Archive of Our Own

Even the most bright and gorgeous paradise has a hidden cost, somewhere that all the dark and unspeakable evils are discarded to rot and fester. Evil begets evil, spawning twisted creatures of hate and violence that plague such lands. Maybe that was why this purgatory had been named Beast Island. It was said that merely setting foot on the shores drives the sanest scholar to insanity, that any who reach the forest are cursed beyond salvation, lost to wander the eternal twilight for the rest of their days.

"Expedition log - observation forty-two… I think," Entrapta turned to her companion as they continued through the overgrowth. "Hey, Hordak? Is this log forty-two?"

"Entrapa," Hordak growled as he forced aside another tangled mess of vines. "It can be whatever you wish - the records are stored in chronological order, we can reassign them once returned to less perilous surroundings."

"Ha!" Entrapta snorted. "Good one," She easily vaunted over a tumbled obelisk as Hordak struggled with the rugged terrain. "But a good scientist should always ensure that their data is as accurate as it can be made in the moment."

"Hrnnn," The armoured clone quietly growled as he clambered up after her. "And what observations are you making?"

"I've noticed that the floral growth appears to have been excessively curtailed by the residual signal that permeates the area," Strands of hair delicately clamped a rotten tendril from the surface of the obelisk between a pair of tweezers and brought it closer to the mask for inspection. "Even though the Heart of Etheria has been deactivated, I suspect that there are enough residual siphons left over to ensure the devices remain powered for a substantial length of time. That, or they have batteries." She was instantly right before Hordak's face, eyes sparkling with glee. "Batteries, Hordak! Magical containers on a usable scale that wouldn't risk blowing up the planet!"

"I heard you the first time." Stepping around, he angrily leapt from the fallen architecture as Entrapta slid down behind him.

"I'm sorry," She apologised, hurrying into place beside him. "Are you mad?"

"Mad!" He barked, glaring down at her. "It would take lesser minds weeks to discover what you do in days - what would cause me ire in that?"

"Oh," The Princess blinked, swinging into place beside him on her prehensile hair. "Your tone was tense and indicative of suppressed aggression."

Another bout of hissing, yowling, and scratching sounded as he stumbled over a hidden hole. "It is because you insist on bringing this thing back with us," The former despot spat. "Why can it not simply be contained in Sara for easy transport?" The lumbering automaton shivered and hid behind its creator as they continued through the forest.

"What if it gets scared and hurts itself trying to get out?" Entrapta hypothesised, stalking backwards on her hair as she folded her arms. "Besides, it's unlikely it can damage your armour."

"You said the same of the pookas." Hordak growled, light glinting off the deeply embedded carvings in his leg plating.

"A chibbit doesn't have the same jaw reach as a pooka," Entrapta flipped around to face into the jungle again. "Besides, you have that one at arm's length; there's no way it can get your legs."

"How reassuring," Hordak drawled as they continued onwards. "And why do you desire to retrieve one of these creatures?"

"It reminds me of Perfuma's friend with the vases." Entrapta mused.

"The one you refer to as 'Plumerian Kyle'?" Hordak examined that screaming beast in his clutches. He was familiar with the former Etherian Horde soldier for his part in caring for Imp, yet could draw no parallel to the chibbit squiring between metallic talons.

"That's the one!" Entrapta beamed happily.

Hordak was even less sure about the success of this endeavour than before.

"Maybe we should get a pooka as well," Hordak stared in amazement. Entrapta was a brilliant scientist because she was not bound by conventional wisdom or limitations. "Ooh, or a razon-fin for Mermista."

"We have limited time remaining." Hordak reminded her. Safety in the pursuit of science wasn't a constraining factor for his lab partner. Indeed, Hordak had finally requested a second lab be built specifically to house their more unstable experiments - one with a weak roof and an easily collapsible exterior wall.

"Really?" Entrapta pouted sadly. "I thought we still had another day left."

"We've been here four days already," Hordak pointed out. "Our agreement was three." Any more than that, they were at risk of the signal affecting their mental state.

"Huh," She counted the fingers on her gloves. "I could swear that we've only rested once."

"We have," He sighed, finally spotting the thinning in the trees ahead. "That was two days ago."

"Wow, really?" Excitement brought her attention back to the present. "Fascinating. I always wondered how much increased enjoyment of activities could decrease the perception of time! Anecdotal evidence suggested there is correlation but I never experienced it firsthand before! Well, not that I noticed. It seems that we'll need an external participant to ensure an unbiased perspective."

"Indeed," Hordak growled, setting foot onto the misty shores. Beast Island, for all the dangers it presented, had a limited shoreline, and large patches were easily traversible. He could already see the ship nearby. "Perhaps during our planned experimentation on the new engine shield modifications."

"Perfect!" Entrapta gushed as she swung towards the ship. "Hey Darla!" The ship powered up at the yell, hovering over to them with the ramp swinging down.

"Hello, Entrapta." The ship's computer greeted as they entered the main control room. "You have thirty-eight messages awaiting your response."

"How many of them sound urgent?" Entrapta mused as she approached the control panel.

"Thirty-eight." Both gloves paused.

"How many can be resolved by our immediate departure?" Hordak demanded as he held the struggling chibbit away from any controls.

"Thirty-eight." Darla assured.

"No problem then," Entrapta beamed as the engines powered up, lifting the ship away. "Darla, plot a parabolic course and,"

"Entrapta," Hordak said warningly. "You agreed to remain within the atmosphere while using the ship."

"Oh, right," She deflated. "Darla, set course - no space flight today."

"Confirmed," The ship responded. "Atmospheric flight restrictions enabled."

Craft that surpassed the speed of sound had been unthinkable before Adora and Entrapta began bringing First Ones tech back to the surface of Etheria. After that, traditional limitations went out the window. Which was not to say that everyone was impressed with the advancements.

"Urgh, it is terrible in that thing," Mermista groaned, slumping back over the railing as the angular aircraft blitzed past them, making the pride of the Salenian fleet look like nothing more than a bathtub toy by comparison. "There's no breeze, and it's either completely flat or shaking all over the place. I didn't think I could hate a ship more than any that you're on but,"

"That unruly hunk of metal stirs your emotions more than the Dragon's Daughter?!" Sea Hawk yelled angrily, flinging himself to lean on the railing down from his dearest, the wheel drifting aimlessly between them. "I shall have my revenge, I tell you!" An emotive fist pounded his chest before reaching for the skies.

"You can't set the ship on fire." Mermista rolled her eyes.

"A-ha, do you doubt my capabilities?" Sea Hawk pulled a bottle from nowhere as he struck a match off his thumb.

"No," Mermista waved a wave to smother the flames. "But it's, like, impervious to fire, I guess?"

"Really?" Sea Hawk damply stowed his bottle away for a more appropriate time. "Princess Entrapta told me as much when I offered to pyre that dreadful bastion that hangs in our night skies." The Velvet Glove was only visible when the skies darkened to a softer spectrum, having been towed further away when their resident geek Princess had warned it would eventually crash to Etheria and risk destabilising entire continents in a dust storm if left unattended. It now hung between the orbits of the moons, gradually circling the planet as a stark warning to any others who dared doubt their will to defend the innocent. "It is a curse of our new heavens that they would smother the flames of my passion."

"There's no air in space," Mermista rolled her eyes and sank back to moping. "I'm sure fire works fine on all the other planets." As long as Sea Hawk never set foot on them, that is. She didn't know if it was magic, talent, or dreadful luck, but Sea Hawk could turn a single candle into an inferno if left unattended for more than three minutes. More than five inevitably led to a ship or building burning down.

"Hmm, then perhaps I could launch a stealth operation while the metal beast is berthed on our fair Etheria," The dreaded pirate mused.

"Still wouldn't work," A slow wave of her hand had the seas redirect them back onto their proper course. "It's made of some weird First Ones tech, all metal and stuff. It doesn't burn."

"My dearest Mermista, even metal can burn if properly motivated." A second match failed to light as he struck it against a damp sleeve. The third and fourth went about as well, before being casually cast aside.

"Not this one." A seagull swooped from the skies to strut around the desk with a cheerful burble to the couple.

"Agh, egh-ehh-ugh-eh!" Sea Haw waved to his new passenger.

"Wragh!" It screeched back, fluttering a wing and pecking at the deck.

"Nice," Mermista drawled. "Do you want to swim the rest of the way?" The gull softly screeched an apology and settled down.

"Mermista?" Sea Hawk mused as they continued to plough the waves.

"Yeah?"

"How is it that you're so insistent on that unsightly craft being impervious to the fires of my passion?" Sea Hawk inched across the railing like a sailor to a siren call.

"It was sooo irritating," She groaned, leaning onto the railing. "It's not like I went crazy at it overnight, I waited until the geek princess said they had a spare ship first. Then I mi~ght have borrowed one of your bottles." Folding her arms, she stared out into the distance. "Damn thing didn't even catch." She scowled.

A soft impact on the crown of her head deepened her scowl. "For you, I would find a way to set fire to the heavens themselves." Unlike his usual boasts and brags, this one was uttered in soft assurance as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ugh," Mermista untucked the locks again and let the veil of hair shield her face. "Shouldn't you be steering this thing?"

"But off course!" Sea Hawk yelled, sprinting back to his post. "As you command!"

Scorpia fumbled with the pad as it began buzzing in the satchel at her side. "Oh gosh darn it, I swear I was getting the hang of this," She poked at the buttons until the screen came to life. "Mermista!" She beamed. "Wait, hang on," She rotated the screen until the smile was a scowl. "Mermista!"

"Heeey, Scorpia," Her fellow Princess groaned. "Are you nearly there yet?"

"Nearly," She promised, feet hiking on the gradient. "Frosta and I are going to meet up with Perfuma and travel together. How far away are you?"

"Not far. Sea Hawk might be irritating, but at least he can steer a… Wait, did you say of course or off course a minute ago? Sea Hawk, if you're sailing us towards the Pirate's Graveyard, I swear that I'm going to sink this ship and drag you the rest of the way!" The call went dead just as the seas started getting choppy at the far end.

Scorpia stowed the pad back away with an apologetic grin. "He means well," She promised the shorter figure at her side. "He just gets carried away sometimes."

"Like the time he offered to set fire to my royal banners because you felt cold?" Frosta smirked.

"No offence, I just tend to run a bit colder," Scorpia waved her claws in apology. "Maybe I can borrow one of those cloaks your guards have next time, they look pretty insulating."

"You had no problems with Princess Prom." Frosta shot back.

"Nah, I was freezing my butt off in that dress," She admitted as they began clambering uphill. "And, er, sorry again. About the," She mimed explosions, tiny sparks erupting into the air.

"Don't worry about it," An evil grin sprang across the young woman's face. "I'm looking forward to when you get to host."

"Really?" Glimmering hope burst in her eyes, and Scorpia swept her up in a tight embrace. "Thanks! It means so much that you think I'll be able to organise something as fancy as you did."

Not what she had been implying, but Frosta returned the hug all the same. In a competition for Etheria's best hugger, it would be a close match between Bow and Scorpia.

Returned back to the ground, Frosta fell into pace once again. "Why didn't you bring a shawl or something if you were cold at Princess Prom?" She asked.

"You know how it is," Scorpia gestured vaguely. "It was much warmer in the Fright Zone, and I kinda forgot to think ahead. I nearly remembered, but Catra said the dress was nice, and I got distracted." Frosta glanced up at her companion.

"Sorry about that," The ice princess looked away guiltily. "I know it's a sensitive subject." Scorpia spared her a glance.

"I realised after Emily and I left that I thought I loved her because she was the first one to treat me like a real Force Captain. And Catra wanted someone around that she could trust because Adora was gone," She huffed, reaching the summit of the hill. A claw reached back and tugged Frosta the last few feet. "I guess we were both looking for something that wasn't there." A hesitancy in her voice caused Frosta to look up.

"Everything okay with Perfuma?"

"Oh, yeah, mm-hmm, absolutely great." Scorpia muttered, setting off down the hill. Frosta jogged after her, her shorter legs not as adept at arresting the momentum. "Super great, in fact. Never been better. Perfuma's great, Flora and Lily are great. We're,"

"Great?" Frosta prompted.

Scorpia glanced aside. "Okay, so maybe there's something." She scratched her head as they reached the rolling plains bordering the Heart Blossom tree. "It has been great, really, but I feel like it's…" She waved a claw uncertainly. "Like, I tell her that I love her every time we talk, but I'm starting to feel like it's giving a report. I love her because she's kind, I love her because she's gentle, I love this little scrooch she does with her nose when"

"I got it," Frosta said irritably. "What's the problem then? You love her, she loves you."

"I know, but," Scorpia tapped her pincers together. "I feel like we've been saying it so long that we're just saying it and not saying it, you know?"

Frosta sighed, curling a chill cloud as she did. It was a tad dramatic, but she had been working on refined control of her powers. "You've got to be cool," Frosta explained. "Really chill. You can't let her know that she's the only one you've been thinking about; it might scare her off."

"That's good advice, very wise," Scorpia carefully noted it down in a pad from her satchel. "Although... We've been married for three years and have two children together." Scorpia pointed out. "Don't you think that she might think I'm grumpy with her if I'm all silent?"

"Not if you stare at her the right way," Frosta advised. "You look at her like she's everything you want to be when you grow up, she'll come around."

"Grow up?" Scorpia mused. "I'm about as big as I'm gonna get."

Frosta glanced sideways. She hadn't meant that to slip out. "Figure of speech," She lied. "My point is, you can't let her think that she's the only thing in your life - you're also a Princess, and a cool fighter, and a brilliant strategist. Show her all that and let her know you want to know how she sees you." They saw the emerald gleam of the Heart Blossom in the glade. "And now's the perfect time."

"Scorpia!" The Plumerian Princess came running up with a wide beam.

"Perfuma," Scorpia said gravely, taking her hands and staring into her eyes.

"Scorpia?" Perfuma blinked, shifting nervously from one sandal to the other as the silence stretched on.

Scorpia had remembered the plan. That there had been a plan, that is. Plans existed in general, in a sort of conceptual way. And Frosta had given her one, she was fairly sure. It had stopped mattering the moment that she looked into her wife's eyes. A lifetime in the Fright Zone, memorising every soldier, every nook and cranny, every rusted pipe and abandoned corner, and she'd never known a home as warm and welcoming as the brown expanse of her wife's eyes. "Perfuma…" She breathed, breaking out into an endless, eternal smile.

Frosta mimed her revulsion as she stomped past the pair. Trust Scorpia to fully immerse herself in any activity, and Frosta had heard about Perfuma's enthusiasm at the underwater soiree.

An equally enthusiastic cacophony of beeps and whirs announced the arrival of a rolling metallic ball. "Oh great." Frosta muttered as she patted the dome in greeting.

"Sister Frosta!" Kadroh cheered as he approached.

"Kadroh," Frosta sighed as he joined Emily. "How's it going?"

"Splendidly!" He gushed. "Double Trouble and the Dramatic Troupe passed through not two days ago! Oh, but if you could have seen them!"

"Double Trouble and the," Frosta prompted, hoping she had misheard.

"Dramatic Troupe," Kadroh completed with a wide smile. "They did a rendition of the Fall of the Fire Princess! Oh, how delightfully fraught it was. Brother Spike played the part of the last vanguard, vanquished in the final act as he told the audience of the splendour of the lost kingdom."

"Spike, Spike," Frosta mused.

"Did somebody say," A familiar voice breathed in behind her.

"Spike!" She snapped, spinning on the spot. "I said Spike!"

"Oh," She-Ra's mighty steed drooped slightly. "The guy with the death scene last week?"

"Transcendent, was it not?" Kadroh beamed.

"Er, sure?" Swift Wind shrugged. "Hey Emily." The swooping whirs sounded more enthusiastic than he did. "Are we headed out then?"

"Er," Frosta glanced guiltily back towards the couple. Neither had moved from their positions, except to gently stroke the other's hands.

"It would appear that Sister Perfuma and Sister Scorpia are quite enamoured with one another." Kadroh explained in a loud whisper.

"Why don't you go ahead?" Frosta nudged the steed. "I think we'll be here a while." Swift Wind evaluated the pair still stuck in silent adoration and spread his wings.

Plumeria was nice, but Swift Wind held a special place in his heart for Bright Moon. Between the elevated plateaus, the sweeping gardens, and the generous residents, it was a perfectly welcome destination. And those large arches along the castle? It was as if the architecture had been designed for his classic arrivals.

"Did somebody say," He arrived with a dramatic deceleration of spread wings. "Swift Wind?" His favourite royals were easily visible from a distance, and he always made sure to scan for them first. The king, in particular, was often more susceptible to doling out extra apples.

Micah looked up with a welcoming smile as the newcomer cantered to a stroll beside him. His role as a monarch had faded with the passing of Queen Angella. Instead of a joint ruler, he was now relegated to an advisory role, and his authority an interim solution until Glimmer could address situations directly. Plenty of others on Etheria would be resistant to the change, even discontent with such a demotion. Micah not only accepted it, he thrived watching his daughter at work. Being able to teleport as she could, it was rarely more than a day before she was available to attend anywhere in person and he would spend that window of opportunity striving to lay down as much foundational work as he could.

Indeed, the majority of Micah's efforts could be summarised with his most adored title: the Royal Babysitter.

"Mr Swift Wind!" The chubby Princess in his arms squealed, leaning out from her grandfather's arms to grab at the horse.

"Hey, kiddo," Swift Wind knelt down to let Micah deposit the tiny tyrant on his back. "How goes the revolution?"

"We ride!" Glow cheered, nudging excitedly into his flanks.

"Freedom!" Swift Wind cheered, rearing slightly as he trotted forward a few paces.

"Is this your way of saying the horses have been released from the stables again?" Micah mused as he was allowed to rejoin them.

"Oh, then you admit they were being held against their will?" Swift Wind glared.

"Yeah," Glow sneered. "Free all the horsies!"

"Hmm, I suppose I could convince Glimmer to pass a law freeing all the horses," Micah stroked his beard in an unusually sinister fashion. "Of course, then you'd be the only one Glow could come to for rides."

"Yaaaayyy!" Glow yelled, bouncing ecstatically in place. "Free all the horsies! Free all the horsies!"

"Hey, Glimmer," Bow smirked as he came down the corridor towards them. "Sounds like Swift Wind's back."

"Swift Wind," The Queen smiled, folding her arms with a raised eyebrow. "What's this about subverting my daughter into a rebellion?"

"Your Majesty," The alicorn swooped into a low bow that had Glow shrieking with delight as she slid along his neck. "I merely thought that she should carry on the family tradition of helping the downtrodden fight for their freedom."

"Oh, we take good care of all our horses," Bow smiled as he reached into a pocket. "Of course, they're welcome to go and live however they want. Sugar cube, sweetheart?" He innocently handed the small lump to his daughter, who squealed with delight.

"Where do sugar cubes come from, anyway?" Micah asked innocently as Glow happily started patting her steed on a shoulder. "Are there sugar cube plants, or do they grow on sugar cube trees?"

"We don't need sugar cubes," Swift Wind stressed, ignoring the prompt from his passenger. "We get along fine without them."

"Mr Swift Wind?" Glow asked, tears budding in her voice at being ignored.

"Yeah?" Craning his neck, he turned to see a chubby hand stretched outward in offering.

"Thises for you?" She whispered, suddenly unsure of the snack. "Do you not like sugar cubes anymore?"

"I didn't say that!" He rushed to the defence. "They're a treat, like chocolate cake."

"But," Her tiny face screwed up in confusion. "Horses don't eat chocolate cake."

"No, they don't," Micah smiled and patted her leg in congratulations. "Why don't they eat chocolate cake, sweetheart?"

"Because it's bad for them," Glow nodded sternly. "We have to make sure that the horses eat good food. But," She looked to her dad for confirmation. "They can have sugar cubes sometimes, right?"

"Swift Wind?" Bow smiled at his old friend.

"I, er," He looked between the twin faces of duplicity, to the innocent wobbling expression of the child. "Yeah," He sighed. "But only for special occasions." Glow cheered as he reached back and nibbled the cube from her palm.

"And apples," She reminded the group. "Fruits is good for people." Inspiration struck. "Mommy?" The Princess whined hopefully.

"Yes, Glow?" The Queen smiled, knowing what was coming.

"Can I hafan apple, please?" Glow innocently shined.

"Hmmm," Glimmer looked knowingly at Bow. Glow hated apples. She much preferred plums. "Would you like me to chop it up first?"

Leaning forward, Glow surreptitiously cupped both hands to her face. "Do you want it cut up?" She asked seriously. Fully committed to the act of secrecy, Swift Wind nodded his head in deliberate slowness without saying a word. "Yes, please!" Glow beamed.

"Then you can keep an eye on Daddy and Grandpa while I get you an apple." Tugging her daughter to one side, Glimmer kissed a round cheek before dissolving in a shower of sparkles.

"Onwards!" Glow cheered. Swift Wind gave an appropriate whinny and rear, as the group resumed their walk.

"Where's Scorpia and Perfuma?" Micah asked with a smile. "I thought you were coming with them."

"Yeah, they were, um," Swift Wind glanced towards his charge. "They were holding hands and staring at each other. It was really,"

"Cute." Bow squealed.

"Sweet." Micah agreed.

"Distracting," Swift Wind insisted. "Frosta sent me ahead to say they're going to be late."

"They're not the only ones." Bow sounded worried enough that even Glow noticed.

"Daddy?" She reached uneasily for him.

"It's nothing kiddo," He smiled and stretched out a pair of fingers for her to grab. "Entrapta and Hordak were meant to call us yesterday, but they haven't checked in yet."

"Maybe they're doing speriments?" Glow offered.

"That makes me more nervous." Micah confessed.

"I'm sure they're fine," Swift Wind assured the group. "They probably found some new tech and forgot to set their alarms."

"See?" Glow smirked at her father. "Sleeping-ins are for smart people."

"Nice try," He tickled her tummy until she shrieked with laughter. "But you're not getting out of bedtime that easily."

"Hold the tickles!" Swift Wind proclaimed with a spread of his wings. "Look, up in the sky!"

They watched Darla descend from the heavens, setting down on the far edge of the river that divided Bright Moon from the Whispering Woods. There had been a couple of incidents where Entrapta had simply flown close enough to the castle to disembark wherever she wished, with a short jump, before Glimmer had told her in no uncertain terms that she was to stop terrifying the citizens into thinking that she was about to crash the ship.

When that hadn't worked, Bow had programmed Darla with certain safety measures that would only be overridden in a sufficiently dire emergency.

"Less nervous now that we know where they are?" Bow asked as they watched Sara lumber down the ramp and launch into the river.

"More," Micah frowned. "Now, I know we're in the blast radius."

"Boom?" Glow asked hopefully. She had accidentally snuck into an experiment session with the pair of scientists and become firmly enamoured with their scientific splendour - especially when a 'minor' miscalculation had caused what Entrapta had called a "minor whoopsie" and blown a hole through the wall of Bow's lab that she had been borrowing without permission. Glow had been shielded from the effects by Hordak himself, who had been allowing Entrapta to make the final adjustments to their design. It was the main reason Micah permitted him to set foot in Bright Moon unescorted by an armed squadron.

"No booms until after the meeting." Bow stated, leaving no room for negotiation.

Glimmer's reappearance effectively finished the conversation. "Here you go," She handed the wooden bowl up to the rider. "The kitchen said they were a bit small today, so I made up for it with two apples."

"Two apples?" Swift Wind turned so fast that his mane rippled majestically. "I mean, er," He cleared his throat, switching to a deep baritone. "Yes, very helpful."

Glimmer glanced outside, watching the robotic behemoth rolling in the river. "They're late." She sighed. "I was starting to get worried."

"About who?" Bow smiled knowingly.

"After all these years, I'm no longer sure." Micah admitted quietly. Hordak had been such a bane on his life that he could have never imagined a worse plight. To learn of Prime had been easy, forced upon him by the invasion from the skies, but the years since the war had given him time to process the reality, to gain perspective. Like how the Ehterian Horde had soldiers and mercenaries who willingly fought for it, so too had it had people like Adora, and Catra, forcibly raised in the war machine with no alternative views presented to them. Hordak had been a vile dictator, responsible for the deaths of hundreds, thousands, but he had been designed and grown for that very purpose. Micah despised his presence, his continued existence on Etheria, yet accepted that he had rebelled. And Entrapta was… certainly unique.

"Grandpa?" Glow brought his attention back to the more pleasant present. "Would you like an apple slice?" She held the bowl out towards him, dangerously leaning back on the steed to do so.

"That's very generous of you," Micah rushed to her side, tilting her back upright with a steady hand on her back. "I'd love one." He noticed the dark undertones in her smile. Stars, Glimmer had used to have that exact same hint of duplicity when she was pulling a trick.

"Daddy?" She brought the bowl around to offer to her parents.

"Mmm," Bow smiled, knowing the trap. "I'll have one as well - don't want to go into the meeting with an empty stomach."

"That's a good idea." Glimmer reinforced the notion as she took a slice.

"Swift Wind?" Glow innocently patted his mane. "Would you like some apples?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly," He excused himself.

"You heard the horse!" Bow cut across with a stern expression. "No apples for him."

"I only meant that I," The alicorn tried again.

"It's so good of you," Glimmer insisted. "Glow needs to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to grow up to be strong."

"Yes," Micah rumbled before Swift Wind could go for a final attempt. "I personally love apples, I couldn't imagine turning them down. It's very generous of you."

"Don't mention it," Swift Wind's ears twitched as his head hung low. "Ever." The three adults glanced among themselves with knowing expressions as they approached the council room.

"Do all of you hafta go?" Glow whined as they slowed to a halt for goodbyes.

"Sorry, Glow," Bow leaned up to place a kiss on her brow. "You know how the important meetings are."

"Important?" Micah groaned dramatically. "It's boring."

"It's still important." Glimmer sternly reminded him.

"Take me with you!" Micah whispered to his granddaughter.

"And me!" Bow joined in.

"Nope!" Glimmer placed a hand on either of their shoulders, teleporting them into the room before returning to her daughter's side. "Let's me and you sneak away before they,"

"Glimmer?" Micah called out from behind.

"Glow, is she trying to sneak away?" Bow leaned into view of his daughter.

Frowning, Glimmer nodded solemnly to her favourite Princess. Face serious, Glow returned the nod. "Apple?" She offered her bowl.

"You are just so," Seizing her roughly, Glimmer covered the squealing child in kisses and embraces. "Now, you behave," She warned, straightening her daughter's outfit. "More importantly, you make sure that Swift Wind behaves."

"Hey!" The mystical mount objected. "I'll have you know that I am the paragon steed of She-Ra, the seeker of truth and freedom for all horsekind, the"

"Do we have to mention the time you snuck into Alwyn's orchards after the fruit had been sitting out for a week?" Glimmer interrupted.

"Behave, follow Glow's orders, yes ma'am!" Swift Wind snapped to rigid attention, raising a wing in formal salute. The 'incident' still haunted him. After a week left to ferment, the fallen apples in a forgotten corner of the orchard had left him in an embarrassingly inebriated state.

"Mr Swift Wind?" Glow tapped his shoulder.

"Yeah, Glow?" He twisted his neck to look back at her.

"Would you like an apple?" She offered him the nearly full bowl. "I can't eat any more."

"That's very generous of you," His eyes narrowed. "Too generous." Glow smiled pleasantly, as his eyes kept flicking to the bowl. "What do you want?"

"Loop-de-loops!" She bounced excitedly on his back.

Swift Wind sighed. He had been showing off, that is, demonstrating his aerobatic skills one time and had been convinced into allowing her onto his back as he hovered a few feet above the ground. It would have been fine to do a few simple glides had the Queen not shown up unexpectedly with a few choice threats about roasted bird-horse if he even thought about keeping fewer than three hooves on the ground while her daughter was on his back.

Although… the apples from the Bright Moon kitchen were the tastiest ones around. "Maybe I could talk to your folks after the meeting?" He mused, scratching his chin with a feathered appendage. "Since you gave me some apples and all, it would only be fair that I did some loop-de-loops after."

"Yaaaay!" Glow squealed, pressing flat to embrace his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," He smiled, giving a slight flap of his wings. "And not just because you gave me the best flowers in my braid last time I was here."

"We should ask Princess Perfuma if she can make us even prettier flowers," Glow smiled happily. "Her flowers are the bestest."

Perfuma would be delighted to hear that at any time, but that moment in particular would have been a welcoming balm to her stresses. After Frosta had taken the pad from Scorpia's satchel and complained to Glimmer that they still hadn't left yet, the Queen had simply teleported to Plumeria and back with a knowing (if exasperated) expression. Nearly everyone else was already arrived and participating in idle small talk. The sight of Hordak carrying a woven basket was unusual. The sight of him bearing down upon her arrival was unnerving.

"Princess Perfuma." Hordak growled.

"Lord Hordak?" She smiled nervously. The crossover in their shared interests was nonexistent.

"I have acquired a gift for you," He raised the basket from his side. "Entrapta thought it similar to one of your people. I hope it is… acceptable."

"Oh," Her smile was far more genuine this time. "How wonderful! I must remember to return the favour."

"Your services reintegrating the other clones are payment enough." The scientist stiffly informed her as she accepted the basket. Carefully peeling back the cover, she looked at the tiny creature. "We were unsure as to how it would handle the light," Hordak explained as it sleepily blinked up at her.

"What is it?" She'd never seen anything quite like it. Cautiously curious, Micah peeked over her shoulder from afar.

"Chibbit!"

The scream sent the entire war room into a panicked frenzy, bodies sprinting in every direction. Glimmer teleported around the room, grabbing guards and depositing them in a strategic formation around the stumbling Plumerian as Hordak was forced away. "Perfuma," Micah growled, staff glowing and levelled in her direction. "Put the basket down and step away."

Perfuma looked down at the trembling animal in the basket, before glancing back up at the deliverer. "Did you get this from Beast Island?" Maybe it was fear rooting her to the spot, because she wasn't moving.

"Entrapta had a theory that enduring exposure of the signal to more primitive minds had driven them to a state of feral rage," Grabbing the sword that General Juliet was pointing at his chest, he forced it away with a grunt. "We observed it during the return flight. It became docile after a few minutes of departure. Our initial findings indicate that it has been so immersed in a constant state of fundamental aggression that the relevant neuroreceptors have been critically damaged to a point of,"
"Speak plain." Juliet raised the sword back to his throat.

Hordak growled, grabbing the sword and leaning down again. "It has been exposed to too much aggression from the signal to naturally reach a violent state," He snarled. "Even if it did so, it would be short-lived. The creature is harmless."

General Juliet surveyed his face for signs of deception. All the Horde clones were known for their lack of subtlety, even the more duplicitous ones. "Why didn't you just say so?" She tugged her sword free and sheathed it at her side.

"I did." Hordak reminded the guards, watching them step back with mixtures of relief and disappointment. 

"Aww, look at you!" Perfuma beamed, conjuring a small tomato to offer the creature. Its fur was lank, ears drooped, and it flinched as her hand came close. She silently waited until it realised that the offering wasn't dangerous, and slowly edged closer. Plucking the fruit from her fingers, it gave an experimental sniff before biting through the crimson orb, squirting juices over itself. Both ears perked at the taste, and it crammed the other half in. Perfuma laughed, conjuring another one to present to the deadly creature.

"It's so cuuute!" Scorpia squealed. "It's just like Flora, when she was born. Well, she had a better tail, and no fur, and smaller ears… Y'know, it doesn't look much like Flora now that I think about it, but it's still cute."

Uncertain about the threat, the guards slowly lowered their weapons and looked around for direction - half towards Micah, half towards Glimmer. "How sure are you that it's harmless?" She asked the chaotic pair.

"We are entirely certain!" Entrapta responded enthusiastically. "Well, pretty sure… Reasonably sure… Hordak carried it just in case it still bit." The rescued chibbit was now snuffling up to Perfuma's fingers.

"Scorpia," Glimmer sighed. "Take care of the chibbit during the meeting. You should be alright if it tries biting you."

"That's true," She agreed. "I am pretty resistant to bites. Except for some of those tiny bugs we get in summer, those suckers bleed me dry. And the bites? Man, do they itch!"

With Scorpia taking the basket, and the rest of the attendants carefully edging away from the bloodthirsty creature it contained, the meeting was called to order.

Well, nearly.

"Where is Catra?" Glimmer demanded. If she had to suffer through these meetings, so did the rest of her court.

"I don't know," Adora shifted uncomfortably. "She said she had something to deal with and to start without her if she didn't arrive on time."

Those assembled looked at one another in confusion and concern. "Very well," Glimmer said reluctantly. "She can catch up on anything that she's missed."

Catra looked down at the glowing head leaning against her side. It was the only thing keeping her grounded. "Is there any chance that you're wrong?" She finally looked up.

"Catra," The doctor was nice. Heart of gold, mind of steel, General Juliet had once said. "We ran the test three times. We can run it again but,"

"But it won't change, will it?" Catra relented.

"No," The doctor said kindly. "But we can run it again, if it would make you feel better." They sat in silence for a while.

"How long?" Catra asked, hand pressing against Melog's mane. The magic flowing over her skin soothed her. There was a time that she would have sooner removed her arm than have it infected like this, and she was infinitely grateful to her partner for so much. A warm chirrup told her they felt the same.

"A few months," The doctor assured her with what she already knew. "But not much longer until your condition becomes… untreatable." Melog whined, nestling against her knee.

"And this is a secret, right?" Catra gently played with Melog's ear. "Like, you can't tell anyone unless I let you?"

"More or less," The doctor agreed. "The only time I'm allowed to discuss it would be with another doctor to ask for their help, and I wouldn't be allowed to disclose who you are."

Catra nodded slowly. That was better than anything in the Horde. It hadn't been uncommon to place wagers on which soldiers would live and which would lose limbs, with medics announcing results over evening rations. Even so, she couldn't shake the uneasiness. "How long would you say you have until you need to ask for help?"

The doctor knelt down in front of her, forcing them to lock eyes. "Even if that time comes, I promise to come to you first," They vowed. "As long as you're my patient, nobody is going to hear about your diagnosis." Melog leaned in to sniff at the lab coat, growling slightly in their throat. The doctor made no moves at all as they calmly waited for the results of their own examination. Eventually, a slow nod and settling back on their heels indicated Melog's seal of approval.

"We'll need to discuss options soon," The medic warned as they were allowed to stand upright once more. "The choice is ultimately yours, but I generally advise talking with your partner if you feel able."

Options. A very clinical word.

"Thanks, doc." Catra rubbed along her arms. "We'll… we'll be back later. To talk about it."

"I'll be here," They promised. "And Melog can bite anyone trying to muscle in on the conversation."

"Even Sparkles?" Catra rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Even Queen Glimmer." They promised in a steady tone. Catra gave a half-smile at that.

"I don't suppose that you can rustle up a way to get me out of the meeting as well?"

Judging from the way she was awkwardly sliding into her chair five minutes later, it appeared not. "Hey," Adora whispered uneasily as the meeting resumed around them. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Catra growled low in her throat and instantly felt terrible as Adora's face dropped. "I just needed to get something done." She apologised, focusing on flipping through the paperwork on her lap.

"You know that you can tell me anything," Adora promised. "Right?" Catra glanced up. There was genuine concern in the grey eyes, enough that she was ignoring her responsibilities in listening to the meeting, and Adora listened to all the meetings, even the dull ones. Especially the dull ones.

Even whispering in here would be instantly noticed and overheard. Taking a pencil, Catra scrawled a pointed note in the margin of an amazingly dull report on weapons disposal protocols and angled her dossier to one side.

When that didn't work, she kicked Adora's ankle and pointed.

Catching the hint, the warrior tried (and failed) to surreptitiously lean to read the scrawled words. Catra's writing was more flowing than Adora's, and the note didn't make sense the first three times she read it because it looked unbearably like it said

"You're pregnant?!" Adora blurted at volume.

Conversation around the table stopped in a hurry. Melog whined softly in embarrassment as Catra buried her face in one hand. She'd been hoping to keep it a secret for longer than five seconds, but trust Adora to blow it.

Glimmer cleared her throat uncertainly. "Catra?" She hadn't sounded this unsure since before taking the throne.

"Yeah?" Melog whined and lay their head on her lap, a comforting paw resting on her knees.

"You're pregnant?" Adora repeated.

"Yes," Catra snapped. "We've covered that."

"You're pregnant?"

Catra glared at her this time. "You catch on quick." Melog whined, turned, and dropped their snout onto Adora's lap. She automatically went to rub their ears with a distant look.

"Congratulations." Hordak growled. The entire alliance looked at him in shock. "That is the traditional response." He glared reproachfully.

"Oooh," Kadroh beamed. "Yes, congratulations! This is a joyous occasion!" Hordak growled, jerking his head away from the more jubilant clone.

"And, er," Glimmer glanced at Bow. They had been there for the conversations around potential children. "Did you want to talk about this now? Or," She glanced at Adora. "Leave it for later?"

"She's pregnant." Adora explained to Melog's serene expression.

Catra looked from one to the other. "Might as well get it out of the way," She mumbled. This wasn't how she'd pictured the discussion going at all.

"Okay then," Glimmer tensed up. "Um, have you" That was the end of organised discussion. Bow gave a squeal that had everyone wincing, Micah started laughing, and Spinnerella and Netossa scraped back their chairs to go over and greet the expectant parents directly.

"Ohmigosh, Wildcat!" Scorpia's pincers hit her face so fast that bruises were liable to form. "You're having a baby!"

"A baby," Adora confirmed to a space an inch above the direct centre of the table. "Yes."

"Ow," Catra growled as Netossa punched her lightly on the arm. "I thought you lot got all sappy over pregnant people."

"You want me being as sappy as Adora?" The older woman mocked gently.

"I think I broke her." Catra scowled as she rubbed the impact zone. Netossa had barely tapped her, and they'd both taken far worse in the war with far less to show for it.

"Don't worry," Netossa grinned. "Spinny was the same way when she found out, she'll put Adora's head back on straight." They looked over to where their wives were holding each other's shoulders and repeating "a baby?" on a circular loop. "Or not," Netossa sighed.

"Bow? A little help?" Glimmer looked to her husband for backup, forgetting his one fatal weakness: cuteness. She didn't bother looking to her father, knowing his weakness for children. Indeed, he was already over with the growing circle.

"Hooray," Mermista groaned. "I've finally got an excuse to send Sea Hawk to Endless Oceans."

"I'll battle all the endless monsters of the deeps if it would bring the merest twinkle of joy to your heart, my dear!" Leaping onto the table, Sea Hawk set a foot against the backrest of his chair as he struck an impressive pose. "But," He leaned down in confusion. "Why am I being sent to the furthest point from land?"

"It's the biggest part of the ocean," Mermista drawled as she flicked her hair dismissively. "Stands to reason that it's probably got the biggest fish in the ocean. If Whiskers over there starts getting cravings, we'll need to be ahead of the curve. I'm thinking that you just sit out there on your boat, all alone, in case she suddenly wants some. You remember how bad my cravings were."

"Ah yes," His mustache wilted as he clasped a dramatic fist to his broken heart. "Six Dragon's Daughters in less than a month. Very well, I shall make preparations for my immediate departure." Mermista needed no such preparations and strode away before he could start waxing lyrical.

"Congrats on the baby, I guess." She shrugged as she walked on by.

The unmistakable sounds of a ruckus came from the hallway right before the doors burst open. "Adora!" Swift Wind cantered in, Glow shrieking in delight on his back. (Come bedtime, Glimmer would be treated to an excited rendition of how Mr Swift Wind had been walking her through town when he suddenly ran down the street and took to the skies with her pudgy hands instructed to hold tightly to his mane. Five minutes after this news, Swift Wind would be treated to a loud and terrifying explanation on exactly how many feathers would be left once the Queen was through with him if he ever took her child more than an inch from the floor.) "What's wrong?" He forced his way through the group to curl his neck protectively around her. "I sensed great turmoil and came as quickly as I could!"

"Hey, bird brain!" Mermista snapped from the doorway. "I think you broke my foot!"

"Oh," He considered the news. "My bad?" General Juliet managed to intercept Mermista's spear before Swift Wind became a shish kebab.

"What's going on?" Glow mumbled shyly. The boring meeting was busier than she'd expected, and she didn't know how to cope.

"We're having a baby." Adora repeated.

"A baby?" Glow frowned. "Ew, babies smell weird!"

"Yeah?" Catra growled, rising to her feet. "Maybe you smell weird!" She tickled the Princess in her tummy until they were both laughing.

The noise seemed to break through Adora's misty brain, and she toppled her chair as she launched upright. "Catra, we're having a baby!" Adora laughed in breathless whispers as she swept her wife off her feet and twirled her in a circle.

"We are?" Catra laughed as she was finally put back down again. "What gave it away?"

"Stars!" Adora swore. "We'll have to get ready! We'll need baby clothes, and baby shoes, and baby food, and a baby bed, and a"

"Adora," Micah laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to hear how I know that you and Catra are going to be great parents?"

"How?" She looked up at the king with desperate eyes.

"Because the first thing you worried about was that you wouldn't be good enough," He said gently, squeezing her shoulder in comfort. "You're going to be okay, and you're going to have all the help you need."

"Yeah," Mermista growled as she tested her throbbing foot. "I was going to call home and ask them to send our bassinet over."

"We've got tons of old baby clothes tucked away that you can use." Netossa added to the list.

"Would you like some of the extra blankets we prepared for Flora and Lily?" Perfuma beamed. "We may have prepared a few more than we needed." Her smile twitched in repressed guilt.

"We've got all the colours," Scorpia added excitedly. "Sky blue, sea blue, sea-sky blue, sky-sea blue, lake blue, pond blue, wow, there were just so many blues! Then there's the tree green one, the moss green one,"

"Does it want a cuddly?" Glow asked seriously. "Grandpa can get us both cuddlies." 

"You little opportunist," Catra cracked a smile. "We'll need a few cuddlies, I'm sure you can help Grandpa pick out the best ones."

"Yaay!" Glow cheered, now fully aboard the baby train.

"Oohh, we could get them a pooka!" Entratpa yelled happily.

"NO!" The entire room shouted back.

"It would not be appropriate to give an infant such responsibility." Hordak advised.

"Indeed," Kadroh piped up. "The lack of rejuvenation vats requires the offspring to endure a significantly slower growth phase. Perhaps it would be a worthy milestone to anticipate?"

"I don't know much about babies," Frosta admitted. "But the Snows aren't as abundant as the rest of Etheria, and we've always done fine for keeping them fed - I'll have some recipes sent along when I get home."

Adora's eyes were whirling with the sudden underload of problems to deal with. "Adora," Catra smiled, taking both her hands and squeezing them tight. "We've got the rest of our lives for you to panic and overplan. Right now, just feel this with me." The blonde dummy gave a goofy smile and leaned their foreheads together.

"We're having a baby!" She whispered ecstatically.

"We're having a baby." Catra agreed. And nothing else mattered.