A Pain Too Great (Shidge/Klance AU)

15- Another Fight

The two were ushered into the box room like before and handed their bayards. "Is this going to be an everyday thing?" Pidge asked the brothers.

"No. You won't have one everyday. After today it'll be twice every earth week. Do you understand that or do I need to put it in Altean terms?" Peggle said, watching the two walk to the entrance of the arena. Pidge shook her head.

"Earth terms is fine, but Altean is okay too," she said. The older brother walked up to them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"My son was watching yesterday. He thought you two were cool and evenly powered. Don't disappoint him," Peggle said with a glare. He must have been upset because his son had began to favorite two humans over other gladiators based on one match. 

Shiro nodded. "We won't, right Katie?" he said looking at the younger teen. She smiled and answered, "yeah. Can't disappoint the fans!" With a bright face the paladins entered the ring and Pidge waved at the onlookers, who cheered louder at the sight of them.

"Shiro wave. Somewhere in the crowd is grape's son and other fans of ours! At least smile and wave," she said in slight disappointment that she was the only one enjoying the role. Shiro held his serious expression.

"Pidge, this isn't some game. Each fight is a live or die situation. You or me could get seriously hurt!" he lectured her. Her thoughts from yesterday reappeared. Shiro might see her more as a daughter, and the more she thought about it, the more reasons why he would pop up.

"Oh just relax for once!" the green paladin cheerfully said, nudging him with her elbow, "after the first one, we should know we have each others backs, and with Allura's training, we have a high percentage of winning. Plus we have our bayards! ...Wait, did you just call me Pidge?"

Shiro froze. Did he? Suddenly a voice boomed over all the cheers, "Let the match between Frozen Knife and Beast with his Beauty begin!" Lotor sat in the same spot as before, peering down at them like they were guinea pigs. Shiro still didn't like the Galra prince.

"I wonder what Frozen Knife is like," Pidge whispered to herself as the doors on the opposite side squeaked opened. When it was fully opened, no one stepped out. It was just a dark void with who knows what laying inside.

Suddenly a boot-covered foot stepped out into the light, followed by a boy probably around eighteen, dragging along a unconscious Galra with a ice-covered blade for a hand. With one quick toss, the boy discarded the Galra on the ground. The teen had pointy ears, extremely light brown hair with white streaks, and white triangles under his eyes.

The teenager was Altean. Shiro and Pidge stared in disbelief. "Frozen Knife has been defeated before he even stepped out onto the arena!? A new person seems to have taken his place too! Guards who is he?" Lotor explained, confused as in who the male was. One of his guards bent over and whispered something to him.

The Altean teen smiled before approaching the paladins. "I only want one thing," the boy started and pointed at Shiro and Pidge, "to fight them." Who was this guy even? Why did he want to fight them?

"Interesting...," Lotor mumbled. "I will grant your wish, stranger. Though, you have to state your name!" The Altean teen seemed to falter at this, as if he didn't want to say his name.

"I'm Ivairan, just Ivairan," the boy said, not looking away from the pair in the arena. 

(Ivairan's name is I-vair-an. I as in I, vair like fair but with a v, and an like on. Wanted to put that so people knew.)

"It looks like we have a new challenger against Beast and Beauty!" someone from the crowd cheered, soon others joined. Their new challenger was Altean, young, and came from no where with everyone okay with it. Was this a normal day here at the Galra prison?

The crowd was quieted by Lotor and he announced the beginning of the new match. Ivairan had no weapons in sight, but he still charged at Pidge and Shiro like the boy had a plan. Without exchanging a word, the two teammates split up and went behind two pillars across from each other.

"Ivairan, was it? You're Altean, right? Why are you here?" Shiro called out from his pillar.

"Yeah do you know an Allura or Coran? Wait it's been 10,000 years since they was put to sleep, nevermind. Well unless Altean's live extremely long lifetimes, which I haven't heard Allura say," Pidge rambled.

The alien teen didn't answer, he just ran around the pillar Shiro hid behind. Ivairan kicked Shiro in his gut and whipped out a strange weapon that was a cross between a small stringless mechanical bow and a dual-sided knife from his shirt. He sliced at Shiro, but Shiro dodged. Ivairan tried over and over to hit Shiro.

From across the ring, Pidge got an idea. She waited till Shiro was behind the pillar next to his original hiding spot and the Altean boy was between the two now-fixed pillars. She aimed her bayard at him before wrapping her grappling hook around his waist and pulling him to her side.

He shouted as the grappling hook came flying back to Pidge, dragging him with it. When he reached her side, his blade accidentally skimmed her leg. The green paladin gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the pain. She unwrapped the Altean boy and used her bayard to stun the dizzy male. "Sorry, you just weren't ready to take both of us..." she apologized.

Shiro rushed over and looked down at Ivairan. "That was easy... How did this guy defeat Frozen Knife?" Pidge shrugged and nudged the Altean's body. He glared at her, half conscious.

"How does it feel to be beaten by a eighteen-year-old?" Pidge said with a cocky smile. The teen considered what she said for a moment.

"Who said you beat me?" Ivairan smiled as Pidge suddenly felt lightheaded. "Let me tell you something about my blade. It's covered in Loyds, mystical flowers that can send someone into a dream world for a few hours. If we were in a real battle, I would be back on my feet faster than you would." Pidge couldn't understand the last sentence the boy spouted as she began to feel dizzy.

Shiro had to catch her as she nearly fainted onto the ground. The crowd, not knowing what had come over her, silenced. "What a fancy tool you have there," Shiro said, backing away from the teen and raised his voice for the crowd to hear, "But today, Katie won." His voice bounced off the walls, becoming louder then attended, but the crowd erupted in cheers and laughter. It was a quick fight, but an interesting and misunderstood one.

Season 3 is so close! I'm excited and don't wanna sleep XD

ThatOneServant out!