[ video @redpaladin ]

[tempredmental]

[Keith looked older when he started the video, and he had a new scar down the right side of his face. His hair was longer, and, when he shifted the video enough to get a glimpse of his shoulders, he looked broader. He also looked like he had a couple of bruises on the left side of his face, too.]

If you've seen Shiro's post, then yeah. We both got canisters this time. Stuff happened back home.

[He paused.]

Does anyone know how to change their username on this thing?

Comments

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola listens, she starts shuffling the various ingredients to where she needs them when she starts cooking. This needed doing and it gave Keith some space while he spelled out whatever had happened. Cause, obviously something happened, just Lola couldn't know what.*

Your mom? Like- out in space? Not on Earth.

*It was kinda weird for his mom to be not on Earth. Just... he was born on Earth, so she should have been there right?*

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded.]

She's not from Earth originally.

That Blade I have... the one with the glowing emblem on it... it was hers. She left it for me when she went back into space. I found out why she left... how she met my dad... why she was on Earth... all of it. She was the one with me in that abyss. We had two years together to work all of that out.

[threatenwithcuteness]

I- I don't think I could manage ten minutes alone with my mother.

*It was a bitter thought, a selfish thought, her mother and Keith's mothers were obviously different. Keith's mom left him a dagger, and was an alien, and okay that's going to be a thing for later. Lola busied herself with grouping ingredients based on what she was doing with each of them. Something to keep her mind half-busy, keep her from thinking about herself.*

But... you did work it out? All the- everything? That's good right?

[tempredmental]

I didn't think I could, either. I was pretty angry at her, even after all this time. But, yeah. We worked it out. I get it now. Why she left, what was going on, all of it. It makes sense now.

When we made it off the whale, we found a colony of lost Alteans that we knew we had to tell the rest of Team Voltron about. So we went back to the Castle of Lions. When we delivered the news, something happened to Shiro. He like... snapped... or something... and he took Lotor and ran away. [There was a whole backstory for Lotor, too, but he'd get to that later.] We went after him, but we needed Voltron to do it. Without Shiro, they needed someone in the Black Lion, so I did it. I've piloted the Black Lion before, so I knew it would let me again.

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola's happy that there was an answer, an explanation for why a mother would leave. She'd never get the same, her mom just left. This thought, specifically, is one where she was happy to have stuff to fiddle with and move and start working on food.*

I'm guessing you're still technically the pilot of the Black Lion what with the whole- Shiro's robot arm being evil thing? He sorta told me some of his stuff on the network. So... where does that leave the Lions that are here?

[tempredmental]

Yeah... I am. When I first piloted the Black Lion, Lance had moved up to Red, and Allura took over for him in Blue. That's just what the Lions chose. But, also, a Lion doesn't give up its bond with a previous Paladin easily. The incoming Paladin has to either develop a stronger bond or break the other bond... unless the previous Paladin supports it... or they're dead. So, I still have a bond to Red. And I was able to work with Shiro in the Black Lion when I rescued him. He helped me tap into one of Black's hidden abilities in order to help the rest of the team.

So, for here, we've been kind of sharing Black already, and I kept working with Red so she wouldn't get lonely. I'm not going to abandon her. She doesn't have Lance here with her. She came through the portal to find me when she did because I was still her Paladin at the time, but something tells me they don't get the canisters like we do. But, she seems to be aware of the change.

Right now, while Shiro needs help, though, Black's probably going to stay around here more, so I'll just keep working with Red unless something comes up that I need something that only Black can do.

[threatenwithcuteness]

So... you all just, changed lions? I'm guessing it's like a weird dance partner thing that Black wouldn't play nice with Lance or Allura?

*It sorta made sense, the lions were alive (but metal), they had a choice in this. You don't just let some rando ride around in your head without liking them after all. But it seems really overly complicated that Allura couldn't just pilot the Black Lion.*

Won't the Lions figure out something's up from you guys? Like, you're different and they're linked to you. Won't all your stuff filter to them that way? Even if they don't get canisters?

You guys don't, like, swap uniform colors to match your lions, do you?

*Priorities!*

[tempredmental]

[Keith managed a small smile.]

Yeah. Something like that. [And then serious again...] Everyone tried. I didn't want to, at first, because... well, I didn't want to believe Shiro was gone, and I didn't feel like I could handle being a leader. But I was the only one that Black responded to. Even the Lion believed in me before I believed in myself.

That left Red without a pilot, but Red didn't respond to Allura. It wasn't until Blue suddenly locked out Lance that she realized that Red wanted Lance to try instead. Red responded to Lance, and then Blue opened up to her.

[He considered the canister problem.] They understand. If they didn't want to go along with the idea, they wouldn't, so... [He shrugged.] I think... I think they know. They seem to know a lot more than we realize. You're right, because they are bonded to us.

[Wait, what? He shook his head.]

No. Why would we?

[threatenwithcuteness]

It kinda helps. When a person, or, Lion, I guess, tells you what you're not ready to see yet. I mean- if people don't see it, or don't say it, you feel it missing right?

I mean the suits matched the lions, so coordinating with your partner seems important to team building. Although it'd be bad for your wardrobe, most of what you wear is red. It'd take forever to swap all that out with black.

*But it'd be a shopping trip, so the very concept makes Lola smile.*

[tempredmental]

[Keith smiled a bit.] Yeah. I guess. I certainly didn't see it. [And Keith wasn't the only one who didn't. Sometimes, he felt like Shiro was the only one who had... and, well, now the Black Lion.

Her comment, though, definitely made him chuckle a little.]

I guess, but I'd feel weird wearing Shiro's color, even if I'm in the Black Lion. It's like wearing someone else's number in a sport. Plus, I think Lance would whine too much if he had to start wearing my armor.