VOLTRON (VLD) The 8th Wheel

The Rift

angsty part of the fic, promise to get to the High School Drama Lotor™️ soon, just need to rescue this poor boy from the rift first, plus, I'm listening to sad angsty music while writing because dramatic
~ Lord Starscream

"Anyone else getting some serious haunted house vibes right now?"

"Feels more like, walking into the house of a psychopath, Hunk. Oh wait, that's exactly what we're doing!"

Allura sighed at what had to be Lance's fifth complaint about the subject of their newest mission.

"Lance, please." She grumbled, "I don't want to hear another word against this plan. I know you have strong feelings regarding our . . . victim, but I need you to cooperate right now."

Lance scoffed, fiddling his bayard in his palms, "It's not that I'm complaining, I'm just sayin this guy did try to kill us all! I'm just trying to figure out what the quiznak we're gonna do when we find him!"

"Ya," Hunk chimed in, a hint of nervousness in his voice, "I mean whose to say he's even still  saveable? It's been, like, three years since our battle in the Rift according to the Garrison."

It was true. She knew it was true. The paladins had apparently been absent from the universe for three whole years since Voltron fought Lotor's Sincline mech in the Rift. Worse off, in that time, the Galra had managed to wreak more havoc across the universe in Voltron's absence and proclaimed Earth as one of their targets. By the time team Voltron had answered the people of Earth's distress signal, it was already too late . . .

It had been almost two months since the IGF Atlas first transformed and fought alongside Voltron in a desperate effort to drive back Sendak's forces. Now, after saving Earth from apparent destruction, the Atlas, along with its crew, patrols the galaxy for more planets in need of being freed from the tyrannical rule of rogue Galra factions still plaguing the galaxy.

Allura had grown to enjoy spending time with the crew members of Earth's Galaxy Garrison team, and had learned much of Earth's culture and customs as a result. She had formed new relationships, participated in Earth politics regarding space, helped oversee spacecraft production, and even learned how to pilot certain portions of the IGF Atlas.

It was all such a new and exciting environment!  Finally, after 10,000 years of being unable to make a stand against evil, Allura felt as though she had made a difference. The paladins' families were reuniting, they had returned home after years in space, and even saved yet another entire planet that meant almost everything to her team. Everything was beginning to work itself out for the better, but the more she thought about it, the more Allura felt unsatisfied. Don't get her wrong, Allura enjoyed every second of the good fortune that had befallen her teammates and the Garrison crew but. . . something didn't feel right. Something felt out of place.

In fact that something hadn't let Allura's mind rest ever since she first accessed the quintessence field.

After Voltron's great victory on Earth, surrounded by the ones they loved, everyone was finally experiencing their happy endings.

All but one.

Allura still couldn't shake the sight of Prince Lotor - calm, collected, intelligent Prince Lotor - driven mad by the very substance that claimed the lives of both his parents almost 10,000 years ago.

It had all felt so wrong. History had repeated itself, and Allura was not simply going to stand there and watch this injustice happen.

"He can still be saved." Allura responded to Hunk's concern, "I can feel it."