Chapter 5: Up in Arms

If Almira had been hoping for a moment of respite, she was quickly disappointed. They had been in Arden's quarters for barely a few minutes before the decision had come to contact the paladin's base. Shiro had apparently been in constant contact with some sort of castle, as well as the two remaining Alteans who piloted their home base, but the time had come for the two teams to fully integrate. With the Fleogans fully dedicating themselves to the offensive, an introduction was in order.

Which led to their occupation of a small room in the communications division, located just outside of the royal compound and beyond the palace walls. A part of the military division, it had been a quick and easy trail to follow, now that the nobles were distracted with their own business, doing… whatever it was that nobles did. Almira wrinkled her nose, her distaste of the morning replaying through her head, even though their first victory had been secured. The noble class grated on her nerves. Most everyone in the room with her seemed to agree. The dispositions of the paladins and their guides had changed from taut strings to cooked noodles, relaxed and enjoying the quiet away from power hungry men.

Arden stood with Pidge and a tech, working on establishing a secured line to reach their castle, away from the peeping ears of the Galra hackers. Lounging around the rest of the room sat the paladins and Almira, casually chattering amongst themselves while waiting for a connection. Almira in particular sat near Shiro and Keith, the trio watching the tech geniuses and Arden work their magic.

"You were right." Almira tilted her head, golden eyes watching Keith carefully as he turned his attention fully to their native guide and companion. A smirk quirked his lips upward, grey eyes sparkling. "That was exactly as bad as you predicted."

A chuckled drifted from her lips, mirth unrestrained around her companions. It was easy, being around the young pilots, and joy was a constant when in their presence. For the short time given among them, Almira found herself truly relaxed, her walls dropping and enjoying the companionship that they offered. "Honestly? They were fairly well behaved today. You're lucky that Daedalus was in a fairly good mood coming in." Her only response was a grunt mixed with a groan, exasperation at reliving the morning's experience taking over. Turning her attention to the black paladin, she offered a smile. "You did well, defending yourself. It's not easy to go against some of these politicians."

Sheepishly, Shiro chuckled and scratched his neck. "I wasn't about to let him run over us."

"Defenders of the Universe. It'd be a right shame if you couldn't even defend yourself against a power hungry, middle aged, man." Keith snorted at the sentiment, amusement drifting over the group at the sarcastic humor.

"Alright, look alive, team." Arden's voice pulled their attention toward the front of the room, a black screen projection popping up. "Communications are up and secured. Hopefully the other end picks up."

The technician left the room, job accomplished and giving the group their privacy. Chairs scooting around the room, the paladins clustered at the center, attempting to center themselves reasonably in front of the screen. Arden continued to stand by the console, tweaking knobs by himself in an effort to stabilize their connection.

Another solid minute passed before the connection came alive, a crisp visual of a young woman with pure white hair solidifying before their eyes. Cries of relief came from both ends as the connection stabilized, Arden eventually stepping back from his position to join the rest of the group, standing off to the side in case the console required his attention. Almira took her time to take in the princess before her, along with another figure that had appeared in the background, bushy red hair popping in and out of the frame.

"Thank goodness!" Allura, as Almira had ascertained from the other paladins, clasped her hands together in relief at seeing the group assembled in front of her. "It's such a relief to see all of you safe."

Quieting down the group, Shiro took the lead. "Likewise. It's good to see you safe. Where are you currently located?"

"Not long after you had entered the atmosphere, we hid in a nearby asteroid belt. Luckily, the castle has been able to blend in and out of sight of any Galra identification systems, so we should be well hidden until needed."

Shiro nodded. It was a reasonable and lucky move that they had avoided detection thus far. "Princess, the Fleogans have agreed to ally with us to take the planet back." Motioning to his right, he turned the attention to the two natives, who bowed their heads in respect. "This is Arden and Almira. They've helped us navigate thus far."

Sitting back, Almira allowed Arden to take the lead once again, watching as he stepped forward and slightly closer to the screen. As he formally bowed to the Altean princess, she inwardly rolled her eyes in sardonic satisfaction; at least he hadn't forgotten his manners. He was surprisingly well behaved, although it probably had something to do with the treasonous, life and death stakes that they were currently operating under. "Your highness. Third prince Arden Naois, at your service."

"A pleasure. Thank you for taking care of the paladins. My father always spoke highly of the Fleogans, and from what admittedly little I can recall, your people have always lent a hand to those in need."

Bowing his head at the compliment, the general offered a serene smile as Almira quirked an eyebrow. Something was definitely up. The thought hit her so quickly, she barely had time to hide her chortle, attempting to cover it as a cough and earning a raised eyebrow from Keith at her strange behavior. She grinned behind her hand back at the paladin, mouthing "later" in his direction before attempting to sober up her appearance. Arden was definitely crushing on this princess, no doubt about it. It would explain why he hadn't dropped any snarky or sarcastic comments yet. She would have to confront him later.

"Our peoples once held an alliance with one another. It would do us all a service to remember companionship in these trying times. But I'm afraid we must get down to business." Finally, a cut to the point. "This morning, our governing bodies approved the full scale revolt against the Galra, with the assistance that the paladins have so generously provided. Our next order of business is to coordinate a plan of attack, which we hope will involve you and the castle as support."

"So long as Voltron fights, and the Fleogans are our allies, we will support you one hundred percent." Such an elegant response from an equally elegant princess; it almost made Almira jealous of the diplomatic capabilities that were being displayed, although she was equally becoming bored of the exchanges of pleasantries. While more than capable as acting as a diplomat, there was no doubt that she herself would rather spend time with her men, sticking swords into whatever Galra imbecile dared to stand in her way.

Arden smiled. "Wonderful. We look forward to contacting you in a day or so. We'll try to have one of the paladins contact you before hand to alert you to a specific time." Turning to the paladins and simultaneously motioning to Almira, he bowed his head. "I'm sure you have much to discuss as a team. We'll leave you to some privacy."

Slightly irked at his command to follow, Almira followed nonetheless, sticking a tongue out at him childishly as her back turned to the screen. The motion, however, was caught by both Lance and Pidge, both chuckling at the sibling interaction, Almira sending a final wink their way before exiting the room for good. Sliding with a satisfying woosh, the doors opened and closed behind them, leaving the royal duo in the hallway, no other bodies present.

"So."

Arden walked to the wall opposite of her, leaning against the shining metal corridor and crossing his arms. Eyebrow quirking in intrigue, he returned his sister's curious glance, gold eyes meeting gold. "So."

Copying his motions, Almira leaned against the wall behind her. "The Altean princess, huh?"

It had been a while since Arden had blushed, and Almira savored the way his cinnamon skin colored. An icy glare attempted to counter what his cheeks betrayed. "I've nothing to say about it."

"Alright." She would let it slide. For now. "So what's the plan for the rest of the day? Everyone seems to be off planning and scheming without us."

A wicked smile crept onto the man's lips. "For once."

It was impossible to ward off the amusement that Arden brought, and Almira found herself mirroring her elder brother once again. For all the respect they held, carefully gathered over the years of their military service and advancement, the duo had a sinister streak marring their free time activities, especially before their ascension into their positions of power. Caught in the act by their own father one day, Arden had defended their actions, citing their other siblings to be "too righteous to cause trouble," and that "someone had to create a little chaos to liven things up." Nodding her head solemnly, Almira matched Arden's demeanor. "For once."

"I talked with Garen earlier." Perking her head up at the mention of her superior, she listened carefully for orders. "He said that he would take care of our units until further notice, when they need us more. We've essentially been assigned to baby sitting."

"I'm guessing you have a plan already?"

"But of course." Pushing himself off the wall, he moved to muss the sparkling white tresses that had been carefully brushed and partially braided for their morning meeting with the nobles. But his target was one step ahead, as she grabbed the assaulting wrist and swerved under his arm, pinning him gently against the wall where she had stood moments before. Although there was no real force behind her movements, the taller man still collided with the wall, a breath of air rushing out of him at the unexpected collision. "Should've known you'd be ready for that."

"Are you getting slower? Seems like your time as general has been traded for some slacking off."

"Then I propose a competition." Releasing her grip, Almira allowed Arden to turn around to face her again, rubbing his smarting nose. "Just like the good old days."

There was no longer a need to hide her emotions, as her face instantaneously warped into that of a predator, golden eyes glimmering with the challenge of a duel. It had been a few years since their last honest spar, their duties and assignments often taking them to the furthest corners of the planet without seeing one another for weeks on end. The few moments they had were spend conversing over one another's wellbeing and strategy, with the occasional scathing but well intended comment. While she had not seen Arden in direct combat for all that time, he had not seen her either, and there were a number of new tools under her belt. Who was she to deny some friendly competition?

She pretended to contemplate the offer, a thoughtful hum emitting from her throat as Arden matched her gaze, almost daring her to back down. "I suppose it's only fair, given our free time."

"Save the dramatics. You know you want to duke it out one more time."

"The only one dramatic here is you, with your insufferable flair for the ostentatious. You deserved to get decked into that wall."

It was like simpler times, when they would train side by side, day in and day out. Before either of them held fancy titles, when their biggest issue was sneaking out of the palace to use the battle simulators in the academy late at night. Standing in that hallway it was as though time had rewound and frozen, transcending and delivering them to childhood days. But it was the little things that grounded Almira in the present moment; the small scar engraved into Arden's temple, the military regalia that she wore in place of circlets and gowns, the padded boots that protected her feet from the sticks and leaves that would prick her bare feet as a child. It was the little things mixed with the warmth of her memories, a serene smile floating on her lips.

Mirroring her own thoughts and actions, Arden's façade morphed into gentleness at the warmth that radiated from his younger sister. Once upon a time, they had fought endlessly against each other. It was a harsh admonishment from the gentle sister Lavena that had brought him to his senses, eventually coaxing Almira to his side. Perhaps it was a bit of logic from the stubborn duo that fighting together was better than fighting apart, but it was also undeniable that his stubbornness and arrogance, once coaxed, was subdued by the two – no, three – women in his life, who fought for their wills. It was heartening to see how far Almira had come, and if he had to be honest with himself, he would sacrifice his position, his power, just to see her thrive.

"If you insist."

"I do."

"I know."

A wicked smile briefly flashed across her lips before returning to business. "And our babysitting duty?"

"I figured it would be a good distraction for them and for us. Dinner and a show, wouldn't you say?"

"Minus the meal, but sure."

"Then it's a plan." The competitive nature of the duo was beginning to ramp up again, as eye glittered in the artificial light. "May the best man win."

"I think you meant to say woman."

Sparks were flying as the two sized one another up. It was only by the sound of the door swishing open that their concentration broke, although as Lance poked his head around the corner, he flinched at the tangible vibes emanating from the duo. "Uh, we're all wrapped up in here. If you wanna, yeah." He slowly began inching back inside, away from the intensity in their eyes. "Come back. I mean, no rush or anything. Just, thought you should know." Sheepishly, the blue paladin dove back inside, the door shutting and leaving the duo to blink at one another.

"Is there something on our face?"

Almira shrugged. "Can't handle the sibling rivalry to this extreme, I guess." Patting his shoulder, the young woman made her way to the door, pausing to look back at her elder. A distant look had glossed over his face, eyes miles away, and she raised an eyebrow at his struck expression. "Are you coming?"

Snapping out of his reverie at her voice, Arden followed, scratching his neck. "Yeah, yeah. Can't leave the kiddos alone can we?"

The atmosphere inside the room was noticeably more relaxed. If Almira had to guess, the team talk with Allura had eased them up. Who wouldn't? Stranded from their full team on a foreign planet, making alliances and talking of war on the Galra without their cornerstone; it surely had to be a headache without their foundation. Shiro was doing a great job, but no doubt they all would have preferred the princess speak in their stead. Even from her brief introduction, Almira had a strong feeling that she would have thrived in the morning, going head to head against whimsical noblemen.

"So," Shiro began, "what's the plan?"

"We thought you all might like a tour. It's the perfect time, since we're waiting for the tacticians to put a plan together. This will probably be the last free time we get." Excited cheers from three of the paladins filled the space, the other two settling for interested smiles at Arden's words. It was no secret that they wanted to learn more about the Fleogans; the only shame was that Allura was not there to witness it with them.

"We'll be starting with the military academy and training rooms." Almira elbowed Arden, effectively knocking him off balance at the unexpected movement and earning a started grunt, flying from his throat instinctively. "Unfortunately, we have a score to settle, so this tour is a little one sided." From the bright expression on her face, it was apparent she wasn't sorry in the slightest for their little detour, the mock dour face Arden wore telling a similar story.

The paladins stared at their guides, attempting to decipher what was going on. "Um, a score?" Hunk looked tentatively at the duo. "I mean, don't tell me that you're secretly looking to kill each other behind the scenes."

Arden's booming laugh pierced the static environment, droning artificial lights and metal walls a striking contrast with the life the two Fleogans presented. "At one point, perhaps we were. But now it's for training purposes."

"We used to spar together quite frequently." Almira picked up the conversation, continuing the thoughts that the duo seemed to innately understand. "But because of our positions, we rarely get the chance. Our deployments take us far beyond the crater, and we barely see each other as is. Today is my day to finally hand him his dignity, since his title has apparently ballooned his ego and made him soft." The sudden twist of aggression in her sentence stiffened the paladins in surprise, but Arden only chuckled.

"Your words are strong, but my sword is stronger, sister mine." His hand reached out once again to muss her hair, this time faster in the attack, but Almira was prepared no less than the time before. This time, however, she settled for simply grabbing his wrist and freezing it in space, her face dropping into a deadly stare, daring him further to repeat the actions that had just happened outside. The look was amusing to Arden, who grinned and only challenged her look, a stare off ensuing.

It was the paladins who didn't quite understand how to respond. The once casual and serene atmosphere had shifted in the blink of an eye to that of two deadly predators, the air thick with tension. The scene before them would almost appear as a cat and a mouse, the small creature darting around the large predator to escape, but the gleam in the young woman's eyes equivocated the ground they stood on, both dangerous animals in their own way. In another blink, the game was over, Arden retracting his hand and Almira releasing his captive wrist, both demonstrating and unnervingly placid smile laced with a desire to kill. "And you forget that, in your time slacking, I have been in the field. Don't think for a moment that your sword skills will guarantee a victory over me."

And just as rapidly as the scene had changed, the room returned to a casual atmosphere as Almira turned back to the paladins, a cheerful smile on her face as though nothing was amiss. "This is also a great time to fill you all in on our military operations and how we function. Since we can't see you in combat until the battle actually comes, you can see how we work, in order to cooperate more effectively on the field." Clapping her hands, she pushed Arden playfully toward the door. "Let's get moving! We don't have all day."

As the native duo retreated, the paladins looked at one another in confusion. Lance scratched his head. "You know, I didn't know if emotional whiplash could be a thing, but I was definitely wrong."

"You don't think they're actually going to hurt each other, do you?" Hunk looked at Shiro, the rest of the paladins turning to their leader's face. It was filled with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and even acceptance as he pondered his peer's question.

Eventually he shrugged his shoulders, standing up from his chair and beckoning the rest to do the same. "I doubt it, but there's definitely no question that things won't get intense."

"They're kind of weird, but in like, a good way." As the team trekked toward the door, Pidge piped up. "I don't know any other sibling duo who wants to fight one another as much as they do, but I guess it's kind of normal at the same time?"

"Yeah, but I've never actually looked like I was going to kill any of my siblings like they did. They're definitely different." Lance frowned momentarily to ponder their relationship. He had to admit, however, that for all the threats that they presented, they had also shown a nearly unbreakable bond with they way they moved in sync, knowing instinctively how the other was going to act and speak. A smile then cracked on his face in amusement. "Maybe it's because they actually know how to kill that they seem scarier."

It was a daunting thought, but completely logical. None of the paladins had known how to assault and kill a true enemy until their time as paladins. Almira and Arden had, well, potentially years to perfect their skills. It was the life they lived, the situation that had been forced over their heads. Keith smirked. "Finally making some sense huh, Lance?"

A scowl instantly took over Lance's face, mirth deposed. "Oh shut up, Keith. It's not like you made that connection before I did."

Exiting the communications room with a purpose, the team looked down the hall to see their fearless Fleogan leaders already a stretch in front of them, laughing about something that the distance rendered unintelligible. Almira looked back at the team, smiling brilliantly. "Are you slowpokes coming?" The small jab enticed the paladins into a gentle jog, Keith and Lance playfully pushing one another before racing to the sibling duo down the hall.

It had been a long morning, but the day was looking up.

Every member of the military without a role to fill in the preparations instead filled the halls and training rooms of the sparring range, the sounds of clashing weaponry and grunts and cries amalgamating with the chatter and shouts of disappointment and victory in the simulators. It was nearly impossible to find anyone drifting aimlessly, with the paths tread by muffled boots surefooted and purposeful. The air was focused, driven, vibrating, shuddering with anticipation.

The building consisted of two levels, the first floor hosting all training rooms and various tech. High above their heads, an observation deck was strung, reinforced glass constructing walkways that resembled a spider web along with the barriers that prevented observers from falling into the rooms below. Various small groups huddled to watch the fights below, offering their own commentaries to one another at strategies and points of weakness and strength.

It was into this upper level that the paladins and their leaders emerged, the entrance offering a grand view of the entire arena. Their esteemed guests admiring the vast range of sights, Almira inhaled the crisp, purified, air.

This was her second home. It was into this place that Arden and her had snuck while she was a child, Arden going off about extra practice and enticing her to come along. In these very rooms, she had transformed from a bobbling child to a lethal assassin, honing her skills and pushing herself and her peers to the limit. Fights immeasurable in their number had been settled here, the lessons learned with each bruise and victory carried beyond the static borders and mock enemies. This was a place where anger, frustration, determination, dedication, hope, strife, and the human condition was molded, shaped into the spear that buried itself into the Galra's side. Breathing deeply, Almira's gaze wandered about the upper level, taking in the inhabitants. Surely once everyone heard that Arden and her were to spar their numbers would increase.

A large digital screen stood near their location, spouting information and statistics about the individuals training below. Everything from open locations to the names of those fighting inside closed rooms, from the airship and small craft simulators and through the statistics of every pilot currently navigating in the simulations, all the numbers and indicators were openly displayed on the blue screen. Approaching and sifting through the data, Arden began to search for an open room to claim.

"Welcome to the training room." The paladins rushed forward to the balcony railing, looking down below at the vast expanse below their feet. "This is the primary training location for the general army, although we have multiple stations across the planet. Everything from hand-to-hand combat to ship and cruiser simulators can be found here."

"Dude, this place is huge! It has to be at least as big as those football stadiums back home!" Lance's eyes shimmered at the similarity, mentally harkening back to a strong memory of home, turf and mud simmering in the afternoon heat. The other paladins muttered in agreement, concurring with his observation. The size of the arena was beyond anything they had ever expected of the Fleogans. How could they have imagined such large buildings if they had been impossible to find from the castle?

"It's the largest facility we have on our planet. Military operations are crucial to our protection and survival." Glancing over to Arden, she noted that he was still searching, a dull irritation smothering his face as he flicked rapidly through the stats screens. It was up to her to continue distracting them while he looked for a spare room for them to use. "Any questions so far on what you've seen?"

Shiro's attention shifted back to his guide, pulling his upper body away from the ledge to turn his attention properly. "Actually, yeah, I have a few questions." Hands gesturing for him to continue, she walked towards the paladins and planted herself in between Shiro and Pidge. "How do you plan on fighting? What kinds of weaponry do you have?"

Nodding in acknowledgement, Almira's brows furrowed in scrutiny, quickly searching for something below. Her eyes finally landed on a cluster of three large rooms that were filled with thirty simulation stations each, walls and roofs stripped away from the seat and controls to reveal a stripped version of the small fighter jets. Each stations was filled, the users donning their helmets while onlookers watched nearby, a screen projecting the fight in front of them. "Do you see that room?" Heads swiveling, Shiro nodded in assent. Almira dropped her arm, propping herself on her forearms over the banister. "Those are the sims for our fighter pilots. In reality, they're modeled off of the Galra fighters, with some obvious modifications. They make up most of our forces. There are smaller rooms that have the same simulations, but these larger rooms focus on the interconnectedness of everyone in the simulation."

It made sense why the majority of the arena's inhabitants were clustered in the three largest rooms; the interconnectedness, as Almira had said, would be necessary for the upcoming battle. While many other rooms were occupied, it was by far the loudest, most filled unit out of everything else. Moving further away from their position, Almira outstretched her hand again to point out another cluster of simulation rooms. This time the stations themselves were larger, five to seven members operating a single unit. While there were only seven stations such as these, the rooms were similarly filled with onlookers from the side taking up the rest of the space.

"Those are the cruiser sims. While they're nothing like the Galra cruisers in size, they work to transport other specialty forces and operate as makeshift hospitals. They're the tanks of the operation." Peering around the rest of the room, she sighed, standing up straight. "Unfortunately, most of our special forces aren't here as their bases are spread throughout the planet, so you won't be able to see them in action."

"So fortunate that their guides are willing to provide a demonstration." Arden approached the group, a grin on his face. "We've got B-17. You ready?"

Making a face, Almira's nose scrunched in mock disgust. "I hate the Bellows units. They're so… ugh."

The elder had to laugh at her expression and comment. "Same here. But do you remember what happened last time we were in the Larsa units?" The memory forced a halting laugh out of Almira, who had begun to pull her hair back into a ponytail. "I seem to recall the room itself being shredded."

"And whose fault was that?" Perfecting the positioning of her hair, dexterous fingers began to quickly braid dangling strands.

"Technically you were the one who kicked me into the wall."

"Your fault for not being prepared."

Waving a hand nonchalantly to brush her words aside, Arden rolled his eyes while smiling. This smile, however, was unnerving, the paladins reminded of the fierce looks that the duo had held back earlier. There was no lightness to his lips, only the razor sharp edge of a look that dared anyone to go against his words. It was fortunate that his look had honed in on his little sister, who apathetically dismissed his aggression by focusing on her hair. Coiling the braid at the top of her head, she tested the bun, shaking it to ensure that it would not move from its position. "So, the rules?"

"No wings. Warping permitted."

"And I get to choose your weapon?" Apathy moved to intrigue, yellow eyes glimmering in challenge. She was met with an equally interested grin.

"Only if I choose yours."

Giving her hair one final shake, Almira found satisfaction in his permanent placement and placed her hands on her hips. "Fair deal. What's the prize?"

Arden shifted his weight, crossing his arms. "I hadn't thought that far."

"Then we'll decide it later." Stepping away from the paladins, she moved so she could face all of them, their faces trained on her next move. "If it's alright with you, we'll leave you up here to watch. Things can get…" she trailed off, glancing at Arden, "destructive."

Ever the leader of the group, Shiro nodded, an affirmation on behalf of the rest of the group. "Sure. We'll be waiting."

A gentle smile alighting her face and breaking the tension, Almira clasped her hands together. "Great! We'll be below you and to the right." Giving a small wave, she bounded after Arden, the duo making their way to an elevator and taking off. Their guides temporarily gone again, the team stretched, gazes looking around the space. Pidge and Hunk instinctively moved to the panel that Arden had been using to secure a spare room, the duo flipping through multiple screens even though they couldn't read a thing in the native language.

"So…" Lance trailed off again, looking to Shiro. "I know we're going back to Hunk's question earlier, but do you really think they'll hurt each other?"

"Depends on what you mean by hurt." Keith had returned to watching individuals below sparring, his eye caught by a burst of brown and tawny feathers that adorned the wings of two particular Fleogans below. Frowning, he suddenly recalled something that Coran and Allura had mentioned back in the castle. "Hey, has anyone else noticed that rarely anyone here has shown their wings?"

All four paladins halted. It was so obvious, and yet something they hadn't quite questioned. Lance smacked his forehead. "Of course! We totally forgot didn't we?" He paused, a thought crossing his mind. "But why haven't we seen them?"

It was the first time that they had truly stopped during this excursion to Fleogas to question their surroundings. Why didn't anyone show display wings? From what Allura and Coran had told them, their wings were a source of pride, particularly colors that deviated from the norm of grays, blacks, and browns. It was strange that they should remain hidden, and while time certainly may have changed them, the fact remained that it was bizarre.

Shiro shrugged. Below them, Almira and Arden had exited the elevator, making their way through the hallways. Their unintelligible conversation was halted multiple times as they passed by numerous military members, greetings and exchanges often ending in the royal duo continuing unperturbed and the others visibly energized. It was fascinating to watch the events below them unfold; slowly the numbers below began to make their way to the elevator, ascending to the paladins' level and filling the balcony.

There were many questions and uncertainties, but the show was ready to begin.

"You know, you've changed."

Entering their assigned room, Almira's head tilted at her elder brother's comment. They moved to a closet next to the door, opening the panel to reveal the numerous weapons and various contraptions they would need. She reached for a helmet, her own and Arden's discarded in their rooms. The generic training one would have to do. "How so?"

His own helmet secured on top of his head, hair smoothed inside, Arden flicked through a pile of gloves, searching for his size in the haphazard pile. "I was just thinking back to when we were kids. When we would sneak in here and I would teach you the basics." Finding a pair of medium gloves, he tossed them in Almira's direction. She plucked them out of the air, the thick material molding to her fingertips and wrists as she flexed and clenched her hands experimentally. Smiling fondly at a particular memory, she moved forward to sift through a pile of chest pieces.

"Are you trying to distract me? Catch me off of my game? Butter me up with some pleasant memories?" A muffled chuckle behind the helmet was her response.

"It was worth a try. But you have changed. I see it in the way you carry yourself."

His assertion was correct. Almira had changed. How could she not? In the past few years since her promotion, she had been moved to the frontlines, from a fresh cadet to a seasoned veteran. She was calling the shots. Some of them had changed her, for better and for worse. Rolling her shoulders, she came across a large chest guard. "I've learned enough to beat you up, I'll give you that." Tossing the piece, he barely had time to snatch it out of the air, finally finding a pair of gloves to suit his hands.

"We'll see." Both of them slipped the breastplates over their head, the stretchy material fitting snugly around their torsos the same as the gloves. The academy had learned early on that the absorbent material was more effective in absorbing the damage and lasted longer; there were only so many dented metal pieces that anyone would have the patience to fix.

Armor secured, it came time to the weapons selection. Stepping back from the closet, Almira waited for Arden to select a weapon. It was particularly unfortunate that it was messy, as Arden grunted in irritation at having to sort through the weapons first. "Some fresh rookie's gonna have their ass handed to them if I find out who left this closet so messy."

Her raised eyebrow was hidden beneath her helmet, but her scoff was not. "If I recall correctly, you never organized any closet. I had to do everything myself because someone was too lazy to be bothered by responsibility."

"I was just ensuring that you would develop a strong work ethic."

Eyes rolled. "Right." More silence, accompanied by the banging of metal as Arden rummaged around. "Are you quite done yet?"

By this point, his figure was comically leaning into the room, almost buried beneath the mess he had further perpetuated. Pulling back, his figure finally emerged into the light, hands grasping a familiar object. Hands on her hips, Almira tilted her head. "Really? All that searching for a lance?"

Tossing it in his hands, Arden retreated from the closet. "Your turn!" His voice was cheerful, obviously satisfied with his find. Uttering another sarcastic scoff, Almira dove into the closet. Swords, lances, more swords, pole arms, heavy lances, lighter lances, more swords. The clutter was a never-ending abyss, but a particular weapon to her right caught her eye. Giving a tug, she pulled the double-handed sword out of its corner, a satisfied smile on her lips. Hoisting it one final time, she extended her arm to her brother, left hand outreached toward his weapon.

"Really?" His voice was incredulous. "What if I'm suddenly a master at the sword?"

"All that sitting around as a general has made you soft. I doubt it." Exchanging weapons, the two began to back away, testing the weight and movement. After closing the closet door, Almira walked toward the opposite end of the room, creating space between the two.

Arden knew that she no longer used a lance on a regular basis. Her change from Warper to Wind Bender had brought on new sorts of missions, ones requiring all the stealth that a six-foot pole arm could not provide. It was in fact him who had given her a dagger to accompany her Dao sword, both tucked safely away in her room at the moment. She occasionally carried her lance, but it was certainly no longer her weapon of choice. To give her this particular weapon was a smart move on Arden's part. Testing the weapon in her hand, she noted the elegantly sloping blade on one end, a small blade mirroring it on the other end. It was certainly not evenly weighted, but as she spun the pole in her hands above her head, it made little difference. She had fought with similar weapons before.

With Arden's weapon she had been forced to get a little creative. Of course he still used a lance, so that was out of the question immediately. She had spotted a hammer and a flail nestled in the back corner, but had pushed those away in favor of her own safety. It wasn't in her mind to get crushed into a pulp, protective armor or not. Her final choice had left her with some type of sword, and seeing the two handed sword cracked a concealed smile on her lips. At some point or another, he would be forced to use both hands on his weapon in order to be effective, knocking him off balance. It wasn't the greatest disadvantage, but one that Almira was willing to work with.

Looking above to the balcony, there was little surprise in the packed quarters, the paladins standing out in their white uniforms against a sea of black military garb. The few cadets they had talked to on the way had surely told as many people as possible about their duel. It had been years since their last fight, and it was no secret that the competitive nature between the two royal siblings was unparalleled among their ranks, making their duels the most watched and anticipated events of the month. In that sense, it would be a welcome reprieve since the announcement of war. For a few more moments, they could revert to simpler times.

"Are you ready?"

Arden was already grabbing the sword with one hand, attempting to wield the weapon like a lance. It was impossible to tell if his discomfort could match her own with obscured faces, but she was certain that she had a slight edge on her elder brother.

"Ready."

No sooner than the words had left her lips, Arden warped in front of her, hands thrusting the sword toward her gut. It was instinct that had her stepping back with her left foot, spinning around to smack his back with the dull part of her lance. Unable to counter, the lance smacked his back, Arden staggering forward with a grunt. Retreating and unwilling to pursue any further action, Almira warped backwards five paces as her brother caught her breath. "That hasn't worked since I was a cadet."

Regaining his balance, the general readied his position once more. "It was worth a try." He slid into a defensive stance, only one hand on the blade the other tensed in front of him for balance. "Shall we?"

It was Almira's turn to take the offensive, if only for a little while. Refusing to warp, she nimbly darted across the metallic room, swiping her lance from left to right. The move was easily met by Arden, sword slicing down on the lance and effectively stopping it in its tracks. But her momentum continued, right leg lifting up to strike his ribs. This time, his hand was ready to stop the attack, grabbing her by the ankle and only giving slightly to the onslaught. With a tug he sent her flying behind him, lance still in her iron grip. Sliding on her left, hip, she quickly readjusted the smaller end to dig into the ground, acting as a pole vault and sending the rest of her momentum up into the air. With a graceful arc, she landed back on her feet, readjusting the lance to face forward.

But Arden was not idle in his waiting this time, and he pressed his advantage. Right hand swinging the sword in an arc parallel to the ground, he attempted to hack into her side, his own torso arching magnificently with the torque behind the swing. It was here that Almira saw another opening; blocking with her lance and planting it into the ground, she jumped into the air and delivered another kick directly into his chest, legs thrashing out like a rabbit bounding away. He staggered back, giving Almira time to land and warp behind him, jabbing the lance out in an effort to stab his torso.

Similarly, he warped out of harm's way, appearing ten yards to her left. "I'll admit that you've gotten better."

"We're not done yet." Repositioning herself, she twirled the lance in her hand, tucking it under her arm and diagonally across her back. This was only the beginning, and the both of them knew it.

"Of course not. It's not over until I win."

"Keep dreaming, brother mine."

"Let's."

AN: So how about that season 6? My boys are coming in clutch; I think this is the first time where I've been satisfied with the point where they ended, since everything was nicely wrapped up and we have a brand new direction in which to go. With the new revelations, I think I might be making some minor tweaks to this story just to compensate for where I want it to go and how I want to align this story with canon.

Since it's summer vacation, I'm hoping to chunk a lot more stories out. I've actually been working on a Final Fantasy XV story, which I might be tying in with a Kingdom Hearts story as well eventually. But most importantly, I'll be working on this story, since I've all but abandoned it for good. I need to rewatch the series from the first season in order to get some character things right, but hopefully I will be able to finish this story by the end of summer before I return to school.

Thanks so much again; please leave a review if you're enjoying this story, or if you have any comments for me!