Author's Note

Sorry about the delay. RL sucks sometimes. Question: Can you find the EQG reference? First one to find it might get a prize~

Home again.

Home again.

After the discussion, I was unchained. Kolivan asked me to follow him to the bridge but Voltron said it wasn't necessary. Instead, he asked where the nearest airlock was, to Yarak and Kolivan's confusion. Voltron then specified that he would escort the Shadow to Mystacor, not pilot it. Kolivan asked if I was sure, considering I was just in an intense battle. Voltron assured him that I would be fine. After flying up to the outside of the bridge, I began scanning to see which way Mystacor was. Voltron asked if I needed help but I said no thanks. I had found which way to go.

42 minutes later, I had successfully escorted the Shadow to Mystacor. I could have gotten back faster, if the Shadow had better engines. Which it didn't. Moving that "slowly" was very annoying.
Voltron, can you patch into the Shadow's communications and tell them we've arrived, please?

Response: Transmitting… completed.
Thanks buddy.

Response: You are welcome.

Incoming message for the Shadow.

«So this is Mystacor? It's a strange planet. The energy readings almost match that of a Balmera.» Kolivan says.

~~Huh. That's actually a good point. I wonder if there are any Balmera near by?~~

Report: Scans inconclusive.

«Beginning landing procedure.» Another Galra says, the ship now angling it's underside towards the planet.

~~Welp, better go down and tell the others about their guests.~~ I form my super-wings, teleporting down to the surface of the planet. ~~Oh shoot. Oof.~~ I faceplant into a thick tree as soon as I re-materialize.

Advice: Teleportation not recommended when power is low.

~~Now he tells me.~~ Getting back to my feet, I look up to see the Shadow beginning to enter the atmosphere. ~~Better get to the princesses.~~

I take off, a little sluggishly, towards Arcadia. Landing on a balcony a few seconds later, I enter the castle.
Okay. Voltron, where's the princesses?

Report: Princess Celestia and princess Luna are in the throne room. Princess Cadence is by the training courtyard, watching Shining Armour and Cracked Sky.
Thanks.

I walk to the throne room, passing guards and as I get closer, a long line of nobles. Getting to the open throne room doors, I walk right in.

~~Princess! Is this a bad time?~~ I shout, drawing princess Luna's attention.

"Diego! Not at all! I see you are back from space! Good! You must have some important information to share! EVERYONE, OUT!" Luna yells, finishing her sentence with both arms pointed at the door, her face heavily stressed with a too-wide smile. Many of the nobles groan and grumble as they leave.

~~That bad, huh?~~ I ask Luna.

"Most definitely." Luna slumps into her throne as the doors shut, Celestia looking at her incredulously. "Now, Diego. Do you have any relevant news?" Luna asks.

~~Yep. That fleet that was on its way here is gone.~~ I answer. Luna genuinely smiles.

"That is good. Would you perhaps be able to explain the massive white flash in space that occurred yesterday?"

~~That was- wait yesterday?! How long was I gone?!~~

"You left yesterday evening. It's eight in the morning." Luna answers. Celestia suddenly stands up.

"Sister?" Luna asks, confused.

"You two continue on with your conversation, I will go find Cracked Sky and tell her you have returned." Celestia begins walking to the doors.

~~Tell her and Shining we'll be receiving guests any minute.~~

"Guests? What guests?" Luna asks, Celestia turning around as she does.

"Guests?"

~~Yeah, I had some help with the armada.~~

"What?! Why didn't you say so?!" Luna exclaims in surprise.

"What? What is it?" Celestia asks quickly.

"Diego says he had help defeating the armada that was coming." Luna explains.

"What?! Why didn't you say so?!" Celestia exclaims, looking at me.

~~I did. Now, can you please send someone to go get Cracked and Shining, please?~~

"Diego did say. Now, you." Luna points at a nightwalker standing at her post. "𝕮𝖆𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊 𝖌𝖔 𝖌𝖊𝖙 𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕮𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖆𝖗𝖉?" The guards gawks for a second before nodding, rushing out of the room.

"Really Luna? First, I can't hear Diego and now you're speaking in a language I can't understand." Celestia complains.

"Sorry, sister. I could not help myself. But on to more pressing matters. Diego, who helped you and who is coming here?" Luna asks as Celestia walks after the guard.

~~The Blades of Marmora and the commander of the Blades of Marmora.~~ I answer. Luna looks at me with wide eyes.

"The Blades helped you? As in, the Blades that Cracked is a member of? And their commander is coming here? When will he arrive?" Luna asks. I look out the window as I answer.

~~He already has.~~ Luna runs up to the window, seeing the purple spaceship that just landed next to the quintessence forest.

"Prepare my chariot!" Luna shouts as she runs out the throne room.

(15 minutes later, the quintessence forest)

"Sir, these readings are mind-blowing!" Yarak says, holding a scanner up to a tree. "The quintessence in this single tree is enough to fire a small ion cannon!"

"Truly? That cannot be true." Kolivan says, taking the scanner from Yarak. "It is! This is extraordinary."

"Sir, incoming… flying chariots." A member says. Kolivan looks up, seeing two flying chariots descending down to them. One is deep blue, the other is golden yellow. From the deep blue one, myself and Luna step out.

From the other, princess Celestia, Shining Armour and Cracked step out. Every Blade focuses on their sister in arms.

"Hello, everyone." Cracked says, calm and controlled.

"Agent Cracheam. I see the report is true. Are you well?" Kolivan asks.

"Fit and healthy, commander." Cracked replies. Kolivan looks to Shining.

"Is this him?" He asks.

"Yes commander. This is my son, Jex Shining." Cracked answers. Kolivan raises an eyebrow before stepping closer, looking Shining up and down. Shining presses his fist to the center of his chest in salute, looking slightly nervous.

"An- A honour to meet you, commander." He stumbles. Kolivan looks back to Cracked.

"I see the resemblance." Kolivan raises his hand to Shining. Shining raises his as well, getting pulled into an arm shake.

~~Okay, how about we continue introductions at the castle? That way we aren't out in the open?~~ I suggest. Luna nods at me, stepping forward.

"Allow me to invite you to our castle." She says raising a hand in the direction of Fantasia. "Where we can talk privately." Luna adds.

"I would ask that some of my men stay here, to analyze this… peculiar forest. If that is permissible?" Kolivan asks.

"Of course. Would you like some of our scientists to assist you?" Celestia asks.

"That will not be necessary. Men! Code 54. Yarak, Zur, Kros. Set-up. Everyone else, make sure the ship is at 100%." Kolivan orders. He then turns back to the princesses and steps towards one of the chariots. "Shall we?"

A few minutes later, we arrive back at Fantasia. A squad of Walkers greets us. Many of them sneak glances at the Galra as we walk through the castle. We eventually arrive at the familiar destination of Celestia's private study where Cadence is waiting for us. As we all sit down, Kolivan looks to Shining again.

"I can see that you hold a position of importance here. Can I ask what kind of training you have undergone?" He asks.

"High level guard training, hand-to-hand combat, magic instruction and my mother has been trying to teach me how to use this." Shining pulls his knife out from under his armour.

"Ah. The blade. Have you managed to awaken it?" Kolivan asks.

"Not yet. But I do feel a connection." Shining answers, looking at the blade before returning it to its place. Kolivan turns to Cracked.

"What have you been teaching him?" He asks.

"Trainee level tutoring. He has excelled at almost everything. The only thing left is awakened combat training and further strategy instructions." Cracked answers.

"I see." Kolivan turns to Luna. "On to diplomacy. I would request permissions to conduct scans of this environment and of the forest in the plains. In exchange, the Blades of Marmora can offer technological schematics and planetary protection from outside invaders." Kolivan says. Celestia speaks up.

"Before that, let us introduce ourselves. My name is Celestia Starborn, first princess of Arcadia and Ascended of the sun." Celestia introduces herself.

"And I am Luna Starborn. Second princess of Arcadia and sister to Celestia. I am the Ascended of the moon." Luna says.

"And I am Cadence Honeysuckle. Third princess of Arcadia and Ascended of love. I'm also Shining's girlfriend." Cadence says. Shining stands as he introduces himself.

"As you heard, my name is Jex. Jex Shining Armour. I'm a Magician and Captain of the royal guard, as well as an adept wizard." Shining returns to his seat.

"Alright. My name is Kolivan. I am the commander of the Blades of Marmora and I strive to end the tyrannical rule of the Galra empire. Now, if I may, I have questions I would like answered." Kolivan says.

"We do as well." Cadence says. Kolivan nods.

"First, I would like to learn more about this planet and why Cracheam has endeared herself to it as much as she has. I would also like to know of the magic I have heard of."

"We will do our best to answer your questions, within reason, as long as you do the same for us." Celestia says calmly.

"Within reason, of course." Kolivan agrees.

"Good." Celestia says.

From there, the princesses and Kolivan began to bounce questions off eachother. Kolivan would ask about how some things would be done on Mystacor. The princesses would answer and ask their own questions. So it continued.

Kolivan would ask how magic worked for the Arcadians, Celestia would answer.

Cadence would ask about the lives that most Galra live, Kolivan would describe the acts they commit.

Kolivan would ask what the term Ascended meant, Luna would describe the different races to him. And so it continued for hours.

Eventually, a device on Kolivan's arm beeps.

"This is Kolivan." He says, pressing a button.

"This is Yarak, reporting findings." Yarak's voice issued from the communicator, to the amazement of the princesses and Shining.
Guess that's to be expected.

"Proceed." Kolivan replies.

"Analysis of the forest shows a 82-1 thaum ratio for EVERY tree. Local wildlife has begun nesting and burrowing. Testing shows that the trees are incredibly resistant to blunt and sharp force trauma. The only way to properly damage them has been through energised weaponry.

The trees also have immense regeneration capability. Zur blasted a hole through a branch and it sealed up one tick later. Kros managed to cut off a twig, it grew back instantly and the twig started to grow as well."

"Eighty two?" Kolivan asks.

"Yes sir. Eighty two."

"Fascinating. Most mass production Balmera crystals have less energy. Have you been able to ascertain the age of the trees?"

"Ring count shows less than a phoeb. This forest is new." Yarak reports.

"The forest appeared yesterday." Cracked says, causing Kolivan to look up at her. "After destroying Galvanus, Diego needed to recharge as quickly as possible." Cracked points at me as she speaks. "In order to do that, he landed in the plains and began amplifying the quintessence around him to charge himself." Cracked explains. Kolivan's eyes widen slightly.

"He achieved quintessence amplification? How?" Kolivan asks.

"He what?! That's impossible!" Yarak exclaims. Kolivan turns off his communicator.

"Would you please explain how you achieved quintessence amplification?" He asks.
You wanna take this one buddy? I doubt I or Luna could explain it.

Response: Affirmative.

"Answer: Information classified. Quintessence amplification formula not disclosable. Bypass: Quintessence amplification is achieved through progression drive."

"Progression drive?" Kolivan asks.

"Response: information-" Voltron is cut off by Cracked.

"-classified. He doesn't share anything with anyone." She says.

~~Hey, don't blame me. Blame Voltron's protocols.~~

"Protocols?" Shining asks.

~~Yeah, Voltron has a bunch of protocols that stop him from saying lots of stuff. Especially to me.~~

"So even you don't know what this… progression drive is?" Shining asks me.

~~Nope.~~ I respond.

"Are you talking to him?" Kolivan asks.

"Yes. I, as well as princess Luna and a few others am able to hear his voice. We don't know why." Shining explains.

Response: Ki- Information classified.
What was that?

"Anyway, onto different matters. Jex." Kolivan looks at Shining.

"Yes sir?"

"I wish to see how Cracheam has trained you. I wish to have a sparring match with you." Kolivan says.

"What? Commander, with all due respect, he isn't ready. He hasn't even awoken his blade yet." Cracked argues.

"It will not be the trial of Marmora, I simply wish to test his strength." Kolivan responds.

"He isn't strong enough. Not yet. Please, if you wish to fight him, wait for me to finish his training, or at least until he-" Cracked is interrupted by her son.

"I accept."

"What?" Cracked faces Shining. "Jex, you can't. He's the leader of the Blades, you wouldn't stand a chance." Cracked tries to persuade him but the look in his eyes makes her head drop. "I can't stop you, can I?" Cracked asks rhetorically.

"No, you can't." Jex answers.

"Good. Where is a place for battle?" Kolivan asks, turning to the princesses.

"Uh… the arena. Shining, are you-"

"Yes."

"Alright, follow me." Celestia walks out of the study.

Twenty minutes later, Shining and Kolivan both stand in the arena, facing each other. Kolivan holds a broadsword, Shining has his knife. Celestia and Luna stand at the side of the arena, against the side.

"If both combatants are ready?" Luna calls. Both men nod. Celestia raises her arm.

"The duel shall begin… Now!" Celestia swings down her arm, beginning the fight.