Normal POV
Coran handed everyone a pouch each, full of clear fluid. While the Paladins were initially reluctant, the advisor assured them that the content was safe for consumption.
"You have been working hard." Coran agrees, "Maybe it's time to relax a little."
"What are you doing lying around?" Allura asked when she entered the training deck with the Altean mice on her shoulders, "You're supposed to be training!"
"Just resting a bit." Coran reasoned with the princess, "You know, you can't push too hard."
That upsets Princess Allura, "What do you mean, 'can't push too hard'?" She asked before turning her attention to the Paladins.
"Get up, you lazy lumps! It's time you faced the Gladiator!"
Allura's POV
"Princess, are you sure about this?" Coran asked me when we entered the training deck's control room, "There were times when they could almost form Voltron. They just needed a breakthrough, a little push."
I watched four of the five Paladins prepare their bayards; I know Shiro said he would make do without the Black Bayard, but I couldn't help but worry. "No. You have to keep up the act." Shaking my head, I turn to my father's advisor.
"You're right. They do need a little push." I agreed.
Coran sighed before putting his microphone on. "In order to defeat the Gladiator, five paladins must fight as one." He informed the Paladins as I adjusted the Gladiator's weaponry and difficulty settings, remembering what Marmora set when she first began teaching me how to defend myself. I watched as Hunk took a step backward while scanning for where the Gladiator would appear. Smiling mischievously, I pushed the button to send it out.
"Whoa!" I watched as the Paladins were caught off guard when the Gladiator dropped from the ceiling. Hunk fired wildly from his cannon, causing Keith to notice and activate his shield to protect himself and Pidge.
The Gladiator made quick work with the Yellow Paladin, causing Pidge to rush toward the Gladiator– only to get whacked a couple of times by its polearm staff until he was sent flying and landed on Hunk.
Lance fired his gun to get the Gladiator's attention, causing the Blue Paladin's plan to work too well. Shiro and Keith rush to aid Lance, making me see what Coran meant when he vouched for them until the Gladiator knocks the Blue Bayard away and proceeds to hit Lance on the head. It sensed Keith attacking from behind and blocked his bayard twice before hitting the Blue Paladin again on the head.
It swung its staff around and sent Lance crashing into the Red Paladin. With the Black Paladin left, the Gladiator turns its attention to Shiro. I opened the screen to the Gladiator's controls, just in case I had to intervene.
Shiro surprised me when his prosthetic arm activated the second he got into position to fight, I need to ask him about it later. The Gladiator rushes toward Shiro, and he suddenly freezes up with his hand deactivating. Oh, no! I can't believe I forgot about his reaction from last night! I quickly typed the emergency shut-down command and was about to send it when Keith got himself off the floor and used his bayard to block the attack, earning a sigh of relief from me.
"Shiro, are you okay?" He asked his brother; but by looking back to check on Shiro, Keith made a mistake and lowered his guard. The Gladiator took advantage of it and slid the Red Bayard down, swept the Red Paladin's feet before sending the brothers sprawling to the floor. I sighed in disappointment as I altered the command to a delayed shut-down and sent it before walking out to the training deck. Thankfully, the Gladiator didn't attack during that time, and collapsed in front of me.
"That combat simulator was set at a level fit for an Altean child!" I tell them off, "You're not even close to working as a team, let alone ready to face Zarkon!"
Allura's POV (Flashback)
"Fit for an Altean child again?" I asked with a sigh as Marmora adjusted the combat simulator for the fifth time this movement. It was hard enough to have these self-defense lessons with the Red Paladin herself behind Hys' back. But I am honestly not keen on beating the Gladiator set to a level for someone even half my age.
"Repetition is key, Princess." Marmora said as she handed me polearm staff– the very same weapon as the combat simulator, "I've seen you make great improvements these past few sessions."
"But can't you adjust the settings for a different fighting style? Or even for someone my age? How about you and I spar?" I asked, earning a rare chuckle from her.
"Maybe if you can beat this one in under 10 doboshes, Allura." Marmora playfully replies while using my name instead of 'Princess'. I know that she always says that, but I also know that Marmora is a paladin of her word. Though if I am improving…
"How about 5 doboshes?" I challenged with a smile.
"Don't start getting cocky." Marmora said as she set up a timer, "The timer will start when the Gladiator drops. Start training level two."
The combat simulator dropped from the ceiling. I smiled with confidence as I rushed toward the Gladiator to get the advantage of making the first move, and dodging some of its attacks with various successes.
"I have to defeat it in under 10 dobashes." I thought to myself as I blocked an upcoming barrage until I saw an opening. "Perfect!"
Marmora's POV (Flashback)
I glanced down at the timer and noticed that Allura might be able to beat the Gladiator with half of the time limit to spare. I watched as the princess went for the finishing blow when three energy arrows suddenly pierced the combat simulator from behind, causing it to disintegrate.
I groaned as I stopped the timer, I recognized those arrows anywhere.
"Sorry, Allura." I put a comforting hand on her shoulder before turning my attention to the Blue Paladin walking in with his bayard in hand, "That was supposed to be the Princess' victory."
Isamu shrugs, "Hey, you know how I roll, Kitten. I see a rogue Gladiator, I take it out." Of course, he always says that every time he takes my training victory… But doing that to the princess… And again with that stupid nickname.
"Though it did remind me that Lady Hys asked me to inform Princess Allura that she's looking for her. Perhaps, I should inform the former with the latter's whereabouts."
I approached the obnoxious Altean and poked his chest, "Don't you dare!" I growled, my face inches away from his
"Alright, you two. What's going on?" We both turn to see Ryou, Ileck, and Hiroshi walking in– and notice Princess Allura's hair in a bun and clad in her combat suit. Oh, great…
"Before you ask, Ryou, I'll take full responsibility since it was my idea to train the Princess to defend herself." I explain, causing the other paladins– especially our leader, to remember the incident that happened about three Phoebs ago.
We were sent to apprehend an exiled alchemist due to the recent monster attacks and the missing victims being connected to their forbidden studies. We didn't know Allura stowed away in the Blue Lion and followed us to where the alchemist was hiding until the latter noticed and took the Princess hostage. Isamu and Ileck managed to get the alchemist, but not before that quiznaker stabbed Allura. There was a lot of blood, and Ryou almost lost consciousness using his powers to close the Princess' wound.
Allura stayed in a cryo-replenisher for almost a movement. Ryou kept blaming himself for letting it happen, and Hys didn't help by blaming him as well until King Alfor and Coran intervened. Because of that guilt, Ryou would have left the team if Allura hadn't woken up and explained everything. She wanted to help us by reasoning with the alchemist. Needless to say, neither Hys, Coran, nor King Alfor was happy with that.
"Uh, guys." Ileck's voice brought us back to the present, "Hys is coming this way, and she's looking in every room."
Karabast!
"I'll stall her." Isamu piped up, "Ryou, hide the Princess in the control room."
?'s POV (Flashback)
"This way, Princess." I said before leading her into the control room. I had her stay out of the window's line of sight as I put on the microphone, and just in time.
"I'm telling you, Princess Allura isn't even here." I heard Isamu say when he and Hys entered the training deck,
"I'll be the judge of that." She then looks up at the window, "Who's up there?"
"Just me, Lady Hys." I spoke into the microphone. "I was just about to activate the training drones."
The Altean governess looked at me skeptically, "Why would you need to be up there when you can control the drones' setting with your armour?" She asked before the drones suddenly flew out of the wall and started firing. Thankfully, Marmora, Ileck, Hiroshi, and Isamu got their shields ready and blocked the lasers, protecting Hys.
"Well, I never!"
I look over to see the Princess controlling the drones, "Sorry, Lady Hys." I fibbed to deflect the Altean governess' suspicion, "But these technical difficulties are exactly why I had to be up here. Isamu—"
"We're way ahead of you." He quickly replied as they exited the training deck in a round formation with Hys in the middle.
I waited a couple more dobashes before I finally managed to turn off the training drones, earning a sigh of relief.
Allura's POV (Flashback)
That was way too close… Ryou turned the microphone off and took it off before turning his attention to me.
"You wouldn't have to hide from Lady Hys if you've told your father, Princess." He gently childe me.
"I know… But I'm just worried that he may take Hys' side." I finally admit after sighing, "And we both know how she is with this idea. She always says that–"
"'Fighting is unbecoming of the future queen of Altea.'" Ryou joined in, causing me to laugh a bit.
"But I wanted to protect myself– and to be able to help in any way that I can. Without feeling like a burden ever again. Marmora told me that you almost left the team."
Ryou averted his gaze to the floor, making me realize that his guilt still lingers.
"I never blame you since it was my–"
He looks back up to me, "It wasn't your fault, Allura. It just… I would never forgive myself if the Crown Princess of Altea died because of my lapse of judgment."
I blinked with surprise; this was the first time Ryou had only said my name. No 'Princess', and no 'Princess Allura'. The Lanayran sighed before pulling a small, cloth bundle from one of the grey pouches on his Paladin armour.
"I saw Marmora training you a few quintents ago." He confessed, "I brought up the idea of you learning to defend yourself to your father, and he supports it. And I know you wanted to help."
Ryou gently placed the cloth bundle into my hand, and I carefully unfolded it to reveal a pair of earrings similar to Mother's; right down to the amethyst teardrops.
"I used my powers to create them." He explains, "And to ensure that you can communicate with us when we're in our armours."
I felt my eyes slightly well up, I know that Ryou must have risked shortening his lifespan twice for me. And the fact that he created them to look just like Mother's… I carefully put them on.
"Thank you. I'll treasure them."
Shiro's POV
"Ahoy, young Paladins!" Coran greeted us as we entered the dining hall, on the table were the green goo and some pink and green cubes.
"I've whipped up a big batch of focusing food." Coran continued as we sat down, "After this meal, you'll be forming Voltron six times a movement and twice on the astral conflux!"
"Smells great, Coran. Thanks." I said, realizing that other than that replenishing fluid, I hadn't had anything to eat all day. I went to pick up the utensil before my right wrist was suddenly cuffed and attached to Hunk's left wrist. I looked down the table to see that all five of us were cuffed, with Pidge's right arm and my left arm cuffed to our chairs.
"Hold the phone!" Lance said
"I saw a lot of solid individual performances today, but you're still struggling to work as a team." Coran explained, "So, welcome to the final bonding exercise of the day."
Hunk tried to pull his arm free from Lance, only for the two to grunt from the failed attempt. These cuffs must have powerful magnets in them. Hunk pulled his left arm, only for it to stick back with my arm, confirming my suspicion.
"Coran," Hunk speaks up, "I want you to think about what you're doing."
"Oh, this one's a classic." Coran replies, "You get to feed each other, like a pack of yalmors!"
This is going to be fun…
Keith's POV
Princess Allura sat down at the head of the table and we started eating… if we could even call it that. Hunk tried to get a bite, only for Lance to fling the former's food goo and hit him.
"Ow!"
I decided to focus on letting Pidge finish first. The sooner we get this 'bonding exercise' done, the better. I suddenly felt something, causing me to look over to see that my other hand was pulled over– and ended up in Lance's food.
"Oh, nice. You defiled my food goo!" Lance said out of annoyance,
"It's your fault!" I retorted, "This is ridiculous."
"Do Earthlings ever stop complaining?" Allura complained.
"This whole thing is your bright idea, Princess." I thought to myself.
"Can't you just give us a break? Everyone's been working really hard today." Shiro tries to reason with the princess, though I can tell my brother's patience is wearing thin. And it takes a lot to even get him to that point.
"Yeah!" I agreed, "We're not some prisoners for you to toy with, like… like…"
"Like a bunch of toy prisoners!" Lance piped up while raising his and Hunk's arms to amplify the point.
"Yes! Thank you, Lance!"
"You do not yell at the Princess!" Coran defended his fellow Altean.
"Oh, the princess of what?" Pidge replied sassily, "We're the only ones out here and she's no princess of ours!"
Allura grabbed a sporkful of her food goo and flung it at Pidge. Coran looks at her with surprise; looks that this 'princess' is more than your typical 'prim and proper', but nobody bullies my little sister and gets away with it.
"Go loose, Pidge!"
I grabbed my bowl of food goo and flung it at the Princess, only for Coran to deflect it with his cloth and retaliate with a big scoop of his own.
"Oh, it's on now." Hunk said before faceplanting in his bowl to get a good mouthful of food goo. He came back up and clapped both his hands against his cheeks and spewed it all over the Alteans. Gross, but effective.
Allura and Coran each grab a bowl and begin their assault, earning me a faceful of food goo. Hunk and Lance flung a bowlful toward the princess, causing her to duck behind a chair. Even my brother got in on this fun food fight by firing sporkfuls at Coran. Seeing an opening, Pidge and I got the advisor with a well-timed bowlful. Hunk got another mouthful ready and the Alteans noticed. They immediately fired their food goo at him, Lance, and Shiro; but Hunk successfully fired away.