As the miles and hours went by, they passed blue and sparkling water within the swamp to the outside world as the sun beat down on them from it's the highest point of the day.
Stats continued now spending his days with his newfound friends that he discovered when he met Shiro who have just come from another world called Earth.
This time when Shiro was processing his thoughts on what was happening around him, who could have bought an average man gets hurled into another world called Altea, meant his family used to own an ancient shrine, it is true that Shiro grew up there but he never believed grandfather's stories until now. Until now when he falls in, literally
When the sun continues began to set, they finally see the mist wall that covered the land known as Arus. Everybody stared at it, remembering the day how Shiro came to this world with the quintessence Crystal which is now being hunted by Daemons, beings with magical powers and are connected to humans as their personal spirit.
Before Shiro arrived in this world, he was hoping to go on a mission to space, however, his superiors refuse to let him go because of his sickness and because of that, Shiro and Adam, his boyfriend got into a big fight, which that was the result of the situation he was in now when Shiro and Adam decide to enter a mysterious, secret well...
Knowing the rest of the story, Shiro felt uncomfortable exploring this place, who would have bought when he was kidnapped by Mistress Centipeede, but Shiro never blamed Adam. If he been curious about the secret too, Shiro probably would have freaked out and curious like a child trying to finding out a huge secret in your backyard with probably make you curious with regret too. But Shiro didn't care if his boyfriend wanted to go on a magical adventure or if he can do the magic of the gods
All he wanted to know if he was all right meaning that he was almost killed by Mistress Centipeede, Instead he's stuck dealing with all the hurt must he dealing with right now, Shiro couldn't imagine how worried everyone must feel while others might be afraid that Shiro might be dead right now.
Besides this, he wasn't alone in this world, he had Keith who was sealed by the old priestess of the past, Allura who originally had the quintessence Crystal which was hidden inside Shiro's body has now become a target for the evil and the wicked. And that evil was the Galra empire, lead by Emperor Zarkon which Shiro did not know about, he only heard from him Sendak and Twyla, his commanders who are willing to serve him no matter what the cost.
Luckily, Shiro had made many allies in his time here, the rebel leader, Sokka, and his rebels, Coran and the Alteans, Romelle and Keith who claims to hate Shiro, but Shiro knew it was all an act but it was clear that Keith definitely needs someone to guide him on the right path, after all, he is his d-user, in turn, he might help him get home.
And he has a cool samurai sword, so he must survive here but there was another problem, when he was kidnapped by Sendak, he ordered his men to be experimented on, resulting in the daemon arm he has now since he lost his arm to Mistress Centipeede, when she was trying to get the Crystal from his arm.
How is he going to explain it to Coran?
As Romelle stared at the mist that protected her home, her thoughts also returned to that day when she trying to take Shiro home, she remembered how close she was to death at the hands of Sendak and his men, it's hard to remember that protection from the mist it's getting harder every day when the Galra kept finding ways to evade and soon they'll have nothing left to defend, see the swamp has proved that.
Her only hope now is to train Shiro into the ways of the samurai but proven difficult since Keith who she views as violent, selfish, mean, quick to anger, and refused to listen to others. but they the only hope they have. Who knows, maybe Shiro would teach Keith some respect. Only time will tell.
Keith's rude attitude pulled Romelle and Shiro out of their memories.
"Hey why are you all silent, it annoys me"
Shiro smiles at Keith, "Sorry I was lost in thought".
"Well, stop it's going to make me go to the brink of insanity".
"You on the brink of insanity, that's something that I would love to see," said Romelle.
"Okay what is with your attitude I told you I'm not interested in the crystal"
"So you're saying that you're not into the crystal later," Romelle said dramatically "I doubt that since you enjoy burning up places"
A small silent moment felt in front of Keith, apparently being called a fire possessive freak may even more offensive to him so he crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back at the speeder, and gave Romelle a long look.
Feeling slightly confused, Romelle glanced at Shiro, who showing the hand movement of I don't know, Romelle scrambled for words to dig herself out of the ditch that she had tumbled into
"So you're not a fire possessive freak ... But to do things differently in the past like I was when you're new, you're bound to get it wrong in a terrible situation" she finished with confidence. But confidence quickly deflated.
"There I am wrong to be a terrible person," Keith asked, one eyebrow raised.
"What?" Romelle asked in alarm "no, I didn't mean that I just think you're rude and cruel", she took a breath to try to gather her thoughts "I'm just saying it's--"
Romelle and Keith were so intent on their conversation that neither saw Shiro looking over the horizon to see the exact same spot where he first arrived, his expression was serious as he knew that the exact same place.
"Somebody stop," he said.
Keith reached for the reins and pulled on them as the speeder came to a halt.
"Good idea" he mumbled, knowing that Romelle clearly hates him, hearing it her botched speech.
"That's the spot that I came out of," Shiro said firmly.
"Are you sure!" Romelle asked her attention now on him. "Come on, Stats"
Shiro jumped out of the speeder and rushed over to the forest where the well is, what he saw overwhelmed him with emotion. The others joined him.
So as to not have a repeat of that unfortunate event with Sendak, Shiro carefully gave a look around the area to make sure there was no one else around before approaching the flat well.
"Okay time to go home," Shiro said but he suddenly realized that he was leaving friends behind, not only friends he was leaving behind he met he must say the Goodbyes quick "hey I'm going now, don't you worry I am going to return hopefully", trying not to make it all awkward as possible "as we regular human say goodbye"
Shiro rushed to the dry well. he knew it was something magical will happen, but he had every intention of just jumping right in.
But...something odd happened. As Shiro jumped in, nothing happened literally.
From the gloom at the bottom of the well, he should have seen magical wormhole stuff but he didn't. Only see Keith, Romelle, and Stats really confused faces
"Okay, one more time," Shiro said, awkwardly trying not to make a fool of himself.
"Are you sure you're okay, I won't judge" said Romelle
"Neither will I" Keith chimed in.
Now that he thought of it, his grandfather had mentioned, "That well was once called a wormhole because long ago it was used to connect the worlds." Coran had also said the same thing: "the wormhole was meant to seal Mistress Centipeede." he had also said, "the wormhole had stopped working ever since"
A chill ran down Shiro's back as the sudden realization. "I can't go back home"
Shiro's memory of being caught by that centipede body and almost suffocated resurfaced, and he shakily sank down where he stood and convulses. Drops of water splatter in the dirt, but there is not a single rain cloud overhead. Tears, his tears, he realizes, and that he can't stop them from spilling.
"Shiro are you okay," Keith said concerningly, that was surprised to Romelle.
"I can't... home!" he grits out, sliding back onto his knees. Feeling with regret all those times he didn't listen to his grandfather's stories, they were all true all of them including the wormhole.
A horrible, silent beat passes all over them "Hey, hey. It's okay. You're with us now". Keith putting his hands over Shiro's shoulder.
"I can't go back now. Where am I supposed to go?" More tears burst from the corners of his eyes.
"You send me free remember, having come who knows what will happen I would probably still in that tree forever"
Shiro breaks into a pained grin. "yeah I guess you would" He wipes the corners of his eyes, then looks up, his brow severe.
"You did and besides you're the one who saved me when I was dealing with Twyla and that bunyip"
Shiro rises to his feet, "yeah but what am I going to do now, where am I supposed to live"
Romelle shines in "stick with us and who knows maybe Coran could help with figure out this stuff.
"Yeah okay" Shiro blurts, and a fresh layer of tears coat his tacky cheeks.
"Come on let's get back to the speeder" Romelle, as they return to the speeder with Shiro wondering about maybe staying here, won't be so bad. But before heading back he touched the wormhole with his finger.
"Huh no reaction"
"Shiro"
Together, they all head to the mist, to Arus.
As the sun began to rise, Shiro, Keith, and Romelle peered to the entrance to the shrine. Still shiny and white as always when they first leave.
Okay, I just need to go in there, be done with it, and deal with Coran". Romelle groans "This'll be fun"
Uh, Shiro and Keith? Maybe you should take in the back way or whatever back way"
"Um, why, are you wanted to stay there I mean Coran must know everything," Shiro asked. He tightened his robe grabbing his arm, but there was no way to hide that arm, especially from him.
"Look, I have to deal with Coran, do you really want Keith to explain"
"Oh come on, I was the one who told Coran that I was going to get you," Keith told her.
"Oh really, but someone needs to be there for Shiro, that person is clearly you"
Keith hated to admit it but Romelle was right, Shiro had dealt with a lot of stuff overnight and also learned that he can never go home.
"Okay fine!"
"Thank you, now I got a deal"
With that out of the way, Romelle walked away leaving Keith, Shiro, and Stats alone and deal with their own devices.
"Well we do now," Shiro said, Keith, looking forward up to a tall spire above them, he was getting an idea, a crazy idea.
"How about we go to the back way"
"What back way"
The two quickly came up with a new plan, getting a rope and a grappling hook, Keith created away into the shrine, resulting in surprising looks from Shiro.
All the while, leaving Shiro and Keith, Stats went into the shrine to create a distraction, he crept down the hallway toward the location where Keith and Shiro waiting.
"Man I hope that glowing puffball, know what he's doing," Keith said concerningly.
Then he sees Shiro, stands outside all in a daze and somewhat depressed, looking at his arm, Keith approaches.
"Don't worry, we will find a way to get you home"
Shiro doesn't have to know Keith's face to register the disappointment he must be feeling right now. He rolls to his left side, not wanting to be a total crybaby again. "Thanks, Keith, you know you're really nice when you're not all mean and stuff".
"I don't have to be all mean, I mean I have all my nice moments whatever I want to show them or whatever"
An uncomfortable beat of silence passes between them, long enough for Shiro to believe they had dropped the subject.
"Do you think you know Stats is doing right now"
"Don't worry I gave him pacific instructions to get in a back way"
"What is the back way," Shiro said.
"You'll see"
Back in the hallway, Stats crept down the hallway toward where Keith and Shiro are and stopped before the mice, looking at each of them intently.
"Stats," he said in response to the mice. It wasn't unusual for Stats to be unknown to the shrine. He just became instant friends with Shiro and Keith and Romelle as well.
With that, they repeal a door which they had keys, one of them was the key that Stats what's looking for.
Stats eyed and bow his head to think them before going on his merry way and entered the room.
Just then, a grappling hook flipped through the window, Stats grabbed it and held on tightly. Keith used the hair rope to climb in, then he and Shiro climbed up the rest of the way.
"This is the back way?" Seeing how high they are, it will probably make a normal person freak out but Shiro hardly the person to be that.
"It might seem weird, but we totally come in this way all the time. You're not the only one who wanted to sneak out"
"Ok"
With one of her charges were all being all right, Romelle continues her way back to the shrine's doorway, knowing she's going to get punished by Coran for disobedience.
But now there was another problem of the foot when they arrived at the room Safe and sound, Shiro was curious and frantic as the room was dark. "Why was it so dark in here"
"Oh, that's because I lived it," Keith said as he pulls a switch, lights shine to reveal a simple room, in the room was a medium-size bed, a plank propped up on cinder blocks. Along the wall under the room's only window sits a metal-framed couch, with a thin slipcover folded over its frayed, dried out cushions. Shiro wonders at the stacks of blank paper sheets piled like snowdrifts beneath a single wall shelf lined with books.
What demands the most of his attention, however, is the large, rectangular object hidden behind a thin sheet draped over it. Flanking it are shelves of radio receivers and transmitters on one side, and a pile of computer equipment on the other.
"Wow you have kept yourself busy"
"Well I happened to be known to be paranoia"
"Ok but right now we have more important things, how to deal with it" he wanted his long arm gone immediately.
Keith grabbed his dagger from his back. "Are you really willing to do this?" He asked, imitating a surgeon trying to make sure he's not going to make the biggest mistake of his life. "I meant this is a new arm, you can do a lot of things with it like holding two things again"
"Just get rid of it we will worry about that stuff later" Shiro was desperate, they had to hurry! Before Coran dealt with Romelle
Keith tried to chop off Shiro's arm just below the shoulders but it hit it with a clink. "Uh-oh," he said.
Shiro tried to peer behind him "uh oh? Why uh-oh? There shouldn't be any an uh-ohs!"
Keith showed Shiro the dagger and the arm unharmed "Uh-oh", Shiro mutters.
"Wow whatever the Galra did, it made a pretty strong," Keith asked.
"What" Shiro was baffled. "No, let's try again"
"How about we let's not try it again, this room hasn't been clean for a very long time, I am not making it to a mess again"
"Ok, I mean we can just forget it" Shiro was curious "Coran might wonder how I got this"
Back at the doorway of the shrine, Romelle was feeling both mentally and physically as dealt with a lot of fighting like a lot of fighting, At that time, she heard voices coming from above her head.
"Romelle! Where have you been?"
Yes, there was no doubt. That was definitely…!
Looking up, Romelle saw the figure of Coran peering down in front of her in furious like.
Romelle said "hey Coran"
you've been gone for three days we've been so worried in Arus, What were you thinking?
"Coran" Romelle shouted as Coran's voice echoes and becomes distorted
"How could you be so selfish and disobedient?"
Before in the nail in the coffin before her, Romelle groans and faints on the floor
"Romelle" Coran gasps as he picked up Romelle from the floor and carries her into the medical room.
Back at Keith's room, Shiro picked up Stats, who was petting at his feet. Remind him that was not a dream… that he was never coming home…! Stats' warmth and weight were telling him that everything was going to be alright.
And besides going to believe this story one never immediately believes, even if Shiro was insistent, even if Shiro wasn't the kind of man who would tell that sort of lie.
Even so, Shiro gained a lot, a samurai sword, a monster arm, and a half-daemon who was fairly nice when you get to know him better.
"What are you going to do?!" Shiro asked Keith as he looking for something in his drawers.
He then brought a black jacket, a gray t-shirt and black pants, black and gray boots, and a black glove for possibly to wear
"That should do it."
"Keith, what should do I don't understand"
"I found you some clothes that would fit, they are better the right clothes for you" Keith stuck out his chest.
He was right, Shiro couldn't keep wearing the same outfit over and over again. "Thank you!" He said as he was giving the clothes.
Keith built a blush on his face, "well you are overdressed, you look like an old-timer would that look even if you look possibly gorgeous and beautiful whatever"
Shiro Froze a bit, "I'm what"
In the medic room, Coran put Romelle in a tub of water, slowly submerged herself up to her shoulders as Coran activated somewhat kind of spell by using six white candles around the bathtub full to the brim with hot water, sandalwood, and bay leaves.
"Oh grave life-givers, please hear me now revive this young woman" he whispered.
The water started to glow, the euphoric feeling. The smell of sandalwood and bay leaves.
Romelle groaning could hardly express how grateful she was at returning to back from the dead.
"I'm fine, Coran".
"Don't think you're not still in trouble, I heard from Haxus that you beat up his men"
"Well I did beat up his men, but that's only because he tried to kidnap us and almost got me killed like he's trying to do with us every day"
"But you just disappeared, Where did you go, anyway?"
"Okay. Shiro and I were trying to find our way to a piece of super-powerful tech in the woods. I knew it would really help us, so we went to get it and bring it back. But we got a little sidetracked. It was fine, though, and I totally had it under control. And while we were out there, we found something even better!"
"What"
Lying on top of his comfortable bed, Keith could hardly express how grateful he was at returning to his old room. All while Shiro was changing out from his samurai outfit to the clothes that Keith gave him.
He sets the jacket aside for the morning or the outside, slipping on the pants, shirt, and gloves for want of anything else.
"So how do I look," he asks Keith
"You look beautiful", Keith said, shocking "I mean great, not beautiful," he said realizing he does dig a really big ditch in the house almost like to want to kidnap someone.
"Really you think I look great," Shiro said.
"Yeah, you are"
"Really no one has never told me that, other than Adam"
"Adam"
Keith quirked his brow. "Who is Adam"
Sobering, Shiro leaned back the couch. The moment felt silence between them.
"He's my boyfriend at least he was, he was one of the reasons that I want to go home, but I can't"
"Oh, I'm sorry"
The boys were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Hey, Shiro, I need to ask you something?" It was Coran, with him was Romelle, as if to say, "let us in"
Shiro moved toward the door, but Keith grabbed him. "We can't let Coran see you", he warned.
Shiro didn't understand "What? Why?"
"You know why!" Keith said "you still have your arm problem"
"Oh right but I trust Coran" Shiro couldn't imagine not telling him.
"Well I don't" Keith replied harshly "don't I mean he added a mark on me I'm still getting over that"
"Yeah but you can tell people everything, especially your boyfriend who has that you are super mad when you're going somewhere".
"And if your boyfriend wants to go into a creepy well, even if you don't really want to, you do it, okay? Because if you don't, they might not want to be with you".
Conflicted, Keith eyed Shiro, he didn't what to think, he sounded that Adam was this big-time jerk but didn't know what to do when again, Coran's voice came through the door. "Keith, Shiro. Romelle told me everything that happened"
Shiro gave Keith a look that shouted "I'm going to do it" as he walks over the door.
"Wait, you might need this" Keith said giving him the samurai sword.
"Guys"
"We're coming out"
They open the door.
"Are you-" Coran stopped in his tracks when saw the sword and the arm.
"Quick!" Coran exclaimed.
Shiro, Keith, and Stats froze. Romelle was the only one thrilled to have Shiro's sword here, meaning they could teach him now.
Romelle gave Coran a small smile. "Surprised," she said.
Coran paced Keith's room, rambling nervous "okay so let me get this straight, Sendak that experimented on you, and this person named Sokka gave you the sword", he sat down in a large stuffed chair.
Behind him, Romelle was clean up the room, Keith having completed it right, which is super annoying.
"And now you wanted to learn how to be a samurai" Coran continued "I am just going to stay that is completely insane, I meant how am I going to think possibly think this acceptable?!"
"Coran, you don't understand! You're not listening!" Keith said.
"Remarkable poor judgment if you ask me, allowing more strangers who look like dead people, oh we are doom" exclaimed Coran. He wasn't understanding this at all.
"Coran, I know you have your reason"
Shiro replied.
"But I've seen for myself the atrocities the Galra has committed against the people of Altea, and I'm ready to fight to stop them. If you give me the chance, I know I can help the Rebels turn the tide of the war"
Coran exclaimed the man, he hasn't seen termination quite some time. Since the time of Allura's death. Since the time of the samurai.
"You know the samurai used to be the peacekeepers, hope that one day the samurai will return and help us in our greatest need to bring balance to Altea. I never thought anything more than a myth".
"And yet here we are not exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer."
Shiro and Keith were so intent with confusion while Romelle frowned. Coran stepped forward and faced Shiro.
"Are you double sure that you want to do this because once this starts there's no going back"
"Yes"
"Very well then, we have to start to train you and fast"
Shiro smiled upon hearing that, even though his way, he wasn't playing to be trained as a samurai he wanted to explore the cosmos but maybe he got his wish. This time would no reservation and restrictions, then Coran led the group to an unknown set of doors
"We haven't used this for many Deca-Phoebs, it was used to, before better reasons that it shut down, but now it's being used again"
Typing on a keypad, he activated the doors that closed the area down. "Is being used once again". Shiro and the others soon enter only to discover that the room was much bigger and it was white.
"Coran what is this place, I thought you said we needed to train Shiro" Keith ask him.
"We are, tomorrow" Coran clears his throat, "but not right now because all of you must rest"
The group agreed with Coran, they definitely needed the rest for the night, they have deserved a little break. Especially they've been gone for a few days and Shiro who whoever lot to process, facing the possibilities that he could never go home again.
The next morning, Shiro did his daily routine of exercises, including push-ups, later getting dressed in his new outfit. He arrived on the training Deck with Keith and Romelle
While Coran when on the top of the training deck, checks his microphone. "Two, two, one, two. Okay, listen up, guys. I don't know how the samurai work but their code demands that you put others safety above your own".
Suddenly, a swarm of drones arrives at the group
These drones are your enemy and about to attack. It's up to each of you to do everything you can to protect the other."
Romelle set up her staff. "no, Shiro must do this on his own, besides you're still in trouble" Coran exclaimed.
Romelle growingly, in a deep breath Shiro remove his sword from the sheath and plan into attack mode this is how his sword training will start after all he did knew that sword was fragile weapons. Though strong along the blade's edge but very weak on the sides.
So obviously reasons, it has to apply where the force is stronger. The direction of the blade is facing and the direction in which you apply the force must be exactly the same or else it was going to break.
His grandfather wants to tell him this, he said if you ever break a sword, he'll break every bone in your body he sounds still obvious at the time.
The Altean drones fire lasers. Shiro dodges the upcoming fire. But it was hard the sword feels heavy but luckily Shiro has been lifting a lot of weight at his time at the Garrison. But that wasn't enough, as Keith is shot down, resulting in him getting a drop in a hole.
"Protect the people or no one will be there to protect!"
Shiro huddle back to Romelle to defend her just as soon Coran calls back "Time to increase intensity."
Under his command, The drone fire becomes rapid. Oblivious to the altercation, Shiro stood frozen in the middle of the hold. He held his sword in defensive to protect her over his head. A low him came from the drone while Shiro lunged and parried under Coran's instructions gaze.
As Romelle glanced from time to time at Shiro's awkward movement, his lean features were sprinkled with smugness
"No, Shiro, your cuts should flow, not be so choppy" Romelle instructed gently. "Remember what you told Sokka, you want to learn the ways of magic, let it envelopes you as it radiates from you, people who have daemons can actually feel the magic as a physical thing".
"It is an energy field, then?" Shiro inquired. It is an energy field and something more", Romelle went on, almost mystically. "An aura that at once controls and obeys. It is a nothingness that can accomplish miracles or at least what I know about it" she looked thoughtful for a moment.
Suddenly The drones fire at their heads. Shiro dodge, but Romelle is shot instead, so Shiro ends up struck. Both fall through the holes in the floor.
After that failure, Coran facepalms "this is going to be harder than I thought".
And soon the second test begins, Shiro sands in an invisible maze. Coran explains "between the connection between your daemon, you must trust in each other".
"This ancient maze will teach you that trust. Your daemon can see the walls, but you cannot. So, listen carefully. If you touch the walls, you'll get a slight shock."
"Okay, Who's guiding me through?"
Keith speaks through Shiro by using a microphone.
"Take two steps forward."
"Keith, you guiding me through"
Shiro was surprised but after all, he is a daemon, he could trust him. Although some people weren't happy.
"Why does Keith get to be the man on the mic?"
"I would give you the mic but you're not done being in trouble"
"As I said, take two steps forward, turn right, and take three steps that direction."
"Okay, take two steps forward, turn right, and take three steps directions". Shiro said to himself as he took Keith's directions to the letter.
"So far so good," Keith said, surprisingly, normally he wasn't unexpected to be trusted so naturally and yet Shiro trusted him completely, so much that willing to listen to his directions he told him. However they are still mistakes, while Shiro did take three steps forward, he still got shocked.
"What happened"
"I don't know I did the directions that you told me to took"
Keith looked at the screen again, "sorry, I must have made a miscalculation, want to go again"
"Okay, right" Shiro starts to get antsy, but luckily, he has his mantra. 'Patience yields focus, patience yields focus, patience yields-' reciting it.
"Excuse me, what is that" Keith cuts in.
"Oh, that, Patience yields focus, it's something that I picked up back on my homeworld"
"Ok, well is distracting, you don't need it," Keith said, is blushing.
The next test was a surprising one for Shiro, something totally impossible as he was sitting down next to Keith while Romelle and Coran leave the training area to have a talk.
"Total Concentration Breathing?"
"That's right, remember that form you did on the bunyip, that was a breathing technique, normally a person takes years to master one but you did one overnight"
"Oh really, I was wondering what that was or how I just did it by instinct"
"Yeah weird, how did he do it does he have a natural instinct or perhaps"
"How do I do it," Shiro said.
"Ok, okay but I don't know how the basics but I give it a try, Remember to take a long breath so the oxygen flows into every cell in your body."
With clear focus, Shiro took a long breath but calmly one, "okay, Shiro cancel all your energy into that move, feel the magic, focus, focus"
"Just remember, This will enhance
your body's natural healing power and both stabilize and energize your spirit".
After a sudden of silence, Nothing happens even if you breathe, "if I'm doing it right, I don't feel like I'm getting results?"
"Why was this so much easier before? It was easy in the past or at least to me!"
"What do you mean easy to you, I thought you knew everything," said Shiro.
"I do but just the basics"
Shiro sighs, "Let's take a break."
Shiro swept on the floor to relax and let himself to take a quick nap, he was just about asleep when Keith's head popped up next before deciding to lay down next to him.
"I'm sorry I feel like I like you down" Keith whispered, "I think you have a natural for this but I don't"
Shiro rose up, propped himself up on elbow "that's not true I meant I seen you fight, especially how you handled yourself with Twyla"
"That was small stuff, You're looking at the only daemon in the whole world trying to learn a breathing technique.
"This isn't right, you must already know it"
Keith felt unsure about this "it's not that I already know about it, it's about the risk, you know the samurai that came before you right".
"Yeah what about it," Shiro said.
"Well every time he uses a breathing technique it takes all the energy to hold it in all, the air your lungs what cause you to explode in mere seconds"
"I remember a time, used all his powerful move to finish up an enemy, it nearly killed him".
Shiro look at Keith cleared his throat after being shocked by that story. But hearing that story now, Shiro realizes that there's going to be a lot of risks, however, he's good about taking a risk, he won't fail at this.
"Come on, let's get back to training," Shiro said excitedly.
Keith whipped around, startled. Are you sure, I mean I just tell you about this life story, are you sure you want to go another round"
"Of course Keith" he did a couple of pull-ups on the floor, "but now, I'm all hyped up, let's go for another round all right"
Keith chuckled, "all right, I'm going to teach you all twelve of the constellation Breathing forms".
"No, we're going to learn them together".
Keith froze in place. "What?"
"I just told you we're going to learn to breathe forms together?"
Keith turns up his lip as if Shiro had spoken in pure gibberish. He shook his head. "I can't. I told you it will burst my lungs and yours"
Shiro straightened from his stance. Sure you can, you just said, that you know all the constellation forms."
Keith balled his fists. "No, I mean I can't. it's not possible"
"Hey I did a lot of possible stuff back on my homeworld, there is nothing we cannot do together"
Keith became second thought, Shiro's optimism was so new to him in fact, he never experiences like that before, Just in, Romelle came in, now dressed in her maid outfit.
"Hey guys, how's the workout"
"Working there," Keith said, speaking on, Romelle hands not packs of fluid to drink, "how much trouble did you get," Shiro asked Romelle, "a lot, he prevented me to ever leave the shrine".
"That's awful," Shiro said
"It is but doesn't worry I always find a way, so what is the next step"
"Actually I don't know, I hardly don't know about the constellation breathing"
"Or near do I," Keith said
"Sorry to interrupt, but I may be able to help. Three days ago, you weren't able to do it, what form did you do"
Shiro thinks, looking back at the battle "is was First Form: Aquarius".
"And you able to do it in the heat of battle."
"You're right," Shiro said.
"Yeah, I guess, I saw it is way better than me," Keith said.
"Perfect, because I happened dying to test out the gladiators in the training deck, This should help!"
A few minutes later, Shiro and Keith branded their weapons. Then Romelle rang out over the speakers.
"Okay are you ready, I already set up the simulator, here is the scenario, you'll passing through the Forest to reach the heart of the Galra Base of Sendak.
Next to Keith, Shiro gulped, looking back at it now he experimented on that was pretty traumatizing for him but this time it will be different, he won't be kidnapped like that again.
"Your main target is whatever Galra you can find and liberate Arus" She continued. Then he stopped. "Make sense"
"Yeah, we know free the world," Keith said. Trying not to be optimistic about it.
"Who are you are" Romelle scowled and made a mental note "Mm-hmm," she said. Then she raised her voice again.
"The forest is also swarming with sentries, Vicious, violent instigators. They will take you out if given the chance. Don't give it to them, ok good luck".
Shiro's heart as the Gladiator robot falls through the ceiling wielding a polearm staff on the floor, it went into the training arena all in for the attack. Like a man running into an angry mob or to police officers on a train.
They straight up to attack mode, Keith using his dagger, Shiro using his sword in defense as the area transforms into a Forest of metal columns standing in for trees. Keith tensed as a rumbling sound filled the room.
A troop of gladiator robots climbs the trees, projecting Galra holograms. To Shiro and Keith, it looked like the Galra were swung their blades at them.
"Watch out!" Keith cried.
He dodged a blade, creating an open for an attack, channeling his skills of blades, Keith twirled the dagger in his hand and sliced at the robots.
"Wow," Shiro said, quietly looking at him in precision especially in his attacks.
"Looks like I got to get busy to" Shiro muttered, got his sword in attack mode, and repair to hit more gladiators bots.
Zap! Zap! Zap! The gladiators shot ahead. Shiro and Keith expertly shielded themselves as they made their minds their way deeper into the forest.
Then
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Keith" Shiro shouted
Keith let out a scream as a stun bolt hit him dead-on. He fell to the ground.
"Hey, are you okay"
Little does he know, the Gladiator rushes in at Shiro, tries to defend himself but it was stopped when Keith launches himself from the floor to block the Gladiator's attack on Shiro.
"Yeah I'm fine, but are you"
Shiro does not respond. The Gladiator knocks Keith into Shiro, sending them both to the floor.
Following that, The gladiators started to retreat, resulting the two took off, reaching past the forest of columns and through a metal door. On the other side, they found a floor covered in darkness, in the pattern of large tiles. The doors closed, trapping the robots behind them.
"Is this the end?" Keith asks Shiro as they look scanned the room, searching for some sign of their next challenge.
"I don't know"
"Shiro" Keith yelled.
Shiro leaped aside just as the tile beneath his feet flashed blue and then dropped away, leaving a hole, More tiles follow and the hole got bigger.
Before Shiro should realize, a much larger gladiator with four arms floated up from the pit, lt landed on the arena floor with four metal, blasters.
The center of its body was a silver ball topped with a laser cannon, lt projected a giant hologram of a purple Galra with an evil grin. Boom! Laser bolts shot from its fingertips and the two scattered. Where the lasers hit, the tiles dropped away.
"So this is the final boss". Keith said, "we might want to turn back."
"Are you sure, we're so close" Shiro explains as soon the lasers started shooting them. Shiro grabbed the samurai sword from his belt and used it to launch himself up toward the robot, he hit one of its glowing eyes, then thrust the sword into its metalhead.
But the robot thrust its head, sending Shiro flying as he toppled partway back into Keith. Landed, facedown as the gladiator regenerate.
"Shiro, that was crazy," Keith said.
"I know, but the blind spots are so obvious."
"Shut up."
"Is true"
Keith huffed, refusing to take his hand as he hoisted himself back to his feet. Shiro could sense the hesitation boiling off him as he readied his stance once more.
Keith struck again against the giant bot, his feet like lightning, his dagger shine like Bluelight Sparks. A swell of satisfaction rose within Shiro as Keith pushed his reflexes the way no other soul back at the Garrison ever had, not even Adam. Shiro remembers that he did work hard but has a hard time defeating him on the spot.
Now Keith is here, trying to defeat the giant bot, generalizing his skills with! just determination. Shiro continues to be supported into the fight but hadn't forgotten to learn the ways of the samurai.
"Come on, focus, " Shiro thought channeling all his energy into this move. To stop the robot.
"I can do this, I can do this" Keith thought the exact same thing when he was attacking the robot, the two weapons clash as the gladiator was getting turned its hands into mincemeat. However the arms no matter how they cut, they somehow can regenerate it.
Shiro notices his breathing starting to get heavy happy as he felt the magical energy coming from his arm, his daemon arm glowing so bright by the rush as he and Keith continued their dance about the arena.
"Wow, Shiro really taking it out" Keith Wonder as struggling to defeat the gladiator especially struggling to cut up the arms. And soon he started to realize that his breathing started to acting up.
"Then let's go!" Shiro said, simplifying all his power, breath in breath out. Keith did the same, concentrate all his magic to his dagger
"Total Concentration!"
The robot kept blasting targets Non-Stop
"Constellation breathing, First Form!"
Forming the words for the second time. He started into the robot, the target in the graphs of Shiro and Keith and soon the final blow was struck with these words.
"Aquarius"
A wave of water came from both weapons. And the robot fell, Centigrade into blue light.
"We did it," Shiro said, losing a lot of breath from the attack, it felt like his lungs were about to burst but Keith also did it as well. Shiro had no doubt anymore he knows that Keith had the potential.
He's not certain what he sees in Keith's gaze, but it comes out as a laugh. "I did, didn't know I had it in me"
"of course you do everyone has the potential to do something great"
Keith scoffed at that, "anyway that's enough training for one day".
Shiro reached down and offered Keith a hand. "Come on, we must be starving"
By the time, Shiro and Keith reached the sitting area, Keith had stopped being possibly annoying with Shiro, it was a team exercise, after all, and they had succeeded as a team.
Where Shiro had a big grin on his face. "Now that was some fighting you did back there, I knew you could do it"
"Thanks," Keith said "never knew that I could do it, I guess I didn't unworthy to do it"
"Wait-I meant you were right about some parts of it, but to feel unworthy that's not right"
"Trust me, people give one look at me, they see nothing but half-daemon"
"Hold on, if you're half-daemon, what kind are you are you one of that Amina one"
"What no, I meant you know the color of my eyes"
For a few moments, Shiro looked at the eyes of Keith, it was in that moment that everything was perfect. Shiro had given Sokka his comeuppance, He'd escaped Galra and monsters aiming to kill him. And he'd found friends who are willing to give him a home, in fact, he found someone that's nice but his loner side and get very angry sometimes, besides this he was very honorable, getting a good look at him, he was quite-
Keith cut into his thoughts "are you done, started at me"
"Oh I'm sorry, I was so distracted by your eyes," Shiro said.
"Well you shouldn't be through, the eyes of a dark daemon, I'm going to bed"
As Keith was leaving the lounge, Shiro gave a through, wondering that was the reason why he was against training to become a samurai, guess in this world there is still some prejudice within in the world.
"Hey Keith" hearing his voice, Keith turn around. "I don't thank that is a dark daemon".
"Well you're kind of wrong, good night"
Just as soon Keith leaves. Shiro frowns at his cell phone, unlocking it he types some numbers and makes a call.
"Hey Adam is me, wanted to make sure you're all right and I'm sorry about what happened between us if you're getting this"
"This is the last time that calls you" a phone from another side pounds, ending the call.
Where in the dark side, a monster holds the phone in his hands, in a holding hole which was deathly dim, with nothing to show the light, there was barely enough to see the purple metal. Walls and the high ceilings overhead, it was designed to maximize a prisoner's feeling of helpless and this is achieved well.
"So no more questions, you're going to tell me everything that you know about him and or else you know does subsequent of pain," the man said, looking at the shadow had showed the image of Adam which was backed up against the far wall. Waiting for whatever torture that these beings had.