A/N: Writing quality might be a little bit stale for awhile guys (least this chapter). Aside from having to come back to this thing on like 6 separate occasions (which is bad since I ALWAYS forget something or where I left off Xo), it might be a little choppy here and there. Also because it's the latter half of the first season, as I haven't seen anything of the 2nd half more than once months ago (for the simple reason that I am TERRIFIED of rewatching episode 11 X*[!).
But with that said, thanks to all the feedback last chapter guys! I can tell it was a really big hit! I hope to continue to impress you with even more fun-filled chapters here and there as we're now 3/4 episodes away from completion!
With that said, enjoy!
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"Y-You what?" Shadow Weaver's expression somehow more noticeable with the mask on.
"You heard me, Shadow Weaver. You are to take this child under your watch and train her as you are with the others." The mysterious stranger repeatedly himself as the six-year-old Catra stood behind his leg, sticking her tongue out at the bossy lady.
She had never felt so proud of herself before than in this very moment. Still not understanding why it was happening in the first place, she was finally getting something that she wanted for the very first time! After all the hardships she's had to endure with everyone picking on her between the other children and the staff, especially Shadow Weaver, she was finally getting something close to a reward on her end, a prize, if you will
Honestly, she was rather surprised by it too. After everything leading up till now, she thought her miserable six-year-old life could only get worse and worse. From the horrible initiation prank that Lonnie and her friends pulled on her, to finding out there never was an initiation to begin with despite allowing Adora herself to join their gang, and then finding out Adora was going to be taken to another sector within the Fright Zone for better training and lessons, Catra thought her fate was to have a miserable life from this point forward.
Why did the world hate her so much? Why did people bully her on a constant basis? She was nice, sincere, just like Adora told her she was! She's tried plenty of times to make friends with others, to show them how she wasn't the freak that they claimed she was, and what does she get out of it? Nothing! Nothing but more hate and scorn for the simple crime of living! And there would be no Adora to protect her anymore from the savage children that always bullied her.
Life was unfair in every sense of the word!
Which is why it became surprising when the unthinkable happened. After taking one too many bullyings in her life, finding another piece of disgusting gruel flung into her hair, she had finally had enough. She didn't care anymore about how the children saw her, she didn't care about being the nice girl in front of anyone, and she didn't care if she got in trouble this time. Why should she if she constantly got into trouble anyway when she didn't do anything? So when she walked up to the bully who threw the food at her, pulling back her tray as she did, her life changed forever.
She started a small brawl that escalated into a full-fledged Food Fight throughout the entire lunchroom. During the war of the gruel, tons of other children directed their attention to the brat that started everything, trying to beat on her and throw food at her while the rest of the children played around like a bunch of idiots. It was during that scuffle that Catra learned a little about herself, like how painful her claws could be when she stopped caring about who she hurt and how nimble she could be when her main focus was to survive.
At the end of the brawl the entire lunchroom was in disarray. Unsurprisingly, everyone surrounding her pointed her out as the cause of the entire Food Fight that took place, even though it was perfectly clear that the fight started when someone threw food at her. As punishment, she was forced to mop the entire lunchroom from top to bottom, a taxing job on any six-year-old when your lunchroom was the quarter of a mile long and wide in all directions.
Thankfully her savior came in the form of a mysterious cloaked stranger, one the guards seemed insistent on respecting, after she finished spending the first hour getting one-tenth of the entire room. As opposed to being outraged and peeved like all the other adults surrounding her because of the food fight, he was actually impressed.
She didn't realize during the scuffle that she ended up breaking two kids' noses and sent thirteen others to the medical wing of the children's sector covered in scratches and bruises marks. To Catra, all she was concerned with was staying alive during the fight, doing whatever it took and injuring whoever else was in her way as she tried to stay alive. To the stranger, he found this to be a glorious opportunity that couldn't be wasted.
This child was strong. Stronger than most of the other kids that have been training in this sector. For a child of her size and age to do what she did to half a dozen other children twice her size and several years older was unheard of. She proved her worth as a child of the Horde at that very moment to him, and he wanted to mold that into a very powerful soldier, a weapon, at his disposal. All it came down to was figuring out how to persuade the child into advancing her lessons, to find out what the child would want in exchange for her dedicated services.
Ironically, his desire to advance her training and Catra's personal desire intertwined quite nicely. He was going to advance her training, and Catra was going to be with Adora again. And the best part?
According to the stranger himself, Shadow Weaver had no say in the matter.
"B-But My Lord, she is far too... delicate," Shadow Weaver glowered as she saw the insect taunting her, "for the training you recommend. She'll never-"
"My word is final, Shadow Weaver." The stranger boldly said. "You are to take this child under your wing, and oversee her training along with the rest of the children."
"What's going on?" A young blond child asked as she walked into the door's line of sight.
Seeing the child passed Shadow Weaver's flowing robe, Catra let out a squeal of pure delight. "Adora!" She ran straight passed the two adults as she ran straight into Adora's excited arms.
"Catra!" The two friends happily embraced each other in a warm hug as they laughed, overjoyed that they got to see the one friend neither of them thought they would ever see again. As she hugged, Catra peeked over Adora's shoulder, seeing the annoyed-looking Lonnie crossing her arms, glaring at her as Catra hugged Adora. For one of the first times since meeting her, she did something she and the rest of the goons had ever seen.
Catra glared back.
Watching the two meet each other again like this sickened Shadow Weaver. The freak wasn't worthy of being a member of the Horde. She had no discipline, no sense of respect for her peers, and cried at the slightest sign of aggression. She was a mockery of everything the Horde stood for, and she had the audacity to use Lord Hordak as a means to reunite with Adora?
"You are not to interfere with her training without my say so, and you will bring her up to speed along with the rest of the children should she need it. Are we clear, Shadow Weaver?" Lord Hordak wasn't asking for her approval or her consent. He was ordering her.
"...Crystal..." She seethed. With his word as law, the master of the Horde made his way down the halls again, disappearing into the darkness. She would never challenge Lord Hordak's rule directly, but it never meant she had to agree with it.
It was on that day that Catra officially learned two very important facts about life: The kind and the weak would always be punished and suffer, and the vicious and the strong would always be rewarded...
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Words couldn't be spoken. Thoughts couldn't be formed. What could anyone say in a time like this? Everything that happened within one night, everything that was gained, everything that was lost, it was just horrible. Nobody said a thing the entire trip back home, not with everything that weighed on everybody's mind. If this one night could be summed up in just one word, it would be a miracle. But miracles don't happen in this reality. That was the hard fact of life.
That was the reality of war.
Coming up to the Whispering Woods, with Sea Hawk piloting the skiff, everyone remained silent for a bit. There was Mermista, the Princess of Salineas. Perfuma, the Princess of Plumeria. Glimmer, the Princess of Bright Moon, and her best friend Bow. Finally, there was Catra, the one who was She-Ra, the Princess of Power.
Someone was missing from this group of friends, someone very dear to all of them. She was a perky and energetic girl, one with her own array of quirks that always made people laugh. She took science to a whole nother level with her integrity and ingenuity, making fascinating weapons and robots for the war against the dreaded Horde. Unlike everyone else, she was the only one who didn't return on the mission to save Glimmer and Bow.
Her name, was Entrapta, the Princess of Dryl.
And she was gone.
Nobody was sure who was taking this the hardest. Do you blame the Princesses who wanted to go? The Horde that caused them to go through the vents that ended her life? Surely something could be said about the fact they did it to rescue Princess Glimmer and Bow in the first place? Or, perhaps, the blame lied with the one called Catra, the one who organized the entire plan from start to finish. The very one who hasn't said a word as she stared out to the side ever since the news was dropped.
Fearing what sort of doubts and regrets were filling her mind, Glimmer attempted to relieve her burden as she walked over to her. Catra gave a small shiver as she pat her right shoulder, saying nothing as she continued to stare out. "Catra?" The girl's ears twitched at her name. "You should know, it... None of it was your fault..." How was she supposed to tell what was on her mind? After all, until today she showed no acknowledgement that she would accept her or Bow as friends, so there was no way to tell what thoughts ran through her mind.
"...I know..." Catra coldly replied before glaring at the rest. "It's theirs!"
"Excuse me?!" Mermista's rage boiled almost instantly at the accusation, rising straight to her feet as she squeezed her fists intimidatingly. All other eyes turned to one another nervously, the atmosphere surrounding the group of friends already intensified by just those four words.
"I told you right from the beginning that, if we went out to rescue them, one of us would die!" Catra reminded angrily.
"It was your friends too that we went out to save in case you forgot! Don't act like Entrapta was your friend only, we all feel guilty!" Mermista retorted as the magicat took a step closer. "And don't forget it was your brilliant plan in the first place that we went by!"
"M-Mermista-!" Glimmer spouted, trying to get a word in edgewise.
"Friends, please!" Perfuma tried to help as she stood.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you have a secret plan we didn't know about?" The magicat accused poking on Mermista's chest aggressively. "Or were you just going to have everyone else to do all the work?"
"If you want to talk about work, maybe we should be looking at the girl who left us in the vents in the first place! Real nice to know you had our backs to the very end in case something went wrong!"
"Guys, please, don't do this!" Bow's voice was as silent as the rest of theirs between these two.
"I was off to rescue Glimmer, you idiot! I couldn't leave her behind! Besides, no one forced you to trust my idea if you had a better one!"
"You're right, we shouldn't have trusted your idea," Mermista shot back, "because if we didn't, then Entrapta would still be alive, wouldn't she-!"
"AHHHHHHHH!" With a beastly roar, Mermista found herself tackled off the skiff by the ferocious feline, Catra pushing her straight to the ground and then leaping right over her. The mermaid princess sprang right back to her feet, rubbing away the small scrape on her right cheek before squeezing her fists. She didn't care if she was fighting outside of her element, she was not going to let this girl pin the blame entirely on her.
As for Catra, she stopped caring. She didn't care if she was one of their so-called friends, or a princess in general. She warned everyone from the very beginning that if any of them went to the Fright Zone that they would die, and did they listen? No! They ignored her warnings. Whether or not Mermista and the rest considered Catra a friend or if Catra considered them, she still had the decency to give them a thorough warning, one they chose to ignore.
Growling angrily, Catra extended both her claws, preparing to scratch the lights right out of Mermista's eyes at that very moment. Without any hesitation between the two girls, they ran right for each other with a fury in their eyes. Mermista would pummel her into submission or Catra would scratch her until she went limp. Whichever way it could've ended didn't matter not three feet away from each other, the two girls found themselves suddenly raised several feet into the air by a thick, strong, pair of vines wrapping around their arms and legs.
"Enough!" Perfuma yelled with her hand raised, tears still fresh in her eyes. Mermista huffed and puffed in place as Catra struggled to do everything to break herself free, unable to squirm her arms and claws out of her holdings.
"Nggggghhhhhhh!" Catra continued to growl, the remaining friends watching her and Mermista as they fumed. It's not like they couldn't understand why they were so upset, they just knew better than to start placing blame on each other. Nobody was at fault, or everyone was. There was no middle ground for this scenario. "Ghhhhhh!" The mad cat was practically trying to bite her way at the vines.
If anyone else had doubts, it was perfectly clear, to Glimmer, that Catra harbored the most self regret.
"We never should've formed the Princess Alliance." Mermista finally said as Perfuma lowered her to the ground.
"Mermita's right," Perfuma agreed wiping away another tear, "being together makes us vulnerable."
"Maybe there's a reason the Princess Alliance fell apart in the first place, Glimmer." Mermista was steadfast in her belief.
"What? No, you can't think like that!" Glimmer voiced as a more cooled-off Catra was lowered from the vines, still huffing. "We've accomplished so much more as a team than we ever did alone-"
"And we lost a dear friend in the process." Perfuma curled her legs upon the skiff as she hugged herself. "We did one mission together, and we lost one of our own."
"You rotten ingrates!" Catra yelled, finding it very tempting to pull her sword out right now. "I saved your kingdoms and this is the thanks we get?!"
"You helped our kingdoms, Catra. You didn't save them. Our kingdoms will never be safe as long as the Horde is at large." Mermista narrowed her eyes, ready to defend herself as she crossed her arms. "And what's that philosophy you always had? Scratch someone's back and they'll scratch yours?" Catra was repeating to herself not to attack this princess without end in her mind. "Well we repaid you by saving Bow an Glimmer, and Entrapta lost her life paying you back."
"Aghhhhh-!" Ok, NOW she's had it! She didn't care if Perfuma got in the way again, she was more than willing to claw her too if she got in the way! She was not going to be the one held responsible for all this mess! So with a killer instinct in her eyes, tail spiraling out of rage, she ran straight for the blue-haired princess, preparing to scalp every strand of hair right off her head-!
"Stop." Glimmer solemnly pleaded, stepping in front of Catra as she embraced her in her arms. Catra's deathly scowl slowly dwindled along with her expression as she felt Glimmer's warmth around her, unwilling to continue the fight if her friends were going to get in the way, no matter how badly she hated Mermista right now. "Just, stop. We've lost enough, ok?"
There was truth and pain in her voice, one Catra could feel within her own heart as Glimmer patted her back. Everything about this mission went wrong, regardless of the end result. Fighting about it between the three would lead to more conflict, more feelings being hurt, more friends they would lose. What happened today wasn't anything they could control. Seeing the mermaid herself, Catra could see tears in her eyes too as she looked away, the mermaid doing the best she could to wipe them whenever they formed.
All around them everyone was in pain, she could tell that now. Those who cried and those who were filled with sorrow, faces questioning if they were to blame themselves or not, many others struggling with themselves to come to terms with what happened. Nobody was happy about this outcome, nobody else was throwing blame at each other like Catra was. It was the loudest silence Catra ever heard, one that made it clear to her who was at fault for all of this travesty.
The Princess of Salineas had nothing more that she wanted to do with this place.
"Sea Hawk, take me home."
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One by one the friends and allies they worked so hard to attain left their side, the ones who were still amongst them.
Upon returning to the seas, Mermista wasted no time returning to her kingdom, the barrier that protected this great land having been opened for her arrival. Mermista didn't hate Catra, her attitude was a different story. She knew she was hurting as much as the rest of them were, but it also didn't give her any excuse to take it out on them. To put the faith of her kingdom in the hands of someone like that, with a symbol of the Rebellion? She wanted no part of it, not if it came to risking the lives of her own citizens.
Passing through the Sea Gate itself, the barrier reformed itself with her crossing. Here, it would stand to protect her people for the rest of their days, however long or short they may be at this point. As long as her people were safe, that's all that mattered to Mermista anymore. Her citizens, her kingdom, all of it meant the world to her, no matter how little she showed it. Seeing the guards at their posts to greet them, she raised her silver trident to the air, allowing the waters beneath her to pull her into the sea, the one home she would never let the Horde take from her.
Dropping off Perfuma was more of a hassle in and of itself, with many tears being exchanged by her and the others as she bid them farewell. She told them how she harbored no ill will towards them, how she would always wish the best for them, and that she wished them the greatest of luck for their future adventures. They were some of the best friends she's ever made, and she would never forget their actions or their kindness.
She wanted to maintain the alliance, she truly did, but there were too many people involved to risk that. It wasn't a matter for her own life that troubled her so much. It was the lives of her people. Within the center of the kingdom, a short ways away from the Hearts Blossom, she grew a memorial, one representing one of her dearest friends that they had lost, Princess Entrapta. It was people like her she wanted to protect, people like her she couldn't risk getting hurt again.
She could never return to the alliance and leave their people without a leader. She was willing to risk her life for them when the trouble came to find her, not when she went to look for trouble. It was here that she would remain, crying over the loss of a friend that would never return.
And then, there was Princess Frosta, leader of the Kingdom of Snows. It didn't matter to her if she went on the journey or not with the others, it didn't make a difference if she fully accepted the Princess Alliance yet. They already proved their worth and their arrogance by trying to charge headfirst into the Fright Zone.
That kind of foolishness, the blatant disregard for what could happen to themselves or their kingdoms if one of them perished, was something she could never be a part of. This was the kingdom raised by her family for generations, and she would be miffed if that generation ever ended with her! She would not let her kingdom fall because of their negligence, to watch from above as her kingdom melted below her.
Now now, not ever!
With her mind set and her magic gathered from the runestone, she raised her hands to the air as she preformed her own work of magic. Focusing on the protection of her kingdom, with the determination to keep her castle safe, she created the largest barrier that she could raise, forming a mountain of ice that grew right over the castle. The Horde would never melt it down, they would never blast it apart. If the Horde dared to make enemies with the Kingdom of Snows, she would see their blood freeze before their very eyes, and shatter them herself.
In the end, that left Glimmer, Bow, and Catra, to keep to themselves as they traversed the great stairs leading up to Bright Moon. There wasn't much else that could be said between the three as Bow helped walk Glimmer up the stairs, Catra walking from behind them with a mental scowl.
She found this to be typical, absolutely perfect. Time and again, everyone kept trying to get her to open up, to see them as more than allies that fight alongside each other, and to think of them as friends. No matter how many times she pushed them away or wanted nothing to do with them, they kept coming back to annoy her until she eventually found it within herself to say yes. And what happens next? She immediately loses a friend not even a day afterwards!
She was right back where she started with all of this, and she had even less interest in making friends than before.
"Glimmer!" The trio looked ahead as they were greeted by the Queen of Bright Moon, Queen Angella herself, running towards her daughter. She wasted no time throwing her arms around her daughter, hugging her tightly as she pressed her cheek warmly against hers. Never has her mother been so happy to see her before, leaving an awkward feeling in Glimmer's mind as she checked all over her. "Are you hurt?" With what few scrapes and bruises cleared, she continued to squeeze her daughter tightly, never wanting to let her out of her arms ever again!
It was so beautiful that it almost brought tears to Bow's watery eyes, the archer almost let out a sniffle it was so touching!
"Mom, you're crushing me," Glimmer groaned, hurting more from the hug itself than the injuries she sustained.
"Ohhhh!" Bow couldn't help it. Who cared if it ruined his dignity? So what if Catra facepalmed as a result? He had to be a part of this! With open arms, he ran over to the huggable duo, embracing the two in a group hug. That just left one thing as Angella raised her head again.
"You." The Queen casually made her way over to the nervous Catra as her ears lowered.
"Oh, great, here it comes." Catra mumbled. "All right, get it out of your system. "Oh, how I endangered your daughter", "oh I was being reckless", what was I thinki-!" Well... that was a new tactic. She wasn't given a hard scolding like she expected, she wasn't given thirty lashes for endangering the rest of the Princess Alliance, yet, and she wasn't berated about everything she did wrong.
The Queen, who appeared to have it out for Catra since day one, was hugging her. Not once in her life had she ever been hugged this tightly by a mother, much less one who squeezed her face against her like she did Glimmer. Like with Glimmer, Bow found the sight to be beautiful and touching, barely resisting the urge to let them have this moment for themselves. Even Glimmer was smiling a little at the scene, finding it nice and touching to see her mother being so comforting to Catra for once.
Compared to anywhere else in the world right now, it was great to be home.
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The intro starts with Shadow Weaver in the Black Garnet chamber spying and glaring at a image of Catra. Than the image dives into the water of her scrying spell.
~ We're on the edge of greatness ~
Where we have Catra at Bright Moon looking both determined and forlorn out into the distance.
~ turning darkness into light ~
A scene of kid Catra and kid Adora training together in the fright zone under Shadow Weaver. Before being replaced with a image of Adora glaring at a heart broken looking Catra who's on her knees across a battlefield.
~ We're right beside you ~
But than Glimmer and Bow teleport to Catra side raising her spirit back up, as shown with her surprise blinking when Gimmer offers her a hand, than she smirks accepting the help as she takes the lead ahead of them.
~ Ready to Fight! ~
Catra raises her sword, transforming into She-Ra in a glorious flash of light
~ (fight, fight, fight fight) ~
Then She-Ra rushes off into battle with Glimmer and Bow following right behind her.
~ We're gonna win in the end! ~
Mermista rises out of a tide, blasting Horde soldiers with water.
~ We must be strong, And we must be brave ~
Perfuma burst from the ground, capturing and tying up Horde soldiers with vines.
~(we must be brave) ~
Frosta rides an entire wave of frozen water, freezing Horde tanks in their tracks.
~ We're gonna find every bit of strength that we have ~
The scene shifts to Hordaks throne room where the evil shadowy figure sits upon his throne, his red glowing eyes being the only noticeable part of him, surrounded by notable members of the Horde, consisting of Adora and Catra's squadron, Shadow Weaver, Adora, Scropia, and even Entrapta.
~ and never let go ~
The scene shifts to an epic clash between Catra and Adora, the She-Ra gritting her teeth as she presses her sword against Adora's electrical baton, as the Force Captain herself grins with chaotic excitement as the red jewel from her headband shines.
~ (Oh ah Oh) ~
Adora and Catra push each other off as they back up into their friends- Entrapta and Scorpia for Adora, and for Catra Bow and Glimmer.
~ We must be STRONG! ~
The scene ends with a final shot of both sides looking across the field, a transparent image of Catra and Adora's faces filling the sky as the colors are split between them;
A majestic darkness shining into light upon Catra's side, and a horrid light seeping into darkness on Adora's half.
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"...Mom! Cut it out! You're embarrassing me!" Glimmer yelled, squirming in her grip as the Queen hugged her for the eighth time by now. And that was between the last two minutes they walked across the bridge to the castle itself.
Everyone felt a little more at peace to be within the safe haven that was Bright Moon Castle. With the morning sun giving off a glorious new day and the early birds flying across the beautiful sky, you would think there was nothing wrong with the three main heroes. Within the confines in this castle the three could rest easy knowing they were safe, save for one pressing issue none of them had yet to mention to the Queen.
"I will not cut it out." She replied with authority, her two personal guards standing proudly behind her, as Glimmer struggled out of her grip. "I've been beside myself with worry." It was during the small struggle out of the Queen's arms that Angella noticed something troubling. "You... usually teleport out of my embraces. What's going on?" She asked squishing Glimmer's cheeks.
"N-Nothing!" The princess insisted, shifting her eyes away nervously. "I just need to recharge. That's all." It amazed Catra that a liar as bad as Glimmer could somehow get away with it.
"Of course. Guards, carry my daughter to the moonstone chamber at once." The Queen's order were followed immediately as they stepped forward.
"I don't need to be carried," Glimmer insisted with hands at her side, raising suspicion along with the Queen's hand, "I can walk. You're embarrassing me."
She was her mother, and a Queen at that. Someone with such regal authority and a title like hers was nowhere near capable of being so blind to an obvious suspicion as hers. Her daughter was hiding something, and she needed to find out." Fine," the Queen replied copying her mannerisms, "then you have time to tell me what happened. I received word of Entrapta's... loss..."
All three of the friends went silent at the news, looking away from the Queen with their own pained expressions. They didn't need a reminder of the events they witnessed just hours ago. All of them were still trying to grieve with the fact inside of themselves, and reminders like these weren't helping. They still needed to think about the Princess Alliance as well, Entrapta's death being the cause of it's destruction.
Even knowing this, the Queen refused to let them come up with a story on the spot, raising a brow at the seeming silence between the three of them. "Bow, Glimmer, Catra? Someone tell me what happened."
"...It was my fault-"
"The thing is-" Both Catra and Bow tried to speak at the same time.
"Leave my friends alone!" Glimmer ordered stepping forth. "Give us a minute."
"A minute?" The Queen's suspicions continued to rise with every response, as was her anger. "You were being held by the Horde. I have been going mad, telling myself awful stories about what could've happened to you." Her mother hoped to get through to Glimmer about how worried she was. Doesn't she understand this wasn't some trip to Mystacor or someplace more relaxing? This was the Fright Zone for crying out loud!
"Jeez, Mom, relax." Glimmer crossed her arms nonchalant, passing her mom off with a wave. "I'm fine. We'll talk later." She didn't give the Queen any chance to continue their shenanigans as she walked off ahead, hoping to avoid anymore words between the four of them.
"This conversation is not over!" She gruffed, standing at attention to Bow as he bowed. It was when she noticed Catra scratching the back of her head as she walked that she grew an idea. "Catra, wait!" She ordered, stopping the nervous cat as she turned around.
"Y-Yes?" This was one of the few times the Queen ever wanted to talk to Catra, The last two times she ever talked to her it had to do with the claw marks scattered all over the castle and the other time about Catra grooming her arms at the table. She nearly jumped as the Queen placed a hand on her shoulder, for once in her life comfortingly.
"Catra, I beg you. If you know anything going on or notice anything suspicious, be sure to tell me right away." She begged. "Can I trust you?"
"Eh... Y-Yeah, of course." Catra gave a small reassuring nod. Somehow the Queen's smile didn't bring any extra comfort to her as she patted her head softly.
"I knew I could count on you." With another smile the Queen made her way down the other hallway, allowing Catra to go about her business.
The situation became more pressing to the magicat as she chased after her friends. If the Queen trusted Catra personally with something then they needed to know about it, especially when it concerned them too. She didn't find herself having to travel that long or far as she rounded the corner of the hallway, finding an already-glowing red Glimmer and a worried Bow looking over her.
"Glimmer!" The magicat ran her way to her side to check on her.
"It's starting to get worse." Bow commented. It was during the flight here that the rest of them became aware of Glimmer's strange Glitching issue. With at least four occurrences between the last two hours, there was no telling what affect it was having on the girl or what it could lead up to. "Does it hurt?"
"No, not much." Glimmer replied shaking her head.
Gee, great work Catra. Now when your friend explodes you can tell the Queen why! Catra grumbled in her mind. "I need to tell your mom about this, Glimmer. She's trusting me to-"
"No!" Glimmer interrupted, turning to her as she rested her hands on Catra's shoulders. "Catra, please, don't tell my mom."
"But she'll know what to do! Glimmer, I barely know what the Black Garnet did to you. You can't teleport, you're already weak from... Adora... and this keeps happening."
"No! My mom has enough to worry about as it is, I don't want to give her more to worry about. Okay?"
"But..."
"Besides, I always feel better after I recharge, so..." The other two looked beside themselves unsure. Bow didn't want something more tragic to happen to one of his friends, but how was he going to argue with the Princess who had first say in the personal matter? "Then it's agreed." She continued. "I'll recharge, stop glitching, and my mom will never have to know."
Catra moaned as she looked down the other hallway, the same direction the Queen herself took not long ago. She was trusting Catra, she gave her personal trust, to tell her if something was going on with her daughter. This is the first time her Highness ever showed any sort of trust towards Catra since coming here, at least on a personal degree. She was nice to her, she showed her compassion for one of the first times. How was she supposed to betray her trust right now?
Then there was Glimmer, one of the last few official friends she had in this world aside from, hopefully, Adora, and Bow. She was one of the last few people she could trust, however little after the events that happened. She was giving Catra her trust not to let her down or to betray her in any way, and Catra was supposed to turn her back on her and betray her? Like she did with Adora?!
She could never betray a friend like that.
Not again...
...
...
The Fright Zone.
A terrifying realm of machinations of horror and destruction.
It was a fitting name for the army the rest of Etheria came to know as the Evil Horde, the savages that laid waste to anyone and anything in their path. Within the center of this mighty land of nightmares gone wild lied the magnificent technological marvel known as the Citadel, the throne of the mighty Lord Hordak himself.
From within these halls, Lord Hordak saw everything. He oversaw the efforts of his Horde army, the soldiers who were trained since birth to fight for him unquestionably. It was thanks to his brilliant scientific mind that he managed to achieve these accomplishments, creating weapons and war machines that could decimate an entire village within the blink of an eye. Nobody usually came to this unholy place directly unless they either reported to Lord Hordak himself, or if they were in a vast amount of trouble.
Like a certain Force Captain, known as Adora, came to be.
Within the wonder of the Citadel she stood, alongside Shadow Weaver, as well as the several other Force Captains behind them, as they awaited Lord Hordak's judgement. Failure was rarely tolerated within the Fright Zone, failure that could cost the entire outcome of the war so dearly. Not once in Adora's life has she ever seen Lord Hordak in person, not from up close anyway, since being promoted to the grand title of Force Captain, and it was unsettling to know her first encounter could very well be her last.
"Not only did you lose the princess known as Glimmer," Lord Hordak's voice echoed throughout the surrounding darkness, "but I've learned that you've also lost the Sword of Protection as well." Adora frowned as she lowered her head at this. There wasn't any necessary reminder about who was at fault here.
"The enemy knew us from the inside and out." Shadow Weaver respectfully replied. Hordak was one of the few individuals in the world that she would never dare to cross, not with the power at his disposal. "They sabotaged our Prison Block, and the ensuing riots distracted everyone from-"
"Silence!" His voice boomed as his shadows danced across the room, drawing in closer to the guilty party. "I wanted your explanations, not your pitiful excuses. That very sword could bring the downfall of the Horde itself. It's champion can cleave our armies in two if she was ever to master it's power. What I want to know is who is responsible for this, Catra, getting her sword back."
"...It was my fault, Lord Hordak." Adora admitted as she stepped forth. A look of concern and worry crossed Force Captain Scorpia's face and Shadow Weaver's eyes at this. All of them could feel Hordak's shadow drawing closer by the second. "She- I mean Catra, used my own emotions against me. I thought I could bring her back if I gave her the chance, and..." Adora closed her eyes in pain, still recalling the events in her head every moment of her life.
How could she have been so foolish as to trust Catra of all people? The best friend she's known since childhood, the very one who was at Adora's side wherever she went. The person who could easily turn her back on the Horde, the very people who raised both of them, without any worry or care about who they hurt.
It was thanks to Adora's desire to bring her lost friend home that all of this happened. Prying open the sealed corridors for their escape, offering Catra the chance to have the sword if she came back to what Adora considered Family. She never thought in a million years that someone as close as her friend would take advantage of her, pretending to accept their friendship as a means to steal the sword right out of their grip. She thought she saw her old friend once again in that moment, watching as she slowly came back to her side like the good old days.
She can see now that she was very mistaken.
"I have no excuses, my Lord." Adora shook her head as she kneeled down on one leg, placing her fist against the metallic floors of the room. She didn't raise her head as Lord Hordak made his appearance through the darkness, feeling his shadow cross over her as she approached. "The fault is mine and mine alone. I accept any and all punishments deemed necessary."
"..." There was no telling what went through the mind of the Horde leader. At times he was known to be crazy with whatever plans or ideas he came up with. At others, he was known as a superior genius who's technological prowess exceeded any form of magic known across Etheria.
The one constant that always remained, though, was that he was always calculating, always plotting. Every second of his life he considered every action and detail right down to the very last decimal. Nobody could ever match wits with a superior being such as him, not against a foe who was always ten steps ahead.
"...Uhh excuse me, Lord Hordak sir?" Scorpia spoke as she stepped forth with a small smile. "Hi, Force Captain Scorpia. Umm not that a person as great as you need reminders or anything," Scorpia commented waving her claws, "but I would like to point out... it's also because of Adora that we captured Princess Glimmer and the Sword in the first place." Adora shot Scorpia a look of surprise as she continued to kneel, offering a small smile that she still had one friend who had her back. "So, doesn't that kind of... I don't know... cancel each other out?"
"..." The master scratched his chin as he looked down upon the blonde Force Captain, contemplating her every word.
"I mean, no one's ever managed to acquire a prize like the Princess or the Sword before, and this is just after her third mission. Most of the other Senior Cadets and troops haven't been able to accomplish that in over a decade of service."
"It would also go on to merit," Shadow Weaver added taking a floating step forward, "that many of the soldiers and cadets around here have a soft spot for the young Force Captain. If any... thing... was to happen to her, it could cause a small bit of backlash against our troops' morale."
Scorpia, Shadow Weaver, and the other children she grew up alongside. These were the last people in Adora's life that she always knew she could count on to have her back. They were the only ones who had yet to betray Adora, not to an extent that Adora has discovered yet. Without their recent input Adora was sure she wouldn't be kneeling for as long as she has been, not alive at least.
"...Force Captain Adora, Shadow Weaver, the both of you are to remain here. The rest of you are to leave at once." Hordak ordered. No questionable expressions were given to the leader as everyone nodded respectfully, Scorpia having a slight twinge of worry within her mind as she left. Once the room was cleared Hordak returned his attention to the Force Captain kneeling before him.
"I have considered your judgement Adora. Despite your recent failure, your efforts to the Horde have earned you a second chance to prove your worth. Therefore, I am giving you one week." He stated holding up a finger. "I am tasking you to find or obtain a significant contribution to the Horde, one that outweighs your recent blunder. Do that, and you will be cleared of all charges. Fail, however, and my judgement will be your end. Understood?"
"Y-Yes!" Adora raised her head in appreciation. "Thank you Lord-" By the time she could so much as turn to him again, he was gone. There wasn't a shadow nor a trace that he ever existed within this room in the first place. Returning to her feet, she examined her surroundings as she tried to figure out where he disappeared to. Perhaps it was best left unresolved for now, given the circumstances.
"You have done well to earn Lord Hordak's mercy, Adora." Shadow Weaver complimented patting her shoulder. "Not many people have earned that privilege."
"... Shadow Weaver?" Adora's voice wavered a bit as she spoke to her. "Did... Did you know that Catra wasn't under the Princess's spell?" Behind her scarred mask, Shadow Weaver grimaced.
Why on Etheria was someone like Adora so obsessed or concerned with an animal like Catra? The girl has been nothing but a pain to the both of them, one who almost cost Adora her own life if not for Scorpia speaking out for her. She would still show concern to her old friend after everything that's happened. The very person who stabbed her in the back, the one who defected to the Rebellion purely out of greed.
The very one who left three scarring reminders across Shadow Weaver's mask and lived to tell about it. She would see that wretched girl bleed if it was the last thing she did!
"I'm afraid I'm as surprised as you are, my dear." Shadow Weaver feigned ignorance, one that Adora was starting to question. "I didn't think she would willingly try to join the Rebellion. What other conclusion could I come to other than a work of brainwashing?"
"But if Catra defected to the Rebellion willingly, then..." Panic crossed Adora's mind. There would be no means of pleading or begging she could come up with that would spare Catra from Hordak's fury. "Then she really is a traitor..."
Defection and traitorism was the one thing that was never tolerated in the Horde. No matter what the excuse was or any attempts at trying to make up for it, there was almost no way out of getting punished for such a crime. Adora was lucky enough to get a slap on the wrist for everything she did. There was no telling what sort of consequences would occur if Catra was ever captured by someone other than herself, provided whoever captured her did it alive in the first place.
"I know it seems hard to accept, Adora, but if Catra truly is in her own state of mind, then you'll have to accept it. Whatever her reasons are, there is no way she can get away with what she's done..." As she turned away, Shadow Weaver contemplated as she pressed her fingers together. "Unless..."
"Unless?" That single word gave Adora the spark of hope she needed right now in this grim situation. Noticing the small pause emanating from Shadow Weaver's person, Adora quickly ran to her side, wanting to know what other way there was to save Catra's life. "Unless what?" Watching her mater's eyes narrow, Adora felt a small chill in the air as she lowered her face towards Adora's.
"Unless, my dear... someone else made the rules around here." Shadow Weaver's hint didn't go unnoticed by the Force Captain whose body started to feel heavy.
"W-What... What do you mean..." She was wrong. She had to be wrong, right? There was no way the mother-figure of her life was actually suggesting what Adora thought she meant. It was with a lean into her ears that Shadow Weaver whispered the terrible truth to her pupil.
"I mean, if something were to happen to Lord Hordak, then who else would be there to replace him...?"
This. Was. Insane!
Insubordination and betrayal was one thing. This was an entirely different thing all on it's own. She wasn't talking about just getting rid of Lord Hordak or making him change the rules around here. She was talking about actually replacing him and everything that he ruled with an iron fist! Talks like this were enough to warrant a death penalty, even if someone was joking or gossiping about it. No one would so much as think of doing something so horrendous, not to a glorious leader like Lord Hordak.
And here she was. Her master, her mother, the person that raised her since she was saved by the Horde as an infant, talking about overthrowing Lord Hordak's rule and managing the Horde for herself. Was this some sort of hilariously awful joke she was trying to give Adora? Because she would much rather believe that than what she was actually saying!
"Y-You can't be serious..." Adora tensed as she backed away.
"Adora-" Shadow Weaver gently stroked the side of Adora's face in comfort.
"No!" Adora swatted her hand away in disgust. "You can't... I can't let this happen!" She started to run pass her teacher as the grave news was still settling in. "I need to report to Lord Hordak at once and-!"
"All right, go ahead." Shadow Weaver's words stopped Adora in her tracks, surprised that she was unwilling to put up a fight or resistance to what Adora wanted to do. "Tell Lord Hordak about my idea, send one of the very few people you have left into the deepest, darkest, hole in the Fright Zone." She said knowingly as she neared Adora. Adora kept her back to her as she made her way over, processing everything that she was saying with a grain of salt.
"Send me to a prison, or watch me get executed because you thought it was the right thing to do." Shadow Weaver grinned behind the mask as she rubbed Adora's shoulder. "Send the one person who still cares deeply about you, who gave you her trust, who showed you the ways of the world, who treated you as her own daughter, somewhere she'll never be seen again."
"B-But..."
"Besides," her mentor whispered as she leaned her head closer from behind, "think of alllll the good you could do if you were in charge. You could be as peaceful or violent as you wish, you can help all those who come to you in need. And I'll be right here, by your side, whispering in your ear for guidance."
Everything that ever was and has been has lead up to this moment. Everything from the time of day, the situation at hand, all the training she put Adora through, all the lives she had to snuff out to ensure perfection on Adora's behalf, all of it was for her little star to shine. Even as Adora's face filled with dread she knew she wouldn't dare to oppose her or challenge her on this, and not out of a matter of love or mercy.
She would do it because she's all she had left. There was nobody else in Adora's life that she cared about, other than Shadow Weaver. She wouldn't risk losing the last of the closest thing she had to family around here. Every event Shadow Weaver manipulated from the day she raised her has been for this moment, to ensure Adora would come to see her as the motherly figure she's known her to be, and to keep her from ever betraying that love Shadow Weaver infected her with.
Even the kindness she's shown on Adora's behalf was an act. She needed to raise Adora to be perfect, in every sense of the word. She needed to make sure she had just the right amount of kindness in her heart so she would never risk her exposing Shadow Weaver's evils to Lord Hordak. The very fact that she was still standing her instead of running for the ruler of the Horde was proof of her unwavering devotion to her.
Adora needed her. She made sure of that in every possible way.
"You'll see, sweetheart." With a small tug she pulled Adora towards her, patting her head as she continued to stare off into space. "All that I do, all that I will do, has only been to make you happy."
And it was during this small exchange, during this seemingly innocent hour of peace, that a lone pair of glowing red eyes spied on the duo from the vents, as she recorded every little detail her purple hair could allow...
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A/N: Yeah, not the best start to a chapter at this rate but like I said, bit choppy here. Weekends are usually a sore spot to write but it gets better over the week.
With that said, hope you all enjoyed! Leave a like, follow, fave, and review if you enjoyed and hope to see you soon!