Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pidge Gunderson, a.k.a. Katie Holt, for all the residents of the Castle of Lions knew, was not a fan of the great outdoors. Though not necessarily a recluse, she tended to keep to herself, if not less than Keith, and often busied herself with mathematical and scientific endeavors. The smallest Paladin would only venture outside if necessary – be it training, a mission, or an exploration. She would rather be in her room or in her Lion’s hangar – decrypting alien data, working on upgrades for the Green Lion, or creating inventions that would be useful for them in missions – than being under the sun and surrounded with organic life, which some of the members of Team Voltron, especially Lance, like to point out at times.

“You’re the Guardian Spirit of the Forest, Pidge!” The Blue Paladin was saying out loud one day as two of the Garrison trio lounged on the bridge. “Why are you not that excited about going outside? I remembered you mentioning allergies, but it’s still basically your territory.”

Pidge looked up from her laptop and snorted. “Speak for yourself. I don’t see you jumping into water every time you see one.”

“That’s different,” Lance said, plopping down on the polished ground beside her chair. “Jumping in water will get my Paladin uniform wet, and staying too long will get my skin wrinkly.” He took a bite of an alien pastry that Hunk bought from a market on a planet they had previously visited. “I mean…hash you sheen Hunk splat hish face first on tha ground?”

“Swallow your food first. You looked like you’ve got a goldfish living inside your mouth.” The younger Paladin muttered, her eyes flitting on the screen of her laptop. “And no, I haven’t. Hunk is a sensible person, even more than you are.”

“Hey!” The other Paladin complained as he swallowed. “I can do sensible.”

“Then, I believe you already got your answer,” Pidge said as her fingers hovered above the keyboard. “Now, shoo! I still have to work on this file I hacked from a Galra ship.”

“Geez! Talk about a workaholic.”

The Green Paladin watched him begrudgingly stand up and leave the bridge out of the corner of her eye. The doors closed behind him with a soft CHINK!, finally leaving her alone with her thoughts. Pidge sighed tiredly and slumped on the backrest. She closed her eyes and listened to the noise around her – the blinking sound from her laptop, the quiet hum of the ship, and even the soft rumble of her Lion in her mind. All of it was technology – inorganic, so to speak. It was her comfort zone - where her capabilities lay, and her brilliant mind was put to the test. It was where she was the strongest, where her fellow Paladins praised and trusted her the most.

Yes, the smallest Paladin was not initially a fan of the outside world, but things had changed ever since meeting the Olkari. She was more connected to nature, to every organic and inorganic creation there was. From the smallest living being to the largest form of technology, it all came from nature. Nature was the mother of all, the provider of everything. Everything came from her and returned to her. The young genius understood this as much, but sometimes…it scared her.

The Green Paladin of Voltron.

The Guardian Spirit of the Forest.

Pidge basically represented everything that was living. The most beautiful gift Mother Nature had to offer. Life. It was ironic that she initially considered herself more attuned to machinery and technology when it, itself, was part of the same cosmic dust as she was. All the Lions, except the Green and the Yellow Lions, were found not in their elements. It was only Green and Yellow. Only them were found in their own domains for more than ten thousand years, and the sheer power that the Green Lion unleashed the moment they found each other was just simply a fraction of what she had yet to offer.

And it scared Pidge.

The youngest Paladin had seen what the other Lions were capable of, or at least what she had seen for now – how destructive they could be. But Green? Destroying three self-learning cubes from inside and out and invoking a piece of its origin – a minute fraction of the primordial power of Nature – was more than just a terrifying statement on its own.

Pidge wondered if she would be ready to handle that power. 

The Green Paladin shook her head. It was a fascinating and unsettling thought. Lance must have been rubbing off on her lately. She smacked her palms against her cheeks, wincing slightly at the pain. Get it together! She could not afford to be distracted by thoughts like that. She had more important things to accomplish. Sufficiently self-chided, Pidge turned her attention back to the encrypted file and cracked her knuckles with a slight grin. 

“Alright, time to get back to work. Let’s see what secret you got for me.”

The next few quintants were relatively uneventful. As they approached a new star system, Allura requested they gather on the bridge after training. The Paladins got themselves comfortable in their preferred spots in the room. Shiro and Keith stood beside Coran, looking at the huge holographic screen before them. Pidge had taken over the small flight of stairs as she viewed her own set of screens projected from her bracer. Lance was helping Hunk whip out a list of supplies they would need – food being the highest priority. They were running out of food and necessities - Lance argued that his beauty products were necessities - and needed to restock if they were to continue their journey.

“We will be landing on the planet Ninhurgia in a few doboshes,” Allura announced. “Lucky for us, it is abundant in nature, and the Ninhurgians are welcoming to travelers that stop by their home planet. I believe we can get supplies that will last us at least a phoeb.”

“Is there anything we should know about them before we land?” Shiro asked.

“Nothing bad, I assure you,” Coran answered. “Just as the Princess said, they are welcoming to strangers. As long as you respect Nature, they will not harm you. They also hold the highest regard for mothers, even more than their monarchs, and Nature is the greatest mother of all.”

“Easy-peasy!” Lance grinned. “We’re basically the Guardians of Mother Nature.” He pointed at the Green Paladin sitting cross-legged on the stairs. “And we got Pidge, too.”

“Ha-ha.” Pidge mock-laughed as she glared at him. 

“I think Lance is right, Pidge.” Shiro nodded. “You should come. It will be best if you join Hunk in grocery shopping, and the sun, or whatever they call it here, will do you good, too. You haven’t been under it for quite some time. Or, any of us in that matter.” If he noticed the younger Paladin giving him an annoyed look, he did not show.

“Then, I suppose it will be best for us to all go,” Allura suggested. “After all, we must pay our respects to the Ninhurgian monarchs and try our hand for an alliance.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The Black Paladin turned to his teammates. “Suit up, everyone. I’ll see you on the ground once we land.”

Chapter Text

It did not take two vargas for the Castle of Lions to arrive in Ninhurgia. It did not take thirty doboshes after for Pidge to want to scream. She did not, but instead let everyone within hearing range listen to her complaints.

“Why do I have to be here? And why do we have to walk? We could have just piloted our Lions to the palace. Lance gets to pilot Blue, and Allura and Coran didn’t have to walk.”

Once the castleship landed on the outskirts of the capital, Shiro decided that only one Paladin would bring in their Lion to escort Allura and Coran ahead to the palace. Lance immediately seized the opportunity and volunteered for the job. Pidge was not around that time to protest, partly because she was checking on Green and partly because she wanted to buy some time before stepping out to the open. She wanted to check up on Coran to see if there were allergens on the planet that might trigger her allergies. Fortunately, there were none. The bad news was that she had no excuse to be left behind on the ship.

“It isn’t far, Pidge,” Keith answered. His eyes were trained ahead on the forested path. They could see the wooden spires that make up the top of the castle from up ahead. It actually made it seem nearer than farther. “Just half a kilometer or so.”

Pidge carefully maneuvered around a fallen log, noting the weird cluster of purple moss growing on its bark. Information slid into the back of her mind, and she immediately knew what plant it was and what attributes it had by observation alone. Name was Akhpius. Purple. No larger than the size of her fist. Luminescent only during certain times in the night – specifically, eight to eleven o’clock in Ninhurgian time. Usually used as a base for antidotes for many types of poison. Would be handy to have on the ship. Should get some later.

The youngest Paladin was sure that the last two parts were a subconscious influence of the Green Lion.

Pidge was definitely sure that all that botanical information was from Green.

Nothing weird, really. Just daily Green Paladin stuff.

“Endure it a bit more, Pidge,” Shiro said as he looked over at the smaller Paladin over his shoulder. “It’s not always that we find a welcoming planet not overridden with the Galra.”

Pidge made a face. Shiro had a point, but still…this planet gave her the heebie-jeebies. The second the castleship entered the planet’s orbit, hair-raising alarm ran its course through her skin. The others noticed her flinch, but she dismissed it as her jolting awake from a sudden sleep spell. She could not point out what it was, but all she wanted was to be off this planet as soon as possible. The surface of this planet was too thick with foliage for her to navigate her way through without a holographic map. She would likely wander in circles until her miserable death if she ever got lost alone. 

“I don’t like this,” The Green Paladin muttered, her eyes sweeping the perimeter. “Not at all.” The familiar feeling of calm before a storm was still there, more palpable than in any situation she had been in before. She did not like it one bit, but the others seemed oblivious to it.

“It will be fine, Pidge,” Hunk assured her. The big guy had been on the lookout for spices in the alien wild. Pidge swore he would pause to look at anything that looked interesting, weird, or both. “If you want, I can give you a piggyback ride?”

The younger Paladin blinked at him through her glasses. The offer was tempting, but she would rather get off this planet as soon as possible. “Hard pass on that one, Hunk.” She answered, albeit begrudgingly. It was difficult to resist Hunk’s piggyback rides. “But I prefer having my feet on the ground while we’re here on this planet.” And a bayard at hand. She did not say that.

“Well, good for you then,” Keith announced as he brushed aside a low-hanging branch, revealing the city spread before them. “We’re here.”

Oh. This was -

Okay, Pidge had to admit - it was not so bad. As they stood above a hill overlooking the civilization before them, she was reminded of Olkarion, except maybe with more of the glitz and glam that Nature could offer. Humongous trees with trunks of silver and gold were clustered in the valley between two great mountains. Splashes of red, orange, green, and blue painted their leaves in a glistening sheen. Tree houses balanced on and in between the thick branches of the trees - their domed roofs of stained mosaic were covered in vines and blooming flowers of hues that Pidge had never seen before. Ninhurgians and other alien species milled around and walked on hanging bridges and walkways connecting each tree. The city was so vibrant and lively that the Space Mall during sale extravaganzas pale in comparison.

“Holy quiznak!” Hunk exclaimed. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“The Princess is not kidding about this planet’s nature,” Shiro agreed. “It reminds me of autumn on Earth, except with brown tree trunks.”

“I see the market over there!” The Yellow Paladin pointed giddily at the clustered tents west of the city. “I wonder if they got something equivalent to cayenne peppers on Earth? Or, maybe paprika? Will there be fruits? I really need some alternative for apples….”

“Uh-oh,” Pidge said as she crossed her arms. An amused grin spread on her lips at her friend’s antics. “Guys, I think we just lost Hunk.”

Shiro chuckled and clapped the Yellow Paladin on the back. “Come on, big guy. Let’s meet up with the Princess and then go grocery shopping.” He led their little procession downhill on a stony path that split into four paths. A floating post was positioned with four signs labelled where the trails led. Pidge whipped out the translator that she installed in her bracer. The blue, holographic screen popped out as it scanned the alien writing and translated it into English. 

“Huh…the castle’s that way.” The Green Paladin pointed at the second path that led straight north. “The market’s that way. Take note of that Hunk. The mines over there and…” She paused and raised an eyebrow. “Some sort of altar or shrine. Who would have thought? I thought they’re into Mother Nature.”

“Maybe that’s where they show their respect for the environment,” Keith offered. “Like maybe burning offerings and making live sacrifices like the Arusians do?”

“Isn’t that a bit hardcore?” Hunk frowned.

“Eh…ancient human civilizations practiced offering sacrificial humans to appease their gods,” Pidge said, air-quoting the word ‘gods’. “It’s not that different. Probably just as gruesome with lots of blood and gore.”

The Yellow Paladin gagged at that. Keith frowned at the youngest Paladin. “You’ve been playing too many video games.”

“Correction. I’ve been playing too many video games with Lance.” His teammate placed a hand on her hip. “But Lance got it worse. He’s been trying and failing to get past the eleventh boss for almost a week now. He hasn’t figured out yet that he needs to complete a side quest to get the divine shield to counteract the boss’ ultimate attack.”

The Red Paladin looked a bit lost. He has never touched any video games that the two were playing. “Uhh…great to know?”

A holographic screen blinked off from Shiro’s bracer, and he turned to the younger Paladins. “I just received a transmission from the Princess. The meeting will start soon. We should get going.” He began walking to the path leading to the castle, and Keith and Hunk moved in after him. Pidge looked back at the altar sign and the path leading to it. A glare crunched on her face before she turned on her heel to follow her companions.

“Ninhurgia is honored to have the Paladins of Voltron.” The queen was saying as she stood before them on the podium of the dais in the throne room. As soon as they reached the castle and introduced themselves as Paladins of Voltron, the guards led them to the throne room where Allura, Coran, and Lance were already speaking with the queen of Ninhurgia.

The queen, according to Coran, held more political power than the king in Ninhurgia. The position of king was merely decorative, and the inheritance of the throne was always passed on to the firstborn daughter of royalty. Talk about reverse sexism. Pidge thought as she sized their host. Ninhurgians reminded her of the nymphs in Earth mythologies. They looked like Alteans – humanoid appearance with pointy ears – except that their skin was a variety of white, silver, and gold, just like the trees outside. Their hair color was a full spectrum of colors, and they considerably towered over them in height. Pidge could easily tell they were built to camouflage their planet’s environment.

The Ninhurgian queen, in the Green Paladin’s opinion, looked more like a white Christmas tree that had come to life and decorated itself with gold ornaments to at least have some sort of color decency. That was, if Christmas trees had sharp, jagged teeth and no visible pupils. She swore the queen had been looking in her general direction exactly fifteen times already since she entered the room. “We have heard great tales of the Legendary Defender from our ancestors, and to see its heralds on our land is beyond any honor possible. I hope your brief stay will be of comfort. If you need any help, my people and I will be more than happy to be of assistance.”

“We appreciate your kindness, Queen Ourbele.” Allura smiled. “Yours and your people’s. I hope we can also count on Ninhurgia in our campaign against Zarkon.”

The queen chuckled good-naturedly. “Without a doubt.”

Queen Ourbele gestured at her husband, who was standing five steps away behind her. The man was cloaked in white and gold from top to toe. Only the lower half of his face was visible to them. He reminded the smallest Paladin of the witch Haggar, except that he looked like he had drowned in bleach for a long time, and the color leeched out. “The king will personally show you to your quarters should you wish to stay for the time being.” The queen told them. “Do not hesitate to say the word, and he will personally see to your needs.”

“Sweet!” Lance whooped, pumping his fist to the air. “Royal-class service!”

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Allura swept in a curtsy, and the Paladins bid goodbye.

Chapter Text

Pidge might not be an outdoorsy person, but she could appreciate nature. Nature was the best architect and engineer there was, and nothing and nobody could surpass the grand designs that it created. Even though sometimes, its creations crossed the border of weird and disgusting. The forested capital was a work of art; despite lacking the beauty of technology and machinery, it had taken a spot in the top ten of the Paladins. Shortly after the king showed them to their sleeping quarters, they decided to go out to the city and procure the supplies they needed as soon as possible. It was Allura’s idea after seeing that everyone was raring to go and spend their leisure time exploring. The Green Paladin wanted to pass as she was far more curious about the altar than going grocery shopping, but with Hunk’s promise that he would make her a batch of peanut butter cookies - or, at least, similar to it - and help with the project she had been working on for quintants hanging on the air, she could not just say ‘no’.

On their way back to the intersection, the residents of the Castle of Lions decided to split the tasks among themselves. Allura, Coran, and Keith separated from the group to scour parts for repair and maintenance of the Castle of Lions, while Shiro and Lance went off to buy the rest of the supplies that were neither listed as food nor alien machinery. This left Hunk and Pidge to secure their food stocks and, hopefully, find something from Earth or close.

The market they went to reminded the youngest Paladin of those flea markets on Earth, except cleaner and more orderly. It was sandwiched between four humongous trees that were easily twice the height of the Castle of Lions. Their surface roots served as a reprieve for customers who were exhausted after vargas’ worth of shopping. Intricately decorated lanterns made of silver wood and glass hung on the tree branches that could only be seen if one was close enough to the trees’ bases. Shoppers milled on the stony pathways between the merchant stalls, where a diversity of ingredients and dishes were spread out. Ninhurgian guards patrolled the area, guiding inquiring visitors and keeping close watch of any unpleasant schemes.

“Look at this, Pidge!” Hunk lifted a spherical fruit – at least, that was what it looked like to Pidge – that bore a resemblance to an orange, if not for the bulging blue spots that looked like mold on its surface. He tried a peeled piece the merchant was offering and made a sound reserved only for a Hunk-approved ingredient. “Mhmm! It tastes like a strawberry! You should try it.”

The other Paladin stared at the one the merchant was now offering in her direction. She raised a palm and refused as politely as she could. She would rather have Hunk taste all the alien food for the first time since he had the most durable stomach among them. “Uhhh…no. I will pass.”

“Suit yourself.” The Yellow Paladin took the piece offered to her and popped it in his mouth. “I’m gonna take five, no, make that fifteen!”

Pidge decided to leave conversing with the vendors to Hunk and simply observed her surroundings as she tagged close behind the other teenager. Once she was tired of looking around, she opted to sift through the encrypted files she downloaded in her bracer to pass the time. The only moment that seemed interesting enough was when a couple of Ninhurgian guards were dragging an alien resembling a cross of miniature trolls in Earth mythologies and an elephant. The alien was hanging limp between the guards, presumably unconscious, as he was being led out of the market and toward the intersection. Murmurs floated in the air almost immediately after they were out of sight. The Green Paladin could only catch bits and pieces, but it was enough to give her the big picture. A petty thief caught in the act. She shook her head and lowered her eyes to her holographic screen. Too bad for him, she supposed.

By the time the two finished shopping, the triple suns of Ninhurgia were about to set. They reconvened at the palace, having received a dinner invitation from Queen Ourbele after depositing the supplies in the Castle of Lions. The dinner was held in the royal banquet hall, which consisted only of them, the ruling monarchs, and a few guards stationed at the room’s perimeter. Conversation flowed easily between the two parties with Shiro, Allura, and Coran doing most of the talking for the residents of the Castle of Lions, while the queen took the spotlight between her and the king. The king was barely acknowledged and seemingly did not exist at all that Pidge felt sorry for him.

“Oh my, Green Paladin.” The queen said suddenly, halting whatever topic they were talking about prior. “You have eaten so little. Is the food not to your liking?”

The remark prompted the others to turn to the Green Paladin seated at the left end of the table. Pidge had barely touched her food or drink since the beginning of the dinner. Truthfully, she was famished, having walked for vargas earlier that day, but the terrible feeling she had since their landing on the planet was holding her back from enjoying her meal. That, and she felt like vomiting when she tried tasting the food for the first time. Strangely enough, the others seemed fine.

The smallest Paladin forced down the lingering nausea and plastered the most reassuring smile she could muster. “No, no. It’s fine, actually.” She answered. “I just don’t have the appetite.”

“Oh!” Queen Ourbele placed a hand over her mouth. “Are you perhaps feeling unwell?”

That elicited concerned looks in her way as she expected. Lance, who was seated at her left, placed a palm on her forehead, which she tried swatting away but failed. “Doesn’t feel like you have a fever.”

Keith peered worriedly at her face across the table. “Yeah? But she’s looking pale.”

Shiro stood up from his seat and rounded the table to her side. “I think it would be best for Pidge to rest early.”

“I’m fine, Shiro.” Pidge insisted. The way they were looking at her right now was making her uncomfortable. “I’m not sick.”

“You might not be sick right now, but it would be better to avoid that.” The older Paladin gently placed his hands on the Green Paladin’s shoulders and ushered her to stand up. The latter wanted to protest, but he beat her to it. “I’ll escort her back to the Castle. You guys can stay here. Lance can bring us back with the Blue Lion. If anything comes up, I’ll call you.”

“Will you need a healer?” The queen inquired, rising from her seat. “We have some of the best in the Universe. Just give me the word, and I shall send one to attend the Green Paladin.”

“We appreciate your generosity, Your Majesty.” Allura smiled gratefully at the Ninhurgian queen. “We will take you on your offer.”

“Of course, it is the least we can do.” Queen Ourbele gestured to a guard and gave out some orders in Ninhurgian language. The guard bowed and left the room. “If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask. It is imperative that the Paladins are healthy and well-taken care of.”

Something about the queen’s words did not sit well with Pidge. She peered at her but could not make anything out from those pupil-less eyes. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” She heard Shiro saying, “We will go ahead. Come on, Pidge.” She let him steer her out of the banquet hall, with Lance at their heels. But even with the doors closed behind them, she could not shake the queen’s gaze lingering on her back.

Chapter Text

Pidge could not sleep another wink that night.

When they returned to the Castle of Lions, the Green Paladin felt a sense of relief. She had been on the edge all day – being on this planet and all – but even with the castleship still parked on its surface, it remained a safe haven. It was familiar, it was home, and even with only the three of them and the mice inside, it had been a rush.

The main problem they immediately faced was her bedroom. All the residents were aware of what a dangerous landmine Pidge’s room was. Many of her unfinished projects were stored in her room, and a few were a touch away from electrocuting anyone unfortunate enough to get in contact with them. Pidge, herself, rarely slept in her room and often camped out in the Green Lion’s hangar, which was often than not a topic of Shiro’s discussions about the Paladins’ habits. For that reason, the smallest Paladin had to borrow Lance’s room, much to her chagrin. Lance seemed unconcerned about it and even pulled out some extra blankets and pillows for her to use. She tried to refuse, but both he and Shiro had already made up their minds.

Hunk later came by to cook something easy for the stomach, and Pidge was more than thankful that he used none of the ingredients they bought earlier that day. He must have noticed her aversion to anything grown from the planet and tried to prepare a meal from the leftover ingredients they still had. He and Lance left two vargas later after making sure she was comfortable and had everything she would need. Allura and Coran returned ten doboshes later with a royal healer that the Ninhurgian queen sent to attend the Green Paladin. The healer was covered in a white hooded robe from head to toe - her skin was as pale as ash wood, and strands of her hair the color of maple leaves during autumn peeked from the sides of her hood. The Ninhurgian did not speak much, simply going through the order she was given. The youngest Paladin did not give her much thought, primarily because she was distracted by Allura and Coran hovering beside her like doting relatives.

The healer held Pidge’s hand as the bark lines on her arms to the palms of her hands glowed mint green upon contact. It piqued the Green Paladin’s curiosity as the magic – or whatever the Ninhurgians called it – felt the opposite of what she had felt about the planet. It was warm like the spring sun and cool like the breeze carrying the scent of fresh mint. The lingering nausea dissipated swiftly, as if it were not there at all. She could have dozed there, if not for Coran giving her a history lesson on the art of Ninhurgian healing.

“The Green Paladin’s quintessence is unstable as we speak,” The healer announced after she finished checking up on her. “Due to a reason I have yet to determine.”

“Is she in any danger?” Allura implored, glancing worriedly at the said Paladin. To latter’s defense, she did not know what having unstable quintessence implied. Maybe that was what the rest of the Universe referred to as sick.

“Not in this moment, no.” Pidge caught the healer’s ruby red eyes affixed on her like she was trying to ascertain something about the Green Paladin. It only lasted for less than a tick before the Ninhurgian broke eye contact like nothing happened. “I recommend that the Green Paladin remain within the confines of this place and rest. Please ensure that she will not step foot outside until her quintessence stabilizes. I shall return tomorrow.”

And that was it. Allura and Coran left with the healer half a varga later to relay the findings to others. Shiro stayed behind, though Pidge heard him talking to Keith at the other side of the door sometime in the middle of the night. The Red Paladin had probably come by to check up on her just to make sure she was still breathing and not dead. She probably slept some time in between because she did not hear Keith leaving, and the castle was eerily quiet by the time her brain decided to jumpstart out of nowhere. Shiro must have gone to bed for the past varga or so, and the mice were sleeping soundly like a pile of pastel-colored fur just beside her head.

The youngest Paladin buried her face in her palms and groaned in exasperation. She had been lying on the bed for vargas now, and her back hurt like hell. Kicking the thick layers of blankets, she sat up and pushed herself off the bed. Contrary to what being sick was - or at least, what the others assumed her condition was - her body was full of energy and her mind clear as if she had gotten a complete cycle of sleep for once. She tiptoed toward the door, wincing at the sound the door made as it slid open, and peered at both sides of the residential corridor and back to Lance’s room. Once she confirmed that the coast was clear and she had not woken up either Shiro or the mice, she sneaked into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water.

Pidge did not have any destination in mind after, but she was sure as hell that she would not be going back to Lance’s room anytime soon. She let her feet lead her wherever, and after ten doboshes of wandering around the castleship, she found herself on the bridge. The bridge was empty, and with only the Ninhurgian lanterns illuminating the interior in dim, purple light from the outside, the place looked eerily like the corridors of a Galran war cruiser. A translucent, purple mist had spread out in the forest, draping like a thin veil on the base of the trees. It was a nightly phenomenon in Ninhurgia as far as the Green Paladin was concerned. She researched a bit about the planet and found out that not only was it a natural occurrence, but it also had sedative-like effects that improved sleep. At least, that was what the Ninhurgians claim. The smallest Paladin would like to do a study on it, but she doubted the others would be pleased if they found out that, not only was she not resting as she was supposed to, but she also sneaked outside the castleship in the middle of the night. She would not put it past Shiro to discuss grounding her indefinitely if needed to.

Pidge, instead, settled down on her assigned chair and went over the transmission waves the castleship captured. She tried looking for any possible leads to the whereabouts of her father and brother. All she managed to get were a bunch of alien drama shows (skipped), Space Mall advertisements (definitely skipped), a live show of some kind of alien circus trope (interesting), encrypted messages transmitted between Galra ships (what a bunch of idiots!), and a few news stations (could be better with less Galra and more Voltron). While the Galran transmissions could prove helpful in their campaign, she found nothing about her missing family members. She was about to close the holographic screen when something caught her eye.

It was a news portal where a list of wanted persons was displayed on-screen. Considering the ten-thousand-year war, it was a long list, and one of the listed persons looked familiar to the Green Paladin. It was the same alien she saw in the market earlier today – the one that was dragged away by a couple of Ninhurgian guards for stealing. What drew Pidge in was not the shocking difference between the picture on-screen and the one in the flesh she saw earlier, but why he was included in that list:

WANTED: ALIVE

Convicted for arson, multiple counts of unpardonable murder, and conspiring with the Galran Empire.

At large for ten deca-phoebs.

Last seen within the star system of Kala-ein.

Any information leading to the eventual arrest will be rewarded.

Chapter Text

Pidge could not remember when exactly the others returned to the Castle of Lions. She was so engrossed in finding more about that wanted alien that she only heard the hurried footsteps approaching the bridge five seconds before it finally clicked to her sleep-deprived brain. She hastily closed off her holographic screen, leaned against one of the armchairs, and drew her legs against her body in an effort to look like someone sick and exhausted, which was a piece of cake in her sleepless state. She managed to get into her desired position just as the door slid open and the rest of the residents of the castleship piled inside.

The Green Paladin felt, rather than heard, Shiro walk to her side and place a hand on the top of her head. She let out a tired groan and mumbled. “Can’t…sleep….”

“What do you feel, Pidge? Does it hurt anywhere?”

“My head…” The younger Paladin muttered. Somebody should give her an award right now. “It hurts.”

Shiro seemed to buy it. “She didn’t seem to have developed a fever. Maybe it was something different?” He turned to Coran. “Are you sure there’s nothing on this planet that might have triggered her allergies?”

“I’m highly positive, Number One!” The Altean confirmed. “Even if we missed something, the symptoms do not correspond to what she is exhibiting right now.”

“Maybe something put her off?” Keith suggested, tapping his right foot impatiently. “She has been on edge since yesterday. Did she eat something poisoned?”

“Uhhh…I made her food from the leftover ingredients we have.” Hunk admitted, twiddling his thumbs anxiously. “But I made sure they are still edible and definitely NOT poisonous.”

“Yeah, Mullet!” Lance piped in. “Hunk will never poison Pidge!”

“I’m not implying anything.” The Red Paladin clarified. Pidge heard, rather than saw, him scowl. “I’m just asking.”

“Why the leftovers, Hunk?” Allura asked, looking concerned. “Didn’t you and Pidge restock the food supply yesterday?”

“Yeah, about that. I noticed Pidge avoiding any kind of food from this planet.” The Yellow Paladin tilted his head in the direction of the Green Paladin. “That’s why I have to make do with ‘non-Ninhurgian’ stuff.”

“How odd.” The Altean Princess crossed her arms and placed a finger on her chin. “We all came out well, even after sharing two meals in the Ninhurgian palace. It was only Pidge who got ill.” She turned to Coran. “Coran, can you run another planetary bioscan? Perhaps, we missed something from the initial sweep.”

“Will do, Princess.”

Allura acknowledged the rest of the Paladins. “I will return to the palace and address the matter to Queen Ourbele. The healer from last night should come again in a varga. I think it would be best for us to stay a little longer -”

“W-What? NO!” The sudden outburst from the Green Paladin nearly made the others jump in surprise. She was about to give them a hundred reasons why they should not spend another dobosh on this planet when a throbbing pain pounded one side of her head out of nowhere. She winced, one hand flailing to grip on one of the armchairs. “Let’s leave.” She gritted her teeth. “It’s a better plan.”

“No offense, Pidgeon,” Lance started, nearly crossing the distance between them in a tick with his long legs. “But that was probably the worst plan you ever came up with. You’re sick, and we’re like lightyears away from the next planet that is friendly and probably not overrun by the Galra.”

Allura dropped her arms to her sides. “I agree with Lance.” She said. “You are in no condition to fight. It would do us no good if we got caught in a battle with one Paladin out of commission.”

“That’s…” Pidge hated it when they were right and had nothing to refute that. In addition to that, her head suddenly developed the urge to kill her. She lied about having a headache and suddenly, out of nowhere, she had one. It was not just a simple headache that could be suppressed with paracetamol, but a deadass, fucking migraine. Karma was a real bitch, she thought bitterly. The youngest Paladin barely listened to the rest of the discussion and only realized that only she, Shiro, and Coran were left on the bridge a few doboshes later.

Shiro knelt beside her and wrapped his arms around her back and behind her knees. He gingerly lifted her small form off her chair, careful not to jostle her too much. “Come on, Katie. Let’s get you back to bed.”

“Shiroooo, I want to leave….” The smaller Paladin whined, almost wincing at how pitiful she sounded and the fresh wave of pain in her head. “I don’t want to stay here.”

“We can’t,” The older Paladin said firmly, but the gentleness in his voice was not lost. “I promised to look after you until we find your family, remember? So, please, Katie, rest for now. Can you do that for me?”

“I can’t…promise…” Pidge murmured, shivering at the slight breeze as the door of Lance’s room opened with a Whoosh! a few feet from her head. She did not even notice that they had passed through the residential corridor and stood in front of Lance’s room. Shiro’s usually heavy footsteps seemed muted against the growing pounding in her head. Black spots began dancing before her eyes. Was that even normal?

The Black Paladin stepped inside. With his flesh arm balancing Pidge against his body, he fixed the pillows back in place with his cybernetic arm before laying down his charge on the bed. He pulled the blankets over her trembling frame, but it seemed to have done little to alleviate the Green Paladin’s condition, which seemed to start taking a worse turn.

“Shiro…I’m cold…” Pidge whimpered, one hand reaching weakly to his prosthetic arm. “Cold…and alone….”

Shiro placed his flesh hand on her head. Worry writhed on his face at the sudden spike of her body temperature. Her pale, amber eyes behind half-lidded eyelids had become more unfocused by the tick. He gripped her hand, careful not to hurt her. “You’re not alone, Katie. We’re here, okay? You’ll be alright.”

The Green Paladin knew he meant by that, but for once, she doubted his words. She answered him with a weak whimper before her consciousness finally slipped from her grasp. It was that moment that instilled terror in her when she realized that the familiar, curious voice in her head had not spoken a word since yesterday.

The Green Lion was silent.

The inky darkness that consumed Pidge’s last thoughts melted into a bright light as her spirit was pulled into a body that was not hers. She found herself standing on a balcony, overlooking a congregation of fancy-dressed aliens on the floor below. Laughter and merry music filled the air – it was a day of celebration, of course. It was a historic day when the new monarchs of this planet were crowned in the highest position possible. The newly crowned king and queen were seated on their thrones, receiving their hypocrites of a kingdom with the grace that etiquette required them to.

Emotions that did not belong to the youngest Paladin slammed against her in waves. The scene was annoying to watch at best and revolting at worst. She wondered how she should end their lives. Should she cut slit their throats or tear through their hearts? She wanted to see how these people would react to seeing their king and queen go down on the same day they rose. Now that was something to watch for.

Pidge preferred to do a little show, but she doubted that the Emperor would be amused as she was. That Galra was far viler than she was – the evil incarnate unleashed ten thousand years past. She decided to just do as she was told and nothing more. She could not risk the Emperor’s wrath - the last mission she did nearly cost her head. She descended, slipping easily into the crowd without more than a glance from anyone. Her footsteps were calm and light as she approached the dais. Two guards stood at the base, but she did not dare stop as they tried to block her path.

“Halt! You are in the presence of the king and the queen. How dare you - URK!” Whatever nonsense the fellow was going to blabber about was cut off. His eyes went wide, and his mouth gurgled with bluish blood. There was a thin dagger – her dagger – impaled on his throat, and he collapsed forward with a loud THUD!

The Green Paladin stared at the lifeless body beside her feet. A maniacal smile crept on her lips as she looked at her bloodstained hand. It was only then that her much-awaited orchestra of terrified screams finally started. The crowd began fleeing for their lives, rushing out of the ballroom with delicious fear in their eyes. Guards surged forward to protect their monarchs, but they were too slow. Their numbers were no match for her speed as she tore the queen’s throat and silenced her scream. She hacked and slashed at those who got in her way. Her eyes locked on the king, who stumbled down the dais, crawling like a pathetic fool begging for a nonexistent mercy. She slammed her foot down on his face, kneeling to grab a discarded sword on the ground. She raised it high, above where his heart lay, and grinned.

“Long live the king.”

Pidge lowered the sword and watched him writhe beneath her boot, breathing his last as his head lolled to the side. She stared at the pool of bluish blood on the polished floor and on her hands. It was done. The last free planet of the Kala-ein system would be under the Empire. She had –

A whimper caught the Green Paladin’s attention, and her eyes went wide at a trembling child hiding behind thick curtains, who bore a striking resemblance to the extravagantly dressed, lifeless bodies by her feet. It could not be! The child stepped back, tears spilling from her eyes, and fled. Pidge gnashed her teeth and sought to follow her, but the guards blocked her path. She readied her daggers as guards caged her in all directions. But before they could even strike, the ceiling exploded above. Chunks of debris rained down on the guards and scattered their ranks. She knew what it meant – that she had failed her mission within the given time, and now, she would be punished for it. She leapt up to the balcony and climbed into the cockpit of the awaiting pod. The pilot did not wait for the guards to call for reinforcements as the cockpit slammed shut and the vehicle immediately broke away from the palace and out of the planet’s atmosphere.

A holographic screen flickered on the dashboard. The face of an all-too-familiar Galra appeared before her. “You have failed, Qelzeok,” Sendak said. “Emperor Zarkon might not be pleased, but you will not be executed…for now. You are to wait on this planet until the Empire finds some use for you. Make no mistake. That is an order.”

Then, the communication cut off just as a planet appeared into view before them. The visor of the pilot’s helmet withdrew back, revealing skin of ashen wood and strands of fiery red hair. The pilot fixed her scarlet eyes on her passenger as she spoke in a quiet hum. “We are here. Welcome to Ninhurgia.”

Chapter Text

Lance had lost count of how many times he had tapped his feet against the floor. He and the rest of the Paladins of the Castle of Lions waited in the residential corridor as the healer checked on the Green Paladin. The door to his room was kept open for them to see because, apparently, four anxious Paladins and two jittery Alteans made the room smaller and more suffocating than it already was. He and Hunk stood the closest to the door, watching the healer do her thing. Keith was leaning on the wall across them; he looked calm, but the way he shifted his foot every five ticks indicated that he was almost at his limits. Shiro was pacing at the end of the hallway, disappearing occasionally into the corner that the Blue Paladin thought he might have covered the rest of the corridor without realizing it.

Lance’s eyes drifted to the Pidge. Despite being covered in layers of the thickest blankets he could find, she was still shivering like a leaf. Her cheeks were flushed, and droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead. Occasionally, she was mumbling something unintelligible, like she was having a nightmare. It made the older teenager’s stomach churn. She was suffering, and they could do nothing but quiznacking watch! They were enjoying this friendly planet, but here was Pidge, bedridden and apparently had contracted something – probably, an alien virus – from God-knew-where! It was not fair!

Allura and Coran showed up a few doboshes later just as the healer finished. Behind the two Alteans, the queen of Ninhurgia smiled at the gathered Paladins and regarded the healer. “How is the Green Paladin?”

“I am afraid the Green Paladin’s condition has gotten worse.” The healer answered, lowering her head. “Her quintessence is teetering between life and death. At this point, she is unfit to even move a limb.”

Keith stepped toward the Ninhurgian. “Are you saying…Pidge is going to die?”

“She is not going to die, Red Paladin.” The healer’s voice was uncharacteristically cold and empty. “She is already dying.”

For a moment, everyone seemed to stop breathing. “What…did you say?” Keith growled. He grabbed her robe, almost lifting the Ninhurgian half a foot off the floor. “SAY THAT AGAIN! Pidge is not dying! Tell us you’re joking!”

“Keith, you have to calm down!” Shiro gripped the younger Paladin’s arm firmly. “Let her go. Getting angry at her will not help Pidge!”

“She’s supposed to heal her!” The Red Paladin shouted angrily. “But she said...!” He closed his eyes tight for a moment before shoving the healer and sending her stumbling to the floor. He turned on his heel and stomped through the hall, leaving a furious silence in his wake.

With one angry Paladin who left, another took his place. Lance glared at the healer, with Hunk standing close behind to stop him from lunging at the Ninhurgian next. “You-! What do you mean she’s dying? Pidge’s perfectly healthy! How could she be dying?”

“It is as I said.” The healer rose, brushing her robes with trembling hands. “Her quintessence has become unstable to the point of irreparable damage. I believe it is the work of the Spirit of Decay, a malevolent beast who once almost wiped out all lifeforms in Ninhurgia. Every creature that falls under its Plague is doomed to die.”

“THEN, DO SOMETHING!” Lance yelled. “Exorcise that spirit or something! You’re a healer, aren’t you? Heal her!”

“I cannot.” The Ninhurgian shook her head. “I do not have the power to. Even when sealed, the Spirit’s power is beyond anyone’s grasp.”

“There has to be something we can do.” Allura insisted. “Maybe I could speak with the Spirit about letting Pidge go -”

“Goodness, Princess, no!” Queen Ourbele said, grabbing the Altean’s shoulders. “The Spirit of Decay is very dangerous. It seeks only the destruction of everything! Our ancestors had sacrificed their lives to seal the Spirit. Even so, it still can corrupt souls from distant lands. It has no heart nor reason. Who knows what it will do to you if you approach it willingly?”

“Her Majesty is correct, Princess.” The healer supplied. “The Spirit will not hesitate to slay you. We cannot do more to save the Green Paladin, but there is a way to lengthen her time with the living.”

“What the fuck!” Hunk slid his arms around Lance’s to hold him back. The Yellow Paladin might seem calm, but his eyes told otherwise. “Let me go, Hunk! Stop saying she’s dying! Pidge isn’t dying!”

“The Great Ancestor Tree can support her.” The healer continued, turning her head away from the Blue Paladin. “I can personally escort the Green Paladin there. Once the preparations are complete, you can come to say your goodbyes. My apologies, but this is the best I can do.”

Shiro turned to Allura. His usually firm voice pleaded in desperation. “Princess, tell me you can do something with your power. Please! I’m begging you!”

“I…” The Altean Princess pursed her lips. “I’ll do my best.” She turned to the healer. “Please give me some time. Perhaps I can do something. Maybe I could heal her with my power.”

“Princess, that is very risky!” The queen of Ninhurgia exclaimed. “The Spirit’s Plague may corrupt your soul as well!”

“I have to try!” Allura clenched her fists. “Pidge is my friend and family. I have to help her!”

The queen and the healer exchanged worried looks. “I understand…” Queen Ourbele nodded somberly. “Forgive me, Princess. As the reigning monarch of Ninhurgia, it is I to blame. I cannot do more, even with my power. As queen of Ninhurgia, I swore to do my best to support Voltron. Anything you need, Ninhurgia will provide.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Queen Ourbele squeezed the Altean’s shoulder reassuringly before letting go. Allura stepped inside Lance’s room - her regal composure crumbled to pieces at the sight of the Green Paladin’s bedridden body. She almost stumbled as she knelt at the side of the bed and gripped the young girl’s pale hand. “Pidge….”

The healer stepped back to view from the doorway. “I’ll retrieve the Green Paladin at the setting of the Three Suns tomorrow. I pray for your success, Princess Allura of Altea.” She bowed her head low, almost bending her entire upper body, before moving away. The two Ninhurgians watched as the other residents filed inside as quickly as their feet could. The queen exchanged a brief, sorrowful nod with Coran and gestured to the healer.

“Let us away.” Queen Ourbele said, and the healer ambled three steps behind her, leaving behind the muted sorrow of the residents of the Castle of Lions. The silence of the empty corridors swallowed the tiny procession as they made their way outside the humongous Altean spaceship. The thick forest seemingly welcomed them under the harsh daylight - an irony to the situation Fate had just presented them. 

“It is unfortunate that the Plague has touched the Green Paladin.” The healer spoke once they were far away from the spaceship. “You are quite fond of her, aren’t you, Your Majesty?”

“Yes,” The queen cooed. “Terribly so.” She glanced at the healer over her shoulder. “Are you truly certain that the cause was the Spirit?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The other Ninhurgian confirmed grimly, wringing her hands together. “I cannot mistake such corruption. I have seen many infected, but the corruption that touched the Green Paladin is more terrible.”

“How so?”

“I sensed the Spirit’s malice more clearly. It truly intends to destroy the Green Paladin once and for all.” The healer dared to look up at the queen. “What should we do now, Your Majesty?”

Queen Ourbele kept her eyes trained ahead as her servant waited patiently for an answer. “…Dispose of her.” She answered after a beat of silence.

The healer looked genuinely surprised. “Pardon?”

“If the Plague that struck the Green Paladin is viler than before, should we not get rid of it immediately?” The queen stopped abruptly on her steps and knelt before a small plant growing in the middle of the loamy ground. Her pale, white fingers brushed on the long, slender leaves of the lone plant as she spoke. “Take this tiny plant, for example. It is here in the middle of the road, providing nothing but an obstacle, and will continue to do so unless we,” She wrapped her fingers around the plant and pulled it off the ground – leaves, stem, and roots. “Uproot the source of the problem.”

Queen Ourbele threw the poor plant away and clapped her hands to brush the dirt away. “Dispose of the Green Paladin at once. I’m sure we can make do with four Paladins and two Alteans. The Emperor does not expect them to be brought alive anyway, and we need only one for the Ritual.” Her pupil-less eyes glittered wickedly. “Yes, perhaps the Altean Princess will do. She may not be as bound to nature as the Green Paladin, but her power will serve as well for more than a hundred deca-phoebs.”

The queen of Ninhurgia turned to the healer. “Once you dispose of the Green Paladin, make haste with the preparations. Everything must be perfect.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The healer bowed. “I will do as you wish for the grace of Ninhurgia.”

“Yes…” The queen smiled, baring jagged teeth. “For the grace of Ninhurgia.”

Chapter Text

Pidge could not remember how, could not remember why, for the sake of her sanity, she was standing in the middle of a forest. She presumed it was night, considering how there were not even stars or any celestial object to at least illuminate the place. The forest was something from a standard Earth horror movie – black silhouettes of trees with gnarled branches, red eyes that seemingly stare at her at the corner of her eyes, and her being by her lonesome self. It was a perfect recipe for a cliché, horrendous death. She was not someone easily scared of supernatural things, but something about this place made her blood freeze and unfreeze by itself. That something was not the eerie atmosphere nor the ‘I am alone’ trope, but the silence that enveloped the place.

“…Cold.”

The Green Paladin knew of silence - it was not a foreign concept to her. But the silence that permeated the forest was unnatural. It was the void that swallowed the place, and the one that filled that void, too. It was everything and nothing – all organic and inorganic things existing in this place were nothing but a forced illusion. A delusion of the greedy and wicked. Nothing truly lived here nor died. It was life, it was death.

The silence was the forest itself.

And Pidge wondered how that was possible.

“…Cold…Alone….”

A voice. It was the only sound she could hear amidst the silence. Her bare feet moved against her will, as if drawn by the voice. She kept walking and walking until she found herself standing before a humongous tree. It stood the tallest and widest among all, its ashen black branches reaching the heavens where the others could not. Its ancient roots dug deep into the ground, deeper than the history carved by the natives.

“…Cold and alone….”

There it was again. This time, Pidge was sure it was coming from the tree itself. Even without willing it, her body moved to approach the tree. Four purple, glowing contraptions were dug into the roots of the tree - all of them connected to what seemed to be a purple crystal embedded deep in the trunk of the tree. There was a stench of decay that the Green Paladin could not describe, and she had to cover her nose as she walked closer. A rectangular block made of marble-like stone was installed before the tree, and she had to squint at the words elegantly carved on its stained surface. The words were in a language she did not remember learning but somehow could read.

For the grace of Ninhurgia.

Immediately, a question rose in the youngest Paladin’s mind. Who was Ninhurgia? She paused, suddenly wondering why she would think of ‘Who’ rather than ‘What’ when the voice whispered quietly, as if someone was speaking right by her ear.

“…I am…cold and alone…”

The question spilled from her lips before Pidge could stop it. “Who are you?”

But the voice did not answer, repeating the exact words. Each cycle grew in volume, becoming a screech in her eardrums, like nails dragged against a blackboard. The Green Paladin nearly bent over the surface of the stone block as she tried to block out the voice. The gnarled branches of the trees now crept overhead to reach her.

“…I am cold and alone.”

“… cold and alone!”

“…I AM COLD AND ALONE!”

The voice shrieked, and all hell broke loose. The surface of the stone block collapsed inwardly beneath the smallest Paladin and revealed a deep void below. The voice, no, the voices, were beneath and around her. From the abyss itself, ghastly faces screamed the same words. Their emaciated hands reached out to her, clawing at her skin and trying to drag her down to them. Pidge wanted to scream for help, but the void stole her voice and melded it with the chorus of embodied voices. She wanted to break free, but electrified chains materialized around her wrists and ankles, shackling her to the stone block. Amidst deafening screams, her ears picked up the sound of footsteps, and she desperately looked over her shoulder with hope for help.

The queen of Ninhurgia stood behind her, smiling eerily like a skeleton with her white, jagged teeth. Behind her, white, hooded individuals stood in a semicircle, with the king standing right in the middle. She reached out and placed firm hands on her shoulder blades. “Rejoice, Qelzeok!” She announced. “The Emperor has deemed you fit to serve a greater purpose. You will become one with Ninhurgia. A sacrifice for our planet’s continuing prosperity.”

Queen Ourbele looked up and raised her arms. With a reverent voice, she announced. “For the grace of Ninhurgia.”

The queen’s company clasped their hands and repeated the exact words. With little force, the queen shoved her, and the Green Paladin pitched forward. She managed to look up once last time, at the purple crystal now pulsing like a heartbeat, before falling to the abyss below -

“- een Paladin!”

Pidge jolted awake, her hands fumbling for nothing in the air. She sat up, her eyes flicking wildly around as her body fell into a state of panic and alarm. Rough hands gripped hers firmly to stop her from hurting herself.

“- Green Paladin!” The voice that spoke was different. It was not screaming the same words repeatedly, nor sounded like something from deep under a grave. It was urgent and desperate that the youngest Paladin flinched and turned with unfocused eyes. “Please calm down. You may hurt yourself.”

The fog in Pidge’s mind was thick, but the person before her somehow looked familiar. White hood…pale bark skin…red hair…alien…Ninhurgian. The alien squeezed her hands gently, mint green light glowed from the bark lines on her skin as warmth tingled on the Green Paladin’s fingertips. “W-Who…?”

“My name is Azer.” The Ninhurgian answered. “You have slept longer than I anticipated, but everything has gone well.” She looked up to meet her eyes. “Do you remember where you are right now?”

“I…” Pidge pulled one hand away and placed it on her throbbing temple. Where…? “I…am on a planet. Not Earth…Ninhurgia?” She mumbled. “My team was supposed to get supplies. My team…Voltron. I am a Paladin of Voltron. The Green Paladin.” She winced. “I got sick, I think? I don’t remember much about it….”

“That is correct.” Azer nodded. Her voice was soft and quiet, as if she was afraid to scare her. “And I am the healer sent to look after you.”

“Where am I…? Where’s everybody?” Whether because of the fog clearing in her mind or Azer’s alien magic, the Green Paladin became increasingly aware of her surroundings. She looked around and noticed the interior was nothing like the Castle of Lions’. The walls were not made of polished Altean metal, but solid bark carved from the inside of a tree. There were no windows, but a small door camouflaged against the wooden walls. She would have missed it if she had not squinted hard. The room’s furnishing was sparse – only the basics were placed, including the bed she was sitting on – and was made of the same material as the walls. All of it she could see with a dim illumination in the form of a golden lantern.

“We are on the capital’s outskirts, far from where your spaceship is located.” Azer rose from her stool and walked to a small table stuck in a corner of the room. Pidge could not properly make out what she was doing, but it seemed she was picking through the leaves of a plant. “Your friends are still in the capital, but…” She trailed off for a second before resuming. “They are safe, if that is what you wished to know.”

The Green Paladin watched as she pounded the leaves with a stone mortar and pestle and added what the former assumed to be berries. The Ninhurgian added an unknown liquid to the mix and stirred before pouring some into a wooden saucer. She walked back to Pidge’s bedside and offered her the tiny plate. “Drink. This will help you regain your energy.”

The youngest Paladin eyed the golden mixture in the saucer warily. She expected the same feeling of repulsion she felt toward Ninhurgian food, but it never came. It was strange – the lack of utter aversion she had been afflicted with since setting foot on the planet - and she wanted to turn it down, but the healer was looking at her expectantly. She gingerly accepted the saucer and took a small sip. She anticipated the taste to be bitter, but instead, a fragrant sweetness touched her taste buds. “What is this?”

“It is a simple medicine to regain one’s strength,” Azer answered as she settled on her stool. “The ingredients are Nature’s blessings. The opposite of what my people create.”

Before Pidge realized, she had already drunk all the medicine. “What do you mean?”

Azer sighed and placed her hands on her lap. “My people, my planet…everything is not what it seems, Green Paladin. What your eyes can see is nothing but lies. This planet has been rotting for hundreds of deca-phoebs…and that decay, that corruption was caused by own kind.” She clasped her hands together so tightly that her already pale knuckles turned white. “Forgive me, Green Paladin. This is the best I can achieve. All I can do is get you away from Queen Ourbele. I cannot save your friends.”

The Green Paladin was confused. She could not make sense of what the Ninhurgian was saying, but she was sure that something bad was happening. “Tell me everything.” She demanded. “From the start.” It might be because of the medicine that the pounding in her head dissipated, and she felt warm and full of energy. Her mind was sharp and alert, like she was in peak condition and could kick a Hunk-sized Galra if she wanted to. In fact, she might even win against a Keith-level at this rate.

“Ninhurgia is an ally of the Galra,” Azer started. “And has been since Queen Ourbele took the throne. The reason is that the planet shelters galactic criminals who worked under the Empire and provides information about free planets while disguising itself as one. I was once one of those who transported criminals to the planet, before serving as a healer directly under the queen.” She averted her eyes from the Green Paladin. “I-I was ordered to dispose of you, but instead, I took you away in the pretense of your impending death. It was my own doing that temporarily incapacitated you and placed you in such a false condition. I did it all to deceive the queen and those loyal to her.”

Pidge took it back. She was not completely ready to take whatever revelation the Ninhurgian told her. She expected her friends to be in danger, but not that kind of danger. They thoroughly researched the planet, and she and Coran even checked ten times just to make sure. How could they miss that? She gritted her teeth and gripped the edge of the saucer tightly. “Explain.” Her voice cloaked in the bubbling distrust and anger toward the Ninhurgian, but the healer kept her head low.

“Ninhurgia has become a site for a new experiment of the Galra,” Azer said. “I do not know the full details, but it has something to do with quintessence.”

Of course. The smallest Paladin thought bitterly. It had to be quintessence. “What are they doing with it?”

“They are harvesting it from those who displease Zarkon,” The healer answered. “They are using some kind of equipment - an experimental machinery made by the druids - to collect the quintessence and convert it into something they can use to infect the planet’s life force. This allows Queen Ourbele to control the planet at her own free will.”

“H-Hold up!” Pidge held up a hand to stop the Ninhurgian. “What? Control the planet? What do you mean ‘control the planet’? Like control everything? You know, how the trees grow, the flowers bloom, that sort of stuff?”

“Yes.” The Green Paladin hoped Azer was joking, but the grim expression on the latter’s face easily shattered that hope. “It is as you said. Queen Ourbele is controlling everything on the planet. The experiment has yet to be completed, but it has already let her become the planet itself.”

“Are you fucking serious?” The youngest Paladin asked indignantly. “Why would she do that? And why are you helping me? Why didn’t you tell my friends what is really happening?”

“Because you are our only hope, Green Paladin,” Azer answered. “You are the Guardian Spirit of the Forest. You are the only one who can save Ninhurgia. Queen Ourbele planned to harvest your quintessence because of your bond with Nature, but I interfered.” She lowered herself to the floor and prostrated. “Please, Green Paladin. I beg of you! Free our planet and return it to what it once was. I can sense your distrust of me, but believe me when I say I wish for its freedom.”

The Green Paladin rubbed her palms on her face. A part of her wanted to leave this place, this alien, right now, but another was urging her to listen to the Ninhurgian. She did not know what to do. She might be the Green Paladin, the Guardian Spirit of the Forest, and all that jazz, but what could she do against an alien that was the literal planet? Those were just titles attached to her responsibility as the pilot of the Green Lion. She needed advice, but no one else was here except her and an alien she did not trust. Even the Green lion, who often prodded in her headspace out of curiosity, was being eerily quiet.

“Alright,” Pidge said finally after taking a deep breath. Things might be uncertain for now, but if there was anything she was really sure about, it was that she would save her friends even if she had to fucking burn the surface of the whole planet and nuke its core to pieces. “I will do it. I will save Ninhurgia.”