Chapter One: The Mission
"She's alive."
Queen Angella sat on her throne, her back erect with hands neatly folded in her lap. In front of her stood Glimmer, Catra, Adora, and Bow, a group that seemed to always be together no matter the situation. Out of the crew, it was her daughter speaking, and though she felt concern, distress, and anger at their current argument, it wasn't towards her eldest child. It was towards the memories that their conversation brought back. It was towards the people who caused the incident that fateful night five years before. It was towards herself for letting it happen in the first place.
"I'm serious, Mom," Glimmer continued, a hint of desperation in her voice. "Think about it. When our reality shifted, you saw her. You held her. We both did. She was right there with us."
"That reality wasn't real," she replied, the slight shake in her voice betraying her calm
facade. Though it had felt so real, she knew it had all been an alternate reality. One that made her life feel perfect. "None of it was, and you know this."
"Maybe the actual reality wasn't real," Glimmer stressed. "But the people inside of it were!"
"Glimmer's right," Bow added. "Everyone who was stuck in that situation saw only those who were already alive."
"Can you be sure about that?" Her voice was purposefully sharper now. That whole previous event of shifting realities had mentally and emotionally done a number on her, and that mixed with what they were suggesting made her heart ache for something she had already given up on. "Can each of you honestly stand there, look me straight in the eye, and tell me that everyone on Etheria who experienced that reality change could only see people who were currently alive and well?"
"Yes, we can."
Adora answered with a firm, unquestionable certainty, her eyes reflecting her tone.
"Your majesty," she continued. "We've traveled to the other kingdoms and have spoken to the princesses. They are the only ones who can recall the memories from that event, and each confirmed that the only people they met were those who were alive. No, they're not all of Etheria, but you have to remember that each princess has suffered a great loss. A perfect reality for them would have included those who weren't around anymore, but it didn't. None of them saw anyone who had died."
Angella was quiet at this, unsure of how to respond. Logically, it all made sense, and if they were right, then it would mean that her second child was still living. Yet there was a part of her that feared to believe. It had been five years since her youngest had been kidnapped, and after two years of empty handed searches, Angella had come to terms with the fact that her youngest had passed. It was a pain she had never quite healed from, a pain that had made her almost overbearing with her adventurous Glimmer, and while this current news sparked a slight hope, she didn't want to put her whole heart into believing only for it to break again.
"I don't know."
"Mom! Come on!"
"You should believe Sparkles over here." Catra stood beside Adora, her arms crossed over her chest. "She may be a little crazy but she's not wrong. If both of you saw her in that reality, then she's still alive somewhere."
"Mom, please."
Glimmer walked up the stairs to face her. She then felt her daughter slip her hands into her own, a comforting smile on her face.
"I know this is hard for you. It's hard for me, too. You always acted strong after losing her, but I knew it broke your heart and that it still does. I wouldn't ever say these words if I didn't firmly believe it. Please trust me. She's still out there, which means we need to start looking again."
Angella rubbed her thumb gently over Glimmer's hand.
"If I allowed you on this venture, where would you even start this search?"
"At the last known sighting of the ship she was on," Glimmer answered.
"The Frightening Wilds?" Angella's gaze hardened a bit. "Those woods are dangerous, just as dangerous as the Whispering Woods. Not to mention they've already been searched. There was no sign of her."
"We want to look again," Adora told her. "It's the only lead we have, and maybe something was missed the last time someone was there."
"Danger isn't an issue either," Catra added. "I mean, our world was almost destroyed, we almost died, yadayadayada, and we all survived that. This mission will be child's play."
"It will not," Angella said a little angrily. Even after all that had happened, Catra was still a bit aloof to danger. "Those woods harbor creatures that would have no qualms killing you in an instant. They should not be taken lightly."
"And we won't!" Bow hopped in front of Catra with a meek little laugh. "We'll be super careful, and we won't purposely do anything that'll get us hurt either."
"Remember this, too mom," Glimmer added. "Even with you back, I don't need to charge my powers anymore, and I'm better at magic! Plus, we have She Ra. We'll be more than okay."
Angella still felt a little bit hesitant with worry, not only for the daughter she had lost, but for Glimmer and her friends as well. However, she had told herself once before that she wasn't going to let fear get the better of her. She didn't want to be a coward anymore. Since she herself had to remain in Bright Moon to take care of a few things, then her best bet would be to let her daughter and her friends go. If it meant the possibility of bringing her youngest home, then she had to at least try, even at the risk of more heartache.
With a sigh, she stood up.
"Very well. I will allow this. You may prepare tonight and leave tomorrow."
"Yes!" Glimmer jumped and threw her fist in the air. "We're gonna do it guys! We're going on another mission!"
"Best friend's squad is going out again!" Bow said as he wrapped each arm around Adora's and Catra's neck for a hug.
"This is not a game," Angella said sharply. "As I said, the Frightening Wilds are home to many dangerous things. Don't be reckless on this trip."
"We won't, your majesty." Adora smiled. "We're just gonna scout the area, and if we can't find anything, we'll regroup back here and come up with another plan."
Angella nodded in approval.
"Come on guys!" Glimmer ran down the stairs excitedly. "Let's go get ready."
As the group left, their excitable chatter filling the throne room, Angella turned to look at the Moon Stone from where she stood. The neutral expression she had worked hard to showcase now melted into worry, and then sadness. She remembered the day she lost her younger daughter all too well. Bright Moon had taken a small hit from that invasion, but her daughter being taken was the worst hit of them all. Every day she blamed herself for not being there to protect her.
"Mom?"
Angella quickly wiped an escaped tear and turned to see her eldest back beside her.
"Glimmer? I thought you were going to get ready?"
Glimmer's reply was a smile and a tight hug. It was a little unexpected, but Angella warmly hugged her back without a second thought. After losing each other once, they had become much closer. Of course they were still have their typical arguments, but they were much closer then they were before. After having to leave her once and thinking she'd never see her Glimmer again, she'd both take and give all the affection she could.
"It's going to be okay, mom. I know that day hurt both of us, but I have a good feeling about this. Believe me, I think we're gonna find something, some kind of clue to where she might be."
Angella nuzzled her face into Glimmer's hair.
"It's not that I don't believe you, darling. Your logic is sound. We both saw your sister that day, and if your theory is correct, then she's still out there. I'd be ecstatic if that were true. I'd love nothing more than to have both of my daughters at my side again. However, I can't help but feel guilty. If she's alive, then it means I gave up on her too soon."
"No way, mom!" Glimmer pulled back a little and looked up, her eyes kind but serious. "We spent two whole years looking for her, and when we found nothing, it was understandable to believe she was dead. Now there's hope again. We're going to get her back, I promise."
Angella smiled and kissed her daughter on the cheek.
"I'm so very lucky to have you. Are you sure you won't need my help on the journey?"
Glimmer shook her head.
"You're queen again, so I know you're needed here in Bright Moon. Don't worry, me and my friends will take care of it."
Angella nodded and cupped Glimmer's cheek lovingly.
"Very well. Go get prepared then."
Glimmer snuck in one more hug before taking off. Angella only allowed her smile to falter slightly once her daughter was out of sight. She did believe in Glimmer, but she couldn't help but be scared. If her youngest was alive, where had she been all these years? Why was she so hard to find? Was she hurt? Did she think that she had been abandoned?
Angella turned to the Moon Stone once more, her heart heavy. She loved that little girl so much, and the pain of losing her was just as strong now as it was the day she was taken. All of her wishes of reuniting had been smashed when no one could find her, but Glimmer was right. There was hope again. It was small, but it was there, and even though the prospect of another dead end scared her, Angella knew she had to be strong and do her best to keep believing.
"Please let her be out there," she whispered pleadingly. "Please let her come home."
