Beast (rewrite)

Chapter 3

The others were yelling, saying they were screwed. Keith even said it was an honor to fight at their side. Through it all, they noticed Lance's silence. They looked to see his eyes closed, face relaxed. As if he wasn't even there. And he wasn't. Not in his body, at least. He was with Blue, who's eyes were no longer yellow, as they normally were, but blue now that the connection was being held. He looked at his surroundings, petting the lioness at his side as he heard the other paladins struggle, trying to get his attention, trying to form Voltron. Lance sighs, Blue rubbing against his leg. He saw the other lionesses as well, but they were on their own, waiting for their paladins to make the connection. They gathered around Lance as he pets each of them. He doesn't grab his connection with them as the lions were probably hoping for him to do since their paladins couldn't figure out how to do it. Lance wouldn't take that control from the others.

He finally saw Shiro flicker into view. Shiro seemed shocked at first at his surroundings. Black goes over to him, purring in content. Keith was next, followed closely by Hunk and Pidge and soon their surroundings disappeared. Lance highly doubted they would remember this place when they were once more in their lions, forming Voltron. He hears the lions purr in his mind, telling him he was right in his assumption. He would once more need to struggle in telling them how to form Voltron. It would take many visits to that plane in order to remember it. They got out of the beam and redirect the ion cannon that was aiming at a defenseless castle. The shot flies past the castle and explodes in the distance behind them. Hunk yells in triumph.

"I'm a leg!" He hears the boy yell and Lance holds back laughter at the boys excitement.

"We did it!" It was Keith that says this, eyes wide as he's smiling slightly. Lance is relieved that they were able to do it. Sure, it took far too long for them to figure it out, but they did figure it out in the end and that's all he could ask for right now. Lance felt what they others wanted to do through the connection created through the lions. The others couldn't feel the connection, but Lance used the connection to direct his movements. He closes his eyes, reaching out to the connection. He returns to the plane with the lionesses, seeing the other paladins laying there. That's why they can't feel what's happening. Lance grabs them, leaning them against one another to complete the connection. They still won't know what's happening, but this way there should be some form of coordination between them. Lance places his hands on their shoulders, his body on autopilot as the others minds tell him how to move.

Once the fight is over, the others quickly disappear once Voltron splits into the lions once more. Lance lets out a sigh of relief as he returns to his body. He opens his eyes, letting out a breath as he lands Blue in her hangar. He had to keep the others coordinated, and it took a lot out of him. His eyelids start to feel heavy as he places a hand on his head as a headache makes its appearance. He gets up, Blue purring comfortingly as he gets out and goes to the lounge, collapsing on one of the couches. He hasn't had to form Voltron in so long, and having to keep the paladins together made it even harder. He hears the doors open and footsteps come in, not having noticed the tired boy yet as Hunk and Pidge were talking excitedly.

"Hey, you alright?" He hears Keith ask from next to him. He feels a hand on his shoulder and opens his eyes to look at the group. Their eyebrows were knit together in worry.

"I'm fine, just need a bit of rest. After that, we can begin your training," Lance responds, forcing himself to sit up, the headache screaming at him to lay back down. "You have a long way to go before you're able to save a planet, let alone the universe." Lance grits his teeth as he places a hand to his head.

"I thought we did quite well," Pidge says, looking at him with that same worry. Clearly he had not convinced them he was fine.

"Against one ship, sure. But there's much room for improvement. You barely managed one ship, how are you going to do against a whole fleet, let alone the whole Galran Army. I'll tell you, you'll fail miserably. So, training is a must," Lance says with a cold tone. He needed to make sure they understood that this was not a choice. They are now Paladins of Voltron, this was a requirement if they hope to save anyone. "I can assure you, other planets in danger will have more than one battle ship," he looks them in the eyes, seeing that they were getting it. He stands up, keeping himself from wobbling so they don't recognize just how bad his headache-turned-migraine was becoming. "I'm going to go rest, I'm sure Allura has more to say to you. Once I'm up, we'll begin your training."