As Cold as Fire [VOLTRON Keith X OC]

Crystal Venom

King Alfor held out his hand, and I took it hesitantly. Around us was Altea, but not the Altea Allura or many others knew of. Around us was a poorer, dirtier, less perfect Altea, with graffiti popping out on the streets and young girls and boys running around in the same Altean beautiful clothing, only with plasters littering their skin. My best friend Tara was there, but a lot, lot younger. She rolled up her sleeves with a gap toothed grin.

"Hey Riles," she said. Alfor looked down at me and suddenly he was tall, so tall I could hardly make out the top of his head, and I realised with a jolt it was me who was shorter, and also younger.

I was on the floor with scraped knees, and I was going to take his hand, only to realise it was actually Tara's hand.

"Are you alright?"

I inspected myself and nodded. I remembered this day.

"That was hilarious."

I rolled my eyes and shoved her shoulder playfully, telling her it wasn't.

"Come on, take my hand! We gotta look out for each other down here, kay?"

I took her hand and smiled, rubbing my sore knees. This was Altea, Altea in the town with the highest crime rate- Zilkas. Tara's hometown. The royal family knew about the conditions here of course, and how it was also like this in a small few other places, but said there were more pressing matters, like protesters on the streets, alliances to make, alliances to break, and so on.

I would come here every few weeks, even though it was very far away from the castle. I had met Tara when we were little, when I had run away again and gotten lost. Somehow I ended up all the way in Zilkas, where after a few days of fun, Tara showed me how to get back home- not that I wanted to get back.

She taught me how to throw a punch or two, and I taught her how to do her hair- being a princess had its benefits. I loved the way she wore bandages around her wrists and being the kid I was, copied them, only to still wear them to this day. Only later did I discover her real reason for doing so.

But for the last three years I hadn't been able to see her, and as Alfor went on more adventures he left his servants- who managed to keep a much better eye on me. Still, we would write letters or talk on devices I'd stolen and shipped to her house from the castle.

BOOM. Suddenly blazing orange balls of fire crashed into the ground. I looked at Tara who always knew what to do, and for the first time, her eyes were wide and glassy with fear. She wasn't young anymore, but how I last saw her. Fifteen years old, with tanned olive skin and brown choppy hair that was tied in a low ponytail with loose strands falling all over her face.

Her altean markings were a similar deep green to her eyes, and there was a small scar on her lips. Freckles decorated the bridge of her nose and her shoulders. She was starkly beautiful, though she refused to admit it, and had soft features that somehow still resembled strength.

"What's happening Riles?" her confident voice quivered. I opened my mouth to reply but couldn't. I blinked, and then she wasn't there, only King Alfor remained in a dark wasteland.

Tara was gone.

Tara was gone.

Gone.

"Uh- Riley?! Rileyyy?"

I woke up disoriented from the frustrated voice whispering in my ear. When I finally bothered to open my eyes, I almost screamed.

Pidge's face was less than an inch away from mine, and bright red too.

"Pidge, what the quiznak? It's-" I glanced at the clock, "-two fucking am!"