Chapter Twenty-nine: Together Forever

As the three were appearing to go inside, "Ma... ri..." Shiro, Keith, and Lance walked back out for a second, "Mari...Mari..." Picked up the Temari ball as a voice cry out, listening by Shiro, Keith, and Lance.

Sadness could be seen in Shiro's eyes as he looked towards the blood puddle with Susamaru's remains. Keith grabbed the ball and limped over to the remains, putting the ball on the ground.

"Here's your Mari". Keith said as he looked down with empathic eyes.

"Play with me. Play with me." Shiro and the others could hear broken words come through. "You're just like a little kid. Even though you must've gone after scores of people." Shiro said. Joining Keith.

As the sun came over the wall, the bloody remains of the Daemon started to sizzle and burnt into ash, floating away as the wind's sweep them up towards the sky.

"She was deluded into thinking that was in the 4 directions. Deceived... Compelled to fight...And now, you were killed by the Zarkon curse". Keith reflected in his thoughts, thinking of the events that transpired, onto Shiro.

"That's right, There's no salvation." Shiro said, "Even after you die,

not even your bones will remain".

"Zarkon, This is how that man treats

even those who revere him! He's a true Daemon". Keith said.

Lance walked over and patted Keith and Shiro's crouched shoulders. "There was nothing both of you could do, they made their choice. Now let's go back inside" Lance helped Shiro and Keith up as they walked back into the house.

"Ulaz" Shiro called out.

"We're over here" Ulaz's voice sounded out from behind a door. "Come to the basement".

It was daytime and with the wall being broken down they had to hide in the basement. Walking down the stairs leading to the basement, turned the corner and saw Cassia, Ulaz, and Hazar standing in between some metal prison bars.

"Cassia!" Shiro said, as she runs forward and hugs Shiro then Keith and Lance. She got off the embrace then turned around, walking towards Ulaz.

"Hey thank you, for protect me?" Cassia muttered as she proceeded to hug Ulaz. Hazar looked onto the side as veins stared bulging on his hand.

"Of course, Lil one" Ulaz said, Patting her back.

Hazar's head had caused him to not know how to react. "Why, you! Step away from Ulaz" Hazar yelled. "That's so rude!"

"Stop it, big brother!" A strong, confident voice came from behind the. "He doesn't mind at all".

Shiro turned to see a violet-skinned woman climb down from a ladder. She had a similar appearance to Ulaz and Hazar. Shiro knew what she was, a Galra.

"Of course, sister" Hazar said.

"Dorma. My name is Dorma, one of the best scientist of all time and mechanic"

"Oh really we never have seen you before," Lance asked.

Dorma glanced at Shiro and Keith, "because of you and your daemon, Ulaz tells me you were having problems, problems within, plus I was fixing up the damage, caused by the daemons".

Stats float over to Dorma. She patted him on the head. Shiro wondered what their history was-and Dorma had arrived when they barely notice her. There were so many questions racing through Shiro's mind. In the end, he decided to ask: "So why are you here, we never notice you inside the house?"

Dorma looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh I was too busy fixing up the defenses and I found out about your daemon arm and it was extorting magic"

"What" Shiro didn't know this Dorma very well yet, but he wanted to hear what she had to say. "What you mean by extorting magic," Shiro said.

"Daemons have unique ability to sense magic but also absorbs the magic" Dorma "that's why d-users and natural people have Daemons, it keeps them in balance but in your case, you have a daemon arm and a Daemon they are unable to balance"

"Yeah but Keith is a Half-daemon," Shiro said, confused.

"That's true but" Dorma turn over to Keith, "Hey, what is the last time you

felt very strong"

"I don't know, I felt pretty strong enough when I was battling that daemon," Keith said, having no idea what's going on.

"That's because your d-user was unable to get rid of all the excess magic that was in your body"

Keith was surprised at this fact. Not knowing how to react or not to react, this was all very new to him

"Daemon and humans are supposed to balance each other out, that is why Ulaz needed the blood, to study and figure it out how it works". Doram explains to Shiro and the others. Even if they have no idea still have what's going on.

"Grrrr, urgh, urgh". The man who was into a daemon by Haggar started gnawing on the metal prison bars.

"Since Shiro has a Daemon arm, it's unable to balance the magic," Doram said, "that is why I was making this" Dorma reached for the table in the room and grabbed on the corner of an arm made from grey plating and a rubbery black layer covering the fingers and the crook of the elbow.

"This will help balance the magic," She said as pick it up from the table and wrapped it around Shiro's arm.

"Thanks," Shiro said, "I don't know what to say"

"Don't think about it" Ulaz said "it's the least I can do what you did for us"

Hazar was sad as he looked on at the scene, thinking back to when he and his sister first encountered Ulaz, "do you want to join? Even though you might feel like you're turning against your own kind...at this rate, you might be able to live your own life". Thinking back on this, Hazar remembered the pained look in Ulaz back when he was struggling to survive, being orphans you have to do everything you can to survive. Even if it means taking deals from strangers.

"We will leave this place", Ulaz said. "This place has become too close to Zarkon, if we don't hide quickly, we will be in grave danger and also..."

Ulaz continued, "even though we can hide through technology, as a scientist and doctor that needs to come into contact with other people will eventually find out that I am Galra. The children and the elderly are incredibly Sharp"

"Shiro, I was wondering if you joined us?" Ulaz asked, worriedly.

"Eh?" Keith voiced out.

"I can't give you an absolute guarantee

that you'll be safe, especially in your condition. So I believe it will be less dangerous than going into battle". Ulaz added.

Meanwhile, behind him, Hazar stared at Ulaz's back and had a mental breakdown, while Dorma is too excited, it would be nice to have someone else to talk to.

Keith turned into the ground and thought, "He might be right. It would be better for Shiro to be in their care" Keith's mind sounded a bit pained and reluctant, knowing that he would leave Shiro with someone else, better than him.

Stats stared back into Shiro's eyes. He grabs the hands of both Keith and Shiro each. "Stats" he muffled.

Smiling at this, Shiro turned and said "Thanks for the offer, and thank you so much for your concern". Shiro said, "but I'm staying with my friends" Shiro patted Keith's shoulder with his free hand.

Keith smiled, for some strange reason, he's glad that Shiro is staying, with him, Stats and Lance.

"Very well, In that case, I wish you

long-lasting good fortune in battle," Ulaz said.

"All right. We'll be leaving after we erase all traces of ourselves". Hazar said. "You three get going now!"

"Right!" Lance said, "Okay, Ulaz, Hazar, Dorma we wish you well!"

"Yes, we should," Shiro said.

"You know what I'm glad you decide not to go with them," Keith said as they turned to leave.

"Shiro" Hazar's voice sounded out from behind.

Turning around in surprise, the two looked back at who faced the wall away from them. "I guess you're not dim-witted".

Keith gave off a big laugh hearing this, Shiro smirked a bit before walking off and shouting behind as he almost reaches up the stairs, "I almost forgot, do you guys might want to take care of Cassia, she's going to need someone to protect her" Shiro's voice trailed off as they ascended the steps.

Outside of the city, Shiro, Keith, Stats, and Lance walked beside each other.

"So what now, how are we going to find information on the quintessence Crystal," Keith said.

"I don't know," Shiro said, "I'm just as lost as you are"

"You don't have to worry about that" Lance said, "I might know some people"

"Oh really do you know anything," Keith said, "or you're just saying that"

"Please!!" A yell suddenly sounds out from down the road. "I'm begging here, I'm desperate, marry me?" Looking at the voice, Lance instantly facepalmed and sight.

"Wh-What's up with that? What on Earth is he doing" Lance said, tiredly?

"I don't know how I am going to die in every moment! So I beg you-marry me, please" the brown hair boy shouted. Lance seems to recognize him, "if I remember, he came from the same place where the crystal used to be" Lance explains to Keith and Shiro.

"Huh?" Shiro and Keith looked at the scene in disbelief. "That guy lives in the exact same place". Keith said, feeling in disbelief.

Suddenly a small yellow kitten walking towards them.

"Oh hey, kiaion" Lance quickly let it land on his pain, as Kiaion pointed its paus out to emphasize it's pointing.

"I see, I understand", Lance said.

"Eh? You do?" Keith asked. "Oh please the only thing you're good at is swindling people" Deciding not to question how Lance was to understand animals, "Or he's an unanimal for reasons unknown," Shiro said to himself with a hand stroking his chin, lost in his imagination and humor.

"Don't worry your pretty little heads" Lance told Keith, Shiro, and Kiaion, "I have a plan for our little friend", while the kitten looked up at Lance as though it saw its savior.

"Please, why do you marry me!?" The boy continued crying.

Keith grew tired of this scene and walked over to the boy before lightly kicking off to the side. "Hey, why are you making just the scene in the middle of the road?" Keith said, "she's clearly not interested in you, also you stressing your cat out".

"He's right, Hunk," Lance said, walking over there. "it's not appropriate for you, especially a part of the daemon explores".

"But Lance, you know my job is difficult" The boy, known as Hunk told him.

"Don't justify your plans" Lance raised his feet and planted it on his face, "because it's wrong, okay"

"But you told me to pick a lady right," Hunk said with tears in his eyes. "Remember, don't get angry with me"

Shiro turned to the girl and said, "all right, you're all set to go home again, do you need help with everything else"

"No, but thank you very much" the girl bowed towards the two boys.

"Hang on, don't you interfere!" Hunk yelled out. "That girl was madly in love with me, the two of us were planning to get married"

"SMACK" the lady really hit it on him, smacking his face over and over again.

"SMACK, SMACK, SMACK" The girl continued beating Hunk down, Lance and Shiro had to stop and pulled her back, while Keith was witnessing Stats playing with a butterfly.

"Hey, calm down" Lance pulled the girl off of Hunk, "I'm sorry for my friend?"

"Uwahhh!" Hunk cried, holding his head.

"When did I just say anything about marrying you" the girl yelled, "even more simply that I love you, all I did was talk to you while you were crumpled up, all disheveled on the side of the road".

"What, no" Hunk said, "so the reason that you didn't, wasn't because you fell in love with me!"

"Considering that I already have a Beyonce" the girl obviously explained, "that has been exactly what I've been trying to tell you?"

"Well, graduations" Hunk said, still holding his head.

The lady scoffed and started walking away.

"Wait!! Wait!! I want to say that I'm sorry" Hunk said, trying to give the girl another chance.

"Sigh, Hunk, can you give it a rest," Lance asked from the side.

"You give a rest, it had nothing to do with you" Hunk turned towards Lance and the others and saw him looking down at him with an expression of each of their faces.

"Agghh!!, Why are you looking me down like that Lance, don't do that like I am some pitiable creature!? It's both of your fault that I ever never got married!" Hunk pleads, pointing at them.

Both Keith and Shiro's faces grew with ever more disgust, looking as though some weird creature too horrible to witness with their mortal eyes, was crying in front of them.

"Come on, say something!!" Hunk said to him.

"Okay, I'm going to go that way..." Shiro said, before walking off to his way.

"Wait for me," Keith said, with an oh my God we're screwed look on his face.

Screwed we are, for Shiro and the others, as the darkness approaches once again.