Catra D'riluth looked out at Eternia's ocean as she listened to the sounds of the waves lazily hitting the shore. She hadn't been to Eternia in almost two years so when she had an opportunity to slip away, she'd taken it. The sand of this beach always felt so warm. It never failed to elicit an almost nostalgic feeling from her.
The gentle sands were always the best part. She loved this beach. The driftwood that drifted onto the golden shores. The soft breeze that carried the smell of salt like a sweet perfume. And the softly rolling waves that could be the most welcoming sight or easily switch to the towering waves that yelled out into the gusting winds.
The sun was beginning to go down and the light reflected off the water in a gorgeous way. Catra took a deep breath, savoring the peace and quiet. It was her fifteenth birthday today but all she wanted to do was stay out here, away from everyone while it ended.
"Catra!" A happy voice yelled out. Well, almost everyone.
Catra barely had any time to turn towards the familiar voice before she was tackled into a hug. A grin broke out on her face at the sight of her assailant. A whole year since she'd seen her and she was still wearing that stupid hairstyle.
"Hey Adora." Catra said with a smirk that showed off her fangs. "How've you been?"
Adora rolled off of her best friend down as she looked her up and down before stifling her laughter. "What are you wearing?"
"Really? A whole year and that's the first thing you ask me?" Catra asked in a fake offended tone. But in truth, she was right. These clothes were horrible. She let out a groan at Adora's look of expectancy. "Mom made me wear it. Something about upholding our traditions in front of King Randor."
Adora leet out a snort, "Like my dad cares what you wear to dinner. You could wear a wool tunic and I doubt he'd say anything besides 'Oh, Catra, it's so good to see you.'" Adora said dramatically.
Catra grinned, "That's what I said. But nooo, mom says we have to 'set an example.'" Catra's smile faltered a bit at the mention of her mother before pushing those thoughts away. "So what have you been up to in the last year?" She asked as she took off the stupid overcoat that her mother had forced her to wear.
Adora let out a groan of her own. "My parents won't leave me alone. They're always hovering around me and it's irritating. It's like. . .like they–"
"Won't give you any space?" Catra supplied as she turned her focus on the waves.
Adora let out a grunt, "Exactly! They're my parents and I love spending time with them but I just want a little privacy."
"Don't I know it." Catra muttered as they settled into a comfortable silence before Adora pulled out a small box from behind her before holding it out. "Happy Birthday Catra."
Catra took the box with a smile. She didn't particularly care what was in the box. Seeing Adora after a whole year was a gift enough but she accepted it nevertheless. "Thanks. . ." As Catra opened it, she pulled out what looked like a metal headpiece. It was dark red in color and had two small black markings on the front of it. It seemed a little familiar. "I think? What is it?"
"It's armor. I overheard my mom talking to C'yra that you'd been getting into weapons and armor. I saw that and thought it looked like something you'd wear." Adora said before an almost unnoticeable trace of vulnerability entered her voice. "Do you like it?"
Catra turned it around before frowning, "It's cool Adora but. . ."
"But what?" She asked with concern.
"I think it's cracked. See–"
"What? No, it wasn't when I bought–" Adora reached out before catching the smirk on her friend's face. Giving her a playful shove, Adora sat back down.
"I love it. Thank you." Catra said before putting it on. "How do I look?"
Adora looked Catra up and down and for the first time, began to think that she might be looking at her friend in a slightly more intimate manner. With her coat off, Catra was left only wearing a sleeveless shirt that hugged her body, showing off her arms that had begun to display tonnage over the last year. Her hair had gotten spikier and much longer than she remembered. But Adora's focus was mainly on her eyes. Her eyes seemed to radiate warmth. The golden glow of the evening's sun reflected off of the deep blue waves seemed almost a dim comparison.
Adora cleared her throat before laying back in the sand, her face alight, "You look good. It really suits you."
Catra gave a smile that did little to calm Adora's nerves before putting her gift back in its box. All of a sudden, Catra dived into the sand beside Adora, wrapping her arms around her and burying her head into her shoulder, "I missed you. Like, a lot."
Adora pulled her closer, a gentle smile on her lips. "I missed you too." As they gently dozed off in the sand, basking in one another's warmth, the sun set on the horizon, giving way to the gentle glow of the Eternian flora.
Catra D'riluth awoke to a knocking on her room's door. Sitting up, groggily, she glanced at the balcony door only to be greeted by a starless night sky. She could hear the slight sounds of morning and smell the dew on the balcony flowers. She guessed that she had maybe an hour left before the morning overtook the night. Another gentle knocking at the door disrupted her thoughts. Gently freeing her arm from Adora's sleeping figure, she grabbed a robe from the closet before walking towards the door. As she quietly opened the door, she was surprised to see Angella was the one knocking.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but may I talk to you for a moment?" Angella asked softly, as to not disturb Adora.
Catra glanced back at her wife's sleeping form before nodding and stepping into the hall, closing the door. Upon looking at the woman, Catra didn't fail to notice the disheveled state of the queen and how she was more or less wide awake. She also caught the faint scent of sex on her. It was understandable in her opinion. Perhaps it was because she had just woken up or maybe she just wasn't in the mood, either way, Catra bit back the snarky remark she would have normally said and settled for a smirk as she looked at the woman.
Angella's face lit up in a blush before she smoothed her hair and cleared her throat. Catra let out a small laugh. "Ya know, I knew my Angella for just over a month before the time rewrite stuff and I could never get a reaction out of her. She was extremely fast with a retort no matter what I tried. Seeing you flustered is a bit of a treat."
Angella tried to fight the genuine smile from appearing on her face only to fail horribly. "I assure you, I am very quick with a word but you've just barely caught me this time." Angella's smile dropped before she took a slightly more serious look, "I will let you get back to bed in a moment. I just wanted to ask you one thing."
Catra raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, sure. What's going on?"
"Castaspella just returned to Mystacour for the eclipse yesterday and I just wanted to know if anything of note happens for the next couple of days." Angella asked.
Catra caught the slight desperation in the woman's tone. She realized that the real question she was asking was, 'How much time do I have left to relax with my husband?' Catra leaned against the door, closing her eyes in thought as she tried to remember. It had been two days since their mission to Beast Island.
"How are you doing? We haven't been able to speak for almost three weeks now." Shadow Weaver said.
"Two." Catra said.
"I'm sorry?" Shadow Weaver asked.
"It's been about two weeks. 12 days to be precise."
Catra let out a breath, "You have eleven days of peace. On that eleventh day, Adora and Glimmer will perceive their invites to Princess Prom."
Angella gained a smile of relief before nodding. "Thank you, Catra."
Catra shrugged, "It's fine."
Angella shook her head, "It's not. When you got here yesterday, everyone cast suspicion on you. Me, most of all. Even with my husband vouching for you I still had the thought of it being a trap, a trick. That you were lying and that was the end for the rebellion. For that, I am truly sorry."
Catra put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Angella, it's fine. Really. Don't worry about it. Enjoy yourself. You just got Micah back."
Angella gave a grateful nod before leaving Catra to head back to bed. Catra let out a breath before closing the door. Taking a glance at Adora, Catra shook her head. There was no way she was getting back to sleep. Instead, she headed for the shower.
The sound of running water coupled with the morning rays peeking over the horizon roused Adora from her sleep as she sat up, letting out a yawn. As Adora blinked the sleep away, she heard the water stop. As Catra strolled out of the bathroom, holding only a towel, Adora let out an appreciative smile. Catra immediately turned towards Adora, a smirk on her face.
"Hey Adora." She said teasingly. Adora smiled before standing, quickly heading towards her wife. Catra quickly danced out of the way. "And just what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm trying to kiss the love of my life." Adora said, laughing.
Catra let out a joyful sound, wrapping herself with a towel. "Not with that breath you're not. And most certainly not smelling like that. I just showered."
Adora would not be denied, though. With loving abandon, she quickly tackled Catra onto the bed before laying several kisses on her face. As Catra's hands began to wander, her ears picked up the sounds of rapid footsteps and their door being rushed open. In a quick burst of speed, Catra threw the blankets over Adora before grabbing her towel and doing her damndest to cover herself, albeit unsuccessfully.
'Guys, you have to get out here. King Micah is–Oh my gosh!" Bow exclaimed before instantly turning around in embarrassment as Adora and Glimmer accompanied him into their quarters. Glimmer gained a look of confusion before instantly turning around as well. Adora might have let her gaze linger a bit if not for the very pissed off expression that Catra wore at that moment as she stood in front of her older counterpart.
"Is it not customary on this Bright Moon to knock?" Catra slightly snarled.
"We're sorry! We didn't– We, uh, we'll let you get dressed." Glimmer said in embarrassment before dragging Adora out of the room with Bow.
Catra let out a breath before Adora looked at her in concern. "Are you alright Catra?"
Catra shook her head as she quickly got dressed, "No. Actually, we need to talk about this. I'll let you get bathed and dressed. Meet me in the dining hall."
Adora nodded before heading for the showers.
Earth
The Kingdom of Illium, capital of Earth
The city was bustling with life as the people began their day. It was a sight to behold. The city was alive with the spark of progress. Different species all working together to further the planet's growth. In just one hundred and fifty years they had taken Earth to new heights in technology. Humanity couldn't afford a repeat of their mistakes. It was a necessity that required the Eternians to establish dominance upon whatever pieces of humanity were left with the loss of magic. . . until today it would seem.
"My Prince! My Prince! I must speak with you at once!" A young man shouted, running up only to be stopped by the guards.
The man raised a hand, giving the guards the signal for the man to approach, "What is it?"
"The arcana have been activated." He said in a serious tone.
Instantly, the room went quiet. Everyone turned to look at the man. The Prince slowly stood up, "You're sure? It wasn't a false alarm?"
"No, my Prince. I assure you, it was no accident. We have detected magic on Earth." He said seriously.
The Prince turned away as thoughts of their lost civilization filled his mind. He turned back towards the man, a scowl on his face, "Where? And when?"
"Two days ago near New Tahryn. We've pinpointed it in a small town about a day's ride from Tahryn by sky craft."
"That sounds like Shroudwood." A guard said quietly.
"It could be Boroughville as well," Another guard said.
The man nodded, "Yes, we believe that's where it originated from. But. . . there's something else as well."
"What is it?" He asked, turning a serious expression on the man.
"We've picked up heavy dimensional readings. Trace energies reminiscent of distortions in time and space have been detected around New Tahryn as well. They're almost identical to, well, Despondos and not in a good way. My prince. . . the barrier is cracked."
The Prince nodded silently before turning to one of his guards, "Duncan, inform my mother of what has happened. We will be going personally to investigate this matter."
Duncan nodded, "At once, your grace."
Mara sat at a table in the local bar, eating a piece of pizza. Alongside her were Andra, Teela, Lyra, Caitlyn, and Peter. Looking around, she realized the actual cultural differences of this planet were exactly as her mother had described to her when she was growing up. She looked across the table at Peter, "So, when is this Lizzor guy supposed to show up?"
"It should be today." He said simply as he took a sip of his beer.
Mara nodded before Andra decided to ask a different question. "If I may ask this, what can you tell us about the King and Queen?"
Peter sat back, "Well, for starters, King Randor died a few years back. He was a good enough man I suppose. He tried his best to be fair, but. . ." He let out a sigh, "I guess there's only so much kindness you can have after losing your whole planet."
"Randor's dead?" Lyra muttered in shock. "I thought they didn't age here?"
"It was more from grief, I'd imagine." Peter shrugged with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" Mara asked.
"Seventeen years ago there was. . . an incident of some kind. The details elude us out here. But it was big enough news at the time that we even heard about it out here. His wife, Marleena Glenn is currently ruling. Poor woman. Unlike her son and husband, she is still only human and losing her husband is taking its toll. Although the magic extended years on her lifespan, she's getting older. You wouldn't know it by looking at her, though. Doesn't look a day past forty. I guess that's the marvels of modern medicine."
"Did you say son? Marleena had a son? I thought Henry said hybrid children die?" Teela asked.
Peter smiled. "I did and Henry is correct to an extent. The prince is a special case. Apparently, he is the last wielder of magic left in the universe according to the few Eternals I've spoken to. Don't know how true that is though. But he's a good man and is soon to inherit the throne. A kind person and a just leader. He'll be the best thing that could happen to Earth. Once his wedding is arranged, he will take the mantle of ruler from his mother and become king."
"Huh? What's his name?" Mara asked with curiosity.
"His name is Adam. And you people aren't fit to lick his boots." A low guttural voice hissed from the door. Upon turning, Mara immediately realized that she was looking at Lizzor, "Peter, good to see you. But I've run into a problem. See, I can't, for the life of me, find the shipment anywhere. So, I find myself wondering what excuse you've come up with."
Peter said nothing for a moment as he sipped his beer, a cold expression on his face before he spoke without sparing a glance at the lizard man. "We're not paying you anymore."
Lizzor gave an incredulous look before a scoff sounded from his lips, "Is that so?"
"Yep, that's so." Peter said as he finished his beer before finally sending the most hate filled glare that Mara had ever seen.
Lizzor nodded before he snarled, lunging at the older man.
Marleena remained quiet as they landed in the small town of Shroudwood. When her son had informed her of a detection of magic she had chosen not to get her hopes up. When he had immediately informed her after that traces of dimensional energies that resembled Despondos had been detected as well. . . well, now she was extremely invested in what the cause might be.
Marleena smiled as she stepped off the ship. She took notice of the Sky Craft in the hangar across from theirs. Tahryn's tax collector. She thought she heard her son mumble something to the guards about a possible late payment due to the undocumented timing.
Shaking her head, they began to head through the main street. In two hundred years, humanity was finally beginning to look like itself once more. Civilization was flourishing albeit somewhat slower than she would have liked. She let out a sigh of exasperation when she saw a truck driving off in the distance. Two hundred years of scientific advancement and humans chose to design a vehicle that looked so. . .human. A fuzzy nostalgic feeling settled in her core with a warmth. It reminded her of her childhood if she were being honest. The energy crisis had been solved and soon. . . soon they would be able to reclaim the universe away from that monster.
As they walked down the street, Marleena stepped towards one of the residents of the town. A man who looked to be in his thirties carrying lumber. He stopped and turned towards her, giving a respectful nod, but not quite a bow. Her son stepped forwards, a hand extended, "Good afternoon. I'm Adam Glenn."
The man nodded, shaking his hand, "William Barlow. You can call me Will." He eyed the guards before turning his gaze on Marleena. The slight widening of his eyes told them that he realized who he was speaking to. He looked at all of them before giving them his full attention.
"Well, it's not everyday we get a visit from Illium. And most certainly not the Queen and her son. What can I do for you, ma'am?"
Marleena smiled. She had noticed it ever since coming back to earth. Humans would not bow to the Eternians and they would hardly ever use their titles. Alternatively, the Eternians would only speak to high ranking officials by their standing. It was a cultural thing that intrigued her. "I'm looking for the representative for your town. Peter Moore, I believe his name is? We. . .picked up some concerning readings and we just want to make sure that your town is safe."
Will sighed, "Here I was thinking Lizzor finally got caught."
"Lizzor? That name isn't human." A woman said from behind Marleena. Teela, daughter of Duncan and soon-to-be queen. Marleena thought quite highly of the young woman and approved of her son's choice.
Will's brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at Teela dumbfounded before looking behind him at a building. "I thought. . . Weren't you one of those girls?"
It was Teela's turn to look confused. "I'm sorry?"
"Do you have a sister? You look just like that girl. . . Tula, I think her name was."
"I am Teela not Tula. What other girl are you talking about?"
Will shook his head, "Sorry, I thought you were the magic woman."
"Magic?" Teela said in confusion.
The whole town's talking about her and the other one for the last two days. There's three others that said they're a part of a royal guard as well. Don't really know the specifics."
"Then the arcana was right." Adam said seriously, "Magic was detected near here. You said there was another woman?"
"Yeah. Dark skinned girl. According to Henry she was glowing and was close to ten feet tall." He said, shaking his head, "That girl was barely six feet tall."
Several of the guards immediately looked at Marleena at the description. Marleena looked at the man in shock before interrupting. "What was her name?"
"Oh, I don't know. Mandy, Milly, Mia. Something like that?"
Duncan spoke up from the side, "Was it Mara?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah, that sounds right. Last I heard, they're all down at Leslie's bar with Pete." Will said, flicking his head to the side.
"Where is the bar?" Adam asked.
A sudden crash had every guard brandishing their weapon as a large reptilian man flew through a window and into the street. Every person in the town square turned to watch the event.
"That's the bar." Will said simply before walking away towards a group of people.
Lizzor groaned before shakily getting to his feet. After a moment, a woman stepped out of the bar, calmly striding towards the man. After a moment, four other women joined the first. Marleena immediately identified three of them. Mara was unmistakable for anyone else. Teela, or a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance, stood in the back before tapping the bar wall and causing the glass to fix itself. The magic woman was this Teela look alike it would seem. The third was clearly Andra, one of her son's close friends. She was also currently standing next to her as well. So this bore a question that was anything but simple. Was she dealing with time travel or multiverse theory?
"Adora! Wake up! The ceremony."
Adora sat up in a panic before instantly getting to her feet, doing their best to brush the beach sand off. Catra immediately took Adora's hand before warping as close as she could to the palace, only getting to the outer edges of the city. As they ran through the main road, Catra took note of the time. An hour before midnight. She wasn't just late, they had completely missed it. As they entered the palace, Adora went and stood off to the side, looking for any sign of her parents. Catra, on her part, walked up to the chamber door where her mother was. There, she heard a tone from her that she wished she was less familiar with.
"C'yra! Get in here now!"
Catra hesitantly walked forwards, her shoulders hunched in apprehension as she avoided eye contact with her mother. As she stepped in front of her, she stayed quiet, knowing that she could say nothing that would help the situation she had landed herself in.
"Where have you been?" She hissed. "Don't be late. That was all I said to you. Instead, you chose not to even show up! Do you have anything to say for yourself?" After a moment of silence, C'yra grabbed Catra's chin, forcing her to look at her. "C'yra D'riluth, you will look at me when I talk to you. Now answer me. And what happened to your coat? It's filthy."
"I fell asleep." Catra said quietly, her eyes flicking off to the side. Her mother took a deep breath before wiping something off Catra's shoulder.
"At the beach, I see. Why am I not surprised?" C'yra shook her head. Catra grip tightened on the box in her hands as she waited for the verbal lashing to end. Unfortunately, this caught her mother's attention. "What's that?"
"It's just a gift." Catra said, pulling the gift closer to herself and away from her mother.
C'yra let out a huff, "It smells like metal. Is it a weapon?"
Catra's eyes narrowed as anger began to fill her. "So what if it was? It's not your business."
"You are not a soldier, C'yra. You are a celestial child and to be the next queen of Half Moon." C'yra said harshly. "And I'm your mother, so it makes it my business."
"Well it shouldn't." Catra snapped. "And I don't care about what moon I was born under.."
"You need to!" C'yra said sharply. "If your father were here he'd–"
"He wouldn't do anything. He gave less of a shit about me then you do!" Catra exclaimed, pointing at her mother. C'yra snatched the box out of Catra's outstretched hand in anger.
"Don't speak about him like–." C'yra paused at the feeling of the box's contents before looking at the box.
"Give it back!" Catra said in anger. C'yra ignored her and opened the box. As C'yra pulled out the red headpiece, a look of fury appeared on her face that was so potent, Catra would forever remember it.
"Who gave you this!" She snarled in rage that caused Catra to take a step back. Her words were loud enough for Adora to catch them, even outside the door.
"N-nobody. It was just one of the gifts from the table." Catra stammered.
C'yra looked at Catra coldly before throwing the red headwear on the ground before sending a spell at it, instantly destroying it. Catra gave a small gasp before gritting her teeth in concentration, rewinding to the moment before she entered the door.
Immediately, Catra collapsed to her hands and knees, exhausted at the rare usage of her newest ability. Everyone in the hall stopped and stared at the commotion.
"Catra" Adora cried in concern before kneeling down beside her, unaware of what had just transpired.
C'yra strode out of the chamber door before looking down at Adora and Catra. "Her name is C'yra, Adora. Use it. Not that silly little nickname you made when you were five."
Adora immediately stepped in between Catra and her mother, a defiant anger on her face. "What did you do to her!"
"I gave her a lesson on her responsibilities. Do not embarrass us like this again, C'yra."
Adora's eyes flashed a dangerous blue that gave C'yra pause, as she stood defensively in front of Catra. "This day isn't about you! It's Catra's birthday," Adora snarled, enunciating the usage of her name, "She can choose how to spend it. And stay away from her! Just because you're feeling sorry for yourself because your husband died, doesn't give you the right to take it out on her."
By this point, Adora was emitting a golden glow along her body that everyone in the room knew the meaning of. The power of She Ra coupled with a very angry teenager was a one way ticket to disaster. Immediately, people began leaving the hall, the hushed whispers of gossip already on their tongues.
C'yra narrowed her eyes before the doors slammed open, giving way to King Randor. "What is the meaning of this!"
Adora barely shifted, her gaze remaining fixed on C'yra, even in the face of her father's anger. C'yra on the other hand gave a small jump at the booming voice. Marleena was quick to follow her husband through the door, Evelyn in tow. Adora was quick with the reply before anyone could reply. "She's being a colossal bitch!"
"Adora!" Marleena scolded, upset at her daughter's language.
Randor looked at his daughter as she stood in front of her friend, protectively. He wasn't a fool. He knew how C'yra was. He didn't know how his wife and Evelyn could get along so well with the woman. She was respectful, he'd give her that but that was about it. The magicats stood on ceremony more than most and he could guess what this was over. But he would be lying if he said this didn't spark his anger in the worst way. Taking a calming breath and keeping his thoughts calm, he looked to Catra, "Are you alright?"
Catra nodded before shakily getting to her feet with Adora's help.
C'yra looked at her daughter before letting out a small breath. "It seems the lesson was learned. Oh, and C'yra?" Catra looked up at her mother with an exhausted expression, "When I ask you a question, do not lie to me. I was well aware of who gave you that gift. I know when you're lying. But worst of all, I gave you the chance to come clean, to take responsibility. This was a test. And you failed. Enjoy the rest of your birthday." She said before striding out of the palace, leaving Catra and Adora alone with her parents and Evelyn.
Randor looked at Catra, "I'm sorry Catra."
Catra waved him off, her breathing back to normal albeit with a migraine forming. "It's fine. It's nothing new." Catra muttered. Although, in the quiet hall, she may as well have shouted.
Randor turned towards Evelyn, "Can you take Catra to get something to eat?"
"Of course." Evelyn nodded before walking with Adora and Catra out of the room.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Randor immediately lashed out in anger, kicking one of the feast tables over. Marleena just let out a sullen sigh. "How can you get along with that woman!"
Marleena shook her head, "You know she wasn't always like that."
"I know." Randor said with gritted teeth. "Which is why I just can't understand why she is treating her daughter this way. She has taken every opportunity to do this ever since Catra was twelve. And why does she have such an issue with that name? Her hobbies aren't up to her standards? And it's not like Thrao was ever a father to the girl." He growled before shaking his head. "Thank Sharella for Percival."
"I know. But we can't interfere. She's not our daughter, Randor." Marleena said, giving a comforting squeeze to his arm before walking out of the room.
Randor gave a nod, before a small smile broke out on his face, "If Adora has it her way, she will be soon." he said quietly.
As Catra and Adora sat with Evelyn, enjoying their food, a guard came into the room. "Princess Adora? Your father would like to speak with you."
Adora gave a comforting smile to Catra before leaving with the guard. As Catra sat with Evelyn, she wanted to broach the subject that she'd been dying to ask for the last year. Right when she'd found the nerve to ask, a woman entered the room. She wasn't Eternian, Catra could see that right away. She gave off a sense of power but one that was warm and inviting. She'd never seen this woman before.
"Ah, Beatrix. What can I do for you today?" Evelyn asked.
"Just came to deliver a report on the incense trade. Apparently, several of the containers were found to be faulty. We've taken care of them but I suggest a full overhaul." Beatrix said before conjuring the papers in her hands.
"Paper? Not tech?" Catra asked in slight confusion.
Beatrix turned towards the young woman, "Yes. I'm from Etheria. While we have a good advancement of technology, we at Mystacour find that paper is still superior in messages. It's quite hard to fake a magical signature in the ink. You must be the infamous C'yra I've heard about over the last couple of hours. I'm Beatrix."
"Beatrix here is one of the few sorceresses to hold the title of Light Spinner, a master of light magic. She has also just recently gained the title of head sorceress at the Academy of Mystacour on Etheria." Evelyn explained.
Catra had heard of Mystacour. One of the most prestigious magic schools in the universe. Unless you were born Etherian, you needed an invite. A thought came to her just then that was evolving into a plan. "Are you still a teacher at Mystacour?"
Beatrix shook her head. "Unfortunately no. I left it to Norwynn to continue in my place. Recently, I've come to Eternia to widen my studies in magic. Why do you ask?"
"Could. . . could you teach me magic?" Catra asked, doing her best to ignore the headache that was still very much present..
Evelyn's eyes widened. "Catra, that's. . . a big request. You can't just ask that out of nowhere."
"I know, but if I can learn magic, especially from the head sorceress of Mystacour then–"
"I can teach you magic." Beatrix said bluntly.
"-my mom– What? You will?" Catra asked in surprise before excitement gave way.
Beatrix nodded. "Of course. But, be aware, my time is extremely limited with my pursuit of mastering shadow magic. Your studies will be very hands off for a while. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Catra nodded, excited at the prospect of even learning the basics. "I completely understand. I promise I won't disappoint you!"
Beatrix smiled. "So eager. It is refreshing. If that is all, I must be going. Happy Birthday Catra."
As Catra and Evelyn watched her leave the room, a teenager that looked similar to Evelyn stepped into the room. "Hey, there you are. Dad wants to talk to you."
Evelyn gave a groan before standing. "Sorry to cut this short Catra. Happy Birthday."
Catra, feeling a sense of solitude washing over her, shrugged, doing her best to hide it. "It's fine. I'll talk to you later, I guess."
The girl looked at Catra as she poked her food, her appetite pretty much gone. "Are you alright? Not enjoying the festivities?"
Catra took in the appearance of the young woman beside her. She was attractive with olive skin and gray eyes. Her brown hair was in a long braid that stretched down her back in a ponytail like fashion. She had a slim build with a toned physique. Catra realized that this was probably Evelyn's daughter.
The girl put a hand on her shoulder, concern in her eyes, "Hey, if you aren't feeling well I can-" she went to say something before she was cut off.
"I'm fine, I just have a headache." Catra said, rubbing her temples and swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, giving a sympathetic smile.
Catra smiled back at her before asking, "What's your name?"
"My name's Mara, nice to meet you. . .?" She said, putting her hand out, waiting for a response.
"I'm Catra." She said, taking her hand.
"Catra?" A voice broke her from her thoughts.
"Hm?" she asked, turning to find her wife looking at her. She looked around to see the members of the princess alliance all in the main hall at other tables, discussing things. She'd gotten lost in thought it would seem.
"What were you thinking about?" Adora asked, taking a seat beside her.
"My fifteenth birthday." Catra muttered, reaching out and taking a sip of her drink.
Adora pulled Catra into a comforting hug. "What did you want to talk about?"
Catra nodded, "I've assembled the pieces for the warp drive with Entrapta's help. It's time to go home."
Adora shifted a bit in her seat, "Already?"
"What do you mean 'already'? Adora, it's been almost a month and a half. We need to get back. We were just inaugurated." Catra said quietly as several servants walked throughout the hall, busying themselves with the return of King Micah.
Adora looked conflicted but didn't change her stance. Her voice becoming slightly louder. "I know that, but we're here right now. We can help them. We know what happens next!"
Catra looked around, noticing that most of the alliance was looking at them in interest. Standing up, she waved her hands at the room around them, she began to speak Eternian, "Adora, wake up! This isn't our Bright Moon. These aren't our friends. We need to go home."
Adora looked around the room before continuing in Eternian, "I know, Catra, but we can't just sit here and do nothing! They're in the same position we were. Angella said–"
"I already spoke to Angella this morning. She wanted to know how much time she had with Micah before the next major encounter with the Horde." Catra said.
"And?" Adora asked.
"And It's princess prom." Catra responded with irritation. "In case you forgot, right after that is when we made peace with our Horde. This timeline won't get that chance because their Catra didn't have to deal with a bunch of time travel bullshit. So in this case, we know nothing!" Catra snapped with a slight growl before taking a deep breath to calm herself as she sat back down.. "Sorry."
Adora shifted in her seat, "It doesn't feel right."
"No, it doesn't but we've wasted enough time. We need to deal with our own issues." Catra said before glaring at Adora's younger counterpart, "Starting with eavesdroppers."
Adora Glenn looked at her younger self in confusion. True to Catra's words, she rubbed the back of her head, letting out a nervous chuckle. "But we were speaking Eternian."
"I know. Unlike my counterpart here, it would seem yours is still very much an eternian." Catra said standing.
"What do you mean she's an eternian?" Bow asked.
"Just what I said." Catra said as she walked over to a table where she had laid several of her things, including the disk that had infected She Ra as well as Adora's repaired azurlight. Entrapta looked on from the side, excited. "But ignoring that, I'll have the warp drive put together shortly."
Adora looked a bit dejected at that until Catra gave a glance at her. "It'll take a little bit to put together. You've got some time to talk."
Glimmer looked at her with irritation. "So that's it? You're just going to leave?"
Catra nodded as she turned towards her, "Yes. We have responsibilities that we can't just ignore. Our people need us, Sparkles."
"We need you!" She cried, "You froze an entire battlefield on your own. And you," Glimmer turned to the older Adora, "You can teach our Adora how to use her powers. With you both helping, we'd win in no time!"
Catra went to respond before Adora beat her to it. "Glimmer, while I'd love to stay and help you guys, Catra's right. We don't know what caused us to time travel and we need to go home. If it was something dangerous, we need to at the very least reassure them that we're fine."
"Can't you just wait a little longer? You're the queens, surely your people would understand?" Bow said.
Catra shook her head, "Bow, we aren't just in charge of Eternia. We have to manage hundreds if not thousands of worlds. Each one of them with their own conflicts and sets of issues. I'm sure Adora's parents are running everything, but that's not fair to them."
Glimmer went to say something else before Angella spoke up. "Glimmer, that's enough."
Glimmer looked like she wanted to say something else but held her tongue, sitting back down with an upset huff. Catra knew that this was tearing Adora up to leave but they had little choice. With that, Catra got to putting the warp drive together. After an uncomfortable thirty minutes it was done.
Standing, Catra looked to Adora, "It's finished. Are you ready?"
She nodded. As she walked to stand beside Catra, Angella and Micah walked over to them. "We want to thank you, Catra. For everything you've done for us. You've given me Micah back and I can never repay that." Angella said, slightly tearing up.
Catra gave a smile, "It was nothing. I would have helped Micah even if it hadn't turned out the way it did. Now, make sure you all stand back."
As everyone made their way back to a safe distance, mutterings from Entrapta's documentations could be heard from the side. Catra hit a button before setting it on the floor as the warp drive powered up, acting like an amp as it boosted Catra's powers to what she knew to be her normal levels. As she took Adora's hands, she felt Adora's magic flow through her, pushing her to heights she normally would never dare go. Giving a nod to everybody in a final farewell, Catra pushed the magic to encompass them before giving it a final nudge.
The next moment was shocking to say the least as a blood curdling scream that seemed indescribable filled the halls as a wave of energy spread out across Etheria sending cracks throughout reality itself before quickly closing. . . and then spread even further.
Eternia
Eternos, Capital of Eternia
Adora awoke with a gasp, sweat pouring off her body as she struggled to catch her breath. Her head was pounding in agony as she struggled to get to her feet. She looked around the room, only to realize she was in the medical wing of the royal palace. Shakily walking towards the door, she ignored the gown she was in as she pulled the door to the royal hall open.
The room was bustling as people ran back and forth with a purpose for reasons she couldn't grasp. Catra was right. Whatever had happened that had made them disappear had thrown the Kingdom into disarray. She caught sight of her father and mother talking with who she realized was Hordak. Her vision was shaky at best as she stumbled into the hall.
"Dad!" She attempted to shout but little noise came out. She was in a bad state. Luckily, Beatrix immediately noticed her off to the side.
"Adora!" She cried in concern as she rushed over to her, grabbing everyone's attention. Unfortunately, Adora could no longer find the strength to stay standing, let alone conscious, and would have crumbled to the ground had Beatrix not caught her.
Randor and Marleena ran to her, examining her. "She's awake! And breathing, thank Sharella."
"Get a Sana rune at once. It's a miracle she recovered, let alone that she was moving after." Marleena commanded.
After Adora was carefully moved to her quarters under the highest security, a flash of pink appeared in the hall, giving way to Glimmer as she strode towards Randor, "Is it true? Is Adora awake?"
Randor nodded, "She awoke a half hour ago. She's asleep again but we have several Sana runes around her bedside, restoring her health. Marleena is up there beside her at the moment."
"Have you heard anything about Catra's whereabouts?" Glimmer asked desperately.
Randor looked down in shame, "No. Nothing. She's gone. Not a trace to be found. Whoever took her and her guard left nothing."
Glimmer grit her teeth in frustration, "We have to find her. Razz warned us something like this would happen. We can't give up."
Hordak nodded as he walked up to them. "I agree. Finding Catra is the key to combating Prime. We've stalemated him at the moment but it's not good. However he came to be in this timeline is a mystery to even I."
Randor turned towards the man, "In your alternate memories, you were a clone of him, yes? What can you tell us?"
"He's dangerous and extremely efficient. But he is not unbeatable. Light Hope's virus was able to heavily neutralize his means of control via the chips. . ." He let out a low growl, "But it is not enough. I don't know how he is here, but it's concerning. He still looks exactly the same."
"His attack on the wedding was on purpose." Glimmer said with a focused look, "He specifically targeted Adora, Catra, and Mara. He knew they were major threats. We got Adora to wake up. Maybe she can give us some clues as to what happened."
"I hope so." Randor said solemnly.
Earth
Shroudwood
"Mara!" Evelyn shouted.
Mara tore her gaze from the lizard man in front of her before turning towards Marleena, "Marleena?"
"My queen!" Lizzor groaned, doing his best to bow before taking a knee in pain.'
"Please leave that man alone." Marleena said calmly.
Mara looked at the man before sneering and stepping away from him. She took a few steps towards Marlena's group before they froze. The woman who Marleena assumed was an alternate Teela stepped forward before whispering, "Dad?"
Duncan eyed the young woman before turning to look at his daughter as she stepped forward. Teela looked at the identical woman, eyeing the magic still wafting off of her, "So. . . is this time travel?"
"An alternate timeline is our guess." Caitlyn said as she stepped forwards.
Marleena's Andra looked at her alternate self. This one looked somewhat different compared to the mirror image that was Teela. Her Andra had shorter hair in braids and was a little shorter. Mara's Andra wore jewelry in her hair with long curls and was taller with a more muscular structure.
Adam was surprised at the interaction but remained quiet. He eyed Mara's sword, noting the similarities to his own. Marleena also noticed it as well. "So you're not–"
"The temporal barriers are gone!" A voice rang out through the radio on Adam's hip.
"What!" Marleena exclaimed in shock, completely ignoring Mara.
Mara's head snapped towards the radio. Marleena pulled the device in front of her, displaying an image of the man. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. All barriers are down. Not just the temporal but the aura web is down as well. We're not hidden anymore." He said quietly.
"What. . . why do you seem so calm?" Marleena asked.
"My Queen. . . He's gone." A woman's voice sounded from beside him.
"What do you mean 'gone?'" Adam asked in a slightly harsh tone.
"All traces of Horde Prime are gone. We can't detect him at all. It's like he doesn't exist."
An animalistic shriek pierced through the air like a knife, striking terror through Mara's core. In horror, she watched the sky begin to fill with cracks and rifts as dark ink like tendrils began to slowly drift out of them. Mara felt the familiar fear begin to take hold as a sense of deja vu reminded her of that horrible battle, except Catra wouldn't arrive this time. But as quick as the sky cracked, it mended itself. The town was dead silent as everyone waited for the other shoe to drop, to no avail.
The Fright Zone
Catra ignored the soldiers that zipped around the Fright Zone in confusion. She ignored Shadow Weaver as she rambled on about the amount of power she sensed that had surged through the atmosphere. And she ignored Hordak who wouldn't stop talking about stars and how they were 'free from their dimension,' whatever that meant. All Catra knew was that there were stars now. Big deal. No, Catra was more focused on the strange feeling that had welled in her body a couple of hours ago.
Quietly observing Scorpia and Lonnie talking to Kyle and Rojelio, she quietly made her way away from the barracks. She avoided the ominous red glow that emanated from under Shadow Weaver's doors. And she avoided the little irritating imp before going somewhere only she and Adora would go when they wanted privacy.
Finally alone with her thoughts, Catra overlooked the Fright Zone from her scaffolding before focusing on that feeling that was welling up inside her. She didn't know why, but it felt intoxicating. She closed her eyes before focusing. It swirled around her, washing over her skin and running through her muscles and bones. It was power. Pure, untapped power. As it filled her, she let out a deep breath.
Her thoughts turned towards her future counterpart. She had power. Power that not even the likes of Shadow Weaver possessed. Was that what she was feeling? Slowly her thoughts shifted to Adora. She wanted to know what the older Adora was like. Had she left her too? Judging by the fact they were married, she doubted it. Her Adora didn't care about her, about her feelings, or how she felt. She only cared about Sparkles and her dumb little arrow friend. She'd abandoned her at Thaymor. Thaymor. She didn't want to admit it but she had handled that situation wrong. If she could go back there, change how she'd acted, maybe. . . maybe.
She wasn't a monster. She wouldn't hurt a kid, but Sparkles sure thought she would have. She grinded her teeth in anger. Glimmer. Who did she think she was? She ruined it. She. . . Catra's thoughts were overwhelming her and it was becoming agitating. Turning away from the view, she found herself face to face with a drawing etched into the wall of her and Adora. She stared at it for a moment, her face twisted in anger, before throwing a punch at the wall. . . only for the portion of the wall to crumble. Catra immediately backed up in shock before looking at her hand.
She looked at the railing before throwing her hand out. Only for nothing to happen. She tried a few more times before giving up in frustration. What had she been thinking? She didn't have power, not real power anyways. Not like her replacement with Adora. She clenched her hands in frustration as she felt her eyes begin to burn. Suddenly, she heard a creaking sound. Looking back up showed the metal had twisted into itself.
She stared at her hands in astonishment before holding her right hand out in front of her. Focusing on the feeling inside of her, she let it gather before squeezing. The effect was instant as she felt pressure build up around her hand. Looking around for something to aim at, she noticed a barrel before taking aim and throwing her hand out. The barrel crumpled before flying out into the Fright Zone.
Catra gave a dark grin. She felt the fatigue, sure, but it didn't matter to her. If she could freeze a battlefield in the future, then taking it slow sounded fine to her. She would show Adora that she was worth more than those princesses. Show her what she was missing. Show her that she was the better soldier.
Bright Moon
Catra sat up with a groan. She looked around only to find herself in Bright Moon. She climbed out of the bed before walking around the room. She froze as she looked over at the night sky. Stars. She let out a sigh of relief. They'd done it. Turning to walk out of the room, she headed for the main hall. She had assumed that she would arrive on Eternia when they'd returned to their time. It seemed she'd been wrong.
As she walked into the hall, she caught sight of Juliet. Walking towards her, she straightened her back, assuming the proper etiquette that had been drilled into her. "General Juliet. How are you? I have–"
"Catra! Are you alright?" She said in concern.
Catra raised an eyebrow before nodding, "Yes, I'm fine. Do you happen to know where Queen Angella is? I must speak with her."
Juliet looked at Catra before speaking softly, "Catra, it's me. You're. . . still here. It didn't work."
Catra stopped before looking towards the door. "But. . . the stars. You didn't–"
"We don't know. We're. . . trying to understand what happened."
Catra nodded before going to turn, "I'm going to go back to my room and collect my thoughts. I'll talk to everyone in the morning."
"Of course." Juliet said kindly before Catra left.
As Catra made it back to the room, she noticed Adora on the other side of the room. She walked towards the bathroom before closing the door. She felt sick to her stomach as a sense of nausea overtook her before she threw up whatever food may have been in her stomach. All of this. Getting the pieces over the last month for the damn drive and it had all been for nothing. She wanted to scream out but that wouldn't get her anywhere. She washed her mouth out before staring at herself in the mirror. She didn't look too bad, just a little tired. But then, something caught her notice that chilled her to the bone. The colors of her eyes. . . were reversed.
Hello to all once more. I hope everyone is enjoying the story. Been a bit busy over the last month, but I was still able to get some writing in. As always, leave a review, let me know what you all think, and Happy Halloween.