"You know the drill, let's make this quick, get in, get out." Lotor said. They sat in the Subaru, windows tinted, watching the house. 

"I'll have the car ready." Ezor said.

"Zethrid?" Lotor glanced at her. She held up the sedative and needle, a peice of cloth wrapped around her wrist.

Lotor smirked. "Peice of cake." He got out the car. "Wait for my signal Zethrid." He said before jogging to the back of the house.

He carefully broke into the house with his crowbar, the door sliding open, with a slight creak. After quickly looking around, he stepped inside the house. 

He gave Zethrid a quick thumbs up through the window before he saw her walking towards the house.

Lotor made his way up the steps, knowing Keith would most likely be with that human boy. Any smart siren would hide with a human knowing someone was after them. 

And, God had he messed up badly, being seen plain as day, and not catching Keith. 

But Lotor had a feeling they weren't expecting him. 

He made it to the bedroom door, soft snores echoing through the hall as Zethrid slowly came up beside him.

"Ready when you are, boss." 

Lotor nodded, before placing a finger to his lips and slowly turning the knob. The door creaked quietly and floorboard moaned as Lotor stepped in, Zethrid right beside him. 

Lance lay peacefully asleep, holding Keith, who was almost cradling him, his head in the crook of Lances neck. 

"Cute." Zethrid chuckled. 

Lotor huffed before creeping over to the bed, moving Lances limbs slowly. It was tedious, and Zethrid held her breath.

When Keith was finally free, he almost woke up. His breathing rate increased like he was startled, and instantly reached for Lances arm in the dark.

Zethrid took her chance, and stuck the needle into his arm. His eyes flew open, and for a split second he seemed terrified, and about to yell, but the sedative worked fast. His eyes drooped, and he fell back. 

Lotor watched to make sure Lance didn't wake up as Zethrid tied the blindfold over Keith's eyes, and she picked him up, slinging him over her shoulder.

Lotor followed her out, as they walked back to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride to the hidden valley was long, nearly an hour, but Lotor knew he needed to be where Lance would never find them. 

And he needed to be near water, so he could show Keith his plan- it would anger him, and only make him more vulnerable. 

He'd show him the past, with his mothers help, through unknown eyes, and Keith would see, why he had no hope, and no option but to give up his purpose.

Lotor had given Haggar the coordinates for the lake a mile from the valley when he told her his success. 

He left out his first attempt.

Now, driving through the backroads, Keith sleeping peacefully in the back, Lotor felt like he had finally fulfilled his destiny.

But it wasn't over.

"Here." Ezor said unbuckling her seat belt. 

The three of them got out of the car, before dragging Keith across the valley.

As timed, he woke up only 5 minutes in.

He looked around frantically, his eyes still blindfolded. "Lance? Lance where are you-mph-" his voice muffled as Zethrid placed her hand over his lips. 

He continued to squirm and scream, kicking at her shins, but she stood strong.

"There there Keith, all will be revealed soon." Lotor smiled, patting Keith on the head. "Hit him with the second dose." He said carelessly before continuing towards the lake.

Ezor stuck the needle into Keith's arm, the sedative lasting less time than the previous, and she whispered a guilty 'sorry' as she passed by. 

Keith went limp in Zethrids arms.

Finally, they arrived at the lake. 

Lotor glared at Zethrid and Ezor, signaling them to turn around, before he stripped himself and dove into the warm water.

He immediately changed, and swam deeper and deeper until he hit the bottom of  the lake. He glanced around for his mothers illuminesct before he saw it, on the other side of the lake.

He pulsed his illuminesct as if signaling her forward, and she came. 

"Lotor, where is he?" Haggar said, cutting straight to the chase. 

"Good day to you too Mother." Lotor growled. "He is on the shore. Come." 

Haggar followed him up to the surface, and Ezor jumped back at seeing Haggars scraggly hair and cracked face.

"There." Lotor pointed to Keith's limp body in Zethrids arm. "Bring him to me." 

Just as Keith's legs reached the body, he woke up with a jerk, Lotor immediately submerging him. 

He began to kick and scream as he transformerd, his illuminest pulsing red and his tail splitting awkwardly. 

"What is wrong with him?" Haggar asked bluntly as she and Lotor watched Keith.

"Doesn't matter, as long as he obeys." Lotor said. "And he will." 

Finally, Keith was a siren, his face full of pain, and he was shivering. He spotted Haggar and Lotor. 

"Who are you??" Keith demanded.

"I, am Lotor, I'm sure you've heard. And this is my mother Haggar." 

"What do you want from me? I saw you at the house. Leave me alone, I'm useless for whatever plan you have." Keith said, swimming backwards. He noticed the irregular lake water.

"Where are we?" 

"You continue to ask irrelevant questions." Haggar clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Pay attention." 

Keith stopped swimming and watched, his eyes wide, as Haggar began to swirl the water, her arms moving in intricate patterns, and the water turned different shades of purple, and brown. 

"Wh-what's happening?"  Keith asked, curiosity blooming on his face.

Lotor smirked. "You'll see." 

Finally the image appeared in the water pool, cracked and distorted. Haggar moved again, creating a clearer form.

"Watch." She commanded.

 The three of them leaned over the water, and watched the show.

~~~~~~~~~~

A dirty cave, seaweed dripping from the ceiling, three figures in the shadows.

Clearer view- Zarkons strong build standing next to two young sirens, one with dark black hair, and patient brown eyes, his arms looped around a female sirens waist, her eyes a deep violet and her tail a bloody red.

"What is this? You said you'd show us a better way."  The female said, her voice slightly alarmed.

"And I will." Zarkon said, smiling. He turned to the deep black of the cave. "Haggar!" He called.

Haggars deep yellow eyes pierced the darkness, and her tail followed. "I'm ready." She said, her voice hollow.

Lotor gripped his mothers arm as he watched, Haggar breathing slowly, her eyes darting frantically.

Haggar did her magic, swirling the water, this time yellow and blue, the color leaking through the murky water.

The couple watched as Zarkon tapped his fingers against the water lightly, creating a surface that was a dark purple, adding murky distortions to the bright colors. The couple watched, and their eyes began to gloss over, turn dark.

The image finally came, clear as day, showing a boy.

Keith.

He stood in a meadow of bright flowers, a small smile on his face, a shadow beside him. It was innocent enough until-

Dark matter began to excrete from his sides, and it spread, taking over the sky.

The image showed sirens in the water, watching the dark matter leak into their water, sirens dying instantly.

The couple screeched, "What does this mean? Who is this human?"

Zarkon sighed. "That is your son, my wife and I have found out he will be born with the most powerful purpose of all, and will use it to take over our world."

The female glanced at Zarkon, confused. "He will turn human?"

"Clearly." Haggar said.

"But I could never- I could never create such a monster." She stuttered.

"But we could, look at what happened."  The male siren said, his eyes completely black. He let go of his wife. 

She looked at him in alarm, before her eyes turned completely dark, and she sighed. "How can we stop this Zarkon?" 

Zarkon twiddled his thumbs. "It's sad, the only option..."

The male swam forward. "Anything to save our world." 

Zarkon nodded, hiding his smile. The glint in his eye was a flame. 

"You must give me your powers." 

~~~~~~~~~~

"What?" Keith asked, as Haggars vision dissolved, the water turning the regular gray, and spreading. 

"That couple? Those were your parents Keith, they are the two sirens that died 8 months later, when my father was arrested for murder." Lotor said calmly. 

Keith's eyes flashed, and his cheeks lost color. "What-no, that's impossible." 

Haggar chuckled. "Is it? You saw that was you, you saw the vision." 

"Your visions are wrong, clearly Zarkon did something to that vision you showed my parents, if those were even my parents." Keith's eyes were turning dark with anger. "This could all be a lie!"

"It could." Lotor said. "But we can explain."

"My husband had the purpose of pass-on, yes, but he also had the purpose of deception. He could deceive anyone, or anything he set his mind to. That is what he did to your parents." Haggar explained. 

"So that vision of me, in the meadow, is true?" Haggar nodded as Keith felt his brain splitting.

"And those are my parents?" Once again, Haggar nodded.

"Then your father killed them, they were innocent. Why??" Keith spun at Lotor.

Lotor pushed him away, "My father was a visionary, he knew what he needed to do. My mother saw a vision of you and your purpose- the most powerful purpose of siren history, and that wasn't a lie, or source of deception. But my father knew he needed it, so he did what it took." 

"Your mother was one month pregnant when she gave up her purpose-"

"You mean when it was stolen. Zarkon lied to them." Keith spat.

Haggar rolled her eyes, warily. "Whatever you say, either way, when sirens die, 9 months after their purpose is taken, your parents did the same, and you were a month old." 

"Zarkon made you vulnerable, so he could find you and take you in, simple." Lotor added.

"But he didn't clear his tracks, the murder led back to him." Haggar said in distaste, "The Council and siren world alike were in complete shock, when he was arrested."

"We were banished, and had to live with that." Lotor sighed. "But I knew what I had to do- I needed to avenge my father, and continue his plan." 

Keith felt the tears in his eyes as it all sunk in. "Do you see why you have no choice but to give us your purpose?" 

"I have other choices." Keith spoke quietly. 

"But you don't, Lotor could take it with your consent or without, either way you will die." Haggar shrugged.

"And you will be arrested."

"I'm not my father." Lotor growled. "I won't make the same mistake."

"Now give us the purpose."

"I can't." Keith said, eyes searching.

"And why is that?"

"Your vision must've been wrong somewhere Haggar, because I missed my monsoon year, I still haven't manifested." 

Haggars eyes seemed to pierce his skull with anger, and Lotor's jaw dropped.

"Mother, what is he talking about?" 

Haggar shook her head. "My visions don't give exact times, I always assume they're accurate time wise but-" 

"Are you kidding me? I did all this and you never told me there was a chance it could be inaccurate??"

"Lotor." Keith said.

Lotor turned to him. "What?" 

"Why are you really doing this?"

"I said to avenge my father."

"But are you proud of him? He left you and your mother to rot, not a care in the world how his actions affected you. You want to fight for that?"

Lotor didn't speak, his eyes still a bright yellow, but Keith knew a sad face when he saw one.

"There are other things you could do- like ask for forgiveness of the sirens, go back to a normal life."

"We can't have that, it's been too long, no one would ever accept us again." Haggar said.

"We could try." Lotor said, looking down at his tail.

"Exactly, but instead you are slowly going down the same path as your father." 

Lotor and Haggar didn't speak, but instead glanced at each other. 

"So you really haven't manifested yet?" Lotor asked.

"He hasn't, I would've sensed it by now." Haggar said.

Lotor sighed, before looking to the surface. "Father, I hope you're watching." He said before looking back at Keith.

"Go." 

"Go where?"

"Anywhere."

Keith didn't need to be told twice, he swam away, far, out of the lake and through the deep rivers to the ocean. He swam back to Florida. 

He knew he was close to home, but his journey wasn't done.