Pinky, Voltron & the Brain

A Crossover Literary Work of Shameless Fandom

By KittyLynne and The Bandit

Chapter 8

"Tell us what we should do, Coran, and we'll do it." The Princess said to her guardian, as he continued to stare mutely at the blank view screen in front of them.

The older man muttered something that Allura strained to hear, but couldn't. She leaned in closer.

"Pardon me? I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch-"

"I don't know what we are going to do!" Coran exclaimed loudly, running a hand over his face.

Allura backed off, blanching at his obvious distress. "But- but you always have a plan, you have to have a plan, Antonio's life is-"

"I'm sorry, Princess, but someone else will have to be the brains on this one, I am completely out of clever ruses, hidden castles and deus ex machina miracles!" Her Royal Advisor responded, a tad too stridently.

Allura blinked in astonishment, while behind her, the rest of the Voltron Force exchanged alarmed glances at this rare display of ill temper by a man renowned for his poise and tact.

Cheddar and the Brain, now standing on the Ops control panel in front of the bewildered Princess, looked at each other as well. The Brain saw utter dismay simmering in the Space Mouse's eyes, a mirror of his thoughts, and a dash of cold water over The Brain's delight in finally being able to touch and feel the advanced technology under his feet.

~Here's a fine how-do-you-do! I am a virtual connoisseur of plans, and I have to keep quiet! Surely one of the others will think of something!~

"Okay, Fearless and Resourceful One! Seeing as you're our leader, you should come up with the scheme to save Antonio," Lance told Keith.

The dark haired pilot slowly rubbed his chin, as he always did when deep in thought. One precious minute ticked by, and then another, before he finally spoke. "Okay. Let's just get to the lions, I'll think of something on the way."

"And I guess that's why they pay you the big bucks!" Lance rolled his eyes dramatically. "Brilliance! Nothing like launching an attack without a plan!"

Keith's eyebrows lowered over eyes suddenly gone hard. "I haven't heard you offering anything worthwhile, smart guy!"

"Ask me nicely and I will!"

The two pilots glared at each other with fists clenched, their testosterone levels rising sky high.

Allura stepped between her friends with a severe look at each of them. "Keith, Lance, please stop this, you're fighting like little-"

"Since I have the highest IQ of anyone here, I need to say something right now!" Pidge cut in, earning a relieved murmur from his teammates, and a resentful scowl from The Brain. "I have some insight into this situation that I'd like to share."

~Do enlighten us.~ The Brain snarked silently. ~And you're only the second smartest being here.~

"What do you think?" Keith asked the youth, his dark brows arching over a hopeful expression.

"That we need more time." Pidge said. "What with being given only ten minutes to ponder the proposition of devising a successful plan to rescue a tiny mouse from Hagar's lab on far away Planet Doom, the chances of a rescue are virtually zero."

A series of groans and glares followed, and the abashed Green Lion pilot quickly moved to the back of the group, well behind the conveniently large form of Hunk.

~That's it?~ The Brain thought incredulously. ~The young human prodigy's intellect doesn't translate from clinical to practical application in real time?~

"How about if we form Voltron, fly to Doom and smash Hagar's lab?" Hunk suggested. "Their RoBeast supply is exhausted, shouldn't be too hard, right?"

~The 'Hunk smash' strategy.~ The Brain thought. ~Blow up everything. Fly right in there and wreck havoc.~

"How is wrecking havoc on the lab going to save Antonio?" Keith pointed out, verbalizing the Brain's next sentiment.

"It probably wouldn't, but it would make me feel a lot better about the whole thing if we took Lotor out," Hunk admitted.

The Brain covered his face with his paw as Lance spoke up.

"It would make us all feel better, big guy! But Hagar's too clever with her tricks to allow for us storming in there. I say, we should try and stall for time. As long as the mouse is alive, the creep knows he has a connection to Princess. I say, take a risk that Prince Lowturd won't follow through on his threat, and have Princess tell him to take a long walk off a short space dock unless he'll give her more time to think about it."

Utter silence followed this response. The Red Lion pilot shifted uncomfortably under the accusing stares of his teammates.

After a minute, Keith said tersely, "Any other brilliant suggestions? Preferably ones that have maintaining Antonio's well-being as a top priority?"

~I'm surrounded by imbeciles! How did they ever manage to save anyone?~ The Brain seethed, then turned imploring eyes to the Princess of Planet Arus. ~The ruler of an entire planet should be able to figure this out. Tell them, Your Highness! Take charge! Tell them what we are going to do to save my friend!~

Allura looked at her male teammates, indecision flickering in her baby blues. Would they even listen to her plan? Contrary to popular opinion, it was really no picnic being the only woman on the Force, one of the drawbacks being always having your ideas heckled as being 'illogical' or 'overly emotional'.

She ran her gaze around the group until her eyes made contact with Keith's. As the others debated the merits of Lance's plan amongst themselves, the Captain had edged over, and now looked down at her with an intense expression. She met his gaze calmly, and found herself losing all perspective as she swam in the dark pools of liquid emotion his eyes had become.

The Brain noticed this byplay and edged closer on the console to the couple to get a whiff of the plan he was sure was about to be hatched.

"Princess?" Keith half-whispered. "Did you have a suggestion?"

She nodded, continued to stare at him. Her lips parted but no words emerged. The tip of her tongue appeared to briefly wet her dry upper lip. Keith stared at her lush mouth for a long moment, and then swallowed convulsively while reluctantly raising his gaze to hers.

"Um...so what is it?" He prompted her gently, his eyes darkening even more, it seemed his pupils had taken over his irises. "I'm listening. What's your plan?"

Allura sighed softly, her shoulders slumping. "The only thing that will work." She replied softly, gazing deeply into sable orbs. "I am going to give myself up to Lotor, it's the only way to save Antonio!"

A shaft of unadulterated pain distorted the Captain's handsome face. Forgetting his manners, he grabbed Allura's forearms, bringing them up against his broad chest. "No! I won't allow it! There's got to be another way, Allura!"

He almost shook her in his intensity.

The others stopped chattering and gawked at this unusual display.

The Princess shook her head slowly, the tears she had bravely held in check until now, starting to stream down her face. "If going to Lotor and becoming his wife is the only way I can save Antonio, then I must do it."

"No!" Keith choked out.

The Brain threw up his paws in disgust. He remembered now that Allura's writers always seemed to be determined to make a martyr of her, so that, of course, was the plan once again. Didn't she know she had numerous defense systems and decoys at her disposal? Didn't she realize by now that she could wrap Lotor around her little finger by showing a little affection and then she could blow him away once he got near enough? Didn't she know that it was in her contract that she could make her look-a-like stunt double go to Lotor instead?

~She needs a better agent!~ The Brain decided, in disgust. ~I'll help her with that once we get Pinky back.~

"Five minutes until Lotor calls back," Coran reminded them all gloomily.

"The Princess wants to go to Lotor!" Keith told him indignantly.

Cheddar immediately ran to his mistress, jumped up on her shoulder, and began to chatter softly in her ear. She smiled sadly and shook her head. Her little friend immediately started to cry.

~Why, he's as devoted to her as Pinky and the Captain.~ The Brain thought in astonishment. ~I've underestimated her influence.~

Coran ran his hands through his hair, making it stand wildly on end. "Princess, you cannot surrender yourself! Arus needs you, and an heir!"

Allura glared at her advisor. "So go adopt one. There are plenty of deserving orphans on this planet who have made bigger sacrifices than I!"

Coran looked shaken, mainly at the thought of Allura in the arms of a tyrannical scoundrel, and a little at the idea of some unknown commoner taking charge of the throne of Arus.

Hunk boomed, "Princess has a good point-there are a lot of deserving Arusian children who need a good home-oof!"

Lance drew back the elbow he'd just jabbed into Hunk's side. "You big oaf, we don't want the Princess to leave!"

The Yellow Lion pilot flushed a dull shade of red. "Sorry. I just lose my bearings when it comes to those kids."

Pidge spoke. "Princess, Antonio wouldn't ever want you to give yourself up-"

"That's right!"

"Don't do it Princess!"

"You can't do it! There's got to be something-"

At that point, a sardonic voice cut in, like a Ginsu knife through a can.

"Cease the incessant jabber! NOW!"

Silence fell.

"Who said that?" Coran asked the others, who were looking around in bewilderment.

"Someone trying to reach us?" Pidge guessed, staring at the comm.

"The Space communicator isn't turned on right-"

"ME! I said it!"

Six sets of human eyes and one set of mouse eyes stared in incredulity at the glowering, bigheaded rodent perched atop the Ops console, his tiny paws resting on his tiny hips.

"Mr. Noggin?" The Princess gasped. "You can speak?"

"Yes, I speak your language, yes I have understood every word you have said, and yes, I've had it with this entire charade!" The Brain ranted. "We're wasting what precious little time we have had! My good friend is in the clutches of a tyrant, but you care more about correcting each other..."

The irate rodent shot a look at Hunk and Lance, who colored guiltily.

"or blathering about meaningless statistics..."

Pidge flinched.

"...or engaging in incongruous byplay!"

Everyone stared at Allura and Keith, who promptly went scarlet.

"It's inconceivable to me that you call yourselves Defenders of the Universe, and even more so that you call yourselves a team!" The Brain shook his head. "Shameful. Simply shameful."

All members of the elite Voltron Force looked down at their shiny boots in embarrassment. Coran looked down at his dress shoes. Cheddar stared at The Brain in wonder.

"I will rescue my friend Pi- uh, Antonio, from the evil Prince!" The mouse genius asserted. "I am an absolute genius on my world. I will devise a plan that will keep the Princess safe, and the Planet Arus intact! Who's with me? Raise your hand!"

The humans looked up, and The Brain could see the determination in every face. Six arms and one paw shot into the air, simultaneously.

The Brain smiled. "A step in the right direction. You may lower your arms now."

Coran spoke up as he lowered his arm. "If I may be permitted a question, sir; where are you from, and how is it that you can speak the Universal tongue?"

The Brain stood straight and tall. "I am from another dimension in space, a zone that is beyond the realm of your reality...yet coexists with you just the same."

"Yeah?" Lance asked, a suspicious frown wrinkling his brow. "So why are you here?"

The mouse quickly revised his answer, realizing now wasn't the time to make things complicated. "I'm from Planet 'WB', in the Milky Way Galaxy. It's a colony on Earth. I haven't spoken until now because I wasn't sure of your intentions." He paused and glared at Cheddar as he said, "By the way, there I usually go by the name 'John Brain', not 'Large Noggin'." The other mouse grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry John!" the humans chorused in unison, their furrowed brows un-wrinkling at this piece of digestible information.

The mouse formerly known as Noggin beckoned to the team. "Now that that's out of the way, here's my strategy ...and I'll also need Cheddar to round up the rest of the Space Mice..."

Cheddar nodded and took off to find his family as The Brain continued to hold court, regaling the humans with one of his patented, never-say-die, fail proof plans.

Five minutes later, the view screen flickered and the malevolently grinning visage of Prince Lotor blinked into view.

The grin faded when the evil tyrant saw that Castle Control was empty, save for one misshapen rodent whose scowling countenance sent shivers down his spine.

"Where is the Princess, and the rest of her motley crew?" He snarled.

"The Princess is indisposed, and I believe Motley Crue is playing a gig somewhere in upper Siberia." The Brain responded, with a smirk.

"And who are you?" Lotor snapped, trying to cover his perplexity at meeting another talking rodent. This one was intelligent, if the size of his cranium and his vocabulary was anything to go by.

The Brain decided at that moment not to give his real name. "I am known here as Large Noggin, and I am in charge of this negotiation."

"Large and in charge?" The Doom Prince barked out a laugh. "You are vermin, and not capable of leadership of any kind. This has to be a joke."

The man was insufferable, and The Brain could see why the Princess completely detested him. "Do you see anyone else here with me? Does it appear that I am joking?" He asked, deepening his scowl.

Lotor's amused expression disappeared. "You look like a puny Noggin-head. I take it this means that the Princess is turning me down."

"You surmise correctly. Not surprisingly, she finds the thought of entering into matrimony with you... abysmal at best." The Brain informed him with relish.

"Insolent rambles from a rat!" The Prince scoffed. "Isn't Allura concerned that her friend will become kibble if she refuses me?"

"She is deeply saddened by the fact that Antonio will in all likelihood, lose his life, and intends to use his noble sacrifice to motivate her people. Antonio will live on in memorials and textbooks across Arus and worshipped as a symbol of selfless martyrdom. It's what he would have wanted..."

The Brain wiped away a genuine tear at this point, for if his plan failed, what he had just spoken of might really come to pass.

"A martyr." Lotor hissed through clenched teeth. "I think not. I have bigger plans for your friend, and they will result in him bringing glory to the Doomian Empire!"

The Brain's eyes widened. "Then you're not going to-"

"Execute him? No, that would be too quick and easy and therefore, not very agreeable." The evil Prince replied, a fervid gleam in his eyes as he unknowingly confirmed The Brain's theory. "I will have my victory and my revenge against Voltron this day, and your Antonio will be instrumental in helping me achieve them!"

"I don't believe you! Let me talk to him right now!" The Brain shouted, shaking a tiny fist at the screen. "Pi-, I mean Antonio would never willingly hurt Arus or the Princess! He'll be rescued, the Voltron Force will see to-!" The Brain stopped short as he realized just what he had said, and then wondered at the strange sound of his voice shaking in righteous outrage.

~OMG! It's happened, I've caught 'do-gooder-itis'! Do-gooders do not plot to take over the world! Why did I think coming here was a good plan?!~

His yellow-eyed nemesis smiled mockingly. "So you think they can save him? My dear stunted little rodent, that would only come to pass if your friend recognizes where his allegiance truly lies when next he sees them..."

The Prince began to laugh maniacally and then the connection was severed.

The Brain sank to his knees. Behind him, the door opened and the humans ran into the room.

Princess Allura was the first to reach the shaken mouse. "John, what is it? It went badly? You look so discouraged."

The Brain looked up into the large blue eyes and for a long moment was sorely tempted to cry on the shoulder of the lovely ruler of Arus. But it was momentary weakness. Soon his trademark surliness reasserted itself and he straightened his spine and got to his feet.

"I am not discouraged, Princess. I have only begun to fight!"

"That's the spirit!" She cheered him. "I can see why Antonio admires you!"

The Brain felt a prickle of something in his eyes, and a small glowing warmth within his tiny body. Allura really was a lovely person, inside and out. Why didn't that Keith fellow wise up and confess his feeling for the woman, anyway? It was clear that the Princess was as besotted with the guy as he was with her, so what was he waiting for?

Not that he cared about romantic intrigue and all that came with it. He was a shounen mouse, after all. Subtexts were to be tolerated or ignored. Angst and stoicism was the rule.

The Brain scowled and returned his attention to the situation at hand.

"Pinky is not going to be killed by the Prince. But it sounds like Lotor is coming to us, and if what I suspect is true, we are going to need my Big Su- I mean, my spaceship and your Voltron on immediate standby. " The Brain turned to the contingent of mice that had just joined the group. Cheddar, will you and your kin fly with me? Cheddar gave him an affirmative peace sign and the rest of his family nodded.

Keith asked quietly, "Antonio is still alive then?"

The Brain cleared his throat. "Yes. But as I suspected, he's being used against us in a plan to conquer Arus."

Allura's eyes glistened; she had a horrible suspicion what her little friend's fate was to be.

"Oh no! They wouldn't!" Pidge hissed.

"Oh yes they would." Hunk stated grimly. "Typical Lotor/Hagar scheme, giving new meaning to the phrase animal cruelty."

"How can we keep him alive if that's what happened?" Lance asked in a hushed tone.

"It will be done if you will do as I say." The Brain replied with conviction. "Our biggest advantage is that Pinky skipped the queue when guile and intellect were being handed out. Our trouble comes in with the Prince...he's not going to be swayed by the threat of force, or into giving up his aspirations of having the Princess."

"We're ready, John!" The Captain of Voltron declared. "We've kicked his royal blue ass before, and we'll do it again."

"Keith!" Allura exclaimed. Her tone held a mix of shock and admiration. Keith's grin had an edge, saying without words that it was cathartic to be a bit naughty, and that maybe he'd be doing it more often.

Lance gave a holler. "Now that's my kinda talk! Give us the plan, Mr. Brain, and then let's go and save the mouse from Doom!"

To be continued...