heartofalioness | Empatheias IC Contact

[[Continued from here.]]

[But then the seen goes from pastoral pinks and blues to reds and blacks. The bridge of the Castle of Lions, every winder filled with fighter ships razing the settlements below, the sky that should be a soft glowing blue thick with fire and smoke. A helmeted figure, skin gray and deep with wrinkles, eyes glowing purple.

"Zarkon."

"Your fleet has been destroyed, Alfor. I will be there shortly to claim Voltron."

Alllura's never been so scared in her life, everything she knows and loves is being destroyed, it CAN'T end like this, she won't let it! She rushes to her father's side, the gently confident young face now aged and looking pained, almost... resigned?

"Father, we must form Voltron and fight before it's too late!"

"It's already too late. We must send the lions away. We can't risk them falling into Zarkon's hands."

What? No, they can't let Altea fall, sure the Black Lion is pilotless now but they can still try--

"We can't give up hope!"

But then he touches her neck, a spark of magic to a nerve and she starts falling limp in his grasp. "I'm sorry, daughter... If all goes well, I will see you again soon."

"Father..." Even to the last, she's still fighting to stay awake.

"I love you."]

[... Ah. She doesn't understand half the details of what is happening but it isn't hard for her to get the gist of this. She's seen enough fights and battles by now to understand. The sky flowing with fire and smoke above and here in front of her two desperate people doing what they can to save it all... or rather, to save what they loved.

Ah. She presses a balled-up fist to her heart, looking sorrowful.]

War doesn't change much, does it.

[Her tone is quiet.]

[Allura can't even nod before the scene changes. Falling out of the stasis pod into Lance's arms (and swiftly putting said arms into a lock), running to pull up a screen, checking to see how long they'd been asleep... a date set ten thousand years into the future, a command to see Altea's solar system, and a picture of a sun with no planets orbiting it.]

[She had thought as much after her talk with Coran. Ten thousand years. It's so sad.

... She hesitates a moment. Before Randel had been the one to hug her, seeking some comfort she assumed. Physical affection wasn't unknown to her but it was still awkward in many ways.

In the end after that bit of hesitation, she approaches to lightly wrap her arms around the taller woman.]

You've been very brave.

[Thankfully the mirrors stay quiet, and after a few seconds she turns to return the hug.]

I didn't have much choice. It was either that or... break down. And we were attacked almost immediately afterwards, so I couldn't. [Still, this is about embracing grief.] It-- it'd be one thing if Altea was still there but changed, but-- ... But Zarkon--

[Zarkon didn't even leave her the ground she'd walked on.]

Edited 2018-02-19 09:22 (UTC)

[She thinks on that a moment. The mirrors shift just a touch and Alice recognizes the place herself - the Zero District, the ungoverened land where neither the Empire nor the Kingdom of Frost holds any sort of domain. It doesn't look much unlike Verens, thought the buildings are somewhat more dilapidated and worn, streets littered with trash here and there.]

Have I ever spoke about the Zero District to you, Allura?

No... I don't think you have...

The Zero District is an ungoverned land, claimed by neither the Empire or the Republic of Frost. It rules itself and therefor is largely lawless beyond the strength of the families there.

The people there have little choice either. It is a harsh place to live in and when I first joined the military, I pitied them a great deal.

[She says the last bit in a softer tone. Her colors dim in much the opposite of how she glows when she's happy. She's somber and contemplative as the brightness drains from her clothing and hair and everything else.]

It was a misplaced pity. Those people, they are far braver than I am. When it comes to a choice between allowing themselves to break down and fighting, they fight. Their will to fight is so strong they band together to keep a whole society going!

You may have had only two choices, Allura, but you chose to fight. You chose to embrace your will to fight as much as they did. And that is true bravery.

[A pause... and then a weak smile begins to play on Allura's lips. She gives Alice a soft nod.]

They do sound strong. They remind me of the Balmerans. Balmera are living planets, with a consciousness of their own, and the ability to grow powerful crystals full of energy. They can be harvested, but they should be given an equal amount of energy back or the Balmera will grow weak.

We found one that was being mined by the Galra to the point of near-death. The Balmerans, the people that live on and with the Balmera, had been forced to live in the mines for so long there were generations who'd never seen their sky.

... How cruel.

[She really does sound disgusted by the idea.]

It was. Thankfully, we'd discovered this when we needed a new crystal to power my Castle after an attack. Once the Castle was restored, we were able to liberate the planet and I was able to give back enough quintessence to revitalize the Balmera.

[She was a weak mess for a good few days afterwards, but it was worth it, and definitely better than being dead like she almost expected.]

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Selenium Overflow, Alice M.

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