"You-!"
They all stared at the Green Paladin, at least, Keith thinks it is her. He could recognize that forest green accent anywhere and the unruly nest of honey-colored hair everywhere. She's in her full Paladin uniform, still excluding her helmet and bayard, but different. The silver color now dominated with forest green as bluish light pulsed along the nooks of her uniform. Her new armor was lither in design; the breastplate running down her spine and splitting out like ribs around her hips. A long tail protruded from the end of the armor behind her. Her normally, round-ended armor shoes were clawed just like the fingertips of her black gloves.
The Green Lion armor-clad Paladin stalked forward. Her clawed shoes crushing down on her fallen foes like delicate grass. She surveyed the area, tail flicking side-by-side, before her gaze landed down on the Galran general. She hissed at him. Her canines sharper and longer than a normal human's.
"You should not be here!" The commander exclaimed, finally breaking out of his brief shock. "How did you get in here? That one-track mind of a general should have you under lock-and-key!"
Pidge didn't seem to have any patience to listen to him as glowing, green claws extended Wolverine-style from the tips of her wrist guards. The commander tried to fell into a battle stance but before he could even raise his sword an inch up, the Green Paladin was already on him. She slashed sideward and the commander howled in pain as he stumbled back, clutching his face. Blood streaming down between his fingers and splattering on the ground. When he removed his hand, Hunk has to cover his mouth as bile crawled up his throat. Three gashes ran angrily from the Galran's forehead down to his chin. It was so deep that they could see glimpses of his skull where the purple skin was torn apart. Green fluid oozed along the edges of the wounds and has started to snake along the rest of his skin.
The commander snarled. His face contorting into something grotesque. "Why, you little-AAGHH!"
Pidge reappeared before him and kicked him at the stomach. The Galran was sent hurtling to the dented wall with a sickening THUD! that Keith swore he heard his bones break at the impact. It was so powerful that the dent was pushed inward. The commander fell down like a sack of rice; blood dribbling down from his mouth. Pidge stalked forward and lifted him off the ground with one clawed around his neck. His body hanging limp as he choked. Incoherent words stumbling from his mouth as he seemingly tried to struggle free from her gasp. His veins now pulsing a revolting shade of green.
Pidge snarled at him. Pure, cold fury etched in every fiber of her being. She pulled her free hand back and before any of them could turn away, thrusted it forward. The claws piercing their way through the armor like air. Her whole hand, claws and glove, protruding from the other side. Blood and flesh scrapped away as she pulled back and hurled him across the room like a useless, crumpled piece of paper.
Somewhere from his left, Hunk crumpled to floor and vomited. Keith couldn't see Shiro and Lance well but with the lack of delirious, offhand comments, Lance might've fallen back to sleep. Keith could only stare, stare at the blood pooling underneath the Galran commander, at his insides spilling out to the ground, at the Green Paladin looming over the corpse without any remorse on her face. The Galran's blood dripping from her right hand. He could hear, feel Red's paralyzing terror through their reestablished bond. Not for his safety from the Galra. But from her. From them.
He tensed up as she turned away from the dead body and surveyed the rest of them. Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment and Keith knew that the person before them is not Pidge.
Not the same curious, daring, and savage as fuck fourteen-year old.
It is the Green Lion.
Hunk yelped as the Green Paladin bore her gaze down him and walked forward toward his cell. She looked balefully at the electrified bars and fixed her gaze to the control panel embedded securely at the wall next to the Hunk's cell. Her claws retracting before punching through it. Sparks flew harmlessly against her fist as the control panel sizzled and smoke. The prison bars shut down and Pidge turned her attention back to Hunk.
Hunk stumbled backward and fell as Pidge stalked forward. Her honey-colored eyes glowing in eerie green and the pupils slitted like that of a snake's. A low growl rumbling from her throat and she crouched down on his eye level. The Yellow Paladin knew with a start that this is not the Pidge they knew, that before him is an apex predator that would not hesitate and show mercy. All his instincts are telling him to run, run as far away as he can or else he would be devoured.
"P-Pidge? Hey…it's me, Hunk." Hunk stammered, trying to look as small as possible. "I'm your f-friend…please don't eat me…" He was sure his last statement came out like a high-pitched whine. Their faces inches away from each other that he could feel her breathing against his neck. Hunk squeaked and shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the killing blow.
When it didn't come, he opened his eyes slowly to see Pidge backing away and out of his cell. Her attention now turned to the other Paladins who were stumbling out of their cells – Shiro and Keith supporting the feverish Lance by his arms and waist at both sides. When Pidge stepped back in their view just outside Hunk's cell, they visibly stiffened. Their expressions mixed with confusion, disbelief, and fear. Keith moved quickly in front of Shiro and Lance. An arm swept in front of them protectively. His shoulders tensed as his eyes looked up from the graveyard of sentries and Galras alike before them and locked gaze with the Green Paladin. This prompted an unimpressed snarl from Pidge and Hunk has to run in between of them to block the girl from lunging at the Red Paladin.
"Chill, Pidge! No killing us."
Her tail lashed out furiously yet, she made no move. A threatening growl resounding from the Green Paladin.
"I…uhhh…" Hunk glanced at the three behind him for support. He admitted that standing before a what? Lion-transformed? Berserk mode? We-don't-know-what-is-it version of his friend is really frightening and normal Pidge is already terrifying enough as it is. "We're your friends. Friends don't hurt each other."
Pidge tilted her head, as if processing his words. "Friends…" She repeated. Her voice seemingly overlaid with another. Whose? He doesn't know. "Friends…must protect the Paladins." She affirmed, nodded slowly. Understanding and recognition bubbling in the surface. "Must protect the pride."
"Yeah, that's right." Hunk agreed. His shoulders relaxing at finally calming the raging Green Paladin.
"Blue Paladin…?" She murmured. Worry seeping through her words. For a moment, he saw Pidge from the Lion-clad warrior before him. "Lance…?"
"KITTY!" Lance suddenly piped in, prompting them to flinch. His glazed eyes lighting up as his features crinkled in delight. "Pidgey Kitty!" He giggled as he reached out his free arm as if to coax not-really Pidge toward him.
Pidge, whose attention now drawn away from the Yellow Paladin, crept cautiously toward the Blue Paladin. Keith was about to stop her but Hunk placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. When it comes down to it, Hunk doubt Keith would easily hurt Pidge. The guy's secretly has a soft spot for the girl. Shiro seemed to be letting her approach but his tight grip on the Blue Paladin says otherwise. If Pidge showed any sign of attacking, he is ready to pull both of them away from danger.
Pidge stopped in front of them in a half-crouch as she sniffed curiously at Lance's extended hand. The tip of her nose lightly brushing his fingers. Recognition flickered on her face and she purred, lightly butting her head against his open palm.
In any other day, they would find this amusing and unbelievable. There has been an ongoing joke among the residents of the Castle of Lions of how among the Paladins, Pidge acts like a cat the most. She is small enough to climb through vents and light on her feet to appear in any room undetected. The youngest Paladin has the habit of sleeping in places that only a person her size can fit and her witty and sassy attitude, her I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck personality can really put anyone multiple-times her size on their toes. At the same time, she secretly enjoys being cuddled and praised and she has the most number of pet names (courtesy of Lance).
Lance was ecstatic at getting her to open up as he lifted his hand to scratch the top of her head. She leaned in to his touch. Her tail slowing down to lazy swish as her shoulders relaxed and her purrs grew louder, apparently overjoyed to reunite with her pride and find them alive, if not injured.
It didn't last long, however, as Keith reminded them grimly that they're still in enemy territory. "We need to get out of here right now." He said. "Without this warship's head-of-command, they're in total disarray. We better take advantage of it."
"Let's get to our helmets and bayards first." Shiro said. "If we encountered any Galra on the way, we'll have a better chance and get in contact with the Castle of Lions as well." He turned to Hunk. "Hunk, do you think you can get your holomap going?"
Hunk tried to switch on his wrist guard to no avail. The Galra made sure to cut them any means of escaping beforehand. "It's no good." He replied. "I think they installed some sort of virus in our suits' transmission and navigation systems. Pidge could fix this in a jiffy but…" He trailed off as he cocked his head at the direction of the Green Paladin.
The youngest perked up at the sound of her name and slinked away from Lance's reach, who mourned the loss of Pidgey Kitty's affection, before bounding toward the doors. She chirped at them and disappeared into the hallway. Having no other choice, they followed her past the flickering lights and to the Galra-strewn corridors.