Brighter Than the Stars: A Voltron Fanfic (Keith X OC)

Chapter 9: Changing the World

"Today, we honor the dead. But we also honor the living. Because wherever we stand, we all fight for the same cause. Together, we stand. Together, we fight."

She smiled again, so many emotions flitting across her face that it took Keith's breath away. "Together, we can change the world.

"All we have to do is try."

-

Violet and Veronica stood side by side, looking down at the tombstone.

"I can't believe he's gone," Veronica whispered. "Just like that."

Violet put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "He's at peace." She gazed down at the grave. "There's only one more thing we need to do."

She drew out the chip Kieran had given her. "Are you ready?"

Veronica nodded. "I'm ready."

Violet let out a breath and placed the chip on top of the grave. With a beep, a projection appeared before them. Violet flinched. She was staring at the face of her father.

"If you're seeing this," Kieran said, voice low, "Then something has happened to me. I ... I'm sorry if that's true. But if everything went according to plan, then you, my daughters, will never have to look at this again."

Veronica's hand found Violet's. "I'm going to tell you the truth," Kieran continued. "All of it. It's high time you knew, especially Violet.

"My name is Kieran Idalia. I am one of the last Erythians in the universe, the ancient race that lived thousands of years ago. Our species died down and was presumed dead, but the royal line continued. The Queen of the Erythians couldn't stand by and let her people die out.

"You must know, the Erythian hierarchy is based on power. My family had the most - gold markings signify great power, and I was supposed to marry someone of similar status."

Kieran closed his eyes, smiling. "But my heart had already been taken. By another Erythian - your mother. Ivy."

Tears filled Veronica's eyes. "We fell in love at first sight," Kieran said, smiling sadly. "But my family rejected her - she had next to no power, red markings rather than gold. Told me we couldn't be together. So I left. I severed all my ties to my family. I made a home with Ivy on a remote location called Earth.

"My family demanded I come back. When I didn't, they tried to force me to come. I refused, but not quick enough that they learned that I'd sired a child. My little Violetta."

Tears slipped past Violet's eyes, and she bit her lip to stop them from falling. Kieran continued, his face saddened. "I feared that they'd come for you. So I hid. Ivy and I shifted into human forms and tried to get Violet to do the same. But something went wrong when you shifted - a human body couldn't contain all the power stored in you. So we tried to get you to shift into an Altean, but your magic faltered halfway through. You became half-Altean, half-human. But it was enough."

"I had Veronica, and things were well. But then they came back - for Ivy.

"I couldn't bear to see her hurt. So I pretended she'd died of some human cancer, and she fled, promising to return to me. And then I hid myself from them entirely. To keep the two of you safe."

Kieran's eyes closed. "These are the coordinates to the planet Ivy is hiding on. It's one of the settlements where Erythians and other races can live in harmony. She should be there, waiting for me. Maybe one day, I will find her with both of you, and we can be reunited at last."

It was too much. The tears flooded down Violet's cheeks. Her mother was waiting for him.

She'd be waiting forever.