"You- What happened?"

Matt was already bursting out with wide eyes as if they hadn't just been separated for almost a year. Katie couldn't answer, feeling as if she would burst out crying if she opened her mouth.

"You cut your hair?!" He exclaimed, eyes looking over her carefully, and she felt like slapping him again.

"Why is that the first thing you notice!?"

She acted on her thoughts and punched his shoulder, earning an exaggerated, pained cry from him.

"..Yep, you're definitely my sister–" Matt was saying before Katie threw her arms around him. He scoffed lightly as she hugged him tightly just like when they were children.

"You idiot, you're supposed to compliment me first." She sniffled into his ragged tunic, noticing how much weight he'd lost over the time he was captured, "What happened to you?"

Her brother was silent for a moment before sighing, patting her back gently.

"It's still a blur what happened to dad and I." He started, "but as soon as I regained consciousness, I was the only one tied up in the room. They kept me locked up in that cell for who knows how long and there, I overheard that dad had been taken to the higher up officials to make special weapons for their army. The only time I saw him was when they transferred me to help him. We lived as if we were dead for many days until we heard of the invasion."

Katie pulled back, wiping the rest of her tears as she looked over her brother. His voice was just as lively as she remembered with a raspy edge, but his hair was much longer now and his face was also sunken from malnutrition.

"Have you seen dad recently?" She asked, looking around the room, "how did you end up here?"

"The last time I saw dad was in the cells before we were separated again." He grimaced, looking away in shame, "I ended up here because I was playing dead for the guards and ended up falling asleep. I know that I'm a coward—"

Katie let out a muffled laugh, and he paused on his words, blinking.

"I'm...sorry.." She covered her mouth, but it didn't stop her from continuing, "I'm just...glad you're alive."

It was wonderful although they were in the midst of a war zone. Matt felt as if he would become a crybaby if Katie laughed again. It'd been too long since he heard the joyful sound.

"I'm going to find dad."

Matt watched his little sister stand up, and he wondered just how much she'd grown up since the last time he saw her. The girl that once would rather die than cut her hair short again was now standing in front of him dressed as a man, holding a sword and fighting for their kingdom as a knight. His rage would forever be directed towards his kidnappers that made him miss this part of her life.

"You must be tired." He could only say with a sad smile even though he had much more to express.

"I am." She weakly smiled back, the determination still in her eyes, "but I'm going to make our family whole again."

Even though her appearance had changed greatly, she was still the Katie who had the strongest willpower in their family.

"Would you like an assistant?" He asked, a teasing tone in his voice as he stood up beside her, "I want the same thing too."

They shared a smile before Matt noticed another familiar person on the ground.

"..Why is Shiro tied up?"

It took Katie a while to explain what Shiro's situation was as they wandered the halls that he even regained consciousness halfway through but was immediately knocked out again.

"It makes me feel really guilty.." Katie sighed after knocking him out again, "I hope he doesn't remember any of this."

"Glad I'm not in his position." Matt whistled, pausing when they came across an open door. Katie immediately put up her finger telling him to be quiet as she hid Shiro's body to the side.

The room itself was dark so Katie couldn't quite tell if she'd already ransacked the area. That only meant she had to get closer.

"Stay here with Shiro and if he wakes up, whack him on the head with the handle." She told her brother, handing him a knife as she took her sword out, "I'll be back."

"Be careful." Matt's words reached her ears as she went into the unknown.

She wasn't sure what she was getting into, but she was the only one with a weapon.

She slowly creeped into the room, looking around her and carefully went further when there seemed to be no threats. Strangely the room was familiar to when they had first gone inside the kingdom.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she laid her eyes on the large dark throne in front of her. This was where Lotor had sat and threatened them.

As she drew closer, she could hear more conflict from another door beside the throne room. Carefully listening, she sought out a familiar voice, and one that was deep and low. She didn't want to assume immediately so she waited for more clarification, listening in until she heard Keith's voice.

"If I'm dying, I'm taking you down with me..!"

Her eyes widened at the sound of pain in his voice, and she hurried to join the fight immediately. What she didn't expect to see was the Galra pronounced king himself, his sword aimed to Keith's chest.

Her heart raced in fear as her feet picked up the pace. She had to get there on time or else she would never see Keith again. It felt as if time was moving in slow motion as she ran towards the large galra king, readying her sword for attack.

Gritting her teeth, she blended her knees for a second before jumping and striking his back. She striked his back with her sword in hopes that it would at least distract him from Keith, but she hadn't expected the armor to completely come off.

Gasping at her own doing, she didn't realize that the galra was now turning towards her with enraged eyes.

"Katie!" She heard Keith shouting before she was launched backwards into the wall with just one punch from Zarkon. She felt as if her bones were broken as she collapsed onto the ground, feeling the wall crack behind her.

She laughed loudly in the midst of the battle, silencing all of them in the room. 

Why did they all have to suffer because of these greedy, power hungry people? Why was it that she, a 17 year old, was lying on the floor like this with who knows how many broken bones and a shorter lifespan when she should've been living her best life now?

She was too mad and tired to fully be conscious of what she would say next.

"B@stard." Katie smiled wickedly at the king, 

"This is why I killed your son."

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