Chapter 21: Revelations
"That was a pretty crazy catch, Scorpia." Lonnie said, impressed with Scorpia while sitting next to her as Scorpia flew the air transport. Lonnie was referencing to when Catra fell off one of the domes of the Ice Palace while trying to hit Adora off.
"Well, I sure couldn't have let my wildcat plummet to her death, could I?" Scorpia replied, gleefully.
"You did good, Scorpia." Catra said, standing behind her, and putting her hand on Scorpia's shoulder. Scorpia could not help but blush upon feeling Catra's hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, you'd do the same for me, Catra!" Scorpia replied, happily. Catra merely smirked and walked back into the passenger hold. Bow and Glimmer were in the cargo hold in energy-walled holding cells. Kyle was rubbing himself, trying to generate heat, and Brett simply sat in his seat, staring out the window with his arms folded. Catra sat next to Kyle across from Brett so that she could face him. Brett turned to Catra for a moment.
"So… mission accomplished?" Brett muttered. Catra smiled with her eyes narrowed.
"Well, not until we get those two back to the Fright Zone, but hey, look at all the damage we inflicted. We blew up the Ice Palace, stole Adora's stupid sword, and captured two high ranking Rebellion leaders!" Catra said, excitedly, leaning with her hands on her knees towards Brett. She then slumped back into her chair and added, "not that capturing them is really saying anything… the Rebellion is a joke." Brett gave a broken smile and nodded then looked out the window again, losing the smile. Catra took notice.
"I think I'm losing the part where all that bums you out." Catra said, narrowing her eyes and folding her arms. Brett looked back at Catra.
"Yeah, sorry, that was definitely a major blow to the Rebellion. I'm just a little tired from everything we did today, that's all." Brett muttered. In reality, he was still thinking of how he most likely killed that ice princess. Brett shoved all of the guilt he had, deep down inside himself, and buried that guilt with delusions that his actions were completely acceptable. He reasoned with himself that it was for the glory of the Horde and the protection of Etheria. One less princess means one less evil in the world. Still, little strands of guilt seemed to seep up passed the delusions and remind him that Frosta was only a 12 year old girl. Nevertheless, he suppressed those emotions and replaced them with vindication. He had to remain strong and determined, regardless of the moral implications. It was at this moment of reflection that he realized he needed to get a wider atmosphere.
"I'm gonna go check on the prisoners." Brett said, standing up. Catra smirked and held up an energy baton with the handle faced towards Brett.
"Feel free to give them a shock if they wake up." Catra said, chuckling. Brett nodded, taking the baton from Catra's hands. He then made his way to the cargo hold. The cargo hold served as both a storage area and a makeshift holding area. There were a few cells that had been erected. The cells were tall squares surrounded by plasma walls. They also had a dampening effect on princess powers. If Glimmer were to try to teleport out, the plasma would blockade her teleportation. As Brett made his way into the cargo hold, he walked towards Glimmer's cell. All of the semblance of guilt that Brett had been feeling towards Frosta seemed to vanish as he approached Glimmer. He glared at her with disdain, still angry at the many defeats she had caused the Horde; most especially, Elberon. Just thinking about Elberon caused the veins in Brett's neck to rise.
"You get what you deserve…" Brett muttered, bitterly. Suddenly, he heard a groan behind him. He turned to see Bow picking himself up. Brett walked over and leaned his left hand on one of the pillars holding up the plasma wall. His right hand was holding the energy baton, keeping his finger near the trigger. After rubbing his head, Bow blinked his eyes a few times and looked at Brett.
"Nice to see you among the living. Hope you're cozy in there." Brett said facetiously.
"Wh..what happened? Who are you?" Bow inquired. Brett smirked.
"Well, since you asked so nicely…" Brett said, taking his hand off the pillar and taking a step back, "you and your pink haired friend were recently captured from Princess Prom. Currently, you're en route to the Fright Zone where you'll be held for ransom. What happens after that… well, I guess Lord Hordak will decide." Brett started walking away then turned back, "oh, and as to who I am, well… you already met my sister, haven't you?" Bow gasped as he stood up and moved closer to the plasma wall.
"Wait… you're that ninja… uh, Brittni's brother?" Bow inquired. Brett turned his whole body around and walked towards Bow.
"So, you know her name…" Brett said.
"Oh, do I? She's a beast in battle! You should've seen when we were attacked by that giant spider! She was so quick in figuring out how to stop it. We actually worked together. When the spider was going towards her, she shot the base of a tree, then I used one of my rope arrows to pull the tree onto the spider. It was amazing!" Bow said, excitedly. Brett eyed Bow with confusion and a little suspicion. Bow then coughed, "but, uh… what's your name?" For some reason, that question caught Brett off guard. Brett, using his powers of observation, could tell by Bow's vocal frequencies, that he really was sincere in wanting to know Brett's name.
"...Brett." He said, simply. Bow chuckled a bit.
"Well, Brett, I'd say it's nice to meet you, but you're… kind of our captors." Bow said, jokingly. Brett cocked his eyebrow and folded his arms.
"Tough to be on that end, isn't it?" Brett muttered. Bow cocked his eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that?" Bow inquired.
"Don't act like you and that princess don't know. You kidnapped my sister!" Brett snapped. Bow held up his hands in protest.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We didn't kidnap your sister. We saw her in the Whispering Woods, we fought, and… I dunno. It's not like we were trying to hold her for ransom or anything. This is a war, we didn't know their intentions. But, we found out that Adora and Brittni were just trying to find that sword." Bow said, truthfully. Brett let out a low, vocal tremble. The sincerity in Bow's words for some reason made Brett feel uncomfortable.
"Hmph… I see." Brett muttered, not really knowing what else to say. He then thought about Bow's friendliness in speech and asked, "why are you being so… friendly?" Bow took a seat on a crate within the plasma walls and put his fist to his chin.
"I mean, we're both people, aren't we?" Bow challenged Brett. Brett's eyes widened a bit, and Bow continued, "We can still be civil. I'm sure, despite what side we're on, we might not be that different." Brett peered closer to the plasma wall.
"What are you trying to say?" Brett inquired.
"Well, think about it, if we were born in each others circumstances, would we believe our side was still right?" Bow challenged. Neither of them said nothing for a little while. The only sound they could hear was the vents and engine of the air transport. Brett was truly pondering what Bow was saying.
"What kind of philosophical mumbo jumbo…" Brett thought for a few moments, then countered that thought with another, "but… he has a point… if I was born in the Rebellion, would I still believe in the Horde?" All of a sudden the silence was broken by a voice over the intercom.
"Brett! We're getting ready to disembark, prep the prisoners for transfer!" Catra's voice came onto the intercom. Brett stood there for a moment, silently. He looked at Bow who gave him a solemn look of understanding. Brett shuddered. This conversation and understanding that was being exhibited from a rebel soldier made Brett feel uneasy. Never did he imagine that a rebel soldier would strike a thought provoking question and conversation. The most uncomfortable feeling that Brett felt was the civility that Bow displayed. Nevertheless, Brett had to maintain his emotional fortitude. He cleared his throat and spoke into his radio.
"This is Brett, I copy." Brett said. He then looked to Bow, "thanks for the philosophy lecture, but I think it's time we focus on the real world."
Meanwhile, back at the Fright Zone…
Brittni had taken Keirnan's advice and took it easy for a while. This relaxation came in the form of a nap. Despite being unconscious for two weeks, she still felt fatigued as if she had just ran a marathon. When she went back to her quarters, she layed on the couch. Once her head hit the pillow, sleep overtook her…
When Brittni opened her eyes she found herself laying down on a different couch, in a different room. She sat up on the couch and analyzed the room. She looked around and discovered massive bookshelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling. There were end tables with busts of different, humanoid looking people that she did not recognize. There were study tables with lamps made of the finest ceramics and metals. The tile floor was diaspro red tile that was covered by safavid silk rugs. Suddenly, she recognized these lavish and extravagant materials. Upon scrutinizing the details, Brittni gasped upon realizing where she was. The tile, the silk, the ceramics, the bookshelves. She was in none other than the Library of Castle Elberon!
"How did I get…" Brittni began wondering to herself when she heard a noise. She immediately turned towards it and found a figure standing next to a bookshelf, reading some kind of novel. The light was a bit too dim, so Brittni could not completely discern who it was, though she did have a conjecture of who it was.
"You know, Brittni, with all of this warfare taking place, reading is becoming a lost art. I do hope that when this war ends, everyone will return to reading. After all, knowledge is the true power in this world." The figure declared as she turned a page. Brittni shuddered and reached around her waist for any kind of weapon. The figure continued speaking, "sorry to say again, Brittni, you do not have any weapons on your person. You are, after all, dreaming." Brittni let out a gasp.
"...Oracle?" Brittni inquired. Upon hearing Brittni's inquiry, the figure shut the book gently, put it back onto the bookcase, and began stepping into the light. Just as Brittni suspected, it was indeed the blue-skinned clairvoyant.
"Hello, Brittni, it's good to see you again." Oracle's reverbed sounding voice spoke to Brittni in a calm and sweet tone. Brittni, although recognizing Oracle, was distrustful towards her. Brittni squared her body up in a battle stance and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Oracle. Oracle stopped her advance.
"Oh, would you like me to prove this is a dream? I could find you something to read-" Oracle began before being interrupted by Brittni.
"I know this is a dream!" Brittni snapped in an impatient tone. Oracle's radiant yellow eyes widened a bit and her mouth expression looked shocked.
"Brittni, what seems to be troubling you?" Oracle inquired. Brittni's narrowed eyes burst open and openly glared at Oracle.
" What's troubling me?" Brittni echoed in a desperate voice. Her voice became even louder when she continued, "you're supposed to see and know everything, and you can't tell what's troubling me?!" Oracle said nothing but merely blinked at Brittni, allowing her to continue, "because of you, Adora defected. She left us for the Rebellion! How… how could this happen?!" Oracle continued to listen in a motherly way, much to the chagrin of Brittni. Nevertheless, Brittni continued her rant, "and ever since Adora joined the Rebellion, they've been actually starting to push the Horde back… Why didn't you tell me about all of this?!" Brittni demanded, beginning to tear up. Oracle merely stood there with her hands clasped together.
"Brittni…" Oracle began gently as she walked over towards Brittni, "please, have a seat and I will explain everything I can. Brittni trembled for a moment, then took a seat on the couch. Oracle waved her hand and a mystical sounding melody followed. Right after the melody, a chair appeared a couple of feet away from Brittni, facing her. Oracle then accordingly took her seat and began her monologue.
"Brittni, I know it may not seem so, but I do understand how you feel. I know that it hurt you that Adora left the Horde. I understand that you are confused-" Oracle began before being interrupted by Brittni.
"I'm not confused! I'm angry!" Brittni snapped. Oracle let out a slight sigh.
"Do you want to know why this war started, Brittni?" Oracle inquired. Brittni gasped upon hearing that question.
"Well… I mean, yes… Lord Hordak said it was because Bright Moon had been over taxing the Horde even though the Fright Zone was not under Bright Moon's jurisdiction." Brittni muttered, hanging her head. Oracle nodded.
"This is true, but the rationale for the war stems much further than that." Oracle said. Brittni raised her head in curiosity. Oracle continued, "Brittni, what I'm about to tell you will sound inconceivable, but it is the truth. I ask for a moment that you try to keep an open mind. I promise I am only trying to help you." Oracle said, gazing at Brittni in an almost desperate expression. Brittni studied Oracle's vocal frequencies and her gaze. After a few moments, Brittni sighed and nodded. Oracle smiled.
"Thank you… now, Hordak comes from a race of space-faring aliens. They are known as the Horde Empire. They have conquered and ruled countless worlds. Etheria is one of those planets that the Horde attempted to conquer. However, there was a young woman named Mara that used a portal to send Etheria to an unknown dimension called Despondos. Currently, we are in that dimension, away from the Horde Empire." Oracle said, giving Brittni a few moments to digest what she had just heard. Brittni simply blinked a few times and looked at Oracle as though her head just exploded. Oracle took notice and asked, "can I clarify anything?" Brittni continued to stare in consternation.
"I mean, I always knew that Hordak looked different than anybody else that I'd ever seen. I didn't think he was an alien, though… Although, part of the Fright Zone does look like a… spaceship of some sort. Did he crash land here on this planet when it was being moved?" Brittni inquired. Oracle smirked.
"Truly, you are brilliant, Brittni. Yes, you see, the reason that Hordak arrived on this planet was his fear of Horde Prime, the supreme leader of the Horde Empire. Horde Prime, in order to supplement his ever growing army, created clones of himself to serve as generals. However, practicality was not the main reason that he made clones. In his arrogance, Horde Prime believes that he is the one perfect being in the universe, and is prejudiced against anybody that is not him, or as perfect as him. Hordak is yet another clone in Horde Prime's military. However, in Hordak's case, he ended up being labelled as a 'defect.' There is no room for any imperfection in Horde Prime's empire, and so, Horde Prime ordered Hordak to be executed. Before the execution took place, however, Hordak managed to steal a spaceship and escape Horde Prime for a time. Although, eventually Horde Prime managed to hunt Hordak down and find his spaceship drifting above Etheria. Once Prime found him, Hordak's ship was shot down and ended up crash landing on Etheria at the same time that Mara activated the portal and sent the planet to Despondos. Thus began Hordak's attempt at living peacefully in this world." Oracle explained. She again gave Brittni a few moments to ponder everything that was just told her. It was silent in the dream for quite a while as Brittni pondered and Oracle sat there, patiently. Finally Brittni broke the silence.
"Okay, well let's suppose all of that is true. Why does any of that matter to me?" Brittni challenged. Oracle leaned forward in her seat a bit.
"Because one day, Horde Prime will find Etheria and destroy everyone on it, including the Horde." Oracle declared, boldly. Brittni trembled as she eyed Oracle with disbelief and suspicion. Oracle could see that Brittni was visibly shaking, so she allowed a few minutes of silence for Brittni to fully digest what she just heard. Brittni finally broke the silence, while glaring at Oracle.
"You're lying… There's no way!" Brittni protested. Oracle's expression remained calm and stoic.
"I assure you, Brittni, I have told you nothing but the truth. Everything I have told you is for your benefit and the benefit of everyone on Etheria. I gain nothing from lying to you." Oracle declared, assuredly. Brittni stood up then and pointed her finger at Oracle.
"Oh, really? How do I know that you're not working for the Rebellion? How do I know that you didn't want Adora to join the Rebellion?!" Brittni demanded.
"I did want Adora to join the Rebellion." Oracle said, collectedly. Oracle's words seemed to shatter any hope that Brittni had. Brittni's body trembled as she vocally shuddered. She stood there for a moment in disbelief with a couple tears pouring out of her eyes.
"How could you want that?! Why would you allow something like that to happen?!" Brittni demanded.
"Because, Brittni, one day the Horde and the Rebellion will be constrained to join forces in order to combat Horde Prime." Oracle declared, boldly.
"Join forces?! With the Rebellion?!" Brittni sputtered out. For the first time since Brittni had met Oracle, her voice became more stern and nearly emotional.
"Is that such an infeasible agreement? After all, aren't you the one that has been demanding why the two have been fighting in the first place? Aren't you the one that has been questioning the Horde's motives and methods since Elberon?" Oracle demanded. Brittni shuddered upon hearing Oracle's words. To be completely fair, everything Oracle had said was true, even if Brittni did not want to believe her. Seemingly losing her strength, Brittni collapsed onto the couch and leaned back with her head facing the ceiling.
"Yes…" Brittni admitted. Oracle took a breath.
"Forgive my vehemence, Brittni." Oracle said apologetically. Brittni simply held up a thumbs up. Oracle smiled and continued, "I don't mean to sound so callous against the Horde's plight, but this is something much more paramount than petty hatreds. I realize that both factions have a great deal of hatred one towards another, but this can be tempered by the right person: You." Brittni lifted her head up towards Oracle and gave her a shocked look.
"Me? Why me?" Brittni protested. Oracle smiled.
"Because I know what you are capable of. I can simply say that I've already seen the future where you unite the three factions, but that wouldn't quite convey my confidence in you. You are ethical, understanding, intelligent, and brave. I have been watching you your entire life, Brittni. I know that you are the one person that can unite them all." Oracle declared, boldly. Brittni smiled and chuckled a bit upon hearing Oracle's praise. Brittni then thought for a minute about what Oracle said about 'three factions.'
"Wait, did you say *three* factions?" Brittni inquired.
"Did I? Ah, yes… that is another matter for the future. You'll be meeting them soon enough. Be wary, however. They will be hostile towards the Rebellion and the Horde. But don't let this trouble your mind, you will be able to persuade them to join forces against Horde Prime one day. But, forgive me, I should not have even mentioned them yet." Oracle said, apologetically.
"Well, can you at least tell me what they're called so I can identify them?" Brittni inquired. Oracle nodded.
"They will be called 'Night Moons.' They will be made up of powerful mages and criminals." Oracle said. Brittni eyed Oracle suspiciously.
"They 'will?' They haven't formed yet?" Brittni inquired. Oracle shook her head.
"Not yet… but the time is coming very soon. Like I said, you will be ready." Oracle said, reassuringly. Brittni stood up and paced around the floor for a few moments, taking in everything that Oracle had told her. She let out an annoyed sigh that sounded almost like a groan, then looked at Oracle.
"You know, I still haven't agreed to any of this. I still don't even know whether I can trust you or not. I mean, where's the evidence of this 'Horde Prime?'" Brittni demanded. Oracle smirked.
"You can ask Hordak yourself, if you'd like." Oracle suggested, "if you mention Horde Prime at all, you'll be able to believe in Horde Prime's existence just from Hordak's reaction."
"Don't worry, I will." Brittni said, candidly. Oracle took notice of Brittni's defensive temperament but did want Brittni to trust her.
"Brittni, there is still a little more time that we can speak. These past couple of weeks that you've been out, I've been gathering much of the parts from my crystal ball, and slowly my visions have been becoming more unequivocal. If there is anything you'd like to discuss, please ask." Oracle said, giving a welcoming smile. Brittni gazed at Oracle for a few moments and bit her lip. Despite Brittni's wishes regarding many things, Oracle had been correct about every prediction. And Oracle's promises regarding helping Catra and Adora restore their friendship and helping Brett remain on the straight and narrow path, were enticing stipulations. Brittni went ahead and sat down on the couch and faced Oracle.
"Who are you?" Brittni inquird. Oracle let out a slight gasp and widened her eyes a bit. Although Oracle was ready to answer seemingly any question, she somehow was not prepared for that one. Nevertheless, Oracle curved her mouth back into a warm smile and gazed intently at Brittni.
"Well, quite simply… I am your mother." Oracle declared, happily. No amount of mental conditioning could have prevented the emotional syringe that was suddenly just injected into Brittni's amygdala. Brittni sunk back in her seat, blinking her widened eyes. Her hands were firmly grasping the dreamscape couch, and her throat dried up. If her thoughts weren't so preoccupied by this fortuitous revelation that was barreled onto her, she would be wondering how she was feeling all of these physical perceptions in a dream. Disregarding those physical feelings, Brittni believed her. Any doubt that Brittni previously had against Oracle had suddenly disappeared. Oracle's words were so soft spoken, and yet so undeniable. The truth seemed to manifest itself onto Brittni as though she had known Oracle since birth. Brittni, despite her dry throat, managed to speak.
"M...Mom?" Brittni asked. Oracle smiled and for the first time, displayed true emotion with a shed tear strewing down her face, and a receded smile that was trying to suppress her emotions.
"Yes, Brittni." Oracle began, with more tears streaming down her cheek, "it's true, I am your mother." Oracle choked out, beginning to laugh-cry. Brittni jumped off the couch and wrapped her arms around Oracle, crying. Oracle gently returned the hug, caressing Brittni's back. For a minute, neither said anything. They just let their emotions pour out. After a minute or so, Brittni pulled away from Oracle, sniffling and laughing.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Brittni inquired, sitting back on the couch. Oracle wiped away any remaining tear.
"Well, I don't mean to undervalue our relationship as mother and daughter, but every time I talked with you, I didn't have enough magic to continue speaking with you. We've only been able to speak this long because I've gathered the majority of my crystal ball. I knew it would be a sensitive and sentimental topic, and I really needed to give you as much information regarding the salvation of Etheria as possible. So… sorry?" Oracle said, chuckling. Brittni smiled.
"It's okay… Mom. Oh, that feels good saying that." Brittni said, giddying herself up. Oracle smiled brightly at her. Brittni then continued, "well, I have one more question…" Oracle nodded, allowing Brittni to speak.
"Well… how come we were raised in the Horde? Why didn't you raise us?" Brittni inquired.
"Mmm…" Oracle began with a sigh, "well, Brittni, that was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. You see, when I was raising you, I received a vision of you and Brett being raised by the Horde. I hate to admit it, but they raised you better than I ever could have. I saw the vision of you two growing up. The Horde taught you to fight, they taught you about leadership, war tactics, comradery, loyalty, and they allowed you both to develop your talents in unique ways. I remember seeing Brett cracking the code to enhance the targeting cards on the Horde bots that allowed them to increase their accuracy by ten percent. I saw you perform a treatment on a formerly unknown creature using only basic medical instruments and plant-based remedies." Oracle declared, proudly. Brittni chuckled and nodded her head.
"Heh, yeah… those were good times." Brittni admitted, "I guess I just wish I knew that you existed." Oracle nodded.
"I know, and I am sorry. I sadly had to put the future of Etheria above anything else, and the future of Etheria could only exist if you two were raised in the Horde. Besides, I knew you would question the ethics of both factions, because you're just like me. You want only what's best for as many people as possible. I know this may hurt for you to hear, but you being raised in the Horde, and Adora defecting to the Rebellion is all apart of the plan that is going to save Etheria. Believe me when I say that this was not a split second decision. I had to thoroughly consider every factor of my doing this. In the end, it was the right decision." Oracle said, matter-of-factly. Brittni simply nodded in acknowledgement. Oracle then continued, "at any rate, Brittni, you are about to wake up, so, sadly, this is goodbye for now." Brittni shuddered a bit.
"Thank you for telling me all this." Brittni said gratefully. She then added, "can I meet you?" Brittni asked, her eyes widening in anticipation. Oracle grinned.
"Of course you can. In a day or so I will reach out to you again with instructions. For now, you're about to wake up. Have a great day… daughter." Oracle said, waving goodbye.
And with that, Brittni woke up from her dream, gasping. She stared wide-eyed at the ceiling and grinned.
"I… have a mom." Brittni said, happily. She then flipped her legs over and stood up, "I have a mom!" Brittni repeated, more excitedly. She giggled upon fully registering this revelation she had received. So many questions were running through her head:
"When can I see her? Is she a good fighter? Do I have any other relatives? Do I have a dad, too?!" All of these exciting thoughts made Brittni happy until another thought crossed her mind. She thought about Horde Prime and her grin turned upside down. She knew that she had to talk to Hordak about it. She looked around and found herself alone in the quarters. It was about 16:00. Keirnan would be home in an hour or so. Brittni decided that for now she would keep Oracle a secret, but she did want to find out more about Horde Prime and his potentially inevitable arrival. With that, Brittni wrote a note saying that she went on a walk and that she'd be home later. After writing the note, she made her way towards Hordak's lab. Normally, before she arrived at Hordak's doorstep, Brittni would sweat enough to end a drought. Instead, this time, she walked with confidence and determination. Once she arrived at his door, she pressed the intercom.
"State your name and purpose." Hordak's deepened, smooth voice exuded through the speaker. Upon hearing Hordak's voice, Brittni's confidence declined a bit. Nevertheless, she shook her head and pressed the speaker button.
"Lord Hordak, it's Brittni. I have to discuss something important with you." Brittni said, confidently. Quite a few moments passed with no reply. A bead of sweat began streaming down Brittni's forehead. She wondered if she had somehow angered Hordak. Finally, Hordak's voice came back on the line.
"For your sake, I hope it is important. Proceed, Brittni." Hordak said. After his reply, his doors slid open. Brittni swallowed hard and walked into the sanctum, mentally preparing herself for the potential verbal or physical onslaught she was going to receive from bringing up Horde Prime.
