**I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender (duh)


Months dragged by without any sign of Lotor or his generals. While this frustrated the paladins, Keith especially, this didn't stop them from continuing their coalition work. Refugees flocked to Olkarion and new supplies were unloaded by the ship-full. In between freeing Galra-occupied planets, the Voltron lions participated in aerial shows and appearances on the planets they liberated. Coran had taken it upon himself to schedule and coordinate these events with the hopes that such a show of arms would boost morale and strengthen alliances amongst their coalition allies.

But despite the gradually strengthening coalition, there was an undeniable rift beginning to form between the core members of Team Voltron. Keith had begun training with the Blade of Marmora, going out on infiltration missions more and more frequently. And with the Blade's discovery of a new form of quintessence that could be linked to Lotor, it became a rarity to catch him in the halls of the Castle. He was often late to Voltron missions and shows or he just never showed up at all, much to Shiro and the other paladins' growing dismay. Scarlett was nearly just as scarce. With Mitsubishi working as her assistant, she stayed holed up in her lab on Olkarion, working endlessly on her beloved secret project. During breaks, she assured the others it was nearing completion, but she refused to stop until it was totally finished and tested.

With the majority of the team out and fulfilling their own duties, the Castle of Lions became a quiet and lonely place. Mari would help whenever a new round of refugees arrived, handing out provisions and talking with them before the Olkari would guide them to a place to sleep and settle down. Sometimes she transported supplies. Sometimes she transported people. For those who wished to go, she flew them back to their home worlds once Voltron had driven the Galra out. Other times, when she just needed a familiar face to talk to, she'd help Lance and Allura brainstorm new flight patterns for the Voltron shows. It all kept her much busier than she expected. And while she was glad to have the work, it couldn't keep her mind off the growing sense of unease and loneliness gnawing at her gut.

Ever since they'd landed on Olkarion, Shiro had seemed to grow distant from her. Whatever the task, he always seemed to have something for her to do away from him and his base of command in the Castle. There were many days when she never saw him. And whenever she did meet him, whether it was to make a report or ask him a question, he was always curt and cool, keeping their conversations short. She liked to tell herself that he was just tired or stressed and it was absolutely not because of something she did. But the more she tried to convince herself that this was the case, the more she felt like it was a lie.

"What did I do wrong?" Mari wondered aloud one evening. She sat by herself in the empty bridge of the Castle, left in charge while the others were out participating in another Voltron show and Keith was who-knows-where with the Blades. The space mice looked up at her from where they sat curled up in her lap, unable to respond.

She sighed, rubbing at her tired eyes. "We have so many allies on our side and we're making progress. But of course now everyone's acting stupid. I thought things were supposed to get better with all of us here…but it's always just me here. Alone. Again."

The mice squeaked indignantly and she granted them an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I guess I still have you guys," she said, taking a moment to scratch each of them behind the ears.

The chirp of an incoming call drew her attention to the control panel, and the mice scrambled onto her shoulders as she stood and pressed the button to answer it. The Castle's systems indicated it was coming from Vurelle just as Treble's beaming face blew up on the main displays.

"MARI!" she exclaimed, her voice booming over the loudspeakers, making both the human and mice wince.

"Treble! Hi!" Mari greeted, quick to dial down the volume. "It's been a while. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good!" the Flouwan girl replied, her yellow eyes gleaming with joy. "Lookit! Vurelle's finally got our comms up and running again!"

"I see. That's great, Treble."

"She wanted the Castle of Lions to be our first test call." Ellosh's face popped into frame, her expression open and gentle as she smiled at her human ally. "I hope we aren't disrupting you."

"Not at all," Mari shook her head.

"Is Mitsu there?" Treble wondered, searching the room for her brother. "And the other paladins?"

"Actually, it's just me here right now," Mari admitted, hoping she didn't sound too crestfallen about it. "The others are busy at the moment. But I can take a message for them if it's nothing urgent."

"Oh, it's not," Ellosh quickly assured her. "I don't want to keep you long in case an emergency arises on your end, but we actually wanted to speak with you about something."

She and Treble moved over and a familiar Kythran face appeared in frame. "Hello, Mari," Te-freya said, her lips pulled up into a warm smile. "It's nice to finally see you again. You are looking well."

Mari's heart jumped upon seeing her old ally from the arena. It had been so long since they'd last spoken, it was a relief to know she was still alright. "Te-freya! It's nice to see you too. I'm glad you were able to get out of the arena safe and sound," she said, unable to stop herself from grinning. "Is there any news about Pidge's brother? Or your sister?"

"Unfortunately, no," Te-freya confessed, her feathery ears drooping ever so slightly. "I've come today to discuss a different matter with you."

Her tone was serious and Mari's excitement and budding hope dwindled. "Go for it," she prompted, already dreading whatever sort of bad news the Kythran had to share. But she had nothing else to do right now. Might as well hear her out.

"I'm sure you've been told how my group and I have been helping Vurelle to recover and expand their resources and connections. We've been receiving so many refugees on their way to Olkarion and we're more than happy to help them. As Voltron's forces grow, there's always more work to be done." Te-freya paused, exchanging an appreciative look with the Vurellean queen before continuing, "With Ellosh's permission, we've begun constructing an official base on Vurelle for the coalition rebels."

Mari's heart lifted again. "That's awesome news! Allura and the others will be so happy to hear that!"

Te-freya nodded. "The only problem is that I will not be able to manage it myself. Between assisting the Marmora and conducting rescue missions, our forces are spread thin at the moment. I will need an officer stationed here on Vurelle." Her green eyes twinkled with pride as she looked at the human girl. "If you're willing, I'd like you to fill that role."

Mari stared at her long and hard as she tried to process what was being said to her. "You …You want me?" she stammered in disbelief. "To take charge of rebel stuff on Vurelle?"

"Yeah! You're a perfect fit!" Treble chimed in, hopping up and down in her uncontainable delight. "You've fought the Galra before, you've got a rebel transponder, and you're already familiar with Vurelle. Everyone here loves you! They'd totally follow a direct ally of Voltron!"

The air in the bridge seemed to grow thinner as Mari's head whirled with their offer. She leaned against the control panel, trying to steady herself. "I-I don't know…I'm honored, Te-freya, but I have a lot to do here," she stated lamely, very much aware of how she had been doing absolutely nothing several minutes ago. "I'm not much of a leader and I'm kinda terrible with people."

"You will not have to work alone," Te-freya assured her. "I will provide you with the proper guidance. And Ellosh and the other Vurelleans will always be there to help you."

Mari's mind was reeling as she considered it. She'd be away from the safety of the Castle of Lions. Away from her closest friends in space. Away from her brother. She'd be on her own, leading and working with strangers who all shared the common goal of stopping the Empire. She'd be able to do so much more to help Voltron and the coalition. The independence and reliability of a leader. The freedom of making her own choices and being away from the Castle. Mari didn't know if she could handle it. Just imagining it was terrifying enough to make her knees weak. But at the same time, her heart raced at the thought of all of it. She hated to admit it, but she was actually…excited.

She shook her head and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. She couldn't let her initial feelings make the decision for her just yet. "I…I'll have to think on it, Te-freya," she decided, giving the Kythran an apologetic frown. "I want to discuss it with the others first."

"That's quite alright. There's no rush," Te-freya said, nodding as if she understood her conflicted emotions completely. "Whenever you've made your decision, let Ellosh know and use the transponder I gave you. I will take the activation of your contact code as an indication of acceptance."

"Okay."

The sound of a dull explosion sounded from somewhere off screen, making the camera shake. "For the love of the ancients — I told Korlis not to mess with any of the construction machinery!" Ellosh sighed and Te-freya's eyes twinkled in amusement. "I'm afraid we must go now, Mari. We hope to hear from you soon," she said, granting her one last encouraging smile. "Until then, be careful and stay safe."

"Tell Mitsu and the paladins I say hi!" Treble said with an enthusiastic wave. "Bye bye!"

The three of them disappeared from the screen as the call ended, leaving Mari alone with her thoughts and the space mice once more.

"Oh quiznak," she groaned, dragging a hand down her face.

The mice squeaked and clapped from their perch on her shoulders, offering no real comfort as they congratulated her on the opportunity that had been presented to her.

"You guys are no help," she muttered, only to nearly jump out of her skin as the doors to the bridge opened behind her. She spun on her heel so fast, it nearly sent the mice flying. They squealed irately in her ears before scurrying down her body and running out the door past Keith as he entered.

"Son of a…you freaking scared me," she wheezed, grasping at her erratically beating heart. "Where have you been? Everyone else is out doing a show right now."

Keith didn't answer her. His lips were pressed into a thin line and his eyes were narrowed. In the dark garb of the Marmora, he looked much more intimidating as he approached her. "Are you really leaving?" he asked, his tone almost sounding accusatory.

A spark of anger ignited inside of Mari, and her own gaze shifted into a glare. "You were listening in on us?" she realized, incredulous.

"It wasn't exactly a private conversation," he pointed out, and her irritation only grew.

"I don't know if I'm leaving yet. Why should it be of any concern to you anyways?" she snapped back. "You're never even here."

Guilt flashed across his face at the jab. His jaw set as he glowered at the floor, unable to look at her. "When are you going to tell the others?" he asked, quieter this time.

Mari sighed, the fire dying inside of her. "I don't know. I don't even know what I want to do yet." She massaged her forehead in a vain attempt to ward off an incoming headache. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

She moved to the helm platform and sat on the edge in defeat. Keith waited a tick before he joined her. The two of them sat in a heavy silence, unable to find the right words to break it.

"What do you think I should do?" Mari asked finally.

"It doesn't matter what I think," Keith said, careful to keep his tone aloof and neutral. "It's your decision."

"But you're the leader." She leaned back on her hands and her attention flickered to the ceiling. "Your opinion will always matter to me."

He cast her a quick glance. "Shiro's the leader. You should ask him."

Mari grimaced. "He barely even looks at me let alone talk to me these days…" she muttered sourly, her tone dejected and helpless. She huffed and sprawled on her back to gaze at the glowing Balmeran crystal hanging above them.

Keith hesitated, watching her lay there. He carefully laid down next to her so that their shoulders barely touched. They stared at the sparkling crystal for a moment longer.

"I think…you should go," he said, albeit slowly and rather unsurely. "You've been waiting for a chance like this, right? To be of use to the team." When she didn't respond, he continued, "You're not a paladin. You don't have anything tying you here…You can go and do what you were always meant to do."

He sounded wistful, almost like he was speaking from personal experience. She frowned. "Would you leave if you had the chance?"

There was a long pause. "I think I would."

Mari expected to be more shocked than she was. But it was no secret that Keith still didn't feel comfortable as the Black Paladin, especially now that Shiro had returned. And if his constant training missions with the Blades were any indication, she was beginning to think he really would rather become a permanent member than remain a paladin.

"You'd go even if it meant you might never see any of us again?" she asked. Her voice was involuntarily tight and there was an odd constricting feeling inside her chest.

"We have a mission that's bigger than any one of us," he reminded her, plain and straightforward. He said it as if he'd had the same phrase repeated to him over and over again until the rigid mentality had been carved into his psyche. "We have to find and defeat Lotor, no matter what it takes."

Mari closed her eyes in thought. She was very conscious of the cool metal floor pressing against her back, of Keith's soft and quiet breathing beside her. She didn't know what to say. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they were still just teenagers, too young to be central figures in a universal war. Too young to be questioning their worth and weighing their own lives against a greater cause. But this was their reality. There was no escaping it. And deep down, she knew he was right. If they didn't stop Lotor and the rest of the Galra Empire, countless lives would be put in danger. Still…no matter how hard she thought about it, it didn't change the fact that…

"I wouldn't want you to go," she said, opening her eyes again.

Keith's brow furrowed. "Why would it matter if you decide to leave too?"

Mari shrugged. "Whether I leave too or not, I think I would still miss you." She turned her head to look at him, restless as she struggled to convey the complex emotions churning inside her. "I'd miss the idea of you being here." Safe. Protected. A part of the team.

Keith looked back at her, his expression doubtful. "You'd get over it."

She disagreed. "It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Nothing's meant to stay the same."

They stared at each other, her sad dark gray eyes searching his reserved bluish-gray. Unspoken worries and undefined feelings hovered between them, waiting to be shared but unable to be expressed.

"Do you really want me to go?" Mari asked. The question had barely been a whisper, her voice thick with indecision and fear of his answer.

Keith's jaw set, his gaze never wavering from hers despite the confliction it held. He opened his mouth, ready to give a reply when the doors to the bridge suddenly swished open. The two of them didn't miss a beat as they sprung off the floor, their quiet moment of honest intimacy shattered as Shiro, Coran, and the paladins stepped inside.

"…All I'm saying is that if we have the lions shoot off fireworks into the sky next time — like, POW POW POW! — we can really amp up the crowd and strike home that Voltron razzle-dazzle," Lance was saying. His eyes landed on the duo occupying the bridge, his smile fading as he scowled at the Black Paladin. "Well, look who finally came back," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "So you won't show up to the Voltron shows, but you have no problem booking it back here to sneak in some secret canoodling time?"

Keith's face twisted in anger and Mari felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "That's not what happened!" he snapped right as she exclaimed, "We weren't doing anything like that!"

"Riiight," Lance drawled, clearly not believing them. "So what, you were just taking a quick nap on the floor?"

"We were just talking," Mari promised, her tone sharp and leaving no room for argument."He came back from his mission and I asked him a question, but it turned into a longer discussion than I expected. I'm sorry I kept him."

Shiro's eyes narrowed at her skeptically and Pidge and Hunk exchanged uneasy looks. None of them questioned it though as Allura piped up.

"Well, whatever you were doing, you've missed another show, Keith. Again," Allura said, her own eyes glistening with controlled irritation. "It is making our allies unsettled with how little they have seen of the Black Lion lately."

"I'm not here for their entertainment in some parade," Keith ground out, glaring at her in return.

"I know. But you must consider how this affects their morale," Allura pressed, a bit gentler this time. "I know what you're doing with the Blade is important. But Voltron needs to be your first priority."

Keith didn't respond, neither agreeing or disagreeing. The tension in the air was thickening by the second. He scowled at the princess for a long moment before brushing past her and the others and exiting the bridge.

The second he was gone, Allura sighed, sagging in her concern. Taking a deep breath, she quickly composed herself and her expression became a mask of regal authority as she addressed her advisor. "Coran, let's discuss where we're heading next," she said, already ushering him towards the main displays and dismissing the others.

"Okay…Well, on that note, I'm gonna get dinner started," Hunk piped up, before awkwardly excusing himself to hole up in the safety of the kitchen.

"I'm gonna see how Scarlett's doing with, erm, you-know-what," Pidge added, quick to make herself scarce.

When it was just Shiro and Lance left, Mari moved to leave them as well. She had a lot to think about and she wanted to be alone to do it. But with one firm hand, his metal one, Shiro caught her by the arm before she could escape. When she met his gaze, his eyes were icy and brimming with disapproval.

"What?" she demanded, and she hated the way her pulse involuntarily spiked.

"Don't distract him," Shiro ordered, his voice low and even. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes stung as she glowered at him.

"I'm not," she muttered and her hands curled into fists. Her nails dug into the flesh of her palms to keep herself from losing it in front of him.

Shiro held her there for a few seconds longer, his expression shifting to one of relief and reassurance. He released her and she immediately stormed off the bridge, putting as much distance between herself and him. It didn't take long for Lance to catch up to her, matching her pace as she marched down the hall towards the elevator.

"Sooo…were you and Keith really just talking?" he tentatively wondered. "And not…you know?"

For a moment, Mari couldn't believe he was daring to bring up the subject again. It took balls for him to even ask her such a thing, especially when she was so mad. Lance was either incredibly brave today, or incredibly stupid. She was leaning towards the latter.

"Oh, grow up, Lance," she growled. Then without another word, she disappeared through the elevator doors and retreated to the privacy of her bedroom.


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