Chapter Text
“I can’t believe after everything we know and already been to one dystopian alternate reality, you want to go trapesing through another One?” Lance complained loudly hands on his hips looking to his friends and Lotor. The group was gathered on the bridge of the castle looking out at a rip in space time among the wreckage of an unknown ship outside the planet Arus’s atmosphere. “Really I can’t be the only voice of reason here. Hunk back me up buddy.”
“We don’t know if it’s a different one, it could be the same one. You can check on Sven.” Pidge tried to reason with Lance.
“Who’s Sven again? I’ve heard you guys talk about him before.” Shiro asked from where he stood near Keith and Lotor. The blade had join them on the ship to watch over the castle and guard it while the team, Lotor, and Coran who was excited to travel between realities since he was left out last time. Keith joining them as an imagery for the blade and for his previous experience going to another reality.
“He was you, except he talked weird.” Keith stated bluntly with his own arms crossed.
“Excuse me?! He did not talk weird. It’s called an accent Keith. Something you sometimes have when English is not your first language. It’s not weird, unlike your mullet.” Lance said stompy his way to Keith.
Hunk grabbed his shoulder before he could get close enough to jab Keith with his pointer finger he had extended. “Easy there buddy. I don’t think Keith understands how rude his statement is.” Hunk shot Keith a disapproving look. Hunk knew Lance was only getting defensive because he had struggled to overcome his own accent after being bullied in school, but Keith didn’t know that. Keith just huffed and avoided eye contact with them. “It wasn’t a Japanese accent either, more like someone trying to do a Swedish or Nordic accent or making fun of one. But it was just how he talked. It might have been an alien one we aren’t sure. We know Allura and Coran aren’t British or from New Zealand but it’s how they sound through the translation program.”
“Sven also had a mullet, but he pulled it off better than Keith did. You also seemed to be like really close friends with Slav in that reality.” Lanced added with a barely contained smirk and glance towards Pidge who was barely containing her own snickering at Shiro’s horrified expression.
“Ok now I know you two are messing with me. And that’s not funny. We don’t know what’s through there and you should be taking this, . . . Seriously?!” Pidge and Lance were no longer holding in their snickering. They were hunched over laughing both leaning on Hunk.
“Sorry man it’s not a joke.” Hunk said with a shrug. Shiro turned to Allura who was struggling to maintain a polite smile. “yes, it was a bit of a pleasant shock, but it is true.” Keith was no avoiding making eye contact with his mentor.
With no one left to console him he turned to quite uninvolved Lotor. “don’t look at me black paladin. I have no clue what they are talking about. Or who this Sven character is.”
Lance immediately jerked up turning a glare and pointed finger on the Galran prince. “Right, because who fault was it that we ended up in an alternate reality filled with crazy evil Alteans making mind control zombies.”
Pidge shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose as her and Hunk crossed arms and turned their own glare on Lotor. Coran also being a bit cross in the face behind Lotor. “Yeah, cause it wasn’t our idea.” Hunk gave a stiff nod in agreement.
Lotor turned his attention on the youngest trio. “Which is exactly why I didn’t bring it up. You did.”
Shiro however just groaned and faced palmed trying to discreetly cover his breathing exercises. Allura took the opportunity to get the others back on task. “Right everyone and I’m sure Lotor is very sorry for his past digression.” she moved closer to Lotor and nudged him with her shoulder when he didn’t take the hint.
He gave her a very confused pursed look before turning back to the trio. “Yes, of course I’m very sorry. However, without that ore I wouldn’t have made the Sicline, and without it I might not have escaped my father to come to be such a valuable aid to Voltron to defeat him. So, you are also very welcome.” Allura winced, as Hunk lunged to grab a hold of Pidge and Lance before they did something drastic.
“Maybe it would be best if Lotor stays behind in the castle.” Coran tried to help the building tension.
“No Lotor has studied Honerva’s notes about the rift from the time of Voltron’s creation. We need him with us if we are to gather good intel and make sure we can seal this new rift up.” Shiro quickly jumped back into leader mode. “Everyone just needs to get over the past and move on. We need to get this done before any rogue Galra commanders or fleets take notice of the rift. Now let’s go. Everyone to your lions. Lo…”
“I call dibs on Coran.” Lance shouted thrusting his hand into the air with a wave. “As my ride along.”
Shiro raised a brow at him in confusion and paused before responding. “Very well that’s fine… then Lotor how about you…”
“I’d be very happy to accommodate Lotor in the blue lion.” Allura uncharacteristically jumped in with a shy smile.
“What?! No! Princess Lotor should ride with Shiro in black, you know the head, where he can see all the space magic broken fabric of reality as we pass through. Yeah.” Lance said with a flap of his hand at the wrist.
“Lance that’s not..” Hunk started.
“We all have view screens Lance.” Pidge said at the same time.
“I’ll ride with Shiro. If black let’s me.” Keith piped in quietly. The trio turned to look at their teammate turned blade questioningly. Unsure if he said it to be with Shiro instead of one of the others, or to stop a fight, either way it was effect as Shiro was not going to let that opening slip through his fingers lest they start bickering again.
“Right. it’s settled. Keith with me, Allura and Lotor. Coran and Lance. Now everyone get to your lions. It might be a long day.” Shiro said with a deep sigh as he put a hand on Keith’s shoulder and headed for the black lion the others splitting off. Keith and Pidge going into coms and informing the blade and Matt the team was leaving.
“Bring me back something sis.” Matt said cheerily on the overhead coms as the team headed out.