So tomorrow is August, well more like in a few minutes cause its 11:30 whAT iS slEEp, and August is the month I start college,  ya'll I'm not ready HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE WITHOUT MY MOTHER

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The first thing I notice is how cold it is. I'm surprised I'm not shivering. Next I notice, is that my eyes won't open. Like a weight is tied to my eyelids, weighing them down. I hear...beeping...and voices. I'm standing, leaned against what feels like metal. I take a wild guess and say I'm in the cryopod, guess that explains why I'm not dead. Going back to the voices, there's two, a boy and girl. Who? I can't tell. After a minute, my eyes finally fluttered open. When my vision cleared, I jumped back with a shriek.

Pidge and Lance had their faces smooshed against the glass with wide smiles, which had startled me. The cryopod opened with a hiss. I welcomed the warmer air. Apparently, my legs weren't functioning yet, as I fell out of the pod. Luckily Lance was expecting it as he caught me before I faceplanted. 

"Careful there." He muttered as he helped me stand up. I kept and arm around his shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Pidge.

"Fine, I think." I say when I finally noticed that I was in the cryopod suit.

"Let's get you something to eat and let the others know you're awake."

~~~

"KORRA!!" Hunk yells  followed by a thump on the door, making me drop my spoon in surprise. The door opens showing Hunk rubbing his forehead.

"I got excited and forgot to wait for the door to open." He chuckles. Then he runs in, Allura ad Coran trailing after him. Hunk scoops me in his arms.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay! I thought you were dead! Well you couldn't be dead in the pod. Or can you? Can you die in the cryopod? OMG WHAT IF YOU DIED IN THE POD!"

"Hunk...I can't breath." 

"Oh sorry." He said and put me back in the chair. I catch my breath, I frown when I noticed two thing. One, the mice ate all my food goo. Two, there's two people missing.

"Where's Keith and Shiro?" I asked. I thought Keith would be rushing in here with Hunk. Everybody exchanges glances, before Lance speaks up.

"Keith is...out looking for Shiro."

"Look for Shiro as in?" I asked. 

"As in Shiro is missing." Allura speaks up. My eyes widen.

"What? How? When?"

"How, we don't know. When, after the fight with Zarkon. We brought both of your lions back. While Lance and Coran got you in a cryopod, we opened the Black Lion to see it empty." Pidge explains while adjusting her glasses. Allura claps her hands together.

"Anyway, we let Keith know you were awake, he should be here soon." She says. Fast footsteps sound outside. The door opens revealing a panting Keith. His eyes fall onto me and he hurries over, kneeling down next my chair and grabs my hands.

"You're okay." He says, mainly to himself, as if to reassure himself.

"I'm okay." 

~~~

Several months later

 I sit with Pidge, watching the video of her brother escaping a Glara prison with others. I've been helping her track down her brother, while Keith is occupied with finding Shiro. She replays the same part while frowning as I type on the computer next to her.

"Oh, number five and six, you're back!" We turn to see Coran walking in. "How was your mission?" He asks as he stands on the other side of Pidge.

"We talked to some members of the desert tribes of the Planet Kythra who have the same large feathered ears." Pidge starts and zooms in on the person helping Matt escape. "They're not friendly to Zarkon, but they couldn't help identify the person in the footage. So that's a dead end. Now these flappy, loosey, pant-thingies..."

"Are skort pantaloons. Very breathable." Coran says while twirling his mustache.

"Right. They're traditionally worn by the Tando people."

"Yes, in the Valurian quadrant." Coran states.

"Right, that's on the other side of the galaxy." I say.

"And what's this mask thing that they all have on their faces?" Pidge asks and pulls up the mask on the computer.

"Hmm, no idea. But it appears to be the perfect blend of fashion and function." Coran says.

"Okay. So my brother was either taken by intergalactic fashion pirates, or maybe the outer reaches of these galaxies are occupied by freedom fighters that are starting to work together against the Glara Empire." Pidge says. Coran speaks up.

"You know, I don't mind telling you this, but I was considered a intergalactic fashion pirate in my day." Coran tugs at his collar, then suddenly he jumps on the desk. "I even had a bogwaggle-cape that I trained to sing my theme song whenever I enter the room." Pidge and I give Coran deadpan looks.

"Maybe this will help." I say and type on the computer in front of me. Coran slowly climbs down from the desk. "While we were gone  I had the system analyze the sound of the explosion from the prison break" We look up where it shows the recording and listen to the explosion. The computer beeps as it reveals the data.

"Huh. Nanothermite titanium-boron." I say.

"Hey, maybe we could track that." Pidge says.

"Good idea. While you two do that, I'm gonna check in with Lance and Hunk and see how things went on Planet Puig." Coran says as he walks out.

"Don't worry Matt, I'll find you. Pidge mutters to herself.

"We'll find you." I say. Pidge gives me a grateful smile. 

~~~

Now, we're all sitting in the lounge. I have my head on Keith's shoulder while listening to Hunk and Lance talk about freeing Planet Puig with the Blade of Marmora.

"They haven't totally figured out their flatbread situation, but what they do with those centipedes is just out of this world." Hunk says.

"And they're totally ready to join the fight against the Galra." Lance says.

"Nice!"

"We brought back a few of their leaders to join the coalition." Hunk says.

"That's splendid! Excellent work!" Allura praised.

"You know, I gotta say this is what it's all about." Lance says and shows Pidge selfies he took on his phone like device. Pidge frowns at Lance. "Freein' the people, lovin' the ladies, then bombin' down the road again looking for adventure, Voltron style." Hunk frowns.

"Which brings up a little issue. They all want to see Voltron, only we don't really have Voltron anymore." He says. It goes silent.

"We don't have Shiro anymore either." Keith speaks up. I lift my head from his shoulder. "Everyone seems to have forgotten that." Everybody looks down until Allura speaks up.

"It may be difficult for us all to accept, but it is time to think about finding a new pilot for the Black Lion." We all stare at Allura in shock.

"No! I'm gonna find him." Keith says angrily and stands up. "Shiro is the one person who never gave up on me. I won't give up on him." Keith storms out. I feel a flash a sadness, as we all look at the floor.

~~~

We all sit in the dining hall, with leaders from different planets we've freed.

"It is our honor to have you all gathered here." Allura says.

"I had the biggest bunker back on Puig, but it wasn't nearly this nice." The Puig leader says.

"Well, I spent the last decade sleeping in a spiny thistle thicket. You look wonderful though, Princess. I'm glad I put on my best tarp." Another leader says in a gurgled voice. Allura smiles.

"Welcome everyone. Welcome." Hunk says as he comes up and puts a tray down. "I've prepared a few Earth canapes, for our distinguished guests to enjoy while we talk galactic diplomacy." The leaders look at the food in amazement.  Kolivan stands as Hunk goes to his spot.

"The Blade of Marmora has gathered this intelligence." Kolivan pulls up a holographic map. "As you can see, the Galra empire is still the most massive ruling force the universe has ever seen. The sheer size of it is almost incomprehensible. It seems like it could rule another 10,000 years." The smallest leader visibly shakes. Lance leans over.

"Not the way I would have started this pep talk, but okay." He whispers and I nod in agreement. 

"However, we are beginning to see signs of increased rebel activity from within the Empire." Kolivan says. Multiple blue dots appear on the map, indicating the rebels, making the leaders gasp. Allura stands.

"We have a strategy to bring these forces together, free more planets, grow our numbers, and accumulate an army that could defeat the Galra in major battles." The hologram disappears. "But without your help, it will be impossible." A girl leader speaks up in a robotic voice.

"The forces will fight behind Voltron,right?"

"Yes, where is Voltron?" The Puig leader asks. Allura grimaces.

"The people you see before you are the paladins of Voltron. Together, they pilot the mighty lions that form the great warrior." Hunk waves while eating. Keith glares at everyone. I shyly wave. Pidge moves her glasses up and down. Lance gives everyone a flirty smirk.

"Excellent! Can they form Voltron now?" The Puig leader asks.

"Uh..well..."

"We can't form Voltron, okay?" Keith suddenly says loudly. "We can fly the lions, but Voltron is not happening." The leaders all gasp. 

"What he means is that right now they can't do it. but-" Keith cuts Allura off.

"But nothing. Shiro is gone. He was the Black Lion. And until we find him there is no Voltron." The leaders all stare at Keith. Kolivan speaks up. I try to calm Keith down.

"The lions are still a substantial fighting force and this castle is also considered a weapon. The Blade of Marmora can lead you."

"My people have been enslaved for centuries by soldiers who look exactly like you." The female leader with the robotic voice says.

"Yes! Our people have heard the legend of Voltron, how he defeated Zarkon. That is what gave them hope. What are we supposed to tell them now?" The Puig leader exclaims. Keith suddenly knocks away my hand that was on his shoulder, slams his hands on the table and stands.

"Tell them to stand up and fight for themselves! Voltron is gone!" He stalks out of the dining hall. I go to get up but Lance grabs my arm and shakes his head. I sit back down with a sigh. Guess I still have to sit through this.

"Pizza roll? Pig in a blanket?" Hunk asks weakly.

"I'll have a pizza roll." The Puig leader says.

~~~

Now we all stand in the Black Lion hanger. Keith stares at the lion, the rest of us behind him. Pidge looks at Hunk, Hunk looks at Allura, Allura looks at Coran, Coran looks at Lance who looks at me. I take a breath and walk over to Keith.

"Hey love, listen. We all miss Shiro. I remember always being amazed at how great he was at piloting." Everybody approaches.

"I remember what a thrill it was to meet him for the first time when the two of us carried him out of that garrison hospital." Lance says.

"I grew up with my dad and Matt telling me stories about him. He was a legend at our house." Pidge says.

"The guy taught me everything I know about being a pilot. Which isn't much, but that's more on me." Hunk says. I turn to Keith.

"You're not the only one hurting, hon. We're all right here with you. But you know that he would be the first one to tell us that we have to move on." Keith holds eye contact.

"Keith." Allura says, making us all turn to her. "I know exactly how you feel. But our mission is bigger than any one individual. Even those who are completely irreplaceable." Keith blinks, then looks away.

"I know you're right. It's time to figure out how to reform Voltron."