A/N: A thousand thanks to the fans who supported the last chapter and alleviated my fears/worries over it X) I know I say that a lot occasionally like how "this is a bad chapter" and whatnot, but i genuinely meant it last time around with a great sense of worry, so I am overjoyed to see that the feedback as kicked off ^^ Thanks a million to the supporters who make this series possible. Hopefully this chapter makes things fun and exciting as much as the rest of the series.
And not to toot my own horn, but I think the cliffhangerS i left on this one will make things rather interesting/exciting for the next chapter X) You'll have to read on to find out what I mean...
With that said, enjoy!
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As the light faded from the scenery, Catra could finally open her eyes again without being blinded. All around her she saw a dazzling array of lights dancing about, twirling back and forth and raining stars across the background. Crystals grew from the ground beneath them along the sides as holographic projections were thrown across the sky above her. From one long and twisted explanation that she had just escaped from, Catra was about to find herself pushed into another, detailing the origins and history of the first ones and their connection to She-Ra.
And surprisingly, after all the time she's spent trying to learn the mysteries of the Sword of Protection and the people who created it, Catra found herself unable to care anymore. It can easily be attributed to the long and twisted explanation Catra recently had involving her role in all of this and what it meant for her. Since the very beginning of when her adventures began and everything she's been through, she discovered what might have been the most shocking realization she's ever had in her life.
She was an accident. Nothing more, nothing less. Her finding the sword was a stroke of luck, an unintended outcome that wasn't even predicted by the technological advanced race known as the First Ones. She wasn't chosen for some big prophecy or tasked with a large responsibility because of her skills and her qualities, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that's what sent her life spiraling out of control.
All this time, all she was tasked with doing was finding Adora and giving her the sword to begin with, a message that was never clear to her as her own impure heart, as Light Hope put it, corrupted the message and task that was given to her. Because of this, she wasn't aware that she was given a mere fraction of She-Ra's power, being dubbed as the "Finder" as her title, and never became aware of the fact that she wasn't She-Ra to begin with. She wasn't asked for help in saving the world or some important thing like that. All she was required to do was to put the sword into Adora's hands.
That's it.
The reality of the situation would've been a little easier to cope with if it wasn't for the details that followed. Of all the time wasted on Catra's end, she never understood what her true purpose was. The sword had deemed Adora far too corrupted to become the true owner of the sword. She couldn't give it back to Adora and fill her in on her big destiny, and that made any attempts to reconcile with Adora after everything Catra did to her all but impossible. There was no way for her to bring Adora back to her side, and she only had herself to blame.
It didn't even cheer her up when she heard the one positive aspect, what she would've considered positive months ago, out of all of this. Since it was determined that Adora was too corrupted by her time in the Horde, thanks to Catra's abandonment, a system known as the Alpha Protocol had been put in place. With it, Catra discovered that ownership of the sword was transferred entirely over to her, which, presumably, meant she would be granted access to its powers too, at least to the extent of allowing her to transform.
Not a day went by where Catra didn't wish she could learn how to use the stupid hunk of metal she's been cursed with, and after all this time and everything she's been through, now that she had it... she wasn't happy about it. It didn't bring a smile to her face, it didn't brighten her mood in any sense given everything she's lost as a result, and it didn't relieve her to know that all of her past problems with the sword were part of some Initiative program that limited her access to the sword's powers.
All it did was make her feel empty inside. She wasn't destined for greatness, she wasn't wanted for her own strength and skills, and she wasn't planned for out of all of this. She was nothing more than an accident since the day she joined the Rebellion, and up till now, everyone she has come to care for suffered because of her.
She was the farthest thing from a She-Ra, and now she was being told she was the closest thing to one.
"Alright, so... What are you anyway?" Catra asked with a greatly reduced sense of enthusiasm. It was hard to take anything at heart when you had your entire world come crashing down on you in the span of ten minutes.
"I am a being created by the First Ones, as you call them." She answered as the scenery continued to warp around them.
"Yeah, I'm getting tired of hearing about those guys. Who the heck were they?"
"The First Ones were explorers who journeyed from beyond the stars to settle Etheria." When the warping finally came to an end, Catra found herself standing within the center of what appeared to be entrance again, albeit much shorter with several design variations to it, one of the key notes being how it was smaller. "They built this place for the original She-Ra, Adora, the Crystal Castle."
Catra gazed in wonder at her surroundings as she tried to take everything in with all that's happened to her in mind. Beautiful crystals were etched into the walls of this place, lights refracting and giving off a beautiful sparkle to everything it touched. The glitter that lied around them were almost as dazzling as the stars themselves. She was so entranced by its beauty that she nearly jumped as Light Hope materialized right in front of her. "Ahh-!"
"I have waited a long time for the original She-Ra to offer her this destiny," the artificial being turned with Catra towards the stained glass behind them, depicting an image of She-Ra, "and now, that role belongs to you, Catra."
"Tch, sorry for the disappointment." She muttered under her breath as she walked over to the monument.
"Do not take my words at face value, Catra." She tried to ease the girl's stress, noticing the increase of agitation coming from her. "I harbor no ill will towards you or anyone who would have come to the same fate as you have. I am simply explaining what's necessary for you to understand."
"Yeah, because that makes it bet-"
"You are now She-Ra, Etheria's Champion," Light Hope continued, cutting her off as she materialized on her left, "appointed by the First Ones to protect and unite our planet."
"Unite?" Catra thought to herself briefly at the word. There was something almost coincidental about it and what she was doing in the Rebellion. "That almost sounds like the Princess Alliance-"
"There have been many before the original She-Ra," she interrupted again, "but that line was broken." The scenery around them filled with a violet hue as another image appeared before them. Here, Catra watched in curiosity as a golden figure of She-Ra floated in front of her, seeing her appearance and how drastically it differed from her own. Stepping forth, she noticed how the She-Ra stared back at her, aware of her existence, as she held her hand up to hers, while many other She-Ras floated behind the first one. "You are the first She-Ra in a thousand years, and the eighth one to be given the title directly through the Alpha Protocol."
"The eighth?" Catra turned back as the line of She-Ra in front of her started shattering one by one, withering away. "So I'm not the first one to have been given the title?"
"Correct." Waving her right hand, Catra looked back as numerous holographic images were created of various size and races. Some of them had packs on their back, others were carrying satchels. The one constant she saw among all of them was the sword held firmly in their hands or on their back. "Through the eons, nearly a hundred different people have come across the sword as you have, and have been given the task of finding the She-Ra of that time."
"Nearly a hundred? If there were that many people coming across the sword, then why didn't you just make it so whoever found the sword would become the next She-Ra?"
"Many of my data banks have been slightly distorted through the passage of time, but while I try to fix them, I can answer your question based on my observations. It's easily a matter of precaution and safety for the worlds, and all who inhabit them. If we allowed the sword to exist without a means to limit its power to those who would do harm with it, many worlds, and the lineage of She-Ra would have ended long ago. Would you prefer someone with vile intent was given the sword instead?" Just thinking of someone as sinister as Shadow Weaver coming across the sword was enough to give the magicat goosebumps as she shivered.
"Eehehheheh, I get your point." She rubbed her chin as she tried to process this. "So, based on what you're saying, now that the sword belongs to me, I'll have access to all of She-Ra's powers, right?"
"Technically, yes."
"...What do you mean technically? Technically yes or technically no?"
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At the same time of the conversation, on another side of the world, three proud members of the Horde stood within the center of the interrogation room as the Officers gazed at the technological display of Entrapta's model.
"Behold, Etheria." Entrapta introduced. This was about to get very interesting for the young Force Captain known as Adora.
After the events at the Beacon, her certainty and resolve to destroy the Rebellion had reached its limits. She loathed Catra for all the times she used their precious friendship for her own gain, the selfishness the girl displayed in trying to acquire anything she could get her hands on and befriending the right people for it. If Catra cared more about some stupid hunk of land more than she did the people who raised the two of them, then she was dead to her.
With this, she was more than interested in anything that could bring an end to the Rebellion as soon as possible. She wanted Catra to know her pain, to feel what it was like to experience the same dread and despair she felt after Catra abandoned her all those months ago. Even if Catra couldn't feel it, the last thing Adora wanted from this point onward was for Catra to obtain her kingdom, requiring her to help the Rebellion in their war against the Horde, the people Adora would continue to fight for.
As such, when Entrapta came along with the news of the Data Crystal Adora had stolen from the Beacon, she was more than excited to learn what she's found. She would still hold onto her own morals for anything else, but if she came across anything that can be used as a weapon, anything to destroy Catra's dream, she would be more than glad to use it, and made her all the more curious as to what she was witnessing in front of her.
Here, she, Scorpia, and Entrapta were looking at what appeared to be a large metallic replica of the planet itself, with wires strewn around it and a couple dozen greenish bulbs inserted along its sides. It was a technological advancement that Adora had never seen before, and she was looking forward to the results that followed this display.
"The First Ones didn't just settle on the surface of Etheria." Entrapta explained, walking around it as she felt along the machine with an arm of hair. "Their technology runs throughout the planet's core!"
"You mean they dug to the center of the planet?" Adora asked, checking out the numerous wires and bulbs that came from the giant sphere.
"Eeeeee!" Adora fretted she broke the girl at that as she let out a high-pitched squeal, shaking her fists up and down. "No, it's much much MUCH bigger than that! They didn't just dig to the center of the planet's core, they created the planet's core! This entire planet is all First Ones tech!"
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"Everything on Etheria is connected." Light Hope said as Catra watched the constantly-changing scenery. "The princesses are granted power over the elements through their Runestones." Directly in front of her, Catra backed away as she watched holographic projections of the people she did and didn't know grow in front of her. There were no details to them other than their outlines and color, with a handful of them being familiar to them, and many more that she's never seen before.
"As She-Ra, it is your duty to bring the princesses together. Only then can balance be restored to Etheria." At this, Catra looked around until her eyes came across the figure that she knew as Glimmer, walking towards the pink hologram with uncertainty in her mind. Giving it a small poke through the chest, Catra drew her hand away as a large hole appeared temporarily from where she touched it, and watching as it grew back a few seconds later.
"Okay, this is cool and all, and I'm sure it's really helpful, but-"
"You are correct, Catra. It is helpful." Light Hope interrupted once again as she continued to reveal her destiny.
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"And what are these suppose to be?" Adora asked as she leaned over to one of the colored bulbs.
"Runestones." Entrapta replied. "From the data I've managed to extract, they regulate the planet through the princesses. They're directly connected to each other and to the planet's power grid in a delicate balance! Huuuuuuff!" The purple-haired genius exhaled after her long breath of words.
"They're connected...? What does that mean?" Adora was unaware of the beautiful revelation that would come from this question.
With stars in her eyes and another squeal being suppressed in her throat, Entrapta revealed, "Which means, they're our best access point to hack the planet!"
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"When the princesses and their elements are in balance, Etheria functions as it should." Waving her hands, Catra nearly choked on a gasp as Light Hope changed the scenery to the familiar scene of when Adora invaded Salineas with her warship, the scene being paused at the very first time Adora and Scorpia fired a powerful blast of energy from its cannons to the Sea Gate itself. "But the Horde is destroying us in their quest for power."
Waving again, the simulation changed to the setting of the desecrated Whispering Woods, the spot she came across with Madame Razz some time ago on the left side, and a view of the siphoning station that was stealing the power of the Hearts Blossom, the building within the Horde base that stole all of its energy, on her right. After her experiences with the woods and her time in the Rebellion, the sight that never gave so much as a scoff to the burning land now shocked her to her core. "There is no predicting what they will do next."
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"Hack the planet?" Adora questioned. "Like how? Can we control its weather or something?"
"Actually, we might very well be able to!" Entrapta confirmed with an excited nod. The great desire of knowledge and optimism was pushed aside as it made way for a look curiousness and complexity as she walked over to her lovable droid, Emily, patting her head. "But it's not that simple. There's only a handful of Runestones in the whole world. I would need access to one of them to even know where I could begin."
"What, Runestones?" Scorpia spoke up from behind her. "You mean, like the Black Garnet? Cause, heh, we have the Black Garnet." It warmed Scorpia's heart to be able to contribute something to the conversation of technology and wonder, even if she didn't understand half of what she was saying.
"T-The Black Garnet? You have a Runestone? The Fright Zone has a Runestone?!"
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Adora bumped her own forehead against her fist softly. "You said your family gave it to Lord Hordak, right?"
"Yay, you remembered!" Her face brightened as she clapped her claws together. It was good to know she had actual friends that listened to her for once, instead of the guards who only butted in to ninety percent of the conversation whenever she had one. "We gave it to Hordak when they landed, who gave it to Shadow Weaver, who... You know, you tell a friend, he tells a friend, it's one of those things."
"WHERE IS IT?!" Scorpia found herself being jumped on as Entrapta pulled her over to the hulking woman with her two lengths of hair. "Can I see it? Can I touch it?!" Peering into her eyes, Scorpia had to resist the urge to shutter as she stared into the hollow void that was Entrapta's sparkling, starry, eyes as she swirled around her with her hair.
It took all of Adora's physical strength to pry the overexcited girl from her other friend, the knots of hair wrapped around her making it difficult to pull off by herself. "Whoa, hey, calm down. Now, what exactly are you planning on using the Black Garnet for?"
"If we hack the Runestone grid, we could boost the Garnet's power and use it for... Well, anything. As a power source, as-"
"A weapon?" The announcements and reveals coming from this girl were getting Adora something to hope for. Discovery lead to knowledge. Knowledge lead to power. Power could be used to destroy anything that threatened to harm her or the people around her. Based on Entrapta's erratic behavior and excitement, she could tell whatever this was leading up to, it was going to be big. And the bigger it was, the more powerful it had to be.
Scorpia herself was just as eager as Adora was, even if it was for a different reason. If this thing turned out to be as big as Entrapta said, then that might get her off the hook! She could make it up to Lord Hordak for assisting in the princesses escape and the sword's accidental return, and escape whatever cruel judgment or punishment Hordak had planned for her if she failed!
Scorpia was so excited for their big discovery that she didn't even realize the strange behavior Adora was displaying at the possibility of making a weapon, finding it to be rather unlike her compared to her usual protective demeanor. She wouldn't have cared if she did, though, since she could easily chalk it up to the same level and reason for excitement that left Scorpia beaming with joy.
"Potentially." Entrapta walked around massive sphere as she rubbed her chin. "But if it's like my other experiments, the results will be explosive!"
"I... don't think Shadow Weaver would like that." Scorpia commented shaking her head.
"Oh yeah... Shadow Weaver..." Muttering to herself, Adora took a few steps away as she stared off into thought, all while the other two watched her.
"I don't get it, what's the big deal?" Entrapta whispered, leaning over towards Scorpia.
"Shadow Weaver's kinda like a mom to her. I don't think she'll want to mess with anything belonging to her."
This was the moment it all came down to as Scorpia waited for Adora's reply. What was the blonde Force Captain going to do about all of this? This was a matter of Adora either betraying the closest thing she's ever had to a mother, and the leader of the Horde who took her in and raised her to be the person she was today. Whoever she betrayed was going to leave pain in her heart regardless, and an entire lifetime of guilt soon after.
The pros and cons to betraying them outweighed each other perfectly! If she helped Shadow Weaver, she would become the new head of the Horde. Anything she said would go, she could make whatever rules she deemed necessary, and help millions of people throughout the world better if the Horde went under her leadership. But she would also be known as a traitor to the Horde, possibly being shunned by half of the army itself depending on how she disposed of Hordak, and it wouldn't just be her word over the Horde either. There would also be Shadow Weaver, standing by her side, throwing a thought or two into her direction, practically making the rules herself.
Then again, if she betrayed Shadow Weaver, she could expose a large traitor to Lord Hordak himself. She would gain his admiration and his respect if she was to do something as large as this, and it would be more than enough to put her back in Hordak's good graces, as well as that of the rest of the Horde, for her service. But it would mean turning her back on the person she's known since she was a child, betraying someone she held most dearly. To turn your back on someone who was family AND betray them at the same time would have left the ultimate form of guilt over one's consciousness, no matter the reason behind it.
There was no suggestions Scorpia could give Adora at this time. She was going to stick with her dear friend until the end, like a good friend should! And after the kindness she was shown and the decency she was offered, despite technically being a prisoner, Entrapta was prepared to do the same. Besides, even if it wasn't for the same level of reasoning, there was too much fun stuff around here to experiment with! This was her chance to experience an entirely new generation of technology, and she wasn't about to let that go to waste!
Finally, after what felt like forever, Adora raised her head at long last as she turned back towards her two remaining friends with a grin. "I've made up my mind."
"And?" Scorpia waited with anticipation in her veins. "What's the plan?"
"Simple. We're going to do what Shadow Weaver wants us to do." She stated without any hesitation or pause.
"You mean..." Entrapta couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, Adora nodding in confirmation all the same. It felt like they were about to dethrone the Queen of the Rebellion itself this felt so big!
"Yes. We're going to do betray Lord Hordak. Then, we'll bring this war to an end."
The determination in her voice was real, the fire in her eyes never faltering. This is the grand realization she's had after waiting all of this time, the ultimate choice that she had to make. This was the first step towards a greater destiny for her, her friends, and the Horde, and she wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste. "I'll do whatever I think is necessary to bring the Rebellion down, including removing any obstacles that get in my way. And I already have the perfect plan to do it." Without another word, the Force Captain made her way out of the room, contemplating all the fine details she would need to set out for this.
All the while being completely unaware of a small pair of glowing yellow eyes that stared at her from the large pipes above, never realizing the blue-skinned imp that was spying on the three of them as it tread its way through the ceilings and the pipes that scattered around the ceiling.
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The inner sanctum was considered one of the most sacred places within the Horde, the throne of power belonging to the wise being known as Lord Hordak himself. The leader of the Horde, the keeper of all the technological prowess that the Horde had to offer, and the one bringing Etheria closer by the day into his grasp.
The leader was nobody to be trifled with. His technologies could incinerate entire cities within minutes. His soldiers could raze towns in under an hour, taking away anything of potential value and capturing citizens, traitors, and princesses that the Horde came across. His power was matched by his knowledge, his ruthlessness never being quenched without the sight of victory in his view. He was the perfect example of what a leader should be, and the very definition of a nightmare itself.
Under his watchful gaze, nothing went within the Horde without his notice. From the high tech security that littered the halls and checkpoints of the Fright Zone, to the defense systems that were so advanced people would be lucky enough to lose a limb if they ever activated them, everything that ever was, and ever will be, for the Horde has lead him to this. He would never falter in his mission, and he would deal with traitors and enemies however he saw fit.
Including ones that were brought to his attention directly by his allies, like this little imp that crawled atop of his throne's armrest, sitting dutifully for his master like a good pet should.
"What do you have for me, little spy?" He knew whenever his pet returned to him directly, there was always something that warranted his attention.
Opening his mouth, instead of making any noise from himself, Hordak listened as he heard the sound of a certain Force Captain being played back to him, waiting in silence as the recording played back. "We're going to do betray Lord Hordak. Then, we'll bring this war to an end. I'll do whatever I think is necessary to bring the Rebellion down, including removing any obstacles that get in my way. And I already have the perfect plan to do it."
A normal leader would react immediately, sending guards to dispose of the traitor or taking care of the potential threat themselves. A skeptical leader would build up his defenses around himself, lying in wait until the traitor had exposed themselves to ensure what he heard was accurate, then spring the trap instantly to catch the traitors in the act.
However, a remarkable leader, one with the foresight and keen intellect such as him, would simply grin at the news. He didn't feel any fear at the knowledge he acquired, he didn't harbor any rage towards the individual, he didn't seem to care about what this Adora was going to do and the means she would use to do it.
All he did was smile, chuckling to himself as he petted his obedient servant along its head.
"Hmhmhm... amusing..."
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"Ghhh!" Catra grumbled a little as she waved her hands through the holograms, waiting until they finally disappeared and returned to wherever they came from. "Look, I get the point, okay? I'm supposed to be She-Ra, I have to finish some garbage the original She-Ra was supposed to do, be some savior, blah, blah, blah, I'll finish it later. What I need to know is-"
"Is there something you do not understand?" Light Hope raised another hand, returning the holograms to where they were, much to Catra's annoyance. "I can start again from the beginning if you'd like."
"What? No, please, you don't-"
Within seconds, the living hologram appeared where she had at the beginning of the conversation, leaving Catra to groan as she banged her head against the wall to calm her frustration. "Ghhhh! Look, I get all of that-!"
"Have I mentioned you are the new She-Ra?" She appeared a foot away from Catra's face in wonder.
"Ack! No, I got it, thanks, whatever. You still haven't answered my biggest question: Will I have access to She-Ra's powers, and can I finally transform now?"
"Yes," she quickly added in before Catra could cheer at this, "and no."
"And no? Make up your mind already, jeez!" Catra was about ready to pull every last strand of hair she had off of her head. When this woman wasn't being annoying, she was being unclear. When she decided to clear and specify, she was being annoying about it. Why couldn't she just be one or the other and just stick to it?! "Why do you keep saying yes AND no?"
"I believe there is a misunderstanding on your part, Catra." Within the palm of her hands, she created two miniature variations of She-Ra; the one she has transformed into, and the one that a past She-Ra could transform into. "The form that you know as She-Ra is not the true form that you are to bear. With the inhibitor removed, you should be able to transform into the form you've come to know with ease, but that form is merely a fraction of the true form of She-Ra."
"Wait, give me a second here. Are you telling me that the person I've been transforming into isn't She-Ra at all?"
"No. I'm saying based on the conditions, you've only ever been able to acquire a fourth of She-Ra's form, and the power that comes with it. Even with the inhibitor, you were never limited in how far your form of She-Ra could go, just it's power." At this, an expression of curiosity grew over the emotionless creation, observing Catra from head to toe. "Interestingly enough, you are the only She-Ra discovered through the Alpha Protocol that hasn't been able to fully utilize the form of She-Ra. Then again, it isn't too surprising."
"And what the heck is that supposed to mean?" Now on top of being annoyed, she had to start putting up with being insulted too? How is it that the more she learned about how to be She-Ra, the less she found herself wanting to be She-Ra of all things?!
"As stated, there are several conditions that must be met, if you are to truly ever access the sword's power. First off, you must always be honest to yourself, and your heart." Catra had to resist the urge to scoff at this as she turned away. She didn't like feeling all cheesy and emotional at the best of times, yet she was willing to put up with it if it meant she could finally become She-Ra.
"Two, the wielder of the sword must be pure of heart. Only when you finally allow your heart to be at peace will becoming She-Ra be second nature to you. If you don't mind me saying this, your behavior and emotions we have witnessed in your memories have left you less than desirable for the sword."
"Hmph, I'm going to bother going there..." The feline crossing her arms. She didn't need a reminder of what she was referring to, she had plenty of those still scarring her at this very second. It was her greed and selfishness that lead to her heart being impure, and corrupting the message she should have received since day one. She couldn't bring herself to mention how it worked things out with Adora within the last day, the terror of that event never leaving her mind.
"Third, you must-"
"Look, let's cut the junk from the meeting, all right?" Catra interrupted this time, waving her hands through the small holograms so they would disappear. "I can only be a fourth of She-Ra right now. Fine. I'll deal with it as I go along. Can you at least tell me right now how I can heal my friend for crying out loud!"
"Your friend?"
"Yes!" She was getting a word through to this woman! "My friend! Glimmer, Pinky, take your pick! Something happened to her after she used her magic against Shadow Weaver's, and she's lost her magic somehow because of it! How do I solve her problem?"
"The connection with her Runestone was disrupted." Light Hope revealed, leaning in and popping out on her left.
"Then can I fix it?"
"Yes. With training, you will be able to do many incredible things."
"Huh! YES!" Catra cheered louder than she's ever had before. FINALLY! SOME ACTUAL GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE! Not only that, she was also being told she could do many more things with the right kind of training. Talk about a big bonus! "Finally! Thank you! Jeez, finally something good around here." Looking around with a smile on her face, she spoke, "Okay, just tell me the healing thing first so I can fix her. I'll come back later then for more, so let's jump right into it. Where do I start? How long will it take? A few hours? A day or two? Or-"
"Years." The answer swept away all the joy and excitement the girl has felt for what's feels like forever in one, solitary, word.
"Y-Years? No, no, no, I'm not looking to learn everything right at this moment! Just tell me the healing thing, I'll come back some other time for the rest!"
"Catra-"
"Listen to me! All of this happened because I was tricked at some stupid party, and my friends got captured as a result. And now she's hurt after having to save me, we lost our whole alliance because I couldn't keep my anger in check, everyone's mad at each other for an argument I started, it's all my fault, and I..." Catra squeezed her head as she tried to fight back any terms that would have formed.
This was the moment she's been waiting for after long last, the chance she could finally turn things around. The last thing she wanted was to break down again and end up in a sniveling fit before she could get the right words out, the right questions asked. Shaking her head clear, she took a deep breath as she continued, "I need to know how to heal my friend, okay? I need to know how to fix all of this."
The one she came to know as Light Hope tilted her head at this as Catra took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. Catra didn't know where this conversation was going again, and she couldn't afford to waste a hundred years in this conversation alone, not when somebody needed her for a change! With a small blip to her person, a technical glitch from the looks of it, Light Hope nodded.
"Yes. Your mission is to fix the planet." She didn't have so much as a twitch as Catra glared at her.
"My mission is to fix my mistakes. That's IT! I need to find a way to heal Glimmer, find the other princesses and restore the alliance, find a way to apologize to Adora for what I've done... This is the only reason I came here. Got that? I needed to find a way to fix everything I've done, I... I'm tired of being a screw up."
"You are now She-Ra. Your purpose is to fix all of Etheria, not a few individuals. You can not help only your friends."
"Says you!" She growled squeezing her fist. "Look, the inhibitor thing is off or whatever, right? Fine. If you're not going to help anymore than that, get me out of here so I can get back to them. I'll find some way to fix this as I go along!"
"Catra," for the first time in this conversation, the magicat found Light Hope trying to preform some sign of comfort, placing her glitching hand on her shoulder, "you do not yet realize the power you have. You are distracted by your attachments from the greater importance."
"GEEEEEEEHHHH!" This close. She was this close to tearing her own ears off at the impossible rage this woman was reaching. "Forget it! I'll find my own way out!" She huffed, stomping her feet away as she stormed off. "I'll do your stupid task with or without you. I might as well if you wanted me to be the next She-Ra, right?"
"We did not pick you even now." Re-materializing at the front, Catra came to a stop as she announced this. "Our data searched every person you've come into contact with. We've analyzed their powers and their strengths, as well as their personalities, and found many of them just as suitable as you. If any of them had come across the sword first, if they had become the Finders, they would have been just as acceptable as the next line of She-Ra."
"You... You still don't want me to be She-Ra?" For an emotionless program, she definitely knew what to say where it hurts.
"Your qualities for becoming She-Ra were incompatible with all the ones that came before you." To emphasize her point, like she had with her previous explanations of how Catra came to be, she created hundreds of different screen-like displays all across the room. This time, they depicted various scenes from Catra's life, all the moments her selfishness, pride, arrogance, everything that made her today, at the moments they were at her worst.
"You have shown anger towards those you recently met." She said, revealing one of the many displays of more recent time. Here, Catra winced a little at her own disgust, seeing the time she first came to Thaymor and the anger she had towards a group of children just for bumping into her.
The next scene she showed was during her first trip to Plumeria, showing off the boastful Catra in her She-Ra form, lounging around like she owned the place as she leaned back in her chair. "You gave in to pride and arrogance at your own misunderstandings. The fault may not lie solely on you, but you gave in to those emotions regardless. Your desire for attention outweighed your duty, and you were willing to leave it all behind for the people you barely knew."
The third, and what she hoped to be last, scene she displayed was the end of her mission in Salineas, right after she fixed the Sea Gate and saved the kingdom. It was another of Catra's darkest moments towards her friends, showing unbridled rage and contempt for Glimmer as she threw the sword at her feet, resigning her duty as She-Ra back then. "And you've shown hatred to your own allies who were trying to help you. Your actions and emotions towards them were unbecoming of anyone known as She-Ra. Had your possible anger not been quelled by the memories you were given, you might not be here today."
Seeing as the magicat had enough, Light Hope discarded the remaining images into nothingness, observing as Catra remained silent, and in pain. "It was because of your detachment to others that you were found most suitable for the role of Finder, had it been deemed necessary to initiate the Alpha Protocol. And now you are allowing yourself to be connected again, to make the same mistakes as Mara did before you."
"M-Mara? It was the one word that Catra managed to question at her time of grief. Everything about her had been the same up till now, no matter how much she considered Glimmer and Bow friends. People kept getting hurt by her physically or emotionally because she's never learned to control herself. She wasn't wanted as She-Ra back then, and she still wasn't wanted now. She was a gamble they were forced to use, and to Catra, they had the least bit of desire to use her at all.
"She was the one who came before Adora, who could not let go of her own emotions, as you." Behind them, their location changed and warped to a cliff side overlooking a pink sunset. At the edge of the pointed-out cliff, Catra saw her. The one known as Mara, the She-Ra that came before. The very person someone mentioned in Catra's past earlier.
"Mara... Isn't that the old hag's daughter? What happened to her?" She asked, never removing Mara from her sight. Come to think of it, how old is that hag then?
"Mara was the last official She-Ra before you. She struggled with a power she could not control, a power that went wild because she could not keep her emotions in check, and one that became too much for her mind." They watched as Mara collapsed to her knees, planting her sword firmly in the ground in front of her. Her eyes wavered with despair and madness, eventually being engulfed in a bright light that changed the scenery again.
Here, Catra stood, standing face-to-face with Light Hope along the open field of the plains, under a night's sky. "She... she snapped?"
"She was compromised." Light Hope clarified. "She gave in to fear and faulty reasoning. She let her mistakes take advantage of her fear. She let uncertainty blind her to reasoning. She let all of her emotions spiral out of control until there was nothing left but a hollowed anger. Her desperate actions led to devastation. Mara stranded us in the empty dimension of Despandos." From above, Catra saw a burning star of red falling out of the sky, crashing away from them and nearly consuming them in a large explosion that spread from its impact.
She nearly forgot this was all an illusion as she covered herself for protection, the very emotions Light Hope warned her about, affecting her mind in turn. "She is the one who broke the She-Ra line. She nearly destroyed us as a result." Returning to the original setting at Catra's side once more, she turned her head towards the girl that was destined to bring salvation after a millennium had passed.
"It was here that I waited Catra, for one thousand years. Alone, and in the dark, hoping one day She-Ra would return." For a change, Catra stared back at the ancient being with an ounce of sympathy and pity. "I did not know if She-Ra would ever return, Catra. As I've said, I harbor no ill will towards you or your actions of the past. It is not solely your fault for who you've turned out to be. Etheria has a greater need of you now more than ever." The girl didn't so much as twitch as Light Hope stood behind her, placing her hands on both of Catra's shoulders in comfort.
"Will you finally answer its call, Catra? You are the last remaining hope we have for this world, and all life." Lifting her head again, Catra saw several holographic displays of the people she's been with and the scenes that took place, from the scene of her yelling at a distraught Glimmer and injured Bow who's hand she scratched away, another image Glimmer as she was being tortured, a distorted screaming echoing around her, and lastly the most painful memory she's ever had to contend with.
The sight of Adora glaring at her before leaving through a door. "Goodbye, Catra."
"Adora..." She muttered reaching out for her. Shockingly to her, it wasn't even the most painful memory that was displayed. That depiction went to the hologram she saw after, revealing a chipper Entrapta smiling back at her as she sat in a holographic portion of the skiff they took to save Glimmer.
"I think our chances of everyone surviving this just raised dramatically." She happily stated.
"You feel guilt for your mistakes, and regret for what you have done. It is better if you let them go now. As you said, what has happened has happened with your own two hands, and you now have a chance to amend them. Are you willing to answer Etheria's pleas?
All of them were real, none of them fixed. This is who Catra truly was, inside and out, from beginning to end. She wasn't She-Ra. She wasn't a Hero. She was a person who wanted to experience greatness in her life, and currently found herself wanting redemption for a change. Here, she had that opportunity to do so. To make up for her past mistakes, to fix everything that she had ever ruined, and be someone that people would look up to.
She could be the greatest person that ever lived now, she could be cherished and seen for the generations to come! People would cry at the opportunity to meet her in person, to wish every day that they got to be the kind of person Catra was. Nobody would see her as a freak anymore, and she had nothing left to lose!
She had every reason to accept her role, and none to turn away from it.
"Will you fight for the Honor of Grayskull, for everyone who has need of you?"
"...No."
...
...
*shoom*
"Adora?" Shadow Weaver acknowledged with surprise as she saw the girl standing in the center of her Black Garnet chamber, with Scorpia and Entrapta on her left and right respectively.
She was curious as to what the girl wished to discuss with her when she invited her here half an hour ago. With all that's been happening around here lately, there could be any number of things, ideally anything related to betraying Hordak or not. She would've accepted either answer, though preferred the former, as she would go on to plan around it soon after. If Adora wanted a part in her grand scheme or not, that was fine by her.
All she wanted to know at this time was why Adora, who seemed determined as she wore her head band at the time with her hands behind her back, Scorpia, and Entrapta had been waiting for her until now.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, waiting as Adora walked over until she stood right in front of her.
"I've given a lot of thought about your offer, Shadow Weaver, and I've decided." Shadow Weaver's heart fluttered with joy at the possible prospect of what she was saying.
"And, what specifically is that, my dear?"
"I've decided to accept it." Adora nodded before giving a respectful salute. "You were right. The Horde does need new leadership. Why shouldn't it be me? My only condition is that they join us." Adora declared, gesturing to her two friends behind her as they waved. "I'm not leaving them behind in all of this."
Shadow Weaver didn't know what to say. All the time she spent planning and manipulating people around her, all of it has resulted in this one perfect moment of utter happiness. She played her parts carefully, molded Adora perfectly into the way she needed her to be, and finally, came out at the very top of it.
She had everything she had needed here. A loyal supporter who she knew would call the shots in her favor, a lovable daughter she's shown affection to for the purpose of her grand scheme, and a role as her right hand who would mold and shape the Horde as she saw fit, allowing Adora to do whatever trivial things she wanted to do with it, as long as it didn't interfere with her own ideals.
Most of all, she had won. She had beaten Lord Hordak.
"Oh... Adora..." With a tender, loving, eyes that could be shown through her clawed mask, she gently stroked her cheek. "You have no idea how happy this makes me. You have made me very proud on this day."
"I would like to know, though, why you want to overthrow Lord Hordak, mother." Her blackened heart skipped a beat as she heard this. Adora was perfectly molded in every way she needed her to be.
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind knowing myself, too." Scorpia added, waving a little.
"Same here." Entrapta waved as well. "I mean, the guy does seem to be a genius if he has this entire army behind his call. Clearly someone like that can't be incompetent or anything, right?"
"I want to overthrow him because of his narrow-mindedness!" Shadow Weaver hissed as her hair flailed about in anger. Turning her back to them, she made her way over to the Black Garnet, her prized possession, and the source of her power. "That fool of a leader thinks too small. He wants to dominate the world around us? What's the point if he doesn't take advantage of what he has and uses it to crush our enemies?!"
She scratched her hand against the Runestone slowly, staring at her own reflection. "We could have all the power we needed, all that we want, if he would open himself further to the possibilities, Adora!"
"The possibilities?"
"Imagine, not just one person, but an entire army empowered by our Runestone with one simple spell. Think of the secrets that could be unlocked if he didn't limit access on our own experiments, what we could learn if he wasn't cowardly enough to leave things the way they were! With me- I mean, me assisting you, Adora, we can finally turn the Horde into the greatest power that Etheria- no! The entire Universe has ever known! It can be all ours, Adora, and it will be. Now and forever!" These were the true colors of Shadow Weaver.
They weren't black or as red as they first appeared to be. They weren't even a color. They were a coldness that rang throughout the room, touching everything and anything that she came into contact with, the very way Shadow Weaver preferred herself being as.
This was the beginning of the end for Lord Hordak, and those foolish enough to stand by her side. With hers and Adora's magic, Scorpia's brute strength, and Entrapta's scientific intellect, they would become the most unstoppable force the Horde had to offer, one nobody would ever be foolish enough to challenge!
She played her cards right, down to the very last detail. She made the right enemies, the right allies, and a single daughter who she appeared to dot over since the moment she came to the Horde, all for this second of exhilaration that she was now experiencing for the first time in her life.
This was eternal bliss, one she was sure Adora was sharing in as she continued to stare at her.
"...Did you get all that, Lord Hordak?" Adora asked as the monitors came to life.
"Loud and clear, Adora..."
...
...
...
A/N: It gets harder trying to be inventive and not reuse the same word every single paragraph. Trouble is when you're writing an isolated scene repeatedly (like 8k words worth X/) it's hard not to. Either way hope you all enjoyed this, and have fun with those cliffhangers! Mayev i'll be evil for once and go an entire day on purpose without posting anything, just to add to the suspense XP lol
Seriously though thanks again to those who've continued to show support. I hope you continue to enjoy the series as we draw near the end of the episode and make way to our GRAND FINALE!
Leave a like, fave, follow, and review if you enjoyed and hope to see you soon!