Chapter 25: Report ~ Unexpected Separation of the Team
While Keith is breathing very carefully, his leg is still broken with blood slowly seeping through it the make a deep dark stain. Keith sighed in pain while his comm link is still on.
"Keith," Pidge spoke through the comm link. "Keith, are you there?"
Keith grunted, "Yeah, I'm here."
"Keith, are you alright?" Shiro asked.
"I don't know," Keith slightly nodded his head. "My leg is broken, and I can't seem to move at all."
"Just hang in there, we'll get to you as soon as you know it." Shiro spoke, "Are you by any chance near the control council by any chance?"
"I'm not," Keith replied.
"Say that again, mullet." Lance is lost.
"I'm not near the control council," Keith grunted.
"Keith, where are you exactly?" Hunk asked.
"I'm near the airlock," Keith answered. "I could barely crawl towards the door at first, but now. I could barely move a muscle…while I'm still bleeding."
"So that means that Black is flying automatically?" Pidge asked.
"Automatically?" Keith nearly raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean about that?"
"Keith," Shiro spoke. "Black is heading in the opposite direction, away from Atlas. We try to catch up, but it seems that Black is flying faster for some reason."
"He does that when he gets worried for one of his paladins," Keith exclaimed.
"True, but…" Pidge spoke. "Can you at least ask Black to turn around and head straight to Atlas? So, we could help you."
"I don't know," Keith shrugged. "But let me try to ask," Keith calms down and clears his mind. Trying to hear Black Lion's voice.
A comforting, concerned hum has echoed throughout Black and straight through Keith's mind. All at once, Keith understood it.
"Black said that it's too dangerous for me to go to Atlas," Keith reported.
"What?" Lance piped up through the comm link. "Whoa," Lance exclaimed as the orbed nearly slipped out of his hands. Suddenly, sighs in relief as he caught it in time.
"Why would he say that?" Hunk asked.
"Don't know," Keith shrugged. "Probably he knows that I could be found anywhere near you or anywhere else by that Shadow Mother. Possibly for one of her first guesses to be able to track me down."
"That's very likely possible," Matt nearly agreed.
"Keith," a voice that is in charge and full of concern. Keith cracked a smile as he recognized it.
"Kolivan," Keith muttered.
"Everyone in the Garrison, on Atlas, your friends, the Blades, and I are willing to protect you. Not just Black alone," Kolivan continues through the inner comm.
"I agree," a pipping voice full of joy spoke through the inner comm.
"Coran," Keith muttered.
"Does Black know about that?" Kolivan asked.
"He does," Keith answered. "But…I'm not sure," Keith blinked as he tried to get the blurriness out of his eyes.
"If not to Atlas, where Black is possibly heading to?" Coran asked.
"Maybe Black knows where the Paladin of the Blue Lion is," Lance spoke.
"What?" Keith asked.
"Yeah," Hunk pipped up.
"That's right," Matt added.
"Keith," Pidge spoke. "If you find the paladin, maybe he or she could take care of you while they maybe help you to break the spell." Keith remains silent for a few ticks.
"That could work," Keith shrugged. "Don't know for how long, but it's worth a shot."
"Great," Lance smiled.
"Okay," Shiro spoke. "Before you get into that, what spell are you guys talking about?"
"Uh, Matt." Pidge spoke, "Bring out an example that is easy to picture with."
"I know one," Matt spoke. "Shiro, have you ever heard or seen the movie: Beauty and the Beast?"
"Don't suppose that I have, why?"
"Well," Hunk spoke. "Picture that Keith as the beast but only in Galra form."
"Wait," both Kolivan and Coran spoke. "Galra?"
"So that's what Shadow Mother meant," Shiro spoke. "She turned you into a full Galra?"
"Yup," Keith answered. "I've been forced to turn into full Galra with cat-like eyes and ears alright."
"What? Cat like?" Lance jumped.
"Yup," Keith lightly chuckled, knowing that Lance is jealous. "But no, I don't have a tail."
"Darn it," Lance grunted in disappointment.
"And Keith has the rose to tell the time when the last petal falls," Matt replied.
"That's right," Lance back Matt up. "And, the rose that has wrapped around a glowing orb is containing his life force. So, we must be very careful not to drop it, as I have."
"Let's keep that in mind," Pidge spoke.
Matt snickered within the background.
"I heard that Matt," Lance grumbled.
"And Lance," Keith growled.
"Yeah?"
"When I can stand again, I will hit you for breaking my leg!"
"For the third time, I said that I was sorry Keith." Lance barked, "Sheesh, you're always a hot head."
"I heard that," Keith growled. In shock, he could nearly swear that he heard Lance jump.
"How…?"
"But how can you break the spell, Keith?" Coran asked.
"Don't know," Keith shrugged. "But I hope that I will find out soon enough."
"Let's hope so," Hunk began to worry.
"Alright," Keith nodded. "I'll make sure of that, and Lance."
"Yeah?" Lance replied.
"Give the orb to someone else instead of you."
"Oh, don't worry Keith," Lance replied. "I have someone else in mind."
Keith chuckled, "Thanks."
"No problem," Lance replied happily.
"Good luck Keith," Shiro spoke. "Make sure that you are safe and sound, and full of health again."
"Roger that," Keith nodded. "Over and out," Keith turn off the comm link and took his helmet off.
When Keith took his helmet off, his ears felt so much better for stretch. He sighed in painful relief, "Black," Keith spoke. "By any chance that you have any first-aid kit still lying around when we last saw it?"
Black purred as a draw appeared and showed spare clothes, medicine, first aid, and materials that Keith needed for his leg.
"Thanks, Black," Keith smiled as he slowly crawled to there.
Black roared gently as he glided through space and find somewhere safe for Black and its paladin to hide.