My Defender (Voltron Force 2011)

Ch 1 - Where We Left Off

Daniel knew he had screwed up. 

The Haggarium infection had returned and gotten worse.

Turning on his fellow teammates.

His mind connection to Vince alerted the new Green Lion pilot to call out everyone to get out of the way before he got pinned down.

Only when the surge of Haggarium shorted out the console which resulted in Daniel getting shocked from his controls did it snap him out of his fury infused state.

"I – I'm sorry!" That was all he could utter in panic before he activated his Volt Com and turbo speed out of there.

"Daniel, wait!" Vince called out through his com, but he got nothing but fuzz. No doubt Daniel's ignoring him.

"What's got our little dude all riled up now?" Hunk asked, concerned.

"This isn't the first time Dan-man's lashed out. I don't like it." Lance firmly said.

"Pidge, tell me Black's status." Keith ordered as he hurried out of the castle control room to get outside as fast as he could.

"It's Hagarrium alright. And ... Black's feed shows Daniel's eyes lit up with that dark energy. He's infected!" Pidge informed, alarmed.

The other four adults of the team exclaim, gasp and shout out in alarm whereas the two youngest pilots wince in shame.

"For how long?!" Allura panicked.

"I'd need to run tests on him to find out first." Pidge informed.

"Actually ..." Larmina hesitated.

"It's been happening for some time now." Vince admitted.

"You both knew?!" Allura lectured.

"Daniel was worried he'd be kicked off the team! He was desperate! And pulling the pity card on us to not tell you ... yeah this isn't doing our case any good." Larmina's reasoning faltered at how screwed up this all became.

"We'll table that discussion for later. Right now, finding Daniel takes top priority." Keith reminded them.

"I'm going after him." Lance gritted through his teeth, clenching his controls from shaking fury.

"Not alone you're not. Larmina, Vince and Hunk, check your respective dens' sectors and cover all grounds. Pidge, monitor the satellite feeds and make sure he doesn't get off Arus." Keith was just as worried as he was upset at being deceived. 

How long had the speedster thought he could keep this from them? And to drag Vince and Larmina; their newest chosen pilots, into it? How could they not connect the dots sooner after witnessing the same thing happen to Sven?

All the signs were there ... 

And they didn't see it.

000

Daniel ended up at a cave in the forests, finding it harder to breathe at the realization that he was still infected and that his long kept secret was out in the open. 

"Ugh, what am I doing?" He growled at the electrifying painful energy wrecking hell on his nerves, clutching the side of his aching head.

"There's no way I'm getting out of this now."

"There's no way they'll trust you ever again after today."

"And now I'm hearing voices in my head."

"You will never pilot the Black Lion."

"And I'm already sick of it."

"Nor will you get to lead the Force again."

"SHUT UP!" He slammed his fist against the rock wall when the snap of a twig made him get into a defensive stance looking to the leafy outside. "Who's there?!" A hooded caped slim figure walked out of the shadows in between the trees. "Who are you?" Daniel's claws appeared for intimidation.

"Don't worry. I'm here to help." A soft speaking female voice replied as she approached him cautiously.

"I don't want any help, let alone from a complete stranger – !"

The Haggarium was kicking in again, fueling him with suffocating agony, poisoning him as he gave out heart wrenching screams as he collapsed against the wall.

The last thing he saw was glowing ethereal eyes with a matching glowing hand that reached out to him before the drowning onslaught of pain knocked him out.

000

"I'm picking up strong energy readings in my sector. It's Haggarium ... and something else. It's almost similar to Voltrons own energy signature. And they're off the charts!" Vince reported.

"We're on our way!" Keith responded.

All five lions reconvened, landing in a clearing near the source. They hurried to the mouth of the cave, seeing a heinous purple glow along with a pure white glow.

"Daniel!" Larmina cried out.

"Little buddy!" Hunk did so as well.

The merging lights died down to reveal the hooded back of someone facing them.

"Careful. Whoever that is could be dangerous." Keith kept an arm held out, cautioning them to keep their guard up; prepared to whip out the sword.

Keith's warning was counteracted as the hood of the stranger dropped from the strong winds, revealing a chocolate haired, hazel eyed lady with a passed out Daniel cradled in her arms. One that made Lance's fury filled heart ease down enough to skip a beat; entrancing him.

"Or beautiful."

A/N: There will be spoilers of the epilogue comic for the show from the 13th anniversary book in this.

Until next time, bye bye~!