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Chapter Text

Adora, Bow, and Swift Wind, all stop dead in their tracks when they see him. Lord Hordak. Sitting on a downed skiff on the shore of beast island. He gives them a glance as he takes a drag from the cigarette between his middle and pointer fingers. Where did he even get that? He smokes? That cannon of his attached to his other hand. He looks away from them again, staring off at nothing, as if they were just a minor curiosity at best.

"Uh..." Adora begins, the surprise causing her to falter in her normal heroic conviction. "What are you doing here?!" She asks after getting her bearings.

He doesn't look at them. Instead he gestures to something at the side of the skiff with his cannon. "She's dead." He almost sounds as if he's holding back tears as he speaks.

There's a moment of silence before Bow speaks up. "W-what?" And starts to slowly move forward.

"Entrapta!" Hordak suddenly barks. "She..." His eyes close as he takes a deep breath. "There's no way she survived here, and this is evidence. Not with that damnable signal invading your mind." He growls.

"He hears it too?!" Swift Wind suddenly speaks up.

Hordak just shakes his head and stands up, taking another drag before dropping the cigarette to the ground and stomping it out. "I'm going to burn this entire island down. I do not care what you rebels do anymore." His cannon begins to glow as he turns away from the shore.

"Wait!" Bow suddenly says, running up "wait! She... I don't know why you're here Hordak but there's no way Entrapta would let herself die here!" He says with conviction. "Her mask is here yeah but not her!" He adds.

Hordak's breath is coming quickly, his visible fist clenching. Bow can see tears welling in his eyes. Adora finds herself watching this with something approaching concern. For Bow, for herself, maybe even for Hordak?

"We owe it to her." Adora speaks up. "To look. To find her." Hordak's eyes turn back to her, glaring. Adora takes a breath. "Otherwise... We all failed her."

There's a tense moment, at the word failed Adora thinks Hordak might lash out. Then he nods. "The Island will consume you if you are not careful. If its voices make you falter I will not rescue you."

Bow frowns "well we'll rescue you! Because we're the good guys!"

Hordak growls, "you will not have to. I am accustomed to voices in my mind telling me I am worthless." He begins to walk, firing a blast from his cannon ahead of himself to clear a path...

Bow and Adora look at each other, then at Swift Wind who shrugs his wings. They follow behind him for a time, letting him clear the way for them as they walk. The warlord is an engine of destruction here, and only stops when Bow points out he could accidently hit Entrapta. He would have mentioned they'll attract wildlife but the Archer has evidence to support the theory that Hordak would brush it off as a non threat.

That suspicion turns out to be accurate when the group is attacked by a large beast and Hordak quickly dispatches it with his weapon. He doesn't seem very interested in playing around in general. That's fine though since Adora can't seem to turn into She-Ra. When King Micah leaps out of the brush and hits Hordak with a spell things go sideways though

"You!" Micah screeches as Hordak picks himself up. "After all this time and it's you?!" The man nearly screams "the man who took my life from me!"

Hordak's cannon is already charging as he sneers. "I do not know who you are."

"That's King Micah!" Both Adora and Bow shout. "Glimmer's dad!"

Micah and Hordak both look over at them. Micah speaks first, squinting "how did you both say that entire sentence simultaneously... Unless... You're another hallucination!"

"Oh good, he's insane." Hordak scoffs.

"I'll destroy you even if you are a hallucination Lord Hordak!" Micah shouts, pointing his staff at the Alien.

"Unlikely." Hordak replies.

"LETS NOT FIGHT!" Bow shouts, running between them both.

...

"The signal… it... Makes you give up..." Micah says slowly. They're standing around the corpse of some large dragon reptile. Bow managed to stop Micah and Hordak from killing each other using the power of being Bow. Currently Hordak is poking the dead dragon with his gun while the others talk.

"Then we need to move fast." Adora says. "King Micah. We're here looking for someone. Princess Entrapta. Have you seen anyone else?"

"Specifically a short purple haired and endlessly beautiful someone else?" Hordak asks, garnering wide eyed looks from everyone. "Who is also brilliant." He adds.

Micah nods slowly, frowning a little bit. "I have seen your... friend. She was heading toward the center of the island, passed by and stole my food." He says "but that direction is a death sentence. The signal gets stronger the further in you go..."

Hordak is suddenly looking back at them properly, actually focusing. His eyes wide. "She's alive...." He whispers.

"Probably not!" Micah suddenly snaps. "I just said that it gets stronger the further in you go!"

"I can barely handle it now..." Swift Wind notes

"I do not care about what you can or cannot handle Equine." Hordak declares. "Entrapta can... She must be able to." He clenches a fist, taking a deep breath. "I will go forward with or without you." He declares as he starts to march forward.

Bow groans. "Why is he like this..."

"He's evil." Micah says sternly.

"King Micah isn't wrong..." Adora notes.

Bow groans even more. "I know but... Ugh." He trudges after the warlord. His boundless goodness making him not want to abandon the alien. Even if he should definitely abandon the alien warlord, especially given the trouble that trudging forward soon gets them in to.

...

"Bow! King Micah! Swifty!" Adora calls out as the vines entangle her. As she begins to loose hope

"You are all WORTHLESS!" Hordak shouts as the horrible vines that are all together too fast reach up and begin to pull at him, knocking his aim off and starting to send energy blasts all over as the others struggle and begin to give up.

"He's right... We are..." Bow says, his eyes grey and lifeless.

"No! Bow no!" Adora shouts. "Hordak help them please!" She calls out as the vines begin to overtake her as well.

"DO I LOOK AS IF I CAN?!" He growls as he rips his arm free only to have it grabbed again almost immediately. Now he roars in rage.

Adora feels herself giving in. It is hopeless isn't it? They are worthless. She wants to cry, but she doesn't even feel worthy of that. "Glimmer was right..." She says mostly to herself, the color fading from the world. Then she remembers Angella, her promise to the once queen. To take care of glimmer. Each other. She can't give up, not here. Then she feels it, the power and conviction. She manages to give the shout "For the Honor of Grayskull!" And transform. The blinding power burns away the vines. She looks up at her friends, as they stand again seemingly rejuvenated. Then she looks at Hordak who is aiming his cannon at her. "Uh..."

Hordak frowns and lowers it. "I had decided that if we were all to die I was going to be the one to kill you."

There isn't a huge amount of time to unpack that whole Hordak was about to kill Adora thing unfortunately. The creatures that have been hunting them are naturally hissing and moving in for the kill. So instead of yelling at each other the group finds themselves back to back, all five of them ready to fight to the end. "I can't believe this is how I die." Micah says "Side by side with Lord Hordak."

Hordak for his part scoffs. "I will not be dying to these pathetic creatures."

"Uh... You just admitted you were probably going to die to vines." Swift Wind notes

"Silence Equine!" Hordak snaps. "Vines are a devious enemy!"

Before that argument can continue something spooks the creatures that have them surrounded. The things look up, frantic, then scurry away. There's a moment of surprise before Bow and Adora and Swift Wind start to woop in happiness and success. Then the large horror creature drops down before them. The entire group screams in surprise and fear.

Then it's mouth opens and a bug eyed creature stares at them, until the mask comes up and Entrapta smiles. "Princesses! I rescued you!"

"I am no Princess." Hordak scowls. Then he blinks and his eyes widen a little. "Entrapta?..."

The scientist stares back with equally wide eyes. She gapes a little, but generally looks very unsure of what to say. The two simply gaze, as if neither of them actually thought of what would happen if they ever got to this moment.

"Heeeey Entrapta!" Adora waves, returning to her normal Adora form. "Oh geeze this is awkward." She whispers loudly to everyone but Hordak.

"I think there's tensions between them that we didn't consider..." Bow agrees.

"I am sorry." Hordak speaks out to Entrapta. "I should have arrived here sooner but I did not know! I thought that you had returned to the rebellion!" He exclaims, glancing around. His face is red. "When I learned the truth... I had to come here, I had to try to find you."

Entrapta's eyes shimmer, tears threatening to fall. "Hordak..." She speaks quietly.

"I even entered the field of battle for you!" He adds, raising the cannon. "I developed this weapon!"

Entrapta suddenly gasps! "You weaponized the exoskeleton! That's brilliant! The excess power from the first ones tech would be great for that!"

"Exactly!" Hordak says, his chest huffing up proudly. "I had hoped to defeat you with it!"

"That would have been cool!" She replies happily. "I like it!" Then she looks back up at him and seems shellshocked for another moment. "but... It was Catra who..."

"Yes..." He growls, "She spun a lie that you had turned against us I... I believed her..."

Entrapta nods, then suddenly slams against Hordak and hugs him. "I thought I did something wrong and you hated me!"

"Never!" Hordak declares loudly. "You are the only one I do not hate!" He hugs her back

"So this is really weird" Swift Wind notes.

Luckily they all soon pile into Entrapta's cybernetic monstrosity vehicle instead of standing around while those two hug.

"So Hordak thought you were with us and we thought you were with Hordak the whole time!" Bow says "that's why none of us came for you until now!" The explanation needed to be elaborated on and what better time than when everyone is cramped together in this robot thing that Entrapta made. It's amazing they all fit, luckily Hordak was happy to curl up in Entrapta's lap. He can get surprisingly compact.

"Scorpia ended up telling us." Adora says.

"Imp discovered the truth and informed me." Hordak adds on.

"Where is he by the way?!" Entrapta looks down at Hordak. "I've missed him! He's so cute!"

"He is currently harassing Catra while I am away."

"Ooh. He's really good at that." Entrapta nods.

The others all glance at each other

"Entrapta we need your help. This is going to sound crazy but we've learned that Etheria is a weapon and-"

"Oh you mean the heart of Etheria?!" Entrapta suddenly shouts happily. Hurting everyone's ears. "I know all about that! I'll show you when we get where we're going."

Hordak grumbles. "I am unaware of this weapon development.'

Adora side eyes him. "I wouldn't even bring it up around you if it wasn't incredibly pressing..."

"That is fair we are at war." Hordak replies. He is unbelievably mellow now that he is in Entrapta's lap. It's kind of weird. In fact he just lets them keep talking about whatever they want.

All the while Entrapta takes them to the center of the island, where she has made her home and where she has been learning all there is to learn about Etheria. It's a large chamber with a terminal in the center. Vines and alien planrlife growing all through it. Hordak can't help but look around vaguely interested in all of it as Entrapta explains the heart of Etheria to them. This weapon that uses the magical power of the planet. The dangers of this aren't brought up by Entrapta but even a cursory look at the data feeds and Hordak can see them.

The planet being destroyed is one potential downside. A large one in fact. Hordak cant help himself but hrmm as he looks at the displays, squinting and thinking while She-Ra begins to have a horrible crisis of self behind him. Obnoxious of her.

"You don't get to refuse!" Entrapta says giddily. Hordak can understand her interest in it. This is quite fascinating actually.

"No... No I... I can't..." He hears the Adora girl stammer as she runs up to try and search for a solution. She's unlikely to find one though, not because one isn't there but rather because she's too stupid to think of one. Still, the entire planet being destroyed is a potential issue. Even if Prime is coming it would be better if the planet wasn't completely gone and everyone dead.

The idea was to conquer it not to destroy it.

Also if the planet gets destroyed then Entrapta dies and that's back to how Hordak started his day. Non optimal.

Bow begins to speak, but Hordak suddenly cuts the boy off. "She can't but I can." He states plainly.

Everyone looks over at Hordak.

"What?" Entrapta says with a tilt of the head. "You're not part of the weapon though!"

"Exactly!" He adds as he steps up to Adora. She stares up at him with wide eyes, pulling the sword from her wrist in a sudden panic.

Before Adora can react further though Hordak's hand shoots out, his talons grab the blade. She-Ra yelps as the sword is ripped from her hand! Then Hordak tosses it nonchalantly off of the platform they're standing on. There's a shocked pause from everyone as they hear the clanking noise of it hitting the ground.

Then Hordak steps over to the edge, aims his cannon down, and fires. The beam holds for a moment. Red and angry. Then it stops and he turns to the dumbstruck group. "Problem solved." He says blandly.

"What did you just do?" Bow says with shock as he steps forward, looking down. Some error messages are beginning to pop up on the displays.

"She-Ra cannot 'Hold Her Sword Aloft' if there is no sword." Hordak elaborates. "The entire weapon relies on that blade to channel its energies and finalize a targeting solution. It is a blatantly obvious solution."

Entrapta is glancing back and forth. "Did you manage to destroy the sword with that weapon?!" She asks loudly

Hordak looks at her, then actually shrugs. "I do not know. Minimally though I did bury it, and that means She-Ra cannot wield it. The problem is solved, I wish to return to the Fright Zone and expel Catra from it now."

Adora drops to her knees, eyes wide. She clearly doesn't even know what to make of what's just happened.

"I..." Bow speaks quietly again, looking around everyone. "That..."

"I will be joining you on the vessel you arrived on." Hordak adds. Then look over at Entrapta. "I believe it is a First Ones ship."

Entrapta's eyes suddenly sparkle. "I WANNA RIDE ON THAT TOO!"

Chapter Text

Hordak walks right up to the bridge console of the First Ones ship, swiping his hand through it and bringing up the displays. He taps a few holographic keys and the ship begins to lift off as Entrapta dives under the console to begin looking at things.

The other four, still shellshocked, stare at this. "You... Can operate this thing?" Bow asks slowly

"I have flown many starships in my time. There are commonalities." He states. "Also it is largely automated." He glances back at the group. "So Entrapta and I will be returning to the Fright Zone to deal with Catra, you four will be?..." He trails.

"We... We need to tell Glimmer about this..." Adora says slowly

Swift Wind raises a wing. "hey wait are we still enemies? Is there still a war after this?"

Hordak looks back to the displays in front of him. "I do not rightly care." He admits. "With Entrapta by my side what does conquest of land matter, when we can conquer science and engineering!" He says dramatically.

Entrapta pops her head up, face red but smiling. "Oh! Yeah! What about Prime though?" She asks.

Hordak waves a hand around. "We will create a portal interdiction system to stop outside connections. We have the planets interference to base it on. We will work forever, as we once considered." He smiles at her.

Entrapta lifts herself up! Then grabs his face and kisses him.

Bow can't help but let out an "awwww."

Micah frowns. "He still needs to pay fo-" but is cut off by Adora's hand on his chest.

She looks up at him and hisses out "She-Ra is gone and the rebellion was losing even with her around. We should take this."

Bow speaks up next. "What if you... Came to Bright Moon with us first so we could all tell glimmer that the war is over?" Bow asks slowly

"It won't be with Catra in command." Hordak counters. "She is invested in this war, in defeating She-Ra. It is personal for her."

Adora frowns at that. "He's probably right. She needs to be dealt with..." Adora sighs.

"Well! We could work together! Like we did on Beast Island! The Horde and the Princesses! To stop Catra and the war!" Bow exclaims

Hordak stares at the boy for a long moment. Then Entrapta speaks up. "that would give me more time to study this ship." She whispers very loudly.

That makes Hordak nod. "Very well then. I will join you in your decadent rebel capital and then you will aid me in removing Catra from The Horde. After which she is yours to deal with, I do not want her in my Fright Zone." He scowls.

"Hey that's actually a good deal!" Swift Wind says happily. "Man we should have all hated Catra together earlier!"

Adora groans but has to agree on some level.

Once they land in Bright Moon the group makes their way in to try and find Glimmer. Instead they find Shadow Weaver sitting on the throne. Lounging really. Hordak grumbles something, some exasperated curse in an alien tongue by the tone.

Entrapta grins at him for a moment.

The more interesting thing is Micah stepping forward, declaring her a traitor, and shooting magic at her which she quickly dispels. After that the group actually gets a moment to talk.

"The Queen has gone to the Fright Zone to reforge the connection between Princess Scorpia and the Black Garnet. You've missed your chance." Her eyes narrow at Hordak. "To do whatever it is you were going to do."

"No..." Adora says slowly. "No she can't... She'll..."

Hordak interrupts. "Do you have a communication system?" He asks loudly.

"Oh they do!" Entrapta yells. "It's in the war room! Follow me!" She scampers off happy, Hordak following. Everyone else is confused for a moment.

Then Bow chases them. "Wait! Hordak! Entrapta! What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to contact my forces and tell them to fall back to the Fright Zone and other key locations." He declares with a tone that tells everyone that he thinks Bow is foolish for having to ask. "Stop any advance Catra has started."

"Oh." Bow says as he walks beside the warlord. "That makes sense."

"It might not work." Hordak admits. "but it will confuse things." He says plainly.

"The bots will definitely listen!" Entrapta says happily as she marches along.

"They're good girls." Hordak nods.

"Uhh." Bow stops and lets those two just continue on, not even sure if he should do anything. As Adora catches up he looks at her. Then looks back at Hordak. "wait! Shouldn't we go to the Fright Zone to catch up with Glimmer and Scorpia!"

"Army first!" Entrapta shouts back at them. "Then we'll take the ship! We'll catch up quick don't worry!

It really doesn't take them long to send the order off and then head back.

"We will enter the Fright Zone with the goal of subduing Catra and retrieving your queen." Hordak speaks primarily to Bow and Adora as he walks back out toward Mara's ship. He seems all business, and actually in something of a hurry to get this all dealt with. "Afterward I will be pulling my forces further back toward the Fright Zone, you may have what we abandon. We have been stretched thin already." He admits.

In the background of this Entrapta keeps making ooh noises and asking questions. "Is the red easier for you to see? Why do you have the mask if you don't have the black garnet piece? You can dispell magic but you can't do it on your own?" Her voice is incessant and her hair keeps poking and prodding at her person of curiosity. Shadow Weaver can only growl and try to swat the hair away, shooting down questions left and right.

Micah is smirking behind them.

Hordak continues to ignore these antics. Adora does speak up though. "Will the Horde let us through though, I mean you're Lord Hordak but we are all princesses..."

"Actually only you and Entrapta are." Bow corrects.

"You get my point!" She shoots back.

Hordak raises his cannon up, letting it glow and hum for a moment. "They will stand down." He smirks, seeming quite happy with himself and his cool big boy gun.

...

"Scorpia you traitor!" Catra hisses out after grabbing and throwing the much larger Force Captain away from the Black Garnet. "Working with Princesses?!" She nearly screams.

"She is a Princess!" Glimmer shouts back as she teleports in front of Catra, readying a spell to fire at the defacto leader of the Horde.

That is how the battle starts, and how it goes for a time. Glimmer and Catra weave and battle with one another, Glimmer's raw power keeping Catra on the defensive while Catra tries to leverage her knowledge of the area.

All the while Scorpia is shocked, trying to talk the two down. Finally she remembers, she can have power too. She can stop them! The once Force Captain now Princess runs to the Garnet once more. Ready to reach out and accept it.

Then suddenly a hand grabs her again. Blue Talons. Scorpia looks up with wide shocked eyes. "Lord Hordak?!"

"That is mine." He says simply. "Do not touch it without my or Entrapta's permission." He states.

Then Entrapta pops up from around his shoulder. "Hi Scorpia! Please only connect with your Runestone after I've had a chance to hook you up with all kinds of sensors!"

Scorpia's shock turns to delight. "Entrapta?! You're back! You're alive!"

"Of course I am! I'm a woman of science and the science isn't done!"

"You two catch up." Hordak says. "I am going to go with the others to stop Queen Glimmer and Catra from completely destroying my city." He adds as he walks out of the chamber.

They really only have to follow the sound of explosions to find the battling leaders.

"Glimmer! We're here to help!" Adora calls out as she runs into the large smelting chamber that Catra and Glimmer's battle has led them in to. The Queen turns to them, her eyes going wide for a moment. Then narrowing as she sees Hordak.

"Watch out Adora!" Glimmer yells as she fires sparkle energy at the alien. He growls and throws his arm up over his face to block it. Luckily the armor does indeed take the brunt of the blow and he's only slightly knocked back

"Wait! Glimmer no!" Adora shouts

"No?! Lord Hordak is right there! We can defeat him here with Catra!"

"Glimmer he's with us!" Bow yells.

You could hear a pin drop. "what?!" Glimmer nearly howls

"Also I'm here!" Entrapta waves from behind Hordak as she leans over to poke at his armor with her tools, repairing the minor damage that Glimmer's attack caused almost immediately.

"It's true! He helped us find Entrapta! And also... Save Etheria." Adora says slowly.

Then Catra laughs from above them. "Oh this is Rich!" She sounds almost manic. "Oooh of COURSE!" she cackles.

Everyone looks up at her

"So you gave in Hordak?! You betrayed the Horde for the Princesses?!" Catra is walking across a large machine above them, sneering down. "Pathetic. Of course you did you failure, but what makes you think they'll keep whatever bargain you've struck? What makes any of you princesses think HE WILL?!" She howls.

Glimmer glances back and forth, now looking conflicted. "Catra's right we can't trust him this is some kind of trick." The Queen notes sternly.

Hordak just grumbles. "I am just..." He begins, taking a deep breath as he looks Glimmer in the eyes. "So tired." He finally says, and then looks up at Catra. "And I have learned what it is I desire, what it is I want, and that is to take a nap with Entrapta." He declares boldly

"Oh I love naps!" Entrapta grins. "I'll definitely take a nap with you Hordak."

"Thank you." He replies as he aims his cannon and fires unceremoniously at Catra. However she's quick, clever, and she leverages the attack to slide down a cable toward Hordak.

And manages to punch him in the face.

He howls in pain and staggers. A strand of purple hair grabs Catra by the ankle and throws the feline into a wall. "DON'T PUNCH HORDAK!" Entrapta suddenly screeches as she hugs Hordak's face into her bosom. "That's NOT OKAY!"

Once again silence dominates, Adora breaks it with a small. "Uuhh..."

Then the ceiling machinery crashes down and thoroughly startles everyone.

Hordak stands back up straight. "I'm fine." He finally says as he rubs his cheek. Entrapta leans over to give him a gentle smooch which isn't scientifically proven to have any rejuvenative effects but also hasn't been proven to not have rejuvenative effects.

Catra is laughing dryly as she stands back up. "I've done... Everything right..." She says "and now you all come here to take everything from me. Again, and again, constantly." She seethes. "Why should ANY OF YOU get to win when I don't?!"

"you're evil." Glimmer says harshly.

"And he isn't!?" Catra points at Hordak. "Entrapta isn't?! What about Scorpia?? Huh!?"

"It is because, Catra." Hordak suddenly speaks up, glaring at her. "You are a fundamentally unlikeable person who pins the blame for your own failings upon others who do not deserve it. Just as I was a mere twenty-four hours ago."

Catra stares blankly at him.

"That uh..." Adora rubs the back of her head. "That kinda nails it actually..."

Catra finally just drops to her knees, starting to sob.

Hordak turns to the rebels. "I am going to make sure the Horde forces have all returned to their fallback positions, and then I am going to take that nap." He says "it has been effective working with you, but please leave and never come back here again. I hate all of you."

"That's fair." Bow admits.

...

"Hey guys! Wait up a second!" Scorpia's voice rings out as she runs to catch up with the leaving rebels.

It's glimmer that turns first. "Scorpia! We thought you were staying in the Fright Zone!"

"Oh I am!" She says as she jogs right up to them, gesturing to a badge on her top. "Hordak made me his new second in command and told me 'End the war then do what you want.' then he paused and added 'try not to give them the Fright Zone.'!" She says happily. "so I'm going to be here cleaning up for a bit but then I was thinking maybe we can do some kind of Princess Peace get together? Like we could all go bowling or something!" Scorpia beams.

Glimmer stares for a moment then smiles. "Sure Scorpia. That... That sounds nice."

"Oh yay! We'll have to figure out where to do things... Probably Bright Moon you guys have those food leaves and stuff." She nods. "Oh this'll be great! Okay I just wanted to say bye! Fly safe!" Scorpia waves at them.

Bow waves back happily from the ship's ramp. Catra glowers as Adora tugs her along.

Etheria finds peace on this day.