τHΣ ϢΔRRIΟR ϢIτH ϢIͶGς

fall of the castle of lions

for some reason, rhys was told last dobosh about the celebration that would be going on. allura was quite excited when rambling on about it to her, how the arusians would be able to walk in and out throughout the festivities, and while the commander frowned at the lack of security measures, there wasn't much she could do.

allura was on too much of a cloud nine to think of all the risks that could come with this, and despite being much older (biologically) and way more experienced than the princess when it came to anything like this, she really didn't want to argue with allura.

sighing, rhys takes a glass of nunvil, shooting it back quickly and earning a shocked and disgusted look from keith. "how can you drink that?"

"i have drank nunvil many times in my years. the taste has become null after so long."

the boy nods slowly, smiling a bit after allura and the king of the arusians give their little speech of being allies, but their attention goes to hunk when he walks over to them.

"we ought to get something like that," the boy states, confusing them.

"like what?"

"you know, like, a cheer. like, a team cheer that we do."

"how about... i say 'vol', and you say 'tron.' vol!" lance starts, expecting an answer, followed up by keith asking, "uh... voltron?"

"no! no, no, no. the cheer includes the instructions. i say 'vol' and you say..." he looks to the alien hopefully, a gleam in his eyes, but she just deadpans at him.

"i do not know of your human customs or phrases, lance."

the boy groans, having not gotten what he wanted from either of them, and he takes a sip of his nunvil, only to grimace and flip out from the taste.

"yes, that is what happens when most people drink nunvil for the first time." the commander takes the cup from his hand, downing the alcohol quickly as the other two observe lance, who gets knocked over at the slightest touch from keith.

chuckling, she helps the young boy off the ground. they three look to her in shock, making her raise an eyebrow. "what is it?"

"you just... laughed!" hunk exclaims, shocked beyond belief, and she rolls her eyes.

"i do have emotions, for your information. i was just drilled from a young age not to allow people i don't fully trust to see them that often. it is considered weak among my people to be an emotionally expressive person, especially if one is female." the three listen intently, eyes wide. keith then raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"wait, why? and what do you mean by especially if they're a female?"

"as i explained to lance, my race is made up of born and bred warriors. we are trained from very young ages to fight, survive, and kill when we have to. it is brutal, and the training can go on for centuries, considering each of us is practically immortal until we become too old and fade from existence. and, i mean that females are looked down upon by many idiotic males in our society back home. in the centuries that my queen has been our monarch, though, we have become better about it."

they all had become eerily silent in her explanation, but nod when she finishes.

"wait, how old are you, then?" hunk pipes up, confusion on his face.

"i am 538 decaphoebs. according to pidge, i believe that in your human terms, i am 538 years old."

their jaws drop, eyes growing so wide they almost take over their faces.