Even in these dire and stressful moments Adora couldn't help, but marvel over the stars. To her those were just a distant dream she used to have. Dreams that she had to repress like many others because of shadow weaver.
In order to soothe her anxiety over her brother Glimmer did her best to tell her friend everything she knew about him. How he had the same powers how he was prince and which by extension made Adora an actual princess. Another shock for the poor girl, but Adora was worried when the queen of Brightmoon told her he had his powers ever since he was eleven. Along with how he wasn't allowed to take any form of credit for his good deeds.
At least when she had the weight of the world on her shoulders she had the people to lighten the burden. Catra often tried to put in her two cent since she and Adam had many conversations when he couldn't sleep, but while Adora had calmed down it didn't mean that she was on speaking terms with her. "Why are we so slow?" Adora suddenly yelled demandingly.
"Wellllllllll, we're almost out of energy." Blurted out Bow with a panicked expression. "Why exactly are we running out of energy" she asked deadly calm. "Well it's not like we left Etheria with a parade on our tail, so we might have forgoten to check up on a few things. Adora rubbed her eyes taking in a deep breath. Catra chose this moment to walk in, but once she layed eyes on the state of her ex best friend. She spun on her heels and walked out. "I guess you have a point" she sighed "but me and Entrapta found a planet in Darla's database that should be fitting for a refill in energy crystals. Plus it's not too far away from here, i'll just punch in the right coordinates and we'll be there soon."
Adora thanked him curtly, before going back to watching the stars. The fact that there were planets and that many of them were inhabited by countless people was still something she had a hard time wrapping her head around. So many people so many cultures so much good yet so much bad. All with one same threat, Horde Prime would pay for everything he's done.
That she would make sure of it and who knows maybe her brother will give her a hand. Glimmer did say he was a hero, another concept she still had a hard time wrapping her head around was family. Glimmer and Bow took their time teaching her what it meant, she found out she considered the alliance her family as well, but to be an actual older sister?
Bow told her it was a big responsability to have a younger sibling, even if he himself was the youngest of his family. Did she even have to worry about that? Adam must be capable of taking care of himself. "That doesn't mean he has to be alone to do it" a corner of her mind whispered to her. It was true, Adora could take care of herself, but life was always easier when you have people to take care of and who can take care of you. That's what family was to her, she had a brother and if he needed her she'd be there.
Her parents on the other hand she didn't know what to think of them yet. She wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but Glimmer did mention that they always expected Adam to be someone else than who he wanted to be. A running theme with the first ones or as she should start to call them, the Eternians. Which to her was completly unaceptable.
Her silent angry musings were interrupted as the ship landed, but instead of a land filled with beautiful radiant crystals the small group was met with a barren wasteland, where life was nowhere to be seen "This place is dead" Adora said a bit of despair creeping into her voice. In the long lifetime of Horde Prime, how many planets did he give this treatement to?
"Not completly" Bow said pointing his data pad at the ground. "I'm detecting a faint trace of energy underground. If we can find an opening then maybe we can find what we're looking for. "Let's go then" she said determined to do whatever she could to get those crystals. Catra remained a safe distance behind the group often sending guilty glances at Adora, Entrapta and Glimmer. Not Bow though, she still thought the whole ordeal when he and sparkles managed to capture her was hilarious.
Soon enough they found a cave, but unlike the others who cheered at the sight of it. Adora and Catra were suspicious at the shape of the hole. It was somewhat even and surrounded by a faint scorch mark. It was fresh and it was artificial. Someone had gotten there before them, Adora walked down the tunnel alone while Bow monitered the crystal activity that they found. "I don't see any--" Adora began loudly, but she stopped herself as a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. "No wait there's a light. I'm gonna go towards it" She said happily.
"Don't go towards towards the light!" Bow bellowed down the tunnel at the top of his lungs. Making Catra burst out laughing against her will. Down in the tunnel with a deadpan expression yelled back with a tone matching her face "it's not that kind of light!"
"Oh... Proceed then." Adora rolled her eyes fondly not noticing the shadow creeping up behind her.
At the end of the tunnel she found a cave system filled to the brim with beautiful crystals. She couldn't help, but bask in it for a few moments before reminding herself that she had a job to do. She yet again failed to notice the two people perched on giant crystals above her. They nodded to each other and lept down. Adora raised her staff just in time to block the sword strike of a red haired woman in a white and golden armor.
They struggled against each other's strenght. Adora glanced to the side to someone raising a wrsit mounted laser at her. The muzzle started glowing red, but right before he could shoot Catra suddenly jumped in the fray slashing at the his armored arm. It didn't do much damage, but the man shot the blast next to Adora. Catra kept slashing, but without her noticing the man attached something to her wrist and then the next.
He ducked under a spinning kick and threw a metal sphere at the ground, that suddenly sprung spikes at the bottom. It burrowed in the crystal as the top half opened revealing an electrified force field. The tiny devices on Catra's wrist suddenly extanded into two silver bracelets. "What the" was all Catra had the time to say before her hand were suddenly magnetised together. Not letting that deter her Catra charged him again, but that's exactly what the man was counting on. Now in the reach of the machine a more powerful magnetic force dragged Catra accross the ground until her hands were trapped in the forcefield. That proceeded to send non lethal shocks throught her body.
In the meantime Adora held her own against the older woman. They were evenly matched in strenght, but Adora clearly didn't have as much experience, but that didn't stop her. She started striking harder and faster, not noticing that her skin started gleaming. She swiftly spun her staff and knocked the sword out of her opponents hands. She slammed the end of it in her stomach and trapped her by pressing the staff to her neck from behind.
"Catra" she exclaimed worriedly at the sight of her now trapped friend. "Teela" exclaimed the man noticing that his own ally was in bad shape as well. He leveled the laser at Adora ordering her to let go. "You turn off that thing and then we can talk!" Adora yelled back. Before anyone else could Yell, someone roared over them.
A green tiger charged ahead. It then proceeded to crush the device holding Catra knock the man off his feet and did the same with Adora and Teela. "Stop this now!" Ordered the tiger. Sitting up groaning Catra said "did that tiger just talk or did I get one shock too many?" Adora jumped to her feet now without weapons, but not out of energy. "Cringer what are you doing!" Yelled Teela angrily Adora was wondering the same thing, because this Cringer was standing protectively in front of her and not her friend?
"She smells like Adam!"
The statement made everyone freeze. "In what regard?" Asked Teela skepticaly. "She smells like the same magic as him, you know what that means!
"She-ra" whispered the man in shock, lowering his outstretched hand. "We can't be sure of that!"
"I am" protested Cringer. "Wait Cringer" Catra muttered still a bit out of it. "Cringer!" She yelled in realisation. She jumped to her feet. "Adora this is Adam's tiger friend he told me about!"
Yet again this made everyone freeze. "Princess, Adora" Teela said her voice now filled with disbelief. Cringer nodded enrgeticaly "yes it's her, it's Adam's sister the long lost princess!" The man immediatly kneeled much to Adora's discomfort. Suddenly Bow and Glimmer ran in screaming "ENOUGH!" Adora finally yelled making Catra whine at the volume making her headache ten times worst.
Bow and Glimmer froze mid yell and glanced at the scene. A heavily armored man with a grey helmet and mustache was kneeling in front of Adora while Teela had yet to lower her weapon. While a happy Cringer stood in front of Adora. "Wait" Glimmer muttered "Cringer?" The green tiger bounded over to the Queen of Brightmoon. "You know me" he spoke making Bow's eyes bulge out of their sockets. "The tiger talked?" It sounded more like a question than a statement. Glimmer kneeled in front of Cringer "yes I do, Adam can't shut up about you."
"Prince Adam is alive?" Man at arms said stepping forward. "Wait how do we know they're not with Horde Prime. He could have given them informations!" Argued Teela. Glimmer took one long good look at the soldier before smiling. "You must be Duncan."
Man at arms sent Teela one look that said it all. Not even Horde Prime knew what his real name was. "Is he with you?" Asked Adam's mentor. "No, but he will be soon." Cringer's happy expression melted away and his ears dropped. "He's not here"
"No, i'm sorry Cringer." Adora felt bad for the dejected tiger and petted his head. "We know where he is, all we need is a power crystal and we're good to go."
"Then we have the same goal" Man at arms said walking closer to Adora. "Princess, you're parents are not too far from here. Them along with the rest of the kingdom will be beyond overjoyed to learn that you are well."
"Crystal first, reunion later." Man at arms nodded "of course, we detected a crystal not too far from here follow me."
As they marched deeper underground Adora asked Catra how she knew she was in trouble. The magicat shrugged "you're a trouble magnet and I did hear weapons clashing. So I knew I had to get you're butt out of the fire."
"Yeah and that worked out so well for you." Adora mocked, but there was surprisingly no malice in her words. "Oh shut up" bantered the magicat with a small smile. Soon they ended up in a giant cave seperated by a giant crevace. On the other side there was a sizable ore of crystals. Blue in coloration and the brightest Adora had seen since coming here she assumed that these were the ones. Bow notched a grappling hook arrow, but Man at arms got the wrong idea. He effortlessly pressed his arm down hissing "are you insane boy, these crystals are highly unstable. Shooting them would kill us all."
"Calm down" Bow said ripping his arm away "he shot the arrow that released a rope as it hit the ceiling of the cave. There now we can swing to the other side. Man at arms hummed "primitive, but ingenious" Man at arms said before swinging to the other side. "Was that a compliment or an insult." Catra gave him a careless shrug before swinging there herself.
When she landed on the small ledge the whole thing cracked. Thinking fast man at arms shot a grapling hook from his wrist. He did try to give Catra a hand, but the magicat lept on a crystal and sunk her claws in it instead. With no other choice he swung back next to the others as the ledge collapsed anf fell in the dark abyss under them. "Catra" screamed Adora "i'm ok" reassured the ex Horde soldier. She started climbing higher, Adora telling her to just come back, but Catra wasn't listening. A part of her sitll had a hard time doing that. She just wanted to prove to Adora and herself that she wasn't a pet and that she was capable. Pride is yet something she had a hard time letting go of. Just like these crystals. She glanced once at the botomless pit and looked back up shivering. This wasn't just a point in the horde, she didn't have much to cling onto either. If she fell there was no climbing back this time.
Steeling herself Catra climbed the rest of the way right next to the intensly glowing crystals. "What do I do now?!"
"You need to gently pull the crystal out of the wall. Then you must be very careful. If you drop one of them we are most assuredly going to die!" Man at arms shouted from the lower ground. "No pressure" Catra grumbled as she pulled out the first crystal. Now with four of them trapped between her arm and her chest, Catra had no idea what to do now.
Adora approached the edge and told Catra to kick back off the wall. She promised to catch Catra, but the mere word promise almost triggered a violent response from the magicat. She reassured herself by believing that since she was holding the crystals Adora wouldn't let her fall, and that it was the only reason.
Taking a deep breath Catra kicked back with enough force to send her sailing throught the air. She closed her eyes tightly expecting the worst, but the worst she felt was when she landed into something soft that brought them both to the ground. Catra opened her eyes to meet her true favorite color. The blue of Adora's eyes, they both blushed Catra practically jumping off of Adora. "S-so we have the stupid crystals let's go." She said trying to regain what was left of her composure. "What's up with her?" Adora asked from the ground. Glimmer softly facepalmed in response. While Man at arms looked at the magicat weirdly. Teela sent a look at Glimmer that said "is she serious?"
Glimmer's expression screamed "regretfully yes." Even Cringer had a good idea on what was going on. And he's a freaking tiger.
"So where are my parents?" Adora asked as they walked back towards the surface. "On an evacuation ship not too far from here, you didn't notice it because the cloaking device was on, but fleeing from the Horde so fast burned our principal crystal. Thus we came here and the rest is history."
Answered Teela. "How were you driven off you're planet? I thought Eternians had some of the most advanced technology there is?" Wondered Bow in shock. The two Eternian soldier glanced at each other. "After the dissapearence of Mara and of Etheria the Eternian empire was almost reduced to nothing thousands of years ago. It humbled our people so much we purposely forgot some of our technology and left it behind. We didn't forget how to be powerful. We simply stopped being so because it was better off this way. Then there is the fact that our numbers were completly dwarfed by the Horde. We had no choice, but to flee. As our ship was leaving we were blocked off by a larger ship and attacked from every corner. It's at this moment that Prince Adam chose to break his promise to keep his idendity a secret to the sorceress. He opened the main ramp and jumped down to fight the Horde on his own and to help the remaining people leave the planet."
"It's the last time we saw him" said Cringer jumping in the conversation. "You should have seen him, he broke the side of a mountain and threw it at the ship blocking our path. Without him, we would all be dead and I wasn't there to help him." Man at arms scratched the head of the sad tiger. "We know that if Adam didn't force you to stay back you would have fought by his side till the end. I know the people knows and so does Adam, wherever he may be."
"The side of a moutain?" Exclaimed Glimmer "how, i've never seen Adora lift something so big!"
"I don't think I can" muttered Adora a little jealous. "That's because you two aren't connected yet" explained Man at arms.
"Connected?"
"He-man and She-ra's powers are what we could call symbiotic. He-man is a hunter a warrior and an explorer. So he has more raw strenght and senses so enhanced he can tell if someone is lying by their heartbeat track people by smell and see in the dark, his magic is raw and untamed. She-ra while undoubtedly strong is more inclined towards having versatile and more refined magical abilities. Like energy sensing manipulation healing and more. Even you're weapon of choice is bound to magic, given that it can take whatever shape you want." Clarified Teela.
"How do you know all of this?"
"The libraries of Castle Grayskull are filled with knowledge unobtainable by countless people. You're brother must have read half of it in a few years. He's the one who couldn't stop talking about this fact.
The group left the cave Catra still walking far ahead of them. "So where is the ship?" Wondered Bow, in response Man at arms pointed in a direction where nothing was to be seen. "It's not that far away."
"You can climb on my back if you want." Cringer told Adora. "I'll be fine" she smiled scratching the tiger behind the ear. "Thank you for looking after my little brother."
"Oh it's more like he took care of me. Nobody ever wanted me before him. All I could ever remember as a cub was being abandonned because I couldn't keep up. Even now i'm a runt compared to the rest of my kind, but Adam never cared. My life would have remained terror and misery if a persistant blonde boy hadn't taken me in. And thank to him I can become stronger than any other tiger. Not that it helped him when he needed it the most."
"Hey don't beat yourself up. From what i've heard Adam only had support from a few people anyway."
"It's true" Cringer said looking a bit angry "I always thought the rule of him keeping his idendity a secret was just dumb. Duncan found out by accident, so did Orko."
"Except for me" bitterly muttered Teela. Cringer sent her an annoyed look, but didn't say anything. "All of the pressure coming from being He-man really did a number on him. He plays the part of the happy peaceful prince, but I haven't seen him smile for real in a while."
"Why is that?"
"To Eternian belief if an heir doesn't know how to fight or doesn't incline towards battle, it makes them a bad future ruler. People voiced those kinds of opinion all the time with him. Why don't you want to fight? Why are you talking things out their our ennemies? It's always the same."
"Did he fight often as He-man?"
"More than he wanted to, but that's not Adam. He'll always try to solve things peacefully. He even tried it with Skeletor after finding out who he really was. The only time he didn't try it was when Horde Prime attacked.
Adora frowned "did he at least have any friends?"
"There is Lion-O to name one of them, he is part of the rare few who respects him both as Adam and He-man, but they don't get to see each other often. Adora smiled "well there's someone i'd like to meet."
"We are here." Announced Man at arms hitting the seemingly empty air three time. Resulting in the sound of hollow metal being hit.
Suddenly the wall lowered down revealing a bunch of people huddled together. Adora stepped on the ramp along with Cringer. There was a gasp and Adora turned to a woman with red hair holding a hand to her mouth tears softly streaming down his face. Next to her stood a man who was no doubt king Randor.
"Adora" Queen Marlena stepped forward hesitantly. "That's me" before she knew it Adora was crushed in a hug by the older woman. "Oh my child you're finally back she whispered tearfully. Adora wasn't really sure what she should do so she hugged back. King Randor wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter with a small smile.
When they pulled apart Adora asked her how she could possibly know it was really her. Queen Marlena still held Adora's face in her hands. "A mother always knows." Was all she needed to say. Adora wondered if the implications of these words went as far as she thought.
She looked around at the people looking at her in awe and shock. One of them a floating creature in a red hat and gown with blue ears and arms sticking out approached her. "I'm Orko" he introduced happily. She shook his hand with a smile "Adam told me lots of good things about you" Glimmer said with a smile. "He did?"
Glimmer nodded, Adora could only see his eyes, but it was all she needed to know how happy those few words just made him. "These are my friends Bow and Glimmer" Bow gave an energetic wave his eyes bright. Adora glanced at Catra who looked away so she didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what to even consider her, much less call her a friend. Randor layed a hand on Adora's shoulder "with you're help we have a chance of winning this war once and for all."
"Well we'll have a much bigger chance after I freed Adam." King Randor's reaction wasn't what she expected. "My daughter, as much as I wish you could, you cannot." Adora narrowed her eyes "and why not" she said in dangerously low tone. "It is simply too dangerous, we must focus on what we have and do with it. You are too precious to us and to this war to be captured like you're brother."
Adora took in one deep breath "i'm going to save him wether you like it or not?" She turned her back on them. King Randor feeling affronted by his daughter's action gripped her shoulder. "I just want you to be safe--"
"What about Adam's safety!" She snapped slapping his hand away. "It's regretable--" the king tried to say, bu the wrong words just kept coming out of his mouth.
"Regretable" Adora repeated incredulously "you're son is the prisoner of one of the most monstrous tyrants in the universe and all you have to say is it's regretable!?"
"I have to think about my kingdom!" Randor tried to argue. "You mean the kingdom my brother had to protect ever since he was eleven years old!"
"You're ire is understandable princess" said another voice. A woman dressed in a orange blue and white bird themed armor and helmet stepped forward. "But you're father is correct, if you are captured by Horde Prime it's over for all of us." Adora glared at her "you're the sorceress of Castle Grayskull?" The sorceress bowed her head "I am."
"Well in full offense I don't think i'll trust the judgement of someone who gave a literal child the responsability to protect the universe along with powers he most likely, barely understood!"
Still neutral the sorceress replied "prince Adam was always much more mature than the other children's of his age, Eternia needed at least one of It's protectors. My decision to give him his powers back then saved countless lives." Now the sorceress looked like she was looking down at Adora for her very righteous outburst. "I'm sorry" Catra finally spoke up "but it sounds like you're actually trying to take credit for his deeds?"
"Without me he would have never realised what he was meant to be. He would never have realised his destiny." Those words made something in Adora snap. To everyone's surprise including even Catra, Adora had the sorceress pinned to the wall by the troat. "I'm going to say this once, and only once.
My brother was free to make his own decisions until you came along and I know for a fact 'your' not the one who gave him his powers, because aparently he doesn't need the sword of power to transform. So let it be known if you try to control my brother's life or decisions again I won't hesitate." Adora let go of the now shellshocked sorceress and stomped next to Bow. "Give them the coordinates to Etheria, they'll have a place to stay there until their planet is liberated. And the Alliance will need all the help it can get."
With one last softer glance towards her mother Adora stomped away not waiting for Bow's response. On the way there she noticed that Catra was right next to her. "Did you feel it?" She asked Adora hugging herself. The Eternian princess not that she wanted to call herself that, knew exactly what she meant.
While the sorceress was nowhere near as evil, when she spoke they both could feel the exact same self righteousness as Shadow Weaver. Just another morally questionable person who thought they could do no wrong. It just made Adora furious "yeah I know what you mean." Catra looked hesitant to talk to her in this state. Yet she still asked "what if he wants to go back to them?"
This made Adora stop in her tracks. She half glared at Catra, it was a perfectly good question, but it wasn't one Adora wanted to consider. She wasn't going to try to control her brother. That would just make her the biggest hypocrite in the galaxy, but if she could spare him from an environment like that, even if he might not even know about it she would.
"I don't know" she answered honestly "all I know is that i'm not even letting the sorceress talk to him again without me being in the same room." Catra snorted and said "same" under her breath, but Adora caught it. "Why do you care about him so much?" She asked glancing at the magicat who immediatly tried to deny it. "Catra you don't tend to come up to someone's defense like that, so why him and why now?"
Catra looked hesitant, before remembering that if she wanted to be honest she needed to feed the right lion. "He's the only person i've ever met including you. Who as ever told me I could do good. He just handed me hope on a silver plater just like that. He knew who I am, he knew what I had done. It didn't matter. He listened to me rant about everything that just made me so angry"
Catra looked angry for a moment before her features softened and her ears dropped. "And he just told me out of nowhere that it was my choices that brought me where I was, that it was my choices that made me evil. Like he said it's not going to be about as simple as climbing a volcano in winter gear, but it's also my choice to do and become good."
When Adora finally looked at Catra in the eyes she saw only regret. "I told you, you could do good" she tried to argue faintly. Catra simply shook her head looking sad. "I know it's hard to believe Adora, but I really am trying to become a better person. Even if it takes me the rest of my life it's what i'm going to do." Adora let out a little smile "well, I think you're off to a good start" she smiled passing the frozen magicat. Who looked at the back of her wish to be more than friends. Hope shining in her eyes Catra walked in after her inside the ship.
Soon Glimmer and Bow came back along with Orko and Cringer in tow. "What's that?" Adora asked looking at the silver more advanced and thinner looking datapad.
"It's you're mother's, she wanted you to have it. It's got pictures of Eternia and her home planet and music from there too. Aparently Adam only listens to this type of music. She thought it would comfort him once we found him."
Adora smiled at the sweet gesture, but she was surprised to see that Man at arms wasn't present. "Duncan wants nothing more than to come with us, but Eternia needs as many protector as it can get." Cringer explained seeing Adora's expression. She nodded in understanding before going back to the pilot seat datapad in hand.
She pressed one of the icon with an Eternian music note on it suddenly having a bunch of different titles strewn accross the screen. She pressed the first one called escape and the music suddenly blared all around the ship. The music was good and it honestly made her want to dance along, but she couldn't make head or tails of the lyrics. What was even a pina colada?
"Ok now we need to visit that planet one day." Bow said absolutely adoring Earth's music. "You know this is technically part of you're heritage."
"I have enough to deal with one planet thank you very much," Adora grumbled "but yeah the music is pretty good. What do you think Catra?" She asked the magicat who was softly bobbing her head to the beat while muttering the lyrics. She blushed when everyone's gaze were on her. "Uh, it's ok not that I like it or anything."
"Ok" Bow trailed off looking and souding confused "well we have the coordinates and Man at arms explained to me how to use the cloaking device, so this should make things a million times easier for us."
"Uh uh" Adora said absentmindly scrolling throught the datapad. She found pictures of her mother in front of a simple looking spaceship in a thick and bulky white space suit. She wished she had more time to talk with her. Earth did seem like an interesting place. She even found pictures of cities and landscapes. By the looks of it places her mother had visited on Earth. Maybe it was worth a visit, after the war was finally over.
The ship took off and blasted off so fast Adora was slammed against the chair and Catra had to sink her claws in the back of it as to not get thrown off. They suddenly stopped back into space, and a small scream slowly became louder until Entrapta came flying throught the room and into the cockpit window, where she went a little splat. She quickly removed her face from the glass. "These crystals, are the stuff!" She exclaimed with a mad smile. She slid down back to the ground and ran off to study who knows what. "She scares me sometimes" whispered Catra. "Oh you have no idea" Bow whispered back.
After a few hours of high speed flight the ship arrived near a gigantic space station surrounded by a multitude of ships much bigger than theirs. "Ok I think it's time to dissapear." Bow nodded at Adora and activated the cloaking device. As they got closer Adora noticed that a sizable zone in the ship was damaged. Making her smirk knowing exactly who cause the damage.
"So what's the plan" Catra wondered. " Glimmer stays on the ship in case something goes wrong, Bow and Entrapta are going to hack into the ship to get the plans for it. This way they'll be able to guide me as I search for Adam-- "You'll need to distract them from one of the control rooms which are on constant surveillance and when I mean constant I mean the clones don't need to sleep or eat for weeks, I can definetly catch their attention for a while." Assured Catra "It'll be easier with a green tiger." Cringer jumped in his tone leaving no room for argument. Not that anyone wanted to argue with a tiger.
"And with a wizard from another dimension it'll be even easier, beside distraction is basically my specialty." Happily exclaimed Orko. "Fine just don't slow me down" she told the two. Orko gave a military salute while Cringer did his best to do the same with his paw. Catra rolled her eyes, but she was refraining a smile. "So we all got a communicator and we all know the plan let's go." Adora ordered determinedly.
"What is that" Adora asked in her communicator as she snuck in the ship. It sounded like someone was crying in the background. "Uh ignore that it's nothing, go to the left it's were the cells are."
"Copy that" an explosion echoed in the distance followed with a fierce roar shortly after. "Hope you're having fun Catra" Adora muttered with a small smile. Her hopeful expression slowly turned to panic as she checked every cells and not finding anyone there. She pressed the communicator in her ear "Bow there's no one here!" She said urgently. "Uh, ok maybe if I choose another filter we can... Bingo! I found a heat signature different from the rest. It's in, oh no."
"What, what do you mean oh no!?"
"It's in Horde Prime's throne room."
"Where is it?!"
"Adora you can't--"
"Tell me where it is Bow, NOW!" the archer sighed "you take the next hallway on the right follow it and then go on the left then to the right. You keep following that path and you'll find it." Bow said trying to keep the worry out of his voice. "Thank you Bow, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself." Bow smiled sadly "what kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" Adora chuckled "still an amazing one. I gotta go radiosilent, i'll talk to you when it's done."
"Good luck" Bow tried to say, but Adora had already hung up. "We are not keeping him" he told Entrapta who was petting the head of a disconected clone. "But we broke him" argued Entrapta making Bow groan.
On her side Adora had to sneak past many cohort of clones before finally reaching the grand door. She pushed them open finding a lone hooded figure in white and grey clothing with the symbol of the Horde on their chest. "Ah, She-ra" a calm smooth voice spoke from nowhere and everywhere in the room. "Show yourself" Adora demanded looking around wildly. "But I am here, and everywhere. Did you really think I wouldn't notice you entering my ship? It is the equivalent of entering someone's brain after all. It's not because you're wild friends gave me a little headache that I wouldn't notice you, but how impolite am I. You came all this way for one thing. Which I find fascinating, you don't know this boy and you barely have any connection to him. So why did you come here She-ra?"
"To bring him home!"
"Home" questioned Horde Prime "oh, you mean to the people who hate him for who he is don't you?"
"He can be home with me! I don't care what you want or what you think! Where, is, my, brother!" She yelled at the hooded figure assuming that it might be Horde Prime himself. His voice chuckled "fine, as you wish. Beside it's not like you'll be able to turn him from the light. Go on little brother, show her how well you are." Adora was confused until the figure pulled back their hood. Revealing Adam prince of Eternia, his blonde hairs were nearly shaved and slicked back.
He wore a soft smile on his face, but the entirety of his eyes were painted a gleaming sickly green. He spread his arms as if expecting a hug, his right arm was now replaced with a metal one much too similar to Horde Prime and his clones. "Sister he greeted with a smile that stretched the pale lightning scars on his face. "I'm so glad you could finally make it."
"Adam" whispered Adora in pure terror. "Yes Adora, it's me. How nice it is to finally meet you, now you can join me and bask in Prime's eternal light."
"Adam he's controling you, you have to break free!" Adora fruitlessly yelled. "Adam" chuckled "oh Adora you're funny, Prime gave me the best of gifts, one that he can give you too."
"And that would be?" Adam's smile widdened "I don't feel a single thing. No more pain, no more anxiety, no more sadness. I no longer hesitate. Isn't that amazing?"
"It sounds more like he took you're will." Adam chuckled before suddenly bursting forward at a speed that wasn't made for his body. Adora crumbled to her knees as the metal fist dug in her stomach. As she kneeled gasping for air Adam kneeled in front of her. He raised her head by the hair and told his sister "you know I often heard father complain that I wasn't enough of a warrior, that I was too weak to be his heir. He thought I couldn't hear him, but I know he wished our roles were reversed, but now because of Prime I am stronger faster and I know how to fight like no other. Now i'm a son worth loving, why can't you see that?"
His smile was still soft, but an undescribable ammount of pain flashed in his eyes for just a single moment. Adora saw humanity peaking throught the light.
"Because" Adora caught her breath "if he doesn't love you for who you are, then he doesn't deserve you." She grunted pushing him away. Adam stumbled back laughing. "I was never worth loving to anyone, I saved Cringer so he feels obligated to 'love' me. As for Duncan, well I am the prince after all, he 'has' to look after me. Father sees me as a dissapointment and mother doesn't talk to me anymore. No one loves me sister."
"I do" Adora roared back jumping to her feet, hoping that if she was loud enough her voice coule get throught better. Adam laughed harder "please, we're practically strangers. How could you possibly love me?"
"Because the first thing I heard about you was that you were one of the kindest person Glimmer and Catra had ever met. Then I learned more about you, you're compassion you're empathy, but I also know how much it hurts to be the hero, but to do it alone? That sounds so much worst. Keeping it a secret from those you love it must have weighted as much as the world you fought tooth and nails to protect.
I know it probably sounds weird, but just the knowledge of having a brother filled me to the brim with joy. I thought about all the good time we could have, then I thought about all the good time we didn't get to have." Adora gave a shaky smile as she slowly approached her brother who now looked confused. "When I learned that Prime had you I was terrified, the first thing I did was look for you. Then I met our parents, i'm sorry that our dad didn't come. He said it would be too dangerous to rescue you."
"Of course he did" Adam whispered the light in his eyes flickering. "Yeah, but i'm here!" she lunged forward crushing her younger brother in a hug. "I'm here now." Adam's arm snaked around her back, right when Adora thought she had gotten throught to him. Searing pain spread accross her back as the cold clawed metal hand scratched deeply into her skin. Adam pushed her away and kicked her in the stomach. "You think you can turn me from the light with a few warm words sister!" He spat the last word with so much venom and hate Adora flinched.
He stomped towards her and prepared to throw another punch, but Adora caught his arm and spun him around using his momentum against him. He stumbled and almost fell, but he caught himself with his metal arm. A low growl escaped his troat "if I have to i'll bring you by force." Adora said fiercly, Adam lept at her in response.
As they traded blow she noticed that his mouvement were unnatural and that whenever he made a complex move his articulations would crack. So she deduced that he had no control whatsoever. She managed to mostly evade him until she caught his metal arm again and locked it behind his back. She saw a strange disk attached to the back of his neck. She reached for it, but he was suddenly face to face with her as his robotic arm turned around in it's socket in a very unnatural angle. He headbutted her hard,
but as they seperated it was obvious who was hurt the most. After all Adora does have a very thick forehead. "Really sister you dissapoint me, it's really too bad that you have to die by my hand." Horde Prime mocked throught Adam's lips. With an rageful shout Adora pushed her brother against one of Prime's solid floating hologram near his throne. The construct cracked sending electricity coursing throught his body, showering the room with the pained screams of both Adam and Horde prime. Seeing more cracks spreading throught the console Adora grabbed her brother and threw them both away from the console right before it exploded. Adora looked at the damage before hearing a faint voice. "Did you mean it?"
"Adam" Adora exclaimed with a smile not shared by her sibling. "Did you mean what you said earlier" he repeated in a small voice. "Every word" swore his sister, before his sister could add anything else he said "you shouldn't have come, why did you come!?"
"Because you're family, and it's high time someone treats you like it!"
Adam's eyes filled with tears "you don't understand, if he gets us both it's the end for the universe, I barely kept him from using the power of Grayskull throught me, but I don't know how long I can--" his body spams and pushed Adora off of him. Now both standing Adam struggled against the control chip as it slowly pushed him towards the edge.
"Come on you're stronger than that!" His back to the edge and his head low, he raised it revealing that Horde Prime had taken control once again. Now Adam's face wore a curious expression "I guess the boy was right, I can't compute his will, or yours for that matter." He sighed "such a shame that such a fine specimen must be terminated, but I can always find the next one, dissapointing." Before Adora could do anything the chip sent another electrical shock throught his body earning a scream of agony from the prince before he fell backward off the throne room deeper in the ship. The last thing he saw before all went black was his sister lunging at him.
Adora sailed throught the air towards the ground trying to reach for her brother, but she was too late. She hit the ground not too far away from him. The fact that she was alive was a miracle in itself, but as she reached her little brother it was clear his luck had ran out. She frantically pressed two fingers to his neck held a hand above his mouth, pressed her ear to his chest.
Nothing.
Tears invaded her eyes as clones surrounded her from all sides. She hugged his body closer as rage overcame her. So much rage that it triggered something deep inside of her. She started glowing so intensly that the clones needed to cover their eyes. Suddenly a multicolored see throught pillar of energy rose from her. Busting a hole throught anything in it's path.
The eyes of the clones were filled with fear as She-ra appeared before them, but with a few key differences. A sharp familiale mask now framed her face her cape began at her waist and stopped mid thigh. The golden bracers around her forearms were covered in blunt spikes. Same for her new shoulder guards, but those were full spikes. She also gained quite a lot more muscles while becoming more elegant than before at the same time. The sword of protection was now thinner, but much more powerful than before.
There was nothing to hold her back now.
With Adam slung over her shoulder, She swung her sword at the air leaving trails of energy. With one last slash she sent the build up power at the clones. Effortlessly batting them aside like flies. She slowly teared throught the ship until she found her way back to Darla where Orko was protecting the group with a forcefield as Bow shot the clones with explosive arrows. Catra also swiped an arm canon from one of the clones. Opening fire on them almost as precisely as Bow.
Orko was about to give out as the little ammount of magic he had left were starting to fade away, but he suddenly felt a burst of energy and his shield became ten times stronger. He looked in awe as She-ra walked throught the blaster fires until one of the came too close to Adam. She narrowed her eyes and swung her sword sending a crescent of energy at the clones, resulting in an explosion that shook the entire hangar. Adora ignored the world around her as she walked to the bridge and layed down her brother.
She knelt next to him and held him in her arms. Cringer practically skipped next to them happily. Until he noticed that Adam wasn't moving. "Adam" he whispered tears gathering in his eyes. Orko came floating next to them whipsering "no no no no" over and over. Adora brushed a strand of hair off his face and pressed her forehead to his. "I'm not letting you go, not now or never" she said glowing golden. Suddenly Adam gasped as life inhabited him once again. He was breathing, but far from awake. That didn't stop Cringer from nuzzling his head in Adam's hair full on sobbing.
Catra gave the tiger a comforting pet on the head before picking up her brother. She was about to carry him to a sleeping quarter in the ship, but Catra stood in her way. "Adora!" She yelled relieved that the princess of power was finally responsive. "We don't have any weapons, you need to shoot down the ships on our tail now!"
Adora looked down at her brother and back at Catra. With a very stern look she handed her brother to the magicat. And walked towards the cargo hold. Shocked that Adora trusted her with something as important as the safety of her younger brother, Catra promised herself to not screw up this one. She carried the light boy to a room followed by his feline companion.
Adora casually stepped off the ship into the endless abyss of space into an asteroid field. Plateforms of light formed with each steps. Two ships swerved towards her, but in a single swipe they were struck down by a blast of magic.
She glanced at the much bigger and heavily armed ship smirking she glanced at the chunk of rock about the same size as the ship. Normally she wouldn't have been able to lift such a big object, but in this new form she felt like she could shatter mountains. She lept from plateform to platefrom like a comet. Now in front of the asteroid she dug both of her hands in the rock, she then swung around the giant rock a few times before launching it at the ship. It stood no chance as the asteroid crashed into it in a glorious blaze of fire. She had yet to know, but she sent the rest of the pilots fleeing tails tucked between their legs. Little did she know, for the first time the entire hivemind of Horde Prime felt the exact same thing.
Fear.