Paladins of the Elements

Chapter 12: Enter the Galran Prince

Keith was in the training room, using his sword bayard to cut down the training robots as they approached. He had been in there for a while, but he wasn't backing down. Just as he slashed another bot, he heard a familiar voice yelling.

"End Training Sequence!" He turns to see Lance standing in the doorway of the training deck.

"What do you want Lance?" Keith asked annoyed while wiping sweat from his brow.

"I came to tell you that the team in meeting in the luge to discuss what we do until Shiro wakes up." Lance replied as he walked up to the Red Paladin. "And to check on you. You kind of blew up at everyone at the dinner." He said.

"I'm fine." Keith growled. "I'll join you guys later, and I don't you to babysit me." He adds annoyed.

"Says the guy who was so blinded by his rage, he didn't noticed the training bot behind him about to take his head off." Lance scoffed. Keith looked behind him to see said bot on the deck floor. "Now come on. The others are waiting for us, and I think it's about time you took a break." He says and walks out of the room. Keith reluctantly follows.

They join up with the rest of their fellow Paladins and resident Alteans in the lounge. They were unsure what to do without Shiro to help lead them, they were honestly at a loss. They were considering getting a new Paladin, but that was going to be hard.

"Keith, you piloted the Black Lion before, to save Shiro. Perhaps you're the one." Coran suggested. Keith just looked away at the suggestion.

"Keith would be the worst leader of Voltron." Lance reprimanded the idea.

"Yeah, we all have our thing." Pidge joined in. "Keith's the loner. I'm the brain. Hunk's the nice one. Allura's the decision maker. Coran's the wise old guy. And Lance is the goofball." She listed off.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly. Totally right- Wait a minute." Lance started to agree, then realized what she said. "I'm not a goofball! I'm like the cool ninja sharpshooter." He says. "Plus I'm sort of the team healer now as well." He added.

"Seriously?" Keith scoffs light-heartedly.

"I'm being completely serious when I say, I do not want you to lead me anywhere. Do you know how many times I've had to heal you?!" The Blue Paladin rebuffs.

"I don't want to be the leader! That's just what Shiro suggested!" Keith yells back, but freezes when he realizes he just spilled the beans.

"What, are you talking about?" Hunk asked with wide eyes. Keith didn't say anything in return.

"Shiro wanted you to lead us if anything happened to him, didn't he?" Pidge says.

"Well, I never heard Shiro say that, and how convenient that you're bringing it up now, when Shiro is out of commission." Lance scoffed.

"You want the job so badly, you can have it." Keith said dismissively.

"Now, now, hang on. I've called the head since day one." Hunk interjected.

"What about me? I'm the one who picked up on the radio waves that led us to Voltron in the first place." Pidge added.

"Hold your gazurgas, everyone!" Coran interrupted. "It's not our decision to make." He stated, and everyone calmed down.

"Besides, none of us can pilot the Black Lion." Lance added and everyone turned to him.

"What do you mean?" Hunk asked.

"Isn't it obvious, because we already have each have a Lion. We all already have an unbreakable bond with them. At this point we're too bonded to pilot another." He emphasized, and everyone looked down in thought. "Besides, Shiro is still here, just resting. That last battle took a lot out of all of us, especially him. I mean the guy summoned a freaking space storm. We just need to give him some time to recuperate. Until then, Shiro would want us to continue with our mission, even without him, and Voltron." He added and Allura smiles at him.