Down Memory Lane - Voltron

Chapter 14 - The Tunnel, Part 3

/* Please let me know how I can fix my writing, I really want to improve.  Thanks! */

Pidge's POV

Pidge fights the panic as on-by-one all of her friends disappear. Keith, then Lance, then Hunk, then Allura. All that she has left is Shiro, and she clings desperately to him. Shiro for his part, is carrying her as she encourages him to keep going. She's small enough that she doesn't think she weighs much to the big man.

Suddenly the solid form beneath her drops. She falls with it, but lands heavily on the stone ground. Her cheek and palms sting from where they hit the ground. Shiro is gone, too. She screams and strikes the ground angrily. The pain in her fist comforts her; she deserves this. Once again, she couldn't protect her friends. Her family.

She imagines she hears Keith's voice, encouraging her. You're the Green Paladin; you can do this.

She imagines the voices of all her friends pushing her to keep going. When she gets out of here; Pidge is gonna hop in the Green Lion and force the Entity to give back her family. To do that she has to keep going.

You got this, Pidge! We believe in you, Hunk says. You're the smartest person I know; don't give up, Lance comments. Don't let your fear drag you down; let it boost you to do more, Shiro advises her. She does just that; she rounds up her fears and uses them as fuel. You are a true Paladin. You do not give up in the face of adversity, Allura says. Allura is correct; Pidge will never give up, will never let her friends fall prey to an enemy without her doing her best to save them. And she WILL save them.

Pidge treks on forever. When her determination wears thin and doubt begins to creep in, her friends are there to support her. Suddenly the ground gives way beneath her, and she's hurtling into the ground. This must be what happened to the others, Pidge thinks, as she screams in terror. A bright light encases her, and she squeezes her eyes tight.

Instead of hitting the hard ground like she expected, soft arms grab her and arrest her fall. Pidge clings tightly to her savior, not caring who it is. Familiar voices sound around her, and she's soon encased between people.

"Pidge," Hunk says gently. She peels her eyes open to see that she is indeed wrapped in her best friend's arms. Tears drip down her face as she takes stock of the situation. Everyone is there: Hunk, Lance, Keith, Allura, Shiro. Pidge cries harder has she hugs them all.

"Relax, we're all here," Lance soothes. Pidge takes a deep breath and steps away from her amazing buddies. She gazes at the room noting the pillows and rugs and the purple octopus sitting along the wall. Wait, purple octopus?

Hello, Pidge. I am the entity of the cave. The octopus speaks. Like actually speaks, even though Pidge can't see a mouth. I speak my thought by projecting them into the air. And no, I can't read minds; Lance asked the same question earlier and I saw the look on your face.

Pidge cracks a tentative smile as she giggles at the exasperated red paladin. Pidge looks to her friends and notices the glowing orb resting in Keith's arms.

"You got the Pearl!" she exclaims. Keith beams at her.

"Yup. And I'm not letting this one go," he says, aiming a stink eye at the octopus.

Haha. Wouldn't dream of it. The games and trials are over. You are the only team to pass all of the trials. You are welcome to take the treasure. You are a good team, and you have an excellent chance to succeed in your ventures.

The team thanks it.

"Wait, so that's it? Will the planet be safe?" Pidge asks, looking at everyone.

"The Entity explained everything to me. The Bahrirans were lying; there have been no seismic disruptions. Rillou Kani has been sending people to the mountain for years, trying to steal the Pearl for years. He wants the power of the Pearl for his own uses," Keith explains.

The Black Paladin is correct. Do not be angry with the Bahirians, though. Tell them what their leader is trying to do, and they will react, the Entity agrees.

"What is he trying to do?" Pidge wonders.

A Turian Pearl is a very rare item. Rillou Kani lured you here to sell you to the Galra in return for security. He does not know about the Pearl beyond the legends; it was a ruse to buy him time while the Galra come. Little does he know that Zarkon will not live up to his end of the bargain.

"We need to get out of here now, then. The Galra might already be here," Hunk says. They are not yet here; I would be able to sense them. You do need to leave now, though. Just follow the tunnel out. The octopus gestures with one of its tentacles toward an opening on the side of the room. This tunnel doesn't seem to be dark or sinister, instead it's well-lit. Still Pidge and the others hesitate.

I promise the trials are over. You will exit the cavern and be outside. Your lions are waiting for you.

The paladins link hands once again, but Keith takes the lead this time, reversing the order of the team. Pidge is grateful, and her heart eases when she realizes her friends have her covered.

They walk together through what is hopefully the last door in the cavern. A short stroll later, and they are outside. Actually outside. For the first time ever, Pidge is happy to be outside. She takes a deep breath and races to her lion. The others follow suit and soon they are back in the city.