Wings of Home II: Wings of Change

Towards the Future

The sun rose in a burst of colors over the desert landscape. None of those gathered outside of the entrance of the Castle of Lions knew how much their lives would change after the events of last night. Knowing life wouldn't be the same didn't mean reality had yet set in for any of those involved. In some ways, it felt like a dream. Keith turned his head so he didn't look at the others gathered around waiting for instructions regarding who would ride in each vehicle.

"Hey! How come Keith gets to ride shotgun with Shiro!"

Keith found himself pulled out of his stupor, his dark eyes looking at Shiro while his ears recognized who the voice belonged to. His eyes opened and closed, not realizing Lance alluded to the favoritism Keith normally found appalling. He spoke softly, without thinking. "I don't mind."

"Well, I do." Shiro folded his arms across his chest, giving his younger brother the look, which indicated he didn't care, yet this particular time Keith wasn't giving Shiro any flack. At least, he didn't think he was; he'd try and ask Shiro later.

"He's always your..." Something cut Lance off, making Keith look over at the scrawny Cuban who liked making his life miserable. Hunk stood beside Lance, but the chunky teen's eyes drew Lance's attention towards something which resulted in a rather horrified look. Keith turned his head, seeing Lance's very Cuban, and very not-annoying Aunt, yet couldn't place why the sight of Penelope made Lance act so.

"Perhaps it has to do with our very not-Cuban landlord who is very annoying yet not in a superbly obnoxious way? After all, that weirdo is standing next to Tia Penelope."

"Never mind." Lance's voice drew Keith back towards the youth who liked making his life miserable. Keith's eyes opened and closed, taking in the smile which spread across Lance's face along with the way Lance tucked his hands behind his back. Something felt off about the smile. "I'm totally fine about that."

"You're so being fake."

Keith's eyes blinked, turning his head so he might look at Lance's very Cuban, very not-annoying cousin – though Keith suspected Lance was the only very Cuban, very annoying member of that family. He mentally pondered why Alex said Lance was being fake, yet the concept of being fake wasn't something Keith honestly understood. Letting out a sigh, he turned his head away hoping he might avoid eye contact with everyone.

"How come I can't go?"

The sound of Allura's voice made Keith draw in his breath. His eyes opened and closed once, his head pulling back at the sound of the voice which he heard in his dreams the last few nights. His eyes opened and closed again, his head turning so he might look at the alien princess.

While Allura and her mentor were definitely humanoid, they didn't look like anyone on Earth. The way the dressed didn't look like anything Keith ever saw someone on Earth wear unless one was talking about a character from some fictional movie. Coran looked the most human, with pale skin, [blank] eyes and red hair normally associated with someone from Europe, particularly Ireland, yet his pointed ears still stood out.

Allura, on the other hand, would stand out even if she didn't have the pointed ears. She twisted a long lock of white hair around a finger, her dark lips forming a pout as Coran insisted, she wouldn't be allowed to go before turning her head so she could look Keith in the eye with her crystal blue eyes. He looked away, swallowing and feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Keith, we need to get going."

Keith's head darted up, his eyes focused now on his older brother, at least until Lance spoke. "Hey princess."

The young cadet stopped in his tracks, glancing over at Lance. His fellow cadet waved at Allura, making a rather strange face as he did so while Hunk – the other young cadet from Keith's year – looked at his best friend as if he'd grown a second head. Keith followed Lance's gaze and saw Allura reacting to Lance; she appeared quite annoyed at what Lance was doing, yet Keith didn't understand why beyond the fact the look on Lance's face was honestly weird.

After all, he couldn't figure out why Lance was raising an eyebrow in an attempt to suggest something – said something going right over Keith's head.

"Not now."

Keith heard Lance's older sister – Veronica – speak, but he winced upon looking back. The sudden yelp from Lance exemplified the sight of Veronica tugging on Lance's ear, indicating her younger brother should enter into the designated vehicle so they might head back to the garrison.

The thought of going back there of all places was far from pleasing, resulting in a sigh from Keith. He still remembered the interrogation from Sablan regarding the dreams which led to the finding of the Castle of Lions. In fact, interacting with almost everyone at the garrison wasn't something Keith found comfortable, yet Adam was no longer there. His eyes closed, only snapping open when Shiro called out to him.

"Keith!"

"Coming!"

Soon, the military vehicles kicked up dirt from the desert, the engines rumbling as the group returned to the garrison without Allura and Coran. For some strange reason, Keith felt – he couldn't describe how he felt, given the fact he really didn't understand why he found himself drawn to her and the Castle of Lions. He also grew more anxious they closer he got to the garrison, yet he associated this with the unpleasantness he already felt at the place.

"Not that it matters. Shiro's doing his best to raise me and Ryo now that dad's gone, but there's no other place to go." Except, there was the Castle of Lions, a place to go.

Keith repositioned himself in the front seat so he might watch their vehicle enter into the garrison garage. Reluctantly, he disembarked the vehicle.

"It's good to see you're back here."

Keith's entire body tensed up upon hearing the voice of Sablan.