Chapter 59: So Shiro Isn't Dead?(Marinette's POV)
Marinette flies through open space. Seeing the twinkling stars makes her feel calm and at ease. She closes her eyes and relishes this feeling. It's almost like going on patrol with Chat, running around the Paris rooftops at night. Eventually sitting close to the glowing Eiffel Tower and them just sitting together under the starry sky.
She misses Chat and their patrols.
And even though flying through space kind of replicates it, it doesn't feel quite the same.
A piercing roar penetrates her ears. "Black what's wrong?" Marinette asks the Lion. Tikki gives a confusing look. "Did Black say something?"
She nods, "More like it was a roar. But it sounded urgent."
"I hate it when Black only shares information with you. As I'm friends with him too, and all the other lions."
"Well you haven't bonded to Black like I have. It's the same reason why I tell you things I don't tell anybody else. Because we bonded together just like if you were the Red Lion."
Tikki nods. "I just hope whatever Black wants to tell you or show you is something good. As we don't need you having another breakdown."
Marinette sighs, it had only been a day since Akira died. She stole Black for a little thinking time and to escape thinking about Akira. As left to her own thoughts in a dark room, just kept bringing the memory back over and over again. Akira telling her to look out, being tackled, trying her best to save him, and then Akira dying.
She shudders as the image of Akira telling her it wasn't her fault appears in her mind.
"You okay?"
Marinette looks at Tikki, "I'm fine."
Black roars again but this time she hears his voice, "Marinette! Let me guide myself. I sense something in this area. An injured person, I think."
"You can, Black."
So she lets go of the steering handles and lets Black fly himself. So he sensed an injured person. Hopefully then they get to that person in time. Before something bad happens. Images of Thace, Shiro and Akira pop into her mind and she shoves those images away.
Eventually she sees a Galra escape pod in the distance. That's odd. What is a Galra escape pod doing all the way out here in the middle of the night?
When Black gets closer to it and stops, Marinette stands up. "Alright. I'm going inside to see what I can do."
"Are you sure that's wise?"
"It's an escape pod. And Black only mentioned one person, maybe injured. I'll be fine. If you want to make sure you can come with me."
"Sure."
She goes to the hangar and pulls the lever which opens the hangar doors. She dives through the doors into the starry space. Using her thrusters on her jetpack she pushes herself towards the Galra escape pod.
Once close, she turns her bayard into a sword and cuts a hole large enough to fit herself through.
Inside the escape pod she spots a person sitting in the corner. Marinette moves closer and she gasps. The person looks exactly like Shiro, except with longer hair that reaches to his shoulders. His clothes are gray and dull, and look worn. Just how long has he been out here?
Quickly she puts her helmet on him. As she guesses that soon the oxygen will run out in this ship considering the hole she made. Then she glances at Tikki. "Tikki Spots On!"
"Lucky Charm!" A breather tube falls into her hands. Just what she needed. Putting the tube to her mouth, she then grabs Shiro and pushes him through the hole. After getting out herself, she grabs him again and swims towards the Black Lion's hangar. Once through the doors she closes them by pulling the lever. And just in time too, as she detransforms.
She then props Shiro on one of the walls and takes off her helmet from Shiro's head. Gently she shakes him awake. His eyes flutter and he looks at her.
"Marinette? Where are we?" Shiro asks, his voice sounding like he hasn't used it in a long time.
"In the Black Lion. You were on an escape pod from the Galra."
"Yeah….It's a long story.."
Marinette sighs, "I understand. I just can't believe you're alive. After all, you vanished from the Black Lion, leaving behind your paladin armor. We all thought it."
His eyes widened, "Then how did I end up on Galra Cruiser?"
"I don't know. But for know I'm glad your okay."
Shiro's POV
Shiro is not okay. Marinette is talking to a clone. But obviously he can't go back yet. As he has tried, but it doesn't work. It irks him that he can only see what Black sees, because he can't check up on Keith and see if he is okay.
A voice rumbles, "Do not be upset. I'm sure that Black has a reason for making Marinette find that clone of you so it can live."
Shiro turns around and sees the Blue Lion. "But why give my family a false sense of hope? As that clone could be nothing like me."
The Blue Lion purrs, "Maybe Black thinks your clone can help the others with their problems. Or maybe Black didn't want to see the clone of you die. As he does look exactly like you. Even sounds like you."
"Why are you telling me this?" Shiro grumbles. It's not like he can do anything about it.
"Because Shiro. There are reasons for everything. And even if you don't understand why Black saved the clone of you, you can still try to understand. As Black saved you by putting you into the Astral Plane."
Shiro looks at Blue, not understanding what she's trying to get at.
"You will understand someday, Shiro. The reason Black saved you and the reason why he saved your clone."
The Blue Lion vanishes, leaving Shiro alone again.