Alright, when you think about it, this is chapter 4, part two. Enjoy!
Driluth's Legacy Chapter 5: Revelations and Promotions
It took all of Lonnie's less than formidable self-restraint not to break the nose of the bear man before her. Grizzlor was a Force Captain who specialised in the armoured divisions of the Horde. He had taken part in more than a few sieges, or at least that's what Lonnie heard about him, along with his casualty rate.
"I asked you a question, former cadet." Grizzlor smiled down at her with a mouth full of dagger like fangs. "Where's these princesses? Don't tell me someone sent a few sparkles of magic at you and your precious Force Captain got scared?"
Lonnie was so sick of this. Contrary to popular belief she didn't seek out fights, not pointless ones at least. If she gets told to do something, she does it with only the minimal amount of grumbling. This posturing was something she found exhausting. And it happened all the damn time. Force Captains constantly knocking heads and boasting about their achievements. All of those children jumping up and down and saying 'Look at me, Hordak, I'm the best!' while smacking down anyone who said otherwise. It's times like this when she wondered if Catra made a good call to leave. The Horde was a few fired blasters away from a civil war sometimes.
Lonnie inhaled and exhaled. Remain cordial. Escalation serves nothing. She knew exactly how prideful the members of the upper crust could be and anyone who made them look weak often disappeared within a few days.
"We have footage of Princesses Spinnerella and Netossa within the combat zone." She reported with commendable calm. Grizzlor laughed, along with his squad of Walking Tanks, an unofficial name for those who use the heaviest variant of Horde power armour. Slow, but hard to put down. Even someone as small as Kyle would stand head and shoulders above Rogelio clad in that much metal. Grizzlor lacked such armour as they hadn't built a suit that would fit his bulk, but he didn't need it. Where someone like Catra had speed and agility, Grizzlor was pure strength and ferocity, viciously ripping his enemies apart in a frenzy.
"Well, then, perhaps we should just storm the place and run them all out." Grizzlor mused. "Ain't that right, lads and ladies?" a chorus of cheers and rumbling engines answered his voice.
"The walls are weaker at the sides, this is why the pincer order was given by Ado—Force Captain Adora in the first place. You'll get this done faster and more efficiently rather than just smashing your head against a wall." Lonnie explained through grit teeth. Grizzlor turned back to her, his eyes narrowing.
"Aw, you think just because you're from the shadow bitch's favourite little squad of brats that you can tell me what to do?" Grizzlor sneered at her. "But, oh, wait. It's not the favourite squad. It's the favourite cadet. And she's not here. So that masked bitch probably isn't listening to us right now so I guess I don't have to do what you say."
'Bitch, Hordemind records everything, she'll know regardless if she checks the logs you dumb fuck.' Lonnie wanted to scream. Grizzlor kept going, "Come to think of it, where is Force Captain Adora, anyway? I thought she was supposed to be observing and directing."
"She's… currently seeing to a critical matter." Lonnie explained as vaguely as she could.
"What, did they find the damn cat in there or something?" Grizzlor snorted. Lonnie wanted to scream out something particularly foul, at Grizzlor or at Adora she wasn't sure. Instead she bit her tongue and continued, "Listen. This isn't just me giving you orders, I'm advising you—"
"Oh, so now you think you know how to bring down walls better than me, girlie?" Grizzlor laughed, though his eyes were currently narrowed at her. "Is that what I'm hearing? You want to repeat what you said to me?" he had leaned over, his foul breath in her face. She wished she brought her helmet for this. She held his gaze, though, trying to stare him down. He didn't seem to realise she wasn't going to back off and continued to press the issue, "Come on. Say it. I dare you."
Alright, that's it. Lonnie had been having a shit week ever since Catra defected. Her arm ached where she got slashed, she had her training doubled for 'allowing' a traitor to leave and had to look after the squad while Adora was away and deal with a whole bunch of assholes looking for a piece now that the golden child and the feral cat had fucked off. She didn't have to take anything from this oversized fluffball!
According to Modulok, the basic enhancements of Horde power armour increased a person's capabilities by a 1.5 multiplier. It wasn't much compared to the more advanced variants afforded by specialists and high ranking officials, but it was enough for Lonnie to pull Grizzlor in and smash her forehead into his nose. He reared back, howling in pain but Lonnie didn't relent. She leapt on him, the action causing him to collapse onto his back while she pounded her armoured fists into his face repeatedly. She stopped after the seventh punch and grabbed him by his neck, forcing him to look her in the eye.
"Listen here you overgrown carpet! Obviously you forgot a few things about protocol because you don't realise that Adora has overall command. Your experience in bombing walls from the safety of your oversized bitch of a tank while your soldiers do most of the fighting for you means nothing. Adora gave me command as well as the orders that you take your band of chucklefucks and launch a west and east pincer manoeuvre. Therefore as for as you're concerned, I'm the one who has command while she's pissed off doing who knows what." She rose over the prone form of the bear man. "Now, do I need to repeat myself or are we clear on your task?"
"Crystal." Grizzlor snarled as he stood up.
"Good, now get back in your fucking pram and get it done." Lonnie pointed at Grizzlor's tank. The Force Captain snarled at her, only to get lightly tapped on the head by her deactivated baton. "And shut the hell up with that. You sound like a faulty generator!" she made to turn but then stopped. "Oh, and for the record, you're considered the most incompetent Force Captain of all since your tactics consist of throwing shells and troops until the problem goes away. The only experience you have over me is in the department of being a fuckup!" she glared at him before turning her fiery gaze at the rest of the battalion. "What are you standing around for? I want this shithole cleared out and a forward outpost established in its place ten minutes ago. Move it!" several cries of 'yes, ma'am' were heard, a sound Lonnie decided she liked, and she promptly marched back to her own tank while she grumbled to herself.
When she reached her vehicle she started barking orders again, "Boys, get the engine running. We're joining the attack, we'll be heading with the ones going to the—why are you looking at me like that?" both Rogelio and Kyle were staring at her, mouths agape and flushes on their cheeks. Rogelio growled something.
"I agree." Kyle gulped.
"What? What did he say?" Lonnie asked in confusion. Rogelio just made a sign in Standard Sign Language.
Hot.
Lonnie was thankful for her skin hiding her blush. She gave the two a dark look. "Just… just get the tank started."
Adora better be doing well in there.
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Adora had trained for years to take on the largest threats to peace and prosperity. For most of her life she worked to forge herself into the weapon that was needed to vanquish the evil that plagued this world. She had sworn to herself that she would be the one to end the plight of Etherian royalty and upon finally getting the chance to prove herself not as a leader, but as a fighter as well, she thought herself ready as she stared down this vile foe.
That sentiment lasted five seconds into the battle when Princess Glimmer of Brightmoon charged her. Her sword was a blur of light and stupid looking sparkles as she blitzed Adora with various attacks. Blades of light manifested around Glimmer, swinging at Adora and causing her to fall back with a growl. While she did block most of them, she didn't mitigate the damage entirely. Lethal attacks were turned into minor wounds as Glimmer's various magical instruments sliced and pierced through Adora's armour. Before she knew it, she was bleeding from multiple cuts. She knew instinctively that it was nothing serious for now but she needed to end this before she succumbed to blood loss.
"Can't you fight like a normal person? I thought you princesses were all about honour." She scowled at Glimmer. "Or is that just another lie you tell your people?"
"I show honour to those who have it. You're scum who attacks innocents and honestly even if you weren't, well…" Glimmer shrugged. "Do you give an insect a fair chance to fight back before you crush it?" Adora growled.
"Don't look down on me." She snarled before pulling her laser pistol out and opening fire. Glimmer slapped the beams of light away with almost contemptuous ease. 'Right, she manipulates light.' Adora realised. 'Pistol's useless.' She held the baton in two hands. Glimmer waved her sword arm and manifested more sparkling blades, this time they shot towards Adora with a gesture from the princess. Adora ducked under one, knocked aside another and barely dodged the last one just in time to block Glimmer's thrust. She turned aside the blow and spun, aiming at Glimmer's back. The Brightmoon heiress disappeared before the blow connected, causing Adora to stumble. Glimmer reappeared behind Adora and kicked at the back of her knee, forcing Adora down before aiming to make a finishing blow. She brought her sword down, but Adora raised her baton, stopping the attack. Adora threw herself to the side, rolling to her feet and then charged forwards.
"What a bother." Glimmer sighed before knocking Adora's attack aside, spinning low and placing a palm against Adora's stomach. Her hand glowed and a blast of energy shot out, blowing Adora back. In her hiding spot, Catra gasped at the sight.
As much as she disliked it, Catra always saw Adora as someone who was invincible. She never lost a fight, never failed an exam, always got top marks and damn well earned them too. To see her get manhandled like this was shocking, Catra honestly struggled to believe that she wasn't simply in some delusional coma after being knocked on the head.
Adora jumped to her feet, wincing as the movement sent jolts of pain through her stomach. Her armour took most of the damage but she definitely felt pain from the shot. Glimmer stood straight, planting her sword into the ground, both hands resting atop the handle. She stared at Adora not with the fear of one cowed by the righteousness of the Horde, or the hatred of one who despised having their authority challenged, but a look of annoyance. Glimmer stared at her as if she was a troublesome chore to attend to, something not worth putting effort into. Then she smiled.
"Don't tell me that's all you can do?" she asked. Adora roared and charged forwards, swinging with all her might. Glimmer moved aside, dancing around her attacks with grace, occasionally teleporting to avoid ones that almost landed. Eventually she got her own back in and did a jumping kick to Adora's face, knocking her back. Adora staggered and barely swayed away from the follow up. She slashed with her baton, but the attack was uncoordinated. Adora grit her teeth as she almost lost her weapon when Glimmer grabbed her wrist and slammed down with her sword to knock the baton out of her hand.
But now she had an opening. Glimmer scowled when Adora refused to let go of the weapon but noted her mistake. Before she could respond she was knocked several steps back by a punch to the cheek from Adora. Glimmer teleported and landed in a crouch, rising to her feet. She touched her cheek, which was already starting to bruise and bleed slightly.
"How's that?" Adora taunted. Glimmer regarded the blood on her finger and sighed.
"All that effort for a drop of blood." She said. "At least you can rejoice."
"At what, knowing your kind bleed?" Adora grinned.
"No, at receiving a death above your station." Glimmer responded before she snapped her fingers. Ten spectral blades appeared above Adora before they rained down upon her. She jumped back to dodge but they detonated where they landed, throwing her back. Glimmer teleported before Adora could land and smashed a fist into her face, sending Adora crashing into the ground. Adora rolled to her feet but Glimmer was on her, forgoing her sword and unleashing a blurred barrage of punches into Adora's midsection. Adora coughed and gagged as punch after punch landed with enough force to lift her off the ground. Glimmer reared her hand back, it glowed with magic before she smashed it into Adora's chest with enough force to blow the chest plate off, exposing the bodysuit within. Adora was thrown through the air and landed in a heap. Glimmer snorted and shook her hand. It was steaming slightly.
Catra watched with a gaping mouth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. This princess just made mincemeat of Adora. Granted she was trying to duel Glimmer one on one instead of having an entire squad backing her up at minimum but still. It just confounded her how someone made of flesh and blood could move like that. Catra felt her hackles raise as Glimmer resummoned the sword and started to walk towards Adora.
"You were just messing with me, aren't you?" Adora hissed.
"Like I said, insect." Glimmer replied. "Though perhaps in your case, cockroach might be more appropriate since you don't seem to die as easily as the chaff you lead. Even so, why waste my full power on one such as you? Be thankful I decided to take you somewhat seriously."
"You'll regret saying that." Adora stepped forward, but held her stomach as a fresh wave of pain assaulted her. She found herself falling to her knees, groaning.
"Hm, doubtful." Glimmer approached, the handle of her blade growing to accommodate two hands. "For what it's worth, you fought well for one of Hordak's soulless minions." Glimmer raised her blade to cut down and sever Adora's head. "Die well, warrior." She brought the blade down.
Catra moved before she even realised, her own sword moving. It stopped the glittering sword a few inches away from cutting off Adora's head. Glimmer's head snapped to her, her expression no longer the dispassionate mask it was set in but one of utter surprise. Adora raised her head weakly to regard Catra.
"Catra?" she whispered.
"What are you doing, magicat?" Glimmer asked.
"You're not killing her." Catra told her. "Everyone else is free game, but you won't kill Adora."
"She's Horde." Glimmer replied, her composure already returning.
"So was I!" Catra pulled her sword up and sent Glimmer stumbling back. Catra moved to stand between Adora and Glimmer, giving the princess a stern look. Glimmer regarded her blade, noting how it looked somewhat diminished after making contact with Catra's khopesh. She narrowed her eyes at the magicat.
"Is that so? A Horde soldier and a traitor? Perhaps I was wrong to save you, turncoat." She mused.
"I had my reasons to leave, none of which are any of your damn business." Catra shot back. "I don't give a damn if you kill Horde soldiers. Hell, take Hordak's head for all I care, but this one is off limits."
"Catra, you're still…" Adora tried to speak up, but she groaned in pain before she could finish her sentence.
"Just leave, Adora." Catra told her, not taking her eyes off Glimmer. "You don't gain anything by staying." Adora stood to her feet, barely able to stop herself from falling over.
"I'll save you. Whatever they did, I'll save you from it." She promised. Glimmer arched a brow at Adora's declaration.
"Leave, Adora." Catra ordered, having given up on trying to convince the blonde that her faculties are perfectly sound. Adora glanced at Glimmer one last time. The princess still hadn't taken her eyes off Catra. Adora grimaced and started to run. Glimmer glanced at the girl and fired a blast of magical energy only for Catra to dart over and catch it in her sword. The glimmering light sank into her blade with the same ease as every laser blast from the Horde did. Even Glimmer looked shocked.
"So it is a Driluthian khopesh." Glimmer breathed in awe. "A weapon that belonged to such a noble race…" she narrowed her eyes at Catra. The magicat in question settled into a stance, ready to defend herself. "… in the hands of a renegade like you. You shame your bloodline and your people."
"I'm not your enemy." Catra insisted.
"But you're Horde." Glimmer replied.
"I was Horde."
"So a traitorous member of the Horde. Even worse. How could I expect to heed the word of someone who would turn her back towards one faction? The loyalties of people like you are forever to themselves." Catra grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the khopesh. Glimmer wasn't wrong and it irked Catra that this was so. "Answer me this, then: if you are someone who has left the Horde for good, why defend one of Hordak's slaves?"
"She's my friend." Catra's voice was insistent. "I couldn't let her die."
"And now you tell me you can't even defect properly? You make it difficult to believe you aren't a threat to Etheria, turncoat."
"Don't act like you know me, Sparkles." Glimmer choked at the name Catra gave her. The princess's face turned an impressive shade of red as flickers of light began to orbit her.
"Spah—sparkles!?" she sputtered. "You insolent, puffed up little—"
"Hold it!" the two turned to see Spinnerella landing nearby. "Princess Glimmer, I can vouch for her."
"Princess Spinnerella, explain yourself." Glimmer asked with clear annoyance. "Have you been harbouring this fugitive? Even princesses are not above being held accountable for their crimes."
"Hey, screw you. She—" Catra snarled, only to stop as Spinnerella raised a hand to halt her protest.
"Everything will be explained, but we must leave. The Horde has claimed this place and though you've seen its commanding officer off, princess, more will come. Aeola spied reinforcements. We must leave." She explained. Glimmer grit her teeth in barely restrained fury but closed her eyes for a few seconds, the flickers of light slowly fading from view.
"Very well." She relented. "But this," she pointed at Catra, "isn't over. You will tell me why you took in a Horde soldier into your care." Spinnerella nodded and turned to Catra, only to see the same accusatory glare.
"I see I owe not one, but two people answers." She sighed.
"Oh, yeah. You really do." Said Catra.
"I'll teleport us over. Don't try anything." Glimmer's last words were directed to Catra but before she could give a snide remark Glimmer had grabbed the both of them.
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Adora's vision was blurry. She could barely see even as she stumbled through the town. The fires were beginning to die down now and she could spot the reinforcements rolling in even now, thankfully in the formation she requested. At least something went right today. It was as Catra said. Thaymor belonged to the Horde now. Adora growled, the sound deep and guttural in her throat. She pounded a fist against a support beam, knocking it over and causing the wreckage it barely supported to burst into flames anew.
"That damn princess…" she hissed, tasting blood in her mouth. Adora was no stranger to being beaten. Shadow Weaver had made her fight against actual soldiers and not fellow cadets in the past and they pounded her after some struggle, but this princess overwhelmed her easily, smacking her around like Kyle when he tried to hit the giant training robot. She would never forget the look of apathetic indulgence on that sparkly demon's face, nor would she forget the words she spoke.
"Don't tell me that's all you can do?"
"You'll pay." She promised. "Every single one of you will pay."
"Hey, she's over here!" Adora looked up, blinking away tears of pain as she saw her squad running up to her. Lonnie managed to reach her first just in time to stop Adora from keeling over. "The hell happened to you? Run into a princess or something?"
"Yes." Adora coughed. Red spilled out.
"Aw, fuck. Kyle, get a medic here! Rogelio, help me get her armour off." Lonnie barked at her friends. "Adora, I need you to lie down and stay with me. Who did this?"
"Princess Glimmer… of Brightmoon." Adora wheezed.
"Fuck, she must be the one who ambushed our forces. Threw a big laser at us and wiped out most of our battalion." Lonnie grimaced. "Luckily Grizzlor's lot came along. Now hold still and stop talking, shit your armour won't doff itself automatically. Rogelio, need a hand here. Get the clasp at the back, not that one, the other one." Adora felt dizziness overtake her as Lonnie managed to peel her broken armour off, but she still held onto consciousness.
"Medbot incoming!" Kyle called.
"Where's the damaged meat?" a large rectangular robot buzzed as it approached, its six legs making it glide across the terrain.
"Here." Lonnie nodded to Adora.
"Beginning extraction and stimulant injections." The droid announced as its bottom half opened up and several mechanical tendrils crawled out to grab Adora and drag her in. Medbots were odd robots. They carried Horde soldiers inside their bodies to better protect them while filling them up with stimulants to keep them alive until an apothecary arrives. Adora had seen them in action with some badly injured cadets and had even been inside one, once. She recalled hating the confined area and she definitely hated it now.
"Catra…" she murmured. "Save… Catra…"
The medbot had fully dragged her inside before she saw Lonnie's scowl. The robot began to swiftly make its way to the rear lines where a post was already being set up. Lonnie shook her head as she watched the medbot's retreating form.
"Damn it, Catra." She sighed. "You're still a massive pain in the ass."
"Should we pursue?" Kyle asked. Lonnie looked at where the Etherians were going. They were barely a speck now and soon they would be out of sight. She turned to Kyle.
"Nah. We don't have the resources and I'm not going to waste time and people on a glory hunt." She decided. "We'll report our findings after we're done here. I suspect we'll be seeing bounties on her soon."
"I feel bad for her." Kyle confessed.
"Well, don't. She made her choice. I get why, but we can't afford to be sentimental." Lonnie said gruffly.
"Does that mean we have to fight her if we meet again?" Kyle asked glumly.
"Rogelio and I will be fighting him, you stay out of the way. Can't fight her and babysit you at the same time." Kyle's expression crumpled at Lonnie's words and Rogelio let out a brief growl. Lonnie scowled at the lizard man but didn't press the issue. "Come on, we're supposed to get back to the fuzzball so we can figure out our next move."
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Catra hated a lot of things. She hated Shadow Weaver, she hated most of the Force Captains, she hated the grey ration bars because they always got stuck in her teeth, she hated horses, she had a massive list of things to hate.
Teleportation almost won top of the list as she reappeared some distance away from the village. In the distance the refugees were still making their retreat. At least that's what Catra would have noticed if she wasn't struggling to tell what up and down meant. She stumbled, her world spinning wildly for several moments as she struggled to keep her stomach's contents where they belonged. This was worse than the time she got stuck inside that washing machine. At least she didn't get covered in her own vomit this time. She vaguely felt someone hold onto her.
"It's okay. It's okay. First time teleportation is always an experience. It gets better after that." Spinnerella assured her.
"Ah, didn't occur to me I would be popping the proverbial cherry." Glimmer sounded oddly sheepish.
"I am hoping that this wasn't a deliberate act of spite." Spinnerella's voice was firm.
"Of course not. I am firmly above such things." Glimmer replied in a snooty tone that made Catra want to punch her in the face. As soon as she could properly tell where her hands are, that is. "Bastion is two days walk from here. However I can go on ahead and inform the queen of what has occurred, she will send transportation and reinforcements with haste. Once we are back in Brightmoon, there will be an explanation on your part, Princess Spinnerella."
"I assure you, I will explain everything." Spinnerella promised. Catra heard a flicker and assumed Glimmer was gone. "You okay?" Spinnerella asked. Catra shook her head, feeling the dizziness begin to clear. "Okay, let's just take it easy. We're a ways behind the group but we'll walk when you're ready."
"Why?" Catra asked.
"Well, teleportation does cause some severe issues in one's sense of balance. I think there were some theories on—"
"I mean," Catra pushed herself away from the larger woman, stumbling slightly but getting her balance back. "Why did you help me?" Spinnerella sighed.
"Alright, we did say we'd offer an explanation. But we'd also like it if you answered our questions." Spinnerella told the magicat.
"So long as it's not you saying 'are you okay?' over and over again." Catra replied.
"We ask that the perfect amount of times per day, thank you." Spinnerella huffed. The two set off at a brisk pace to catch up, only to stop as Catra paused and looked back at the burning remnants at what once was a thriving place of joy and prosperity. Emotions she now identified as disgust and fury roiled in her gut. Now that she understood the wonders of life outside the Horde a little, to see them brought to ruin made her want to rip something apart again. The blade, still held in her grip despite her earlier dizziness, flashed in the sunlight as if in response to her rising anger.
'Oh, I haven't forgotten about you. If I even think you're messing with my head, I'm melting you down for scrap.' She thought, having a good feeling that the sword could tell what was on her mind.
"The Horde will pay for this." Spinnerella promised.
"You say that while standing next to a Horde soldier." Catra remarked bitterly.
"Are you?" Spinnerella asked.
"No." Catra admitted, feeling a strange weight lift from her shoulders at the admission. "I was just a cadet before I left."
"Then you aren't a Horde soldier and thus not guilty of any crime." Spinnerella said, her voice tinged with relief. She missed the subtle wince from Catra. "I had a feeling. But I wasn't sure."
"I could have been down there if I hadn't left." Catra insisted.
"But you weren't." Spinnerella responded. Catra shuffled uncomfortably before she regarded the princess.
"How long have you known?" Catra asked. Spinnerella began to walk again. Catra followed with a muffled curse.
"Since the day we first conversed." Spinnerella told her. "We had a little test set up in case. The food you ate."
"The fruit?" Catra asked.
"They're vegetables. Carrots and celery sticks." Spinnerella explained with a smirk. "We knew you were Horde and we knew you weren't a spy. Their knowledge on Etherian lifestyles are a bit more… complete."
"You tricked me." Catra spoke, feeling the familiar sting of betrayal in her gut.
"We did. But it wasn't a massive issue, wasn't it?"
"Tell that to the storeowners of those shops I got into arguments with." Catra raked a hand through her hair. "What the hell is your deal? Is this some sort of game to play with me?"
"Nothing of a sort, Catra." Spinnerella told her patiently.
"Then why?" Catra hissed. "You took me, someone from the Horde, into your house. You fed me, looked after me… cared for me. Why?"
"From a pragmatic standpoint, we wanted to keep an eye on you and observe what you would do. But at the time when we found you… well, you were in trouble. We wanted to help." Spinnerella shrugged.
"That can't be it." Catra frowned.
"Catra, you will find that people can go to some great lengths to help others, whether they are strangers they just met or the closest of friends." Spinnerella explained coolly. "One day, you'll find it within yourself to do the same."
"You really don't know me at all, do you?" Catra snorted. "I'm selfish enough to leave my friend behind in that shithole."
"I think of myself as a good judge of character. I'm rarely wrong about these sorts of things. And I have the feeling you weren't presented with much choice other than to abandon your friend." Catra looked away at Spinnerella's assumption and how damnably accurate it was. Leaving with Adora would have been an impossibility unless she outright kidnapped the woman.
"She was there." Catra found herself saying. "She was the one who led the attack."
"Ah." Spinnerella winced. "That's… troubling. We're not exactly forgiving of attacks on our land, especially places like Thaymor. We always believed that it's lack of strategic import was its greatest defence. To attack there would be meaningless, or so we thought."
"The Horde likes to expand. Doesn't matter where. I bet Shadow Weaver chose Thaymor to be Adora's test as a commander." The words tasted like bile on Catra's throat. Spinnerella shook her head with disgust.
"Killing civilians as a test. The Horde disgusts me." She spat with a loathing that surprised Catra. Usually Netossa was the aggressive one.
"Yeah." Catra sighed. "You and me both." She meant it, too.
"This Adora you spoke of. She's your friend?" Spinnerella asked.
"She's…" Catra struggled to find the words. "She was the only person who didn't hate me or bully me. So yeah, I guess."
"Not the sort of person to lead an attack on an innocent village, then?" Spinnerella asked, albeit with more bite in her otherwise gentle words.
"She thought there was a weapon's cache in Thaymor." Catra explained. "She told me she had soldiers digging through to find them and thought the carts up ahead had them." Spinnerella's expression went from mildly perplexed to outright disbelief.
"That's utterly preposterous!" she cried. "Placing a weapons cache in anything but a fully garrisoned fortress is nothing but a show of complete incompetence. How does anyone fall for such a farce?"
"Adora's very, very stupid." Catra said flatly. "She wouldn't know a lie if it came up to her and shot her. Plus, Shadow Weaver's been manipulating her like she's been…" she trailed off, stopping herself from saying too much. She shook her head, "No, I'm not saying anymore until I get more answers. Does your queen know about me?"
"Not by name." Spinnerella explained. Catra froze midstride.
"You told her about me?" she yelled.
"Only in vague terms." Spinnerella replied in that even voice that Catra just couldn't get riled up over no matter how hard she tried. Damn it, why was this woman so soothing? "We told her that we found a defector of unknown rank and no renown in our home and asked for time to ascertain the situation. We were going to break the news after Thaymor and discuss with her personally as to what we were going to do with you."
"So what, there was a chance you'd lock me in a cell?" Catra grumbled.
"Considering you were never an active soldier, that's highly unlikely. You've done nothing wrong." Spinnerella's words caused Catra to see red, not with rage, but a crimson tide of bloody shame. She didn't know. There is no way Spinnerella would assume such things if she didn't know about that part of Horde training.
"And were you going to interrogate me?" Catra asked, if only to stop herself from spiralling into that particular nightmare from her past.
"Queen Angela would probably ask some questions about the Horde with a truth spell active, yes. But mostly because we don't get a lot of information as to its inner workings. The Fright Zone has proven hard to infiltrate at the best of times and our spies are best used elsewhere on the Horde's borders."
Catra's mind was whirling faster than the barrels of a rotary cannon. This couldn't be happening. After all that has occurred so far, she was finally getting a break? She wasn't getting punished or tortured or having something unpleasant happen to her for the crime that is her existence? It struck Catra at just how unprepared she was for this. Not only that but there was something else.
She didn't deserve such kindness. Monsters never did.
"You won't hurt me?" when was the last time her voice came out this meek? Not since she was a child.
"No, we won't." Spinnerella promised her. Catra found herself believing the wind user and oh, how she cursed herself for it. Hope always leads to disappointment. Spinnerella looked ahead, breathing a sigh of relief. "We've caught up. Let's go check on everyone."
"Okay." Catra nodded. The crowd was a lot closer now, moving at a sedate pace. Many were injured and piled on carts, swarmed with medics doing their best to help. Catra leaned to the side. "I wasn't that obvious, was I? Will they know?"
"Well, unless you have another copy of men and women in specifically destroyed Horde armour on your person, I doubt it." Spinnerella smirked, clearly enjoying the look of horror on Catra's face.
"Oh, you looked in my bag." The magicat groaned.
"Indeed. And I couldn't help but notice that page thirty two was heavily wrinkled. Liked that one? Have a thing for blondes?" Spinnerella teased.
"I stole it from someone." Catra insisted.
"Uh-huh."
"I did!"
"Sure. I believe you."
"Stoooop!"
"Catra!" a small blur slammed into Catra's stomach, almost blowing her off her feet. Small arms wrapped around her waist as something buried itself in her chest, something damp. Catra gasped as she hit the ground, noting she could hear the bawling of a child. She looked down and saw Aeola's grey eyes, big and wet with tears staring at her.
"What the hell?" Catra wheezed. Aeola burst into a fresh wave of tears.
"I was so worried! I thought you were hurt or the bad guys got you or something else and I thought I was never going to see you again!" the girl bawled. Catra froze, having been prepared to shove this unwanted violation of her personal space off but found she couldn't. Aeola had been worried about her.
Worried.
About her.
She really must be dreaming. Nope, her ribs were still sore from the impact of the little cloud menace.
"Young lady, what did I say about tackling people?" Spinnerella admonished. Aeola lifted her head and wiped her eyes, sniffling.
"Sorry." She mumbled. She got up after a few seconds. "I'm glad you're okay." She said to Catra. The magicat stood and rubbed her stomach.
"Um. Sure. Nice tackle, by the way." She said. Aeola giggled and seemed to preen slightly at the praise.
"Oh, so that's why you flew off." Said a familiar voice. "Hey, Spinny." Spinnerella turned with a soft gasp and saw Netossa approaching. The two women softly embraced each other, Spinnerella softly kissing Netossa's cheek. Catra vaguely heard Aeola made a 'blegh' noise and chuckled. Netossa turned to Catra, smirking slightly. "Heard you got involved in the fight."
"Who told you?" Catra asked.
"Our teleporting gremlin of a princess." Netossa chuckled. "She just warped on ahead and is going to be bringing some stuff via teleportation circle. That girl overworks herself, I swear."
"It's fortunate that she arrived when she did. I fear our retreat would not have gone so smoothly if she hadn't." Spinnerella remarked.
"Yeah, cool. Awesome. All hail our sparkly saviour." Catra deadpanned.
"I see she's made a favourable impression on you." Netossa sniggered. "Yeah, she's quite snippy and high strung, but she means well."
"Not sure about that. Pretty sure she wants me executed." Catra snorted. "Stopped her from killing my friend and she probably thinks I'm a spy or something."
"On that note, Nettie, I've told her our side." Spinnerella added.
"Ah, so the cat's out the bag." Netossa nodded. Catra scowled at and Netossa raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Sorry, turn of phrase."
"What's going on?" Aeola asked. "Is something wrong?" the three adults glanced among each other and Catra scratched her head.
"Okay, no way to say it gently, but… I'm from the Horde." She explained. Aeola gave her a look of confusion, "But you're nice." She said.
"I'm really not." Catra sighed, remembering all the times she lashed out at people and… the other things she was made to do. "I'm really, really not—oof!" she grunted as Aeola gave her a light punch in the stomach.
"I hit people who talk bad about my friends." The little hellion declared. Catra felt a slight blush appear on her cheeks. Netossa looked distinctly proud while Spinnerella gave her wife a light glare.
"You're a terrible influence." The wind user said.
"Agree to disagree." The thread princess chuckled.
"So if you're from there, why are you here?" Aeola asked. "Did you leave?"
"Yeah, kid. I did." Catra nodded.
"Is it bad there?" the question made Catra clench her fist so hard she would have pierced her own palms if her claws were out.
"You have no idea." Aeola's eyes went big and watery again. She then promptly latched herself onto Catra with the grip of someone who wasn't planning to let go anytime soon. Catra's first instinct was to shove the girl away, a desire she almost gave into if she were being honest. Instead she slowly lowered a hand to Aeola's cloudy hair, her fingers raking through the grey strands gently. In the distance there was a crack that sounded similar to the thunder that Catra would often hear in the Fright Zone, followed by the distant smell of sulphur. Magic. Catra wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"Looks like Glimmer's back with the help." Spinnerella realised. "We should hurry up or else she'll start getting impatient."
"You mean she gets even more uptight?" Catra asked. She heard Aeola snicker.
"Come on." Spinnerella chuckled. Aeola reluctantly let go of Catra, taking Netossa's hand and ambling along with her. Catra followed them, taking one last forlorn look at the city before she did so. Even with the great distance, she could still spot the large construction robots clearing away the debris and laying out the foundations for a forward base. The corpses would be taken and either gotten rid of or recycled into nutrient paste for the ration bars that were the sole source of sustenance in the Horde. Catra turned away if only to stop herself from vomiting. Trotting up to the others she saw that several soldiers all holding medical equipment were checking on the civilians. Looks like Sparkles kept her word.
Speak of the princess (Catra needed to break her habit of using Horde terminology fast, she realised) the sparkly little shit was some distance away, conversing with a dark skinned guy with a bow on his back who seemed to be the same age as her with a frown on her face. She was clearly displeased. Catra angled her ears and focused her senses a bit.
"…not enough. Nowhere near enough. If I was faster there would be more." She heard Sparkles say.
"Come on, Glimmer. We're lucky that we even found out about this in time to intervene. I'm sure they are grateful for your aid. You don't need to be hard on yourself for factors outside your control." The archer assured her.
"Even so, this is a pitiful number of survivors. And it's only going to get worse from here if the Horde is making another push."
"We'll have to see about getting our forces on high alert. Maybe see about establishing local militias to bolster our numbers."
"Yes, perhaps that may be for the best. In the meantime I need to consult with mother. Perhaps this will be proof enough that my proposal has merit."
Huh, well that was interesting. So it seems the shimmering devil had a heart after all. The perfectionist and desire to save lives was also very familiar to Catra. Who would have thought the Rebellion had their own Adora?
Well, at least theirs isn't as dense as tank armour. Catra let out a small huff from her nose and moved over to where the family was, only to pause when several people looked at her. Catra froze, just a few feet away from the princesses she had stayed with. Why were they looking at her like that?
"It's her!" one person pointed at her. Catra noted it was the woman she saved from a burning building. Several more people cried in recognition as they began to head towards her. Catra did the only reasonable thing and dove behind Spinnerella, relying on her heavy build for protection even as the crowd closed in.
"Whoa, now, Catra! They just want to thank you!" Spinnerella laughed. Catra froze for a few moments, the words taking some time to register in her brain. She peeked out slightly at the crowd. They were all smiling at her.
"Thank you so much, lady magicat!" the woman smiled. "Many of us would be dead if it weren't for you."
Oh, no. Gratitude. Catra had no response lined up for that. Nobody thanks her. What does she do?
"Sorry, folks, she's a bit shy." Spinnerella apologised. "Not used to this sort of attention." Several cries of 'aww' rung out as people laughed and cheered for her. For her, not at her. Catra stuck her head out and waved at the crowd, they all gave a cheer before dispersing, going back to whatever it is they were doing before. Catra felt a smile creep across her face without realising it. She could count on one hand the amount of people who thanked her and maybe two of them were sincere in their gratitude. She never encountered something like this.
It felt nice. Unfamiliar, but nice.
As for Sparkles, she watched with an arched brow. Eventually she turned and left, no doubt to meet with some of the soldiers and give a report.
The dark skinned man who had been conversing with her was approaching, his eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Hey, Bow." Aeola piped up. Catra stifled a laugh. Bow? Seriously?
"Hey, Aeola. Princesses," he nodded to the two mothers, "and our resident hero. Hello, I'm Bow, it's nice to meet you." Catra stifled another giggle but couldn't help but glance at Bow's choice in armament. He rolled his eyes, "Yes, I know, get it out of your system." Catra did just that and promptly burst into laughter. Bow nodded with a faint sigh. "Damn it, dad…"
"Catra, that's rude." Netossa admonished the magicat. Bow arched a brow.
"You're named Catra?" he asked. Catra's laughter almost instantly died, replaced with a scowl. "Well, I guess we all have names that are a bit on the nose. Anyway, Glimmer said that we'll stop by Bastion for a bit before we head to Brightmoon so we can get our, ah… business," he nodded to Catra, "sorted out quickly. You don't have to worry." He added, seeing Catra's narrowing eyes. "You'll be fine. You didn't commit any crimes and you didn't hurt any innocents, so you should be okay."
Catra stilled for a brief moment. Bow didn't seem to notice as he had turned to find Glimmer again.
"Well, looks like everything will be sorted out, right Catra? Catra?" Netossa asked, seeing Catra's expression. Her ears were flat on her head and she refused to meet anyone's gaze. "Catra, what's wrong?"
Catra had a choice. One that she never truly had in the Fright Zone. Every time she trusted someone she was betrayed by them at some point. Only Adora was ever truly by her side. But these people have showed her nothing but trust and kindness. She couldn't lie to them, not now. And she couldn't just leave, either.
She was going to take the risk.
"Catra?" Spinnerella asked. Catra looked up at the woman, her face set in determination.
"There's something I need to tell you. About something that happens in the Horde. You said I was guilty of no crime… you're wrong." She said.
00000000
Adora had been free to go from the infirmary for about ten minutes when the summons came from the Horde's leader himself. Lonnie had told her to request a delay so she doesn't rip her stitches while hobbling over there but Adora needed to see this through. She couldn't fail this time like how she failed to stop the princess from taking Catra.
And why did everyone make a big deal out of internal bleeding? Blood is supposed to be inside the body anyway!
Lonnie looked ready to throttle Adora when she made that particular comment.
Shadow Weaver had certainly been pleased by her dedication before leading her inside.
But not before informing her that the weapons cache had been found, of course. Small mercies.
Which led to now. She stood before the steps of Hordak's inner sanctum, her personal squad standing a few paces behind her, all at attention. Shadow Weaver lurked in the corner of the room, half covered in darkness. Throughout Adora's life, Shadow Weaver had always been an imposing figure, a dreadful authority that radiated terror and a demand for absolute obedience.
But not now, though. Now she seemed so small, a thing lurking in the shadows of a much bigger monster. The very monster who stared down at the assembled squad with unblinking eyes.
Adora's entire being was agony, but aside from a few twitches in her face, she didn't let it show. Weakness was an intolerable sin in the eyes of the Lord of the Horde. The room was barely lit by the glow of holographic images, data screens and the occasional glowing red lights that were dispersed around the place. Hordak, whatever he was, had much better night vision than most people. Or at least that was the theory. So many rumours surrounded the imposing overlord of the Horde. Who was he? Where did he come from? Why was he prosecuting this war?
None of those questions mattered to Adora, only the knowledge that Hordak's war was just and good. His vision was a noble one and must be seen through.
He certainly didn't look noble however, standing atop a podium where his throne lay, his hands folded behind his back. He was a huge figure, clad in power armour of such advanced technology that Adora doubted even Modulok could unravel the mysteries of its function. The glow of his eyes and certain parts of his armour were the only things giving away his position. He glared down at her, for Hordak didn't seem to have any other expression on his face. From where she stood he looked like some form of demon, a creature born from the darkness to haunt those who dwelt in the light.
"I trust that you have recovered well enough." Hordak spoke.
"Yes… my lord." Adora managed to gasp out. Her stomach was still in agony, but the painkillers she took before her arrival should be kicking in soon.
"Hm… at ease." Adora allowed herself the tiniest of slumps as Hordak sat down. "Let us go over what has occurred during this initiation. Your assault on this minor stronghold was a surprising success, given the unexpected intervention of three Etherian nobles of considerable repute and might, including one of the Runestone wielders. Your call for reinforcements was a sensible decision and with their assistance you have established a foothold within Etherian territory. Your promotion by all accounts is assured." Adora brightened up slightly.
"T-thank you, my lord!" she said, trying her best to maintain her professionalism.
"However," Hordak's next word cut clean through her joy. He waved a hand, summoning a computer screen on anti-grav thrusters, its screen alight with data recordings. "There is an oddity that I have yet to find an answer to." Hordak leaned forward, his eyes shining just a bit brighter. Adora felt a pressure from an unseen source settle upon her shoulders, as though she were at the bottom of the ocean with thousands of fathoms pressing down on her. Breathing was a difficulty, but that might just be the injuries to her diaphragm.
"An oddity, my lord?" she asked meekly.
"Indeed. Despite your role in this as CO, you decided to personally take to the battlefield. You gave overall command to a member of your squad, Lonnie, whose performance has been noted." Hordak looked at Lonnie and gave the slightest of nods. Lonnie straightened up slightly. Hordak's gaze resettled on Adora. "You went into the field of battle and engaged the daughter of Queen Angella the Radiant." The title was spoken with no small amount of mockery. "You survived, albeit with heavy injuries. Were it not for your squad finding you, you would be among the dead." Adora winced. She was about to answer when Hordak waved a hand and another screen lit up. "Perhaps because of this?" the screen showed none other than Catra, that strange blade in hand, killing soldiers left and right." Adora gasped softly. "Was it perhaps that you wished to deal with this traitor yourself, then? Is that the reason for this breach in protocol?"
"My lord, that creature is a not relevant in the slightest capacity—" Shadow Weaver started, prompting a brief glare not just from Hordak but from Adora as well. As much as she respected the witch, her inability to see Catra's ability always made her blood boil.
"I will be the one to decide what is and what isn't important." Hordak rumbled. "Despite being confirmed as a defector, you clearly attempted to reason with her. According to Hordemind, you believed that the opposition cast some form of spell on her, correct?"
"She wouldn't fight us if this wasn't the case, my lord." Adora insisted. Hordak tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
"And that weapon of hers." Another image was projected, showing the blade in question. It was life-size, floating before Hordak as he regarded it. "A weapon from a dead empire in her hands. The magicats of Halfmoon showed an irritating amount of resistance when we drove them out."
What? There were more people like Catra? Adora couldn't believe it. She always thought that Catra was just some random demi-human like the countless others in the Horde. And what's a magicat? She heard that princess refer to Glimmer by such a name.
"It was a good day for the Horde when that wretched city fell and its people were scattered." Shadow Weaver chuckled. "I remember that day with fondness."
"And yet some aspects of it survived in Catra." Hordak mused. "You claim that it was the princesses who did something, yes?"
"That is… correct, my lord." Adora affirmed.
"Wrong." Hordak's immediate response made her wilt. "If anything displayed any sense of control over Catra, it was the weapon itself." Adora frowned, "I don't understand, my lord."
"Magicat superstition believes that such weapons carry a shard of the previous user's… spirit within them. A means to guide any new wielders by subtly downloading information into their minds. I admit I was intrigued at first, but most of their artefacts were taken, the rest destroyed in battle."
"Regardless, whatever the cause, Catra is now a traitor and shall be dealt with as such." Shadow Weaver announced.
"She isn't a traitor." Adora shot a look at Shadow Weaver. "She's loyal to the Horde."
"Oh? Would someone who is loyal do this, then?" Hordak asked. This time a much larger image was displayed. Adora watched as Catra bared her teeth at a soldier before moving. Her body was a blur as she hacked a soldier clean in half with her blade before absorbing several blasts of laser fire from the others, her sword catching every bolt of energy before she swept it, sending a large blast of that very energy back at everyone. She moved with a speed that almost made it look like she was teleporting, punching troopers with enough force to shatter their armour, ripping chunks out of them with her claws or slicing through them with her blades. All the while Catra roared like a beast, her eyes glowing with malice. The final soldier, probably the squad sergeant, was the last to die as Catra lunged, stabbing her repeatedly before halting suddenly. Her eyes cleared, the glow ceased and she kicked the soldier away.
"The fuck's happening to me?" they heard her say aloud. "What are you?"
"This just proves my point." Adora spoke up. "Catra is being manipulated. My lord, I implore you to understand this." She was taking a risk, making demands of the Horde's lead like this but she had no choice. Catra's life depended on it. For several moments Hordak was silent. Then he leaned forwards.
"How far are you willing to go for this?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, my lord?" Adora blinked, flatfooted by this.
"You believe Catra can be coerced back to the Horde, that her talents can be used in our cause, yes?" Hordak queried.
"I do, my lord." Adora nodded.
"Then I ask again, how far are you willing to go to make that a reality?" Hordak stared at her expectantly.
"As far as I must." Adora answered. Hordak let out a small huff that could be described as a laugh if one were feeling generous. He sat down on his throne, his lip curling slightly in an indulgent smile, revealing crimson teeth.
"Is that so?" he purred. Shadow Weaver stepped forward, her dark hair whipping around in frustration.
"My lord, Catra is little more than a traitor. A trinket from a dead civilisation proves nothing. She has had treachery in her heart since the day she came here." She sneered.
"If she made this decision of her own volition, Shadow Weaver, if she is indeed merely a traitor…" Hordak fixed the woman with a dark look. "… then why did she defect in the first place?" was it just Adora or did the lights suddenly change in a way to make his shadow fall upon the witch's? It was as though his very presence was casting a shadow on the darkness itself. Shadow Weaver said nothing, merely bowing and shuffling away. Adora had never seen her so cowed before. Was this subservient wraith truly Shadow Weaver?
Hordak's gaze turned back to her. "Your dedication to the Horde is admirable. Your loyalty is without question. That is why I am allowing you this chance so long as you do something in turn. A show of resolve."
"Ask, my lord, and I will do it." Adora nodded.
"There is a project I wish you to take part in. An experimental weapon of sorts. The chances of survival are poor. You might die." Hordak informed her bluntly. "However if it is a success, you will not only have the means to return your companion to us, but also the power needed to crush the forces of Etheria and put down this ridiculous Rebellion once and for all. Do you accept?"
Adora stared up at Hordak in wonder. He listened. He actually listened to her. What other proof was there that Hordak was a magnanimous leader? She couldn't waste this chance. She had to grab at it with everything she has.
"Yes, my lord. When shall we begin?" she asked eagerly.
"First, there is one thing you must do in preparation." Hordak stated.
"A training exercise, some form of exam?" Adora was good at those.
"Get some rest." Hordak informed her. Adora slumped over, "Ah." She realised. Adora was not good at resting. She never really knew how to relax and often times went to bed only because the others forced her to sleep.
"You must be at your best in order to increase your chances at survival. And at this current moment you are held together by stitches and your own battle armour." Hordak said in a distinctly flat voice. "As commendable as your zeal is, there is a point where it becomes stubborn foolishness. Go rest. You are all dismissed." The squad saluted, Shadow Weaver bowed and everyone left the room. The doors shut with a resounding thud. Hordak sighed and slouched slightly on his throne.
He hated these reports, truly he did. But he had to maintain some form of presence within the Horde. Showing up occasionally to give speeches and attend war councils was a sacrifice he had to make in order to ensure that his soldiers remembered him.
"To think, the mighty Hordak… a slave to public relations." Hordak snorted. Well, at least his little trick with the lights worked a treat. Shadow Weaver was certainly cowed. Hopefully she won't get any funny ideas for a while. Oh, who was he kidding? She'll probably wait for at least a month before going about her schemes. He sat up and moved to the chambers situated behind his throne where he did the bulk of his work.
"Hordemind, access Experimental Procedure Number Thirty Two and Number Thirty Three." He commanded. "And contact Modulok so that he may prepare for it. Inform him that I too will be overseeing the project, I have no interest in discovering he has made some modifications to my plans."
"Understood, Lord Hordak." The voice of the AI droned.
"Excellent." Hordak nodded. "If this experiment is a success, then not only will we have a powerful new asset, but we will pave the way to the creation of an even greater soldier." His expression turned sombre as he journeys deeper into his lab, finally gazing upon one of his most precious works and the greatest source of frustration. Several glass pods lined the room, all filled with green fluid and the deformed bodies of previous attempts at cloning. Hordak was not someone who valued company. He preferred solitude above all else to continue his work. But even he had his limits and he yearned to be surrounded by his own people again. Perhaps this was why he was willing to go so far as to commit heresy.
"Forgive me, brother." He sighed. "For I see no other way. Through blasphemy and defilement of your great work will I be able to succeed. Forgive me for introducing the sin of imperfection to your glorious design."
"My lord, Modulok has been informed of the development. He is eager to begin." Hordemind told him.
"Of course he is." Hordak snorted. "If the procedure is successful, we shall begin with the next phase and initiate the Thirty Third Procedure."
"My lord, probability scans dictate that the chances for Force Captain's rejection of Project Thirty Two are at seventy two point three eight percent in the long term. She will not live past the year if this is the case."
"This is acceptable. Shadow Weaver's golden child will light the way for greater things in life or in death. Greater warriors who will serve our cause well."
"Yes, my Lord. For the Prime Being, supreme above all."
"For Horde Prime." Hordak murmured.
The lines have been drawn, allegiances have been chosen. My original direction for this chapter was to have Catra break down a bit but I don't think her defences will be that down just yet. Give her time.