juniberries | futuro inbox

Uh, hey, so!

You know...I'm thinking on it now, and you never did tell me. I mean! Probably because I didn't ask.

[u h.]

...What did I not tell you?

[ ...right. That wasn't very clear, was it. ]

Why'd you join Hathaway?

...Oh.

[Lance you have never asked her this ever she's not a mind reader outside of the mice omg.]

Is it not obvious? We need all the resources and allies that are possible to form a strong Coalition and put an end to the Galra Empire. By joining Hathaway and assisting them, the Voltron Coalition will gain just that.

[ Obvious..? ] We just got the Coalition underway...I mean, I get that allies are important, but I always figured you were more of a 'hands-on' kind of person.

[ By which he means he would assume she'd rather be back with Voltron watching it all come together. ]

[... ‘just’?]

It has hardly been a short time since the Coalition’s formation. And by joining Hathaway, this is one way of my being “hands-on.”

We need all the help we can get to defeat Zarkon. Even if that means...broaching certain zones of comfort.

[she may be thinking of a Certain Development. but....]

Why did you join Hathaway, Lance?

[ Zark--wait. ]

Wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait waaaaaiiit a hot minute.

Zarkon's back?

He is.

[A LONG....PAuSE......]

...do you not remember?

Remember...? Allura, we just fought Lotor; we formed Voltron with Keith in the Black Lion. Lotor destroyed the teludav.

[ A beat. ]

Is this a weird timeline thing? I think this is a weird timeline thing.

No, we--

[She's about to cut in with what she remembers happening, but stops herself.]

Yes, it very much sounds like our timelines do not match up. We have been through so much more following our battle with Lotor.

[another pause; she's sifting through what she wants to say, while also wanting to avoid other topics. she's no expert on differing timelines, and she doesn't want to ruin things.]

...to put things simply, our fight with Zarkon is not done. It seems as though he was able to recover.

[ Allura can't see it, but Lance's whole body seems to sag all at once. ]

Guess you can't just knock over a ten-thousand-year dictator that easy, huh?

[A small but tired laugh.

Well, that’s certainly one way of putting it....]

Apparently not.

[another pause.]

Why is it that you joined, Lance?

[ He hesitates before answering. His answer feels selfish in comparison. ]

I.

[ It would be easy to lie and say he's here to help grow the Coalition--but. He can't lie to Allura. ]

I wanted to get better, I guess. To...catch up with everybody.

Catch up?

[Regardless of everything she’s done, she feels that of all the Paladins needing to catch up...it’s her.

Lance is...she admires him, in a way. He’s been a constant supporting figure for her.]

Lance, you do not need to catch up to anyone on the team.

[ He shrugs even though she can't see it, a little uncomfortable. ]

I mean, I feel like I do. Isn't that enough? [ Not feeling like he's made his point, he persists: ] I don't have Pidge and Hunk's tech skills, or Keith and Shiro's leadership ability. I don't inspire people like you do. So I've gotta...figure out how to do my part better. Figure out what I can work on so I can bring my A-game.

I am not saying you shouldn't seek improvement. We are all still learning what we can do as paladins.

[Lance if she could grip your shoulder now, she totally would.]

But you have inspired me. You are a great Red Paladin, one who would have made my father proud.

[ Hearing her say that warms him down to the tips of his toes; he flushes pleasantly. ]

Thanks, Allura.

I came here--[ He feels like he should anchor this in time for her, because maybe he's missing a piece. ]--I came here right after we found Shiro, when we fought Lotor and formed Voltron with Keith in Black. We've got Shiro, Keith, you, me, Hunk and Pidge. That's six Paladins, and five Lions. [ He's not looking to rehash his conversation with Keith, not least of which because he's combed over it twice with the man himself already. He just wants to explain. ] And I felt like--like I should do better, you know?

[ He feels silly explaining it to her, now that the words are out. It was easier to tell Keith, somehow. ]

Edited 2018-03-19 18:24 (UTC)

[She's quiet for a tick, still ruminating over how long ago that feels.

There's really no knowing in what would happen were she to tell him what's to come for them. At least, in her reality. It's a weird sort of responsibility she's never really thought of having before, so when she speaks she chooses what to say carefully.

But still, she thinks of him, what he's said to her all those times she's struggled with being the Blue Paladin, his reassurance when she doubted herself and her ability:]

It is your desire to do better that makes you a great Paladin, Lance. I cannot imagine piloting Blue without looking to you as inspiration.

[And she doesn't mean it disparagingly this time!! Especially since it's just the two of them & he's behaving.]

You do not have to worry about being replaced, if that is what you're concerned about. You have always been vital to the team, a part of that is why Red chose you.

[It's not hard to read between the lines of what he's saying.]

[ He appreciates that he doesn't have to explain it to her, even if having it spelled out like that feels silly. ]

I know we've all got a part to play. I mean, I know it, I just gotta--make it stick. Work on me. I'll get there. [ Warmly: ] For the record, you're a pretty great Blue Paladin yourself.

I understand; I believe that you will.

[she says that equally as warm. because gee!! things have changed between them.]

And thank you, it means a lot to hear that from you.

[Using video is hard, but he forces himself to do it. It feels ... fair.]

I didn't mean Voltron the weapon. I meant Voltron the people. Our team. I'm not saying we use the weapon. But you said the Coalition is successful. Why would it even need Lotor? Why would we need Lotor?

[she keeps it to video as well. it's less difficult for her, and her expression is reserved, brows crinkling only slightly as a telltale sign of uncertainty.

of holding something back. of not quite knowing the right answer. but she's trying. she feels like there's a continuing rift between the two of them.]

I...understand. I clearly misunderstood what you meant. [she glances away.] And the Coalition's success, following Zarkon's return to power, is thanks to Lotor's efforts with his promised alliance. He's continuously proven himself to us, to be an ally and a friend to the Coalition.

[there's hesitation to what she says next.]

My father and Zarkon had been friends once, and Lotor looks to that past history as a way for peace.

We both know that not all Galra are evil. It has taken me some time to remember that, but Lotor is genuine in his desire to return to peaceful times. It is not so much that the Coalition needs him, but that it is a way to be certain no more innocents die in a war that Zarkon started, and that others seek to continue.

You know why the Blade took so long to even be a thing. They thought that what Zarkon was making was for the good of all Galra. And ... in a way, it was, wasn't it?

[There's no denying that. The Galra still can get whatever it is that they want.]

The problem is that it didn't mean good things for other people. Does Lotor actually want to give those planets a choice? It doesn't sound like he does.

He does.

[there's a bit of a pause, and she's thinking back to what Lotor had told her in confidence while on Oriande.]

I have spent some time with him, back in our universe, speaking with him in great length. Lotor does not seek to conquer or oppress people, but to work alongside them.

[she doesn't avoid Keith's gaze over the magitek, and her expression softens. there's a sadness to it.]

He's half-Altean. He understands what it's like to lose a culture to those who only seek to conquer and destroy.

That's not what it sounded like when I asked him. I might be upset, but he didn't sound interested in giving them their freedom. Only their "autonomy."

[There is nothing in his tone around the word "autonomy," he's merely quoting it.]

Besides ... he's used the Alteans against you before. Don't you remember?

I...cannot speak entirely on his behalf, but I will talk to him about such matters.

[back home she doesn't have Keith at her side like this to frame things from his perspective. with Shiro, Lotor has had his support for far longer than he's had hers. and back home, Keith seems to at the very least support Lotor in a way that the Blades only can support him.

Keith here...is certainly different.

but Keith has no way of knowing what she knows. that small burning of faith she feels when she looks to Lotor. the soft glow of Oriande, of a truth she's never known until now--]

I do remember, and we've spoken of it.

Do you even know why he needed that comet? Those ships? Have you asked?

[He's not trying to push her about this since he can see he won't change his mind. But that doesn't make it easier for Keith to accept.]

Both Shiro and I have confronted him about his past doings. He has told us he seeks to cross between realities, to be able to harvest quintessence.

Didn't that cause problems before? I know we don't know everything about that time when your father was alive, but is it a good thing? And should we really be taking it from another reality? What if it hurts that reality?

Quintessence is held in a field between realities, not in a reality of its own.

[her expression hardens a bit]

And whatever it is that needs to be done, it is something he cannot do without me.

[Meanwhile, Keith thinks about the planets where the weblum had been. They were completely decimated, and not in a natural way.]

And you don't see the problem with that? With how much he needs you, but you don't need him?

We need to work alongside Lotor in order to continue on our universe's path to peace. This is a mutual alliance, Keith, one that is bringing us closer to finally ending the aftermath of strife Zarkon's Empire has caused.

I'm sorry. I can't see it that way.

[There's a lot he can say here, but he chooses not to for the moment. Like how he feels like his opinion isn't valued anymore, or how what Lotor has described sounds a lot like stripping people of their freedoms ... and continuing to do so.]

I won't argue with him again like that. ["Like that"—in public.] But I'm afraid I can't take your word on what he's doing. We knew he was smart. We have to be on guard.

[the hardness in her expression dissipates into disappointment, and then to a certain level of sadness.]

I...wish you would trust me, Keith. [she wants to say something else, but once again she averts her gaze from the magitek.] But I have hope that Lotor will prove himself to you.

Please at the very least accept that he is my friend.

Allura ... [He exhales and looks down at his hands for a moment.]

It's not you that I don't trust. I know it's hard for you to trust anyone who's Galra. But from where I stand, something about it seems off. It doesn't seem right.

[she remains quiet, and then lets out a small breath of a sigh.]

If our timelines ever do align, then perhaps things will feel right.

But even here we are on the same team, and we must focus on our mission. We cannot let our own bias get in the way of finding a solution for these people. [and even if Keith has something to say to that, she remains looking away from the video feed.] I...have to go. I will speak to you later.

[Keith is somehow surprised that he's not the one ending this conversation.]

All right, Princess.

[A beat later:]

The mission will be fine. I don't fail missions.

[It's probably an empty reassurance given his temper not so long ago, but ... it's the best he can offer. Keith is and will always be terrible at comfort.]

Princess Allura, if you have a moment I would like to ask you a few things that I was curious about.

It is good to hear from you, Alucard.

[and she does sound genuinely pleased!!!]

What are you curious about?

There were a few things, but I also wanted to be forthcoming to you in case the subject matter was not one you wished to speak more on.

I wanted to ask about Lotor. Keith obviously feels very strongly about his presence, but noted that things with Lotor will change for him -- but he has yet to experience it. I wanted to know your thoughts on Lotor rather than making assumptions.

[there's an obvious pause after Alucard elaborates on the nature of his questions, and it's a good thing this is audio because she is quite visibly frowning. she's currently in a public setting, so she's quiet for a tick until she finds herself somewhere where there's less people who will lend a prying ear to what she has to say.]

I am glad you decided to ask for my perspective as opposed to jumping to conclusions based on...whatever it is Keith has told you.

[she's a well trained diplomat but it's obvious she's not. The Best, considering her choice of how to respond to that. upon speaking of Lotor, however, her voice loses some of that edge.]

My thoughts on Lotor are from getting to know him more. Not as an enemy, but as an ally. And for the length of time I have gotten to know him in person, as opposed to at a distance as it used to have been, I've come to learn that he is a man different from his father, who seeks to do good for both his people and others in the universe.

He seeks peace, and a restoration for things lost to a destructive Empire. And I believe he is a good person, and someone I can trust.

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[voice] un: sharpshooter

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@keith | video

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audio; un: alucard

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slinks out of her mental funk a billion years later......