Escape From Beast Island - Praxiteles (2024)

Chapter 1: A no good, very bad, killer, (seriously I almost died) day

Chapter Text

Catra never thought she would miss the mission to Selineas or even think about it ever again after that devastating, and quite honestly embarrassing defeat. she had sworn to never let the memory cross her mind. But after sitting in a dank, moist, shipping container for the better half of a day she now realizes what a blessing being able to see open water is.

Without it she can feel every minuscule tip and turn of the boat. Every crashing wave that sends her stomach flipping like a fish out of water.

She can't even lean over the side to hurl like usual. She would be emptying said contents of her stomach right now if the chewed up ration bars weren't already sitting in the corner of the room. her vision tilts like she was spun around a hundred times and she tries to push herself further into the solid walls of the container for support.

Catra is starting to seriously regret being such an empathetic person.

When Entrapta told her the force of the portal would rip open the fabric of the universe, Catra was only slightly deterred from giving Hordak the sword. She just wanted to make sure Adora and the Glimbow brigade were destroyed right along with it. This was the perfect opportunity for her, the one she's been waiting for. She wasn't about to miss out on showing Adora.. that... wait what was she trying to show Adora?

Then Glimmer showed up with Shadow Weaver in tow. That evil witch has only just escaped from here, and now she's trying to be the good guy? After everything she did to Catra? After what she made Catra into? She created a monster and then skipped town.

It made rage boil in Catra's chest. The feline can only see red. Red and that precious, rusty leaver that would give her everything she's ever wanted. To be the one on top. The one finally winning. Even if Adora refused to stand by her side. Instead Catra stood behind Hordak with a taunting smirk on her face. She doesn't need Adora. She did all tis by herself. Her anger is soothed by the fact that Adora would know...

Adora would know that what? That Catra is better than her? That Catra can open a portal that will destroy the universe? Catra doesn't want that. Never has. Being better than everyone was alway Adora's thing. Being the best in drills, having the best grades, being the quickest in the shower. It's what motivated Adora.

Why does Catra care? She's never cared before.

Catra is just so angry. Angry that Adora would leave her as soon as she found something better. Catra was ok with being the worse, The laziest, the slowest by choice. She was ok with it because she had Adora. Because she had someone to love even if that someone didn't love her back. but then that someone left. Catra was alone and set up to take the fall of Adora's defection.

Adora left because Catra wasn't good enough, Wasn't nice enough, Wasn't sparkly enough. the feline grits her teeth. Catra would show her. Pulling this lever and bringing the Horde's army through will...

Adora will know that Catra can be the best at something. Catra will win this time and every time for the foreseeable future.

But then Hordak, the stupid mother f*cker, started his whole evil monologue. Everyone knows you don't start your evil monologue until after you've made sure you've won. And don’t get her wrong Catra loves an evil monologue just as much as the next person but at least hers are entertaining. Hordak is just so boring.

but It gave Catra adequate time to look down her nose at sparkles, Catra’s traitorous mother figure, Bow and the ever present and ever backstabbing Adora. Adora who's trembling. her arms held back by the cuffs.

Adora, Her best friend, who left the her after one chance meeting with a princess. Who’s fought Catra again and again because she finally grew a few brain cells and released the Horde us bad. Who replaced Catra as soon as something better came along.

Adora, who is kneeling in the center of the Fright Zone. in the hard, cold place they grew up together. the place they met, learned their times tables, their battle strategies. The place they learned they were stronger together.

Adora who was kneeling in the exact spot Catra had lost her first tooth, when she tripped and fell running from an enraged Octavia.

Catra tries to shake the thought from her head, focus back on destroying the universe and everyone in it, but it's like she's back in the crystal castle. unable to stop the flashes of a little Adora, her gap tooth smile and dirty hands. Her adorable but awfully slow run. Her voice as she promised to look after Catra. As Catra promised to look after her.

Catra promised to look after Adora.

But Adora broke that promise. Adora left Catra. And that gave Catra all the reasoning she needed to break that promise right back: A promise they made together to protect each other.

Catra hesitates, the world seeming to slow down as she makes some life altering insights.

They did make that promise together, didn't they. Adora and her. To protect each other from harm. To take care of one another. There’s not much else you can do in the Horde, but protect the ones you love.

Catra had an obligation to protect Adora. she has an obligation, a promise, and she kinda threw that right out the window as soon as Adora started having some thoughts for herself, didn't she?

Catra loved that oblivious Adora who had no idea what the Horde was or what it was doing. She still loves that Adora.

maybe it wasnt that Adora didn't care about what the Horde had done to Catra, what it was doing to Catra. It's just that she didn't realize. She didn't realize until she couldn't make excuses for the Horde anymore.

Excuses she was making because it was all she knew. Excuses she couldn't make anymore because she watched as they started to burn down an innocent village. She watched as Catra burned down an innocent village.

Nothing really bad could happen as long as they had each other.

Now , Catra was taking everything away from her. Because Adora hurt her. Because Adora didnt care about the torture Catra went through as she tried to stay by Adora’s side. Because Catra could stay in the Horde, all the while knowing the hurt and destruction it caused, for Adora. But Adora couldn't stay in the Horde for Catra.

Catra shouldn’t feel any obligation to protect Adora now. Especially after all the damage she has already done to the blonde but the look in Adoras eyes as she watched Hordak grasp the lever is one she has seen many times before, but never on Adora’s face, never directed at her. Pure unfiltered fear. Because Adora had always had some faith in Catra. That she would come to her senses and fight along She-ra for the better of the planet.

And while Catra knows she shouldn't feel any obligation to protect and care for the dumb blonde: the only thing she can hear beyond the buzzing in her ears is a small voice saying “I will always be your friend”.

The expression on Adora's face did something weird to the black hole in Catra’s chest. It's like it coughed up what was left of the shivering decaying maggot Catra called a heart and squeezed it like a grape.

Catra didn't even realize she was going to do it until it was done but in a blink of an eye Hordak was kneeling on the floor grasping his skull, which now had a decently sized dent in it and Catra was standing above him with a twisted piece of pipping awkwardly held in her hands.

"Why did I do that?" she whispers, looking down at the writhing Horde Lord. Catra really just let her intrusive thoughts win like that. is this who she is? impulsive? Who knows what she'll do next?

her body does apparently because before she knows it, her fur is standing on end in warning and she's ducking her head as one of Grizzlor's arrows fizz by her. then Catra is fighting off horde soldiers with her twisted piece of pipe. A soundtrack of Adoras little voice running around her head.

what in the f*cking hell was she doing?

Catra decided it was all worth it, when she looked up and saw the complete and utter shock permeating from Adora. Her impromptu rescue mission was probably the last thing Adora would expect. Though she should, Catra has already helped her escape once before. Catras is pretty good at escaping custody.

Catra would have gotten away with it too if she didn't stop to grab the sword out of the weird hovering in place thing it was doing. Which turned out to be a mistake because the damned thing shocked the f*ck out of her hand. She yelps as the handle sizzles and pops. she tries to let go but its like her hand is glued in place. this is her life now. sword hand.

So Catra had a smoldering sword melting the skin of one hand and was trying to snip the green wire connecting Adora’s cuffs together with the other. Surprisingly hard for someone with stainless steel claws. the line kept worming out from between them, making Catra growl. the feline gives up and takes her teeth to them.

Adora hesitantly stands as the wire falls to her sides. Her lips are parted with surprise and her cheeks are stained lightly with pink. Catras almost thinks she’s about to be kissed but then Adora frowns, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion. her mouth tilting down in a frown.

"oh don't look so surprised." Catra growls throwing her twisted pipe to the side. "I was never trying that hard to be the bad guy anyway."

“Catra.. Wha-” Catra would have laughed at the resulting shocked expression on Adora's face if she had the time, but she was already dragging Adora out by her ponytail, ignoring the yelp of pain the blond girl gives in response.

“Move, move, move '' was Catras internal and external monologue and the magicat wasted no time. For the first time since Adora left, Catra’s thoughts and actions did the same thing. Her head said “run” and her body said “how fast?”. Catra sprints past the princess Glimmer and Bow. she sends them a tuanting smile as they rush to follow them for the door. Glimmer drags a surprised Shadow Weaver behind her, conveniently forgetting she can teleport.

Dragging a stumbling Adora behind her slows Catra down significantly but she wasn't go to half ass a rescue mission by leaving Adora behind. She's actually surprised they even made it this far. It causes a little flicker of something in her to spark back to life. something she thought was long gone. leaving with Adora as soon as the blonde found the sword. Hope.

she’s almost out the door. she can smell the freedom. the pine of the Whispering Woods and the soft watery smell of Brightmoon. it makes her heart race in anticipation to be out of this dank hell hole. A red light flares in the dark hallway she and Adora are about to escape through and Catra's heart drops. then the door slams shut in her face. Inches from taking the tips of her toes off as she skids to a stop. snuffing out that flicker before it has a chance to catch.

Adora stumbles into her from behind, accidentally shoving Catra into the door and making her hiss as the sword in her brunt hand rips skin from where its supposed to be. The blonde places her steady hands on Catra's hips and pulls her back from the blaring door. she reaches for the sword and Catra tries to let go but her hand us stuck to the handle like glue. Blood drips down her wrist and she looks up at Adora's wide Frightened eyes.

While Catra has always been very confident in her ability to talk herself out of a bad situation, the sound of Hordak, his usually monotone voice shaking in anger, beckoning for her to turn around sends a thrill of doubt up her spine.

“Now now, Catra. We wouldn't want the one thing youve been able to do right to escape, would we?” excuse me? Catras stomach twists and her eyelid starts to twitch. She slowly turns on her heel, hand squeezing the hilt of the sword and wincing as it gives a concerning squelching noise. Her skin was tearing where it melted to the hilt.

Hordak slumps over the control console of his room. One hand holding the dent in his head and the other slammed down on the close button for the door. How the man was still alive after his squishy brain took such a beating Catra would probably never know.

“One thing I was able to do right?,” Catra stammers. Pushing a still stunned Adora towards Glimmer. “I'm the whole reason you’ve gotten this far, asshole!”

Hordak growls at the feline like a dog, spittle gathering at the edges of his mouth, “Give me the sword, Catra. And I might just let your little treasonous act go” Hordak grits this out from between his teeth and holds his hand out. Catra takes a step forward in anger, fully prepared to chop this guys head off like a guillotine.

“No!” Adora’s face goes from shocked to determined. “Don’t do it, Catra” the little ball of anger in Catras chest that was pushed aside by her sudden need to save the idiot blonde flares to life in an instant. She just tried to save Adora and now she thinks Catra is just going to turn around and act innocent? Oh silly me hordak i didn't mean to bash your brain in, here have this comically large sword I quite literally can no longer remove from my hand.

“Shut It Princess dumbass” Catra spins towards her, a snarl pulling her lips back. she takes a step forward that forces Adora to take a step back. Hordak lunges for the sword but Catra quickly shoves the sharp object so forcefully into Adora’s hands that the blonde stumbles back into Bow who stumbles into Glimmer. she forcibly detaches her skin from the hilt, keeping herself from wincing as the skin of her palm tears audibly through sheer force of will.

“Teleport” Catra growls at Glimmer. The princess only scoffs at the demand, her hand firmly holding Shadow Weaver’s. Catra has always wanted to tear this small ball of glitter to shreds but the fact that not only Adora but Shadow Weaver left Catra for her makes the urge all that much harder to ignore.

"get the f*ck out of here"

“Or what? You’ll hit me with a pipe?” Catra steps threateningly towards her but Glimmer stands her ground, chest puffed out and hands clenched. It would be impressive if she didn't look like a toddler defying her mom. She even squeaks when Hordak lunges for her with a growl.

Catra jumps at Hordak, smacking him to the ground with her arms around his waist and sends them both sprawling across the ground. the man writhes, trying to get a good hit on Catra.

"why are you so difficult?" Catra yowls, tearing her claws across Hordaks armor. "im trying to save you!" her claws go for Hordaks eyes. She's not super excited to feel the eyeball pop under her claw but this is an extenuating circ*mstance.

Hordak dodges and plants a well placed hit against her temple and then one on the apple of her cheek. She not only feels but tastes the blood gushing from her face, her ears ring and her vision spots. flipping them over Horda lords over her and places his hands on her neck. she bats at him weekly, trying harder to catch the dots in her vision than to fight him off.

His finger squeeze and Catra’s mouth gaps for breath. the feeling so similar to the deoravation chamber she can almot feel the atmosphere change. she turns her head toward the peanut gallery.

Hordak follows her gaze, his eyes landing on a stalk still Adora, sword still wrapped in her arms. He lunges for her and her sword but Bow pulls her back, an arm around her waist. “No!” Adora lunges for Catra, her eyes are wide and brimming tears. she opens her mouth to say her fated words but Glimmer wraps her free arm around the blondes shoulders.

Catra gives Adora a smirk, and then the whole idiot squad is gone in a shower of sparkles and sunshine.

Hordak outright growls, his fingers leaving long gouges in the floor. You can guess what happened next. When Hordak turned slowly towards Catra, a hideous snarl marred his face. when he reached out with his raged tumbling hands and lifted Catra off the floor by her neck. the last thing Catra sees before the world goes dark is Entrapta running up to Hordak, her eyes wide. scared.

Catra has never seen Entrapta scared before.

Now, in this hell hole of a trash barge, Catra hugs her metal encased hands to her chest as the boat dips precariously to the side. Her claws scratch at the insides of the specially made cuffs as she grapples for purchase on the smooth walls.

Escape is fruitless. She can barely work the tips of her claws into the seams, but that doesn't stop Catra from trying. from scraping the latched against the floor. from banging the cuffs against the metal container.

Catra grits her teeth and closes her eyes as the muffled yelling of workers on the boat echoes around the interior of the shipping container. What Catra hopes is just a wave tips the whole ship to the side and sends her stomach lurching with it.

If someone told her two years ago that she would betray everything and everyone she has ever known because a pretty girl gave her puppy dog eyes, Catra would laugh until she threw up and then probably send them to Beast Island. But here she is floating in the middle of the ocean on a trash barge.

The Horde can barely arm its soldiers but apparently spare high grade metal to make single use shackles that will keep Catra’s steel claws from denting them. Catra lifts a foot to try and slip her already burnt and bloodied hand from the cuff but even with the blood for added lubricant the cuff stays stubbornly in place.

Water crashes over the lip of her cell and soaks Catra to the bone and sends her sprawling. She almost flinches as a raspy voice shouts over the side of the cell “This is your stop, puss* cat” Octavia sticks her ugly mug over the side of the shipping container. Her one bloodshot eye twitched in a smirk.

“It's such a shame that they transferred you to garbage man after you lost the eye Octa, you would have made a beautiful scratching post.” Catra gazes up at the blue sky and tries to ignore the trash stench.

“Well at least I'm not going to be fish food,” Octavia leans her arm on the lip of the cell “you know, i always knew you’d be kicked out as soon as that little blonde girl stopped wanting you around.” Catra outright growls at the octopus and lunges for the lip of her cell.

“Kicked out? News flash, one of us became second in command and the other is neck deep in sh*t.” Her cuffed hands screech against the metal as the container shakes. Octavia gazes down at Catra mock pityingly.

“and one of us is about to be drowned like a cat in a bag” Octavia ducks back behind the wall. “Have a nice swim kitty”

The floor tips and Catra tries to attach herself to the something, anything but her nails only bite into the f*cking shackles. her muscles freeze, her hair stands on end and she starts sliding towards the waves. Her chest heaves up and down with the effort to draw in a sufficient breath as the choppy angry water barks at the lip of the container.

“Octavia.. Octavia! Wait! We can talk about this” Catra lunges for the side of the container but hears only an evil cackle. The container tips further towards the open water and beyond it where beast island sits under a stormy swirl of angry rain clouds. The waves jump up at Catra as tries to scrabble for purchase but the cuffs only scratch against the floor with a terrible screech.

“No, no, no” Catra slides towards the water. Her feet gouging rivers into the shipping containers' metal bottom. She watches as garbage and discarded pieces of tech are thrown over the side of the boat and swallowed up by the roaring waves. Catra takes one last dying jump for the lip but it's no use. The whole metal box tips and teeters on the lip of the ship before plunging down into the water, taking Catra with it.

Catra’s shocked through and dragged under by the icy waves. The cold forces Catra to take a breath but salty liquid is the only thing to enter her lungs. Hand-like water grasps and grapples with her arms and legs dragging her into its depths, her metal cuffs acting like weights and sending her down head first. She realizes she should have bitten the bullet and jumped into the choppy waves because she's now trapped under a 3 ton container as it slowly sinks into the black water.

Catra kicks and tries to use the cuffs to push her body up through the water but it's like swimming through molasses barreling moving up with every thrust. When she breaks the surface of the waves she gasps with relief but she’s soon dragged back down as the shipping container loses its momentary air pocket. Catra flails under the water, grasping for purchase where there is none, her shackled hands trying to shove the water under her with little success. Catras head hits the top of the container and she flips, planting her feet and pushing off. She grapples for the lip of the makeshift prison cell.

Catras' chest burns as she slides out from the jagged lip of the shipping container, cutting shallow gashes along her front. At the sight of sunlight adrenaline rushes through Catra and she kicks, grasping for the surface. When her head breaks the water Catra heaves in great gulps of air. The cold, salt logged breaths burning her throat and coating her lungs in a scratchy film. Catra grapples with garbage. Her uniform ripped along the front from sliding against the container, falling off her shoulder and dragging against her waterlogged fur painfully.

The shackles slide against the metal hull of some kind of basin floating on top of the water and Catra heaves herself up and out of the water just long enough to see the Horde ship sailing away. The basin tips and Catra falls back into the grip of the ice cold waves.

—--

An anxiety-ridden dread has had its grip on Catra's spine since she watched the horde ship disappear over the side of the horizon but she hasn't let herself address it. Not until she drags herself out of the ocean and onto Beast Island. She collapses into the sand. her limbs tremble and she shivers through her cold, soaked fur. A sob tears its way out of her throat. There is no coming back from Beast island. It's the one place people truly don't survive.

Catra punches at the sand with her shackle. Tears streaming into the already soaked peach fur. She can never seem to make the right choice. Don't get her wrong, she has never made the morally right choice. I mean who needs morals when you're as cute as her. But she has never been able to please people. Shadow weaver didn’t like her no matter what she did. Honestly it might be a racist thing. Hordak was never satisfied. Always wanted more land, more soldiers, more power.

Adora was happy for a while but she never thought Catra was enough. Not respectful enough, not strong enough, not good enough to stay for. As soon as she had the chance she high tailed it out of there. Found better friends. Prettier friends. Friends who weren't treated as a pet, like a lost puppy following her around. she was gone.

Making new friends wasn’t in the cards for Catra. She was only ever seen as the deformed feral cat who followed Adora around. Anybody else threw garbage at her. to be frank, Catra was tired. Tired of being angry, of being sad, of being treated like a pet, like an animal.

She digs her cuffs into the sand and closes her eyes to the tears. Refuses to let them fall. Weakness is for the weak and Catra refuses to be seen as anything but strong.

Catra has always thought the saying “bad things come in three’s” was always a load of giant beetle sh*t but when she looks up from her little pity party through her tears into the blurry eyes of a giant cat like creature with razor sharp teeth that protrudes from an unhinged drooling jaw she decides the three rule is perfectly reasonable. The creatures' human like eyes twinkle almost beautifully in the shade of the storm clouds. Storm clouds that let loose a very ominous crack of lighting just in time. Catra has always had incredible timing, a flare for the dramatic, but the howl this creature lets loose puts anything Catra has ever done to shame. Including her “hey Adora” slogan.

By the time the thought leaves her brain she's already squeaked like she just saw a mouse whacked the monster over the head with one of her heavy shackles and high tailed it down the beach on all fours, well two legs and two metal numbs. she runs like she's Adora and she's just discovered the horde is bad.

Catra has really got to stop hitting things over the head with heavy metal objects because they just keep getting her in sticky situations.

The creature nips at her legs and Catra takes a sharp right into the forest barely missing being side swiped by a massive claw but her arms aren't so lucky. The razor sharp trees of the forest cut deep gashes in the flesh of her upper arms. Its just her luck she gets stranded on a f*cking monster island after she tries to commit the one good deed of her life. but you what they say, “no good deed goes unpunished.”

Catra weaves through trees, her small frame slipping into the even smaller spaces between branches and under fallen logs. If it wasn't for her metal encased hands she might have gotten away. Her fingerless shackles slip in the muddy ground and send Catra sprawling into what can only be described as a muddy quicksand. The monster skids to a stop just outside the darkened circle of mud that tries to gobble Catra whole.

The Monster growls and snaps at Catra, its drooling maw cracking like a whip. Catra grasps at the sinking mud around her and struggles for purchase only succeeding in burying herself deeper. Maybe bad things happen in fours because Catra pretty f*cking certain the monster cat and the quick mud cant be considered as one.

Catra looks around for a branch or a vine to grab onto but the only thing close enough to her is the snapping maw of the creature that teeters on the edge of the mud. It walks back and forth along the solid ground around the mud before reaching for Catra again.

The mud creeps up Catra’s chest and over her under garments, seeping in through the large gaps in her shirt. The mud presses down on her lungs and her breaths become shallow. Like she's back in Hordak’s aptospere chamber. Like her vision is going dark and all she can see is Hordak’s smiling face.

Catras' breath stutters in her chest as a thought she didn't think she would ever have crossed her head. She's about to die. Drown in a muddy quicksand and suffocate. Even if her nine lives save her, she'll just die over and over and over again. Catra didn't think she would die until she was old, gray, and possibly a millionaire. Dying young wasn't even a possibility but now its all she can think about.

Even if she didn't die here she would die sooner rather than later. Things have never gone right for her in her life. Kidnaped as a kitten by an abusive freak of a mother figure. Her best friend leaves her for a brigade of princesses, trying to be the hero just to be tossed onto beast island where she falls into a mud trap. A mud trap that is leaving her breathless and crushing the air from her lungs.

A crack, snap, and a grunt forces Catra’s head to snap to the creature then behind the beast and towards movement in the trees. Something that could also kill Catra If the huge hulking monster in front of her doesn’t.

Catra tilts her head as she realizes this monster isn't as hulking as she first thought. Maybe the size of Scorpia, might be even smaller. If Scorpia walked on all fours and had a jaw that could unhinge itself at wil,l she would look just like this creature. The monster can reach just far enough that if Catra extended her arm it would be able to take a nice bite from her hand. She would lose a decent chunk of her arm if she tried to grasp onto the creature's face to pull herself out. Or she would if she wasnt trapped in these…..

Catra looks down at her metal encased hands and then back up at the growling creature.

“Here kitty kitty” Catra waves her hands appetizingly at the monster. Leaning forward as much as the mud will allow. The monster tippy taps in place like an excited puppy and snaps down on Catra’s shackles. The metal crunches sickly and Catra winces as the collapsing casing presses into the burned torn skin of her right hand, blood seeps from the seams as the shackles crinkle like tin foil. She can feel her joints creak and crack.

“That's right you beautiful creature, just pull me out now.” and it's almost like the creature can hear her, it yanks Catra from the mud with a slimy, pop. Catra flies over the creature's head, her hands slipping from the smashed shackles. She's airborne for just a moment before her back cracks sickeningly against the trunk of a tree, almost tearing the old thing from its roots. Her vision spots and she swats, like a cat with a red dot, at the black blurs in her vision.

“Good kitty” she mumbles, sliding down the trunk and tilting forward a little as the jungle around her spins. A cracking noise above her and Catra looks up into her own face. Or her face if she had black hair with white spots. Two mismatched eyes look back at her with shock.

A mighty roar and Catra barely moves her furry ass out of the way in time for the monster to snap its jaws down around the trunk of the tree. The tree splinters and tips back with a pained groan.

There's a shriek and Catra watches a small furry creature jumps over her head from the falling tree to the stable one behind her with an easy agility. The monster doesn't seem to notice the same creature as Catra and it spits splinters from its drooling jaw shaking its head and allowing its tongue to lul about.

Before it can charge again, Catra eyes the splintered trunk of the fallen tree and makes a split second decision.

Catra falls to the ground and tucks her head beneath her hands as the creature lunges, barely misses being slashed by the massive claws. The magicat is up and running before the creature can turn around. When it lunges a second time Catra’s ready. Steading a splinter the size of a spear she pulled from the fallen tree, she braces herself against the ground and ducks as the creature jumps towards her. It’s unhinged mouth clamping down on both her arm and her makeshift spear in the blink of an eye.

There's a sickening crunch followed by a watery squish and the creature makes a sound so similar to screaming all of Catra’s hair stands on end. She would clamp her hands over her ears if her left arm wasn't punctured through and through by a giant, glistening yellow tooth.

----

"Hordak!" Entrapta squeals, her hair carrying her through the sanctum. she grips the screw driver Catra gave her in one hand and a tablet in the other. Hordak is going to be so happy. The signal went through! all they needed was the sword to be in position.

Hodrak might even be happy enough to change his mind. there's no need to send Catra to Beast Island. not really. now that their objective has been reached the feline hasn't really done anything wrong. everything can go back to normal.

Entrapta can work on her inventions while Catra curls up in the corner of the room where the heater is the warmest. Scorpia and Catra can work on paper work as Entrapta tests out her theories, enjoying their company. She and Catra can go back to discussing improvements and the best way to boost morale.

she barely contains her excited squeal as she slides around the corner. Emily hot on her heals. they can act like the portal never happened. like Entrapta didn't invent something that would destroy the universe. Like Catra didn't risk her life trying to keep Entrapta mistake from killing everyone.

Entrapta hesitates as she reaches Hordak. he's kneeling on the floor on his hands and knees. bent over and trembling. Emily freezes in her place behind Entrapta.

"Hordak?" she asks, reaching for him with her hair. "are you alright?" her mind runs wild with theories. is his armor working? did he lose his crystal?

"iv never been better, little sister." Entrapta freezes, pulling away from the man as he stands. his usual red eyes now a an ominous, sickly green. Entrapta fights the urge to take step back as he takes a step forward. "thank you for your allegiance but I won't be needing you any more"

He smiles unnaturally and places his hand on her shoulder. Entrapta might not be so good at grasping social interaction but this is not Hordak. he doesn't talk this way. doesn't act this way.Hhis smile isn't natural because Hordak doesn't smile. he definitely wouldn't touch her without her permission.

"But Hordak- the signal! it went through" she hesitantly lifts his hand off her shoulder with a strand of hair. Hordak frowns down at Entrapta before turning away from her.

"I am aware" he says, gazing at the tanks of half finished clones. "as soon as this..sword touched your machine your message went through."

"exactly! so we don't need Catra to go to Beast island! she can-"

"Catra" Hordak smiles and turns towards Entrapta. "Catra, the Feline that saved the girl, is close to this.. She-ra. correct?" Entrapta settles herself back onto the floor. Why does Hordak care? he never has before.

"well- my research points to them having an emotianl connection- but I don't know why that matter-"

"get out" Hordak says, striding towards his monitors. his hands are clasped behind his back. Entrapta hesitantly takes a step back, dread filling her stomach.

"what?" Entrapta asks, gripping her screw driving. she feels like she missed something. some important social cue that Catra would gently explain to her. Catra isn't here now. to explain what ever this is.

"get out" he growls, turning his head to look at Entrapta. "you have fulfilled your useful ness.". useful ness? Hordak never cared about that before. they were friends. lab partners. not-

"but Horda-" Emily lets out a little squeal of distress as Entrapta tries again, obviously picking up on something Entrapta cannot. she pulls infront of the scientist forcing her to take a step back.

"my name is Lord Prime" Hordak says, activating the monitors infront of him. "I don't need your primitive technology,"

Entrapta backs away as Emily rolls towards her. Imp climbs up the robot frantically and pushes Entrapta away too. "out out out" whispered in their mimicy way of speaking. Entrapta doesn't understand. She had to have missed something, some social cue. she wishes she could ask... ask Catra. the girl Entrapta just sent to Beast Island. the island where there is no reported returning from.

Entrapta's made a mistake. her eyes widening as Hordak laughs. he turns towards his computers as Entrapta stumbles from the room. the Screw driver Catra gave her wrapped in a death grip.

Chapter 2: True Love Won't Desert You(you know i still love you)

Chapter Text

“She saved us!” The words echo around the room but they have no impact on either the Queen of Brightmoon or the Princess. Adora isn't surprised, it didn't have an impact the last twenty times she said it. Anger is starting to build in her gut. it makes her clench her fists around the edges of the sword. makes her press her toes harder into the ground.

Angella looks down at them from her throne, a tired expression gracing her face. her hands are folded neatly in her lap like they do when she's holding back. hiding from her emotions. Adora can’t seem to get enough air into her lungs, it’s like they've shrunk seven sizes. Glimmer and Angella just keep staring at her, their faces pitying.

“We can’t leave her behind, I won't do that again," something wet and warm, falls onto Adora palm and she looks down. she hadn't even realized her eyes had gone blurry. Tears stream from her cheeks and unto the sword clutched to her chest. The sword with a bloodied handle. the smell of cooked flesh that Adora has been trying to. ignore since they got back.

Adora closes her eyes and forces the tears to stop flowing. she stops up the cracks in the dam that allowed them to leak through. How could Catra do this, weasel her way back into Adora’s heart with one action, one look. like she never even scratched and clawed her way out. like she stayed curled up there and drug her nails down the fleshy parts of Adora's heart whenever she wanted.

Adora can't seem to stop caring about her. Adora can't make herself hate her like she should, especially after what she's done to them.

“Adora, she’s part of the Horde! she's kidnapped us! multiple times! I know you think she's changed but this could all be part of some f*cked up sceame. some way for her to weasel her way into the rebellion.” Glimmer clenches her fists like a toddler. “We’re not going back for her”

"I was part of the Horde!" Adora yells back, her hands digging in to the sharp edges if the sword. she ignores the blood that starts to drip down her wrist. "I know you don't want to hear this but Catra is my.. Friend. she always will be and if there is even a chance she's defecting or leaving the Horde I'm not going to hesitate to help her."

“It would also be a waste of time and resources, Catra is nothing but a distraction” Shadow Weaver circle’s Adora like a vulture. her black flowing robes trialing behind her like a shadow. "when will you realize that Catra has done nothing but held you back?"

“I am not leaving her there, if there is even a chance-” Adora ignores the woman, refusing to let her get to her. Dread starts to eat up the anger in Adora as she looks up at Angela's unyielding, angered face.

“Enough!” Queen Angella stands from her throne, her wings spreading out behind her. she stares down at Adora like a ruler. a queen speaking to a general. “Catra is a Horde soldier, rescuing her is a risk we cannot take. you remember the last time a rescue was sent to the Frightzone. I will not lose anyone else."

“Excellent decision your majesty, a rescue-” Shadow weaver starts, her hand held up approvingly to the Queen.

“Guards, take this prisoner back to her cell at once!” Queen Angella interrupts her. creating an impressive mirror image of Glimmer's stance. her fist clenched at her sides. Shadow Weaver scoffs at the demand but allows the guards to lead her away from the throne room. her eyes look down disapprovingly at Adora as she leaves and despite herself Adora feels shame drip down her back.

“Adora, we cannot risk a rescue mission to the middle of the Fright Zone to save a person we have no way of knowing is truly on our side.” Adora has to look away from the Queens pitying gaze. Angella turns to her daughter. Her hands firmly planted on her hips. “I want to know how Shadow Weaver got out of her prison and ended up in the Fright zone with you”

Glimmer winces, her anger leaking from her body. she looks to Adora for help but the blonde is just as angry. “Mom-”

“In this war room, I am your Queen” Angella's voice has gone gravelly and low.

so similar to Shadow Weavers herself that Adora is almost teleported back to her cadet days. Dressed in itchy, ill fitting uniforms and standing to attention in front of an enraged Witch. Adora unconsciously sits up straighter in the face of Angella’s anger, her feet firmly planted like a soldier.

"we had to revue Adora! Hordak would have opened the portal and where-"

“Catra saved us. not you. not Weaver" Adora growls at the princess. Glimmer looks back at Adora shocked. the blond turns to the queen." she saved your daughter” Adora hugs the sword closer like it could protect her. the smell of burnt flesh makes her eyes water.

“We don’t know that! she could have just been taking the sword for herself” Glimmer points to the sword. “I saw the way she ripped it from the portal.”

“If she was taking the sword for herself then why did she cut me loose? or take me with her when she tried to escape?” Glimmer seems a little stumped, but a determined look soon passes her face.

“Catra has always been power hungry, she knows she can't work the sword without you" Glimmer steps into Agora's space. "Whatever the reason, a person can’t change who they are in less than a day, in less then ten minutes!”

“I did! I changed in less than a day! And you don’t know Catra like I do, she has never wanted power, she's never wanted to hurt people” the way she had looked at Adora when she broke her cuffs. Her ears flattened back. She looked at Adora like she had when she was a kid and had scratched Adora for the first time. Catra hadn't realized she had done it until she saw the blood but her face had gone slack and welled with tears and looked at Adora with so much regret, fear, and horror.

Horror at herself for hurting Adora. “I don't know why she's been so angry, so focused on defeating us. But I know Catra, she doesn't want power. I don't know what she wants, but it’s something else” Adora turns back to the Queen freshly determined. Catra saved her, looked at her with remorse she never got to express and Adora isn't about to let the feline slip away.

The Horde took Catra’s claws after that. after Shadow Weaver saw the welling droplet of blood and turned to Catra racking with raged filled lighting. How could Adora have ever thought the Horde were the good guys. how could Adora leave Catra behind. she should have tried harder. forced Catra away from that terrible woman. Why did she keep making excuses for them, how could she keep making excuses for them after what they did to Catra.

“I am your queen, what I say goes. There will be no rescue mission and that is final” Angella speaks up, her brows are pinched, a far away look in her eye. Adora grinds her teeth and closes her eyes. she tales a deep breath to hold back the roaring anger.

“Your majesty” Adora pleads, just short of falling to her knees and begging. “Plea-”

“But” the queen continues glancing down at Adora with a look she can’t describe “if Catra somehow escapes and makes her way here to Bright Moon, she will be able to plead her case and be pardoned from her previous actions.”

“Mom!” Glimmer exclaims, turning towards her mother in outrage. it makes Adora want to hit her. Why is Glimmer so set on making Catra the bad guy.

“This is final” the Queen says, her voice stern “both of you go to the infirmary and get checked for wounds, this debriefing is not over, we will speak again in the morning”

Glimmer opens her mouth like she is about to argue but Bow, who’s been standing silently behind Glimmer, places a hand on her shoulder. Glimmer growls but turns around and stalks out of the throne room after him.

Adora watches as they leave, her sword clutched to her chest. “Adora..” Angella descends her steps and stands before Adora, her hands clasping together.

“You have done well.” Adora can’t stand the expression the mars the Queens usually regal face.” I know you feel responsible for Catra but she can make her own decisions.” Adora opens her mouth but the Queen cuts her off “ -But if she is as strong and cunning as you always claim, she will be fine” Angella places a hand on her shoulder. the action should be comforting, calming but it only reminds her of shadow weaver.

Adora wants to growl and snap at the Queen. she wants to drag her nails down her unscarred, unblemished face. She sees the Queens clean smooth arms and it makes her angry. lashing out always seemed to be Catra's thing. scratching and biting at the people around her. Adora hasn't understood that till now. why Catra would want to hurt others.

but this anger. this uncontrollable anger at being brushed aside. at being looked down on, dismissed. is this how Catra felt? in the Horde? every time she was called a pet or punished for being second best? Adora understands why Catra would bite down on her horde regulation, thread bare blanket and just scream. Scream until Adora found her, her voice raw.

Angela doesn't know what it's like in the Horde. she doesn't know the punishments for the simplest mistakes. She doesn't know what they're going to do to Catra now that she disobeyed direct orders. it makes Adora want her to know. she wants Angella to know the pain. know what Adora and Catra have been through.

the though terrifies her, why would she ever wish that on anyone?

Adora takes a step back with a deep breath. like the distance will keep the anger at bay.

“How could she be fine!" Adora says lowly, quietly. she wants to beg the Queen to understand. drop down to her hands and knees and beg. "We left her in the center of the Fright one, surrounded by soldiers! you don't under stand what the Horde will do to her.” The anger in Adora’s chest rises despite her best efforts to calm it.

“ We cannot risk going back to the Fright Zone now. This is a crucial moment in a war, the Horde will be scrambling to get the sword back and doubling its troops, so we must maintain the upper hand and get Mara's ship. With that First Ones technology we might be able to end this fight." She bows her head to look Adora in the eye. “The world needs She-ra but and I won't risk Adora”

Adora shrugs off the queen's hand and stalks out of the throne room, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Adora!” Glimmer appears from behind the door, Bow slightly behind her. all the anger in the throne rooms explodes in Adora. it bangs on her walls and demands to be let out. she wants to punch and fight and scream at Glimmer.

Adora whirls on her, “how could you just leave her there!” Adora can't stop the tears from falling or her lips from trembling. She's angry why is she crying? “After she saved you!”

Glimmer looks taken aback but her expression quickly turns angry. “You mean after she kidnapped you, and gave the sword to Hordak? We don't know what she really wants, Adora!”

“And now we’ll never know!” Adora shouts back. Her lungs feel like they are collapsing and she can't draw a sufficient breath, Glimmer looks stunned. “Do you even know what they do to traitors Glimmer?! Because they don't lock them in shiny, pillow filled rooms claimed to be prisons! they kill them!” Glimmers anger drops like a rock and the angry sparkles sparking from her hands dissapate.

“Adora..” Glimmer reaches for the blonde but backs away from her. its almost a flinch she can't handle this. she can't look at her right now. she needs... She doesn't know what she needs but it's not being here.

“We have a new mission, get Mara’s ship from the crimson waste”

“Adora, maybe we should take a break..” Bow peaks out from behind Glimmer. "emotions are running high and we all need to re group. its not like the Horde is going to try and take a looted ship."

“Message perfuma, her plants might be able to lift it” Adora ignores him her snarl still pointed at glimmer. The girl has tears in her eyes.

"what was I supposed to do?" she asks, her voice sounds broken and weak. "Hordak was lunging for us and I thought it would be our one chance to escape. I didn't know what Catra was really trying to do"

"you could have at least given her a chance" Adora growls this but there's no heat behind it. just a broken whisper. she turns away from them and walks down the hall. the sword that started all of this clutched to her chest. the sword that motivated her to leave Catra. the sword that Hordak wanted so badly. the sword that still has Catra's burnt flesh wrapped around the handle.

—----

They do end up calling Perfuma. the princess had answered their call with cheery enthusiasm but as soon as she reached the desert she wilted like a dehydrated flower. she is even less enthusiastic to be in a desolate landscape with a gang leader. she keeps looking at Huntara like she's about to be eaten.

“I cant believe the Horde took the ship” Bow says, his fingers tap aggressively on his Trackpad. he's been stressed since the portal almost opened, his brow constantly pinched and his eyes glued to his tech. Anytime Adora sees him he's looking down at his track pad like it offended his father.

but that's more than she can say about Glimmer. Adora glances over to the princess. she hasn't seen the girl since the debrief. where she explained why she broke Shadow Weaver out of prison. ever since than the girl runs the other way as soon as she sees Adora.

“Really? it seems very on brand for them '' Glimmer says, Adora gazes at the giant empty crater now in the sand with a yawn. Her night terrors have gotten worse. Most where she wakes up in a sweat and can't seem to remember what scared her and others…. Others of Catra and what Horde could have done to her.

Adora eyes follow the tracks out into the distance, she can't tell if this is a move Catra would make, or if this is all Hordak. Signs are pointing to Hordak. The deep gouge in the sand from the ship being dragged instead of transported is just bad planning. Catra always thinks hers through. No stone left unturned, to possibility left open.

She's so different from the Catra Adora knew. the one that would slack off in drills but make them fun. Making them new and almost challenging. Creating new harder situations the her squad would have to face. Accidentally letting out double the princesses or disabling their stun buttans.

“Well it'll be easy to track,” Huntara says, rubbing the sand between her fingers. “It's like they dragged the ship away using just man power.” she gestures to the deep ravine dug into the Crimson Waste.

“My trackpad is still finding traces of First Ones tech, so it looks like they were just here.” he starts to collect samples from the sand."if we hurry we can catch up to them."

“Then we have no time to waste” Huntara sets off in the direction of the tracks.

“Can’t we just teleport” Glimmer groans, dragging her feet.

“You only have so many, Glimmer, we can't risk being stranded out here” Glimmer sighs, and kicks at the sand. she's been quiet recently. Adora hasn't seen much of her in the last day or so.

“Maybe if we had brought Shadow Weaver” its muttered, low enough that if Adora hadn't already been on edge. been listening for the slightest disturbance she wouldn't have caught it. she freezes, her blood running cold.

“Shadow Weaver? You wanted to let that manipulative bitch out of prison? again?” the though of her out of that prison. even for the thirty minutes she already was makes dread curl, dark and stormy in her gut.

“With Shadow Weaver I could have teleported right into the heart of the Crimson Waste, we could be at the ship by now” Glimmer stands her ground, speaking louder than the mutter she had before. her hands on her hips and the group stops in their tracks. “She makes my magic so much more powerful”

"Shadow weaver only wants to. make herself powerful" Adora growls, getting into Glimmer's space. "she manipulates and makes you think she wants to help. but really she's just helping herself"

"I know how to handle her! im using her this time. not the other way around"

“That's what she wants you to think!” Adora spins on her heel and paces through the sand, kicking up dust. “She's going to find some way to use you without you even realizing it!”

“You know what I think? I think you're jealous that Shadow Weaver is taking an interest in me. She said she could teach me magic! My dads Magic.” Glimmer takes a step forward. "why else would you not trust me to hold my own against her?"

“When did you even have time to speak to Shadow Weaver?” Adora presses her fingers into her temples. she allows the warm feel of the sword to calm her anger. "I trust you Glimmer. I trust you with my life. Its Shadow Weaver I don't trust."

Glimmer freezes for a moment. her face slackening. Then she pokes a finger into Adora’s chest “I think you’re jealous that your not Shadow Weavers favorite anymore”

Adora feels her muscles freeze. How could she say that?

Glimmer had been there when Adora first came to the Rebellion. she had seen the damage Shadow Weaver had caused Adora. seen the nightmares that would plague Adora through the night. she had been there more than once to ease Adora through Panic attacks, hold her as Adora sobbed like a child. a child just taken from their family to serve the Horde.

Glimmer knows what Adora went through in the Horde. She knows what Shadow Weaver did to her. What she did to the people who weren't in her good graces. “So you can be buddy buddy with the women who abused and manipulated me growing up but you can’t go back for Catra? The girl that saved us from the universe literally splitting apart”

“She only saved us after she gave Hordak the sword and allowed him to finish that same Portal!”

"At least she showed remorse! she tried to make it right! I don't see Shadow Weaver doing that! She didn't even try to defend her actions!" Adora breath comes fast and short, her face inches from Glimmer's.

Bow wraps and arm around Glimmer's shoulders, his voice cracking, “you know what’s great about road trips? bonding! Does anyone know any road trip songs?”

“If you start singing arrow boy, you're going to end up with two broken legs at the bottom of that ravine” Huntara growls, turning on her heel and walking past the group.

Glimmer pushes past Adora, knocking into her shoulder hard. Adora grips her arm brace. the one that's really "the sword of protection".

—----
Adora peaks over the side of the cliff, it's like the Horde just pushed the ship right into The Valley of the Lost. not even tactfully. It looks like a complete accident. Down at the bottom it sits at an odd angle, half of it smashing a collection of shops.

“I'm kinda mad about how carelessly they’re treating First One's tech” Bow lays down in the sand next to her, a pair of experimental glasses covering his eyes."why would they even want to ship down there? if they were going to scavenge it for parts they could have just left it where it was."

“The Hords have never been this careless before” Adora says, eyeing the wooden beams surrounding the ship. its obvious they've been trying to take the panelling off but all the equipment is hastily put together. A rush job. “At least not since Catra took charge. but even before her they've never been this reckless. the ship landed on the market” it's like they've given up on all safety protocols.

“These troops are completely out of order too," Bow mumbles, "it's like they've got no Force Captain” he yelps as Adora takes the glasses from his face and places them on her own. the frames zoom in as she squints and her eyebrows raise. The troops completely out of formation, most of them sitting on the ground and messing around. Force Captain Scorpia stands on one of the rickety bridges giving orders with no results.

what concerns her the most is what she doesn't see. no tails disappearing around corners, or furry ears twitching in the warm sun. Adora's eyes flit around. begging to see a glint of a red mask but none comes.

“I don't see Catra” Adora’s voice sounds thin and fragile even to her own ears. she clears her throat and tales the glasses from her face.

Bow winces and looks up at Adora with an unreadable expression. while Glimmer has been nothing but hostile toward the idea of a rescue for Catra. Bow seems to have been contemplating it. his eyebrow bunch together as he looks at Adora. like he's trying to determine if the blonde really believes Catra could have changed. his eyebrows relax like he's come to a conclusion.

He takes a breath and the hope in Adora' s chest blows like a ballon. Adora. I-” at the same time Glimmer proclaims “good riddance”. the air lets out of Adora's hope ballon with a slow wheeze as Bow winces glancing away from Adora and towards Glimmer.

“Glimmer maybe try to be a bit more understanding-”

“Catra has done nothing but sabotage and hurt us. She pushed you off a cliff! I don’t understand why Adora is being so sensitive-”

“Because Catra is my friend” Adora growls, clutching the sword in her hand. “And she always will be. I thought you were my friend too, Glimmer,” Glimmer gapes at her, her eyes wide. Adora refuses to look at her shocked expression.

“I need to punch something” she says, gripping the edge of the cliff and pulling her sword from the bracer. Adora jumps over the side of the cliff .“for the honor of grayskull” leaving her lips.

Scorpia spots her first. The woman looks dead tired. dark bags under her eyes and her hair flopping to the side like she hasn’t taken a shower in a while. She doesn't seem surprised when Adora lands harshly on the wooden platform next to her just resigned. She stumbles as the boards below her shake.

"come on" she wines placing a claw on her head. "give a woman a break! iv had a real challenge of a day."

Adora winces sympathetically, "well, if you just hand over the-"

The scorpion throws a punch, her entire body weight leaned into it and Adora barely ducks in time. She delivers a blow to the woman's stomach that sends her doubling over.

"ok, that was a little rude" Adora mumbles, rubbing her hand where it hit Scorpia's exoskeleton.

Arrows rain down from above her, trapping Horde soldiers in webs and purple sludge. A twinkle of magic and Glimmer is down beside her, Perfuma and Huntara in tow.

Scorpia gets in a heavy hitting punch backing Adora into the wall. Even when overworked, Scorpia's strength sends Adora sprawling and reaching for the wall for support. Scorpia reaches for her but her foot goes straight through the rotted boards of the rickety cat walk. She stumbles into Adora, the momentum sending her right off the side of the bridge.

t=The blond yelps and lands front first on a metal grate with a groan. She looks up at Scorpia who seems very apologetic for accidentally sending Adora over the side. A large pincer covering her mouth.

“I'm so sorry. Are you ok?”

Adora drops her head to the metal great with a sigh, almost yelping as the metal below her shifts. A metal grate that isn't very securely bolted into the sandy floor is a very useful metal grate. She smiles as it creaks under her weight and rips it from its secure place in the ground. She bends her knees and eyes Scorpia on the catwalk. the woman's eyes widen.

Adora slams the makeshift cage down on Scorpia. who is too busy being shocked that Adora could jump so high to get out of the way. it catches her large claws and tail between the spikes. Scorpia seems speechless her claws tip tapping.

That's when Adora sees it, a leather jacket tucked into the Force captains belt. her eyes widen at the insignia on the back. That's Catra's. it was the last thing Adora saw the feline wearing. Wearing really good. she looked amazing.

“Where is Catra? She should be here, leading this. What did Hordak do to her?” Scorpia freezes her tired eyes widening and… filling with tears? oh no, Adora can't handle this right now.

“I'm so sorry!” Scorpia sobs, picking up the cage as Adora drops it in shock. “When she defected, Hordak got so, so mad, and.. And.. he was going to kill her!” she wipes a claw across her face and sucks up a snot bubble.

“But then Entrapta said something.. I don't know what but Hordak liked the idea. And Catra was sent away. I don't know where they took her, I've been looking everywhere!” Scorpia drops the cage and collapses to her knees with a sob, claws in her lap.

“What?..wha- where is Entrapta now?” Adora asks, taking a step away from the sobbing Force captain.

“She's.. she's inside the ship. But she wouldn't tell me where Catra went. She just went on and on about technology and usually I have a pretty good attention span for it but- ” Adora looks over the side of the wooden platform at the rising ship. Wrapped in Perfuma’s vines it groans at shutters in its ascent. it looks like flower power was able to figure out cactus.

A large claw wraps around her ankle. Adora prepares for impact. “I don't want to be in charge anymore” Scorpia sobs, attaching herself to Adora like a koala. The large woman almost knocks Adora down with her weight, the blonde steadies herself with the sword planted firmly in a wooden plank.

“Get off of her!” large vines sprout out of the side of the cliff face and wrap themselves around Scorpia like boa constrictor. The scorpian’s eyes widen and she's pulled up and upside down with a yelp. the jacket falls from her belt and Adora hurries to catch it. holding it to her chest. it still smells like Catra. pine and hide regulation shampoo.

Perfuma stumbles off the ship as it comes to rest before Adora, Hutara sliding down after her.

“You should be ashamed of yourself” Perfuma raises Scorpia to eye level. “Look at the state of your troops, their aura’s are very dark” Adora looks down at the sandy floor and is surprised to see that most of the Horde soldiers just surrendered.

Scorpia sniffs “Catra is usually the one to bring resources like food and sleeping bags.“ Scorpia looks over at her Soldiers ” I usually just boost moral and do the heavy lifting”

Scorpias eyes widened, “oh Etheria, Hordak is going to be so mad. First I drop his ship down a ravine and next I get everybody captured.” her eyes start to well. “I was so focused on finding Catra- and- and.. I just wanted to be a good friend! We can't be the super pal trio if there’s only two of us”

“The super pal trio?” Adora snorts, the same time Perfuma gasps. “You want to be a good friend? That's so sweet”. Adora can't help but look at her like she's gone crazy. the flowery blonde ignores her in favor of growing flowers all over Scorpia.

‘I'm gonna… just..” Adora hurriedly jumps into the ship, leaving behind a delighted Perfuma and a confused but happy to be there Scorpia. A final “your aura is very bright” is the last thing Adora can make out.

“Entrapta!” Adora stumbles through the ship's hallways. it looks very different than how Adora saw it last. while it had been looted the walls were still intact. unlike now.

“Adora?” Entraptas' confused voice floats through the vents. the sizzling of a welding tool stops before starting again.

“Entrapta, where are you?”Adora ducks into the co*ckpit. Finding it completely taken apart. Wires hang from the ceiling and jut out in bundles from the control panel. the anger that has been building in her sparks just a little at the site of her predecessors ship being torn apart to so carelessly.

“Adora? Are you seeing this! This First Ones ship is almost completely intact! It's an impossible feat!”

“It was completely intact a week ago” Adora growls, running to the command seat that's now somehow in three separate pieces. The seat was a block of marble. How could Entrapta just separate marble like that?

“What did you do?” Adora asks, her voice slightly shrill. But to her defense her mentor's most prized possession was just ripped apart.

“Upgrades Baby upgrades!” a disembodied voice cheers from somewhere in the vents. “Or at least that's what Catra always said when I would make improvements to the Horde bots.” Adora flinches as something rolls out of the vent and slams into the ground. “She also would have brought me a fire extinguisher, i'm starting to regret sending her on that recon mission”

Adora freezes, Catra’s alive. Not only alive but on.. Recon? “Entrapa, where is Catra?”

“Catra? Oh! I sent her to the most fascinating First Ones hub I have ever seen to collect data. The amount of First Ones tech letting off electrical waves is amazing!” there's a thud, then the sound of multiple legs skittering across the ground. Entrapta wearing her helmet down rides in on a very small, round robot. Adora stumbles back.

“If you were out there, what is in the vent?” Adora asks, pointing to the now silent vent system. “Wait- She's not dead” the shadows that have had their grip on Adoras heart since leaving the Fright Zone finally loosen. “Where did you send her? How do I get there” Entrapata flips her welding shield up with a frown.

“Who?” Adora groans and rubs at her eyes. “Catra! We were just talking about her”

“Oooh Catra! What about her?” Entrapta seems to be avoiding Adora's eyes, focusing instead on a screw driver she has gripped in her glove.

“Where is she?” Adora grits out, fisting her hands at her sides.

Entrapta hurriedly moves away from the blonde, instead tapping randomly at the control pane, “Oh I can't tell you that”

“Why not!?”

“Hordak said to under no circ*mstances tell anyone the location of Beast Island”

“Beast Island! You send Catra to Beast Island?!” Adora drops the sword and She-ra along with it. She scrambles to pick it back up.

“Ooh, I really wasn’t supposed to disclose that either” Entrapta taps her chin with her hair but Adora isn't listening

“Beast island? Beast Island! with the razor fins and their razor sharp teeth, and the chibi’s and their equally sharp teeth.”

“I didn't know about that," Entrapta says, she seems to hunch on on herself a little before straining up. "but it's a First Ones tech magnet! I have never had such a strong reading anywhere on Etheria!” Entapta taps a few buttons on her trackpad and flips it around to show Adora.

“Look at thi., the First Ones tech there has grown with the environment. it's organic now! and growing. constantly changing. That place is probably more dangerous than a war zone!” Entrapta giggles focusing entirely on the tech and not on the fact that she just sent Hordak's second in command there. she sticks the tablet back in her hair. “So I sent Catra to do research”

“Is she alive? Is she ok? Adora steps closer to Entrapta her breath is coming quicker, her heart tries to beat out of her chest. Entrapta seems a little uncomfortable with out close Adora is getting, taking a small step back. “How are you speaking with her, if you sent her there to research the tech then how is she reporting back to you” Adora grabs Entrapta by the shoulders but the girl just draws her eyebrows together in thought.

“Oh, I didn't think about that part. Catra is usually the one who thinks plans like this through but she didn't exactly go willingly. Or consciously” Entrapta slides her mask down and shrugs. “Oh well, she’ll find a way. It's actually a very interesting phenomenon, Catra is very good at getting herself out of terrible situations. Her ability to swindle anybody into doing anything by just her words is an incredible skill.”

"How is she going to swindle anybody if there is no one their!" Adora asks, her hands tremble on Entrapta shoulders.

Entrapta pauses, gently lifting Adora's hand from her shoulder with a strand of hair. "I- Catra us good at figuring things out. she's smart. Entrapta holds up a tablet, “I was doing research, would you like to see my findings?” Entrapta rolls closer to Adora on her bot.

“No! I need you to tell me how to get to Beast Island.” Entrapta waves her away with a piece of hair.

“Hordak said that telling anyone the location of Beast Island could jeopardize the Horde” Entrapta hops off her bot and rummages through one of the open panels on the control deck. She pulls a recorder from only Etheria knows where and starts to speak into it.

“We are obviously missing an important piece here” she taps at an empty gap in the control panel. “If I can find it I can get this beautiful piece of tech up and running.” She turns back to Adora “ I named her Darla” Entrapta gently strokes the control panel.

“Ok, ok” Adora clutches her head between her hands. “If I find you that piece of tech will you take me to Catra?'' Adora grabs Entrapta’s hand, turning her towards the blonde.

she seems to be trying to avoid this conversation at all costs.“Hordak sai-”

“I don't care what Hordak said, he was trying to destroy the universe to send a signal through that portal. Catra stopped him. She didn't just save me, she saved all of us” Entrapta glancing towards Adora.

“What do you mean? Hordak’s message was sent as soon as the last part of the portal was connected. The only thing Catra stopped from happening was the fabric of the universe quite literally closing and ripping itself to create a pocket dimension. A pocket dimension that would have soon collapsed under the weight of the universe!” Entrapta starts to laugh, flipping up her visor.

Adora freezes “no”

“Yes! Horde Prime is on his way right now! Hordak is very pleased” Entrapta goes quiet, her smile slowly dropping “pleased but…. But not very nice” She holds her screw driver to her chest.

Adora swallows and shakes her head. She can only focus on so much right now and only one of these things she can fix.

“Entrapta, Catra is your friend, right?” Adora speaks slowly and places her hands on Entrapa’s shoulders.

“The data points to yes” she holds up a data pad with her hair. “She improved on my designs and made my experiments, and the Horde in general, safer. she listened to my theories, she took my studies into account when directing soldiers. But.. she was very angry when I tried to stop her from opening the portal.”

“Well, when your friend is in danger you do everything you can to save them. No matter what, " Entrapta is silent, her hands fidgeting in front of her. Adora tries to beg her with her eyes to understand but Entrapta just turns around to look at the control console.

Adora squeezes her eyes shut. Everything is falling apart. She thought her biggest problem was finding Catra, but now Horde Prime is coming and Hordak is closer than ever to winning this war. She refuses to cry, not until Catra is safe.

“If we could find the missing piece of the ship, we could make it through Beast Islands vortex.” Entrapata starts to rummage through the twisted wires.

“Vortex? '' Adora asks, quickly coming to stand behind Entrapta.

“Beast island sits in the center of an environmental anomaly. The massive amount of First Ones tech interacts and grows with the environment. Making the seas too rough to sail and the sky’s too dangerous to fly through. It's like the environment around Beast Island drags any and all things that get caught in its trap towards the island and refuses to let go.”

Entrapta turns around and flips her welding shield back down, holding a blowtorch. “If you find the missing piece, I will stay here and fix the ship so we can get to beast island” Entrapta turns back around and ducks into the control panel. “And save Catra”

Entrapts hesitates in the makeshift doorway “I don't want anybody to be left behind like I was” and with that she scurries away.

“Wait!” Adora tries to follow but Entrapta is already gone. “How do I find the missing piece!”

Adora startles when Entraptas bot taps her on the shoulder. “Follow Emily!”

Chapter 3: Que Sera

Chapter Text

Catra doesn’t remember passing out, but it seems about right. its not often that she runs for her life from giant creatures but when she does she tends to crash. can you blame her? After being virtually stabbed by a giant tooth one tends to get a little light headed. Which reminds her. She should be bleeding out underneath a giant terrifying creature, but she isn't.

She wakes up in the most comfortable bed known to man. Which isn't saying much since Catra grew up on rock hard slabs with itchy blankets. these blankets are soft and oh so warm. she's almost comfortable ought to stretch out like she used to. before she became to cautious to show her vulnerable belly. it would feel so nice to stretch out those long underside muscles but she refrains. Her previously stabbed arm is immobile and wrapped to her torso. She tries to shift it but any attempt at movement sends shooting pains up her muscles.

The room is white and sterile, so different than what she's used to waking in. the light source is a glowing rock that feel closer to the sun than it does a light bulb. From the Vent comes the thing that woke her. the skittering sound of someone moving through the enclosed space. Catra would know, she grew up in the vents of the Fright Zone.

The vents were where she thrived. where she hid from the worst punishments and where she would crawl away to lick her wounds. it was Catra's safe space. where she felt most comfortable. and she didn't stop when everyone found out. called her a rodent, a verman, a monster in the vents.

If the Fright Zone was ever going to see Catra as Adora's pet? then why should she act any different. she caught mice, scared younger cadets, ease dropped on older force captains lessons. Catra wasn't as stupid as everyone thought she was. she wasn't as lazy. she just knows the benefits of being underestimated.

when Adora though Catra was off taking a nap, or stealing rations she was really learning, watching. war meetings were her favorite. watching as they fought of strategy and brute force. how they argued and missed simple solutions that Catra could solve in seconds. Catra didnt realize she was also waiting until the day Adora left. until the she put everything she learned to use.

there's a reason Catra was such a good second in command and it wasn't luck.

When Entrapta found the vent system Catra almost felt exposed. like someone else was coveting her sacred space. but she also found kinship the princess. they both felt more comfortable moving through the vents. going unseen and unheard. being invisable.

Catra’s breath stays slow, deep and even. Her limbs stay relaxed. she doesn't react when the little girl crawls through the vent. She heard her coming three minutes ago. What Catra does react to is the door slamming open and a loud booming voice proclaiming. “Calico! What did I say about coming in here!”

Catra may have been able to tamp down mot of her animist urges. purring, scent marking, scratching. her fear response isn't one of them.

Catra is up and in a fighting position, her fur sticking up like she was electrocuted, before either the large cat-like boy standing in the doorway or the smaller skinny girl underneath the vent can blink. The skinny girl she now realizes looks vaguely like the little creature she saw in the trees. They both gap at her, their mouth opening and closing like fish and their eyes wide.

Catra is probably doing a pretty good job mirroring them. her mouth dropping open without her consent when she realizes that they look just like her. furry and clawed. ears that twitch at the silent noises and tails flipping nerovusly. her arm burns from the over extent and she slowly lowers it back to her stomach, allowing the sling to hold it up for her.

“Where am I?” she asks, hesitantly. The boy is orange furred and white spotted. He closes his mouth with an audible click. the girl has her hands covering her mouth now, her eyes wide. Neither of them answer the question.

Catra catalogs her exits. One doorway currently inhabited by a large boy, and one vent blocked by a scrawny girl. No window. Now one might think she would have trouble choosing which way she was going to go. But even after sleeping in a bed far more comfier than she's ever slept in Catra really doesn't think she'll be able to fight off a man twice her size. besides can you blame her? she's injured.

Catra lunges for the girl with her hands as close fists as she can get them. Which is hard considering one is in a sling strapped to her chest and the other is so heavily wrapped in bandages it's hard to move her fingers..

Catra expected at least a little fight, maybe a slight maiming, but the girl just squeaks like she saw a mouse and drops to the floor. Hands over head. Catra is so surprised that she stops in her tracks, hands awkwardly held out in front of her. its almost funny enough to laugh at.

“Wait!" the boy squeaks. he starts to move again, like someone replaced his battery. "You’re in Half-Moon! your safe now. It's ok” he lifts his palms to her in a placating way but Catra knows better. Most dangerous spells can simply be whispered.

“What the hell is Half-Moon? '' Catra growls, stretching the claws out on her burnt hand as a test. The act is painful but ignorable. the boy eyes flit to them even as a confused pinch creases his eyebrows.

His eyes widened and his arms dropped to his side. “What is Half-Moon?” he mumbles genuinely confused. it makes her feel like she's stupid. Catra isn't stupid. she growls and takes a step closer to the vent. Consequently taking a step closer to the girl.

the boys eyes widen and he takes a hesitant step forward, shrinking his body to look less threatening. his ear twitch and his tail goes up in a way Catra knows is a friendly manner.

"we're no going to hurt you" he says. Catra scoffs, like she hasn't heard that one before? these guys are amateurs.

"you guys are going to have to try a little harder that that" she growls, the fur on her back raises in a threat. "what do you want from me?"

"we just wanted to check in you" the girl says, her hands finally falling from her mouth. Catra's eyebrows draw together in confusion. why would to random.. people? whatever they are even care?

"your obviously not Horde" Catra says, both felines flinch a little. their tails droop. its all the confirmation Catra needs. if they're non Horde they want information. "Is that what this is? you 'save' me and now you want something in return. information on the Horde?""no, you've just been asleep for a while and-"

"And what?" Catra asks, taking a step towards the girl. the soldier stumbles a little in her fatigue and the boy in the door way must take it as a threat.

“Don't hurt her” the boy lunges foorward to grab her but Catra wastes no more time in her escape. She jumps around the girl on the floor and onto the table below the vent. into the small opening the girl recently crawled out of she goes. She struggles to pull herself up with one and a half arms and only makes it about halfway in. the top half of her body no longer strong enough to pull her up, the bottom half of her body hanging out the vent like a rag doll.

“Uh.. you need any help?” When the little girl stands back up and grabs her legs Catra panics. her leg spasms and kicks her right in the face. Not only effective in stopping her from touching Catra but also scooting the Horde soldier deep enough to crawl forward.

She kicks the lid resting slightly inside the vent as the girl sticks her head in. it smashes into her forehead hard enough to make Catra winces in sympathy before it falls onto the floor below with a yowl and a clang. wiggling around until she can get her burnt hand below her she starts a three legged race down the tunnel.

“Hey Wait! I just wanted to say hi!” the girl shouts down the vent. There is a scraping sound of nails on metal and a shout. “Calico gets out of there” before the Vent is too echoey to make out any words.

Catra knows her way around a ventilation system. She grew up in them. It's how she got to all her classes unnoticed and where she hid most from Shadow Weaver. Her best pranks against Kyle were thought up in a vent. She easily maneuvers her way through, silently, sniffing for the scent of outside.

It's just her luck she gets abducted by people who look just like her. They’re probably aliens that can mimic the way she looks. They’re probably gonna kill her. Dissect her and steal her intestines. Oh holy Hordak they’re probably gonna prob her. Catra can handle a lot of things. Suffocation, Falling off a cliff, electrocution, but she is not about to be probed.

As Catra passes what looks to be the kitchen the door slams open and the man from earlier rushes for the vent, stumbling over his own two feet. Catra hurridly crawls down the vent and narrowly misses his hand grabbing her tail. “Watch the tail, asshole!”

“come back! We won't hurt you!”

Catra should have gone the other way because the vent ends. The only way out is up so Catra maneuvers herself into a sitting position, pushing her feet against one side of the vent and her back against the other. She shimmies her way up, taking small calculated steps to limit the noise she makes. Slamming her back against that tree isn't doing her any favors. Her ribs scream in agony with every step. The confined space doesn't seem to be helping.

Catra tightly grips onto the lip of the next opening with her hand, ignoring the way her skin burns with the effort, and hauls herself into the space there for a breath. The dusty smell of paper floats by her and Catra drags herself towards the light.

She peeks into the opening and sees what looks like a library. A striped magicat women sits alone in an armchair near a shelf of books. One hand holding open what seems to be the oldest book known to man. The other is just a stub. Anything below the elbow is just missing.
Catra almost jumps as the door bursts open. The sound reverberated through the library and into the vent. The two magicats from earlier standing guilty in the doorway, out of breath. The magicat women slowly looks up from her book, one eyebrow raised.

“Tigger, Calico, what have you done now?” The womens voice is scratchy but soothing, like she’s worn down her vocal chords over the years.

The man Catra assumes is Tigger pushes the smaller girl into the room and tries his hardest to hide behind her. To her credit the girl puffs out her chest but slowly shrinks under the woman's gaze.

“You know that girl I found in the woods? The one that had two different eyes?'' This is time Catra gets a good look at her and concurs that yes, this is the same girl she saw in the tree. Black fur and white spots covering her eye and ear. The womens eyes narrow and she closes the book.

“Yes, quite clearly” Calico smiles guilty, her hand fidgeting with her tail. She takes a breath and lets it all out in one go.

“She may or may not have found her way into the vents” the silence is deafening, Catra can hear her own breathing. Both magicats shrink under the woman's unwavering gaze, she is unnaturally still.

“How did she get into the vents?” she asks, very calmly. “I know for a fact its bolted shut.” Calico looks down at her feet before holding up a bolt gun.

“What!?”

Maybe it's the fact that Catra remembers the last time she, personally, lost a prisoner but when the woman jumps up, her voice unnaturally shrill. Catra jumps, her head hitting the top of the vent. The sound reverberates around the confined space and, unfortunately, out into the library. Catra can tell because all three heads whip in her direction.

Catra quickly back pedals as much as she can on three limbs and almost falls back down the shaft. She quickly rights herself and shimmies up the rest of the way. Her heart beats fast for the two kids. That’s what they are really. They couldn't have been very much younger than Catra herself.

“Tigger, go alert the castle Guard and tell them to watch all the vents outside the castle. Calico get your mother right now and tell her-” the rest of the order is lost but Catra is slightly surprised there was no punishment. No yelling. Just an order on how to fix the situation.

When Catra is back on solid ground she quickly shimmies past rooms, looking for one that is unoccupied so she can get out of the cramped vents. They’re aren't that many of them considering that women called this place a castle. It's more like a two story home. Theirs a living room, a kitchen, a library. A strange room that holds an uncomfortable amount of furs. Like with the head still attached. The rest of the house is just bedrooms. Most obviously inhabited.

At the first dark room she gets too Catra extends a claw and cuts out the vent door like a living can opener. Who needs a nail gun when you have these babies? She drops out of the opening and almost stumbles completely over when her ribs protest. She studies herself with a hand and stays crouched until she makes sure the room is empty. When the room stops spinning she hurries towards the blinds, rips them open and freezes at what she sees.

There is no sky, but a rocky ceiling covered in crystals so bright it's almost as if the sun is shining right there. The cave goes on for miles and miles, trees and farm land go all the way to the cave wall. But closer. Just before Catra is a makeshift city. Not humongous but large enough to hold at least 300 people.

300 people who all look like Catra. Bushy tailed kids Pulling carts and lanky teenagers selling food. A whole civilization of magicats. Magicats that are supposed to be extinct. Wiped out by Hordak himself nearly two decades ago. Houses and buildings and parks made with cut marble and beautiful trees. Catra‘s jaw hangs open without her notice.

These aren't aliens, they’re magicats. People, so many people who look just like her. Tails, and fur coats, but with ears that are covered in piercings and clothes that are airy and light. A whole culture.

“I see you’ve found your room.'' Catra must have been so immersed in the sight of the city that she didn't notice the door open. Catra whips around and presses her back against the corner of the room. Standing in the door frame is a magicat with a dark fur coat like Catra’s and blue and yellow eyes that reflect in the light filtering in through the window.

When the woman flips on the light Catra can feel her eyes constrict and her fur fluff up. Her heart beats double speed and her breath shallows. Catra shrinks further into the corner when the woman moves slightly forward.

“I dont know what you want but you better back the f*ck up” Catra growls, straighting her posture to try to look bigger than she is.

“I'm not going to hurt you” the woman's voice is soothing and soft. But it only makes Catra more on edge. She tries to catalog her exits or search for weapons or something but there is nothing for Catra to defend herself with. She flexes her half working claws.

The woman is standing in front of the door and under the vent. Catra would try to fight her way past her but the woman has two dual swords strapped to her hips. Catras eyes flit to the window, but the glass looks sturdy and Catra doesn't think she can punch through it with her wrapped hands.

The woman follows her gaze and steps forward. “I don't think punching through a window will help you” Catra is so on edge that she growls deep and involuntary through her chest, like a feral cat trapped in a corner. Which she basically is.

The woman takes a step back in shock. Her eyes widening and fur fluffing up. “Ok, ok. Stepping back, I get it” Catra slightly relaxes.

“Who’re you?”

“My name is Cyra '' the woman puts out her hands placatingly. “The girl you met was Calico and the boy was Tigger. I'm sorry they scared you but we were just trying to help”

“Where am I? '' There's a thump in the hallway and Cyra's ear flits back towards it but she doesn't acknowledge it.

“This is Half-moon, you’re in the castle” Cyra slowly edges forward, her hand outstretched.

“Half-Moon?” it finally clicked “ As in the destroyed Half-moon?” the destroyed half moon that sits three thousand miles away from beast island. The Half-moon full of Magicas that was flattened by Hordak himself

The woman winces “I can see that you're confused and that this is a stressful situation for you, but why don't we go back to the infirmary and get you looked at. You've popped your stitches.” she gestures toward Catras left arm which has started to bleed through the bandages.

Catras ears lay flat against her head but when the woman gestures for her to follow Catra steps after her hesitantly. Outside the room Tigger and Calico hace pressed themselves against the side of the wall but quickly straighten as Cyra steps out. “Rooms” is all Cyra says quietly and both magicats shoot down the hall, out of sight.

“Sorry about them '' Cyra smiles hesitantly, but her ears and tail are relaxed. “They were just excited to meet you”

“Why?” Catra asks, eyeing Cyra and walking slightly behind her. She has an easier escape method if Cyra tries anything.

“What?” Cyra asks her brows to draw together.

“Why would they want to meet me?”

“Oh, uh… well you're a magicat, one that isn't already from here. Outsiders are rare but outsider magicats are unheard of.'' Cyra smiles, her face is almost hopeful as she looks at Catra.

“Yeah, Why are there so many magicats here?” Cyra leads her into the room she woke up in. a small bed pushed up into the corner and a cabinet next to it that now opens. It's filled with medical supplies and disinfectants. Across from it a small table where the woman from the library sits, decidedly more calm, and with a plate of food and a glass of water.

Catra’s stomach rumbles loudly and Cyra chuckles. “How about you eat first, we’ll fix you up. Then you can ask all the questions you want.'' Catra slowly sits into the chair Cyra pulls out for her, eyeing the other women cautiously. She has bright blue eyes, black fur and large white spots framing her cheeks and forehead.

“This is my wife Nala, is it ok if she touches you arm?'' Catra eyes Nala but slowly nods, allowing her to slowly unwrap the bandages keeping her arm secured to her body.

“Where did all the magicats come from?” Catra asks, watching Cyra’s dual sword warily as the woman comes closer. Cyra slowly places the food in front of Catra. It smells like nothing the Horde soldier has eaten before, rich and spicy, but Catra ignores it.

“Its been told you took down a razor fin” Nala says, peeling the bloodied bandage from Catra’s fur. “That's very impressive for a force captain” Catras' ears pin back and her eyes flit down to where her badge would sit at her waist if she were wearing her uniform. Nala stays focused on her task and doesn't mention Catra’s fluffed up fur. She slowly prods at the gash that has reopened on Catra’s arm.

“You have a problem with the Horde?'' Catra asks, her muscles rigid. But Nala just opens a sterile needle and starts to thread a string through it.

“No, not much a Force Captain can do here, especially because this is usually where they get banished” Catra eyes her but Nala stays completely at ease.

“Then we’re good”

“We’re good” Cyra speaks up, nodding from where she's leaning against the wall.

“This is gonna hurt a little” Nala says, as she starts to sew up the gash in Catras arm. Catra bites her tongue and refuses to flinch, maintaining eye contact with Cyra.

“What is this place?”

“I told you, halfmoon”

“Half-Moon was completely destroyed two decades ago, both the people and the kingdom decimated.”

Cyra and Nala glance at each other. “It's a long story” Cyra says, coming to sit next to Nala, placing a hand on her partner's leg.

“Well it looks like I've got time”

Cyra sighs and leans back, crossing her arms. “Well, you're right. Mostly. Two decades ago, when the Horde was first gaining traction in the war. Half-moon, the original Half-Moon at least, was attacked. we knew it was coming. Us hybrids could smell the Horde tanks from miles away. And scouting parties had returned with words of marching soldiers.”

“We prepared for a war first but soon for an escape, we were already surrounded.” Cyra looks somewhere over Catra’s shoulder, her eyes unfocused.

“The horde had so many soldiers, taken from seemingly nowhere and loyal to a fault. Any attempt at retaliation or defense was met with zero mercy. Hundreds were slaughtered.”

Catra winces, she knows exactly what that looks like. And she soon after put a stop to it. No villagers were to be slaughtered as long as she was Force captain and then second in command. Villages were captured and put under new government, rebelling citizens safely imprisoned.

“The only way out was over the water. I guess the Horde thought us wild animals were victims of our basic instincts because they had no water support. So us cats started to build boats”

Nala silently sews a final stitch into Catra’s arm and ties it off. Cyra’s grip on her partner's leg tightens.

Nala’s eyes are glassy, her hands slightly trembling as she picks up fresh gauze. “We weren't ready.” she mumbles, her hand pausing where it rests on Catra’s arm. “The boats were only half built but we had to leave on them anyway. We got caught in Beast Islands vortex.”

“Vortex?” Catra asks, lifting her arm so Nala can wrap a new bandage around it.

“Beast Island resides in the middle of a phantom zone. It drags people in and refuses to let go. It's not Beast island that kills people but the waters around it that pull people under the waves and drown them.”

“But the island didn't drown us.” Cyra smiles. “It actually seemed to protect us. Any attempt to follow drowned Horde soldiers. So we made our home here. On Beast Island.” Nala tapes the end of the bandage down.

“And your its Queens” it's more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, we are the royal family” Cyra confirms, Catra eyes them both with a slight frown

“The royal family that is now taking care of a wounded Horde soldier” the Queens glance at each other. “I don't know about you but where i'm from, Horde soldiers get sent to prison.”

“You obviously weren't a very good one if you got sent to beast island” Nala retaliates. Cyra smacks her shoulder with a hiss. Catra freezes.

“Excuse me? I was second in command!” she smacks a hand over her mouth. The Queens’ eyes widen.

“Oh sh*t” a little voice mumbles. Catra’s ears flatten while both queens' eyes shoot to the door and then each other.

“Calico , get in here” Queen Cyra all but growls. The black and white furred girl slowly walks into the room, eyes downcast and tail dragging behind her.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Cyra stands and folds her arms across her chest. She doesn't do a very good job looking intimidating but Nala behind her does. Her glare darkens the room and drops the temperature by a few degrees. Catra swears she can see her breath in the air.

“I was getting a glass of water?” It sounds more like a question and Calico can tell she's not fooling anyone. The girl immediately cracks.“Tigger was eavesdropping too!”

“That girl would not be able to handle being tortured” Catra mumbles under her breath, Nala sends a concerned look her way, indicating she heard the statement.

“Was not!” a thump and Tigger is lying in the doorway, a sheepish look on his face. Nala spacks her hand against her face and Cyra pinches her nose.

“Ok Wonder Twins, out into the hallway. Nala watches her Queen follow them, closing the door behind her.

“They’re twins? They don't look like twins.” Nala stares at Catra in silence before breaking out in giggles.

“No, she’s comparing them to the comic book.” when Catra gives her a blank look Nala’s jaw drops open but she's quick to close it and wave her hand. “Nevermind, they’re not twins. Two years apart. Calico is 15 and Tigger is 17 but they're inseparable. Thick as thieves. They’d be three years younger then…” Nala, trails off with a shake of her head.

“Anway, Sorry about them. Calico is the one that found you in the woods. She’s been obsessed ever since. Said something about defeating a razor fin” she pauses for dramatic effect. “With both hands tied together” Catra flushes with pride.

“It was nothing,” she coughs, flexing her claws. “ and they weren't tied together, just encased so I couldn't use my claws.”

Nala pulls antiseptic wipes from the cabinet by the bed. “Speaking of, why don't you let me look at your fingertips. I wasn’t able to take off those metal caps earlier” Nala holds out her hand but Catra just folds them in her lap.

“What metal caps?” Nala looks at her, eyebrows drawn.

“The black metal that covers your nails and knuckle” Nala reaches for Catras hands but the horde soldier just pulls them closer to herself.

“Those are just my claws.” Nala eyes widen and Catra can't help but wince. she curls her fingers in her lap. Her claws carefully away.

“What happened to your-” Nala pauses to look back into her eyes. Catra looks away and holds out a hand to the Queen, who gently takes it in hers. She carefully avoids Catra’s burnt palm and examines the steel tips of her fingers. The first knuckle of each appendage was cut off and replaced.

“It's what happens when you scratch A- someone one too many times” Catra eyes Nala, Waiting for a reaction, “i got them back when the Horde realized what an asset they could be” she carefully extends her claws. “Can cut through just about anything, just like butter”

Catra had expected the woman to be impressed, not horrified. But there are tears gathering in Nala’s eyes and Catra has to look away. “I am so sorry-”

Catra pulls her hand from Nala’s grip. “Don’t be, i like them better this way”

Thankfully Cyra interrupts as the door swings back open. Tigger and Calico trailing behind the Queen guilty as she walks back in. “Calico, Tigger, meet D-… uh” the queen turns towards the former horde soldier. “What's your name?” Catra can’t help but crack a smile.

“Catra” the queen's lip quirks.

“Little on the nose” Nala mumbles, Catra glares at her side profile.

“Meet Catra. Catra these are our children, prince Tigger, and princess Calico of Half-Moon.'' Both Magicats trill in greeting but the room goes silent as Catra doesn't do it back. Nala looks at her and Catra narrows her eyes back.

“What” Catra asks defensively. Nala and Cyra's ears droop but Calico jumps in.

“When being introduced to new people we trill as a sign of respect and mutual understanding” the girl smiles.

Catra hesitates. “H-how?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do you trill?” Calico’s ears droop.

“You can’t trill?” she asks, hesitantly.

“I mean I can but it's usually an accident.” Catra mumbles, curling her fingers in her lap. “Never mind, how do I get out of here?”

“You're a Horde soldier, we can't let you just leave” Tigger speaks up, placing his hands on his hips.

“I'm a prisoner?” Catra glances around at the warm comfortable room. “This doesn't really look like a prison cell to me.”

“You're not a prisoner” Cyra is quick to reassure. She reaches for Catra as if to place a hand on her arm but when Catra’s hair raises at the motion she slowly retreats.

“So if I'm not a prisoner, how do I get out of here and off the island?” Cyra and Nala look at each other in desperation.

“Why do you want to leave?” Cyra asks, placing a hand on her wife's soldier. Now Catra doesn’t really have a reason to leave, she’s actually pretty certain she’ll be executed if Hordak ever sees her again, but staying here around this happy magicat family is making the heart she only recently realized she still had to do a weird jerking motion.

Catra doesn't really understand why they’re taking this so hard. She’s just some Horde soldier they’re daughter found in the woods. They’re acting shifty and secretive, it only acts to put Catra more on edge.

“Well i'm not staying here”

“But you can't leave” Calico’s voice sounds frail and ears are drooped, her tail dragging on the floor behind her. “You only just re-”

“What she means is… you can’t leave until that arm heals.” Nala butts in slightly hysterically.

“I've fought through worse, I'll be fine. Where’s the nearest boat?”

“There is no way off the Island '' Tigger folds his arms over his chest to look intimidating but shrinks under Catra’s glare.

Catra hesitates, her eyes twitching. “What do you mean? you've been here 2 decades and you couldn't find a way off the island?”

“Well we-”

“Nope!” Cyra claps her hands together. Catra’s ear flicks. “It's the Island. Won't let anyone or anything leave.” Cyra smiles a little too widely and her tail flips back and forth behind her.

Catra growls and stands from her chair “I'll find my own way off!” she shoves her way past Tigger, who had stepped in front of the door, almost as if to block her way out.

“I insist you stay until your arm is at least mobile again” Nala almost pleads. She stands from her chair and follows Catra out the door.

Catra growls but glances at her newly wrapped arm. Any movement causes shoots of pain up her nerve endings. She wouldn't be able to make a raft with it let alone sail into those choppy waters. she glances back at the family. A cute family, the kind she wished she still had as a kit.

“You need some fresh air! We all do! And you can't leave until you see the marketplace. The food there is amazing.” Cyra places a hand on her wifes shoulder. Nala relaxes under the touch and smiles at Catra.

“Catra’s stomach growls and she glances at the untouched plate of food still sitting on the table in the infirmary. She wouldn't make it very far on an empty stomach either.

“Fine” Catra signs and wraps an arm around herself. “Show me this marketplace”

Calico actually squeals and she claps her hands together. “We can go clothes shopping” Catra looks down at what she’s wearing. A comfortably large shirt and a pair of pants in a jean like material that isn't at all uncomfortable. Why would she need new clothes?

“You're going to love the clothes here considering what we found you in.” Catra’s ears droop, it was hard to find that uniform. The basic Horde uniforms just weren't made for hybrids. And while her old one hugged and pulled all her fur in the wrong ways it stretched and contorted without ripping. An all together good find in the Horde.

A find that Adora found. She had presented the uniform like a stash of gray ration bars to Catra. All proud and cheeky.

As Catra follows the royal family through the hallways, she can't help but notice the old portrait hanging from the wall in the living room. Catra knows its old because Nala still has two arms. Cyra, with a baby Calico in her arms, and Nala, who’s holding a toddler Tigger. It would have been just a passing glance if Catra didn't see the third child standing between the two woman.

Nala’s hand, that now no longer exists, is resting on the shoulder of a girl with brown fur and light stripes, gray tufts behind the ears and two blue and yellow eyes that match the rest of the royal children. The spitting image of a young Catra.

Catra glances away from the portrait, her face schooled in cool uninterest, and into the mismatched eyes of Cyra. Cyra has yellow and blue eyes, two gray tufts behind her ears, and dark brown fur with light stripes.

Chapter 4: A Scorpion, a Tech Master and Two Princesses

Chapter Text

Glimmer wouldn't have done it if she knew Adora would react this badly. Ever since Glimmer teleported the best friend squad (plus Shadow Weaver) out of the fright zone without a certain Horde scum feline, Adora has been on edge. On edge as in hasnt slept, or eaten, or talked to anyone. Well besides herself, but that doesn't really count.

And while Glimmer might feel a little bad for leaving the devil embodiment there, after said Horde scum maybe kinda did save them, her actions were completely justified. Might she remind you Glimmer did save everybody! No one seems to be mentioning that part.

Catra literally told her to teleport! The cat obviously wanted to be left behind. Surrounded by people she just betrayed. And various torture devices. And a crazy dictator.

Ok maybe Glimmer feels a lot bad! But there isn't anything she can do about it now! She kinda just teleported in the heat of the moment. And then Adora was going on about how they abandoned Catra and refusing to acknowledge that the magicat had tried to kill them. Multiple times! Adora didn't seem to see how going back to the place they just narrowly escaped from was a bad idea.

So maybe when Adora came out of Mara’s ship, followed by a round bot, claiming she needed to find the missing piece of the ship she only just liberated from the Horde to SAVE CATRA. Not the rebellion, or Etheria or the people the Horde have misplaced but Catra? Maybe Glimmer got a little mad. why wouldn't Adora want to find the missing piece to save Etheria, Or literally anything else that hadn't tried to kill them.

Not to mention the person who told her to find the missing piece is A HORDE SOLDIER! And while Entrata isn't particularly the best Horde soldier and was only on that side because of the tech, she was still the enemy.

Glimmer didn't say anything when Adora stuffed all the prisoners onto “Darla”. She just cuffed a few of the prisoners' hands and had them sit in the loading bay as Perfuma dragged the ship back to the whispering woods.

She didn't say anything as she watched as Perfuma just cut Scorpia loose. They let the Princess run around like it was nothing even though she's also a Horde soldier. she wasn’t a particularly good Horde soldier considering the state of her troops when Glimmer got there. But she regresses.

Glimmer didn't utter a word when the “missing piece search team” (trademark) was rounded up. A search team that included one Horde soldier and another Horde soldiers’ pet bot.

Glimmer is starting to question if this is even the rebellion anymore. Obviously it's just Horde 2.0. It is especially annoying considering Perfuma has definitely fallen in love with Scorpia in the two days they met.

When Adora went off to debrief with the Queen, a debrief Glimmer should have prolly also gone too. Glimmer may have gotten a rotten idea. An idea she should probably have discussed before she did something she regretted. And maybe it wasn't the best idea to open up a robot she had no idea how to control and rip out the piece of machinery that had a neat, printed “navigation” written across the top, bless Entrapta for her organization, but Glimmer felt like she was between a rock and a hard place.

Let Adora find the missing piece and die trying to save Catra. Or sabotage Emily and everyone lives happily ever after. The choice was easy, But now that they're walking around the whispering woods in circles. Glimmer is maybe starting to have some regrets.

Adora keeps getting more and more frustrated. Her hair is frazzled from its usual pristine ponytail. The bags under her eyes have grown three inches in the past four hours. And her clothes are so wrinkled that Glimmer doesn't think she's changed since the Fright Zone.

“We've passed that rock four times!” Adora’s breathing quite heavily and her eyes are manically large.

“Maybe we should take a break” Scorpia says cautiously. Glimmer watches Emily do a one eighty before deciding to walk the complete opposite direction they’ve been heading in. Glimmer swears she can see steam coming from Adora’s ears.

“yes! A break could really help realign our chakras' ' Perfuma agrees and she sits down on a mossy boulder before folding her legs up and under her. Adora’s eye twitches but Scorpia smiles at the blond Princess, sitting down on a mossy rock beside her.

“Fine,” Adora holds her head between her hands for a minute before taking a deep breath. “Then I'll go scout the area, maybe we’re just so close to the missing piece that Emily can't pinpoint it” the blonde smooths her hair down before stomping off into the forest.

“I don't think she’s slept since the Fright Zone” Bow whispers. Hugging his trackpad to his chest. Glimmer eyes him and raises an eyebrow.

“I dont think you’ve had any sleep since the Fright zone’ Glimmer retaliates, turning to the boy. He has dark bags under his eyes that rival the severity of Adora’s. “What are you doing on that screen all day anyway.”

Glimmer goes to snatch the screen but Bow holds it out of reach. “Nothing” his voice cracks and he looks over at Scorpia. Glimmer follows his gaze. Perfuma has placed her hand on the scorpions upper arm. The white haired girl looks absolutely smitten. Neither paying any attention to the squabbling duo.

“Just let me see '' Glimmer teleports behind Bow and swipes the trackpad before disappearing and reappearing a couple feet away. The tech master luges for her but Glimmer is gone in a puff of sparkles. She holds the tech in every direction but the screen only shows a multitude of numbers that change every second. “What am I looking at”

Bow sighs and looks in the direction Adora stomped off in. “I've been trying to find information on Catra” he whispers conspiratorially and Glimmer’s eyebrows pull together. does the fine have an instagram or something? Glimmer can't see Catra posting about what she's eating for breakfast or what she wore to Princess Prom.

Now that she thinks about it that actually sounds so interesting. Glimmer would defiantly want to see what the cat does on a day to day basis. Big bad second in command Catra and her morning routine.

Bow seems to know Glimmer's train of though and he rolls his eyes.

“Look” he takes the trackerpad and directs Glimmer into the opposite side of the clearing with a hand on her back. A hand that's definitely not sending a tingly feeling up her spine. Bow glances behind them at Scorpia before Quickly turning to Glimmer.

He types on the screen of his tech and a picture of Catra pops up. It includes her rank and achievements underneath. Glimmer tilts her head and starts to swipe, almost swooning at photos from yearly health check ups. How could someone so evil be so adorable as a kid.

“At first I was confused why the Horde has been failing so badly. I mean they barely even take safety precautions or plan things out anymore. all their attacks are sluggish and poorly thought out." he winces and side eyes Glimmer before continuing. "I may have hacked into the Horde’s mainframe and look what I found.”

“Wait, wait, wait. you could hack into the Horde main frame this whole time and you didn't use that information against them?” Glimmer asks but her completely valid point is ignored.

“Catra planned and led the attack on Brightmoon. Catra planned the attack on princess prom, Catra introduced and convinced Entrapta to stay and improve Horde bot designs.” pictures and mission logs of Catra leading attack after attack scrolls past Bow’s screen. he can't seem to take his eyes away from the reports.

Glimmer shakes her head. “Ok? So what. This just proves that Catra is a horrible person”

“No this means that the only reason the Horde has held up so well against the Rebellion, against She-ra, is because Catra has been leading it. She’s improved morale and attack plans. She's cut down Horde casualties caused by unsafe work conditions by nearly three quarters.”

Bow paces the small clearing. He runs a hand over his hair. “If Catra joined the rebellion we wouldn't only win the war but I think we would do it way more effectively. Some of these things Catra did to boost morale we could be implementing right now.”

“Look” he stops and taps on his trackpad. A picture of a pack of Horde soldiers wearing different colored shirts smile at the camera. They are all covered in mud and grease standing in a barren field between smoldering machinery. Catra off to the side and looks like she would rather be dead than standing there next to the, but looks kind of adorable in a refs uniform.

“Catra created soccer teams for different Horde squadrons. Soccer teams!” He scrolls past the pictures and shows Glimmer a multitude of statistics. “Moral up by thirty percent, soldier agility up by nineteen percent, team work? Up by twenty percent. overall happiness? I didn't think the Horde cared about happiness but it's up twenty five percent!”

“Oh that was the best idea!” Scorpia speaks up from behind Glimmer. The sparkly girl shrieks in surprise.

“How the f*ck did you get back their so silently”

“Language” Bow sounds scandalized but Scorpia just shrugs and takes Bow's trackpad, smiling at the photos.

“Entrapta said something about physical activity and teamwork boosting work productivity and Catra took it to heart. She even let me design the uniforms” Scorpa gently points to a pixelated, smirking Catra cartoon sticker. “I mean we couldn't get actual uniforms but Catra thought stickers with different colors would do the job.

“Oh my! That is so cute. We should do something like that” Perfuma clasps her hands together.

“Exactly! But it's not just that, Catra started implementing air quality checks and safety precautions, she improved water filtration and increased food production. She even stopped destroying villages and started capturing them instead.”

Gimmer bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself. “So what you're saying is that Catra may not have been the absolutely terrible person we thought she was?” Glimmer asks, glancing over to the very confused robot that has started to walk in circles.

“What I'm saying is, Catra will be a great asset to the rebellion. I'm actually excited to talk to her about her battle strategise” Bow smiles but when he notices Glimmer's face his smile drops.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” his voice cracks and Glimmer winces. “What did you do”

Glimmer sighs and kicks at the dirt “nothing”. she tries to lie. but Bow’s eyes are just too large and pleading.

Glimmer worries at her lip and tries to ignore Bow’s puppy dog face, but the man is just too cute. The Princess lets it all out in one go “I may or may not have sabotaged Emily”

Bow freezes, he glances over to the bot. Emily has completely given up and collapsed to the floor, twitching like a dead spider. He slowly turns back to Glimmer, his lips pressed firmly together.

“Mhm, mhm” his voice is shrill. “How did you do that?”

Glimmer pulls a piece of machinery labeled “navigation” from her travel bag. Bow covers his mouth with his hand and just stares.

“Don't look at me like that” Glimmer growls. she already feels bad enough.

“I mean what you did is pretty bad” Scorpia speaks up.

“I know!” Glimmer shoves the piece of tech at Bow who is still staring at it like it's an organ he really doesn't want to touch. “I didn't really think about it until it was too late. Adora has just been so focused on finding Catra and I don't know. We should be focused on beating the Horde, not saving its second in command. Not to mention someone who has tried to kill us!”

“But finding the missing piece would have help us defeat the Horde too, help us understand how to use Mara’s weapon”

“Uhm weapon?” Scorpia asks, Perfuma pats her on the arm.

“I'll tell you later,”

“We don't know if finding the missing piece will help us find the weapon or not…” Glimmer reasons, ignoring that Perfuma just said she would tell a Horde soldier about the one thing that could help them win the war.

Glimmer winces when she looks back up into Bow's eyes. He's looking at her like she's gone crazy. He runs a hand over his hair and starts to pace.

“Ok, ok… let's look at the bright side….” he stops and hugs the pieces of tech to his chest. “There is no bright side!”

“Maybe we can just put it back” Scorpia picks the bot up from where it has started to roll around in the grass. She opens the maintenance hatch but wires and pieces of metal start to fall out. She tries to catch them but her pincers aren't good for holding more than one thing at a time. “We can't just put it back”

Bow's eyes have gone as wide as saucers, his breathing irregular.

“Maybe..” Perfuma clasps her hands together. “We can still use the navigation center. Do you think you could connect your trackpad to it, Bow?” he gulps but pulls a wire from his pad and plugs into the half smashed piece of machinery.

“Yeah!” Glimmer smiles. “Then we'll get Adora and find the missing piece and… everything… will…” Glimmer looks around at the forest. “Speaking of Adora, has anyone seen her?”

“Not since she went to scout the area like 20 minutes ago” Scorpia shoves the last batch of wires back into the bot and quickly closes the hatch with a sigh.

“Oh Etheria” Bow runs a hand down his face, “Adora’s gone missing, the bot is broken, we’re lost in a forest! We’re going to die”

“We’re not going to die” Glimmer grabs Bow by the shoulders and sits him down on the mossy rock. “And we’re not lost. You're going to find the missing piece with your trackerpad and I'm going to find Adora and then… we’re going to.. We’re going to be fine!”

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine, the world is not ending..” Glimmer slowly backs away from Bow as he starts to rock. She turns to Perfuma. “Could you watch him?”. Perfuma salutes and plants a hand on Scorpia’s arm.

“We’re on it”

—----------

“I've found the missing piece!” Bow points to his GPS with a wide smile. Glimmer grimaces,

“ that's good, because I can't find Adora” the tech masters smile drops and he hops up from his place on the mossy rock.

“What do you mean you can't find Adora!”

“She's just gone!”

“She can't just be gone!”

“Well she is! She isn't anywhere near us at least!”

“Maybe!... She got lost and went back to Brightmoon to wait for us” Perfuma reasons.

“If she's lost, how did she find BrightMoon?” Bow looks about ten seconds away from a nervous breakdown.

“No! Perfumes right,” Glimmer agrees, taking Bow’s trackpad. “You know Adora, Bow. She's like a cat. No matter how far she wanders away she always comes home.

“That analogy makes no sense” Bow’s voice cracks. Glimmer just continues on like he didn't say anything.

“And she’ll be so happy that we found the missing piece she won't even be mad I broke Emily” Glimmer sets off into the forest, leaving the squad behind. The Princess is perfectly ok with walking in the silence of her own thoughts but soon Perfuma’s voice is speaking up behind her.

“Maybe we should talk about your jealousy surrounding Catra” Perfuma walks in stride with Glimmer. Scorpia happily trails behind her, a flower in her hair.

“What jealousy!?” Glimmer half whispers to the flowery princess. She's offended the stoner(come one we are all thinking it) would even make such an accusation. Perfuma just smiles.

“It’s ok to feel threatened when a close friend cares deeply about someone else. Feeling angry that Adora is focusing all her attention on someone who has hurt you is ok” Glimmer deflates and glances at Pefuman. “It is?”

The girl smiles. “Yes, but it's important to consider how Adora feels. Her best friend, and probably ex-girlfriend, who’s she's been trying to get back for years has finally had a change of heart”

“She’s probably terrified that her one chance to reconcile with Catra is gone, and that her former friend is dead”

“That Horde scum can’t die '' Glimmer mumbles, hugging the trackpad to her chest. “She’s like a co*ckroach, always crawling back”

“I just wish Adora had your confidence” Perfuma smiles and gently takes the trackpad from Glimmer’s crushing grip, “imagine if you had gotten in a fight with Bow and you've been trying for days to make up. then right when you think he’s coming around he gets sent to beast island”

Glimmer glances back at the Archer, who has pulled a secondary tracking pad from his traveling pack and is now manically tapping at it.

“I'd feel pretty worried”, Glimmer murmurs, turning back to Perfuma.

“I think Adora is pretty worried, and that she's going to be really relieved when we find the missing piece of the ship”

“So you're saying I should apologize?”

Perfuma shrugs cheekily at Glimmer. the flower Princess flushes as Scopia pulls aside a tree branch for her. “I think you should do what feels right” the girl looks down at the tracking pad. “we’re here”

“Woah” Bow walks past Glimmer with an amazed look on his face. “What is that?” before them is a tall half destroyed spear of some kind. It sits held crumbled in a clearing of overgrown grass. It's cracked and slashed through with sword marks.

“Um guys”, Perfuma shows Glimmer the trackpad. It has proceeded to freak out. The screen fizzes and then flashes with multiple error signs before sparking like a bomb. Bow signs with a grimace and takes the piece of tech from Perfuma.

“This is amazing” Scorpia pulls the vines away from the fallen face of the sculpture. A beautiful woman smiles back at her. “Like First Ones art. Did they even have art?”

“What's this?” Glimmer picks up a little blue box from underneath the sculpture. It's covered in moss and dirt but four distinct fingerprints leave indents in the mud. “Looks like someone got here before us?” Glimmer brushes the thick moss away to read the packaging but the writing on the Box is in First Ones.

“Uh guys?” Bow looks up from his trackpad. “The missing piece was here, but it isnt anymore. Im only getting residual readings now”

“Well the missing peice isnt here” Scorpia’s wide eyes are trained on the horizon. “ but that thing is.. or it will be Very soon!”

“What does that mean?” Glimmer follows Scorpia's eyes and freezes at the little dot in the distance. a dot that is quickly growing bigger and bigger. “what is that?”

Bow flips his trackpad around “uh, the missing piece is moving now?”

“What is that?” Scorpia reiterates, tapping her claws together nervously.

A little red dot is moving very fast across Bow’s virtual map straight for them. “What is that!?” Glimmer looks back up right as a ship, Mara’s ship, A previously unworking ship, zips across the sky like a very big fly. It passes with an ear bleeding roar.

“Uuuuuh” the three princess’s plus Bow watch as the ship virtually stops before plummeting to the ground. Glimmer covers her mouth as it shoots towards Etheria before narrowly pulling up and points straight for them.

Bow lets loose a girly scream and starts to run as the ship knocks down trees and smashes through rocks on its course to the group. The Princess’s just watches as it digs into the ground like an asteroid. By the time it reaches them it's halfway in the dirt and surrounded by mud.

“Holy, Hordak” Scorpia mumbles, she and Perfuma are gripping eachother for dear life. Glimmer only has a second to question why neither of them thought to run before the top of the ship pops off and a blonde, pony-tailed head of hair pops out. Adora leans over the side of the ship and promptly vomits out the meager contents of her stomach.

“Driving manually is a lot harder than I thought it would be!” Entrapta sticks her head out of the hatch with an altogether too bright smile. “Imagine the increased speed we could get with brand new energy crystals!”

“She just laughed,” Adora whispers, holding her head as she slides down the side of the ship. “She laughed and laughed.”

“Adora!” Glimmer catches the blonde as she collapses to the ground.

“We went upside down and she giggled” Adora grips Glimmer shoulders, “she has an evil evil giggle Glimmer”

“Where have you been?”

“Oh you know, following around a woman that travels through time and somehow knows everything and nothing all at once” Adora pulls away from Glimmer and paces the grass. “Then found out that Etheria is actually a giant weapon that’s going to tear itself apart!”

Adora’s breath comes fast and irregular, tears leek from her eyes.

“Mara’s weapon? You found out about the weapon?” Glimmers heart races

“The weapon IS etheria” Adora runs her hands through her hair. “The Heart of Etheria drains the magic from the planet and destroys worlds!”

“Destroys worlds?’ Bows, voice cracks and he hugs his tech to his chest.

“This sounds like a good thing” Glimmer responds.

“IT'S NOT a good thing” Adora turns towards Mara’s ship that’s now levitating a few feet off the ground, an ecstatic Entrapta laughing in the open doorway. “Come on”

Inside the ship Adora places a hand on a newly put together control panel, a holographic bubble pops up. “Show us what will happen if the Heart Of Etheria Project goes off”

Before them a hologram of etheria materializes. “Watch” Adora turns away and crosses her arms. “The Heart Of Etheria works by drawing magic from the planet. It Stores this magic in the Heart” the hologram pulsates and the planet glows. “But its super unstable. When it goes off It will…” the hologram explodes. Bow winces but Glimmer remains still. “ and right now Its full of raw magic and ready to blow any minute”

“We have to de-activate it” Bow watches the holographic Etheria explode again and again.

Glimmer also watches the holographic loop but she's more focused on what happens before the planet explodes. While using The Heart Of Etheria like the First Ones did might explode the planet. They could use that raw magic another way.

“The raw magic is already in the Heart of the planet” Adora’s head whips to Glimmer like she already knows what the sparkly girl is about to say. “What if there is a way to channel that magic? The princesses can be more powerful than ever before. We could take down the Horde”

Bow shakes his head but Adora stands up straight. “Did you not just hear me? The Heart is an unstable super weapon! What part of unstable do you not understand!”

“It's too dangerous” Bow places a hand on Glimmer's shoulder.

Grimmer squeezes her eyes shut. “Everyday the horde gains more territory. We are out of options! If we can get Light Hope to tell us how this weapon works we use the already stored raw magic to save Etheria.”

“All Light Hope wants is to set the Weapon off! She doesn't understand that it will kill us all!”

“Ok” Bow stands in front of Adora and waves away the hologram. “I know we’ve lost a lot but this is not the solution”

“Theymore, Eleberon, f*cking Selaneas” Glimmer backs away from bow. “A lot? We’ve basically lost everything! This magic could be the only thing that can help us save everyone”

“We’ll figure something else out!” Adora shouts.

“We can’t wait any longer. We lose more ground everyday, what will we lose tomorrow? Huh? Erlandia? Brightmoon?!

“This seems like a highly tension filled moment but” Glimmer whips around to a nervous looking Scorpia, behind her Perfuma pulls the petals from a flower and mumbles to herself, watching the hologram explode over and over. “Maybe we should decide to destroy the planet or not after we save Catra, who could be dying horribly as we speak.”

“That is a great idea!” Bow turns to Adora with a smile, “the mission will give us a minute to take a breath” he turns to Glimmer pointedly. “Rethink our options, and save Catra. Who is a master war strategist might I add”

Glimmer growls and pinches her nose. “We found a weapon that could save Etheria, save our homes and you're still focused on Catra!?”

“Catra saved you!” Adora yells. She throws her hands up. “Can you show a little gratitude and return the favor!”

“Ok everyone cal-'' Bow is interrupted by Entrapta rolling in on top of Emily, her hands grabbing her ankles. she flips her welding mask up.

“Why did you disconnect the navigation center from Emily?”

Adora freezes, her eyes trained on Glimmer.

“It would have been impossible to find the missing piece without it online” Entrapta opens Emily's control panel and pulls out a series of sparking wires.

Glimmer stares at the floor. “Adora-”

“Catra saved you” the blonde interrupts. Her eyes glow an ominous blue. “And you not only don’t want to help us save her in return. But your willing to sabotage any chances we get at going without you”

“I can explain” Glimmer reaches for Adora but the girl backs away.

“Then explain”

Glimmer glances at Perfuma who bites her knuckle. “I- I-.” Tears full Adora eyes and she squeezes them shut.

“I thought you were my friend” Adora voice cracks and she brushes past Glimmer harshly. The blonde stalks off the ship and Glimmer chases after her.

“Adora. Wait!”

“Swift Wind!” the clouds above the clearing crackle with thunder. Glimmer grabs Adora’s wrist.

“I am your friend” the blond turns her eyes on fire.

“A friend wouldn't try to sabotage me. A friend would care about the people I care about. A friend would help me find the girl I-... that saved me, saved all of us” Adore looks away from the Princess. she yanks her wrist from Glimmers grip. “Swift Wind!” the horse appears out of seemingly nowhere, already in the pose of a mighty steed.

“Did somebody say Swift-” Adora jumps onto his back before he can finish and he stumbles with the added weight.

“Get me out of here,” her eyes are closed tight, tears leaking down her cheeks. “Please”

SwiftWind eyes Glimmer with a worried expression before he sets off into the sky. Glimmer closes her eyes and rests her fist against her forehead.

Chapter 5: A Damn Good Nap

Chapter Text

The streets are bustling and packed with magicats. The royal Family expertly threads through the narrow streets but Catra doesn't seem to posses the same skill. she finds it impossible not to touch the people as she passes them. It's beyond torture for her,and she knows torture. The contact is making Catra’s skin crawl. she doesn't know how everyone else can handle it. the brushing of shoulders is making the Queens smile not cringe.

Catra used to everyone fearing her. Running at the best case scenario and keeping a respectable distance at the worst. most avoid eye contact to make sure she unexpectedly doesn't lash out and take an eye. Only Adora had been brave enough to touch her, and then Scorpia. but Adora had left and any touch after that made her want to claw her own skin off.

The magicats of Half-moon have no qualms about touching Catra. Most haven't stopped staring at her. It's almost like these people are touching her on purpose. reaching out their hands and trailing them down Catra's arms. Like they almost don't believe that she's really there.

Two little giggling magicats shove past Catra. One blonde and one brunette, looking and sounding so much like two past Horde cadets that Catra whips around for a second look. for a second she's teleported back to the crystal castle. watching her memories as if she was a passing on looker, but then the blonde little girl looks back and its green eyes staring into Catra's not blue one. The back of their heads look nothing like Catra's unruly main and Adora's regulation pony tail. her fur stays on end all the same as she catches up at a brisk walk with Cyra.

“You are going to love the food here” Calico walks backwards through the crowd of magicats. The sea of people seem to part for her, knowing her for the royalty she is. it makes Catra unreasonably jealous. this little kid can part the see of people with respect but no one can give a force captain a little space. Calico slows her backward walk and comes and little closer to Catra. the confidence that she has that Catra won't claw an eye out for stepping into her space is infuriating but true.

Calico lowers her voice conspiratorially and leans towards the former Force Captain.“I heard that Horde soldiers only ate what Hordak could regurgitate. Like a mother bird.” she then mimes throwing up into her hands and offers it to Catra.

Catra’s mouth twists in disgust, her ears lowering, and an eyebrow raising. The thought of being anywhere near that disgusting man's mouth almost makes her gag. she shoves Calico's hands away and avoids the kits gaze. “We eat ration bars. The gray kind are the best” Calico tilts her head in confusion. .

“What's in it?” Catra shrugs, only now a little concerned that she doesn't know. she doesn't have a ton of time to think on it though because someone bumps into her shoulder. it sends her back to her cadet days when an offense like that would start a fight. failure to react accordingly will only get her seen as weak. she itches to swipe a claw down the offenders back, her fur stands on end. The crowd feels like it's closing in. people coming at her to quickly and getting to close. The. magicats making direct eye contact with her seem to grow confident, getting closer. she feels targeted, a low involuntary growl starts up in her chest.

Calico is still looking at her. still parting the crowd expertly and leaving her to struggling in the wake of people. her unwavering gaze is getting on the feline's nerves a little but then she remembers Calico is waiting for an answer. “I- don't… know.” Catra grounds out between her teeth. she tries to clear her throat but it feels like there's a hair ball logged halfway through, keeping her from fulling breathing or exhaling.

There are eyes on her, she knows for sure now. lots of them too. As Catra makes her way through the crowd, the eyes of the people seem to follow her, Like creepy paintings in a castle. Their mouths agape, whispering to each other. The hair on the back of her neck tingles with danger. She feels like she's in a newly captured town where the people are still sure they can make an uprising while she ut a stope to the massacre of Eternia she wouldn't hesitate to throw a couple rebels in prisons.

its different now, she knows that. this is no captured town. these people have never heard of her and have no idea who she is. she tries to remember this as the people close in on her. She tries to keep her eyes focused on the ground but it's hard not to glance around for threats.

The memory of a little girl, gray tufts behind the ears and mismatched eyes standing next to the royal family is what keeps her from lashing out. she's too busy being confused to roll some heads.

Catra shakes her head, and smooths her puffed up tail, holding it away from the crowd that is closing in behind her. None of them have stepped on it yet but she knows all too well from experience that an unattended tail can meet a dangerous fate In crowds. none of the tailed onlookers around her seem to have the same problem. The crowd of magicats that look just like her. That are so close and getting closer. Touching her fur and rubbing against her clothing, Her injured arm, touching her tai-

“Catra?” Nala stands before her, interrupting her train of thought. her eyes bright and concerned. she reaches her remaining arm out and places it on Catra's shoulder. The same shoulder Nala's long gone arm would have been resting on in the painting. Nala's eyebrows draw together. “You alright?”

“Im Fine” Catra focuses on Nala’s missing limb, the limb that was touching the little girl in the painting. The girl the Royal Family has yet to mention at all. Catra hisses involuntarily and threateningly as a small magicat girl runs into her. The little girl, an orange tabby, stumbles back with wide frightened eyes. and the crowd around her seems to freeze and look to. it makes Catra more irritated. what are they are doing watching her every move like that.

“Why don't we go somewhere a little less busy.” Cyra looks apologetically at the kit and directs the seething Catra to a narrow alley between two bustling shops. The woman is careful not to touch the Horde soldier, whose claws are subconsciously ejecting and retracting with sharp stinging "shinngs". Catra takes a deep breath in the momentary reprieve from the crowd. the alley is dark and mildewy just like Catra likes it and it brings her move comfort then she thought it would. It allows her to disappear into a shadow as much as she can. She rolls her neck and listens to the bones pop.

“Why don't I get you some water?” Nala watches a little amazed how Catra's larger then life form seem to disappear among the bricks of the shops forming the alley. what little shadow there is back here seems to cloak the Force Captain like a blanket. she disappears back into the roaring crowd and is replaced with a smiling Cyra, who leans against opposite sides of the alley of Catra.

This side is shrouded in the light from the crystals and only seems to make Cyra more noticeable. the brightness seems to make her fur look more like Catra and the feline doesn't know how she missed it before. Catra herself is the spitting image of the queen of Half-moon. she might have lighter fur but no one could deny their similarities.

“Not used to crowds huh?” Cyra smiles, her canines glinting and pulling Catra from her thoughts. The Force Captain only knows realizes that she was staring. Cyra doesn't seem to mind, but Catra looks away from the women's mismatched eyes. Mismatched eyes that are so similar to her own. Too similar to be a coincidence.

It makes no sense thought. They would have to know if Catra was… one of them. A member of their family. They would have said something, anything! Besides Catra was given up. Her family were dirty, poor thieves that had given her to the Horde for a couple scraps of food and then promptly died of disentary or some other unbecoming disease only meant for mongrels like Catra. That's what Shadow Weaver told her at least. But who knows what you can trust coming from that old hags mouth.

“Crowds are usually running away from me screaming.” Catra clears her throat when she realizes what just came out of her mouth. she avoids the Queens eyes and rubs the pricing fur on her chest down. The soft cotton clothes they had given her to wear let her skin breathe in a way it never has been aloud to before. “It's the best part about driving a tank.”

Cyra’s eyes widen and it makes Catra wince for her poor attempt at a joke, but the corner of Cyra's mouth ticks up humorously. “Was that an attempt at a joke?”

Catra blushes and lets her ears drop but before she can respond a stick of something pink and fleshy is shoved in her face. Catra’s fur puffs up in shock, but she quickly smooths it back down when Cyra giggles across from her. Catra glares at the Queen before re-directing said glare to the kit infront of her.

“Catra, you have to try this!” Calico forces the kebab into Catra’s hand, her good one in the sling, and squeezes next to her with her own. “It's my favorite food sold in the city center, but nothing beats Mama’s cooking.”

Catra eyes the little girl and tries to determine how likely she is to be poisoned on this fine day in the city. But if the Royal Family had wanted her dead they would have left her in the woods to bleed out or be eaten. they could have even killed her themselves when she passed out. she assumes this cute little family is safe. but she can't seem to get rid of the idea that they are keeping something from her. They all know something that she doesn't, or they think she doesn't at least.

Catra can tell by the quick glances to each other. The lingering gazes they leave on Catra. The Quiet whispers the Horde soldier can’t quite make out, even with her advanced hearing. Catra shakes her head hen she realizes she's been quite for a little to long to be normal. both the queen and the princess are looking at her oddly.

“What is this? What am I looking at here?” Catra leans more leisurely against the brick wall and turns towards the princess, the stick in her hand twirling between her fingers. she sniffs at the kabab playfully. Savory and spicy waft into her nose, making her eyes water but her mouth salivate. a little trill falls from her throat and makes Calico giggle cutely.

“It's fish! hard to catch here because of the water around the island being so dangerous but absolutely delicious.” the girl takes a large bite of her own stick and hums in appreciation.

“Fish?” Catra mumbles quietly to herself, poking a claw at the fleshy food. Fish wasn't on the menu in the horde. That menu consisted of two things. 1.) gray 2.) brown and on one unlucky occasion a sickly green that turned everyone the same color for a week. Fish was an unknown. a familiar concept but one that still made Catra a little unsure.

Apparently Cyra heard her quiet mumble because her eyebrows draw together and she leans towards Catra in concern. The Queen's heart was breaking at the thought of her- of this Magicat who looks very similar not remembering the taste of her favorite food. or what used to be her favorite food.

“You know? Lives in the sea, scaly?” The queen looks devastated when Catra shrugs. “You don't re- you’ve never had fish?” she stutters but her eyes stay on Catra's sadly. The look makes the Force Captain shrink a little.

Catra’s eyes brighten though as the description pulls a memory from her brain and she smirks. She remembers scaly see dwellers from her trip to silaneas, the memory then makes her shiver. “Oh! Fish! I saw some of those when I tried to destroy the sea gate! They would have been funny looking if they weren't trying to eat me” the Queen looks taken aback but Calico just shrugs.

“Well now you get to eat them. Try it!” the Kit takes another bite of her kabab which gives Catra a little more confidence. if Calico is eating it, it can't be to deadly.

Catra eyes the food and uses her burnt but more functional hand to bring it to her mouth. she takes a hesitant bite and tries to hold back a groan of pleasure. The flavors explode on her tongue and her eyes widen like saucers. Ration bar has never tasted like this. it's mostly a pre chewed flavor, like bread held in the mouth for too long. Catra hurriedly takes another bite of the delicious food, years of never knowing when she would get another taste of the good stuff pushing her to gobble it down.

She slows down when she realizes the princess and queen are staring at her. concerned for her ravoauness appetite. She smiles at the peanut gallery before her with such umbrindled joy that the queen starts to laugh. Catra looks over to a giggling Calico when the kit places a hand on her should. .

“You like it?” Calico whispers, laughing and leaning in. The closeness doesn't even bother her as Catra quickly nods her head in affirmation. “I know. you're purring” Catra coughs and quickly straightens up, trading the kebab to her other hand and brushing nonexistent crumbs off her shirt.

Both Cyra and Calico laugh leaning into each other for support. Usually Catra would have felt ridiculed, but the good nature of both felines warms her heart a little. softens her tense muscles. “Ugh whatever, it's good” Catra rolls her eyes but slowly takes another bite, savoring the taste. Who knows when she might get a treat this good again.

“I couldn't find water but they had consomé '' Nala pushes her way into the narrow alleyway and eyes the still giggling girls across from Catra. Her relief of Catra's more relaxed state is obvious on her face. Why Catra's comfort would be important to her is beyond the Force Captain and not much of a concern when the delicious smell of the cup in her hand floats past Catra's nose.

“What are they on about?” Nala asks the Horde soldier as she passes her the steaming mug and takes her now empty kebab stick. Catra brings the cup to her nose to get a better whiff and almost allows the drool in her mouth the slide down her chin.

“Nothing '' Catra mumbles, feeling the warmth of the cup on her brown. Her eyes close as the almost familiar warm smell comforts her insides. She has had this somewhere she knows it. Roaring emotions that have been fighting inside Catra since she saw the old painting impossibly calm. It even seems to sooth her injured arm and take away the permanent ache of her limbs.

“Holy Hordak, even the f*cking water here is good.” she mumbles before taking a sip. The flavors soothe her tongue and sting her eyes with tears.. The taste is so familiar yet unlike anything Catra has ever tasted.

“It’s a kind of broth not water," Nala leans on the wall beside Catra, her tail curling tentatively against Catra’s ankle. The Horde soilder forces herself to not react to the unexpected touch. Catra side eyes Nala but the woman is focused on her wife and daughter. this family is very.. touchy and its only seeming to get worse.

Cyra wraps her arm around Calico as if to prove Catra's silent point. She rubs her cheek into the girls temple as their giggling dies down. The blatant scent marking straightens Catra;s spine in worry and she can't help but glances side to side, unconsciously checking to see if a Force Captain saw the duo before she remembers she isn't in the Fright Zone anymore. If anything she is the only Force Captain in a thousand miles that could do anything about it. not that she would or ever has. still, the act made her a little nervous.

Catra being the girl in the photo that would explain why the Royal family has taken it personally upon themselves to take care of her. Why they're so concerned with her wellbeing, why they are making sure she’s healthy, fed and not freaking out on the general public. But why wouldn't they tell her? Keep her in the dark like this?

“Here” Catra looks up into the eyes of Tigger, the boy gently takes the steaming mug from her, ignoring a low growl Catra emmits at her food being stolen and hands her a leg. A type of bird leg if the talons still attached to the feet are anything to go by. she sniffs it and watches the drink being passed from Tigger to Nala who doesn't steal a sip but keeps an eye on it. The act confronts Catra a little.

Catra eyes the boy who seemed very hostile towards her in the infirmary but he rolls his eyes, “you got to try Calico’s favorite, you have to try mine,” the Thought Is sweet and makes Catra's ears droop a little. why a kid like this would care so much about Catra's opinion is beyond her but he watches closely as she sniffs the leg curiously.

Catra takes the leg and hesitantly smells it for poison. The smell isn't similar to the fish. but still hot enough to make her eyes water. it quickly fills her mouth with saliva and she's taking bite before her brain can stop her. The taste is different from the fish, more earthy and a thick layer of skin melts in her mouth before she gets to the meat. she tears the bite from the bone of the leg and the grease inside spills into her mouth. this is much better than any ration bar, no matter the color.

Catra involuntarily groans and tilts her head back against the alleyway. she chews slowly and methodically. tasting every morsel. “Where has this been all my life?” she mumbles, taking another larger bite. Nala giggles and leans even closer to the Force Captain. Who, for once, doesn't seem to notice. to caught up in the taste of the leg, Tigger smiles smugly and sticks his tongue out at a grumbling Calico. The kit can't be to mad though because this is the most relaxed she's seen Catra since she met the Force captain

Catras' eyes catch as the flow of people outside the alleyway changes direction and just like that she's on guard again but still eating. she perks her ears for the sign of an attack, or the sound of a brawl. Calico follows her eyes. But instead of an uneasy dread her eyes brighten and she smiles excitedly.

“It must be starting” Calico squeals and grabs Tigger's arm. “Come on we have to get a good seat” Tigger drags his feet, seemingly reluctant to leave the Force Captains side as Calico tries to pull him into the moving crowd. The older boy turns to his mother eventually, not without one last look to Catra, and smiles at her.

“I'll keep an eye on her, Mama” Cyra kisses his cheek and hands him a small pouch of clinking coins. While Catra has never handled much money the weight of the bag doesn't look like a little amount. it makes her wonder what kind of currency system this "new half-moon" is built on.

“Be good!” Nala calls after their disappearing forms. She anxiously keeps an eye on them for as long as she can see them. almost frightened to let them out of her sight.

“What's starting?” Catra draws the Queen's eyes back to hers but it doest deter the Force Captain from licking the bird bone clean before tossing it into the awaiting trashcan at the lip of the alleyway. She starts to clean her greasy fingers with her tongue before she realizes she fallen to her baser instincts and quickly stops. if the Queens noticed or cared they don't let Catra know.

“The festival” Nala states, wrapping her arm around her wife. she doest say what the festival is for but she smiles warmly at Catra. “but we are going to go somewhere a little different.”

Being led somewhere alone, without the comfort of two friendly kids keeping everyone civil, makes Catra's fur stand on end but Cyra smiles and pulls Nala in the opposite direction of the crowd almost carelessly. as if going off alone is an unserious endeavor, “We’re going to the sun room” the Queen gestures for Catra to follow and she does, but only because the "sun room'' doesn't really sound like the kind if room she could be tortured in.

“Sun room?” Catra asks suspiciously, taking the consumé from Nala's offering hands. the scent of the warm drink brings her tension level down and she finds herself walking closer then she usually would behind the two Queens.

“It's like a warm bath, but better.” Nala answers with a quick look to Catra. her eyebrows raising when the Force Caption Stiffens. Water and her don't Mix, At all

Cyra must notice Catras puffed up fur too because she turns to the Horde soldier with a warm, calming smile. “Don't worry there’s no water”

Catra noticeably relaxes and slowly smooths down her tail. she doesn't have a very good track record with water. she was naturally adverse as a kid, but after Shadow Weaver...."Forced Catra in" she thought it would be easier to bite the bullet. Though her regulation shower's were even shorter than the five minute allotted time.

“I still have no idea where we’re going” Catra says, holding the steaming mug to her face and letting the smell wash over her. She finds it easier to be calm about the situation then look for potential threats. What would she do about it anyway? climb up the cavern wall? she has no idea how to get out of here.

“We’ll just show you” Cyra carefully threads an arm through Catra’s good one and gently drags her through a series of alleyways and roads. The warmth of her shoulder against Catra's Perks the felines ears. The queen chats animatedly with her wife and Catra can't help but stare. This woman just took the arm of a Horde soldier and pulled her closer. Without fear, not worried for a second that she would get hurt.

The woman looks so much like Catra. In another life Catra could have turned out just like this woman. Relaxed and happy, talking with the one she loves. Catra wouldn't have the scars that criss cross her body like constellations. or the fear of affection she can't help but let drive her every action. even as she slightly pulls away from Cyra. the Queen doesn't seem to mind, but she does rub her thumb up and down Catra's forearm comfortingly.

Catra would never have turned out to be this woman. she has always had a offensive nature. she strives to make others fear her not want to be pulled closer. Cyra is warm and sweet like fresh honey, that isn't Catra. Catra is a horde soldier. Hordaks second in command who destroys homes and imprisons the rebellious people of captured city's. Catra isn't some queen who takes care of and loves her citizens. She doesnt show her emotions freely and without care. And Catra doesnt pull the people around her closer.

She pushes them away. Slashes at them with her unyielding claws and hurts them until they no longer want to be anywhere near her. until Catra is blissfuly, enjoyably, terribly alone.

Catra has to get off this island. Away from this happy family that’s accepted her without even knowing what kind of damage she can cause. What chaos she can sew. The muscles in her body feel like they’re spasming to slash at Cyra and run for the hills.

By the time Catra resolves to quietly slip away when the two women are distracted they've already pulled her into a dark room. The building is round and the ceiling is domed with a large rock sitting in the middle like a chandelier. Catra's night vision brightens the rooms for her. Slabs of square, black, stone circle the building in rings. pillows cushion the heads of each one. a dedicated communal nap room was not something Catra would have thought as high priority to a city of displaced people.

“This is the sun room” Nala pulls away form her wife and heads for the middle of the room. Catra’s night vision follows the woman as she taps at the dials of a control panel. They light up quicker than any technology the Horde could have created. Catra doesn't have long to contemplate the technology because Cyra leads the Horde soldier to one of the many, flat, black slabs circling the rock on the ceiling.

“If this is the sunroom. Why is it dark?” Catra asks cheekily, taking another sip form her drink to sooth her nerves as Cyra gestures for the feline to sit.

“Because the room isn't on yet” Cyra answers, gesturing for Catra to sit on the rock again when Catra hesitates. Catra then refuses the offer of a seat, glancing over to Nala. The woman looks up at the giant stone embedded in the ceiling and that’s when Catra notices it starting to get brighter. Its giving Catra the heebie jeebie's If she's being honest.

“What is that?” Catra asks, taking a step away from Cyra. the queen smiles, which does nothing to calm the Magicats nerves, and gestures for Catra to sit again.

“It's the sun stone, it mimics the properties of the sun. trust me, you're going to like it.” Cyra says. usually when someone says Catra is going to like something she ends up very much not liking it.

“It's very relaxing” Nala pulls the cup of consumé from Catra’s hand right as the light coming from the stone hits her. Catra stumbles like she's on her fifth glass of moonshine, her eyelids grow heavy and her limbs melting like liquid. The light of the stone is so warm. She knew she shouldn't have trusted these Queens. her senses told her not to and now she can feel herself bending to their will

“f*cking stars, Did you drug me?” Cyra laughs as if Catra is joking and reaches for her. her eyes go a little wide when Catra clumsily bats her hands away. "stay away from me" she growls, trying to stay awake. Cora's eyes draw together but she doesn't get angry and Catra's insolence, only places a hand under each of the Force Captains elbows to keep her from collapsing.

“It's the sun stone. It's like laying in a sunbeam. it leaches stress from the body.” Cyra says, calmly and soothingly. Catra can feel her muscles un tense at the tone of her voice. This woman is much better then anyone Catra has met in the Horde at soothing a frightened solider.

“Why…” Catra’s legs slowly buckle and she leans into Cyra who catches her with a small chuckle. she rubs her cheek subconsciously into the woman's fur. and a surprised our jumps out of the woman's chest. she smiles happily down at the melting kit.

“Don't touch me” the soldier grumbles, trying to push away from the queen. her sleeping and injured arms don't do much but Cyra get the idea, manuring her over the the black stone the queen suggested she sit in before.

“You leaned into me” Cyra giggles, shifting Catra in her arms and smoothing a soothing palm down Catra's spine. The feline melts impossibly further into the Queens waiting arms.

“I'll kill you” Catra mumbles half heartedly, her eyes having stayed closed far to long to be opened again. her head lulls against Cyra shoulder and lazily smooshes into the warmth of her neck.

“Just lay down on the rock” Nala appears next to the Force Captain but the action doesn't scare Catra as it usually would. she allows herself to be gently grabbed on the other side. warms hands are careful of her injured arm, and help slowly lower her onto her back. what should be an uncomfortable stone is one of the best places Catra has ever laid down.

Catra lets loose a low, involuntary growl. This time both Cyra and Nala chuckle. They position her comfortably on the rock that seems to suck the heat from the sun stone and melt Cat's limbs into a puddle of fur

“Ah yes, you're very scary.” Nala says, laying on the rock next to Catra’s. Catra almost forgot she had growled.

“Why am I so tired?” she slurs, closing her eyes to the brightness of the stone. The warm pink that shines through her eyelids just relaxes her more and pulls her deeper into a dreamless sleep.

“You must have a lot of stress” Catra would jump at the sound of Cyra’s voicing coming from the rock on the other side of her if she had the energy, or the care.

—-----------
The kit is out cold. The Queens can tell from the sound of soft snores and a tiny purr coming from the soldier's chest. the loose shirt they had given her exposes her scared limbs and wiry frame. a Kit of her age should be much more muscled, a lack of food is evident in her lack of muscle. hard muscle that is. its evident that Catra is packed with enough muscle to put Half-moons finest soldiers to shame.

Cyra looks over Catra’s sleeping form at her wife, who's eyes are trained on her sleeping duaghter. a hand smooths down the fur on d'ru-Catra's good arm methodically. “Do you think she knows?” Cyra's voice is just above a whisper but Nala has no trouble hearing her.

“I mean, she looks just like you, Cyra. And she's definitely smart. If she didn't figure it out when she looked at that painting she definitely figured it out by now.” Cyra can’t tear her eyes away from her sleeping soldier. and a solider she is. The Horde seems to have built her into a fighting machine. replacing her fingertips with black steel and razor sharp nails. she seems have been fed just enough to keep her in fighting shape. she could do with some fat on her body.

“She’s wearing her crown. Do you think she even knows what it is?” Cyra asks, eyeing the headdress that's gone a little askew on Catra’s face. Cyra gently reaches over and removes it smoothing down the gray tufts of fur framing her daughters face. a face that has gone relaxed with sleep.

“Probably not, the royal stones are gone,” The blue and yellow stones that sat in the indents of the crown have obviously been stolen. Probably chipped out when she was just a kit. Stolen from her like they took her name. the thought almost makes Nala laugh.

“Can we talk about how they named her Catra?” Nala runs the back of her fingers softly over Catra’s cheek. “I mean do they have no creativity?” Cyra glares disapprovingly at her wife.

“I mean WE named her after your great grandmother. It doesn't get any less imaginative than that”

“Great grandma D’rulith was a mother, a warrior and an amazing healer. Dont bash on her”

Cyra smiles and holds back a laugh at Nala's slightly offended face. she moves around Catra to sit next to her wife. “Do you think she still likes that one spot behind her ear scratched?” Cyra asks, effectively distraction Nala from the train of conversation.

Nala eyes her wife and smiles. “There's only one way to find out”

Cyra bites her lip and scratches behind Catra’s left ear. The little pur she was sputtering out like a tank engine turns into a roar. she trills just like she used to when she was a kitten and the thought brings tears of joy to Nala's eyes.

The Queens giggle and lean into each other almost like they did when they first brought their dual eyes kitten home from the hospital. watching over her in the night just in case she needed anything. bu that was before the war. Before the Horde. “Saz, just like when she was a kitten” Nala mumbles.

“And she would melt like all her bones just fell out?” Cyra says, and the Queens fall into another fit of giggles. But the laughter soon dies down, Both Queens tracing the scars that line the soldiers arms with their eyes. Time has not been well to Catra, she is no longer a kit. no longer the bubbly girl that watched after her little brother and was oh so curious about the little baby girl asleep in the cradle by the throne.

Cyra nuzzles into her wifes neck with a sigh.

“What's wrong?” Nala asks even though she doesn't have to. she know's what's wrong. Cyra gazes down at Catra, the daughter she thought died decades ago. tears fill her eyes but she's quick to blink them away.

“You should have heard the way she growled at me” Cyra can still hear the low reverberating snarl. “The way her fur was puffed up, her teeth bared. I have never heard someone so young sound so frightened.” Nala leans into her wife and rubs a comforting cheek into her temple. While she hadn't been there when Cyra had found her again in d'ru-Catra's old room she had cleaned and re sewed the gash Catra had made of her stitches watched as Catra didn't even flinched when the needle went in and out of her skin.

“It's obvious she’s been through a lot.” Nala says, when Calico had dragged the young soldier in, blood seeping from already scarred arms and her shirt ripped open to reveal her under armor top, Nala had been scared she was already dead. She was so thin and wiry. Nothing like the kit covered in baby fat the night she went missing. Nala rests her chin on her wifes shoulder debating if she should share the information she found when cleaning her daughters extensive wounds.

“She has these.. I think lighting scars along her back” the healer admits quietly, wincing when her wife stiffens and shakes.

“Starting from her neck and going all the way down to her belly button.” Cyra turns to Nala but her wife is lost in the memory. “They’re bad enough to show through her fur, like she’s been shocked multiple times. The lighting follows the same path down her spine like it was done purposefully. To inflict the most pain. like it was a punishment”

Cyra covers her mouth and tries to hold the tears back but she can't pull her eyes away from her daughter. No wonder the sunstone affected her so much. the stress had leached from her body in a way Cyra had never seen before. soldiers back from war have never reacted so strongly to the sun stone.

“I shouldn't have let them take her, '' Nala's voice shakes and she looks away from the young magicat, her eyes squeezed shut trying to force the images from that day out of her head.

“It wasn’t your fault” Cyra says sternly, grabbing the Healers face and forcing her loser. Tears stream down her face and join Cyra's. “You did everything you could,”

Nala grits her teeth and looks at her wife. the tears streaming down her cheeks flow steadily and dampen the peach fur there. “Look what they did to her” it comes out like a choked sob, a growl. Cyra didn't look, she didn't need to. She had seen what had been done to her little girl. she had seen the scars etched into her babies fur. and she knew that her wife had not done this to her. and Cyra pulls her wife into a bone crushing hug.

“I should have done something more…. I should have.. I shou…”

Cyra shushes her wife and kisses her jaw wrapping her arms steadily around her waist and allowing her to lean into the Queen. Her own tears track through the fur on her cheeks. “There was nothing more you could have done. You were half dead when we found you.” Half dead and delirious. she had been fighting her way through the soldiers dragging her towards the boats. her severed arm had been wrapped and stinted in charred cloth. she had been yelling about lighting and scarred faces.

Nala buries her face into her wife’s shoulder. Her own shoulders shake with sobs. “It’s ok,” Cyra soothes, running her hands through her wifes fur. “She's here now and we won’t let go of her again.”

Cyra smiles and nuzzles her wifes neck, “besides, she hasn't gotten to try your favorite food yet” Nala coughs out a watery chuckle and pulls away from her Queen slightly.

“I don't think she’s going to like bugs” Nala admits, she quickly rubs her hands across her cheeks sending her fur askew. Cyra smiles and gently smooths it down.

“I can’t believe you let King Micah get you on those nasty things.” Cyra says, scrunching her nose up in disgust.

“They’re good if you season them!”

—-

It's obvious that Catra slept the day away when she opens her eyes and the crystals outside are darkening into mellow purples and pinks. Her muscles feel like plastic on a tank radiator. Melted into a puddle. She's a little surprised she wasn't murdered in her sleep and a lot surprised that her usually constant state of "on edge" seemed to have melted away.

She lifts her nap heavy head and watches Nala slowly turn off the sunstone. its light fades but the warmth brushing down Catra's spine doesn't. Cyra sits next to her on the black rock and slowly pets down her back, the act keeps Catra purring even as the warmth of the sun leaches out of the stone below her. Cyra smiles when she sees that Catra has woken up.

“Good evening, you look like you’ve had a good nap.” Catra groans and nuzzles her head back onto the still warm bed. Flipping over and letting the heat seep into side. at some point she must have moved to her stomach, placing as much of her body as she could against the warm stone. The Black rock is harder than a Force Captains bed. How was that nap this good?

“Come on” Cyra urges, standing and stretching her arms above her head. “If we dont let Calico come with us to go clothes shopping we will never be forgiven.”

“Her revenge would be swift and unjust” Nala agrees, walking past them on her way to the door. Catra begrudgingly gets up from the warm stone. She feels cold now that the sunstone isn't seeping into her flesh.

“I need to get me one of those” she mumbles, rubbing her eye and stretching her back in a way that pops her spine. she then reaches down and touches her toes, then reaches further and presses her wrists into the floor. rolling her injured arm in its socket she notes that the pain has decreased significantly. Bless that magical f*cking rock.

“That would be pretty hard”. Cyra says, holding open the door for Catra. “There’s only one, and it was a gift from Saz himself”

Catra doesn't know who Saz is but she is definitely going to have to have a talk with this guy about sharing. The soldier follows the queens around the back of the sunstone building. She didn't realize they were this close to the cavern wall until it was looming over her like it is now.

Nala starts up a metal stairway that's bolted to the side of the cave. Her tail whips Cyra’s arm lightly as she passes. Cyra smiles and follows her wife.

This is Catra’s chance. To leave that is, they probably wouldn't notice that she’s gone for at least a couple minutes. She can just sneak out. Leave behind this overly nice family. Catra looks up at the magicats as they giggle with each other.

She trails after them but because she wants to and she just took a nap, she is still sluggish. It's not because she likes these snobby queens. Snobby queens who might be…..

“Where are we going?” Catra interrupts her own train of thought. At the top of the stairs is a catwalk (no pun intended) that outlines the entirety of Brightmoon.

“This is a shortcut to The Arena” Nala walks in stride with Catra. The Horde soldier makes sure she's on the side of the catwalk with the wall, not the railing. You never know. If Nala notices she doesn't comment.

“Arena?” Catra asks, but she's more focused on the view the catwalk provides. The crystals on the cave ceiling are dimming slowly but surely. Mimicking the colors of a sunset. The colors play light shows on the houses, and shops below. “Why is the New Half-moon in a cave?”

Cyra and Nala glance at each other. “When we first arrived” Cyra begins in what Catra is starting to recognize as her storytelling voice. “we were half drowned and water logged. Our boats had just collapsed and most of us were severely wounded.” Cyra looks to her wife who is holding her disfigured limb.

“Beast Island's razor sharp monsters were picking us off one by one.” Cyra’s eyes are unfocused as she looks away from her wife, her hand trails on the railing. “We thought we were gonners.”

“But then Cyra trips and falls through a cave opening” Nala smiles and whips Cyra’s leg with her tail.

The queen spins around her hand on her hips “I did not trip! You pushed me!” Nala laughs and bumps shoulders with her wife as she passes.

“Ok, maybe I tripped and bumped into you. But in my defense I needed a hand” the Queen Waves her residual limb around and Cyra pinches the bridge of her nose.

“That was truly terrible” Nala gasps dramatically and places her hand on her heart, she looks to Catra who shrugs.

“It was pretty bad”

“Says the girl who tried to make a tank joke earlier.” Catra scoffs and Cyra threads her arm through her wife’s with a smile “anyway, we realized if we lived under Beast island than the creatures who ruled the jungle would have a harder time getting to us.”

“And living under Beast Island has some perks.” Nala tilts her head towards the ceiling. “Those crystals were a nice find. They mimic the color of the sky on a 24 hour loop”

“And this catwalk gives an amazing view of the city.'' Cyra says, she points to a guard tower that's maybe a half mile away from them. “While we miss the trees, the open landscape gives the guards a easier time spotting danger”

“And it's a nice way to avoid the crowds' ' Nala whispers like it's a secret. They round the side of the cave and Cyra skips down a set of stairs that lead right into an alley between two houses. Nala follows after her at a much slower pace.

Cyra leads the way down the narrow alleyway, at the end is a huge circle of shops and houses. The city center is packed with magicats. The Queens weave their way into the mass of people without hesitation but Catra takes a deep breath and grips her tail out of the way of stomping feet before following. She huddles close to the queens who seem to have a circle of royal personal space that surrounds them.

The crowd watches Catra as she walks behind the two women. Their matching eyes widen at the sight of Catra’s mismatched ones. Catra’s brows furrow and she tries to make out what they’re saying but she only gets snippets of conversation before the crowd changes.

“Mama!” Catra whips her head around to the loud call. Tigger and Calico stand behind an ever thickening mass of magicats. Calico’s ears are drooped and her tail drags behind her as she makes her way over to the queens.

“We couldn't get any good spots' ' she slumps against her mothers side like she's a brick wall, to Nala’s credit she doesn't even stumble.

“A good spot?” Catra mumbles, looking at the magicats around her that seem to be migrating in the same direction.

There's a loud explosion and Catra would hit the deck if there was a deck to hit. The street is so packed that lying on the floor would get her trampled. What Catra does do, is duck her head and cover the head of little Calico, who looks at her like she's crazy. The streets are loud and Catra only realizes it isn't a real explosion when Cyra gently places a hand on her arm.

Catra’s fur poufs in response and she looks at the queen with wide eyes. “Your ok” the voice is soothing and Catra scoffs, pushing Princess Calico away and brushing herself off. She only covered the stupid girl because she has good taste in food. Would be a shame to let such talent die.

“I know-” Catra jumps as a second crack splits through the air. Cyra smiles and points over the heads of the crowd. Beyond the sea of magicats is a huge bonfire that lights up the dimming sky. The fire is surrounded by a circle of drums. Catra watches as a dark brown magicat pounds one of the drums with a wooden stick and a third explosion floats over the crowd.

Even though Catra can see where the sounds are coming from she still jumps with each beat of the drum. It sounds so similar to Horde dropper bombs. Air missiles that are silent until they explode.

“You're in for a treat” Cyra says, looking off and into the circle of players.

Magicats surround the other drums and start to play to the beat of the original. The tempo starts out slow but soon increases to a steady and fast beat. The ritual seems so familiar. The drums and tempo are something Catra has definitely heard before.

Catra gasps and smiles as a dancer covered in a fur skin pounces from the shadows. Their head is that of a Tiger-armadillo, striped and armored. An old memory, one Catra didn't know she still had resurfaces.

Catra as a kitten, sitting on her mothers shoulders from the outskirts of a story circle. The magicats smile and laugh as a story is told through the dancers' movements. A large beast fighting a small magicat. The magicat dances around the monster, flipping over its back and tapping it on the shoulder.

Catra laughs and glances down at her mother but the face of the woman who birthed her, who loved her, is blank. A memory too far gone to recall. Catra glances at Nala now, Nala who has the same black hair and white spots as Catra’s faceless mother.

The loud ricochet of the drum forces Catra to focus on the dance. A way to tell the story of how a magicat fought for the skin of their enemy. Scary stories told with a comedic flare for the kittens.

“Story circle” Catra mumbles.

“You know them?” Cyra’s ears perk up and her tail waves behind her.

“Vaguely” Catra responds, watching as a monster crawls up behind the bonfire and uses its own shadow to scare the dancer, “I remember wanting to be a dancer, it tells the story of how you got your armor, right?”

“Yes” Nala smiles, her hand planted on her hip, her blue eyes gleaming. “An ancient tradition passed down from the time of the beasts”

“Beasts?'' Catra asks, dragging her eyes away from the dance.

“Long ago, before the horde and the princesses, and maybe even the First Ones, there were beasts, huge magical creatures that didn't particularly like magicats.” Nala’s eyes twinkle with the story. “The Beasts were many and little between, and if the legend is to be believed, they tasted super good”

“So when a magicat came of age they would journey into the forest and face the Beast as their equal and slay it before it could slay them. The village would take it back and celebrate not only a true magicat but a good meal. That's how a magicat gets her armor” Nala proudly sweeps her tail behind her as she watches the Magicat dance around the beast and the fire.

“But nowadays the Beasts are gone, disappeared some hundred years ago” Cyra’s eyes darken as the fire roars higher. “And now we’re surrounded by dangerous beasts that actually want to kill us”

The dancer in the pit pulls a wooden sword from her scabbard and charges the creature. The monster rushes the magicat right back but gets skewered through and through. The beast dramatically falls backward, clutching at its wound.

Catra jumps as Calico squeals “You could be a dancer!” Calico grabs Catras good arm and ignores how her fur poofs up in response. “You have fur!”

Catra draws her eyebrows together and looks at the kit questingly. “We all do?”

“Duh” Calico mimes thrusting a spear. “But you have armor! I watched you skewer that Razor fin like it was nothing”

“More like that thing skewered itself” Catra mumbles, she jumps as the drums in the pit crescendo. She rubs at her fur, goosebumps finding their way up her arms.

“We’ve seen these stories a hundred times before” Nala grabs Calico’s hand and drags her away from the crowd. “And i'm sure Catra would enjoy them more if she had a better spot”

“And more comfortable clothes” Cyra speaks up, following her wife out of the crowd.

Catra sends one more fleeting glance towards the dance circle before following the royal family out of the crowd. Catra lets out a sigh of relief when she leaves the mass of people behind but it doesn’t last long.

“You could be a dancer!” Calico pops up out of nowhere.

“Stars!” Catra just about jumps out of her skin. She narrows her eyes at the little girl. “You just like sparkles”

“Sparkles?” Calico asks, she walks weirdly close to Catra. Close enough that their tails touch as they walk. Catra slowly moves farther away from her.

“Just some annoying sparkly princess that can teleport. I think her real name is glitter?” Catra tries her hardest to remember but she just can't recall her name. Though apparently Calico can.

“Glimmer? Princess Glimmer!” Calico grips Catra’s arm like a vice and drags her over to the queens. “Mama! Mom! Catra knows Glimmer!”

“Don't touch me” Catra grits between her teeth and pulls her arm away from the girl.

“You know Glimmer?” Cyra asks, her voice sounds hopeful but Catra can't figure out why. What would sparkles have to do with anything?

“Yeah? What's it to you?” Catra steps hesitantly away from the Queens. The women have broken out into wide smiles.

Chapter 6: Escape To Beast Island

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bow follows Adora into the courtyard. Mara’s ship sits prim and proper right in the middle, Bow only stumbles once in the dark. Adora moves expertly through the moonlight. Sneaking out as kids with Catra trained her for this very moment. “I've never lied to Glimmer before. I mean I left a note. Or three”

“If Glimmer won’t come with us, we will just go without her.” Adora stealthily moves past a slumbering Entrapta. The scientist is slumped over her bot and holding a still on blow torch like a teddy bear.

Entrapta had been working on the ship all day. She hadn't left its side since they got it up and running again. An experience Adora would appreciate never re-living. Adora glances back at the snoring mechanic. This is the first time the blonde has ever seen the mechanic sleep.

“I'm not letting Catra die on that island and I know you won’t either.” Bow follows Adora onto the ship with a sigh.

“I'm sure if we told Glimmer where we are going she would help us.” Bow whispers. Tip toeing past Entrapta like a cartoon character.

“You saw what she did to Emily” Adora pulls Bow the rest of the way in, “she’ll just try to sabotage us.”

Bow’s shoulders slump and he hugs his trackpad closer to his chest. “They’re going to be so mad,” he mumbles, closing the loading bay with a mechanical whirl.

“Glimmer’s going to be angry but at least she'll be around to be angry. We can't let what happened in Mara’s time happen again. And saving Catra is a much more productive use of our time.”

Bow taps his fingers against his trackpad anxiously.

“It’ll be quick” Adora reasons to the nervous tech master. “In and out in a day and we’re home before they can even say Beast island”

Adora smiles at the archer before starting up the ship. “Think about it this way, you can help me save Catra or you can help Glimmer figure out how to destroy Etheria!” Adora does some jazz hands at Bow. “Both are good, both are fun. But one includes total annihilation.

“Hello administrator” Darla’s monotone voice lights up in the holographic bubble. “How may I assist you?”

“Hey Darla, uhm how do I fly you?” Adora says it slowly and pronounces each syllable.

“Where would you like to go?” ever since Entrapta started attacking the ships mainframe, Darla has been much more enjoyable to talk to. Adora turns around to smile at Bow.

“This will be easier than pie” she whispers, before turning back to Darla.

“It's ‘piece of cake’, Adora. This’ll be a piece of cake”

“That's what I said. Could you take us to Beast Island?” she asks Darla, the ship glows and a hologram of Etheria projects into the air.

“Setting coordinates for ‘Beast Island’” the hologram spins and zooms in on an Island in the middle of nowhere

“Beast Island!” Entrapta pops up behind Adora like a ghost. The blonde screams and launches a foot in the air.

“Can I come? I've always wanted to go to Beast Island. The amount of data I could collect! I bet Catra has a mountain of findings for me” Adora places a hand over her heart and breathes deeply.

“How did you get in here?”

“Did somebody say Swift Wind!” If Adora had fur it would be sticking up in every direction. She slowly turns around a faces the Horse,

“Nobody said Swift Wind” Adora pinches the bridge of her nose. “Ok, sorry guys but this is a super top secret mission. So top secret in fact that the queen doesn't even know about it. So out, out, out.” she starts to shew the intruders out the door but they both stay firmly in place

“Well, you will need your might steed-”

“I will not be needing a stead” Adora interrupts planting her hands on her hips. “I have a flying ship”

“You replaced me just like that?!” Adora runs a hand down her face and groans.

“Yes, This is a stealth mission. Two people!”

“I’m the only one who knows how to operate Darla” Entrapta taps Adora on the shoulder. “What if you have a problem?” Adora purses her lips and closes her eyes tight. Entrapta would just complicate things. Adora would be worried of her getting lost, or eaten, or just generally walking off a cliff. But the scientist is right. Bow isn't advanced enough to fix a whole ship.

“Ok three people. But that's it!”

“Adora, we have a soul bond. One like no other. I can in no right mind let you go on this treacherous journey alone” Swift Wind strikes a pose. “If i have to follow slightly behind the ship i will-”

“Fine!” Adora rubs her forehead with her fingers. Catra can’t wait for this long “Four people. But only four people!”

“Hey! where are you guys headed?” Scorpia stands at the opening of the loading bay, her hands on her hips. Adora slams her hand down on the control panel. The loading bay closes in Scorpia’s face.

“Time to go!”

“I would not suggest going to Beast Island” Darla’s mechanic voice reverberates through the ship. The hologram of Etheria spins and pinpoints the island. “The Weather is highly dangerous and is likely to pull down the ship”

“Oh my Hordak, are you guys going to go find Catra even though Queen Angella told you not to?” Scorpia’s muffled voice filters through the glass on the front of the ship. Adora slowly turns to see Scorpias face smushed up against the windshield. “I support you. Go team”

“Darla.. Please take us to Beast Island before anymore people show up” Adora pleads, eyeing Scorpia through the glass. The ship slowly rises and Scorpia takes a step back. She proceeds to wave ecstatically from the ground.

Swift Wind stumbles as the ship shoots off in seemingly a random direction. “Are you sure we’re going in the right way?”

Adora slouches in the command chair. “No, but we’re going to have to trust that the navigation center knows where it's going.”

Bow plays with the holographic Etheria, spinning it and letting it slow down before spinning it again.. Adora bites her lip and watches him swat at it again before sighing.

“Ok, what's wrong?”

Bow turns towards her and leans against the control panel. “Iv never lied to Glimmer before” he folds his arms and looks down at his shoes. “Well, not about anything so big. I understand why she think setting off the Heart of Etheria is a good idea but she isn't taking into account the risks”

Adora sighs and watches Bow struggle with his own thoughts.

“And she’s been spending so much time with Shadow Weaver” he all but mumbles but Adora’s stomach drops to her feet all the same.

“She’s been what?” Bow winces and looks away from Adora.

“Ever since the portal, she’s been taking these… magic lessons?”

Dread starts to eat at Adora’s lungs. She leans over, her elbows on her knees. She’s told them over and over that Shadow Weaver is bad news but no one seems to believe her.

“It's just… she is so stressed that she's starting to take greater and greater risks to get the upper hand on the Horde.” Bow holds his elbow and looks out the window. “She says the magic lessons remind her of her dad.”

He stuffs his shoe on the floor. “and she genuinely believes the best option to win the war is The Heart of Etheria”

“Maybe Glimmer will understand when we get back,” Adora asks, looking up at the Bow. “Once we get Catra, I mean you’ve seen Catra lead, she could really help us get an upper hand on the horde.

“Do you think she’ll still be mad?” Bow gazes out the front windshield. “She just seemed so angry back at the ruins.”

“Glimmer will understand when we get back” Adora reinstates, more confidently this time. She taps the tips of her shoes together. “Besides, this is just a quick trip. Basically a test drive on Darla. Maybe we could even tell her we just happened to stumble upon Beast Island and then Catra just climbed aboard.”

“What if she doesn't understand?” Bow starts to pace the control deck. “What if she never talks to me again?”

“Uhm guys' ' Swift Wind moves around the captain's chair and steps up to the control panel. “Is this supposed to be doing that?” The Hologram and the control panel have started to flash red. Adora stands and walks up to the hologram, her head tilted.

“Ok, no one panic” Bow’s voice cracks. “I'm sure everything is fine”

“Do you hear that?” Swift Wind looks around “I don't-'' the Ship interrupts with a series of loud beeps.

“Auto-pilot off line” Darla’s monotone voice wavers and then blinks out leaving the ship in darkness. There's a moment of weightlessness before the ship tilts and starts to fall out of the sky, sending everyone rolling across the deck..

Bow grip onto both Adora and Swift Wind. “Nothing is fine! Everybody panic!”

Adora screeches as the ship starts to spin. Bow runs to the Captain's chair, Adora hot on his heels, and starts to smash buttons.

“Pull up! Pull up!” Adora screams, gripping onto the command chair for dear life. Her feet start to float up instead of being firmly planted on the floor and her eyes widen.

“I can’t!” Bow’s voice cracks like a prepubescent, his hands held out in front of him on the controls. “The ship is trying to kill us,” he sobs.

The door from the loading bay opens and Adora looks over to Entrapta, who floats in like she's in outer space, she is manically giggling into her recorder. “The Atmoshere and weather surrounding Beast Island is a glorious cluster f*ck. It's like a hurricane a tsunami and a earthquake all at once.”

Adora tightens her hold on the command chair as the ocean they were flying over shoots up at them. th water comes closer and closer outside the window. The waves are black and choppy, jumping up and out of the ocean like rabid dogs.

“Adora?” the blonde looks away from the window shield and at Swift Wind who’s floating upside down in the center of the ship “I only blame you a lot for making me come on this suicide mission.”

Adora growls and opens her mouth to retaliate-

—----

“mmmrg” Adora whimpers, pushing herself up and off of Darla’s cold metal floor. She looks up and winces at the sunlight shining in through the windshield. Waves lap up against the bottom half of the glass. Adora makes direct eye contact with a very ugly fish that has the sharpest teeth she’s ever seen.

Adora would have enjoyed the first night's rest she had in a week if she had gone willingly, and not been ruthlessly knocked out. Her head pounds with a shooting headache and she's pretty sure she cracked a tooth.

“We’re going to die here” Bow rocks himself in the command chair. He’s covered Adora in a blue blanket, there's a cup of water sitting next to her. Adora greedily drinks it, trying to sooth her scratchy throat.

“How long was I out?” she mumbles, holding an arm in front of her face to block out the sun.

“Oh only long enough for us to figure out that WE’RE STUCK HERE!” Bow covers his face with his hands. “Glimmer is going to be so mad. We didn't even tell her we were leaving. No one is looking for us. We are stranded in the middle of nowhere.”

Adora stands unsteadily and holds her head in her hands. “What happened?”

“The universe happened, it knew we were going to disobey orders and took us out itself.” bow hugs his legs closer, “the universe knows all”

“Do you have brain damage?” When he doesn't respond, She sighs and pats Bow on the head as she passes. “Ok, you just sit here and rest for a second buddy”

“I'll never get to taste good food again, just rations. Very old First Ones rations”

“I'm sure they’re not as bad as Horde rations”

Adora pushes open the escape hatch and pulls herself halfway out of the ship. It appears that Bow is right, they’re stranded in the middle of the ocean. No land on the horizon and no boats anywhere in sight. The weather has completely changed. Hot and dry like a desert despite the water that surrounds the ship.

Adora lowers herself back into the ship with a thud. “Ok we might be stranded.” Bow groans and plants his head onto his knees.

“But” Adora says appeasingly. “We can hop on Swift Wind-”

“Swift Wind is down for the count” a dramatic voice groans from behind Adora. “I'm injured, Adora. I'm afraid I won't make it”

Adora turns and lifts a brow. Swift wind lays on the floor, his wings splayed out behind him.

“The Doc says I might never fly again.”

“He's fine, just a sprained wing,” Bow mutters, pulling out his tracking pad. He starts to flip through photos of him and Glimmer. Adora rolls her eyes and slumps back down on the floor. She's surrounded by drama Queens.

“So… what do we do? Swim to Beast Island?” Bow shakes his head and flips his screen around.

“Darla is offline. No one can tell what direction we were going in when the storm hit and..” he shows Adora his trackpad. “My Pad is fried” the screen frits out like it's being electrocuted. “ i can only look at photos of the good old days and hope my death is swift and painless”

Adora ignores that last statement “So.. we’re stranded” she leans back on her hands. She can't save Catra not from here, she can’t stop the Horde or save Etheria. There's nothing she can do about Horde prime. she can’t even stop Glimmer from wanting to set off the heart. Adora is virtually useless.

She collapses onto her back and stares at the ceiling of the ship. She feels like she should be doing something. If she was in Brightmoon she’d be reviewing her rescue plans. She can't do that here, she's in the middle of said rescue plans and they’ve gone to sh*t. She taps her boots together and looks back over at Bow, but he's fully immersed himself in his photos. Adora bites her lip and looks back at the ceiling.

It's silent but Adora can hear the splashing of waves against the hull. She looks at the windshield and watches the Razor fins swim by before looking back up at the ceiling. Adora is so.. Bored.

She’s never really had free time before. In the Horde it was always train, train, train. At Brightmoon they were always planning for an attack or a defense. Catra was the one who was good at relaxing. She would sneak up into the rafters and air ducts for hours. Said it was warmer up higher.

“So….. Do you guys want to play cards or something?”

“We’re not stranded!” Entrapta exclaims, bursting from a control panel.

“Thank Eternia” Adora springs up from the floor and claps her hands together.

“Darla is off the grid but the thrusters still work fine. They can't fly but they do heat up!”

Adora purses her lips. “How does that help us?”

Entrpata smiles and claps her hair together, “I'm glad you asked! When the thrusters heat up the water will boil and push us in any direction we want!”

“But we still don't know what direction to go,” Bow says, leaning his elbows on his knees.

“To get to Beast Island?” Swift Wind speaks up from his spot on the floor. “We go North”

Bow looks at him. “How do you know that?”

“I'm a flying horse, I always know which way I'm going.”

“Then why didn't you say anything earlier!” Bow stands from the control chair.

“I am severely injured” Swift Wind stands and stomps a hoof. “I am a horse on the edge!”

“Ok!” Adora interrupts the bickering boys and turns to Entrapta. “Can you take us north?”

“Entrpata smiles and flips her welding visor down. “I sure can” she pulls a blow torch from her hair and turns it on.

—--

Are you sure you guys can't hear that?” Swift Wind asks, flapping his wings in the open air nervously. He stands on top of Mara’s ship, his hooves sending echoes throughout the command deck.

“I don't hear anything.” Adora admits, pulling herself out of the escape hatch. The ship passes large spiked spires that stick out of the reef at odd angles. The clouds above them are dark and swirling.

Adora’s heart beats double time when the ship drags against the sandy shore. “Ok, everyone stay close and be careful. In the horde they told stories of this place. Animals with razor sharp teeth and malicious intent.”

Adora drops down into the shore and wades onto the sand, Bow not too far behind.

“Ok you guys had to have heard that” SwiftWind splashes ashore and sticks close to adora.

“Wait, I can hear it!” Bow shrieks grabbing onto Adora for dear life.

“Hear what?” Adora pulls out her sword and waves it around at the trees. “I can't hear anything.”

“It sounds.. It sounds… like…. giggling?” Bow turns around and slaps a hand onto his forehead. Adora follows his eyes and her shoulders slump.

On top of Darla Entrapta giggles like a madwoman. Her hair holds multiple pieces of First Ones tech and she's raising them to the sky like frankenstein.

“She looks so much like an evil scientist.” Bow mumbles, pulling away from Adora and starting into the forest.

“Guys, that's.. not what I was talking about.” Swift wind hurries after Adora and bow, sending a backwards glance to Entrapta.

“Well I couldn't hear anything” Adora slashes at branches and clears a path deeper onto Beast Island. The back of her neck hasn't stopped prickling since she stepped foot on the sand and Swift Winds ominous noise isn't helping.

“This all looks like First Ones tech” Bow pulls a magnifying arrow from his bag. The trees of the forest seemed to have grown around the tech and incorporated them into the environment. Just like Entrapta said it did. Bow taps at one of the vine covered shards and it sparks like a live wire.

“Adora?” Swift Wind stomps his hooves and snuffles around in the mud, “what are these?” He moves a branch out of the way and laying there in the mud are two Horde Grade shackles smashed and dented with teeth indents. One of them was bloody and smeared.

“Catra!” Adora hurries over to the shackles but is quickly stopped by a tangle of hair.

“I wouldn't do that” Entrapta sets Adora back down just outside the circle of mud. “That's quick mud, it traps its victims in and slowly swallows them, it's quite fascinating” SwiftWind Neighs and quickly picks up the shackles. He anxiously and hurriedly steps back onto solid ground.

“Maybe you could warn me next time?”

“If Catra got out of these shackles then she could still be alive!” Adora takes them from Swift Wind and holds them to her chest.

“ugh, Adora '' Bow says, his voice is quiet and his back turned to them. Adora hurries over and her heart drops at what she sees. Smashed trees splintered all over the ground and a large puddle of blood seeped into the forest floor. Too large.

Adora covers her mouth with her hand and hugs the shackles closer. Her heart has stopped. There is no way it's still beating. All the blood has stopped moving through her veins; it's the only reason her limbs could feel so useless. Bow lays a hand on her shoulder but she barely feels it.

“No, no, no '' she drops the shackles and stumbles towards the puddle. It's so much blood, Catra couldn't possibly have this much. A large spike sits in the middle of it. A piece of splintered tree.

“It looks like she got caught in the mud” Entrapta speaks into her recorder and follows the tracks that line the pit. “Oh, Catra is very smart indeed. she got something to pull her out by grabbing the shackles Hordak put on her hands.”

Entrpata picks up the shackles with her hair and looks up at the scene before her. “Not only did it pull her out of the mud but the shackles too!” Entrata squeals in excitement and Adora has to grit her teeth not to yell at the scientist. Her eyes burn and she squeezes them shut to force the tears back.

“Adora” Bow’s voice is gentle but Adora doesn’t want to hear it. She doesn't want to hear anything but Catra’s voice. Her laugh. Even her taunting if that’s what it takes.

“When she slipped out of them she must have hit this tree, splintering it? Something splintered it” Entrapta starts to mumbles to herself, and the blonde snaps.

“Could you shut up! I don't need you monologuing her death!” tears track down her cheeks and she whips around to a stunned Entrapta. Adora’s heart stops lower as regret quickly fills her stomach. She goes to apologize but the scientist's eyebrows have drawn together, she tilts her head in confusion.

“Catra isn't dead” she states, ignoring the giant puddle of blood on the floor.

Adora grits her teeth and runs her fingers through her hair. “Look! Look how much blood is on the ground! No one could survive that!”

Entrapta nods and eyes the large puddle. “Yeah, but this isn't Catra’s blood” Adora freezes, the blood in her veins starts to pump again and this time faster than she can keep up with.

“What?”

“Look. this blood, the majority of the puddle, is lighter than this” Entrapta points to a puddle that’s near the splinter of a tree. “All of this came from a Creature with much thinner blood than Catra.” she gestures to the larger puddle. “Probably a really big creature, they need more oxygen which means thinner blood.”

Adora grabs Entrapta by the shoulders; a smile splits the blonde's face. “She’s alive?”

“She’s alive” Entrapta confirms, but then she points to a break in the trees, “or at least she was. She must have used a splintered piece of wood to kill the creature but got injured in the process. Look, something dragged both the bigger creature and Catra away”

Adora lets go of the scientist and spins on her heel and follows Entrapta’s eyes into the forest. A trail of blood and broken branches leads off deeper into the island. Catra is alive. Adora just needs to get to her.

“Ok! What is that noise?” Swift Wind stomps his hooves and backs away from the group.

“What noise?” Bow asks, shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s gone” Swift Wind walks the perimeter of the blood, looking into the forest, “You guys have to have heard it, its high and squeaky and hurting my ears”

“Any childhood stories about noises only horses can hear?” Bow asks, but Adora’s already walking after the trail of blood.

“Nope”

“I heard the same noise on Mara's ship! Right before it crashed” Swift Wind jogs to catch up with Adora and Bow. “Something weird is going on here, I just know it.

Adora is not really paying attention. The only thing running through her mind is ‘Catra’s alive’. It's a statement because Adora couldn't handle a question. She has to be alive. She wouldn't let something as stupid as Beast Island kill her. She’d kill it first. The entire island.

“Adora” the blond shakes herself from her thoughts at Bow urgent whispers. She looks up from the trial of blood and right into the eyes of some kind of monster. A giant monster. Two great big pincers and four massive reflective eyes. Adora can see her reflection perfectly. The monster sticks its massive, disgusting tongue out of its mouth and laps up the blood staining the ground.

“Maybe if we don't move, it wont see us' ' Bow whispers from the corner of his mouth. The monster looks up from its meal and creaks like a rusty door.

“It saw us' ' Bow hisses, the monster shrieks a deafening roar and the group turns tail and runs. Adora’s heart beats double as she weaves her way through the forest. She jumps over logs and weaves under low hanging branches. But Swift Wind has no such agility and stumbles over a root.

“Swift Wind!” The Horse stumbles and crashes to the ground caught in the vines. Adora grinds to a halt and sticks her sword under the vine to try and cut it away. The plant is stronger than it looks and Adora takes to sawing at it.

“What is that noise?!” Swift Wind cries, watching as Adora struggles to free him. The vines won't budge and Adora grits her teeth. She lifts the sword into the air to do the one thing she hasn't done since finding out she was the key to destroying Etheria.

“For the honor of grayskull!” Adora yells but instead of blinding light and a hot bod she just gets a fizzling noise and a frightened looking Swift Wind.

“Where's She-ra?!” Bow's voice cracks and he draws back an arrow but when it lands against the creature's massive claws it only fizzles out and falls to the dirt.

“I don't know!” Adora gasps for breath but it's like there’s not enough air on the whole island to fill her lungs. The monster swings at them. Adora ducks in time but neither Bow or Swift Wind can get out of the way. They go flying. Swiftwind tearing from the vines.

“No!” Adora swings the sword into the air and pleads with whatever higher beings are out there. “For the honor of grayskull!” but this time there's not even a fizzle. The creature takes another swing at her and is almost successful in taking her head clean off.

Adora stumbles back, dropping the sword. The creature slams its pincers down right where Adora was standing. Fear grip Adora’s heart and she freezes. What is she doing? She’s a trained soldier and she doesn't freeze.

The creature is about to attack again, its pincer raised menacingly, but before it can strike it shrieks and backs away. A ball of….. magic? hits it right between the eyes. A man cloaked in blue jumps through the tree line and lands majestically before the creature with a staff in hand.

Adora quickly stumbles away and towards Bow and Swift Wind as the magician and the creature duke it out.

“Adora! Are you ok?” Bow struggles up from where he and Swift Wind collapsed against a log. He gingerly holds his screaming ribs and grasps at the blonde.

Im ok, im ok” Adora watches as the magician ties the Creatures claws shut with some kind of magic. His staff glows a fiery orange. The monster charges at him and he draws a circle in the air with his hands.

As the creature nears he punches the circle through the air and traps the creature with pulsing magic. The monster screams and backs away. it glows purple and stumbles uncertainty, shaking its head. The man draws another circle but the creature has already stumbled back into the forest, disappearing into the trees.

The man drops his hands and turns towards the group. Large scars cover his chest and an unruly, uneven beard grows out from underneath his hood.

“Thank you” Adora stands from where Bow and Swift Wind lay. “You saved us” the man pulls down his hood, and Bow gasps.

—---------

“Adora!” Glimmer hasn't seen the blonde since she ran off at the ruins. dread has been seeping into The princesses bones all day. She’s already checked the training grounds and Adora’s room, The only two places Adora ever goes, But they were empty.

Glimmer has just been wandering the castle since.

“Bow?” Glimmer gently pushes his door open.” have you seen-” She freezes at what she sees, the room looks like it's been ransacked. Bow is usually a tidy organized person but this looks like he left in a rush. Clothes strewn about the room and arrows spread haphazardly against every surface.

Sitting on his bed is a folded note. Glimer nervously picks it up. Its contents makes Glimmer's stomach drop and she runs for the courtyard. It's only mid morning they could still be here. But when she reaches the space that once held Mara’s ship she grits her teeth. Darla is gone, along with Adora and Bow.

Chapter 7: I Only Hurt People

Chapter Text

Beast Island four hours earlier (so before Adora gets there but after the ship crashes in the Ocean)

“What is this? A poncho? It's not raining, I don't need a poncho”. Catra goes to take the offending article off but Cyra just giggles, placing a gentle hand on Catra’s arm. The whole family had been in a giggly mood since they found out Catra knew princess sparkles. Why is mostly beyond Catra. all she had gotten out of the Queen is that they know the princesses father and would love to bring Catra to meet him.

Catra doesn't know how happy he will be to know that she liked to kidnapp and torture his daughters friends.

They had a change of plans last night and Catra was dragged back to the castle. They forced her to take an actual bath, which wasn't so terrible. The water was decently warm and while it waterlogged her fur the conditioner made it so soft the act was forgivable. she couldn't stop running her hands over her fur after the bath was over. marveling at its silk and fluffy ness. They then dried her off with warm towels and re-wrapped her injuries.

The feeling of Cyra brushing through her fur almost made her cry. she cant remember the last time she had time to brush through her whole coat let alone have someone else help her. Nala had carefully wrapped up her arm and then pet down the fur between her shoulder blades in a way that was so relaxing that Catra almost fell asleep before dinner. Which in itself was an amazing affair. The meal was some kind of thick soup that was spicy enough to bring tears to even Nala’s eyes but was rich with so much flavor Catra couldn't stop eating it.

Calico didn't stop asking questions the entire time. She was weirdly invested in Glimmer’s life. What she was like. What she liked to eat. What her powers were. Even Tigger was interested, he stood close enough to eavesdrop as Calico bombarded Catra with questions. Both kits seemed thoroughly disappointed that Catra didn’t know all that much.

she didn't take a lot of time between fighting and kidnapping to get the glitters whole life story. she was mostly focused on running a army and scheming for their next victory.

Nevertheless, when Cyra walked Catra to the guest room Calico followed silently behind. Well silently to Cyra, but to Catra she was as loud as Adora. the Kitten seemed to think she was pretty sneaky. she tiptoed loudly through the hallway, ducking behind doors when Cyra would almost get wise and look behind her. Oddly the queen didn't even notice when the kit tripped and barely caught herself on the carpet.

Cyra lead Catra to the spare room and to Catra's surprise, kisses her forehead gently before cupping her face and giving the Force Captain a warm smile. Catra was so shocked that she didn't even move when Cyra closed the door gently behind herself on her way out. she only shakes herself from her stupor once the door handle giggles gently, then Catra hides behind the frame of the door and blends into the shadow of the room.

Catra is thoroughly surprised when Calico isn't the one to open the door. Tigger is. She hadn't heard him walking through the halls so he must have been already down he hallway, hiding In one of the rooms past the guest room. she raises an eyebrow when his large frame silently slips into the room and looks around the seemingly empty space. “Calico, she’s not even here”

“What?” the girl pushed past Tigger and into the room. “Don't tell me she ran away”

Catra closes the door with a soft thud effectively blocking their exit, “I didn't run away” both magicats jump and Catra holds back a smile and glares threateningly at them. “What is it that you want?” Calico and Tigger glance at each other before looking back at Catra.

“We-”

“What is the main land like?” Calico quickly talks over Tigger. Catra blinks, shocked. This isnt what she was expecting. She expected threats to be honest. The usual 'don't even think about hurting so and so… blah blah blah.' a pair of kits asking for stories about a place far far away isn't it. she didn't really think about how isolating growing up on an island like beast island could be. nothing but magicats and big bad monsters as far as the eye could see.

“Uhm” Catra is a little stumped. she hasn't seen much to be honest. when she is out of the fright zone she is usually focused on fighting Adora, not sight seeing. she has a pretty good idea about what the docs of silanes looks like. she vaguely remembers the kingdom of snows. she would rather not re live the ice poles. Stories about the Frightzone seem a little boring.

“I mean, I know we were born there but I was just a baby when we left and Tigger can only remember colors” Calico moves past catra, running a hand down the Force Captians arm as she goes. Catra isn't as jump about the contact as she usually is. something about that rock in the ceiling has calmed her nerves dramatically. Calico jumps onto the bed that should be Catra's and snuggles up with the pillows. She looks at Catra expectantly, her furry head poking out from underneath the covers.

“I'm not going to be telling you guys any bedtime stories if that's what you want.” Catra tries to growl this but it comes out as more of a tease. she slowly lowers herself into the armchair next to the bed. Her muscles are sore and stretched thin like taffy. her bones groan and creak with the movement in a way that Catra is sure isn't good for her age. Her brain feels like mush ration soup and tired after all the social interaction she did today. What she wants now is the sound of the Horde’s radiator system to lure her to sleep.

the clanging of the pipes is just the noise that would lure her into a sense of safety. she'd be snoozing in no time. instead she has a pack of children stealing her bed and bothering her. its nice.

When she looks back over at Calico, her heart squeezes. The girl has jutted out her bottom lip, her eyes have gone unrealistically large, her pupils sparkling in the light from the lamp next to the bed. she looks small and frail and like everything the horde has tried to beat out of Catra with batons and electricity. it takes the shriveled thing Catra calls her heart and squeeze it like a grape.

“stars, what are you doing?” Catra asks, she has to squint for the pitiful cuteness that emits from the girl is physically hurting Catra. Calico’s ears lower at Catra's stubborn refusal to acknowledge her and she tilts her head. Catra shrinks in her arm chair.

“She’s not gonna stop until you give her what she wants” Tigger says with a sigh, "she disgustingly good at looking frail and weak" he lays on top of the covers next to Calico. His hands folded on his stomach. “It works on mama everytime. Mom is a little stronger.”

"I refusal to babysit a duo of weaklings," Catra says, looking away from the scene and picking up the glass of water sitting next to the bed. The glass sweats from the cool water and it soothes Catra's itchy throat. she had already done so much talking today. she doesn't know about telling bedtime stories. she hasn't done that since Adora was a toddler. hiding beneath Catra's bed and scared of the shadows in the dark only she herself could see.

Catra makes the mistake of looking back over to the bed and sees that Tigger has also begun an onslaught of kitty eyes. the sight burns her retinas and Catra slaps her hands over her face, one still cold from the glass of water, and hisses. "It burns" she whispers, looking at the duo from the corner of her eye.

"where do you think I learned the art of begging?" Calico smirks proudly, her hands folded up under her chin in a pleading manner. Tigger's eyes start to water from staying open so long and it only adds to the effect.

Catra sighs in defeat and folds herself into the chair as best as she can with the screaming of her muscles. “Ok, ok what can i tell you about Etheria.'' Catra runs a hand through her hair and leans an elbow on top of the chair. “Well the Fright zone isn't anything exciting”. and it really isn't. its all hissing steam and sweaty bodies. reeks like a mother f*cker to.

“The Fright Zone?” Calico asks. she leans towards Catra as if hanging off of everyone one of her limited words. a kit who doesn't know about the fright zone is a happy one and Catra doesn't know if she wants to ruin that for them.

“Its where i grew up” Catra admits gruffly, planning to keep it at that but she looks over at the kits and sighs. They both looked at her expectantly, even Tigger who tries to pretend he is so uninterested. is that how she looks? on the edge of her seat even when she pretends nothing effects her.

“It's dark," she starts, "smokey. crawling with cadets and Force Captains so there is no where to hide, unless you know where to look." Catra looks away from the kittens' eager faces and watches the lamp on the desk flicker with electricity. "it's loud there. A city that doesn't sleep, full of constant work and noise. weapons testing and manufacturing. The smog is so thick the sun never shines.”

“Sounds cold” Calico whispers, her eyes trained on Catra so fully that It makes the Force Captain shiver. "lonely too"

Catra looks over at Tigger, who seems begrudgingly interested in her story. “It's actually the opposite. cold that is. It's where the forgery is, so everything is unbearably hot. walking around is like standing in a sauna. if you lean too heavily on a pipe you could risk a contact burn" she pauses and wraps her tail around herself. "Unless you're inside the barracks which is so cold your tail could fall off. nothing you can really do but huddle up with a fellow cadet and hope you're both alive in the morning. " Catra tilts her head considering with a smile. “The perfect place to be is on top of the water heater. It couldn't warm the water up all that much but right on top was a nice spot for a nap.”

Catra looks up at Calico on a whim, her eyebrows have furrowed and lips have drooped. Tigger has turned on his side, his eyes trained on Catra. The feline looks away again and leans back in her chair. "it was lonely though. When your only peers are people your pit against in the arena it's hard to make friends." Catra gulps and eyes the water she had set back on the bedside table. "you have to find a friend who can survive fighting you all the time."

Catra doesn't like the sad face the royal siblings are giving her so she quickly looks away, her heart squeezing, and moves on from such a personal subject.. “Anyway, a more exciting place is Brightmoon.”

“you've been to Brightmoon?” Calico asks, She easily moved onto the next subject. her ears have perked and her tail starts to twitch under the blanket. Tigger is not as easily swayed, his lips are still down turned and thoughtful.

“Well, when I was trying to destroy it, '' Catra winces as both magicats look at her disapprovingly. "well, its beutufi there. more sunshine than anyone could want. to much water for my taste" Catra laughs as she remembers the surge of rainbow, glittery, water that almost drowned her when she tried to take bright moon down. "when I almost captured the castle th-" Catra passes at the pouts of the kittens before her.

"What?" she asks, throwing her hands in the air "I didn't succeed,” Catra defends, curling her tail around herself. “I almost did but than she-ra showed-”

“She-ra?” Tigger’s head whips up so fast Catra’s concerned he could have broken his neck. “As in legendary warrior, Defender of Etheria She-ra?” Catra rolls her eyes at his excitement. who knew such a stoic kit could be such a f*cking nerd. a history nerd at that.

“Ugh why does everyone like her so much, she’s just some dumb blonde. Literally, her alter ego is.." Catra trails off at the thoughts of Adora. she wasnt sure she could hash out her emotional problems in front of her could be siblings. "Was a friend of mine”

“You know she-ra!?” Calico digs her nails excitedly into Tigger who winces but doesn't pull away. Catra leans back at the girls excitement. “What is she like? Is she as cool as everyone says? I heard she’s beautiful but that being from a myth and all I think I want to hear a first hand opinion.”

Catra grumbles and looks away, “I mean.. Yeah she's beautiful but in more of a dumb, blonde, bimbo type of way… and yeah… you could say she’s cool.. I mean that sword is massive. I don't know how she holds it up for so long, its really heavy… but I'v always liked Adora more than-”

“Adora?” Calico asks, her eyes gleaming. Catra is really starting to get annoyed with all this interrupting. Tigger seems to be able to tell because he rests a hand on Calico's shoulder and the kit lays back down in the bed. Catra sighs and picks non existent lint off her pajamas. Soft cotton clothing Nala gave her after her bath. the clothing was even more comfortable that the clothes she had on before.

“She’s She-ra before she was She-ra." Catra says, squinting at the ceiling to see if she got that right. she always did like Adora more, and she always would. She-ra has caused Catra nothing but trouble. "When she was my friend. Just normal everyday Adora. Horde soldier.”

“Horde soldier?” Tigger asks, leaning back into a pillow. it's his first question and one that makes Catra roll her eyes. Catra looks at the two sleepy magicats with a frown. They are very nosey.

“Just start from the beginning,” Calico pulls the blanket up to her face and waits expectantly. Catra doesn't know if the kit could stay up for that long, her eyes are already starting to droop. maybe if she does tell a little story the kits will finally fall asleep and leave Catra to herself. not that Catra really wants to be alone. something about these kits makes the Force Captain want to be around them.

Catra rolls her eyes and stretches out as much as her arm will allow in the chair. If she’s going to spill her whole life story in front of these nosey kits she's going to do it while she’s comfortable.

"once upon a time" Catra starts and laughs as Calico grins brightly. she cuddles closer to the pillow and curls in a ball in the bed.

“ there was a small little blonde toddler named Adora and a mighty, strong, super smar-"

"get on with it" Tigger heckles, tucking himself under the comforter with Calico. Catra rolls her eyes and tries to hide a smile. undeterred by the interruption.

"as I was saying, a brave little kit named Catra. They lived in a dirty old place called the frieght zone. a place feared by many and untraveled by even the bravest rebels in the rebellion. While bright moon is protected by the whispering woods-"

"iv heard of them" Calico whispers to Tigger. the boy rolls his eyes and shushes the girl. Catra ignores the bickering and continues with her fairy tale. spurred on by the casual drooping of both kits eyes.

"the fright zone is shrouded with an air toxic enough to deter any would be hero's rescue mission. Catra and Adora were best friends, or as close as anyone got in a place pretty good at keeping everyone at each other's throats." Catra pauses to take a sip of water. she holds back a smile when Tigger takes an extra long blink.

"Catra and Adora were thick as thieves and about just as good at actually thievery." Catra continues. a little lost in her own story. "But we had very different motives. Ideas about what the Horde really was" Catra passes, her eyes drawn to her nails \, or the thick black metal that has replaced them. Tigger's eyes have drawn to them too.

"Adora thought the Horde was good" Catra admits, flexing her fingers in her lap. Tigger raises an eyebrow a that as if to say 'really bitch?' it makes Catra's lips tick up a notch. Adora firmly believed that the Horde was what was best for Etheria. Catra smiles and laughs a little at the thought. "she really did think The Horde was the good guys. I thought she would grow out of that naive thought but she believed it until the day she left."

"I knew it wasn't" Catra says, letting her body relax into the chair. " I knew what good was. Or I had known at some point what good was, what it felt like, what it meant and I knew; even as a kit, anyone who took children and trained them into tiny soldiers wasn't good"

"Then why did you stay?" Tigger asks, Calico's eyes are fully shut but Catra isn't convinced the kit is asleep.

"I had nowhere else to go. The Rebels as they are know aren't known for their diversity. Sure Adora had been accepted, but she was also turning into an eight foot tall goddess with a big ass sword half the time." Catra chuckles at that, "She literally had magic on her side. besides, if Adora had wanted me with her she would have taken me with her the night she left. instead she forgot all about me the second she stepped into that forest. she left me to take the fall for her disappearance knowing what would happen if she wasn't back in time,"

"things were before she left though" Catra admits, rubbing the sport he force captain badge used to be. "Adora wanted to be a Force Captain and I wanted…. well to take a f*cking nap half the time but mostly just her.”

Oh my Saz,” Calico mumbles, half asleep and making Catra jump. she had thought the kit had fallen asleep to be honest. she was so still and quite. . “This is a love story. I love, love stories”

“It is not!” Catra whispers, she's broken out of her own little pity party. she doesn't need to be reminiscing about the good old days anyways. her fur stands on end with her indignation which causes both siblings to break out in giggles. it makes the corners of Catra's mouth tick up.

“Anyway” Catra grits out between her teeth, her hand smooths out her puffed tail. “Adora ends up becoming She-ra and leaving and I end up getting her promotion” Catra sighs and rubs at the back of her neck, “and i don't know. I guess fighting on opposite sides of the war can tear people apart.”

“No sh*t sherlock” Tigger says, Calico starts snoring softly beside him. how one goes from giggling to out like a light Catra wouldn't know. “Did you guys even talk about it before she left? How does miscommunication get that bad?" Tigger coughs into his hand when he realizes how heated he's gotten. he relaxes back into the bed. Whatever, I want to know how you ended up here. On Beast Island”

“I was going to open a portal that would destroy the fabric of the universe. but I then I didn't, I gave up my position, my friends, and my achievements." Catra says simply, refusing to look a Tigger. "for Adora” Tigger’s eyebrows drew together. His eyes droop sleepily.

“Absolute simp” he mutters, folding his arms across his chest, “for what it's worth," Catra turns to him patiently, "I'm glad you were banished or whatever... to Beast island that is. Your not too bad for Horde scum”

Catra laughs quietly at the boy and looks away. “Yeah, you guys aren't so bad yourself.” they’re not bad at all really. Catra really likes them and Catra doesn’t like anything. Calico is excitable in a way war torn orphans can’t be, and Tigger is smarter then most of the hard headed Force Captains that sit at Catra's table. He sits and watches and takes in information like Catra does.

When Catra looks back up, Tigger has fallen asleep. How do they do that? Just slip into slumber so easily? Both him and his sister snore the exact same way and the realization has Catra smiling before she realizes what she's doing. .

Catra sighs and leans back against the arm rest. This is the first time she has really looked around the room. The room that isn't a guest room at all. Stuffed animals and teething toys line the shelf by the window. A picture of a family sits on the bedside table. The walls are a disgusting light pink. This is a little girls room. a little girls room that's untouched by time. no one has grown up here. changed the decorations or been their to bump and scratch the walls.

Catra stands and picks up the photo on the beside table. It's not like the painting in the living room. It's just three people. Cyra and Nala, their arms wrapped around each other, head pieces that must be the royal crowns frame their faces. they are dressed regally and the smiles on their faces are unmarred by time. In between them is a small baby magicat, the spitting image of Cyra and shoving a slobbery fist in her mouth. rResting around her face? Catras head piece.

The frame slips from Catra’s now limp hand and crashes into the floor. Catra swears and then freezes but neither of the magicat siblings wake. Calico just turns on her side and curls into a ball, Tigger snorts in his sleep and burrows deeper into the covers. Catra slowly bends down and picks up the now broken frame. She delicately places the glass shards on the bedside table before slowly pulling the picture out from its damaged frame.

Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. The glass wasn't smudging any of the fine details of the photo. They're snuggling into the arms of her mothers is Catra. While her headdress now no longer has the diamond accents it's unmistakably the same. It sits comically large on her baby face, dropping to one side.

Why hasn't Cyra or Nala said anything? They have to know. How could they not? Do they think the spitting image of their daughter just found this crown and put it on? do they think that she’s some kind of imposter and they’re just too nice to tell her they know her dirty little secret?.

Catra’s heart slows and she looks over to her… siblings. she had her guesses but for some reason no part of her was convinced it was really true. that these were her siblings. That's what they are, aren't they? Family? Siblings that she just told all about her time virtually leading the horde. siblings that know all about her being a horrible person.

Do they not want her? Catra’s heart beat faster again. thats why they haven't said anything. So they can get rid of her quietly, quickly. but then why have they been so nice to her. Why the food and the sunroom . why bring her back to their family home and clean her up. Why help Catra at all and not just leave her in those woods to die.

Catra gently folds the photo with trembling fingers and tucks it into her waistband. These are thought she doesn't really want the answers to. she too afraid of rejection to confront the Queen. she turns the light of the lamp off before curling into a ball on the chair. The two magicat siblings are still slumbering away on the bed, the bedtime story of Catra's life lulling them deeply to sleep.

That's when Catra realizes. Information. These magicats know nothing about the outside world. She could stay and use her knowledge as a bargaining chip.. She bets the Queens have been trying to sneakily weasel info out of her already. that's what they're being so nice.

She could be a royal advisor or outside counselor or something. Catra could stay here, in Brightmoon. With this family. This family has been so kind to her. A family that's so warm and inviting. Her family

Could she? really? Use them for her own gain? Catra doesn't know. Before she could have, wouldn't have thought twice. that stone in the ceiling really must have done a number on her.

“It's not for rain. See? It's cotton. It's cold above ground and since you can't put on a coat until that arm heals it'll keep you warm.” Cyra’s smooth voice brings the soldier out of her reverie. Catra flushes at the care Cyra takes in smoothing down the poncho. The woman's smile is so warm it burns and Catra has to look away. Would she still look at Catra the same way if she knew Catra could use them to crawl her way back to the top. If she knew Catra wanted to use them for their Love?

“Ok, I'll be honest, I was trying to spare your feelings. It’s just really f*cking ugly.” Catra admits, looking at herself in the mirror. The clothing is admittedly comfortable. warm but airy enough that Catra doesn't feel restricted in her movements. she could fight in this, or just take a nap.

Cyra raises an eyebrow disapprovingly at her and Catra actually smiles. Just a small one but enough that Cyra’s eyes brighten.

They’ve already gone through a wardrobe of clothes. Loose pants that glide over fur but sinch and stay out of the way. Shoes that bend, stretch and flex comfortably with her foot. These things called T-shirts? Which are very comfortable and keep from rubbing away the fur on her joints.

The royal family seemed more than happy to buy Catra the whole store but the Horde soldier refused to take more than she can carry, she might be leaving soon after all. Leaving Half-moon. A town with people like her and food that makes her mouth water, not activates her gag reflex.

It's that or abuse their hospitality. something Catra is usually eager to jump at the chance for. But it feels wrong here. The thought of leaving half-moon. The place she just crash landed in makes her chest hurt. Mostly the thought of leaving the royal family. A family of soft hearted weeklings that warm Catra’s chest and makes her eyes water. From the cave dust, nothing else.

“Where are we going again?” Catra asks, pulling at the neck of the poncho that's unusually soft and warm.

“To Micah’s,” Cyra takes Catras hand and spins her around in the mirror. Catra’s dressed comfortably in loose jean like pants and a baggy tunic. A satchel strapped to her waist holds a handful of silver coins. Black metal tipped boots tap on the dressing room floor.

“Micah, as in King Micah?” Catra turns towards Cyra who giggles as the Horde soldier clops heavily in the flexible boots. Catra growls weakly and Cyra quickly looks away, hiding a smile.

“Yep!” Cyra leads her out of the dressing room. Nala perks up as the curtains swing open. Calico smiles and whistles, her head resting in her mothers lap.

“Looking good Horde scum” Calico gives Catra two thumbs up..

“Calico” her mother chastises, lightly tapping the kit on the forehead with her tail.

“Why are you taking me to see the King?” Catra clops over to the chair next to Nala. she purposely over extends her steps to get a rise out of Calico. She growls jokingly at a giggling kit. “As we have discussed, I'm a Horde soldier. I don't see how him meeting me will help anyone”

Catra pulls at the strings holding the shoes together and tugs the offending boot off.

“But you knew Glimmer '' Nala runs her fingers through Calico’s hair which causes the girl to purr and bury her head deep into her mothers lap. Catra everts her eyes at the obvious display of affection. Acts like that would have been severely punished in the Horde.

“He would be very grateful to hear anything about his daughter.” Catra jumps as Cyra gently touches her shoulder. The queen quickly pulls sway with an apologetic look.

“I'll go, but i'm not wearing these things” Catra kicks off the other boot with a look of disgust.

Catra pulls on the foot straps, the only thing in the store she chose for herself. Metal plating covering the sensitive soles of her feet and strengthening her ankles. Very comfortable fabric that's water and dirt resistant. It’s the kind of thing she would make for herself, out of regulation Horde socks and duct tape.

“That's alright with us” Cyra pulls Nala up from her chair, which dislodges Calico from her comfortable position sprawled across her lap.

“Where’s Tigger?” Catra asks, tying her feet wraps and cuffing her jeans. Nala wraps her arm around Calico and leads the kit out of the shop.

“He went across the street” Catra’s glances through the shop window and looks across the bustling street. Her brow furrows as Tigger comes out of an armory, holding a bag.

Cyra tosses the shopkeeper a few gold coins and follows Catra out of the store. “Why doesnt king Micah live in Half-moon?” Cyra glances at Nala.

“He’s never stopped trying to get off the island. Trying to find his daughter” her eyes are sad as she gazes at her wife. The Healer leans heavily on her kitten ahead of them. Calico giggles and pretends to collapse under the weight. “I wouldn't either if i was in his situation. I'll never stop hoping we will find eachother again.”

Cyra looks at Catra as if she is trying to tell the soldier something deeper. “I will never stop trying to find my family. Even if I thought she was dead.” before Catra can really linger on that statement Tigger comes up behind her.

“But we’ve been here for over two decades. If there was a way off we would have found it.” He smiles at Catra and pulls whatever he bought out of his bag. It's a little blade and sheath. Red accented and small enough to be hidden in someone's boot but big enough to cause serious damage.

“I know you like to use your claws but it's tradition to carry around a blade after earning your armor” he hands the present to Catra who takes it gently, holding it with both hands like a baby.

“T-thank you” Catra has to swallow the stone in her throat. Tigger smiles shyly and punches Catra on the shoulder lightly.

“Yeah, whatever Horde scum” with that he jogs up behind Calico and throws an arm over the shoulder her mother isn't already leaning on. Calico groans dramatically.

Catra gazes back down at the blade, her eyes feel hot and itchy and she doesn't she’s crying until Cyra gently touches her arm. Catra quickly turns away and wipes at her cheeks.

How could someone who was so skeptical of her when she first arrived still be so nice. So accepting. Even after he heard Castra’s life story.

“Come on,” Cyra walks a little quicker to catch up with Nala. “I think we all need a little fresh air.”

They use the north exit of the cave. The closest to both Micah and the castle. It's a winding cave that branches off the cavern and up. It's echoey and Calico plays with the effects all the way out. At some point sharp stone is replaced with weaving vines arching over the magicats head and leaving little gaps that allow light through. It is beautiful against the family’s fur and Catra can't help but watch it flicker across them.

—----

"have you ever even to the whispering woods?" calico asks, her face hopeful and expectant. Catra honestly wants to ignore the girl like she would a new cadet but those eyes are just so pleading.

"yes" straight forward answer and no room to continue the conversation

"what was it like?" Calico skips besides Catra through the woods like wolf dear. her feet barely touch the frown before she's off again. she is far to giddy to be in this dark. moist environment. Catra didn't have munch time to notice earlier when she was running for her life from a giant beast but she sure does notice now. "did you fight monsters and run from beetles as big as a house"

"I didn't" Catra carefully steps over a branch. She lacks in skill here. sneaking is so much easier with metal and echoing tunnels. there's too much to step on here, too much to accidentally break. Catra has to move slow to avoid making noise but the rest of her.... family, don't seem to care. the royal family is seemingly enjoying their stroll through the dangerous woods.

"nothing? not even a slightly bigger than average beetle?"

"nope" Catra pops the 'p' on the end of her nope. the whispering woods were boring. why over hyped in her opinion. if anything they were calmer and nicer then these woods. the ice kingdom was more entertaining then they were. "the ice kingdom was more entertaining then they're. gods even the South Pole is."

"ice kingdom?!" this stops Calico in her tracks and she gapes at Catra. "you've been to the ice kingdom? to the South Pole." Catra winces and walks a little quicker, trying to catch up with the queens, "what were they like? why were you there?"

"cold" Catra dead pans, tucking her hands in under her poncho, huddling with herself for warmth. her arm stinks from the tooth but she doesn't mind all that much. "and I was in the ice kingdom to blow up the Princess prom"

there are stars in Calico's eyes now. twinkling excitedly. she asks "you've been to princess prom?!" the same time Nala asks.

"you blew up princess prom?" she smiling widly at Catra, her canine teeth twinkling. "Cyra, she blew up princess prom!"

"I heard, darling" Cyra pats Nala's arm placatingly. a smile is splitting her face open too.

"why are you so happy about?" Catra asks, their joy is a little infectious but she tries to tamp down her smile. "I almost destroyed Frosta's entire castle."

Nala looks to her wife and then gives a sparing glance to her kits. "well, should we tell them? it might be a bad influence"

"Why not" Cyra grins, winking to Catra, "they're a bunch of little devils already."

"yes!" Calico pumps a fist, and even Tigger looks a little excited. Catra keeps a neutral expression but falls in line with Nala.

"during Cyra's first princess prom she took me as her plus one"

"what a regret that was" Cyra teases her eyes twinkling. Nala grins feral and turns to Catra.

"the ice kingdoms hosting and the entire prom was so damn cold" Catra laughs and nods her head. she remembers freezing her tail of in that burgundy suit. "so I decide Cyra and I need a little bit of warming up. and I go looking for the check in, where we left our big fur coats."

"how you got lost I will never know" Cyra rolls her eyes and hooks her arm in Nala's

"the ice kingdom is huge!" Nala defends, but her smile hasn't left her face. "it's not my fault that place is like a labyrinth."

"the coats were right outside the door!"

"they're were many doors In that castle Cyra, be reasonable." Nala waves her away and turns back to the attentively listening kits. "anway, I leave on a journey to find us some warmth and i... end up getting lost. I'm in the basem*nt before I really know where im going and when I tell you the ice kingdom has an armory down there Im telling the ice kingdom has an armory down there!"

"if you asking, Nala set off the ice kingdoms entire supply of bombs, grenades and various explosives." Cyra deadpans, but it's obvious she's holding back a smirk. Calico is smiling wide and excited, and Tigger is rolling his eyes. all Catra can think is that the ice kingdom definitely wasn't following explosive safety and regulation rules if Nala could set of the ENTIRE supply.

'I wanted to say it~" Nala wines, bumping into her wife.

"you always drag it out, its not that deep." Cyra cuddles into Nala anyways, her head rubbing into the queen shoulder.

"If you were in the ice kingdom for princess prom, why were you in the South Pole" Tigger asks, looking past his family and to Catra. the feline shrugs but concedes when the rest of the royal family look to her expectantly.

"Horak found some kind of signal telling him there was first ones tech down there." Nala and Cyra freeze at Hordaks name, but they play off their discomfort easily. "he sent me and a couple... friends out there to retrieve it." Catra chuckles a little at the memory.

"the only thing we retrieved was a bad case of frost bite, a chipped She-ra (which lasted less then a day) and about three giant snow worms" Catra laughs harder at the visual of Glimmer fighting of the monsters with snow balls. "those things nearly ate the princess of Brightmoon and her little boyfriend.

"how old were you?" Cyra asks, her eyebrows drawn together. that's when Catra's realizes she is the only one laughing. Tigger and Calico look impressed but the queens look worried. "when he sent you out to the south pole like that?"

"oh, It was a couple years ago, I don't know." Nala and Cyra look at her expectantly but Catra just shrugs. "I couldn't even tell you how old I am now" Catra waves away the queens concern with a smirk. "the Horde doesn't really do birthday but I was basically the second in command by then, that mission was nothing."

"Cyra and Nala look devastated, Catra isn't sure what she said but the feeling has latched onto Calico and Tigger to. they stare at her with wide sad eyes.

"What?" Catra puts up her hands "what did I say?"

"they didn't even let you follow the rituals?" Nala asks, her hand reaching out for Catra's own. "you had to have had a moment alone. you don't need much"

"what rituals?" Catra asks, throughly confused now she sneers at the family. isn't enjoying being left in the dark. If they have something to say they should spit it out.

"Catra" Cyra sighs her name like a prayer or like she's scolding the feline. Catra can't tell but she isn't liking the accusatory stares.

"Every year on the night a magicat is born they go outside, into the woods and thank Saz for the gift of life." Nala's voice is low, respectful ."it opens up luck and love for the coming year. a blesses you with safe travels. It's like a security blanket, Saz will look out for you In the coming year."

"yeah, well Saz hasn't been blessing my life any since I was born" Catra growls, glaring at the sad eyes watching her. "he can take his security blanket and shove it." Catra stalks ahead, she doesn't care how loudly she's walking anymore she just has to get away from these people. they're fools for feeling bad for her, bigger idiots for believing in a god that protects you. if there is anything Catra knows for sure is that the only thing gods do is laugh at your misfortune.

-------

King Micah is not what Catra expects. She pictured a regal king standing on the shoreline and looking off into the distance in thought. What she got is a middle aged man with a scraggly beard manically eating every large bug he comes across. its disgusting really. the bugs.

He’s living in a treehouse that Catra is a little jealous of. Its high, very high off the ground and looks over most of the island. sturdily built of the forest around them it smells better than any bunk room Catra has ever been in. The twittering birds and rustling trees could lure Catra into a blissful nap. Don't get her started on the way the sun must hit this place perfectly. There's a good view of where the Horde dumps most of its garbage on one side. The other is covered by a curtain.

When he meets Catra he just stares at her. His eyes dilated. He glances between her and Cyra and then her and Nala. “Are you real?” he blurts, reaching for Catra’s face as if he’s going to touch her. Catra hisses warningly and he backs away.

“Oh she’s real” Nala smiles, gently wrapping her arm around Catra’s shoulders. “And she knows a certain someone.” the King doesn't really seem like he’s listening. He just stares at Catra like he can't believe she's standing right in front of them.

“You look just like Cy-”

“She knows Glimmer” Cyra interrupts, the king breaks out of his reverie and his eyes brighten. he smiles bright and excited.

“You know my Glimmer?” He walks closer to the soldier. “What is she like? How old is she?”

“Well.. i- i- didn't really know her all that much. We had more of a rivalry than anything. Id kidnap her she’d kidnap me”

“Kidnap? Is that a kind of game?” King Micah sits down in a makeshift chair. A cloth held up by two sticks. there's a table before him barely large enough for four. "where are my manners? sit down please, please"

Nala reaches over and eases Catra into the seat across from Micah and then sitting next to the soldier. the window next to Catra opens up onto the gorgeous beach and ocean. “No.. no. just… general kidnapping.”

“Catra used to be a Horde soldier.” Nala says, swatting her tail at Tigger who has started to touch random enchanted items around the wizards house. the boy guilty sets things down and places his hands behind his back.

“Glimmers in the field? Already?” his voice sounds heart broken. Catra’s own heart must be experiencing too much emotion lately cuz it starts to hurt with him.

“She’s pretty good.” Catra says, looking away from the man. His head whips up to look at her. “At leading I mean. Like the princesses would be completely destroyed by now without her.”

“The princesses? Glimmer reformed the princesses alliance?” he smiles at catra “i knew she was strong! How did she do it? Is she a master at persuasion like her old man?”

“More like she found She-ra and then all the princesses thought they might actually have a chance.”

Micah’s smile is so wide it could split his face, “my little girl, found she-ra! The legendary warrior?” he runs a hand over his hair. “The Horde doesn't stand a chance against my daughter!”

Catra grimaces and Micah’s face drops “what?”

Catra looks down at her feet. “Well… i'm going to be honest, the Rebellion would have won hands down. But then I maybe kinda stopped that from happening?”

“What?” he asks, slouching in his chair his hands up facing the sky on the counter. The Queens look invested too. Catra can’t help but wince. She's about to drop some serious asshole lore.

“Ok both sides were losing pretty badly but then the rebellion got the upper hand with She-ra and they started to win. “ Catra admits, thinking of the ration cut backs and beaten soldiers.

“This is a good thing,” Micah says, and the queens nod in agreement.

“Well yeah, it was good. But I then maybe got promoted and started re-designing all the battle strategies and then recruited a scientist who improved all the horde bots and then maybe kinda slightly kidnapped she-ra stole her sword and gave it to Hordak who tried to use it to rip a hole in the universe.'' Catra tries to smile but it comes out more like a grimace.

The silence is deafening. Cyra looks shocked, Nala looks impressed. Micah puts his head in his hands and Calico and Tigger glance at each other.

“But I didn't let him,” Catra placates, running her hand over the back of her neck. “So maybe they will win now?”

Nala starts to laugh and wraps her arm around Catra's shoulders. "you really are an enigma, girl" Nala smiles down at her and Catra feels a little better. the attention moves from her time as a horde soldier and onto how they found her. Cyra seems comfortable taking that responsibility off her shoulders, the queen chimes in with Cyra in recounting the tale. Catra is comfortable to stare out the window and let the last couple days wash over her.

It's nice. being here. Catra could see herself staying here for an eternity. living with the royal family. eating the food and re learning the customs. Maybe even preform that birthday ritual, if only to try it one time. There no war here, no responsibly for Catra. maybe there could be. she could become a guard or something. would they except her?

a bird flitters past the window and catches Catra's eye. its beautiful, multi colored and long necked. it lands not he branch closest to the widow, its looks into Micah's hut eyes the covered bread Micah has on the table, the beg legs scattered about the man.

Catra wants to touch it, the bird. another lands next to it and the urge us almost unbareably. it just needs to get a little closer. she doesn't notice when the conversation turns to her. or when the group looks at her.

Catra isn't listening, she’s staring intently at the Birds through the window. Bright colored feathers, long willowy limbs and agile necks. Catra’s pupils have gone wide and she swallows audibly.

Nala isn't listening either. She's staring intently at Catra, whose tail twitches on the bench next to them. The Queen covers her mouth to hide a smile as Catras' hand slowly inches towards the window until it's directly under it. Hovering below the closest bird.

the thing chitters and hops from its branch to the window. its eyes are intently focused on Micah's crumbs of bug.

Castro's hand shoots out and grabs the bird off the windowsill. The rest scatter with loud caws. Nala laughs bright and loud and stares at Catra who's looking at a shocked chibi. Its eyes are wide and confused and so are Catra’s

“What do I do with it?” the Horde soldier asks, her voice small.

“Let it go,” Cyra giggles, petting down the fur on Catra’s neck. Catra doesn't want to, she wants to keep her grip on the little thing forever. she caught it after all. she looks up at Nala's amused eyes and sighs her hands reluctantly letting it go. Micah chuckles, his eyes searching Catra's. then he frowns

“You are a horde soldier,” Micah mumbles, gripping his beard. “second in command at that” he snaps his fingers and points at Catra. “Are you the reason the horde has been poking around the island?”

“They’ve been what?” Cyra asks.

Micah gets up from his chair and pulls aside the curtain covering his window. Catra has to squint but far out past the reef and spiked pillars of first ones tech sits a Horde barge. And this is no Trash ship. It's huge and barely reacts to the heavy waves beating against it.

“I don't know how but they somehow built a ship that's Island proof” he scratches his beard. “I've been trying to find a way to sneak on but it's constantly patrolled. I heard the guards talking. They’re looking for someone. Someone Hordak doesn't particularly like but thinks will help win the war.” Catra’s ears flatten. It's no doubt her they are talking about.

“That's why i wanted to talk to you” Micah turns to Queen Cyra. “they’re planning an attack on Half-moon. They have soldiers, tanks. Skiffs. You name it, it's on that barge and they've just started sending troops onto the island”

Cyra covers her mouth with her hand and looks back out at the ship. “Are you sure about the attack? How do they even know where Half-moon is?”

“I don't know. It has something to do with heat and how many magicats are under the island '' Catra knows exactly what he's talking about. A piece of tech Entrapta designed. Tracks body heat. Catra helped improve it. Now Hordak is going to use her own technology against her.

Why do they even want her? She left all her plans and designs on her desk in the Fright zone. She doesn't have anything else. Why would they banish her here just to come right back? She glances at Calico and tigger. Both magicats stare out the window with furrowed brows.

Why doesn't matter. They're going to destroy Halfmoon to find Catra. she can't let that happen. Not to these people who have taken her in without hesitation. Who have fed and clothed her. who have given her gifts.

Catra is going to turn herself in. When did she become the self sacrificing type?

King Micah shrieks, it sends Catra vaulting out of her reverie and a foot in the air. The king smacks his hand down on his window sill. He smiles widely at his prey and brings a giant bug to his mouth. He pauses and looks at Catra.

“Oh, bug?” Catra shakes her head and gags as his majesty takes a giant bite, chewing with his mouth open.

—----
The walk back to Half-moon is slow and monotone. quieter than the walk there by far. Calico isn't even speaking up. Cyra and Nala walk ahead of the kits, their heads bowed together quietly discussing. Calico and Tigger stand behind Catra, their voices low too.

Catra can't walk with either of them. She can only feel the photo still in her waist band rubbing against her hip. Catra causes pain no matter where she goes. She can't destroy this place too. This family. So she stayed quiet. Silent as the family walks closer and closer to the cave opening. She slows her pace as the trees thicken, letting the kits pass her and walking slightly behind Tigger and Calico, pretending to be watching the trees.

this isn't her best plan. not even close. it might be her worst. but the only way to protect this family. This family that could have been hers in another life. is to leave them alone. let them live. if that means she has to die then so be it.

as the family nears the gate, consumed in their own worry, Catra quietly slips away oh so quietly. she's quicker now on her feat in the forest. and the family doesn't even hear her go. she Leaves the pouch as silver coins Cyra gave her on the path, she won't be needing them where she’s going.

It starts to drizzle as she slips past the thick trees and farther away from the cave. hitting her more as she reaches the sparse jungle but Catra pays it no mind. Un wrapping her arm as she goes she focuses on not tripping on the roots and ignoring the painful need to turn around and run right back to that family. she tugs her cloaks hood up and over her ears. the water drips harlessly off it.

Catra should've known it would start to rain. Cyra always did things with a purpose. she didn't want Catra to get cold, or wet. that family is too nice, too loving. it would ever had worked out anyways. Catra would be a cactus in a poppy field with them.

A family with warm arms and bright eyes. Careful touches and caring voices. She wants to turn right back around and at least give her mothers a hug. To feel their warm fur against her face and listen to them pur soothingly.

But she can’t, she knows she can't. Because if she does she wont be able to tear herself away. And then it will hurt more when they hand her over to Hordak to save Half-moon.

They would have ended up betraying Catra anyway. Everyone does. It would hurt less to go back to the Horde and be betrayed by someone she doesn't like than to stay here and be crushed by this loving family she thought she could have. A silent buzzing has filled Catra’s ears, as loud as it is silent. She doesn't notice the vines slithering beside her.

Where are you going?!” the felines jobs as Cyra grabs Catra’s wrist and spins her around. Catra’s eyes are wide and shocked as she gazes into the Queen's face, Tears leak from Cyra’s eyes and her mouth is twisted into a desperate snarl. The drizzle turns into a pour. Catra hadn't seem Cyra mad before and she isn't sure she is now. she looks scared more than anything.

“where does it look like I'm going. ” Catra snarls and tries to sound brave but her voice cracks embarrassingly. She tries to pull away from the queen gently but her once soft touches have turned into iron grips. "im just leaving before you grow the balls to turn me over. this should be a blessing to you"

“You're not going anywhere,” she starts to pull Catra back to the cave entrance. “You really thought we wouldn't notice that you disappeared? Nala is worried sick. the kits are looking high and low”

“well then you should have raised better trackers then, huh? a human would have noticed my clomping through these damn woods." Catra pulls again, hard this time, trying to free herself from the Queen grip. "I won't let the Horde destroy Half-moon because of me” Catra grits her teeth and twists her wrist away from the woman. she definitely won't go back and wait until Half-moon decides for her.

“You can’t turn yourself in '' Cyra's voice is desperate, and she frantically reaches for Catra again. Like if she’s not touching her the feline will disappear. Catra growls and rips her wrist free, her other hand coming up with claws and danger

“Just watch me” Catra growls, dancing away from the queen and further into the woods. lighting cracks and the downpour is like a bucket now. it sheds down on Catra hard, the poncho keeping her warm.

“I won't let you’” Cyra almost sobs, her hands curling into fists as she stumbles after Catra. "you can't turn yourself in!"

“Why not?! Why do you even care!?”

“Because you're my daughter!” Cyra’s voice cracks. Catra freezes. “I won't let them take you away from me again '' Catra turns towards the women. But she can’t look at her. She faces the trees and listens to Cyra sob.

“I know” Cyra wraps her arms around her stomach. “Why didn't you tell me earlier?”

“I didn't want to scare you away, neither did Nala. '' Cyra reaches for Catra’s hand gently now. Holding it like it's breakable. Like Catra’s breakable. “We love you and we can't lose you again. We thought we had more time. We will figure something else out ok? No one has to turn themselves in, no one has to leave.”

Everyone leaves Catra. its routine at this point. Catra was waiting for the moment this family left her. Cyra crying for Catra to stay reminds the feline so much of herself that..something in Catra breaks and she finds it easy to do what she does next.

“I have to go. '' tears stream down Catra’s face and she turns to face her mother. “Because i can't stand by and let the only people who ever loved me die” Catra kicks Cyra’s feet out from under her. The woman yelps and as she falls Catra yanks the bottom of her poncho up and over her head flipping Cyra arms around her back and tying them together with the soft cotton fabric.

Catra’s gone before the woman can even stand back up. Cyra yells for Nala from where she sits in the mud, listening former daughters voice and footsteps. Catra is long gone, she runs past the trees as fast as she can. listening to her mother as she calls her name fills her eyes with tears. both her arms pumping even though one sends pain shooting up her arm. She can barely see her eyes are so blurry

The island seems to disagree with her opinion because the rain pours down even harder. Thick sheets that soak Catra to the bone, weighing down her fur and slowing her down. she dearly misses the cloak Cyra had bought for her. just for a moment It protected her from the elements. Nevertheless, Catra doesn't stop running until she can see Horde soldiers, until she hears the sound of machinery and is blinded by false lights. standing on the shore of Beast Island are soldiers and cadets, dressed in armor and ready for a fight.

Catra raises her hands as the flashlights of the horde Soldiers shine on her. The metal helmets are emotionless.

“Hands up!” Catra looks up through the pouring rain, into the forest and allows the soldiers to cuff her. Their guns trained on her arms and face.

Chapter 8: Free Healthcare?

Chapter Text

“King micah?” Bow stumbles over his own two feet in his rush to get up. Adora's head whips up at the man. King Micah? As in the long dead War hero King Micah? as in Glimmer's dad? oh she's going to be so mad she didn't come with them.

“You know me?” Micah asks, strapping his staff to his back. His chest is covered in gnarly scars that stretch from his shoulder to his torso. his fingers fidget together and when he's not squinting at them his eyes shift. as if constantly looking into the trees for threats.

“Of course I know you! Your Glimmers dad!” The man brightens at his daughter's name. Bow stretches out his and for a shake "its an honor to meet you".

“You know Glimmer? That's two people in one day!” He smiles and bypasses Bow's hand, clapping him hard on the shoulder. “Oh my stars, you're real?” he shakes Bow as if to make sure before ubruptly turning around and walking into the woods. Bow and Adora glance to each other confused.

“Hey!” Adora shouts, picking up her sword and following after him. “Uhm where are you going? And did you say two people in one day?” Catra could have been just here, only hours ago! Adora just barely missed her.

“Yeah! A girl was just here who said she knew Glimmer. And that she had kidnapped her. Which…. was not very reassuring." Micah pushes aside a branch. “How do you know Glimmer?”

“We’re her friends” Bow hurries up to the king but gets smacked in the face with the branch the King was pushing aside. Bow doesn't mention that he and Adora defied Royal orders not to come here.

“Glimmer has friends?” the King smiles. “My little girl is f*cking amazing”

“Did somebody say Swift Wind?” Micah jumps, one hand reaching for his staff and the other immediately slaps the horse across the face. “Ow!”

“That's a talking horse!” Micah wraps an arm around Bow. “Did you also hear that horse talk?”

“Yes” Bow squeaks

"its real" he looks down at his hand. "I felt it"

“Wait, back it up. this girl?” Adora stops Micah from reaching for a groaning Swift Wind. she grabs his other hand as it starts poking at Swift wind's cheek. “What did she look like?”

“Are we not going to talk about how I was just slapped?”

“Oh you know the usual” Micah pushed past Adora with ease. “Tail, ears, snarky comments”

“That's Catra” Adora smiles and turns to Bow. excitement radiating off of her. “she was just here!”

“Im sorry did you say ‘the usual?’” Bow turns to Micah, but where he was standing is empty.

“Guys?” Swift Wind motions to the trees and at a disappearing Micah.

“Of course I said usual!” Micah calls out, not waiting for them as he walks off. “We’re on an island of magicats after all.”

“We are?” Bow stumbles after Micah. Magicats. Adora knows that word. Catra used to use it lot when they were younger.

“Yes! But we won't be soon if we don't hurry” he turns towards them with his eyebrows drawn. “Hold on a second.” he pokes Adora’s cheek with a finger. “Where did you people come from? Are you Horde soldiers? We’ve been getting a lot of those recently.”

“Of course not!” Bow squeaks, hugging his bow to his chest.

“I mean I used to be one, '' Adora admits, transforming her sword back into a wristband.

“She’s with the rebellion now!” Bow says desperately giving Adore the cut it out gesture. Adora shrugs. It's not her fault the tech master is stressed about meeting his crush’s dad.

Micah smiles and claps Bow on the shoulder. “Well good! Because we’re going to need all the help we can get”

“Wait!” everybody freezes and looks at Adora. “Tell me where Catra went first”

“Catra?”

“The girl you said you just saw! Who knew Glimmer?" swift wind says, stomping his feet.

"that horse has wings!" Micah says like he only just realized.

"the girl" Adora asks again, pulling Micah's attention back to her.

“Ooooh. D’rulith!” He starts walking again. “She went back to Brightmoon like an hour ago. They have to prepare for the attack.”

“the attack? Bows asks, stumbling to keep up with the surprisingly agile man.

From the horde! You guys are pretty slow, why didn't the rebellion send She-ra? that's who we need help from.” he stops again and mumbles to himself “how did the rebellion know we needed help?

“I am she-ra! And I'm not helping anybody until you bring me to Catra!”

“If you're She-ra then why didn't you take down that bug?” Adora looks down at her wrist band, her shoulders dropping.

“Well she is she-ra” Bow defends, “and we came here looking for her friend. Catra”

“She should be back in Half-moon by now. Hey!” He turns to Adora with a smile and wraps an arm around her shoulders. “That's where I'm headed! and we better move quick if we don't want to get caught by the Pukas!"

"I'm sorry, Pukas?" Bow asks, "those are some soft and cuddly creature right?" he turns to Adora who slowly shakes her head.

"You can tell me about Glimmer on the way there. Now, I know she has a penchant for kidnapping but no one is perfect…”

“Wait!” Adora and Bow stop in their tracks and turn to Swift Wind. “Where Entrapta?”

“that’s a talking horse”

“Yes”

“Wait, you're right. Where is Entrapta?” Bow asks, spinning in place. There’s no maniacal laugh or blow torch firing. He bites his lip “Should we look for her?”

“ you know what?” Adora takes a deep breath through her nose to calm the growing frustration “She’s probably having a f*cking blast here. If she gets lost she’ll just go back to the ship”

“I don't feel right leaving without her,” Bow says, hugging his trackerpad to his chest.

“I'll go back to the ship and wait for her” Swiftwind flaps his wings uncomfortably

“Are you sure, Swiftwind?” Adora turns to the horse and watches as he glances around.

“Yeah.... There's something about this island I don't like.”

—-

Adora can't stop staring. All these people look just like Catra. It's like the city of Half-moon uprooted and plotted itself down right in the middle of Beast island.

During Force captain orientation they treated the Destruction of Half-moon as a great victory, it’s considered the greatest horde undertaking to date. Knowing now that its a complete lie makes Adora wonder what else The Horde had lied about, (other than the f*cking obvious)

Kits brush past her laughing and giggling as she follows Micah up a residential street. Houses line walking paths large enough for three push carts. Micah has obviously been here before. He knows most of these people. He waves and shakes hands all the way up to the end of the block.

The biggest house on the street sits there but it's no castle. Micah had said that they were going to see the Queens. But this house is only two stories and a large yard. There are no Guards. Micah walks right up to it and knocks on the door.

A young girl opens the door. Black fur and white spots. Two red rimmed miss matched eyes, looking so similar to a young Catra, that Adora has to do a double take.

“Micah!” the girl smiles and jumps at the king, wrapping her arms around his midsection. “Moms are in the library”

Thank you, Calico” Micah pats her head and gestures to Adora, “this nice girl is looking for D’rulith could you get her for us?” The little girl's excitable nature considerably dims.

“She’s… not here.” her voice is small and her tail and ears have drooped. Catra isn't here? Then where is she? She would love it here. It is just like the Stories she would tell Adora when they were younger. Before Shadow Weaver beat them out of her.

Hundreds of people that look just like her. Warm houses and food that makes your eyes burn but your mouth water.

“Where is she?” The girl looks up at Bow and then Adora with a quizzical look. She’s adorable. Adora knows Bow also thinks so because there are literal stars in his eyes.

“I should let mom tell you”. The little girl lifts an eyebrow as Bow and Adora follow Micah into the house. Her eyes stray on Adora for a second too long, looking at her with a tilted head. Adora looks right back at the girl, never one to step down from a challenge.

The house is warm and brightly lit. wide windows cover the front half of the house and allow the rocks on the ceiling to shine through in long strips of rock shine.

The library is huge. Two stories and covered in books. Old to new and everything in between. Curled in a chair to her left is a teenage boy, his knees hugged to his chest. Standing around the table are three magicats. One black with white spots who's probably the young girl's mother, a large man covered in armor and a magicat with brown fur and white tufts behind her ears. When she turns to the newcomers Adora’s heart skips a beat.

“Catra!” She pushes past Micah in her excitement but when the rest of the magicats heads whip up, Eyes bright and excited. She realizes that this isn't Catra. Her ears are pierced with gold hoops, Her eyes are surrounded by smile lines and her fur is graying at the edges.

“You know Catra?” the woman asks, dropping the scrolls she was holding and coming to stand before Adora. The woman is beautiful and looks so much like Catra it squeezes Adora's heart.

“I- i- yeah” the woman with black fur and white spots wraps her arm around the other woman's waist. The other arm is just a stump but the rest of her body is wrapped in protective armor.

“Who are you?” her voice is critical and authoritative. it reminds adore so much like a Force Captain they Adora immediately straightens.

“Im Adora”. she almost leaves a nice and proper 'ma'am' on the end of that sentence.

“Your Adora!?’ Calico asks, popping up behind her mothers. How she got there without the blonde seeing her, Adora doesn't know.

“You know her?” Not Catra asks, turning towards the girl.

“Catra told us about her” the boy says, uncurling from his spot on the arm chair. “She’s She-ra.. Aka Dumb blonde”

“Hey!” Adora is slightly offended but that statement sounds so much like Catra she can't feel it in herself to be angry.

“And she misses you” Calico taunts, clasping her hands behind her back. Just like a cheeky Catra.

“She said that?” Adora asks, relaxing her stance.

“Well no but I have excellent deductive skills” Calico sits on the arm of the armchair and wraps her tail around herself.

“This is She-ra?” Cyra asks, her voice sound incredulous and Adora can't help but feel insulted

"and she knows our daughter?" Adora freezes, she defiantly heard that wrong. Daughter? Catra?

“Yes!” Micah speaks up, clapping Adora on the shoulder. “She-ra this is Cyra and Nala”

“I thought she’d be taller. “ Nala mutters to the woman next to her. Ok ouch. Adora is a perfectly normal height

"you knew Catra." its a statement not a question, and Cyra starts circling Adora like a predator.

"how did you guys know each other?" Nala backs up her wife, Adora stutters like a cadet as the maybe mother of her ex best friend stares her down like a tiger.

"I- we- we grew up together. in the Horde. she was my best friend" Adora can feel sweat drip down the back of her neck as Cyra comes to stand behind her.

"why didn't she mention you to us?" Nala walks a little closer to Adora like she's about to strike. " I mean, best friend? that's a big deal"

"we haven't been on speaking turns for a while?"

because you became She-ra?" Cyra asks. Adora stutters but the magical keeps talking, "I mean if you think about it, it makes sense" Cyra rounds the blonde and comes to stand next to her wife..

" you become She-ra and there's no way you can stay in the Horde. so you leave. both the Horde and Catra. " Nala raises an eyebrow.

"I asked her to come with me" Adora defends

"you get capture" Tigger continues, flicking Calico with his tail.

"because she captured me!"

"forcing Catra to save you and consequently sending herself to die on Beast island" Calico continues with a smirk

"I- how did you figure that out?" Adora asks incredulously. "that was way to detailed."

"she might of told us" Tigger says, leaning his chin on his hand. what? why would Catra tell near strangers about her life. she knows Catra more than anybody and Catra didn't say sh*t about herself. ever

" who are you? and how did you really get this information” Adora plants her hands on her hips. The women glance at each other with smirks.

“We are the queens of Half-moon” Adora freezes. She just back talked the queen of a long dead civilization.

“And Catra’s mothers' ' Adora's frozen insides crack. Double ouch. Not only did Asora just back talk queens, but the actual mothers of her…. Friend. Wait. Mothers Catra isn't supposed to have.

“Catra has a family? But Shadow Weaver told her…” Adora trails off her gaze catching on Calico. Calico who sits just like Catra. One foot on the armrest of the chair and the other planted on the floor. Looking off into the library window.

“Shadow Weaver?” Nala pulls Adora out of her thoughts.

“Our m- the woman who raised us' ' and told Catra that her family were thieving lowlives that dropped dead as soon as they abandoned Catra. But she’s not going to tell the royal family that. Holy Hordak royal family. Catra’s royalty. Adora grew up with a princess.

"“What are you doing here?” Cyra posture finally relaxes and she uncrosses her arms, sitting down in one of the chairs surrounding the table. Nala stands by her side. Her hand resting soothingly on her wife's shoulder.

“We are here to get Catra off of Beast island” Bow speaks up from behind Adora. “We didn't know it was inhabited though”

“Told you it was a love story,” Calico mutters to her brother.

“Stop stating the obvious” he mutters back, whipping the kit on the leg with his tail. Adora’s face flames bright red.

“Where is she?’ Adora asks again, folding her arms. she was really getting tired of people answering her questions with their own.

Calico turns away and Tigger looks down at his shoes. Cyra’s eyes stay trained on the map before her but Nala looks right into Adora’s eyes.

“She turned herself in.” the queen collapses in a chair next to her wife. She covers her lips with her hands. Adora's muscles lock up. how does she keep missing Catra. its like the feline knows she's coming and doesn't want to be found.

“Turned herself in to who?” Bow asks.

“The Horde.'' Cyra says, her hand resting against her chin. “They came here for someone they thought might help them win the war. Catra went and turned herself in but…”

“But the Horde is still attacking” Adora finishes for her. she looks away from the Queens, taking deep breaths to calm her squeezing heart. Cyra looks at her with her eyebrows drawn together.

“How did you know?”

“The Horde doesn't stop until everything and everyone is nothing but burnt rubble. And they especially wont stop now that they have access to all this First Ones tech” Bow hugs his Trackpad to his chest.

“How long ago did Catra leave?” Adora questions her eyes searching Cyra's.

“An hour or so?” Cyra looks back at her map as she says it. Her hands gripping each other.

“We’re trying to find a way to get her back but the Horde has set up guard posts on any land close enough to the Barge ship to swim or boat to it

“Who needs to swim or boat when you have an alien ship?”

“You have an alien ship?” Tigger’s ears are perked like Catra’s do when she sees a mouse. It makes Adora smile.

“Well yeah, how do you think I got here?” she says smugly

“Then let's go!” Nala smacks her hand on the table. “ We have a way to get there. Lets go get Catra” finally a woman speaking Adora’s language.

“Your majesty’s while I support your decision to get your daughter back..” the man standing across the table from the queens finally speaks up. Adora immediately realizes she doesn't like him. She finally gets another woman with the same values and this guy has to come in and muck it up?

He’s a light brown tabby with a comical white fur mustache and bow tie. Stupid looking.

“ You still have a kingdom to evacuate. If the Horde gets here when you are out saving Catra the rest of the kingdom will be left defenseless.” stupid looking but making sense.

“Oscar’s right” Cyra says to her wife, laying a hand over her own.

“I'll get Catra back” Adora speaks up. Bow nods his head behind her. “Me and Bow have been dealing with the Horde for years, we know their strategy and methods. they’re even weaker now that Catra has defected.”

“Yeah Catra was kinda carrying the entire Horde army” Bow mumbles.

“We're not letting you go fight off an entire Horde army by yourselves” Cyra says, looking at Adora incredulously.

“If i might your majesties” Oscar speaks up, his arms folding over his chest,

Nala makes the ‘Go on’ gesture and leans back in her chair.

“The people of Half-moon have been run out of their homes by the Horde before and I'm going to tell you now. They won't want to do it again. If we rally our forces-”

“We can't have a repeat of last time, it was a massacre” Nala growls, gripping the edge of her chair.

“The forces that destroyed half moon the first time were three times larger than they are now.” Micah speaks up. “The Horde barge is enormous, yes but it is low quality. so are the uniforms. The horde is obviously running thin right now. Half-moon might have a chance”

“We should ask the people. they should be able to make this decision for themselves' ' Oscar folds his arms over his chest.

“We have to decide quickly” Micah says crossing his arms, “the Horde was still preparing for an invasion when I left but they are almost ready“

“Cyra and I will speak to Half-moon” Nala says, “Oscar is right, this is the people’s decision. princess blondie will go get her ship, either way, fight or no fight, we are getting Catra back”

—

Nala grabs Adora's arm right as she's about to walk out the door. bow turns around with her but Adora waves him off once she sees the look in the queens eyes. bow shrugs and walks up to Queen Cyra, his track pad in his hand.

Queen Nala?"

" how did Catra get those scars on her back?" Adora freezes, Nala's ears are drooped and she looks like she already knows the answer. when Adora hesitates she squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. "when Half-moon was attacked and Catra was taken. there was this woman there. she wasn't like the other soldiers."

Nala takes a step back from Adora, into the shadow of the house. "she was cloaked in darkness and crackled with electricity, with magic" her voice cracks and the queen takes a breath. "did she do that to my little girl?" Nala's eyes stare into Adora's determined and angry.

Adora knows that Nala isn't angry at her. She knows Nala has no way of knowing what happened to them as kids but Adora feels so Guilty in the face of Catra's mom that she tells the truth.

Adora looks away. "I tried to protect her" she hears Nala takes a stuttering breath. "But Shadow weaver just hated her for some reason. treated her so differently from the other cadets and I couldn't always get there in time. I-"

Adora takes a deep breath and looks back up at Nala. "I am so sorry" Tears stream from the Queens eyes. she looks mortified. almost guilty? Nala pulls a shocked Adora into a surpassingly strong hug for a woman with only one arm. Adora had expected a punch, or a slap. she's so surprised that her arms just hand by her sides. limp and useless.

"its not your fault. you were just kids" Adora's eyes tear up at the words and she slowly hugs the woman back. Nala's hug is so familiar. just like Catra's, firm but not crushing. and so so soft. "you were just kids." Adora lets out a strangled sob.

its over as soon as it started and Nala is pulling away, turning to her wife who know holds Bow's tracking pad. both Nala and Adora are quickly wiping their eyes. treating the moment like it never happened, Cyra still looks knowingly at Nala's red rimmed eyes. holding Bow's tracker pad like its a bomb.

Bow doesn't say anything until they’ve left half moon, walking through the trees and away from the cave entrance. His long silence puts Adora on edge. “Why didn't you tell them the ship was inoperable?”, Adora freezes. The ship broke down.

“f*ck. I don't know, I panicked! Those were Catra’s mothers! I forgot! Maybe we can fix the ship when we get back.”

“Hey yeah about that, do you know how to get back?” Adroa turns towards him.

“No? I thought you did?”

“I left my trackpad with the queens. you know so they could contact us when they decide what they’re going to do”

“I can take you back” Both Adora and Bow jump like scared cats. Adora slowly turns around and groans at what she sees. Tigger stands there with a massive backpack.

“What are you doing here?” Bow asks, looking around for any more intruders.

Tigger sighs and looks away from the duo. “Catra is my sister. And while she’s different then how I remember her when we were kits, I can't lose her again. And neither can my moms.”

He straightens and puffs out his chest. “So I'm coming with you.”

Bow looks absolutely smitten and starts to nod his head, but Adora just plants her hands on her hips. “Yeah no, Catra would never forgive me if I got her brother killed '' Tigger deflates but he doesn't move.

“I mean obviously she cares about you if she turned herself in as soon as you were threatened.” Adora kicks at the roots on the ground. “Honestly? Im feeling a little replaced and I know it's been a couple years since-”

A loud groaning erupts from behind them. But Adora and Bow freeze. Bow slowly turns his head. His eyes wide. “Maybe if we don't move, it wont see us.” Tigger shakes his head and slowly starts to back away-

Adora gulps and slightly turns her head. A massive creature stands there. It has thick, massive front legs and two shorter back legs. Its face is just one massive eye. After a moment of silence the creature opens its mouth and lets out an ear splitting roar.

Bow screams and runs for the hills, Adora hot on his heels. Tigger had started running seconds earlier. His tail disappearing ahead of them in the trees. The monster hesitates before giving chase. Instead of weaving and dodging under branches like Adora and Bow it just plows right through them. Branches and whole tree stumps go flying.

“Now would be a great time for She-ra” Bow shouts, stumbling over roots. Adora squeezes her eyes shut. And searches deep inside of her. Reaching for the magic.

“For the honor of the gray skull!” Adora feels the exact same. Now glowing light no two feet taller. nothing happens. “It's not working!” she almost sobs, stumbling faster through the forest. She almost runs right into Tigger, who’s staring up at a dead end. A massive cliff rests before them.

“f*ck!” he shouts and Adora has half a mind to scold the teenager for cursing, but she’s a little too focused on the giant monster that comes skidding to a stop before them.

Bow, Gasping and clutching at his bow, pulls back and arrow. Adora lifts the sword and prepares for a fight. Before either other of them could make the first move the creature's giant face falls off.

Well doesn't fall off, more like lifts and reveals a smiling Entrapta.

“Hey guys!”

—----
-------

The Horde soldiers lead Catra through the dark hallways of the barge. If you could consider them hallways. The whole ship is just scrap metal welded together. It's a miracle it hasn't sunk.

The Horde shoulders are surprisingly gentle with Catra when they haul her on the ship. They are careful with her arm and don't even tie her up all that tight. She could escape if she wanted to. They also don't really do anything. Just stand in the loading bay and wait.

She’s got one soldier on either side of her, both holding damaged guns. Catra can tell from where she’s standing. Dented and about to fall apart.

One of the soldiers slowly inches up to her, “are you Catra?” he asks, looking around suspiciously.

Catra quirks an eyebrow and eyes the soldier but his helmet hides any identifying features. “Yeah? And?”

He fully turns to Catra. “Holy Hordak! I knew it! Girl! It is an absolute honor to meet you! Your like an idol to me. The first Force Captain to get anywhere near Brightmoon, capture a Rebellion princess, take down She-ra! You are a legend”

“Banner,” the Soldier on the other side of Catra scolds. “Stop fraternizing with the prisoner.”

“Cage, Cage. Do you know who this is?” The other soldier shakes his head. “Dude. this is Force Captain Catra!”

The guy who is apparently Cage almost drops his gun. His hand rushes to his mouth, or where his mouth would be if he wasn't wearing a helmet. “Your catra?!”

“You guys know me?” Both guys almost freak out.

“Know you? Of course we know you! You implemented free health care!”

“Stars, I loved free healthcare. I went and got a check up for the first time since I was what? 17?” Cage says, leaning on the butt of his gun.

The door opens and both guards immediately straighten up. A hybrid walks in. a tracking pad held in her hand. She looks up at Catra and when their eyes meet a spark of recognition flashes through the soldiers eyes. A buffalo hybrid with large horns curling around her ears. Catra refereed a soccer game with her.

“Force captain Catra” the girl mutters, gently taking her arm and pulling her away from the soldiers. Catra winces as her thumb accidentally Brushes her stab wound. The girl adjusts her grip and lets go completely when the doors close behind them

“It's just Catra, now.” Catra smiles and winks. The girl's lip quirks but she remains silent. “So how's the team?” The girl slows her pace to look around the hall.

“Hordak disassembled all the teams when he found out about them.” she bites her lip and looks back up at catra. “And most of the work you did”

“No free healthcare?” Catra asks.

“The girl shakes her head. “No free healthcare. Kinda no health care at all actually." Catra winces.

“Those guys in there are going to be disappointed.”

the girl giggles. Catra quirks a smile. “Last time I saw you, you were on ground patrol. How’d you get here?”

“There’s no specialties anymore. We’re spread pretty thin and Hordak just kinda shoves people where he can fit them.” They come up to a closed door and the girl kinda droops.

“This my stop?”

“Yeah, uh.. Can I ask you something?” she hugs one arm to her stomach nervously.

Catra plants her feet and prepares for the worst. “Shoot”

“Why did you defect?” Catra hesitates. She expected worse but this girl just looks at her with sad eyes and drooped ears. Catra takes a deep breath and tells the truth for once.

“I was really doing it because it was the only choice I had.'' Catra shrugs “or at least it felt like the only choice. Fight for the Horde or leave the only place i've ever known and try to join a rebellion that probably wouldn't accept me.”

Catra eyes the hybrid. She’s young, younger than catra. Probably Tigger’s age. “But I've met some people recently who’ve shown me that you don't have to join sides. You can just do what you think is right and people follow that”

The girl smiles at Catra. Her hand grips her tracking pad.

“I’m also a jealous bitch and felt the need to crush my best friend in every conceivable way for abandoning me” Catra turns towards the door and nods. “Ok, let's do this”

Chapter 9: That Damn Horse

Chapter Text

The people were yelling at each other. Which wasn’t a surprise to Nala but obviously was to Oscar. He stares as the crowd shouts and waves their hands around with his lip sucked in between his teeth and his eyes wide.

Cyra nudges him on the shoulder. “First town meeting?” she asks, a smile on her face.

“Is it always like this?” He watches as a chicken leg goes flying. Where the chicken leg came from neither queen knows, seeing as their in the rickety town hall, where no food is permitted.

Nala and Cyra sit back in their chairs behind the meeting table and share a look. This meeting is going nowhere. There about ten minutes from jumping ship and hightailing it to Adora to jump on that supposed Alien ship with her.

Yeah neither of them are so sure that ship even exists. It's why they sent Tigger to follow them in the first place.

Nala takes in her wifes red rimmed eyes and has to look away. It's so similar to the last time Catra was…. The last time. Except it's also so different.

The last time, Catra was just a kit. And her name wasn't Catra but D’rulith. She was fluffy and still covered in her baby fur. Her claws were barely coming in…. and they were still skin and bone. Her eyes were bright and full of curiosity. She touched freely and without restraint. Most importantly they were in Brightmoon.

But it wasn't as happy as it seemed. The Horde loomed just beyond the horizon and Nala wanted to fight back. Who were they to let this rising nation just take what was theirs?

Cyra didn't. She saw the numbers the Horde was advancing with. The advanced tech and fully weaponized soldiers. She knew any fight against them, win or lose, would only lead to bloodshed. A massacre. She wanted to leave without a trace. No consequences to the impending army.

The Queens fought. Sleepless nights in the throne room and arguments at the dinner table. They were going nowhere. So, they asked the people. Just like they are now. The people had fought. The meeting went deep into the night and when they came out? They were split into two sides.

Those who wanted to fight and those who didn't.

The meeting had ended on one vote. Nala’s. She had wanted to vote to fight. To throw everything they had at the Horde and watch Hordak crumble like sand. But then she looked at her wife. Her eyes red rimmed from sleeplessness and realized. Who was Nala, a healer from the south side of Brightmoon, to throw soldiers into a war they didn't want. To kill sons and daughters because her pride couldn't suck it up and take a hit.

So she voted against it. The Kingdom of Half-moon was going to abandon ship but not hope. They were to regroup in Brightmoon and fight with the whispering woods on their side. Some were not happy with that decision.

Nala hadn’t been the one to lead the rebellion, The group of magicats that split from the kingdom and faced off the Horde alone, but she had incited it. She had riled up the officials and townspeople and she had delayed the decision so long that they were surrounded.

It was her fault when they left in the middle of the night. And the massacre that followed is on her hands.. hand.

The mourning that followed was kingdom wide. The construction of the boats ground to a halt and when The Horde attacked three months earlier than expected, they weren't ready.

Cyra had Tigger and Baby Calico with her in the castle. They were the first to be warned of the attack and the first on the escape boats.

Nala had Catra, but she was in town, speaking to the father of a son who died in the massacre. She didn't even know the Horde was attacking until they busted down the door of the house she was in. until she was fighting with a sword in one hand and a toddler in the other.

The only thing on her mind was Catra. She didn't even try to spare lives, just aimed for the deadliest parts and struck. the townspeople followed her example. they had picked up any weapon they could find and were fighting their way towards the boats.

But then she arrived. Masked and sparking with electricity. Laughing as she decimated houses and carts and…. People. Nala got separated from the group and the Horde soldiers surrounded her like wolves.

Nala doesn't remember much of what happened next. But what she does remember wants her to this day. Holding Catra away from the soldiers and swinging wildly with a bloody sword to keep them away.

Her chest stings and she looks down to it crackling with electricity. She goes to look down at her crying baby, to make sure she’s ok. But there’s nothing there, just a bloody, jagged stub.

Nala had killed her baby.

But she didn't, because Catra is alive. Battered and bruised and changed. But alive. Alive and curious. Enjoying the foods and traditions she used to love. Purring like a damn engine as Cyra brushes through her fur.

Nala grits her teeth and looks away from the crowd, right into Cyra’s eyes. Catra turned herself in to save them and they’re sitting in a stupid f*cking meeting instead of saving her.

“Shut up!” Nala’s chair shoves back with a groan as she stands. The meeting hall goes quiet. Magicats mid fight freezing in their spot.

“I'm not going to tell you we have to fight the horde. We all know what happened last time,” the effect is immediate. Ears droop and tails drag against the floor.

“But I will tell you this. The Horde is weaker now. A third of the size that attacked the original Half-moon and not nearly as armed. The soldiers have shoddy weapons and tanks and an even worse battle ground.” Nala looks around at her people. People who stood by her even after the battle of Half-moon.

“We know these woods. And we have nowhere to go this time. Either we bring the fight to them, and fight them on our terms. Or they bring the fight to us. it's your choice" Then she leaves, pushes past officials and townsfolk, past Oscar and the arms general.

The last time she picked a side, the consequences were devastating. So this time she lets the people speak. She lets them make the decision. She doesn't realize that Cyra is a step behind her until she feels a hand on her shoulder.

She doesn't realize she’s crying until Cyra forces her into a hug. Tucking Nala’s head under her chin and wrapping her arms securely around her waist.

“It wasn't your fault” Cyra whispers, tightening her grip on her wife, “and this wont turn out like it did then”

“What if she’s really gone this time.” Nala nuzzles into her wifes soft fur. “What if she doesn't come back.”

“She won't have to come back. Because we are going to her.” Cyra pulls away and looks Nala right in the eyes, “with or without the people.”

“Then it's a good thing it’s with” Cyra looks up and her eyes widen at what she sees. Nala quickly wipes her eyes before turning around. The entire meeting stands behind Oscar.

“The Horde has already taken so much from us, we won't let it take the two things we just got back.” Cyra and Nala glance at each other,

“Two things?” Cyra asks, gripping her wife's hand.

The townspeople look at eachother with amused glances. “Half-moon” Oscar smiles, “and D’rulith”

“How did you-” Nala starts but Oscar just laughs,

“Don't tell us you thought you were being secretive and sly coming in here with a girl who looks just like Cyra who would be the exact age of D’rulith and thought you were pulling it off. Everyone knows!” The towns people behind him nod in agreement.

“She also has heterochromia” someone from the crowd speaks up. “It's literally the royal trait.”

Cyra starts to laugh and Nala is quick to follow.

—---
Catra thought she was prepared for what she was about to see when the Soldier opened the door for her. But this was not it. The room is dark and poorly lit. water drips from the ceiling and the bang as it hits the floor reverberates around the room. Most concerningly the portal from Hordak’s sanctum sits smack dab in the middle, it's obviously been modified.

It's like Hordak picked up the entire portal machine and strapped it into his ship. Poorly if you ask Catra. The welding job is shoddy and random pieces of scrap metal have been added and thrown around the room. It's like walking through a junkyard.

Huge green vials line the walls of his sanctum. Disgusting half formed people float in the juices. Catra grimaces as she spots one with a huge crack right down the middle, the green liquids leaking onto the floor and sizzling the metal where it makes contact.

The soldier that brought her here doesn't follow her in. She just closes the door gently behind Catra. A bright beeping coming from her trackerpad.

The feline expects Hordaks usual big speech when she walks in, but the space is silent. It doesn't even have Hordak’s usual throne. Not even the tinkering of metal or the sound of waves crashing against the hull. Anxiety starts to crawl up Catra’s spine, Dread quick to follow, climbing up her ribs.

“Hordak?” Catra calls walking further into the dark. She accidentally kicks a peice of scrap metal and it goes skidding across the ground with an ear splitting screech. the further she travels into the sanctum the darker it gets. The only light seeping from the green containers.

Catra gently walks around the corner and comes face to face with Hordak. His neck and upper shoulders are shoved through with bleeding tubes and wires. Behind him a large tube of the green liquids pumps into him. Beside that, large screen monitors sit black and empty . underneath them is a desk covered in dirty test products Entrapta designed.

Catra walks closer, her face contorted in disgust. The liquid has turned his veins green, they show prominently up his neck and arms. Catra goes to touch him, her hands still bound, fingers inches from his chest.

He opens his eyes. Catra quickly pulls away and stumbles back. His usually blood red eyes glow a neon green. White pupils staring into Catra’s.

“Little sister, what a pleasure it is to meet you” this is not Hordaks voice. His usual angry screech has been replaced with a uniform and orderly drawl. He takes hold of the tube leading into his neck and rips it out. The Green liquid sizzles and gushes from his wound, dripping down his chest and leaving deep red blisters. It bubbles as it hits the floor.

“Who are you?” she asks, taking small steps away from not Hordak. Because this can’t be Hordak. Hordak was f*cked up yes. He cloned himself and tested technology on himself but he didn’t do anything like this. He didn't burn away his skin using unknown chemicals without showing a hint of pain.

“My little brother didn't tell you about me?” Not Hordak asks, pulling the rest of the wires and tubes away until he can stand unrestrained. Catra backs away as he steps forward. Her feet hitting scraps of metal and pieces of torn apart tech.

“We didn't really have a talking relationship. More like we beat the sh*t out of each other and tried to destroy etheria.”

“Oh, you were more than that.” Not Hordak stalks forward and holds up a force captain's badge. Catra’s force captain's badge. “You were very useful. And you will be again” he smashes the metal between his fingers.

“Who are you?” Catra repeats, glancing behind him at the still sizzling machinery he was attached to.

“I am Horde prime, and I'm here to bring peace and order to your little world” he speaks condescendly. Like Catra is a lower life form.

“Yeah? How are you going to do that?”

“Well, first I'm going to use you” Catra freezes at his wording. The way he phrases it makes her stomach roil in dread.

“If you think I'm going to go back to scheming for the horde-” Prime cuts her off.

“Oh no little sister, once I get my army here there won't be any need for your scheming. Etheria will fall like every other civilization i have met before”

“Then why did you want me?” Catra stays still as he approaches her. Her legs itch to run but she refuses to look weak.

“Oh Catra” Prime circles the feline and plants a hand on her cheek “you think it's you that i wanted?” he laughs, cruel and scratchy. unnatural “i only captured you because i knew She-ra would come looking for you”

Catra smirks “Adora won't come looking for me. She’s probably in Brightmoon right now planning her counter attack. She doesn't care about me at all”

“Oh, but she already has” Hordak straightens and turns on his monitors. The screens blink to life fizzing before showing a forest.

Adora stands, blurry but unmistakable, in the frame of the camera. She stands beside a magicat and the ship from the Crimson waste. Entrapta jumps down from the mouth of a large creature. ship?

Catras' heart clenches. Adora came looking for her. Even after everything Catra did to her. she grits her teeth. “You'll never get your hands on her”

“Oh Catra, it's just a matter of time”, Primes pupils roll back with a flicker, a red flash of recognizable glow. “All life eventually falls in the face of Horde Prime And you will be of use to him yet” he whispers, grasping the back of Catra’s head. The feline takes this opportunity to make use of her loose restraints.

“Your brother was smarter than you” she says, her head tilting back in Primes tightening grip. Her hands fidget in the rope, her nails ejecting and sawing at it.

“No one is smarter than Horde Prime. He is all seeing and all knowing. He is the emperor of the known universe” Catra smiles at the waiver in Prime's voice.

“Yeah well, at least Hordak never underestimated me” Catra rips her rope restraints apart and takes her claws to Hordaks face. He screams bloody murder and covers his face with his hands. He grabs the back of Catra’s hair as she tries to distance herself from him. Lifting her in the air with one hand and raising the other for a punch.

Catra kicks out, throwing her body weight into it. it hits its mark against his face. He yowls and releases his grip on her. Catra collapses to the floor, landing on her injured arm. She’s pretty sure she felt something crack.

She doesnt let it slow her down though and she stumbles up, running for the door. It won’t budge, Catra glances down at the lock, Its chip operational. you need a force captain's badge to open it. And Prime just crushed hers.

She turns around to glance at said asshole and watches Prime grab a gun from his desk of experimental parts.

Catra ducks into the shadows as he fires, burning a hole through the thin metal of the barge. She sneaks behind the large canisters of green liquid. The clones inside twist and gurgle through the tubes shoved down their throats.

“You can't hide from me, little sister. Prime sees all, Prime knows all” he stocks through the dark. Between the clones, trailing his fingers across the glass and leaving deep gouges in its surface. He stops in front of the line of containers Catra hides behind. She covers her mouth with her own hand.

Just as he turns to Catra’s container she notices a flash of light pinned to his hip. A Force captain's badge. she turns and eyes the distance to the door. He spots her flash of fur and shoots. The vial next to her explodes.

Catra screams as the green liquid splashes on to her shoulder burning and bubbling against her skin. She quickly brushes it away but only succeeds on spreading it to her already burnt hand. He aims for her again and she scrambles, stumbling over scrap metal.

She ducks into the darkness behind the container Hordak was plugged into. The green liquid in this one is more bubbly. And a more vibrant green than the others. There is no clone inside.

She looks to her shoulder and watches as the green liquid that splashed her makes the skin of her hand bubble and almost boil. She looks up at Prime and then at the green containers he walks through.

Her foot knocks into a large piece of scrap metal as she shifts further into the shadows. Catra gets an idea. A bad idea.

Silent as a mouse she quickly picks it up and another short piece. She shoves the tubing underneath a glass canister, eyeing the clone inside. She shoves the smaller one underneath that like a levee system. She grabs a third piece of scraping from beside her.

Closing her eyes she rubs the photo tucked into her waist band and prays to Saz.

If this man is lucky enough to own a magical rock that can give her the best nap she’s had in her life. she can use a little bit of his luck and destroy a mother f*cker with it. He has more than enough to spare. She throws the rock in the opposite direction of Prime. His head whips to the noise the scrap makes.

“Come into the light little sister, all creatures no matter how small have a place in service of Horde Prime” he walks between the glass container and Catra takes the opportunity. She jumps onto the scrap. The canister groans as it tips and Prime looks up right as the green liquid spills over the edge and onto him.

Catra jumps again and this time with enough momentum to tip the whole container over.
Prime screams, the green group bubbling and scorching the skin of his body, the glass from the container shattering and cutting into his puckering skin, allowing the liquid to soak deeper into his skin.
Catra reaches for the key card strapped to his waist but he grabs Catra before she can touch it. Catra struggles, the heat of the green liquid burning her nose and eyes. Prime pulls her closer towards the puddle of green liquid sizzling into the metal floor.

She looks down at it but spots her ankle. More importantly the little knife strapped to said ankle. The one Tigger gave her. she twists and pulls her legs to her chest. The strength Prime was pulling her causes her to swing towards him. Catra unsheathes the dagger and stabs it right into a gash on his chest. She feels the knife hit bone.

Hordak screams bloody murder before it is abruptly cut off. The silence is more deafening than the scream. Hordak gasps, his eyes turning back to their usual color for just a second. Then Horde primes pupils roll back into his eyes. He starts to laugh.

“You thought you could kill me? I am all powerful! all knowing and seeing. You fight to protect this Adora of yours, but you can never save her. Not from me.” he yanks the knife from his chest and pulls Catra closer. “And now you going to be the reason she dies”
—------

Swift Wind was lost. No, not lost. Swift Wind doesn't get lost. He just didn't know where he was, where he was going or where he came from. But a great Horse like him always knows which direction he’s going. Which right now is…. Uh straight?

Well, it was straight. Straight and right side up but that was before he was upside down. Probably due to the rope tied around his ankles.

Maybe he should start over. He had just left Adora, Bow and the man that brutally attacked him when he realized he had no f*cking idea where he was going. So, like any self respecting pegasus he turns right back around to ask for directions.

Except Bow, Adora and the hooligan were no longer there and that noise that's been ringing in Swift Wind's ear? Just got a hell of a lot louder. So he turned around in the direction he was going before.

Well he tried to but there was a patch of trees there now. Trees that he swears wearnt there before.

But swift wind does not panic. He is the mighty steed of She-ra! He can handle anything! so he picks a random direction and starts to walk. And walk. And walk.. And now its been hours and all the trees look the exact same. He swears he passed that very rock two miles ago and right when he was going to turn around and walk back to where he started.

He gets strung up by his feet. He bursts. The frustration that's been building up since crash landing on this stupid island boils over the top.

“What am I even doing here?! I should be causing evolutions! kicking down barn doors! Not on some f*cking creaky, monster infested island in the middle of no where! Where is the uprising? The revolution!

“You cause revolutions?” Swiftie screams like a little girl and spins to face three horde soldiers. One very pretty horned girl and two helmeted cadets. He coughs and flaps his wings uselessly. His composure officially ruined.

“Maybe, What's it to you?” The horned girl and the soldiers behind her exchanged looks.

“We just might be in the market for a good revolution.” she smiles and unsheaths a knife from her belt.

—------

What the f*ck Entrpata!” The girl just smiles and holds up a new welding mask. “The tech here is absolutely amazing!” She grabs Adora's hand and pulls her into the creature's control hub. Tigger and Bow quickly scramble up behind her.

“Where's Catra? I want to show her my newest project!” Entrapta holds up a small cylindrical device. “It's a red dot! She’s going to love it.” Entrapta points it at the floor and just like she said a bright red dot appears. Tigger immediately goes for it. His hands shooting out like a bullet.

“She should also have all her findings with her. Who's your friend?” Entrapta trails the dot up the wall and Tigger follows, kicking Bow in the head.

The scientist giggles. “Look if i do this, it becomes a burning laser” she goes to flip a switch on the device but Adora quickly takes the device from Entrapta and shoves it in her pocket.

“We won't be doing that.” She rubs her temples with her fingers. “Hordak has Catra”

“Hordak? He’s here?” Entrapta shuts the door of her beast, her eyes avoiding Adora’s. Placing the welding mask over her face. The great Beast groans as it moves, jostling everyone inside.

“Yes, and I need you to help Bow get Darla up and running.” Adora shuffles on the floor of the monster.

“Is she on that barge?” Entrapta asks, fidgeting with her hair.

Tigger groans and holds his stomach “guys im feeling a little sick”

“Yeah, how did you know about it?” Adora asks, patting Tigger on the back.

“I've been working on the ship. Darla detected big amounts of energy emitting on it. And it's not First Ones! Hordak is planning something big! Something I didn't help him with.” Entrapta looks very nervous. Her hair pulling a tracking pad from itself and tapping at it.

“I've been incorporating First Ones tech from Beast Island into Darla.” she says, flipping the screen around to show Adora. It's a map of Beast island, pinpointed on the coast across from them is Hordak’s Barge.

“There's something you should know about Hordak '' Entrapta's eyes are trained on her controls but they're unfocused. “Ever since he sent his message through the portal, there's been…. something different about him”

“Different?” Adora asks, watching as Entrapta's usually steady hands tremble.

“He’s not himself, it's like he's someone else and when he's not he's not really there” she squeezes her eyes shut as her monster slows down. “The data doesn't make any sense. He was making decisions he would never have made before”

Adora sighs and eyes Entrapta. The scientist’s hands fall into her lap. “He also started referring to me as Little sister”

Adora winces.

“Friend zoned” Tigger mutters, as the door to Entrapta monster opens. There in the middle of the forest is Darla. Back on her legs and glowing a reassuring blue “Holy sh*t” Tigger bounces out of the monster. “You were telling the truth!”

“You thought I was lying?” Adora asks, slightly offended.

“Of course I thought you were lying! There is no such thing as aliens!” Tigger says, turning around to face Adora.

“What?” Bow turns to Tigger with his arms raised. “Adora is literally an alien!”

“Bull sh*t”

“Excuse me?” Adora asks.

“No, excuse me, do you see any stars?”

“What?” Adora asks, placing her hands on her hips.

“Stars are the only evidence that aliens exist. And they haven't been seen in years! the only evidence of life outside etheria disappeared. Without stars no other organisms can survive, ergo no aliens.”

“He’s right,” Entrapta says. “Well he would be if we weren't in a shadow dimension”

“Excuse me?” Tigger turns to Entrapta, eyes wide.

“Wait, where's Swift Wind?” Adora interrupts. Her heart races and she grinds her teeth in the silence that follows. Swift Wind should have proclaimed his existence by now. Why does everyone keep disappearing? “He said he would come back here and wait for Entrapta”

“Well, I never saw him,” Entrapta says, “here or at the waterline.” the scientist starts to ring. Her hair vibrated. Entrapata looks up and pulls a tracking pad from her hair. “I'm getting a call from Bow, but Bow is right here”

Adora takes the pad and answers. Cyra pops up, her face way too close to the screen. “How do you work this thing,” she mutters tapping aggressively at the piece of tech.

“Be gentle '' Bow squeaks from behind Adora. Nala takes the screen from her wife, jostling the camera..

“Are you looking for a horse?” she asks, placing the pad on a table in front of them. Behind them the flaps of a tent open. They’re already on the battlegrounds. Wait, how could Nala possibly know they were looking for a horse?

“Yeah, How did you know?” Adora asks skeptically.

“Does he have wings and call himself Swift Wind?” again with Adora’s questions being answered with more questions.

“Yes” Adora tilts her head as the queens glance at each other.

“We know where he is, get to the Horde barge quick”
—--

When Darla arrives at the coastline. The magicat army is already there. Magicats wrapped in armor and holding heavy swords and spears. A tent sits on the front lines. Large enough for a Bright moon dinner table. Entrapta sets Darla down right in front of it.

When the loading bay hatch opens, Adora is the first one off and comes face to face with two queens, wrapped in body armor and ready for a war.

“They were telling the truth?” Cyra asks, excited Tigger bounces up to her.

“Yes!” he leans towards her mother and mutters “And apparently Adora is an Alien”

“Seriously? That girl?”

“We might have a bit of a problem,” Nala says, planting her hand on her hip. Her shoulders are wrapped in loose fitting armor that honestly looks badass. Adora is going to have to look into some She-ra armor she can transform the sword into.

“I dont think it's a problem at all!” Micah speaks up from behind the Queens”

“What is it?” Adora asks,

“Look” Cyra hands Adora a pair of binoculars and points at the coast line.

The camps are in ruin, the outposts lining the Horde barge are littered with small uncontrolled fires and most of the Horde soldiers are fighting…. each other? That's when Adora see’s it. Swift wind kicking open tent doors.

“You’ve got to be f*cking kidding me.” Adora mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose. She leaves him alone for what? Three hours? He starts a f*cking revolution?

“Your horse caused a rebellion, it seems.” Cyra says, a slight smile splitting her lips.

“This is good and bad” Nala says, turning to the giant tent and the equally giant army.

“The good news is that we won't be needing an army and it'll be easier to get on the ship”

“The bad news?” Adora asks, rubbing at the back of her neck.

“Cyra and I are thoroughly embarrassed.” Nala points at the packing up soldiers, “we’ll never regain the respect we once-”

“Cool it, love.” Cyra smiles at her wife and wraps an arm around her waist. “They literally don't care. I think they’re actually relieved. The actual problem is: All the soldiers that are still loyal to the Horde are concentrated on the deck. We’ll have to fight our way through.”

Adora looks through the binoculars at the barge. On the deck are soldiers fighting off rebels trying to climb aboard. What Adora really notices is that the rest of the ship is unprotected. The soldiers are so focused on fighting the rebels that all the other guard posts are empty.

Adora reaches into her pocket and touches Entrapta’s small laser. “We can fight our way through or…”

Adora looks up at the Queens and smiles. “We can sneak our way on.”

Chapter 10: a Queen, a She-ra, and a War Criminal

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this hunk of metal is waterproof?'' Cyra asks, looking at the Barge ahead of them. The water is murky and dark. Cyra can only see about ten feet through the windshield. Razor fins swim past as ‘Darla’, or whatever the purple haired one called her, sinks lower into the ocean.

The Horde Barge looms over them. Floating almost impossibly on the water. The hull is covered in scratches and overlapping pieces of metal. The work is shoddy and obviously a rush job.

“Nope!” Entrapta smiles and giggles into her tape recorder. “Test 21, water capabilities is a success! No casualties!”

“That was a possibility?” Bow asks, turning to where Entrapta was standing just to find it empty.

Cyra glances at her Wife. who is leaning against the side of the ship like a broody teenager. Deep bags under eyes make Cyra’s heart clench. Contrary to what Nala believes. Cyra knows that she blames herself for what happened to old Half-moon, what happened to Catra. She’s blaming herself for what’s happening to Catra now.

She likes to assume Cyra doesn’t know any of this, but Cyra was there after the destruction of Half-moon. She witnessed what Nala went through. Recovering from the loss of not only her daughter but her arm all while dealing with the guilt she assumed is hers alone to bear. All the while trying to stay strong for a toddler Tigger and Baby Calico.

Cyra follows Nala's eyes to the blonde sitting in the captain's chair. Adora. Cyra doesn't really know what to think of her. She’s a little bull headed and stubborn but dead set on doing the right thing. Nala obviously likes her. They had some sort of moment at the castle. One strong enough for Nala to hug the kid.

She takes herself very seriously for basically being a child. She’s a little goofy and clumsy when she’s not paying attention. The true her poking through the She-ra facade. A facade Cyra still doesn’t believe.

Don't get her wrong, the kid seems fine but a legendary warrior? Cyra thinks not. She’s obviously just a very sleep deprived soldier.

Adora doesn’t know what she's doing. Cyra could tell when they were meeting her in the castle. When she’s unsure she tends to show her age. Stuttering and asking questions.

When she’s confident she’s co*cky. Smirking and teasing others. Like now, she Steers the ship with steady hands. Her brow pinched in concentration. Cyra could see why Catra would like her.

Cyra is almost jealous that Adora got to grow up with Catra. Those years were supposed to be Cyra’s. Catra’s first loose tooth. First time scraping her knees. Cyra can’t blame Adora though. Both her and catra were in a bad situation and Cyra is glad they had each other.

Cyra looks back up as Darla hits the bottom of the barge with a thunk. The blonde stands, shaking her hands and the holographic controls disappear.

“Ok, we’re here” Adora smiles and plants her hands on her hips “ let’s-”

Budunk!

Cyra whips her head to the sound reverberating throughout the ship. Muffled shuffling thunks around in the vent above the loading bay doors. Adora grabs the sword from her wrist and holds it out infront of her as she hesitantly stalks towards the noise. A noise that sounds distinctly familiar.

“You hear that too? Nala asks, glancing at Cyra, the queen bites her lip, dread pooling in her stomach.

“I sure f*cking hope not” she mutters, watching as Adora carefully taps at the vent. A muffled “ouch!” and Cyra swears.

“Catra made it seem so easy!” a female voice mutters.

“Well obviously it's not!” a male voice whispers back. There's a loud thud and a yelp before the vent opens and two magicats come tumbling out, narrowly avoiding being kabaded by a magical sword.

Nala pinches the bring of her nose and Cyra plants her hands on her hips. Adora glances at the mothers before slowly backing away.

“What part of ‘stay with Oscar’ did you not understand?” Nala growls, looking at the kits through her eyebrows. Both sets of ears lower and Calico gives a guilty smile.

“Well..” she starts.

“This better be good” Cyra mutters, trying to hide a smile as Tigger tries to discreetly rub at his bruising calf.

“You see… we… were looking for the bathroom?” Calico says it like a question. Her shoulders rising to her ears.

“Oh? The bathroom? You were looking for a bathroom on an alien ship we told you not to go on?” Nala asks, waving her hand around.

“Yes?”

Cyra turns around to hide a laugh. Catra was right. These kits would never survive an interrogation. She looks up into Adora’s smiling eyes. The blonde is biting her thumb to keep from laughing. Bow and Entrapta behind her are slowly ceiling the bottom of the Barge to the top of the ship.

“You two are going to stay here, on the ship, until we get back. You will not move a muscle and once we get home? You're in for it.” Nala threatens, her hand on her hip.

“Ok, let's get a move on” Adora says, clapping her hands together. Cyra glances back and watches as Nala sits the kits down at the far wall and does the ‘im watching you’ motion.

“How are you going to get through that metal?” Cyra asks, looking up the hatch and at the barnacled bottom of the barge.

Adora just smiles and climbs up the ladder.

Cyra looks up through the escape hatch and watches as Adora pulls a tiny device from her pocket. “What is that?” she asks, placing a hand on one of the dual swords at her belt.

“This is..”

Oh my stars! You're going to use my dot!” Entrapta interrupts her hair, clasping its metaphorical hands. Adora sighs and looks back up at the ceiling.

“Its a portable laser.'' She flips a switch and a little red dot appears on the button of the barge. She flips another and the spot on the ceiling starts to sizzle. It cuts right through the metal.

Adora slowly cuts a circle out of the bottom of the barge. Her hands steady, one resting on the ladder. Bow bites his lip.

“Everyone be quiet so they don't hear us” he whispers, as he watches Adora slowly out a circle the same size as the escape hatch.

“We know Bow” Adora whispers back, sticking her tongue out of her mouth in concentration. She places her hand in the middle of the circle as it starts to bow in.

“And catch that circle part as it falls through” Bow says, holding his hands out as if to catch it himself.

“We know Bow” Adora says slightly less patiently.

“And-”

“Bow?” Adora says, switching off the laser.

“Ye-”

“Shut it, please” she carefully starts to lower the circle.

“Careful… carefully”

“Bow if you don't stop!” she whispers yells, glancing down at the wincing archer.

Adora hands the circle to Cyra who is surprised at how light it is, “damn this is thin metal.” she mutters, weighting it in her hands. It bends as she lightly applies pressure to it.

Nala comes to stand beside her, a stressed pinch in her brow. Cyra hands the circle to an excited Entrapta, who immediately starts to analyze it. Cyra turns to her wife with a smile.

“They’re kits, beautiful” Cyra mumbles, soothing the worry wrinkle with her thumb, “they’re going to get in trouble, do sh*t that pisses us off. Its life” Nala leans into her wifes embrace for a second.

“I just can’t have a repeat of last time” she mutters, glancing at the two guilty look kits.

“This is nothing like last time” Cyra says, planting a kiss on her cheek and nuzzling her temple into Nala’s for a moment. She looks up to Adora, who’s watching them with wistful eyes and holding the ladder as Bow follows Entrapta up and out of the escape hatch.

Cyra smiles at the blonde who quickly looks away and follows Bow out of the hatch. “That girl is definitely in love with Catra” she tells Nala. but her wife is too busy silently telling her kits to stay where they are with her eyes to notice.

The escape hatch exits into what looks like the engine room. Massive machinery at least a story tall takes up most of the space. An excited Entrapata flits around the tech with a wide smile, her tape recorder planted firmly in her hand.

As Cyra helps Nala out of the hole she notices that laying next to it is the little piece of tech Adora used. Cyra picks it up and flips it around in her palm. It's lightweight, similar to a small flashlight. She shoves it into her pocket.

“This engine is amazing!” Entrapta shouts from the top. A wide smile splitting her face, “but it looks damaged. It's very poorly welded together,” she pulls her tape recorder closer to her mouth, “i could get it running in under an hour.”

“Maybe this is why Hordak didn't retreat as soon as the soldiers turned on him” Adora mutters, appraising the engine with a pinched brow. “Hold on, This tech is nothing like Hordak usually uses.”

“And the scale” Bow says, gesturing around them ,”a barge of this side could hold all of Bright-moon. The Horde usually works with small skiffs and tanks.”

“Why would they need something so big for a recon mission?” Adora finishes, tapping on the metal hull.

She’s right. This is a barge big enough to hold an army. Or at least all of Half-moon. Saz, all of half-moon. Cyra could fit every magicat on Beast island on this barge.

“Is it sturdy?” Cyra asks, turning to Entrapta with wide eyes. The scientist sticks her head over the side of the engine.

“Yes! This metal is stronger than anything the Horde has been using for decades.” she flips her Welding shield down. “Its fascinating,”

The ship is strong, they already know it can brave the Weather. All of Half-moon could fit on it!. Cyra could get the magicats of beast island!

“How did Hordak design this?” Adora asks, “Entrapta already said she didn't work on it. And Hordak was never able to make technological advances this big before”

“I told you he wasn't himself.” Entorata says, crawling down from the engine, “it's like he had someone else in his head, controlling his body and what he said. Then as soon as it came it was gone and he was… he was like a husk of a person”

“ We could use this ship” Cyra says, Nala turns to her with an intrigued look. Cyra holds back a barely constrained smile. “We could get Half-moon back to the mainland and off this god forsaken island!” Cyra runs her hands through her hair.

Nala’s lips part and she looks around the engine room. “This boat made it through Beast Islands weather.” she mumbles as if she only just realized. Cyra turns to the resident mechanic.

“Can you fix the engine?” Entrapta flips her welding helmet up with her hair.

“Could I fix the engine?” She pulls a wrench from her hair. “Of course I could fix the engine.” she turns to Adora as if asking permission. The blonde bites her lip.

“I don't know, how are we going to take, no… liberate, this ship from the rest of the Horde soldiers still loyal to Hordak? There's only five of us. Five and a half if you count the stowaways down there”

A muffled “hey!” Cyra rolls her eyes.

“We could come back,” Nala says, turning to Adora. “With the army we already have sitting outside the barge. By then the Horde rebellion would probably have taken out most of the soldiers.” Adora closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Fine, Bow stay here and make sure no one takes Darla or messes with Entrapta. Cyra, Nala and I are going to sneak through the ship, get Catra and get the f*ck out of here. Then we can come back with Half-moon’s army and take the ship as our own.”

Entrpata squeals and pulls a blow torch from her hair. “Here” she takes the trackpad from Nala and proceeds to plug her own into it. “I have a tracking chip on Catra”

“You have a what?” Adora asks, turning around. “Why didn't you use it when we were looking for her on the island or i don't know, THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD”

Entrpata shrugs. “I forgot.” Adora takes a deep breath and pinches the bridge of her nose. Cyra can almost hear the way her teeth grind together.

“I put it in her rations! Catra likes the gray kind the most.” Entrapta hands the pad back to Nala. Nala hands it to Cyra who hands it to Adora

“Are you sure I shouldn't come with you?” Bow asks, his hands tightening on his bow. Adora plants a hand on his shoulder.

“the less people who go the faster we can get in and out. And i'm not going to lie, you walk like an elephant”

“What?”

“You don't know how to be quiet” she deadpans..

“What's an elephant? Bow mutters, turning back to Entrapta. The scientist just shrugs.

“Ok, lets go” Adora cracks the door open and looks down both hallways before slipping out. Cyra and Nala hot on her heels. Both the Queens’ feet are silent against the floor but Cyra is surprised to find that Adora’s are too.

For a non magicat she is surprisingly quiet. Not to anyone with ears like Cyra but any Horde soldier would be none the wiser. She walks on the outside of her foot. Her shoes barely shuffling against the floor. She walks like a magicat

“Did Catra teach you to do that?” Nala asks, her voice barely above a whisper. Adora glances at her feet. She looks like she didn’t even know she was doing it.

Yeah” she sounds wistful. She looks down to the sword in her hand. “Catra used to make me sneak out with her” she smiles but her eyes are distant

“Told me that to walk silently you just have to walk like you are stamping on nails. You don't want to but you have to so you go quick but light. Walking on the sturdier part of the foot. Rolling on the outside of your soul.”

“She’d tell me. ‘ not only are you slow but you stamp like an elephant. Expect she didn't know what an elephant was, just that her mom used to say it”

Cyra glances at Nala who swallows, and looks away from Adora.

The blonde laughs quietly and shakes her head. “But I would never get into the air ducts with her, nu uh. Those things were infested with rats.” Adora giggles some more. Her sword falls to her side as she gently checks around a corner.

“She’d catch them but she wouldn't kill them. She’s a huge soft at heart” she stops and looks at Cyra with a smile. “But she would put them in Kyle’s shoes!”

Adora sighs and looks into Cyra’s eyes. The familiarity she sees there makes her pause. “You look so much like her” Adora mumbles, Cyra’s heart clenches as she moves silently through the hall.

“Your fur is much darker but other than that…” Adora looks away. Her eyes strayed to the ground in front of her.

“Oh my Saz. You love her?” Nala asks, tilting her head.

“What?!”

Cyra giggles brushing into her wife’s shoulder. “You just figured that out? Home girl flew across the world on an alien ship to rescue her like a knight in shining armor.”

“Um, excuse me?” Adora’s face is bright red and it makes both Queens’ giggle like mad women, leaning into each other.

They round a corner but Adora quickly pulls the queen's back and behind the wall. Standing there were two horde soldiers. Both holding guns standing in attention in front of a door. Beyond them is the hallway they need to get to.

“They’re blocking the way, '' Adora whispers, turning to the Queens’ and showing them the trackpad. Nala peeps around the corner and eyes Cyra.

“Me and Cyra will sneak up on them-” Nala says, planning to pull her sword from her belt.

Nala ducks behind the wall again as the door the soldiers were guarding bangs open and a horned hybrid dashes through. “Ok, I got it. let's go” she says, turning to the guards.

They raise their guns and charge after the hybrid. Their steps fade in the distance and away from Cyra. “The only thing down there is Catra,” she whispers, pointing to the map. After the little dot marked ‘Catra’ there’s open water. The barge ends.

Adora tilts her head and looks down the hallway. Nala and Cyra turn towards each other but when they hear gun shots, they are all sprinting down the hall after the soldiers.

Around the corner is the last door in the hallway. two Horde soldiers stand in front of it shooting wildly and uncoordinatedly at the three soldiers from before.

They’re hiding in two alcoves meshed into the wall, barely staying out of the way of the firing bullets. Cyra and Nala dodge back behind the corner but Adora turns her sword into a shield. Standing in the fire like an idiot.

“Your shield is the size of a dinner plate” Nala hisses, trying to yank Adora behind the wall. “They’ll just shoot you in the legs!”

“Who are you? The horned girl asks. Pointing her gun at the blonde. Adora doesn’t even flinch. Either she really is She-ra and has the co*ckiness of her. Or she’s a f*cking idiot.

“ We’re here to save Catra, who are you?'' The horned girl smiles, large and bright. She lowers her gun.

“Omg, we are here to save Catra,'' she gestures to her helmeted buddies. “She used to ref my soccer team!”

“She gives us free healthcare.” One of the soldiers says waving his gun in greeting.

“We like free healthcare,” says the other.

“Let’s team up?” the horned girl asks, gesturing to Adora and the Queens’.

“f*ck yeah” Cyra rolls her eyes at Adora’s enthusiasm.

“This girl” she mumbles resting her head against the wall.

“She’s gonna get herself killed,” Nala says.

“I have the password, I just need to upload it to the door. “ the horned girl gestures to her tablet. “You get me over there, I get you in.”

Adora nods and gives the girl a thumbs up. She turns towards the queens’ with a smile. Cyra closes her eyes and shakes her head.

Adora grows the shield big enough to hide all three of them and sets it up in front of the hallway. Bullets ping off it like pebbles.

Nala and Cyra squeeze in behind Adora and walk in time with her as she approaches the shooting guards, keeping sure to stay behind the shield. As they pass the horned girl they receive an enthusiastic thumbs up.

The shooting soldiers start to shout as Adora nears. When they realize they’re bullets aren't doing anything they shout threats. Once Cyra is close enough she jumps out from behind Adora and grips the barrel of the gun forcing it to the floor and punching the soldier in the face. He stumbles but reaches for a knife attached to his hip.

Nala jumps out on the other side and grips the other soldier’s barrel, ripping it up and out of the soldiers hands before kicking him right in the groin. Cyra winces in sympathy.

The horned girl jumps out of her hiding spot and sprints for the control pad beside the door, plugging her tablet into it. Her friends come out and aim their guns at the Horde soldiers. Said soldiers freeze, their hands in the air.

“Ah come on!” one mutters, kicking at the floor.

“Almost…” the hybrid mutters, her eyes focused on the loading bar of her tablet. Cyra and Nala’s eyes are focused on the door waiting for it to open. they don't notice the soldier reaching for his discarded gun.

“There!” The door opens to a dark room. Barrels of green liquid glow on either side of the walls. In the middle, surrounded by a pool of sizzling goo, lies a crumpled Catra, her head resting limply against the floor.

“Catra!” Adora immediately rushes in, narrowly missing being shot as the rogue soldier tries to get one last hit off. Nala jumps him, slamming him into the floor and knocking his helmet off. Nala socks him hard in the face and takes the gun.

Cyra rushed for the door but while the bullet had missed Adora it had slammed into the control pad. The door blares red before banging shut. Cyra slams against the closed door.

“No! No!” she bangs on it and the control panel. “Let me in!” she shouts at the horned girl.

“I- i-” the soldier hurriedly taps against her tablet but it's no use. The control panel is a black, charred, mess. Cyra growls and turns to Nala.

“Call that tech girl, now!”

—----

“Catra!” Adora runs to the slumped form. Sliding on her knees the rest of the way. She gently turns Catra on her back. A pained groan comes from the magicat. Adora gasps at the deep gash running along the side of her face.

“Ok, ok, don't worry, Im here,” she hugs the magicat to her chest and winces as she feels a couple ribs move unnaturally. “ im here, i'm going to take you home” Adora doesn't get a response but she decides the furrow in Catra’s eyebrows in an agreement. The Blonde lifts Catra into her trembling arms but a slow clap makes her look up.

“Hordak '' she growls, pulling her sword closer with one hand and clutching at Catra with the other. She looks down at the machine in front of them and freezes. It's the portal, modified but undeniable.

“I expected She-ra to be taller.” he mocks, he steps towards the pair slowly and calculatedly. His eyes glow a neon green instead of their usual red. White pupils staring down Adora.

“I won't let you have her or She-ra” the blonde growls, pulling Catra closer. A pained grunt comes from the girl and she coughs, blood spitting from her mouth. Her eyes slowly open but she doesn’t seem to even recognize Adora.

“Oh, but I already have both of you” he smiles and glances at Catra’s limp form. “Catra might remember this one” he holds up a small device and flips a switch.

All the breath is slowly sucked from Adora’s lungs. Catra beside her tries to gasp for air, her eyes opening wide and teary. Adora drops the sword, her hand going for her throat. Hordak walks closer, his gravely laugh grating against Adora's ears.

Catra’s hand lands on Adora’s knees and she looks at the blonde with wide eyes. Her teeth are grit and she mimes closing her mouth to Adora. Adora tilts her head but she’s too frantically trying to grasp for air to understand what Catra is trying to tell her.

That's when she notices Catra’s chest rising, it stutters up before sinking again. Adora looks back at Catra’s eyes and clenches her teeth. She tries with all her might to draw in air. Her ears pop and her eyes feel like they’re bulging from her face but Little sips of cold, burning air filter through her teeth and fill her lungs. tears stream from her eyes.

It's hard, like sucking air in through a thin straw and she has to strain to get enough to be able to breath back out. But it's enough. Adora refuses to look away from Catra until Hordak draws near.

“You Etherians are so very fragile” he says, circling the pair. Catra’s limp in Adora’s arms. Adora can't tell how much is her pretending to be weak for Hordak’s sake but she’s not taking any chances, so she waits.

“As soon as the sword touched the portal my brother’s message was sent to me and I was able to see his mind. But not this planet '' Hordak stops in front of Catra and looks down at the feline. “He has little love for you my sister but I could see how useful you were. All creatures have a place in my light”

Adora stays still as Hordak pulls back her head by her ponytail, his breath hot against her ear. “And you, the mighty She-ra, failure of Etheria.” his voice grates against Adora’s ears. “All i need now is a doorway to enter through, and you planet is mine”

Hordak releases her and brushes none existent lint from her shoulder, “but do not worry little sister, your legacy will live on..” he smiles sad*stically. “In my hall of trophies,”

Hordak bends to pick up the sword and she springs into action. A swift punch to the face and a lunge for the sword sends Hordak stumbling back. Catra had another idea. She lunges for the little device that flies from Hordak’s hands.

She reaches it just as Hordak regains his composure. Adora sucks in a deep breath of air as Catra flips the switch. It causes a head rush and a wave of dizziness but her grip on the sword tightens. And so does Hordak’s

Adora kicks Hordak in the groin and Hordak grunts in pain but it only succeeds in knocking them both down in her weakened state. The sword goes flying near the munilated portal and Adora's stomach drops. It trembles where it lays then shakes and Adora lunges for it but it flies like a magnet to its place on top of the portal.

She wasn’t the only one who lunges for it, Catra runs past her trembling frame. Sprinting for the sword. Hordak didn't lunge for the sword at all. He lunged for the lever. Adora’s stomach drops.

She yells, “Catra no!” right as the feline makes contact with the sword. One hand on the handle and the other on the blade. Hordak pulls the lever.

Catra screams.

Chapter 11: No Good Portals

Chapter Text

“Ouch” Bow sticks his finger in his mouth. He’s not going to lie, when Adora told him he didn't have to sneak through a Horde infested barge he was a little relieved. He never gets to stay behind and be the hold down the fort guy.

But now, that he’s been alone with his thoughts and a crazy scientist, he’s starting to wish he went with Adora. He loves Entrapta but the girl doesn't understand what rewiring an engine without gloves feels like. It feels like burnt fingers. He swears he’s starting to bleed.

He also can’t stop thinking about Glimmer. They had left her behind. This was supposed to be a quick little mission. In and out just like Adora said. But now they've been here for at least a day and are sneaking onto Horde ships! Dangerous Horde ships!

Bow hadn't lied to the girl per say. But he had snuck out before she woke up. Leaving a note? That was so stupid of him. He should have told her face to face. He shakes his head and sighs, sticking his hand back into the control panel.

“Are you ok?” Bow gives a little squeak when Entrpata appears behind him like a ghost, accidentally shoving his finger into a port and sending a shock jolting up his arm.

“Gah” he shouts, slamming his head against the engine. Entrapta winces.

“I'm not great at social cues, but that didn't sound ok.”

“Yeah I don't think so either!” comes Calico’s echoey voice. Tigger quickly shushes her.

Bow rests his head against the cool metal and takes a breath. “I'm worried about Glimmer, I mean we just left her there. Alone! The best friend squad has split up!”

He pulls away and turns towards Entrapta. “And she's been talking with Shadow Weaver a lot” Entrapta’s eyebrows drawn together and she hums. It sounds like a bad hum. It was definitely a bad hum.

“what? “ he asks, crossing his arms over his stomach.

“Talking with Shadow Weaver is never good,” she says, pulling a pair of gloves from her hair. “Whenever Catra would come back from a conversation with Shadow Weaver she would make rash and under informed decisions. Which wasn't like her.” She hands Bow the gloves and pulls a track pad from her hair.

Bow bites his thumb, “she wanted to use The Heart of Etheria to destroy the Horde”

“Oooh that wouldn't be a good idea.” Entrapta says “setting off The Heart of Etheria would not only destroy the planet but would be extremely painful for all the princesses. It's a good thing Scorpia isn't connected to her Runestone”

“Why is that a good thing?”

“The Heart of Etheria wont work unless all the princesses have a connection. So no one can set it off as long as Scorpia is disconnected.”

“Well that's reassuring” he says, leaning against the engine. “What if glimmer tries to set it off?” he looks up at Entrapta but sighs when he realizes she’s not paying attention.

“Do you want to see my findings?” she asks and Bow rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, let me see them.” He leans over her shoulder, a little image of Etheria sits with little princesses standing around it. he jumps a little when a call starts to comes in. He and Entrapta exchange glances. Entrapta answers it.

“Entrapta! Get here now! Adora and Catra are trapped in Hordaks Weird room!” Cyra’s shaky hands show them a burnt out control panel. Bow’s stomach drops. This was supposed to be an easy recon mission. In and out and no one gets hurt.

He’s starting to think whenever Adora says easy she really means f*cking hard.

“Just tell us how to get the door open!” Nala says, already poking around in the ruined panel.

“We’re coming!” Bow says, grabbing his arrows from beside the engine. Entrapta is already running from the room, tracking pad in hand.

—---

“Did they really just leave us? What if someone comes in and I don't know, tries to kill us?” Tigger asks, turning to his sister. Calico just shrugs and jumps up from her spot on the floor. When the girl had told him they were going to go help save Catra he thought that meant they were allowed to go. Not that they would be sneaking through the vents.

“Come on, let's see what all the fuss is about” she says, taking his hand and dragging him up. “There's no guards up there, we’ll just take a look.”

“I don't know calico, '' Tigger says, eyeing the escape hatch.

“Oh, ok I get it.'' Calico says, already halfway up the ladder, she stops and raises an eyebrow at Tigger. “your a puss*”

Tigger’s mouth drops open, “am not!” he hurries after Calico as she quickly climbs the last of the rungs with a laugh. He scrambles after her grumbling all the way.

“Woah” he mumbles, looking up and at the giant engine. “What is that?”

“Entrapta said it was an engine.” Calico taps a nail on the metal. “Looks like a hunk of junk to me”

Tigger crawls the rest of the way out of the hatch. When he stands Calico is just standing there. Looking at the machine.

“Do you think Catra is going to be ok?” she asks, eyes trained on the massive engine. “Mom sounded scared over the tablet.

“Catra is going to be fine, '' Tigger says, looking away from the kit. “You’ve met her, she’s hard as a rock. I don't think anyone can mess with her

Calico sniffs and hugs her arms around herself. “I know we've just met her but she’s our sister. I- i- care about her '' she turns to Tigger, her ears are drooped and her tail drags against the floor. “I don't want her to die” Tigger takes a sharp breath and pulls Calico in for a hug.

Calico doesn't remember Catra from before. And Tigger barely does. He remembers flashes. A cute smile, a mischievous laugh. but He remembers one thing more than the rest. Catra, climbing up the cabinets with little fingers to get something for him.

She had walked him and seen him crying, looking up at the top shelf of the pantry. She had hurried over on nimble limbs and held his face in her hands. Asked him what was wrong.

Tigger had pointed to the top of the shelf. Catra’s ears had dropped at the height, her eyes nervous. But she had set her jaw and climbed up there to retrieve it.

“Catra isn't going to die, mom will make sure of it. You know that.” Calico buries her head into her brother's shoulder, sniffling.

He had made sure to do the same thing for Calico, after Catra was gone. It was his job now to be the older sibling. Take care of his sister. Make sure they didn't get into too much trouble, or ate anything that could kill them.

Even though he had barely even gotten to know her. That all he can remember of her are snippets of days and flashes of moments. He had missed Catra like a lost limb.

Or at least that’s what mom said this feeling was. Phantom pains of something that was no longer there. An older sister he could no longer lean on. No longer talk to.

The door to the room slides open and both Calico and Tigger look up hopefully. Standing there is not Catra but a Horde soldier. Said Horde soldier drops their gun in shock. The three people stare at each other.

The soldier quickly Scrambles for their gun and Calico and Tigger spring into action. As the soldier bends over Calico knees him in the face and Tigger hits the close door button. The door slams shut on the soldier's arm, causing him to cry out.

Tigger opens it again and Calico pulls the soldier into the wall, hard. the soldier slides to the ground, his head lulling to the side

Calico and Tigger look out the door. Standing there is the soldier's companion. Coffee cup in hand, tool box in the other. Calico and Tigger look at each other and then at the soldier.

The man squeals and drops his coffee. Tigger makes a run for him but he then drops the tool box and collapses to the floor like a ragdoll.

“Is that what I looked like?” Calico asks, thinking back to when Catra made a move towards her

“Yep,” Tigger says, popping the ‘p’ he pulls the tool box away from the soldier And grabs a wire from it.

“How embarrassing,” she mutters, pulling the soldier's arms behind his back. Tigger ties him up.

“It's called self defense” the soldier defends, sounding slightly offended.”I'm sorry which one of us is beat up. Me? Or Mr bedtime over there.”

“You could have at least tried, '' Calico says, making him sit down next to his sleeping companion and tying his feet.

“I don't get paid enough for that” he mutters, knocking his tied feet together. Calico and Tigger glance at each other with barely constrained smiles.

“Did somebody say Swift Wind?” a horse white and winged stands posed in the doorway. He glances at the tied up soldiers and then too the kits. “Hey! You look like Catra!”

“You know Catra?” Calico asks, skipping up to the thing.

“Of course I know Catra!” the horse says, ducking under the door frame. “She’s Adora’s boo thang. Or at least that's a working theory of mine. Im calling it, ‘lovers across enemy lines’”

“Wait, you can talk?” Tigger asks, taking a step back.

“Why does everyone always get stuck on that part” the horse mutters, his wings drooping. He appraises the officers tied against the wall. “It looks like we have two prospective revolutonists!” he prances around the room.

“How would you feel about being part of my army!” He smiles at the two kits. Calico and Tigger glance at each other, they shrug.

—---

The portal lets off a flash of light so bright it feels like Adora’s retinas have burned off. The walls of the Barge seem to break apart on impact, white cracks splitting and running up the hull. The pieces falling backwards and into a white abyss.

Catra is still gripping the sword like she can't let go. Her teeth clamped together tight enough to crack them. Tears leak from her eyes. The sword sends electricity sparking off of her like she’s a conductor.

“Catra!” Adora moves to go to her but when Catra’s head whips towards her the portal crackles like a sparkler and collapses in on itself. Crumpled like a can. Catra’s eyes widen right before-

The blast sends Catra flying. She crashes into the wall, her back impacting hard enough to send the already crumbling pieces of it into the abyss. She goes sailing over the side of a cliff with yelp. Her mask slides across the floor and towards the portal. She grapples for the edge of the cliff.

Adora lunges for her. Sprawling across the floor and grasping Catra’s hand just as it disappears over the edge. The air knocks out of her lungs as Catra’s falling body weight almost pulls Adora over the edge. The blonde grunts and grapples for purchase with her other hand.

“I got you, I got you” she begs the universe that she really does. Catra hangs from her hand like a ragdoll, looking down into the white void she almost fell into.

“Adora” she says it like she can't really believe the blonde is really here. Like a prayer, “hey” she smiles, crooked and so snarkily at her that Adora chokes out a laugh.

“Hey, hey” Adora tries to reach down with her other hand to pull Catra up but moving it almost sends her careening off the edge. Her hand grips the cliff for support. Her arm is too weak to pull Catra up by itself.

“Just, uh. Can you grab onto me?” She looks back up at the girl but Catra is smiling sadly at her. She lifts her other arm and Adora's eyes widen. The part of Catra’s arm that was touching the metal of the sword is burnt to a crisp, bloody and black. The fur up to her elbow is replaced with the molten lava look.

“You really came back for me?” Catra asks, looking at Adora like she really can't believe it.

“Yes! Of course I did. Coming back for you is the only thing I wanted to do since I left,” Catra's smile widens, her teeth glinting in the light of the void. Tears leak from her eyes,

“What a touching scene” Hordak struggles up from where the blast knocked him over, “too bad it's coming to an end,” he stumbles for Adora, picking up the smoldering sword from where it lay.

“Adora” the blonde's head whips back to wear Catra is smiling at her. “You're going to have to let me go,” she whispers, her teeth covered in blood.

“No, no no no” Adora says, tightening her grip on Catra’s hand. “Stop, stop right now, I'm not letting you go. Never again.”

Catra is looking at Adora like she used to when they were kids. She’s looking at Adora like she just said something stupid. She’s looking at her like she would after muttering ‘this is not because I like you’. This time that isn't what Catra says. She says the real thing.

“I love you” it's barely above a whisper but Adora hears it all the same. She gasps, her hand tightening in Catra’s slipping hold. Tears trail down the bridge of her nose and fall into the abyss.

“Then stay! If you love me just stay! please!” above her Hordak lifts the sword of protection above his head, a wicked smile splitting a gash across his face.

“I love you too much to stay '' Catra gives her that crooked smile one more time. The one where her canine sticks over her lip. And she lets go. Falling into the void.

Adora screams. Broken and barely more than a sob.

—------

“How do I open this damn door!” Cyra growls, shaking the tablet like that will get her the answer faster. The explosion that happened on the other side just moments ago isn't comforting anyone.

Nala runs her hand through her hair. Her baby was just lying there. Unmoving. She looked- no she can't be. This isn't like last time. Nala will make sure of it.

The video from the other side of the tablet is just a sprinting Bow and Entrapta. The film is so shaky that they can only make out voices.

“Is it a slide or does it have a handle?” Bow asks, gasping for air between his words.

“It's a slide!” Nala says, from where she's poking around in the control box. The whole thing is a fried crisp and she’s debating whether or not to go over and punch the sh*t out of that soldier.

The horned hybrid had her friends search and strip them of anything else. They backed them into the corner now, their hands tied with their socks.

“Ok, ok!. There should be a little box on the side of the door.” Nala scrambles for it. The outline of a control panel indebted into the wall.

“How do I open it?!” She sticks her nails into the seam but the panel doesn't budge. She doesn't have stainless steel nails like Catra.

Cyra scrambles, handing the tablet to Nala and shuffling around in her pockets. “I- I, I have-” she moves beside Nala and pulls a little device from her pocket. The same one Adora used to cut a hole in the hull of the ship.

She raises it to the panel but her hands are shaking so much that she can't get a clean cut in. Nala gently takes the device from her. Looking into her wife's eyes trying her hardest to convey that everything is going to be alright.

Even though their daughter was lying in a puddle of green liquid and blood. Even though their daughter looked-

Nala quickly but surely lasers The panel open, it falls with a thunk and Nala shoves it out of the way. Wires, hundreds of them criss cross haphazardly across the space.

“Now what!? Now what!?” Nala shouts at the tablet. Bow gasps for air and holds up the screen.

“Are there red wires? Any?”

Cyra looks but Nala knows she won't see anything, magicats have a hard time seeing red or orange. “I- I-”

“We’re color blind!” Nala shouts at the track pad. The Horned hybrid shoves her way between them .

“Here!” She pulls a wire out of the mess and turns towards the tablet.

“Cut it!” Entrapta shouts from where she’s running down the hall. The soldier takes the knife strapped to her belt and severs the wire. The door flashes red and slowly slides open. Nala ducks under the door before it even reaches the midway point.

It's empty. No one here. Not even Adora. There's no doors on the walls. No where they could have escaped.

“They're gone!” Nala spins but the only thing in the room are the growing incubators and the circle of teck junk.

“Holy Hordak” Entrapta mutters, sprinting into the room. She stares at the machine that sits in the middle of the room. “This is bad”

“What is it?” Bow asks, ducking into the room.

“That's the portal machine. But modified” she says, her eyes wide as she looks at the extensions to the portal. “They may have been sucked into a pocket dimension.”

“What?” Cyra asks, walking up to the circle. Her baby was sucked into another dimension?! Nala hesitantly touches the portal but the machine remains dark and unmoving.

“Well maybe not, it could just be an altered reality or another universe” Entrapta flits around the machine, opening and closing panels and poking around in the wires. “It- it looks like Hordak was trying to get to Prime’s army.”

“I'm sorry, who’s Prime?” Cyra asks, almost hysterically. Her hands are clenched and her eyes have slit like paper.

“Not important” Nala cuts in. “How do we get to Catra?”

“Can we get them out?” Bow asks, turning to Entrapta, the girl looks unsure.

“I- i don't know” she pulls her trackpad from her hair. “But i can find out” she runs to a desk of monitors and plugs her trackpad into the screens.

—--------

Adora freezes. She can still feel Catra’s hand, warm and alive and there. The sight of it slipping from her fingers flashes over and over again in her mind. Catra being swallowed up by the voice.

Then she can’t really feel anything. Hordak swings the sword down on her neck. Adora flips and grabs the blade. She grits her teeth. The sharp edge cuts into her hand but she doesn't feel it, blood drips down her forearm.

“For the Honor of Grayskull!”

She-ra rips the sword from Hordak’s grip by the blade and kicks his feet out from under him. The man falls but brings his forearm up as Adora swings the sword down on his chest.

The sword of Protection bites into his armor but doesn't make it all the way through. He pulls a knife from his belt as She-ra yanks the sword from his forearm to take another swing. He stabs her in the leg.

She falls to her knees with a yell. Hordak takes the opportunity to punch her across the face. The force of it turns her entire body to the side. She turns back slowly with a growl, her teeth grit.

She lunges with the sword and knocks Hordak to the floor, forcing the sword down slowly on his neck with both hands. He throws his forearms up to block the hit but She-ra’s strength moves the blade closer and closer to his adams apple.

Adora’s eyes blur as tears escape her eyes and land on the sword.

A flicker of red on its surface makes Adora look up, lying next to the portal is Catra’s mask. The one she’s been wearing since she was a kit. The one that used to have green and yellow rocks in it. The one Catra would pretend was her crown.

She-ra flickers and Hordak’s eyes widen.

The edges of the floor start to crumble and fall into the abyss. The piece below Hordaks head and shoulders cracks and plunges into the void. Hordaks head and upper body tips back on the edge.

He uses the leverage the new angle gives him and plants his feet on Adora’s hips pushing her up and over his head. Adora, distracted, flips. Hordal rips the sword from her hands. She-ra disappears completely. Adora’s eyes widen and she grapples for the edge.

The walls of the void creep in on Adora. The white nothingness is hot and burns the hair on the back of her legs. She sticks her fingers in the cracks of the floor and pulls with all her might.

She barely yanks her upper body up from the edge when Hordak takes the back of her shirt and pulls her up the rest of the way. He holds the sword to her neck.

“Nice try, little sister. But you can't defeat me.” he glances at the Sword of protection and raises an eyebrow. “Such a pitiful creature. So weak. You let your emotions control the unimaginable power you possess.”

He forces her to her knees and bends her back, her hair singes and sizzles as it nears the portal walls. Tears stream from her eyes as she looks into Hordaks white pupils. The heat is unbearable. Burning at her peach fuzz and crackling loud and deafening.

A sudden loud and unrestrained cackle erupts through the small platform.

A hand, black and fizzy reaches out of the portal. Hordaks eyes widen as it lands on his shoulder. It sizzles where it makes contact. Then a face, half shrouded in black and unmistakable Catra. Slowly emerges from beside Adora. A wide, unnatural smile splits across the disfigured face.

Adora’s eyes widen.

“Weak? You think she’s weak?” her voice is layered over and over, like she’s speaking through a fan. a disfigured black hand flashes from the white wall and at Hordak, nails dragging across his face.

Adora ducks out of the way as Catra steps out of the void like it's a waterfall. Most of her upper body is covered in blackness. She rips the sword out of Hordaks hands and throws it to Adora.

“I'll show you weakness” Catra stomps on Hordak’s knees sending it bending in an unnatural direction and Hordak grunts. Adora scrambles out of the way as the Hordak collapses. The knife buried in her leg burning like it's on fire.

Adora runs for the portal, sword in hand. She pleads with the gods and holds the handle in a tight grip.

“For the honor of grayskull!”

She-ra raises the sword over head and eyes the walls of the shrinking void. Hopefully destroying the portal will bring them back and not- you know- kill them.

—----
Entrapta looks at everybody one more time. Nala and Cyra holding the prongs from the monitors into either side of the portal. Bow, securing a piece of first one’s tech where the sword should be.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” he asks, taping the piece in place.

“It should,” Entrapta says running for the lever, “once I pull the lever it should push Adora, Catra and.. Hordak right back out of the shadow dimension…… If they’re still alive” she mutters that last part, eyeing Nala and Cyra.

Bow grits his teeth and runs back to the monitors, he watches the energy levels go up on the screen. The First One’s tech was a lucky find. Something Hordak had been using to grow his clones. And had just enough energy for what Entrapta needed it for.

“Ok!” he says, turning around once there's enough energy.

Entrapta glances around once more before closing her eyes and pulling the lever. The flash of light is bright enough to see through her eyelids and the sound of the portal collapsing in on itself screeches against her ears.

The ceiling above the portal bends and cracks against the force of the portal opening. It burns bright red before blowing open.

“Catra!” Nala and Cyra drop their prongs and run for the figures huddled on the ground in front of the portal. She-ra neals bent over on the floor, holding a limp Catra.

On the other side of the portal, Hordak crawls away. His legs are bent unnaturally and his nails dig into the metal. Entrapta’s eyes widen.

“Hey, hey, look at me” She-ra holds Catra’s cheek in her hand. The fur there is soaked in blood but a smile is splitting Catra’s face. Small and weak but there. She’s looking at Adora like she can't believe she’s really there.

“Hey, Adora” her voice is scratchy but there and so undeniably her. Tears stream from Adora’s eyes. Her smile turns co*cky. “You jumped into a collapsing portal for me?” Adora laughs and pulls Catra closer. The girl winces but wraps her arm around Adora’s neck, nuzzling into the hug.

“Stop sacrificing yourself” the blonde mumbles, rubbing her temple against Catra’s. “It's not funny anymore”

“You thought it was funny the first time?” the feline chuckles, pulling slightly away from the blonde.

“Catra” Nala breathes, sliding to a stop in front of the girls. Cyra right behind her. “Saz,” she mutters, gently taking Catra from Adora’s arms. The blonde smiles at the Queens before shifting to a stand.

She bends and yanks the knife embedded in her leg out, hissing from the pain. She-ra’s legs wobble as she walks over to the weak, and crawling Hordak. She lifts him by the lapel of his clothes.

“You will never defeat me” he mutters, his voice weak and barely there. “I am the ruler of the-”

I already have” Adora interrupts,

“I will always come back, and next time I'll bring my army” he smiles, his breath gurgling in his chest.

Adora tilts her head confused. Then it hits her. She drops hordak with a grunt. A searing pain screams through all of her cells. Adora tries to breathe but the pain coming from her body drops her to her knees, her hand tightening on the sword that's started to glow.

“Adora?” Catra, looks over to the trembling former. Quickly stumbling up and over to her. “Adora? Hey? What's wrong?

“I- '' she wheezes, her eyes widening and unfocused. She starts to glow. Catra takes She-ra’s head in her hands. “Adora?” the blonde opens and closes her mouth but nothing but a pained whimper comes out.

f*ck” Entrapta mutters, pulling her track pad from her hair. “Glimmer really did it”

Bow freezes, his eyes widening, “she didn't” he sounds like he doesn't believe it himself.

“Gah” Adora grunts, her eyes glow and she can’t seem to breath in any air. Catra cradles her face.

“What's happening?” she cries, turning to Entrapta. The princess covers her mouth.

“Glimmer connected the last pieces of the heart”

“What does that mean?”

“It means she has balanced the planet” she turns in Adora’s direction. “and they’ve turned Adora into the ultimate weapon. “

Adora yells tears streaming from her eyes. First One’s writing scribbles itself up her arms and a neck. Her sword is lifted up seemingly against her will. She screams and slams it back down into the floor. Skewering the metal

“No. no” she mutters, straining against the weapon, her arms trembling and her teeth grit. Catra’s hands flit around her face. Not knowing what to do. Adora grunts as her eyes glow a bright blue, the light streaming off of her concentrates and flashes, Adora screams.

Catra looks up, her eyes widening at the dark sky that has been turned into a pink, glittering stream. “What is that?” she asks, whipping her head to Entrapta.

The girl smiles in wonder as she looks up at the sky. “Its a Portal! A massive one! With the planet balanced its portal capabilities must be back online! We’re being pulled through!”

“How do I help her!” Catra yells at the scientist. Entrapta freezes and turns to Adora. Her face twisted in a grimace

“It's too late.” Catra looks up at the sky and freezes.

“Its-” Nala mumbles looking up through the sky light.

“Stars” Catra finishes tightening her grip on Adora. The Blonde yells light and tears shining from her eyes,

“She’s going to fire the weapon” Entrapta mumbles her eyes staring at Adora.

“No! I wont be controlled! I am no one's weapon!” Adora stands, straining against the magic that has a tight grip on her. She grunts as the sword seems to try to fl away from her, shining towards the sky like a beacon. She flips the sword around in her grip and slams it against the floor.

The sword of protection shatters.

Adora!” the blond collapses into the feline's arms. No longer She-ra.

Hordak starts to laugh, bloody and weak. “I told you I always came back. And now you will suffer for your insolence” his pupils roll back into his head.

Catra glances up through the sky hole and at the stars. f*cking stars and green ships that flash into Eheria’s orbit.

“Catra!'' Cyra whips her head around, her heart dropping at the green light shining through the ceiling. Nala runs for her daughter but Catra scrambles to shove Adora out of the green light. The blonde collapses to the floor.

Catra and Nala fizzle disappear along with the green beam.

“Catra?” Adora asks, struggling up and turning around. Her eyes widened at the empty space. “Catra!?” Cyra covers her mouth with her hand.

Chapter 12: We All Live on a Yellow Horde Ship

Chapter Text

Glimmer takes Scorpia’s claw and drags her quickly beside the door jam, checking behind their backs for Horde soldiers. This was not what she thought the Frightzone would be like. The whole place is in ruins. Barracks crumble as they pass them and Hordak’s building was so easy to get into it was like all security took the day off.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Scorpia asks, her claws tip tapping anxiously, “I mean the last time I was here Hordak was already in a terrible mood.”

“Yes,” Glimmer says confidently. “If we can re-balance the planet and connect you to your runestone, the magic in the heart will make all of the princesses stronger.”

“But Adora said the magic is unstable, dangerous” Scorpia opens the door for Glimmer and the Princess peaks into the hallway. The whole thing is abandoned. Scrap metal strewn across the floor and the light flicker like a horror movie.

“Everything has a risk,” Glimmer says, sneaking into the hallway. “But if this works, and Light Hope said it would, the power we will achieve will help us defeat the Horde once and for all.” She smiles at Scorpia, bright and excited. “The war will be over!”

Scorpia looks a little more assured and she smiles at Glimmer. “Yeah, and I mean I've kinda always wanted to have a connection with my runestone anyways.”

That the spirit " Glimmer punches Scorpia on the arm. The scorpion had been indecisive the whole way here. Should I do it? Should I not do it? It was actually starting to stress glimmer out. If someone else was as nervous about this as her. Maybe taking the risk isn't a good idea,

Scorpia turns to Glimmer nervously, “what's it like? Being connected to one?”

“It's like.. Being connected to something, bigger than yourself” she smiles at Scorpia reassuringly.

“That sounds nice”

Glimmer smiles wider and wraps her arm around the big girl. This is the right decision. Once Glimmer balances the planet Adora and Bow will see this really was the right choice. She isnt making a mistake, she’s sure of it.

The girls freeze as the sound of footsteps, Scorpia and Glimmer duck in an alcove, flattening themselves against the wall.

“It's clear” a voice whispers, footsteps start to hurry down the hall. “Let's go '' multiple footsteps follow her and make their way towards Glimmer and Scorpia.

“Lonnie?” Glimmer grits her teeth as Scorpia steps out of hiding. “What are you doing?”

A group of three freezes in front of the alcove. No, not three, four? “Is that a baby?” Glimmer asks, gesturing to the thing strapped to the lizard hybrids chest. He protectively covers it. It's definitely a baby, and from the looks of it? It's… hordak’s? nasty!

“Scorpia?” the girl with braids asks, planting her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here? I thought you defected” Scorpia chuckles.

“Well I-” Scorpia taps her claws together. “I mean-”

“We’re here to stop the Horde. So if you're going to try and stop us…” Glimmer holds out her fists, covered in magic. Lonnie raises her hands up.

“How are just the two of you going to do that?” the scrawny kid next to her asks, Lonnie quickly covers his mouth.

“Nope, no trying to stop anyone here” Lonnie says, glancing at her ‘buddies’. “We’re defecting too. This place has gone to sh*t.”

“Yeah, about that. What happened?” Scorpia asks, gesturing to the state the Frightzone is in.

Lonnie sighs and scratches the back of her neck. “After Hordak went off on his mission to Beast Island all the Force captains kinda did their own thing. The cadet program blew up in their faces. Literally. The cadets started blowing sh*t up.”

“Got their hands on the weaponry” Kyle winces, hugging a stunner to his chest.

“Yeah, Kyle was guarding the weaponry” Lonnie dead pans. Rogelio laughs. Or as close to a laugh as he can get. No force captains? No cadets? It's like the Horde is already in ruins.

“Anyway, we’re out of here,” Lonnie says. “And you can come with us if you want Scorpia. You’re one of us”

“Aww” Scorpio starts to tear up. “You guys!”

“Yeah yeah,” Lonnie pats her arm and walks around the big girl.

“I've got some unfinished business but you guys are the best Frightzone family!” She picks Kyle up in a hug. The scrawny kid wheezes.

“Scorpia, we got to go” Glimmer interrupts, tugging on a pincer.

“Yeah, “ she turns and waves to the soldiers. “Those guys are so sweet,” she says to Glimmer, looking over her shoulder at their retreating figures..

“How do we get to the black garnet chamber?” Glimmer asks, pulling Scorpia down the hallway. The girl looks at glimmer and smiles.

“Its just down here” Scorpia says, pointing to a door on the left.

The garnet chamber is in even worse shape than the rest of the Frightzone. As soon as Glimmer opens the door the thing falls off its hinges. The ceiling is completely blown off. Glimmer can see the entire black sky above her.

Glimmer and Scorpia have to climb over the debris littering the floor to even get into the room.

“Oh wow, this place is a little different than I remember,” Scorpia says, moving a piece of debris out of the way.

“It's in ruins” Glimmer mutters looking around. It's like the horde has already defeated themselves. Maybe she shouldn't connect Scorpia to her runestone. She glances at the girl, she looks so excited. Staring at the rock before her with stars in her eyes.

“So, how do I do this?” Scorpia asks, clasping her claws together and looking up at the garnet. Glimmer smiles and lays a hand on the girl's arm.

“I don't know, I've always been connected to mine.” steps back a little as Scorpia approaches the rock.

“Should I just , I don't know, touch it maybe?” she asks, glancing back at Glimmer as if for permission. Glimmer shrugs and Scorpia takes a deep breath. She reaches a claw forward and as she nears it sparks of red electricity jump out.

“I'm going to stand over here,” Glimmer says, teleporting to the otherside of the room. Scorpia smiles sheepishly.

The girl places both her claws and closes her eyes. “Hey, um.. My name is Scorpia? We’re supposed to be connecting? Emotionally?” when nothing happens she chuckles and turns to Glimmer. Glimmer gives her a thumbs up and a smile.

Scorpia signs and closes her eyes again. The rock sparks but this time instead of dying out it jumps to Scorpia whose eyebrows raise. Electricity sparks across scorpion's arms and the girl opens her eyes.

“Holy Hordak” she says, looking at the electricity jumping from her to the rock as she pulls away. “Woah” then she starts to glow.

“Woah” Glimmer repeats, she feels brand new. She smiles at Scorpia, the girl is glowing a bright red. She knew this was the right decision. The Horde will fall and everyone will see that Glimmer-

Glimmer grunts, her ability to breath being sucked from her lungs. Scorpia falls to her knees beside the black garnet.

“Is it supposed to feel like this? She asks desperately. Turning towards Glimmer. Glimmer stutters, collapsing on her hands and knees against the floor. She feels light headed,

Glimmer chokes as the sky around them starts to glow a vibrant pink. “Ghnk” is the only noise she can make in response to Scorpia’s question.

Scorpia grunts and they both have to close their eyes as the world around them flashes. Glimmer looks up and her eyes widen at what she sees. Stars, thousands of them paint the night sky.

Just as quickly as it started it ends and Glimmer falls the rest of the way to the floor, breathing in deep gasps of air.

“What- what was-” Glimmer looks up at Scorpia but out of the corner of her eye she sees… ships? Glimmer looks up at the starry sky. Hundreds of ships flash into Etheria’s orbit. Green and spearlike.

“Glimmer?” Scorpia asks, Glimmer looks down to her but it's like she’s viewing her with green tinted glasses on. Then Scorpia is no longer there and Glimmer feels like her cells are tearing themselves apart.

—-----

Glimmer gasps, as her hands and knees hit solid ground. Vertigo hits her like a truck and she struggles not to throw up. She groans and clenches her eyes shut.

The sound of scuffling makes her look up. She’s surrounded by scrap metal and ruins. The elevated platform she stands on isn't helping with her vertigo. around her, eyes seem to watch from the darkness.

Glimmer looks around the space. Before her is a panel of large monitors and below that a raised platform with a chair situated in the middle. The monitors glow green but are otherwise blank.

Beside her a woman struggles between two identical looking guards. Guards that look just like Hordak. The woman is undeniably feline. An older version of Catra with black fur and white spots.

”let me go you-” they cover her mouth with their hands. Her eyes faze right past Glimmer but when she realizes what she saw her eyes widen and they shoot back to the princess. Muffled yelling is all Glimmer can make out from the woman.

“What were you doing in my little brother's sanctum?” Glimmer turns to the monitors just as the chair on the platform spins. A man, tall and clean, sits. His legs crossed.

“I received a transmission days ago but I could not determine its source,” he says from his throne. Regal and tall. ”and then I detect an energy reading the likes of which I have never seen before.”

Glimmer eyes widen. The Heart. The Heart she set off and almost destroyed the universe with.

“When I arrived, this planet appeared. Was that you?” he walks down the steps of his platform, slowly and calculatedly. Glimmer gulps and takes a step back as the man approaches.

“Where are my manners?” the man asks, but it doesn't doesn't sound anything like a question.

“I am Horde prime, ruler of the known universe. “ he bows, and raises a hand for Glimmer to take. “And you are?”

When Glimmer doesn't answer his eyes flash, literally, they glow a bright green . He slowly smiles. “Ah… royalty?” he lowers his hand , “i apologize for the company” his eyes glance to the woman held back by clones. “ It seems we had a few stowaways.”

“Stowaways?' ' Glimmer chokes out, she feels like there's a rock in her throat.

“I wanted She-ra, the woman with the power to bring this planet here, and my little brother. But it seems I caught two rats instead.”

Two? Glimmer only sees the woman here. Her eyes are murderous as she stares at Prime. What happened to the second person?

“I'll have to retrieve my brother before I bring peace and order to this planet.”

“Peace? You'll leave us alone?” Glimmer asks, hopefully. Maybe she didnt f*ck up as much as she thought.

“Oh no, i can't let word spread about this planet's….. botched conquest, this whole mess must be erased. And you with-”

A weak, scratchy familiar voice speaks up from behind Prime. ‘I wouldn't do that if I were you”

Prime grits his teeth and almost growls. Usually Glimmer’s reaction the voice is the same but the fact that Catra pisses this collected asshole off enough to make him drop his facade makes her fall a little in love with the feline

“And why is that?” Prime turns. The woman beside Glimmer yells some more and struggles in the arms of the clones. Prime stalks towards his stairs.

There collapsed under his throne is a bloody and bruised Catra. Glimmer eyes widen. How did she get here? Last time Glimmer saw her she was on her way to Beast Island.

She’s looking worse for wear, battered and bleeding, but if she’s feeling any pain she ignores it. A bloody smile splits across her face. “Because princess sparkles over there is a part of an ancient super weapon. The whole planet is.”

She laughs sweetly and softly. “You want to use it? You’re going to need her.”

“A super weapon,” he smiles and turns to his monitors. They flicker as show some readings Glimmer could never hope to read.

”stronger than anything I've seen”. Prime turns back to Glimmer, “my apologies your majesty.” he bows, “It is an honor to host a guest of your stature.”

Glimmer swallows as Horde Prime gestures to his guards holding back the feline woman. They tighten their grips and stand straighter.

“Your planet will become the jewel of my empire and allow me to bring peace to the farthest reaches of the universe,” he walks to the collapsed girl at the foot of his throne. “Why don't my brothers show you to your room? I'm sure my little sister could use a break” he growls, grabbing Catra by the arm. The girl yelps and grinds her teeth.

He drags her towards the stairs and throws her into the arms of two more identical guards.

—------

Glimmer huddles herself against the corner of the room, as far away from both Catra and the woman as she can get. The feline woman had picked up Catra as soon as the guards had let her go.

They had opened the door and thrown Catra in like a ragdoll. letting her collapse onto the floor with a groan. The Horde soldier had passed out on the journey here, her head lolling forward and her body going slack in between the clones.

The woman had carefully pulled her into her arms and curled up with her on the bed as soon as the door had gone down. Purring soothingly and brushing tangled knots from Catra’s face.

They’ve been here for hours, maybe even a day and Prime has done nothing. Nothing to them at least.

Catra has woken in spurts. Her misty, unfocused eyes open just for a second and then close again as she shifts in the woman's arms. The woman who is surprisingly gentle and touchy with the former Horde second in command.

The woman catches Glimmer looking and the princess quickly glances away.

“So…. royalty?” the woman asks, smiling warmly at Glimmer. Glimmer slumps, wrapping her arms around her knees.

“Princess Glimmer of Brightmoon” she says, resting her chin on her knees. The woman's eyes widen and Glimmer winces looking away. It seems the whole world knows what she’s done. What death sentence she’s given Etheria. She expects yelling and swearing and hitting. But she gets none of that.

“Queen Nala of Half-moon, at your service” Glimmer's head whips up and she stares at the woman. Half-moon? The Half-moon that was destroyed nearly two decades ago?

“Half-moon?” Glimmer stutters, her eyes wide.

“The very one” the woman smiles, petting down Catra’s wild mane of hair. “But Half-moon has been relocated to Beast Island for the time being.”

Glimmer's mouth drops open. “Beast island” she whispers, glancing at Catra. Catra who was sent to Beast island. Catra who was sent to Half-moon?

Now that Glimmer’s got a good look at her, dread starts to fill her stomach. The magicat is basically half alive. A large gash against one side of her face, her arm is.. Burnt? It's bloody and starting to leave a red splotch on the bed. Her clothes are ripped in multiple places and burnt at the edges.

“Take a picture, it'll last longer.” Catra mumbles, her eyes barely open. She has melted herself into the arms of the Queen, her head resting on the woman's shoulder.

“I-” this is the thing that saved her. Just now from the wrath of Horde Prime. The magicat she couldn't even bother to attempt to try and rescue. Magicat that's now almost half dead and looks like she’s about to pass out. She may have already, her eyes close and her ears droop as her cheek slides against the queen’s shoulder.

“I-” tears fill Glimmer's eyes. How could she be so stupid. How could she be so selfish? This girl has saved her twice now and all Glimmer has done is sentence all of Etheria to death.

“What’s the matter?” Nala looks at her with concerned eyes. Glimmer breaks

“Other than being trapped on an evil dictator's ship? I just f*cked all of Etheria!” Glimmer throws her hands in the air. “What have I done?” She covers her face. “ i thought i was saving us”

“You can’t beat yourself up over it” Nala says, resting her chin on Catra’s head. “That won't help anyone.”

Glimmer's eyes widen. “So you know what I did! What I kept doing even after everyone in my life told me not to! How can you be so nice to me?” Nala sighs and looks away from the princess.

“We all fight for what we think is right,” Nala says, looking at the green door. “We all make mistakes. Sometimes we don't realize it's a mistake until it's too late. And we fought for the wrong thing”

Catra cuddles deeper into Nala arms, a stuttering purr emitting from her. Tears leak from Nala eyes. “Now all we can do is try to make it better.” She hugs the magicat closer to her and runs her fingers through her hair.

“How could I possibly make this better?” Glimmer gestures around her.

“I don't know, but I do know something that’ll make you feel better” Nala tilts her head and furrows her eyebrows. “Maybe”

Glimmer rests her chin on her knees and waits. Nala smiles.

“On Beast island, which is home to the magicats as we discussed, there is a man there named King Micah of Brightmoon.” Glimmer eyes widen.

“My dad?” she whispers, picking her head up and crawling closer to the two magicats. Catra’s nose wrinkles and she tucks her head under Nala’s.

“Yep” the queen whispers back. “And he’s very excited to see you. But he is a little concerned about your kidnapping habits.”

Glimmer glances down to Catra. “She told him about me?” she asks.

“Yep, even paid you a compliment” Nala says, with a smirk. Glimmer freezes. Catra? Paid her a compliment?

“Can you guys stop talking so loud?” speak of the devil, Catra’s scratchy voice speaks up. “I've been split apart and then pierced back together by an interdimensional portal, i think i deserve a nap” Nala winces hugging the girl impossibly closer.

“I miss that rock,” Catra whispers. “The one with the light and the warmth and the passing out. That was a f*cking amazing magical rock, i might steal it”

Nala chuckles, “when we get home you can have as much rock as you want” she glances at Glimmer and sighs, “but first we gotta figure out how to get the f*ck outta here.”

Catra groans. “You guys are no good at scheming” she mutters, lifting herself out of the queen's arms. The queen looks distressed by the act and almost goes to pull the girl back but stops herself. Placing a hand on Catra’s uninjured arm and helping her sit up.

“Lets just go through the vents” she points to a vented square in the wall above the desk. “We could probably take it all the way to the weird teleportation room i saw on the way here”

“You saw what?” Glimmer asks, turning towards the feline.

“Some kind of weird room where they could teleport the clones” she says, grunting as Nala helps her take off her shirt. “I bet it can work for us just fine” she winces but allows Nala to wrap the shirt around her injured arm.

“You really got to stop injuring this arm, or it's gonna fall off” Nala says, her eyebrows pinched in concern. Catra smirks.

“But I wanna be like you” she says innocently, glancing at Nala's missing limb.

Nala squints disapprovingly at her. Catra smiles.

“How do you suppose we get into the vents?” Glimmer asks, looking up at the bolts, Catra winks and stands. Well struggles to, her arms tremble as she places them on the bed to support herself.

“No, stay sitting-” Nala tries but Catra waves her away.

“Im fine,” she struggles over to the table below the vent, Nala poised to catch her the entire way. she crawls onto it, stumbling a little as she straightens. Nala winces.

Catra extends a claw from her fingers with a metallic shink. She digs it into the vent and furrows her brows when it doest even make a dent. “That’s weird.” she mumbles trying for the wall next to it. Her nail goes through like butter. She frowns.

“Um we could dig our way out?” she says, but she doesn't sound very sure. She struggles her way down from the table, taking Nala’s offered hand. She leans into the Queen for support when her feet are planted firmly on the ground. Nala smiles warmly at the girl then her eyes brighten. she digs around in her pockets.

“Try this!” She hands Catra a small metallic piece of tech.

“What is it?” she asks, turning it over in her hand.

“Adora called it a Laser pointer,” Nala shrugs, helping Catra sit in the chair beside the table. Catra starts to chuckle, which turns into a wheeze.

“Entrapta made me a laser pointer? That jerk.”

“ not just that,” Nala says, pointing to a switch. “It also cuts through metal like butter”

—----

“You can't just go shooting in the sky like a wrecking ball, you have no idea where they are.” Cyra says, placing her hands on her hips. Adora clenches her fists across the war table. She is done with people telling her what she can and can't do.

Glimmer told her she can't save Catra. Catra told her to let go. Horde Prime told her she couldn't win. And now everyone is telling her she can’t save the girl she loves. The girl she didn't get to tell she loves.

Catra was there. Less than a foot away from her, touching her! Within Adora’s grasp and then she was gone. Adora had turned around and only Cyra was there, a hand covering her mouth.

Catra was gone but Horde clones were coming. Hundreds of them. Beaming down to Beast Island the same way Catra was teleported up. The army returned to Half-moon and found it taken over, anyone who had not joined the Army against the Barge were… chipped?

Their eyes glowed green and they attacked their own People. Forcing them to retreat back to the barge.

“Well I can't just sit here and do nothing!” Catra was beamed up by a halo of green light to Hordak knows where! Adora isn't going to sit here and wait for her to get tortured. Or worse!. “Catra is up there and i'm not going to wait-”

“ My wife and daughter are up there!” Cyra says, throwing her hands in the air. “But shooting up on an alien space ship and turning ourselves in isn’t going to help anyone!”

“We have to think about this first. Does the Horde have any weaknesses,” Bow asks, tapping his fingers on the makeshift table.

“No” Adora says, slouching in her seat, her eyes burning. she clenches them shut.

“That's right! We do not speak of Horde prime's weakness” they fly open. She whips to where Entrapta and Hordak are sitting on the floor.

“I'm sorry, what?”

“Sorry,” Entrpata says sheepishly, Looking up from her computer. “I'm trying to get rid of Prime’s weird body control effect but this code is-”

“What did you say about Prime’s weakness?” Adora cuts in, standing from her chair.

“Nothing, we do not speak about Horde Prime weakness. He is all powerful”

“I tried to get rid of the programming but now he just says whatever's on his mind.” Entrapta says, scratching the back of her head with her hair.

“What is Horde prime's weakness? '' Adora asks, standing in front of the former Horde leader.

“Nothing, he does not have one. He is the all powerful, the ruler of-”

Adora glances at Cyra who's staring at Hordak like he’s a bird and she’s about to pounce. She slowly turns to Adora with a smile so smug Adora has to look away.

“So Prime does have weaknesses”, Cyra says. Adora pouts and crosses her arms.

The wires plugged into the back of Hordaks head spark and he blinks. “We don't speak of Krytis” he says, then he covers his mouth.

“Krytis?”

“Does not exist” he squeaks, Adora never thought she’d hear Hordak squeak.

“The evidence is kinda piling up against you here” Cyra says, “you’d have an easier time just telling us”

“It does not exist.”

“We can ask Darla” Bow says, “she does have that database of Planets.”

“Oh can we come? Darla’s First Ones coding might crack this!” Entrapta holds up the trackpad connected to Hordak. Bow grimaces. Adora doesn't blame him, she wouldn't want to go anywhere with Hordak Either, even if he’s basically useless now.

“It does not exist!” Said man whispers, staring at the floor like he's trying to convince himself.

“Let's go!” Entrapta excitedly grabs Bow’s hand and drags him after her, out the door. Adora watches them leave and bites her thumb, slouching deeper in her chair.

Cyra comes to stand before her, her arms crossed. She looks concerned. “You haven't slept,” she says, tilting her head.

“Im fine” Adora mutters, looking to where Hordak was sitting, a shell of himself, what if Prime turns Catra into that.

“I know this is a stressful situation” Cyra kneels in front of Adora . “I mean we’re on a boat full of magicats sailing towards Bright-moon, which might have been overrun with Horde clone soldiers.”

“And the people we love have been sucked up towards and evil dictators ship.” she grimaces at how bad her pep talk is. The Queen sighs and sits back on her haunches, “and you horse turned my kids into revolutionists.”

Adora cracks a smile.

“Everything is going to be alright”

“How do you know?” Adora asks, looking up at the woman. Her eyes smile kindly and she places a hand on Adora’s knee.

“Because Nala is the strongest person i've ever met” Cyra says, “and she would never let anything happen to Catra. And Catra is..stubborn-”

“Loyal” Adora says, clasping her hands in her lap with a small smile.

“Strong” Cyra chuckles. “And she won't let anything happen to Nala, they’ll take care of each other.”

Adora looks away, and tries to blink back tears. She and Catra were supposed to take care of each other. That's what Adora said. That as long as they had each other nothing really bad could happen. And then she left. And something really bad is happening.

“I feel like everytime i think I've gotten her back she’s ripped away from me.” she wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand.

“I never wanted to be She-ra, but I had to. It was my destiny. So I left the Horde and I left Catra. And now both of them have been taken from me and i don't know what to do” she sobs, her teeth clenching. Cyra pulls her into a hug.

“Oh darling,” Cyra’s arms are warm and caring. It only makes Adora cry harder when she starts to purr. She sounds like Catra. “Catra and Nala have each other. But they're not the only ones.” she tightens her hold, “me and you have each other. And Catra would kill me if you died. So i'm not about to let that happen”

Adora chuckles wetly. “Nala would kill me if I let you die. So I'm not going to let that happen either.” Cyra laughs.

“Then we have a deal”

Bow’s tablet starts to buzz where it lies on the war table. Cyra looks up and hesitantly pulls away from the blonde. She reaches across the table and picks up the tablet with pinched fingers.

“How do I?” she taps the screen and Adora smiles wetly.

“Here,” she takes the tablet and sets it up on the table, answering the call.

“Bow!” a man who looks surprisingly familiar to the archer pops up on screen, his eyebrows furrow. “Your not bow”

“Nope,” Cyra says, slightly too loud. Adora smiles. She’s really starting to like Catra’s mom.

“Adora!” George shoves his way onto the screen. “Do we have a treat for you!”

“Bright-moon has been overrun with clones!” Adora winces,so that question has been answered. but George still has a large smile on his face.

“And this is a good thing because?” Cyra asks.

“We have been run out of our home!” Lance exclaims.

“That doesnt help your case” Adora says, raising a brow.

“Oh my stars,” George gets closer to the screen. “ I know her. That's the Queen of Half-moon!”

No way!” Lance shoves his face into the screen. His eyes widen. “It is!”

“Can we back up?” Adora asks, pulling the screen closer, “why is it a good thing that you were run out of your home?”

“Because!” George smiles brightly. “ We found something!”

“Bow told us about this super weapon called The Heart Of Etheria.” Lance flips the screen around to show “ And when we were hiding out in these First Ones ruins when we found-”

“-the failsafe!” George exclaims.

Lance deflates. “I wanted to say it”

Chapter 13: Though its Hurting Me, Now it’s History

Chapter Text

“And then you hit the back of my hands with the back of yours” he reaches them out and Calico does the same. “Or is it the front of my hands with the back of yours?”

“This game doesn't make any sense” Calico says, slouching where she sits criss crossed on Darla’s floor.

“It made a lot of sense when I was king” he pouts looking at his hands. “Glimmer loved this game, maybe she can teach it to me again?” Calico smiles reassuringly. She can tell that Micah is trying to keep her busy, keep her from thinking about…. Well, just keep her moving.

Tigger sits in the commander's chair behind her. His legs are thrown over the armrest. He’s doing worse than she is. Silent since mama came back without mom. Without Catra. Cyra had walked onto the deck with her ears flattened to her head, her tail dragging against the floor.

She didn't even blink an eye at the Horde soldiers tied up and lined against the wall. She had taken one look at Tigger and Calico and pulled them into a tight hug, like she thought they wouldn't be here when she got back.

Adora was behind her, holding a broken sword and staring at it like it was a lifeline. She was mumbling to herself too low for Calico to hear. But the look in her eye said it all. Something had happened.

“Mama?” Calico had asked, placing her hand on Cyra’s forearm. “Where’s mom?”. Mama’s eyes had filled with tears and Calico’s stomach,in turn, filled with dread. Tigger had frozen when she told them what happened.

Hadn't said a word when they went down to retrieve the ship. Quiet when Oscar had boarded the barge with food and rations for everyone. Silent when mama told them to get some sleep in one of the spare rooms. In the morning he sat in the commander's chair and hasn't moved.

Tigger’s ears quirk and he looks towards the door. It slides open and an excited Entrapta skips in pushing Hordak infront of her.

“Hey,” Bow wave to the kits closes the door behind him. “How are you guys holding up?” Calico gives him a smile and a thumbs up.

“We’re good!,'' Micah smiles and stands from the floor.``you wouldn't happen to know the rules of Red Hands would you? Or was it Blue hands?” he mumbles looking at his fingers.

“Nope” Bow shrugs, pressing his hand down on the control panel. “Darla?” he asks, looking around. Darla’s holographic bubbles pulls up over the dashboard. “

“How may I assist you, Bow” her metallic voice echoes through the co*ckpit.

“Can you show me Krytis?” The hologram spins and turns into a blue colored planet.

“Krytis is located here in the southern Etherian star clusters' ' the hologram zooms out and pinpoints the planet.

“It is located nowhere because it does not exist,” Hordak says, sitting down where Entrapta points. She plugs her Tablet in his head and into the ship. “And if it did exist we would not speak of it”

“What are we looking at?” Tigger asks, Calico almost jumps when his scratchy voice fills the room. She glances up at him when he stands from the command chair.

“This is Krytis,” bow says, gesturing to the hologram. “Hordak said it is Prime's weakness”

“I said no such thing because It does not exist. Hore Prime destroyed it '' Hordal speaks up, his head sparking a little as Entrpata taps around on her tracking pad.

Bow rolls his eyes and turns back to the hologram, “this could be the key to defeating Horde Prime.”

“And getting mom and Catra?” Tigger asks, walking up to the holographic planet.

“Uh yeah, that's what we’re hoping.” Bow says, glancing concerned at the boy.

“Oh no” Entrapta mutters, lifting her tablet. “This isn't good”

“What?” Bow asks, turning towards the girl. When he sees her grimace he covers his face with his hands. “No, stop, we’ve been through enough”

“I wasn't able to crack Primes brainwashing code, but-” Bow covers his ears.

“I don't want to hear it” he starts to hum.

“Look,” she holds out her trackpad. “Horde Prime is sending reinforcements here, a lot of them. Etheria is going to be surrounded by night fall”

Bow groans and slides down the control panel onto the floor. “Stoooooooop, stop it”

Calico jumps as the ship moves, “did you feel that?” she asks, turning towards Tigger. He dances to her with a frown

“Yeah, what was that?”

“What was what?” Micah asks, glancing around. “I didnt feel anything”

The whole ship rocks to the side, sending rations bars and electronics sliding across the floor.

“I felt that one” Bow says, his eyes widening. “Why do bad things always happen to us!”

“Guys?” Entrapta stands still from where she’s looking out the window. “We have a big problem”

Bow stands from his place on the floor and looks out the window hesitantly. He winces and looks away as soon as he sees it. “How did i know?” he asks.

Uhm” Calico mutters, staring out the windshield. Magicats, a lot of them, green eyes and angry rocks the ship back and forth.

“Give us she-ra!” is the muffled yelling that seeps through Darla’s hull.

“Entrapta?” Bow locks the ship with a press of a button. “Please call Adora.”
—----

Adora fingers the head piece tucked into her belt. Scratched and a little damaged but there. It reassures her that Catra would be alright. She wouldn't die without holding this piece of junk. She once told Adora that she would have to pry it from her cold dead hands. Adora is holding her to that.

“Beneath Mystacor?” Cyra mumbles, tapping heavy handedly on the tablet. Adora had tried to tell her a gentle touch would do but the woman doesn't seem to be able to grasp technology.

“How do we know this crystal of arixia or whatever will do anything?” Adora asks, turning towards the woman. “I mean it might have just been a prototype, or an idea! Who knows if it works” she glances down to Catra’s head piece.

“I know you want to go right now and punch Prime in his big ugly head and carry Catra off like a knight in shining armor” Cyra says, looking up from the tablet. Adora scoffs and folds her arms across her chest defensively. “And I honestly would like to do the same thing for Nala” Cyra continues.

“But our best bet of defeating Prime and saving them is releasing the magic trapped in the Heart and having an entire planet on our side.” She smiles at Adora and places a hand on her arm. “Then we can go punch Prime in his big ugly face.”

Adora deflates but smiles tiredly at the woman, Cyra looks at her, at the bags sitting under her eyes. the magicat sighs.

“you need to sleep,” Cyra says, her eyebrows pinching in concern. “You’ll feel better if you do” She holds Adora's chin between her fingers and gently turns the blonde’s head from side to side jokingly. “Look better too”. She smiles.

Adora laughs and shoves her jokingly away. The woman chuckles.

“Did somebody say Swift Wind?” Adora jumps and spins into a defensive stance. Cyra laughs harder this time, holding her stomach in her hands.

“Catra does the same thing” she giggles, turning towards the horse. “She’ll jump a foot in the air”

Adora quickly straightens and smooths down her jacket. “Foot in the air” she grumbles, “i could jump like two feet”

“Look at this” Swift wind struts in place, “look at my wing! Fit as a fiddle” he strikes a pose.

“Ah yes” Cyra says, placatingly, “looking very spiffy Swiftwind, very Spiffy indeed” she glances at Adora and they both turn to hide their smiles.

Cyra starts to ring. She pulls the tablet from her bag and holds it out like a bomb. “It's happening again” she says, Adora laughs and takes it from her.

“Bow?”

“adora . hi” bow smiles, “we have a small problem” dread pinches at Adora’s lungs. She bites her lip.

“Please, just. Don’t tell me” Adora mutters.

“Adora!” Entrapta takes the tablet from Bow and points it towards Darla's windshield “get here now! We have to go” Adora winces, hard at the horde of magicats, a lot of them, green eyed and angry pounding on Darla’s glass.

“What is happening?” Adora asks, taking a moment to simmer in her despair before running for the door. It swings open to a mob. The deck of the barge is covered in emotionless eyes and chipped necks. It surrounds Darla.

“We have to go now! Horde Prime is sending reinforcements to Etheria. The planet will be surrounded by tonight!” surrounded? That means they wont be able to come back. Adora glances to Swift Wind then back to the mass of magicats.

“I'm coming!” Adora pushes off from the door but Cyra holds her back. The woman's brow is pinched as she looks at the mob. She turns to Adora with an apologetic look.

“No, just go without us!” Cyra tells Entrapta, “we won't be able to fight our way through. And we have a lead on something that could help us win the war” Adora’s stomach drops. There is no way she isn't going with them. This is the only chance of getting anywhere near Catra.

“Cyra” Adora says, trying to tug her arm from the woman's grip. “Let me go”

“There is no way you're running through that mob.” she whispers, gesturing to the angry magicats. “ You’ll be chipped. Like immediately”

Adora looks out at the mass again. They surround the ship like water. Pushing up against the hull and battering against the windshield. Adora squeezes her eyes shut.

“I have to go with them. Catra us is up there.” she looks up at the woman before her. Tears fill Cyra’s eyes.

“We're going to save her and Nala, but to do that we’re going to need some magical help.” Adora turns back to the rising ship, she can see Bow and Entrapta freaking out through the windshield. What if the fail safe isnt real? What if adora is wasting her one chance to reach Catra?

What if the fail safe is real? What if it helps them defeat Prime and save Etheria, save the universe? Catra included.

She grits her teeth and looks away. “Ok, how are we getting out of here?” she tightens her grip on Cyra’s hand. The Queen gives her a small nod and pulls Adora the other direction from the mob. Using the departing ship as a distraction.

Swift Wind clops unsteadily in place. “If we’re going to leave we have to leave now!” he says, looking like he’s itching to fly far far away from here. Adora helps Cyra onto his back and-

“Ok-” Adora yelps as something grabs the back of her shirt, she ducks out of the way of searching hands and kicks the thing in the back of the legs. A magicat falls to the floor with a grunt.

“f*ck” she whispers, facing the Horde of chipped felines surrounding her. A line of very tall armor covered warriors now stand between her and her getaway horse.

“Adora!” Cyra yells, gripping onto Swift Winds maine as he neighs in distress.

“Go!” Adora ducks under the arms of the horde approaching on the other side and runs for the tip of the deck. She sprints past an old lady that reaches out to her, holding a small metallic object.

She jumps onto the railing of the ship and moves her legs faster than she thought possible. She dodges grabbing hands and sprints past lunging bodies. But once she reaches the end of the ship she has nowhere to go. Just sea.

She only has the chance to think about jumping into the ocean for a second before something is grabbing her arm and yanking.

Yanking up. She’s snatched off the ship and dangling in the air above the ocean before she can say “holy Hordak”. she screeches and grapples for the thing that grabbed her. Her hand finds soft fur and she looks up into the mismatched eyes of Cyra.

“You better stop squirming or I'm gonna drop you” the Queen yelps, reaching down with her other arm to pull Adora up. She grabs onto the woman for dear life once she’s finally situated on Swift Wind. her breath coming fast and uneven.

“It's going to be alright” Cyra says, petting down Adora’s hair like an attentive mother. Adora can’t seem to catch her breath. She can only see Darla flying farther and farther away. Her last piece of She-ra, of Mara, leaving her behind.

Her last chance to reach Catra. To save the stupid asshole before she gets herself killed. Her chance to help find Primes weakness. To remotely help the rebellion beat prime in any way is shooting into the sky.

The barge full of angry magicats gets smaller the farther Swift Wind flies.

“Just breathe” Cyra's voice bringing the blonde falling back into her body. Adora takes a large, lung burning breath and hugs the woman tighter.
—----

Catra stretches out on the chair, allowing her heels to dig into the floor. Her ribs scream a little everytime she moves and this is the only position that doesn't make her want to cry. Glimmer sits across from her, eyeing her from time to time with a… distrustful glare? Catra can't really tell and she’s not getting paid enough to try and decipher it.

Catra flips the laser in her paw. The cool metal gives little relief to the burn there but enough that she tightens her hold. Catra remembers the first time Entrapata gave her one. The scientist had used it to distract Catra from a piece of tech she wanted. Catra had gone crawling up a wall, no control of her body.

Catra smiles at the memory. Flipping the piece of tech in her grasp.

“Are you sure this plan is going to work? I mean you might have crawled through the vents like a rat back in the Fright Zone but these are different. cleaner” Catra narrows her eyes at the sparkly princess. Did she really just compare her to a rat?

“You got a problem with me sparkles?”

“Yeah actually, you spend your entire life being a horrible person but as soon as you spend one afternoon under a magic rock you decide you want to be a good guy? Doesnt make any f*cking sense.”

“It was a really nice rock” Catra defends, tucking the device into her pocket and touching the photo in her waistband.

“And saving us back in the fright zone? What even was that?”

“I'm sorry, did you want me to let him kill you?” Catra asks, confused.

“Of course not i- gah” Glimmer throws her hands in the air. “Of course I wanted you to save us. It's all Adora has ever wanted.” Catra looks away. Her ears drooping. Nala shifts from where she stands near the door, watching the guard posts.

“Why did you save me?” Glimmer asks, hugging her knees to her chest. “You hated me and everything I stood for. But you could look past that and do the right thing” Catra shifts uncomfortably in the chair.

“I didn't hate everything you stood for '' Catra murmurs, letting out a breath. “I hated you because you had everything I wanted.” Catra pinches the edge of the photo between her fingers.

“You're nice and preppy. You don't get angry for no reason and take it out on the people around you. You make friends like it's easy” Catra slumps, “you have Adora.”

“Yet you still saved me, twice!” Glimmer throws her hands in the air. “Why!?”

“Because you and arrow boy are everything Adora wants” Catra shrugs, “i just had to accept that”

Glimmer slumps against the wall “and you could look past all of that to save us?” she mumbles “ And i couldn't?”

“You wanted to save me?” Catra asks, with a smug smile. “I mean, i am pretty f*cking cool”

“No, I didn't! That's the problem!” Glimmer's face grows red like a tomato.

Catra laughs, “wow you goody types have some serious problems. Look sparkles i don't hold it against you or anything”

Glimmer sighs and knocks her head lightly into the wall. “If we’re being honest,” she looks away from Catra with a wince “I was kinda jealous how close you and Adora's relationship was. when she wanted to drop everything and save you? It….hurt.” the princess starts to pick at her pants.

“But the more I thought about it. And ya know I looked at it from her shoes. I would have done the same thing if it was me and Bow and not you and Adora”

Catra smiles. “I get it, I made some bad decisions when I was jealous too.” Glimmer smiles back at her. The sparkly princess isn't so bad once you get to know her.

Catra;s eyes flash to Nala. The Queen was already looking at her but she quickly looks away when she realizes she’s caught. Her eyes widen.

“The guards are changing.” she mumbles, quickly turning from the door. The echo of footsteps comes closer, “be cool, be cool” Nala mumbles, striking a very suspicious pose as she leans against the wall.

Catra glances at Glimmer who has also striked a pose. This one is worse, she lies on the ground like a magazine model, her head held up by her hand.

“You guys are terrible at this, i can't believe the Horde didn't beat you” Catra says, slightly disturbed. She freezes as the steps stop in front of the door.

The green field falls and the soldiers step in. “Horde prime requests your presence.” they speak in unison, their voices mixing uncomfortably.

Glimmer goes to stand but they step forward. “Just Catra”

“No,” Nala immediately steps up from her place against the wall, “if you want her you'll have to take me too”

“Horde prime only requests Catra’s presence. The rest of you are to stay here” they grab Catra’s arms and yank her from the chair. Her body screams and she grits her teeth to keep from yelling.

Nala lunges for them but a third clone steps through the door and yanks her back, shoving her towards Glimmer. by the time she’s up again they’ve already dragged Catra out the door and closed the shield.

“No! NO! Bring her back!” Nala growls hysterically, banging on the force field.

“It's ok” Catra mouths, limping her way in between the two clones.

“Do not fear your majesty, your daughter will be back shortly.”

They drag her through the hallways, she stops trying to walk as soon as she’s out of sight of the prison. Her body screams at her to ‘Stop Moving’ but the clones jostle her with every step. She grunts and collapses to the side as one of them lets go of her to open a door.

“Little sister” Horde Prime turns from where he stands next to a green pool. “How gracious of you to come” they drag Catra in and drop her at Primes feet, inches from the liquid. The smell of chemicals makes her eyes water.

“Usually i don't allow other species to taint the cleanliness of the conditioning pool but i've made an exception for you, little sister.”

He bends so he’s on her level, looking her in the eye, “you are very strong willed,” he says, grabbing hold of her face. “And that will not do, in my kingdom." he smiles "But every little piece of the machine has a place.”

He stands and turns towards the green pool. clones crowd around it, staring blankly at the liquid. “Step forward little sister, and be reborn”

The clones grab her by the arms, and walk her towards the water, Catra grunts her eyes widening in fight, her feet digging into the ground,

“What- what are-” the water hits her like ice, shocking through her feet and freezing her limbs. The clones drag her deeper, up to her waist, past her chest, holding her up as they stand in the water.

Catra looks up at Prime, fear gripping her chest and burning at her stomach. The clones around her chant with emotionless expressions. Prime’s smile has only widened. The pool crackles with electricity and Catra screams, her muscles locking.

“I am sorry you must suffer” Prime looks down on her pityingly, the green of the pool highlighting his face. “But this really is for the best.”
—--

“Daughter?” Glimmer asks, her mouth dropping open. “Catra’s your-”

“Yes,” Nala says, running her hands through her mane, “Catra is actually Princess D’rulith of Half-moon” Nala glances down the hallway where they took her daughter again, waiting for them to drag her back.

“I-” Glimmer collapses onto the chair. “Catra’s a princess” she mumbles, holding her head in her hands. Glimmer has not only kidnapped Catra but beat the sh*t out of her. Her eyes widen. Glimmer has beat the sh*t out of royalty.

That's treason. Like the worst kind of treason.

They wait. And wait. And wait some more. There's no telling how long Catra has been gone, there are no windows or suns or clocks. Just the shuffling of a shift change every hour and the mumbling of Glimmer who just can't seem to grasp Catra’s royal status.

“What are they doing with her that takes this long?” Nala growls, looking down the empty hallway again.

“I'm sure she’s fine,” Glimmer reassures, tapping her feet against the ground. “He’s probably just interrogating her for information.”

Nala groans and plops down on the bed, her head clasped in her hands.

“So royalty huh?” Glimmer repeats Nala words from earlier. Nala looks up at the princess and sighs.

“Catra was taken nearly two decades ago during the battle on Half-moon.” she gulps and rubs at her eyes. “It was my fault. I should have protected her better. Iv only just realized she’s still alive”

“Stars,” Glimmer mumbles, and Nala winces. The guilt burning a hole in her heart.

“I know i-”

“You’ve been carrying that around for two decades?” Nala’s head shoots up, her mouth open. Glimmer is staring at the floor

“Being part of a war, you have to understand that- most things are out of your control.” Glimmer's eyes are distant, war hardened.

“Lost homes, people, towns, cities. They aren't lost because of you. You didn't rip people from their houses or their families. You didn't lead the armies that burned down towns and cities”

Glimmer looks up at Nala. “It's no one but the Horde’s fault.” She looks away. “My mom losing my dad wasn’t her fault, even though she ordered the counter attack”

“I made the decision to activate the Heart. I kept going even after everyone told me to stop. Now because of me, Horde prime is going to destroy the universe.” tears fill Glimmer's eyes. “Now that, that is all my fault.”

“Dinner is served” Nala head whips to the door.

“Catra,” she gasps, rushing for the feline. She stopped by a heavy forearm. “Catra?”

Standing there, between two clones, is Catra. Dressed in white and gray and covered in Horde insignia. She smiles unnaturally, holding a tray of gruel and water.

“Horde Prime has provided you with food from all over the galaxy.” she holds the tray out but no one takes it.

“What did you do to her!” Nala shouts, reaching for her daughter. The clones hold her back. Catra smiles wider and turns towards her mother.

“Horde Prime has made me anew” her eyes are green and unfeeling. “I am eternally grateful” Glimmer covers her mouth.

“Change her back,” Nala begs, turning towards the clones. “I'll do anything just give her back”

Catra grunts and grimaces. Her head snaps back before rolling forward. “Oh but she’s so much more pleasant this way.” Horde Prime’s voice doubles over Catra’s unnaturally.

“I think she likes it more too,” Catra starts to tremble, her hands shaking, sending the water in the glass spilling over the edge. “I took her pain, her afflictions, and made her pure. I gave her peace”

Catra’s pupils roll back up and she drops the tray to the floor. It clatters and spills across the metal.

“Take this as a warning. If you or Princess Glimmer feel the need to rebel?” Catra’s unnatural smile drops and Prime slides the claws of Catra’s hands across the wall as she turns, leaving deep gouge marks in the cell.

“I will take that need from you. Am I understood?” Catra pauses in the doorway and smiles again. “There is no darkness that my light cannon reach. I only wish to bring peace to your pathetic little planet.”

She walks from the cell, the clones flanking her like personal guards. Nala tries to follow her but the third Horde clones pushes her back, hard sending her sprawling.

“No, no!” Nala sobs, running for the door. “Give her back” she bangs on the force field with her fists, but just like last time no one comes back.

“Nala” Glimmer mumbles, picking through the food splattered against the floor.

“I'm not hungry,” Nala responds, resting her head against the door, her eyes trained on the hallway, hoping just maybe Catra will come back.

“No, look” Nala turns and her eyes widen at what she sees. sitting in the gruel is a shining piece of metal. Glimmer picks it up and wipes the slop from it.

“It's the laser” the Princess mumbles, flipping it on. Nala glances back down at the food and sticks her fingers in. she pulls out a folded piece of paper. She shakes the gruel from it and peels it open.

She sobs, it's a photo. Taken before the Horde was even a whisper. Her and Cyra and Catra smiling for the photographer. Their Crowns sit primly on their heads. Well her and Cyra’s are. Catra’s is askew and way too large.

Cyra had framed this photo and placed it on Catra’s empty bedside table. In the bedroom Nala had built for her. Just in case Catra was alive. In case Catra found her way back to them.

“Catra is still in there” Nala wipes her eyes and folds the photo back up. “And I'm going to get her back”

Chapter 14: Oh Mystacor My Mystacor

Chapter Text

“How does Catra make this seem so easy!” Nala whisper-yells, wincing as she hits her head into the top of the vent. Glimmer isn't faring much better. It's like every time she crawls forward, she thumps against the metal interior so loud she fears the entire ship can hear her.

“Just keep going,” she whispers, following behind the feline in the dark. ”Catra said it was just all the way down the hall and to the left.” Glimmer focuses on sliding through the vent more than trying to take actual steps.

Nala doesn't respond. She’s been mostly silent since Catra had left, green eyed and mind controlled. Glimmer thought she was going to call off the escape attempt but as soon as the guard changed she was melting the edges of the vent with the laser.

Nala freezes and Glimmer almost runs into her, “do you hear that?”

“Here what?” Glimmer whispers, looking around Nala and down the vent. It's empty and silent. To the side of them, the vent empties into another room.

The feline shushes the princes and the army crawls towards a vent door.

Glimmer peaks through the slats behind her, her eyes widening at the site. Horde prime stands before a large screen, his hands clenched into fists. A very familiar looking ship flies across the monitors over and over again.

“That's Adora and Bow!” She whispers to the Queen. Nala holds a finger to her lips.

“Who is on it, and where are they going?” Prime growls, turning to.. Catra. Glimmer glances to the Queen next to her, whose hands have gripped the vent like a lifeline.

Catra grunts, her face contorting into a grimace, “i dont know”

“I know you're withholding something from me” Prime growls, grabbing the feline's face between his hands. Catra’s brows press together. Nala growls lowly from beside Glimmer.

“I would never keep anything from you” Catra says, looking blankly into Primes face. “You have brought me into the light. I am forever in your favor”

“Maybe you will need to be reconditioned” Catra’s brows go up and her eyes widen, like she’s scared. “Subject yourself to inspection.”

He grabs her neck roughly and spins her around, there attached to Catra is a bug like metal chip. It digs into her flesh like a living creature. Glimmer winces as Horde prime touches it.

Catra’s face is contorted in discomfort, her eyes water. Glimmer’s heart clenches. It doesnt feel right to leave the girl here.

“How are you hiding from me?” Prime mutters, turning from Catra’s chip to the screen. “I can see into your mind but i can tell there is something i cannot reach”

Nala squeezes her eyes shut and looks away from the scene. “We have to keep moving” she mutters, she turns from the vent.

—-------

Nala watches as the clone closes the cage and locks the packages in. He turns to his control panel and slides the meters on the top of the screen.

“Unit 4, prepare to receive our honored brother.” The clone slides the switch up and the packages blink out of existence.

As the clone leaves, Nala takes the laser from her pocket slowly lasers the bolts from the frame, melting them through and through. She grabs the slates of the vent before it can fall and clatter to the floor. Alerting the ship of their escape.

“Ok” she whispers, glancing back at Glimmer, “it's clear.”

She shimmies from the vent and turns to help glimmer down behind her.

“Ok, I think I know how to do this. Go stand in there and close the door” Nala says, touching the buttons on the monitor. It's all in a language neither Nala or Glimmer understand so she doesnt know how Nala knows what she’s doing.

“What?” Glimmer asks, turning to the Queen. “If you’re not standing in it, it won't teleport you”

“I know,” Nala says, refusing to look up.

“Then-”

“I'm not leaving my daughter here alone with that jackass” she growls, her fingers tapping aggressively at the screen “I refuse to lose her again,” she pulls the photo from her pocket and smiles down at the baby catra.

“Nala-” Glimmer reaches out to the woman, her stomach sinking. She is not going to leave her here.

“When you get back to Etheria, Tell Cyra I'm getting our daughter back” she caresses the faces of her wife and daughter.

Glimmer winces, her heart freezing as alarms start to blare. She turns to Nala and then back to the vent, if they’re careful maybe they can make it back to the cell. This escape attempt is botched.

Nala grabs her arm, hard. shoving the soggy photo into her hands,

“Nala, what-” Glimmer yelps as her arms are yanked behind her back and she’s forced into the cage. She looks up as the Queen slams and locks the door shut.

“Nala, Nala!” Glimmer bangs on the glass. “Let me out! We can figure something else out!”

Nala looks to the side as the Doors start to buckle. The banging of Horde clones is muffled by the glass. Nala runs for the control panel and boots it up. She taps at the buttons frantically, her eyes widening.

“We can't reach Etheria” she mumbles, her eyes widening. “We’re too far from the planet.” She looks up to Glimmer. “I'm going to have to send you to Bow.”

“Bow?” Glimmer asks, digging her fingers into the crevice of the screen. Nala turns on communications waiting for it to boot up. A channel crackles to life

“Bow!” Nala shouts.

“Nala?” Bow’s unmistakable voice breaks into the room, scratchy and breaking up. “Thank god Cyra was-”

“Bow! Im sending Glimmer to you” Nala interrupts, glancing over the door that's caving in with the force of the clones.

“Glimmer? She's with you? How-”

“It doesn't matter, Horde prime knows where you are and is coming for you. So catch Glimmer and run!” she shouts.

“What- we can’t we’re on-” Bow;s voice is going hysterical.

The doors of the room slam into the floor, loud enough to make Glimmer ears ring through the muffled glass, she watches as the clones run for Nala. picking themselves up off the floor and running unhinged.

Glimmer bangs on the glass, her heart dropping when the clones freeze. They surrounded Nala and the control panel. They part, uniform and orderly.

Catra stands there, her hands held behind her back as she looks down her nose at Nala. her pupils are an ominous white.

“So this is what she was hiding?” Prime growls at Nala with an angry sneer. “An escape attempt? I thought she would be easier to handle once she was purged of these pesky little thoughts but she just started to hide them from me.” Nala lunges for the control panel.

Catra lunges for her, a growl scratching it ways out of her throat but just as she’s about to make contact? She hesitates, her trembling hand inches from Nala’s skin. Her eyes widen and the back of her neck crackles with electricity. By the time she starts moving again Glimmer is gone.

—---

“I don't see how this fail safe will help us beat Horde prime.” Adora mutters

“I don’t either but I have a feeling” Cyra returns “the magic has been trapped for so long that new possibilities might come to light. Just think about it, if most of the magic on etheria is trapped in the heart and the princess is already this powerful? Think about what they could do if they had free rein.”

Adora’s shoulders hunch, her fingers touching the strap that holds her sword to her back. Cyra winces.

“Besides, what else are we going to do? I mean our cat barge was overrun by zombies”

Adora tightens her grip on Swiftwinds maine. The horse side eyes her but remains silent. Cyra sighs, she’s just making this worse.

“I feel like we’re wasting time. Like we could be doing something to help, to… I don't know.” She touches the strap again. What could she even do? She may not have wanted to be she-ra but it gave her a purpose. A purpose she doesn't know how to survive without.

“I feel useless.” she whispers.

“Well you not” Cyra looks around Adora and into her eyes. “We’re following leads, we’re trying to do the right thing. I know you thought going to krytis or whatever was the most useful thing you could have been doing. But it was just a chance. A chance that krytis had something we could use. We don't know what is there or what’s not there.”

Cyra gestures to the trackpad strapped to her side.

“But we’re doing something useful here too. We’re doing something that could help Etheria fight off horde prime. Help etheria fight for itself! One person can't save an entire planet. An entire universe! Adora, the responsibility to save the world shouldnt rest on your shoulders,”

She grabs Adora's shoulders as if to prove a point. “But you can give the universe the tools it needs to save itself. Give Etheria a fighting chance.Thats more than enough. More than anybody else on this dumb rock is doing. You're more than enough. I'm proud of you.

Adora smiles, and looks over her shoulder at the woman. Cyra smiles with bared teeth at adora.

“Besides girl, you’ve been fighting the Horde for how long?”

“Three years?” Adora guesses

“And what Catra has told me? You’ve been carrying the rebellion this whole time! You deserve a break. Your back must hurt” she jokingly messages Adora's shoulders.

“A nice leisurely fly away from a mind controlled cat barge?” Adora asks with a smile.

“Exactly” Cyra agrees, leaning back on her heels.

The trackerpad starts to beep and Cyra jumps.

“Stars, i f*cking hate this thing,” she taps on the screen aggresivly. “Makes no sense.” Adora smiles and pets down Swift Wind’s maine.

Cyra tilts her head. This makes no sense. It says the failsafe is right here. She looks around at the white fluffy clouds.

Cyra starts mumbling behind Adora. Looking at the pad like its spouting gibberish at her. She scratches the back of her head.

She squints at it. “This cant be right” she looks up at the clouds around them, “there's nothing here!”

“We’re here?” Adora asks, looking around. Cyra’s right, there's just clouds. Heavy fluffy clouds. The kind you could imagine taking a nap on.

“Nothing, There's nothing here,” Cyra mutters again gesturing to the clouds around them “Maybe this tablet is malfunctioning”

Adora’s eyebrows draw together. These clouds are familiar. Very familiar. She turns and squints off into the distance. Barely making out the cliff face that drops at a 90 degree angle.

“Wait a minute” she turns a full 180. “I know this place”

“You know clouds?” Cyra asks, looking around,

“No, look!” Adora points to the cliff. It's rocky and sharp, she looks below it and smiles. “I know this place! This is Mystacor!”

“Mysatcor? The spa?” Cyra asks, squinting in the direction Adora is pointing. Her eyes widen as the compound comes into view. “The spa?” she whispers, an eyebrow raised.

“Damn, I should have let Nala take us here for our honeymoon,” she says wistfully, eyeing the sandy beach. “ but I heard ‘spa’ and told her if she made me get in any water for the next week we were getting a divorce.”

Adora smiles and directs Swiftwind towards the compound. “I could start a revolution here” the horse has stars in his eyes. He lands in front of the castle. Cyra glances down at the raised grassy platforms.

“Saz,” she mutters, sliding off the pegasus. “Its like I'm in heaven,” the oasis is unnaturally quiet. No magic lessons or playing with children. Adora looks around at the raised platforms.

“Somethings wrong,” she whispers, the grass is burnt in some areas, dead and scuffed. Even more concerning, no one has come out to greet them yet. It's like Mystacor has been deserted.

Adora inches towards the doors of the compound, hesitating over the handle.

Cyra jumps as the grass around her glitches and sharpens. Adora backs up as the door knob gets sucked into the door. In the flash of an eye they are surrounded by rusty metal spikes. Adora jumps and squeaks, pushing her back into Cyra’s. Cyra holds perfectly still, not even her tail twitches.

“Adora!” an accented voice calls. The whooshing of wings and then the blonde is picked up off the ground in a hug. People have really got to stop sneaking up on her like this. Her heart beats faster than a rabbits.

She’s set down outside the circle of metal weapons, looking into the face of the queen of brightmoon.

“I thought you had died!” the Queen plants her hands on her shoulders,and looks her over for injuries. Her eyebrows drawn “i'm so sorry! I thought you were clones. the security system is on high alert.”

Adora smiles, “Queen Angella!” She hugs the woman, her arms wrapping around her warm midsection. “What happened here?” she gestures to the crumbling stone and dying grass.”

Angella sighs, pulling away from Adora. “The horde has some new kind of weapon.. I'm glad you came here and not…” she winces “Brightmoon has been overrun by… I don't know how to explain it..”

“Mind controlled zombies?” Cyra asks, raising an eyebrow at the queen. Angela freezes.

“Cyra?” she asks, pulling away from Adora. Her eyes are wide and unbelieving. The spikes surrounding the Feline melt away.

“The one and only” the furred Queen raises her arms for a hug. Angella only hesitates for a second before sweeping her up in her arms,

“How are you alive? I heard that Half-moon… it… Is Nala..?.”

“Nala is.. Ok. or going to be. That's not important now, we’re here for a reason” she pulls away from the Queen with her hands on her arms. “How much do you know about Mystacor?”

“ We're looking for something called The Fail safe.” Adora says and Cyra holds up her tracking pad. “We were told it was here”

“I-”

“That's why we’re here too” Adora freeze’s at the voice. Years of conditioning make her stand up straighter and her hand itches to salute. Cyra’s eyes shoot to Adora’s rigid posture, her brows pinch together.

“Why is she here?” Adora asks, it's more of a growl, her voice feeling scratchy and unnatural as it comes out of her mouth. Out front the shadows strolls Shadow Weaver.

“Shadow weaver is the only one who knows the location of the crystals of arxia.” Angella mutters, she doesnt sound particularly happy about it. Probably wishing the witch had been chipped along with everyone else.

“Then it looks like we’re going to the same place,” Cyra says, eyeing the shadow-covered woman. She seems familiar. Not someone Cyra has ever seen before, but maybe someone she’s heard about.

—--

Cyra eyes the shadow woman from behind. Her feet glide across the floor like she isn't even taking steps. her face is hidden behind a cracked mask. She knows this woman somehow but she just can’t put her finger on it.

It doesn't help that Adora doesn't like her. Cyra can tell. Adora hasnt left her side since the woman showed her face. She stands rigid, her feet planted like a soldier. Her eyes flit to her as if to make sure she’s still there.

Angella keeps her distance too. Walking behind Cyra and Adora. She hasn't said much since they entered the cave. Keeping her distance and voice to herself. Far from the Queen Cyra knew in her youth.

Cyra touches Adora’s arm and glances behind herself at the queen. “Something feels wrong” she whispers, quiet enough for only Adora to hear. The blond agrees with a nod of her head but she continued to walk. Her eyes trained on the woman before them.

“Who is she?” Cyra asks, narrowing her eyes at the woman.

“Shadow Weaver” Cyra’s stomach roils. Shadow weaver as in the person that raised Adora and Catra? Her mind flashes to the scars along Catra’s back. Rigid and deep. Painful. The fur that refuses to grow along them.

They passed into a fiery hallway minutes ago, their shadows going long and lanky. The creepy-ness of it only reminds Cyra that they didn’t get a clear answer about what happened to Mystacor. Or the people were. The grass was burnt and frayed. The compound was empty.

The hallway ends, leading them into a large echoey hall. Glowing stones sit in the middle. First one's writing crawling its way up the sides of them. Shadow Weaver stops in the center if the room. her eyes wide and hungry.

"this is the fail safe?" Angella asks, her voice oddly confused. Shadow Weaver scoffs.

“no, this is just where its held, Adora will need to accept it.” she says, gazing up at the rock. Cyra's eyes narrow. Why would Adora, personally, need to accept the fail safe.

“Now all you have to do is go up there and obtain it” Shadow Weaver says looking to Adora. The girl seems to almost shrink under her gaze. it makes Cyra's inside boil.

Adora takes a deep breath and wal-

“Why does Adora have to get it?” Cyra asks, placing a hand on Adora’s arm. The girl stops, looking back at the feline. Her brows are furrowed.

“You got here hours before us' ' she says, taking a step towards the woman. “if it was as easy as that, you would have done it hours ago”

“We’re wasting time” Shadow Weaver all but growls, refusing to answer the question. It only validates Cyra more. She turns towards Adora with a raised eyebrow

Adora looks at Cyra surprised. Like she hadn't even questioned it being her who had to get the Fail safe.the one to accept the burden. “She's right” she turns towards the woman, “why didn't you? You’ve always been power crazy. This is your greatest dream”

The shadows around Shadow weaver furrow and grow. She steps forward towards Cyra. “I knew you would be a distraction.” she crackles with electricity.. “Seeing as how you ran that rodent commune”

Red electricity. Cyra’s eyes narrow. The same electricity Nala had told her about deep into the night. The nightmares she has of this woman. Made of shadow and glides across the ground like death.

“I want to know” Adora speaks up, not noticing the way Cyra has frozen in her spot, looking at Shadow weaver. The person who raised her daughter and wields red electricity.

“The magic would kill any mere mortal. Rip them apart We need She-ra” Shadow weaver looks down her nose at them through her mask.

Adora freezes. Cyra growls.

“She-ra doesn't exist anymore” Adora says, looking away from Shadow Weaver. Her shoulders droop and she touches the strap that keeps the shattered sword to her back.

“What?” Shadow Weaver asks.

“Somebody has to die to release the heart” Adora mumbles looking at the circle of rocks. She sounds desperate and scared. Cyra tears her eyes away from the woman, her mind reeling.

“Maybe i'll be able to handle it” Adora whispers. Cyra grabs her arm and pulls her closer.

“No” she turns towards Adora. Her mouth set. She isn't about to let her kill herself. Especially because Catra is definitely in love with her.

“I was she-ra i could have some residual-”

“Key word ‘was’. you're not doing it” the shadows around Weaver lengthen towards Cyra. growing like vines. The Queen takes a step back as electricity flows up the woman's arms.

“If the girl wants to- “

“Shadow Weaver can take it” Cyra says, glaring into the woman's eyes. “Obviously she’s already proficient in magic.”

Weavers' eyes widen.

“I think she’d be more than happy taking all that power, seeing as she likes destroying kingdoms.”

“You-” Shadow Weaver growls stalking towards the Queen.

“You were there at the destruction of Half-moon” Cyra says, standing her ground. “I heard stories of you. A madwoman, sick with power.” Cyra clenches her fist as the woman comes to stand before her.

“You electrocuted my baby” she grits this between her teeth and before Shadow weavers magic can touch her, Cyra is throwing a punch. One hard enough to knock the mask from the crone's face and send her kneeling on the ground. she grasps her face and looks up at them with wide eyes.

“You took her from me” Cyra growls down at the woman. she’s is about to f*ck Shadow Weaver up

“This was quite the show,” Angella says. The previously quiet woman claps slowly as she walks from the shadows. Cyra freezes and turns toward the tall woman. “Here I thought you would bring me to your most powerful weapon.” Cyra's stomach drops.

Her eyes are neon green.

“I knew it” the Weaver mutters, turning from the floor, “the real Angella never would have let me out of my cage” her hands spread and the shadows of the room grow, reaching toward the queen

“If you knew why didn't you tell us?!” Adora asks, pulling Cyra away from the Queen. Angella stalks forward with pupils whiter than teeth.

“This isn't some device that could defeat me. Really it's just a couple of rocks." She smiles unnaturally. Her eyes locked on Adora’s. “And you all powerful She-ra is just a girl with a broken sword.”

Cyra pushes Adora behind her. Eyeing the Queen as footsteps echo through the chamber. The light from the door flickers as two figures make their entrance. To cat-like figures.

Chapter 15: Im Sorry

Chapter Text

Glimmer grunts as the world re materializes. There are no barings to gather because there are no barings just a quickly moving planet. Is this how people feel when she teleports? The world around her spins as she flies through the air. Nala must have missed the ground coordinates. Nala who-

Glimmer slides against dusty ground kicking up dirt. It makes her eyes sting and vision blurry. Her arms tear, the ground giving her nasty rug burn. The photo Nala had shoved into her hand clenched tightly in her fist.

It takes a while for her momentum to slow. When it does she coughs and sits up, laying her hands on the ground when the vertigo almost makes her tip over. Her eyes are wide, unfocused.

Nala just…

Glimmer shakes her head and hugs her arms around her midsection. f*ck.. f*ck. f*ck f*ck f*ck. Nala is gone. Catra is gone. Glimmer looks around. She’s on a random f*cking planet in the middle of nowhere.

Why would bow be here? On this desolate planet in the middle of nowhere? What if Nala sent her to the wrong place. What if glimmer is somewhere no one would ever look for her. Somewhere she will never escape from.

Bow isn't here, the place Glimmer has landed is empty, deserted, no trees or wild life. Empty. Why would he be here?

The nothingness goes on for miles in every direction. Nothing but a straight desolate horizon and the gouge in the ground where Glimmer skidded across the planet. Glimmer is the only living thing as far as she can see. Maybe even in this galaxy.

She coughs and squints through the haze. a haze that's not really there. she can feel it, like sand grinding into her skin but she can't see anything. Maybe the atmosphere on this planet has abnormally large atoms and its slowly killing her.

Should she sit here and wait? Wait for Bow to come to her. For Nala to get chipped and for both her and Catra to get killed? Should she wait for this planet to kill her? If it even can. Nothing else on this planet has lived.

Her breath is coming fast. Her hands won't stop trembling at the atmosphere of the planet giving her a weird feeling. It tingles her senses like she’s just been dosed with poison. Maybe it really is killing her. The air she's breathing feeding into her bloodstream and clogging her arteries.

She has to find Bow. if he’s even here. She can’t sit here and wait for him and Adora to die too. She struggles to her feet, stumbling as the world tilts on its axis. Her chest feels like it's being compressed, like someone is sitting on her.

She spins, looking at the empty waste land and picks a direction. She tries not to think to hard about it. They all look the same. Then she walks.

And walks.

And walks.

With nothing but her own thoughts to occupy her mind. Vivid flashes of memory that she can’t seem to run away from. Nala being gripped around the neck by her own daughter. Catra’s emotionless green eyes and lifeless smile. Prime’s smirk as he gazes upon Etheria’s energy signature.

The sound of cracking as Horde prime nears Glimmer, her teeth glinting-

cracking?

Glimmer hesitates, her foot hovering above the floor. Her eyes widen. The floor trembles, the splintered rocks around Glimmer bounce and rock in place. The floor cracks and grumbles below her. She tilts her head as pieces of the planet's crust sink and crumble like sand.

Glimmer slowly takes a step back from the collapsing ground but as soon as her foot touches the floor behind her she tilts. Not the planet no. Glimmer tilts back, her vision going from empty landscape to dark sky.

Its Loud

Glimmer falls, crashing through the crumbing ground. She shrieks and tries to grapple with the surface but the ground around her just disintegrates in her hands.

She screams and clutches her hands to her chest. She can’t teleport here. This ain't Etheria. There is absolutely nothing she can do so she doesn't even try.

the world around her darkening. She lands with a grunt, the air knocked out of her. She tries to roll into the landing precautions she learned from Adora but she’s never been as good at falling.

Glimmer's mouth opens and closes like a fish as she tries to take in air. It's dark, dark and echoey. Water drips from somewhere. Glimmer coughs, the dust kicking up around her. It feels like the grainy consistency of the air coats the insides of her mouth.

Glimmer squints her eyes open and looks up at where she landed, and looks up right into the eyes of Horde Prime. She screams and Prime backs away. The dictator who seems to have changed his color scheme. Instead of an ominous neon green he’s a soft purple.

Glimmer tilts her head, these would be Horde Prime’s eyes if he was a purple blob.

The thing growls and Glimmer yelps, scrambling from the floor and f*cking booking it. The thing behind her was hot on her heels. Running on all fours and snapping at Glimmer's heels like a rabid dog. Then it goes dark.

She wasn't anywhere and then she’s stumbling through water. Up to her knees. It's blue and smells rancid but it soothes her aching muscles. The steam of the water caresses her road burn and soothes the grainy fill lining her throat.

She spins her eyes searching for Blob Prime. The blue water ripples as Glimmer stumbles through it. She freezes at the sound of growling. Glimmer turns her heart in her throat.

The creature has grown in size, bloating Prime’s figure like a balloon on roids. It would be comedic if it wasnt so f*cking scary.

Glimmer backs away slowly, her eyes never leaving the creature as it stocks forwards. Backing Glimmer onto the bank and out of the water. Staglities stick down from the ceiling, nearly grazing Glimmer's head.

The only exit is on the other side of the water and its more of a hole at the top of a steep drop.

The creature plows out of the water, a wicked snarl splitting its smooth face. It drips with the blue liquid, leaving puddles where it steps. Glimmer looks for anything, something to defend herself with. She lunges for a rock and the photo flutters from her belt.

Glimmer abandons the rock and grapples for it, the monster pounces and Glimmer squeaks, scrambling back, her eyes on the photo. The thing see’s it and pauses. Its eyes trained on the little family there.

Glimmer’s chest heaves up and down as she watches the creature dim like a dying flashlight. It lets out a little pitiful noise.

“Y-you know what that is?” Glimmer asks. Backing away a little. The creature's color dampens into a sad pale blue. It gives a pitiful meow. Its size is shrinking slowly but surely. Glimmer looks back down at the photo.

“F- Family? Do you have a family?” Glimmer asks.

The thing shakes its head and picks up the photo. It doesn't resemble anything now. A shadow. The outline of a person, with a hair of blue purple haze.

It touches the faces on the photo. A blob like finger caressing the family. Its hold on the paper is gentle, like its scared the photo will rip.

“That’s- that’s Catra and her moms' ' Glimmer says, sitting up from her place on the floor. The creature looks up at her with side eyes. Despair radiates from it likek waves, Glimmer can almost feel it.

“She’s- she’s my friend. Her mom- her mo-” streaks of water flow down Glimmer’s face, dropping onto the decaying dirt. The figure looks up as a sob breaks out of Glimmer. it comes closer, holding the photo out for Glimmer to take. She does so with trembling hands.

Nala smiles back at her from it. A real smile. Happy. Nothing like the desperate snarl Glimmer saw back on Horde Primes ship. Her arms are wrapped around an adorable baby Catra and her wife. Their mismatched eyes glint with humor.

Oh stars, what if she never gets to see her wife again.

A blob-like hand places itself on Glimmer’s knee. She looks up at the figure. Its looking at her like it understands. It knows.

“Do you have a family? Are there more of you?” she asks, hugging the photo to her chest. The blob figure bows its head. A slight shake is all Glimmer gets.

Glimmer slowly places her shaky hand on top of the blobs. “Glimmer!?” the Creatures head whips up, flaming a fiery red. Glimmer cranes her head around, looking for the voice.

“Bow?” she whispers, there's nothing there.

The thing in front of Glimmer growls, its form bubbling like it's boiling. Like marshmallows under a hot flame.

“It's ok,” Glimmer says, clutching the things hand. “Bows my friend too”

It glances at the photo Glimmer has gripped to her chest and slowly calms down back to a light blue.

“Over here!” Glimmer cloaks, standing and pulling the thing up with her.

—----------

Catra’s arm that was once a burnt crisp is now covered in a white metal armor. It travels up her arm and protects half her chest. Primes insignia is inked onto it, along with her clothes.

Her hair is shorn shorter than Adora’s ever seen it. Slicked back, uniform and completely unlike catra. Next to her stands Nala, a crooked smile plastered on her face. Tears streaming down her cheeks at the sight of Cyra.

“Excited to see me?” Catra says, her voice unnaturally low.

“Catra?” Adora asks, tightening her grip on Cyra’s arm. The feline's unnatural stare swings to Adora. Blank, neon green eyes crinkling at the edges

“Hello. Adora” she says, her fingers wiggling in a little wave A smile slicing her face. Adora whips to Queen Angela.

“What did you do to them?” She asks. Taking a step towards the woman. Prime looks down his nose at Adora through the Queen's eyes. A smirk sliding onto her face as his pupils roll back.

“iv made her easier to stomach” Adora’s stomach drops as Catra speaks up, white pupils have cut into her green eyes.

“She was so emotional before. her own anger and confusion consuming her. I have set her free. Brought her into the light” he smiles, Catra’s claws unsheathing themselves from her fingers.

“And now she will set you free”, Catra bares her teeth in an angry snarl.

“No” Cyra whispers, Adora backs away, pulling Cyra with her towards the crystals.

“Wha- wh-”

Catra attacks, heading straight for Adora. Her claws out and a wide smile splitting her face like a gash. Nala lunges for Cyra, forcing the feline to dodge out of the way.

Adora ducks as a clawed hand swipes at her face. She grabs the offending arm and pulls, sending Catra stumbling past her.

“Catra?” she asks, reaching a hand out for the girl. Catra spins with a lunge, knocking Adora to the ground. Her head hits the ground with a crack, making the room spin.

Catra swings with an unnatural punch and Adora grabs her hand and pulling her arm with all her might and rolling onto Catra, switching their positions

She straddles Catra’s hips and holds her hand down to the floor. Catra’s teeth are bared, her eyes wide and threatening. She strikes with her other hand as her hips buck, throwing a under prepared Adora forward.

Adora flips as she goes down, head over heels and onto her back.

Catra scrambles up. Adora’s eyes widen as the feline strikes without pre cursor, her black nails dragging against the floor where Adora's head just was. The resulting screech is loud enough to make Adora cover her ears.

Adora dodges around the girl taking a breath while her head is turned. That's when she sees it. A metal chip sticking out of the back of her neck. It moves and shimmies like a living bug, burrowing into her skin.

Adora’s eyes widen and she reaches for the spot, her hand inches from the chip.

Catra spins her claws carving deep gashes into Adora’s hand. Adora grunts and yanks her hand back, Stumbling away from the feline.

“She was afraid in the end” Catra says, her voice and Prime’s mixing in a way that makes Adora’s stomach curdle. “Hoped someone, anyone, would come for her. Save her. But then she realized there wasn’t a person in the universe that cared for her enough, that loved her enough.”

Adora growls at Prime but barely dodges as Catra swings again but for her face. Adora grabs the hand and twists, bending the feline over with her other hand on the back of her neck.

The metal chip is hot, almost burning like an overheating computer. Adora tries to open it, looking for a seam or a panel but it's smooth. Adora is going to have to yank the entire thing out.

Adora gasps as four deep gashes line her thigh, Catra’s arm cracks and bends in the wrong direction, allowing the feline to lunge behind Adora.

“It's no use Adora,” Catra says, her voice calmly serine. “You could never defeat me. You're too weak. Too distracted. A child playing a hero.” Catra rests her head on Adora’s shoulder, nuzzling into the blonde's neck.

“Give up, Horde Prime will bring us both into his light” Catra’s claws extend from her hand and press into the space above Adora’s heart, drawing blood. “Together.”

Adora growls and reaches back, grabbing Catra but the back of her shirt and flipping the feline over her body. Catra slams into the floor and the chip sparks, the feline writhes against the floor with a whimper.

Catra’s eyes flash back to their natural colors and she makes eye contact with Adora. She gasps for breath as her limbs twitch uncontrollably, “I'm sorry” she whimpers, staring into Adora’s eyes. “I'm sorry for everything.”

“No, no, no” Adora collapses to her knees above Catra and holds her head in her hands, “its ok, it's going to be ok” Adora whispers “i'm going to take you home”

Catra smiles at the blonde, her eyes conveying an emotion that's unreadable to Adora. “you prom-” she yelps, her voice cracking desperately as the chip sparks and her eyes flash. The feline bares her teeth.

“Oh, Adora” Catra swipes at Adora’s face, claws centimeters from taking out the blonde’s eye as she desperately dodges. “You’ve let your infatuation for this girl distract you”

Catra stands sloppily, “ultimately it will be your demise” Catra lunges but halfway through her eyes flash, it causes Catra to stumble off balance giving Adora the opportunity to lunge for the chip.

She holds Catra still around her waist and digs her fingers into the feline skin. Blood drips from her fingers as her nails dig deeper into Catra’s neck.

The feline screams bloody murder. Struggling and yanking herself from Adora’s grasp.

The blonde has a firm grip on the edges from the chip and the yank causes it to dislodge from the girl's skin. It hangs, half out and bloody. connected by a small green wire to the back of Catra’s neck.

Catra yanks Adora’s arms behind her back, causing pain to shoot from her shoulder. Catra spins the girl around and the feline’s other arm wraps around the blonde's waist, her nails digging into the soft skin of her abdomen.

She leans forward, her lips brushing against Adora’s ear.

“How long are you going to drag this out?”

Adora gasps, tears spilling from the corner of her eyes as nails drag against her abdomen. Deep and bloody. Catra’s soft fur brushes against Adora face in an unconscious nuzzle. Her eyes flicker.

Adora elbows her in the side, hard. Catra grunts and leans to the side giving Adora just enough space to swing her head back and knock it into the feline's nose.

The girl yowls, releasing Adora and grasping at her bleeding nose. Adora spins around and grabs the chip by its wire.

Catra screams as electricity jumps from the device, electrocuting both her and Adora.

Then it gets ten times worse

Catra’s screams turn gravely as red electricity slithering up her legs and across her torso. She collapses her nails digging into the floor.

—-

Nala freezes, her nails drawn and inches from Cyra’s eyes. The Queen takes the opportunity to grab her hand and punch Nala across the face. She yanks the woman's arm behind her back and puts her other hand on her Queens shoulder.

Nala doesn't even fight her. She doesn't make a noise. Cyra follows her eyes and freezes.

“Catra?” she whispers, her eyes widening at the twitching form of her daughter,

“Catra” Nala mimics, the words following from her lips broken and wet. her eyes flickering from their usual gorgeous blue back to neon green.

Adora stumbles towards Catra, her hands outstretched. Cyra looks down at Nala and bites her lip. “I'm sorry, this is going to hurt” she whispers.

Cyra pulls the tablet from her waist and slams it into the back of Nala’s neck. The tablet cracks sparking with electricity and Nala yelps, her eyes flickering, and she drops to the floor.

Cyra drops with her, catching her wife before her head can hit the ground. “Ok lover, take it easy” Cyra mumbles, pulling Nala to her chest.

“Cyra?” Nala croaks, her hand reaching for her wife’s face. Nala turns her head, looking for her daughter, her eyes widening as she watches Adora-

—---

Catra jerks, her neck cracking back and her limbs freezing in place.

Adora looks up at the Shadow Weaver. The woman has her hands held out in front of her, a spell circle sloppily drawn in the air.

“Stop!’ Adora begs, falling to her knees at Catra’s side. She turns the girl over on her back and clutches at her arms. Uncaring of the electricity burning up Adora’s own arms.

“Stop, please” Weaver’s ugly scarred face contorts into a snarl.

“This pest has done nothing but hold you back. Now she’s trying to take everything you’ve worked for from you and you still protect her?”

Her arms form a new circle. “I’m done allowing you to keep your little pet. This is for your own good.”

That’s when Adora sees it. Catra’s eyes, their beautiful mismatched colors blinking through the green.

Catra screams, her back arching off the floor. Adora looks up, anger broiling in her chest and bubbling over. She grits her teeth and whips her head up to Shadow Weaver.

Adora charges Weaver, her teeth bared. The witch stumbles back in fear as Adora glows, a sword materializing in her hand. she draws a spell circle in the air, her hands shaking as her eyes widen.

“Adora-“

She-ra runs through the circle the magical energy making her freeze and grunt
The resulting blast throws them both in opposite directions. Shadow Weaver slams into the stone wall. Adora goes sailing over Catra limp and twitching body.

Her back slams into the Crystal of Arxia

She barely has time to gasp in a breath of air before it's stolen from her. Then the pain starts.
She drops the sword but She-ra stays with her as the crystal’s magical energy wraps her in a death grip.

She grunts. All she can see is Catra, twitching on the ground as Cyra runs towards her.

Nala stands in front of Adora. Her hands outstretched and tears streaming from her eyes. Her screams are muffled through the deafness of the magic.

Then Adora can breathe again.

Adora collapses to her hands and knees, blood drips from her lips but she can't seem to build the strength to wipe it away. Her chest grows with a hologram of First Ones writing. It burns against her chest.

Nala slides to a stop in front of her, her eyes a bright blue. no longer green. She hesitantly touches Adora’s arm. “Sweetie, are you..I mean of course you're not ok” She lightly wipes the blood off Adora's face.

The blonde lifts her head just barely so she can see Catra. Her limp body twitching as Cyra holds her head in her lap. Brushing away her shorn hair,

Cyra grips her daughter's hand, her head bowed and her shoulders shaking. Adora stumbles to a stand, her eyes widening.

“Catra” she croaks, nothing more than a whisper. She almost falls as she stumbles down the stairs, Nala taking most of her weight. Which is an impressive feat seeing as She-ra is very f*cking heavy. Her feet stumble over her steps.

“Catra!” She limps to her slackening body. Cyra looks up at Adora, tears streaming from her eyes.

She falls to her knees in front of Catra and grasps her face in her hands. The feline groans, her neon green eyes flickering.

“I know you're in there. You have to fight it” Catra’s lip peels back to reveal her bloody teeth. A low growl leaves her throat.

“Just stay with me, I- I can't lose you” tears stream down Adora’s face, her fingers subconsciously scratching behind Catra’s ears. The feline’s lip twitches her brows drawing together.

“I-“ Nala tries but Adora shakes her head, gently leaning closer to catra. Bringing their foreheads close together.

“Come on, Catra,” she gently wipes her thumbs over her cheeks. wiping away stray tears from the Feline’s furry cheeks.

Her breath is weak, short puffs of painful air. her green eyes blank and unseeing.

“You are not done yet” Adora reaches out with She-ra, trying to touch the pieces of Catra that hurt. Her arm, her neck.

There’s something blocking her. Something big and uniform. Catra gasps, the chip glitching and sparking. Her eyes roll and two white pupils break her green eyes. She smiles

“How disappointing” her smile drops and she bares her teeth at Adora “I tried, i tried to make her useful. But it seems some creatures are only made for destruction.”

The pupils roll back, her body tensing and arching off the ground. Catra yells, her voice cracking as the chip sparks.

“No!”

Adora gently lifts Catra's head in her hands. She squeezes her eyes shut and presses her forehead into Catra’s as she reaches out.

“I love you” the feline’s expression flickers, shock radiating from a slacklining face. tears build in her eyes but they stay a sickly neon green.

“And I know you love me too.” Adora’s voice wavers as Catra takes in a wet, bloody breath. Adora can't lose Catra. She refuses. She won’t live in a world where Catra is there with her.

Adora reaches out with She-ra. With her soul to Catra’s. Maybe she can heal this. She can heal sickness, and pain and whatever the f*ck Shadow Weaver had. She can heal Catra.

Adora closes her eyes and focuses on the block. The green that has a grip on Catra’s mind but not her heart. She doesn't realize she’s glowing. All she can focus on is the faint purring coming from Catra’s chest.

The chip on her neck sparks and retracks from Catra’s neck, clinking against the stone floor. Adora folds Catra into her chest, holding the shivering feline as close as she can get her. She-ra is gone, replaced with Adora’s weak shaking arms.

Catra coughs, holding her ear against Adora’s chest. Her mismatched eyes blink open and she takes a deep breath, her airways much clearer than they were before.

“Hey Adora”

—-----

Bow doesn't know how to feel. Glimmer is his best friend. The Catra to his Adora. But girl set off the Heart of Etheria! That is like.. A big act of betrayal!

Not that Catra didn't do a whole bunch of bad things. Really it just proves his analogy more. Catra to his Adora.

He had already been worried when he didn't hear anything from Glimmer after The Heart of Etheria went off. He was even more worried when they had to take their impromptu trip out into the abyss of space without Glimmer.

They didn't even tell her they were going! No note, no letter, not even a text. No way for her to contact them or for them to contact her.

The ride to Krytis is silent. Calico staring out of the front windshield blankly. Her tail hangs limply off the side of the windowsill.

Tigger hasn’t moved from the commander's chair, his feet tucked up to his chest. He watches as Entrapta types away in the corner next to Hordak.

Micah had stopped trying to cheer anyone up hours ago, when Calico had growled at him. The usually bright and cheery girl shrunk in on herself, sat in the windowsill and looked out the glass.

Bow tip taps on Entrapta’s tablet. The one he had confiscated when she had started taking very depressing notes on the state of the team.

The silence is starting to get to him. Well it would have been silent if Micah would stop tapping his foot. It's not even tapping with rhythm. It's just nonsensical, tapp…..tap tap.. Tap…

Bow’s eye twitches, Calico’s stomach growls.

“Ok!” Bow claps his hands together, making Tigger jump. “Micah!? You stay here and steer the ship. Tigger? Calico? We’re going to make a good meal. Yeah?”

“I think-” Tigger starts, curling up tighter.

“We are making a nice meal” Bow reinstates cheerily, grabbing the feline’s arm and pulling him out of the co*ckpit, Calico follows behind them silently, her tail dragging against the floor.

"Ok” Bow says, glancing around the kitchen, “usually Adora is here to translate but” he holds up the track pad “maybe there is a translator on here.”

Tigger hops onto the counter and swings his legs back and forth, Calico leans on the counter next to him. They both look dejected and sad. Bow winces and looks around at the labeled boxes.

Bow stands in the middle of the kitchen. He holds up his tablet and watches as the languages decode. Flower, and salt. Sugar?

You don’t know how to cook, do you?” Calico asks, looking up at him as he wanders around aimlessly. It sounds less like a question and more like an accusation. Bow deflates and leans on the counter next to them.

“I don’t know how to cook.” he whispers, handing the translator to Calico.

“Do you remember how to make Barria?” Tigger nods and stands, starting to sift through the endless boxes of ingredients. Calico pulls sauce pans from the cupboards and fills one with water.

“What are you making?” Bow asks, standing behind her as she turns up the heat.

“It’s a kind of taco, mom used to make it,” Calico says, her voice quiet.

Bow lifts himself onto the counter where Tigger was and watches as the siblings start to open boxes. One of which smells so spicy It makes Bow’s eyes water.

“What’s in it?” Calico chuckles at his watery voice and pours the…. Chillies? Into the boiling water.

“Just you wait, big boy” Tigger says, rinsing…a tomato? Did that…come out of a bag? How is it still good?

“What was Catra like?” Calico asks, staring at the boiling pot.

“Catra?” Bow asks, leaning back casually against the cabinets. He doest know where to start. He didn't really know her.

“She was ug… well she spent most of her time trying to kill me, but other than that I always thought she was kinda cool. Adora always talked about her.”

Calico perks up with a smile.

Bow clears his throat. “She had this strange fighting style. Like a tiger or something. all claws and agility. No one could beat her '' Bow kicks his legs back and forth.

“She was really smart, knew how to read people. She once pushed both of us off a cliff because she knew Glimmer would save us. It would be funny if it wasn't so scary”

Glimmer had saved them, even if she took an extra second to be petty about it. She was just like that, loyal to a fault. But then Shadow Weaver came to Brightmoon and Glimmer started…. acting weird.

She stopped trusting her friends. Only listened to Shadow Weaver.

And then she set off the heart. After Bow and Adora said not too. After she knew the risks and what it would do to the planet. Who it would hurt. Bow hasn't heard from her since. The only indication she was alive is Etheria being pulled through the portal.

What if Glimmer hadn't set off The Heart? There's a chance it could be someone else. Someone else who knew about the heart and where to get more information on it. Someone who knew how to get into the crystal castle.

But if it wasn’t Glimmer where is she? Why hasn't Bow heard from her?

Bow sighs and looks back up to Calico who's pouring what looks like dehydrated garlic and water into a bowl.

“Do you think Catra would have… I don't know, taught me? How to fight. if she hadn't.. Wasn’t-” the girl swallows thickly and looks away from Bow, the archers stomach drops.

“We’re going to get her back,” Bow says, sitting up straight. “You know that right?” Calico freezes where she stands. Tigger sighs.

“We’ve lost Catra before, we just got her back and it took like twenty years. We’re trying not to get our hopes up for another miracle. “

“This is different,” Bow says. Looking into their eyes. “Before you guys thought Catra was dead! And you were on a deserted island you had no way of getting off of. This time you have people on your side. Me and Micah. The princess alliance and Entrapta.. She-ra who is definitely in love with your sister and is in no way just going to let her go.”

Calico chuckles. “I knew it was a love story” she mumbles. Bow lays a hand on her shoulder.

“And we are helping too. We are going to find Primes weakness. We’re going to find out how to help your people and get your mom and Catra back.

You and adora are so certain.” tigger mumbles. “ so positive that things are just going to work out. Well life doesn't work that way. Not for us."

The ship shudders. Causing ripples in Calicos water. Entrapta bursts through the door with a wide smile.

“We’re here!”

Chapter 16: The Wise Old Woman

Chapter Text

Adora groans into her hands, her posture slackening. she really doesn't understand what happened. The sword is broken. As in, It no longer has any magic. That's why breaking it stopped the heart of Etheria. It's literally the reason why the planet isn't a massive weapon firing into the expanse of space. Adora had to do and she wouldn't take it back. She had to sacrifice She-ra for the greater good.

But then Adora became she-ra. She did. 8 feet tall and working that gorgeous fluffy hair. There’s no doubt about it. How else would Catra be alive? Alive and laying right in front of her. damaged but still fighting. she lays prone on the cot, her face slack and more peaceful then Adora has ever seen it before. Adora knows the feline’s heart is beating because she keeps pressing her ear to her chest to make sure.

Adora doesn't know how it happened but it did. Catra’s alive and laying here like a f*cking fallen angel in the dirty light peaking through Razz’s crusty window. Maybe not a fallen angel. More like a cat in a sunbeam.

She-ra was there for Adora, somehow, when she most needed it. Adora just needs to figure out how to get her back. control it.

The steady rise and fall of Catra’s chest and the constant beating of her strong heart is the only reason Adora isn't crying right now. Her anxiety is driving her through the roof. It’s making her blood pump tenfold and her hands shake like she’s hopped up on sugar.

Adora steadily runs her hands down Catra’s fur. Calming herself with its fuzzy, softness. She eyes Catra’s injured arm that Nala had wrapped to the feline’s chest. she takes extra precaution not to touch it. While She-ra could bring Catra back from the f*cking dead. She apparently couldn't heal her minor, non life threatening, wounds.

Adora thumbs the blade of the broken sword in her lap. Calming her nerves with both its reassuring cold and Catra’s soft fur. She smooths her hand down the arm nearest her again. Reassuring herself that Catra’s warm body is still pumping blood and keeping her alive.

“Maybe you should get some fresh air,” Nala says, laying a gentle hand on Adora’s shoulder. The blonde involuntarily jumps a little at the touch. Her hand clenching around Catra protectively.

While it's been years since she was in Shadow Weavers grasp. The phantom feel of her bony hands still sends frightened shivers up Adora's spine.

“I’m good” Adora mumbles, refusing to meet Nala’s eyes. She couldn't protect her daughter. How is she supposed to puff up her chest and look her in the eyes as her best friend lays on an old cot, half dead.

Are they best friends again? Now that Adora has Catra back. Does Catra want that? The feline did say that she loved her. But what if that was just a spur of the moment thing. Like Catra thought she was going to die and decided she wanted to say one thing before she did.

They kinda feel like more than friends now. More than friends who say ‘i love you’.

Adora meant it. When she said it to Catra. When she held a chipped Catra in her arms and thought the feline was going to kill her. She meant it with her whole heart. It's the only truth she knew was true since she was a kid.

Adora loves Catra

It's a fact.

And now Catra is injured. Injured and half dead, lying in Razz’s crumbling and crap filled hut. Adora failed her. Adora failed Cyra and Nala.

“It's getting a little creepy, you're just sitting there” Adora hunches over a little. Trying to hide from Nala’s judgemental stare. The Queen’s ears flatten and she smiles guiltily.

“I think a little sun will be good for you, blondie.” Cyra lays her hand on Adora's other shoulder and kneels next to her. “Catra would never forgive us if we let her best friend wither away like a flower.”

“I'm not a flower” Adora mutters, half offended. Half warm and fuzzy that they think she’s pretty enough to be a flower.

“Yep, as delicate as a flower. Would wither away with the slightest breeze” Nala says, shaking Adora’s shoulder back and forth. Adora smiles slightly and looks up at the Queen.

“Hey-” Nala blows in Adora’s ear and the blond lets out a little yelp before rubbing her ear on her shoulder.

“This is bullying” she mutters, as Cyra pulls her up, taking the sword from her hands, with a little resistance, and placing it on one of Razz’s cluttered table tops to be left and forgotten. No tell adora this but as soon as she looks away, which she is reluctant to do, the sword dissapears. It blends into the rest of Razz’s forgotten things.

‘Oh good!”. speak of the devil. Razz hobbles in and clasps her withered hands together. “You're finally out of your little dramatic rut.” she tuts, like a mother and shoes Adora away from Catra’s cot. “Now run along the diaries. I'll take care of the cat.”

“What?” Adora asks dumbfounded, stumbling a little as the old woman starts to shove all three of them out of the door.

“You have berry picking to get to!” Razz says. Pulling a basket from seemingly nowhere and shoving it into Nala’s arm. A handful of random items clatter around in it. “The sun isn't going to stay up forever and you're going to want to get there before it sets.”

“No, no. Someone has to stay here and watch over Catra,” Nala says, her eyes trained nervously on her daughter. Catra sleeps peacefully on the cot in Nala’s living room. Her little snores fill the air and Adora can still hear them even as she’s already out the door.

Nala and Cyra stumble out behind her, almost knocking Adora down.

“Yes! That's what I said. I'll take care of the cat. You three have nothing to worry about!” Razz smiles her crazy smile and slams the door in all three of their faces. Nala’s nose twitches and her eyebrows draw together.

“That woman just stole my child, '' Cyra says. Trying the nob only to find it locked. Nala looks in through the side window just for the blinds to slam shut in her face.

“Should we burn it down?” Nala asks, hugging the basket closer to her chest anxiously.

“Razz wouldn't hurt Catra. If anything she would accidently heal her and send her on an emotional journey we never expected” Adora says nervously. She hopes Razz won't hurt Catra. The old woman would never on purpose but she does tend to accidentally get in trouble.

The three of them jump as the lump next to the door makes a muffled growl. The lump that is Queen Angela snarls at them through her blind fold and gag. Shadow weaver next to her eyeing the woman with disdain.

“Alth heal Lordth Puhrume” she says, wiggling around in her restraints. The Queen seems to be thrown from her former beauty. Her hair a rats nest and her clothes covered in dirt.

“It's a lot less scary when they're tied up.” Adora says, kneeling next to the Queen. Angella’s green eyes focus on her as much as they can without pupils.

“Should we take her with us?” Cyra asks, looking down at the woman with her hands on her hips.

“Why would we do that?” Nala asks, still jiggling the doorknob to Razz’s hut anxiously. She holds her ear to the door only to flinch away when a loud bang rattles to frame.

“I agree with Cyra. I would rather her be with us than risk her getting out of her restraints and attacking Catra. Or Razz. Even though I'm sure the woman could handle herself.” Adora says, scratching her head.

Nala bites her lip but relaxes a little when Cyra wraps an arm around her waist. “Darling Catra will be safe here. The girl needs her rest and I know she’s not going to get any with you two worry warts hovering over her like vultures-monkey’s”

“But we just got her back” Nala all but wines trying to peek through the blinds again. She jumps a little as Razz peaks through them on the other side.

“Get! Go on!” comes the old woman's muffled voice like she's shooing a cat off her doorstep. The blinds slap shut again aggressively. Nala slumps and leans heavily on her wife. Her remaining arm wrapping around the woman. The basket hangs down on her shoulder like a purse.

“Yes, and we just got you back too”

Adora grabs Queen angella’s arms and pulls the woman to her feet. Her wings flutter a little in their restraints but Mystacor’s magical ropes hold.

“Where are we going?” Adora asks, pulling angella by the arm in the direction the two queens seem to want to stroll in. it's almost gross how in love those women are. Their tails bump together as they walk and queen Cyra keeps rubbing her head slightly against her wife’s.

“What did razz say? Where are we supposed to go? Berry picking?” Nala asks, glancing back at the house again and raising an eyebrow and Razz’s eyes peeking through the blinds. “I say let's just go for a walk, clear our heads.”

“We’re wasting time,” Adora says, pulling Angella a little faster to catch up with the two felines. “Etheria is still in danger. We still need to find where to put the heart now that we have it. We have a laundry list of things to do and we’re just out berry picking?” Nala’s ears droop at that, Cyra’s hand coming up to rub Nala’s arm.

“ Have you heard anything from Bow’s dads?” Adora pushes, her grip on the queen subconsciously tightening, her breath coming a little faster. The Queen looked back at her with concern, stopping and turning to Adora with lowered ears. Adora takes that as a knoew

“Razz usually throws you into berry picking when she thinks you need to go on an emotionally and physically draining journey about self discovery but we don't have time for that! We need answers!” Adora’s breathing is coming faster than she can catch. Her heart feels like it's about to beat out of her chest. Cyra’s hands come up to rub at Adora’s arms, her soft palms calming the blonde’s nerves.

“You've got to be patient, hon” she says, “everyone seems to think that Wars go fast but they're usually very slow.”

But Just like fate, Cyra's trackpad starts to trill. The Queen jumps, her tail puffing up, just out like Catra’s used to, and she swears. She pulls the trackpad out from her bag and angrily taps at it with hand. Somehow, she misses the answer button each time.

Adora sighs and takes the tech from her with a shaky hand, lightly tapping the green buttons flashing on the screen. She almost jumps when George’s giant forehead takes up the entirety of the screen.

“Cyra? Cyra you there?” his rough voice crackles through the speaker. Cyra smiles and gently takes the pad back from Adora.

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear” Nala murmurs, her head tilted. Adora looks at her strangely. The devil?

“Yes! But you're a little close to the screen!” Cyra shouts like she doesn't think he’ll be able to hear her if she doesn't. Her wife raises an eyebrow at her and Cyra shrugs defensively.

The screen shakes and trembles and then Lance’s eyeball is taking up the screen.

Where's Bow?” he asks, glancing around the trees in the background. He seems excited to share his findings but even more excited to see his youngest. Nala and Cyra glance at each other and then at Adora. Adora’s hands are fidgeting in front of her anxiously. A kid her age should never have to break news like this to a dad

Nala sighs and shoves Adora away lightly, her hand coming up to grip Cyra's and give her a reassuring squeeze. Cyra leans a little closer and rubs her cheek against Adora’s temple.

“Take a couple deep breaths, ok sweetie?” she says, sitting the overly anxious blonde down on a rock. She leaves a motherly kiss on Adora’s forehead, pats her head and turns away from her. crowding around the screen with Nala. they start to murmur to the track pad which goes concerningly quiet.

Adora glances at the Queen of Brightmoon who is already looking at her with her lifeless eyes. Adora is as helpless as the chipped Queen of bright moon is. “Don't get any ideas, creepy”

“Longguh.. Libe…hawd.. Pime” she muffles through the gag.

—-----------

“Wow that old lady really knows what she's doing” Cyra says with a smile shaking the map on the trackpad in the air, ‘emotionally and physically draining adventure here we come!”

“Go pick berries, she says. And then boom! Next move falls into our laps” Nala, smiles and leans heavily on her wife.

Adora grinds her teeth and barely refrains from slapping her forehead. Instead she buries her eyes into her hand. The other still has a firm grip on the queen's arm. Said woman has been suspiciously quiet since her last proclamation of horde prime.

“And I for one am excited.” Nala says, hiking her basket pure higher up on her stub. “It's been ages since Cyra and I got into trouble like this,”

“You mean when we snuck down stairs to eat the last of the pudding?” Cyra asks, raising an eyebrow at her. Cyra separates from Nala with a smile when the Queen’s ears droop embarrassingly. She then gently takes the Queen from Adora’s vice-like grip.

The blond hadn't realized how tightly she was holding the monarch. Cyra pulls a piece of rope free from the queen's bindings and attaches it to her belt with a thick knot.

Nala starts to laugh “she looks like she's in one if those little kid leashes.” she giggles, leaning up on her tippy toes. “ She would be pissed.”

Cyra starts to laugh, leaning back into her wife. “Oh my gods, she would have and absolute fit. I can just imagine that english accent now”

“How did you even Capture the Queen?” Adora buts in, eyeing the woman's wings nervously. She knows for a fact how powerful they are. They can bull over troops like tanks. It would take an army to take her down.

Nala and Cyra glance at each other. well Cyra tries to but Nala’s eyes are already trained back on Razz’s hut. Like she can't stop thinking about Catra for more than five minutes. Adora gets it.

“I think I'm getting separation anxiety.” Nala mumbles very quietly, resting her head on her wife’s and rubbing her cheek across the woman's own. A pang of longing runs through Adora and she forces herself to look away.

“We just threw water on her. She melted like the wicked witch of the west. That woman has always been so vain. Do you remember what she wore to princess prom the last time we went?” Cyra asks her wife. Nudging the woman. Nala laughs and tightens her arm around her wife.

“You mean that wedding dress? She looked like she was about to walk down the aisle. And it was woodland themed! She was supposed to wear dark green or something. Not eye bleaching white!” Nala says, grinning down at Cyra. the dual eyed Queen giggles mischievously.

“Do you remember when-”

“We spilled the entire tray of squirrel-shrimp down the back of her dress?” Both women bust out laughing. Gripping each other tightly and stumbling slightly. It reminds Adora so much of her and Catra she has to look away. She can't seem to stop herself from blurting it out.

“Me and Catra used to do stuff like that” she mumbles quietly, both women freeze and look at Adora like a treasure trove. They separate from each other and descend on Adora like a pack of hyena dogs. One arm wraps around her shoulder while another grips her waist. She’s sandwiched between the two felines in no time.

“What was Catra like?” Cyra asks, raising her eyebrows at Adora.

“i-”

‘Did she still play pranks?” Nala questions, before Adora can get a word out.

“I-” the blonde tries again.

“She was always so mischievous as a kit” Cyra says with a wide smile, squeezing Adora around the waist. Adora is finding it very difficult to walk in a straight line as three women with different heights try to walk in tandem.

“She- well yeah she was.” Adora smiles at the ground. Still trying to keep a keen eye out for roots as her mind drifts off. “Always playing pranks and doing her best to trip others up.” Adora laughs.

“She would replace W-Weaver’s Brandy with a cup of toilet water.” the giggle slowly peters out, the smile slowly smalls from Adora’s face.

“But then-” Adora pauses, looking away from both women in shame. Catra had been mischievous. Playing harmless pranks on other cadets and drawing little figures on the walls. The key word here is the “had’.

“Then what?” Nala asks, pulling Adora and consequently Cyra closer. The blonde hesitates. She really doesn't want to admit to the mothers of her best friend, turned rival, turned maybe love of her life that Adora had failed to... Adora had let her get hurt. Get punished for..

“Then.. uh.. there was a….” Adora takes a deep breath and tries to swallow past the stone lodged in her throat. She can’t lie to these women. They’ve been too nice to her. Treated her with too much kindness. She can't lie.

“There was an accident..One day when we were maybe eight or nine. I don’t really know we didn't celebrate birthdays and age was hard to keep track of. Me and Catra were playing in the vents.” Adora chuckles a little, the feeling of the dust and rat-spider webs clinging to her skin makes a shutter run down her spine.

“Those places were so creepy. Covered in spiderwebs and full of rats. But Catra loved them. She said they were the fastest way of transportation. She could be anywhere in the Fright Zone in less than a parsec.” Adora can feel her eyes unfocusing. She doesn't even realize it but she’s no longer looking for roots and stumps. These women’s arms around her are too comforting. Too warm. She feels safe enough not to. The feeling of Nala and Cyra’s soft bodies tugging her close calms the anxiety she thinks she’s felt her whole life.

It's an odd feeling. the sudden calmness. It’s almost too calm. Even as she tells this story. The story she tries to forget. One of the stories that haunt her as she tries to fall asleep

“We were just playing. Catra was trying to teach me how to crawl around in the vents without making noise. She said you had to walk like a mouse but I could never figure out what that meant. She was supposed to be a cat.” Adora chuckles, her voice is starting to come out a little shrill.

“It was my fault. I was making too much noise and getting frustrated and then we started wrestling. We were a little too close to an opening and we tumbled out.”

“It was an accident. She didn’t mean to. She always had trouble keeping her claws in. she said she didn't feel safe in the Fright zone so they always came out.” Adora doesn't even realize the tears are building up in her eyes until Cyra squeezes her waist. She blinks them back. her voice trembles as she continues the story.

“We tumbled out and she accidentally scratched me. She didn't mean to. I didn't even feel it at first,” her hand reaches up to graze the space behind her ear. Four little scratches, barely even noticeable unless you were feeling for them. Slightly raised skin.

“Weaver got mad. Really mad. And she dragged Catra away.” Adora tries to swallow past the lump in her throat. “And when she came back...”

Adora shouldn't be telling Catra’s mothers this. Shouldn't be subjecting them to something so horrible. Shoulding be sharing a story that isn't really hers to share. But she can't stop. The words just tumbled out of her in near mumbles. The next set is barely whispered. Barely loud enough for both felines to pick up with their advanced hearing. Adora was hoping they wouldn't.

“She was missing the tips of all her fingers. Even her toes. They weren't wrapped correctly. I had to..” Adora can't bring herself to look at the woman still holding her. Still keeping her wrapped up in their warm loving embrace. Adora failed them. She failed Catra. The one person she wanted to protect, the one person she still wants to protect.

Oh my gods” Nala mumbles, tears filling her eyes. She doesnt sound angry. She sounds devastated.

“Oh Adora” the blonde shrinks in on herself, expecting anger, retaliation. Punishment. Instead, the unthinkable happens. They pull her impossibly closer. Stopping their walking and just hugging her between them. Adora tries to pull herself together. Tries to suck the tears back in and keep them from falling down her face.

But then Nala starts purring. Strong and steady and so like Catra that Adora breaks down in a sob. She wraps her arms around Cyra and buries her face into the woman's shoulder.

Cyra mumbles. “It's going to be ok” and Adora just cries harder. She hates it when people say ‘its ok’. If Adora’s crying it's not ok. Cyra didn't say that. She said it was ‘going’ to be. going.

A simple statement so reassuring it makes all the determination to keep going, to stay strong even if She-ra is no longer here. To be Etheria’s defender even if she doesn't have the power to do so. To break down for just a moment. Lift all this pressure off her shoulders for just a second and let her be the twenty year old she is and breathe.

She sucks in deep gratifying breaths through the tears. They burn her throat and make her breath harder. It feels like she hasn't had air this fresh in years.

“I Didn't protect her. We made a promise and I didnt do the one thing I said I would.” Adora sobs, her shoulders shaking into the Queen's warm embrace. “And now I can't do the one thing I was meant to do. Fated for. Shera is gone and… and”

“You don’t have to do this alone, Adora. You don’t have to be the savior of the universe. There's no such thing. Let everyone do a little bit. Let your friends help you.” Cyra says,

“But it's my destiny, the stupid sword said so. It's what… it's what I was born for.”

“You mean the stupid sword that was meant to turn you into a super weapon?” Cyra raises an eyebrow and suddenly Adora feels a little stupid. Because Cyra is right. The sword was meant to turn her into a superweapon.

“And you more than muscle Adora, you're smart and creative and funny. You have a big heart and you care for your friends.” Nala says, pulling Adora closer in her arm.

“You're not what you can give to other people.” Cyra whispers. It makes Adora fall apart all over again.

“You guys are really good at cheering up stiff.” Adora chuckles wetly, Suddenly embarrassed. she pulls away and sniffles, running the back of her hand across her eyes to wipe away the rest of the tears.

“And you should know that, the things that happened to you and Catra in that terrible place are not oyur fault. Theynever will be”

Adora’s breath hesitates in her throat, her hands trembling from where they have wrapped around her own mid section.

“Catra was not your responsibility to protect and when you left, it wasn't your responsibly to drag her with you. ”

Its everything Adora has ever needed to hear and never wanted to hear. “Holy Hordak” she chuckles, squeezing her eyes shut and leaning into the felines. “Ur really food at that.”

“Aah it all comes with being a mother” Cyra says proudly.

“You big fat liar. We both read the parenting book. You were an absolute disaster before it.” Nala tattles, pointing at Cyra like she’s a third grader and Cyra stole her cookie.

“Uh, not true!”

“Yeah true! When Tiggers pet frog and pet snail died on the same day you said, and I quote. “Bad things happen in three’s!” Who says that!?”

“Its true!” Cyra defends, reaching around Adora to shove her wife. “ He fell out of a tree the very same day!”

Adora busts out laughing, wiping away the rest of her tears as the two women bicker.

“Of course it's true! But you didn't have to say it.” Nala says, giggling alongside Adora.

After Cyra starts to giggle, Adora isn't far after her. She feels so light. It feels like the world has lifted off her shoulders and stayed off. The sound of these two women bickering like old ladies just lifts her spirits more.

—-----

“Where are we?” Nala asks, spinning in a circle. The tunnels are dark, dirty. They do nothing to let in light. Barely a few steps in and neither of the felines can see. It forces them back out to the entrance of the caves.

“It's down there” Adora murmurs, her eyes are trained in the abyss, unblinking. It's really starting to freak Cyra out. Adora was unhappy retreating from the darkness of the cave. She tried to use the trackpad as a light but it only illuminated inches in front of her. Cyra had to basically drag her out.

“What is, sweetie?” she forces herself to ask, her hand going up to Adora’s arm as if she can reassure the stressed teenager with just a touch.

“Where I'm supposed to be, the heart. It's down there, I know it,” and she does. She can feel it, she thinks Cyta and Nala can too. There's a pull there, one full of magic. It's strong enough to make toes curl and hair to stand on end.

It's calling to her, to the heart in her chest. Not one that beats blood throughout her body but the one that buried itself in her. Stabbed and carved and made room for itself where she didn’t want it. Where she forced herself to have it.

“We’re going to have to re-group.” Nala says, her hand coming up to rub at her eyes. “Re-group and rest and figure out the rest.”

“We should get this over with,” Adora says, her hands flying to her hips. She turns to the older woman. “I should get this over with now. The longer we wait the closer Horde Prime gets to winning,”

“Adora” Cyra places her hands on the girls shoulder, “we’re not sending you in there without knowing exactly what it's going to do to you.”

“Does it matter?” Adora asks, her hands covering Cyra’s “this entire world is at risk, the entire galaxy if I heard Nala right. What he’s doing, Horde Prime, is destroying worlds. if can put a stop to it, a stop to the killing. Why not do it now.”

“Because we don't know if that heart is going to kill you or not '' Cyra says, her eyebrows drawing together angrily. “We’re not letting you die. Why are you trying so hard to”

“Because i don't matter, not in the big picture” Adora growls this between clenched teeth, her eyes widen and she straightens. “As she-ra, whether i can transform or not it's my duty to protect Etheria.”

“you matter to us, '' Cyra says, blocking her view of the caves, standing directly infront of her. “You are more than she-ra. You are more than a tool to protect etheria.”

“You just met me, it doesn't matter to you more than madame razz does.”

“Yeah! We just met you! And you stole our sour old hearts faster than a kitten would. You matter Adora! You matter to us. You matter to Catra and you matter to your friends.

“You don't need to sacrifice yourself to prove it.” we are going back to Razz’s, regrouping with Catra who is a brilliant strategist and finding another way”

“I should save the world.” Adora ignores them, her eyes trained on the darkness the heart of etheria is shrouded in. “that is why i'm here,”

“no, no” Cyra plants her hands on her hips and glares at Adora. “No, you won't be sacrificing yourself, you won't be going in there. I'm putting my foot down.”

“You can't tell me what to do” Adora puffs up her chest and glares right back, “if i think this is the best thing for this planet for this universe i'm going to do it.!” Adora stalks off, her shoulder brushing into Cyra’s, stomping her feet into the dark tunnel.

“Nala and Cyra glance at each other and then the Queen, who is wrapped in a multitude of ropes.

Adora does end up going back to the hut. weather it was willingly or not Etheria may never know

—-----

The team, minus Tigger who happily stayed in the kitchen to tend to the food, watches as Entrapa skips off the ship in her experimental space suit. How she found the material to make it, Bow will never know. She giggles through the intercom and gives the team a thumbs up through the windshield.

Bow zips up his own, hoping to the Gods his head doesn't blow up in the expanse of space, making sure the little ab window is centered over his stomach. He chooses to ignore the weird looks Glimmer’s dad gives him in favor of staring at Calico’s little ears.

“Don't say a word” the feline growls, placing her hands on her hips. Bow can't help but think she looks like a little Catra. Except she isn't trying to kill him and is actually smiling. Something Catra would never do.

“I didn’t say anything” Bow says, opening the ship and letting the feline walk out before him. Calico gives him a little bit of side eye before strutting out onto the surface of this random planet. the feline is braver then he was at that age. a young Bow would have been trembling, hiding behind Glimmer-

Bow waves at Tigger through the glass, the feline looks so dejected it makes Bow’s twist a little. What he said back in the kitchen ‘life doesn't work that way, not for us”. Heart shattering. A terrible truth. Life doesn't work out for most people but they still have hope. Hope for miracles, hope that keeps them going. It's cary to think Tigger doesn't have that anymore.

The boy returns the wave half heartedly before the airlock closes again. There’s bags under his eyes. Deep enough to make Bow think he isn't getting any sleep at all. It was a long trip out. Maybe a little under two days of flying. It's hard to keep track of time without the sun, and no one can read the clock on Darla's main frame, not even Entrapta.

Still, everyone has gotten a little bit of sleep. Even if it was just dosing in the captain's chair or curling up in one of the medical cots in the infirmary. Bow doesn't know about Tigger. He hasn't seen him close his eyes longer than a blink since they got on the ship. He walks around like the weight of the world is on his shoulders and looks at Calico like she is his last hope

Bow wants to say something. Something to make this better. Give Tigger hope again. But he doesn't know what. He trudges after Entrapta. His booted feet kicked up purple sand. He eyes the footprints that lead back to the ship like bread crumbs. if there is life still here, it definitely knows where to find its way off the planet.

Entrapta sits Hordak down against the spire and plugs him into the building. It looked kinda invasive, to be honest. The cludunk of the wires going into the neck makes Bow wince. Hordak doesn't seem bothered though, he smiles wonderfully at Entrapta, his cheeks pink.

Calico pays them no mind. She’s more focused on the planet. She runs up the side of fallen spires, at Bow's disapproval, and scouts out the area. Her gloves turn metallic and stick to the side of metal hulls like magnets. the wide smile on her face deters Bow from calling her back. The girl deserves a break from fact that her family is falling apart.

She looks like a monkey scrolling up and down the scary spires. happy and carefree for the first time in days.

“This is the only spot on the entire planet with any working tech!” Entrapta exclaims, “everything else is a barren wasteland” she giggles like a maniac and types at her computer at lighting speed.

“And this is a good thing because?” Bow asks nervously. Eyeing the crumbling plane.

“It's not! It means we have less of a chance of finding anything to beat Horde Prime with. Is it Horde Prime or Lorde Prime? I can never remember.” Entrpata says distractedly.

Bow tries to pinch the bridge of his nose but he only succeeds in knocking his hand into the glass of his helmet. he bites back a curse and shakes his hand in the air.

“How about air quality?” Calico asks, peeking up from a piece of space trash. “I'm getting really tired of these helmets.”

“But you look so cute!” Bow exclaims before jumping back with a laugh aWhen Calico jumps at him. She playfully snarls and shoves the archer to the side. Bow falls. he expected solid ground but now all he's getting is open air.

One second he was standing on the surface, a smile splitting his face, and the next he was crumbling through the cracks of the planet.

“Bow!” Calico shouts jumping for him just before he disappears into darkness. her hand barely misses his helmet.

“Bow?” another voice echoes into the darkness.
—----

“Glimmer?” Bow coughs, the dust around him puffing up and dispersing. The cavern is dark and the cliff he tumbled down leaves scratches up his arms. he's buried beneath a mountain of debris. pieces of what has to be the planets crust trapping him.

“I'm here!” Glimmer shouts, she stumbles through the dust like an angel through a war field. Tears fill her eyes as she lifts rocks and digs through the rubble frantically. "Bow, I'm here, I'm here.

Bow helps her lift the rocks and then he's in her arms. He's more confused than worried about her current state. She’s wet and soggy but unmistakably her. He hugs her closer to his chest. “Glimmer, Glimmer” he mumbles, breathing in her sparkles. how is she here. how is she on this random planet in the middle of a astroid graveyard.

“I thought- I thought” she mumbles. Gripping the back of his suit tightly in her hands. He rips his helmet off and drops it to the ground before placing his hands on her arms. she's cold and shivering but unmistakingly here. he backs up out of the rubble checking her for injuries.

“How- how are you here? How did you end up on this planet.. What-” he stutters, taking her hands into his and checking the damage in her palms. She smiles so brightly at him that he assumes this has to be a dream. "how-"

“I- after-” glimmer starts but is interrupted as Bow screeches. a blob comes up from behind Glimmer and places a hand on her shoulder. Bow yanks the girl behind him and grabs his helmet from the floor. Lifting it up like a weapon.

“What is that?” he screeches backing up and away from the paling blue blob. this is definitely a dream. he hit his head on the way to his certain death. he's still on the ship, they haven't landed yet.

“Bow! Bow” Glimmer yelps, placing a hand on his shoulder and backing him away from the blob. “It's ok!, that's… just my friend!”

“You're…friend?” Bow asks, looking at her incredulously. he looks back at the monster. the blue thing has morphed itself into a small little splat. “You made friends with a blue blob?”

the blob flashes angrily, red spikes poking form its form. Bow takes another step back. 'no offending the blob' noted.

“Yeah” she defends, skirting around Bow and placing a hand on the blob's shoulder. “Yeah, we just met” she side eyes the blob and the thing nods. “Just now.”

“Just now?” Bow squeaks. Slowly lowering his helmet. he watches as Glimmer bends and helps the thing to its... feet?

“Bow!” Bow jumps and spins around as Micah comes tumbling down the hill “Bow! My boy, are you alright?” the man coughs as the dust around him kicks up.

Glimmer's eyes widened at the man now covered in dust. ‘Dad?” she mumbles, her hand slowly sliding off the blob's arms. Then she’s running towards Micah like her life depends on it. Leaving Bow with the blob.

Bow side eyes the thing.. Animal.. Person? It seems to side-eye him back even though it doesn't have pupils. then it does. they roll from the things body like marbles. Bow slaps a hand over his mouth when it grows. its height matches his and a smile that look all to much like his own greet him from the blobs makeshift face.

“Hey” Bow says, nodding his head at it. It nods back.

Bow isn't fully convinced that he isn't dead. How is Glimmer here? not on Etheria.

Now that the excitement of seeing her is over he's pretty pissed she opened the portal. She angrily pulled their planet through to the wider universe even though both he and Adora agreed it was a terrible idea. Then she drops off the face of the planet. Literally. She is no longer on their home planet!

She may have been abducted by an evil dictator but she still….

Who does that? Teleport their planet to the wider universe? Even after they all agreed that it was a pretty crappy idea. Well, she didn't know that’s what it would do. But both Bow and Adora agreed that setting off the heart was bad..

Bow stands awkwardly behind Glimmer as she shakily hugs her father. Pulling away to look at him before tugging him back in.

“How- your- your supposed- how” she keeps mumbling, her grip on the back of his suit white knuckled. “You're dead, you're dead.

“Oh, baby girl," Micah says, gripping his daughter to his chest just as hard. “I dreamed of the day you would be in my arms again. I hoped you’d be a little younger but-”

“How, how did you.. This random planet.” she speaks over him before freezing, gripping her hands on his arms and pulling away. “This random planet.” she mumbles distractedly

“What?-” Bow asks, reaching for her shoulder. She spins in a circle, looking at the cracking walls of the cavern. The only way out is a crumbling cliff like hill Bow and Micah fell down in.

“We have to go!” she says frantically. "this is not some random planet!"

“What?” Bow asks, tilting his head. The blob glances at him before doing the same thing. The blue shadow has also indented a heart into his chest. Bow is getting the sneaking suspension that it's copying him.

“This- this is Kritus, we have to go.” Glimmer turns around and takes Bow by the arm. She pushes her father ahead of her and towards the cliff he stumbled down. “We have got to get out of here before-” Glimmer pauses, her eyes flickering to the ceiling. Bow follows her gaze. cracks, and a lot of them, cover the cavern like spiderwebs.

“Glimmer what-” Bow ducks as an explosion shakes the cavern. The roof starts to crumble and chunks of stalactites fall down right where Bow had been standing before Glimmer dragged him away. He jumps into the gear and starts walking slightly faster.

“We gotta go!” he shouts pushing, his new mirror, the blob and Glimmer towards the hill. He presses his hand to his ear as he takes Micah’s arms and pulls him towards the only out. He hopes Entrapta responds. the comms ring like warning bells and he winces, his head tilting to the side.

“Bow!” Entrapta's squeaky voice sounds in his intercom. "There seems to be a fleet of high tech mechanical drones attacking the planet!” She gives a little giggle that makes fear drip down Bow’s spine.

“Drones!? What's happening?” Bow shouts, climbing up the mountain behind Glimmer, his hands dig into the soft dirt.

“It's prime!” she says, her hands shaking as she turns around to help him up. “he’s sending drones here to stop you. He thinks She-ra is on the ship.” she gasps, turning around and pulling Bow up over the side of the hill. “Where's Adora? We have to get out of here now.”

“She’s on etheria. She.. she didn't make it out here.” Bow gasps, raising an eyebrow at the blob which seems to have made blob like versions of his boots.

“Well, we got to go like yesterday, '' she says, spinning around and looking up at the hole Bow fell through. The drop is maybe a couple feet. Not nearly short enough to reach from where they’re standing.

“How do we get out?” Glimmer asks, looking towards her father,

“Come one” Micah says, jogging towards a ledge that leads to a steep incline against the hole in the cavern. It's how he must’ve gotten down. He scrambles up after Glimmer, gesturing for Bow to follow.

Bow turns around to the blob and helps it up onto the ledge before heaving himself up after it. He stumbles up straight and freezes.

The already fragile ceiling cracks and crumbles in front of Bow’s eyes and there isn't anything he can do as he watches a large chunk of the ceiling crash through the cavern and head straight for Glimmer.

Bow isn't close enough. There’s nothing he can do. In the corner of his eye he watches as the blob looks up and turns from blue to bright red.

“Glimmer!” he yells.his legs pumping and his hand Reaching out as her head turns. And then she's gone.

Tumbling down down the hill and towards Bow as a black blob rams into her. Bow scrambles for Calico as the blob picks a slightly shell shocked Glimmer by her shoulders.

“That was seriously dangerous, Calico!” Bow shouts, hugging the kitten to his side and sprinting up the sleep hill. The girl is quicker than him and helps pull him up.

“Yeah I'm feeling a little regretful,” Calico coughs as she wipes the dust from the peach fur off her face. “I think the air got knocked out of me.” She stumbles on the crumbling rocks and Bow pulls her up.

His eyes widen at the sudden cracking sound below him and he glances down. The already crumbling cliff that runs all the way to the surface is falling into the abyss below him. His heels barely lift off the ground before the ground is gone.

He hurriedly pushes Calico infront of him. The kitten's ears flatten to her head.

“Hurry Calico, make it to the edge. Make it to the edge.” Calico tries to look around but he puts a hand on her shoulder and moves her faster.

“You can make it” he whispers, his eyes tearing up. The ground under his feet crumbles and he almost trips. “You can make it,” he whispers. The edge is barely ten feet, Glimmer turns around her eyes widening. She covers her mouth and Bow smiles. “You can make it.”

He gives Calico a little boost. Watching as she trips and digs her claws into the edge. then he’s falling. the blackness of the crumbling planet engulfing him.

And then he isn't. The blob has a strong hold of him on one side. Its head has sprouted cat ears and its color has gone a pale blue. Like the blood has drained from its face. On his other side Glimmer has a death grip on his bicep. The blood has also drained from her face.

“I may have overshot,” she squeaks, and then they’re fall. Bow and Glimmer start to scream and the blob glows bright red, two little wings sprout from its back and start to flap frantically.

Chapter 17: Dreams and Prophecies Foretold

Chapter Text

It's silly. Or at least Catra thinks so. She’s in the middle of an intergalactic war yet here she is on a beautiful hill overlooking a gorgeous valley. War? What war? There is no war wherever the hell she is. No stink of oil and gunpowder. No destroyed battle grounds. Nothing but open green fields and the smell of fresh flowers.

Catra should really have gotten into this whole relaxation thing years ago. Who wants to be stressed about battle plans when you can sit back and relax on a rolling hill.

This is what Catra thinks Half-moon looked like before it was destroyed, before it was moved to an inhospitable island. Catra could spend her life here, wasting away under the setting suns. Their rays send a multitude of colors Catra can and can't see flying across the darkening sky.

Catra wants to sit back and pretend for a second. So she does. What if there was no war, no fighting, no Horde, no Shadow Weaver. What if Catra had been here, and happy for her whole life. A princess with siblings and mothers’

What if Catra had grown under Nala and Cyra loving care. learned the dances and music and customs of a people she thought were long gone and long dead. Catra wants to have grown up eating food from Half-moon, wearing the clothes from Half-moon. Catra wants to have known the love her mothers could have given her.

It's too late now because Catra would never go back. Going back and changing the past isn't even an option for her. If Catra had grown up with all these things, she would never have known Adora.

“Beautiful isn't it” Catra jumps, her head whipping to the side hard enough to give her whiplash and send a world of pain down her arm. Her arm that's horribly mutilated- her arms that are perfectly fine. Covered in soft fur and perfectly usable. Her nails are soft pink.

That seems weird somehow, odd. This is how they should be isn't it?

“This is what it used to look like, before the first ones, before the wars. This is a planet when it just is. It's horrible what fighting does to people and the ecosystems around them.”

Catra freezes, turns. She was alone before. Alone looking out at the gorgeous rolling hills and mountains. Now beside Catra is a beautiful woman, she sits leaning her chin on her knee and her arms wrapped around her leg. she stares off into the fields and forests behind them like a wounded warrior.

“Who-” Catra’s voice is scratchy and tears from her lungs uneasily. The woman glances at her for a second, her eyes vibrant gold. “Who are you?”

The woman turns to her. Catra was mistaken, she has gray eyes glinting in the fading sunlight. “It doesn't matter all that much, I'm long gone and you wouldn't know me even if I wasn't. I mostly remain to guide whoever comes after me.”

“Come after you?” Catra tilts her head, her fur standing on end in her arms. “Who is coming after you? Here? There’s no one else here”

“No, not-” Mara presses her fingers into her eye. “Maybe, it does matter '' Mara mumbles, her hand coming up to rest against her forehead. A tiara Catra hadn't noticed was there appears beneath her fingertips. “Who knows, you may even know me. Mara, is my given name but the one I bear is She-ra''

Catra laughs, she doesn't mean to but it's funny. This woman isn't scrawny per say but she’s definitely less muscular than Adora. Adora who is the real She-ra. That's a fact Catra knows for sure.

This girl pretending to be the princess of power is wild. Funny, hilarious even.

“Good one, sickly sue.” Catra gestures to the woman's frail body. And now that she’s focused on it, Mara is unnaturally pale, bags under her eyes and redness dusting her face and cheeks. She looks uneasy and unsteady.

“And I'm the princess of a foreign country” Catra hesitates, her jaw snapping shut. That’s a true statement, she doesn't even know why she said it. It just came out.

Mara turns to her, a knowing smile gracing her face. “And yet, you are” she says, winking, “a princess of a foreign land that is.

“How’d you know that”

“I'm not sure” Mara admits, and Catra believes her. Maybe it's the view, the foggy depths her mind is wading through, her relaxed state from the setting sun. maybe she’s gone soft from all the pampering she’s gone through in recent days. “Some things I just know, some things I just don't. Usually I know what the current She-ra dreams are important, useful, and impactful. It'll fade soon, i'm sure”

“Your a past She-ra” Catra clarifies. She straightens and looks Mara head on. Her eyes glinted a silvery blue that seemed odd before but looks all too familiar now. Adora has eyes like these. Though this girl's eyes are dim. Downcast, sad. Catra turns her body towards the girl and away from the setting sun”

Mara nods and mirrors Catra’s posture. She sits Indian style on the grass. Her hands resting calmly in her lap.

“Then why are you here talking to me?” Catra leans back on her hands, “assuming this isn't a dream, the one you should be talking to is Adora.”

“Im, not sure either, '' Mara admits, looking out and towards the sun set. “I'm not sure if this is a dream or why I'm talking to you if it isn't. I don't usually get to decide when and where I appear. I usually just become in moments of high magic and calmness or some sh*t like that.”

“Sounds tiring” Catra knows what it's like being at the beck and call of something far more powerful than herself.it brings forth memories of burning green pools, of cold eyes, of grasping hands.

Mara chuckles and winks at Catra unaware of the feline's inner turmoil. ``you have no idea girl”

“I have some idea” Catra frowns thinking of her time as an underpaid second of command and more recently as her time as a makeshift clone.

“Why are you here, then? Oh great She-ra of the past, are you here to tell me I'm the next She-ra incarnate and infect me with princesses? I gotta tell ya, tiaras do not mix well with the ears” Catra points to her own ears, smiling at the mirth in Mara’s eyes.

Mara laughs, her eyes twinkling in a way that's so similar to Adora, “oh I like you, and I can see why Adora does too.”

Catra freezes at that, her ears lower and she squints up at the embodiment of the past before her. She has a warm smile, a kind one. She must have been a cheery girl when she was alive.

“How do you know that”

Mara ignores her with a smirk “My business is unfinished. I thought I was here to destroy the sword, free the next She-ra from the burden I never wanted but; The sword is gone, and here I still remain.

“Well I can tell you for sure, She-ra is gone.” Catra thinks of the damaged sword Adora holds onto like a lifeline. “she disappeared with the sword”

“She-ra isn't gone” Mara tilts her head at Catra looking all too much like Adora when she’s confused. Wide gray eyes and scrunched eyebrows.

“She-ra isn't the sword. This is what I was trying to tell Adora” Mara sighs and rolls her eyes before focusing them on Catra.

“She-ra is a force of magic that comes from within Adora herself. While the princesses of Etheria need the runestones to wield their power, She-ra supports her own.”

“Uhh” Catra raises an eyebrow, “then how come Adora had no magic before the sword and then no magic after. It's the whole reason we’re here”

“The sword is…. “ Mara groans and shakes her head. “Think of it this way. Dams, huge buildings that trap rivers in and use the energy they generate as electricity.

“I know what a dam is, I knocked down my fair share” Catra gestures for Mara to keep going. The She-ra hesitates, staring at Catra for a second before continuing.

“The sword is the dam holding Adora’s magic in, channeling it and transforming it into something it can use, the massive weapon my people turned this planet into. Adora breaking the sword should have set her magic free, breaking the damn-”

“-And letting the magic out” Catra mutters, her mind going towards the heart of Etheria. As soon as Adora took the heart the magic trapped in Etheria should have been released.

“Why is the magic of Etheria still trapped in the planet?” Catra asks, her hand going to rub at her head. She yanks it away quickly when pain strikes through her. Her hand is blackened and bloody, her fingers bent in odd angles.

Mara doesn't seem to notice, “I'm unsure, the question is the same for Adora, why hasn't the magic in her shown its true potential. She-ra should be fine”

“Holy Hordak” Catra mumbles, her hands trembling. She looks down, her eyes widening at her fingers, hard as steel and dripping bloody. Pain flashes through her without mercy.

“Catra?” Mara’s hand has found its way to Catra’s shoulder, “what’s happening, what's wrong?”

“You can’t see it?” Catra asks, her eyes flying down her body that was one second perfect and new but is now all damaged. Scars and blood and-

—-—----

Tigger isn't ecstatic about being stranded in the middle of nowhere with an old man. A kid obsessed with arrows and his sister. But he’s glad they didn't make him leave the ship. Being sucked in the vortex that is space didn't appeal to him in the same way it appealed to Calico.

Besides, if he's going to become an orphan he’s going to need to learn how to cook more than just tacos. He focuses less on the names of the ingredients, he can’t read them anyway, and more on taste. Some things are easily parsed out from others but some things he really shouldn't have put in his mouth.

“Euuugh” Tigger coughs into the sink, or what he’s been guessing is the sink. The brown powder he thought would be chocolate tastes like something he really is hoping it's not.

Being an orphan so far has been hard work. He couldn't even keep Calico from running off on a mission on a deserted planet. Tigger takes a gulp of a water bottle he was able to scrounge up, or at least he hopes it's water. He leans his forearms onto the least cluttered kitchen counter and sets his head in his hands.

Just a small break. Then back at it.

Tigger yelps as the ground underneath his feet trembles and drops. He suspended in the air for a second as the floor leaves him behind, then he’s falling. When he is touching solid metal again the whole ship tilts to an ugly angle.

The bay slam open as if a monster is cracking up the ship like a mussel. Tigger gulps and crawls towards the sound. He’s really hoping he isn't the meat the monster is looking for.

It is just his luck he gets stranded on a deserted island and killed.

“I didn't touch anything” he whispers, his head sticking around the corner of the kitchen and widening at the scene before him. Entrapta holds Hordak up in the air and rides her round robot into the ship. King Micah is behind them, his hands shaking and his eyes wide open and red rimmed.

Behind that is Calico. And behind Calico is a planet crumbing into nothing.

“Holy Hordak on a honey stick” he mumbles, doing his best to stumble towards the group entering the ship. He can’t seem to keep his balance with the ship rocking back and forth.

“Where's Bow!” He tries to grab Calcio but she’s already gone. Slipping around the trembling group in the blink of an eye.

“Go!” Calico is running past Tigger through the kitchen and into the co*ckpit before Entrapta has even pushed Wrong Hordak onto the ship. She flies into the driver's seat like a bat out of hell, hitting the marble hard enough it makes Tigger wince. her hands slip into the controls like a second skin.

Darla responds to her like a missing limb. Lifting off the ground and into the air without the help of Entrapta, which Bow would definitely have needed. Tigger yelps and grabs the sides of the door frame with both hands as Darla tilts to a daring angle.

Micah and wrong Hordak are not so lucky, they go hurtling towards the walls like ragdolls.

“Calico!” Tigger yelps, reaching out a hand to snag Wrong Hordak out of the air. Luckily Micah doesn't need his help. The king stares wide eyed at his hands, hovering an inch from the floor over a rune drawn in the air.

“Magic?” the king mumbles, seemingly confused. His head whips up to Calico, a wide smile splitting his face. “Magic! This planet has magic! Glimmer could be-”

“Alive!” Calico yells back, her eyes flickering behind her towards the king before focusing on the sky. Her eyes flit back and forth erratically, searchingly.

“What is happening?” Tigger yelps, not even caring when his voice cracks embarrassingly. The crew ignore him collectively, Entrapta gleefully tapping on a trackerpad that's plugged into her bot. She’s holding onto the ceiling with her hair like a spidermonkey.

“Darla please lock onto any falling object in the sky please,” the pleading tone in Calico’s voice pushes Tigger into Actions, he crawls into the co*ckpit with nails digging into metal.

“Why-”

“Scanning nearest air space” Darla’s flat voice fills the cabin and the glass of the front window becomes spottled with dots, appearing and disappearing on the screen. They lock on objects that are not there before focusing on a small dot that's moving and fast straight towards the ground.

“Bow?” Tigger asks, his mouth dropping open at the terror being enlarged before him. Darla zooms in like a telescope on a terrifying scene. Bow screams as he drops from the air, a very sparkly girl under one arm and a blob under the other.

Go!” Tigger shouts, his nails digging desperately into the chair as it blasts off the planet like a rocket.

Tigger doesn't want to say that Calico doesn't know what she’s doing but the girl doesn’t know what she’s doing. The feline is headed right toward the quickly falling speck. That would be good if it didn't look like they were about to hit them. Running them down with the ship, Tigger is afraid they're going to splatter Bow and his two friends against Darla’s windshield.

“Calico '' Tigger warns, one of his hands reluctantly unsticking from the commander's chair and settling on her shoulder.

“Give me a second,” his little sister whispers. Her eyes intently focused on the scene before her. Her pupils are dilated wide. She’s enjoying this to some degree. She increases the speed. Her ship aimed just below the falling archer. Then the plane starts to tilt on its axis.

Calico spins them like a roast spit on festival day, her hand flying from the controls, for a split second, to open the loading bay before flying back.

“Calico” Tigger yelps, his eyes involuntarily wincing shut. He doesn't want to see the archer he barely knows go splat. The guy was nice, calming even.

“Shut up” she yells back, her eyes wide and frightened. She clenches fist and the ship tips precariously. Tigger decides that yes he should keep his mouth shut.

“Just a little bit more” Calico whispers, tilting the plane until the entry port is pointed up and the entire ship is tilted on one side, Tigger hangs onto the command chair for dear life. His body dangling.

They almost hit Bow and his two new friends but Calico aimed the ship perfectly. The ship speeds past at just the right time.

Bow falls like a rock through the open door headed straight for a bad landing. Then Micah is there, his hand outstretched and a magic net, or some other weird magic thing, scoops them up in one go. No Eutherians splattered on the inside of the ship.

All three are still screaming hysterically when they finally touch solid metal. They hug each other like they're about to die, the blob melting into the other two teenagers in fright. Bow slowly peaks open an eye as Calico slowly levels out the ship again, her breath coming fast.

“Tigger” Calco whispers, her eyes trained on the scene before her. Tigger follows her gaze and grits his teeth at the sight.

“Ok, Calico. Very slowly now. Back the ship up.”

“I think our best course of action is running” Entrapta smiles gleefully out the windshield.

“I agree” comes from Bow's scratchy voice. He whispers like the Horde ship in front of them will be able to hear them. It’s almost eerie. The ship makes no noise, it just points directly at them, inches from the hull of the ship. “Very slowly back away and then run”

Calico slowly puts the ship in reverse, her hands slackening as the ship backs up. The Horde drone follows. Calico Quickens her pace, and the drone quickens its own.

“Oh no” Bow squeaks, his hands finding purchase on the command chair as the ship quickly picks up speed.

“What do I do?!” Calico squeals, her eyes trained on the ship that is getting closer and closer to her own.

“Run quickly! RUN QUICKLY'' Tigger shouts, yelping when Calico immediately takes his advice. Or at least Tigger thinks she is.

She stops the ship and the controls fizzle out of space. They drop from the air. The clone disappears from view. It follows the line where Darla should be but no longer is.

“Calico!” Tigger shouts as his feet leave the solid metal of the floor, “i said run, not kill us”

Calico starts the ship up again and Darla blasts from the air like a rocket. It shoots back down the invisible path Calico had just reversed down. The clone is disoriented for a moment before it spins on his access and shoots after her.

“Lose it!” Micah shouts, his hands drawing runes left and right. Bow, his new friends and Hordak are strapped to various surfaces on Darla. Entrapta is hanging to the command desk by her hair and Tigger is lucky enough to have his nails dug into the command chair.

“How?” Calico shreaks, her eyes flickering across the windshield

“There!” Tigger points to where the planet is splitting open. A gap big enough for the Magicat barge opening in the crust. “Go there!”

Calico does. It's the most terrified Tigger has ever been. The planet whips past tem faster then what seems possible. Tigger’s nails dig so hard into the marble chair he’s afraid they're going to break off.

Calico revs the engine and a blast of fire explodes the cave around them. The clone miraculously makes it through, shooting shots at Darla all the while. They bounce harlessly off the ship's hull and echo around the cavern.

“How did I get out?” Calico squeaks, her hands trembling in the controls. Tigger’s eyes flash across the windshield desperately.

“Opening!” Tigger screeches, pointing to the barest hint of sunlight. Calico has to basically stop the whole ship, she hits the breaks spinning Darla like a spigot before blasting toward the sunlight.

It isn't an opening but a fragile section of wall. There's a crack in the crumbled wall there. letting the sun in. Calico screams as debris hits the glass, her eyes terribly peeled open as they hit the wall.

The planet explodes outward the ship, Darla, going with it, the clone isn't so lucky. It gets crushed in the crust as the planet falls back into itself letting off the last few shots of a space gun.

Calico slams the breaks. The ship spinning out of control in Kirtus’s atmosphere. Darla screeches to a halt as the outer universe comes into view. Stopping slowly in space. Calico pulls her hands out of he controls and slips down the chair as if she’s turned into water.

“That was really good work there, Cal” Tigger murmurs, his nails slowly unclicking from the chair.

Bow and the duo of newbies collapse to the floor in a heap, screaming like banshee monkeys.

Bow’s scream cuts off first, the others follow. He takes in big lungfuls of air, his eyes frantically flashing across the scene of worried Etherians in front of him. At the expanse of space behind the windshield he falls back with a sigh, his chest rising and falling harridly.

“Glimmer” King Micah gasps, running towards his daughter. He slides to her, his hands flailing across her face and down her arms. The girl opens her eyes and sighs in relief. Her arms fall to her side and she slumps forward into her fathers arms.

“Glimmer?” Tigger asks, his eyes trained on the girl he’s learned so much about. She is far more sparkly than he would have thought but he does remember Catra saying she looked like a glitter bomb blew up in her face.

The blob that's attached itself to the two fallen Etherian’s blinks its eyes open. Two light blue orbs form in the shapeless mess, then it slowly forms to mimic the shape of that of an etherian.

“What is that?” Entrapta gasps excitedly. She is fascinated, a piece of hair has already tipped her welding mask down and she has gotten a probe out.

“Do not prob it!” Glimmer's eyes fly open and she places a hand on the blob's shoulder. “There will be no probing”

The blob flashes red and growls at the scientist, its face melting into one very similar to Tigger's own.

Entrata immediately deflates, her hands dropping to her side. Her hair raises her tape recorder to her mouth.

“Probing has been denied, nothing has been said about the rest of my various tests”

Glimmer signs and presses her heel to her forehead. “Holy Hordak, we almost just died.

“Died terribly” Bow agrees, his hands trembling. “Thank you, Calico. Nice catch”

“Glimmer?” Tigger turns towards Calico. The girl is slowly standing from the chair, her eyes searching for Tiggers. “The Glimmer?” she asks

Glimmer slowly nods her head, her mouth forming a thin line. “Yes, I'm Glimmer. Should I know you?- Oh my god” Glimmer turns toward Tigger and then her eyes flash back to Calico. her eyes focusing on their eyes and ears. “You look just like- oh my god- Catra has siblings''

“Catra said she knew you” Calico smiles, she’s hesitant but she stumbles over to the group on legs that are probably feeling just as weak as Tiggers own.

“Yeah when she wasn't kidnapping and torturing”

“She said that too,” Calcio laughs, coming to stand next to Tigger.

“I met her mom bu-” Glimmer starts but Calico interrupts.

“You met mom?” Calico cuts in, she kneels down next to glimmer and takes the princesses hand.

“Is she on Prime’s ship?” Tigger asks before he can help himself. He didn't need to, he knows the answer from Glimmer's pale face.

“Yes!” Glimmer points to Tigger excitedly. Tigger frowns and turns away. His tail lashing. She smiles wide at Calico. “ Yes she’s on prime ships, that's how I am here- we have to save her!”

“Woah, wait-'' Micah shakes his head and looks at Bow. Tigger knows what he’s thinking and he agrees they can’t launch a rescue mission. Not for the heart of the enemy.

“She-” Glimmer glances at the children in the room before pulling Bow closer and whispering low. She doest seem to realize the felines in the room can hear her just as good.

“she sacrificed herself for me. That is how I am even here right now. We cannot leave her there. Now with what they did to Catra-”

“What did they do to Catra?” Calico asks, her ears perked, her hands clenching together. Glimmer chokes and spins to look at the girl.

“I- nothin-” Glimmer spits this out as an obvious lie.

Calico growls and presses her hands into her eyes.. “Just tell me, please. I'm tired of being left in the dark”

Glimmer glances at Bow and then her father at a loss. ““I don't know exactly. One minute she was fine, in the cell with us. We were planning an escape. The next moment she-”

Glimmer cuts off her eyes flashing to Bow’s, her brows drawn together.

“What?” Calico asks, leaning forward on her haunches.

“Prime took her- When she came back she was different. She wasn't all there or she was under some kind of spell. I don't know what it was but…” Glimmer wraps her hands around her midriff and swallows, “she was mean”

“Chipped” Calico whispers, hands coming up to her mouth. She looks at Tigger her eyes glistening. “He got her”

“We’re going to save them '' Bow seems confident about that, he stands from the floor and he looks right into Calico and Tigger’s eyes. “We can-”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news” Tigger cuts in, crossing his arms and glaring at the archer. “but we can't just rush into the heart of Horde Prime’s army expecting to be let in with welcome arms.”

“No, of course not but-” Bow sticks his hands out placatingly.

“I'm not letting calico anywhere near a Horde ship” Tigger turns away from his sister, his eyes training on the floor. He can feel his own ears flattening close to his head. Micah and Glimmer glance at each other and then Bow.

“Tigger what-” Calico looks up at him, her ears flattened.

“I've already lost mom and mama I'm not losing you too.” his voice cracks terribly but he ignores it. He won't let them see how weak he is at this moment. He has to put his foot down.

“Tigger!” Calico stands and reaches out a hand to him but he takes a step back.

No, no I won't hear it. We know nothing about this guy. nothing. We came here to find his stupid f*cking weakness and did we find anything? No-”

“Yes!” Entrapta cheers in response, she looks up from her tracking pad and towards the feline. “her face drops when Tigger glares at her. “Oh, i thought that was an honest question

“It wasn't,” Tigger growls, his arms crossing tightly over his chest. He hunches in when he wants to stand tall.

“Well anyways, we did find something.” Entrapta grins wide and runs to Darla control board. Her robot follows quickly behind.

“Well what is it then? Is it going to help'' Calico asks, her eyes flitting to Tigger for a second before they latch onto Entrapta.

“I don't know! But I do know that Horde Prime retreated from this planet.” Entrapta plugs her comms pad into the board, and bounces excitedly on her feet. Wring Hordak frowns behind her.

“Horde prime is all powerful, he would never retreat from any planet” he smiles and lifts his hands to the sky, “he has no weakness-”

The blob flames red. A low growl emitting from its blob like mouth.

“Was it you?” Glimmer asks, a hand lifting to land on its arm. The blob calms slightly, from red to orange. “He retreated from you, didn't he?”

The blob nods, turning to Glimmer and taking her hands. He lifts them to her face and points to Micah.

“Magic”. Micah murmurs, looking at his own hands. The ones that saved him from splatting against the walls of Darla. “it's magic”

“This planet hsa magic.” Glimmer smiles and stands, her feet planting confidently. “That’s what he’s afraid of, that's his weakness. it has to be!”

She turns to the blob and helps it to its feet. “He ran from you because he didn't understand you. He couldn't control you”

“That means we're going to have to defeat him on our own turf,” Micah says, his eyes trained on the crumbling planet below them. Darla spins around Kritus as it breaks apart. “On Etheria is the only way he can defeat him.”

“We’re going home?” Hordal exclaims gleefully, his hands clasped together “we can finally join his lord ship on his divine mission!”

“And what is that divine mission?” Glimmer asks, her hands held firmly on her hips.

“The weapon of course! The reason we are here? His majesty needs to find out where it really is.” Wrong Hordak looks blissfully off at the crumbling planet. “And then I can finally reconnect to the hive mind.”

“What about Catra! Mom!” Calico glares at Tigger and gestures to the crumbling planet. “What happens to them when we fight back huh? Prime has hostages now!”

“There is nothing we can do for them, Calico,” Tigger growls, “we are going back to Etheria, we’re finding mama.”

“Yes, there is, we can save them. We are the only ones with reliable access to space. Who knows what he's doing to them, they could be dead already!”

“Exactly! They could be dead already!” Tigger yells, his eyes filling with tears. Calico’s angry face drops into one much worse. Despair fills her eyes and she snarls.

Silence fills the cabin.

“I'm not letting you anywhere near that wretched man. Ok? Nowhere near him” Tigger hugs himself tighter. “We’ve lost mom. we’ve lost Catra, again”

“Tigger,” Calico whispers whispers, her teeth are grit and she can barely look at the older feline

“No! What would we do when we got there anyway? Catra is chipped! She’s a perfect fighter! She’d beat us in an instant.”

“Not if we remove the chip” Entrapta giggles and spins on her heel. Her hands lift from Darla’s mainframe and the scene of the crumbling planet is replaced with… well, Tigger doesn't actually know.

Tigger grows anyway. His glare focused on the mad scientist. “i'm really starting to hate you”

“I get that a lot for some reason. '' Entrapta seems confused, her hands reaching up to flip open her welding mask.

“Can you remove the chip? Calico asks, a smile finding its way to her face. Glimmer behind her, perks up

“I can sure try! Look At this beautiful coding.” Entrapta turns to look up at it, an unhinged smile splitting her face. “This is the most complex system of coding I have ever seen. This is far beyond anything me and Hordak have ever accomplished. It's amazing!”

“Ok” Tigger drags the attention away from Entrapta. “say we get the chips off, how are we even going to get to the ship? As soon as we’re seen Prime will blast us out of this galaxy”

The blob murmurs. His mouth opens and closes in the approximation of speech.

“What is this exactly?” Micah asos, a hand reaching out to touch the blob. It takes a step away from the man and disappears. “Holy!”

“We can do it” Glimmer smiles at the empty space the alien has disappeared into. “We can save Catra!”

“Oh, so now you're on the saving Catra bus” Bow growls and stands from the floor. “That would have been really helpful when we wanted to do it the first time!”

Bow’s hands slap over his mouth, his eyes wide. He glances to Glimmer and winces at the girl's pale complexion.. He closes his eyes and sighs into the now silent cabin.

“I'm going to see if any of the food survived.” her murmurs. He turns and storms off.

—------—--

Catra lets out an involuntary groan. Her eyes are just barely able to crack open, they’ve crusted shut, but it's enough to freak her out.

Catra doesn’t know where she is. Which is odd. She always knows where she is. Well usually. hyper aware is her default state, even as she sleeps. She doses on the cusp of unconsciousness. It's ingrained in her.

She’s woken up one too many times from deep slumber with the crackle of electricity and the rasp of a haunting voice.

So it's a little weird when she wakes up from this deep slumber and is completely unaware of where she is. The wooden beams above her are covered in spider webs. There are bowls of things hanging from the ceiling. Crap piling up in the corners.

Catra has woken up in a ton of odd places. The vents. air ducts. The highest peak of the Fright Zone. Dark corners. A random infirmary in the small castle of Half-moon.

She went a couple days recently without caring where she was. She doesn't think she slept at all.

Something happened this time. Something happened that was very important but Catra just can’t remember. Where was she? She remembers a cold floor underneath her but such a warm light above her. Like that amazing sun rock in Half-moon.

She remembers the pain. Tears. Cyra? Was she there? Catra thinks she was. Along with Nala. but that isn't right. Catra made sure Nala had a way out. She remembers. Catra stuck the laser in the gruel on Horde Prime’s ship, didn't she?

She remembers doing it. She swears. It was so hard. So hard to see through the fog. See through all the other voices and thoughts floating around in her head.

Was it a figment of her imagination? An idea. A wish she had that she was never able to fulfill? The thought terrifies her.

suddenly, it's very important to her to find out where she is. Cyra was there. Why was Cyra there? The bedding is firm but comfortable and the blanket is so warm Catra thinks she’s about to start purring. But she can’t. Not until she makes sure Nala is ok.

Catra doesn't have to look very far. Her arm hurts. Burns almost. But her hand is comfortably warm. When she looks up her eyes widen slightly at a slumped over Nala. a strong purr radiates from the woman. It's so calming Catra almost closes her eyes and falls back asleep

Then she sees her.

There’s warm breath tickling her ear, making it flick and twitch unconsciously. Adora’s face is squished into the mattress next to Catra’s pillow. Her mouth slightly parted. Her hair is a mess. Her pony tail barely held it together.

Catra’s tail can’t help but happily lash against the blankets. She knows this is probably a dream. This is all she wants. A warm happy Aadora. It's understandable that she would dream about the blonde when really Adora is somewhere safe with her mothers somewhere instead of here with Catra in… a hut?

She’s warm too, the light blue cloak that had been given to her in the city of Half moon is wrapped securely around her shoulder, warming her. The soft material calms Catra’s racing heart.

Catra takes a moment to look around. She’s never been here before. A small hut that’s warm and smells like pie. Catra read somewhere that a person's brain isn't supposed to be able to conjure new faces and places.

It makes her a little less sure this is a dream because she has never been somewhere so cluttered. There is crap on every surface. Horde soldier helmets, cracked bowls, general garbage.

The only place not covered in the clutter is Catra herself. And Adora. And Cyra.

Cyra?

Catra’s small smile grows into a grin at the form of her mother slumped over the side of the bed. Her mother whose hand is wrapped tightly in Nala’s tail. Catra’s other mother. Her moms.

Catra doesn't know where this stellar mood came from but it only gets better as she looks back at Nala tilted back in an old chair. She balances on the back two legs. Her head hanging back over the backrest, her feet up on a cluttered table.

“Catra?” The feline freezes as an old, decrepit woman hobbles into the room. A wide smile splits her face when she sees Catra is awake.

“Good, you’re up. Come come. It’s time to pick berries!” The woman hobbles over to Catra and starts to tug on the arm that isn’t wrapped securely to her chest.

“Wha?” Catra asks, only half awake and unsure if this woman is even real. She sits up as the tugging becomes more insistent and slightly painful. This old woman has a suspiciously strong grip. Catra’s fur is a little ruffled and fluffing up more as they speak.

“ Berry picking girl, you said you’d help today.” Catra carefully maneuvers out between Nala and Adora. She sends a quick concerned glance towards Cyra before staggering to her feet behind the old woman.

Catra doesn’t know when she became so compliant but she follows the old and caring woman through the hut and almost out the door before she starts to second guess herself.
Catra turns back around to look at Adora. Still slumped over the side of the cot and snoring like a tank.

Why would she leave? This is the girl Catra has wanted back since the blonde left the Fright Zone. Why would she follow some random old lady through the forest instead of staying next to Adora?

Adora who Catra loves with her whole heart. She wanted to make sure Adora knew. Before Catra fell into the abyss and.. Ya know. Died. but she didn't die did she? Sure she was a little messed up. Her ear on that side doesn't hear as well anymore. But she’s alive. Alive and in love with Adora.

Catra’s eyes widen, Adora who loves her back. Who told her even as Catra was trying to kill her. Catra remembers. The words cut through the green fog like a knife.

Catra lets out an accidental trill at the thought. She stiffles a yelp as the old decrepit woman grabs her bicep in a surprisingly strong grip.

“Come on, Hope. the berries won't wait for us.” She pulls Catra out the door before shutting in with a loud slam. If the woman in the hut were asleep before they definitely aren't now. Yet, when Catra looks into the window by the door. All three are still fast asleep.

“Who’s hope?” Catra asks, stumbling after the old woman. She walks at a breakneck speed. Her little feet stomping faster than Catra can keep up. “Can we slow down?” Catra wheezes, pressing her uninjured arm into the stitch forming in her side.

“Hope! Stop playing games! Mara doesn't go anywhere without you!” the old woman gives Catra the stink eye from behind her thick rimmed glasses. Catra raises her hand defensively.

“Mara” CAtra’s eyes widen at them name. “You know Mara?” Catra asks, almost tripping over a gnarled root. This gives the woman pause. She stops and looks around at Catra. Her eyes are squinting and judgemental.

“You don't?” she asks. Her eyes widening and her bushy eyebrows scrunching together under her thick, rimmed glasses. The woman is hunched over as if she’s in pain, her hands resting on a gnarled root cane.

“I don't, what?” Catra asks, frantic. She covers her injured arm with her good one in the mimic of crossing her arms. .

“No, no you're not Hope are you?. This is the first time, isn't it?”

Catra tilts her head at the woman’s saddened expression. “I don't know what you mean”

the woman smiles and pats Catra on the cheek. “No matter. We still have to pick berries today! No use in wasting the sun, is there?”

She starts walking again at her ankles breaking pace, dragging Catra along behind her with a firm grip on the wrist.

“Hey!” Catra yelps, her heels digging into the ground. She has had enough of people telling her what to do and taking her weird places against her will. Why does she have to go on all these stupid f*cking journeys.

“There’s something you need to know” Razz frowns down at the mud around them before spinning like she’s lost.

“Please don't tell me you got us lost '' Catra groans, taking in a deep breath and trying to find where they came from. But she can still see the hut from here.

“Do you love Mara?” Catra develops a cough just then, must be from her injuries,

“What?” she wheezes, squinting down at the decrepit woman.

“Do you love Mara?” Razz asks with more meaning.

“Mara?” She means Adora. She must. How would she know about Catra’s Mara? The next She-ra not the former one.

“Yes, Mara, the girl with the blonde hair! Blue eyes! Very tall and strong?”

“I ye- i - yes yes i love her!” Catra spits out. Shushing the old woman and glancing at the empty forest around them.

“Good, because someone needs to save her. That silly girl is getting herself into bad situations.”

“Save her?” Catra spins back towards the hut, her heart dropping. She just saw her, how could she already need saving. Catra is taking a step in the direction before the woman grabs into her arm again.

“Not like that sweetheart. She’s fine. You need to save her from herself.”

“What?” Catra asks, thoroughly confused now. If Adora isn't in danger then where's the fire?

“She-ra is not the sword.”

“I know that, Mara already told me that” Catra rubs her hand into her forehead, trying to rid herself of the headache starting to form .

“-And She-ra is not what she can give to other people.” the old lady continues as if she hadn't heard Catra. Her round eyes, magnified by her glasses, look at Catra for the first time all evening. They are clear and knowing. It unnerves the feline.

“Yes, yes I know. But how do i HELP her” Catra is pleading at this point her eyes shifting from the hut to Razz’s clear eyes.

“-And she’s going to need you there to remind her of that in the end” Catra growls at that answer. The old woman can't all be there if she keeps ignoring Catra’s very clear questions.

“What?, at the end of what?” CAtra gits out. Taking a step closer to the woman. Its the wrong choice. Razz grips Catra’s wrist and forces her even closer.

“Feel the ground” Razz mumbles, tugging on Catra’s arm with her unnaturally strong grip. The feline stumbles in her weekend state and hisses at the old woman

“Im not touching that f*cking mud” she gasps, tripping and leanding on her knees in the squelching dirt. A disgusted shiver forces its way up her spine and she growls.

“Touch” Razz insisted, forcing Catra’s hand into the mud. It sinks like a rock and Catra would scratch the blasted woman if her other hand was wrapped so tightly. The woman Glares at Catra and points to the ground.

“Calm down and feel” Catra groans and closes her eyes. She takes deep breaths and shakes her head. There's nothing there, nothing at all. All Catra can ‘feel’ is the howling wind, the chirping of stupid forest animals, the rustling of le-

Catra feels something. It's not big, not really noticeable. A hum, a whisper.

“Do you feel it?” Razz asks, “The magic? “ Catra nods, her eyes flicking up to the chirping birds and the wind.

“Magic flows like water. It is not given to people for a purpose it just is.” Razz lets go of Catra, straightening up with a groan and a firm hand on her cane. “Adora is more than the sword, she is more than She-ra.”

“how-”

“She needs someone to remind her.” Razz interrupts, and then she spins on her heel and starts hobbling away.”

“Ok, ok I will, right now.” Catra nearly slips in the mud but manages to stay upright, her feet squelching.

“You'll have to follow her then, quickly.” Razz mentions off handedly, a bright smile gracing her face. Her moment of clarity is seemingly gone, her eyes going back to their flitty state. “She’s miles away by now.”

“Follow her? Follow her where? she's in the hut” Catra quickly stumbles after Razz, her eyes trained on the woman's hut.

“In the hut?” razz laughs and bats Catra away like she’s a pesky fly. “The sily girl has already left.”

What do you mean? I just saw her, I saw her!” Catra sprints, her damaged legs be damned. They don't take her very far but she pushes them anyway. She stumbles into Razz’s hut, her legs weakening further when the spot she had seen Adora in is empty.

“She had seen her, had- she.” Was it all in her head? The warmth of Adora’s touch. The breath brushing Catra’s hair.

“She left hours ago, when you were all asleep” CAtra jumps at the sound of the old woman's voice. How did she catch up to Catra so fast?

“Where did she go?” Catra growls, low but not low enough. Her anger makes her voice shrill as she glares at the old woman.

“Catra?” Nala mumbles her chair, thumping back down against the wooden floor and disturbing Cyra. "you should be laying down"

“She went to the heart of course” Madame Razz seems unconcerned, her hands going to the broom in the corner. Her moment of clarity is over then.

“And you didn't stop her?

“It is not my job to tell Adora what to do. She is her own person.”

“Adora’s gone?” Cyra sits straight up and spins, in the chair Adora should be sitting is a bundle of ripped ropes and the smashed sword.

“Damn it” she mutters, her hands flying to where the trackpad should be, strapped to her waist. “Damn it” she said this louder.

“Catra '' Nala, places her hand to Catra's head and touches their foreheads together. “Don't panic. breath”

Only then does Catra realize her breath is wheezing faster than a hummingbugs wings can flap. Her heart beats like a rabbits.

“It's going to be, ok”

“We’ve got to go’ Cyra says, standing from her chair “Nala, get the queen. I'll check Catra’s injuries”

“The Queen?” Catra asks, taking a step away from Cyra when she reaches for Catra’s arm. “ What Queen?”

“The queen outside, queen angella” Cyra clarifies, her eyes drawing together. “She’s right outside the door.”

“There's no queen outside” Catra says, her eyes following Nala as the woman sticks her head out the door and swears.

“sh*t”

The queen is gone, a bundle of ropes leading into the trees.

“Horde prime knows where the heart is” Nala turns towards Cyra. “If he didnt before he sure does now.”