"Trouble?! Like, big bad Galra trouble?!" Ember rushed out, trying to climb up faster. Her foot slipped and she hit her chin on one of the rungs.  "Merde! Fils de -!*"

  "Please tell me there's not a giant monster in there," Hunk interrupted the French cussing. "Please tell me it's empty! Or full of space candy. One of those two. Either one is fine."

  "I don't think it's a piñata, Hunk." Lance deadpanned. 

  "If it's the same kind of monster that attacked us on Arus, we already know how to beat it," Keith stated, making Ember hiss. 

  "How much are you betting its the same monster though?" Ember pointed out. "It could easily be a different one!" 

There was a bit of commotion - Voltron getting its sword and shield ready up above - before Shiro ordered, "Hold your ground!"

  "Why does it take so long to climb ladders?!" Ember groaned, pushing herself onto solid ground and looking up. "I'm like, a quarter away from being up there with you guys."

  "It'll probably be best if you just stay down there, Em," Lance commented. 

  "And let you guys do all the work? Hell no!"

When the ground trembled once again, Ember had a feeling that the monster had reveled itself to the team. 

  "It's not candy!" Hunk yelled, confirming Ember's feeling. 

  "And it's not the same monster!!" Lance added on. 

  "We need to draw its fire away from the Balmera's surface!" Shiro exclaimed. Ember heard them all groan before the sound of lasers being shot reached her ears. 

  "We can't hold out!" Lance shouted. 

  "My lion is weakening!" Pidge cried out. "If the shield sustains structural damage, we're done for!"

  "Pidge is right!" 

  "Oh, Pidge is right. I'm the one that said, 'We can't hold out!'."

  "Both of you two stop right now!" Ember snapped, finally pushing herself onto the surface of the Balmera. "You guys have - Merde Sainte!"

  "Stop cussing in French, Em! We can't understand-"

  "Lance, watch your footing!" 

Ember watched with wide eyes as the ugly creature blasted away Voltron's shield and the lions fall to the ground. The creature was like a lizard, with more metal parts then flesh.

  "Okay, Team Voltron, disband!" Shiro commanded, the team doing what he said. "Everyone, evasive maneuvers! It can't shoot us all at once!"

Ember watched with wide eyes as the monster extended its arms out and started to shoot multiple green lasers at the lions.  

  "Okay, it can do that too," Shiro grunted. Ember watched with baited breath as her friend flew around the monster, trying not to get shot. Out of the clouds, the Castle of Lions shot their own laser at the monster with their shield up. It shot back its own laser in retaliation.  

  "Where does Zarkon get these beasts from? And how do they keep finding us?" Allura asked outloud. Ember let out a squeak - seeing a stray laser fly towards her - and dropped back into the giant hole she just worked to get out of. 

  "Maybe the sentries sent a distress signal?" Ember suggested.

  "Princess, the particle barrier won't sustain much longer." Coran informed.  "It's still not at full strength after the blast from the Galra ship."

  "Keith, try to draw its fire!" Shiro ordered. "I'm coming in from above!"

  "Roger!" 

Ember crouched down into the edge of the walkway she jumped back down onto to. Her eyes squeezed themselves shut as the huddled close to the wall. 

 Can't we just have a break?, She groaned to herself. 

  "We need to find its blind spot!" Lance exclaimed. 

  "From the small moment I got a glimpse of that monster, there didn't seem to be any blind spots!" Ember said. 

  "I don't think this thing has a blind spot. It has a thousand eyes." Pidge added. 

  "Laser eyes! Laser eyes!" Hunk chanted pitifully as he tried to dodge. 

  "What do we do? Fighting this thing is like fighting an entire fleet at once!" Pidge cried. 

  "I think we've got to aim for those laser eyes and take them out." Keith suggested. 

  "We'll cover you from up here!"  Allura responded. 

  "I think we all need to regroup! Think of something better!" Ember looked up. 

  "We've lost the spectral generator! Going to reserve! There's a fire in VIN bay three! Suppressors on! Suppressors out! Princess, the ship is being torn apart!"

  "Coran!" Ember gasped. "Take all of the offensive settings and bring them to the shield! You won't have anything to attack with, but its better than have the ship be torn apart!" 

  "I'm not sure how well that'll turn out!"

  "We're taking heavy fire up here! We're in trouble!" Allura announced. 

  "Princess, pull back! Get out of its range, now!" Shiro demanded. 

  "We will not abandon you!" 

  "You're not abandoning us. We're about to pull back anyways." Shiro sighed. 

  "We are?"

  "We can't hold out, we have to. Ember, is it safe down there?"

  "Yeah! Most of the lions should be able to fit down here as well!" Ember jumped from the ledge she was on and did a flip to the next one. "Wee!" 

  "Lions, to the mine shafts! It's the only place the monster can't get us." Shiro ordered. 

  "Roger that!" 

  "Heading into orbit!" 

Ember watched as the Yellow, Red, and Black lions flew pass her and landed at the bottom of the mine shaft. She huffed as a group of Balmerans met up with the three paladins, and she tried to speed up the process of making her way down without injuring herself. 

When Em finally made it onto the ground level, she ran over to the group. 

  "Yes, we can! This is our fist mission and we're not going to fail," She heard Shiro finish his declaration. "We can beat it. We just need sometime to come up with a plan."

  "That's gonna be a doozy," Ember commented, breathing heavily as she stopped next to Keith. "Wow, I really do need to work out some more. . ."

  "See? Told you we can." Hunk smiled at the rock people, ignoring Ember's remark. "Thanks, Shiro."

Ember let out a squeak of surprise as the ground under her started to shake, and she grabbed onto Keith's upper arm to steady herself. The Balmera let out a painful moan, one that made Ember wince in pain. 

   "Do you guys feel that over there?" Hunk asked into the coms. 

   "Yeah, we feel it." Lance answered.

  "It's that sound again. What is that?" Pidge asked. 

   "You really don't know what sound it is?" Ember asked in disbelief. "Pidge, it's the Balmera!"  

Ember watched as the ground started to crack, and the elder of the group knelt down to cover it. 

   "Your friend is right," Shay's brother nodded towards Ember. "The great noise comes from the Balmera itself. Our home crumbles beneath our feet. The Balmera is dying."

   "Merde, merde, merde!" Ember hissed to herself and started to big through her bag. "Uh, I - There has to be something I can do!" 

   "Ember, it's a planet - there's nothing you can do!" Keith argued. 

   "But it's alive!" Ember shook her head, still digging through her bag. "Maybe I can just wrap some bandages around the cracks? It could help!"

   "Ember," Hunk started, gently putting his hands on her shoulders, "There isn't anything you can do. Unless you can mend the ground back together. . ."

   "I don't even know half of what I can do. . ." Ember murmured to herself, looking down at her hands. 

   "Coran, Allura, are you there?" Shiro commed the ship. 

  "Shiro, we're here."

   "The Balmera-"

  "We already know," Coran interrupted. "Our scanners are showing the life energy draining from the Balmera."

  "How does that happen?" Pidge asked, no doubt looking at the image herself. Shiro also pulled up the image and showed the three other paladins. 

   "Removing crystals from a Balmera is like removing a vital part of the mighty beast. The Balmera needs time to regenerate itself to stay healthy, but the Galra's greed may have cost this noble Balmera its life."

   "So, what's going to happen?" Hunk asked. 

   "Its core will collapse, destabilizing the entire skeletal structure. Anything or anyone remaining on the Balmera at that point will be crushed into dust." Coran explained. 

   "How long before its core collapses?" Shiro asked, blinking a bit in surprise as Coran answered. 

   "Probably a matter of hours. The might organism willingly gives itself to all, but not all return its kindness."

   "Then our time is short. We'll evacuate the planet." Allura declared. "We need to get all the Balmerans to the Castle of Lions before the planet implodes."

   "Okay, that sounds like a good plan, but how on earth do you plan on landing the Castle with that monster-thingy on the surface?" Hunk asked. 

   "You'll need a distraction." Pidge told her. 

   "We'll engage the beast in our lions," Shiro decided. "With it distracted, Allura and Coran will land the Castle and load all of its citizens. Ember, you'll have to go up top and making sure they get up to the top safely."

   "Or we could load Balmerans into our lions a few at at time and shuttle them to the ship." Lance suggested. "No engaging ferocious laser-eye guy. How long would that take?"

   "Days? Weeks?" Coran roughly calculated. 

   "We only have hours." Keith pointed out. 

   "Look, we don't need to beat this thing. We just need to bait it away from the ship. Provoke and evade." Shiro explained. 

   "Okay, here's the problem," Hunk started, bring Ember with him as they got closer to Shiro. "I'm worried that we're going to be really, really good at the provoking part, and then really bad at the evading part."

   "Sacrifices must be made," Ember joked, shrugging slightly. 

   "Bee!" Hunk hissed before turning back to Shiro. "Anyways, if this is what it takes to save Shay and everyone on the planet, them I'm in."

   "Can you contact the other Balmerans?" Keith turned to ask Shay's family. 

   "I can, but I know not what they'll say," Shay sighed. "Leave the planet? Our home?"

   "It's the only option. I'm coming down." Allura declared. 

   "Princess, no! It's too dangerous!" Coran denied. 

   "Someone has to be there to lead these people out." Allura started. "Ember needs my help as well."

   "You're coming down? That thing will spot your pod and blow it to pieces." Pidge pointed out. 

   "Let me worry about that." Allura replied. 

   "No offense Allura, but I think everyone is more worried now," Ember commented. 

   "Just focus on keeping the creature distracted." Allura said. "Ember, I'll be down there in a little bit."

   "Okay," Ember sighed, looking at Keith with raised eyebrows. "You're gonna be careful, right?"

  "I'm not promising anything," Keith shrugged as the trio started to head back to their lions. 

  "Keith!"

  "See ya in a little bit!"

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬

Ember watched as Allura made a clean landing in front of her and Shay's family.  She smiled a little as the Princess looked over. 

  "Nice of ya to join us."

  "I'm on the ground," Allura informed the rest of the Paladins before smiling back at Ember. "Good to be on the field instead of in the castle."

  "Oh, not for long," Ember huffed. 

  "Hurry! I don't know how long we can hold this thing off." Shiro reported through the coms. 

  "Shay, I'm going to need your help." Allura requested as she made her way closer to the small group. 

  "Princess?"

  "Have you contacted the other Balmerans?" Allura asked. Noting their shift in expressions - and Ember shuffling the ground with her boot - she continued. "What is it? What's going on?"

  "All the Balmerans give thanks for the kindness you and the paladins bestowed upon us, but, alas, we cannot take leave of our home." Shay explained. 

   "What?"

   "If our great Balmera's life cycle is over because of us, then our desire is to stay with it until the end."

   "But it wasn't your fault!" Ember argued, going to scratch her forearm but stopping when she remembered the armor. "It was the Galra's!" 

   "You'll never survive." Allura added on. 

   "We contacted the others, and all agree." Rax informed them. "It's not right that you risk your lives for us. Please, away. We ask for no more guilt and shame upon us."

   "It is our wish. The wish of all Balmerans." Shay inputted. 

Ember wanted to pull at her hair in frustration. No, she wasn't angry at the Balmerans, she was angry at the Galra. For them to even let these people continue to live like this, to think it was all their faults, it made her frustrated. 

   "No. I won't give up on you." Allura declared, making Ember step closer to the Princess. "I won't give up on any of you, no matter the circumstances."

   "I won't either. I'm sure the other Paladins would agree as well!"

   "But we do not ask this of you. Please!" Shay begged. 

  "I have heard your words. Now, let me speak mine." Allura glanced at Ember - who stood shoulder to shoulder with her. "Let us speak. I want to talk to the Balmerans. Can you get a message to them from me? From us?"

   "There is no need to speak for you, for either of you," The elder of the group said, getting up and walking over to the two girls. "You both have unique power within. The Balmera will carry your words." She pointed at Allura's hand. 

Ember glanced over before doing a double-take. The wall around Allura's hand glowed a light blue. She seemed less crazy when Allura let out a gasp and retracted her hand. The glow faded away just as quick as she pulled her hand away.

   "Speak your heart, child. All can heard you." The elder reassured, gently guiding Allura's hand back to the spot. It lit up again bright. When the elder went to guide Ember's hand, she shook her head and stepped back. 

   "Allura has this, not me," Ember smiled. "My words will do no good."

The elder seem to disagree, opening her mouth to say something, when Allura started speaking gently next to her. 

   "Balmerans, this is Princess Allura. You don't know me, but I am here to help. I know what it's like to watch your home planet die. For I come from planet Altea, a planet that has long been destroyed by the Galra. But I refused to give up. And now, you all have the same choice. You can decide now to devote your lives to make sure this never happens to another planet. I am eternally sorry for what has happened to the Balmera, but I beg you, do not let its dying be in vain. Honor the Balmera's death by refusing to give up. Join me in my fight against the Galra."

When the elder Balmeran touched the wall gently, Allura paused. "Your words have touched our hearts." She said.

   "Thank you," Allura smiled. 

   "No, thank you. You've given us reason to hope again."

   "Everyone, head to the caves just under the surface," Allura ordered the rest of the Balmerans. 

   "Good job, Princess," Ember praised the older girl, smiling gently as Allura backed away from the wall. 

   "Thank you, hommel." She turned towards the family beside them. "Can you lead the way to get closer to the top?"

   "Of course," Rax nodded, picking up the his grandmother and leading the way. Ember and Allura followed quickly behind. 

   "Princess, your speech must have worked." Coran informed from his place on the ship, a few minutes later. "The Balmerans are moving toward the surface!"

   "Coran, we're just beneath the surface." Allura replied. Triangulate my position. This is your landing zone."

   "Be careful," Ember stressed. "I really don't want to have to patch any of you up!"

   "Yes, Allura. And I copy, hommel. Readying the ship." Coran replied. Ember yelped as the ground shuddered again, making her crash into Shay. 

   "I'm sorry!" Ember apologized, sending a wary smile at Shay. "I guess I can't seem to find my footing."

   "It is fine," Shay smiled back. "It does take a while to get use to."

   "Alright, lets start heading up!" Allura started towards the surface of the cave with Shay's family and Ember following close behind. 

   "Castle of Lions, coming in! Paladins, how are you holding up?" Coran asked. There was a slight delay before Keith responded nonchalantly. 

    "I think we've got him pretty distracted. Are the Balmerans in position?"

   "They're making their way to the top as we speak," Ember informed the Paladins, leaning over the edge. "Whoaaa, I forgot how deep it was!"

Ember looked up as the Castle of Lions settled down to land. As fast as they could, Ember and Allura aided the Balmerans to get up onto the surface, just has Coran dropped down from the castle in something similar to an elevator. 

   "Bring them out! Hurry, now!"

Ember let out a gasp as the Balmera rumbled dangerously, and the ladder she was on started to fall backwards. "Allura!" She cried out, jumping from the rung she was on to the edge. 

    "Ember!" Allura jumped forwards, grasping Ember's wrist before the could fall. "Hold on, I got you!"

   "Here, let me help!" Shay appeared over the edge, holding her own hand out. 

   "I love you guys, so much," Ember wheezed out, grabbing Shay's hand and trying to climb the wall while the two other girls pulled. "Oh my god, I almost became a pancake. . ."

Ember whipped around at the sound of screaming, seeing the rest of the Balmerans scuttle around and try to dodge the debris. 

   "No!" Allura gasped. 

   "It's on the verge of collapsing! We have to go!" Coran ran over to the small group of aliens. 

   "But the Balmerans!" Allura protested. 

   "They're trapped!" Drax exclaimed. "What can be done? Time is short!" 

Ember crouched down as the Balmera started to rumble again, not wanting to fall. 

   "Every hit weakens the Balmera. Have you evacuated yet? What's happening?" Hunk's voice filled the coms. 

   "The Balmerans are trapped!" Ember explained. 

   "Just keep distracting that beast!" Coran ordered.

   "Uh, do you want us to distract it by dying? Because that's what's going to happen!"

   "If it caused a distraction, it causes a distraction!" Ember answered, before adding on quickly, "But no dying!!" 

   "Guys, remember when I said we didn't have to beat it?" Shiro questioned. "We might have to beat it."

   "We're lost! All are trapped with no chance for escape!" Shay cried out, crouching down on her knees. 

   "We can't give up," Allura knelt beside Shay. 

   "Sometimes things have to go wrong before they can go right," Ember quoted, kneeling beside Shay as well. "This is just a little speed bump!"

   "But what can be done?" Shay asked. As if hearing her question, the Balmera started to glow under the Castle of Lions, catching everyone's attention. "The Balmera!"

   "The ground beneath your might ship appears healed." 

   "It's essence thrives. But how?" Shay asked. 

   "The Castle!"

   "Not just the Castle, but you, as well." The elder stated, looking into Ember's eyes. "Both of you."

   "It's true. Your Altean energy combined with the ship's crystal has revitalized this part of the Balmera." Coran shifted his gaze over to Ember as a blue glow appeared under her and Allura. "If the ship's results were correct - then you would be a big help to this, Ember."

   "You've gotten the results?!" Ember exclaimed. 

   "Yes, just before the monster was released, the results came in." Allura murmured, before perking up and getting to her feet. "That's it! Maybe we can perform the ceremony you spoke about. We can save the Balmera."

   "What ceremony?" Drax asked. 

   "In the days of the old, when the Alteans were given the gift of crystals from a Balmera, we would repay its sacrifice by performing a ceremony." Coran explained. "A sacred Altean would re-infuse the Balmera with quintessence. In this way, we had a symbiotic relationship. Sometimes, we would even have help from an old ally of ours."

Allura stepped forwards, grasping Coran's shoulder. "The Galra have only been taking. It's time we give back." As the princess started to making her way to the glowing circle, the small group followed behind. "I can connect with the crystal in the bridge and use the Castle's power as an amplifier."

   "When your father performed the ceremony, it was on a much smaller scale," Coran started. "I beg you. To heal an entire planet, it could take more energy than you possess. You may not live through it."

   "Which, is why Ember shall help me."

   "ME?" Ember repeated, pointing at herself.  "How can I help you?"

   "The allies of the old that usually helped beginners doing this ceremony were called Majesdanians. They were a powerful race, only with practice of course."

   "What does that have to do with me though?!" Ember exclaimed. 

   "Ember, it's in your blood. You're not fully human. You're half Majesdanian." Allura gently explained. When Ember didn't respond, Allura grasped her hands. "I swear to you, I will give you all the answers we have about your race. But now is not the time, we must hurry!"

   "I-I, but-" Ember stammered, taking a deep breath as Allura's squeezed her hands. She slowly let it out before nodding. "Tell me what to do."

   "Follow me," Allura gently pulled Ember into the middle of the glow circle, still holding her hands. When they stood in the middle of the circle, facing each other, Allura started to explain. "That shield you made fighting Sendak? It's simply the power in your veins that you made physical. What you need to do is imagine your power flowing into me. I will be doing most of the work, but without your power I could possibly not make it."

   "O-Okay," Ember nodded, watching as Shay's family surround them and kneel onto the ground. "Focus on pushing power to you. . ."

   "Close your eyes," Allura ordered softly, making Ember's eyes flutter close. 

At first, Ember didn't feel anything. She couldn't feel that rush she had when she made the shield and she didn't feel anything move inside her. Slowly, though, she imagined the multi-colored light that made the shield as a flow of energy that was pulling itself to Allura. 

She felt it, slowly at first. Then, it grew and grew until it felt like it flowed through her body. Like it was something she always knew she had. She felt powerful, but at the same time, vulnerable. 

She couldn't hear the battle that went on a short few miles away, or the shouts of the rest of her team. It was like she was deaf to it all. 

Although it felt like hours, it was only a few minutes. At the same time, Allura and Ember dropped to their knees and touched the ground beneath them. 

It was like she was getting the power sucked out of her and it filed into the Balmera beneath her. 

Ember snapped her eyes open, letting out a gasp as she fell to her side, Allura following her. Her vision blurred and her body suddenly felt like it was on fire. 

   "Princess, are you all right?" Shay asked, gently holding the Altean. 

Ember felt herself get picked up before Coran's face hovered over hers. "Ember, are you still with us?"

   "Did it work?" Allura asked weakly. 

   "Yes. The Balmera lives. It thanks the both of you," Drax said, making Ember let out a laugh. 

   "We did it, Allura!" Ember cheered, Coran putting her into a sitting position. She held her hand up. "High five!" 

   "Good job, hommel," Allura chuckled back, tapping Ember's hand with her own. Two new arms held her up and she glanced back to see who it was. To her surprise, to was Keith. 

   "I thought you told us to be careful," Keith pointed out. 

   "I told you guys to be careful, I didn't say anything about me," Ember joked, laying her head against Keith's chest. 

   "Not funny."

   "Was to me." 

The ground rumbled beneath them for the hundredth time, making everyone gasp. The monster that the paladins seemingly defeated rose back up, causing Allura to whisper out a soft No.

   "Huh," Ember huffed out, Keith tightening his grip on the smaller girl. "We should have saw this coming."

As the monster got ready to shoot another laser at them, the ground beneath it sunk in, before beautiful blue crystals started to travel up it's legs - holding it in place. Crystals erupted from its chest as well, and the monster let out one last snarl before it covered its head. 

   "Did not see that coming," Keith commented, starting to help Ember stand.

   "No way," Hunk gasped. 

   "The Balmera just save us," Coran more-less stated. 

   "Look at the crystals!" Allura exclaimed, watching as tiny blue crystals sprouted from the ground. 

   "Beautiful," Ember breathed, leaning onto Keith as her vision started to clear up. 

   "Oh, who's a good Balmera? You are. Who ate the big monster? You did. Yes, you did. Yes, you did." 

Ember looked down to see Hunk patted the ground like it was a dog. 

   "Dude, what are you doing?" Keith asked, going to cross his arms before remembering he was holding Ember. 

   "What? It's alive," Hunk defended himself. "and it wuvs my scwatches."

Ember laughed, leaning her head against Keith's shoulder - or her helmet on his shoulder - and smile brightly at the Yellow Paladin. "Of course it does, why wouldn't they?"

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬

Ember hummed to herself as she took care of the herbs she was growing. Some of the patches around her were sprouting, others were starting to bloom. The one she was currently working on was a present for Allura - and they seem to be growing faster than she thought they would. She'd say they'd be ready within the next couple days - even though they were barely planted a week ago. 

She was suppose to be resting, but could Ember really do that? Not with all the thoughts that have been running through her head. Besides, this isn't the first time she's pulled an all-nighter whilst exhausted. 

Her yellow jacket was thrown over the journal she kept on the desk. With a grunt, Ember pushed herself into a standing position and moved onto the next plant. 

The sound of the door whooshing open didn't surprise her, but what did surprise her was the person that entered. 

   "Keith?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder before looking back down at the plant she was taking care of. "What are you doing here?"

   "Shiro has a search party looking for you - he went to your room to talk to you and you weren't there. I guessed you would be here, looks like I was right," Keith explained, glancing around the garden that she proudly built from scratch. "It looks nice."

   "Thanks," Ember grinned, pushing herself up. She stumbled slightly before turning to face Keith. "It's been a process, but I love it."

   "Should you really be doing this now, though?" Keith asked. "You should be resting - you've done a lot today."

   "Can't rest," Ember replied simply, checking a few more things before walking up to Keith. "But, I assume you ain't gonna leave until I'm with ya."

   "You assumed correctly," Keith nodded, looking at Ember's dirt-covered hands. She had thrown her gloves in her jacket pocket - not wanting to dirty them. 

Keith's purple eyes softened slightly as he gently lifted one of Ember's arms and ran a finger over her scars. "Uh," He dropped her arm when he realized what he was doing, blushing slightly. "W-Er, Will-"

   "Deep breathes," Ember teased with a giggle, making Keith narrow his eyes. 

   "Shut up," He huffed, before continuing. "Will you ever, uh, tell us about it?"

   "When I'm ready," Ember replied, slowly walking over to her jacket. "Not before though, only when I think I can share."

   "Uh, you know," She threw her jacket on and looked over her shoulder to see Keith rubbing the back of his neck. "I-If you ever need someone to talk to. . ."

   "Thanks," Ember smiled, knowing what he was going to say. "Really. Same to you, okay?"

   "Y-Yeah, thanks."

   "It's not a problem, really."

▬ Translation ▬ 

"Merde! Fils de-!"

v

"Shit! Son of a-"

"Merde Sainte!"

v

"Holy shit!"

Should I italic when they speak through the comms? I personally don't really care for it, but if you guys like it better, I can do that.