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Everything was different.
Hordak was more than out of his comfort zone. All guards were left behind along with his weapons. He knew little about the land and animals outside of the fright zone. To top it off his armor was the only thing keeping his broken body from falling apart.
Instead of planning how to prove his change of heart to the princesses, he was following a mapless Entrapta to a supposedly relaxing spot.
Hordak was completely out of his element, and he had never felt more at home.
“We’re almost there I can feel it!” Entrapta assured, her hair buzzing with excitement. He shook his head, failing to hide a smile. She sounded so confident despite this being the fifth time she had said that, so he was a little more than skeptical.
“I see that look and I’m sorry it’s taken longer than expected, but I’m 89% sure we’re on the right track!” As she said that, Imp jumped off her shoulders and started scurrying through the treetops. “It’s not just me! Imp feels it too, come on!”
As she chased after the tiny trouble maker, a lock of her hair reached back and grabbed his hands pulling him alongside them. She wasn’t pulling him, in fact the hair seemed to be supporting Hordak. Giving him the boost he needed to keep up without over exerting himself. Entrapta has always been able to help without making him feel weak or pitied.
As the three of them quickly ran along the forest path, Hordak noticed what he guessed was a clearing up ahead. A fading light was coming from it making him pause to see if it was anything at all, and as he got closer he noticed what it was.
His feet became rooted to the path as he looked into the clearing and noticed it was actually a large cliff that was high enough to look over the forest. The light was coming from the sun which was beginning to set over Etheria causing the sky to fade between shades of pale yellows, bright pinks, and rich purples.
There was most definitely tech left by the “First Ones” as his lab partner called them. Most of it had been scavenged by presumably Entrapta, leaving only a hexagon shaped disk in the ground. It had similar writing to what was inscribed on his armor's power source that glowed a pale blue, that faded to pink, and then purple, before returning to blue.
The sight was breathtaking but she left him choking on air. The purple princess’s hair was blowing softly in the cool night breeze. Due to a recent messy experiment she was wearing her tank top paired with an oversized Horde jacket that previously belonged to him.
He only wore it when he was alone and needed something more comfy to help with his body aches. The sweatshirt was old, worn, and covered in stains. He knew he shouldn't have given her something so used, and probably looked like a slob from her point of view, but he liked the idea of her having something representing an unknown side of him.
Hordak subconsciously stared into Entrapta’s eyes. The sun's colors made her eyes seem ever pinker than before. Her eyes sparkled as they reflected its rays, mimicking the shine her eyes get when she talks about something she is passionate about.
She looked ethereal .
Her head quirked to the side as she gave him a questioning smile. The former villain heard laughter as he pretended to be interested in a nearby flowering bush.
“I knew you’d like this place! Now c'mon! Sunsets are even better with a friend!” She called out, taking a seat on the tech embedded in the earth. With her hair she patted the ground next to her signaling for Hordak to join.
Awkwardly shuffling next to Entrapta he sat next to her, enjoying the cool feeling of the metal plate. She flops on her back pointing at the sky with one of her pigtails.
“That cloud looks like Darla don’t you think? Oh and the one next to it looks like Emily’s prototype design!” She stared at the clouds trying to solve their puzzle. Hordak laid on his back to get a better look at the cloud she was pointing at.
“Um Hordak,” she began softly, “do you find it annoying? My attachment to my robots?” He could hear the frown in her voice as she winced waiting for his response. The answer was obvious but he waited to respond thinking through his thoughts to make sure he was understood.
“It’s one of my favorite parts of you,” he began reaching out his hand to hers, “your empathy is what helped me realize I wasn’t a failure, and what gave me the courage to defeat my broth, Horde Prime”
He cringed at nearly calling the man who caused him so much pain, brother.
“That means a lot coming from you, thank you Hordak.” He froze as she held his hand giving it a light squeeze. He stayed still worried that he would do the wrong thing and ruin the moment.
“Hordak, Hordak, Hordak”
He jumped as Imp popped into view repeating his name in Entrapta voice. Shooing away the copy cat he bolted upright earning a laugh from Entrapta as she shifted to a sitting position as well.
“Give your father a break, he's been really sweet today!” Entrapta coos shifting her position so Imp can crawl onto her lap.
“I’m not his father but he is acting like a child” Hordak mumbled aloud. “I’m the reason you’re here and this is the thanks I get.”
In truth he wasn’t mad at Imp and often enjoyed the little cretan’s company. He was just disappointed at his lack of social skills. Making friends was never a priority or option until now. Leaving him to navigate social situations blindfolded.
Now that he thought about it, that is what made Entrapta the perfect first friend, lab partner, whatever they were. Socializing wasn’t one of her many skills, letting them learn together.
It was nice knowing he wasn’t struggling alone, although the thought of her struggling released a shudder of guilt that shook him from his thoughts.
Returning to reality he noticed Entrapta was humming. He turned to see her stringing flowers onto her modest flower chain. These flowers were new to Hordak which wasn’t surprising since the majority of plants can’t survive in the fright zone.
The flowers were small and white, with a faint glow. The petals or possibly seeds made it look more like a cotton ball than a plant. They resembled tiny clouds rooted to the earth through their stems.
“What are you doing with these plants?” He questions lifting her trance.
“Wha, sorry seems I space out again. The plants?” The princess paused to remember the question. “Oh you mean the dandelions! I’m making a flower crown!”
Unfamiliar to the term, Hordak just gave her a confused look. Hoping she would explain more if he didn’t say anything. Which luckily she did.
“They're also known as wish flowers due to the legend that if you make a wish and blow off its seeds it will come true.” As she talked her hair gestured wildly, while her hands still continued to work on the flower crown. “Some people call them weeds but they're still my favorite plant. I used to make flower crowns and wishes with them as a child.”
“I never thought you were the type of person to believe in superstition?”
“Well I used to think aliens and portals were theoretical and now I’m sitting next to an extraterrestrial who helped me build one!”
He couldn’t help but smile at the memories of the first time they met. The excitement to the new tech, the portal’s success and failures, and reuniting dispute all the odds.
A happy chirp escaped Imp as the finished flower crown was placed on his head. It was made mainly of dandelions with other small flowers and plants peeking out.
The small creature flew out of Entrapta’s lap and circled her repeating in her voice, “thank you”. She giggled as she spun her head trying to keep up with him.
While the two were entertaining each other, Hordak eyed a dandelion beside him. He picked the weed from the earth feeling slight guilt at taking it from its home.
Entrapta shared that people made wishes with these plants, but Hordak didn’t know what he would even wish for. All his life he spent serving Prime and was only now getting to decide his fate.
Tuning in to their laughter he watches Imp fly away from Entrapta’s embrace that soon turned into a game of chase.
Looking back down at the flower the former villain closed his eyes and made a wish.
He wished for things to stay like this.
To be able to continue to spend time with his makeshift family. To make up for the harm he caused. To prove Prime wrong. To see her smile.
To no longer be alone.
A gust of wind snuck up behind him causing all the seeds to fly away when he blew on them. He watched in awe at the petals riding the wind and fading into the sunset. The stem was swept up with the wind and followed the seeds toward the sun.
Leaving him with empty hands and an overflowing heart.
The cold breeze had the two seeking warmth and Entrapta leaned against him as Imp snuggled in the hood of her jacket.
They sat in a relaxing silence listening to the forest falling asleep. The sun nearly out of view taking with it the warmth and light, letting the stars shine through the dusk.
For a moment everything was right,
and he couldn’t wish for more.