Chapter 5
It was hard to tell how much time passed in Horror Hall, waiting for some kind of news from Entrapta, and wondering if anything they were doing was helping or making it worse. Perfuma considered laying Scorpia on the pillows Frosta her provided, but Scorpia was nearly dead weight in her arms and she didn't feel comfortable moving her.
Perfuma sighed, sharing a worried glance with Frosta.
The communication device beeped and Perfuma quickly reached for it, eager for some kind of news. She was surprised to see Bow rather than Entrapta.
"Bow!" Perfuma smiled broadly. "It's so good to see you!"
"It's good to see you, too, Perfuma," Bow said with a nervous smile. "How're you guys holding up?"
"We're trying," Perfuma said quietly. "Wilting with worry, but trying." She hesitated, her fingers trembling subtly against Scorpia's back. "We were trying to get Scorpia's paldrons off, but they're stuck and it seems to hurt her when we pull them, a-and then there's the rest of her exoskeleton-a-and I'm not sure if she's molting right or what molting right looks like-" her voice shook harder the longer she spoke. "A-and, and—" She forced a slow breath, then curled her fingers as she tried for forcibly slow her breathing. "Sorry…just… we're worried."
"Yeah, Entrapta told me," Bow said, his voice soft with concern. "It's going to be okay, Perfuma. We're on our way back. If Scorpia gets hurt She-Ra can heal her…" He looked as if he was about to say something else, but hesitated. "…so.. just hang on, okay? Just gotta hang on until we get back." Perfuma nodded gratefully. "Entrapta and I looked into how to help with the molting, but there's just not a lot of information on Scorpia's people…like…anywhere. Just a little here and there, so I can't tell if this'll work or not, and I don't want to give you bad information but this is all we've got, and-"
"Anything will help," Perfuma insisted, smiling gratefully to him even as her eyes wavered. "Really."
Bow nodded. "Well…the old Exoskeleton is rigid and the new Exoskeleton is so much softer, at least until it hardens. If we could soften the old exoskeleton enough so it has some flexibility that would help. Moistening it might help."
Perfuma listened, absent-mindedly rubbing Scorpia's back. "Like a bath?"
"Maybe," Bow furrowed his brow. "Though we don't want to waterlog her new exoskeleton either, I don't think? The more wet it is the longer it'll take to harden, and the more that can go wrong in the interim so maybe less of a bath and more…of a watering? Get the underside of her pauldron and the old exoskeleton wet, then try peeling it off."
Perfuma shifted her gaze to the other woman's claws and tail. The…underside of her old exoskeleton, without getting the new one too wet? She looked back at the communicator pensively. "Okay…?"
That felt like it'd be easier said than done, but it was something! Frosta had been sitting in a fetal position next to Perfuma and Scorpia, but straightened her legs and pumped her fists. "We can do this…!"
As if reading her mind – or perhaps having thought of this prior to the call – Bow smiled to her. "You don't need to do this alone. Entrapta's reaching out to Mermista."
Perfuma's eyes lit up at this. Mermista was the perfect person for the job!
"Correction, Geek Princess reached out to Mermista. Already," A familiar, dull voice called out from Horror Hall as two familiar forms stepped in. Mermista made a face as she stepped into the entrance and surveyed the surroundings. Sea Hawk jumped in beside her as if coming out from behind an imaginary curtain, dragging a small cart of water with him.
"Mermista!" Perfuma could cry, in fact she was sure she was crying at that moment. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"Wow, that was fast," Bow commented, not able to see Mermista through the communicator but Perfuma's elated expression and Mermista's voice were enough indicators of what was happening.
Mermista shrugged as she slowly stepped closer, eyeing the surroundings uncomfortably. "Yeah well…when you called, like, a few days ago asking if we'd heard anything from Scorpia and then we never heard anything back from you, Sea Hawk and I figured the next news we'd hear would be, like, urgent, so…we were already ready to go."
"We had all sorts of guesses as to what happened!" Sea Hawk said dramatically as he clenched his fist. "Capture… Some New Horde 2.0… she fell down a well…". He dropped his hand and looked to Perfuma. "…You know, we hadn't considered molting. I'd never heard of molting until Entrapta explained it to us." He blinked slowly. "…I'm still not sure if I know what molting is, but it sounds like an Adventure!"
"Ugh… why is this place so creepy?" Mermista asked, squinting at the huge Horde symbol on the wall.
"Well…it is called Horror Hall, darling," Sea Hawk murmured as he leaned closer to her.
Frosta pushed herself up out from under the table and rushed over to hug Mermista, who let her do it though didn't return the gesture. Instead, she looked down at the little girl, then back up at Scorpia and Perfuma under the table. She also noted Emily sitting nearby. "Why're you hiding?"
"This was where we found her," Perfuma explained. "She didn't want to go anywhere else."
Mermista raised a brow and surveyed the throne room, noting the state of disrepair, horde graffiti and general deplored state. "…okay." She looked back to Perfuma and Scorpia, then knelt. Frosta stepped back so she could do so.
Sea Hawk pushed the cart of water over by the table.
"Can we, like, at least move the table? It's hard to see." It also provided unnecessary obstacles between Mermista and her target.
Perfuma looked up at the underside of the table, then nodded. "Yeah."
Mermista, Frosta and Sea Hawk moved to lift the edges of the table, Emily dipping down and shifting underneath it once it was high enough. Emily then rose up, pushing the table up more easily, and the group moved it aside.
As they did so, Perfuma gently scratched the back of Scorpia's head with her fingernails, just below her undercut. "Scorpia? Hey, Mermista and Sea Hawk are here. They've come to help." There was no response. Perfuma's brow furrowed. It might be for the best if she didn't wake up…but at the same time, if she woke up during the procedure she might panic. She shifted her hand down to gently press against Scorpia's clavicle. "Scorpia?"
The scorpion didn't respond at first, but after a moment let out a breathy sound and lifted her head though her eyes remained closed. "Mm."
"Mermista and Sea Hawk are here," Perfuma said quietly. She slid her hand from Scorpa's clavicle up to her neck to settle on her cheek. "We're going to try and get some of that exoskeleton off, but it's going to get a bit wet, okay?"
Her eyelids fluttered but remained closed. "Mmhmm."
"Can you repeat back what I said?" Perfuma asked gently, running her fingernails gently side to side between her clavicles.
Scorpia squinted her eyes open, blearily watching Perfuma's face. "Wuh-what…?"
"Mermista's going to dampen your exoskeleton so we can get some of it off, to make room for your new one?" Perfuma explained. "Okay?"
Scorpia slow blinked, then squinted at Perfuma for a long moment. "…okay?"
Mermista's eyes shifted from Scorpia to Perfuma, to Scorpia again. She shared a glance with Sea Hawk, who shrugged, then glanced over to Frosta who watched worriedly.
The blonde brushed her fingers over her companion's cheek. "Can you repeat back what I said? Please?"
Scorpia slowly closed her eyes, dipping her head down so that her forehead touched Perfuma's shoulder. "Okay…"
Perfuma watched, feeling the gentle weight against her shoulder. She had her doubts Scorpia understood what she was saying. She gave a pensive look to Mermista and Sea Hawk. Should they proceed or should she keep trying?
Mermista knelt beside them more closely, her blue eyes scanning over Scorpia's frame. She maintained a cool demeanor though beads of sweat formed on her brow. Wow…in the light Scorpia looked pretty bad. "Okay…so where am I starting?"
Perfuma took a slow breath. "Her pauldrons."
"Her what now?"
Perfuma gingerly touched the red shoulder padding. "It's stuck to her exoskeleton."
Mermista's brows rose slightly, then narrowed. "Mmkay."
Frosta took a step back, coming to a stop next to Sea Hawk, who stood with his ankles crossed and his arms folded on the edge of the water-bearing cart.
Mermista raised a hand and pulled some of the water. "Alright…so… under." She lowered herself so she could get a better look under the shoulder pad. Perfuma gripped the edge of it and held it steady, pulling it slightly to reveal a small gap between the pauldron and the shirt of Scorpia's uniform. "Got it." She then shot the water in a thin stream inside.
At the contact, however, Scorpia's eyes shot open and she jolted up onto her knees with a startled growl. Her tail swished in a blur and Mermista quickly dropped out of the way of the stinger. Sea Hawk yelped and dove behind the cart. Emily curled up, drawing her legs into her body.
The scorpion lurched, off balance. Her dark eyes rapidly skimmed the scene before her but the blurs and movement were both too slow and too fast at the same time – she couldn't register what she was seeing well enough to try and put an identity to the figures. She could, however, register the brightness. She and Perfuma were no longer under cover.
"Wait! Scorpia!" Perfuma leaned after her and threw her arms around the other woman's neck. "It's okay! Stop!"
On impact, Scorpia's arms reflexively embraced Perfuma in return. Perfuma could feel Scorpia's weight push into her and she fell back against the wall, her shoulders thunking lightly into it. Scorpia's grip didn't loosen – instead they tightened into that familiar, engulfing embrace she was so known for. Perfuma could feel the other woman's meaty claws around her, and grimaced when she felt a little give in the usually rigid pincers.
Scorpia bared her teeth with a pained growl, her tail swiping out in an arc. Mermista backed out of the way, ducking when something shot from her tail, sailing over her head and clacking along the ground behind her. Sea Hawk had begun peeking over the edge of the cart, but ducked down again when the something flew by.
Perfuma grit her teeth, looking between Scorpia's jaw and her arm to see Mermista stepping back and Frosta watching in horror. The young girl suddenly turned on her heel and ran out of Horror Hall.
Oh no! No no no! Perfuma extended her hand out to call her plants, but… but if they bound Scorpia they could hurt her. If they provided a barrier and her companion struck it with her tail, she could break her tail, couldn't she?! Perfuma's fingers shook as she hesitated.
Mermista drew back out of the tail's range and Scorpia didn't pursue her, but instead flicked her tail at the cart.
Sea Hawk pulled the cart back, the tail narrowly missing it.
The mermaid held her hands up. "Woah, hold on!"
Perfuma brought her hand back and embraced Scorpia with both arms. "Please! Stop!"
It was then the rush in her ears ebbed and she realized Scorpia was whispering. Perfuma strained her ears to listen. In a breathy tone the scorpion wheezed a mantra, "I gotcha.. I gotcha.. I gotcha.. I gotcha…"
Perfuma's gaze softened, realizing that Scorpia was leaning over her, shielding the blonde's smaller frame with her own. In her haze and pain, did Scorpia think she was protecting Perfuma? Her eyes wavered and she cupped the back of the other woman's head. Of course she would protect someone she cared for, first. At least it kept her rooted in place.
The blonde pushed Scorpia back just a little, then brought her hands up to cup the other woman's face. Scorpia's dark eyes were focused in Mermista and Sea Hawk's general direction, but with that same worrying glazed look she'd had since Perfuma found her there. There was no hint of recognition, or even malice – pain and alarm. Perfuma urged Scorpia to look at her, holding her face between her hands. The scorpion was panting between clenched teeth. "Scorpia. You're safe. We're safe. That's Mermista and Sea Hawk. They're our friends. They came to help you."
Scorpia squinted and strained to listen to Perfuma. She felt the warmth of her palms against her cheeks, could feel the urgency in her tone and she strained so hard to listen – but those words flittered in and out of her mind before she could truly grasp them, like grains of sand between her claws. Which hurt. Her shoulders and rapidly swishing tail also hurt – and one shoulder especially felt wet and uncomfortable. It was bright and they were out of cover and there were figures around them she faintly recognized but couldn't identify and could it be Shadow Weaver?! They were under attack, right?! And-
She suddenly felt something soft thunk gently against her face, pulling her from her thoughts. Scorpia blinked as she saw a blurry reddish brown object obscuring some of her view.
Perfuma blinked when she found a stuffed scorpling toy jutted between her and Scorpia, pressed against the other woman's face. The stuffed little scorpion plush was gripped by a small hand, which led to a small, blue-clothed arm, which led to Frosta's tearful gaze as she tried to catch her breath, standing beside them.
"Patchy says don't fight anymore!" Frosta said as she sniffled and rubbed her eyes with her other hand. Scorpia blinked slowly, then slowly leaned back on her haunches to get a look at the plush and the little girl holding it. As she leaned back, Frosta moved to climb on Scorpia's lap, using the leverage to hold the toy up between her hands, blocking Scorpia's view of Mermista and Sea Hawk – the former who was watching in confusion and the latter who was slowly peeking out again from the cart. "He says no one bad's allowed in here! Uh.." She paused, then thunked the plush gently into her face again. "Only friends! Anyone who's not a friend that comes in here and he'll sting them! So…" she swallowed. "So don't fight anyone in here!"
Scorpia was too tired to make out the details, but the silhouette of the plush – along with the mis-matched, soft, patchy texture of the fabric from which the plush got its namesake – was unmistakable. She also picked up on Frosta's voice and her very blue attire, and a few words here and there.
Mermista stared at the group, her fingers twitching before she raised her hands. What were they thinking?! This would never work in a thousand years. "Ugh…Frosta, she's not five-"
The water princess blinked when Scorpia pressed her face gently against the plush in Frosta's hands, her tail lowering. Mermista dropped her hands. "Or maybe she is. Ugh, what do I know?"
Sea Hawk inched his way out from behind the cart. "So …we're good now?"
Emily rolled back towards the group, sliding her legs out from her body and propping herself up.
Perfuma watched Frosta and Scorpia with surprise at first, but her gaze softened as Scorpia's demeanor eased at the sight and feeling of her familiar plush. She let out a small sigh of relief and shifted to embrace both Frosta and Scorpia. She felt Scorpia's large claw gingerly against her back as the other woman returned their embrace.
The flower princess smiled fondly to Frosta, giving the little girl's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Good call."
Perhaps the ice princess had the right idea. If Scorpia was too hazy to understand what was happening, then perhaps keeping her comfortably distracted might be the better approach.
Notes: And now Mermista and Sea Hawk (the other mildly useless as of right now) enter the scene! And almost get stung senseless. Until Frosta saves the day with Patchy (thank you GardenofCrystals for the name! I knew she had a plush but I didn't know there was a name for them! And a cute one, too!). Child's logic for the win!
