Allies?

[neverseenhimbefore]

Galran Emperor Lotor's sitting in a library. No, he still hasn't read everything Nexus has to offer, many very interesting and potentially beneficial to him, materials. His jaw set, he's looking at his PINPoint communicator intensely. A young man, whom some may recognise as Hiroki Shirogane, comes up to Lotor and makes to sit near him. Lotor gives Hiroki a scathing look.

"I've told you already," Lotor says. His hand goes to the hilt of his sword.

Heeding this lack of invitation, Shirogane doesn't sit down. Instead, he comes very close to Lotor, anyway, and whispers in his ear,

"You really don't want to? Think of it. All the secrets. All the knowledge. In your reach, right here. Or, are you, perhaps, afraid?"

Lotor smirks, and says, "You should be quiet now. What makes you think I need your help, in any way? And I won't be as merciful with you as I was with a friend of mine. Seeing as you are no friend of mine. Only a false ally, it's turned out."

"You mean Narti."

Lotor's eyes widen, and he asks, after almost gasping a little, "How do you know that name?"

"Lotor, please. I know everything. That's what I've been telling you all this morning."

"Fine. But you seem different."

"In what way?"

"Are you yourself?" Lotor asks.

"And would I be here, making this alliance, were I not?" the clone counters.

"Fair point. You may be right."

"I'm always right. So. You want it, don't you, Lotor?"

"Yes. Tell me everything. And we'll defeat the witch and get her Quintessence, together."

"Yeah! That's more like it. That's the Emperor Lotor I know," Hiroki says, smiling pleasantly.

Lotor smirks, and utters, "Indeed. And since you're my subject now, I'll show you mercy and, well, amnesty for your previous crimes as the witch's former puppet."

"Thank you," Shiro's clone replies, putting his hand on Lotor's shoulder, "I appreciate it."

"Who else is with us?" Lotor asks.

"Naturally," the clone answers, "Princess Allura and Antheans."

"Who are Antheans? I've never heard of them," Lotor says, puzzled. "And Allura's back in Nexus?" he asks, hopeful.

"Your new allies, Your Majesty. And indeed she is. She can't wait to see you again."

"Hm. I like the sound of it. However, those Antheans of yours, what are they good for?"

Lotor and the clone are in the library, still, and minding their manners, trying not to talk too loudly. However, as it is a library, feel free to scold them if they're disturbing you.

Or feel free to join the conversation if you get what they're talking about, or even if not.

Comments

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy relents his grasp as he gets to his feet. The nosebleed he's having and the pain from his ribs completely ignored.

"You're like her. Taken by the dark?" Ziggy's voice is strange; airy almost. His eyes have fixed on Lotor, unmoving and unblinking.

"You, nor your horrid mother, with touch him again without regret." Ziggy meant it. He was exhausted now and didn't push the issue. Lotor is probably lucky that Ziggy is so tired or things might be much worse than a bit of flexing of powers for show.

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor looks at the entity curiously. Then touches it. It flows right back into him. There's no disturbance, no pain.

He yawns.

"I don't understand, and don't care to, right now," he mutters.

Hiroki, meanwhile, is staring, and even shouts, "Don't touch a Dark Entity! You might die!" when Lotor touches it.

But. Lotor doesn't seem perturbed.

"Fine, I won't touch your probably soulless husband," Lotor says and turns away.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Make sure your mother doesn't either." Ziggy's voice is wavering strangely because of the exhaustion. "He's not soulless. Can't you see it there?"

Aletayria is watching and unsure what to do, but Ziggy's calm is slowly returning now that the immediate threat has recoiled. It is Tommy that turns to Lotor with a disappointed gaze. "I thought you were a diplomat. Was that a lie?"

This seems like the worst of bad diplomacy.

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor seems lost in thought. Finally, he asks, "What was that thing? That dark creature? It knew me. I don't know it."

"Strange. It had powers, I think. Almost... strange. It made me think of my mother, you know?"

[sordiddetails]

Now that the threat has passed Ziggy just slumps. If someone doesn't catch him more bones are going to get broken when he hits the ground. Unfortunately, the Antheans can't intervene because they are still only astral projections.

"I don't know what they are." Aletayria admits. "I think Honerva controls them."

Tommy is staring into the distance blankly. "I think she possesses people with them. They were going to stay behind in Hiroki."

[somekindofspaceuncle]

Standing up takes a lot from Hiroki right now, but he manages, and he catches Ziggy. He's got two arms now, so it's easy. The right arm is scarred, almost the whole way. Plenty of glaring scars. Impossible to miss. And also, apart from scars, the arm's very pale.

He sways a little, but from his own weight mostly, not Ziggy's, actually.

"There, now," Hiroki mutters. "Please rest, my Love. Or I'll make you rest. Hm?"

Lotor, meanwhile, is busy looking at Aletayria's apparition. His jaw set.

"I don't know what came into me, but the witch doesn't control me, and she is NOT Honerva. I'm telling you. Honerva was my father's wife. Then she gave birth to me... she died shortly after, because of her experiments. Her lab, the Dark Entities- oh!"

"This thing," Lotor continues, "it's a Dark Entity. It all makes sense now. And, as I've said, Haggar is not Honerva."

And everything makes perfect sense.

[sordiddetails]

Ziggy is completely unconscious, breath and pulse shallow. Tommy reaches out and whispers in Hiroki's mind. "He needs time. Our people haven't behaved that way in thousands of years."


"Lotor, the witch says she is your mother." Aletayria clarifies. "The witch, Honerva, came her to find you... her son."

She looks to Tommy who gives a slight nod of agreement.

[neverseenhimbefore]

"Yes, she came to find me. And she lied to you. I don't remember my mother, but I know of her. It wasn't easy, as my father's denied me all knowledge. But I've found people who's met her. I've found accounts. I know of Honerva. And Haggar can't lie to me as she does to all of you."

2/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

Hiroki holds on to Ziggy.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, "I'm so sorry. All because of me..."

"Listen," Hiroki says, "I-- I can share my Quintessence with him. Energy."

[sordiddetails]

Aletayria sympathizes but shakes her head. "We are all telepaths and Empaths. You can't lie to us without our knowledge. Even with all your barriers in place to hold us out it would be near impossible."

Tommy sighs and rolls his eyes at Lotor. "I was there. She was not lying to us."

Ziggy is barely away but a weak voice comes to Hiroki. "For you, not because of.

Tommy is done with the man who is obviously an idiot and turns his attention to helping the children. He has children, even if he wasn't much of a father. "He will regain his energy with time."

[somekindofspaceuncle]

"But... Ziggy's not dying, is he? If he is. If he was. I can give him my Quintessence. It's easy," Hiroki says, desperate.

Lotor turns to Hiroki and says: "I think he'll manage. Maybe you can give some to me? It's quite the potent Quintessence. I've been searching for such."

At that, Hiroki looks clearly disgusted, and says, "No, 'Your Highness", you won't be getting my life today, from me, for your quiznaking greater good. No. And how many Alteans did you get Quintessence from, again? How many shrivelled up Altean bodies are there? Keith didn't count. He wouldn't. He wouldn't do that. If I was there, I'd probably count. Just to know. Because I'm not a good person, and I-- nevermind."

Lotor winces a little.

[sordiddetails]

"He is strong." Tommy tells him. He's looking at the human/spirit and concerned about his drain. There isn't enough energy there.

Ziggy's eyes flash open at the request from Lotor but he's too weak to move.

The Antheans are listening now, though Aletayria is slightly distracted. She can hear the sound of a, now, very familiar car outside the library.

"You feed on spirit?" Her question is sharp as a razor. Her hand comes to Hiroki's shoulder in comfort because he is a good person as far as she's seen. However, Lotor may be on the way to making an entire species his enemies. Soul draining was ghastly to think about.

[neverseenhimbefore]

"I don't. I don't eat Quintessence, nobody does that. That'd be truly barbaric. Even the witch wouldn't do that, I'm certain. I need Quintessence to - ah, to make something. Something like Voltron. Something that'll let me save everyone, you see. I'm trying to save my whole Empire - and all the Alteans left alive, too. I and the Paladins are on the same side. Though if the clone continues to slander me, that might not remain so, which would be bad for all the Realities."

"Listen," Lotor adds after a few ticks of time. "I truly admire all the strength and courage and I mean no one any harm. Honestly."

No feelings get through his barrier, right now.

[sordiddetails]

The Antheans both listen with perplexed expressions before Aletayria frowns. "You're draining people to create a weapon?"

That might be worse somehow, at least to this species. She doesn't need to get through the barrier to know.

"You're lying. You do mean harm if you are stealing people's spirits. You have a great skill at deluding yourself."

[neverseenhimbefore]

"Yes, a weapon. Voltron is also a weapon and this man here"

Lotor points at Hiroki

"would gladly die to defend Voltron, just ask him if I'm lying."

"Weapons," Lotor adds, "can be very important. Especially if they're allmighty people. Like Voltron. You can ask your Hiroki."

"I'm not deluding myself. I'm trying to do what is right for all the Realities in existence."

2/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

Hiroki Shirogane nods at the prince's statement about Voltron, it's true... but...

"Shut up," he tells Lotor, now. "Shut up. Atlas hasn't murdered anyone to get born. Nor has Voltron. Your methods are -- yes, that can be done, but.. your methods are wrong."

[sordiddetails]

Tommy turns to look at Aletayria just before she speaks. There's venom in her words despite the quiet calm. "There is a differentlce between willingly risking yourself for something you believe in and being murdered for someone else's agenda and benefit."

Her presencr darkens again. "You aren't doing what is best for our reality where we're working for peace and don't want any weapons."

1/2

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor raises his arms in surrender.

"Fine, there are things I don't know about. I can learn. Do not paint me as a villain, for I'm not my father. I've been trying to follow the notes my late mother's left."

"She had found the infinite source of energy. Without hurting anyone. The infinite Quintessense, flowing free, in the Space between the Realities. An uninhabited space - ah, except Dark Entities, that is, but they're not people. And can be defeated by the Voltron Lions easily."

"A weapon I'm making is like another Voltron. Can go to the space between and bring Quintessence. Quintessence that is fought over in all the Realities I know. But when an infinite source is there, there'll be no more war. Shi--Hiroki, you know it. I've explained this and more to Voltron team. Tell them, please, my friend."

2/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

Hiroki hesitates a little, then says,

"No wonder Allura had fallen deeply in love with you, Prince Lotor. And I had also fallen, I think, or else maybe fresh newborn shade of her motherly love for the young man had confused me instead."

Hiroki turns to Antheans.

"Lotor believes what he's saying. I know he does. He thinks himself an Altean Messiah. Good for him. But he's a conceited brat, and he's left a trail of victims. Innocents!! Just... let's just not talk to the Prince again."

"Emperor," Lotor corrects at that, quietly.

[sordiddetails]

"You mean you're following the notes of the woman possessing people and injuring them for her own benefit." Aletayria sighs.. no wonder he was doing the same. "The one we just drove away."

"Except you are killing the entities that inhabit that space when you get there, and killing people now to make something to get there and kill them. That's the behavior of ruthless conqueror."

The whole situation is starting to give the Antheans a headache; metaphorically and literally. Lotor's correction to Emperor gets an eye roll from Tommy who interjects just as quietly. "Asshole."

Aletayria had never heard him use a human swear and looks curious.

[neverseenhimbefore]

"Honerva's old notes. Not the witch's!"

Some irritation, old grief, confusion, and stubborn denial get through mental barrier unstopped. His marks glow - energy surge, inward - and then vanish.

Hiroki does not comment.

[sordiddetails]

"Fine." Aletayria snaps. "It doesn't matter if you believe Honerva and the witch are the same. The truth is, you're both working from the same notes. Only a fool would expect different outcomes."

Tommy is watching and shrugs nonchalantly. "You're infested with the same things she uses to possess and injure people."

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor's thinking now. So intently that some thoughts get through. Perhaps he doesn't even mind.

Where'd it come from? Perhaps, when Allura and I were in the Rift, in the Quintessence Field, an entity could've latched onto me. That'd make sense. However, it didn't possess me. Because of my mental strength?

He's silent, for now.

Hiroki, meanwhile, is busy checking on Ziggy and isn't listening or watching Lotor anymore. Lotor doesn't matter, right now.

[sordiddetails]

Aletayria and Tommy can both hear him clearly. It is Tommy that speaks up.

"Hiroki didn't know he was possessed. You probably wouldn't know either."

Aletayria also has something to say on this matter. "It came to your defense like hers, which means you are more like the witch than not. The two entities felt nearly identical."

Meanwhile in the real world, Tom has come into the library and completely ignores Lotor. Instead he joins Hiroki and frowns. "His ribs are broken. What happened?"

Then he freezes to stare at Hiroki's arm. How the hell did that grow back?

[somekindofspaceuncle]

"It all happened in Quintessence. I mean, inside. In spirit. Zi---Ziggy defended me. Saved me. Saved me from Dark Entities that Honerva left behind. I... I couldn't--- It's all my fault," Hiroki utters, with difficulty, in reply to Tom's question.

He's clearly exhausted, and his breathing's laboured, though it'd be hard to say why, exactly.

"I-- I should've protected Ziggy, instead. But... but Ziggy d-didn't let me when I--- when I tried. Why...?"

"I-- I love Ziggy... I wish Ziggy didn't love me---! then Ziggy'd just... would be safer... and happier..."

And yes, Hiroki has two arms now. Two flesh arms at that. He hasn't really noticed that, really, either, even though he's using them both now to check on Ziggy.

Lotor meanwhile looks offended. Very much so.