Gold Light, Green Light
Chapter 15
Where I Come From
"A diplomatic envoy?" Man-at-Arms asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Kicked a lot of ass for diplomats," Stratos muttered.
"The Sorceress of Grayskull met us as we landed," She-Ra said, "She's the one who told us about Skeletor's threat. She'll vouch for us."
A falcon's cry pierced the air. Everyone looked up, seeing a majestic bird of prey circling overhead. It swooped down and landed on Teela's shoulder.
"Hello?" she said hesitantly.
"Isn't that one of the Sorceress' pets?" Moss Man asked, "Or would you call it a familiar?"
"Perhapz a mezzenger?" Buzz-Off hummed.
The falcon preened Teela's hair briefly, then jumped off her shoulder and glided over to Glimmer. Glimmer stretched out her arm, letting the bird land on it. The falcon chirped happily.
"Well, I think that settles that!" Orko said, rubbing his hands together, "Everyone get close, I'll whip up a teleport circle."
"Need a hand?" Glimmer asked as the falcon leapt off her arm and flew away, "I'm a spellcaster myself."
"Sure, I might need it. There's more people here than I usually have to work with."
"Then maybe I'll lighten the load," He-Man said, "I can make my own way."
He whistled, and the massive Battle Cat loped up. He-Man mounted the tiger like a horse.
"See you all later."
And with that, he rode off.
"Kind of abrupt," Scorpia said.
"He does that," Ram Man explained.
"I think I'll fly off myself," Stratos said, "You know teleporting makes me nauseous."
Buzz-Off nodded in agreement.
"See you back at the castle, then," Man-at-Arms said.
Stratos and Buzz-Off walked away for take-off space and spread their respective wings.
"After you, Bugeyes."
"Age before beauty, Featherz."
The two took off, chattering all the way.
"They always do that," Ram Man explained.
"A little more…and there!" Orko said.
"This is an interesting sigil," Glimmer said, observing the glyph drawn in the dirt.
"Okay, everyone pile on. Next stop, Eternia Central!"
Everyone walked onto the drawn glyph, and with a gesture from Orko, they vanished in a plume of smoke.
oOo
They landed in the castle courtyard, right in front of the two members of Eternia's hero team that had elected to remain behind to protect the castle, the extendable hero Mekaneck and the split-personality warrior Man-E-Faces. Man-At-Arms and Teela led the newcomers to the throne room, where King Randor and Queen Marlena were waiting.
The king was a tall, well-muscled man. It was very clear from his physique and the way he carried himself that he was once a warrior himself. His hair and thick beard were blonde of a shade that had one member of the visiting party inhaling sharpy at. The queen, on the other hand, was willowy and red of hair. Her face was strikingly familiar to all the visitors.
"Well, it looks like we won't need to explain that much," Glimmer said.
Settled on the arm of the queen's throne was another falcon, eagerly accepting pets from the queen. She and her husband were reading over a letter. The king gave the newcomers a wry grin.
"Indeed not. The Sorceress can work quite fast when she needs to."
"How many of those birds does she have?" Entrapta murmured a touch too loudly, and Scorpia bumped her shoulder to remind her to focus.
Glimmer strode forward, beginning her introductions.
"I am Queen Glimmer of the kingdom of Bright Moon on the planet of Etheria. We come to you under a flag of peace in the hopes of forging diplomatic ties between our long-lost sister planets."
"Yes, an entirely different planet that had, until recently, been stuck in pocket of space-time outside the normal universe," Queen Marlena chuckled, "You know, if it weren't for my own background, I'd call this a fantasy brought on by too many drinks."
"Truth is stranger than fiction," Glimmer laughed back, "My companions are Master Archer Bow…"
Bow gave a little wave.
"She-Ra, Princess of Power…"
"I believe myself and your He-Man have much to talk about," She-Ra said.
"And how," Catra muttered.
"My advisor, Catra, and her companion Melog…"
Melog gave an echoing meow as a greeting.
"Princess Scorpia of the Scorpion Kingdom…"
"It is an honor to be here," Scorpia said, giving a slight bow.
"And Princess Entrapta of Dryl."
Scorpia had to nudge Entrapta to get her to bow as well.
"Your party is well met, Queen Glimmer," King Randor said, "We welcome you under the ancient laws of hospitality. And I look forward to forging ties with the realms of Etheria."
Catra exchanged a grin with her girlfriend.
"I think this is going well," she said quietly, then stepped forward at Glimmer's beckoning.
The queen and her advisor laid some groundwork with the king and queen for further diplomatic talks, then King Randor called a halt to the proceedings.
"There will be plenty of time to discuss things in more detail in the coming days. For now, you are all likely weary from the journey and the battle, and we have much to celebrate. Skeletor has been soundly defeated and Eternia has herself new allies. This calls for celebration."
He turned to his queen with a smile.
"My dear, how fast do you think we can get a feast set up?"
"Let's find out," Queen Marlena replied with a grin.
oOo
As it turned out, a feast could be set up pretty quickly, given the right motivation. Soon, the royals, nobles, knights, and Masters of Eternia were celebrating, and the visitors from Etheria were getting swept up in the mood. Everyone mingled around the multiple tables of the grand dining hall, seated with no regard to status.
"Wait, what's this called?" Bow asked, eying the cheesy object on the plate.
"It's called pizza," Ram Man said, setting the plate down in front of him, "It's a creation the queen introduced. A little something from her homeland. Try it."
Bow gingerly picked up the slightly greasy food and took a bite. He stopped chewing after a second.
"Well?"
"It's wonderful," Bow squeaked, his mouth full of food and his eyes filled with sparkles.
A ways down the table, Entrapta chirped at the sight of some honeyed buns, despite the size being larger than she liked. But as she reached for one, a blur of green snatched it away. Entrapta blinked in shock.
"Why did it buzz?"
"Yeah, you need to be careful with those when Buzz-Off is around."
Entrapta turned to see a man sitting down next to her. It took her a minute to place him, but that mustache was hard to mistake. For his part, he eyed her plate, which was piled with little hors d'oeuvres, bits of vegetables, tiny wieners, and slices of cheese.
"You sure you don't want anything more substantial?"
"I like tiny food," Entrapta replied simply, "You're shorter without the armor."
"That tends to happen," he replied with a wry grin before sticking out his hand, "Duncan, the Man-At-Arms."
One of Entrapta's pigtails returned the shake.
"Princess Entrapta."
If he was taken aback by the hair, he didn't show it, instead asking what the story was behind it.
Glimmer, meanwhile, was seated next to her fellow queen, with her new friend Stratos right across from them.
"I'm sorry, seagull?" Queen Marlena asked.
"Yeah, I'm with the queen," Stratos said, "How does he speak seagull?"
"I'm not sure," Glimmer shrugged, "He claims that Mermista taught him, but that's it. She can naturally communicate with all manner of sea life, but I don't know where seagulls enter the picture for her."
"I mean, I can talk with birds, but that's an instinctive knowledge due to my heritage," Stratos continued, "I didn't think it was learnable."
"I stopped trying to figure out Sea Hawk a long time ago."
"I've known people like that," Queen Marlena muttered.
Between bites of a vegetable soup, Scorpia was describing Perfuma to Moss Man. The plant-man seemed interested in a fellow floral fighter.
"I must meet this woman."
"We would have invited her, but she was really busy this week," Scorpia said, "Something about a potato blight? Whatever the case, it was going to take up a lot of time to deal with the fallout."
"If the problem is that widespread, I can imagine," Moss Man shrugged.
And at another table, King Randor was deep in conversation with Catra.
"If Dryl is as small as you say, why is it counted among the major powers?" he asked.
"Two reasons," Catra replied, passing a bit of meat to a begging Melog, "One, it's seated on a very ore-rich mountain range. Dryl metal has very good quality, and kingdoms all over consider it a commodity. The second reason is honestly Entrapta herself. She might not be super-magical like other princesses, but she is scary-smart. The technology she's developed has been revolutionary, and with some of the stuff coming out of her workshop now thanks to reverse-engineering old Horde tech, that's going to get even better."
"This is the third time you've mentioned this Horde. What are they?"
"Not really important anymore," Catra replied, "But for a long time, they were a powerful force on Etheria, a war-state that was sweeping over the land. They've fallen, but the scars remain."
"How did they fall? Did their leader die?"
"That's a long story. And no, Hordak's still around. But after the mental thrashing he took in the final days, he was pretty well defanged. He's had no desire to start things back up, spends most of his time helping Entrapta with projects. The two are weirdly close."
King Randor looked over, seeing Duncan talking animatedly with Entrapta.
"Should I be concerned about what she and the Man-At-Arms might get up to?"
"Depends. How much self-control does your knight have and how often does his stuff blow up?"
The king calmed a little.
"I trust Duncan. He's a good man."
Milling about in the room, She-Ra drifted between one conversation and another, looking for an opening to talk to the royals privately. She finally managed to coral Prince Adam, who had showed up a little late. She tried not to immediately let on that she knew exactly why he was tardy, remembering the Sorceress' warning. He offered to pull his mother away, leaving the king for She-Ra.
"Mind if I cut in?" she asked, interjecting into the conversation between Catra and King Randor, "Your Majesty, may I talk to you in private?"
Catra got an understanding look on her face.
"Do you—"
"No, I don't think so."
Catra shrugged.
"Okay, but I'm here if you need me."
Her transformed girlfriend gave her a nod of thanks.
oOo
"So what's this about?" Prince Adam asked.
Adam had directed them to a room used for meetings, which She-Ra felt suited their purposes well, considering the subject matter. For himself, the blonde prince kept himself ready. There was something about the warrior princess that had his instincts blaring. Something had been poking at his brain ever since encountering her as He-Man, but he wasn't sure what it was beyond a feeling like he should know this person.
She-Ra took a deep breath, trying to quell the nervousness. It must not have worked, because Queen Marlena picked up on it.
"Are you alright?"
"This is…uh, hard to explain," She-Ra said.
She remembered the conversation she'd shared with Catra earlier.
"Speak from the heart," she muttered, then dove right in.
"Okay, confession time," she said, "This isn't the first time our worlds have had contact."
"What do you mean?" Adam asked, but She-Ra was staring right at the king and queen.
"Adam isn't your only child. You had a little girl once. But she disappeared."
The queen froze, and the king stood straighter.
"How do you know this?" he growled, his posture and voice defensive.
"Because that child, through mystical means that we still can barely understand, ended up on Etheria, where she was raised by a warlord. But nearly seventeen years later, she found a magic sword. She found out the dark truth about the people who raised her. And she chose the path of a hero."
There was a bright light, and She-Ra was gone.
"I know, because I was that child," said Adora, tears starting to brim in her eyes, "And for the longest time, I wondered where I came from…until I came here."
Randor stepped back like he'd been struck. Adam's jaw dropped. Marlena gasped.
"Adora…my baby…?"
Adora looked at the queen, her mother, now opening crying.
"Hi."
Marlena practically leapt across the room and hugged her long-lost daughter.
"You look like me," she gasped out, "You…Adora!"
The menfolk just stared, still in shock as to all this. Adam was the first to speak.
"I…have a sister?"
Adora gave a tearful smile over her mother's shoulder.
"It's nice to meet you," she said, "I hear we have a few things in common. Like super-strength."
Adam started laughing. He wasn't sure why, it wasn't overly funny. Maybe it was just the emotion of the moment.
The queen finally broke the hug, cradling her daughter's face in her hands.
"I thought I'd never see you again," she whispered, "You've…gotten so big!"
Randor finally made his way over, looking at Adora unblinkingly. Just as it was starting to get awkward, he spoke up.
"You have your mother's eyes."
"And your hair, apparently," Adora replied, running a hand through her own.
Randor briefly stroked his beard, chuckling.
"This shouldn't be so awkward."
"Now I'm actually glad Catra didn't come with me," Adora started giggling, "She'd have held this over me for ages. I love her with all my heart, but she can be kind of mean sometimes."
Adam snorted, then paused.
"Now, when you say 'love her with all your heart', what does that mean?"
"It means I like girls. Is that a problem?"
"Shouldn't be," Marlena spoke up, "I'm bisexual myself. Boys, girls, I'm good with either."
She briefly waved at her husband.
"This lump is just lucky I lean towards men about seven out of ten times."
"Considering Adora and I wouldn't be here if you didn't, I think we're just as lucky," Adam snorted.
"So should I give Catra the shovel talk when I talk to her next?" Randor asked, "That's what fathers do, right? Threaten our daughter's significant other to treat them right or else?"
"Sorry, Dad. Glimmer beat you to it," Adora laughed, privately marveling at how easily the word slipped from her tongue.
"Damn."
Marlena took Adora's hand in her own.
"I want to know everything. Leave nothing out. Your life, your friends, Catra, She-Ra, everything."
"It's a long story."
"Think we'll be able to make time," Adam said, pulling out a chair.
"Okay," Adora said, taking a seat at the table, "It starts, unfortunately, with a woman called Shadow Weaver…"
Over the following hours, Adora told her story, her family interjecting at certain points with questions or comments. Adam in particular was curious about the similarities between He-Man and She-Ra.
"I'm guessing since you didn't out me that the Sorceress told you I keep things quiet?" he asked.
"Yeah, she did," Adora replied, "Something about only family and close friends?"
"That's about right. I sort of fell into the secret identity thing, honestly. I just…wanted to keep both sides separate unless it was people I trusted, you know?"
"I get it. That was never a choice with me, and I've met a lot of people in Etheria who think of me as She-Ra first. My friends do their best not to put me on too high a pedestal, but…you know…"
"People treat you different," Marlena nodded, "I went through the same thing when it was clear that what Randor and I had was serious. It took some getting used to."
At her mother's urging, Adora left few stones unturned. She'd skimmed over certain details, like what exactly Shadow Weaver did to her and Catra, the portal affair, and other sensitive material, but most everything else was open season.
Randor seemed to pick up on just how much was being held back about Shadow Weaver, and at one point muttered something about finding out how to raise her from the dead so he could kill her again. Adora felt her heart warm at that utterance, happy that he was so readily putting himself in her corner. It was nice.
When the story was finished, it was fairly late. In the royal's absence, Duncan and a few advisors had helped close out the party as it wound down. So Marlena took it upon herself to show Adora to a room, Catra joining them as they were exiting the meeting room.
"Hey, Adora. How'd it go?" she asked.
"I think you can guess," Adora snorted.
Marlena looked Catra up and down with a critical eye.
"You're the one making my daughter happy?"
"We're there for each other," Catra replied, "Always will be."
"Good answer. Will you be sharing a room?"
"Please and thank you," Adora said.
She gave them both a look that had them standing up a little straighter.
"I'm trusting you to be responsible adults. Don't make me regret it."
"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.
As Marlena led them to a room, Adora turned and whispered to Catra.
"She's definitely a mom. Queen Angella used to give off the same vibe."
"Way better than Shadow Weaver," Catra nodded.
oOo
Adam rose early, as was his way. He got dressed in some simple clothing and went for a jog around the castle parapets. It was a usual sight, enough that the early-shift guard merely nodded at him in greeting.
What wasn't usual was the cat-girl on the western keep.
Adam stared at the disruption to his morning routine. What was strange was that she wasn't doing anything overtly negative. Rather, she was going through a series of slow, graceful movements. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even. One ear flicked in Adam's direction.
"Morning."
"Morning," Adam said hesitantly, not sure what to make of this sight, "Catra, right? Adora told me about you."
"All good things, I hope?" Catra asked, her tail flicking playfully even as she continued her movements.
"Mostly good. There was a point where you were on opposite sides of the war, but things are better now?"
"I had a rough life, and when Adora left the Horde, I spiraled. Not my best work in the long term."
Catra finally stopped her exercise and opened her eyes, looking towards Adam.
"You're up early."
It was a change in subject, but Adam let it slide.
"Morning jog around the castle. I could say the same to you."
"Same, but I wanted to mediate first. This mountain air is really calming for that."
"That was meditation?"
"I can't sit still long enough for traditional meditation, and if I do, I tend to either daydream or brood, but our friend Perfuma helped me create a sort of movement-based technique. Lots of stretching and flowing from one posture to another, controlled breathing, that sort of thing. Helps with my anxious streak."
Catra gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Didn't make it easy for her. Took a month before I could consistently clear my mind, but the new technique helped immensely."
"I imagine so. Join me?"
"Sure, Muscles. I can share embarrassing stories about Adora's youth."
Adam got a gleam in his eye.
oOo
Adora entered the dining hall. It seemed that this was a room with many purposes, such as where the castle's many residents took their breakfast.
Hearing a familiar laugh, she zeroed in on the source.
"She did that?"
"She did! And then we bolted so Octavia wouldn't catch us!"
Catra and Adam seemed to be dining together, and from the sound of it, trading stories and bonding. The subject of the conversation was apparently Adora. Adora herself was torn between joy at her girlfriend and her brother getting along and fear at exactly what Catra had been telling him.
Thankfully, she had a good way to change the subject.
"Mouse!"
"Where?!"
Catra bolted upright, her tail raised and her claws out.
Adora cracked up as she made her way over.
"That's always funny!"
Catra groaned and muttered "Every time…lucky I love you, idiot…"
"Any breakfast recommendations?" Adora asked.
"Platter of pancakes at the end of the table, if you're inclined," Adam answered.
Adora made a cheerful noise and darted off to grab a few.
"You just made her morning," Catra said.
Adora came back shortly after, her pancakes covered in a number of cut strawberries.
"That's a lot of berries," Adam commented.
"After a childhood filled with things that could barely be called food, I developed a powerful love of sweet things," Adora replied, cutting into her pancakes.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Horde food was…well, it supposedly provided all the essential nutrients, but the taste left something to be desired."
"Weird stews, freezer-burned veggies, mystery meat…hey, remember that yellow slop?" Catra asked, giggling.
Adora groaned and laughed in equal measure.
"Oh gosh, that was so horrible, even by the usual standards! Only Rogelio really liked it!"
"Lizard man had no taste buds, I swear."
"I remember when it finally ended. You stuck your fork in a pile of it, turned your plate upside down, and slapped it."
"The stuff didn't even move!"
"That's horrifying," Adam interjected.
"Try imagining having to eat it," Adora replied.
"I am, that's what's so horrifying."
"Naturally, because I'm doing a thing, Shadow Weaver shows up," Catra continued, "Bossy bitch tells me not to play with my food. Then Adora stands up, glares at her, and says—"
"It's not food if it's cemented to the plate!"
"Her voice carried through the entire cafeteria, and suddenly, everyone was glaring at Shadow Weaver. It was beautiful!"
"Two days later, the slop was off the menu and we never saw it again," Adora finished.
"I weep for your childhood nutrition," Adam said.
"I told Glimmer the story early on. She and her mom dragged me to Bright Moon's doctors to make sure I didn't have some kind of lingering issues from all that terrible food. I was fine, some vitamin deficiencies aside, and they gave me a special drink to have with my breakfast for a few weeks."
"Glimmer did the same for me," Catra said, "I was a bit better off because my system processes things a little differently. Like, a cat can go a few days without food with little repercussions, that sort of thing? Basically, I only had to drink that junk for a few days, and that was just to be safe."
"Glimmer worries," Adora said nonchalantly.
"Oh hello Pot, have you met my friend Kettle?"
"Bite me."
"Maybe later, and only if you're good."
Adora blushed like a tomato. Catra laughed and got up, pecking Adora on the cheek.
"I'm going to go wash up. See you in a bit."
As Catra left, Adora noticed Adam smiling at her.
"What?"
"Nothing, just…you two seem happy."
Adora softly smiled.
"Yeah…we are. What about you? Anyone special?"
"Not really," Adam said, "Although everyone jokes that Teela and I might end up together because of how long we've been friends."
"And what do you think?"
"I think if I ever did pursue her like that, I'd better have a better reason than a hunch. She'd probably cut me if she thought I was doing it on a lark."
"Well, at least you're informed," Adora shrugged, "Maybe it'll be like me and Catra and you'll fall into each other after a traumatic event that forces you to look back on your past in a new light and realize what's been there all along. Who's to say?"
"You said that so casually," Adam said, giving her a look, "It concerns me. Should I be concerned?"
"I don't think so. We go to therapy, so whatever issues we have, we're working on. Honestly, I'm glad our friends insisted on it. I don't think either of us would be in as good a shape without it, especially after the nightmare that was Horde Prime."
Adam kept looking at her oddly, but changed the subject. They spent the rest of the breakfast talking over their food.
Adora would later comment how easily they seemed to slip into a camaraderie. Adam chalked it up to it being a twin thing, regardless of their long separation.
oOo
"…Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light."
Adora let out a breath as her ring finished charging.
"I got chills watching that," a squeaky voice suddenly said.
Adora whipped around, her ring flaring with light, but she calmed upon seeing her father and Orko peering in from the door.
"What was all that about?" King Randor asked.
"The ring isn't like mine or Adam's sword," Adora said, picking the lantern up, "It needs to be recharged regularly. Thankfully, it comes with both a battery and a sort of pocket space I can put it in."
Adora promptly did so, causing Orko to whistle.
"That's impressive. I still can't manage a magical pocket, and I've been practicing for longer than you've been alive. And you said the ring just came with it?"
Adora regarded the ring briefly.
"The ring comes with a lot of things. Some of which I'm still not sure I'm getting the full details of. Thankfully, the basics, like the oath, seem to be pretty easy."
"I presume this oath is like an incantation to recharge the ring?" Randor asked, to which Adora nodded.
"Funny, that's not the incantation I heard when you were coming down the ridge," Orko said.
"You heard that?"
"These aren't just for show," Orko replied, flicking at one of this long, pointed ears.
"Well, that was more of a personal oath, one I made. The lantern responds better to the one it came with. I still haven't figured out how to change the settings."
"And how did you find that ring?" the king asked, "You weren't really clear on that."
"Actually, it found me. And if I wasn't clear, it's just that there's still a lot I don't know."
Adora created an image of the Lantern sigil, letting it float above her hand.
"I know that there exists a larger force in the universe, a collection of peacekeepers called the Green Lantern Corps. Each member has one of these rings, and they must be chosen from all walks of life on all kinds of planets, if how this ring came to me was any indication. I know they are all chosen for powerful will and courage. And I also know that this ring's journey was a rough one, so it's unable to properly connect to the rest of the Corps. That and…"
Adora dismissed the image with a sad look.
"I can't help but feel a part of something larger, but that larger thing is half-dead. I know so little about the Corps, really. Just bits and pieces I've picked up here and there. But Horde Prime knew of them, and he made it sound like they were a dying organization, like they'd been through a bunch of crises and they were barely holding on. That kind of makes me feel like it would take a miracle to get any real answers."
"Think he was lying?" Orko asked.
"Psychopath seemed pleased about it, so no."
"The more I hear of this Horde Prime, the more I feel he was worse than Skeletor," King Randor said.
"Well, does Skeletor go in for mass mind control?"
"No."
"Then Horde Prime was worse."
"If it makes you feel better, I know how you feel," Orko said, "My people are diaspora on Eternia. I'm lucky to have met four others like me, and two of them were my parents so they barely count."
Light covered Orko's hand briefly.
"Once, we were powerful in magic. Now, most of us are shadows of what we were."
"Yes, I remember you joining us in hopes of finding others or your kind," Randor said, "You know we will never stop looking, my friend."
"And I appreciate it, but sometimes, it all feels like a false hope, you know?"
Randor gave a bark of laughter.
"Orko, it's hope. How can it be false?"
Adora laughed lightly.
"That's good. Can I borrow that?"
"By all means. You shouldn't give up hope either. You'll find the Corps one day."
Adora smiled.
oOo
"Pass me that wrench?"
"Sure. I think I'm almost done with these new power relays."
"Great. Hopefully that weapon Clawful had that caused so much damage won't be useful again."
"I did wonder about that," Entrapta said, "This is some pretty advanced stuff. I'm surprised that it got so damaged."
"Nine times out of ten, my gear is able to take anything that's thrown at it," Duncan replied with a frown, "But then there's the tenth time."
The two continued to work, repairing the armor of the Man-At-Arms and trading other ideas as they worked. Scorpia had looked in on them at one point, then quickly ducked back out at all the technical talk she was hearing.
"And I'm sure we can rig up a way for our planets to talk to each other. Maybe a comm buoy somewhere in the middle of our orbits? I don't know, I'll have to ask Hordak for ideas, he came from an interstellar empire, he'd know."
"You care about this Hordak," Duncan said sagely, "You mention him a lot. I think you've brought him and his armor up at least a dozen times while we've been working. There are parallels, I admit, but still…"
Entrapta was silent for a moment before softly saying, "I'm going to marry that man someday…when he's ready…"
Then she suddenly grew self-conscious.
"I mean, he used to be in a cult, and they didn't have a concept of marriage or similar binding ceremonies. And when he was running his own army, he doesn't do it anymore, such things weren't the norm. I'm told that relationships existed in the Horde, but everyone kept it to themselves, bindings and the like weren't done. I do think it'll be good for us both, but like everything, I have to ease him into the idea. He can be very stubborn and prideful, poor thing stumbled over himself the first time he gave me an honest compliment, it was so cute I eventually threw him a bone, and it took ages before I could get him to dance with me without it feeling awkward, good thing sex doesn't interest either of us, because that'd be—"
"Good for you, kid," Duncan replied, cutting the ramble off, "I'm sure whatever your plan is, it'll be fine."
Entrapta took a breath and smiled.
"Thanks. Wait, what do you mean kid? I'm in my thirties."
Duncan gawked at her.
"How?"
"Good genes, I guess," Entrapta shrugged, "Although sometimes I do wish I was taller."
oOo
"And I think that covers almost everything," Marlena said, "It'll have to be slow going until we get proper communication lines and transport up, but everything starts somewhere."
"Great," Glimmer said, leaning back in her chair, "No offense, but sometimes, this diplomacy stuff is exhausting."
"I know the feeling," Marlena said, "It took me ages to get used to it. Management on this scope wasn't something my old job really prepared me for."
Glimmer hummed a bit, then got an odd look on her face.
"Do you miss it? Your old world, your old life?"
Marlena sobered.
"Sometimes. I suffered from a lot of depression when I first came here, and it came back with a vengeance after Adora disappeared. But honestly, if I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."
Marlena got up and walked over to the window, looking out over the castle's courtyard.
"I saw the stars. I fell in love. I had a wonderful son. And while losing my daughter was hard, she grew up into an amazing woman. I couldn't be prouder of my children."
Glimmer got up and walked over to the window. Below, Scopria and Ram Man were sparring. The two, the muscle of their respective teams, seemed to be enjoying a chance to cut loose. Nearby Bow was speaking with Teela and MossMan, the three having an animated conversation between cheering on the spar. Adam, Adora, and Catra strode into the courtyard, and Bow waved them over, a smile on his face.
"I like to think my mom is proud of me," Glimmer said quietly, "We didn't always see eye-to-eye, but whenever I doubt myself, I imagine her encouraging me, telling me to hold on a little longer."
"That's what mothers do, I suppose," Marlena asked.
Adora's laugh echoed up to them.
"Is Adora happy? Her life hasn't been easy on her. I can tell she was holding a lot back when she told us her story."
"Yeah, she's had a rough ride," Glimmer sighed, "Growing up in wartime would do that to anyone, and that's before taking on a burden like She-Ra."
Glimmer smiled.
"But she's said it was all worth it in the end, and I agree. She's got friends, practically family, who would do anything for her. She has someone she loves with bone-deep feelings, and who feels the same way back. And after so much pain from people she once trusted, she has a home where she's safe. Whatever the Horde put her through, she's got a good life now. You can be sure of that."
Marlena smiled a bit, then frowned.
"She's not staying, is she?"
Glimmer was silent. Marlena closed her eyes and gave a brief and bitter laugh.
"I just got her back. I know I can't stop her. She has a home on Etheria. She's a grown woman who can make her own decisions…but…"
"Yeah," Glimmer said, "But."
There was a long moment of silence, only broken by the formless chatter of below.
"It's not the end, though," Glimmer said, "Even discounting the communication lines, Adora's not going to let a little thing like distance stop her. Besides, our spaceship's alive and likes her. You can't stop her from leaving, and neither can I. Your daughter is a force of nature when she gets her mind set on something."
She laughed lightly.
"I mean, that ring chose her for a reason. Something about powerful will?"
Marlena finally smiled.
"'I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.'"
"Pardon?"
"It's part of my favorite poem back on Earth."
Glimmer nodded.
"Nice sentiment. You should teach it to Adora, she'd like it."
"I think I just might."
oOo
A few days of diplomacy and rekindling of familial relationships later, it was time for the Etherians to head home.
Adora stood at the castle gates. Before her was the Starshine, gangplank open. Entrapta and Mara were likely already making pre-flight checks. Behind her was the home of her biological family, the same one she'd been forming a relationship with for the past few days.
A part of her wanted to stay. The question of where she came from had been buzzing in the back of her mind since she was a little girl. Sometimes the buzzing was louder, sometimes it was barely noticeable. But the question was always there, lurking in her subconscious.
Now she had the answers. Better, she had names and faces. She had a mother and a father and a brother. Part of her wanted more time.
But Eternia wasn't her home, she knew.
She felt a touch on her shoulder, and turned to see her mother. The woman's eyes were red, but she looked at Adora with so much pride.
"I wish you could stay, but I know why you can't."
Adora hugged her mother.
"This isn't good-bye. This is…see you later," Adora said.
She pulled back, smiling.
"I've got a big family. And family doesn't care about distance."
Marlena laughed.
"Glimmer said much the same."
"I'll stay in touch as often as I can."
"You better, young lady."
There was one more brief hug, and then they pulled away from each other.
"Be happy, Adora."
Adora smiled at her, then turned for the Starshine. She had to will herself not to look back. Catra was waiting for her at the end of the gangplank.
"You okay, Adora?"
Adora wiped away a few tears and gave her love a smile.
"Yeah, I think I will be."
The poem quote is from Invictus by William Ernest Henley. Look it up, it basically has 'indomitable will' stamped onto every line.
And that's the end of the Eternia arc. See you all…I'm not actually sure when. The third and final arc isn't coming together as quickly as the rest, so it might be awhile. However, I do have a fairly long She-Ra oneshot that I've been poking at for about a couple months, and I'll probably post it next week, so look out for that.
Please be patient with me. And thank you for reading.