Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Faisal’s gaze was locked on the girl in white across the room. It had been months since she was moved to this room. She was no longer living in the medical ward, no longer relying on him for her care. Now that the experiment had proved ultimately successful, Horde Prime saw her as another trophy in his collection. She was something to be shown off, another sign to the universe of his omnipotence. And so that’s what he did. In the months following her baptism, Versia had been to more planets than she had ever known to even exist. Sometimes he held her as a bargaining chip, a promise of what could be to planets not already under his control. Other times she was a piece of propaganda, showing that his way was the right way to planets already subject to his will. Sometimes she was just a piece of decorative eye candy to cling to his arm and show that he really did have it all. No matter what he was using her for though, that’s all he was doing. That’s all he was ever doing with anyone. A thought that would have disgusted the person she used to be before that night on Rosyllia. A thought that actively disgusted the person Faisal had become.

To his surprise, Faisal was allowed to retain his name after Versia’s baptism. It was a reward for his hard work caring for Prime’s newest toy while she was in Seres’s care. He was, however, aware this reward could be ripped away from him at a moment’s notice. That scared him, so he complied with Prime’s every wish. He refused to lose one of the last remaining pieces of the girl he knew as his friend. The girl who looked beautiful as ever as she turned to face him in a long white gown picked by Horde Prime himself just for today’s occasion. The dress was made of flowing silk with a halter style neckline, leaving her shoulders exposed. Lower on her arms, just above her elbow, were long detached sleeves made of white chiffon fabric. The sleeves concealed her lower arms all the way to her hands, which would also be hidden if she wasn’t actively using them. Atop her head sat the same tiara she had worn the night of the ball on Rosyllia nested in short blond waves.

“What do you think, Brother?” She smiled, brilliant green eyes not unlike his own locking on him as she turned from the mirror toward the clone.

“I think you look beautiful.” Faisal said, returning her smile.

“As do I.” Prime’s voice intruded on them suddenly as he entered the room. He approached her, extending a hand. His voice sent a shiver through the clone’s body. “You will make your people proud, my dear. Are you ready?”

“Yes, Lord Prime.” She bowed her head before slipping her fingers into his palm. When she did, Prime kissed the back of her hand softly. Faisal pretended it didn’t hurt his chest a little more every time he saw the two of them together like this. If he wanted to keep life, let alone his name, that was what he would have to do from now on.

Today was the day they had been discussing since shortly after her baptism. The voyage back to Carthanium. Her story would be televised to the masses, bringing hope to her people and of course, praise to Horde Prime. In the year since their leaders had come to an agreement to join Prime’s empire, the people of Carthanium had been waiting, watching. Some patiently, others less so. They waited for the wave of change promised to them once again. For life to improve. To no longer find themselves day in and day out living in a mindset of scarcity. Today’s announcement would bring the end of an anxious silence, the beginning of a new age for the Carthanians.

When Prime and Versia arrived at the heart of Neopraxa, the capital city where Versia had spent the best and worst years of her childhood, thousands of people were gathered around the plaza, their eyes locked on the two eagerly as cameras began to flash around them. Versia gave a close-eyed smile and a soft wave with her right hand to one of the cameras directly in front of them as she held onto Prime’s arm with her left hand, allowing the photographer to get a shot of them before Prime began to address the people in the plaza, as well as those watching the televised broadcast in further parts of the planet.

“Rejoice, Carthanium, for I have returned to your humble planet once more.” Prime said loudly. “And, I am not alone.”

He gestured to the blond on his arm as she gave a soft wave, following her cue.

“Most of you do not know this girl, however she is one of your very own.” He smiled. “Versia was found days away from death here in the streets of this very city, but she was nursed back to health by my ever powerful light. And now I have come to deliver on my promises, with her as my example.”

—-----------------------------

“Luma, you should see this.” A boy’s voice said urgently from the living room. “Come quick.”

The pink haired girl sighed as she pushed herself to her feet. She felt her body go cold as she froze in the entrance to the living room, her blue eyes locked on the TV screen. To the right of the anchor was a live feed of something going on at Neopraxa’s city plaza. At the center stood the man who had declared himself their new ruler with little effort, but beside him stood a girl dressed in white who seemed just a little too familiar.

“He said her name was Versia. He said she had some kind of weird disease, that he cured her. Is it really her?” Koia asked. “Is she really–?”

“Yeah. I think so.” Luma nodded, squinting at the screen. “Something’s… Off, though. I can’t put my finger on it. Turn the volume up, hm?”

The boy scrambled for the remote between the couch cushions before pressing the button down and holding it. Slowly, Prime’s voice began speaking a bit louder through the speakers of the television.

“Though the odds were stacked against us in such a complex case, I knew I had to do the right thing.” His gaze turned briefly to the girl in white before returning to the audience. “So I did whatever I had to do to save her. And now, here she stands before you today. Happy and healthy. A reality that will soon be available to all of you as loyal subjects of my empire.”

“Yeah, right.” Luma rolled her eyes at the screen. “He abandons us for a year and then expects everyone to just roll over and worship him because he managed to allegedly cure a random sick homeless girl who hardly anyone ever knew? Please.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. Still, she couldn’t pull herself away from the blonde’s tiny frame on the screen. Was it really true? Was the girl she met that day outside the recycling plant still alive after all?

“All major hospitals will soon be equipped with testing equipment to rapidly diagnose cases of Carthanian Septic Disease 1, or CSD-1, in the coming weeks with treatment options expected to roll out over the following months.” The news anchor stated. “Please tune in to this evening’s broadcast to learn more about the risk factors and symptoms of CSD-1 as well what its discovery means for future cases.”

“Alright, that’s enough TV for today.” Luma let out a sigh before approaching the television and pressing the power button on the underside of its frame. “You hear from your brother yet?”

“Yeah.” The younger boy nodded. “Says he just made it to the southern post and he should be back in a few days.”

“Well that’s a relief. Rent’s due at the beginning of the week and the pantry’s looking a bit bare. I was about to head to the store if you wanna come with.” She said, grabbing a small black purse from beside the couch.

“So… We’re not gonna talk about it?” Koia asked shyly.

“What’s there to talk about?” Luma didn’t look at him. “She’s clearly living her best life and we’ve got our own shit going on.”

“But-”

“Koia, Versia isn’t the only person we lost when everything happened.” The older girl snapped suddenly. She quickly worked to regain her composure before she continued. “I’m glad she’s healthy and safe, but she’s living her own life now. It’s not our job to disrupt that. Besides, what if seeing us again needlessly opened healed wounds? You’d feel bad, wouldn’t you? I know I would. We shouldn’t risk taking whatever happiness she’s found away from her.”

The boy looked away. Luma sighed, knowing this conversation wasn’t going anywhere.

“So are you coming with me or not?”

“No. You go ahead.” He said softly, still avoiding the older girl’s gaze. “I’ve gotta get this repair job handled.”

“Alright.” Luma’s expression softened as she ruffled his hair. “Lock the door behind me?”

“Will do.” His expression remained unchanged until the pink haired girl was gone. As promised, he locked the door as soon as she left. It was only then that he shifted to a smirk. Quickly, he approached the window to watch as she descended the stairs in front of their apartment building. When she was out of his sight the boy ran to his bedroom, picking a the hoverboard up off his workbench along with a screwdriver. Hover tech had been around when he was a kid, but with how expensive it was he never could have dreamed of owning his own board. It didn’t stop his interest in it though, so he learned everything he could without having one of his own. Once him and the others found somewhere stable to settle down for a while he finally had the chance to put that knowledge to use, repairing boards on the cheap for people in tax brackets he’d never know. After about a year of taking repair jobs Koia finally had enough to buy a used one from the secondhand shop in a better part of town.

“You’re sure you want this one?” His brother had asked the day they went to buy it. “It’s kind of old, isn’t it? You could save up for a better one you know.”

“I’m sure.” A bright eyed Koia said proudly. “It’d be years before I could afford a new one. This one is perfect for me.”

He smiled to himself as he remembered the day.

“It’s not a lie if a test drive is part of the repair.” He laughed as he grounded himself back in the present, double checking the tightness of all the visible screws on the board. When he was sure they were tight he set the screwdriver down, slung a backpack over his shoulder, and left the room for the kitchen, board in hand. He opened the door to the balcony, set the board down, slid the glass door shut behind him and took a deep breath before stepping on the piece of metal. Beneath his feet several lights illuminated on the board and began to blink before it slowly raised from the ground. He held his balance steady as it rose above the height of the guard rail for the balcony. After a few test maneuvers, pivoting one side to the other to ensure the board was ready, he took it past the edge and was now several stories above ground.

“I knew it.” He smiled wide, pleased with his work. “Here goes nothing.”

Without a second thought the boy leaned forward on the board, thrusting it to the north sky. The breeze blew his dark brown, wavy, shoulder length locks gently as he glided through the air towards the city center, weaving effortlessly between blinking neon and buildings made of metal and concrete. By now the movements had become second nature to him.

—----------------------------------------------

 

“Versia, how are you feeling? Really, be honest.” A man she had only ever seen behind a screen or on a sheet of paper before today asked the blond. The prime minister was old, too old, she had once thought. His skin was nearly as white as the hair atop his head. He had thick facial hair that he kept neat. It made it difficult to tell where his large head ended and his short, stubby neck began.

“I’m doing better than ever, sir.” She smiled politely. “Thank you for asking.”

“Could you tell me a bit more about yourself? What was your life like here, before you were found by Horde Prime?” He asked sincerely.

“My life? Well…” Prime and Seres had prepared her for these kinds of questions. It wasn’t good for her image to come out swinging with the extent of her traumas, and it’s not like the memories could hurt her now anyways. She had to tell just enough of the truth to show that Prime had truly changed her life for the better, but not so much to bring awkwardness to the conversation. Enough to draw pity, not enough to bring shame on her people. “My father was an infantryman in the war. My mother did the best she could to care for me on her own for the years of his contract.”

“Thank you for your family’s service, and the sacrifices made to serve.” He said, taking her hand tightly in his. “It means more than you could know.”

“Thank you for serving your people here.” Versia smiled warmly as she bowed her head downward as a show of respect.

“What happened to your family after the war?” He asked with a rising curiosity as he withdrew his hand from hers. “Horde Prime mentioned that you were homeless when he found you. If you don’t mind my asking, what happened for you to find yourself in that circumstance at only…?”

“Nineteen when he found me. I’m twenty now.” She answered his last question first.

“So that would have made you? What? Four or five when the war started?” His crystal-like blue eyes opened wider.

“Correct.” She said. “I was four when my father received his draft letter, eight when he returned home.”

“Wow. The full four years without your father during such an important period.” He said, nodding as his eyes drifted away for a moment. They quickly returned to her as he continued his questions. “So what happened after that?”

“Well, as you know, things were hard for everyone after the war. Our veterans were of course some of those to experience the most hardship. Unfortunately, despite the help he did receive, my father was no exception to this.” Versia’s tone turned a bit solemn as she spoke. “He fell victim to alcoholism to cope with the things he saw in the war. My mother, understandably, wasn’t doing much better seeing her husband in such a state. She too eventually turned to alcohol. I suppose it was a bit of a ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’ Mentality. Sadly, I’m sure someone in your position knows the correlation of substance abuse and child abuse.”

“Yes.” The man nodded with a look of sadness in his eyes. “I am… Very aware. It’s an unfortunate reality that about half of all child abuse victims see.”

“Unfortunately I was part of that statistic.” She said with a small choke in her voice, unsure if this would be too raw for the conversation. It was too late to turn back, though. “I did my best to endure the mistreatment as long as it remained verbal. I’ve always considered myself strong. I told myself that words couldn’t hurt me, so I stuck it out. Eventually, though, when I was about fifteen, things escalated. The first time my mom hit me was the last time I saw her. I ran away in the dark of night and never looked back.”

“Oh my.” He said with a small gasp. “Where did you go? Did… Did they ever try to find you?”

“Not that I know of.” Versia said a bit coldly. She broke her coldness with a small laugh. “I didn’t sleep for the first few days if I’m being honest. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was doing. I was so scared. All I knew was that I would not stand to be treated that way. I eventually found a small group in a similar situation to myself. They couch surfed here and there, so I mostly followed them for a little while, picking up odd jobs here and there for some kind of income. Eventually some conflict emerged between us and we went our separate ways.”

That was putting it lightly, of course. She wouldn’t tell him that the woman who had made sure she was still taken care of through her mid-teen years was a victim of police brutality and government overreach. That would definitely be taking things too far.

“After that, well, I guess part of me eventually gave up.” She sighed, dropping her shoulders to emphasize the illusion of her sadness to the situation. “I… I felt like maybe that was it, you know? Like maybe the way my life had turned out was the way I was meant to be. Alone in the streets until whatever happened, happened. It’s a bit silly in hindsight, of course. I now know that wasn’t really my fate, it was simply a stepping stone along the way. Still though, that was the state I was found in. A girl without hope on the brink of death from a sickness I didn’t even know I had. And then, as if commanded by the stars above, a miracle happened.”

Versia smiled up at Horde Prime to her side.

“And now I know my true fate was to be saved, that there was always hope for me. I just needed someone to guide me into the light.”

“Wow.” He said in shock. “Just… Wow. You really are an inspiration, you know. Thank you for being willing to share your story with me. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for everything you have been through, but I’m glad you’re still with us.”

“Thank you for listening.” She turned her smile to him, bowing respectfully once more. “My hope is that by sharing my story I can empower others who have been in my shoes to find the light as well. To bring hope back to our people.”

“A noble dream.” He said with a warm smile. “I’m so proud to have someone like yourself among us.”

Koia watched the three from his position in the sky through squinted eyes as the headphones inside his ears relayed every word they said.

“It really is her.” He said softly, his microphone picking up his own voice and echoing it into his ears. He winced at the volume a bit. As their conversation wrapped up the boy watched Versia and Horde Prime closely to see where they went. To his surprise though, Horde Prime turned his head to the sky, glaring directly in Koia’s direction. Caught off guard by this, Koia jumped, nearly losing his balance.

“Is something wrong, Lord Prime?” Versia asked quietly, doing her best to make sure the prime minister did not hear her as he walked away from them to speak with some of the reporters who lingered eagerly for a word with him.

“Not at all, my dear.” Prime snapped his head back quickly towards the blond. “All is well. I am simply… Admiring the view on your lovely home planet.”

Chapter Text

In another life, things didn’t have to be this way.

The thought plagued Shadow Weaver as she sat alone at the back of her cell. The metal walls echoed the silence back to the woman who was once the greatest sorcerer in Etheria as her memories played on repeat. Alone, she contemplated the things that led her to where she was now. When the Horde had begun their conquest on Etheria, she was one of the first to push for action against them. All she had wanted to do was protect her people and home from the things Hordak might do. That was, of course, the beginning of her downfall, but she didn’t regret it for even a moment. At least she tried to do something, even if it put her in harm’s way. That was more than Norwyn or the others could be bothered with. With Micah’s help, her dream was almost a reality, but the boy couldn’t handle it. It wasn’t his fault, of course. He was only a child, he was afraid. It was now, alone in her cell, that Shadow Weaver realized perhaps one of the only good things she ever really did with her life was becoming Micah’s teacher.

And now, he was dead, and all of her efforts truly were for nothing.

If she had never cast that spell, that could still be her life. But if she hadn’t tried something could she ever honestly forgive herself?

She felt something pull at her when she thought this. If she hadn’t performed the spell, she would have never found Adora. The girl who could bring all of this to an end, the girl with no fears, no weakness. Shadow Weaver had raised her herself, and in doing so she built someone she was sure would be the strongest warrior Etheria had ever known. She had raised the person she knew could take Hordak, and anything he threw at the Princess Alliance as well.

Maybe it wasn’t too late for her to do something after all.

All she had to do was convince Catra to do her one last favor. It was a stretch, sure. She knew Catra hated her, and maybe the girl was right to feel that way after all Shadow Weaver had put her through. In the end though, she knew Catra would do anything to be praised and appreciated right now. She was at the weakest point mentally that Shadow Weaver had seen her in ever since Adora left the Horde. Something the older woman could use to her advantage, she was sure. Catra would almost certainly be willing to do this one last thing.

Sure enough, she was right. Shadow Weaver held the item Catra had snuck to her inside her evening meal tightly in her hand. It was her old badge from The Sorcerer’s Guild, but perhaps more importantly it was also her ticket out of the Fright Zone. Her chance to try to do one last good thing with her life. She knew she couldn’t really be the one to put an end to all of this, not alone. But she knew someone who could. Desperately, Shadow Weaver smashed her once precious signifier against the ground, scattering bits of metal around the secrets it contained. A small amount of blue dust sat among the broken pieces of her badge, just enough for what she needed it to do. Cautiously, the woman traced her weak fingers through the dust, drawing a familiar sigil across the floor of her cell. It was a long shot, but it was the only one she had. With a deep breath, she placed her hands to the edge of the sigil. Without a word, Shadow Weaver disappeared in a plume of thick purple smoke, leaving a static clone standing in her place.

—----------------------------------------------------------

Prime sat upon his throne, his eyes locked on the collection of monitors before him. He was scanning, searching. Finally, when he was sure he had spotted what he was looking for, he brought his hand in front of him. He pinched his fingers together before spreading them apart, and as he did the image from one of the screens filled to cover all of them. He repeated the motion a few more times as the image would zoom, pixelate, then clear. When he was done the face of a boy with dark hair riding a board in the sky was in full clarity before his eyes.

“Who are you?” He asked softly. He slid his hand from right to left, which minimized the boy’s face to the side of the screens. A database of sorts pulled up on the right and Prime dragged a single finger from left to right, plugging the picture into the search function of the database. It took a moment, but when the search returned he was able to see the boy’s file from the Neopraxa provincial government. He smirked to himself, pleased with what he found.

“Hello, Koia.” He said quietly. “What connection do you have to all of this, hm?”

As he searched, his questions would begin to be answered. The boy had a brother enlisted with the Neopraxan Provincial Military, Keeran. The both of them were listed at an address not far from the city center along with a woman named Luma. All three of them had previously been listed as persons of interest regarding a case with a woman who had been marked as deceased following a police encounter in her home. Interestingly, it wasn’t just the three of them on that list. There was almost an entire page of names in relation to the incident.

Most notably, near the bottom of the list, was Versia’s name.

“An old friend?” He asked, interest raising in his voice as he continued to read through the files. As he did, he absorbed every piece of information he could. He learned even more about Versia’s past, her friends, the people she had told him protected her in her time of need all those years before he had met her. All the while something in him was brewing, a feeling he couldn’t quite place a name for. It felt like excitement, anger, maybe even joy all at once. Whatever it was, it did not deter the man from his mission of learning why this boy had been at the capitol that day.

After following a minor runaway, undercover police learned of a ‘safe house’ harboring many types of unsavory people, from teenage runaways like Versia herself, to illegal sex workers and drug dealers. In an effort to curb illegal activity within the Neopraxan province, police made the decision to raid the home one afternoon. What was supposed to be a simple warrant issuance and arrest turned into a deadly encounter when the homeowner, Eway, entered the living room holding what authorities believed to be a weapon. It was later discovered that the item in question was not a weapon and was instead a ladle she had been using in the kitchen. Police fired several shots at the elderly woman, killing her in her own living room. Based on the timeline of events and the names he recognized from Versia’s own telling of her past, Prime believed this to have been the beginning of the end for her friendship with Koia and the others.

—------------------------------------------------------------

In another life, things didn’t have to be this way.

The thought haunted Hordak as he watched Entrapta working into the night. Something in his chest ached, but he did not know what that feeling was. He didn’t know if it had a name. He had never felt the way he felt when he was with her. Whatever it was, he did his best to ignore it. Still though, watching as she swung and floated around his sanctum with her prehensile purple pigtails, he couldn’t help but to ponder. He wondered what would have happened if he had been born as someone else, not built as a soldier for Horde Prime. Who would he be? What would he feel? What would his life be like?

Could he and Entrapta have just spent their lives together as lab partners? Could they have still spent their time together studying particles and portals, not to fulfill the dreams of his brother, not to prove his worthiness to anyone, but simply for the joy of it all the way she did now? The thought made his heart race with excitement. To have been born to live a life of his own choosing, to spend days and nights at Entrapta’s side, to be happy. Yes, this sounded like the life of his dreams.

The thought felt blasphemous. He tried with everything he had to push it away.

“Could you pass me that wrench?” Her hair poked him before motioning towards a metal tool to his right. As soon as she spoke, any efforts to dismiss the thoughts he wrestled with were erased. It was a fruitless endeavor. Hordak reached his hand out and grabbed the tool, passing it into the girl’s hair. She gripped it tightly and went about her work without another word, leaving Hordak in silence with the thoughts his brother would have almost certainly had his head for all those years ago.

Perhaps it was his lack of sleep. Him and Entrapta had been working late like this for weeks. That had to be it, he thought, it’s simply sleep deprivation. But one of Prime’s own should not need sleep. Tiredness was weakness, a symptom of the sickness that plagued him. The very thing that had him cast away from his spot in his brother’s light. So he forced himself to keep his eyes open just a bit longer, to keep himself busy with their work. He pressed on incessantly, obsessively. Surely if he just pushed himself a little harder he could get past this. He would prove that he was capable, that he was worthy of being at Prime’s side once more. Prime could cure him of these burdensome thoughts of lab partners and independence. His brother could return to him his true purpose. All he had to do was work, prove himself worthy of the light once again. He would rule at Horde Prime’s side just as he had all those years ago.

Surely, he could do even something as simple as staying awake, right?

That was the last thought he had before he saw the world blur around him as his head fell to rest on the workbench in front of him.

—-----------------------------------------------

“Lord Prime?” Versia’s voice asked from the opposite side of the throne room. “I was told you wish to speak with me?”

“Ah, yes.” He smiled as he stood to face her. As he did, she saw what sat displayed on the screen behind him and froze, her expression dropping almost instantly. Noting this, Prime raised a brow. “Do you… Recognize this boy?”

“Um, yes.” Her voice was hesitant, shaky, but she was compliant nonetheless. “What um- What’s caught your interest in him?”

“He was lingering on some type of hovering device over the plaza today.” The man said casually. “I was wondering what you knew about him.”

“Not much, really.” She said, attempting to recompose herself as she nervously approached him. Standing at his side now, she stared up at the large screen. A pit was forming in her stomach as she watched the boy’s face closely, certain it was who she thought. “We stopped speaking a few years ago after a, um, incident.”

“I see, so you two were friends at one point?” He asked.

“Yes, at one point I suppose we could have been considered friends.” She swallowed, keeping her composure as he questioned her. “I don’t know why he would have been there today.”

“So you don’t have any reason to believe he had any negative intent?” Prime asked, watching the girl closely from the corner of his eyes.

“Oh, no, Koia would never hurt even a fly.” She said quickly, a sense of urgency in his voice. “H-he was probably just curious about me after all the news coverage.”

“Ah, so he was just checking in on an old friend after seeing you on the news. That would make sense I suppose.” Prime nodded. “With his brother being in the military he’d be unlikely to try anything nefarious. He wouldn’t want to risk losing anyone else close to him after what happened, hm?”

“Keeran re-enlisted?” Versia asked with an unmasked sense of surprise in her voice, her eyes widening as she turned her gaze towards Prime.

“Yes, it appears so.” He said with a satisfied smile as he took his seat once more. “Would you like to sit with me awhile and see what your old friends have been up to?”

“I-” She hesitated as she went to answer. Of course part of her wanted to say yes. She missed the people who cared for her in that time dearly. But another part of her knew the wounds it might open to learn of what happened to her friends after they split ways.

—----------------------------------------------------

In another life, things didn’t have to be this way.

The thought kept Catra awake at night as she tossed and turned. She missed when she didn’t sleep in a bed so empty. The days before her best friend had left her. Adora would lie stretched down the mattress of their bunk bed, the longest a child really could be, with Catra curled just past her feet every night. Now everything was different. Now her best friend had defected from The Horde. Now instead of adoring the sleeping blond, Catra had nothing but the ceiling above her to stare at in her private room as sleep failed her once again.

Adora was gone, and everything was worse now.

Catra was a Force Captain now, something she had wanted since she was old enough to want for anything. Something she hated Adora for getting instead of her. Did she really hate her?

No.

Yes.

No.

She abandoned Catra here with Shadow Weaver. She chose those stupid Princesses over her. Why was she never enough? For as long as she could remember Catra had never been enough for anyone. She thought Adora was the exception to that rule. She thought that finally, for once in her life, she had something good she could call her own. Yet here she was, once again, alone.

How many times in her life would she be expected to endure this?

As the girl’s thoughts tangled themselves in her mind, Catra sighed. She stood from her bed and began to pace around her bed, counting quietly in her mind each step she took. If nothing else, at least being a Force Captain provided her this space. Somewhere she could expel the energy from her body in peace, without the unnecessary input of Shadow Weaver or anyone else.

How long had Adora even been gone now?

Catra turned to the claw marked tallies on her wall, counting them impatiently in her mind. Eventually, she lost count and scratched across the entire thing.

“Why?” She asked angrily as she tore voraciously through the metal. “Why did you have to give up on me too?!”

Eventually, her body too began to give up on her. Catra’s knees gave beneath her, leaving her on the floor as she sobbed. She tried so hard to pretend she was this tough, powerful Force Captain, but it was a lie. A mask. She was nothing more than the child she had always been, relying on Adora at every turn. With her gone, what did she have left?

She knew the answer, but that didn’t mean she liked it.

“Uh, okay.” Catra said nervously into the older woman’s cell. “I know it hasn’t been that long, but I figured we could brainstorm together.”

She wouldn’t admit the real reason she was here. That she was too volatile and restless to remain in her bedroom. That would be showing weakness, something she would not afford Shadow Weaver the privilege of seeing, even if for this moment they were on the same side.

As soon as she peered into the small metal room though, something felt off.

“Come on, two devious minds such as ours are…” As she approached the figure that stood with its back to the girl, she reached a hand to place on the woman’s shoulder. Her hand instead passed through the woman’s body, leaving a quickly dissipating trail of purple and black smoke. A chill ran through Catra’s body instantly as she stared at the figure that had just evaded her touch without moving a muscle. She looked to her hand, then back to the woman in front of her.

“Huh?” She reached her hand straight through the figure, the smoke appearing once more as she did. Her breath hitched as she realized what had happened. What was really going on.

“You were just using me all along.” She said to the figure, knowing it would not hear her. The girl stood with her frustration for a moment, the sense of control she had used all of her effort to find before coming here quickly fleeing her as she found herself spiraling into a rage she knew all too well. Tears formed in her heterochromatic eyes as she slashed and swung her sharp claws through the figure, the anger and bitterness she had felt towards Shadow Weaver all her life suddenly revealing itself in full force. The figure disappeared, leaving behind only a sigil made of dust where it had stood. Catra fell to her knees, punching the metal floor several times before also wiping away the sigil in her rage, the tears now falling like the waterfalls of Bright Moon as she did. Everything blurred around her as she shouted and screamed, no longer able to contain the wounds she carried throughout her life.

This time, she really was completely alone, and nothing she could do or say was going to change that.

—------------------------------------

“Well?” Prime’s tone gave the illusion of patience, but Versia knew that’s all it was.

“Yes, Lord Prime.” The blond nodded. “I would enjoy that, very much.”

“Good.” He smiled, motioning to the arm of his throne. “Come, sit, and join me for a trip down memory lane.”

Chapter Text

“Where have you been?” Luma asked the boy with a raised brow as he slipped inside the sliding glass door.

“Test drive.” He said, holding up the board to show his pseudo-sister.

“Uh huh.” She said, a tone in her voice telling him she was unconvinced.

“What?” He asked defensively. “I was. Board’s ready to go and I’ll have my share of rent by the end of tomorrow.”

“So you didn’t go to the city center to see what was up with Versia?” Luma asked, still not convinced the boy didn’t have ulterior motives in his actions.

He bit his lip. He knew she knew, and she knew that he knew that she knew. The two stood in a stalemate for a moment before she finally sighed, turning her attention back to the groceries.

“I’m sorry.” He said, sounding like a child who had been caught in a lie. “I didn’t talk to her though! She didn’t even know I was there, promise.”

“Koia, you’re gonna be an adult soon and frankly it’s not my place to tell you what to do anyways.” She said with a frustrated tone. “But I think you need to remember that what got us into problems in the first place was someone’s lack of consideration for how their actions impact those around them. Please just… Keep that in mind.”

Koia stayed silent for what felt like an eternity after listening to Luma’s words, a feeling of guilt setting in as he watched her unpack the bags of groceries.

“How um- How was she?” The girl asked quietly after a moment, her voice shaking a bit as curiosity got the better of her. Asking felt like admitting defeat, but she didn’t know why. “Did she look healthy?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Koia nodded. “She um- She seemed… Different, I guess. She seems healthy, though. Happy too, I think.”

“That’s good.” Luma said as she continued doing her best to seem busy while they talked. She wanted this to seem normal. She wanted to feel like this was just small talk between two friends and roommates, but she knew the lingering presence of the girl in their lives was so much heavier than that. It was so much more than that.

The silence hung between the two once more before Koia spoke again.

“You know that I know you miss her too, right?” The boy asked cautiously. “And that’s… Okay. It’s okay to have conflicting feelings about someone who meant something to you.”

“Since when do you give out sagely advice?” Luma asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

“Since I think you need to hear it.” He answered, his tone a bit more confident, but still unsteady. “Even if what we did was what was needed, it doesn’t mean it was easy. She wasn’t a bad person, she was just at a bad point in her life.”

“Yeah. I know.” Luma answered. “It’s… It’s not like I haven’t been there. But after the raid… I had to put us first.”

“I know.” Koia nodded. “I don’t hate you for that.”

“You did.” She said, setting a pan on the stove.

“Nah, I didn’t hate you.” He sighed. “I just didn’t understand. I just… We had already lost so much, y’know? I didn’t want to lose anyone else.”

“I didn’t either.” Luma said, her eyes remaining focused on the ingredients she was pulling from the cabinets. “God it was… It was the last thing I wanted.”

“I know.” He repeated once more. “You did what you had to.”

“I’m just… I’m just glad she seems to be doing alright for herself, all things considered.” Luma said softly.

“Me too.” Koia said with a soft smile. He walked towards the exit of the kitchen to Luma’s left. “Whatcha makin’?”

“Oh, pasta maybe?” She said, her tone unsure. She laughed a bit. “Honestly I’m kind of just tossing shit together and hoping for the best.”

“Well, that is what we do best.” Koia laughed. “Sounds great.”

—----------------------------------------------

“Keeran re-enlisted.” Versia said softly as she stood naked in the bathroom. Koia was freelancing as a hoverboard repairman, Luma was a waitress at the bar. Her friends had saved enough to get an apartment together, their lives had gotten better, but something about Keeran’s choice to re-enlist kept itself prominent in her mind. She fixated on the thought as she turned on the water. She couldn’t figure out why someone so anti-establishment, so Hellbent on “Never making that mistake again” would come to this conclusion. Something was off.

Perhaps he was trying to keep up a good image after the incident? If it looked like he had reformed his life and gotten back on track it would keep the police off their backs, but that seemed like a far leap, and the three of them had not been persons of interest related to the case in some time following further investigation to the events that lead to the police raid on Eway’s place and ended her life.

Versia sighed and turned her attention towards washing her short hair with shampoo. She knew the odds of getting any answers to this were slim to none, and if she thought about it too long she may risk tainting her thoughts with the pains that once plagued her. If that happened, she would have to once again be cleansed by Prime.

The girl shivered at the thought. She had experienced it once before, shortly after Prime informed her of their plans to return to her home. Thoughts of the pains she had experienced there began to slip in, tainting the light he had blessed her with. It was painful. Not as painful as living with the weight of her previous life, but painful enough to want to avoid dealing with again. She wasn’t built like her brothers, of course. She didn’t have simple ports for Prime’s cybernetics to connect to. His connection to her was direct to her nervous system, to her blood, to her. The pain was almost unbearable, but she knew she had to do it for him, she had to do it to stay pure.

After that, just like after her baptism, her memories just ‘were.’ They didn’t affect her personally, it was more like reading a book about someone else’s life, because he had made her brand new. She was no longer the sick girl who had grown in trauma and sorrows, that was someone else. She was Prime’s pride and joy, his trophy, a being he had taken from broken pieces and made into something of great glory and purpose.

If only Faisal could remember what that felt like. Sometimes he envied her. He wished that he had never stepped out of the light in the first place, that they could live out the dream he once held so dear to his heart of the two of them basking in Prime’s glory together, authentically, instead of in whatever lie he was living now. That wasn’t what he really wanted, though, and the clone knew it. That idea was a lie he told himself to feel better about falling away from the light he had known all his life, the idea of his life he had for himself, the life that Prime had planned for him long before he was ever even a thought in his brother’s mind. The clone knew the truth of what he really wanted though, and at the end of the day there was no avoiding his truth. He wished, with every fiber of his being, that that night on Rosyllia had never happened, that Versia had never managed to merge her consciousness with Prime. That she was still the girl he knew, the girl he called his friend. Still, no matter what he felt beneath the surface, the clone had to keep up the act. He had to follow Prime’s orders, act like everything was fine, stay close to her and watch as she fulfilled the destiny Horde Prime had written for her in the stars, and pretend as if it wasn’t slowly killing him just a little bit more to watch her lose more and more of herself to his brother.

This way of living, hard as it may be, meant there was still a chance. If he was able to break that wall of illusion, to see through Prime’s lies and deceit, that meant there was a chance for her too. There was still a chance he could hold her close to him once more, that he could one day have the friendship back that he missed so badly. If he broke his mask, though, if his brother learned of these impure thoughts, that chance was gone, likely along with all of his memories of their times together. He had to do this no matter how hard it became.

Faisal heard the water shut off and immediately straightened his back, standing up straight in wait for Versia to exit the bathroom. She didn’t need his help to take care of herself anymore, and maybe in some sick, selfish way that made him sad. He missed when it was his job to care for her like that. When he could wash her, dry her, hold her, comfort her. Of course he was happy she was better, what kind of friend would he be if he wasn’t? But that didn’t mean he didn’t miss the closeness, the bond they shared in the darkest of her days.

Perhaps they were the brightest of his.

“Oh, hello, Brother.” She smiled as she exited the bathroom. “I’ll be going to see Seres again in a little while, if that’s alright.”

“I can’t imagine it wouldn’t be.” He said pleasantly, pretending he didn’t envy the time she was spending with the other clone lately. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.”

—----------------------------------------------------------

“So,” Koia said, spinning his fork in his pasta. “Are you um- Going to get tested? For that disease, I mean.”

“What?” Luma’s voice was confused as she spoke with a mouthful of food. She swallowed her bite as she realized what the younger boy meant. “Oh! Oh, no.”

“Why not?” His brows arched with curiosity as he took another bite.

“I’m not even sure if I believe it’s real.” She laughed a bit as she shook her head dismissively. “Like, who’s to say Horde Prime didn’t just make the whole thing up? And what if the ‘treatment’ is something that will actually hurt us?”

Koia was surprised by her answer. Luma had expressed belief in conspiracy theories before, sure. All of them had at some point, but usually they had substantial evidence. This was something people had barely had any time to talk about, let alone do any independent research on. Still though, he supposed she did have a point.

“I guess that’s fair.” He said, hesitantly.

“Besides, none of us seem to be sick, and Keeran and I are older than Versia. If we did have it, we’d probably be symptomatic or dead by now, right?” She asked before slipping another bite into her mouth.

“Yeah, yeah I guess that’s a good point.” Koia said in response as he nodded his head. Still, something about her response didn’t sit right with him. “Speaking of, do you think the military will make Keeran get tested?”

“Mmm, maybe.” Luma said with a thoughtful expression. “It wouldn’t be unheard of, but it would take a pretty good amount of time and resources for them to test everyone enlisted. I could see Horde Prime putting forth the resources for it, though. He apparently has the means, after all. Did you see that dress Versia was wearing?”

“Yeah.” Koia said. “It was a bit jarring, honestly, seeing her all dressed up like that compared to how she used to be.”

“You’re not wrong.” Luma laughed. “She kinda…”

Luma hesitated on what she wanted to say next.

“Looked like a princess?” Koia asked, saving her from having to finish her own sentence. “I thought the same thing.”

“Great minds think alike.” Luma said with a smile as she stood to carry her plate to the skink. “Still though, you can take the girl out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the girl. Despite her demeanor up there, I’m willing to bet she’s got something else going through that head of hers being associated with someone like that.”

—------------------------------------------------

“Seres?” Versia asked softly. “How long was it that you said we were going to be staying here?”

It was late into the night now, but Versia rarely needed sleep. It wasn’t uncommon to find her in the library or with Prime or Seres during these hours anymore. Along with her baptism, she had earned some newfound trust and privileges from Prime, and if nothing else, she still wasn’t one to waste opportunities.

“At minimum we’ll be here for a few weeks.” Seres answered, his focus not breaking as he analyzed a sample of glowing green fluid under the microscope. It was Prime’s blood. Versia was all too familiar with the substance at this point. “But it depends on how quickly we’re able to roll out the detection and treatment means for the disease to the Carthanians.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.” She nodded.

“Why do you ask?” The clone asked as his eyes remained locked on his work.

“I was… Just curious.” She said, but there was a distant look in her eyes when Seres looked up from his work. His gaze retreated before he responded.

“I told him it might be too soon for you, you know.” He said casually.

“What?” Her bright green eyes shot to the clone.

“Yes, before he even told you. We had a rather long conversation about it.” He stated as he went to write something down. “I advised waiting at least a few more months, but well, you know how Horde Prime is when he sets his mind to something.”

The clone laughed a bit to himself.

“Honestly, you’ve handled things better than even I expected. That’s not to say I doubted you, you’ve done rather well at proving yourself in the last year, but sometimes it’s not exactly up to us how we react to things, is it?” His gaze returned to her.

“I-” She felt her heart begin to accelerate, but forced it to slow once more. She nodded. “Yeah. I guess that’s… true. But, Prime expects perfection.My initial reaction was… Imperfect. Dissatisfactory. It’s up to me to make sure that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”

“Be careful with thoughts like that.” Seres said as he turned his attention back to his work. “Missing the forest for the trees can often lead to its own shortcomings. Many a clone have been so consciously focused on perfection that they became… Well, just try not to focus so much on it. Go with the flow, do as he says, and in time everything else will come naturally.”

‘Will it?’ She thought a bit too loudly.

“Yes.” Seres answered.

‘Shit.’

‘Language.’ The clone smirked at the girl without a word uttered between the two.

“This is so not fair.” Versia whined out loud.

He laughed again, she laughed, and for the first time in a long while the blond felt her shoulders relax.

“I actually had a second question, if you don’t mind.” She said, her tone was now more even and natural.

“Hm?” Seres asked.

“The cure. I mean, obviously Prime can’t stay here long enough to provide individual transfusions for every person with the sickness, and I doubt even he has enough blood for that.” The girl said. “So, what is it going to look like on such a large scale?”

“Ah, I’m glad you asked.” Seres said as he turned towards the counter behind him. Versia watched as the clone opened a small glass box. Carefully, he removed something small from the container before turning back towards the smaller girl. “This.”

She inspected the spiked circular item he held in the palm of his hand towards her across the table.

“What is it?” She asked as she raised a brow.

“These are chips that contain a highly concentrated sample of Prime’s blood.” The man said confidently. “They attach at the back of the patient’s neck and over time they slowly release the concentration into the subject’s body, allowing his blood to cycle through them and purify the contaminants. At the same time, it connects to the nervous system and allows the patient to experience less discomfort from their symptoms. Treatment using this method continues over several months, with the patient receiving regular blood tests at intervals to determine contaminant levels and how much longer treatment will be necessary for. It’s very similar to your treatment, but a bit more streamlined.”

“Fascinating.” Versia said softly after his explanation. She laughed a bit before she continued. “Wish I had had it that easy.”

“As do I.” Seres said as he returned the chip to its container. “But, your treatment was what laid the foundation for us to be able to develop this method. Without the suffering you endured, we wouldn’t have this now, and your people would be far worse for it.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Versia’s lips curled into a gentle half smile. “Thanks, Seres.”

—-------------------------------------------------------

Prime listened quietly to the stream of thoughts from his brother and sister as they conversed, his eyes shut loosely as he did. Suddenly, though, there was a strange static sound in his head. His eyes shot open wide, a feeling he found rather unpleasant shooting through his body as he heard the sound. This was unusual. He leaned back, resting his head against the back of his throne as he closed his eyes once more. The thought stream was back as if the static had never happened at all. Still, the man took note. Static, an unclear signal, it was an imperfection in his otherwise perfect system, and if there was any imperfection it was due to be found and squashed before it tainted anything else in his world, in his dream for the universe.

Chapter Text

Adora was no stranger to nightmares. Spending your earliest years being raised as a child soldier could do that to anyone. Tonight was no exception to the pattern she had learned as voices and shadows followed her through the halls of Bright Moon Castle. It felt even more real when she remembered the events in Mystacor all those months ago. The shadows moved and echoed in the corners of her vision, calling out to her as she did her best to escape them. The woman who had raised her as her own waited to pull her back to the home she had left in hopes of correcting the course Shadow Weaver and Hordak had laid out for her from before she could even remember. Shadow Weaver had been too quiet lately, and Adora knew that meant trouble was brewing.

Tonight though, something was different. A shadow cast over the blond’s sleeping body, watching her as she slept, desperately seeking the strength to reach out and touch her. Just as it did, though, Adora jolted awake, her hand wasting no time to reach for the sword on her bedside table. She aimed the sword at the figure that stood on the opposite side of the bed as it pleaded only her name before falling to the floor. In the gentle glow of the Moonstone, Adora recognized the now collapsed pile of fabric and woman almost immediately.

“Shadow Weaver?” She asked the unconscious figure, her voice shaking as she did.

There was no response from the woman.

Adora stared for only a moment longer at the still woman on her floor before she ran to the door, yanking it open with such force it startled the guard who had been patrolling the hallway on the other side for hours.

“Get Queen Angela!” Adora called out desperately to the guard before they could say a word. “Shadow Weaver has infiltrated the castle!”

The guard stood in silence for a moment as she analyzed the young girl’s face and body language, unsure how credible Adora’s statement was. The guards of Brightmoon were no stranger to Adora’s nightmares, nor the panicked reactions she often had in response to them. Behavior just like this was considered par for the course at least once a month at this point, so none of the guards were ever particularly in a hurry to respond to Adora’s late night outbursts anymore. Still though, something seemed different this time.

“Why are you just standing there?!” Adora asked angrily as her brows furrowed. She pointed towards her bedroom with the Sword. “She’s passed out on my bedroom floor right now! Go get her!”

The guard’s eyes widened beneath their helmet as they rushed into the room to assess the situation for themselves, finally believing the words Adora was telling them. Sure enough, this was no trauma response. Before the guard laid the unconscious intruder, Shadow Weaver, on the bedroom floor. This time, Adora’s nightmares were reality.

“Reinforcements!” They called out to the corridor as they emerged once more. “There’s an intruder in Princess Adora’s bedroom!”

—-------------------------------------------

“Horde Prime.” Seres and Versia addressed him with surprise in perfect unison as he entered the room, Versia shooting from her seat to a bowed position immediately.

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Seres asked curiously.

“I simply thought I would drop in to see how our progress is going.” Prime said casually, though the gaze of his extra two eyes seemed to linger on Versia a bit too long before turning their attention to Seres.

“It’s going quite well, actually.” Seres said confidently. “Concentration and crystallization have reached their final testing phases, and we already have functional models ready for distribution to the provincial hospitals.”

“Excellent.” Prime said with a pleased smile. “It would be a shame if there were any… Imperfections in the roll out phase.”

As he said this, all four of his eyes focused on Versia. The girl took note of this and did her best to contain a shiver. She wasn’t sure why, but his gaze brought her a bit of discomfort this time around.

“Versia,” Prime addressed the girl directly, turning his body to face her. She nearly jumped, but still fought to suppress it as he continued. “Would you mind accompanying me for a bit?”

“Not at all, Lord Prime.” She smiled as she responded, forcing her sense of unease to the side. “Did you need something from me?”

“Merely your company, if you’re not busy here that is.” He smiled, but she remained unsure of his intentions.

“Of course.” She bowed once more before linking her arm in his, something that came practically as muscle memory now. “Your wish is my command.”

 

—-----------------------------------------

The hour that followed the woman’s intrusion was a blur, between the drowsiness that was beyond her usual tolerance and the adrenaline rush of waking up to not just anyone, but Shadow Weaver of all people, standing over her, Adora could hardly keep track of her thoughts as she got herself dressed for the day.

As she tossed her hair back to return it to a ponytail after brushing it, the blond caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The girl who had been raised by Shadow Weaver to be a soldier stared back at her. She was trained to be nothing short of a human weapon, and like a fool she had followed the woman’s instructions for so long. Roll. Punch. Dodge. Strike. Every command the Horde gave her, Adora had followed for years, never questioning a thing. She climbed the ranks, became a Force Captain, something her and Catra had both wanted so badly, at least until she learned a new command.

Resist.

The day she found the sword was the day everything changed for Adora. In an instant she began to question everything the Horde had taught her. The sword was a catalyst for the flame that would soon become resistance, rebellion in the girl’s young heart. When she found that sword and found herself in Bright Moon, Adora was no longer just a soldier. She no longer laid in wait to sacrifice herself for the good of the Horde. She was something bigger, something important.

She was She-ra, the destined protector of Etheria.

How could she possibly call herself that, though, when the mere glimpse of Shadow Weaver had shaken her this badly?

It didn’t matter though. At the end of the day, she had to be She-ra, and She-ra would face this threat head on, no matter how scared Adora may be beneath the surface.

—--------------------------------------

“He’s on to you, you know.” Seres said out loud once he was certain Horde Prime was out of ear shot and not minding the clones.

“On to what?” Faisal asked as he entered from the hallway, pretending he didn’t know what was going on.

“You’re doing him, I, and yourself a disservice by playing this dumb.” Seres said to his brother, not bothering to avert his gaze from what he was working on. “He thinks it’s her causing the disruption in his systems. That’s why he wanted to separate her from us. If he has her alone he can better intercept the signals being sent from her mind to check for imperfections. As soon as he realizes it isn’t her, he’ll know it’s someone close to her, and that leaves primarily you or me, and frankly he knows it isn’t me.”

Faisal did his best to contain his reaction to his brother’s words, but it was fruitless.

“No,” Faisal’s voice was weak. “He- I-”

“Figure it out.” Seres said, his tone shockingly harsh as he finally looked at his brother.

Faisal fell silent immediately.

“I have covered for you thus far, but you and I both know Horde Prime is smarter than that, and the second he’s done confirming it’s not coming from her he is going to come for you next. By my count you have MAYBE 1 to 2 hours IF you’re lucky to figure things out or you are going to be in serious trouble.” Faisal had never seen his brother look at him or anyone else with such a cold gaze. “So figure. It. Out.”

—--------------------------------------------------

“Adora!” Glimmer cried out as her arms wrapped around the blond. Bow joined the short girl in embracing their friend, the both of them relieved to see that she was alright. “We came as soon as we heard. I’m so sorry. I don’t understand how she managed to get in.”

“Me neither.” Adora said as the two pulled away. “But I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bow asked cautiously. “I don’t know that Queen Angela will let you in for the interrogation given how close you are to the situation.”

“She was in my room, looking for me.” Adora said sternly. “I have every right to know why.”

Bow and Glimmer looked to each other as they shared a knowing look of concern the both of them were all too familiar with, but they knew there was no stopping Adora once she had her mind set on something, and as her best friends it was their responsibility to support her decisions no matter what. The three walked through the halls of Bright Moon Castle, Adora a few feet above the others. It wasn’t long before they found Queen Angela and Castaspella.

“This is the prison?” Adora asked skeptically.

“Yes, it’s the prison.” Queen Angela’s voice was dripping with aggravation.

“Your Majesty,” Adora shifted her tone as she pretended not to notice the Queen’s frustration with her question, hoping to ease her up a bit. “I know Shadow Weaver. I know her tricks. I need to be there for the interrogation, I’m the only one who-”

As Adora’s hand rose to her chest, Angela cut her off.

“Shadow Weaver is dangerous.” She said with a motherly sense of defensiveness. “I will not let that woman near you. Near any of you. You are to stay away from this room.”

“But Your Majesty-” Adora tried to plead with the queen, but it was fruitless.

“That is final.”

Adora lowered her gaze as the two older women entered the room. Adora knew just beyond the doors ahead Shadow Weaver was waiting, plotting. She could not simply let this be. A guard stepped in front of the door as the two women disappeared through it. As soon as they did Adora let out a groan of frustration as she turned to her friends.

“I need to get in there!” The blond yelled out. “Shadow Weaver could have gone anywhere, but she came here. I need to know why. I the queen would just listen to me-”

“Adora, maybe this is for the best.” Glimmer said as she approached her friend, trying to usher her away from the door. “Shadow Weaver raised you. She knows how to get in your head. We can’t risk her manipulating you.”

“That won’t happen!” Adora argued as she shot the shorter girl a frustrated glare. It was then that Adora had an idea. She turned away from her friends to hide the smirk on her face before turning back towards them as she produced a fake, dramatic yawn.

“Fine, I guess we should all just head back to bed, get some sleep.” She said sarcastically. “Let the obviously unqualified Bright Moon Guards handle this.”

Her comment was pointed at the person guarding the entrance to the spare room turned holding cell, who yawned before shooting the girl an unpleasant expression.

“You’re gonna try and sneak in, aren’t you?” Bow asked with an unimpressed expression.

—-------------------------------------------------

“What did you need from me, Lord Prime?” Versia asked curiously.

“Merely your time.” Horde Prime said perhaps a bit too casually. “I have felt a bit of… Longing for your presence.”

“We spent most of the day together.” Versia smiled, her brows arching. “Is something… Wrong?”

Horde Prime laughed, both at the girl’s cleverness, as well as how formally she conducted herself. Still, though, he noticed a lack of static in her presence. Could he have been wrong about the source of the imperfection in his hive? Still, though, he wouldn’t let her in on that. Not just yet.

“Not at all.” He lied with a chuckle. “Must there be something wrong for me to enjoy the company of someone I have more than once shared a bed with?”

“Hm… I suppose not.” Versia laughed. “Are you perhaps wanting… To share your bed with me again?”

Suddenly the girl stopped walking and turned toward him. For the first time in a long while it was her presence that felt imposing to him.

“Oh?” Prime smirked as all four eyes once again locked on her as they walked together. “Were you perhaps hoping that’s what this would be?”

“Maybe.” Versia returned his expression. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as she turned to carry on walking alongside him. “Or maybe not.”

—-----------------------------------------------

Silence hung between Adora and Bow as they stared at one another, their arms crossed as Glimmer dozed on Bow’s shoulder. The three of them sat in Glimmer’s bed high above the floor of her bedroom with strict orders from Queen Angela, whether they liked it or not. The two who remained awake felt their eyes grow heavy at varying intervals, but neither was willing to let themselves fall asleep.

That was, until Bow finally, despite all of his efforts otherwise, felt his head fall on to the bed in front of him. At that moment Adora knew it was her moment to strike. The blond stood quickly, navigating across the cushioned nest to let herself down. Silently she crept through the halls, just like when she was a child in the Horde with Catra looking for extra rations. It felt…

“Adora!” Glimmer groaned as she appeared in front of friend before placing a hand upon her shoulder. In a plume of glitter the two disappeared immediately, only to reappear but a moment later in Glimmer’s bed.

—---------------------------------------------

“What about the chips?” Faisal asked desperately after several moments of thought. Seres had returned to his work by the time the clone asked.

“What about them?” He asked, not bothering to break his concentration.

“Could- Could we use one on me?” His voice was shaking. “Would it work? Or would it be pointless since Prime’s blood already runs through my veins?”

“I’m-” Seres paused and thought. “I’m not sure.”

This was a rare admission from him, and they both knew it. Uncertainty from someone who was almost as certain of his work as Prime himself didn’t sit well with either of them.

“But, I’m open to trying.” Seres said after a moment. “You do know the risks you’re running with that if you choose to do it though, right?”

“If it works, I risk losing this new found sense of autonomy. Independent thought.” Faisal said hesitantly. “Freedom.”

“Correct.” Seres nodded.

“But if I don’t try, I run those risks anyways.” Faisal said as he began to remove his robe. “And worse, I would likely be separated from Versia. Trying this means I at least stand a chance of keeping her, of being able to stay close to her.”

“And that’s worth it to you?” Seres asked.

“Yes.” Faisal said with a nod and perhaps more certainty than he had ever said anything before. “I would choose her over anything, every single time you ask.”

“You certainly are a strange one.” Seres let out a small nose laugh. “Very well, let’s get this done before they return.”

—------------------------------------------------

Adora gripped her rope tightly as she scoured the side of Bright Moon Castle, something she had now done an odd number of times considering how she had been on the side of the Princess Alliance for more than a year now.

Glimmer’s gaze was dark as she stared down at the blond who had just reached the top of her rope on the balcony. Adora let out a soft sound of surprise when she saw the girl before quickly being teleported away to the nest-like loft bed once again. Every attempt she made to get to Shadow Weaver was thwarted by the people who knew her best, and that frustrated the girl almost as badly as the woman being here in the first place. On her final attempt, Glimmer gave up on the idea she would be getting any more rest this morning and simply teleported the two of them to the floor of her bedroom.

“Look, I told you I just need to talk to her!” Adora yelled in frustration.

Bow yelled out, readying his aim in the wrong direction after being startled awake.

“Adora!” Glimmer shouted back. “Shadow Weaver will try to hurt you again!”

“You don’t know that!” The blond responded as she turned to face her friend.

“Yes I do!” Glimmer replied. “She’s from the Horde! She’s evil! Evil people don’t change.”

“I’m from the Horde. I changed.” Adora said desperately.

“That’s different,” Bow finally interjected, the pit in his stomach growing the more his friends argued. “You’re not like them. You’re good, and kind, and-”

“And She-ra?” Adora asked as she summoned the sword.
After all this time, she wondered if that was the only reason her friends trusted her. The feeling ached inside her, and Bow and Glimmer’s shared expression of guilt didn’t help.

“I was just like the rest of them, and then I left.” Adora said desperately as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the gem sitting in the center of the hand guard. “Not because I picked up this Sword, but because it was the right thing to do. I have to believe that the others can change too. Even Shadow Weaver. Just… Trust me, okay? I’m strong enough to face her now.”

She put the sword away on her back before she continued.

“I need to know if she’s truly changed.” Adora said as she raised her hands from their position at her side and tilted her head. “If the woman who raised me still has some good deep down inside her.”

She paused for a moment.

“Deep, deep down inside her.”

Bow and Glimmer exchanged a knowing glance before approaching Adora.

“We trust you,” Bow said calmly, “But we won’t let you face her alone. Now what do you need us to do?”