Complementary Colors

Chapter Two: Dixie - #D3882D

Seeing the Paladins bring in their fallen comrade, Coran could tell all wasn't well. Everyone was shouting, raising their voices at each other. Lance follow after Keith, bring Hunk in. His rage showing as he declare this whole thing to be Pidge's fault, that she would pay if Hunk died

The youngest Paladin was trying to explain herself, her actions to the others. But even the Altean could tell the panic in her tone, that there was an edge of anxiety in her words. Shiro had taken to placing himself between the two, making sure that punches wouldn't pull. A possibility with how Lance looked like he was ready to lunge and fists clench at his side.

The Blue Paladins were best known for their emotions after all.

Keith didn't say anything, silence and no remarks which seem strange. He always took to lashing out words with Lance. But now, he was quick to bring Hunk over.

"Lay him down," said Coran, motioning to the table he brought up. Keith didn't need to be told twice as he lifted the larger human onto the table. The two of them were quick to get the quintessence soaked armor off of him. It would be easier to identify what was going wrong with Hunk.

He needs to figure out what he could do, if the pods would be able to help Hunk. Human biology was more simple compared to their Altean biology. They weren't able to adapt to their environment as Allura and himself could. The healing pods might do more damage or think they are correcting something that didn't need it.

Even more so with quintessence involved with the problem. The energy of the universe was a powerful thing and even he didn't know how it would affect their human friends. But Coran had an tad inkling it shouldn't be causing this kind of reaction.

Hunk was still in front of him, moaning in pain. Both eyes and hands clenched tight as his body seem to be fighting off some kind of infection. Beads of sweat trail down his forehead, neck, every remaining patch of skin dripped in it.

Seeing the increasing areas of purple were unsettling. It was as the body no longer belong to Hunk, seeing his smooth human skin disappear under this new purple skin.

No, not skin. It was thicker, almost fur.

The shouts weren't helping at all.

"Enough! Enough fighting!"

The raise voice of the princess brought the roars of the room down. Making her presence know, Allura walked through as no one dare speak up with the stern look painted on her face. With her by the medical table, the other Paladins followed suit. Each of them filled with their own emotions for their fallen friend.

"Coran, can you tell us anything?" asked Shiro

"I never seen someone react like this before," said Coran. He brought up previous notes on Hunk's medical scans, "He has an elevated heart rate and increase in his breathing. But this is normal when coming into contact with quintessence."

"This isn't normal!" shout Lance.

"Humans might have a different reaction," explain Coran. He needs to keep everyone calm, "Quintessence is suppose to bring out one's potential. It's the energy of the universe after all."

"The universe isn't making my best friend into a purple monkey!"

"Lance, you need to calm down-"

"Calm down?! How can I?!"

"Coran can't think with you screaming in his ear!"

"I'm not in his ear, Mullet!"

"Stop shouting at me!"

"I ain't shouting!"

"Both of you shut up!"

Pidge's attempts in getting Keith and Lance to tone it down was not working. The raising tones where causing Coran's attention to drift away from his patient. It was times like this that he realized that most of the Paladins were still children. They were still growing into the fine adults he knew they could be. They were force to take up a war they knew nothing about until a half a dozen lunar cycles.

These new Paladins were strong, but still had a lot to learn.

And he had to make sure that they would continue to grow, learn and reach old age if he had anything to say about it.

No one else he cared about was going to die on his hand. He would find out what was going and-

And than Hunk started to scream. All shouts and yelling stop as everyone took steps away from the table. Coran was the only one that stood beside it. He had to figure out what was happening.

Hunk was writhing on the table, his screams sounded more like a wild beast in pain. Now, now his eyes were wide and open to the world.

And it what gave Coran a moment of pause, staring at Hunk's new eyes. Those solid, unnerving yellow eyes that made him stop.

Never mind that the purple coloring had now cover every visible inch of the Hunk's body. That his teeth had grew and became more like fangs that could tear off flesh.

It was those wide, glowing yellow eyes that were unforgettable.

"Hunk!?"

The room filled with raised voices as Coran was grab and tossed through the air. The landing wasn't ideal as he crashed hard on the floor and rolled down the stairs. His quick reflexes had failed him. Jumping back onto his feet, it was good the Paladins were swift in their own actions where he had failed with his.

Both Keith and Lance jumped onto the Yellow Paladin's back. Their combine weight held him down but would not last for long as Hunk thrashed around to get them off.

"Hunk, calm down! It's me, your buddy Lance!" he yelled and tried to break through the feral rage.

Hunk's respond was more snarls and growls as he lashed out at them. Grabbing at their arms, Hunk ripped Lance off faster and sent him flying while Keith held on tighter. It wasn't by much as Hunk torn the Red Paladin off and send him crashing into Lance.

"Hunk, you need to calm down," said Shiro. He moved himself between the savage form of Hunk to protect Allura. His face was full mixture of concern, panic and a complete lost of what to do. Using his hand to keep the princess behind him, his Galra arm lite up and held up in front of him.

Ready to strike at his friend if needed.

"I don't want to hurt you, big guy" mumbled Shiro.

The plead fell on deaf ears. Hunk snarled and was ready to bring down his rage down on his leader if not for Pidge's quick thinking. She moved herself behind the larger Paladin and pulled out her Bayard. With a buildup charge, she leaped and thrust it into Hunk's back. Letting go, the electric flow through Hunk as he cried out from the surge of power ran through his body. His body was stun as the only thing Hunk could do was howl out in pain. As fast as it happen, it stop.

Hunk fell down on to his knees, no more snarls or any other noises as he looked completely out of it. His new eyes wide open, gleaming gold in the Castle's lighting. All could see the change as Hunk slumped forward out cold.

No one moved, no one dare as they waited to see if he was unconscious. That he wasn't going to attack them again.

Lance was the first one to get up. He rushed over to Hunk's side and flipped him over onto his back. Watching Lance looking him over, Coran moved over to help. This wasn't normal, this whole thing was something he didn't have experience in dealing with.

"What the quiznak was that?!" Lance demand, sharing out loud what everyone else was think.

What was going on?