Chapter 2: Fighting Fire with Foliage
A/N: I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender.
I just own Ziera, Colran, Sephiras, Janze and any other OCs mentioned in this fic that isn't canon.
WARNING: Contains violence, death, implications of sexual acts, Lance's flirting, and other things that may cause some readers discomfort.
Hey guys, thanks to a kind beta reader, she knows who she is, I haven't needed to proof read this chapter, and I've gained a small confidence boost from it too! I hope you guys enjoy it just like she did!
Thank you for everything!
Enjoy!
The time had come for Ziera, Ryner, the Paladins and the Olkari tribe to take back the city at long last, thanks to the human heroes they had finally 'rescued' Lubos, who was now resting in a holding cell within the largest tree tower the forest camp had to offer. Now all that remained was to drive out the Galra forces that had taken over and destroy the cube weapon they had created.
Ziera watched as the Paladins got into their lions and lifted into the air and high into the sky. Of course, her jaw dropped when the five lions merged together and formed a large robotic man, the one they call Voltron. "Their ships can combine?!" She cried out, pointing at the machine as it flew off in search of the cube.
"Yes," Ryner said, nodding with a smile as she glanced at her faithful Tylyrion friend. "Ten thousand years ago, the leader of Altea, King Alfor created the five lions that combine into Voltron. Because of that, and its incredible endurance and strength, Voltron has become the defender of the universe!"
"Wow..." The tech-junkie turned back to the sky and watched as the giant machine fought the cube with effortless attacks. Of course, her awe was broken by her excitement as her eyes lit up. "I can't wait to fully inspect the craftsmanship of that beautiful spacecraft!"
She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, and glanced back to see Melrak stood there, smirking with exasperation. "We get it, Ziera, you're a nerd. C'mon, we've got to get kitted out for the fight!"
"O-oh! Ahaha~!" The Tylyrion scratched her cheek softly as she blushed, she was fangirling over machinery again, wasn't she? "Alright, I'll put that thought aside for now!" She puffed up her chest and clenched her fists with determination. "Right now, we've got a city to take back!"
"Th-that's right!" Colren stammered from within the masses of other Olkari troops, of course, he carefully and awkwardly pushed his way through so he was stood by his best friend, Sephira. "I-I won't get scared this time, as long as Ziera's leading the fight, we'll be fine?"
"Eh?"
Ziera turned her attention to Ryner, who smiled and placed her hand on the alien feline's other shoulder. "If I am to take command, then I want you leading the fight. None of this would be happening had you not assisted in creating the distress signal, and you have proven to be a brave warrior on the inside."
"Ryner..." She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat and shot her friends a bright, confident grin. "Alright! Let's head to the armory, we can't take back your home without the right equipment!"
"Atta girl!" Melrak boomed, slapping her back proudly, only to flinch back when his best friend hissed in pain from his over-zealous response. "Ah...Sorry!"
~FbnL~
With haste, they all headed to the armory, filling the large expanse of space with many soldiers ready to lay their life on the line for the sake of those still trapped in the Galra's tight grasp. Some were creating mech suits for themselves, while others took to collecting spears and creating flower blasters to ensure they could take out as many sentries as possible from a safe distance.
Ziera had gone back to her home, as she lived close to the large space, and was no wearing the space helmet she collected so she could protect her head from laser fire. No longer would she be known as the tech-junkie, until the fight was over, she would be the warrior she somewhat remembered.
On that note, the young woman looked up into the sky as the cube and Voltron flew overhead, getting several of their best soldiers' attention in the process. She watched with wide, ombre, eyes as the man-like machine created a sword and slashed the square weapon into four separate pieces, only for the now smaller cubes to start functioning again, increasing their firing rate.
'Even still...' Her glove-clad fist clenched tightly, shaking with the tension as she gritted her teeth at the sight. 'I wish there was something I could do to help them...!'
"Ziera."
The feline hummed and turned around to see Janze holding a large flower blaster out to her, smiling. "I thought since you had trouble getting the interface to work, you could use some help making a better gun for the fight."
"Janze, that's so kind of you!" Ziera excitedly took the flower gun and inspected it, before slipping it onto her arm, where it latched around her elbow with heavy, durable vines that locked together. "Is there a way to remove it once we take back the city?"
"Not without the interface, once we're done, I'll take it off for you."
"Thanks, I'll get the hang of it someday~!"
"I know you will!" Janze smiled brightly and went back to creating flower guns for others who also had similar trouble creating them, themselves. While he did that, Ziera pointed the gun at some nearby target drones made from wood and leaves and tested the power of the gun, amazed when it took a chunk out of the drone's torso.
She could definitely use this! Though it did knock her back a little with the force of the blast.
'I can't use my Skate-Overs when firing this, I'll have to try using my left hand to fire my pistol when on the move.' She thought, looking down at the smaller flower gun in her holster. 'I wish I was ambidextrous.'
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when many of the Olkari heard a loud crash and spun around to see Pidge's lion descend hard into the forest's surface. Ryner was quick to spin around to face her fleet. "The Green Lion's in trouble!" She cried out, turning and running into the forest to where the lion had crashed.
Ziera clicked her tongue and switched on her Skate-Overs, rushing to catch up to Ryner and the few Olkari that followed her, the ones that had already finished preparing for the fight. Once they arrived at the clearing, which had previously been a deep thriving mass of trees and foliage, they all paused for a second in shock as Green laid there, crackling as electricity from the cube's attack sparked into the air.
"Pidge!" Ziera cried out in horror, kicking off towards the lion as the electricity died down. Ryner soon joined her and stopped Ziera from climbing inside, instead, the more sensible woman placed her three-fingered hand against the metal surface of the machine and closed her eyes.
"Pidge, can you hear me?" Ryner started, of course, Ziera couldn't hear the second side of the conversation due to the metal between her and the young teen inside. "...That's not important right now. We need to get your lion back up and running...I think we can heal your lion's body, but you must bond with it's spirit if it is to fly again."
Ziera kept looking from Ryner to the lion, concern washing over her face as the other Olkari placed their hands on the lion's surface. She felt so useless.
"...Your bond must be stronger!" Ryner's hand began to glow, alongside the others who assisted her in healing the lion. "Remember what I said. You, the lion, the Olkari, the Tylyrion, we are all made of the same essence..."
The feline alien watched in awe as the entire lion began to glow alongside those fixing its structure. Then, out of nowhere, they stepped back and Green stood, letting out an almighty mechanical roar, fully charged and ready to fight.
They all watched as the lion lifted into the sky and took off towards its damaged allies, who were still taking on the cube, and losing terribly in comparison to its echo powers. All of their jaws dropped when the shield on Green's back transformed into a laser and shot the closest cube, which then exploded with vines, rendering it useless.
"Yes!" Ziera shrieked excitedly, punching the air as the Olkari around her started cheering too, this was just the motivation they needed to begin their own advance. "C'mon! We can't let them do everything! Let's take back the city!"
They all echoed 'Yeah!' in unison, and the fight against the Galra sentries and their commander began. Ziera and Ryner lead them back to the armory, where the other troops joined them and marched towards the forest's edge.
The robot sentries that stood by the entrance to the city looked up when they heard loud rumbling from far away, and immediately called for backup and started firing when the entire forest-dwelling appeared from the trees, some in mechs, and some armed to fight with their lives.
Ziera shot down one of the sentries, while Colren took out the other, they shot each other a glare and all headed into the city's streets, fighting each and every enemy that came at them.
The muted-haired tech-junkie stood atop a small pile of broken robots, her and Melrak having taken them out moments prior, and hummed when she heard a starship engine rev in the distance. They all looked up once the last of the sentries were taken care of, and started cheering as the Galra Cruiser took off, leaving them in peace.
Thanks to the Paladins of Voltron, the Olkari city had been taken back, and those who were enslaved were finally released and able to live their lives once again!
Her heart warmed and she shot Ryner a bright smile, said woman reflecting that expression back at her friend as a response. Finally, she had repaid the new leader for all that she had done for her.
'Thank you, Pidge, Shiro...Everyone! Thank you for freeing them and making their lives better!'
~FbnL~
Ziera stood in her new room within the city center, staring at the blank walls as she held a box of her belongings. Now that the city had been restored, which had taken several hours even with Voltron's help, she supposed she should unpack and prepare to assist Ryner as much as she could with retaining the peace on this planet until the end of her life.
However, deep down, she couldn't bring herself to make this new room her own. She gripped the box tightly and sighed, holding the box under her arm as she turned and left the room, heading to the main tower they had infiltrated prior.
Since defeating the Galra and finding out that the Paladins would soon leave, her mind strayed to her own planet, and how, without a ship, she would never be able to get back home. In the back of her mind, she knew she couldn't build her own ship, nor ask the others to build one for her, as it would break all their hearts, along with her own. This might have been her only chance...Even if it meant breaking her promise to Ryner about staying and supporting her.
She knew what she had to do now and she hoped that they would understand, though she wouldn't blame them if they hated her for it...
It took her some time, but she finally reached the roof as Ryner agreed to join the coalition and fight alongside the Paladins to end Zarkon's rule. Ryner hummed, having just finished giving Pidge a pep-talk, and smiled at the sight of her good friend walking towards them.
"I see you've packed your things, are you preparing to head to your new room?" The new Olkari leader asked, her smile faltering when Ziera hesitated and looked away with a solemn frown. "Is something the matter, Ziera?"
"I...I have to ask the Paladins something important..." She started, placing the box down and stepping closer as said fighters turned to face her curiously. "I am a Tylyrion, my planet, Tylyrio is in the same star-system as Olkari and it has been many deca-phoebs since I have seen my home...I mean..."
She sighed and realized it was about time she explained what was going on. "I crash landed here a long time ago and lost all my memories of who I was and what had happened to me...But as time went on, I remembered small fragments about my planet, about my origins." She looked up, seeing the shock that had plastered itself across all their faces, except Ryner's and the four others she came to consider her family. "I feel that if I return to my home, even for a moment, I may remember more, and finally piece together who I was before I crashed here..."
"Lemme guess..." Lance started, curiosity etched across his tanned features as he arched a brow. "You want us to take you back?"
"...Yes."
Ryner and the others gasped in shock, and she flinched as several voices echoed together, complaining about her decision. Melrak stepped forward with a painful frown. "Era, you can't leave! You're as much a part of this planet as we are!"
"I know...I feel like this is my home too..." She went silent for a moment as she opened her eyes and gripped the pendant around her neck. "But there's something out there, hidden from my eyes, and I need to find it and regain what I lost...I'll come back, no matter what, but I just...I can't leave myself in this state! I need to know who I was to be who I am now!"
Melrak, Colren, Sephira, and Janze went to complain, but Ryner cut them off by walking towards Ziera. "I can't say I'm glad to see you find your path in life...Ziera." She started, smiling solemnly at her precious friend. "However, to move towards the future, one must understand their past and grow from their mistakes...Find your home, your people, and let them teach you who you were...But please, promise me you will return one day and tell us about your adventures."
Ziera's expression warped into strained sadness, her chin trembling as she nodded with a soft sound of agreement. She then looked over at the Paladins, a silent question as to whether she could come with them.
Shiro looked from Pidge to Lance, to Hunk and finally Keith. None of them made any objections against her coming with them, and Hunk even shrugged in response. The salt and pepper haired leader smiled as a result and turned his attention back to the woman pleading to join them. "I don't see why we can't drop you off along the way."
Ziera smiled gratefully and let out a shocked sound of surprise when her four friends suddenly rushed her and pulled her into a group hug. Colren was smiling sadly, and Sephira was hiding her face as Janze sobbed and even Melrak struggled to hold back his tears.
"We're gonna miss you, Era." Melrak told her, ruffling her hair as her own tears fell.
"Don't forget to visit!" Sephira demanded, as her buddy laughed weakly.
"I wish I was as brave as you, remember you can come back anytime," Colren said, squeezing her.
"Awaaaaahhhhh!" Janze cried out, sobbing and sniffling against her sleeve, forcing her to take a mental note to wash her spacesuit at some point.
In her heart, she felt the ache of leaving her friends behind and choked back a sob, holding them all as best she could in their tight hold. "I love you guys so much...! Thank you, for everything!"
A voice disrupted the moment, a hoarse throat being cleared, and the four turned to see Ryner standing there, her own eyes glassy with emotion. The four Olkari sentries sniffled and stepped back, giving the two space to say their farewells. "Perhaps their emotions have rubbed off on me, but my heart aches to see you go as well..." She walked over to Ziera and hugged her tight. "Be great, Ziera, as I know you can be...You will always have a home here, and we will retain your room for whenever you return."
Ziera, who had been surprised by the hug from her closest friend, choked out a broken sob and tightly grasped Ryner's robe, hugging her tight as she prepared to leave for who knows how long. "Y-you're like a mentor to me, Ryner. I don't know what I'll do without you to guide me...!"
The two parted and wiped their eyes with a broken laugh between them. Ziera then lifted her small box of belongings and headed towards the Green Lion, opting to ride with Pidge since they had so much in common. She stood in the mouth of the lion as it lifted into the air and looked down at her beloved friends as they waved her off, and the others, the many others, shouted farewells to her from the streets below.
It was time to find out who she was, so she could return with amazing technology and make the fable behind her new name a reality.
'Thank you guys, so much...For everything!'
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please review/comment, each one gives me motivation to continue, while also helping me to improve my craft!
Voltron Time
Deca-Phoeb = Year