Shiro pulled the car into park, glancing at Keith.

Keith looked very tired, he had even dozed off earlier when they had been about the enter the RFCF.

Keith was looking out the window at the large building before him, his eyes wide.

He climbed out of the car slowly, as if in a daze. Then, standing on the sidewalk, he froze.

Keith's entire body went rigid as he stared at the Galaxy Garrison, his heartbeat thumping in his chest.

Shiro pulled Keith's suitcase from the back of the lion, setting it down as he watched Keith.

"I…I never thought I'd actually be accepted into the Garrison." Keith admitted quietly. "It was an impossible dream…and now…" Keith turned to Shiro, his eyes glistening with tears. "This never would've happened without you. Thank you."

"It's my pleasure Keith." Shiro told him, leaning down so that he could look Keith in the eye. "You're a good kid. People just don't know it yet."

Keith nodded numbly, turning back around as he gazed at the building. "I can take it."

"Hmm?"

"I can carry my own suitcase." Keith repeated. "You don't have to hold it."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Keith said, staring at the suitcase. "I want to."

Shiro set it down, and Keith pulled it up beside him, frowning at the building.

"You're going to turn your papers into the front desk." Shiro informed him. "The person behind the desk will assign you a room, and we'll head there."

"Will I have to share a dorm?" Keith asked, tilting his head.

"No. When you're here for several years, you sometimes get roommate, but not when you're a new cadet. However, when you become an officer, you always have a roommate, unless if you have a house elsewhere, like Mitch and Sam. Of course, a few children like the comfort of sharing rooms early on, so they can request it."

"Okay." Keith nodded briefly, sinking into himself. "Good."

They had to wait in line behind a few other cadets who had applied late, including one with a consistent orange bandanna in his black hair. Shiro would know him later on as 'the one who barfs frequently', and Keith would recognize him as 'the scaredy-kid'.

Finally, when their turn came, the secretary took their papers, looked up Keith's name on the databank, then directed him to room A113.

Keith followed Shiro silently down the hall, laughing children, excited cadets, and stern commanders on all sides.

When they finally got to Keith's room, Shiro waved him in, smiling.

Keith pulled in his suitcase, saluting before Shiro closed the door.

So. Here he was. What to do, what to do?

Keith unloaded his things, packing his three pairs of clothes into a drawer inside his room. Then, glancing at his bed, he put the one personal thing he had on it, hiding it behind his pillow. It was a purple hippo stuffed-animal.

Keith stroked the hippo's ears, sighing wistfully. Keith's father had told him often how his mother had taken up sewing while she was pregnant with Keith, and had figured out how to make a pretty decent-looking hippo. Sturdy, too. It had survived eleven years, and wasn't falling apart yet.

Then again, all it really did was sit there.

Keith frowned down at it, sighing. "One day," he said gently. "I'll meet you, Mom. I'll go up to heaven, and we'll all be a family again."

Keith sighed, slipping off his bed. He might as well explore, or find a group of cadets to make 'friends' with. Not that he had any friends.

Shiro was nice, but…he didn't understand Keith all that much.

Keith opened up the door, walking along silently, navigating around the herds of people crowding the halls.

"Hey." Somebody put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned. He thought for a brief instant that he was looking at James, before he realized that, no, there was a height difference between James and…whoever this kid was, besides, they had different haircuts.

"Yeah. What's up?"

The kid looked him up and down curiously. "We're supposed to wear our outfits whenever we're in the halls."

"Yeah, well, I don't have an outfit yet." Keith snorted, turning his back on the kid.

"Why are you so mad at ME, mullet?" The kid snorted.

"Was that an insult to my HAIR?!" Keith responded, whirling around to glare at the kid.

"Yeah, it was!" The kid flashed back.

"This is why I hate people." Keith thundered, stalking away from the kid.

"Dude, ATTITUDE." The kid called after him, but Keith ignored him.

So much for making friends.