herdingspacecats | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

herdingspacecats

[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?]

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

[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.

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

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

They said you would lie.

From:

the_tailor

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.

From:

herdingspacecats

[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.]

From:

the_tailor

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

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

From:

herdingspacecats

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.]

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

[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.

From:

the_tailor

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?

From:

herdingspacecats

[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.

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

[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.]

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

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

You'll help me?

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

herdingspacecats

Good. They did something to me.

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

From:

the_tailor

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.]

From:

abondingmoment

[The Champion starts to explain, but is cut off by Keith bursting in the room, looking rather out of breath. Shit, Lance is talking to him!

Keith grabs Lance by the arm, practically dragging him out and away.]

What are you doing?!

From:

the_tailor

Wha--

[He's baffled when Keith is dragging him away, and tries to yank his arm out of his grasp. The other paladin is stronger, though, and he's pulled straight out of the room.]

What do you mean, what am I doing?! I'm trying to figure out what happened to him!

From:

abondingmoment

That isn't Shiro!

[He hisses it out, as though he's afraid their Shiro lookalike might hear him.]

He's trying to trick you, don't even talk to him!

From:

the_tailor

What the quiznak do you mean? Of course that's Shiro!

[He doesn't understand. He looks like Shiro, sounds like Shiro... Unless Shiro has a secret evil twin, there's no way it can't be Shiro.]

From:

abondingmoment

No, Lance, it's not. Everyone has been running all these scans on his biometrics and shit to figure out what's wrong, and the problem is that isn't Shiro.

[HE's speaking very fast, which is unusual for Keith. He's pretty shaken up by all this.]