Defenders of the Universe - SU/VLD (Adopted by jorge.Fuentes18)

Chapter 6: Welcome to the Jungle

"So... Altea is gone," Coran said in a tone of disbelief; trying his hardest to remain stoic towards the devastating news about his home planet.

"Everything Father and those before him have built... are now gone; our kingdom, our architecture, our people." Allura sobbed softly, with her cousin trying to console her to the best of his ability; equally distraught as well. "You, Lance and I are the last remnants of Altea."

While the Gems didn't say anything; Steven could tell from the expressions on Garnet's and Pearl's faces that they exactly knew what it was like to lose something to a similar extent.

Lion walked over to the Princess and stroked his head on her side, trying to get her attention. "What do you want?" Allura asked faintly, looking at the pink feline who nudges at her dress; trying to steer her over to her cryo-pod.

The faint sound of squeaking could be heard as Allura's head propped up and peers directly into the one-person chamber; discovering the tiny sounds coming from a quartet of mice. One of them was plump with greenish-gold fur. Two of the narrower ones appeared similar in size and body, with the difference being the colors of their coats. And the tiniest of the foursome was a mouse with a thin, blue fur, and eyes of the same color.

Allura's dismayed expressing changes to a slightly brighter one as she gazed at the tiny creature. "So, we aren't the last remnants of Altea," Allura said to herself as she kneeled to scoop up the cute rodents.

Steven and Connie found Lion bonding with both the Princess and the space mice to be adorable; where neither one of them couldn't help but say "Aww."

"Hey, these guys are kind of cute," Lance said as he looked at them; although the mice paid no attention to him in favor of his cousin.

Allura giggled to herself at the mice's attitude towards her cousin; before setting the four little creatures down, and they scurry over the Lion. The four rodents climbed up the gentle giant of a feline's forelegs all the way to his mane; where all of them find a proper spot and position to lie down and relax.

"Come, Princess, we need to get some food into you and Lance," Coran said to the two Altean's; placing his hands on their shoulders. "Those cryo-pods can leave you lacking in nutrition. You both need to have a proper meal."

"I'll eat later, Coran," Allura told her fellow Altean. "Right now, we need to make a plan to find the remaining lions."

"Allura, I want to find the lions as quick as possible too." Prince Lance began. "But Coran is right; we'll work better with full stomachs."

"We already have two Paladins for the Red and Blue Lion's," Allura stated as she looked at Steven and Connie; but gave Keith a sharp, unfriendly glare. "This will make finding the others easier and quicker; then I'll eat whatever you cook up, Coran." The Princess then turned to the rest of the group with a look of determination in her eyes. "If you'll all follow me, we can begin on our operation to take Zarkon and the Galra Empire down."

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The group follows Princess Allura, Prince Lance and their advisor, Coran, down the rest of the hallway; entering through a sliding door that takes them to what everyone assumes to be command center. Surrounding the entire chamber was a full window that gave a magnificent view of the rest of the planet.

Steven, Connie, and Matthew ran over to the windows to watch the Earth-like surface in wonder. "Look at all of that; it's so beautiful," Steven said as he continued staring at all the greens and blues.

"No kidding." Matthew agreed.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful as this," Connie added in with amazement.