Author's note: I'm spoiling you all. After watching the trailer of Season 3, I had to input that awesome speech of Lotor and ta-dah! lol.
Summary: Shiro makes an appearance along with another long-lost friend. Lotor made a clear declaration.
Romelle quirked her eyebrow when she walked into a room where she watched her stubborn patient named Shiro doing push-ups with one arm on his back, on the floor topless, and with his black loose pant only.
"I should have known that you're one of those people who can't stay still when asked." she said with one hand on her slim waist.
Shiro paused and looked up only to lose his balance when his one arm gave out. He grumbled in pain until he saw her hand out in front of him and took it with his metal hand as she helped him up. Standing up straight, he was able to view her completely and was in awe with her beauty. She was beautiful.
Her skin is much lighter than Allura and if he had to guess, she was about same height Lance. Her hair were the same color as Allura also, but she had it in a bun style with couple of strands flowing down. She wore a long, grey chiffon dress that stops barely at her ankle if she hadn't wore her white boots with one inch heels. The collar area of her dress were see-through lace with small pearls and she had a matching color arm sleeves with silver metal linings.
He smiled. "Sorry, I am one of those people...umm... I never got your name. My name is Takashi Shirogane, but please called me Shiro."
"I'm Romelle. You must be wondering where you are and why you are here, am I correct?"
Shiro nodded.
"Please have a seat on the bed. I need to inspect your wound before we can talk." as her hand directed to the bed.
Shiro complied and sat on the edge of the bed when she came over and kneel down close to his side with her fingers touching his side stomach. Shiro's breathing hitched with her touch and felt his cheeks slight warmer than usual.
"I'm surprised you survived with this kind of wound from Haggar."
Haggar. The name still haunts Shiro as he remembered the many experiments she had done to him.
"You would have been our greatest weapon."
I am no weapon to the Galras.
"It was healed when I was in a healing pod."
She hummed. "Temporary. This is Haggar we are speaking. But do not worry, I've taken out her poison that were still in your body."
"Poison?" as Shiro's body froze. "What do you mean?"
"I can explain more in detail later, but there's someone you should meet." as she stood up. "I want you to take it easy and slowly right now before I can update you."
She looked at the door. "Please come in."
The door swooshed open and Shiro's eyes went wide open along with his mouth as he watched the very person he thought he wouldn't be able to find.
"Hey Shiro." the person smiled and scratching the back of his head.
"Matt. But how? Wait." as Shiro looked back at Romelle. "Is this-are you a rebellion group?"
She shrugged. "You can say that. It doesn't have a name nor something catchy like the Blade of Marmora."
She knows the Blade of Marmora?
Matt walked in closer to the pair and stopped as he bowed to Romelle. "Princess Romelle."
If he wasn't shock once, then he was shock again. Princess?!
"You're a princess?!"
She giggled. "I prefer not being address as princess when I'm out here, but I am a princess from the Planet Pollux."
Romelle looked at Matt. "I'm sure you two have lots of catching ups so feel free to relax. I have some work to be done before our next task."
"Thank you." as Matt bowed again.
"I will be in my room if you need me." She went to look at Shiro again. "Matt will know where my room is if you like to speak some more. Until then, don't do anything strenuous."
Shiro watched her leave his room with fascination of how she walked with such grace and confidence. He blinked couple of times when he saw a waving hand in front of his face.
"Earth to Shiro. You there man?" as Matt's hand still waving.
Shiro swatted his hand. "Yeah."
Matt laughed. "Oh man, you should see your face. All red and staring at Princess Romelle. So priceless."
"Shut up, Matt."
"I heard from the princess that you are the Black Paladin. She told me the gist of it. Who knew you would become some kind of hero, Shiro?"
Shiro leaned over with his elbows on his thigh. "It was unexpected and a long story to tell, but there is something you should know, Matt."
"What is it?"
"Katie, or she called herself Pidge, is a Paladin too. A Green Paladin and she has been looking for you and your father since the Kerberos mission."
Matt shook his head in disbelief and both hands were on Shiro's arms as he looked at him closer. "Pidge? That's the name of our mother's pet Budgies. It's a small bird species, just in case you didn't know, Shiro. But my baby sister is in space and fighting those aliens just like you? Why?!"
"Like I said Matt, it was unexpected." as he placed his metallic hand on Matt's. "She has grown a lot and more open with our team. Remember Keith?"
Matt nodded and smiled. "Yeah, he was like a brother to you."
"Katie is with him along with Lance and Hunk."
"How?"
"You should save those questions to Katie. I wonder how they are."
Matt bit his lower lip and released his grip. Shiro looked at him with great concerns. He placed his hand on Matt's shoulder, but saw Matt shaking his head with a small smile.
"The princess will be the one who can update you on that. Her last solo mission was a rescue one."
A rescue one? Who got captured? What happened and how much did I missed since I was gone?
Shiro didn't understand himself when he arrived here. The last memory he had was defeating Zarkon when he finally got the Black bayard back. Afterwards, it was total darkness. No memories what happened.
"Follow these directions and that's where Princess Romelle resides."
Here he was standing in front of her door and sighing as he was nervous. He stood one long, deep breath and stood straight as he knocked on her door.
"Come in."
As the door swoosh opened, he stepped into room only to be surprised as her room was in tinted blue with several white lines connecting to several fuzzy images. With slow strides, he watches each and every one images before seeing Romelle with her eyes closed and arms straight out on her side with her hands opened.
There was an image of himself floating somewhere in darkness, another one where he was on some kind of planet, but there was an image he wished he hadn't seen and it was him with yellow eyes and evil grin.
"What is this?" as he spoke to himself.
Another image in pale red appeared behind Romelle. There was another popping up next to her side. Shiro watched in curiosity and in awed as the images became clearer with each tick.
"Keith..."
"Is that the Red Paladin's name?"
Shiro's body jolted with spook as he looked at Romelle who still had her eyes closed.
"Yes. Keith Kogane. We've known each other before the Galras came for the Blue Lion on Earth."
"Please tell me a bit more about him."
"Princess Romelle, what-" Shiro's voice paused and hitched as he saw her eyes opened, but not with her usual crystalline blue eyes. It was violet like an amethyst gem.
"Shiro, Voltron may have defeated Zarkon, but the Galra Empire has not crippled in power. His son, Prince Lotor, has taken reign and I have a very bad intuition that one of his plans involves the Red Paladin."
"I don't know much as the person himself, but Keith was orphaned at a young age and only recently, he found out he was half Galra."
"He pilots the Black Lion now while Princess Allura pilots the Blue Lion."
Wait. If Princess Allura is in Blue, then Lance is in Red? That's one odd match-up.
Shiro felt happy and yet, sad. It meant that Keith has taken up the leadership role when he just disappeared from Black's cockpit.
She lifted one of her arms up and with two fingers up, she swiped the image towards Shiro. It was the image of Princess Allura and dressed up Keith being carried away by two Galras. Shiro stared for several ticks while trying to comprehend the scene before him.
"This was not too long ago when one of my intels took this image. Can you see the Galra who held the Red Paladin in disguise?"
Shiro nodded as the image became clearer to see detail imagery of the Galra she pointed out. He looked smaller and less muscular than any Galras he had seen. His white hair and pointy ears were not definitely Galra, but more like Allura's Altean.
Wait? Is he-?
"That's Prince Lotor, Zarkon's son. He's half Galra and half Altean. Similar signature to your Red Paladin."
"What? Keith is what?" Shiro did not want to believe it. Keith is the same as this Prince Lotor. No, he didn't want to believe it at all.
"I only said similar, but I sensed a hint of Altean when I rescued him when I had to retrieve his conscience back from one of Haggar's deep sleep magic."
"Why? Why Keith?"
"I don't know. Unlike his father, Lotor's mind is unpredictable and sadistic."
"What can I do?"
"Shiro, will you assist me with this task? Along with your friend Matt? I know he's the brother of the Green Paladin."
"How did you know?"
She smiled. "I have my ways, but will you, Black Paladin of Voltron to help me thwart Lotor's plan?"
"Yes. I will do anything to stop him."
"Thank you, Shiro. We will begin this mission in two vargas."
"Prince Lotor, are you ready for this?" as Haggar behind him with her hooded head down.
"Always, Haggar. To show these men and the universe that we are not to be taken lightly." with a grin, but hidden underneath his dark, violet mask with the Galra Empire insignia in the middle of his forehead. "Make sure this will be broadcast to them too."
"Of course."
"Excellent." as Lotor strolled into the coliseum with Haggar following behind two other Druids.
Haggar and two Druids stopped right outside of the three-pillar coliseum ring as her eyes glanced at the spectators and hearing their whispers.
"Who's this little fellow?"
"I don't know. I've never seen him before."
These fools. As Haggar watched the Prince standing in the middle and taking in all their useless whispers with stride.
It was about time for these pathetic fools to know who will reign after Emperor Zarkon. This little coronation was stalled on purpose so that Lotor can enjoy his fun with the Red Paladin. It only meant that his plan was set and ready for fruition. Her old skin tingled in sensation with amused thoughts as she looked up at the Prince.
He took off his mask with flair as he tossed it aside with his white hair flowing along his turn to his many spectators. He smiled with his yellow eyes glimmering from the lights.
"I am Prince Lotor, the only son and heir of Emperor Zarkon." He gave a low snort at their shocked looks.
"My father built our empire on the bones of our enemies.
And with that, he was our greatest Emperor to the Galra race.
Yet, after 10,000 years of rule, the universe's answer to defeat us was Voltron."
He watched their mixed expressions of fear, disgust and anger. Perfect.
"They may have defeated Emperor Zarkon, but they have not weaken our Empire.
Because the universe can no longer doubt our strength."
Whispers of doubt became seas of unison cords of their hope and strength.
"Each ally gained only makes us stronger."
Slowly, one by one, the spectators began to stand up saluting while listening intently to their new leader.
"All those who continued to stand against us...will be crushed."
Loud cheers of 'Vrepit Sa' roared in the coliseum.
"We will continue to conquer the universe by crushing their one and only hope, Voltron." He held his open hand up straight in the air and closed it immediately in a crushing movement. "We will destoryed Voltron to avenge our Emperor and my father, Zarkon!"
"VREPIT SA."
"How long do you believe it will make it to their ears, Haggar?"
"In two vargas."
"Excellent." as he dropped a small red vial in Haggar's hand while walking towards his seat and settled himself on his cushioned chair. "I thought you might find some enjoyment to find out more about him. Will this spell worked, Haggar?"
"Thank you, your highness. And yes, you have enough power within yourself to freely seek out the Red Paladin's mind. Only for a few ticks."
"What if I would like it a bit longer, hm?" as his cheek rested on his fist hand with his elbow on the arm rest.
"A druid can assist you without interference and not probing your mind."
"Excellent, Haggar. Oh, do make sure to create a few more robeasts to keep them entertain. Anyone will do."
"Yes, your highness. I will do that soon." as she bowed and turned to leave.
Lotor smiled in amusement with his other hand holding his silver wine chalice when his female servant came in when Haggar left. He took few sips of the red wine and swirled his chalice.
And now the games begin, my beautiful Red Paladin.
Thank you for reading!