyras certainly is… interesting. A man who loved his sister more than he loved anything else, and he blames the Paladins of Old for her death [even if that might not be the case..] I mean, when you've got no other family, what else can you do? What became of him… I wonder. I mean, if Azilu was reborn, perhaps he was too…

Furthermore, it seems that in the past, Azilu had a jewel so very similar to the Shikon no Tama, and that it's bound to the Lions of Voltron.

One can't help but wonder what might happen when Zarkon realizes who the new White Paladin is, as well… It seems her aura and the jewel's aura has been detected by Haggar at last.

Oh, well, that's it for now! I hope you all enjoyed, and thank you so much for reading.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~