Chapter Text
Before Prime’s defeat
He didn't remember much after he was released from his pod, everything was hazy. Strange. He couldn't describe it. He was cold and dripping from these strange liquids as hands grabbed him and cleaned his body. Aided in dressing him. He was quiet. Unsure. But he was sure of one thing: he had an undying loyalty to Horde Prime.
~*All are welcomed in Prime’s light* ~
He was their everything, their light, their source of life and they owe everything to their creator. A clone is what he is and he is one of Prime’s perfect creations. As such he allows Prime to do anything he sees fit. Questioning him is forbidden; he knows best after all.
So he did his duties in battle or simply standing at his posts. That was their duty, their very existence to live. Occasionally, if things were urgent or he did something wrong, Prime would use his body as a temporary vessel for whatever needed to be done. He should never question the actions of his creator.
~*Horde Prime knows all*.~
-– — —
A change occurred. Visitors arrived and their lost brother was returned. Though he was very…different. He had no knowledge of a clone that was defective or that a brother could look like that, but he guessed those changes were the cause of the defect so he did not question further. He knew he shouldn't question his creator.
~*No stray thoughts in the hive mind*~
He kept those curious brainwaves to himself and made sure to only keep his mind on one thing: praising Horde Prime in their undying loyalty as it should be. He did not want to be exiled like the lost brother. Prime knows best after all, and none should think anything that wasn't about serving their creator with utmost loyalty.
They learned to welcome a new guest and take in their lost brother again. Things went about as usual.
-– — —
As he went about his duties he noticed their defective brother trying desperately to fit back in. He guessed things changed from when he last served Horde Prime. It made sense. He was still astonished that a clone would even try to take a name. What a strange thing to do. He knows Horde Prime forbids it, yet he chose one anyway? But it seems that the defect regrets his actions and is desperately seeking redemption for his sins. Maybe he can help the defective brother get more acquainted that way it will be easier. After all, Horde Prime mercifully spared the defect; he must still be useful.
~*Horde Prime knows best*~
-– — —
During the time the guest stayed on the Velvet Glove, a situation occured, and now they welcomed their new little sister. They never had a sister or at least one he remembered. Maybe the past generations of clones might have, but they never shared it. So he went on and continued his duties. Though, he still never understood how anyone would not want to bask in the light of their creator. It was perfect. It was peaceful. Why fight it?
-– — —
Horde Prime is angry, enraged even. Apparently their new sister was stolen by this magical being. He resisted the urge to jump when Horde Prime snapped at a few clones, he understands. Horde Prime is upset that these creatures are not understanding that what Horde Prime is doing is to make the universe better, they are a backwater planet after all. Makes sense, even the defect brother couldn't convince this planet to join in Horde Prime’s light. If they did not want to join willingly then Horde Prime will have no choice but to destroy it. Some creatures are just too stubborn.
Why be stubborn? What's so hard to understand that Horde Prime wants to save everyone and help? He helped the little sister? He even spared a defect when he could easily destroy it. Strange. Very strange.
-– — —
He couldn't believe what he saw! The defective brother shot their creator! Why! No clone ever even thought anything negative of their god, let alone shoot their creator in the back and disobey a direct order!? What was this defect thinking? All his other brothers were too shocked to even stop the clone, but when they tried they were ordered to stand down by Horde Prime himself? What's going on? Does he not need help? Of course not because he's their creator he can handle anything!
Right? He can handle anything. He knows what's best.
He apparently was going to make the defect an example and pay for his crimes for disobeying and attacking his god, allowing a lesser being to corrupt him. He did not want to think about it but… he felt bad for the defect. He did not understand but when he saw the defect gaze back at the lesser being he had a certain look. The same look a clone has for Horde Prime. Admiration? Love? Clones love Horde Prime. Every clone does, so why would this clone look at this female the same way he would look at their creator? It was confusing. This love seemed so much stronger than any love he has seen any clone give their creator, what was so special about this being to get that much love? So much love that the defect betrayed their creator? Why? Would he get in trouble for thinking this? Apparently not because Horde Prime took the woman by the hair using the defect’s vessel and left, down to the planet. All he and the brothers could do was watch their creator conquer another planet.
But not this planet. This one appears to fight back. Why fight?
Why…
-– — —
…
What just happened? He did not understand, Horde Prime was gonna destroy the planet but the magical being stopped him.
He is gone.
Horde Prime is gone? No… NO! IT CANNOT BE! Is it a trick? Horde Prime must be planning a secret attack? He must be alive!.
OH NO, IT IS NOT. THE HIVE MIND!!
OUR CREATOR!!-
-– — —
The clone opened his eyes when he felt something massive disconnect him from the hive. He felt like this heavy blanket was lifted, something he didn't even know was weighing him down vanished. And when he looked around he gasped at what he saw.
Other clones look different, each of them had different color eyes? Why? They are all supposed to be the same? Are they all defective now? He did not feel defective? No, he does! He can't hear anyone's thoughts! He can't hear Horde Prime!!
“OUR GOD IS DEAD!!” A clone screamed as he fell to his knees sobbing.
A few clones jumped back and fell on their rears. He joined them. “No!” He did not know he could sound so devastated. He was not supposed to show too much emotion yet he looked so panicked and scared. He did not understand, nobody did. Others panicked with him.
The clone gasped at the sobbing brother, Prime? Gone…
…
The throne room was filled with sobbing clones until a sound was heard and a screen popped up.
“Brothers!! Horde Prime is gone! It's okay!!” A voice came from the speakers.
It was a clone’s voice but the clone did not look familiar? It was a normal clone but their eyes were different and his hair was unkept and messy.
“Everything will be fine! Horde Prime was a bad ruler and his defeat should be celebrated, it's okay brothers. I know it's scary at first but it will be better,” the brother reassured in a cheerful tone through the projecting screen.
“Yes! Wrong Hordak is right, it's gonna be okay everyone! We’ll help you guys get acquainted with Etheria soon! Look at Hordak! If he could do it alone then it's gonna be very easy to help all of you!” Entrapta made her appearance on the screen.
One clone snarled at Entrapta, “DEMON! TRAITOR!”
“THEY TOOK OUR GOD,” another wailed.
The same purple hair female that the defect protected was on the screen, he noticed the two clones with her. The very cheerful one he guessed was the ‘Wrong Hordak’ and the defect who now had his red eyes back appears to have kept his name again. But names were bad?...
“Stay calm! We will help you guys out, please don't throw things at the projector,” Entrapta requested as she shut off the device.
The clone frowned and pinned his ears back as he looked to the floor.
Horde Prime? Bad, but how? He made them. He was their creator? How was he bad? But if he's gone, who is gonna rule them? What is his job? Do they follow the defect? He would suggest the cheerful ‘wrong Hordak' as a leader but he does not seem to qualify while the defect did technically kill Prime? Do they follow him? He does not know, he does not understand if he is allowed to think these thoughts.
“What do we do?” More tears fell.
“This must be a trick!! Horde Prime cannot be defeated! He is all seeing and powerful,” another clone snarls, refusing to accept the truth.
“They are lying to us! Trying to control us! We will not give in!” The clone tried to rally the others but they were still in shock and mourning.
He had no idea what to think. “Why is Horde Prime bad?” His ears pinned down in both confusion and sadness.
He perks up when he hears the screen come to life once more, a few clones snarled at it.
“Hello brothers! We are having technical difficulties! The queen is making a decision with Hordak and Entrapta at the moment! But we returned! We will be there to collect you all soon!”
“You corrupted fools will not take us!!! Horde Prime is merciful and kind!” A clone sneered.
Wrong Hordak frowned.
“He destroyed innocent planets and killed millions, he didn't care about anything but power, that's not a good ruler,” Wrong Hordak explained, though it was a very bad explanation. “He's rude and mean. He is no ruler like the princesses.”
Hordak rolled his eyes and flicked his ears. “What he means to say is, Horde Prime believed that only he and he alone can bring peace to the universe, only he had the power to save everyone when in reality, he wanted to control everyone. Those he cannot control he destroys, he does not like what he cannot control because it is deemed a threat. And those threats might rise against him, so he kills them before they can try.”
That was slightly better to understand, though still confusing for the clone. Was it really that bad? He wanted peace. What is so bad about that? Wait? Control? That is bad.
“You are lying!!” The clone that hissed his eyes was still Prime’s acid green. “What Prime was doing was helping those who cannot see his light,” he narrows his eyes and flexes his claws, “you are too much of a coward to come down here!!”
“I told you some would not fully accept the truth, it is going to take awhile for them to acclimate.” Hordak glanced down at Entrapta, crossing his arms.
“It took Wrong Hordak a minor crying session to accept it,” Entrapta beamed.
“It's true, brother!” Wrong Hordak grinned.
Hordak lets out a defeated sigh of irritation at the clone with a name similar to his own. “Yes, well you and the Archer boy-”
“Bow,” Entrapta lifted a hair strand.
“Yes, him. The both of you scrambled his mind so he is not exactly all there on some things.” Hordak gestures to Wrong Hordak and lowered the tips of his ears.
“Didn't it take you years and the past few weeks to accept Prime is evil?” Wrong Hordak smiled with a slight head tilt in Hordak’s direction.
Hordak pinned his ears and snarled at Wrong Hordak, narrowing his eyes in warning. The screen shot off for the clones.
The clone was so confused with all of what's going on “I… don't understand…” he sat down. He did know their creator had a temper at times and did mistreat some clones by throwing or damaging them but that was understandable? Wasn't it? He had no idea anymore. He felt liquid streaming down his face, something that he never experienced before. He put a clawed hand to touch it and noticed the liquid was leaking out of his eyes. His eyes widened and wiped the floor until he could see his reflection. He gasped.
His once acid green eyes are now a bright lavender. More tears fell as a sob escaped his throat. He curled up and just cried, he didn't understand why he needed to cry but the emotion felt most logical so he abided and folded his arms around his legs, letting the liquid run down his face as a shuttering sound came soon after.
-– — —
The doors opened and a group approached. Some clones lifted their heads at the new company but he still kept low.
“Aww some of them are crying! Maybe we should go up there and comfort them!” A new voice. His ears flicked.
“Ya. Doesn't mean they’re all trustful, some look ready to attack,” another female voice warns, flicking her ears and flexing her claws.
“I… agree with Catra.” He sounded very upset at himself for even saying that. “We must proceed with caution if we go up to the Velvet Glove and collect some of the docile clones.” Hordak crossed his arms.
“Why not all of them?” Adora asks as she looks at the many different ways the clones decided to grieve.
“Because one wrong move and these clones might uprise and attack out of fear.”
“Ya, and they aren't easy to fight off.” Catra whipped her tail.
“I'm sure if we give them a good hug they will calm down!” Scorpia grinned.
“Not everything is solved with a hug, Force Cap- I mean Princess Scorpia, but it can be a start. We need to take this slow.”
As they spoke one clone got to his feet and rushed forward. “TRAITOR!!”
“LIKE THAT!” Catra snarled and was about to attack but Entrapta grabbed him with her hair.
“Oh, he's very unhappy,” she frowned.
“Sorry about this.” Scorpia used her stinger and knocked him out.
The clones screamed in shock.
“Oops…sorry to scare you guys…”
-– — —
With the help of this magical being with what seems to be vines, they put the clones who refuse to back down and believe Prime needs to be avenged in the cells for now until they manage to rehabilitate them. The more docile clones they approached with caution but warmth as they tried to be gentle and let the clones get comfortable first.
“So what is your name, blue eyes?” Perfuma smiled at one clone.
“Clones do not have names,” Hordak reminded her.
“Uhh then how do we tell them apart if they don't have names?”
Adora tilts her head a little. “Maybe we can use numbers maybe?”
“That could work,” Hordak nodded.
“Ohhh that's interesting!!” Entrapta was circling a few clones. “So, your species each have unique eyes to differentiate! That's fascinating. I'm gonna add it to my notes on your species.” Entrapta took out her voice recorder and started talking as she examined a few clones.
The clone with lavender eyes was just watching, confused and a little scared of what to do. Are these people going to lock them up too if they admit that they did not fully understand Prime being bad. If so, what would they do if they were attacked? Fight back? Surrender? Conform to the alien race? They did not know. He does not know.
“Hi there!” Wrong Hordak grinned.
The clone jumped and bared their talons to protect themselves, ears pinned back for a moment; they did not like being snuck up on.
Wrong Hordak backed up, ears lowered in worry before perking up again. “Apologies, I just noticed you were in the corner. Would you like to meet my friends?” He smiled warmly, the clone was unused to this.
The clone was quiet for a moment, studying this ‘wrong Hordak' before shifting their eyes to the group he called his friends. He was hesitant before glancing back at the clone. “Is it safe? They won't throw me to the cells?”
“Unless you attack, no,” he tilted his head.
“I will not.” His ears and arms lowered but he rubbed his claws on his clothes, something he subconsciously did to relax himself.
“Well then, let me introduce you!” Wrong Hordak started to walk towards the group as the clone hesitantly followed along with him.
“Brothers! I want to introduce you to one of my other brothers, I found him in the corner looking a little nervous so I brought him over.”
The clone pinned their ears down and glanced at their feet, uncertain why they were nervous but the sudden eyes on him caused that reaction to further his emotion.
“Hello!” Scorpia grinned, clicking her claws. “Oh! Pretty eyes,” she complimented.
The clone ears flicked up a little at that, that was an odd praise. He never heard of a type of compliment like that before. Horde Prime rarely praised a clone and never praised physical features. At least from what he knew.
“Guess he doesn't know how to say thank you,” Catra muttered to Adora.
“Clones are not used to receiving compliments, Catra. Any compliment a clone gets is from getting a job done, nothing else.” Hordak eyed his ex-Force Captain with a sneer. His ears flicked back.
“Well, anyways,” Adora stepped forward between them as Entrapta placed a comforting strand of hair on his shoulder. “Everything is gonna be okay, I know right now it's scary. Losing someone you idolize and devoted your life to, trust me I know the feeling. I lost someone as well,” Adora sighs but smiled at the clones, “but over time you will understand that it's for the best.”
“How so?” The clone speaks finally. “I do not understand what was so wrong that Horde Prime needed to be destroyed?”
“Gee, maybe killing planets for one,” Mermista deadpanned.
“They don't know any better they were brainwashed, of course they are gonna think he's a… good guy?” Scorpia gently tried to reason.
“Are you the new leader then?” The clone turned to the two clones. He suspected one of them to maybe take leadership if their big brother is absent now, but he wasn't so sure of the Wrong Hordak. Maybe the red eyes defect?
Wrong Hordak looked confused and waved his hands in surrender. “I'm no leader.”
The clone turned to Hordak to see if he would be their leader then.
Hordak's expression was one of shock and slight worry before answering: “No one will be taking Horde Prime’s place. Our main focus is to get all of you to coexist with this planet until you form your own identity and live your own life.”
“Own life?” The clone pondered before looking up at Hordak. “You mentioned you made your own life,” he turned to the purple hair alien, “and you mentioned you made that one your friend.” His eyes flicked as he thought. “Do I need to make a ‘life’ and ‘friend’ too?” His lavender eyes quirk up a bit.
“Well… it's a start.” Hordak was hesitant to answer, in truth he wasn't exactly sure how to answer. He himself still needed to figure some things out.
“I made friends with Brother Bow and Entrapta! Friends are good to have,” Wrong Hordak grinned, clapping his hands.
The clone nodded. He made a mental note. If he was to succeed in this mission to make friends, to ‘live’ a new life, then he will complete his first task. He knelt down to the group and bowed his head. “Very well. I will make it my mission to make a friend.” He thought before looking up at them. “How does one make friends?”
“Uhhh…” Some of the group members were hesitant to answer that question.
“Maybe I can be his first friend?” Bow suggested.
“He seems to want to find one himself?” Glimmer shrugs.
“It would be best to let him complete his mission, or else a clone will feel like a failure if their task is not complete. Clones who fail their mission or have a tick are subjected to be purified in the cleansing pool,” Hordak explained grimly
Catra's fur stood up as her ears flicked down, her tail curled close to her body as she shivered at the mention of it.
Adora took notice of Catra's discomfort. She frowned.
“Isn't that the green pool thing that electrocutes you?” She asks hesitantly as she places a hand on Catra's shoulder, looking to Hordak for an answer to her question.
Hordak gives a slow nod. He glanced at Catra for a moment before averting his gaze.
He remembers vividly how he was cleansed multiple times more than once yet he still somehow could not be rid of his memories.
A few of the group members gasped in horror. “Why would anyone WILLINGLY DO THAT TO THEMSELVES!” Perfuma gasped.
“Because Prime brainwashed the fuck out of them,” Catra narrowed her eyes.
Entrapta wrapped her hair around Hordak's hand as comfort, he gently rubbed her hair with his thumb before turning to the clone. “Remember the task of…making friends is not easy. The basis is to find someone who shares the same interest and similar thinking as yourself, but, since you do not exactly have your own identity, your first mission is to find yourself before you can find a friend.” He uses a tone similar to one commanding a soldier to make it familiar to the clone.
The clone felt at ease to have a job to do and perked his ears up and straightened himself, he then realized: how does one find their own identity? It made no sense. No data In his mind could come up with a similar word to help him understand.
“I think we need a small school or camp for these guys to find their identity first. Oh let's start with names!!” Scorpia grinned.
“Shouldn't they name themselves? Hell Wrong Hordak doesn't have an actual name,” Catra rolled her eyes.
“Oh right. I still need one.” Wrong Hordak giggled at that
“So then that's what we do first: we find them names then we can start with activities and get them to come out their shells.” Adora spoke up with a cheerful tone.
The clone felt a bit better, though very confused. They at least knew they weren't going to get destroyed or imprisoned, but how does one get a name?.