Disclaimer: Voltron is the property of World Events Productions. The Muppet Mind Mist is the property of the Jim Henson Company. Stop laughing at me.

Hagar jumped as the door to her laboratory slammed shut, shattering the concentration required for her newest project. She spun around to face the offending intruder, one gnarled hand extended like a claw in front of her face.

“What…?”

Her voice lodged in her throat as she caught a glimpse of Lotor’s face. The Crown Prince of Doom was obviously furious. His yellow cat-like eyes were little more than glimmering slits in a face contorted with fury. He strode forward and slammed his fists down on her workbench. The sound echoed ominously from the thick stone walls.

“What?” His voice was strained, his tone absolutely incredulous. “You want to know what?”

Hagar took a step back in surprise. Grabbing for her staff with one hand, she cleared her throat to try to clear her constricted vocal cords. This was ridiculous. She was a witch. No one, and that included this young fool of a boy, talked to her this way.

Lotor hit the bench again, his eyes burning into her with the force of his rage. “My father,” he began in a low intense voice, “has decided to give me one last chance.”

He pushed away from the bench and began to pace with the restlessness of a confined animal. “One last chance. Do you understand me, old woman? Do you know what this means?”

Hagar settled back against the bench, smiling smugly. “It’s about time. You need to get your mind off your pretty princess and back on universal conquest where it belongs.”

“Wrong!” Lotor stopped pacing and leveled a finger at her throat. “It means Allura is going to be mine. You are going to help me.”

“Oh?” Hagar cackled softly as her cat, Koba, brushed affectionately against the hem of her long robe. She reached down to rub his head, keeping one eye on Lotor. “Why would I want to do that?”

Lotor smiled coldly. “If I go down, I’m taking you with me, witch.”

Hagar straightened. “Empty threats will do you no good, Lotor. Your father has been more than patient…”

“Hmm. I wonder what father will think when he learns you’ve been stockpiling the medicine you charge him so dearly for. What was it you said? Something about supply and demand, I believe. I’m sure he’ll find that most interesting, don’t you?”

Hagar carefully suppressed the quick shock of panic fluttering through her chest. “You can prove nothing. Your father is more likely to ask for advice from Cossack than you.”

Lotor’s smile widened. “Are you certain? Are you willing to wager your life?”

Hagar sighed in frustration. “All right, Lotor. What do you want from me?”

Lotor shrugged. “You’re the witch. Surely you have something around here that will give me control over Allura.” He stopped as a thoughtful look crossed Hagar’s face. “What is it?”

“I may have something…” She opened a drawer in a cabinet against the far wall, quickly sorting and discarding most of the contents. “Ah, yes. Here you are.” She pulled out a silver vial and tossed it to Lotor.

Lotor turned the vial over in his hands, watching the light reflect off the polished silver. He read the inscription out loud. “Muppet Lab’s Mind Mist(TM). Guaranteed to bring absolute mind control.” He glanced back up at Hagar. “You have got to be joking.”

“Not at all.” Hagar smiled at him. “You said you wanted control over Allura. Just one spray and she’ll be open to any suggestion.”

Lotor looked thoughtful. “How do I get close enough to her to spray this in her face?”

Hagar shrugged. “Not my problem. I’m the witch, remember? I supply the evil potions. How to use them is up to you. If you don’t want to try it…”

Lotor’s fingers closed possessively over the vial. “No!” He took a deep calming breath. “No, I’ll try it. It had just better work.”

“It will, Lotor.” Hagar turned back to her experiment with an air of dismissal. “I’m sure it will.”

Later that night on planet Arus, Allura sat alone in the observation room, gazing soulfully out the window. Sometimes her life seemed so empty. Sure, flying around in Blue Lion with the boys all day was a lot of fun. Most heroines never truly got the chance to duke it out with the bad guys. They were purely ornamental, just getting captured and screaming. She shook her head. She never, ever did such foolish things, no matter how lonely she was. No matter how much she longed to find her soul mate, the one true love she would rule Arus alongside for the rest of her life, she had responsibilities. She sighed in yearning, resting her forehead against the window.

“Princess? Are you all right?”

She turned to find Keith standing in the doorway, his huge dark eyes locked on her in concern.

“I’m fine, Keith. Sometimes I just feel so lonely, you know?”

Keith took her words as an invitation and dropped down beside her on the bench. “Yeah, princess, I know.” He leaned back against the window. “Nanny and Coran trying to push you into a wedding with some prince again?”

Allura sighed. “Yes. I know my people are anxious for me to get married and produce an heir, but I’m just not ready. I don’t want to marry someone just because he happens to be a prince. I want love.” She bit her lip and turned back to the window, trying desperately to hide the tears shimmering in her huge blue eyes. “Whatever happened to the fairy tales where the prince and princess fell madly in love and live happily ever after?”

Keith shook his head, obviously at a loss for what to say. “I don’t know, princess. Life often isn’t fair. If I had my way…” He stopped suddenly, a mortified look on his face.

Allura looked back at him, curiosity temporarily banishing the tears. “What, Keith?”

Keith stood up, crossing his arms defensively. “Nothing. I’m sure things will work out somehow, Allura. You don’t have to make any decisions right this minute. Just try to get some sleep, okay?”

Allura forced a smile across her face. “All right, Keith, I will. Night.”

She turned back to her study of the nighttime sky. He didn’t understand. No one really understood. There had to be a way…

A glint of light reflecting off something on the far side of the lake caught her attention. “Hmm, I wonder what that could be?”

Oblivious to the fact she was dressed only in her nightgown and robe and conveniently forgetting her earlier thoughts as to heroines and the stupid things they do, Allura decided to investigate.

Allura somehow managed to allude the armed guards posted at every entrance in an attempt to keep the wandering princess safely in the confines of the castle. She made her careful way around the lake, distracted by the mesmerizing display of starlight reflected from the deep waters surrounding her slumbering lion. On the far side of the lake Allura ran right into the source of the reflecting light: a small, sleek metallic ship.

Allura circled the ship, her eyes wide with innocent confusion. “Why would anyone leave a ship sitting on the far side of the lake in the middle of the night?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “This had better not be another one of Coran’s princes.”

Suddenly a hand shot around her waist, pulling her back against a massive chest covered with hard body armor. Allura screamed helplessly.

Lotor laughed gently into her ear. “You’re mine now, my love.”

Allura struggled half-heartedly, at least making a show of a good fight. “Never, Lotor! I’ll never give in to you!”

Lotor spun her around, one arm still wrapped firmly around her waist. “We’ll see about that!” With his free hand, he removed a shining silver vial from a pouch and sprayed the solution in her face.

Allura sneezed and resumed struggling. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lotor smiled. “You’re mine, aren’t you, my sweet?”

“No, I’m not! I just told you that!”

Lotor stared down at her in confusion, then resolutely gave her another spritz of the solution. “Yes, you are. You love me.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Let her go, Lotor!”

Allura stopped struggling and bit her lip. “Keith?”

Lotor rolled his eyes. “Of course it’s Keith. It’s always Keith.”

Keith stepped around the ship, his gun trained on Lotor. “Unhand her, you fiend, or you’re dust!”

Lance stepped around the ship behind him and snatched the gun out of his hands. Keith reached to take it back. Lance slapped his hand away and smiled apologetically. “Sorry. We really are trying to break him of that. Now what exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“He’s trying to kidnap me!” Allura struggled harder, succeeding only in pulling loose the top half of her nightgown. Lance and Lotor both stared wide-eyed. Allura stopped struggling and thrust out her bottom lip in an adorable pout. “If you don’t let me go, I’ll hold my breath until I turn blue.”

Lance shook his head, a slight smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. “You do that, Allura. That’ll teach him.” With her safely occupied, he returned his attention to Lotor. “Why are you trying to kidnap her again? Don’t you realize it never works?”

Lotor sighed. “This time it should have. I had this potion, but it seems to be defective.”

“Can I see it?”

Lotor shrugged and tossed Lance the vial. He glanced worriedly down at Allura, who was rapidly turning blue.

Lance turned the vial over in his hands, carefully reading the inscription. “Here’s your problem. You didn’t read the disclaimer.” He held the vial up, pointing to the small print. “It doesn’t work on headstrong princesses that are also heroines.” He glanced back at Allura. “I guess you have to have a mind to control.”

Lotor glared at him. “Very funny. Don’t talk about my beloved that way, or I’ll be forced to take drastic measures.”

Keith immediately puffed up, his eyes glinting in anger. “Don’t talk to him that way. Don’t you know you’ll always lose? The team’s always on the scene?”

Lance shot Lotor a long-suffering look. “Do you mind if I try something?”

Lotor tore his gaze away from Keith in horror. “No. Please do.”

Lance grabbed Keith’s arm and swung him around. Before Keith could react, Lance sprayed the solution in his face. Keith shook his head in confusion.

“I was just about to say something.”

Lance shook his head violently. “No, you weren’t.”

Keith looked at him, eyes wide. “I wasn’t?”

“No. You’re never, ever going to say any of those phrases again, are you?”

Keith shook his head sadly. “No, I guess not.”

Lance sighed in relief then turned back to Lotor. “See? It works fine.”

Lotor nodded. “Thank you.” He turned back to Allura, who was sneaking breaths in the hope that no one would notice. “I guess that means I’ll have to let you go and find another princess to love and cherish.” He released her and tried to step away.

Allura stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Whoa. Back up. What did you just say?”

Lotor blinked. “I said I’d have to find another princess.”

“No, the second part.”

Lotor shook his head. “What?”

Allura twirled a strand of hair coyly around one finger. “You love and cherish me?”

“Don’t mock me, Allura.”

“I’m not.”

Lotor dropped down to his knees in front of her, his eyes wide. “My love, if you speak truly, there is nothing I will not do for you.”

Allura frowned in concentration. “Will you give up all that fighting and killing? I don’t think I like that very much. Picking flowers and singing is much more fun.”

Lotor smiled. “I’ll do anything you ask, Allura.”

Allura clapped her hands happily. “Oh, good!” She spun around to Keith. “See, Keithie? You were right!”

Lance bit down on a sardonic laugh. “Keithie?”

Keith grabbed the vial from his hand and looked at Lotor and Allura. “Uh-huh. Of course I was. I’m always right.” He held up the vial. “Mind if I borrow this?”

Lotor, too distracted by the vision of the angel smiling down on him to care about much of anything, waved absently. “Go right ahead.”

“Thank you.” Keith sprayed the solution quickly into Lance’s face. Lance’s eyes went blank.

“What was I just doing?”

A wicked smile crossed Keith’s face. “You were going to come with me.”

“I was?”

“Definitely. We need to…talk.”

Lance shrugged. “Yeah, whatever you say.”

Keith took his hand and started to pull him away. Almost hesitantly, he turned back to Allura. “Princess? Can you handle this?” His eyes were almost pleading.

Allura nodded confidently. “Sure, Keith. Have fun.”

“Believe me, I plan to.” He tugged on Lance’s hand. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Lotor blinked as they disappeared around the ship, then turned his attention back to his beloved. “Do you really mean this, Allura?”

Allura stared down at him. “Say you love me.”

Lotor stood, taking both her hands in his. “I love you, Allura. I always have.”

Allura smiled her sweetest smile. “I love you too, Lotor. Together we can make it through anything.”

He leaned down to kiss her. Their lips touched, kindling a fire that burned constant, hurdling all adversity, to the end of their days. For anyone who missed that, they lived happily ever after.