They were in a meeting room, everyone slightly comfortable in their seats. Keith was standing up, Lance -with his arm on a sling- was to his right, Allura next to him, Hunk and Pidge to Keith's left.
"We all knew something was coming, but a robeast suggest worst than we thought" said Lance "Then there's Wade"
"We can handle Wade" interjected Allura "Is this new threat we need to worry about"
"We should organize a recon" started Keith.
"I disagree, now that we've recovered all the lions we should regroup and wait to-"
"We can't wait" interrupted Keith "Whatever this new threat is it has robeasts and who knows what is doing at this very moment if we wait -"
"We have to deal first with the consequences of reactivating the lions Keith," retorted Lance "And do our best to actually avoid the consequences so we can keep the lions and use them in the future"
"We can do that after we do a recon, this new threat is more important -"
"If we go do a recon now it will only make things harder for us, we need to settle things with the Galaxy Alliance first"
"Then what about doing that while we do the recon"
Lance almost choked with his own spit "Do you even hear yourself right now Keith? You're being reckless -"
"Oh here we go with the reckless talk again"
"Guys guys" said Hunk while getting between the two (who were starting to -quite literally- start butting heads) "I think we need to… you know..."
"Work as a team?" asked Pidge, not seeming very surprised by the turn of events.
"I think we can all agree with that" said Allura, standing beside Hunk "That's where we've always found our strength"
Both mhmed in response, looking away.
"Good," she said, walking away "Now, we also need to figure out how our new cadets factor into our team"
"They can't possibly be ready for something like this" said Keith walking behind her.
"You may remember not too long ago when the same was said of another group of inexperienced young hooligans" Lance walked up to him, both behind Allura (and leaving Hunk and Pidge to tinker with something at the table).
"Just as destiny once called upon you to save the universe it has brought the cadets to us"
"And where are your new heroes now?" asked Keith.
"Studying Altean history until we figure out their situation" explained Allura.
"We may want to check that," mused Lance kind of amused "Their Voltcoms are missing from the charging station"
Vince walked through the portrait decorated corridor. He shrieked when Daniel dashed past him.
"Come on Daniel"
Daniel dashed back then back again until he lost his footing and slipped.
"What?" he said standing up "Can't try to get the hang of my Voltcom just because yours is busted?"
Vince sighed "I wish Pidge would fix mine already, or at least let me have a crack at it. I'm weaponless." he rested on a portrait, which made a loud noise -startling both teens- before disappearing. Vince gaped at it "Do… do you think we should?"
"Of course we should" he smiled before jumping into the hole on the wall.
They walked for a while through what seemed to be an old hallway, until they got to what seemed to be a very spacious room.
"Cool" breathed Daniel.
"We must be in some kind of catacomb"
Daniel made a creepy evil laugh, but Vince ignored him and kept walking.
"Vince?"
Vince walked to what seemed to be a door, there was a decoration above it, it looked like a lion's head, with its jaw open as if it was roaring. A light scanned him and the door opened.
He had a very weird feeling.
Almost in a trance he entered. It was a small room, it had a circular stage in the center and something on it, also decorated with lion heads (four in total).
He felt as if he knew what there was, or at least he was supposed to? It was a very strange feeling alright?
"Wha-?"
"Hey buddy!" called Daniel, behind him, he seemed worried "Ii'm starting to think we shouldn't be down here"
Vince was about to agree when they heard a spooky voice.
"Who dares trespass these holy grounds? How dare you bring your earthly breath to this place of illustrious royalty? Now PAY" Both jumped when they heard the voice behind them.
"Larmina?" both practically shrieked.
She laughed "You should see your dweeb faces" Both tried to lie about knowing all along it was her at the same time. "Look," she interrupted "I respect your attempted mischief, but we're a team now so I want in. Tho this not a place to goof off. You wanna find some cool passages?" she guided back out "How about someone who practically grew up here?" she said before disappearing around a corner.
"Tell me you don't think she's cool" said Daniel smiling.
Keith, Lance and Allura we're walking through a hallway, laughing. The kids watched them from a hiding spot behind a portrait.
"It's good to see you're not fighting anymore"
"Doesn't mean our debate over our mission is over" commented Lance.
"Oh I believe it does" said someone who sounded eerily like Sky Marshall Wade. "You have committed crimes against the Galaxy Alliance, crimes punishable by whatever I want"
There were robots, and one showed Wade's face on it. The adults looked around, hoping to find something to use as a weapon. Which they apparently found. Who would've thought those paintings actually had real weapons, tho most -if not all- of them were swords.
So now the paladins were armed and more than ready to fight.
"I suggest you come quietly"
"And why would we do that?" growled Keith.
"So I don't hurt your friend" it threatened, another robot showing Coran tied to a chair who knows where.
Without a word, they let the sword fall on the floor, all with a killing glare.
"Excellent. Now, where are tech sergeants Pidge and Hunk?"
"You know we're not gonna tell you," Lance groaned "So let's get to the part where you start to hit us"
"I was hoping you'd say that" the robot grabbed Lance from the shoulder of his injured arm and forced him to his knees. Lance grunted in pain. Then started dragging him, Keith and Allura followed soon.
Oh damn thought the children. Quietly, they walked away to go find the other paladins.
Pidge and Hunk were at black's hangar.
"And that's the last of the heavy lifting" declared Hunk "Back in one piece"
"Yeah, she looks great, but she's still entirely inoperative. I can't believe how much damage the programming sustained from Wade's research and that crash landing" Pidge sighed "Specially when you remember that these lions are practically sentient"
"This is gonna take a while"
"Well I don't know how long you have Wade's here!" announced Daniel as the three ran to the paladins "Well, sorta"
"He's got Keith, Lance and Allura" continued Vince.
Pidge and Hunk shared a look before running for their Voltcoms and Bayards that were close by.
"I'll go with the kids to free our friends," said Hunk "You keep with Black"
"Aand since my Voltcom is still busted I'll stay here and help Pidge"
They agreed with the 'plan'. Hunk, Larmina and Daniel rushed out the hangar back to the castle. Larmina seemed weirdly excited…
"You know your aunt is held hostage, right?" asked Hunk.
"Yeah, and we're gonna rescue her," she said still excited "You have no idea how slow thing were around here before you guys showed" she punched the air.
"Yeah, but they're definitely picking up speed" said Daniel "A broken lion, a hostile takeover and a rescue operation with a fugitive!"
"Could this get anymore intense!?" they were both a little bit to excited for the situation.
They were tied to chairs in a circle, their backs against each other and surrounded by robots.
"I want Pidge and Hunk's location, I want all five lions and I want them now"
"You're an only child, aren't you?" asked Lance, earning himself a metal fist to the face.
"Lance!" shrieked Keith.
"Lance stop" ordered Allura.
"Yes." mused Wade "Maybe if we involve her you'll take this a little bit more seriously." he hovered over Allura "Let's try this again. Where are Pidge and Hunk?"
"Wade" she responded "Why are you doing this? You know there's a real threat out there. We want the same thing, the safety of the Alliance"
Wade chuckled "The Alliance. I don't care about the Alliance, I care about power, money; and as long as Voltron is out there my profit margin is unacceptable. Now where are Pidge and Hunk!?"
"I'm right here" announced Hunk before blasting a robot.
It was easy for him and Larmina to destroy the robots quickly.
"This speed thing will come in handy at some point, right?" questioned Daniel a bit down "Larmina!" he noticed a robot behind her "Look out!" the claws of his glove thingy were projectiled to the robot, pinning it to the wall and causing it to short circuit.
"That was pretty handy" snorted Lance.
Once freed everyone rushed out of the castle, were they could hear commotion.
Machines and aliens alike were attacking the Alteans, blasting their homes and taking them prisoner.
Allura gasped "My people"
Larmina didn't stop to think before running off, determined to help her people.
There was a very big vessel in the sky. A very familiar looking one. Keith used his Voltcom for binoculars to see it better.
"It can't be..." said Keith.
Lance took his arm to see too.
"Lotor?!" he choked.
"What? That's impossible" it was Hunk's turn to see.
"He's dead" said Allura, now looking too "That… that certainly looks like Lotor"
"Yeah, Lotor was more skinny, wasn't he?" commented Lance, still in denial.
"It can't be Lotor" said Hunk.
"Whatever it is we need Voltron" said Allura.
"Yeah, but how? Pidge is still having problems with Black and Lance can't fly with one arm!" Hunk shrieked.
"This is about to get much worse" said Lance.
"We need to get to the lions!" Keith was tense, more than ready to fight.
"Black is still out of commission" repeated Hunk.
"So I'll make myself useful in the battlefield then!" declared Keith before running off.
Lance pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Alright," he turned to Hunk, Allura and Daniel "You need to tell Pidge to drop what they're doing and get to Green as for Red," he smiled smugly "I have an idea" he nodded to Daniel to follow him.
Daniel couldn't not smile. He ran after Lance.
"What about Larmina?"
"She's a tough girl, she'll be alright"
"Pidge we've got a robeast!" Hunk told Pidge through the Voltcom.
Pidge immediately ran away from Black to the panel control in the hangar.
"It's in the canyon!" they yelled to their com before dashing out of the hangar, leaving Vince alone to discover how to fix the lion.
"Please stop enjoying this so much" said Lance to Daniel, who was piloting Red "Now ease that truster"
"Daniel this isn't a race." scolded Allura "We don't know what we're dealing with."
"Well, we'll be the first to find out" Daniel said just before crashing into something.
"Nice hotshot" complained Lance.
They were trapped in what seemed to be gigantic, purple spiderweb.
Lance sighed "Hu, a little help here"
They other lions arrived soon. They tried to tear the web appart with claws and jaws.
"What's causing this?" inquired Pidge.
"That" croaked Hunk.
Right there was the robeast. A ginormous spider. It stood on two of it's back legs and shot from what seemed to be upside down horns on it's ass, hitting Hunk, Allura and Pidge.
They could see purple electricity run over their control panels which was, bad, to say the least.
"Let's go for it's underside" ordered Allura "Should be weaker"
She and Hunk charged to the robeast.
"NO WAIT" screamed Pidge.
Blue and Yellow suddenly failed, as they had tripped over a strip. The spider pinned them down with it's front legs easily. Pidge managed to free them with Green's lasers.
"I think you know something we don't?" inquired Hunk.
"Yeah, it's -"
The floor shook when something crashed behind them.
"What the quiznak!?" said Lance.
It was a lion, gray and bigger than theirs.
"Quiznak" seconded Allura.
The gray lion roared, gaining Lance, Allura and Hunk's attention. Pidge was busy being pinned by the spider. It readied an attack, but was sent flying away by the bigger lion.
"Wow, thanks"
The it trapped Pidge in it's jaw to throw them away too. The crash somehow managed to loosen the spiderweb's grip on Red, an opportunity that Lance and Daniel took to finally free Red just in time to avoid a missile sent by the gray lion. They kept moving, trying to reunite with the others and formulate a plan.
"We can circle it and attack." said Allura "Follow me!"
All jumped on the gray lion, clawing at it, trying to cause as much damage as possible with claws, jaws and blades. The gray lion managed to free itself and tried to get to the other lions but crashed with the spider then stayed fighting it, forgetting the lions.
The spider easily immobilized it, it hugged and hanged itself from it's web, then created a cocoon, locking itself together with the lion.
"Should we poke it?" asked Hunk.
"NO" responded the others at the same time.
Unsure of what to do they did nothing. It wasn't for long, but it started twitching.
"Okay, poke it" said Allura.
All fired at the same time. But not much happened.
The cocoon tore and out came the spider, now fused with the lion.
"Aw snart" said Daniel and Lance at the same time.
"Yeah, now let's -" started Pidge.
"RUN" shrieked Hunk.
The spider raced behind them, trying it's damn hardest to catch them, didn't care about destroying the canyon while on it.
It's bigger size let it swipe away the Yellow and Blue lions with one leg onto the web.
"Guys!" they heard from their coms "Guys!"
"Uhm, Vince we're a little busy right now," responded Pidge "So unless-"
"The black lion is working!"
"Aleluya!" cheered Lance "Keith where are you? How fast do you think you can get to Black?"
"Not fast enough"
"What's the probability of Blac letting Vince pilot her like Yellow did with Daniel?" asked Pidge.
"Vince do you think you can fly Black?" said Allura.
"Uh, I don't..."
Daniel and Lance shared a look.
"Go, I'll be fine on my own for a bit. I can handle evasion."
"Vince I'll be right there!" he announced before activating his Voltcom and rushing out of Red.
"Let's hope it's not too late" Lance said to himself.
Pidge screamed as they were too thrown to the web, Lance followed too soon.
"Lance!" they heard Keith scream.
"Guess who's back with help?" greeted Daniel from the black lion.
"Woohoo! It's razzle dazzle time!" cheered Lance.
Keith was piloting Black, the teens in the cockpit with him. They rushed to tear the spiderweb, managing to free the others.
"Guys, it's time to form Voltron!" called Keith.
The kids shared and exited look. The screamed and cheered all the way until Voltron was formed. Standing tall and mighty.
"Let's kick some ass guys" said Keith, grinning.
One punch got the spider running away.
"Where is it?" asked Vince.
"Hey Keith how about we make some lance-scape so we can see again?" suggested Lance.
Keith snorted and activated his bayard, creating Voltron's blazing sword. Except there was no blazing sword, they didn't seem to able to completely summon it.
"It's not working!"
"I've got a theory for that," said Pidge "I think it's all these webs, they must be weakening Voltron"
"How?" asked Hunk.
"I'll get to that in another occasion right now is not the time"
"We'll have to do it the old fashioned way" said Allura.
"With our fists?" smirked Lance.
"With our fists" affirmed Allura.
Voltron ran to the spider and hit it with the red lion, the a kick, another punch. The spider hit back, and it's hits were strong.
"Guys" grunted Hunk "I don't know how much we can take"
"Pack some more in our punch" retorted Keith, growing irritated.
"I'm trying" groaned Lance "But Voltron seems weak"
"Even fused into Voltron Black seems to be the only one not experiencing the robeast's power" mused Pidge.
Red and Green got a hold of the beast and Black headbutted it, sending it away.
"Not the most noble move" commented Allura.
"But pretty effective" ended Keith.
The spider launched missiles again, and jumped on Voltron right after them, pining it down. It clawed and hit it and did all it's damnest to harm it. And started cocooning it.
Behind Keith Vince made a weird sound, as if something hurt. He looked back to see white energy emanating from his eyes.
"What the -?"
"This is gonna eat us alive!" screamed Daniel.
"Guys there's something wrong with Vince" Keith yelled at the com.
Larmina and Daniel's head darted to his friend, finding him emanating a white energy to Voltron through his Voltcom, his eyes shining.
"Vince -?" started Daniel.
"What the quiznak?!" finished Larmina.
"Voltron's energy is back" squeaked Pidge.
Keith stared at Vince for a moment, as confused as the other kids, then his eyes darted to his bayard. One more time.
"Form Blazing Sword!" he screamed.
This time it worked. The sword went through the spider and tore the cocoon, letting them free.
Everyone cheered as the strange vessels retreated.
"You okay man?" asked Daniel to a tired looking Vince "What was that?"
"I-" he breathed "I don't really know"
The spider bled over the floor a weird purple substance.
"That thing is toxic," said Pidge "We need to get it out of Altea"
Voltron cocooned the spider with it's web and flew out of Altea as fast as possible, and threw it to the retreating vessels, managing to make most of them explode.
Back at the castle they went straight to a meeting room.
"There is a new evil in the galaxy that we do not yet understand," said Allura, the only one standing up "But there also a new and powerful addition to our team, that we also don't understand." she sighed tiredly before smiling "You are all here for a reason, to use your unique skills and to play a part in Voltron's legacy. The future will be full of surprises."