Chapter 41:Questions and Answers(Part 2)(Keith's POV)
Finally they got together to discuss with….Apparently the Guardians of the Miraculous who had been trapped inside Feast for centuries, which he did not see coming, about all that has changed, what has led up to it, and discussing the past. But it wasn't as strange as two aliens sleeping for ten thousand years, getting to fight with big mech lion robots that somehow formed into this one big mech that they all had control over and had to liberate almost the entire universe with because of the Galra Empire.
Yeah not as strange it the slightest.
"So my old apprentice," asks Li Jie, a man with white hair tied up in a bun, with chinese robes with gold fabric lining it and an Gold Order of the Guradian's symbol on his right chest stitched in onto his robes, "what happened after the temple was destroyed and I told you run with the Grimoire and the Asian Miracle box?"
"I ran and jumped over a cliff. In my panic, I lost the peacock and the butterfly due to being panicked and in a rush to get away if Feast had successfully made the jump. I hid for the rest of my life, moving further and further away from the Tibet mountains in hopes that if I kept moving I wouldn't be caught. During that time I entrusted the miraculous Evolution to someone who could try and fix my mistake, but when she intervened the world wouldn't accept that my mistake was interrupted and never happened as it still did. As if it was a fixed point in time, something that if interrupted would happen even if it was a different method. I told her she was being crazy and to just try again, but she said messing with time has the dire consequence of destroying the in my anger I pushed it and ended up costing our relationship as a result and her taking the rabbit miraculous so that I couldn't use it to destroy the universe. Then I continued running, settling in various places until, while being lax, a certain party in Germany found out about the miraculous and tried to take them away. My friend came back to try and put up a fight with me, but all I wanted to do was to run away, like I had before. Again this cost me our friendship as I fled while she held them off, agreeing that the miraculous should never end up in the hands of the wicked."
"That was the only reason why she helped me out. Eventually I settled in Paris and eventually my kwami, Wayzz, felt the presence of his brother Nooro. Then a few months later Duusu's presence reappeared as this was not the first time Wayzz had sensed the peacock. But we weren't able to track it since it wasn't being used for crime, but now it is being used alongside the Butterfly to aid this villain who calls himself Hawkmoth. He also got his hands on the Grimoire, but Ladybug found it just before she disappeared. And that brings you up to the present."
Li Jie places his hand on his apprentice's shoulder, "Sounds like you have been through a lot. Lost three miraculouses and the Aisan Grimoire and a friend. But we are back and I can take over my duties again…"
"Li Jie, you know that once the Miracle Box has chosen its Guardian, whether by us appointing apprentices or through death that it cannot be given back to its previous owner. Being in that sentimonster was like being dead." comments Taworri, Guardian of the Antarctic Miracle Box(apparently there were different cultures of people living there, but for some unknown reason the land became an ice ridden desert of land, probably due to some villain).
"But my apprentice has been through enough. Surely he deserves someone with experience to take over for him."
"Yes he has been punished enough because of his actions. However you know we cannot take over for him. He is a Guardian now and the only time we Guardians have ever supported and been there for one another was when a villain in our territory got too out of hand or when in training an apprentice to take one of our places. And it seems, despite Ladybug missing, that everything is going fine." Celestino, the guardian of the South American Miracle box answers. He wears his long brown hair in a braid, with three different coloured feathers on the side. He also has an gold Order of the Guardians symbol on his right chest, with a native american outfit in white with gold outlines.
"Thank you Master for trying to alleviate what I have done. But this is my responsibility. Because of my action for creating that thing when I was angry and hurt while also severely hungry it caused the Order to fall and leave me and the Asian miracle box as the only survivors. If I hadn't let panic get the best of me, Hawkmoth and Mayura would not have possession of the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous, Ladybug wouldn't have disappeared and the Rabbit Miraculous location wouldn't be unknown to us. If only I tried to stop my mistake from happening and see for myself what happened if my mistake was corrected then maybe everything would be fine and I wouldn't have let her take the Rabbit…."
"Fu." Li Jie interrupts, "That's all in the past. All we can do now is move forward towards the future, whatever that might entail. And I'm sure your friend experienced first hand how dangerous using the Rabbit Miraculous to fix things can end up doing more harm than good. Same with using the Snake. While one can give second chances for the present, the Rabbit can change any mistake in the past which alters the future, changing our evolutionary path which upsets the world sometimes and causes disastrous consequences. Which is why the Rabbit is only used in times of dire need whereas the Snake is a more viable option to use because it doesn't change everything except one outcome, making it a more stable miraculous to use. I'm glad your friend took it because if Hawkmoth ever got his hands on that Miraculous it would spell disaster for the entire world. But you already knew that so don't be too hard on yourself."
"But there is one thing I think you should tell us. How did Ladybug disappear and why is the Black Cat having to use his Cataclysm to fix the akuma's effects? Because Ladybug can do that and fix any damage in battle."
Keith tries not to show it. He knows where Ladybug is, where she disappeared to. But that doesn't help any of them. She could be anywhere in space and Earth doesn't have the tech to go to the far reaches of the universe and find her and Voltron. Nor the tech to broadcast deep into outer space either. He feels guilty from keeping this from everyone but it wouldn't help them in the long run, it would just give their hopes up. His thoughts were disrupted by a "What?! An akuma transported Ladybug with another kid appearing in her place and you didn't think to ask him about where she might be!? She was my first friend for Pete's sake and she's my partner!? I know you told me before that it was complicated but it doesn't seem that complicated to me. And why did you never tell me why she disappeared?!"
"Because I didn't want you to lose focus from defeating Hawkmoth and even if we did know where she is she hasn't come back for some reason. And I was frightened that the boy could've simply refused to know what even happened and I am a stranger to him. It would be weird to have an old man question you about the whereabouts of Paris's favourite superhero." Master Fu states to Chat Noir.
He bites his lip. Should he tell them? Would they even believe him that aliens exist and that he was once a part of a Space Program at the Galaxy Garrison that trained young kids to be pilots for future missions after years and years of training. They are dealing with a magical terrorist after magical jewels, so it shouldn't be too far-fetched. Oh and that a mech made from five lion ships exists and forms into a bigger mech with the Power of Friendship, like Powerrangers or even like Transformers to some degree.
"Sorry to break this up," Honeybee interrupts, "But I have a question I'd like to ask before I forget about it. So why did my kwami when she introduced herself to me say she was from a Chinese Miracle box and not an Asian one? I know it's not relevant, but I had to ask."
That had been bothering him too when the Guardians had introduced themselves.
"Oh, that's because we mainly operated in China. Me and the Guardians of the Box before me always had a homebase in China. Most of the kwamis didn't get out much of China and the surrounding area, while the Black Cat and Ladybug miraculouses were much more involved due to their powers and helping out other Guardians. I believe that answers your question."
Honeybee nods.
"Now back to the topic of Ladybug's disappearance. I think me and my fellow Guardian's know who Master Fu is afraid to talk to regarding this. Marmora, don't you have something to share with us? You've been acting rather nervous and quiet since Ladybug's disappearance was brought up."
Crap! And he can't lie his way out of this one. Li Jie caught onto his nervous behaviour even though he tried to hide it well.
Chat zeroes in on him, "Do you have something to say?"
The look in eyes was almost pleading. Like he was begging for him to tell them what he knows. And everyone else has suddenly started looking interested in him too. God, he can't back down now. Time to tell the truth, let's hope no one thinks I'm crazy or flat out lying about this. In fact Keith can't really believe much of his Voltron life was true, it just seemed so bizarre and he actually made friends and got along decently with everyone, except Lance. Which is different from what he was used to. Oh well, can't push this off any longer.
"Guess I have to start from the beginning in order for you to understand."
"Roaar Unpaint my Stripes."
When his transformation back to his civallin self is done, he stands up and formally introduces himself, "My name is Keith Kogane." And he starts his story of how he met Shiro, got inducted into the Galaxy Garrison, Shiro's supposed death, his expulsion, finding Shiro a year later with Lance, Pidge and Hunk, Finding the Blue Lion, going to Arus, meeting Princess Allura and Coran, getting his lion, defeating Sendak's fleet, training, meeting the Arusians, the party, defeating Sendak again, freeing the Balmerans with a distraction right before that, the haunted Castle, the mission to the Galra Base and the attack of the Galra Base, being separated from the team because the wormhole had been corrupted from their escape, finding out about Ulaz, the trip to the Space Mall, and the trip to the Blades of Marmora Base and his waking up in Paris.
"And the rest you already know," he finishes his story.
"So Ladybug could be anywhere fighting an Empire bent on Universal conquest?" Ryuko asks in utter disbelief and shock.
"Yep."
"That doesn't make any sense…..How in the world is that possible. It can't be…. science disproves that ..." Ryuko mumbles to herself.
"Well it's true. And I don't know when the war will end. Lot's of planets have been taken over by the Galra Empire in the last ten thousand years. With Voltron it will be easier, but it could take years, and it might be hard to liberate every planet once they're free since the Galra Empire is all they've known. It might take some getting used to."
"And the Galra might attack us because we are the homeworld of the Voltron's Paladins." Rouge Renarde comments.
"Yep."
"If that's the case why haven't you told anyone?" She asks, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Because the Galaxy Garrison sees me as a troubled kid with mommy issues they wouldn't listen to me. And I did punch a senior officer for trying to maintain that Shiro was dead when he was an excellent pilot and would have never made a landing error so as to cause a deadly crash. His past missions were all great and I never told anyone else cause it sounds crazy. I even think it's crazy even though it's my life."
Sahale speaks up, "It doesn't sound crazy. When I was an apprentice assigned to the North American Miracle Box my Master told me of a Blue Lion we had to protect along with the Miracle Box. As if it ever got into the wrong hands, it could be just as disastrous as a wish from the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous fused together. I was told the hiding place was marked with carvings of the beast. However because I have been in Feast I wasn't able to do my job and protect the cave and the lion and you and your friends discovered it. But I am glad that you found it before it was found by the wrong people."
Keith gapes, the Blue Lion was here all that time and protected by the Guardians as well! That is super freaky and weird. And what a coincidence! Though Alfor did hide all the lions, and it's very likely that they didn't move. But it's so weird to think that it has just been sitting on Earth for ten thousand years and to be guarded by the Guardians as well.
Like what?! That is unbelievable.
"It's true." Sahale says, without diving deeper into that logic.
Keith shakes his head, "I don't think it's not true. Alfor did hide the lions ten thousand years ago and hid the Blue Lion on Earth for that amount of time. It's just shocking."
"I agree. When I saw that lion for the first time surrounded by something blue, I had no idea what it was. All I knew was it was magnificent and important." Sahale comments.
"I'm surprised Sahale that you never told us about this Lion that needed protecting."
"My master informed me that it was one of the sacred secrets to carry and that no one outside us and my future apprentice should know about its existence. The less people who know the better. So it can stay hidden from evil eyes and ears."
"Right."
"I believe that concludes tonight's meeting." Master Fu says.
"I guess so apprentice. We talked about all that needed to be discussed for now. Next time we meet, we shall gather in order to discuss Hawkmoth. But for now me and my fellow guardians shall return to our fellow homes and see what has happened. As it seems like you have everything under control."
Master Fu sighs, but doesn't argue.
With that the Guardians and his teammates leave and Keith doesn't know what to do. His teammates and the Guardians seemed to take his revelation well, judging by how they had no further questions or were mad at him. But he isn't sure. He stands up to go but, "Thanks for telling us, Keith. You didn't have to, but you did." Master Fu comments.
He shrugs, "Not really. And I would have to tell somebody about Voltron and my involvement sometime. It's not like secrets stay hidden for long."
"True. But it puts my mind at rest that Ladybug is with people who can be trusted despite being in a rather precarious situation."
Keith nods.
"Have a good night."
"You too."
Author's Note: Gods this took so long to find inspiration to write for Part 1 and 2. Especially since I wanted to explain the magic system and finally have Team Miraculous know what happened to Ladybug and where she is. I figured the Guardians, because of how powerful the Ladybug miraculous is, would press the most about the holder's disappearance. I also wanted to get the character designs done for the Seven Miracle Box Guardian's which are on my instagram so if you want to see those designs then check it out. Cause originally I wanted to tell you each what they looked like but that would have gotten tedious since there are seven of them. Though on my designs, because I use a sketchbook, I wasn't quite able to put the order of the Guardians symbol on their robes because it is a very intricate design and it was hard to do on the staff because I couldn't get it all on it. So if you look at them just pretend they have the symbol on them. Anywho hope you guys enjoyed these chapters and next chapter we'll start Season Six of Voltron!