The Dark Woods
In the depths of the Fright Zone, inside a dark laboratory, Hordak stepped in with his personal and seemingly-permanent glare peering into the lab. He strolled past all the test tubes filled with strange chemicals, flashing lights over operating tables with broken and half finished machines, large glass casings with dissected and pickled creatures both magical and common. As the leader of The Horde walked through the atmosphere of being inside the most haunted part of the Fright Zone, his ears picked up the sounds of needles scraping the ceiling above him. Hordak heard the sound scurrying around him like those of a vicious crab scraping the ceiling towards its prey. He narrowed his eyes as two red tentacles reached towards him from behind as if tasting the air around the leader of the Horde. Hordak continued walking, ignoring the presence behind him until he arrived at a bloodied operating table with loosened leather straps and a bloody knife.
The scurrying continued around Hordak, adding a sinister laughter as the lights continued to flicker around them. It was like a colony of ants and crabs crawling around the freshly left corpse on the sea.
Hordak slammed his fist against the operating table, leaving a large imprint on the table.
"Enough of your games, Modulok. Tell me why you've called me over or you'll need more than a few tubes to put yourself back together." Hordak threatened.
"Oh, you're no fun, boss," a mocking, eerie voice like that of a clown with a dark joke behind each tooth spoke.
The owner of the voice dropped down from the ceiling behind Hodark as the lights illuminated the figure. The creature was red like the fires of the underworld with blue bug eyes and an animalistic jaw with yellow teeth. It looked like it was a mixture of skinless muscles with sharp claws and six spider-like legs with purple tips. It had plastic tubes around its body that allowed the purple blood to pass through his body as its four tentacles slithered around from its back. This was Modulok, the Head Scientist of the Horde.
"I see that you are not in the best of moods," Modulok commented, slithering to the other side of the table. "Though you seldom are these days." He laughed through his row of shark teeth.
"Things have gotten… complicated as of late." Hordak spat out. "The Alliance seems to have gotten a second wind, recovering captured territory, pushing back our forces, gaining strength from their new alliances."
Modulok couldn't help but chuckle at his leader's utter rage. He was aware of the situation between the Horde and the Alliance, which made him a bit jittery. The monstrosity that was the head scientist had not had anything useful to do other than make simple bots and weapons of war. So when he heard that someone was making trouble, he got very excited to bring out some of his more experimental and dangerous projects. But above all else, it delighted him to see his boss fuming from the lack of victories.
"Well, according to the reports I've read, it would seem that the legendary protector of the First Ones, She-Ra, has come back. Although, she doesn't look much like her picture," Modulok said, pulling up a holographic picture of Catra in her She-Ra form. "She looks a little furrier than the murals show her. Though, I would like to pick apart her sword. Not to mention this newly dubbed 'He-Man', which reminds me of someone, though I can't remember who."
"I don't care who they are! They are wielders of magic and a disgrace to the First Ones, as well you know." Hordak glared with glowing red eyes.
Modulok suppressed a grin at the sight of his leader's temper. He would've loved to see the look of Hordak after the two new heroes of the Alliance landed another blow to the Horde, if it didn't get him closer to being executed for his part in the Horde's war path.
"Now, what is it that you wanted to show me, Modulok?" Hordak asked.
"Of course, of course, my lord. I did not call you down here for your company, though it gets lonely down here." Modulok pulled up a holographic picture of the Whispering Woods. "These are the Whispering Woods. Aren't they pretty?"
Hordak growled at the sight. He was not a fan of the damned magical trees that had kept his troops from reaching Brightmoon. They were a living reminder of his mission and what he sought to do for his masters.
"Yes, for years, these overgrown weeds have protected the Alliance's stronghold, Brightmoon." Modulok showed images of Horde soldiers being trapped by the trees and vehicles being consumed by the forest itself, never to be seen again. "They have proven impervious to all our gardening tools. For each tree we manage to cut down, two more take its place and so on and so forth."
"I am already aware of this, Modulok. Get to the point." Hordak growled. "Or I will rip out your eyes."
"I was just waiting for that threat, my lord." Modulok snapped his fingers, activating his newest deadly machine. "Behold, Lord Hordak! The Dark Wood Poisoner! D.W.P. for short. My latest creation!"
The robot resembled a small tank with spiked belts for legs, two blasters on each arm and a sharp screwdriver nose coming out from the head, just below the large glowing green eye.
"These bad boys will give us the edge we've been looking for. Thanks to my tests in the Flower Kingdom, I have developed a potent poison that can render even the sturdiest of trees into frozen husks. Observe." Modulok pulled out a small syringe filled with a green poison.
He injected the poison into a small flower, freezing it like a popsicle from the inside.
"Now this is worth my time," Hordak said, smiling.
"Once my robots fill enough trees with this poison, removing them will be a sinch." the scientist laughed. "We will have a direct and open path to the heart of Brightmoon with none being the wiser. Also, I've made something else that you'll like."
"Bring it out then." Hordak demanded, liking what he saw.
Modulok pulled out a large red crystal attached to a black staff.
"I call it the Curse of Longinus," Modulok introduced. "I'm not a big fan of magic or the Shadow Bitch, but I was able to procure this little doohickey from her little sanctum. It holds a powerful shot that can neutralize the magic of anyone that gets shot with it. One shot of this and our princess problems are all but history." He handed the staff to Hordak, who observed it with delicious glee.
"By my masters, this will do nicely." Hordak laughed before being joined by Modulok.
Modulok enjoyed this moment. Although he had no idea if the red crystal would do what he promised, the fault would fall to both Shadow Weaver and Hordak for using a weapon that she was hiding. He was willing to play the long game if it meant that he would be the one standing at the end of the conflict. And if he played his cards right, he would get his hands on some interesting specimens to experiment on and find out what made them tick. There was always time for another experiment in his mind.
In Brightmoon, Glimmer was reading some scrolls her aunt had sent her in her room. She was having trouble understanding the theory of how magic was channeled by sorcerers, but that just made her want to get down to practicing with her aunt all the more. She sighed in annoyance, dropping her scroll.
"I wish I could get these stupid riddles." Glimmer groaned.
"Maybe you could ask your aunt for instructions the next time she sends something," Catra suggested, surprising Glimmer. "Though these things are written in gibberish."
"Catra, what are you doing here?" Glimmer asked, teleporting before her friend. "As much as I enjoy girl time, could you at least knock." She took the scroll from Catra's hand.
"I did. Why not run some of these by your mom? She might know something, or Izuku." Catra shrugged. "He's always got his nose in a book."
"No. My mom cannot learn about this." Glimmer put away the scroll. "If she learned that I'm learning magic, she would flip. Guess Izuku is my best chance." She smiled slightly.
Catra noticed the smile and the sneaky blush that was coming out on Glimmer's face. She had noticed those blushes on not just Glimmer but the other princesses as well. But she also knew that Glimmer had gotten them near her. And as the saying goes, Catra got curious.
"And getting to hang out with me and Izuku is the highlight of your day?" Catra asked mischievously.
"Wha? What? No, definitely not-" Glimmer snapped before realizing what she just said. "Not that hanging out with you isn't great! It's like hanging out with Bow and the other princesses."
Catra, however, wasn't buying Glimmer's attempt at hiding it. She had been doing the same when Izuku sometimes didn't get the hint. She circled Glimmer, rubbing herself on the princess and sending shivers down her spine and making her blood pump like a locomotive. As the princess flinched and jumped from all the movements, Catra decided to tease her a little bit.
"Is that so, huh?" Catra asked. "I come all the way here to see what's bugging you and that's all I get? I feel so hurt."
"I-I-I didn't mean it like that." Glimmer shivered. "I-I meant that you were just like my-my new normal friends."
"Wow, comparing me and Izuku to just another pair of friends. That's cold," Catra said, making Glimmer blush. "And here I thought that we had something more~." She whispered, getting in closer to the princesses' face.
"Okay, fine! What do you want from me?!" Glimmer asked, looking more like a tomato. "Admit that I like you two more than a normal friend should?! That I can't get the two of you out of my head?! And that I wished to be in that sort of passion?!"
Catra flinched at the sudden declaration. Her face warmed up as soon as she registered those words. She had not expected Glimmer to just burst like that. Then again, she knew that Glimmer wasn't always one for the simple and quiet approach.
Glimmer clamped her mouth shut, covering it with her hands, hoping to not say anything more.
They stayed in silence for a second before Catra spoke.
"... Wow, you've really got it bad." Catra admitted.
"I-I got to go!" Glimmer teleported out of the room, taking the scrolls with her.
"Wait, Glimmer, I'm-" Catra tried but she was gone. "... sorry. Damn it. I shouldn't have pushed her too much. She's lucky she's cute."
Glimmer teleported to the training ground, hiding behind one of the large stone pillars. She hid her face in the scroll, wishing she had been born a mute. She couldn't believe she had just said those things to Catra's face. She silently prayed for the ground to swallow her. The idea of facing anyone in that state was something that terrified her to no end and could do without looking at anyone important at that moment.
"Glimmer, is that you?" Izuku called out, causing Glimmer to curse her luck.
"Hey, Izuku, what are you doing here? I didn't see you." Glimmer forced a smile, hiding her scroll.
"I was just doing some exercises, hoping to become stronger for future fights," Izuku explained with a smile.
"Yeah, I-I can see that." Glimmer stared at the shirtless, sweating Izuku before her eyes.
Glimmer bit her lower lip, hoping to keep her urges under control. Which was getting harder to control by the sight before her and the way she just exploded in front of Catra. She was just thankful that Izuku was putting on his shirt before changing the subject of the conversation.
"Is that scroll from Mystacor?" Izuku asked, much to Glimmer's relief.
"Oh, yeah. Aunt Cass sent them to me to better help me understand magical theory. But I understand it as well as Catra understands not to play with people," Glimmer muttered in the last part. "Could you help me?"
"Um, not that I wouldn't love to, but my knowledge of magic may be a bit limited," Izuku admitted. "Why not your mom, she might know something, right?"
Glimmer looked away in slight annoyance.
"My mom doesn't want me doing magic." Glimmer gripped the scroll.
"But why? Wasn't your dad a sorcerer?" Izuku asked. "Plus your aunt is a powerful sorceress. She could be a great teacher."
"You say that, but my mom has never said anything about it. Honestly, I don't know what she would think if I told her I want to learn magic. Ever since dad died, she's been a bit distant from me." Glimmer revealed.
"I'm sorry, Glimmer. I didn't know," Izuku said. "Would you like me to try and help, if I can?"
Glimmer smiled, showing Izuku the scroll that she'd gotten.
They both read through it with an eye for detail.
"I understand the parts that say that I should focus my energy, but the part about linking it with the energy around me through my personal glyph kinda sounds weird," Glimmer explained while Izuku re-read the scroll once more.
"Well, it isn't First Ones' writing so this is something you could ask your aunt," Izuku said. "But I think I can help you with the other part."
Glimmer smiled as Izuku helped explain the scroll bits he understood.
"The magic princesses use comes from their runestones, like yours the Moonstone, meanwhile, sorcerers use the magic around them to cast their spells. One For All has a similar principle." Izuku got into a combative stance. "I channel the energy around me, using my body as a conduit of that might. But instead of sending out the energy into something I want, I use it to empower my body and all my muscles."
"Oh yeah, muscles~." Glimmer gushed before shaking her head. "I mean, yeah muscles and all that. But how do I do that?"
"Well, my master suggested meditation as the safest way, but sometimes by getting hit with a powerful blast from another source." Izuku scratched his chin.
"Like a punch or a blast of magic?" Glimmer asked. "No thanks. How about a demonstration? Maybe that can help."
Izuku nodded as he began channeling the energy through his body like he'd done many times before. His body became encased in a green aura before he started to perform some of his exercises with the flow of his energy. He could feel Glimmer's eyes following his movements in an almost hypnotic state. But he liked to think that it was because she wanted to learn.
From the other side of the courtyard, Catra walked out, looking for Glimmer to apologize. She was just about to call out her name when her eyes landed on the pair.
"And here I thought I had to apologize, yet here is Sparkles hoping for a show." Catra huffed before sighing. "Guess I could use one too."
Catra sneakily approached Glimmer before sitting down next to her.
The two girls observed the small demonstration that Izuku was giving them. They were so into the demonstration that they didn't notice the two other figures that walked up to them.
"The energy has to remain constant through your whole body and not just in one part like your arms and legs," Izuku explained. "The more energy you channel the more strain it brings to your body, so you need to build up your body's endurance and stamina."
"Is that why you're always training?" Glimmer asked.
"He has to keep up the good looks," Catra replied.
"That is such an impressive display of balance and respect for all nature around you, Izuku." Perfuma cheered.
"I don't know why but I can't look away." Entrapta pulled out her recorder. "Log date 731, Izuku is showing some strange martial arts that may have a connection with his ability to read First Ones' scriptures. Must ask for a demonstration."
Glimmer and Catra jumped at the sudden appearance of the two other princesses. Glimmer even jumped into Catra's arms and Izuku flinched in fear.
"When did you all get here?!" Glimmer asked, blushing at the fact she was in Catra's hands.
"I just got here, I don't know when these two got here!" Catra answered as Glimmer jumped out of Catra's hands.
"I came here because Bow managed to get new First Ones' tech and I wanted to examine them. But then my gear picked up a strange energy spike and then I saw Izuku punching and kicking the air and for some reason I couldn't look away." Entrapta recorded her explanation.
"Okay…." Izuku blushed. "What about you, Perfuma?"
"Oh, I came here because I was looking for you." Perfuma admitted. "Something's wrong with the woods. The Horde is sending some strange-looking robots according to some of our scouts. They did something to some of the trees."
The group called for an emergency meeting in the war room, where Perfuma placed a piece of a frozen tree in the center of the table. The tree branch she had brought was almost a fully frozen chunk with bits of it falling off, dripping a green liquid. The piece looked like it could be easily broken with enough force and that was if the Horde didn't use any flamethrowers to get through the frozen trees.
Looks of worry filled the room as the consequences of what this was spread.
"And you say that a robot did this before they moved on?" Queen Angella asked.
"Yes, the scouts said that they overheard one of the soldiers saying that they needed a test before going out to the main target." Perfuma touched the frozen branch. "As soon as they did this, they left. Who would do such a thing against an innocent plant?"
"Well, the Horde isn't exactly a member of the nature and magic conservation society, so this doesn't seem too out there for them." Catra shrugged. "But what could they be doing with so many robots that do this?"
"The Whispering Woods!" Glimmer snapped. "That must be their target!"
Everyone in the room looked at Glimmer in shock. They could see the logic behind her words and that was what scared them.
"The Horde hasn't been able to pass through the Whispering Woods for years, why try a frontal assault now?" Queen Angella asked.
"Because now they have something they can use to make a path for them to move forward." Izuku pointed to the frozen branch.
"If they freeze enough trees to make a path, they could attack Brightmoon with the full extent of their forces." Netossa slammed her fist.
"How long until they reach the Whispering Woods?" Angella asked.
"Half a day at best, six hours the quickest, your highness," Bow replied.
"General Netossa, I want Brightmoon's defenses to be on high alert and ready for anything. Get the civilians to safety. Spinnerella, I want you to take a team with you and intercept the robots before they get to the border of the Whispering Woods." Queen Angella ordered.
"Yes, your majesty!" The war council replied.
"Izuku, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, and Perfuma, you're with me," Spinnerella said. "We'll go and stop those things before they make a dent in the woods."
"Um, are you sure that I'm the best option to go fight?" Perfuma asked before Catra picked her up.
"No time like the present, Flowers." Catra carried Perfuma much to Izuku's embarrassment.
"Glimmer," Queen Angella called her daughter, turning around. "Please be careful out there. Please."
Glimmer smiled at her mother, knowing that she meant to make sure she was safe. Despite all their butting heads, the princess was aware that her mother loved her, and maybe this would be the way to get a better relationship with her. After the death of her father, her mother and her had barely had much mother daughter time between them, but at least now they were getting better. She teleported to meet up with the rest of the team, unknowingly dropping her magic scroll.
"Oh, Glimmer, you dropped your… scroll?" Angella picked up the scroll. "Mystacor?"
Queen Angella started reading the rolled out scroll. She read through the scroll, noting that they were instructions for the manifestation of magic. She wondered why Glimmer would read anything that related to magic that they would teach at Mystacor. But the more she thought about it, the more her eyes widened at the realization of it all. Her daughter was following her father's footsteps and that led to a dangerous destination.
"Oh no." Queen Angella feared.
Izuku, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, Perfuma and Spinnerella rushed through the Whispering Woods. They were riding on Entrapta's latest invention, a hovering car used with spare First Ones' tech and leftover parts of Horde robots and tanks. They were having trouble with the steering despite Bow's best intentions and attempts at driving. They were trying not to crash and not scream in utter terror of the trees just popping out of nowhere.
"Bow, can't you control this stupid thing?!" Catra dug her claws into the seat.
"I'm trying, but Entrapta didn't give me much instructions on how to use it!" Bow screamed, trying to slow down the flying ship that was getting more tree leaves than a backyard in the Fall. "I'm figuring it out as I go!"
"Actually, I think she left us instructions!" Spinnerella pulled out a large book with Entrapta's face on the cover.
Spinnerella was then jolted out of her seat and into Izuku's arms. He caught her with his hands although with all the movements, she ended up in his lap. His hands were getting a good amount of her large ass and his face was dangerously full of her breasts.
"Oh sorry, sweetie," Spinnerella giggled, much to the annoyance of Catra and Glimmer.
Perfuma blushed slightly at the sight of Izuku being smothered by the attractive body of another woman. She grabbed the instruction manual to get her mind out of thet for a while.
"'Welcome to your first Speedy Hovering All Terrain Vehicle, a proud creation of Princess Entrapta. Follow these instructions and you will have many comfortable years of troubleless riding'." Perfuma read out loud just in time for them to bump up into a large tree.
"Well there was one big lie in that introduction alone." Glimmer spat out a few leaves from her mouth.
"Remind me to get Entrapta a dictionary and how to abbreviate her stuff to readable levels." Catra jumped off the hover vehicle before being followed by Glimmer, Izuku carrying Spinnerella, Perfuma and Bow. "That thing needs a few extra trials before we have to be crash test dummies once more."
"Thank you, Izuku," Spinnerella said, caressing his cheek.
Izuku blushed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He hated to admit that he had actually liked being so close to the attractive woman, as any other man would've enjoyed it. As they walked to the edge of the woods, he made it his mission to keep his mouth shut so as to not let anything out that would get him in hot water with his girlfriend. He then spotted Perfuma being all the way at the back of the group.
"Is something wrong, Perfuma?" Izuku asked.
"Oh, no… Well… Maybe. Yes," Perfuma replied. "I'm not sure if I should be on this mission. I'm still not that great of a fighter and it feels like my powers would be useless against these bots."
"But you are also the one that brought us this in the first place. You should be here," Izuku replied. "Are you still against the idea of fighting others? What about the Snow Ball Dance, you fought then."
"I was mostly just defending, not attacking. I'm more comfortable like that." Perfuma caught a leaf from a tree. "How do you know you're the good guy if you attack people and hurt them?"
Izuku looked down in thought. He knew that attacking first wasn't very heroic. But he couldn't just wait all the time for the bad guys to attack and then react to it in time. He needed to be more active in the fight against the Horde, but how did he translate that to Perfuma, who was against violence for a long time? Izuku would have to figure that out sooner rather than later.
On the other side of the group, Catra and Glimmer were keeping their eyes on and off of each other. It was clear that they wanted to address what they said to each other before. But the awkwardness between them was too great. They couldn't even break the silence without biting their tongues. Catra scratched the back of her head while Glimmer looked down, rubbing her neck.
"So," Catra and Glimmer said at the same time. "I didn't mean to."
Catra sighed.
"This isn't working, you go first," Catra suggested.
"What is there to say? I let out some embarrassing feelings or urges, I guess you can call them, in front of one of the people I was thinking about," Glimmer growled while fighting the urge to blush.
"Well, yeah, there's that. But come on, you must've had those things before and we can just not talk about them," Catra suggested. "... Right?"
Glimmer didn't reply. She just kept looking ahead, hoping that her lack of response would deliver the message.
And it did.
"Wait. Are we the first… strong crushes you've had?" Catra asked.
Glimmer pouted, covering her face from Catra's sight.
"Oh my god, we are," Catra said.
Glimmer didn't say anything. She just wanted to get swallowed by the earth before anything else could make her look like a deviant to her friend. In many ways, Glimmer saw everything she wanted in Catra. She was free from restrictions, wasn't afraid to throw down and didn't hide her feelings from the one she loved. Glimmer wanted to be like that. But as a princess, there was only so much she could cut loose without her mother calling out on her actions.
"Can we please not talk about it?" Glimmer asked. "So I'm a bit inexperienced in matters of young adult hormones. I bet it's easy to cut loose without having someone to answer to. No expectations to live up to."
"Hey, not everything is as easy for me as you think. It took a lot to get where I am, and even from time to time, I can't follow this whole princess thing." Catra drew out her sword. "I've got no idea how to use some of the legendary powers the other She-Ra had. I don't know how to cure or how I turned Meelog into a large ghost panther. I'm a mess too."
Glimmer found it both interesting and a bit surprising with what she was hearing. The rebellious Catra was now pouring her heart out while looking at her own reflection on her sword. She understood now that Catra was also under her own amount of stress when it came to her powers and what she had to represent.
"Then it's a good thing we have Izuku in our lives then," Glimmer said, getting a smile from Catra.
"Yeah, whenever he's around me, I feel like we could take on the world," Catra admitted. "Funny enough, that's what I thought we'd do when we were with Adora."
"You two are very stubborn, and so is she. We'll help her see the truth about the Horde and what they're doing." Glimmer put on a brave face. "If Izuku was able to get through that thick skull of yours, she'll be easy enough to change around."
"Add that up to one of his amazing skills." Catra smiled. "Aside from being an amazing lover in bed, that is."
Glimmer turned red like a tomato. She had just gotten through that awkwardness only to be plunged back in. She gritted her teeth, glaring daggers at Catra as the cat girl just smiled at the princess. As the blood pumped through Glimmer's forehead, she swore that she would get even with Catra. One way or another, she would see the cat-girl regret making fun of her. Glimmer's mind almost went down a whole list of different ways to get even with Catra, when she noticed that they had arrived at the edge of the Whispering woods and not a moment too soon.
The group looked ahead, spotting a large crowd of approaching robots with corkscrew noses coming towards the woods like an invading colony of termites. They spotted a large armored truck riding behind the robots with Adora, and Modulok at the helm.
"Who or what is that thing standing next to Adora?" Izuku asked.
"That monster is known as Modulok. From what our intelligence has told us, he is the Head Horde Scientist and is a viable candidate for second in command of The Horde." Spinnerella gritted her teeth. "He is notoriously known for his cruel and inhumane experiments on creatures and people alike. There's nothing that isn't corrupted as soon as it touches his hands."
"And now he's got an army of tree killer robots," Bow commented. "We need to stop them before they start attacking the forest."
"Alright, we need to buy time. Perfuma, you think you can make a large wall of trees?" Izuku asked.
"I'll give it a try." Perfuma nodded.
Back with the convoy of The Horde, Adora couldn't help but feel like Modulok was a little too sure of himself and eager to see what his machines could do to the trees. She always felt like he was looking over her shoulder, trying to pick her apart like she was some sort of experiment.
"Hey, Adora, how are you hanging?" Scorpia asked. "Sorry, Lonnie has been getting me to talk more like that."
"Scorpia, having you here is the only upside of this mission." Adora glanced at Modulok.
"Yeah, I honestly didn't expect to see him out of the lab, I thought he was a myth," Scorpia whispered.
"What was that?" Modulok asked. "Are you gossiping about someone?" he wrapped his hands around each of their respective shoulders.
Adora could feel her skin crawl as the head scientist got between her and Scorpia. She wanted to pull her electric baton and swat at the monstrous scientist, but she held still because he was part of The Horde. Adora's mind was filled with all the times she saw his experiments in the Fright Zone unleash chaos, which filled the mad scientist with glee. That snarling smile that split his face from side to side would haunt her for many nightmares. Adora couldn't help but start thinking of all the times she had seen something questionable happen before her eyes only to be told it was the law and will of The Horde. That trail of thought made her follow a path as it wormed its way to one single action she did. One that she regretted for the longest of times.
"Oh look, we're here!" Modulok said, prying himself away from Adora and Scorpia. "Prepare to deploy the robots and get rid of this eyesore."
Adora shook off the feeling of ants crawling through her skin before nodding to Scorpia.
Scorpia begrudgingly pulled the lever, sending the signal to the robots to advance.
The robots charged towards the Whispering Woods as Modulok waited giddily for his creations to do their thing. However, just as they were about to reach the Whispering Woods, large vines and trees sprouted out of the ground, blocking the path of the robots, managing to push them back before they could reach the magical forest.
"What is this?!" Modulok snapped. "I've heard of bringing out the welcome mat but this is ridiculous."
"This is the get off our lawn mat, you freaky insect man!" Catra called out, drawing her sword. "For the Honor of Grayskull!"
Catra transformed into her She-Ra form, landing on top of one of the robots, splitting it in half with her sword. She was joined by Izuku, kicking another robot's head off with a single kick before Glimmer, Bow, Perfuma and Spinerella appeared next to them, ready to fight. She felt the strong winds pushing back the robots, courtesy of Spinnerella's powerful winds.
"Alright, jerks. Get out of our sight before I get angry." Catra aimed her sword at the Horde group.
"Oh, you must be She-Ra, the hero I've been hearing so much about," Modulok chuckled. "I have to say that you look much more fierce than I expected. And next to you is the new He-Man. Oh, he looks adorable. I wonder what makes you tick."
Izuku gritted his teeth as he could feel the dark pleasure Modulok felt when he said that. He wasn't going to allow this man to destroy the Whispering Woods, nor hurt his friends. And he wasn't the only one. He could feel Spinnerella's winds picking up speed and Glimmer's glittering fists getting brighter. His eyes landed on Adora briefly as the rest of her task force came out of the large truck.
"Well, what are you waiting for?! Attack!" Modulok snapped.
Adora jumped down along with Scorpia and Lonnie, while Kyle and Rogelio mobilized the remaining of the robots.
"Perfuma, keep the trees up and the robots away! Spinnerella, give her cover!" Glimmer instructed. "Bow, you take down the antenna they're using to control the robots! Izuku, Catra, you're with me! Let's turn these things into scrap metal!"
"You got it, sparkles." Catra gripped her sword before she got to hacking the robots to pieces.
"We're with you!" Izuku added, charging at the robots, reeling back his fist before landing a blow on the chest of a robot.
The robots charged at the heroes of Brightmoon with their programming ensuring their path. They swung their large metallic arms towards the heroes, forcing them to jump out of the way before the robot's defensive weapons were activated. From their shoulders, laser cannons popped up and started shooting at Izuku, Catra and Glimmer with red laser bolts.
"I love it when my weapons shoot at my enemies!" Modulok gleefully smiled.
Izuku dodged the laser shots with his speed before jumping towards the robot. He dodged the drill nose, landing a kick to the side of its head, knocking it off. He then rushed to the other robot, only to be confronted by Lonnie and more Horde soldiers. He jumped back, avoiding the electric swing of her baton as the soldiers fired upon him. Using the momentum, Izuku picked up a fallen robot, using it as a makeshift shield.
"Nothing personal, Izuku! Just stand down!" Lonnie charged at him with her new metal mace in hand.
"And I won't allow innocents to be hurt, Lonnie!" Izuku kicked the robot body, sending it straight into the soldiers, knocking them back. "As long as the Horde keeps sending weapons of destruction, I will always be there to stop them!" Passing through the wreckage, he landed a punch on Lonnie's mace, sending her back before delivering an axe kick on the remaining soldiers.
Bow ran past the robots, shooting arrows at any of the soldiers and bots that came towards him. Sliding under one of the bots, he shot a roped arrow. He pulled himself towards the large truck, swinging into action and landing on top of it. He fired a gooey trap arrow, sticking Rogelio and Kyle in place.
"Time to put out these nightmare machines." Bow rushed to the controls, only for a tentacle to pull him back.
"I don't think so! I want to see what happens myself!" Modulok snapped, swiping his claws at Bow, forcing him to roll out of the way.
Glimmer teleported around the robots, drawing them closer to each other before they fired upon each other. She let out a sigh, only to realize that Scorpia was behind her.
"Hey there." Scorpia waved before trying to punch the Brightmoon princess.
Glimmer teleported out of the way before appearing on top of Scorpia. She held onto her with her arms and legs around her head, pulling and tugging Scorpia away from the robots.
"Hey, get off me!" Scorpia called out, trying to sting the princess off of her.
Glimmer teleported both herself and Scorpia on top of one of the robots before letting go. She avoided the sting by an inch before she teleported away from the fight before appearing behind Izuku.
"So, how's it going on your end?" Glimmer asked.
"Could be worse." Izuku blocked a swing from Lonnie's baton with his forearm. "Glimmer, you've met Loonie, right?"
"I haven't had the pleasure," Glimmer replied. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Lonnie grunted before Izuku flipped her away.
"She seemed nice." Glimmer blasted a Horde soldier with a sparkly blast.
They saw the robots rolling past their defenses as they tried to push back the soldiers. They were slowly making their way to the Whispering Woods, rolling over Perfuma's blockade and resisting the strong winds that blocked the lasers. Their massive robot arms crushed Perfuma's trees, forcing Spinnerella to jump away with the plant princess by her side.
"We need to stop them!" Glimmer turned to Izuku.
"I'll try to stall them. Glimmer, go help Bow shut down the robots!" Izuku rushed towards the robots as Glimmer teleported away.
Catra was pushing back the remaining Horde soldiers, using her shield to block the blaster fire before throwing a torn off robot arm at the soldiers, knocking them back. She transformed her shield back to its sword form when she spotted the robots getting near the Whispering Woods. She spotted Spinnerella controlling the winds, pushing back the soldiers and sending them packing with a large tornado. Her eyes spotted Izuku rushing towards the robots. Her eyes widened as the robots started to poison the trees, turning them to ice sculptures before everyone's eyes. As Izuku did his best to destroy as many as the robots that he could, she narrowed her eyes at the machines. Catra rushed to help her friend, only to be blocked by Adora with a brand new weapon.
"Catra, I think it's time to settle this." Adora pulled out an electric bo staff with sparks coming from one end and a sharp blade coming out from the other.
"Could you make it any more obvious that you're compensating for something?" Catra swung her sword at the bow staff, only for Adora to spin the staff, parrying the blow.
Catra turned around and started swinging her sword at her former friend. She kept clashing her blade against Adora's, using her stronger body to gain an edge, but Adora also parried and moved around the blade using well-trained footwork. Keeping her distance from the longer weapon, the new She-Ra blocked the oncoming attacks. She moved back and forth as a way to break through Adora's defense. She caught the electric end coming towards her, forcing her to duck before tackling Adora away.
"Give it up, Adora!" Catra held her sword at Adora's chest. "You can't tell me that you think this is right."
"We both know that that isn't something I can simply do. If I want to protect my friends and everyone under my command, I must complete the mission." Adora knocked the sword away with her staff before spinning it under Catra's feet.
Catra rolled back to her feet just in time to block another attack.
"I have to do this!" Adora pushed against Catra.
"Oh can you please stop sounding like a broken record? You've been saying that since we were kids!" Catra pushed Adora back before she swiftly sliced the bo staff in two. "I can tell no one has told you this, so I'll do you a favor and tell you the truth. You make your own choices!"
"Like you did?!" Adora used her two new sticks to fight back with a new fierce determination. "You followed Izuku like a lost kitty, how do you know that he was right in the first place?! The Horde is trying to bring peace through all Etheria and here you are as the mascot for wild magic!"
Catra did her best, blocking the attacks, but Adora's rage was giving her a boost in speed. She winced in pain as the sticks landed blows on her arms and legs. But Adora's attempt at making a good reason for all that the Horde had done, was making her angry. Catra caught Adora's electric stick, crushing it with her bare hand.
"You call attacking innocents bringing peace? You call trying to bury a whole kingdom balance?! You call attacking your friends, who warned you about the Horde's intentions, being your own person!" Catra snapped, punching Adora in the face. "If you think this is right, then you're wrong!"
Just as the fight was going on, Izuku was doing everything he could to push back the robots. His fists broke through the robot's hard shells, but the blasts coming from the armored truck were keeping him from doing more. Clenching his fists, he turned to see what was going on on the armored truck.
On top of the armored vehicle, Bow was dodging the attacks from The Horde's head scientist. He rolled out of the way as Modulok's claws left marks on the metal plating. Pulling out an arrow from his quiver, he fired at the monstrosity, only for one of the tentacles to catch it.
"Adorable. You brought a toy to a battlefield," Modulok mocked, tossing away the arrow before catching another arrow with ease. "I think I'll dissect you for this insult."
Glimmer appeared behind Modulok, activating the discarded arrow, releasing a large net that wrapped the scientist in it.
"What the hell?!" Modulok struggled against his bindings.
"Let's go!" Glimmer teleported Bow to the controls.
Bow and Glimmer pressed every button they could find, trying to stop the robots. But it seemed to do nothing at all. Modulok laughed as they tried to find a way to stop it but nothing seemed to work.
"You really thought I'd leave my precious machines at the hands of these brats?!" Modulok laughed. "Oh my pretties are not going to stop until the Whispering Woods are turned into popsicles."
Back with the Izuku, he was smashing robot after robot, but he was barely making dents on their advance. He looked at Perfuma and saw that she was creating vines to slow down the robots, but they weren't enough.
"Perfuma! You gotta do something! The robots aren't stopping!" Izuku called out.
Perfuma looked at what the robots were doing to the Whispering Woods. Her eyes widened in shock at the growing frozen trees. She could hear Modulok's laughter at the destruction of the plants. Tears of rage came out of her eyes as the flowers around her started to die.
"You can't just defend, Perfuma!" Izuku punched a robot to pieces. "You gotta throw a punch!"
Perfuma's eyes looked at Izuku and then at everyone as they tried to stop the attack. She wiped her tears as the grass under her started to grow around her. She slammed her hands down on the ground, causing the grass and all the plants under her to grow large. Commanding the plant life around her, Perfuma unleashed a large living tree, crushing the robots, ripping them apart piece by piece, and crushing the remains.
All the remaining enemy soldiers and even the heroes of Brightmoon were shocked at the sight of large vines of the tree crushing the robots.
The heroes of Brightmoon cheered in response to the robots being destroyed.
The remaining Horde forces were picked up by the vines and tossed away from the battlefield. Adora was caught by one of those vines. She reached out as Catra tried to save her. The two friends looked at each other for a moment before Adora was tossed away, deep into the Whispering Woods.
Modulok looked in horror as pieces of his robots rained down from above. He was filled with such a rage that he tore himself free from the net, bellowing like a wild animal. He pulled out the staff he hoped he didn't have to use. Aiming it at the two brats before him, he cursed under his breath. If he was to fall today he would take someone with him.
"Say your prayers, archer boy!" Modulok fired the staff.
"Bow, move!" Glimmer heard the shot, pushing Bow out of the way.
But she was struck with the magic. She fell to the floor as a red crackling aura surrounded her body.
"Glimmer!" Bow cried out, helping her up.
"Crap, missed. Oh well, one is better than none!" Modulok aimed the staff again. "And two are better than one!"
But just as he was about to fire, a powerful tornado picked him up and flung him away.
Bow looked up to see his friends all coming to help.
"Glimmer! Are you okay?" Izuku asked, as he helped Bow pick her up.
Glimmer only moaned in pain.
"I feel… sick," Glimmer let out.
The group made it back to Brightmoon in haste, taking Glimmer straight to the Moon Stone where her mother and the healers looked her over. The group waited for news of what was happening to their friend inside the waiting room. Izuku was pacing while Catra tapped her foot, both impatient and waiting for answers from their friend.
"Please, calm down. We will be informed of the situation soon," Spinnerella pleaded.
Almost as if on cue, the doors opened to reveal the queen. If looks could kill, hers was one that would give a slow death.
"How is she?" Bow asked.
"Is she going to be alright?" Izuku asked.
"Glimmer is stable at the moment. But whatever struck her carried some sort of curse," Queen Angella replied. "Her powers have been blocked. I've already sent word to Mystacor for someone to come and find a way of breaking it." She turned to leave.
"What can we-?" Catra began
"No! Until further notice you are to remain here." Angella snapped with a freezing glare. "You've done enough." She walked away to be with her daughter.
Izuku and Catra were frozen in place as everyone went off to do their own thing. They knew that those words were meant directly towards them. If they had been better, then they could have stopped Modulok from cursing Glimmer in the first place.
As they went back to their room, they didn't share a word. Just as Izuku closed the door, Catra punched the side of the door.
"I should've done more." Catra huffed in disappointment. "What's the point of being this super warrior when I can't stop a friend from getting hurt?!"
"I should've gone with her. I told her to go there to help Bow." Izuku sat down. "I'm the reason she's like that."
"I didn't exactly do her any favors by messing with her before the mission. You're not the only one at fault." Catra sat down next to Izuku. "If only I was better than just some tank. Why did I even bother trying to get through Adora's thick head instead of finishing the fight?"
"There has to be something that we can do. That curse must be the work of Shadow Weaver, so maybe she knows something!" Izuku cracked his knuckles. "We can get it out of her."
"Look, I would love nothing more than to get that bitch to spill everything she knows about that curse but we can't get to her!" Catra stood up.
"Well, where else are we going to find another source of ancient knowledge to deal with this curse?" Izuku asked.
Catra's eyes widened at Izuku's words. She remembered that she had access to ancient knowledge and how to use it. She drew her sword as she smiled, looking at her reflection.
"Actually, I know exactly where we can get some of that." Catra pointed to the woods. "Remember when we met Madame Razz?"
"Yeah, the nice old lady from the day we first met everyone in Brightmoon." Izuku followed, realizing what Catra meant. "That led us to the tall First Ones' building. The Beacon!"
"Yeah, we're going ancient tomb raiding, Izuku." Catra jumped out the window with Izuku following right behind her.