Chapter 42: Bonding Time(Marinette's POV)
"Are you sure about this?" asks Allura. "I mean you and Lance haven't bonded completely with your lions yet."
"Yes I'm sure. Actually piloting them will help me and Lance better bond with them instead of trying to force ourselves to bond with them. After all you say the lions have a mind of their own, right?"
Allura nods, so Marinette continues, "So we have to earn their bond instead of trying to force it."
"But I just don't think we should focus on team exercises until you have bonded with your lions."
"And waste our time on this uninhabited planet?! Look I understand that I said we need to take time to bond with our lions yesterday, but I've changed my mind. Doing that exercise over and over won't help so it's best if we focus on working as a team."
Allura starts, but she walks away before she can hear anything the princess has to say. I know I have to listen to my teammates but Allura is proving difficult to listen to, as she always undermines my authority. Not that Marinette can't handle it, it's just taking a lot out of her to keep arguing with the princess over every little thing.
But hopefully her and Allura can reach some kind of understanding with one another. Maybe by doing team exercises it will help her to bond with the stubborn princess.
Tikki asks, "What was that all about. I know you said that Allura bonded with her lion faster than you and Lance and you guys would stop it for now."
"Well Tikki it's a bi more complicated than that. Allura keeps expecting me to keep to my decisions not thinking I could change my opinion on certain decisions."
"But isn't she supposed to challenge your decisions to make sure that you are doing what you think is right but also that you are not putting Team Voltron at risk?"
Marinette sighs, "Yes, but training with the others to work on teamwork isn't dangerous. And Pidge and Hunk aren't scheduled to fight Galra invaded planets today as they did that yesterday. And it should be relaxing as well to just hang out with each other while doing teamwork exercises."
"If you say so Marinette."
With that resolved she continues to head to the lounge in order to see if anyone is there and round them up for teamwork exercising.
Lance is sitting on the indented couch talking to Hunk and she joins them.
"My favorite thing about being in space?" Hunk murmurs. Lance nods, "Yeah, I'll tell you mine and since Marientte is here she can tell hers as well."
Hunk cocks his head, "Well I guess it's being able to try all the different food each individual planet has to offer. As a chef I like experimenting with those ingredients but also I'd have to say recusing those planets from the Galra and meeting them is also my favorite as well. Seeing them so happy about being freed from the Galra, it just warms my heart."
"That's two things."
"Oh come on Lance leave him be. None of us expected to be here."
Lance replies, "Yeah, but certainly not you. I mean getting blasted with a blast from that akuma and then being sent millions of miles into space away from home, that must have been a shocker."
"Oh it was Lance," Marientte replies, "especially after learning there was a war going on and that there are these lion mech ships that are the universe's only hope at peace. But enough of that, what's your favorite thing about being in space?"
"My favorite thing is finally being able to explore space and be the fighter pilot I was meant to be. I always dreamed of going to space after my training was finished being a fighter pilot. I just lucked out getting to go earlier and actually prove to General Iverson that I am just as good as Keith at piloting."
Hunk laughs, "Yeah Iverson was always complaining about you only got to be a fighter pilot because Keith dropped out."
"Wait, Keith dropped out? But isn't he like, the greatest pilot to fly Voltron?" Marientte asks, curious.
Lance pouts, "He's only the greatest pilot here because he can expertly fly in meteor belts and showers with ease."
"That and we don't know why Keith dropped out."
She nods, figures since none of them were as close to Keith as Shiro was. But still wouldn't they have guessed that Keith dropping out might have had to do with Shiro's supposed death on the Kerberos Mission? Seems like it would, considering how everyone tells her that Shiro and Keith were like really good friends to one another.
"Anyways, Marinette, what's your favorite thing about being in space?" Lance asks, obviously trying to change the subject which she allows.
"I guess it would have to be meeting you all. I didn't expect to get transported to an alien base, but because of it I met you guys who are amazing. Hunk you're sweet and caring, Lance you're funny and optimistic most of the time, Pidge I've learned really loves science, Coran is sweet but can be annoying sometimes, like an older brother I've never had or uncle, and I haven't gotten to know Allura much."
Hunk wipes off a cheer from his cheek, "That was so sweet Mari!"
Lance nods, but doesn't say anything.
"I guess it was. I look forward to ending this war though. Not that I don't like hanging out with you guys! I just miss my family and my other friends I left behind."
"I miss my family too, Mari. They've always supported me and sometimes I wonder if they miss me as much as I miss them. As the Garrison probably told the whole world that Lance, Pidge and I are missing."
"And my family too….."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," she stammers, really sorry she caused her friends pain.
Lance waves it off, "It's fine Mari."
"You sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. We all miss our families because of this war we've been dragged into."
"I know that. I just didn't, I didn't want to cause you guys anymore pain."
Lance laughs, "We've been through much worse than missing our families and Earth. Like the time we had to escape a space mall security guard or the time we first fought as Voltron for the first time, or that Lone Ship and Gas Planet situation recently and…"
Marientte puts her hands in the air, "I surrender."
"Nice!"
Hunk smiles as Marientte and Lance burst out laughing. It feels so good to be here, almost like I really am home and that Chat is by my side like he always has been ever since I've been Ladybug on Earth, Marinette thinks after she is done laughing and now has a big smile on her face.
Author's Note: Bonding has happened! Yeah! Next chapter will deal with doing actual teamwork exercises and then it's back to the rising water situation going on in Paris. As bonding with teammates can happen naturally without being forced to do it because you are required to work together:)