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

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor winces, but only barely.

He thinks, as loud as one can think,

Is she, now? I should've known. Once a puppet, always a puppet. There's but one way, then. The clone needs to die. I can distract it, if you want to do it.

He then turns to Hiroki,

"So, what about that plan?" he asks.

[ginger_firebird]

Mantis goes stiff and slowly takes in a deep breath. The next string of thought he can muster to share with Lotor starts with a very solid air of confusion followed by a vague string of Russian swears. He shakes his head and goes harder into talking through the telepathy.

Even if you could kill someone here, why the hell is that your first solution? You can shield your mind and yet you can’t eject a telepath? She can’t hurt us here either.

He pulls back with a bit more finality that time and fixes his gaze on Hiroki. “Do you really think I can’t hear you in his head? Get. Out.”

Unlike with Lotor, Mantis is borders on vicious in how he attacks the mental shield the witch put up. There is no patience, no warning, just pure telepathic force.

[neverseenhimbefore]

The witch's haunted me my whole life, Lotor replies, in mind. She's used even a friend of mine for a puppet. Why'd I show mercy to somebody like Shiro's clone, who's only pretended to be Shiro, that is, a paladin who'd be my ally against the witch?

The clone, mewanwhile, turns to look at Mantis.

"What's wrong, Mantis?" he asks.

Inside his mind, there's radio silence, one could say.

[ginger_firebird]

He's not an 'it'. You may be against the witch, but you're not much better than her if you can't see when a human being is sitting in front of you. Mantis shakes his head.

He's stunned by the silence, having expected noise other than a void. His eyes narrow and he tries pressing in deeper. She has to be in there, else he would be hearing Hiroki's thoughts. "She's using you as a conduit, Hiroki. How many people do you control like this? I knew a man like you, years ago, who went out of his way to use everyone around him because he was too afraid to fight on his own. You're as much of a coward as he was."

1/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

If Mantis goes deep enough, he can hear, in mind, a whisper from real Hiroki.

Mantis? Is it you? Leave, please. I've made a deal with the witch. She wanted Ziggy, so... I've... offered mysel--

2/2 meanwhile outside

[neverseenhimbefore]

"A coward?" Lotor asks. "You know nothing. I am no coward! And if a puppet is a puppet again, then maybe that's all it's ever been."

"If the witch possessed this thing", Lotor says, pointing at the clone, "again and again... why, surely it has no will of its own. Otherwise it could just commit a suicide, in order not to have her inside. But no. Clearly it doesn't mind HER presence. AKA... IT is a coward!"

Lotor says, sounding utterly certain, now.

[ginger_firebird]

To what degree it will work, Mantis does not presently care, but he's going to roll his eyes and his soul before shoving Lotor back where he sits, chair and all. When you have his degree of psychic strength, toppling someone that small is simple, and it opens the floor for Mantis to crouch properly in front of Hiroki and work his own kind of magic.

Still in Hiroki's mind, he's trying to get a grip on the faded presence of Hiroki's mind. There's got to be some leverage he can use now that he's gotten this deep. Some kind of leverage that will put him on top over what Honerva can do... He takes a deep breath physically and does a sort of psychic equivalent of grabbing someone by the shoulders and pulling with a great deal of strength.

Don't give in. Fight her back and follow my lead. Once you're free, I can chase her out.

[neverseenhimbefore]

Lotor reacts quickly, after the push, or even during it, rushing at Mantis, fast, but then he hesitates and doesn't try to strike, not sure whether Mantis is an enemy or just an extremely impolite ally.

So he stops and looks at Mantis carefully, warily.

What do you want? a thought, of Lotor's, gets through Lotor's mind barrier. Because he's almost ready to ask that outloud, but not quite, yet.

Meanwhile, deep inside Hiroki's mind resists Mantis's grabbing.

No, he answers, I'm sorry, Mantis, I can't. If she doesn't have me, she'll take Ziggy. She said she will. So I can't. Go away. You'll just ruin everything!

[ginger_firebird]

I want to stop people like Honerva. Mantis mentally glances back over his shoulder, sending a fair amount of bile with the thought towards Lotor. He doesn't have patience anymore for the purple-skinned man. Maybe if you paid attention, you'd learn how to use your powers for something other than conversation. Help me or leave me alone, but make a real choice.

Mantis sighs and shakes his head in the real world. He sinks his grip on Hiroki's mind and pulls harder, his fingers flexing as he attempts to add greater strength into freeing the man in front of him.

And you. You're being an idiot. Giving in to her needs doesn't make anything better. You're only going to make it easier for her to win over someone else who would be weak to your face. Even if you can't win, make her earn the victory. A snake with it's head cut off can still bite. Now shut up and let me help you. Don't you dare underestimate me!

[somekindofspaceuncle]

"If you want to stop Haggar," Lotor says, "my father's witch, I'll gladly help. What can I do? Tell me, Mantis, and I'll do it."

The Prince sheathes his sword and listens, carefully now.

Meanwhile, deep inside mind, almost in spirit, now, Hiroki tells Mantis, Okay. Okay. Fine. Mantis, please, help me. But first, if you CAN help, you must promise me that you'll help defend Ziggy Stardust. Promise me!

Then, something dark appears, there, deep inside, and tries to lodge itself between Hiroki and Mantis. It feels a bit like Honerva's presence feels, but not quite the same.

[ginger_firebird]

"Stop complaining and help me." Really, Lotor, it's not that hard being a decent person. There's got to be some stupid reason for his hesitation, but Mantis isn't about to dig around enough to find out why the young man doesn't seem capable of doing anything.

I'll defend anyone you want me to, now try to take hold of my hands. She's strong, but she isn't a professional like I am." He envisions elephants raging. Bears and tigers ripping into things. The greatest forces of nature will tear into that added presence as he tries to get Hiroki free of it's grasp. And you. Remember my face and my name. I am Psycho Mantis and if I ever get my hands on you, your head will be mounted on a pike.

1/2

[neverseenhimbefore]

"It seems to me you're Haggar's enemy. Therefore I'll help," the Prince says.

"However, I'm not a trained Altean Alchemist. Could you tell what could I do? I wish to help."

2/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

Meanwhile, inside Shiro's clone's mind, a strange dark creature Mantis encountered avoids elephants and tigers swiftly, then pushes Hiroki's mind away as he would surely only interfere, and then the dark creature, which looks like a wisp of darkness, suddenly changes its form.

It shifts, and all of a sudden, it looks and sounds just like Liquid Snake, and says,

He doesn't need you here. You know that.

[ginger_firebird]

"You know her. Think of something or someone she values more than anything else. Be as vivid in your mental image as you can. Especially useful if it's a person. I can turn it against her And what is this darkness in Hiroki's head? It's similar to the witch, but it's not her."

Seeing the image of Liquid presented before him, Mantis feels his anger bubble up in a dangerous way. He brings forth the image of a giant snake to coil around the imposter illusion and squeeze it thoroughly.

Nyoka ya Mpembe would be on my side. Leave or die. I can create just as easily as you.

He takes in a deep breath, and the image of the coiled snake grows larger, more consuming. If he pushes a little harder, he can break whatever that shadow is.

1/2

[neverseenhimbefore]

"The only I can think of is Emperor Zarkon. My father. She clinged to him and him her puppet."

"I can picture him if that'd help."

2/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

In mind, meanwhile... The image of Liquid Snake dissipitates. The darkness is squashed, but apparently, it's multiplied before. There are several dark creatures around now, though they are some unformed dark swirly shapes for now, and clearly look they might retreat, for now.

In mind, Hiroki's nowhere to be seen, he must've been pushed deeper down.

[ginger_firebird]

"Give me his face. Every detail you can imagine will help."

Deep in the dark, Mantis feels desperation spark up, but it doesn't make him want to quit. He's almost there. Nothing will hurt him here. After another physical intake of breath, he conjures a new image: a massive whale made of fire rising and swimming around him. It's maw opens and aims for the creatures with the intention to swallow and destroy him. Maybe if he creates a light, Hiroki himself can find the way out.

"Come to the light. Find your courage and come back towards me."

1/2

[somekindofspaceuncle]

The mindspace. Hiroki appears, closer to Mantis now. It's really him. He wants - he wants to exist, he does, after all, he does--!! He thought it's fine if he doesn't, but he was lying to himself, he was, for Ziggy, but now--

The creatures meanwhile attack the whale.

Hiroki, meanwhile, turns to Mantis, with desperation and hope, and also, he pictures Ziggy, sends the image straight to Mantis so that there's no interception.

I thought it's fine, because I don't want to put him in danger, even if he wouldn't mind being in danger for me, but I-- I want to see him again! I want to see her again! One more time, please-- what I wouldn't give---!! Hiroki practically shouts in his mind.

And then he has to dodge when a Dark Entity attacks him.

2/2

[neverseenhimbefore]

And that's not the only thing Mantis gets now, because meanwhile, as per request, as Lotor decides to cooperate, if it's against the Witch, a memory with Zarkon in it flashes in Lotor's mind, for Mantis to see,

and Lotor tries to shield it, but at the same time, maybe some part of him tries not to, so with it, Mantis might also feel Lotor's pain of being deemed unworthy of acknowledgement by his own father, for many, many years, though consciously, Lotor does not plan for Mantis to feel it. It's not a part of a plan. Right now, consciously, Lotor just wants Mantis's help with defeating all that comes from Haggar.

I am pretty certain he's the only one the witch wants to see.

[ginger_firebird]

Mantis sends forth a second image, this time of a little boy with red hair and a gas mask not unlike the one Mantis wears. He holds a hand out to the dark entity trying to attack Hiroki and the being is quickly covered in flames. The gas mask boy pulls on Hiroki's shirt and pulls him closer towards Mantis.

The image surprises him, but not in a particularly shocking way. Sins of the father, troubles of the son. Of course it's a big familial drama. He's rapidly approaching the limit of what he can manage all at once, but the whale of fire dissipates and is replaced with a new image: several of the man Lotor recalled create a ring between Mantis and Hiroki and the entities.

"Hiroki, come here. Now. Don't leave my side. I know what's going on now. Haggar and Zarkon were married. Lotor is their son. They're all connected."

[somekindofspaceuncle]

I know, Hiroki, yes, real Hiroki, thinks, I know all that very well, since long ago. So what? You're not helping, Mantis. I love Voltron and I love Ziggy. Both as much. Nothing else matters to me. I know I'll stop existing, very soon. So, go away. Now.

[ginger_firebird]

Use it against her. A garbage mother with a son who took after everything she did wrong. The flame versions of Liquid condense into as accurate of an image of the man Lotor had shown him as possible. Mantis stands up in the mental space of Hiroki's head and grabs Hiroki as hard as he can by the shoulders. You keep giving up, so why are you standing here before me? Why do you know so much about your enemy? You want to live and you want to win, so own that. Show me how much you hate the witch. I can take that anger and make it a new strength.