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Chapter 3

She was wandering about for a moment or two before she was found by two of her three friends. At seeing her, Lance tossed an arm over her shoulder and tugged her next to him like he often did.

"Where have ya' been?" he asked as a grin broke out across his face when she lifted a hand to intertwine their fingers.

"I had to see Sesshomaru about something," she said with a weak shrug. "What, are you that lost without me?" she teased, a grin of her own appearing on her face when his cheeks took on a warm flush.

"Hey, so, what's your relationship with him?" Hunk asked. He stood on her other side. His question pulled her attention from Lance, though she soon heard the blue-eyed guy chime in with his own interest about it. "You two are like really close? But at the same time, not really? I dunno. Just seems kinda weird, y'know?"

"Oh!" Kagome willed her surprised expression away. She hadn't expected that question, and it had taken her by surprise. Soon after, she shook her head and shrugged again. "We knew each other back in Japan," she said. "I- I, uh, actually used to have a crush on his younger brother," she added on with an embarrassed laugh.

"So you guys are long-time friends?" Lance asked.

"Now, I wouldn't go that far," Kagome said, shaking her head to clear that. "He just doesn't hate me, and vice versa."

"Isn't it kinda awkward for you?" Hunk asked with a laugh. "I mean, you having a thing for his brother and all?" He paused and rubbed his chin as he thought something over. "You know what? I don't think I've ever heard you talk about having crushes."

"Not at all," she laughed, "I'm way over him, anyway." She felt a pang of nostalgia at remembering her feelings for Inuyasha, but she shook her head and looked up. "What do you mean? Of course, I've had crushes before! I just don't think they're important enough to tell people about."

"Oh, so does that mean I have a shot with you after all?" Lance asked. He sent her a smile that was intended to be charming. Long-since used to his playful nature towards so many people, she brushed that look off and pursed her lips together in a pout.

When he wagged his eyebrows at her, she rolled her eyes and swatted him away. "Don't be silly," she said as she began to lead them off. "I don't have time to think about things like that." She paused before whirling around with a grin on her face. "But that doesn't mean you can't ask again in, say… a few years!"

"Oh, come on!" Lance whined when she turned back around. "At least tell me how many years that'll be."

She laughed, failing to bite down on her chuckles, as she skipped ahead. "No!"

-.-.-.-

It didn't take her long to find the location of Pidge.

The sea of stars called for her attention, and she turned her head up as she tuned out the chattering of the three with her. She wanted to participate, but she found the words dying on her tongue before she could get them out.

She heard Pidge mention Voltron, and she let her eyes drift closed. Any minute now, everything would start falling into play.

For a moment, she let herself pitch into the conversation, but before long an announcement was made for the entire campus and then some to hear.

"Attention! We are currently in lockdown. All cadets are to remain in the barracks until further notice is given. This is not a test. I repeat this is not a test."

The breath she took filled her lungs. Her attention returned to the sky. In the distance, she could see a bright glow of the inbound escape pod Shiro was in. The ball of fire got bigger and bigger as it approached the ground.

"What… what's that?" Hunk asked as he stood back up. He pointed to the bright ball in the sky with a trembling hand. His worry was etched into his face. "A meteor? Someone please tell me that's just a meteor!"

Kagome shook her head, but she didn't say anything. Lance took the binoculars off of Pidge's neck and held them up to his face.

"Oh, no way!" he cried as he looked through them, gazing up at the pod. "That's an escape pod! It's definitely not one of ours."

"So- so, you mean aliens are really out there?" Hunk asked, "and they're coming here?!"

In the silence that fell between them they could hear the pod landing in the distance. It collided with enough force that the ground and buildings shook. Not even a full thirty seconds after, Garrison Officials were heading towards it.

Much like they had, the four made the decision to all sneak closer to it, despite Hunk's suggestion that it wasn't the best idea. Kagome patted his arm gently.

"Don't worry," she whispered as they all crouched down to hide behind large rocks, "it won't be that bad," she attempted to put him at ease, but she doubted it worked. The tent set up drew her attention.

Pidge was able to hack into their cameras to gain access to what was happening on the inside, and they all crowded together to see the screen.

"What.. what do you think you're doing?!" Shiro fought against the grip on him. "Did you not hear me? You have to listen to me!"

"We need you to settle down Shiro," Iverson said. "We have to keep you quarantined here for the time being. We have some tests we have to run on you."

"No! You're not listening to me!" He continued to fight against his binds, growing more frenzied by the second. "These things destroy worlds, and they're coming here now!"

Seeing him so desperate yet going unheard to made her upset. He was trying so hard to give them a warning, but they refused to listen to a single thing coming from him.

"Hey, that's Shiro!" Lance said, pointing at the screen when he saw his face. "He was the pilot of the Kerberos Mission. Man, that guy's my hero! What's with how they're treating him?"

"If he's alive, then what about the rest of the crew?" Pidge questioned out loud. Their voice carried concern and hope.

Kagome wanted to tell Pidge anything she could, but she had to manage with a weak encouragement. "If Shiro made it, then I'm sure the others did too. We have no reason to think otherwise."

Nothing else was said as they turned back to the screen as the voices rose again.

"Shiro, do you have any idea how long you've been gone?"

"I- I don't know! There isn't any time for this!" he shouted back. "Aliens are coming here. They're looking for a weapon- they're looking for Voltron! We have to get it first, or they'll destroy us!"

As Iverson turned away from Shiro, who still struggled against his binds, he didn't seem to be listening to any of Shiro's pleas.

"They won't listen to him," Kagome said. "We have to get him out of there," she said as she looked away from the monitor in agitation.

"Yeah," Lance nodded. "He's a legend, but they're just gonna treat him and his return like this? They should be taking him more seriously."

"But how are we gonna do that?" Pidge asked. "We need a plan."

"Or, or-" Hunk cut in, "we can head back to the barracks because this sounds like an awful idea."

Before any other ideas could get tossed out, a series of explosions caused all of them to jump from their huddle.

"What was that?!" Hunk asked, stepping back and further away from where the noise had come from.

"That was what we needed," Kagome said.

"It was a distraction- for him!" Pidge said, pointing a finger in the direction of someone heading towards the setup. He was using them to lure most of the people away so he could sneak in.

Lance looked through the binoculars and let out a disgruntled noise. "Not him!" he said as he looked away. "That guy… he's not gonna one-up me this time. Let's go!"

"Wait," Pidge said, confused. "Who are you talking about?"

"Keith!" Lance shouted as he chucked the binoculars away. Hunk reacted with shock, and Pidge with confusion at who Keith even was.

"Huh? Keith? Oh, no way," she muttered back, trying hard to act surprised at something she had been waiting to go down. Even she could admit that she sounded less than enthusiastic, but her flat tone wasn't noticed due to the commotion going on in the distance. As Hunk and Pidge ran off after Lance, the latter still inquiring as to who Keith even was, she was left with no other option than to run after them.

"No going back," she muttered to herself. She said the words that had been ringing through her mind since she bid Sesshomaru a farewell. Still, even though she said them, that finalization did nothing to ease the hammering of her heart.

This was really happening, and she was heading into it head-first.

She shook her head and ran faster.

Her nerves could be soothed later. Right now, she needed to focus on getting Shiro out of the Garrison's hands.

She dove between her friends, using her short height to her advantage. She was also much faster than them, and she could thank her past adventures for her strengthened stamina.

She didn't have to pay any attention to where she was going, but she still found her way. A large body invaded her line of sight, his back blocking her way.

"Oi!" she shouted. Her voice carried, and it successfully stole his attention to her. He turned around and was just about to reach for her when she swung her leg up and knocked him into the wall beside them. She hopped over his slumped body, barely acknowledging Lance's whistle of amazement as she kept running ahead.

Another entered her line of sight, but before she could do anything to get his attention, he fell back and hit the ground. His fall left her standing across the second person she had been waiting to show up.

"What are you doing?" An unfamiliar voice caused her to look away from dark eyes, and she spotted another guard. An annoyed huff came from her.

"Ugh, I got this guy," she said as she turned away from Keith. "You just- you just do your thing," she told him as she flicked her hand. He looked hesitant for a few seconds, but he soon got over it when she flung the guard much larger than her into the wall behind her.

Now she was really glad for Sesshomaru's training- even if this wasn't what it was meant for. She doubted he'd have any complaints about it, anyway.

Panda: I may be liking the idea of Lotor with Kagome, but I can't say Lance/Kagome doesn't sound cute, too. I really love him (one of my favorites.) And, yea, the chapters will get longer.
Penguin: Keith and Kagome is also an option. Honestly, with how they both are, I think it'd be cute. For now, those are three options we have rolling around between us right now. (and you wonder why I'm stuck in pairing hell… lol)

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