Chapter 3

Adora

Adora wished with all her being that she could simply block out Hordak's words from her memory. Stop them from whirling around in her head over and over again.

But no matter how much she tried,they stayed in her memory. "I can't wait to see Bow with his trophy in his hands."she heard Glimmer said excitedly while she took a mouthful of her dinner. "I do too dear. However,with the way Entrapta has won the past science fairs,I won't be surprised if she wins once again."Angella replied.

"Um mom,who's side are you on?"Glimmer asked,pointing her fork at her mother. "I'm not choosing sides,Glimmer."Angella told her. "I'm just simply stating the facts." Glimmer placed her hand on her forehead in an exaggerated way. "I know this day would come,"Glimmer said dramatically. "My mother has finally betrayed me." Angella sighed in exasperation while shaking her head.

Adora tuned them out as she scuffled her food around on her plate as she thought.

Hordak's right. They're all right. No matter how hard I try,I'll never truly belong here. Sometimes,she often wondered what it would be like to be somewhere where she truly belonged. Where being an orphan didn't mean you were ridiculed.

"Adora!"

She shot up straight in her chair and looked around wildly. She then realised that it had been Glimmer who called her. "Adora,are you ok? You completely zoned out there."Glimmer said. "Yeah I'm fine."she replied,not looking at Glimmer or Angella. She felt a hand clasp softly over hers and looked up to see Angella staring at her with worry and warmth in her eyes.

"Are you sure? You've been rather quiet after coming from the town."she said softly. Adora knew she could tell Angella and Glimmer anything and they would try their best to help her. But she didn't want to burden them with her problems. Most of the time,she often wondered if Angella ever regretted taking her in when she found her. "Yeah I'm fine."she said as she removed her hand from Angella's and continued eating. She could feel their stares on her as she ate but she ignored them,instead staring at the food before her.

Dinner passed quickly with very little conversation,which Adora was thankful for,and she volunteered to clean the dishes. Once that last dish was clean,she dried her hands in a towel then walked back to the dining table while Glimmer and Angella quietly talked to each other. "Can I go outside for a bit?"she asked Angella. Angella nodded and Adora left the kitchen,walked towards the door then went outside. Closing the door behind her,she headed over to the hillside that was past the small forest area on the left of their house.

Once she reached the top of the hill,she looked over at the horizon where the evening sun was setting,covering the sky and land alike in a golden glow as the warm spring breeze blew across her face lightly like a warm embrace.

The sun being the sky to signal the beginning and end of a day,the wind breezing through the trees,the grass swaying in the breeze,the birds chriping happily.

This must be what it means to belong she thought to herself. To have a place within life. A loud,shrill neigh abruptly sounded,shocking Adora from her peaceful state. She whirled her head to the side and saw two horses running wildly towards her. Narrowing her eyes,she saw that it was Swift Wind and Entrapta's horse but neither Bow or Entrapta were with them.

A cold feeling of dread seized her.

If the horses were here then something must have happened to them.

The horses skidded to a stop near her,neighing at the top of their lungs. "Hey,hey. Calm down you two,"Adora said as she grabbed their reins and forced them to stay still. "Swift Wind,where is Bow and Entrapta?" Swift Wind pawed at the ground with his hoof as he whined softly. Shaking her head,she led them back to the house then,rather forcefully,knocked on the door.

Glimmer opened it seconds afterward and opened her mouth to say something but Adora cut her off. "Something happened to Bow and Entrapta!"she exclaimed. Glimmer's face scrunched in confusion. "How do you know that?"she asked. "Both Entrapta's horse and Swift Wind are here but Bow and Entrapta aren't."Adora said,moving to the side for Glimmer to see. She poked her head from the doorframe and looked at the two horses for a moment then looked back at Adora in horror.

"Mom!"she yelled into the house. "What is it Glimmer?"Angella said as she appeared behind Glimmer. "Something bad has happened to Bow and Entrapta. Both their horses are here but they aren't!"she exclaimed. Adora could've sworn she saw all the color drain from Angella's face as her eyes widened in horror.

"This can't be happening."she said in a whisper. "We have no idea where they could be!"Glimmer said,her breathing becoming ragged as she panicked for a moment before she stilled then looked at Angella. "We can get Hordak to go find them."she said. "He's a hunter so he might be able to track them down." "You don't need to get Hordak,"Adora told them. "I'll go look for them myself."

"Adora no!"Glimmer protested as Angella said,"You will not!" "Listen,I know you guys don't want me to look for them but it would be better if I went to look for them. Like you said Glimmer,Hordak is a hunter. The best one in this town. With winter soon approaching,we need him to hunt for the town."Adora argued. Both Glimmer and Angella didn't argue,seemingly seeing the logic in her statement.

"Well then it doesn't have to be Hordak! We can ask someone else."Glimmer said. "That will take too long! If I go now,I'll be able to find and bring them back."Adora protested. Angella looked at Adora thoughtfully before she finally spoke. "Alright. You can go." "Mom! We can't let her go! What if something happens to her while she's out there?"Glimmer protested. "We have to hope that Adora won't get hurt."Angella replied before looking at Adora.

"I'll give you three days to get them. If you,Bow and Entrapta back then I will get Hordak to find you all."she said firmly. Adora nodded,seeing as it made sense. Angella looked at Adora for a long,tense moment before she sighed heavily. Her shoulders sagged as her back hunched over slightly and in that moment Adora realised with a start the Angella looked older.

Like she had been wearing a cloak over her and it suddenly was yanked off her to show her true self. Angella gently placed her hands on Adora's face and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Stay safe."she murmured.

Adora nodded as she smiled. Angella was one of the few peoples in her life that ever made her feel like she wasn't an outcast. To the point of taking her in as one of her own. That simple gesture was always enough to make Adora feel better about herself though it never lasted. She turned to Glimmer to say something but Glimmer ran into her and wrapped her arms around in a tight hug.

"Please come back."she heard Glimmer whisper. Adora chuckled as she hugged Glimmer back. "Don't worry. I'll be back with Bow and Entrapta."she told her. She heard Glimmer sigh before releasing her and stepped back. Adora turned and headed towards Swift Wind then got onto him.

She looked behind her to Glimmer and Angella. They waved at her and she waved back then turned forward. "Let's go find Bow and Entrapta."she said to Swift Wind as she took the reins,spurring him forward to find her friends.

Author's note: I know this chapter took a while to get posted but at the moment I'm working on three other stories so it will take time. Anyway,with all that said I hope you all enjoy it and stay safe and healthy.