WARNING – This chapter does have spoilers for Voltron Season 7 episode 1. As I previously noted I have seen the first episode so I'm taking some of that to start the story. I don't remember all the dialog said and some scenes might be different or like the episode when it's premiered on Netflixs. If you wish to wait until after August 10th before starting this fanfic please do. I'll be waiting for your return. Everyone else please enjoy.

"Shiro.. you're my brother. I love you…" 'Those words... were they real?'

Shiro was still asleep. He could sense people around him, but he couldn't seem to recognise who.

"Shiro…" "What can you do?" "There must be something..." 'All those voices… I know them...'

The last things Shiro remembered was being on the astral plane with Keith.He was showing him how tosee though the Black Lions eyes; being one with it. Seeing what the Lion wanted to show his paladin.

Shiro also remembered looking down at Allura. She seemed small compared to him, well smaller than usual. 'Why was that again?' Shiro thought as he tried to focus on his next memory.

Shiro felt a hand holding the back of his head and another on his chest. He felt a warm glow surround him… Suddenly his surroundings went white...

'Open your eyes... Open your eyes...' He felt himself scream with all his might. 'Open your eyes... You can't die... not here... This can't be the end…'

Shiro, with a hitched breath, opened his brown eyes, and pushed himself into a sitting position, and took a deep breath. The sudden relief he was feeling; feeling fresh air enter his lungs never felt so good. He was so grateful for that breath that when he tried to take another Shiro ended up coughing. Shiro needed to clear his lungs and breathe in that fresh air again. But even that took a lot out of him and Shiro started to fall to his right.

Unable to stop Shiro feel into the hands that were holding him before… Keith.

He looked upwards to see a deep purple backdrop above him… 'The sky.' He felt a hard surface beneath him… 'The ground,' this was good. He felt like he hadn't felt the gravity of a solid surface in a long time.

Shiro began to hear cheers of happiness. With his eyes barely open he could begin to see bodies of shadows. With his eyes refocusing those shadows turned to colour, then to shapes, to faces, to smiles of relief.

He looked over, still feeling the arms that caught him still holding on to him. His face wasn't looking at him at that moment but Shiro knew it was Keith that was holding him so gently but yet so tightly.

"You found me…" whispered Shiro as Keith finally looked at him with a hidden smile.

"We're glad you're back Shiro," replied Keith just as softly.

"Rest" said Allura looking tired as he felt. Shiro nodded and slowly closed his eyes.

….[Shiro's dream]…

As Shiro drifted off to a deep slumber he saw a lot of pale images. Images of his past and how he got to where he was… he saw images of fighting Zarkon in the Black Lion and dying. Not a good start on regaining his memories. He felt like he lost them when he first opened his eyes and saw Keith and the rest of his paladincomrades.

Shiro remembered the Black Lion and the bond they had. The events leading him to become the leader of Voltron and the paladins. He even remembered the fights he had to endure when he was crowned The Champion.

^^^^^^^^^^^ :Thud: "Shiro…" ^^^^^^^^^^

'What was that?' That sudden vibration startled Shiro. He felt a light thud that was coming from above him. He could lightly hear a male's voice? It sounded hurt. 'Was someone hurt?' he thought with worry.

… The vibration of the noise silenced. Shiro couldn't hear anything else and his worry soon faded away.

^^^^^^^^^^^ "Shi…" ^^^^^^^^^^

Drifting back, Shiro soon found himself younger? He was standing in front of a classroom full on children. 'Where am I?' thought Shiro confused with his surroundings. He turned slightly to his left and saw a small refection on the classrooms door glass. He could see he was in his old uniform and his hair was much darker.

"Now class," the middle-aged teacher said, in a clear strict voice, next to Shiro. Shiro turned his head to look at her.

The woman was the height if Shiro's shoulders and had grey hair, which was fashionable at the time. You could tell she was a strict woman; her desk was very clean with only a glass of water and a red apple on top. Shiro must have been in a military based school as the teacher herself was in an army uniform, though not in full gear but a more of a relaxed look. She was teaching children after all.

"We have a guest here today; Takashi Shirogane. He's here to speak to you about the Garrisonproject" Shiro turned his head and looked towards the now smiling children… he naturally smiled back.

"Hello, my name is Takashi," said Shiro automatically. "I'm here to introduce new students, from around the country, to the work we do at the Garrisonand promote its new generation of pilots."

The children Ohhed and Awwed at Shiro's words. "So, anyone interested in becoming a pilot?"

"Yaaaa" the children screaming in delight. Shiro giggled "Ha, alright… but first you have to pass a test." The children quickly slumped down onto their chairs and sighed in disappointment.

"Don't worry, cause this test is a game…"

The children cheered with delight and started to talk amongst themselves; "Wonder what game it'll be…" "Do you think it'll be a shoot 'em up?" "Will we have to pay with quarters?" ….

Shiro smiled as he watched the children's excitement but then noticed a young boy; a boy with short black messy hair and a red sweatshirt, sitting at his desk over by the middle window. He wasn't paying attention to anything Shiro or the other children, nor did he seem to care what they were doing or saying. He just sat with his hand on his face as he leaned on his elbow to look outside towards the desert surroundings outside.

…

: pssshhew: : pssshhew: : pssshhew: : pssshhew:

The children, the teacher and Shiro were soon outside. Shiro had brought a large tester pod for the children to test their flying skills. The teacher looked at it and thought it looked like one of those amusement park rider games only much more expensive.

As the test began Shiro got to see the excited children turn to sheer determination.

"You can do it" "Shhh, I'm trying to concentrate" :Sound of happy trumpets: LEVEL ONE COMPLETED "All right," a classmate cheered and got himself ready for level two.

:Sound of sad trumpets: FAILED "Ahhh," the child pouted. "I was nearly there."

"It's ok. You did well," said Shiro patting the boys shoulder. "Who's next?" All the children quickly put their arms and hands up "Me" "Me" "Me" "Me".

The children gathered round as each of them took turns on the simulator, which was shaped like a Garrison flight pod. The aim of the game was to maneuver the pod around rocks and craters, just like real pilots. The children were being tested on a number of things one of them being their senses to actually do the task. They had to judge how far the next falling rock was, predict where it could fall to and maneuver the pod while also checking for another other obstacles.

It was quite a tough test even if it was a game. This was to show what real pilots might fly into when their sent on a mission to space.

As Shiro looked on from a short distance the class's teacher approached him with an information pad in hand. "Here is a list of children the faculty feel are the best suited for the upcoming Garrisonprogram."

Shiro took a quick look at the list when he heard the children cheering again.

"Wow, that's awesome." "Yeah, you got to level 5" "Keep going. Make a new record"

Shiro looked over at the group of 15, or so, children and smiled when he saw who was the next pilot. It was the small boy that was sitting by the window. Shiro returned the smile to the teacher. "What about him?" Shiro asked, hinting towards the boy, "he looks up to it?"

The teacher looked over behind Shiro to see the child he was speaking about. "Keith?" she said questionably. "Haa, he's not qualified. Not disciplined enough. No father or mother figure in his life," the teacher replied with a snarl on her face. "Frankly I see him as a lost cause."

Shiro was shocked at her response 'I thought teachers were supposed to guide their students'

"Now, young Allen here," said the teach sounding prouder as she turned and got the attention of the Allen boy, asking him to come over. "Allen is the son of one of the CEOs at the Galaxy Garrison department.He's much more qualified and gets straight A's in all of his classes."

The young man walked up to his teacher, and stood beside her, as soon as he heard his name. Shiro could already tell that his father had taught him more than the basics of standing to attention at a senior officer. He looked down and saw the young man standing proud and straight as he could, wanting to show his teacher, and Shiro, the best of manners as he introduced himself.

"it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Takashi. My father and grandfather have often spoken of you and your team at the Galaxy Garrison."

The teacher looked down at her smart student, proudly showing him off. She was beginning to push Allen closer to Shiro, promoting them to get to know each other when suddenly…

:Roar: : Whirl: :Screech:

Shiro's large, and expensive, hired car was driven off the school's property.

'What?'