Chapter twenty-four: Earning Respect

Stats was plucked some from flowers from the ground. It had been 2 days now since Shiro and Keith left for Kala's village to get the herbs. Kiaion was still ailing, but he was toughing out the poison from Haggar's own a lot longer than anticipated...of course, it didn't stop anyone from worrying.

As Stats continued to go about his merry way, he suddenly heard the familiar squeaking of footsteps, causing him to turn and beam brightly as he saw Keith and Shiro appear over the hills.

"Hi, Stats!" Shiro waved. "We're back!"

"Stats, Stats!" Stats cheered as he ran to greet them.

"Hey, squirt," Shiro said as Stats leapt into Shiro's arms, causing him to laugh as he held him.

"Stats!" Stats exclaimed.

We missed you, too," Shiro smiled. "How are Pidge and Kiaion?"

"Stats, Stats, Stats!" Stats answered

"I see, Pidge's Bruises has almost healed up," Shiro answered back, "but Kiaion's still feeling pretty sick."

"Well, good thing we got those herbs," said Keith. "He should be all better in no time!"

Soon, the trio entered the hut, where they found Sahra, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge, who was still lying on her bed with Kiaion curled up at her side, still quivering from the pain of his ailments. As soon as they entered, their faces all lit up with smiles.

"Well, welcome back, Shiro and Keith," Sahra greeted.

"Hi, Sahra," Shiro smiled back before she noticed Lance sitting near Pidge...rather closely, at that. "Uh...Lance?"

"Hey, what do you think you're doin', Lance?" Keith glared.

"Relax, you two," Pidge said. "Lance was...surprisingly on his best behavior while you were away."

"Oh, really?" Shiro asked in surprise.

"Did you seriously believe that I would ever take advantage of Pidge, wounded as she is?" asked Lance.

"He kinda does have a point..." Keith muttered. "I mean, he didn't do it before when she was injured."

"That's true..." Shiro whispered before he turned to Lance. "Sorry for doubting you, Lance."

"Apology accepted," Lance replied.

"It's a good thing too!" Pidge said as she carefully sat up. "Because I'm not interested in...boys!"

"So, did you get them?" asked Hunk "Did you get the herbs for Kiaion?"

"We've got 'em right here," said Shiro as he held up the pouch that Kala gave him. "It was surprisingly easy to get them, though!"

"Really?" Sahra asked. "Tell us more, then."

It wasn't very long before Shiro went into detail about his and Keith's trip to Kala's village and how they met the half-Galra and how he had been accused of killing the local villagers.

"So this Kala was really a gentle giant, wasn't she?" asked Hunk, who was holding Kiaion as he was being fed the medicine.

"And yet the villagers were so quick to judge him, too," Pidge added.

"Yet, in spite of how they treated her, she was willing to help them, as well," Sahra chimed in.

"It certainly takes strength to forgive," Lance pointed out. "From what you said, Shiro, Kala could have easily turned violent on the villagers if he chose to."

"I'm honestly glad that he didn't," Shiro said. "It's bad enough to accuse someone of being a monster. You shouldn't prove them right to make them respect you."

Keith snorted. "I still say he should have taught them a lesson."

"Keith," Shiro said in a warning tone.

"What?" Keith asked. "I'm just saying!"

"I thought we talked about this on the way back!" Shiro said.

"Talked about what?" Pidge asked. "What happened?"

"None of your business, that's what happened," Keith groused.

Shiro furrowed her brow at Keith, who glanced off to the side with his head pinned back. Ever since what happened back on Kala's farm, the half-daemon seemed to be frustrated that the Galra half-demon continued to hold his gentle disposition. On the one hand, Shiro was glad that Keith did open up to her about his past on the way back, but on the other hand, something still nagged at her.

It was what Keith said the night that Kala's farm was attacked by the Galra attack; how he had said that Kala should have attacked the villagers in order to get them to respect him...and even how after that, Keith said that he thought that he could make people respect him through force or remain who you are!

"There you go, Kiaion," Hunk spoke as he finished giving his nekomata companion as much of the medicine as possible. "How are you feeling?"

Kiaion let out a tiny mew in response. It was small, but it didn't sound as weak as before, causing the others to smile.

"You think it's working?" asked Hunk.

"It sounds like it," Lance said.

"Only time will tell, though," Sahra said.

"Well...I'd like to stay," Shiro said as he grabbed her backpack, "but I just remembered that I have to some work."

"Again?" Shiro asked with disdain.

"But you just got back!" Hunk complained.

"I have to stock up on medical supplies," Shiro began, "not to mention I need to refill our rations, so I can't just put that off."

"Rations, I can help with that!" Hunk said. "And you can ask my dad that you can borrow medical supplies!"

"Thanks, Hunk" Shiro said.

"Hopefully, Kiaion will fully recover by the time you get back," Pidge added.

"I hope so, too," Shiro said before he turned to leave, but then he looked at Keith, who blinked at him.

"Uh...can I help you?" he asked.

"...Keith...you're coming with me," Shiro said.

"Huh?" Keith muttered.

It was about some time in the afternoon when Chief Herschel was in the middle of the great hall where he and a number of attendants stood huddled around a long table. A three-dimensional map of the planet of Altea was laid out before them. It looked like a table game, with pieces representing the various armies and miniature terrain delineated by lands.

But this was not a game; this was the place where the powerful discussed trade routes, treaties, and other things of international importance. In most times, the table was used to devise battle strategies.

Chief Herschel heard the sound of the door opening from the great hall. He smiled, warmly, knowing exactly who it was that just entered the room.

"Chief Herschel!" Shiro called. "I brought Keith with me!"

"I had a feeling you'd be bringing someone along!" Chief Herschel called back. "Hunk just made sandwiches for lunch!"

Shiro soon walked in with Keith following her, and on the table was a plate full of different kinds of sandwiches: some with ham and lettuce, some with chicken cutlets, and others.

"These look good," Keith said as he headed at the table and reached to take a sandwich.

"Ah-ah!" Chief Herschel exclaimed. "Did you wash your hands, first?"

"Oh...I guess not," Keith said as he looked at his palms.

"Wash first, then you can eat," Chief Herschel said, prompting Keith to get up and head over to a hand sanitizer to wash his hands while Shiro, who had already gotten through washing his hands prior, sat down at the table and got a couple of sandwiches for himself.

"Mm...I love ham sandwiches," Shiro said as he took a bite.

"So, Shiro, how is Kiaion?" asked Chief Herschel

"He is fine," Shiro said. "The medicine we got is help him feel better."

"Oh, that's good to hear," said Chief Herschel while Keith came and come down to eat, as well. "Are your hands clean, Keith?"

Keith promptly showed Chief Herschel his hands, causing him to give them a quick once-over before he smiled and nodded in approval, giving him the go-ahead to eat. Eagerly, Keith grabbed at least 5 sandwiches for himself and just started to shove them in his mouth. While he ate, Shiro glanced over at Chief Herschel before he leaned over and quietly tapped on his shoulder, getting his attention.

"What is it, Shiro?" Chief Herschel asked before Shiro gently dragged him away from the table to another corner of the room and began to whisper something in Chief Herschel's ear. This didn't go unnoticed by Keith, whose ears flickered as they picked up Shiro's soft whispers. Although he couldn't quite make out what he was saying, the way he was subtly glancing at him told him that he was talking about him. The way Chief Herschel's eyes widened and how he also glanced at him didn't seem to help matters.

"Uh..." Keith muttered. "What are you two talking about over there?"

"Don't worry about it, dear," Chief Herschel assured. "You just enjoy your food."

"Uh...okay," Keith said before he continued eating his sandwiches.

Maybe he was overthinking. It wasn't like he was in any trouble...

He wasn't in trouble...was he?

After a while, Shiro headed the marketplace for supplies for the journey ahead. As for Keith, he had just finished and couldn't really think of anything to do, so he just joined for the ride. watching him as he gathering, Apples, Bananas, ham, etc, He was rather quiet, which Shiro found just a tiny bit unsettling, but at the same time, somewhat reassuring. The only way she knew he was right there was whenever he gave a yawn of boredom.

"Keith!" Chief Herschel called suddenly, startling the half-daemon a bit. "Can you come here, please?"

Keith blinked before he looked to Shiro, who smiled and motioned his head back to the door of the great hall. Seeming reluctant, the half-daemon headed the great hall where Chief Herschel was awaited him.

"Keith!" Chief Herschel called out. He hurried toward him, a glowing smile on his face.

Keith's ears drooped slightly and he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before he side-eyed the room.

"I knew he snitched to him about something...!"

"Uh...maybe I'll just stay up here, instead," he said, causing Chief Herschel to chuckle and gave him a huge bear hug.

"I assure you, you're not in any trouble," he said. "Just come and have a seat by me."

Keith sighed before he walked down the hall to the table with Chief Herschel, who patted the empty space to his left, where he soon sat down next to him.

"So...how've you been?" asked Chief Herschel.

"...Good, I guess," Keith replied.

"I see," Chief Herschel replied as he picked up a piece of a soldier and set them up on a neat spot before putting them back on the terrain. "That's nice, my boy."

"...W-what did Shiro tell you?" Keith asked, nervously. "Because I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!"

"Keith, will you calm down?" asked Chief Herschel. "I just told you, you're not in any trouble."

"...Are you sure?" asked Keith.

"I'm positive," Chief Herschel replied. "Though...I do have to ask one thing."

"...Such as...?" Keith inquired.

"Well," Chief Herschel began, "hypothetically speaking...let's say someone might have been...bullied by someone for a long time..."

Keith's eyes get a subtle twitch.

"What do you think that person should do in a situation like that, hmm?" Chief Herschel inquired.

Keith blinked before he scratched at the back of his head, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes, furrowing his brow in contemplation.

"Well...the way I see it," he started, "this 'somebody' should have fought back. That way, people will know not to mess with him."

"...Is that really what you think?" asked Chief Herschel, causing him to open one eye at him. "Keith...Shiro, Hunk, and my wife, they all told me about what had happened with this 'Kala' person...and how you wanted him to hurt the ones who persecuted him so much." Her eyes softened. "From what I heard, Kala was rather gentle...so why would you want her to change?"

Keith's eyes went wide before he pinned his ears back against his head and looked down at the floor.

"Well..." he muttered. "It's just...well, it's only because..."

"Was that how it was for you?" Atsuko inquired, causing him to look at her. "Did you ever take revenge on the people that bullied you?"

"...Maybe," Keith murmured.

"Did you or not?" Chief Herschel asked, a bit more firm in his tone, this time.

"...Okay...I...I did," Keith said. "Back when I was small...people always took advantage of me...they'd beat me up, they'd chase me...call me names...it was so frustrating."

"I bet it was," Chief Herschel said before he looked down at Keith's hand. "I'm guessing...that's how you got all your scars from?"

"...My healing powers weren't really the best when I was a kid," Keith said. "Every now and then...I think about what happened to me...and the scars still ache every once in a while." He growled as he screwed his eyes shut. "I hated it...I hated feeling so weak that even humans decided to walk all over me!"

Chief Herschel didn't say anything, but instead looked at the half-daemon, sadly.

"After my father died," Keith began, "it got worse. I was left all alone...I couldn't turn to anyone..." He then tightly clenched his fist. "So I decided...that I would make them respect me. I'd show them that I wasn't someone to be trifled with! So I survived...I trained myself and grew stronger...and when the time came, I got back at the ones who tormented me so badly." A grin appeared on his face...an almost sadistic-looking one. "I would make sure that every last one of them knew that I wasn't someone they could push around!"

"I...Keith..." Chief Herschel whispered, seeming a bit unnerved by his sudden change in mood.

"After a while," Keith began, "they started bowing in front of me and offering me things like gifts and food. I thought that they finally realized that I was more powerful than they were..." His eyes suddenly softened and his grin faded. "But then...I realized something. Whenever they'd look up at me, they may have been smiling...but I didn't see any respect in their eyes. Instead, I saw something that I had, a long time ago."

"...They became afraid of you," Chief Herschel began, "didn't they, Keith?"

"...I just wanted them to respect me," Keith said. "Instead...I made them fear me." He looked at his hands. "I...I turned into a bully."

"...Oh, Keith," Chief Herschel whispered while Outside, Shiro stood at the door, listening to the whole conversation...and the whole while, he looked like he was trying to fight back tears.

"I just wanted to find my place in the world," Keith said. "I didn't fit in with humans...I didn't fit in with daemons, either...I just wandered around, aimlessly trying to find a place to call home....a place to belong...and by the time I realized it...I was all alone in the world." He sighed as he screwed his eyes shut. "I...I didn't know any other way to live."

A pause...but then Chief Herschel gently pulled Keith into his arms, and though he didn't pull away, he quietly sank into the hug.

"I understand, boy," Chief Herschel said as he patted his shoulder. "The world is cruel and violent, and there will be times that you will earn your respect...but here's the thing about respect: you can't make people give it to you through forceful means. Respect is something that has to be earned."

"Earned how?" asked Keith.

"Well...instead of lashing out and getting back at the ones who hurt you," Chief Herschel began, "you could have forgiven them, instead."

Keith muttered. "It's a little late for that...they died long ago, probably. Besides...who'd ever respect me, willingly?"

"What are you talking about?"

Keith looked up to see Shiro walk up to him with a look of sincerity.

"I respect you, Keith," she said. "Not just me: Stats, Romelle, Coran, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Kiaion...even Chief Herschel! They respect you, too!"

Keith blinked in surprise as Shiro came and walk beside him.

"I'll be honest with you, Keith" Shiro began, "when I first met you, I really didn't think we'd ever get along...but look where we are, now. You're practically by my side all the time and I'm always by yours. You're always so quick to defend me and I'm always trying to protect you, even if you insist that you don't need me to do it for you." He smiled at him, warmly. "You don't have to act like a bad person to get into People's respect as long as you have people care for you!"

Keith blinked at Shiro...before he gave him a small but warm smile of his own.

"Thanks, Shiro," he said. "That means a lot."

Shiro smiled before he hugged Keith, who chuckled as he returned the embrace, and meanwhile, Chief Herschel smiled affectionately at the pair.

"You did find your place, Keith," he thought. "Right by Shiro and my son's side."