Chapter Thirteen: Rendezvous

The tranquil forest was suddenly illuminated by a blinding flash of light. It only lasted for a moment, before disappearing as though it was never there. The silence was then broken as a figure cried out, suddenly realizing she was falling from a great height. Another figure quickly swooped down with her wings, and caught the other before she could hit the ground. The two then gently descended to the forest floor.

"So, this is Etheria?" said Lapis.

"Yup," Peridot replied. "Well, probably. I was only here for a little bit, and I didn't get to see much of it. So really, we could be anywhere."

"Great. That's really reassuring," grumbled Lapis.

"Ah, there's no reason to worry!" exclaimed Peridot confidently. "Where else would we be? Now, should we get to looking for Steven?"

"Easier said than done," said Lapis, spreading her wings. "It's a whole planet, and he could be anywhere…"

Queen Angella was used to Glimmer pitching various risky, dangerous, or even outright reckless schemes to combat their enemies. The one she and her friends had just come up with this time was...odd, to say the least. "Now, let me get this straight: you intend to search for a First Ones artifact in Mizar with the capacity to defeat Skeletor, all on the word of a strange girl you met out in the woods?"

"That's about it," said Glimmer. She had conveniently left out the part about the Horde trio helping them, not sure how her mother would react. Bringing home one Horde soldier was risky enough, even if she was She-Ra! "I mean, it's not like we have any other leads."

"Is that so?" said the queen. "And how are you sure that this girl isn't secretly working for the Horde?"

Adora tried to say something. "Well, um…"

Flutterina spoke up. "Your Majesty, may I say something?" Angella nodded. "I know that just telling you I'm not a bad guy wouldn't mean that I'm not a bad guy, but I will say this: even if I was a bad guy, Skeletor's putting all of Etheria in danger. Horde or not, I think he's still a bigger threat. My word may not mean much, but I promise I'll do what I can to help the rebellion, for whatever that's worth."

"I'm not sure I buy it," said Netossa. "Where exactly did you find this 'artifact,' anyway?"

"Well…" said Flutterina. "I didn't really find it. Technically, it belongs to the Surgeon." Netossa sat back in her chair, groaning and massaging her forehead.

"Um, may I say something?" said Steven. "Who exactly is this 'Surgeon' person I keep hearing about?"

"He's a Mizaran crime boss," Spinnerella explained. "He controls the city's entire criminal underground-counterfeit money, smuggling, embezzling, you name it. Netty's been trying to catch him for years now, to no such luck."

"Sometimes, I swear he's just toying with me!" Netossa said.

"Hey, you know, if he really does have that First Ones tech, maybe this could be your chance to finally nab him!" said Connie.

"That's true!" said Adora. "If Flutterina's right, and he does have a First Ones artifact, then all we'll need is Bow's tracker pad to find him!"

"All that's only if she is telling the truth," said Netossa. "How do we know she isn't one of his henchmen trying to trick us?"

"Well, for what it's worth, I am picking up a pretty strong signal in Mizar's direction," said Bow, consulting his tracker pad. "So there's definitely something over there…"

"So, what do you say, mom?" asked Glimmer. "What have we got to lose?"

"Against a notorious crimelord?" responded Angella. "I'd say you have quite a bit to lose!"

"Aw, come on!" said Glimmer. "Next to the Horde and Skeletor, this Surgeon guy's nothing! Between me, Adora and Bow, the Crystal Gems, and the other princesses, it'll be almost too easy!"

"Speaking of the other princesses," said Angella, "I'm afraid they won't be joining you. Plumeria, Saleneas, and the Kingdom of Snows are all under siege by Skeletor's armies. The princesses are too busy defending their homelands to assist us."

"What?" said Steven. "Should we go and help them?"

"Those three can hold their own," said Spinnerella. "Besides, if we go to Mizar and get this artifact, we'll be all the closer to destroying Skeletor for good, putting an end to this nightmare at the source."

"So you're coming with us?" asked Bow.

"Of course," said Netossa. "It's my kingdom, after all." She turned to the princess beside her. "Speaking of, are you sure your kingdom's okay?"

"The Etherian Highlands will be fine," said Spinnerella. "The mountains have shielded us from attack so far. And if anything does come up, I could always fly right over!"

"I suppose you've made a decent case for yourselves," said Angella. "So long as you all stick together, I'll allow you to make this journey."

"Really!?" said Glimmer. She honestly wasn't expecting her mother to let her go with so little persuasion. "Is there a catch?"

"The only catch is to promise me you won't get hurt," said Angella. "Skeletor is a bigger threat to Etheria than the Horde has ever been. We have to stop him somehow, and if Bow is sure that this artifact can do it, I have no reason to doubt him." As they had not told Angella about Catra and the others helping them, Bow had been the one to 'discover' this weakness of Skeletor's.

"Thanks, Mom!" said Glimmer, hugging Angella. "We won't let you down! Right, everyone?"

"Right!" said Steven, Connie, Adora, Bow, and Bismuth in tandem.

"Now let's go!"

And so, the team set off towards Mizar. The Best Friend Squad, all six Crystal Gems, Spinneralla and Netossa, and Flutterina. The Super Pal Trio was on their way as well, but as the news of their temporary alliance had not yet been told to Netossa and Spinnerella, the three of them traveled separately.

"So, exactly what kind of artifact is it that the Surgeon has?" Bow asked Flutterina.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure," the mothkin girl replied. "All I know is he's pretty proud of having found it. He wouldn't tell any of us what it did, though."

"Woah woah woah, wait just a moment!" Netossa stopped the whole convoy in their tracks. "Did you just say 'us?' Are you working for him or something?"

Flutterina hung her head shamefully. "I...I used to," she explained. "That's how I knew about it. It's also how I ended up in Thrush."

"So, you ran away?" asked Steven.

She nodded. "I'd been working for him for years, ever since he took me in. All the terrible things he did...I wanted to run away all this time, but I was too scared to. But once Skeletor started attacking, I felt like I had to do something, and I couldn't do anything as long as I was still there."

"How awful," said Pearl. "Why would he force you to work for him for so long?"

"He said someone who looks like me is useful," she said. "An innocent little girl, she could get away with pretty much anything, trick people to do whatever she wanted...That's what he said, at least."

Spinnerella placed a comforting hand on Flutterina's head. "You're very brave for running away from that man," she said. "We'll get him, don't you worry."

"Thank you so much," said Flutterina. "I'm glad I could do something to help, even if it is small."

"Are you kidding?" said Glimmer. "If this artifact helps us beat Skeletor, it'll be the biggest help you could have done! And you know...since you have nowhere else to go, maybe you would consider staying with us in Brightmoon?"

"In Brightmoon, with the one and only She-Ra!?" Flutterina exclaimed excitedly. "How could I say no to that? Come on, let's go!" She excitedly ran to the front of the group.

"Well, someone's eager!" said Adora. "So, Bow, what's the status on that artifact?"

Bow looked to his pad. "Actually, I'm picking up another signal close by. It wasn't there back at the castle...I wonder what it could be?"

"Where is it?" asked Garnet. "Two artifacts are better than one, after all."

"Just down this way," said Bow, pointing down a dirt road. "Actually, it's getting closer."

"Wait, hang on," said Steven. "Do you guys hear voices?"

Everyone quieted down to listen. Indeed, two voices were coming from the direction of the signal. Two very familiar voices. "Is that…?" said Pearl.

"Peridot and Lapis!" shouted Steven. "They're here!" The boy ran down the path towards the sound of their voices. The blue and green Gems soon came into view.

"Hey, look, there he is!" Peridot yelled excitedly. "Steven, over here!" She quickly ran over to him, and the pair were soon joined by the rest of their respective groups. "You see? I told you we'd find him eventually!"

"Well, how about this?" said Bismuth. "How'd you two make it all the way here?"

"And what is that?" said Bow, pointing to the Lock. "That wouldn't be a First Ones artifact, would it?"

"It is," said Lapis. "It's kind of a long story how we got it, though. I don't suppose you have some time?"

"Oh, we have plenty," said Connie. "We're going on a quest to find a First Ones artifact in Mizar...which I'm now starting to wonder if we'll need, since you have one…"

At that moment, Bow was drawn to a sudden beeping coming from his tracker pad. After looking at it, he found something strange. "Uh, guys? Speaking of First Ones artifacts...there's a third one headed this way."

"Wh-another one?" said Adora. "Where's this one?"

"It should be right...there." However, right where Bow pointed, where the First Ones artifact was, was a storm of dark black clouds. And beneath them, eye lights glowing ominously, was Skeletor.