That's right. Not only is this my SECOND fanfic ever published, but's an Entrapdak fic! (Anyone who's seen my tumblr knew this was coming, I'm sure, but hopefully it doesn't diminish the excitment.)
And yes, this is a Season 3 Entrapdak fic published three months AFTER the end of the show. I am well aware of my timing or lack thereof. Still, if you find this fanfic and your love for the lab partners hasn't vanished, then it's makes no difference.
But that doesn't matter! My first Entrapdak fic is finally up after months and months of hard work and dedicated writing! I even wrote every page of this just before bed to ensure it achieved maximum cuddly, sleepy bedtime feels! Granted, the rough draft read like it was written by someone who was a couple minutes away from passing out, but after some careful reading it should read as good as any ol' Entrapdak fic. Whether or not you enjoy it or read it just before bed yourself, is totally up to you.
Enjoy!
Night had fallen over the Fright Zone once again.
Once again, the sky turned to darkness while the massive mechanized architecture of the Horde's fortress glowed a menacing molten orange from the crater it was built upon, illuminating the immediate area for miles. Smog and smoke drifted out of the great engine of conquest into the starless void above. The sinister machinery clanking and humming along ceaselessly, filling the air with its drone as it prepared for another day on the warpath with Etheria's rebellion. Within a towering structure at the heart of the Fright Zone laid the inner sanctum of its feared leader: Hordak. His dark gaunt figure wandered the emerald chambers of his lair, seething with anger.
It had been a long week for the lord of the Fright Zone. With Force Captains Catra and Scorpia in exile in the Crimson Wastes—Catra for her disobedience and repeated failures, Scorpia because she volunteered to accompany the latter for some unfathomable reason—he was forced to oversee their duties in their place, including the mobilization of the Horde's troops, distribution of resources, and other monotonous tasks he had no patience for. His army's progress continued to be thwarted by the intervention of that accursed She-Ra and her interloping alliance of rebels and princesses. This was in addition to his ongoing work on the portal project, almost none of which had turned out any satisfying results—only short circuits, errors, and other infuriating failures.
Had it not been for Entrapta, his lab assistant and the former princess of Dryl, his efforts would have been meaningless.
Thanks to that strange and marvellous woman, he was closer than he had ever been to creating a fully functional portal system to contact Horde Prime, boosting efficiency in the laboratory by 100%—or more—as well as developing a new more reliable exoskeleton to compensate for his crippling biological defects. As unusual as her mannerisms were—notably her fluctuating yet dedicated attention span, personification of the machines she worked with, the recording device she carried with and spoke into whenever she was working or truly invested in something, or her affinity for tiny foods—she had proven herself to be a valued companion to have in his endeavors.
Perhaps this was because Entrapta seemed to be the only princess in all of Etheria who was not dependant upon this planet's archaic ways of magic like the others. She not only relied upon technology, she excelled at it. Like himself, Entrapta recognized the power of science and would stop at nothing to realize its full potential. What's more, Entrapta was one of few beings on this backwater planet who did not fear him but respected him. She enjoyed their time together collaborating on the portal. She saw beauty in him that even he could not see.
The feeling was mutual.
Hordak's pleasant stream of thought was interrupted when he absentmindedly tripped over a discarded power conduit. His frustration returned to him immediately. He punted it across the room with a furious growl. After heaving several angry breaths, he regained his composure, and sighed.
Hordak was exhausted.
He had completely spent himself on his many tasks. To him, sleep was a waste of time—time to be on important matters such as the portal. However, he knew the consequences of overwork too well to ignore them. His syncopal episode from a few days prior was an embarrassing reminder of the necessity of rest. One that Entrapta did not hesitate to mention.
Stopping by a panel behind his throne, Hordak placed his hand upon a node in the back, then turned it to the right. The wall beside him slid away with a moan from the inner mechanisms, revealing the entrance to his most private quarters.
He stumbled through the doorway into his bedchamber. A modest square room with the same emerald walls of metal as the rest of his sanctum. These walls, however, were lined with an assortment of vents, pipes, and tanks: a variety of devices designed to keep the atmosphere bearable, thus optimizing his sleeping conditions. In its centre, a large yet plain bed, green blankets and white bedsheets dressing the mattress. A single white pillow rested at its head.
From behind him, a small winged creature swooped in. It flapped through the room, wheeling over Hordak's head in the room, greeting him with screeches. It was an odd little beast resembling a devilish toddler with pale gray-blue skin, yellow eyes, a tuft of blue hair, wings like a bat, a pointed tail, and a black and red onesie.
Hordak greeted the devilish child with small wave, unfazed by its sudden appearance. "Have you anything to report this evening, Imp?"
As Hordak's top spy, he scoured the Fright Zone for anything that escaped his master's knowledge and reported it back with frightening accuracy, thanks to some unseen recording device that somehow existed in his body. But tonight he had nothing for his master, so Imp landed on the foot of the bed and simply shook his head.
"Good. I might get some rest then," Hordak grumbled on his way over to his armour mount.
"Get some rest! Get some rest!" Imp repeated back, delighted to see his master taking care of himself for a change.
With the press of a button, an array of robotic arms descended upon him from a ceiling-mounted machine. Carefully they dismantled Hordak's armour, piece by piece, with surgeon-like precision. Though Entrapta had modified the apparatus to be more gentle on his frail body, the process was still an uncomfortable one. Hordak still winced and grunted as the arms removed his exoskeleton, essentially taking off an outer layer of his body.
Once it was finished, he shuffled over to his bedside. He meekly slid onto his soft, comforting mattress and pulled the sheets over top of him. It's for my own good, he repeated to himself willing himself to sleep. But it was unnecessary. Just moments after laying down, his exhaustion caught up to him and he drifted off to sleep.
Hordak's dreamless slumber was rudely interrupted by a metallic crash.
He awoke with a start, springing upright. A startled grunt escaped his clenched teeth. At his feet, Imp uncurled himself and was on all fours growling at a shadowy figure standing in the doorway.
"WHO DARES—"
The intruder yelped. "Nononono wait, wait, wait, it's just me!" Their voice was female, nasal.
It sounded very familiar to Hordak. He squinted in the low light, trying to see the intruder. He immediately recognized two huge purple pigtails—which were raised up like hands in surrender at this time—as well as fuchsia eyes, a round feminine face, tan skin, as well as white and purple clothing. He recognized her immediately. As did Imp, apparently, who had just calmed down and was sitting up, looking at their visitor intently.
"En-Entrapta? What—How did you sneak into my most private chamber?! The security systems should have been undetectable! Impervious!"
Entrapta seemed anxious, if not a little confused. "Oh, I'm sure it was," she almost sounded excited, "but you left the, uh… door open?"
Hordak grunted, cursing himself. Of course he was so tired he forgot to seal off the room again…
"Well, you're here now. What is it?"
The purple-haired princess stammered, "Um, well, it's just… I… Actually, it's not that important. Sorry I scared you." Embarrassed, she rose up on her great violet locks, turning to leave.
But Hordak sensed something was wrong. Entrapta was not her usual self. Her enthusiasm and carefree nature were noticeably absent. Instead, she seemed disturbed somehow.
"No," he reached out to her. "You are my…" What did she like to call the two of them? "…Lab partner, correct? Whatever concerns you have are my concerns. Do not hesitate to share them with me."
Entrapta turned back to him. "Oh! Well," she looked down at the floor, nervously running her hands through her hair. She seemed ashamed of whatever she had to say.
It suddenly occurred to Hordak that Entrapta looked different as well. She was not in her usual lab gear, her coveralls, welding mask, goggles, and even her gloves and boots were nowhere to be found on her person. Instead, she wore her usual white and grease-stained undershirt, a pair of pyjama pants as baggy as her overalls, and a pair of standard Horde-issue slippers—gray and fuzzy all over with red horde emblems embroidered on the toes.
The sound of her voice piped up again, snapping his attention back to their conversation.
"…I had a nightmare. A really bad one. I couldn't go back to sleep, so I was wondering if it's not too much to ask… Could I…" She winced as if expecting she would receive some horrible punishment. "Could I sleep with you tonight?"
Hordak's heart skipped a beat. His cheeks flushed a faint red. His body went hot, then cold. Words escaped him.
Sharing his bed? With another being? With his assistant? With a former princess? It would be unacceptable! If word got out about this, his image would be tarnished forever—Entrapta's as well, he speculated.
Yet, he could not find the will to tell her, "no."
Hordak looked closer at her. He noticed that Entrapta was visibly affected by this nightmare: Dark circles formed beneath her eyes. Her hair was disheveled, evidently standing on end. Her cheeks appeared to have the faintest signs of… tear stains.
He knew he could not turn her away now.
"I… Er," he cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Yes. I will allow it."
Curses! That sounded too awkward.
Entrapta, perking up, did not think so. "Really? You honestly don't mind?" She blushed, running her fingers through her hair again.
"Of course! As I said: you are my lab partner. It is imperative that you are well-rested to optimize our efficiency and ensure our success." He shifted awkwardly, turning away from her in hopes of hiding his timidity. "…As well as your… health and happiness."
Entrapta smiled at him as her anxiety disappeared into relief. Her hair had already relaxed as well. "Oh, thank goodness! I was worried you'd be really mad for a second. But I knew you'd understand. That's what lab partners do!"
Hordak looked back at her, managing a bashful little smile despite his nervousness. "It's nothing. But tell no one of this. And close the wall behind you! …If you please."
"Oh, don't worry, I won't!" She assured him, stretching a tendril of hair behind her to activate the same node he touched before.
Hordak was tempted to ask her how she already knew of it but felt the answer wouldn't make much more sense.
"I'm not the gossipy type," she continued, sauntering in on her hair as the mechanical wall grinded to a close behind her. "Not to mention that since Scorpia and Catra left for the Wastes, I haven't had anyone to talk to aside from you and Emily, and you know she's not the talkative type."
This was, in fact, true as "Emily" was a modified Horde attack robot modified by Entrapta to be her pet, friend, and personal assistant. But she remained without an advanced speech function—just the way Hordak liked it.
"Oh, and of course, gossiping is just plain rude!" She flashed a big grin at him as she threw her pillow down beside as a big grin at him as she threw her pillow down beside his. That got a humoured grunt of Hordak. Her sense of humour though odd and rarely heard was enough to make even one as bitter as him smile. It was comforting to have some he could trust around, as well.
Entrapta pulled up the covers, sliding onto the mattress beside Hordak with a chipper little declaration of, "Ah, there we go. Nice and comfy!"
Hordak wiggled over to the side, turning to face away from Entrapta, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. Though, in reality, his movements were rather stiff and awkward. A result of both his tiredness and embarrassment.
So, there they were: Hordak, overlord of the dreaded Horde, and his faithful assistant, the former princess of Dryl, Entrapta. Man and woman. In the same bed. At night.
What now?
The question filled Hordak's mind. He had never allowed anyone to be this close to him. He never let anyone into his private quarters with him. He never accepted anyone seeking comfort in a moment of distress. This was completely undiscovered physical and emotional territory.
He futilely tried to convince himself this was no different than keeping Imp around. But he knew all too well that Entrapta was nothing like that. She was not his creation or his pet. She did not obey his every order. In fact, she had a will all her own. She was much larger as well. Worse still, she made him feel strange, powerful things he had never felt before.
Refusing to allow such an unusual situation render him powerless, Hordak thought it well to establish some rules and maintain control over this situation.
"Let's make things clear, first," he stoically stared at the wall before him, still turned away from Entrapta. "You are still in my quarters. Therefore, you must obey my rules."
"Mmhm," she hummed in response. He could feel her gaze on his back, hear her pillow rustle as she nodded. She was listening intently. Good.
"We will stay within our sides of the bed. We will keep our backs to each other. There will be no physical contact and no conversation. You are welcome in this bed for tonight, but you must still sleep. Understand?"
"Oh. Well, alright." Entrapta sounded timid again. She rolled over to face away from him.
He hated to push her away, but he told himself that it was necessary to ensure they would both get the rest they required. But now that he knew Entrapta was no longer staring at him, his nerves eased, and he could feel himself drifting back to sleep.
Perhaps he could still some rest after all this excitement…
After few moments of silence, Entrapta spoke up again. "Quick question?"
Hordak quietly grumbled. "Yes?"
"What if I can't sleep?" She sounded guilty for even asking in the first place.
Hordak heaved a quiet sigh, trying to supress his agitation. What indeed? He knew that neither one of them would sleep if they couldn't relax. Against his better judgement—which told him to tell her to just go to sleep—he decided he ought to try and console her.
"Then.. I suppose we could talk. If it would put you at ease."
Entrapta hummed in thought for a split-second before cheerily responding, "Yes! Yes, it would!"
Hordak breathed a sigh of relief. At least he knew had the right idea now.
"So, what should we talk about? Progress on the portal? Ideas for your exosuit? Favourite robotics systems?" Entrapta still had her back turned to him, dutifully carrying on the conversation as if they were face to face. Another odd gift of hers: multitasking with ease.
"I was…" Hordak thought about whether the question he was about to ask her appropriate but went ahead out of concern for his lab partner's mental and emotional well-being. "…wondering if you wished to tell me about your nightmare."
"Oh. That…" Entrapta's voice lowered again, full of apprehension.
Fearing he was touching on a sensitive subject he hastily tried to change the topic. "I-if you do not want to discuss it, I understand."
"No, I don't mind!" Entrapta perked up, already starting to sound like her old self again. "Actually, it would help a lot. Just get it off my chest and share it with someone who cares. Know what I mean?"
Hordak—a reclusive curmudgeon who thought that showing vulnerability was a weakness, and that weakness was to be either hidden away or overcome through sheer willpower, lest it be exposed, exploited, or worse, punished—did not know what she meant.
But he wanted to. So, he simply replied, "Of course."
Entrapta rolled around in bed, getting comfortable, thinking of what to say. She took a deep breath, in then out. "Okay, where do I begin? Oh right! Well it started the day I came to the Fright Zone. I was with the other princesses on a mission to save… uh, what was her name? 'Glitter,' maybe? I wasn't really paying attention. But you know Glitter, right? Princess of Bright Moon… Wears periwinkle, I think… Sparkly hair… Teleportation abilities… Was held captive by Shadow Weaver here in the Fright Zone…"
Hordak did not know this princess, nor did he care. But Entrapta continued before he could answer with disinterest.
"Anyways, we were making our escape to meet Adora after she saved Glitter. I had Emily—who I had just must met, by the way—hack the security systems so we could get out before the lockdown protocol engaged, but I noticed that Emily's access cable was stuck in the panel. I couldn't leave my new friend behind, so I went back to save her. The other princesses tried to warn me to get out before I got trapped and incinerated by the lockdown mechanism. That's when things started to get… overwhelming.
"When it actually happened, the others were worried about me. But in my nightmare, they sounded angry. It was like they were annoyed with me. Then the doors shut on us! I ducked into a vent just before the incinerator activated.
Only this time, it was a LOT scarier. See, before, it was hot at first but it cooled off the farther I got, and the vent was big enough for me to crawl around, and Emily was just outside following me around. But this time, the vent was a lot tighter, and no matter how fast I moved, I felt like I was right outside the fire. It was so hot, I felt like I might get burned alive if I didn't get away. But it felt like the vent went on forever. It got darker and tighter and hotter the more I moved.
"I couldn't take it anymore. I started panicking. My self-preservation instincts kicked into overdrive and I started calling for help. I screamed at the top of my lungs hoping somebody might hear me, even a Horde soldier because I figured it'd be better to be captured than trapped and incinerated.
"Then I could hear voices from outside the vent. It was my friends from the Rebellion and the other princesses. I called out to them but they couldn't hear me. Although I could hear them. I heard them talking. I heard them talking about me—about whether or not they should save me. They sounded like… they didn't want to. They thought I was too much trouble to have around. That I was too different. That my inventions did more harm than good. They… didn't think I was worth saving."
Entrapta choked up a little, trying to keep herself from sobbing. Hordak could hear her anguish. He felt as though he should say something to comfort her, but he had no clue what to say. Nevertheless, Entrapta took another deep breath then contiued.
"I screamed and I cried. I tried to tell them I was sorry and that I'd change. But all I could hear was them saying that I betrayed them to the Horde. I left them for the enemy so I… I-I deserved to be left behind. I kept begging them to forgive me and help me, but after that, no one answered. I was alone in the vent with no escape, about to be engulfed in fire.
"That's when I woke up."
Having finished recounting her nightmare, Entrapta laid still next to Hordak, staring up at the ceiling, glassy-eyed and on the verge of tears. Silenced filled the room. Hordak heard a small whimper from the foot of the bed, and upon raising his head to locate it, saw that even Imp was looking worried...
Hordak was filled with pity for her. He wished so badly to comfort her, for as much as he hated to admit it, he too knew what it felt like to be rejected by those you once called your comrades. Though he did not know how to put it into words. He did not want to say something condescending and hurt her, but he had no prior experience offering sympathies to others.
"Don't get the wrong idea though," Entrapta resumed, breaking the silence after what felt like forever. "I like being here and I'm glad I met you, and Scorpia, and Catra too. It's just that… well, sometimes I wonder if they ever actually hated me. Catra once said that they meant to leave me behind. I'm starting to think she's right. Not that I blame them, though... Maybe I really am too much trouble to have around. I usually try not to think about it, but I guess my subconscious had to bring it up sooner or later, right?" She tried to make it all sound more light-hearted than it was, but there was still a melancholy lingering in her voice.
Hordak, however, suddenly felt something powerful stir within him: a righteous indignation.
He would not allow this, this… self-loathing from his most valued companion to go unnoticed.
"Entrapta." Hordak rolled over to face her again. "Look at me."
Entrapta, a look of mild surprise on her face, likely from the sudden sternness of his tone, turned her gaze to meet his. Their eyes locked, as if they were staring into their very souls. Entrapta looked up at him, her fuschia eyes still shimmering from her tears, yet wide open and full of gentleness and curiosity. Hordak gazed back, his pure red eyes locked onto hers with utmost sincerity, hard but not intimidating.
When he spoke to her, all pretension of awkwardness or aloofness had vanished from him. When he spoke, he spoke to her as if giving an order. "Your intelligence is incomparable. You are brilliant. You are resourceful. You are brave. You are not a failure, and you do not deserve to be left behind. When the Princess abandoned you, it was their mistake. No matter what anyone says, you will always be appreciated here. You are worth more than you can imagine—and I never want to hear you doubt your worth ever again. Understood?"
Taken aback by Hordak's sudden, passionate display of sincerity, Entrapta was at a loss for words. She merely looked up at him, relaxed, and smiled. "Thanks... I mean—Understood, Lord Hordak!"
Knowing that he had successfully consoled his partner, Hordak smiled back, relaxing as well. He laid down next to her, now comfortably facing her. "Think nothing of it. Do you feel better now?"
"Yup," Entrapta happily murmured. Her eyelids fluttered, growing heavy as her sleepiness returned. "…much better," she added after a small yawn.
"Are you ready to go back to sleep, then?"
"Almost." She gave him a sleepy yet coy look. "Just a couple more things?"
Hordak smirked, still gazing tenderly at her. "Yes?"
"Did we just break most of your bedroom rules?"
The informality of the situation had just donned on Hordak. His breath hitched for only a moment as he relaxed again, accepting circumstances as they were.
"So we have," he answered with a small laugh. "I suppose it doesn't matter. If they made you uncomfortable, then what good were they?"
Entrapta smiled back, humming gleefully in response. "Theeennn… do you think we could cuddle, too?"
Ordinarily, Hordak would have rebuked such ridiculous notions. Physical contact? Intimacy? With another being? Never! Any who dared touch him, who dared intrude upon his personal space would be taught pain like they had never known before!
But Entrapta was an exception. However uncomfortable he was with the very notion of "cuddling," she was the one and only being on this insufferable planet he wanted to get closer to.
Besides, if it finally got her to go back to sleep, he would do it.
Taking a deep breath, he lifted the bed sheet between them. He looked away when he spoke to her, doing so with the slightest bit of gruffness as it to make it seem as though he was unfazed by this display of affection—though really he was still rather nervous about the whole thing.
"As you wish."
With a warm little giggle of contentment, Entrapta slid up to his side and tenderly embraced him. He felt the sensation of her body pressed against his, her softness, her warmth. She wrapped her arms around his body, clinging to him happily. Entrapta held him close, happy as could be, slowly drifting off to sleep.
For Hordak, it was almost too much to process. Her smell. Her touch. The sensation of her body pressed against his. His heart fluttered as she held him tight. The feeling of her chest—
STOP IT! He cursed his thoughts.
His mind raced, trying to find something to focus on instead of her body.
Modifications to his armour. Completing the portal. Contacting Horde Prime. Conquering Etheria. Crushing the Princess Alliance. Demolishing Bright Moon. Blowing a smouldering hole through She-Ra's torso and melting down her sword. Filling out inventory orders for the outposts…
But he calmed down once again as he felt Entrapta's hair slowly curl itself around him. It was almost as if it was acting on its own, or more likely, Entrapta's subconscious. With it came the familiar aroma of machine oil, metal, and… whatever flowering plant in her hair product that was. Studying the rising and falling of her chest at his side, Hordak matched her breathing. At last, they were both relaxed.
"One last thing?" Entrapta piped up quietly.
Hordak grunted softly, acknowledging her.
"Tell me again about the other worlds. What's it like where there are stars? About… outer… place…" she drowsily mumbled.
Hordak paused momentarily in confusion before he realized what she meant. "You mean, 'outer space?'"
"Yeah, yeah, that one! Tell me about outer space and it's… space wonders…"
Hordak was happy to oblige. Having spent countless years partaking in intergalactic travel and conquest, he had memorized every detail about the universe outside of Etheria, from the greatest wonders to the most minute details. He regaled her with stories about the stars, the blazing suns, the planets that orbited them, the worlds that spread across these planets. He explained to her phenomena such as zero-gravity, black holes, comets streaking across the skies, moons, asteroid and nebulas. When he spoke of such wonders, he did so with more detail, more splendor, and even more joy than when he first shared them with her only a few days before.
Just as he was explaining the intricacies of faster-than-light travel when he realized that, finally, Entrapta was fast asleep, quietly snoring, wearing the most wonderful little smile.
Relieved, Hordak sighed in content, closed his eyes, and let himself melt back into the mattress's softness. In a few short seconds, Hordak returned to his peaceful slumber.
Hordak awoke to find Entrapta still holding him tight as she did the night before. Though it took some effort, he managed to gently wake her and release him from her tender yet firm grip. He ensured the she left his sleeping quarters when no one was around so that no one got the wrong idea at the sight of a Horde scientist and former Princess leaving her superior's private quarters.
After that, the day seemed to rush past them as they carried on with work on the portal as usual, trying to ignore the events of the previous night and focus on their project. But despite their dedication, it was still hard to forget that shared moment vulnerability. The sensation of holding each other close in the dark of night. That feeling of intimate tranquility.
Though they maintained that same sense of amicable formality they had formed a short time before, there was something more between them now. A greater feeling of closeness. A sort of nervousness. A fond look that lasted longer than usual. Sometimes they would find themselves going over calculations one minute, then admiring the scent of the other's hair the next before quickly, quietly snapping themselves out of their trances.
That their work continued to yield no progress did little to take their minds off one another.
At the end of the day, they agreed they would return to sleeping in their own quarters again. Though they both consented to this, Hordak could not help but make sure Entrapta would be alright on her own again, which she gladly assured him she would. However, they both agreed to come find the other if they had any more difficulty sleeping peacefully. Just to be safe, of course.
Before he could comprehend it, the day was over and Hordak was back in his bedroom again, slipping into blissful unconsciousness.
The sound of energy cannon fire bombarded Hordak's ears from all directions. Hordak was all alone on a desolate battlefield. His exosuit nowhere to be found. The air was excruciatingly hot from the flaming wreckage surrounding him. The smoke from the burning spacecrafts filled his lungs, scorching his throat as it smothered him. His body was dying.
He stumbled about, choking on the smouldering fumes. He could barely stand, let alone walk. He could feel his limbs falling apart and numerous, grievous wounds opening up on their own across his body. The horror of the situation immediately dawned on him: his body was no longer deteriorating—it was completely rotting away. All the wounds of a lost war were catching up with him in mere seconds.
With no chance of survival and his demise imminent, he fell to his knees. Exhaustion had overtaken him. His body finally failed him. All he could do now was ask himself, Why? Why must it end like this? Where did I go wrong?
The scorched red soil before him suddenly turned green as an eerie light shone on him from above. Recognizing the light immediately, Hordak turned his despairing gaze skyward. His weakened heart filling with something between hope and dread.
Towering over the doomed battlefield stood a giant silver and white-clad being like a callous almighty god of conquest from another world. Though his figure was obscured by the clouds of smoke billowing from the battlefield below it, Hordak recognized the proud skull-like face wreathed in a mane of silver tendrils like flowing hair. He knew the four asymmetrical eyes glowing a bright eerie green that stared down at him in disgust.
It was Horde Prime himself.
Hordak cried out to him, hoping his exalted emperor would take pity on him. "My emperor! I am sorry I failed you! Please... do not leave me to die like this!"
But the great conqueror's grim gaze remained unchanged. Without a single sign of remorse, Horde Prime turned away from his failure of a "brother," vanishing into the clouds of smoke.
Hordak's heart plummeted as his despair turned to desperation. He wailed full of fear, "No! My Emperor! My Brother!"
He reached out to the great apparition only for his own arm to disintegrate before his very eyes, turning to rotten flesh and broken bones, in a final mortifying display of futility.
All he could do was cry out one last time. "NO! DON'T LEAVE ME!"
Hordak awoke in a panic, bolting upright with a load gasp, scaring a startled Imp off the foot of the bed. He looked around frantically trying to process his surroundings before immediately turning his attention his body.
To his relief, it was still intact. The degeneration had not advanced any further.
Heaving a sigh of relief, he realized it was only a dream. He still had his empire and a functional-if-flawed body. There was nothing to fear.
Imp crawled back onto the mattress with a small, tired growl. The little spy gave his master a look—somewhat concerned, some what agitated.
"It is fine. Just a bad dream. You can return to your slumber as well." Hordak raised a hand, signalling Imp to relax. Imp returned to his previous curled up state as Hordak lay down once more.
There is no cause for concern, he assured himself. He sank back into the softness of the mattress knowing that everything was under control and that nothing had been lost.
So then why…
Why…
Why could he not go back to sleep?
He tossed and turned. He grunted and growled. That overwhelming yet comforting somnolence had completely left him, and it frustrated Hordak to no end.
He already knew his body was still intact, and that his situation had not changed. Yet, he could not shake that dreadful feeling.
His body disintegrating before his very eyes. Left to die helpless, pitiful, and all alone. Totally abandoned. Utterly forgotten.
Up until now, Hordak had dealt with such feelings by overcoming them through sheer willpower, turning his fear into anger then directing it into his efforts to prove Him wrong. And it never failed before. So, if infuriated him that after all this, decades worth of successful conquest and nigh-unimpeded progress, all he had done to bury those dreadful feelings came flooding back to him in one night.
Hordak pounded his fist on the bed with a frustrated snarl.
Imp crawled up to his side, still looking at him with tired upset eyes. Hordak could tell his little spy wanted to know what was keeping his master awake and why neither one could just go back to sleep.
"What am I to do, Imp? As long as I allow this… night terror," he spat that phrase with ire, "to bother me, I cannot sleep. If I cannot sleep, my work on the portal will suffer. If I cannot make any further progress on the portal… What is even the point?"
Following a small yawn, Imp opened his mouth and a recording of Entrapta's voice played. "—share it with someone who care. Know what I mean?"
Hordak mulled over Imp's borrowed words for a moment. Still tired and irritated, he was initially confused but then, thinking he understood Imp's intentions, replied, "Yes… I suppose it helps to share it with you."
Imp glared at his master in frustration. Clearly, he had missed his entire point. Opening his mouth again, he played another clip. This time taken from the evening before.
"Are you certain you will be alright sleeping on your own again tonight?" Hordak's voice played with gentle concern.
Following it was a chipper answer from a more relaxed Entrapta. "Oh, absolutely! My brain just had to vent those unhappy thoughts. It happens pretty rarely with me since I'm good at keeping myself preoccupied."
"Very well. But… know that if you have any more nightmares you are… welcome to see me in my quarters."
"Aww, thanks, lab partner! …And the offer extends to you, too, y'know…"
"I… I shall keep that in mind."
Having finished his "piece," Imp shut his mouth, staring expectantly at his master.
Finally processing Imp's literal choice of words, they hit Hordak like a slap in the face.
"Are you suggesting that I ought to see Entrapta?! At this hour?! Like this?!" Hordak indignantly demanded, gesturing to his emaciated figure.
Imp nodded, unfazed.
Hordak growled in irritation. He looked away, holding his head indignantly. "Well, I won't do it! I am the most FEARED, POWERFUL being on Etheria! I do not need to be comforted, I need to overcome these… completely inane dreams on my own!"
Having lost his patience, Imp leapt onto Hordak's chest, pushing a startled gasp out of him. Before Hordak could even scold him, Imp looked him dead in the eye and repeated his word from a few moments ago. "If I can't sleep…" before cutting it of to make his own guttural growl of irritation.
Once he had gotten over the surprising audacity of Imp's threat display, Hordak heaved a defeated sigh. He acknowledged there was no other way of getting out of this.
"Fine. I shall go to Entrapa… completely by my choice!"
So, Hordak took his pillow and left his quarters to find Entrapta's room. Imp came along as well, looking quite content with himself, to ensure his master didn't change his mind or back down at the last second. Though since he was too tired to fly, Imp rode on Hordak's shoulder on the way there.
They walked the hall of the sanctum until they came upon the door to Entrapta's workshop—which also just so happened to be her own private quarters. Hordak relented but, with a helpful tug on the ear from Imp, he mustered the courage to knock on the workshop's door.
"Entrapta," Hordak called rather sheepishly, "are you awake?"
Silence.
Believing her to be fast asleep, and not wishing to disturb her, Hordak nearly turned around when he heard Entrapta wearily calling. "Coming! Just a second…"
From outside the workshop door, they could hear the still half-asleep princess shuffle out of bed towards the door, stumbling through metal scraps, cursing under her breath when she tripped on something. She audibly shooed Emily out of the way, trying to sound as gentle as possible with a few beeps from the obediant robot.
Hordak stood in place, shuffling and squirming anxiously, feeling almost even more embarrassed.
The door slid open, revealing a pyjama-clad Entrapta almost startling Hordak. She seemed only half alert, still asleep but awake enough to acknowledge Hordak. Obviously, her sleep was much sounder tonight.
Though still drowsy, Entrapta was rather surprised to see her visitor. "Hordak? …and …Imp? What are you doing here? It's… well, I dunno when it is but it's still really early."
Still wracked with anxiety, Hordak stammered trying to find the right words to explain his minor ordeal. He wanted to justify interrupting Entrapta's sleep but he did not want her to think of him as too needy either. He settled for bluntness, figuring there was no point in delicacy at this hour.
"I… hate to disturb you at this time, but I've… I've had a—"
Entrapta gasped before he could even finish explaining himself. "Oh, Hordak—did you have a nightmare?" Her weariness had been replaced almost mystically by an alert concern for her lab partner.
"Erm… Yes." Though weary and ashamed of himself, Hordak never ceased to by amazed by the princess of Dryl's intelligence nor by her boldness. "It's nothing really, I am just—" before he could utter another word, Entrapta placed a tendril of purple hair on his lips to lovingly shush him.
"Shhh! It's okay, you don't need to worry about a thing. I'm here for you. Now, come on, let's get you all comfy!"
She took Hordak by the wrist and lead him to her bed. Before his tired, anxious mind could comprehend it, Entrapta had sat him down on the foot of her bed before plopping herself down beside him. Imp had already hopped off his shoulder and quietly curled up on the foot of the bed. Entrapta rested a reassuring hand on one of his shoulders and another equally reassuring giant pigtail on the other.
"Okay, lab partner, tell me everything!" She inquired with a sincerity not unlike when she pressed him on the truth his background a few days prior. However, this time she asked him with a notably softer. There was no urgency this time. Before she demanded answer about who and what he was. Now she was more concerned with understanding him and providing him comfort.
Hordak wasn't sure if that was "compassion," as some of the sentimental inhabitants of this planet called it, but whatever one called this tender display of concern Entrapta showed him, it managed to put him at ease.
Mentally preparing himself to recount the disturbing details of his nightmare, Hordak found himself scanning Entrapta's workshop in admiration.
What had once been just another storeroom in a Fright Zone compound had become the new domain of the mistress of engineering. Gadgetry, devices, computer consoles, and screens both portable and fixed occupied every other square foot of the room. Tools could be found throughout as well, some of which were well organized their resting places, while most were strewn about without rhyme or reason—likely discarded by Entrapta in her search for the perfect one to make adjustments to her latest project. In the centre of her hectic widespread workspace and menagerie of inventions was her bed: a simple white mattress with periwinkle sheets and purple blankets—obtained by Force Captains Scorpia and Catra at her request—which were currently wrinkled and disheveled from their owner's awakening. Next to the bed, Emily rested quietly in sleep mode.
It was a tightly packed chaotic little space, which Hordak felt was almost unbecoming of someone so gifted and beautiful as its owner. Yet, he also felt almost at ease here. It was cozy private, familiar, and most of all, she was there with him.
Taking a deep breath then letting out a shaky breath, Hordak cleared his mind. He returned his gaze to Entrapta and recounted the events of his nightmare in mortifying detail.
Once he had finished, Hordak felt a strange numbness overtake him. He wasn't about to faint again, but he felt like it. Perhaps it was an overwhelming embarrassment derived from interrupting his lab partner's sleep to seek comfort after an unpleasant dream like a mewling child. Or perhaps it was a kind of solace. A solace derived from having someone he could to go to when he needed it.
His attention was drawn back to the hand and hair Entrapta lay on his back as they shifted, gently patting him. It almost startled him but her warm and gentle touch kept him at ease.
"Oh, Hordak…" her eyes ached with pity for him. "You poor thing. I may be just guessing here, but I think you're scared of being left behind too, aren't you?"
"No… You are correct." He looked at her for the first time since he sat down to talk to her, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Well, this is a bold hypothesis—and it could just be the sleepiness talking—but… do you think it might help if you slept with me tonight?" The sound of her words immediately dawned on Entrapta as her voice veered from gentle to flustered. "Platonically, I mean! As in sharing a bed again! But with me this time! Obviously!" She put her head in her hands with a tired groan. "Sorry. I'm not used to hypothesizing at this hour."
To her surprise, Hordak found this slip of the tongue rather amusing. He let out a dry laugh, looking happy to see he wasn't the only one to feeling awkward now.
Clearing his throat, he snapped back to his usual serious demeanor. "I find your hypothesis… most interesting. Very well then. Shall we test it out?"
Looking at each other with warm reassured smiles, the two felt at peace in one another's company. Although such displays of affection and intimate moments were unfamiliar territory for them both, they knew that they could trust in one another to navigate it. Hordak could rely on her when he truly required this sort of attention, just as they both knew that she could find it in him, and that in one another they could be safe.
Without another word, Entrapta guided him gently as she could as he laid down to ensure he was comfortable as he could be. Though it was not quite as pleasant as his bed, it was soft enough that he figured he could enjoy a peaceful slumber in it. The familiar scent of Entrapta and her tools brought him some peace of mind as well.
Imp, meanwhile, was resting pleasantly at the foot of bed. With a little yawn, he circled his resting spot on the corner, pawed at it a little to ensure optimum comfort for himself, then went right back to sleep. However, Hordak was certain he saw his little spy look at him and Entrapa with a look of satisfaction before he drifted off.
Entrapta laid down beside him as she pulled the blankets over them. She wriggled around until she was comfortable, then turned her gaze his way again. "Comfy?"
Hordak almost nodded to her, but he then realized there was a nagging feeling that something was missing. It quickly occurred to him what it was—much to his embarrassment.
"Yes, but I would be…" he paused to find the least pitiful way to phrase his next request, "even more so if you would… hold me."
Entrapta happily answered with, "Oh, I think I can handle that!" Followed by the sensation of her warm, soft form wrapping around his frail body once again. "How's that?"
Hordak groaned in content as the last of his night terrors left him and he let himself sink into the arms of his trusted partner and her bed. "Much better..."
"Anything else I can do… Lord Hordak?" Entrapta added with a playful little sultriness that sent a strange shivering sensation up his spine.
Hordak stammered for a short moment before clearing his throat and mind with a grunt. "It seems that I am not quite asleep yet. Until I am, would you mind telling me of those 'upgrades' you had in mind for my armour?"
Entrapta replied with an ecstatic little squeal. "Why, I would be delighted!"
Before long, Entrapta was already listing off all the potential additions she had in mind and what tech it would require to install it while Hordak lay comfortably beside her, staring at her with admiring eyes watching as hers lit up every time she posited a new way to integrate First Ones tech. Ordinarily, such a discussion would be held in the sanctum laboratory and treated as a matter of utmost importance—a major development that could turn the tide of the war in the Horde's favour, perhaps. But here, they laid in bed chatting about it almost playfully, as if it were an exciting new recreational activity or fashion ensemble for them to try sometime.
Hordak felt his eyelids grow heavier He nearly slipped back into slumber when he heard Entrapta address him again. "Hordak? You still awake?"
He confirmed with a small grunt.
"Oh good! I just wanted to tell you one more thing…"
Refocusing his vision on her, he saw her tired yet beaming face, bathed in shadow with her hair tinged in a purple glow from Emily's standby light. She could hardly hide her bashfulness as she spoke to him.
"I was just thinking about what you told me about your nightmare and I was caught up in the, um… excitement of seeing you and talking to you like this—and trying to change the subject while I was at it—that I forgot to tell you something very important."
Hordak raised his head, his interested piqued. "Yes?"
"You do not deserve to be left behind, either." She squeezed him with a gentle firmness. "You're not weak, you're strong! You're intelligent, resilient, determined, and above all, you're a great friend! We're going to finish that portal, and then we're going to show that brother of yours just how wrong he was about you!"
"Entrapta…" Hordak's heart fluttered in his chest. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Entrapta's words had a profound emotional impact on him—one he had not felt before, with her or anyone. He did not understand these overwhelming emotions, but strangely, he immediately knew how to return them. He wrapped his arms around her, holding his dear assistant as close as he could, then whispered tenderly, "Thank you."
"Any time, lab partner. Goodnight, Hordak."
"Goodnight, Entrapta."
He did not know how long this moment would last. He did not if they would ever spend another night like this together. Especially if He would be arriving in the foreseeable future once the portal was complete and the message sent. He could only hope that this night, that this embrace would last forever. He hoped and he hoped as he drifted off into that unconscious bliss once again. Melting into the softness of the bed. Into the warmth of his lab partner's arms.
The End.