We are the Warriors ~ Voltron Next Gen (Book 1)

How Do You Really Feel?

I jolted upright in the bed, then sighed and fell back onto to pillow with a thump. I rolled over and looked out the balcony doors. There were three moons, one pink, one bright blue, and the other banana yellow. The brilliant and stunning view of the stars didn't make me feel any better.

As you remember, I agreed for my friends and I stay on Whokia for the night to get some rest. It had been over 16 hours since we last slept after all. I didn't exactly like it, in fact, I was very much against it. We didn't- No, scratch that -our parents didn't have time for this. However, I was very tired, and my body didn't have enough energy to protest.

We had decided to accept the royal family's invitation and stay in the castle. The bedrooms were rounder in shape, with simple, yet elegant decorations and furniture. I'd picked the simplest of the rooms, so all my room had was a light teal dresser, bed, and big window. The sheets and blankets were so soft, I wondered if they were made of giant flower petals.

My cheeks were stained with tears, but not from the pain in my leg this time.

My bad knee ached and panged, but I just pushed it away. Or at least tried to. I can't, because it's attached to me. "Knock it off. I really don't need this from you right now."

Thor jumped up on the bed and licked my face. I sadly rubbed his head with one hand as I tried to dry the tears on my face with the other.

I almost expected- wanted- my Dad to come in and comfort me. Give me his loving, even though sometimes one-armed, hug. My thoughts drifted to Mom, and the day before when I had yelled at her. I was still really mad, not as much, but still. Dad, and Uncle Keith, and all my other Aunts and Uncles.........

I let out a small sob as tears streamed down my face and I pulled my knees to my chest. Thor came over and gently pushed his head under my arm and onto my lap.

After a minute of sitting in depressed silence, I got up to take a walk, try clearing my head a little bit. I walked down the hall a little, huge blanket wrapped around me, and found an empty room with a balcony. I plopped down, crosslegged,  and sighed. Thor slumped down next to me with whine.

"Trouble sleeping?"

I leapt to my feet, and whipping out a katana, turning to face-

Oh, it was just Edar.

I relaxed and put away the katana. "Oh, Edar- it's just you. Don't sneak up on me like that, you could've been impaled." 

He apologized, "Won't happen again, Sky. Did I get your name right?"

I nodded. 

He said nothing.

And let the awkward silence commence.............. This was so...........Ugh. I mean, the sight of me in P.J.s, holding a katana threateningly, and with red most likely tear stained eyes was probably a startling to Edar. Oh, what a Quiznacking mess.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Are you feeling alright?"

I plopped down in my crosslegged position again. "Define alright."

He sat down next to me, knees out, leaning back on his hands. "What's bugging you?"

I looked at him. "How did you know?"

"Well........." he winced slightly, like he didn't want to hurt my feelings. "It's a little obvious, I mean, you're not sleeping, you almost ran your sword through me, and-" He cringed. "Your eyes look a tiny bit like you've been crying."

I groaned. "Quiznackles. Well, you're not wrong."

Edar shrugged and turned his gaze to the starry night sky above us. "It's fine. I won't tell anyone." He turned back to me. "So............Why were you crying?"

That did it. This whole time I had been doing everything I could to hold together the dam that was keeping my emotions away from everyone and everything, but when Edar said those words, I broke down and told him everything. The day before when I had yelled at my mom, leaving the Atlas and my parents, the nightmare I'd just had, all of it.

He was a good listener. Gave me his undivided attention, didn't ask any questions or interrupt, it was really nice.

I talked for maybe half an hour, possibly longer. When I finally finished, Edar said, "Sounds like your feelings are a real mess right now."

I let out a small, nervous laugh. "You have no idea."

"Actually," He fully turned his body to me, know on knees. "I might be able to." 

I don't know what my face I made when he said that, but it must have been really embarrassing and weird.

"If you'll let me," Edar added quickly.

I sighed. "Well, I got nothing to lose. Go ahead."

He reached a hand out. "I'll have to touch you."

My eyebrows shot up.

"It work if I don't," he told me, "Just your shoulder, I promise. You can keep the blanket on."

"Fine," I said, my eyebrows still in the air, "But don't forget-" I took my H-shaped thing, and held it close to his face, "I'm armed."

"I will keep that in mind." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Now I need you think of those memories. It helps if you close your eyes."

I breathed in deeply. "Here goes nuthin'......." and closed my eyes

I thought of the memories, oldest to newest, and when I finished, I opened my eyes. They stung and were watering.

I sucked in my breath, having a hard time swallowing. Edar's face was painted with pity. Awh, crud.

"I understand why you're confused about your feelings," He said, "When you yelled at your mom, you weren't angry, at least not at her."

I blinked. "What are you talking about? I was angry at her!" My head jerked in his direction. "Wasn't I?"

"Not at her no," he told me, "You felt she didn't deserve to feel that sadness, so you were angry at whoever made her feel that way."

I gave it some deep thought. Was that really how had I felt when I'd yelled at Mom? 

Now that I looked back on it with Edar's insight, he was right. I did feel that Mom didn't deserve to feel so sad about me and my stupid crippled leg.

"You're right," I whispered, "That's exactly how I felt...........How I still feel............" Then I realized the context of the situation. "Wait a minute, Shut the front door!" My eyes widened. "How did you know that?!?!!?"

"My kind can sense what others are feeling by touching them. It's an ability that has been passed down through generations," He answered simply.

"So...........you can read minds?!?!?'"

Edar winced. "Not exactly. We can't hear or read others thoughts, we can just see their emotions, and only if they let us."

"See?"

"When you thought of your memories, I could see the emotions you were feeling," Edar eleborated, "They kinda show up like colors and tint the image. It's much more detailed and specific than words."

"So, you can see and understand the colors?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered, "There's a bit of a code to it, I mean, each emotion has it's own color."

"Oh, so like red for anger, or blue for sad?"

Edar nodded.

"That's............" I trailed off. "Amazing." I continued after a pause. "I mean, you understood exactly how I felt in that moment, how I feel right now, and even I didn't know how I was really feeling."

Then it hit me. Like a brick on the back of my head.

I groaned. "Oh, no."

Edar asked what was wrong.

"I'm the worst daughter in the universe," I told him, "My Mom probably got killed when we left the Atlas, and what if she died thinking I hated her?"

Edar shrugged. "I have a hard time believing that. If she's is anything like you, I think your mother is still alive and coming to look for you."

My face and neck got so hot it nearly burned me.