Vacation Voltron

𝟘𝟞. 𝗅𝖺𝗒𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋

Allura feels a hand shaking her awake.

She looks up and sees Lance's wide eyed face staring down at her. She startles.

Allura: Lance! You frightened me! What's wrong luvy?

Lance: The plane is landing!

Allura: What?! Why? How long have I been asleep?

Lance: We've only been on the plane six hours, but there's been a mistake. The plane doesn't have enough fuel to make it all the way there, so it's landing at another airport below us to refuel, but that means we're gonna have to make a layover.

Allura: Ok, ok, it'll be okay! What's a layover?

Lance: It's means we're gonna have to stop at this airport, get off this plane, and get on a different one.

Allura: Another one? Oh dear.

Lance: Yea. So that's our situation right now. You and Coran need to switch back and gather all your stuff. Make sure the other girls have everything too 'cause we're not getting back on this plane.

Allura: Ok.

Allura and Coran switch back.

Allura explains the situation to the other girls and they all start to pack all their stuff in their backpacks.

Pidge looks out the window. The ground is getting closer. Turbulence shakes the plane.

Keith squeezes Shiro's arm.

Allura buckles Romelle's seatbelt.

Hunk tries not to throw up. So far, so good.

After a long descent, the plane's wheels hit the runway, and the plane slows to a stop.

They sit there for a long while. The pilot lets everyone know that their luggage will be transferred to the next flight.

Then people start to get up, grab their stuff, and get off the plane.

Finally, it's Team Voltron's turn. They grab their backpacks and get in the slow moving line off the plane.

When they finally get off and into the gate, they have to pause to take stock of their situation.

Everyone is still half awake, trying to wake up. Everyone looks about to buckle under the weight of their backpacks, especially Pidge.

Keith: Alright, I know you guys are tired, and I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but the boarding gate for our new flight is all the way across this huge airport, and we've got twelve minutes to get there.

Pidge: Wait, WHAT?!

The team begins to run.

They are dashing through the airport, running, holding each other's hands so no one gets left behind, trying not to hit into people, running, running.

Keith: Come on guys faster!! We can still make it!!!

Pidge is falling behind, her heavy backpack making it hard for her to run.

Allura grabs Pidge's hand and pulls her along, clinging to Lance with her other hand.

They are running, fast, faster, trying not to slow down.

Pidge lets go of Allura's hand so she can pump her arms faster, but she trips and falls down hard. She cries out, but everyone knows they can't stop, so Allura hoists her to her feet and they keep running.

Pidge: I'm ok! I'm ok!

She says this, though she doesn't really look ok.

They keep running.

Keith: We're gonna make it, guys! We're gonna make it! We've got seven minutes!

Keith is running hard, as fast as he can.

Keith feels it all. He feels his lungs burning, his feet pounding on the linoleum floor, his heart beating out of his chest. He feels his hand going numb as he grips Romelle's hand, trying not to let go. She clings to him just as hard. He can feel his breath coming in short gasps.

"This," he thinks, "This is travel."

The team reaches the boarding gate two minutes late, but people are still boarding. They have made it! They come to an abrupt halt at the back of the short line, gasping for breath.

When they get to the front of the line, the worker asks to see their tickets from the previous airline, and Keith thrusts them into his hands.

The worker looks at the tickets.

Worker: I'm sorry, but due to this sudden flight change, and your arriving late, we don't have enough room for all eight of you to sit together.

Keith: Seriously? We only arrived late because we had to run halfway across the airport!!

Worker: I'm sorry about that sir, but this is just how it is.

Keith: Ok fine. What seats DO you have? How far are they from each other?

Worker: We've got one empty row for three, one row with two empty seats, one row of four with two empty seats, and one row of three with just one. The row of three, the row of two, and the row of four are scattered throughout the main cabin, and the one, is, contrary to your tickets, first class.

He writes down the new seat numbers on the tickets.

Keith takes them back in a huff, and the team enters the boarding ramp.

It's the kind of plane with a row of three seats on each side and a row of four down the middle. Bigger than their last plane.

Once on the plane, Coran heads for the front.

Coran: Well, I don't mind sitting by myself. Catch you guys later!

Romelle: Wait a minute? How come HE gets to sit in first class? That's not fair at all!

Keith is tired of dealing with everything.

Keith: Romelle, you are going to be sitting in the row of three with the other girls.

Romelle: But Coran-

Keith: It doesn't matter what Coran's doing! Just sit down.

Keith is losing his patience. Shiro puts a hand on his shoulder.

Shiro: Girls, here's your tickets, go sit down together ok?

Allura: Oh! Are you sure we should take the row of three?

Shiro: I'm sure, you guys are like a set of three. Stay together and we'll meet you at the next airport ok? Once the next flight lands don't look for us, just get off and we'll all meet at the boarding gate.

Allura: Ok.

The girls take their tickets and go sit down.

Lance and Hunk go sit in the middle and aisle seats of another row. Lance tries to scoot in his seat, as far as possible from the old white-haired man in the window seat next to him.

Shiro and Keith get the two seats on the left side of a row of four. Shiro puts Keith in the aisle and sits down next to the young man with tattoos and headphones. Next to that man is an old lady.

Allura pulls the wet wipes out of Pidge's backpack and begins to wipe down everything for the girls.

Everyone is getting themselves ready for the next flight.