Chapter four: Adaptation
"How... how is this possible?" Keith questioned, still staring in awe of the woman standing before him.
"I am an entity of unseen ability and power." The woman told him. "I have not a name... but you may call me; Atali. I have always been here... though no one has ever seen me in this form."
"Then how are you here? And why am I the first one to see you?" Keith questioned further.
"Because I have adapted." Atali responded simply. "And because you have found yourself in a position that is far beyond yourself. Far beyond any of you." Her gaze lifted to something beyond him. Turning back around, he saw that Shiro was still there. But no sooner had he seen him, did he melt into blackness and a gust of wind scattered him like dust; the speeder fading with him. "You are here because you are afraid of what might be... and what might be, scares you beyond measure. Beyond anything you could have imagined before." Atali had not moved from her place since she arrived, and remained still.
"I don't understand... How do you know all this?" Keith felt completely left behind, like there was some element to all this that he was missing. One that, once he'd find it; would finally make everything make sense. But that one thing; he couldn't seem to pinpoint.
"Every being has the ability to evolve, as do I and my sisters. But you must know... that you must be prepared... There is a war coming." Atali told him, turning her body at an angle to his. "One that transcends the place of what you know, and enters into a place of uncharted territory. But one you must come back from... danger is in the air.. It comes as a wind. A cold wind blows... it is coming. And you must burn the fire of hope within you; if you and your friends are to survive what is coming." As soon as she said this a cold wind leapt up, to send chills down Keith's spine; as it whistled through his hair and around his neck. "Keith Kogane; Spirit of Fire,... fear not your own imaginings. For what you face ahead, requires all the strength you can give... That strength... being Hope." At that moment he heard a thud, a muffled thud. Turning toward the sun it had also remained in the same spot... but something was different about it. A darkened look came upon it, it looked to be a being of some kind. It was hitting the sun as if it were a glass ball, and whatever was inside of it was trying to break out of it. It hit again, and again; and again, and the next time it came, it cracked and out of those cracks came darkness. Darkness that continued to spread as cracks, swallowing every ounce of light there was. Atali was soon drowned out by the darkness, even as Keith cried out to her...
Keith was now sitting upward, sweat soaking him completely. His breaths were so abrupt, he nearly choked on the air that came with them. His eyes were bright; he was now wide awake. The deep blue terror in them searched the area... nothing. Just his room; and his warm cozy bed, the covers sprawled everywhere. Keith heaved a deep relieved sigh.
Keith looked past his hand on the glassy shield, the pulsations on the screen remaining steady. Keith's eyes remained soft, yet troubled, as he gazed down at Shiro on the other side of the shield.
"I can't do this without you." He murmured sadly, his voice shaking a little. His eyes piercing the glass and into the older man's still face. "I need you Shiro.. Please, come back to us... please."
After the events of season 3 episodes 1-4*
Keith's fists slammed against the shield. Anger turned to rage, frustration turned to lividity; all emotions that had once been significantly minor, were now amplified beyond what he felt he could handle.
"Shiro! Please!!" He begged. But when nothing happened, a crystal stream soaked his cheeks, converging at the point of his chin; and exploded on contact to the glass, shattering like diamonds to a mirror. "Shiro!-.. It's b..been weeks!! You- h..have t..to come-.. back!!" He remained hunched over, resting his arms where he'd hit the shield, his head lowered grievously. Through his blinding remorse he swore he'd heard something; his eyes lighting up, as his heart leaped in his chest. He stayed where he was, listening.. waiting.. hoping he wasn't imagining things. And then he heard it.
"Keith." The voice was so faint it was barely a whisper, but it was there. Keith threw his head up.
"Shiro?!" But nothing appeared, just an equally faint cry sounded. A warm source came up behind him, the Black Lion Pilot not moving an inch. He felt that same warm breath on his neck, as though someone was there. And all he heard was...
"Help!" Keith's eyes flashed, standing upright, another horrifying chill zapping up and down his spine; making his blood run cold, and boil at the same time. Keith's hands slid off the shield and dropped at his sides, and he hastily took off out the door as fast as he could.
"I heard him!" Keith claimed, leading the team into the room a short time later. "Something's not right!"
"How do you know?!" Allura questioned, a little alarmed by this claim.
"It's hard to explain." Keith answered breathlessly. "But we need to figure it out." Allura dropped her gaze away from him.
"What? What is it?" Keith asked, seeing the guilt in her eyes.
"Keith... it's been.. almost three phoebs since our battle with Zarkon. And-.." Allura trailed off painfully turning away from him.
"Shiro hasn't been getting any better." Pidge sighed, daring herself to look him in the eyes. "We've tried multiple times to get him off the cryogenic defibrillator, but-.. haven't had any success."
"What are you saying?!" Keith demanded, clearly becoming more panicked and agitated. Pidge glanced down, then back up at him regretfully.
"Shiro may never wake up. His body is not able to maintain life without the pod's cryogenic support system. Chances are, if we try to take him off of it completely... he won't survive long. And he may never be able to." The Green Paladin's eyes glazed over, and it didn't take long for Keith's to do the same. "Shiro... isn't going to get better." Pidge sighed, focusing her gaze on the floor; afraid to look up for fear of losing herself in the emotional pain that was, no doubt, coursing through all of them. Keith's heart skipped a beat and he felt as though he'd been slapped in the face; his eyes beyond glazed now.
"Keith... we..think it's time.. we show Shiro mercy... and let him go." The Princess stated slowly, half wishing not to have to say this. A lightning strike of anger erupted inside of Keith, plunging up from the depths of his heart at the mere thought of what she'd just said. The immense disbelief, anger and hurt bubbling up in him like a volcano about to erupt. He staggered back a couple steps away from them, speechless as to how to react.
"N..no!" He finally shouted. "No! I don't accept this! Shiro will get better!! He has to!!! He's the rightful leader of Voltron!! Not me! The only reason I've taken it, is because Shiro's going to come back to take the job back!! I won't let this happen! I won't!!" He stormed past them and left the room. As soon as he left, Allura immediately broke down, bawling into her hands, and Coran quickly pulled her in for her to cry on his chest. Lance hugging a crying Pidge; and Hunk staring at the floor, struggling to keep from crying himself.
Keith's knees buckled and he hit the floor, his hand catching him on all fours. He held back nothing as, he sobbed there on his knees; the Black Lion silently observing. His hands tightened into fists, his whole body tense; letting loose all the ugly remorse that forced us way out of him. All the tear-jerking, heart-stabbing, death-trapping, skin-tearing ugly abomination of a pain, that had festered within the depths of his being finally being torn out of him, kicking and screaming. The worst possible thing he could ever hear, was now an infinitely horrifying reality. One he wished had never even been a THOUGHT in any of their minds. In all honesty, he wanted to hate every single one of them, but his compassion for his team and for Shiro, and what he'd taught him, conflicted him against it. His feelings seemed to have no sense of direction now, his signals were crossed all over the board. And any time he'd try to root them out, he would always receive a jolt like an electric shock. It seemed like his own emotions were against him, and this battle ensued; pursuing him with everything it had. Then a realization hit him and he leapt to his feet, sprinting back the way he'd come.
The team was just drying their tears when the door reopened, Keith breathlessly stood their; his eyes cold as ice.
"Everyone out." He breathed menacingly. The tone of his voice stung each one of them in the heart, and they filed out as requested. The Red Paladin stood aside as they exited, Allura turning to face him as soon as she'd left the room.
"Keith; we need to talk about this. Let's all sit down in the lounge, and figure this out." Allura forced herself to stare beggingly into Keith's deep flaring blue ones. Her desperate stare seemed to grab a hold of, and dragging out the compassion that had established itself within him, and he had to give in.
"Let's go then." He snapped, walking away stiffly; fists clenched at his sides.
"Keith; none of us like this either." Allura reinforced, gazing painfully over at him. The Red Paladin leaning against the wall next to the door, his left shoulder braced to it; arms crossed and head slightly hung. He stood there stiffly, not able to look at them; not even wanting to.
"Please; you must understand, that none of us want to do this." Allura begged trying to change Keith's attitude toward them. "But we see no other option. He isn't going to get better. And as much as it pains me to say this... but, I think, the best thing we can do for him.. is let him go." Keith didn't move. "Please, say something! Show us that you understand." The Princess cried, tears welling up in her eyes at his persistent silence. Keith still said nothing, instead he walked away, and put the door. Allura broke down once more, as did Pidge. Their tears started everyone crying once more.
Keith came around a corner out of the shadows and onto dim light given by the castle lights on the walls of each corridor. As he emerged from the blackness, he placed his hand on the wall. That seering pain in the pit of his stomach rising once more. There to burn through his gut, through his heart, up his chest, and on to his face, and coming out his eyes. He clenched his jaw to hold back a sob, when he heard a distinct growl in his ears. He looked up as though someone were standing in front of him; even though there wasn't. Through the remorse on his face he managed a determined expression; and walked on, a little more confidently.
The team was once again, drying their tears; recovering themselves as best they could when an alarm sounded. Allura saw the icon on the screen; her eyes lighting up. She rose and retreated from the room as fast as she could. The Paladins and Coran looked at each other, then scrambled after her. Allura burst into the med. room, and froze where she was. Having caught up with her, the others peered past her shoulders and gasped. The table was bare, but they hadn't a moment to react when another alarm went off. Allura checked her wrist cuff, then pulled up a screen.
"Keith?! The castle is saying the Black Lion has launched! Where are you going!?" She demanded frantically.
"Somewhere you can't follow me. I'm not giving up on Shiro!" Keith responded firmly. "Maybe you have; but I can't! He means too much to me!! He never gave up on me! I won't give up on him!!" After that statement his disconnected, and the com went fuzzy.
"Keith? Keith?! Do you copy!!" Allura cried, closing her eyes and lowered her head. "We have to find him, and figure out what he's doing." The Princess decided, turning to the others.
"What.. just.. happened?!" Pidge cried, breathless with shock.
"He's running away." Allura sighed gravely, then turned to the empty table. "And he's kidnapped Shiro." She finished flatly.
Hey, how's is hanging everybody!! Getting really excited about this story!! All the plans I have! Anyway hope you guys enjoy as well!! Thx!!!!