Chapter Text
Glimmer wasn’t sure how long she’d been stuck on Horde Prime’s ship, surrounded by the bright fluorescent lights and endless droning of machinery, any sense of time was squashed. The only break in her routine was the occasional questioning by clones. Glimmer huddled by the wall, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to block out the lights. They never shut off, even during supposed sleeping hours. Another clone walked by, its footsteps echoing through the hall. Glimmer scowled at it, she hated these things. The machine-like way they moved, the lack of emotion on their faces… and those eyes. Glimmer shuddered as the clone walked away, leaving her alone yet again. She missed Brightmoon, she missed its people, she missed the woods, she missed her friends… She missed her mother. For all the times Glimmer felt like her mother had been suffocating her, she wished Angella was here. Here to guide her, here to hug her, here so she wouldn’t be alone. Catra was here, but her appearances were rare, and she never spoke. Glimmer didn’t want to talk to her anyways, not after everything she’d done.
***
When Glimmer had been called to a “special” dinner with Horde Prime, she knew something was wrong. Her heart pounded as the clones dragged more than led her into the opulent dining hall. Catra sat just a few chairs down from her, tail flicking uncomfortably. She didn’t know what was going on any more than Glimmer.
“Welcome, princess.” Horde Prime was sat at the head of the table, his head framed by a large window, the dark vacuum of space visible behind him. He leered at Glimmer as she sat down. “Please, eat. We have much to discuss when you are finished.”
Glimmer gulped, poking at the jello-like cube in front of her. She scooped a small piece of it onto her spoon and tentatively took a bite, praying it wouldn’t poison her. It was surprisingly sweet, with a subtle minty flavour, better than the tasteless gloop they’d been feeding her.
“Enjoyable, yes?” His grin warped to become even more predatory as Glimmer swallowed. “This dish is an extremely rare delicacy, as the planet it comes from, no longer exists.”
Glimmer felt sick, staring down at the once-tasty dish that now felt like cement in her stomach. Trying to hide the shaking in her voice, she spoke. “Is that what you plan on doing to Etheria?”
Horde Prime let out a slimy laugh that made Glimmer’s skin crawl. “Please, I have no desire to cause destruction, I only wish to spread peace. Of course, if one were to resist, well… Etheria is such an interesting little planet, I would hate for something to happen to it.”
“You won’t win, the rebellion won’t let you. I won’t let you.”
“And how do you intend to do so, princess? You couldn’t even beat my younger brother’s pitiful army, you couldn’t even keep your own mother safe. Such a shame, truly, that your last conversation had to be so harsh.”
“H-how–”
“Ah, that reminds me,” Horde Prime continued as if Glimmer hadn’t spoken. “There is another guest I invited, please come in,”
He motioned to the door, as a figure stepped in, and Glimmer’s heart stopped.
“Your Majesty.”
Glimmer was frozen, she could do nothing but watch as her mother– her mother– walked stiffly towards Horde Prime. Her movements machine-like, her face void of expression. It didn’t stop at simple mannerisms however, her normal clothes had been replaced by a white robe and pants, blatantly showing off Horde Prime’s insignia, and her eyes… no longer where they the familiar reassuring purple instead replaced by a pure neon green. Her head tilted slightly, moving uncannily to look at Glimmer as she sat down.
She was alive.
And she was wrong.
“Shortly after my younger brother sent a signal from your planet, we detected a person floating between realities… I wonder how that happened, hmm?” Glimmer glanced at Catra as she squirmed in her seat, her ears pinned back.
“She resisted at first, of course, but no one can withstand my light for long.” Horde Prime reached out and laid a hand on her mother’s shoulder, she flinched almost imperceptibly and Glimmer felt her blood boil.
“You see princess, I have no desire for destruction. In fact, I can make your greatest dreams come true.”
“Don’t touch her!”
“Glimmer, please, stop resisting.” Angella was the one to speak this time. Her voice was… wrong, devoid of emotion, it didn’t sound like her.
“You’ve always been such a fighter, give in for once. It will be peaceful.”
“No. Mom, I-I don’t know what he did to you but I’ll find a way to help you, I promise.”
“What a shame.” Horde Prime raised his hand, as two clones moved to grab Glimmer.
“No! Please! …Mom!” Glimmer cried as she was pulled out of the room. Begging for her mother to react, to help her, to prove some part of her was still in there.
She didn't.
***
Catra struggled to regain her composure as she watched Glimmer leave the room, the Queen stood motionless even as her daughter called for her.
“Neat trick, what did you even do to her?” Catra walked up to Horde Prime, glancing up at the still Queen, praying her snarkiness masked the trembling of her hands.
“I simply cleansed her, and welcomed her into my light.”
“So… you can control her?”
“It is not control, Catra, merely peace.”
Yeah, okay.
“Well, she freaked sparkles out either way.”
“Indeed, she is a rather useful tool as well.” Horde Prime made a subtle hum, examining one of his arms. “Perhaps I will make her my new vessel when this one fails, she would last me a rather long time.”
Catra tried to avoid looking at the Queen’s still body, never reacting even as they talked about her. Catra wasn’t sure why she felt guilty, the princesses were her enemies, she should be glad at least one was neutralized, but the way she stood, her eyes…
“I-i’m going to check on the clones.” Catra stammered. Anything to get her away from here. As she left she swore she could feel the Queen’s accusing gaze on her back. She could have gone to the clone charging port, she should have, but something in the way Glimmer called out for her mother, something about the Queen’s eerie expression, forced Catra to pivot. She owed Glimmer a conversation.
***
Before Glimmer’s cell even came fully into view, Catra could hear crying. Glimmer was curled up on the monstrosity Horde Prime called a “bed” he’d stuck in her cell.
“Hey Princess.”
Glimmer sniffled, looking up. “Go away.”
“Not going to happen sparkles.”
“Why are you even here, to gloat? Well congrats, you won. You’ve taken everything from me, my home, my friends… I thought my mom dying was the worst thing that could happen… but now? I don’t even know if she’s still in there.”
“I didn’t come here to gloat, god you’re paranoid.”
“Can’t really blame me, can you?”
“No, I guess not.”
“What are you even doing here then?”
“I just…” Catra let out a frustrated huff. “I wanted to talk.”
“What’s there even to talk about?”
“...That was creepy.”
Glimmer scoffed. “You’re telling me.”
“I… knew he could control his clones, but that?”
Glimmer fell silent, pulling her knees closer to her chest.
“It’s like she didn’t even recognize me, like I didn’t matter to her.” She said in a small voice. “She's alive, I should be happy about that, but…Catra what if she isn’t even in there?”
“...You really care about her, don’t you.”
“Of course I do, she’s my mom.”
Catra snorted. “You’re lucky, you know?”
Glimmer glared at her. “Well I was, until someone ripped open a hole in reality. If you hadn’t opened that portal, she wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh please, if you hadn’t set off the Heart of Etheria, Horde Prime wouldn’t be here, don’t pretend I’m the only person who’s made mistakes here!”
“Right, because that’s worked out so poorly for you!”
Catra stood up with a huff. “I don’t even know why I bothered coming here, you’re just some bratty princess who isn’t worthy of my time.”
She stood up and walked away, but before she rounded the corner Glimmer called out one last time. “Catra, wait!”
“What?”
“Can you…” Glimmer fiddled with her hands, looking less like a princess and more like a scared kid. “Can you… check on her please? Even– even if she isn’t truly there, can you tell her I miss her, and… I’m sorry.”
Catra rolled her eyes as she rounded the corner, Glimmer had to know asking her was hopeless, it’s not like she owed the princesses anything.
…which was why Catra found herself staring face to face with the Queen. Tracking her down hadn’t been easy, it wasn’t like she was on patrol or guard duty like the clones. No, instead she spent her time standing motionless in an empty room.
Sucks to be her.
Catra guessed Horde Prime didn’t really have much use for her up here aside from intimidating one sparkly princess. Made her easier to get to without being seen at least.
“Hey feathers,” Catra started casually, truthfully even being around the Queen made Catra’s skin crawl, no small part due to her role in the woman’s current position.
“Uh, look… I don’t know if you can hear me in there or what, but I spoke to Glimmer.”
Was it Catra’s imagination or did her finger twitch?
“She… she wanted me to tell you she missed you, and… she’s sorry.” Catra let out a little laugh to try and quell the shivers running up her spine. “I don’t know what she has to be sorry about, to you anyways. Hard to imagine you two having a relationship anything worse than perfect.”
Okay, her finger definitely twitched.
“... you are in there, aren’t you?”
Then she gasped. Her whole body shivered as if managing to throw off Horde Prime’s control for only a second. The neon green of her eyes faded revealing purple, and she staggered slightly.
“Please…” the words were strangled, as if she had to fight her own body to speak, but she spoke nonetheless. “Please tell her–”
Then she cut off, her body abruptly moving back to its original position, her eyes neon green once more.
“Wow, you’ve hit a real low haven’t you? Asking a horde soldier for help.” Catra tried to joke, to brush off what she’d just seen, but she couldn’t. “I’ll uh, I’ll tell her you care about her– or whatever.”
As Catra left, she wondered what it would be like, to have someone that cared enough to fight that hard for her.
***
Glimmer hated this. She hated being trapped, she hated waiting on a Horde soldier who may-or-may-not actually do what she asked, and worst of all, she hated that her mother wasn’t even herself. She wished she could do something, anything at all, but no. She was stuck at the mercy of Catra of all people. She groaned, staring at the empty hallway, she had no idea how long it had been, but it had to have been a few hours since they’d talked at least. Or hey, maybe it had only been ten minutes, considering how hard these stupid lights made it to tell time. She sighed, leaning against the barrier that trapped her in her cell, when she heard footsteps. She looked up, eagerly, only to see a pair of clones walking by.
Great.
“What, you didn’t think that was me, did you?” Catra hopped down from… somewhere as the clones rounded the corner out of sight. “I’m way sneakier than that.”
“Catra!”
“…I talked to her for you.”
She… actually did?
“She um, she’s still in there.”
“Really! Are you sure?”
“Well considering she talked to me, yeah I am.”
Glimmer’s heart was pounding, hope filling her for the first time in months. “What did she say?! Please, tell me!”
“Uh, well, I think she wanted me to tell you she loved you too… or something. She lost control again before she could say much.”
“But she’s in there…” Glimmer paused, trying to process everything. Her mother was still there, still herself, she just had to…
“Catra you have to help me save her!”
“What?! Are you crazy?!”
“Please Catra! I can’t just leave her like this!”
“No! Delivering a message is one thing, but I’m not risking my life for either of you!”
“Catra–” Glimmer cut herself off suddenly as two clones appeared behind Catra. The girl turned and jumped as they spoke.
“Little sister, Horde Prime invites you to a special event, please come with us.”
Catra gave one last glance at Glimmer before walking away, and Glimmer’s hope faded.
***
The clones led her to a large room, it almost looked stadium-like with a cavernous ceiling and large windows looking out into the vacuum of space, if it weren't for the giant pool in the center, filled with a glowing green liquid.
“Catra.” Horde Prime’s voice sounded from the head of the pool. “Please, join me.”
Catra obliged, trying to ignore the stares of thousands of clones. “So uh, what’s all this about, boss?”
“I must thank you, little sister.”
“...for what?”
“Your… testing of the old Queen revealed cracks in my light. Thanks to you, I can fix them.”
“Right… testing.”
Catra suddenly really didn’t want to be here.
The large doors she had just walked through opened once more, revealing the Queen. Whatever control Horde Prime had once had over her, he had obviously relinquished. She fought with all her strength against the four clones dragging her to the pool, wings flapping like an angry bird, but it wasn’t any use. They forced her into the pool, green liquid swallowing her up to her waist, she had just a second to make eye contact with Catra.
And she looked– terrified.
Then, the chanting started, clone’s voices joining together as they bowed and repeated their words like cries of faith, and Angella– screamed. Electricity crackled across her body in a moment that felt like it never ended. Catra wanted to run, whether to help the Queen or to get as far away from here as possible, she wasn’t sure, and it didn’t matter anyways, Catra was frozen.
Then it stopped. All of it, the chanting, the bowing, the screaming, and Angella stood still. Too still, her eyes neon green, and her body no longer her own. She looked up at Catra, a faint, sick smile on her face, before dipping her head and walking away. Catra tried to keep calm, but she couldn’t stop her breath from coming in gasps and her hands from trembling.
“Thank you, little sister.” Horde Prime placed a hand on her shoulder, as if to reassure her, except his grip was far too tight. “She will no longer be a problem.”
***
When Catra appeared in front of her cell, at first Glimmer was relieved, then she got a closer look at the girl.
She was shaking.
Her tail swished frantically and her breath was coming in short gasps.
“...you okay Catra?”
“I’m not helping you anymore.”
“What? I thought–”
“Seriously, It’s— I’m not getting involved, you’re on your own.”
“Catra– wait!” But she was too late, Catra was already running down the hall. Glimmer slumped against the wall, trying to process the interaction. Something had spooked Catra, bad, but what? Despite everything, Glimmer hoped she was okay.
It was another few hours until someone came to check on her. She had her head buried in her arms and her knees pulled up to her chest.
“Go away.” she muttered when she heard the footsteps approaching. “Are you stupid? I said go–”
Glimmer lifted her head to glare at whoever stood outside her, but stopped.
Her mother was here.
The only expression on her face was a blank smile as she undid the barrier between Glimmer and the rest of the ship. “Please, join me.”
Glimmer stared at her warily, but it wasn’t like she had much of a choice in the matter. She stood up slowly, dusting herself off as her “mother” turned and beckoned her to follow. They walked through the empty white halls until they reached a set of doors. Past the doors was a room, unlike the sterile halls of the ship, this room was lined with shelves. Objects of varying shapes and colors filled the shelves, Glimmer had no idea where they came from, they didn’t seem like something Horde Prime would put energy into creating.
Speaking of the man himself, he was positioned in the center of the room, a large screen behind his head.
“Ah, princess, welcome to my… trophy room.” He paused to gently place his hand on Angella’s shoulder, before she turned to stand amongst the shelves, as if she was simply another object.
Creep.
“You see, when I bring a world into my light, I do not wish it to fade, not truly. So I gather small fragments of it and place them here.”
“You destroy planets and take objects from them as trophies, got it.”
Don’t look at your mother. Don’t-
“I believe I already told you, I do not wish to bring harm to the planets I cleanse. In fact, if you and your planet were to join me, I could offer many benefits.”
“Yeah? Like what?” Glimmer scoffed, motioning to her mother. “The loss of control over your own body?”
“Peace.” Angella spoke, her voice eerily smooth. “When I first arrived, I was misguided, fighting against someone I thought meant me harm. But when I was finally brought into Horde Prime’s light, I realized… The only thing he meant for me was peace. All the pain and guilt I felt over the war, your father’s… death, it’s all gone.” She reached forward, cupping Glimmer’s cheek in a motion that felt achingly familiar. “I wish the same for you, my daughter.”
“Shut up!” Glimmer jerked away, trying to blink back tears. “Stop trying to pretend you’re my mother!”
“Very well.” Angella settled into a more rigid position. “If it isn’t peace you are after, perhaps knowledge? I’m sure you want to know how your friends on Etheria are doing?”
“Not if it means giving in to him, no knowledge is worth that.”
“Are you sure?” The screen behind Horde Prime suddenly flickered to life, revealing drone footage of a fight. A rebel camp was on fire, decimated by clones even as the princesses desperately fought back. Glimmer could only watch in horror as a fleeing refugee tripped, and a clone closed in. But before they could be captured, someone else attacked the clone, giving the person enough time to scramble away. Glimmer recognized him, but…
It should be impossible.
“Dad?”
“He was alive.” Her mother spoke again, her voice gaining the first hint of true emotion Glimmer had heard since her capture. “Rotting on Beast Island, and neither of us knew.”
Alive.
Glimmer clenched her hands into fists. “If this is your attempt to use my parents against me, then it’s never going to work, because I know they wouldn’t want this, no matter what it meant.” She glared up at Prime, her energy renewed. “I will never give in to you.”
Horde Prime sighed, as if her response was a mere inconvenience. “There is a First One’s ship heading straight towards us, if you do not change your mind before it gets here, I will destroy it.” he paused, waving his hand at Angella. “Take her away, my dear.”
Angella nodded, grabbed Glimmer by her hand and leading her out the door. They walked in silence, Glimmer trying not to look her mother in her eyes, her head swimming with everything she’d just learned. As they approached Glimmer’s cell, she gathered the courage to speak.
“I love you, mom. I’m going to fix this, I promise.”
Her mother didn’t respond.
***
Catra hadn’t been listening in… she’d just been passing by, that’s all. Besides, what reason did she have to listen in? It’s not like she cared about sparkles… or the first ones ship flying directly towards Horde Prime.
What? She didn’t.
It’s not like sparkles had been the only companion she’d had on this ship, it’s not like she stared at feathers wondering what it might have been like to grow up with her as a mother, it’s not like she cared about Adora or anyone else on that ship at all.
She huffed angrily as she walked down the hall, her feet stomping in the sterile floors. Here she was, the only speck of dirt in Horde Prime’s pristine kingdom. How long before he stopped needing her? How long before she ended up a puppet just like the Queen, her body no longer her own? At least in the Frightzone she’d had real power, been surrounded by actual people. At least in the Frightzone she’d had Adora, then Scorpia, then… no one.
She’d been alone.
Phantom giggles echoed through the halls, reminding her of a childhood long past.
Oh fuck you.
She shook herself, it didn’t matter. So what if she was lonely, joining the rebellion was a death sentence. Adora wasn’t worth that. But… was Catra?
She ran down the halls, practically sprinting as she tried to outrun the ghosts chasing her. Memories of her and Adora, playing, fighting, trying to kill each other. There were other memories too, bitter ones of watching Adora with her new friends, her new family. She’d never bothered to consider what life with the princesses was like, was it better than the Horde? It had to be, if Adora abandoned her for it. Could Catra even have a life like that? Would she deserve it?
You look out for me, I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.
I promised.
The first ones ship, it was Adora, it had to be, she was coming for Glimmer.
Catra stopped running. Maybe she didn't deserve a life like that, but maybe she could.
***
Okay Catra, come on, this’ll be easy.
Catra shook herself, trying to dislodge the anxiety forming in her gut. She’d spent hours watching the clones, figuring out their movement… and figuring out how to free Glimmer.
All that was left was to act.
She crept up behind the clone, careful to avoid notice. She’d been tailing this one for several hallways already, watching as it moved to deliver food to a certain sparkly princess. Now, it was almost at her room. Catra leapt, hitting it in the back of its neck and knocking it unconscious. Using its hand she opened the door to Glimmer’s cell.
“Okay sparkles, enough moping, time to go!”
“H-huh?”
“Come on, I’m getting you out of here?”
“Why?”
“Does it matter, let’s go!”
Glimmer nodded, following Catra as they raced down the hallway.
“There should be a room with a lot of glowing equipment, we can use it to teleport to Adora’s ship!” Catra called.
“Wait! What about my mom?”
“We…” Catra slowed. “We’ll come back for her, but right now all she’ll do is attack us.”
“We can’t just leave her! Catra please, I just got her back!”
“No, you didn't. You got a husk back.” Catra started running again, pulling Glimmer along with her. “You’ll get her back when we beat Prime.”
Glimmer blinked once, holding back tears as she ran. Alarm sirens started to blare as clones began to chase them, more and more falling in behind them.
Catra sprinted as fast as her body allowed, barely managing to get the two of them inside the teleporter room and slam the doors shut before the clones arrived. She got to work setting up the teleporter, and opening a signal to Adora.
“...Adora?”
Pounding could be heard as Catra started the call, the clones attacking the see-through door, but even more eerily than that, was the Queen. Catra hadn’t seen her before, but she was there, standing at the front of the crowd. She wasn’t attacking, or snarling, simply staring.
“Catra?”
Catra frantically messed with the teleporter, she had hoped to be able to teleport them both out, but if those doors didn’t hold…
She had to get Glimmer out, no matter what.
“I’ve got Glimmer, we’re heading to your quadrant but I can’t find the exact location of your ship, you need to get to these coordinates.”
“Catra wait– I don’t understand, Glimmer is with you?”
There’s no time to explain, but Horde Prime knows you're coming, we need to get out of here.”
“Catra–”
“Just get to the coordinates! And… Adora, I’m sorry… for everything.”
The clones broke through the door just as the call ended, but they never entered the room. No, someone was blocking them. Angella stood, blocking the doorway even as the clones attacked her, her eyes flicking from green to purple and her body twitching as she fought to keep control. She barely lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough for the teleport to finalize. The last thing Catra saw before the black void of space, was Angella lunging for them, her eyes pure green.
The first thing Catra felt was cold. Pure crushing cold as she reappeared next to Glimmer. She tried to gasp for air but there was none, only emptiness. There were only a few seconds between the teleport, and Adora’s ship appearing, but they felt like years. Eventually, though, the ship did appear, along with two familiar looking people in space suits. Bow arrived first grabbing Glimmer and holding her close as they made their way back to the ship. Adora was just a couple seconds behind him, pulling Catra back to safety. The second the ship doors slammed behind them, Catra gasped for breath, coughing and sputtering as the air hit her lungs. Glimmer was beside her, shivering violently, not looking much better.
“Catra, what happened?!”
Adora was beside her, hurriedly wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye Catra could see Bow doing the same with Glimmer.
“I-”
“She saved us.” Glimmer’s voice was quiet, choked like she was holding back sobs. “I-I saw her! She was fighting she–”
“Glimmer! What’s going on– who saved you?”
“My mom, she’s alive… and Horde Prime has her.”