Normal POV
The turbulence of the wormhole force the team back when the Blue Lion finally exit out of it, "Whoa. That was…" Lance began before Hunk vomits. "So sorry." He said weakly before continuing, "I'm surprised it took this long." Pidge commented as Shiro look out and take notice of their surroundings. "I don't recognize any of these constellations. We must be a long, long way from Earth." He said before feeling the lion gravitate toward a nearby planet, "The lion seems to want to go to this planet. I think… I think it's going home."
Shiro's POV
As we descend to the planet's atmosphere, we were greeted by turbulence stronger than that back on Earth— and yet pale in comparison to the wormhole. "Guys, personal space. Hunk, your breath is killing me." Lance said, "Um, is it just me or is anyone else having second thoughts about flying through a mysterious wormhole? Why are we listening to a robotic lion anyway?" Hunk asked as the turbulence lessens a bit. "It got us away from that alien warship, didn't it?" Lance counters, "I don't know if you noticed, but we're in an alien warship." Keith pointed out. "Oh, are you scared?" Lance teased, "With you at the helm? Terrified." My brother quipped. "All right, knock it off." I spoke up to break the tension, "No one's happy to be in this situation, but we're here now. If we want to get through this, we've got to do it together."
~~~~~v~~~~~
"So, what do we do?" Pidge asked, "First, we find out where we're headed. Lance?" I turn my attention to the pilot. "I don't know." We all look at him, "I'm sorry. The lion's not talking to me anymore. Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Shh! Listen. I think I hear something." We listen closely. "I'm hearing it, too." Keith said, "It's, uh— It's kind of a— a high pitched squeal?" Hunk added before realizing what Lance just did. I covered my nose and mouth in disgust— as did my brother, Hunk, and Pidge. "But seriously, there's a castle up ahead." Lance commented, prompting us to see a white castle-like structure that looks futuristic and somewhat… familiar to me. "Wow." I heard myself say this with the others as the lion approaches it, causing the castle to pulse in a blue light— almost as if it's welcoming the lion home; welcoming… me home. It wasn't until we landed in the castle's courtyard that I remember the fact that we're on an alien planet. "Keep your guard up." I said, "Something wrong?" Pidge asked me. "My crew was captured by aliens once. I'm not going to let it happen again."
Normal POV
The five humans disembark to look around, only for the Blue Lion to suddenly move on its own. "No! I knew it was going to eat us! No!" Hunk panicked before the lion to let out a roar, causing the doors to glow before opening. "Oh, the door is open. Guess I was wrong about you." The team looked at each other before entering the dark vestibule. "Hello?" Hunk's voice echoes, prompting the others to look at him before looking around again. "From the size of the lion, I expected these steps to be bigger." Pidge commented before a light suddenly shone down on them.
~~~~~v~~~~~
*Hold for identity scan.* A computer's voice said as it proceed scanning around the five humans. "Why are we here? What do you want with us?" Shiro call out, hoping to get an answer. Instead, the crystal torches lit up— allowing the team to take in the castle's splendor. "I guess we're going that way." Pidge said as the castle continues to light a certain passageway, prompting the humans to walk deeper into the castle until they've reached a circular room. "Where are we?" Lance asked as they look around, "It's some kind of control room." Pidge guessed as the console activated, causing two pods to emerge from the floor— each indicating with a dark silhouette that there's someone inside. "Are these guys… dead?" Hunk asked from behind the console before one of them begin to open.
Allura's POV
My eyes shot open the moment I felt the sleep pod open, "Father!" I cried out before I feel my legs giving way for being in a sleep pod for who knows how long. I would have ended up on the floor in the most undignified manner had it not for someone catching me, I looked up to see that it was a boy who looks at least five deca-phoebs younger than me. "Hello." The boy said with a smile, "Who are you? Where am I?" I asked as I look around to see that there are others; Most of them are younger than me from four to seven deca-phoebs while there's one who not only appears closer to my age, but also bears an uncanny resemblance to Ryou… "I'm Lance. And you're right here in my arms." The boy holding me answered, bringing my attention back to him. And that's when I noticed something, "Your ears." The boy looked at them confused, "Yeah?" he asked.
~~~~~v~~~~~
"They're hideous. What's wrong with them?" The boy's ears do remind me of Lanayran ears… "Nothing's wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said about them!" the boy said defensively before I grabbed him by one of the said ears and brought him down to his knees, thankful that Marmora have taught me how to defend myself; even though my governess, Hys, would not approve. "Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my castle?" I interrogated the boy, "A giant blue lion brought us here. That's all we know." He answered promptly, causing me to let go in surprise. "How do you have the Blue Lion? What happened to its paladin?" I asked worryingly since Isamu is the Blue Lion's Paladin, "What are you all doing here? Unless… How long has it been?"
~~~~~v~~~~~
"We don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help." The one resembling Ryou said in a calming manner, even his voice sounds similar… "I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea. I've got to find out where we are and how long we've been asleep." I introduced myself as I make my way to the console and pulled a screen up for me to search for answers, "Okay, that's how that works." The youngest commented before hearing the sleep pod opening, prompting me to look back as see Coran. "Enemy combatants!" he yelled before trying to kick the boy that was holding me, only for him to step aside. "Quiznak!" he cursed, "You're lucky I have a case of the old 'sleep chamber knees.' Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so— One, two, three— Sleepy time!" I decided to focus back on my task when those two begin doing who knows what. "Man, these guys are good." Another boy commented before finding the answers, only to be horrified by what I'm seeing. "It can't be." I said incredulously, "What is it?" Coran asked. "We've been asleep for 10,000 years."
Allura's POV (Flashback)
I watched in horror as the last of Father's fleet was shot down. Still in disbelief that Zarkon not only betray Voltron, but also killed his paladin successor in cold blood. A transmission open to reveal the said Galra King, "Zarkon." Father said before Zarkon spoke up. "Your fleet has been destroyed, Alfor. I will be there shortly to claim Voltron." And with that, the transmission closed in time for us to see a Galra warship firing its ion cannon at us. "Father, we must form Voltron and fight before it's too late!" I said, "It's already too late. We must send the lions away. We can't risk them falling into Zarkon's hands." I was shocked to hear Father saying that. I'm sure Marmora would agree with me, and I know that the Paladins are doing their best. "We can't give up hope!" I argued as Father approached me, "I'm sorry, daughter. If all goes well, I will see you again soon." He said before I feel my eyelids growing heavy. "Father!" I said as I fought to stay awake, "I love you." That was the last thing he said before I blacked out.
Shiro's POV
"Planet Altea and all of the planets in our solar system have been destroyed." Princess Allura said broken-heartedly, "Coran, Father is gone. Our entire civilization… Zarkon." Hearing that name brought back memories of the nightmares I would have as a child, as well as a face I sometimes see during my year of captivity. "Zarkon?" The Princess must have heard me as she turns around to face me, "He was the King of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people." She said with venom in her voice. "I remember now… I was his prisoner." I said, "He's still alive? Impossible!" she said with disbelief. "I can't explain it, but it's true. He's searching for a super weapon called Voltron." I insisted, "He's searching for it because he knows it's the only thing that can defeat him, and that's exactly why we must find it before he does." The Princess explained before the man approached her.
~~~~~v~~~~~
"Princess, you should be careful. We don't even know where they came from." He did make a good point— we're pretty much as 'alien' to them as they are to us. "We're from a planet in System X-9-Y called Earth." I told him, hoping that I remember correctly what that commander had said when we were abducted. "I'll check into that, um…" he said before I realized that we hadn't properly introduced ourselves, "I'm Shiro. And this is Hunk, Pidge, and my younger brother, Keith. And the two of you have already met Lance." I said as I respectively gestured to the others. "Pleasure to make your acquaintances. I am Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, the advisor of King Alfor and his family. Anyways, I'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry from your travels. I'll be back in a couple doboshes." And with that, he left. I must have tilted my head in confusion before he returned a couple minutes later with a floating tray— apparently 'doboshes' are the Altean equivalent to minutes… I looked at the plate to see it full of what looks like green goo. While I'm not hungry, I have a feeling that I'll be eating this sooner or later. "And that includes you, too." Coran turns his attention to the princess, "Princess, you must eat. It's been 10,000 years."
~~~~~v~~~~~
"I'm not hungry." She replied. "Man, 10,000 years? That's like one thousand plus ten." Lance remarked, "That's times ten." Keith corrected before Lance glare at my brother. "Whatever, dropout." He said. "I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starving." Hunk commented, "Yeah, but you've thrown up, like, five times." Pidge pointed out, causing Hunk to think about it. "Hmm, good point." He said before trying the green goo. I looked around the room, having a feeling that I may have seen this technology and even used it at one point before. "I can't believe your civilization created such advance technology 10,000 years ago. It must have been an incredible place." I said with a smile, "Yes, it was… but it is gone and we're the last Alteans alive." Coran answer before turning his attention to the Princess.
Allura's POV
The realization of the fact that everyone I know is gone left me overwhelm, so much so, that Coran place his hand on my shoulder. I broke down and hug the only reminder of Altea I have left before hearing a soft, squeaking sound. Breaking free from my embrace, I head over to where I was for 10,000 years and notice four mice greeting me. Remembering them from the time when one of them fell onto Ryou, I felt my cheeks heat up with a blush. "Looks like we're not the last, after all." I said before the alarms goes off, startling the mice. "A Galra battleship has set its tracker to us!" Coran said as I gather the mice into my hands, "How did they find us?" I asked with worry present in my voice.
~~~~~v~~~~~
"I'm not sure, but I bet it's Keith's fault." Lance said, "Say whatever you've gotta say to make yourself feel better. After getting us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!" Keith countered, his voice indicating that he was not having any of Lance's blaming. "I'll stick you in a wormhole!" Lance yelled before Shiro stepped in between the two of them, "Stow it, cadets! This is no time to place blame. It's time to work as a team. How long before they arrive?" He turns his attention to Coran. "At their speed? Oh, well, carry the two… I'd say probably a couples of days." Coran answer after counting his fingers, I just hope it's accurate… "Good. Let them come!" I said, "By the time they get here, you five will have reformed Voltron, and together, we will destroy Zarkon's empire!" Hunk let out a belch— if Hys was here, she would have given him quite the earful about proper etiquette. "Sorry. Food goo." He said sheepishly before Shiro spoke up, "Princess, there are five of these lions. How are we going to find the rest?"
Shiro's POV
To answer my question, Coran and the Princess led us to a new chamber that made me feel like I've been there before— only it's more like the bridge of a spaceship. Coran stood with us while Allura walked a bit further until she's directly under a large crystal, prompting it to light up. "King Alfor connected the lions to Allura's life force." Coran explained, "She alone is the key to the lions' whereabouts." And that is when the light disperse into a large, 3 dimensional star chart similar to a planetarium show Keith and I went to— only better. "These are… coordinates." Pidge caught on as the heavenly bodies drift by around us, "The Black Lion looks like it's in the same location as the Blue Lion."
~~~~~v~~~~~
"Look at your primitive synapse firing away in their little brain cage." Coran said, only for the Princess to be impressed. "Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the castle." So that's why I kept sensing a nostalgic feeling… "To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present." Coran said, "As you found, the lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain." Allura began before sending the image of a black lion towards me. "The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion." The sense of nostalgia came over me again; as a child, I've always dreamt that I was piloting a 'black lion'— so much so that looking at the image makes me feel as though I'm seeing an old friend again.
~~~~~v~~~~~
"The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion." I snapped out of my trance in time to see Allura sending the image of a green lion toward Pidge. "The Blue Lion—" Lance cuts her off, "Hold up, let me guess. Takes the most handsome slash best pilot of the bunch?" I stared at him out of annoyance, as did the Princess. "The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one who puts the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty." She continues as she moves an image of the yellow lion towards Hunk, "As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together." Hunk points to himself questionably. "The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master." Allura said as she conjure an image of a red lion, "It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable." She then send it toward my brother. "Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will fly the Red Lion."
"What? This guy?" Lance spoke up again, prompting Keith to glare at him. "Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet. There must be something wrong with the castle. After 10,000 years, it might need some work." Allura added, "Don't worry, we'll find it soon. They don't call me 'The Coranic' for nothing." Coran spoke up, "It's because it sounds like 'mechanic.' So… Coranic, mechanic. It's not— It doesn't sound… exactly like it. It's similar." That's when the images of the lions roar to life and begin to fly in formation until they formed Voltron. "Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron, the most powerful warrior ever known; the Defender of the Universe." Allura said as the image of Voltron fades, "Awesome!" Lance said as the rest of us look on with awe. "Wait. Okay, we're gonna be in there and flying lions. Got that part." Hunk said, "How do lions turn into legs? Also, is this gonna be a long trip? Because I have to pee. Do you people pee?" If the Galra are on their way here, we might as well find the lions as soon as possible…
~~~~~v~~~~~
"We don't have much time. Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here. If you locate that Red Lion, go get it." I spoke up, "In the meantime, I'll get this castle's defenses ready. They'll be sorely needed." Allura added. "I'll ready a pod and load the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion." Coran offered to help before leading Pidge, Lance, Hunk, and I out of the room and toward the entrance where Lance boarded the Blue Lion with Hunk. Coran than lead us toward the hanger where six pods were ready to use, giving an impromptu tour along the way. He then ran us through on how to use a pod, making sure that we know how to adequately pilot one before Pidge reassured the advisor as I climb in— realizing that the controls is very similar to both the simulator and the ship. After making sure Pidge is in the pod, I took off and flew with the Blue Lion for a while before each of us were drawn to a wormhole in a separate direction. "We can only keep the wormholes that lead to the other lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick about your work." Coran said over the radio, "The good news is that according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. So, if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives. Enjoy the trip!" and with that, he cuts the communications off before feeling the wormhole pulling us through.