[D]espite all the [W]icked [PROSE]

Lotor couldn’t hold back a small chuckle at the other’s remark. “I suppose it would have been more believable with a low-born name,” he started, hands absentmindedly smoothing over invisible wrinkles in the clothes he wore.”  Soon the teasing atmosphere turned somber as he found himself nodding in understanding. With his locks now shorn after his original capture at the hands of the Alteans, the hybrid found the lack of added weight of his hair to be unsettling, especially now as he reached for a few strands, grimacing at the shortened locks. He only hoped that would aid him in not being recognised alongside Hunk.  Scowling slightly, he made one final adjustment to his hood before he joined the Paladin. It took all of his control keeping his claws from extending to their regular length. 

His ears drooped again. “Never mind. I stand corrected about the name,” he muttered with a grimace across his face. Still, he supposed it could be worse. Taking the ID, Lotor studied it, checking it for flaws before he deemed it still up to standards.           »»» “Well then, Rhys,” he teased, “I suppose we’ll just have to hope this plan works.” Seeing the bandana removed, the prince found it strange not seeing it part of the Paladin’s usual attire. With a sigh, he only wished there was more he could do with his own appearance, but he’d never been blessed with total control over the shapeshifting abilities like full-blooded Alteans like his mother, could really only change small things such as his eyes and keep the Galran claws at bay. He’d never had the aptitude for full shapeshifting control, and now when he needed the ability more than ever, it still eluded him. 

Lotor’s ears drooped ever so slightly at the answer.            “Oh.”  With a roll of his eyes, the prince held out his hand for the ID. “Please. It could hardly be worse than what my parents originally wished to name me. I believe I can handle a false identity in order for us to get through the checkpoint,” he responded, a small smile tugging at his lips.  At least this could potentially brighten his somewhat sulky mood as his ears perked up slightly. 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he found himself unable to muster the willpower to argue with Hunk; it was a moot point. They were both in pyjamas, and they both looked like they were the laziest beings in the entire galaxy.  Lotor snorted lightly under his breath. “Yes. Of course. That would draw even more unwanted attention, wouldn’t it.”  Taking one last lingering look of disgust at his pyjamas, he sighed and asked, “Well, do we have any sort of plan that will help use sneak past the checkpoint?” 

         † “Act natural?” he echoed, fixating a deadpan expression on the Paladin. Groaning under his breath, he murmured something in Galran under his breath, a hand pinching lightly at the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, but most beings in the galaxy don’t go gallivanting about the place in their pyjamas.”  He didn’t dare want to further burst the other’s bubble; it was quite evident the Prince’s face was plastered about every single planet. Still, he could humor the Paladin. 

Lotor made a face as he listened to Hunk’s failed attempts to keep his laughter stifled. Even his ears visibly twitched to show his annoyance as his face burned even more with open embarrassment.           † “You look just as ridiculous. This is hardly a disguise! We look like training bots with targets painted on us wearing this! For the sake of the stars, we’re in pyjamas!”  Definitely not impressed. 

He’d been ready to remove the cape, but found himself pausing when the Paladin had warned him not to remove the cape. An irritated sigh passed Lotor’s lips as he instead carefully adjusted the fabric to further obscure his face.           † “Listen,” he started, “while I do appreciate what you have done, was this really necessary?” His cheeks had since flushed a dark shade of violet as he shifted uncomfortably.           † “To be seen in this is... well, it’s absolutely humiliating!”