It'd been a while. Adora still remembered the first time she picked up She-Ra's sword. That fateful day where she became She-Ra. Several years of fighting that all culminated in the final battle against Horde Prime and his army and the use of the Failsafe. She still remembered when they were kids running around the halls of the Fright Zone, too. And all the other somewhat less... pleasant... memories between them.
Yet she still watched Catra move around with the agility of her namesake creature. The blonde, formerly a Force Captain, now one of Etheria's most trusted guardians, watched her girlfriend prance through the corridor ahead of them. One lined with First Ones inscriptions, at that. The dumb smile on her face told her best friends enough to realize she was half-entranced by Catra.
"So, what's this place supposed to be, anyways?" Catra looked back to Adora, who froze for a moment, trying to answer.
Bow let slip a chuckle, while Glimmer watched them go on forward, a smile on her face. Melog followed beside them, looking at the symbols on the walls curiously. It meowed, stopping in front of one symbol. It resembled a flower of a very intricate design.
"Well, going by the design of the place and what Entrapta was able to pull out of Mara's databanks, it's some sort of special site for storing unstable tech and newfound stuff from across the First Ones' Empire." Bow answered, shooting a gaze past Catra, toward the dark end of the corridor. He hummed. Maybe the place was a dead end? Melog looked to each of them, hoping they'd stop.
"Heh. So, new tech, maybe some weapons and who-knows-what." The Catgirl quipped, grinning. "Sounds like standard business for us."
"Hopefully." Glimmer shrugged "Plus, it's a bit of peace and quiet here for a change. Remember the last three First Ones posts?"
Catra snorted, "Ha, you mean the last one, where those giant centipedes charged you?" watching as that got a rise out of Glimmer. Well, a 'rise' meaning a disgusted shudder. She chuckled at the Princess, before saying "Yeah, that was fun."
"Ugh..." Glimmer winced "Sooo many legs..."
"Tell me about it." Adora shrugged. "Half thought you and Bow would chicken out on us."
"Hey!" Bow jumped "It's a completely rational fear!"
Melog mewoed to everyone loudly, stopping them in their tracks. Catra, most of all, turned to meet the gaze of her pet.
"What's up, Melog?" She asked, then walked to it, shooting a glance and a wink to Adora. The blonde snorted, then walked with her to the pet. It meowed again, pointing with its nose at the symbol. Catra raised a brow and asked "You know that symbol?" before getting an affirmative meow. The catgirl tilted her head, then looked to Adora and asked "Can... You translate this?"
"I can try..." Adora was just as weirded out as Catra. She looked to the symbol and the entire sentence. She read aloud, her expression morphing into confusion "Red, the petals bloomed where we first met? What?"
"Huh. Odd... That can't be it." Glimmer stepped up too, with Bow behind her. Adora hummed, running her hands on the wall, on the writing itself. She took a knee next to it, before noticing a string of other symbols of similar connotation. She looked between her friends, all four of which gave her a nod of approval for reading the rest of it. The bearer of the sword of She-Ra felt odd even seeing these words.
She read on, still...
Red, the petals bloomed where we first met,
White, the snow that day would never melt,
Black, the night we wished would never end,
Yellow, the sun never burned as bright as you, dear friend.
Adora's heart stopped for a moment, watching as the four distinct colors flashed on their symbols. The scarlet flower, the white snowflake, the black lotus and the golden flame. The strings of First Ones writing that started at these symbols shined and shimmered. Ahead, to their right, a hidden door slid open with a loud groan. Catra hummed, then spoke "So much for it being a break..." And she gave a catty grin, standard for her "Who wants to go first?"
"Oh, c'mon." Adora shook her head, walking toward the door and shooting a smug glance to Catra, "Give'em a break."
"Pfft." Catra snorted, blushing "They know I'm just pulling their legs."
"We're getting used to it, actually." Glimmer shot back, flashing a smile at the Catgirl. Catra nodded, a mischievous cat grin forming They watched Melog follow after Adora. The corridor was odd, the squad had to admit. It vibrated with energy. Everyone felt it and Catra could hear it. The deep, unending thrumm that bounced off the angular walls and became progressively louder the deeper they went. So much so that Catra felt forced to cover them.
"What's up?" Adora asked, looking back to Catra and Melog, to see both of them with their ears folded over their heads.
"Whole lotta noise... It's like the energy in this place is converging..." She murmured, then shuddered as a sharp change in pitch followed. One that Adora and the others clearly heard too, what with them wincing. It was sharp, it was loud, but it passed and only the thrum continued. Catra groaned, then pushed forward "Let's just get this over with... I don't know what tinnitus is yet, but I sure don't wanna get it..."
"Right..." Adora murmured. The corridor soon widened, opening into a tall room with a vaulted ceiling and several 'tables' made of the crystalline material used by the First Ones. In the center of it, where the rows of tables converged, was a diamond-shaped object resting atop an altar of sorts. The thrum, Catra realized, came from it. Whatever it was.
With a flash, the tables powered on, revealing First Ones holographic technology. Words streamed over the interfaces. A repeating string of them, in fact. Adora approached one of the consoles, leaning toward them. She gazed to the others, then said "It's... Like it's a continuation of the poem outside." turning back to it.
"Well?" Catra shrugged "Gonna read it?"
"In a sec..." She leaned in, then backed off as her eyes shimmered with surprise, "Huh, that's a first..."
"What's up?" Bow leaned onto the table.
"I... Can't make out the second to last word. It's got two different meanings." Adora responded as the others joined them. She looked to them, "It's between grey or silver."
"It probably depends on context." Glimmer mused, then got an idea. She told Adora "Read the whole verse with one first. If nothing happens, you can switch to the other."
Adora nodded "Good plan... Alright, let's get this done."
"Wait." Catra stopped them. "Does it even say what this thing is?"
"No. Surprisingly." Adora leaned forward. "It's just the second verse."
"Yet again, we're going into what could possibly be a trap, blind?" Catra smirked. The nods from the others did actually get a loud laugh outta her. She looked to Adora, wiping a way a tear of joy, before saying "Alright, go get'em, honey. Let's see how well you were taught to read." with a grin on her face and her hands on her hips. Adora gave a thumbs up, grinning back, while the other two giggled like giddy schoolgirls. Adora then turned and focused.
Once again, she began,
Yet the darkness will forever loom
The world it still tries to consume
But, in the dark, light shall once more shine
Dear Friend, salvation in Grey Eyes you shall find.
... And nothing. Adora sighed, leaving the console and approaching the strange diamond-shaped piece of tech with frustration in her eyes. Glimmer and Bow looked over the consoles together, while Catra and Melog took to Adora's side. Adora suddenly felt a tug, at her mind and at her body as she stared into the dark crystal behind the strange device. Catra noticed the determined look in her beloved's eyes.
Adora looked down, feeling a hand wrap around hers. She looked to Catra, who smiled at her one of her genuine, loving smiles that she had started giving out to her just recently, then she smiled back. The others were still busy with the console, probably figuring out anything they could about this place. Catra's calming presence just felt like she was saying 'you can do it' without even needing to say it.
Adora nodded, then looked to the diamond... And, once more,
Yet the darkness will forever loom
The world it still tries to consume
But, in the dark, light shall once more shine
Dear Friend, salvation in Silver Eyes you shall find.
The room suddenly felt burning hot. First Ones writing lit up on the sides of the diamond-shaped device and energy began to course through it. The crystals burned a bright scarlet, then a deep, whitish-blue, then they darkened and finally, they shined gold. The whole group staggered and Adora, Catra and Melog took a step back watching as the interior of the device flared, burned and lit like a bonfire, before forming into a swirling portal that was colored in all four of the colors in the poem.
Hot wind blew through the room, gusts of it powerful to almost stun the group. A whirlwind pulled at the girls, a force so powerful they couldn't resist it. Catra and Adora looked to each-other, then looked back to Bow and Glimmer... And then they heard an animal cry of pain. Pulled into the portal, Melog flew through, vanishing into the colorful pool.
"Melog!" Catra screamed, then she felt the tug at her hand. Both girls were lifted off their feet, with Catra crying out "Adora! Hold on!" as she tried to reach for one of the low-hanging crystals, get them some support.
"Girls, hold on! We're coming to you!" Glimmer called out. She gritted her teeth, pooling as much energy as she could into her powers and grabbing onto Bow. Catra couldn't reach anything... Dammit! She crouched, stabbing her claws as deep as she could into the crystal. She felt pain course through her fingers and saw blood seeping from her claws, but she held on, to Adora and the ground.
"Hurry up! I can't hold on much longer!" The Catgirl cried. She gasped as she felt Adora's fingers slipping through her on, then called out "Adora! Hang on!"
"I'm doing my best!" She yelled back "Don't let go!"
Catra yelled "I won't! I promise I won't!" as she tried to tighten her grip. She looked to Glimmer, who was trying and trying, but something was wrong. Something was really wrong. Her eyes darted between Adora, the portal and the two. Bow fired an arrow with a rope attached to it, but... Catra went bug-eyed as she saw it veer off, as if deflected by the portal.
"Catra! I can't... I'm slipping!" Adora cried, looking at her.
"No, you're not!" She pulled with both hands. The pain in her fingers was excruciating all of a sudden... But she needed to help Adora. She needed to help her. "Just hang tighter!"
"Catra!" Adora yelled... And she yelped as the grip broke and she was pulled in.
"NO!" Catra screamed at the top of her lungs. She watched as Glimmer finally managed to get to her, using the rope that Bow had shot and her upper body strength. She looked to Catra, extended a hand, then nodded to her. Catra looked back, toward the Portal as it flickered, then looked up to Glimmer and yelled "GET OUT OF HERE, GET THE OTHERS AND COME FIND US! I'm going after her!"
"Catra, NO!" Glimmer jumped "We can't lose you too!"
"I owe her this much!" Catra gritted her teeth. She then smiled apologetically at Glimmer and said "Get Hordak and Entrapta... I'm sure they'll be able to help... I'll go get Adora and we'll try to make our own way home."
"Catra!"
"See ya soon, Sparkles..." She gave the girl a mock salute with the free hand, then... She let go. She felt the portal pull her in. And then, there was nothing. Damn, she hoped she didn't actually just... Die. No, she felt heat. She felt heat as she flew through the portal. That was a good enough sign she was still alive, just, not a good enough one to tell her where she was.
It'd probably help if she opened her eyes, but nope, she didn't wanna know what she was passing through. For all she knew with First Ones tech, it could've been hell itself. All she wanted to do was find Adora and Melog and get home, but... Why did she hear ringing? Was that tinnitus? Huh, it was worse than she thought, her ears were ringing real, real freaking loud.
"... ra! CATRA!"
... Nnnope, that was a voice.
"Catra! CATRA, WAKE UP!"
... It was Adora.
Adora!
Catra yelped in surprise, feeling herself flat on her behind. She smiled, hugged the blonde girl hanging over her, then she felt herself get picked up. And she heard a monstrous roar overhead, followed by gunfire and the voice of Melog. She looked up, to see a gigantic black bird being hammered by what looked like magic and explosives. Its flight path was disturbed and it nose-dived right into the strange building they were in. With a creak and a thunderous boom, the building's insides shattered, including the portal they came through.
"Hey! What the... ADORA, WHERE ARE WE?!" She yelled, finally realizing Adora was carrying her and running
"I have no idea!" Her beloved returned, looking around for a safe spot to duck into.
The pair stopped at the edge of a broken ancient bridge and looked ahead. Four teens were fighting a giant freaking SCORPION with white bone armor, a golden stinger and eyes that burned hot red. Catra shuddered, then said "Adora..."
"Uh-huh?" The similarly-freaked-out blonde nodded.
"... I don't think we're home anymore." Catra whimpered.
"Uh-huh..." Adora nodded. Catra gasped, pushing Adora down as the bird flew overhead, before they looked back. The four teens, two girls and two boys, were nailing the damn monster. One of them, a guy in green, hammered the creature's stinger with some kind of automated weapons, enough so that it weakened the attachment point... But then he got slammed into a stone wall.
"Ouch..." Catra winced. The moment of communal pain felt soon vanished as she watched the other three working together, the one girl with dark-red hair and a strangely artsy bronze armor throwing her shield into the creature's stinger to sever it, impaling the monster right in the head, before the other redhead, more of a ginger girl, ran up, launched herself off of the first one's shield and DROVE THE STINGER DEEPER INTO THE THING'S SKULL.
... The four were on the other side of the ruined bridge safely, while the strange monster fell into the misty abyss below.
"... I... Got nothing." Adora remarked.
"Uh-huh..." Catra murmured, impressed. They looked back, hearing gunshots roaring behind them. A blonde girl hanged by the giant bird's beak, holding it open, pumping what looked like shot after shot of explosives! down its throat and... Then jumping off to land safely while the creature slammed into the cliff behind them? DID ONE OF THEM JUST FREEZE THE THING'S TAIL ?! Wha...? And what were the other three doing now?
Making a... Catapult?
A magical glyph formed around a red girl with a giant scythe, who then launched herself forward, her scythe's massive blade catching on the throat of the giant bird. Gunshots roared and as the girl reached the top, monster in tow, one final shot had the blade slicing clean through the giant bird's throat. Adora, Catra and Melog stared with wide eyes at the group of eight teens.
"... What the hell just happened?" Catra murmured, processing the images that played on in her mind. She blinked once, then her eyes locked onto where the portal first dumped them:the remains of a strange building with a tall ceiling held up by a dozen or so arches. Which was now broken. As was the piece of First Ones tech inside it. The same piece that dumped them here...
Catra soon realized, the bird had crashed into it thanks to those four girls and... Oh, GOD DAMMIT! "HEY!"
"Huh?" The group seemed just as surprised to see them. Catra wasn't surprised right now. She was seething.
"Do you four have any idea what the hell you just did?! YOU DESTROYED OUR ONLY WAY HOME!"
"Catra, chill...?" Adora started, a bead of sweat running down her cheek. Catra stood to her feet, then continued yelling
"THE BIG... ARCH-Y THING! YOU SHOT THE GIANT BIRD THAT CRASHED AND JUST DESTROYED THAT! HOW THE HELL ARE WE-" She was shut up by Adora covering her mouth. The blonde waved awkwardly.
"Hey! Hi! Yeah, sorry about my friend over here, she uh... Gets angered quite easily. We're still working on that." Adora stumbled, before leaning herself onto Catra and whispering into her ear "Catra, let's not anger the kids with giant scythes, magic and explosives that just killed TWO GIANT MONSTERS, yeah?" before laughing awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck as she introduced herself "Anyways, I'm Adora and this here's Catra."
The four girls stared on with wide eyes... Except for the one in red. She gushed. She was gushing. At what?
"OH MY GOSH! YANG, LOOK!" She pointed at Catra, turning her head to the weirded-out blonde on her left. "LOOK AT HER!"
"I see her, Ruby..." 'Yang' looked on, then snorted. She flashed a toothy grin at the girls.
"That's... A lot of Faunus traits." The girl in black, with a bow and amber eyes, murmured, staring with disbelief. And once again, confusion overtook Catra and Adora, enough so that it put a full stop to the former's rage. Meanwhile, Melog meowed happily, trotting beside them and licking Catra's face. And yet again, the red girl gushed at the sight, while the two Etheria-born girls exchanged looks of worry.
The White one stared at them with a morbid curiosity instead of acting surprised or gushing. She said quite pragmatically "Must be some sort of experiment."
"Hey! Snow-White!" Catra managed to free her mouth, baring her fangs at the girl as she spoke with "How about I show you the soles of my boot for an experi-" And Adora covered her mouth again, before laughing awkwardly. She sighed, her shoulders sagging. This was gonna be a long day, wasn't it? A really, really, really long day? A nagging feeling came to her as she cocked her head back and looked to see the other four kids staring at them, surprised...
... Yep! Catra went and bit her hand!
LONG DAY!