Catra felt that she should be in a better mood considering the date, yet all she could think about was how absolutely bored she currently was. As she sat in her throne, her mind drifted to Adora. She let out a small smile as she thought about the feeling of her hands caressing her body. Her breath on–
"Catra! Are you paying attention?"
Catra quickly sat forward as she was brought back to the present. ". . .Yes?" She hesitantly answered, looking at her future father in law.
Randor raised an eyebrow. "I know this is boring but you need to know this stuff. It's not like Halfmoon. You won't just be the queen of all of Eternia, but the Empress of the natural known universe."
Catra groaned as she rubbed her face in exasperation. "Is it really that important? I mean, Adora will be there beside me."
"Catra," Randor's voice stern, "You can't expect Adora to pick up all of your slack. Especially not with the newest addition to the Empire." Randor sent a pointed look at her to which Catra caved.
She leaned back in her chair. "So what's the big deal with this Earth place anyways? Is it that important?"
Randor let out a chuckle. "Well, for starters, Marleena's from there as well as Mara's mother. And it's not so important to us that they join the Empire as much as it is to Marleena and Evelyn. Think of it another way. Humanity in the last thirty years has managed to pull itself back up from complete planetary and ecological collapse. They didn't have magic like all of the other planets. They were so far removed at the edges of the universe that their planet could not self heal. Now, they've stabilized and Marleena has pushed for them to join us in the stars. But they're hesitant. Any clue as to why?" Randor looked at Catra expectantly.
". . .They feel that they'll lose their sovereignty?" Catra answered questioningly.
Randor nodded, "Exactly. They've expressed extreme gratitude but they're wary, cautious even. We are the first extraterrestrial life that they've ever encountered and we freely offered aid without asking anything in return. They want to believe that we really mean what we're offering. That Eternia really is everything that Marleena says it is." He paused for a moment before a solemn look fell on his face. "But some call Marleena and Evelyn traitors. That is the minority of course, but those people tend to have loud voices."
"Well that's really stupid." Catra snapped.
Randor nodded, "Yes, I agree. But that's why we're going over all of this now. So nothing is unknown in the future."
"If I really messed something up, I could just rewind y'know?"
"I am of the personal opinion that you and my daughter abuse that particular ability far too much. But that's beside the point. The fact that you even showed up today says a lot to me, Catra."
"How so?" Catra asked as she flexed her claws in boredom.
"It really shows that you care about Adora." Randor smiled kindly.
Catra rolled her eyes as she looked away from the man. "Well obviously I care about her. I asked her to marry me."
Randor nodded, his annoying smile still present on his face. Catra rolled her eyes before standing. "You can stop with that dumb smile anytime." She complained. Unfortunately, it was contagious. The corners of Catra's mouth started to turn upwards before Teela entered the throne room.
"King Randor." Teela bowed.
Randor waved her off, "Where's Andra? Is she not accompanying you today?"
"She needed the day off, so I'm taking over for her. Besides, Queen Catra here has a busy day scheduled." Teela said.
"One, stop calling me that. I'm not the queen yet." Catra said, a grin on her face, "Two, I do? Since when?"
"Kyle, Rojelio, Zed and Lonnie are waiting for you. Apparently, they said you made plans with them?" Teela explained.
"Shit," Catra muttered under her breath, "That's today?"
Teela nodded. "Yeah, in about ten minutes actually. They're at the food courts."
Randor looked at Catra, "What's today?"
"Lonnie, Kyle, and Rojelio wanted to celebrate Adora and I's engagement." Catra said as she sat back down in her throne.
"Do you not want to?" Randor asked.
"It's not that. I'd love to, it's just that with everything that's going on, Adora and I have been so busy. It's just been a while since we had a moment to ourselves. I completely forgot about today if I'm being honest." Catra said dejectedly.
"For someone who can control time, you sure are short on it." Evelyn said as she entered the hall.
"Tell me about it." Catra said before standing. "Well, I suppose I better get ready."
Teela nodded before Catra warped away. As she appeared in her room, she was greeted to the sight of a changing Adora. Quietly sneaking up on her, she wrapped her arms around her fiance's waist before laying a kiss on her neck. "Hey Adora." she said sensually.
Adora let out a soft breath, a smile on her lips, "What are you doing here? Weren't you in the middle of lessons with my dad."
Catra rested her chin on Adora's shoulders, an irritated groan escaping her lips. "Yeah, and I completely forgot that I made plans with Lonnie and our friends today."
Adora smiled before giving Catra a kiss. "We'll get some alone time tonight." She said as if reading Catra's mind.
"Orrrr we could have some alone time right now." Catra said, a light pur emanating from her as her hands started to wander.
"Catra, we both have things we need to do today. We don't really have time right now." Despite Adora's protests, she didn't do much to stop her fiance's advancements as she turned around, pulling Catra into a deep kiss. As Catra and Adora made their way towards their bed, they were interrupted by a loud banging of their door and an even louder voice.
"Catra! Adora! I know you're both in there. You have a minute to make yourselves decent before I open this door."
Catra let out an annoyed hiss, "You know, you could come back in like ten minutes, Marleena!" She shouted at the door.
"And you could save it for later, Catra!" She responded in an equally snarky tone. "Contrary to your belief, I'd rather not hear my daughter having sex."
"Then walk away and you wouldn't have to hear it." She said as she leaned down to grab Adora's clothes, handing them to her.
"I was a teenager too once. It starts at ten minutes, then it's on to fifteen, and then twenty. Especially you, Catra." Marleena answered.
"Especially you, Catra." Catra mocked quietly. Adora let out a grin and a small laugh.
As Adora went to leave the room, she gave Catra a kiss goodbye, "Tonight. I promise."
"So, can you remember anything up until this point, or are you only aware of the previous timeline?" Mara asked as they sat in Phyla's tavern.
Glimmer shook her head, "Not really. It's all hazy. Like, I remember my dad and growing up with him there, but it's hard to picture. It's like I should know it but can't quite grasp it." Glimmer let out a groan, "Ugh, this must be how Catra felt when she had amnesia. I so owe her an apology."
Bow raised an eyebrow, "So we're friends with Princesses Adora and Catra in the other timeline?"
"Yeah, we've been friends with Adora for about a year now, and just recently became friends with Catra about a month and a half ago." Glimmer responded as she took a sip of her drink.
"How does that even work? Catra hasn't ever once stepped foot on Etheria. Adora's been here a few times but what could have caused the change? And am I still friends with you guys? I need details." Mara said.
Glimmer shook her head. "No, actually. In fact, before now, we've only spoken like three times. You're from a thousand years in the past for us."
"Then how did we talk?" Mara asked, baffled.
"Catra was exposed to shards of what we now know are the Temporal Obelisk." Glimmer explained.
"Right. We went over that." Bow said.
"Well, then she lost her memories and somehow time traveled back a thousand years. Then you and Catra found a way to communicate in the Crystal Castle by making some memory program run by like a zip second or something." Glimmer said.
"A zeptosecond? That's incredibly dangerous to one's mind. Why would I do something like that?" Mara asked.
Glimmer shrugged, "Beats me. Like I said, we only spoke a few times. I also was a bit younger than I am now." She said before outstretching the wings on her back with a grin, "And these are new."
"How old do you think you are?" Bow asked.
"Seventeen?" Glimmer answered, putting her newfound wings away.
Mara shook her head, "Nope, you and Bow are both nineteen."
Just as they were about to continue talking, Phyla brought their food over. "Here you go Mara, Bow, Glimmer." She said, setting individual platters down.
"Thanks, Phyla." Mara said with a smile.
"No problem. Enjoy." Phyla said as she left them to their privacy.
"So, wait a second. General Hordak was our enemy? How does that work?" Bow asked.
"He wasn't from Etheria. He was an invader that took over the Fright Zone–"
"Scorpia's Kingdom, right?" Mara interjected.
"Yeah." Glimmer nodded, "And then he formed the Horde. At which point he plunged all of Etheria into a war."
"Wow! That's crazy. Here, Hordak is our top general alongside Juliet. And the Horde is Etheria's army." Bow said.
"Yeah, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that one. Etheria has its own army. Who's in charge of it?" Glimmer asked.
"Your parents. Bright Moon is the ruling kingdom of Etheria. It presides over the rest of Etheria's kingdoms." Bow explained.
"Uh huh. . ." Glimmer nodded, "and who exactly is Hordak in this timeline?" she asked.
"He's actually the little brother of Prince Keldor." Mara said as she took a bite of her food.
"Adora's uncle? Fleet Admiral Keldor?" Glimmer asked.
"The very one. Was that different for you?" Mara asked.
Glimmer gained a thoughtful look on her face. "Eh, kinda? I only learned about it a little bit ago, but I guess Hordak was a clone of Keldor or something? He said he was his genetic progenitor. I'm not too sure about the rest of it. But they still looked way different from one another."
"That would be a big no no on Eternia. Cloning is strictly overseen by the science division. But as for their appearance difference, Keldor and Hordak are half brothers. Same mom, different dads. Keldor is a Gar-Eternian hybrid. Hordak is a Gar-Spelean hybrid. That's why he has those bat-like features." Mara said.
"You know," Glimmer said after a moment, "couldn't we go to the Crystal Castle and just use the memory thing?"
"That. . . is actually a good idea. Sure, come on." Mara said as they stood up.
"It's still the middle of the night. Won't my mom get mad at us?" Glimmer asked.
"Well, think of it as one of the positives of a peaceful Etheria. Your curfew is much more flexible. Let's go." Bow said.
As the trio made their way to the Crystal Castle, Glimmer looked around at the scenery and just now realized that the soldiers and guards they passed all wore a strange mixture of Etherian and Horde armor and people were glad to see them. It was truly bizarre. Looking up, she couldn't help but be enthralled by the beauty of Etheria's stars.
As they entered the castle, Mara stepped forward, "Hope! Are you here?"
All of a sudden, a taller woman with short white hair wearing sleepwear came walking out of a hallway from the side. Glimmer didn't recognize her. Her eyes were sharper and her skin was pale. She bore a resemblance to her father and aunt castaspella. She seemed familiar though. Glimmer watched as she walked up to Mara, giving her a kiss before waving her hands in the air.
"Who is. . .?" Glimmer started to ask before Bow spoke up.
"Hey Light Hope."
Glimmer blanched in shock. "This is Light Hope?"
The woman raised an eyebrow in confusion, looking at Mara. Mara held up a finger before turning towards Glimmer. "You don't recognize her?" Mara asked, a hint of concern peeking through.
"She seems familiar, but. . . the Light Hope I know is like two feet taller than you and is a hologram with purple skin." Glimmer said to Mara.
"Yes. That is still me, Glimmer. It's just my avatar." Light Hope's familiar voice resounded from around them as the girl made several motions with her hands. Glimmer recognized it as the Etherian sign language.
Glimmer looked at Mara, "I'm sorry if I'm being rude, it's just. . .I'm all over the place right now."
"What happened? Why doesn't she recognize me?" Light Hope asked.
"We're about to figure it out. But to keep a long story short, alternate timelines. Razz disappeared so we need to get to the bottom of what caused it." Mara explained.
Light Hope gained a concerned look on her face. "Oh my god. Is she dead?"
"No," Bow answered, "Just gone. She told us to cross a threshold and find her. She also told Glimmer to talk to Adora and Catra."
Light Hope looked at Glimmer, "So, is this our Glimmer?"
"Yes, but her memories are scattered." Mara said.
Glimmer nodded, "Everything's hazy. You seem familiar and my dad's alive but I can't remember much of anything with him soooo. . . yeah."
Light Hope nodded, a determined look falling onto her face as she slammed her fist into her palm, "We'll get to the bottom of this. But to fill you in, we've been friends for about five years now. We met the same time you met Mara."
Glimmer nodded, "I'll do my best to remember."
"That's actually why we're here. We need to use the memory program. We need to see Glimmer's last few hours of memories." Mara said.
"I highly advise against that, Mara. The mental strain that could put on Glimmer could have some serious repercussions if she isn't ready for it."
"I'm aware. Start slow and work your way towards the present."
Light Hope nodded before waving her hand, a magic circle appearing. Glimmer looked at it and noticed that it looked different than normal magic. It looked a lot more. . . structured? Bow noticed her confused face and smiled. "Light Hope is a technomancer."
"Technomancer? What's that?" Glimmer asked.
"Technopathy is the ability to utilize magic in the shape and form of technology and science." Light Hope's voice rang out through the castle.
"She's also the only one. Nobody else has ever figured it out." Mara said with admiration. "Light Hope is from Earth, like my mother."
"You're not Eternian?" Glimmer asked.
"Nope. She's a human. Light Hope was only a baby when she left Earth with her mother. She's from a country called Japan. Earth was in the beginning stages of repairing itself from a ecosystemic collapse that spanned the whole planet. Her parents sought out Aunt Marleena in hopes of giving Hope a better life."
Glimmer nodded as she watched the Crystal Castle's interior shift. Light Hope turned towards Glimmer. "If it makes you more comfortable," all of a sudden, a hologram of the Light Hope she was familiar with appeared in front of the group, "I can use my avatar if you'd feel more at ease, Glimmer."
Glimmer shook her head, "It's fine. Technically this is the repaired timeline that Catra chose so. . .I should get used to it."
Light Hope gave a wide smile before nodding. "The memory sequence will begin now." She paused, "Mara, there seems to be a whole second branch of memories in Glimmer's cerebral cortex."
"Yeah, that sounds about right. Just play those specific ones." Mara said.
"The most recent memories I can relay safely are from a year prior. It seems to be a battle with. . ." She paused.
"Adora and Catra, right?" Glimmer asked.
Light Hope nodded. "Yes. Playing now."
Their surroundings shifted to one of a burning village as smoke billowed around them. "It's the Horde," Glimmer cried as they ducked into a hut.
"Why are they here? The people of Thaymor aren't a threat." Bow asked.
Mara, Bow, and Light Hope looked at the alternate versions of Bow and Glimmer. Mara's focus was more directed at Adora though. She was definitely not the girl that she had grown up around.
"Wait. Did you say Thaymor? This can't be Thaymor." Adora said in disbelief.
"Did you know something about this?" Glimmer snapped accusatory.
"No. I mean yes. But there's a mistake. Thaymor's supposed to be a heavily fortified rebel fortress, not a civilian town!" Adora explained.
"Do you really think that matters to them?" Glimmer asked.
Adora looked at Glimmer and Bow, "I can get them to stop. This is all a big mistake. I just need to talk to them. Get as many people out as you can and don't let them see you." She threw down the flower sash, "I'm sorry."
"Adora!" Glimmer yelled as the girl ran out of the hut.
Mara looked at Bow, "You're wearing the same clothes but you look a little different here. What do you think has changed?"
"Maybe because I've had to fight in a war? Combat probably plays a big part in physical exertion and attitude. What about Glimmer? She looks. . ." Bow tried to find the right words.
"Stressed." Light Hope answered. "She looks stressed."
Bow nodded solemnly. "That's one way to put it. I wonder how our lives have differed." Bow said as they watched Glimmer and his alternate self usher villagers out of the crossfire.
"Besides the obvious one," Mara said, gesturing to the battle, "Any number of things could have changed about ourselves personally. Your dads could have met under different circumstances."
Light Hope looked at Bow, "Apparently I was just a hologram and didn't exist."
Bow just nodded before they all turned their attention back to the memory. "Is that–"
Mara nodded, "Yeah, that's Catra. She looks. . ."
"Scary." Light Hope finished.
They watched as Catra engaged Adora, Bow, and Glimmer before Adora transformed into She Ra. "Look, she's using the sword of protection. This must be her first transformation."
"According to a memory prior, Glimmer witnessed Adora's first transformation a few hours before this." Light Hope said.
"Best Friends' Squad!" Bow cried as he pulled Adora and Glimmer into a hug. All of a sudden, Glimmer walked into the clearing smiling before looking at Mara. "Woah. That was weird."
"Yes, it can be disorienting at times. Are you okay?" Light Hope asked.
Glimmer nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. What's next?"
Light Hope held up a hand. "Judging by the advanced state of your cerebral cortex, I should be able to close in on your more recent memories much faster than anticipated."
"Alright." Glimmer said as she watched Light Hope prepare another sequence. The next hour was spent watching Glimmer's experiences as she visited Plumeria, Salineas, and Dryll. Her interactions with the princesses showed Mara, Light Hope, and Bow a much darker timeline as they quickly realized that their friends' parents were most likely dead.
Glimmer did find it strange when Bow revealed to her that the Kingdom of Dryll was not only run by Entrapta, but by her husband as well. "Entrapta married Hordak!"
Light Hope's shoulders shook in silent laughter. "I take it that's strange for you, huh? Based on what you remember and what we know, your Hordak differs greatly from our own."
"No kidding. How much further until we reach Catra's meeting with us?" Glimmer asked.
Light Hope's eyes glowed for a moment before she turned back towards Glimmer, "Now actually."
And so Mara watched as Glimmer met and, in her opinion, justifiably cast suspicion on the amnesic Catra. An argument ensued which ended with Catra passing out. Bow made sure to document the next hour as they watched Glimmer's memories that involved Catra until they finally came to Princess Prom.
Glimmer shook her head as she took a seat, letting out a groan. Light Hope looked at her apologetically. "Are you okay Glimmer? We can take a break if you'd like."
"Just give me a second. Got a bit of a headache is all." Glimmer said.
"Wow, your timeline is all sorts of terrible, Glimmer." Mara said. "On another note, I was She Ra? That's cool I guess. Here, I hold the power of Hi Ro."
Glimmer looked at her in confusion. "What's that mean?"
"It's basically the same thing except I hold the Sword of Power. Adora holds the Sword of Protection."
"Huh," Glimmer grunted before turning towards Light Hope, "In any case, you mentioned that my current memories are a second branch. Does that mean that I'll be able to remember this timeline as well?"
Light Hope nodded, "It's like a shock went through your brain. It's all still there, it's just too hot to touch at the moment. Once your psyche settles from the shock of it all, you'll begin to recall everything."
"Will I lose my other memories?" Glimmer asked worriedly.
"No," Light Hope shook her head. "That's not how memory works. Once it's there, it's there. That can't be undone. In fact, it's a good thing that it's structured in a second branch. That means that you'll be able to differentiate between the alternate timeline memories."
"Okay," She said, letting out a sigh of relief before nodding, "Alright, I'm good. Let's continue."
As Catra said goodbye to Lonnie's crew, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. As she was escorted back to the castle, she caught sight of her pursuer.
"You know that you could just walk up to me if you want to speak right?"
Weaving through the crowd towards Catra, out stepped a dark clothing clad woman. Catra examined the dark sorceress. She wore a black mesh veil that extended down her face that slightly hid her features if one wasn't looking close enough. Her dress was dark blood red with obsidian highlights that seemed to flow like water through the air as she almost seemed to drift along the ground. Catra wouldn't lie, she quite liked the woman's fashion sense. She definitely knew how to hold an audience.
Teela nodded, "Beatrix."
"High Sorceress Teela," She nodded before looking back at Catra. "We haven't been able to meet for your lessons in the past few months. I'm just curious as to when we might be able to resume."
Catra let out a sigh. She knew the woman was right of course. When they had announced their engagement, King Randor had been completely caught off guard. They're had been little time to prepare for it and Catra and Adora had not deigned to tell anyone for a little while. When Randor explained the implications of what Catra had asked for she had not been deterred. But the constant lessons and new duties left her little time to do much else, much less sorcery lessons.
"I apologize for that. I had to prioritize and I didn't mean to halt them. It's just–"
Beatrix held a hand up, silencing Catra before she could continue. "It's alright Your Highness. You don't need to justify yourself to me. I am simply wondering, with your wedding a week away, if we will be resuming your teachings. You are well on your way to mastering the esoteric texts and I don't want your progress to regress."
Catra nodded, "I- Of course. You can expect them to resume soon. By the end of the month to be sure."
Beatrix nodded, "That is all I wished to know. Let me not hold you any longer. I understand that you are quite busy."
Catra nodded, "We'll speak more on the subject at a later time. Goodbye, Beatrix."
As the woman sauntered away, Catra turned back to her objective, heading for the throne room. With Adora out, Randor had taken this as an opportunity to teach Catra about judgement. Catra had tried to argue that her mother had taught her these things already as the heir to the throne of Half Moon, but he had quickly explained that laws differed among planets and she needed to be prepared.
As Catra and her guard stepped into the palace, Randor let out a smile. "Catra, it seems you've evaded today's lessons. Something else needs to be addressed."
"Oh thank Sharella." Catra muttered under her breath before straightening up. "What is it?"
"Your guest list for your wedding for starters. There's a few other things as well." Marleena said from the side as she entered the room with Evelyn.
"I thought we had already completed the guest list? Adora said as much a few weeks ago." Catra answered with slight confusion.
"Your personal guest list." Evelyn said. "Your close friends and family that you wish to be front and center."
Catra eyebrows raised in realization, "Oh! Well I already covered that."
"We would like it if you chose more than just Lonnie's group. We know that they're your friends but do you really not want to invite anyone else?" Randor said gently.
Catra's thoughts shifted to Mara and Light Hope. Her gaze must have lingered on Evelyn a tad bit too long because the woman smiled. "Thinking about Mara and Hope are you?"
"I guess." Catra answered noncommittally.
Marleena looked at Catra, "If you want to invite them, you can. You chose Adora and Mara chose Light Hope. There is no animosity between Mara and my daughter. Besides, you haven't seen each other in almost four years. I'm sure that Adora would be happy to see her friends."
Catra nodded. She had known Adora since they were just infants and they had grown a very strong bond because of it. But when she had met Mara, they had become fast friends. Catra hadn't noticed it when they were younger, but Adora had exuded quite a bit of animosity towards Mara when she was the subject of attention. Whatever their issues were with one another, it was for them to work out and Catra had made that painfully apparent to them when they were sixteen. And she also wanted to see Light Hope again.
"Okay, add Mara and Light Hope to the list." Catra said before gaining a considerate look, "Actually, I'll just call her myself."
Randor smiled. "Alright. Anyone else?"
Catra looked at her hand, thinking to herself. "For now? No. Perhaps I'll think of a few others but at the current moment, that's all."
"Fair enough. Do let someone know if you think of anyone else." Randor said as he turned to leave. "That will be all for today, Catra. Feel free to go find Adora." He said with a smile.
Catra grinned before warping away. Evelyn smiled, "Has she picked a maid of honor yet?"
Marleena shook her head, casting a look at Evelyn, "No. But I'm fairly certain who she wants to ask."
Evelyn let out a sigh, "I doubt she'd ask anyone else. Well, maybe Lonnie, but Adora's already asked her. Not only that, Catra has several things that she hasn't addressed. There's also the topic of her mother."
Marleena let out a sigh, "She was like a sister to me. It's hard to believe it's been five years."
Evelyn looked down at the ground, "I know." She said quietly.
A moment of silence passed before Marleena looked at her friend, "Have you even spoken to Mara about the wedding?"
"No." She shook her head, "Mara's made no calls and the last time we spoke at all was almost three years ago. Sure, Lorric and I get messages but nothing since she left." Evelyn sighed, "No, she's too busy growing up, exploring distant worlds, falling in love." Suddenly, a smile blossomed, "But I'll bet she shows up for Catra."
Marleena raised a brow, a semi scowl on her face. "Careful, Evelyn. Catra and Adora have moved past that and I'm willing to bet that Mara has as well. No need to resort to such tactics. I'm sure asking her will be enough."
Evelyn let out a laugh. "I wouldn't dare. I'm just saying. If Adora hadn't made her move when she had, we might be looking at a very different wedding."
Marleena snorted, "You're not wrong." her humor faded after a moment. "Do you still have the shard?"
Evelyn nodded, "Yes. Don't worry. I've made the preparations."
Marleena nodded, letting out a defeated sigh, "I just hope Catra won't hold it against us."
Evelyn put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "She won't. When Catra sees it, she'll understand why we kept it from her."
It was early morning when the best friends squad returned to Bright Moon castle.
"Woah woah woah! Glimmer, you can't just march into Eternos." Mara said as she stepped in front of her. "Especially not now of all times."
Glimmer threw her hands in disbelief. "You saw my memories, Mara. We watched Razz disappear and I'm the only one who can remember Shadow Weaver. I have to stop her!" Glimmer said before looking Mara in the eye, "And what's 'now of all times' mean?"
Mara looked at Bow and Light Hope. Bow looked at Glimmer, "Space travel is being heavily regulated and monitored because of the coronation of Princesses Adora and Catra. Just getting to Eternia at the moment is nigh impossible."
Glimmer looked at Bow in confusion. "Catra and Adora are being coronated? Why? Did Marleena and Randor die?"
Light Hope drew Glimmer's attention, "They're getting married, Glimmer. The royal wedding marks the next rulers of Eternia and by extension the Empire. It is a big event that holds significant importance, especially with the involvement of Earth. Hundreds of planets from all across the universe will be attending. We can't afford to just rush in without a plan."
Glimmer blinked, "Okay. . . Well when is it? Can't we just sneak off and talk to Adora before everything starts going down?"
Mara shook her head, "No. It's in three weeks but it's invite only. Only select planets will be allowed to attend and Etheria wasn't one of them and any chance of receiving an invite so late is nonexistent. There's just too little space to host such an event with thousands of guests."
"But you said you know Catra and Adora right? Plus, your mom's the Eternian high mage. Can't you get us in?" Glimmer asked.
Light Hope let out a snort, grabbing Glimmer's attention, "Evelyn isn't the high mage anymore. As of two years ago that position was awarded to her apprentice, Teela. So, unless you can teleport us millions of light years, we're stuck here."
Glimmer let out a groan, pacing her room, "There has to be something we can do!"
A knock at the door sounded before opening, revealing Angella. "Glimmer, are you alright? Your father said you looked upset when you passed him. She looked at the sullen state of the group of friends. "What's wrong?"
Bow, thinking fast, rattled off an excuse, "We were just talking about Mara's home planet and how different it is from Etheria. Glimmer asked if we could go but because of the coronation. . ." he trailed off.
"Ah, yes. I suppose that would put a damper on plans. But speaking of Eternia, Mara," Angella turned towards the woman holding a thin glowing light pane, "You've received a call. General Hordak has asked me to deliver it to you. It's from Eternia."
Everyone in the room looked at Mara before leaning towards her. Mara took the glowing item before tapping the screen. All of a sudden, a hologram of Catra appeared. "Hey Mara."
"Catra?" Mara answered in surprise before walking a few feet from the group. "What, uh, what's up? How've you been?"
Glimmer didn't miss the slight annoyance on Light Hope's face. Looking back at Mara, she focused on the conversation, trying to get a better look at her time-abled friend. "I've been good. Why haven't you called? I haven't seen you since you decided to leave Eternia. What have you been up to?"
"Oh, ya know. . . just hanging out." Mara said awkwardly.
Light Hope cleared her throat, putting her hands out. 'Get to the point.'
Catra nodded, "Well, um. . . I'm calling because I wanted to talk to you and It's kind of important." Catra said, her voice sounding a bit vulnerable.
Mara's tone switched to a more serious one, "Okay? I'm listening."
"I wanted to know if," Catra let out a nervous breath, "if you'll be my maid of honor. Obviously, Hope is invited too."
Everyone's eyes widened in surprise. Catra waited for a moment before Mara looked at Glimmer out of the corner of her eyes. "Catra, you know I would be there if I could," Catra looked a little downtrodden at Mara's words, "But I can't get there. Etheria's quadrant is completely locked down. I couldn't make it out of the system if I tried."
Catra was quiet for a moment. "So, if the system's route was to be cleared. . . you could make it?"
". . .Yes?" Mara said questioningly.
Catra nodded, "One moment. I'll call you right back."
As the line went dead, Mara looked around the room. Light Hope still looked shocked before she sat down in one of the chairs. Suddenly, the sound of running could be heard from outside the door. "Angie! Glimmer!"
Immediately, the door was flung open by King Micah with Hordak behind him. Angella looked at them worriedly, "What is it! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. We just received a message!" Micah exclaimed in excitement before Hordak held his trackerpad up.
"Queen Angella, Etheria has just received an official invite from Eternos to attend the Princess' wedding and coronation. And we're priority transit! Do you know what this means?"
All of a sudden Catra's image appeared once again. "Hey, you there?"
Mara was still looking at Micah before refocusing her gaze on Catra. "Did you just–"
"So, will you accept? Even if you're not comfortable with the request, I'd still like for you and Hope to attend. Adora would love to see you and so would your parents. So?" Catra asked.
Glimmer grabbed the pane out of her hands before looking at Catra, "She accepts! She totally accepts!"
Catra caught sight of Light Hope nodding with a smile before she nodded in kind. "Alright then. I'll send a ship out to Etheria with an envoy to make the necessary arrangements. They'll be there at around sunset for Etheria. Of course they'll also have to speak to the Princesses and Queen Angella. Appearance is important after all." Catra said before bidding Mara goodbye.
Immediately Micah turned and left the room, "Oy my gosh! We have so much we need to do!"
Angella turned towards Glimmer. "Glimmer, I need you to contact your friends. They need to be informed and be here by the end of the day. We can't afford to mess up in front of Eternia." Angella turned and left the room, letting out a small groan, "This is so troublesome."
Glimmer watched her parents leave before looking at Mara. "How exactly are we going to get to all of the other kingdoms in twelve hours? I can't teleport that far!"
Mara waved Glimmer off, "We'll take my ship. It'll only take a few minutes to fly across the planet."
Glimmer slowly nodded, "Alright. Oh! Maybe someone else remembers too."
Bow shook his head, "I seriously doubt that Glimmer. Didn't Razz say that you only remember because of She Ra's magic?"
Glimmer's face fell a bit at that. "I suppose? But if Adora can remember, maybe everyone else could as well?"
Light Hope stood up, swiping her hand across a holographic screen. "We can focus on that later. For now, we need to get going. We need to catalog which Princesses are attending and there are quite a lot of them."
"Right. Let's get going then." Bow said.
As they walked towards Bright Moon's doors to leave, they were stopped by Hordak. "Princess Glimmer, could I ask a favor of you?"
"Uh, sure? What do you need?" Glimmer responded, a bit unsure.
"My wife, Entrapta. I know that she has a tendency to overlook social cues as well as neglect certain duties as a ruler when it comes to her own interests. I know you've never met her but if you could ask her to return with you to the castle on your way back, I'd be grateful."
Glimmer was a bit surprised that she hadn't met Entrapta in this timeline. Sure they weren't the closest of friends but she would have hoped that they would at least have met before this moment. "Of course. You can count on me."
"Excellent. It's been a couple of days since I've returned to Dryll and with the sudden invitation to the coronation I hardly have time to do much at all at the current moment." Hordak said with a hint of irritation.
Bow put a reaffirming hand on Hordak's shoulder, "Don't worry, Hordak. We've got this. We'll convince her to come back."
Hordak gave a nod before leaving them to it. As they left the castle, Glimmer looked up at the ship that was descending from the sky in awe. She looked to the left to see Light Hope smiling at her. "What?"
"You've never taken an interest in our technology before. It's refreshing to see." Hope signed.
Glimmer shrugged, "My Etheria isn't quite as advanced as this one. Only the Horde had technology like this and I couldn't really afford to stop and stare at those."
As the ship landed, a flash of red caught Glimmer's eye. As she turned to look, she realized that she was looking at the Phoenix Anvil. Glimmer walked towards the shop before stopping at the window. There, hanging on display, was the staff that Catra had gotten as a gift for Adora.
"You okay?" Mara asked, walking up beside Glimmer.
Glimmer nodded, "That's Adora's staff. Catra got it for her as a gift the night they confessed to each other."
"Are you sure?" Bow asked, coming up beside her.
Glimmer nodded, "If you twist it, blades come out of the ends." she said as she started to walk to the entrance of the shop.
"What are you doing?" Bow asked.
"I'm gonna buy it. Maybe it'll help jog Adora's memory." Glimmer said as she entered the store.
"Adora, are you awake?" Marleena whispered, giving her a gentle shake.
Adora slowly opened her eyes with a yawn, "Mom? What time is it?"
"It's a few hours before sunrise. Your father and I wished to speak with you privately but we didn't want to cut into your alone time with Catra." Marleena whispered. "I'll give you a moment to get dressed."
Adora groggily nodded before turning to Catra, who had started to stir and layed a kiss on her cheek. "Hey, I'll be back in a bit."
Catra nodded before rolling over and falling back asleep. Adora quickly threw a robe on, following her mother. As they reached her father's study, she took a seat on one of the chairs, resting her head on her hand.
"Good, you're here." Randor nodded.
"What did you guys want to talk about?" Adora asked, becoming more awake by the second.
Marleena let out a breath, "Well, it's rather important. It has to do with Catra and. . . her mother."
Adora sat up, wide awake as she focused on her parents' words. "Okay, I'm listening. What about her?"
Randor sat forward as he let out a breath. "When you and Catra were born, we were privy to some knowledge that has more or less faded. We don't know what it consisted of but we know that it happened all the same."
"What happened?" Adora asked.
"At some point, a temporal branch opened for you and Catra and then closed." Randor said, pressing forward. "We don't know what it consisted of but we felt that you should be aware of it."
"What do you mean? Like a separate timeline?" Adora asked.
Marleena nodded, "Exactly like a separate timeline. The Temporal Obelisk showed signs of recent repairs and the remnants of a time loop at the time of Catra's birth. We haven't told Catra yet but we will soon."
"Okay? You said it closed, right? So why tell me?" Adora asked, confused.
"C'yra had initially been the one who was going to explain this to you but. . ." Marleena let out a solemn breath. "Well, since she's no longer with us, we felt that it was our responsibility."
"What we're trying to say is that Catra's powers were responsible for the timeline shift. And that there's a high probability that you may start remembering things that don't quite make sense. Catra will also probably experience this." Randor explained.
"Is. . . this harmful? Will Catra be okay?" Adora asked with concern.
Marleena nodded, "C'yra explained it to us. It's not harmful and besides a little confusion, it won't affect either of you in any negative way. We just want you to be prepared."
"Oh." Adora sat back in relief before looking at her parents. "Will you guys remember anything?"
Marleena shook her head, "Whatever happened is lost to us. Only the holder of She Ra and someone of Catra's heritage will be able to call upon those events."
Adora slowly nodded before standing, a smile on her face. "Alright then. As long as Catra and I aren't at any risk then I don't see any problem."
Randor nodded at his daughter. "That's all we wanted to talk to you about."
"I'll let Catra know about it." Adora said as she started to head back to her quarters.
"Are you sure?" Marleena asked.
Adora nodded, "Yeah, it's fine. Bye mom, bye dad." she said as she left the room.
Marleena let out a breath, "Well, that went well."
Randor nodded, "It wasn't Adora I was worried about."
Marleena was quiet for a few moments before speaking, "Is Catra doing alright?"
"It's been five years since her mother died. I know she acts like she's moved on, but I know it's still fresh. Especially with her wedding only three weeks away." Randor replied quietly.
Marleena rubbed her eyes before letting out a groan. "There's so much going on right now!"
Randor let out a small laugh, "I know. But that's life."
"If you had told my sixteen year old self that at forty eight years old I'd have traveled across space and discovered worlds with magic and dragons and that I'd become a queen, well. . . I'd probably have called you mad."
Randor laughed louder this time. "I suppose that does sound strange to you doesn't it?"
"On the topic of other worlds, Catra really needs to let us know when she decides to do what she did yesterday."
"Oh? What happened." Randor asked.
"She was able to track down Mara's location, found out she was on Etheria, and then proceeded to put Etheria on the priority transit list without letting anyone know!" She said, throwing her arms in the air, exasperated.
"Well, did she do it correctly?" Randor asked.
Marleena sighed, "Technically, yes."
"Then all is fine. It means she's paying attention to her lessons." Randor smiled. "But by chance, who did she send as an ambassador?"
"Hey Mara!" Swift Wind said exuberantly.
"It's a talking horse!" Bow said in shock.
Angella strode forward with several documents in hand. "Bow, please be respectful. This is the ambassador from Eternia. He is also the royal steed of Princess Adora. He is here to make sure we have everything in order. His name is–"
"Swift Wind!" Glimmer said in shock.
"Uh, yes. That is his name." Angella said, raising an eyebrow before waving it off. "Please stay here with him, Glimmer. I'm not trying to be rude, I just have a few things I still need to take care of."
As Angella strode off, Swift Wind turned towards the four friends. "Mara, Light Hope, always good to see you guys. Bow, Glimmer, always nice to see you, er, meet you." he corrected himself.
Glimmer narrowed her eyes at Swift Wind. "Wait, do you remember what happened at the palace with the Obelisk and the Horde?"
"Wait, you remember?" Swift Wind asked in confusion.
"Oh thank goodness!" Glimmer cried before giving him a hug. "We need your help."
"Wait, does Bow remember? How do you remember?" Swift Wind asked.
"No, only me. Razz said that I could remember because I still had a bunch of She Ra's magic in me. But that's besides the point. Razz disappeared and we need to stop Shadow Weaver. She's the only other person who still had She Ra's magic besides me."
"Woah! Back it up there. Adora doesn't remember what happened and neither does anyone else for that matter. As for Shadow Weaver, are you sure it's her? Because I've met Shadow Weaver and she's almost completely changed. Her appearance, her demeanor, everything." Swift Wind explained.
Mara nodded, "We watched Razz fade out of existence. If She Ra's magic is the only thing that allows you to retain your memories, then it stands to reason that Shadow Weaver is behind it. Besides you, Glimmer is the only other person to remember."
Swift Wind nodded, "Alright. But what exactly do you think we should do about it? We're kind of in the middle of something extremely important. We can't just walk up to Adora and Catra. Well, I could, but that's besides the point. They don't know you guys anymore."
Bow spoke up. "Razz said that She Ra's magic let Glimmer remember. She also said that Adora could be made to remember. Knowing that, could we theoretically flood our bodies with the magic of She Ra to let us remember?"
Light Hope raised her arm, displaying a holographic display of a person's neurological pathways. "Normally, I'd say no because that's not how brain chemistry works. But this is Glimmer's neurological sequence from two days ago." She waved her hand, showing another sequence with her neurons being flooded with golden light, "This is her brain now. It's like her body is using She Ra's magic to repair neurological damage similar to one might see in an amnesic individual. "If She Ra's magic is doing this without any type of catalyst, then who's to say that it couldn't work on another individual."
Mara nodded before looking at Swift Wind, "Could you output enough magic to affect us in a similar manner?"
Swift Wind nodded, "Oh, easily! But the problem lies in the magic itself. It didn't just fall on you Glimmer. Shadow Weaver literally siphoned it out of Mara and into you. If we were to attempt this, we'd need someone capable of the same thing."
Glimmer thought about the spell. She had been there when Shadow Weaver had taught Catra the restore and drain spell. She was positive she could recreate it. "I think I can do it. I was there when Shadow Weaver taught Catra the spell."
"You're sure? Because we don't want to mess this up." Mara asked.
Glimmer nodded. "I'm sure."
Swift Wind raised a brow before shrugging. "Hey, I trust you. Go for it."
Glimmer stepped forward and laid her hand on Swift Wind's side. As she closed her eyes, she focused on Shadow Weaver's words.
Focus on the feeling of the magic beneath the stone's surface, the flow of magic that permeates the very being of it. It's right in front of you ripe for the taking. It's yours. The intent must be there, if you cannot exert your will over it then it will not obey you. Bend it to your will and subjugate it.
As Bow, Mara, and Light Hope watched Glimmer's hand light up with its usual pink magic, their expressions turned to shock when her bright magic started to dim before becoming a dark inky black. Glimmer's normally pink eyes slowly shifted to a low red glow and her wings slowly shifted from their brilliant light to a darker, more shadowy appearance. After a moment she lowered her hand. Swift wind ruffled his wings a bit but seemed unfazed for the most part.
"Did it work?" Swift Wind asked. "I thought I felt a bit of a drain there for a second."
Glimmer nodded, "It worked. I have quite a bit of magic." She turned towards Mara, "You were She Ra in the other timeline. Will this affect you differently?"
Mara shook her head, "I hold the power of Hi Ro. According to King Randor, She Ra's and Hi Ro's power is so closely linked that there should be no power differences."
Glimmer nodded, "Alright. Let's do this then. Give me your hand."
As Mara held out her hand to Glimmer, Bow and Light Hope looked at one another. "Hope, what are the chances of this working?"
Light Hope shrugged, "In all honesty? Zero. This shouldn't work at all. But Glimmer has memories of an alternate timeline and that's completely out of my field of expertise, so who's to say."
As Mara felt some magic siphon into her, the door to Glimmer's room opened as Angella strode in before stopping in shock, "What is the meaning of this!"
Everyone turned to look at Angella in surprise before Mara stumbled back, dropping to a knee. Light Hope quickly rushed over to help her. Suddenly, Micah came running in, "What happened! What is it?"
He stopped when he saw Glimmer's eyes. Her eyes were still red but her magic had shifted back to its normal pink glow. His focus shifted to Mara kneeling down, catching her breath. He had a look of surprise before it quickly morphed into anger. "Who taught you this spell?"
Mara slowly stood up before looking at Glimmer, the brief chaos of the moment halted as they all turned to look at Mara. She let out a breath before turning towards Swift Wind, "I remember."
"You do? All of it?" Bow asked.
She nodded, "All of it. Ugh," She groaned in pain, "That sucked. It's like I just woke up."
"Enough!" Angella commanded, "Explain yourselves, now!"
Glimmer stepped forward. "I. . . Okay, this is going to sound crazy but bear with me." and started to explain the last few days and what had transpired.
They initially looked at their daughter like she had lost it, but with Mara and Swift Wind all collaborating on the story, they were willing to hear her out. After a few minutes, Agella sat down before looking at Micah. "Is. . .is that possible?"
Micah looked from his wife to his daughter, "I was never taught by a woman named Shadow Weaver. I was taught by a woman named Beatrix, and she currently resides in Eternos."
Swift Wind nodded, "Yep. That's Shadow Weaver. Or rather, the new version of her. Grey skinned woman, sharp pointed ears, extremely good at dark magic, and a questionable fashion sense."
"And you're saying that you remember?" Angella asked Mara. "How does that work?"
"It's complicated. To keep it simple, She Ra's magic." Mara answered.
Angella let out a groan, "Can't you just be rebellious like a normal teenager? Sneak some alcohol or something and not deal with time travel?"
Glimmer let out a small laugh, "I'd say this is actually pretty tame compared to some of the stuff I've had to deal with in the war."
"War!" Angella exclaimed in shock, "What war?"
Bow sucked in a breath. "Well, you see. Glimmer's timeline that she remembers is a little different from ours."
Micah watched Glimmer's eyes slowly fade back to pink before he strode forward. "If Swift Wind's magic is to be transferred into us, will we all remember?"
"It does seem to be that way, yeah." Swift Wind confirmed.
Micah nodded, "Glimmer. I don't want you practicing umbrakinesis without me being there, okay? It's not like other magics. It's dangerous. Now," he let out a breath, "I'll siphon some magic and cast an aura field. That way, we only have to do it once."
"Wait." Glimmer said. "We should get the rest of the princess alliance as well. We'll need their help."
Micah slowly nodded, "Let's make a quick list. We don't want to miss anyone who was involved."
Glimmer looked at her dad before suddenly hugging him, her eyes tearing up a bit. Micah looked a little surprised before hugging her back. "What brought this on?"
Glimmer wiped her eyes as she let go, stepping back. "I'll explain later. For now, we need Frosta, Mermista, Sea Hawk, Perfuma, Entrapta, Spinnerella, Netossa, Scorpia, Castaspella and Juliet."
"Was General Hordak not a part of the alliance?" Micah asked.
Glimmer let out a breath as she shifted a bit. Her silence spoke volumes.
"I take it you don't get along with him in the other timeline?" Micah asked.
Swift Wind let out a bellowing laugh. "That's hilarious. No, I suppose you could say that. Regardless, we need all the help we can get."
Glimmer let out a sigh, "Alright. If that's everyone, let's do this."
"What about Princess Sulphira?" Angella asked.
"Who?" Glimmer asked.
"The Princess of the Kingdom of Ashfell? She resides on Mount Candila. Why don't you remember this?" Angella asked in concern.
Light Hope offered up an explanation. "Due to how Glimmer's memories are perceiving the separate timelines, her cerebral cortex has created a separate branch for the memories, causing an amnesic effect on her memories pertaining to this timeline. It's only temporary and should fade within a couple of days. It's not harmful."
"Oh, okay." Angella breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mount Candila is still there? In our timeline, that Kingdom is a desolate wasteland and the Spirit Ember was corrupted after the Princess had died. But that was hundreds of years ago. We didn't even have her name on record." Glimmer answered.
"Well, her name is Sulphira." Angella provided, "I think we should include her as well. She's always been very helpful and this time should be no different."
Glimmer nodded, "Okay. Let's gather everyone. We're gonna need to discuss a plan."
Beatrix stood before Catra and Teela. "Catra, I am pleased to see you here today, although I'm surprised that the High Mage herself is here. To what do I owe the pleasure? I highly doubt there is anything I can teach you Teela."
Teela smiled. "For today, I'm simply shadowing Catra with Andra and the Royal Guard. With the wedding only nineteen days away, there are a lot of officials and representatives as well as thousands of guests in Eternos. We can't afford to let our guard down. Just ignore me for the time being."
Beatrix nodded, "Very well. Come, Catra. We have a bit to catch up on and not a lot of time."
Catra nodded and followed the woman. As they strode towards the sanctum, Catra turned towards the woman. "Congratulations are in order. I've heard that you are the first mage to receive both titles regarding the mastery of Light and Dark magic."
Beatrix let a proud smile wash over her face. "You have heard correctly. Thank you for noticing. It wasn't easy mind you. But I knew that I would be the first."
Catra raised a brow, "Really?"
She nodded, "I wasn't born to power like Adora or Teela or even Mara. I had to fight for it everyday growing up. It was never easy and I'm glad to see that you value my opinion on such things." She opened the door to the large building with a wave of her hand, "I've told you it before in passing, but the time magic you wield has actually disadvantaged your learning curve. While your potential is quite high, your abilities hinder your progression. I am impressed with your drive in learning the mystic arts. Now if only Adora would heed my advice more often. But alas, you can't please everyone."
Catra shrugged, "That's life."
"Indeed," Beatrix chuckled. "But, if you feel the need to start addressing me by my new title, I will not stop you."
Catra let out a good natured laugh at the woman's attempt to get her to address her, "Alright. What shall we start with. . . Shadow Weaver."
She grinned, "We've toyed with the esoteric texts enough that you have grasped magic in its most pure form. Now, we will begin your true teachings."
As she walked forward, Shadow Weaver drew a magic circle around them before activating it with a bright glow. A moment later, they found themselves in the middle of a mountainous landscape with floating rocks, a clear blue river as well as lush grassland. Catra recognized it as the Mystic Mountains of Eternia.
"The power inside you, it comes from the ley lines. All magic in this universe does. And those of us lucky or skilled enough to capture it, can make it do almost anything." She explained.
Catra looked at the woman. "The whole universe has these? Why doesn't Earth?"
Shadow Weaver nodded, "Earth did have magic at one point. But the ley line that was utilized there grew weaker over the millennium as Earth grew until eventually it all faded from their world. Magic is the lifeblood of the universe. As it enters this realm, it bleeds down into the worlds providing life like a well. But if you're too far from it or aren't careful, that well can run dry."
"Wait, back it up. This realm?" Catra asked.
"That's right. There is another realm above this one, The Nexus. It is the focal point of all realms and is the source of all magic. It is where magic starts, where the ley lines originate from and pour out of. Look at that one there." Shadow Weaver said as she raised her hand. Instantly, what seemed like a floating river of energy appeared in the air.
Catra focused on it as she was told and ever so slowly, more ley lines started appearing in her vision. "Woah, they-they're everywhere."
"Indeed. They span all of Eternia like a web, bathing it in magic. That is why Eternia controls the universe. Politics, lands, ideologies - All of that is secondary to the control and management of magic."
Catra thought about those words and about the children's stories she'd heard from her mother as a little girl about epic magic battles in amazing wars. "When I was a child, my mother used to read me stories detailing great battles between mages. Are those based on true stories?"
"Yes and no. From the very beginning, Eternia has held the highest position of magic in the universe. We've never really been in a war that we couldn't handle. But other planets with little to no structure that were allowed to run rampant. . . those are what your stories are based on. Make no mistake Catra. All magic is dangerous, even the most tiny spell can kill someone if you try hard enough. That is why it is imperative that we manage magic and remain in control. Randor has explained that keeping the peace is imperative. While correct, it is also imperative to understand that no amount of technology will overpower a skilled mage. Especially an internal sourced one such as yourself."
Catra nodded, thinking about the advice she was hearing. Catra looked at Teela behind her. To her surprise, she gave a nod of agreement. Turning back to her lesson, she focused her attention on the stone platform in front of her. She recognized it as an arena.
"Your connection to the Obelisk will help you focus your magic. Keep it level and accurate, as well as preventing it from killing you. Your connection marks you as a magical conductor." Shadow Weaver explained.
Catra called forth some magic onto her hand before looking back at Shadow Weaver, "A Chosen."
"Yes, a Chosen." Shadow Weaver said as they started walking. "When we first met, you weren't entirely void of magic. Innately, you knew how to defend yourself with it. Utilize it in different ways."
"If you mean teleporting a couple of miles and rewinding a couple minutes then sure. I could do some magic."
"We all start somewhere."
As Teela watched the duo over the next couple of hours, Catra learned several spells ranging from multiple fire spells, to extremely intricate shields, she received a call. As she tapped her wrist, she walked away from Catra and Beatrix. "Teela, are you there?"
"Go for Teela." She responded, recognizing Adora's voice.
"Is Catra there? She didn't answer."
Teela slid her finger across her wrist, pulling up a holographic image of Adora. She angled her wrist to display Catra in the midst of learning to conjure a stone wall. Adora let out a huff. "Could you tell her that my father wishes to speak with her. He says it's quite important."
"Understood." Teela said as she ended the call. Striding forward, she waved her hand, sending out a small ball of light beside the women. It worked as they paused what they were doing to look at her.
"The King wishes to speak with you. He says it's rather important." Teela explained.
Shadow Weaver nodded before giving some homework for Catra to work on. As they returned to stand by Teela, the shadow sorceress teleported them back into Eternos. Catra thanked the woman before falling into stride with Teela. As soon as they started to move, Andra appeared with the Royal Guard, falling into formation around Catra.
"That sucked." Mermista let out a groan.
"Indeed. Was there no other way to restore our memories?" Sea Hawk asked.
"I'm afraid not." Mara said apologetically as she looked at the group all holding their heads in pain.
Angella shook her head before immediately enveloping Micah in a hug. "You're–"
"I know. It's okay." Micah said softly before they looked at Glimmer.
Angella wiped her eyes before looking at Mara. As she went to speak, a low growl of irritation cut her off.
"I'd rather not have remembered at all." Hordak snarled.
"It. . . is a bit startling." Entrapta said as she took Hordak's hand.
"Will this affect us in any way?" Perfuma asked with concern.
Light Hope looked around at everyone, "I can't remember anything. Why?"
As the room devolved into inaudible questions, Glimmer tried to answer unsuccessfully multiple times before she finally had enough. Teleporting in front of the group, her wings spread out before she got everyone's attention. "Guys, focus! We need to do something!"
Spinnerella stepped forward, "Glimmer, you can't expect us to not have questions. This is a lot to process in a short amount of time."
"We get that, we really do. But we're running out of time. Whatever happened to Razz could happen at any moment to one of us. So we need to have a plan on how we can confront this." Mara said.
Hordak let out a breath of exasperation before turning towards Angella and Micah before looking at everyone else, "Does this affect our standing in any way? As far as I'm concerned, that person is not me. I did not make those decisions."
"Hordak's right. . . Wow, that sounds strange coming out of my mouth." Juliet said. "These memories, they're. . . well, they aren't us. Not really. I still think we should do something but we shouldn't let these memories taint our images of one another."
"My demeanor has not changed at all. In fact, I can see myself acting the exact same way in most of these choices." Sea Hawk said.
"Same. I'm still me." Mermista added.
"It seems to me," Sulphira spoke up from the back, "that our core personality traits have remained. But the circumstances of our lives from everything to our births have been altered. According to my new memories, I have never met a single one of you. In fact, my life was one of regret and solitude. On that note, General Juliet and General Hordak are right. These were not us but different versions of us. Alternate lives that we lived."
Entrapta looked at the others before nodding in agreement. "While this is fascinating, the science supports Hordak. We have the proof of a regressive timeline on a universal scale."
Frosta shook her head, speaking up for the first time. "No. I'm still me. I made those decisions and led my people when my parents died. Catra gave me them back and I won't sit on the sidelines while someone tries to undo everything we worked so hard for. Just because I'm a few years older doesn't mean I'm still not a part of the Princess Alliance."
"I concur." Sea Hawk said, "Catra has been a brave ally and a kind friend. She saved all of us. If there is truly a threat to her and Adora, then I too will assist."
Spinnerella and Netossa stepped forward, "The way I see it," Netossa said, "we're finishing off the Horde for good."
Perfuma stepped forward, "Adora and Catra need us. They were there when we needed help and we should be there for them."
Glimmer smiled as she looked at her friends before looking at Scorpia. "Scorpia? You've been quiet until this moment. What do you have to say about all of this?"
Scorpia let out a chuckle, "Like you even have to ask. Of course we're gonna go save them. Catra is our friend and we don't leave friends behind." She said with a triumphant smile before it faded to confusion, "But, uh, where's Kyle, Lonnie, and Rojelio? They're definitely not in my Kingdom."
Mara spoke up, "They're on Eternia. They're a part of the guards in Eternos."
"Ah, okay." Scorpia nodded.
Castaspella looked at Micah before smiling. "I've never been a big fan of violence but Catra did risk it all and she brought you back. Plus, it's a chance to ruin Shadow Weaver's day. Count me in."
Light Hope looked at Mara, "I might not remember our previous experiences but I'm with you no matter what."
Glimmer looked at Bow before he smiled, "Do you even have to ask?"
Angella looked at Hordak, Entrapta, and Sulphira. "Will you help us? We'd all understand if you chose not to."
Hordak took a deep breath before exhaling, "I will help in any way I can but I'd rather distance myself from any memory of Horde Prime if I can help it."
Entrapta was looking at her tracker pad, writing something down before she realized that the room's focus was on her. "Huh? Oh, sure. Besides, Catra promised me we'd talk about time travel."
All that remained was Sulphira. "As it stands, I have the least connection with these two women. Even in this lifetime, I have never met Princess Adora or Catra and if it were not for Mara's invitation, I feel that I would not have had the opportunity. And while I am grateful to Catra for a second chance at life and you two are my closest friends," She said looking at Angella and Micah, "I can't. I'm. . .just not comfortable with this. I'm sorry."
Micah put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "That's okay Sulphira. No one will hold this against you."
"If that is all, I will be returning home to Mount Cadila. Goodbye." And with that, Sulphira left the room.
As they all gathered, they turned towards Mara, Light Hope, Swift Wind, Glimmer, and Bow. Swift Wind stepped forward. "We have about nineteen days until the wedding and we have to leave for Eternia in fourteen days. Make sure everyone is well stocked with what they'll need. Due to the tight timetable and the late invitation we won't be able to turn around. You won't just be able to stroll up to Adora and Catra either. This will require planning."
"We'll also need to avoid Shadow Weaver until we're ready. She won't be expecting us to know about the alternate timeline. We have the element of surprise and we can't afford to waste it." Glimmer said.
A chorus of yes' and affirmations responded.
Shadow Weaver stood silently, unmoving as she looked at the large mass of tendrils hovering in the air. The absolute display of power that sat before her, humming with energy as the ley lines flowed into it. She had never seen anything like it in her life. She watched in pure glee as the pulsing of the Nexus fed life into the abomination. It was beautiful.
As she turned to walk away from her creation, she caught sight of herself in a reflection from one of the ley lines. She looked awful, her face was scarred and was altered. Her skin seemed to be barely hanging on and she looked half dead. Indeed, her body would not have survived had she not augmented herself with whatever technology he could procure from the First Ones. Such a trivial and inconsequential race. Outdated and past their expiration. But it was of no matter to him. He had beaten them once before and could do it again. Once the bomb was complete, and the Nexus destabilized, there would at last be peace. And all of the universe would bathe in Horde Prime's light.
I know I said that this would be the last chapter but I honestly didn't realize how much I still needed to write. So consider this part 1 of the last chapter and the second part will be finished soon. Enjoy and let me know what you think.