Chapter Text
“Okay, so if the stuff future me left with you is correct, then this should be enough to get you back.” Pidge informed.
“In my experience, Pidge is never wrong.” Kora chuckled.
“Damn straight.”
Kora hugged everyone goodbye, lingering on Keith and Lance the longest.
“I'm glad I made the trip. Now I have leverage on you two when I go back.”
“Uh, rude. Don't do that.” Lance said.
“She hasn't seen much, don't worry about it.”
“Oh, I've collected enough data from these guys too.” Kora assured them
“Shit,” Lance groaned.
“Promise to terrorize them for me.” Pidge held up her hand. Kora high fived her.
“Oh don't worry, I will.” Kora smirked.
“I hate you two,” Keith sighed.
“Nah, not possible.” Kora patted her dad on the back.
Kora climbed into the shuttle, Phoebea in her arms. She sighed and said, “I guess I'll see you guys in nineteen years.”
Everyone smiled and waved goodbye as Pidge close the door.
Kora closed her eyes tightly and a few seconds later the shuttle was jolting back and into the future.
It didn't take long for the beeping to stop and Kora to be where she needed to be.
She opened up the shuttle door and saw she was in the black lion's hangar.
Disoriented, it took Kaora a few moments to realize that Phoebea wasn't with her.
She clamped back into the shuttle and looked around, even under the seats.
In the midst of her panic she didn't realize someone coming up behind her.
She heard a click and a whir. “Put your hands up and slowly stand up and turn around.”
Kora gulped and did as she was told. She was met with a familiar face.
“Papa?”
Lance looked a little taken aback. “You’re- you're just a kid. What's your name?”
Kora was confused to say the least. “Uh, Kora.”
“That’s a cool name. My name is Lance.”
“Papa, it’s me.”
“Papa? Nah kid, I’m not a dad.”
Kora felt her heart sink to her shoes.
“Hey, uh, follow me. I know some people who might be able to help.” he said, waving Kora along. Kora bit her lip and reluctantly followed him.
Was she cursed to come home to a place of strangers?
Walking through the castle, Kora could barely recognize it. There were burn marks and scratches everywhere. It looked like many fights had happened here and none of them ended well.
They turned the corner and Kora was hit with a blast of steam. It was coming from a hole in the wall. It looked like someone tried to patch it up with duct tape. Around the hole, Kora could recognize dried up blood.
“Pa- uh, Lance, what happened here?”
“It’s not important.” He responded.
“Okay,” Kora thought. “Real helpful.”
They walked for a bit more and entered the main control room. Only Allura, Coran and Shiro were there.
“Hey guys,” Lance called. They all turned around, nodded to him and looked at Kora questioningly.
“This is Kora. She crashed in the castle.”
“Oh, hello!” Allura greeted cheerily. “I am Princess Allura.”
“Coran, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“I’m Shiro, how did you get here?”
“It’s a long story.” She sighed.
“We definitely have the time.” Lance chuckled sadly.
“Is… is this everyone?” Kora dreaded to think what the answer was.
“Oh, no. We have a few more people here. Do you need them here?” Allura asked.
“Yes, I do. I don’t want to go through it a whole bunch of times.”
“Very well.” Coran turned to the monitor and typed out a message. A minute or so later, Pidge and Hunk were in the room, along with someone she didn’t recognize.
She looked to Allura. “Is this all?”
Allura looked down and nodded.
Kora’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh,” Where was her dad? She could only fear the worst.
“Well, I’m Kora. I was sent somewhere by a family friend to save my parents. I succeeded in a way and I tried to come home but I guess I did something wrong.”
“What planet are you from? You look pretty human.” Hunk noticed.
“Technically, I’m from Nayases.”
“An Agimen?” Coran gasped. “Impossible. Nayases was destroyed years ago.”
“This is coming from someone who's planet and people were destroyed eons ago.” Kora scoffed.
“How do you know that?” Allura crossed her arms and eyed her suspiciously.
“You said you were the princess of Altea.”
Shiro stood up. “She never said that. She said she was a princess but not of what.”
“Why don't you tell us who you really are.” Said the woman in the corner. It was the new one, the one Kora didn't recognize.
Kora bit the inside of her lip. “I said that I'm Kora.”
“That doesn't mean anything to us.” Pidge rolled her eyes.
“It used to though.” Kora looked away.
“What the hell does that mean?” the new woman asked. She looked young but older than Kora. Maybe in her early twenties.
“Well, not to you. I don't know you.”
The woman looked to everyone.
“I am Kora. I was sent to the past to save my parents by my aunt Pidge. My parents are Keith Kogane and Lance McClain. I don't know why you don't know me. The time shuttle said I came to the right time and place.”
Lance turned away and left the room.
“What’s… What's wrong?” Kora asked.
“You said your parents are Keith and Lance right?” Allura confirmed.
Shiro walked over to Kora and put his hand on her shoulder. “Keith… He… He died almost seven months ago.”