Disclaimer: I don't own VLD!

A/N: So, I've short of headcanoned that hybrids are really rare throughout the universe, and this makes them super duper interesting to scientist-types. Which ends up being a bad thing for Keith and Emi. This fic will actually have multiple chapters, whooooa. Emi is eight in this one. Let the angst begin!

Hybrid

Chapter 1

"That's definitely not in the budget."

"But it's really pretty."

"Yeah, and it's really expensive." Maybe they could sell one of the lions and possibly afford that thing. Keith reached over and carefully plucked the precious gem necklace out of Emi's hands. He handed it back to the shop-keeper, who looked put out that she wasn't going to make a sale, and he wondered why the woman had let Emi hold it in the first place.

Keith nudged Emi with his knee when she pressed her nose to the display case glass. "Let's go, squirt."

"Aww…" Her eyes lingered on the ridiculously expensive necklace as Keith took her by the hand and led her out of the shop. "But Mum would love that!"

"Your mom is going to like anything you get her," Keith said, "Back on Earth, kids in my elementary school class used to give their mothers macaroni necklaces and their moms were perfectly happy." Or so he guessed.

"Isn't macaroni food?" Emi asked, tilting her head, "Why would you make a necklace out of food?"

"For fun? I don't know, teachers made us do it."

"But wouldn't it get all gross and stuff?"

"We used dry macaroni," Keith said.

Emi pulled her hand out of his so she could walk backwards in front of him. "Are you supposed to eat it? Or cook it?" She grinned. "Is it like a survival necklace? Like, you can eat it if you're starving out in the desert or something?"

"Now you're being goofy."

"It's a legit question!"

"Let's just focus on getting an actual gift before we have to go back to the Castle," Keith said. When Emi's bright blue eyes lit up and she turned around, heading back in the direction of the jewelry shop, he grabbed the hood of her vest and pulled her back. "An affordable gift."

The two of them were wandering around a shopping district on Reuan, one of the more populous and well-off planets that had been freed from Galra rule. Mother's Day was right around the corner, and Emi wanted to honor the Earth custom by getting something nice for Allura. She had already planned to cook breakfast for Allura with her dad, but just in case that was a disaster (her dad could make rice balls and that was about it), she wanted to have a gift as a back-up. Keith had volunteered, and the two of them had shot off in Red to Reuan.

"We should go there next," Emi said, pointing to a nearby store.

"That's a pet store."

"Oh, is it? I didn't notice…" Emi gave him a wide-eyed innocent look. "You know, we should go check it out anyways, since we're here."

"No."

"Hunk would go."

"You're right," he said, and smirked down at her, "Aren't you so glad I came with you instead?"

Emi replied by sticking her tongue out at him.

As they rounded a street corner, he reached out and pulled her closer, keeping her from getting bumped into by one of the locals. Reuan was home to a number of different alien species, but the native Reuans were nearly eight feet tall with massive tails that could easily knock Emi a few yards away.

The marketplace was bustling with people, which meant that Keith was keeping a close eye on Emi at all times. She usually stuck close, but she did have a habit of getting distracted easily.

"Ooo, look!" Emi said, pointing toward a small park area in front of them. There was a band playing on a dais, and there seemed to be a mini-festival going on. Stalls had been set up between the many trees around the park, and people were mingling and talking as music played in the background. "Maybe we could find something crafty for Mum in there."

"It's worth a try," Keith said. The two of them walked toward the park, Emi practically skipping with excitement. She had inherited a healthy helping of her mother's love for culture, so times like this pumped her up with energy.

As they stepped into the park, Keith had a weird feeling that they were being watched. Then again, maybe that wasn't so weird, they did stand out after all. While most of the other aliens were humanoid, they didn't blend as easily as the other species. Still, he looked around, trying to figure out if someone was staring at them a little too intently.

"Where should we go first?" Emi asked, her hands on her hips as she looked around the park.

"You pick," he said absently, wondering where this feeling was coming from.

Emi turned around in a circle and then pointed toward one of the stalls that has a bunch of stone and wooden trinkets set up. "Those look cool."

He nodded and followed her as she headed to the stall. Maybe the park hadn't been a good idea. He didn't see anyone looked at them too closely, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were under surveillance.

"Emi, let's come back here later," he said.

"Aw, but we're almost there…" She ducked away from him, and he moved at almost the same time, quick reflexes coming into play. "Don't be a grump." Again, she jumped back, and this time he frowned at her.

"Hey. I'm not kidding—" he started to say, then something stung him on the neck. It felt like a wasp from back home on Earth, but when he swatted it, something small and silver fell to the ground. He bent down to pick it up, and he found a tiny nano-needle in the grass.

As he looked at Emi, his vision began to blur, and it was all he could do to keep his thoughts from scattering as disorientation set in. Shit. Shitshitshit. "Run."

"Uncle Keith?" she said, and when he dropped to his knees, she grabbed his shoulder. "Uncle Keith! What's wrong?"

He shoved her hard, pushing her away. Damn it, run, kid.

In a docking bay at the city's space port, Red roared to life, systems coming online. She beamed a distress call out in the direction of the castle-ship and prepared to launch.

At the same time, a slender, razor-sharp knife flicked against Keith's neck.

"Call off the lion," a calm voice said, and the knife dug into Keith's skin, drawing blood, "And you, kid, don't move."

Emi froze, looking at the man who was holding a knife to Keith's neck. He was tall but not as tall as the native Reuan. Fair-haired and green-skinned, he looked like an Ossa, and it also seemed like he would hurt or kill Keith if she wasn't careful. She trembled with anger and terror, not knowing what to do. She wished her mum and dad were there and the rest of her family because they would know what to do.

Her shapeshifting gift kicked in on instinct, and her fingernails thickened into sharp claws as her teeth lengthened to fangs. She bared her teeth and dropped into a fighting crouch. Someone would have to come to help, someone in the park had to notice they were in trouble.

"Emi, stop…" mumbled Keith. He was struggling to stay conscious and figure out what was going on and how to fix it. A surge of fear at the idea of Emi trying to attack this bastard and getting hurt in the process helped him stay awake. His body felt so heavy, as if his blood had turned to steel.

"That's cute," the Ossa said, "What is that, a Galra morph? I told you not to move." The knife flicked across Keith's collarbone, and blood blossomed across his dark shirt. "Drop it and come here, or I'll just have to go ahead and stab him."

Emi glared even though her lower lip was trembling and reverted back to her normal state, except for her teeth. They stayed sharp, fangs visible over her lips as she stepped toward them. Please, someone, help… There were people, but they were partially hidden by the trees and bushes surrounding them. Maybe no one could tell what was really happening, but if she screamed, the man might hurt Keith. Rage built in her chest and forced tears into her eyes.

"I'm guessing that lion of yours already sent out some kind of call to the others, right?" the Ossa said, the knife against Keith's neck again. He snorted and suddenly his free hand darted out and grabbed the front of Emi's vest. He yanked her forward then released her. "Stay."

Grabbing Keith by the hair, he made sure he was looking Emi before pointing the knife at her. "If that lion shows up or follows us, I'll put the kid out of commission." He tapped the knife to her right arm and tightened his grip on Keith's hair as the red paladin started to struggle. "I hear her dad's missing an arm. You try anything, anything at all, and I'll make sure she matches."

Keith wanted to kill him. He was going to kill him.

"What do you want?" Emi demanded, trying to sound braver than she felt. She had to help Keith, she had to get him out of there. She just didn't know how.

The Ossa laughed and stood up, pulling Keith with him. "I'm just doing a job." He draped Keith's arm over his shoulders and started to walk, forcing the paladin to move. "Let's go. Oh, and kid? If you move out of my arm's reach, I'll gut him."

Keith forced himself to put one foot in front of the other, and his eyes slid over to Emi. He wanted to tell her to run, to go before the Ossa could catch her. He wasn't sure what was going on except they were being abducted, but he was going to do his best to keep her safe and get them both out of there. Then there was Red. The lion was enraged and fighting him, wanting to come to him, but he was able to keep her at bay by stressing that Emi would get hurt.

In deference to Black, Red wouldn't come, but that didn't keep her from roaring her helpless fury.

Keith knew exactly how she felt.