Galra Keith AU

[tookashirototheknee]

This post is for the AU where Keith looks Galra, and Matt's in the Blade

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[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt steps into the first room, hand on the back of his knife, ready for whatever the suit throws at him.

He knows there will be some combat involved (this is the Blade, after all), but what his fears will show him? He has no idea.]

[yousayvoltron]

[Right away, he's confronted by a masked Blade. I am the first of your challenges. Do not disappoint me. He draws a knife similar to Matt's, takes his stance.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt just nods, taking a stance, then defending himself quite well against the Blade, mostly by using tactics that are much much more human than Galra. He's not sure what this is meant to be, so he's acutely paying attention to, not only the fighter's tactics, but the fighter himself, and the room. Something doesn't feel right, and he's going to figure out what it is.]

[yousayvoltron]

[The Blade doesn't go easy on him, either, it takes a while for him to go down. The moment he does, two more pop up.

You've done well, but that was only a test. Your skills are sharp, and you show a good sense of tactics...but we'll see how long you can hold out from here. Both Blades charge at him, their weapons drawn.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[The longer he fights, the more he resorts to his agility, as well as some sneaky moves, at one point in time manipulating his timing so the Blades almost run smack into each other.

After a while, he's fading just a bit, severely favoring his left leg over his right.]

[yousayvoltron]

[Three Blades appear now, one of them noting the limp. A weakness. Do not expect us to go easy on you, however. Should you fall, you fail, and your trial is over. You will be branded a weakling. Should you pass, however...

By now, the mindscape effect of the suit is beginning to kick in, showing an image of a smiling Keith.]

[tookashirototheknee]

Keith? Why are you here?

[Matt takes a breath. He knows he's weak. He had that beat into him after he didn't fight at the Arena. In one movement, he uses his weak knee to spin around, and drop two of the Galra to the floor, breathing coming heavier, but still he refuses to give up. He's taken a nasty slash to his side, as well as aggravating his knee.]

using italics for holo!Keith

[yousayvoltron]

[The hologram isn't really Keith, of course, but it's a perfect likeness.]

Don't give up. You've done well so far, you have to keep going. You know you can.

[The third Blade advances, managing a hit to Matt's shoulder.]

[tookashirototheknee]

I can. I know I'll get through this.

[He lets out a small cry which he quickly chokes back as the Blade hits his shoulder. However, he doesn't let it drop him, he goes again for the Blades's feet, using their height to his own advantage, and making him land on his butt.]

[yousayvoltron]

[Hah...you've done well so far, even with your obvious weakness, the Blade gasps. But it is far from over. This time, four Blades appear, all of them looking stronger than the previous ones.]

Keep going. You know you can't fail.

[Matt won't be able to sense the difference yet; the real Keith would have used different wording, to sound more encouraging, but this one's tone does the job just fine.

For now.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt's not one to give up, but something about tone, and the way Keith's saying things make him hesitate. He ducks around the Blades, still searching the room for anything that might be a sneaky way to get through this.

Never-ending fighters. What's the point? The inevitability of constantly fighting an unstoppable force? But... wait.

He swipes one of the Galra off his feet, a thought comes through his head. It might not be the Galra way, but the Blade way is to be sneaky, and find a way around what the supposed objective is. He just has to find that way.]

[yousayvoltron]

[The objective will make itself known fairly soon, Matt. Fight your way through these Blades, reach the next door, and you'll be able to take a break.

But what happens next may make you wish for the waves of fighters again.]

Do it. This is your chance to prove how strong you are, right?

[tookashirototheknee]

I'm not as weak as people think I am.

[Matt takes a breath, then backhands one of the Blades, knocking him down solidly. Ducking the next two, he finds his way to the door, putting his hand on the opening panel, hoping that he didn't miss the point.]

[yousayvoltron]

[The door opens for him. You have passed, Matthew. You will now move to the next phase of your trial, Kolivan's voice calls to him from a speaker somewhere. Keith's hologram fades.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[Alright. Good. That's the hard part, right? Matt takes a deep breath, trying to keep pressure on his side and shoulder as much as he can, while stepping into the next room.

For just a moment, he feels the loss of Keith. He'd wondered if his boyfriend was just a figment of his imagination, but the confirmation hurts just a little.]

[yousayvoltron]

[Did you really think he'd support you if he knew? a voice asks. It should sound VERY familiar. You didn't even tell him. As though you thought this would be a simple matter, like going to the store and picking up flowers for him on the way home.]

[tookashirototheknee]

He'd support me! I know he would.

[Matt turns, trying to see where the voice is coming from.]

I didn't tell him because I didn't want him to worry or... to stop me.

[yousayvoltron]

[Is that so? Or were you just afraid you'd fail...like you did at the arena?

The voice should be completely obvious now.

You made it further than I would have imagined, but you almost faltered. You're not a fighter, Matt, you never have been. ]

[tookashirototheknee]

No, I'm not, but... I can be.

[Matt takes a breath, hands balled at his sides.]

Dad, I... I'm not just a failure. I can make something of myself, and I... I want to show everyone that I can.

[yousayvoltron]

[This, coming from the boy who needed Shiro to protect him because he was too afraid to fight for himself? Sam's hologram appears, a disappointed look on his face. You know deep down that you'll only fail again, Matt. Like you did before. What happens when you go through the next door, and you have to fight someone stronger?]

[tookashirototheknee]

I didn't need Shiro! He did that by his own choice!

[Matt takes a breath. He doesn't want to think of his dad disappointed in him, but... the fear's always been there. Katie's the star of the family, not him. Not the nerdy scientist who just wants to learn things and discover things.]

What will happen is that I'll win. I might not win by might, but I can win by cunning. I know I can do this. I know I can be good enough for Keith. Yeah. I know he deserves someone better than weak, broken me, but... I want so badly to be the person he deserves.

[yousayvoltron]

[You're in an organization of Galra rebels, Matthew. They fight. Even if they're fighting opposite Zarkon's regime, they still rely on their might, their skill with a weapon, the ability to take more than a few blows, Sam's hologram says.

But you've never needed to lean anyway, says a new voice. You're not a fighter, not everyone can defend themselves. I didn't mind protecting you, and neither does Keith.

The second figure appears. The white streak is gone from his hair, but the mechanical arm remains, and he's garbed in torn prison clothes instead of his black and white armor.]

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt bites his lip, not even sure what to do. They're wrong, and he knows it. Or, well... he thinks he knows it. The Blade care about him, right? Kolivan said that he'd suspend the 'or death' rule for once. But is that because he's weak? Is that because he'd never survive otherwise, except through atypical means?

Matt takes a breath, eyes widening even more at Shiro's appearance.]

I don't want everyone to be protecting me forever! I'm my own person, damnit. I want to show everyone that I'm not just your son, or that third wierdo on the Kerberos mission. I'm me. I might do it differently, but I can do it, damnit.

[yousayvoltron]

[The holograms flicker in shock for a brief second, before Sam's frowns.

You came along on the mission to meet aliens, Matthew. Collecting ice samples. A nice safe task. You were the first one to panic when the Galra captured us, the first one to falter at the arena.

Shiro steps forward, placing his metal hand on Matt's shoulder.

There's no shame in being weak, Matt.

How Matt reacts to this will either make or break this stage of the trial. If he crumbles and concedes to the holograms' words, he fails. If he argues back, well...]

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt takes a deep breath, then shakes his head, a fire in his eyes.]

There might not be shame in it, but I refuse to be weak anymore. I am going to be strong, to be the person Keith needs, but also the person I need to be.

[He swallows, hands balling at his sides, the fire and emotion on his face increasing.]

Both of you mean a lot to me, but for once, I need to find my own way, and this is who I am. I'm not the other asshole, I'm not the second-best-kid. I'm me. And I'm going to do this. No matter what.