Human. For the first part of her life, that's what she always thought she was. But as she got older, she realized that wasn't true. As Korrin stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself, she wondered how a normal person would feel right now. But no matter what she tried, she couldn't feel anything but the power within her, occasionally accompanied by negativity. So she turned away and decided to go roam around and get her bearings.
She hadn't been aboard the large ship for long and the most she had explored was the to the shower and back. The massive white ship consisted of multiple amenities that included a kitchen, a training deck that was equipped with sparring bots, a medical wing, a shuttle bay, sleeping quarters, and a room labeled "holodeck." Korrin had no clue what that was. Since only occasionally leaving her room at in the past couple of days, she couldn't quite remember where everything was. So she wandered down the halls, gradually getting more lost.
"Great," she grumbled aloud. "This is just where I want to be right now. Lost on some alien ship with too many hallways and no one to ask for help." Then immediately as she rounded another corner, she bumped into someone, knocking her to the ground. "Watch where you're going!" Korrin snapped, rubbing her behind.
"I could say the same to you, Lance!" said the male standing over her, rubbing his head. When he looked down and saw a girl on the ground, he realized it wasn't who he thought it was. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else." He extended his hand down to help her up.
She frowned at him, irritated, and stood up on her own. "Do I look and sound like a guy to you?"
The young man frowned. "Look, I said I was sorry. Lighten up."
Korrin eyed him. She could tell he had a temper. He was a couple inches taller than her with a thin, but muscular build and wore a red jacket with a white collar and cuffs over a blue-gray t-shirt. His black pants were tucked into his red, white, and black space boots. His arms were crossed and strands of his medium length dark hair fell down in front of his dark blue eyes.
"Is there a reason why you're sizing me up like a piece of meat?"
She smirked. "Maybe I'm just deciding whether it would be worth it to kick your ass right here and now."
"Believe me, it wouldn't be much of a fight."
"Cocky, are we?" Korrin tilted her head at the challenge.
"No, just confident." The young man uncrossed his arms and extended his hand with a slight smile. "I'm Keith, paladin of the red lion."
Korrin softened her expression slightly and shook his hand. "I'm Korrin. And...what do you mean 'red lion?'"
Keith put his hands on his hips. "So Shiro hasn't told you anything, huh? Well, I assume you're headed to go get food so I'll explain on the way."
She wasn't, actually, but she followed him regardless. From what she gleaned from Keith, he was stubborn and hotheaded. The two of them were similar in those traits. She was fascinated by all that Keith told her. How the universe was under attack by Zarkon, leader of the Galran race, and Voltron was the only way to defeat him. Together, five giant mechanical lions--each housed in their own hangar--were each piloted by a paladin and, when combined, they formed Voltron. The massive ship they were on now was known as the Castle of Lions which was piloted by the Princess Allura and her helmsman, Coran. Korrin's head spun with all this new information, trying to place it all accordingly.
"So, you five paladins...are from Earth?" she asked.
Keith nodded. "I've lost track of time with how long we've been away. Things are different out here." He looked over at Korrin as they approached the galley. "You're from Earth, too, right?"
"Yes, but I'm not--"
Suddenly the door to the dining area opened up and a young man carrying a large bowl of food came barreling through crashing right into Korrin, the two of them falling to the ground. The bowl of food splattered everywhere and Korrin became pinned under the weight of the young man.
"Why can't anyone watch where they're going around here?!" she exclaimed in frustration.
The guy who had slammed into her had darker skin and short brown hair. He pushed himself up on his hands and when he saw her, he bounced his eyebrows up and down smiling. "Hey there, I'm Lance," he said in a smooth tone, "I'm the paladin of the blue lion. I don't think we've met but--" he was suddenly cut off by Korrin propelling him off of her. He slid a few feet away from her and then sat up. "What was that for?!" he said angrily, rubbing his chest.
Korrin stood up and straightened her clothes out. "That's for not watching where you're going." After brushing her hands off, she placed them firmly on her hips. "And keep your pickup lines to yourself." She heard Keith snigger behind her and they turned walked though the open door, leaving Lance pouting.
The eating area was spacious and had a long table with several chairs. Two people were sitting at the table chatting when Keith and Korrin walked up.
"Hey guys, mind if we join you?" Keith said.
"Not at all, take a seat," a short girl with glasses and cropped brown hair said. Then she looked at Korrin, "Nice to see you up and about. I'm Pidge, I helped get you back in working condition. Although the reading on your charts were a lot different than I was expecting."
"Charts?" Korrin's eyes widened, hoping they hadn't discovered her secret. Any tests run on her would definitely show anomalies.
Pidge nodded. "Yeah, I ran some tests on you while you were in the healing pod. Some things just seemed...off."
Korrin was about to respond when Keith spoke up. "Hey Pidge, why don't you lay off the interrogation for a minute. She's only been here a short time. Give her some time to adjust."
"Right...sorry," Pidge said dejectedly, poking at her food.
Korrin was glad Keith spoke up, but the thought of someone running tests on her body did not sit well with her. She sat down across from a heavier-set, dark-skinned young man with a headband and dark hair who was intently focused in the food in front of him. When he looked up and noticed her, he smiled.
"Hey there," he said happily. "I'm Hunk, resident chef. Are you hungry?"
Korrin shook her head. "I'm not but thank you for asking."
Keith looked at her questioningly. "You can't have had much to eat since you've been here. Are you sure you're not hungry? I promise this stuff isn't as bad as it looks."
Korrin politely declined again, hoping they wouldn't ask a third time. Telling them that she doesn't eat would only lead to more questions.
After talking to the three paladins for a while longer, Korrin excused herself and continued to wander the halls of the ship. She turned a corner and a pair of large, imposing doors stood before her.
This must be the bridge, she thought. The doors slid open when she approached, and she entered a circular, open room. The first thing that caught her attention was a massive glowing, blue crystal hanging in the very center of the room. A power source? There were four other exits--two on the right, two on the left--that Korrin couldn't figure out where they led to, as the doors did not open when she approached them. In the center on the room was a wide platform, shaped loosely like an arrowhead that branched out slightly into four short paths on the side and to the rear. In the middle of the large platform was a small, raised dais that sat directly below the crystal. There were odd panels on the floor of each of the four paths and one large console at the very front of the platform. These must be where they all sit when they're working? Korrin guessed as she walked around, allowing her eyes to wander over the entire room. Almost the entire wall was glass and she found herself gazing out into the galaxy in wonder. The stars were infinite and the horizon was nonexistent.
"We're kind of in the middle of nowhere right now," came a voice from behind.
Startled, Korrin jumped but she saw that it was only Shiro. She hadn't heard him enter the room.
"I didn't mean to startle you," he said coming up beside her, looking out into the great beyond. "Usually there's a better view, but right now there's not a whole lot to look at."
"I love watching the stars," Korrin said, allowing herself to reminisce. "I used to lay outside with my mother and we would put constellations together. Sometimes we would make our own..." She trailed off.
"That sounds nice," Shiro responded. "Is your mother still on Earth?"
Korrin stiffened but remained quiet, immediately putting her guard back up. It was none of his business and she wasn't about to talk to a stranger about her personal life. An illusion of sadness floated within her as she remembered her mother and the life she left back home.
"Not much of a talker are you?" Shiro said sensing her tension and breaking the silence that had fallen between them.
"From what I can tell, you are similar. The strong, silent type," Korrin responded. She sighed, trying to relax. He hadn't done anything wrong, he was just asking.. "I don't like to talk about where I came from. It...bothers me."
Shiro nodded. "I get it. I won't talk about it unless you want to. My past isn't exactly all rainbows and sunshine either." He looked over at the girl who stared unblinking out at the infinite space. Pidge had told him there was something off about her and he agreed, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Overall she seemed like a normal human being. Noticing her stiff posture, he decided to see if he could make her feel more at home.
"How about I show you a place where you can unwind?" he said.
Korrin looked up at him, confused. "Unwind? Like, relaxing?" Her immediate thought was the traditional way people relaxed: massages, hot tubs, etc. But she hadn't learned about any of that being present on the ship.
"Just follow me."
Shiro led Korrin to a large open area with high ceilings.
"The training deck?" Korrin said, unsure of why he had brought her here. "Is this how you 'relax?'" Their footsteps echoed as they approached the center of the room. Shiro stopped and turned, handing Korrin a metal rod. "What's this?" she asked, examining the smooth item in her hand. It was about the length of her forearm, not much use in a fight.
"Give it a swing," Shiro said.
Korrin did as he said, swinging it horizontally in front of her. Suddenly it extended in length so that it was just barely taller than she was. She gasped lightly, impressed with herself.
"Very nice," Shiro said, also impressed. "Have you ever used something like this before?"
Korrin smirked and started twirling and waving the rod around skillfully, ending with it tucked under her arm. "I've been in my share of pirate ships. Pipes are usually a go-to weapon if things get messy."
Shiro chuckled. "Well lucky for you that rod is slightly more durable than rusty old pipes. Now, how about you show me what you've got." He took a fighting stance.
"You won't be using a weapon?"
As if anticipating this question, Shiro smiled and his right hand began to glow a bright purple color. "Don't worry about me. Just don't hold back."
Korrin wasn't sure about sparring with someone without a weapon. But she didn't let it faze her as she took an opposing stance. Shiro was first to lunge at her. Despite his size and build, he moved quickly. Korrin gracefully leapt to the side, holding the rod defensively in front of her, watching her opponent for his next move. Shiro pivoted on his foot, spinning to take a horizontal strike at her. Korrin blocked it as his hand clashed with the metal. She struggled against his strength as he pushed against her.
"Amazing," she stated, admiring the robotic limb. Then a split second later she used the force against her to back flip away from him. She knew now that he was not only agile, but very strong as well. "Your strength and agility are almost unrivaled," she said, takings a more offensive stance this time. "Almost."
"You aren't so bad, yourself," replied Shiro, taking a defensive stance. He could see that she was planning on striking first this time.
Korrin smirked and gripped her weapon. She had only been testing the waters with him up until this point. What she lacked in power against him, she would definitely make up for in speed. He was fast, but she was faster. She made the first move and rushed at him at a blinding speed. Shiro had a keen eye and watched her as she got rapidly closer. Just as he he went to strike her in the middle, time seemed to slow down as she slid down on her shins, her back nearly to the ground, gliding between his legs. She acrobatically sprung to her feet a delivered a solid kick to Shiro's backside. He stumbled several steps and turned around to face her, rubbing his sore behind.
He chuckled. "That was impressive. You're very talented. What else do you got?"
The two of them sparred for over an hour, each exchanging punches and throws. Shiro started to get tired and his movements became slower. But his opponent seemed to be in top shape, not even missing a beat. Near the end, he had his hands on his knees, sweat dripping down his face and his muscles aching. He tried to steady his breathing. Looking at Korrin, he gave her a quizzical look as she was standing there leaning on her metal rod casually as if they hadn't been sparring the last hour.
"Have you even broken a sweat, yet?" he asked her.
Korrin looked at him, realizing that she was not acting accordingly. So she purposefully increased her breathing pretending as though she was winded.
"I never did sweat that much," she said, trying to cover up the fact that she hardly sweats at all. "But doing all of that with you definitely took a lot out of me"--that was a lie--"I haven't had a good match in a while."
Shiro studied her a moment longer before shrugging and standing up straight, seemingly brushing off his suspicions. "I'm kinda jealous of that," he chuckled. "Well I don't know about you, but I need a shower." He walked past Korrin and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "You're very skilled. I'm impressed."
Korrin watched him leave and the door hissed as it closed. She looked at her metal rod, and giving it a shake, it retracted back to its former size. She shook her head, scolding herself for raising suspicion with Shiro. Her mind buzzed, taking in and processing her match with him. She decided it was best to take a shower as well. Though she didn't sweat, good hygiene is a must. She went back to her room and found her usual suit was cleaned but there was also a different outfit next to it.
"I thought you might want something a little more comfortable," said a woman's voice from behind her. Korrin jumped and turned to see an elegant young woman with dark skin and silvery white hair that hung below her waist. Her teal blue eyes complimented the light pastel colors of her floor-length dress.
"I beg your pardon, I did not mean to frighten you," she said as she took a step into Korrin's room.
"It's fine," Korrin stated. She studied the girl's pointed ears and the strange pink marks by her eyes.
The woman noticed and smiled. "Forgive me, and I failed to introduce myself though you've already been here for a bit now. I am princess Allura of Altea. No doubt you have already met the paladins of the five lions."
"I met four of them," Korrin replied. "Red, blue, green, and yellow. Are you the fifth?"
Allura chuckled. "Heavens, no. Although I'm flattered. I'm sure you've met Shiro though, but have you not?"
Korrin nodded. "Yes I have, I didn't realize he was a paladin."
"He is the black paladin. He's very humble so don't take it personally that he didn't tell you. I heard the two of you were sparring."
"He wanted to show me a way to relax. Though I'm pretty sure he and I have different views on what that means." She smiled, shaking her head. "But he is a very skilled fighter."
"He said the same about you as well."
To be praised from someone such as Shiro made Korrin stand up a little straighter with pride.
"He also said you may be sore. So he would like me to show you to the bath room."
Korrin gathered up her clean clothes and followed Allura down the hall. The soft clicking of their heels on the ground echoed lightly off the walls. They came to an elevator. The doors hissed with air as it opened and then closed once they were inside. Korrin had a few questions for Allura but was debating whether or not it was appropriate to ask.
"I know you must have some questions. You needn't be afraid to ask," said Allura, as if reading her mind.
Korrin chewed her lip for a moment. "If you are a princess, why aren't with your people? That is...the paladins don't look like you so..."
Allura's face darkened and her eyes fell. "That was not a question I was expecting."
Korrin studied her sad expression. Clearly she seemed to be in pain, thinking about the answer. "If it's too hard--"
"No. I told you to ask and you did. Forgive me. You see, Altea...was destroyed. Nearly 10,000 years ago." Korrin wished she could empathize with the princess, but the numbness inside her yielded nothing.
The elevator doors opened once again and the two stepped out. Allura didn't say a word more about Altea as she showed Korrin where things she would need could be found. The princess turned to leave and Korrin called out to her.
"I'm sorry, princess, for making you remember such a terrible thing."
Allura turned and smiled. "There is nothing to be sorry about. It was a dark time, yes. But I have learned to accept that it happened for a reason and that I am following my destiny. I'm meant to be here, with the paladins. And...I'm happy."
Korrin was thankful for everyone being welcoming, despite some already clashing personalities. She was sure she could rule them out as enemies but she couldn't count them as friends just yet. But if they found out her secret...would that change things?