Keith (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tempredmental) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
riverviewlogs2017-10-18 02:38 pm
tempredmental) wrote in riverviewlogs2017-10-18 02:38 pmEntry tags:
tempredmental) wrote in riverviewlogs2017-10-18 02:38 pm
1. The Great Escape
=====
[It was nighttime, and Keith was racing across the desert. The speeder, while definitely fast, seemed to be handling oddly sluggish and weighted down. The source of that happened to be four extra people clinging on for dear life.
One was immediately to his left, standing on the arm of the outboard turbine on that side. It provided an interesting situation with the drag and weight balance that Keith was visibly compensating for. Directly behind him, Shiro was unconscious and hanging limply off to the same side as the person on the outboard turbine, being held by a smaller boy (girl?) with glasses. Up behind them, balanced precariously on the speeder's tail fin was a very large teen, the ties of his headband trailing behind him in the wind. Other than Shiro, who was unconscious, the big guy was the only one relatively quiet for the moment. The smaller teen was complaining about being the one trying to hold "this guy", meaning Shiro, and the lanky teen in the hoodie was yelling at Keith to make the speeder go faster.]
We could toss out some non-essential weight.
Oh, right!
[The other teen looked around quickly, noting that there was pretty much nothing else on the speeder but the five of them. He made a face.]
...Okay, so that was an insult. I get it.
[Ignoring him for now, Keith turned, shouting for the big guy on the back to lean to the left. Feeling it out and reacting to instinct, he adjusted the power, and used the weight shift to bank hard.
Behind them, two large armored vehicles crashed into each other, causing the big guy on the back to get momentarily worried about two of their instructors.
They came along the edge of a ravine. Below them to the right, across the narrow gap, was a ledge on the far side. Seeing a way out, Keith leaned back and shouted again for the big guy to lean right this time. He did, and Keith hit the accelerator hard, launching the speeder off the edge and down into the ravine to land on the far ledge. The two remaining chase vehicles followed, but one crashed into the wall on landing, leaving one to try catching them.
The jump illicited various screams and scolding and complaining from the three conscious passengers, and Keith just ignored them as the ravine opened back up into another plateau. At the far end, it dropped off into a cliff.
The big guy on the back, being higher up than the others, had a perfect view. He pointed.]
Guys? Uuuhhh... Is that a cliff up ahead?
[Keith leaned forward, smirking to himself as the other two teens started to protest rapidly.]
Yup.
[Squeeze the clutch, downshift for power, accelerate... The group started yelling. No no no you'll get us all killed! But, off they went, the last chase vehicle skidding to a halt behind them just before it tipped over the edge. They dove for several hundred feet, the passengers still screaming. Keith's voice rose over the extra yelling.]
SHUT UP AND TRUST ME!
[Another crank on the controls and the tail dipped down, the nose came up, and the outboard turbines on either side gave a strained, high-pitched whine. They barely scraped the dirt as they came within inches of being flattened on the desert floor, and, in a cloud of dust, they were off and racing again towards the sunrise.]
2. Left Behind
=====
[A young boy with large deep bluish violet eyes and a thick mop of messy black hair came running back towards the shack. It was the end of the school day.
As he got closer, he could hear angry talking between his parents. He paused in the doorway, watching them. His mother had a bag and was insisting his father keep a large knife to give to Keith someday. His father was trying to get her to stay, not to leave. But it was too late. She'd made her choice. She turned and froze in place at seeing the small boy on the porch. Her face softened as she visibly held back tears.]
I'm sorry, Keith. I have to go. [She put a hand on his head as she walked past him.] I hope you'll understand someday.
What?
[The memory faded into something else... a launchpad with a massive ship being prepared for takeoff. A young family and their dog taking pictures beforehand could be seen off in the distance, and Keith was walking with Shiro over towards the ship to look at it.]
This is what's going to be taking me up to Kerberos.
[Keith looked up at it. He crossed his arms, feeling Shiro put his hand on his shoulder as he pointed out some of the ship's features. Keith knew it was going to happen at some point. Everyone left him eventually. His mom... his dad... now Shiro. It was hard to be excited, though he was proud, at least. It was the first time since Shiro had taken him in that he would be alone. But, this was the Galaxy Garrison. And Shiro had been picked for a really important mission. It was a big honor.
Keith had to keep reminding himself of that.]
You promise to keep in touch?
[Shiro lowered his arm and looked back at Keith. He nodded.]
Of course.
[It faded again...
(Scene starts at 34:52)
This time, they were on the bridge of the Castle ship, talking about retrieving the Voltron Lions. Shiro breaks them up into teams. Lance and Hunk to get the Yellow Lion in Blue. Shiro and Pidge to get the Green Lion using one of the Castle's shuttle pods.
Keith... to wait in the Castle until they better know where the Red Lion is. And then, when they find it, go get it... on his own.
He gave Shiro a nervous look, but Shiro put his hand on Keith's shoulder in reassurance. Keith didn't feel very reassured.
(Scene starts at 51:36)
Another change... and now they're on a Galra vessel. Pidge is insisting that they find her father and brother, which Shiro finally relents and agrees to go with her. Keith panics as Shiro tells him to go find the Red Lion on his own. Alone? Shiro was leaving him alone?]
By myself?
Minor change of plans. You'll be fine. Just remember, patience yields focus.
[The sound of an approaching patrol sent them running in different directions... Shiro and Pidge towards the cells, and Keith towards where he assumed the hangar to be.
The scene once again changes...
(Someone added Kung Fu Panda at the end?)
The sound of people running through the corridors of the Castle of Lions. Somehow, the observer knew that the Black Lion had to have been towed back to the Castle by the Red and Green Lions after a particularly difficult battle. When the image came into focus, Keith was racing towards the Black Lion's hangar, calling for Shiro.
He wasn't alone. Behind him, the rest of the Paladins, as well as Allura and Coran, make their way into the Lion and up to the cockpit in the head. The doors part.
Was it... empty?]
Shiro?
[They move in on the pilot's chair, but no one's there.]
He's gone.
[Keith felt his heart drop into his stomach. He wasn't ready for this. No. It wasn't happening. Shiro was out there. They had to find him.
But his legs wouldn't move. He felt glued to the Black Lion's cockpit floor.
Why was he always being left alone...?]
3. This Kid Can Flat-Out Fly
====
[Four Lions, Black, Red, Green, and Yellow, reach the edge of the asteroid field that the shuttle they were chasing just disappeared into.]
We'll never get through this asteroid field!
Maybe I can just bust through! [He let out a yell as he charged the Yellow Lion right for the nearest asteroid. He slammed into it with a massive headbutt and started a chain reaction of the asteroids drifting about, crashing into each other, and making it that much harder to fly through.] Nope. That was wrong. That was a bad idea.
Keith, you're the only one who could possibly fly through this. We need you, buddy. Get in there and flush him out.
[Keith smirked.] You got it. See you on the other side.
[The other Lions took a roundabout route, leaving Red alone. Keith slammed the control sticks forward, and the Lion dove headfirst into the field at full thrust. Using the asteroids to his advantage and the fact that Red could switch from running to flying smoothly, Keith was able to run and jump her off a few way points to get extra bursts of speed. He squeezed her between two large rocks at one point, escaping just before they collided, and was able to catch up to the fleeing shuttle.
Two double-barreled blasters emerged from the top rear of the craft and started firing backwards at Red to shake her off their tail. Keith dodged, keeping Red from being hit, and then spun her around, firing back with her mouth laser. He missed the first few shots, and had to bank hard to avoid a last minute asteroid collision, but he came up over the top and had Red fling her jaw blade. The weapon circled like a boomerang, slicing through the two blasters and disabling them.
With the lack of lasers coming his way, Keith charged forward again, using Red's mouth laser one last time to blast one of the shuttle's engines. It spun out of control for a moment, and Keith caught up, landing Red on the roof and digging into the metal with her claws. He yanked the controls again with a grunt, and Red kicked in her leg jets to bring the shuttle to a halt just outside the asteroid belt. The other Lions were there to meet them.]
Yeah! [Keith chuckled a little and contacted Lance over the comm for a little gloating.] Hey, Lance, I got your lion back.
Thank you, Keith. Now, can you come and unchain me?
[Oh, no... Lance wasn't getting off this so easy. Keith smirked, playing innocent.]
What's that? I, uh... You're cutting out. I can't... I can't hear you.
Oh, come on! I thought we bonded. Keith? Buddy? My man?
4. Knowledge or Death
Warnings: Violence.
=====
[The Blade of Marmora member closest to Keith was fast, and tackled him, pinning him to the floor almost instantly before Keith had even known what was going to happen. Even Shiro was caught off guard.]
Keith!
He has one of our blades! Who did you steal this from?
I didn't! I've had it all my life!
Lies!
[The leader of the group spoke next, addressing Shiro.] Can you corroborate your friend's statement? Does this blade truly belong to him?
I... I don't know.
[Keith panicked. He'd never shown Shiro the knife. He'd always kept it hidden. He was regretting that now, but he just never knew how to explain it and the strange symbol on the handle.]
Shiro, you know me. [His tone was pleading. He didn't have best track record for behavior. He knew that.] I promise you I didn't steal it. I've had this knife as long as I can remember. [His dad had kept it for him until he left, but never said where it had come from... if Keith knew, he had been too young when he was told to consciously remember.]
We can't trust them.
I'm telling the truth. I saw Ulaz had a knife like this. Tell me what it means. [That seemed to get their attention enough that the leader had the other member finally let Keith up. Keith stood, gripping his arm for a moment where the other had pinned him painfully.]
Our organization is built on secrecy and trust. You two should leave. Now.
We came here to form an alliance, but obviously, we're not welcome. Come on, Keith, we're leaving.
[Nope. Keith was set on this. He had one tie to his past, his mother, his family, all the answers he never had, and this was it. He couldn't leave now. He had to know. This was the closest he'd ever come to finding those missing pieces. He stood his ground, pushing back against Shiro for the first time in a long time.]
Not without some answers. Somehow, one of your knives ended up with me on planet Earth. Tell me how.
Your friend is right. It is time for you to go.
[DAMN IT.] Where did it come from? I have to know.
You seek knowledge? There is only one way to attain knowledge here.
[Keith jumped on it, not even waiting to find out what it was.]
How? I'll do it!
The Trials of Marmora. Should you survive, you may keep the blade and its secrets will be revealed.
Survive? [Shiro stepped up, trying to stop Keith from agreeing to this.] Keith, this is crazy. If they're not going to help us, let's get out of here.
[He couldn't do it. He couldn't leave without those answers.] I'm not going anywhere. I have to do this. [Shiro looked almost sad. He knew enough to understand why this bothered Keith so much. He knew he wasn't going to get the teen to back down.
The leader nodded to the warrior that had tackled Keith.]
Antok, give the boy the blade.
[He held it out for Keith, who reached for it, but, before releasing it to him, Antok spoke.]
We will meet again.
Can't wait.
[As a reminder, the leader said one last thing.]
These trials result in one of two things. Knowledge or death.
[The memory fades for a moment, and when it clears, Keith is standing in an arena alone. A hatch in the floor opens, and a single Blade warrior rises up on a platform. They both ready themselves for a fight.]
Surrender the blade. You cannot win.
[Keith didn't give him long. He didn't even answer. He charged in, and the fight began. It was intense. Both fighters were equally aggressive, and neither was pulling punches. Keith approached this like he would any other fight for his life against an enemy. And it wasn't like they hadn't already put it out there that he had to survive the Trials to get the answers he wanted. He knew his life was on the line.
The warrior's blade made it through and got a hit on Keith's right shoulder, landing hard on his collarbone. Keith cried out, pulling back in pain and clutching the wound as he held the knife out defensively in front of himself for a moment to catch his breath. He managed to get some distance between them for a moment. He steadied himself, pushing past the initial shock of pain to keep fighting.
Eventually, though, the warrior gained the upper hand. Keith reached in with an attack, and the warrior grabbed Keith's wrist. He twisted the arm, forcing Keith to his knees and pinning him, holding the injured arm up and behind Keith in an immobilizing hold. He brought his blade to Keith's neck.]
Surrender the blade and the pain will cease.
I won't quit.
Then the pain continues. [Despite that statement, the warrior let Keith go, stepping back, and looking towards a door in the back of the arena, opposite where Keith had entered from. Keith looked confused.] You are not meant to go through that door.
[Keith stared at him, standing up, and then looked at the door. He took a few hesitant steps, waiting for the warrior to attack him again, but then jogged past, going through the door. The next room looked identical to the last. The only difference was that two hatches in the floor opened, bringing up two warriors instead of one.
The fight began anew, and Keith was once again subdued by the warriors, despite his best efforts to keep going.]
Surrender the blade and the pain will cease.
[He almost growled.] Never!
You are not meant to go through that door.
[Breathing hard, Keith kept going. The memory slipped into something of a montage, then, the identical arenas blending together as it looked like there were just more and more warriors for him to face each time. His arm throbbed from the injury, and sometimes it shook from the strain he was putting it through, but he kept fighting. He took a beating in the process, too. Aches sprung up from deep bruises everywhere... his face, his ribs, his forearms and legs, his back, anywhere he took a hit. But he pushed, and pushed, and pushed hard. Somewhere deep down, this ball of rage that festered ever since he was a kid, ever since he'd been left behind, kept fueling his drive to continue. It kept him going.
Another door. Another door. More warriors, and more warriors. As he watched a group come up from the floor, he noticed something about the hatches in the floor. For a second, his mind moved past the fight, past the anger and fear and pain, and poked around at just what might be beneath. Maybe... just maybe... going through all those doors was a ruse. Maybe there was more to this.
Or maybe, if he got out of the arenas, he could get further into the base and find the answers that way.
He crouched slightly. He'd have to be quick, and those hatches didn't take long to close. He needed to jam it open somehow. He charged forward, going in for the attack one more time, and then threw the knife. It spun through the air and embedded itself with a thunk into the hatch, wedging it open. The Marmora members froze in confusion. Keith ran in, making a bee-line for that hatch. They reacted, trying to block his progress. He fought off a few until he was close enough, then dropped into a slide across the floor, rolling at the last minute to snatch his blade free and drop into the hatch before it slid shut.
Another door opened and Keith stepped out on to a bridge that connected two sides of the base across a chasm in the asteroid they were on.
He was a mess... bruised, exhausted, dragging himself through the pain and fatigue, clutching his injured arm to his side to protect it.]
Guess I really wasn't supposed to go through that door...
[His tired voice croaked a little as he said it to himself out loud, almost punch drunk and amused sounding, just before he passed out, collapsing to the floor in a heap.]