A/N's: Final Word Count: 11.8k Pre-A/N's. We're counting down people (and i dont mean just the death clock XP). We're nearing the end of an episode, the end of a season, and most of all!... well.. no i don't think there's anything besides that... lol.
Anyway, of the one or two things i'd like to mention, it has come to my attention that apparently the satyr/Daisy's friend turns out to be a girl! A process i wish i knew earlier after writing about a chapter and a half about her saying she was a boy- and no i am not going back to change all that cause picking out "he's" and "her's" in an episode would be a royal headache, let alone several episodes of it XP
Lol, so with that said, enjoy!
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Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:27:33
*click*
"Nope."
*click*
"Nada."
"click*
"Negatory."
*click*
"Oh, wait-!... Oh, no, just the mouse. Ugggggghhhhh..." Entrapta moaned, bored out of her mind for the last several minutes as she finished examining the readings once again. If it wasn't for the constant companionship of her dear friend, Emily, by her side, this would've been he most boring job in the world!
Okay, so maybe not boring, but it definitely was when the alternative came down to activating a portal switch that could revolutionize the entire world!
Just thinking about it made Entrapta's mind shake and her heart race with excitement. Imagine, teleporting to other worlds, witnessing new and more advanced civilizations in the blink of an eye! To be able to go from point A to point B in less than a minute, to take people beyond the stars of the universe, stars she had never seen before, and visit entire worlds that have never been touched by modern science!
What was she doing instead? Looking at another person's brainwave pattern for inconsistencies! The least important job there was to be had at the moment!
Fine, it wasn't as unimportant as she might think. It related to Adora, her health, and her world. All of these readings, all of these scans of her were to discover a possible disorder or reason behind Adora's corruption, something Catra hinted about knowing. Normally she wouldn't believe anything the cat would tell her, fearing the worst if she fell for her tricks and became a pawn in another one of Catra's schemes... but how was she supposed to refuse when the life of one her great friends were on the line?!
She couldn't take the chance that something was wrong with Adora and that she had an opportunity to fix it before it was too late! She was her ally, her friend. She taught her what it meant to be a friend to people and gave her so much advice on how to interact with those around her, and she could never repay her for that. If something was wrong with her and Entrapta never discovered it before something bad happened, she could never forgive herself.
But why was it so BORING?! She's checked these readings countless times, even checked her resource material to make sure she was searching for the right irregularities. Between her brain waves, her amygdala, aka the part that tells her to be safe and to defend herself, even her nervous system through extensive research.
She had to sigh as she leaned away from her monitors, the very ones in the Black Garnet chamber where everything was hooked up. "I guess Catra just lied to me after all, huh, Emily?" She moaned, rubbing Emily's round metallic head and body. "And I really wanted to believe her for some reason... Oh well!" With a clap, the downed and depressed mood of the scientist shot back up in an instant. "Time to get back to portaling!" She squealed, hopping to her feet and running to the door.
Turning from its creator to the monitors, the droid known as Emily saw something through its scanners. It was a big hard to make out with a red tint to everything through its eyes, but it was clear enough for it to understand a missing detail.
Rushing back to its creator it quickly cut her off from the doorway, pushing itself against her as it lead her back to the console. "What? Emily, I don't have time for this. We can't play right now."
Wee-woo! Emily hummed as it shifted glances between its creator and the console.
Turning her head to the top right screen of the four monitors, Entrapta shrugged. "We've been over this, there's nothing wrong with Adora, she's fine. It's just Catra being Catra, lying and everything." She stated, walking back to the door. Once again, Emily got ahead of her, pushing against the feeble scientist who was struggling to push her back without hurting her. "Grrrr! Emily, if you don't stop this right now, you can forget one of those eight upgrades I had in store for you tomorrow!"
Whooooooooooooomp! Her warning didn't seem to effect the robot's behavior or its decision as it beeped again, switching between the monitor and creator alike.
"Ughhh... It's fine. Here, look." Wanting to make herself clear to the droid, she typed away against the keyboard in a haste, wishing to get back to her dear portal waiting for her to use her. Adjusting the three other monitors so they all displayed the same reading, she finally showed the robot her results. "There, look! It's like I said, they're all the same. See?" To be honest, it did make Entrapta smile a little to see her friend was perfectly fine. "All the readings are exactly the same as last week!"
"... Wait..." Something was off as Entrapta blinked. She checked all four screens closely to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks, getting in close and personal physically as she pressed her nose between each one at a time. "That can't be right..." Sitting down in her chair again, Entrapta typed away. Bounding up and and down where it stood, Emily whirred with joy as its master found the thing she was looking for.
Returning the screens to how they were originally, Entrapta began to edit and place the readings of the previous weeks right next to each other. "A person's brainwave is constantly giving off signals regardless of how much brain activity is in the works, like a pound with a ripple that goes on constantly." With the click of a button, she brought up four identical readings to the reading on the top left monitor, all displaying the same thing. "I didn't notice at first because every day they kept changing, but... this can't be right."
Turning to her right as she printed something, Entrapta drew the rushing printout as fast as she could, reading it off in her hands as it detailed the scans of Adora's brainwave patterns through the last several weeks. "But every week, her readings are exactly the same. Here, look." To prove her point to the robot, she highlighted the top left monitor with the four exact displays. "Here's Tuesday from this week, last week, the previous week, and so forth. It's like her mind is purposely giving off these patterns of its own accord."
How could she have been so stupid to not notice this glaring detail? Every single week was exactly the same in terms of readout. From the exact day, the exact time the scans were taking, there were readings of every possible angle to see the scans from, to list the dates of their creation. While she could jot it down to the unlikely possibility that her brain wave just read the same on the same day, she couldn't get past the timestamps posted.
All of them were of several hour differences between one another, which meant all the readings should've progressed or regressed from what it was previously. Yet, against all odds and explanation, she obtained the same brain reading she scanned on each of the following days, no matter what time of the day it was.
"I wouldn't say it was anything like an Associative Identity Disorder or else her whole brainwave pattern would've altered to accommodate a new personality." She rubbed her chin in thought, trying to make heads or tails of these readings. "But there is something going on with her mind right now, like it was alive and trying to fabricate the readings themselves." Slowly, the scientist's eyes widened as her jaw opened, coming to a greater realization. "But that would mean... Catra was telling the truth!"
This was bad. Really, really bad. Not just from the fact that Catra was telling the truth, but because of everything else she could've said that might've been the truth! Everything about this Mara character she mentioned earlier, everything about the portal, and... "Was... Catra telling the truth about me?" She questioned, turning to her faithful assistant. "Did she really feel guilty about me?" That didn't sound right. Catra was nowhere near that level of decency when they first met. She was wild, unruly, a whole bunch of other sociable terms Adora taught Entrapta about, but she was that way with everyone.
How much did Catra change over the course of when they last met?
Shaking her head at this, the girl quickly focused back on the bigger picture of things. "I'm getting ahead of myself." Clicking away with her computer, the scientist finally shut everything off as she made her way to the door. "Come on, Emily, we need to test the portal trials again while we still have time." A part of her hoped that she was actually wrong about all of this and this would've been a waste of time.
If the readings her initial trials gave her were a 110% accurate like they always were, then the catastrophe that would follow would be unthinkable! The damage it could create would reach unprecedented levels of destruction and chaos, entire cities being blown away seeming like a speck of dust compared to what was to come if the trials were accurate! It would be terrible, it would be mind blowing!
AND SHE'D NEVER GET TO USE HER LEVER!
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:23:41
*clank*
"Haha!" Daisy grinned as she opened up one of the lockers within the Locker Room. "Hey, would you look at this?" She must've hit the jackpot by teaming up with Adora and the rest of the Horde because this was awesome! An entire load out of gear, clothing, and everything one would need in the daily life of a Horde soldier. Like this nifty red leather jacket she found in one of the units with the Horde symbol on the back.
"You can't take that." Scorpia told her, trying to grab it out of her hands.
The satyr smirked as she dodged to the side, keeping it out of arm's reach of her before tossing it to her four-armed blue-skinned lizard friend. "Let's make this official."
"It doesn't even fit-!"
*riiiiiip*
Anything Scorpia had to say fell on deaf ears between the two outlaws as large tears of leather were pushed out from both ends of the red leather jacket, Scorpia growing worried over the damage the blue lizard caused. Looking at it for herself, the blue lizard grinned. It had a nice smooth leather touch to the feel, it was nice cozy and warm, and, thanks to her forcefully pushing her arms through the sides, it now fit her perfectly and could support all four of her arms at once.
Grinning, the blue lizard posed before the two girls as she flexed. The color really clashed with her blue skin, the roughness of her nature and her sense of style was taking a liking to it. She didn't care if it was a little tight fitting at first and it chaffed against her neck. All that matter to her was what she thought, and how she looked strong, intimidating, and studly.
Still carrying the same look of worry over her face, Scorpia rushed over to the blue lizard, trying to pry it from the uncaring lizard's chest from behind as she crossed all four of her arms. She wasn't about to give up such a catchy leather like this. Finding clothes as comfortable as these were a rarity within the Crimson Waste, and they almost always ended up going to Huntara first.
Eventually, following a brief struggle, the Force Captain ended up ridding a small tear between the two shoulders in the back of the jacket, moaning at the damage she had caused through her sheer strength, and irritating the lizard who was taking a liking to the jacket until now.
"Not bad, you look good in a uniform." Daisy commented, taken in with her friend's new look.
*swoosh!*
*bam*
Daisy nearly jumped at the sight of the shadowy tendril that rushed past her face, one that could belong to only one stronger leader that she and her friend continued to follow. "New rule, you two. Don't go through peoples lockers without their permission." Adora stated, crossing her arms with a small frown, looking down as she spoke. "I get enough trouble with that from Entrapta."
"Eh, r-right. Sorry boss." Daisy apologized, giving her a small salute with the lizard
"Adora!" Scorpia sighed with relief as she rushed up to her great friend. "I've been looking all over for you!" She hasn't had a chance to talk to her since the two arrived at the Fright Zone. What with keeping a close lock and key on Catra throughout the trip home, refusing to take her eyes off her former friend once, and her little chats with Daisy and the other lizardmen who came with them, this was the longest period of time she had gone without a friendly chat with her blond friend.
She also noticed a small look of pain and concern over her friend's face, both sides of it at that. "Adora? Is something wrong?" She scratched the back of her head. "Um, aside from the obvious face thing."
"Ah, don't sweat the look too much, boss." Daisy commented, walking towards the wall near the two as she leaned against it. "The two of us think it looks rough, in a good way. Like you took an explosion to the face and survived. Only the most hardcore bosses can survive that sort of thing." She turned to her silent friend who nodded in agreement of the look, giving her a thumbs up in appreciation.
Again, Adora remained silent to this as she started walking further into the room, keeping her head lowered and her backs to them. "... Hordak... Hordak plans on executing Catra as soon as the portal is operational." She revealed, much to Scorpia's surprise. She wondered what was going on through Adora's mind as she brought her claws to her lips, trying to keep herself from saying anything wrong.
The two strangers of the room looked at one another in confusion, unable to figure out the dilemma the girl was having. "Yeah, so? What's the big deal?" Daisy asked.
"She and Catra used to be best friends growing up." Scorpia whispered leaning over to her new pink ally.
"Oh..." The sudden awkwardness left Daisy scratching the back of her head, trying to determine the issue still behind this. "Well... that's good, isn't it?" Scorpia wished she stung her to keep her mouth quiet at that.
As much as she hated Catra herself for all she did to her, she knew the kind of bond the two shared, kind of like the one she shared with Adora right now. They had a best friend relationship, one that stemmed through years of growing up together, almost like sisters. It would take years before Scorpia reached that level of friendship with Adora and she already showed a great deal of care for her new friend. There was no way in knowing just how troubled she was with thinking that a former best friend of hers was about to die.
"I guess... maybe... I think?" Adora shrugged back, unable to make up her mind. "I... I just really don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it. Should I be happy? Good about it? What about you, Daisy. Would you be fine if your friend was about to be executed or put to death?"
"Oh yeah, totally." The blue lizard looked at her with disbelief and her jaw hanging open as she stood behind her. "If she messed something up badly enough, I'd take her out myself if I had the chan- Ahhhh!"
*thud!*
Anything the satyr had to say was immediately cut off as she was tackled away by her blue friend, the two roughhousing along the ground as they rolled a short distance away from the two.
"If you don't feel so good about it, Adora, why not tell Lord Hordak about it?" Scorpia suggested, giving a small hopeful smile. "Maybe you could use her in a different way that helps the Horde?"
"I already tried, but he refused." Adora replied, walking towards the door again. "He's dead set on executing Catra and I... I don't know if I should do something about it."
"Like what?" What was she suggesting? Was she... going to intervene in some way? Over her friend who betrayed her like a dozen times already over the last several months alone?
Growing silent at this, Adora turned her head to the halls ahead of her. "Never mind. Just... Just make sure things are running smoothly for when the portal opens, okay?" With those last set of instructions given, Adora left the room, leaving a troubled Scorpia to rub her arm in worry, and the two outlaw thugs still tussling along the ground.
There would be so many things to worry about throughout all of this, some of which she didn't know if she should be proud of to know Adora still had her sweet and sincere side over, or if she should be worried over her friend's concerns. More importantly, how troubled was Adora by these conflicting feelings for her friend?
Would... Would she be willing to do something drastic if it meant saving Catra's life?
It would be easier to think for herself if there weren't a couple of lunkheads rolling around her.
"Ow, let go of my horns!"
...
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:20:13
The dusk settled around the castle eerily as the runestone's enchanting glow gave rise to the illusion of peace. Atop the pillar of the ancient architecture Shadow Weaver could be seen, continuing to write her enchantments, to design a rune with the very tip of her fingers, one capable of bringing about the miracle needed to save Catra.
Quietly, steadily, their attention was drawn to the sound coming from behind, all eyes turning to Princess Perfuma as she rose to the top upon her enchanted vines. Along with her, riding on a sea of majestic waters, Mermista could be seen steering the way, shooting herself up ahead of her friend. And to the left behind her, Frosta descended, having road atop a pathway of ice across the valley, and dropping in from the very skies above.
These three princesses were here to witness what they were doing, to see Shadow Weaver standing before them.
"What do you think you're doing?" Mermista asked, flaunting her hair as Frosta and Perfuma smiled behind her, the former crossing her arms.
"Please. Don't try to stop us." Glimmer begged as she summoned her father's staff in front of Shadow Weaver. She couldn't allow these three to get in the way, friends or not. "This is the only way to save Catra." She didn't care what she was doing or how foolish it was, they had no choice!
The Horde was using her sword to summon an army capable of wiping out Etheria. Catra was kidnapped by Adora and brought to the Fright Zone, the most terrifying place in the realm, especially for defectors and traitors. And above all, Catra was going to be executed at who knew when, tightening the clock and cutting down the time they had left to mere minutes.
Her mother refused to help her, not without reason, of course. They had no plans, they could only rush in and plan on the way. With Catra indisposed of at the time, incapable of freeing herself from her bonds, her mother could never accept the risk that came with an unplanned assault. Either they had a plan at the ready, or they were forbidden from going at all.
And Glimmer couldn't allow it.
She didn't want to do it, she hesitated to do it, but what other choice did she have? Of the limited options they had on hand, Shadow Weaver was the only person capable of stopping the Horde from activating the portal, of saving Catra's life! With the witch's assistance, she knew of a spell that was capable of empowering Glimmer's connection to her runestone, granting her enough power to teleport directly into the heart of the Horde.
She was the devil in deviler clothing, the monster among demons, the temptress of power, and she was the only hope they had left to save her. Glimmer didn't care how much trouble she got in, she could be grounded for all her life once this was over. But she refused to let the Horde summon their army, and refused to allow Catra to share a worse fate than herself, wishing to repay her for the kindness she's shown when she rescued her the first time.
Even if it meant fighting her friends.
"We're not trying to stop you," Perfuma stated brightly with a smile, "we wanna come with you."
Which it turned out she wouldn't need to fight.
"Look, we could do the whole "You can't come with us, it's too risky" thing." Mermista commented, grinning.
"Or you could just accept that we're coming." Frosta smirked. "Because we are."
As cheerful as the announcement was, Shadow Weaver was the one who seemed dissuaded by it. "A larger group will be a disadvantage. I won't-"
"Uh, you will. We're calling the shots here." Mermista interrupted, directing a finger straight at the witch. "You're gonna have to make that thing bigger, weird scary lady."
...
Making her way to the door, Angella sighed. She knew she must've been harsh on her for only caring for her friend, even she knew that. She was a caring and loving mother who loved her daughter deeply, wishing only for the best of her between her health, her future, and her life. Yet maybe she did go a little too far?
She couldn't expect Glimmer to understand the importance of everything when her friends were on the line, it was unfair that way. To ask her to choose between her responsibilities as royalty and the people she cared deeply about would've been unfair for anyone to ask.
She needed to apologize.
Giving a small knock on her daughter's spare room, the Queen called out, "Glimmer." Merely touching the door brushed it open a little, to the queen's surprise. She immediately felt something was off when the door wasn't slammed closed as it should be. Giving it a gentler nudge, she noticed the messy vacant room devoid of everything living, leaving only the cloths, clothes, and a small pillow along the floor.
Where could she be?
Did she run away from here to launch a rescue for Catra herself? That wouldn't make sense. While she knew she was more than determined enough to do such a thing, she lacked the time and the magic to get there herself, especially if she dragged Bow along like she usually did. She would need access to greater magic, a way to channel more energy from her runestone, and no one in Bright Moon-
The Queen's eyes widened in realization as she quickly sped down the hall, fearing the worst.
...
With the runes written beneath their feet and the hexagonal markings placed along the floor, everything was prepared. The lines were adjusted, the measurements taken, all that was left was to preform the ritual, the one necessary to give Glimmer the power she needed to save her dear friend.
"Quickly now." Shadow Weaver instructed, gesturing for the others to step forth as she stood under the Moonstone. Glimmer gave pause for a moment as her friends stepped ahead.
There was no going back from this point forward. Everything they did, everything the succeeded in or failed in, was all on her. She couldn't let herself be held back by anything as she approached the inner circle. Not her fears, not her doubts, and certainly, not her mother.
...
*wham*
The Queen shoved the doors open with posthaste as the guards stood behind her. It was just as she feared; Shadow Weaver was gone, the cell was empty. Approaching where the sorceress once sat, she examined the floors.
The markings on them were still fresh with the enchantment laid to keep the sorceress from escaping in the first place, and a large mound of it was missing. Whoever took the remaining enchanted dust couldn't have gone far, no matter how powerful they were, including Shadow Weaver. But why would she want the dust to begin with?
It was with a single gasp that the queen brought everything in full circle, the truth of the matter making her panic as she flew out of the room on her wings, rushing to the site of where her precious daughter and their prisoner could possibly be.
...
Everything was in alignment. Not one spot of doubt clouded the floor or the minds of the Princess Alliance as they stood apart from one another.
Gathering the essence of her magic, the being known as Shadow Weaver began to harness her dark purplish magic into her hands, the aura radiating like a violent flame, and spread them across the rune. The floors light up like the planets of the night sky as the enchanted etches within the massive rune finally came to life. Already the princesses could feel the power radiating from it, including Bow.
With the first stage complete, the witch continued to surmount her enchanted runestone arts as she brought her palms against each other, squaring in the opposite direction as a large ancient rune appeared in front of her, detailing the many planets and the solar systems within a glowing purple rune. It was the moment that it all came down to as the rune glowed, opening in the center as Shadow Weaver's hand passed harmlessly through it, directly to the Princess of Bright Moon in offering.
There was nothing left to do, the decision was all on her. To save Catra, to save Etheria, to save all of them, she had to shake hands with the devil, accept her offer, and obtain the power that was meant to save them all.
And the Queen's face hardened with discord and anger as she attempted to stop her daughter from her untimely decision.
And she would never make it in time.
Growing determined, ready to accept all risks and reality, Glimmer took Shadow Weaver's hand, and the deal was done.
Their hands conjoined, a purple transparent aura erupted from their hands, giving way to a larger erupting flame that spread across the air above them. Already, Glimmer could feel the effects of the magic rushing through her, almost hurting her, as she became empowered, enhanced, felt her magic rising beyond her understanding. This was it.
The energy being drawn, the reserves within the Moonstone, was being forced out of the mystical rune, siphoned against its will, as magics of chaos and darkness began to spread across all of the realm, leaving the Moonstone to glow with a violet darkness.
Magic burst forth from atop the pillar as the Queen watched, fearing for the worst and expecting it, knowing what it could all mean.
"Nooooo!" The Queen cried out. By the time Glimmer looked back to her, a look of sorrow, regret, and apology filling her eyes, it was already too late.
Gathering, swarming across everyone within the enchanted circle, the magic flourished as Glimmer slowly faded out of existence with the rest of them, all while the dark magic that encircled them finally burst into a brief powerful flame. Twisting, expanding, contracting, collapsing. This purple aura of darkness and magic engulfed the heroes and Shadow Weaver as Glimmer began to teleport, wishing she could apologize to her mother one last time, before everything came to an end.
With a great explosion across the sky, the Queen shielding her eyes with her arms, the ritual came to an end as quickly as it began. In a spiraling burst of energy, the ritual had finally ended, leaving nothing of what was left behind for the Queen to witness.
There were no allies, no friends, no Shadow Weaver, and no precious daughter who meant the world to her. All that was left behind was the mystical residue of the enchantment that lied upon the floor, the dark aura in the sky, and the Moonstone shining once more with a brilliant glow.
Queen Angella was too late.
...
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:18:07
It was within the heart of the Fright Zone that the spell re-materialized again as it manifested into a small blanket of darkness. Spreading across a small room, the runes that took up the teleportation spread across the room, far enough so that all who were present within the circle would reappear as they were.
Save for Glimmer and Shadow Weaver, the two still holding their hands through the dark ritual, the rest of the Princess Alliance had taken a stance, all standing at the ready for any Horde soldiers that might've been lurking throughout the room. Fortunately for them, the one they teleported into appeared to be empty, the princesses powering down their magics and Bow holding back his shot for the time being.
"We did it!" Glimmer exclaimed, looking around the room in delight. They were in the Fright Zone, the spell worked, and most of all, Shadow Weaver didn't betray them! "I did it! Oh, that as amazing." The power she felt rushing through her was genuine, forceful. She never felt such a surge of power like that before, and couldn't wait to try it again.
"Hmm. Kind of figured Hordak's sanctum would be way scarier and not so empty." Bow mentioned, looking around the room. Exploring around the room, the rest of the alliance and Shadow Weaver could see what he meant.
The room itself housed several storage units and containers along the side of the wall, with a small ramp leading up to the upper floors and an entryway next to them leading into the halls. This wasn't anything like they expected.
"Yeah, no, decorating is not their strongest suit." Mermista commented, eyeing Shadow Weaver as she looked around.
"We aimed for Hordak's sanctum, but obviously we missed." Shadow Weaver explained, slightly irritated as she headed for the hallway. She knew it would've been a long shot to expect them to do it perfectly on the first try, not that it made the situation any less irritable. "We're not far. Stay behind me. And try to stay quiet."
*creak*
All eyes turned to the east at the sight of the revealing blanket of light that burst through the room. On the opposite end of the door, they saw the familiar blue-skinned lizard, still wearing her new jacket with pride and holding a small cup of food in her bottom right hand. The sight of the many princesses and archer surprised the lizard to no end, staring blankly at them as she dropped the food container with a loud clack.
They had already been spotted in less than a minute of their arrival.
"We have to go!" Shadow Weaver rushed through the nearest exit, opening the metallic door they were nearing.
"I'll hold her off!" Perfuma declared, gathering her enchanted vines as she readied for combat.
"How do you know its a girl?" Bow asked curiously, eyeing the same lizard who looked down at her own outfit.
"What? Can't you tell at first sight? Now get going!" Without another word, the remainder of the alliance rushed towards the door as Perfuma prepared to engage the blue four-armed lizard. Already, the lizard was on the attack as it charged at her, Perfuma defending herself as she rose into the air atop one of her many vines. Hissing back, the lizard attempted to leap towards the magical princess only for Perfuma to strike back with another large wave, crashing it against the containers.
This did little more than to annoy the blue lizard as it hissed back at her. Grabbing onto the same massive vine that crashed into her with all four of her arms, the girl ripped the vine to shreds with her brute strength, tearing it apart and ripping it to pieces as Perfuma backed her way into the door. Without even looking, she sealed off the room with a small vine, preparing to fight off against the aggressive outlaw with all her might.
The race to save Catra had officially begun.
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:16:53
The others continued to race down the hallway leading towards the inner sanctum until they were cut off. Approaching from a hallway's metallic doorway, they were greeted by the sight of Lonnie and Rogelio seeing the intruders for themselves. The two stared as blankly and surprised as the previous enemy at the sight before them. They were facing down several princesses, Bow, and Shadow Weaver, while only two of them remained on the opposing side. What were they to do at a time like this?
Simple. Lonnie just continued to stare as she pulled the alarm next to her right.
*Woooooooooooooooooo!*
*Woooooooooooooooooo!*
With the alarms pulled, everything went on high alert as guards and droids scrambled across the Fright Zone, heading for the source of the intrusion. With reinforcements already on their way, Lonnie prepared herself with her shock baton as Rogelio roared with a bestial fury, ready to take on the princesses despite their numbers and magic.
"My turn." Mermista decided as she casually approached the two. With the drains located along the side of the floor, the Princess of Salineas had an ample amount of power supply at her fingertips as she gathered a massive stream of water, harnessing and focusing massive gallons of it to her side. "I didn't almost drown and get flushed on in these sewers for nothing." She commented, finding it a little ironic that the worst experience of her life came with the knowledge of where the local water was around here.
Above her the water rose into several large thick streams, all ready to attack the first person that made the first move. Already seeing an opportunity to help for herself, Frosta grinned as she joined the foray. "I want in!" Grinning, the Princess of the Kingdom of Snows harnessed the power on her own end, transforming the large streams of power into solid sheets of ice diamonds, all aimed and ready to take down the Horde at a moment's notice.
Seeing the ice appearing over them, the most Rogelio and Lonnie could do was cover their heads before the massive chunks of ice slammed on top of them, burying them in a small pile of frozen liquid and entrapping them in cases of ice over their limbs. With Lonnie's right arm stuck in a large bloc and Rogelio frozen on all sides, there wasn't much she could do. And she wouldn't have to.
Peering down the hallway behind them, Lonnie smirked back to the group as the sounds of approaching droids and soldiers came to them with the sight of their shadows down the hallway's corner.
"We'll keep them busy." Mermista said as she prepared for a water fight on their hands, or ice hands in Frosta's case. "Go." With a mere nod, the others raced down the intersecting hallway, continuing on foot as the two were left behind. Gathering another ample supply of water, Mermista grinned back to the short princess. "So, ready to take on your old buddies again?"
"They are not my buddies." Frosta state, forming small spikes of ice against her frozen fists, ready to smack down the robots and droids as harshly as possible. It's time I pay back Catra for everything...
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:14:37
The remaining trio rushed down the hallways as fast as they could, knowing time was of the essence on numerous levels. With every second that passed, another second towards's Catra execution came closer, and the closer the Horde drew to using their portal machine for their malicious purposes. The armies they could unleash upon the world, the devastation that could be wrought. They could not allow the Horde to succeed, or at the very least, they couldn't allow Catra to die.
That was when the group came across a rather large hall, a simple one where nobody appeared to be in sight. Said appearance ended up being misleading, however, as no sooner did the three take the first two steps into the room, they were greeted by the familiar voice of a certain Force Captain coming down the other end of the hall.
"Hey, who pulled the alarm for no-!" Adora stopped. "Sh... Shadow Weaver...?" She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. Shadow Weaver was back, the real one this time, and with the Princess of Bright Moon at her side and the archer slowly pulling out one of his many arrows from the quiver. The person who left her behind, who brought her even more suffering than before, was back in the Fright Zone... and with the enemy.
Seeing the girl for herself, Shadow Weaver felt a twinge of grief at the state of Adora's face, one that didn't hold her back as she grabbed Glimmer's hand again. On contact, the pink-haired princess winced a little as their hands glowed with a shadowy aura, the power rushing through her once more as she readied herself for the fight ahead of her.
Adora was still dumbfounded by the spectacle as she just stared blankly, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. "Catra... was telling the truth." She muttered, unaware or uncaring as her shadows began to spread across the veins of her arms. Her focus was just as focused on the mother figure that returned to them as it was to their hands they were holding. "And she brought the Rebellion with her."
"Wow, another thing I didn't see coming." Aroda smirked, floating upside down without a care in the world at Adora's side. "Why is it out of everyone that Shadow Weaver is the only one to surprise me so far?" Still floating, she flipped her way back up as her feet levitated half a foot off the ground, continuing to grin at the blond who was at a loss for words. "Oh well, look on the bright side, Adora. It's not like you meant anything to her in the first place, so you should've seen this coming."She didn't know if she should've seen this coming, and she was too angry to care.
The girl glared as she gathered the shadows to both her fists, protruding two tendrils from her back, as she stepped forth. "So you really did join the Rebellion, huh?"
"We didn't come here to fight you, not that you stood a chance." Shadow Weaver said softly, keeping her hand tightly around Glimmer's. "Join us, Adora. And I can help you."
"Ooooh, yeah, great idea from mother of the year over there." Aroda joked, patting Adora on her shoulder with a smirk. "You give her your trust, she takes you to her side, and she definitely doesn't have you thrown into Bright Moon's prisons for the rest of eternity. After all, it's not like she ever stabbed us in the back before, right?" The memories flashed in Adora's mind no matter how hard she tried to block them.
The moment that she accepted Shadow Weaver back into her life, the time she spent rekindling a bond with the woman who ended up using her for her own ends, just to escape the Horde. She was losing people she could trust, finding more reasons to push others away, and hesitating to continue the bonds she had now!
This. All of this. Was because of her. Her, the princesses... Catra. All she wanted was to unite Etheria since day one, to be the hero that the world needed her to be that could preform such a feat. She looked up to Shadow Weaver, respected Shadow Weaver and loved her like a daughter, and how does she repay that kindness? She throws her away, abandons her, leaves her fate tot the Horde without a care.
Not only that, but she joins the Rebellion, she runs to Catra's side. She betrayed her only because Shadow Weaver betrayed her first, yet she still toyed with her emotions enough to make Adora care for her all over again just for this!?
There was no way she could.
"The last time I trusted you... you betrayed me... for them..." Adora squeezed her eyes shut tightly as the tears continued to pour from the corners. "And instead of coming back for me yourself... you brought them with you?!" And with a tremendous shout of anger, she attacked.
Adora charged like a mad demon as half her body was encased in the shadowy armor, stretching the shadowy claws of both her hands as wide as they could be, ready to tear and rend the very people that made her existence a nightmare. She didn't know how much of her magic she was using or how much her shadows would make her suffer for it, and she didn't care. She was going to end half of her troubles, once and for all.
Seeing the girl charging, Bow too the lead as he pressed on the attack, firing one of his many trick arrows directly at the Force Captain who blocked it with her massive right claw. What at first seemed to be a simple matter to deal with ended up being a pain to the young blond as her hand was suddenly stuck in a sticky green sap, one she struggled to pry loose as it maintained a forceful grip around her.
Pressing on with the assault, Bow fired several more shots at the girl, forcing Adora to stay ahead of herself as she dodged to the side, pulling against the wall to her left with her tendrils, then to the very ceiling above her as the archer attempted to shoot her down again. Barely dodging the last shot directed at her, the girl growled with anger as she lunged straight towards the archer who was prepared for the girl coming.
What he wasn't prepared for the trick up her white sleeves.
Gathering a small amount of her magic in the palm of her sap-covered hand, Adora finally managed to burst through the sticky substance as she shot a small wave of darkness, the size of a thumb in width,directly at the archer's chest. The impact collided with the very arrow he prepared for himself as it exploded, enveloping the archer in a massive green goop as he was blasted through the hallway, crashing into the floor at the other end. Suffering little damage, the soldier became aware of his situation as the goop covered around him and stuck to the floor, pinning him against his will and taking one enemy out of the game.
"Bow!" Glimmer cried out in worry, prepared to help him before Shadow Weaver looked back.
"Don't lose your focus!" She warned, turning her eyes back to the angered girl refused to let up.
Growling in rage, Adora charged the two with her tendrils flailing wildly behind her as she leaped into the air, pulling both of her massive shadowy fists above her head as she prepared to slam them into the ground.
"Concentrate!" It was with Shadow Weaver's last warning that Glimmer focused her powers, ready to take on Adora with all of her might and magic.
*swish*
*WHAM!*
Adora blinked as the two disappeared from her view, seeing nothing but the smashed metal beneath her powerful fists. With a single blink of the eye, her attention was drawn to the right side as they appeared once more, the Force Captain growling in anger as she attempted the same attack twice directly at them this time, and being met with the same result.
This period of fighting lasted for a full minute as the trio squared off, with Adora doing everything in her power to crush the two into pieces. These two were the biggest problems of her life, her mortal enemies. Glimmer, the pink princess that convinced Catra to join their side for whatever stupid reason, and Shadow Weaver, the one with no qualms or issues with betraying the very people closest to her. They were both stepping stones at the larger issue at hand, and both of these stones needed to be crushed with her bare hands.
Teleporting again another good distance behind the girl, Glimmer blasted a wave of her pink magic directly at Adora's back, injuring the girl as the force slammed her against the wall. The impact of the attack felt like her back had collided into a skiff, peeling away at the shadows behind her that kept her safe. To Adora's horror, not only did it manage to deal a good portion of damage on her, it actually made the shadowy tendrils on her back break apart upon impact, scattering them to the floor where they slowly vanished into thin air. It was nothing more than a minor inconvenience as Adora gritted her teeth, forcing a new pair of tendrils to form, but it came with the cost of more of her magic being used, the shadows in her veins reaching up to her neck.
Refusing to waste her time with these games any longer, Adora launched her right tendril directly where the princess stood, being prepared and unsurprised as she teleported again. Saving up her second tendril for the occasion, she launched her left one directly where they materialized, only to end up missing again as they dodged as soon as they appeared.
All around her, the girl continued to flail her tendrils, trying to get a single strike on either of the two girls who continued to blink in and out of existence around her like a flash of light. She wasn't making any ground, she realized, as she pulled her tendrils back to her side, shielding them around her as she closed her eyes.
Listening to the movements, she concentrated. She listened for the movements they made when they teleported in and out around her, tried to focus on the movements of their positions, tried anything to figure out where they would appear next.
While she couldn't focus as well on the hearing aspect of it, she did notice something else that caught her eye- a pattern. She heard them appearing and disappearing around the same spots, could feel the ground shake a little beneath their feet in a constant pattern. So, if everything was going to lead up as well as it would, then that would mean the next place they would teleport to would be...
There! Eyes bursting open, Adora yelled as she lunched both her shadowy tendrils down the hall to her left, just as Shadow Weaver and Glimmer materialized into existence, and where Adora caught them both in her shadowy grips as the tendrils wrapped around both their arms in a single loop.
"Ah!" Glimmer screamed in panic, feeling the tendrils already crushing around her.
"Found you." She smirked, protruding a third tendril behind her back that she was ready to end the fight with.
She would never get the chance.
With their powers still combined and the two still holding each other's hand, Shadow Weaver gripped the tendril's underside with her free hand as she channeled all of her combined magic through it.
*bzzzzzzzzzzt!*
"Ahhhhhh!" Before Adora could react, she was struck by a surge of red electricity dancing across the shadowy appendage, shocking the girl with a massive force of power that paralyzed her nerves a little, the pain of the attack dropping Adora to the floor as the static electricity of the magic pulsed around her, and disintegrating the shadows around her with it.
It was during this time, this one moment that Adora took on a full magical force directly over her entire self, that Aroda seemed to be affected. With the reflection that continued to haunt her mind assaulted by the same level of power, it, too, dropped to a knee, panting a little as it glared back at Shadow Weaver, knowing the witch was well aware of its existence and how the attack was meant for it as much as Adora.
"Adora, my dear, there's no need for us to be enemies." Shadow Weaver said as she approached the girl with Glimmer by her side. "I can help you. Just like I promised I would."
"Ghhhh... by bringing an army?" Adora growled, weakly and stiffly raising her head to her. "You tricked me into helping you escape, and rushed to the Rebellion the first chance you got. Why should I ever expect your help?"
"Why?" She questioned back. Raising her free hand, Adora continued to groan in pain as she was surrounded by an aura of ethereal shadows, one that circled around the girl as it lifted her up into the air, high enough until they were at eye-level with each other. "Because it's as I said, my dear." She moved the grip from Glimmer's hand to her elbow's sleeve as she gently brought her own hand to Adora's corruption-free side of her face. She brushed her thumb gently against her tear-stained cheek. "I promised I would help you, and I intend to keep my word. As your mother."
"No sHe's NoT!" Aroda's voice became distorted as half of her face became blemished with a shadowy skin, one that appeared to be burning away at her without Adora's notice. At the same time, a small demon-like eye started to appear over Aroda's forehead, one that slowly opened as the conversation progressed.
"No you're not!" Adora shouted in anger, still fresh with tears. "You're not my mother, you never wanted to be!" Her face tightened with pain and sadness as her eyes shriveled. "Do you know what happened to me after you left? Did you even care?! I know you knew what to expect, you've seen what Hordak's like, and you still left me behind!"
"I had to acquire Catra's assistance to help you, Adora." Shadow Weaver assured, brushing some of the hair out from Adora's eyes like she used to.
"LiKE she eveR carEd about you to begIn WItH!"
"Like you ever cared to begin with!" She cried as the shadowy veins reached her face. "You left me the minute you had a chance, you wanted to get away from me, you hated me!" Didn't she mean anything to her anymore? She betrayed her in the past, and Adora forgave her eventually and accepted her again. Why couldn't she do the same for her?!
"Because the danger you are in is far more serious than you could possibly know. Do you truly think figments of your imagination suddenly appear out of nowhere?" Adora froze. "Do you think they come seeking to help you in your hour of need, right after your skin begins to fall apart and age rapidly?"
"You're not gonna listen to her, I hoPe!" Aroda yelled angrily, catching Adora's attention a little as she shifted her eyes to her by an inch.
Shadow Weaver's eyes narrowed at the sight as she turned her head in the same direction, being fully aware of what was plaguing Adora's mind right now. "It's here, isn't it? The voices, the things only you can see." Adora's attention fell entirely on her used-to-be mother figure at that. "I know what it is, Adora."
"You... do?" She whimpered a little.
"NooOoOoOOo!" Aroda's distorted voice became more aggressive as it struggled to rise to its feet, trying to ignore the red electricity running around its body.
"Yes, my dear," she soothed again as she brushed the rest of Adora's hair from her corrupted half of her face. "And I know how to remove it. You can be saved, and you can still return to the side you were meant to fight for." Shadow Weaver wasn't an idiot. She knew the events that would've likely transpired if Adora had found the sword, if she had fought for the side that was truly right in the end. It sickened her to admit it, but the Horde was not the place she belonged in. It was with the Rebellion, and their righteous side.
"You... You can?" Adora sniffed, shifting her eyes from the woman to a bit of an irritable sadness at the other. "But what about her? Do you think she can ever forgive me? Do you think any of them will?!"
Glimmer grimaced at the mention as she took a step forward. "Adora, you've done... terrible, terrible things. Things that shouldn't be forgiven, that can't be." Looking a little away, she continued. "Things that, I've experienced for myself." She could still remember the pain she caused her when she interrogated her, tortured her. All the same, she also saw the pain Adora was in, the look on her face in more ways than one.
"... But... You don't seem to be suffering any less than I did when we first met, so... I'm willing to put it aside." She spoke with great conviction, giving her a nod. "If you're willing to stop this, if you can help us save Catra's life, I'll... I'll forgive you." The last time Glimmer had this chance, she squandered it. She let her petty grievances with Adora push her away from her when Bow was thinking about recruiting her. They could've done so much for each other if she just tried harder, if they tried to give Adora the chance to become a good person, a better one.
She was not going to waste that opportunity again.
"F... Forgive... me?" Adora mumbled, the tears slowing down as she stared at her.
"Yes. And my mom will know it was you who saved Catra, and stopped the Horde." Adora... Adora didn't know what to say. "I promise."
"We're wasting time with this squabbling." Shadow Weaver stated as she began to work. Taking a step back from Adora, Shadow Weaver began to preform her magic as she brought the cusp of her wrists together, spreading them apart as a large blue rune appeared out of the air, one that was the size of Glimmer's and Adora's body, filled with various symbols and etches that glowed with a bright white in the center.
"Wh-What are you doing?" Adora asked, growing an ounce of concern.
"I'm going to remove the parasite as I said." Raising a hand to the center of the rune, Adora let out a small cry as a similar rune circle appeared over her forehead, ones matching the very same symbols displayed upon the rune.
Parasite?
"The longer it exists, the more it'll start to panic and drain your powers for itself." Bringing both of her hands to opposite ends of her shoulder, lying them steadily against her robes, Shadow Weaver concentrated. "You might feel light headed for a bit, my dear, but it will all go away. You just have to trust me." And then, it all stopped.
All around her, everything froze as if time had stood still for the young blond girl. Adora blinked, looking around, feeling the same sensation she felt previously when Frosta betrayed her. Everything was still, everything was silent. The only one who could move, the only one who had the capacity to speak with her, was herself.
And Aroda.
"I guess this is it, Adora." Aroda said calmly, standing at the girl's side with a small smile. "It's been fun while it lasted."
"A-Aroda?" Adora questioned, blinking to her. For once, there wasn't any snide remarks or cynical stares. There wasn't any aggression in her tone or heinous sarcasm behind it.
For the first time, Aroda just spoke softly, appearing as she did before, as she smiled a little. "You know, she's right and all. I'm not the figment you have in your head. Heh, I can't believe you thought I was your conscious. It was a little funny, really." She sighed, crossing her arms as if hugging herself. "To be honest, I wasn't really interested in the power just for myself, but... for you."
"For... For me?" Was she really talking to the same person here? Was this the same Aorda she's come to know and be annoyed with?
"Mhhm. I mean, if I got stronger as a benefit, then that would've been a bonus, but you..." She gave the girl a small smile, actually showing a tear in the corner of he right eye. "You've just been through so much, you know? You've taken abuse an hardships from the moment you were born, you fight with all of your might even when it's pointless. I just thought that... I just thought that you deserved a little better. You deserved a little respect now and then, and... Hmph, guess I was just looking out for myself."
"A... Aroda..." Adora didn't know what to say. Looking back on it, she was the one telling the truth. Every time an opportunity came, every chance she had, she's been convincing her to gain more power, more respect, to push herself ahead of the rest, the people who brought her down time and again like Lord Hordak, even after all she's done for them.
She had a brief moment at one point where she experienced what it meant to have power, what it was like to be the one respected by her followers and have all the power she needed in the grip of her hands. How could she forget such a memory when it happened the other day? One of the best days of her life, one where she could be free of her pride and unleash her power, and the people adored her.
It truly was a better life than the rest of her life thus far... and it's what Aroda was trying to tell her.
"Well, you won't have to worry about me, anymore." She said, looking to the giant rune still ahead of her. "Once that ritual is complete, I'll be long gone. Banished to the shadows, complete darkness... guess it's where I deserve to be." Adora and Aroda's eyes both watered at this, where Aroda looked back with a simple smile, Adora was distraught with grief. "Just... Just promise me one last thing."
"W... What?" What could she ask? What could a parasite ask from her now of all times? For more power? Not to trust them? WHAT!?
Aroda gave her one last smile as she slowly vanished into the shadows. "Promise me you won't be taken advantage of anymore, okay?" And with that Aroda was gone, and time seemed to resume around them.
Adora lowered her head as the tears continued against her will. This life, this whole life of hers had been a complete nightmare. Raised by the Horde to be used as a weapon of their own design, to be the perfect soldier to bring down the Rebellion that stood in their way. She sought to prove her loyalty to the Horde, still did, but everywhere she looked, everywhere she saw, she was pushed down and betrayed.
She tried to make up for her mistakes, made some friends along the way that were taken away from her, that betrayed her out of nowhere, for reasons she couldn't comprehend. Why did everyone leave her side when she needed them the most? Why did they betray her when she sought only to be their friends? Their allies? And why was Catra at the heart of it all, the one who started to turn her life upside down since the moment she found a sword meant for her? In fact, even before that as she used her all her life!
It was all on her. Because she was stupid. Because she threw her trust at people.
And she was doing it again.
"... Every... time..." Adora sniffed, the tone of her voice catching Shadow Weaver off guard. "Everytime I trust someone... every person I've ever met..." Mumbling out to them, Shadow Weaver's eyes narrowed as the rune atop Adora's head began to flicker off and on.
"Something's wrong..." She stated.
"I give so much to the world... To help it... to unite it... and it keeps spitting in my face." Adora began to grit her teeth slowly as shadows began to rise from her back. "I try to make allies, I try to do the right thing... and all people can do is take things away from me... betraying me... I have to suffer, every time, because of what they do... and they never care..." Slowly lifting her head, Adora revealed the look on her face that said it all.
An expression of pure and utter hatred and tears, for all those around her. "And I'm done being betrayed for the LAST TIME!" Without warning, a large shadowy mass burst from Adora's back in the shape of thousands upon thousands of individual tendrils. All of them shot in every direction around her, piercing into the walls, the ceiling, like tiny little bullets.
The whiteness of Shadow Weaver's eyes flared up with shock as she backed away, watching the rune spell she was utilizing dissolving in front of her eyes. The spell was perfected beyond measure, a spell she had studied time and again since realizing the state she put Adora in, and came to the one conclusion she feared the most.
"The parasite's too strong." The bond it had with Adora was too strong compared to any of the archives and readings she done over the parasite's existence. From siphoning the girl's constant strength to Adora's own willpower and stature, the two had an inseparable bond that couldn't be tarnished unless Adora willed it herself. She was rejecting Shadow Weaver's help.
She was rejecting all of them.
"Nggghhhh!" Glimmer moaned internally as her body began to be enveloped by the dark ritual itself, forcing her to her knees in pain as she held onto Shadow Weaver's elbow. Looking back at the girl, Shadow Weaver hadn't realized it at first, but Adora was pushing against the magic holding her with all her strength, trying to break free with her own magic. Her eyes narrowed at this reality.
She had no choice. It had to be done. Even if it meant living with the regret of it, it was far too late. Holding up a hand to the girl once more as Bow started to break loose from his sap-like arrow, Shadow Weaver sighed. "Forgive me, Adora." She apologized before squeezing her hand.
"Aghhhhhhhhh!" Adora screamed in agony as her whole body felt like it was convulsing, being crushed on every side by Shadow Weaver's power, the small tendrils trying to rip the aura over herself from the inside out beginning to wane.
Shadow Weaver had no choice. It would be her burden and her loss to deal with after. The parasite's bond with Adora had grown too strong, too dangerous for the girl to maintain. If something like that continued to exist within the world, continued to absorb energy, to bond further with Adora for its quest for power, there's no telling how dangerous it would be.
Either of them.
Forcing her own hand, Shadow Weaver did what she could as she attempted to drive out the parasite's existence by force, a process that could ultimately shatter Adora's mind. She would be lucky enough to walk on her own if she survived the process, but between that and letting the parasite continue to thrive, to consume the life energy of all that surrounded them, she had no choice, no matter how painful it was for the both of-
"Stop!" It was with Bow's shout of pleading that the witch was distracted, feeling the grip on her elbow leaving her as her power dissipated. Looking back, she saw the tactical archer with Glimmer's now-free hand at his side, checking over his exhausted friend as she breathed heavily. "You're taking too much!"
"No..." Shadow Weaver was less concerned over the loss of connection and more concerned over the loss of power she had over Adora's person.
With the witch's magic leaving her, Adora finally gave one last shout of anger as she exploded in a literal burst of shadow, one that burst the trio away from her a good ten feet away. They were assaulted by a powerful gust of wind, one that continued to blow across the hallways and throughout the surrounding room behind her. It was then that Adora dropped to the floor, the remaining tendrils Adora had conjured on her back running rampant as they flailed violently.
Panting, wheezing, Adora never felt so light-headed and feverish in her life. All the stress she had to deal with, all the emotions running through her heart, and all the power she had spent had taken its toll on her. It was nothing short of her own willpower that helped her get to her knees, trembling a bit as she wiped her chin. And there, everyone had saw the toll it took over Adora's body.
By now, 3/4ths of her face was covered over by the corruption while the other fourth was covered in her shadowy veins. Her right eye had glazed over with a white tint over her blue pupil, a detail that had yet to bother Adora in the slightest as she could see clearly.
All the while Aroda smirked wickedly behind her.
Thatta girl~
...
...
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:08:01
"Gehh... come on..." Catra grumbled as she tried to pull away the wrists cuffs free, failing as she did for the last several hours. There was no way she was going to be waiting around for her own execution, not while she could still move a bit. If she could just get to her sword, get these stupid restraints off of her, she could bust herself out of the sanctum and save herself!
It's not like she wasn't aware of the alarm going off awhile ago. In fact, she was relieved by it. If it was who she thought it was, then Glimmer, Bow, and maybe the rest of the Princess Alliance had come to save her, something she took with joy. It was a joy that didn't last as long as she also realized if the alarms were tripped and half the Horde was aware of their presence, then that meant Hordak was aware of them as well.
And there was no way he was going to let his opportunity pass him by.
*creeeak*
All of the struggling came to an abrupt pause as Catra's ears twitched, eyes widening a little as she froze. Turning her head a little in the direction, she didn't see anyone entering the room as the doors opened, and with Hordak's exosuit, she couldn't get a scent of the guy around his own sanctum.
"He... Hello?" Catra uttered, staring at the doorway. The room was still silent to her save for the floating sword as it hummed, the magicat looking to her right and her left for good measure, trying to pick up any scent or sound that could've tipped her off of the intruder. Actually, was there an intruder? Was there anybody else? With all the chaos that was probably ensuing around the Horde, maybe there was a glitch in the system? If the princesses were around, then there was a good chance that maybe-
*tang*
"Huh?" Catra quickly looked above her as her wrists were forced together to the cuffs, pinning them next to each other from behind the pillar as it tightened, completely immobilizing. "What's going- Mhhhhh!" As if that wasn't enough, no sooner did she start to speak again did a familiar pair of hands tighten the dark green cloth over Catra's mouth and nose, muffling her protests and her screams as she tried to struggle again.
"Mhmhhhh!" Bound, muted, Catra couldn't do a thing. Someone had snuck into the room without the magicat's notice when the doors open, someone that definitely harbored a huge grudge against the cat to take her by surprise like this without their presence being known.
Until now.
Catra saw it, feared it. From behind her, thrusting past her and over her shoulders, she saw a large pronged spear, the prongs assuming the shape of a crow's foot the size of her head, green in nature and with the stench of previous use, as the figure slowly made his way around the girl. She wasn't the least bit surprised as Hordak came into her view, the leader of the Horde giving a small grin as he brushed the spear against her neck the entire time, intimidating her, threatening her.
The leader wouldn't leave anything up to chance as he prepared the executioner's, himself, choice of weapon. He wouldn't risk her trying to bite at it, or somehow moving her wrists enough to grab it as he intended to use it on her. She was going to die by his hand when the time finally came, and that moment was just a few minutes away.
And Catra had never been more fearful of her life than this very moment. A moment that entirely depended on Entrapta by this point.
"Time's up, Catra..."
Countdown to Catra's Execution: 00:07:12
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A/N: Okay, so maybe not "times up" but close to it XP Figure of speech people, c'mon XP Lol
Anyway, for your convenience you'll be happy to know the countdown thing wont ever be returning outside of this episode (unless another future episode comes up which uses it in which case i swear to GOD someone's stealing my ideas XD) as they might be annoying. Personally, i think they add a good deal of suspenses as the countdown reaches zero, but that's just my opinion. And whether or not its annoying (unless people really love it), it won't be making a comeback save for the last/next chapter.
Also i have a plot related question- in the episode when Catra comes across the group, she's calling out and asking Lonnie why she pulled the lever, to which I'm just realizing... How does she know LONNIE was the one who pulled the lever? I mean she was with Rogelio and the blue lizard girl/guy I've yet to get a name to, not to mention the rest of the Horde probably wandering around there, so how did she know it was specifically lonnie that pulled it? It seems like an oversight on the shows part XP
So, yeah! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed! Leave a like, fave, follow, and review, and remember!... the heartbreaks have only just begun for this season q_p...