Keith entered the darkened arboretum with a glass of a pinkish concoction in his hand. He squinted as he searched for a slender shadow that could only be Allura. He spotted her on a bench, her head tilted slightly as if she was listening for something. As he neared, he heard her speaking in a tone that he didn't think she was capable of using. She sounded almost...nice. He stopped in his tracks, puzzled.
"Who are you talking to?" he inquired softly as to not startle her.
Allura felt her face heat and was thankful he couldn't see her face. She held out her hand where a small blue mouse sat. He waved a small paw at Keith, a friendly smile on his face. Keith smiled back, still confused. He didn't think mice could smile.
"This is Chitter," she introduced. "Chitter, this is Commander Keith Porterfield."
Keith's mouth quirked. This was certainly a new development. Who knew that Allura, Warrior Princess, had a soft spot for rodents. He sat next to her.
"Nice to meet you, Chitter," he said.
Chitter began chattering away to Allura and she nodded. Keith's brow furrowed.
"You can understand him?" he questioned.
"Chitter and I have been friends ever since he stole my grilled cheese sandwich," she answered, a wistful expression on her face. "I think I was about six at the time."
"I didn't know mice could live that long."
"Mice on Arus can, I suppose."
Keith handed her the glass he held.
"What's this?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.
"It's a Lance Special. He told me to tell you he made it pink to coax your more feminine qualities to come out."
Allura's blue eyes blazed and Keith raised his hands in protection.
"Don't shoot the messenger," he said.
She calmed. Chitter sniffed at the glass. He said something to her.
"What did he say?"
"He said it would be safe to drink." She sniffed at it herself. "What a charming friend you have. Where in the universe did you find him?"
"In detention, my first and last time in there. Sven and I got into some trouble and Lance was already in there, being one of the detention room's frequent guests. The rest, as they say, is history."
"How sweet."
"It is, isn't it?"
She took a small sip of the drink and had to admit is wasn't bad. Her head did start to spin a little, however. Keith watched her and saw the dazed look in her eyes.
"Too strong?"
"Not at all," she answered, not to be outdone by something Lance made.
Chitter twittered something in her ear and she laughed, a lovely tinkling sound that made Keith wish he heard it more often. She patted the little mouse's head with a gentle hand.
"Chitter wanted me to thank you," she said.
"For what?"
"For coming here." She patted his shoulder. "And I'm thanking you for staying."
He smiled. "You're welcome."
They sat in a companionable silence. Even Chitter was still.
"This is a beautiful place," Keith said, looking around.
"This is what Arus was like before Zarkon came," she said. "It was paradise."
"A lot of places were paradise before he went there."
"Why were you sent here?" she asked. "What did you do? I haven't known you for that long, but you don't strike me as a man who would, or could, anger the big bosses of the Alliance."
Keith hesitated. "Didn't they tell you why?"
She shook her head. "They only tell me what I need to know."
"I disobeyed orders," he replied.
"Which orders?"
"I can't say."
She pursed her lips. "They must have been important orders."
"Yes."
Suddenly, the alarm klaxons blared. They shot up. Allura put Chitter down on the bench and took off out the door, Keith at her heels. The party had disappeared the second the alarm went off and the corridors were filled with men running to their stations. When they got to main, the other members of the Voltron Force were already there, surrounding Coran. They were all staring at the viewscreen. When Keith saw what they were looking at, a muscle in his cheek jumped.
"Oh, God," he whispered. "What are they doing?"
Allura crossed her arms and was visibly paler, her lips thinned to a straight line.
"Attacking," she said. "Looks like Zarkon wants to play."
"To the Lions!" Keith cried.
