We all head to the control room and sit in our corresponding seats. I can feel Allura's gaze glued to my back as I keep my gaze ahead of me.
After taking off and flying for a while, a huge green colored planet comes into view. I could see giant machines and craters strewn about its surface, it didn't look very healthy.
"So what's the plan? We go in there and go: Pow Pow Pow! And free the prisoners?" Lance exclaims while making shooting sounds and posing with finger guns.
"What was that noise?" Keith asked with an estranged look on his face.
"Lazer guns." Lance replies with a smirk.
"No, Lance. I think you meant: POW POW POW SCREECH CLACK POW!" Hunk made deeper sounds and moved like a canon as I giggled at them.
"That sounds like fireworks." Lance states.
"Technically, they're more like: Pechew Pechew Pechew!" Pidge says while holding her hands like she was holding a handgun.
"Wait guys, don't they sound something like: Pew Pew Pew!" I say with a cuter voice and laugh afterwards.
"No that was way to sweet and cute to be a lazer gun." Hunk says and the others nod and I laugh harder.
"Alright you guys! That's enough with the bad sound effects." Shiro scolds us and we go silent.
"Besides it's more like: BLAM BLAM BLAM!" Shiro says while kneeling on the ground as if he was shooting something.
"What?!" Keith exclaims in disbelief in the hope that Shiro would have been the mature one of the group, so he facepalms.
"You're crazy." Pidge says while shaking her head.
"No way!" Lance exclaims.
"Uh...wrong." Hunk says with his hands on his hips.
"Yeah, I'm not to sure about yours Shiro." I say whilst laughing and leaning against Pidge.
"Paladins! Focus!" Allura scolds us, which surprised me, and we all go silent and turn to her.
"Yeah, and besides we can't just shoot at the Galra. The Balmera is a living thing and from what I've seen it doesn't look very good." Hunk states and Coran slowly nods.
Coran tells us the, long, story of the Balmera and it's function. Alteans would harvest its crystals then perform a ceremony to help heal the planet, but the Galra don't care about its well being at all.
"After seeing Shay's people being enslaved, it made me realize just how bad Zarkon really is, and we're the only ones who can stop him." Hunk says sadly and I place my hand on his arms which makes him smile down at me.
"Ok so we can't shoot...so Plan B. We need to find a way to draw the Galra up to the surface to fight them." Shiro states.
"Hey wait I know! If we attack all of the big mining stuff on the surface, the Galran troops will have to come up to defend them! Then we beat them up, head into the tunnels to save everyone, and Voltron saves the day." Hunk says very proud of his plan.
"But how will we know how many are down in the tunnels?" Keith asks while leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"We can track the Galra and the Balmerans using bio-thermal life indicator point technology." Allura says while showing us what it is on the screen.
"Oh BLIP- tech!" Pidge says in excitement as Allura stares at her in confusion.
"It's an acronym..." I answer for Pidge and Allura just continues.
"One of you will have to go around and drop these into the mines. Then we'll be able to see where the Galra and Balmerans are."
"I can do it. I just modified the green lion with the invisible mazes cloaking ability. I should be able to fly around unnoticed." Pidge volunteers and I look to her and nod, very impressed, by my best friends abilities.
Coran then pulls up a screen and shows us a large building with purple lights around it.
"This is the main power generator. If you take it down it will severely weaken them." Coran says.
"We'll stay up here and give tactical support. With the castle's defenses weakened from Sendak's crystal, we won't be of much help to you." Allura says.
"Alright. I'll take down the power generator. Keith, Lance, Hunk, and (Y/n), you take down those mining rigs around the area." Shiro instructs and we nod.
"Yeah! Let's go kick some evil alien butt!" Hunk excitedly exclaims and we all head to our lions in preparation for departure.
"Hey do you guys think the Balmerans would have a little parade for us once we save them?" Lance asks and I facepalm at the stupidity and rudeness of his question.
"It's not about the glory Lance. It's about freeing the prisoners from Zarkon." Keith retorts back.
"Yeah Lance! I can't believe you just said that." I say in a saddened and upset tone.
"I-I know but-" thankfully the lion's hangars opened just in time and we all shot out from the castle.
As we approached the planet the mining rigs began shooting at us and we easily dodged the attacks.
"This is it you guys. Get your heads in the game and remember, the Balmera is a living creature. Make sure to only pinpoint the Galran installations and not the surface." Shiro instructs and I nod at his voice.
I watched as Pidge's lion disappears and she goes to drop the sensors into the mines. The rest of us did as we were instructed and began destroying the mines. Lance and I shot them, Hunk smashed them, Shiro formed blades from his lions mouth to easily slice them, and Keith shot a beam of literal lava and melted them.
"WOAH! Did you guys see that?! I've got fire power!" Keith exclaims and I giggle at his childish excitement.
"No fair...I want firepower too..." Lance says with a pout filled voice and I giggle.
I quickly get this strange feeling and whip my lion around and watch as a pillar was falling towards the ground. Hunks lions flew under it, just in time, and caught it to prevent it from hitting the surface.
"Hey! We can't let this thing hurt the Balmera!" I could hear Hunk grunt through the com as he struggles to hold it up.
Lance's lion then suddenly shot a beam at the pillar, freezing it solid.
"Oh yeah! These rays are cool, just like me." Lance says and I could picture the smirk spread across his features and I sigh.
"Good job everyone." Shiro says as he rejoins us.
We all land our lions on top of the frozen pillar in wait for the Galran troops to attack. But there was nothing. No sound, no movement, nothing.
"Where are the troops? Why aren't they coming to the surface?" Keith asks in impatience.
"Yeah, I remembered seeing a lot of guys down in the mines." Hunk says confused by their absence.
"We've located a whole fleet of Galra fighters just below the surface. Someone needs to take those out before they can launch." Allura announces through the com.
"They're luring us down but we have no choice...Keith, Lance, you two hit the hangars. Hunk and (Y/n) you both head to the prisons to rescue Shay and the other Balmerans. Pidge and I will track down the Galra soldiers." Shiro instructs and we nod then head of in our little groups.
Hunk and I landed our lions inside one of the mines then took these little motorcycle type of vehicles through the tunnels. As we were driving I sped up next to Hunk so he could hear me and he turns towards me.
"Hey Hunk? You know where we're going, right?" I ask and he looks around the tunnel.
"All of these tunnels look the same. I can't remember where the prison is. Hey Allura? Can you tell us our location?" Hunk asks into the com in his helmet.
"You're on the right path. Turn right at the next tunnel. Once you're there you'll have to disable the energy doors, but be careful. It's heavily guarded." Coran answers back and we look at each other and nod.
Once we turned that corner, as Coran had stated, a lot of guards were standing at the doors and began shooting at us when we came into view. We laid our bikes over and jumped off of them. We both activated our bayards and began our attack.
I rushed in as Hunk laid coverfire for me. Soon enough, we somehow easily destroyed them. We sat there, surrounded by destroyed robots, and look to each other in confusion.
"That was way too easy." Hunk says and I slowly nod while still checking our surroundings.
Hunk grabbed one of the robots severed arms and places it on the scanner to open the door. I watched our backs, and as I waited my head started to swell with pain. I brought my hand to the side of my head as the throbbing continued.
"Alright, we're all set- (Y/n) are you ok?" Hunk asks after the door opened and he grabbed a hold of my shoulders to steady me.
"Yeah I'll be fine, sorry." I say as the pain begins to die down.
He looks at me in worry but I send him a smile and he sighs. We both run through the doors and quickly reach a series of cells.
I spot a few aliens and Hunk runs over to them, immediately recognizing them. I run after him and we free them from the cell they were in.
"Where's Shay?" Hunk asks and I look around at the other aliens and one looks at Hunk with an angry intent.
"Our life might not have been perfect, but our family was whole. Your arrival has left us in prison and torn apart. As you started attacking, they took her away to the core. For all we know, she could be gone for good." The male says and Hunk's eyes widen in shock before he clenches his fists.
I look between the two finding a lot of tension all around me. My head throbs a little more and I grab onto Hunk's arm.
"Please, don't blame this on Hunk. He was the one who convinced us to come back and rescue you, now we must fulfill that promise." I say with a tired smile, trying to hide the fact that I was in pain.
I grab Hunk's arm after handing the severed arm to the other man, telling him to use it to open the other cages, and Hunk and I head back to our bikes. As we walk I think to myself:
'Why does my head keep throbbing? Is it because we're underground on an alien planet? Probably....but the throbbing sounds like a voice...like someone in pain...'I pick up my bike whilst thinking to myself and the pain starts to goes away.
"Paladins! The Galrans seem to be heading for the center of the Balmera." Allura says through the com, scaring me.
"They must be going to the core, where Shay is." Hunk states as we look towards each other then hop on our bikes.
We quickly drive them towards the core, and as we grew closer, my head hurt more and more, but I pretended it didn't so I wouldn't worry Hunk.
"They're drawing us in for an ambush, but we don't have a choice if we want to save Shay. We need to follow them. Everyone get to the core, we'll need to be together to get through this fight." We all send affirmations to Shiro and rushed to meet up.
As we made it to the core, being the first ones, Hunk jumped off his bike, summoned his bayard, and charged into the room screaming. I slowly follow in after him, as the pain was so intense that it blurred my vision, but I had my staff out, ready to fight.
We look around at the empty and quiet room. In the center was a Balmeran hanging from the ceiling by her hands and a mask over her mouth.
"Shay you're alive!" Hunk exclaims.
She notices us and begins to frantically shake her head with muffled yells. Hunk then shoots the cuffs around her hands and catches her in his arms.
"Where are the Galra? If this is an ambush, they should be sitting here waiting for us." I hear Shiro say from behind me as Hunk removes Shay's mask and Pidge pops into the room next to Shiro.
Keith and Lance then enter the room from the other side and the doors slam shut behind them.
"It was a trap." I say out loud to no one in particular.
"The Galra, they gained knowledge that you would return." Shay says while adjusting herself and rubbing her wrists.
"How?" Pidge asks as everyone joins us in the middle.
"I know not. They set this trap just for you. I was the bait." Shay explains with guilt in her voice.
"It had to have been that lier Rolo! He sold us out!" Hunk yells out in anger.
"Guys, we need to get out of-" before I could finish my statement a huge overwhelming pain surged through my head and I fall to my knees.
"(Y/n)?!" Shiro exclaims as he bends down to me in worry as the others turn to me with worry.
"Don't worry i'm fine, it was just a random migraine...really I'm fine." I shakily stand up and shake my head lightly to knock myself out of it and send them a smile. Shiro didn't seem convinced until the sounds of guns could be heard.
"Paladins! You need to get out of there as soon as possible!" Allura's panicked voice passes over us through the coms, taking the focus from me to the princess.
"Whelp this is it! We're gonna die in here...I can say bye bye to that parade." Lance dramatically sobs and I sigh as Shiro still eyes me worriedly.
"Now keep it together guys." Shiro says while looking around the room, trying to find an exit.
"Perhaps my people can help us." We stare at her in confusion as she walks towards the core of the Balmera and gently places her hand on it.
"This is how we communicate. The Balmera senses out vibrations and sends a message to those in the tunnels." Shay says and we all still look at her in confusion.
"Are you sure someone will be able to hear your...hand? From all the way down here?" Keith questions and she nods.
"The Balmera will deliver the message." She says before closing her eyes in concentration.
The area around her hand begins to glow and a strange feeling washes over me. I stand there, frozen, as the pain from before is substituted for a series of gentle vibrations that sound like a hum.
I can hear Allura's voice from the com, but it was muffled. All I could hear, all I could feel, were those soothing vibrations. They were starting to die down and then:
"(Y/n)!" Pidge yells while shaking me, bringing me back to reality.
"What?" I say in confusion as I turn towards the others.
Behind them the wall was broken and the Balmerans from before were standing in the newly formed doorway.
"We must make haste. We know of a shortcut through the tunnels ." The man says and we quickly follow after him.
We make our way to our vehicles then to the lions just in time.
"Did everyone get to their lions?" Shiro asks as Hunk and I board our lions and fly out of the mines to the others.
"Come on Shiro. Who do you think we are? A bunch of amateurs-AGH!" Lance almost flies into a pillar and I stifle a laugh at his failure.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Shiro says and I can just imagine the smirk on his face.
Lance mumbles something then we all swoop in and begin to fight off the fleet of ships attacking the castle.
"Paladins I need you now! Five more ticks and we're finished!" Allura exclaims as a larger battle cruiser appears and readies its larger cannons to fire at the castle.
I feel a pulling sensation as we transform to create Voltron. Their lions click into place around mine and we move the ship out of the way just in time to avert the cannons aim on the castle. Allura took the chance and destroyed all of the ships around us. We all release a cheer before landing back on the Balmera, but as we landed something crashed down next to us.
As the dust cleared away we turned to see a familiar sight. The same container that held the giant monster back on the planet with the Arusians.
"Why can't we ever get a break?" I ask out loud with a heavy sigh, and a slight headache.
I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out today 😭 it was a very busy day but here it is and I hope it's ok! I love your guys theories btw, I just hope the truth won't make you stop reading...but anyways on a happier note! Thanks so much for reading you all mean the world to me! Bye bye~
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