Finding Hope ~ [Voltron WA 2018]

Chapter 22: Keith's Gone, and Your Dead

Pidge saw Keith less and less. He kept leaving on missions with the blades. She missed having him around he was like a brother and a brother she could count on to stay up all night with her if needed. Now she would wander the halls alone. She didn't want to wake anyone up either due to them all not getting their fair amount of sleep either. Keith was a night owl she didn't need to wake him up, he was just always there. She missed it. 

Tonight was different she was wondering the halls when she heard him speaking to her. She followed his voice tell she came to the training room. There he was standing in the middle of the training deck facing away from her. "Keith?" She inquired. He turned to face her holding his Bayard in his hand. The sword shown in the light. "You think I'm a monster. don't you." Her heart felt like it had turned to ice. Yes, it was Keith, but it was no longer his voice it was Zarkons deep and raspy one. But that's not possible, she thought he's dead. She put her hands to her head. It was fake she knew it was fake, but she also knew it could be dangerous, She has almost died once because of this. Her heart speeded up a little faster as Keith approached her, an evil smile on his face.

"You're not real, I know you're not! Keith left" she choked on her words then continued "He's with the Blades now, he's no longer a paladin."  tears now streaming down her cheeks. Keith had left to join the blades earlier that day, it was unexpected, and it hurt Pidge, she expected him to at least give her more than a five minutes notice before taking off with his new buddy's, she knew it was stupid and even selfish for that matter but she didn't want to accept the possibility that she might never see him again.  

"Really?" Said fake Keith "Really!" She tried to sound brave but failed he charged, and she ran. That was all she could do, yes it wasn't Keith but it sure looked like him, and she didn't want to be hunted with the fact that they flighted to the death. She ran out of the room into the dark hallways of the castle ship. She knew her way through the halls very well and skidded to a halt behind a big whiteboard that she used as a barricade. "My pet, where did you go?" came Zarkons evil voice. Silence fell, and she wondered if it was over that her head was done playing with her, she was wrong. Keith's sword plunged through the barricade making contact with her pajamas making a gaping hole in them. Pidge knew that wasn't fake she felt the ice cold melt run up agents her bare skin, she took off running once more with her heart beating in her ears.

"My paladin, what's wrong? let me help, My paladin!" Came her Lions very concerned voice. "Shiro" she shoved the thought to her lion, she knew he would be the best to help, and he knew that he now piloted the Black Lion once more and that the Voltron bond would reach him. A slit thought of this being some weird game of telephone, and she prayed that the message would get there in the right order

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"Paladin, you must awake, Paladin." "Can't it wait?" he was tired and had just fallen asleep, sleep was so precise to him, between missions, nightmares and pure worry he didn't sleep much. "I would not wake you if it were not urgent, it is Greens paladin, she is crying out to you" Shiro sat straight up. "Crying out? What? How? and how do you know?" He questioned out loud. A deep rumble of comfort came to him. "Me and my sisters are one, we form Voltron with our ponds, with both paladin and sister, not just through gears and levers" Shiro nodded as he walked out of his room, letting Black guide him.

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"You can't hide forever, come out come out where ever you are." Came the insulting voice of the former Galra Emperor. Her heart was racing unconvertable fast. She was now hiding behind Hunks chair on the bridge. She breathed hard wondering how she could get to Shiro's room. When Keith jumped out ready to fight. She had no choice, she was cornered. She went on defense rather than attack, she blocked his punches and kicks, his sword had disappeared so that he could fight with his hands. "Your fake! you can't hurt me!" She yelled. Which landed her a solid punch in the face, she tasted blood. "ow!" Now she was even more scared, "How is it possible?" she thought aloud putting her hand to her cheek she felt it starting to swell, she ducked as he swung another punch, she knew a punch wouldn't get her anywhere with her wrists, so instead, she kicked him off his feet. He fell with a loud 'thud.' She took off running out the door and back into the dark hallway. She could hear Zarkons voice cursing not far behind her, she looked back to see Keith angry face as he charged at her, she ran harder, around corners though rooms and staircases but he was always right behind her. When she was about ready to give up, she ran into Shiro, literally ran into him as she rounded a corner she hit him then the ground with a 'splat.'