Arrival (Voltron: Legendary Defender Fanfic)

Transfer Request

A few weeks ago, Ryo put in for a transfer request and now waiting for a response. He constantly checked his tablet, looking forward to the confirmation his transfer went through. However, he wasn't looking forward to telling his older brother Takashi, even though Ryo knew he would need to eventually. He'd not said anything, even though he knew it would go through despite telling himself not to get his hopes up—being an honor student at the Japanese garrison and family connections were no guarantee.

And the last person he wanted to get involved in securing his transfer was, in fact, Takashi, given how they'd not been on good terms for a long time ago, not since his older brother decided to enroll at the American garrison instead of the Japanese garrison, neglecting his duties as heir to the Shirogane family, much in the same manner that their father had when he up and disappeared on them.

"And then there's that, for which I've even less reason to forgive him," Ryo thought to himself as he scrolled through his email, a smile breaking across his face upon seeing the one who changed his mind—sent by the one person he'd told about his plans, asking them not to inform his older brother as they were not on speaking terms unless necessary. "There is one other person I want to tell, but...."

A pair of hands slammed down on the library table, making him look up in surprise. "Why did you put in for a transfer?"

Ryo stared at his fellow cadet, setting his tablet down, pulling it closer, so his hand covered the email he had just opened protectively. He also sat up straight, caught slightly off guard by the presence of a couple of his Shirogane cousins, who like him wore the distinctive red and white jacket that cadets from the Japanese garrison wore while at their hips was the katana, a tradition started by the Shirogane family long before the garrison's secondary program was modernized for the space program.

The one who asked the question was Yukiko, whose mother brought her back to the Shirogane after so many other things happened in his life, her father having abandoned his wife and daughter in such a manner that they both took on her mother's maiden name. She stood there, glaring at him, obviously upset, though his transfer was a matter between him and him, that one person he couldn't tell as Takashi had put him into a bind on that matter.

Finally, when he didn't answer the question, caught off guard as he was, she reached up and pushed back behind her ear a lock of her long, straight as a pin black hair, her lips pushing together as she tried presenting herself as a proper yamato nadeshiko for the Shirogane family. "You don't even like your older brother, and have said multiple times you want nothing to do with him, so why are you transferring to his garrison?"

"Because I am?" Ryo starred, knowing full well the answer was far from ideal, yet they'd both caught him off guard, showing up as they did. "And I haven't even received word that my transfer's gone through."

"He abandoned you," she said firmly.

"Yup. A proper yamato nadeshiko serving the Shirogane family," Ryo sighed. "Yukiko-san."

"Your older brother abandoned you," she said firmly, "Just like your father did, but he abandoned you for another kid, that Keith you're always complaining about."

"Keith," Ryo let out a sigh. Both hands were now covering his tablet, not wanting either of them to see the email, to the point he didn't dare move his hands to close said email. He then said, "I don't need to be protected from that. I don't want to be protected from that."

"Hey, Yukiko," the other cousin said. "Could I possibly talk to Ryo-sama alone?"

Her eyes blinked, and she nodded her head, but not without looking after disappointment—she was known for taking her duties a bit too seriously, but then—Ryo sighed. "Would you let her know I'm not abandoning the family, Atsushi, that I do plan on coming back? And could you not call me that?"

"Her words weren't off base, though. You've been even more pissed with Takashi ever since you learned about Keith, but if you transfer—no, do the transfer as we both know that it's going to go through, you're going to have to deal with both of them, right?"

Ryo grimaced. "You didn't answer regarding calling me that."

"And you're trying to evade the subject, but if we must, you know that Yukiko takes her duties seriously."

"Really, I'm not...." Ryo sighed.

"What I don't understand is that you seem happy about transferring, despite the fact you'll be dealing with both of them. What's up with that?"

"That?" Ryo looked down at his tablet, still covered by his hands. "I admit I'm not looking forward to seeing Takashi, but Keith—I'm fine with that. Really."

"Really? The kid who Yukiko is convinced your brother used to replace you, yet you're convinced he used to replace...." The other slowed. "And just to let you know, she's not ticked off with you because you're transferring to the same garrison as your brother. It's because you didn't tell her. You didn't tell either one of us, despite our positions in the family."

"Yukiko doesn't have to prove herself, though, to anyone in the family, least of all me."

"That's not quite true, and you're avoiding my question."

"Not quite true?"

"The person she's needing to prove something to is herself," Atsushi folded his arms. "And what about Keith? Suddenly you're happy about that situation? Takashi sempai after all..."

"Keith isn't at fault for Takashi's actions. And, when it comes to Keith, I really have to handle that situation on my own, without interference. And I do need to handle it, which is why I'm going. I can't just leave it as is." Ryo frowned. "That said, how did you Yukiko find out about my transfer? As I said, I've not even received confirmation on that matter."

"Student council. You were slated to replace the president when he graduated, apparently, and now he's having to think of who to choose instead. But then word spread. It's spreading through the entire garrison, and everyone's talking about how we're losing our top pilot to the American garrison, just like we lost your older brother despite the fact he never attended this garrison."

"My business isn't anybody else's business."

"Says the person who's made a name for himself in the pop idol industry just to break from family tradition. And what about that?"

"I'm taking a temporary break. That my manager already knows about."

"But not the transfer."

"Not the transfer."

"Seriously, did anybody know?"

Ryo closed his mouth, pulling his tablet towards him. "I told you, I'd said what I wanted to say right now regarding the matter."

Atsushi sighed. "Fine. You still should have told us."

"You might not have talked me out of it, but she certainly would have, and as I said, this is what I want to say regarding the matter at this point," Ryo frowned. "If the student council president is getting upset, then that means...."

"The transfer's gone through despite not letting you know yet? Probably."

Ryo let out a sigh, waving Atsushi away. "I'd like to be left alone."

"Particularly since there's no telling when your fan club is going to show up demanding answers you're obviously not going to give."

"I'll lie and tell them it's because I want to see Takashi." Ryo waved at him. When his cousin left, he removed his hands from the tablet; he looked at the email one Sam Holt sent him under the guise of an extracurricular project.

Instead, he saw a picture, and under the photo, Sam wrote, "This is Keith. I think just looking at the picture, you'll be able to determine the truth for yourself, but what you'll do with that information is up to yourself."

The truth was why he was going to transfer. It was why he needed to, but closing the email, he saw the message regarding his transfer had come through. Ryo took a deep breath, his fingers moving to open the message.