When Hordak regained consciousness, he was surrounded by bright purple light. He sat up immediately, causing the table beneath him to shudder. Hordak's disfigured arms hung at his side, limp and useless. The blanket placed over him fell to his waist. The clothes he'd worn as a member of Horde Prime's army were nowhere to be seen. Breaths came in gasps as he tried to regain his bearings.

"Take it easy." Entrapta's voice sounded from behind his head. She walked into his line of sight so he wouldn't have to turn around. "I mounted you on the maintenance table I use for my robots. Sorry for the hard surface. All my cushions appear to be misplaced in various locations around the castle."

"Will he be okay, Master Entrapta?" Kadroh asked from Entrapta's side. "Are you able to fix him?"

Kadroh's concern must have been exaggerated. No way this "brother" of Hordak's actually cared. He sneered. "I…" he fought through the tightness in his chest to speak. Every word felt like it was grinding to ribs to dust. "Forgive my weakness, Entrapta."

"Forgive? But forgiveness is only necessary after an apology. You have nothing to apologize for." Entrapta sifted through machine parts scattered about the room, looking for a specific item. "Horde Prime took your exoskeleton away for reasons… unclear to me. When you overextend yourself without it, you end up in severe pain." She turned to face him. Hordak could only see her mask, but the expression on her face was clear in his mind.

He squirmed, not wanting Entrapta to pity him. If she thought he was weak and worthless, she wouldn't keep him so close to her. "I… had been managing without my Etherian crutches. My connection to the hive mind gave me strength. Even after it ended, I thought I could overpower my limitations."

"I saw you in negotiations; every time you looked like you would lash out or collapse, I found a way to force a recess." Entrapta's hair reached for the workbench, pulling a six-sided hex driver off the top shelf. "I didn't want you to hurt yourself trying to look strong."

Hordak blinked. He'd noticed Entrapta would get "distracted" during the peace negotiations, often running off at the sight of a fictional robot. The other princesses lectured her for drawing out the talks, but Entrapta never improved. They accused her of stalling for better treaty terms, allegations she always denied. They'd concentrated all their frustration on her, never noticing when Hordak was approaching his physical limit.

She'd done that on purpose. Entrapta had borne the ire of her reconnected friends to help him hide his weakness. Hordak felt… mushy at the thought. Weak, but not in the painful way.

"You indulge my weakness. I cannot allow that." Hordak drew his shaking legs closer inward. He lifted the blanket back over his shoulders. "I just need to be stronger."

"And you will be," Entrapta promised. "I hope you don't mind, but I took some of your DNA while you were asleep. Using Kadroh's DNA as a baseline, I've been able to draw some preliminary conclusions regarding the variance in your genetic structure. The next exoskeleton I build for you will address your needs more directly than my previous model.

"Also, last time we did this, I put most of my focus on your strength capabilities. I was replicating the function of your old armor. This time, since there's no war going on, I figured we could expand beyond the fighting functions." She turned back towards Hordak, lifting her helmet up so he could see her face. "What do you think?"

He blinked. "Beyond the fighting functions? What other functions are there?"

"Comfort, for one. I used bits of Horde armor to make the previous model. Iridium is an ideal metal for armor, but it's also the second densest element found on Etheria, making it extremely heavy and immalleable. Here in Dryl, most of my robots are made with the locally produced steel or aluminum. I think a mix of lighter metals will give you comparable function at a fraction of the total weight."

Hordak had liked the weight of his lost exoskeleton. It had cocooned him, making him feel safe and strong at the same time. The only downside had been the need to remove it in order to sleep. Laying down in such a contraption interrupted breathing. "Would I be able to wear the lighter model at all times?"

"You should be." They talked through other potential modifications and the methods required to realize them. In contrast to last time, Hordak had direct input into the final form of his exoskeleton. Entrapta came up with ways to connect sensors to his nervous system (enabling a newfound sense of touch when the feature was on) while Hordak incorporated a toolbelt in the arms and protection measures for the data crystal. Never again would he be defeated by someone ripping out his power source.

Despite the need to protect the crystal, Hordak still wanted it to be visible on the exoskeleton. In the same place it had been before, no less. Hordak's sentiments toward the device were complicated, but at its core, the power crystal reminded him of Entrapta. Recovering it on the Velvet Glove had brought her name into his mind long after Horde Prime had wiped his memory. The crystal was the clearest sign to Hordak that Horde Prime's control over his clones had limits. That it could be reversed. That maybe, despite all of Hordak's protests to the contrary, he wanted to return to the days where he lived absent of Horde Prime's light.

The world beyond Horde Prime's light was not darkness. Not like Hordak had once believed. Outside the glow of green existed a spot of soft purple. A spot where Entrapta's brilliant light shone through to him. Now, it was her light Hordak never wanted to leave. Keeping the crystal at his chest meant her light was always there, lending him power when his broken body lacked it.

With Hordak's verbal input, Entrapta and Kadroh entered the assembly and design phase of their project. It was then that he noticed a few absences in the room. "Where have Imp and Emily gone?"

"I taught the two of them how to activate the other robots, then uploaded blueprints into their memory. They're waking up the castle, fixing anything that needs repairs, then sending certain bots out for help around the planet. I have a few other repair projects that need to be completed, but I want your assistance with those, so we need to finish here first."

"We have been right by your side since you collapsed, Master Hordak. Everything I have contributed is for the benefit of your recovery."

Hordak didn't snap back. Not this time. The sooner his body was strong again, the sooner he would replace Kadroh at Entrapta's side. That uppity clone could join his brothers and cease his pestering.

Entrapta was almost done assembling her new prototype. She was about to add cosmetic finishes when she hesitated. "Do you… still want the Horde symbol on your exoskeleton, Hordak? I don't think the Horde as an organization exists anymore."

"Don't include it. No need to live in the past."

"Do you want something else instead?"

Hordak paused. "The current design is sufficient for now."

Entrapta assented. With everything on the exoskeleton gray, the only pop of color came from the crystal. Perhaps Hordak would keep it that way.

After assembly came installation. Hordak moved to his feet, tying the blanket around his waist. He stumbled, then winced as Kadroh grabbed him to ensure balance. Entrapta rushed to explain. "My mechanical assembly isn't designed for organic beings. I'm going to have to install this by hand. Is that okay?"

"It is fine."

When Entrapta fused her creation into his being… the sensors brought a new dimension to the experience. Every time a new piece joined Hordak's body, he felt the way Entrapta had been holding it. The grasp of her hair was like a thousand tiny wires, smooth and malleable. Sparks of power flowed through each strand. And her hands… gloves did nothing to hide the warmth exuding from her grasp. The warmth spread over Hordak's body every time they touched. Entrapta was a generator, sending electricity into every circuit of Hordak's body.

When she was done, Entrapta took a few steps back. She raised her arms to her chest in anticipation. "What does it feel like?"

"...Alive." Hordak did not elaborate. He couldn't. Not when no other words came to mind.

"I think you look wonderful, brother." Kadroh released Hordak from his grip. "May you never collapse from exhaustion again!"

"I sure hope he doesn't. We have a lot of work to do around here." Entrapta gestured for them to follow her out of the lab. "Come on. I'll find clothes for you on the way."

The hours blurred as Hordak and Entrapta tinkered with the castle. Worried for the safety of her incoming residents, Entrapta disabled all potentially lethal traps on the castle grounds. Meanwhile, Kadroh and Hordak erected temporary sleeping quarters in the many open rooms of the castle. They set up enough bunks to accommodate hundreds of clones.

When both tasks were complete, Entrapta tasked Hordak with treating and preparing vats of colorful dye while she forged metal bars for name tags. He took the chance to redye his hair, adding a touch of red to his usual blue to create deep purple. Sending messages through Imp, the group completed project after project in preparation for A) the next wave of planetary repairs and B) the clones' arrival. Working through the night was a common occurrence.

Only two things made Hordak aware of the passing days. One, Entrapta's servants sent them ration bars and fizzy water via robot three times a day. Two, Entrapta's hygiene bot pestered her at the same time every day about the need to wash her hair. After three days of snoozing the reminder, the bot would no longer take no for an answer. Hordak was working by her side on a new intercom system when it happened.

"You met your limit for delay, Princess. Retaining current levels of filth in your hyperdextrous hair will impede its functionality. You also risk contamination in experimental results when you allow dirt to collect on your person." The bot recited in a gentle, monotone voice. "Proceed to the cleansing chamber at once."

"But washing my hair takes too long!" Entrapta complained. "None of my bots are good at it, and cleaning it all by hand wastes hours of labor."

"Proceed to the cleansing chamber at once. I shall repeat my instruction until it is obeyed." Entrapta walked away, and the bot followed her. His message repeated every ten seconds with increasing volume.

"No, I have too much to do to- fine!" Entrapta threw down her helmet in a huff. "I'll do my hair in the cleansing chamber! Bye, Hordak."

A strange idea popped into Hordak's mind just then. He spoke it into existence before he could consider the implications. "Would the cleansing happen faster if I assisted?"

Entrapta mulled the suggestion over. "It might. It's… kind of a pain to wash my hair, though. You don't have to do it with me. Finishing this intercom system is way more fun."

The bot paused its message to scan Hordak. "Your guest might also benefit from a cleansing… er, polishing… cleansing?" The bot's head tilted. "Error: unable to determine classification of subject."

"Huh. I guess Dave's database doesn't have information on Horde clones. I'll update him later." Entrapta made her way to the door. "Well, if you need to wash off too, then follow me. We'll be back on schedule in no time!"

Entrapta's cleansing chamber was not a typical bathroom. It had all the amenities one would expect from one… plus a full size disinfectant chamber, an industrial sink, an enormous fan, and shampoo by the barrel instead of bottle. Breaking with the theme of all her other rooms, the cleansing chamber was blinding white on every surface. Every spot of dirt became magnified under the chamber's pristine eye.

Switching her work gloves for rubber ones, Entrapta gave Hordak a rundown on the complexities of managing hair as long and magical as hers. She finished with, "I know my hair is useful, but it's times like these I wish I didn't have sensation back there. Me cutting my hair is like other people cutting their fingers: torture!"

As she took her hair out of its ponytails and tied a towel over her chest, Hordak took a moment to fully appreciate her flowing locks. Tied up, Entrapta's hair dragged on the floor while she walked. Now, Hordak estimated her hair length to exceed his height by a noticeable margin. "You have attempted to cut your hair before? It… appears to have grown extensively."

Entrapta nodded. "My dads did it when I was little. They didn't realize how much it hurt at first because I was a… fussy child about other things too." She sighed, then forced a smile on her face. "It's okay. They loved me. They just didn't understand for a while. That's all."

Hordak understood Etherian childhood on a superficial level. He knew most sentient species reproduced sexually and the two parents usually reared offspring for decades before their spawn matured. In the Galactic Horde, however, clones emerged fully formed from their chambers. Hordak was considered an adult from the moment he drew breath. Thus common experiences of childhood and family were alien to him.

Despite his ignorance, Hordak gave his best shot at a response. "I… I'm sure you are correct."

Not wanting to continue the conversation, Entrapta rolled one of her barrels next to the giant sink. She cracked open the lid, lifting handfuls of shampoo out. "Ready to wash some hair?"

Washing Entrapta's hair was far more pleasant than she had made it out to be. Entrapta kept her hair limp as she and Hordak worked water and shampoo through the strands. She sat on tiled floor between Hordak's legs, scooting forwards or backwards depending on need. When Hordak washed near her roots, her back nearly rested on his chest.

The shampoo and water chased each other from root to tip, allies in the fight against ingrained filth. It was a gradual, inevitable process, dominated by the sense of touch. Hordak would have continued all day if Entrapta let him.

No gloves present were large enough to fit him, so Hordak combed and scrubbed with his bare hands. Doing so felt peaceful yet private. Like something onlookers would be scandalized by if they were to see.

Who knows? Perhaps they would be. He'd seen how Entrapta's servants protested his stay in the castle. He remembered how the Salineas Princess had snarked when Hordak and Entrapta sat together in peace negotiations. If mere proximity was enough to earn disapproval from others, touching must trigger riots.

Hordak wrapped a tendril of hair around his finger, smiling at the thought. Ending the war with those princesses did not mean his opinion of them had changed. Hordak might comply with the peace treaty, but he would defy their will in other ways. What happened between him and Entrapta was nothing their alliance could decree.

The tendril gave his finger a gentle squeeze, then escaped from his grip. Hordak thought he heard a hum leave Entrapta's lips, but he could not be certain.

After a few more minutes of scrubbing, Entrapta broke the silence. "Dave was right. I needed to do this. The last time I gave my hair a full wash, I was living in the Fright Zone."

That shouldn't have surprised Hordak, but it did. "All those months ago?"

"Yep! Never had another chance until now. All of Beast Island's water is toxic; I filtered some to drink, but I didn't have time to wash. Even when I was rescued... Horde Prime showed up right after that. Bodies of water were too exposed for us to spend time in, and then I went to space… and now my hair is a mess."

Hordak felt a chill enter his bones at the mention of Beast Island. He refused to let its shadow hang over them. Not when the war itself did not loom as large. "You said Beast Island did not hurt you."

"It didn't, but… not for lack of trying." No trace of accusation existed in her voice. Only resignation. Somehow, that was worse.

Bile and dread rose in his throat. Hordak couldn't avoid the subject. He needed to ask Entrapta, "do you… resent me for the horrors you witnessed there?"

"No. I mean… I did. But I don't anymore." Entrapta tried to use her hair to emote. She remembered mid-gesture that the two were trying to wash it and forced herself to relax. "I thought… I thought nothing happened in the Fright Zone without you consenting to it. When I was on Beast Island, I thought you and Catra had opened the portal together. I thought you had agreed with her to send me away. Then Bow and Adora took me to Bright Moon, and Scorpia told me the truth." She sniffed. "Scorpia loved serving the Horde. Catra was her best friend. She left both behind to help me. I… I'm glad she is my friend."

"Scorpia is an exceptional character," Hordak agreed. "Do you know why she didn't tell me the truth about you?"

"I… yes. She had two reasons. Reason number one: Catra had more access to you than anyone else in the Horde. Scorpia didn't know how to get a message to you without Catra intercepting her. Reason one and a half is that she didn't want you to attack Catra because of what she said. Which leads into reason two: Scorpia was there when Catra sent me away. She thought you might punish her for letting my banishment happen."

The worst part about Scorpia's logic was its accuracy. Hordak definitely would have punished Scorpia for allowing this treachery to happen. He would have sent her to Beast Island with the mission to rescue Entrapta and only offered forgiveness if both parties lived. While she was gone, he would have murdered Catra for everyone to see. For real this time. He would have arrested her, invented the most painful way for her to die, and-

And none of this would have righted the wrong Entrapta faced. For a rescue mission on Beast Island to be successful, it could not only rely on one person.

His anger boiled over, then evaporated quickly as it had come. The more memories Hordak regained of his time on Etheria, the more he realized just how angry he used to be. Angry, tired, and alone. All the time.

He wasn't alone anymore. Hordak would never leave Entrapta alone again. "I… suppose Scorpia did what she thought best. Your safe recovery takes precedence over all other details."

Entrapta reached for another handful of shampoo. She lathered it into her hair, letting suds build between her fingers. "...Why did you send people to Beast Island?"

"You want to know what other people did to be banished there?"

"No. Why did you use Beast Island at all? The Fright Zone already had a prison. Why did you need another one?"

"...Ah." Hordak confronted the question head on. "I knew Etherians feared the island more than any other place. The mere threat of Beast Island was enough to erode most people's desire for disobedience. For those undeterred… it did not matter. People exiled to Beast Island were never seen again."

Another silent period. This time, Hordak joined Entrapta in lathering. The ends of her hair felt sharper than before. "Do you know what's on Beast Island?"

He closed his eyes and confessed, "I do not. Your trials on Beast Island are a complete mystery to me."

"Oh."

"Do you want to relay your experiences to me?"

"...No." Entrapta rinsed the section she had been working on, then moved on to the next. Her hair no longer felt like it was stabbing Hordak's fingers, but it stayed rigid in his grip. No amount of washing or soothing was enough to return the strands to a relaxed state.

Hordak felt like he should say something, but he had no idea what. An apology didn't seem appropriate, not when Entrapta didn't blame him. All Hordak knew was that Entrapta was hurting. Despite all the machines they'd repaired, neither of them knew how to fix the issue before them.

Once every part of Entrapta's hair had been cleansed, they double checked each strand to ensure no section had been skipped. Satisfied with the results, Entrapta plugged in her giant fan. Hordak washed his hands while she activated the vortex of hot air. Only then did Hordak realize the fan was actually a blow dryer.

Entrapta wove her hair in and out of the blow dryer's path, twisting and snaking to achieve desirable air currents. The display was mesmerizing. Her hair was dry again in minutes.

"This is amazing! I forgot what working with all parts of my hair can feel like!" Entrapta extended her hair out to its full length on either side of her, brushing Hordak across the chest. She glanced at him, eyes gleaming. "I feel alive again."

Hordak smiled. "Are you ready to finish the intercom?"

"Absolutely."

The two of them would have done just that… were it not for one thing. Crypto Castle had visitors.

Hordak's first shipment of brothers had arrived.

A/N's: It has come to my attention that Wrong Hordak's fanon name is Kadroh. I may be editing my chapters to reflect that soon.

This chapter took longer to write than it had any right to. I just started a new semester, so that's part of the delay, but not all of it. I also needed to plan a little more about where I want this fic to go. I can now confirm it will end in sex.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to read. I hope you're enjoying so far and that I will return with a new chapter soon!