The giant insectoid backed away from the transformed Catra — who stood battle ready against the creature — and instead, bowed to her; Catra gradually lowered the Sword of Protection in apparent confusion over the fierce predator suddenly becoming serene with her. 'What is it doing?' The Half-Magicat then looks down at her, now muscular, body and screamed in understandable shock, unintentionally dropping the First One's sword in the process and backing up from the blade.
"What happened to me? Why am I so tall? And what am I even wearing?" Catra asked as she patted her around her currently muscular chest, ripped abdomen, and mighty arms and legs. 'Not that I mind the extra height or abs, BUT WHERE ARE MY REAL CLOTHES!?'
Bow and Princess Glimmer suddenly appeared right in front of the already on edge cat-girl with a dazzling flash of light. "How in the name of Etheria did you do that?" They both asked.
"What do you mean, how did I do that?"
"One moment you were a normal-sized cat-girl dressed in red, the next thing we both know, you're an eight-foot-tall Demigoddess." The archer stated in an over-the-top fashion; with a few high-pitched cracks in his voice. "That's not normal."
"So, do you want to tell us how you did that?" Glimmer defensively asked the glowing Horde soldier; entering a combative stance and trying to assess whether if this cat-girl is still going to be a threat to them now, or not.
"I didn't do anything!" Catra shouted at the two teens; frantically flailing her arms up and down and stomping in-place like a confused child — which she was, in a manner of speaking — all the while. "I, against my better judgment, came back to save you two. Then the next thing I know, I'm like this!" 'Wait, I bet I know who's responsible for this.' Catra extends left her hand out, swiftly pulling the magically powered sword to her — causing Bow and Glimmer to defensively back up from the Half-Magicat — and securely holds it right in front of her unamused face. "Light Hope! I know you're in there, and listening, what did you do to me?"
Glimmer and Bow look at each other in noteworthy confusion while Catra screamed at the ancient blade; before they turn back to her. "What are you doing?" Bow gently asked the Half-Magicat.
"Shut it! I am trying to talk to the techno-lady that lives in this sword."
"Um… O… kay."
"I don't care who this "Light Hope" is, or how you transformed." Glimmer hotly began as she walked up to the even taller Catra, standing on the tips of her toes to get in the Half-Magicat's face; but could scarcely get as far as her chest. "We're still not letting you take the sword back to the Horde."
"Oh, and what are you going to do about it, Sparkles." Catra insultingly responded with an extremely smug for days smirk to the shorter Princess. "Do you think you can take me on? I don't know if you noticed, but I'm way taller, and more muscular than I was before. I have a magical sword that only I can lift and comes to me whenever I need it. Plus, I was able to pacify the giant cockroach in front of us…"
"I think that's more of a beetle." Bow pointed out.
The Half-Magicat gave the archer a sharp glare. "I don't care."
"No, I don't think I can take you on." Glimmer honestly and lowly admitted; continuing to glare at the cat-girl's heterochromatic eyes as she tightly clutched her hands into fists that began to glow brightly. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try, you eight-foot-tall b…"
"Enough!" Bow shouted as he got in between the two combat-ready girls; turning to the Princess first. "Glimmer, she could've left, and let the thing eat us. But she didn't."
"So, is that supposed to excuse all the bad thing she could've done before, or already did?"
"Of course not. But we don't have proof that she's responsible for those bad things or took part in them. Besides, she doesn't even know the way out of this place and would have no reason to run or harm us, unless she wants to remain lost. That is if her sword can give her "sight beyond sight" or something. Wait, can it?"
'He does have a point about that. Not the "sight beyond sight" thing, but that I need them to get out of this maze.' Catra relaxed and gently lowered her sword as a notable show of good faith, just as Glimmer — reluctantly — deactivated her powers as well. "All right, fine. But I don't want the sword in her hands."
"Fine, if it'll stop your constant whining, tie it on me…" Catra began but paused as a sheath suddenly materialized right on her, "… back. Well, that's convenient." With that said, Catra twirled the prismatic blade around for a bit, before carefully placing the Sword of Protection within its sheath; unintentionally causing a golden light to erupt and instantly transform her back to normal. "What the… what happened to my height?"
"What just…" Bow began to ask but was cut off by the dreadful sound of the insect creature restlessly moving; letting out a terrible roar before furiously charging towards the odd trio as it did beforehand.
"RUN!" Glimmer terrifyingly shouted as the Princess, archer and Horde soldier made a break for it; with the savage beast continuously tries to brutally crush and viciously stab them with its legs and pincers. "WHY WOULD YOU PICK NOW TO CHANGE BACK TO NORMAL?"
"DO YOU THINK I DID THIS ON PURPOSE?" The cat-girl loudly asked back while the enormous beast tore through the trees to seize its currently helpless prey.
"STOP ARGUING AND MAKE THE GIANT LADY REAPPEAR, PLEASE!" Bow begged.
"RIGHT!" Catra shouted in agreement — unable to believe she agrees with him — as she reached for the handle of the Sword of Protection and swiftly drew it from its sheath. "FOR THE HONOR…" Catra was cut-off as she tried dodging a lethal attack from the hideous creature, the giant insect roared as it continued its ruthless assault on the trio. "FOR THE HONOR… FOR THE HONOR… FOR THE HONOR…"
"WHY AREN'T YOU TALL YET?" Glimmer questioned with annoyance.
"SORRY, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO TRANSFORM WHILE YOU'RE RUNNING FOR DEAR LIFE!" Catra sheathed the blade and seamlessly transitioned onto all fours; gaining extra speed and slightly pulling ahead of the two with relative ease.
"Catra." Light Hope's toneless voice echoed in the cat-girls mind once more, nearly causing the Horde soldier to stop in surprise; but she kept her focus. "There is a sanctuary for you nearby." 'Sanctuary? What are you?'
Suddenly, illuminating flashes of runic towers instantly began to manifest inside of Catra's mind at random, miraculously appearing to her as if they were memories; ones that she didn't even know she had to begin with. "FOLLOW ME!" Catra ordered.
"WHAT?" Glimmer shouted back.
"I KNOW SOMEWHERE SAFE?"
"HOW WOULD YOU…"
"I DON'T KNOW! BUT IT'S BETTER THAN RUNNING AIMLESSLY."
"SHE HAS A POINT!" Bow admitted.
"FINE, LEAD THE WAY!" Glimmer bitterly responded as Catra quickly made a sharp right with the Princess and the archer following from behind; along with the gigantic insect not too far. As they kept running through the Whispering Woods, the odd trio ultimately discovers and run over to a large, towering structure that they've never seen until now. One, seemingly, to be made of glittering crystals. 'Is this the sanctuary?"
The beast behind them let out another roar as it kept up its pursuit, with Glimmer swerving closer to Bow, grabbing his wrist. "LET'S TELEPORT OUT OF HERE!" The Princess stated.
"BUT WHAT ABOUT HER?" Bow asked, looking over at Catra who impressively continued running at the astonishing speed of a cheetah with no visible sign of stopping.
"WHAT ABOUT HER?"
"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HER!"
"I'VE NEVER TELEPORTED MORE THAN ONE PERSON. AND I THINK SHE CAN HANDLE HERSELF!" The Princess tried to activate her powers, but just like with Catra earlier, the insectoid promptly attacked her with its pincers and legs; preventing her from focusing as they kept on running.
'Light Hope, I know I told you to stay out of my head earlier. But I could use your help right now!' "Eternia." Is all Light Hope said to Catra as she and the others drew closer to a locked door on the tower; with what appeared to be ancient runes carved onto it.
"ETERNIA!" Catra loudly shouted at the top of her lungs. The visible symbols on the door suddenly glow a vivid blue as it promptly opens before the astonished trio — who didn't question it — and just ran through without a second thought, before closing behind them.
"That… was close." Bow exhaustedly said as he gripped his wobbly knees, huffing and puffing along with Glimmer and Catra as they desperately try catching their breath; looking around the mysteriously ancient area to figure out where they are.
A brilliant ball of pink light emerges from Glimmers hand, levitating it above the heads of the odd trio as she walked up to Catra with a suspicious look. "What aren't you telling us?" The Princess asked.
"Y'know, I'm starting to get really tired of all your accusations." An annoyed Catra said as her dual-colored eyes glared nastily at the stocky girl. "I just saved your life, twice, yet, you're still acting like a giant pain in my..."
"Can't you two go five seconds without wanting to kill each other?" Bow tiredly asked the two of them; standing in between and gently forcing them away from each other before turning toward Catra. "But Glimmer does have a point. How'd you know where this place was, or how to open it?"
"Sorry, you're gonna have to take that up with Light Hope." Catra casually answered; turning around and pointing her thumb at the enchanted sword.
"The lady who "lives" in your sword?"
"Well, duh. Who else would I be talking about?"
"Why are you treating her like this, Bow?!" Glimmer shouted with frustrating rage; much to the archer's surprise. "She's a Horde soldier and a member of a traitorous people!" 'Girly, you better can it right now, or I'll show you how violent I can be!'
"Glimmer, she hasn't done anything that Horde soldier would've done." Bow defensively responded. "Maybe she doesn't want to be a part of the Horde anymore. She told me she knows what kind of people they are." 'Well, this is strange.' Besides Adora, most people don't believe in Catra. So — in an odd way — it felt nice having someone else be willing to stick up for her.
"People like her don't change sides!" Glimmer accusingly — and ignorantly — shouted back. "But if you're not going to believe me or listen to common sense; we'll have my mom decide what to do with her. Now let's get going."
Bow apologetically turned to Catra as Glimmer stomped away with the glowing ball of dazzling light following close behind her. "I'm sorry about that." He apologized. "I've never seen her act this stubborn before."
"It's fine." Catra bluntly responded
"And I, um… I hope you don't mind me asking, but what's your name?"
"My name?"
"I need to call you something."
'Fair enough.' "The name's Catra." The Half-Magicat responded as she moved along with Bow to keep up with Glimmer; marching ahead in the dark structure with only one source of leading light.
"That's a cute name." Bow said lastly.
"Um… thanks." The cat-girl tried overlooking the compliment; while also hiding a slight blush from him.
'Sparkles may be annoying, but this one… Bow…. I guess he isn't that bad.'
The three of them cautiously ventured further into the ancient ruins; eventually finding themselves in what appears to be the very center of the structure itself. Dozens of dingy corridors branching off in a circular formation around the trio. "Let's get some more light in here." Glimmer said as she expanded the bright orb with comparative ease; brightening up the whole room, but also causing her to nearly collapse. Fortunately, Bow was there to catch her.
"Glimmer, you're pushing your powers too hard, you need to take a break." Bow gently said to his tired friend.
"I'm fine." The Princess ignored his plea and forces herself up. But as soon as she did, she was caught off guard by a beautiful mosaic painting of a godlike woman, bearing a striking resemblance to the mighty person Catra transformed into.
"That... looks like me." Catra quietly said to herself as she daintily stepped closer to the two awestruck Rebellion members; wistfully looking upwards at the unique piece of art with complete intrigue. While the familiar figure had naturally noticeable differences — like hair color and a distinct lack of Magicat features — it was, without doubt, the same person.
"She-Ra." Light Hope's pleasant, yet drone-like voice echoed in the deepest parts of Catra's mind as the cat-girl continued staring pensively.
"She-Ra." Catra instinctively repeated; inadvertently causing the entire room to glow a brilliant, luminous blue. Thought, it appeared purple due to Glimmer's magical ball. Suddenly, a hard-light image of Light Hope began to manifest in front of the mesmerized trio.
"Greetings, administrator, what is your query?" angelic hologram asked as Bow and Glimmer looked at the extraordinary phenomenon with bewilderment. 'What does she mean by "administrator"?' "What is your query?"
Catra looked over at the glass mosaic, then back to the Light Hope duplicate; then an idea popped into the Half-Magicat's head, and she instantly drew the Sword of Protection. "For the honor of…" But before she could properly finish her chant, Catra is struck by a brilliant ball of Glimmer's light; causing her to drop the mighty sword in response. "What the heck was that for?!"
"You drew your sword on us!" Glimmer accusingly shouted.
"Administrator not detected, lockdown initiated," The fake Light Hope merely said before disappearing; just as the whole temple began to violently rumble and collapse around the three of them.
"Of all the stupid moves, you've done, this one takes the cake!" A rightfully furious Catra furiously shouted at the Princess; summons her sword to her.
"I'll teleport us out!" Glimmer stated as she frantically grabbed Bow and prepared to vanish away, planning to leave Catra behind; but the Half-Magicat ran over to her on all fours and pounced her mere moments before they all disappeared.