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Chapter Text

Scorpia felt guilty. Every second of the day. She’d betrayed her friend to protect another friend. Catra had tased Entrapta in the back and ordered Scorpia to send the sweet little princess to Beast Island, the most deadly place on Etheria. It was a death sentence and while Catra had taken the role as the unjust magistrate, Scorpia had been the executioner.

She knew Catra was wrong and yet, she did nothing to stop her. The truth was that even though she loved Catra dearly, she also feared her because of her unpredictability and menace. Entrapta was unpredictable too, but treated others with kindness, a quality Catra didn’t possess no matter how much Scorpia showered her with affection.

She was no fool; she knew Catra had no feelings for her and likely never would. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop Scorpia’s heart from loving her Wild Cat against all reason. Love wasn’t always rational, she remembered reading in one of her romance novels.

Two months passed with constant guilt and remorse after sending Entrapta on the transport to Beast Island. While orders were delivered by Catra, Lord Hordak’s second in command, to set up more security measures and advance their attack towards Bright Moon, their fearsome leader had barely shown himself after the portal incident. According to Catra, he had been busy rebuilding his sanctum which was destroyed by the portal explosion and he was currently working on advanced weaponry.

Scorpia wondered how any of them were still alive after having sent Entrapta to her death. The little scientist had confided in her that she felt a deep emotional connection to the warlord and Scorpia had seen plenty of signs that Entrapta’s feelings were reciprocated. Obviously, Catra must’ve told him a lie to avoid the same fate as Entrapta, but Scorpia wasn’t sure what. She hadn’t been on good speaking terms with Catra since the incident of which they never spoke.

Being in the presence of Lord Hordak had always been nerve-racking to her, but she’d never felt as frightened as the day she had to face him alone after following Catra’s terrible order to get rid of Entrapta. Would he be able to tell that she was hiding something? He had rarely looked at her for more than a few seconds unless he was berating her, but it always felt as though he was reading her thoughts. It was ridiculous; he couldn’t do that. Could he? He was a real alien after all, the only one of his kind.

Today, she had no choice but to go to him. Catra was out on recon with several other Force Captains and Scorpia needed access to their security room where video feeds from the new cameras ended up. No one else but Catra and Hordak had the ability to grant access, except Entrapta when she was here. Although she’d likely just bypassed the security measures.

Boy, it would be good to have Entrapta back again. If Scorpia had been less of a coward, she would’ve gone to Beast Island to bring her back where she belonged. But Beast Island terrified her more than Catra and Hordak combined. Shadow Weaver had told them many stories about the island that consumed you, body and soul; it was the one place no one came back from. Both sides in the war had used the island as the ultimate punishment, dropping their prisoners and traitors off without looking back. Just as she had done to Entrapta who had done nothing wrong but come between Catra and her mission to destroy the princesses.

It took Scorpia until noon to gather the courage to enter Hordak’s sanctum. It was shocking to see how damaged it still was, as if he hadn’t been rebuilding anything at all. She supposed that these things took time and she hadn’t been through his whole lab to see all the repairs he could’ve been making. It was none of her business anyway.

It was harder than expected to find the large warlord as she looked between the rubble with shattered beams, scraps of metal and tanks tumbled over with nightmarish creatures inside them. When she finally found him, he was sitting with his back to the room in a crook near his inner sanctum where no one was allowed. There was no sign that he heard her approach, despite her less than flawless record of trying to be stealthy. As she came closer, she was about to announce her presence when she noticed that he was staring at something familiar in his huge paw… a crystal.

It was a First Ones’ crystal, the color of light lavender, but it sometimes shimmered to match Entrapta’s purple hair or even her magenta eyes. Although that might be Scorpia’s imagination. It powered his armor, Entrapta had once told her, but most of its significance lay in the inscription engraved on it. Scorpia didn’t know what it said, but it had been obvious that the crystal was important to both lab partners, as Entrapta had lovingly called them.

Hordak’s posture was so unlike him that Scorpia almost staggered. This wasn’t the dreadful lord of the Fright Zone she knew; this was a broken man. He missed Entrapta more than she’d ever expected. Perhaps he even lov-... No, he definitely loved her.

She didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to her before. Of course he loved her. How often had she seen him share his mighty throne with Entrapta? Or the many times she’d interrupted him without feeling the weight of his anger or the way she’d talked him out of sending Catra to Beast Island? The countless hours of listening to her, just the two of them in the sanctum… He was in love with Entrapta. And he’d never gotten to tell her.

Scorpia knew a lot about love. Sure, most of it was from her romance novels, but she also knew what it was like to love unconditionally and never be loved in return: it sucked. She believed in the power of love, but sometimes the notion felt absurd. She had never known anyone who truly loved each other, who had a chance at happiness.

Until now. Hordak and Entrapta - the frightening warlord and the strange tech princess - obviously loved each other deeply; it was so clear to her now. And that could restore her belief in love. It might even convince her that she could find that kind of love with someone.

She hadn’t thought that she could feel worse about sending Entrapta to her death, but now she did. It wasn’t just Entrapta she’d hurt; it was Hordak as well and even though she feared him, she didn’t think he was a bad guy. He deserved love too.

It would be stupid to tell him the truth about Entrapta’s fate, putting herself and Catra in immediate danger, but maybe she could send him on the right path. If anyone could survive Beast Island for a few months, it would be Entrapta. Maybe he could save her before it was too late.

Of course, that meant she had to talk to him. She also had to find out what Catra had told him about Entrapta’s disappearance. Since Catra wouldn’t discuss the matter, he was the only one who knew.

“Lord Hordak.” Her voice sounded almost confident. Luckily, he was used to having people be scared of him; her demeanor would be nothing out of the ordinary. The fearsome leader instantly straightened his back and she saw his hand with the crystal lift to his throat right before he rose from his seat. “Sir, I need access to the security room for the newest video feeds.”

She stepped back when he turned around, those terrifying pupil-less eyes staring at her with an impenetrable scrutiny that made her shrink, despite her own significant height. He held an air around him that demanded respect. How Entrapta had ever gotten through to him and found the gentle being she’d claimed was inside, was beyond Scorpia.

Then again… Wasn’t she trying to do exactly that with Catra?

“I’ll grant you permanent access, Force Captain.” He replied and strode past her, not giving away that he had been mourning the loss of Entrapta a moment ago. Scorpia wished that she sometimes could hide her feelings so well, but they always bubbled to the surface. Maybe it was the lack of hugs she had received as a child when her mothers died; she was making up for them now.

“Will that be all?” Hordak’s stern voice interrupted her thoughts and she jumped a little, realizing that she’d just been standing there without showing the proper appreciation or even acknowledging his reply.

“Yes sir!” She was too quick to answer, then remembered Entrapta. “Well, no sir, I mean to talk to you about, uhm, Entrapta.” It was impossible to ignore how his long clawed fingers flexed and folded into white-knuckled fists at the mention of her name.

His lips pulled back in a sneer that let Scorpia see the sharp, glowing red fangs. He was a predator, her instincts told her, she should run. But she stood her ground, somehow knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her if she had something to say about their mutual friend. “What about her?” He growled, the rumble echoing around them.

She couldn’t tell him what she knew. Her only option was to play clueless, something she was actually pretty good at. “I was wondering if you knew where she, uhm, is? Because I miss her and it’s been a long time since I saw her. Did something happen to her when the porta- I mean when the princesses were here?” The fact that a portal had been the cause of the incident in Hordak’s sanctum was a secret, although the whole Horde knew it. But she couldn’t tell him that.

Hordak turned away from her in a dramatic movement and grabbed a piece of scrap metal which he threw into a wall. No, through a hard steel wall. Scorpia gulped at the frightening display of his strength. “The Princess of Dryl,” he said with vehemence, his breathing so hard that his shoulders noticeably shook with each breath, “has betrayed the Horde. She was responsible for letting the rebels into the Fright Zone and she left with them.”

Oh. That’s what Catra had told him. That Entrapta of all people would help the princesses and go back to them. The ruse was as brilliant as Catra was and it scared Scorpia how good her Wild Cat was at manipulating those around her. But she still wondered why Hordak would believe the lie. Entrapta was so happy in the Fright Zone, especially working with him. Why would she want to go back to the princesses?

Then it hit her: she could use this to question Catra’s explanation without implying that she had been deceptive. Sure, the truth would come out at some point, but they could flee. Together. Her and Catra. They could survive and even live well in the Crimson Waste, just the two of them. It wouldn’t be possible to find them.

“I beg your forgiveness for saying this, my Lord, but Entrapta wouldn’t do that.” Hordak turned towards her again with a furious expression on his face. She had to hurry to say what she wanted to and hopefully calm the literal beast in front of her. “She was loyal to the Horde, sir, the Rebellion must’ve tricked her and kidnapped her. Please, my Lord, I know my friend. She wouldn’t do this.”

She’d closed her eyes and slowly backed away from the warlord without noticing it, but suddenly the feeling of terror abated. When she opened her eyes, she saw Hordak stare with surprisingly mild eyes to the side, touching the crystal at his throat. The hand flew to his side when he noticed her looking. “Are you very certain about this, Force Captain? It isn’t what I was informed of.”

“Ye-yes sir, I’m positive. Catra probably drew the wrong conclusion without knowing the whole truth.” Scorpia hoped he wouldn’t punish Catra for that and in a desperate attempt to distract him from his second-in-command who had a tendency to lie, she hurried to deliver the final blow to her tale. “The Rebellion might even have sent her to Beast Island.”

His fists clenched, but he scoffed. “Do not be ridiculous; she is far too valuable an asset for that.” She dared to look at his face, nervous that he was seeing through her deception, but the expression on his face was impossible to interpret as anything other than hope.

In an instant he was on a move, making Scorpia practically leap to the side, as he walked up to a workbench further into the sanctum. He reached for a large object on the table that looked like a weapon and began to strap it onto his right arm on top of his usual armor.

"Force Captain Scorpia, I'm putting you in charge of the Fright Zone until I or my Force Commander Catra returns." He swiftly strode past her again, grabbing his cloak on the way towards the exit. She began to jog after him.

“Where are you heading, Lord Hordak?”

“Bright Moon.” He replied in a menacing voice that made her shiver. “And I’ll be bringing back Princess Entrapta. One way or the other.” She'd never heard anything sound so much like a threat before.

Catra would not be thrilled about this. She was busy advancing the Horde's territory and without Hordak, no one would listen to her. Then again, she wouldn’t be able to stay with the Horde anyway when the truth about Entrapta’s whereabouts was revealed.

Scorpia supposed she’d done the best she could. If Entrapta was alive - how she hoped this was the case - and Hordak rescued her, then there was no reason for her to feel guilty anymore. Catra would be angry at her, but only if she knew that Scorpia was the one who had given Hordak cause to go to Bright Moon. She wasn’t good at lying, but maybe she could keep it simple: Hordak has left to confront the princesses at Bright Moon. Why? Because of Entrapta. Then he would learn that she never betrayed him which is why Catra and Scorpia had to flee to the Crimson Waste.

She’d done the right thing, she was sure of it. For the first time in months, her conscience felt a little lighter as she went to the communication center to contact her Wild Cat.

Chapter Text

All he could hear was a buzz in his head as he left his sanctum. His brain registered Force Captain Cobalt who spoke to him and the salutes of soldiers he passed as one might take notice of a tree on your way, but none of them made any lasting impression on him. Had any of them blocked his path towards the transportation bay, he would have crushed them without breaking his stride.

He was going to see her. It wouldn’t be a pathetic attempt to win her back if she was there against her will, but a warlord taking back his most valued scientist. Even if Scorpia was wrong, if Entrapta really had betrayed him, at least he would see her. He would know why she had left him, deemed his offerings worthless to her compared to what the princesses had.

However… if she had truly been kidnapped, his lack of action to get her back meant that he had failed her. He hadn’t trusted her loyalty enough to question her disappearance, that it might’ve been against her will. Hadn’t she talked about him staying on Etheria with hope in her voice just before Catra had brought the sword needed for the portal? He thought he had seen something in her eyes, something that had him feel warmer than Prime’s Light ever had.

It was blasphemy to consider the thought that a simple Etherian could outshine the brilliance of Prime’s Light, but Entrapta wasn’t a simple person. Everyone could see that. She would even be worth more to Horde Prime than the whole backwater planet would.

That fact alone was exactly why he doubted that Entrapta had gone with the princesses against her will. She was a force to be reckoned with and clever enough to escape those youngsters who supposedly led the Rebellion, even with their magic taken into account. No, she must have a reason to stay there. Clearly, she had been unhappy with him.

Despite the logic that spoke against Scorpia’s presumption that she’d been kidnapped, he rushed to the Horde’s newest skiff which Entrapta had modified to such an extent that it traveled at double speed. It was the fastest way to get to Bright Moon, to see her, but his pride stopped him from starting the engine. It would be pitiful to use one of her achievements for this if she was in fact a deserter.

Pride was only allowed to be felt by the Regent of the Seven Skies, but Hordak felt it in him when he chose the largest skiff they had instead of the faster one. This, at least, showed off the magnificent insignia of the Horde on each side, so it could be seen from afar. It was well supplied with weapons as well which might be necessary if Entrapta had already built a deadly army of robots like he knew she was capable of.

He had the element of surprise on his side. They wouldn’t expect the horrendous Lord of the Fright Zone to show up on his own for his most prized scientist. It would make them fret over how assured he was of his ability to defeat them that he dared to arrive alone.

Entrapta would see his bravery and know her importance to him. If she was with the Rebellion against her will, she would be happy to be saved by the warlord in person. If she’d chosen to be there, well, then he could show her how formidable he was without her.

He would not reveal how broken he’d felt after she’d left, how lost he’d been. Every time he removed his armor - less and less these days - he would keep the crystal locked in the palm of his hand, a reminder of her existence in spite of the pain it caused him to know that she was gone.

Was there any chance of getting her back, he wouldn’t let it pass by.

He missed her deeply, unfathomably, senselessly, terribly. Every second of every day. His sanctum was so quiet without her and he hadn’t been able to repair the damage yet in fear that it would make her absence more apparent.

So many hours had he spent by her side without revealing how much she’d come to mean to him. Would it have made a difference? His thoughts kept drifting to images of Entrapta in his arms, her lips upon his. It was wrong, she was just his friend. At least that's what he'd believed. But during the months in his lab, an increasing tension had risen between them as they grew closer, a longing that never found a release.

Now he felt on edge constantly as he thought about the things unsaid between them. He would like to believe that he would have been much more bold if he'd known how little time they had, but he didn't. He was a coward, a failure, and that’s why she’d left him.

She’d made him feel like more than a defective clone trying to prove his worth to his God as he attempted to return to Him; he’d felt like his own person. That had been his downfall, the belief that he could be anything more than the servant he was created to be.

Yet he needed just one more moment to bask in her presence and the finality in hearing her say that she’d left him willingly. He knew why, but Scorpia had planted the seed of doubt - of hope - in him and he knew that he would be consumed with it until he was certain.

It did not take him long to reach Bright Moon. Although the Whispering Woods had rumors of being traitorous and ever-changing, he flew through it without any issues arising as though it knew his mission was a peaceful one. He had no intention of attacking anyone; for once his goal was only to mediate with the princesses to allow him to see Entrapta.

He bore no white flag to wave as he easily passed the border into the kingdom; there was no surrender, only a temporary truce. If the princesses had come to the Fright Zone with such a request as his, he would accept. Hopefully, they offered the same courtesy.

Not surprisingly, he found it easy to fly into the city and nearly up to the castle. He noted that he had to review what obstacles his troops had since they hadn’t taken Bright Moon yet; there was a serious lack of defenses.

He reached the castle grounds with the large spire to the left where the Moon Stone was. He had slowed down his vehicle when a glowing, tall figure appeared out of nowhere in a fog of pinkish sparkling at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the castle. It was probably the newly crowned Queen of Bright Moon’s magic that teleported She-Ra to the spot. The skiff stopped right before the golden princess with the raised sword who didn’t flinch at the close proximity to his vehicle. Bold, he thought to himself, even with magic to protect her.

Her surprise was palpable when he, the Plague upon Etheria, was the one to step out of the enemy vehicle. She didn’t even try to look intimidating, but stared at him with a gaping mouth, except for the sword held expertly in her hands. He was to some degree proud that she had been trained in the Horde, despite not remembering her much. Shadow Weaver had mentioned her and recommended her as Force Captain right before she’d deserted. Not that it mattered greatly to him. They would win in the end.

Quite a crowd had gathered around them, though at a distance. Townspeople were hiding behind their little houses, though within hearing range, while princesses stood above everyone else on the top of the castle stairs; far from the people they were supposed to protect. He was severely disappointed that Entrapta wasn’t present, but it gave him a small hope that she might actually be kept there against her will. He recognized the Queen who had teleported herself up there, the Princess of Salineas, the flowery one and… he held back a hiss when he spotted the moving shadow of his former second-in-command. She’d been there at the portal incident as well.

To think that the princesses were foolish enough to trust Shadow Weaver. Alhough she’d worked for him, he’d always known to keep her at an arm’s length, ready to dispose of her if needed. It had been sloppy of Catra to let the sorceress escape. But it might become his gain later on. The princesses were not clever enough to see through Shadow Weaver’s manipulation. One day she would betray them to obtain the magic she lived off on.

“Lord Hordak, why are you here?” The She-Ra’s voice was confident and he rewarded her with his complete attention. To his disappointment she seemed to shrink a little when he made eye contact. He knew he looked frightening; it was his goal. King Scorpio had given him advice to make him more intimidating to the Etherian people - the dark makeup and impressive armor - which the Scorpion people had used for centuries to scare intruders away. It made him vain, a mortal sin in the Imperial Horde, but he did what was necessary to conquer Etheria in Lord Prime’s name.

He spoke loudly and assertively as he replied to the feeble princess who had no idea how vulnerable he’d been since their last meeting. But he suddenly felt powerful, surrounded by the subdued citizens and princesses. “I’ve come to offer a temporary truce.” A gasp left the royalty on top of the stairs. “I seek a peaceful audience with the monarch of Bright Moon, Queen Glimmer, who I believe is leading the Rebellion.”

“Uhm…” She-Ra lowered her sword slightly, a silly mistake, though one he wouldn’t take advantage of this time. She looked up to the princesses in question. “Can he do that?” He rolled his eyes as the girl excused herself for a moment to run up to the others who were already arguing.

He caught a few words here and there with his keen sense of hearing, despite being uninterested in listening to the unimportant chattering about the rules of war until he heard the voice of Shadow Weaver. “Hordak will keep his word. He obviously wants something from us; this gives us an advantage, my Majesty.” The inexperienced Queen took advice from her former enemy. How… quint.

“Very well.” She said, then silenced the others before lowering her voice. “Adora, will you follow him up here?” She murmured and like a good little puppy, the She-Ra ran down the stairs and stood just to the side of him, eyeing him closely with curiosity. “Lord Hordak, you may approach.” The Queen spoke out loud so everyone could hear her.

All eyes were on him as he gracefully ascended the stairs with dignity, something the citizens probably weren’t used to seeing these days. Queen Angella had certainly had dignity, but now that she was gone, there were only children left who still hadn’t learned much of the world. Perhaps Catra was right; they could win this war before Prime arrived.

At the wide entrance to the castle it was possible to look inside where more princesses were gathered. Apparently, they stayed here instead of in their own kingdoms which he found very interesting, but he couldn’t ignore feeling discontent when he saw that Entrapta wasn't present. Maybe she was hiding in the rafters or the vents?

“Welcome to Bright Moon, Lord Hordak. I expect you to honor your promise of a truce during your stay here.” He looked down at the small Queen before him, almost as tiny as Entrapta. She seemed fond of the same color scheme as well, although it was more pastel. But Entrapta’s clothes had been chosen for their functionality and comfort; she didn’t care about style as this young woman obviously did.

“I stay true to my word. I respect the rules of war and I trust that you do as well.” The Queen nodded, not allowing him to stare her down. He liked that. There was something in her he recognized, made him feel sympathetic to her. Loss. They’re both experienced a deep loss several times, but some of it recently. She desperately missed her mother. “You have to give us something belonging to you to show good faith. You will get it back before we part.”

Hordak knew this was a very common custom and it was the reason he’d brought the arm cannon. It was functional, yes, but still a prototype. Since it was a weapon, the princesses would want him to offer that, giving no notice to the fact that he was wearing armor that could be dangerous. He couldn’t risk that they wanted him to remove that. He knew there was a risk that Entrapta had told them how deformed he was beneath the metal, but something in him trusted, in spite of everything, that she would keep that secret between them.

He unstrapped the heavy, powerful cannon from his arm and offered it to the Queen who pulled She-Ra over to take it; a fairly wise decision as the weight of the weapon might prove too much for anyone else. But before she’d taken the cannon, Shadow Weaver stepped forward to stand on the other side of the Queen.

“What about the crystal? I sense that it has value.” The terrible woman gestured to the First Ones’ crystal at his throat. He didn’t flinch, although he felt terror creep under his skin at its mention. The memory of Catra taking the crystal - the fear that she might crush the thing that not just served as the only viable power source to his exceptional armor, but also was his last link to Entrapta - was still fresh in his mind. He’d crawled on his hands and knees to get it, not because he couldn’t have gathered strength enough for a moment to grab it from her, but because he’d been scared that she would destroy it before he got to her. He might have been able to replace the power source. But its connection to Entrapta was priceful.

“This decorative thing?” A talon dragged over the glass, creating an ear-splitting sound that made everyone else but he and Shadow Weaver flinch. “By all means, if you prefer this to the weapon…” He shrugged nonchalantly, acting considerably more smug than he felt at the risk of having to give away the only thing that kept him upright, both physically and mentally. But he knew his strategy would work.

“No no, we’re taking that arm cannon,” a boy with arrows on his back interjected. “Hand it over, Batlord.” Hordak raised an eyebrow in response to the childish nickname, but let it slide. Soon enough, they could get to the point. She-Ra took his offering and they headed inside.

The young princess from the Kingdom of Snows was waiting with two other princesses that he barely knew. He’d fought them in battle once, years ago, but had given very little thought to them.

"Can't we just, like, beat him up? Or arrest him. Then boom, no more Horde, right?" The child spoke with more excitement than he would’ve expected from a little girl. She conquered up a large bulk of ice on her hand shaped like a fist. He couldn’t help but raise an impressed eyebrow.

"That's not how we do it, Frosta. We have to honor our word. Otherwise we're no better than them." One of the older princesses whispered as he walked past them with the Queen and her little entourage.

"But we are better than them. We're the good guys." The girl replied with a pout. Sometimes he envied children for viewing the world so black and white. He’d been like that as well until he landed on this Prime-forsaken planet and was forced to see other colors.

He was led to a throne room so unlike his own that he could barely believe anyone could live like this. Those soft, almost white and glimmering lavender and pinkish colors hurt his eyes. There was nothing about him who fitted in here, although he could see Prime enjoying the minimalistic color scheme however frilly it was.

Instead of taking the throne, the Queen approached a shimmering table with room for seating thirty people. She gestured to the end of the table for him to take a seat while the rest of them sat down on each side of him as though they attempted to corner him. Right next to him was She-Ra on one side, followed by the mermaid princess and the one from Plumeria. Queen Glimmer sat down on the other with Shadow Weaver right next to her and the archer who looked quite uneasy.

The Queen was clearly relying on the sorceress’ advice. Foolish girl. She didn't know how dangerous the woman could be and he almost felt sorry for her.

While he took a notice of the seating arrangements, his line of sight was mostly focused on the doors to the room until they closed with guards on each side. A strange mix of dismay and elation seized him as he scouted the rafters without any sight of his princess; he deeply yearned to see her, but the lack of appearance from her suggested that she might truly be here against her will.

If that really was the case, then he had to free her. The easiest way was to mediate, although he didn’t have anything to offer in return for Entrapta; nothing was worth that much. An attack directly against Bright Moon would be the most logical solution, but not the most efficient. An infiltration then, he figured.

The Queen cleared her throat and he hurried to lower his gaze to the people at the table who were staring at him with apprehension. It seemed that he’d been lost in his thoughts amongst his enemies; it proved to them how little he feared them, although the truth was that his mind was in a different place.

“My Majesty, as the Queen, I suggest you act as moderator in this conversation.” Shadow Weaver spoke low into Queen Glimmer’s ear, but her eyes deep set behind the mask were focused on him. She was well aware how good his hearing was, having been caught many times through the years. The woman knew how to take advantage of the grief the Queen felt after losing her mother. He wondered briefly what Queen Angella would have thought about Shadow Weaver walking around freely.

He realized then that he had the perfect thing to offer the Queen in exchange for Entrapta: the two of them together would be able to find a way to open the void between dimensions that Angella had disappeared into without jeopardizing the existence of reality. There was no way she would refuse if she felt half as broken as him.

“Lord Hordak,” she interrupted his thoughts again, “why did you ask for this meeting?” She sounded worried, likely thinking that this was all a trick.

“I’m here for the Princess of Dryl.” He answered with poise. The princesses at the table looked at each other, seeming confused. Perhaps Entrapta had chosen to be here after all; it would make his chances of having her return to the Fright Zone close to zero. His chest constricted painfully at the thought. “I wish to speak with her.” At the very least, she could give him that. He grew frustrated as the glances shared across the table gave nothing away, only that they were puzzled by his request. Was it so unbelievable that he wanted a last word with his head scientist? The woman he’d let into his sanctum, shared his equipment and knowledge with, had grown affectionate for…

“I don’t understand,” the She-Ra looked at him with a frown and spoke the words he’d least expected: “Entrapta isn’t here.”

Chapter Text

She knitted her brows in utter confusion. Why was he looking for Entrapta in Bright Moon? The last they’d heard she was with the Horde and enjoying it very much. Had she indicated that she wanted to leave and had fled? Adora looked at her friends around the table who seemed as baffled by his request as she was. Shadow Weaver, on the other hand, looked rather intrigued; it wasn’t a look that made her at ease. She turned back to the warlord next to her. “I don’t understand. Entrapta isn’t here.”

None of them were prepared for the sound of shattering glass when Hordak’s talons pierced the smooth surface of the table. Long lines formed in the glass, like ice cracking, making the table look close to splintering into a thousand pieces. The silence that followed was tense as they all held their breaths.

“What do you mean she isn’t here?” Hordak said with deadly calm, although his bleeding claws wedged into the table made it obvious that he was anything but. Adora knew that this was an explosive situation, nearly impossible to defuse, and she racked her brain for a response that might placate the dangerous warlord.

Unfortunately, Mermista spoke first. “Are you dense or what? She joined the Horde, why would she be here?” The thick mockering tone she was so well known for was probably even worse than her words. Hordak’s reaction was immediate.

He rose so violently from his seat that the chair fell back and pulled his talons from the glass in a frightening roar of pure rage, blood spraying from his fingers over the floor. “Because she left! With you!” He bellowed, gripping the edge of the table and easily lifting it above his head before he threw it into a wall where it splintered, finally ending its suffering. Luckily, they were far enough away to avoid being injured the falling shards

Bow was the first of them to react, shooting an arrow with a net to bind Hordak’s wrists together; it was instantly torn apart. Perfuma’s magic formed long vines of plants that quickly tangled themselves around his limbs, rooting him to the spot. Those he managed to break as well, even as they kept coming. Mermista gathered water and threw constant waves against him, slowing his movements, but he still had enough energy to block the attack of Bow’s arrows while he fought against the vines, snarling like a wild animal.

The guards inside the room had come running, but stood back in hesitation when they saw the magical attacks; there was nothing they could do, other than not stand in the way, and for a moment Adora saw what it must be like to live in a world where magic is only for the chosen few when you had none. An image of Catra popped into her mind, but she shook it away. She had no more sympathy left for her.

Glimmer’s hand was in Shadow Weaver’s as they tried to send an enchantment Hordak's way, but each attempt failed. “Castaspella!” Glimmer yelled and the doors opened immediately. She had been keeping an eye out for other Horde soldiers with Netossa and Spinnerella and didn't seem to have heard the commotion before Glimmer called her. The throne room was sound isolated. Had Glimmer made her voice teleport in some way?

Castaspella ran around the struggling warlord and instantly gripped Glimmer’s hand. A brief glance was shared between her and Shadow Weaver before they both turned their eyes on Hordak. A large pink circle formed from their matching hand gestures which they then threw at Hordak. Instantly a bubble of sizzling magic appeared around him. The attacks from Perfuma, Mermista and Bow were blocked, but their efforts weren't needed anymore; the barrier proved impenetrable to Hordak as he punched and slashed his claws at it.

It wasn’t until the fight came to this end that Adora realized she’d been standing still through the whole thing. Usually, she threw herself first into any brawl when needed, but during this she’d been frozen, watching the spectacle from a distance. She wasn’t even She-Ra and had no sense of when she'd shed her avatar.

Most of the fight had seemed unnecessary to her. Maybe it was the fact that Hordak hadn’t actually attacked any of them. He’d reacted horribly to the news of Entrapta’s absence, but hadn’t moved to hurt any of them, only defended himself when they responded to his violent tantrum.

Adora was used to violent displays of anger from Catra, but she always lashed out at others. Hordak didn’t. However, she still recognized something in him that reminded her of the hurt Catra felt underneath the anger; perhaps it was the way his ears moved like hers, a show of emotions that Adora had subconsciously learned to read, beginning the moment she’d met Catra.

Whatever it was, Adora hadn’t felt justified in attacking Hordak. Lord Hordak and the Horde were dangerous to the Princess Alliance, but it wasn’t really the vicious warlord who had come here; it was the person beneath. And that person was deeply affected by the news that Entrapta’s whereabouts were unknown.

“Adora!” Glimmer called out to her and it was only then she tore her eyes away from Hordak inside the bubble who was trying to remove the remaining dead vines around his limbs, but otherwise seemed pacified for now, if not resigned to his fate. He even ignored it when Frosta came running with her fist of ice and tried to punch through the magic barrier. “Why didn’t you help? We really needed She-Ra! Didn’t you see how close he came to-”

“To what?” Adora interrupted with frustration and perhaps sympathy for their supposed guest. “Sure, he smashed a table in anger, but he wasn’t actually attacking us, Glimmer.” The others were gathering around them while she spoke and she felt them judging her.

Mermista scoffed and crossed her arms. “Not yet maybe.”

“Adora, he was clearly going to attack.” Perfuma added, although her words wavered a little. Glimmer and Bow who had taken his usual place by her side didn’t look uncertain.

“If we hadn’t acted first, he could’ve killed some of us in a second, Adora! I can’t believe you didn’t help us!” Bow was genuinely disappointed in her, a feeling she absolutely hated. She glanced at Shadow Weaver who’d taught her that failure wasn’t an option, but the sorceress’ eyes were on Hordak. He was sitting now, his back leaning against the wall of the bubble, as he sat with his elbows on his knees and his head hanging low. Defeated.

“He didn’t come with any intention to kill us. And why would he, just because we don’t know where Entrapta is? He’s clearly upset about it, but he’s smart enough to know that he won’t find her by killing us.” Her arguments were falling flat, but she wasn’t wrong about this. She had to trust her instincts.

“It doesn’t matter now. We’re all alive - no thanks to you - and we have him secure for now. We just have to figure out what to do with him.” Glimmer looked anxiously at Hordak who didn't seem to listen to them, but Adora could see his ears moving whenever one of them spoke.

“And Entrapta too, right?” Bow said. “I mean, if she isn’t with the Horde or here, then where is she?”

“Maybe in the Crypto Castle?” Perfuma suggested which made Mermista huff with a degrading laugh.

“I mean, I guess, but I think Hordak would look there first. The Horde occupies the place now.”

“She isn’t there,” their captive murmured, but only Adora paid attention.

“How do we find her then?” Bow looked at Glimmer for guidance, but she still had her eyes set on the warlord inside the barrier, her expression filled with an obvious urge for revenge. She was going through different stages in her grief for her mother, but she never really knew who to blame. Hordak for building the portal? Catra for pulling the lever? Or Angella for sacrificing herself and leaving her daughter?

Bow seemed to sense that Glimmer wasn't interested in Entrapta's role in this. “We have to find her. We already left her behind once!”

“It is possible to do a location spell,” Shadow Weaver slid up in front of Glimmer, blocking her line of sight on Hordak. “It would quickly solve this issue. All we need is something of hers and the power of the Moon Stone.”

Those words had made Hordak react. He was now sitting with his head upright and listening intensely with a fixated stare on… well, one of them. It wasn’t really possible to see who or what he was looking at when he didn’t have pupils.

Adora walked towards him with interest. She’d thought that the crystal by his throat was a curious thing compared to the rest of his armor and now she realized that something was written on it. As she came closer to the bubble, it was obvious to her that it was First Ones’ writing which meant she could read it. He turned away from her when he saw her looking, raising a hand to cover it, but she managed to catch the letters inscribed.

LUVD. The way to spell ‘loved’ in First Ones' writing. It was obviously engraved into the crystal not long ago. It suddenly became very clear to her who had given Hordak that crystal and why he had reacted so badly to the news that she was missing.

“That crystal,” Adora said loud enough for everyone to hear it, “you got that from Entrapta, didn’t you?” The others turned to look at Hordak who still had his back to them. When he didn’t respond to her question, she tried another strategy which was bound to work if he felt anything like what was inscribed at the base of his throat. “Then we might be able to use it to find her.” She looked to Shadow Weaver who nodded, although Adora recognized a dark glint in her eyes.

Hordak turned around immediately, hand still covering the crystal. “Can it be done?” Adora wondered if the others heard the hope in his voice underneath the indifference he tried to hide it with.

“It can.” Shadow Weaver stepped towards him and a small sneer appeared on his face. “All I need is a map of Etheria and that crystal,” she pointed at his throat with her grey, bony fingers which made Hordak clutch it as though to protect it, then she swiftly turned to Glimmer, “oh and possibly your assistance, My Majesty.”

“Not under any circumstances!” Hordak proclaimed through gritted teeth at the same time as Castaspella objected.

“Absolutely not! I can do the incantation without your help. I won’t let you abuse Glimmer’s powers anymore.” Having Castaspella do it without Shadow Weaver certainly was preferable, but Adora didn’t like the look on Glimmer’s face as her aunt went around her authority as the Queen of Bright Moon. That was exactly why she listened to Shadow Weaver: she spoke to her with respect - albeit likely a false kind - and didn’t underestimate her powers. She needed to be guided in her new role, not undermined.

“Very well, I’ll be in my garden then if you need me.” Shadow Weaver floated out of the throne room, taking most of the shadows with her. A sense of unease lifted from Adora’s shoulders, despite the warlord within close proximity of her. She turned to him. His expression showed a dignified calmness, but his ears flickered now and then with impatience. He didn’t want to show it, but he was desperate.

“Will you allow Castaspella to borrow the crystal for the spell?” She asked him, knowing the answer would be yes.

“If she promises to return it intact, then yes. I also want the Queen's word that I can leave peacefully and unharmed after I've learned the whereabouts of Entrapta. And I'm going to need a real chair, not a cage of magic.”

“Yeah right,” Mermista let out an expert scoff, followed by a weaker one from Bow, “like we’re stupid enough to let you go after you attacked us.”

“I did not attack you, I wrecked havoc on a table.” He hissed, then seemed to remember himself when he saw the expressions of distrust. “I apologize for my disrespect, Your Majesty. I was overcome with…” He hesitated.

“Emotions?” Perfuma supplied.

“No, absolutely not!” Hordak replied, though it was obvious that he was unsure, even when he schooled his expression into a neutral one. Could it be that the evil warlord of the Fright Zone didn’t understand his own feelings? “I swear to behave with propriety from now on, no matter what information I’m given.”

“I can turn my sword into a lasso and keep him constrained.” Adora offered when no one responded to Hordak. She trusted him for some strange reason, possibly more than she should. But he seemed genuine.

“Very well,” Glimmer answered after a moment of consideration. “Lord Hordak you will have back the crystal and leave uninjured if you act in a reasonable behavior without any violence or aggression. Bow, get my map of Etheria in my room. Lars and Scout, we need a new table, preferably a sturdy one.” She said to the guards who’d stood by in confusion; they saluted her and went out to find one.

Meanwhile, Adora readied the lasso while Castaspella let the containment spell around Hordak drop. He made no move to flee. “Can I be seated first?” He asked politely. Perfuma conjured plants from the floor to make a chair of vines and flowers. It made Hordak raise a sceptical eyebrow, but he still sat down without any questions. With a practiced flick of his talons at the top of his armor, the crystal landed into his large palm and he handed it to Castaspella. She hesitated, fear plain in her eyes, but then quickly grabbed it.

Hordak turned his head to Adora who’d watched every interaction. “I am ready.” He said, his voice having a slight, creaky quality. His jaw clenched as she tied him to the flower chair with the lasso, but he made no effort to move, just sat with dignity as he was incapacitated. She’d never imagined Hordak would surrender so willingly, even temporarily, and certainly not for another person. Entrapta had changed him.

When he was secured to everyone’s satisfaction and frankly, looking quite amusing in the flowery chair with a golden lasso around him, a new table had been brought in and a large map of Etheria laid out on it. It was close enough for Hordak to see from where he sat. Castaspella began the enchantment, mumbling words while making gestures into the air which lit up with magic. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the small crystal as she sent pink signs in a magical circle towards the crystal lying in front of her on the table.

It reacted the second the spell hit it. In a flash it raced over the map until it stopped abruptly and rose to stand upright with its tip balancing in a specific location on the map. All leaned in to read the name of the island where the crystal had found its owner, although they already knew the place because of its infamy.

“Move! Where is she? Let me see!” Hordak yelled urgently, his view blocked by everyone else as they watched the crystal pinpoint Entrapta’s fate. None of them wanted to step away in fear of his reaction.

Glimmer was the first to speak. She turned to him and said in a grave voice: “Lord Hordak, I request that you keep your calm when you see the current location of Entrapta.”

“Let. Me. See.” He ground out, his large red eyes seeming to burn into Glimmer.

“Very well. Everyone, step back.” They looked at each other in worry. Adora noticed Perfuma’s hands clench and heard Hordak hiss; she’d tied his wrists and ankles to the chair with her vines. Between that and Adora’s lasso, he shouldn’t be able to move. Finally, they stepped back.

They all watched as Hordak’s eyes found the crystal on the map and widened in horror. His voice croaked as he spoke, so hauntingly heartbreaking that Adora’s heart constricted.

“Beast Island.”

Chapter Text

His talons, bloody from the tiny shards of glass lodged into his flesh, dug into the branches of the makeshift chair where vines had wrapped around his wrists and now tightened their hold to the point of pain. But he felt no physical agony at that moment. The only thing he could feel was the utter destruction of his hearts - unfortunately figuratively speaking, yet no less real - as he tried to come to terms with the suffocating knowledge he'd just obtained.

Beast Island. Entrapta was on Beast Island and had likely been there for the whole two months she’d been gone. While he’d been nursing his broken hearts after her supposed betrayal, she had been fighting for her life; she still was, unless…

“Is she-” he swallowed a lump in his throat and it fell into his stomach like a large stone. He felt everyone's eyes on him, but all he could focus on was the purple crystal that balanced on its tip right in the middle of the small island on the map. “Does this spell show if she’s-… what condition she’s in?” He could not bear to think that he might never see her again. That she was...

‘No one survives Beast Island.’ Those words were burned into his memory. King Scorpio was the first to tell Hordak about the island where remains of the First Ones’ discarded technology had polluted the island. No one had been able to explain what happened to the people who were sent there, but it was clear that the beasts on the island weren’t the only thing that killed you.

“Unfortunately no. It only reveals the whereabouts of her… body.” The Mystacor magician answered with a doleful tone that gave him very little hope. His vision seemed to blur slightly and his breathing became more strained as he attempted to absorb this information. The armor was heavy without the crystal to power it and he began to feel gravity pull its weight downwards to slowly squeeze what little life that was left in his cursed body.

“I have to go,” he managed to say in spite of the sensation that someone had their hands around his throat. “Return the crystal to me at once.” His eyes were still locked on the crystal which had now made a little indent in the map where it stood. He was aware of the murmurs from the people around him as they argued, but couldn’t understand the words; his hearing was incapacitated by the rush of blood from his increasing pulse pounding inside his head. It wasn’t until a female hand grabbed the crystal off the map that he raised his gaze to the one who had taken it.

It was She-Ra. Adora as she was called without the magical avatar which had led her astray from the Horde. He had no past recollection of her, although she’d accused him of stealing her from her family. But a spark of recognition lit up within him as she walked over to him with the crystal in her hand, her expression one of sympathy. The memory of the time their paths must’ve crossed years ago - when he had supposedly abducted her - was clouded, a strange abnormality in his otherwise flawless personal memory, but he was sure that he remembered another moment in time where those eyes had looked at him in the same meaningful way.

She turned his right hand which was suddenly no longer bound by vines and placed the crystal in his palm. “Get her back,” she said and he nodded, grateful for her help. As she untied him, he slid the crystal into its slot by his throat and instantly felt the strain on his body lift, although the heavy pain in his chest still lingered. The thought of Entrapta’s fate was unbearable and he did his best to push it aside; he needed strength if he was to take on Beast Island.

The other princesses, the archer, the woman from Mystacor along with the Queen stepped further back from the table as he rose from the chair and walked over to the map to find the fastest route to Beast Island. The Fright Zone was closer to the island than Bright Moon and he would have to trek back through the Whispering Woods. However, his mission had become much more urgent now that he knew where Entrapta was stranded and he couldn’t risk that the volatile woods suddenly turned on him. If he went East, he would pass Dryl where he could stock up on weapons and take one of the Horde’s aircrafts at the base and travel the last distance over the Meadowlands to the shore much faster. From there it would be half an hour at most before he reached Beast Island.

But first he would have to leave Bright Moon which could prove to be a problem. He had theoretically broken the truce by destroying the glass table, even if he hadn’t attacked anyone nor meant any harm. They might be sensible enough to let him go, but there was little chance that they would return the arm cannon unless he had something to bargain with. He would need that cannon if he was to search Beast Island for Entrapta. Luckily, he'd already conceived an idea he could use as a bargaining chip.

“Your Majesty,” he turned towards the Queen, trying his best to look composed, “I want to express my gratitude for your aid in tracking down Entrapta and I deeply apologize for my impolite response. It was not my intention to act with violence. I cannot undo my actions, but if you allow me to leave Bright Moon with my weapon as we originally agreed upon, I have something to offer in return.”

It was obvious that Queen’s interest was sparked immediately, though she tried her best to conceal it. “I accept your apology, Lord Hordak, in spite of your outburst. I’m willing to hear what you offer in repentance.” He withheld a smile when he heard the eagerness in her voice.

“The portal I built caused more harm than I’d anticipated. It was in no way my intention and had I known, I wouldn’t have allowed Force Captain Catra to activate it.” He saw the Queen’s eyes darkening as he recounted the event that had forced her mother to sacrifice herself, but his mind was suddenly occupied with the memory of Catra insisting to pull the lever to switch on the portal. Why had she been so persistent, so angry?

The appearance of Sh- Adora at his side and her serious eyes forced him to focus on the matter at hand. “If- When I have saved Entrapta from the clutches of Beast Island, she and I will work on retrieving the Queen Mother from the place she’s trapped between dimensions. It is my belief that I will succeed with Entrapta’s assistance.”

The Queen’s eyes lit up with surprise and apparent hope. Before she could compose herself, tears flooded her eyes and a smile broke out. “I can have my mom back?” She stepped a little closer to him, trying to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. He nodded, unable to hide the small smile on his own face. Perhaps they could both have their beloved back. Queen Glimmer seemed to remember herself when the archer stepped up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She stood up straighter and regained her regal pose. “I accept your offering, Lord Hordak. You may have your weapon back and be allowed to go in peace. I expect to hear from you when you return with Entrapta.” She didn’t say it, but he could see the disbelief in her eyes; she didn’t believe that Entrapta was alive and the very notion infuriated him.

If Entrapta had indeed lost her life, it was because of his failings, he reminded himself. He shouldn’t blame this young Queen who was grieving as well when he was responsible for both their losses.

With his rage aimed at himself, he found the self-control to offer his hand to confirm their agreement. She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and firmly shaking it. “It’s settled then.” Her eyes were only locked with his for a short second before she looked at Adora next to him, her hand quickly dropping away from their brief handshake. “Adora, will you be kind and fetch Lord Hordak’s weapon?” Adora nodded with bright eyes - she was clearly satisfied with the arrangement - then hurried out of the room.

Only a few seconds passed in silence before the Queen was pulled to the side by her friends. He acted as though he couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but he heard everything. “Yeah, so this seems like a bad idea. I mean, do we really believe someone could survive for months on Beast Island?” It was the Princess from Salineas speaking.

“Glimmer, he obviously won’t uphold his end of the deal when he discovers that Entrapta is dead. He’ll likely come after us, madder than ever.” The archer said with conviction. They all continued like this, unaware of how painful every word was to Hordak as they stabbed at what little hope he had of finding her alive and in good health on the island. His eyes began to sting and he squeezed them shut to fight off the tears; the princesses had seen enough of his weaknesses.

“Well, if he didn’t send her there, who did?” He recognized the flower princess’ voice, asking the others a question he hadn’t asked himself yet. How did she end up in that horrible place? Someone must’ve banished her to the island and it could be anyone who had been in the Fright Zone at the time of her disappearance.

It was a fact that every kingdom on Etheria used the island as a way to dispose of prisoners, traitors and the like; it had been expected that he as the new Lord of the Fright Zone did the same when King Scorpio fell, but truth be told, he had never actually done it. It reminded him too much of his own fate of being sent to the front lines by Prime. Shadow Weaver was meant to have been the first until Catra had let her escape.

Catra. Entrapta had convinced him not to send her to Beast Island, to let her prove her worth. And she had done so in the Crimson Waste, a place more commonly used as punishment in the Horde. In an unexpected twist it was now Entrapta forsaken on that damned island while Catra was threatening him, so she could take over command of the Horde.

Catra was everything Entrapta was not: ruthless, untrustworthy and inconsiderate of those closest to her. He’d seen her treat Entrapta with malice, even though the latter had assured him that they were friends. But Catra would stop at nothing if someone got in her way. Had Entrapta gotten in her way? Catra had been the one who last saw Entrapta as far as he knew, the one who had told him of her betrayal.

It suddenly seemed so very clear to him: Catra had been the one to send Entrapta to certain death on Beast Island! His brilliant scientist had gotten in the way of Catra’s own agenda and had paid the price by being sent to the very place she’d saved her alleged friend from.

Such a fool he had been for trusting that sinister cat who’d proved herself a liar before! He had been so caught up in his own unworthiness as Entrapta’s friend that he had doubted her sincerity and had believed Catra’s words in spite of her deceitful nature that she’d likely learned from Shadow Weaver. He’d been so absorbed in his own self-loathing that he hadn’t realized how traitorous she’d actually become. And Entrapta had suffered as a result of his neglectance.

Of course, Catra couldn’t have acted on her own. She wasn’t gone from the sanctum long enough to have gotten Entrapta on a transport vessel. Someone must’ve helped her and it had to be one with a high ranking to have ordered a transport to Beast Island without him being informed of it. It was obvious who'd acted as Catra's accomplice: Force Captain Scorpia. The very person who’d sent him on this wild goose chase to Bright Moon when she was well aware of Entrapta’s location. He should’ve known with all the information she seemed to have about that fateful day.

Catra and Scorpia, two people Entrapta had seen as her friends and they had both betrayed her. Just like the princesses had left her behind in the Fright Zone when she’d first arrived there. How could anyone treat her like that? She was so kind and brilliant, a precious gem among the dirty rubble that lived on Etheria.

Anger burned inside him. How he wished to send a storm of brimstone and fire down upon everyone who’d ever treated Entrapta with anything but kindness. How dare they!

But hadn't he done the same? Not only had he attempted to drive her from his sanctum several times until he learned of her exceptional skills, an overhasty mistake that was only righted because of her insistent curiosity. Yet, again, on the very day of her disappearance - even after she'd become his confidant, his friend - he had snapped at her in such a reckless manner which she hadn't deserved. Her downhearted expression still haunted him daily; he'd believed that the mindless action had caused her to betray him, that it had been the final straw to her, but instead it might've been the very last time he would ever get to see her.

His injured talons dug into his palms until his skin broke; it was the only thing that kept him grounded as he stood in this sparkling palace while Entrapta might be fighting for her life far from here. He needed to get out of here, to get to her before it was too late.

“For the honor of Grayskull!” The sentence sounded from another room nearby and it was just barely enough to pull him from his towering fury that threatened to unleash itself upon his surroundings. It was the mention of Grayskull that caught his attention; he remembered it. At least it was in his memories, but not from his time on Etheria. He quickly realized that the name had come from the last remains of the Hivemind.

He’d sometimes stumbled upon information he’d never directly obtained from the Hivemind when he was still connected, but which somehow had found its way into his permanent memories. Usually, it was useful; it was how he’d known how to operate additional ports correctly into his skin or what to feed the Imp with after he’d become sentient and escaped his pod. But never such a meaningless thing as a name. Nevertheless, it was strange how it appeared to relate to the avatar of the She-Ra.

Adora, as She-Ra, emerged with his arm cannon. “Sorry, it took so long. It’s really heavy for a normal person. Here you are.” She handed him the arm cannon with a kind smile and it was so amiable that he nearly felt the urge to ask her about the origin of Grayskull. But they were still enemies and while Adora struck him as someone who’d gladly share information, he doubted her comrades would approve of it. They were already scowling at him as though he’d overstayed his welcome and he supposed he had; none of this had gone as he’d imagined, but at least he knew the truth about Entrapta’s disappearance and hopefully, it wouldn’t be too late… He would save her. The alternative was too horrible to imagine.

“Thank you, She-Ra,” he said before looking at Queen Glimmer and her companions, “and to you as well. I’m grateful for the information you’ve provided me with and I will do my very best to rescue the Princess of Dryl.”

“Do you need help? I mean, we care about Entrapta too.” Adora asked.

“I think it’s best our ways as allies part here. I will take my leave immediately.” Everyone but Adora looked relieved; she seemed rather worried. He wondered if she was the only one of the so-called Alliance who truly cared about Entrapta.

He bowed his head slightly as a farewell, then turned to exit the room. She-Ra jogged after him and in silence followed him out and down to the Horde skiff which was surrounded by a bunch of children who seemed excited to see such a machine up close. He was almost sad to see them run away when he neared; it would’ve been entertaining to show off his arm cannon to them. Perhaps even recruit some of them.

Before he entered the skiff, he looked down to see the short Adora standing next to him. It was eerie how she switched so silently back to herself. Magic had always made him uneasy. “Good luck, Hordak. I’m sure she’s alright. If anyone can survive on Beast Island, it’s Entrapta.”

He appreciated her sentiment. And she was right: Entrapta was an incredible person. She might even have discovered what made the island so dangerous. “Thank you, Adora. You’ve been very… obliging.” He cringed at his own words. Compliments were new to him, but Entrapta had taught him their value.

At last, he left Bright Moon, relieved that Entrapta hadn’t left him by her own will, but fearful of what she’d suffered after two months on the most perilous place on Etheria. But he would find her, even if he had to sacrifice everything he had to save her.

Chapter Text

Adora watched as the Horde skiff drove east towards Dryl at extraordinary speed, her thoughts working through the new information she’d received in the last few hours and what she’d learned about Hordak.

She could probably count on her hands how many times she’d been in the same room as him when she was in the Horde and he’d always been distant; observing rather than engaging, except for a final command before he ordered everyone to leave. Supposedly, she would’ve interacted with him more after she’d been appointed Force Captain, handing in monthly reports and receiving direct orders, but she never got that far.

Her only other interaction with him before today was when Catra had brought her to him as a prisoner. He’d been more focused on her sword and its ability to open his portal that he had barely acknowledged her presence at first. She’d engaged him in conversation, not the other way around. Entrapta had been there too, but at the time she hadn’t seemed to be more than a scientist working with Hordak. Although as Adora looked back upon the fateful day, she remembered how Entrapta had dropped the sword that she’d been so intrigued by when Hordak had groaned with apparent pain. It had frustrated Adora at the time because of how careless Entrapta was acting, but now she was wondering if it had been a clue to Entrapta’s feelings for the warlord.

Furthermore, she had not paid much attention to the conversation between Catra and Hordak when she’d heard that her friends had arrived to rescue her, but hadn’t Hordak turned oddly upset and agitated after that? Was that the moment he’d been informed of Entrapta’s alleged betrayal?

In that case it was obvious who had come up with that lie. The whole thing oozed of Catra’s manipulation. But could she really be the one who’d sent Entrapta to Beast Island?

Adora had always done her best to see the good in people, even those who were her enemies. Everyone had a reason for their deeds, good or bad, and as someone who’d grown up in the Horde, she knew that very few in the Fright Zone were truly nefarious; Shadow Weaver and Hordak had been on the top of that list. At least she’d thought so. But she’d seen another side of Hordak today that had her question whether he was diabolic or simply against feudalism on Etheria.

Meanwhile, she’d thought that Catra was inherently good, but now found all evidence pointing against her assessment. If her former friend really had sent Entrapta - a strange, but genuinely nice and useful alley - to her certain death and lied about it to Lord Hordak, then she had gone too far.

Adora had given up on trying to save her friendship with Catra after the portal incident, but she couldn’t let her continue that wicked behavior. Hordak must already have reached the same conclusion as Adora and would definitely kill Catra if Entrapta had died on Beast Island; it was highly plausible that he would kill her no matter the outcome.

She doubted that Catra feared death after having seen her rash and hazardous actions when reality was collapsing, but she might change her ways if Adora told her the truth: that her behavior was reminiscent of the person Catra had hated the most; that she was turning into the new Shadow Weaver.

Adora knew that her friends wouldn’t let her go to the Fright Zone to warn their enemy, but this wasn’t up to them. They didn’t know what she and Catra had been through when they grew up with Shadow Weaver as their guardian and how Catra had been punished for everything while Adora had been praised. No one in the Alliance could even begin to understand it.

She decided to do the easy thing: tell them that she was going to the Crystal Castle to train with Swift Wind. It would mean listening to Swift Wind complain and argue when he learned where they were really going, but it was still a better option than explaining it to her friends.

Hopefully, Catra would listen to reason for once. Otherwise, this would surely be her downfall.

Shadow Weaver had lingered in the shadows outside the throne room during the rest of Hordak’s stay and had heard every word. In spite of her dislike of the little catgirl she’d raised, she had to acknowledge that Catra had done well. It was impressive how she’d somehow come close enough to manipulate Hordak and have him trust her enough to believe that the Dryl princess had betrayed the Horde.

If only Shadow Weaver had predicted Hordak’s fascination with the little scientist sooner, she would’ve done something similar and used it to her advantage. Maybe then she wouldn’t have been forced to flee the Fright Zone.

Of course, now that Hordak was off to Beast Island to save the Dryl princess, the Fright Zone and the Black Garnet were free for the taking. It would be easy to reclaim her position there or perhaps become the leader. After all, Hordak wasn’t likely to survive his stay on the deadly island; the princess certainly couldn’t have.

Catra might object if Shadow Weaver returned to take the throne, but she knew exactly how to handle that little nuisance; she knew that girl better than anyone, how desperate she was for approval. A mere mention of her accomplishment as second-in-command and the manipulation of Hordak would be enough to have Catra eating out of her hand. 

As leader of the Fright Zone, Shadow Weaver could use the Horde’s resources to take control of the other runestones and become more powerful than even She-Ra herself. And it was all thanks to Catra.

Chapter Text

It took him a few hours to reach the kingdom of Dryl which he spent on briefing his highest ranking subordinates, starting with Force Captain Cobalt. He was the only one currently at the Fright Zone with several years of experience since the Force Commanders all were out in the field and though he wasn’t particularly clever - the reason why he hadn’t been promoted to Force Commander yet - he was a better choice to be in charge of the Fright Zone for a longer period of time. Especially since Hordak now knew that Scorpia couldn’t be trusted.

He informed Cobalt that he was going to Dryl to track down Princess Entrapta, knowing that Scorpia would discover the truth if he was to reveal his true mission, and sent out a quick memorandum to alert the staff and the soldiers in training of Cobalt’s temporary status as the highest authority until a Force Commander returns to the Fright Zone.

He contacted Force Commander Grizzlor next. The lion man was currently with Catra and luckily someone who could be trusted. To a certain degree at least. He had a fierce temper which was why Hordak apprised him of Entrapta’s true whereabouts, but not who had sent her there; otherwise, he would’ve gone after Catra himself for deserting the kind princess on Beast Island. Hordak told him to keep Entrapta’s location a secret. Furthermore, he ordered Grizzlor to make an excuse to hold up the youngest Force Captains, including Catra and Scorpia, at the Fright Zone when their squadron returned during the night. The trustworthy feline didn’t ask any question and promised to follow his leader’s commands.

Lastly, he spoke to Force Commander Octavia. Her squadron was near Skull Path on their way back from the kingdom of Snows after Catra had decided that they should focus their efforts on one target. Octavia's was the team closest to Beast Island. He told her, in full confidentiality, what he'd learned in Bright Moon about Entrapta's fate and who he suspected to be behind it. As Entrapta had made a highly technologically advanced eye for Octavia to replace her damaged eye, he knew that she could be entrusted with such a secret about their mutual friend's current location. The Force Commander was enraged by this information, although not surprised because she claimed that she'd never believed that Entrapta was capable of betraying the people in the Horde.

Unfortunately, she didn't think she could persuade any soldiers to go to Beast Island to find Entrapta. As beloved as the tiny princess was, no one dared to go there; Octavia was certain that her soldiers would rather defect and risk a swift death as punishment than follow them to the island of their worst nightmares.

The commander offered to go along with Hordak, but he declined. The truth was that her squadron needed a commander and if they returned to the Fright Zone without Octavia, Catra would suspect something was amiss. He also knew that Octavia could become dangerously aggressive when faced with an immediate threat to her person and he would worry too much about her mind snapping in such a place.

Alas, he would have to go on his own. It didn't come as a surprise to him and he felt confident in his own abilities, but strength lay in numbers; Horde Prime had taught him that. Not that Prime would ever put his own life in jeopardy for anyone nor waste his clones on rescuing one. After all clones were expendable.

But Hordak knew for certain that Entrapta was not. She was the only one in the whole universe that he would willingly travel to the cursed island for; perhaps with the exception of Prime, but then it would be required of him. Saving Entrapta was his own choice, a concept that still felt strange to him even after thirty years on this backwater planet without a connection to Prime or the Hivemind. He’d been forced to make choices, but kept them limited and only related to his military operations. In regards to his own person, he did the bare minimum. 

Entrapta had taught him that it was acceptable to choose options that benefitted your personal comfort and even preferences. When he’d given her a private room worthy of a princess, she’d still chosen to sleep in a vent near his sanctum because it was more to her liking, and when he’d offered her the very best food on Etheria, she’d only eaten a few berries, then gone for the ration bars because they were easy to break into tiny pieces as she preferred. She encouraged him to have a more comfortable resting space and eat what he enjoyed the taste of, rather than the bare minimum. He felt unworthy, but it had improved his physical and mental health.

Of course, he’d gone back to his old ways when she disappeared, more certain than ever that he was not worthy of life’s pleasures. He’d imagined that the princesses had offered her not only more quality tiny foods, but friendships with people who weren’t emotionally stunted like he was. The sad truth was that he had very little to offer her besides his knowledge (which was limited) and his sanctum. Even though she’d not left him willingly, she deserved more than befriending a defect alien who was unfamiliar with the concept of friendship, companionship and… love.

Pain in his chest gripped him as he thought of the kind things she'd done for him. He’d been blessed with a year with her and she’d only been repaid by being betrayed by his own soldiers. Not only that, but he’d doubted her agency to choose where she wished to be. Entrapta was not the type to leave without a word; she knew how difficult it could be to understand others’ motives, so she always made sure that they understood hers.

The very least he could do for her now was rescue her from the island. It would show her that he cared, that she mattered. He’d never leave her behind like the princesses’ had done and he would never betray her. Whatever she chose when they returned from Beast Island, he would respect it, even if it meant that he would never see her again.

If they returned from Beast Island. The constant buzz in his head turned louder, the persistent reminder that she could be dead. ‘No one survives on Beast Island.’ King Scorpio’s voice repeated again and again. He thought of the many ways she could’ve perished already, her last thoughts of how little she’d meant to him. It was likely the most horrible scenario he could imagine.

It was best that no one followed him to Beast Island. Force Commander Octavia may be mentally unstable at times, but Hordak was well aware that his own weak mind wouldn’t withstand the knowledge that Entrapta was truly gone. Deep inside he was already laying plans to burn the island to the ground and himself along with it. Let it die for killing her and him for failing her.

His mind was utterly exhausted when he reached Dryllian territory by the foot of the tallest mountain where the Horde had set up their camp. They’d originally planned to use the Crypto Castle as their command post, much to Entrapta’s amusement; the first squad who entered the castle along with her to pack her things had fallen into traps while the second got lost in the maze of corridors and levels when they tried to retrieve the first squad. After Force Commander Leech got stuck in a door which was actually a trap, Hordak had allowed them an additional budget to set up a camp and let the castle be.

Force Commander Leech was the first to properly greet him, except for a few acceptable bows from the soldiers who watched him step out of the skiff; he’d likely been alerted of the Lord's imminent arrival. “Lord Hordak, what an honor to have you visit. To what do we owe this pleasure?” He was one of the least compelling creatures in the Horde, large and green with suction cups on his hands and feet and a giant mouth full of teeth. However, his appearance wasn’t why he’d been given an assignment so far from the Fright Zone. Leech was loyal, one of the first to join the Horde in hopes of equality, but he didn’t work well with others. He’d grown up with his clan in isolation because they were shunned from society and he still suffered from the lack of exposure to other people. In Dryl he had his own squadron who knew him and who he could trust. It was an important job to guard the kingdom they’d been gifted when Entrapta joined the Horde and many of their resources were mined from this place. Having Leech in charge here was beneficial for both of them.

Hordak had actually never been to Dryl before. As he saw the Dryllian flag flutter beside that of the Horde, he felt an odd sensation in his chest, as though something gripped him. Dryl and the Horde, a marriage between the most technologically advanced kingdoms on Etheria. The Dryllian people were happy in spite of the Horde’s interference which was kept at a bare minimum and they had gained a trading partner. In turn the Horde had gained valuable resources and more territory.

But he’d personally been given something invaluable: a lab partner. A friend. And seeing their flags waving side by side made his hearts ache with a deep longing to see her again. Like the crystal, the Crypto Castle was a connection to her and suddenly he felt the need to explore it. That, along with the exhaustion he felt in his very bones, made him answer the Force Commander differently than originally planned.

“I’m here to search for old recordings the Princess may have made about ancient technology before she joined the Horde.” He knew that Entrapta had digitalized all her old recordings, but Leech didn’t know this. He just needed a few hours in this castle where no one had disturbed the remains of her presence. It would give him strength. “After that, I will be taking Horde Aircraft Razor model 7G to continue my travel.”

“Very well, I'll make the arrangements to have it ready for you, Sir.” Leech replied, not appearing to suspect anything amiss. “But I’ll advise you not to enter that castle. It’s a maze littered with traps. If I didn’t know better I would say it was made by a crazy person.” He laughed, a mixture of a deep chuckle and suction sounds with his many teeth on display.

“Not to worry. I know where to go.” Hordak moved past the Force Commander and through the small camp to follow the road up to the castle. Leech's comment implying that Entrapta was mentally unwell when she simply had enjoyed herself devising complicated pathways incensed him. Building a confusing layout of the castle and laying out traps actually seemed like quite a rational way to protect herself, a small princess in a large castle. He didn’t know how long she’d lived without living companionship, except for a few servants, only that her parents had died when she was six. Thereafter, she’d begun making robots to replace the people she struggled to communicate with.

The Crypto Castle had been built on a flat surface on the side of the mountain, bearing resemblance to an actual fortress. Though it didn’t appear to be connected to the mountain, he knew that hidden passages led into it. The structure itself was beautiful, a much different style than the one in Bright Moon, but more to Hordak’s taste. It wasn’t embellished, but offered its own kind of simple, effortless beauty - much like its princess.

Lights from the purple-tinted windows lit up the stone walls outside and he remembered that she'd connected the whole powergrid in Dryl to moon panels on the other side of the mountain. It was brilliant how she always found a way to make use of Etheria’s natural resources. The lights reminded him so much of her and he felt drawn to the castle, secretly hoping against hope that she might be there. Could he really trust the magic that had pointed him to Beast Island? Perhaps he would find her inside, tinkering with a new project which had captured her attention. He knew how unlikely the scenario was, but his insides churned whenever he thought about her actual whereabouts; sometimes it felt easier to pretend. 

As he reached the entrance, unlocked as though it wanted to welcome any guests into its dangerous lair, he pulled out a datapad and accessed his personal account. While he didn’t have Entrapta’s recordings which contained her theories and data on the First Ones' technology, as well as her voice that he so longed to hear, he did have all the data she’d written down, including that which she had brought along with her when she moved from Dryl to the Fright Zone. It was easy to find the right file, even in her less than well-organized folders. When he opened it, a detailed map of the Crypto Castle’s labyrint appeared.

He could’ve shared it with the Force Commander, but he’d chosen not to. It would’ve disturbed what little there was left of Entrapta’s presence there. Besides, there was no guarantee that she’d remembered to write down every trap, not if she’d added it at a spur of the moment. Imp had learned that the hard way once where Entrapta on a whim had added a contraption to the vent leading into the sanctum without informing anyone. The poor thing was scared of shoes for weeks after.

The maze was built in the most impressive manner without any pattern to discern a way in or out. He saw no signs of walls put up to lead the intruder in a certain direction, but there were subtle traces of the original building’s construction. At some point this had been a fairly ordinary castle, but changes had been made to confuse whoever came as a guest and he knew who had done it.

The map led him through hidden trap doors and hatches which weren't built for his 7 feet frame and while he was positive that he went in circles on four occasions, it did give him the opportunity to appreciate the architecture, old and new, and realizing how it had influenced Entrapta’s aesthetics. Although she didn’t take notice of it herself, her machines and robots bore clear likeness to her former home: earthly colors mixed with purple or magenta. Even her choice of First Ones’ crystals often leaned towards these colors when possible. It was probably why her robots were unpainted; the single added color of a power crystal was enough. A tint of liveliness in the otherwise monotone surface.

Just like she’d embedded the purple crystal into his armor and how she herself had brightened his life.

For a moment he pictured the dark jungle of Beast Island lit up by her brightness, an impossible feat that he nonetheless imagined her capable of. But the island was malicious and his inner eye conjured up an image of creeping shadows in the jungle pulling her into the darkness, the light of her magenta eyes dying along with her screams.

He came to an immediate stop in one of the endless halls and barely managed to bend over as he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the stone floor. Her dying screams echoed in his mind, even drowning out the sound of his retching. His skin grew sweaty, despite how cold it was, and his hearts beat furiously. He tried desperately to dispel the images in his head - the very plausible scenario of Entrapta’s fate that he didn’t want to face - but they persisted. There was no more in his stomach, yet he kept dry-heaving, his body now trembling from exhaustion and emotional distress. 

Finally, he grabbed the crystal and pulled it from its slot - needing to see the proof of her existence, needing a connection to her - but it only caused his legs to give and he fell to his knees. Pain shot through his body from the impact, but it was enough to distract him from the inner agony that had plagued him a minute ago. So was the stench from his vomit in which he’d landed.

He looked down at the crystal in his palm, but averted his gaze again quickly; it would do him no good to be submerged into more horrific fantasies. He’d already failed her, but he would do his best to right his wrong and he could only do that if he remained level-headed.

He wasn’t far from her lab where her bedroom with en suite bathroom was accessible through a hatch; he could clean his filthy armor there, an easy task as only the metal had been soiled. He reinserted the crystal in its slot and was supplied with energy to rise from his wretched state. It was fortunate that they had never installed security cameras in the castle or else he would’ve been utterly shamed by his underlings. They wouldn't dare say anything to his face, naturally, but it still wouldn't do. 

It took him a few minutes to reach her former laboratory which was completely empty as expected. Only two bare worktables stood left behind as a sad reminder of what had once dwelled in this space. He swiftly moved on and headed for her bedroom which might be less desolate and had running water that allowed him to wash.

He hesitated outside her bedroom door, unsure if he wanted to know what was behind it. It was probably just a simple bedroom, rarely used because she might’ve slept in her lab or in a vent somewhere; it would be very much like her. But it would crush his hope of feeling a little bit closer to her.

What awaited him on the other side of the door was somehow as he should've expected: the room was tiny with barely three meters to each side and the ceiling too low for Hordak to stand upright. It was painted in a dark purple color which kept it dark and almost cozy. The floor was a mess of unfinished machines, papers with scribbles on them and various personal items, like a few hairbrushes, discarded clothes and an open pack of thankfully unused band-aids.

He bent down and entered the room, surprised by the lack of dust inside. Entrapta must’ve kept it completely isolated in an airtight vacuum, a clever method to preserve her things without having to pack them. Instead, the small space smelled purely of engine oil and lavender, a combination that reminded him so much of her that his breath hitched as he strangled a sob. 

It was embarrassing that he was so affected by her absence, even after all this time, but where he before had been heartbroken by her betrayal, he was now terrified that he would never see her again. Had she just left him, he would’ve at least known that she was happy and safe with the princesses, but now… No, he would keep his mind focused. Clean, rest and rescue her.

Spotting the door to the bathroom, according to Entrapta’s map at least, he stumbled through the clutter on the floor with a hunched back and lowered head to avoid bumping it up into the ceiling. As he opened the door, a familiar voice spoke.

“Hi Entrapta, it’s you!” An endearing cackle followed. “I know you’re tired and just wanna go to bed. BUT you have to shower to get rid of the worst stains and brush your teeth after all those fizzy drinks. The dentist bot doesn't work yet. Most importantly brush your hair, otherwise it gets cranky! And remember to take off your clothes and send it down the laundry shoot before the shower or else it will stick to your body and remember how much we hate that?”

Hordak’s chest burned with both relief and intense heartche. The sound of her voice was more soothing to him than he had ever acknowledged during the time they worked together and he was overjoyed to hear it again, but it reminded him of how much he took her presence for granted. She should have known how much she meant to him. And now she might never know it.

A click interrupted the recording and there was a brief pause before another voice spoke. “Being clean and refreshed keeps a scientist at her best.”

The male voice had a familiar accent to it that reminded him of Entrapta and the rattled quality of the recording made him conclude that it was made many years ago. It seemed very likely that it was her father or someone close to her; the fact that she’d added the recording to her daily routine spoke volumes of her attachment to this person.

He knew Entrapta had been lonely after her parents’ death. She’d replaced them with robots, but they hadn’t been adequate and she’d taken to talking to herself because of it. Perhaps that was why she’d needed to hear this voice, to remind her that she’d had more. Although it might’ve caused her more pain than good. He was beginning to suspect that it was the same for him in this place. 

He cleaned his armor in the plain blue bathroom, deciding to take extra care to wipe down every surface because he’d traveled the halls filled with dust and cobwebs. Her room was so clean because of the vacuuming method that had kept it airtight and he’d loathe to dirty it.

Afterwards he went back into her bedroom, bone-weary and heavy-hearted. He was aware that he needed to rest and there was nowhere better to find it because her room provided him with comfort, yet he knew it was shallow; it couldn’t replace her.

As he sat down on the bed, he noticed an object on her nightstand and reached for it in curiosity. It was a robotic figure of some sort, resembling a standard humanoid Etherian with a bland look on its face. Nothing decorated the matted metal surface nor did it seem to have a function of any kind; there was nothing remarkable about it.

He was about to put it down on the nightstand when he heard a rattle inside it. It only took him a few seconds to find a small hatch at the top of the figure’s head which he popped open. A small purple stone fell out just as he heard another click of a recorder.

“Everyone is made from the same mold, whether they look like us or not. We all have value. But some people are born with a special atom inside them that makes them unique. This atom gives them incredible powers of focus, intelligence or the ability to absorb knowledge. But it can also make some things very difficult to understand. It takes a strong mind to have such an atom.

“You, my sweet girl, have an atom inside you, much like this stone. Try to put it on the robot; see how it uses the iron’s magnetic ability to stay where you placed it. It makes the robot more beautiful, doesn’t it?

“This makes you one of a kind and though it can seem like a curse at times, it is a true gift. Never give up, no matter how hard things may seem. Your gift will change Etheria in ways that not even preliminary data can predict.”

“Does it make me perfect, daddy?” a young voice asked and Hordak felt his throat constrict; he knew that voice.

“No, it doesn’t. And where would the fun be in that? Perfection leaves nothing to improve, nothing to explore. What need for scientific experimentation would there be if everything was perfect? What's important is that you stay true to yourself. And always remember that you are loved.”

Hordak choked on a sob as the recording ended. He lifted the robot and placed the little stone at the place where the head connected to the body and it perched itself there, a marking of the robot’s uniqueness. Entrapta’s father’s words had been for the little girl who was different from others and needed a visualisation. He’d never know how it would resonate with an alien warlord almost 30 years later.

But Entrapta had carried that sentiment with her and had probably tried to believe her father's words, even when people didn’t treat her nicely. He desperately hoped that she somehow still knew the truth: that she was loved.

Chapter Text

Entrapta wanted to stomp her feet in frustration, but it would be too risky. She’d just barely escaped the caterpillar beast that apparently was capable of climbing trees as well, but it had cost her the welding mask she was so fond of. It didn’t have any sentimental value and it would be fun to find an alternative to replace the mask, it was just that she didn’t like change.

Although most people thought she was impulsive, she had many routines that she needed to feel balanced and if the routine was changed for some reason, it was important to know in advance. Otherwise, she would react with anger or disappear into her own head. It was how she’d ended up as a hermit when her fathers died; her entire routine was destroyed. She’d salvaged some by making robots, but it wasn’t the same.

However, it was hard to keep any kind of schedule for her days on Beast Island and that made her vulnerable to whatever this island fed on. The only thing that had kept her alive so far was her natural curiosity to discover what made things tick. And the island ticked like a bomb!

She usually avoided the feelings of failure and insecurity by keeping herself busy. At first it had been easy because she needed to find shelter and food, a task that kept her mind occupied. She’d pushed the nagging thoughts about Hordak’s rejection into the back of her head until she'd obtained the basic means for survival.

The realisation that some kind of signal was enhancing her depressing thoughts had come when she’d begun work on a plan to escape the island. Something had whispered to her that no one wanted her, that everyone sent her away or left her behind because she was annoying and weird and not worth more than what she could offer them.

She’d always been good at keeping those thoughts at bay in her life, but the island seemed to find them and explore them, making her forget the physical world around her. Then long black vines would snake around her limbs until they’d bound her completely to the island.

She’d only escaped the vines the first time because of a man who looked to have been there a long time; he had used a magical enchantment that made the vines wither before he had tried to pull her up from the ground by her hand. The touch to her easily overstimulated hand yanked her out of her haze of insecurities, but it also caused her to run away and spend an hour shaking the sensation of the direct touch out of her hand.

Since then she’d seen the man here and there, even leaving him a few leaf cups of soup as a thank you. After all he did try to help; how could he know that she couldn’t handle it when people abruptly touched her hands?

But she didn’t want to connect with him. Even though they would have greater chances of survival if they worked together, she knew that more social interactions would mean more failure. In a place such as this, it would literally kill her if another person cast her aside like she was nothing.

Her interest in the signal had made her focus less on escaping. The island’s abilities were fascinating and she needed to know more. It had led her further towards the center of the island where it grew stronger. There were less beasts, either because of the lack of food or because they felt the signal too, but she’d found more metal and pieces of technology resembling the First Ones' that she could use to make weapons and security measures to increase her odds of survival. One of the first things she’d made was a tiny sensor in her mask that alerted her if she got caught up in her fears and vines got hold of her, setting off an alarm in her hair roots. It had turned out not to be enough because her hair had been entangled by the vines as well; she’d barely gotten away.

Of course, she would have to make a new sensor now that her mask was gone. But it only took her a glance around her to realize that the run-in with the caterpillar thing had been worth it: she had landed in a dark clearing covered by neon-glowing vines, but there was a huge rock in front of her. At least it looked like a rock, but it was actually a metal construction in disguise.

It took her nearly an hour to find an entrance; she would’ve done it much faster if she’d had explosive or at the very least welding tools. But just before nightfall she came upon a vine underneath the rest climbing the rock that was bright neon-green unlike all the others. With a hard pull, she fell through a hatch that opened beneath her feet.

She landed on the floor in some sort of fortress. While there was no visible source of light, she could easily see the shiny black walls and floors surrounding her, along with a doorway leading into another room. There were no signs of the jungle or neon vines down here. It was obviously a sort of sanctuary to evade the wildness, one created many years ago which meant that she’d discovered an ancient First Ones’ construction. And on Beast Island no less!

Her mind should’ve been instantly occupied with the new discovery, but her immediate thought was that her head felt clear for the first time since she’d arrived on Beast Island. There were no whispers of insecurities or fears down here and it was only then she realized how high-strung she’d been until now; it was as though a massive weight had been removed from her mind.

Her knees buckled as her body turned slack with sheer relief and she fell to the smooth floor, overwhelmed by the silence inside her. Tears flooded her eyes and she let them fall as she emptied herself of all she’d strained to keep inside to avoid being caught by the vines.

She had been sent away to die by the person she’d fallen in love with. Maybe she’d gotten too close or she might not have been of use to him anymore. Whatever it was, he’d deemed it necessary to dump her on Beast Island without an explanation or warning; not even a last conversation had he given her.

He’d seemed so sincere in their interactions, metaphorically building a window in the walls he’d put up and let her have a peek inside. Had he not smiled at her suggestion that they didn’t rush the portal and just kept working together before Catra had arrived with the sword?

And Catra… while she had acted under orders, it would’ve been nice with a warning. They were supposed to be friends, right? Had Catra tried to persuade Hordak to let her stay like Entrapta had done for her?

Oh, social relationships were so difficult! Hordak might just have smiled condescendingly at her silly musings and had only endured her presence until she’d solved his portal problem. Perhaps she should count herself lucky that he’d sent her to Beast Island before he saw what a failure the portal ended up being with reality collapsing and all that. He might’ve torn out her heart with his claws and that would've been worse than being sent away; having those red orbs stare at her in hate as he claimed her life.

She hugged her knees tightly against her body and crumbled into a ball consisting of her hair as the cathartic crying took over her body.

No one had ever listened to her like he had and he had understood what she said. He had even shared his knowledge about the infinite universe with her and answered all her questions. She wasn’t sure how to go back to living without that kind of interaction. She didn’t want to go back.

Why couldn’t she just have been born normal like everyone else? No one was shook by casual touching or seemed to struggle to be friends with others like her. It wasn’t for the lack of trying that she never made any real friends, but she was constantly forgotten or ignored unless people needed something from her. And then she was thrown away like a discarded piece of metal.

‘She ain’t right in the head.’ Those words were from one of her earliest memories: her uncle had been there to visit them at the Crypto Castle. He had usually taken care of the administrative mess that being a regent came with and rarely stopped by to visit her dads. This time he’d barely been there a few minutes before he’d said it. “She ain’t right in the head. She can’t talk normally, doesn’t seem interested in anything but machines and can’t even look you in the eyes more than a second. And the squeaking! That’s not normal. You can’t make her your heir.”

Her dads had disagreed and they had done their best to make her forget her uncle’s words, but they stayed in the back of her mind. He had been right; she hadn’t been able to speak somewhat properly until she was more than five years old and showed no interest in other people. Instead she’d been occupied with some current obsession for hours at a time and forgot to go to the bathroom because she simply didn’t feel it. But she had still wanted to share her interests with others and have friends.

With the help of her dads she’d learned most basic skills, including going to the bathroom, but then they’d died before they had taught her everything. After that she hadn't had the energy to pretend to be normal.

Hordak hadn’t expected her to be normal. He hadn’t told her to be quiet or sit still, but instead seemed to respect her, going so far to invite her into his space and encourage her to share her thoughts and work as she found most effective. He’d even allowed her to work on his most sensitive project and build him improved armor to compensate for his atrophy. Had he truly feigned all of it and used her lack of basic social understanding to take advantage of her assets?

All the feelings she’d fought to keep inside since she'd found herself trapped on Beast Island rushed out of her now. Her body trembled from sobbing and it was getting physically painful, but she couldn’t stop. Every significant moment with Hordak flashed in her mind, one more intimate than the next. But he’d been indifferent to every second with her and when he’d exhausted her resources, he had cast her away without any misgivings.

She didn’t regret making him new armor or inscribing his crystal with her true feelings. In spite of everything, she did think that he deserved it, even if he didn’t think her worthy of further attention. She still loved him and though he’d sent her to her death, she just couldn’t hate him.

Slowly, her sobs died down as she began to accept the truth: she’d been used again, like the princesses had used her, and then discarded. The only thing she was worth to others was whatever she could do for them. She had to let any illusion of anything else die and do her own thing.

She was still Entrapta, comfortable in her own presence and always intrigued by new discoveries. Hell, she was probably inside the biggest discovery of all! She would live for herself and she was going to start by uncovering Beast Island’s secrets.

Chapter Text

Entrapta is in his arms, tired and flustered, but alive and happy to see him. He has taken out every beast in their way and is carrying her to his aircraft, ready to fly her far away from this place. But just as he sets his foot onboard the vessel, something grabs hold of his ankle. At first he thinks it’s Entrapta’s hair, but when he looks at her, he sees her covered in green tentacles that can only belong to one person.

“Hello, Little Brother.”

He had forgotten that voice; he had buried it deep inside him and replaced it with one less demeaning and as loving as he'd wanted Him to be. But it is impossible to deny the truth when faced with it and when Entrapta is dragged screaming from his embrace, he turns around to meet the gaze of his Maker.

But the Creator is not looking at him; he’s studying Entrapta with a peculiar look that sends chills down Hordak's back. Before he can stop it, a sharp needle penetrates Entrapta’s spine and he just barely catches her before she hits the ground.

“Find her.” Entrapta whispers just as a spiked tentacle enters his neck port.

He sat up in a startle, bathed in sweat from his sleep. The dream he’d left behind was still clear in his mind and he pawed at his neckport to remove whatever had entered it. But of course there was nothing, only the vivid remains of the nightmare. He could still feel the pain of the needle in his spine and smell Entrapta in his arms.

Well, the last part could be easily explained because he was lying in Entrapta’s bed in Dryl. Although she hadn’t slept there in more than a year, it had been kept airtight which meant her scent was as present in her linens as if she had slept there with him. He didn’t usually rest in a vertical position, but he’d been so tired and Entrapta’s bed had called to him. 

He hadn’t truly thought about Entrapta in an intimate manner when they’d worked together in his sanctum. They were already so close to each other every day and for him who’d been alone and isolated for thirty years, it was more than enough for him. She’d slowly begun to initiate more physical contact and he had enjoyed it, but it hadn’t occurred to him that he could take initiative as well because being touched simply still surprised him. And her lack of revulsion.

But after she'd disappeared he’d regretted not having sought her touch out more. At first he’d believed Catra when she said that Entrapta had betrayed him, but it didn’t make his longing for her touch any less. He’d fantasized about taking advantage of her pretense to care about him and embracing her, even kissing her. How far would she have gone in her attempt to get closer to the great Horde leader, he’d wondered.

He’d been touch-starved and angry at her, at himself. But now that he knew the truth about her disappearance, he recognized that he really did want to embrace her and kiss her. His dream where he'd carried her through Beast Island, nestled safely in his arms, was what he hoped to do. Perhaps she might even thank him with a kiss and he would declare his utter devotion to her, risking his frail self esteem in hope that he had interpreted her interest in him correctly.

But the rest of his dream had been nightmarish and try as he might, he found it impossible to ignore the threat of Horde Prime looming somewhere out there. Hordak did want to return to his God, but now that he had felt the pain of losing Entrapta, the fear of what Prime might do to her was terrifying. Let Hordak suffer, let Etheria burn… But do not hurt Entrapta.

It might already have happened. Not by Prime's hand, but because of a lowly creature. Entrapta might be gone. His mission to rescue her could have been doomed before it even began.

It was nigh impossible for him to remove himself from the soft linens with her bewitching scent, but the truth was that he was stalling and he was well aware of why: this very well might be the day he discovered that she’d died on that island, abandoned and alone. The risk of that being the case was…

He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. What would he do if she truly was gone?

His mind reminded him that Entrapta was extremely capable. If anyone could survive the wretched place, it had to be her. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he was to discover that she’d been alive on this very day, but because he had stalled, something had gotten to her and killed her.

He had to leave as quickly as possible. The day moon would soon rise which would be the safest time to make a rescue attempt on Beast Island. It might take several days to find any traces of her, although the island was fairly small; its surface was covered entirely by a dense jungle according to their satellites and it could be difficult to navigate as fake magnetic fields appeared to distort the direction of any needle on the compasses that was brought into proximity of the island from sea. His plan was to mark his path by shooting trees with his arm cannon, so he could recognize where he’d been. Other than that, he had no idea what to expect or how to plan for it.

While his mind was troubled, his body felt surprisingly refreshed as he left Entrapta’s old bedroom, finding and setting off the mechanism that kept the room airtight. Something inside him hoped desperately that he might return some day. Follow Entrapta back into her castle. But it was more than that. As he walked through the mazes of Dryl, he saw visions of himself living there. The aesthetics were pleasing to him, having always preferred darker spaces, and in spite of the tricky labyrinth it had a welcoming atmosphere.

Who knew if Prime would ever find a way to Despondos? It might not be a possibility. Then Hordak would have no reason to conquer Etheria; he had no desire to be a ruler. It was all for Prime. But if his God never came to Etheria, did it even matter? A voice inside his head that he’d known his entire life shouted that it did matter, but the voice had grown weaker, especially since he’d met Entrapta.

I’ve never had a lab partner before

Maybe Entrapta would be willing to let him stay with her in her castle. He could help her build the most extraordinary lab and they could work together on whatever she was interested in. She’d talked with enthusiasm about embedding First Ones’ technology into his atrophied muscles to help him gain strength in his arms without his armor. The idea had made him blanch, but the more he’d thought about it, the more it intrigued him.

Of course, he couldn’t stop the war entirely. His troops counted on him to destroy the monarchies that supported segregation of mixed species. He wouldn’t let them down and it was a cause he had begun to believe in, but he hadn’t been in the field for years. To be truthful, he’d barely been out of his sanctum for years. All he did was command and strategize, along with handling a lot of reports from the Force Captains. If he just delegated the latter to a competent Force Commander, he could easily lead the Horde’s armies from Dryl.

These silly fantasies came to an abrupt stop as he exited the Crypto Castle. They were pleasant little fairytales, but as he stared out over the rocky fields that turned into a barren desert, almost to mark the end of the Dryllian territory, reality set in once again: Entrapta could very well be dead. If that was the case, he doubted that he could do much else than revenge her.

The landscape before him was a fitting metaphor: today he would leave the castle and fairytale behind, plunge to the bottom of the mountain when he learned the probable truth and barely manage to cross the rocky fields as he enacted his revenge on those deserving it before he in the end would reach the desert where everything inside him would wither and die.

This was the reality he needed to prepare himself for.

Force Commander Leech hadn’t awoken when Hordak arrived at the Horde base by the foot of the mountain. Only two sleepy troopers were on post, but they straightened up the moment he walked in. As promised, Leech had ensured that their best aircraft was ready to board and he’d even made the effort to stock it with provisions. It likely wouldn’t be necessary, but Hordak appreciated the gesture, even though the troopers wouldn’t know it from the few words he spoke to them.

His mood was foul as he boarded the aircraft and anger boiled inside him. It would be useful for his arrival on Beast Island if he was to slay the many beasts supposedly lurking there, so he fed into his rage. It would keep him from falling into despair.

Just as the rays of light shimmered over the Dryllian mountains, Hordak set off towards The Windy Shores that led out to Beast Island.

Something was off in the Fright Zone. Adora couldn’t exactly put her finger on what, only that something was brewing. There were few soldiers in the barracks and barely any guards in the halls which made it easy for her to infiltrate the large fortress where she’d lived as far back as she could remember. But on this day it just felt different. Empty in a way she couldn't explain. 

Was it because Hordak had left the place for the first time in her lifetime? Was that what made her childhood home feel more unsafe than it ever had, even more than when Shadow Weaver was there? Or was the Horde preparing for something that demanded for more troops? 

She’d left Swift Wind on the roof. The horse had complained to such a degree that Adora had walked away in annoyance, warning him that Horde soldiers might hear and capture him. Although she felt sorry for the poor soldiers who had to guard that chatterbox.

There was no sight of Catra anywhere. She must’ve gone on a mission with a squad, but where to? Adora found a lot of paperwork in the throne room which hadn't been touched for weeks, but she didn't have the concentration or understanding to go through them to find an answer. It was strange that Hordak hadn't taken care of the reports. Perhaps he'd been occupied with other things, the same thing that had caused the Fright Zone to seem nearly abandoned. 

Had his visit to Bright Moon been an act to distract the Alliance from a possible attack? She couldn't deny that it was plausible, but Hordak's reaction to Entrapta's location was so believable. He didn't strike her as a person who could deceive anyone; his ears' emotive reactions alone were enough to reveal his true intentions. No, he must've been sincere. 

That made her even more worried about her former friend. It was only a matter of time before Hordak would come for Catra. Adora was almost considering asking Force Captain Cobalt, feeling somewhat confident that she could fool him to trust her with a clever lie, when she heard crying from the barrack she’d shared with Catra for years.

She tried to ignore it at first, but the crying was heartbreaking to listen to and although Adora couldn’t quite place the person crying, she felt like she needed to comfort them. She couldn't just let them be. They might even tell her something about Catra.

The hard sobbing came from the sleeping quarters and Adora did her best to enter as silently as she could, but stumbled over a pair of boots standing by the bed closest to the door. It wasn't even dark in there; she had no excuse. The only other person in the room looked up from her lap to stare at Adora with tearful eyes that seemed indifferent to her interruption. Adora recognized her to be Scorpia, the last royalty of the Scorpion people. They’d never interacted much, in fact not at all when Adora was still with the Horde, but in spite of Scorpia's loyalty to the Horde, she didn’t seem like a bad person. Most of the Horde personnel weren’t actually bad people.

“Hi, eh, Scorpia! I-eh,” Adora tried to come up with a plausible lie for her being there that wouldn’t make the sobbing Force Captain call for backups. But maybe she didn’t need to lie; after all she’d come because she’d heard someone cry. That she obviously happened to have infiltrated the Fright Zone didn't have to been mentioned right now. “Are you alright? I heard you, uhm, and wanted to make sure that you were, you know, okay?”

Scorpia turned her face away and sniffled. She was trying to compose herself, but the as the seconds passed, the more obvious it became that Scorpia wasn’t good at hiding her emotions. Soon, she was sobbing again and Adora felt the compulsion to walk over to her and pat her back. “There, there. It’ll be alright,” she said awkwardly, not used to comforting her enemies. But hadn’t she kind of been ready to comfort Hordak too? She cringed a bit.

Suddenly Scorpia turned her entire body to Adora and threw her claws around her in a frighteningly strong embrace. “I can't believe i-it. My best friend has abandoned me and now I’m crying on-on She-Ra’s shoulder.” She wailed. For a second Adora wondered if she needed to change into She-Ra to survive this hug, but to her relief Scorpia relaxed her arms a little.

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not that bad. I -uh- mean the best friend thing. All friends have fights, but you can make up with them again.” Adora wrapped her arms around the Force Captain. Scorpia seemed to give some nice hugs.

“Not this time… I betrayed her and put us both in danger. She has left to ‘fix my mistake’ and then she said that she never wants to see me again.” Scorpia sniffled again, seemingly into her claw. Adora wondered where the snot and tears would go. “I just wanted to help Entrapta.”

“Entrapta?” she pulled back to look at Scorpia. “Do you know where Entrapta is?” Her question made Scorpia’s face turn nearly as red as the carapace on her cheekbones.

“Yeah, I sent her there. But only because Catra ordered me to! I know it was wrong, but I really like Catra and well, she threatened me.” Scorpia pulled her arms away from Adora and one of them lifted over her shoulder to scratch her back in a gesture that oozed embarrassment. “But I've told Hordak that Entrapta wouldn’t have betrayed hi- the Horde which was what Catra had said to him. I just couldn't keep lying; I felt really bad about it. I figured that Catra and I could hide in the Crimson Waste - a lot of Horde soldiers do that, you know - we could be happy, but Catra got furious with me.”

Adora tried to take all of the information in; it wasn’t really one of her strengths. But she managed to put two and two together. Hordak had thought that Entrapta had betrayed him because it was what Catra had told him and he had been affected greatly by this - that's why the paperwork hadn't been done for weeks. Then Scorpia’s conscience had made her suggest that Hordak to go to Bright Moon and she’d hoped to run away with Catra before Hordak learned the truth. It made sense. Except she should’ve known what Adora had learned these past two years: Catra stubbornly refused to leave the Horde.

“And she said that she would fix your mistake?” Adora asked and Scorpia nodded. That meant Catra wasn’t the only one in danger. Whatever she was going to do to fix Scorpia’s so-called mistake, Adora had a feeling that someone would be hurt. That's what always happened around Catra. 

“Scorpia, I’m going to find Catra and keep her from getting into more trouble than you're already in. Meanwhile, I need you to get out of the Fright Zone. You’re not safe here. If you go to Bright Moon and tell them what happened, they will protect you.” Scorpia nodded with wide eyes, clearly used to taking orders. Apparently even from her enemy. But Adora supposed that desperate times called for desperate needs.

"Okay," Scorpia said determined, "I'm going to bring Emily too. Eh, Entrapta's bot. She misses her creator friend." Adora nodded and rose to get to Swift Wind quickly - they had to find Catra immediately - but a claw carefully wrapped around her hand and she looked down to see Scorpia look at her with grateful eyes. “Thank you, She-Ra.”

“Just Adora. Call me Adora.” They smiled at each other and Adora recognized something in Scorpia that she understood all too well: the love for a cat that did not want to be loved and now had gone on a path of destruction, ready to hurt anyone in her way.

She had to be stopped before it was too late. 

Chapter Text

The mere two hours it took to cross the Meadowlands felt unendurable to Hordak. The aircraft didn’t need steering over the mostly empty fields which gave him plenty of time to focus on other things. But the only thing he had to occupy his mind with was Entrapta and the fear brewing inside him. He had to distract himself, but it was still too early to contact his commanders to feign interest in battle strategies and he didn’t really find the war of importance at the moment; she was all that mattered to him right now.

He remembered the last moments they had spent together: she'd suggested that they didn't rush to finish the portal, but worked on it until it was perfect. Considering her claim to prefer imperfect objects - subjects too if he was to believe her - he had taken her words as a way to say that she wanted to work with him indefinitely. And he'd wished for that to be the case.

But he'd tainted their last interaction when he'd snapped at her. She had tried to comfort him and fix his glitching forearm, but due to Adora's presence he'd been flustered and directed his anger at Entrapta, the only person who didn't deserve it. He could vividly recall the dejected look on her face and for two months he'd believed that this moment had been the catalyst that had caused her to finally defect and rejoin the Rebellion. However, now that he knew the truth, it had become horribly clear to him that this might have been the very last thing he would ever say to her.

Thinking she had betrayed him had been painful, but he'd believed that he was the one to blame and that she would have a better life without him. That belief had now been replaced with an overpowering truth: that she had been sent to the most miserable place on Etheria and the last thing she remembered about him was his anger at her; that she was not happy nor safe, that she might even be…

It couldn't be, he would not have it. If Hordak had shown the world something, it was that he persevered and overcame his trials against the worst odds. This would be another trial, one that he would win.

He pulled up all the information available about Beast Island, both what he already procured from the Scorpion Kingdom and whatever files he had been able to hack into from the other kingdoms; most of them unsurprisingly kept their records on paper instead of digitally and they had been inaccessible.

Details on the deadly island were sparse to say the least. No one had stepped foot on the grounds and come back to tell the tale. Many Etherians believed that it was a gateway to the realm of the dead while others claimed that the island was so polluted that its toxins killed you instantaneously. The Horde’s own drones had been unable to obtain any footage because of the strange magnetic abnormalities that distorted the electronics, but had through thermal detection cameras above the island found evidence of warm-blooded life, both small creatures scattering quickly through the jungle and massive beasts stalking about, likely out for their next prey. Were these beings the cause of all that death? Hordak had a growing feeling that something more complicated was at play, but his mind wasn’t imaginative enough to come up with a probable suggestion.

He switched off the aircraft’s automatic steering when he neared The Windy Shores. Despite the name it was a fairly calm area, but he wanted to be prepared when he reached the ocean. While the waters were only supposed to be traitorous near Beast Island, he didn’t want to leave anything up to chance; nothing could stand in his way now.

It was because of his return to the aircraft’s control board that he noticed the little flashing green light on the radar that alerted him of a Horde vehicle not far from the shore. He found it surprising since none of his teams were supposed to be in the area; a soldier there would directly be disobeying his order. Could it be Octavia who had wanted to go with him to save Entrapta? He couldn't deny the possibility.

Still fueled by the rage deep within him which would be the only thing to keep him alive on Beast Island, he landed the aircraft on the rocky beach to find out why the Horde vehicle was there. He found a lone skiff, one of the smaller models which just barely had room for four soldiers. It appeared to be undamaged, but completely abandoned by the driver and their possible companions. When accessing the driver’s log he discovered that a Force Captain by the name of Andrea was the last person to use the skiff and that she was alone. He remembered her well enough: a reptilian youngster who had been with the Horde a few years and quickly became Force Captain due to her sharp mind and dedication. She was on Grizzlor’s squadron and should therefore be in the Fright Zone by now.

Grizzlor had sent him a message late last night that they had been delayed by a sandstorm, but according to the Horde log the squad had returned to the Fright Zone just before dawn. Had Grizzlor failed to ensure that his entire team was with him? And why would Force Captain Andrea come to The Windy Shores and abandon a perfectly good skiff there in the middle of nowhere? There were no towns for miles. Had Andrea met up with someone there, perhaps from the Rebellion?

Hordak felt like he had misplaced a crucial piece of the puzzle, but his mind was too occupied by his mission. It was of greater importance than an insubordinate Force Captain. He sent out a tracking signal from the skiff to make it easier to find and sent a stern message to Grizzlor to pick up the vehicle and account for the whereabouts of Andrea as well as the rest of his squadron as soon as possible. It was unacceptable that Hordak had to deal with this sort of thing now.

The whole thing nagged him as he returned to the aircraft and took off, leaving the mainland behind to cross the sea. But the small mystery also kept him from despairing at the thought of discovering Entrapta’s fate. He mentally went through his every interaction with Force Captain Andrea, then all he remembered from her reports and statements made by others about her. None of it pointed to signs of disobedience; quite the opposite. She might've been eligible for a promotion if not for this strange incident. Perhaps she'd grown impatient and sought out a higher position in the Rebellion, in which case she would quickly come to regret her dissertation since the kingdoms' hierarchies tended to favor the royalty and their families when it came to high ranking positions.

As he came closer to Beast Island he had to abandon his musings about the wayward Force Captain and focus all his attention on steering the aircraft. A thick fog engulfed the area near Beast Island as it had been described in the Scorpion Kingdom’s files. Despite his location high above the island the advanced compass in the control board began to flicker in every direction and the radars emitted loud static even after he switched them off. Something was disrupting the technology, likely an immense power source somewhere on the island. Perhaps it was the same thing that ensured the death of everyone who sat a foot there.

Hordak was a skilled pilot, especially in an aircraft like this which he had designed himself based on Horde Prime's superior technology, and he managed to lower the aircraft about 200 meters above the small open beach where prisoners were usually disposed of. He’d read that some were forced to walk the plank, giving them the awful choice between drowning or facing the certain death awaiting on the island. But most ships came as close to the shore as possible and lowered the prisoners down in the shallow water, pulling the crates open to give them a fighting chance.

It was likely here Entrapta had been left, although he saw no sign of it. The two months that had passed had been enough to erase all signs of her arrival. Was this truly where she was now? He touched the crystal at his throat which had pointed the way to this place; it hadn’t informed him whether she was alive or dead. Had she been dropped into the water or hoisted down in a cage? Had she been awake to look her executioner in the eye?

There was no place on the island to land his aircraft. Not even the small patch of bare sand was large enough. However, all his aircrafts and hover skiffs were designed to float on water. His only option was to land the aircraft by the shore and toss the anchor, hoping that it was heavy enough to keep the aircraft from drifting out to sea. It was plausible and that was the best he could do.

He had barely activated the procedure of unfolding the waterproof shield on the underside of the aircraft - a necessity if it needed to survive days on water - when his radio buzzed with static and a voice that seemed far away. Recognizing it immediately as Grizzlor he tried to change the frequency to make the connection more stable, but to no avail.

“-rd Horda- zzzz -tain Andrea is prese- zzzz -this morning unaccounted f- zzzz” Grizzlor’s voice was more serious than usual; Hordak felt a sinking feeling in his stomach at the foreboding news. He growled with impatience, not with Grizzlor, but the unstable radio waves.

“Who, Force Commander? If Force Captain Andrea is there, who is unaccounted for?” He yelled into the radio receiver. “Who!”

“Me.” A cold familiar answer came from behind him and he knew that somewhere inside him he had already known the answer from the moment he’d found the abandoned skiff; this was the misplaced piece.

“Catra.”

Grizzlor’s voice flickered in and out between the loud buzzing, disturbing Hordak’s senses, and he slammed his hand down on the control board to cut off the speaker. It only delayed his movements half a second, but it was enough for Catra. Leaping like a predatory cat she landed on his back and before he could protect his crystal, her claws had found their way into the slot, digging into the electronics surrounding it. She yelped when she pierced through a wire and got a minor electric shock, but she managed to keep hold of the crystal.

Hordak was desperately pulling at her arms while he rammed his body backwards into the steel walls of the cockpit to shake her off. He succeeded in tearing one of her arms away from his chest and heard it crack as the bones inside snapped in two. Catra screamed in pain, but stayed in place with only one arm around his shoulder, her hand deep in the crystal’s slot. Knowing that it would be too risky to go for the hand holding the crystal, he grabbed her elbow and forearm and with all his might pulled her forward and over his shoulder.

He threw her several meters away from him and she tumbled on the floor with a cry of agony. But her cry gave way to a devious laughter, one he’d only heard in her most dangerous moment. He stumbled, slowly realizing what had happened. It felt as though his hearts were torn from his chest and he became aware of his heavy armor, dragging him to his knees. He reached for the crystal - his lifeline - at his throat, but found nothing but an empty slot. “No…” he breathed, looking horrified at the crystal clutched in Catra’s hand.

She scrambled up to her feet, her left arm hanging limp and slight ascrew, but she was triumphant as she held her prize out for him to see. He tried to stand to lunge at her, but the faulty port in his right arm crackled and a surge of electricity shot through his right arm and up his shoulder, making it impossible to stay upright. An alarm bipped somewhere nearby and he felt cool air on his heated face, but it did nothing to help him. His vision blackened and he found it hard to inhale enough oxygen to supply his artificial bloodstream, his limbs weakening even more as a result.

None of it mattered though. He could still see the outline of Catra, a shadow in the suddenly sharp light, and he had to end her existence now. Adrenaline emitted from his brain stem coursed through his veins and he felt a boost of strength return to him, enough to rise from the floor and stand on his two feet. He eyed the arm cannon lying on the fold-out table almost within an arm’s reach.

“Ah-ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Catra had noticed his line of sight. He refocused his eyes to look at her, his vision a little clearer than before; she was shaking her head, one arm still hanging limp, but her uninjured hand was held high. With his crystal between her thumb and index finger. He saw its purple surface glimmer in the reflective light coming from the moon-lit sea below them and only then did he realize that Catra had opened the hatch in the aircraft's hull and was now waving his crystal carelessly over the place where the wild waves of the ocean and the island's deep jungle met just below the aircraft.

He snarled at her, his body frozen to the spot as he contemplated his next move. His panic of losing the crystal was spiking, clouding his mind. It wasn’t just because of its role as a vital component to Hordak's armor that he needed the crystal. It was all he had left of Entrapta. A constant reminder that she’d been in his life, that he had been so lucky to have had time with her. She’d given him a sense of purpose beyond returning to Prime, something more tangible and inspiring. He’d started to think that maybe it wouldn’t be horrible to spend the rest of his days on Ethera, not if she was there.

His chest had been an empty hollow after she’d disappeared, but without the crystal the rest of him would cave in. He would both figuratively and literally fall apart without it.

He had to prepare himself because it was the fate he was currently facing. But he would find the strength to destroy Catra before his body was allowed to collapse and she knew it; he could not allow her to live after all of this. Was she so foolish that she would drop the crystal, well aware that he would end her life immediately after? If she kept it, she would have leverage. “Catra, you’ll regret this. I will-”

“Quiet!” She snapped at him. Her eyes were wide and wild; she was more unstable than he'd ever seen her. “As you can see, I hold all the cards now and you will listen to me!” His body trembled with pain, anger and fear, but he kept standing tall, even as he nodded for her to continue. Let her talk long enough for her hand to grow tired. He could take her. “Oh, to have the great Lord Hordak so willing to listen. I could really get used to this. Of course, I know as well as you do that this can only end with one of us returning to the mainland… The other - and by this I mean you - will be dead soon enough.”

Hordak gritted his teeth, biding his time. He had to be patient. She would lower her hand soon and the crystal would be safe. He would strike then.

“I want to say I’m sorry for sending Entrapta to Beast Island, but… I’m really not! It was a spur of the moment decision, but it has only been to my advantage since. And you should really blame yourself for believing that she would betray you. It was so obvious how dedicated she was… Not to the Horde though. To you. At one point I even thought that…” She paused, looking smug.

He took the bait, unable to stop himself. “You thought what?” Catra locked eyes with him and smiled with pure malice, making him regret asking. He wouldn’t like the answer.

Her eyes flickered to the crystal as the claw of her thumb scratched against the surface where the First Ones’ inscription was, then looked back at him. “That she loved you.”

The words pierced through his aching hearts, the possibility that she might have… He couldn't restrain himself any longer and he lunged forward in a harrowing rage to strangle the little menace who'd carelessly played with his love for Entrapta, but it was too late. Catra’s fingers parted, dropping the crystal just before she leapt out of his reach. He landed right on the edge of the hatch, stretching out his hand to catch the crystal. It was in vain. His claws were so close to catching it, but not close enough, never enough; as many times in the past, gravity worked against him and the crystal vanished from his sight, too small for his eyes to see whether it landed in the sea or on the ground.

It was too late when he realized that he’d done exactly as Catra had hoped. Half his body was hanging out of the open hatch in his failed effort to catch the crystal and he was vulnerable and weak without his power source. “Goodbye, Lord Hordak,” were the last words he heard before a foot planted itself between the tubes that connected to his lower spinal port and with a sharp shove he was pushed out of the hatch, plummeting to his inescapable demise.

The last thing on his mind was a wish that Entrapta was alive and would find him, knowing that he had come for her; that she was loved.

Chapter Text

At first when Swift Wind spotted a brown figure between two Horde vehicles on the rocky ground on The Windy Shores, Adora felt fear creep into her bones. It indicated that at least two individuals were there and it was very likely that it was Catra and Hordak, meaning Catra was in great danger.

However, as they flew closer, it became clear that Catra was alone. Why there were two Horde vehicles - a small skiff and a large aircraft - was puzzling, but at least she was safe for now. Adora wished she didn’t care about Catra as much as she did; it wasn’t her job to take care of her former friend, yet she still felt obligated to. Something inside her even wanted to… Maybe that was also why she told Swift Wind to land near Catra instead of leaving now that they knew she was alive.

When Catra noticed the winged horse and its companion, her eyes rolled so far back in her head that Adora could see it from twenty meters away. There were so many traits about Catra that she’d discovered she didn’t like, but she could admit that there was something comforting in the familiarity she felt around her former friend; although Catra didn’t feel the same.

“Stay here,” she said to Swift Wind who started to complain immediately. Instead of humoring him by listening to his ramblings, she waved him off and left him, and walked over to Catra who was messing with the control board on the small skiff. She didn’t even bother to look up when Adora neared.

“Hi Adora.” Catra pressed something that clicked and half the lights on the control board went out, causing her to smile sinisterly. Finally she looked up to acknowledge Adora’s presence. “Here to play the great She-Ra again, Savior of Etheria?” she mocked, “or are you just here to bother me like you always do?” Despite her best attempt to hide it, Adora still heard the slight loneliness and pain in Catra’s voice; it had always been there from when they were kids.

“I came here to warn you about Hordak. He knows that Entrapta is on Beast Island and I think he believes that you sent her there.” Adora paused, gauging Catra’s smirk. “You didn’t really… send her there, did you?”

Catra laughed condescendingly. “What do you care? Hasn’t it been clear enough that I don’t need you to act as my moral compass?” The half-flirtatious tone Catra used around Adora had once been charming to her, but now it was tainted with the bad blood between them and anger rose in her.

“I care about Entrapta. And if you had any integrity at all, you wouldn’t send someone on your side to their certain death!”

“I think it’s fairly obvious by now that you don’t think I have any good sides at all.” Catra jumped out of the skiff and walked towards the aircraft to tap in the password to activate the mechanism that locked the cockpit from the outside. She walked in an odd way as though she was hiding something in her left hand. Was it a weapon? Adora prepared to transform her bracelet into the sword if needed.

“The Catra I knew would never be callousedenough to kill anyone.”

This made Catra turn around completely to face her, stomping towards her with rage in her eyes. “You never knew me at all then.” Adora backed away to keep her out of her personal space. “I’m the same I’ve always been. It was you who changed and left, Adora, not me.”

It was now clear to Adora that Catra wasn’t hiding a wespon or anything of the sorts; her left arm hanging limply at her side, obviously broken in several places. She winced and held back the urge to offer to heal it for Catra; they were still enemies. "What happened?" she nodded towards the arm.

"Hordak." Catra answered with a shrug and turned to walk back to the small skiff.

Adora couldn’t help but follow. Likely like Catra wanted. Swift Wind yelled something she couldn’t hear, but thankfully stayed in his place. "You fought Hordak? Where is he now?"

"Probably joined with his beloved scientist at last." Catra turned back to her when she reached the Horde skiff’s door. She was acting like she didn’t care, a ruse that Adora was becoming better at recognizing; right now she was frowning with frustration. Likely because Adora had ignored the fact that her arm was very injured.

"What do you mean?"

Catra’s expression turned to one of sickening pride. "I mean that last I saw him, he was falling out of that," she gestured to the Horde aircraft, "200 meters above Beast Island. He's gone, just like Entrapta."

Adora was quick to dispute this claim. “You can’t know that. Entrapta might’ve survived. After all she survived in the Fright Zone when we were sure she’d died. And Hordak is far too strong. Don’t you remember the stories from our childhood about him on the battlefield? He was unstoppable; he can easily survive a fall like that.”

Once again Catra approached her, but this time it was slow which felt much more menacing than when she charged at her. Adora stood her ground, even when Catra was close enough to reach her. “That’s just another thing I know that you don’t: Hordak's worst weakness. Trust me, he’s dead, along with Entrapta. The Fright Zone is mine for the taking,” she reached out to Adora’s cheek, but pulled her hand away when Adora leaned away from it, “and your precious princesses better prepare for real battles. The lazy days where both Shadow Weaver and Hordak were too distracted to wage war are over; Etheria is going to be mine.”

“You’ll have to go through me first.” Adora said with confidence, even when Catra sniggered. “And when I bring back Hordak and Entrapta, I’m sure every Horde soldier will side with them instead.”

Catra raised her eyebrows, making Adora delighted because she managed to surprise her ex-friend. "What? So you're going to save your nemesis? Aren't you supposed to fight evil or whatever?"

Adora saw her chance; this time she would be the one who left Catra standing bewildered. She turned her back to Catra and began to walk towards Swift Wind. "I don't know much about good and evil. It's not all black and white as I once thought. But I do know one thing." She paused in her steps and looked back at Catra with a smirk.

"And what's that?" Catra sneered.

"That my nemesis has always been you. And when I come back with Hordak and Entrapta, I will stop you, Catra. For good." With that she left Catra, pleased with the way she'd handled their first meeting since the portal incident. Their dynamics had changed and it was definitely to her advantage.

Swift Wind looked flustered and impatient when she reached him. He huffed, though seeming more annoyed at Catra in spite of the fact that Adora pretty much had ignored him since they left Bright Moon. “Ugh. Why is it that curiosity never kills that cat?” He complained.

Adora shrugged and discreetly looked back at Catra who was now preparing to leave in the skiff; her eyes repeatedly glanced in their direction. “Let’s not bother with her anymore. We have more important things to do.” She replied, steeling herself for the upcoming argument she was about to have because she knew that facing Beast Island would be a lot easier than explaining to Swift Wind why they had to go there in the first place.

Chapter Text

Hordak never lost consciousness, not even as he landed on the small beach and rolled a few meters until a large rock stopped him. His bones were unbreakable and his armor, though unpowered, still worked as a strong shield against the impact on his body's surface. But it did little to protect his organs from damage. Blood flooded his mouth as blood vessels - natural and artificial - began to hemorrhage. His demise would be slower and more painful than he’d hoped.

Catra had closed the hatch before he’d even hit the ground. Obviously she felt confident that he wouldn’t survive this and with good reason; even if the fall hadn’t caused him inner bleeding, he wouldn’t be able to survive the perils of the island without his power source, the crystal she’d so carelessly thrown away.

He wanted to look around for the crystal, not to regain strength since his armor was likely broken beyond repair now, but to feel close to Entrapta while he slowly perished. However, his vision was dimming (a relief against the stark light of the moons) and he couldn’t move his neck, rendering him unable to search for the crystal.

It would be fitting if it was his failing body that killed him at last. After all he’d known that would eventually happen after he'd discovered his own defect. He felt ready to accept this fate, in spite of the pain, and preferred it greatly to being eaten by a beast without the strength to fight back.

He should’ve cared that he never completed his mission to return to Horde Prime. That had been his only goal. To destroy the monarchies on Etheria was the practical way of gaining power over the planet, even if he’d begun to care about the cause after a decade where he saw the treatment of the minorities by the kingdoms.

Yet at some point during the last two years Horde Prime and conquering Etheria in His name had come to mean much less to Hordak. Naturally, he’d worked with Entrapta on the portal machine with the goal of returning, but they’d dwelled on other subjects as well, like the First Ones’ technology, the science behind magic and the mystery of Etheria functioning without a sun. They’d spent countless days talking about the universe beyond Despondos and his cloning attempts, and he’d learned much about her childhood and her extraordinary neurology. And still he felt like there was more to talk about. He’d never talked that much in his entire life, nor had he enjoyed the company of another, not even a brother.

A small part of him hoped that he might hear her excited chatter just one last time before he perished. Of course he was too damaged to repair, even for her, but to have one last moment in her presence. To feel her hair on his shoulder…

More blood flooded his mouth and he could hear his weakening pulse thrumming in his ears like waves of the sea. It was too late, he realized. The only real hope he had was Entrapta finding his remains and…

An idea came to him then: he could record a message for her and store it in his armor, one that would ensure she knew that he’d come for her and had meant to save her. It might give her the drive to escape the island. Luckily, the recording device that Entrapta had installed in his armor was hands-free, meaning he didn’t have to move to access it.

“Activate recorder, code 2401.” He spoke as loudly as he could, sighing in relief when he heard a small click somewhere around his chest plate. But all of a sudden he couldn’t find the words. How could he possibly explain the many ways her presence in his life had changed him?

“Hello, Entrapta.

"If you hear this, it means I am deceased. But worry not, for it also means that you are alive and that is more important. To the universe and… to me.

"You have changed me and my only regret is that I believed you could ever betray me. You are without exception the finest partner - and friend - and you should never doubt your worth.

"You are precious, Entrapta, and…” he paused, trying to steady his trembling voice, “and may you hear this recording and know that you are loved.”

His eyes blurred from the water gathering in them and his only option was to let the water spill over. “End recording.” He said hoarsely and closed his eyes to avoid further signs of sentimentality. Although Entrapta would no doubt say that emotions were healthy and meant to be let out, he still remembered the sacred words: “Emotions are for Prime alone.” It was a rule that no clone could uphold to perfection and ever so often they would gather to witness the chastisement of someone who’d dared to let his feelings show. It would always end with a cleansing to ensure that it wouldn’t happen again. But it always did.

He wondered if Prime had done this on purpose: create a rule which was impossible to keep and then set an example of whoever broke it. Hordak didn’t even know how many times he might’ve gone through the cleansing. It was an effective way of avoiding disorder. As the leader of the Etherian Horde he’d often berated himself for not being harder on his subordinates, giving them too many chances, but he found it difficult to enforce rules similiar to those of Horde Prime.

Entrapta had liked that he made room for failure and second chances. However, this was how she had ended up on Beast Island instead of Catra. It was ultimately, as the leader, Hordak's fault that things had turned out as they had. He hoped desperately that his would be the only life lost and that Entrapta might find a way from this island. She deserved it. She deserved more than he could ever have given her.

He felt his mind begin to slow, a sinking sensation settling inside him. This was what dying was like, he realized. It was frightening to silently waste away, giving up without a fight and simply allowing death to take him, but at the same time it was a relief. There was nothing after life according to Prime’s teachings and the notion calmed him. The pain in his body was constant, but he otherwise felt at peace as he slipped further into unconsciousness.

Then he heard something approach that pulled him back into reality. The island was crawling with strange, predatory animals and now one had found him. He couldn’t fight it, couldn’t even see it. All he could do was lie as still as possible, try to keep his breath from wheezing, and hope the animal would think there was nothing beneath the armor.

“Hordak?” a voice called out, startling him. It sounded so far away and foreign, but it was female. Were there any females on the island? Was… was it her? “Hordak!” Footsteps came closer, running, and he tried to shout, tell her that he was here, he had tried to save her, but he couldn’t say the words. Only a hoarse groan came out of his mouth.

A shape, a shadow, blocked the sharp light from the moon. He couldn’t see anything clearly, but he felt a warm pressure at his shoulder. It was her hair, a tendril shaped as a hand touching him like she’d done a few times before. Despite his pain, he smiled, whispering her name in relief. Warmth began to spread through his broken body, taking away the pain.

She was alive.

Entrapta had so much data! The cavern - well, it was more like a secret base - had so much data on Etheria, the First Ones and the runestones. Even if she stayed in this place a whole lifetime, she wasn’t sure she would get through all of it. At first she skipped back and forth between the digital sections of topics on the mainframe she came across, but later realized she had to make a system and prioritize what to start out with.

It was no wonder that the First Ones decided to make the island so dangerous. All their secrets were buried here: their greatest triumphs, but also their failures. The Heart of Etheria - a mighty weapon fueled on the planet’s magic - was the main goal when they colonized Etheria, but it was never used because the former She-Ra had used her last strength on moving the planet away from the infinite universe to Despondos where the weapon would be useless. The First Ones had been distraught, especially those forced to stay on Etheria. They’d waited for their kingdom to rescue them, but it never happened, so they had given up. Instead they had used the magic they’d mined from the planet against the natives and made themselves royalty to rule. The whole truth had been buried on Beast island.

It was all very fascinating, but the history itself wasn’t something Entrapta cared about. It was how all the runestones and She-Ra’s weapon were connected. The Beacon, whatever that was, was the connection point, but all the magic was channeled through Beast Island’s control center. If Entrapta could hack it - and she could with enough time - she would be able to harvest the magic from the runestones and She-Ra’s sword, and use that power to bring Etheria back to the infinite universe!

She could finally see the stars.

This would also mean that Hordak would go home which left her no chance of ever seeing him again. Here on Beast Island she could find her way back with enough time and go see him, but if the universe was truly as big as Hordak had told her, then it would be utterly impossible that she would find him again if she moved Etheria back where it belonged.

She shouldn’t care. He had disposed of her and sent her to die here. Yet a little irrational voice inside her mind told her that it wasn’t true. That she should trust the data she’d accumulated in the Fright Zone which showed he cared for her. After all, wouldn't he have made a big spectacle out of sending her to Beast Island like he did when he planned to send Catra there?

It would be foolish to ignore all those facts. She had to be sure about his feelings before she let him go home. If he hadn’t sent her away, then they could be together when she opened this portal made of concentrated magic and they could see the stars together. He’d once mentioned that he wished he could show her them all. He might even persuade Horde Prime to let her travel with them.

Maybe it all was a big mistake. But why hadn’t he come for her then? He must’ve noticed that she was gone, it wasn’t like she was especially quiet when moving around in his sanctum. Unless… he had been killed when the portal exploded?

She suddenly felt queasy. A headache had been brewing for a while, but now that she took notice of her body, it was obvious that she’d neglected its needs. She had to pee really bad, was dizzy and had a bad headache from lack of carbohydrates. It was hard to tell how long she’d been roaming through the First Ones’ system, but it must’ve been at least a day.

It was easier to find a way out of the base than it had been to find her way in. There was an entranceway hidden under a cliff, half buried by the earth after hundreds of years of being unused. It was possible to exit it without issues since the doors opened inwards, but she would have to clear it before she could enter it that way. Until then she would use the first entrance she’d found, although it might have been a ventilation shaft, she now realized.

She’d barely gotten outside before she noticed the large Horde aircraft in the sky. He had come for her! Her hair lifted her high into the air and formed two legs that instantly began to run through the jungle with all her hair’s might. If she reached the tiny beach where she’d been dropped off, it would be much easier for them to spot her. She could show him what she’d found and they could leave Despondos behind and see the stars together.

But it quickly became apparent that the Horde ship was flying away from the island. They were leaving… But she didn’t give up hope. Perhaps they’d left a communication device for her to find or maybe they’d sent down a squadron to find her. Hordak might be busy himself, but he could still send someone else to find her.

Her steps halted when she spotted a glint of light between the black vines on the ground a few hundred meters from the beach. Pain formed in her chest. She knew what it was before she picked it up.

The First Ones crystal. The strongest power source she’d been able to find at the time. With the finest surface where she’d inscribed three letters for him. The proof that she’d been in his life.

He must’ve found a replacement. One better than the crystal she’d chosen for him. There had been no need for this one and to exorcise her completely from his life, he’d disposed of the crystal in the same place he’d disposed of her.

She should hate him. She’d worked so hard for him while he’d pretended that he didn’t mind her more peculiar qualities. But it had all been a ploy to have her help him build the portal faster. When they’d finished it, he had no use of her anymore.

Yet she couldn’t find it in her to hate him. She loved him, in spite of it all. Even though he didn’t want her in his life anymore.

At least she could grant him his wish of going home now. She could hack into the mainframe of the control center and activate the power from the runestones and the sword to move the planet back into the infinite universe. Hordak would be united with Prime and leave her and Etheria behind. And she would still get to see the stars, just without anyone to share it with.

Entrapta had been clutching the crystal so hard that it left small cuts from the sharp points in her glove when she slipped it into her breast pocket, but she didn’t pay it any mind. She turned to walk inlands again where she could find something to eat before she set out to hack the planet.

“En-” Hordak tried to speak as Adora leaned over him. Green liquid was seeping from his mouth and ears which meant he was bleeding internally. She didn’t hesitate. She put her hand on his shoulder and used her power to heal him.

Chapter Text

When Adora had first gotten the hang of healing, it had come pretty simple. It was like she had to mentally access a jar inside her, open it and pour the contents upon the wounded; at least that’s how she pictured it. The injury would be healed before the contents of the jar ran dry.

That’s how it began when she started to heal Hordak as she placed a hand on his shoulder. He was very badly injured, but she poured out more of the jar’s contents to close every ruptured blood vessel, every punctured vein. But that wasn’t enough. There were more damages which required more of her. She placed her other hand on his chest and in her mind she shook the jar to get more out of it, then scraped the sides. Yet, there was something she couldn’t heal.

She was just moments away from breaking the jar to access the very last remains when a large paw pushed her hands away from him and Hordak sat up, quickly putting distance between them. Adora blinked several times, surprised that he was moving around when she’d clearly felt extensive damage in him that she still hadn’t repaired.

“I…” Hordak looked at the ground, his expression almost chestfallen. His hand strayed to his throat where the purple crystal with the word LUVD had been. Where was it now? He clenched his hand into a fist when he felt the empty slot, his face souring for a moment before he looked up at Adora next to him with a stoic face. “Thank you for restoring my health.”

“You’re welcome!” Swift Wind came up behind her and Hordak sitting on the ground, startling them both with his overly excited voice which now trembled a bit. He hadn’t been thrilled to go to Beast Island, but had followed her orders at least. “Now let’s get outta here before we meet any of those beasts!” He cringed, shaking his head repeatedly. “What is that noise?”

“What noise?” Adora couldn’t hear anything, though it was obvious that Swift Wind could. She was reminded of the horrible stories she heard as a child about the island. Chippits with razor-sharp teeth, scruffers with razor-sharp… Her thoughts were interrupted by a hiss of pain.

Hordak started to rise, a simple feat that seemed nearly impossible to him. He tried to hide it, but he was in a lot of pain and still weak. “Yes, go.” By supporting himself on the large rock next to where she’d found him, he managed to stand up completely, but not without wincing. Adora got back on her feet again, half ready to catch the much taller warlord. “Your kind deed has given me the opportunity to complete my mission. I will be taking my leave.”

He swayed a little as he let go of the rock and found balance, then moved his left foot forward to take a step, but ended up stumbling forward. Swift Wind leaned close to Adora’s ear and whispered a little too loud. “Eh, this is the mighty Lord Hordak everyone’s been afraid of? I think a light breeze might be enough to defeat him.”

A breathy growl left the staggering man who had barely moved more than eight feet away from them, but Adora wasn’t really concerned about Hordak’s hurt feelings. He was still a warlord. Besides, Swift Wind was always insulting people. She walked the few steps up to him and sneaked under his arm to support him with her shoulder, well aware that he would refuse if she offered. It was strange to be so close to him. He’d been a constant figure in her life when she grew up, but he’d never acknowledged her presence. Not even that he’d kidnapped her. Much of this confused her.

Hordak sneered briefly, but his body slumped a little, needing to accept her help. “I do not require assistance.” The rest of him betrayed his word; he very much needed it. Adora looked him over. Why did he struggle so much to stand upright when he supposedly was healed? It had to have something to do with why she’d needed to scrape more magic out of the jar she pictured in her mind.

“Whether you want to admit it or not, you do. So just let me help you.” He sneered again, but accepted that he wouldn’t be able to move forward for very long without her. She looked up at him, closer to him than she’d ever been. It was strange, considering that he was the closest thing she’d had to a father figure. According to Light Hope he had been the one to take her away from her real family, but he had seemed sincere when he denied doing any such thing. She’d believed Light Hope’s words at the time, but now she wasn’t so convinced. The AI hid more from her, of that she was certain.

They walked into the eerie forest that appeared to be made more out of tech than organic material. Adora wondered how Entrapta had felt when she'd arrived here. On one hand it was Beast Island… but she really liked tech. This seemed like just the place for her. Although this tech did look wrong, almost like it was melted. If it looked nightmarish to Adora, how would Entrapta view it?

A creature roared nearby, making Adora jump much to Hordak’s annoyance; he grumbled. Behind them Swift Wind began to sing: “On this awful nightmare island,” she turned to look at him pointedly and he put on an awkward smile, “which we went to on purpose, so everything's great. Hey, let's take a fun stroll through nightmare island, just kidding, it's definitely not weird and scary.”

Tiny animals ran past them like they were being chased. A monstrous growl sounded in the distance. “I wanna go home.” Swift Wind sang weakly. He ran up behind them, sticking his face way too close to Adora’s ear. “Remind me again. Why are we helping our nemesis and walking into our death on this island which definitely lives up to its name?” The horse sounded more scared than snarky now.

“We’re helping him save Entrapta; we owe her that much. And Hordak was thrown from an aircraft by Catra. Have you ever heard of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’? She whispered, but noticed Hordak’s ears moving slightly, likely hearing every word. It didn’t matter though; Adora had never much to hide.

“I have not heard that expression, thank you very much.” Their path had brought them deep into the dark jungle where crystals and neon vines were the only source of light. The moons above were invisible. Swift Wind’s voice lowered further, sounding more serious than usually. “It feels like something’s wrong here and we haven’t even seen any beasts yet.” He hissed, head contorting in discomfort. “Can you not hear that?”

“I can.” Hordak replied on the other side of her where he was reluctantly leaning against her. Despite his hoarse voice and weakened state, he was still an intimidating presence. “It’s a sort of radio waves sending distorted signals to our brains. It’s likely meant to discourage anyone from exploring the island by making them poorly adequate to focus on the surrounding danger.” Adora followed his gaze as he turned his head; too many red eyes stared back at them between the trees. “Do your best to ignore it.”

“Oh right, listening to an evil warlord sounds like a great idea,” Swift Wind said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He jumped with a yelp as a spider-like creature appeared in front of him. Adora changed her sword into a staff and squashed it. Swift Wind looked at her in terror and relief.

“I did not force you to come with me. In fact, I encourage you to leave as you have no business here.” Hordak pulled a dog-sized animal with blue eyes off his back and strangled it with his free hand, then dropped it on the ground as though it was nothing to him.

“We do have business here. Well, I do.” Adora argued, still very uncomfortable to be in such close proximity with Hordak. A low buzzing sound prickled in her ears and she tried to shake it away. The two males on either side of her hissed, having heard the sound as well. It must be the signal Hordak was talking about. “I was going to warn Catra that you were coming for her. I kinda guessed that she had been the one to send Entrapta here, but I didn’t think she deserved to die. She just needs to realize that she’s becoming the person she hates the most. Of course I never got to tell her that… not when I heard what she’d done to you.”

“I will have my revenge. After I have sav- found Entrapta. Then no one will stand in the way of-” he snarled loudly and fell forward to the ground before Adora could catch him. His armor sent sparks of electricity flying from his collar and left arm. She knelt beside him, hesitating to touch him. There might be a risk of electrocution; besides, casual touching Lord Hordak felt wrong.

“The armor is hurting you. We need to get it off you.” She looked for clasps or something of the kind to remove it, but all she could see were several tubes on the back that appeared to be attached to his skin. It wasn’t something she’d noticed before. What was he?

Hordak held up both hands to stop her from coming closer. “No! The armor is… necessary. I will be fine.” She could hear him gritting his teeth, but didn’t say anything more as he slowly rose from the ground, obviously in a lot of agony. Offering her shoulder to lean on again, he took it with a grunt. He was clearly a proud individual, but he was smart enough to accept the help he needed if he was going to find Entrapta; Adora respected that.

She turned her head to Swift Wind to stop any snarky comments he might have, but he wasn't beside them anymore. Her gaze swept over their surroundings until she saw him on the ground with black and brown vines snaking over his body. His eyes were half-lidded as though he was exhausted, but his expression held so much despair. Forgetting that she was practically keeping Hordak upright, she ran to the horse’s side to pull the vines away. “Swifty! Get up!”

“I… can’t. The noise is so loud… Adora.” The vines kept coming, even as she sliced through them with her sword. She turned to Hordak to ask for help, only to see him sitting on his knees with his head bowed in defeat. Vines slithered over his legs, binding him in place. All around them more red eyes appeared between the dark trees as if they knew that dinner was almost ready.

“No, please, fight it! Hordak!” She wanted to help him, but Swift Wind was her friend and he needed her too. Vines were beginning to cover his face. “Come on, Swifty, get up!” He didn’t move, not even seeming to hear her anymore. The long vines attempted to wrap around her legs and she had to stand up to stop them.

"For the Honor of Grayskull!" She shouted and held her sword high into the air, turning into the warrior she'd been born to become. She dashed through the area around them, slicing through every vine within seconds, before running to Swift Wind to pull him to his feet. But he didn't stay upright, his four knees all buckling.

"Just… leave… me." He murmured, his stare blank and chilling.

Even as She-Ra, she had no idea what to do. Swift Wind was frighteningly quiet as he lay on the ground and not fighting the vines while Hordak was whispering something she could barely make out. The noise buzzed in her head again, much louder this time. The red eyes came closer, nearing their prey. “Hordak, we have to find Entrapta!” She reminded him in hope that it would make him snap out of it as she cut away most of the vines tangled around him which kept growing back.

“Entrapta is gone… I could not save her.” He murmured, looking down at his hands with tear-filled eyes, a sight that made Adora tremble. If Hordak gave up, they wouldn’t have a fighting chance. She dropped to her knees as well. Her friends wouldn’t even know what had happened to her. She’d left them without saying goodbye because she’d been so obsessed with saving Catra from herself once again. But it was useless.

What was the point of being She-Ra when you couldn’t even save your best friend? She hadn’t asked to be given this power nor be torn away from her friends in the Horde to fight for the good of Etheria. It was all for nothing now. Catra was worse than she’d ever been. Angella was trapped between dimensions. Swift Wind was going to die. Entrapta might already be dead.

Adora was a terrible savior.

She hadn’t noticed the vines crawling over her body, but she didn’t really care. Maybe it was for the best before she ruined more for those she cared about. The island was where she belonged…

Her eyes closed, only to open a second later when she heard a shout nearby. A flash of pink light flashed before them and she felt the vines wither away. She rose and ran to Swift Wind who was starting to come out of his daze. “Adora? What happened?”

She looked around to see who or what had rescued them when she saw a man with tattered clothes, long black hair and a matching beard stand in front of Hordak who was still kneeling on the ground with his head bowed in spite of having been released from the vines as well. He wasn’t moving.

Then the man raised a staff over his head, ready to strike at Hordak.

Chapter Text

Hordak saw it when the brown vines swept over his body and effectively tethered him to the ground. He heard Adora - She-Ra - call his name and slash through the vines. He even felt the vines disappear with a bright burst of magic and knew that he could move again. But he felt no desire to. It was already too late.

Entwined between the vines that had first started to grow and slither over him, he had seen Entrapta’s welding mask, broken and abandoned. She always wore it. She needed it, for more than just welding. It was her shield against the world. If her shield was gone, it meant that... 

He hadn’t arrived in time to save her.

There was no reason to move when Adora tried to free him nor when he sensed the man in front of him who was going to strike him. He heard Adora shout in warning, but he just didn’t have any incitement to move. Let this man beat him to death; he deserved it. None of it mattered. It would be a fitting execution. 

The first strike had the advantage of being precise and it landed on the back of Hordak’s head, not far above Hordak’s neck port which was covered. He fell forward and his hands instinctively reached out to stop his face from hitting the ground. The second strike was stronger than the first, the staff landing hard against his right shoulder blade. Without the power to keep the armor together, the shoulder piece was easily pulled from its position which was more painful than the strike itself. But he took it gladly, the physical agony better than the one he felt inside.

The third strike never truly came, only the top of the man’s staff falling across Hordak’s face as Adora’s sword split it in half. It was only then he looked up to see the man attacking him and recognized him from old paintings. “King Micah?” Adora, as She-Ra, held a hand against the King’s chest and her sword drawn to stop him from more attacks.

“As in Glimmer’s dad?” The pegasus yelled, almost stepping on Hordak as he ran over to look at the old man. It would’ve made Hordak stand up if he hadn’t been so hurt. The misplaced shoulder plate was digging into his spine.

“You know Glimmer? My Glimmer?” The King’s eyes lit up as only a father’s could. Hordak thought of Imp who was left alone in the care of Entrapta’s robot and Force Captain Cobalt. “Wait, why are you defending Lord Hordak if you’re Glimmer’s friends? And do horses talk now? Has Etheria turned upside down?”

“A few things have happened,” Adora transformed into herself, though not before throwing an angry look at the pegasus who was about to talk again, “but right now we have to get somewhere safe.”

“There isn’t anywhere safe. This is Beast Island!” King Micah shouted with a condescending tone, although it might be because he appeared to be a little crazy. “I think this place is good for now, considering the spell I sent through the clearing. Now, tell me why Glimmer’s friends are trying to stop me from killing Lord Hordak and when horses started to talk!”

“Let me heal him first, or we won’t be able to go anywhere.” Adora’s words were pleading, but her tone was not. She wouldn’t let anyone argue against her and Hordak stayed quiet, although he wanted to tell her not to bother. There was no point in continuing, now that he knew what had happened to Entrapta. He would let the island take him too. It had even sounded like Adora would avenge Entrapta’s death for him. That would be acceptable. 

King Micah crossed his arms and looked displeased, but said nothing as Adora kneeled by Hordak’s side. “Okay, there’s the head wound and… It looks like your shoulder plate was rui- wait! What’s this?” She noticed the distorted skin and withered muscle beneath the crooked plate. Hordak growled at her and pushed her away with his left hand which was the only one that had any feeling in it.

“It’s nothing! Just leave me be!” He snarled at her. There were too many people around him and he felt vulnerable enough as it was. But he couldn’t get up without support right now; he certainly wouldn't be able to fight her off. She didn’t let go of the shoulder plate and as he pushed her away once more, her hand pulled the plate with her. He screamed in pain as the connection to his thoracic port was abruptly served.

The metal plate fell to the ground between them, Adora letting it go in shock. Hordak felt everyone’s eyes on him as he laid helplessly on the ground, his weak shoulder of bone and wasted muscle bared and on display. He growled again, covering what he could with his good hand and attempted to roll over to lie on the shoulder, thereby hiding it. He failed.

“This… this is why I couldn’t heal you completely before. And why you couldn’t walk on your own.” Adora murmured, more to herself than him. She leaned forward to touch his skin, ignoring the hiss he let out. “You didn’t want to take off your armor because we weren’t allowed to see.”

“What is going on?” King Micah asked, jumping five steps back when the pegasus answered that he had no idea either. Adora ignored them both, reaching out to Hordak as one would with a wounded animal. It wasn’t far off, he thought.

“Did the fall destroy the armor? Or…” Her eyes widened in understanding. “The First Ones’ crystal. It has power. It powered your armor! Where is it?” The girl was smarter than he’d given her credit for when he had first met her. She had it all figured out. “Catra! That’s how she managed to win over you in a fight! She took away your… your support.” Her eyes closed and she hung her head low, suddenly seeming very sad.

“None of this matters!” Hordak sneered, frustrated at how much the little girl had figured out. He hated that the last hours of his life had to be so humiliating. All he wanted was to die alone now, like Entrapta had, but even that he wouldn’t be allowed. “You have no reason to stay here anymore. Entrapta is… gone… Leave! Take the King with you.”

This got Adora’s attention and she lifted her head, looking around in the clearing. “Entrapta? What do you mean?” The King and the Pegasus followed her gaze. Hordak raised his left hand, ignoring the violent shaking it caused in his arm, and pointed to the dense tangle of vines where you could still see a glimpse of the mask. He blinked repeatedly as he fought against the tears trying to emerge.

Adora walked over to the place he pointed to, drawing her sword to cut the vines away until she could reach the mask. She didn’t fight her own tears, but let them fall freely, and in a way Hordak was just glad to see that someone other than him had cared about Entrapta. The world was an empty place without her. 

“Oh, you mean the purple-haired woman who owns the mask? I saw her a few hours ago.” King Micah said almost casually. “She must have dropped it.” This time Hordak found the energy to push himself to his knees, crawling forward until he could grab the King’s arm and pull him closer. Even on his knees, he was still tall enough to reach the King’s shoulders and he could stare anyone down.

“Swear to me! Swear that you saw her!” His voice was hoarse with pain, but he was more desperate than he’d ever been. Adora ran over to pull Hordak away from the King, but did it more gently than Hordak would ever have done with an injured enemy.

“I swear!” King Micah answered with wide eyes, likely surprised that the seemingly weak warlord had lunged at him.

“Are you certain? Magenta eyes, long prehensile purple hair and around 152 cm tall? She enjoys science of various kinds, eats small foods and does not like touches initiated by others without her consent.” Hordak talked rapidly, wanting to be absolutely certain.

“Uh-huh. That’s her.” Micah nodded. “I saw her earlier when she stole berries from my camp again. Which is why I’m even out here right now, to stock up on food that isn’t just beetles. Although I do have some good ones.” The pegasus made a gagging noise.

“Wow, you really know a lot about her.” Adora said surprised, looking at Hordak with soft eyes. He wasn’t sure why it came as a surprise that he knew a few things about her. There was much more he could mention, like her tendency to spin in her chair with excitement or frustration, or how she had just about everything in her overall pockets, or the way she always knew what to say to brighten his day. But he doubted that it would be useful for identification right now.

"So, the Lord of the Evil Horde got his girlfriend sent to the same island as his enemies? Gotta love the irony in that." King Micah laughed heartily in spite of Hordak's snarl.

"Do not insult her! She is my lead scientist!" He looked away in shame of having failed to treat her as anything more; of having believed the traitorous cat over Entrapta's own words. "Besides, I have yet to banish anyone to this island. And I never will, now that I know it is possible to survive." He managed to get up from the ground with only little help from Adora, although he took note that she'd healed his most recent injuries caused by the King.

"Of course you have. You sent me here along with countless others from the Alliance… who did not survive." The King looked haunted for a moment, obviously having seen things that no man should see, but Hordak cared little right then. He did not like when people spread lies about him; the truth was no issue.

"This is an outright lie. Had I taken you as a prisoner, I could have used you for leverage as I have done with other prisoners. It is much more useful than transporting people out here." Which he admittedly had done several times. He’d gained much territory by taking hostages and using them to force a village to surrender. It meant less bloodshed and waste of resources.

King Micah raised his bushy eyebrows in surprise, contemplating this. "Then who…"

"Shadow Weaver." Hordak and the King answered at the same time, looking at each other in shared contempt. Their hatred of her appeared to be one thing they had in common, although Hordak suspected it was something many shared with them. He’d only kept her because she took care of many practical assignments that he didn’t want to bother with, but he’d known that it was a matter of time before he had to find a replacement. However, choosing Catra had been the gravest mistake of his miserable life. He'd needed his Force Commanders in the field and Catra was... there. 

It was a mistake that Entrapta had paid for; the fault was his. 

"Shadow Weaver?" the pegasus spoke again to the King's shock - as though a talking stallion was so hard to accept - and Hordak's annoyance . "Like the Shadow Weaver back in Brightmoon?"

Adora had the good sense to slap her hand over the pegasus’ mouth, but the damage had been done. “In Brightmoon? With my Angella and little Glimmer?” This time it was King Micah who grabbed Hordak’s arm which made him hiss in pain. “Have you sent her there to spy on them?”

Hordak might not have much of his strength left, but he was still stronger than the average human, so when the King dared to lay his hand on him and accuse him of such falsehood, Hordak roughly grabbed his hand and flipped it backwards just enough to avoid snapping the radius bone in two. “Do not touch me.”

Once again Adora stepped in, wrestling Hordak’s hand away from King Micah. “I did not cause a fracture.” He said with a slight shrug when she looked pointedly at him. “We are wasting time on this; Entrapta could fall victim to a predator at any moment!”

Adora looked to the King who was rubbing his wrist with a grim face. “He’s right. Let’s find Entrapta and… I’ll catch you up on things as we walk, alright?” He nodded, although he eyed Hordak with distaste. It was fine since he wasn’t high on Hordak’s list either.

“Great! We’re just gonna walk further into the scary woods then with Glimmer’s not-dead dad and Etheria’s strongest man who is currently broken? That’s fine then.” The pegasus complained again. Hordak really wished Adora would use her superiority to make him quiet. It was getting more than frustrating.

Adora offered her shoulder again to Hordak and he begrudgingly allowed her to carry some of his weight as they began to move forward in the direction the King had seen her move last. He came up to walk next to Adora. “Can we start with the talking horse thing? Do all horses talk now?”

It was going to be a long day. But it would be worth it if he found Entrapta.

Chapter Text

Catra didn’t know what to expect when she finally reached the Fright Zone. She was exhausted, having been up for almost two days, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to rest yet. Even if Hordak hadn’t alerted anyone of his plan or what had happened to Entrapta, she had still snuck away and stolen a vehicle without permission. At best she was facing a reprimand, at worst an execution.

But Adora had really only been a help to her. Catra was very impulsive, a character trait that often got her in trouble, but she was also extremely good at finding a way out of that trouble and, thanks to Adora’s meddling, she was going to do it again.

Octavia, Grizzlor and even Mantenna were ready for her when she drove into the parking bay, clearly having tracked her after they’d discovered her deception. She kept an expression of confidence, acting like she had control of everything; it usually worked, at least around Hordak.

“Catra…” Octavia hissed with absolute hatred, the three Force Commanders encircling her immediately as she stepped out of the skiff. “We know everything. About Entrapta, about your betrayal. How dare you even show your face here again? I always knew you were a horrible cretin that should have been drowned in a bag, but this is too low, even for you.” Catra jumped out of the way as Octavia lunged at her.

“Hey, easy now, Squiddy!” She crossed the floor and jumped onto a tank for dramatic effect. It worked so well when she was the smallest person present. “You can punish me later; right now we’ve been ordered to gather all troops and attack Brightmoon. Lord Hordak informed me that Ado- She-Ra is heading towards Beast Island and likely won’t be seen ever again.”

She looked at them with a sly smile, waiting for them to take the bait. Grizzlor and Octavia looked at each other with scepticism. “And why should we believe you when you’ve shown no loyalty to the Horde?” Grizzlor growled, a small hint of doubt in his voice. “You sent our best scientist to Beast Island and lied about it.”

“She lies about everything.” Mantenna shouted, surprising them all with her anger. “She’s the reason Scorpia’s suddenly disappeared, I just know it!” This was news to Catra. Scorpia wouldn’t just leave the Fright Zone. Where was she then? But it wasn’t the most pressing issue right now.

“Hey, don’t trust me then. I’m just telling you what Hordak said to me when I was on my way to rescue Entrapta. I’d thought that the little Princess had been sent by the Alliance to distract Hordak from the war, but I regret my actions, okay? That’s why I left this morning. You can see it yourself: I was at the Windy Shores. But Hordak stopped me, telling me that I was going to be punished, but first when we’d taken Brightmoon.”

The beastly Force Commanders were still not convinced. “I think Lord Hordak would want to punish you first.” Grizzlor shook his head. “You’re not getting off this time, Catra.”

This was it: her break-it or make-it. She jumped down from the tank and walked directly up to them with her hands out, so they could cuff her. “Fine. Take me as your prisoner until Lord Hordak gets back. I have nowhere else to go anyway.” Mantenna reached for her cuffs. “But don’t blame me when he gets back and is pissed that you let go of the opportunity to attack an unprotected Brightmoon.”

“We can hold you as a prisoner while we attack Brightmoon, Catra. You’re forgetting that we have been in this game for a long time. Much longer than your trashy teenage ass.” Octavia grabbed her wrists and turned her around to place them at the small of her back. This was not going as she planned! Time to convince them how crucial she was to the Horde. 

She laughed with false confidence. “Sure, but you need a four-line attack for Brightmoon. You’re only three. Who’s gonna command the last squadron? Cobalt?” She couldn’t see the Force Commanders’ faces with her back to them, but she knew she had them when Mantenna didn’t cuff her. They all knew that Cobalt wasn’t a strategic mind. Sending him into the field would be disastrous and there were no other Force Commanders to lead the fourth squadron; they had to use a Force Captain and with Scorpia gone, Catra was the only one who had experience with leading a squadron in the field.

Grizzlor growled low with anger, attempting to whisper, so Catra couldn't hear it. “She’s right! We don’t have any other option if we really want a chance in Brightmoon. And without Lord Hordak here…” 

“We have to keep trying to reach him over the radio.” Mantenna sounded uncertain. Even with her back to them, Catra was smart enough to hide her smile as Octavia’s hands tightened around her wrists; it meant she was winning.

“Yes, but until then we have to focus on Brightmoon. If we can take that kingdom, the rest of Etheria will be a piece of grey ration bar for the Horde.” Grizzlor sighed. “Octavia, you know it’s true.”

With a noise of frustration Octavia pushed Catra forward, but let go of her wrists. “Fine! But she stays here until we leave!” Catra quickly found her footing and turned to the dummies who’d just fallen for another one of her lies.

“I promise, I’ll stay.” She said with a smile. That meant she could get a nap while the morons gathered the troops. Things just kept getting better, didn’t they? War preparations were the worst and they let her off the hook. “Lock me up in the parking bay until things are ready. Here, take my access card. And… give this one to Force Captain Andrea and apologize.” She handed Mantenna the cards.

“Tell her yourself,” she said, “little bitch.” The three angry Force Commanders walked out of the parking bay and locked it, Octavia’s eyes sending spikes at Catra before they turned away to gather the soldiers. Catra laughed with delight at another deception well done. After taking Brightmoon, they would realize that Hordak was dead and she would take full control of the Horde as Hordak’s last official second-in-command. And there was nothing Adora could do about it.

“Fine work, Catra.” Goosebumps rose on her skin as she heard the voice that usually berated her. It couldn’t be her, could it? She turned around, looking at every shadow in the room, and even though she thought she was prepared, it still shocked her to see Shadow Weaver appear out of the shadows. Whenever she manifested, it was like Catra’s worst nightmare coming alive. After defeating her old pseudo parent, she should’ve felt better, should’ve been able to finally heal. But she never truly had.

“Wha- what are you doing in here?” She tried to straighten her back and sound less insecure. After all she wasn’t the little kitty who’d been terrorized by that awful creature for years. She was about to lead the Horde to victory and it would be without the help of Hordak, Shadow Weaver or Adora; it would be her victory.

“I heard that the Horde was without a leader,” Shadow Weaver began to circle Catra; it freaked her out because she knew to never turn her back to the masked woman. “But I see now that there is one. How much you have grown, Catra. I’ve taught you well.” Scared hands reached out to touch her face, but Catra stopped them and backed away.

“You didn’t teach me anything! You just criticized everything I did and punished me. Don’t think you can take credit for this!” She didn’t notice she was still backing away until her back bumped against a parked aircraft.

“Please. You may have done it easier with your pretty little appearance, but you’ve done everything I aspired to do. And you truly think it was your own achievement? How do you think you got so good at deception?” Although Catra couldn’t see Shadow Weaver’s expression, she could feel the gloating smile.

“No.” She felt tears threatening to fill her eyes and dug her claws into her palms to fight them. “I am nothing like you.” Despite her words, her voice betrayed her. She wouldn’t be anything like Shadow Weaver, so manipulating and taking advantage of everyone around… Her eyes widened and her throat constricted as she realized the truth.

Shadow Weaver came up to her, lightly touching her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Catra saw right through the manipulating behavior, yet she still felt a little warmer as her only maternal figure showed an inch of affection. “I’m proud of you, Catra. You have exceeded all my expectations.”

Her words felt… nice. Sincere even. She had actually managed to do something right in Shadow Weaver’s eyes. It was wrong to see her sentiment as a good thing; she was truly evil, more than anyone in the Horde, more than Hordak could ever aspire to be.

But if evil was something Catra was good at… shouldn’t she just embrace it? Adora had already deemed her as evil. And if it made Shadow Weaver proud of her, then there was no reason why she shouldn’t show everyone just how evil she could be.

Yes, she would show them. Adora, Scorpia, Shadow Weaver, the Force Commanders. Everyone would see just how bad she could be. She could lead the Horde to victory. Maybe then they would regret treating her like she was nothing but trash.

She lifted her eyes to stare directly into the white holes in the mask where Shadow Weaver’s eyes were and smiled with her new attitude. Embrace the evil, rule Etheria. “Oh? You haven’t seen anything yet. I’ve only just begun.”

Chapter Text

The trek through the dark jungle took longer than Adora would’ve liked; than any of them would’ve liked. Swift Wind commented on it constantly and even King Micah had mentioned it several times at first. But it was clear to them all that Hordak was the one who was most frustrated by it as he was the reason they couldn’t move any faster. He would push himself to increase his pace, taking some of his weight off Adora’s shoulder, but not long would pass before his energy ran dry and he fell to the ground. Every time he did this, they were forced to take a rest. He’d asked them to leave him behind and ensure that Entrapta, but Adora refused. No one would be left behind.

Swift Wind had even offered to carry Hordak to move forward faster, but the Warlord had steadfastly declined. It was probably for the best as Adora had noticed how affected Swift Wind was by the Signal. He’d turned eerily quiet, or at least not talking constantly, and she often observed the vines following him as though he was their preferred prey. She made sure to walk beside him to keep an eye on him.

That meant Micah couldn’t walk on that side next to her as he’d done at first and her left side was supporting Hordak. So, King Micah had chosen to walk next to Hordak in an odd turn of events. The two men had mumbled insults at each other during the first part of their trek, but slowly, their words had turned into an argument about Etheria’s political system.

It was interesting to listen to the older men discuss these complicated matters. While they had started as opponents, they began to agree with certain aspects the other one provided. She’d never actually seen anyone have such a peaceful discussion where each side listened to one another. It was very mature and quite fascinating to watch for Adora who had never seen many social interactions between adults. In the Horde it had always been a matter of rank with the grown ups and the only real adults in the Alliance were Angella and Castaspella who always fought. Netossa and Spinnerella rarely had any discussions and spoke more like one entity at times.

Adora also became aware that Micah was slowly beginning to agree with Hordak. While the Horde was a military dictatorship, something Hordak never tried to deny, he argued with very short and concise words that the monarchies of Etheria’s kingdoms were dictatorships as well, just hiding behind the concept of royalty and therefore chosen to lead. But the rest of the population had no choice but to follow the will of the monarch which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Many species on Etheria were outcasts. Adora had been taught by Shadow Weaver that the Princesses ostracized the less aesthetically pleasing species, but when she’d joined the Alliance, she’d dismissed this as propaganda. However, now that Hordak mentioned it, she did look back on the people she’d met in the different kingdoms. They were all ‘cute’ or ‘beautiful’. None of them could be considered as anything but pleasing to the eye, unlike the species she’d met in the Horde and the Crimson Waste.

Micah had quietly contemplated this for a few minutes when Hordak continued to name examples that the monarchies, together with Mystacor, used their magic to make their own lives more pleasant while they ignored the plights of the people. Reluctantly, Micah had agreed with this, like he agreed that Hordak and the Horde hadn’t started the war, just more successfully continued what the Scorpion people had begun.

Although Hordak didn’t speak much, he managed to rattle Adora’s worldview in very few sentences. It was what Glimmer and Bow had done once, but his arguments were more solid. Maybe the Horde wasn’t actually evil like the Alliance thought; they were just getting in the way of the monarchies’ power over Etheria.

Perhaps, if Catra had used these arguments to make Adora stay, she would have. But she wasn’t even sure Catra was aware of these things; after all, she’d said that she knew the Horde was evil.

Micah seemed flustered too. Their discussion had slowly turned into observations from each of the men that only seemed to enforce Hordak’s reasoning. He acknowledged the issues within the Horde and his flawed decision to take in Shadow Weaver, never trying to deny his fault; he actually appeared to almost exaggerate his own failures. Adora began to think that Hordak truly loathed himself.

“We will set up camp here.” King Micah said suddenly. They were in the middle of the jungle, the trees pressing in on them from all sides; it seemed all too dangerous to rest here with all the possible beasts that might creep up on them. Besides, it hadn’t been long since their last stop. Hordak didn’t show any obvious sign of needing to rest for the night.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe we can find a clearing or something.” Adora suggested, letting Hordak’s arm slip from her grip as he pulled away from her to barely stand on his own. She eyed him with worry. He appeared even weaker now, but his expression of determination hadn’t changed.

Hordak turned to Micah with a scowl. “It is not even near nightfall. We are continuing. Or, at least I am.” He turned towards the direction they were heading and dragged his feet forward; Adora could almost hear his body tremble.

To everyone’s surprise, King Micah planted a gentle hand on Hordak’s shoulder. Hordak turned around with impossible speed, his hand on the King’s wrist and ready to fight. But he paused as he saw the calm expression on the former King. “Night comes sooner in the deep jungle. You cannot help Entrapta if you’re dead.”

“Fine.” Hordak spat out and removed his hand from Micah’s wrist. He backed up against a tree and slid down slowly to the ground. It almost looked like he deflated, the fight and energy in him dying.

Swift Wind did the same against another tree and this concerned Adora much more. She didn’t know how Hordak normally acted beyond barking orders, but this behavior was certainly out of character for her friend. She hurried to him and kneeled beside him, stroking his mane. “Hang on a little longer, okay?”

“I was a regular horse once, you know?” He muttered, eyes down. She nodded, petting him. “Sometimes, I think that was better. I wasn’t cut out for these grand adventures, no matter how much I act like I know what I’m doing.”

“None of us know what we’re doing. We just do our best. And I feel lucky to have you. I haven’t said that enough. But when we’re home again, I’m gonna hire someone to build that chair for you at Bright Moon.”

“That would be… nice.” Swift Wind smiled sadly. “I know I rant about the chair, but it’s only because it’s yet another sign that I don’t belong. Not with my horse friends and not with you.” Adora’s heart broke for him. She’d never heard him speak like this.

She looked around him to look for vines gripping his body when a rush of magic built a wall around them. Micah stood with his staff held high, looking out of breath. “There,” he said as he looked around at them, “this protection shield will keep us hidden from the dangers of the jungle. That's why I chose this cramped space; easier to build a shield against so many tress. I don’t know how well it will work against the Signal with so many of us - I’ve only used it to protect myself for so long - but I hope that none of us will sink into despair.”

His face turned to Swift Wind who had already started to sit upright. “You know, I feel a little better now.” Adora smiled, seeing him light up for the first time since they reached the island. It wasn’t the carefree companion she was used to, but it was a relief. “How about a song?”

Hordak grunted with annoyance, but Adora ignored him. She could indulge her friend with a small song.

The tapping sound of her fingers echoed through the large fortress as she pushed past every firewall on the giant screen in front of her. It was the only sound which could be heard in there and it was familiar to her.

Entrapta had gotten used to the silence and, for the most part, she enjoyed it. It was a lot like being back in Dryl before the Princesses, Catra and Scorpia and before Hordak. Of course, she knew now how much better things could be, but that’s not how her life was supposed to turn out. It was likely that her future would be spent in lonesomeness and she accepted that.

Hopefully, she would get to travel the Wider Universe and see all the things Hordak had told her about. Among the stars, she surely wouldn’t feel so lonely.

In her left front pocket of her overalls, the violet crystal seemed to burn through the reinforced fabric and into her skin. It was just her imagination, but she was painfully aware of it. She should throw the crystal away. She would… after.

Hacking an ancient First Ones’ computer should have been difficult, but Entrapta had studied everything about the First Ones for so long that she saw a pattern in their code which she could use to bypass their firewalls and, before she knew it, she had gained complete access to the Runestones’ connection to the Heart of Etheria; the magic contained within the planet and controlled by the Runestones and the Sword of Protection.

Entrapta would have preferred to have had a Runestone or She-Ra’s sword to work with. Not because it would be easier, but she liked to be more hands-on when it came to these big experiments and see the reactions of the objects as they were used like they were meant to. Well, in a way at least; she wasn’t going to use them as a weapon, but all their potential would exploited when they tore a hole in Despondos.

She’d expected that changing the trajectory of the Sword of Protection would be the most tedious task, considering that its energy combined with that from the Runestones was designed to cause destruction of a physical target instead of moving the planet through this reality to the next.

However, it was surprisingly easy since the last She-Ra had done exactly that. All Entrapta had to do was pull up the data and reverse it. And then she was ready.

She was going to bring Etheria back into the Wider Universe where it belonged. They would no longer be a lone planet rotating around itself in a dark, desolate universe.

Her forefinger hovered over the button that would begin the process. Why did she hesitate?

Her other hand dug into her left front pocket and pulled out the crystal. The inscription stood out in the light from the screen of the computer, mocking her with its message. Did he know what it said? Was that why he’d thrown it away? Not that would change anything.

If she did this, she would never see Hordak again. And although she desperately wanted to, needed to hear him dismiss her feelings, so she could move on, she was scared that it would irredeemably break her.

It was better to take action. If she moved the planet, then he’d be gone and she would have no choice but to forget him. It would spare her the confrontation.

She looked at the crystal for a few seconds before pocketing it, having made her decision.

The day moon had barely begun to rise before Hordak was on his feet. The night's rest had admittedly been beneficial and he was expecting a quicker pace today. King Micah had promised him that they weren't far from the place he'd last seen Entrapta and he felt oddly trusting of the Etherian. 

Hordak felt the effects of the Signal the moment King Micah let down the magical barrier that had kept them safe during the night. It was weighing him down more than his armor and it took all his mental strength - of which he already had little - to keep moving. She was out there and he would find her. 

They had only walked a few hundred meters before he fell to his knees from exhaustion and pain in his muscles. Adora offered him the support of her shoulder once more and he begrudgingly took it. He'd never been as ashamed of himself as he was now - with the exception of the day he was torn from Lord Prime's Light - but he had to bury his pride. This little band of misfits had already seen his weakness. They would have to be dealt with later.

The King and the pegasus had taken the lead, discussing whether or not horses could participate in democracy if they couldn't talk. As far as Hordak knew, none of the kingdoms had democracy, but their conversation made Adora snicker a few times. She appeared to be in a better mood, likely because the pegasus wasn't ready to collapse at any given moment. Unfortunately for Hordak, this meant that he was the only one holding them back which was proven by the fact that Adora and he trailed further and further behind.

He attempted to quicken their pace to Adora's surprise. "Are you sure that you can handle this?" She asked, but he had very little energy to answer her and only murmured affirmatively as a response. His eyes were on King Micah who kept swearing that he knew the island better than his childhood home, whatever meaning that had. Hordak would never be able to navigate his first home, The Velvet Glove, had it not been for the map provided in the Hivemind. But he also knew that no one on Etheria had ever come close to a place as magnificent as Horde Prime's flagship. It could not be compared. 

As they came nearer to the two males in front of them, Hordak noticed that it was getting darker. Had the day passed by so quickly? He looked up to the sky, but there was only dark branches reaching out for him, black tentacles coming for all of them.

He fell abruptly to the soft, jungle ground, dragging Adora's small form with him. She yelped, alerting the others of his fall. "Keep going..." He gasped as they came running. "Please, just find her." His voice was weak and constricted by his feeling of failure. He didn't know what was happening, only that his body could not move any longer. It was useless, like himself. The Signal found its way inside and he let it, accepting his fate.

The sharp yet warm light from Adora's transformation into She-Ra breeched through the darkness of his vision, but he didn't care anymore. His defect wasn't possible to heal, even by magic. He let her try, too weak to protest, but it was no use. When she'd given up, she sat down beside him in silence. For a brief moment he wondered if the Signal was getting to her too. Could the She-Ra be affected too? But he had very little energy to ask.

How long it took before the vines found their way over his legs, he didn't know. He paid very little attention to anything but the growing sense of failure and shame that would ultimately destroy him.

The first time the ground beneath him shook, he was sure it was a sign of him dying. He had been close to death several times and it had always felt like his body was becoming undone, simply trembling with absolute disfunction. The second time he felt it, he turned his eyes towards She-Ra who was saying something. She was holding a glowing object in her hand.

Her sudden scream was strong enough to make him snap out of his head and sit up. She was standing with her sword raised, struggling to keep it lifted; it was glowing brighter than he'd ever seen it. "Hordak, I can't hold it...!" She yelled at him and he somehow managed to stumble to his feet. He didn't know what was going on, but he tried to reach for the handle to help her lift it as she appeared to be. The burning from it rushed through him the moment he touched it and sent him flying backwards, crashing hard into a rock.

The echoing noise as his metal armor hit the rock was... wrong. He should've been focused on Adora, but his armor rung with the familiar sound of metal striking metal. Looking behind him at the large rock formation, he came to realize that it was a metal structure. If he could find the entrance, they might find safety from whatever was happening.

He turned his eyes to Adora just as she lost her control of the sword. It sank deep into the ground and released a vibrating force of bright energy which burst out to every direction.

Etheria trembled as it was forced from the home it had known for centuries. 

Chapter Text

Castle Brightmoon, early morning

Queen Glimmer stood on the small bridge leading to the Moon stone, looking over the horizon where the army of the Horde approached them at a fast pace. Bow stood beside her with a hand on her shoulder, attempting to act more brave than either of them were.

The Horde was attacking Brightmoon and they didn’t have She-Ra. Adora had left them without a word, although the strange encounter with Hordak must have had something to do with it. Was she planning to save Entrapta who had betrayed them? Or was this about Catra once again, despite her promise to let her former friend be? Adora always had too much empathy and that wasn’t a good thing in a war.

Shadow Weaver was gone as well. It didn’t surprise any of them, but it did leave Glimmer without guidance when it came to her powers. She’d relied too much on the evil sorceress. Thankfully, none of her friends had brought it up.

Mermista came towards them, her expression more grim than usual. The pessimism was usually an annoyance, but right now it was better than Bow’s fake optimism. “How’s our prisoners?” Glimmer asked the other princess with a bland voice.

“The robot keeps beeping about something while Scorpia is gushing over the pillows and the mattress in her room. Apparently, the Horde offers atrocious beds, but I guess we already knew this. Other than that, they're really not of much use.” Mermista crossed her arms and exhaled excessively, a behavior Glimmer knew was coming the moment she saw Mermista approach.

Bow, ever ready to question any negativity in sight, probed further. “So, Scorpia didn’t mention the Horde’s plan to attack?”

Mermista rolled her eyes like she did every minute. “No, she claims it must’ve been a rash decision and that Catra likely was behind it. It seems that Hordak doesn’t do much, but mope around in his ‘Sanctum’, whatever that is. Perfuma says that she’ll try to get more out of her, but I saw her make a couple of flower crowns on her way back into Scorpia’s room, so I don’t think that we should count on her. Anyway, the bot can't speak and Scorpia seems too soft to hide any secrets.”

Glimmer nodded. It was her assessment of the Scorpion Princess as well. “Netossa and Spinnerella have sent for their army. The same goes for Frosta. But both kingdoms’ armies are small. And Perfuma’s people don’t have much fighting experience. Will your army reach Brightmoon before the Horde?”

Mermista scoffed mockingly, making Glimmer grit her teeth. “Doubtful. They won’t be here until nightfall.”

“Well. We will just have to do our best with what we got.” Glimmer stood up straight as her mom always had, trying to appear calm and collected even in the worst situations. It was Glimmer who was the protector of Brightmoon now; the weight was on her shoulders.

Castle Brightmoon, later same morning

“I’m sorry.” Scorpia had immediately looked down when Glimmer had entered and asked Perfuma to give them a moment alone. Perfuma was so welcoming and sweet, but Queen Glimmer was not. She was stiff and very regal, never revealing what she was thinking, unlike the Sea Princess or the child. It hadn’t been a bad experience to join the enemy - they didn’t even have a real jail - but she knew that they were all on edge because she’d arrived just the day before and now the Horde was suddenly attacking.

“Why are you sorry?” Glimmer sat down on the bed next to her. This was the first time they’d spoken since she’d been brought before the Queen yesterday morning when she’d finally found her way out of the Whispering Woods with Emily. Sitting alone with the Queen in this luxury room was a strange experience for Scorpia. She’d only ever trained to be a soldier in Hordak’s army. And now she was here, being treated like an actual princess and she wasn't sure that she liked it.

“For not knowing about the Horde's attack. If I had, I would’ve told you, but it’s just as much a surprise to me as it is to you. I know Catra had talked about going for the Sea Gate, but never Brightmoon.” She scratched the back of her head with her claw.

“We trust your word, Scorpia. Which is why I’m here to ask you something important.” Scorpia finally looked at Glimmer, surprised by this. What could she possibly have to offer? “I need you to tell us what strategies they might be using, what weaknesses they might have. But my most important question is this: will you join our side in battle?”

Scorpia knew plenty about the Horde’s strategies and weaknesses, facts she was willing to share. However, she wasn’t sure about the last thing. “I don’t have any powers. I have the same weaknesses as any other soldier.”

Glimmer smiled at her, a glint in her eyes. “That's simply not true. But even if it was, it's more than enough for us.”

The words surprised Scorpia. She was good enough? When had anyone ever told her that? Entrapta had probably thought so, but she’d never really been a real part of the Horde. Catra had been, but Scorpia had never been good enough for her. No matter what she did, Catra had always dismissed her or worse.

The princesses had only just met her, but they were treating her better than Catra ever had.

That was all it took for Scorpia to join the Alliance.

Outside the city of Brightmoon, noon

Catra laughed as she dodged every sword, every laserbeam and every burst of magic aimed at her. This was child’s play compared to the other battles she'd been in against the princesses and it was all because Adora wasn’t here to stop it.

They’d reached Brightmoon shortly before noon. While the princesses had somehow anticipated that they would attack from three sides, the opposing army was ridiculously small and the only reason that the battle dragged on longer than she’d hoped, was that the princesses had magic. But it wouldn't last much longer.

It became clear to Catra how the princesses had known about their strategy when she came face to face with her supposed friend. “Scorpia.” She hid the sting of betrayal behind a hiss, starting to circle the Scorpion princess to make her nervous; it had never been difficult to make Scorpia nervous.

“Catra.” Scorpia replied, her head sinking low between her shoulders. She was holding a stun baton and kept the buzzing end directed at Catra who slowly came closer.

“So, you really decided to join the princesses. Your dear dead granddaddy must be so proud. Wasn’t he the one who started the war in the first place?” Catra pretended to take a leap towards her, causing Scorpia to stagger backwards.

“He didn’t want any of this. He just wanted the Scorpion Kingdom to be treated better, to make sure that his people didn’t starve. Besides, he would want me to stay safe. Family and friends came first.”

“Ha! We had it made in the Fright Zone. I was second-in-command and could get Hordak to do whatever I said. What could possibly have been a danger to you?”

Scorpia lowered the stun baton and looked at her with something like pity. “You, Wildcat. You were dangerous to me.”

Catra felt anger boil inside her at these words, like she was the problem, and lunged right at her former friend.

Outside the city of Brightmoon, noon

Perfuma's eyes swept over the battlefield, trying to find Scorpia. She didn't like that Glimmer had brought in a recently deserted Force Captain to fight against the Horde. It wasn't like Adora who changed her appearance when she became She-Ra. Scorpia was just herself and would be an easy target.

Just as her gaze landed upon the tall Scorpion woman, claws shining in the daymoonlight blocked her view. Scorpia was unprepared as Catra came at her and Perfuma was too far from them to stop the attack on her new friend.

But the moment right before Catra reached Scorpia, she was sent flying backwards, thrown to the ground a dozen meters from Scorpia who stared in shock down at her large claws which were brimming with electricity. As a fellow princess, Perfuma understood: it was her runestone power somehow emerging now.

Perfuma was about to call her name with elation - there was so much to learn about her magical powers - when she felt a sudden surge of her own power stream through her, taking over her body and directing her magic at an unseen point deep within Etheria where it mingled with the powers from her friends.

She could feel each and every one of them, their magic pulled from the runestones and through them until it was a massive orb of energy within Etheria. Perfuma felt an intense fear in her stomach; what was happening would be much more dangerous than the portal which had almost ended reality. And they were helpless to stop it.

The edge of the Whispering Woods, noon

Kyle’s legs began to shake as he came face to face with the princess from the Kingdom of Snows. She literally had a fist of ice and he’d seen other, stronger soldiers be knocked unconscious by her; he would surely die. He’d lost his helmet at some point when a Brightmoon soldier had knocked him off his feet, meaning that his head was completely exposed to the small princess.

She smiled at him as she strove towards him, enjoying this much more than a teenager should. He walked backwards as fast as he could, well aware that she would catch him even if he ran. Her fist prepared to strike when she was just a few meters away and he held up his hands like they could protect him although he knew that nothing could save him now.

He heard a sudden yelp from her, but didn’t lower his hands until he realized that the anticipated hit of that icy fist wasn't going to come. When he finally looked at the princess, she was staring into the sky with frighteningly frost blue eyes that weren’t actually seeing anything. Her body was bursting with icey energy - magic - that seemed to flow into the ground beneath her. It looked almost painful and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“Hit her, Kyle!” Lonnie yelled from somewhere behind him. “Now’s your chance!” He knew that she was right, but he couldn’t hit someone who was incapacitated. Instead he tried touching her gently on the shoulder.

A violent spew of ice gripped his hand, hauling him closer to her, and he barely managed to pull it away before it swallowed his arm. He tried to make sense of it, but a bright glint of light in the horizon blinded him for a moment.

That’s when the sky doubled over and turned pitch black.

Chapter Text

An unnatural silence set over the jungle as Adora fell to the ground. All Hordak could hear was the sound of Adora panting after fighting whatever that sword had been doing. Gone was the mysterious First Ones' writing on her skin and the shimmering waves of energy emanating for her, leaving no answers as to what had happened. But he could draw a conclusion when he lifted his gaze to the skies above.

The stars. They were there, shining down on Etheria. It was the first time he’d seen them in three decades and they were as beautiful as he’d remembered. He was immediately reminded of the time before he’d been pulled through the portal, how simple his life had been then. Even Prime rejecting him had never given him doubts. Not as this planet had. 

The silence surrounding him was broken suddenly by sounds of elation on the rock formation behind him, coming from the very person who’d given him so many of those doubts; the person he'd been sure that he would never see again.

His gaze followed the sound to the top of the rock formation. Although his vision was blurred and he had to blink rapidly to confirm that what he was seeing was real, there was no denying that it was Entrapta. Her clothes were ragged and hung off her body, and her was hair caked with dirt, but these things were unimportant. She was as radiant as ever and she had survived.

He watched in amazement as the incredible, odds-defying woman looked up and squealed with excitement as she saw the stars for the first time. The first thing on his mind was that he should've been right there beside her, but he knew that he was lucky to be there at all; that he could watch her now.

Mesmerized, he watched her as she spun around in glee. She was so happy, so alive, and he was undeserving of her. But when she came to a stop and pulled out a shiny, purple object that shimmered in the moonlight, he recognized it immediately as his crystal, and he could not stay silent any longer.

"Entrapta?" he rasped as loud as he possibly could and he saw her react, her head snapping towards him. They locked eyes and stared at each other for several seconds as though they were both waiting for the other to disappear.

"H-Hordak?" Her voice was uncertain when she finally spoke. He scrambled to his feet in spite of the pain in every joint in his body, ready to climb the damned rock if needed to get to her, but she moved, too, closer to the edge where he was standing on the ground beneath.

It appeared she was preparing to jump down, but just as she reached the edge, there was a moment of hesitation in her eyes. It was only momentarily, gone when she looked down and saw him smile, but it was enough. He watched in horror as a vine took advantage of the uncertainty she must’ve felt and slipped around her ankle just as she was about to jump.

The vine held on tightly as she leapt, causing her to fall against the rock, her hair somehow failing to react. There was nothing he could do but watch as time seemed to slow when she fell. She hit her head against the rock two times before she landed in his outstretched arms. He was weak and dropped to the ground with her weight, but he managed to avoid her being injured further.

It was already too late. The fall had knocked her unconscious and she was limp in his arms. Worse yet, blood was flowing from a large wound on her temple and another one at the top of her skull. He didn’t know much about Etherians’ physical endurance, but there was no doubt that the wounds would prove to be fatal if she didn’t get treatment immediately.

He remembered Adora and her healing powers, and shouted for her, while cradling Entrapta in his arms. Adora came running, kneeling down beside him, and gently touched Entrapta’s cheek. “You must heal her.” He pleaded with her with a sob which made him realize that he was unabashedly crying.

“I can’t!” Adora responded with a frantic voice and removed her hand from Entrapta to point to the direction she came from. Hordak’s eyes followed and saw King Micah with the pegasus standing over a shattered sword. “I’m not She Ra without that sword. I don’t have any powers!”

He looked back at Entrapta in panic. She was pale, losing more blood by the second, and it was only a matter of time before she had lost too much. Adora pulled off her jacket and pressed it against Entrapta’s head to stop the bleeding, but it wouldn’t be enough. She was dying in his arms and he couldn’t save her. Even the pegasus wouldn't be able to get to the mainland fast enough.

He pulled her tighter, shaking his head. She couldn't die, not her. It was supposed to be him. She'd survived Beast Island for so long, but one look at him and her doubts had let the vine trip her. It was his fault that she was dying.

Just as his self-depicting thoughts began to materialize and vines crept forward, they were enveloped in green light. The natural gravity of the planet fell away and they were lifted into the air. He knew instantly what was happening. “Horde Prime. He’s here.”

He smiled down at Entrapta. She was saved.

Adora didn’t know what was happening. They’d just been in the jungle on Beast Island where her sword had been destroyed after an astonishing amount of energy had been passed through it - and her - and she’d barely managed to rise from the ground when Hordak had desperately called for her.

But seeing Entrapta bleeding heavily in his embrace had given her strength, even though there was nothing she could do to help, other than use her jacket in an attempt to halt the massive loss of blood. She’d looked over at King Micah and Swift Wind, wondering if Micah could do a spell that would keep Entrapta alive long enough for Swift Wind to reach the mainland.

Then the ground below them had shifted and they’d been pulled into the air. Hordak had smiled and said something, but she couldn’t hear it over the noise in her ears.

She was now in an immense room, although it was difficult to see just how big it was since the walls were black and looked so far away. Small lights were visible in the distance, but none bright enough to cast a light. It was as though the room was only illuminated by the bright, white floor.

“Is that you, Little Brother?” Adora’s eyes followed the source of the voice, seeing a low platform some twenty meters from them. Two people stood guard there in front of a bizarre bluish decorative circle of glass. They looked like Hordak, but different… their eyes were green and their hair white. Both wore strange, white robes with a green Horde sigil, nothing like the armor Hordak wore.

Between the guards, a chair spun around and revealed another person who also had similarities with Hordak, although less. He was the one who had spoken. “I thought you had perished.” He said with amusement in his voice. He sounded like Hordak, but more composed and cordial. However, she could immediately sense that he was in no way a kind person. He had a calm demeanor which made her intimidated and strangely frightened in a way that had nothing to do with his four, smiling eyes.

She gazed over at Hordak who frantically looked between Entrapta and the menacing person who must’ve been addressing him. “What do you have there that is more important than your God?” He asked sharply which made Hordak visibly flinch.

His pleading eyes turned to Adora and she reached out to take the unconscious, badly injured Entrapta into her embrace. She cradled her torso with one arm, putting two fingers on the pulsepoint on her wrist for reassurance that she was still alive, while her other hand kept as much pressure as possible against the wounds. 

As soon as Hordak was able, he approached the self-proclaimed ‘god’ - although he still kept a significant distance - and dropped to his knees. “My loyalty lies with You, Lord Prime,” he said, clearly distraught, “I followed Your orders, but was pulled into a shadow dimension. All this time I have been trying to return to Your Side.”

This Lord Prime appeared unimpressed and frankly, like he didn’t care. “I received your transmission, but I could not determine its source. Until I detected an energy reading like nothing I have ever seen before. And when I arrived, this curious planet had appeared." It was obvious that his interest was in the planet, not Hordak. 

But Hordak seemed to gain confidence now that Etheria had been brought up. “I conquered this world for You. I have built an empire in Your name. To show You that I am worthy to retake my place by Your side. I hav-”

“And who is this then?” Prime interrupted him with a gesture towards Adora and Entrapta. He rose from his seat and walked down the small stairs towards them. Hordak trembled, either from exhaustion or fear, as he was approached. “The one that you did not release immediately at the sight of your Maker.”

Hordak lowered his eyes as Prime reached him, obviously distressed. “You are dirty, covered in filth.” He bent down to the kneeling Hordak and cradled his face brutally with his hands. “Why can I not see your thoughts?” He closed two of his eyes in concentration. Hordak was clearly uncomfortable with the painful hold on his face, but did nothing to struggle against it.

“Ah. I see now. You have given yourself a name.” Prime opened his eyes again, sporting mocking smirk. “You tried to create an empire of your own. There is even a person for whom you hold strong feelings, for whom you would have given it all up. In fact, she is here right now.” Two eyes lifted to look at Entrapta, seemingly ignoring Adora's presence completely, while two eyes stayed on Hordak.

“Please, Brother, help her. She is- she is beyond intelligent. She brought me - this planet - out of the shadow dimension. With her assistance, I have returned to You with a world ready to bathe in Your Light. Everything I have done, all of it, I did for You.” He was despairing, but his words seemed to have an effect on Prime who let his face go, much to Hordak’s relief. Adora could no longer see his expression, but his breathing was no longer obstructed and his body looked less tense. 

The peace only lasted a few seconds. Prime grabbed his chin so violently that Adora could hear bones creak, causing Hordak to gasp in agony. “You have forgotten who you are. You truly think you are worthy to stand beside Me, be equal to Me?” He lifted Hordak with one arm, holding his entire weight, so he hung limply in the air.

“I made you in My image, but you have become an abomination. And so, you must be reborn.” Prime’s thick hair unfolded and turned into horrifying tentacles lunging towards Hordak. One ripped out the tube at the top of his spine and another forced itself into the hole it left. He shouted out in pain and stiffened, the sight making Adora shut her eyes to avoid more of the gruesome sight.

When the room turned quiet, she opened her eyes again. Prime’s tentacles retracted and he released his hold on Hordak who dropped limply to the ground. He couldn’t be dead, could he? What had been done to him?

Prime let his hair fall back into place and composed himself once more, then spoke to no one in particular. “Take him to be reconditioned.” The guards walked over with blank expressions, each of them taking one of Hordak’s arms and began dragging him away.

Adora took deep breaths to calm herself. ‘Reconditioned’. Right, he’d said something about Hordak being reborn. He couldn’t be completely dead then.

Just when she thought the worst was over, Prime turned towards her and Entrapta. “I have been rude. We have guests.” He walked over to them and stared down at Adora. “I apologize for My Little Brother. His actions are an embarrassment. I desire only peace and order.”

“Entrapta…” Adora’s hold on the older princess tightened. “She’s injured. She needs medical attention.” Despite Adora’s attempt to stop the bleeding, she could clearly feel her pulse weakening.

“I am aware. And if My brother was correct, she is a valuable asset.” Two other guards approached and kneeled down to take hold of Entrapta. Adora resisted, not trusting any of them with her friend’s life. But she was alone and couldn't do anything without her magic. She was useless. “Let them take her. I have excellent medical facilities and I have no reason to let her die. Not when it is in My interest to keep her alive.”

Adora didn’t like the way he spoke of Entrapta, but she would die without acute medical assistance. There was nothing else Adora could do for her, so she reluctantly let the guards gently lift her out of her grip.

When they’d taken Entrapta’s body away, Adora was offered a large blue hand. Careful not to touch the sharp metal claw on his thumb, she took his hand and he effortlessly helped her onto her feet. She was beyond tired and felt like the powers within her had vanished, taking all her energy with them. As she remembered her broken sword, she realized it was a very real possibility.

How had it happened? Was Hordak right about Entrapta doing this? And was she no longer She-Ra?

She stared into nothing, only partially noting that Prime pulled out a handkerchief and wiped blood off his hand. Right. Entrapta’s blood which in Adora was covered. What a mess she was next to the meticulous man beside her who still looked pristine, even after what he did to Hordak. “What is going to happen to Hordak?” She asked.

“Hmm?” Prime looked at her impassively. “Oh, you mean my Little Brother. He will simply be returned to standards. We cannot have him running around like that.” Adora didn’t get time to process what he said before his tone became more determined and dark. “I will have this whole botched conquest wiped away. Starting with you.”

She balked and backed away, unsure of what to say. His words made her feel like her response was crucial to Etheria’s survival and her own life. He could probably easily kill her and destroy the planet without breaking a sweat. Somehow, she had to stall him.

“Uhm, you said that you saw that energy reading, the really big one? Well, the source was Etheria and I was the conductor.” Sort of at least. She hadn’t been able to control it, so she was actually more of a conduit, but he didn’t know that.

Prime’s eyes went from cold to warm and gleaming in a split second as her words caught his interest. Hopefully long enough for her to come up with a plan. “Is that so?” Adora nodded, watching nervously as another unsettling smirk appeared on his lips. “Please, do tell Me more.”

Chapter Text

Adora felt the guards, or clones as they were, watching her as she stepped into the shower area and pushed the door firmly shut. The water was already running and her clothes were becoming soaked, but she refused to strip down while they were watching.

Her outfit needed to be washed anyway and she’d already been provided with a new one, although the white Horde robe they’d placed outside the shower wasn’t what she would’ve chosen herself. But she didn’t have much choice.

Prime had wanted to know more about the massive amount of energy expelled when Etheria returned to the wider universe. Where did it come from? How was it repeated? Could it be used as a weapon?

She had no answers to these questions, but she was pretty sure that it was a bad idea to tell him that, so she’d taken advantage of his obvious disgust of her dirty clothes and asked to be cleaned up before giving the information. He had agreed without fuss which made her suspicious.

‘One thing at a time, Adora’, she reminded herself as she let her dirty clothes drop to the floor, trying to ignore the dried blood on the fabric washing away. She was worried about Entrapta. Prime seemed like the type to have a fancy healing machine or something alike, but they were from an entirely different planet.

However, they did all appear to speak the same language which was strange in itself. Did the rest of the whole wide universe speak it as well? She had so many questions and Prime was likely the only one holding the answers, but she suspected that he wouldn’t give them up without her answering his questions too.

Despite having been raised by Shadow Weaver and friends with Catra, Adora had never learned how to be manipulative. She was a fighter, a protector, and believed that you’d get further with honesty rather than devious half-truths. But right now she wished that she’d paid a little more attention to them.

She scrubbed herself clean with a sponge of sorts that smelled like ozone. It reminded her of the Fright Zone. Things had been much simpler when she was a part of the Horde. She hadn’t had to contemplate what was right or wrong nor had to protect everyone. Her strength had been her own. Nothing was complicated.

Perhaps that’s why Hordak had wanted to return to Prime even though he was little more than a slave and had apparently been cast aside. Hordak had wanted a simple life as well, one where he didn’t have to think or feel. She remembered how heartbroken he’d looked when he’d seen Entrapta’s mask entangled by vines…

She had to talk to Entrapta when she awoke. If anyone could bring Hordak back, it was her, and he would probably be able to get them off this ship. Adora felt certain that he wouldn’t want to be a mindless slave if Entrapta was alright. Hopefully, he wasn’t gone forever.

After she was as clean as she could get right now, she opened the shower door a little and reached outside for her robe. She hadn’t seen a towel, so the robe had to do. To her shock, a towel was thrust into her hand, and as she peeked outside, she was met with another impressive green stare.

She pulled the towel inside, along with the robe, then shut the door and leaned against it. The water from showerhead had been turned off. Jeez, there was so little privacy in this place. It would make it even more difficult to have a conversation with Entrapta without being heard. She had to gain Prime’s trust.

Inside the white robe was a long black shirt and a pair of black leggings which fitted her so well that the fact alone troubled her. As did the white robe. Give her a pair of green contact lenses along with some white and blue makeup, and she would look like everyone else here. Well, and a haircut. Oh, she really hoped they wouldn’t cut her hair.

When she felt somewhat presentable, she stepped out of the shower where she almost got a facefull of a clone’s chest. “Lord Prime is requesting your attendance.” He said blankly as he stared down at her.

“Yup! I figured,” she replied nervously, “but maybe I should clean up after my shower with the dirty clothes and all.” She gestured to the abandoned shower.

“That will not be necessary. You are expected.” The clone said, leaving no room for discussion. His hand signaled for her to leave the room and she did so, steeling herself for what was to come.

They walked down the seemingly endless corridors, a clone on each side of her, like they had done when she’d left Prime. All the halls looked the same, but the clones seemed to know which way to go and it wasn’t long before they entered the large room she’d first been in. What must be his throne room, she realized.

Prime was sitting on his small throne, so unlike the throne that Hordak had used in the Fright Zone. He’d been so far away from his subjects, perhaps because he was afraid that someone might discover his vulnerability, but Prime seemed to have no such worries.

In fact, he didn’t even move when she walked closer to him. It looked like he was staring straight ahead, but not seeing anything. Even when her guards left, he still didn’t appear present.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat, unsure of what to do. If she’d been She-Ra, she would’ve attacked him right then and there, but she knew that she didn’t stand a chance as herself. Besides, she wasn’t sure when the guards would return.

It was as if Prime suddenly snapped out of whatever trance he’d been in and he focused his four eyes on her immediately with a smile. “Ah, Little Sister. So nice of you to join us.” His overly pleasant voice sent a shivering down her back. “I trust that you feel more comfortable now.” He looked her over and she was well aware that he was alluding to the Horde attire she had on.

“It’ll do.” She said and crossed her arms. “Now, if I have to answer your questions, I get to ask a few of my own.” Her words were confident, but she was less so. She had very little leverage, except for the supposed knowledge about the energy he had detected which she didn’t really know anything about.

“It does not work that way, Little Sister.” Prime said with a firm voice, but he smirked and leaned back in his chair. “But I will indulge you. For now.”

“Right. Okay.” Adora said and nodded, trying to figure out what she wanted to ask first. “How is Entrapta?” The last time she’d seen her, the small scientist had been bleeding out. She didn’t know what she would do if Entrapta died, partly because she considered her a friend, but also because she wouldn’t be able to escape this spaceship without her.

“She is stable and no longer at risk of dying.” An image appeared on the glass frame behind him. It was her friends, Glimmer, Bow and Mermista, fighting against Horde Prime drones. “I cannot say the same for the rest of your planet.”

Adora’s hands fisted in anger, but she didn’t move. Prime was too dangerous and she didn’t have her powers, meaning there was no chance that she could even injure him a little. “Leave Etheria alone!”

“Or what?” He chuckled carefree. “There is no reason to resist my Light, Little Sister.”

“You don’t know what my friends are capable of. They’ll stop at nothing to protect their planet and you won’t win. They’re stronger than you think!” As if proving her point, the screen behind Prime showed her friends fighting successfully against the drones. They were retrieving, but they weren’t giving up.

“If they are so strong, how could my defect Little Brother take half the planet?” A clone came up to stand next to Prime who reached out to touch the clone’s cheek. The clone leaned into his palm, blushing slightly. “He was clumsy,” Prime patted the clone’s cheek, making Adora realize that this was likely Hordak, “but you even failed to stop him. What makes you think that you can stop me?”

Prime gripped clone-Hordak’s chin hard and threw him to the ground, then rose from his seat and walked down to Adora. “I will have this planet and the energy it holds, and there is nothing you can do.” He came closer and Adora stepped back in fear as the tall alien approached her. “But do not worry, Little Sister. There is even a special place for you in my Horde.”

From behind her, two clones grabbed her arms and held her in place. “But you need me! I’m the only one who knows anything about the magic of Etheria.” She lied, not liking where any of this was going.

“Tsk tsk tsk.” Prime shook his head and leaned forward until he was inches from her face. “Lying does not become you. I was just looking through my Little Brother’s memories when you came in and it is clear that you did not know more than he did. But I know someone who does.” Adora immediately knew he was talking about Entrapta.

“There is only one last question I have for you: what is Grayskull?” She blinked several times, not understanding how he’d heard that, but realized that he must’ve seen her transform into She-Ra through Hordak’s memories.

She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t know its meaning, that it was something Light Hope had told her. It was the only leverage she had left right now. “I will not tell you until you release me!”

Prime pursed his lips momentarily before his mouth slowly morphed into a satisfied smile. “No matter. I am certain that your memories will enlighten me.” Adora’s eyes widened as she realized what he meant: he was somehow going to do to her what he had done to Hordak.

He straightened his back and spread out his arms. “All beings have purpose in my army. You will help me spread the Light, so that all of your planet can flourish.”

The clones began to drag her out of the large room, effortlessly holding onto her while she kicked and screamed to be let go.

On Etheria

Glimmer stood back to back with Mermista, each of them fighting against the approaching drones. To her right was Bow who shot arrows at the invaders, but he’d just proclaimed that he was running out. Luckily, they still had Emily the robot who was helping them dodge attacks. They were slowly moving backwards and if they were lucky, they might be able to make a run for it when they reached the forest edge some thirty meters away.

Both her and Mermista were exhausted after something had tapped into their powers and had changed the sky above them. It was harder to use their magic than usual and even keeping focus was on issue. 

“Sparkles, look out!” Someone called to the left and as she looked up, a flying drone came right at her. She barely managed to blast it away.

She recognized the voice before she saw Catra come running towards them, followed by Shadow Weaver. “You! Stay away!” Glimmer yelled and held a ball of magic into the air to make the Horde women keep their distance. “We don’t have time for this.”

“We are aware, my Majesty.” Shadow Weaver answered slickly and swiped away a drone that was aiming at Bow. “I believe we have to settle our differences at another time as we appear to have a common enemy.” Catra jumped onto the shoulders of a walking drone and stuck her claws into its electronics until it staggered and fell to the ground.

Glimmer glanced behind her quickly. They were almost at the tree line. “I won’t make the mistake of trusting you again, Shadow Weaver!” She shouted.

“And you shouldn’t!” Someone called from above. A forceful blast of magic struck the drones surrounding them, giving them a chance to look up to see who was speaking. In the light of the night moon, Swift Wind’s shadow appeared, but it wasn’t him who had spoken.

Swift Wind landed between the two parties, and the person on his back jumped off and headed towards Glimmer. She choked back a sob when she recognized the man she’d seen so many times in her dreams. “Dad?”

He held out his arms and she didn’t hesitate to run into his embrace, overwhelmed by this turn of event. She couldn’t speak, only sob loudly as her dad hugged her tightly. He smelled like sweat and dirt, but also like home; it was a smell she only vaguely remembered.

“Micah.” Shadow Weaver said in dim surprise behind Glimmer who tightened her arms around her dad. She wasn’t ready to return to the awful situation right now, not when she had just gotten a parent back. But thankfully, he showed no signs of wanting to let her go either.

“I know you sent me to Beast Island, Shadow Weaver. If you ever come near me or my family again, I will destroy you immediately, no matter which side you’re on.” Glimmer sighed against her father’s chest, happy that he was taking the responsibility away from her. She hadn’t been ready to be a queen, but now he was here to take over.

“King Micah…” Bow spoke somewhere to the right. “It is an honor, sir. I am Bow an-”

“Hello Bow.” Micah said politely. “Not to interrupt you, but I really think we need to get out of here. Adora and Entrapta have been taken captive, along with Hordak. I fear they’re in more danger than us.”

“Hordak and Entrapta?” Mermista chimed in. “Who cares, let’s just go get Adora!”

Micah turned around with Glimmer still in his arms and shook his head, his beard rubbing back and forth against Glimmer’s forehead; it tickled. “It won’t be that easy. They weren’t taken away in a normal way… I think they’re up there.” He removed a hand from his daughter’s back and pointed into the sky where hundreds of spaceships hovered.

Glimmer opened her eyes a little, seeing Shadow Weaver drag Catra away from the group. She didn’t bother to wonder what the Etherian Horde was going to do. None of it mattered anymore because her dad would protect them all.

Chapter Text

Entrapta slowly regained consciousness, although it took longer than it usually did when she’d been knocked unconscious. She was also surprised by the lack of noise surrounding her, not even hearing the whirl of machines anywhere. It was difficult to open her eyes, but she felt like she was in a bright place, the sharp light making it even harder to force her eyes open.

She tried to recollect what had happened before she was knocked unconscious, but she couldn’t pinpoint it, only that she’d been trying to activate the power of the Heart of Etheria and use it to open a portal to the wider universe. Had she accidentally caused an explosion or an earthquake? Hopefully, no one else had gotten hurt.

“Have you regained consciousness?” A voice asked and the question must’ve been directed at her. It took her a few moments to realize that it was Hordak’s voice, almost unable to place it because he sounded so... serene. Once again, she attempted to open her eyes - desperate to know why he was there - and this time she almost succeeded, allowing her to see a shape standing beside her. But she had to shut her eyes against the white light.

Her hair was limp, likely because of a concussion; it usually made it take a while to wake up. “-rdak?” She murmured, trying to reach out for him with her hands. Had he come to find her on Beast Island?

When she tried to open her eyes again, the bright light was gone. “-ordak?” She could see the shape of him there, but as he came into view, she saw that it wasn’t Hordak at all. Sure, he looked like him in some ways, but his eyes and mouth were green, his hair was white and he had no makeup on. And he was smiling.

“I do not understand your question.” He said in a neutral tone. “You were badly injured when you arrived, but fear not. Horde Prime has shined His light on you and has healed you.” Entrapta wanted to retort that she couldn’t be completely healed since she was still weak and likely concussed, but she kept her mouth shut.

Her eyes left the person above her, scanning the room. She was in a place unlike any she’d seen before. It all looked very sanitized - silvery floor, white tables and gurneys, walls of white and black with a purplish glow coming from somewhere above. It kind of reminded her of Bright Moon, but on the far right of the room stood a few dozen vitrines containing a neon green liquid that looked more sickly than anything; those did definitely not belong in Bright Moon. 

The color in the vitrines matched the eyes of the clone next to her. Because that’s what he was: a clone.

She remembered Hordak talking about Horde Prime and his army of clones, and how proud he was to be one of his generals. But he’d never told her just how different he looked from the rest of them; if they all looked like this one standing next to her. Maybe they had been color-coordinated depending on their ranks.

It was obvious that she must’ve succeeded in opening a portal into the wider universe, but she had intended for the entire planet to go through it. She was clearly not on Etheria anymore unless Horde Prime had gone through the portal into Despondos. Or perhaps he’d just kidnapped her. Her memories of the last few moments before she got injured were gone. However, Hordak wasn’t here, otherwise she’d expect this clone to know.

“How did I get here?” She asked, trying to sit up. Her hair stirred and helped push her up, so she was leaning on her elbows. A gentle but insistent hand eased her back down, making her huff with annoyance, even though she didn’t have the energy to resist.

The clone smiled again, although his eyes were blank. It was quite eerie to stare into the face of Hordak, except not him. She’d always hated when siblings looked a lot like each other because she often got them confused and she was generally bad at remembering faces, but this was even worse. “You were brought here by the Great Lord Prime. He has heale-”

“Healed me. Yeah yeah. But I’m concussed, right? Can I meet this Prime? And is anyone else from my planet here?” Her gaze drifted to a large machine behind the clone; it had a lot of buttons. “Oh, what is that?”

This time, he wasn’t able to stop her before she’d gotten up from the gurney and bypassed him to get to the tall machine. He was fast, but she was faster and, with the help of her hair, she crawled to the top of it where he couldn’t reach her. It hurt her head when she hung upside down to study it, but this wasn’t the first time she’d endured a little pain for science. Not by far.

“Little Sister, you must come down.” The clone said sternly, although not properly angry like Hordak sounded. She felt a pang in her chest which had nothing to do with her injuries, but she shrugged it off the best she could and focused her attention on the machine.

Many of the buttons appeared to be similar to the system used in the Fright Zone; not surprisingly considering where Hordak had obtained his knowledge. However, it was clear to Entrapta that this particular machine was a sort of medical device - reasonable since she was in some sort of medical ward - and she would’ve studied it further if she wasn’t so certain that there were more interesting things close by.

After all, this appeared to be an actual alien spacecraft judging by the inertial force she could feel, likely created by rotation to make artificial gravity. Sometimes, it was beneficial to be extra sensitive to her surroundings.

The clone was stepping onto a chair to reach her and she used this opportunity to jump from the machine, landing on her hair which was at half capacity now. She glanced between the archway and the neon green vitrines, quickly making the decision to find out more about the spaceship.

She went for the opening, briefly turning around to see how far the disgruntled clone was behind her, an action which made her unable to notice that someone was walking through the archway at the very moment she reached it. It felt as though she ran face-first into a hard slab of meat and it bounced her backwards, sending her to the floor. Thankfully, her hair catched her, so she didn’t injure her head further.

When she recovered from the surprise, she looked up to see an extremely tall person stand above her with a regular green-colored clone on each side of him. The style of the tall guy's clothes bore similarities to that of the clone she’d already met, but the outfit itself was different, exposing more of his body. It reminded her a little more of Hordak’s clothing, although this guy didn’t appear to wear armor.

She felt a shiver run down her spine as her eyes met his - all four of them. He smiled at her and, unlike the harmless clone, this person’s smile felt dangerous. It wasn’t something she could explain, but she did not like him. Of course, she wasn’t a great people-person.

“Oh. Hello.” She tilted her head and studied him more closely. He was obviously in charge, although it was difficult to say if he simply ranked higher than the rest of the clones or if he was Prime. It was easier to ask, she reasoned. “Are you in charge here? And do you rank higher or lower than Hordak?”

The clones on each side of the tall guy cringed noticeably, but he just laughed loudly. “Dear Princess, it is an honor.” He reached for her hand, but she gave him a tendril of hair as she had gotten used to. The two extra eyes on his right side narrowed, but he said nothing. To her relief, he didn’t kiss her hair either, but just helped her to her feet. “What a pleasure it is to have you on my vessel.”

She noticed that he didn’t answer her questions, but it was no big deal; she had more to ask. “If this is your vessel, you must be Prime, right? Hordak has told me about you. Did you really create cloning technology on your own? Can I see the data?” Her excitement wavered a little as she asked her last question. “Have you found Hordak?”

“This name does not sound familiar.” Prime smirked, infuriatingly only answering her last question. She had to take that into account from now on. “You will not find anyone with such a name here, Princess. In fact, none of My clones have names. They are all as one and only brought into this life to serve Me.”

Entrapta frowned. That wasn’t what Hordak had told her. He’d been a general, an important figure in Prime’s military regime. “So, you haven’t found him yet? He sent out a signal.”

“Ah. That one.” Prime looked at the screen next to the door where an older image of Hordak popped up. He had green eyes, but blue hair in the picture and she recognized it as the picture he’d taken of himself decades ago when he’d first begun working on the portal. However, she’d never read the inscription below the picture.

Clone ID 828-1075. Assistance required. Involuntary interdimensional passage. Request salvage of vessel and occupant.

It did certainly not sound like a former general speaking, but it wasn’t easy for her to determine without a knowledge of the language used in the Galactic Horde. So far, it all appeared to be very different from the Etherian Horde.

“My Little Brother was reclaimed. However, he was too defected. I could not allow him to tarnish the Great Horde any longer.” A sharp sting of pain ran through her at these words. Her hair reached for her mask, but she didn’t have one anymore. She didn’t even have her gloves.

“What have you done to him?” She said, rising on her hair, so Prime couldn’t look down at her. His smirk didn’t falter as her feet left the ground and she actually rose above him. “Where is he?”

“He is gone, Princess.” Entrapta shook her head, refusing to believe it. “Do not mourn him. He failed you, just as he failed Me. Why else were you left on that wrecked island instead of ruling Etheria?” Prime smiled wide enough that his fangs were visible, an action that made her feel like he knew something she didn't. 

“It doesn’t matter. He has as much a right to live as anyone else.” Tears pressed against her eyes, but she couldn’t let Prime see them and, without her mask, she had to look away instead. He seemed like the type who would definitely use her feelings against her. It certainly explained why Hordak was so emotionally stunted. 

“Did he really?” He said in a tone Entrapta had heard enough time to recognize: he was taunting her. She wanted to dispute him and tell him all of the qualities Hordak possessed, but the thought that he was dead kept invading her mind. Prime talked about him in past tense, but... He couldn’t be, surely she would feel it if he was gone. Right? Of course, there was no logical way to explain why she would feel it, so she had to dismiss that silly notion. But she couldn't accept that he might be dead. 

Prime didn’t seem to notice her internal war or maybe he just didn’t care. He placed a hand on her shoulder and didn’t remove it when she tried to shrug it off. Her hair slowly lowered her to the floor as she felt dejection fill her. Her entire being felt cold and slowly turning numb. “Let us forget this small matter and let Me show you around My vessel. I am certain that you will find it quite… fascinating.”

She didn't like the way he talked about her like he knew her. Hordak must have told him about her before... She shut down that thought before it could take shape in her mind. Her head reeled and she felt nauseous; that would be the concussion. 

Instead, she let Prime lead her out of the medical room and down the corridor outside. Although a stinging sense of loss bubbled within her, the numbness kept her upright, and she couldn’t help but admire the technology as he led her through the massive ship. It helped her focus on something else, especially when they turned a corner. As soon as she saw it, she instinctively ran to a junction between corridors where a floor-to-ceiling window stood with a view she couldn’t believe.

“This is space!” She yelled in excited bafflement. “We’re actually in space! This is a real spaceship!” Her legs almost got caught in the robe as she jumped up and down on her feet while her hair was frizzing out to all sides as she took in the incredible sight of the crushing void of the wider universe.

In the distance, she could see Etheria and its moons, but her eyes were drawn to the millions of stars beyond her homeplanet, their twinkling almost calling out to her to come and explore their solar systems, and she was desperate to do so. She’d envisioned it so many times, traveling to other planets and exploring them with…

Hordak. She stilled her movements and placed her hand against the window. Vertigo hit her and she tried to feel ground. But the realization that she would never share this with him sent her head spinning further. It wasn’t news to her. On Beast Island, she’d accepted that he would go back to Prime while she had to explore the universe on her own, but the slight hope of meeting him again had still been there. Now... 

She felt Prime come up behind her, like a threatening predator from which she couldn’t escape; the dangers of the predators on Beast Island paled compared to him. “What do you want from me?” It was obviously why she was here. Why else would he have transported her to his spaceship?

“I simply want to know the source of the energy used to transport your planet into the wider universe.” He said in an almost comforting voice. It was strange how he seemed to trick her into feeling safe when she couldn’t possibly be. “I pinpointed it to your location and have eliminated the other people present at the time.”

She turned around to look up at him. “What other people?” She had been on an island utterly devoid of people, except for Micah, but he never went near the center of the island where she’d been.

Prime lifted a brow ridge and smirked. “Why, My Little Brother, of course. And the one you call Adora. You didn’t know they were there?”

The words were like a stab in the gut and she stumbled back against the window. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind - about Hordak and Adora and the Heart of Etheria and Prime and space - and she couldn’t grab a hold of a single one and hold it in place. She found that her mind tried to push Hordak away from her thoughts, likely to protect herself from the pain, but she needed to know.

“What was Hordak doing on Beast Island?” She spoke through another bout of nausea and looked down at the pristine silvery floor, trying not to vomit.

“He was attempting to save you.” Her breath hitched and she swallowed the beginnings of a sob while Prime continued to talk. “Naturally, he failed. It was the only thing he could do as a defect, and I could not allow that to go on any longer. He should have died decades ago.”

He spoke in a casual manner, but Entrapta felt a hint of mocking in his voice. Maybe it was her imagination. It was hard for her to concentrate. She tried to approach the whole matter rationally and focused on the facts: Hordak had been on Beast Island to save her which meant he had either changed his mind about sending her there... or didn’t know at all that she had been sent there. But what about Adora?

“Why was Adora with him?” She lifted her head, but didn’t look up at Prime. Instead, she focused on the two guards standing behind him. It was strange that they had followed him. It could be that he had attendants with him at all times, but were they there to cater to his needs or to protect him? And could she perhaps pose a threat to him?

“Princess, I hear that you have many questions and I am a busy Emperor. I will need you to share your knowledge of the planet’s energy source, but I will let you gather your bearings for now. Until then I suggest that you have your questions answered by someone who knows nearly as much as I do.”

He gestured to the corridor at her right where a figure was approaching. At first, she saw neon green eyes and hoped against hope that it was Hordak who’d been transformed to an original clone look, but it quickly became apparent that it wasn’t a clone at all. The eyes were too small and the figure wasn’t tall enough. 

She wasn’t good at remembering people’s faces and this person was wearing the Horde robe as well, so it wasn’t until she saw the blonde ponytail she realized, to her horror, that this green-eyed person was Adora.

Except she wasn't. Not at all.

Chapter Text

Adora walked directly past Entrapta and kneeled in front of Prime, bowing down to him. Entrapta immediately noticed a hint of a metal fixture on her neck when her ponytail swished. “What did you do to her?” She asked, bending down to push the blonde hair aside to see what the metal was, but Adora rose suddenly.

Prime was helping her onto her feet and she leaned into him as though she knew him well. But Entrapta couldn’t have been unconscious that long. It must be related to her green eyes. “She was so full of suffering. All her life, she had been taught that she had to save everyone, a big responsibility for such a small lifeform. I have taken that burden away from her and brought her into My Light.” Adora smiled up at him as he spoke. 

“Okaaaaay.” Entrapta responded, not quite satisfied with that answer. “But how did you do this - let’s say - brainwashing?” She used her hair to move closer to Adora, once again attempting to push the hair aside. “It’s got something to do with this device, right?”

Prime laughed, his voice rumbling in her ears. “Your curiosity is certainly boundless, Little Sister. It is indeed this:” he turned Adora around and she looked down, giving Entrapta a full view of the star-shaped metal plate with a green glow in the middle. The skin around it was red and slightly inflamed. “A simple chip inserted into the upper spine, much like the ones on My brothers. It provides them access to the Hivemind as it gives Me access to them.”

His metal-clawed index finger scratched lightly over the chip and Adora visibly cringed, but she didn’t try to move away from him. It was truly a testament to the power the chip contained if it could override a person’s need to protect themselves from pain.

“That is a fascinating piece of tech! Can I see that for a moment?” A strand of hair reached for the chip, finding it locked tightly in place. However, it was obviously placed on top of her skin and not embedded into her spine like the clones’ neck ports, so it should be possible to remove.

“That-eh- would be highly inadvisable, Little Sister. If you damaged the chip, it could cause harm to her brain.” He turned Adora around again. Entrapta huffed a little.

“I think you underestimate me. I’m very good at what I do and I’ve never caused anyone a permanent injury.” She reached for Adora’s whole body with her hair and pulled her closer, but Prime made her stop.

“Enough!” He barked and Entrapta paused, mostly because she was surprised by how much he actually sounded like Hordak in that moment. Random bursts of anger were easier to understand than the detached behavior she’d seen from him so far. Unfortunately, it was merely a slip of control. “I implore you to leave the chip be. I will personally show you the technology later on if you so wish.”

“I do!” She exclaimed. “Can you also show me how this spaceship works? I’d love to see the control room on this baby. And the cloning tech just fascinates me soooo much, can I hear about that too because I did go through Hordak’s files, but he wasn-”

“Yes, yes, you can hear it all.” Prime interrupted her, sounding different. Irritated maybe? It really was hard to determine, but the similarity between his and Hordak’s voices made it a little easier; she’d had so long to study Hordak. “However, I only possess infinite power, not infinite time.”

“You can’t really have infinite power,” Entrapta interjected, but he cut her off again.

“I will leave you with your friend. She can inform you of the events that passed before you awoke. I expect you will be ready to tell Me about the power in your little planet when we meet again.” Prime turned on his feet and left Entrapta, taking his guards with him which left her alone with Adora.

Her eyes drifted back and forth from Adora and to the large window where a million stars twinkled at her. She wanted to investigate the outside more than she wanted to talk to Adora, but she supposed it wasn't going to be right now. Not until she found a way to leave the ship. And she was curious about Adora’s chip; she might even be able to tinker with it, despite Prime's words. 

“Sooooooo, you have a fancy chip!” She said, walking towards Adora who stared at her neutrally. “How did that happen?” She tried to circle the other woman, but she shifted along with her, obviously attempting to keep the chip away from Entrapta’s eager strands of hair.

“The all-seeing Lord saw how troubled I was and welcomed me into His Light. He has taken away my worries.” It was quite obvious that the chip was somehow controlling her words and actions which meant it must be tapping straight into her prefrontal cortex.

However, if it was simply that, it would make more sense to place the chip at her temple. It was more likely that the chip was connected to the limbic system, specifically the amygdala. The basal ganglia was probably involved too.

“Can I have a look at your chip? Or perhaps you have a sketch of it and how it works?” Being direct would be the most logical way to handle a person under mind control, but she was well aware that Adora’s actions would be controlled by Prime who’d already said no. Nevertheless, it might let her guard down long enough to let Entrapta get a look.

But Adora changed the subject instead. “I am glad to see you alive, Entrapta.” She said. “Praise be Prime. He saved you when no one else could.” It wasn’t easy to tell, but did Adora sound complacent? This must be Prime talking somehow. Yet, her curiosity was still awakened.

“How did I get injured?” She should have been worried when Adora smiled wide enough that she could see her teeth. Why was she so happy to share this information? It could be a trap; she’d have to keep that in mind.

“You were unsettled when you saw Ho-” she stopped abruptly as though slapped, then continued unfazed, “the defective brother and you fell tens of meters down a cliff. He failed to protect you as he has failed in many things.”

Entrapta’s hair reached for the mask that wasn’t on her head; she didn’t have one, but right now she needed it badly. She wasn’t sure what was worse: the degrading way Adora spoke about Hordak or hearing about him and knowing that he might not be alive anymore.

Another swell of emotions surged inside Entrapta and it felt suffocating. She didn’t like how Adora was staring at her with those green, hollow orbs, so unlike the fiery passion that she’d always seen in Hordak’s pupil-less red stare. The thought that she might not ever see him again hit hard in her chest and this time, she couldn’t stop her tears.

Every thought she'd tried to push away started to invade her mind - the tazing, Beast Island, the signal, monsters, betrayal, hurt, fear - and it was far too overwhelming. Her head began to throb. She had to get out of there, but how? There was no sign of any vents or even a closet where she could hide. It wasn’t an option to leave the ship either as long as she didn't have a spacesuit or a vessel herself. Right now she only had one option.

She allowed Adora to observe her tears as they fell on her cheeks and lifted a hand to her temple where the throbbing was worst. Her bare fingers traced a line there - a scar - which hadn’t been there before. “Adora, is there a place I can rest? I don’t feel well.” She didn’t even attempt to lie; it was the truth.

“Naturally.” Adora answered with a strange expression and turned to walk down the right corridor, gesturing for Entrapta to follow. Her stomach churned with nausea and unease, and it felt nearly impossible to move her legs, but her hair lifted her from the floor and moved her forward.

Adora led her to a smaller corridor which appeared to contain nothing but rooms for sleeping in. There were no doors though, only the transparent green walls; so much for privacy. “This is His guest hall.” She proclaimed, nodding to an approaching clone who was looking like he had expected them. The clone pressed his hand against the green wall to a room and the wall disappeared. “You can rest here.” Adora gestured inside.

“Will you lock the room?” Entrapta said warily. On one hand, it was a fascinating piece of technology that she would like to inspect, but on the other hand, she wasn’t eager to be locked in a room with nothing but a bed. She was resourceful, but even she needed more than that.

“Yes. For your safety.” Adora stepped into the room and went to the wall across from the bed. “Do not worry. There are sanitary facilities as well that you are able to access.” Entrapta watched in amazement as Adora pressed her small hand against the wall and a panel with buttons lit up. This was something Entrapta could work with! She eagerly ran over to Adora. A door had opened into a bathroom, but that wasn't what caught her interest.

She studied the panel as the lights turned off until she pressed her hand against the same place. Several buttons appeared, much to her glee. “As you can see, the facilities are accessed through this,” Adora pointed to the button with a shower symbol on it, “and you can call for assistance if you require it here.” Her finger hovered over a button depicting a bell of sorts.

“What does the rest do?” Her eyes skated over the six other buttons with peculiar symbols, one of them with a picture of a clone’s silhouette. She just barely restrained herself from pressing it.

“Their functions have currently been disabled.” Adora informed her and turned around to join the clone outside the room. “You may rest now until Prime desires your presence. He is eager to obtain the information you have. Goodbye, Entrapta.” The clone’s hand lifted to the wall next to the room and the transparent green wall popped up again. Adora left her with those ominous words, the clone following behind. 

Entrapta sighed in relief. It was so exhausting to be around people and it felt even worse than usual because of the brainwashed behavior. Her concussion definitely didn’t help either; it made her less patient with all this surrounding her.

Even though she really did feel like resting, it would be impossible for her until she’d at least studied the panel. Besides, she already felt better after Adora had left. She had to use this time of peace and quiet to get as much done as possible.

She looked at the panel, chuckling to herself. Sure, the other buttons’ functions might have been disabled, but it would take very little for Entrapta to change that. While she didn’t have any tools in the impractical robe she was wearing, her hair could work as emergency tools.

Silently cursing the tightness of the leggings and undershirt she wore beneath the robe, she decided to keep it on and only shred the robe as it enabled her to to move around more easily. Hopefully, she’d be able to find her own clothes or something else because her current outfit felt very constricted. She contemplated briefly if that was on purpose, but dismissed it; it was more likely an aesthetic thing.

She sat down on her hair in front of the place where the panel was, trying to see if she could find its edges in the wall. To her surprise, there wasn’t any at all, nor any signs of the buttons. This would complicate matters, but not by much. She’d never backed down from a challenge.

No more than fifteen minutes passed before she let strands of hair slide into the almost invisible cracks on each side of the entire wall and dismantled it. The wall was shockingly easy to pop out. She'd discovered that the panel’s buttons had been on the other side of the wall which was thin enough that the buttons responded when you pressed them. Therefore, it wasn’t difficult for her to pull the whole side of the room away and see what was on the other side.

To her utter excitement, there was a passageway. Or, more accurately, it appeared to be a maintenance walkway, one that might even lead through the whole ship. If she was careful enough, this might be a way for her to move around undetected.

She stepped into the maintenance tunnel and replaced the thin wall, so they wouldn’t immediately be able to find her escape route. Since no one had come for her yet, she expected that Prime was arrogant enough to think security feeds were unnecessary. Well, she would prove him wrong; not that security cameras would've stopped her anyway. 

As she put the wall back into place, she realized that it was one-way glass. She could see into the room from the other side, something she would never have guessed since the glass hadn’t been reflective inside the room. Then again, this was alien tech; she had a lot to learn and she was excited for it! If she was lucky, all rooms would have one-way windows, so she could see everything happening from a safe distance.

Why had Prime designed it this way? Perhaps it was part of the whole ‘all-seeing’ deal Adora talked about. If he claimed to be omniscient, spying on his so-called guests when they thought they were alone would definitely be a good trick to prove it. He could just get a clone to watch it from the tunnel and have it reported back to him.

Entrapta could spend years investigating every little part of the maintenance passageway, but she knew she’d have to move along; it was only a matter of time before someone would come looking for her.

She ran through the tunnels, taking random turns to stay clear of a detectable pattern that would make her easier to track, and lowered herself down several small elevator shafts to avoid using the elevators which could be noticed. Her sense of direction was pretty good and she could feel it when she’d traveled far beyond the area of the ship she’d first been in.

Then it was time to find some clothing. The tightness of the undershirt and leggings was becoming unbearable, and while she was quite comfortable being naked, she preferred to wear some kind of clothes; it offered her a protective layer in case something accidentally blew up.

As she'd traveled through the ship, she'd kept an eye on the different rooms whenever she could. The one-way glass wasn't everywhere, like the corridors, but it seemed to be in most of the rooms. She had passed several areas where clones were dressing in robes from the dozens hanging on hangers. Seeing all those robes on hangers, made her certain that there had to be a laundry room of sorts to keep all the white robes so pristine. While the ship was spotless and the clones might be like Hordak, doing their best to avoid physical contact with – well, everything - dirt or miscoloring would be impossible to avoid. A laundry room would be filled with too-large clone clothes that she could wear.

By following the pipes containing some kind of liquid, she discovered other, different rooms. Some with rows upon rows of vitrines with adult clones in them - she promised herself that she’d come back to those - and empty rooms that seemed to have no purposes at all. She even found a kitchen which looked completely unused, but the pipes suggested that it at least had running water or whatever they used on the ship.

After a while, she found a laundry room and thankfully, it was empty. As she’d expected, there were more than enough clothes for her to use, both unwashed and clean. But she’d barely replaced the wall after climbing into the room before she noticed something else in the corner.

It was a big black container with a fire symbol on it, likely because it was to be burned. But it was the jacket on top that caught her interest. She hurried over to it and lifted herself on her hair to investigate further.

She recognized the jacket on top because it was a Horde issue - Hordak's Horde anyway - one like Adora had worn. But most of it was almost unrecognizable because it was covered in blood. Entrapta’s blood. She was actually shocked to see how much blood she found on the jacket and on the pants beneath it. Even worse was when she found her own blood-soaked clothes. It was ruined beyond saving, something she rarely accepted that anything could be. Her wounds must’ve been a lot worse than she’d thought. How was she still alive?

When her hair picked up her overalls to fish out the tools she’d kept there - luckily, no one had thought to empty her pockets - she discovered something else: the crystal. The one she’d added to Hordak's armor and which had somehow ended up in the jungle on Beast Island. He must’ve dropped it when he came looking for her. She wiped the blood off the surface and slid her finger over the inscription that she had engraved for him, wondering if he had ever thought about translating it…

As she stared down at the crystal, she noticed it had a faint glow. It was unusual since it only happened when it was inserted into an appropriate slot or close to one such slot. Something had to be…

She started rummaging through the fabrics in the container and eventually, she found what she had suspected: his armor. Hordak's armor. It was covered in blood too, more than even her own clothes had been and she shuddered when she realized that he must’ve held her in his arms while she bled. And she hadn't even known.

The armor was also damaged beyond repair, but not because of the blood. It had scratches and loose hinges with specks of dirt which led her to believe that the damages had happened on Beast Island. But it had also been ripped off. There were claw marks on the back from where someone had sliced through the metal to get it off as quickly as possible and the tubes connected to his ports still contained his glowing blood, torn out without being properly disconnected. 

It must’ve hurt so much. She covered her mouth with her hair to hold back a sob. Hordak didn’t deserve it. He simply wanted to be welcomed back by Prime, but instead they’d – what? She didn’t know, only that they’d brutally stripped him of the very thing that held him together. 

But seeing his armor here also gave her hope. Why take off the armor if he truly was dead as Prime had said? It was more likely that they had removed it to dress him in something else. She was sure this was a sign that he was out there which meant she could find him. And she would.

She was about to throw the armor into the container again when she noticed a tiny green light at the collar, indicating a recorded message. It was surprising since Hordak had originally been annoyed when she'd mentioned that she’d added the feature to his new armor, telling her that he had no use for it.

It couldn’t be an accident though because it had to be activated with a code. He had recorded a message on purpose. She wondered if she was breaking some sort of privacy rule, but she knew that she would listen to this no matter the rules.

Her voice shook when she spoke into the collar. “Play recorder, code 2401.”

“Hello, Entrapta.” Her breath hitched as she heard Hordak’s voice for the first time in months. He sounded out of breath, but it was unmistakably him. Not another clone, not Prime, but Hordak. She’d missed the deep timbre so much and the way he said her name…

“If you hear this, it means I am deceased.” No no no, that couldn’t be right. His armor had just been removed. She shook her head at the collar as though she could argue with it. “But worry not, for it also means that you are alive and that is more important. To the universe and… to me.”

Tears crept into her eyes as his words became softer. “You have changed me and my only regret is that I believed you could ever betray me.” The words confused her, but she didn’t have time to think about them, not when he continued to speak.

“You are without exception the finest partner - and friend - and you should never doubt your worth. You are precious, Entrapta, and…” She held her breath as he paused, begging that it wasn’t the end of the recording, that he had more to say.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke again. “And may you hear this recording and know that you are loved.” The recording ended with a click and Entrapta finally took a breath. Then she broke into a sob.

He loved her. He had come for her and he loved her.

She didn’t stop herself from crying like she’d done in the past, even before Beast Island. Instead she let out all the pain she'd felt and all that she'd lost. But at the same time, she cried because everything she’d thought she had felt between Hordak and her… it wasn’t her misinterpreting things. They were falling in love. He did care. He couldn’t have been the one who had sent her away. He had come for her. And that realization made her cry from joy just as much as she cried from sorrow. 

But they were still apart. She didn’t even know where he was or if he was himself anymore. It was possible that he was like one of the other clones, or Adora, now. Who knew how many clones there were? The laundry room had so much clothes which indicated there was a lot. Hordak had called them an army. 

She wouldn’t give up though. Her sobs began to quiet and her tears dried as her resolve grew stronger. The sides of the crystal dug into her hand as she closed her fist around it, reminding her that she was still alive and well. She could save him and Adora, and get them off the ship.

Nothing or no one could stop her; not even a self-proclaimed god.

Chapter Text

Prime sighed deeply when yet another reconnaissance of the Velvet Glove turned up with nothing. It was the third one today, but as reluctant as He was to admit it, He did not have enough resources to search the whole vessel at once. He’d built a grand capital ship, so grand that it took hours to survey, even with the fifty clones given that particular assignment.

He could send for more clones from the newly discovered planet, but He really wanted to keep the population under control in case He needed some of them. The information He had was sparse, coming from the minds of the defect and the Etherian Adora, but He knew that several royal natives could control the so-called runestones which contained immense power; not as much as He had detached when the planet appeared, however, likely connected thereto.

No, He had to settle for the fifty clones on the Velvet Glove to find the clever, little princess who kept evading Him. He’d known from his Little Brother’s memories, as well as Adora’s, that she was intelligent and resourceful, but they had underestimated her; and so had He.

She’d been loose for four days now. At first, she’d left plenty of traces of herself - sloppy mistakes - but she had quickly adapted to the Glove’s maintenance walkways and the advanced technology the vessel was built on.

On the second day, she’d created a distraction by freeing unconditioned clones who had run around in chaotic confusion, and she had used the time to raid a kitchen, stocking up on food that would sustain her for weeks. Later, she’d tried to disable the chip on her fellow Etherian, unaware that it had to be done manually unless she had access to an individually working system like the one He used down on the planet. 

After this, Prime had the clones weld every wall shut to keep her inside the walkways, but she still managed to find her way out. And her way in. She’d hacked into the Hivemind on several occasions. It wasn’t easy to navigate the three-dimensional configuration in the neural network without being a part of it, but she’d already become quite skilled at it. If she wasn’t such a nuisance, He would’ve been impressed.

Reluctantly, He’d set up security bots to survey the corridors and walkways constantly which had offered Him a glimpse of her the day before. She’d worn loose undergarments belonging to His brothers and appeared to have manufactured a mask out of the outer shell of a Horde arm cannon. Only the gloves on her hands appeared to be her own, although they still sported signs of her dried blood. He’d glanced at the picture from the feed many times, surprised by the sense of ridicule that it invoked in Him. It was an unusual emotion.

So far, none of His plans had come close to capturing the impudent intruder. Luckily, He had a trick up His sleeve. Although the princess had gotten quite skilled at hiding her next moves, the way she persistently accessed the Hivemind and attempted to gain information on His individual clones made it obvious that she was trying to find the defect. His disgusting feelings for her were apparently reciprocated.

But unknown to her, the defect wasn’t in the main system of the Hivemind since he was being reconditioned; after all, Prime couldn’t let a tainted mind corrupt the network of thousands of clones across the galaxy.

Prime could use her primitive feelings to His advantage. When the defect was released and reintroduced in the main system, she would quickly find him. She would probably think that he’d remember her and Prime made a mental note to be present in the clone’s mind when she discovered otherwise.

Emotional pain always had a sharper, more potent flavor than simple physical pain, and He suspected He would experience plenty of the former when he finally lured the princess out of her hiding.

Until the defect was ready, He would have to stay patient. There were other matters for Him to attend to, even if the princess was more interesting and could possibly pose to be a problem in the future.

Nevertheless, He needed to focus on His main interest in arriving at this planet: the massive energy He’d detected. If this energy could be harnessed, He could build a weapon of previously unseen proportions and establish Himself as the ultimate leader beyond this galaxy which He’d already conquered. Civilizations would surrender to Him after He displayed its power.

He knew from the little Adora that the energy was connected to a sword which belonged to her, now broken, and runestones found on Etheria’s surface. These were tied to the princesses, so He had to be careful not to kill them when He took them and their runestones. Chipping them would be the best option to keep them in line, at least as long as the purple-haired scientist was roaming freely.

While the defect had done much damage to the Horde’s image, He had obtained a runestone, although He hadn’t known what to do with it, and Prime could use it to learn more about its powers.

He decided to pay a little visit to the crudely named Fright Zone and have a look at the runestone Himself.

Catra didn’t know why she’d followed Shadow Weaver back to the Fright Zone. Maybe because she didn’t have anywhere else to go. In any case, Shadow Weaver’s only plan was to sip magic from the Black Garnet and wait for Horde Prime to show up, which she was certain that he would. Like Prime actually wanted to visit this dump.

Almost all Horde soldiers were gone. Everyone from the active army on the battlefield had scattered as soon as the stars appeared - along with Prime’s drones - which only left those soldiers who had been back in the Fright Zone when it happened. They were all confused and most of them had gone to their families in the state's housing community rather than stay at the army base.

Catra didn’t blame them. She wished that she had a family she could go to. In a way, Shadow Weaver was the only sort of family she had; maybe that’s why she’d automatically followed her.

She missed Adora. And Scorpia. Hell, she even missed Hordak. They were all better than Shadow Weaver who kept putting Catra down whenever she encountered her. Mostly, she just kept to herself in the barracks.

Days went by where nothing happened. There were reports of people fighting against the drones and clones looking like sanitized versions of Hordak, but it wasn’t going well. They were begging for She-Ra to help them, but she was gone. She was–

Catra shut down the thought immediately. There was no use thinking about these things. She couldn’t do anything about it.

On the fifth day after the stars appeared, something happened. She was woken from her third nap by the security alarms blasting, alerting her that the doors to the base had been breached. It couldn’t be the princesses which meant it was either looters or… Prime's minions.

She kept to the shadows as she followed the noise of soldier clones. It soon became clear that they were headed straight for the Black Garnet room. Naturally, Shadow Weaver was already there, ready to greet them and manipulate her way into Prime’s good graces.

Catra had to join her. If there was a chance of surviving this, it was now. Perhaps she might even see Adora and she desperately wanted to, just to know if she was okay. Pfft, of course she was okay. Her life was perfect. She was probably already being worshiped by the clones.

When Catra arrived at the Black Garnet room, she heard a laughter unlike any she’d heard before. It sounded like Hordak and yet, not at all; she’d never even heard him laugh. But this was the laughter of confidence, triumph and pure evil. A shiver ran down her spine and she hesitated before silently sneaking through the entrance.

Shadow Weaver was on her knees before a tall, imposing figure. He had similarities to Hordak and the other clones, but was more elegantly dressed and had more hair. However, the most striking thing was that he had four eyes which seemed to look everywhere at once. This was Prime.

Catra’s tail instinctively puffed up with fear and aggression, and she held back a primal hiss. Prime’s figure flickered several times which made her realize that he wasn’t truly there, only as a hologram, but instead of joining Shadow Weaver in her attempt to charm her way in, Catra stayed back; maybe, it was her survival instinct kicking in by seeing Prime.

She couldn’t hear what they were talking about and it took her a few moments to realize it was her own heavy breathing that made her unable to hear anything else. It was difficult to get it under control and it took her far too long. When she finally heard something from them, it was because Prime raised his voice.

“Do you truly believe I would trust you? I have seen what others thought of you, both my Little Brother and even your little protégé. She is with Me now.” The way Shadow Weaver’s eyes widened was enhanced by her mask. “I have no use for you.”

The lower eye on the right side of Prime’s face glanced quickly at two clones standing behind Shadow Weaver, only for a second. The clones reacted instantly, lifting their arm cannon and shooting her right in the back. She didn’t even have time to respond or make a sound; she simply collapsed in on herself, landing on the floor in a pile of her robe.

Catra’s throat burned. She couldn’t breathe. Her whole body shook with horror at what she’d just witnessed. She’d always wanted Shadow Weaver to die, at least that’s what she’d thought, but now as she’d watched it happen, she felt sick.

She couldn’t move. Her limbs felt numb and she had to stand there and watch Shadow Weaver’s lifeless body on the ground. Prime stood still too and watched as though he was waiting for something. The clones who’d shot Shadow Weaver did the same. Around them, other clones were putting up a sort of electric fence around the Black Garnet, but Catra only barely noticed it in her peripheral vision.

Suddenly, Shadow Weaver’s robe started to move beneath her dead body and it was as if it began to absorb her. More and more of her disappeared into the fabric, almost like it was being devoured and soon there was nothing left except the still squirming robe. A sinister smile appeared on Prime’s face.

“Come out, I know you are there.” He said in a taunting tone and the squirming grew wilder. A black smoky form that made Catra’s fur rise lifted from the robe and charged right at Prime. He laughed as it passed right through the hologram of him. Twin shots blasted from the clones’ cannons again, hitting the black shape, and it splattered into a dark gooey substance that landed on the floor around Prime’s hologram.

“Collect it all. I don’t want any of it escaping.” He said to no one in particular, but the two clones who’d killed both Shadow Weaver and the terrifying entity - if they weren’t one and the same - responded and began to gather up the sticky slime.

Prime walked up to the Black Garnet and studied it closely. “This is going to be easier than I imagined.” He spoke loudly and, for a second, Catra was certain that she locked eyes with one of his. But he didn’t act like he’d actually seen her. “Find the princesses. I might need them as well.” Every clone in the room turned to him and bowed, just before his hologram disappeared from the room. Then they returned to their tasks. 

The tension that had built up inside Catra broke as soon as Prime was gone and she fell to her knees, trembling uncontrollably. Her hand covered her mouth before a sob escaped her, but she couldn’t stop the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

Shadow Weaver was gone. Adora was lost. She had no one.

What was she supposed to do? There was no way Prime would listen to her if he knew how she’d acted towards Hordak and Adora. It would be a death sentence to approach him. But it was obvious that he was planning something big. She needed allies.

The princesses. He’d said something about finding the princesses and his interest in the Black Garnet was likely because he knew it had powers. She’d never wanted to join forces with the Princess Alliance, but desperate times called for desperate needs.

Shadow Weaver would have done it. That fact alone gave her a bad taste in her mouth. Catra didn’t want to be like her surrogate parent who never thought about anything else than how to gain power. And Prime appeared to be the same, although his goal seemed to be more sinister.

Catra wasn’t stupid. Hordak’s promises of a better world under Prime’s Light were bullshit. She’d never really believed in this so-called god, but had merely used it to her advantage when Hordak talked about pleasing him. Now, however, it was clear to her that, while Prime was very real, he would not bring a better world.

As much as she hated the planet, she didn’t want it destroyed by a fancy Hordak upgrade. If anyone was to destroy the planet and all its inhabitants, it deserved to be her.

She had to stop Prime at all costs. Even if it meant warning the princesses of what she knew of his plan without getting anything in return. For once, she was going to think of someone else than herself and, as uncomfortable as that made her, she felt like she was choosing the right thing for the first time.

Chapter Text

Entrapta sat outside the entrance to Vessel #3826, her head fighting the unusual indecision she was dealing with. Prime’s security bots were roaming the Velvet Glove, but they followed a pattern that was ridiculously easy to figure out, so she knew they were nowhere near here. The clones were more difficult to keep an eye on which was why she’d made a datapad that tracked infrared movements. It was almost disappointing how little she had to do to avoid getting caught.

Other things were more complicated though and it was those things that kept her from boarding the small vessel in front of her. She could easily escape, go to Etheria and help the princesses fight Prime from there. She could even travel out into the wider universe, far away from everything. But both Hordak and Adora were still on the Velvet Glove and she didn’t really want to leave them.

She hadn’t been able to find Hordak in the Hivemind, but she was certain he was still alive somewhere. After noticing that several clones were marked as ‘reconditioned’ and had been missing from the Hivemind for a week’s time before that, it was obvious that Hordak was being reconditioned outside the Hivemind. She just couldn't figure out where. 

Getting Adora out was complicated as well. She was often by Prime’s side and otherwise always surrounded by clones, likely because Entrapta had attempted to free her from the chip many times, but it apparently had to be disabled manually. She was waiting for the right moment to get Adora alone, but she hadn’t had the opportunity yet.

There was so much she’d gotten done on the Velvet Glove and her new data about Horde Prime’s typical warfare would be useful for the princesses. They would know what his strategies were, where he’d strike next and even why he was attempting to capture them.

It would make sense for her to go back to Etheria. So far, she hadn’t managed to create a long-range frequency that could send the information to the princesses, not without alerting Prime of her precise location. She would no doubt eventually be able to do it, but it would take a lot more days and according to the data from the Velvet Glove’s command center, Etheria didn’t have that long.

Still, she was reluctant to leave Hordak and Adora there. Besides, wasn’t it better to fight Prime from within? While she hadn’t gotten access to the command center yet because she was an intruder in the Hivemind, not a member, she would get in there soon enough. It would change everything. She would be able to control the hundreds of drones and clones on the planet, along with everything connected here on the Velvet Glove.

If Etheria had time to wait for her to hack the command center... 

Hence her indecision. Eventually though, she gave up the idea of leaving Prime’s ship like she had every day before. There was too much potential in using the Hivemind to their advantage, but it was so difficult to enter fully because it was protected from hacking. She could easily bypass some of it, but not it all. It was so much more than a computer system; it was a thought system.

She’d thought about finding a chip like Adora’s and using it to connect herself to the Hivemind, but it was risky. Even if she managed to implant it correctly without causing herself brain damage, she knew Prime would detect her immediately. She was unsure how much control she would have of her mind after he did.

She used a screwdriver to pop open a panel in the ceiling and jumped up to push herself in between the tight mass of wires inside the ceiling, her hair placing the panel back without a sound. It wasn't made to move through and it took a lot of effort to wriggle pass the massive amount of wiring, but she’d gotten used to it after Prime had welded the walls firmly in place, and it didn’t take long for her to reach the end where she could jump right into the maintenance walkway, the place she’d been living for five days now.

If she hadn’t been worried for Hordak - and Adora - and possibly Etheria as well, she could easily live here for years. There was so much to investigate and at times, she had to seriously pull herself together to focus on the present rather than the exciting tech. That was the most stressful part of it all; other than the emotional stress of worrying about Hordak. And Adora. Her too. 

She kept reminding herself that Hordak had come for her. Adora and he had for some reason managed to work together and had both gone to Beast Island to save her. It had been awful timing, but it meant everything that they had done so. Now she had to do her best to save them after her mess when she hacked the planet. To her luck, solving the mess involved tech as well.

Just as she’d settled down to eat a couple of purple carrot-like vegetables that tasted like green bubblegum (she really hated eating new foods), her datapad beeped excessively. She’d made a dozen different alarms to alert her of various things - approaching clones, Prime coming close to catching her location, etc. - she gasped when she heard this one. Because she knew what it was.

Clone 828-1075 was in the Hivemind. Hordak.

The clone held his head high and kept his mind pure as he followed his designated path. It was not for him to consider how unusual it was for a clone to be ordered to walk through the Velvet Glove without a destination, but he had been given a route and he would follow it. His mind was pure, his body and soul were Prime’s. It was everything he could ever want in life.

The corridors were familiar and easy to navigate with the internal map installed in his mind. Perhaps, he had never walked here or perhaps, he had walked here every day. It did not matter because it was part of his memories, whether they were his own or not. At times, he knew if they belonged to someone else, but most often they blended together with his follow clones'. 

But he had no worries. No burden upon his shoulders. The ache in his body did not matter. His goal in life was to serve Prime. It was his honor.

He had not walked for long when a sound made him stop. He turned around and looked up to see a panel had come loose in the ceiling. It was too far up for him to reach on his own. He would need the help of his brothers or a ladder.

He sent a request to the control command to change his directory to this task, but it was denied. His mission to walk through the corridors was unchanged. Without giving it a thought as to why, he turned back to continue his route, but was surprised to see an open doorway to his right that had previously been unopened.

He changed his direction and went towards the opened doorway. If there was something happening inside, it was unscheduled and therefore, he had to investigate it. He had caught murmurs in the Hivemind about an intruder, but he had not been assigned anything involving the capture of a rogue agent.

However, he could not pass by this room if something untoward was occurring. He had to do his best to serve Prime. This was his reasoning. He didn't alert the command center; it might not be necessary. 

The room was an ordinary guest room for those honored enough to be invited to the Velvet Glove. These rooms were typically kept closed to avoid any form of contamination, but this was suddenly open. He looked down the corridors to each side to see if cleaning staff was approaching, but they were not. This room should not be open.

He noticed the buttons for the facilities light up on the far right wall across of the resting bunk. These did not activate unless physically pressed. Someone was present.

The clone moved towards the glowing control panel. He should not disturb any guest who might be using the facilities, but there should not be any guest at all. If someone was lost, he could assist them back to the place they belonged.

He hesitated before pressing open the hidden door to the bathing facilities. As soon as the door began to open, he was pulled inside by something unbelievably fast, yet gentle.

He did not have time to respond. The sudden action was followed by a surge of holy presence inside his mind and he stiffened as the intrusion took hold of his body.

His Creator would often take use of his brothers’ bodies. It was an honor, one that had never been bestowed on this clone because of his aching body. The God should not sully Himself in an improper body.

It was different from what he had seen in his brothers. Prime was in his mind, but not in his body. He still had his own will and was not simply a bystander. No, Prime was present, but he was not taking control of the clone.

It made him nervous. But an order from within told him to focus on the person who had pulled him into the small room. He opened his eyes, unaware that he had closed them at a point, and found a tiny humanoid staring at him.

His breath caught. He did not know why. Perhaps because he had not seen a person like this before, one who had so vibrant purple hair that lifted her off the ground and moved on its own to reach for his shoulder. Instinctively, he stepped back.

The person in front of him frowned. He could feel it delighted his Lord who was dwelling in his mind. It made him content to know that he had done the right thing, even if it hadn’t been a conscious decision.

“Hordak.” The humanoid said softly. “It’s me, Entrapta. Do you remember me?” Something inside him recalled the name, but it was likely from the memories of others. He knew their little sister knew the intruder and therefore, it was natural that her memories bled into the Hivemind. Prime did not dispute this as the thought passed by him.

But the first word she had said… it was not really a word. This name, too, was drifting loosely from their little sister, but why had this purple-haired person said it to him?

Not until she repeated it, did he understand. “Hordak.” She said again and he knew it then. It was a name.

Angry at her audacity and terrified of his Maker’s response, he lunged forward and grabbed her wrist. “Do not attempt to name me!” He barked. It did not seem to have any effect on her. It was almost as if she had expected his outburst.

“It’s okay, Hordak. I can help you.” Her hair touched his shoulder and this time he let it, trying to push down the sense of familiarity. He kept his grip on her wrist and called out in the Hivemind for his brothers to assist him in case she began to resist. It was crucial that she did not flee.

“Be quiet!” He hissed. Every word she spoke seemed to dig into his skin. It was probably his defect making him react this way, but he did not want to be reconditioned again. He needed to have a function in serving Prime and time spent in reconditioning was a waste. “I do not wish to hear you speak.”

These words appeared to have an effect as she visibly flinched and he crushed the small discomfort at the sight when he felt Prime’s glee. He was doing the right thing.

“I know he made you forget.” Her voice was more restrained, but he was so focused on it that he barely noticed the strange beeping coming from somewhere. “But I can help you. Just come with me.” She placed her free hand on top of his holding her wrist and looked into his eyes. His hearts beat louder.

At that moment, six of his brothers stepped into the small bathroom and went directly for the humanoid. They pulled her out, along with the clone who inexplicably still held onto her wrist, and began to restrain her.

She used her hair to fight back and managed to knock three of his brothers out and push the others back. It gave her the opportunity to escape if the clone let go of her. She attempted to pull him along, saying “I’m not leaving you”, but he stood his ground as Prime was ordering him to do directly inside his head.

Suddenly, her hair swept him from the floor, binding him tightly in a cradle of hair, and she went for the door into the corridors. But she was stopped by more of his brothers entering and she was quickly cornered.

She lifted him high above her head and began to hit with her remaining tendrils at every clone coming close, but her hold on him occupied most of her hair and his brothers managed to restrain her. As soon as he felt her grip on him falter just a little, he fought against the hair surrounding him and escaped it, although it earned him a rough landing on the cold floor.

His brothers were forced to carry her out by taking a short limb each while three grasped her hair to keep it from hurting any more of them. She wrestled against them, calling out that name - Hordak - trying to catch the clone’s eye, but he looked away from her. Too late though because he had already seen the tears in her eyes. 

As had his Lord. An abrupt pang hit him as he felt Prime leave his mind, an emptiness hollowing out his entire being. Prime had come to watch the intruder be captured and now had to deal with her. It was understandable.

But Prime had left a sense of contentment in the clone. He had pleased his Creator with his actions. He had done well.

He looked around at the room which was very disorganized after the brawl. The brothers who’d been knocked out were being assisted out of the room, likely towards the medical facilities, leaving only the clone behind to tidy up the room. The order to do so pinged into his mind a moment after and he began his work.

Tools were scattered over the floor where the intruder had been lifted, having fallen from her pockets as she struggled to get free. He would have to start with those before he could do something about the rest.

He began to pick up the tools, some of them clearly taken from the Velvet Glove while others were unknown and quite peculiar looking. Perhaps even homemade. The thought that he could find a use for them struck him, but he forced it away. They were not for him to handle and he did not dwell more on their function.

He turned his head when he saw a glimmer of light out the corner of his eyes. He rose and went over to look under the resting bunk, reaching beneath it to remove whatever it was that clearly did not belong there. There could be no signs of imperfections on the Velvet Glove. 

It was a small, diamond-shaped crystal. So small that he could hold it between two claws. There was a sort of writing on its surface, although not a language he could read which meant it had to be ancient.

He raised it to the light, the purple shimmer a pleasant sight. A glimpse of the intruder flashed through his thoughts, but it wasn't as he had seen her a moment ago. It was in another place… A lab made of scrap metal, sounds of machines ever-present. Sparks flying around her as she smiled. And then there was a name.

Entrapta.

Chapter Text

Entrapta kept fighting against her captors until the clones managed to get her out of the room and began carrying her down one of the endless corridors. She wanted to go back to Hordak, but it seemed like he wasn’t ready yet. There was only little doubt in her mind that he had lost his memories for good, but maybe the mindwipe was too fresh to pierce through right now.

She wasn’t discouraged by having gotten caught. It wasn’t her plan, but she was pretty good at adapting to new situations; she’d been forced to learn that on Beast Island. At least she wasn’t alone here. The clones might not be friends, but she was certain that they weren’t bad people, just made to act as they did. Sort of like robots. You couldn't blame robots for behaving according to their programming. 

The clones carried her for ten minutes or so without speaking, even when she tried to engage them in conversation. “Have you been given a direct order or are you following a common trajectory? Do you know what you’ll do after this or are you only told when your current assignment is finished? Do you ever just talk with each other?”

The whole thing was pretty boring, so she tried to formulate an escape plan. She wasn’t sure where they were going and that made it difficult for her to predict which means she would have at her disposal, but her hair was always a secure option. She might actually be able to get free now that they thought she had given up and let their guards down. Their hold on her wasn’t as firm as before.

But she was curious to see where they were taking her. It was likely that she would be led to Prime again and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because she wanted to ask him some questions about the Velvet Glove’s origins. He might take her more seriously now that she had shown him what she could do.

Besides, she had concluded from accumulated data that it was his headpiece that connected him to the Hivemind and she wanted to see if she could snatch it from him. It might be attached somehow though, but the possibilities if she could get her hands on it were incredible: to be in control of a collective mind! It would be a dream come true.

She’d also be capable of freeing Hordak and Adora, along with all the clones, but she might explore a little first with the latter. Who could blame her? It was a once in a lifetime possibility.

As she pondered these things, she stopped taking notice of her surroundings until they passed through a large archway and entered an auditorium of sorts. It was even more grandiose than the rest of the Velvet Glove which meant it was probably the throne room or something similar; royalty always showed their wealth through the throne room or even ball room, and Prime certainly acted like royalty.

Her hypothesis was confirmed when she was placed firmly onto the floor, two clones flanking her while four held onto her hair, right in front of a platform with a chair on it. Next to it was green-eyed Adora on one side and a nameless clone on the other. The chair spun around in a manner that was clearly well practiced, revealing a smiling Prime. It was a casual throne he had, but still a throne. 

“Ah, Princess. So good to see you again.” He said calmly without a sign of malice in his voice, at least none that Entrapta could detect. It was strange because he’d sure appeared mad when he’d yelled at the clones to find her when she was hiding.

“I don’t believe you, but now that I’m here, I want to ask you some questions about your ship. It sure is a fascinating place and though 'The Velvet Glove' is a boring name for a spaceship like this, I do appreciate that you have put so much thought into it. Have you designed this ship yourself or was it taken from another civilisation, then adapted to-”

“Silence!” Prime shouted, rudely interrupting her. He’d been sitting with his hand covering his eyes when she’d talked, but now looked at her in an unpleasant way as he rose from the chair. He began walking down the platform, coming closer to her. “You talk far too much. I am genuinely surprised that my Little Brother enjoyed it.”

This made Entrapta blush; she didn’t know Hordak liked to listen to her talk. The knowledge gave her courage. “He was obviously a stronger person than you.” She spat at him, frustrated when the clones on each side of her grabbed a hold on her to stop her from attacking Prime.

Prime simply laughed. “If you call the inability to silence a woman strength, you are truly mistaken.” He snapped his fingers and Adora who had been standing lifeless beside the chair walked down to him almost mechanically. “True strength is shown in the amount of control you have over others.”

His smile widened as Adora’s gaze focused solely on Entrapta, taking on a sinister leer before she walked behind the other princess. Entrapta cried out as the clones’ moderate hold on her hair was replaced with two sturdy hands gripping each of her pigtails. Even without She-Ra, Adora seemed to be stronger than most people.

The clones on each side of her held her tighter as she began to struggle while the four clones behind her and Adora grasped the longer strands of her hair which was trying to lash out to get free. Prime came closer, invading Entrapta’s personal space.

“I found you quite intriguing when I first laid my eyes on you. Not only did you manage to taint my otherwise devoted Brother’s mind in such a short time. You also appeared to be the most intelligent being on the planet from which you came. I knew you could be of value to me. However, you have become a nuisance to me. Therefore, I have decided to bring you into the Light. From there, you can serve me.”

A clone stepped forward from somewhere and held out a device to Prime. Entrapta recognized it immediately as the same type of chip that Adora was wearing on her neck. Despite everything, Entrapta couldn’t contain her initial excitement at the prospect of new knowledge. “This will give me a unique perspective into the Hivemind!”

She knew she should be frightened. This device would need to be embedded into her spine and required a pretty elaborate operation which could leave her paralyzed if something went wrong. Her hair would certainly object, even if she was thoroughly sedated. But it was new data. Besides, her hair could theoretically remove it later on when needed.

Once again Prime laughed, although less sinisterly. “Your disregard for safety is marvelous. Had you not been such a burden to me, I could have used you in many experiments.” Entrapta felt instantly curious about this, but only until she felt a blinding pain in her skull.

Adora was pulling her pigtails to each side of her head. She didn’t understand why until she noticed Prime’s metal claw move closer to her hair. “Of course, I cannot let insolence go unpunished.” He grinned as she began to panic.

"Please, don't cut off my hair!” She started to fight with all her might against the inevitable. “You can take one of my arms instead. Or both even! I’ll be good, I promise!"

"Little Princess, I know my Little Brother had an unfortunate habit of giving his subordinates second chances when they misbehaved. Perhaps he hoped he would be given the same. But as you must have been able to deduct by now, I do not offer such a thing."

Painfully slow, Prime began to slice through each strand of hair right at the base of her right pigtail. She screamed through it, not because it hurt immensely, but it was like she was losing a thousand limbs all at once. It was as though he was cribbling her.

Almost a full minute passed before all the hair from the pigtail lay lifeless on the floor. She trembled with shock, but was given no respite. Prime moved on to the left pigtail. All she could do this time was whimper and she heard him chuckle as he took away what she’d always considered a part of her identity.

She wept silently afterwards and let the clones carry her out to take away her last real strength: her mind.

A mixture of fear, hope and duty filled him as he headed towards the throne room. His Maker was there, as was the intruder. At least, she had to be. He could not be certain, but whispers in the Hivemind told him that she was to be led to Prime who would grant her peace by letting her into the Hivemind.

It was a great honor for an outsider, one not born in the Horde. It was a privilege to be freed from the Shadows and brought into the Light. The intruder would be granted true absolution.

The clone wanted to stop it. He did not understand why, but the idea of the intruder joining Prime’s Flock frightened him. She of all people did not belong there, although he could not explain why. It was not his place to decide whether she was worthy; their God offered His mercy which meant it was the right thing to do. Yet, bile rose in his throat as he pictured her chipped and obedient.

He clutched the tiny crystal in his palm and kept moving forward while the few moments he'd spent with the purple-haired woman flashed through his mind.

“It’s me, Entrapta.” Large magenta eyes.

“He made you forget.” Gloved hands.

“Come with me.” Strands of purple. 

“Hordak.” The crystal.

The words she’d said caused him greater confusion the more he thought about them. He understood their meaning, but not the significance he knew they had nor why it mattered to him. It should not matter at all to a clone of Horde Prime. If he needed to know something, their Maker would ensure he knew.

But something persisted, pricking in the back of his mind and urging him to believe that this was not so. It was blasphemy to even consider it and he felt further nauseated by the mere insinuation that he was capable of such impiety.

His designated assignment tugged at him, like an invisible thread pulling him towards the location where he was needed, and he followed without question. He didn’t have the option to do anything else.

But he stopped abruptly when he heard screams echo through the corridors. And then he began to run. He ran towards the sound, horrified when he realized that they were leading him to his designated location.

He did not want to know for certain from whom the screams came, nor why they soon turned into breathless whimpers, but he would know because his Creator needed him there.

Just as he reached the throne room, the sounds stopped. He did as well, suddenly unable to move, even as the Hivemind pulled at him to continue inside. Terror filled him as he heard the steps of his brothers’ approach, the sound of something being dragged between them as clear as day.

He stepped back instinctively as two of his brothers came into view and he willed his eyes to close before he could see what they were carrying. He did not want to see. His hand clung to the crystal and he held his breath as they passed him, and he could almost pretend that they weren’t carrying anything if not for the soft sobbing that pierced through his ears like a knife that was headed straight into his chest.

Minutes after they had passed him, he still stood there frozen. His hand with the crystal had lifted to his throat and he held it there as though it could stop the pain inside him. It did not.

He only moved when he felt Prime Himself call out to him. “Come, Little Brother.” He spoke out loud and finally the clone opened his eyes and entered the throne room. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

Prime sat on His throne, being prepared for Rejuvenation by His attendants. He was speaking to the Little Sister who had already been a part of the Horde for some days now, although the clone had not seen her with his own eyes before now; he briefly thought she looked familiar, but he shook it off.

On the floor beneath the platform to the throne was a pile of something. He could not see for certain what it was, but the bright purple color gave it away. It was as though a stone dropped in his stomach.

“Little Brother.” Prime turned to him, staring directly at him, and the clone walked closer. Warmth flooded him as his God’s attention fell upon him. He was loved by Him. All was right. His grip on the crystal slackened. “Take this mane to my collection and hang it high on the wall, so its length is visible to its observers.”

When Prime removed His eyes from him, the clone’s eyes lowered to the long locks on the floor. The warmth from Prime left him and he suddenly felt impossibly cold. When he lifted his eyes again, his Lord was still looking away, but his golden-haired Little Sister was staring at him. She looked pale and almost scared.

Wordlessly, the clone slipped off his cowl and began to pick up the hair carefully, gathering it in his cowl which lacked the volume to contain it. Without a conscious thought, he slipped the crystal into the layers of hair as though it was its home. When he briefly wondered if he would even be able to carry all of the hair, his Little Sister automatically stepped down to aid him.

They locked eyes for a second, an unspoken emotion of sadness passing between them, before they continued their assignment and brought the purple tresses to their new location.

Chapter Text

The clone brushed the long locks of purple hair, silently marveling at their softness. He tried to bury the thoughts and images it invoked in his mind, but they emerged with every slide of the brush working through the strands.

It felt wrong. He knew that normal hair was usually slack, but these locks should be moving lively like a force of their own.

Deep inside, he couldn’t stop himself from blaming Prime. The mere thought that Prime could do anything wrong was pure blasphemy and punishable by immediate banishment, yet the clone’s thoughts kept straying to it.

And to her. Glimpses of her with her vibrant hair and her smile, moving around in a place he did not know, but recognized nevertheless. He was there too, watching her, and it felt right in the brief moments he let himself revel in these glimpses.

None of it could be real. He had never left the Velvet Glove. It must’ve been someone else’s memories perforating his mind from the Hivemind. But it would indicate that there was a flaw in the Hivemind and such a thing wasn’t possible. After all, Prime had created it.

The clone was the real flaw and he was painfully aware of it. His brethren had stared, but said nothing after he emerged from his reconditioning pod, his defective body on display. They all knew that their Lord had shown him benevolence and allowed him to live in the Light, but his very existence was sacrilegious.

There was a flaw in his code, both in his body and his mind, but he had been made by Prime. His defect could not be a mistake because God didn’t make mistakes. Was he an experiment of sorts? Perhaps that would explain why he had these glimpses of a past not his own. He should make his Creator aware of it, but would He not already know?

All these thoughts whirled around in his mind, complicating his life which should’ve been very simple. He did not wish for these doubts, he should not have them, but they pierced through his every attempt at focusing on his Lord and Savior. Those magenta eyes and soft violet hair filled his brain with hesitation where there should be none.

"Imperfection is beautiful."

Profane words struck him suddenly, words that went against everything he’d ever been taught. He should not even be able consider the statement and certainly not give it any value. It was a sin. But he couldn’t shake the wavering in his beliefs nor the instant conviction that the words were important.

He should report immediately to Prime and beg to become pure. He would do so.

He stared down at the hair in his lap. Buried beneath the hair held by his left hand while the right hand held the brush was the crystal he’d found. He had never seen it before today. It belonged to him.

None of it made sense.

His wayward thoughts were interrupted when Little Sister entered the collection room again. She had left to find a hanger for the hair, so they could hang it nicely beside Prime’s other collectibles. Through the Hivemind he heard that they needed to hurry; their Lord was planning a visit.

The clone laid the hair in his arms gently onto the table in front of him while Little Sister walked over to him. He barely managed to slide the crystal into his sleeve before she reached him. She eyed his arm with a suspicious expression on her otherwise stoic face, but said nothing.

Together they draped the hair over each side of the hanger to make it look like the intruder’s two pigtails seen from behind. It was still lifeless and unnatural in its current state, but it was what Prime had wanted and so it would be.

They hung it next to His most recent conquest of a distant planet. The defeated ruler of the planet had gifted Him with their last plant. Nothing would ever grow on that planet again which made the plant priceless to the planet’s people and therefore Prime had wanted it.

The hair wasn’t remarkable on its own. Its value came from the person who had grown it and made it come alive. The clone knew it wouldn’t be long before he or someone else would be ordered to take it down when their Lord became bored with it. He would likely find another trophy from the planet the intruder had come from; maybe it would be the intruder herself.

The clone shuddered at the thought as he moved into position to stand facing the door with his hands behind his back. Little Sister did the same and together they awaited Lord Prime’s entrance.

They both lowered their heads when He entered, but the clone’s eyes lifted immediately in shock when he saw the person beside his Maker: the intruder.

Except it wasn’t her anymore. The Hivemind identified her as Little Sister - a second one - and she did indeed not look like she had before. Her purple hair was cut short and slicked back like a standard clone’s, her eyes were colored by the greenness of the Light and her clothing was now the required Horde robe fitted to her size.

Once upon a time, he would have found this look on another lifeform pleasing; it was proof of Prime’s mercy, that everyone had a place in His Light.

But as he stared at his new Little Sister, he felt a deep sadness fill him, one unlike any other. His chest was strained and he found it hard to draw breath. He fought against the instinct to lift his hand to his collar and touch something beneath his throat, but nothing was there. It would also draw unwanted attention to him. With a careful movement of his arm, he felt the crystal still hidden in his sleeve and it brought him a strange sense of comfort. 

Clones should not feel any of these feelings. Only being rejected by Prime should cause such uncomfortable sensations as he felt at present. It had to be a sign of his defect, so it was imperative that he hid it.

Still, he couldn’t look away from Prime’s new attendant. The inner turmoil she caused him was troubling, but he did not want it to be gone either. He longed to go to her and simply be in her presence. The Hivemind should be enough, but it wasn’t.

In fact, he could barely feel her in there. The hurricane she'd been when he had encountered her before she joined the Light was gone, nowhere to be seen nor felt. It was like she was somewhere else. He disliked it greatly.

The clone held his expression calm and collected, but inside him a storm of emotions was brewing. It should have been palpable to Prime. He saw all that was, all that had been and all that would be.

But the Emperor of the Known Universe did not seem to be as present in the Hivemind as usual. On any other given day, He could be felt far from one’s physical body, and He would fill one’s entire being when you were close to him. But He was different now as He stood and looked approvingly at the locks of hair cascading down the wall next to the clone and the blonde Little Sister.

With a brief outreach in the Hivemind, the clone felt that the collective conscience, too, was inconsistent; almost scattered compared to its normal flow.

There was nothing he could do about it. To question what was happening was to question God Himself and such an offense would lead to a recondition penalty or worse: decommission. He had to trust in his Lord; any doubt should not even enter his mind.

His mind, however, seemed to rebel against this truth and screamed at him that something was amiss.

Prime was quite satisfied with how the matter of the Etherian princess had turned out. He would have preferred to keep her as a guest to show her home planet that He was a bringer of peace. Especially after He had deemed the warrior princess too big a risk and had her brought into the Light immediately.

However, the small scientist had not cooperated. She had posed a danger to His ship, His brothers and the Hivemind itself, and therefore she had to be neutralized.

The brothers who had attended to her while she was unconscious because of her injury had informed Him that her hair functioned, despite her state of consciousness. It had even attacked several of them when they tried to check her for injuries. Therefore, He had decided before chipping her that it needed to be removed. It was also a good punishment for her disobedience. 

It was an interesting ability, one that He would like to have studied for His own possible use, but since it was volatile while she was unconscious, it would be too dangerous when she was chipped. It could have a place in His collection for now.

He was almost chipper with triumph, an unusual emotion for Him to experience. Perhaps, it was because the small princess’ mind had been full of useful information that could not only be used for conquering the tiny planet she came from, but in so many ways. In her mind it would have gone to waste; in His, it would change the universe.

His reason for visiting His collection wasn’t to view the latest piece. He was there because it was the fastest way to enter the hall that held His past vessels. After obtaining the knowledge from the newest Little Sister, the need to gather information felt urgent.

Specifically, He was almost obsessed with the people called the First Ones on the planet of Etheria. He knew He had once destroyed a race that had learned to contain magic in crystals and use them as weapons, like these First Ones, but He couldn’t recall what had happened. And there was that name: Grayskull.

Since He was now dealing with a planet that seemed to have been involved with this race, it was necessary that He knew what He was up against. Especially considering the great warrior of She-Ra that appeared to slumber in this Adora who unfortunately knew so little of her avatar, along with the small princess’ knowledge of a powerful apparatus called the Heart of Etheria.

If He was right, it appeared that He was in possession of the key to bending the whole universe to His will.

He left His two sisters in the collection hall and silently bade the clone to follow Him into the hall of His past vessels; He never went anywhere unattended and this was not a place for the Etherians, chipped or not.

It was not as disturbing seeing these old, withered bodies as usual; they had always reminded Him of a vessel’s weaknesses. But now He saw rows upon rows of forgotten information waiting to be unearthed once more.

Between the two Etherians He had acquired the memories of, He knew He had to go almost a millenia back for the right recollections. Each body they passed was less advanced. He had experimented with many different kinds of vessels, improving each one as He used the old one up.

His essence could not be contained for many decades in a physical form and therefore, He’d had nearly hundreds of vessels in the time He had occupied this race He used for cloning; a race He had found it to be the most susceptible to the Hivemind.

It was nearly by the end of rows with vessels of this race that He finally found the right one. It had only three eyes, one of them centered on its forehead, while its body sported six arms. As He reached into the vessel’s dormant mind, He remembered immediately what a burden that amount of limbs had been; perhaps, He would one day be able to replicate hair such as the small Etherian’s and gain multiple limbs in this much simpler manner.

He reached further into the vessel’s memories, swiping away the useless moments that had lodged themselves between relevant information. He reminded Himself to start sorting out the past memories when He changed bodies again, although it would be a tedious task.

Ah. There it was. The race from Eternia who harvested magic from distant planets to create powerful weapons. It had been difficult to defeat them. In fact, it had taken Him decades and was quite the embarrassment to Him at the time when He was an up and coming Leader.

And there had been a warrior - the She-Ra - who had kept all Prime’s advances at bay. She had been a frustrating character and many of the citizens from the planets He had already conquered had rooted for her.

However, one day she had disappeared and soon the Eternians ran dry of the magical crystals as well. Their defenses had fallen and Prime had taken the castle Grayskul and instated Himself as the race's rightful Lord. Since then, there had been no revolts on the planet. The royal family who had ruled there for millennia lost its support and eventually disappeared from Prime’s radar as they held no influence anymore.

But She-Ra had somehow manifested herself into this Adora who was likely a direct descendant of the Eternian Crown. She could have been dangerous, had He not already caught her and brought her into the Light. He was now grateful that He hadn’t shown her mercy.

With her out of the way, there was very little to be concerned about. There was only the matter of the Heart of Etheria, but it was clear to Him that Etheria had been one of those planets the Eternians had harvested magic from.

They must have found a way to store this magic inside the planet to create an apparatus that could do unimaginable things. The Eternians had been hindered by something before it could be used. Something - or someone - had sent the planet into another dimension to protect the universe against this weapon.

And now it had practically fallen into Prime’s hands. It was obvious to Him that Fate wished for Him to rule the universe.

If He had been chipper before, He was outright ecstatic now and it was a struggle to keep Himself from smiling as He withdrew from the vessel’s mind. The world would never be the same and it was all thanks to a defective clone and the little scientist who wanted to see the stars. Oh, how jubilant!

Prime stepped back from the pod containing the old vessel and opened His eyes again. He was shocked to be met with the blank stare of His former self.

These vessels were dead. They could not move. How had this one opened its eyes?

Chapter Text

The clone stood frozen in shock as he stared through the eyes of another. His gaze felt as though it was locked in place as he looked straight at Prime whose expression was one of horror. At first, he was sure that his Lord could see him, but it quickly dawned on him that it was like a two-way mirror; he could see Him, but He could not see him.

He had seen more in his mind before this moment occurred. There had been images in his mind, memories which were not his own nor from the Hivemind.

A warrior; a protector who had fought for what was right, even when it was against her own family and nation.

She-Ra.

And a person who’d sought to destroy everything she fought for and had been victorious when she’d disappeared.

Horde Prime.

The clone closed his eyes and tried to dispel the blasphemous information given to him by… he didn’t know. It was all so confusing, but undoubtedly wrong and Prime would punish him for having these images in his head.

It terrified him to know that he was tainted by impurity, especially because he knew that it wasn’t the first time. He didn’t remember what had been his offense before, but it shamed him nonetheless.

He was willing to face the consequences of this. All must suffer to become pure and he needed to be cleansed until he was as God had intended. He wanted to be in His glorious Light.

When he finally opened his eyes again, he was ready to face his punishment. To his relief, he was no longer looking through the eyes of another. Prime was some distance away, studying the vessel in front of Him, although it still appeared to be like any of His other old vessels.

However, the clone knew that its eyes had been open just moments ago. He’d been inside that vessel for some inexplicable reason - that was possibly how he'd seen these memories - and he knew Horde Prime would be aware of this.

He prepared himself for the fallout to come as his Lord turned away from the vessel and walked towards him. To be in His presence was a blessing, even if it led to his punishment, and the clone was filled with a sense of purpose as his God approached him. He would be seen.

But Prime walked right past him. There was no eye contact, no acknowledgment of his misdeed, not even a silent command to follow Him. He might as well have been nonexistent to his Creator.

It was like a stab in his hearts. This was worse than any punishment he could have received. Not to be considered of any importance was the single most terrible possibility the clone could imagine. He felt his insides crumble.

Naturally, he managed to keep up appearances as a proper clone and followed behind his Maker, even as he felt himself dying inside. Perhaps it was a test of his loyalty and Prime would reward him if he succeeded in his unwavering devotion of Him. He would show his dedication to the Light He cast.

His steps faltered a little when they entered the trophy room again. He’d briefly forgotten about his purple-haired Little Sister who he could barely think of as such. The name in his mind echoed again, whispering who she truly was.

He shook the impure thoughts away and focused on his Creator. He was surprised to see that Prime had halted too and was looking at the two Little Sisters as well, His hands flexing in an unusual way that appeared to be almost an unconscious gesture. It couldn’t be; the clone had never seen Prime move a limb without the utmost grace and awareness of His elegance.

Two of His eyes flickered to the trophies on the wall where the purple mass of hair now hung and His eyelids twitched ever so slightly.

Abruptly, the Light of the Heavenly Skies turned on His heel and strode quickly out of the room. When the clone and the chipped Etherians made a move to follow, they were blocked from doing so. Everyone in the Hivemind was ordered to keep away from His presence.

The clone directed his attention to the females, wondering what they had done to cause Prime such distress, but he found no answers in the stream of thoughts rushing through their collective minds. The blonde was bewildered as well and discreetly showed a forbidden sign of emotion by frowning.

The short, purple-haired - once known by the name that had haunted him the last two days - showed no emotion whatsoever. Her expression was blank as their God intended. But he felt a sense of silent rummaging taking place somewhere in her mind that he could not explain.

It felt as though there was a target on his back, a quiet promise in the air that he would be implicated in things of which he wanted no part. But despite this, he felt it impossible to leave her presence now that he had no order to do so.

Subtly, he loosened his sleeve where he’d hidden the crystal and let it slide into the palm of his hand again. It was a strange, solid comfort to him. He wanted to place it between his collarbones as if it was its home, but could not explain why.

He turned away from the Etherians and lifted his hand carefully to the top of his sternum, placing his palm with the hidden gem against the spot where it felt right. The movement caused a rush of memories to emerge in his mind and he knew without a doubt that they were his.

The distasteful kingdom. Countless embarrassing defeats. Hundreds of flawed soldiers. Years of isolation and suffering. A failed experiment he could not part with. And her.

Names… Entrapta, Imp, Shadow Weaver, Catra, She-Ra and he was…

“Hordak,” the purple-haired female called out. He ripped his hand away from his chest and hid the crystal behind his back as he turned back to the chipped Etherians. But they weren’t there. They had left.

He had heard her voice clear as day. What was happening?

Something was amiss.

He couldn’t quite put His finger on what it was, but Prime knew there was a disturbance in the Hivemind that had not occurred before; one that affected Him in particular.

Perhaps it affected His clones as well, but He hadn’t checked because He felt so overwhelmed when He surveyed the collective mind. It was loud and obnoxious, and while He could usually separate the relevant information from the day-to-day musings of the boring clones, He found it impossible to navigate it now.

At first, He’d believed that the beginning of this disruption happened the moment He’d met the eyes of the dormant vessel, but the more He thought about it, the more He realized that it had been building in Him slowly before this.

That’s how He came to the conclusion that the true reason for this unusual development was the newly established connection to the peculiar brain of the Etherian named Entrapta.

He’d hoped to use her exceptional brain to His own gain. She wasn’t more intelligent than Him, but she certainly had a different perspective on things. He’d expected the Hivemind would benefit from her mind being added to it.

However, if her eccentric behaviors continued to leak into the collective minds of the clones - including Prime Himself - it would be a disaster. Her memories had revealed that she hadn’t been a fitting example of a regular Etherian; her oddities had made her an outcast and she’d struggled to function normally around others.

He couldn’t risk that this behavior influenced His clones. It had never been an issue before when adding a person to the Hivemind, but her mind was stronger than most people's and she already had intimate knowledge of the system before He chipped her. Her conscience was a fully integrated part of His order and currently docile, but her subconscious was obviously wrecking havoc against Him.

There was no other option than to cut His losses and remove her from the Hivemind. Later, when He’d gained access to the planetal weapon, He could find a way to eliminate her personality completely and the more troublesome aspects of her unique brain, but for now He would simply encase her in the trophy room next to her hair; it really was too bad He had to cut it off before reaching this decision.

Of course, He had to reconnect to the Hivemind to execute His revised plan. It wasn’t something He was looking forward to. Horde Prime did not become overwhelmed by anything, but He couldn’t deny that the Etherian’s brain had such an effect on Him.

It likely affected all the clones, although they couldn’t disconnect like He could. It would only be a matter of time before they reacted to the disturbance which would cripple His progress on Etheria. It was imperative that He acted fast.

He inhaled deeply to mentally prepare Himself before once again establishing contact with the Hivemind. But He wasn’t prepared for what chaos met Him as He did so.

Throughout the Hivemind, one word drowned out everything else as it echoed inside the minds of His clones.

Hordak. Hordak. Hordak.

Chapter Text

The clone hurried through the corridors, terrified for his life. There was a bounty on his head, one that echoed in his mind. It was her voice and it should’ve calmed him, perhaps even encouraged him to trust the voice in his head that told him to fight for himself, but all he could think of was how it made him a target; and her as well.

He had nowhere to go, but he kept walking forward with a desperate determination to do something. Perhaps he could find her and stop her from trying to draw attention to him. He was just another clone and he had no desire to be anything else.

But his own thoughts disputed this claim. Whenever he thought of her, he wanted to be someone. He wanted to be Hordak again. He wanted to be her lab partner and friend and care for Imp like he’d done in the past. The longing to be one among many in the Horde faded with every beat of her voice speaking his name.

Prime wouldn’t show him mercy. It was only a matter of time before he was caught and decommissioned for his transgressions. Somehow, he found the thought a relief; unlike before, he found that he would rather not live than be a slave. But this would have consequences for Entrapta too and he couldn’t let her suffer.

Entrapta. Her name warmed his chest now that he’d accepted it as hers. She was no one’s Little Sister nor a simple Etherian. She was Entrapta of Dryl and he would do everything in his power to save her. It was the least he could do after his failure to do so before.

His past was slowly coming back to him as his name continued to reverberate through his mind, but he tried not to dwell on it. He couldn’t contemplate his past decisions, only what he could do from here on.

But he didn’t manage to come up with a plan fast enough. He was approached by two of his brothers and, beneath the sound of his name in the Hivemind, he heard the order given to them. There was no reason for him to resist; more clones would come if he didn’t follow along with them.

Even as he prepared for the inevitable, he prayed silently that they wouldn’t know it was him and just would pass him by. It was a silly notion and he didn’t expect them to actually do so which was why he became utterly bewildered when they walked past him without a second glance.

They’d been heading right toward him. Their eyes had bored into him and recognized him as the one to be captured. Why hadn’t they done so? It surely couldn’t have been his praying that had changed their designated command.

However, as another pair of brothers turned the corner and strode with determination toward him, he found himself quietly ordering them to turn around and go back where they came from. He was shocked to see that they did just that without a moment's hesitation. They had done as he’d ordered them to.

Something wasn’t right. Was it his name booming through the Hivemind that gave him access to his brothers’ mind? Or was it Entrapta?

He almost convinced himself that he wasn’t going against Prime’s orders when he continued to evade his brothers this way several times, but he knew that it was just another transgression in the long line of those he’d committed in such a short while. It would be worth it if he could get to Entrapta and deactivate the chip; he knew the instructions as to how it was done lay in the Hivemind.

But despite his success in leading his brothers away from him, he was finally caught by the sixth flock of clones he encountered. He made no struggle as they took hold of his biceps on each side of him and led him forward, but he did attempt to command them to let him go; this time they did not.

He knew he was being led to the auditorium several minutes before they got there. Many of his brothers were already gathered as instructed through the Hivemind by Prime so loudly that it drowned out the sound of his name. He was forced down on his knees in front of the throne, much like he’d been before he was brought back into the fold after decades on Etheria.

If only he hadn’t tried to return. He’d remembered the Galactic Horde as a loving and safe home where Prime blessed you with His Light. Maybe it had seemed like that because he’d known nothing else. His memories had convinced him that the love of his Creator was unlimited if he showed his worth, but the truth was very different.

The repetitive sound of his name faded out when his Lord entered the room. Prime’s presence filled the space around Him and in their heads. All looked to Him for an explanation to the strange word repeated in their heads, but the clone knew they wouldn’t be given one; not when it revealed His fallibility. Entrapta’s ability hacking into the Hivemind from the Hivemind itself showed just that.

He felt the old sting of envy that she was capable of such a feat. She’d always been smarter than him and his pride had taken a big hit when they’d first started working together, but he’d come to accept it. However, he was born into the Hivemind and knew it much better than her, yet, this wasn’t something he would ever have been able to accomplish.

Therefore, he was utterly perplexed as to why she focused on him and his name rather than taking down Prime. It didn’t make sense to him. There had to be more meaningful things to use her energy on, like saving her planet. Unless she couldn’t…

He was brought out of his musings by Prime clearing His throat. The Creator didn’t seem to have heard his thoughts at all, but rather appeared distant in His behavior. He usually liked a hands-on approach and smooth talking to make people uneasy, but now He simply sat down on His throne with a frown on His face.

"Oh, Little Brother, you really thought you could hide it from Me, did you?” Lord Prime was visibly angry. It should’ve been terrifying, but the clone found it a relief. He didn’t like pretense; let Him be frank with him. “You cannot keep secrets from a God.”

He said nothing in reply. What could he say that would placate Prime’s mood? Anything he would say would only make Him angrier. But his lack of response appeared to have an unfavorable effect on Him as well. “You recognize the name spoken through your collective minds, do you not?” Prime’s voice turned disturbingly sleek. “Answer Me, Little Brother.”

It was an order. He felt compelled to obey, but not forced to as the clones usually were. Instead, he simply stared at Prime, testing how far he could take this blatant disregard of His will.

Prime’s eyes narrowed and His hands flexed, much in the manner Entrapta’s hands did when she was uncomfortable. The clone felt a small satisfaction of Him losing His composure.

It was only for a moment. His Maker inhaled deeply, then relaxed once more. “I suppose you need a reminder.” He said in an almost bored voice. The clone felt someone approach from behind, but before he could turn around, he was flanked by Entrapta and the other Etherian, Adora. In spite of his delight at seeing them both alive and well, even as chipped, he felt unease rise in him.

Prime rose from His throne and strode casually down toward him and the females. He extended His hand and Entrapta stepped forward, taking His hand in hers. The clone saw her other hand clench at her side.

"Do you believe that she will sacrifice a place in My infinite Light and the opportunity to access all the knowledge of the universe in favor of you?" He tilted his head slightly at Entrapta whose green eyes were cold and passive. "Tell me, Little Sister: did you ever care about this defective Little Brother?"

Entrapta's blank eyes swept over Hordak. The spark of recognition in her eyes made her next words hurt even more. "I did not. I stayed near him to gain access to new technology. He means nothing to me"

It was clearly not her words, but they stung nevertheless. His resolve to refrain from dropping to his knees and beg Prime for forgiveness was wavering if he even had one in the first place.

“I feel similarly,” Prime added to her statement. “It is best that I put him out of his misery.” Entrapta didn’t reply, only stared distantly at him like he wasn’t truly there. Then she surprised both him and Lord Prime by speaking without being prompted.

“He has an item of value,” she pointed to his sleeve. His hearts skipped a beat as he realized she was talking about the crystal. He didn’t want to part with it, even if he was to die, but it seemed like he had no choice.

“Take it away from him,” Prime ordered, although His attention had turned to Entrapta. The clone didn’t like how He was looking at her; like she was an item herself. She was so much more than that.

Adora grabbed his arm and forcefully rolled up his sleeve, exposing his deformed lower arm to the room. Clones gasped from the auditorium stands all around him. Defects were not approved of. The fact that Prime had let him live was a miracle to them. However, he knew better now; it had been a punishment.

The crystal fell into Adora’s hand, shimmering in the light as she turned it over. She looked at it curiously. Then she raised her head to the clone and her eyes flickered to their original blue color. “This says ‘loved’.” She stated as a matter of factly.

Immediately after speaking, her back stiffened unnaturally as her mouth snapped shut and her eyes turned bright green again. She dropped the crystal on the floor where it clinked loudly.

But the clone didn’t take notice of it. Her words rang through him like a physical sensation. Loved. The crystal said ‘loved’.

A memory pressed its way to the front of his mind. “I scrounged up a few more pieces of First Ones Tech, and I can't think of a better use for it than this.” It was what she'd said when she’d assembled his new armor for the first time.

Her recent words about him meaning nothing to her were entirely false. He had proof of her true feelings for him; he'd had it with him all along. 

He felt a new sense of strength rise within him. He had been worthy of her love and she still loved him. That’s why she’d called out for him through the Hivemind, even as she wrestled against Prime’s influence. She loved him enough to fight persistently. He could do the same.

He was Hordak. A defective clone who’d landed on a strange planet and created an empire from scratch. The Scourge of Etheria. The ruthless Lord of the Evil Horde. His goal had been misguided and perhaps his methods too, but he had nevertheless managed to prove himself worthy.

Not worthy of Prime, but of her. And he realized that it was all that mattered.

She had given him access to parts of the Hivemind because she believed that he could use it against Prime. Entrapta had seldom been wrong and, this time more than ever, he wanted to prove her right.

Hordak stared intently at Entrapta and tried to reach out to her through the Hivemind. He called out her name in his thoughts and heard it repeat throughout the whole collective system. Every clone turned to him, along Adora and Entrapta.

“Hordak.” She responded inside his head, confirming that she was listening. “Fight.” Just as she’d said it, Prime growled and reached out to grab Hordak’s throat, but he was faster. He focused his attention on stopping His hand and he succeeded, Prime’s claws frozen just out of reach of his exposed throat.

All four of Prime’s eyes widened as His gaze flickered between His hand and Hordak’s smirk. It was a heady feeling to stand up to his Creator, but he also knew that he had to act fast if he was to win; Prime was much stronger than him in mind and body.

He heard the silent command as Prime ordered his brethren to seize him and all moved toward him instantly. Adora was the first to grab him, followed by Entrapta, but he could easily shake them both off and headed up the few stairs to the throne where he could see everyone at once.

It gave him a better overview of his brothers and he focused his thoughts to reach out to each and every one of them, feeling someone open up the Hivemind for him to push out his message: “Stop,” he ordered and they did so without question.

It was actually terrifying how obedient they were; if he’d had such soldiers at his disposal on Etheria, he would’ve conquered the planet in no time.

But he would never subject others to a life of false devotion and slavery, and he didn’t want his brothers to continue that way either. He had to sever Prime’s connection to them.

His attention fell on Prime who was seething with anger and walking toward him. He pushed everything he had into another command which made Prime freeze on the spot. He snarled and pushed back, but Hordak was stronger with Entrapta helping him.

Prime’s hands fidgeted and His tentacle hair moved erratically. He was becoming unstable which weakened His control over the Hivemind even further. "Who do you think you are?" He bellowed throughout the auditorium, causing every clone to tremble.

Except for Hordak. He felt a small smile grace his lips, such an odd feature on his face that had only appeared a few times in his past; usually around her. He unabrasively opened his mouth to speak, summoning all his power to rival Prime's: "I am-"

Hordak                                    Hordak                                          Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak

                Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak

       Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         

                                 Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak                                         Hordak

"Hordak!"

All around them, every clone and the two chipped Etherians proclaimed his name in union to both his and Prime's surprise. Even in the far corners of his mind, he could feel his brothers on Etheria and distant planets all over the galaxy call out his name.

Entrapta had given him the Hivemind. It was now his job to turn it against its Maker. He already had Prime standing stockstill in front of him and the clones obeying his orders, but their connection to the collective system was still in place. He needed to cut it.

The chips on the Etherians should be the easiest to disconnect, both those on board, but also the hundreds of citizens down on the planet below. Yet, he found that he couldn't remove the chips on them, not even on his beloved. No matter how much he searched through the Hivemind, he couldn't find it. Only Prime could.

He realized then that his control over Prime was not enough. His vessel was his to command, but not Prime’s mind. The Emperor was using all His energy on holding up a mental blocking that kept Hordak away from accessing the place where the system could be disconnected. Even with his sway over the Hivemind, Hordak wasn’t strong enough to break through it.

But he knew who could. He rushed down to Entrapta and Adora who were looking blankly at him, waiting for his command; they wouldn’t receive one. Instead, he picked up the crystal and placed it in Adora's hand. He took great care as he lay Entrapta's hand on top of Adora's as he was aware of how much the former disliked physical contact, especially in regard to her bare hands.

Adora was bound to the First Ones’ technology through She-Ra. She should be able to reestablish her connection to the magical warrior again and although he didn’t know if the crystal would work, it was worth a try.

However, Entrapta was the most important conduit. Her subconscious had given him the reins over the Hivemind; it was time for her conscience to join the fight.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her free hand. Her eyes followed him and eventually locked with his own. “Entrapta,” he said out loud, “I love you. You are the most brilliant being in existence, but that is not why I love you. I love you for your strengths and your weaknesses. I love your beauty and the oil stains that’s always somewhere on your clothing. I love your extraordinary mind which other people have failed to understand. But I understand you and I know that there is not a single thing I would change about you.”

Tears welled in her neon green eyes and a single drop fell down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb, knowing that his cheeks were turning wet as well.

“You taught me that imperfections are beautiful, that I am worthy of something. You have believed in me when no one else has. You have given me strength to stand up for myself. It is time I return the favor.”

Well aware that he risked losing the power that held Prime frozen in place, he closed his eyes and reached out to Entrapta, giving her all the energy she’d poured into him. If anyone could navigate the neural system and bypass Prime, it was her. “Wake up,” he urged her, not as an order but as encouragement, “you can do it.”

He felt his hold on the Hivemind slip and knew that Prime would attack him as soon as possible, but he wasn’t scared of dying because she was there. Even as he felt nothing stirring in her mind, he kept his eyes closed and his attention on her, repeating the thought “I love you, I love you”.

There was movement in the room and he knew Prime was regaining control, but he held onto his belief. “I love you.”

Suddenly, there was a spark of something inside the Hivemind. He felt a wild spirit filled with passion and vibrancy zoom through the system, and it was so clearly her now fully in command of their collective minds.

He opened his eyes and saw her magenta eyes sparkle with animation, displaying her excitement over her new playground. She wasn’t looking at him in particular - she was far too emerged in what she was doing - but he kept staring at her with joy.

There was a loud gasp behind him and he reluctantly turned to see Prime grip His head, pulling at the headpiece connecting Him to the Hivemind. But it appeared to be stuck. “Please, don’t,” He begged, but it was too late.

The destruction of the Hivemind made Hordak feel like he was falling into nothingness in his mind. He’d experienced it once before when he was pulled through the portal decades ago, but it came as a surprise nonetheless. If he hadn’t been on his knees already, his legs would have buckled. All around him, he heard his brothers whimper and cry out.

Prime’s cry was louder than the rest’s, but Hordak ignored his former God when he heard the chips on Entrapta and Adora clatter to the floor. Entrapta immediately let the confused Adora’s hand go and reached out for Hordak, throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and embraced her tightly.

“I love yo-” he tried to tell her, but his words were strangled by a large hand grabbing hold of his throat. He felt a sharp metal claw pierce through his flesh and sink into his jugular as he was pulled out of his distraught beloved's arms.

Prime lifted him from the floor and hissed into his ear. “Did you really think I would let you live after this, Little Brother?” Several more claws sank into his neck and dug into his spine. Hordak felt his vision blacken. In the distance, he heard Entrapta cry out, but he couldn’t move. There was nothing he could do to stop Prime as He, decades after sending him to die, finally killed him for good.

Chapter Text

Adora felt a heavy burden ease from her mind as the chip in her neck released. There was no longer a million presences in her brain, only her own. She was surprised by how alone she suddenly felt without the Hivemind, but the relief it gave her overshadowed it.

The hand that had been holding hers disappeared as well. Her eyes followed the departing hand as it found its way around a clone’s neck. Not any clone though; Hordak.

She’d felt him inside her head, but unlike Prime’s presence, his hadn’t been malicious in any way. He had helped them out of there - he and Entrapta - and while she knew that he hadn’t done it from the sheer goodness of his hearts, it was more than good enough for her. He wasn’t evil at his core; she knew that now. There was much more to him.

She watched him embracing Entrapta, tears staining his cheeks as they finally reunited. It was a private moment and she should’ve looked away, but she found it impossible to do so until she noticed that she was still holding something in her hand.

She looked down to see a First Ones’ crystal in her hand. The one Entrapta had given Hordak which revealed her love for him. A feeling of envy settled within her. None of those two were perfect, but their love was so pure. She wanted that for herself. When they got back to Etheria, she would-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sickening sound of something tearing through flesh, followed by a scream from Entrapta. Adora’s eyes snapped up and was met with a ghastly sight: Hordak was hanging suspended over them, held up by a single one of Prime’s hands. Green blood was gushing out where his claws had dug into Hordak’s neck.

Her first thought was that he wouldn’t survive this, but it was immediately followed by a second thought that refused to let Prime win. Rage rose within her along with a need for justice for once. She felt the sharp ends of the First Ones’ crystal dig slightly into her skin as she fisted her hands and it gave her a strange sense of power.

She-Ra’s power.

She gave in to the magic calling to her soul from within the crystal, letting it respond to the magic inside her. It drowned out her rage as it built and soon it beckoned her to act.

“For the honor of Grayskull!” She called out and felt herself transform into the heroine that had always been a part of her. A sword grew from her hand, the crystal attaching itself to the end of the hilt, and she felt the love inscribed into it take hold.

When she looked at Prime again, he let Hordak go; the clone fell to the floor with a sickly thump and Entrapta rushed to his side. Prime simply stepped past the two toward She-Ra with a self satisfied grin on his face.

“She-Ra!” He said with a smooth, triumphant voice. “At last, we meet again.” For a second, his words made no sense, but then a memory flashed in her mind: Mara as She-Ra standing face to face with Horde Prime, although in a different vessel. She’d defeated him, but he’d fled before she’d stopped him for good.

It was Adora’s responsibility to end what Mara had started.

She didn’t even give Prime the chance to distract her by talking to him. Instead, she reached out to his face and then to his mind, finding the lowly little creature inside which was the true essence of Horde Prime.

It reminded her of Shadow Weaver. How much suffering could’ve been spared if she and Prime hadn’t corrupted the two worlds, Etheria and the wider universe? No one would ever know. But Adora was putting an end to it all.

She poured her power into Prime’s mind and used it to squash the black creature like an insect between her fingers. It felt disgusting as it turned to mush, but it was a fitting destiny for such a loathsome being.

Despite all his grandeur and attempts at ruling the galaxy, Prime had been nothing but a small, resilient parasite that needed to be extracted from its host and trampled by someone bigger than him.

His vessel dropped to the ground as Prime’s essence was extinguished; it was never more than an empty shell made for the bug inside that couldn’t survive on its own.

Adora, still as She-Ra, left the mind of the vessel and returned to the physical world. Here she was met with the cries of confused and lonesome clones, but more importantly, Entrapta’s voice begging for the impossible.

“Please, Hordak, don’t die!” She sobbed while trying to put pressure on the multiple wounds around Hordak’s neck. It was of no use; he couldn’t hear her and had no saying in whether he lived or died.

But Adora did and she wasn’t going to let him die. This was going to be a happy ending.

She kneeled beside him and let her sword dissipate until only the First Ones’ crystal was left. With the crystal in her hand, she placed it on Hordak’s chest. One of his hearts had already stopped beating while the other was hanging on by a thread. She had to hurry.

“Let him go,” she said to Entrapta who immediately shook her head, “just for a minute. I can heal him. Trust me.” The small scientist looked from her to Hordak, then back again before removing her bloody hands from his body.

Adora closed her eyes and accessed the metaphorical jar in her mind which she used to heal others. She lifted the jar over Hordak’s form and began pouring the contents of the jar down on his wounds. They started to heal, but the dead heart of his didn’t respond, even as she focused all her energy on it.

She remembered the crystal in her hand and the love inscribed on it. Love was the most powerful emotion in existence.

Her magic tapped into the never-ending love from the crystal and she directed it into his still heart. Immediately, she felt a strong pulsation surge through them both which quickly turned into a stable beating that complemented his other heart.

She knew to stop when her magic began to attempt healing the weaknesses he was created with. Those could not be healed and would only drain her. But they were an important part of him too; it had led them all to this place and she knew that he wouldn’t want to change any of it when he awoke.

He inhaled sharply as the wounds on his throat closed enough for his airways to fully function, and Adora could finally lean back and breathe in as she once again stepped into the physical world. She’d done it.

They had done it.

Entrapta sobbed even louder when she saw Hordak's eyes flutter and lunged at him, careless of his injuries; in fairness, they were mostly healed. He lifted his weak arms to her, doing his best to embrace her while whispering something to her that Adora couldn’t hear because of Entrapta’s weeping.

She didn’t need to anyway. They deserved their privacy now. Nothing was allowed to come between them.

There was a lot of work to be done, both on Prime’s ship and on Etheria, as well as the hundreds of planets which had been under his reign. She knew that they all had a long way to go before the universe was completely free of Horde Prime.

But they would get there. She could finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

Chapter Text

Catra tried to shush Imp when the Horde ship began to descend to the ground. She didn’t want to draw attention to them, but it was obvious that Imp didn’t have time to wait. He rushed toward the landing area and was just barely stopped from being squashed beneath the ship as it landed; Bow had grabbed him just in time.

It felt good to see Imp jump into the welcoming arms of Hordak as he stepped out of the hatch. Catra had heard him in the vents of the Fright Zone when she’d fled Prime after seeing Shadow Weaver’s gruesome death and had at a spur of the moment decided that the little spy deserved to live. She knew now that she’d made the right choice, even though it had cost her quite a few scratches at the time.

She watched from the shadows as Entrapta exited behind Hordak, along with a dozen clones. Imp flew over to the science princess and was engulfed in her arms, both of them happy to see each other again. Hordak gazed at them with an actual smile on his face; it was a little shocking to see.

Then the robot, Emily, could be heard as it loudly beeped while wobbling up to her creator. Entrapta called out her name in a shrill voice, obviously relieved to be reunited with the bot again. She tried to embrace her, but couldn’t fully with only the use of her arms.

In the past, she’d used her prehensile hair, but it had been cut by Prime. Adora had warned them that it was a delicate subject. However, from what Catra's attentive ears could hear from a distance, Adora was apparently surprised as she greeted them because Entrapta’s hair was at shoulder length; it had been much shorter only days ago.

It must be nice to have magic like that. Entrapta might not have a runestone, but her hair was extremely useful. And Catra had come face to face with Spinnerella while chipped; her magic was more dangerous than half the elementary princesses’.

She scratched her arm where the hair had been singed off by Scorpia when she had first tapped into her powers during the battle of Brightmoon, right before the world turned upside down. It sure could’ve been nice for Catra to have fast growing hair too. Not that she blamed Scorpia. She knew she’d been a bad friend.

The few days she’d spent with the princesses after Shadow Weaver’s death had taught her some things. First and foremost that you could forgive a person who had wronged you; the princesses had done that for her. Secondly, she’d learned to cherish the access she’d had to hot water and plumbing all her life.

But most importantly, she’d learned that there was more than one side to the story and that hers wasn’t always the correct one. While she’d seen Adora as someone who’d left her behind, the princesses had seen Adora fight repeatedly to save her friendship with Catra, only for Catra to deny her out of spite.

She couldn’t deny that there was truth to that side of the story. Even if Adora had returned to the Horde to be with Catra, it wouldn’t have been good enough. Catra had been so obsessed with punishing Adora that she hurt everyone in her path; including herself.

It wasn’t healthy to hold grudges like that. She’d been shocked when the princesses had taken her in after Shadow Weaver’s demise because she’d thought that they would hate her for everything she’d done. They weren’t big fans of her to begin with, but when they saw her save Mermista from being chipped, they treated her with respect.

She could admittedly learn a lot from them. Maybe she could see why Adora had become friends with them and had wanted to bring Catra along. If she’d gone, everything would have been a lot different.

It wasn’t something she could dwell on now. There would be plenty of time for wallowing in pity later on. She was going to set things right, or at least try to. Her apologies to Adora and Scorpia had been accepted and while they hadn’t forgiven her, she felt positive about it.

But as she’d waited for Hordak and Entrapta to land, she’d started to feel worried that there was no forgiveness to be found with them. They’d stayed up on the main ship for a few days to collect data and help the clones up there while Adora had been teleported down to the planet shortly after Prime’s death. The two scientists had probably needed some time alone anyway, or at least as alone as they could be with the weeping clones running around the ship. 

Hopefully, their time together had made them forgive and forget everything that had happened since they’d last been together. Before Catra had come between them. But she wasn’t counting on it. She’d abused Entrapta’s naivety and friendship, and sent her to die on the worst place on the planet, all to punish Adora. Then she’d used Hordak’s friendship with Entrapta to get her way and when he discovered the truth, she'd gone after him and dropped him from an airship. How could something like that be forgiven?

Sparkl- Glimmer had mentioned that the two scientists weren't exactly saints themselves. Hordak had waged war on Etheria for decades in Horde Prime’s name while Entrapta had been the one to open the portal that brought the supposed Emperor to their planet.

But Catra knew that it was different because their intentions had been misguided but pure. Her own intentions had not. She’d known how wrong everything she’d done was and pushed for it anyway.

She wasn’t ready to face them yet. They likely didn’t want to have anything to do with her. If Adora wasn't exaggerating what had happened in space, their love had saved the planet - hell, the whole galaxy. It was painful to know that Catra had stood in the way of that.

While the Etherian people weren't aware of Hordak and Entrapta's role in everything, the Princess Alliance celebrated their return to Etheria. All the happiness was quite nauseating to watch. Catra had never been good at celebrations, especially not others’, and she decided to leave the area.

People were better off without her anyway. It would probably be best if she volunteered to travel to some of the other planets out there and help out after Prime’s defeat. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to do it on her own. But who would want to travel in space with her?

She’d barely turned away from her spot overlooking the landing pad when she heard a familiar squeak. Imp’s wings battered wildly in the air above her before descending at a rapid speed, heading right at her. He knocked her onto the ground with his weight and for a moment, she was sure that he was about to kill her; had Hordak told him what she’d done?

But Imp did something unexpected: he wrapped his small arms around her neck and hugged her with a small purr. It felt…nice. She couldn’t help but respond by purring a little herself and embraced him gently. She didn’t know how much she’d missed being hugged.

A shadow settled over them and Catra looked up to see Hordak standing menacing over them. His hair was white like the other clones’ and he was wearing pretty much the same outfit, but his eyes were crimson. It was much scarier than the regular clones.

She was shocked when he kneeled down on the grass next to her. Imp released his tight hold on her, but didn’t fly away. Hordak spoke softly. “Thank you for saving him, Catra,” he said with sincerity, “You did not have to, but you did it. I am... in debt to you.”

There was no way that she was in debt to him after what she’d done and he must know that. Unless he couldn't remember it. She couldn’t bring herself to remind him of it though. “Let’s call it even, huh?” She tried to grin, but it felt awkward.

“Very well,” he simply responded and rose from the ground. “Just come back when you’re ready,” he said and it took Catra a second to understand that he was talking to Imp now; those damned pupiless eyes made it impossible to discern. 

Imp nodded, then hugged Catra again. As Hordak turned around and left, she returned the hug with the realization that she’d actually done some good. Maybe she wasn’t totally hopeless after all.

Entrapta didn’t hesitate when she saw Scorpia approach her after Hordak had gone after Imp. She ran to her friend and enveloped her in a hug worthy of Scorpia herself; it was instantly returned. When they parted, Scorpia was crying. “I’m so sorry for not stopping Catra. I let her send you away. I should’ve stopped her, but I didn’t.” She hid her face in her claws and sobbed loudly.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Entrapta said. She tried to place a strand of hair on her larger friend’s shoulder, but then remembered she couldn’t with such short hair, so she reluctantly decided to use her gloved hand. She’d found her old gloves again after Prime’s death and the improvised mask she'd made on board, and right now she was thankful to avoid overstimulation at the moment. So much was going on and it was hard to keep up with all the people around.

“You did tell Hordak that I wouldn’t have left voluntarily and that was something,” Entrapta squeezed Scorpia’s massive bicep which made her look up. “If you hadn’t, he would never have come for me and things would’ve been a lot different. You did the right thing in the situation you found yourself in.”

Scorpia looked uncertain, but stopped crying. “You know about that?” Her voice shook a little.

“Yeah, Hordak told me.” He’d told her everything he could remember after the portal incident after Catra had sent her to Beast Island. She still had to come to terms with many things, but she wasn’t mad at Scorpia. “And you took care of Emily for me. I’m so grateful for that.”

“It was the least I could do. We both missed you so much.” Scorpia pulled her into a hug that was a bit too tight, but Entrapta endured it, knowing that it was as much for Scorpia as it was for her.

When she was put down on the ground again, Scorpia’s tears were all dried up and she was smiling. It made Entrapta a little less uncomfortable; she didn’t really have the energy to deal with other people’s emotions, especially not after listening to the distraught clones on the Velvet Glove.

She saw her chance to end the interaction when she noticed Hordak come back from wherever he’d gone to find Imp. Scorpia let her go. “Imp’s alright?” She asked as she came up to him and took his hand, briefly lamenting that she was indeed wearing gloves again.

“He is fine. He is thanking Catra.” Hordak’s ears twisted back as he said the name of his old Second-in-Command. He hadn't really recovered all of his memories yet, but he said that he was sure Catra had done more than lie to him. Nevertheless, Entrapta knew that he was incredibly grateful that the feline had gotten Imp out of the Fright Zone; as was Entrapta.

“A lot has been happening down here too,” she said, trying to distract him, and it worked when she wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned into him. She missed her hair to lift her up to his height, but it was already growing back. In a few weeks it would be back to its regular length.

He hugged her tightly, her head against his chest where she could hear his twin hearts beat. It never failed to relieve her after she’d seen him almost be decapitated by Horde Prime. She would have nightmares about that for a while, just like she had about Beast Island. Like he had about the Velvet Glove and the Hivemind. 

She didn’t have nightmares about the Hivemind though, only dreams where she surfed through it with ease and opened doors for Hordak. While she had no recollection of it, Hordak told her that she’d been subconsciously helping him while she was chipped which had given him the chance to fight against Prime. It was probably what she dreamed about.

She did remember how Hordak had pulled her out of whatever prison Prime had put her consciousness in and had let her roam free inside the Hivemind. It was so much fun! If she hadn’t been forced to destroy it, she could’ve spent weeks - if not months - exploring it.

Afterwards, she had been through the inactive system to activate the teleportation device, the ships and other things that had previously been controlled by Prime's use of the Hivemind, but it wasn’t the same. Maybe she could connect it to her bots one day and reactivate it. It would be revolutionary!

She’d mentioned these ideas for Hordak and he’d appeared pretty terrified by the mere thought of them, but he would probably warm up to them when some time had passed. And they had plenty of time now.

They’d spent the last couple of days navigating the inactive Hivemind, creating a temporary armor for him and helping the clones on board the Velvet Glove, but just working together and being in each other’s company had been enough for them.

Nevertheless, she wanted some alone time just with him now. They would inform Imp and Emily of this, and Adora was already in on her plan, ready to distract everyone. The other princesses wanted to debrief and discuss the future with them, along with their past crimes, but Entrapta didn’t think it was pressing.

She was going to steal Hordak away to the Crypto Castle for a week or so. It was private and impossible to navigate if you didn’t know the layout. It was likely that Hordak wouldn’t even be able to leave if he wanted; although she suspected that he had no interest in doing so.

After everything, they deserved time together just the two of them. It seemed like the world had been against them for so long and the path back to each other had felt endless. Now it was time for the world to wait for them.