Chapter 22: Emotions (Marinette's POV)
Marinette almost rammed into Allura after she let the leaders go back to their various planets. "Sorry,"
She said that out of habit, of course, even though she didn't even remotely bump into Allura. "Why are you out of the meeting?" Allura asks her, with a slight distracted tone.
"Because it went well. They agreed to be a part of the Voltron Coalition."
Allura's eyes widened, "How did you manage that? I thought that because we didn't have a suitable answer for them about Votron and Black's pilot that they would've left."
"I told them the truth, and I told them that we can't promise there won't be any more casualties, unless we stop this war together. That bringing peace will stop all the future deaths that will be caused by this war. And they agreed, saying they were in."
Allura looks speechless, and in shock. Like she didn't think Marinette could handle being alone with leaders of other planets. Well she could and she just proved Allura wrong.
"Well then, we have to meet the paladins in the lounge."
"What for?"
"We have to see who Black will pick, and I didn't say to meet in Black's chambers."
"So you admit that I was right." Marinette smiles. Finally they're doing it! Seeing who Black will choose. The time is right. Allura recognizes it, and hopefully the other paladins do as well. That in order to win this war we need Black and Voltron, and to spread peace and comfort to our allies.
"As much as I hate it, I admit we can't go on without Black. The leaders were already almost to the point of doubting we could win this war, because they haven't seen Black or the fully formed Voltron. That's why they asked if they could see it."
"Duh! Anyone knows that Voltron is made up of Five lions not four. Besides, Voltron is the bringer of hope to these planets, and to see that Voltron is missing one of it's crucial parts, yeah of course they are going to be worried."
Allura steels herself, "Yes you are right. So let's drop this subject and go to the lounge."
Marinette's smile drops, well Allura didn't have to be so cold to her. She was right and Allura wasn't. Why couldn't the princess accept that she made a mistake as a leader? Instead of being cold and angry whenever she was wrong? Or was it the fact that this the second time she has rebuked Alluras decisions and motives, like when Allura was trying to apologize to her before she went on that mission to help defeat Zarkon on his home base and before Shiro died a hero's death.
Why couldn't they just get along? Why can't Allura treat her as an equal like she did to the previous Red paladin, Keith, or Shiro, or any of the other paladins?
Marinette crosses her arms, why is this so hard? Back home everything was easy(except Chloe, and fighting akumas(sometimes)). She made friends with all of her classmates easily, it was definitely easier than her first attempts at making friends over the years. So why was Allura being a challenge. But it was a challenge Marinette would gladly partake in.
After all, Allura, besides Pidge, likes to have girly fun. And let's be honest, when the Castle is full of boys some girl time is needed. Pidge would rather work with Hunk on whatever new gadget and engineering thing they want to design, instead of having some girly fun.
And Marinette has missed that.
Her thoughts get interrupted by Hunk asking, "So how did the meeting go? We didn't ruin it by leaving did we?"
"No Hunk, you didn't. Marinette took care of it."
Hunk smiles in relief, "Good job Mari! I really thought we botched it by the sound of what Allura said before she left."
"Well you didn't, Marinette get Lance, the rest of us are going to the Black Lion's chambers to see who will be it's next paladin."
Marinette obliges, though she doesn't know why Allura would send her off to fetch Lance. Nonetheless she walks to his room at a fast pace. When she gets to the door she knocks.
"Come in," Lance says, but he sounds drained.
Cautiously she walks in to see Lance on his bed staring at the ceiling.
"Hey, are you okay?" Marinette asks, concerned for Lance. Normally he's all upbeat and brushes off anything sad, like her partner, Chat.
Then an idea pops into her head, she is already making them and Lance's plush lion is finished. That might cheer him up.
"Wait right here, I've got to get something. I'll be right back!"
Lance's POV
Did she just say she'll be right back? What on earth is she getting? It probably won't help. He just wanted to be alone with his grief, to grieve for Shiro properly instead of putting on a mask, like he always does when bad things happen.
Because he can't just brush off Shiro's death. Shiro is,was his hero, who became family to him over the months on this ship.
It just didn't seem right to pretend everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows, when it's not. They'll never get Shiro back. At least with Keith they have some chance of going back to Earth and finding him in Paris.
But with Shiro, he's gone.
And nothing can bring him back.
"Lance! Look what I have!" Marinette yells, making him jump.
Lance lands his eyes on Marinette's hands. And inside them is a Blue lion plushie. He doesn't know what to say, he is shocked.
"I made one for everybody. I thought maybe the plushies of our lions could be a support to us if we didn't want to talk to anyone else. And you seemed so sad, just like everyone else, and no one was talking about it, so while I made outfits on the side I made these and…."
"Thank you," He says to her. And Lance means it. He had no idea Marinette was this thoughtful of him and his friends.
Marinette smiles, "But I didn't just come to cheer you up. Allura says it's time to see who Black chooses his next paladin to be."
Lance sighs, "Yeah she did say that earlier."
"You don't have to come,"
"No, if Black wants me then I'll have to be there. But honestly I don't care anymore."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, Black will choose the person who's best for the job. And I'm fine with Blue," Lance states. He means it, this isn't the time to want to be a leader. This isn't the time for games, it's serious. Even though he wanted to beat Keith at everything, it doesn't feel right to him to take Black without Keith being here.
And Keith was Shiro's choice. But now the Black Lion doesn't have Shiro's pick of who to pilot him when Shiro's gone.
"Okay I believe you Lance, now let's go see who Black will choose."
She gives Lance the plushie and leads him away from his room and towards the Black Lion. Lance follows her, towards the unknown.