It was a day and a half after Thor's fight with the Champion, that Lotor saw Loki. He appeared out of thin air in front of with Lotor a small smile on his face and wearing clothing that made him blend in more with the servants and people of this world. There was also the fact that Loki had somehow kept his hair from being chopped off.
All Lotor did was roll his eyes at the display, unimpressed by all of it.
"Should I give you any gratitude for even appearing after what you did to me in that fight or would that be too much?" Lotor asked, venom filling every word. His anger started to boil up once more and he wished once more he could let it loose.
"As much as I would apologize for what happened to you in that fight, as it seems to be an old wound for you, I would rather talk about what to do about Thor's little escape plan." Loki said, taking a step towards where Lotor sat. "Though I may be able to relate to your shifting issue."
With a soft and bitter chuckle, he replied "You don't get to try and talk to me like equals after forcing to me through a painful shift like that. That is only reserved for those who have gained my trust. Now talk about why you think Thor would try to escape after being knocked out like that by the Champion."
For a few moments Loki didn't speak. His head was tilted and his eyes searching Lotor, like he didn't quite understand the commanding tone that came out of the Galra's mouth. Lotor just glared back, wondering if it was Thor was even what the other man wanted to talk about in the first place.
"Thor by nature is stubborn. Something like losing the fight with the Champion wouldn't keep him from trying escape again. Once he's set his mind to something, it will take a lot to convince him out of it." There was a pause and Lotor could see a shudder run a course through Loki's body. "And he'll probably try to convince the Champion to join him in escaping."
"If he manages that then he will have no problem escaping. It still doesn't explain why you came here to talk to me about that."
"You were the only other one that I could trust with information such as this here. Valkyrie would try to use it to either tell the Grandmaster or escape with him. Same with anyone else here." Loki admitted reluctantly. His eyes drifted away from Lotor's face, like he was remembering something else unrelated to the current conversation.
"I want to escape with Thor as well. I have pressing matters other than fighting here that I need to attend to, mostly concerning about taking my father off his throne. Think you could manage that for me?" Lotor said, snapping the other to attention.
"I could as long as you travelled with Thor. Anymore ships getting away from the Grandmaster's docking bay and he'll suspect that it was me, not a fluke like everyone else."
"That's all I need." Lotor said with a sigh. He really needed to get back to the Empire, even if he didn't have anyone to help him to take it over. Maybe he would go to the Blade of Marmora or the Voltron team to help take down Zarkon and somehow convince them that it would better that he was in charge rather than his father.
Silence came between them as Lotor thought that. He didn't noticed the look that Loki had on his face, conflicted whether he should continue the conversation with the gladiator or just leave. For a few moments it stayed like this, with the one deep in thought and the other left floundering.
"You better leave before one of the other gladiators notice the hologram of yourself. It wouldn't bare well for the escape plan that Thor has if he is caught before it even begins." Lotor said, still not looking Loki in the face.
For a few moments Loki just stared at him. The look on his face was conflicted like before, but still he left just as quickly as he came.
It was later that same day that Lotor quickly guided Korg and anyone else that followed the both of them towards the ship hanger. While the Grandmaster wanted to them to search for the Champion, Lotor knew that it was a perfect chance to escape. The chaos that Thor had created along with them being allowed to walk free to get the gladiator gave them everything they needed to escape without the chance of being captured.
As the group left the elevator to find one of the other ships that Thor didn't take with him, Lotor saw what laid on the floor. As Loki shook on the floor with the electrical pulses that the raider's strange machine caused, Lotor wondered if he would need the other's help when he wasn't needed anymore.
It wasn't like they agreed to escape with each other after all.
It must have taken him to long to decide because Korg took a step forward to introduce himself. Lotor signed to himself as he watched his acquaintance trying to talk to the man on the floor, like he was expected to carry on a conversation that way. He looked around the docking area, trying to find the remote that controlled the raider's strange machine.
It only took him a few seconds to see where the control was. Lying on the floor where it was too many feet away from Loki for him to grab it, Lotor quickly picked it up. Walking back to where Korg stood, he crouched next to Loki and held the controller close to himself.
"Now I know we didn't agree to escape with each other, but it seems my friend Korg here wants you to join us," He said, tilting his head a bit. He could felt the end of his hair brushing against the nape of his neck and for a moment felt himself longing for his longer hair. "That would require the both of us not trying anything to sabotage each other to do so. So do we have a deal?"
The seconds dragged out as Loki took his time to decide whether teaming up with Lotor and the small group of gladiators would be beneficial. Lotor moved the controller away from his body and started to play with it above the other man, trying to make that decision making move faster.
There was limited time with the Grandmaster wanting to have his champion back and all.
Then there was a nod that took everything Loki had to do and Lotor smirked. Pressing a button on the controller, the electrical shocks stopped and Loki looked extremely relieved that it had.
"I do hope that we're following Thor since he's the one to cause this mess." Loki said simply, gesturing to his body. All Lotor did was roll his eyes.
"I suppose so. Overthrowing my father can wait for a few more months since I need more than just me going up against him." Lotor said, walking towards the surrounding ships. They needed to leave if they wanted to escape the Grandmaster and catch up with Thor quickly.
"Well since he left with only his two other companions to fight my sister, Hela, it would fare well for the both of us he did. He may help you with taking down your father." Came Loki's reply.
Lotor stopped short at that. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the carefully blank face. It made him grind his teeth, slightly annoyed at the other man for trying to think ahead when they had a truce about it. "As much as I would love your brother's help, I would rather ask him than you telling me that he will. I don't make deals with those who try to speak up for everyone."
He watched for Loki's face, seeing the subtle signs of being caught. Lotor might be manipulative in his own right when it comes to the Galra army and soldiers, but he was more upfront with the regular citizens of the world that the Galra had taken over. It felt like the least he could do after the misery that his father caused for his galactic take over.
That's when Korg spoke up, breaking the eye contact that the two had. "Well let's go start a revolution. Lotor you have any idea which ship we could use?"
"I do. Follow me." Loki said curtly.
The small group of gladiators followed the man, wanting to escape as badly as Lotor did. It didn't take long to locate the ship and for them to get it fly. Lotor watched as the group settled into the ship, talking quietly with each other. Loki stood beside Korg who was piloting the ship. Smoothly they left the hanger and quickly as they could moved towards one of the portals in the sky.
For a few minutes, everything was fine. Lotor kept any eye on Loki as the man directed Korg where to go. Still something in his gut was telling him that that something would happen to them, despite escaping from the Grandmaster's clutches easily.
It didn't take the Grandmaster a long time to notice that one of his other ships had left. Several ships surrounded them and he could see Loki tense up slightly at this. With a sigh, he got up and walked to the pilot's area.
"If you let me pilot this and have one or two of the gladiators use the weapons that are equipped to this ship, we'll get out of here fine." He spoke up. He noted of the small jump that Loki did and made sure not to say anything about here or in the future.
"I could get someone to join me to do that." Korg said quickly, getting up from his seat.
Swiftly Lotor sat down and took the controls into his hands. The familiarity of piloting a ship washed over him and all he could do was smile as he pushed the craft to go faster. All he did after that was focus on dodging other ships and giving the gladiators to shoot down any that pursued them.
He didn't notice the look of surprise on Loki's face at how skilled he was at piloting nor the begrudged respect that the other suddenly had. All he did was speed towards the portal that Loki was directing him towards.
"Once you get past these ships, you'll make your way up to the Devil's Anus." Loki yelled over the excited shouts of the gladiators behind them.
In that moment Lotor gave a laugh at the absurd name. "What a rather unfortunate name for such a powerful portal. I don't think any of druids would approve of it."
They rushed past another group of ships, watching as they fell down due to the accuracy of the few gladiators aim. For a beat or two, Lotor felt pride in how he took command. Perhaps he could lead an army of rebels against his father once he was through with this adventure.
Someone needed to command the rebels much better than what Voltron was doing these past few months after all.
Another few minutes of this and then the ship went upwards to the portal that they needed pass through. Lotor concentrated on making sure the ship would be able to pass through, not wanting to cause anyone's death unless it was necessary. Beside him Loki just stared at the size of it, the look of unrestrained awe donning his face.
"Get ready for some more forced sleep. Passing through portals like this one requires that." Lotor said, letting go of the controls. They were close enough that him piloting wasn't needed anymore. The ship drifted into the portal at the same speed.
The last thing he could remember consciously was the loud laughter and shouting of the gladiators. Then darkness swept over his mind and forced him into a deep sleep.
Waking up from the passage through the Devil's Anus portal was something he never wanted experience again. A light layer of frost covered his body and the controls in front of him. Moving his body up from the control panel, Lotor could feel and hear the frost cracking as he did this. With a sigh, he forced himself to see what the rest of the ship and crew looked like.
Frost covered everything in sight and Lotor groaned at how the cold was starting to seep into his body. Turning himself back into the chair he looked over at Loki to see if the man was alright and saw something that surprised him. His skin was a dark blue colour that covered every inch of visible skin and was free of any of the frost that the rest of the ship was covered in.
Lotor could also see horns coming out of the forehead, covered in the same blue and he moved closer, wondering if this was another of Loki's trick or that the man could shift just like him. As he moved closer he could see that the skin wasn't just one solid colour of dark blue. There was patterns that looked like they were engraved into skin and looked to be a shade or two lighter.
They must have some type of meaning for where Loki had come from, seeing as there wouldn't be much reason for someone to that to themselves. Not unless it part of a culture or maybe even something that happened naturally from whatever species that Loki came from.
Lotor wouldn't know unless he asked Loki himself or the man told it by his own account.
Leaning back into his seat, Lotor noticed out the window that the ship slowly moved towards something. Pressing a few buttons on the control panel, he managed to turn on the heating system that the ship had and waited for the cold that had managed to seep into his body to go away. For the next few minutes, he watched out the window to see if he would have to press the ship to go faster.
Then he heard a startled gasp next to him. Lotor didn't say anything as he watched Loki wake up and try to calm down from whatever happened in the dream he was in. He didn't know how long it stayed like that, waiting for whatever Loki would say to him after he had calmed himself.
"I'm guessing that being forced to sleep like that isn't pleasant. Especially looking like that." Lotor commented quietly. Loki glanced down at his body, seeing the blue skin that had taken over in his sleep. Then he looked in his direction, likely wondering why Lotor would be willing be the one to start a conversation with him.
"I haven't been able to get good sleep in a long time. Ever since you told your generals to sell me to Thanos." He said bitterly to Lotor. Still the look on his face didn't change.
"I'm sorry that they did that to you. But I guarantee that it wasn't me who ordered them to do it." Lotor said. It was beyond obvious who had told them to do that since the incident with Narti happened weeks ago. If he didn't despise Hagger before then he definitely did now with both Narti and Loki being prime examples.
"Then who other than their leader would order them around? It seems like all the evidence points to you no matter how I or others look at it." Loki spat at him. There was furious look growing in the man's eyes, likely to attack him if he didn't stop talk about the given subject.
"I know how it looks. But I wouldn't have ordered them to do something like that. If it's possible to hate someone more than my father, then Thanos would be that person," Lotor explained calmly. "No this was the work of Hagger, my father's adviser to create an enemy to fight against me someday. That's her way of doing things and I despise it."
Loki studied him, taking his time to detect any form of lying. "I'm hesitant to believe you after everything, but for now I'll take your word that you possibly didn't sold me off to Thanos."
"I'm also sorry that you had to experience whatever Thanos has done." Was all Lotor could offer as comfort. The few times that he was forced to met that cruel man have left him feeling disgusted. As much as he hated how Zarkon ruled, at least he didn't make it a personal goal to torture every victim that came across him like Thanos has done.
They went silent for a few minutes. He watched as Loki quickly changed his appearance from one form to another. It peaked his interest that there was more than one specie of alien that could shift like that. Maybe he could get a lesson or two from the other man. Even if it's been years since he's felt the desire to shift between the two forms, it would come in handle for battle situations.
He checked outside the window to see that they were creeping closer to their destination.
"Are you really a prince for an empire?" Loki asked, breaking the silence. He looking unsure of himself as he asked that question.
"Didn't think it would take you this long to ask me that." Came Lotor's answer, trying to keep a smile from spreading across his face. "Being the Grandmaster's pet and all."
"He only mentioned to me once that you were the Prince Lotor of the Galra Empire and then went on to other topics like it was no big deal. With that information along with the signs that you left in the Arena made me wait this long to ask that question." Loki said with an annoyed huff.
"Oh that's all? Maybe I should have done a few more signs to have kept you from asking for my help to escape and that question." He teased.
"I probably would have asked you for your help regardless if you had sent more of those cryptic signs or not." Loki said with same slightly annoyed tone. Still he could see that there was a small smile on the other's face.
"Well that's the spirit," Lotor said letting himself smile widely."I am the prince of the Galra Empire that the Grandmaster has told you about. Currently trying to take down its current leader which would be Zarkon, my father. I believe that the empire as a whole needs a better leader than him. The citizens need someone who can rule them with trust, not fear."
"Admirable to say the least. If you can get Thor on your side, he would help you take your father down." Loki said.
"He is an amazing warrior from what I've seen. It would be an honor to fight beside him." He said with admiration in his voice. The many ways he could use the blond man in battle was too tempting to not ask the other to join.
"Not the only one." He heard Loki mutter to himself.
His smile grew a bit at that. "And of course you would be beside me. I need someone who understands my crafty plans I would use in battle after all."
The sounds of the gladiators waking up reached their ears. Lotor quickly shifted his focus from Loki to the window of the ship. They were close enough to their destination for the gladiators to start getting ready. Lotor doubt that there would be any kind of plan that would prepare him for going up against Loki's sister.
If she was anything like the man sitting next to him, then they were in a heap of trouble.
"Everyone get ready! We join the battle against Hela soon and I don't need to look after everyone!" Lotor ordered, steering the ship towards the place where Loki grew up. It looked amazing from a distance, beating anything that his father had tried to build with his empire.
Then he saw the state of the bridge where there was a mass crowd. Suddenly he wondered if there was enough gladiators take down Hela.
Sorry if it took a while to been busy for these past few months with school and writing. But the next chapter will be up quicker, I promise that!
Hopefully it's an enjoyable chapter for you! :D