"Keith, what on Earth do you think you're doing?" I asked, running down to halls to the Blue Lion hangar.
"You want a leader, well this is how I lead." Keith answered.
I scoffed, "That idiot." I ran into the Blue Lion's hangar and up to Allura.
"Allura take me with you in the Blue Lion. I've gotta be there to help." I said. She looked at me like I was crazy.
"But you're still not fully recovered." She said.
"I'm strong enough. Please, Allura." I begged.
Allura sighed and let me join her and the others.
We flew out of the Castle, following Keith in the Black Lion.
"Lotor's cruiser is on the otherside of the planet." Pidge informed us, "At our current rate of speed, we'll be within attack range in an hour."
"Good. Hold formation." Keith said.
As we flew, I could feel Allura and Aquamos's flames connecting and disconnecting. They weren't ready to fly let alone fight.
The Blue Lion swerved a little and bumped into thr Yellow Lion.
"Oh, apologies, Hunk!" Allura said.
"Mm, is attacking right now such a good idea? You, since not everyone is so great with their lions?" Hunk asked
"Do you mean me, specifically?" Allura asked.
"You? No. No way, I didn't-- I'm just simply pointing out that more than half of the team are in new lions. Maybe now's not a great time to bite off more than we can chew."
"You can blame our hot-headed leader for that one." Lance said.
"First, you want me to leader, and then you complain about how I do it. Prince Lotor us the heir to the Galra throne. We could end his reign right now." Keith said.
The Red Lion pulled back a little and flew next to the Blue Lion.
"Allura, you doing okay in Blue?" Lance asked.
"In fine." Allura said, "I've been flying the Castle for half my life."
"Yeah, Phoenix, how are they really doing, you know, flame wise?"
I changed my vision and saw the two flames. The pink flame was trying to control the blue flame, while the blue flame is trying to connect with the pink one, ultimately gaining no progress with connection.
"Not so good. They're a little mixed up at the moment." I said, looking down at Allura with concern.
She looked up at me with a confused oblivious expression.
"What? I just need a few ticks to adjust to the Lion." She said turning her focus back to space.
"Good... because we're going in." Keith said.
"Keith, listen, this is not the right time to fight Lotor." I said, "Our team is mixed up and not ready to fight in their new lions. We need to retreat and train before fighting."
"Or we could end this now, Phoenix. Either you're with me or not."
I sighed, and since I don't have a Lion of my own, I couldn't really give a say on the matter. I had no choice but to go along for the ride.
We spotted Lotor's cruiser up a head, and he spotted us. I gasped when I felt a new flame heading towards us. It was a light lavender color with a black base. And it was full of confusing mixed signals.
It was not very pleasing.
"I'm detecting movement." Keith said
"So much for the element of surprise." Lance said.
We looked out towards Lotor's ship and saw only one fighter, with the flame I saw inside.
"It's just a single fighter. Where's the rest of them?" Hunk asked.
"Probably scrambling as we speak. Let's take it out." Keith said. He shot forward towards the fighter. The fighter sped forward as well, but when we tried to get into the fight, the Red Lion slammed into the Black Lion.
"Lance, what are you doing?" Keith asked angrily.
"Sorry! Red here is a lot faster than I'm used to." Lance apologized, "Uh, where'd that fighter go?"
I looked around and spotted the enemy's flame.
"Keith, he's above you!" I shouted as the fighter began its attack. He shot at the Black Lion. We quickly followed the two, shooting back while I concentrated om the battling flames inside the Black Lion.
Keith and Konrad weren't in sync, they weren't connecting like they should be.
"I can't shake him. Someone get this guy off my tail."
"Coming in on your six." Pidge said as Allura, Pidge, Hunk and I sped towards the fighter.
The lions fired their lasers, the fighter was able to dodge easily and Allura ended up accidentally shooting Keith.
"Allura!" He shouted.
"I'm sorry, Keith!" She shouted back.
"Allura, you need to relax. Aquamos won't work properly if you're tense like this." I tried to reason, but Allura didn't listen and tensed up even more.
"Seriously, do this thing have breaks?!" Lance shouted as he floated past the Black Lion.
The fighter shot lasers at the Black Lion, quickly shifting from one lion to another in rapid speed. The groans of pain from my friends were unbearable for me to hear, but I couldn't do anything.
I didn't have a lion and my flames were useless at the moment.
Allura flew closer to the fighter and attacked. Suddenly, I felt a differemt flame in front of us.
"Allura, pull up now!" I shouted, but it was too late.
The fighter had pulled up and because of our high speed, Allura couldn't stop herself from running into the Yellow Lion.
The three of us yelled as we flew uncontrollably past the Red Lion.
"Whoa! What's up with this guy? He's playing us against ourselves." Lance said.
"It's gotta be Lotor." Keith said.
"Ow. Allura, Phoenix, you okay over there?" Hunk asked and groaned in pain.
I stood uo straight and leaned against the back of the chair.
"I'm fine." Allura said, "but these controls are not responding, not like the Castle. What's wrong with you, Lion? Do as I command! Move!"
"Maybe someone should suggest to Allura that flying the lion is different than flying the Castle." Pidge said.
"Hey, I already told her yelling at her lion wouldn't work. It didn't work, she yelled at me, too."
"Yeah, count me out. She scares me when she's under pressure." Hunk said.
"I can hear you." Allura said, scaring the three paladins.
I sighed and put my hand on Allura's shoulder.
"The Castle is a large machine with no conscious, Allura. The Lions are the opposite, they may be machines but they have life. You cant just order them around, you need to connect with them. Something we could've done if we weren't on this crazy chase." I explained, muttering the last thing under my breath.
"Keith, what do we do?" Pidge asked.
"How abiut this? Everyone stay out of my way!" He shouted.
"Great. Great leadership." Lance said sarcastically.
"Keith, now is not the time to play lone, arrogant wolf." I said but Keith didnt listen. He fired his laser at Lotor, disregarding the fact that we were here to help, even if the lions weren't working right.
Ghe two fought for a few minutes until Keith finally pulled away.
"Okay, this isn't working. We need to form Voltron." Keith said, "Everyone, in formation."
And what happened was just sad in my eyes.
The lions got in formation and I waited for the five flames to merge and become white, but nothing happened.
The lions were powerful and ready to merge into Voltron, but the Paladins were out of sync. They weren't connected enough to form Voltron.
"Guys? Guys, I'm not realy feeling that Voltron feeling!" Hunk shouted uneasily.
"Keep going!" Keith yelled.
"How can you guys keep going when you're so out of sync?" I asked, "Unless all of you are completely connected to your lions, the flames won't merge and you can't form Voltron."
"Then why don't you do it manually, Phoenix?" Keith asked angrily and annoyed.
"Unless you want me to go into another coma, I'll gladly do that for you if you would shut up and come to your senses!" I yelled. Everyone was silent during our short fight, not wanting to intrude.
The fighter was rigut next to us and the Lions were still the same.
"It's not working!" Pidge shouted.
"What's going on?!" Keith growled in frustration.
"You're being an idiot, that's what's going on!" I yelled.
"Guys! Fighter!" Lance shouted.
The lions broke formation when the fighter flew right in between us. The fighter flew off and away, leaving us alone next to the planet below.
"Well, that was embarrassing." Lance said.
"So... should we call it quits? Maybe go back, regroup, get a meal?" Hunk suggested.
"No!" Keith said, "I know everyone is struggling, but we can't let Lotor slip away."
"Keith, this chase is madness. We need to turn back, you guys aren't ready to fight in the lions yet." I said.
"Says the girl who wouldn't try to connect with two,of them!" Keith shouted.
I growled in anger, "Don't bring me into this. Unlike you, I'm seeing the bigger picture of this team!"
"Shut up! I'm the leader--"
"You're not a leader! Right now, you're being a big jerk!"
Keith shot off and chased after Lotor. I scoffed and leaned against the wall as the rest of the group followed after Keith.
Lotor led us to a large white planet covered in gases and shooting lightning from every which way.
"He's trying to hide from us!" Keith shouted as Lotor flew into the gaseous planet.
"We may not want to follow him. We don't know what's in there." Pidge said.
And yet, Keith flew straight in and we followed. It wasn't too much longer that the instruments in the cockpit started glitching.
"Guys, something's wrong!" Pidge said her voice breakijg up through the comm link, "My sensors are going crazy. I think it's due tk this planet's atmosphere and what must be strange magnetic poles."
"We can't worry about that right now. I'm not letting this guy get away." Keith said.
"Keith, shot out accurate sensors or working equipment, we're not gonna be able to tell what's up or down, where we are, or how to get out."
"Listen to Pidge, Kogane! We need to let Lotor go!" I said.
"I'm not-- getting away- going!" Keith's voice broke up in sections, confusing everyone. Allura was falling back with the Blue Lion.
"I'm losing visual on you all. I need you to slow down!" She said.
Keith trued to tell us to keep up, but his voice was soft and full of static. We flew up, trying to stay as close together as we could, but it was difficult for Allura.
She couldn't see what was in front of her and was on a crash course towards a rock.
"No! No!" She screamed, turning the lion away but was too slow to avoid another rock to our left.
The lion took a big hit, slamming into the rock. We slammed, spun and hit the hard rock ground, throwing us off track with the others.
I felt Bouloren's flame coming after us, and sighed in relief when we finally managed to stop.
I tried to sit up, but immediately felt a pain in the back of my head.
"Is everyone okay?" Pidge asked.
"I'm sorry that i slowed us down, but the Blue Lion isn't listening to me." Allura said.
"It's okay. We're a team. We stick together. Isn't that right, Keith?" Lance said.
"It's not about the team." Keith said, "We have a mission That's more important than any one of us. We need to find Lotor and stop him, and I plan on doing that right now."
"That's it!" I shouted, standing up ignoring the pain and stomping up to the pilot chair.
"Keith Kogane, I'm sick and tired of you acting like this. First, you barely want the title of leader and then when you get it, you decided that the team isn't any more important than the mission?! What good is a completed mission if we lose friends to do so! You're lettjng your emotions and personal goals control you, you need to sit down, take a breath and think straight like a good leader!"
It was silent for a tick, before Keith flew off to find Lotor.
Lance sighed, "Come on, guys. We better stick together."
I backed against the wall and slid down to the floor, closing my eyes to calm myself down as the lions went to catch up.
We flew slow and straight, but I could feel something no one could see. The pain in the back of my head grew worse, I reached behind my head and touched the sore spot, pulling back my fingers and finding blood.
Must be hit it while we were out of control. Then panick rushed through my body. I reached back hlebuind my head and pulled my sunstone out of my hair. I sighed in relief when I saw the stone unbroken.
"This is crazy! We can't see a thing." Hunk said.
"Stay together." Keith said, "He's around here somewhere. I know it. Phoenix, can you see his flame?"
I sighed and looked around, seeing the fighter and Lotor's flame in front of us to our 11.
"He's to our eleven." I said. The lions flew towards the direction I said, but when we got there, there was no one.
"Where did he go?" Allura asked.
"No clue. Our radars are worthless in here." Pidge said.
"Hey, is it just me, or does anyone else get the feeling that this guy is just toying with us?" Hunk asked.
"I'm with you, big guy. I'm getting a case of the heebie-jeebies." Lance agreed.
"He must have lured us here on purpose." Pidge pointed out.
"Up there!" Keith shouted.
The fighter quickly rushed past us.
"We need to get out of here. We've been led into a trap. The tables have turned. He's flipped the script. The hunters have become the hunted." Hunk said.
"Hunk, shouting taglines is getting us nowhere!" Lance yelled.
"Plus you're giving me a headache." I said, a sudden burning in my chest causing me to cough.
Luckily, there wasn't much ash, but I would like to not cough any up at all.
"Solaris, are you all right?" Allura asked.
"I'm fine, Allura. I've just got a headachen that's all, it caused me to cough a little." I said.
"Stya calm and get ready." Keith said, "He's gonna attack again. Everyone, circle up. We need to be prepared for anything."
Following Keith's orders, everyone circled their lions together and prepared for battle.
Suddenly, Lotor was spotted, but when we attacked we were shrouded in smoke and explosions.
We screamed in shock and pain as the explosions co ered us and wouldn't stop.
Allura flew away from the fight, escaping Lotor who had targeted us. Aquamos ran, flew and claws through the unnatural terrain, Allura calling out for help.
We spun around trying to escape but the lion hit a rock and we disappeared, hiding in a cave nearby as Lotor flew away.
Allura and I panted then sighed in relief as Lotor vanished from sight.
"Allura, are you okay?" I asked. She turned around and nodded.
"Are you all right, Solaris?" She asked.
I nodded, "See if you can get a hold on the others."
Allura turned back ariund and tried to connect on a signal, which was nowhere in this gas planet.
The static crackles on the screens, receiving no signal.
Allura sighed and took a deep breath in.
"Okay. Stay calm, Allura. Think. What wouls Lance do?" She said to herself.
Allura exhaled and lean over the dashboard.
"Hey there, Blue Lion. You know, you're really activating my particle barrier right now." She chuckled and so did I.
"That was even worse than Lance's pick up lines." I joked. Allura groaned.
"Nothing works!" She said, "I've tried asking you nicely, and I've tried commanding you. What do you want from me?"
"She wants you to be calm, Allura." I said standing up and walking to her side.
Allura looked at me confusingly, "What are you talking about?" She asked.
I smiled and took her hand, gently placing it on the control handles.
"To be able to pilot your lion, you must connect with him or her. You need to feel the Lion, embrace it. See through their eyes and not just your own." I said.
Allura turned away and looked down, "But I can't do this. Everyone depends on me. The universe depends on me, but I can't control everything."
"You dont have to everything on your own. You have friends to back you up. And right now, we need to find them. Just talk to her. Open yourself to Aquamos."
Allura sighed and closed her eyes, "I... I need your help."
Suddenly, I felt the two flames ignite, connecting and merging together as one. The Lion growled and Allura gasped when she heard the Lion.
I smiled and laughed at their accomplishment, but quickly grunted and yelled in sudden pain.
The lion was shot through rocks and stopped. We looked through the newly made hole and saw Lotor in his fighter staring straight at us.
But Allura turned the lion around and flew away. Lotor shot at us with every move we made.
"Help me. Guide me. I can't do it alone." Allura said to the Blue Lion. Just then, the screens beeped showing a picture of a sonic sonar.
Allura smirked, touching the picture and activating the sonar. A large machine apoeared on Aquamos' back and shot out a large wave.
The screen in front of us gave us a map of the surrounding area.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Blue?" Allura asked as she flew through and around the obstacles around us.
She led Lotor back to the red gases and quickly pulled back.
"Now, lets see if this freeze ray works in here." Allura said, pulling back on the controls then pushing them forward and firing the ice ray.
The ray hit Lotor's ship, causing him to lose control of the left wing and make a forced retreat.
"Haha! You did it Allura!" I shouted joyously, hugging her around her neck and shoulders,
Allura right along with me, happy to finally have control over her lion.
"Thank you, Solaris. And thank you too, Blue. Now we need to fond the other Paladins." Allura said, typing in commands to find the others.
We quickly found Lance and Keith close by and quickly headed to their location. Soon we found Hunk and Pidge not too far away.
"Hailing Pidge and Hunk. Are you paladins looking for an exit?" Allura said.
"No way! You guys found us!" Hunk laughed happily.
"Actually, Allura found you. She found all of us. She was able to connect to her lion." Keith said.
"Wow! How did you do it?" Pidge asked.
"I just had to get into a Lance-like mindset and stop thinking so much." Allura said, making me snicker.
"Yeah, think line Lance!" Lance said before finally understnad Allura, "Wait a minute! Are yoy calling me dumb?"
"No, I'm calling you a natural." Allura said.
"Naturally dumb." Hunk quickly added making us all laugh except for a offended Lance.
"Yeah, he was born with it." Pidge added.
"Look, I'm glad we're all making fun of Lance, but we still have to find a way out of here." Keith said.
"Follow me. I know a way out." Allura said.
I looked down at her screen and saw the radar.
"Hold on a tick." I said, "Everyone, we have company. I think Lotor called for backup."
"Oh, man. It's always something." Hunk groaned.
"We have to form Voltron." Keith said.
"But we were not able to form Voltron the last time we tried." Allura said.
"We have to keep trying. We may have come here fragmented and disorganized, but the only way we're getting out of here is if we work together. This is our team. Shiro believed in us. We have to believe in ourselves. Who's with me?"
"Yeah!" Everyone shouted.
The five lions flew into the air in formation, their bodies changed and shifting, connecting to one another.
I felt rhe familiar warmth of Voltron, the white flame becoming visible and stronger than ever.
Voltron flew back out of the gaseous planet and towards the enemy ships.
"Hunk, I'm a leg!" Allura shouted excitedly.
"Pretty cool, right?" Hunk said.
The fighters shot at us, but Voltron dodged, pulling out the shield from his back and shifting the trajectory of the lasers.
Voltrom formed the sword and the lions roared as the blade cut the large cruiser in half. We flew past the ships and aqay as fast as we could.
"Lotor is getting away. Should we go after him?" Pidge asked.
"No." Keith said, "Pushing the team too hard is what got us in this mess in the first place. We'll face him again when we're ready."
"Roger that, team leader." Lance said.
"I guess you're not that big of a jerk after all, Little Red." I said annoying the paladin.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"
"I'll let you know soon." I joked.
We flew back to the Castle and the lions separated then landed in their hangars.
But before everyone left, Lance brought back up an earlier conversation.
"Wait a minute." He said stopping everyone in the lounge, then he turned towards me, "Phoenix, you said you would explain something about that creature in your dreams and drawing and why you can't pilot the other lions. You mind telling us now?"
Everyone turned towards me as I sighed and sat down on the lounge's couch.
"Yeah, I did promise." I said, "Well, you guys better sit down this may be a little shocking."
They did as I said and sat down om the couches across from me. I took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"The creature I saw was a winged lion, usually it's a symbol of freedom, trust, strength and loyalty. But... this creature is sonething new entirely."
"What is it?" Pidge asked.
"The creature I've seen is a flame, the soul of a real creature waiting for me on another planet."
Everyone was surprised by the news. The winged lion I saw was real?
"So, this winged lion is real and it's waiting for you?" Keith asked. I nodded.
"Why is contacting you though?" Allura asked.
"It's connected to me through our flames. And I think it has something to do with my father's alien side of me."
"Your Dad?" Hunk asked, "How does this connect to him?"
"The lion said that I would meet her on a planet far away. A place where the secrets of my heritage would be answered. I already know my earth heritage, so the only logical thing I could think of was my father."
"But what does this have to do with you not being able to pilot the lions." Allura asked.
I stayed quiet for a tick before sighed and looking straight at Allura.
"Allura," I said hesitantly, "Are you sure that your father only created five lions?"
The question threw her off guard, "Yes, I'm completely sure. My father only created five lions that formed Voltron. Why do you ask?"
"I've had dreams and visions of a strange lion that looks like the one from my drawing, but slightly mechanical and with different wings. I first saw it when I helped save the Balmera. Allura, it's possible that there is another Lion like the Voltron Lions out there somewhere. And wherever it is, it's in a place where I can find more about me and my father."
Allura was stunned, and the others were confused.
No one spoke for a couple minutes.
"So, you'll be able to fight alongside us and find out more about your family?" Keith asked. I was a little surprised, but I nodded.
"Then... we'll help you find the lion." Lance said.
"Yeah, anything for a friend." Hunk said.
I looked at my friends and smiled gratefully at them. It felt nice to have friends like them. But the questions in my mind still remained.
Who was my father before I was born?
Why did he keep the fact that he was an alien away from me?
Did mom know about him being an alien?
What's awaiting me where the lion sits?
And most of all...
If I find out more about my father's home and who he was before me and our family, what will change within me? What will I become when I know more? Who am I to become?