The pillar which Lance, Blue, and Pidge were trapped in, ended up crashing into one of the hills covered in snow. The pillar rolled down towards the cliff edge but stopped before it reached the edge. Lance, Blue, and Pidge had all been thrown out the window when the pillar crashed down.
Lance pulled himself to his knees, the wind blew harshly around him, his vest doing little to protect him from the cold.
"Blue?" he asked softly, his voice being covered by the harsh blowing wind. Lance grew worried and trudged his way to the cliff edge, he leaned over and panic fled through him, what if Blue had fallen over the edge? "Blue!" he yelled over the wind. The sound of teeth shivering behind him made Lance turn around. He caught sight of a shivering snow pile and immediately ran over, he reached into the pile and started digging.
"This is all my fault," Lance said with a shiver. "I should have just told the truth from the very beginning," Lance eventually reached Blue and pulled the freezing lion cub out of the snow and into his arms.
"Blue! Are you okay?" Blue nodded softly and hid her face in Lance's vest. "Don't worry, I'll find us a way out of here, somehow." Lance stood up and glanced around. "I have to get back," Lance said shivering in the cold. "Where's Pidge?" Lance took a step and a crunch beneath him made him stop. Lance lifted his foot and found frozen Pidge in her carpet form.
"Pidge!" Lance went to help her up but found she was stuck beneath the fallen pillar. Lance began to pull her to try and free his trapped friend. Seeing that the idea wasn't working, Lance and Blue began to try and dig her out.
However, by then digging the pillar slowly began to roll down. Lance grabbed Blue by her tail and started running towards the edge. Lance turned around and his and Blue's eyes widened. Lance saw the window and moved a few feet forwards, hoping he timed it right, Lance pulled Blue close and kneeled down. The pillar rolled right over them, the window just big enough the save them from being crushed. The pillar rolled down the cliff's edge and fell down. Lance stood up.
"Yeah! All right!" Blue nodded and jumped off his shoulder. Lance turned back to Pidge as she was shaking the snow off her.
"Now, back to Altea! Hurry!" Lance and Blue climbed on top of Pidge and she sped back towards Altea, hopefully they would get there in time.
Meanwhile back at the palace, huge piles of assorted jewels littered the floors of the throne room. Lotor sat on the throne with Hunk sitting sadly on the steps leading up to the throne. Lightning outside flashed, only adding to Lotor's villain element. The lamp sitting on the arm of the throne, far out of anyone's reach.
Coran was chained to the wall beside the throne, changed into a loose grey shirt, black pants, dark brown shoes, and brown shoes. Shiro had been changed into a pair of loose black pants, a dark magenta long-sleeved shirt with loose sleeves, a grey belt, and brown shoes. His wrists and ankles were tied with string which was tied to a rod that held Shiro up like a puppet.
Keith stood beside the throne, golden cuffs with chains around his wrists which were wrapped around Lotor's staff. His Prince garments were replaced with black billowy harem pants, a black vest, black shoes, and a grey belt around his waist. Around his arm was a golden arm band. In his hands, he held a tray of different assorted fruit, all for Lotor to eat at his leisure.
At the moment, Sendak was forcing several of the crackers Shiro would feed him down the King's throat. Keith and Coran watched in horror as Sendak stuffed more crackers in Shiro's mouth, while Lotor laughed at the King's predicament.
"Lotor! Leave him alone!" Keith yelled angrily at the man who sat on his father's throne. Lotor rolled his eyes and waved his hand towards Sendak, Sendak stopped and went to sit on the upper arch of the throne. Lotor pulled his staff closer, which pulled Keith closer by the chains around his wrists. In his hands was an apple.
"It pains me to see you reduced to this, Your Highness," Keith rolled his eyes as Lotor took a bite of the apple. "A fetching royal such as yourself, deserves to be on the arm of the most powerful man, not tied in chains," Lotor tapped his staff and the chains around Keith's wrists disappeared, aside from the cuffs. Keith dropped the apple in surprise as the chains became a gold crown. The crown hovered above Lotor's hand as he leaned in close to the prince.
"What do you say, Your Highness? With you as my prize, I-" as Lotor was speaking, Keith behind his back was picking up the wine glass. Before Lotor could finish his sentence Keith splashed the wine into the man's face.
"I'm not a trophy you get to place on your shelf, so you can forget it!" Lotor pulled back and the crown dropped to the ground. Lotor growled and raised his hand.
"I'll teach you some respect!" Keith found himself hitting the table and falling onto the ground as Lotor backhanded him down. Lotor went to say more, but he stopped and an evil grin formed on his face. "Wait, I have a better idea. Genie," Hunk winced as he turned to face the man.
"Yes?"
"I have my final wish, I wish for Crown Prince Keith to fall desperately in love with me," Keith's eyes widened and he couldn't stop the gasp that tore out of his mouth. With a spell like that, he'd never be able to resist. Hunk stood up and chuckled nervously to Lotor.
"Yeah, about that. There are a few restrictions to rules," Lotor growled and stomped over to the genie.
"I'm sorry, did I ask? You are under my control and therefore you will grant my wish," Keith glanced up seeing movement in one of the upper windows. His eyes widened seeing Lance, Blue, and Pidge sitting on the window sill. Lance and Pidge motioned for him to be quiet as Lotor continued to yell at Hunk. Thoughts ran through the prince's head, he was going to hate himself for this.
"Damn it all to hell," Keith whispered and slowly started to stand up. "Lotor!" Keith called grabbing the two men's attention. Keith chuckled and grabbed the fallen crown on the ground. "I never realized how incredibly handsome you are," Keith placed the crown on his head and gave Lotor a look. Hunk's jaw dropped and the lions in the cages behind Keith gave each a look of pure confusion. Red growled as her cub didn't seem to be acting like himself. Lotor chuckled and walked towards the prince.
"Well, now that's much better," Lotor pushed Hunk's jaw up as Keith walked slowly towards him, making sure the torch light hit him just right. "Now then, why don't you tell me more about myself?" Keith chuckled.
"You're tall, well dressed," as Keith distracted Lotor, the trio in the window climbed down. Hunk, who still trying to figure out what was going on, hadn't noticed yet. He hadn't cast Lotor's love spell wish, so how was the Prince acting like this? Hunk heard Yellow mewl and looked up to see her pointing her paw behind him. He turned and a smile grew on his face seeing Lance and Pidge.
"Lance!" Lance motioned for him to be quiet. Hunk (literally) zipped his mouth shut and flew over to the group. He unzipped his mouth and whispered to Lance "Oh thank god you three are okay," Hunk said gathering the group in a hug.
"Trust me, after where we ended up so are we," Pidge said with a shiver as she remembered the chill of the snowy cliffside.
"But I can't help you, I'm under Lotor's control," Lance smiled.
"Hey, you're talking to a street rate remember?" Lance zipped Hunk's mouth back up. "I'll figure this out."
Hunk stayed behind with Pidge, who was ordered by Lance only to pop in when necessary. Lance and Blue slid down a pile of coins. They hid close to where Lotor and Keith were, but also relatively close to where the lamp was. Lance peaked at Keith and seeing Lotor's back to the lamp he started slowly crawling to the throne. Coran and Shiro noticed, but seeing the situation, they remained quiet.
"And what else? Lotor asked with a sly smile.
"And your hair...is so...long!" Keith ran his hand through Lotor's white hair and with the other motioned for Lance to hurry it up. Keith mentally rolled his eyes, not sure how much longer he could keep this up. There were only so many things you could tell a man about himself before he got bored. As Lance drew closer, Sendak noticed from the pillow he was sitting on and started yelling for Lotor.
"Lot-mmmmmm!" before he could finish, Blue jumped on him and pushed him into the pillow with all four paws, sitting on top of him. Lance had now reached the throne and hid behind the side.
"And what about the street rat? Keith chuckled and drew Loto's face closer.
"What street rat?" he asked innocently. "Didn't you take care of him?"
Lance had almost grasped the lamp but, Sendak, while struggling beneath the cubs paws, had managed to knock over a bowl. Lotor turned around, but before he could see who had caused the crash.
Keith took a deep breath grabbed the sides of his face and drew him into a fast kiss. Lance gasped and a disgusted face grew on his face, the same look grew on everyone else's faces. Even Sendak.
They separated and Lotor smiled.
"That was-" Lotor glanced down into Keith's crown and saw Lance's reflection, once again reaching for the lamp. "You! How many times must I kill you?" Lotor turned around and struck Lance with his magic which threw him into one of the piles of coins and jewels.
Keith gasped and grabbed onto Lotor's staff, intending to pull the staff out of Lotor's hands. However, Lotor overthrew Keith and threw the Prince once more to the ground, his head thumping against the throne. Lance rushed forwards and grabbed onto the staff, he glanced back at Keith as he and Lotor fought for the staff. Keith sat up as he rubbed his head and winced feeling the bump on the back of his head.
"Get the lamp!" Keith turned to Lance and nodded. He then stood up and he ran over to the throne just as Lotor threw Lance to the side. As Keith's hand wrapped around the handle, Lotor struck Keith with his magic. Keith found himself thrown back and Lotor laughed, the lamp flying from his hands."
"I'm afraid your time is up Your Highness!" Lotor was then tackled to the ground by an angry Lance. Keith grunted as he landed on the ground. Not only that but he was now trapped in a large hourglass. Lance glanced up and his and Keith's eyes locked.
"Keith!" Lance yelled out as golden sand began to fall from the top to the bottom, filling the bottom half of the hourglass. Sendak cackled from where he and Blue were on the ground.
"A wonderful shot Lot-" before he could finish, Blue knocked him out with a strong hit from her paw. Lotor once again pushed Lance off as Blue started to run for the lamp.
"Don't toy with me!" Lotor yelled as his magic turned Blue into a toy lion.
"Blue!" Lance yelled.
"I've got it!" Pidge yelled as she changed into her carpet form and was now flying towards the lamp.
"Pidge no!" Lance yelled as Pidge grabbed the lamp in one of her tassels.
"Things are unravelling fast now," Lance rushed for the lamp as Pidge became unravelled in a pile of string and four tassels. Before he could grab the lamp his way was blocked by several sharp swords.
"Get the point?" Keith rolled his eyes despite his predicament, at the bad puns Lotor was making. What was worse, was that the man was laughing at his own jokes to. Lance reached through the swords and tried to grab the lamp. Before he could, Lotor grabbed it first, Lance stood up and pulled one of the swords out of the ground.
"I'm just getting warmed up!" Lotor yelled as he blew fire from his mouth, creating a circle of fire around Lance.
"What's the matter Lotor? You too afraid to face me face to face?" Lance yelled as Lotor was hidden behind the flames.
"You know, you're right," Lotor said as he stepped through the flames, perfectly unharmed. "I think it's time to take matters into my own hands," Lotor smiled as a snake's tongue poked through his now fanged teeth as he soon became a giant purple and white cobra. Lance's eyes widened as the snake continued to grow.
The ring of fire around Lance began to change into the tail of the cobra. Lance was now worried, he had to fight a giant snake, and all he was a small sword.
"Okay, a bit unfair," Lance muttered as Lotor hissed and dove down to bite at him. Lance luckily, jumped out of the way and Lotor moved closer to where he landed, once again trying to bite him.
Lance moved and when Lotor went down a thirds time, Lance struck him with the sword. Lotor cried out in pain. On the sideline Hunk had made several copies of himself dressed in a cheerleaders dress with the letter L in blue on the chest.
"Rickem, rockem, rackem, rake, stick that sword into that snake!" Lotor hissed at the genie and glared.
"Stay out of this!" Hunk pouted and the copies disappeared, he now held a purple flag with the letter L in white, which he waved back a forth.
"Lotor, Lotor, he's our man, if he can't do it, GREAT!" Lotor hissed once more and made a mental note to punish the genie later. Severely.
With Lotor distracted, Lance ran towards Keith, sword in hand. Lotor noticed and when Lance was beside a coin pile, hit it with his tail and knocked several coins on the ground. As a result Lance slipped, the sword falling out of his hand and sliding a few feet away from him.
"Lance!" Keith called out as he seen the sword fall out of Lance's hand. Of course, he couldn't help but worry about him. Lance glanced back, and seeing the sand still falling, he gained an adrenaline rush and jumped onto a large nearby gem.
The gem then slid across the floor and Lance grabbed his sword. Lance ended up sliding towards the balcony, Lotor followed. Lotor crashed through the small opening of the balcony, with Lotor so big he was stuck. Lance jumped down and struck Lotor with the sword, Lotor cried out in pain.
Lance ran back in and ran as fast as he could towards the hourglass, a broken piece of wood in his hands. The sand now up to Keith's neck, with the sand on the bottom of the glass Keith could feel his feet struggling to stay up. Sand wasn't a very sturdy substance to stand on.
"Hang on Keith!" Lance yelled as he raised his arms to strike the glass. But before he could, Lotor grabbed Lance with his coils and lifted him off the ground, raising him up to Lotor.
"You didn't think it would be that easy would you?" Lotor said with a grin. "Defeating the most powerful being in the world?"
"Better try and fail than not try at all," Lance said with a wince as the coils tightened around him.
"You're nothing," Lotor said with a chuckle. "Not without the magic of the genie at your side," Lance struggled and froze as an idea came to him.
"The genie?" Lance glanced back at Hunk who shrugged, he couldn't help Lance as he was bound to Lotor now. "Hunk has more power than you could ever dream to hold!" Lotor glared at the boy. "He gave you your power and he can take it just as easily." Hunk chuckled nervously as he hid behind a pillar.
"Lance, buddy," Hunk said with a grim smile. "Why drag me into this?" Lance ignored him as he continued taunting Lotor.
"As long as he's the genie, you'll only be second best!" Lotor was silent for a moment before realization hit him.
"You do have a point there," Lotor said turning to Hunk. "His power is greater than my own," Lotor made his way over to Hunk, Lance still trapped in his coils.
"Don't mind what Lance said," Hunk said with a shiver as Lotor's coils rubbed around him. "I think he might have taken one too many hits, you are quite strong you know?" Hunk changed one hand into a snake and hit himself in the head.
"Enough!" Lotor said which caused Hunk to flinch. "My third wish, I wish to be an all powerful genie!" Hunk winced as he felt his magic compel him to do Lotor's wish. Lance watched, his eyes looked on in worry as the sand was up to Keith's violet eyes. Hunk sighed.
"As you wish Master," Hunk said before glaring to Lance. "I blame you for what happens next," Hunk hissed to Lance who gave him a look to hurry up. Hunk pointed his finger and struck Lotor with his magic. Lotor gasped as the magic rushed through him.
His snake coils disappeared and Lance fell to the ground. Lotor soon changed from the purple and white snake to a giant purple genie. He grew and grew until he eventually ended up breaking through the roof of the palace. Lance glanced up and saw Keith's raised hands become buried underneath the sand.
Lance grabbed a nearby piece of debris and broke the glass of the hourglass. The golden sand spilled out, as did a nearly unconscious Keith, who coughed the sand out of his lungs. Lance pulled Keith into his arms as strong gusts of wind blew around from Lotor. The Prince weakly opening his eyes and curled into Lance's arms.
"Yes! The power!" As Lotor grew, a dark violet lamp appeared on the ground, Lotor's smoky tail bound to it. Lance held on to Keith as the wind dragged them on the ground.
"Are you crazy!?" Keith yelled over the wind. "What did you do!?"
"Just trust me!" Lance yelled back.
"All the powers of the universe are mine to control!" Lotor yelled as he created magical items, which floated around him. "My power is greater than my mother's magic ever was!" Lance stood up and headed over the lamp, Keith headed to his father and untied him. Together they headed to Coran and unchained him to the wall. The trio held on to the throne as the wind became stronger.
"Not so fast, Lotor!" Lotor glanced down in anger. "You're forgetting a big part of the deal!" Lotor's bubble of pride was now popped as he remembered the boy he was trying to get rid of. "You're a genie now, which means you get the permanent package!" Lance picked up the lamp and Lotor's eyes widened. As if on cue, gold cuffs appeared on Lotor's wrists.
"What?" Lance smiled and held up the lamp.
"Servitude included!" Lotor cried out as he began to shrink down to the lamp.
"No!" Sendak's eyes widened and he started flying, not liking where this was going. However, Lotor grabbed the bird and continued to shrink down into the lamp.
"Phenomenal cosmic powers!" Lance yelled as Lotor and Sendak shrank into the lamp. When the wind died down Lance smiled. "Itty bitty living space."