Not Giving Up

Everyone is Upset!

Okay folks, things got crazy at the end of the year. I've hit a bit of a rut and am trying to get back to writing. So fingers crossed here!!

Meanwhile on Earth...

Lance slammed the door shut, huffing and growling. "Aye Dios! I can't do this. Honestly, I now understand why Keith was always so ANGRY! Seriously, everyone judges and loves to think the worst! I mean-have YOU heard what they are saying?! Have they forgotten how Keith is a paladin of Voltron. Working to save this whole damn planet and them on it?!?" Lance throws himself into a chair and folds his arms across his chest. Frowning he looks to Shiro for reassurance.

Shiro pats Lance's back, "Hey, it's okay. You just have to let it go. Deep breaths. We knew this is how it was going to be. We can't let it get to us."

Suddenly, the door slams open, with Hunk striding through it soon followed by Shay who quietly shuts it looking worriedly at her boyfriend. Hunk abruptly slams down a tray, "Cookies, eat up." He aggressively pulls back a chair and slams his body down in the seat, with a grunt.

Shiro blinks and stares at Hunk, "Hey bud, that's a lot of slamming going on, you okay, what's wrong?"

Hunk sighs, slowly working it out verbally, "What isn't. I'm...I'm sorry, I'm not usually so sensitive or negative," he rubs his face, continuing haltingly, "but, I really feel bad that everyone is hating on Keith and pitying or finding fault with Pidge. Neither of them deserve this or would approve. But no one even wants to know the truth." He looks to Shiro, Lance and even Shay, they just want to share the gossip. Laugh, comment, say what they think is going on! Everyone is so, so, so judgey and...and...it just makes me, well I guess sad." Hunk plops his head on the table.

Shay places her hand on his shoulder and patted his shoulder. "Hey, it is going to be okay. The only ones who matter, us, well, we know the truth. They know that. Their family knows. And we have their fronts."

Hunk let out a little laugh, pulling off his bandana, "You mean back, but you are right." He sighed, "I know. Really, I do, but, I just can't help but think...Keith is always cast as the bad boy, the guy who does the wrong thing, often causing others hurt. And I know he lashed out in the past, so people automatically accept that, he's bad, right?" Sighing he moans, "Oh man, it must his feelings hurt so much! And, and yet he always acts so strong and I...just wish I could help others see him. Like the caring Keith. The one that we know the one who he REALLY is!"

Shiro nods, "You hit it on the mark. It is tough to be always cast as a villain. But we KNOW, that is not the truth. So this farce, is just that. I've found that people find it easier to believe the worst rather than see the truth and change their own ideas. Instead of seeing how much he's grown they hold to the hot headed image they knew when he was first a student. But we already accounted for it. We cannot worry about what others when our end goal is in reach. Finding the culprits are our priority." Making eye contact with everyone in the room, "And we accounted for it. Pidge especially understood this and wanted to capitalize it. Use this blindness to our advantage and push our own agenda!"

Everyone nods, revitalized- focused and determined. Shiro smiles, man, he loves this team. Grabbing a cookie, he absently focuses on his emails now that the crisis has been averted.

Matt strolls in, "Okay my peeps! We are moving onto the next stage. My genius sister made an intuitive leap and we can move. The goal was much simpler.The target was Keith all along. Mistake one. But then they decided to make my sister collateral damage. Mistake number two. But more importantly, they thought they were smarter than the Holt siblings!!" Laughing uncontrollably Matt suddenly looked serious. Looking around the room he makes eye contact, his eyes and voice serious for once, "Let's teach them a lesson on who they are dealing with."

Nods all around.

Meanwhile...

Griffin kicked Kinkade's chair, "Time to move. Stage 2 has commenced."

The MFE pilots snapped to attention. Everyone's gaze lands on Griffin who looked serious, continued, "Pidge sent an encrypted message to everyone.  We need to get moving and get things in place. Things are coming to a head and we need to be sure there are no mistakes."

Meanwhile...

Whispering madly to himself, a Galran is messaging his human counterpart questioning the final part of the master plan. Noting details, asking questions and asking if death is on the table.