CHAPTER ONE.
( THE PINK LION )

WARNING(S): this chapter involves a panic attack (only at the beginning though) so read at your own risk

"  Vivi! Wait up! I can't exactly be your date if I'm not even next to you." Keith complained as he jogged to catch up to me. I could feel the blush rising to my cheeks. " Sorry. I just...I've never had a date before and I don't really go to parties."

Something seemed to be bothering him because he seemed caught off guard as I looked at him. " What's wrong? Was it something I said? You don't want to go to Lance's birthday party anymore, do you? It's fine, I totally understand -" I stuttered, raising my arms in apology as I threw my self-consciousness at him without any mercy to spare.

I thought I saw Keith frown for just a moment but just as quick as it happened it was quickly gone and his lips formed in a tight line as he shook his head with an amused look on his face." N-no. No. I just...." his voice starts to trail off as he looks at me.

He clears his throat. " You just look really pretty. And you should smile more often...it's nice."

I flustered, every inch of skin from the neck-up radiating a cherry tone as I avoid his gaze shyly. " Oh uh...thanks."

He tells me I'm pretty and that I have a nice smile and all I say is thanks?! Great going, Vivian, he probably regrets being your date now if he didn't before.

For the next few minutes, we walked in silence. Suddenly, Keith decided to break the ice with a question that I never once thought he would ask.

" Can I...hold your hand?" he asked, the tip of his pinky ghosting up and down the side of my own. My heartbeat quicken at the touch and I tried to swallow my nervousness as I felt my hand instantly relax, fingertips dangling and lightly tapping against Keith's.

I slowly nodded, knowing that if I tried to say any words it would all just come out a jumbled up mess. It felt like an eternity before his fingers curl around mine and squeeze. He held on tight as if he didn't want me to slip away, and I held on just as tight because I didn't want to slip away from him. It felt like his rare hugs, safe and warm, but smaller and probably more available.

I didn't even realize we made it to the top of the stairwell that led to the roof until Keith's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

" We're here." he pointed out, trying to break the almost-melted ice. He opened the door, allowing me to climb it all the way to the roof with him, both of us never letting go of each other's hands. Neither of us expected what was behind the door to be reality.

The party seemed like it had already been going on for hours and knowing Lance it probably had. Ground shaking music, glow sticks flying in the air, and a small stage-like stand. The area was accompanied by strobe lights and about a hundred drinking teenagers, stumbling around as if they didn't know how to walk.

I didn't understand how underaged teenagers managed to sneak booze in a prestigious flight school but I didn't plan on asking around knowing that would just end in a mess.

The realization that I was at a party with other teenagers I barely know hit me and I start to freak out. You see, I don't like parties. Too many people in one place, no room to move, loud music, people drinking and dancing, just thinking about it is making me panic." Maybe we should just leave. This isn't my scenery and I'm only here because Lance wanted me to be here and I don't even know where he is and-"

" Hey, Vivian. Just, just calm down. Okay? You'll be fine. I won't leave your side." Keith told me and puts both of his hands on my shoulders to steady me as I breaths become uneven and my eyes dart around the place.

I shake my head. " I don't know if I can stay here any longer. We literally just got here, I could get worse if we stay any longer."  Why did it feel like the walls were caving in when we were on a roof?

Teenagers bump into us as they dance, minding there own business and not paying attention to what's happening around them. All I could hear was my own heartbeat in my ears, my mind racing a million miles a minute.

Without thinking anything else I ran. I shoved through the gaps of teenagers dancing, pushing my way through to the door of the stairwell me and Keith just came out of a few minutes ago. I make it out the door and immediately close it.

My hands met my knees as I bent over, trying to get a deep breath and I fail miserably, some of my pink-colored hair falling over my eyes but I don't care.

Tears spilled their way onto my cheeks, cascading faster than I could wipe them. I slide down to the floor, and sit against the wall, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them I start to sob.

I tried focusing on breathing and didn't hear the sound of the door opening or the thump of Keith's knees hitting the floor next to me. Not thinking straight, I quickly pushed the hand that reached for me away, not wanting anyone to see me like this but it didn't stop. Eventually, I gave in and allowed myself to be pulled into Keith's chest.

I didn't know that Keith never knew I had panic attacks. I normally don't have them so I don't talk about it to anyone. He didn't say anything, he just held onto me, rubbing my back gently as if he didn't know what to do in this situation but he didn't know just doing what he was doing was helping quite a lot.

Focusing on his heartbeat so I can match my own to it my sobs soon ceased and I sat, curled up in Keith's lap.

" I'm sorry..." I finally manage to form words. Keith shook his head. " No, you shouldn't apologize for something like this. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner. Why didn't you tell me you had panic attacks? I-I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to..I just wanted to know because I could've helped you out before and I will from now on." he said but I shake my head and curl into his chest, his arms tightening around me in response.

" I don't want to talk...can you just..hold me for now?" I ask quietly, my fingers curling around his shirt as I rest my head on his chest.

" In the stairwell?" he mumbled, probably thinking that I wouldn't hear it but I did. I didn't bother to respond though. He sighs and moves so he's leaning back against the wall. " Okay, will stay here as long as you need to. I'm here for you, Vivi. I'll always be here for you."

I lost count how many years ago that was. When everything seemed simple. When the only thing I had to worry about was getting to school on time.

Now I have to worry about finding food and surviving boredom. I've been living on this planet I still don't have any clue on what it is for about 4 years, I think. It's been hard to tell. After searching around I found a village that was deserted and I scrounged up anything that I thought could be useful.

I now live in a small one-floor house. At first, it was hard living on my own, not knowing what to do or if I was the only one here. But I've managed.

Currently, I'm taking a walk to the top of a cliff nearby so I can watch the sunrise. One of my favorite things to do. I bring my journal I found with me and draw the sunrise with the color pencils I surprisingly found as well.

I've changed a lot since then. My short pink hair I had grown out, now stops below my shoulder blade. I think I've gone a little crazy with living by myself for so long because sometimes I have conversations with myself, out loud. It's probably a good thing that no one is around to see me act like a crazy person but it would be nice to have some company.

I sit down on the top of the cliff and set my backpack down next to me. I open it up and take my journal and color pencil out. After awhile of coloring the sunrise, I put my stuff back in the backpack and stand up.

As I stand up I feel the ground start to shake. My eyes widened as the end of the cliff breaks and I let out a scream as I fall.

I fall down the side of the cliff and thankfully it wasn't that tall but it still hurt. I put my hands on the ground and stand up.

I step over the roots and little trees on the ground, the only sound to be heard was the leaves crunching beneath my feet and my heart beating a bit faster than normal as I search around the place I've fallen on.

Walking around the corner I notice some large vines covering something not that far away from where I currently stood.

" What the..." my voice trails off as I walk closer to the pile and once I'm standing in front of it me being curious I start pushing the large vines off of whatever was underneath it.

Let's just say it was a lot of work because those vines were heavy and I'm only one person.

Eventually, I managed to get the vines off and I move to stand directly in front of it and my eyes widened seeing that it was a robotic Lion. The main color of the lion was pink that matched my hair color, the eyes of it were yellow and it had blue, white and black colors on it as well.

" Um, how does this work?" I speak out loud as I walk towards the Lion and raise my right hand up, pressing my palm against the head of it wondering if it had a button or something like that to turn it on but I let yelp of surprise whenever it roared to life suddenly.

I back up a bit as the Lion stands up on its four legs. The dull yellow eyes were now a bright yellow as they stared down at me.

" Uh...Hi, Lion." I say and I already feel stupid talking to a robotic Lion but it's better talking to a robot then to myself I guess.

I watch silently as the Lion leans down, its head landing on the ground and its mouth opened up. I hesitantly start walking inside, guessing that it wanted me to go in and as I walk inside the door as mouth closed behind me.

As I walk around the inside of the Lion I realized that it looked awfully like the inside of a ship but everything looked so high tech. The colors on the inside were mostly different shades of pink. I walk over to the chair that was sat in the middle and sat down while looking around. There was a control panel in front of me and a window.

" You're a girl, right? Or are you a boy? Or do you even have a gender?" I ask and I facepalm myself. " Why am I even asking this?" I mutter under my breath.

The Lion let's out a small purr that gets my attention. Good thing to know it was listening. " Okay, um, are you are a girl? One purr for yes and two for no." I say and after a moment of silence, the Lion purrs once.

A small smile tugs on my lips. " Well, I think I'm gonna call you Pink."

" I'd never thought I would say this but, Pink Lion, I'm so happy I found you." I say and the smile that was on my face quickly went away whenever the Lion suddenly took off flying and I start screaming as my hands hold onto the arms of the chair tightly.

" Uh, Pink! A warning would've been nice." I yell but of course, the Lion doesn't respond back it just keeps flying. 

As I get use to flying so fast I let go of the arms of the chair and look around, realizing that I'm in freaking space.

" Where the heck are you taking me Pink? I hope you know there's nothing out-" I pause before saying the next word whenever I see a castle-like ship coming into view. " Here."

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A/N Vivian met the pink lion yay! & next chapter she will meet some new & familiar faces!!