The Adventures of Elevator Lance:

Lance vs. the Hidden Picture

It was morning and Lance was once again making his way to the elevator. Slowly he crept down the hall, staying close to the wall. He knew something was gonna happen, he just didn't know what.

He made it to the elevator without incident but he held his breath as he pushed the call button. He suddenly heard a clang and pressed himself against the wall. Nervously he looked up and down the hallway. He relaxed a bit when he noticed one of the castle maids coming out of a room with her cart.

The bell chimed and the elevator doors opened. Lance poked his head in and what he saw surprised him. In the elevator was a twelve year old girl and she was setting up an easel in the corner of the elevator.

Lance cautiously entered the elevator. "Hi there."

"Oh, hi," the girl responded as she placed a picture on the easel.

"Who are you?" Lance asked.

"I'm Claire."

Lance pressed the button for the first floor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm setting my painting up for display."

"In the elevator?" Lance asked curiously.

"What better place to put it to ensure lots of people see it?" Claire asked.

Lance looked at the picture of repeating, squiggly lines. "Not to sound rude but, what is it a painting of?"

"Its a 3-D painting," Claire told him. "You have to relax your eyes in order to see the image."

Lance stared at the painting. "I don't see it."

"You have to relax first."

The elevator stopped on the twentieth floor.

"This is my stop. Just keep trying, you'll see it eventually," Claire said.

The doors opened and Claire stepped off just as Allura stepped on. Since Lance was staring at the painting, he didn't see Allura slip ten Arusian dollars to Claire.

"What are you doing, Lance?" Allura asked as she pressed the button for first floor.

"If you relax your eyes, you can see an image in this painting," he said."

Allura leaned over Lance's shoulder. "Oh, its an image of Voltron."

"You can see it?" he asked astonished.

"Yes, can't you?"

"No." A disappointed look came over Lance's face.

"Well, just relax." Allura started rubbing Lance's shoulders.

The elevator stopped again and Keith stepped into the elevator.

"What's going on here?" Keith asked, a slight hint of jealousy in his voice.

"I'm trying to help Lance relax so he can see the image hidden in this painting."

"Oh." Keith leaned over Lance's shoulder. "Its an image of Voltron."

"Dammit! Even you can see it, Keith?"

Lance went back to staring at the painting. The elevator stopped a few moments later and Hunk and Pidge got on.

"Why is everyone staring at the corner?" Hunk asked.

"Lance is trying to see the hidden picture," Keith told him.

Hunk peeked at the painting. "Cool, its an picture of Voltron."

Lance sighed. "I guess that means you can see it too, Pidge."

"Of course, I helped Claire paint it," Pidge said.

Lance went back to staring at the painting.

The elevator finally stopped on the first floor and everyone exited except Lance.

"Lance, aren't you coming?" Allura asked him.

Lance didn't stop staring at the painting. "No. I'm not leaving until I see this stupid image."

"Remember, you just have to relax, Lance," Keith said.

"Whatever," was all Lance had to say.

The doors closed and the elevator started moving up.

"How long should we wait to tell him that there really is no image?" asked Pidge.

"Tomorrow." Keith turned and walked away with a smile.