Time Moves On (Langst)

Just Children

Snow covered the castles exterior early in the morning. At least it was a snow like substance, it had all the same qualities except for the fact that it was tinted a dark shade of pink. The castle of lions was currently residing on a small planet that resembled Altea with its rings circling the planet. It was currently winter where they had landed but was still rather warm, at least to Pidge and Shiro. Everyone else on the team had grown up in hot climates so this was cold and left goosebumps across any exposed skin. There were two suns on adjacent sides of the planet meaning their seasons were half the length but appeared twice a year. They had just liberated the people of this planet and were talking to their 5 leaders. Unlike many of the other planets they had come across this planets people decided to decide the rulers power equally between five. They had taken quite a liking to Shiro and Allura when they first talked to them. The people greatly respected those of a traumatizing past and therefore listened intently to what all the paladins said. The Eurooni as they were called had the unique ability to sense how the course of ones past changed them without even needing to know what happened in the past. Why is it that every time Lance comes across an alien they can sense his depression like please just let him sulk in peace. Coran decided to leave the ship to see the snow. According to him it was his favourite back on Altea. Everyone was quite enjoying themselves. Hunk was buying ingredients for new foods insisting that he pay when they offered it for free. Pidge and Keith were talking to the locals, Coran was sitting calmly on a hill with some meditators. The poor guy needs it with the castle breaking down every ten seconds. Lance had found a group of children to play with making snow aliens that looked surprisingly similar to snowmen and laying on the ground making snow angels. These aliens also had cameras (come on at some point they would have found a civilization with cameras) and teenagers. Although the teenagers weren't angst you little things but rather rays of pure sunshine if they went anywhere near Keith he probably would have burnt his pale skin ha. They had polaroid cameras and were asking the paladins for photos to which they all eagerly accepted and asked to have a copy of for themselves. By the end of the night when everyone was getting ready to go back to the ship (Lance had some frostbite from falling asleep with the kiddos in the snow) everyone had at least 5 polaroid picture and the Eurooni had been kind enough to give one of their cameras to the princess. Everyone was in high hopes and spirits as they boarded the castleship.

"Man I remember these from when I was a kid." Said Shiro. Coran winked and looked at him brightly.

"Oh these must be very old on earth."

"Well not really no." Shiro continued speaking as his floof moved a little with every tilt of his head. "They did have them ten years ago however." Allura peaked up at this point, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to ask the paladins how old they were.

"Shiro if you don't mind, how old are you?"

"It's quite alright princess and I am 25 years old."

"Hmm and what about the rest of you paladins?"

"I'm seventeen"-Lance
"So am I"-Hunk
"I'm eighteen"-Keith
"I'm fifteen. Or sixteen depending on how long we have been up here. Honestly I'm not to sure."-Pidge

"Coran? Can you transfer those to Altean aging?"

"Yes princess just wait a tic.. ahah! Oh my..."

"Coran what is it? Is something wrong?"

"Well I must of miscalculated this says that they are all... children."

Hunk spoke up to assure Coran his calculations weren't faulty. "No that's correct all of us but Shiro are teenagers. And he is a young adult."

"Coran! I've been sending children to war! I'm a terrible leader how can I betray my team like this?"

"Princess," Lance's tone was smooth despite the situation "first of all you did not know. You are a wonderful leader who hasn't given herself time to grieve of her lost home for the sake of others. We chose this. We chose to protect our planet and many others. You did not push anything upon us. You can't blame yourself for this you didn't know." Allura sombrely walked to Lance's open arms and laid her head on his shoulder weeping.