herdingspacecats | The Champion

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The Champion

The Champion has returned.

He has a mission this time. He isn't merely for sport, fighting for entertainment. He's a soldier now, an assassin, designed to fight and to destroy Voltron. Enhanced further with Galra witchcraft and a hint of quintessence, whatever past the Champion has no longer exists. His life as a human, as a paladin, as a fighter pilot on Earth, it's all gone, replaced by the need to serve and fulfill his existence. He is a weapon and nothing more.

A few well-placed rumors ensure that Voltron will come to him. It's not his plan, of course. The Champion is no general. He is valued for his strength and the appearance that apparently is so tantalizing to Voltron, and nothing more. They will try to trick him, he's told. They will tell him he is one of them, that since he is human he must also be a paladin, but it is a lie. Killing them is his objective.

They are weak when they leave their lions. The Champion waits, watching the paladins foolishly land and exit. How stupid of them. They're defenseless without the Lions, and he knows this fight will go quickly.

He straightens from his hiding place. They come for him, crying out a name that means nothing to him. He does not smile. He does not move.

He waits.

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...hey.

[What is there to say? What can he say? Lance still can't wrap his mind around this, can't understand how their leader could just become...this. Whatever's in front of him, trapped in the cell.

No, he tells himself. Not a whatever. This is still Shiro, it has to be.]

You, uh... Your hair grows really quickly.

[There's no rage or anger in his eyes. He can't get out, and he knows it. There's a calm sort of...nothingness about him, like a man about to end his own life. Just calm. Quiet. Blank.

After a moment, however, he responds. His voice is gravely and hoarse, like he's unused to speaking much.]

I hadn't noticed.

It's hanging right in front of your face. How could you not?

[He'd almost rather anger. Lance wants to see something in his expression, something he can work with. This nothingness? It scares him.]

[He does actually consider that hair for a moment, touching the long shock of white hair like it was the first time he'd seen it.]

It's always been like this.

It definitely hasn't. You used to maintain that undercut and...bang poof of yours. Don't you remember?

[No. He can't have amnesia on top of it all, can he?]

[They told him that the paladins would lie, but despite himself, he is vaguely curious in what they have to say.

There's something about that fight, the tone of the blue paladin's voice...it's almost like he cares.]

No. [There's a small bit of emotion in his voice this time, almost defeat?]

Try to think back, Shiro. I even helped you trim it once. I wouldn't let anyone else touch it, didn't trust 'em to know how to cut hair. Not that I'm a stylist, but...

[He tries to keep the conversation light for now, feeling the situation out. That tiny hint of emotion--he's trying to grab onto it, tug it out, even if it's a sad one. Anything really is better than the blank look he's had.]

[There's that name again. This boy seems to care about the person associated to that name, but whoever it belongs to, it isn't him. He's the Champion. Project Kuron, occasionally.]

I've never seen you before. You're a target.

I'm not a target. I'm Lance. Lance McClain. Your friend, your teammate. C'mon, I'm totally unforgettable.

[He attempts to smile, but it's hard.]

[Hm. Interesting. Those reactions seem genuine. The Champion looks away, feeling uncomfortable.]

They said you would lie.

Who's they? The Galra? Of course they'd say that, they're obviously trying to turn you against us. But you have to remember. We've gone through so much as a team! And between us, I'm a terrible liar.

[That uncomfortable feeling remains, and his gaze moves instead to the floor. This time he does not respond.

He knows he shouldn't listen, but a part of him is curious. He wants to know why Lance cares so much. The Champion can't remember caring about anything.]

Shiro. Talk to me. Tell me what happened to you.

[Because there's brainwashed, and then there's...this. Whatever this is.]

Why do you keep calling me that? [He shouldn't ask questions. It shows interest. But he's a captive here, and gaining intelligence on Voltron may explain how they managed to subdue him in the first place.]

Because that's your name. Takashi Shirogane. Shiro, for short. ...Did they make you forget us? To get you to try to....to try to...

[Kill them.]

[That isn't familiar at all. A frown crinkles his forehead, more emotion than he's shown this whole time.]

They call me the Champion. Not...Shiro.

What did you hear when you were back there?

[Something's off about this. This man looks like their Shiro, hair and blank expressions aside, his voice is the same if not rather expressionless, but that seems to be where it ends.]

You're still...our Shiro, right? That they turned against us?

[He just looks rather confused at the questions.]

I don't think I can give you the answers you want. I'm not sure what you're asking.

Neither am I! I don't understand what the heck is going on.

[Because there's more to this than he'd initially thought, but he isn't sure what.]

[He lifts his shoulders in a small shrug and leans back against the wall. The quintessence boost he was given before the mission is wearing off, but from the looks of things, he isn't getting out of here while that boost is still lasting.

Perhaps he can use Voltron's emotions against them. Trick them into letting him out.]

You're Shiro. There's no way you can't be Shiro. And...I'll help you get your memories back. We all will.

[It'd be a start, even if only vague ones.]

[He decides to play along for now, and looks up at Lance.]

You'll help me?

Of course I'll help you.

[He smiles at him. Shiro not mindlessly attacking them now and moving to asking for help... Well, Lance is too grateful to notice it's odd.]

Good. They did something to me.

[He's just going to keep playing into that innocence. Stupid kid.]

Tell me, then. What happened?

[That's the problem. Lance is too desperate now to help him, that the possibility of being duped isn't even remotely entering his mind.]

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...i'm debating if this is actually shiro or like...a clone they adopt

omg either works really!

i kind of like the idea of a sad clone shiro

:(((( poor thing

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this is like Grunt finding his meaning for life in ME2

ahhhhh

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