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Chapter Text

The skirmish taking place before Lord Hordak was rather pathetic all things considered. Remnant Horde forces and Alliance soldiers, mostly auxiliary by the look of things, were clashing in the forest area beneath Dryl which was both ridiculous and rather rude. There's nothing there, and even if Dryl is isolated well above this region this is technically the territory of Dryl. People shouldn't be fighting in the sovereign territory of Dryl even if it is far from the city itself.

The only reason Hordak is even down here is because Entrapta dropped some hardware they were installing off of the castle and Hordak had decided to come down to salvage it himself. The armor he and Entrapta had forged for him combined with the encounter with Catra soon after its completion had given him freedom to move. A limited sort of freedom but freedom nonetheless. Hordak liked to make use of it when possible.

It has been a few months since the fateful encounter with Catra in Entrapta's lab and things have been relatively stable for Dryl since then. Trade has picked up with the opening of Dryl's first true factory. Entrapta herself has been largely unbothered save the occasional alliance meeting or diplomatic visit. Bow has visited a few times as well but he is of little concern as he seems content to just 'talk shop' so to speak. He did prod about the rumors of threats to Catra but Entrapta deftly brushed that off.

He was proud about that, proud of Entrapta.

There was also an unfortunate incident with a flying Horse causing a rock slide but that was resolved without issue.

So now after a morning of setting up a high powered transceiver in Dryl to better control bots at long range, and then a day of combing the mountainside for lost transmitter components, Hordak was watching a forest skirmish take place. He had been rudely interrupted while poking around the mountainside when a stray energy bolt impacted the rock near him. It quickly became apparent that both sides of this are woefully terrible combatants, and considering one side is former Horde it's somewhat disgusting.

After that first generation, the army that had taken the scorpion kingdom and the black Garnet, things really went downhill. Possibly Hordak's own fault for letting Shadow Weaver take over so much of the general running of the Horde. It had seemed a viable decision at the time, he would open his portal and restore proper order before she could run things into the ground.

Oops. So much for that.

The alliance forces aren't that much better. Their only saving grace as an organization was the core of competence and power that the princesses and bright moon's professional soldiers represented. Both things are woefully absent from the battle going on here. What a pathetic war Hordak had lost. It is honestly embarrassing.

The Lord of Dryl sighs to himself now, momentarily lost in his astounding failures. If it was not for Entrapta he would likely even be dead at this point. Suddenly he is pulled away from that pit of despair and self loathing by the familiar bwoops of Emily walking up to his side. He had brought her down here with him to help, when he got distracted by the battle she had kept searching but apparently noticed him here finally and has inquisitively approached.

The robot is looking up at him.

Hordak looks back at the robot.

Emily emits another bwoop and an expectant whir. For a brief moment Hordak can almost understand his beloved's bottomless adoration for this machine. In fact Hordak would be a liar if he denied that he has conversed with the thing before. Emily is intelligent far beyond her initial design specifications and Hordak has long assumed she is on the level of a particularly clever companion animal, though sometimes he feels there might be even more behind those optics.

"Engage tactical mode. Weapons free, shoot anything that isn't a registered citizen or property of Dryl." Hordak suddenly commands. Flexing his own fingers and feeling his forearm guards shift. With a crackle of green electricity near his wrists the integrated energy casting system comes alive.

Hordak's robot compatriot whirs in compliance and turns toward the treeline. Then fires into the fray taking place among the foliage. There's a scream from someone being struck and Hordak cannot help but smile beneath his helmet. Emily's own energy caster is a masterwork, the stopping power and cycle time are unparalleled. He and Entrapta have been working on a chassis retrofit to cram two of them into her but power is a problem. Still, now is not the time for that, now is the time for engaging these foolish soldiers in the woods.

It is quite rude of them to fight in Dryl's territory, and a proper battle may lift the Lord's spirits. The First One's based generator integrated into his armor begins to spool up in response to his mental state, his implants conveying his desires to the machines. Artificial muscle coils around his arms and legs tense and ready themselves. The many sensors crammed into the extra space in his helmet attune themselves to the battle. He revels in it. In this moment of flesh fused with power.

Then he sprints into the forest, armored talons reaching out to the first soldier he finds. Alliance auxiliary, satyr bodyform. The poor fellow is thrown by the horns into a horde Soldier taking aim. An instant later Hordak's arm is raised and a bolt of energy is loosed from the caster on his arm at yet another combatant. To the Lord every movement is meticulous and calculated. A steady and thought out dance. Even the slightest action is planned to lead into the next, and the one after that. He is fluid, like the battle itself has been fought before. Rehearsed. It's intoxicating.

To the world at large he moves with a sort of speed and precision that only an unnatural machine could attain. It had unnerved those he fought before, when they could just barely keep up with him. She-Ra and her fellows. Entrapta had once stated that she finds these dread movements beautiful. For these poorly disciplined fools in the forest he is simply and utterly terrifying. A demon of metal and claw with bolts of energy flying in from beyond the treeline.

It is difficult to call the ensuing events a battle. As that word implies a fight between at least marginally comparable forces. This altercation was perhaps more aptly described as a beatdown or perhaps as moderate exercise. Regardless Lord Hordak finds the stresses and regrets of the world melt away as he cracks a Horde helmet open against a boulder. He'll have to take the remains of that back, the metal and glass are quite useful.

All good things must come to an end unfortunately, and this engagement is no different. Retreat is called by both sides of the little skirmish and Hordak cannot give chase no matter how much the predator part of his brain wants to. Instead Emily is given the stand down command through a brief radio pulse and Hordak must return to his search for that transmitter.

As the warrior turns to head back towards the mountainside someone screams out and rushes toward him! In one fluid chain of motions Hordak turns to face the charging fool, deflects their stun baton with enough force to spin them around, then finally grabs them by the armored collar and throws them into a tree. They hit the ground with a groan, then pull off their helmet.

Blonde fluffy hair, a soft face. Wait. Hordak knows this one. He steps forward to grab the boy by the collar once more, lifting him up to get a better look. This is one of Catra's tag-alongs. What is his name? Kip? Klark? Kyper? Karkanon the Inevitable?

Hordak knows for a fact it's not the last one he went to basic training with Karkanon the Inevitable and that guy was much more impressive than this one, also quite friendly. He is pretty sure this boys name starts with a K though…

Kyle, that's the name. This boy is supposed to be among the Alliance, specifically under Catra's leadership. A lot of questions are being raised in Hordak's mind when suddenly Kyle spits in his captors face! Luckily the former warlord has a helmet on. The Lord is about to throw the boy into the nearby River and watch him drown when suddenly Kyle speaks.

"You can't stop us! Hordak lives!" That's new, Somewhat ironic, also uncharacteristic of this particular soldier from what Hordak remembers. Admittedly he remembers very little this is not a particularly memorable person. Deciding that the best course will be to bring this one back to Dryl Lord Hordak tosses the boy up, grabbing him by the head, and slams him into the ground to knock him unconscious. Then he grabs Kyle by the leg and throws the kid over his shoulder.

As he passes Emily he gives a simple command. "Keep searching, I'll send people down to help you." To which Emily just bwoops and resumes her combing of the mountainside. She does so enjoy to be helpful.

The walk back up takes some time, after all one must literally climb a mountain to get to Dryl, and Kyle begins to rouse as they walk. Hordak briefly debates repeatedly knocking the boy out but he is Etherian so that would likely cause brain damage. Weak things that Etherians are. Instead he opts to just keep carrying the kid, which leads to much squirming and quiet escape attempts during their journey.

It would seem Kyle lost his spine after being knocked out, no more spitting and declaring remnant propaganda. It really does make Hordak wish to question the boy himself, it has been some time since he has gotten to enjoy an information extraction. However he has a cover to maintain and that cover necessitates silence to anyone beyond the few that know of his existence. Thus Kyle gets to squirm pathetically in silence, and maybe contemplate his life choices.

Eventually they do reach Dryl. They are met at the gates by Petunia, one of the many former Horde bots in service in the Kingdom, as well as some staring interested Drylian citizens. Hordak, as this silent robot of their Lady's creation, has become a known quantity for them but carrying a prisoner into Dryl is new.

Luckily for Hordak Entrapta is nothing if not ridiculous and there is a trap door right at the entrance of the Crypto Castle to drop Kyle in to. Hordak really should have installed trap doors in the Fright Zone they're unbelievably convenient and his time in Dryl has definitely sparked an appreciation, and perhaps even love, for them.

After taking a moment to appreciate the boys screaming as he falls Hordak enters the castle and heads directly to the lab, signaling Entrapta he is returning. Upon entering the Lady's voice is instantaneous.

"Did you get it?!" There's excitement in her voice, and Hordak actually feels a twinge of regret for not finishing his original mission. Still, she will hopefully enjoy the new developments.

"No, Emily is still looking, I found something else." He replies instead, finally pulling off his helmet. The seals make a hiss as they open, and the connecting tendrils on the back of the helmet pull themselves out to coil back against his body.

"Something else?" Entrapta spins over to him in a wheeled desk chair, bumping into the Lord and staring up at him quizzically. "I've only dropped the transmitter equipment I don't think I have anything else that would be down there." She hmms. It's obvious in Entrapta's expression that she's working through all of the likely possibilities.

She's adorable.

"There was a battle taking place at the mountains base. I took a prisoner. It's the boy Kyle, he was with the Horde remnant forces." Hordak explains as he moves over to the maintenance bay the two have set up in the corner of the lab, a number of robots moving forward to disassemble his armor and perform any repairs that may be needed.

"Kyle? Kyle… oh! The blonde guy!" Entrapta nods, moving back to the labs main terminal. Wait for it. "Wait! Kyle?! He's with the Alliance! With Catra!" Entrapta declares, spinning back around. There it is. Then she gasps. "unless…"

"Unless perhaps you were right, and Catra is a leader of the remnant forces." Hordak nods. That has long been one of Entrapta's pet theories now, one even Hordak did not put much stock in. The likelihood is still quite low but the possibility has definitely been raised to investigation worthy levels now. Personally Hordak believes that Kyle is likely a lone traitor but having her theory given evidence clearly makes Entrapta happy.

"I have to question him!" Entrapta declares as she hops up! Starting to gather up some tools!

"I would suggest contacting the alliance as well. Someone other than Catra, obviously. For the sake of diplomatic ties they should be made aware of this development." Hordak noyes calmly before suddenly growling at a bot that gets a little too close to his face with one of its tools. It shifts. Entrapta has programmed these ones to respond to Hordak's unhappiness.

"Good idea!" She spins around yet again to tap at the nearest console. No doubt sending a message off. "You are like my… Oh what's that phrase people like? My knight in shining armor?"

Hordak steps out from the maintenance bay, armor removed and left in his boots, gloves, and bodysuit. He actually gives a laugh at that. Not something anyone has called him before to be sure. "How very cliche of you." Is his simple response.

"Well you saved me from relative boredom and you wear well kept armor so I felt it an apt phrase." Entrapta giggles, or perhaps cackles. "Where did you leave the prisoner?" Back to business quickly though.

"He is in the intake cell." The Lord notes as he walks over to another terminal to send some more bots down the mountainside to help Emily. "Do not have so much fun that you ruin him before an Alliance representative arrives. They will get caught up in that instead of what is important." He adds with a small smirk.

Entrapta just grins at him before heading out of the lab with a skip in her step.

The Lord does so love his Lady.

Chapter Text

Entrapta decides to take the vents to her destination, and tumbles into the intake room from the ceiling. The Lady scrambles back up and spins around until she's facing Kyle. Nailed that landing. "Oh hi!"

The young man jolts at the sudden loud address. He was already startled by Entrapta's arrival but her loud voice manages to add to it.

"Entrapta…" he speaks warily back to her. He appears on edge. Sweat is visible, rapid movement of the eyes, pallid complexion. Alternatively he is physically ill. He is more likely on edge.

"I don't have a good response to that because I already said hi!" Entrapta declares. She really doesn't, he didn't give her a lot to work with by just saying her name. The cell is quickly unlocked, opened, and Entrapta's hair surges in to grab the Kyle waiting within like a fun prize.

"What are you doing?!" Kyle screeches out, trying to squirm out of Entrapta's follicle based grasp. He's really weak though! She's gotten too used to actually strong things being held.

"Taking you to another cell of course! This is the intake cell. We have better holding cells deeper in the castle. Well not better really! Different!" That should be obvious but so many people fail to realize the brilliant design and many intricacies of the Crypto Castle. Really it's a shame because Entrapta thinks the whole place is really cool.

As they walk through the Castle Kyle speaks up again, trying his best to sound defiant. The Lady makes note of the distinct tremble underneath his words. A sign of fear no doubt. It really doesn't take much from this one does it. "I'll never tell you anything Entrapta…" he declares.

"Oh that's alright! Actually it's better if you keep unnecessary talking to a minimum! That will give better results." She grins back at him to show that she means it!

Kyle looks confused now. "B-better results? What are you talking about?" He's squirming again. "Aren't you going to interrogate me?" He sounds unsure of himself. Such low self esteem!

"interrogate you?" She hmms. "Why would I do that? You're just a soldier that my robot captured!" Entrapta chirps happily. She 'accidentally' bumps him into a few walls as they trek along. "We're going to perform some experiments! Since you're a Horde Soldier the Alliance won't care if I use you to help answer some burning questions that I have about Etherians!"

Now the poor guy starts to low key panic. Which is exactly the response Entrapta was hoping for! Her hypothetical model is already panning out! She spent enough time with the Horde to determine their interrogation methods weren't all that reliable. It appears that eventually the subject of the information extraction procedure will begin to answer questions with the answers they think you want to hear regardless of the truth or if they even know anything about the subject! That's not good at all! So much wasted time! Not to mention wasted prisoners.

Thus in time Entrapta began to draft alternate models and make new theories on the process! Unfortunately she had been forced to return to the Princess Alliance before she could begin the experimentation phase of her work on this subject and the Princesses were not keen on the sorts of methods she would be proposing. As an organization the Alliance is not very fond of 'getting one's hands dirty' as the phrase goes.

But now that's all changing!

Also she was planning to pull double duty by actually using Kyle to test some other hypothesise that she has so her comment about burning questions also was not a lie! This ethics thing is easy once you figure out the tricks.

Soon Kyle is being tossed into a new cell and Entrapta is glancing around. "We need a chair I can tie you too!" She notes loudly.

"WHAT?! WHY!?" The poor prisoner actually shouts.

"so you stay still!" Entrapta then spins around to head off and go find a chair! It really is important, and it should have been obvious to Kyle why she needed a good strap-in-able chair. It's not like he wasn't a horde cadet he should know how this sort of situation goes!

Entrapta would only every say this if it were necessary but Hordak really did drop the ball with the Horde. It's clear to anyone that really pays attention that things were barely functional there. Admittedly Entrapta would be a hypocrite to call that out too. Hordak was preoccupied with his research! And Entrapta understands that feeling entirely.

He's been much more involved with Dryl though and that seems to be going swimmingly!

Still Kyle is particularly pathetic. It's really odd that he'd be back with the Horde. The Alliance's kinder and less disciplined atmosphere suits his weak personality better. Unless the evil Catra theory is true! Then it makes sense!

Entrapta hmms and ponders her evil Catra theory once more in depth as she retrieves a chair and returns to Kyle. It's not a particularly complex theory, mostly it's just that Catra is an agent, a traitor, working against the alliance in secret. Leading her own faction of the remnant Horde. Which is ironic because actually that's kind of Entrapta's deal! Hah! She's working against alliance interests by keeping Hordak around, former Horde members have been allowed to make new lives in Dryl. She's got robots! Maybe the evil Entrapta theory has some merit…

That's irrelevant right now. Right now is Kyle science.

Kyle tries to back into a corner away from Entrapta but there's nowhere to run or hide. Without issue she picks him back up and straps him into the chair with some cabling. He struggles, squirms, and really generally makes a pain of himself during the entire process.

"Okay!" She claps her hands together before pulling out a recorder! "Let's begin! Kyle experimentation log! First test!"

Kyle is hyperventilating now. Clearly panicked. Trying to escape his restraints. She makes a mental note of that. Unfortunately this experimental procedure means she can't do too much talking.

Entrapta's hair rustles and from within its mass the strand tendrils produce… two identical bottles. Fizzy drink bottles. One from each pigtail.

Kyle freezes in his panicking. Now overcome with a confusion. "W-what?.. What is that?"

"The first test! I need you to try both of these drinks! It's really important! You haven't been in Dryl any time recently so you're a totally clean test subject!" Each of the bottles is popped open.

"why did you strap me to a chair for this!?!"

"Oh you know." She just smiles. He doesn't know and that's the point. "Come on open up!"

Kyle hesitates at first, tries to resist even! But she gets him! She makes him drink from each bottle! All he needs is a taste after all…

Entrapta watches expectantly. Not saying a word.

Kyle looks confused. Very confused. "I don't… I don't know what you want…" he rambles that out among other things. Complaining about how none of this makes sense. How Entrapta's lost it. How her weird robot is terrifying.

She gives him only silence. No matter what he says he receives only expectant silence, and watchful eyes.

Until Kyle finally says the right words. "I guess the first one was better? Fizzier… is that what you want!"

Entrapta whoops! Success! "I knew it! Everyone says they're the same but I knew that one was better!" She cackles! This was a twofold victory. The first and obvious victory is that she now has an agreeing opinion about the Great Dryl Fizz Schism that had been plaguing the castle for weeks. Hordak insists that the factory made and kitchen made drinks are the same but Entrapta knows that they're different. The kitchen produced drinks are better! Now this Kyle has agreed with no knowledge of which was which! And no prompting at all from Entrapta! Hordak will be put in his place on this to be sure.

The second part of this victory is the fact that she got her response with no prompting at all. Kyle's uncomfortableness with the situation eventually led him to what he thinks is the question she's asking. Since he had no real idea though there was a high chance he could say the wrong thing, thus there is a high probability he in fact picked a truth. Of course this is not hard confirmation of anything of the like. Rather this is evidence toward Entrapta's theories! This is science in action, and more tests are needed.

Kyle is staring at Entrapta in shock and confusion. He clearly doesn't know what to make of this whole situation. This too is good, it means Entrapta remains in control! Suddenly a new tool is produced. A circular bonesaw. Kyle starts hyperventilating again.

"Okay! Test two! Etherian response to loud and or stressful noises!" Entrapta calls into her recorder before turning the little motorized saw on. The test is simple. She moves behind Kyle so he can't see her, then she just moves the whirring tool around him, closer and further, side to side. Judging his reactions to the unseen threat. It's quite interesting to watch him.

He even reacts well when she 'accidently' knicks his shoulder with it! By reacting well Entrapta of course means screaming.

Entrapta continues with this sort of behaviour for a while. Tests that are stressful and confusing, some just creepy, but not necessarily physically harmful. She actually gets some tidbits of information out of him in this stage. Unfortunately It becomes clear that he's becoming desensitised to the process as it continues. Kyle is coming to believe she will not do anything serious to him and is just 'messing' with him.

So when the scalpel is picked back up, after its use in the visual threat testing, and Entrapta declares the next test is "Pain threshold exploration." He is rather unprepared emotionally. Let alone physically.

The data really is great, and Entrapta suspects that she and her Hordak will have a good time going over it together.

The information is curious too. He curses at her. Tells her Hordak is alive and he's going to make her pay. That he's seen Hordak himself. That's interesting! Because Hordak is in Dryl why Entrapta is pretty sure he's not moonlighting as himself. That would be very stupid.

Kyle also mentions that this likely false Hordak showed him things, but he didn't elaborate on what he was shown before finally passing out. Oh well. She got good data and curious information and that makes for a nice evening!

It is while Entrapta is wiping off her tools, having just finished patching the unconscious Kyle back up, that Imp makes himself known.

"Hello Imp!" Entrapta chirps happily. "Something to tell me?"

Imp opens his mouth, and the familiar voices of Adora and Blue stream out.

"One of Entrapta's machines attacked Alliance forces, and we also received a message that she has Kyle prisoner. This is unacceptable. Take me to Entrapta immediately." Adora. Hordak's would be murderer… always so angry.

"Of course She-Ra, I understand you're upset but one does not easily just go to the Lady. I can take you inside and summon her though." That was Blue. What a good servant. Hordak really likes her and Entrapta can see why.

"I want to see Entrapta now. Immediately." Adora repeats.

Imp closes his mouth and then leaps up onto Entraptas hair, sitting on one of the tails. The lady sighs. "Okay! I GUESS we'll deal with Adora! Is Hordak with them already?" She asks as she grabs imp and holds him up before her.

The creature nods.

"Good! Okay!" The Lady gathers up her things and locks the cell with haste! Then she has a brilliant realization as she walks through the halls!

"Oh! I can have Adora try the drinks!"

Entrapta takes a detour.

Chapter Text

"I assure you that Lady Entrapta will be here any moment now to answer your questions. I'm sure whatever has happened is some kind of misunderstanding." Blue really is trying her best to keep Adora at bay here and Hordak can appreciate that effort. Her courage in the face of She-Ra is probably bolstered by the fact Hordak himself if standing nearby, admittedly, but he has definitely had worse subordinates in his time.

"That's what you keep saying" Adora replies. Now looking at Hordak. "This is the thing that attacked Alliance forces." She notes. Adora is wearing a rather gaudy suit. White and gold like She-Ra's colors. She stares up at Hordak's armored form with a frown. This is the first time that the two of them have seen each other so close since the final battle of the war, when She-Ra ran Hordak through. While Adora just looks upon a robot, Hordak looks upon a hated foe. He desperately wants to kill her here and now. That would probably be a mistake unfortunately.

“Yes it is one of the Lady’s experimental creations.” Blue notes. “I don’t know much about it beyond that.” Hordak continues to just stare at Adora, internally debating on whether he should bring his claws across her throat despite all of the reasons not too. It really would feel good.

“Catra keeps saying that she thinks it’s some sort of sex robot.” Adora suddenly says. “I keep telling her that Entrapta has a consort hidden away in Dryl but then Catra always declares that the robot is the consort.”

Hordak’s brain hits an error message at that. Luckily he manages to stay still and avoid any movements that might give away the fact that Adora just floored him with that comment. Luckily Blue is here to be openly floored for both of them. The poor stuttering woman trying to formulate a response. “I… I am afraid I… I wouldn’t know anything about that She-Ra”

Adora turns back to Blue and Hordak’s gaze shoots up to the once-staffer, now Drylian Administrator, once the Bright Moon diplomat isn’t looking at him. Adora responds. “Really? Have you ever seen Entrapta’s consort? No one has… and this robot is rather… Hordak in proportion and well… Catra is pretty sure that Entrapta did have an attraction to Hordak which I just can’t understand.” Adora frowns, sighing a little. Isn’t she supposed to be angry about the attack and the Kyle situation?! Why is she doing this!? Does she know?

“I um… I have… met her Consort yes. His name is… Hector.” Blue notes.

Adora’s eyes widen and she looks back to the administrator. “Really?”

Before Blue can respond Entrapta, blessedly, bursts onto the scene. “Hi Adora! Sorry it took me so long to get here! I had to make a quick stop because I want you to try something for me!” The Lady of Dryl grins, looking around between Blue, Adora, and Hordak. “Wow it’s like a little party here huh?!”

“Entrapta.” Adora takes a deep breath, composing herself seriously. “We need to talk. Seriously.”

“Okay! About what? Oh wait! Kyle! Right! I sent a message!” Entrapta grins, bouncing around.

“I am going to return to my duties now.” Blue says with a small bow before scurrying off. Smart girl. Hordak almost envies her.

Adora only glances at Blue as she goes. Turning her attention back to Entrapta. "Not just Kyle, though yes I want you to show me him immediately." She says "Your bot. That bot." She points at Hordak. "Attacked Alliance forces Entrapta. This is unacceptable. We give you a lot of leniency to keep to yourself in Dryl but you CANNOT attack Alliance forces! That is an act of war!"

Entrapta just tilts her head. "Oh! I'm sure it was a misunderstanding! I can check Kur's, that's the bots name, I can check his logs really quickly for you to see why he would have done that!" The Lady's voice is chipper and excited. Hordak can sense that little bit of despise lurking behind it all the same.

“Do it then.” Adora says sternly. Diplomacy has really taken the kindness and wonder out of this girl. Hordak can understand that though, it tends to do that to anyone. Politics in general really. It is an irony to imagine it but perhaps one day Adora herself will grow into a dictator, then perhaps they can finally have an intelligent conversation. As Hordak thinks about this Entrapta hops over to him and lifts herself up on her hair. A tendril extending from her mask to poke at the back of his helmet. She hums as she pretends to work. Mask coming down. Hordak almost wants to hug her, which is an interesting impulse to say the least.

Then she speaks through her little hums. “Someone needs to be cleaned up before I go presenting him to anyone huh?” she muses. Hordak is of course impeccably clean which can only mean one thing.

Kyle is still a mess.

Hordak shifts a little, bowing his head to let her know he heard her. Then Entrapta bounces away and speaks to Adora. “Yep! Sorry! It was a misunderstanding! He was down near the base of the mountain and saw the battle! He just assumed there was a threat to Dryl and engaged everything around him! I haven’t really worked out the bugs in his friend-foe systems yet! He doesn’t usually go that far from Dryl so I didn’t even think about it!”

Adora frowns. “Why was he… it… down there?”
“Oh! That’s a funny story! I was up on top of the castle putting up a new transmitter when I dropped some important stuff! It all tumbled down the mountain and I had to send some bots to go find it! I guess he made it all the way to the bottom in his search. Actually Emily and some others are still out there looking.” she laughs. That one is actually completely true.

“I see… and Kyle?”

“Oh he probably recognized Kyle from Emily’s memory files, I imported a number of them over, so he brought Kyle in! Though Kyle is evil now so there’s that!”

“Take me to him.”

“WAIT! Drink these first!” she pulls two soda bottles out of her hair! Then drops one! It shatters on the ground and Entrapta gasps. “Oh no! Kur! Go to the kitchen and get a new one immediately!” she orders the ‘bot’. The Lady has gotten much better with her deceptions over time but sometimes she really does too quickly for her own good. It is irrelevant, Hordak must play along.

So Hordak nods an affirmative and marches off. He can hear Entrapta declaring that they can’t see Kyle until Adora has tried the drinks because “Kyle has tried the drinks and he could contaminate the experiment.” There’s no time to unpack that however as the moment Hordak turns the corner he’s in a sprint, trying to catch up to Blue. She hasn’t gotten far, she’s short and not particularly fast even for her tiny size. As Hordak skids to a stop by her she jumps and screams in surprise.

“Silence!” Hordak commands quickly, which does in fact get her to be quiet. “Drop whatever you are doing, go to the dungeons, make the prisoner presentable for Adora. Expect blood.” His words are quick and hard.

Blue stammers for only a moment before bowing! “Yes Lord!” and changes her own direction.

“Quickly!” Hordak emphasizes and she starts running. Good. “And turn on your locator!” he adds before sprinting off to get to the kitchen!

Luckily Lord Hordak is quite a fast individual when he is armored up and can make it to the kitchen in time to make up for his detour. He straightens himself out to look as robotic as he can before entering. Which turns out to not be needed as no one is inside. That is convenient. This gives Hordak a chance to pause and reflect on the fact that actually this is all his fault because he's the one who suggested Entrapta contact the Alliance. That was perhaps a stupid idea. Though it's possible Adora would have arrived here regardless given her anger over the attack on Alliance force. Which was also Hordak’s fault.

To be fair he did not realize they also recorded combat operations now.
No time for regrets.

The next hurdle that Hordak encounters is that he's not actually sure what flavor of drink Entrapta wants off the top of his head. It was a brown one but there's still more than one of those. With a modicum of annoyance Hordak plays back the helmet recording he has, trying to figure out what the bottle was. This is a huge waste of time and it makes Hordak grumble, but it works and he picks a bottle with relative confidence just in time to turn to the door and see the elfy fellow that makes the drinks standing there.

They stare at one another for a moment. Hordak wonders if he heard the grumbling. He definitely saw Hordak picking out a bottle from the refrigeration unit in a very not robot sort of way.

The Lord of Dryl reaches out to knock stuff off the counters.

The elf guy gasps. Then Hordak walks out of the kitchen. Hearing "I am going to tell the Lady about this you malfunctioning tin can!" from behind.

It is so very lucky that most of the people of Dryl don't actually understand robots very well.

Next step, return to Entrapta. The Lady and Adora are still in the halls. Making slow progress toward the dungeon. As Hordak approaches he can hear that Entrapta is now rambling about the new transmitter she's setting up. When she spots Hordak she waves excitedly! "Oh look he's back! And he has the drink! Okay time to test!"

The Lady takes the bottle and presents both drinks to Adora, who with much exasperation gives in and tries them.

Then there's an awkward period of silence where no one actually says anything.

"Uh…" Adora breaks through the silence. "I'm not sure… did you want my opinion on them or?..."

Entrapta just smiles. Hordak feels like he's losing his mind as he realizes exactly what this moment is about. He loves the Lady dearly but this is all becoming a bit much.

"I mean both are good… but… I don't know the second one was fizzier?"

Then Entrapta lets out a loud "AHA! THAT IS TWO!" She points dramatically at Hordak. "You have that recorded right? That's two! Two that agree with my hypothesis!"

Lord Hordak of Dryl, currently disguised as a robot based on his own armor, has to use all of his willpower not to pull off his helmet for the singular purpose of rubbing his eyes. This is so ridiculous. They have been having this debate for weeks. Hordak is sure there is no appreciable difference between the drinks but Entrapta insists and now with test data backing her up he'll never live this down.

He doesn't even like the fizzy drinks very much.

Luckily for Hordak Adora clears her throat and gets back to business. "Kyle. Now. Please."

"Right!"

And so the trio March off, moving through the castle at a decent pace. Entrapta takes an incorrect route however, making the journey longer than it should be. As they finally approach Hordak has to cause one final distraction to buy a little more time. He does this by shooting a wall. It seemed like the best option. Blue is still inside the dungeon and she at least needs a warning to hide after all.

Adora and Entrapta spin around in shock as the blast goes off and blows a hole in the metal wall of the corridor.

"What was that?!" Adora asks loudly.

"Oh he probably saw a spider! He hates those a lot!" That is… not untrue… Hordak is not particularly fond of Etherian spiders.

"So it shot it?!"

"Yeah! He's a little overzealous. As I said I am still fine tuning things."

"I… It… ugh. No. Not my problem. Your castle. Your bots can blow it up if you want." She says, marching forward into the dungeon.

There in the first cell is… Kyle. He's all cleaned up, back in Horde armor and laid out on the cell's cot unconscious. Blue really is efficient, there's only the slightest hint of what Entrapta had been up to not long ago.

Checking the castle map through his helmet Hordak can see Blue is still here, hiding in another cell.

It's all up to Entrapta now. The Lady must sell that Kyle should be imprisoned and also that nothing untoward has been done to him. If she fails there might be problems with Adora here. The Lord readies himself for potential combat.

It ends up not being needed.

Entrapta informs Adora of what they know. That Kyle was with the Horde forces and declared that Hordak is alive to them. Which is, of course, absolutely ridiculous seeing as Entrapta blew up Hordak’s body. Then that Entrapta brought him here and used him for a few completely safe experiments that were definitely probably humane because well, he is a prisoner. Which doesn’t actually sit well with Adora but the diplomat doesn’t go into that just yet. Finally she tells Adora to feel free to wake him up and ask him stuff herself. A gamble if there ever was one.

Luckily for them when Kyle is roused he wants nothing to do with Adora. Something almost seems to trigger in his brain, becoming hostile with her. Actively so. He calls her a traitor and a rebel, declares Hordak lives. Entrapta looks fascinated, her recorder produced and running.

It doesn't take long for Adora to back off. Sighing and pulling Entrapta into the Hall. Hordak watches them from the dungeons entrance. "Okay. Something is definitely up with Kyle. I want to bring him back to Bright Moon. Treat him, figure out what's going on. Why he would say Hordak is alive..."

"Oh, I don't think so." The Lady replies quickly. Her chipper air actually vanishing for a moment.

The air tenses.

Adora is taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Then the friendly smile returns. "Kyle is clearly suffering from some sort of Horde conditioning and I have the most knowledge of Horde stuff in general! Plus he's a prisoner of Dryl! It's best he stays here! Though the Alliance can have people come look at him of course! Cooperation can help science!"

"Entrapta he's acting strange and just told us that Hordak is alive, at least he thinks so, this isn’t science it’s… I don’t even know what. Bright Moon has the best medical, and holding, facilities on Etheria he needs to be taken there." Adora insists.

There's a long moment before Entrapta replies with a simple. "No." Followed by "if you want to take him the Alliance can convene and take a vote. If everyone thinks he should go to Bright Moon then that’s alright! He can go! But for now he will stay here in Dryl where I know he's secure and can be looked after!"

"Entrapta…" Adora is starting to sound annoyed.

The Lady tilts her head. "Oh do you want me to lead you out? It's a bit of a maze in here!" She spins around and starts walking. Adora has no choice but to follow, trying to talk to Entrapta about this as she goes.

Hordak doesn't follow them this time. Entrapta will signal if she needs him. Instead he backs into the dungeon to fetch Blue and lead her out.

"I heard what Lady Entrapta told Adora." She says as the door to the prison closes. "The Alliance won't let us keep him I don't think."

"No, they likely will not, but she knows that." Hordak states. "We just need time for his wounds to heal, just a little is enough."

Blue swallows, nodding a little, "I'm going to get back to work now…" she speaks quietly before shuffling away.

Hordak stands there for a moment. Pondering the situation. They need alternative prisoners to extract information from.

The Lord begins to walk toward the lab.

Chapter Text

There is a reason that Entrapta made Hordak the Lord of Dryl and let him have political power over the kingdom. Well multiple reasons. One of those was of course because she loves and trusts him. Also he's good at that sort of job so that was definitely a reason. Right now though the reason that is most important is that Entrapta finds politics so intensely boring. At least participating in them directly. Observing the process and taking notes was much more interesting but when you had to be part of them people expected you to be listening and contribute to their usually pointless discussions.

Unfortunately right now Entrapta did in fact have to participate personally. It was Kyle's fault really, he always was terrible. His presence in Dryl, and Entrapta's refusal to simply hand him over to Bright Moon, inevitably led the Alliance leaders to send an official summons to Entrapta to discuss the matter. Much like Entrapta had suggested they do in fact. Would they have if she had not made it clear she would respond to that? A curious question and one she has no way of testing now. At least none she can think of in this moment. Maybe she’ll come up with an experimental framework to test that sort of thing later, or she could do it now it’s not as if she is paying much attention anyway.

It's dreadfully boring is the problem. Entrapta knows what's going to happen already. Adora will give a report on what she saw and the general situation. Entrapta will confirm and repeat her token reasoning for not handing Kyle over. The others will debate that for entirely too long because even a minute is too long. Then they'll take a vote and the Alliance will call for the extradition of Kyle from Dryl and Entrapta truly will not care.

The only reason she refused to hand him over in the first place is that he had wounds that were clearly inflicted too recently, by Entrapta. She just wanted time for those to heal up and make it plausible they were from before his capture. As of now they were looking plausibly deniable and that was good enough for The Lady of Dryl. If it wouldn’t be too suspicious she would have actually just brought him with her today to dump on Bright Moon’s doorstep.

Perhaps the worst part about all of this is she didn't even get to bring Hordak. The Lady has been looking forward to seeing the alliance react to her 'new robot' for awhile. Unfortunately he is busy hunting and securing a more useful prisoner for them. That was another reason she doesn't care about Kyle, he has played out his usefulness to Dryl. Sure he could probably answer more questions with some prompting but he has the Alliance’s attention, so she can’t prompt him properly.

At least she has her little data tablet to play with.

Adora is going over the situation, briefing the assembled leaders. Even Frosta is present. She misses as many of these as Entrapta does it seems, so that is definitely of note. Everyone else of interest is here as well. Alongside a number of Princesses and representatives not of particular interest! The Alliance sure did grow in the final stretch of the war, and after its end too. A new world order if there ever was one. They're listening to Adora but Entrapta is definitely getting regular glances from many here. It feels like each person is looking at her in a different way. This is common. It used to be more interesting but she's worked out why they're like this already.

For her part Entrapta is half paying attention at best. She's poking at her tablet, sending off text based messages to Hordak. The Lord of Dryl is currently in the field, hunting for their new informant. He has not said it directly but the Lord of Dryl appears to be rather concerned about this imposter situation. It is understandable. Entrapta would be quite fascinated if there was word of a second Entrapta running around causing trouble for everyone.

E: Adora is taking too long to get to the point.
H: She is informing them of all of the details?
E: Yes. Not needed. They'll vote against me regardless.
H: They cannot very well display that behavior openly.
E: It would save time.

"Entrapta." Adora's voice suddenly picks up, addressing the Lady. She glances up and smiles.

"Hello!"

"Would you mind telling everyone why you refuse to hand Kyle over to Bright Moon?" Adora asks. Ooh she's being kind of fair with the question! That's actually a more interesting twist. Entrapta has a decision to make though, how exactly does she explain this.

"He is Dryl's prisoner."

"He has information the Alliance needs." It's Catra who interjects. Isn’t it just always Catra.

"About Hordak. Yes. I told Adora Alliance representatives were welcome to question him in Dryl." She continues to smile. "Dryl has the most reliable prison facilities and the most knowledge of the Horde. It makes sense to keep him."

"So Entrapta won't give him up. But she's letting us visit him. Question him. Do whatever. I don't see the problem, or why we had to be called here" Mermista speaks, raising a brow at all of this.

Oooh! Unexpected! Glimmer looks like she's about to speak up when Entrapta rudely interrupts her. This can be used. "I told Adora that if the Alliance voted together that the prisoner should be moved to Bright Moon I would accept that decision, but I am not going to bow to the unilateral demands of Bright Moon when this is supposed to be an equal partnership." Those aren't actually Entrapta's words. Hordak ranted about Bright Moon positioning itself as the de facto leader of the world a while ago and Entrapta just happened to remember his rant. He would surely be proud to hear she managed to get that in. She’ll have to tell him.

That gets people murmuring. Glimmer and Adora both look shellshocked. Catra is quirking a brow. She likely knows that Entrapta didn't come up with that.

Then Princess Frosta speaks. "Lady Entrapta makes a valid point in that regard."

"Yeah I guess she does." Mermista agrees with a hmm.

"That is not what any of this is about!" Glimmer suddenly interjects.

Entrapta just grins a little as she watches Adora slump into her chair, then Entrapta goes back to her tablet.

E: I told then Dryl does not want to bow to Bright Moon's unilateral decision making.
H: Oh? And how did that go?
E: They're arguing now. Frosta and Mermista actually seem to agree. Fascinating! I was not expecting this!
H: I believe I told you politics can he entertaining.
E: You did. I'm still skeptical but this is good evidence.

He takes a moment to respond after that. A single word.

H: Contact.

He's going to be busy for a few minutes. He's made contact with the forces he's been tracking. Which is operational speak for he's entered combat with them. A twinge of worry goes through Entrapta, it always does now days. After seeing She-Ra run him through any thought of Hordak entering battle reminds her of that moment. It is less than pleasant. He is strong though, he will be fine.

So Entrapta looks back up at the now raging debate. It seems things have turned into a discussion of what Bright Moon's position in the alliance actually is. During the war it was clear that Bright Moon was the de facto leader, seeing as they had been fighting the Horde the longest. In peace time though, well the debate can be had. It would seem it has been bubbling right under the surface for a while.

Entrapta has little to add to this. So instead she shoots a message off to Emily! Emily is actually in Bright Moon but they never let her come into the council room.

E: Hi Emily!
3m1l7: Hello
E: How are you doing?
3m1l7: I am well, How are you E?
E: I'm good! How are you?
3m1l7: I am well, How are you E?

Entrapta can't help but giggle quietly. Emily isn't really talking to her. She has a bank of responses that she can mix and match to respond to text without actually comprehending what is being said. Entrapta has been working on it for awhile as a pet project. It's getting rather impressive but she doesn't accurately analyze past the previous response so you can make her loop rather easily.

Catra speaks up suddenly. "Something funny Entrapta?" That gets everyone's attention back on the Lady.

She just grins back at the cat. "Yep! Emily did something funny!"

"She's not even taking this meeting seriously." Glimmer notes to everyone. "So we should just get it over with and take a vote." The princess sounds annoyed. A vote now is actually likely detrimental to Bright Moon's interests.

"I'm ready to vote! Wait! About what? Kyle right? We're still voting about Kyle?" Entrapta asks quickly.

"What else would we be voting about Entrapta?" Glimmer asks.

She shrugs. "Trade laws or something."

Adora groans from her seat, head in her hands.

"Voting on if Kyle should be moved to Bright Moon for his questioning!" Glimmer declares. "Let's just get this over with!"

"Seems like a unilateral decision to move ahead on this." Mermista speaks up with a smirk.

Frosta… giggles. Entrapta takes that as an opportunity to giggle as well. Then her tablet beeps and she looks down again.

H: Operational success. Two viable prisoners.
E: Yay! We’re going to be voting soon.
H: You have not yet?
E: We were about to but Mermista made a good joke.
H: It sounds like you are enjoying yourself.
E: It’s going better than I expected. Are you enjoying yourself?
H: The battle was good.
E: Yay! I am very glad.

“Okay!” Entrapta glances up, Glimmer just yelled and slammed her hand down on the table. She is not a great representative for Bright Moon. “Are we all agreed to proceed with a vote then?!”

“Yeah, sure.” Mermista flips her hair. Frosta just nods quietly. The others present murmur agreements as well.

“Yep!” Entrapta chirps.

“Okay! Alliance vote on if the Prisoner Kyle should be transferred from Dryl to Bright Moon for holding and questioning! All in favor of this! Raise your hands!”

Entrapta watches carefully, eyes scanning the room. Adora and Catra don’t vote, they can’t, they’re only Bright Moon officials and not political leaders. Most of the room raise their hands. Glimmer of course. Perfuma. Mystacor’s representative. Even Scorpia raises it after a moment of hesitation. Entrapta frowns at that. Numerous other present Princesses do as well. A few don’t.

Notably Frosta and Mermista keep their hands down with Entrapta. They’re founding members. That will likely have repercussions. Entrapta will remember it to be sure.

As Glimmer counts the hands Entrapta shoots off another message.

E: Mermista and Frosta voted with us.
H: Interesting. I will short list them for beneficial trade agreements.
E: That’s what I was thinking!
H: Both can use our technology. We’ll approach them through side channels at a later date.

“Okay. The vote is passed.” Glimmer says, looking at Entrapta now. “Entrapta, I hope you’ll comply with this decision.

“Of course! I already said I would if the Alliance agreed!” She remains all smiles. This actually went rather well.

“Then we’ll discuss the details of the transfer.” The Princess of Bright Moon says as she sits down. “The rest of you are free to leave as this is now between Bright Moon and Dryl.”

“I will stay.” Frosta says openly.

“Yeah. Me too.” Mermista chimes.
Entrapta, momentarily displeased that this all has to continue, now has to repress a smirk.

E: Talks have to continue. Should be interesting though.
H: Estimated time it will be over?
E: Unknown.
H: I will tell the kitchen to not worry about dinner. Blue and I can make something for you when you’re coming home.
E: Aww! Thank you! That would be beneficial to my mood after the journey home.
H: I thought so.
E: Oh wait I’m being talked to. Message again soon!

The Lady was so caught up in the euphoria of having a loving partner that she momentarily lived in a world where pointless political meetings don’t exist.

Chapter Text

Entrapta suddenly bursts back into the lab! Hordak glances over at her for a moment as he works on the energy projector integrated into his armor’s left forearm. It’s been acting up and while Entrapta works on the new prisoners there is time to tinker. It has been a handful of days since Entrapta’s meeting with the Alliance and Hordak’s retrieval of new prisoners. Kyle himself has been sent off to Bright Moon. Let them have him, he's kind of very annoying. The new Prisoners have been being worked on by Entrapta in the meantime. The Lady has been enjoying herself, learning much about both psychological and physiological responses to different stimuli, as she says.

“Welcome back my Beloved.” Hordak greets with a nod.

“Thank you! I have so much new data to log and analyze!” She declares as she scurries through the lab to the main terminal to begin the aforementioned work. Entrapta takes pride in the extensive scientific logs held within Dryl's mainframe. Hordak does as well, to an extent, partially because of how much if the Horde database survives within.

“Any new information in regards to our Prisoner’s master?” The Lord asks. They hit a wall in regards to that. A wall made out of an infuriating combination of the prisoners apparently lacking knowledge and being very very well indoctrinated to keep certain things to themselves, or at least away from unauthorized persons. It is almost as if their minds have been touched and tweaked to stop them from responding to certain lines of questioning in a helpful way.

Entrapta frowns as she taps away at the terminal. “More of the same unfortunately. They’ll admit it is Hordak, you. That you’re alive. That you showed them something. More details then that are scarce. I would love to know what has been done to them to get such a reliable block on information! That would be so useful to have in our own tool box!” the Lady declares.

Hordak chuckles despite himself. It would. She is correct. It is also infuriating to be working against. He finishes his tinkering and closes the armor back up. Turning to face Entrapta proper. “I believe it is time we fall back to our secondary interrogation plan.” he speaks plainly. “It is likely going to be the only chance we have of extracting information in any sort of timely manner.”

Entrapta looks up and hmms. Then nods. “On one of them. The other we’ll keep up current procedure just in case something bad happens. Also not right now! They need to rest!”

Hordak nods and walks over to Entrapta, standing at her side, arms behind his back, and looking over the displays. The secondary method is quite simple. Hordak takes off his helmet in front of one of them. It was determined to be best to avoid doing if possible, they don’t need anyone hearing “Hordak is alive in Dryl!” but given the slow progress of Entrapta’s methods it is looking to be the best possible solution moving forward. More than likely it will be without issue for them, as the ‘Hordak Lives’ line is already a common moniker with this remnant group, and Kyle, the only prisoner of this group that the Alliance has as far as the Lord and Lady know, has no idea that Hordak is actually in Dryl.

Still there is a level of worry about revealing the real Hordak to anyone.

“Tonight then, I will choose one and reveal myself.” he declares. Entrapta pauses in her touch typing and nods a little. Looking momentarily unsure about that. Then she nods more vigorously.

“That is likely the best option.” she agrees with only the slightest hesitance in her voice.

Hordak watches Entrapta now, examining her careful movements. She is sure in her words, yet unsure in her emotions about the situation. That much is clear. She is rightfully worried about risking all of their work. “Until then, have you eaten?” The Lord asks.

Entrapta blinks! Then glances up at him proper again! “Oh! I have not! It is hard to eat and work on prisoners at the same time! Oh I think I am rather hungry too now that you mention it!” she laughs. “I always forget.”

“It is a bad habit of yours.” Hordak agrees, moving to a console to send off the robot butler that fetches foodstuffs for the Lady. “You have been working hard Entrapta, very hard. I believe you should allow yourself to relax for at least a night.”

“Science doesn’t rest!” Entrapta declares! “Also I know you have been worried about all of this.”

“Let me reword.” He smiles at her, a softness reserved only for the Lady. “I would like you to take a chance to rest. There is nothing pressing that can be done right this moment, so you should take it to relax. With me.”

Entrapta blinks, staring for a moment. Then she smiles in turn. “Oh. Okay! That does sound nice.” she chuckles.

“I thought so.” he says. “We will eat something. Talk about other projects we would like to pursue. Perhaps put on some music, and dance. It has been awhile since we have done that hasn’t it?”

“It has.” Entrapta is smiling now. “Let me finish logging my data here. Then yes! We will do all of that.”

Lord Hordak of Dryl nods. Moving over to one of the work tables in the Lab to clear it off. After a moment he hears Entrapta cease her typing and move over to his side to help him. Moving items to other tables with her hair, moving some seats over for them. Setting up a space. They have done this before, in the months since Hordak awoke here, and in the months when they were together in the Horde. Those nights when a simulation or an experiment had to run long, and they decided to spend time together. They make a space, claim it as their little spot to be a couple in. They enjoy the moment.

“Do you remember, when we had to wait for those discharge tests on the portal capacitors you developed?” Hordak asks as they set up their little space. “We decided to test thousands of rapid discharge cycles.”

The Lady giggles some. “We started the sequence and realized that we had nothing else to do until that was done. I had just made a new Emily. There was no important Horde activity to look in on.”

“We wandered the sanctum aimlessly. Neither of us wanting to actually part ways and do other things.” Hordak smirks as he reminisces. “So we just pretended we had work we had to be doing.”

“Until Imp and Emily finally got fed up with us.” She laughs now. “And pushed us together.”

“Ah you mix up details my beloved. Imp tugged my cape. Only you were pushed.” Now Hordak laughs some.

“Oh right! He was tugging and started mimicking you talking about me!” She grins up at him now.

“It was nothing you didn’t already know.” Hordak states with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“I didn’t know you talked about me to yourself before then though.”

“We can call it only fair, after all had Emily not given over your personal recordings about me not long before that?” The Lord smirks, taking a seat at the table once it’s cleared.

“She did! That traitor! I forgot!” Entrapta laughs more as she sits beside Hordak. “I am going to lean on you now.” she declares, then does so. Resting against the Lord of Dryl.

“I am going to hold you.” Hordak adds, reaching an arm around the Lady to gently embrace her as they sit. Entrapta sighs happily in that position. Hordak himself has to agree with that little sound.

The two stay like that until the bot returns with food. Talking and enjoying the shared moment. Discussing other projects, such as the next retrofit of Emily and the prototypes of Bots based on the hybrid technologies used in Hordak’s own armor. It is nice. To get away from politics and intrigue and this Hordak Lives situation. It is these moments that Hordak survived for. It is these moments he remains in Dryl for. They are more than worth it.

When the food comes they dine together, not actually an activity that is itself important to them but the closeness is just as nice as when conversing. One of their first dates had been an attempt at a dinner together. It was woefully awkward and thus incredibly boring for them both. Half way through the two had abandoned the shared dinner in order to discuss the cosmos and the nature of stars. That had been much more fun. As time has gone on though the occasional shared meal has become nice, mostly because they have learned what to talk about at the table.

Then they take the time to dance. Dryl’s computers can play recordings of many different forms of music that Entrapta’s personal robot band has produced. As well as pieces saved from Hordak’s own personal collection from the Horde. Music was not something very common among the Horde to say the least, but Hordak kept a collection. It has been quite some time since they enjoyed this sort of thing together. There is an irony to the fact they do so now in the middle of a small crisis.

When all is said and done Hordak dons his helmet and leaves the lab, making his way to the prisoners held deep in the bowels of the Crypto Castle. Entrapta wanted to come with him but it was decided that it would be best if he handled this himself. Mostly because having both of them their might confuse the issue and start an unwanted three way conversation that while no doubt comedic would have been a waste of time for them all.

So Lord Hordak steps into the dungeon. Deciding quickly what prisoner he wants to deal with. The cephalopod adjacent woman is bound up within her cell. She needed quite the restraint system, being both strong and many-limbed. The cell is opened and Hordak strides inside without a word. Octavia looks up at him, grimacing. Hate in her one eye. “Little traitor princess not coming herself anymore? Sending her repugnant stolen robot instead?”

“No.” Hordak speaks through the modulator in the helmet. Octavia looks momentarily surprised to see the ‘robot’ speak. Hordak cherishes that little bit of surprise, a taste of what is to come no doubt.

“Heh…” she recovers. “Guess that sex bot rumor might be true. Do you call out her name for her?” Octavia shoots out. Not seeming to register the actual meaning of Hordak’s previous words.

So the Lord of Dryl reaches up, breaking the seals on the helmet. “Not often. Tell me Force Captain Octavia.” he pulls the helmet off now, red eyes leveling on the woman. “Have you always spoken so rudely of your Lord and your Lady?”

Now the shock is true. Deep. “L-lord Hordak?! What are you doing here!? I thought… I thought you were supposed to be moving on Salineas?” she hisses. Well that did not take much at all. Hordak briefly realizes they should have done this immediately if it was going to be that pathetically easy.

“Is that where I am supposed to be?” Hordak places the helmet down on a small metal table in the cell. Stepping right up to Octavia. “Unfortunately for you Force Captain Octavia I have been almost exclusively within Dryl for months now.”

“I… no you… this is some sort of trick isn’t it?” her face hardens again.

“Oh not at all. I am afraid this is actually the first truth you have witnessed in some time. So, Force Captain Octavia. You are presented with a choice. Tell your Lord all you know of this imposter, or, I will take your remaining eye. Considering it has deceived you so thoroughly I am sure you will not miss it.”

Octavia seems unsure of what to do. Panic starting to fill her as all of the possibilities of what is going on enter her mind. This level of apparent fear makes one thing very clear to the Lord. His Imposter is not nearly as good at instilling respect and terror into their underlings as the Lord himself is.

Hordak gets what he believes is all of the relevant information Octavia had. He does not end up getting her eye.

As the Lord strides back into the lab he speaks loud and sure. “Send word to Salineas and prepare some skiffs. We have an opportunity to solidify the positive relationship you initiated at the Alliance meeting.”

Chapter Text

Salineas has always been an interesting kingdom. The construction is so organic and neat! Entrapta really wishes she had more time to poke around and explore but the moment they arrive she has to make her way to the castle! It's important! Hordak had learned from the prisoner that an attack on the port city was planned! Quite soon too! They probably would not have a whole lot of time after their arrival to work out defense with Princess Mermista.

That makes sense though, an attack. Salineas remains a major center of trade and is very important to moving bulk goods into former Horde territory. An attack here will do harm to many of the smaller seaside communities as well as the Fright Zone reclamation project. In fact it will likely make that particular project grind to almost a standstill until new routes can be established.

The Lord and Lady of Dryl are admittedly more interested in trying to get a shot at this fake Hordak who is supposedly going to be in command of the attack here than any of that though. Dryl does not rely on trade with Salineas to function, though there is a hope that aiding the city in this threat will contribute to helping with budding favorable relations between the kingdoms. Salineas backing in Alliance affairs will help Dryl keep to itself. Which is really all Entrapta and Hordak want.

Currently Entrapta is making her way to the throne room of the port based sea kingdom. Hordak and the combat bots they brought along have stayed near the skiffs. The guards said that keeping weird things at the docks was better for the city. Really kind of rude! Neither Hordak nor her bots are weird! They’re very not weird! Sure Hordak is wearing an enhanced version of his armor that makes him look a lot like himself and the Bots are themselves based off of that design and making use of recreations of First One’s tech but they’re not weird! They’re all very advanced and fun!

Entrapta suppresses her huff as she enters the kingdoms throne room. "Hello!" She shouts as loudly as she can. Making herself incredibly known. "I'm here!"

Mermista is sitting on her throne, she gives Entrapta a quirked brow. "Entrapta… your message said you had something very important to tell me about a threat?" She sounds incredulous at best. An advisor is standing up straight, having been leaning over to speak to the Princess.

"Yes! I have learned that a remnant Horde force is planning an attack on Salineas! And soon!" The Lady is leaping and swinging around the throne and the general area now. Looking at the designs and climbing up to the Pearl to get a closer look at it. “Ooh how do you get the water all the way up here for the windows? Is it done by the runestone? Is it done by pumps?”

Mermista frowns, standing and watching Entrapta with crossed arms. "Focus, please, Entrapta. Is that all you've got?"

"No! They're going to use BOMBS! and then ATTACK!" Entrapta looks down as she says this. The Princess and the Lady stare for a long moment. "That's all I've got!"

Mermista sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.. "You could have just said that in your message Entrapta."

"Oh but I brought bots to help protect Salineas! If you'll let them they can start sweeping the city! It's safer than having your guards do it because if the bots get blown up I can make more bots!" This is of course flawless logic that the Lady is quite proud of. If any of these bots gets destroyed it will be a great opportunity to examine the damage done and find out what parts of them need improvement.

Mermista groans, taking a deep breath before deadpanning to Entrapta. "If you had said all of this in your message I could have ordered preparations earlier. You know. Helped people get to safety. Looked for bombs earlier. That sort of thing.” The Princess stares up at Entrapta more. The Lady for her part just stares back down. That does make sense, but Entrapta and Hordak didn’t actually expect to be believed this easily. Maybe they should start trusting the other Princesses more? Entrapta has no good response to this so she simply does no response and only keeps staring. Mermista groans again. “Fine. Sweep the city. I'll tell the guards to start moving people to like, safe shelters and stuff."

"Oh that’s a great idea! We have those in Dryl too! Underneath the city! In case of horrible explosions! Which is exactly what’s going to happen here so I guess it really is a problem for every kingdom isn’t it?" Entrapta lowers herself down as she laughs.

"Entrapta you like, need to be much less cheerful about all of this." The sea princess says with a small frown.

"Well that just doesn't seem like it would be very emotionally healthy. Cheerfulness is good for your energy levels and workflow!" The Lady replies before pulling a data tablet out of her hair and tapping on it. Sending orders off to the bots and to Hordak. Mermista doesn't get a chance to snark back at Entrapta before the Lady of Dryl makes another loud declaration! "Okay they're off! Searching! The main unit will be coming up here to join us isn't that fun?! I wanted to bring him to Bright Moon for that last meeting but I had him doing other stuff!"

Mermista raises a brow. "Other stuff? What would a robot be doing on its own?"

"Fighting! Capturing Horde officers! Protecting Dryl in general!" Entrapta answers honestly. "How do you think I knew about the attack? We're busy people in Dryl!" She laughs.

Mermista stares. "Yeah I guess that makes sense."

Entrapta just grins and nods. Returning to poking around the throne room with gusto. Mermista takes the time to inform her head guard to start moving people to shelter in the city. In preparation of the suspected attack.

It's not long before Hordak, or the robot Kur as Entrapta calls him to others, reaches the throne room. Silently he stares up at Entrapta. Keeping his largely impassive demeanor. Entrapta finds it rather cute how well he acts like a robot. So cute in fact she drops down to the floor to approach, producing a number of tools from her hair to start poking at him. They can’t talk openly like this, in front of others, but the little bit of maintenance gets the point across.

She's delicate as she slips her tools between hard plates, into joints artificial muscle. Humming along as she does so. Hordak just stands there, allowing her to work as he looks over the room silently.

Mermista watches them with a raised brow. "So is that the thing Catra's been calling a sex bot?" She asks rather directly. Hordak's head turns toward Mermista at that. Entrapta can feel I'm shift ever so slightly. Hordak seems to get uncomfortable, or maybe just surprised at comments like that. She heard from Blue that when Adora questioned it Hordak actually broke character for a moment!

"Yes!" The Lady declares openly. Then looks back after a second. "He's not though! He's made for combat! Combat robots would not make very good partners. I don’t need a partner robot anyway though!"

"Uhuh. Because you have a consort right? I've heard some rumors…" Mermista glances around the room now, trying to keep casual as she pry’s a little.

"I do! Adora found out and then I also let the news out at a party in Plumeria."

"Yeah I heard… shouldn't this bot be out searching for the supposed bombs too?"

"Nah! He's the command unit and the strongest of them! He should be with us!" She likes Hordak being nearby in general but it also makes sense for him to be here. He could take on She-Ra in a head to head fight so it’s a great idea to have him protecting the royalty! Mostly the Lady just likes having him around though.

Mermista gets a strange look on her face that Entrapta can't quite figure out. It's only there for a moment before she returns to her normal neutral expression though. She doesn’t question it further. That will have to be pondered at a later time, if Mermista suspects anything then it could all go south very fast!

It is not long before the bots sweep begins to pick things up. Small charges of Horde design. Very much on the low end of the yield spectrum but still more than enough to cause havoc in the port city and hurt anyone near them. Removal is rather easy, each time one is found the bot that has found it removes it and then runs to toss it into the ocean nearby. They’re quite lucky that this is all happening in Salineas and not someplace like Plumeria where there’s no ocean to toss dangerous explosive devices in to. It seems to work rather well.

Until it doesn't.

The bombs begin to detonate. The bots had retrieved many when it all starts but not all of them. Really a shame they didn’t have Hordak interrogate Octavia a little sooner. They could have definitely gotten them all then, and Mermista would have been very happy no doubt. Entrapta notes that she also could have, as Mermista suggested, just said exactly what was going on in the message sent ahead of them but that really did not occur to her. Plus Entrapta doesn’t want to admit she was very wrong about how she handled that stage of all of this. No doubt Hordak doesn’t want to either. She needs to focus though! Explosions!

When one of said explosions rocks the palace itself Hordak moves quickly, faster than Entrapta expected from him. He moves to grab Entrapta and protect her, though that proves unnecessary. The blast is not in the throne room. Entrapta looks up at him for a moment as he rises and straightens himself out again. It was a surprise but it feels fluffy inside to know that he’ll protect her so quickly. The Lady looks back to Mermista. “So that’s not good! They got one into the palace itself that seems bad!”

The Princess of Salineas is no longer quite so calm and aloof. She is instead quite unhappy. She started being quite unhappy when the first bomb was confirmed but now it’s much worse. She is what one might describe as pissed off. As Entrapta speaks up she’s barking orders to a guard. Her eyes level on the Lady of Dryl. “Entrapta. Tell me the moment your bots have any attackers located.”

“Oh right!” Entrapta pulls her control pad out once more, moving to sit in her hair next to Mermista. Hrmming and looking through feeds. Screams and blasts ring outside the throne room, in the city itself. “Found them! Moving throouuugh oh wait multiple places. Here! Just press this to cycle through feeds!”

Mermista snatches the tablet, doing so. Then she looks up with steel in her eyes. “Let’s go.” and she marches forward. Entrapta has seen that look from Hordak before. Mermista will protect her city, and her people.

Chapter Text

Hordak watches Mermista grab her Trident as she marches out from the throne room. Entrapta is not far behind the Princess. The Lady is excited it would seem. Hordak follows behind them, listening to them speak as he continuously scans the area for any signs of incoming enemy combatants.

What Entrapta and Mermista are talking about actually does not concern the Lord very much. Their conversation remains largely focused on Entrapta's analysis of the situation and Mermista's own respectable unhappiness about the situation at hand. She seems to be a decent enough ruler to Hordak. Cooperation between Salineas and Dryl will likely be possible. At the very least mutually beneficial trade agreements can be made that will bind the kingdoms together and aid in Dryl’s security.

Musings on the political situation of Etheria has to stop as Hordak spots a soldier in Horde armor on one of the nearby roofs. How did they get so spread out so quickly? They must have already been in the city for a time before the attack. Hordak raises an arm and let's loose a bolt of energy from the emitter on his forearm. He hits his target square in the chest.

Entrapta glances up only momentarily at that, she's used to Hordak's effectiveness at this point. Mermista stairs for a moment though. "I didn't even notice that one…"

"He's very aware of his surroundings in battle!" Entrapta declares happily.

"Right…"

For a short time the battle of Salineas proceeds in roughly that manner. Mermista using her own skills and abilities to fight off the remnant forces with impressive efficiency for a Princess while Hordak focuses more on eliminating threats she misses and protecting Entrapta. Mermista is a decent enough combatant, she has the advantage of controlling water in a seaside city though.

Entrapta for her part does not partake in much direct fighting, focusing instead on analyzing and logging everything that is going on. Not to say the Lady does not take a few shots at anyone Hordak misses of course. It is simply not her preferred way to spend battle. Entrapta much prefers to observe and learn from how others do battle, so she can improve her future creations meant for the task. Creations such as the many bots spread throughout Salineas now engaged in battle. Hordak can see them through his augmentation, watch their simplified data readouts and statuses. They seem to be performing well for an initial test run.

Hordak feels a deep desire to focus entirely on Entrapta during all of this, watching her move so fluidly among walkways and paths as she laughs and enjoys the chaos. He has to force himself to stay focused on the calculus of combat. That is perhaps the one downside of love, it can distract.

Luckily The Lady of Dryl is on top of things when the bombs go off below them and begin to collapse the walkway they are on. She leaps to safety using her hair with no issue. Hordak is not so lucky, and by the yelp of surprise neither is Mermista. He also swears he hears Entrapta shout his name as he falls but the sounds of battle and collapsing building mostly drown that out.

Hordak does not lose consciousness, there is no dramatic moment of blackout as he falls. The actuators in his armor fire and move. He reaches out and grabs Mermista, pulling her against him despite her shouts to ensure her survival. It would be an annoyance to deal with a new Salinean government. The devil you know, as the Etherian saying goes.

Hordak hits the ground hard, back first. Pain shoots through him as the armor takes the impact. Then he slams an elbow into the ground roll over. Debris fall on him. Mermista looking up with an actual expression of fear. Idiot girl, her powers could have helped them here had she not panicked.

As suddenly as it began it all stops. The booming noise of the collapse ends and the battle beyond becomes muffled. Diagnostic feed from the armor fills Hordak's mind as he looks up to get an idea of their situation. Some sort of catacombs beneath the city proper? It's hard to tell, there are debris all around them and on top of them. Specifically on top of Hordak.

He needs to deal with this. Diagnostics show damage to the back. Notable damage. Hordak allows himself a breath and marks areas safe to self repair. Arms, parts of the back without debris on them, legs. Energy crackles and the First Ones technology integrated into his armor fuses metal back together, reforming damaged components and bringing Hordak closer to optimal yet again.

Hordak hears the Princess underneath him let out an "Uuh…" causing him to look back down. She looks impassive and in control yet again. At least she is able to recover herself quickly. "Like. Thanks for saving me… but we really need to get out of here now."

Hordak almost breaks his character to yell at her. Not only is that painfully obvious but the complexities of 'getting out of here' are immense. He has debris on top of him. They're in some sort of half collapsed structure beneath the buildings of Salineas. Mermista herself is unarmored they can't just 'get out of here'

Hordak does not break character. Instead, he starts to work out how much damage it might cause if he shifts the debris on top of him. If he could just tell the princess how to utilize her powers here that would make this rather trivial. Slight movements tell him there is not too much on top of him. He is likely not holding the chamber up or any such thing. However there is no way to tell what else might be even partially relying on his support to stay up. He tenses, moving this is going to be harrowing. If he does it slowly he may wish to cease himself and hold position. It is best not to move slowly than, tear it off like a medical bandage.

So the Lord of Dryl quickly shifts his right arm. Palm down into the ground, talons dig into stone. Hordak pulls himself down, as fast as possible, then he fires the actuators across his suit at full strength. He surges back up, cracking the debris over his body. Shift the legs into a crouch. Raise left arm to protect head. Grab the Princess with the right arm to pull her against him and ensure she does not get crushed. Commands issued to his body in quick sequence, thought out and proper.

In the aftermath it seems to have worked, the entire structure does not collapse on them. The debris on Hordak were not load bearing. Very lucky. Hordak likely could have survived a total collapse but Mermista would not if she did not think fast enough to use her powers.

The moment that Hordak releases the Princess in question she moves back from him, looking around the area. "Lifting it off of us slowly probably would have been safer." She notes with a bland tone.

Hordak does not reply. Instead he stands up fully and looks over the area in more detail. Large catacomb. Part of a tunnel system perhaps. Light is filtering in from above. They fell far, deep enough to be well beneath the waterline. Without the debris on it Hordak's armor finishes its repair sequence. He wants to roll his shoulders and stretch but that does not seem very robot like.

He does it subtly when Mermista is turned away.

At least with the princess of Salineas here it should not be a problem for them to find their way out. This gives Hordak a modicum of peace. Lady Entrapta can take care of herself in the meantime, she is capable. He just has to wait for Mermista to determine their location and lead them out.

"Wow I like, didn't even know this was down here." Mermista states with a deadpan as she looks around the large underground chamber.

Hordak nearly screams.

That’s okay. He can lead them out. This is essentially a cave and Hordak is good with caves and other similar locations. Some more debris are falling from above and the entire chamber is looking unstable now so it might be best to move out of this one. He scans over the area once more and decides on a direction. Hordak begins walks, and after a moment Mermista notices and follows.

“Hey do you know where you’re going?” she asks incredulously.

Hordak does not respond, of course, instead he lets out a few clicks and chittering noises as they pass through an entryway into a hall carved into the underground stone. Then he stops. Helmet. Right. That makes this harder.

“What was that?” Mermista asks, she sounds almost weirded out.

Hordak makes the noise again just to bother her. It is the little things that help the Lord of Dryl get through the days. Mermista deserves the confusion considering she did not know about what is apparently a large tunnel network beneath Salineas. Who does not know these sorts of things? Hordak knows every facet of the Fright Zone and Entrapta knows Dryl remarkably well considering she designed the castle to be as difficult to navigate as possible.

“Entrapta’s stuff is always so weird.” Mermista comments behind Hordak as they move along. The tone is thus set for their journey through these tunnels. Hordak trying to do his best to navigate in an upwardly direction when possible. Mermista snarking to herself behind him. Nominally to herself at least.

The tunnels are actually interesting, there seems to be energy readings down here. Like power conduits. Perhaps this area is part of the infrastructure for the Salineas sea gate? Lady Entrapta would actually love to explore this entire area no doubt. Hordak makes himself a mental note to inform her in detail about this discovery.

The passive interest becomes less passive when Hordak spots what looks to be Horde equipment left in the tunnels. He stops in his forward pace to examine, moving over to lean down. Some sort of scanner pad, a crate. Some lights that have been shut off. There’s a small beacon unit, marking the location. An outpost in the tunnels perhaps? Hordak did not know these were here, which means this Horde Equipment was placed here after his death.

“Well that explains some things.” Mermista says with a frown. Hordak is inclined to agree. This is how the Horde forces managed to move into the city and plant their bombs. Hordak stares down at the gear for a moment, then picks up the scanner pad and taps it. It comes to life and shows a number of other locations and a basic map of the tunnels.

These remnant forces are such morons. Do they know nothing of information security? Leaving maps is one thing, especially if they believe that the Salinean’s already know about this area, but marking the locations of their caches on those same maps? It is sloppy, it is idiotic. It is this sort of thinking that drove the Horde to lose the war in the end. If the underlings had been more competent then the conquest of Etheria would have been a sure thing.

Hordak growls as he pulls a data cable to copy the map over to his armor.

Then he realizes he just growled.

Hordak turns his head to Mermista slowly, to see if she noticed. Given the way she is staring at him with wide eyes she most definitely did notice the growl. Robots do not growl in annoyance at maps. Even a Princess is likely to know this simple fact. Robots also do not growl and then slowly turn their head to the person they are traveling with to see if said person noticed the growl. That was perhaps a mistake and Hordak can admit to that. Sometimes mistakes are made.

The Princess of Salineas raises her trident up now, backing away from Hordak. “You’re not a robot.” she speaks sternly.

It takes the Lord of Dryl a moment to decide what to do here. He could pretend like he doesn’t understand her, like he is a robot. Perhaps that could work. If it does not, though she is liable to either attack him, or go along with it and then simply tell the rest of the alliance which they would likely want to believe and it would really all go downhill from there.

So instead Hordak turns to face Mermista fully. “No. I am not.”

Chapter Text

Hordak's voice is modulated through the helmet but the hint of fear, of horror, seeping into Mermista's expression makes it obvious she knows who it is under the armor. "No…" she shakes her head slowly. "You're dead. I was there."

"You have not lived a single day in which I was not present on this world, Princess Mermista." Hordak replies cooly. He needs to regain and hold control now. "So lower your trident, you will not succeed where She-Ra failed, and I do not care to waste my time killing you when your survival is more beneficial."

In truth killing Mermista below sea level poses too many risks that Hordak does not care to gamble on. So he keeps his posture neutral even as he quality readies his armor and weapons through his neural interface.

Mermista's brow furrows, thinking now. Her fingers clench around her trident. The weapon still at the ready. "How?" She finally asks. Her voice retains it's deadpan even now, and the Lord of Dryl can respect that.

That question does make Hordak raise a brow however, which she of course can't see. "You will need to elaborate, princess."

"How are you like, here? Alive? Are you actually some sort of Hordak robot?" There is the briefest pause before "is Catra right? Are you a sex robot?*

"No I am not a-" Hordak stops himself, and also almost pulls off his helmet just so he can rub his temples. "Put simply She-Ra did not succeed in killing me. I simply allowed it to seem that way "

There is a tense silence as Mermista thinks. Hordak can see it on her expression, the analysis of all of this. Finally she lets out a simple question. "Why?"

Hordak has to think of how to answer for a moment. There are a thousand lies that could be effective here. There are different levels of Truth that can be used to effect as well. There is little time to weigh each and every one though, it is easy to forget in these lost catacombs but a battle rages above them.

"So Entrapta and I could be together."

It is not a lie, not at all, but it is not the whole truth. It's clearly effective as Mermista lowers her trident now. Something like surprise briefly crossing her features. Then her expression returns to its honed default. "That's like, very sappy."

There is a moment of staring at each other again before Hordak speaks "... Well it is true. We simply wish to be together in Dryl. Our hope was that Etheria would leave us alone."

"Yeah it doesn't do that." Mermista states blandly.

"As we have learned…"

This is not going exactly as Hordak imagined being discovered would go but it is definitely going better than most of his expectations so far, so that is good. It might be possible to ensure the secret can remain with Mermista. She always did seem one of the more reasonable princesses.

She nods to Hordak and asks. "Okay, what about all of Entrapta's injuries when she came to Bright Moon?"

"If a lie does not appear to be true it is a useless thing." Hordak's reply is quick. He does not like this topic at all.

"So… you did cause them?" She asks with a frown.

Hordak can't stop himself from sighing. He does so hate that entire series of events. The actions that needed to be taken to ensure success sickened him in a deep and visceral way. "Some. It was something we decided was necessary."

"We?" The Princess continues to frown, but looks more thoughtful. As if she had not considered that Entrapta had had her say in the matter. Rather insulting, actually.

"Yes. It was in fact Entrapta's own proposal, I was opposed. She made the case well though." He pauses for a moment as he remembers it all. "she made graphs."

Mermista ponders that for a moment. Then she nods and starts to walk! "That sounds like Entrapta." She admits as she does.

Hordak turns to watch her walk past him. "You believe me then?"

"Eh. You can't be lying more than you were before." She replies. "You also did, you know, save my life and stuff earlier. Thanks for that."

Hordak nods and begins to follow Mermista. He has the map though so he really should be leading but he'll let her have this. "You are a known quantity in the Alliance, your survival is in the best interest of Dryl. I am in fact quite displeased with my former forces for jeopardizing things."

"Yeah about that." Mermista begins her reply, squinting a little as she does. "This whole Hordak Lives thing, is that?..."

"It is not about me. We in fact wish to discover the truth of these lies and eliminate them. The world being told I am alive is… both dangerous and annoying."

"Because no one looks for a dead guy, but if you're not dead." She trails, letting the though hang in the air.

So Hordak picks it up. "Then the Alliance may search for me, and find me."

"Must be annoying that I know about you now. The Alliance could find out." She suddenly notes. A veiled threat, but a threat nonetheless. Hordak has heard many, Hordak has survived many.

"Princess Mermista could still die tragically in the attack on Salineas. I am sure she will make the right decisions and survive it, however." He counters her with his own veiled threat. He smirks as he watches Mermista's shoulders tense in response to it. She does not reply to him now. His point is made, and there is nothing to gain in trying to verbally spar.

"Left" Hordak notes as they reach a fork. That sets the tone for the rest of their journey. Silence punctuated by direction. Hordak constantly testing for a signal to contact Entrapta with. Something about the First One's machinery down here is interfering with their usual communication frequencies.

As they near the surface again he finally gets a signal. He opens an audio line immediately. "Entrapta."

Mermista glances back as she hears him speak, raising a brow.

"Hordak!" He hears his Lady hiss out relatively quietly. The sounds of a battle still rage in the background "Are you alright?!" There is panic in her voice. She was worried about him. He feels a twinge of… something… for making her worry.

"I am fine. Relatively uninjured. In need of some repair but fully functional."

"Oh good! Oh good! I was worried because I couldn't contact you! Wait!" She suddenly shouts "you're talking! Is Mermista okay?!"

"Mermista is fine. She knows about me, hence my speaking. She is looking at me with a raised brow right now. Now she is frowning at me. I wanted your opinion on what I should do in regards to this security breach."

There is a moment of loud hmming from Entrapta's side of the line. Conflicted and worried. "I… don't want… to do anything bad to her…"

"Very well. We'll have a discussion when Mermista and I reach the surface and the battle is over." Hordak states simply, not wanting to worry the lady more than is needed. "Are you okay, Entrapta? No injuries from battle?" His concern seeps out as he speaks.

"Oh I'm fine! I got grazed but basically they're not good enough shots to hit me! The bots are doing really well too!"

Hordak feels relief at that. A weight that he had not even realized was there lifting off of him. "Good. I am pleased to hear you are alright. We should reach the surface relatively soon.*

"Okay! See you then! I can't wait!" There's a pause. "And Hordak…" the tone has shifted. Gentler. More bashful.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Hordak stops mid stride. A smiling playing at his lips beneath his helmet. They don't say those words very often. Yet they both know them, they both feel them, and when the moment is right they will say them."I love you too Entrapta." He replies entirely too gently.

Mermista is now staring at him with raised brows and a smirk. It makes Hordak vaguely want to shoot her.

Entrapta squeels on her end, a happy noise, then shuts off the line. Hordak, despite his desire to shoot Mermista, chuckles.

"So I'm going to assume that wasn't some kind of trick and you actually just said I Love You Too to Entrapta." Mermista notes. "Which must be like, really embarrassing for your. Since you're trying to be intimidating."

Hordak scoffs. "It is hardly embarrassing." It's a little bit embarrassing but in a good way. "Entrapta is the most impressive woman… anywhere." He strides past Mermista now, waving a hand to dismiss her accusations. "To love and be loved by her is a privilege the rest of Etheria should spend each night wishing it had."

"Wow you're actually really sappy huh?"

Hordak does not respond to that. Instead he continues his forward stride. When he hears the movement ahead of them he holds up a hand to stop Mermista. "We're not alone." He speaks quietly.

"Oh great." Mermista sighs as she readies her trident once more. Her clear and vocal annoyance resonates with Hordak on a spiritual level. He understands it so perfectly, he has felt the exact sort of annoyance Mermista is feeling so many times.

He kind of likes this Princess.

Chapter Text

It only took the Lady of Dryl a moment to decide that just waiting for Hordak was boring and dumb. Her Hordak is in some catacombs beneath the city! With Mermista! And she misses him! They were supposed to be battling together and now they're not and really isn't that just unacceptable? It is. It is unacceptable.

Also she really wants to get to see the armor at work in person. Reading diagnostic logs in Dryl is not nearly as much fun as seeing Hordak crush a man with his hands. The reliable power to weight ratio of the armor is incredible!

So Entrapta plucked the map data from Hordak's armor remotely and activated his tracker so she could go meet him! Some might call it dangerous to leave cover and scamper through a battle torn city to find your Lab and also Life Partner but what is life without some danger? Also these Horde Remnant forces really are terrible shots. Entrapta would inform Hordak of this but he knows already, he's complained about Horde soldiers and their incompetence to her many times over their years! She'll probably hear it again tonight!

That's alright of course, Entrapta likes listening to him get passionate about things.

Lady Entrapta makes her way to the catacomb entry point that she believes is most likely where Hordak and Mermista will be coming back into the city from. As expected some enemy combatants attempt to stop her but they really are no match. It's quite a simple thing to toss them aside like ragdolls or simply hit them with a blast from a sun baton.

Though! It is of note that some species do appear much more resistant to her energy weaponry than others! Particularly the more reptilian strains. Curious! That warrants more in depth study at a later date to be sure. If battles like this continue she will have plenty of time for field research. Though if battles like this don't continue she will need test subjects. There are likely some potential brave volunteers in Dryl. The Lady can look into that. Later though.

First things first, get to Hordak!

“Nope!” Entrapta says with a laugh as she throws another soldier over her shoulder in order to keep moving along. Sure enough the entrance she’s looking for is present, and there are people at it. Horde people! It looks like they’re trying to retreat and revealed what was probably supposed to be a hidden entrance in the back of a small… shop? Is this supposed to be a shop? It’s mostly shells. Entrapta hits her recorder “Salineas Battle Log Entry Thirty-Four! I do not know if this is a shop or not.”

The recording alerts the Horde Remnant soldiers but as always they are of little concern to Entrapta. What is of concern to Entrapta is catching reports of combat in the tunnels below from the soldiers own comms! That might mean Hordak is in trouble! With no time to lose Entrapta launches herself down through the little trap door leading into the tunnels below! She has to find Hordak! Also Mermista, she’s important too! Just not nearly as important!

The sounds of battle are heard. Echoing through the stone pathways. Sounds of soldiers yelling, of metal clashing against metal, of the distinctive noise of the energy casters on the forearms of Hordak’s armor firing. He is in battle, and by the sounds of things he is winning. Good! There wasn't really a lot of worry in that regard Hordak's pretty good at what he does. He was made for it after all!

As the Lady charges toward the sounds rather recklessly she spots it. The figure of Hordak, but not Hordak. For all intents and purposes what she gazes upon is Hordak, a perfect likeness of him. It is just that the likeness is outdated. This is a Hordak in his old armor, with his cape draped over him. This is a Hordak that lacks the hidden softness she can spot in his eyes, that lacks a lot of the little hidden mannerisms she can spot in him. This is the imposter they have been looking for.

Briefly Lady Entrapta debates what to do. Does she confront? Does she hide? Hordak himself likely wants a chance of his own to deal with this imposter but wouldn't it be better for them if Entrapta takes her chance right now? There were so many variables to calculate and weigh. So many possible outcomes to consider. Too many in fact, it will take far too long and use up all of her time. So instead Entrapta decides to simply act!

Her stun batons are raised and fired quickly, trying to surprise this imposter. Unfortunately he seems to notice her and avoids her attack rather too quickly for comfort. Especially considering the enclosed space they are in. As the guards with him turn to face and confront Entrapta she quickly throws a rock from the ground at one of them as she fires on the others. Unfortunately she is already running out of ideas for how to fight this battle.

Entrapta has never been much of a combatant and usually her strategies rely on eliminating her foe before they even realize what is going on. That was her strategy here in fact! So noting that that didn't work Entrapta quickly formulates a new plan which involves screaming and running right past them, whacking them with her weapons as she goes.

"GET HER!" The imposter Hordak shouts from behind. The remaining Horde soldiers beginning to give chase. That's less than great.

As Entrapta glances back to see Imposter Hordak pointing dramatically at her and some still standing soldiers giving chase a bolt of green energy flies past her and hits one of them! The Lady yelps in surprise and turns her head back around just in time to see her Hordak, the proper Hordak, surging forward.

Without a word he grabs her and places her behind him. A single swift motion, a calculated movement. The situation and speed makes Entrapta even forget that such sudden contact would normally cause her discomfort. He's turned back around to their enemies before any can even register what had happened.

Entrapta backs away, but now she's enthralled. Her Hordak is angry, even without seeing his face she can tell. His movements are quick and brutal. He slams soldiers into cave walls, cracking armor and helmets. He fires energy bolts point blank into them. It is only seconds between his arrival and the last Remnant soldier hitting the ground.

The Imposter Hordak scowls, beginning to speak. "You traitorous fools will never be able to stop me, stop the Horde!"

The Lord of Dryl apparently is having none of that as he quickly fires at the imposter. Again the bolt is dodged. This imposter is too fast, and Entrapta immediately gets the inkling that something's wrong now that she's observing. Something very wrong.

Hordak charges forward at the Imposter about when Mermista arrives. Apparently he ran ahead of her quite a way! He's very fast so that makes sense. Entrapta stops Mermista with her hair.

"He has this!" The Lady declares happily, sure of her partners victory. "Staying back is better so he has more room to move!"

"Right…" is all the Princess of Salineas gives in return

In truth the Lady wishes to observe the Imposter. Something is wrong. He's not moving quite right. Not that Her Hordak himself doesn't also move 'wrong' from the perspective of an Etherian. Too fast and too fluid for his size. However there's something extra off about Imposter Hordak.

It's as her Hordak gets into melee and begins to lash out that she begins to piece it together. Hordak is hitting the imposter. At least he's partially hitting him. The imposter is dodging yes, but from a distance and in the confines of the tunnel it becomes clear that he's not dodging completely. Hordak's hands are passing through when they graze. It's very subtle, and both fighters are moving quickly enough it would be easy to not see it.

"Hordak!" Entrapta suddenly yells. Hordak for his part doesn't look away from his foe. Keeping focus. She's sure she has his attention though. "He's not real!"

Entrapta notices Mermista look over quizzically for just a moment before tightening her grip on her trident.

The imposter growls in rage. "I will show you who is real!" He notes, leaping back and raising his arms. "I will show you the strength of The Faithful!"

Then mermistas trident slams through him and he… disperses. Shadows receding into the crevices of the tunnel walls. Entrapta watches that for a moment, then looks at Mermista. Hordak appears to be growing in rage at the spot where the imposter was so he's fine.

"How did you hit him?" Entrapta tilts her head.

Mermista stares back for a moment, quirking a brow. Then something akin to realization flashes across the princesses face for a brief moment. "Oh right you guys are evil. Uh. Well when you're fighting evil if they like… start to monologue or act like they're going to use some incredible power, that's an opening to attack…"

Hordak turns around now. "Excuse me?"

Entrapta almost startles at his voice before she remembers that Mermista knows.

The princess shrugs and walks over to pick up her trident. "Yeah. A lot of you guys do it. Uh… sorry. Should I still be calling you evil?"

Entrapta frowns. Hey she did call them evil! That's just rude! This is why she doesn't like many of the other princesses they're always making comments like this. "We were never evil!"

"So I definitely should still be calling you evil…"

Entrapta is about to let herself lash out when she hears Hordak growl. "A meaningless term if there ever was one. We need to return to the palace of Salineas and discuss what has transpired here." The Lord says as he looks back at the two women.

Entrapta and Mermista both look at him for a moment. Then nod.

"So that fake you." The Princess begins. "I mean, I don't know much about the kind of magic that was but…"

"It was Shadow Weaver." Hordak finishes the thought with a growl. "her parlor tricks have a trademark. I am sure this is her doing."

Entrapta finds herself frowning. "I thought Shadow Weaver turned to the Alliance though."

"Eeeh." Mermista begins. "There was… stuff. She was kind of awful?"

"Yes. You could have simply asked me for that opinion." Lord Hordak notes as he moves over to Entrapta. Leaning down to very clearly look her over.

"I'm okay." Entrapta replies. She is. She barely been injured at all.

"I like to check." Hordak notes. "I cannot stand seeing you injured."

"Oh man you're a big sap." Mermista comments from the side. "Has he always been this sappy? Was he this sappy immediately?"

Entrapta giggles and her mood brightens "oh no! He was a huge Ham at first! Then he got sappy later!"

Hordak sputters and stands back up straight. "I was not a 'Huge Ham' and I am barely 'sappy' at all! I simply care about my partner!"

"It's okay!" Entrapta replies quickly! "I like it! It's sweet. I liked when you were ham too that was also cute." She smiles up at him.

Hordak stares back down, and while she can't see his expression through his helmet Lady Entrapta knows her Lord Hordak is smiling too.

"Woooow." Mermista speaks up again. "It's both of you. This is kind of disgusting, I need to get out of here." The princess then begins to walk toward the exit of these caverns.

Entrapta and Hordak watch her for a moment, then they both chuckle follow. The anger and worry about the situation able to abate for just a moment.

It will soon return, strong.

Chapter Text

Mermista leads the Lord and the Lady back to the castle of Salineas. Instead of the throne room however they make a detour into a small meeting room. Hordak picks up her telling a guard to ensure that no one disturbs them as she has to speak to Entrapta in private about their enemy. Hordak must admit finds some respect in the discretion that Mermista is showing. Again he comes to the conclusion that if anyone had to find out about him it is good that it is Princess Mermista. She understands the weight of what she knows.

The moment the doors are closed and locked Hordak disconnects his helmet from the armor and pulls it off. Taking a breath of unfiltered air. Entrapta is on him immediately as well, looking him over. Without giving it a thought Hordak squares his shoulders for her.

"The new repair routines worked marvelously!" The Lady notes happily. "Though I see some faults that were going to have to manually repair once we're back in Dryl. We'll have to make a profile of everything it couldn't get! How are you feeling under the armor?"

"Well enough. I have some injuries that will need tending but nothing my physiology or the armor cannot compensate for." Hordak nods. It's all very clinical. There's no need to dote too much in foreign lands after all. They could still have to fight their way out of here and Entrapta knows that. His beloved is the most brilliant person on Etheria after all.

Still she does lift herself up and smile at him, letting out a little. "Kiss?"

The Lord smiles and nods, giving Entrapta a quick peck. The happy sounds that briefly emanate from both of them fill the smallish room.

Mermista does a faux gag. "Ugh. This is awful."

Lord Hordak can't help but smirk and comment back as Lady Entrapta giggles. "Do you want one too Mermista?"

"Nope! No. Nooo." She quickly replies, giving the other two a look of horror. "Definitely not."

"Aww." Entrapta giggles more. "It's nice though!"

Mermista stares dumbfounded for a moment, and Hordak realises that if he allows this to continue they probably won't actually get any business done. Which would admittedly be amusing even to him, but matters are rather pressing. "Regardless of how nice kissing me is, we do have… Matters to now discuss." He nods to Mermista.

She takes a deep breath, then nods. Then she rather surprisingly lets out a succinct. "Shit."

Entrapta blinks in surprise. Hordak raises a brow. Then they watch Mermista slump against the wall. Tossing her trident to the floor and groaning. "This is so messed up." She continues. "My kingdom got attacked and Hordak's alive. We were supposed to have won." She groans.

"Yes well. Entrapta has informed me that your Alliance did not quite consider the power vacuum I would leave thoroughly enough." Lord Hordak of Dryl nods, starting to pace the room. "Shortsighted on your part."

"Well Queen Glimmer was so sure that without you it wouldn't even matter." Mermista notes. "Wrong again sparkles! Can't even kill the guy at that!"

"Yes well… I did engineer that battle to lose." Hordak notes. Internally he admits that comments like this really serve no purpose other than to rub in the Alliance's failings.

"And now. Lord Hordak and Entrapta, who's supposed to hate him, are the two that show up to help my kingdom!" Mermista actually begins to raise her voice a little. Though she does her best to maintain a somehow impassioned monotone through the rant.

"Salineas represents an important potential trade partner for Dryl." Hordak confirms with a singular nod, remaining composed.

That makes Mermista stop and stare for a long moment. "Seriously?"

Hordak nods. Entrapta decides now is a good time to interject. "Your friendship is also desired to help makes sure we don't get steamrolled in alliance votes! Glimmer doesn't really like me so we're worried about Dryl…" she looks down now, frowning and furrowing her brow.

Mermista reaches up to rub her temples for a moment. Clearly somewhat overwhelmed by all of this. In response to her demeanor shift the Lord of Dryl decides to back things up just a bit to perhaps smooth all of this out.

"You must understand. Entrapta and I want little more than to simply be able to be together. All we have done for quite some time has been in pursuit of that goal." As he speaks he feels Entrapta's hair weave itself into his hand, wrapping around him, it makes him glance and smile at her.

Mermista stares up at them for a moment, then sighs and nods. "Okay, but before I make like any decisions or anything, I want to know everything. About how you're alive and what you've been doing. I can't even like, begin to trust you without more details." Mermista frowns a little. "Ugh I'm considering trusting Hordak."

"Very well." Hordak nods. That's a fair enough request, would he not want details in her position? She could have left out the last bit but no one is perfect, as Entrapta has taught him. “Are you comfortable telling Mermista what she wishes to know, Entrapta?” he turns to ask the Lady. Entrapta nods.

“She’s at least asking! That’s enough for me!” Entrapta smiles wide at Mermista who seems unsure on how to respond to that.

“Agreed. Let us take seats and rest than.” The Lord declares and steps around to the rooms meeting table, still holding on to Entrapta’s hair as he does so. “Do you have any specific questions?”

“Yeah I mean, like, how are you alive?” Mermista asks as she sits down.

“We ensured that during the final battle with She-Ra I would be injured in specific ways to give me the appearance of being dead. Entrapta then stole me away, mended my wounds. And woke me back up.”

“It was quite a stressful procedure! But we were well prepared!” Entrapta adds.

Mermista nods slowly, then her eyes widen. “Wait… you were well prepared, that means that…”

“Yes.” Hordak cuts her off. “We had been working on our plan for some time before it came to fruition.”

“It took a lot of theoretical modeling and simulation running to figure it out!” The Lady laughs some. “It was half very fun and half the worst time of our lives!”

“Indeed.” Lord Hordak agrees. “Rest assured that nothing that has happened in the past few years has been without our influence.”

"That's not reassuring." Mermista groans. "Just… okay just go on. What have you been doing?"

Hordak can't help but smirk slightly at Mermistas groan. Then he decides to stop making this too painful for her and simply explains events to the Princess of Salineas. The decision to end the war. The faking of Entrapta's injuries and defection. His death and rebirth. The months in Dryl and what they have been doing there. Hordak and Entrapta are honest here.

And it feels good.

It surprises the Lord of Dryl but it feels good to be open, deeply good. To tell their story, to hold each other, to be able to love one another in front of someone. It feels good to not have to hide. As they explain that they have been hunting this false Hordak in order to keep their secret safe Hordak can't help but find himself smiling in a genuine way. It is surprising.

The situation is objectively terrible. This breach of their security is massive. They failed to actually eliminate their foe. They're being essentially interrogated by a Princess who holds their lives in her hands. Yet Hordak smiles. He smiles because finally someone he doesn't have control over knows the truth. Someone knows that He and Entrapta have always loved one another. That they always will.

That together they are unstoppable. That they are to be feared.

When their story finally ends Mermista is just sitting there, staring at them. Then staring past them in thought. Thinking this over quite clearly.

Entrapta has moved from holding Hordak's hand with her hair to holding it with her own hand, leaning against him a little. He can feel her body tensing a little, ready to pounce. They can take Mermista together if this goes south.

"I don't want to deal with this." Mermista finally says. Hordak quirks a brow. Entrapta blinks and looks confused.

"What do you mean?" The Lady asks, sitting up. "That doesn't help us know if we have to attack you or not!"

Hordak glances at his beloved and almost let's out a quiet "really?" But instead decides to focus on Mermista. "Yes, what exactly does that mean?"

"It means I don't want to deal with this." She sits forward, takes a breath, then stands up. "So. Like. We're going to make this really simple."

The Lord and Lady look at each other for a moment. Hordak can't help but be curious about where this is going, even as he checks to make sure his armor is ready for combat. It is, of course. Minor damage won't stop him from protecting all they have made.

Mermista continues. "I'm going to pretend I don't know about… This. In return Salineas gets those cool trade agreements you talked about." She nods. "If I think, at any point, you guys are up to something bad though? I tell everyone."

"That is… acceptable." Hordak says after a moment of thought. It is likely the best they will get without starting a war.

"Yay!" Entrapta suddenly shouts. "And if we ever want to have a fancy dinner party we can invite Mermista!"

Hordak finds himself staring at his beloved. Processing what she just declared. He glances over at Mermista who seems to be doing the same. "Yes." Hordak nods slowly. "Yes that is also possible I suppose. Isn't it Princess Mermista?"

"Uh. Yeah. Dinner parties sure." Mermista nods awkwardly. She very much looks like she's been, for lack of a better mental image, splashed with ice water.

"Oh I'm excited!" Entrapta giggles. "I've never gotten to host a real dinner party with people I like! We can invite Mermista! And Blue! And Emily! Oh and Octavia!" Entrapta begins to simply infodump about all of her dinner party ideas.

Hordak and Mermista find each other's gaze as Entrapta rambles, there's a moment of shared disbelief at the situation.

Then Hordak finds himself grinning just a bit. He turns back to Entrapta to listen to her. The Lady's sudden love of this idea is as endearing as it is humorous.

Of course it also drags this meeting out an extra half hour easily.

By the time Hordak has put his helmet back on and is returning to Dryl with his Lady he is tired but not at all unhappy. The Lady of Dryl is sitting on their skiff, looking over her data tablets happily.

"I think this was a rousing success! Sure there were some hiccups but I got so much data!" She notes happily. "Bot performance! The catacombs under Salineas! Your armors performance metrics! Updates to Mermistas personality profile! Ah it's all so good!"

Hordak chuckles. Smiling beneath his helmet. "I am pleased you are so happy."

Entrapta looks back at him. "Are you happy? I know it's not how you hoped things would go."

That gives Hordak pause. Is he happy about all of this? In many ways this was a failure. Yet it doesn't feel like it. "I am not unhappy." He notes. "And I am happy to see you so happy. So overall, I believe I am happy."

"Good!" Entrapta bounces a bit. "We'll have to go into battle together more often!"

Hordak can't help himself but laugh at that. "Indeed! Nothing quite like fighting side by side."

"I can't wait for our dinner party too!"

Hordak actually laughs loudly at that.