Chapter Text
Catra walked down the metal hallways, on her way to a place she thought she would never go willingly. The black garnet chamber where Shadow Weaver spent most of her time when she wasn’t criticizing Catra’s entire existence. When she arrived she took a deep breath before going inside. “Shadow Weaver I would like to speak with you, it’s about Adora.”
Upon hearing her former golden child’s name she looked up from her work. “What is it Catra” The way Shadow Weaver said her name like a curse sent shivers down her spine. But she would never let that witch see it. “What is it that you want from me?” Shadow Weaver continued growing impatient. Catra took a deep breath before continuing. “ I heard that you can erase memories, I want- I want you to erase Adora.” Her last encounter with Adora made her sure of her decision. Being trapped in a weird techno castle with her had been unpleasant and Catra had let her get away because of their former relationship, something that haunted Catra in paranoia if anyone found out.
Shadow Weaver was shocked even though Catra could not see it from behind her mask. Why hadn’t she thought of this before, it was so brilliant she couldn’t believe that it was Catra’s suggestion. She immediately felt that she needed to salvage this opportunity, to twist it to her favor. “You must have thought long and hard before coming to me with this decision. Although that’s not how my magic works. It doesn’t just erase memories but rather substitutes them with new ones.” Catra didn’t know what to say because she didn’t know what to put in, in place of Adora. “What do I put in place of Adora... what could replace her.” Shadow Weaver needed to think her response through carefully as to not put Catra off. This was much too great of an opportunity to let slide.
“What about memories of success and praise, a burning desire to crush the rebellion only matched by Hordak himself perhaps.” Weaver was not exactly lying but she was not telling the whole truth either. She was planning on putting in memories of obedience and loyalty, to make Catra be what Adora could have been if not for that hero complex of hers.
“Why don’t we start the process now Catra.” Weaver drawled. Catra took a moment before answering. Was this what she wanted? To forget her former best friend? There was a little voice in her head to say no, that was saying to remember her the good and the bad. Catra didn’t listen to that part.
“Yes, I want to forget her”
Catra was on the table Adora was on but about a week ago. Shadow used the garnet that had been used to torture the girl as long for as she could remember. As Weaver began the process Catra could see every moment they shared, Catra began to cry, a single tear falling down her cheek. It wasn’t from pain although it was a little painful. No, she was crying because the memories truly hurt. Adora had gone from her best friend to number one enemy literally overnight.
Catra could see the best memories they shared. The first time they bunked together, the nights spent whispering of plans to conquer the world and rule together. The first time Catra met Adora was when she had been left to die in a cardboard box and Adora picked her up and even named her. Catra received the name Catra Applesauce MeowMeow. However Shadow Weaver had disapproved of the name and Catra was renamed Elizabeth but she always went by Catra.
Shadow Weaver felt repulsed at the sight but she had to bear through it to erase every last trace of Adora from those memories. In their place she put memories of staying up late preparing mock battle strategies and sneaking into simulations by herself and coming out victorious. She took a once snarky sarcastic cadet and turned her into a hardened ruthless force captain, one that respected Shadow Weaver and had a sole purpose of bringing down She-ra and the rest of the rebellion.
It took hours of going through Catra’s mind to thoroughly remove Adora. While it was painless for Weaver it was immensely painful for Catra. Catra’s body mind and soul felt like it was on fire. The previous punishments she had received at the hand of Shadow Weaver and the black garnet did not hold a torch to the pain she felt for hours on end. During the process Catra continued to see the old memories being forgotten and replaced with new ones. The hours blended together, the pain became muddled but persistent.
When all was said and done Catra was reborn. Adora had a heavy impact on Catra even going as far as giving her, her name as dumb as it was. Catra Applesauce Meow Meow. Perhaps a new name was also in order the name could possibly be a trigger for Adora’s memory.
Azar
That would be her new name, one given to her by her stand in mother figure. Since most of Shadow Weaver’s punishments involved Adora in one way or another she was able to rewrite Catra’s image of Weaver. From cruel disciplinarian to a stern commander who stood as Cat- no Azar’s mother figure.
After the process was finished Catra, from the continuous hours of pain had passed out. Weaver went to lord Hordak to tell him about Catra’s changes into Azar. He would be most pleased that she will become the force captain to win the war for the horde.
“Lord Hordak may I have a work with you about the force captain formerly known as Catra” Hordak paused his work . “What do you mean formerly known?” She realized how the way she worded it made it sound like Catra was dead although in a way she was. “She asked me to erase any and all memory of Adora and of course I saw nothing wrong with that. Erasing Adora caused Catra to change as a whole being in a way reborn as Azar.”
Hordak was to say the least intrigued by what Shadow Weaver was implying. To practically reset Azar into the ideal force captain and the perfect person to go against She-ra, her former friend who doesn’t even remember her. It was almost too perfect.
“When will Azar be ready for deployment against the rebellion.”
“As soon as she wakes up she will need a couple hours for her mind and body to rest but the earliest she will be ready is tomorrow if she wakes up in the next couple hours.”
Again it was almost too perfect. Azar could lead the charge on bright moon that Entrapta was planning. Entrapta, Hordak’s new lab partner, was preparing to set up in the black garnet chamber to enact their plan. They will strike down the rebellion with the full night of the horde.
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Azar led a life that was revered by her peers and that others envied. She had been groomed from a young age to be the force captain to bring down the rebellion and now their latest “hero” She-ra. She would finally come face to face with the princess of power herself.
The upcoming battle was making Azar excited, excited to see the look on the rebellion’s faces when the horde wins and takes Brightmoon.
“C-Azar the troops are waiting to roll out” came Entraptra’s voice from her force captain badge. Entrapta sounded sad although Azar just chalked that up to being left behind by the princesses. Azar didn’t care much for the Dryl princess anyway, nor the scorpioni princess that also resided in the Fright Zone whatever her name was. Azar was to busy to worry about the Fright zone princesses she was focused on the ones in brightmoon
She went to the skiff bay to take the troops and bots to Brightmoon.
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There it is Brightmoon. Azar could see the moonstone from her place on the skiff, she could also see the princesses and a boy with half a shirt waiting for them. In the middle was the princess she couldn’t wait to tear apart, She-ra. This was the battle where she would prove her worth to Hordak, to Shadow Weaver. She wouldn’t be able to face her mother if she failed, while Shadow Weaver wasn’t her mother by birth she was in the ways that mattered. Shadow Weaver had taught her to tie her boots and how to subvert the enemy in battle.
But in this moment in time this battle was all that mattered. She signaled her troops and force captains to move in to attack. The princesses saw this and did the same although there were mainly the princesses moving to attack. As if She-ra could sense Azar’s want to fight her she flew in on a flying horse to Azar’s position.
“Hello She-ra it’s about time we met.” Azar spoke with hatred and fury. She-ra had a confused look on her face as if she didn’t know what Azar was talking about. “What are you talking about Catra aren’t you surprised I’m here at all, didn’t you leave me for dead in the crystal Castle?!” Now it was Azar’s turn to be confused “I don’t know who Catra is, my name is Azar and second I’ve never met you before so stop it with your mind games and fight me!” She yelled as the launched through the air claws fully extended.
Azar didn’t know why She-ra had a broken look on her face but she relished in it. She loved to see that look on her face. “C-Catra? What? What do you mean you don’t know me?” She said as she blocked one of Azar’s attacks.
Guess this princess is also slow as well. “Stop calling me that” Azar felt her anger rise in her throat “MY NAME IS AZAR” she roared. Azar started to swipe her sharp claws at She-ra with more and more strength and anger. It was then that Adora knew that Catra wasn’t playing with her. She was serious, she didn’t know who Adora was. Adora felt a pang in her chest. Had they found out that it was Catra that let them go and this was the punishment?
Adora was getting lost in her thoughts, the worst possible outcomes racing through her mind. What Adora didn’t notice that Azar did was that in a matter of seconds, Brightmoon would fall. She-ra was distracted and the queen was cornered on the moon stones pedestal. No matter what the queen did now Brightmoon would fall. The queen could either perish and then the moonstone would be destroyed or she could save herself and let the moonstone be destroyed. No matter what the horde won this fight, no need to make She-ra aware of it though. Azar was smirking on the inside but she didn’t let it show on her face.
Eventually the queen chose to save herself, the moonstone cracked and darkness covered Etheria. Catra saw the light go out in She-ra’s eyes when she noticed that she had failed. The rebellion had to abandon Brightmoon, they could no longer hold on to the territory as they were surrounded.
Catra saw the warrior princess fly away on her winged horse. The princess looked remorsefully at her, like she was pitying her. But she was the one who had won. She was victorious. All that was left to do now was find out where the rebellion was headed and slaughter them all. Azar also had to figure out who this Catra person was, and why She-ra called Azar by her name. She felt a great sense of pride when she looked across etheria knowing she had won the battle of Brightmoon.