Chapter 46: Girl Time(Allura's POV)

"Wow Marinette, these pajamas you made us are comfy," Allura says as she sits on her bed. The design of these is also amazing. A big blue lion head is on the pajama top and the top has a golden rim. Then the pajama legs have little blue lion heads dotted all over them with a golden rim on the cuffs of the pants.

"Well I figured if I was making clothes for all of us why not include pajamas. Although yours and Lances and mine were finished a couple of days ago. As we switched lions I made an extra pair for each of us with it matching the lion we pilot." Marinette replies.

"I see. So that's why I have a pair of pajamas that just has the Castle of Lions on it."

Pidge giggles, "You made a pajamma out of the Castle of Lions design."

"Yep. Anyways, while we're away from the boys let's talk about our crushes."

Allura raises her eyebrows, "Why?"

"It's a staple when girls hang out that they reveal their crushes." Marinette replies.

She nods, accepting that answer. Although having this 'girl time' reminds her of when her mother would hang out with her. Still she is surprised Marinette suggested having this event. As she thought Marinette would see her as a worthy teammate on the field of battle after doing those teamwork exercises.

"I'll go first," Marinette announces. "Back home there's this boy called Adrien Agreste…"

"You mean that famous French model? Every girl I knew had a crush on him!" Pidge interrupts.

"Yes. But he goes to my school and at first I hated him because he was friends with Chloe. A girl that relentlessly teased and bullied me. But after that school day it was time to go home. He told me he was trying to get the gum off of my seat and didn't plant it there. He gave me his umbrella because it was raining. And that was when I fell in love with him. Because he showed genuine kindness to a girl who hated him."

"That's quite the love tale." Allura remarks. Going from hating a boy to loving them instantly, quite remarkable.

"Now go on Allura tell us who you have a crush on."

"Me?"

Pidge dryly replies, "Do you know of anyone else named Allura?"

"Fine. I guess I have a tiny crush on Keith. After all he's so brave, but reckless. And sometimes it seems like he has everything under control and other times he's angry and has the spirit of fire within him. Although I did have a crush on Shiro as well before he died. He was always so calm and in control. And his leadership skills were great, and his robot arm was so cool. And yea.."

Marinette raises her eyebrows, "Wow. And here I thought you didn't like Keith."

She blushes, "Well I did when I found out he possibly could have Galra blood. But I don't hate him now! After all he doesn't seem like a person who would go back on his teammates…."

"Ramble alert." Pidge says and Allura glares at her.

"Anywho, guess it's time to share my crush with you guys. It's Lance."

Allura rolls her eyes, "That goofball."

"Yes, that goofball. He stood up for me whenever I would get angry at General Iverson whenever he brought it up. And he is a great pilot and his jokes are kinda funny."

Marinette says, " Yeah he reminds me of my partner Chat Noir. He would always be saying cat puns or cat jokes. Would flirt at me constantly because I'm his 'lady' apparently. But he would always be there for me when I needed his help. Specifically during akuma fights."

Twirling her hair, Allura is surprised that Lance reminds Marinette of someone close to her. When none of the paladins remind her of anyone. Granted her friends were nobles and high-class Alteans so they were mostly serious about the duties they would undertake.

And her parents were mostly serious all the time too. Unlike the paladins who can have fun but also can be serious.

"So do you have a crush on Chat Noir then too?" Pidge asks curiously.

"No." Marinette curtly replies.

"Why not?" Allura asks. If Lance was reminding her of Chat Noir, doesn't that mean she likes him to some extent.

"Because his flirting doesn't help us fight off the akumas. It only shows that he loves me. Or at least the idea I show when I'm Ladybug. As Ladybug is just a being superhero to me. So in my mind Chat Noir only loves the idea of Ladybug I portray."

"Wait, so your superhero identity is just an idea?" Pidge asks Marinette.

Mari nods, "Yep. Because I give off the idea that Ladybug is cool and calm under pressure and is always confident, despite things going sideways. But when I'm me, I'm not the perfect Ladybug everyone expects me to be. Which is why you guys are lucky. As your civilian identity is your superhero side, as you don't have to keep them separate and create a whole new identity for yourself."

"I guess we are kind of lucky in that regard." Allura states. She hadn't thought that Marinette had to pretend to be the ideal superhero Paris needed. Whereas in Voltron having the paladins is enough to inspire hope and the feeling that everything will be alright.

Guess she underestimated Marientte's war on Earth as a whole, not just the whole keeping her superhero identity separate from her civilian identity.

She wonders if Keith has gotten a miraculous and is also struggling with the same thing.

"You guys really are. After all you don't have to keep secrets from the ones closest to you, because you fear that if your superhero identity was compromised because of your civilian one something bad will happen."

"Still, I can't believe Paris is dealing with akumas and the like. I wouldn't have believed it if not for Tikki. And where is she anyway?"(Pidge)

Mari responds, "She's talking to the lions right now. Tikki wanted me to have fun with you guys by myself and see how the lions are doing."

"Wait, so she can speak to our lions?!" exclaims Allura.

She nods, "Uh-huh. She asked the lions about the pilot situation and they told her to wait."

Pidge pushes up her glasses, "Is it because she's the kwami of creation that she can speak to them? Or is it by some other power? Like do the lions have to grant her access or can she easily…"

"I don't know. And Tikki doesn't know either."

"My father wouldn't know of this either. As even though he built the lions, they still were unknown to him. As they have conscience and the properties of the lions also made them unpredictable. Although….."

Marientte and Pidge lean in closer to her. "Although what?" They ask in unison.

"Well the place is just an Altean myth, but supposedly my father went to this place called Oriande, which is where Altean Alchemy originated from. It's said to possess the knowledge of what it can do and it's limits. But the coordinates to that place are lost. And I don't want to risk Voltron by going there."

Marinette agrees, "Yes. But if we find proof of its existence, like coordinates, while we are fighting the Galra then it'd be worth checking out."

"Why?"

"You possess access to Altean Alchemy, like when you saved the Balmera with that Altean ritual. And if you learned everything you could then maybe it could help us in the long run. Using that knowledge to our advantage could come in handy for tight spots, like my Lucky Charm ability."

Again Allura is confused, "Lucky Charm ablibity?"

"I say Lucky Charm and then it gives me something to help win the fight. I used it when we were stuck on that Gas Planet and it gave me a closet stand up mirror. Hinting at reflecting deep within myself to bond with Black and get him moving."

"I see, that could come in handy in tight spots once Voltron is out of moves to make in battle."

Marinette nods, "Exactly."

Well this Girl Time sure has gone better than Allura thought, even if most of the conversation up to this point was a little pointless. But it managed to reveal a few things and Marinette didn't outright say not to go to Oriande once they find proof of its existence. And then maybe she could help the team more once she knows the limits and uses of Altean Alchemy.