Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    There are times in our lives when something so insignificant can be so impactful. The darkest part of our minds hide something from us every time we are with our loved ones — that this moment with them may be our last. Something as small as a hug or even our last words will impact their thoughts for the rest of their life. 

    Things can be taken away from us in an instant. Our lives can change so quickly, and we’re left to pick up the broken pieces. Some of us cope in different ways — finding healthy outlets, new relationships… and eventually, some of us are capable of moving on.

    Can concepts like love be carried beyond time and the infinite dimensions? Is it possible, that through trauma and the burden of life, we can still hold onto love? Or is love just a made-up word, and we are all just looking for someone to fill that hole in our heart? Subdue our desires?

    Maybe we’re all just in our own, personal Despondos. Truly alone in the universe. And we’re waiting for someone to get us out.

“Queen Glimmer, it’s nice of you to join me.”

Sweat dripped down the side of her forehead. She had failed to keep her light trembling under control. It felt as if her heart would leap out of her chest at any moment. Lavender eyes looked down at the ground, refusing to look up at the monster before her.

Those quirks always happened when she was in the presence of Horde Prime. It was so easy to be so afraid of such a monster, especially with the indecipherable way he had been acting towards her lately. Strangely, his requests for her visits had become more frequent. Everyday, one of his unsettling clones would come and ask for her presence. Every fiber of her being hated Horde Prime, but it kept her sane being allowed out of her cell every once in a while.

The throne room of the ship was massive. Behind her were two clones, ready to subdue her at a moment’s notice. Catra was working with Horde Prime, but showed an odd affection towards Glimmer. Many times, the two sat on the edge of Glimmer’s cell, talking about their time back home. As much as she despised Catra, she was the only connection she had to Etheria at that point.

Still, even with Catra’s occasional visits, Glimmer truly felt alone in that cell. Ultimately, she preferred to be trapped in it over being forced to swap pleasantries with Horde Prime. Every step he took closer to her, the sicker she felt. It was so tempting to use the little magic she had left to attack him — maybe blast out one of his disgusting eyes.

Then what would I do? Teleport? Bad idea, Glimmer. They were too far away for her to teleport back to Etheria, not with the magic she had left. That would require leaving Catra behind. Glimmer wasn’t that heartless. She wasn’t like Horde Prime. 

She wanted to gouge his many eyes out with her bare hands. Especially after their most recent interaction, where Prime promised her a happy ending where her and her father would be safe — in exchange for her giving him information about the Heart of Etheria. Finding out Micah was still alive, fighting for the freedom of Etheria and her, gave her a lukewarm sense of hope. However, it was clear Prime was willing to use whatever he could to manipulate her.

Especially when he threatened Adora’s life, forcing her to tell him about the Heart of Etheria. She remembered nothing mattered at that moment — nothing besides Adora . It took every inch of her soul not to beg him to stop. She would just have to tough the torture longer. Nonetheless, it was strange how well she had been treated. She was allowed to bathe daily as they washed her clothes for her. They gave her enough to eat and drink, and a decent bed to sleep in. Part of her knew it was because Horde Prime viewed her as, at the very least, somewhat significant.

Significant, as in useful to him. A being able to connect to the Heart of Etheria, and control its power. Something he could use for his gain.

“Dear, you look rather pale… Are you alright?” It was clear she had spaced out in the seconds leading up to him leaving his throne, walking up to her. He was correct, she was prominently pale. Horde Prime flicked his hand out, shooing his clones, “Give us some privacy.”

Her heart stopped and her eyes widened, as a truly awful, foreboding feeling kicked her in the stomach. Glimmer was finally piecing Horde Prime’s plan together. She hadn’t even noticed how harshly her teeth were grinding against each other. The light quaking of her body had grown, becoming noticeable. Steel-toed boots settled in front of her. She could feel his presence, and it felt absolutely menacing. As she gulped, it was evident a lump was forming in her throat. Don’t look up, Glimmer.

His awful voice soothed, “Oh… you’re shaking, love. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

Love.

Uncontrollably, a faint gasp escaped her mouth. Everything suddenly clicked in her mind. At that exact moment, she became fully aware of what his intentions were. One of the abominable hands wrapped around her own. The grim feeling in her gut grew further, and it only worsened when the alien reached his other hand up. Her quivering grew as he cupped her cheek — or rather, her entire head. Every time they talked, he did this to her. Honestly, it still terrified her. Breathing became laboring, and her knees felt weak. Don’t look up.

“I know you've been holding onto some of your magic, Queen Glimmer," his monotone voice made it hard to decipher what he wanted from her, "I trust you, your majesty. You won’t hurt me, will you?”

Glimmer’s attempts to not look up were all in vain. The monster forced her to look up by tilting her chin. It was stressful guessing which disgusting eye to look at. At times, it appeared they moved independently. A horrid, malicious smile was slapped on his ugly face.

“Besides, there’s no use in mistreating such a beautiful guest.”

Oh, fuck you. Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. It took her every ounce of strength to hold back those words. She wanted to spit in his face, and blast him away. Horde Prime was a horrible, vile creature, and all she wanted was for him to die a slow, painful death. Make him pay for whatever awful things he was doing in Etheria.

Relief flooded her as his grip on her wrist eased, and he took his hand away from her cheek. However, it wasn’t any better what he did next. He began to walk around her, circling her like she was prey. The tall being intimidated her, yet she stood her ground. She could feel wretched green eyes gazing on her.

“I have a proposition for you, dear Glimmer.”

She knew exactly what all of this was leading up to. All their talks, her being treated decently, him constantly touching her, him… gawking at her… Frankly, she was revolted at the premonition of what was to come. She managed to sneer, “What?”

He had fully circled around her, stopping directly in front of her. Now, she was determined to glare at the vile monster. Despite her hateful, venomous gaze, he kept his malicious smile.

“Both of us want something, don’t we? For me, it would be nice to have a wife. Someone to share my power with…” he beamed his sharp teeth, “Besides, I won’t live forever. Yet, I feel as if these clones aren’t worthy of being heirs to my throne…”

She breathed in sharply as his claws found their way to her neck, ghosting over the surface of her skin. The towering monster leaned closer to her, revoltingly closer. Fearfully, she gulped and shifted away somewhat from him.

“Of course, you want nothing more than to protect your friends and your people. I can empathize with that, dear.”

Fuck you, you can’t empathize with anything. Yet again, she was somehow able to hold back what she really wanted to say. Anger and fear dominated every part of her mind as claws brushed up against her left arm. Glimmer had never hated someone so much, and she hoped she would be the one to kill him, personally.

Particularly after his vile proposition, “I would love for you to be my wife, Queen Glimmer.”

A vexed, shaky sigh escaped from her nose. It felt like her knees were about to give out from under her because she was quivering so harshly. Lavender eyes were full of fury, unwavering on the repulsive monster’s green eyes. For a moment, Glimmer put aside her selfish thoughts. Her kingdom would be safe, her people and her friends would be safe... 

Adora would be safe. It was the least she could do for her after everything she put her through.

But Glimmer refused to give him what he wanted anymore.

“Think about it, dear. You and I will be the most powerful beings in the universe. Our offspring will be able to connect to your Runestone and the Heart of Etheria, correct? Nothing will stand—”

She couldn’t handle it anymore. The proposition of having his offspring — why the fuck did he have to say offspring — was the most repugnant, putrid idea to ever cross her mind. Anger consumed her, not allowing her fear to hold her back any longer. A defensive, loud growl escaped her as she landed a photokinetic blast landed on his face. He writhed in pain, taking his hand away to cover his temporarily blinded eyes.

For the first time since she had been on the desolate ship, she had felt powerful — like she was in control for once. In all honesty, it felt liberating as hell. She got a bit ahead of herself as she venomously snarled, “Fuck. You.”

Immediately, she regretted her actions. Horde Prime quickly recovered, glaring at her with swollen eyes. Instinctively and desperately, she wanted to teleport away. Nonetheless, the idea of where to teleport baffled her. She was unable to process what to do in the small amount of time it took for Horde Prime to reach over to her.

With immense strength, he gripped onto her shoulder. The monster towered over her, glaring diabolically. Dreadfully, he beamed his sharp teeth at her. Her capelet ripped like paper beneath his astonishing force. It wasn’t long until metallic claws began to dig into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain.

“I offered you something nice. I would have kindly given it to you if you would have just said yes,” his claws drove deeper into her shoulder, “You leave me no choice, Glimmer — you will marry me, whether you want to or not.”

The pain was becoming too much. Feeling his claws deep inside her was revolting. Blood was already beginning to trickle down her arm, staining her white glove. “A-Alright!” she paused, crying out in pain before desperately begging, “Please, stop!”

Thankfully, he let go. However, she failed to register any positive emotion because her shoulder was literally torn open. Finally, her knees gave out beneath her — resulting in her falling to the ground. His angry scowl disappeared from his face, as he brought the bloodied hand up to his mouth.

The acidity in her stomach only worsened as Horde Prime licked her blood off his claws. He had defeated her. Lavender eyes stared blankly at her injured shoulder, gasping loudly at the horrid sight. Tears welled up in her eyes due to the immense pain and regret she felt.

“Clearly, we need time apart, dear. I’ll ask someone to clean that up for you. It is in our best interest to refrain from insubordination, my love.”

What have I done? I fucked up again. This wasn’t actually happening… was it? It all had to be some terrible nightmare. Horde Prime wasn’t forcing her into a marriage. Soon, she had to wake up and be with her friends once again.

Yet, his cold touch brought her back into her awful reality. He has bent down to her level, repulsively cupping the side of her head with his bloodied hand. Disgustingly, his touch left her own blood behind on her cheek. To her regret, she looked up into his eyes.

Calmly, he apologized, “I'm sorry I was required to do that, dear. I'm sure you'll feel well enough for our wedding tomorrow. Oh… and if you don’t…” Prime’s thumb brushed against her cheek, “I have a way to gift you true peace, my love. For now, you're dismissed."

Nonchalantly, he stood up and began to walk away. As if none of what just happened affected him at all. However, she had been absolutely broken by him. Whether she wanted to or not, she would be Horde Prime’s wife by the end of tomorrow.

A single tear fell down her cheek.

Adora… I need you.

One of the clones silently took her to the showers, bandaging her shoulder after she was done. It felt inhumane being handed back her torn, stained capelet. She was surprised she hadn’t fainted from the amount of blood she lost.

What else was surprising was that the clones didn’t get mad at her for being in the showers too long. The sight of red water running down the drain was enough to make her vomit what little food she had in her system. Granted, that was coming after all that happened that day.

Finally, she was alone in her cell. Where once the loneliness on the ship felt awful, it was welcoming at the time. Curled up in the corner, she was able to cry. Sort out all the terrible things that happened to her the moment she stepped foot on the ship.

Once again, the dreaded thought crossed her mind — she was going to be forced to marry Horde Prime. Have his offspring, as he worded it. The thought alone made her want to teleport into the vacuum of space. Nonetheless, Glimmer had to find a way to live and cope with what would happen.

She had to live. For Bright Moon, for Catra, for her friends… Her friends… They would come rescue her, eventually… Right? Who knows. They probably don’t care if I live or die at this point. I’m the one whose responsible for all of this. I deserve this.

She never wanted any of this. Vehemently, she screamed. It echoed down the halls of the dark ship. Her arm was shaking in its weakened state. The quivering grew as she reached up in order to grab fistfuls of hair. She fucked up so badly. With the Heart of Etheria, Horde Prime… With Adora.

Things had ended so terribly the last she saw Adora and Bow. The situation had undoubtedly escalated too far between her and Adora, in particular. All she wanted was to protect Etheria and her friends. To follow diligently in her parent’s footsteps as queen. Despite being warned about the dangers of what could happen, she was too headstrong and stubborn to believe anyone.

It was because of her that lives were being lost in Etheria. A horrible monster was forcing her to marry him. The child she would be forced to bear would be manipulated by its father, used as a weapon for his own gain. Adora likely hated her. All of it was ultimately Glimmer’s fault. It felt like she had been rotting on the ship for years. Unbeknownst to her, it had only been a month. The only thing that kept her sane was her occasional talks with the strangely neutral Magicat.

That being said, she wanted to talk to Adora the most. Fix and sort things out between them. Glimmer wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around Adora, tell her how completely and utterly sorry she was for everything. That it was wrong to be so cruel and bitter towards her and Bow.

Glimmer deeply missed Adora. Despite how toxic things were getting, Glimmer still felt something around her. She had for a long time — ever since Adora rescued her after Princess Prom. Whenever her and Adora were together, her heartbeat would pick up a bit. To Glimmer, it was one of the worst feelings to watch Adora get hurt in battle.

Not to mention, it was weird they slept together a lot. What kind of friends did that? After Angella died, she found herself asking Adora to hold her as she cried herself to sleep. Even as their friendship began drifting, Glimmer would often wake up after their fights, finding Adora in bed with her.

Adora had promised her during her coronation, “I'm supposed to take care of you, Glimmer. It's the last thing she asked me to do.”

Perhaps Adora’s promise would prove to be true.

Loud steps in the hall caught her attention. It was fast paced, unlike that of the clones. Could it have been Catra? The clattering was growing louder and louder, evident whoever was running was coming towards her cell. Moved by curiosity, she sat up and wiped her tears away. She wanted to know what was going on.

The day up until that moment had drained every ounce of hope from her. That hope suddenly returned once a familiar face ran up to her prison cell. From the other side of the force field of her prison cell, slate blue eyes peered in. It was as if she was looking at a figment of her imagination.

 This can’t be real. Adora couldn’t just show up when she needed her most. It was just a fantasy, made up by her mind to cope with what just happened with Horde Prime. Despite believing it wasn’t real, she still found herself completely immobilized.

What she believed was an apparition, made up by her crumbling sanity, put a hand up against the force field of her prison cell. Swiftly, tears welled up in Adora’s eyes as a relieved smile crossed her shaking lips. “Glimmer?!” Adora loudly bawled, overfilled with relief.

A sharp, untamable gasp sounded from Glimmer. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest in an instant. In that very moment, the sound of her voice breathed life into her. It sounded so clear as it echoed through the ship.

It sounded so undeniably real.

Immediately, Glimmer gave into her dream by rushing up to Adora. Urgently, Glimmer reached her hand up, placing it adjacent to Adora’s hand on the translucent wall. They were inches away from each other, tragically blocked by the powerful force field. Tears continued to stream down Glimmer’s cheek, as she looked up at the taller girl through the wall.

Quietly and feebly, she asked, “Adora… This… this isn’t a dream, is it?”

Adora sputtered, “I’m real, Glimmer— we’re here, Entrapta is about to cut the power and—”

Suddenly, the power blinked. A hum echoed through the eerie halls of the ship as the force field of her cell died. The girl that haunted her dreams stood at the edge, tears flooding in her worried eyes. “Oh, Glimmer!”

Time stopped for the both of them as Adora rushed forward, pulling Glimmer into a tight, warm hug.

Oh, stars — her touch was like fire. Desperately in need to feel Glimmer, Adora dug her fingers into the fabric of her back in order to pull her closer. Touch deprivation beckoned Glimmer to wrap her arms around the taller girl’s back. Melted into one another, Glimmer felt safe once again.

Many times, Glimmer attempted to speak but only sobs escaped her mouth. There was nothing left in Glimmer but tears — and they all flowed onto Adora. The taller girl buried her hot face in her neck, thankfully on the side without an injured shoulder. Glimmer couldn’t help but anxiously quake. This was really happening. 

Adora was her knight in shining armor, coming to rescue her from the imprisonment of a horrible monster. Glimmer had to be the one to break the silence and apologize.

“Adora... I am so sorry… Everything that’s happened has been because of me,” Glimmer sobbed, gripping tightly on the back of Adora’s jacket, “The Heart of Etheria, Horde Prime — it’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have been so angry with you. I should have listened to you and Bow, a-and—”

“Hey! Glimmer, it’s alright!” Adora heartened, “I should be the one apologizing. I am so sorry it took so long to get to you. I wanted to rescue you as soon as I could, but I-I… I broke the sword... But now, She-Ra is back! And please don’t worry about it, I forgave you a long time ago, Glimmer.”

Those last words made her lose every bit of cool she had. Without any restraint, her tears were becoming a sea. Everything would be alright. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. With Adora by her side, she could do anything. Even stand up to that horrible monster.

Hesitantly, Adora pulled away. For a moment, they stared into each other’s puffy eyes. Welcome to Glimmer, Adora cupped her cheek. Hours ago, Horde Prime had done the same. In stark contrast, when Adora touched her cheek, it felt comforting and reassuring. Adora smiled as she brushed tears away from Glimmer’s cheek.

She would accept Adora’s callused fingers any day over Horde Prime’s horrid claws. Horde Prime's touch had been revolting and cold. On the other hand, the thumb brushing against her cheek was inviting and warm.

“We have to promise each other — after this is all done, we need to talk. About everything — about us,” Adora then pressed her forehead to Glimmer’s and murmured, “I want to fix things with you, Glimmer.”

Being so close to Adora was electrifying. Enough to force a blush to cross her cheeks. Glimmer was unable to remember the last time she smiled. It was hard not to when she had her hero back.

Glimmer pulled away, sure to give Adora eye contact as she said, “I promise, Adora. I want to fix things with you, too.”

Where once Adora’s gaze was soft, it quickly darkened once her eyes settled on Glimmer's shoulder. Comfortingly, Adora stroked Glimmer’s arm. Just barely could she feel Adora’s hand shaking. Adora’s jaw tensed as it was clear she was upset.

Slate blue eyes were riddled with worry once more as she reluctantly asked, "What…. What did he do to you, Glimmer?”

Tentatively, Glimmer took the capelet off in order to expose the already bled-through bandages around her shoulder. Shocked by the sight, Adora quietly gasped. Fresh tears trickled out of Glimmer’s eyes as her anxiety was revived.

“He told me he wanted to marry me a-and…” Glimmer paused to sob, “... he wanted me to have his children! It was so awful, Adora! I got so worked up, I-I used my powers on him a-and he hurt me!”

Adora frowned as she cooed, “Oh, Glimmer… I’m so sorry... You're safe now, you'll be alright.”

Again, Glimmer was pulled into a comforting, welcomed hug. Quite quickly, shock had been replaced by sheer anger in Adora. Shakily, Adora breathed out to calm herself. Glimmer could hear Adora’s heart pounding. As Adora’s fingers entwined in her hair, she could truly feel how badly she was shaking.

Adora murmured, “We’ll make him pay for what he did to you. You and me, both.”

Despite how brutal the offer was, it was oddly sweet. She would take down the monster with Glimmer by her side. The thought made Glimmer smile for a moment, appreciative of Adora. Selfishly, she wanted to stay this way — wrapped in Adora’s arms, feeling like nothing could go wrong anymore.

Clanking footsteps down the hallway grabbed their attention. Wearily, Adora gasped before protectively holding Glimmer closer. “Are you able to teleport?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t have a lot of magic left,” Glimmer murmured into Adora’s shoulder.

“Adora!?”

The familiar voice eased any tension in the two. Again, a soothed smile crossed Glimmer’s lips. As Bow approached the cell, the two girls moved away from one another. Just like Adora, tears tickled at the corners of his eyes upon seeing Glimmer. Happily, Glimmer cried out, “Bow!”

His voice cracked as he excitedly called back, “Glimmer!?”

Without hesitation, the two friends shared a hug. It was further empowering to have both her best friends back by her side. Things would be alright between them in the end.

“Bow, I’m so sorry...” she cried into his shoulder, “I’ll never forgive myself for how I treated you and Adora.”

“It’s okay, Glimmer,” Bow held her tighter, “We can talk it out later, alright? I’m just glad we’re all together again...” Bow sobbed, holding her closer.

Jarringly, another familiar voice suddenly interrupted the three, “This is sweet and all, but don’t we have an overlord to behead or something?”

Glimmer never thought she would smile at the sound of Catra’s voice. Upon stepping away from Bow, she locked eyes with the Magicat outside the cell. It appeared the three had met up somewhere, ready to take on Horde Prime. Glimmer felt her tears returning for what felt like the millionth time that day as Catra approached her.

“I did that one good thing you asked me to do, Sparkles,” Catra smirked, “I let your friends on the ship. So, what do you say? Ready to kick Prime’s ass?”

Without hesitation, Glimmer leapt forward, pulling Catra into a tight hug. Initially, Catra was tense at the queen’s hug. “Thank you, Catra."

Catra smirked, returning the hug and blushing, "Y-Yeah. You're... you're welcome."

Teleporting the four of them would be jarring on her already diminished magic. They chose to rush through the halls, taking out clones as they went. Glimmer noticed that Adora wasn’t turning into She-Ra, despite having the sword. Instead, she opted to fight in her normal persona.

It appeared she had been used to fighting like that for a while. Still, she was still able to morph the sword into various things — like a lasso she used to ensnare various clones. Seeing they were fighting a literal army, Glimmer chose not to ask questions. At least they were getting through the clones quite easily.

Before she could even process things, they were suddenly at the door leading to Horde Prime’s throne room. Many clones were approaching from down the hall. Inconveniently, Glimmer found herself freezing up at the sight of the door. The thought that she would have to see him again was sickening.

The feeling of Adora’s fingers entwining with her own brought her back into reality. Lavender eyes looked up at the taller girl, lightly gasping at her touch. Despite the chaos going on, Adora managed to smile at her.

“We can do this. I promise, I won’t let him hurt you,” Adora sweetly cooed. Confidence sparked in Glimmer once more as she looked over to see Bow and Catra. Both were ready to fight off the clones at the end of the hall. For a moment, Catra stared back with her mismatching eyes. A suave smirk coiled across her face.

“Glimmer, promise me you'll bash his stupid eyes into the back of his skull!” Catra requested.

Bow turned to smile at Glimmer, “We’ll take care of the clones. We can do this.”

Suddenly, the hall filled with hues of pink and gold. At some spots, it appeared to merge in a pleasing sunset orange. It was evident that her and Adora were glowing together, proving the two were perfectly in sync. For a moment, Adora frowned as she appeared hesitant about something.

“I haven’t been able to transform into She-Ra for long periods,” Adora admitted, “We’ll have to be quick.”

In her high spirits, Glimmer kept her smile at Adora while she boasted, “Don’t worry. I’ll kick his alien ass by myself if I have to.”

Adora couldn’t help but smile and lightly laugh, “That’s my girl. If you can teleport him over to me, I can take care of the rest.”

Her girl. Despite everything that was going on, her heart managed to skip a beat. Flustered, her cheeks flushed at the nickname. Adora’s hand left her Glimmer as she reached for the bracelet around her arm. In an instant, it transformed into the new sword — one that was sleeker and longer.

“For the honor of the Rebellion!”

Glimmer almost forgot how spectacular it was to watch Adora transform. She didn't even notice her new chant. As her friend glowed brightly, she grew significantly taller. Long, beautiful golden blonde hair flowed from her head, as her eyes became a bright azure. Oddly, She-Ra’s outfit had changed. Maybe because the sword had changed, too?

Now, she had long white pants. The crest on her chest was larger, reaching to her now elongated shoulder pads. Her armor had a midriff, exposing her toned abdomen. It could’ve been the fact that it had been almost a month since she had seen She-Ra, but Glimmer swore she was taller at that moment.

Glimmer had many questions that she knew would be answered later. She-Ra bore her fingers into the crack of the metal door in front of them, easily forcing it open. The unlikely duo behind them were busy fending off the group of clones down the hall. She-Ra looked at Glimmer with her angelic, glowing azure eyes. The two nodded at each other, readying themselves for the battle ahead.

As they ran into the throne room, it was apparent he was alone. Ominously and slowly, he stood from his throne as he stared directly at Glimmer — paying no heed to the 8-foot demigoddess beside her.

“Nice of you to come for a visit, love,” Horde Prime’s voice boomed through the room before he cockily smirked, “You know it’s bad luck for the groom to see his beloved before the wedding.”

He knew exactly how to get under her skin, and it was working. For a moment, she found herself immobilized and completely forgetting the plan. She didn’t even notice her glowing dying down, as she found herself afraid once again. She-Ra’s hand covered her own. The warmth and strength reminded her she wasn’t alone anymore. She-Ra — no, Adora — was here. She would keep her safe.

“Glimmer… You know I won’t let that happen. Nothing will ever tear us apart again,” She-Ra murmured to her, “We can do this. You can do this.”

Safety, comfort… love. Real, deep compassion. That’s what she felt around Adora. Swiftly and powerfully, the two began to brightly glow together again. In an instant, Glimmer teleported to Horde Prime. She materialized behind him, wrapping her legs around his neck, so she wouldn’t fall to the ground. Before he could react, she teleported again, making sure to take him with her. They materialized high above the center of the room. Quickly, Glimmer teleported again — back to She-Ra’s side.

All the teleporting was making her head spin and her vision blacken. She barely had any magic left in her. That, and the movement had created strain on her shoulder. Just like Adora, she would have to be incredibly careful with every move she chose. As Horde Prime fell to the ground, She-Ra rushed up — ready to stab the sword into his abdomen. 

Horde Prime managed to roll out of the way as She-Ra’s sword bored into the metal floor. As she temporarily struggled to remove it, he was able to stand. Before he could land a hit on her, she managed to morph the sword into a shield — blocking the hit. The two were similar in size and strength, being an even match for one another.

As the two combated, Glimmer was able to conjure a little magic — enough to teleport in the air behind Horde Prime. She pulled at his tendrils, attempting to use her weight to uncomfortably snap his head back. However, one of the tendrils suddenly expanded. Before she could let go, the tendril wrapped around her neck. With all her strength, she gripped on the other tendrils, able to pull herself up and preventing him from choking her.

“Glimmer!” She-Ra boomed.

As she attempted to slash Horde Prime, he grabbed the sword. Seeing she was rather close to him, he used the temporary control to jab his knee into her gut. In her moment of weakness, he was able to take the sword away. Quickly, he tossed it far away — dangerously close to the edge of the floor. One wrong movement, and the sword would fall into the pit surrounding his throne room.

She-Ra had to make a choice; recklessly attempt to take on Horde Prime without the sword in order to save Glimmer, or quickly grab the sword. The Adora inside She-Ra overpowered any cohesive thought, blindly attempting to land a hit on Horde Prime’s face. He was able to grab the fist, gripping hard around her wrist.

“My oldest enemy… You’re just as weak as your pathetic First Ones,” Horde Prime teased.

In the spur of the moment, he lashed out — strongly boring the claws of his other hand into her cheek. Piercingly, She-Ra screamed in pain as Glimmer desperately attempted to escape his tendrils. However, it was clear she had no energy left to teleport. Glimmer wouldn’t be able to save She-Ra, as Horde Prime continued to dig his claws into her.

A tear fell down her cheek. This was depressingly similar to her own scenario from earlier. And she wouldn’t be able to save Adora from it.

After he was done, he strongly kicked her away. As she skidded across the floor, he turned his attention to Glimmer. Somewhat to her relief, his tendril eased the choke hold around her neck. In the process, she fell and hit her head hard on the metal floor below. She tried frantically to fight back the dizzy feeling and darkening vision, yet eventually found herself losing consciousness.

As she drifted, She-Ra’s voice echoed, “Stay away from her!”

Glimmer had no clue how long she was out for. Upon finding the strength to rouse herself, she sat up. A horrible headache cursed her, causing her to clutch the spot where she hit her head. Slowly, her eyes opened. Initially her vision was blurry, and it was hard to take in her surroundings.

She was still in the throne room. However, the creepy atomsphere was replaced in a spectrum of colors. Finally, she processed the sight before her. She-Ra stood over the the slumped figure of Horde Prime, glowing radiantly. Brutally, the skin near her jawline was torn open. There was fire in She-Ra’s eyes as they bore into Prime.

“I don’t feel any ounce of sympathy for what I’m about to do. You have caused mass casualties, kidnapped my friends, and planned to marry Glimmer against her will! You will answer for your crimes against Etheria, Horde Prime!” She-Ra’s booming voice echoed throughout the throne room.

She-Ra raised her sword, ready to commit the final blow. However, She-Ra looked over, seeing Glimmer standing not too far away. At that moment, she appeared to regain her senses and ease her sword. To Glimmer’s bewilderment, she transformed back into Adora.

Weakly, Adora smiled at Glimmer as she handed the sword over to her, “I think this will make you feel better.” Despite changing back, the wound across her jawline stayed. After all this was over with, Glimmer would do everything she could to nurse Adora’s wound. It was the least she could do for her. Hesitantly, Glimmer gripped the base of the sword. Her head was spinning, but she found joy in what she was about to do.

Glimmer looked down at Horde Prime, who appeared worthless on his knees. Oh, this is so damn empowering. The absolute despair on his ugly face was invigorating. This monster deserved every ounce of fear and regret he felt. “So, you still want to marry me, dearest ?” Glimmer mocked.

Pitifully, he attempted to egg out some sympathy by begging, “Glimmer… Please, spare me. I’ll give you anything you want.”

Without a speck of remorse, Glimmer put the tip of the sword to his throat. Visibly, he gulped as his hideous eyes looked up at her. “The only thing I want is for you to die a slow, painful death.”

Strongly, she jabbed the sword into his throat. An awful choking noise coughed out of him. Vile neon blood flowed out of his mouth and the wound, especially after she removed the sword. The best part? She felt absolutely no guilt or remorse for killing him. And she never would.

However, the movement caused a sharp pain in her injured shoulder. Gently, Adora guided Glimmer away from the dying monster in front of them. A strange, black entity escaped Prime, as an odd hum echoed through the ship. Contrast to what just happened, Adora comfortingly stroked Glimmer’s back.

“Are you alright?” Adora murmured sweetly.

Glimmer feebly beamed as she looked up at Adora, “Yeah. I have you.”

Reflecting Glimmer’s confidence, Adora beamed back. Finally, they were all able to breathe a moment. Within only a few seconds, Glimmer was in Adora’s arms again. Feeling relieved, Adora leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Glimmer’s.

Their glowing returned in full force. Nothing would ever pull them apart again. Glimmer felt relieved, safe, loved. Tears welled up in Glimmer’s eyes for the millionth time that day. Everything felt like it would be alright. Horde Prime was dead and the next plan was to elicit a force field around the planet after exploding the Mothership. That way, no one would ever attempt to evade Etheria to steal it's magic ever again. In order to do that, they needed all the princesses — including Glimmer. She had a purpose. She was going to fix her mistake.

In that tender moment, magic flowed around the two. Physically, she began to feel reinvigorated. Oddly enough, her shoulder began to feel better. It felt like she was recharging back at Bright Moon or being healed by She-Ra. After the hug was done, she looked up to see Adora’s wound callused over. All that remained was a fresh scar.

Curious, Glimmer lowered her capelet. Upon pulling at the loose bandage, she was relieved to find her wound healed similarly to Adora’s. The two had horrible, almost matching scars. However, in the end, at least they had one another. Happily, the two laughed. They were both alive and well. Things would be alright.

“Let’s get you back home. I promised your father I wouldn’t come back without you.”

Lavender eyes widened as she lost her grip on Adora’s sword. Her lips shook as tears once again returned to her eyes. She was going back home. To her father.

The ship smoothly landed on the cliff side near Salinas, supposedly the hub for the newly founded Horde-Rebellion alliance. Seeing the Mothership was floating far above the planet, they could barely see the explosion ahead. However, there was no time for celebration.

“For the Honor of the Rebellion!” Once again, Adora morphed into her alter ego. The tall demigoddess readied her sword, but not before giving a reassuring look to Glimmer. She-Ra held her hand out to Glimmer, smiling down at the girl that was only half her size. “I’ll need your help for this."

Gladly, Glimmer accepted her hand. Quickly following after, Bow held her hand, and Catra held his. Soon, the princesses and friends had all joined hands. It took her a moment to realize the hand-holding chain was extending to other members of the Rebellion and even former Horde soldiers. This was part of the plan they had discussed on the ship.

Everyone glowed. All Etherians had the ability to harness the power of the Heart of Etheria. Glimmer could feel immense power surging through her, but not the kind that was impossible to tame like when they first tapped into the Heart of Etheria. With the number of people involved, the power was comfortably dispersed.

She-Ra took a deep breath in as she entwined her sizable fingers with Glimmer’s. Hesitantly, She-Ra pointed the sword to the sky. A powerful, bright beam shot from the sword, shooting far up into the atmosphere. A deep, deafening echo boomed, as the surrounding earth quaked, making everyone wobbled on their feet. Glimmer held tighter onto She-Ra's hand, feeling immense power continue to surge through her. Ultimately, She-Ra bore the full weight of the power as it streamed from her sword.

First One’s writings appeared on She-Ra’s cheeks, partially covering the fresh scar on her jawline and shining blue. In the pain she experienced, she screamed and sealed her azure eyes shut. Glimmer wanted it to end, not wanting She-Ra to endure any more pain.

"It's working! Look!" Bow excitedly noted.

Sure enough, the beam seemed to stop upon hitting a certain point in the atmosphere. Quickly, a translucent barrier began to form. It curved around the sky high above. With every few seconds that passed, a loud boom could be heard from far above. The force field hummed as it continued to spread across the sky.

The First Ones sigils spread further, beginning to flower across She-Ra's arms as her screaming grew in intensity. Glimmer couldn’t even care to notice the writings spreading across her own body, far too concerned for her friend. Tears flowed from She-Ra’s eyes, as it was clear she was losing stamina. Worryingly, the beam began to blink as She-Ra faltered.

Despite being so far away from Bright Moon, Glimmer was able to feel the energy of her Runestone once more. However, that wasn’t the only source she could feel. As she closed her eyes, she was mysteriously met with the image of her mother.

"Glimmer, Adora.”

As clear as the voice was, Glimmer swore Angella was standing beside her. In her shock, she gasped and shot her eyes open. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes were glowing pure white. A new wave of power overwhelmed Glimmer, as ethereal wings were projected from her back — just like back when she reconnected with her Runestone after her mother's passing. She was sure her heart would beat out of her chest, overwhelmed by the newfound power pulsing through her.

"Your love for each other is one of the most powerful forces on Etheria. Channel it.”

Angela's voice echoed in her mind as she lent her newfound energy to She-Ra. Azure eyes settled on Glimmer, stunned by the sight before her. Both She-Ra and Glimmer's glowing intensified, merging to form the same sunset orange from earlier. In an instant, the beam became stronger and hosted the same color glowing from the two friends. The energy appeared to be the final push necessary, as the loudest boom yet sounded off as it met with the force field. 

Unfortunately, Glimmer had sacrificed all the magic inside her, seeing her hair lacked its usual sparkles and her wings disappeared. Her eyes returned to normal as she felt familiar dizziness. Gusts of wind blew strongly around them, as the force field appeared to contently hum. The surrounding earth stopped shaking as the beam quit emitting from She-Ra's sword.

Shivering in She-Ra's hand stopped as the First One’s writings on her body disappeared. Calmly, she lowered her sword. In her state of exhaustion, she morphed back into her alter ego. Silence cursed the area, beyond Glimmer and Adora's labored breathing. Everyone gazed at the newly formed shield surrounding the planet, high above the atmosphere. From far behind her, they could hear Entrapta break the silence, "It worked!"

The resistance behind them roared in celebration. As both Bow and Adora let go of Glimmer’s hands, she could feel herself giving into the dizzy feeling plaguing her. For the second time that day, she was losing consciousness. She fully expected to harshly hit the ground. Thankfully this time her head didn’t hit the floor. A sturdy arm wrapped around her waist, quickly pulling her close to the source.

“Glimmer…” Adora murmured, hovering close to Glimmer’s ear, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” Despite her own fatigue, Adora was fully able to support the weakened girl. Small, shaking hands grasped onto Adora’s jacket as Glimmer melted into her comforting touch. She never thought her day would end like this. Feeling truly safe in Adora's arms, hopeful of the future ahead.

Everything would be alright. Joyful tears formed in her eyes once again. Feebly, Glimmer was barely able to speak above a whisper, "You heard her too, didn’t you?"

“I did… Etheria is safe now because of you. I can’t thank you enough for that,” Adora burrowed herself in Glimmer’s shoulder, feeling tears of her own welling up.

“Wait,” Glimmer protested, “You’re the hero here. I — we wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you, Adora.”

“Hey, take some credit, Glimmer,” Adora cooed, "That was so cool what you did."

For a moment, they silently enjoyed each other’s embrace. Adora’s hands cupped Glimmer’s forearms, offering a study sense of support as she pulled away. Glimmer didn’t realize how badly she missed Adora’s slate blue eyes. It appeared Adora was nervous, attempting to smile to cover it up. "After everything's settled and you've talked to your dad… We should talk, like we promised each other to. There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time, Glimmer.”

Would they talk about how their love for each other just saved the world? Maybe they could sit on the roof and look at the starlit sky above them. If Adora was willing, Glimmer could give her a kiss. It was the least she could give her…Adora was her hero — her everything. Without a doubt, she was unconditionally in love with Adora. And finally, she would be able to tell her that.

Oh, but Glimmer’s life was one full of tragedy. Perhaps she was never meant to be truly happy.

All of a sudden, a horrible, rhythmic noise pierced their ears. Whatever it was, it sounded like it was too close. And they were too late.

Everything happened in the span of only a few seconds. Adora could see in the corner of her eye something bright. In the brief moment she managed to look at the source, she saw an entrancing mix of bright blue and purple.

It was a portal that had manifested near them. One that was small but strong. The force was becoming too much to bear. Without any time to react, Adora was swept off her feet. Strangely, the portal was pulling her specifically in. Glimmer appeared unaffected by the gravity distorting around them.

As Adora was pulled in, she desperately reached her hand out as she called out, “Glimmer!”

“Adora!” It was only by an inch that Glimmer missed her hand. She couldn’t grab her in time. As soon as Adora was sucked in, the portal instantaneously vanished.

Just like that, Adora was gone. Everything was gone.

Slowly, Adora regained the ability to open her eyes. Wherever she was laying was rough and earthy. The sky above her was dull and there were no stars. Just as soon as consciousness slipped back into her, she remembered what happened.

“Glimmer!” As she shot up, she quickly took in her surroundings. It was completely puzzling and virtually unbelievable, but she was on the outskirts of Whispering Woods. From where she was, she could clearly see the Fright Zone. Last she heard, a fight between Catra and Hordak left the place a mess. However, from where she was, it looked completely intact.

Curious to figure out what happen, she stood up. Some energy been revived in her, in spite of how harshly she strained herself. Upon looking down, faint sparkles surrounded her hands. Is that… Glimmer’s magic?

Glimmer. She had to get back to her. Make sure she was alright… and tell her how she had been feeling the past few months. Adora had to find Glimmer and finally explain her feelings for her. Tell her how much she meant to her… and how she was everything to Adora. Despite her fatigue, she would run back to Bright Moon if she had to. After all, their love for one another had saved Etheria. They really needed to talk about that.

Glimmer was her best friend. Things had been rough between them, yet she still felt something around her. The fleeting moments where their hands would touch or the times when they slept together always made her heart flutter. During Glimmer’s coronation, Adora felt an array of emotions. Glimmer looked so beautiful and strong, and Adora had never felt so proud of anyone in her life. It took until that moment for Adora to realize what she was feeling was a different kind of love — one different from the kind she felt for Bow and her other friends.

It took Adora every fiber of her being to not immediately fly up to Horde Prime’s ship after Glimmer was kidnapped. Fighting that feeling was the hardest fight she battled the past month. She promised Angella to take care of her daughter, and she failed. Seeing what Glimmer went through provoked a sense of blind rage she never felt before.

She just had to figure out what was going on, first.

“What are you doing here?!” a familiar voice boomed from the woods.

Adora turned back, meeting eyes with Bow of all people. Frankly, she wanted to ask him the same thing. Millions of questions multiplied in her head. Had he been sucked into the portal too? How long had she been out for? Adora beamed a smile, ready to walk over to him. To her complete and utter shock, her friend suddenly aimed an arrow at her. Audibly, she gasped and froze in place. Angered as well as surprised by his actions, she scolded, “Bow! What has gotten into you?!”

He appeared to hesitate at the sound of his name. However, he seemed to easily shake it off — keeping the arrow pointed at her. “How do you know my name?!”

All at once, a revelation mentally slapped her. This was like when an alternate universe was created by Catra. Bow had clearly met her in this world, but viewed her antagonistically. She knew with his arrow pointed at her, she had to be quick with explaining everything to him. Heftily, she sighed as she transformed her bracelet into the sword.

“Put that down! I’m not afraid to shoot, Adora!” Bow warned.

“For the honor of the Rebellion!”

Bow’s jaw dropped at the sight of Adora transforming into her alter-ego. Fear and astonishment provoked him into easing his stance and lowering his weapon. Before him stood a myth, a legend… someone he had been searching for. As a sign of submission, She-Ra stabbed the sword into the ground.

“I won’t hurt you. You don’t have to be afraid of me, Bow,” She-Ra reassured him.

Slowly and wearily, he walked closer to her. His dark eyes were fixated on her as he asked, “You’re… She-Ra?”

“Yes, and we’re supposed to be best friends! I don’t know what’s going on!” She-Ra anxiously explained.

Bow’s mood instantly changed, reflecting that of his mood from earlier. His fist curled at his side, clearly infuriated at what she said. Bow snarled, “How can I be best friends with the monster that killed Queen Angella and kidnapped Glimmer?!”

Azure eyes broadened, as she became immobilized.

What’s… going on?

Chapter Text

How did her life come to this? Being locked up in an infernal prison and used as blackmail against her own kingdom?

    That’s right. I did this to myself. Glimmer hadn’t been queen for too long — maybe six months at the most. Ever since the assassination of her mother, rage had been building up inside her. It was only a matter of time before something would trigger her into doing something wholly self-willed and reckless.

    She had no idea what took over her. Without telling anyone where she was going, she teleported into the Fright Zone. In time, she found her — the one that had killed her mother. Blinded by rage, she didn’t even use her photokinetic blasts. It was a grave mistake attempting to choke the assassin out, seeing she was nearly a foot taller than Glimmer. Without much effort on the Force Captain’s part, Glimmer was overmastered and apprehended.

    “Don’t push yourself, princess.”

    Those words still tortured her, and echoed in her mind. They had her locked up in a room, settling her with the Black Garnet. Their resident crusty sorceress had placed her in a strange device that restrained her abilities. Any attempt to use her magic to escape was in vain. If she tried to teleport, she would be shocked to the point of losing her breath. Honestly, a horrifying experience she didn’t want to endure again.

    Glimmer wasn’t sure how long it had been, precisely. Maybe a week at most. Her back was becoming unbearably sore from the position she was forced in, seeing her arms were crooked back uncomfortably. At least she was able to crouch on her knees. She had lost count of the times someone came in — whether to give her food or begrudgingly let her out of her restraints to use the restroom and wash.

That usually ended up being a short trip seeing she spat out any food or water they attempted to give her. How did she know they weren’t giving her something to alter her mind? Fortunately, if she died, the Horde wouldn’t have blackmail to use against her kingdom.

However, she had to survive. Glimmer had to get back to Bow, to Bright Moon… Then what? Send more of the Rebellion to fight an endless war? Try convincing the princesses to join the alliance for the millionth time? Or maybe entertain the idea once again that there was a She-Ra out there?

    Suddenly, the door to the room opened as a familiar voice rang, “Sorry I’m late, sweetheart!”

    Glimmer had never hated someone as much as Force Captain Adora. The girl had to be only moderately older than her, maybe by a year. It was hard to tell her age, seeing she had a horrid scar surrounding her right eye. The scar appeared to be from an electric shock of some kind. It caused her to constantly have to squint her eye.

    Despite her wearing thick armor, Glimmer could tell the girl was muscular.  Amethyst eyes gazed on Glimmer with a suave aura as she impishly smiled at her. On her right hand, she wore a thick, wired glove. A shard of the Black Garnet powered it — allowing her to electrocute her enemies. Alas, Glimmer knew of its power from personal experience.

Steel-toed boots clanked on the floor as she walked closer to Glimmer, grasping onto some contraption on her belt. Glimmer growled as the Force Captain stepped closer. Every ounce of hatred was communicated to Adora by Glimmer’s venomous gaze alone. However, Adora was completely unaffected by it.

She towered over the small queen, frowning as she squatted down to Glimmer’s level. Venom boiled inside Glimmer, begging to be let out. Perhaps spit on the captain, or let out a few colorful choice of words. The past week, the Force Captain would visit her at least once a day and try to get her to eat, only to fail miserably. Adora would be the one to take her to wash up, seeing they didn’t want any basic flunky shuffling Glimmer around.

Every interaction was an unpleasant one, as the Force Captain attempted to be persuasive and enamoring — at least, Glimmer presumed. After all, it failed to work on Glimmer. She refused to let Adora completely win, and her fasting was the only control in her life in captivity. 

Adora always sounded like she was teasing her, but it particularly sounded tormenting this time around, “I know, I know… I tried getting to you as quick as I possibly could. I know you’re mad at me for not being in sooner. Is there any way for me to make it up to my princess?”

    Her princess. Hearing those words utter from the captain’s mouth made Glimmer’s blood boil, her fingers curl, and her face turn bright red. Loudly, Glimmer growled at Adora as she bared her teeth.

“Quit calling me that! I’m the queen now, no thanks to you, bastard. Clearly you don’t want to find a common ground, so you can fuck right off,” Glimmer venomously sneered.

Adora appeared genuinely taken aback by Glimmer’s choice of words, “What vulgar language from a princess, no less!”

Glimmer could tell Adora was purposely baiting her into getting worked up, and she couldn’t let herself fall for it. Suddenly, gloved fingers were touching her — forcibly tilting her chin upwards. Amethyst eyes gazed into lavender ones with unsuccessful charm.

Adora's voice deepened as she asserted, “Especially from one that’s under my control.”

Glimmer absolutely hated Adora more than anything on Etheria… Therefore, it felt like she was spitting on her mother’s grave as a different kind of blush formed on her cheeks. Mentally, she stabbed herself — violently. Desperately, she wanted to take this out on the Force Captain. Maybe blast her good eye out. Overwhelmed and worked up, she had idiotically fallen for Adora’s teasing. “Oh, I will make you regret calling me that—”

Without much thought, she attempted to teleport out of the restraints. Quickly, the familiar and alarming shock wave flowered through her body. After the shock was done, she fell limp. As she struggled to catch her breath, the captain put a hand on her shoulder.

“I can’t have you hurting yourself. How bad would that make me look to Bright Moon? And hey, we really need to talk about the whole not eating thing. I need you alive, sweetheart,” Adora bitterly jeered.

Glimmer felt anemic. Wouldn’t you know, it’s hard to sleep while in restraints. Adora snatched a contraption from around her belt — the one she had been grasping when she walked in.

“I can get you out of these restraints and into a nice bed, but it requires me using… this.” Adora pressed a button, and various hooked appendages emerged from the round object. A dark red aura surrounded it, indicating it was powered by a shard of the Black Garnet. Lavender eyes widened at the contraption.

“It’s a little thing we’ve been experimenting with called a Magitick. Supposedly, it’s like a portable version of your restraints. It looks painful, I know. I don’t want to use it on you, but I want you to feel comfortable,” Adora calmly offered.

    Glimmer knew Adora would gain something from this; knowing their new weapon would work against the other princesses. She glared up into the amethyst eyes boring into her. The restraint’s spell appeared to work on her for a while after being let out. She had attempted to teleport before once out of them, only to experience the same, painful shock. Yet, the existence of the Magitick suggested that the spell would wear off after a while.

She was desperate to get out of the restraints, if only for a brief while. Maybe for once in her life, she’d swallow her pride. In the brief moment she considered agreeing to Adora’s wishes, Glimmer noticed she had a puzzled look on her ugly face.

“Not to change the subject, but I have to ask you something… Are you sure we haven’t met before? You know, before the Battle of Bright Moon,” Adora’s teasing tone seemed to ease for a moment, and the question was serious.

Honestly, this upset Glimmer. It seemed Adora somehow forgot that they had met before. The circumstances were quite memorable — something an average person couldn't easily forget. “So, you don’t remember Thaymor. I knew it,” Glimmer angrily sneered.

    The attack on Thaymor had many casualties from both sides. Thaymor was a civilian town near the Fright Zone, so it was only a matter of time until the heartless bastards attacked it. Glimmer wasn’t queen yet. She had urgently teleported over with Bow as soon as she heard the word of the sudden attack.

    Long before arriving, she knew they were defeated. She focused on helping the people of Thaymor escape instead of fighting the many soldiers surrounding her. Dust was kicked up and the smell of blood made Glimmer sick. Withal, she prevailed in doing her best to help the townspeople escape. Her heart broke as she heard the screams of people she couldn’t get to in time. Explosions could be heard from afar.

    After a while, the town went quiet. Smoke, fire, and dust made it hard to navigate the place. Glimmer could feel her powers beginning to diminish. She had to opt with carefully navigating through the town’s square, saving teleports for a desperate call. Visibility was minimal, and it was growing harder to breathe.

    Suddenly, a silhouette caught her attention. Cautiously, she stepped closer. It didn’t appear to be a Horde soldier at first, as she couldn't see them wielding a weapon. She ended up regretting this decision, flinching upon processing the all too familiar black armor through the dust.

    Immediately, she clutched her fist and readied a blast to shoot at the soldier. Although the soldier flinched at the sound of her, they merely stood still with their back to her. The soldier lacked the usual helmet the Horde’s subordinates wore, sporting her long, dirty blonde hair into a roughed-up ponytail.

Glimmer’s jaw dropped once her eyes settled at what the soldier was standing in front of… A body of a civilian.

The deer person had a single stab wound, and it was clear he had died some time ago. Hesitantly and slowly, the Horde soldier began to turn towards Glimmer. Blood was splattered on her, evicting fear to arise in Glimmer. She had her own wound; a deep puncture near her hip bone. Menacingly, the girl held a dagger in her gloved hand.

Defensively, Glimmer prepared photokinetic blasts in her palms. The girl failed to react, blankly staring at Glimmer with broken slate blue eyes. It was then that Glimmer detected the shake in hand that held the dagger. For a moment, Glimmer fully believed this was a manipulative act to gain her trust. “Drop your weapon! Now!”

It appeared what Glimmer said went in one ear and flew out the next. Instead of listening, the soldier kept her blank gaze on Glimmer. The weakest voice managed to squeak out of the girl, “I… wasn’t told this was a civilian town. These are innocent people… aren’t they?”

Somehow, the soldier tugged at Glimmer’s heartstrings. The absolute heartbreak in her tiny voice made her believe that this girl genuinely was sorry for her actions. During the brief moment Glimmer let her guard down, the soldier slowly twisted the dagger in her palm.

Astonishingly, she flipped the pointed end towards her palm. The soldier held the handle of the dagger to Glimmer, submissively offer it to her. This encouraged Glimmer to ease her posture, letting the weak magic in her hands die out. A crazed, tearful gaze befell the solider.

“Kill me, please. Slice my throat open, make sure I suffer more than he did,” the girl begged, the softness of her voice replaced with desperation. This girl was a tool of war. Likely manipulated from an early age by the Horde.

How was Glimmer supposed to feel? Was it fucked up to even feel an ounce of sympathy for a Horde peon? Would it be heartless to take this manipulated girl's life? Knowing that at any moment this girl could be leading her into a trap, Glimmer reached up with the utmost caution. Their eyes failed to break contact, both bewildered by the situation. Delicately, she wrapped her fingers around the dagger and took it from the soldier.

To the girl's surprise, Glimmer tossed the dagger aside. Again, a tense silence befell them. The soldier was empty as she failed to process the situation. All her life, she was told the Princesses were ruthless and incapable of feeling empathy for any living thing. They would never hesitate to kill a Horde soldier if given a chance.

Yet, this one did hesitate. Two things the Horde had told her had turned out to be lies. Looking at the girl sparked an odd feeling in Glimmer — something she had failed to ever feel before. Maybe it was a sense of destiny. Like she was meant to meet this soldier. Glimmer stood still, keeping her lavender eyes locked on her.

"Empathy isn't something you learn about in the Horde, huh?" Glimmer asked, regretting the somewhat condescending tone.

Tranquilly, the Horde soldier stayed silent and merely kept her empty, thoughtless gaze on the princess. Glimmer broke the silence once again, “You don’t have to go back. What is keeping you from running away?"

The question seemingly further bewildered the soldier, as if it was a choice she never considered. She appeared deep in thought at the idea, clutching her hands at her side. With the same soft voice from earlier, the soldier replied, "I... I don't know…"

That weird feeling flared up — that sense of destiny. Looking into the girl’s slate-blue eyes evoked something. Glimmer surprised herself, blurting out, "Come with me."

Immediately, the girl gasped at the offer. Why would Glimmer even think for a moment that was a wise idea? Offering her alliance to a Horde subordinate — one that had just murdered a civilian, no less? It was as if something was guiding her to spare the soldier. Timidly, the girl lowered her eyes to the ground. “Even after everything I’ve done?”

Glimmer shifted a bit closer to the girl. Not uncomfortably close, yet enough to show her that she trusted her — at least, as much as Glimmer could trust a Horde soldier. Lavender eyes shifted down to the wound on the girl’s abdomen, which now evoked a sense of worry.

“I’m not heartless. I won’t let you bleed out here… Besides, I feel like… maybe we’re meant to be friends… or something,” Glimmer murmured as her eyes shifted back up to the solider’s.

What she said appeared to surprise the girl. A light gasp escaped her lips and there appeared to be some new life in her eyes. “I… I feel it too.”

Glimmer herself was now shocked. This girl was also feeling that sense of destiny, as if these two were meant to cross paths.

    Just as soon as Glimmer began to lift her hand to offer it to the solider, someone called from afar, “Adora!? Where are you?!”

    Adora flinched at the sound of her name. Dust had failed to clear from the area, easily hiding the two. Panicked eyes stared in Glimmer.

    “You need to get out of here, now, ” Adora urged.

    Glimmer knew with the amount of magic she had left, she wouldn’t be able to even take on one soldier. Maybe she had enough for one more teleport. Just enough to get her out of Thaymor, that’s all she needed. Upon attempting, she merely felt her head spin and her magic die out. She had pushed herself too hard and was now facing the consequences.

    A fierce headache plagued Glimmer, causing her to clutch at her head. A sturdy arm wrapped around her before she could lose her balance. The touch made her flinch, as she realized the rouge enemy appeared to be helping her.

“Let’s get you to that house,” Adora whispered, “You can hide there.” Quickly, Adora guided her over to the hut. The door had been busted in, and no one was inside. Furniture was flipped and doors were open — clear signs the house had been searched.

“Adora!?” Both of them flinched, realizing the voice sounded much closer this time. With a heightened sense of urgency, Adora guided Glimmer to the wall close to the door.

“Lie low,” Adora whispered. Following her guidance, Glimmer lowered herself down. Even with the door kicked in, someone would have to directly enter the house to see Glimmer from where she sat. Adora squatted down close to the princess, returning her touch to Glimmer’s arm.

… This was supposed to be her enemy. Said enemy was covered in the blood of an innocent civilian… So, why was Glimmer blushing?

“You spared my life. It’s only fair to pay you back, princess,” Adora feebly beamed.

    Softly, Glimmer beamed back, “Hey. Adora, right? You can call me Glimmer.” How was she able to smile at Adora? Despite whom she was, and what she had done? Callused fingers brushed against her arm for the last time before Adora stood up.

    “I’ll think about your offer, Glimmer,” Adora kept her weak smile for the princess, “And I’ll make sure no one will come in after you. I promise.”

    The two looked at each other one last time, offering each other silence and faint smiles before Adora ran off into the dusty plaza.

    “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you,” the same voice from earlier sounded incredibly close now.

    By the sounds of it, the two were maybe only a few yards away from the house. Glimmer sat absolutely still, keeping her breathing minimal. The two shifted around, and a gasp emitted from one of them.

    “Holy shit, Adora! You killed someone?!” the person sounded impressed, distastefully enough.

    “He… tried to kill me,” Adora couldn’t even hide her guilt from a fellow Horde official, “Catra, I’ll never forgive myself for—”

    Catra erupted in a sickening laughter, “No! Shadow Weaver will be so impressed! You’re bound to be prompted to Force Captain now.”

    Adora wasn’t just any ordinary solider — she was on the path of becoming a high-ranking official. How could she get this far in her training without realizing how in the wrong the Horde was?

    “Catra… This is a civilian town. These aren't insurgents. They're innocent people. Are you… okay with this?” Glimmer’s heart pinged with the pain emitting from Adora’s voice.

“All that matters is the two of us look out for each other. And soon we'll be calling the shots. Now, can we go home?”

    There was a long, painful pause. Understandably, Adora was thinking things over. “Yeah. I’ve already searched the area. No one’s here,” Adora lied, without any indication in her voice that she was — forcing Glimmer's heart to skip a beat.

    “Good, I didn’t want to leave without you! Who would I hang out with, then? Kyle?” Catra laughed. With that, their voices began to fade out — indicating that they were walking away. Glimmer sat in the house for a while after, making sure she wouldn’t run into another Horde solider. She had high doubts she would ever get that lucky ever again.

    For a long time, she was hopeful Adora would come to her. Innocently writing in her diary about the Horde solider, and blushing at the idea that the girl would loyalty serve her. Her heart once fluttered at the idea.

Eventually, Adora came back to her. However, not in the way Glimmer hoped — as it was during a sudden attack on Bright Moon by the Horde. The solider appeared much different, oddly sporting amethyst eyes and a mangled, charred scar.

    It was in that battle that her mother was killed by Adora.

    “You were so afraid. It made me realize that not all Horde soldiers willingly want to be a part of this war! What happened to you?!"

    Adora appeared shocked by the story. At the mention of it, she was forced to realize there was a gap in her memory. One point, she was training for her first on-field mission to a Rebel base called Thaymor. But she never went on the trip, and was still promoted to Force Captain. What could the queen gain from telling Adora this?

Her trust, possibly? Neither of them had that in each other, and probably never would. However, she didn't want the queen thinking for a second that she believed her. “I don’t recall that, princess. You must be mixing me up with someone else.”

"It's so obvious you had your memory wiped. You're under some sort of spell, and you're an idiot for not realizing," Glimmer badgered. The queen had a decent point. Not the idiot thing, but the mind wipe thing. It seemed absolutely in character for Shadow Weaver.

However, Adora didn't find the situation horribly troubling. She was used to Shadow Weaver’s antics. "Who cares? I'm at the top of my game now. It doesn't matter how I got here," Adora boasted, smirking boldly.

“Soon, this will all come crashing down on you,” Glimmer rebutted, “Somewhere in the back of your corrupt, manipulated, half-witted mind, you’re haunted over the fact you’ve killed people.”

In spite of the cocky attitude Adora put on, Glimmer was right. There was an insubstantial amount of guilt somewhere in her dark mind. After all, she wasn’t completely heartless. She offered basic necessities to the bratty queen, and she didn’t jump at the opportunity right away.

Easily, Adora shook off what Glimmer said, replying with, “Whatever, princess. Let’s get back to talking about this Magitick thing. You’ll do it for me, won’t you?”

Before Glimmer could answer, an awful screeching noise caught their attention. As Adora turned around, she saw fingers prying open the door to the room. Whoever was doing that was insanely powerful. Straightaway, Adora began to charge her electric glove.

For what felt like the first time in her life, Adora found herself immobilized.

The deity standing before her was fearsome. Almost eight feet tall, and hosting long, flowing beautiful hair. The deity stared back with slate-blue eyes that conveyed a sense of shock. For a moment, the two looked at each other — both feeling really freaked out.

Adora was paralyzed due to a sense of fear and misunderstanding — but she had no clue why the deity was paralyzed, too. A boy she recognized as one of the queen’s friends was beside her, full of anxiety.

“I told you! She looks exactly like you!” he loudly exclaimed.

For a moment, Adora was confused. That wasn’t true, she didn’t look exactly like her. This woman was clearly much taller, and glowing. Then again, she had a similar facial structure. The deity appeared irate, her knuckles nearly turned white as she gripped her sword.

“Hand her over, now, ” the deity boomed. The two glared at each other a moment. Adora needed to act fast. Alone, she didn’t stand well against the deity and the archer beside her. However, Adora refused to take orders from her.

“I have no clue what’s happening or how you got this far,” as she spoke, she turned up a notch on her glove in order to amplify the power of the electricity, “But if you take a single step closer, our princess here will be getting a few more volts than she can handle.”

The deity appeared further enraged, growling as her sword began to glow. Within a second, it morphed into a lasso. Before Adora could bring the glove closer to Glimmer, she was quickly ensnared in the deity’s lasso.

All of a sudden, Adora was afflicted by the worst pain she had ever felt in her life. It literally felt like acid was being tossed onto her body. The lasso didn’t even have an awfully tight grip around her, and it was obvious some other force was causing the gruesome pain. Multicolored, cubic energy shuffled around her.

    In her eyes, the world around her appeared to be glitching as she fell to her knees. To the enemies surrounding her, Adora herself appeared to be glitching. Even though it felt like it lasted forever, it actually only lasted a few seconds. It appeared Adora’s screams of pain appealed to the deity’s sympathy, seeing she loosened the grip around Adora.

That didn’t matter in the end, seeing Adora quickly lost consciousness.

    “... Can I say, I’m really glad you’re on our side?” Bow emphasized, gulping at the sight of the downed enemy in front of him.

    What Adora’s alter ego went through looked painful. It appeared she was glitching, and the effect didn’t stop until Adora brought back her lasso. The doppelgänger had been knocked out, understandably.

    “I… That’s never happened before,” Adora quietly noted. She couldn’t find herself caring too much. It was cruel putting the other Adora through that wicked pain, but it gave her the chance to free Glimmer.

    Glimmer.

    Looking at her fractured Adora’s heart in many directions. At that moment, Adora was reminded of when her Glimmer was a similar situation — being used as a bribe to take over Bright Moon. Her Glimmer was able to phase out of the powerful restraints upon Shadow Weaver attempting to wipe her mind.

    All the same, she had to remind herself, this wasn’t her Glimmer. This Glimmer looked up at her with a fresh sense of awe and wonderment. Jaded, tired eyes appeared to perk up once Adora looked into them. Mouth agape, she appeared to forget for a moment that she was still in restraints.

    “Glimmer!” Bow cried out. Bow rushed to her side, floored by the relief of seeing his best friend alive. Granted, she wasn’t well — her skin was pale and the sparkles were faded from her hair and cape. Bow attempted to fiddle with the restraints, only to be immediately shocked by them. He clutched his hand, as he looked worriedly at Glimmer. “Glimmer, don’t worry I’ll get you out, I-I just have to — how do you—”

She-Ra immediately came over, grabbing one of the restraints. She seemed unaffected by the painful shock — or rather, she didn’t care too much — too absorbed with trying to help Glimmer. Adora managed to rip away one of the restraints from Glimmer. Destroying one appeared to disconnect the other one from the Black Garnet, successfully freeing Glimmer.

Glimmer had no words, still in awe of the myth standing before her. It comforted her knowing she was free. Even so, the deity was simply too magnificent. How was she supposed to act around her? Super cordial? Was she allowed to look her in the eyes? Glimmer had been searching for She-Ra since her mother’s death.

Now, she was standing before her — rescuing her. Frailly, Glimmer murmured, “... She-Ra? I… knew you were real.”

It felt humbling and special to be worthy of this demigoddess’ time. Maybe this was all just getting to her head. She was fatigued and could still feel the Black Garnet’s negative energy inside her. Azure, glowing eyes pierced into her, as a gentle smile appeared on She-Ra.

“I can heal you, Glimmer,” She-Ra kindly offered, “Then, maybe you can teleport us out?”

Glimmer beamed feebly back, “I’ll try.”

Bow had already figured out how to close the door leading to the chamber, so they would continue to hopefully avoid detection. Adora’s doppelgänger appeared stone-cold, and it was evident she wouldn’t be getting up soon. The deity leaned down, using her massive hands to clasp the queen’s cheeks. They pressed their heads together, evoking a deep blush from Glimmer.

Magic flowed within Glimmer, and the Black Garnet’s conflicting energy appeared to be evicted out of her — merging into the nearby gemstone. Some of her sparkles started to shine again, as she could feel energy coming back to her. Frankly, witnessing that made her fear She-Ra to an extent. The malicious, cold-hearted Adora was turned to dust in She-Ra’s lasso.

Slowly, it became easier to breath. Strength and relief returned to her. She-Ra backed away, beaming down at Glimmer and offering her hand. Without hesitation, Glimmer accepted to hand. Withal, she found it strange how blissful She-Ra looked to see her.

Their hands lingered together a little too long. A strange, familiar feeling bubbled up inside her — one she soon realized was akin to the feeling she felt when she first met the once innocent Adora. Destiny had brought these two together. Finally, the answer to Glimmer’s problems was standing before her. It was enough to force her eyes to water.

“Wow…” Glimmer knew her eyes were sparkling, “I always thought you were just a myth, She-Ra…” Glimmer shifted, feeling a bit humbled and nervous in her presence, “I-I can teleport us out to Whispering Woods. I think that’s all I have energy for.”

Kindly, She-Ra encouraged, “Don’t worry. I’ll get you back to Bright Moon, I promise.”

They were now in the Whispering Woods, with only the tallest structures of the Fright Zone being visible from where they were. Finally, Glimmer was free from that nightmare. The night’s wind felt cold, yet far more inviting than the mechanical aura of the Fright Zone. As the surrounding foliage tumbled in the wind, she felt a sense of relaxation.

As her sparkle dimmed, she felt herself faltering. She held tightly onto Bow and She-Ra’s hands, as she felt as if she could fall over. Suddenly, She-Ra moved her sizable hand to the small of her back.

If it wasn’t for the fact she felt like blacking out, she would probably be flustered by the touch. After all, She-Ra was a nearly 8-foot, absolutely beautiful demigoddess. She frowned down at the queen. “Are you alright? I shouldn’t have pushed you like that, I’m sorry,” She-Ra gently apologized, her voice riddled with guilt.

“No…. I’ll be alright…” Glimmer slurred, exhaustion catching up to her.

“No you won’t,” She-Ra sternly countered.

Aware of how headstrong Glimmer was in any dimension, She-Ra’s next decisions were done without permission. She wrapped her sturdy arms around Glimmer’s legs and back, easily hoisting her up.

Being in She-Ra’s arms was the safest she had felt in years. Was it alright for her to feel this way? Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled — simply in awe of She-Ra?

    “Don’t worry,” She-Ra offered, “You’re safe with us, Glimmer. You can rest.”

    She gladly accepted She-Ra’s offer. Shutting her eyes as She-Ra and Bow walked together. Feeling like everything would be alright.

    “Are you sure you don’t want me to hold her for a bit?”

    Bow’s offer was generous, but Adora shook her head, “I’m fine, Bow, thanks.”

It appeared Glimmer fainting was become a constant for Adora. Sometime after Glimmer had fainted, fatigue forced Adora to turn back into her regular self. Glimmer wasn’t heavy in her arms. Determination kept Adora trudging ahead, needing to keep her promise to Glimmer.

Weird how she had promised two different Glimmers that she would bring them back to Bright Moon. Her heart broke somewhat, thinking of her own Glimmer. It was tempting to look down and observe the Glimmer in her arms. However, she didn’t want to risk tripping or running into something.

The light of Etheria’s various moons illuminated the woods. Not considering the time Adora spent passed out after arriving in the dimension, it had been awhile since she slept. She couldn’t find herself falling asleep after she reconnected to She-Ra— too eager to save her Glimmer from Horde Prime. And now, she ignored her harassing fatigue in order to ensure the safety of Glimmer.

It seemed Bow was catching onto Adora’s slowing pace and the growing bags beneath her eyes, “Do you want to stop for the night? You look exhausted.”

They were far from the Fright Zone. If it was like her world, the Horde likely wasn’t able to easily navigate the Whispering Woods — not without Entrapta on their side. Sending in soldiers after them would be too risky, even considering who they were losing. It would take more than half a day to navigate through the Whispering Woods to Bright Moon. Glimmer needed food and water. Resting until morning would do them all good.

“If we can find a good spot, we can stop,” Adora agreed.

Bow continued to look at her, a bit concerned, “You… seem like a determined person, Adora.”

Adora kept her eyes straight, “I get that a lot.”

“What’s it like in your world, if you don’t mind me asking?” Bow asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“It’s a bit like this one, I guess. I was in the Horde my whole life, until I—” It hit her like a brick why her doppelgänger was still in the Horde in this world. Her tired eyes widened, and a light gasp escaped her. She kept walking, her determination too strong. “I must’ve never found the sword in this dimension. I’ve been in an alternate universe before like this… Sorry, this is a lot to explain, huh?”

“No, no! You’re fine, Adora. Maybe if I explain what’s happened here, it’ll help you out?”

“Yeah. That would probably be better than me explaining my confusing world.”

They entered a thicket in the woods. Seeing the canopy was dense above, it made it harder to see what was in front of them. Just barely could the two could see a nice, well-hidden patch, free of any shrubs and relatively flat. “Let’s stop in that clearing,” Adora ordered, “We can rest and talk.”

It was getting colder as the night went on. Adora had taken her jacket off, putting it over Glimmer. She was weak, she needed it far more than she did. At least Adora had the fire Bow started to warm her up. Adora could feel herself drifting, completely exhausted from the day. Bow looked at her from across the weak fire. Bow tapped his fingers on his knee, appearing to think of things to ask Adora.

    “So, you were saying earlier you must’ve never found the sword in this universe, right?” Bow asked.

    “Yeah. Shadow Weaver must have me — or Adora under some kind of spell. Wiped her memories — something… That scar… it had to be her,” Adora drifted — Shadow Weaver, something else I need to talk about with Glimmer.

    “Shadow Weaver?” Bow asked, Adora forgetting he had no clue who she was.

    “She’s… my mom, I guess. She raised me in the Horde. Taught me everything to know about life… At least, I thought she did,” Adora’s thoughts drifted once again — she didn’t teach me about love… or what a horse is.

    “She would do that to you? Wipe your memories?” Bow naively wondered.

    “She tried before in my world…” The thought made her shift her gaze back to the sleeping figure beside them. Glimmer slept so peacefully, clutching onto Adora’s jacket. She had to remind herself once more — this isn’t my Glimmer. “Glimmer saved me. I owe her my life for that.”

    It was silent for a moment. Bow appeared to be weirded out by her apparent affectionate towards Glimmer. He had to remind himself, this was a different Adora who had a different Glimmer. “You two were close, huh?”

    Briefly after, she looked up at him, “And so were we, Bow. I know this all sounds weird. Maybe you should explain what happened in this world.”

    Bow heftily sighed, placing his quiver down. He crossed his legs, sighing before explaining, “Awhile ago, there was a battle at Bright Moon… While Queen Angella was defending the Runestone, you — or, the other Adora killed her.”

He paused, giving himself a moment to mourn Angella, before moving on, “Glimmer suddenly became so much more powerful and was able to drive the Horde away… She had no choice but to step in her mother’s shoes. Before her mother’s death, Glimmer was attempting to reform the Princess Alliance, but… nobody wanted to join. Besides—”

“Netossa and Spinerella?”

“Wow, your universe really is similar to our own. I guess you could say Entrapta is a part of the alliance, too? Glimmer’s letting her stay in Bright Moon because Dryll was seized,” Bow noted.

“That’s... a little different from my universe, then.”

Adora talked more about her universe. How they had stars back home, but she never had time to appreciate them. She further explained in detail virtually everything that happened after she joined the Princess Alliance. Just like in her universe, Bow was eager and understanding to the best of his ability.

    However, the two were growing exhausted. The fire was dying down, prompting Bow to say, “Before we go to sleep, I’m going to grab some more firewood!”

    “You sure you don’t want me to get it?” Adora offered.

    “Relax, Adora. I got this,” Bow reassured her. With that, Bow wandered into the woods. He was right, she shouldn’t stress too much… or maybe she should. She was far from home — she was in a different universe. Withal, she had to be hopeful. She had to get back to her friends.

    She had to keep her promise to Glimmer. Speaking of, Adora couldn’t stop staring at the sleeping figure. It felt like she was violating her privacy. Still, she still felt her stomach dance at the sight of her. The way her jacket curved around her waist was enticing in its own right. It all still felt so unreal. Was she truly in an alternate universe?

In her defense of her following actions, she was exhausted. Somehow, someway, she thought it was a brilliant idea to see if Glimmer had her shoulder wound that Horde Prime inflicted. Adora crawled over to the nearby queen. Thankfully, as she had shifted around since Adora put the jacket on her, it was starting to slip off her shoulder.

    Adora knew Glimmer was a heavy sleeper. How else would she sneak into her bed nearly every night? Stealthily, she began to slip the capelet off Glimmer. As her bare shoulder was exposed, it was apparent she lacked the scar. Seeing this further solidified the fact this really wasn’t her world. This really wasn’t her Glimmer.

None of that roused Glimmer, as predicted. However, seeing the queen so close up again made Adora’s stomach twist in knots. Observing her sleep so peacefully kindled a sense of happiness Adora seldom felt the past month. Color had returned to Glimmer’s face, an indication that she was feeling better. 

Her hair was messy, looking somewhat like how she used to keep it before she was queen. Bangs covered her face, and the temptation grew too irresistible. As she found herself excessively captivated by Glimmer, she couldn’t stop herself from reaching up and tenderly brushing lose strands of hair.

Alas, she apparently overestimated how heavy of a sleeper Glimmer was. The touch caused sleepy lavender eyes to blink up at her. In an instant, her eyes shot open in panic. Adora felt a deep sense of regret, knowing she overstepped her boundaries. As Adora quickly backed away, she attempted to apologize, “I’m so sorry, I—”

“Stay away from me!” Glimmer bitingly demanded.

Suddenly, she was blasted by Glimmer. Adora didn’t expect such a violent reaction. The force was weak, seeing the queen lacked her usual strength. Regardless, it was enough to knock Adora onto her back in a painful thump. Despite Glimmer’s weakened state, she was able to stand up steadily. Before Adora could get up, Glimmer place her foot on the hero’s chest — essentially pining her down.

Adora could easily overtake Glimmer. The girl was much smaller and lighter than her. Even from the unassertive position she was in, she could find a way to counter her. However, Adora had no desire too. In spite of her reminding herself constantly this was not her Glimmer, she couldn’t help but be enthralled by her — particularly delighted with how the fire illuminated her.

    Adora could feel Glimmer’s eyes piercing into her as the queen barked, “Did you think you could trick me with that disguise?! How stupid do you think I am?!”

    It suddenly hit her like a brick. Before Adora could defend herself, the queen noticed her capelet was askew. Her eyes went wide for a moment, before a fierce blush flowered across her cheeks. She leaned into her foothold, pressing harder on Adora as she sharply questioned, “Were you trying to take my clothes off?!”

    “No, no! Glimmer, I’m—”

    Glimmer prepared another weak blast in her hand as she snapped, “Give me one good reason not to kill you!”

    “Glimmer, no! That’s not Adora!” The sound of Bow’s anxious voice caught both the girl’s attention. Firewood clunked onto the ground at the sight of the two. Glimmer was dead set on keeping Adora on the ground, swiftly returning her malicious glare.

    “Then who are you?!”

    Put on the spot, Adora found no way to solve the situation — simply and awkwardly answering, “I’m… Adora…?”

    Glimmer further pressed more weight onto Adora, understandably not satisfied by the answer, “Is this a joke?! I don’t care who you are! All that matters is that you… you were stripping me!”

    Adora looked over at Bow, who was uncomfortable. He looked down at Adora, evidently conveying a sense of disappointment. "Okay, I can’t really defend that, Adora. You’re making my job harder here.”

    Trying to defuse the situation, Adora hastily explained, "I-I am so sorry, Glimmer, I was just trying to figure something out! Please listen to us, I'm not the Adora you're thinking of!"

Quick to bolster up Adora, Bow further justified, "I mean, look! She’s missing that hideous scar!” Immediately, he physically recoiled at his regretful choice of words. Understanding of his mistake, Adora silently forgave him. "Besides, she’s She-Ra!”

    His words appeared to ease Glimmer, promoting her to ease some of her weight off Adora’s chest as she snapped, “What?!”

Never had Adora ever conveyed a sense of urgency more than when she pleaded, “I’m not going to hurt you! I’m not her. Please believe me, Glimmer!”

    The stress of the two badgering her appeared to strike a nerve. Through the light of the fire, Adora could make out tears welling up in the queen’s eyes. The magic welled up in her fist appeared to die down. Glimmer’s voice cracked as she murmured, “You already have.”

Clearly and understandably so, Glimmer held a deep personal vendetta towards the Adora of this dimension. For whatever reason, she was taking it out on Adora. It was easy to see why Glimmer associated her with her doppelgänger. Things were so muddled up in Adora’s mind at that moment.

Withal, she truly understood this Glimmer was so much like her Glimmer. Headstrong and untrusting of those she doesn’t know. All of a sudden, Adora clicked something together in her head — something that she could use to gain this Glimmer’s trust.

“Glimmer… I know you don’t trust me. But you have to believe me. I’m from an alternate dimension that’s a lot like this one…” Adora hesitated, allowing for a moment to deeply think about what she’s about to tell her, “If it’s anything like my world, your father is still alive.”

    Straightaway, Adora regretted her actions for the second time that night. Where before Glimmer was mad, she was now infuriated. For a brief moment, she took her boot off Adora’s chest — only to promptly bend over the hero. The queen was virtually straddling her as she grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, pulling her up distressingly close to her face.

    Initially, Glimmer kept her voice low yet still full of the same malice, “Listen to me. I honestly don’t give a single fuck that you’re She-Ra — especially now,” she raised her voice as she chided, “What kind of twisted, awful human being would make up a horrible, awful lie like that?”

    It was clear now that Glimmer hated her. Not just her doppelgänger, but her specifically. Adora had fucked up, miserably. With the queen hovering so painstakingly close to her, Adora had to sort out what to say quick. This time, she had to be smooth. “Glimmer. I know you,” Adora calmly smiled, “You’ve always thought you were weaker than the other princesses because you needed to recharge more than them…”

Her words weren’t all that smooth, unmistakably striking a nerve with the queen. Understandable, seeing Adora just flat-out insulted her powers. Promptly, Adora added, “B-But that never stopped you! Glimmer, you’ve always wanted to fight! You’re so powerful, you always have been! Bow and I’ve always believed in you. Glimmer, you’re invaluable and smart a-and… you’re beautiful.”

Glimmer was unused to hearing such compliments, perking up and letting the scowl on her face mitigate. A fierce blush was returning to her face. What Adora was saying appeared to appeal to Glimmer, inducing her to loosen the grip on Adora’s shirt.

Finally, Adora was successfully cleaning her plate, “I have never been so proud of someone in my life — and Glimmer…” Yet again, her tired mind failed to connect for a moment that this wasn’t her Glimmer. Despite her looking exactly like her, this wasn’t her. After a pause that was frankly too long, Adora finally added, “Your mother would be so proud of you. If I was lying, how would I know any of this?”

    Lavender eyes fully stopped the hateful glare. In an instant, the shaky fist let go of Adora’s shirt. Glimmer shot up, immediately turning her back to both Adora and Bow.

“I… I need a minute,” Glimmer was barely audible. The queen paced into the thicket of the woods, evidently wanting some time alone to sort her thoughts out.

Once she was long gone, Bow walked over to the downed hero. He offered out a hand, nervously smiling at her. Bow apologized on Glimmer’s behalf, “Sorry about that. She can be…”

    “Headstrong? I know…” Adora weakly smiled as she took his hand.

And that’s what I love about her. She would be back. It was best to give her time to think things over. Adora was sure they would be friends soon enough.

    Sleep refused to come easily to Adora. Bow was already snoring at that point. She was used to sleeping on uncomfortable surfaces. Having a twig up your ass sure beat the cardboard slabs in the Horde. Granted, she missed Glimmer’s bed. She missed waking up at the crack of dawn, hours before Glimmer — sneaking out before she could catch her.

    Speaking of, Glimmer had not come back yet. It worried Adora to some extent, especially knowing the girl still hadn’t drank any water or eaten. Right at the moment she thought of waking up Bow, the sound of crunching leaves caught her attention.

    She shot up from the ground, looking over to see the queen emerging from the thicket. It was obvious Glimmer had been crying. Adora offered a comforting smile. However, it failed miserably as the queen viciously glared at her. In an attempt to make peace, Adora grabbed a water canteen near the fire. As Glimmer approached, Adora offered it to her.

    Careful not to wake up Bow, Adora quietly offered, “Glimmer, you should probably—”

    “Don’t talk to me. You will never tell me what to do,” Glimmer scowled in a volume matching Adora’s. Regardless of her statement, she yanked the canteen from Adora’s hand. 

Feeling depressed due to the interaction, Adora simply lied back down. She curled up on her side, wondering where things went so wrong. Maybe the forced stripping could have upset her, Adora?

    To her relief, it sounded like Glimmer was grabbing something to eat from Bow’s bag. Perhaps since Glimmer was back now, Adora could sleep easier. After a while, the queen lied down on the ground between Bow and Adora. Adora couldn’t see how far Glimmer was from her, seeing she had her back turned to her still.

    “Adora?” Glimmer calling out her name invoked a sense of vibrant happiness. It prompted Adora to turn on her other side, meeting with lavender eyes that continued to throw daggers directly into her heart. “I would sleep with one eye open if I were you.”

    Honestly scared for her life, Adora found herself turning away from Glimmer. Having her glare at her wouldn’t help her racing thoughts. In spite of how Glimmer was acting towards her, Adora eventually tucked her jacket over Glimmer once again. Of course, she waited till the queen had fallen asleep.

    A selfish part of Adora wished to wake up in Bright Moon with her Glimmer.

Chapter Text

“Adora…?”

    Someone was calling out to her. In her grogginess, it was hard to tell who. The voice was muffled, adding to the confusion. Furthermore, it sounded as if it was far away.

    “Adora…”

It appeared she had entered a dreamscape of sorts. The details were hazy, but it was dark. So dark, she couldn’t even make out a horizon. It was simply nothingness.

    “Adora… you promised…”

    Glimmer .

    Her voice had become less muffled. Starlight began to spark in front of Adora in the dark dreamscape, being the only source of light present. Wearily, Adora stepped closer to the starlight. “You promised we would come back to Bright Moon... together…”

Peculiarly, it sounded as if Glimmer’s voice was coming from the starlight. Adora reached out, attempting to touch the starlight. Nonetheless, it wasn’t tangible — seeing her hand swiped through it.

“Glimmer? I promise, I’ll find a way back to you!” Adora yelled out to the starlight.

“Adora…” Her voice was so clear this time around, causing Adora to flinch. Tears began to trickle out of Adora’s eyes, desperately wanting to see her Glimmer.

“Do we have to take her with us, Bow?”

Huh? Suddenly, her tone was much different. More than ever before, it sounded like Glimmer was right beside her… or hovering over her. Sure enough, Adora’s eyes shot open and were immediately with a furious gaze. She had been dreaming.

Right. I’m in an alternate dimension — again — and Glimmer really, really hates me. Adora had to remind herself, still feeling dazed. All of what happened the night before wasn’t a dream. It was light out, and it was obvious both Glimmer and Bow had been up for a while.

“Oh! Morning, Glimmer!” Adora a little too enthusiastically greeted.

Why did she ever think that would work? Glimmer’s scowl only worsened, encouraging Adora to wipe the smile off her face.

“Were you planning on sleeping all day?” Glimmer barked. Retaliating against Glimmer was the worst possible choice Adora could make. It was there she decided the best way to fully win this Glimmer over was to not ever debate with her — ever.

Even walking with the Glimmer of that dimension felt dangerous. As they walked along, Glimmer began trailing behind both Adora and Bow. Seeing her health wasn’t in the best shape, it concerned Adora. At some point, Adora stopped in her tracks to look at the queen. The smile she offered was met with a piercing scowl that would stir the coldest of hearts.

“Are you alright?” Adora asked, uneasily shaking off Glimmer’s glare.

    “Oh, I’m doing wonderful,” all the sarcasm in the world was transferred to Glimmer at that moment, “Just making sure I don’t walk in front of you and allow you to slit my throat. Also, I don’t need your sympathy.”

    With a fearful gulp, Adora continued looking straight ahead. Bow nervously stared at her, appearing to wordlessly apologize for his friend again. Her Glimmer was bitter towards her when they first met, but not quite on this level. Adora was sure if she made one wrong move, this Glimmer would order her immediate execution.

    “So…” Bow was just barely audible as he whispered, “What’s your plan from here?”

Honestly, Adora had only a few ideas of what to do. Her main priority was to gain the trust of Glimmer. Withal, that was proving to be virtually impossible. She needed to find something, do something that would gain the queen’s trust. Her mind circled back to Micah.

Micah...

“I swear on my life — I will stop at nothing until I bring her back to you.”

The worn father placed a hand on Adora’s shoulder. He offered the smallest of smiles. A weak spark shone in his eyes, and she could tell her genuinely believed in her. Once Adora had reconnected to She-Ra, the Princess Alliance was getting ready to take on Horde Prime. They decided Micah would stay back in Bright Moon — one of the last kingdoms standing after Prime’s invasion. He was a strong leader, yet his time away had invigorated immense trauma.

“I can tell you’ve been stressed about this, too,” Micah’s smile faded, “About Glimmer, I mean. You two… you were close, weren’t you?”

Close . Adora struggled to know the double meaning of a lot of things. Innuendos and metaphors often went in one ear and flew out the next. However, right then, she felt as if close was referring to something else.

That feeling she felt when Glimmer snuggled up against her at the hot springs Mystacor. How she couldn’t stop smiling when Glimmer stopped Shadow Weaver from wiping her memories. The truly awful, burning rage she felt when Scorpia dangled Glimmer over a ditch, threatening her life. Why did her heart flutter when Glimmer touched her? Why did it feel like it would fall out of her chest when they slept together, and Glimmer would move close to her?

Oh, stars, the coronation. Seeing her so regal, so beautiful made Adora’s head spin. The night the two had interrogated nearly every soul in the castle to find the possible spy had made her heart churn as well. Seeing her about to teleport out into the wicked storm absolutely broke Adora. Back then, Adora had told her she needed her there. Was that her attempting to confess something? Her uneducated, naive mind trying to sort out her feelings? Was it taboo to tell a girl’s father your feelings for his daughter? The burning feeling in her heart was begging to be let out.

She needed to tell someone. Would Bow be a better person to tell? All these thoughts came crashing down, surging in her mind and eventually all spilling out—

“Yeah. I…” Adora was bewildered and short of breath as she confessed, “I think I might be in love with her, Micah.”

The statement appeared to hit him like a brick. He had suspected Adora’s feelings for Glimmer for a while. He was the one to tell her that saving Glimmer before Adora was reconnected with She-Ra was unrealistic and dangerous. Many times he caught Adora outside at night, staring up at the stars.

His grip on Adora’s shoulder strengthened, and he felt a secure smile form. He only had the slightest idea of what kind of woman Glimmer had grown up to be. However, he had a parental instinct that Adora would be a great significant other to his daughter. “You’ve been waiting a while to say that, huh?”

Adora beamed back, “I have… It’s something I never learned to deal with in the Horde.”

“You can tell her that once she’s back in Bright Moon and everything’s sorted out. After everything’s said and done, I wouldn’t mind having you as a daughter-in-law one day,” Micah admitted, lightly laughing.

However, Adora didn’t laugh back, finding herself confused, “... What’s a daughter-in-law?”

    She held the memory fondly. Still, there was an aching feeling in her heart — one that told her she had disappointed Micah. After all, she fell through on her promise to him. “I have to convince Glimmer to go to Beast Island with me. If we find her father, she’ll trust me…! Right?”

    As they walked further in the woods, Adora was met with an acquainted sight. One that she personally and internally slapped herself for not thinking of. Madam Razz’s house stood before her, eliciting a gasp out of her. “Madam Razz!”

    “Madam who?” Bow immediately asked — but it was too late, the hero was already running into the small hut ahead of them.

    Upon entering the hut, Adora was met with a familiar sight. Madam Razz, placing blueberries on top of raw pie dough. She stopped what she was doing, smiling over at Adora. “Mara, dearie! I was hoping you would finally come visit Madam Razz!”

    “Madam Razz!” Adora cried out. She ran up to the older woman, bringing her into a hug. Madam Razz hugged her back, laughing against the hero.

    “You’ve been quite busy, haven’t you? You’re far from home, Mara.”  Madam Razz could be cryptic at times, but it was clear Madam Razz was aware of Adora’s interdimensional travel. She pulled away from Razz, looking down at her.

    “You know how I can get home, right?” Adora virtually begged.

    “If you can tell the other Mara to get the sword, Madam Razz might be able to help you.”

    The other Mara… That’s it. The other Adora. Bow and a vexed Glimmer entered the hut. She turned to them.

    “We need to find the other sword — the one of this dimension,” Adora informed them.

    Glimmer sighed, but kept her thoughts to herself.

    Glimmer continued to lag behind the two as Bow looked at his tracker pad. They hadn’t been walking long before Bow’s pad started to go haywire.

“We must be close,” Adora noted.

“Close? The shit doesn’t have a signal. We’re lost,” this Glimmer had a far more vulgar vocabulary.

Bow was willing to bite back at Glimmer’s snark, “Adora’s sword is already interfering with the signal so—”

“There!” Adora exclaimed.

Up ahead, through a dense thicket of bushes, heavenly light glowed. Impulsively, Adora ran ahead of the two once again. And again, Glimmer sighed and kept her thoughts to herself. Instead of trudging through the dense thicket, Glimmer teleported ahead of the two. With her arms crossed, she turned towards them, waiting for them to make it through. Adora said nothing as she finally made it through, and Glimmer’s stare followed the hero as she ran towards the sword.

    “Adora, wait!” Bow shouted from afar.

    Adora didn’t think things through. If her lasso had life-threatening effects on the other Adora, wouldn’t the Sword of this dimension do something similar to her? Sure enough, upon brushing a finger on the shaft of the sword, things seemed to crumble around her. Her vision became distorted — akin to glitching on a computer screen. Black boxes of a mysterious energy formed around her, just like when she used her lasso on her doppelgänger. 

    “Adora!” Glimmer called out. Why was Glimmer suddenly caring for her? Didn’t she hate her a few moments before? This Glimmer deeply confused Adora. Regardless, Adora immediately backed away from the Sword. Despite only lingering on the sword for a second at most, it felt as if someone kicked her in the gut. The pain was overwhelming, beckoning her to fall to her knees and clutch her stomach.

    Beside her, she could barely make out the queen walking beside her. Without an ounce of sympathy, Glimmer ignored Adora as she took the sword out of the entanglement of vines. As Bow helped her up, she was able to see Glimmer’s scowl had stayed — obviously going nowhere.

    “I would think after seeing what your lasso did to the other Adora, you could put two and two together!” Glimmer scolded. Deep down, Adora knew Glimmer had the tiniest soft spot for Adora. The scolding seemed more of a motherly jabbering rather than a hateful jibe. “Are we done here?! Because, you know, people might be starting to think Bow and I are dead right now.”

“... Yeah. We’re done,” the defeated Adora replied.

It was more of the same the rest of the day. Glimmer taking low jabs at Adora anytime she opened her mouth, Bow apologizing for his spiteful friend’s actions, and Adora immediately forgiving the both of them. Eventually, upon arriving in Bright Moon, Adora felt a sense of dread.

“Let’s get you back home. I promised your father I wouldn’t come back without you.”

Was it all finally, truly hitting her? She failed her Glimmer once again, and she failed Micah. Lagging behind Bow and Glimmer allowed her to shed a tear and take a deep breath. Things had to be fixed sooner than later — everything had to be okay in the end.

As she expected, Entrapta was overwhelmed with absolute fascination from the git-go. Hearing the term “alternate universe doppelgänger” appeared to make her eyes twinkle, and her hair-hands clap in excitement. Immediately, her hair wrapped around Adora’s chin — tilting her head down to observe the hero’s face.

They had Entrapta set up in an old sparring room. Back in her universe, it was seldom used and that appeared to be the case here as well. Computers were set up, and a table was stacked with a mess of books and papers. Entrapta observed her, continuing her wide-eyed, fascinated stare.

“Wow! You appear to be a carbon copy of the Force Captain that killed Angella!” Entrapta bluntly stated, “This is so intriguing! May I ask you questions?!”

Glimmer was sulking in the corner, even so Adora could feel her glower perforating both her and Entrapta. She wanted to apologize on Entrapta’s behalf — stars, she finally understood how Bow felt when Glimmer jibed at her. Entrapta’s hair-hands lowered down, reaching for the audio recorder that was in her pocket.

Adora nervously cleared her throat, “Yeah, ask whatever you’d like.”

Entrapta clicked a button, “First, what is your universe like?”

Adora couldn’t help but flinch at the question, timidly stating, “Oh, that’s a lot to explain…”

Entrapta kept her fascinated gaze unwavering on Adora, standing in silence with an unchanged smile. Adora knew the Entrapta was willing to listen. However, she found herself exhausted with the thought of having to explain everything .

With a hefty sigh, Adora continued, “So, it appears everything is very similar… Except I — the other Adora, I mean — never found the Sword of Protection in this universe, and in my universe, you went rogue and joined the Horde and made a bunch of weapons for them—”

Bow interjected her, quite in disbelief, “Why would she ever do that?”

Entrapta appeared to think for a moment before admitting, “You know, I do have immoral views once science is involved. Go on.”

Bow and Adora nervously stared at each other, before Adora went on to explain more, “I hate to say it, but the Horde in my world became a lot more powerful because of you. I guess we were able to hold them back since we had the Princess Alliance.”

“Because of She-Ra, right?” Bow asked.

Adora looked over at Bow, smiling, “I would say more because of Glimmer than me. She did most of the talking.” Slate-blue eyes caught the sight of the queen. Fierce, lavender eyes bore into Adora, fully aware she was attempting to suck up to her. After the odd, frankly awkward pause, Adora continued, “Once the Horde really started to push us, Glimmer wanted to connect to the Heart of Etheria.”

This appeared to fully grab Glimmer’s attention. Adora was aware it was an idea her Glimmer had, even well before meeting each other. It didn’t surprise her that the Glimmer of this world had thought of it as well. Glimmer was knowledgeable and wise when it came to the history and folklore of Etheria, even in this universe.

“She was able to do so once all the princesses were connected to their Runestones. The princesses and I were stronger than ever… But as it turns out, Light Hope wanted to use—”

Once again, Bow interrupted her, “Wait, whose Light Hope?”

Ugh.

It took awhile to explain everything in detail. She was talking so long, her throat felt dry. Light Hope, Adora’s unknown origins, her time in the Horde, her time with Bow, Glimmer and the Princess Alliance. All of it led up to further explaining that last day she spent in her own universe. “At the end of it all, it was Glimmer that did the final push… She saved the world with me,” Adora was careful not to make eye contact with Glimmer.

Unbeknownst to Adora, Glimmer could feel a speck of sympathy building for her character. The scowl that she thought was permanently plastered on her face was slowly easing. Soft, defeated slate-blue eyes danced between Bow and Entrapta, but rarely bouncing to her. Perhaps she wasn’t begging for Glimmer’s sympathy.

Finally, after being silent since pretty much the moment they walked into Bright Moon, Glimmer spoke up, “You really think I can defeat a space dictator… again?”

Adora was shocked that Glimmer spoke to her, and was a bit nervous as she replied, “I-I know you can. Something tells me we have to do it again here. The Horde will stop at nothing until Hordak can reach Horde Prime.”

Even if she never came back to this dimension, the guilt would overburden her. The thought that Etheria, her friends — everyone in the dimension was in danger. Somewhere in the back of her mind, an awful idea taunted her. Just the image made her chest cramp and her stomach twist — the picture of Glimmer being forced to marry Horde Prime was an awful one. Adora must have spaced out. Bow touched her arm, causing her to jolt. He was just as trusting as her Bow, with the same, hopeful spark in his dark eyes.

“While Entrapta figures out a way to travel back to your universe, maybe the three of us could go recruit the other Princesses for the alliance?” Bow suggested.

She couldn’t help but smile, “Yeah. I wouldn’t mind doing that again. What do you say,” she quickly flashed her eyes over to the queen, “Glimmer?”

Put on the spotlight appeared to stress Glimmer. Having all three pairs of eyes on her made her feel like she did something wrong. Especially Bow’s stare, which was more of a piercing leer.

“I…” Lavender eyes found their way back on those stupidly charming slate-blue eyes. She hated how Adora looked at her as if they were so close, as if Glimmer was the center of her world. No matter how harshly she pushed the girl, she always stood firm. Perhaps Glimmer was simply exhausted and stressed, and couldn’t find it in herself to put things aside and be nice to her.

After all was said and done, it was this Adora that saved her. Then again, this Adora made up a tall-tale that King Micah was alive and well. She planted that hope inside her. Part of her wild imagination gave her the idea that this Adora was somehow the one that killed her mother. Perhaps that strange sorceress was able to shape shift Adora into… a different Adora? One that had the ability to transform into She-Ra?

Everything felt like it was too much for her at that moment. She wanted to be left alone and think things over. Why could no one say she was in the right? Glimmer was queen, she had to know what was best for the Rebellion.

Finally, Glimmer broke the tense silence with, looking Adora dead in the eye as she spat, “I refuse to work with a Horde puppet.”

The three of them looked at her, completely shocked by her answer. Bow in particular gave her a disappointed look, vexed by her choice. “Glimmer, please."

She stepped closer to the group, glaring back at Bow as she countered, “No, Bow! How do we know this isn’t some trick?! How can she prove any of this?! Don’t you think it’s strange how convenient this all is?! She-Ra suddenly dropping into my — our lives when we need her most?! Telling me…”

Lavender eyes began to well up with tears. The stress of the situation was getting to her. Glimmer could feel the weight of the world on her shoulders. One wrong step, and she would be back in the cold arms of Adora’s cruel doppelgänger once again. Bright Moon would fall, and it would all be her fault. “... that my father is still alive,” Glimmer bitterly glared up at Adora, stepping closer to her, “Why would you ever make up something like that?!”

Adora shifted on her feet, obviously discomforted by Glimmer’s reinvigorated anger. It was tempting Glimmer to slap the hero, seeing she failed to wipe the stupid gaze from her eyes. The gaze that told Glimmer that everything would be alright, that she wouldn’t let anything happen to Glimmer. One that, despite all her boiling feelings towards Adora, enkindled a sense of hope and destiny.

“You saw it, Glimmer,” Adora remained calm, “How could there possibly be two swords — two She-Ra in this universe?”

She had a perfect point. However, Glimmer didn’t have it in her willpower to agree with her.

“Don’t push yourself, princess.”

The doppelgänger’s words had echoed in her mind for that week she had been in captivity. At that moment, they were echoing in her head once again. Anger was consuming her, making her think irrationally — as it had for months . The shorter girl bared her teeth up at the hero as she spat, “I don’t know. All I know is that I don’t trust you, and I never will.”

Finally, something Glimmer said appeared to finally hit Adora. The hero flinched at the statement as her eyebrows wrinkled together. That stupid, stupid smile was finally wiped off her face. Glimmer had won.

And it felt fucked up that she was treating Adora like this.

Despite Glimmer doing everything in her power to push this girl far away, she still was chasing her. That was evident as Adora reached out, tenderly holding onto Glimmer’s hand. Everything was telling her to lash out, be angry. Hiss about what she was doing was wrong, and how much she hated it.

However, Glimmer didn’t hate Adora’s touch. There was something special about the worn, traumatized hero’s rough hands grasping hers so gently. Glimmer’s mind and emotions had never been so torn.

“Glimmer…” Adora offered solace. Hearing her voice reminded her how similar Adora was to the monster that ruined her life… and suddenly, the touch on her hand felt cold. Glimmer could feel herself trembling, unable to hold in her anger for much longer. In an instant, Glimmer ripped her hand away from Adora’s. Yet again, the hero appeared heartbroken at Glimmer’s actions. Building off the heartbreak, Glimmer stepped agonizingly close to Adora.

Their noses practically touched as she scolded, “You think you have the right to touch me?!” Glimmer’s eyes narrowed as she lowered her voice, “Stay away from me. I mean it. ”

It was instinct that made Glimmer teleport away. She simply couldn’t handle all her emotions welling up inside her. Bow and Adora both understood that, and both knew from personal experience that Glimmer tended to lash out at others when she was angry. It was a bad habit of hers, but it wasn’t something either were going to call her out over. At least, not at that time.

Bow scratched the back of his scalp, letting out a hefty sigh, “Oh, boy… Well, while she deals with that, how about we get something to eat?”

    A week had gone by with no progress, in any department.

Glimmer still hated her. Any time Adora spotted the queen, she would instantly teleport away. Every night since she had arrived at Bright Moon, Adora found herself pacing the halls at night — apprehensively thinking about everything that happened the past few days. And every time, she found herself wanting to knock at Glimmer’s door.

Entrapta had no clue how to get her back to her dimension. The long term plan was to build a portal, and see if they could recreate the portal that sent her there in the first place. Entrapta warned that it wasn’t a foolproof plan — that she could end up in a new dimension, possibly. The thought alone made her pace a little more at night.

They had given her the same spare room as the one in her dimension. Oddly, it conjured a sense of comforting nostalgia. However, in this world, Bow and Glimmer wouldn’t sleep on the floor to comfort her. She felt like she didn’t know them well enough to ask them that. If she wanted to live, it was wise to avoid sneaking in Glimmer’s bed to sleep with her.

Adora felt alone. The night sky was starless. At least she had Bow, and maybe Entrapta? It seemed that in any universe, the scientist struggled with empathy. Adora was grateful for Bow. He had trusted her early on, and seemed to easily put aside the fact she had an evil doppelgänger in this dimension. After a long day of helping Entrapta, the three ate together without the queen’s presence. Since they arrived in Bright Moon, she hadn’t associated with the three of them much. It seemed she preferred to practice sorcery with her aunt, who had become a permanent resident after Angella’s death.

Bow walked with Adora to her room, relatively silent for most of the walk. Part of her wanted to ask him to sleep in her room, knowing it would help her get at least a wink of sleep. In the end, she decided against it as she felt it may creep him out.

"Hey… I really have to apologize to you.”

Bow’s words surprised Adora, prompting her to beam at him, “What do you have to be sorry about? You’ve been super nice ever since we’ve met.”

“About Glimmer, I meant,” Bow corrected himself, “It's hard for me to help her. I don't know what it's like to lose both your parents. It seems—"

"Hopeless.” That’s what it was. That feeling Adora was feeling. It was hopelessness. She couldn’t help but feel like Glimmer was feeling the same way. And that feeling was growing worse after Bow left her alone in her room. Shortly after he left, there was a knock at her door. She hadn’t even taken off her boots or clothes, merely letting her hair down and lying near the window.

Assuming it was Bow, she hollered out, “Come in!”

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Bow. Instead, one of the guards of Bright Moon opened the door. “My apologizes for disturbing you so late. Queen Glimmer requires your presence.”

The moonlight was beautiful that night. Withal, Glimmer failed to find herself appreciating anything as of late. It made her sound ungrateful, yet the anxious emotions welling up inside her had only worsened. Her stomach was in knots, thinking about how at any moment, Adora would come walking out to the balcony as requested.

    It was cold that night. Glimmer couldn’t care enough to throw her robe on. Anxiously, she sat on the edge of the balcony as she rubbed her cold arms. Lavender eyes bore on the door in front of her, waiting for the hero to open the door. After what felt like eons, the door finally was opened by the smallest, most gentle push.

    Despite everything, she was still able to show the queen a hearty, vibrant smile. There was a brief moment of silence between the two as Adora shut the door behind her. The air was cold, yet Glimmer’s aura was colder. All being said, the way the moonlight shone against the queen’s tan skin was enthralling. Even in the darkness, her sparkles and eyes shone brightly.

    In the silence, Glimmer lost her thought. Secretly, she could feel her sympathy growing for the girl. Adora looked heartbroken and defeated. In spite of this, her long, dirty blonde hair looked so soft and beautiful. Those stupid slate-blue eyes made her heart skip a beat. For a moment, it felt like she was back in Thaymor and before her was the Adora that rescued her… But also the one that betrayed her. She hated those slate-blue eyes, for ever making her believe for a single moment that she had another friend — another ally in this extraordinarily foreboding war.

    … Why am I taking this so personally? Glimmer thought to herself, trying to calm down and think rationally. However, the moment Adora opened her mouth, everything came colliding together once again.

“You asked for me?” Adora meticulously asked, no emotion in her tone.

Her voice sounded exactly like the Adora she knew. That only added to the boiling pot inside her — and it was beginning to spill over. As she stood up from the edge of the balcony, her furious eyes narrowed on Adora. The balled up fist beside her began to glow, and she couldn’t stop herself. Glimmer had conjured a truth spell. Surprised by the sudden action, Adora couldn’t help but let a small gasp escape her. 

“No matter how hard I try to tell myself you’re not her, I can’t trust you, Adora,” Glimmer sternly confided.

Adora stood her ground, not feeling threatened by the spell manifested before her. Slowly and calmly, she blinked and breathed out. Hazily, her eyes looked into Glimmer’s. “If it makes you feel safer, then go ahead.”

Safe . Glimmer hadn’t felt safe in months. Not since her mother died. Ever since she had become Queen, it had felt like one wrong move would end her bloodline. Bright Moon would fall, and Bow and Entrapta would have to live with the consequences of her choices. She wanted this all to be over with already. If she could find it in herself to trust Adora, She-Ra would be on her side.

It was at that moment that Glimmer decided she had to start somewhere with trusting the hero. Hesitantly, she defused the spell and let the cast fade away. Glimmer’s eyes shuffled away from Adora, overwhelmed with a sudden sense of guilt. She couldn’t find herself able to swallow her pride and apologize. The two were silent, awkwardly staring at each other — waiting for the other to speak up.

“I’ve been overbearing, and I’m sorry for that... But Glimmer, you can’t just keep holding all of this in. Tell me exactly how you feel about me. Hit me with your worst…” Adora appeared to hesitate before sighing out, “I’m used to it.”

Guilt struck her like an arrow to the heart. She knew Adora didn’t mean to make it sound like a personal low-blow, but it did. However, her guilt began to fade away as her thoughts began to race again. Why was Adora so kind to her, in spite of everything she did to push her away?

Things were feeling complicated and clustered in her mind once again. Glimmer’s fist was clutched at her side as she stepped closer to Adora and asked, “Why are you so obsessed with me?”

Put on the spot like that, Adora found herself immobilized by the question. Was this how Glimmer felt when they asked her to accept Adora’s alliance? How was one supposed to answer something along those lines? She failed to sort out the thoughts welling up inside her into coherent words. “I… honestly don’t know."

It was apparent Glimmer disliked the answer, snarling out, “Adora, you need to stop acting like we’re best friends!”

Another crack formed in Adora’s heart. Glimmer’s words were starting to genuinely hurt her. She wanted Glimmer to feel comfortable and safe around her, like her Glimmer did. Perhaps she was selfishly attempting to make this world like her own, or maybe she truly sought the best for this Glimmer. Even knowing this Glimmer wasn’t her own, her heart still fluttered, and she found herself struggling to speak around her.

That being said, she couldn’t find herself getting angry at the queen. Her retaliation and arguments with Glimmer in the original dimension nearly cost them their friendship — Adora truly did not want to experience that again. “I’m sorry if I smother you… I kind of do that to Glimmer — I mean, the Glimmer back—”

“No, you’re not sorry,” Glimmer’s eyes leered into Adora’s, as she stepped even closer, “You’re the worst living thing on Etheria. Nothing comes even close to how horrible you are. You, and the Horde both — you took everything from me!” In the dim light, Adora could make out tears forming in the queen’s eyes. The queen breathed shakily, continuing her glare on Adora.

Pain. So, so much pain was communicated to Adora through Glimmer’s gaze.

Enough to make her heart fracture another time. Glimmer was within touching distance, and it was unbelievably tempting to reach out and console her.

“My parents are gone…” Glimmer took a moment, letting reality sink in before she began to heatedly badger once more, “and I’m left in the dust of their legacy! A-And you just expect me to put all that aside and pretend everything is okay?!” If Glimmer wasn’t so short, the situation would be dreadfully intimidating. Especially seeing she only inches away from Adora at that moment.

With her fist clutched at her side, Adora could see her magic flaring up in her palms. Glimmer didn’t intentionally set her magic ablaze, it was just that everything was finally becoming too much for her to bear. The magic grew brighter as Glimmer seethed, “I don’t care if you’re She-Ra or that you’re from a different dimension! I fucking hate you!”

It was painfully silent again. Hearing those words come out of Glimmer’s mouth absolutely broke Adora’s heart. She knew this wasn’t her Glimmer, but it still broke her. From the moment it happened, she knew it would be a scene that would haunt her mind and make her nights even more restless. In the awful silence, Glimmer ceased the flaring in her palms as her vision became blurry.

Immediately, Adora seized the opportunity. Her callused fingers wrapped around the queen’s soft hand, which paled in comparison to her own. It was just like the week prior, when the hero had grabbed her hand in Entrapta’s lab.“Glimmer…”

How could she hate Adora so much, and still feel her heart skip a beat around her? Why did she blame this Adora for the heartbreak caused by the doppelgänger? Her thoughts and feelings towards the girl were seesawing constantly, and she didn’t know what to think anymore. Blinded by her conflicted confusion, she ripped her hand away from Adora.

This time, Glimmer immediately slapped Adora’s hand after taking her own away. The move deeply shocked Adora, who stood still with the same bug-eyed stare. “Stop it! Just.... stop! Stop trying to touch me, stop trying to be my friend! I’m not your Glimmer, so stop pretending I am!”

Pain. So, so much pain was communicated to Glimmer through Adora’s gaze.

Enough to make her truly think about Adora’s situation. Glimmer wanted to take back what she said, but it was too late. Adora’s eyes were narrowed, and her heart had been shattered. Anger, heartbreak, pain, and sadness pulled Glimmer simultaneously in the cardinal directions. As Glimmer blinked, a fresh set of tears rolled out of her eyes. Her face felt hot, and her throat was dry. She couldn’t choke back the lump in her throat.

Suddenly, Adora sealed the space between them. Before Glimmer could protest, she was pulled into a strong, reassuring hug. Stars, her brief hand touches were nothing compared to her hugs. Withal, Glimmer wanted to scream, to push her away — she was supposed to hate this, she was supposed to hate Adora.

“Let go of me!” Glimmer attempted to sound threatening, but was losing her voice to the lump in her throat.

“Ever since you lost Angella, you’ve been holding everything in… Haven’t you? It’s alright. You can cry, Glimmer. It doesn’t make you any less of a brave, strong queen.”

It was as if a burden had been lifted from Glimmer as Adora spoke. All the conflicting emotions swirling inside her mind seemed to halt at that moment. This couldn’t be the Adora she knew. No one had ever said anything as comforting and caring as that to her, not since her mother passed away. Not even Bow could find the right words to say to the queen.

Her words seemed to hit the spot perfectly and fill in an empty slot in her broken heart. Things weren’t fixed, but she certainly felt better as she cried into Adora. Hot tears stained the hero’s shoulder, as small hands grasped at the front of Adora’s jacket. Months of crying alone into her pillow were nowhere near as therapeutic as it was crying into the hero.

Capable arms strengthen their grip around her, pulling her closer. Glimmer loudly cried, thankfully muffled by the cloth of Adora’s jacket. Months of agony and animosity flowed onto Adora, who kept quietly musing “You’re okay,” over and over. Glimmer wanted to speak, to get all her emotions off her chest. How she felt about Adora was a complicated subject that she didn’t want to deal with at that moment.

“It still hurts so much, Adora,” Glimmer sobbed.

Adora barely understood what she said, seeing her voice was faltering and muffled. Her cheek rested against the queen’s head, wanting to feel closer to her. “I know. You’ve dealt with so much, and you’re so brave for that. I really respect you, Glimmer.”

Glimmer understood Adora was talking about her specifically. Not her Glimmer. She rested her cheek against Adora’s chest. Adora kept brushing her hand against the smaller girl’s back. Hearing someone’s heart beat, feeling someone’s warmth — maybe this is what she needed. They stood there awhile. The cold breeze no longer bothered Glimmer, feeling warmed up enough by Adora. “You aren’t lying about my father, aren’t you? You really think he’s alive in this universe?” Glimmer timidly asked.

“It’s worth a shot, right?” Adora soothed the still hiccuping queen, “He should be on Beast Island.”

“Beast Island? How would we get there?”

Adora paused before asking, “Do you know someone by the name of Seahawk?”

Following a hefty sigh, Glimmer answered with, “Unfortunately, yes.”

Two days at sea with Seahawk was quite possibly the worst experience in the universe thus far. Bow and Entrapta had volunteered to stay behind as the Glimmer and Adora voyaged across the sea. Glimmer had been quiet for most of the voyage. It was curious, but Adora found relief once the ominous island was in their sight. Seahawk docked the ship near the rocky coast line.

“Are you two ready for a perilous adventure together?!” Seahawk asked.

Glimmer and Adora stared at each other, exchanging a mutual distaste for the thought of Seahawk joining them.

“Stay with the ship. We’ll be fine,” Adora promised. She couldn’t help but feel that was a knock on wood. Glimmer shifted closer to her, looking over her shoulder for a moment. She waited until Seahawk had turned away.

“You just don’t want to spend another minute with him, don’t you?”

“Nope. Can’t stand him in my world, and I can’t stand him here,” Adora sighed.

“Good. Me either.”

At least the two could bond over something — their utter annoyance with the sea captain.

    Adora was all too familiar with the landscape. Unnatural, bright colors shone out of degraded technology. Strange noises could be heard from deep within the abyss. Perhaps it was too cocky to go in with just Glimmer. However, this time around, she felt confident. She knew what to expect this time around.

    Giant worm monsters and Pookas couldn’t handle the most powerful of all the Princesses and She-Ra. If it was anything like last time, finding Micah would be easy. They would grab him and teleport out, and Glimmer would fully trust her. Simple , things would be simple and fine.

    Night had fallen on Beast Island. The darkness would have been impossible to navigate, if it weren’t for Glimmer’s magic lighting the way. As they continued on into the multi-colored, twisted landscape, Glimmer kept unintentionally inching closer and closer to Adora. Her lavender eyes were wide at the surroundings. The queen flinched at every noise, and remained silent for most of the walk.

    Glimmer accidentally bumped into Adora. Flustered, she stopped in her tracks and her light flickered for a moment. As Adora looked at Glimmer, she could see that the queen’s pupils were wide. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.

    “S-Sorry,” Glimmer apologized, “This place is really creeping me out.”

    “That’s alright. We’ve got each other,” Adora reassured her.

    Glimmer gulped, strengthening the magic in her hand. The two had been walking for a while. To Glimmer, it seemed rather aimless. Yet, Adora had remembered the layout from last time. The cavern was rather linear, thankfully.

    Glimmer believed Adora now… or so she thought. What did the girl stand to possibly gain from this weird trip? Oh, you never know if she’s just planning on ambushing you in the absolute depths where it’ll turn out I can’t use my powers or some weird shit. Glimmer internally shook her head at herself. She had to trust this Adora. There was no way for them to find her father if she remained so bitter.

    Too enthralled and afraid of her surroundings, Glimmer managed to bump into a sharp crystal-like formation. As she did, it dug into her right forearm. She winced at the pain, stopping to check the wound. As she did, her light dimmed down. Glimmer attempted to reassure Adora, “It’s not that bad, don’t worry...”

Within a few seconds, blood came rushing out of the wound. A surprising amount slid down her arm, some dripping onto the cavern floor below. It was dark, yet Adora found her eyes fixated on the open wound. The sight was nauseating, eliciting a much deserved “shit,” from Glimmer.

    “Oh, jeez, hold on,” Adora fretted. The hero wanted to help her somehow. She knew Glimmer hated it when she was overbearing, but an open wound in a place called Beast Island probably wasn’t the best idea. Quickly, Adora reached under her jacket in order to tear off a piece of cloth from her undershirt. Glimmer seemed a bit dazed as Adora held a hand out to her.

    It was silent for a moment as Glimmer uttered an oh , realizing Adora wanted to see her arm. She complied, letting the hero wrap the makeshift bandage around her wound. To think, it was only two days prior when she genuinely wanted nothing more than Adora to disappear in the portal that brought her here. However, at that moment, Glimmer began to realize something.

    Maybe she needed Adora. Not just She-Ra, but Adora. Someone who was caring, understanding, and a strong leader who could help her be queen. Having Bow and her aunt by her side the past few months helped. Withal, her confrontation the other night with the hero had sparked a comfort she failed to feel in months.

    Adora tightened the bandage around her wound, beaming, “There! Now, hopefully we’ll—”

    A truly awful, high-pitch vibrato instantly pierced their ears. It sounded as if it was far away at first, but a prompt look back up the cavern they had been treading revealed the source. A pale magenta mantis-like monster stood the mouth of the tunnel, staring at the two with bright, gigantic green eyes.

    The creature began charging at the two. Before Adora could reach for her sword, Glimmer shifted forward. Swiftly, she blasted the mantis’ eyes with her magic. Seeing it was temporarily blinded, Glimmer was quick to grab Adora’s hand. Sparkles formed around them, and before Adora could protest, Glimmer had teleported them deeper into the cavern.

    Blindsided by the suddenness of the event, Adora took a moment to process what just happened. Still, the two could hear the echoing vibrato from far away. They were now much deeper in the cavern, deeper than Adora would have liked to travel inwards. Glimmer had teleported the two in a new tunnel, one that was too dark for Adora’s liking. Glimmer valiantly smiled, hands around her hips and unaffected by the events. Not even her newly acquired wound dampened her mood.

    “Really? Giant bugs? We have those in Whispering Woods,” Glimmer teased, seemingly unimpressed by the local fauna.

    Adora found herself a bit irked by the queen’s behavior, “You shouldn’t be teleporting here. You never know what could be around the corner here.”

    “So you want to keep aimlessly wandering around?” Glimmer retorted.

    “No, I just want you to be careful,” Adora pleaded, holding back any annoyance she had with the queen.

    “Or what? We’ll run into more stupid bugs? We’ll be fine,” Glimmer reassured her.

    As Glimmer lit up the tunnel with her magic, they were met with an unwelcome surprise. Many sets of bright pink, fixated eyes shone all throughout the tunnel both directions. Both the queen and the hero’s eyes widened at the sight, as the hundreds of Pookas surrounding them began to stalk closer. Frantically, Glimmer grabbed Adora’s hand. Once again, before Adora could protest, she found herself surrounded in the familiar bright pink sparkles.

    Wherever they were now, it was abysmally dark. The only light was from the various neon flashing on the walls, that just barely illuminated their surroundings. The grip on Adora’s hand stayed, despite the two being far from any visible danger. Adora could make out the sparkle in Glimmer’s eyes as she looked up at the tall hero.

Glimmer glanced down at their hands that were tightly entwined together, before bashfully letting go. She turned her back to Adora, eager to move along. “Come on, we’re wasting time.”

    Adora’s Glimmer could be a roller coaster of emotions — but not quite like the Glimmer before her. It was obvious she was still holding onto the minuscule amount of resentment she had towards the hero.

    “I thought you trusted me now.”

    For the first time, Adora had truly stood up for herself with the Glimmer of that universe. Shocked and frankly offended by the sudden change in tone from Adora, Glimmer pivoted back towards her. Her visceral glare returned, reminding her of how truly antagonizing the past week had been.

    “This isn’t about trust,” Glimmer chided, stepping closer to Adora, “It’s about finding my father. And I would prefer not to die and leave Bright Moon without an heir, thank you.”

    “And I would prefer to bring you to your father in one piece—”

    Amidst the teleporting and bickering shenanigans, Glimmer failed to light up their surroundings. Therefore, they had neglected to notice the large root they were standing on was dry and crumbly. As it gave out beneath them, Adora instinctively held onto Glimmer — who failed to process the situation in time to teleport the two.

The fall was short, but it was enough to make Adora’s shoulder sore as they hit the ground. Because Adora had wrapped her arm around Glimmer’s head, the queen was shielded from any damage. As the dust settled and Adora recoiled, Glimmer escaped Adora’s grasp.

    She sat up next to Adora, putting a hand on the hero’s shoulder as she fretted, “Adora!”

    In her haze, Adora failed to notice something else — she had been in this section of Beast Island before in her own universe. Glimmer sharply gasped, as something wrapped around her foot. Looking behind her, she could see a dark vine wrapping around her leg. Panicked, she attempted to pull her knee up — only to be strongly pulled back by the vine.

    “Glimmer!”

    As she was pulled, Glimmer tossed several blasts of weak magic at the vine. It let go of her only for a split second, before another vine ensnared her arm. Adora anxiously stared at her, waiting for her to teleport over to her. Sparkles surrounded Glimmer — astonishingly, they faded within an instant. Panicking, Glimmer flinched and cried out, “I-I can’t teleport!”

    Immediately, a sense of absolute urgency flowed through Adora. As more vines wrapped around Glimmer, Adora attempted to get up, so she could bolt over to the sword. Unfortunately, a vine caught Adora’s wrist and strongly pulled her back to the ground. Another vine caught her ankle as she boomed, “For the Honor of the Rebellion!”

    Lavender eyes perked up as Glimmer watched the hero transform. The room was illuminated as Adora was surrounded by light. Her hair escaped her ponytail, turning into an angelic blonde. She grew taller, some vines snapping at the sudden growth. As the transformation occurred, more vines wrapped around Glimmer. She felt short of breath as one wrapped around her torso.

    … Why was she suddenly thinking alarmingly awful thoughts? Even as she watched the demigoddess before her fight off the vines, she could only feel a deep sense of despair. Her vision was cloudy, and nothing seemed to matter. There was no point in fighting off the vines — especially seeing the all-mighty She-Ra was struggling to fend them off.

    As the vines settled on her, root hairs began to pierce into her skin and the overall sense of dread only worsened. The thought that Adora would grab the sword and leave her alone to die cursed her mind. Or perhaps Glimmer was right all along, and this was all a trap set up by the Horde that she stupidly fell for. With each passing second, more vines hived around She-Ra.

Despite the deity’s strength, only a few vines were snapped as she thrashed out. The sword could easily slash through the vines — if only she could reach it. She-Ra made the mistake of turning around, seeing the queen now coated in a blanket of the vines. One wrapped around Glimmer’s neck, invoking a disturbed gasp from She-Ra.

The queen appeared hollow. Once sparkling eyes were void, with only a speck of the enthralling lavender peeking through. There was hardly any emotion in the queen’s faltering voice as she murmured, “This is my fault.”

    She-Ra had successfully fought out the sense of despair building up inside her. However, Glimmer on the other hand was giving in as the vine around her throat tightened.

    “My mother is gone… Who knows if my father is still alive in this awful place. I’m a horrible queen… No wonder why the other princesses don’t want to join the alliance. I’m going to fuck up somehow and lose Bow too. I can feel it,” Glimmer quietly lamented.

    “Glimmer!” She-Ra called out, “You have to fight it! Don’t believe what you’re thinking, please Glimmer!”

    She-Ra’s words had no effect on the downhearted Glimmer, as she continued to murmur, “At least… at least I’ll be able to see them, right? Something good will come of this...”

An awful weight was placed on She-Ra’s chest — one of absolute heartbreak for Glimmer. Glimmer wanted this, she wanted to die. Glimmer had given into the vines so willingly, because those thoughts were already in her mind. Perhaps that’s why she couldn’t teleport away from the vines, in the same vein of why Adora couldn’t transform into She-Ra during her first visit to the island.

“What’s worse, I dragged you into this… You won’t be able to go back to your own dimension… to your Glimmer…"

Her Glimmer.

Thoughts of her flooded Adora’s darkening mind — particularly the memories most fresh in her mind. Rescuing her from Horde Prime and observing the awful wound he inflicted onto her queen. How small and vulnerable she was when Adora found her — compared to how strong and capable she was as she executed Horde Prime.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I have you.”

She had to get back to Glimmer. Fulfill all the promises she made — to Micah, Angella, and Glimmer.

“I promise, Adora. I want to fix things with you, too.”

The spark in her defeated eyes as she told Adora that. How their love for each other saved the world. She looked so beautiful and omnipotent with her ethereal wings and glowing eyes. Glimmer was the starlight in this universe without a night sky, and she would find her way back to her. She was a constellation — the light guiding her in this hopeless situation.

Azure, ethereal eyes were fixed on the small figure before her. Seeing Glimmer in her current state made her want to fight like there was no tomorrow. She couldn’t give up.

“I have to make it through this… for the both of you!” Finding a new sense of strength and prospect, she lifted an arm and successfully snapped through the ensnarement of vines. She glanced back over to her sword. At that moment, she felt something she had failed to feel before — a strange, otherworldly bond with her sword. As if her sword itself was an entity, speaking to her.

“Adora…”

Hopeful eyes widened at the voice echoing inside her mind. That voice! I know that voice!

“If you can transform into She-Ra without the sword, then it is possible to command the sword to your side. I neglected to inform you of this during our training.”

Light Hope. Somehow, someway, her consciousness was in the sword?! In spite of her immense curiosity, it wasn’t the time for questions. Following Light Hope’s advice, she reached her hand out. Intense eyes fixated on the sword, as Adora commanded, “Come to me!”

She could feel her bond with the sword grow stronger as it levitated towards her, and she was able to wrap her hand around the shaft. Instantaneously, her body illuminated the surroundings once again. She-Ra roared as the vines grip around her weakened, allowing her to slash at the thicket around her body.

She was just in time. The vine around Glimmer’s neck was tighter than ever before, and color was drained from the queen’s face. She-Ra cut through the surrounding vines, causing them to retract and retreat. Noticing the root hairs that had bored into Glimmer’s skin, Adora was careful when removing them. To her relief, the cloudiness of her eyes faded and her sparkle weakly returned.

She-Ra took the small girl in her arms. Hazily, she appeared to be slowly breaking loose of her trance. Feebly and quietly, Glimmer groaned as she blinked up at She-Ra. She-Ra beamed at her, cupping the back of her head to offer support. The small queen offered a small smile. As she blinked down at the queen, she could feel tears of joy trickling out.

“Adora…” Glimmer managed to summon enough strength to lean up. Comfortingly, she wrapped her arms around She-Ra as best she could. This was hard, seeing the deity’s torso was massive. Still, She-Ra was moved by the touch. It was then Glimmer fully realized she had someone to share the weight of Etheria with her — and she had to fix things with her.

“It’s been hell for you ever since you got here, huh? I’ve been so horrible to you… and I shouldn’t be. You weren’t the one that killed my mother. I’m sorry, Adora.”

She-Ra’s smile intensified at the apology. After wrapping an arm around the tiny figure, she deepened their hug. At least things between her and the Glimmer of that universe would be alright from there on out. Adora felt a reinvigorated sense of hope — that they would find Micah, and she could figure out what she could do to help this Etheria. Then she could find a way home, back to her Glimmer, Bow, Micah, Entrapta, Swift Wind, and the rest of her friends. Things would work out in the end.

The two heard someone approaching. Defensively, She-Ra held Glimmer tighter. However, her grip eased as she realized who was approaching. As Glimmer processed who the man was, She-Ra could feel her go stiff under her touch.

“I have no clue who you two are, but you shouldn’t be—”

“Dad?!”

Chapter Text

    Things were starting to get to Adora’s head. Several months had passed since she had arrived in this dimension. Her time there was mostly similar to the first few months of after defecting from the Horde in her own dimension. She aided Bow and Glimmer in forming the Princess Alliance once again. Albeit, things were slightly different this time around.

    But it seemed everything was working out. Entrapta was continuing to research how to create a portal for Adora to get back to her dimension. Granted, Adora had a feeling it wasn’t going well — seeing the scientist hadn’t recited a novel of information and discoveries to her in a while. She saw it best not to pry, and let her work to the best of her ability.

    There was something else her mind kept circling on. She only had a few brief encounters with the Force Captain. It seemed she was aware of the effects the sword had on her, specifically. Whenever they did cross paths, the alter-ego would find a way to sneak away as Catra and Scorpia did the work for her. Connecting an immoral version of herself to the Sword seemed like a terrible plan.

    Adora was watching Glimmer practice her sorcery with her father. Micah had been teaching Glimmer everything he knew about sorcery. Castaspella was a good teacher, but Micah was a great one. Glimmer’s sorcery powers had majorly improved, as she was able to conjure complex spells at a moment’s notice.

Watching her was enthralling. The two seemed so cheerful around each other. Despite being separated for so long, the two bonded easily over sorcery. Deep down, she knew the two were still hurt by Angella’s loss. However, they found solace in each other. Adora was happy she was able to give Glimmer that.

    It made her mind wonder back to her own Glimmer and Micah. The past few weeks, the reality of the situation had really started to sink in. Despite this world being so similar to her own, she couldn’t help but feel homesick. Sure, she had grown closer to Bow and Glimmer in this world, but she wanted her Bow and her Glimmer back. Adora felt a lot closer to the Entrapta of this dimension — even so, she wanted to see her Entrapta again.

    That being said, if she was stuck in this dimension for the rest of her life, it wasn’t the worst place to be. Granted, Horde Prime was alive and well in this dimension. Withal, her Etheria did well without a She-Ra for 1,000 years. Did her dimension truly need her now that Horde Prime was defeated?

    No. Her friends needed her. Etheria needed her. Glimmer needed her.

    There wasn’t a day that went by when she didn’t think of her dearest friend. Curiously, from time to time, Adora’s right hand would randomly light up with a bright pink sigil that said “Glimmer”. It would stay for sometime. She had no clue who to tell about it. While Entrapta knew a lot about the First Ones, Adora doubted the scientist could tell her why her best friend’s name glowed on her hand from time to time.

    Adora would constantly have nightmares, particularly of the last day she spent in her world. The image of Glimmer reaching out towards her constantly haunted her mind. Thankfully, the Glimmer of that dimension had started to let her sleep with her awhile after their Beast Island trip. Initially, she was shocked, but saw it comforted the hero.

    Things were much better between her and the dimension’s Glimmer. The two had grown closer after finding Micah, and even more so after their trip across Etheria. She seemed to light up around Adora. Any anger directed towards her was petty bickering at the worst.

    Adora loved her Glimmer more than anything. However, she began to find the Glimmer of this universe enthralling. The two were so similar, yet different in their own ways. But Glimmer acted strange around her at times. If Adora wasn’t so dense and clueless, she would pick up on the fact that Glimmer was totally flirting with her.

    Laughing more with Adora than anyone else. Twirling her short, sparkling locks of hair in her jittery fingers. Stars, even her sparkles would flare up from time to time around the hero. Things that her own Glimmer totally had done around her — and yet again, Adora failed to notice much of. 

    “Adora!”

    Glimmer approached the fountain where Adora sat, her smile brightening further at the sight of the hero. Coyly, her hips swayed as she crossed her arms. However, Adora’s eyes were dead set on the queen’s — too polite to let her eyes shift away.

    “Did you see the new spell I’ve mastered?!”

    Adora beamed as she stood up, “Yeah! It was like, fire or something? What was that?!”

    “Mystic fire! It’s a spell that continually burns whoever it hits.”

    Just like in her universe, Glimmer was dabbling with rather dark magic. Adora restrained her opinions, finding the magic impressive. She hoped Glimmer wouldn’t use it except for emergencies on the battlefield. “It looked really— Ah!”

    Out of nowhere, Adora felt a sharp pain hit her gut like someone had thrown a harsh kick to her stomach. In her pain, her eyes screwed shut. She fell back on the concrete slab of the fountain where she was sitting just seconds before.

    “Ad—” Glimmer was yelling at her, but Adora’s hearing was muffled and broken up, as if it was glitching, “What’s—”

    Adora opened her eyes, only to be met by what appeared to be the world around her distorting. This was much worse than the pain caused when she touched the sword of this dimension. It felt like she was imploding. Black and multicolor boxes surrounded her as she held onto her stomach, crying in agony.

    As she screwed her eyes shut once again, she could barely make out the feeling of the familiar soft hand around her arm. Pain and vertigo was becoming too overwhelming, and she eventually gave into the fatiguing feeling it brought.

    “What do you mean she doesn’t have much time left, Entrapta?”

    What horrible words to wake up to. At least, that was the first thing she managed to process as she fought off her painful headache. It felt like someone had dropped kicked her in the gut. As she sat up, the pain intensified. However, she was eager to figure what was going on, where she was, who was talking…

    As she opened her eyes, Glimmer, Entrapta, Bow, and Micah all stood nearby. She lied on a bed in Entrapta’s lab, hooked up to some complicated looking machine. The four hosted solemn looks, as if they just learned terrible news. Adora brought her knees near her chest, wanting to stand up. As Adora grunted, Glimmer perked up. Immediately, she teleported to the hero’s side.

    “Adora!” Comfortingly, Glimmer placed a hand on Adora’s hiked knee. The smile she gave Adora looked forced, placing a facade over the truth at hand. Soon after, Micah and Bow followed Glimmer over. Entrapta appeared glued to her computer screen, with her back turned to Adora. Adora looked at the three with a concerned, curious gaze.

“What’s going on?” Adora sounded weak.

    “Whoa! This is fascinating! By fascinating, I mean undoubtedly alarming, of course.” Entrapta spun around, using her hair to casually take a sip from a tiny mug. “The Etherian Cosmos really don’t like it when things aren’t right. And Adora, you don’t belong here, and our dimension is starting to realize that! ”

 Her comment gained a cocked eyebrow from Adora, encouraging her to throw her legs over the bed towards Entrapta., “Is this related to what just happened to me?”

“Yeah! It looks like you’ll be forcefully ejected from our dimension within the next week or two!”

Adora had no words. Just immense curiosity, and she knew Entrapta would explain everything.

“The pain is just a side effect, seeing as you are a distortion of space and time,” Entrapta further explained, “But by the looks of it, you’ll be ejected to a random dimension!”

A random dimension. Not her home. She wouldn’t be back with her friends, her found family… her Glimmer. She would be in another random dimension, where she would have to work on gaining the trust of strangers— where she would have to possibly fix things. Adora felt defeated upon hearing those words. 

    Bow asked a question heavy on Adora’s mind, “So… how’s it going trying to find Adora’s dimension? Any progress with the portal?”

    Entrapta appeared nerve-racked at the question, “Oh… you know. It’s in the early stages—”

    With poor comedic timing, sparks flared from the portal as a loud hum echoed in the lab. The five looked over, seeing Entrapta’s portal powering down before their eyes. Nervously, Entrapta tapped her fingers on her thigh, “... Adora, could I borrow your sword?”

    Adora needed time alone, to think about Entrapta’s words. One of Bright Moon’s many balconies would help her clear her mind. Being able to watch the sunset would ease her, right…? Not really, but it was the best Adora could think of.

    The dimension she was in a decent spot. All they needed to do was overthrow the Horde before Hordak could communicate with Horde Prime. Adora still felt nervous. She didn’t want to leave this dimension with loose ends, she needed to do this for them. 

    Selfishly, Adora wanted to be back in her own dimension. She wanted to see her friends again, let them know she was okay. However, she wouldn’t be able to do that. Her life was now destined to be a vagabond amongst the Etherian Cosmos, a drifter of the dimensions. In all honesty, she didn’t know how to process that information. 

    She could hear the door behind her creak. Adora turned around from where she sat on the edge of the balcony, meeting a concerned gaze. Glimmer weakly smiled at the hero, as she slowly stepped out onto the balcony.

      “Adora…?” Glimmer timidly called out, “Are you feeling alright?”

    “Yeah…” Adora lied, “... Actually, no.”

    Glimmer shifted closer to the hero, “You… want to talk about it?”

    Adora’s body slumped, as she put her crossed arms against her knees, “Yeah. I think that’ll help.”

    Keeping her smile, Glimmer moved to sit rather close to the hero. Adora could see her small hands fiddling in her lap. It was clear Glimmer was also upset by the bomb dropped by Entrapta. After all, they were losing each other.

    Just like Adora lost her Glimmer.

    Adora knew it would likely happen at some point, but didn’t allow herself to imagine it too much. All Glimmer was able to do for Adora has been there for her. Reassuringly, a soft hand stroked Adora’s back. Adora looked at Glimmer, seeing sorrow in the queen. It was hard to think this was the same balcony where Glimmer had told her she hated Adora. No… she fucking hated Adora.

    And now, Glimmer was heartbroken. Adora was an amazing friend who helped her form the Princess Alliance, find her father, and become a better queen. A friend that was there for her, a hero… Her hero, maybe? It felt wrong catching feelings for Adora. What Adora and her Glimmer had been special, and frankly she was jealous of it. She wondered if Adora looked at her Glimmer with the same owlish, amazed gaze.

    “I… don’t know how I should feel about all of this…” Adora murmured, her eyes shifting downwards once again.

    “That’s alright. I’m sure nobody has gone through what you have, Adora,” Glimmer reassured her with a soft gaze.

    “It’s…” Adora could feel a lump forming in her throat, “It’s a lot to handle.”

    If it wasn’t for Glimmer comfortingly stroking her soft hand against her back, Adora was sure she would erupt into tears. Glimmer shifted closer, close enough for their thighs to touch. She had to be there for Adora, after everything the hero had done for her. It was the least she could do.

    “I like you.”

    Glimmer’s heart stopped and her cheeks madly blushed at Adora’s words. However, it was only moments later that Adora broke her heart.

    “I like everyone here,” Adora clarified.

    Glimmer stopped herself from muttering a disappointed oh. Now she knew what Adora meant by that — Adora loved her Glimmer, and only liked the Glimmer of this dimension.

“But…” Adora dug her fingers into her arms, “I was hoping… I could find a way back home… and now…” The grim reality suddenly hit Adora. A horrible, realistic reality. One that made her chest feel heavy, like gravity wasn’t real. Like nothing mattered anymore.

    “Glimmer… I think it will be a long time before I can make it back. And… I don’t know…” the lump in her throat hardened, prompting her to deeply breath before sobbing, “I may never be able to go back.”

    She would never be able to see her friends again. Bow’s smiling face and cracking voice. The princesses, who adored and respected her with all they had. So many words left unsaid to Catra. King Micah, the only father figure she ever had.

    She would never see her Glimmer again. Never keep her promise to her, never confess the boiling feelings inside her. They would never look up at the stars together, hold each other and feel like everything was alright. Adora failed her, she failed everyone .

A soft hand entwined with her own, as Glimmer cooed, “Adora. I believe in you. I know you’ll find a way back.”

Those words were so simple, but it was exactly what she needed to hear. Someone was there for her, believed in her, cherished her. Adora sat up a little, using her sleeve to wipe away the tears welling up in her eyes. Glimmer continued the small strokes on Adora’s back, as the hero looked over with tearful eyes.

“I know you don’t like letting people know how you feel,” Glimmer stroked the capable hand with her thumb, “But this is something you have every right to be upset about. You can cry, Adora.”

This all felt so familiar, like the night the week after the two met. With Glimmer crying into the hero’s chest about her frustrations. But this time around, it was Adora who was afraid. Her hand cupped over the queen’s, digging her fingers into her smooth palm as tears began to trickle out of her worried, slate blue eyes.

    “So, this is it? I’m destined to be a vagabond… No clear path ahead. No beginning, no end… Just…” Adora deeply sighed, “Just a cluttered path that might lead me back home.”

“You may not get home right away,” Glimmer’s eyes lit up with a sense of hope for Adora, “But imagine all the worlds you'll see and the people you'll meet. Going on an adventure with you and Bow… It was honestly the most fun I’ve had in my life. Dangerous, but fun. Maybe this will be the same, Adora. And once you get back to your Glimmer, your Bow, and all your friends — you’ll have so many stories to tell.”

Glimmer was right. Adora needed to find the silver lining in this dark storm ahead of her. Slate-blue eyes caught a glimpse of the queen’s cheeks flushing. The queen messed with the hero’s hands, and it seemed she was refusing to look at Adora, flustered by something.

    “I know this may be a bad time to ask, but it might be the right thing for you right now,” Glimmer bashfully murmured as she twirled her sparkling hair in her finger, “Would you… like to be my plus one for Princess Prom? You know, maybe it’ll take your mind off things, just for a bit? It’ll just be you, and me…”

    That did sound nice. Adora wished to redo her own time at Princess Prom with her Glimmer. Things were so complicated that day, and it ultimately distracted them from having a nice time together.

    “I would love to, Glimmer,” Adora agreed, “Princess Prom in my own dimension went so wrong. The Horde was there and…”

    Adora nearly slapped her forehead. This was a wonderful opportunity. Her eyes widened as she wiped her tears away, excitedly pressing the queen’s hand in her own.

    “That’s it! The Horde is bound to go to Princess Prom! Adora will be there, I know it!” Adora excitedly exclaimed, “I can fix this. Everything will be alright for you once I’m gone.”

    A bit disappointed by her reaction, Glimmer sighed.

    Adora never felt too comfortable in dresses. Despite this, she didn’t protest as Glimmer helped her try on an array of dresses. Most were far too feminine for her comfort. Mentally, Adora noted if she was to attend something else formal in her life, a suit would be more desirable. Withal, Glimmer seemed to be having a nice time helping her with an outfit.

    Eventually, they settled on a simple dress; black, with a high collar and sleeveless. It looked similar to the dress she originally wore to the Princess Prom back home, evoking a sense of familiarity and comfort. Glimmer gave her a white belt with a golden moon emblem to tie it all together.

    Adora wasn’t critical of Glimmer’s dress choices at all. The queen changed into a tight cobalt blue dress, sparkling with sequins. It fit nice to her figure, and was honestly stunning enough to elicit a blush from Adora. Although, it was apparent Glimmer was self-conscious about the dress, seeing she messed with the bottom of it.

    “I don’t know, I never wear stuff like this,” Glimmer abashedly admitted, “I should try something else on.”

    “No, I think you look really nice Glimmer,” Adora beamed.

    Glimmer appeared surprised by the comment. Enough so to encourage a blush of her own to spread across her flustered face. The queen messed with her hair as she looked at Adora.

    “Oh um… t-thank you,” she managed to splutter out, “I guess I could wear a necklace or something?”

    “Oh! That’s it!” Adora exclaimed.

    Upon her sudden revelation, Adora stood up from Glimmer’s window seat. As she walked over to the queen, she grabbed the bracelet at her wrist. In an instant, Adora’s sword formed into a necklace. The sword’s Runestone was held by a golden chain. For a moment, Glimmer let her mind stray into what else the Sword could turn into.

    That thought train was quickly stopped as Adora offered, “You can wear this! Here, let me put it on for you!”

    Without any comments, Glimmer let the hero put the makeshift necklace on her. As Adora shifted close to her, the blush on Glimmer’s cheeks worsen. Her slate blue eyes were focused on the chain, snapping it together and moving the clasp behind her neck.

    “There! No one will suspect you have the sword. And hey, it looks nice on you.”

Right . This wasn’t a nice date for Adora. It was a valuable opportunity for them to capture her doppelgänger. Glimmer couldn’t help but still feel a little disappointed by that.

    The whole town of Salineas was lit up for the event. It was lively, full of wonderful aromas and colors. Entrapta and Bow tagged along, both of them wore tuxedos adorably enough. Per Micah’s request, Glimmer wore a shawl. Once they were out of Bright Moon, Glimmer further exposed her shoulder against her father’s wishes.

    It didn’t matter, ultimately. It wasn’t like she was getting action tonight. Adora seemed dead-set on the idea the Horde would be there. The ballroom of Salinas was elegant, lit up with an array of beautiful warm colors. It was grand, open, with massive windows that overlooked the sea.

    Mermista sat on her throne, overlooking the party. Next to her sat Perfuma, in a regular lounge chair. The two were laughing, seeming to be having a good time. Mermista had already been informed about the possibility of Scorpia and the Horde coming to the party. Casually, she brushed it off. Bow comforted a crying, upset Seahawk — who was going off on the fact Mermista chose Perfuma as her date for that night. How did the guy even get in without an invitation?

Entrapta had already abandoned Bow, stars know why. Adora was totally distracted, her eyes constantly shifting around the dance floor. It seemed the hero dragged her feet as the queen pulled her along, guiding her to the punch table. “Adora, relax. We can handle this, it’s—”

    “I thought I could handle it too, then the Horde kidnapped you and Bow,” Adora fretted, tempted to chew at her nails.

    “Here, I can help you relax,” Glimmer smirked, rather maliciously.

    The queen reached underneath her shawl, pulling out a small vial. Adora noted how poorly the Salines guards had searched them. Glimmer poured some kind of liquid into Adora’s drink, handing the cup over to her.

    “Dad gave me this before I left,” Glimmer coyly noted.

    If Micah gave it to Glimmer, Adora trusted it… Whatever it was. However, once Adora took a sip, a repugnant, foul taste flared her taste buds. She was able to feel the laced punch in her nostrils the rest of the night. The moment she considered spitting it out, she looked over to see Glimmer casually pouring the rest of the vial into her own punch.

    “Glimmer?! What did you give me?!” Adora fussed at the queen — despite already knowing the answer.

    “Hey, it was my dad’s idea. He thinks it’s dumb that Princess Prom is a dry party, and I agree,” Glimmer countered before downing the drink like it was nothing.

    “Glimmer! We’re wasting time sitting here and drinking, while Adora—”

    “You think hanging out with me is a waste of time?” Glimmer seemed authentically hurt.

    Immediately, Adora regretted her words, “Glimmer, I didn’t mean—”

    In the spur of the moment, Glimmer angrily snatched Adora’s drink from her hand. Again, without any visible effect to the queen, she downed the punch in one gulp. “Do you really think I can’t handle Adora after you’re gone?” Glimmer glared, her knuckles white against the empty punch glass, “I thought this would be a nice way to spend our last few days together. You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t feel the same way.”

    Perhaps it was the whiskey burning her throat that made Glimmer so vexed. Nonetheless, Adora’s words hurt her. Glimmer really liked Adora, and it hurt knowing she would be gone forever within a week. Tears were flaring up in the queen’s eyes as she pivoted away, tossing the empty glasses on the table. Firmly, Adora grabbed onto Glimmer’s wrist. The queen snapped her hand away, glaring at Adora with a visceral hatred.

“Glimmer, I’m sorry, but—”

    “But what? You don’t believe in me. Get over your little hero complex, Adora,” Glimmer sneered.

    Glimmer’s words affected Adora. They didn’t hurt, per se, as Adora felt like Glimmer had a point — the Princess Alliance was far stronger than the Horde in this dimension. Perhaps Adora should have more faith in the capable queen. Regardless, she knew Glimmer needed some time away from her as the two thought things over.

The dance floor was crowded. Bow, Entrapta, nor anyone she knew could be seen, causing her to feel anxious. Desperately, she looked around for someone she knew. Hell, she considered for a brief second dancing with Seahawk if she saw him, before immediately gagging at the idea. The music changed tempo and the lights turned a deep red. Castanets reverberated throughout the ballroom, starting out some sort of tango. For a moment, she considered teleporting out.

All of a sudden, someone firmly grabbed her hand. They were behind her, so she wasn’t able to immediately look at them. As she began to turn towards them, they used their other hand to firmly grasp her shoulder. Finally, she was able to see who the interloper was.

    Glimmer gasped as Adora’s doppelgänger pulled her infuriatingly close.

“Perfect timing. Care to dance?”

Adora was right, the Horde would be there. The doppelgänger wore a dark violet vest over a white button up, with the sleeves rolled up past her elbows. Her dirty blonde hair was put back into a messy bun. In the pocket of her vest, a vibrant purple zinnia was tucked away.

With her callused fingers tightly entwined with Glimmer’s, she began to take the lead with the dance. Despite the visceral hatred boiling inside Glimmer, she knew this was a great way to distract the captain from whatever she was scheming. Dripping with hate, Glimmer used her free hand to grip on the elbow of Adora’s suit.

The queen knew better than to talk to her, knowing the Horde puppet’s words would frustrate her. Every part of her wanted to teleport away. Like every time they were near each other, Glimmer pierced a glare that could penetrate the harshest of hearts… Yet, just like all the times before, Adora was completely unaffected as she keenly kept her sinister yet suave smirk.

“Gotta say, I’m really digging the look, beautiful,” Adora schmoozed.

Compared to Adora, Glimmer’s steps were hesitant and jagged. Glimmer struggled to read the doppelgänger’s emotions as they continued to dance.

“Why are you always so quiet around me? I bet you never shut up around She-Ra,” Adora teased.

Glimmer flinched at the mention of the hero. To some extent, she hoped the hero would see her dancing with the captain. “Jealous much?”

“What do I have to be jealous of? You haven’t teleported away,” Adora playfully bantered.

Growing frustrated, Glimmer narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth before badgering, “So, what are your evil plans for tonight, Adora?”

“You don’t need to know, sweetheart,” Adora narrowed her eyes back at the queen, appearing wolfish in nature, “And hey, you don’t have to worry…”

Without warning, the soldier lifted Glimmer’s arm. Not wanting to look like an idiot, Glimmer spun around — only for Adora to interrupt the movement with a smooth pull. Suddenly, the captain’s arm was twisted with the queen’s around her stomach. Adora leaned close, pressing her chest up against the smaller girl’s back. The position was enough to freshen Glimmer’s blush.

“You have me to protect you from the Horde, princess,” Adora lowly confided.

Glimmer could feel her stomach in knots because of their position, because of the captain’s words… There was a slither of something inside of Glimmer that didn’t hate this. Was she… having fun with the captain?

Their tension eased once Adora spun her out. Their arms were as far apart as possible, and the two stared each other down — waiting to see who would move next. Amethyst eyes dotted to the golden necklace sitting above Glimmer’s collarbone. The doppelgänger wasn’t stupid, and saw right through the trick.

With a vulturous yet inviting leer, Adora complimented, “Beautiful necklace, your majesty.” She then the captain pulled her back, assuming their position from before Glimmer had been twisted around, “Tell me, what else can the sword transform into?”

Glimmer nearly choked at the implication of what Adora just said. As they continued to dance, Adora’s grip seemed to become stronger, more possessive. Deep down, Glimmer had a bad feeling about all of this. It seemed Adora was baiting her for something. Then again, it always felt like the captain was baiting her.

“You’re quite flattering,” Glimmer bantered back, “It’s a shame you aren’t my date for tonight.”

What happened next was a blur. Methodically, Adora slipped her hands around the queen’s waist before smoothly and swiftly dipping her down. Their faces were painstakingly close to one another. Glimmer found herself immobilized, as her blush spread to her ears. Wanting stability, she gripped onto the captain’s vest. 

“You’re right, what a shame...” the soldier whispered as her mischievous smirk darkened and her hand stroked Glimmer’s thigh, “Because I know you like this, Glimmer.”

She hated Force Captain Adora with every fiber of her being. So, why was a chill sent down her spine as the captain’s callused hands ghosted against her thigh? Why didn’t she hate this — this feeling boiling inside her pulsing heart? Passionate amethyst eyes gazed into hers, making her scowl slightly ease.

The doppelgänger looked at her with a sense of infatuation, far greater than Adora ever had —  far greater than anyone had. After the captain pulled her up, they were closer than ever before. Glimmer gripped the small of the captain’s back as rough hands grasped her hips. The queen was smart, and could read the captain like a book — she very likely had Horde peons somewhere in the palace. Not wanting to be outnumbered, Glimmer gripped harshly onto the captain. Pink sparkles surrounded them, and they both teleported in an instant.

The two were now on the rocky coastline of Salines. Waves crashed against sharp rocks. Only the moons above and various torches throughout the coastline lit the surrounding area. The moment the two manifested on the beach, Glimmer flared up photokinetic magic in her hands — successfully knocking the captain onto her back. As Adora recoiled, Glimmer promptly conjured up a spell.

However, the captain was quick to recover. She managed to roll out of the way while the spell was sent towards her. Only a fragment of it landed on her arm but it hurt like hell. It was a mystic fire spell, one that left blue embers behind. Adora promptly pushed herself to stand up, braving through the awful pain. The blue embers remained burning her arm as she turned towards Glimmer, who was already conjuring up another spell. Adora impishly smirked, honestly impressed by her newly improved powers.

“Oh? You’re fighting dirty now, princess… I like it,” This was Adora’s idea of a compliment.

Glimmer narrowed her eyes, “It gets better.”

Glimmer felt like she was in control as her spell morphed into multiple black ribbons. Swiftly, they flew through the air, heading straight for the captain. Reacting fast, Adora ran towards Glimmer and dove into the sand before the ribbons could grasp onto her. As she did, she swept her leg against the queen’s and successfully knocked her off her feet. Her face planted into the sand below, and she found herself struggling to recover.

She could hear sand shuffling as the captain rose to her feet. In the scuffle, Adora’s bun had come undone, making her bangs droop across her forehead. Not wanting to be at a disadvantage, Glimmer quickly teleported — manifesting behind the captain. To her dismay, it seemed Adora strategically predicted this. Only a few moments after Glimmer had teleported, the captain whipped around. With a swift, fluid motion, Adora wrapped her elbow around the queen’s neck.

The vantage point allowed her to twist Glimmer around and pull her into a choke-hold. Adora was cautious not to brush up against the necklace around Glimmer’s neck, knowing of the devastating consequences. Without a choice, Glimmer’s back was pressed up against the captain’s chest. To no avail, her fingers clawed at Adora’s sleeved arm as she growled. The moment she considered blasting the bastard or teleporting, a hand grasped onto her hip. She hated herself for feeling a chill down her spine and warmth on her cheeks upon realizing how close the two were.

That chill only worsened as the captain leaned close to her ear and tauntingly whispered, “I’ll play as dirty as you want me to, your majesty.”

It was then that Glimmer decided to play Adora’s game.

“Adora… Back when we were dancing… you said I wanted this,” Glimmer bashfully spoke.

She relaxed her body against Adora, shifting herself closer to the captain. Hands that were viciously clawing at Adora were now tenderly brushing the muscular arm around her chest. The doppelgänger appeared to tense up at the touch, especially as the small queen began to shift her hips against her. Glimmer felt a sense of pride as Adora gasped.

“Did you really think I teleported us out here to fight, idiot?” Glimmer timidly chided.

She was acting — but damn, she didn’t know she could act so well. Perhaps there was a bit of truth hidden in what she said. Foolishly, Adora was falling so hard for it. Still, Glimmer felt her stomach in knots as the captain lowly laughed.

“My, my, princess…” she murmured, letting the hand at Glimmer’s hip stray upwards, “I didn’t take you for the type that likes it out in the open.”

The line between the facade and reality was fading as the captain pressed her lips below Glimmer’s ear, eliciting a gasp. Why did she find herself feeling so weak under the captain’s touch? It’s because she looks like Adora. She sounds like her. Of course, you’re going to feel like this. At least, that’s what she told herself.

Adora teased, “It’s nice to know we can’t resist each other.”

Fuck, who was she kidding? She hated the doppelgänger so much. However, as the callused hand at her waist strayed upward, she could feel her act failing. The rough hand ghosted across her stomach, stalking closer to her chest. It was all becoming too much for her. She wanted this — she wanted Force Captain Adora.

After swallowing down her pride, Glimmer gave herself to the doppelgänger. She was ashamed to admit that she didn’t hate it.

    “Uh, yeah, Glimmer was practically dry humping the other Adora just now,” Mermista informed, a bit of urgency in her normally deadpan voice, “Then Glimmer teleported with her?”

    Adora had been searching all over the ballroom for any sign of the Horde. However, her search flipped to searching for Glimmer as she sensed the absence of her Sword. Mermista and Perfuma approached Adora, telling her a strange story of Glimmer dancing with her doppelgänger…. Now, why would she do that? To distract her?

    Adora shook off the thought. She needed to find Glimmer and the Sword. The queen was implausibly capable in battle, but it was challenging knowing what her doppelgänger had up her sleeve.

    “You two keep an eye out here. If you see Bow, tell him to look for Glimmer,” Adora sputtered out, as she paced away from the two.

    Perfuma eyed her date and with a vibrant smile, she stroked the mermaid's arm. Flirtatiously, she twirled a lock of her blonde hair in her finger. “As much as I would love to help the She-Ra, I would deeply enjoy it if we were to, as you called it, uh, ‘tongue kiss’ on your couch again,” Perfuma bashfully asked.

    “Uh, oh yeah. That sounds totally better than chasing goons.”

    “Glimmer?!”

The call was distant, but it was still enough to send a massive sense of urgency and anxiety through the queen. Thankfully, she was able to get all of her clothes back on. “Shit, shit, shit,” Glimmer cursed, nearly stumbling as she slipped back into her shoes.

    The captain was busy fixing her hair back into a bun — albeit, one messier than before. Glimmer wanted to slap the stupid smile off Adora’s face.

    “If you didn’t want your girlfriend finding us, maybe you should’ve teleported us somewhere more private? Just a thought,” the captain sneered.

    “Shut up,” Glimmer barked, not bothering to look at the captain as she grabbed her shawl from the ground, “Where else would I have—”

    Glimmer suddenly remembered something she deeply regretted, and actually the only thing she regretted from the rendezvous with the captain. She nearly slapped her collarbone, patting around for the missing necklace — confirming she had forgotten to put it back on. She pivoted over, looking all over the flat, uncomfortable rock she had grown accustomed to the past… how long had it been? Honestly, Glimmer didn’t want to know.

    Lavender eyes widened as she noticed the captain kneeled down close to the necklace, eyeing it. Once she noticed the queen, her amethyst eyes dotted up to her. Glimmer sighed as she threw her shawl on, glaring at the captain.

    “You know what will happen if you touch it, idiot,” Glimmer badgered.

    “You think I’m She-Ra, don’t you?”

    The question shocked Glimmer to an extent. It seemed genuine, void of Adora’s usual wolfish tone. Almost — just barely — Adora’s voice was… gentle. Weak, even. Hands that Glimmer learned were callused and capable grasped at the captain’s sleeves. 

“I’ve always felt like there was more to my life,” Adora kept her tone consistent with the previous words she spoke, “And I thought that the feeling would be satisfied when I became Force Captain… But—”

“It didn’t.”

How did Glimmer know the captain wasn’t manipulating her? Everything about the moment felt so real. Like the captain truly felt weak at that moment. The image of a broken Horde peon, feebly gazing at her with slate blue eyes came to mind. It was exactly like they were back in Thaymor.

And this was their second chance.

"Forget the Horde, Adora… Come with me.”

There was a lump forming in Glimmer’s throat. All of this pain, heartbreak, and betrayal could have been prevented if Adora joined her the first time around. Maybe… her mother would still be alive. Adora’s eyes widened at Glimmer’s words. However, her shock seemed to fade quickly as it was replaced by a sense of newly found anger. The captain stood up, her fists clenched at her sides as she glared at the queen.

“What? So we fucked, and we’re best friends now?” Adora jeered, “Is that what happened with She-Ra, sweetheart?”

Glimmer was taken aback, yet narrowed her eyes at the captain, “Here I thought we were getting somewhere.”

Adora laughed — a laugh different from her usual ones. One that was sarcastic, with an air of frustration. Infuriated, she walked closer to the queen. In their tension, Glimmer focused on the doppelgänger’s facial scar.

“I assumed you were just projecting your feelings for She-Ra on me, but I have you all figured out now…” There appeared to be a speck of hurt somewhere in the captain. As if she truly believed Glimmer was reflecting her feelings for the vagabond-hero onto the captain. The captain was close to Glimmer, enough to remind her of their glaring height difference.

Glimmer flinched as the captain reached up to her shawl, fixing it so it would cover the dark, newly formed mark on the queen’s collarbone. It was a minor yet oddly sweet gesture by the captain. After wards, the captain caught Glimmer’s chin. Unlike when the captain had done so in the past, the touch was gentle. Passionate eyes looked into Glimmer, communicating deeply buried feelings within the captain.

“You can’t resist me, huh princess?” Adora wasn’t condescending or impish with her question, but didn’t give Glimmer a chance to answer, “That’s alright. I can be your little secret, I don’t mind,” Adora then cocked an eyebrow as she purred, “As long as we get to do that again sometime.”

Glimmer grabbed the captain’s collar, pulling her closer to her level in order to aggressively kiss her. Stars, she could feel that fire starting again as their lips pressed. Roughly, Adora’s hand grasped at her elbow. The moment was brief, seeing as only seconds after it started, a familiar voice could be heard once again—

“Glimmer?!”

This time around, she sounded dreadfully close. Glimmer really didn’t want Adora seeing her with… Well, with Adora. Immediately, the two pulled away. However, Adora kept her grip at Glimmer’s elbow. The doppelgänger appeared remorseful as she pulled her gaze away from Glimmer.

“Glimmer… I’m sorry.”

Before Glimmer could interrogate or react, she felt a sharp pain in her arm. Negative energy flowed through her, akin to the restraints she had been placed in at the Fright Zone. Adora let go, and Glimmer glanced down to see a device with metallic legs boring into her arm. She remembered — this was the Magitick, the contraption Adora threatened to use on her months prior.

Tears flowed into lavender eyes. Why did she let her guard down around her? Did she genuinely believe she could get through to the captain? As the negative energy conflicted with her own, she felt weak. Contrasting to what just happened, she felt the captain reassuringly hold onto her shoulder. Angered by this, Glimmer jerked away.

“What the fuck!” Glimmer cursed, fighting back her tears. As she looked at the captain, she once again saw the girl from Thaymor. Sad, broken… defeated. Looking back at her with guilt-ridden eyes. In the moonlight, Glimmer swore she could see the captain’s own eyes welling up with tears.

“This isn’t your fight, Glimmer. I don’t want you getting involved.”

Every single word Adora said to her held believability. Why was the captain suddenly being so kind to her? Glimmer was so confused, and couldn’t protest as she fell to her knees — overwhelmed by the negative energy flowing into her. The queen’s tears flowed stronger as the captain walked over to the necklace.

“Adora, no!”

Adora arrived too late. After searching the entirety of Salineas for what felt like an hour, she finally heard what sounded like Glimmer — crying out in pain from far away. The hero’s eyes widened, as she searched around for the noise. It sounded distant, drowned out by the sound of waves.

 The closer she walked towards the beach, the stronger her connection to the sword felt. Eventually, she found the queen and the captain — situated away from each other on a flat rock in an alcove near the shoreline. Adora watched from atop a sand dune, quickly running towards them and cursing her choice of footwear.

Glimmer was on her knees, clutching her arm while the captain was bending down towards something on the ground. Adora’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she realized what the captain was about to pick up. Before Adora could attempt to summon the sword to her side, the captain grabbed onto the necklace.

Immediately, the familiar, distorted multicolor and black boxes formed around the captain. She roared in pain, barely able to pull her arm up — as if the necklace weighed a ton. The captain glared up at Adora with a wolfish smirk, and somehow the necklace transformed into its original form. With a shaking arm and a distorting body, the captain was barely able to lift the sword.

“For the honor of the Rebellion!”

Was Adora’s voice echoing or did she hear that right? As she transformed, it was like she was looking in a mirror. It was strange seeing it happen, as she was always the one transforming. However, she was certain glitching boxes of energy didn’t manifest around her when she transformed. Somehow, the doppelgänger was able to transform into She-Ra was well.

Around them, fissures began to form with blindingly white lights shooting up from them. Once the lights beaming from both She-Ras died down, both Glimmer and Adora’s jaws dropped at the sight before them.

The doppelgänger had morphed into a heavily distorted version of She-Ra. Her eyes glowed light amethyst. Cracks formed in her skin, with bright white light shooting out of them — similar to the fissures in the ground below them. Parts of skin faded away, revealing black, empty voids in place. Save for the mangled scar around her eye, she was identical to the real She-Ra.

For a moment, the captain glitched — as she blinked back into her regular self for a few seconds. As she roared, it appeared she had control of the sword — stopping the odd blinking.

“Adora! If she stays as She-Ra for too long, she will perish,” the voice of Light Hope echoed in Adora’s mind, as she observed the Runestone on the sword blink.

Before Adora could react, her alter-ego rushed forward. As she jumped towards her with the sword, Adora blocked her hit with a bracelet. Adora grabbed her elbow, pushing her to the ground successfully. The surrounding ground began to feel light beneath her feet, as if it would break under her weight. In reality, the rock beneath them was shattering and beginning to float.

Glimmer observed this, bracing through her pain and standing. She backed away from the light-beaming fissures, quickly plopping into the nearby sandy shore. Just barely was she able to twist around, watching the battle between the She-Ras unfold. As the ground beneath the two separated in different directions, the alter ego looked at the sword. In a split second, the sword morphed into a lasso.

At that moment, the ground the doppelgänger was on was higher than Adora’s. With a wolfish smirk, she glared down at Adora. Before the hero could jump up towards her, she tossed the lasso down. Adora attempted to evade it, only for the rope to ensnare her neck. With all her faltering strength, the alter ego pulled up — attempting to choke the other She-Ra.

“Adora!” Who Glimmer was calling out to, she wasn’t sure. Was it an attempt to appeal to the odd, caring nature she saw in the doppelgänger minutes prior? Most likely, it was out of concern for the Adora that struggled to escape the lasso growing tighter around her neck.

“What a shame Glimmer loves someone as weak as you,” the captain laughed as she pulled up harder on the lasso.

Glimmer couldn’t sit back and watch anymore. With a deep breath, she grabbed onto the device in her arm. Despite the immense pain she felt, she was able to tear the device out. Ignoring the blood that immediately streamed from her, Glimmer was able to shake off the negative energy inside her.

She was too focused on the two fighting before her — the two that she had separately developed strange, complicated feelings for. In a split second, Glimmer teleported — manifesting in front of the alter ego. With a swift, midair kick to her chest, she managed to make her falter backwards — forcing her let go of the lasso. Decisively, Glimmer teleported to the small space between the edge of the floating rock and the doppelgänger.

Amethyst, glowing eyes looked at her with shock, as more brightly lit fissures coated her skin. There was hesitation on the doppelgänger side, which allowed Glimmer to summon a spell. Knowing she was defeated, the corrupted She-Ra before kneeled down. As she did, bright light emitted from her.

Once the doppelgänger had morphed back into her true self, the surrounding ground stopped floating upwards. The alter ego appeared to be a mess, her tux askew and her messy hair partially falling out of her bun. She stared up at Glimmer with an aura of acceptance.

“Go ahead. Kill me, Glimmer.”

With a smile, Glimmer lightly laughed at the doppelgänger, “I’m not going to kill you, idiot.”

From below, Adora wrestled the lasso away from her neck already. She watched in horror as the floating rock above began to fall. As it did, she quickly dove to the sandy shore. Feeling exhausted after the events that had transpired, Adora morphed back into her regular self. As she hoped, Adora heard the well-known magical manifestation behind her. As she whipped around, she observed the queen holding onto a familiar figure. Glimmer lied on her knees in the sand, clutching the captain close.

The queen frantically held onto the back of the captain’s head, as a few of the distorted boxes floated around her.

“Adora! Wake up! C’mon…” Glimmer begged, staring intently down at the captain.

As if cold water was thrown on her, the captain’s eyes shot open. Glimmer gasped, observing her eyes were now slate-blue — just like the girl she had met in Thaymor, and just like the vagabond-hero. Despite her shock, the captain struggled to move in her apparent weakened state.

“You’ve spared me twice now, huh? I... I owe you my life… Queen Glimmer.”

Realizing her reversal spell had been successful, she smiled down at the captain, “You remember now?”

    The captain shifted, grunting and clutching her abdomen, “I’m starting to remember things. Truth is, I was planning on defecting the night we met. But… Shadow Weaver found out about what I did,” her slate-blue eyes shifted at the refreshed memory, “She wiped my memories. Turned me into a different person.”

Glimmer’s smile faded, “You remember everything you did as Force Captain, don’t you?”

The alter-ego reflected Glimmer’s frown, “I did something absolutely unforgivable to you, Glimmer. I took your mother away, and I know there’s no way you’ll ever forgive me. I know saying sorry won’t be enough for you. So, my loyalty belongs to you and Bright Moon, Glimmer. I can’t go back to the Horde.”

Glimmer’s hand moved to the captain’s messy sleeve, “I learned a while ago, it’s bad to hold grudges. I think I can find it in me to forgive you. It wasn’t you who killed my mother. The Horde used you, and I understand that. I’ll vouch for you, Adora.”

Moving closer to the two, Adora still felt the odd emotion. Perhaps it was an odd sense of jealousy, of her wishing this was her and her Glimmer as the two smiled at each other. But also, she felt a sense of relief knowing that things would be alright.

    It was Glimmer that saved Adora earlier, and it was Glimmer who successfully and single-handedly took on the captain. Glimmer and the doppelgänger would be alright once Adora was gone, never to be seen in this universe again.

They would take care of each other.

From far away, Catra and Scorpia watched the events unfold. Tears tickled out of Catra’s eyes as she watched the queen affectionately hold onto the captain. Scorpia looked at Catra with immense concern.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t go—”

“Let her die for all I care. Let’s go, Scorpia.”

    Things would be alright in the Princess Alliance’s hands from there on out. The doppelgänger was recovering from her weakened state under the care of Bright Moon’s healers. Sadly, the captain wasn’t conscious for long periods. With things looking up in the long run, Adora decided to pay a visit to Madam Razz. However, the answer the strange woman gave her wasn’t too clear at the time.

    “Mara, I’ve figured it out! Once you find a world that is similar to your own, one that is perfectly in balance, you’ll be able to go home!”

    A world that’s similar to her own and one that is perfectly in balance. Any attempt to prod the woman about what she meant resulted in her asking Adora to pick blueberries with her. And Adora did. She had no idea what lied ahead, but it felt relaxing filling up baskets with berries with the strange woman. It helped her forget for a while about what was in her future.

    The pains she experienced were becoming more frequent. The last week she was there, it was happening at least three or five times a day. However, she was growing accustomed to the awful pain. In spite of being able to brave through the awful pain, it didn’t make it any less worse. Glimmer helped her relax the last few days. It was in the middle of that last week when one night, Glimmer pulled her aside. The queen brought her into her room, revealing a new, neatly folded set of clothes.

    “Your outfit looked a little ratty, so Bow and I got something for you,” Glimmer feebly beamed, “New journey, new outfit, right?”

    Adora felt reluctant to leave her jacket behind. It was comfortable, and it reminded her of home — the last thing beyond her sword that she kept from her original dimension. But there was also the consideration that Glimmer would have something to remember her by.

    Sparkling with a small sense of confidence, Adora changed into the new outfit. A long-tailed coat, accented with gold streaks near the collar. The cuffs were embroidered with wings. Black pants were tucked into white boots, rimmed with a golden accent. A golden lightweight chest plate that exposed her midsection, no doubt a touch of Bow’s. Fingerless gloves, no doubt a touch of Glimmer’s. It felt strange, new, but welcoming and comfortable.

    “Does it look alright?” Adora asked, eyeing the exposed midsection through the mirror.

    “You look beautiful, Adora.”

    Glimmer smiled at the new sight. In her petite hands, Glimmer held a notebook, tied together with various pens and pencils. Adora turned around, noticing how harshly the girl was trembling. Before she could inquire, the queen hastily handed her the pocketbook.

    “For you. So you can write about everything you see. I’m sure the Entrapta back home won’t leave you alone about this,” Glimmer nervously joked.

    Adora took the pocketbook, keeping her worried eyes on the queen, “Are you alright?”

    In reality, the queen was panicking, wondering if she should lay all her conflicting feelings onto the hero. All her guilt jabbed into her affection for the vagabond. Unable to look in her worried, slate-blue eyes, the queen pivoted away from her. Her shaky hand covered her mouth, preventing a sob from escaping out.

Adora slid the pocketbook into the inside of her jacket, quick to comfort the queen. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

    The feeling of Adora’s rough palm against her arm surprised Glimmer. It carefully stroked over the bandage on her arm, which covered the healing wound she inflicted upon herself to save both the hero and the captain.

    “It’s just… you’ve been so kind and helpful to me since the moment we met. You rescued me from the Fright Zone, a-and you found my father… I can’t thank you enough for that,” Glimmer fought back the lump in her throat as she turned back around towards the hero, keeping her gaze away from her, “Most of all, you’ve helped me form the Princess Alliance and become a real queen. And you did that despite how horribly I acted towards you… Things have been a lot better between us, but I’m sorry about how I treated you at Princes Prom. I should’ve listened to you.”

    Finally, lavender eyes met with the broken eyes of a hero. Eyes full of pain and emotions yet to be communicated. Maybe Glimmer was reading too far into things, but perhaps they were full of love at that moment. Tears fired up in her eyes at the sight. She shook her head, refusing to hold back any longer. “Fuck, it doesn’t matter since I’ll never see you again once you’re gone... But I think I’ve fallen for you, Adora.”

    It was like a bandage was ripped from her. A fire was started in a dry forest. It was like she was drowning in a sea of mixed up emotions. Things felt so confusing to the hero. She loved her Glimmer with all her heart, and that love never faded away. Not even as she looked at the Glimmer before her with a sense of affection.

    Things didn’t feel any clearer as the hero leaned down, placing her lips against the queen’s. Easily and willingly, Glimmer accepted her kiss — wrapping her arms around the hero, entangling her fingers in her blonde hair. As the hero’s hand clasped on the queen’s hip, she was reminded of the doppelgänger’s touch.

However, she didn’t want that night at Princess Prom to be between her and the hero. All she wanted was Adora, the vagabond… her hero. She felt safe in her warm embrace, she felt so loved and cared for. The feeling made her blissful enough to sparkle to a degree, literally. It almost made her forget that the hero was fading out of her universe. Glimmer backed away, breathlessly falling into the hero’s shoulder as she embraced her.

“I want to remember you, Adora.”

Glimmer’s vision was becoming blurry as the lump in her throat made it hard to speak. It felt like all their petty fighting didn’t matter anymore as Adora sweetly kissed the top of her head.

“... I want to remember you, too.”

    Once again, Glimmer gave herself to Adora. However, this time it was the hero’s touch she grew acquainted with — and she hated knowing it felt so similar to the doppelgänger’s.

The pain was growing even worse the last few days. Every other hour, Adora would experience the glitching episodes. She would wake up in the middle of the night, crying as the black and multicolored boxes formed around her. Every time she woke up, Glimmer was next to her. She would hold onto Adora, run her fingers through her hair, let her cry into her chest. And every time it happened, Glimmer failed to know what to say.

    “It’ll be alright,” but who knows if it would?

    “You’ll get back home, I know it,” but who knows if she would?

    “You have to go home, you have to get back to her,” yet, Glimmer selfishly wanted her to herself.

Entrapta still wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly when Adora would fade out of the universe, only able to ballpark that it would happen very soon . So, the hero would do her best to fall asleep in the new outfit Glimmer had given her — her sword morphed into a hoop bracelet around her wrist.

Eventually, one night, it happened.

    All without fanfare, without being able to say proper goodbyes to everyone — when the queen and the hero lied in bed together, holding each other close. Adora gripped the smaller girl harshly, and it was apparent this episode was the most painful of all. Glimmer was nearly suffocated as Adora pressed her into her chest, crying out and whimpering through the pain.

    This time around, Glimmer could see Adora’s skin cracking. Through the cracks, beams of white light spewed out — similar to when her doppelgänger had transformed into She-Ra for the first time. Just barely, Glimmer was able to shift somewhat out of Adora’s grip. Once she gazed up at her face, she observed the cracks forming across her face. Hot tears flowed out of Adora’s eyes.

    “It’s… happening,” Adora sobbed.

    Glimmer couldn’t care to notice her own eyes welling up with tears. Her arm escaped Adora’s grasped, letting her soft hand reach up to the hero’s scar. As she traced it, more of the cracks formed.

    “How do I know I won’t—” Adora took a moment to hiss as black matter began to flower across her body, “I-I won’t mess things up if I get back? That… I can fix things with you?” 

    You . She meant her Glimmer. The Glimmer waiting for her in the original dimension. Seeing as the hero was fighting off the dark matter, Glimmer couldn’t blame her confusion. Softly, Glimmer leaned up to Adora. It was the most passionate kiss of her life. All their emotions flowed to one another; remorse, apprehension, sorrow… and joy that they got to meet one another. Thankfulness for Adora’s help and love.

    The fissures across Adora’s body began to light up, brighter than before. A loud hum echoed the room, as a plethora of the black and multicolored boxes began to flow away from Adora. Glimmer pulled away, observing the spectacle happen before her eyes. Adora was fading away, officially. All the boxes were a part of Adora’s consciousness, shifting to the cosmos.

“I have faith in you, Adora.”

That’s all the queen had left to offer, as the boxes began to pick up their pace. The fissures covered every inch of Adora’s body now. And within the blink of an eye, her whole body shined — brighter than anything Glimmer had ever observed. Fighting through the sheer brightness, she kept her eyes on the display.

Once it was done, her hand fell onto the sheets below. No more humming, glitching boxes, or bright lights.

No more Adora.

She gripped onto the sheet where Adora had was just seconds before. Glimmer could still feel her warmth, she could still smell her. For the longest time, she stared at the spot, hoping that at any moment Adora would fade back in. That moment never came. All Glimmer could hear were the sound of her own agonizingly loud sobs. And all she could feel was the warm sheets beneath her touch.

    Her hero was gone. Forever.

    It’s… so bright. Why is it so bright? Where am I?

    All Adora could see was white. Adora attempted to move, yet she couldn’t. She couldn’t see, she couldn’t feel anything. It was as if her soul was trapped inside something she couldn’t escape. Oddly enough, the ordinarily hyper-anxious girl wasn’t terribly worried by the fact.

    It felt warm. Safe. Familiar, in a strange sense. Like she knew what was happening wouldn’t hurt her in the end. She had no concept of time in this strange state of being. It was as if she was dreaming, but nothing was shown in front of her. However, overtime the white before her began to spark with odd, electric blue flares.

    “Adora…”

    Who was speaking? She knew the voice. It had been a long time since she heard that voice. In her hazy mind, she finally remembered who the voice belonged to.

    “I apologize, but this is all I can do for you and Glimmer. Please accept my gift.”

    Angella…?

    Eventually, she gained the ability to open her eyes and feel her limbs. She looked down, noticing that she was floating over a dark abyss. In spite of this, she wasn’t falling. She felt light, like the force of gravity wasn’t pushing her downward. A bright white light engulfed her, and she was barely able to see her own body. She could see electric blue sparks igniting around her, yet she felt no pain or heat.

    Finally, her feet touched something solid as stardust exploded around her. She looked down, still seeing an endless dark abyss. Even so, the ground beneath her felt solid. Adora wobbled on her feet, slowly comprehending that it was safe for her to stand. Slate blue, worn eyes widened at the sight before her.

    An endless dreamscape, with little distinction between the sky above and the horizon. Above her was a sky full of bright stars as far as the eye could see. The occasional shooting star passed above, tailed by the familiar electric blue flare. They were the only thing that made a sound, their flares echoing across the empty rift. It seemed the ethereal plane was endless, like Adora could run for days through it and never find an end or a beginning.

    What… What is this place?

    Adora flinched at the feeling of something beneath her boot. Upon looking down, she noticed a strange flower popping up from the ground. The flower itself was fairly small, and would easily fit in Adora’s palm if she were to uproot it. The bloom was a mixture of several colors - with the lower three petals were mostly a pale yellow, boasting bold streaks of black and hints of pink. Above these petals were two deep purple ones, with the same hint of pink.

    To her memory, she had never observed the flower. Within an instant, more of the flowers popped up — filling the immediate area around Adora. The hero almost failed to notice that one of the shooting stars above was descending — aimed to land in the long meadow of flowers. As it struck down, there was no loud boom as one would expect. Instead, a peaceful twinkle echoed in the dreamscape. It was an explosion with no physical force, a light show of light pink and electric blue — dazzling and complementing one another in the burning white flares.

The supernova before her shone bright and beautifully, emitting a familiar hue of light pink. Stunningly, the picturesque lights began to transform. Ribbons of light began to solidify, manifesting into an all-too familiar silhouette. As the lights died down, Adora could feel her heart fall out of her chest.

Glimmer was a supernova, the brightest starlight in the cosmos where they stood.

Adora found herself immobilized, doubting that any of this was real. If this was a dream, things would be hazy. Refuting that, every detail was crystal clear to her. The queen seemed to be processing things at a pace similar to Adora, not able to understand the strange ethereal plane or the weird petite flowers that grew out of nothing. Eventually, lavender eyes settled on Adora.

Something deep within her told her this was her Glimmer. And that feeling would only be supported as the queen’s eyes were instantly flooded with hot tears. It was as if the queen’s heart fell out of her chest as she saw Adora, too. Unlike the hero, she wasn’t immobilized by the sight.

“Adora!” Glimmer’s shocked, tearful voice echoed throughout the plane.

In an instant, she disappeared in a poof of sparkles — only to reappear in front of Adora. Adora was keen to hold onto the queen as she practically tackled the hero. The smaller girl wrapped her arms desperately around Adora’s neck, burying herself deeply into her chest. This was all incomprehensible but truly, undoubtedly real. It felt so real.

Adora could feel Glimmer sob against her, she could feel her warmth. Her weeps sounded so clear, despite being muffled against her chest. At that moment, Adora felt safe. She felt loved and missed — like there was truly a reason for her to search for a way back home. Because she had someone to protect, someone to love, depend on.

“Glimmer…”

Adora moved her hand up to the queen’s hair, nearly crying at how soft it felt beneath her touch. She buried her own flushed face in the crook of Glimmer’s neck, deepening the embrace. Her heart ached, beating with a sense of vigor and love for the queen. Too distracted by one another’s presence, they failed to notice they were glowing — illuminating the odd flowers with a hint of sunset orange.

Glimmer deeply sniffled, placing her cheek against Adora’s shoulder, “Where… where are we?”

Adora smiled, backing away in order to breath for a moment, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Glimmer mimicked the hero, shifting away just enough to be able to look up at Adora. Neither seemed to care much where they were. All that mattered was that they were together for however long. Any time together was cherished by the two. Glimmer’s eyes twinkled, and her hair seemed to shine brighter than before.

The two were broken. Nonetheless, things seemed better as they both leaned towards each other. The electrical blue sparks shot from both of them as they locked lips. Glimmer’s own pale pink sparkles formed around the two, as they failed to notice that they were beginning to float. Their kiss was like a supernova, an explosion of feelings. They were everything to one another, and the fiery kiss between them silently proved that to one another.

Shooting stars returned to the two star-crossed lovers. Their destinies were being pulled apart once again as the stars encircled the two like prey. The sight was beautiful, but both knew what was to come. Adora broke away from the kiss, observing the smile on the queen’s face. Was she smiling as well? How could she smile when she was being torn away from Glimmer once again?

Adora gently clasped onto the queen’s chin, ignoring the stars that traveled closer towards them, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

It felt like a lie rolling off her tongue. Part of her wanted to take it back. However, watching the happiness light up in the queen made Adora feel better. As if she would be back to her queen soon enough. Unable to find any words to say to her hero, Glimmer leaned up one last time.

Adora could still feel the queen’s lips as she faded back in the strange, dreamlike state from before.

Chapter Text

    Plumeria was beautiful that spring day. Granted, the kingdom was always beautiful. But that particular day, Glimmer felt at peace in the kingdom. All throughout, zinnias were in bloom. They were scattered through the kingdom years ago, in honor of the Princess Zinnia. On that note, Glimmer had just visited with Scorpia and a very pregnant Perfuma.

    Glimmer would admit, a part of her was jealous of the two. Both were hopelessly in love and overtly affectionate towards one another, and weren’t afraid to hide it from others. She was happy Scorpia was able to find someone that found her dopiness endearing. In no way did she resent the two — after all, Glimmer was the one that used sorcery to help with Perfuma’s three pregnancies.

    It was during that particular visit that Perfuma had once again tried to set the queen up with someone. This wasn’t the first time Perfuma attempted to do so. Not too long ago, she had attempted to set Glimmer up with Bright Moon’s newly appointed General — a massive, honestly attractive ram woman. Apparently thinking Glimmer had a type, Perfuma once again attempted to set her up with Plumeria’s general — a bulky, thickly antlered woman that was easily three times Glimmer’s weight.

Perhaps Perfuma was right. It was time to seek out a relationship. She was nearing her thirties, and needed someone else to be queen with her, someone to help continue her lineage. Raising a child alone sounded intimidating and lonely. Then again, her only official relationship had ended so bitterly.

    Something distracted Glimmer from her thoughts. It seemed out of nowhere — but Glimmer felt something transcendental. A burden was lifted from her chest as she heard a low, almost inaudible hum, followed by what sounded like metal being torn open. Contrary to the horrible noise, a soft twinkle echoed through Plumeria. Glimmer looked around, unable to spot the source of the noise. Whatever it was, it sounded as if it was from above — somewhere in the sky. The noise faded, ending someplace far in the deeply forested Plumeria.

    What… What was that?

Not too far away, two half-Scorpioni children observed the star — seeing exactly where it fell.

    The hero was fading out of the otherworldly state of being. It was as if her eyes were closed, but instead of being met with pitch darkness, she was met with a heavenly white. She had gone through this so many times over the years, and the feeling still baffled her. Adora had theorized her soul was trapped in one of those shooting stars, which acted as her vessel between the cosmos.

    The vagabond had a lot of time to think while she was in this state of being. Adora was certain this around, she was coming back home — her universe. What happened in the last dimension made her sure this was it.

    “Good luck. I hope everything will be alright when you get back. And hey, it was nice meeting another She-Ra.”

As Adora shifted back into consciousness, she could feel something poking her. As her worn eyes slowly opened, she could make out two small figures before her. Two strange children towered over her, with the older one poking her cheek with a stick.

    “I think she’s awake,” he noted, turning the younger girl beside him.

    The boy was maybe six at the most, and the girl appeared a bit younger. Both children had dark eyes, and hard exoskeleton growing over their shoulders. The boy had a signature Scorpioni tail that was a light, dull red. However, the girl lacked a tail and her exoskeleton was much paler in pigment. Both had very light blonde hair that almost looked white in the minimal sunlight peaking through the canopy.

    The children were dressed in clothing similar to that Plumerians usually wore. The boy had flowers fashioned into a necklace around his neck, while the girl wore a flower crown. They were unusual children, Adora knew that much. Looking at the two made her feel like she knew them. Perhaps they were children of Perfuma or Scorpia? Adora wasn’t sure, and she was too busy feeling annoyed by the child poking her. As she shifted up from the ground, the children looked at her with bug-eyes.

    “Lady, do I know you?” the boy asked, scratching at his short hair.

    “I’ve never seen you before,” Adora noted.

    “What happened to your face?” the girl asked — frankly, Adora was barely able to understand what she was saying. 

    Ignoring that question, Adora asked, “I’m in Plumeria, right?”

    “Yeah, lady. You’re looking at the prince and princess of Plumeria,” the boy boasted, confidentially crossing his arms, “I’m Clover, and this is Zinnia.”

Silently, she thanked the stars that she was able to find someone with a connection to someone she knew right off the bat. Granted, they were children that couldn’t even begin to fathom the mind blogging aspect that she was a multidimensional traveler.

“That must mean your mother is Perfuma, right?” Adora asked. Upon standing, the children craned their necks up at her. Again, the boy scratched at his head. As he did, Adora could notice stubby spikes emerging from the skin on his forearms.

“Uh… is that mom’s name? I think it is,” Clover shook his head, immediately grabbing Adora’s hand, “I can take you to the village!”

Adora smiled as best she could, “Yeah, that’d be great, Clover.”

As the three began to walk, she could feel the young girl’s eyes boring into her scar. At the same time, Adora occasionally looked at the two children. She was horrible at guessing children’s ages, but the boy appeared to be at least six — maybe even seven. She could feel her stomach twist as a thought came to her mind.

Had time progressed while she was gone? It made sense. The multidimensional doppelgängers she had met over the years were older than the ones of her original dimension. It wasn’t long until the village was in their sight. Upon entering the village, many of the villagers gawked at the sight of Adora.

“My moms should be home,” Clover appeared unaffected, continuing to guide Adora through the village.

Adora could feel her palm sweating in the Scorpioni’s hand, as people around them whispered and stared. Casually, the three strolled past a statue of sorts — one made of stone and covered in wisteria vines. One… that looked like her.

It was starting to sink in that this could very possibly be her dimension. Things were quickly adding up, and she was feeling anxious. Clover guided the hero to a large tent, and Adora nervously followed as he stepped in. The hero’s eyes widened for a moment, as she settled her sight on two long-familiar friends.

“Mom, look what we found in the forest! This lady says she knows you!”

Scorpia sat on the edge of a bed, where a very pregnant Perfuma laid. The two women immediately looked over at their son — their eyes virtually falling out of their heads at the sight of Adora. Despite her swollen belly, Perfuma managed to sit up in order to gawk at the sight before them.

“Oh my,” Perfuma swore under her breath.

“Adora?” Scorpia hesitantly spoke.

The hero’s throat felt dry, as she found herself unable to speak. Scorpia quickly stood up, rushing up to the hero. Without much a choice, Adora was brought into a bone-crushing hug by the taller woman.

“Where have you been?!” Scorpia demanded to know, “We have all been worried sick about you!”

In spite of their grievances before Adora disappeared, Scorpia was happy to see her — and Adora also felt relief seeing her.

Scorpia gasped, putting down the hero, “Oh, gosh, and Glimmer was just here! I’ll, um, I’ll call up her, yeah! Give me a minute!”

It was like Adora was brought out of Despondos with those words. All of a sudden, her sky was full of starlight. 

    She would reunite with Glimmer.

    Something beckoned the queen to investigate the strange noise. However, teleporting aimlessly didn’t seem to aid the search. The queen had no idea where to start in the vast forest. Glimmer leapt at the sudden buzzing inside her robe. Upon reaching in, she found the small tablet device Bow had gifted her long ago. Once she answered the call, she was met with the face of an old friend. “Entrapta?”

    “Hi, Glimmer! I have some major news for you! And don’t worry, Bow is coming over to Plumeria as we speak!” Entrapta beamed.

    The queen had a million questions, ultimately settling on, “What are you talking about?”

    “It’s Adora! Haha! We’ve successfully connected a portal to our universe. She’s should be somewhere in Plumeria—”

    The world was shrinking around her, her vision was getting blurry, and she was sure her knees would give beneath her. She felt weak as a tremble flowering through her body, making her almost drop the tablet from her hand. Instead, she slipped it in her pocket — teleporting in an instant.

    Adora was back. And suddenly, nothing else in the world mattered to her.

    Outside the tent, Scorpia attempted to call up the queen. An anxious Adora sat next to Perfuma, who was practically immobilized to her chair by her swollen belly. The free-spirited queen had made Adora some tea, though the hero was too high-strung to even think about putting anything in her body. Zinnia was outside, pulling at Scorpia’s sleeves. Clover sat adjacent to his mother and the hero — boring owlish eyes into Adora, sometimes glancing down at a book. From what she could tell, the book had illustrations of herself. 

    Suddenly, the queen put her hand on Adora’s. Adora flinched, looking over at Perfuma, who offered a kind smile.

    “I know you don’t want me asking you questions right now…” Perfuma frowned, “I can sense it. You’ve been through so much, haven’t you? But I can say from the bottom of my heart, we’ve missed you.”

    Perfuma was sincere with her words. Adora had missed her too — the hero had missed everyone. It was a relief to see her and Scorpia living a content married life together. She noticed Clover sitting up, walking over to Adora with the book in his hand.

    “I figured out where I’ve seen you! You’re in the book Queen Glimmer gave to me!” Clover held the book out to her, opened up on a page featuring colorful artwork. The style was similar to that of the murals in Bright Moon. The piece featured Adora alongside Glimmer, holding hands at the cliff side in Salineas.

Ethereal wings were proudly displayed from the queen, whose eyes glowed pure white. Adora herself held her sword towards the sky, emitting a light pink beam. It was exactly like the scene before the portal took her. The hardened woman felt a ping in her heart as she ran her fingers over the drawing of Glimmer.

    “My moms and Queen Glimmer have told me all about you, Miss Adora! You really saved the world!?”

    Seeing the amazement in Clover’s eyes was enough to make Adora smile, “Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without—”

    Scorpia gasped and waved, “Oh, hey! Glimmer! There you are!”

    Gravity shoved every inch of pressure onto her chest. Air stopped flowing to her lungs. The beating of her heart — once so rapid, she could barely keep up with it — suddenly stopped. In hindsight, she had no idea how she remained so calm as she handed Clover his book and walked out of the tent.

    What her world-weary, hurt eyes saw in front of her made it feel like a dream — like one of those many dreams of the strange, ethereal plane. Adora’s line between what was real and what was just a dream was already so blurred at that rate. All the years of pain, suffering, hurt — physically and mentally pushing her to her very limit. Whenever she thought about ending it all, stopping the pain, the images of her loved ones…

    The image of her . It stopped her in her goddamn tracks.

    And now, after all those years… she was right in front of her — still as beautiful as the day they lost one another. In the bright sunlight beating down upon them, Adora could make out that the dulled sparkles in her grown-out hair. The way her white robe flowed made her so graceful, so wonderful. At the mere sight of her, Adora was falling madly in love all over again.

    Once lavender eyes met Adora, time stopped. It was as if she was blind to the world around her — Adora couldn’t feel, hear, or see anything. All that mattered was the life that was sparked into her. She found her way back to her constellation, her everything . Adora wanted to move, say something, scream, run towards her. Ultimately, her body was stiff and paralyzed. The lump in her throat prevented her from speaking.

    She watched as the queen’s tired eyes swelled up with tears. A chill was sent down her spine as she could hear her attempt to speak. Just like Adora, she was finding it hard to react — to know if this was real. Adora cursed herself, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes that blurred her vision. The queen blinked, letting hot tears roll down her cheeks as her lips visibly trembled.

    “Adora.” Glimmer’s voice was hoarse and strained as she called out for Adora. It was as if she was struggling, doing everything in her power just to speak. Adora flinched once the queen disappeared in an explosion of sparkles. Her heart nearly fell out of her chest as Glimmer manifested in front of her.

It was reminiscent of the many dreams Adora had of her. However, this was real — Glimmer was real, this was her Glimmer, her starlight. Glimmer fell on Adora’s chest, instantly wrapping her arms around the hero’s torso. Fighting back the shakiness of her arms, Adora was able to return the hug. Apprehensive fingers entwined in the queen’s hair, and Adora gasped — realizing this was real.

Sturdily, Adora draped her other free arm around the queen’s waist, pulling her as close as she possibly could. She selfishly wanted to savor this moment, to savor Glimmer. She finally had her Glimmer back. After years of searching for a way back home, she finally was holding her Glimmer.

Both women were sobbing, unable to find any words to communicate to one another. Adora could feel a heavy weight lifted off her chest as she placed her chin the queen’s head. For a moment, she thought she was suffocating the queen. Nevertheless, Adora could feel her breathing — feel her hot tears rolling off her shoulder, feel her sobs reverberate through her body.

Adora was struggling to fight the lump in her throat as she ran her fingers through Glimmer’s hair. Neither could care that a handful of people were staring at the both of them, ogling at the sight of the long-lost Adora. All that mattered to the two at that moment was they finally had each other once again.

With a hefty breath in, Adora was finally able to fight the dryness of her throat, “I’m so sorry, Glimmer… I’ve been gone a long time, haven’t I?”

To her disappointment, the queen shakily moved away. She still kept her hands on Adora’s back. Perhaps Adora wasn’t imaging in things — had Glimmer become shorter? It seemed more logical that Adora grew taller. Once Glimmer looked up at Adora, the hero could truly see the suffering in the queen’s eyes. Even as her lavender eyes were full of tears, there was not a sparkle to be found.

This close to her, Adora could practically count the minimal, dull sparkles in her long hair. Adora kept her hand in queen’s hair, basking in the soft waves as she brushed along. Glimmer’s lips shook as she formed a blissful smile, reaching up to tread her soft fingers along the hero’s scarred jawline. Her touch felt so welcoming, like the afternoon sunlight shining on their skin and the aroma of the various flowers of Plumeria.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Adora,” Glimmer cooed, pausing to sniffle, “I have you back. That’s all that matters now.”

Through her own sniffling and hot tears, Adora didn’t notice how exaggeratedly she was smiling. Adora felt a pulse through her body that she hadn’t felt in years as she and Glimmer stared at each other. Every moment they stared at each other, Adora could read all the emotions coursing through the queen — above all, absolute bliss overridden the absolute heartbreak and defeat hidden in her eyes.

Adora beamed, “Glimmer… you look so—”

“Old?” Glimmer joked, nervously laughing.

“No… Beautiful. Just like I remember,” Adora tenderly murmured.

There was electricity sparking between the two. Lavender eyes shined — literally. Adora’s words had breathed life into the queen. Glimmer eased under Adora’s touch, as she traced the outline of her cheek with her callused thumb — catching a tear as it slid down. That spark flared once Adora leaned down.

Adora had been through so much over the years. Fierce battles, both psychological and physical. Beaten until she could no longer keep up as She-Ra. Facing foes far stronger than herself. Bones broken, scars unhealed. However, she couldn’t find the courage to do what she truly wanted to do — plant a kiss on the queen’s lips. She settled on kissing the queen’s forehead, enjoying how Glimmer eased into the touch.

Once Adora backed away from the kiss, they once again gazed at each other — ignoring how from far away, Scorpia and Perfuma looked on with tears in their eyes. 

    “Adora!” Two voices boomed simultaneously… from above?

    After the queen and hero parted ways, they looked up at the source of the noise. Swift Wind’s colorful wings lowered as he landed on the ground, revealing a much older, bulkier looking Bow. He purposely didn’t button up the last few buttons of his shirt, exposing his midsection. Her old friend had a shadowy beard, and square framed glasses.

    Once again, new tears flared up in the hero’s eyes as she called out, “Bow?!”

    The moment it was safe to, Bow leapt off. Both Adora and Bow were still similar in height, but that didn’t stop him from bringing her into a smothering hug — almost lifting her off her feet. It felt overwhelming to an extent — to have Bow and Glimmer back so quickly. Barely a half hour ago was she awoken by Perfuma and Scorpia’s children. Now, she was crying into the arms of her best friend, feeling a happiness she thought would never be fulfilled.

    “Move out of the way! It’s my turn!” Swift Wind demanded.

    Adora shifted away from Bow, looking over at her old steed. Across the many universes, she had rarely come across any form of Swift Wind. Seeing him made her smile widen even more. Callused fingers ran over his snout, pressing her forehead against his own.

    “You know I would never forget about you, Swifty,” Adora murmured.

    Swift Wind’s eyes watered up, “Oh! And I could never forget about you, Adora!”

 Were horses able to cry? Swift Wind wasn’t really a horse, though — Adora was reminded of that as he wrapped one of his eye-catching wings around her, kind of hugging her in a sense. Adora turned back to Glimmer and Bow, seeing the man wrapping an arm around the queen’s shoulder. Glimmer wiped her tears with her sleeve, overjoyed by it all.

    Adora felt a reaffirming hand entwine with her own. Clashing with her swollen eyes, Glimmer kept a jubilant smile on Adora. “We have some catching up to do, huh?” Glimmer sniffled, “Let’s go back home.”

    Home . As in Bright Moon. Home was with Glimmer, Bow, Swift Wind, and Micah. Stars, this dimension was her home. She was felt blessed to be back. Above all, she was vastly excited, her mind constantly flipping around to many thoughts. How was everyone from the Princess Alliance? What happened after she vanished? Did the Horde dissipate?

    That being said, there was one question that stood out from the rest — how long had it been since she was sucked into that portal?

    As the four teleported on the outskirts, Adora was alleviated to once again take in the sight of the Bright Moon of her world. It could have been the fact it had been so long and her memory was faded at that point — but was Bright Moon just the slightest bit different? Perhaps some trees were taller, and there appeared to be a new tower? Adora couldn’t pinpoint it, but it was different for sure.

    Things felt strange. However, it felt a better as Glimmer kept her hand entwined with Adora’s — even well after they teleported. The two glanced at one another, resulting in the queen timidly taking her hand away. Adora felt a little disheartened, ultimately keeping that thought to herself.

    “S-Sorry,” Glimmer apologized, “Would you like to walk? Or I can teleport us back into the castle.”

    “Walking is fine,” Adora beamed, “Besides, I want to know what you two have been up to.”

    Glimmer sulked at Adora’s words. For a moment, the queen’s reaction worried Adora. In spite of this, Glimmer kept her gleaming smile — sniffling as she quickly deflected the conversation from herself. “I know Bow has a lot to tell you.”

    Sure enough, her old friend’s smile spread vibrantly. He wrapped his arm around Adora’s broad shoulder, pulling her close. “Oh! I’ve been holding it in too long,” Bow exclaimed, showing off a wedding ring band, “Kyle and I got married! We have a son, and we’ve told him everything about you, Adora.”

    Adora felt relieved, and she was genuinely interested. She didn’t even think the two knew each other, so what happened over the years to bring Bow and Kyle together? Not only that, but Bow had a son! Seeing the joy on Bow’s face as he told her made her want to know more.

    “Really?” Adora’s eyes lit up, “What’s his name?”

    “Jay! You should see him when I tell him about our adventures. I know he’ll love you, Adora.”

    It was with that, Adora felt solemn as another thought crossed her mind. Jay was old enough to understand complex stories, like the adventures the four had across Etheria. As they crossed the bridge entering the castle, Adora buried the thoughts.

    “You know, Adora,” Swift Wind injected his head between her and Bow, “I also have a son. And a daughter. Actually, I think I have eight at this point? What can I say? The mares in Dryll love me.”

    Was she supposed to be happy or repulsed? Regardless, it was great to be back, and she was more than happy to have her friends around. They walked through the halls, and she willingly listened to Bow and Swift Wind. Withal, she couldn’t help but notice how quiet Glimmer was. Glimmer never interjected with her own stories, which struck the hero — especially seeing the queen had a sorcerer’s crest on the front of her robe.

    As they walked through, things felt… off. The guards, despite their similar uniforms, looked different. Small things, like the decor of the halls, was vaguely different. The hero stopped in her tracks as they walked towards a familiar sight. It was a mural, featuring art similar to the piece found in Clover’s book about Adora. Notably, the group was silent as she walked up to the wall.

    Unlike the piece in the book this one featured the entire Princess Alliance, hand-in-hand — all leading up to Catra, holding Bow’s hand. Adora went pale at the sight of her old friend, feeling her heart sink as she remembered that she never had to the chance to actually reconcile with her. On Horde Prime’s ship, they were quick allies, silent as both were keen to end the tyrannic monster that had caused chaos on Etheria.

    As she turned back around to look at her friends, she couldn’t help but notice Bow glaring at Glimmer. An ill feeling unnerved Adora, figuring something happened with the two while she was gone. “Catra… is she doing alright?”

    Surprisingly, it was Glimmer that spoke, uneasy as she answered, “Yes, actually. She lives in the Magicat Kingdom. It’s…” Glimmer shifted her eyes away from Adora, “Difficult to communicate with her now.”

    Adora could feel a burden. Things were messy between the Magicat and her, and there was a lot to fix. Honestly, it was stressful thinking about having a reunion with her with all that in mind.

    Suddenly, it hit her like a brick. Why had no one brought up how long it had been since she vanished? Were they holding something Adora shouldn’t know? Something that would crush her psyche if she heard?

    “Could you be honest with me?” Adora looked both Bow and Glimmer in the eye, “Tell me. How long ago did I vanish?”

Bow and Glimmer glanced at one another, silently exchanging something and troubling Adora. Bow was the one to step forward, placing a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “Adora… It’s almost been ten years since you vanished. I’m so sorry.”

    Ten years. 

    It made sense, perfect sense in fact. Why Scorpia and Perfuma had a child that was almost six years old, why all her friends looked older, why things had changed since she had left. The reality of it all sunk heavily on her, as thoughts began to race through her mind. A lot can happen in a decade.

    She had missed so much. Bow and Kyle falling in love, getting married, having a son. She wasn’t there for her best friend at any step of the way. Scorpia and Perfuma had done the same, and she wasn’t there to see any of it. And Glimmer… It made Adora awfully scared how the queen had mentioned nothing about herself. What happened to her while Adora was gone?

    Something unbelievable, unspeakable and downright heavy pulled down on her chest. It appeared everyone had moved on with their lives. She had fought so hard to get back, all on the notion that people needed She-Ra. However, things seemed at peace.

    They… didn’t need her.

    The hand at her shoulder squeezed her, attempting to bring her out of the loop her mind was in. Withal, that didn’t work. Adora backed away from Bow’s grasp, glancing at her two friends with dilated pupils.

    “I… I need some time alone, please.” That was a lie. She needed them. She needed Bow and Glimmer with her as she sorted these emotions out. However, Adora didn’t want to show her weakness to her two friends. She had fought nail and tooth to get back to them, to be there for them, to enjoy life with them. Not for them to have to comfort and lull her.

    “Adora… Are you sure?” Glimmer asked, her voice hesitant and small.

    “Yes,” Adora scolded herself for speaking so harshly, “I’ll be fine, Glimmer.”

    Both her friends gave her empathic looks, both deeply wanting to help their long-lost friend. If she needed time alone, then that’s what they would offer her.

    “No one is using the meeting room,” Glimmer turned her head towards the familiar doors down the hall, “I promise, it’ll be quiet and no one will bother you there. Take your time, Adora.”

Despite the chaos roaming through her mind, Glimmer’s voice was soothing. It made her want to spend time wit her, listen to her talk for hours. However, she didn’t want the queen to have to deal with her broken heart.

With a burdened sigh, Adora breathed out, “I… um… alright.” As she walked over to the meeting room, she could feel her three friends staring at her. She stopped for a moment, looking at Glimmer in particular. The kindhearted queen offered a warm smile.

“I’m sorry,” Adora wasn’t exactly sure what she was apologizing about.

    “Don’t be. I’ll come check on you in a bit, alright?” Glimmer softly affirmed, keeping up her feeble smile.

    After shutting the doors behind her, Adora regretted her choice. Would she embarrass herself by calling back to her friends, asking them to come back and talk to her? Honestly, she wasn’t interested in telling them about her time across the cosmos, not yet. There was a lot to unpack there, and her memory was fading about the events.

    She reached for the inside of her jacket, bringing out an old pocketbook. By the end of it all, she must have been across forty dimensions. Interlaced between the many stories she wrote, she had drawings she made. Initially crude and novice, slowly becoming better as the years went by.

    She browsed the various entries and drawings of the dimensional doppelgängers she had met. Eventually, around mid-way through, she stopped on a page of one that haunted her memories. Merely seeing the drawing made her heart stop, and decide looking at her pocketbook wouldn’t help her. At least not that section. It would be awhile before she could unpack everything. She looked out towards the doors that led to the balcony of the meeting room.

    “Dad… what do I say to her?”

    Almost immediately after the ordeal, Glimmer found her father and explained the situation to him. In spite of his own shock, he managed to calm down her flurry of tears. Over the years, her father was the one to help her through a lot of her wavering emotions. Bow had grown busy with his leadership work in Dryll, and of course being a father and all. In fact, he had to leave Bright Moon sometime after Adora requested alone time.

    The two were in the dining room alone, as her father brought her a cup of tea — her favorite, Salineas passionflower with a touch of honey. As her father sat in the chair next to her, he seemed to be thinking things over. Micah likely understood what Adora went through the best.

    “There’s not much to say to her, if I’m being honest,” Micah admitted, “Give her information slowly. It won’t help if you bombard her with the life story of everyone she ever knew.”

    That was her best guess. Although, Adora seemed to light up when she learned Bow was married and had a son — even going as far as asking questions about him.

    “Adora has always been reclusive with her emotions,” Glimmer wrapped her fingers around her cup while she sulked in her chair, “I have no idea what she’s been through, dad. I have no idea how to help her.”

    “Angel,” Micah beamed, “I know it’s a lot, for both of you. You’ve been through so much as well, so don’t pretend your life was great. Lying to her won’t help anything.”

    Lying to her. Had she lied to Adora back at the mural? “She lives in the Magicat Kingdom. It’s… difficult to communicate with her now.” In her defense, it was true — communicating was difficult. She thanked the stars that Adora didn’t further question Catra’s whereabouts. 

    “You just need to be there for her. Do normal things with her again. Help her feel like she’s truly back home,” Micah advised.

    Normal things. What was normal for Adora? Fighting the Horde? They had long disestablished, forming a peaceful community in Dryll. Hordak was a silent, empty shell of his former self. Things were still stiff between Bow and Glimmer, with his son being the only thing the two could mutually bond over anymore.

    “Before I forget! You got a letter today!” Micah reached into his pocket, pulling out the letter.

    Glimmer took the letter, taking in the wax seal that featured an insignia resembling a cat — the symbol of the elusive Magicat Kingdom. A long sigh breathed from the queen, as she thought about the sender.

    “Are you going to tell Catra that Adora is back?” Micah asked.

    Honestly, she was asking herself that. Glimmer ran her thumb of the wax seal. As mentioned, communication was hard — it would easily take two weeks for the letter to reach Catra, and outsiders were strictly prohibited from entering the kingdom. That, and well… Adora likely wasn’t ready to handle the Magicat, nor the truth about what happened with the queen and Catra during her absence...

    “I don’t think that would be the best idea,” Glimmer noted, “At least, not right now.”

    Micah appeared to silently agree. As Glimmer opened the letter, she glanced through the words. It was a typical, well-mannered and well-written letter. Catra matured during her time with the Magicats. There was a lot of going on in Glimmer’s mind that day. Perhaps that was a letter to work on tomorrow. After finishing her tea, Glimmer stood up and thanked her father.

    “Wait! Before you go…” Micah offered another cup to his daughter, “I brewed one for Adora! Tell her it’s from me!”

    “Adora?”

Gently, Glimmer pushed the door open to the meeting room. It was dimly lit, so it initially took the queen a while to process the sight. Fretting eyes bounced around the room, widening as she realized the hero was nowhere to be seen. She gasped at the sight of the balcony doors, which were wide open. No, no, no—

    “Adora?!” Glimmer called out. The mug shattered beneath her feet as she acted quickly, teleporting in a haste. Her heart fluttered, realizing the hero wasn’t on the balcony either. Tears flared in her eyes as the queen began to panic.

“Glimmer? What was that noise? Are you alright?” Adora called — her voice sounding somewhere above the queen.

    She looked up towards the voice, seeing Adora sitting near the edge of the roof. As they exchanged glances, Adora put away the pocketbook she held. The queen collected herself, quelling how upset she was with herself for being so childish.

    “Oh, I-I just dropped something, I can get it later,” the queen nervously rubbed her arm, “Is it… is it alright if I join you?”

    Adora beamed down at her, “I’d like that.”

    In an instant, Glimmer teleported to her side. The queen sat with elbows rested on her bent knees, mirroring the position Adora was in. She wanted to question why Adora chose to climb up onto the roof, until she realized there were no shrubs or trees blocking the view of Bright Moon nor the stars above them.

    That’s right. She probably hasn’t seen stars in a while… Right? Is that how alternate dimensions work? For a moment, the two just stared at each other. The stars were reflected in the hero’s tired eyes. Honestly, it was quite awkward — it was as if both of them were struggling to know what to talk about. After all, they had so much to talk about — where should Glimmer start?

    Should she pry? Ask her what was so upsetting, that she demanded time alone? A memory buried deep within Glimmer was dug up as they stared at one another.

    “Starlight, you look so beautiful.”

No. That didn’t actually happen. Those were just dreams. Why am I even thinking about that right now? Conflicting with her thoughts was the fact those dreams felt real. Adora felt real. And what her and Adora did in those dreams…

    The thought alone was enough to make Glimmer look away, wanting to hide the blush on her face. The stars looked beautiful that night, sparkling strong through the dreary storm clouds brewing. Glimmer didn’t want to look at Adora, in fear of overwhelming her. As her father said, Adora needed was some normality.

“I-I, um… Did you need anything, Adora?” Glimmer was struggling to find a comfortable way to talk to Adora, “Is there someway I can help? You know, I can take you to your old room. Or I can get you something to—”

Glimmer was interrupted by Adora’s touch grazing her shoulder. In spite of the worry in Adora’s eyes, her touch felt welcoming and sweet.

“You being here is enough. More than you’ll ever know,” Adora spoke lowly, as if something was deeply troubling her.

Again, the two stared at each other for an uncomfortably long time. In reality, they were both still confounded by the sight of one another. For the first time in years, Glimmer felt her stomach twist and her breathing slow down. She could feel that emotion being dug up — the one she felt as the two held hands and saved Etheria together.

If their love was once strong enough to save the world, it sure as hell had the stamina to survive what the two had been through the past decade.

Slowly, Adora took her hand away, placing her arm over her knee. Glimmer wanted to scoot closer, or even touch her in return. Personally, she was feeling overwhelmed as the hero continued to stare at her. You would think a queen would be used to attention.

Attention from Adora felt so strange — transcendental, even. Then again, the day was strange from the moment she heard that strange noise in Plumeria. Glimmer was sure she would wake up at any moment from the peculiar dream. However, it all felt genuine. Things were so awkward and uncomfortable, it wasn’t some hyped up fairy tale ending where Adora swept her off her feet. So, it had to be real.

Nearly a decade later, and Adora was back. Sitting next to Glimmer as millions of thoughts and feelings swirled uncomfortably within them. As they sat in silence, she desperately wanted to hear Adora again. She wanted to talk to Adora like they were best friends again.

“Did you want to talk about today? I know a lot happened, and I-I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you at all,” Glimmer nervously stammered.

As she looked at the hero, she expected her to be gazing up at the night sky, or perhaps taking in the view of the kingdom. Instead, Adora kept her troubled eyes on the queen. “It’s not your fault, Glimmer,” finally, Adora’s eyes apprehensively darted away, “I… I’m just a bit overwhelmed by everything right now. I’ve been gone for ten years, and it seems like everything perfectly fine. Does Etheria even need She-Ra anymore?”

Perhaps it was true, Etheria was safe and peaceful without She-Ra. That didn’t change the fact that people needed Adora . Bow needed Adora, but most of all—

    “I need you, Adora.” Glimmer mentally hit herself, regretting the neediness of her statement. Fretting eyes glanced back up at the queen. Intimately, Glimmer entwined her fingers atop of Adora’s hand.

“I can say how sorry I am a million times, and that still won’t make up for the fact that I haven’t been here for you," Adora apologized with all the sincerity in the world.

Suddenly, Glimmer felt immense guilt. She accidentally spun the conversation to herself, in spite of Adora suffering far more than she did. Timidly, she pulled her hand away from Adora and crossed her arms, as she found it difficult to continue gazing into the hero’s star-filled eyes. “I’m sorry, I made this a-about myself, didn’t I?” Glimmer anxiously stumbled on her words,” You’re the one that needs to talk—”

Glimmer flinched at the feeling of a hand soothingly cup her thigh. The hero somewhat leaned into the touch, scooting closer to the queen. Regardless, Glimmer still had trouble looking up at her.

“Hey, it’s okay, Glim,” Adora cooed.

Glim . No one had called her that in years. Glimmer only offered a small glance, feeling her heart race. Those feelings were coming back and growing in full force with every sweet gesture the hero offered.

“You can tell me what happened. I haven't been here for you the past ten years, and I'm ready to be here for you now," Adora’s eyebrows furrowed as she intensely stared at the queen, “Please. If you want to, please tell me what happened to you and Bow.”

Glimmer was a bit shocked. The hero had caught onto their rigid demeanor around each other. How was she supposed to tell Adora about everything that happened? There was a whole novel ready to spill from Glimmer’s lips. The past decade of her life had been one of misery. Watching her friends get married, have kids, and be able to happily move on… She tried that, and it failed miserably.

Adora was always in the back of her mind, somewhere. She haunted her in her dreams and memories. The image of her reaching out towards the queen looped in her mind endlessly. Even after years of therapy, there were nights where she couldn’t sleep after having nightmares of what happened that day.

Stars, it even complicated her once simple, pleasant friendship with Bow. Regardless of what Adora said, she really wouldn’t be ready to hear what happened… Particularly with her and Catra. No . Glimmer shouldn’t even mention Catra, not for now. Unless Adora brought her up. There was no simple way to answer Adora.

"We… had a falling out a few years after you vanished…” Glimmer’s form slumped as she murmured, “And, honestly? It was all my fault. I apologized years later, and things are a lot better now, especially with little Jay around… But...” Glimmer bore her fingers into her arms, “I think you being gone and all… that’s what tore us apart in the end.”

Glimmer made the mistake of looking at the hero. A sky full of beautiful, bright stars — and the only thing the hero wanted to look at was Glimmer, as if she was the center of her universe.

    “Now that you’re here… It’s… it’s like...” a lump formed in the queen’s throat, and as she blinked, a fresh tear fell down her cheek, “I’m looking at a ghost. You have no idea how much I missed you, Adora.”

    Following those words, Adora immediately wrapped her arm around the queen’s waist. After she tenderly pulled her close, she quickly entwined her hand in the queen’s hair and brought her close to her chest. Being held by Adora again was something she dreamt for years, and their moment earlier that day was far too short. 

    “No, I think I missed you more,” Adora teased, and Glimmer could hear the smile in her voice.

    She could hear Adora sniffle as the queen held onto the hand that was still on her thigh, “You got it all wrong,” Glimmer paused as Adora settled her chin on the queen’s head, “I missed you way more.”

    “Can we just agree we both really missed each other?” Adora lightly laughed, sniffling once again.

    “Yeah, I can do that,” Glimmer beamed, as she buried herself in Adora’s chest.

    Were things already beginning to feel comfortable around Adora again? It felt like everything would be alright at the end of the day. Because at the end of it all, Glimmer and Adora’s relationship could feel somewhat normal — a taste of what it used to be like. Glimmer didn’t feel like crying anymore.

    She had another reason to feel happy now.

    Perhaps it was the strange dreams she had over the years that made it feel like Adora wasn’t truly gone. No matter how hard life beat the queen down, she never gave up on Adora. And as the hero held her close, it was evident she didn’t give up on her.

    They stayed like that for a while, and Glimmer wouldn’t mind if they stayed like that forever. The position felt a little uncomfortable, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, the clouds in the sky began to obscure the stars fully. A storm was brewing fast above them, and a light drizzle could be felt. The two unraveled their bodies, but Glimmer was quick to hold onto the hero’s elbow.

    “Guess we should head inside? I can take you to your room.”

    The storm outside blew stronger, aggressively tapping on the roof of the castle and echoing through the halls. Adora felt her heart leap as the queen opened the door to her room.

    Just as Glimmer promised, Adora’s room was virtually untouched — spotless, even. Her bedsheets were neatly done, and there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. Adora didn’t spend much time observing the dimly lit room, choosing to look back at the queen. Once again, Glimmer couldn’t help but feel anxious as the hero’s eyes bored into her.

    The queen wanted to look at her, read her thoughts and emotions. However, the tightening in her chest was getting worse every time the two exchanged even a fleeting glance. She had already cried twice in front of her, maybe a third time was too much for the both of them. They were both tired — the day had been quite draining on the both of them. Glimmer internally thanked the rain crashing on the roof, as it drowned out the deafening silence between them.

“Nobody has really used your room, but I-I’ve kept it clean. I-I hope that’s alright with you. Some of your old clothes are in here. If they don’t fit, I can probably find something that will — a-and I could get you more sheets or pillows — whatever you need—”

Suddenly, Adora was close to her. Shockingly close to her. Unexpectedly, Adora put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Glimmer.”

Glimmer could feel her chest tighten as the hero began running her fingers through the shorter woman’s hair. Had her sparkles brightened through the day? It was likely. Despite all the pain that was dug up that day, Glimmer was beyond euphoric Adora was back.

“Your hair is beautiful. Have I told you that yet?”

Beautiful. There’s that word again. It was the second time Adora used the word that day, and the second time Glimmer’s heart completely stopped. In spite of everything the hero had gone through, Glimmer still saw her as innocent and pure. There was something so special and relaxing about how she touched her.

Nobody had looked at Glimmer with so much love and adoration. And honestly, Glimmer forgot how to breathe for a moment. “No, you haven’t. Um… Thank you… You look beautiful, too...”

Perhaps Glimmer should have been smoother with her compliment. Where should she start? Her slate blue eyes that looked like a stormy sky — full of promise and wonder? Her dirty blonde hair that shone like the sun in the morning light? The queen found herself blushing at the sight of her midriff, exposing a well toned midsection.

“Thank you… um...” Adora drifted, deep in thought, “Glimmer, could you…” she paused, shaking her head, “No, I’m sorry, it’s weird.”

Softly and comfortingly, she touched the hero’s arm as she reassured, “No, ask me anything, Adora.”

Adora appeared embarrassed with what she was about to say, worried even. With a hefty sigh, she stroked her hand down to Glimmer’s arm and shifted her eyes away from her. “Would you sleep with me? I’m sorry, that’s really weird—”

“That’s not weird at all,” That was a lie, as Glimmer was already fighting the violent blush forming on her face, “Just like old times, right?” Old times. Things were so pure and innocent back then. Now, they were older, wiser, and both had trauma neither wished to dig up at that moment. Both of them wanted to go back to the way things were, with the two of them being stupid and younger.

Adora’s worn smile shined upon Glimmer, “Yeah. Like old times.”

Sometime after the hero had kicked her boots off, the queen had teleported back into Adora’s room. She lacked her elegant robe, instead wearing a comfortable shirt. As Glimmer turned her back to Adora in order to dim the lights, the hero was just barely able to make a distressing sight peaking from beneath Glimmer’s sleeve.

It was one of the many scars that Horde Prime had afflicted upon her.

Just like the scar on Adora’s face, it hardly faded over the years. It was a jarring reminder of Adora’s failure to rescue Glimmer from Horde Prime’s clutches sooner. How had it been dealing with that trauma? Was it something that still haunted Glimmer? Adora wished to ask, but was afraid to dig up old wounds.

    Her queen seemed elated as she teleported near the bed. Quickly, Adora scooted onto the bed, moving the blanket to allow Glimmer to slip in. The hero tossed the blanket of the queen’s shoulders, meanwhile the queen shifted closer to her. Adora’s chest tightened, as the fairly small bed forced them to tangle their legs.

    Glimmer beamed, “I promise, I won’t steal the covers.”

    Adora smiled, letting her hand linger at Glimmer’s shoulder. Suddenly, the vibrancy from Glimmer disappeared as she gazed at Adora. Glimmer hesitantly reached out to touch Adora’s jawline. Adora awaited her soft, angelic touch but to her surprise, Glimmer retracted her hand. “I’m... sorry..." It surprised Adora how bashful Glimmer was, "I’ve been touching you too much, haven’t I?”

    Adora stroked her hand down the queen’s arm, taking note of how she relaxed under her touch, “No, you’re alright… You can touch my scars.”

    Normally, Adora was put off at the idea of anyone touching her scar. However, as the queen slowly brushed her fingers over the faded scar, Adora relaxed beneath the tender touch. Lavender eyes shone with a new sparkle, one Adora swore wasn’t there when they first saw one another. In spite of this, Glimmer’s eyebrows furrowed. “Adora… I have so many questions to ask you — we all do,” Glimmer took a deep breath in, “If you ever want to, you can tell me anything.”

    Her throat felt dry at Glimmer’s words. One day, she would tell the queen about her time as a vagabond of the cosmos. Maybe even about those strange dreams. However, only one thing was on her mind as she looked at Glimmer. “I meant it back there, Glimmer.”

    Glimmer cocked her head against her pillow, “Meant what?”

    That exact moment, Glimmer’s lips looked so soft. Adora wondered if they were as soft as when they would kiss in those dreams. Desperately, she wanted to seal the space between them. The hero brought her hand to the queen’s hair, tucking lose strand behind her ear before delicately holding her cheek. Adora shifted closer, seriously considering kissing Glimmer. No. Not right now. Not today. She’s… overwhelmed. “I missed you. More than you’ll ever realize,” Adora sweetly murmured.

    Her small laughter was like music in the hero’s ears, “Hey, I thought we weren’t going to debate about that.” Adora’s heart skipped a beat as the queen smiled. The hero’s hand settled on her arm, sighing in an attempt to relax. All of that failed as the queen nestled her small hand in Adora’s palm, interlocking their fingers. “I should let you sleep,” Glimmer noted, “You must be exhausted.”

    Adora lied, “Yeah”, fully aware she wouldn’t get a wink of sleep that night, “Goodnight, Glim.”

    The queen feebly beamed, “Goodnight, Adora.”

    Adora didn’t sleep much that night. Simply put, she was too captivated by the sight of Glimmer. Even in her slumber, the sparkles in her hair glowed. The rain had died down to a light patter, allowing Adora to hear the queen’s breathing. Something about watching her sleep felt so peaceful and entrancing. 

    She spent well over an hour attempting to fall asleep, ultimately too distracted by her swiftly beating heart. Carefully, she snuck out of the covers. Glimmer was a heavy sleeper, and didn’t rouse as Adora stood up. The hero found her jacket, reaching into the inner pocket and pulling out the pocketbook. She returned to the entry she had been writing before the queen accompanied her on the roof.

    There are times in our lives when something so insignificant can be so impactful. The darkest part of our minds hide something from us every time we are with our loved ones — that this moment with them may be our last. Something as small as a hug or even our last words will impact their thoughts for the rest of their life. 

Things can be taken away from us in an instant. Our lives can change so quickly, and we’re left to pick up the broken pieces. Some of us cope in different ways — finding healthy outlets, new relationships and eventually, some of us are capable of moving on.

Can concepts like love be carried beyond time and the infinite dimensions? Is it possible, that through trauma and the burden of life, we can still hold onto love? Or is love just a made-up word, and we are all just looking for someone to fill that hole in our heart? Subdue our desires?

Maybe we’re all just in our own, personal Despondos. Truly alone in the universe. And we’re waiting for someone to get us out.

Adora reached for her pencil, once again looking over at Glimmer… Remembering the time they shared on the roof, opening up to one another… and she began writing.

    But she is the single star in my Despondos. And even if she was in a galaxy, she would shine the brightest. No star in the sky matters besides her. There is no one in the cosmos that even compares to her, as she is the constellation of the cosmos, and I have finally found my way back to her. No Supernova in the infinite universes could ever compare to how bright she shines, or burn hotter than the explosion in my soul when I am with her.

When she is happy, so am I. When she laughs, I laugh. When she cries, I cry. Our souls are bound together, woven at the seams. Love is a made-up word, in my case. It cannot describe how I feel for you. What I feel is deeper and stronger than love.

She is my love, my starlight, my Supernova.

  Glimmer, you are my everything. If only I could find the courage to tell you.

Chapter Text

The vagabond was thinking about the dimensions she visited over the years. Sometimes, she’d find herself in mystical, unknown locations she had never been to before on Etheria. Randomly dropped far away from Bright Moon, the Fright Zone, or any of the kingdoms she knew of. Often in untamed wilderness, with flora and fauna she had never seen before.

In those worlds, she often had to focus solely on surviving. Living off the land, having to hunt. For once, she was grateful for her time in the Horde in these worlds. They had taught her diligently in the subject outdoor survival.

And she did survive. It seemed her time in these dimensions were short. The few times she counted the days, she was there for no longer than two weeks — compare that to her times in the other dimension that would usually last several months. There were only a few consist things in these dimensions — she would seemingly drop at a random location, as compared to other dimensions, where she tended to drop near people she knew from the original universe.

    In one of these dimensions, she was fortunate enough to drop near a village. Again, in a mountain region she had never heard of before. Luckily, she came across a group of Etherians she had never seen — humanoid, with beaks and feathery hands. They were helpful and kind, but something one had told her made her question these dimensions.

    “Do you know if there’s a way I can get to Bright Moon? I was friends with the princess in my dimension,” Adora noted.

    However, the bird person she spoke to was perplexed, ruffling their neck feathers, “Princess? Bright Moon has no princess, dear.”

    Adora was equally confused by the bird person, “What do you mean?”

    “Queen Angella was killed by the Horde a long time ago. We try not to get involved with other Etherians problems, but all I know is that things are awful around there. You should stay with us, it’s safe here,” they offered.

    Adora’s heart sank. If Angella wasn’t alive and there was no princess of Bright Moon… that could only mean one thing. The dimension she was in had no Glimmer.

    She had come across dimensions missing a doppelgänger of herself or her friends. However, Glimmer was always present in the dimensions where Adora dropped near places and people she knew.

    Was it possible Glimmer had something to do with all of this?

    Adora didn’t sleep more than an hour or two that first night back. With her heart fluttering and her mind racing, she couldn’t sit still. That only worsened when she woke up at the start of dawn, finding Glimmer nestled close, with her back was pressed up against Adora’s chest. Adora’s arm was slung over the smaller woman, holding her so close, Adora could smell a faint, fitting lavender aroma in her hair.

With her fingers entwined with Glimmer’s, Adora was sure she wanted to stay like that as long as Glimmer permitted. Maybe even forever. How they even got like this was beyond Adora’s imagination. She was growing nervous that her fluttering heart would stir Glimmer. Adora was anxious for many reasons, mainly as she had been awake thinking about her time across the cosmos.

Even as she was completely certain this was her universe, something troubled her — would she fade out of this dimension eventually? It was utterly nerve-wracking. Despite how overwhelmed she was by everything, she wanted to find out if she would be safe. Adora knew that the answer was likely that she would be safe, since she belonged in this universe. Withal, she couldn’t help the anxiousness she felt.

Carefully, Adora removed herself from Glimmer. It was easier this time around, since Glimmer had broken her promise— she did indeed steal the covers. That was alright with Adora, as she had slept in far worse conditions. She made sure to fix the covers around Glimmer’s shoulders, tucking away the wavy locks entangled across her face. After Adora dressed, she looked at Glimmer one last time.

The morning rays were beginning to seep in, flowering across Glimmer’s face. Adora was absolutely certain that her sparkles were brighter than they were yesterday.

As she walked out the Bright Moon Gardens, she was met with more of the suns warm rays and a chorus of birdsong. The dew on the grass was fresh, as a slight breeze flew through. It was truly peaceful in this universe. There were no battles to fight here. 

Strangely, it made Adora feel lost. Did she truly belong in this universe? Her thoughts began to race as she walked through the garden, observing the various blooms. Would she find a sense of comfort this way? Probably not. Still, she couldn’t help but weakly smirk at the wonderful flowers all around her.

Hidden below the branches a dense bush, she could see a very familiar flower. As she bent down, she pushed the branches away to get a closer look. It was a small flower — the entire plant itself would barely fit in Adora’s hand. Unique petals, with pinks, purples, and yellows… She knew what this flower was.

"I found out what kind of flowers these are… They’re Bright Moon Violets, and they only bloom if Glimmer of Bright Moon is in love…”

    Glimmer had told her that — at least in her dreams. Who knew if that was true? In a few of the dimensions she went to, she had seen the violets. Perhaps this would be a nice gift for Glimmer, a safe way to indirectly ask if she had those dreams too?

    “Hey, kid,” a deep voice caught her attention.

Upon looking towards the voice, she locked eyes with a long-familiar face. “Micah.”

    Adora grinned, hoping they would see each other that day. Time had taken its toll on Micah. His hair was mostly gray now, and Adora could make out a few wrinkles that had formed. He wore golden framed, round ellipticals, evident that time had affected his sight as well.

    Immediately, she walked over to him. As she brought the now equally height man into a hug, something hit her — harshly. The last time the two spoke, Adora had made a promise to Micah.

“I swear on my life — I will stop at nothing until I bring her back to you.”

It was one of the many bits of guilt that had eaten her up over the years. Perhaps it was her lack of sleep that was lowering her walls, or the fact Micah felt like a father to her in the short month they got to know each other.

    “I’ve got some tea brewing, if you care to join me,” Micah backed away, keeping his hand on her shoulder, “What do you say, old friend?”

    Adora gladly accepted his offer, and the two sat in relative silence as they sipped tea together. It was nice to be able to peacefully hang out with Micah. No questions, no old scar resurfaced. Just the two of them watching the dawn break.

    Once she opened her eyes, Glimmer immediately remembered everything that happened the day prior. Adora was back, and she had fallen asleep with her. However, Glimmer couldn’t feel the vagabond’s weight in the bed next to her. A sense of panic took over, one akin to not being able to immediately find her in the meeting room the day prior. As she shot up, Glimmer scolded herself for being horribly clingy.

    Calming herself down, she looked around the room. On the bedside table, she could see a pocketbook. She ran her fingers over the cracked leather of the front. The things written on those pages Adora would tell her on her own, one day. She knew she would.

She teleported back into her old room and get ready for the day. As with every morning, she would drink tea and eat breakfast with her father in the gardens. That seemed to be the old man’s favorite thing to do, and she wouldn’t deny him that.

    Once she walked out to the garden, she was met with the sight of Adora chatting with her father. The two sat at a garden table, sipping tea with one another. Even from afar, Glimmer could tell Adora was grateful to be talking with Micah. She had hoped the two would talk that day, seeing Micah knew exactly what the vagabond was going through.

Glimmer walked over, stopping when she was able to hear them both. Seeing the two had their backs turned to her, they couldn’t see her.

    “... And she’s a master sorceress now? I noticed the emblem on her robe,” Adora prodded.

    Micah proudly beamed, “Oh yeah! Of course, she was trained by only the best.”

    “That’s really cool… What kind of spells can she cast?”

    Glimmer found it endearing how energized Adora looked. How her worn slate-blue eyes lit up in the morning sun. The bright rays of sunlight only further complimented her shining dirty blonde hair. She looked so beautiful. Yet… Glimmer felt somber. Was Adora afraid to ask her these things? Perhaps Glimmer was overthinking things once again. 

    “Oh, she can do all sorts of things! Mystic fire, levitation — oh, and she figured out astral projection all by herself! I still haven’t figured that out!”

    “I don’t even know what that is, and it sounds so—” Adora appeared to sense Glimmer, slowly turning around to see her some ways away. Flustered, Adora blushed and paused for a moment — realizing Glimmer likely heard their conversation. “Glimmer! Good morning!”

    “Oh! Morning, angel!” Micah greeted.

    Adora fumblingly stood, while Micah merely turned towards Glimmer. It was obvious Adora didn’t get much sleep, as she had dark circles under her eyes. Glimmer felt regretful for a moment, as she was out like a light soon as the two nestled together.

    “You… you, um… How are you?” Adora struggled to ask, rubbing the back of her neck, “Did you sleep well?”

    Glimmer wanted to laugh, charmed by Adora’s jittery actions, “I slept fine. Did you?”

    “Yeah—” Adora paused, “No. But that’s okay. Would you like to join us?”

    Glimmer smiled, “Of course.”

    Things were feeling normal already. Well, save for Adora’s newfound interest in Glimmer’s sorcery. Where once she deemed it as dark magic, her slate-blue eyes lit up as Glimmer and Micah told Adora about their powers. Perhaps it was because Micah that was teaching her now. In the back of her mind, she knew she would have to tell Adora about what happened with Shadow Weaver.

    But that would mean admitting Adora was right, Shadow Weaver was a traitor. Glimmer never really understood Adora’s mixed feelings on her estranged adoptive mother. Adora was initially the one to convince Glimmer to let Shadow Weaver stay, and the roles seemed to reverse once Glimmer became queen.

The two would have to talk about what happened before she was kidnapped. They would have to fulfill that promise they gave to one another before Adora vanished. Only right now, Glimmer was enjoying the casual feeling of just hanging out with her father and Adora.

    After the three finished their tea, Glimmer smiled over at Adora. “Adora, I’m going to talk to the tailor. We need to get you some new clothes.”

    Adora had to admit, her old jacket was worn. There were old stains and tears she was never able to fix up. Putting up the outfit one last time felt melancholy to say the least. However, the outfit Glimmer had picked out for her was almost perfect.

    It was a long trench coat, a red akin to her old jacket. The insides were lined with golden material. Underneath, she wore a tight white shirt that fit against her muscular form. Adora kept her belt with the golden wing buckle, and her black fingerless gloves. The boots Glimmer had chosen were the same red tone as her jacket, with golden steel-toes. Adora placed her sword, that had been turned into a hoop bracelet, over her wrist.

    Once Adora emerged from the curtain behind her bed, lavender eyes brightened and swept across Adora — taking the new outfit in. Skittishly, Glimmer tucked her hair behind her ear as Adora messed with the belt around her waist.

    “You look really nice, Adora.”

    It was difficult for Adora to take compliments about her appearance. Slate-blue eyes flowered an adoring gaze over Glimmer, taking in her form — doing her best to keep her eyes away from the bare spot between her robe and low-cut top.

    “You’re… you look really nice, too,” Adora beamed.

    Instantly, a blush formed on Glimmer’s cheeks, “I… um…” Her brows furrowed, and she hurriedly turned around to hide her face. Adora had failed to notice thus far that Glimmer’s robe was etched with a design similar to She-Ra’s chest plate insignia.

    “Thank you,” Glimmer fumbled for an excuse, “I… I have to write a letter to someone, if you don’t mind. After I’m done, what did you want to do today, Adora?”

    For a moment, Adora nervously shifted on her feet, “I… I want to hang out with you, if that’s alright.”

    Glimmer’s blush only worsened, “Yeah… That’s fine.”

    Adora felt like a lost puppy following Glimmer to her room. Honestly, she was developing a sense of separation anxiety with Glimmer. Glimmer was quick to start writing the letter, letting Adora explore and observe the room. It was relatively unchanged since her departure, save for her bed now being nested on the ground.

    Adora approached a vanity that was covered in papers and books. Glimmer was still a bit cluttered, as she was when they were younger. One particular piece of paper caught her eye, seeing it was peeking out of one of the books. It appeared to be a photo of sorts, with a tear down the middle and haphazardly taped back together. Promptly, Adora looked over her shoulder and noted Glimmer was absorbed in her letter.

    Bringing it out of the book, she realized it was a photo of the two of them at Glimmer’s coronation. Briefly, the two had danced together once Glimmer had felt up to it. In spite of the horrible reality of that day, Glimmer smiled as they danced. It happened so long ago, but Adora remembered how fast her heart was beating — thinking about how proud she was of Glimmer.

    However, Adora found it undeniably strange that the photo had been torn — only to be taped back together. She moved to place it back in the book, pausing as she noticed the book was actually Glimmer’s journal. What ever happened to her queen during Adora’s absence was likely written in those old pages. However, Adora respected her privacy — simply tucking the photo back into the journal and placing it back on the vanity.

    She moved over to Glimmer’s bed, sitting on the edge and nervously fiddling with her bracelet. After she settled, a peak of red fabric caught her eye — nestled beneath Glimmer’s pillow. Once again, Adora made sure Glimmer was focused on her writing as she motioned for the fabric. Carefully, she pulled it from underneath.

    She was taken aback as she realized it was her signature red jacket she wore in her youth. She had multiple versions of the same jacket. Regardless, how did it end up underneath Glimmer’s pillow? Adora flinched as she heard papers shuffling, a sign Glimmer was finishing up. Frantically, she shoved the misplaced jacket underneath the pillow.

    Thankfully on time, as once Adora had turned around, she observed Glimmer placing a wax seal over the letter. Glimmer stood from her desk, smiling over at Adora, “Alright, I’m done. I have a meeting in a bit, I don’t think anyone will mind if you’re there.”

    Adora would admit, it felt a little odd to be following Glimmer around still. The guards didn’t gawk at her as she passed by, making her feel a little more comfortable. Adora had no contributions to the meeting, which was discussing a renewal of their alliance with Dryll.

    Glimmer insisted her garden needed pruning, and Adora was more than willing to help her carry away clippings and such. Adora found it endearing how Glimmer was now interested in things her parents were into as well. Angella was fond of the greenhouse, which was now packed full of plants with magical properties. Micah had gotten Glimmer into drinking tea, too. 

Frankly, the day was uneventful, but Adora never found herself bored. It was pleasant to experience a mundane, calm day with Glimmer. It seemed the two silently agreed to sleep together once again. Without protest, the two had slipped into bed together — awkwardly close and face-to-face.

The moonlight danced across Glimmer, illuminating her eyes. It seemed her sparkles were even brighter than that morning. Adora never wanted to lose this — these stunning, fleeting moments where the world seemed to stop. She never wanted to lose Glimmer’s soft, sweet touch, or forget her alluring voice. Adora never wanted to lose her ever again.

So, what was stopping Adora? She had waited ten years for this moment, and it would be a lie to say she hadn’t rehearsed it in her head millions of times. All of this had to be because, somewhere in the back of her worn, beaten psyche, those lavender eyes reminded her of a Glimmer she once knew.

“Where were you when I needed you, Adora?”

That doppelgänger of Glimmer echoed Adora’s worst fears, reminded her of the Glimmer she was now holding. And every time they gazed into one another, Adora was reminded of how she failed them both.

It broke Adora’s heart thinking of telling Glimmer what she had done across the cosmos. However, Adora pushed through — no matter the consequences.

The two were gazing at each other in a tense silence. No doubt, Glimmer was blissful after that day and Adora wanted that for her. Seeing her genuinely happy was the best thing in the world — scratch that, the best thing across all the universes. She didn’t want to lose this. “Glimmer… There’s something I’ve been worried about.”

There was a tense pause as Glimmer scooted closer, “Tell me anything, Adora.”

For a moment, she considered telling Glimmer everything. What happened in that particular dimension that truly broke Adora, what was holding her back from spilling her heart out to Glimmer. Adora gulped back the dryness in her throat.

“I…” Adora sighed, deciding last second to guide the conversation in a new direction, “I used to phase out of dimensions after a while. I was lucky to befriend a different Entrapta, and she said it was because the dimension was rejecting me — like, it realized I didn’t belong there…”

Glimmer’s eyes glistened with a bit of confusion, before she connected what Adora’s thought process was. Lavender eyes shot open and her hand reached for Adora’s arm. Glimmer sat up, grief-stricken and beginning to panic, “Adora, are you saying you’ll disappear again?”

    Immediately, Adora shot up with her, soothingly running her hand over Glimmer’s arm. Before Glimmer’s thoughts could fall down a rabbit hole, Adora comforted her, “Hey, hey, hey… Don’t worry. I don’t think I’ll disappear again, Glim. Maybe I should talk to Entrapta.”

    The air was tense as it fell silent once again. Glimmer was abashed for acting up so harshly and fleetingly.  Glimmer audibly sighed, “Yeah, okay, first off, don’t scare me like that. Second, I can give her a call in the morning… But promise me something.”

    “Y-Yeah?”

Without warning, Glimmer wrapped her arms around Adora’s waist. Glimmer buried herself in Adora’s chest, smiling against her. Adora was sure Glimmer could hear her now swiftly fluttering heart. “Promise me you’ll actually sleep tonight, okay?”

    Adora quietly laughed before lying, “Okay. I promise.”

Over the years, Adora was rarely touch with such love and warmheartedness. Now that she was back home, Glimmer was caring for her. As much as she wanted to take care of Glimmer, it was nice to feel so safe, like nothing bad could ever happen to them ever again.

There wouldn’t be a Horde Prime to take Glimmer away from her, or a portal to take her away from Glimmer.

    Dryll was drastically different from what Adora remembered. The city itself was expanded, with many statuesque complexes built inside the walls. As they entered the strange, bustling city, Adora saw many familiar faces. Of course she could recognize them, as many of these citizens were ex-Horde peons.

    There were many stalls, selling off goods and hot meals. Many people eyed the two down. As she observed the crowd, she noticed many had scars, missing limbs replaced with complex, robotic prosthetics, and rough composure. The overbearing Adora held onto Glimmer’s arm, tempted to pull her close.

    However, as they continued walking, it seemed their relation to Glimmer was friendly. Many food stalls offered Glimmer free food as she passed, and others simply fondly greeted her. Adora gasped as she felt a rough hand grab the back of her jacket, pulling her away from Glimmer. Instinctively, she reached for the loop bracelet around her arm before being startled by laughter behind her. The hand loosened, allowing her to turn around to see the offender.

    “Long time, no see, Adora!” Lonnie laughed.

    Lonnie and Rogelio were a sight for sore eyes. She had rarely come across the two during her time across the cosmos. Immediately, Adora gasped — accepting the two’s hugs, nearly being crushed by Rogelio. The two, alongside Kyle, had defected from the Horde and joined the Rebellion quickly after Horde Prime arrived. It was nice to see people that were on good, simple terms with her before she vanished.

    “It’s great to see you both,” Adora beamed.

    “Bow and Kyle told us you were back. I didn’t expect to see you so soon!” Lonnie resounded, while crossing her arms, “You like it here? It’s pretty cool, huh?”

    Adora questioned what she meant internally. Back in the dimension, or in Dryll? Dryll was lively and upbeat, and it was nice to see ex-Horde soldiers living a nice life. “This is amazing!”

    Rogelio began grunting and growling as he looked at Adora, while Lonnie listened in and translated, “He says he missed you, too.”

    Lonnie’s eyes visibly widened for a moment as she noticed Glimmer was with Adora. Adora couldn’t help but notice the two’s lips awkwardly contort, as faint blushes formed on their faces. Lonnie cleared her throat, “Your majesty, it’s nice to see you as well.”

    “You don’t have to call me that, Lonnie. We’re friends,” Glimmer beamed, pushing down the awkwardness.

    Rogelio laughed, resulting in Lonnie elbowing him. Adora bit her gum, having a strange feeling about the interaction. Did something happen with Glimmer and Lonnie?

Glimmer appeared keen to change the subject, “Well, we have a meeting with Entrapta soon. I’ll have Adora come back to see you after, okay?”

    Glimmer winked at Lonnie, making the ex-solider stiffen and her blush worsen. The wink made Adora flinch, as an unusual feeling boiled inside her. Adora grit her together as she clenched her fist, her knuckles nearly turning white. Wait… Am I… jealous?

    “Well, uh…” Lonnie eased up, “Stay around, hang out with us tonight maybe?”

    Adora beamed, “Yeah, we can do that.”

    As Rogelio and Lonnie walked away, Adora noticed Lonnie fiercely punch Rogelio. While Rogelio laughed, Lonnie was quietly ranting to him about something. Gulping back the dryness of her throat, she looked over at Glimmer. Something totally happened between them while Adora was gone, and Adora was curious. Glimmer could feel Adora’s eyes boring into her, reflecting that curiosity.

    “I am really sorry about that,” Glimmer apologized, “Bow tried to hook me up with Lonnie… and I guess we just didn’t click. She still gets a little weird around me now.”

    Adora felt a fire inside her chest at the idea that Glimmer had been on dates. She was quick to put out the fire. It was alarming to be so possessive and overprotective of her, they weren’t even dating. Glimmer was her own person, allowed to do what she desired. Yet, it was hard to bury the envy that welled up inside her.

    Soon, they were at the entrance of the castle. A few people were walking in and out, suggesting people lived in the castle. It was nice for Entrapta to open up her home to the Horde. 

“Do you want me to try teleporting us to her lab?” Glimmer joked.

    Adora laughed, the memory of their first time at Dryll coming back, “There’s nothing wrong with walking, right?”

    Adora was lying, she did want that again. She wanted to feel like she was on an adventure with Glimmer, fighting alongside her. It seemed her escapades with Glimmer and Bow were still fresh on her mind, in spite of her otherwise jaded memory.

    They were treading through the halls for a long while. They hadn’t seen anyone for quite some time, and Adora was beginning to question Glimmer’s sense of direction. However, the seed of doubt seem to fade as they turned a corner — finally seeing someone. It was Bow and Kyle, walking together with a child whose eyes nearly popped out as he gasped. “Auntie Glim!”

Glimmer seemed to perk up as Bow's son ran up to the two of them. Sparkles subtly flared in her hair sight of the child. “Hey, Jay!”

Auburn eyes twinkled at the sight of his honorary aunt. Glimmer bent down, holding the toddler. “Jay, you’re getting quite big,” Glimmer over exaggeratedly panted, joking with him, “I may not be able to carry you soon.”

Right off the bat, the child stared at Adora with owlish, curious eyes that looked far too large for his head. Adora reminded herself all children’s eyes were like that. She knew he was focused on the jarring scar on her jawline — and she had grown to accept that children would always hyper-fixate on that.

“Who is she?” Jay asked.

Glimmer smiled, running a hand through his curly black hair, “You know all those stories your dads tell you? About the brave Adora who saved Etheria?” Glimmer beamed, her voice sounding so peppy and upbeat. It was clear she loved him like he was real family to her.

“Yeah!” he ecstatically bounced.

“Well… this is her. Meet your auntie Adora.” There were sparkles in Glimmer’s eyes.

Something about the moment deeply moved Adora. Her whole life in the Horde was spent being told family and love were things that made you weak. She never had the chance to know her family. Having this toddler, being his ‘auntie’... It felt special. “It’s great to finally meet you, Jay.”

As Kyle and Bow walked up, she reflected the smile at Kyle. Just like with Lonnie and Rogelio, it was a relief to finally see him again, “Hey, Kyle.”

The two briefly exchanged hugs, as Jay continued to bore his owlish eyes into her. Honestly, it was starting to make Adora a little uncomfortable. The group began walking down the hall, Bow and Kyle ahead as the two women walked beside Jay. He held onto Glimmer’s hand, his eyes doting between the two.

“So, is she your husband?” Jay innocently asked. To be fair, the boy had two dads and two grandpas. “Wife” likely wasn’t a word he had ever heard. Still, the thought was enough to elicit a faint blush on both the girls. 

“No, she’s a friend,” Glimmer nervously laughed.

A friend. Right, that’s all we are. Thanks for reminding me, kid. Adora buried her bitter thoughts as they continued on.

Almost immediately after opening the doors to the laboratory, Adora was ensnared in strong, purple hair. She gasped as it pulled her away from the group, bringing her to none other than the Princess of Dryll herself.

“Adora!” Entrapta excitedly exclaimed. The scientist’s eyes were sparkling at her, forcing Adora implausibly close to her. Entrapta excitedly gasped, unable to wipe her wide grin off her face. “I have been awaiting this day for ten years! Yay! Please! Tell me everything!”

Without warning, the scientist pushed Adora into a nearby chair. With her hair-hand, she grabbed a recorder from her pocket and pushed the button. “Day 3 of Adora being back from her trip across the Etherian Cosmos! Now, she is willing to tell me about her scientific marvel of an adventure!” Entrapta brought the recorder away from herself, practically shoving it into Adora’s face, “So, go on! Give me all the details!”

Adora heard a groan, followed by Glimmer teleporting next to Entrapta. With her arms crossed, Glimmer glared at Entrapta, “Take it easy, Entrapta. She’s been through a lot.”

Entrapta appeared blank at Glimmer’s words. “Oh, okay,” Entrapta turned back towards Adora, “Please, tell me anything, Adora. What was the question you wanted to ask?”

Distracted by the screen in front of her, Adora paused a moment. The screen seemed to feature a virtual diagram, showing hundreds of dots. A line bounced around and connected the dots at certain places. Entrapta seemed to notice, looking back at the screen. “Cool, isn’t it!? We were able to track you down in the cosmos!”

Adora was a little shocked. Withal, it seemed to make sense, seeing both the Entrapta of the original dimension and the previous dimension were able to communicate. “How were you able to do that?” Adora wondered aloud.

Entrapta laughed in excitement, “Haha! You can thank Glimmer for that.”

Glimmer appeared nervous, as she shuffled in place. Genuinely, Adora had no idea Glimmer had anything to do with her being able to come back. Shocked blue eyes glanced to Glimmer, lightly gasping at the revelation. “Glim…?”

Before the two could speak, Entrapta was hurried to once again excitedly interject, “Yes! Bow theorized that it was possible you still had some of the Moonstone’s magic after she gave you her power to help with the force field. Since you’re not able to utilize her magic, it’s been lying dormant inside you this whole time! We were able to track your position in the cosmos because of Glimmer’s magic! Isn’t that intriguing?!”

Adora couldn’t take her eyes off Glimmer. Part of Adora was shocked that Glimmer hadn’t shared that information. Glimmer glanced down and anxiously rubbed her arm, timid due Adora’s attention.

“We were able to tell that you bounced around quite a bit!” Entrapta pointed out, “Sometimes, you would remain in a universe for months, and other times, only two weeks. Was there anything different about the universes you visited for short periods?”

Things were slowly starting to connect in her head. Glimmer’s magic had been inside her all along, and Glimmer herself the only true constant throughout her journey. Strange dreams and the First One’s sigil of her name were just the beginning of it. She paused for a moment, transfixed on Glimmer. It was apparent Adora had spaced as Glimmer moved forward and carefully gripped Adora’s shoulder.

“Are you alright, Adora?” Glimmer comfortingly asked.

As Glimmer’s thumb stroked her shoulder, Adora melted beneath her touch. She placed her hand over Glimmer’s, relishing in how it dwarfed underneath her own, “I… I was just thinking, star—”

Adora cleared her throat, stopping herself before calling Glimmer “starlight”. That was a name Adora called her in the ethereal dreams, not here. Glimmer blinked, somewhat taken aback for a moment.

Quickly, Adora began speaking to deflect the slip-up, “I was thinking about how I would usually end up close to people I knew when phasing into a new universe. You know, I would find Glimmer or Bow, someone I knew. But…”

Adora darkened a little, but eased as Glimmer stroked her thumb over her shoulder. Adora continued, “It seemed like every once in a while, I’d end up in a universe where I would be randomly dropped. I would end up in places I’ve never even heard of on Etheria. Because I would only be in those dimensions for a short time, I only ever once found other Etherians.”

Entrapta interjected, “Really?! Were you able to find out anything interesting from them?”

Adora sulked in her chair, clutching the fabric of her sleeves, once again looking over at Glimmer, “Yeah… They told me… Glimmer didn’t exist.”

Glimmer’s heart fell to her chest at the idea there were universes where she didn’t exist. Was that true for everyone? Were there universes where Adora didn’t exist? It seemed she was connecting things in her head, as was Adora. Somehow, Glimmer was involved in all of this.

“Wow! That is absolutely fascinating! I will have to research and theorize about this… But I do believe Glimmer here has more to do with this than we think!”

Hearing those words from Entrapta was oddly comforting, making Adora feel like she wasn’t just looking into things too deeply. The two knew things that would further aid in Entrapta’s research — she would have a field day over their communal dreams. More and more, both of the women starting to believe those dreams really weren’t dreams. They were strange phenomenons that allowed them to be together, just for a little while as Adora transferred through the cosmos.

Admitting those occurrences were real events would mean a lot for both. It would mean accepting what they said, and more importantly, what they did in their time in those “dreams” actually happened. Their relationship already felt complicated enough as it was.

“Is there anything else you can tell me? Really, anything will help, Adora,” Entrapta prodded one last time.

“I guess I can finally ask my question… I used to fade out of dimensions after a while…” Adora sounded so small as she asked, “Entrapta — will that happen again?”

“I can confidentially say, it won’t. You’re here for good, Adora.”

Suddenly, Bow was behind her, “You can take it easy, Adora,” he patted her shoulder, “I know you’ve been through a lot. Just know that you’re safe.”

There was a lump in her throat as her eyes watered. She wouldn’t lose them again — not Glimmer, Bow, Micah, no one. She was home, and she would stay there. For the first time in a decade, Adora felt safe. For a moment, she felt weak knowing she was exposing her emotions in front of everyone. Glimmer’s hand stroked down her arm, smiling down upon her.

Everything would be alright in the end. She had everything she needed right there in front of her.

“Hey! You… you can still transform into She-Ra, right?” Bow hesitantly asked.

“Yeah If anything, I have her more under control than when I left,” Adora spoke with confidence as she turned towards Bow, “I can show you.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up. It had been nearly a decade since they had last seen the deity. The thought alone was exciting.

“Of course, we’d love to see that!” Entrapta exclaimed.

Adora stood from her chair, anxious as everyone’s eyes were glued to her. Kyle hung out in the back, holding onto Jay as the child once again looked at Adora. Adora smiled as she looked at all her friends surrounding her.

“For the Honor of the Rebellion!”

The whole room lit up as the vagabond began to glow and morph. Everyone was hypnotized by her, watching in awe as she grew taller. Elongated, angelic hair flowed from her head, escaping her ponytail. Once her transformation was over, she looked around the room with her celestial blue eyes. Bow, Entrapta, and Glimmer looked at her with astonishment and wavering emotions.

Adora was sure she could see Glimmer’s eyes glistening, a sight that had become sadly acquainted with the past few days. Withal, they were tears of joy — seeing they were paired with a faint smile. The room was silent, merely taking in the deity before them. From the back of the room, Jay wriggled out of Kyle’s grasp.

“Whoa! Auntie Adora!” Jay excitedly cheered.

“No, Jay!” Kyle called out.

Jay immediately ran over to She-Ra. The massive deity looked down, noticing the small child. She towered over him, but there was no fear in his auburn sparkling eyes. “Auntie Adora! You’re so cool!” The amazement in his owlish eyes was enough to put a smile on She-Ra’s face. It was like she was the coolest thing he had ever laid his eyes on. 

Do I… do I want kids? It was a thought that seldom crossed her mind. From the little she knew about motherhood, it didn’t seem all that great. Looking at Jay made it seem worth it.

Bow and Kyle’s home felt quaint. Much different from the sophisticated rooms of Bright Moon. It was a cute little cottage on the outskirts of Dryll, away from the hustle of the upbeat city within its walls. Dinner at their table felt so homey and warm.

The two husbands clearly loved Jay. They had adopted him a year into their marriage, after he was given up by his birth mother. After dinner, the group had settled in their living room. Jay begged Glimmer to show off her magic, to which she promptly agreed. From afar, Bow and Adora watched from the couch. 

    Glimmer’s hands glowed as an apparition of sorts appeared from her palms. It was a small bird, translucent, with the familiar pink and sparkle of her magic. Jay smiled in awe as Glimmer lifted her hands, letting the bird-like apparition fly. It flew past him, landing on Kyle and prompting a laugh from Jay. Adora could see the joy on Glimmer’s face as she controlled the minuscule projection.

    Glimmer wanted this. Glimmer wanted a child, she wanted a family. Adora could see that every time her eyes lit up around Jay. That saddened her far more than the fact Glimmer had dated while Adora was gone. It wasn’t fair to be jealous, but it wasn’t fair Glimmer never found someone. Granted, Glimmer was still young. However, many of their friends were already married and had started families.

    Who knows? If things hadn’t gone awry, maybe Glimmer and Adora would’ve been married at that point. However, if Adora wanted that to be a reality, she would have to find the courage to tell Glimmer how she truly felt about her. For now, she enjoyed being in her presence while sitting next to her best friend across the cosmos.

    “Bow… I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk much the other day,” Adora apologized.

    Bow immediately turned to her, patting her shoulder, “Hey, you’re okay! We’re talking now! You have no idea how excited I was when Entrapta told me you were coming to Dryll today. And hey! You got to meet my boy.”

    Adora stared over at the child, who was climbing on top of Kyle to reach the magical apparition, “He’s great, Bow. He loves Glimmer, huh?”

    Bow laughed, “Oh, tell me about it! His first word was ‘auntie’. Can you believe that?! I felt so betrayed, Adora!”

Adora laughed along, “Really?!” Slate blue eyes gazed over to Glimmer, as Jay returned the apparition to her, “Well… She seems so happy with him…”

It was silent between the two for a moment. Bow broke the silence with a sigh. “We… had something happened between us while you were gone,” Bow admitted what Adora already knew, “And despite that, Glimmer was here for us when Jay came into our lives. She was able to put aside our differences to be there for him, and me,” he cornily beamed, “I mean, she’ll still drop everything if we need a babysitter. I never thought she wanted kids…”

    Adora struggled to find a way to respond to him. Deep down, she felt like whatever happened between the two was her fault. It was inevitable that Adora’s absence would create a rift between the two. However, she still thought it was something more complicated than that. Something that had to do with the torn up photo she had found, or her jacket beneath Glimmer’s pillow.

    "I feel like I've let her down,” Adora worried, her form slumping, “I haven't been there for her — o-or you... But I want to be here for you both, now and forever.”

    Bow wrapped his arm around Adora’s shoulders, pulling her close, “And I appreciate that so much, Adora. But, take it easy. You being here is enough as it is.”

    Adora smiled at her old friend, enjoying being close to him once more. If there was anyone she could ever find the courage to talk to about her feelings for Glimmer, both Bow and Micah were lovingly there for her.

Things would work out with her and Glimmer. They had to.

    The two women teleported back to Bright Moon’s prized gardens. That night, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. They stood still as Adora’s eyes perked at the beautiful sight above. It was still a sight she was amazed by, and would have trouble adjusting to.

    “That was… nice. You know, I don’t travel too much anymore,” Glimmer rubbed her arm, “Perfuma and Scorpia invite me over every once in a while, and I occasionally go to Dryll to babysit Jay… But really, that’s it.”

    “I miss it,” Adora admitted, looking back down at Glimmer.

    Confused, Glimmer asked, “Miss what?”

    “Sorry, I meant I missed traveling with you, and Bow,” Adora clarified, “I miss the princesses, too. How…” Adora was hesitant to ask, “How is everyone?”

    Glimmer feebly smiled up at Adora, “Well, Frosta and I talk every once in a while. She hasn’t changed much, actually. Just picture the old Frosta, but she can drink now.”

    Adora laughed at the comment, “And Mermista?”

    “Mermista and Seahawk got married awhile ago. Spinerella and Netossa don’t talk to me anymore, but last I heard, they had a son…” Glimmer hesitated to tell Adora the next bit, rubbing her fingers over her knuckles nervously, “You want to hear the strangest thing? You won’t believe me.”

    “No, no, tell me,” Adora insisted.

    “Catra… Catra and I became…” Glimmer oddly sighed, “Friends.”

    Slate blue eyes widened, “I knew there was a reason you were sending letters to Catra!” Suddenly, Adora was mildly somber, “I never got the chance to talk things out with her. Is… Is she alright? Why did she leave?”

    With that, Glimmer regretted mentioning that. Memories came flooding in at the mention. She rubbed at her sleeved arm, thankful Adora had only seen the arm bare in the dark.

“I would never leave you. You’re my girl, Glimmer.”

Maybe Glimmer was used to women breaking their promises with her. She knew if she ever confessed to Adora, Adora would tell her the same thing Catra did. That she would never leave her, she would love her and hold her and be there for her. “It’s… a long story. Maybe I’ll tell you later. I don’t want to think about it right now.”

Adora paused for a moment, concerned for the situation, “You don’t have to tell me unless you want to, alright?”

Glimmer was relieved Adora didn’t probe further. Besides, how could possibly explain to her that she fell in love with Catra —  the one that was responsible for her mother being gone? The one who caused the two and the alliance so much grief? Glimmer was ashamed to admit that to Adora. Not only that, but she was undeniably afraid her heart would be broken all over again. In the back of her mind, she was convinced the cycle would repeat. Her heart would shatter, and once again, the woman she loved would be gone.

She was sure she could never handle that again.

Chapter Text

    They promised each other that they would get back to Bright Moon together. That they would fix the horrible rift between them. Glimmer would feel safe, and nothing bad could ever happen to her again. Things from there on out could only get better.

However, the only time Glimmer’s life had truly changed for the better was when she met Adora. And she lost her.

Everything was gone. Her spark was gone. She felt no motivation to get up and recharge with her Runestone. It was starting to take an effect on her. Not recharging only deteriorated the melancholy queen more.

Her father was back in her life, fully ready to love her —  and despite that, she couldn’t find herself feeling any form of happiness. Hell, she had barely exchanged words with him despite it being a whole month since Adora vanished. Instead, Entrapta’s words echoed in her head and chipped at her broken heart.

“It appears Adora is in a different dimension, Glimmer… Getting her back… I’m not really sure if it’s scientifically possible, at least at the moment. I’ll need to do more research, but it might be awhile before I can even figure out where she is.”

Bow and Entrapta had been spending the past month trying to locate Adora, to no avail. It was something she couldn’t help with at all. And it felt horrible. This was her fault. She needed to find a way to fix it.

Her only sign that Adora was out there was the odd occasion of a blue sigil appearing on her left hand. It was a bright azure, akin to She-Ra’s eyes. Glimmer had no explanation for it, nor did she know what it meant. It probably meant nothing, and she was just holding onto a ghost.

Knock, knock.

    “Glimmer? I know you’re in there, angel… I can hear you crying.”

    Glimmer removed her face from her knees, stopping her sobs to listen in for a moment. It was her father. “Glimmer… I know I’ve been gone for such a long time. And… It’s so easy to give up right now... And it’s so easy to drift away after you lose somebody.”

    Inspirited, she wiped her tears away from her face. Instantaneously, she teleported over the door —  keen to keep hugging her knees as she leaned against the door. She could feel weight pressing from the other side, and she could barely make out a shadow beneath the gap of the door.

A hefty sigh echoed in the hallway outside, “Adora… was the best of all of us.”

Tears trickled from her eyes at the mention of her hero. Glimmer traced the door with her trembling fingers. She hadn’t heard someone use Adora’s name since Entrapta spoke to her.

“Would you believe me if I said I had to tell her it was possibly not the best idea to rush in and try to save you? You are so special to her, Glimmer,” Micah weakly laughed, “You are everything to her. I could see it in her eyes, every time she talked about you.”

Glimmer was disheartened she never got to see the two interact. The father and daughter were silent, remaining against their spots on the door. “I’m honestly just as scared as you…” Micah hesitated before gloomily accepting, “I’ve been scared since I found out Angella is gone.”

Her father took a deep breath as Glimmer put her hand up against the door. Tears returned to her eyes once again at the thought of her mother. If it wasn’t for her father being back, she wasn’t sure how she would cope with losing both her mother and Adora in such a short time.

After clearing his throat, Micah sternly noted, “But, Glimmer? I know she’s out there, somewhere. I don’t know where she is, but I am certain she’s trying to find a way back to us…”

She found herself shifting closer to the door, sniffling loudly as she did. This was the first sense of comfort she had felt in a long time. Her father could empathize with her. You know, losing someone that was the last piece of your puzzle. Life wouldn’t be complete without that piece.

“She’s trying to find a way back to you , Glimmer. You and I both know she will never stop fighting,” Micah heartened.

Tears were dropping onto the floor from Glimmer’s cheeks. Her lips quivered, barely able to form a smile.

“I love you so much, angel… When you’re ready, please talk to me. I want to hang out with you. Be your dad again,” Micah sniffled. Her father stayed pressed against the door for a while.

Glimmer enjoyed the silence and his company. Perhaps she could try to reconnect with the world around her.

    Time seemed to move slowly. Perhaps because she still chose not to recharge her powers a month into Adora being gone. The queen rarely left her room, absent-minded as she attempted to work with the Rebellion to fix a broken Etheria.

In the world around her, things seemed to be going so well. The Horde worked with the Rebellion now, using their vehicles to transport materials and provisions to places in need. Things were truly at peace. As horrible as it sounds, Glimmer couldn’t find too much bliss knowing this. This was something she fought for years to achieve.

Ultimately, it was Adora that helped her achieve that goal. And she was gone now.

She still hadn’t heard from Entrapta. Seeing Bow danced around the conversation of his research every time they called, she assumed things weren’t going anywhere. Besides, they were likely more focused on rebuilding Dryll, as it had been destroyed during the invasion.

Glimmer felt so lonely. She had her father, Bow, Entrapta, all the princesses. Hell, the queen even let Catra stay in Bright Moon for the time being. They only interacted a few times. There was a slither of resentment towards Catra for what she had done to her mother, Adora, and Etheria in general. But in the end, Catra helped Adora and Bow rescue her.

All the same, Glimmer had absolutely no energy to deal with her —  nor did she even know what to do with her. It was obvious the Magicat was hurting too, but perhaps not as much as Glimmer. Glimmer was the one that was right next to Adora, the one that could have saved the hero. And she failed.

That particular morning, she found it excruciatingly hard to get out of bed. Physically, she was sore. She felt fatigued, weak, like her legs would give out if she were to stand. Her heart felt more hollow than it already did, like something was horribly off. As she snapped her fingers, no magic illuminated. Her connection to her Runestone was fully severed.

Slowly, her hair was turning black. In her depressed state, she couldn’t find the motivation to care. She had done this once before after her mother died. Now, she was doing it again to herself. Maybe this was a way to punish herself for all the atrocious things she had done.

Her work as queen was done. Etheria was safe, and the Princess Alliance didn’t need to be around anymore. What was the point to living?

As she began to give into her exhaustion, her door burst open. If she didn’t feel so weak, she would shoot up from her fetal position. She was barely able to keep her eyes open, just enough to see who it was jumping on the steps that led up to her bed. “... Catra…?”

“Glimmer!” Why was the Magicat so worried? She was unbelievably concerned as she sat close to the queen, observing her weakened state. A clawed hand comfortingly stroked the queen’s arm. One would think the claws would trigger memories of the grotesque dictator, but Glimmer found herself at ease under the Magicat’s touch.

Glimmer could hear her father yell from the hallway, “Catra?! Come back here, tell me what’s going on!”

It was too hard to fight back the vertigo spinning in her head.

Once she woke up, she found herself lying in the Moonstone chamber. As her glittering eyes opened, she felt a new sense of rejuvenation and health. Color had returned to her skin and hair alike. At least now, part of the hollow feeling in her chest was filled. As she shifted, she felt someone grab at her arm once again. Upon looking over, she observed her father by her side.

“Glimmer, angel,” he beamed down, relieved by the side, “You feeling better?”

She sat up, noticing she now lacked the vertigo that infested her previously, “Yeah. A bit.”

He kept his hand at her arm, simply smiling at her. Things felt a little stiff and awkward around him. Both failed to find the right words to say to one another. Instead, her father leaned forward —  bringing her into a satisfactory hug.

A little more of that hollow feeling faded. Perhaps this was all she needed; someone to hold her, talk to her, give her empty promises. Promises that they would find Adora and bring her back. Even in her father’s arm, even when she felt so completely safe, Glimmer felt undeniably defeated.

“I know you’re hurting, baby,” Micah fought back the lump in his throat, “You’re seriously starting to worry me. I want you to get help. I can find you a therapist, or something. It’s not healthy what you’re doing to yourself.”

Glimmer refused to look into his eyes. Micah was right now, and he was right as he pressed himself against her door and said to her; “ You and I both know she will never stop fighting.” Adora wouldn’t stop until she found her way back, and Glimmer needed to realize that. She had to keep going. It’s what Adora would want her to do.

“Okay, dad… I’ll get help. For you and Adora both,” Glimmer sounded so small then.

Dark eyes gazed into her as her father withdrew from their hug. There was a spark inside him, one that saw hope for his daughter and her future. He put a hand on her shoulder, sighing, “Oh… Once you feel up to it… There’s something you need to deal with.”

Upon teleporting into the throne room with Micah, she was met with a stressful sight. Immediately, she let go of her father, simply shocked. The general was there with some of her guards, and they surrounded both Catra and Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver’s robe was ripped, no doubt a result of a scuffle between the two. The guards were not holding either, but the two perked up at the sight of Glimmer.

Shadow Weaver eagerly attempted to step forward, resulting in the guards crossing their staffs over her. “Halt!” the general barked, “You are a criminal now. It is up to the queen to decide your fate, traitor.”

“My queen!” Shadow Weaver implored, “Please, don’t believe what they say to you.”

Glimmer’s trust in Shadow Weaver was wavering at best. Ever since the Heart debacle, Glimmer placed some blame on the sorceress. Catra only echoed Glimmer’s true feelings, loudly growling and making a move towards Shadow Weaver —  resulting in the guards holding her back. Glimmer was dearly confused, and she deeply wished her father explained everything prior to them teleporting to the throne room.

“I can’t say I’m surprised you did this, Shadow Weaver. You’re the lowest form of life,” Catra hissed, “And since Horde Prime is dead, you have the privilege of being the worst living thing in the universe.”

At the mention of his name , Glimmer tensed. Those memories were suppressed, buried deeply inside her —  they only resurfaced from time to time as she sulked alone on her bed. However, at the mention of his name, she could feel their encounters rushing back into her mind.

“Oh… you’re shaking, love. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

It appeared everyone noticed how tense the queen suddenly was, resulting in Shadow Weaver and Catra halting their fighting. Tears were welling up in her eyes, as she couldn’t push past the painful memory that was triggered. The room was growing smaller, and it felt hard to breathe. She thought her suffering would die with him… But it didn’t. It was alive and festering within her.

Micah noticed Glimmer’s labored breathing, walking to his daughter’s side and stroking down her arm… The arm that was now permanently marked by the horrifying, dead monster. “Is everything alright?”

Holding back her tears, Glimmer took a deep breath in before bitterly demanding, “I’m fine. Please. Someone please explain to me what happened.”

Shadow Weaver was prompt to answer, “You weren’t using the Runestone, my queen. There are still people out there who need our help—”

“Liar!” Catra interjected, “You just want power, and you don’t care who you hurt to get it!”

“You two! Stop,” Micah snapped before turning to Glimmer, “According to Catra, she witnessed Shadow Weaver attempting to force the Moonstone to accept her. After trying to kill her and evading the Royal Guard, Catra barged into your chambers without approval.”

Micah seemed indifferent to the Magicat, who gazed into Glimmer with crazed, despairing mismatched eyes. “Please,” Catra begged, “You have to believe me. I thought you were going to die… Just like I thought you would back on the ship...”

For a moment, the two looked at each other in silence. In Catra’s eyes, she could see all the desperation in the world. Why did the Magicat suddenly care so much? Come to think of it, why did she ever care? Back on Prime’s ship, they had a strange bond. It was hard to remember how awful of a monster Catra was to her and Adora.

Glimmer walked over towards Shadow Weaver, her knuckles turning white as she clutched her fists. Anger flared within her, and she could feel magic forming in her palms. The guards tensed as they took their staffs away from Shadow Weaver. Politely, the sorceress bowed to Glimmer.

“My queen, I must thank you for believing—”

“Leave,” Glimmer’s booming voice echoed in the throne room. Afterwards, it was dead silent between all of them. Everyone looked at the queen, shocked and frankly a bit scared.

Shadow Weaver flinched and gasped, not daring to walk forward. “W… What? After everything I’ve done for you, you’re just going to—”

“I said, leave, ” Glimmer had never spoken with that much venom in her life, “I don’t care where you go, Shadow Weaver. But if anyone sees you in Bright Moon again, I won’t be so kind the second time around.”

“Please, you must think about what you are doing, your majesty,” Shadow Weaver begged, “Would your dearest Adora approve of this?”

Everyone seemed to realize how bad of a choice it was to bring up the hero. Even Shadow Weaver winced, wanting to go back on her words. Immediately at the sorceress’ words, lavender eyes darkened and narrowed —  and it was evident that Shadow Weaver had poured gasoline on the fire. 

“You...” Glimmer heaved in a deep breath, attempting to be level-headed and calm herself but failing miserably, “You don't get to talk about Adora.”

Glimmer wished to bash the sorceress in. Shadow Weaver wasn’t allowed to bring up Adora, she wasn’t allowed to open up that wound again. Never in her life had the queen felt so intensely aggravated. It didn’t even compare to the anger she felt after Adora and Bow went against her word to rescue Entrapta. The only time she had felt this level of hateful disgust was when Horde Prime asked her to marry her.

Glimmer waved her hand, magic illuminating around the sorceress. In an instant, Shadow Weaver was forcibly levitated over to the fuming queen. Once she was within reach, Glimmer grabbed the collar of the taller woman’s robe —  yanking her down close to her face. Magic continued to light up Glimmer’s clenched fist as she glared with visceral hatred. “If you don’t want to leave, I’ll make you leave.”

Glimmer brought her glowing hand down upon Shadow Weaver, eyes on fire as she cast a spell. Shadow Weaver looked on with fear. “Your majesty!”

With that, the sorceress disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. The silence was deafening in the room, the faint breeze outside being the only noise between anyone. No one wished to rouse the queen from the fit of rage she was experiencing as she blankly looked at the spot where the sorceress once was.

Adora would approve of this. Oh, she would so approve of this. Shadow Weaver was somewhere in the Crimson Waste by now —  or at least close to it. Honestly, the queen didn’t care. No one was allowed to question her like that, no one was allowed to bring up Adora —  remind her of the mistake she made. 

“Glimmer!”

It was only by an inch that Glimmer missed her hand. She couldn’t grab her in time. As soon as Adora was sucked in, the portal instantaneously vanished.

That scene repeated in the queen’s head over and over, like a looping recording. Adora was gone, and it was her fault. Etheria was without a She-Ra. The Best Friends Squad was over. Even though the world was safe, Glimmer was afraid. Afraid the day would arrive when Entrapta would tell her Adora was dead, or stuck in another dimension for the rest of her life.

It was evident Glimmer had been spacing out. Thankfully, Micah was brave enough to attempt to console the queen. Carefully, he approached her and comfortingly touched her shuddering shoulder blade. Lost in her thoughts, the queen snapped towards him —  easing as she realized it was her father. “Angel… Do you want to rest? I can bring you dinner,” Micah offered.

Deep inside the queen, she appreciated how her father didn’t question her action. It was harsh, yet he didn’t scold her for it. At that moment, she felt the slightest bit empowered. However, she still felt hollow even as she looked into her father’s dark eyes. “I’m not hungry, but thank you,” Glimmer murmured.

The general and the guards looked at Glimmer, not daring to speak. With barely a spark of emotion, she looked over to Catra. In the Magicat’s mismatched eyes, she could see relief behind a shroud of awestruck fear. The faintest, tiniest smile emerged from the queen. It was the least she could offer.

“Thank you, Catra. I owe you my life. You’re free to stay in Bright Moon,” Glimmer’s voice was weak, but still showed appreciation, “If you would like to live somewhere else, I can help you financially. Alright?”

Following the queen’s offer, the guards stepped away from Catra. Still in shock, Catra could only stiffly bow as her ears fell back. “Um, thank you, Spar —  your majesty. I’ll… I’ll think about it.”

If the Glimmer of the past saw this moment, she would be laughing. Yet, the queen felt nothing. “You are all excused. I need time alone, please.”

Without another word, the queen teleported away.

The stars were so beautiful. Glimmer regretted not coming out onto the rooftop sooner. Millions of bright stars scattered the sky, as a faint breeze flowered through Bright Moon.

Glimmer nearly jumped at the sound of someone climbing onto the roof. She looked down at the bottom of the roof, seeing Catra jumping up. She sported a jean vest over the midriff she had been wearing around Bright Moon. Black shorts complimented her well. As the Magicat stood, she was surprised to see Glimmer. 

Catra flinched, stopping in place at the sight of the queen, “Spark—” After the earlier events, Catra was scared to use the former teasing nickname, “I didn’t know you were up here. If you want to be alone—”

“No,” Immediately, Glimmer regretted the desperation in her whimpering voice, “You can stay,” Please stay, “Come and sit with me.”

Catra was dumbfounded by the queen’s offer, but took it anyway. It felt strange as Catra sat next to her. A little over two months ago, the queen had stood over the defeated Magicat —  absolutely ready to kill her. And now, the two sat in silence as they watched the stars above.

Catra evicted complicated emotions from Glimmer. At first, she was sure she was too depressed to lash out at her for the things she had done. However, seeing the Magicat was more than willing to help the Alliance on Prime’s ship and had just saved the queen from Shadow Weaver’s betrayal made her… forgive Catra?

No. I can’t forgive her. Her stomach was in knots, as she grew more and more confused by the minute. The queen hugged her knees tightly, battling with her own thoughts. How did she know she could trust Catra, after everything she had put the queen and her friends through?

For a brief moment, she glanced over at the Magicat. The stars seemed to shine in her mismatching eyes, focused on the spectacle above. Her feeble heart fell to her chest, as memories came flooding to her.

How her perspective of another former Horde soldier changed in an instant. Seeing her eyes sparkle with child-like wonder, taking in the sights of Thaymor. Eating real food, seeing flowers and horses for the first time in her life. How Glimmer’s heart fluttered as she saved the girl that, up until moments prior, she considered an enemy.

Her blue eyes seemed like a clear sky after a stormy night as she asked Glimmer, “How do you know you can trust me now?”

At that moment, she had no idea how to explain the emotions welling up inside her. Glimmer felt like it was her destiny to help this girl defect from the Horde, to help her become the best She-Ra she could be. “I don't. But I hope I can. I feel like maybe you're here to help us.”

As Catra looked back at her, it was like she was looking at her hero. Deep in those eyes, there was fear and sorrow. If there was anyone on Etheria that understood what Glimmer was going through, it was Catra.

And maybe, if Adora was still here, she would forgive Catra too.

Catra shifted her splayed legs closer to her body as Glimmer continued to blankly stare at her, frankly feeling uneasy. “You… okay?”

Glimmer snapped her head forward, bringing herself out the strange trance before lying, “Yeah… I’m fine. How have you been holding up?”

It was odd making small talk with Catra, and it was evident she was equally uncomfortable. Regardless, she shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to be more casual with Glimmer. “I’m doing better… Hey, at least I didn’t have to go through what you went through, Sparkles.”

Glimmer’s guard had been low that entire month, and that was evident after the events of that day. Withal, she never expected to let tears well up in her eyes around the Magicat. Something about her words seems to tear off the bandage around what memories were triggered in the throne room. It took Catra a moment to realize the queen was feebly sobbing. Catra felt lousy as she apologized, “Oh, shit, I’m really sorry. That struck a nerve, didn’t it?”

Immediately, the Magicat scooted closer and awkwardly soothed the queen by rubbing her back. Glimmer used her sleeve to wipe the tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re fine, Catra.”

Catra seemed to be searching for a way to comfort Glimmer, silent as she was deep in thought. Her ears fell back as she glanced downward, “I’m really not, Glimmer.”

Glimmer was confused by the statement. Had the Magicat lied when she said she was doing better? For a moment, her sobs calmed as she stared at Catra.

“Look, I know I did awful things to you —  to a lot of people, actually… Even to people who truly cared about me,” Catra’s tail twitched around as she stared back to Glimmer, “I’m sorry, for everything. I know that’s not enough, and it’ll never be enough. You don’t have to forgive me.”

The queen’s tears were turning into a sea as she looked into mismatched eyes. Once again, memories of Adora were flooding her mind.

After she had scared the Horde off in her newly found She-Ra form, Adora fretted, “I turned against the Horde! I can't go back now. Where am I supposed to go?”

Glimmer eased her, “Hey, hey. It's okay. You're with us now. C’mon, let's go home.”

It was like life was repeating itself. Without hesitation, Glimmer fell into Catra’s chest. Her former enemy was stiff, but Glimmer couldn’t care as she wrapped her arms around her. Mismatched eyes were wide as she looked down, and her heart sank at the sight of the queen holding her.

“I think I can forgive you, Catra,” Glimmer murmured, sniffling back her sobs.

And just like Glimmer, Catra’s guard was slipping. She, too, was struggling to hold back the lump in her throat and the tears in her eyes. Reluctantly, she mimicked Glimmer, pulling her closer. At that moment, the two felt like they had someone who truly understood what they had been through.

Having her small frame pressed against her made Catra feel complete. It made her feel safe. So, it broke her heart broke a little as the queen sat up, giving her space. She missed the embrace, she missed feeling cared for. Catra wiped away her own tears, as the two felt a strange but real connection.

“I… I’ve been thinking about your offer, Glimmer,” Notably, Catra didn’t call her sparkles , “I want to stay here with you —  or, in Bright Moon. I want to get better at this whole ‘being a good friend’ thing… It’s obvious you and I need that right now.”

Glimmer was a bit taken aback by Catra’s words. It seemed she was an entirely different person now —  and she had no motivation behind wanting to befriend Glimmer. It seemed she didn’t even care for her money offer. All she wanted… was a friend.

The queen found the power to smile back at her. “Yeah… I’d like that.”

Things felt so strange, confusing, and sad for Glimmer. Yet, being there on the rooftop with Catra made sense. It was comforting, and it made her feel like she wasn’t alone as the millions of stars shined above them.

To her surprise, the Magicat kiddingly punched her arm, “Hey, that was cool what you did to Shadow Weaver earlier. I think you made the right choice.”

Glimmer almost snorted, “You’re just saying that because you hate her.”

“Yeah… that, or because your powers are sick as shit,” Catra complimented.

Glimmer could only bring her knees to her chest and quietly murmur, “Thanks, Catra.”

The two smiled at each other, before continuing to stargaze.

That’s what started them meeting on the rooftop each night. On days when weather prevailed, the two instead chose to hang out in Glimmer’s room. Usually, the two sat in silence as they watched the night sky. She went through with her father’s request, starting to talk to a therapist once a week. She told her therapist everything —  about her time on Horde Prime’s ship and of course… about Adora.

Something about having someone to talk to, to cry to —  it made Glimmer feel better. Day by day, she began to slowly stop sulking in her bed for an hour after she woke up. Bow continued to dance around the subject of the portal they were creating whenever he called.

That being said, there were still people in Etheria who needed help rebuilding their towns. She was a powerful queen, able to levitate massive objects without much effort. Maybe there was a slither of truth in what Shadow Weaver said —  the queen wasn’t using the Runestone to help those in need.

Upon hearing about a particular village named Devlan that was in awful condition, Glimmer decided she would help them rebuild. She told the Magicat about it and to her surprise, Catra asked, “Could I… come with you?”

Glimmer was surprised, “Yeah, of course.”

The two left early in the morning, sporting thick winter coats. Devlan was at the foothills of the Kingdom of Snows, and was currently covered in a blanket of snow. The queen was quick to help move heavy loads with her levitation spell, rarely seeing much of the Magicat that first day. It wasn’t until the village served them a late lunch did she see her —  wrangling a group of kids as one pulled her tail.

One would think she would be vexed by the children. However, at the very least, she was putting on a convincing, tolerant facade. It was endearing to Glimmer, enough to make her erupt with laughter. The sound of the queen laughing was enough to make Catra smile.

Helping people didn’t cure Glimmer’s depressive thoughts. Nor did talking to Catra or her therapist, or the medication she took at her therapist’s request. However, all those things helped her, they distracted her from the reality at hand.

Adora still haunted her every morning she woke up, throughout the day, and as she looked at the stars with Catra. Even as Bow beat around the bush, Adora was always on the back of her mind. Glimmer could never forget her, nor what she did for the queen and Etheria. She could never forget those nights after her mother sacrificed herself, when Adora held her close and let her cry —  even well after she became queen, and the two began to drift apart.

Withal, helping Devlan rebuild with Catra made her grateful for what she had. Seeing the Magicat slowly get the hang of caring for the children of the town all on her own as sweet enough. Once, she was a heartless, cut-throat warrior. Now, she was learning how to be patient, considerate, and empathetic —  wanting to make up for what she had done to Etheria.

Within a few weeks, Devlan was better than before. They now had a communal silo, and a rebuilt river port. On their last few days there, some civilians began work on a mural. During the last day, she found Catra working on said mural with her daycare crew. To the queen’s surprise, the Magicat painted rather crude, simplistic versions of herself with Glimmer  —  with Catra cheering on Glimmer on as she levitated a rock.

Glimmer crossed her arms, towering over Catra as she crouched over the painting. “I didn’t know you were an artist.”

Catra straightened up, smiling as she saw the queen, “Oh, you know… I usually just stole crayons from the Horde’s nursery and made stupid drawings. I never had time to take it seriously.”

As she spoke, Glimmer could notice a speck of paint on her cheek. Glimmer had to bite her gum to hold back her laugh, “Hey, you’ve got paint like,” Glimmer motioned over the same location on her own cheek, “Right there.”

Catra reached up to the spot, only to worsen it by smearing more paint on her face. Glimmer erupted with laughter, and Catra began to lightly laugh with her, “W-What? What’s so funny, Sparkles?” 

“You’re making it worse!” Glimmer snickered, “It’s all over your face now. Here…”

Glimmer grabbed a clean rag nearby, reaching up towards Catra’s face. The Magicat seemed to stiffen as she wiped the paint off —  at least, most of it. Mismatched eyes broadened, surprised by Glimmer’s tender touch. She had to stop herself from sighing as Glimmer took the rag away.

“Okay, I didn’t get all of it. But you can wash it off when we get home,” Glimmer beamed.

Why was Catra’s heart ready to burst from her chest as she gazed into those soft lavender eyes? How come she wanted to count the sparkles in her hair? Or smear more paint on her own face, just to hear her curing laughter? “So, are there any more towns that need our help? I like… whatever this is,” Catra asked.

“It’s called charity, Catra.”

    “Yeah, that.”

    On the rooftop the next night, Glimmer held a wrapped-up present close to her chest. Catra leapt unto the roof, and the queen held the present tighter. She seemed to notice, her tail and ears twitching at the sight. “Hey, Sparkles.”

Unexpectedly, Glimmer had become nervous as Catra sat next to her. Her heart was fluttering as mismatched eyes stared over at her, shining with curiosity at the sight of the present.

“Hey… You did a wonderful job at Devlan,” Glimmer paused as they looked at one another, “I’m proud of you. You’ve really changed, Catra.”

Catra tensed at Glimmer’s words, her ears folding back. It seemed her eyes were glistening after she blinked and her tail twitched around. Glimmer uncurled herself from around the present, handing it over to her new friend.

“I got this for you,” Glimmer beamed.

Reluctantly, the Magicat grabbed the present from Glimmer, mutely murmuring, “Oh... Thank you,” before clearing her throat.

Her claws dug into the paper. Her throat felt dry as she pulled the present out — a sketchbook, along with pastels, a watercolor set, and many pencils all wrapped up together in a pink ribbon. 

Glimmer could see her eyes beginning to water, prompting an air of concern. “Are you alright, Catra?”

Catra sniffled in, rubbing at her eyes, “Oh, y-yeah… It’s just…” she shakily sighed as she held back her tears, “No one’s… ever given me something this nice before…”

As the queen’s soft hand found her shoulder, Catra was starting to struggle with holding back her tears. At that moment, Glimmer finally felt true and utter sympathy for Catra.

“And… you know, I think you’re the first person to be proud of me,” Catra desperately tried to hold back the sobs in her throat.

Knowing there was only so much she could say or do, Glimmer reached for Magicat’s hand. It felt so rough and calloused beneath her soft touch, so oddly similar to Adora’s. Even as Catra entwined their fingers together and let her claws breeze over Glimmer’s hand, it still felt like this was Adora next to her. Just a scared girl, with no one to turn to.

Glimmer was so used to being overly affectionate and touchy with all her friends. She wasn’t sure if she was crossing boundaries with the Magicat. Yet, something compelled her to lean her cheek on Catra’s shoulder. The grip at her hand felt strong — almost too strong. But Glimmer didn’t mind, scooting closer to Catra.

“Well, I’m super proud of you. You’re like the coolest Magicat I know,” Glimmer partially joked.

Catra rubbed at her face once again, “I’m the only Magicat you know.”

The two laughed, continuing to sit together with their fingers entwined, even long after Catra stopped sniffling.

Two strange things happened that night. The strange blue sigil appeared on her hand once again. Before she could think about drawing what it looked like, it faded away. Then there was the second thing. Long after, Glimmer randomly awoke, groggily processing there was weight on the bed. Upon sitting up, she could see Catra curled up at her feet.

“I'm sorry! I couldn't sleep in my room. I've never slept without any other people around.”

This time, she didn’t freak out at the nostalgic sight of the former Horde soldier sleeping with her. Instead, the queen fell back asleep without a word. Neither brought it up, and Glimmer wasn’t certain how long Catra had been doing this.

Two weeks later… Glimmer had a strange dream. Not an unwelcoming kind of strange, but one that invoked a deep sense of curiosity and realism. It started out with her in a purely white state of being, as if her eyes were closed. She couldn’t move, or see her own body. Only nothingness.

She couldn’t sense how long it had been once pink aura and sparks flew around her. Glimmer could start to feel her body, like she was floating once again.

“Glimmer.”

Despite how hazy her mind was, she immediately recognized the voice. She wanted to scream out her name, she wanted to see her one last time.

Mom…?

“I think this is all I can do… for now. I love you, my angel.”

As she could slowly start to feel her body, she couldn’t help but immediately let hot tears fall down her face. And those tears only worsened once she fully materialized in a supernova of lights and stood face to face with the girl that haunted her. “Adora!”

Their meeting was short, but her touch felt angelic. Glimmer could feel her heart being fixed, setting it up to horribly shatter once the two faded away from one another as Adora emptily promised, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

After Glimmer awoke from the dream, she could still feel Adora’s kiss on her lips.

Adora still hung in the back of her mind, constantly — even with her therapist telling her thinking about her guilt will only make things harder. However, when she was with Catra, it helped her take her mind off her hero — even if it was just for a little while.

It had been months. Months since Adora disappeared, and months since she saw Bow or any of the Princesses. She still called her best friend, yet it was growing ever more apparent that he was distracted. He now lived with a bunch of former Horde soldiers in Dryll, including Kyle — who he talked about… a lot. 

Glimmer felt guilty for being mad, jealous even. It was that childish anxiety she had at Princess Prom, that Bow was moving on and finding new friends… and this time around, the anxiety was very real.

It was like a cycle was repeating itself. After Angella was gone, no one talked about her. And now that Adora was gone, no one talked about her — at least around Glimmer. It was enough to make Glimmer tear up after her calls with Bow, immediately stuffing her emotions back in until her next therapy session.

Finally, Bow invited Glimmer to Dryll to come see him. She got to see his work in full force and observe the framework of many buildings being created. It seemed the people of Dryll and the ex-Horde soldiers had adopted him as a leader of sorts. Even then, Glimmer never asked to go see Entrapta — and Bow never offered.

Whenever Glimmer brought up her friendship with Catra, Bow would become quiet. He would rarely ask questions or show interest, a telltale sign that Bow disagreed with the friendship to an extent. Regretfully, the two held things and opinions from one another, and Glimmer saw it as an omen.

Things with Catra were simple. In spite of her inexcusable past, she was genuinely becoming a better person. If Bow didn’t approve of their friendship, that was his fault. Catra was the only one besides her therapist that ever brought up Adora.

“You really miss her, huh?”

It was out of nowhere the first time she asked Glimmer. They were sitting in Glimmer’s room, as Catra sketched. Glimmer looked away from the book she was reading, a pastime she rarely got to enjoy over the past few years. Catra was on the floor while Glimmer sat on her window seat. More and more, they were spending time like this — merely enjoying one another’s company as they busied themselves.

Glimmer put her book down, letting out a heavy sigh. Her fragile heart fluttered at the mention of her hero’s name, and a lump soon formed in her throat. All she could say was, “Yeah… I miss her a lot.”

Catra crossed her legs together, pivoting her body towards Glimmer. “I figured…” she hesitated before asking, “Were you… together?”

It was a strange question. Glimmer couldn’t help but sense an aura of jealousy from Catra as she asked. She also had many questions for both Adora and Catra, and always felt like the two were together at one point. Had her feelings for Adora not faded, after all that time apart? Nonetheless, Glimmer answered while fighting back her mixture of sorrow and curiosity, “No. We…”

“We have to promise each other — after this is all done, we need to talk. About everything — about us.”

Her heart fluttered at the memory of her hero rescuing her from that cold prison cell. Comforting her and reassuring her every moment leading up to them fighting Horde Prime together.

“That’s my girl.”

Glimmer was her girl. And that day, Glimmer lost a best friend, her hero… her everything. Adora was going to confess to her that day, Glimmer was sure of it. Explain why she had the stars in her eyes during Glimmer’s coronation, and why she was so desperate to protect her after her mother’s passing. If that dream she had was real, Adora was still out there — trying to find a way back to her.

What the two had was real. There was a spark between them that Glimmer failed to experience with anyone. It felt as if their destinies were bound together, woven at the seams. Like they were made for each other, perfect for each other. There was a star missing in the night sky — and no one seemed to care.

“Hey, Sparkles. We can talk about something else, if that helps.”

Catra’s voice snapped her out of her drifting thoughts. Judging by the immense concern on Catra’s face, Glimmer had been spaced out for quite a while. Glimmer shook her head while she stood up. “I’m fine… Just thinking.”

It still shocked the Magicat whenever Glimmer teleported. She manifested nearby her vanity, wanting to grab something more comfortable to lounge in.

“Did you want to talk about it?” Catra was becoming better at catching on when Glimmer was upset.

That being said, Glimmer could feel misplaced frustration welling up inside her. It was a bad trait of hers — one that her therapist had pointed out during their sessions. She found it in her to keep her tone calm, “Don’t worry—”

However, something in the corner of her vision caught her eye. At the bottom of the pile of books collecting on her vanity, she could see a piece of paper sticking out. It was between the pages of her journal, which she hadn’t touched in months. Reluctantly, she took the journal out of the pile, opening it up. Accidentally, the piece of paper fell between her feet. Catra was saying something to her, but her voice blurred as Glimmer looked at the photo.

Her heart stopped, as she bent down to pick it up. It was a photo Lance had given her after her coronation. One of her and Adora, dancing together. In spite of the horrible reality of that day, Glimmer could feel the weight of the world lifted from her shoulder as they danced. Because she knew Adora would keep her safe and would help her through it all.

In the end, Glimmer betrayed her and went against her warnings about opening the Heart of Etheria. Adora couldn’t protect her from the imprisonment of Horde Prime, nor could she ever predict the future. Glimmer’s shaking knees gave out beneath her, as she stroked a thumb over Adora. The weight in her chest grew taxing, and so did the warmth of her eyes.

Adora was gone because of her. This was all her fault. Adora was gone, and it was all her damn fault. A tear rolled off her cheek, landing on the photo below. Uncontrollably, she sobbed out as she continued to look at the photo.

She wanted Adora back, all for herself. It was a selfish thought, but Adora was her hero. The brave warrior that found a way to reconnect to She-Ra, so she could save Glimmer and stop Horde Prime. Even though Horde Prime was gone and Etheria was safe, Glimmer had never felt so afraid. The nights after her mother’s death, at least she had Adora to hold her.

She was gone. And so were their adventures, their friendship, the Best Friends Squad… She was the glue that kept her life together, the center of her universe. They wouldn’t fall in love, grow old together, or maybe even experience having a family together.

Glimmer wouldn’t get her happy ending, would she?

Glistening eyes blinked, clearing tears away for a brief moment. Her heart stopped as she laid her eyes upon an all-too familiar combat boot. Glimmer’s shattered soul seemed to be woven back together as she looked up.

Slate-blue eyes gazed upon her with all the concern in the world. Glimmer was immobilized, struggling to move or react beyond letting tears continue to trickle down. Slowly, Adora bent down as she smiled at Glimmer. Swollen eyes settled on the scar on her face, evicting more tears to flow out. All her guilt was being torn open, and being settled right in front of her.

Her hero offered her callused hand out to her. She provided a comforting smile, one that eased the swelling of Glimmer’s heart. As she looked up at Adora, she saw safety, comfort and all the world’s love packed together. “Hey… Everything will be okay…”

Glimmer’s throat swelled along with her tears, making it hard to see or speak. This had to be real, this had to be Adora. At least Glimmer wanted it to be. The apparition sounded exactly like her. However, her thoughts continued their straining immobilization on her. The quivering of her body had grown substantially.

“Adora… I’m so afraid…” Glimmer admitted, blinking away her tears, “You’re not here and—”

Her eyes shot open as she came back into reality. Before her, Catra stood while offering her hand out to her — mismatching eyes gazing at her with all the concern in the world. “Glimmer… It’s me, Catra,” her ears fell back, as she fretted, “Whatever’s going on, you need to snap out of it, okay? You’re seeing things.”

As Glimmer remained immobilized, Catra bent down further to her level. Clawed hands stroked down her arm, invoking a sense of security. There was a sense that someone truly was there for her as Catra cupped her cheek. Glimmer looked blankly into her eyes, unable to react as Catra wiped her rolling tears away with her thumb

“Don’t worry, princess,” Catra smiled, “You’ve got me here to look out for you. You don’t need to be afraid anymore.”

The Magicat pulled her close, letting Glimmer settle her face in her chest. And that’s how the two remained. Catra letting Glimmer loudly sob into her chest, comforting her through all of this… Making her feel like nothing in the world could hurt her anymore.

Glimmer didn’t know how to feel as Catra pressed her lips to the top of her head. Only, it seemed to fill up a little of the emptiness in her heart.

Glimmer was having that dream again.

The one where she slowly faded from a world of pure, blinding light to one of ethereal beauty and endless horizon. Everything felt so real, to the violets she accidentally crushed beneath her feet to the sound of Adora’s voice as the hero saw her and called out to her.

Yet again, that hole in her heart was being filled. Even if this wasn’t real, Glimmer wished to cherish every moment of it. The way Adora swayed her as they held one another and the tenderness of her touch made her feel like her hero truly would be back to her soon.

They were silent as gravity seemed to pull them together. As they kissed, Adora cupped her queen’s cheek. Glimmer’s fingers traced over her hero’s scar, reminding her of the guilt buried within her. Neither seemed to want to separate, afraid of how much time they had left with one another.

After Adora pulled away from the kiss, she ran her fingers through Glimmer’s hair. Unbeknownst to Adora, it had been over a full year since her disappearance. Thus, she internally questioned how the queen’s hair had grown longer so quickly. Adora looked ashamed as she apologized, “I lied to you, I’m sorry.”

Glimmer looked up with surprised eyes, keeping her soft palm against her cheek, “About what?”

“I told you I’d find my way back soon… but…” Adora trailed off while glancing away, “I think it’s going to be a little more complicated than I thought. I’m sorry.”

Saying sorry twice in a row seemed completely in character for Adora, adding further to Glimmer’s belief that these dreams — to some extent — were real. Her rough scar beneath her tender touch felt so organic and tangible. Even the warmth radiating from her body, and the fluttering of her brave heart.

“You don’t need to be sorry. You’re going through a lot, Adora, I know it,” Glimmer beamed as best she could.

Adora’s voice sounded small as she asked, “Do you think this is real, Glimmer?”

The question was one she was asking herself. If this was made up, would her own fantasy be questioning her? “I… I think it could be. At least, I wish it is.”

Adora smiled back, bending down to plant another kiss on her lips. “I do too.”

There was a brief moment of silence, before Glimmer came up with an idea, “Maybe you can tell me where you are…?”

Adora lightly laughed, “Oh, you know, between dimensions. The last one I was in was taken over by Entrapta’s robots, so I wasn’t able to find out anything there.”

“What?!” Glimmer was shocked, but not so much out of worry, rather curiosity for the worlds she’s visited. “Tell me more!”

It seemed this dream was going on much longer than the last. They found themselves sitting down in the field of violets. The two were talking for what felt like only a few minutes, but was in reality over an hour. About the two dimensions Adora had been to so far, mentioning how there was a version of herself that had her memories wiped by Shadow Weaver.

Glimmer often messed with the violets beneath her crossed legs as her and Adora talked. It was like things were as normal as they could possibly be as they chatted. Granted, there were a few moments of silence as they struggled to find things to talk about.

“You should find out what those are for me,” Adora asked at one point, staring as Glimmer picked at the petals of one of the flowers, “I’d like to know.”

“Yeah? I can do that,” Glimmer beamed. It was the least she could do for Adora.

And again, long after she awoke from the dream, she could still feel the ghost of Adora against her lips. That morning, she was quick to get up — teleporting immediately to the Bright Moon library. After an hour of searching, she came across a flower identification guide, titled “Flowering Plants of Northern Etheria” . Seeing she was learning how to care for her mother’s gardens, she was starting to memorize the names of certain flowers.

The flower in the dream looked like a viola of sorts. Sure enough, after skimming through the violas, she found one that matched the description perfectly.

“Bright Moon Violet (Viola sappho)

An incredibly rare, endangered viola species. Five petals. Lower three are pale yellow, and the upper two are purple. Petals fade into pink the closer to the stamen.

Many believe that this flower is extinct or simply does not exist. Legend says they are very common, but only bloom when the queen of Bright Moon is in love with another woman. Leaves are virtually synonymous to other violas.”

The violets were real flowers, ones she had failed to see before. Not only that, but they were directly connected to her. So what were they doing in her strange dreams? Would anyone believe her about it?

Regrettably, she kept the discovery to herself. Seeing she hallucinated Catra as Adora, it was easy to assume she was simply making this fairy tale up.

Glimmer was having that dream again.

Not the one where her and Adora lovingly embrace in the endless ethereal field. One where she could barely make out the dark background, as she was too focused on the monster stalking towards her. Atrocious green eyes bore into her, his disgusting sharp teeth beaming at her.

“Think about it, dear. You and I will be the most powerful beings in the universe. Our offspring will be able to connect to your Runestone and the Heart of Etheria, correct?”

His claws brushed over her arm. As she looked down at herself, she noticed her torso was bare and blood was trickling out of the old wound. His claws brushed over it as he smiled down on her. Magic sparked in her hands, as tears welled up in her eyes. Yet, the monster wasn’t afraid as he gripped down.

“Stay away from me!” she roared, “Please!”

“Glimmer! Wake up!”

The queen awoke in a cold sweat, shooting up. Immediately, Catra gripped onto Glimmer’s shoulders. In the darkness of the room, the only thing Glimmer could make out was Catra’s reassuring gaze, forcing her back down to Etheria. Telling her she was safe, that Horde Prime was dead.

“Hey, remember? I’ve got you,” Catra sweetly murmured. Long gone was the Catra who couldn’t empathize. One that thought she wanted power, but all she truly wanted was love and someone to care for as much as they did for her. It felt right being there for Glimmer. Holding her as she cried about the atrocious nightmares that plagued her.

 Catra wouldn’t mind doing this for the rest of her life, if it meant Glimmer and her would stay friends.

“Have you ever been to a bar, Glimmer?” Catra’s question seemed to come out of nowhere as they sat in the dining hall together.

Glimmer almost didn’t hear the question, too focused on the fact that Catra seemed to be able to eat her own weight in food and not gain a single pound. Did Magicats have high metabolism or something? But come to think of it, Glimmer never really drank beyond a few spirits and wine here and there. The few times she had been to bars was during her journey across Etheria. “Well, I’ve been into bars, but never to drink or—”

“Have fun?” Catra spoke a cold, hard truth, “Both of us need that. C’mon, we should go tomorrow night. What do you think?”

Glimmer hesitated at the idea. What was the worst that could happen? Micah was incapable of saying no to her. And even if he did, what authority did he have over her? He wasn’t king, technically. “I’ll do it… but first, I need an outfit that doesn’t scream ‘I’m the queen of Bright Moon, please kidnap and rob me!’, you know?”

Catra thought for a moment. “Don’t you have like, a royal tailor or something?”

“... Yeah?”

“Let me talk to them.”

    Glimmer felt a little uncomfortable, to say the least. Was the dull purple top supposed to be that loose? It hung off her shoulder, exposing a little more than she wanted to. She was sure it covered up her scarred arm, not wanting to carry that baggage with her through the night.

And white shorts? Far braver. Her hair was long enough to flip it onto her bare shoulder, letting the waves spill over. She lacked her crown or her royal earring. Catra had gifted her simple golden hoops. Speaking of Catra, she was completely comfortable. She sat with her legs spread and her arm up on the window seal as Glimmer walked over. Catra’s eyes nearly leapt from her skull at the sight.

“It’s… a little much, isn’t it?” Glimmer nervously asked.

“No, that’s not—” Catra cleared her throat, and Glimmer was sure she could see her cheeks reddening, “You look… really nice, Glimmer.”

She had never seen or at least noticed Catra this flustered before. And that only seemed to worsen as Glimmer complimented back, “You look nice too, Catra.”

A year and a half ago, it would make her roll on the floor with laughter seeing Catra like this. Things had changed. Catra had changed, and so had Glimmer.

    Despite being the most powerful of all the princesses, Glimmer felt a little intimidated walking into the bar. She had been there before — it was where she had first met Seahawk. That night, it was full of many questionable thugs that eyed the two as they walked in. She wanted to grab onto Catra’s elbow or something, because she seemed beyond confident. “What’s the matter, Sparkles? Never seen a few low-lives?”

“Catra!” Glimmer anxiously barked, starting to regret agreeing to go there, “Maybe keep it down?”

It seemed none of the said low-lives cared much about what Catra said as they made their way to the bar counter. There, a massive bull-like man served drinks, eventually getting to them.

“Two Crimson Waste fireballs,” Catra ordered. This was totally out of the queen’s league. Catra smirked over at her as the bartender served them their drinks. “Go ahead, try it.”

Glimmer eyed the orange drink, noting how quickly and easily Catra seemed to down it. Not wanting to look flimsy, she followed through. She nearly choked at the overwhelming bitterness, that was only slightly eased by the sweet cinnamon flavor. As she breathed, the aftermath of the drink flared in her nostrils.

Catra heartily laughed, “Okay, maybe something a little weaker next?”

By her fourth shot, Glimmer was starting to ease up. Could she teleport while drunk? She would hate to be stuck in this shoddy joint all night, but at least she had Catra with her. She was almost drunk enough to consider asking Catra to join her on the dance floor. Almost. Come to think of it, the two had danced briefly at Princess Prom during the partner-switch tango. Thinking about Catra’s touch again was driving drunk Glimmer wild.

“Princess,” perhaps it was the fireball making her think this nickname was endearing, “You know, I regret ever thinking anything bad about you. Or doing anything bad to you. Remember when you—” she paused to take a sip of her current shot, “Almost fucking killed me?”

In any other situation, them bringing up their past was an uncomfortable idea. But with their barriers completely down, Glimmer drunkenly laughed. “Well, you were going to blast the entirety of Whispering fuckin’ Woods. What was I supposed to do?” Glimmer’s words messily slurred together.

“I’m bringing it up because I just wanted to say…” Catra put her drink down, leaning on the counter and placing a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder, “I didn’t expect you to be such a badass. I was so wrong about you, Glimmer. You,” Catra poked her finger into her shoulder, “are such a badass bitch. I mean, you can shoot freakin’ laser beams from your hands.”

Despite her haze of her mind, she was ultimately taken aback by the statement. Her cheeks were already red, but deepened as she was flustered. “No, you—”

“Not gonna lie, Sparkles, it kinda turned me on.”

Okay, maybe they genuinely had too much to drink. It was an implausible idea that someone could like her, but the idea that someone found her attractive was even crazier. Sobering up rather quick, Glimmer pushed Catra’s hand away from her shoulder. “Okay, let’s maybe calm down—”

“Hey, little lady. You come here often?”

The two failed to notice the large reptilian man that sat next to Glimmer. His red scales looked like they were in desperate need of a shedding, and he looked at Glimmer with one yellow eye. The other was hidden behind a patch. Now, she was sobering up faster — getting dangerous vibes from the lizard man. It appeared Catra was sobering up fast, glaring over at the man.

    “Fuck off,” Glimmer hissed, finishing her drink. Glimmer flinched as he grabbed her elbow. The clawed massive hand reminded her of a monster she once knew, the memory fully immobilizing her. In her moment of weakness, she could hear the unsheathing of a dagger. Catra shifted, immediately catching onto to what was happening. The two silently looked at each other as the lizard man poked his dagger closer to Glimmer.

“Listen here. You’re gonna ditch your friend and come with—”

Sparkles surrounded Glimmer. After, she teleported only a few feet away, followed by Catra lunging forward — planting a hard fist into his jaw. Before he could retaliate, she whacked the dagger out of his hand. She grabbed a bottle as a makeshift weapon,  slamming it against his forehead and letting the glass shatter at the force. Without any resistance on his part, she harshly kicked him down.

    Glimmer didn’t even have to help. Catra had successfully subdued a man twice her size. It was flustering to Glimmer, who could feel her face flush. Probably from the fireballs, right? With her heel on his throat, Catra leaned down — the alcohol and the situation mixing to create an infuriated Magicat.

    “Hey pal, you realize who she is?” she placed more weight on her foot, forcing a choking noise out of him, “She’s the Queen of fuckin’ Bright Moon, and the most powerful bitch I know. You made a huge mistake messing with her, pal. She’s… so damn cool.”

    Maybe her little speech would’ve been more graceful if she wasn’t so drunk, and possibly more endearing if the patrons weren’t boring their gaze into them. Catra very publically stated in front of a bunch of criminals that a high-pay ransom was before them. Quickly, Glimmer teleported over to Catra, holding onto her shoulders. “Nice meeting all of you.”

So, she could teleport while drunk. She just missed the mark considerably. They were in the outskirts of the Whispering Woods, and had fallen into a thicket together. After pulling each other up, they managed to stumble onto the path.

“Okay, no more teleporting,” Catra requested.

“I totally agree, but I can’t let my dad see how wasted we are,” Glimmer slurred.

Catra wrapped her arm around Glimmer’s shoulder, pulling her close as they both fixed their posture. “Hey, Glimmer. That was really cool back there.”

Her heart skipped a beat at Catra’s sobering words, as her words weren’t blurring so badly that time around. She smiled at the closeness, and felt her blush deepen. “Thanks… You were very heroic back there.”

    The fur on Catra’s tail stood up as Glimmer stood on the tips of her toes, planting an affectionate kiss on Catra’s cheek. Trying to be cool and smooth, Catra cleared her throat,  “Nah, I’m still not as cool as you.” They paused for a moment, as Glimmer stopped in her tracks. Catra looked at her, cocking her head in confusion. “What’s up?”

    The way the moonlight shone across her fur looked enthralling. Her eyes were mysterious and reflected the stars above. Glimmer could feel her stomach churn in a fashion she hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since Adora vanished. She wanted to make up witty, drunk banter with her former enemy. But as they looked at one another, words failed to register in her hazed mind. 

Glimmer was starting to consider it a possibility that she had been too focused on Adora’s ghost to notice she was catching feelings for Catra. Catra was a wonderful friend. She was there for here, willing to care for her… Willing to love her. They were silent as their eyes narrowed at one another, communicating something Glimmer failed to feel with anyone — at least, not in the real world. Not outside those dreams.

Glimmer was immobilized as Catra reached to cup her cheek with her callused hand. It wasn’t the Crimson Waste Fireball making them feel these things. The fireballs only helped the two realize the spark between them. As Catra leaned forward, Glimmer didn’t protest. Instead, she mirrored Catra’s movement.

It was like when Adora kissed her in those dreams. Like fireworks were exploding in her mind, like gravity was pulling them together. Somewhere in Glimmer’s night sky, a supernova occurred — and there was another star next to Adora. Even as clawed hands brushed against her cheek, she wasn’t reminded of a monster.

All she could think about was Catra, and how she was slowly but surely filling the hollowness in her heart that Adora left.

    She didn’t regret that night with Catra. Even well after she had woken up and remembered everything. All their bottled up feelings flowed over that night. And that morning, Catra hadn’t snuck out before dawn broke. It was obvious she was still sleeping off her hangover.

Glimmer pecked a kiss on her forehead, tucking the covers over Catra. Whatever they were, whatever they wanted to be , they could figure out whenever she woke up. Glimmer went to the gardens as she did every morning to drink tea with her dad. As she walked out in the morning light, she was met with a familiar, surprising sight.

Scattered throughout the field, Bright Moon Violets were in full bloom. Maybe Glimmer was wrong. And maybe Catra could be her happy ending.

Chapter Text

    Catra wondered what the strange flowers popping up all around Bright Moon were. Petals consisting of yellow, pink, and purple bloomed, popping out of cracks in rocks, in the forests, or could even be found in the lawn of the Bright Moon Castle. It had been a week since her and Glimmer had gotten wasted at that shady bar. Catra’s heart fluttered at the idea of what happened once they got back to Glimmer’s room. Needless to say, both of them had been blushing idiots around each other the past week.

    The Magicat plucked another one of the strange violets, wrapping it into a bouquet. Honestly, it was a little flimsy, seeing the flowers were short stalked. It was nearing the time of day she met up with Glimmer on the rooftop. Catra was the first to arrive, nervously shifting around as she sat — bouncing her leg, her tail twitching, and running her fingers over the bouquet.

    Catra felt her fur stand as Glimmer teleported onto the roof. Thankfully, the queen didn’t notice as Catra quickly regained her composure. The Magicat stood up, and Glimmer’s eyes immediately bounced the to bouquet in her hands. At first, she seemed a bit taken aback for whatever reason — only to promptly smile.

    “I—” Catra gulped, “I got you these.” Catra regretted how strongly she shoved the flowers into Glimmer’s hands. Fuck, why am I so nervous? It’s a simple question, Catra, get it together.

    “Thank you, Catra. That’s very sweet of you.”

    The way the moonlight shone on her skin, or how the stars seemed to reflect in her lavender eyes — it made Catra tremble and only feel more nervous than before. Catra had toppled civilizations, overthrown criminal organizations, and stood her ground against a literal deity on multiple occasions. I can do this.

    Fighting the dryness of her throat and the fierce pounding of her chest, Catra managed to speak… sort of. “I… We… uh…”

    Glimmer’s lips contorted into a sympathetic frown, feeling like she knew what the Magicat was attempting to ask. However, she wouldn’t speak over her. Never had Catra ever felt this way for someone. She thought that’s what she felt for Adora, but those feelings were long gone once Glimmer came into her life.

    Catra wanted to nestle herself into Glimmer’s arms, run her fingers through her hair as she counted her sparkles. Tell her sweet romantic things, and make up all the horrible things she had done to her. Let Glimmer put her head on her chest, and hear how fiercely her heart fluttered for her.

“Glimmer… You mean so much to me,” Catra found the queen’s free hand, grabbing it with both her own, “More than anyone ever has. You feel like a part of me that’s been missing my whole life. No one understands me as much as you do and…” Catra shrugged her shoulders as she deeply sighed, “So, I don’t know? I was thinking maybe… you could be my girlfriend?”

Instead of an immediate answer, Glimmer leaned forward and captured Catra’s lips in her own. It was a short, simple kiss that Glimmer quickly withdrew from, gazing softly into surprised, mismatched eyes.

“Of course, Catra.”

    It had been exactly two years since Adora’s disappearance. People were starting to move on with their lives in full. In spite of Glimmer and Catra being six months into their relationship, they still weren’t public about it. People would talk, and Glimmer was sure most the Alliance would be aggravated at the news.

    Speaking of, the Princesses agreed to start having celebrations in Adora’s memory. Etherian Liberation Day, as some called it. They agreed to change where the festival was each year, starting off in Plumeria. Catra and Glimmer were both in formal attire. Micah helped dressed Catra, and was keen to fix her tie for her.

The short dress Glimmer wore felt a little exposing, but she felt a lot more confident lately. Both women stood at the foot of a recently erected statue, one of Adora. The statue itself was made of stone, and had wisteria vines growing over it.

“We should get one of these for Bright Moon,” Catra suggested.

Glimmer messed with the sunflower bouquet in her hands. The flowers were from her garden, and Catra had proudly grown them herself. Honestly, Glimmer wasn’t sure why she hadn’t commissioned someone to create a statue of Adora for Bright Moon. Glimmer flinched as someone grabbed her shoulder. She turned around, feeling a bit melancholy as she reunited with dark, doting eyes.

It had been months since they last saw each other. One would expect Glimmer to be beyond excited to once again see Bow. But all that came out of the two friends was a simple, “Hey,” followed by a simple, stiff hug. As they withdrew, Bow leered over at Catra.

It was so strange that Bow had so much misplaced trust in Catra, especially seeing he was literally working alongside hundreds of former Horde soldiers — and he was literally dating Kyle! The two had started dating a year prior, but Glimmer didn’t know until a month after. It was honestly heartbreaking that Bow didn’t tell her that right off the bat.

    But this day wasn’t about them or their petty drama.

    It was refreshing to see the Princess Alliance face-to-face again. Frosta was taller than her now, and it was strange to see her growing older. She still wasn’t sure what was going on between Seahawk and Mermista romantically. As for Perfuma and Scorpia, they were the other reason they had gathered that day in Plumeria. The two were getting married.

    A strange day to get married, but Glimmer didn’t question it much. She expected Catra to be reclusive and bitter that day, but she seemed in a bright mood. Even well after everyone had left to get ready for the wedding, Glimmer and Catra stayed behind to look at the statue. Their bouquet was atop everyone else’s, the pale yellow petals of the sunflower sticking out from the other flowers.

    “You know, I thought it would be hard for me to be here…” Catra shrugged her shoulders, “But, it’s nice to see people remembering Adora. And hey, I’m happy for Scorpia. She totally deserves this.”

    Catra had truly changed for the better. It was strange but so far, the two had never fought — of course, beyond teasing and non-consequential bickering. Catra was also seeing the same therapist that Glimmer did, and it was helping her.

    “Hey.”

    Catra’s ears perked up as Glimmer’s hand landed on her shoulder. Soothingly, she stroked down with a touch so caring, it made the Magicat want to purr. Glimmer craned her neck up, placing her lips on Catra’s. It was a quick kiss, but one that was impactful with her following words. “I’m really proud of you, Catra. I’m sure Adora would be, too.”

“I’m sure she’d proud of you, too…” Catra let the impact of her words hit Glimmer before jokingly adding, “... For dealing with my ass.”

    Glimmer kiddingly shoved Catra, “Stop. You know I love you.”

    Catra snickered, “I sure do,” before poking Glimmer’s nose, “And you know I love you…” The two were silent a moment, before Catra’s ears eased downward, “Can I say my stupid serious thing for the day?”

    Glimmer’s laughter calmed down, “What?”

    Suddenly, the tone seemed to change dramatically as Catra grabbed Glimmer’s shoulder. Slowly, her hand stroked up her neck, reaching Glimmer’s soft cheek. “I know it hurt you a lot when Adora vanished, and it still hurts you to this day. But… I want you to know,” Catra’s thumb stroked across her cheek, as she soothingly smiled and reassured, “I would never leave you. You’re my girl, Glimmer.”

    Catra was right. Glimmer was sure she would never be able to get past the heartbreak of losing Adora. It had been years since she had lost both her mother and Adora, and she was still grieving for both of them. Still, she had hope that one day, Adora would find her way back. In the meanwhile, Catra was the best girlfriend she could ask for. As they kissed once again, comfort enveloped the two of them. 

    Unbeknownst to either, Bow saw them kiss from afar.

    “We need to talk. Now.”

    Glimmer was shocked at the tone of Bow’s voice. She had rarely heard the sort of sternness that emitted from him that day. It was after the wedding, and Catra was off congratulating Scorpia. Bow found Glimmer in the crowd, and the sea of people around them almost drowned his voice.

    Needless to say, Glimmer was a bit nervous as she asked, “About…?”

    Bow looked around, “Somewhere private, if you don’t want your little secret getting out.”

    Glimmer’s throat went dry. Immediately, she knew what this was all about. She grabbed Bow by the elbow, teleporting the both of them in a cloud of sparkles. They manifested fittingly enough in front of the statue of their long-gone friend. No one was around, and the chatter of the crowd was muffled by the distance. Bow looked infuriated to say the least. His brows were wrinkled, and his arms were defensively crossed.

“Oh, fitting place to teleport us.” Bow snapped with brutal bitterness. He sighed, attempting to calm himself down, “Do you really think this is a good idea, Glimmer?”

“What? Say it, Bow,” Glimmer mimicked both Bow’s tone and posture, straightening up as she shifted closer to him, “You hate that I’m dating Catra.”

“I—” Well, that was absolutely true, “Glimmer. I don’t mean to sound rude, but Catra is quite possibly the worst person for you to date right now.”

Glimmer didn’t care what Bow thought at that rate. Narrowed eyes glared the taller man down, as Glimmer clutched her fists. “Don’t you see? Bow, Catra makes me happy. So, why can’t you be happy for me?”

Bow uncurled his arms, shrugging his hands up as he sarcastically spoke, “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because she’s tried to kill you on multiple occasions? Don’t you think what she did to your mother will get between the both of you?”

In spite of the fumes steaming from Glimmer, Bow was preserving his strong-will and refusing to back down. Glimmer had never been so angry at him in her life. He wasn’t allowed to bring that up. No one was.

“Oh, shut up, hypocrite,” Glimmer was starting to see red, “ You work in a town full of Horde solders. You are dating a Horde solider. Bow, you know me. I hold onto things for a stupidly long time, and I was able to forgive her! You are the most forgiving person I know! So, why is Catra any different?!”

Bow paused, noting Glimmer had a good argument. He sighed, attempting to calm his tone down a notch, “I want you to be safe and happy, Glimmer. And I’m not sure how long you’ll feel that way with Catra.”

“Whatever. We’re done here,” Glimmer spat.

Before Bow could reach out to her, she disappeared in a cloud of sparkles.

Why did Bow have to doubt a good thing? Catra was wholesome and caring, and had completely changed over a new leaf. She seemed so upbeat and positive compared to her old self. Without a care in the world, beyond Glimmer. It was amazing to watch her skills as an artist bloom over the past year, turning from silly doodles to a refined style.

Needless to say, Glimmer couldn’t say no when Catra asked if they could paint a mural together. Catra sketched down the base on the wall, perfectly reflecting the style of the other murals in Bright Moon. With sheets down on the ground and a collection of wall paint by their side, the two began their work.

One by one, they painted the Princess Alliance. All hand in hand, reflecting the scene at the cliff side near Salineas that fateful day Adora saved the world — only to be unfairly taken from the world. Behind them, a nondescript line of the Alliance’s allies formed a human chain, channeling the magic of Etheria. Catra spent far too much time on the painting of Glimmer, whose eyes shone white as ethereal wings stretched from her back. Next to her stood She-Ra, who aimed her sword into the sky and shot the light pink beam.

It was strange reliving the memory of that day. In spite of the awful occurrence that happened directly after, Glimmer couldn’t help but feel a spark of hope and relief looking at the painting. She may never know what happened to Adora, or why that portal spawned in the first place. But she had a future ahead of her.

It was strange to think that things were so simple with Catra — but so beyond complicated with Bow. As Glimmer looked at her girlfriend, she could see a smear of paint on her cheek. Catra’s ears perked as Glimmer laughed. Finding Glimmer’s laughter infectious, Catra couldn’t help but begin to snicker.

“What? I did it again, didn’t I?” Catra asked.

“Got paint all over Yousef? You sure did,” Glimmer coyly laughed.

It was like when they were in Devlan. When Catra first felt her heart flutter under Glimmer’s touch. How it seemed she finally found the sun in her universe — someone that breathed life into her and gave her hope after living her life in the dark. Even now as Glimmer reached to wipe the paint off, Catra’s heart still fluttered.

Never had someone held her so tenderly or lovingly. Their laughter died down, as Glimmer gazed into her eyes. It seemed only naturally for the two to lean forward, kissing one another. The moment died as Catra put her hand on Glimmer’s cheek, smearing paint all over it. Glimmer broke away in a fit of laughter.

    Catra wanted this every day for the rest of her life.

Time seemed to move faster. Slowly, the sparkles in Glimmer’s hair had returned in full force. Three and a half years after Adora had vanished, and Glimmer was starting to truly heal. No doubt because of the help of her loving father, and doting girlfriend.

Whenever Glimmer got a letter from Bow, it felt a little strange. Upon opening it up, it was an invitation to his wedding. While she felt immensely happy for the two, she couldn’t help but feel somber. Their calls were minimal nowadays, but he could’ve at least called to mention this ?

Regardless, she went to the wedding. It seemed like a bad idea to bring Catra, but she brought her along anyway. George and Lance, who she hadn’t seen the past few years, were there along with Bow’s many brothers. Needless to say, it felt like meeting a bunch of long-lost siblings. Once the ceremony started, Bow walked down the aisle with George. Glimmer had never seen Bow so happy before. He cried tears of joy as they said their vows.

“Kyle… I would’ve never thought when we met in the Fright Zone all those years ago, that you would one day end up being my husband. When I look at you, I can forget the past and I can see a sunrise. I feel hope around you, Kyle. And…” Bow wiped his tears away, “I know we can continue to bring love and kindness to all the corners of Etheria. The two of us can do anything together… in the Honor of Adora.”

The crowd erupted in applause as the two kissed. A smile curled Glimmer’s lips, a sharp contrast to the tears trickling from her eyes. In spite of the growing void between Bow and Glimmer, she couldn’t help but feel so happy for him.

“Bow… Hey.”

She managed to catch him on the outskirts of the party. They were able to hear each other over the muffled roar of the crowd from afar. Her old friend seemed glad to see her, but reflected the deep melancholy aura. “Glimmer.”

Without another word, Bow brought her into a hug. Over the years, he had grown taller and bulkier — and it wasn’t until they hugged that she truly noticed this. The hug was long, but lacked any expected stiffness. The two were silently apologizing to each other, in a sense. Glimmer withdrew from the hug, smiling feebly.

“I’m really happy for you. I’m sure Adora would be so happy for you, too,” Glimmer could feel her chest cramping as she said her hero’s name.

“I—” Bow hesitated, “I know she would, thank you…” Again, Bow paused for a moment, “I’m sorry I haven’t been calling you, Glimmer. That’s not fair to you. I shouldn’t let Catra get between us—”

“Wait,” Glimmer narrowed her eyes, “You’re still holding onto that? You still don’t trust her?”

She didn’t mean to come off so bitterly, but she couldn’t help it. Bow was still holding onto the strange resentment towards Catra. But… why? Bow seemed stressed as he crossed his arms and heftily sighed. Glimmer wanted to fix things with him, so she would do her best to keep her emotions calm…. As long as he did.

“I should’ve been more honest with you back then, Glimmer. I’ve figured out why I have a problem with you dating Catra, specifically… She reminds you of Adora, doesn’t she?”

Glimmer wasn’t sure where he was going with this. “Well, yeah. Of course, she does.”

Bow appear to uncomfortably shift. He hesitated, knowing deep down, he was putting gasoline on a fire. “Do you really love her, or do you love the idea of her?”

Glimmer promised herself not to get angry but it was hard not to. Catra was her lifeline, the one true source of happiness left in her life. Above all, Catra was her everything. One of the stars in her sky that truly mattered.

“Of course I love her. Why would you say something like that?”

“Admit it, Glimmer. You were in love with Adora. How do you know you aren’t just reflecting that on Catra?”

“Because she gives me a reason to get up in the morning, Bow,” Glimmer hissed, “Why do you hate our love so much?! Why are you doubting something that’s good for me?”

Their words were becoming slurred as anger stacked together, faltering the bigger it became. “I’m not stupid, Glimmer. I can see right through what you’re doing, and you’ll just end up hurting yourself and Catra!”

“Bow—”

“No, Glimmer. This will all come crashing down at some—”

“You know what, Bow? I’m done. I’m done with you, and I’m done with this shitty friendship,” Glimmer fought back the tears in her eyes, her voice cracking as she sobbed out, “What happened, Bow?! What happened to us?!”

Bow seemed to lack an answer. Not wanting to further upset Glimmer, he merely stood in silence as she sniffled back her tears. All he could come back with was, “I… I don’t know.”

“You don’t, huh?” Glimmer bitterly questioned, “Are you sure it wasn’t because you couldn’t deal with me? You couldn’t stand seeing me so depressed after Adora was gone. All these years, I’ve just been an anchor on your foot, right?!”

Bow interjected, “Glimmer, that’s not—”

Glimmer shakily fumed, “No! Bow, okay, I admit it! I was in love with Adora, a-and I still am!”

Her impactful words hung in the tense, silent air between them. Glimmer’s vision was growing blurry, barely able to make out the worry in Bow’s expression. The queen ran her hand down her face, wiping away her own tears as she did. She loved Adora as much as she loved Catra, and she had no clue who to tell. It felt relieving to finally admit that to someone.

“No matter how hard I try to fight it... I still love Adora. She… she was everything to me, Bow,” Glimmer gulped back the lump in her throat, “Now, you get to admit something yourself. Admit you’ve been wanting to forget me… Like you’ve obviously forgotten Adora.”

Yet again, her words were powerful and striking — but with a much different effect this time around. Something in Bow snapped. All the years of truly holding back everything from Glimmer was about to spill out.

“You don’t think I miss her?! Adora was my best friend, too. I loved her like a sister!” Bow countered with absolute passion, “We were all far more than friends. We were Adora’s family, and you know that. I could never forget her. Honestly, Glimmer, what an awful thing to say.”

As he spoke, Glimmer began to truly regret her words. Bow had been deeply hurt by her. It was like back when Glimmer told Adora that Angella’s death was her fault. Back then, she knew it was the exact moment she fucked everything up between her and Adora. And now, she knew her and Bow’s friendship was truly, utterly over.

Maybe she could try to fix it, somehow. “Bow, I—”

“No, Glimmer. I’m done with this friendship,” Bow’s voice was cold and emotionless as he turned his back towards her, “And, maybe I was wrong. You and Catra are perfect for each other.”

Just like that, Bow was gone. It felt like everything would fall apart all over again.

Catra stayed up that night, focused on the ceiling above her as Glimmer snored into her chest. It was hard to believe that not long before, the queen was fuming, enraged, and ultimately heartbroken that things had ended so sourly that night. Even as Glimmer ranted, Catra still held onto a thought that had been on her mind since the wedding.

Bow’s vow had really stuck onto her. “When I look at you, I can forget the past and I can see a sunrise. I feel hope around you.”

Catra felt the exact same way about Glimmer. Whenever she gazed into her lavender eyes, all the atrocious things in her life seemed to fade away. The awful falling out with Adora, Shadow Weaver’s abuse, and all that time feeling like she was truly alone after Scorpia defected. All her anger and guilt was quelled when Glimmer laughed or smiled.

The idea of being anchored down to one person for the rest of her life used to scare her. However, she wasn’t scared anymore. Catra was done with running, with pushing people away. She wanted to ask for Glimmer’s hand in marriage, she was sure of it. But, maybe they were too early in their relationship? How did these things work, again?

Kyle and Bow hadn’t been dating much longer than her and Glimmer were. How did one find a ring for a queen? Did she need to ask Micah for permission? It confused her, and Catra had no idea who to ask without sounding like a moron.

However, Catra’s life was perfect with Glimmer. Deep inside the Magicat was a troubling thought. If Adora ever came back, would Glimmer stay with her? She seemed to be the only one truly holding onto the memory of Adora after all these years. No doubt, Glimmer still held affection for the hero.

A selfish part of her wanted Glimmer all to herself. It was obsessive, but who could blame her? Glimmer was perfect in Catra’s eyes. Perhaps if they were married, Glimmer wouldn’t leave her for Adora — if she ever came back, that is.

An even more selfish part of Catra wished Adora would never come back.

Bow’s words still clung onto Glimmer, even weeks after their confrontation. Her thoughts followed her into her dreams — particularly as she woke to found herself in the incomprehensible ethereal meadow. 

No matter how many times she would see this, it still made her heart flutter as she watched the bright blue shooting star strike down. Flares sparked, exploding into a beautiful supernova. Out of the flares and sparks, the silhouette of Adora appeared.

How could she not still feel excitement whenever she saw Adora? Every time they saw one another, Glimmer would teleport over to her. The complicated feelings boiling inside her didn’t hold her back as she virtually tackled the hero. Adora spun around as she held Glimmer, feebly yet joyfully laughing at the reunion. Somehow, the elegant hero lost her footing.

A moment later, Adora fell back onto the violets below them. It didn’t hurt, and Adora continued to lightly laugh and beam up at her queen. Glimmer, on the other hand, was immediately concerned. “S-Sorry!” 

    “You’re alright, Glim…” Adora comforted as she leaned up.

The space between had become minimal. Glimmer stiffened as they exchanged a longing gaze. An uncomfortable truth circled in Glimmer’s mind, Bow’s words echoing through her thoughts. How did she know she wasn’t reflecting her feelings for Adora onto Catra?

Whenever she looked at Catra, she saw another star in her sky — one that shined as brightly as Adora. Even this far along into their relationship, she still found herself reminiscing about the times she had with Adora and how they were so alike to her time with Catra. However, when she was with Adora in the dreams, she didn’t compare Adora to Catra — or anyone for that matter.

“You’ve been growing your hair out, huh?” Adora pointed out.

    At that point, Glimmer’s hair had grown considerably. Some locks curled, spilling against her back and covering her shoulders. Glimmer could feel her face growing hot as the hero stroked her fingers through her hair. Sparkles flared beneath her touch, fascinating the hero and flustering the queen.

    “Yeah… Maybe I’ve just been too lazy to get it cut,” Glimmer bashfully admitted, keeping her eyes away from Adora.

    “No, I think you look beautiful. You always do.”

    A small smile crossed Glimmer’s lips. Yet, there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. Why did it feel more special when Adora complimented her? As Adora’s hand escaped the entanglement of her hair and stroked down her clothed arm, she felt a deep shudder — a shudder deeper than the one Catra’s touch ever caused.

    … How did it take her until that moment to realize how intimate their position was? Even with Adora sitting up, it still felt wrong to be sitting on the hero’s lap. They were inches apart. Things were so tempting and soft with Adora. Was it possible for things to feel right with two different women? And was it wrong things felt more flustering with Adora?

    Catra could never find out about this. There was no way she possibly could. In a decision she would feel guilt for later, Glimmer sealed the space between her and Adora. Soft lips pressed against rough ones. Her heart was racing, and she was sure Adora could feel it.

    Catra’s kisses were like fireworks. Adora’s kisses were like a supernova.

    They made her body weak, her heart flutter, and her face blush. Sparkles flowered around the two, proving how entranced she was with the kiss. Her mind couldn’t connect with the infidelity she was committing. All she could care about was Adora’s lips pressed against her own. Even as Adora snaked a hand down to her hip, she couldn’t find herself worried. Adora’s touch felt so nice, so warm, so welcomed.

    Adora’s lips parted from her own. Selfishly, Glimmer hated that she parted away. Withal, she still lingered close to the queen. Adora timidly and breathlessly begged, “Could you show me something…? Please. I want to know you’re really my Glimmer...”

    The queen was flustered by the request, mainly by Adora referring to her as hers . It was sweet and endearing, yet Glimmer found her blush deepening at the possible context. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Hazily, Adora looked back into hers, desperate for something .

    “Show you… what…?” Glimmer shivered.

    “You still have that scar on your shoulder. May I see?”

    Why was she disappointed by the answer? Glimmer imagined Adora’s interdimensional travels would make her a little less oblivious. Short of breath and flustered, Glimmer could barely nod and murmur, “Y-Yeah.”

    Soft and slow as if not to startle Glimmer, Adora moved her hands up to the front of the queen’s robe. Glimmer bent back as Adora unclasped the button holding the robe together. Seeing how stern Adora looked as her fumbled with Glimmer’s robe made her blush deepen even more. Gently, Adora removed the robe and let it tumble down.

    The top Glimmer wore beneath her robe was strapless, and fully exposed the series of scars. One where Prime had dug his thumb into Glimmer sat below her collar bone, while a row of four tainted her shoulder. It was evident by the deep hue that they would stay there for life — just like the one on Adora’s face. Slate blue eyes were fixated onto the scar, conveying a massive sense of guilt. Innocently, Adora ran her palm over the scars, causing Glimmer to lightly shake at the doting touch.

    It was starting to hit Glimmer. She had a girlfriend, and here she was letting Adora touch and kiss her. Even if this was just a dream, it was still wrong. And yet, she couldn’t find it in her to tell Adora to stop.

“Does it hurt?” Adora asked, the kindness in her voice breaking Glimmer’s heart.

    “I-I…” Glimmer thought about protesting for a moment, “Yeah. Sometimes my shoulder feels sore.”

“I never told you how sorry I was for letting that happen to you…” Adora sweetly cooed.

    Smoothly, Adora lowered her lips down to Glimmer’s shoulder. It caught her off guard as Adora kissed one of the scars — the one close to the crook of her neck. Feeling her rough lips right there made her shudder from a new feeling — a feeling only Catra ever made her feel.

    With her stomach in knots and her face flushed, she couldn’t quell down the feeling as she gasped. She felt so dirty. First off, this was her friend — her best friend, her friend that was presumed to be dead. Why was she having these kinds of dreams about her? Second, she loved Catra — why would she do this to her girlfriend? After everything Catra had done for her, it wasn’t fair to turn around and betray her like that.

“You’re everything to me. I love you, starlight.”

    Her reality came crumbling down before her. All these feelings were far too complicated to keep up with. Anxiety flared inside Glimmer. She shot up from Adora’s lap, making sure to grab her robe. She failed to register the slate blue eyes looking up worryingly at her, seeing she quickly turned her back to Adora. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she felt so promiscuous and weak.

How could she do this to Catra? How could she do this to Adora? Have these horrible, fantasizing dreams of her? It wasn’t fair to either of them.

    “Glimmer?” Adora pleaded as she stood.

    Before Adora could reach out and grab her shoulder, Glimmer teleported far away — finding herself surrounded by pitch blackness as she begged the stars above to take her out of the dream.

    She had broken Adora’s heart.

    Glimmer had no clue how to tell Catra that she needed time alone without hurting her feelings. Just the idea of a confrontation was enough for Glimmer to become quiet around her girlfriend. All the thoughts rushing in the queen’s head was driving her down rabbit holes she was sure she could never get out of. 

    She could tell her father or her therapist about all of this, but all of it felt so complicated. In the midst of her swirling feelings, she found herself in front of a room she hadn’t entered in years. Her hand shook as she reached for the handle.

    As the door creaked open, Glimmer wanted to close her eyes. She was immobilized, barely able to step forward into the room. Once she gained the courage, she wondered in and shut the door behind her. Sunlight peaked in, and dust was illuminated through the room. It felt rude to Adora not regularly dusting the room. So many fond memories folded Glimmer’s mind as she walked through, sorrowfully taking in the sight.

    Nearby, clothes were still neatly folded atop of her vanity, untouched over the years. One stood out to her — the hero’s signature red jacket. Adora loved the jacket so much, she found two more that looked just like it after Glimmer complained about how dirty her first was getting. Shaking fingers held onto the jacket, ignoring the dust that was kicked up.

    After all these years, the room still had a vague, familiar scent. One that she failed to describe, one that she was only able to truly remember because of the dreams she had of Adora. As weird as it sounds, the room still smelt like her. Her heart broke again as she looked at the hero’s bedside table. Covered in a layer of dust was an old gift Glimmer gave Adora — a simple wooden music box.

After Glimmer wound up the box, her heart sank at the familiar tune. Shivers ran down her arms with each note.  She remembered the child-like innocence that lit up on Adora’s face as she asked how music was coming out of it. The overwhelming weight in her chest forced her to lie on the dusty, untouched bed. Tears were quick to stain the pillow beneath her, as she held the jacket close.

Even the jacket smelt like Adora.

“Glimmer!”

She jolted awake, not intending to fall asleep on the bed. The room was dark, suggesting she had slept well into the night. In the darkness, she could make out Catra slipping into the room. In a tense moment of silence, the two stared at each other. Catra sighed, crossing her arms.

“You had me worried,” Catra nervously laughed, “I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Glimmer was still silent, unable to think of what to say to Catra. Looking at the Magicat, she could feel her heart swell with adoration and love. Love that stayed, even as Catra’s smile faded. It appeared a thought plagued Catra, begging to be released. Catra walked closer, opening her mouth multiple times — yet nothing came out. Once she stood only a few feet away, Catra finally found the bravery to speak her mind.

    “Glimmer… You’re really starting to worry me,” Catra admitted, “You need to move on, Glimmer. She’s gone, and she’s not coming back.”

    At her words, Glimmer’s thoughts began to race. Catra’s brows furrowed, her face wrinkled with worry. Once in touching distance, Catra reached out to her lover’s shoulder. Glimmer reached up, tenderly clasping Catra’s hand. Lavender, guilt-ridden eyes glanced up into passionate mismatching ones — eyes that made Glimmer feel like things would be alright in the end.

“Catra, I can’t,” Glimmer confessed, glancing away, “No matter how hard I try, I can’t let go of her.”

“Please, Glimmer,” Catra’s hand found her cheek, and she was able to notice Glimmer’s swollen eyes, “You can’t let her get between us.”

Suddenly, Glimmer felt nerve-wracked. She knew Catra would never hurt her, but her heart was fluttering at the idea of Catra finding out about the dream. There was absolutely no way she could ever find out, but Glimmer felt a need to confess to it.

But before she could, Catra’s brows sunk. Glimmer couldn’t tell if she was provoked, or passionate, “You need to let go of her. She disappeared in that portal and out of your life for forever, Glimmer!”

It was only by an inch that Glimmer missed her hand. She couldn’t grab her in time. As soon as Adora was sucked in, the portal instantaneously vanished. Just like that, Adora was gone. Everything was gone.

Catra realized the error of her dialect as Glimmer looked at her with a hazy gaze. Immediately, another memory flashed before Glimmer.

    “Angella... She stayed behind. She… She... She saved us.”

    Adora and Angella were both gone because of portals. As Catra said, they were out of her life for forever. Glimmer’s heart was pounding against her chest as tears formed in her eyes. Catra regretted her words, trying to take them back, “Glimmer, I—”

    “What?!” Glimmer snapped, venom tainting her tone. As Glimmer rose to her feet, Catra backed away — knowing she messed up, horribly. “You didn’t mean to?! Just like how you didn’t mean to take my mother away from me?!”

    For the third time in her life, Glimmer had said something to inevitably fuck up a relationship with someone important to her. Rage flared inside her, only somewhat quelled by the sight of Catra’s worried expression. In the tense silence, Glimmer realized her mistake. “I’m sorry, Catra—”

    “No, Glimmer,” Catra retaliated, reaching forward and clasping Glimmer’s arm, “We can’t let this get between us! We can talk about it, we can get over this together—”

“But I can’t get over it, Catra,” Glimmer blinked away her tears, “I can’t get over Adora. It hurts so much thinking about moving on!”

Catra’s eyes fiercely narrowed as her grip at Glimmer’s arm became more controlling and strong, “Be honest, Glimmer. If Adora came back right now, who would you choose?”

    “I…” No, no, no, why am I hesitating? I love Catra. I can’t do this to her. “Catra, you know I love you. I just—”

    Catra’s booming voice echoed through the room as she demanded, “You have to chose now, Glimmer. It’s me, or Adora. Someone whose willing to be there for you and love you no matter what or… or a fucking ghost! Answer me!”

    Suddenly, a sharp pain dug into Glimmer. Unintentionally, Catra had dug her claws into her arm — the same arm where—

His claws drove deeper into her shoulder, “You leave me no choice, Glimmer — you will marry me, whether you want to or not.”

    Too many wounds were being opened, too many memories revisited. Catra failed to notice that she was puncturing her girlfriend — failing to notice how harshly Glimmer was panting.

“Catra...” Glimmer struggled to breathe, struggled to find the right words, only able to come up with, “Catra, stop! You’re hurting me!”

    Immediately, Catra let go of Glimmer’s arm. Blood quickly began to stain the fabric of Glimmer’s sleeve, drawing a guilt-ridden gasp from Catra. Glimmer’s vision grew blurry, as the world around her seemed to be shrinking. The feeling in her chest was so heavy, she was sure she would fall to the floor at any given moment. She was on the verge of a panic attack because of it all.

    Catra couldn’t find the right words. I’m sorry wouldn’t be enough. I didn’t mean to would only further upset her girlfriend. Even she could find the words, it wouldn’t matter — seeing Glimmer had already disappeared in a cloud of sparkles.

    Sometimes, it would be months before she dreamt of Adora again. Other times, the dreams would happen within a few weeks of each other. Kind to Glimmer’s sanity, she dreamt of Adora after that horrible fight.

    The moment the nova died down, Glimmer teleported over to her hero. As she manifest, she jumped onto Adora — clasping her arms around her neck and burying herself in Adora’s chest. Adora was quick to return the hug, burying her face in the queen’s neck as she grasped onto the back of her robe. “Glimmer…”

    “Adora, I’m sorry…” Glimmer sobbed against her, “I shouldn’t of ran off like that. I’m so tired of running away from everything, Adora. I—” Glimmer choked back her tears, “I… I never told you… I—”

    “Hey…” Adora cooed, gripping Glimmer tighter in her grasp, “Take your time. Breathe for me, alright?”

    Following Adora’s advice, Glimmer regulated her breathing. With each breath, Adora stroked her reassuring hand against Glimmer’s back. Her hero felt so warm, so welcoming. It was enough to slow her rapidly beating heart, and calm her labored breathing. With her cheek resting against Adora, she finally calmed herself enough to form a coherent sentence again. 

Glimmer drifted her hands down Adora’s chest as she feebly murmured, “I found out what kind of flowers these are… They’re Bright Moon Violets, and they only bloom if the queen of Bright Moon is in love. I was so scared to admit it…”

    As Glimmer withdrew a little from the tight grip, she gazed up at Adora. Her thumb brushed her scar as she worshiped the way the stars shined in her slate-blue eyes. Without hesitation, Glimmer sealed the minimal space between them. She had to crane her neck uncomfortably high, but Adora assisted her by leaning down into her. Sparkles shined around them, as her thoughts seemed to empty out of her mind.

    For a moment, she withdrew, lingering over Adora’s lips as she admitted, “I love you. And I want you, Adora.”

It felt like they were violating some sacred rule of that realm as they found one another. Things were fucked up between her and Catra but at least things between her and Adora couldn’t get complicated. In the back of her mind, she figured it was possible these dreams were real in a sense.

Under Adora’s touch, it sure felt real.

    It was strange waking up from that dream. The ghost of Adora’s touch lingered on all over her body. Early morning rays peaked in, encouraging the queen to teleport down from her suspended bed. As she walked over to her vanity, she nearly leapt at the reflection.

    Behind her, Catra sat on her window seat with a backpack thrown over her shoulders. In her hands, she held the old photo of Glimmer and Adora at coronation. Glimmer snapped around as suddenly, the betrayal of what she did was sinking in.

    Deep within the Magicat, Glimmer could sense vexation and disappointment. She frowned as she stood, her mismatched eyes dull and narrow as she stared at Glimmer. The two were struggling to find words to say to one another. Glimmer wanted to hug her, tell her how much she loved her — she really , truly loved her. Withal, Catra appeared dark and almost emotionless as she sighed.

    Without even looking down at the photo, Catra ripped it in half. The two pieces fell to the ground as Glimmer looked on with horror. She wanted to scramble for the pieces, and scream at Catra. Just like Catra, Glimmer had too many emotions flaring inside her to know how to react.

“Didn’t think I’d ever have the displeasure of hearing you moan Adora’s name in your sleep.”

    Glimmer’s heart sunk to her feet. She didn’t think it was possible for Catra to catch her in the act. It was just a dream — a dream with no consequences. Now, reality was beating her over the head. Glimmer was immobilized as Catra approached her, the bags under her mismatched eyes becoming more visible.

“You were in love with her…” Catra’s eyes remained hazy and wide, falteringly muttering her stark realization, “And you still are. And I was too in over my head to remember one, crucial thing...”

Glimmer wanted to sink into her touch, smile as her callused hand cupped her cheek. Desperately, she wanted to fix things. However, that would require her letting go of Adora. It felt like gravity was pulling her towards Catra as they both leaned forward. Still, after everything, their kiss felt like electricity. It made Glimmer feel like in another world, things would work out between the two.

The kiss lasted longer than either thought it would. Both knew deep down this wouldn’t fix the rift between them. Catra hovered near Glimmer’s face, gazing her dull eyes into teary ones.

“Adora always gets what she wants, right?” Catra feebly smiled with an air of bitter acceptance.

Glimmer wanted to hold her, cry into her, watch the stars with her, paint with her, and stay stupidly in love with her. Each passing moment placed another fracture in her heart. As she blinked, tears fell from her glistening eyes. “Catra, where are you going? Please, don’t leave…”

It was happening again. The fissure in her heart was tearing her open from the inside, pulling her apart at the seams. Once again, she was losing the love of her life — and once again, it was all her fault.

“I don’t know. I’ll be back someday,” Catra kept up her weak smile, “You’ll always be my girl, Glimmer. I just… need time away. But before I go, there’s one thing I wanted to give you…”

Catra reached into the pocket of her vest, pulling out something Glimmer couldn’t make out at first. Glimmer held her palm out, feeling something metallic clank against it. Catra’s hand lingered, slowly drifting away from Glimmer’s in order to reveal the gift.

A golden betrothal ring.

Once she processed the sight, Glimmer could feel her entire body crumbling. She could feel her life falling apart as Catra turned, walking towards the edge of the balcony. In the morning sunlight, she looked so enthralling. Yet, her eyes were dull, void of any emotion as she pivoted towards Glimmer one last time.

“Have fun chasing a ghost.”

Glimmer spiraled once again. No amount of medication or therapy couldn’t change Glimmer. People in her life were gone because of her . Adora was gone because she failed to rescue her. Angella was gone because she failed to stop the Horde from making the portal. Bow and Catra — both gone because she fucked up and said things out of her unmanageable temper.

Glimmer waited for the day Catra would show up in Bright Moon, and the two would reconcile. Months would pass, and it would be evident that day would never come. Catra was gone. As Bow predicted, her heart was broken again. Micah was the only one left. Forcing her to get up, eat, recharge her powers, helping her with queenly duties, and reminding her to take her medication. The only one left to hold her as the demons from her past haunted her.

Once again, the sparkles in her hair became dully faded. Her spark was gone. And once again, everything was gone.

    She was falling.

    Glimmer couldn’t remember the circumstances leading up to her falling. Perhaps she was in one of those strange dreams once again. However, she never faded in like this. She could see the stars shining in the night sky above her. Wind blew strongly around her, and it felt difficult to breathe.

For whatever reason, she felt like she had no magic inside her. Possibly because she felt as if she deserved what was happening to her, especially if it was real. She awaited the moment her back would hit something. As she continued to fall, tears flowed from her eyes and floated into the air.

    “This is all my fault anyway,” Glimmer whispered to herself, closing her eyes, “I deserve this.”

    Bright glowing caught her attention. Above her, a shooting star began to descend. Promptly, it chased her through the sky as they both fell. The star floated in front of her face, sparks flying until the blue flare was all that filled her vision. Twinkling echoed in her ears, roaring over the gust of wind surrounding her.

    A hand clutched the back of her robe. Adora was phasing out of the star, her face slowly forming out the explosion. Without hesitation, Adora leaned forward to seal the space between them. Adora’s hand entwined in her hair, pressing her close. No one’s touch had ever felt so gentle, tender, and welcomed.

    “Don’t worry… I’ve got you, starlight,” Adora cooed, pressing her forehead against Glimmer’s.

    Glimmer nestled herself further into Adora, “Adora…”

Promptly, Adora moved a hand down to Glimmer’s knees. The gust of wind around them calmed, and it felt like they were floating rather than falling. With a swift movement, Adora pulled Glimmer into her arms — holding her bridal style. Glimmer clung onto the fabric of her jacket, continuing her stream of tears.

“Adora… I need you here… I can’t do this anymore, I want you back,” Glimmer sobbed, hiccuping into her chest, “I want to know you’re safe, please, Adora…”

    “I know…” Adora leaned down, pressing her lips against her forehead, “And I won’t stop fighting. You’re… you’re my constellation, Glimmer. And I promise, I’ll find my way back to you.”

    There was a twinkle in their eyes as Adora spoke. Glimmer was the only constant in the interdimensional vagabond’s life. The last connection she had back home. “But I want you to keep fighting, Glimmer. Not just for me, but for yourself.” 

Glimmer could feel her heart swelling and fluttering. In spite of everything the hero had been through, she was the one having to tell Glimmer to keep fighting. Glimmer reached up, gently treading the hero’s scar.

“I promise. I’ll be here for you when you get back,” Glimmer feebly beamed.

They spent the rest of the dream like they normally did. Talking about Adora’s time in the other dimensions as they rested in the flowers. It made it feel tolerable when they both faded away.

Glimmer would have this dream again soon. And one day, Adora would come back to her.

Almost a year had past since Catra left, and five years since Adora’s disappearance. Over the past few months, Glimmer had narrowed in on her sorcery training. Her father said it wouldn’t be long before she could take the trial to become a master sorceress. Also, during that time, she helped Perfuma and Scorpia bring a baby into their lives.

It was her first time performing the ritual. Scorpia had to offer up some of her blood, and Glimmer was able to use it to conjure the spell. A pregnancy spell of sorts. With Micah’s help, she successfully cast the spell onto Perfuma. Within two weeks, the two called Glimmer up — informing her that the spell was successful. They had a son and named him Clover. The two mothers were more than excited to invite Glimmer and the other princesses over.

It was nice to see everyone again. Mermista and Seahawk were planning on getting married soon. Frosta made her sweat to come visit her soon in the Kingdom of Snows. Entrapta was there with Bow — although Glimmer and Bow failed to speak to each other. Glimmer followed through, visiting Frosta every once in a while. As for Scorpia, Perfuma, and Clover, she would teleport over for tea with the three.

A few months later, an acquainted face rang her communication pad. Admittedly, the call to Glimmer was stiff as Bow asked if she would like to come meet his newly adopted son. His mother lived in Dryll, and was supposedly a former Horde Soldier. She didn’t want the baby anymore, and was giving it up for adoption. 

    Things between the two were questionable ever since her relationship with Catra. However, Glimmer was able to put their difficulties aside for the trip. This was another big moment for Bow, and she had to be there for him. Bow and Kyle had built a quaint, humble cabin outside the outskirts of Dryll. Lance and George were there, taking far too many pictures of their new grandson. She was sure a scuffle would start as Bow attempted to pry his own son away from his dads.

She had never seen this perfectly elated. He absolutely loved his son, more than anything in the world. He was wadded up in blankets, and looked up at his dad with stars in his young eyes. Bow approached Glimmer, swaddling his baby close to him. Rather sappy in nature, his grin stretched all across his face. “Wanna hold him?”

The child was so small. Even at his young age, his dark hair was already long and curly. He had massive, buggy auburn eyes that bored into Glimmer with curiosity. Jay beamed up at her with a toothless smile, reaching out for her long, sparkling purple hair. The tiny tan hand caught a fistful, appearing to be enthralled by the dull sparkles.

“Look at that! He likes your hair!” Bow noted.

As royalty, Glimmer would have to be a mother at some point in her life. She would have to move on from the two women that broke her heart. Before meeting Jay, she looked at these things with remorse and reluctance. However, holding him made her feel something for the first time since Catra left. Like there were things in the world worth living for.

Jay’s eyes brightened as Glimmer’s sparkles did, too. She loved Bow, and she loved his son. Fresh tears began to trickle out of her eyes. A smile reflecting Bow’s corny one stretched across her face. She held onto the baby’s tiny, soft hand, which tenderly grasped onto her finger. Bow looked down at Glimmer with concern.

“You’re crying? Why are you crying?” Bow’s voice cracked — it hadn’t cracked in years.

“He’s so beautiful, Bow,” Glimmer sobbed, sniffling back the tears.

“Stop,” Bow jokingly demanded, “You’re going to make me cry for like, the twentieth time today.”

The two laughed as they looked up at each other. Tears of joy filled the two friend’s eyes. Glimmer could feel her lips shake, as she finally was able to swallow her pride. “I’m sorry, Bow. I’ve been such a horrible friend to you ever since…” Glimmer could feel more tears rushing to her eyes as she sobbed, “Adora disappeared. I should’ve been there for you. I’m ready to be here for you, Kyle, and Jay.”

“You shouldn’t be apologizing, I should,” Bow countered as his own lips started to shake, “I know you’re still hurting, and I should’ve been considerate of that. I miss Adora, too, and I feel like… that’s what’s been keeping us apart. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you. And when I finally was, I was inconsiderate of your feelings. I wanted you to be safe, I wanted to protect you because that’s what Adora would want…”

Everything was flooding out between them at once. If she wasn’t holding Jay, she would hug Bow so hard. She loved Bow so much. He was the absolute greatest best friend someone could ask for. “Well, my sorry is more than your sorry,”

“Your sorry is wrong, and mine is right. Oh, and you’re Jay’s auntie. I decided that just now,” Bow tried to calm the air between them.

“Just now? Or have you been thinking about it since you invited me over?” Glimmer teased.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Bow laughed.

Things would never be the same between them. At the very least, things were slowly healing. There was nothing more exciting in her world when Bow called her up, asking if she could babysit. Glimmer would drop everything, prompt to teleport over in order to pick him up.

The first time she babysat him, there was a fierce thunderstorm outside. Jay’s fierce wailing was far louder than the thunder, ringing tortuously in Glimmer’s ears. One would think she would regret taking on the task at that moment. However, she eventually found a way to lull him. With Micah’s help, she was able to find the old rocking chair her mother used.

As she held him close, she manifested a small sparkle in her hand. His auburn eyes were fixated to it, and his sobs eased. He attempted to grab it, his hand falling through the intangible object and atop of Glimmer’s palm. Seeing the smile on his face made her relieved, especially as he stopped hiccuping.

Glimmer squeezed him a bit tighter, beaming as she said, “You’ll be safe, Jay. Auntie Glimmer’s got you.”

A melancholy thought crossed her mind as she looked into his owlish eyes that reflected the sparkle in her palm. All those years ago, she took a chance in trusting a Horde solider — one who ended up saving the world. Jay would grow up in a world without a war. He could live his life carefree under Glimmer’s watch.

The memory of Adora haunted her. Guilt gnawed at every inch of Glimmer. Yet, all those worries seemed to dissolve as she saw the world in Jay’s eyes. She was brought back into reality as Jay put his petite hand on her cheek. Glimmer hadn’t noticed she was crying herself. She wanted this. She wanted a kid, a family, a future with someone. And she wished one day, it would be with Adora.

But for now, she was happy with Jay. She didn’t need romantic love to help her through her pain. She had her friends back.

And now, her sky was full of stars.

It wasn’t long after Jay came into her life when Glimmer found herself in one of those ethereal dreams once again. As she faded out of the shooting star, she was met with the familiar, exciting sight of Adora.

This was the first dream where Adora didn’t immediately lighten up at the sight of Glimmer. Even from afar, Glimmer could tell her eyes were hazed over. Her pupils were small, and her skin was flushed. Glimmer looked down, seeing her own hand was shining with the light blue, glowing sigil. Immediately, she teleported over — noticing immediately how Adora jumped at the sight of her. She looked scared, afraid... Like walls were completely shattered.

Needless to say, it was strange to see Adora completely breaking down like that. Absolutely vulnerable, with all her walls down. Her thousand-yard-stare communicating little to Glimmer. Glimmer had no idea what to do, besides reach out and touch her arm.

“Adora…?”

Once again, Adora jolted. Her crazed eyes looked down at her, not with their usual doting love. For whatever reason, she looked at Glimmer with fear.

“You… No… You can’t be…” Adora barely spoke above a whisper, her voice cracking and wavering.

“Please, tell me what’s wrong, Adora,” Glimmer begged, keeping her voice low.

“You’re… not real… You can’t be. I…” Adora panted, struggling to find words.

“Adora, sit down. Whatever happened, you’re safe here,” Glimmer promised, scared to move closer to her.

Thankfully, Adora did as requested. Barely moving during the dream, and remaining silent. Glimmer was stroking her back for ages, failing to help Adora regain her senses. After that dream, Adora became distant. Barely able to speak more than a few sentences about the dimensions she visited. For a while, she seemed reluctant to touch Glimmer.

She never figured out what happened that day. Honestly, she was afraid to find out.

    “Bow… You’ll believe me no matter what, right?” Glimmer asked.

    On the other side of the communication pad, Bow had his camera propped up on the table — giving Glimmer a clear view of both him and Jay. He almost robotically said, “I’ll believe anything you say, Glimmer,” as he was focused on feeding Jay who was too excited by the sight of his aunt to eat.

    Glimmer sighed, debating whether she should really tell him or not. However, the sight of the sigil shining brightly on her hand was troubling her. It was still shining, long after she woke up. “I… I’ve been having weird dreams about Adora for the past few years…”

    Bow appeared to perk up, taking his gaze away from Jay for a moment. He put the baby food down on the table, taking her seriously, “What do you mean?”

    “It’s… it’s not a dream, I think. My senses are all clear, like I’m fully awake. I-It’s some strange place, with an endless horizon and… Adora is always there,” she sighed, “I can feel and hear her like she’s actually there with me. And the first time I had this dream, I could hear my mother…”

    Glimmer wanted to take her words back as she watched Bow blink. Even as Jay threw his plate on the floor, Bow didn’t react — too flabbergasted by Glimmer’s words. “Glimmer… That’s—”

    “It’s weird, I’m sorry,” Glimmer ran her hand through her hair, “I shouldn’t—”

    “No, no, that’s amazing!” Bow smiled, feeling a sense of a hope, “I really have no idea what it means. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

    Glimmer looked down at her arm, the light blue magic still glowing. “Well… sometimes, this,” She brought her arm into view, “Shows up on my arm. I don’t know what it means—”

    “Glimmer!” Bow cried out, “That… I’m pretty sure that says—” He virtually pressed his face to the screen, fixing his glasses just to make sure it really did say, “Adora!”

Chapter Text

    The suggestion to visit Mystacor was strange. Even stranger was Glimmer's proposition to go there on foot. Mystacor's magical shield prevented Glimmer from teleporting directly in, but she could've teleported on the outskirts. But to quote Glimmer, "Where's the fun in teleporting everywhere?"

So, they began their trek to Mystacor on foot. Adora wore a hiking bag over her shoulders. Hours into the hike, and Adora was showing no signs of being worn down. Still, Glimmer felt concern for Adora.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to carry it? Just for a little while,” Glimmer offered.

“I’m fine, Glim,” Adora stubbornly countered.

The bag was easily the size of Glimmer’s torso. Adora refused to let her carry it, even if only for a second. Adora stayed close to Glimmer as they walked. The woods they ventured through was full of conifers with barely any canopy above. As they walked, they hardly saw anything in bloom or any creatures for that matter. Personally, it made Adora weary to some extent. Perhaps she was being paranoid.

    However, the highly attuned Adora was onto something. The ground beneath them began to rumble, and without time to react, a gigantic creature burst through the ground. Before either could react, the force knocked Glimmer over — tossing her harshly into a nearby tree. Luckily, Adora was knocked onto her back on the nearby path. Quickly, she recovered from the recoil, staring over at Glimmer.

    The giant badger-like creature was already cornering in on Glimmer, baring its teeth at her limp body. Adora’s eyes went wide, quickly grabbing for the hoop bracelet around her wrist. “Glimmer!”

    In an instant, Adora morphed the bracelet into a lasso. She ensnared the beast’s muzzle, forcing it away from Glimmer. With all her strength, she pulled it towards her. However, the beast was massive — being as tall as Adora, and easily providing a challenge to her.

    The moment she considered morphing into her alter ego, she saw the brief flash of Glimmer teleporting away. Once she reappeared, she was next to Adora — pink photokinetic energy flaring in her palms. The ever-so protective Adora wanted to tell her to teleport away. However, Glimmer kept up her stream of weak blasts, slowly pushing the badger back into its burrow.

    She let up on her blasts, eyeing the badger down as she prepared a spell. Before it would lunge at her, the spell was cast — landing on his shoulder. The badger cocked its head, whimpering and cowering back. Ultimately, it cowardly pivoted, promptly escaping to its burrow. After the coast was clear, Glimmer gripped onto her shoulder. The hit had messed with the sensitive nerves on her scarred shoulder. Adora was quick to walk over, anxiously and carefully placing her hand on the queen’s back.

“Glim, are you alright?” Adora asked.

To Adora’s surprise, Glimmer burst out laughing. It was random, but seemed to be out of pure joy. Adora couldn’t help but smile as well, a small laugh of her own forming. A bright smile stretched across Glimmer’s lips, and it was clear she was happy. “Adora, you’re going to hate me for saying this… but that was fun!”

Fun? Like how the two often faced life and death situations with Bow versus fearsome monsters, not unlike the strange gigantic badger? Most of Adora’s fights the past decade were life or death. It was hard to remember fighting can be exhilarating and fun. Yet, after being reminded of how powerful the sorceress was, it felt like there was nothing the two couldn’t stop.

“I mean, what was that spell? That badger just left!” Adora asked.

“A fear-inducing spell. Cool, huh?” Glimmer winked.

Adora could feel a warm blush forming across her cheeks. Suddenly, she wanted to know everything about Glimmer’s powers. Long gone were the days when she chopped up the spells to “dark magic”. However, after watching the display, she couldn’t help but be reminded of a doppelgänger of Glimmer’s. One with sorcery powers greater than Glimmer could ever imagine.

Burying the memories down deep, Adora beamed, “Yeah… Cool.”

The sun was starting to set, staining the forest a peachy orange and tucking behind the tall mountains. With sore feet, the two retired for the night after they found a rocky, flat surface. There was a stream conveniently nearby, good in case either wished to wash off. Seeing the night's frigid air was already blowing in, that probably wasn't the wisest idea.

They didn’t bring much beyond a few changes of clothes and provisions. Glimmer was able to start a fire with her magic after Adora found firewood. Adora scratched her head as she looked into the bag. It appeared they forgot to pack a second sleeping bag. That wasn’t much of an issue. Adora grew up sleeping on the cardboard mattresses of the Fright Zone, and could fall asleep on a rock at the drop of a hat.

Deciding that was a problem for future Adora and Glimmer, she began searching around for the food they packed. However, something caught her eye. A pharmaceutical metal vial engraved with prescription information that instructed, "Take once in the morning and once at night with food" . She never knew Glimmer was on medication, and she had little clue what it could be for. Not wanting to snoop further, she grabbed the container of food.

    The moons of Etheria brightly lit the night scene, alongside the crackling fire. With a cast iron skillet and their dinner in hand, Adora sat across the fire from Glimmer. It was really like old times. Only this time around, way out in the woods, the sky was full of stars. The sweet chorus of night ambiance, frogs croaking, crickets chirping lulled the two. As looked over, Glimmer heartily yawned.

    “Not used to all that walking, princess?” Adora playfully teased.

    Glimmer haughtily crossed her arms, “No. Still not used to your stubbornness either.”

    Both of them laughed as Adora placed the skillet on the fire. Once heat had crept across the pan, she introduced the strips of meat. As it satisfying sizzled, Adora looked up back at Glimmer. Flames illuminated Glimmer with a beautiful hue of orange, creeping across her tan skin and reflecting through her lavender eyes. Adora wanted to take in every inch of her. Count the sparkles in her hair as she held her close.

    Wow, this fire is hot… Right? Are fires normally this hot? Adora thought to herself, staring continual at Glimmer. In reality, a deep blush was covering the hero’s face.

    “We should get some rest after we eat. You’re probably tired after not letting me carry that bag at all ,” Glimmer’s criticism brought Adora out of her head space.

    Suddenly, Adora was reminded, “Oh… Speaking of, it looks like we forgot to pack a second sleeping bag.”

    For a spilt second, Glimmer appeared as if she was caught in the middle of a heinous act. However, she quickly brushed it off. “O-Oh, my bad. I can teleport back really quick—”

    “No,” Adora flinched at how stern and needy she sounded, “I-I can sleep on the ground, it’s not a problem.”

    Glimmer narrowed her eyes, “You think I’ll let you do that?”

    Seeing she paused, Adora assumed it was an actual question rather than a hypothetical one, “I… Yes?”

    “The correct answer is ‘no’,” Glimmer stood up, passing by Adora. As she walked by, she coyly touched Adora’s shoulder. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable."

    Adora was left to wonder what the many implications of the interaction were as Glimmer walked over to their bag. After flipping the meat, Adora nearly dropped the fork into the fire as she looked over at Glimmer — somehow shocked to see her nonchalantly undressing, already out of her robe.

    It was then that Adora finally had a moment to appreciate Glimmer. Her breathing beginning to slow as she took the sight in. Most that time was staring in amazement at her wings. They had grown. Not significantly, maybe the size of Glimmer’s hand, at the most.

    Only for a moment, Adora could make out the series of scars along Glimmer’s left shoulder. They were faded, similar in hue to Adora’s facial scar. The sight triggered the memory of failing to rescue Glimmer in time. Not being there for her when she needed her most. That day had been so euphoric thus far, and maybe for once, Adora wouldn’t dwell on those feelings. 

It was hard to dwell on her feelings anyways, as slate blue eyes moved from her scars, dancing along the curve of her hips. Okay, Adora. Stop looking, stop looking, stop looking — she scolded herself to no success, only looking away for a moment. Glimmer had changed around her before when they were younger with an air of innocence. Of course Adora would gaze with curiosity and endearment. No girl in the Horde looked as soft as Glimmer, and it was exciting to see that for the first time.

Judging by Adora’s rabbit heart, it was still exciting. From the corner of her eye, she could see Glimmer further stripping off more clothing. Mindlessly, Adora poked around at the strips of meat — failing to notice that they were burning.

Finally, Adora could thank the stars as Glimmer was fully dressed. It was still strange to see her so casually dressed. The grayish purple sweater she wore looked comfy and loose against her. Even in an oversized sweater, Glimmer was enthralling. Once Glimmer walked over, she looked down at the skillet — concerned eyes noticing the black strips of meat.

“Hey, Adora? You weren’t planning on eating charcoal tonight, right?”

Immediately, Adora panicked — fully paying attention to the meat. “Gah!”

Adora eyed the clear water of the shallow stream, looking at the school of salmon wallowing in the depths. With her pants cuffed up to her thighs and her shoes off, she waded into the water. Despite the mostly pleasant weather, the stream was absolutely frigid. Adora braced it, walking until she was within reach of the school of salmon. From behind, Glimmer leered at Adora while using her magic to light up the area.

“Are you sure—” Glimmer yawned again, “You don’t want me to help?”

Adora peeked over her shoulder, “Relax, Glimmer. I’ve got this.”

Morphing her bracelet into a harpoon, Adora set her gaze back onto the school of salmon. Glimmer lazily rolled her eyes at Adora’s stubbornness — deep down, she had premonition of what was about to happen. The hero eyed a salmon on the edge of the school, close to her. With a calculated, sure shot movement, she lunged the harpoon forward — successfully stabbing through the salmon.

Excitedly, she pulled the large fish out of the water. It still squirmed around despite the harpoon driven through it. The two women smiled at one another as Adora proudly held it close. “See? I told you—”

Violently, the salmon thrashed its tail down onto Adora’s head. It was enough force to knock the hero’s balance off, dunking her into the water.

Glimmer gasped out, “Adora!”

She could hear her own teeth chattering, even well after they teleported back to the campsite. Despite only being under the oddly frigid cold water for a few seconds as she struggled to find her footing back up, she was soaked to the bone. Glimmer teleported them back, and the sound of water dripping onto the rock below was jarring and tortuous. She looked down at the goddamn fish, still driven through the harpoon and no longer struggling.

“Here,” Glimmer grabbed the harpoon from Adora, propping it over their hiking bag. Adora’s shaking, cold fingers attempted to remove her belt, until far warmer and softer ones interrupted the movement. “I can help.”

Quickly, warmth was returning to Adora as Glimmer removed her belt. Something about the sight was making her mind race. Her heart fluttered, and she stiffened as Glimmer reached for the collar of her jacket. Her shivering only worsened as Glimmer clinically removed her jacket, exposing the tightly fitting muscle shirt beneath.

“I’ll grab your spare clothes in a moment, okay?” Glimmer offered. Before Adora could protest in any form, Glimmer teleported to the outskirts of the campsite — ringing out the jacket and hanging it over the branch of a tree. Adora gulped, shivering as she removed her soaking wet pants. Right after she removed her shirt, Glimmer teleported back.

They were both silent for a moment. Adora could feel Glimmer’s eyes boring into her back, understandably so. The hero sighed, fully aware of the scars of her back. Peaking from beneath her bindings, the claw marks Catra inflicted during the Battle of Bright Moon remained. However, they were nothing compared to the massive lightning strike scar flowered throughout her back.

Pretending not to notice Glimmer’s gaze, Adora pulled her hair out of her ponytail in order to wring it out. Out of sight, Glimmer couldn’t stop looking at the hero’s back. A heavy deal of guilt was placed on her heart, sighing quietly as she attempted to look away. Not only did Adora still bare scars from Glimmer’s former lover, but also a never before seen gnarled one that spread across most her back.

Glimmer debated whether to say anything as she shuffled through the bag, grabbing Adora’s extra clothes. As Adora turned towards her, Glimmer’s eyes immediately bolted to her midsection. A furious blush covered every inch of her face, captivated by the lean, muscular physique of her hero. For a moment, Glimmer forgot how to speak, stuttering out words that didn’t exist in any known Etherian language — only worsening as their glaring height difference was starting to hit her.

“I-I, um,” Glimmer handed over the hero’s clothes, finally finding some confidence, “I uh… can take care of dinner. You can relax now.”

It was hard for Adora to eat through her chattering teeth. Her hair was finally drying out, some loose strands becoming wavy as it did. Glimmer kept eyeing the shivering hero, who was bundled up in a wool blanket. Despite being near the fire and bundled up, Adora was still freezing. Feeling visceral hatred for the salmon, she felt a need to eat every bite. That, and she wanted to be grateful to Glimmer.

The hero felt defeated in a new sense, ultimately embarrassed by her mistakes that night. She regretted eating so fast, as Glimmer was left to eat in awkward silence as Adora merely stared at her. The night ambiance continued, roaring above the crackling fire. From afar, Adora could hear an eerie howl — making her mind race with thoughts of having to sleep with one eye open, especially after the badger incident.

It would be the end of her if Glimmer got hurt again. Even though she knew Glimmer could defend herself, Adora felt a great desire to protect her. Curiously, lavender eyes peered over at Adora. “You’re still cold?”

Adora nestled the blanket closer around her, “Y-Yeah. That water was freezing.”

Glimmer put her plate down, sitting up from her spot near the fire, “Here…”

    Adora tensed as Glimmer walked closer, prompt to sit down next to Adora. Delicate hands reached beneath the blanket, pulling it away. Upon realizing Glimmer was attempting to get under the blanket with her, Adora raised her arm up.

    Glimmer had always been physically affectionate, even the decade prior. Yet, as Glimmer nestled herself close to Adora, she could feel her fluttering heart return. Adora hesitantly clasped Glimmer’s hip, savoring how her queen scooted closer after the touch.

    Their thighs were tucked close together, and the hero’s fluttering heart only worsened as Glimmer hummed and nestled her head onto her shoulder. The fire illuminated her lavender eyes and thick eyelashes. It all stole Adora’s breath away.

    It was only a few moments before Glimmer asked, “Better?”

    Adora smiled and half-heartedly lied, “Much.”

Still, Adora shivered, and Glimmer noticed. “You’re a bad liar, Adora.”

Casually, she draped her leg over Adora’s thigh. Admittedly, the newfound warmth was welcomed — the budding blush across her face, not so much. Naturally, Glimmer sank further into Adora’s chest, truly enjoying the minimal space between them.

    Adora’s heart tightened in her chest, weighing her down as she bored her eyes on her queen. Beneath her touch, so close to her, everything felt so natural, so safe. For a brief moment, with the millions of stars above them, Adora was temporarily able to forget all the bad things that happened to her over her interdimensional travels.

    Under Adora’s touch, Glimmer steadily breathed. Shaky fingers ghosted across Glimmer’s rib cage, as Adora buried down the many memories circling in her head. Thoughts of her dreams of Glimmer, and of the many doppelgängers of her she had met over the years — namely the few that she got close to. Across the cosmos, Glimmer was enthralling and inviting.

    But her Glimmer was different. It felt like the stars aligned every time they were together. And as delicate fingers entwined within her own, Adora felt ethereal. Almost as if she could forget all the years wasted in the multiverse, away from her true home. 

    “... You know,” Glimmer beckoned Adora from her trance, “You don’t have to impress me, Adora.” 

    Adora breathed deeply, unable to find a response. Glimmer awaited for Adora to protest, but was only met with silence. Glimmer broke the silence, tiredly murmuring, “It’s enough being here with you. I know all we did was walk, and it was a bit tiring, but, um...” Glimmer sighed, “I had a lot of fun today. You don’t know how grateful I am to have you back, Adora.”

    This close together, Adora could feel Glimmer’s heartbeat — which was calmer than her own — and the soft rise and fall of her breathing. Adora glanced down, appreciating how Glimmer’s purple, wavy hair looked like the night sky above them.

Finally, she could achieve her wish — this close to her, she could count the sparkles in her hair. For a moment, she wished to free her hair from underneath the blanket. Nonetheless, her frigid hand was cursed to stay beneath the blanket.

    Adora beamed, “It can’t be even close to how grateful I am to have you back,” as she stroked her hand down Glimmer’s waist.

    Despite having her nestled so close, Adora knew Glimmer was smiling. Especially after she softly laughed. “I don’t think you understand, Adora, I…” Glimmer hesitated, debating with herself whether to continue on, “No. Never mind.”

    Piqued with curiosity, Adora’s brows furrowed, “Hey. You don’t have to hide anything from me, Glimmer.”

    What she said was in reference to the medication she found earlier in their hiking bag. Having her so close, Adora could feel the smaller woman start to feebly tremble.

    “It’s fine,” Glimmer murmured her lie.

    “No you aren’t,” Adora almost scolded, “You’re a pretty bad liar too, Glimmer.”

    There was a moment of silence as Glimmer’s trembling grew. Glimmer’s voice wobbled as she muttered, “I’m sorry…”

    “Glimmer, you don’t have to be sorry about anything,” Adora moved her cold hand up to Glimmer’s arm, pulling her closer, “You can tell me what’s wrong. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“I don’t know… It feels so hard to explain, but I… I feel anxious,” It was obvious Glimmer had no boundaries with Adora as she timidly asked in the smallest voice possible, “Can I… Could you hold me, Adora?”

Adora wanted to reply, “But aren’t I already holding you, sort of?” and decided against it. Admittedly, the position Glimmer was currently in looked uncomfortable. Adora nodded her head against Glimmer, replying, “Of course.”

    Glimmer sat up somewhat, casually scooting into Adora’s lap. Having Glimmer nestled between her hiked legs was welcoming and warm, especially as she twisted backwards and sank into her chest. Glimmer felt like an actual furnace, and Adora was sure to quickly warm up in the new position.

It felt unfair that Adora had missed out on this over the years, like she had been cheated by the cosmos. Only in those strange dreams was she ever granted the privilege to feel Glimmer like this. Wrapping her arms around Glimmer was therapeutic. Glimmer clutched onto her like a lifeline, sighing against her. A hearty blush crept across Adora, as she realized Glimmer could totally feel how heart was beating. Choking down the embarrassment, Adora asked her, “Did you want to talk about it? Your anxiety?”

“It’s nothing... I just…” Glimmer sighed, sounding defeated as she admitted, “I feel so happy around you, Adora… Happier than I’ve felt in years, if I’m being honest. But I… I get scared. Like this is all too good to be true — that there’s a chance something will take us away from each other again…”

Adora paused a moment. Deep down, she felt the same way. Being lost in the cosmos made her lose hope for the future — for the chance that one day, she’d find her way home. Now that she was here, people didn’t need She-Ra. People had moved on from her. But then, she remembered what Glimmer told her on the rooftop the night after she came back. “I need you, Adora.”

The scar-ridden hero didn’t want to admit it, but she was afraid as well. They never figured out why the portal manifested, why it specifically dragged her in — and she had a feeling she would never find out. What if, one day, it took her away again? Or worse… it took Glimmer away. Adora shuddered at the idea, but buried her feelings deep. She had been silent for sometime, she needed to find a way to comfort her and quick.

“I’m here now. And I… I know nothing will ever pull us apart ever again, alright?” Adora tightened her arms around Glimmer, ensnaring her in the blanket they shared, “You don’t have to be afraid of anything anymore, Glimmer.”

For a moment, they shared a peaceful silence. Glimmer was not quite crying, merely letting a few stray tears stream out and failing to sob. Feeling comforted, Glimmer smiled against her, “I don’t know about you, but think I’m pretty afraid of salmon now.”

    Adora couldn’t help but join Glimmer in a chorus of laughter. There was a warmth flowering through Adora — literally and figuratively. Being with Glimmer, hearing her laugh, holding her close, being able to feel normal again — it was healing Adora. It was enough to make her heart swell and twist in her chest.

It all reminded her what she was fighting for all these years. Adora couldn’t wipe the smile off her face if she tried. She loved Glimmer, more than anything or anyone in the world, the universe, and far beyond the cosmos. Years of being away had only strengthened her love for Glimmer. If only Adora could find the bravery to tell her that.

It hadn’t even been two weeks since Adora came back. She was afraid of so many things — what if she said something wrong? Or did something wrong? Adora stopped her wondering thoughts, reminding herself to enjoy the moment while she had it.

They lied slumped together for some time. Glimmer sighed as Adora ran her hand up and down her back, eventually finding way to her long hair. As Adora trekked her fingers through her starry hair, sparkles flared. Feeling abashed, Glimmer curled her legs closer to her torso and tightened her grip at Adora’s shirt.

Soft blue eyes continually gazed down at Glimmer, enjoying the starlight in her hair. Glimmer had to be honest — Adora stroking her hair as they shared their warmth was putting her to sleep. Her body, particularly beneath her rib cage, was still sore from getting knocked into the tree earlier, thought she refused to admit it.

Maybe she’d wake up to a bruise or two, nothing a recharge from her Runestone couldn’t fix. If it wasn’t so weird, she’d ask Adora to massage her shoulder. Once they were in the hot springs of Mystacor, Glimmer was sure the pain would ease. Glimmer sat up, emerging from the blanket cocoon Adora had wrapped them in.

“Ugh,” Glimmer groaned, “I can’t stay awake. Want to get ready for bed?”

Withal, there was a tense silence. One that allowed electricity to flow between them, as their eyes gazed into one another’s. The fire illuminated Adora, and flecks of orange dancing within her slate blue eyes. Adora appeared apprehensive, her brows furrowed as she looked down at her queen.

Feeling worried for Adora, Glimmer reached out to her cheek. Tenderly, she cupped her hero’s cheek, stroking a thumb over the familiar scar. Adora didn’t respond immediately to the touch, instead continuing to look longingly into Glimmer’s eyes. The two were close, painfully close. Their faces were merely inches away from one another.

“Adora?” Glimmer timidly asked.

Remaining silent, Adora’s hand shifted from beneath the blanket, reaching to the hand on her cheek. Adora tightly clasped the soft hand before gently pulling it down. Suddenly, the electricity between them could spark a wildfire as Adora began to lean forward. Glimmer was immobilized, realizing what Adora was about to do. Her heart was sure to beat out of her chest, and her face was redder than the blood coursing through her veins. Both their eyes narrowed, as the two began to shift closer to one another.

This couldn’t be real. All of it felt too perfect. Their day together, the past two weeks, everything felt so perfect. Adora was perfect… and Glimmer felt she didn’t deserve her. Someone so innocent, kind, and loyal — when Glimmer couldn’t be that way. At least, she wasn’t able to give her loyalty to Catra. How did she know that with Adora, it would be any different?

Glimmer stopped while she was ahead of herself, removing her hand from Adora’s grasp and shifting away. Both were abashed, but Glimmer particularly felt guilt eating her up. Even they were together, how could Glimmer give Adora everything she deserved? I’m… not what she deserves. She deserves the world. She deserves everything.

Adora was heartbroken. They were so close to kissing, she could fully imagine the feeling of their lips pressed against each other. Despite knowing what kissing her felt like, the vagabond had never wanted something so desperately in her life. A real kiss between the two, something to let her know those dreams were real. Even as the two stiffly stared at one another wondering what to say, Adora couldn’t keep her eyes off Glimmer’s lips.

“I… Yeah. Let’s go to bed,” Adora murmured in defeat.

The fire was now dull, with only a few embers poking out of the wood. It wasn’t horribly cold that night, and the two were sure they would be fine. Especially seeing they were sharing the same sleeping bag. Adora wondered if it was physically possible, but as Glimmer set it out, it appeared pretty spacious.

At first, Adora attempted to protest, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine sleeping on the ground. I—”

    “No. Get in here,” Glimmer demanded, patting down on the space next to her on the sleeping bag.

    Bashfully, Adora attempted to counter, “But—”

    “Adora.” Glimmer’s stern tone suggested she didn’t want to argue anymore.

    Not wanting to upset Glimmer, Adora complied. Admittedly, it was awkward fitting both their bodies in the cramped sleeping bag. They managed to fit, lying on their sides face-to-face. Adora was sure between the warm wool and the heat radiating from Glimmer, she would wake up sweating. Withal, at that moment the tepid warmth was welcomed, and so was the feel of Glimmer’s body pressed closely to hers.

     Their legs had no choice but to tangle together. As they looked pressed their heads onto the pillow below them, that spark was reignited. Once again, their faces were close and the moment felt right. Withal, Adora couldn’t find herself leaning forward again. Glimmer was afraid of something earlier. Adora had no clue what — physical affection didn’t seem to be an issue for her.

Perhaps Adora was misinterpreting their feelings for one another. The dreams she had during her time traveling the cosmos were likely just dreams, and nothing more. But as they stared at one another, Adora wanted it to be real. Oh , what she would give to be able to have her for the rest of her life. Every scar on the hero’s body was a testament to this.

Across the infinite universes, she had never wanted someone more than her Glimmer. The Glimmer lying beside her underneath the sea of stars, the one that questionably pushed her away. Lavender eyes brightened as Glimmer appeared deep in thought.

    “Adora…” Glimmer was bashful as she asked, “I keep forgetting to tell you, Princess Prom is in two weeks.”

    For a moment, Adora was fully expecting the conversation to go somewhere else. However, it was exciting to hear Princess Prom was coming up. Finally, she had a chance to redo the terrible experience from the decade prior.

    “I’ll be hosting it this year, so I won’t have much time to dance… But you can be my bodyguard for the night… No one will mess with me if you’re beside me, right?” Glimmer nervously smiled and glanced down, fidgeting with the sleeping bag in the minimal space between them, “I was thinking, maybe… we’ll be able to dance? You could be my plus one, sort of?”

    “That sounds fun, Glimmer. I’d love to,” Adora beamed.

    Glimmer beamed back, her tired eyes narrowing as she nestled the pillow, “Even if you’re just standing next to me the whole time?”

    Adora slowly reached to clasp at Glimmer’s waist as she comforted, “I’m fine as long as I’m with you, Glim,” Completely unaware of how passionate her words were.

Glimmer was flustered at the statement, apparent by how she bashfully looked away again. All she was able to mumble out at first was, “I, um…” As she was too distracted by the straying hand on her waist. Breathing deeply, Glimmer reached up to her hero’s shoulder. Tenderly, she brushed her fingers down Adora’s arm. 

Glimmer felt so lost in the ocean of Adora’s eyes and the sea of thoughts they forced her to venture. She wanted to find out if Adora’s lips were as callused as they were in her dreams. However, both lacked courage that night. At least they could enjoy being with one another, safe in each other’s arms. 

“I feel the same way,” Glimmer tiredly smiled, “... Thank you, Adora.” Glimmer paused a moment, allowing Adora to blink in astonishment. Before Adora could question her, Glimmer brought her hand down to Adora’s collarbone and scooted closer. “For earlier… and all today, too. I feel a lot better lately because of you."

Finally, Glimmer was lowering her walls. Adora felt a sense of courage as she moved her hand to the small of Glimmer’s back, regretting the movement as Glimmer initially tensed up.

“You…” Adora really had no idea how to word this, as mental health issues were never something talked about in the Horde, “You were really sad when I was gone.” It wasn’t truly a question, but more so a statement of what Adora already knew.

Glimmer was rattled, evidently so as she slowly scooted over and buried herself in Adora’s chest. The hero welcomed the warmth, but felt worried about Glimmer. Her hand stroked up and down Glimmer’s back, and she soon sank into Adora’s touch.

“Could we not talk about it…? I just want to enjoy being with you without having to think about all of… what happened…” Glimmer drifted, her finger circling on the bare skin of Adora’s arm.

What did happen while Adora was gone? She knew of the fall out between her and Bow, the friendship between her and Catra… But that couldn’t be it. That couldn’t explain the depression that plagued her queen. Adora was hopeful that being back with her would fix everything. However, it was unrealistic to expect that. Glimmer was broken, and Adora was here to fix her as best she could — even though she was broken herself.

“Yeah,” Adora murmured, “Do you want to talk about something else? Or do you want to get some rest?”

    “I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning,” Glimmer hypothesized, “Goodnight, Adora.”

“Goodnight, Glimmer.”

Adora closed her eyes, attempting to let her mind go blank in order to stop her fluttering heart. Withal, she waited for Glimmer to stop shifting around. Soon, tiny, almost inaudible snores rumbled against her chest. Adora’s tired eyes fluttered open, looking down at the sleeping figure in her arms.

As she once wrote in her journal, what she felt for Glimmer was deeper than love. Glimmer was her constellation, her starlight, her Supernova—

“Glimmer,” Adora whispered, knowing Glimmer couldn’t hear her, “You are my everything.”

Feeling braver than before, Adora pressed her lips against the queen’s forehead. Still, Glimmer snored and didn’t react whatsoever.

    From afar, Mystacor appeared virtually unchanged since her last visit so many years ago. However, this time around, Adora didn’t have the lingering demons of Shadow Weaver following her. Or, maybe she did. Perhaps she preferred to be naive when it came to learning about her mother figure’s fate. All she knew was she wasn’t in the picture anymore.

    Despite the many insecurities Adora hosted, they seemed to ease around Glimmer. Her tender hand wrapped in the hero’s as they leapt down on the floating rock below the strange sea of clouds. As they entered the city, various sorcerers greeted the two — ecstatic to see the legendary She-Ra was back in their universe.

    As they approached the grand palace, Adora was met with an unexpected sight. Huntara, of all people, stood near the entrance of the Sorcerer’s Guild, chatting with Castaspella. She wore clothing similar to that of others in Mystacor, contrast to her old, tatty clothing. The two perked up, noticing the two walking up.

    “Adora!” Castaspella’s eyes sparkled, all while she deeply inhaled and excitedly ran up to Adora. Just like Micah, Castaspella had aged — streaks of gray staining her black hair. She overbearingly hugged Adora before pulling her back to observe her.

“My, you’ve grown! I’ll need to take your measurements again. I mean,” Castaspella grabbed her arms, feeling the muscle there, “Woah! Your arms?! What has my sweet Glimmer been feeding you!?”

    Adora blushed, but still smiled as Huntara put a hand on her shoulder. She was sure this was the best level of physical affection the former warrior could give her. “Hey, blondie.”

    Adora beamed at Huntara, “Hey!” Before cocking an eyebrow and asking, “Not to be rude but, uh… what are you doing here?”

    Castaspella backed away from Adora, coyly smiling at Huntara, “Didn’t Glimmer tell you? Huntara and I met after the war—”

    “And I was apparently too hard to resist,” Huntara wrapped an arm around Castaspella, flirtatiously raising her eyebrow, “Right, my little ‘Ella?”

Huntara kissed Castaspella’s cheek, and the sorceress erupted in a hearty laughter. It was apparent the warrior had gone soft, and was utterly affectionate towards Castaspella. Oddly, it was sweet to see the two together. To think, if Adora hadn’t convinced Huntara to join the Rebellion back at the Crimson Waste, the two would’ve never met.

That being said, Adora had many questions, flicking her eyes to Glimmer for a moment. Glimmer nervously laughed, rubbing her arm. Adora couldn’t blame her, it was hard to remember how much had dramatically changed since her departure.

As the two wives guided them through the halls of the guild, they passed the various statues of powerful sorcerers. Micah, Castaspella, and even one of Glimmer. Adora stopped for a moment, in awe of the statue. Huntara patted Adora’s shoulder, leaning in close to her.

“Ever feel a little threatened by the fact your girlfriend could level all of Whispering Woods without breaking a sweat?” Huntara whispered.

Thankfully, Glimmer was out of earshot. Still, a vicious blush stained Adora’s cheeks.

“She’s… she’s not… not my girlfriend,” Adora admitted. But as she looked ahead, she was enthralled by her long time friend. The way she smiled, and how the dull sunlight peeking through the windows hit her just right. Adora found new things to love about her every day. “Not yet, at least.”

“That’s the spirit, blondie,” Huntara inspirited. “Now…” Huntara drifted once she noticed Adora promptly stopping, staring up at another statue.

Shadow Weaver. The three women around Adora were silent as she approached the statue, looking up at the once respected sorceress. Castaspella and Huntara looked at Glimmer, silently exchange that the two needed time alone. As they walked off, Glimmer hesitantly walked to Adora’s side. Tenderly and carefully, she clasped onto Adora’s hand with both her own. Adora turned towards her, and there was a tense silence for a moment.

“She… What happened to Shadow Weaver, Glim?” Adora asked, with a tinge of reluctant and sadness.

“After you disappeared...” Glimmer paused, glancing down and sighing as she debated how to tell Adora the truth, “I didn’t recharge for a long time. My connection to the Moonstone was severed, and Shadow Weaver tried to take advantage of that. Catra caught her in the act… She… saved my life.”

For the second time that day, Adora had a million questions. Namely, as to why Glimmer didn’t recharge. She had done it before… After Angella died. Had Glimmer refused to recharge because of Adora’s disappearance? She was sure Glimmer would never openly admit that, as Glimmer knew full well that the guilt would eat Adora up for the rest of her life. Glimmer appeared to drift in thought. Adora was patient, and was soon awarded with Glimmer’s gaze.

“I had no choice but to banish Shadow Weaver. Nobody has seen her since… I’m sorry, Adora.”

Adora was unsure why Glimmer was apologizing, comforting her with, “You don’t have to be sorry for anything, Glimmer. You made the right choice.”

This trip was supposed to be a way for the two to relax with one another. However, it was evident that old wounds were being opened. Wounds that neither ever properly dealt with.

Wounds that never healed.

    They were alone in the thermal healing spa. The two had changed, sporting bathing suits underneath their white robes. Tepid humidity was welcomed by Adora, as the two walked near the spa pool of choice.

    Somehow, Adora was surprised when Glimmer began casually disrobe with her back turned to Adora. Adora knew this was coming, and she failed to prepare herself. Inadvertently, her eyes stayed on Glimmer for some time. Shit. Not this again.

    Perhaps the hot steam surrounding them wasn’t the only reason why Adora blushed. Glimmer seemed completely unaware of the fact Adora was in a trance. For just a moment, she was able to process the various stretch marks across Glimmer’s body. They were fairly noticeable, seeing they were deep in hue and quite numerous.

Hair akin to the night sky spilled over her back. Mentally, Adora slapped herself. Flustered by the sight in front of her, Adora gulped. Suddenly, Glimmer turned around. Adora adverted her gaze, quick to untie her own robe and pretend she wasn’t just studying every inch of Glimmer.

    “Adora,” At that moment, Glimmer’s laugh sounded angelic, “Are you alright? You look a little red.”

    Instantly, Adora’s eyes shot up to Glimmer’s. However, all the butterflies in her stomach seemed to fade as something caught her attention. Glimmer noticed where she was staring — to the noticeable scar beneath her collarbone, where Prime had dug his thumb into the queen. Adora impeded the small space between them. Close enough to require Glimmer to crane her neck up to look at the much taller woman.

    Callused fingers brushed away Glimmer’s hair off her shoulder. Adora ghosted her palm along the series of scars there, eliciting a bashful gasp from Glimmer. Adora’s touch wasn’t unwelcome, it was simply surprising — especially with the sparse clothing she wore. Despite the heaviness between them, Glimmer couldn’t help but blush. Slate blue eyes dotingly stared at her, 

    “I never told you how sorry I was for letting that happen to you…” Adora softly whispered, continuing to stroke the scars.

    In order to ease her anxiety, Glimmer put her hand over the one stroking her shoulder. Another reached up to Adora’s own scar from Prime, running a thumb over her jawline. Lavender eyes offered Adora something she had rarely felt the past decade — a sense of comfort… and the feeling that someone out there loved her, and truly cared for her.

    That someone was right in front of her.

    They sat there in silence. Painful silence. Adora was lucky in the sense that Glimmer’s scar was hidden from her most the time. Glimmer had to see Adora’s scar every day.

    Hell, every scar on her body was a stark reminder of that fateful day — when she failed to grab Adora’s hand in time. It was all her fault Adora bounced around alternate dimensions for a decade. All the trauma and pain Adora suffered was because of her .

    “It’s alright, Adora. Besides, I need to be the one apologizing…” Glimmer cursed the tears welling up in her eyes, “Losing you... it was my fault.”

Callused fingers caressed her cheek, as her other hand gripped her shoulder. Despite the sorrow inside her, she could still feel a ping as Adora touched her.

    “No, no… Glimmer,” Adora pleaded as she stroked her cheek, “I never blamed you for what happened. You don’t have to apologize for anything…”

    “No,” Glimmer stubbornly countered, “It doesn’t matter if you forgive me. I can’t forgive myself, no matter how hard I try.”

Without warning, Adora clutched onto the back of her head, pulling her into an impossibly tight hug. Glimmer let out a weak sob, reaching to Adora’s back and clutching her robe. The day was supposed to be for Adora. Yet, here Glimmer was, selfishly begging for her attention and touch, despite believing she didn’t deserve it. She wondered if it bothered Adora how needy she was. But Adora didn’t mind. In fact, it made her feel better knowing Glimmer could depend on her.

    “This is really why you were sad,” Adora bravely prodded, “Last night, I mean. You feel like you don’t deserve my forgiveness… but you do, Glimmer!”

    Glimmer opened her eyes, easing her sobs. She trusted Adora with every fiber of her being. Why was it so hard to believe was she was saying was the wholehearted truth?

    “I fought so hard because I wanted to come back home. I…” Adora deepened her hug, passionately admitting, “I wanted to come back for you , Glimmer.”

The sobs from Glimmer virtually halted. The queen’s heart stopped beating for a moment, unable to process what Adora had just said. Adora had endured unspeakable hardships, all in the vein that one day, she might make it back home… to Glimmer.

Every scar on the hero’s body was a testament to this. So were the undeniable emotional wounds, buried deep within Adora. The ones she stubbornly refused to show. As Glimmer shifted away, she gazed up at her vagabond. Tears were forming in her own eyes, yet she kept a smile. It wasn’t fair to do this to Adora — to let loose everything she had been feeling. Glimmer needed to be there for Adora, not the other way around.

“Adora… I…” Glimmer struggled to find the right words to say.

For the third time during their trip, a strange spark electrified the space between them. Adora’s hand settled on Glimmer’s hip, slowly ghosting up her side. To Adora’s astonishment, Glimmer grimaced in pain. Glimmer looked down at the spot Adora touched, noticing a rather large bruise on her rib cage. It was no doubt a result of the badger tossing Glimmer into the tree the day before. While her ribs hurt, Glimmer didn’t expect such a grotesque bruise to form.

    “Oh, shit… I didn’t even notice that when I was changing,” Glimmer admitted, “Nothing the spas or magic can’t fix, right?”

    Withal, Glimmer was frightened as she looked up at Adora. Her thousand-yard stare was hyper fixated on the bruise, hands visibly quaking as they hovered over the wound. Suddenly, Adora was heavily heaving in and out, unexpectedly panicking over the sight.

    “No… No, no, no, no, no,” Adora chanted, starting to back away from Glimmer.

    Glimmer’s brows furrowed, truly questioning what was pushing Adora to act this way. Internally, she debated how to help Adora out of the trance she was in. Touching her seemed in poor taste, so maybe speaking to her was the best way to start.

“Adora? What’s wrong?” Glimmer questioned, quiet and calmly.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen!” Adora snapped, the anger and volume of her voice making Glimmer flinch. Tears were flaring in Adora’s hazed eyes, as her hyperventilating only worsened. “This can’t be real. I can’t do this again, I can’t hurt you again, starlight!”

The air was heavy between the two. Adora failed to realize the many implications of what she just called Glimmer — starlight , the name Adora used for her in their dreams. It was solid proof that the two truly experienced the dreams together. The dreams were undeniably real, to an extent.

And what they had was real.

Withal, Adora psyche was slipping. Her crazed eyes looked up at Glimmer for a moment, and the hero’s shaking only worsened. She placed her hand over her pounding heart, afraid it would fall out of her chest. Before Glimmer could react, Adora took off — disappearing into the steamy fog of the hot springs.

“Adora, wait!” Glimmer cried out. She quickly grabbed her robe, promptly putting it on before teleporting in the direction Adora ran in.

Adora ran for what felt like hours. Her mind was racing, failing to connect reality from her time in the cosmos… Which, really did happen. Was she really running? Or was she simply remembering other time when she ran until her legs gave out?

She wasn’t in Mystacor. No, she was in Whispering Woods, right? The sun was setting over the forest, and it was starting to get dark. She was far away from the Bright Moon guards that were chasing her. Back then, she had no clue why they were chasing her. What had she done in that dimension to have them hate her? Was she once again a common enemy of the Rebellion?

Whatever the case, she barely stood a chance against them. Not even as She-Ra, who she had grown more attuned to over the years. The guards were sorcerers in this dimension, powerful and skilled ones at that. Light Hope was the one to command her to retreat. Exhaustion even affected her in her deity form after a while, forcing her to change back into her normal form.

She eventually found a stream, falling to her knees as she cupped her hands in the water. Quickly, she drank, nearly choking through her labored breathing. After feeling satisfied, she lied back on the ground. She knew it was foolish to stay out in the open like that, but she quickly gave in to the fatigue plaguing her.

Something was gently prodding her shoulder. Some kind of object. It was enough to force her awake, as she quickly remembered the circumstances leading up to where she was. She gasped, grasping onto the object and ready to fight back. Ultimately, she calmed down at the sight of two familiar faces… A strange duo, at that.

Bow and Catra knelt by her side, all three of them near the stream Adora had passed out in front of. The sun had fully set, revealing a starless sky above her. The moons of Etheria illuminated the night, letting her observe the new dimensional doppelgängers. Both looked at her with concern and confusion.

“Are you alright?” Bow asked, clasping her arm.

Bow appeared mostly the same as the one from her own universe, beyond a weak stubble forming on his chin. His outfit was far more inconspicuous and was lacking its usual vibrant colors, his shoulder armor being a dull silver. The dark cloak he wore over it all seemed a bit out of character for him.

Catra, on the other hand, was drastically different. Immediately, Adora’s sight gravitated to her arm — or, lack there of. In the place of her apparent missing arm was a prosthetic, one that moved organically and fluidly. Her crazed mane was pulled back in a ponytail. Oddly, just like Bow, she wore a midriff. Adora took her eyes away from Catra’s prosthetic, as she sensed the Magicat was vexed with how long she was staring.

She had been to many dimensions at that point. A dimension where Bow and his fathers fought against the Rebellion, swearing She-Ra would bring nothing but misery to Etheria. A dimension that was a complete wasteland, evident that Etheria had been drained of all its magic and all its inhabitants either enslaved or killed by Prime. One where Catra assumed full control of the Horde, and was laying waste to the Rebellion. Whatever this dimension had to offer, Adora was sure she was ready for it.

    “Bow… Catra…” Adora weakly spoke, coughing afterwards.

    Catra raised an eyebrow, “Uh… have we met?”

    “Not in this dimension, no,” Adora smiled, offering her hand out to Catra, “I’m Adora. It’s nice to see you both.”

    Mismatched eyes bore into the hand. Catra grimaced, refusing to shake the hand. Instead, she grabbed onto Bow’s arm.

    “Give us a moment,” Catra excused herself. Catra stood up, strongly pulling Bow with her. The two walked away, barely in earshot as they whispered to one another with their backs turned to Adora.

“How do we know she’s not a double agent or something?” Catra bitterly whispered.

Bow’s voice strained as he whispered back, “If she was working for Glimmer, she would have blasted us to bits by now!”

As with many dimensions, she had a million questions for both of them. At the mention of Glimmer, she felt a sense of relief. These two knew her, at the very least. Maybe Adora would be fortunate enough to meet up with her in this dimension.

“Glimmer is in this dimension?!” Adora asked, a little too excitedly.

Both quickly pivoted back towards her, apparently both very weirded out by her behavior. Catra rolled the short sleeves of her shirt over her shoulders, clutching her fist and grinding her teeth.

“Okay, is there something wrong with you?” Catra bluntly accused, her ears pointing back in irritation, “Do you hear yourself?! Maybe one of those Plumerians have something to mellow you out because clearly—”

Bow put an arm up her chest, preventing her from stomping forward towards Adora. The ever empathic man smiled at Adora. “Ignore my sister, she can be—”

“Wait, she’s your sister?!” Adora rather loudly exclaimed.

“Yeah, don’t you see our matching ears and tails?” Catra grabbed the end of Bow’s cloak, comically revealing he lacked a tail. As Catra quickly learned, Adora was a hard crowd to appeal to — as she kept her curious expression and didn’t laugh. “You know adoption is a thing, spy.”

“No, no,” Adora defended herself, “I think it’s sweet! George and Lance adopted you in this universe? That’s so—”

Bow shot hands up, shaking them in front of him, “Woah, okay, now you’re freaking me out. How do you know our dads names?!”

Adora sighed. Both appeared irate with her, so she had no choice but to explain her situation. She shakily stood on her weak legs, glancing at both of them as she shifted closer.

“Alright. People usually only believe me half the time when I say this… But I’m kind of interdimensional vagabond. Not by choice,” Adora could tell she was losing them both as they cocked their heads at her, “I’ve been phasing into random dimensions every few months. But in my original dimension, I grew up with you Catra! In the Horde!”

Catra appeared offended at the idea, “ Eck . That sounds awful.”

Adora was a little too enthusiastic, “Oh, it was! And you became my sworn enemy for years! And Bow!” She glanced over at him, seeing how he nervously shifted as he was put on the spot, “Eventually, we became best friends! You, me, and Glimmer! And I’m—”

Catra’s characteristic cackling loudly interrupted Adora. Both Bow and Adora looked over at Catra, who clutched onto her stomach in her fit of laughter. Adora felt an aura of discomfort from Bow.

“Hey, Adarla , was it?” Catra asked, choking back her laughter.

“Adora.”

“Okay, okay, okay... Adora,” Catra straightened up, walking close to the vagabond, “If you’re telling the truth, then you’re in for the ride of a lifetime.”

A foreboding feeling tore the hero up from the inside. All of what the two said, the strange circumstance of the Bright Moon guards chasing her down and using magic… Glimmer was involved in all of this. But how?

“What… what do you mean?” Adora hesitated to ask.

Catra was within inches of her. The shorter woman grasped for the top of her prosthetic arm, pushing a few buttons. With a loud “click”, the robotic arm came off. Adora’s eyes widened as Catra revealed a severely malformed stub. Fur seemed to not grow in some places, as the skin was too severely burnt.

“Who do you think gave me this beautiful stub? Any guesses?” Catra prodded.

Bow attempted to intervene, “Catra—”

“She needs to learn somehow, Bow,” Catra scolded, swishing her tail.

    Adora thought she knew the answer. Withal, she didn’t want to answer Catra. Not truthfully. Adora didn’t want to accept who did this to her.

“... I… don’t know,” Adora lied in a weak murmur.

“How about the divine siren herself…” Catra frowned as she spoke the name Adora hoped she wouldn’t, “Queen Glimmer?”

Chapter Text

    Adora never would’ve thought the sight of a Rebellion base would be dispiriting. It was sparse, only consisting of a few tents. Torches dully illuminated the site, along with the massive campfire in the center. Logs had been pulled around the fire and familiar faces surrounded it, lacking the sense of vibrancy and hope the alter egos of her own dimension had.

    Her eyes shifted to Frosta first. She appeared to be in her late teens. Oddly, her hair seemed duller in saturation and darker. Scorpia was there, too. Seahawk, however, looked the gloomiest out of the three. It felt so out of character for the sea-shanty singing, happy-go-lucky pirate. The three looked over as Catra, Bow, and Adora walked closer.

    “Who’s she?” Frosta asked, narrowing her eyes at Adora.

    “Oh, Adora here?” Catra smirked, gripping Adora’s arms from behind, “We found her in the woods. Get a load of this! Apparently, she’s an interdimensional portal hopper.”

The three appeared unfazed, fully believing Catra was just making a bad joke. 

Catra’s ears flopped down, “Just we’re on the same page, you know I’m being serious.”

    At that, the three shifted around and widened their eyes, muttering “What?”, “Huh?” and, “Uh… okay…?” Frosta crossed her arms, standing and glaring at Adora from across the fire.

    “Does she have any proof?” Frosta accused.

    Adora could feel sweat forming on the side of her head as the five stared at her. Catra, in particular, glared at her after pulling her hands away from her arms. Mirroring Frosta, Catra crossed her arms.

    “You know, frostbite has a good point,” Catra added on. Adora noted how endearing it was Catra had a nickname for Frosta in this world. “What sort of proof do you have, Adora?”

Being put on the spot, Adora thought of the only way to gain stranger’s trust. She reached for the hoop bracelet around her wrist. The five shifted, worriedly eyeing Adora as she began to glow — illuminating the base with prismatic colors.

“For the honor of the Rebellion!” Adora chanted, stabbing the sword in the air as she transformed. The group watched in wonder, their jaws virtually on the floor as She-Ra stood before them. Even the cocky Catra couldn’t stop her eyes from falling out of her skull. The eight-foot warrior was too awe-inspiring not to ogle at her.

Ethereal eyes dances around the five, who all observed in silence. Frosta eased her stance, appealed by Adora’s “proof” — if you could call it that. At the very least, it showed them that Adora was an omnipotent ally. And as she nonchalantly shifted back into her normal self, it showed she didn’t want to use her god-like powers on them.

“... I think you could’ve hinted at that, Adora,” Bow gulped.

Adora turned towards him as her sword morphed back into a bracelet, “Is there a She-Ra in this universe?”

Catra appeared vexed at the question, “If there was, she gave up on us a long time ago.”

Adora furrowed her brows at the Magicat. If she knew her better, she’d reach out and comfortingly touch her arm. Was it okay to do that with someone’s prosthetic? Or should she touch Catra’s other arm? In the end, Adora decided against touching her. The vagabond wished to know what was wrong in this dimension… What Glimmer had done.

Her chest still felt heavy with the idea that Glimmer was responsible for all the pain and suffering in the group of friends. Maybe there was a way to reach out to Glimmer, and explain to her what she was doing was wrong. Adora knew Glimmer better than anyone else, and no matter how weird things got, Glimmer was still Glimmer — regardless of the dimension.

“Would it help if I told my story? What happened to me… how I got here?” Adora offered, glancing at everyone in the group.

One would expect Seahawk to erupt in excitement, more than happy to hear about Adora’s adventures. However, the pirate seemed gloom as he hunched near the fire — dark eyes unwavering on Adora.

“I love a good story,” Scorpia beamed, “I don’t see why not.”

Adora told them of her past, starting from her time in the Horde. While she didn’t go horribly into detail, she explained the major milestones of her life since becoming She-Ra; forming the Princess Alliance, befriending Bow and Glimmer, falling out with Catra as she climbed up ranks in the Horde. It felt far more solemn in the group as she told them about when her Catra opened a portal, and Angella sacrificed herself fixing it.

She wondered about Angella’s fate in that dimension. Those were questions she would be able to ask after telling the group of her past. They remained silent as she rambled on. Eventually explaining how Glimmer opened the Heart of Etheria, allowing Light Hope to shift Etheria out of Despondos. Adora wondered if the program ever felt guilt hearing the story told. Light Hope was usually quiet, only speaking to Adora in situations of life or death.

“Seems in character for her,” Catra bitterly noted, unaffected by Adora’s subsequent glare, “You know, the ruining everyone’s lives part.”

Despite only knowing this Catra for a little over an hour, Adora felt irate with her. Never had the hero blamed the situation on Glimmer. It was her and Bow’s fault for making her feel like she couldn’t trust them anymore. She couldn’t feel an ounce of anger after learning Prime had kidnapped Glimmer.

Back then, it felt like the worst time her life. Waking up to the fact Glimmer was gone was heart wrenching. Funny to think about that now, as Adora had woken up to the fact for the past five years. But now, Bow was gone, too, and so were all the friends she had made during her time in the Rebellion.

Her brows shifted, as she scowled at the Magicat that sat next to her, “But she didn’t mean to. She would never do something like that on purpose, “Glimmer cares about others, she cares about me!” her form slouched as she sighed, “All she wanted to do was protect me — protect Etheria! But I was too focused on trying to be her hero, that I forgot how capable she was… It’s just… Glimmer… She’s everything to me.”

Catra erupted in laughter, as everyone appeared uneasy. Casually, the Magicat sipped the steaming tea from her mug. Adora wished to further defend her Glimmer, but Catra wouldn’t give her that chance.

“Oh, this is so adorable,” Catra smirked, coyly shrugging her shoulders and fluttering her lashes at Adora, “Someone’s in love.”

    There was no point in denying it, and Adora proudly confirmed, “I am. And no matter how long it takes, I’ll get back to her.”

    Scorpia beamed, her eyes sparking with a sense of endearment. She excitedly tapped her claws together, internally squealing at the story.

    “Awww! That’s so sweet!” Scorpia giggled, covering her mouth.

    Catra glared at Scorpia across the fire. Promptly, the hopeless romantic calmed down. Mismatched eyes returned to Adora, who could practically feel the venom from Catra eroding her skin.

    “I think it’s time you heard about our Glimmer,” Catra put her prosthetic hand on her cheek, “You know, I was in love with her, too.”

    Adora smiled, “Really?”

    “Yeah,” Catra smirked, “I think we officially broke up after she blew my arm off — don’t worry, we’ll get to that part later.”

    Bow put a hand on Adora’s shoulder, catching her attention as he offered, “If you’d like, you can get some rest for. We can always tell you in the morning.”

    “No. I want to know. Please… tell me what happened here.” Adora prepared herself, ready for anything they would throw at them. Whatever Glimmer did, whatever she was doing, there had to be a reason.

    Bow smiled at her, slumping his elbows against his knees. His hands rubbed together, wondering where to start the story. With a heavy sigh, he decided the beginning was the best.

    “We met her when we were kids… Catra and I found her in the Whispering Woods. The three of us would play together, and Glimmer would rescue Catra when she got stuck in trees,” Bow smiled at the long forgotten memory, as Catra blushed in embarrassment, “As we grew older, we began to fight for the Rebellion... However, the Alliance struggled with loss after loss.”

    “She became a different person because of the war,” Catra’s monotonic voice surprised Adora.

    Thaymor had been seized by the Horde. In the end, Catra found Glimmer amongst the wreckage — a shaking mess. It wasn’t fair Glimmer had to fight in the war. She wanted to, she pushed herself to, but it still wasn’t fair. Catra debated how to comfort her through the whatever horrific scene Glimmer had witnessed.

Catra had to carry Glimmer out, as she was too traumatized to move. It had been a week since the dreadful attack. Glimmer refused to come out of her room, not even to recharge. Most concerning of all, she refused to talk or tell anyone what happened back at Thaymor. The Magicat’s heart felt heavy in her chest, as even the darkest part of her imagination refused to think about what Glimmer witnessed.

    Things would have to go back to normal. Soon, the two would be laughing while they ate cake together with Bow. Despite the fact they were aging into their late teens, they would still have their innocent sleepovers. Ones where they would snuggle close and talk about what they wanted to do after the war ended. Travel, see the world together, help people in need. They talked about wanting a family — a large one at that. Not together, but Catra felt like it was always implied.

Months prior, the two went to Princess Prom together, and Glimmer glowed beneath the bright, vibrant lights of the party. She smiled and laughed so charmingly, confidently dragging Catra to the dance floor. Back then, Catra decided she was falling in love with her childhood friend. They would win this war, and Catra would make the world safe — all for her. Her bubbly innocence, her bright attitude, her strong leadership all made Catra’s heart flutter and her mind race. Who could blame her for catching feelings?

    Withal, Catra was hesitating to invite herself in Glimmer’s room for the first time in her life. Clawed hands stroked the door, thinking things over. Angella had asked Catra to try to talk to Glimmer. She had to do it, for both their sake. She cringed how loud the door sounded as it creaked open.

    “Spark—” Catra stopped herself, knowing now was not the time to be using the teasing nickname, “Glimmer?” Catra let the door shut behind her. She looked up the bed, seeing the princess’ form under a pile of blankets. Promptly, she leapt onto the floating staircase, making it up to her friend’s side. Not an inch of Glimmer was visible, as she lied face down in her pillow. 

    “Glimmer?!” The Magicat’s heart fell out of her chest, seriously thinking for a moment she could’ve been dead. To her relief, a weak sigh was muffled by the pillow. Hesitantly, Catra put a hand on Glimmer’s back, kneeling by her side. “Hey… I’ve been worried about you. Are you doing alright?”

    Slowly, Glimmer emerged from her cocoon. Her hair looked messy and in need of a good wash. Still, Catra smiled as her heart swelled for Glimmer. Lavender eyes were puffy, beating red and dry. Stars know how long she had been crying for. Catra’s hand moved up to the princess’ hair, which lacked its usual shine and sparkle.

    “We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” Catra could only offer a smile, “But please… I want you to recharge. I can carry you there if—”

Catra found herself lost for words as Glimmer sat up, blankly staring at her. Without a word, Glimmer crawled forward — slumping against Catra’s chest. Shaking hands clasped onto Catra’s jacket, desperately pulling her close. Weak sobs were muffled as Glimmer cried into Catra, who was quick to wrap her arms around Glimmer. Catra had no clue what to say, merely stroking the princess’ back as she hiccuped.

Catra stopped herself from purring at the sensation of feeling Glimmer. Never did she think she would so horribly miss their frequent hugs and questionably Platonic snuggling. There they sat for a while, Catra burying her face into her longtime friend’s shoulder. Eventually, Glimmer’s sob began to ease for a moment. Catra was able to look down at Glimmer’s face as the princess settled her cheek against her chest.

It was heartbreaking seeing Glimmer so broken. Clawed hands found the back of the princess’ head, brushing through the tangled mess. Catra could feel Glimmer gulp, breathing in as she attempted to find a way to tell Catra what she witnessed.

In the smallest voice Catra had ever heard Glimmer used, she confessed, “A Force Captain… He... commanded a tanker to...” Glimmer began to lightly pant as she spoke the utterly heartbreaking words, “They were kids, Catra… He… He forced me to watch.”

Catra was unable to process what Glimmer had just said. She deciphered it as it echoed in her mind, yet she refused to accept it. Glimmer had witnessed brutal murders, and was unable to stop it. Guilt gnawed at every inch of Glimmer, refusing to let up. Catra understood why she refused to tell anyone. It would mean reliving the memory.

Tears were beginning to fall onto Catra, as Glimmer once again buried herself in the Magicat’s chest. Her sobs were fiercer, louder and more heartbreaking than before. Catra was lost for words, wishing for Glimmer to simply let all her emotions and anxieties flow out.

 “I’m so tired of sitting back while innocent people die, Catra! I’m tired of being weak! I-I can’t do it anymore!” Glimmer fiercely breathed in, shaking against Catra, “I, I—”

“I’m here for you Glimmer… Whatever you do, I’m here for you,” Catra comforted, rubbing her cheek against Glimmer’s head, “I promise.”

“Glimmer spent a long time researching ways to improve the Rebellion’s forces,” Catra blankly stared into the fire, void of emotion as she continued to speak, “Eventually, she came across text about the Heart of Etheria and how we needed She-Ra to unlock it. But…” She looked at Adora, with only a slight tint of venom, “She-Ra… never came.”

Adora had no idea how to comment. It wasn’t fair to take it personally, and she sure Catra didn’t entirely direct the comment at her. She wasn’t their She-Ra. Just a passing by vagabond, searching for a way home.

Bow broke the tense silence, “Glimmer was at a dead-end, and Angella and her were butting heads more and more… All of that boiled, and it became so much worse after the Horde took Salineas…”

Angella’s booming voice echoed through the halls of Bright Moon, “You can’t just keep rushing in! Glimmer, you almost died today!”

From outside the meeting room, Catra and Bow stealthily pressed themselves against the wall. The mother and daughter were fighting so loudly, the two siblings could easily hear them from the other side.

“We got intel that the Horde was attacking Salineas! Were we just supposed to sit back and watch?! It doesn’t matter that I almost died. People actually died today, mom!” Glimmer’s voice cracked in a painful passion.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you were almost killed!” Angella lost her composure, her words virtually slurring together as she scolded, “What’s worse, you put Bow and Catra in danger! Are you so obsessed with being the hero, you’ve forgotten to think about your loved ones? Have you forgotten your powers are limited?!”

Catra and Bow barely had time to process what the two were screaming at each other. The two merely exchanged stiff glances, ultimately feeling horrible for Glimmer and Angella both.

“Oh?! You’re one to talk, mother. You want to play so safe. You and I get to sit in Bright Moon, safe and sound, while innocent people die! Dad died because you were too much of a coward! This is all your fault!”

It seemed that was the final straw. Bow and Catra could sense the regret and guilt radiating from Glimmer, even from behind the door. It was silent between the mother and daughter. Moments later, the doors flew open. Glimmer stomped out. Upon seeing her friends, her anger only grew. She disappeared in a cloud of sparkles, allowing neither to help her through that day.

“Glimmer was getting burnt out. She was becoming more aggressive and violent in battle,” Bow’s dark eyes lit with a deep sense of regret.

“I… hate to say it,” Catra sighed, flicking her tail around, “But I enabled her choices. I couldn’t say no to her. We were stupid… and in love.”

“Nothing we do is working! Everything I have done, everything I have worked for… It means nothing now!” Glimmer snapped, tears teasing her eyes as her voice faltered.

Outside, a storm was raging. Glimmer’s room was dim, occasionally lit up by the fierce lightning outside. The princess gripped onto her father’s sorcery staff, looking out the window. From behind, Catra looked on, wondering how to comfort her through this.

“I’m going to the Fright Zone, and you can’t stop me,” Glimmer fumed, keeping her back to Catra.

“I won’t. I’ll go with you.”

Glimmer was shocked, pivoting around. The princess looked on with worry. It was a dangerous mission ahead. She didn’t want Catra to engage in something so stubbornly parlous. She attempted to counter her, “Catra—”

“No. You can’t stop me , princess,” Catra smirked, shifting closer to her.

Catra settled her touch on Glimmer’s shoulder. The smaller girl touched her hand, running her fingers over the short fur there. Glimmer returned a smile, feeling Catra’s confidence radiating into her.

“Hey, screw what your mom thinks. You’re brilliant, and strong, Glimmer!” Catra assured, watching a blush form on her cheeks, “One day, we’ll be calling the shots. They’ll stop seeing you as a dumb kid, and start seeing you as the kickass princess you really are. So, let’s go prove them wrong.”

A live wire was connected between the two, as something sparked. Glimmer’s smile softened, as did Catra’s. And for a moment, they forgot they were fighting in a war — and remembered they were just two stupid teenagers, foolishly in love.

Catra always imagine Glimmer’s lips being that soft.

The Fright Zone was a truly dreadful place. The halls were dark, metallic, and rumbled with an unknown eeriness. Catra and Glimmer pressed themselves against the walls, waiting for a group of unsuspecting soldiers to pass by. Neither knew exactly what they were looking for, or what they would find. Something useful would come of this trip, Glimmer could feel it.

Finally, they came across an empty room. A meeting room, by the looks of it. Carefully they entered, Catra standing guard near the door. Glimmer promptly searched, settling her eyes in the center of the room. A table with a map of Etheria could be found. Pieces with the Horde symbol were placed over various towns and kingdoms; Thaymor, Salineas, Plumeria… All taken by the Horde. 

Glimmer’s eyes widened, as she noticed many pieces were placed along the road leading to Dryll — Bright Moon’s only ally kingdom in the war. Glimmer gasped, turning towards Catra.

“They’re going to ambush—” Glimmer stopped as she heard an electrical buzz from behind Catra. Without warning, Catra was electrocuted by an unknown perpetrator. From the door emerged a massive man, with light blue fur. He kicked Catra aside, narrowing his eyes on Glimmer.

She felt immobilizing, realizing she had seen the man before… Back in Thaymor.

“Stop!” Glimmer screamed, attempting to use what little magic she had left to subdue the man, “Those are children, you monster!”

“Anyone that refused to submit is an enemy of the Horde, princess.”

She felt vertigo at the memory, feeling undoubtedly afraid at the sight of the heartless Force Captain. Seeing him tower over Catra’s limp body invigorated a deep rage — one that refused to be tamed. She growled, instantly teleporting over and not caring to conserve her energy. As she manifested behind him, she delivered a fierce kick to his back. Despite their size difference, she easily managed to knock him to the ground.

He attempted to stand, only for Glimmer to blast magic at him. She didn’t give up, tears flaring in her eyes over the hatred she felt for the man. He grunted in pain, unable to counter Glimmer as she kept up her onslaught — dropping his taser during the onslaught.

“You remember, back in Thaymor,” Glimmer snarled, “Back when you killed those children, you coward!”

Defensively, he covered his face with arms. He continued to shake, even after realizing the princess had stopped her frenzy. She glared down at him, manifesting a staff into her hand. The end of the staff was driven into his throat, forcing a choke out of him. Memories of that night at Thaymor flooded her head as she pushed harder.

His claws wrapped around her head, strongly coercing her to look forward — forcing her to watch as they heartlessly slaughter those children. Forcing her eyelids open, making her take in every gruesome detail. His sickening, sadistic laugh filled her ears, making her stomach churn. Glimmer clawed at his arms, but failing to escape his grip.

“C’mon, princess,” he strengthened his grip on her head, nearly boring his claws into her skin, “Take a good look.”

Their screams echoed in her head, as her soul left her body. The hellish noises, the grotesque sight, the laughter of the Force Captain — it drained every ounce of life from her. All of her hope, all of her confidence seemed to be squeezed out of her. Never in her life had she felt so afraid, so lost, so utterly broken. She didn’t think it could get any worse than it already was — not until the captain leaned close to her.

“You could’ve saved them if you weren’t so weak,” he venomously teased.

“Tell me,” Glimmer’s eyes were just as crazed now as they were back then, “Can you still hear them screaming like I can?! Do you lose sleep at night thinking about what you did?!”

She needed to be more brutal than them. More brutal than the monster that ordered the slaughter of those innocent children. More brutal than the tank driver that ran over them without a second thought. More brutal than Hordak, or anyone in the Horde. Glimmer placed her foot over his throat, blasting him with magic as he struggled. Her stare narrowed, continuing her choke despite his inaudible pleas.

She expected to rage inside her to die down as he died. Yet, all she could feel as she looked down at the limp body was disgust — namely, disgust of herself. She thought this would bring closure, but it never did. Killing him wouldn’t bring those children back, nor would it erase her traumatizing memories that were etched into her soul.

Catra . She turned around, burying her guilt in order to care for her. However, Glimmer was met with the sight of a strange woman — one with long, flowing jet black hair, and a red mask that obscured every inch of her face.

“Stay away from her!” Glimmer barked, defensively sparking magic in her clutched fists.

However, the woman didn’t seem interested in Catra. Only doting her gaze for a moment to the Magicat, before turning back to Glimmer. “You are Micah’s daughter, are you not?”

Glimmer flinched, quietly gasping yet not letting her guard down, “How do you know my father!?”

The strange woman walked — no, levitated closer. Glimmer tensed more and more the closer she came.

“I was his teacher in Mystacor, child. He was the most talented sorcerer I have ever come across. Princess, you don’t realize how powerful you are,” the woman narrowed her eyes, straying uncomfortably close, “You have grown to be brave like your father. But you can be even greater if you toughen up. Don't regret this decision, princess. If you accept my alliance, I can help you teleport back home.”

A gray hand with sharp nails reached out. Lavender eyes looked down, as thoughts raced through her mind.
    “... Why? Why are you doing this?” Glimmer’s voice was small, losing its edge from earlier.

“I sense greatness in you, Glimmer. You are far superior to Hordak, or any of the princesses. It’s time you embrace that.”

There was a tense silence as Glimmer looked at the woman. Micah was rolling in his grave as Glimmer reached forward, accepting the hand.

    “All I remember is being knocked out and waking up in Bright Moon. She was so stupid to ever trust that witch,” Catra hissed, digging her fingers into her arms, “I’m still not sure how she was able to keep Shadow Weaver a secret for so long. Maybe because her and her mother never talked anymore after what happened in Thaymor.”

    Adora struggled to believe what she was being told. However, the world around her seemed bleak. There had to be a solid explanation as to why it was that way.

“Shadow Weaver started to teach Glimmer dark magic. Nobody realized how powerful Glimmer was becoming…” Catra’s solemn gaze into the fire darkened further, “... or how corrupted.”

Maybe it was a horrible idea to start a relationship when things were so fucked up in the world. Withal, for both of them, it provided an escape — a faded fantasy of what the two used to talk about so naively under the covers as kids. 

And still, months into their relationship, Catra could feel her heart race around Glimmer. Especially the fleeting moments they spent alone, finding comfort and safety in each other’s arms. Catra wanted this war to end so Glimmer could feel safe with her — truly let her walls down with Catra. Yet, trauma still plagued the princess. Guilt gnawed at every inch of her. People were dying. And Glimmer was fortunate enough to be able to love in safety. It wasn’t fair.

They started to argue once Glimmer told Catra about the dark magic she was learning. At first, it was astonishment and borderline amazement. Catra was charmed by what Glimmer could do, and was still proud of her at the end of the day. Withal, the Magicat couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something wrong about all of it. Hiding Shadow Weaver, learning dark arts — it felt dangerous.

Catra didn’t want things to end. She wanted things to stay the way they were — as simple as possible. She wanted to ignore these problems, but that would just let them fester into something horrible.

And it did.

The gardens at Bright Moon felt gloom that day. Where once, it was a favorite spot for the two, it was now a verbal battleground. They stood, face to face, grimacing at one another.

“Glimmer, she’s using you! Why can’t you see that?” Catra implored, gripping onto Glimmer’s arm.

Bitterly, Glimmer pulled her arm away. She turned her back to Catra, hiding the angry tears forming in her eyes. Once again, someone was skeptical of her choices.

“Shadow Weaver is the first person to believe in me, to not see me as the weak Princess!” Glimmer sneered, “She’s helping me see what I can become.”

    Catra’s heart sank to her feet. Here was the girl she grew up with, the one she fell in love with. From the moment they were just two innocent kids that met in Whispering Woods, Catra looked up to her. She didn’t care that Glimmer had to recharge. To her, Glimmer was always perfect, in a sense. A clawed hand brushed down Glimmer’s arm, as Catra shifted close to her girlfriend.

“I… I’ve always believed in you, Glimmer. You’ve always been my girl,” Catra’s voice faltered with heartbreak, as she fought back the tears in her eyes, “Why can’t you see that…?”

Glimmer wanted to pivot around and kiss her — pretend everything was normal once again. She wanted to melt into Catra’s doting touch. At times, it felt like she was the last person who truly cared about Glimmer. Withal, she still pitied Glimmer. And Glimmer knew in the back of Catra’s mind, she doubted Glimmer. Even now, her own girlfriend couldn’t trust her.

It was breaking her fragile heart. Things would never be simple ever again. Everything was getting more complicated every day. Tears swelled in her lavender eyes. She wanted Catra to wipe them away, give her false promises that one day they’d see the world together.

But she was used to false promises. Bitterly, Glimmer slapped Catra’s hand away. After pivoting around, she met mismatched eyes that were full of concern. Yet, she couldn’t care how much Catra wanted to fix things.

“Why can’t you trust me?! You’re just like everyone else!” Glimmer clutched her fists, growling before snapping, “All everyone does is hold me back! I’m sick of it! I’m sick of you !”

    Glimmer reached to wipe her tears, fiercely hiccuping as she couldn’t hold back anymore. She had truly snapped, unable to feel anything but anger. No one cared what she had been through, nor could they see her for who she was. Not even Catra. And as the Magicat attempted to reach out, she was only met with an explosive cloud of sparkles.

    Adora was sure she’d be able to hear a branch snap from a mile away over the dead, cold silence that befell the group. Catra appeared truly drained. She opened her mouth many times, but nothing came out. Adora was sure beneath the illumination of the flames, she could catch a tear falling down Catra’s cheek.

“Nobody could have seen what was coming next,” Bow spoke lowly, void of any emotion.

“Not only are you hiding a sworn enemy of your father,” Angella scolded, standing tall before Glimmer in the throne room, “But you’re also tapping into dark magic?! How foolish are you, Glimmer?!”

“Say it, mom! You think I’m stupid and useless!” Glimmer blinked back her aggravated tears.

Angella didn’t doubt her statement, only countering with, “Glimmer, I think you’re too tenacious to realize your ideas are reckless! You’re negligent of everyone around you—
    “Oh! Says the coward of a queen that sits in her quaint little palace while people die!” Glimmer stomped close, craning her neck up at her much taller mother.

Angella appeared lost for words for a moment, only baring her teeth and flapping her wings as she commanded, “Glimmer, that’s—”

“Stop! Just, stop!” Glimmer shook her head, clawing at her hair as she venomously spat, “All you do is hog all the power for yourself, and play it as safe as possible!” In the spur of the moment, Glimmer pumped her fist to the side — manifesting her father’s staff in her hand.

Suddenly, dark aura radiated from Glimmer. She began to cast a spell, keeping her visceral glare on Angella. Angella tensed up, having no idea what was about to happen. Magical black ribbons pulled at Angella’s legs, causing her to gasp and look down at her daughter in fear.

“Glimmer?! What has gotten into you?” Angella demanded, her fist lighting up. However, her daughter didn’t answer — merely continuing her venomous glare. The ribbons began to trek up the queen’s body, snaking around her waist. Eventually, they reached her throat. Once there, they began to tightly squeeze.

“Glimmer!” Fearing her very life, Angella grabbed onto Glimmer’s staff with all her strength — focusing all her magic on it. Magic swelled within the wood of the staff until—

Crack!

The ribbons stopped their trek. Dark aura escaped Glimmer as she appeared to snap out of the anger consuming her. Both mother and daughter watched as the top of Micah’s staff fell to the ground. Angella’s heart broke as Glimmer mindlessly stare at the broken section of the staff.

“Glimmer…?” Angella timidly murmured, “Glimmer, I’m so—”

However, anger still boiled in Glimmer. Her fist clutch the broken staff, as energy swelled in the other. Before she could land a blast onto her mother, Angella flew up — evading the attack. Glimmer pivoted around, glowering up at her.

“Running away, like you always do, huh mom?!” Glimmer growled, dropping the broken staff. Energy swelled in her hands as she blindly threw her magic forward. Once again, Angella dodged. However, the energy broke an oil lamp on a nearby pillar. It shattered over a fabric banner, setting it ablaze.

Mother and daughter were too focused on one another to notice the disaster at hand. Angella turned, seeing loyal guards attempting to run in.

“I can handle this! I command you to leave us be!” Angella demanded. Hesitantly, they complied. Deep down, Angella had no idea how to handle this. Glimmer tossed more magic at her, her rage failing to die down. The princess only grew more frustrated with each failed blast, and Angella failed to think of what to do.

“After dad died, what did you do, mother!?” Glimmer hatefully thundered, her voice echoing above the growing fire and magical blasts, “You sat back as innocent people died! You let the Princess Alliance fall apart! And when I tried to clean up your mess, you held me back! Everything I do is to help those in need but that doesn’t matter to you! You’ve never been proud of me!”

In a moment of rued hesitation, Angella stopped mid-flight. Violet eyes looked down at her daughter. For a brief, fleeting second, she envisioned the child she once held so dearly. Back then, she never thought things could ever be so visceral between them. The love that swelled in her heart for Glimmer was far greater than the love for Micah, or anyone for that matter. Withal, her own flesh and blood didn’t seem to feel the same way.

Glimmer teleported midair in the space behind Angella, planting a strong magical blast onto her back. The force was great enough to toss Angella down, skidding harshly onto the floor in front of her throne. Fire was now spread throughout most of the throne room, and the heat was growing unbearable. However, Glimmer was strongly motivated by the malice in her heart.

Pain shook through every fiber of the queen’s body. Brokenheartedness vanquished her as her daughter teleported up. Glimmer grabbed the top section of the broken staff, once again radiating with dark energy. She stomped on the queen’s collarbone, glaring down at her.

“I hope you’re proud now,” Glimmer quietly seethed. The black aura transformed, morphing into the same ribbons from earlier. They snaked around Angella’s body once again, quickly finding a way back around Angella’s throat. Yet, the queen frailly smiled up at her daughter.

“Glimmer… You are right. I am a coward,” Angella admitted, fighting back the choking sensation starting to tighten around her throat.

Glimmer stood emotionless, glaring down at her mother. There was nothing moving within her mind or soul — both completely empty slates as violet eyes looked at her with a careful, doting love. 

“Before your father died, I swore to him I would protect you. It’s my fault that you are now what you sought to destroy… No matter what happens, I will always be so proud of you, my dear Glimmer,” Angella tenderly brightened her smile, “I’ve known that since the first time I held you in my arms.”

Perhaps Angella was being genuine. For a moment, Glimmer truly considered that. The way her eyes still looked at her with so much love, even as the ribbons squeezed tighter around her throat, pinged a wave of hesitation through Glimmer.

However, things were no longer simple. Maybe they never were.

She turned her back to her dying mother, her soulless gaze settling on the growing flames. Glimmer didn’t want to have to watch her die. However, one fact still echoed through her head—

“I have to be more brutal than them,” she murmured aloud.

Moments later, an ethereal wave of energy flowed within Glimmer. With her eyes glowing white, she dropped the broken staff. Divine power flowed within her, projecting prismatic wings from her back. Her entire body glowed a blinding pink.

Bright Moon had a new queen now.

Adora couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Everything up until this point, she had bitterly accepted with an air of doubt. But Glimmer wasn’t capable of killing — she was too loyal, loving, caring — that wasn’t possible in Adora’s mind. All she could picture was the woman of her literal dreams. Someone that was a perfect saint in her mind.

“No! Glimmer wouldn’t do something like that! Shadow Weaver must’ve put her under a mind control spell or something,” Adora alleged, anxiously standing from her spot on the log, “I have to talk to her or something, I—”

A clawed hand fiercely grabbed Adora’s wrist, pulling her back down. Catra pulled her ears back, baring her teeth at Adora.

“That is the dumbest idea I have ever heard from anyone! She has control of all the Runestones, and she has the Sword of Protection!” Catra badgered.

    Adora was floored. She didn’t even think it was possible for someone to be connected to more than one Runestone. How could someone handle so much magic? Then again, all those years ago, it was Adora and Glimmer that bore the brunt of the magic of the Heart. Adora had no words, no way to naively defend Glimmer.

Catra’s eyes narrowed as she removed her grip from Adora, “After she gained the full power of the Moonstone, she was unstoppable. Not even Hordak stood a slither of a chance against her… You’d think she’d stop with him.”

    For a moment, Adora felt a bit proud that Glimmer had executed Hordak and stopped the Horde. However, that pride soon faded.

“Glimmer had become a master sorceress. One by one, she took all the Runestones. She kidnapped Mermista, Perfuma, Netossa, and Spinerella… and Bow and I tracked her the whole way. Eventually, we caught up to her in the Kingdom of Snows…”

Bow and Catra had arrived too late to the Fractal Flake’s chamber. There, the two gasped at the sight before them. Frosta was ensnared within a spell casting that immobilized her to the ground. Ice spiked out of the ground in various places — evidence of an intense scuffle. Behind it all stood the two’s former closest friend.

Catra’s heart skipped a beat, immobilized by the sight of her former girlfriend. Well, now that she was looking at her, had they really ever broken up? Since they had last seen each other, Glimmer had begun to grow her hair out. The ends of her purple locks seamlessly faded into a jet black, and the sparkles in the bouncy waves of her hair were brighter than ever before — a clear indication that her magic was strong.

    A dark cape flowed beneath her long hair. As Glimmer turned around, it was apparent that beneath the cape sparkled with the same alluring hues as her night sky hair. Dark armor accentuate her ample form, fitting tightly around her chest. A furious blush coated every inch of the Magicat’s face as she looked down, noticing the queen’s black leg garters and total lack of pants.

Glimmer was like a siren. Her glowing, captivating fuchsia eyes narrowing as they settled on Catra, her black lips forming a coy smile. A melodic laughter sang from Glimmer.

    “It was so kind for you two to finally visit with me,” Glimmer specifically stared at Catra, twirling a lock of her long hair as she teased, “You must miss me terribly, Catra.”

Catra felt her heart flutter, being naively pulled in by her — her mind clouded, forgetting her priorities for a moment. Hearing her voice and having her so close again — it was all so tempting. 

“Glimmer, you have to stop!” Bow’s voice echoed through the chamber, snapping Catra out of the spell, “You killed Hordak. Why do you need all this power?”

Glimmer attitude seemed to change on the spot. Magic, light pink electricity formed in her palms. Promptly after, Bow drew an arrow from his quiver, pulling it back and aiming for Glimmer. Her heels clicked against the ice as she walked towards them. 

“So, this is how it ends for us? The two of you betraying me. You both said you would support me. What changed?” Glimmer retaliated, dancing her glare between the two.

Catra wanted to answer her, to apologize for not believing in her hard enough. She never pushed Glimmer to get help after what happened in Thaymor, and she was the one to enable Glimmer until she took things way too far.

But Bow answered for Catra, “ You changed, Glimmer. Don’t you see? You’ve become just like the Horde.”

Glimmer truly wasn’t fond of his answer. The magic in her hands only heightened, the bolts of magic flaring uncontrollably. Sparks illuminated the queen, while prismatic wings manifested on her back, intimidatingly spreading wide.

“I am not t hem !” her voice thundered, shaking Catra to her very core, “As queen, I order you to put your weapon down!”

For a moment, there was a tense silence as the three stared each other down. Bow kept his arrow pulled back, aimed perfectly at Glimmer. Before him stood his best friend, someone he once couldn’t picture his life without. There was a monster inside her, one that controlled her every action. One that would cause massive misery if left unchecked. Bow closed his eyes, blinking and letting a single tear shed.

Catra attempted to reach out to him, “Bow, don’t—”

    The arrow shot forward, perfectly aimed towards the queen’s chest. Instantaneously, Glimmer shot the electricity from her palms. It perfectly split the arrow in half, leaving it to skid on the icy floor below. However, the bolt continued on. Fuchsia eyes widened — for once, feeling regret.

    Catra could only watch in fear as the electricity bore into Bow. He screamed as it flowered through his body, charring through his armor. Bow fell limp, and Catra immediately caught him.

    “Bow?!” Catra couldn’t stop the violent flow of tears from her eyes if she tried. Her heart swelled as he refused to open his eyes or move. “Bow, come on, please!”

    The icy cold heart of the queen was heating up. Before Glimmer, Catra clung onto her unconscious brother. All the memories Glimmer had with him and Catra flooded her mind — growing up with them, fighting alongside them, being able to laugh and have fun despite the war brewing in Etheria. Glimmer folded her ethereal wings, putting up a hand to her fluttering heart.

    “Bow…?” Glimmer called out, her voice small as she attempted to apologize, “I’m sorry, I—”

    “You!” Catra retaliated with corroding venom, blinking back furious tears, “How could you, Glimmer?!”

    Bow didn’t deserve this. There was no reason for him to get hurt. Glimmer wasn’t the best at healing spells, but she could try. However, as she walked closer, Catra defensively hissed and held her brother closer. “Stay away, you monster!”

    Monster . Was that what she had become to Catra? No longer her best friend, her lover — just a cold-blooded monster. Glimmer had fulfilled her wish. She was no longer seen as weak or worthy of pity.

    The pink aura in her hands became darker — morphing into a dark violet. Her wings transformed from their alluring array of pastel to an electric purple. Catra looked on with a mixture of fear and malice, refusing to let go of Bow. Once again, Glimmer folded out her wings as sparkles illuminated the chamber.

    “Let me heal him, Catra,” Glimmer demanded.

    However, Catra refused to back down. She only learned so from the best. To think that once, she was charmed by Glimmer’s stubbornness. Gently, Catra placed Bow down before standing up. Mismatched eyes glared into fuchsia ones, attempting to read her next action.

    As soon as Catra swiftly reached for the whip on her belt, Glimmer teleported. Fearing this, Catra lunged forward and skid across the ice. Behind her, Glimmer had manifested — her fists flaring with the dark violet aura. Glimmer looked down at Bow, and the aura calmed down for just a moment. In Glimmer’s second of hesitation, Catra shot her whip forward. It clanked against the metal of Glimmer’s breastplate, as Catra began an onslaught.

    Knowing Glimmer would teleport again, Catra once again leapt away — this time, onto an icy pillar that Frosta had made during her battle with Glimmer. Glimmer looked up at Catra, dark aura surrounding her as she began to conjure a spell. Within the brief pause, Catra saw a prime opportunity. Catra jumped down, evading the black ribbons that sought to grab her.

    Within only seconds, Catra lunged at Glimmer. They tumbled and skidded across the ice, but Catra was physically stronger than Glimmer. She was able to pin Glimmer down, shoving a hand against her chest as locked the queen’s legs between her own. Glimmer reached out, grasping Catra's throat and bitterly snarling. Electricity sparked against Catra’s neck, making her fur stand up on end. In the heat of the moment, Catra forgot everything. How Glimmer once loved her as much as she loved her.

    To think that years ago, the two promised to live a happy life with each other. They promised to take care of each other under the warm sheets of Glimmer’s bed. And to think things were once so simple. Withal, that wasn’t on Catra’s mind as she drew her sharp claws. All that she could think of was how Glimmer betrayed her and Bow both.

    And she could only feel regret after she slashed at the siren’s throat. In her moment of reluctance and weakness, Glimmer brought a hand to Catra’s arm. Fury clouded Glimmer’s eyes, not caring about the blood trickling from the wound on her throat. Glimmer needed to be more brutal than them — to make sure no one innocent life would ever end at the hand of tyranny again, to protect Etheria until her very last breath.

    And if hurting Catra meant getting that, then so it would be.

Magic conjured in Glimmer’s palm, scathingly hot against Catra’s arm. Mismatched eyes couldn’t care, blinded by the hot tears forming within them. Catra’s rabbit heart nearly fell out of her chest.

    “Glimmer, I’m sorry—”

    Withal, it was too late. Magic bore deep into Catra’s arm, fur being stripped away as light aura crowded her flesh. Horrifyingly, her arm was being torn open from the inside by the strong aura. Catra couldn’t scream, she couldn’t move — too immobilized by the glare Glimmer gave.

    Thud .

    Suddenly, Catra’s head became light. Her vision was too blurry to make out the sight left behind Glimmer’s infernal touch. Catra reached out to feel her right arm, but there was nothing there. Only a ghost of what she used to have.

    Barely could she process Glimmer teleporting. Catra fell against the cold ice below, watching in horror as Glimmer manifested near Bow. She fought the pain in her shoulder as she used her only arm to feebly crawling towards the two. With all her might, she could only move a single inch before her cheek planting against the ice once again.

    “B… ow…” Catra cried out, barely audible.

    Light pink aura surrounded Glimmer’s hands as she knelt down to Bow’s side. She placed a hand to his chest, and Bow began to glow with a prismatic aura. Glimmer placed another hand to her throat over the three gash marks that still profusely bled. Catra could barely keep her eyes open, but felt a stir in her heart as Bow tiredly sat up.

    Catra heaved, desperately trying to breathe as much as she possibly could. Yet the pain in her shoulder was growing unbearable. Her eyes closed for what only felt like a second. Once she opened them again, she was suddenly on her back. Glowing fuchsia eyes met her gaze. The pain on her shoulder was greatly eased as Glimmer took her hand away.

    Catra fought her spinning head. Just barely was she able to sit up, watching as Glimmer walked over to Frosta. The young princess appeared frightened, silent as Glimmer removed the magical restraints. Glimmer placed her hand on the child’s head, and aura flew out from the touch. Frosta appeared dazed — as Glimmer had used a memory wipe spell, only wiping the most recent events from the child’s mind.

    At the end of it all, Glimmer didn’t want to be a monster. She didn’t want the visual of her blasting Catra’s arm off to be engrained within the child’s memory. Glimmer kept her back turned to the three as her wings vanished. She stared up at the Fractal Flake, ignoring the stares that bore into her.

“Get out of my sight,” Glimmer mumbled, her tone only fiercely increasing as she commanded, “If I ever see any you again, I won’t be so kind. Leave!”

    The three escaped together, running far away from the Kingdom of Snows. It wasn’t long after that Frosta lost her powers. The color drained from her hair, turning a dark navy. Despite his rough condition, Bow was the one that had to carry her after she passed out. Catra could barely think about how she had lost an arm that day.

    Every time she thought of Glimmer, her heart sank to her chest. She was gone, good as dead to Catra. Things would never be simple again.

    It wasn’t much later on when Glimmer sat on her throne. The new guards of Bright Moon were more talented and diverse than ever. People from all over Etheria swore their loyalty to her. Various species occupied the castle, as did many sorcerers. The Sorcerer’s Guild stayed an ally to Bright Moon.

    Shadow Weaver knelt before her. Behind the queen, the sun was setting — illuminating the throne room in a peachy orange. Guards glared the sorceress down, yet the queen gave her a coy smile. With her legs crossed, she rested her chin in her fingers. Shadow Weaver could feel herself sweating and her heart pacing. Deep down, she had a bad feeling about all of this.

“My queen, you asked for me?” Shadow Weaver dared to look up at her.

“Yes,” Glimmer looked down at her nails, appearing disinterested, “I have come to realize, there’s another Runestone I would like — that being the Black Garnet, of course.”

“But my queen! You already have many Runestones! It’s only fair you let me keep the Black Garnet’s power,” Shadow Weaver begged.

Glimmer leered down at the sorceress. She shifted from her slumped position, entwining her fingers together in front of her as she leaned forward.

“Are you denying your own queen what she wants?” Glimmer condemned, narrowing her ethereal, glowing eyes.

Shadow Weaver could feel the glare of the many guards in the room digging into her. Angered chattering filled the room, as she began to fear for her very life. Still, the sorceress was just as stubborn as the queen.

“You’re being an insolent fool,” Shadow Weaver hissed as she stood, “Have you forgotten I am the precise reason you are sitting on that throne?!”

“Oh?” Glimmer cocked an eyebrow, “Shadow Weaver, I figured you out a long time ago. It’s been your plan all along to betray me at some point, hm?”

Shadow Weaver gasped, but kept still as she flatly lied, “I would never double-cross you, my queen.”

However, Shadow Weaver was the fool. After the queen had teleported in front of her and began to conjure a spell, Shadow Weaver knew she had messed up. A perfectly executed truth spell was placed on the sorceress. Glimmer glared up at the taller woman, her coy smile fading.

“Let’s try that again,” Glimmer demanded, “You planned on betraying me all along, haven’t you?”

A threatening silence befell the room. Shadow Weaver could feel sweat beading down her face. For once in her life, she felt truly afraid. She tried everything in her power to hold back what the spell was compelling her to say, but it grew too hard to fight back. “Yes.”

Glimmer’s coy smile returned. Shadow Weaver was immobilized, unable to predict what she would do next. Simply, the queen teleported back to her throne. She crossed her hands over her lap, sitting up straight.

“I am awaiting your extolment, Shadow Weaver. Have I not beaten you at your own game?”

Shadow Weaver could only admit defeat, “How could I ever expect to get the upper hand on you?”

“I’ll sure miss you, but I’ll be fine. After all, I have many new friends,” Glimmer looked past Shadow Weaver, “Like my dear Double Trouble here.”

Shadow Weaver turned around, meeting face to face with… herself — an absolutely flawless replica. Suddenly, the clone was surrounded in black energy. The reptilian shape-shifter mirrored Glimmer’s coy smile, as their Nictitating membranes blinked over their eyes.

“Neat trick, right?” Glimmer beamed, “But I think it’s time Rue and the others… take care of you.”

    A massive dark gray goat-like woman emerged from the group of guards. Her horns curled, decorated with hanging bracelets. She grabbed onto Shadow Weaver, pulling her away under Glimmer’s command.

    Glimmer felt nothing as Shadow Weaver was executed. Now that the Black Garnet was hers for the taking, that only left one major Runestone left.

    The Sword of Protection.

    Things were looking bleak. Glimmer never specifically put a warrant or anything out for Catra or Bow. It seemed the queen and her guards had no qualms with the sparse members of the Rebellion going into town. Catra rarely went, as her arm was a dead giveaway to her identity. Their dads were able to find a doctor for Catra. Bow was the one to engineer a prosthetic for her. It took awhile to get it right, but after a while, the arm almost felt natural. She’d be never able to thank Bow enough.

    It was one night as Catra sat in the tent she shared with Frosta and Scorpia that she felt… something. A strange, weird feeling. In her dreams, she heard a voice. Withal, when she woke up, she had no memory of what the voice exactly said. Still, something deep within her was beckoning her to go somewhere. Catra attempted to ignore the strange feeling, burying it down as she tossed in her sleeping bag.

    With her heart aflutter and her mind racing, that wouldn’t happen any time soon. Catra quietly got up from her sleeping bag. Quietly, Catra grabbed her prosthetic, cloak, and whip before leaving the tent.  It was late into the cold night. While it never snowed in the Whispering Woods, the air was frigid — piercing her skin through her fur. Catra ignored it, too focused on the sinking feeling in her chest as she looked into the woods.

    It was best to go alone. Being a Magicat, she was able to traverse in the darkness. Without a soul seeing her, she began her trek into the woods. She flinched with every snap of a twig and movements in the tall trees that creaked in the gale.

Various nocturnal creatures trilled, sang, and hooted, aiding to Catra’s paranoia. It seemed she trekked the forest for hours. At some point, she was losing the strange feeling in her chest. After a change of course, the feeling returned. Something was navigating her, pulling her somewhere. If she ever got lost, she could climb the trees and eventually find the lights of the Rebellion campsite. Still, every noise earned a jolt, a stare, and a relieved sigh from Catra. Her fur was standing up on its end.

Catra’s ears perked up as she heard a loud, rhythmic noise, soon realizing it was the sound of wings flapping. Broad, deep strokes — suggesting whatever was flying wasn’t a songbird or something akin. She reached for the whip on her belt, pinning her back against a tree as the flapping grew even louder. Whatever it was, it landed incredibly close to Catra. Catra peaked from behind the tree, mismatched eyes nearly falling out of her skull.

Glimmer? What…? What is she doing here? Catra thought to herself, watching the queen touchdown in a small clearing. The prismatic wings on Glimmer’s back retracted, as she appeared to observe at the surrounding area. Catra gasped Glimmer began to turn towards where she was. She pressed herself to the tree, feeling her heart practically jump from her chest.

After a few moments, Catra dared to look back. Glimmer had begun to walk deeper into the woods, in the same direction Catra felt compelled to walk. Catra climbed up a tree, deciding to observe Glimmer from the canopies. She was stealthy as she jumped, cursing the fact her right arm lacked claws. Withal, Glimmer failed to notice the Magicat. At one point, the feeling in Catra’s chest became overwhelmingly heavy. As she closed her eyes, she heard the voice again.

“Catra.”

Catra gripped onto her head, temporarily losing her grip on the branch she was settled on. She lost her balance, falling through the thick canopy. The branches she plummeted through softened the blow as she fell on her bottom. She recovered from the recoil as quick as possible, shooting up from where she stood—

    “Lost, kitten?”

    Glimmer had teleported over, coyly smiling at Catra from only a few feet away. Catra tensed up, reaching for the whip at her waist. To her dismay, aura surrounded her whip as it levitated from her grip. Glimmer grabbed onto it, tossing it into the nearby bushes.

    “None of that, love,” Glimmer teased. The two stood silent, merely eyeing on another. Glimmer’s coy smile faded as she observed Catra’s prosthetic. “Why are you here?”

    Catra narrowed her eyes, “I live here. So, I should be asking you that, love .”

    “I don’t need to tell you.”

    “So, I don’t need to tell you, either.”

    Glimmer crossed her arms, and suddenly, Catra feared further for her life. Despite being shorter than Catra, Glimmer was ultimately intimidating as she walked closer.

“... You have some guts standing up to me, Catra. It’s almost endearing.” The corner of her lip curled, “Care to join me?”

Catra’s ears perked up, beaming sarcastically, “Sure, I’d love to!” After a moment of silence, her ears shifted back, “What game are you playing, Glimmer? You want my other arm?”

“No. I’m trying to find the Sword of Protection. So, I’ll ask again. Join me,” Glimmer’s request seemed to be more so a command, “I need the company.”

    Catra gulped as Glimmer shifted away. Rigidly, the Magicat walked to her side as they began their journey further into the woods. A light shiver flowered across Catra’s body, both out of apprehension and spite. Only occasionally did she dare to glance at the queen, whose eyes and hair-sparkles shone brightly under the darkness of the canopy. Glimmer looked over, making Catra flinch and stare forward.

    Catra’s heart twirled as Glimmer lightly giggled. Even after everything, her heart was racing around Glimmer. Less out of fear and anger and more out of the feelings she once held for her… or maybe—

“Admiring the view? If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’re still in love with me,” Glimmer held her hand to her chest, coyly blinking her long lashes at her former girlfriend. Then again, they never formally broke up.

“Forgetting something, princess?” Catra held up her prosthetic arm — the precise implication that yes , they were now exes.

When she looked over at Glimmer, there were too many emotions swirling in her mind — ire, misgivings, irritation… Withal, she was still enthralled with the siren. Her hair was even longer now, spilling over her shoulders in beautiful waves.

Both of them still held onto that wish — that things could be simple again. How long had it been since that fateful fight? A year? The days seem to drag on as of late. Glimmer’s coy smile seem to fade after some time. 

“There’s still good in you, Glimmer,” Catra teased.

Glimmer leered, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, what was that about? Back at the Kingdom of Snows?” Catra beamed, “Blasting my damn arm off and then healing me?”

The two laughed, despite the utter seriousness of the situation. A genuine smile perked Glimmer’s lips. Not the coy, haughty one she usually gave — the one the old Glimmer used to have. Catra’s stomach twisted as their steps slowed. She wanted to reach out, she wanted to fix things so badly.

“Glimmer, I never thought you were weak. Even when you had to recharge your powers, you were the strongest person I knew. And now—”

“I’m a monster,” Glimmer spoke monotonic.

Catra’s heart stopped. Glimmer self-consciously crossed her arms, as her form somewhat slumped. The strange feeling in Catra’s chest was growing, but she couldn’t care to notice. Not when Glimmer finally was letting her walls down. The queen sighed as she observed the dark forest ahead. 

"Do you think things would work out…?” Glimmer shrugged her shoulders, “You know, with us. If things hadn't gotten so messy."

With that, Catra’s heart was fractured a little more. Somewhere beneath the divine siren, there was a fragile consciousness. One that desired love and recognition for what she had done. Despite her methods, at the end of it all, Glimmer stopped the Horde. Mismatched eyes twinkled at her former best friend — the woman she once couldn’t get enough of.

“Maybe in a different universe… yeah,” Catra murmured. For a moment, Catra genuinely thought Glimmer had lowered her walls. But once she considered reaching towards the siren’s arm, they were both distracted by a glowing sight ahead.

“Catra.”

The voice echoed in her head once again, as her chest grew tight. Suddenly, a hand was around her wrist. Instantaneously, Glimmer teleported them in front of the glowing source. Before them, a sword was entangled in vines. Suddenly, the feeling in Catra’s chest was tearing her apart, and the voice was clearer than ever before—

“Catra!”

Catra pulled at the hair on her head, growling as she asked, “Can you hear—”

She looked up, seeing Glimmer walking close to the sword. Despite the tear in her chest, Catra ran up. Desperately, she grabbed Glimmer by the wrist. Her prosthetic fingers entwined with the queen’s, silently begging her to stop.

“Is this really what you want?” Catra pleaded, “Power? Respect? Do you want people to fear you? Glimmer, you don’t need more power. When will anything ever be enough for you? You were more than enough for me, Glimmer,” Tears welled up in her eyes, as she fiercely sobbed, “But was I ever enough for you?!”

Glimmer bitterly pulled her hand away as she pivoted towards Catra. Their faces were only within inches of each other.

“There you go, making things about you again. You were the one that promised to be there for me, no matter what! So, what happened?!” Glimmer demanded to know.

“You did this to yourself, Glimmer!” Catra hunched closer to Glimmer, their noses practically touching, “None of this is my fault! Why are you blaming me?!”

Glimmer’s glowing eyes blinked with tears, “Because you broke our promise, Catra! You were the one person to ever make me feel safe…”

Catra choked on the lump in her throat. Everything felt so confusing, so complicated. All she wanted was things to be normal again. For the two to fall asleep together as they promised the world to each other. Never had Catra loved someone so much. In spite of the horrible things Glimmer had done, Catra could only see the girl she fell in love with all those years ago.

It was wrong for them to kiss. To entwine their hands in each other's hair and pull each other close. Both of them knew how absolutely wrong it was, but damn — it filled the painful fractures of their heart, just for a little while. Tears fell down their cheeks, enjoying the bittersweet moment.

It felt so simple.

That simplicity only faded as Catra felt her body stiffen. She looked down, seeing that Glimmer had cast a spell on her — an immobilizing one. Without an ounce of reluctance, Glimmer turned her back to Catra.

“Glimmer… Please,” Catra begged.

“But I was never meant to feel safe. I’m only weak when people hold me back,” Glimmer bitterly murmured, using the power of the Heart-Blossom to pull back the vines, “I never needed anyone. Not you, not Bow, and certainly not She-Ra!” 

Glimmer grabbed onto the sword, before looking back at Catra. The feeling in Catra’s chest was painful now, as her heart felt like it would beat out of her body. However, she couldn’t care. All that she could think about was the woman in front of her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to stop Glimmer. But it was too late.

“This is the realest I’ve ever been, Catra.”

With that, Glimmer disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. And the feeling tearing at Catra’s chest was gone, too.

Then again, so was every feeling.

Chapter Text

   It felt like Adora’s heart had been ripped out of her chest. Listening to Catra explain how Glimmer had virtually taken over the world was deeply saddening. Adora had no idea how to handle any of this. She was used to helping people in every single dimension — but this time around, it felt so overwhelming.

    “I don’t know what she’s done with the sword since,” Catra admitted, “I… I don’t think we’ll ever be able to get the princesses back.”

    Adora played with the bracelet around her wrist, “Maybe… maybe I can get through to her, if I—”

    “Adora!” Catra snapped, “There’s no getting through to Glimmer. So that only leaves one choice…” Deep down, Adora could sense Catra hurting as she concluded, “We’ll have to subdue her.”

    Subdue her. As in… kill her? As Bow and Catra put it, Glimmer had abilities exceeding that of She-Ra. There’s no way she’d go down without a fight. Killing anyone was hard for Adora, but killing Glimmer? The thought alone made her mind go blank with an eerie frigidness.

    “I… I can’t,” Adora admitted.

“You’re She-Ra. You’re supposed to help people. You’re supposed to help us ,” Catra narrowed her eyes.

With everyone’s stare boring into her, Adora felt the pressure. Did she really have a choice at this point? She couldn’t even think about who was right or who was wrong in the situation. While Glimmer’s actions were extremely questionable, she had single-handedly expelled the Horde. The Princesses of the universe had isolated their kingdoms, refusing to help at all with the war.

Therefore, both sides were at fault in their own way. Adora felt like things weren’t as black and white as they seemed. Unable to formulate an answer, all she was able to murmur out was, “I… need to think things over.”

“Catra, honey?!”

Adora perked up as she glanced over, seeing both George and Lance approaching the group from behind with perfect timing. She almost waved, before remembering they didn’t know her. Lance carried a dish full of fish-shaped pastries. The two fathers smiled at Adora, as George put a hand on Catra’s shoulder.

“Who’s your new friend?” George asked.

“She-Ra... apparently,” Catra bitterly crossed her arms.

Lance brightened up, gasping as his eyes shined, “She-Ra?! It’s an honor! I would shake your hand, but my hands are full!” He shoved the platter near Adora, “Would you like a puff pastry? It’s Catra’s favorite!”

Catra sulked, blushing as her lips contorted, “Dad—”

George gasped too, promptly placing himself in the space between Catra and Adora on the log, “Wait! If you’re She-Ra, that means you can read First Ones writing? Right?!”

Adora smiled, “Yeah.”

George pulled back his sleeve, revealing a tattoo of a sigil, “Tell me! Did I translate this right?! It means ‘love’, right?!”

Adora bit her laughter back, as George had also horribly translated “love” in this dimension as well, “No. It says ‘lesbian’, sir.”

Lance broke out into a fit of laughter, as Bow choked on the pastry he was eating. George slowly joined the laughter, placing an arm around Catra.

“Hey, at least it shows how much I support my daughter,” George rubbed Catra’s arm and pulled her close.

“Dad!” Catra pulled her ears down, wanting to die of embarrassment.

“Well, She-Ra,” George beamed over at Adora, “If you’d like to sleep in the library, that’s fine by us. Catra just camps out here because she doesn’t like being around her dads.”

The whole interaction was endearing, watching Catra be embarrassed by her doting fathers. Still, as George held her, Catra flashed a glare at Adora. Despite the fact Catra was angry at her, Adora was still happy Catra had this — a family. She couldn’t help but wonder what the Catra of her dimension would be like if she was also adopted by George and Lance.

Bow guided Adora to a vacant tent. It was a relief to wash off and lay down, as she was still plagued by the sores of running until she couldn’t breathe. Knowing the state of things, she felt paranoid removing all her clothes. What if someone were to attack in the middle of the night?

Adora’s mind was racing with all the problems of this universe. She helped the people of many other universes. Five years of it was starting to get to her. At this rate, the strange universes where she would drop far away from any civilization were oddly relaxing. In a sense, she was feeling burnt out. She found herself stuck as to how to help Catra and the Rebellion.

There was no use fretting so heavily over it. It would be something she could work on in the morning. Slowly, she found herself giving into the temptation of sleep. As her mind began to fade, a sudden, bright light filled her tent. Flabbergasted, she sleepily opened her eyes. She nearly screamed at the sight.

It was a strange entity — owl-like, at least double her height, and somewhat translucent. Its body was a beautiful, bright array of prismatic pastel colors. Glowing white eyes stared down at Adora, as the corners of its beak twisted into a smile.

“Even from far away, I can sense great power in you,” Glimmer’s voice spoke clear as day through the entity. Adora felt her heart sink at the sound of her voice. Withal, she remained immobilized in her sleeping bag as she looked up at the owl. It shifted closer, craning its neck down and observing Adora closer.

“My guards told me they saw She-Ra! Would that be you, my hero?” the owl fluttered its lashes.

Feeling like she had no chance to refuse, she replied, “Yes… I’m Adora. Who… Who are you?”

The owl’s laughter was sweetly familiar — a kindhearted, musical giggle. It tilted its head back, covering its beak with its wing. “Why are you saying ‘who’ so much? I’m the owl, not you…” After Adora failed to laugh at Glimmer’s joke, the owl narrowed its eyes, “You’re cute. I think should come with me.”

Before Adora could protest, the owl wrapped its talons around Adora’s waist. Without an ounce of effort, it tore through the tent — silently lifting off into the night. Adora hollered, attempting to get someone’s attention. Her arms were strongly wrapped to her sides by the talons.

Having no defense left, Adora roared out, “For the honor of the Rebellion!”

The owl craned its neck down, its eyes flashing at Adora. In an instant, an anti-magic spell was cast onto her arm, successfully stopping her transformation.

“You can show me when we get to the castle, alright?” the owl spoke sweetly.

Adora could only remain silent as the two flew to Bright Moon, wondering what lied ahead.

    It was awhile until they reached Bright Moon. The owl descended into the castle, entering through the throne room. Immediately after they touched down, guards surrounded the two. After the owl removed its talons from Adora, it disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. The guards apprehended Adora, pulling her up and cuffing her wrists together. Adora stood with her back to the throne, feeling her body shake with the idea of who sat there.

    Bow and Catra had told Adora that Glimmer was ruthless, coldblooded, and wasn’t afraid to hurt those she loved to get what she wanted. Adora had no reason to sympathize with the Glimmer of this universe, especially seeing she had just kidnapped her against her will. It would be hard, but Adora would have to stand up against her. Courage fueled Adora, forcing her to pivot towards the throne.

    Her voice boomed, but slowly died down in volume, “Glimmer, why did you bring me... here...” Immediately, Adora lost her train of thought at the sight before her. “O-Oh.”

Glimmer sat on the throne with her legs crossed and her fingers entwined together. Glowing fuchsia eyes captivated Adora, pulling her in and making her forget her motives. Adora could barely process the guards grabbing her shoulders, nor could she remember how to walk as they pulled her closer to the throne. Adora spent far too long ogling the queen’s leg garters. Thickly, she gulped as the siren smiled.

    Even her voice was alluring, “I’d prefer you call me ‘your majesty’.”

    The guards pushed Adora onto her knees as Glimmer teleported up. Adora’s face felt like it was on fire as the queen walked closer, her heels clicking on the tile below. She dared to look up, feeling herself pant as she tried to find words.

    “Wow… Um… Glimmer…” Adora nervously laughed, “I know you kidnapped me and all, but I have to say, I really like the look…”

    The compliment was enough to make Glimmer twirl a lock of her midnight sky hair, “Oh? I’m flattered, truly.” Glimmer was now within inches of Adora, towering over the bent hero. This close to her, Adora could make out a faint slash marks on her throat. Soft fingers wrapped around Adora’s chin, observing the scar on her jawline. “I’ve been searching for you for a while now, She-Ra.”

    Adora wanted to… apologize? She had no clue how to answer the queen, merely keeping silent as Glimmer kept her coy smile.

“You know, I have a thing for tall, powerful women that bend to my will,” Glimmer flirted.

Adora’s heart skipped a beat, “Y-You do?”

Glimmer’s hand ghosted down to Adora’s shoulder, “Yes, and if you could be kind enough to explain something for me… You can’t possibly be She-Ra. I have the Sword of Protection, though — it’s not of much use to me, I haven’t been able to unlock its magic,” Glimmer shrugged her shoulders as she implored, “I’m not sure what Catra told you, but I’m really not all that mean.”

Lost in the glow of Glimmer’s eyes, Adora was virtually hypnotized into saying, “... Who’s Catra?”

Glimmer lost her coy edge for a moment, “Catra? The Magicat with one arm?”

Adora wanted to roll off the edge of the throne room as she realized her mistake, “Oh. Right. That Catra…” Adora cleared her throat, “Well, um, here’s the thing — I’ve only known her for like, a few hours, if I’m being honest. I’m… not from around here.”

“Where are you from, then?” Glimmer was piqued with curiosity.

Adora tensed as she admitted, “I’m not from this dimension.”

All the guards behind Adora gasped in unison, not believing the vagabond. Yet, Glimmer cocked her head to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. Adora braced herself for a truth spell… One that never came.

“I believe you. That’s the only explanation…” Glimmer ghosted her hand over the anti-magic sigil on her chest, easily removing it. “Get up. Show me She-Ra.”

Adora admired her confidence, having absolutely no fear with the idea of She-Ra being unrestrained before her. She rose up, and Glimmer’s smile curled once she noticed their height difference. Glimmer reached for the cuffs around Adora’s wrists, unlocking them with a spark of magic. This close to the siren, Adora could feel her heart stop. Even in the dim lighting, Adora could worship her graceful features. 

After thickly gulping, Adora chanted, “For the honor of the Rebellion!”

A vibrant, colorful glow filled the throne room. The siren watched in wonder as the hero transformed. The sight was enough to make her cold heart race with excitement and awe. Withal, she wasn’t intimidated as the tall deity looked down at her with ethereal, glowing eyes. Merely, she twirled a lock of hair, standing up straight as she cocked her head.

“My…” Glimmer ghosted her nails down She-Ra’s arm, “How wonderful.”

Adora could end it here. She could easily physically overpower the queen, and end her life and reign of tyranny. However, she correctly sensed that behind her, a legion of sorcerers and archers were ready to defend Glimmer. Even that wasn’t the case, Adora found herself hesitating.

Even if she was just a doppelgänger of Glimmer, Adora couldn’t do it. And Adora could only submit as Glimmer wrapped her small hands around the sword and asked, “May I see?”

Adora remained silent as she let Glimmer take the sword away. Glowing eyes took in the sword, as her coy smile stayed. “It looks different from the one I have…” Glimmer noted, before turning her back to Adora, her cape and long hair flowing with the movement. “Maybe…”

Adora. I will have no choice but to terminate her if she attempts to tap into your powers. Light Hope’s voice echoed in her head. Adora didn’t even realize that’s what the siren was attempting. As Glimmer’s magic glowed around the sword, it crackled and sparked with blue magic — attempting to fight back Glimmer’s control.

“Glimmer, stop!” Adora demanded.

Glimmer pivoted around — her glare striking fear in Adora. “Or what?”

With poor timing, Light Hope’s program began to fight back. Suddenly, the sword was coated in a red hue. Strange, magical tendrils wrapped around Glimmer’s hand, boring into her skin. Red, indecipherable First Ones sigils flowered the siren’s skin, and a similar colored spark shocked her. She screamed as the power overmastered her, forcing her to drop the sword. Immediately, the sword’s colors returned to normal. However, the pain continued, forcing Glimmer to her knees.

“What’s…” Glimmer panted out, clutching her stomach, “What’s going on?”

Adora wanted to rush to Glimmer’s side, but immediately felt a guard pull at her elbow. She turned towards the guard, a burly Satyr woman that was almost as tall as her. Two other guards rushed to Glimmer’s side, worriedly looking on. One attempted to touch her, only to be sparked by the energy.

She-Ra desperately pleaded, “Please! Let me heal her!”

However, the Satyr defied, “No! I refuse to let you touch my queen!”

“General Rue, step down!” Glimmer commanded before the sparks began to fiercely shock her, “Ah! Adora, p-please…” Glimmer desperately panted, “Make this stop!”

Adora’s heart nearly stopped as Glimmer looked up at her… with lavender eyes. Not the fiercely fuchsia, glowing ones from before. Adora blinked, seeing the woman that haunted her dreams kneeling before her.

    The woman that she was so undeniably in love with.

The general let Adora go, and the guards wearily watched Adora as she knelt in front of Glimmer. Light Hope’s defensive energy didn’t affect her as she cupped the queen’s face with her hands.

Beneath She-Ra’s touch, Glimmer felt so small and fragile. Lavender eyes pleaded with Adora, flaring with defeated tears. Adora leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the queen’s. As She-Ra’s magic surrounded Glimmer, it expelled Light Hope’s negative energy. The sparks dimmed down, and the pain healed. Glimmer blinked up at Adora as she started to regulate her breathing.

In every sense, She-Ra was spectacular and enthralling. Even as her giant hands were wrapped around Glimmer’s cheeks — absolutely capable of crushing her — Glimmer felt… safe. The angelic, pale yellow light enveloped both fully. Withal, Glimmer could sense something strangely familiar beneath it all. At the time, she couldn’t put a finger on it.

{ANIMATION}

After she was fully healed, Adora stepped away as she transformed back into her regular self. She offered a hand to the queen, looking down at her. Her gaze was full of love and care Glimmer felt she never knew. Shakily, she reached out and let the hero pull her up. As they touched, Glimmer felt that peculiar, alluring feeling.

It was as if Adora was like gravity, pulling her closer whether she wanted her to or not. The siren wanted to know more about the hero. Here was the woman Glimmer needed so many years ago. Back when she was scared, vulnerable, and afraid — craving power that was needed to quash the Horde. People suffered because She-Ra wasn’t there for them.

She-Ra wasn’t there for Glimmer, either.

Glimmer pulled her hand away from Adora’s, pivoting her back to her. She crossed her arms over her chest as she calmly commanded her general, “Rue, please take her to the visitor quarters. She is to be treated as a guest of honor.”

    Adora was surprised, but still looked at the queen with concern. Even as she was being dragged away, she looked over her shoulder at the queen.

    It seemed like every time she ended up staying in Bright Moon throughout the cosmos, she was always put in her old room. Well after the massive Satyr woman left, Adora thought deeply about the current situation. Escaping seemed in poor tastes. Betraying the trust she had gained of this universe’s corrupted Glimmer was a bad idea. It was her step to making things better.

    Sleep wouldn’t come easily. It never did the first few days in a dimension. Nevertheless, she stripped out of her coat and armor, down to her bindings. Adora pulled out her pocketbook, starting to write everything she had heard so far. It would help her keep her facts straight. Sometime after, there was a knock at her door. She slipped the pocketbook onto the desk, calling out, “Come in!”

    Much to her surprise, it was Glimmer who opened the door. She appeared far more casual, lacking her crown. The black sleep kimono she wore only partially covered her thighs. Adora blushed, still incredibly enthralled by the siren. Out of fear — or maybe respect — Adora rose to her feet. Should she kneel for her? Salute her? Already, sweat was beading down her head.

    “Um… H-Hello,” Adora gulped, “How are you?”

    Glimmer’s lips contorted as she crossed her arms. It was then that Adora noticed how low cut the kimono was. Glimmer was a bit put off by Adora’s awkward behavior. “I’m… alright… You can sit down. I know you’re tired.”

    Robotically, Adora plopped down onto the bed. The siren followed her, crossing her legs soon after sitting down. Adora glanced down only for a moment to appreciate the queen’s thighs.

    “Wow, um…” Adora’s heart was pounding against her chest, “You look… n-nice.”

    “That’s sweet of you,” Glimmer cocked her head, “I know it’s late… but I'm a little… troubled , at the moment," Her glowing eyes virtually pleaded with Adora, as she ran her hand through her night-sky hair. The way she twisted her torso towards Adora was done so flirtatiously. However, the queen was unaware of the fact Adora was as dense as a brick.

    “C-Can I help?” Adora plainly asked, fidgeting with the bracelet on her wrist.

    Once again, Glimmer was put back by Adora’s strange behavior. Flawlessly, she didn’t let it effect her. Instead, she placed a hand on Adora’s shoulder, leaning closer as she coyly smirked. Adora didn’t flinch or appear shocked, merely smiling at the siren.

    “It'll relax me if you tell me more about yourself. I find you very interesting, Adora,” she ran her nails down Adora’s arm, humming as Adora’s widened her eyes.

    Glimmer was intensely alluring, yet Adora struggled to pick up on her coy behavior. There was a sense of reluctance on Adora’s part, as she didn’t want to reveal too much to the queen. She still wasn’t sure what her agenda was.

“Well, I was thinking — a-and I guess this isn’t about me but — any time in the past that She-Ra’s of other universes have touched my sword, they would go through a similar pain you did,” Adora was saddened as Glimmer stopped stroking her arm, “But you aren’t the She-Ra of this universe… are you?”

    Glimmer bit her lip, a bit frustrated by Adora’s naivety. “No. My Etheria doesn’t need a She-Ra. They have me.”

    “Oh.” Adora felt her heart skip a beat as Glimmer put a hand over her own plush thigh, purposely tempting the hero. Despite being attracted to the siren, Adora failed to connect her coy actions. Merely, she looked up and smiled. “That’s very nice, Glimmer.”

    The way the hero looked at the queen without an ounce of objectification was mind boggling. Even the way Adora spoke her name made her feel cared for, oddly enough. No longer could she feel disrespected by the hero failing to call her “your majesty” or “my queen” . Just an odd endearment of her forwardness. 

    “But I think it was all my swords fault… I’ve never seen her do that before,” Adora looked down at the bracelet she fiddled with.

    “ Her? ”

    “Light Hope… Um, she’s like… this program in m-my sword,” Adora fumbled on her words trying to explain.

    Glimmer appeared far more interested, raising her eyebrows, “Hm… Alright. Would you like to tell me more, sweetheart?”

Flustered by the nickname, Adora stammered out, “O-Oh… Um…” Adora found herself in a corner. It was a mistake to bring up Light Hope, and she was struggling to find a way to explain everything. Maybe it was the queen’s odd friendliness that beckoned her to offer, “Would you like to hear about my dimension?”

    Maybe the siren didn’t need to seduce her to get more information after all. She fixed the top of her kimono. “I’d love to.”

    Talking to the siren felt like she was in one of those ethereal dreams. Where her Glimmer would fall down within a shooting star, and they would lay in the field of violets.

Yet it felt different and new. The light smile on her dark lips, the enthrallment in her fuchsia eyes made Adora’s head spin a little. Adora purposely neglected mentioning her romantic involvement with the Glimmer of her universe, feeling it would overstep some boundaries with the siren.

Yet, the siren seemed deeply troubled as Adora mentioned Horde Prime — going into detail about how he had a stronghold over other planets in the galaxy, and how he wished to use Etheria’s magic for his own gain.

    “You don’t think he could find Etheria in this dimension?” Glimmer seemed distant.

    “Since the She-Ra of this Etheria hasn’t shown up, the Heart won't activate… He won’t be able to locate it… But…” Adora gripped the fabric of her pants, “Prime was a brutal, vile monster. He… wanted to do something awful with you in my dimension.”

    It was heartbreaking to think of herself as weak, able to be manipulated by someone else more powerful than her. For a moment, she felt sympathy for Adora’s Glimmer. She could imagine a girl, just as hurt as she was all those years ago in the battle for Thaymor.

    Adora continued, “Even if he isn’t a problem for you now, there’s a good chance his army will find Etheria at some point.”

    The idea was far more troubling than anything Adora had said previously. Glimmer thought misery would end for Etheria when she killed Hordak. Withal, somewhere out there in the siren’s universe, Horde Prime was spreading chaos and misfortune. It could be only a few years from now — or hundreds of generations later. Regardless, it didn’t sit right with the queen.

    The regal form slumped, her arms crossed over her chest. With a heavy sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to sort out her thoughts. “There’s one thing you should know about me, Adora… I can’t turn my back on people that need me.”

    Adora also found herself suddenly in a sea of thoughts. There was no doubt that Glimmer did horrible things to get where she was. She had killed her own mother to gain full control of the Moonstone, blasted Catra’s arm off, nearly killed Bow… Withal, the siren seemed… kind? Understanding, even? Back in the throne room, she immediately believed Adora’s tall-tale of interdimensional travel — something those in the Rebellion doubted.

    “You must be exhausted,” Glimmer smiled as she interrupted Adora’s train of thought, “We can talk more about this in the morning. But before I leave, I want to offer you something.”

    Adora perked up, not saying anything as she looked into the strangely glowing eyes. Behind the fierce composure was a woman not much different from her Glimmer. Someone who was brave and kind, and wished to fight for those who couldn’t fend for themselves. The soft hand that brushed down her back felt so familiar.

    “You wish to go back to your home dimension, right? If you can help me find a way to stop Prime, I will help you find a way back home. That only seems fair.”

    Maybe it was because Adora truly was exhausted. But the prospect truly did seem fair, at the time. What Glimmer wished to do wasn’t immoral — she simply wanted to protect Etheria and help others. 

    “I’ll do it. I’ll help you, Glimmer,” Adora smiled without an ounce of regret, before hesitantly asking, “Is… Entrapta around?”

    Glimmer perked up at Adora’s acceptance, “She’s in Dryll, yes. Do you think she could help us?”

    “Yeah… but, tomorrow, right?” Exhaustion was plaguing the hero.

    “Of course.” Glimmer ghosted her fingers along the hero’s arm as she stood. Illuminated by the sparse moonlight in the room, the queen virtually glowed. The curtain of her night-sky hair failed to be dulled by the darkness, with her sparkles still twinkling bright. Every inch of her was mesmerizing and enthralling.

    No wonder why Catra called her a siren. Adora was being pulled in without realizing it.

    “I’ll leave you alone, Adora,” Glimmer smiled as she turned away, walking towards the door.

    Adora had no idea what compelled her to practically holler, “Hey!”

    Glimmer flinched, turning back around towards Adora. The hero charmingly smiled, and stiffly waved. “Um… goodnight.”

    Glimmer could feel her heart swell. Never had someone so idiotic been so charming to her. Almost inaudibly, she laughed at the hero. “Goodnight, Adora.”

After everything that happened that day, Glimmer’s heart was starting to stir. She hated Adora for digging up the guilt she thought she buried years ago — and she hated the hero even more for being so full of love. Not treating her as a queen, but as a friend she has known for a long time. 

As the siren walked back to her room, she stopped to look at a certain mural. Right then, she wanted to reach out and touch the painting of her mother. For a moment, she wondered if Angella would be proud of who she was now, for what she had accomplished for Etheria.

And quickly, she took her hand back.

No. She hated me well before I became a monster.

    Perhaps this was all a grave mistake. Adora still had no proof this all wasn’t a trick, and no solid reason to trust the queen beyond her unmistakable kindness. Regardless, Adora wasn’t surprised to see Entrapta willingly work with Glimmer.

    Just like in every universe, Entrapta’s eyes bulged out of her head at Adora’s story. The scientist asked what felt like a thousand questions that day, wanting to know every single one of She-Ra’s abilities, and of course, about every single dimension she had been to. Glimmer merely stood someways away, crossing her arms as Entrapta rambled on.

    “I’ve come across some First One’s tech before!” Entrapta turned around, scrambling through a drawer, “Would you like to see?”

    “Yeah, sure.” Adora held her hand out as Entrapta turned back around and immediately placed the object into Adora’s palms.

    What happened next felt like a blur. Adora wasn’t even able to process the object before it bore wires into her hand and glowed an evil red.

    ‘ You need to turn into She-Ra, Adora, ’ Light Hope’s voice commanded within Adora’s head. However, her voice sounded distorted and almost unrecognizable. Adora was deeply confused. There was no danger around. She could feel Entrapta pulling at the device, as a soft hand touched her arm.

    “Adora, what’s wrong?” Glimmer asked, but her voice seemed distant. In reality, Glimmer was standing directly next to her. 

She couldn’t explain if she tried. A sudden, primal urge to turn into She-Ra took over, forcing her to chant out, “For the honor of the Rebellion!”

Adora’s mind faded to the corruption. What was left was nothing but a brutish version of She-Ra, one that wished to search and destroy any person near her. She-Ra roared as the energy took over her, red veins covering her body. With her sword summoned, she looked down at Entrapta. The scientist scrambled backwards, defenseless as She-Ra attempted to ground her sword into Entrapta.

However, the queen was quick to blast the deity with strong light. As She-Ra shifted back, Glimmer demanded to know, “Adora, what has gotten into you?!”

She-Ra only roared in response, stabbing her sword into the floor. As she did, magic flowed and cracked the floor beneath them. Glimmer quickly grabbed onto Entrapta, teleporting them both outside of the room. They pressed their backs against the wall, Entrapta panting in a sense of panic.

“Ah… I don’t think that ever came up in my research,” Entrapta nervously laughed. Glimmer sighed, teleporting back into the lab. She-Ra was beyond infuriated, appearing to search for the two as she toppled over a closet. Immediately after teleporting in, Glimmer prepared an immobilization spell. However, She-Ra heard Glimmer, barbarously snapping around at the noise.

Before Glimmer could cast the spell, She-Ra swung her sword — slinging two waves of magic energy towards her. Glimmer gasped, teleporting out of the way and letting the waves hit Entrapta’s computer. An explosion and small fire followed the hit, crackling and sparks echoing in the laboratory.

“Adora, can you hear me? I know you’re in here,” Glimmer began to conjure her spell once again, “I don’t want to hurt you!”

However, Glimmer’s words fell on deaf ears. Glimmer cast the spell forward, but She-Ra was amazingly able to rip through the conjuring. As She-Ra rushed forward, Glimmer teleported once again — narrowly avoiding the sword as she jabbed it in the spot where the siren was. There was no water or plants for Glimmer to use against the hero, and electricity would be far too dangerous. Light only seemed to keep She-Ra at bay and infuriate her further.

She-Ra showed no signs of giving up, pivoting around and transforming her sword into a whip. Glimmer teleported as She-Ra slung the whip, avoiding it has she manifested near She-Ra. Methodically, she shot a weak blast of light at the deity’s eyes. This didn’t seem to stop her from blindly lashing forward during the shot, hooking the tip of the whip in Glimmer’s arm. Both winced from the pain of their attacks, but Glimmer was able to recover and stream a stronger blast of magic — successfully knocking She-Ra down.

Despite the pain hexing her arm, she managed to conjure the immobilization spell successfully. As She-Ra shot back up and began to once again toss her whip forward, the spell connected. The whip failed to connect a hit as She-Ra became completely paralyzed. She-Ra animalistically snarled louder and louder the closer Glimmer walked. Withal, Glimmer offered a kind smile to the deity.

“Hey, Adora…” Glimmer cooed, “Don’t worry… I’m going to help you.”

She-Ra’s red eyes narrowed as Glimmer fidgeted with the device boring into the deity’s skin. With a minimal amount of effort, she was able to pull it off the hero and toss it to the side. Instantly, She-Ra’s eyes turned blue and the red veins vanished from her skin. The fierce demeanor eased into a defeated one, as the deity morphed back into her regular self.

Glimmer removed the immobilization spell, only for Adora to slump forward into her arms. Adora was heavy, but Glimmer managed to keep her up by holding her elbows. After the incident, the queen only felt worried about Adora — not paying much head to the computer set on fire.

“Adora?” Glimmer called out. 

She flinched as Adora replied not with words, but with a sloppy laughter. “Woah!” Adora affectionately nuzzled her cheek against the queen’s breastplate, “This is a great place to be… In your arms and all.”

Adora slumped to her knees without any notice. Glimmer knelt to her side, pulling  Adora’s head onto her lap. The vagabond’s eyes were tiredly narrowed, and she had the dumbest smile the siren had ever seen. Adora gasped, her eyes sparkling at Glimmer.

“Glimmer! Your eyes are glowing!” Adora seemed to have faltering memory in the drunken-like state.

“Are you alright…?” Glimmer’s lips contorted, noticing blood oozing out of Adora’s hand. She attempted to grab at the hand, only for Adora to reach up to the queen’s arm. Glimmer failed to notice the blood coming out of her own wound there.

“Oh no! You have an ouchie,” Adora gasped, “I can fix it!” Quite painfully, Adora slapped her hand over the wound. Before Glimmer could bark at her for it, Adora began to glow. The pain faded as Adora giggled, “Wow, that tickles!”

Glimmer looked down to see Adora’s own wound healing, as the pain beneath the hero’s touch faded. The immense abilities of She-Ra never failed to impress Glimmer, even after almost being killed by her. After the wounds were healed, Adora put her hand on the siren’s cheek.

“All better! And you’re still so beautiful! How do you do that?!” Adora laughed once again.

A blush crept across her cheeks at the compliment. As a widely loved queen, she was used to this kind of attention from her subjects. But with Adora, something felt different. She hadn’t felt this way for someone in a long time. It was like she was young again, underneath the covers with Catra as they giggled — refusing to let sleep beckon them.

All before Glimmer ruined things between them, beyond realistic repair. She thought she would never be able to fix things with Catra. In all honesty, the queen was reluctant to ever love again.

But the drunken hero before her was simply too enthralling and charming. And Glimmer hated her for that.

    It didn’t even occur to Adora how strange all this was — how friendly and affectionate the queen was being. In spite of this, she didn’t protest to the idea of sparring with her. As Glimmer said, she wanted to see “more of She-Ra” after the event in the laboratory. It would easily take Entrapta a week or so to fix the computer they had smashed during the fight, but Glimmer wasn’t the slightest bit mad.

Adora couldn’t even remember the last time she had fought for entertainment. The gardens of Bright Moon were remarkably similar to the gardens in her own dimension. Glimmer stood with her hands on her hips far away from Adora, who was busy stretching.

    “I promise, I’ll take it easy on you,” Adora bragged, reaching for the bracelet around her wrist.

    “I think I should be the one saying that. But, go ahead. Turn into She-Ra, I can handle her.” Glimmer coyly raised her eyebrows.

    With that, Adora chanted out, “For the honor of the rebellion!”

Her angelic glow covered the gardens as she began to transform. Even still, the queen found it all enthralling. Despite the anger for felt deep inside for She-Ra never being there for her, it’s as if she could forget for a moment. All the pain and suffering she had been through.

    As the giantess competitively leered from afar, Glimmer smirked. Cocking an eyebrow, the queen baited, “What are you waiting for?”

    Adora took the bait, instantaneously transforming her sword into a lasso. She whipped it forward, only for the queen to teleport out of the way. As the lasso flopped to the ground, Glimmer reappeared behind Adora — sitting atop of the fountain near the staircase, crossing her legs and coyly laughing.

    “A lasso? That’s cute,” Glimmer teased, before raising her hand. As she did, water began to rise from the fountain. Adora turned the sword into a shield, blocking the water as a stream was shot towards her. Before Adora could cleverly banter back about how the queen missed, the water began to freeze around her — twirling around until she was entrapped in a hollow ice chamber.

    Immediately, Adora slashed at the thick ice — easily cutting through it. As the chunks of ice fell to the ground, Adora could hear the strong flapping of wings. Upon attempting to pivot around, small hands ghosted her shoulder armor. Glimmer was flying in place, right behind Adora. The siren leaned in close to Adora, her voice sending a chill down the deity’s spine as she praised, “I’m impressed. But I think you can do better.”

    Adora gasped as the siren pecked her cheek. Unbeknownst to her, this was merely a distraction. Glimmer took off, flying in front of Adora. She smirked as the hero attempted to walk forward, only to realize a tar-like substance was holding her to the ground. Each movement would only result in her foot being snapped back. Glimmer flapped her wings, staying in her place in the air as she leaned forward. Teasingly, she put her chin on the top of her fingers as she laughed, “Let’s see you get out of that one.”

    With a deep breath, Adora focused in on the magic beneath her feet. Her eyes glowed pure white as an ethereal, blinding light coated the garden, successfully expelling the dark energy from her feet. As Glimmer flinched and shielded herself from the blinding light, Adora once again transformed her sword into a lasso. She whipped it forward, successfully ensnaring the queen in the loop. Her arms and wings were trapped to within the lasso, disabling her use of magic.

    Glimmer gasped as Adora yanked the lasso, bringing the queen down onto the icy ground below. Quite harshly, she landed on her knees in front of the hero. Adora bent down in front of the queen, achingly close as she clasped the back of her scalp. Glimmer wanted to slap the smirk off the hero’s face. Withal, the blush across the siren’s cheeks was an embarrassing, deep red.

    Having a literal eight-foot deity wrap you in rope would have that effect on anyone, including the cold-hearted siren. The queen’s rabbit heart was a curse, throbbing against her chest due to the position. In the bright afternoon light, She-Ra was enthralling in every sense. Her ethereal blue eyes and the light glow of her pale skin was making Glimmer’s head spin.

    It hadn’t been longer than a week since Adora arrived. Slowly, the hatred towards She-Ra was fading — being replaced by something else.

    “How’s that for cute?” Adora teased, only worsening the blush on the siren’s cheeks.

    Glimmer frowned, sulking her head down, “You… Why did I ever think I could beat you?” She shifted her gaze down, letting crocodile tears form in her glowing eyes.

    The act worked on Adora, who shifted her hand down to the queen’s arm as she cooed, “I’m… I’m sorry, I—”

    Glimmer’s eyes snapped open, glowing an angelic light pink. Suddenly, pink aura shifted beneath Adora. Behind her, the acquainted owl astral projection manifested — standing only a bit taller than She-Ra. Withal, it was able to lift off with her after ensnaring the deity in its talons. Adora was forced to let go of her lasso as the owl flew up, tossing her into one of the garden beds.

As she recovered from the recoil, she propped herself up on her elbows. Upon opening her eyes, a strange occurrence happened before her. A budding violet near her was surrounded by sparkles. In an instant, the violet bloomed. A light gasp escaped her upon realizing it was a Bright Moon Violet.

    Before she could even fathom the many implications, Glimmer was standing over her, lasso in hand. As her heel pressed against She-Ra’s shoulder, the lasso began to glow. Adora’s jaw nearly dropped as the lasso transformed under Glimmer’s will, turning into the sword. Once it was fully transformed, she gently used the tip to prop up She-Ra’s chin.

    “Don’t let that golden heart of yours stop you, hero,” Glimmer smirked, “You need to embrace your power, like I do.”

    Adora’s heart raced, as her own blush began to form. After briefly dancing her eyes across the queen’s thigh, she loudly cleared her throat. “I… I’ll um, keep that in mind.”

    It was further surprising when the queen asked Adora to join her for a visit to a coastal village called Operon, not too far from Salineas. They packed a boat with hundreds of boxes of supplies — clothing, food, seeds, and many other provisions.

    The trip took a couple of days at sea, being rather uneventful beyond Adora being able to observe the queen more. Not only was she kind to Adora, but also to her subjects. Asking them “please” and actively helping them sail the ship. Each passing day with the queen was more interesting than the last. She was such a complex woman, and Adora simply couldn’t get enough of her. Maybe Catra was wrong. There was a plethora of good in the queen. Adora had learned long ago how to forgive those who’ve done wrong.

    The village was almost entirely on the docks, with many of its inhabitants traversing via long, wooden boats. A booming, lively floating market sat akin to the docks, wafting with the various aromas of spices and smoke. Many houses sat atop stilts on the water, covered with thatched roofs. Lanterns were hung from wooden arches, illuminating the city in the dull sunset.

    Various villagers approached the boat after they docked. Most the crew members carried boxes of supplies, following Glimmer as she greeted the ecstatic villagers. Needless to say, it was unusual seeing how much people loved the queen. All the stories the Rebellion told her around the fire that night seemed so surreal at the moment. When she was brought to Bright Moon, she expected to come face to face with a ruthless monster. It was then that Adora considered the idea that this all might be an act.

What if the queen was simply being nice to gain Adora’s trust? It seemed almost too elaborate to pull off, however. Seeing how happy everyone was upon seeing the queen almost immediately quelled the idea.

The community hut sat on the outskirts of town, far from the docks. There, Adora helped them distribute the provisions. All her life had been since she became She-Ra was fighting for the greater good. Doing this gave her an odd satisfaction she had rarely felt before.

Adora looked over at Glimmer, seeing her speaking to two squid-like villagers. One of the mothers held onto the hand of a toddler, who was ogling at the queen and offering a toothy smile. Glimmer smiled, bending down to her level. She held out her palm, manifesting a sunflower and gifting it to her.

“You’ve grown so much… Are you ready for another sibling?” Glimmer asked.

“Yeah! I wanna another sister!” the squid-like child’s words were barely decipherable.

Glimmer heartily laughed before standing, “I don’t have control over that, sweetheart, so no promises.” The queen stared at the two mothers in front of her, “Are you ready?”

    The two nodded, smiling as one woman held a hand forward. Glimmer took the hand, and Adora flinched as the queen used a minuscule stream of light to prick her finger — only enough to draw blood. Glimmer backed away, and she began to cast a complex spell. As the cast floated in the air between the squid-like woman and Glimmer, the woman tilted her finger into the spell.

    After her blood dripped into the cast, the spell turned from bright pink to a cool, light blue. Glimmer cast the spell forward onto the other woman, who gasped as it faded into her. The two women smiled, holding each other’s hands while looking at each other adoringly before fondly thanking the queen. Adora had many questions in her head watching the ceremony. After the family left, Adora approached Glimmer.

    “What was that about?”

    Glimmer smiled over at Adora, “You’ve never seen a pregnancy spell ceremony? You’re quite strange, Adora.”

    The hero’s heart swelled once again for the queen. It was then that Adora figured this couldn’t be an act. If it was, it was incredibly elaborate. The siren was truly kind, and merely wanted the best for Etheria.

Was this Glimmer truly evil? Or a hero, who had no choice but to make troubling decisions in order to protect Etheria? Adora couldn’t help but think back to the first Glimmer she met during her travels. Broken, angry, and with little hope left. Both ultimately the way they were because She-Ra wasn’t there for them, nor Etheria, when they needed her most.

    Withal, the siren chose to be ruthless and brutal, unafraid to go immorally far. Leveling Horde outpost until they were nothing but dust, with no respect for the soldiers inside. Some would call her actions monstrous, no different from the lives she took. Yet, this Glimmer wasn’t a monster. Just a loyal queen fighting some inner demons.

Perhaps if all those years ago, if this Glimmer had a She-Ra, she wouldn’t have walked such an unrighteous, questionable path. She wouldn’t have felt the need to kill her mother and kidnap the princesses. Adora had absolutely no control of the situation, but she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of guilt. Just like back at the first dimension, she was saddened by the fact she hadn’t been there to stop terrible things from happening to Glimmer. She wasn’t there at Thaymor for the siren, and now, she was beyond broken.

And now that Adora was there, maybe she could help mend the queen to the best of her ability. She knew if she ever came across Catra again, she would get a heavy earful. But Adora was starting to realize, not every dimension was black and white. There wasn’t a clear villain to this story, besides the monsters that broke the siren all those years ago… and the one somewhere out there amongst the stars.

    Adora had only been in the dimension for a few weeks, at most. It seemed like every passing day with the siren only solidified the hero’s trust in her. Adora felt it wasn’t misplaced, and Glimmer had rightfully earned it. That being said, it was still odd the night a guard informed Adora that her presence was requested by Glimmer. It seemed the guards trusted her to extent now, too, seeing no one followed Adora as she roamed the halls.

    Adora’s heart sunk as Glimmer came into view. The queen was standing with a concerned expression in front of a mural of her mother. As Adora walked closer, Glimmer gasped and looked up at her.

    The worried expression plaguing the siren reminded the hero so much of the woman in her dreams. She could practically hear the stars twinkling as they fell to the endless dark horizon above them, and perfectly imagine the sad, slight croak in the queen’s voice.

    Quickly, Glimmer looked back at the mural. Her fingers brushed against the three slash marks on her neck. “I… wanted to talk to you, Adora.”

    Adora wanted to soothingly rub the small of the siren’s back. Withal, she was so elegant and omnipotent, it felt wrong crossing that boundary. Instead, she walked closer, merely offering her company as the queen crossed her arms.

    “You’ve been a joy to have around…” Glimmer solemnly laughed, keeping her stare away from Adora. Her smile faded as she sulked her head down. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think I’ve quite had a friend like you since…” Her words drifted as she looked back up at the mural in front of her. Afterwards, Glimmer seemed to space out.

    Adora wished to give Glimmer time with her words. Under the glow of the siren’s alluring eyes, Adora could barely make out the formation of tears. Glimmer’s form heaved as she took in a shaky breath, wiping her own tears away as they trickled out.

It was then that Adora decided to move closer, gently clasping the siren’s arm as she spoke small, “Glimmer?”

    Yet, something snapped within Glimmer as she pivoted towards Adora. At first, Adora thought Glimmer was angry with her. But upon further reflection, the look on her face was one of heartache and worthy of empathy. Their faces were within inches of one another, as the queen grimaced. 

Her passionate voice echoed down the halls, “Adora, where were you when I needed you?!”

There, Adora had no answer for her. Many times, Adora opened her mouth to speak. Merely, the only way she thought she could answer was to reach out and comfortingly hold the queen. Withal, she was far too upset for anything like that. Glimmer blinked, realizing how angry she was coming across. With that, she backed away, sniffling as she once again wiped her tears away.

Glimmer’s voice croaked, so akin to the woman in Adora’s dreams, as she lamented, “All those years ago… I… I wish I had a hero like you. I didn’t want to become who I am now—” Glimmer blinked away her tears and shook her head, “At least, not in the way that I had to. There are so many things I regret doing, Adora…”

“I know. You’re not a monster, Glimmer.”

Glimmer gasped at the comment, throwing her gaze to Adora. She flinched as the hero shifted closer, tenderly stroking her hand down the queen’s arm. Promptly, Glimmer eased into the touch, especially as Adora wiped a stray tear away.

Slate blue eyes looked at her as if she was the center of the cosmos. Like there was nothing else like her out there. Glimmer felt so torn apart, unable to sort of out the many conflicts chipping apart her soul. Never had someone been so tender with her. The many lovers she found herself with over the years never even came close to Adora’s warmheartedness. 

    Vulnerability. That was what Adora made her feel. She hated Adora so much for making her feel this way. After all, this was all a ploy — an act to get the hero to trust her as much as possible. All she needed to do was get Adora back to the lab after Entrapta reconfigured the corruption tech to fully control She-Ra.

    Was it really a ploy? Or was the divine siren herself losing at her own mind game? Glimmer was questioning her motives, questioning herself. Her mind kept circling back to what Catra told her all those years ago in Whispering Woods when they found the sword; “Glimmer, you don’t need more power. When will anything ever be enough for you?”

    Perhaps it was best to not attempt to force Adora to open the Heart of Etheria. Did Glimmer really need that much power? It would mean sacrificing a pure soul. It would mean once again messing things up between herself and someone that earnestly cared for her.

    Glimmer never wanted that. And she especially never wanted that to happen again. She wanted nothing more than Adora.

    Her wish would come true as the vagabond leaned closer, forcing a startled gasp from the siren.

Their lips pressed against each one another felt so natural, like the moons of Etheria pulling tides to the shore, or like the gravity holding them down. Yet, Glimmer felt so light. Even without wings on her back, she felt like she would start to float.

    Slowly, Glimmer relaxed into the kiss. She reached around to Adora’s back, clutching the fabric of her coat and pulling her closer. As they melted into one another, Glimmer sighed. Truly, she wanted Adora, and the kiss just sealed that wish.

The siren reached to the back of Adora’s scalp, running her long nails there. Hesitantly, she slightly pulled away from the passionate kiss, contently smiling. Glimmer breathed against her lips, “When’s the last time someone took care of you, love?”

    Outside the castle, many Bright Moon violets were starting to bloom.

Chapter Text

    Exactly how long had it been since Adora arrived to Glimmer’s world? In reality, only a few weeks at most. Lying in bed with the hero, it felt like it had been a lifetime. Adora was peacefully asleep, with her arm cozily wrapped around the siren’s waist.

    Glimmer’s heart was racing as she watched the hero. The cosmos had cursed the poor thing, yet here she was sleeping without a worry in the cosmos. Once every few days, they would go to Entrapta’s lab — which had been repaired since the She-Ra debacle — and Adora would tell the scientist more about what she knew. About the Heart of Etheria, about She-Ra. They needed to find a safe way to activate the Heart, or bring Etheria out of Despondos.

    Entrapta formed so many theories and suggestions, none of which made much sense to the queen. It would be simpler just to control Adora via the First Ones tech Entrapta had reconfigured. Just a few tests, and the technology would allow them to bend the hero to their will.

    Withal, Glimmer couldn’t do it. She could never hurt someone she cared for ever again. The guilt would consume her alive if she did that to Adora.

    The restlessness was growing unbearable. Gently, she wriggled out of Adora’s grasp, careful not to wake the light sleeper up. The queen teleported near the bedside table, planning on throwing her kimono on and pacing the halls as she dealt with her conflicting thoughts. However, the sight of a pocketbook caught her attention. She had failed to notice it before on Adora’s table. The leather was cracked and the pages were a bit worn.

    Looking back at Adora, she second guessed herself. Snooping around wasn’t the wisest. Yet, she wished to know what was in the pages. Burying her guilt, she grabbed the pocketbook before teleporting to an armchair. Sleep hardly afflicted her as she engulfed herself in the pages. The vagabond was practically writing a full story for each dimension she visited.

Many entries spoke of strange, yet realistic dreams where she would see the Glimmer of her dimension, and be able to feel, hear, and touch her. Often, Adora wrote of being able to hear Angella. The sentences about her slain mother of another universe sent chills down her spine. One entry caught her full attention. Rough sketches of Adora’s Glimmer, who had medium-long hair and a long robe, alongside sketches of a strange violet. On the next page, there was an entry.

“Every dream I have with her, I feel my love grow deeper. One would think time apart would strain your love for someone. But in our latest dream, she told me what the flowers were. They’re Bright Moon Violets, a flower that only blooms when the queen of Bright Moon is in love. It’s odd, but I feel like this isn’t ordinary love. She’s far greater and brighter than anyone in the cosmos. It’s like she’s a part of me. I can’t really explain it. I wonder if—”

Following the entry were a string of indecipherable words, scribbled out as if Adora wished to recant her statement. Upon reading the entry, Glimmer felt oddly heartbroken. Adora was her own person, allowed to love whomever she wished. It was clear whatever she had for her own Glimmer was so extraordinary, it remained intact throughout the vagabond’s journey.

Therefore, it was wrong to feel jealous. But the siren was starting to think that Adora was simply reflecting her feelings for her own Glimmer. Every time they found each other, was it her Glimmer she thought of?

The siren gritted her teeth, shutting the pocketbook. It was further wrong to be peeping into something so personal. After slipping back into bed with the vagabond, she wanted to reach out and touch her. Yet, she merely lied with her back to Adora, letting herself rehearse what she wished to say to her.

If Entrapta and I could find a way for you to stay here in this dimension, would you?

Unbeknownst to Glimmer, the next few pages of the pocketbook were full to the brim with entries and drawings, all focused on the siren and her world.

“Adora.”

She was dreaming, for sure. At least, she wasn’t in an actual state of consciousness. One would expect the voice to be from Glimmer, or even Angella. But as she began to process the dream state, she could see her travel companion before her. 

Light Hope. Even in Adora’s dreams, the program glitched. Never had she appeared to Adora in her dreams. All around them, it was pure black. No stars, no violets, just a black void.

“Adora. We must discuss the Queen of Bright Moon.”

“What’s there to discuss?” Adora crossed her arms, already feeling irritated.

“You are being nonsensical, Adora. She attempted to steal She-Ra,” Light Hope began to glitch, “from you. Why have you grown to trust her so easily?”

“Oh, you know all about trust,” Adora snapped, “She made a mistake. That’s something you know all about, too.”

Light Hope appeared shocked for a moment, raising her eyebrows as she once again glitched. “Do you not trust me, Adora?”

That was a great question. Light Hope had done nothing but help Adora since being bound to her sword. Her loyalty to the First Ones seemed absent, turning her into a lawful neutral of sorts. Come to think of it, how did Light Hope end up there in the first place?

“Tell me,” Adora switched the subject, “How did you end up in my sword?”

“I…” Light Hope’s eyes drifted down, as she once again glitched, “My program never faded. Merely, it shifted to your consciousness. I am a part of She-Ra now.” Adora’s eyes lightened up. Never had Light Hope been so willing to hand out information right off the bat. Light Hope continued, “Consequently, I know what is best for you. You must let her go, Adora.”

Adora could feel claws figuratively digging into heart, pulling it apart. The absolute dread of that statement made her want to hurl. Let who go? Her Glimmer? The siren? Regardless of who it was, Adora felt physically repulsed. Anger boiled her, making her hair stand up on end.

“I refuse to let Glimmer go,” Adora barked back, “Glimmer will never give up on me, so I’ll never give up on her. How could you say something like that?!”

Light Hope cocked her head, “Is she not only your—” she severely glitched, “friend? You two are nothing more. Your emotional connection to her will only hurt you."

“Stop!” Adora clutched her fists at her sides, “Like you would know anything about love! You’re just a program, Light Hope!”

Light Hope widened her bright eyes, blinking as her faltering memory began to come back. Memories of Mara, of how nothing in her vast information banks could explain why she felt the way she did for the previous She-Ra. Romantic relationships served little purpose beyond financial gain and procreation, correct? But Adora had nothing to gain from holding onto the queen, and Light Hope had nothing to gain from Mara.

Was there more to relationships than the program could ever comprehend? Energy flowed through her at the mere thought of Mara. Is this what Adora felt when she thought of Glimmer? “You feel… love for her?” Light Hope asked, watching the anger drain from Adora’s face.

Color returned to Adora’s knuckles, which were previously white from her clutching her fists so tightly. She loved her Glimmer more than anything. While the siren was fascinating, she could never compare to her own Glimmer. Nothing or anyone ever could. None of the trillions of stars across the cosmos could shine as bright as her.

“I love her so much, Light Hope,” Adora couldn’t help but smile, “She’s… she’s everything to me. She’s like a constellation, she’s helping me get back home.”

    Light Hope was starting to understand metaphors. Constellations were used for navigation, and Adora simply wanted to get back home through Glimmer? Perhaps there was something for Adora to gain.

“How are you sure she will be there in the mother universe? That she won’t… move on?" Light Hope was growing more and more confused at the idea of relationships.

"That's the thing about Glimmer…" Adora smiled, laughing a little to herself, "She's impossibly stubborn. She's incapable of giving up…"

"Therefore, she is much like you. Correct?"

Adora once again breathlessly laughed, "... Yeah. You could say that."

Adora didn’t protest when the siren wanted to show her “something”. She was in different clothing than usual, a formal, long black kimono — far different from the promiscuous short one she wore to bed. Her crown was nowhere to be seen, and her long hair was impossibly tucked into a neat bun. In her hands, she held a bouquet of chrysanthemums, and an incense burner. Glimmer didn’t explain what, merely holding onto Adora’s wrist as they teleported to the outskirts of Bright Moon.

It was still quite early in morning, and the birdsong throughout the valley was deafening. They were on a cliff overlooking the castle. There was sparse vegetation, beyond a massive oak tree. It was tall enough for Adora to fully crane her neck up in order to get a decent look at all the spiraling, twisted branches.

At the base of the massive trunk was a tombstone. Etched into the worn stone, Adora was able to make out the name of whom it belonged to, “Here lies the ashes of King Micah. A devoted father and husband. Let us not let his sacrifice go in vain.” Micah was gone in this universe. Not banished to Beast Island, but truly gone.

Another thing to further break the siren.

In front of the gravestone was a vase, already full of a smaller bouquet of chrysanthemums. Glimmer turned around towards Adora, offering a bittersweet smile. “I try to come out here every day. I usually don’t bring anyone with me, but…” Glimmer looked back at the gravestone, “Today’s his birthday. Come on.”

Glimmer pulled Adora down, making her kneel near the gravestone with her. Glimmer replaced the bouquet with the new, bigger one before placing down a small clay incense holder. Between her fingers, she held two incense sticks — offering one to Adora, who took it from her. With a weak spark of magic, she manifested a weak, pink flare in her fingers, lighting both the sticks.

Glimmer placed the lit incense in the holder, before once again smiling at the gravestone. “Happy birthday, dad.”

She looked over at Adora, cuing for her to place her incense stick in the holder. It was silent beyond the wind blowing in the leaves above. In the silence, she was sure she could hear Glimmer’s breathing becoming ragged.

“I was very young when he was killed. But I can only remember good things about him… Like him climbing on the roof to grab me after I learned how to teleport, or how cool I thought his magic was…” Glimmer drifted, her glowing eyes subtly filling with tears, “You said he was alive in your dimension, right?”

“He was. The Horde exiled him to Beast Island, and everyone thought he was dead… I was shocked when we found him. I was so excited to bring him home, and then…” Adora solemnly looked down, “I found out my Glimmer got kidnapped. I never got to see them together.”

In the dreams they shared, Glimmer often spoke about her father and of how he was training her further in sorcery. Adora wished to mention the peculiar dreams to the siren, but felt the situation was far too difficult to explain — especially seeing she didn’t fully understand the dreams herself.

For a moment, the siren felt a ping of jealousy at the term “my Glimmer”. Quickly, that faded beneath the grief she was feeling for her father. Being around Adora had truly lowered the queen’s walls as of late. For one reason or another, Adora reminded Glimmer of Angella.

“I thought coming out here every morning would help with this pain festering inside me but… After all these years, it still hurts, Adora…” Glimmer gulped down her sobs, “I wish… I could’ve saved him...”

The smoke of the incense blew around with the faint breeze as Glimmer began to cry. Adora grabbed onto her hand, stroking the tops of her fingers beneath her thumb.

“You were a kid when he was killed, Glimmer. There’s nothing you could have done,” Adora comforted her, offering up her kind gaze.

There was a bitter frigidity in Glimmer’s voice, “Angella could have done something… Used her powers and not hold back… Instead, she decided to be a coward, even after dad was killed…” Glimmer gritted her teeth as she breathed in, shakily breathing out, “She could never realize that only justice will bring peace. And I’ll never forgive her for that.”

Glimmer dug her nails into Adora’s, nearly drawing blood. It wasn’t a hostile act towards Adora, more so indiscriminate rage building within Glimmer. Hearing that, Adora felt she now fully understood the queen.

Nothing would ever excuse Glimmer’s action. It wasn’t right for her to kill Angella, even though that lead to the liberation of Etheria from the Horde’s control. Despite not wishing to kill Angella, Glimmer felt she had no other choice.

Adora resented the She-Ra of this universe, whomever it was.

 Glimmer dismissed the meeting she was in, admittedly too hastily. Adora and her planned on going out into town that night. It was surprising to come across the hero in the hallway, seeing she usually hung out in her room or the gardens. Excitedly, Glimmer teleported up to her.

“Hey, Adora,” Glimmer greeted. The siren leaned up, pressing a brief kiss onto Adora’s lips. Withal, she felt something was off about Adora. Glimmer narrowed her eyes at Adora’s uncharacteristic, smug smirk.

“Miss me, honey?” Adora coyly teased, brushing her fingers through Glimmer’s hair.

Glimmer laughed, “‘Honey’? Since when have you—”

Nictitating membranes blinked over Adora’s eyes, nearly making Glimmer jump. Revolted, Glimmer backed away, grimacing while Double Trouble morphed back into their regular form. “Double Trouble! That’s disgusting!” Glimmer scolded.

Double Trouble’s lips curled, “I was wondering why you haven’t been talking to me that much, so I decided to watch the both of you…”

Glimmer stiffened. If Double Trouble wasn’t a friend of hers, she would have them banished for such an act. Claws fondly brushed against Glimmer’s cheek.

“Here I was thinking that you were toying with Adora so you could understand She-Ra more… But if I didn’t know any better, I would think you’ve fallen in love for with your hero.”

Glimmer immediately furrowed her brows, countering, “I’m not in love with her.”

“Alright…” Double Trouble shrugged their shoulders, “Deeply infatuated.”

“Why do you care?” Glimmer crossed her arms, unwavering as Double Trouble moved their hand down her arm.

“Remember the last time you thought you had a hero, your majesty?” Double Trouble morphed once again. Glimmer lightly gasped as they turned into a perfect replica of Catra, down to the prosthetic arm. Double Trouble stalked around her, wrapping their tail around her leg. “Ever since, you’ve been trying to find someone to fill that void. Every woman in Etheria throws themselves at your feet.”

Glimmer nearly sobbed at how much their hand felt like Catra’s as it ran through her hair. It reminded her of how badly she messed up with Catra, and nothing she did could ever fix that. As Double Trouble walked back around to the front of Glimmer, and they once again morphed back into Adora. She wanted to slap the stupid smile off their face.

“Yet, you fall head over heels for the one woman that can only stay a few months.” Double Trouble frowned, placing their hand on Glimmer’s neck - right above the scars there. “Your life is fully of tragedy, love.”

Glimmer shoved Double Trouble away, unable to take their teasing any longer. She growled, flaring magic in her palms as they returned to their normal form.

    “I don’t need your pity,” Glimmer snapped, “I don’t need anyone’s pity!”

    “Oh?” Double Trouble raised an eyebrow, “But you’ll take Adora’s pity, hm?”

    Glimmer growled, shooting a weak blast of magic onto the ground near Double Trouble. “Go away, Double Trouble. I don’t know what you want from me.”

    “I don’t want anything,” For the first time since Glimmer knew them, they sounded deeply sincere as they said, “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

    With that, they pivoted on the spot, walking away and leaving Glimmer to her thoughts. Was that their idea of protecting Glimmer?

    Adora had rarely ventured into the village at the base of Bright Moon in her own dimension. There, it was small, seeing as most people in Bright Moon lived in the castle. Here, it was bustling, full of travelers from all over Etheria. The sun was setting, and many villagers were starting to light lamps. Children ran around, gleefully playing with one another and often greeting the queen as they passed.

At first, the proposition of going into town was exciting. Yet, Glimmer seemed upset about something. Adora kept catching her gazing at her, her eyes sparkling with a sense of sorrow. Eventually, Adora held onto Glimmer’s hand, ecstatic as the siren immediately brightened up. “Are you alright?”

Glimmer replied with an affectionate peck on her cheek. Adora found it endearing how she had to stand on the tips of her toes in order to kiss her. “Yeah. I’m fine, thanks to you.”

Glimmer kept her fingers strongly entwined with Adora’s. Even now after all this time with the siren, Adora felt her heart racing every time she looked at her fuchsia eyes. She pulled Adora along, showing her the various stalls and offering to buy her many things. It was times like these that Adora wished she could keep something. Jewelry and knickknacks were being sold at the various market stalls — both of which she could easily lose during her travels. 

    They came across a stall selling many exotic fruits. Adora eyed a peculiar, spiny green fruit that was easily the size of her head. She swore she had seen it before, but still asked Glimmer, “What’s this?”

    Glimmer giggled, “Remember in Operon? That fruit they tried to give you but you nearly vomited?”

    Adora tried not to remember, “Yeah.”

"It’s called a durian, I think you'll still hate it the second time around.” Glimmer eyed a different stall, pulling Adora along with her. “Oh! Adora, look!”

An older Satyr sat in the center of an array of cages, stocked with various, showy birds. Their calls and songs filled the plaza, almost being deafening as the two walked into the stall. There were many birds the hero had failed to see during her travels across Etheria.

“I’ve always wanted birds in the greenhouse,” Glimmer’s eyes lit up, “What about these?” Glimmer stopped in front of a cage containing several tiny songbirds. They weren’t even the length of Adora’s hand with petite beaks, fiercely black crests, and lavender plumage sprinkled with the occasional gray and white. Their songs were rhythmic, the notes pleasingly swinging up and down. They were quite eye catching, and matched the queen’s color palette. 

    “What are they?” Adora asked.

    “There’s a plaque,” Glimmer reached out to it, reading the species name. "... Devlan Black-lored Tits." Immediately, Glimmer stifled a laugh, covering her mouth. 

    Adora was barely able to hold back her own laughter. The two began a chorus of laughter, having to leave the stall for a moment in order to not offend the Satyr working there. Glimmer snorted, “Okay, okay, maybe something else. Who would name a bird that ?”

    Adora sucked in her laughter, “No, no. I think you should get them. Just for the novelty of the name.”

    Glimmer smirked up at Adora, “Just because you told me to. Wait out here, I’ll buy them and take them back to Bright Moon right quick. Okay?”

    “Go ahead,” Adora smiled back, letting go of Glimmer’s hand. The hero blushed as the queen once again pecked her — this time around, pressing their lips together. Before Adora could say anything, the queen had teleported back into the stall. Glimmer talked to the old Satyr, giving her a large sum of money worth far more than the birds and the cage. The siren appeared joyful as she looked down at the birds.

    It felt like back in her own dimension, she nor Glimmer had much time for hobbies. Sure, Glimmer would read the occasional book or Adora would catch her writing in her diary. There were even a few drawings in the queen’s room. Right then, she wondered if her Glimmer had time to do things like this now. Perhaps it was Adora’s anxieties stretching to every little aspect to fret over, or maybe because Adora saw so many similarities between the two queens. 

    Two women deeply afflicted by tragedy. Neither ever got to be normal girls growing up. Micah was gone for most their lives. Both their mothers didn’t seem to show they loved them — at least, not enough — to the point of both lacking trust in Angella. At that moment, Adora was happy for the siren as she teleported away with the birdcage. Adora planned on wondering through the various stalls more until the queen came back.

    However, a fierce grip at her elbow changed that plan. The perpetrator strongly pulled her arm, forcing her to walk along. Whoever it was, they were wearing a dull blue cloak, so Adora couldn’t tell who it was.

    “Hey!” Adora stopped on the spot, her strength greater than the stranger’s, “What are you—”

    They snapped around, and Adora felt like she got caught in a terrible act. Mismatching eyes glared into her own, as Catra put a finger to lips and gave a shush. “Shut up and come with me.”

    Adora decided a scene in the middle of the market wasn’t a good choice. The two ducked into an ally, sulking down as Catra refused to remove her hood. Adora felt like she was corned, rehearsing what she planned on saying to Catra over and over as they settled.

    “Where have you been? I figured Glimmer kidnapped you, but why are you here? She would be flipping over every pebble in Etheria if you escaped,” Catra glared, having a good idea what was going on.

    Adora was lost for words for a moment. Many times, she opened her mouth, only for “Uh” or “I” to come out. Eventually, she decided to rip the bandage off the wound. “We’re… friends now, Catra.”

    Something snapped in the Magicat. She removed her hood, as if only to show how far back her ears were. “Pass that by me again?!”

    “Catra, I told you I could get through to her. I feel like I’m almost—”

    “No! You idiot!” Catra grabbed Adora’s arm, “There’s a reason I called her a siren. She’ll hook you in so easily, and manipulate you whatever means necessary.”

    Adora pulled her arm away from Catra, “You’re wrong. Glimmer makes mistakes, a-and that’s alright. Give her a chance—”

    “Hello?!” Catra’s voice echoed down the ally as she shifted closer, “She killed Angella, moron. That’s a pretty major mistake. And I did give her a chance, and she happily burnt that bridge.”

    “Angella would forgive her. I know she would. Glimmer saved Etheria, isn’t that enough for you?” Adora’s volume matched that of Catra’s.

    Suddenly, claws bore into her cheek as Catra slapped her. Adora put her hand over the already swollen wound, gritting her teeth at Catra.

    “What the fuck?” Catra barked, “Listen to yourself! What—”

    Adora gasped as Catra was knocked back by a magical blast. Sure enough, the siren stood at the entrance of the ally — fists flaring and fuchsia eyes leering at the Magicat. Catra skidded onto the tile, managing to prop herself up before Glimmer teleported over.

    “You…” Glimmer was furious, conjuring up a warping spell, “What are you doing here?!”

    Catra held her ground, glaring at Glimmer, “This is the only place I knew I could find medication! Frosta is really sick.”

    Glimmer narrowed her eyes further, planting her heel on Catra’s shoulder and pushing her back onto the tile. “You’re lying to me.”

    “Stop! Why can’t you trust anyone?! ” Catra scolded, baring her sharp teeth, “I know you care about me. You care about all of us. Why else would you heal me back then? You just pretend to be some sort of badass, when deep down, you’re afraid of something . And you never let me figure that out.”

    Adora didn’t know how to feel. Once again, Catra was giving Glimmer a chance. And what the Magicat was pleading seemed to appeal to some part of the siren. The spell cast faded, as Glimmer removed her boot from Catra’s shoulder. Glimmer turned her back to Catra, crossing her arms. “The pharmaceutical distributor is at the end of all the stalls. Go, before I change my mind.”

    Without a word, Catra shot up. As she ran past Adora, she glared at her — communicating a deep sense of disappointment. Glimmer blankly watched Catra leave. Unbeknownst to Adora, the siren secretly wished to call out to her former friend and lover. Desperately, she wanted to fix things between them as best as she possibly could.

    Withal, Glimmer felt the people she wronged were incapable of forgiving her. Catra could never love such a monster.

    Adora’s touch at her arm made the siren flinch. “Are you alright, Glimmer?”

    Glimmer offered a feeble smile, placing her hand on Adora’s. “I’m sorry, Adora.”

    “Hey,” Adora beamed back, “You’re okay.”

    Glimmer’s mood seemed to drastically change again as she giggled, “Yeah. Let’s talk about tits or whatever again.”

The Bright Moon Violets were beautiful that afternoon. Dew from the recent light rain still dripped off their petals. They had a faint, sweet aroma that breezed through Bright Moon. Adora quietly sketched the violets before her, awaiting when Glimmer would get out of her meeting.

Her first day in the dimension, she never thought things could feel this peaceful. Here, she was able to relax while Entrapta continued to research more on a way to find this universe’s She-Ra, or how to move Etheria safely out of Despondos. Glimmer, despite her inner demons, was truly kind to Adora and all her subjects.

The loud flapping of wings jolted Adora. At first, she thought it would be Glimmer approaching. However, a bird-like man was descending in front of Adora. She stood up as he landed.

“Greetings from Dryll,” he reached into his messenger bag, “Entrapta instructed me to give a report to the queen, concerning the ‘She-Ra’.” His talons wrapped around a large folder, sealed with wax and labeled “confidential” . He requested, “Would you make sure this reaches her?”

Admittedly, she was a bit excited as she took the folder away from him, “Can do. Thank you.”

After a cordial bow, the bird messenger took off. Adora eyed the folder for a moment. Why would the information be confidential? The queen had nothing to hide from her subjects. At least, she seemed open and honest. Looking around, there were a few guards scattered through the gardens. Although they weren’t wary of Adora, she still felt a need to seek privacy.

She held the folder within her coat, pacing casually to her room. Thankfully, no one seemed to bat a lash at her as she snuck in. As she sat down on the bed, she pulled out her folder. In her mind, there was nothing wrong with this. It was information about herself, after all.

Breaking the seal, she pulled out the papers. A brief skim through the first few pages appeared to be merely a transcript of all the things Adora had informed Entrapta. About the Heart, her time in the cosmos, and about her own universe. Adora almost stopped skimming through, simply bored by information she already knew. But after she flipped to the next page, her heart sank to her chest.

It was titled in bold letters, “A look into the ability to control Adora and She-Ra.”

    Adora felt like what she read wasn’t real, only a horrible figment of her imagination. Ire and the feeling of betrayal welled up inside her, forcing tears to trickle out. Just barely was she able to process the complicated scientific study before her — just enough to understand fully what the intentions were.

    This was a hypothesis on how to control Adora through the use of the corrupted First One’s tech. There was a detailed plan, listing out how they could use both magic and the tech to gain full control of Adora’s will. They were planning on forcing her to tap into the Heart, somehow. The report further hypothesized that since Adora was from a different dimension, the process would likely distort her and damage her beyond repair.

    Suddenly, there was nothing else left to read. Nothing about being able to bring Adora back to her home dimension. It was all a trick meant to rope Adora in. The kindness, the bribe — everything was a trick. Adora should’ve listened to Catra and Bow. Glimmer was willing to do whatever she needed to get what she wanted.

    It all felt so genuine. The queen’s lowered walls seemed so out of character for such a brutal leader. Adora could barely remember the situation, but when the First One’s tech corrupted her, Glimmer seemed so beyond kind and empathic. The sparing, their time spent together, all the adoring and fleeting kisses between the two — all of it was an act. Adora’s tears trickled onto the paper below, wishing to throw the report out the window.

    Never had Adora felt so betrayed. Not even when Catra left her to die all those years ago, nor when her Glimmer went against her word and trusted Shadow Weaver. She felt like an idiot for ever believing in the siren. Glimmer was planning on using Adora as a weapon, to open up Etheria to the rest of the universe. Her reign wouldn’t stop in Etheria, and it would all be Adora’s fault.

    But then again, Glimmer was absolutely capable of taking on Horde Prime. With her power, he didn’t stand a chance against her nor the Etherians that were absolutely loyal to her. Withal, opening the Heart would likely mean the Light Hope of this world would attempt to use her to fire the Heart’s energy into the galaxy — possibly killing millions in its wake.

    Adora couldn’t stop heaving, even if she tried. Her eyes were beating red, and her head was spinning. Gulping back the lump in her throat, Adora stood up. And just barely was she able to process the all to familiar sound of Glimmer teleporting into the room.

    “There you are, I was…” Glimmer drifted, frowning at the sight of a distraught Adora, “What’s…?” Fuchsia eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the item in Adora’s hand. Glimmer attempted to cover her mouth and muffle the loud gasp escaping her, but failed. Her lips were already starting to shake, and her mind blanked as she attempted to find an explanation for this.

    Adora was livid — her face was red, eyes narrowed, and her nails dug into the folder. After each heave of her chest, Adora released a shaky breath out. Tears tainted her slate blue eyes as she glared at Glimmer. For a brief moment, Glimmer was reminded of the visceral hatred in Catra’s eyes after she nearly killed Bow. “Adora—”

    “How… long…?” Adora’s voice was monotonic.

    “Adora,” Glimmer found it hard to speak over the weight pressing on her chest, “I—”

    “How… long?!” Adora repeated, her voice crisping with anger this time around.

    Glimmer felt immobilized as Adora shifted closer. For the first time in a long time, Glimmer felt intimidated. She knew the hero wouldn’t hurt her, not even in the fit of rage she was in. More so, she was afraid of what was to come from this. How could she possibly defend her actions?

Glimmer could feel tears trickling down as she openly admitted, “Adora… I’m so sorry… I… I was planning on using you from the very beginning.” 

    Maddened by this, Adora threw the folder onto the ground, letting the pages spill out. Glimmer could only covered her mouth again, unable to move as Adora pulled at her hair in frustration.

Quickly, Glimmer added on, pushing back the dryness in her throat, “But things changed! I changed!” Glimmer sniffled, shifting closer to Adora as she appealed, “Please… Trust me. That isn’t the plan anymore. I don’t know why Entrapta even sent that in the first place…” Glimmer buried her anger towards the scientist, “No one has ever been able to trust me but you, and I’ve ruined that, and I am so sorry.”

    “When did you plan on telling me any of this?” Adora barked, glaring down at the siren, “You manipulated me! I was just a piece in your game, wasn’t I, Glimmer?”

    Glimmer’s brows furrowed. Adora truly thought all of their bond was merely to gain her trust. At that moment, Glimmer knew she had truly fucked up beyond repair once again. Just as she did with Bow, Catra, and most of all, with her own mother. 

“What do you plan on doing now? Teleporting me on over to Entrapta and getting it over with?” Adora offered her hand out to Glimmer, “Go ahead. Take me. If that’s really what will make you happy, Glimmer.”

Glimmer didn’t immediately respond, merely succumbing to the fierce tears forming in her eyes. While she sobbed and covered her mouth, Adora only continued her hateful stare. What could she believe, anymore? How did she know Glimmer was being genuine?

Glimmer sobbed, “Adora, that’s not what I want anymore.”

Bitterly, Adora took her hand away, her glare growing fiercer, “What do you want, then?”

Fighting the growing weight on her chest, Glimmer heaved, “I want… I want...” Before realizing she had no answer for Adora’s question. She didn’t want more power, adoration, or respect. None of that satisfied her.

Catra’s hands running through her hair as she told Glimmer how they would travel the world one day, after they stopped this war. How her kisses felt like touching the clouds, or how her voice invigorated a soothing comfort that no one else could possibly offer. Gleefully, she once imagined the both of them ruling Bright Moon together. Growing old together, having kids, and staying madly in love.

Bow and her fanning the castle kitchen as they managed to burn a cake for the second time in a row, but still heartily laughing. It helped her forget just for a little while all the suffering in the world.

Micah holding her high, reminding her that one day she’d be able to fly just like her mother. Not once did it seem like he was a solider of a brutal war.

Angella… How she would hold her close as a child, carrying her as they flew above the steep cliffs of Bright Moon. The two would giggle as they flew, and Glimmer would constantly wish she’d be able to do this herself one day. In those nostalgic, blissful moments, Glimmer was never afraid. Angella would keep her safe.

After Micah died, Angella could barely stand to be around Glimmer. Hardly did her mother ever touch her, or tell her she loved her. Even in her dying breath, Angella neglected to tell her that. “No matter what happens, I will always be so proud of you, my dear Glimmer… I’ve known that since the first time I held you in my arms.”

    She wanted love. She wanted Adora.

    “You don’t know what you want.” Adora spoke in a cold, visceral monotone, “But I know one thing for sure… I can’t trust you anymore.”

And before Glimmer could defend herself, Adora walked past her. Glimmer couldn’t care where the hero was going or what she planned on doing. Simply put, her heart was too broken to allow her to move.

Adora couldn’t control herself. She couldn’t believe that she let herself be so foolishly betrayed by Glimmer. What had she expected? Catra herself said Glimmer couldn’t be changed. It’s like she had forgotten the monstrous acts Glimmer had done, or the fact she was keeping the Princesses under her control. 

Despite all her rage, she didn’t wish to hurt Glimmer. She couldn’t bring herself to do something like that. Instead, she would take the sword far away from Bright Moon. Adora would find the She-Ra of the universe herself. However, there was an obstacle to maneuver over — the fact she couldn’t touch the sword without being distorted.

Feeling she didn’t have much time before Glimmer came searching for her, Adora headed straight towards the prison tower. She knew the Princesses were being held captive there. Her heart felt heavy knowing she wouldn’t be able to save all of them, as the mission was too high stakes to bring along several people without a way to defend themselves.

Upon entering the tower, she was greeted by a large purple lizard woman. Her feet were casually propped up on the desk in front of her, and she smiled at Adora. “Hey, it’s She-Ra girl! How—”

The woman gasped as Adora began to glow. Without chanting, she transformed into She-Ra. The guard stood, preparing to cast an anti-magic spell at Adora. However, Adora quickly turned her sword into a whip — striking the woman, and the sheer force of the hit knocking her off her balance. As her head hit the tile of the wall next to her, she was easily knocked out.

Adora pressed herself up against a wall, slowly peaking around the corner. She could see another guard standing in front of a door. Adora transformed her sword into a grappling hook, aiming for the ceiling above the guard. Successfully, it hooked into the ceiling. While it pulled Adora forward, the guard looked over at her. Before he could counter, Adora landed a powerful kick into the guard — knocking him out.

With an impressive amount of ease, Adora ripped the metal door out of the frame. In the decently furnished cell, Mermista sat on the edge of her bed. Akin to Frosta, color had been drained from her hair. Gone were her royal blue locks, jet black in its place. Mermista looked on with a mixture of fear and awe, shakily standing up as she rubbed her eyes.

“Uh… Wow . Who are you?” Mermista blushed, tucking loose hair behind her ear.

“I am the She-Ra of an alternate dimension. I’ll help you escape, but I need your help in exchange.”

Mermista stole the cloak off the reptilian guard, and Adora returned to her normal self. Stealthily, the two made their way through the castle — managing not to gain any attention. Somehow, they kept their pace casual — despite knowing the time was ticking.

They made their way to the room where the sword was kept. For security, it was brought back to Bright Moon after Entrapta had extracted as much information as she could from it. A Magicat guard stood in front of the door, yawning as he scratched underneath his helmet. He turned his back towards Mermista and Adora, just for a moment.

Seeing a chance, Adora drew her sword. She quickly ran up, using the side of her sword to knock him out. After ensuring the coast was clear, she motioned for Mermista to follow. Once again without chanting, Adora morphed into the deity and merely ripped the door from its frame. Mermista looked on, blushing at the sight and muttering under her breath, “Woah, okay, again with the door tearing.”

Adora tilted her chin towards the entrance, “Go on, I’ll keep watch.”

Mermista nodded, not having time to appreciate the 8-foot deity. Wearily, she entered the small room. It was simple, only having the sword atop a pedestal. Mermista cautiously moved towards it, trying to see if there was anything that would set off an alarm. Deciding it was safe, Mermista slowly grabbed onto the handle of the sword. However, once she took it, a large magic spell was cast onto the floor.

Mermista gasped, as the spell surrounded her with fire. Without a second thought, Adora dove in to the flames. The fire singed a rope leading to an alarm, which began to loudly ring as Adora held Mermista in her arms. She jumped out of the flames, managed to escape with only a slight singe on her cape.

Already, guards were running towards the room. Mermista felt a bead of sweat drip down her forehead as Adora eyed a nearby window. Mermista attempted to plead, “Uh, please don’t—”

However, Adora kicked the window. As the glass shattered, Adora leapt out — Mermista gripping onto her like a lifeline as she screamed. Quickly, Adora manifested her sword in her hand and turned it into a grappling hook. As the two fell down several stories, Adora successfully grappled onto the brick of the tower nearby. They began plumbing towards the wall, only increasing Mermista’s screams.

Adora pressed her feet up against the wall, easing the blow of the land. They were only about two stories from the ground, allowing Adora to successfully leap down. Mermista could barely blink after the incident, struggling to catch up on her breath as she held the sword close.

Just like she had the first day in the dimension, Adora ran for what felt like hours. Mermista barely said a word, simply keeping quiet as she ensured the sword didn’t touch Adora. The former queen had so many questions to ask Adora, but buried her curiosity for the time being.

The sun was starting to set over the Whispering Woods. Adora kept running until the sun’s rays were barely peeking over the canopy. Growing exhausted, Adora wished to take a break. They were far away from Bright Moon at that rate. Adora nearly wept at the joyful sight of a familiar creek. She was sure it was the same one where she met Bow and Catra.

Adora settled Mermista down on her feet, before morphing back into her regular self. Quickly, Adora fell to her knees as she attempted to catch up on her breath. Worried about her, Mermista knelt to her side, grabbed the hero’s shoulder and asked, “Are you alright?”

Adora grabbed onto Mermista’s hand, smiling up at her, “Y-Yeah. I should be alright. But you need to take the sword to the Rebellion campsite. Just keep following this stream, you’ll find it eventually. Tell them you need to search for the She-Ra of this universe…”

Mermista furrowed her brows, “Are you coming with me?”

Adora shook her head, easing her panting, “No. I’m staying here. She’ll be looking for me. I have to face her alone.”

Mermista was shocked, but realized there was no way she stood even a chance against Glimmer, at least while she was powerless. This was safest for her, and the only way to get the sword to the Rebellion. Accepting this, Mermista offered Adora the best smile she could fathom. Which, for Mermista, wasn’t much. “Well, could I get your name first?”

Adora smiled back, “Adora. We were friends back in my dimension, Mermista.”

“Adora,” Mermista stood up, confidently smirking, “You got me out of that dump, so you can count on me.”

With that, Mermista ran off in the shadowy woods. Adora crossed her legs, sitting in place as she awaited the queen. Her eyes were fixated on the sky, ready to react at a moment’s notice.

Glimmer knew Adora was leaving, likely taking the sword with her. However, not an ounce of her could care. It felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.

It was all her fault, too. She made Adora do this.

She thought she would find solace atop the cliffs of Bright Moon, next to a gravestone beneath a tree. There were no spiraling branches above her, nor chrysanthemums in the vase. In their place were orange lilies — fittingly enough Angella’s favorite flower. The cherry tree next to her mother’s grave wasn’t as big as the oak tree not to far away. It felt like a waste using her powers to help it grow.

Why did she make this grave in the first place? Perhaps because she hated knowing her mother’s ashes were in the castle. It didn’t help her forget any of it — the love on her mother’s face as she died. The love wasn’t real, it was all a game of Angella’s, all an attempt to coin sympathy from Glimmer. And it failed, miserably.

The sun was setting over the cliffs, covering the valley in a beautiful orange. Glimmer failed to appreciate anything at that moment, turning her back to the gravestone. She had all the power in Etheria at the palm of her hands, all the women she could ever ask for, and loyal subjects at every corner of the globe. What else was there?

The soft touch of Adora’s callused fingers exploring her long hair, followed by a tender kiss on her neck — right atop of the scars there. “Your hair — it looks like starlight.”

Glimmer clutched her fist, attempting to bury the memories down. Adora was dead to her, as was Catra, Bow, and most of all—

“You’ve grown your hair? It looks lovely.”

Glimmer felt her heart fall out of her chest. In an instant, she pivoted around coming face to face with—

“Mother?” Glimmer could barely speak, the air in her lungs completely gone. Before her stood Angella, but not in her physical form. She was a blinding light pink, to the point of it being hard to make out of the features on her face.

So many emotions swirled within her, Glimmer couldn’t feel anything. She was immobilized to the spot as Angella gracefully walked closer. Glimmer could practically snarl because of the doting smile on her face.

“You’ve stopped the Horde and united Etheria. I couldn’t even get the Princess Alliance together for meetings,” Angella kept her kind smile, “I am so proud of you, Glimmer.”

Glimmer raised her fists, clutching them as magic flared in her palms. She backed away as Angella tread closer. “That’s not what you think of me. I...“ Glimmer gulped, “I killed you. You think I’m a monster. And who could ever love a monster like me?”

“I love you, Glimmer. I always have, and I always will.”

Glimmer could feel a fiery rage sparking within her. The fire consumed her, making it harder to breathe. Even as Glimmer’s magic sparked in her hands, Angella didn’t back down. Her smile never faded. The fiery soul of the siren spilled over, forcing a loud growl from her. The apparition didn’t even flinch as Glimmer tore through her with light.

    And for the second time in her life, Glimmer turned her back to Angella as she faded away. Even though she was just a phantom, Glimmer felt her heart break just as much as it did back then. As much as she pretended it didn’t affect it, it did — every day of her fucking life. It was growing hard to breathe, she wanted this pain to end already. All the suffering, all the betrayal, all the mistrust in her life was too much. She hated it all, she hated everyone who ever dared to love her.

    Did Adora ever truly love her? Or was the siren simply an object to reflect the feelings for her Glimmer? No one ever truly loved her. Who could ever love a monster? How could a monster have a hero? Blinking back her tears, Glimmer kneeled onto the ground.

    She was wrong. This was Adora’s fault. Ever since the hero came into her life, she had questioned everything. She hated her so much for that. Adora had been everything to her.

    But she was nothing to Adora.

    Her eyes shot open, now a blinding white. Out of her body, her astral projection shot out. The owl screeched as it flew forward, burying down the many emotions flowing within it and letting one sprout above all.

    Hatred.

    Mermista panted, nearly falling to her knees as she finally stumbled across the campsite. Running that fast felt so unnatural for the aquatic princess, who deeply wished for her powers back at that moment. Upon running into the campsite, she failed to immediately see anyone. “Hey!” She yelled as possibly as she could, “Help!”

    Quickly out of one of the tents, Scorpia and Catra emerged. Their eyes fell out of their skull at the sight of Mermista, both gasping as Scorpia quickly ran to her. Mermista placed a hand on the Scorpioni shoulder, leaning against her and panting.

“Mermista?!” Scorpia cried out, “Wh— How did you—”

“A-Adora! She’s going to hold off Glimmer. We… need to find… She…. She-Ra…” Mermista panted, shakily holding the sword out.

Withal, Catra wasn’t able to rush to Mermista’s side. Her head and chest both were overwhelmed, both feeling like they were going to split open. It was like that night she ventured deep into the woods with the siren — that otherworldly feeling that guided her to the sword. Mismatched eyes bored into the sword in front of her and her fur stood up on end.

“Catra.”

Her prosthetic hand reached towards the sword. Once she grabbed onto it, it was like everything made sense. The feeling in her chest was relieved, soothing down to a sense of destiny. All her life, something was missing — and the piece was right here. The winds of fate were blowing in her direction, finally, after all these years.

Visions of older Magicats filled her head. They laughed as they tossed her into the air. As she reached out, she could see her hand — her real hand. But she was far smaller. And there were stars in the sky above her.

Catra’s eyes glowed as a familiar voice called out to her, “Catra. Will you fight for the honor of Grayskull?”

Chapter Text

    The forest was oddly peaceful. Nearby, a whip-poor-will sang, its constant, rhythmic notes lulling Adora into a trance. The night breeze was cold, but Adora failed to falter. Adora sat with her legs crossed, slate blue eyes looking dead ahead into the sky, awaiting the siren.

    Her fuchsia eyes, glowing from the sheer amount of magic inside her, gazing affectionately at Adora. The world the hero found herself in was missing its stars, but she could easily find them in Glimmer’s long hair. How her laughter drew Adora in, like a lost sailor to a siren—

    Stop. Focus. Adora buried the memory. It was all an act , she reminded herself. She lied to Adora, manipulated her. Long ago, the hero promised herself to never be used as a weapon again. The power she felt surging through her while Light Hope attempted to pilot her all those years ago was atrocious. She took a deep breath, once again attempting to clear thoughts from her mind. Instead, one image came to mind—

Glimmer was her constellation, her everything. The shooting stars that touchdown and nearly blinded the hero every time couldn’t dare to compare to how bright Glimmer beamed. All the love in the cosmos was transferred to Adora through her tender, doting touch. Glimmer was a supernova — bright, inviting, warm, and in a sense, overwhelming. The vagabond had seen the marvels of the cosmos, but the love in her gaze was something she never knew.

    Adora had to do this for her Glimmer — for everyone. Bow, Micah… Angella. Adora swore to the queen she would take care of Glimmer. Adora had to go back to Glimmer, she couldn’t give up on her.

    The hero could barely process a bright glow from far away. The owl apparition was virtually silent as it flew closer, searching the forest below. Eventually, its glowing eyes leered forward — catching the sight of Adora in the clearing, standing as she drew her sword. While it stooped downward, Adora stood her ground.

    The owl landed not too far away from Adora. After it settled, it disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. In its place, the siren silently stood. Fuchsia eyes glowed furiously above the darkness encasing the two of them. Adora failed to read any emotion on Glimmer’s face, seeing as she only blankly stared at the hero. As the wind tossed her long night sky hair, Adora could feel her heart swell.

    But she had to bury that feeling.

    The two felt so betrayed by one another. Ire welled up in both of them, only seconds from spilling over. Still, looking at the queen, Adora couldn’t bring herself to make the first move. “Glimmer,” Adora could barely speak due to the weight on her chest, “We don’t have to do this, please—”

    “What?” Glimmer coldly spat, narrowing her eyes, “Fight? You’ve given me no choice. You betrayed me, Adora, and you’ve betrayed my people. I gave you a choice, I wanted you to help me protect Etheria... This…” Glimmer clutched her fists, drawing magic out, “Is all... your... fault!”

    In an instant, wings shot from the queen’s back. Adora expected them to be prismatic as they were usually, but was instead met by an electric purple. As they spread wide and flapped, Glimmer brought her two fists together. A strong, laser beam of light shot forward, and Adora hardly skidded onto her knees in time to avoid it. It hit a tree behind her — the explosion loud enough to pierce her eardrums. Adora slowly rose back up as she chanted, “For the honor of the Rebellion!”

    For the honor of Bow, the friend that taught her how to forgive. The first person to ever believe in her, to ever see that she was more than just a Horde cadet.

Micah, the only father figure in her life. The one she promised to bring Glimmer back to.

Catra, her old friend. Adora had to come back for her, to make things up between them. Things would never be the same between them, but they had to start somewhere.

Entrapta. By the stars, Adora knew the scientist would have a field day over her adventures across the cosmos. Scorpia, Perfuma, Frosta, Mermista — hell, even Seahawk.

    Most of all, she fought in the honor of Glimmer. All those years ago when she had her first dream in the violet field, she swore to the queen, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

    She had to make it back, for all their sake. Adora refused to back down as she transformed, quickly morphing her sword into a shield. Once again, Glimmer aimed a strong beam of light at Adora — only for it to easily reflect off the shield. It hit the ground, charring the grass there and lighting a fire.

    Adora knew Glimmer’s only weak point — if she could tie the queen up, she could disable most her magical abilities. Once again, Glimmer readied a strong beam of light in her palms, loudly growling as she did. Adora promptly rolled beneath Glimmer, changing her shield into a lasso. She expected for the shot to land in the spot she formerly was, and was readying her lasso to pull the queen down. However, the siren pivoted in the air — aiming the beam of light at Adora.

    Without much time to react, Adora held her bracelets over her face. The light reflected as it hit the bracelet, mirroring back to the siren. Glimmer gasped, unable to teleport out of the way in time. The light hit her breastplate, the force being strong enough to ground her. She skidded across the ground, struggling to get up once the momentum stopped. Adora saw her chance, rushing forward while preparing her lasso.

    Fueled by ire, Glimmer managed to get up — not caring how askew her crown was. Placing a palm forward, she pulled roots from the ground in front of Adora. The deity failed to notice, and caught her foot beneath one of the roots. As she tripped, Glimmer brought forth vines — trapping Adora to the ground. Glimmer knew that wouldn’t keep her down for long, deciding to conjure up a powerful dark magic spell.

Glimmer encased herself in a chamber of ice, as she went to work creating the spell cast. Her fingers shook, but her execution remained flawless. Outside, she could hear Adora breaking through the ensnarement of vines and roots. Sweat beaded down the side of her head, but she managed to finish the cast. She could see the silhouette of Adora approaching, bracing herself as the deity slashed the ice.

Before Adora could blink, Glimmer shot up into the sky. She cast the spell down, purposely placing it a few meters behind Adora. As Adora threw her lasso forward, Glimmer drew water from the nearby stream — draining all the water there. The force of the waves hitting Adora made her miss the lasso toss, and threw her back into the center off the large spell cast.

Instantaneously, Glimmer reappeared behind Adora. Without a slither of consideration, she generated electricity in her palms and shot it forward. The lightning bolt tore through her tunic, letting electricity ripple through her body. As Adora screamed out in pain, Glimmer could feel herself hesitate for what she wished to do next.

She had to do this — protect the Etheria that Adora didn’t wish to serve. She had to be more brutal than them.

Glimmer teleported onto the ground in front of Adora, activating the spell. Dark red magic shot from the ground, knocking the air clean out of Adora’s lungs. Adora struggled to keep breathing, feeling a crushing gravity push her down onto her knees. Strange, dark red tentacles emerged from the ground, wrapping around every inch of Adora and forcing her to drop her lasso. It felt as if spikes were being driven into her, before a loud humming noise filled her ears.

The queen seemed heartless as Adora screamed and thrashed. As Adora grew weaker, Glimmer only grew stronger. She had never performed a magic draining spell, yet had done so flawlessly. Light yellow magic glowed from the queen, as Adora found it painful to keep up as She-Ra. Withal, she prevailed, growling and pulling at the tentacles that held her down.

“Glimmer, you don’t have to do this,” Adora demanded, grunting as a tentacle jerked her arm, “She-Ra is out there somewhere! Please—”

“Even if she was, how do I know she’ll fight for me?!” Fuchsia eyes narrowed, and the queen gritted her teeth, “She was never there for me when I needed her. And you left me when I needed you most.”

Glimmer walked closer to the kneeling deity. A strange wind blew from beneath them, making their hair toss in the breeze. Her electric purple wings made her appear far more fearsome, and her eyes were glowing brighter than ever. The sparkles in her hair were blinding, a key sign that the siren was gaining an unbelievable amount of power.

“I am nothing to you,” Glimmer snapped, her omnipotent eyes dampening with tears, “I was never anything to anyone , Adora. You probably know what that feels like?”

For a moment, Adora was confused. What could the siren possibly mean by something like that?

“You came from nothing. People only loved you for your power,” Now, she was towering over the deity, her voice faltering as she badgered, “You fight so hard, and for what? How do you know any of them ever loved you?!”

The siren was just merely attempting to get under the hero’s skin. Adora knew this, yet she couldn’t even convince herself as she fumed, “Stop, Glimmer!”

But Glimmer simply ignored her, venomously scoffing, “How you know she ever loved you?”

That was enough to snap power back into Adora. The siren was lying. Glimmer loved her, more than anything in the cosmos, and Adora was sure of that. Even if the dreams were a twisted fantasy, Adora still believed Glimmer was holding onto her. Glimmer never gave up.

And neither would Adora.

Overmastering the grip on her arm, Adora managed to grab onto her lasso. Glimmer failed to notice, rambling on, “This world doesn’t need a She-Ra, and I certainly never you—”

 With all her strength, Adora pulled herself up. The tentacles snapped, causing Glimmer to panic. She-Ra towered over the siren, looking down at her with spite. Wishing to put distance between them, Glimmer teleported back up into the air. However, Adora fought the crushing gravity of the magic-draining spell, and she threw her lasso up.

Successfully, it ensnared the queen. Harshly, Adora whipped Glimmer down onto the ground — creating a cloud of dust where she landed. Adora gasped, nervous that the hit was too much. The spell cast beneath her died out, returning gravity to normal around her. However, this only further worried Adora. Carefully, she walked towards the limp Glimmer.

“Glim — agh…” Adora grunted, feeling the drastic effect of the spell. With most her energy zapped, Adora was forced to turn back into her regular self. Even after the transformation, Glimmer failed to move much. Adora stood over her, withdrawing her lasso from around her. Glimmer lied with her mouth partially agape, and one of the stones on the side of her crown cracked.

Adora was letting that golden heart of hers hold her back. In an instant, fuchsia eyes snapped open with a newfound fury. Without a moment for Adora to react, Glimmer growled and blasted a powerful beam of light into Adora’s chest. It knocked her back, throwing her through the air until she hit the trunk of a tree. As it hit the fresh wound there, Adora cried out in pain and struggled to fight back to vertigo plaguing her.

As she opened her eyes, all she could see was Glimmer glaring at her, preparing another blast of light — one far stronger and deadly than the last. Adora had to act fast, or she was done for. There was no way she could handle that blast, even as She-Ra. It would tear her apart. Glimmer teleported up to Adora, readying the final blow.

She didn’t care what happened to Adora at this rate. Not even the familiar slate blue eyes that pleaded with her could stop her. She was done with people betraying her, people pretending they loved her. No one could ever love a brutal monster like her—

However, the queen flinched as a familiar apparition appeared above Adora.

“You’ll do it again? Kill someone you love?”

Glimmer hesitated, her eyes dead set on her mother’s. Those words were so simple, yet they quelled the furious monster inside her. Angella was right. She couldn’t do this again. She couldn’t ruin the life of another person she loved. Being so brutal only drove everyone she loved away. She had to stop this, she had to—

A horrible, vile noise filled her ears as Adora jabbed her sword forward, entering through her stomach.

No matter how hard she tried, Adora couldn’t bury the memory of what she did, nor could she ever bury the guilt. Over and over, the memory played in her head, even mere moments after it happened. Never had someone appeared so betrayed by Adora.  The memory was like the whip-poor-will that still sang its rhythmic, constant notes somewhere nearby — it never went away, only repeating over and over.

In her enraged haze, Adora twisted the sword and quickly removed it. Adora could never forget how wide the queen’s eyes were, her gaze refusing to stray from her own. Her mouth was agape, quietly gasping for air. Glimmer legs gave out beneath her, making her fall onto her side, her wings fading in the process. She desperately held onto the wound, sobbing as she saw how much blood was already coming out of it. Adora barely had the energy to move, but somehow she crawled over to Glimmer’s side. Shakily, she reached her hand out to touch her.

Glimmer shifted onto her back, staring up at Adora with lavender eyes.

The queen appeared to have everything stripped from her. That bright sense of hope and courage that drove the queen was gone from her lavender eyes. The tiny, desperate gasps for air were breaking Adora. Slate blue eyes widened as they caught the sight of blood spewing from the wound. Her own, heartbroken gasp was knocked out of her, as she nervously hovered her hands over the wound.

“G-Glimmer,” Adora could barely speak, she could barely even look at her, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Glimmer. I can heal you, I—”

“Magic… can’t cure this, Adora,” never had Adora heard the queen speak so small.

Adora refused to believe her, holding onto her hand. Already, it felt so cold underneath her touch. “No, no, that can’t be true! Give me a minute, please hold on!”

She attempted to channel She-Ra’s energy. However, the siren had drained nearly every ounce of magic from her. Adora grunted, cursing the fact no magic flowed from her. The sparkles in Glimmer’s hair were growing duller by the second.

“No, please, please, please…” Adora wasn’t sure who she was begging to. She wanted to beg Glimmer to posses her usually moxie and push through this. Or possibly, she was pleading to She-Ra, wishing for her powers to undo this mess. This wasn’t what She-Ra was supposed to do. She was supposed to help people, fix them, save them. Watching life drain from those heartbroken lavender eyes was shattering Adora.

She swore to Angella that all those years ago that she would take care of Glimmer. This wasn’t right, Adora had to fix this—

“Adora. It’s alright…” Glimmer sighed, gulping in before saying, “I deserve this. You were just trying to protect yourself.”

Adora gasped out, “No, no!” Before wrapping her arms around the siren. She felt so small as she pulled her close, holding her in her lap. Tenderly, Adora clutched the back of her head. Even now, after everything, her now messy hair felt so heavenly under her touch. “You don’t deserve this, Glimmer. Please, hold on, I’ll get you back to Bright Moon—”

“Adora.” Glimmer’s lips shivered as she smiled up at her. Visibly her hand quaked as it reached up to Adora’s jawline, stroking the scar there and leaving a faint trail of her own blood. “If you see Catra, please tell her…” Tears fell down Glimmer’s cheeks as she held back her sobs, “I’m sorry I wasn’t enough for her.”

Adora could barely keep sane, her eyes constantly flickering to her wound. There… was so much blood. The hero felt vertigo just looking. It almost felt like a hallucination — this couldn’t be real, she didn’t just do this to Glimmer of all people. Adora shook her head, fighting her tears, “Glimmer, stop! You’re going to live, if it’s the last thing I—”

“You’re always trying to be the hero, huh?” Glimmer teased, tears continuing to trickle down.

Adora could barely notice her own tears forming or her lips fiercely quivering, “Yeah. If you would’ve let me, I…” Adora sniffled in a shaky breath, “I could’ve been your hero.”

There wasn’t an ounce of strength left in Glimmer for her to lean up and kiss Adora. So desperately, she wanted that — no, she wanted Adora. But they were never meant to be, and it took until that moment for Glimmer to truly realize that. Was it possible for your soulmate to be from another dimension? There was no one her own world that ever looked at her as if she was a star — something that burnt bright, was sacred, and truly one of a kind in this starless world.

Yet, the painful wound on her stomach took her out of her dying fantasy. At least Adora could read part of her mind, it seemed. The hero bent down, pressing her lips to Glimmer’s. Nothing about it felt romantic in any sense. Perhaps Adora foolishly hoped it would heal Glimmer somehow. Withal, nothing happened. It was a simple kiss — the two merely communicating a strange yet sorrowful farewell that way. Adora’s heart sank to her feet as she pulled away, noticing a trail of blood coming out of Glimmer’s mouth.

Glimmer could only feebly laugh, “That’s too bad… Villains like me never get happy endings.”

    Before Adora could protest, Glimmer teleported away in a cloud of sparkles. She reappeared in the center of clearing, curled up in a fetal position. With all her strength, Adora forced herself up — ignoring the painful wound on her back, and how her skin felt like it was falling off her body. Light pink magic surrounded Glimmer, as she looked at Adora one last time.

    “Glimmer!” Adora screamed.

    She muttered something, but Adora couldn’t hear her, she was too far away and her voice was too small. Roots shot up from the ground, encasing Glimmer as her light shone brighter. The roots began to form leaves, evident that a massive cherry and oak tree were bursting from the ground. Despite Glimmer being fully concealed within their roots, her light still shined through the cracks.

    The trees twisted with one another, with their bark often merging together at some places. A rainbow of rays illuminated the night sky, all scattering in seemingly random directions — Adora later realized this was the magic of the Runestones being returned. The whole spectacle was stunning, but Adora couldn’t find herself the slightest bit eased. She still limped towards the absolutely massive trees that were still entwining together, hoping there was still a way to save her.

    Her legs gave beneath her. With all her determination, she crawled towards the vast trunks, loudly sobbing and cursing herself. “Glimmer!” She shouted, banging her fist against the trunk. Bright Moon Violets were popping up and fully blooming all around her. Withal, it was hard to notice over her blurry vision and heavy chest.

    “Glimmer, please,” Adora sobbed, digging her nails into the bark, “I can help you! Please just let me in! Let someone in for once in your life, please !”

Bright pale yellow magic flowed cracks around the trees. Once the fissures reached Adora, she could feel some of her energy coming back. The dying siren’s swan song was her giving Adora back the magic she stole. Adora sorrowfully sobbed, placing a hand against her chest. She didn’t want it her magic back, Glimmer needed it to live. Adora once again banged her fist against the trunk, begging, "No, no, no take it back, Glimmer! No…”

Adora couldn’t find an opening through the thick trunks. There was no way she could get to Glimmer, not even with She-Ra’s strength. Far above her, sakura flowers blossomed on the cherry tree. No matter how hard Adora begged or cried, Glimmer wouldn’t come out.

Bright pink magic almost blinded her through the minimal cracks. Adora could barely breathe, too immobilized as the magic swirled together in front of her and manifested into an apparition.

The siren floated above her, fully made of prismatic energy. Angelic long wings sprouted from her back, and she lacked the wound that damned her. Her hair majestically flowed, the stars there twinkled brightly. Again, Adora stood on her shaky legs, unable to stop sobbing. Adora loudly sobbed, far too lost for words at the beautiful yet bittersweet sight. Kindly, Glimmer smiled down upon her. As tears fell from the siren’s eyes, they floated into the air and eventually turned into sparkles.

    Sakura petals slowly started to fall. Everything about the scene was picturesque, but none of it calmed Adora’s rabbit heart. The apparition flew down, taking Adora’s cheeks into her small hands. They lacked the warmth of Glimmer, but still felt inviting. Adora couldn’t stop sobbing no matter how hard she tried. Not even the peck on her forehead could comfort her the slightest. The siren backed away, offering a bittersweet smile.

“I’m so sorry, Adora, love... For everything…” Glimmer paused, appearing as if she desperately wished to tell her something, “Get back to her… and take care of each other.”

The hero’s pulse stopped as the apparition leaned forward, pulling her into a kiss. Adora wanted so desperately for something to fix the queen, to bring her back. This wasn’t fair, she didn’t deserve this. Adora gripped onto her arms, innocently hoping that would somehow bring her back.

However, after the hero opened her eyes, the queen began to disappear — fragments of her magic fading into the sky. Still, she kept her sorrowful smile. Kindly, Glimmer whispered, “Goodbye, Adora.”

“Glimmer!” Adora attempted to reach out and grab for her. But it was too late. The magic was fading too quickly, and only flew through her touch. She lost her balance, falling against the trunk. Loudly, she screamed and cursed herself. Her strength was back to her, yet that failed to stop her visible quaking. Every inch of her heart was fractured, broken, and refused to be put back together.

Glimmer was gone, again. And this time, it was all Adora’s fault. She could have prevented this. Adora clawed the bark of the tree, wailing and leaning into her arm. Maybe she could get through the tree, just for the chance to see her again. But all that would be left for her would be a limp body, ensnared in the roots of the massive trees.

She didn’t deserve this. No one ever loved her enough, no one ever fought for her. Adora cursed the She-Ra of this universe, whoever it was—

“Adora?”

Adora could hardly move or breathe. Yet, something compelled her to turn around towards the familiar voice. Slate blue eyes stared wide at the sight before her.

Catra… was She-Ra. Her dark long mane was tipped with white highlights, and flowed gracefully in the wind alongside her long red cape. Even in the deity form, she still had her prosthetic arm. Her pants featured wing-like motifs, and her crown looked oddly reminiscent of the siren’s. The Magicat held her sword down, pulling back her ears. Her mismatching eyes brightly glowed, full of worry despite the newfound power she held.

Catra’s eyes widened as she saw blood smeared on the hero’s face and coat. Her grip at her sword tightened, as she glared at Adora. “What…” Catra could hardly speak, too afraid of the reality at hand, “Happened… Adora…?”

Adora was too overwhelmed, as there were so many things going on at once. How was she supposed to feel about this? Angry? Disappointed? Catra had no clue she was She-Ra, so what could she have done? The hero had so many questions, ultimately too stressed to ask any. Fighting the weight on her chest, she stared at Catra with tearful eyes, “She’s… she’s gone, Catra. I’m… so, so sorry, Catra…”

Gone… as in, dead?

She was always Catra’s girl. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop her feelings for the siren. One would think her killing Angella and almost killing Bow would be enough for those feelings to die down. Even after slashing her throat open, and after Glimmer retaliated, those feelings prevailed. That night in the Whispering Woods years before only complicated her feelings for Glimmer.

    To think, back when they were younger, they used to play out in the Whispering Woods. Catra remembered Glimmer falling out of a tree when she was attempting to teleport the Magicat down. Before putting a bandage on Glimmer’s scrapped knee, she kissed the bandage — innocently thinking that it would make her feel better.

    Catra looked up at the spiraling trees in front of her. Air was knocked clean out of her lungs, her hand quick to cover her chest. As she fell to her knees, she faltered out of her newly found She-Ra form. She opened her mouth to sob, yet the only sound that escaped was a desperate gasp for air. Every breath she took felt like sandpaper against her lungs. The world stopped for a moment, and everything around her felt so cramped and small. Fire was set to her eyes, and nothing could put the flame out.

    Glimmer was dead. There was no way for her to fix things now. She so foolishly thought she could have mere moments before, now that she knew she was She-Ra. That’s what She-Ra did, right? She fixed things. Catra could’ve fixed Glimmer, right? Catra could barely see Adora walking towards her, her vision growing too blurry to process anything. Nor could she process as Adora rambled, “She didn’t deserve this. I’m so sorry, Catra… I’m so, so sorry…”

Anger colluded her mind. She glared at Adora as she bent to her side, comfortingly gripping her shoulder. Catra hated her touch, she hated Adora. She felt so sick as she saw blood — her blood — smeared on Adora’s jacket.

Adora was the one who killed Glimmer. She was the one responsible for this.

Catra held onto the hand on her shoulder, digging her claws there. Adora didn’t flinch, too consumed by her own grief and pain to notice. Catra gritted her teeth, blinking back her tears. In a monotone, cold voice, Catra stated, “You… killed her.”

“Catra, I…” Adora had no way to defend her actions. She couldn't blame the Magicat for further boring her claws into her hand.

Catra bared her teeth at Adora, growling before pushing her away. Adora fumbled back, propping herself up as she carefully observed Catra. The Magicat’s chest heaved, attempting and failing miserably to calm herself down. Malice consumed her as she glared at Adora, drawing her sword by her side. “You’re right… She didn’t deserve this…” Catra shakily breathed in, “How could you, Adora?!”

“C-Catra,” Adora sobbed, “I’m so, so sorry… I was just—”

Catra loudly growled, hatred spreading across every inch of her soul. Sharp teeth shone at Adora. “Shut up! This is all your fault! I told you there’s no getting through to Glimmer, and look what happened!” Catra’s voice cracked and strained as she accused, “She’s dead because of you !”

That was a hammer to Adora’s already broken heart. She opened her mouth many times, attempting to find the right words — alas, nothing came out. This only further enraged the Magicat, who snarled at Adora. With hatred fully controlling her, Catra lifted the sword in the air. Mismatched eyes shone with fresh tears as she bore them into Adora with all the hatred in the world.

 “For the honor…” Catra sobbed, breathing in deeply before chanting, “of Glimmer!”

In a bright flash of light, Catra returned to her new form. Feeling her life was once again in danger, Adora mustered all her strength — breathing in before transforming herself. There the two deities stood in silence, staring each other down as Catra heaved and cried.

For a brief moment, Adora looked down at her sword — frankly disgusted with the idea of even holding it. With tears cursing her eyes, she buried that thought. She had to survive. She had to make sure to live, to get back to her loved ones. But also to teach Catra everything she knew about what it meant to be She-Ra.

Without a second to lose, Catra swung her sword towards Adora. Adora quickly brought her own sword up, guarding herself from the hit. The two were equal in strength, pushing their swords against one another to see who would give first.

Adora pleaded, her voice cracking in some places, “Catra, we can stop this. Let’s talk about this—”

Catra only responded with a determined roar, before pushing with all her might. The pain from the wound on Adora’s back was growing too sore, and was straining beneath Catra’s retaliation. Successfully, Catra parried Adora, before kicking her back. Once her back hit the ground, Adora dropped her sword cried out in agony — feeling her charred skin bleed against her tunic.

 She attempted to reach out for her sword, before Catra stabbed into the ground between her and the weapon. Adora was hoping Catra was merely angry, and needed to blow off steam. However, malice clouded her eyes and it was clear she genuinely wanted to do damage to Adora — especially after she pressed the toe of her boot onto Adora’s throat, forcing a hearty choke out of her.

Adora had an idea. Albeit, one that would severely hurt Catra, but she felt she had no other choice. As the Magicat raised her sword to blindly slash, Adora quickly grabbed onto her sword. She touched the handle to Catra’s leg — resulting in the deity glitching out, akin to when Adora first used her lasso against her doppelgänger so many years ago. Black and multicolored boxes formed around her as she screamed in pain, dropping her sword and letting her guard down.

Adora quickly got up from beneath her, sword in hand. Catra hunched over, clutching at her stomach. Her breathing became labored, and now she was beyond furious.

“What—” Catra was interrupted as she distorted more for a second, “Did you do to me?!”

“That’s what happens if we touch each other’s swords!” Adora narrowed her eyes, “We can’t do this, Catra. We’ll kill each other!”

Sharp teeth flashed at Adora, as Catra venomously spat, “I thought that was the point!” The newfound deity fought the pain, promptly grabbing onto her sword. As she swung forward, Adora easily parried it. Catra began to blindly swing, but Adora countered every single swipe.

The new She-Ra was sloppy compared to the old pro. With each successful parry, their swords clanked and Catra growled. Sakura blooms showered down upon the two from the spiraling, massive cherry tree. Their duel was growing fiercer, as Catra’s anger refused to die down.

To think, this was the same person who couldn’t tolerate Glimmer because of whom she had become. Adora buried her many frustrations towards Catra, truly wanting to help her through all of this. It was the least she could do for her. Adora held her ground, blocking a hit as Catra aimed for her head. Frustration was making Catra falter, and Adora saw her chance.

After another successful parry, Adora turned her sword into a shield. However, Catra blindly slashed away, her hits barely causing a dent as they clanked against the shield. She kept up an irregular but strong momentum, not slowing the slightest as she audibly sobbed.

“You told me you wanted her dead!” Adora criticized, glaring at Catra from behind the shield, “Why aren’t you happy?!”

“I never said that!” Catra snapped as she strongly swung again, “I wanted her more than anything or anyone!” Catra feebly heaved, blinded by her own tears, “But she wouldn’t let me in!”

Adora preyed on Catra’s moment of reluctance, strongly parrying the consecutive hit with her shield. The force was enough to throw Catra off balance, just for a moment. In the crucial time frame, Adora brought the shield back before slamming her elbow into Catra’s chest — successfully knocking her to the ground. Instantaneously, Adora’s shield turned back into a sword, and pointing it at Catra.

“You didn’t fight hard enough for her! Once you saw her changing, you gave up on her!” Adora snapped, tears forming as she spoke of the fallen queen.

Catra screwed her eyes shut, fighting back the burning feeling as tears trickled down, “Things with her got so complicated, Adora! You don’t understand!”

That was a lie. Adora completely understood what that was like — to have someone you love so dearly go behind your back like that, do something you don’t approve of. Adora’s voice croaked as she retaliated, “Stop! You know I fully understand! Did you ever think love was simple, Catra?!”

Catra was beginning to crack, her mismatched eyes pleading with Adora as she wailed, “No! I, I—” Catra sharply breathed in, “I could’ve been everything she ever needed!”

    What an absolutely heartbreaking statement. One that held such weight and truth. Adora surprised herself with her own sob. All of Glimmer’s pain and suffering could’ve been prevented. She didn’t have to die. Catra could’ve been the hero Glimmer deserved. Visibly, Adora began to shake.

    Her sword fell to the ground, clattering against Catra’s. Her knees gave out beneath her, before she pulled Catra into a hug. She could feel the other deity shaking against her, and was barely able to hear her sobs over her own. They buried their faces in each other's shoulders, Catra gripping her back to pull her as close as possible. Adora couldn’t care that the touch hurt her charred back — all she cared about was having someone else there for her, helping her through this.

Adora debated if she should tell Catra the siren’s dying words. Ultimately, she couldn’t find herself speaking over the lump in her throat, nor the sobs escaping her.

Glimmer was gone. And there was nothing either could do about it.

It was hard to remember the next couple of months in that dimension. Adora found it strange she didn’t disappear quickly after siren’s death. Normally, she would fade out of dimensions where Glimmer didn’t exist within two weeks. Withal, she didn’t let it get her hopes up. The siren was gone, and without her, the world was falling into chaos.

Bright Moon had been taken over by the general, and there were rumors of a bounty on the Rebellion. George and Lance were safe in the library, but the rest decided to pack up and move on. There was a thought that if they could locate the Magicat Kingdom of Half Moon, perhaps they’d be willing to lend the Rebellion a refuge.

Catra and Adora managed to break the other Princesses out of their captivity in Bright Moon. The Magicat was adapting to her new powers well, and Adora was teaching her everything she knew — about She-Ra, Light Hope, and the Heart. Perhaps Catra didn’t need Light Hope, seeing she had already learned how to transform her sword into other objects. Catra was always a quick leaner.

Those months with Catra felt like she was back in the Horde. Although she had her friend, there was still suffering and misery plaguing both women. Where the two bonded over their childish affection for one another in her own dimension, here it was much different. 

Here, the two bonded over the loss of Glimmer. Both desperately wanted their Glimmer back. However, how realistic was that for either of them?

Adora’s time was running out. 

The Rebellion all sat around Adora as she began to experience the worst of her dimensional phasing pain. By this point in her dimensional travels, she had learned how to cope with the pain. However, the last leg was always the most traumatic — reducing her to a convulsing mess on a sleeping bag. Black boxes were all around her as she screamed in pain.

Catra’s eyes welled with tears again. Despite the minuscule blame she placed on Adora, she had mentored Catra to be the best She-Ra possible — all to help fix this Etheria left in disarray. She put a hand on Adora’s arm, smiling down at her. “Try not to worry about us too much, okay?” Catra wrapped an arm around Bow, “Bow’s got me, after all.”

Feebly, they all laughed — trying to feel happy that they had Adora, but knowing the stark reality at hand. The vagabond darted her eyes to Mermista, who was tearing up. Come to think of it, she had rarely seen the aquatic queen cry in her own dimension.

Adora felt awful knowing she would be leaving this world behind in disarray. However, it was comforting knowing they now had She-Ra.

The Rebellion could only sit in silence as Adora faded in a series of black, glitching boxes. Gone from their world, never to be seen again.

Far away, the few violets remaining in Bright Moon wilted as Adora faded. But still, the Moonstone shone — a beacon of hope for the bleak world.

    She was finally out of that awful world. Of all the dimensions, that one was the absolute worst. The sheer psychological torture of having to kill Glimmer in order to survive — it was something that haunted her. It followed her wherever she went, it hung over her no matter what.

    As she opened her eyes, she found herself on the familiar ethereal plain. Shooting stars guided her down to the violet patch below. Her chest was heavy, and tears were already flooding the weakened hero’s eyes. She had to tell herself — this wasn’t real — fuck, was any of this real? When would she wake up from this infernal awful nightmare?!

    A soft hand held onto hers. Upon looking down, she could see her own name on the hand — shining brightly and blue, written in the Firsts language. It was like an earthquake was shattering every part of her fragile, broken being. A fierce fissure was tearing her open, leaving nothing left behind. Her lips shivered, and she hung her head low, refusing to look at her .

    Her starlight, her constellation — her everything . Glimmer was everything, and she ended her life like it meant nothing to her. The line between who was who began to muddy up in her crumbling psyche. Lavender eyes looked up at her, begging her to look at her.

    “Adora,” she had never heard such intense concern from her queen in her life, “Please, tell me what’s wrong. I can help, but you have to tell me what happened.”

    These dreams felt so real, and she wanted them to be real. The lump in her throat made it so damn hard to speak. Never had the hero felt so defeated and weak, and never had she wailed so harshly. Another soft hand reached up, fondling the scar on the hero’s face. Still, Adora could feel Glimmer staring intently at her. “Please look at me, Adora.”

    Withal, Adora refused to look at her. She refused to touch her. Glimmer was just a ghost, and Adora was just losing her damn mind. Her chest felt so heavy, wanting to give in to her starlight’s wishes. Finally, her crazed eyes settled on Glimmer. The small woman looked so fragile, and felt so soft. It was no wonder how she killed her so easily. Adora was afraid to move, so afraid to hurt her starlight. 

    A surprised pant erupted from Adora. Hidden beneath Glimmer’s robe, she could see her top stained red with fresh blood — right on the spot where she had jabbed into her. Fumbling hands reached for the bloodied spot, frantically pulling back the robe.

    “Glimmer?! No, no, no,” Adora stammered, “You’ll be okay, Glim. I can heal you, I-I—”

    “You never have to go back. It’s alright, Adora. You’re safe with me,” Glimmer cooed, stroking her hero’s cheek with her thumb.

    Adora was surprised by the answer. As she blinked, the many realities in her head came crashing together.

Mystacor…? When did I…? Adora was starting to remember, or so she thought. She was back in her home dimension, with her starlight. They were in the hot springs, and she couldn’t take her eyes off Glimmer, right? Then she saw the wound on her stomach — no, her rib cage, right? And then… then…?

Adora was struggling to remember how she got on the beach. The clouds rolled in onto the rocky shoreline, and birds chattered along the coast. The Glimmer before her wore a robe hastily put over her bathing suit. The two had somehow ended up on the beach. When did they get here? Why was she blanking? Nothing was making sense anymore...

    “Stay with me, Adora,” Glimmer demanded, tears forming in her own eyes, “Please stop hiding everything!”

    “I know what is best for you. You must let her go, Adora.”

    Light Hope’s words echoed in her failing psyche, as she looked into Glimmer’s pleading, glistening eyes. Everything she did hurt Glimmer. Existing hurt Glimmer — it hurt the people she loved. Adora brought her hands back, as if she had accidentally touched fire. As she shifted away from the queen, she shook her head.

    “No, Glimmer!” her voice boomed, “You’re not safe from me , Glimmer. I’ll hurt you again, I’ll have to watch you die because of me all over again. I’m a monster.”

    Glimmer paused, realizing the grim reality at hand. This was the thing holding her back — back when they were camping, near the fire and again when they were snuggled up in the sleeping bag. She had so many questions for the vagabond as to why she had to kill her dimensional doppelgänger, but that’s not what mattered at that moment.

    “Adora… I’m not her,” Glimmer shifted towards Adora, following her slow, reclusive steps, “I’m alive, I’m real. You’re back home. There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore.”

    Adora stopped in her tracks at the queen’s words. Frantically, Glimmer reached her hand back out to Adora’s. The hero lost her breath at how tender her touch was, how loving her gaze was. She didn’t deserve this, she didn’t deserve Glimmer. This all felt so unreal, and she was sure she would wake up to find herself in the captivating dreamscape. Adora stammered as she nervously asked, “H-How do I know this isn’t all just one of those dreams again?”

    It was like time stopped at Adora’s question. Deeply shocked eyes widened, boring an astonished stare into Adora. Glimmer shifted even closer to her hero, keeping her grip on her hand. Adora could feel her throat become drier the closer Glimmer shifted and the more she tenderly touched her.

    “Those dreams that feel so damn real. Like, I’m actually touching you, holding you… I can feel how warm and soft you are in those dreams, just like how I can here… How do I know any of this is real?!” Adora exploded, her voice booming with fear and confusion as she harshly gripped Glimmer’s hand.

    It was silent between the two. Glimmer herself appeared nervous, as if she was internally debating with herself what to say to her hero.

    “I… had those dreams too.” Glimmer’s voice sounded so small, so nervous. There was a lot of weight behind those words. Enough to snap Adora back into reality, thinking about all the things that happened in those dreams — realizing the heavy consequences.

“The ones that felt like I was wide awake, and you were right there with me… And when you...” Glimmer took a moment, nervously playing the hem of her opened robe, “You touched me, and I could feel all of it. I don’t even know if those were dreams, Adora. I was always nervous to bring it up to Entrapta because I wasn’t sure if they meant anything...”

Adora’s mind drifted, thinking about all the times they saw each other in the dreamscape… All the times Glimmer had given herself to her — it was real, it actually happened.

Surprisingly, Adora sighed out a weak, delirious laugh, “I can’t fucking tell what’s real or not anymore,” Adora rarely swore, a decent indicator of her crumbling mental state, “Everything’s so twisted. How do I know you’re not just some fantasy of mine?”

Without warning, Glimmer jerked Adora’s hand to her chest. Both Glimmer’s hands pressed against hers, splaying her callused fingers against the soft skin there. Adora wished to give into the siren’s demands. How could she resist someone so beautiful and captivating?

This wasn’t the siren, however. Faintly, Glimmer’s heartbeat pulsed beneath Adora’s touch. Glimmer furrowed her eyebrows at the hero, grasping tighter at her hand.

“You can feel it — my heart beating,” Glimmer snapped, her voice booming with passion, “You're allowed to touch me, Adora. I want you to feel that I'm alive, breathing — that I’m real,” she paused, reaching up to tread her doting touch across Adora’s scar, “And what we have right now is real, Adora.”

Adora had touched Glimmer many times since arriving back home. So why did it feel like she was defying something so sacred as she cupped Glimmer’s cheek? In Adora’s eyes, Glimmer was a perfect goddess — someone so worthy of the hero’s love and utter devotion. As Glimmer’s soft fingers entwined with the callused hand still on her chest, Adora felt so loved and honored.

    But did she deserve such kindness? She was a mere mortal with a selfish wish — that being, to have Glimmer all to herself.

Sparks were flying between them, but not like in those dreams where the stars would take them away. No, the cosmos wouldn’t separate them ever again. There was an electricity in the air, surging through Adora’s spine. Glimmer was silently beckoning Adora to kiss her.

And Adora gave into her goddess’ wishes.

She leaned down, allowing the two to passionately press their lips against one another. Adora could weep at how soft her lips were, and how perfect this moment was. The two pulled each other closer, refusing to back away from the kiss. Adora’s heart was hammering against her chest, and she could feel Glimmer’s pulse pounding beneath her touch.

They were glowing — literally glowing. However, neither seemed to notice, too absorbed in one another. Pink and yellow light engulfed the two, illuminating the shoreline.

Their kiss was like a supernova. Together, they shone brighter than all that surrounded them. They could feel a fiery warmth in their souls, creating something new, invigorating a sense of hope neither ever knew. This wasn’t one of their dreams — this was real. And as Glimmer said, what they had was real.

Unbeknownst to the two, far away in their kingdom, there was a superbloom of Bright Moon Violets.

Chapter Text

There was something about their kiss that made Adora feel so alive. It was as if Glimmer unlocked the chains that bind her, setting her soul free. Adora opened up to Glimmer about what happened in that dimension. They sat at the beach in Mystacor, and Glimmer held her hand the whole time. There were many times Adora failed to find words, but the stroke of Glimmer’s thumb against the back of her hand would guide her through.

Well after the sun had set, Glimmer teleported them to the guest quarters. Without changing out of their robes, the two crawled into bed together. Glimmer cradled Adora’s head close to her chest, threading her soft fingers through Adora’s hair. There, Adora occasionally sobbed, yet was calmed by how Glimmer’s heart pulsed beneath her cheek. She could hear it somehow pick up pace as Glimmer asked, “Adora, could you promise me something?”

Adora only nodded in response. She further eased as Glimmer rubbed her back, soothing her through her hiccups. Adora harshly gripped the back of Glimmer’s robe, nestling her closer — wanting to be as close as humanly possible to her.

“When we get back, I want to schedule an appointment for you with my therapist. She helped me after I lost you and…” Glimmer sighed, burying her own trauma for Adora’s sake, “Other things... Would you do that?”

Silence was Adora’s response. Adora hated the idea of others helping her. That wasn’t how things were supposed to be. How embarrassing would it be for Etheria to find out that She-Ra needed therapy?

“Do it for me…” Glimmer pressed a tender kiss to the top of Adora’s head, before kindheartedly pleading, “Please, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart? Adora's heart skipped. She could feel lavender eyes boring into her, desperately wanting her to answer yes. What was worse — disappointing Glimmer, or just for once opening up to someone about her problems? Ultimately, her primal desire to give Glimmer whatever she wanted quelled any of her other feelings. Adora hesitantly nodded, her voice muffled and barely audible, “Okay.”

“Okay,” She could hear the smile in Glimmer’s voice, “Did you want to go back to the hot springs? Or—”

“I-I, um…” Adora stopped herself from sounding too desperate, “Could we…? Stay like this. Just awhile longer. P-Please.”

“Of course…” Glimmer followed up her answer with another tender kiss to Adora’s head, continuing to stroke her hair.

Before everything that happened that day, Adora was absolutely certain she wanted these moments with Glimmer for the rest of her life. But now, she knew she could never go back to a life without this… or without Glimmer.

Things were getting better. 

She thought it would hurt having to relive her memories of her time as a dimensional vagabond. Withal, it felt nice getting the weight off her chest. She was once so afraid to resort to these things — that being, therapy and medication.

But something opened up inside Adora after that trip. Perhaps it was finally realizing there was something wrong with her, mentally. What happened in Mystacor wasn’t normal. Then again, Adora’s life wasn’t normal. How could anyone deal with this kind of trauma and come out unscathed?

Just as Adora’s return didn’t magically cure Glimmer’s depression, Glimmer couldn’t fix Adora. Not unless she wanted to be fixed. Now, she was opening up. Something felt so liberating, knowing she was allowed to touch Glimmer — to kiss her, too. Everything about Glimmer was so extraordinary and wondrous. Every moment was memorable and cherished, even the small things.

Like how Glimmer was reteaching her table manners — a decade of not knowing if the meal you were eating would be your last had turned her into a sloppy, fast eater. They spent the next few days prepping for Princess Prom, although most of that consisted of Adora merely following Glimmer around. 

She didn’t mind, because they would occasionally catch a kiss from one another throughout the day. Every single time, Glimmer would illuminate their surroundings with sparkles, immediately apologizing for not being able to control it. Withal, Adora found it unbelievably endearing. Some days, Glimmer would offer to refresh Adora on how to dance. There they would sway in silence, laughing at the strange awkwardness — yet, Adora still cherished it.

Then there was the first time Glimmer invited Adora to her greenhouse. Straightaway, Adora was overwhelmed by the loud screeches of parakeets. True to Glimmer’s character, the greenhouse appeared disorganized but the plants were well taken care of. There was a massive palm tree, whose canopy uncomfortably pressed up against the roof of the greenhouse. In it, many of the parakeets were hidden, reluctantly flying down once they saw Glimmer.

    Glimmer kneeled down, putting a plate of fruits on the ground. She soon tugged at Adora’s sleeve, heartily giggling. “C’mon, sit down. They’re nervous, they’ve never seen someone so tall before.”

It was a kind of laughter Glimmer exclusively used around Adora. She failed to giggle so airy around her guards, Bow, Micah — no one, besides Adora. Hearing that laughter made Adora feel like she was flying and touching the clouds. It was a high that Adora couldn’t get enough of.

Adora blushed, doing as she was told. One by one, all ten of the Lunarium Parakeets flew down. All were a different color, somewhere in the range of blue-violet to pastel magenta, with cute, blush-like patterns on their cheeks and white bellies. True to their name, they all had a moon symbol on their forehead.

“They normally don’t trust people besides me this easily,” Glimmer smiled at Adora, “I guess it’s just something about you, huh?”

Adora felt her heart skip a beat, and a blush coat her cheeks, “Y-Yeah…”

That blush only worsened as Glimmer reached for her hand, forcing an assortment of seeds in her palm. “Just hold your hand out, and they’ll come up, okay?”

Reluctantly, Adora opened her palm. However, they seemed more keen on eating the fresh fruit.

“I took them in a few years back. An elderly woman I met in Thaymor wanted me to find a home for them. But I… got kinda attached,” Glimmer admitted, taking gaze away from Adora as a lavender-colored one hopped onto her lap, “This is Sweet Pea… Don’t let her name fool you, she’s kind of a jerk.”

As if on cue, Sweet Pea nipped at another parakeet as it attempted to crawl on Glimmer. Adora felt her heart race as they both laughed together. Glimmer held her hand out to the rejected parakeet, who was a light magenta. It perched atop of Glimmer’s wrist, quietly singing and ruffling its feathers at the sight of her. “This is Little Sunshine… She’s a sweetheart, but she’s awfully shy.”

Adora nearly leapt as a blue-violet parakeet flew onto her arm, gripping at her sleeve. Loudly, it screeched at Sunshine as it held a piece of fruit in its beak. Sunshine flew over, perching beneath Adora’s arm and accepting the fruit.

“That’s, um...” Glimmer paused, appearing bashful as she murmured, “Violet.”

Adora found it endearing how worked up Glimmer over just saying the flower’s name. Violet softly sang to Sunshine, affectionately nipping her beak through the feathers atop her head.

“She’s Little Sunshine’s mate, and she’s always trying to take care of her…” Glimmer smiled at the two, “I think Sunshine likes the attention. They’ve made a nest together, and they really want babies.”

Adora couldn’t help but have the corniest smile. Watching Glimmer talk about these birds, list off their names and personalities, and be able to tell them apart — despite the fact they mostly looked the same — it was charming. Yet, that smile faded as Glimmer mentioned, “I know a pregnancy spell that works on people, it should work on them too…”

Adora thought back to when she watched the siren use the spell on two mothers. It was nice to reflect upon the good memories she had of that world. Even then, that would always lead to her thinking about how things ended there. Once again, she felt she was starting to go down a rabbit hole, thinking about the dimension, about what she did—

Soft fingers entwined with her own, before Glimmer carefully called, “Adora?”

Had she started to blank out? That was likely the case. Lavender eyes gently peered into her soul, beckoning her back. She could hear the parakeets screeching again as she was brought back into the world around her. But she was quickly pulled into a new trance, far to memorized with the queen.

Stars, she loved how the sun filtering through the greenhouse shone on her, highlighting the many new sparkles in her hair. She shone like an angel — no, like a goddess. Her smile was like an answer to a long requested prayer, and was the reason her world spun. In Adora’s eyes, Glimmer was absolutely perfect. All her suffering seemed to ease around her.

In that greenhouse, Adora felt something she hadn’t for many years — a mixture of safety, warmth, and overall peace. Perhaps if Adora could tell her the worst of what happened during her time in the cosmos, she could tell her more. About the many wonderful things she saw and the people she met.

Yet, of all the marvels of the Etherian cosmos, the warmth of Glimmer was something that went unrivaled. Entranced by her, Adora could feel something on the edge of her tongue. Something crawling, digging its claws into her throat, begging to be let out of its cage.

I love you, Glimmer. You are my everything. It begged — no, it brutally fought against Adora’s willpower. It made her stomach twist and her throat dry. She could hear it crying within her, banging against the cage of her heart, wanting nothing more than to be let out. I love you, I love you, I love you — it wanted to shout, but something was holding her back. What was it holding her back?

“Adora…?” Glimmer called out once more, a little more hesitant this time around. Slowly, Adora removed her fingers from the ensnarement of Glimmer’s. Once Adora grasped her chin, a small gasp was knocked out of Glimmer. Just slightly did Adora tilt Glimmer’s head, enough to angle their heads right.

Adora hoped kissing her would quell the beast inside. No — now, it only banged louder and scratched fiercer. Feeling Glimmer’s soft lips, hearing the soft sigh that emitted from her so breathlessly, the hero’s heart hammering as the small hand at her thigh grasped the fabric there — it was driving her wild. All along, Adora was the beast, the one being held back, the one scratching, growling, begging to be set free.

A literal bite at her ear brought her back to reality. Too entranced by Glimmer, Adora had failed to notice that Violet had crawled onto her shoulder. She loudly called near Adora’s ear, making her flinch. Perhaps that what was holding her back — the fact they were surrounded by a bunch of noisy parakeets. At least, Adora told herself that. Glimmer’s laughter sounded so angelic. Enough to make Adora smile, despite her feeling disappointed that she couldn’t find the courage to tell Glimmer how she truly felt. 

“Well, you’re going to have to get your ears pierced eventually,” Glimmer casually noted.

Adora was confused, “What do you mean?”

Rather coyly, Glimmer replied, “Don’t worry about it.” That only left Adora to think about the implications. Too bad she was dense, not realizing the royalty of Bright Moon wore earrings.

At that point, Adora wasn’t sure if they were “official” or not. Neither had used the word “girlfriend” or “partner” to refer to each other. They still slept together. Having Glimmer at her side was such a relief. Adora wouldn’t mind having days like this for the rest of her life. Even if it was the same thing over and over — having tea with Micah in the morning before feeding the parakeets, sitting in mundane meetings she had little input for, helping Glimmer in the garden and greenhouse, and occasionally going to Dryll to visit Bow and Jay — she would never get tired of these things. She felt at peace for once in her life, as she finally had a sense of normality.

It was the night before Princess Prom. They decided to retire to bed early, seeing Glimmer had a lot of work to be done as soon as the sun rose. She teleported into Adora’s bedroom, wearing a sleep shirt that appeared looser than usual. Casually, it was draped off her shoulder, exposing the deep scars there. It seemed Adora was one of the few people she was comfortable exposing the scars to.

Adora sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Glimmer as she turned off the lights. After she teleported over, Glimmer giggled that giggle — airy, alluring, and so charming. Confidently and coyly, she asked, “Any reason you can’t keep your eyes off me?”

Immediately, Adora reddened and stammered, “Um, s-sorry.”

“Hey...” Glimmer softly cooed, sitting close to Adora’s side — so close, their thighs touched. Glimmer cupped her cheek, gently pushing her to face her. Lavender eyes sparkled in the darkness. “You can look at me. You’re fine, Adora.”

Adora was allowed to touch her, to look at her. Delicately, Adora wrapped her fingers around the small hand on her cheek. Her heart fluttered at Glimmer leaned forward, pressing a kiss sweetly against her lips. Deeply, Adora savored the small, satisfied sigh that reverberated against her callused lips. It was enough to make the hero shiver, and only crave more.

    Glimmer gripped the fabric of Adora’s pants, breathing against Adora’s lips. “Adora…”

Something snapped inside her. It was too much — the sinful thoughts cursing her mind. The giggle that Glimmer exclusively used around Adora, her soft skin, her loving gaze — fuck, this was the second time Glimmer had gripped at her thigh, and it was driving her berserk — Adora couldn’t get enough of it all.

    Without warning, Adora grabbed her forearms, pressing her onto the bed. Glimmer didn’t protest, melting into the kiss. Their hearts were hammering against their chests, begging to be let out. Something felt so intense at the moment. Perhaps because there was a decade’s worth of feelings were begging to be let out. It was like an eruption, so out of nowhere and explosive.

She was sure Glimmer wanted this. They had done so in the dreams, why would it be any different here? Adora gently bunched her fingers in Glimmer’s hair, lulling her head to the side to expose her neck. Nails scratched the back of Adora’s scalp, only further driving her wild. Tenderly, Adora placed a kiss there — relishing the surprised sigh that escaped Glimmer. She wanted more—

    However, Glimmer felt her heart sank. Suddenly, the ghosts of her past came to haunt her. How she cruelly she betrayed Catra and Adora both. It was right then that she realized because of those dreams were real, she genuinely cheated on Catra back then. Her mind was racing, panicking, and she was suddenly finding it hard to breathe as Adora continued her trail of kisses. So badly, she wanted this, she wanted Adora, but how did she know that she wouldn’t betray her as well?

    “S-Stop!” Glimmer nervously stammered, fully shocking Adora. It was like Adora had touched hot coal, receding from Glimmer immediately. Glimmer appeared flustered, both by the spur of the moment intimate situation but also… Perhaps by something else? Glimmer shook her head, refusing to look at Adora as she shot up from the bed.

“I-I think I need to sleep alone tonight,” Glimmer requested, nervously rubbing her arm, “I’m s-sorry, Adora.”

    Before Adora could protest, Glimmer was gone in a cloud of sparkles.

    Sleep refused to beckon Adora. Why was she so upset? Of all the bad things to happen her over the past decade, this was the least of it. Every time she heard the quietest of sounds, she would shoot her gaze to the empty spot on the bed, foolishly hoping to find Glimmer there. It felt childish to worry so much about it — Glimmer was allowed to make her own choices, sleep wherever she wanted.

    Was she clingy? Or was she simply reminded of the horrid loneliness she felt over the past decade? A loneliness that would only fade during their brief, communal dreams.

    Tomorrow was Princess Prom. The two wouldn’t be seeing each other until that night — as Glimmer still had much to do, and Double Trouble would be helping her with her attire for the night. Bow would be stopping by too, Adora could hang out with them. She needed to stop being so reliant on the queen. It wasn’t healthy for either of them.

    No matter how hard she tried to explain those things to herself, it still felt so heartbreaking Glimmer never came back to her room. It felt like she had horribly messed up, just like in that dream the two had so many years ago, when she kissed Glimmer’s neck—

    Adora wanted to slap her forehead. She felt like such an idiot for not remembering that. Those two events were very likely connected. Tomorrow, she wanted to talk to Glimmer, to straighten things out. Maybe that was a way to start.

    It was nice to be around Bow again. He helped her settle on an outfit — a dull red tailcoat, with a white button up beneath. At Bow’s suggestion, she decided to wear her hair down. She tucked her tan pants in her leather boots, frankly feeling stiff as she looked in the mirror.

    The day was rough. As predicted, she hadn’t seen Glimmer at all. Was she mad at Adora about last night? If yes, then she was justified. Adora should’ve asked if that was alright to go that far instead of being so brutish.

    “Hey,” Bow’s voice nearly made Adora jump, taking her out of her trance, “Are you doing okay?”

    She looked at his dark eyes, seeing so much love for her reflected back. For a moment, Adora remembered a Bow of a different universe she once befriended. Despite being a stranger there, he offered her so much kindness… Withal, Adora didn’t like to think about that particular dimension. It was just one of the many dimensions that left a sour taste in her mouth, and guilt that still haunted her. Breaking out of her thoughts, Adora dotted her eyes down, “I think I’ll be fine.”

    “I know you, Adora,” Bow gripped her shoulder, smiling, “You’re upset about something, huh?”

    “No, I…” Adora gave up trying to lie after she saw Bow’s disapproving frown. “Well, yeah… It’s just… Glimmer means so much to me, Bow. I want to tell her that…” Adora couldn’t help but smile and look up,“She’s everything to me. She’s like…”

    Adora wanted to tell someone how much Glimmer meant to her. Stars, where would she start? Bow remained patient, keeping his reassuring grip at her arm.

“Like a supernova. She’s shines so beautifully, and far brighter than anything I’ve ever seen… Sometimes, it’s a bit overwhelming…” Adora nervously poured her heart.

    Bow vibrantly smiled, “Since when have you been so poetic? You know Glimmer would love to hear that.”

Adora wanted to believe him. However, the memory of last night was still strong on her mind. Adora pulled away, crossing her arms. “I’m not sure about that… Something happened yesterday, and she’s been avoiding me.”

“Are you just it isn’t just because she’s very busy today?”

That was a good point. Perhaps she was overreacting over the whole situation. After prom, things would be normal again. They’d go back to feeding her parakeets. Adora would endure the pain of Violet biting her ear a hundred times more if it meant hearing Glimmer laugh just once. “That could be it. You’re right, I’m overthinking this, probably.”

“Hey, no. You’re just nervous about messing things up again,” Bow approached her, fixing the collar of her shirt, “All those years ago, we both wronged Glimmer when we went to Beast Island. Even though we found Micah and Entrapta, we turned our backs on her when she needed us most…” He stopped fiddling with her collar, sweating as he looked up at her, “You’re probably wondering why I’m bringing up these horrible memories, huh?”

Bow perfectly spoke her thoughts. Normally, the man was amazing at helping Adora through things. But his words only brought up more of her buried anxieties.

Adora narrowed her eyes, “Yeah, where are you going with this?”

“Sometimes you have to start from the beginning to understand the mistake you made,” Bow sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “I know I’ve told you before, but Glimmer and I didn’t get along the first few years you were gone because of something she did. It was a choice I didn’t agree with because I thought she would only get hurt… and I ended up being right.”

Adora felt that she was starting to catch on to things. Had Glimmer dated someone while Adora was gone? The mere idea brought up a selfish possessiveness — one that Adora was quick to bury. It wasn’t right to feel jealous — after all, she was gone so long, Adora had been with other women, and they were never official in the first place.

Bow continued, “I was so angry with her about it, and then I realized… I was at fault, too. Again, I wasn’t there for her when she needed me most. She didn’t have me or you there for her…” Bow finished fixing Adora’s collar, feebly smiling, “Now I understand why she lashed out at me back then… and why things just aren’t the same with us anymore, even with you here.”

Adora frowned, “I’m sorry… None of this would’ve happened if I—”

“Adora. There was no way for anyone to predict what happened to you,” Bow spoke sternly, adamant to get the point across, “Don’t blame yourself for any of this. But if she really is mad at you, you need to figure out the core of the issues. Things with Glimmer are never surface level.”

Hell, if that wasn’t true. Things between the two were going so perfectly. Adora thought for once in her life, she was taking a hint and went for it — and look how that ended up. “Maybe if I know what happened to her, I can figure things out?” Adora pondered aloud.

“That’s something you’ll have to ask her. I promised myself never to go behind her back again.”

Bow parted ways with Adora, saying that Swift Wind was arriving soon with Kyle. She made way into the throne room, bedazzled by the sight before her. It was far dimmer than usual, only lit by the many magically levitating torches scattered throughout. Each torch’s flame was a different shade of blue or purple. Various guards were posted all around, and many servants were busying themselves setting up the bar.

Far above, there were bright projections of stars — no doubt a creation of both Micah and Glimmer. Adora was so impressed, wanting to gush to Glimmer and tell her how proud she was. But as she doted her gaze around, she failed to find the queen. Adora flinched as someone patted her shoulder. She turned to see Micah, wearily smiling at the man, “Hey, Micah.”

“Hey, kid,” Micah smiled back, “Glimmer and I have a special touch, huh?”

“Yeah… It’s wonderful, Micah…” Adora drifted, her attention pulled away at an all-too familiar sound. Somewhere in the room, Glimmer teleported in, and Adora frenzied her gaze all around, hoping for just a glimpse—

Adora could feel the world stop at the sight.

Glimmer manifested near the snack bar as she struggled to carry many wine bottles. Her dress was long and dark, and looked like the night sky with its bright sequins. There were long silts on the sides of the dress, exposing the expanse of her thighs. Adora madly blushed as she saw the front, which was deeply low-cut. Long, dark, lacy sleeves concealed the many scars on her shoulder.

She was always beautiful. But tonight, she was absolutely stunning. Adora felt paralyzed, like if she attempted to walk, nothing would come of it. Gravity didn’t exist. All that was felt was her rabbit heart and tight chest. 

“She looks beautiful, right?” Micah’s voice almost failed to take her out of her trance.

Adora smiled over at Micah, “Yeah. She really does, Micah.”

There was a brief silence before Micah wrapped his arm around Adora’s shoulders and bluntly asked, “So, kid. You have to tell me… Did you ever fall out of love with her, Adora?”

Adora saw no use in hiding her emotions from Micah. He could read her like a book. “How could I, Micah? She’s… perfect. And I don’t know if I’m good enough for her.”

“Adora, she cares so much about you…” Micah opened his mouth to speak and ending the words before they escaped. It was as if he was hesitating to tell her something crucial. With a long sigh, he collected his thoughts. “Having you gone for so long broke her. She made some poor decisions in her life while you were gone. Calling her perfect is a bit of a stretch, and I get to say that because I’m her dad.”

Micah laughed, and Adora couldn’t help but feebly join him. He always knew the right thing to say to her, even if it was as simple as carrying a regular conversation without bringing up her past traumas. Micah knew more than anyone that sometimes, it was nice to feel normal after a lifetime of being taken away from the ones you love most.

 “Glimmer’s her own person. Angie would be so proud of the woman she is today.”

Angella. Just for a second, Adora liked to imagine the late queen would approve of her and Glimmer’s relationship.

“Now, with that said — and this isn’t just because I like you — but you are perfect for her, Adora,” Micah shook her a bit, “She needs someone like you. Just as headstrong has her. Someone that refuses to give up on her. She hasn’t smiled like this in years , and she hasn’t opened up to someone like this for a long time.”

But she hasn’t opened up. And that was the problem. Adora didn’t know her issues, nor what happened to her in that decade she was gone. They were so much alike — both refused to accept help until things were at their absolute worst. Adora opened up, so it was only fair for Glimmer to open up too. From afar, Glimmer finally looked at Adora. Initially, the two smiled at each other. However, Glimmer’s smile somewhat faded as she teleported over.

“There you are,” Glimmer’s tone seemed to be lacking its usual peppiness, “I’ve been looking for you, Adora. People will be arriving soon. Are you ready to assume your position?”

Adora blinked, forgetting for a moment that Glimmer requested her to be her bodyguard for the night. “Y-Yeah.”

Her heart skipped a beat as Glimmer grabbed her hand. “Sorry to steal her from you, dad.”

“Go ahead. Try not drinking too much tonight, honey.”

Glimmer appeared to bury some embarrassment as they teleported away near the base of her throne. Now, so up close to her in the bright light of the lanterns, Adora could pick up every detail, even the fact she was slightly taller. Still, Adora towered over the much smaller woman. Her sequins made her appear so stunning. She glowed so beautifully, and Adora wished to tell her that. But as she opened up her mouth to speak, Glimmer interrupted her with an, “Oh!”

With that, she disappeared in a cloud of sparkles again. Adora’s hand awkwardly breezed through the spot where she once was, where she hoped to touch her cheek. Moments later, Glimmer reappeared, holding a corsage in her hands. Adora’s eyes lit up as she realized it was made of Bright Moon Violets.

“I made this for you… It took a few tries, but I figured it out eventually. Hopefully it doesn’t fall apart,” Glimmer sounded nervous, speaking quickly and shakily at places. Adora couldn’t stop the blush that seemed to spread across every inch of her face as Glimmer began to stuff it in her front pocket.

Glimmer kept her hand at Adora’s chest, allured by how her hero looked at her — as if she was the marvel of the cosmos. As if all the pain she suffered meant nothing now, because they had each other now.

As if she was deeply, unconditionally in love with Glimmer.

Glimmer cleared her throat, quickly removing her hand from Adora’s chest. She offered her the best smile she could. “You look very nice, Adora.”

Adora could feel Glimmer flinch as she touched her cheek. For a second, she considered bringing her touch away. But as she eased into her hand, Adora could feel the weight of her chest being eased. Stars, she wanted to kiss her so desperately.

I love you, Glimmer. Her thoughts screamed at her, her heart rioted, and it felt like her knees would betray her. But all she mustered was the courage to say, “You look so beautiful, Glimmer.”

Glimmer wrapped delicate fingers around the hand on her cheek. Briefly, Adora caught the phenomenon of Glimmer’s sparkles shining brighter. “I… Thank you, Adora…”

They were silent for a moment. Things felt so tense between them, Adora failed to know where to start. Like Bow said, starting from the beginning of their issues would be the best. However, maybe now wasn’t the time — seeing a flood of visitors would be arriving soon.

Desperate to fill their silence, Adora asked, “You think after everyone comes in, we can dance together?”

“That’s the plan, silly—” Suddenly, Glimmer grimaced and groaned, rubbing her fingers over her temple. “Oh…”

Quickly, Adora held onto her shoulder, afraid she’d fall over. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Glimmer nodded, “Nothing, really… I’ve just been getting these weird, sporadic migraines all day.”

To Adora’s memory, Glimmer never had migraines before. Perhaps it was the stress of getting the party setup that day? Still, Adora questioned, “Will you be alright?”

“I should be. You don’t have to worry about me.” Glimmer’s facade of a smile returned, failing to comfort Adora.

I do have to worry about you. Adora wished to say. Starting an argument with Glimmer was the last thing Adora wanted.

Standing post was tortuous. Seeing she was a bodyguard, Adora couldn’t be staring at Glimmer. That was ruin the purpose of the job. It wasn’t likely that someone would try something this Princess Prom — Etheria was in peace and Bright Moon had healthy relations with nearly every kingdom. Still, Adora didn’t let her guard down. Or, at least she tried not to.

She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Frosta entering. Withal, she felt melancholy seeing her. She looked so grown up now, being a bit taller and bulkier with her hair grown out and tucked into a messy bun. Adora never thought she’d see Frosta in a tux, but she was able to pull it off. Her arms were locked arms with a dull blue, tall, slender Satyr woman in a light blue dress, with intricate horns decorated with an assortment of snowflake charms. The two looked so happy together, laughing and leaning against one another.

Their reunion hug nearly knocked the air out of Adora. The kid was all grown up, quick to indulge herself in the assortment of wines — honestly, this made Adora feel so weird.

Mermista and Seahawk were the last of the core of the Rebellion she had yet to meet up with. Immediately, the feeling of ever missing Seahawk faded. He hooked an arm around her neck, pulling her and Mermista into a hug.

“Adora, dearest! We have missed you greatly!” Seahawk beamed, far too enthusiastically for Adora to handle.

Mermista grimaced, rubbing her hand over her forehead. “Ugh, sorry about that. He was singing the whole way here, and now I’m getting these weird headaches. I hope it’s not contagious.”

Adora didn’t think of it at the time — but it was rather strange how Mermista was having similar ailments to Glimmer.

    The lights beamed on Glimmer as she stood on the stage, set up near the center of the room — the sequins of her dress nearly blinding. The crowd quiet down, giving Glimmer their full attention.

    “All the guests of honor have arrived! So, here’s to hoping for a night that doesn’t end up like last Princess Prom!” Glimmer beamed, the crowd subsequently erupting in applause. Somewhere in that crowd, Frosta uncomfortably shifted, hoping her girlfriend wouldn’t question that statement.

    Immediately after, Glimmer teleported in front of Adora. Adora wished to reach out and touch her, but felt an invisible barrier. It was like as if once again, something was holding them back from one another.

    “S-Sorry,” Glimmer immediately apologized. Her eyes glanced down, and she began to rub her arm and ramble, “I was thinking about mentioning that you’re here, but I think everyone already knows that, and I wasn’t sure if you’d be comfortable with me calling attention to you—”

    Adora fought past that barrier, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Glimmer’s ear. She was starting to pick up on her nervous ticks, and knowing how to calm her through her anxiety. There was no need to explain herself, especially when nothing wrong was done. “You don’t need to be sorry. I appreciate it, Glimmer.”

    "I…" Glimmer paused, "T-Thank you.” The barrier further shattered as Glimmer grabbed Adora’s hand. “Let’s go, Adora.”

The various lantern's mystic fires turned a deep red, illuminating the dance floor with the new hue. As castanets and an acoustic guitar played, and many began to tango. The two had been drinking — and at least on Glimmer’s case, probably a little too much. Adora's heart pounded against her chest as Glimmer pulled her to the dance floor. “We gotta dance to this, Adora! C’mon!”

Glimmer entwined her fingers with Adora’s, pulling their hands in front of their faces. Okay, the drinks were totally loosening the peculiar barrier between them. That was majorly evident as Glimmer shifted closer, reaching up and coyly running her fingers through the back of Adora’s hair. In spite of the furious blush now coating the hero, she couldn’t help but quietly laugh at how much of a lightweight Glimmer was.

Before the drinks, she was stiff and anxious. But as Adora wrapped an arm around Glimmer’s waist, the queen vibrantly laughed in her sudden state of bliss. The laughter died out as Glimmer narrowed her eyes, humming and requesting, “You take the lead,” Before putting her leg between Adora’s.

Adora gulped, flustered by their closeness. It felt intimate, yet there were many others around. Hesitantly, Adora stepped forward, Glimmer stepping back in sync.

Were they technically doing a tango? Adora couldn't really care. Glimmer joyfully hummed as they began to shift, brushing her thumb on the back of Adora's hand.

Smoothly and slowly, they pivoted as they shifted around. Under the deep red lights, Glimmer was in every sense enthralling. Despite everything between them, Adora felt overjoyed. Maybe they would kiss there and go back to normal. However, Adora didn't want to draw attention to herself or Glimmer. Kissing her around others felt like a breach of their intimacy.

That, and she wasn't sure how the queen stood after the night prior. Instead, she let her forehead fall down on Glimmer's. A vibrant, lovely mix of laughter and a content hum emitted from Glimmer, and she pressed her nose against Adora’s. Despite the coy attitude of Glimmer, it felt innocent.

But then, she swayed her hips from side to side, and Adora almost lost her footing at the feeling. This close to each other, the sensation was flustering and made her heart stop momentarily. Adora regained her composure, starting to sway her hips in tandem with Glimmer's. Carefully, she ghosted her hand down to Glimmer's hip. Adora was relieved the lighting hid her maddened blush.

Yet again, that feeling returned. The beast in her heart once again pleaded to be unleashed. They fluttered their eyes open, staring at one another. The feeling only worsened, and her heart pounded in her chest, almost spilling out—

I love you, Glimmer.

Then the song ended, and left them without an appropriate tune to shift to. And the feeling died out. It didn't feel right to tell her when so many people crowded the dance floor. Adora wanted their love to be intimate. She had to tell her at some point tonight. After the music changed to a slower tempo and the fire lanterns turned blue, it was time for the slow dance of the night.

Would this be the moment? For Adora to spill her soul to Glimmer? It felt right, and damn near perfect. They didn't pull too far away from one another, keeping their position from the tango. Only far enough to clearly see the love in each other’s eyes—

"Your majesty!"

Adora could scream. At that moment, her life felt like a cruel joke ran by some demented puppet master. A guard approached the two, and Glimmer pulled away. 

"There's someone whose intoxicated. He tipped over the chocolate fountain!”

    The stressed queen sighed, turning towards Adora. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

    Of course, it ended up being Seahawk. Of course.

The party had died down considerably. All the patrons were gone, and servants were pulling down decor and cleaning as they went. Music failed to play, as the band was at the bar getting drinks. Where once the dance floor was full and bustling, it was now empty and quiet. Adora and Glimmer said their goodbyes to Swift Wind, Bow, and Kyle before they flew off into the night.

There was a peculiar tension between the two. Finally, they were practically alone. Fleetingly, Adora glanced over at Glimmer. She caught her gaze for a second, before Glimmer looked out the open side of the throne room. Stars beautifully illuminated the sky.

Yet, the only star that mattered was the supernova happening right beside her.

Adora couldn’t keep her eyes off Glimmer. It didn’t take her long to notice how intently Adora was staring at her. Glimmer slowly turned towards her and offered a feeble smile. Adora reflected a much brighter smile, only wanting the best for Glimmer.

    “We missed the slow dance, didn’t we?” Glimmer bashfully brought out of the blue, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Maybe I can catch the band and see if they want to play one more song…? Just for us.”

    A moment just for the two of them, all alone. And finally a moment for Adora to ask what was wrong. The two could be vulnerable with one another, and Glimmer could finally open up to Adora about what happened that broke her heart so gravely. Adora reached out, stroking down Glimmer’s lace sleeve. “Yeah. I’d love that, Glimmer.”

    “Alright…”

The second she considered leaning down to kiss her, Glimmer disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. She reappeared near the bar, chatting with the band there. From afar, they appeared more than happy to play one more song, placing down their glasses and heading back to the small stage. Afterwards, Glimmer manifested in front of Adora. “Are you ready?” Glimmer kept her feeble smile that masked all her anxieties, and Adora could see right through it.

    Even so, Adora offered her arm out for the queen’s grasp. “Of course.”

    Glimmer grabbed onto Adora’s arm, walking beside her to the center of the dance floor. Now, beneath the stunning assortment of lanterns, Adora’s heart raced. The projection of stars above shone, but not as bright as Glimmer.

    The soft keys of a piano and the deep lull of a cello filled the dance floor. Delicately, Glimmer grasped onto the front of Adora’s tailcoat near the shoulders. Slowly, Adora carefully clutched Glimmer’s hips. The female vocalist started to sing, her voice initially a near whisper.

    “Didn't I do it for you?

    Why don’t I do it for you?

    Why won't you do it for me

    When all I do is for you?”

    Gently, the two swayed to the slow tempo of the cello and the piano. So many feelings were swelling within the two, and neither were sure where to start.

    “Glimmer…” Adora sighed, feeling her chest heavy as she peered into lavender eyes, “I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t—”

    “No. I should be the one apologizing,” Glimmer glanced down, “I know you’re going through so much right now. It wasn’t fair to react like that and not explain myself.”

    “They wanna see us, wanna see us alone,

    They wanna see us, wanna see us apart,

    They wanna see us, wanna see us alone,

    They wanna see us, wanna see us apart...”

    Adora could feel Glimmer being chipped away, slowly giving away more and opening up finally. “You said what we have is real, and I want to believe that. But I don’t want our past holding us back from each other anymore,” Adora regretted the desperation in her voice, “Please, Glimmer… I need to know what happened to you while I was gone...”

    Glimmer’s eyes watered at Adora’s words. Her grip at Adora’s shoulders tightened, her voice croaking as she murmured, “Adora… I’m… afraid.”

    That broke Adora’s heart a little. There wasn’t anything for her to be scared of. Adora was here to protect her from anything that could possibly hurt her. “What are you afraid of, starlight?”

Glimmer could nearly sob at how sweet Adora’s voice was, how caring the vagabond was despite all the years of the cosmos doing her wrong. “Back in Mystacor, you told me you forgave me — for everything… but…”

    “And I just want to feel you're there,

    And I don’t want to have to share our love,

    I try, but I get overwhelmed,

    When you're gone, I have no one to tell...”

Glimmer shakily breathed in, “It’s still so hard to believe that. Everything horrible I’ve ever done to you is… unforgivable. Blaming my mother’s death on you wasn’t fair. Not trusting you with the Heart, working with Shadow Weaver,” Another shaky breath later, her insecure voice practically sobbed, “But most of all…”

    “And I just want to feel you're there,

    And I don't want to have to share our love,

    I try, but I get overwhelmed...”

    Adora could see her wanting to hide, wanting to shut down and push Adora away. But Adora wouldn’t let her, tightening her grip at Glimmer’s hips and pleading with her gaze. And finally, she broke. “I’m the reason you were taken away. I messed up so badly with you — with everyone whose ever loved me…” Glimmer’s breathing hitched before she cried, “And I’m so, so sorry.”

    “All wrapped in cellophane, the feelings that we have...”

There was a pause on the band’s part. In that brief silence, Adora’s heart broke at the sound of Glimmer’s shaky breathing. Eventually, the vocalist ignited with passion;

    “And didn't I do it for you?

    Why don't I do it for you?

    Why won't you do it for me?

    When all I do is for you?”

“So, to answer your question…” Glimmer refused to look up as she confessed, “I’m afraid of you, Adora.”

Yet another punch square to her gut. Immediately, Adora desired context.

“Of your…” Glimmer carefully said the word, “ love , I mean. It just… scares me that someone I wronged so awfully can love me as much as you do. It breaks my heart that you forgive me for all I’ve done. Because…” Finally, Glimmer looked back up at her, seeming to plead, “I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I don’t deserve you, Adora.”

And that was quite possibly the most heartbreaking thing Glimmer ever told her. It was absolute lie, and something that undermined and went against all Adora’s thoughts for Glimmer. Adora thought she didn’t deserve Glimmer — someone so pure and perfect. For a brief moment, her mind doted back to when she held the dying siren in her arms and how she told Adora, “I deserve this. You were just trying to protect yourself.”

She could see Glimmer’s lips tremble as the tears overwhelmed her eyes — upset with herself for even assuming Adora loved her. 

    “And didn't I do it for you?

    Why won’t I do it for you?

    Why won’t you do it for me?

    When all I do is for you?”

“Glimmer…” Adora could feel her own tears forming as she pulled her closer, gripping on the fabric of her back. Still, their swaying continued, even as Glimmer’s hot tears stained Adora’s jacket. That moment felt so safe and so tender, like they were closer than ever before — both physically and spiritually. Their souls and bodies were woven at the seems, and nothing would ever tear them apart from each other again.

“Have you already forgotten what I told you? Those dreams we had — it was you that kept me fighting all those years. You deserve far more than I could ever give you,” Adora pleaded, planting a tender kiss on the side of her head right above her ear. “There’s so many things you don’t realize, Glimmer…” Adora pulled away from Glimmer’s shoulder. Desperately, she felt the need to look into Glimmer’s eyes, but she refused to budge from her chest. Adora shifted her hand across Glimmer’s waist, relishing the feeling of her beneath her callused touch.

“You don’t realize how much you’ve done for me. Everyone thought I was good as dead,” Adora regretted wording it that way, immediately hearing Glimmer sob, “But you never gave up on me.”

Was that really a good thing? Adora never thought their heartbreak and passion could be so all-encompassing of every aspect of their lives. Deeply she feared what happened to Glimmer, and about the choices she made. Choices Adora could’ve helped guide her through.

The worst of her choices? Glimmer was absolutely broken from chasing a ghost. Adora couldn’t even think of how to make it up to her… Besides offering her the unconditional love burning within her.

    “But I just want to feel you're there,

    And I don’t want to have to share our love…”

As gently as she possibly could, Adora slightly dipped Glimmer down — forcing her to look at her. As she hovered over her, Adora could see the sorrow in her eyes, the shaking of her lips. But still in the bright lights of the dance floor, Glimmer glowed so beautifully. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders, her sparkles catching the fire of the lanterns.

Carefully, Adora stroked Glimmer’s bare thigh through the slit of her dress. Thankfully, Glimmer didn’t protest or freak out, willing hike her thigh up above Adora’s knee. Adora’s rabbit heart cursed her, her chest erupting in a mild, nervous shake. Adora was flustered, but stayed true to heart as she practically worshiped Glimmer, “I-I’ve seen the marvels of the cosmos, but you, Glimmer…?”

    “I try, but I get overwhelmed,

    When you're gone, I have no one to tell...”

Adora sunk her head down, her lips hovering close to Glimmer’s bare chest. Glimmer could feel her hot breath rolling against her. The queen was flustered, but couldn’t look away from Adora.

“Nothing even comes close to you.”

It was as if Adora thought the sweet, loving kiss she offered on Glimmer’s chest would make up for the shattering words she spoke. While Adora kissed her, she could faintly feel Glimmer’s fluttering pulse. It proved the woman of her dreams was real, tangible, and alive… And safe in her arms. Adora wanted her all to herself. What a selfish wish. But Adora had never wanted — no, needed someone so desperately.

It felt like they were the only ones left alive across the cosmos. That feeling only deepened as Adora brought her back up, noticing her sparkles were flaring. The vocalist stopped for a minute, allowing the focus to be on the melancholy, dragged out notes of the piano and the bittersweet sway of the cello. Glimmer moved trembling hands to the back of Adora’s loose hair. A shattering electricity sparked between the two, beckoning them towards one another.

It was just like that kiss on the beach. One full of passion and need for each other. There was no use in letting their guilt get between them any longer. They deserved each other. Adora would fight till the end of time if that meant proving it to Glimmer.

They failed to notice their faint pink-and-yellow glow that blended so gracefully, or the sparkles surrounding them. Gently, Adora ran her fingers through Glimmer’s hair, catching the starlight there. Even after they pulled away and finally felt comfort, Glimmer continued to cry. No longer could she put on her facade of a smile.

Adora made her feel so vulnerable but completely safe at the same time. How could someone be capable of that? Glimmer leaned her cheek against Adora’s chest, keeping her grip at the nape of her hero’s neck. Reluctantly, she wanted to accept Adora’s forgiveness. Even then, she would be absolutely incapable of forgiving herself.

Quietly, Glimmer joined the vocalist. Just barely was she able to feebly sing over the tightness of her chest, harmonizing with the vocalist;

    “They're waiting,

    They're watching,

    They’re watching us,

    They're hating…”

Her voice was hushed, but it was an angelic offering to Adora. Still, it began to crack and waver more;

    “They're waiting,

    And hoping,

    I'm not enough.”

Their swaying ceased with the music. The trembling queen pulled away, vulnerably giving in completely as she looked up at Adora. Slate blue eyes looked back with all the devotion she ever knew.

“I… Glimmer I…” Adora wanted the moment to be so perfect. She wanted them to be happy, for everything to be alright. But it was then she realized, no matter how hard either tried, their lives would never be truly peaceful. Trauma too heavily afflicted them for that. However, it was moments like these that made Adora forget her trauma — just for a little while.

The hero could feel herself shake, far more nervous than she never had been in all her years. The iron bars of the cage around her heart were melting, spilling and overflowing.

“It’s physically tearing me apart holding back how I truly feel for you… I need you to know that I...” That beast that she held back for so long — too long — it was finally released, and it practically forced the words from her mouth, “I love you, Glimmer. You are my everything.”

Even as the words left her mouth, it didn’t feel like it was enough for Glimmer. Adora wanted to scream it from the rooftops and repeat it like a broken record until it was etched in their minds — no, etched into their souls, akin to the First Ones sigils that would appear on their hands from time to time. Deeply, Adora wished to gift her all the wonders of the cosmos — just for the possibility that would be enough to prove how much she loved her. After all, she was a goddess to Adora.

But Glimmer didn’t need anything from Adora. She already offered so much love and devotion for the queen. Again and again, Glimmer repeated the words Adora told her. So many times in their dreams, they had so freely told each other they loved one another. Withal, both doubted if that state of existence was real. They were isolated there, and it felt like there were truly no consequences.

Right there on the dance floor, it felt like they were in the strange dreamworld of shooting stars and Bright Moon Violets. They felt so detached from the rest of the world around them. And just like back then, Glimmer felt vulnerable and free. Glimmer tenderly ghosted her touch over Adora’s scar — a stark reminder of what Adora was willing to go through just for her .

Glimmer couldn’t pretend any longer — pretend that she had everything under control or let their feelings remained wrapped in cellophane, letting them choke and suffer. It felt like the weight of Etheria was taken off her chest as she whispered, “I love you, too, Adora.” 

Yet again, she erupted with an array of sparkles as Adora took her in for another kiss. Feebly, she smiled against the kiss. Adora was everything she ever wanted and far more. She was everything to Glimmer.

“I promise, I’ll tell you what happened to me…” Glimmer swore, ensuring Adora could see the sincerity in her eyes after she backed away from their kiss. “But I don’t want it getting between us tonight.”

Adora shuddered as Glimmer’s nails bore the nape of her neck. She could feel her head spinning at the mere implication of what Glimmer wanted to do.

“I want to prove how much I love you, Adora.”

There, in the darkness of Adora’s room, they swore something to one another. “You deserve me, Glimmer. You deserve this .” 

And Glimmer replied, “And you deserve me, Adora.”

Catra couldn’t stop the malice from spreading across every inch of her body. All the years of bettering herself by learning to deal with her anger in healthy ways seem to flush away. Finally, she had gathered the courage to visit Glimmer once again, hoping to catch her at the end of Princess Prom. But as she looked from the skylights of the throne room, she could see Glimmer all alone—

    Dancing with a ghost.

Adora was back. Neither had the decency to tell her. She wished to run back to Half Moon and rip up all the letters Glimmer had ever sent — the ones she so fondly kept. Especially the one Glimmer sent months prior, requesting Catra to be her plus one for Princess Prom. Initially, Catra rejected the invite in the vein that it wasn’t good for either of them. However, Catra had a change of heart, and thought this was her chance to rekindle things and make up for their mistakes. Her claws dug into the bouquet of violets she made for Glimmer.

After she clutched her chest, she began to bore her claws into her metal breastplate. She could feel her old self coming back, wanting to do something headstrong and foolish. Hatred hazed her mismatched eyes as she glared at Adora.

“Take… your hands… off her…” Catra wanted to scream, but the words refused to sound above a struggling growl. Glimmer was the only one she had ever truly loved. Seeing her so tenderly held by Adora was a nightmare come true. Fighting her labored breathing proved difficult. Her vision was become cloudy, making it hard to see how in love the two were. Catra was so mad with Glimmer, and absolutely hated Adora. Did she ever matter to either of them?

She angrily tossed the violets down into the skylight. They fell near the dance floor, but Adora and Glimmer failed to notice it.

Right then, Catra remembered something crucial — Adora always got what she wanted.

Chapter Text

      Adora felt odd as her thoughts drifted to a particular dimension. Nothing immensely traumatizing happened, only… something that left Adora with a mountain of guilt for what she did to Bow.

    When she had found herself in the Crimson Waste, she was quick to assume this was a brief dimension— one where Glimmer failed to exist, and Adora would fade away within two weeks. Adora groaned as she sat up, already feeling her body break out in a sweat under the intense desert sun.

    Right after she stood and observed the area, she had a terrible feeling. She was in a very open, flat area, where the dunes failed to form. She needed to find civilization, and go through the steps she always ran through in every dimension.

    Step one: Find someone she knew.

    Step two: Find Entrapta.

    Step three: Regardless of her alliance, she almost always agreed to research dimensions for Adora.

    Step four: Wait for some commotion to happen in the dimension and distract them from researching the cosmos, thus preventing Adora’s return home.

    Step five: Fail. Fail, every single time.

    Yet, she persisted. She could never forget what Madam Razz told her in the first dimension she ever fell upon; that she had to find a dimension similar to her own. If the world was in an era of peace, Adora might have luck this time around.

    She began her trek to find civilization. Perhaps at the very least, she could find materials to use for a compass. However, she wouldn’t get too far before she felt a shock wave in the loose sand below. Adora pivoted her head back. Something big was beneath the sand, slowly slithering towards her, and the scaly sail atop its spin peaked through the sand. Adora stood her ground, reaching for the bracelet on her wrist.

    The bracelet transformed alongside Adora, She-Ra’s light blinding, even in the harsh desert sunlight. After she transformed, the shifting of the sand stopped. For a moment, she proudly thought her presence scared the monster off. With a cocky smile, Adora turned back to her original path heading towards the rocky cliffs on the horizon. Her cocky demeanor snapped away as the sand directly below her began to shift. “Oh… kay.”

Quickly, Adora leapt out of the way, tossing herself onto the hot sand. In the place she formerly was, a giant reptilian creature leapt out, taking a mouthful of sand in its massive, elongated jaws in the hopes Adora would be there. Its red eyes shifted over at Adora mid-leap, focusing on her as it landed. Its front arms were bulky, while its back legs seemed far too tiny for the rest of its body. The claws on its front feet were abnormally long and fearsome.

    Unwavering, Adora held her ground. She slashed forward, a wave of magic hitting the creature in the eyes. A high-pitch screech shook the ground, and it retreated into the sand. However, Adora was aware it wouldn’t back down so easily. It began to circle the surrounding sand, the sail on its spine peaking through. She transformed her sword into a grappling hook, aiming it for the massive sail. After it successfully hooked into the sail, the creature screeched and wildly thrashed.

    Adora hoped it would allow her to get close and slash at the creature with her sword. But before she could do that, the force of the creature’s slashing ejected her from the ground. As she was tossed into the air, the grapple hook was ripped from the creature’s sail — only further provoking it.

    She was tossed into the scorching sand, struggling to recover. Adora propped herself up on her knees and elbows, spitting out the mouthful of sand she received from the toss. Before she could recover, the creature was gunning for her. She attempted to stand, but unfortunately was met with a muscle strain as she stood. The impact of the landing had torn a muscle, and she was struggling to recover from the pain.

    On the spur of the moment, something massive struck the side of the creature’s mouth. Whatever it was, it had a massive wingspan and a golden body of feathers, with rainbow wings. As the giant eagle drifted into the air surrounding its sails, it revealed a familiar face mounting its back. At least, somehow familiar.

    Bow, or at least she was very sure it was Bow, aimed a bow at the creature’s face. Long, majestic dreads flowed across his shoulders, decorated with an assortment of beads. His golden armor was almost blinding in the hot desert sun. On the front of his breastplate was an emblem shaped like an “H”. He let loose several arrows, which were all tipped with explosives. The creatures writhed in pain, and attempted to retreat back into the sand. However, Bow leapt off the eagle, landing on the creature’s back.

    He placed a glowing hand against its sail, radiating a glowing, golden magic throughout the creature’s body. Contently, it hummed, appearing at peace with the magic. Bow leapt off the creature, landing into the sand below. Slowly, the massive creature turned to face him. Bow patted its snout, heartily laughing.

    “There you go, pal! Sorry if we upset you, but it’s not very nice to eat people. We’ll move along,” Bow promised to the creature, who contently hummed louder. With that, it began to burrow back underground.

The golden eagle landed beside Bow, curiously looking over at Adora. Much to her surprise, she began to talk, “Uh… who are you?”

    Adora blinked, finally piecing things together — why Bow appeared so tall, why he had this massive, golden eagle that talked. “I’m Adora, and just like you. I wield the Sword of Protection, although they call me She-Ra back home.”

    “Back home? Exactly, where is that?” Bow stood some distance away, running his hand through the eagle’s feathers.

    “I’m from another dimension. Though, it was not my choice to come here. I’m trying to find my way back home. Do you know Entrapta?”

    Bow frowned, looking at his eagle. Both shook their heads, simultaneously saying, “No?”

    Adora sighed. Dimensions where Entrapta didn’t exist, or ones where she couldn’t get to her on time would slug on. Unbeknownst to her, it had been seven long years since she had started her journey. At that point, helping every dimension she came across was starting to become tedious and tiring.

    Bow crossed his arms as he walked forward. They were both similar in stature and bulk. It was obvious he was weirded out by the situation. “Well, um. Adora. This is my steed, Toya.”

    Toya lifted her rainbow wing, the corner of her beak forming into a smile, “Hi.”

“And well… Here, they call me He-Man!” it seemed the H-shaped emblem on his armor shined as he boomed his name and pumped his fist, “Although, you know, when I’m not He-Man, I’m—”

    “Bow,” Adora beamed, “You were my best friend back home. So was Glimmer.”

    Bow appeared to brighten at the mention of Glimmer, “Glimmer, too? She’s back in the Crimson Waste. We were checking out some reports of crime in the area… She,” Bow sighed, appearing a bit vexed, “Insisted on coming with me. How about we get out of this heat and go back into town?”

    She caught a glimpse of a teardrop light pink earring. Perhaps a bit disillusioned by the heat, Adora ignored his question and complimented, “Oh, nice earring.”

    “Uh, thanks,” Bow kept his forced smile, “Did you… wanna go into town?”

    “Oh. Right, yeah.”

    Toya was a beautiful creature. Being on her felt like she had Swift Wind back, in a sense. Although the ride was short, it was fun. Over the sound of the gusting wind, Bow explained that Toya had a strange feeling earlier — one that led to the two finding Adora in the desert. 

    Bow and the Rebellion had defeated Horde Prime years prior. The situation of the dimension sounded oddly similar to her own. Now, this Etheria was in an era of peace, leaving Bow to respond to petty crime reports.

After they touched down, Bow, Adora, and Toya walked into a bar. There’s no punchline to be said here, unless you count Glimmer arm wrestling with strangers as one. Glimmer was surrounded by Waste civilians, who cheered her on as she arm wrestled a four-armed reptilian woman. From afar, Bow sighed and ran a hand over his face. Adora, on the other hand, was ready mention how hot it felt in the bar — because damn, was her face red.

    This dimension’s Glimmer was far bulkier. Adora could appreciate the Glimmer of any dimension, but never had she seen a Glimmer so muscular. Her hair was incredibly short, the purple part down to a buzz cut while the pink part flowed over it. Contrast to what she was doing, she was wearing a rather elegant, light purple dress. The cape she wore had the symbol of Bright Moon, and matched the one Bow wore.

With a fierce growl, she pressed the lizard woman’s arm down to the table. The surrounding crowd roared, and Bow muttered something under his breath. Adora swore he said, “That’s my wife for ya,” though perhaps she misheard. They weren’t married, were they…? They couldn’t be. He would mention that when they were talking. Adora would never shut up about it if she was married to Glimmer.

    Bow pushed his way through the crowd, Adora following behind. Glimmer was standing, pumping her fist to rile up the crowd. Once they approached Glimmer, Bow crossed his arms and gave her a scowl. She turned around, as if sensing Bow’s glare.

    “Hi, Bow. Got a little bored while you were—” Glimmer’s eyes lit up as she noticed the mysterious, tall woman next to Bow. Promptly, she eyed Adora down. Her smile softened, enough to make Adora’s heart flutter. She seemed nervous yet curious as she rubbed the back of her head and asked, “Oh… Who’s this?”

    Adora wasn’t sure what compelled her to practically throw her palm out, offering it to her. Nor was she able to figure out why she sounded so stiff and formal as she said, “Your majesty, I’m Adora.”

    Glimmer wrapped her fingers around Adora’s, allowing her to kiss her hand. Adora learned long ago this was a formality in Bright Moon. Although, doing it made her blush and lose focus. It really didn’t help that Glimmer vibrantly laughed, and complemented, “Oh! Aren’t you sweet? Where are you from?”

    Awkwardly, Adora still held onto her hand. “I’m, um, from another dimension, actually.”

    Glimmer nervously laughed, “Uh, huh… Another dimension?” Before looking over at Bow.

    They teleported back to Bright Moon. Toya left, telling the group she needed to hunt. For a moment, she appreciated Swift Wind was a herbivore. Once they were there, they began pacing the halls as Adora told them her story. She felt disheartened knowing Entrapta wasn’t in this dimension. However, it was comforting to have Bow and Glimmer both. It felt like old times, back when she first met the two.

    She wondered about their lives. They seemed to be happy, as Etheria was in peace. In particular, Glimmer interest her, as she always did, in any dimension. Adora had never seen a Glimmer with hair so short before. Even with her hair shaved down, Adora could pick up faint sparkles there. Seeing Bow yielded the Sword of Protection, there wasn’t another Adora in this dimension. She wondered if Glimmer was dating anyone, if—

    “Mommy! Daddy!”

    Down the hall, a Satyr maid held onto a toddler’s hand. The toddler was small, with a complexion only somewhat lighter than Bow’s. Her curly hair was brought back into two ponytails, and they violently bounced around as she ran towards the three. Bow bent down, happily laughing as he took her in his arms. As he stood with her, Adora could make out pink beneath her curly hair.

    “Hi, honey!” Glimmer greeted, coming over and kissing her forehead.

    Finally, it all clicked in Adora’s head. Bow and Glimmer… were married? No. It couldn’t be. Glimmer and Bow were just friends, nothing more. Right…? Her throat was dry, barely allowing her to ask, “You’re both… married?”

    They looked over at her, smiling. Bow handed the child to Glimmer, “Yeah. This is our girl, Aster.”

    The child had impossibly large lavender eyes. How did Adora fail to notice her eyes? They looked just like Glimmer’s. Adora could feel her brain failing to work as Glimmer rubbed her belly. “We have another one on the way.”

Suddenly, Adora was feeling light-headed. Sick to her stomach, even. She would had never thought of Bow and Glimmer this way, not in a million years. She wasn’t even sure if her Glimmer was attracted to men? Was Bow even attracted to women? It seemed so otherworldly to think of them together. They were always just friends… Right?

    She suddenly felt incredibly anxious. Feeling that, back home, there was a chance Bow and Glimmer were dating, or worse — married.

    “Are you alright, Adora?” Glimmer frowned, shifting a bit closer to her. Her voice brought Adora out of her miniature panic, but didn’t stop it.

That child was still eyeing her down, as if Adora was some sort of alien. “What’s wrong with your face?”

    “Aster, honey! No! We don’t say that!” Glimmer hissed and glared at Aster. Nervously, she laughed and calmed her demeanor, “I’m really sorry about that. Did you want to get some rest?”

    Looking into Glimmer’s eyes, Adora felt scared. On the off chance she would be able to make it home, would Glimmer be waiting for her? Adora fully understood if Glimmer went ahead and married someone. She was a queen, one that needed to continue her lineage at some point. Expecting Glimmer to hold onto her for so long was idealistic and selfish.

    “Y-Yeah. I’d appreciate that.”

    One would expect temporarily living in a peaceful Etheria would be easy-going. However, Adora struggled to be around Glimmer and Bow at times. If she was alone with either one, it was much more tolerable. But once she was around them, it was a stark reminder that the two were married here.

    She wasn’t jealous, per se. It merely brought up the troubling idea that her own Bow and Glimmer could be married to one another. In a sense, she felt betrayed by both of them. It wasn’t fair to either of them — as they allowed her to stay in Bright Moon. Bow was so immensely kind to her, and even allowed her to tag along as he helped various people in Etheria.

The Glimmer in the current dimension was… different. She attempted to invite Adora to go drinking with her, before quickly remembering she was pregnant. How does someone forget something like that? Even Adora, with her limited knowledge of pregnancy and children, knew that was unfavorable.

It seemed this Glimmer never had a bad streak of sorts. Micah had never been banished to Beast Island, so it seemed Glimmer’s upbringing was better here. Although Angella was gone, she still had Micah. However, she seemed a bit more rambunctious, far different from the Glimmer from her dreams, who was reserved and anxious.

    Glimmer started to act strange around Adora. Like the Glimmer of her own universe, she wasn’t reserved when it came to physical affection. She’d grab Adora’s hand and occasionally hug her at times. Adora welcomed attention from any Glimmer at that point — to the point that she often failed to notice the affection would increase when Bow wasn’t around. Seven years had only made Adora slightly less dense when it came to these things.

One day, Adora was out on the lawn of Bright Moon, enjoying the peace she had in this dimension. Her journal entries were short for that dimension, seeing not much happened there. But as she sat up after her writing, the familiar colors of pink, purple and yellow caught her attention.

    Hiding below one of the bushes, she found a Bright Moon Violet. Initially, she thought nothing of it, seeing the violets bloomed when the queen was in love. However, Adora forgot one crucial detail.

They only bloomed if the queen was in love with a woman.

    It was a couple of months into Adora’s stay at Bright Moon. Glimmer hadn’t been feeling well, spending most of the past couple of days bedridden. Bow had to respond to a distress signal out at sea, requesting Adora stay in Bright Moon with Glimmer. She didn’t mind whatsoever. Although, she had little idea how to take care of or converse with Aster, leaving the servants to care for her.

    Glimmer sat on her side in her bed, as Adora read. Occasionally, Adora would glance up — managing to catch Glimmer gloomily staring over at her. It eventually prompted Adora to place her book down, noticing Glimmer uncomfortably shift at the sudden attention.

    “Are you feeling alright, st—” Adora nearly choked on the nickname “starlight” attempting to come out of her mouth, “Glimmer?”

    “I…” Glimmer sighed, sinking deeper into the mattress. She clutched onto her pillow, timid with the eye contact she offered Adora. “Could I… ask you something a bit personal?”

    Adora was curious, inclined to answer, “Sure.”

    “Have you been in a relationship before?”

    It was a simple question, yet Adora lacked a simple answer. Had she…? Things were never official between her and her own Glimmer. Although, in the dreams, they would still often give in to each other’s touch. But how would Adora even begin to explain any of that? She tried to think more literal and based in reality.

There was the first alternate universe Glimmer she met, who confessed her feelings for Adora towards the end of her time there. Then, of course, there was the siren. Adora truly did not want to bring up that situation. Eventually, she settled on saying, “Um… Kind of? None of them ever lasted too long… Why do you ask?”

    Glimmer appeared uncomfortable, but still feebly smiled as she spoke, “Bow… He is my first and only partner. I really love him, but…” her smile quickly disappeared, “I don’t know. It sometimes feels like we got married because it was easy. For me, I knew I’d eventually need to have children… And it felt weird thinking anyone else could love me as much as he does.”

    Adora truly considered arguing with that point. There was so much to love about Glimmer in any universe. She had met Glimmer across many dimensions, seeing her with a variety of people. However, Adora wanted Glimmer to get this thought off her chest.

“I know no matter how I word this, it will sound awful, but… Now that I have Aster…” Glimmer curled her knees closer to her torso, as she nearly whispered, “What’s the point?”

    Adora wanted to clarify, “Of… staying married to Bow?”

    Glimmer’s lips contorted, “I guess that’s what I’m trying to say, huh?” It was oddly silent between the two for a moment. They looked at one another, and Adora could sense an odd aura from Glimmer. Adora couldn’t pin what Glimmer was feeling. Sorrow, disappointment? She wasn’t sure.

Glimmer gave into a weak laugh, “Pregnancy makes you have weird thoughts, and I’m sorry you just had to hear them.”

    Adora furrowed her brows, “No, it’s good to talk about these things.”

    Glimmer entwined her fingers together, pressing her cheek up against the back of her hand to prop her head up further. “You’re too nice, Adora. It’s been wonderful having you around. I feel like I can tell you anything… I… never really had a friend besides Bow.”

    That was a depressing thought. Although Bow was a wonderful man, Glimmer never had another friend besides him. Without Adora, she was never driven out of her comfort zone.

    It was much later that day. Night had long fallen, and Adora was getting ready for bed. She was about to remove her clothes when she was jolted by the familiar sound of Glimmer teleporting. Adora turned, surprised to find the queen standing behind her.

    She had to gulp back the dryness of her throat. Glimmer wore a lavender kimono, one that was honestly a bit short for her. It appeared she was still upset, but something felt different now, though Adora couldn’t quite put a finger on it. Curious by her spontaneous and unexplained appearance, Adora furrowed her brows. “Is something wr—”

    Without a moment for Adora to react, Glimmer grabbed the collar of her jacket. She fiercely pulled Adora down to her height, immediately locking their lips in a passionate kiss. Adora gasped against her lips, feeling as if her eyes would fall out of her sockets. It was like her dreams were real for a moment. Glimmer was kissing her, and it was everything like it was in the dreams and more—

    But this wasn’t her Glimmer. Her Glimmer was pure, innocent, incapable of something like this… At least, that’s what she thought. This Glimmer was married, to Bow, someone that offered her endless kindness across many universes in the cosmos. It wasn’t fair to do this to him, to both of them. Quickly, Adora pulled away, gripping at one of Glimmer’s wrist.

    “G-Glimmer!?” Adora wasn’t sure what to ask, or where to even start. She couldn’t feel angry towards her. Not after she had just opened up about this very subject to Adora hours prior. Instead, Adora eased as Glimmer brought her hand to Adora’s cheek, tracing the scar there. Adora blinked, and she swore that for a moment, it was like she was in one of her violet-laced dream. As if she was looking directly into the eyes of her own Glimmer, giving into her loving touch.

"Oh, Adora…” Glimmer’s eyes coyly narrowed as she shifted closer, “I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

Adora flinched, unaware that Glimmer had noticed how much she stared at her. She couldn’t help it — even though she looked different from her own Glimmer, she was still so much like her. It was so wrong to be tempted by Glimmer, so dangerously enthralled. Her mind was falling down into a rabbit hole as Glimmer ghosted her touch down her cheek to her neck, then to her chest — all while her lavender eyes kept their sultry look.

“I've always wanted to know what it's like to be with a woman,” Glimmer affectionately hummed, “I can't stop thinking about you."

    Adora couldn’t think straight, or morally at that rate. Not with Glimmer so close to her, offering this level of attention. She could barely think of the consequences of something like this.

    It was hard not to give Glimmer what she wanted.

    It felt like a dream when she woke up. A wonderful, perfect dream, at that. Like she was back home in her own dimension. The morning light dully lit her room, ushering a feeling of overall peace. She felt warm and safe. As if nothing could take her away from this, like the cosmos could never pull her away again.

    Then, finally, the memories of last night flooded her mind. Looking down at the bare figure she was nestled close to, holding so dearly in her arms, she suddenly remembered everything. It was as if her regret was put on hold until this very moment. 

    This wasn’t her Glimmer. This Glimmer was married, to Bow no less. What Adora did wasn’t fair to either of them. Immediately, Adora shot out from beneath the sheets, quick to place her clothes on. Her loud and sudden rousing awoke Glimmer, who was struggling to process what was going on. “Adora…? What’s wrong?”

    Adora wanted to comfort her, she wanted to stay with her. But fuck, this was all so unbelievably wrong. It was so hard not to, but she refused to turn around. Instead, she continued placing her clothes back on, nearly tripping as she pulled her pants up. “I have to go, Glimmer, I’m sorry,” Adora’s voice shook with guilt.

    She could hear Glimmer shifting behind her. There was so much desperation in her voice as she begged, “Adora, no. You don’t need to feel guilty about this. I’m the one who asked for this.”

    Her chest was growing heavier. Having to reject Glimmer was physically pulling her apart. Yet, she still kept onward, throwing her jacket on. “This isn’t fair to you or Bow. I’m leaving, and you’ll never see me again, Glimmer.”

    She could sense the guilt that splashed onto Glimmer from that statement. Bringing up Bow seemed to be what brought Glimmer back into her ice-cold reality. Adora could hear the queen breaking down into tears. Every part of her wanted to turn around and guide her through this. However, Adora knew that would only make Glimmer’s situation worse. She grabbed her things, and left the queen crying alone.

    It was the second most heartless thing she had done to any Glimmer. Her feet felt like concrete as she walked away from Bright Moon, never looking back.

    She traveled endlessly on foot, rarely stopping to break. She had no idea where she was going, but she needed to be far away from Glimmer. Days later, she came across a coastal town. She had been there before in her own universe, as it was the place where she first met Seahawk. With the minimal amount of money she had, she headed towards the bar.

Adora rarely drank. But when she did, it was a shit show. Alcohol tore up her stomach, proving how much of a lightweight she was. Yet, she kept drinking. Hoping that, just for one second, it would numb the pain away. Perhaps even wash away the fuming guilt in her gut. But it didn’t, and it never would. But that didn’t stop her.

Only after she had slightly sobered up had she decided to leave. It was late at night, and probably had enough for a stay at an inn. As she began to walk through the dimly lit streets, a woman approached her. She was short in stature, with a bust figure. Right away, Adora noted her fishnet tights and crop top. Her white hair contrasted with her dark violet skin.

“Hey, baby. Looking for a good time?”

    Adora felt she wasn’t a good person at times. No matter how hard she tried to be, she would falter at times. Maybe that was part of her hesitance to jump so eagerly into confessing her love to the Glimmer of her own dimension. Adora felt she was a mere moral that gave into her selfish sins. Glimmer, on the other hand, was absolutely perfect in her eyes. A literal goddess to her, even.

She wondered if that Glimmer ever told Bow what really happened. If things worked out between them, in the end. Perhaps there would’ve never been that strain if Adora never arrived in their lives. That was the worst thing about being a dimensional vagabond — she would never know how the lives of the many people she met would end up.

Chapter Text

Adora woke up feeling well-rested for once in her life. Soft-wings and bare skin were pressed to her chest, nestled so unbelievably close. Within her arms lied Glimmer, who was quietly snoring. Adora had her face buried in her unruly hair, picking up the faint scent of lavender there. Dawn was breaking outside, and morning light was hardly peaking in. The warmth and soft skin beneath her touch was unmatched.

She wanted this to last forever. For once, she felt at true peace. However, she always felt restless in the morning. Afraid her stirring would wake Glimmer up, Adora slowly removed herself from around the queen. Carefully, she sat up. Glimmer was usually a heavy sleeper, but was roused by Adora's movements. Glimmer tiredly called out, "'Dora…?"

Adora turned around, pulling the covers over Glimmer's shoulders. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart."

To her surprise, Glimmer grabbed her arm, grouchily demanding Adora, " No . Stay here. You're warm."

Adora found her morning grumpiness endearing, quietly laughing. Her voice was like the morning light, so warm and welcoming. Her gentle, doting touch was like a burning flame, spreading its warmth like a wildfire across Adora.

Needless to say, they didn't sleep more after that.

Micah was nowhere to be seen in the garden. It was unfortunate he wasn’t out, because that morning felt so serene. Birdsong was glaringly loud, yet still evoked an overall sense of peace. Dew still sat atop the many violets blooming in the lawn. Glimmer had pulled her chair as close as she could to Adora’s. Their fingers were entwined, and the queen was nestled onto Adora’s shoulder.

They didn’t speak much. Adora brewed tea for them. Glimmer’s favorite, Salineas passionflower with a touch of honey. It was a little too sweet for Adora’s tastes, but Glimmer enjoyed it. Contently, they sat there as Adora tread her fingers through Glimmer’s hair. At some point, Glimmer fell asleep, simply too relaxed by it all. Adora was alright with anything, as long as it meant giving Glimmer peace of mind.

For the second time in her life, Adora felt free, as if another chain was removed from around her body. Morning light now took over the valley of Bright Moon, illuminating every inch of Glimmer. Under the light, her sparkles shined brighter than ever.

    Adora loved how with every stroke, she could hear a light twinkle of magic in Glimmer’s hair. She was so fascinating, and it felt like Adora learned something new about her every day. Still, the promise Glimmer kept to Adora the night prior hung on her mind. She promised to tell Adora what happened while she was gone. She shuddered while thinking what could’ve afflicted her so terribly.

    But for now, Adora was enjoying their peace. It took sometime for Glimmer to rouse, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she did. Hazily, she blinked her eyes open, and Adora could see sparkles there.

“How long was I asleep?” Glimmer’s words slurred together.

    Adora didn’t answer, choosing to quickly kiss her instead. Glimmer hummed out a sweet laughter, coyly narrowing her eyes at Adora. “That’s cute, but you didn’t answer my question,” Glimmer teased, strengthened her grip at Adora’s hand.

    Adora blushed as she admitted, “I just really wanted to kiss you… a-and I don’t know, I wasn’t keeping track.”

    Glimmer couldn’t help but smile and blush. She brought her hand up to trace Adora’s cheek, softly cooing, “That’s alright.”

    Another tender kiss, although this one lingered. Enough for Adora’s heart and mind to race, thinking about the night prior. As Glimmer pulled away, Adora followed. She unleashed an onslaught of kisses across Glimmer’s face — her forehead, cheek, eyes, nose — causing the queen to erupt in an airy giggle. “Adora!”

    “I love you, I love you, I love you,” Adora chanted in between the kisses, finally settling her nose against Glimmer’s and stopping the assault, “And I love that I get to say that.”

    Glimmer once again sealed the space between them, briefly and sweetly kissing Adora. Her hand lingered on Adora’s cheek as she blinked her eyes up into Adora’s. “I love you, too.”

    They pressed their foreheads together, sighing against one another. Adora would have no qualms with doing this the rest of the day. Everything felt so perfect — the hair beneath her fingertips, the fluttering of their hearts, and Glimmer’s radiant warmth. Adora felt sad as Glimmer tore away from her, still keeping her vibrant smile. “I have to feed the parakeets. How about you go check on the old man for me?”

    The ever clingy Adora had mixed feelings about separating from Glimmer. However, her voice lacked any reluctance, “Yeah. I can do that.”

    It didn’t take long for Adora to find Micah walking towards the dining hall. He perked up as he saw Adora walking his way. “Hey, kid.”

“Micah!” Adora beamed back, “We were worried about you!”

Visibly, Micah stiffened, as if he was uncomfortable with the situation. “Oh… About that…” Micah grimaced, “Yeah, I decided you ladies needed—” He rigidly cleared his throat, “ Alone time after last night.”

Adora frowned and gulped, having a good feeling he must have seen the two dancing at some point. “Oh, um, s-sorry—”

Micah smiled, encouragingly patting her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, kid…” It was silent a moment, until Micah awkwardly asked, “So, uh... are you two… You know?”

No , Adora didn’t know. But she guessed, “Gay? Micah, I thought—”

“Oh, stars above ,” Micah cursed, before quietly laughing to himself. “Trust me, I know. Glimmer’s brought a lot of women—” Micah was very quick to end that sentence, “Okay, no, I don’t want to get into that. I meant, are you two official?”

Adora didn’t know that either. Seeing how the past 12 hours or so were spent, one would think yes , they were official. But the word “girlfriend” or “partner” was never spoken between the two. So, she merely answered, “I think?”

“Oh… boy. You should really change that…” Micah perked up, as if he suddenly had an idea, “Come on, Adora,” Micah began to walk, expecting Adora to follow him, “I want to show you something.”

After a few turns through the halls, Micah led Adora to a room she had never been to before. It was smaller than many of the luxurious, grand rooms of Bright Moon. There was a rocking chair and a crib that was settled below a complex, beautifully made mobile that featured stars and moons. Many toys and plushies were scattered throughout the dimly lit room. Adora asked, “Is this…?”

“It’s the nursery room, yeah,” Micah had a bit of a corny smile plastered on his face, “Glimmer uses it when she babysits for the Princesses.”

Adora could see a plethora of crudely made drawings taped to the wall. Just barely could she decipher the names signed on the corners of the papers — most of them belonging to Jay. There were drawings of people she knew — Glimmer, Bow, Kyle, Scorpia, Perfuma, and even a few of Swift Wind and his many foals.

Micah was standing over a dresser on the other side of the room, rummaging through it. “Now, not a word of what I’m about to tell you leaves this room... Alright?”

Adora turned towards Micah, nodding, “Alright.”

“Glimmer... was born too early” There was a bit more pep in his voice as he said, “She was almost small enough to fit on my hand. See?” Micah pulled out an onesie from a drawer, showing off how very tiny it was, “She was this tiny! Come here, come hold it!”

    Adora walked over, accepting the worn, old onesie. Sure enough, the entirety of it nearly fit in the palm of her hand. It was hard to believe someone so resilient and strong was born this small.

Micah crossed his arms, “Angie and I spent so many sleepless nights in this room, praying to the Moonstone to keep our angel alive… And, obviously , she did live,” Micah’s smile returned, inspirited as he reminisced, “I knew back then that Glimmer would never give up on anything. She was born with a fighting spirit.”

Adora couldn’t help but smile with him. Even as the conversation dipped into the more melancholy side once again.

“But… as she grew older, she became so shy,” Micah pulled out another drawer, smiling as he found old, worn drawings. He took one out, revealing a drawing of him, Glimmer, and Angella. Angella was drawn hyperbolically taller than the other two, no doubt a child’s perspective on how tall the woman was.

“I took her to Mystacor to make friends with other kids,” Micah appeared fraught with guilt, “I remember her crying to me about how the other kids were plucking her wing feathers, and how she never wanted to go back… I told her that I wouldn’t force her to go back, and that I’d always be there to protect her...” The worn man cleared the dryness of his throat, his voice cracking as he admitted, “... That was right before I was captured by the Horde.”

Micah shakily put the drawing back, sniffling back his tears. Adora comforted him, truly not knowing what to do besides stroking his back and saying, “I’m sorry, Micah.”

Micah turned and feebly smiled at Adora, “It’s alright. Glimmer grew up to be a brave, kind, and honestly stubborn woman. I’m glad she found Bow and you,” Micah wiped the tears still forming in his eyes, “Maybe I was going somewhere with this. Maybe I just wanted to embarrass Glimmer. Or maybe I’m just an old man that wants grandchildren.”

Adora wasn’t entirely sure where he was going with all this, either. Perhaps he truly wanted to show off his memories of Glimmer and Angella, and that was absolutely fine with her.

But then, Micah ended the conversation with, “Glimmer can put up an act around people, even people she loves like you, me, and Bow. But you can see right through it, Adora.”

And maybe, Adora was starting to make sense of it all.

    After Glimmer teleported into the greenhouse with a plate of fruit in hand, she was overwhelmed by the screeching of her parakeets. They sounded different from usual, as if they were distressed. The ear-piercing noises all around her only worsened the headache she was starting to feel again, similar to the night before. After placing their fruit on the ground, none of them flew down from their palm tree. She furrowed her brows, frowning at them.

“What’s wrong? Are you upset that I’m a little late?” Glimmer asked them, although her voice offered no comfort.

The next few moments blurred together in her head — all of a sudden, someone grabbed her elbow from behind. The moment she charged her magic in her other palm, the offender placed a cuff on her wrist — which coursed a paralyzing effect on her magic, forcing the light in her palm to die out. Her eyes widened as she realized she recognized the touch of the offender, encouraging her to pivot around and see—

“C-Catra?!” Most her defensive anger eased for a brief moment. So many emotions were dug up as she looked into her mismatched, infuriated eyes. Although they had been writing to one another for four years, they hadn’t seen each other since Catra left Glimmer. She appeared drastically different, as her hair was cut short. The top curled, hanging over her forehead. She wore a green poncho atop of her silver breastplate, and an emblem of Half Moon.

Deeply, Glimmer wanted to feel happy to see her again. However, Catra wouldn’t give her that chance. She pulled her along by the elbow, attempting to guide her outside the greenhouse. “You’re coming with me. We have a lot to talk about.”

Glimmer’s tension returned. She dug her heels into the ground, and she narrowed her eyes at Catra. “Are you kidnapping me?! Catra, do you ever think before you act?”

The parakeets screeched louder after Catra kicked the door open, pulling Glimmer out despite her resistance. Venom dripped from her flat voice, “Nope, and I don’t care.”

“You better close that door. If a single one of my parakeets escapes, I will actually kill you,” Glimmer threatened.

Respecting her wish, Catra slammed the door shut. Glimmer attempted to draw out magic, but was once again met with a weak, minuscule “poof”. Glimmer growled, “How polite. Now, give me a chance to explain things, please—”

Catra leaned uncomfortably closer to her, “How long has she been back, Glimmer?!”

Glimmer sighed, unable to look into Catra’s eyes. “Catra—”

“How long?!” Catra demanded out of her.

Glimmer was surprised. During all of their relationship, Catra was never like this to Glimmer. Sure, she would have days when she wanted to be alone, but she would never blow up on Glimmer like this. The only time she had done so was right before their breakup. She knew Catra wouldn’t hurt her, but couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated and afraid as she quietly admitted, “A little over a month, now.”

Catra grimaced, growling under her breath. “You’ve sent me two letters since then, and you didn’t bother telling me in either one!”

“Catra, please,” Glimmer spoke sternly, but held her anger back, “She’s been through a lot—”

“Oh?” Catra stood taller, keeping her eyes narrowed. “You think I’m a handful, huh?”

Glimmer glowered, “I don’t need to answer that. Don’t be mad with Adora, none of this is her fault.”

Catra blinked, as if she finally put something together. Maliciously, she smiled at Glimmer, and the queen only had a terrible feeling about it. Her grip on Glimmer eased, and she cocked her head to the side.

“Wait, wait, wait… I get it now… Oh, you’re a bad girl.” Catra caught Glimmer’s chin, tilting her head up to hers. Her voice dipped down to a low, flirtatious tone, “You just don’t want her to find out about our little fling, huh?”

Glimmer grabbed Catra’s wrist, jerking her hand away from her. “Stop it, Catra. You’re being an actual child right now,” Glimmer deflected the conversation, trying to appeal to a sensible part of Catra, “Do you realize the consequences of kidnapping a queen?!”

“Hm,” Catra appeared smug, “Yeah... But personally, I’m too mad at you to care. Now—”

“Catra?!”

Glimmer felt her heart sink at Adora’s voice. Visceral hatred radiated from Catra as her pupils narrowed. Both women turned their heads towards the fountain at the entrance of the garden, seeing no other than Adora standing nearby it. Again, Glimmer tried to pull away from Catra’s grip, but was unsuccessful. Hesitantly, Adora walked closer, only for Catra to defensively pull Glimmer closer in turn.

Glimmer could hear Catra quietly growling, and see her tail swishing back and forth. She had a horrible feeling about this, knowing Catra was absolutely in the state to hurt Adora. Glimmer warned, “Stay back, Adora!”

“What’s… going on?” Adora wearily asked with narrowed eyes, her fists clutched at her sides.

Catra artificially smiled, “Adora! Long time no see! Now that we’re all here, the three of us need to have a chat,” Her scowl returned as she jerked her chin towards Glimmer, “How much did our dear Glimmer tell you?”

“Catra, please,” Glimmer begged, clutching onto Catra’s poncho. However, this plea didn’t concern her whatsoever.

Adora curiously looked at both of them. All she could truly think about was how tears were forming in Glimmer’s eyes. “All she told me was you lived in Half Moon, and you two were friends and—”

Catra broke out into a fit of laughter that made the other two feel rather discomfited. Her head pivoted to Glimmer, “Friends?! Is that what you call that, Glimmer? You and Adora must be best friends, then.”

Adora was so confused. Why did Glimmer appear so devoured by guilt? Tears trickled down her eyes, only fueling Adora’s ire towards Catra. Adora’s teeth ground together as she demanded, “Let her go, Catra.” 

Catra showed no signs of backing down, growling out, “I already had to let go of her once because of you, so you can fuck off, Adora.”

This was all becoming too much for Adora — Catra’s odd, cryptic behavior, and Glimmer appearing more upset than she was the night prior. Adora groaned, “Can one of you please explain to me what’s going on?”

Glimmer implored to Adora, her voice cracking as she held back her sobs, “Adora, I was going to tell you, I-I swear!”

“Oh, this is adorable,” Catra glared at Adora, “What? Did you think she was so in love with you, she wouldn’t fuck anyone while you were gone? And I thought I was selfish.”

“Catra! I’m supposed to tell her this, please stop,” Glimmer’s voice was faltering and quiet, as she found it hard to breathe.

Adora was still struggling to piece things together, too focused on Glimmer’s distress and Catra’s tenacious vulgarity. “Catra, I’ll ask you one last time…” Her following words were slow, but bold and to the point, “Let go of her. Now .”

“You’re such an idiot. Do I need to spell it out for you, Adora?” Finally, Catra let Glimmer go, only to heatedly sulk towards Adora, “Glimmer was my girlfriend for four years!”

It felt as if she was dropped into ice-cold water. The reality of the situation took so long to hit, and when it finally did, Adora found herself unable to visibly react. She repeated the words to herself over and over, but she simply struggled to see or believe it. Her eyes drifted behind Catra, and she could see Glimmer burying her face in her palms.

Part of her was upset Glimmer didn’t tell her. Was this the thing that held her back from Adora? Her apparent love — or at least, previous love — for Catra? Another part forgave her, realizing how hard it would be to explain. Deep down, it saddened her. All those years, Adora thought Glimmer loved her and only her.

But it wasn’t fair to Glimmer to feel mad about that. Adora had accepted long before that Glimmer had likely dated others while she was gone. However, what shocked her most was who she dated. Of all the people in Etheria, Catra was the last person she’d imagine Glimmer dating. In all the dimensions she had come across, she had only met one Glimmer and Catra who had been together — and look how awfully that ended up for the both of them.

There was a silence between a three, and all Adora could hear was Glimmer choking back her sobs. Vile malice cursed every inch of Catra’s body and soul as she glared into Adora, who could practically feel the venom corroding her skin.

“I loved her…” Catra’s voice cracked, tears staining the corners of her eyes. Claws were drawn from her hands, as she stomped closer to Adora. A low growl burst from Catra, before she snapped, “More than anyone!”

    “You’re lying!” Adora tensed, but stood her ground. “You’re just trying to get a rise out of me!”

    Adora glanced over to Glimmer, hoping she would confirm that statement. However, their gaze was short-lived, ending with Glimmer peering down. An inappropriate laugh burst out of Catra. In Adora’s eyes, it was as if Catra had hardly changed.

“Glimmer’s quite the heartbreaker, isn’t she?” Catra impishly smirked, stalking even closer to Adora. The two were almost nose to nose, boring challenging gazes at each other.

Glimmer held her hand to her chest, finding her heart heavy. “Catra—”

But the Magicat easily ignored her, her voice dipping down as she whispered, “Well, look at the bright side, Adora… At least she had someone to fill the hole you left. And don’t worry,” Catra’s smirk widened, “I filled it real good.”

    Adora could be dense at times, but she knew full well what Catra was implying. Rage consumed Adora and took over her. Without a second thought, her fist flew, landing square into Catra’s jaw. From behind them, Glimmer loudly gasped. The impact was enough to pivot Catra’s entire body the other direction. With her back to Adora, Catra massaged the spot that was hit. 

    Glimmer rushed over, soothing her hand down Catra’s arm. There was no use being livid towards Adora at that moment, as Glimmer knew Catra would return the hit if she didn’t interfere. Adora merely stood in place, tense as she expected Catra to counter. Glimmer pulled at Catra’s sleeve, attempting to distance the two. Glimmer begged, her brows furrowed, “Catra, please , you don’t have to do this.”

However, her plea proved useless. Catra straightened her posture, stretching her now sore neck with a loud “pop” . Her lips quivered as she formed a scowl, and her hand tensed. With a swift movement, she whipped around, claws out. Before Adora could react, Catra slashed at her cheek. Adora hissed and flinched, allowing Catra to tackle her to the ground. Catra trapped Adora beneath her, before fiercely grabbing her shoulder and boring her claws there. Adora winced, but toughed through the pain as she grabbed the wrist. 

“I wanted to marry her!” Catra hissed as she reached for the base of Adora’s throat and started to choke her. Nails bore into Adora’s neck, and Catra didn’t hold back despite Adora’s desperate gasps for air. “But you always get what you want, huh!?”

From behind, Glimmer watched in horror. Two women she loved dearly were fighting and it seemed Catra, at the very least, had the full intention of killing Adora. Glimmer knew both women well — neither would either back down for a fight. She had to stop them, and quick. Glimmer pulled at the cuff around her wrist, which still was cutting her off from her magic. 

“Stop!” Glimmer demanded, however, both were too absorbed in their apparent malice for one another. Adora managed to land another punch on Catra’s cheek, making her cry out in pain. In the moment of weakness, Adora pushed with all her might — throwing her off of her. As Catra recoiled, Adora shot to her feet, catching up on her breath. Quickly, she reached for her bracelet, morphing it into a whip.

“You think I wanted to be taken away from everything I ever loved?!” Adora snapped, her stare crazed as she shot the whip forward. It first struck Catra’s breastplate with a loud clank. She hardly flinched, reaching for her own whip at her waist. From afar, Glimmer’s eyes widened.

“Adora—” Glimmer attempted to warn, but it was too late. Adora threw the whip forward again, but this time, Catra caught the tip of the whip in midair. Despite the sharp end cutting her palm open, she didn’t flinch.

“And do you think I wanted to lose Glimmer because she couldn’t let you go?!” Catra bitterly countered. She used the newfound control to pull forward on Adora’s whip, and use her own. Catra’s hit struck Adora’s side, but she hardly appeared affected. Instead, Adora morphed the whip back into her familiar sword.

Again, Glimmer gasped before demanding, “Adora, stop!” However, Adora was still too absorbed in the fight. More panicked than ever before, Glimmer managed to pull the top of the cuff past her wrist. It would still take time for it to fully come off — time Glimmer wasn’t sure she had. Her gaze shifted constantly from the cuff, to Adora, to Catra, feeling a bead of sweat run down the side of her head as she did so.

    “I knew you would be dramatic about me being gone!” Adora bitterly chided. Subsequently, Catra shot her whip forward — only for Adora to easily slash through it. The broken part of the whip fumbled to the ground, infuriating Catra. Adora’s next words only added to her frustration, “Maybe that’s why I didn’t visit you.”

Catra’s pupils narrowed as she bared her teeth. With a frustrated growl, she tossed her now broken whip aside. Adora wasn’t threatened as Catra reached for the dagger on her belt. This encouraged Glimmer to really pull at the cuff, no matter how much it hurt. Finally, she could feel her magic once more after she fully pulled it off. Glimmer barely had time to stop Catra as she rushed towards Adora, with an absolute crazed look in her mismatched eyes.

Within seconds, Glimmer conjured a spell — fingers trembling the whole time, yet her execution remained flawless. The spell transformed into black ribbons, quickly wrapping around both Adora and Catra. Both women were jerked back, forced to drop their weapons by the strange manifestations. They winded tightly around their arms, pinning them to their sides.

The two struggled, attempting to break out of the restraints. However, the control only grew greater, forcing them to fall to their knees. Both growled and convulsed, continuing to glare at one another. However, their gaze turned to Glimmer as she put herself between them. It was apparent she was infuriated with both of them, seeing her fists were clutched at her sides.

“What has gotten into you two?!” Glimmer furiously dotted her fiery glare between them, crossing her arms as she badgered, “ Ugh! You’re fighting like a bunch of men!”

    “She was hurting you!” Adora countered, although her voice lacked any of the malicious venom she was using towards Catra. However, Glimmer’s glare persisted. Giving in, Adora’s brows furrowed, as if to plead to Glimmer. “I’m… sorry Glimmer.”

    “That’s it, huh?” Catra snarled, grabbing Glimmer’s full attention. Mismatched eyes were gazing into her own. Catra’s malice was now replaced by an innate desperation. “Adora is back, so you’ll forget about me now — you both will. I never meant anything to either of you!”

    Glimmer frowned, easing her posture. Calmly, she approached Catra. Tears were trickling out of her eyes, and she sobbed the closer Glimmer came. Glimmer knelt down with her, her brows furrowing at her former lover. Catra was trembling out of a mixture of malice and sorrow, feeling as if she had lost everything — and it was all Adora’s fault.

    “Catra…” Glimmer cooed before reaching out to stroke Catra’s cheek. “I would never forget about you…”

Initially, Catra tensed, but naturally melted into the touch. Rather easily, her anger was being quelled by Glimmer. She couldn’t help it, Glimmer always had that effect on her. With a simple wave of Glimmer’s glowing hand, the restraints on both Adora and Catra disintegrated. Immediately, Catra lunged forward — but just as quickly, Adora reached for her sword.

But to her relief, Catra was merely bringing Glimmer into a tight hug. Loudly, she sobbed into Glimmer’s neck, clutching her robe to bring her as close as she possibly could. Glimmer smiled, clasping the back of Catra’s head and occasionally brushing through her short hair. From afar, Adora could feel her chest tighten at the sight. She never thought the sight of the two embracing would invoke such intense jealousy.

    “Come on, we can talk, just you and me,” Glimmer eased herself more into Catra’s embrace, stroking at her back, “Okay?”

Catra sniffled back her tears, “Okay…” For a moment, she blinked her eyes open. She could see Adora observing them from afar, a scowl tainting the hero’s face as the two met eyes. Lowly, Catra growled, her once affectionately wide pupils now narrowing at Adora. Protectively, she pulled the queen even closer and wrapped her tail around her. Adora could feel her brutish wrath swiftly building back, desiring to rip Catra away from Glimmer.

That fierce jealousy of Adora’s burnt hotter as Glimmer pulled away from Catra, gently holding onto her hands. The two stood together, and Catra’s ear twitched as she continued to glare at Adora. On the other hand, Glimmer kindly smiled at the hero. “I’ll be back, Adora.”

Before Adora could protest, the two disappeared in a cloud of sparkles, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

    They reappeared in Glimmer’s greenhouse — arguably one of the worst places to have a chat of this nature, due to the rambunctiousness of Glimmer’s parakeets. They flew away from the plate of fruit at the mere sight of Catra, who lightly smirked. “So… you got birds? Are you really that lonely?”

    That earned a well deserved glare from Glimmer. She merely ignored the statement, reaching to grab Catra’s hand. On her palm was a deep cut, and blood was starting to cake on her fur there. Intently, Glimmer stared down, her own hand glowing as it covered the wound. Initially, Catra hissed at the feeling, but could slowly feel the pain fade. It was distressingly silent, and Catra was starting to feel bad for her insulting joke.

    “You learned how to heal?” Catra beamed. However, Glimmer only gazed up for a second, completely ignoring her. Catra nervously rubbed the back of her head, anxious with Glimmer’s silence. “Sorry. That wasn’t—”

Suddenly, Glimmer erupted, and her retaliatory glare continued. “What was that back there, Catra?! Did you really think any of that was fair to Adora? I thought you were going to kill her!"

Catra blinked, frowning at Glimmer's words, "No, I wasn't—"

"Sure," Glimmer bluntly interuppted, "Really, I can’t believe you…” Glimmer blinked away her tears before she angrily shoved Catra’s now healed hand away. “You’re better than this, Catra.”

Saddened by the sight, Catra knew it was best for the both of them to be reasonable. Calming herself down, she attempted to be level-headed. She put a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder, pleading with her gaze. “I'm sorry, Glimmer. It really wasn't fair to either of you. But please, try to think about my situation right now,” Catra appealed as Glimmer quietly sobbed, “You sent me an invitation to Princess Prom to be your plus one—”

“ Months ago!” Tears flew as Glimmer snapped her head up, “And you said you didn’t think that was good for either of us!”

“I did, but… Ah, ” Catra shook her head. The truth was, she needed to come see Glimmer to inform her of a situation at Half Moon. But the night prior had elicited emotions she thought she had successfully buried long before. Ultimately, she decided to keep what she said simple, “I didn’t realize how much I missed you. And I don’t know, I was hoping that maybe…” Her gaze hung low as she heftily sighed, “Maybe we still had something.”

Glimmer gasped, attempting to catch up on air. Shakily, she wiped her own tears away, burying down her frustration with the two women. After a long sigh, she nervously asked, “... Why did you think I sent you that letter, Catra? I wanted to see if we still had something, too.”

    Catra flinched, shocked by the reality at hand. Had she acted too late? Withal, even if Catra and Glimmer had rekindled, what were the chances Glimmer would stay with her after Adora returned? The thought allowed returned malice to Catra’s heart. Instead of dwelling on the thought, Catra nervously asked, “Did we… Did you ever truly love me, Glimmer?”

Lavender eyes looked up, appearing so doting and genuine as Glimmer admitted with a shake in her anxious voice, “... I was in love with you. Even after y-you left me, I was.”

There was a deafening silence. Even the parakeets were finally calming down above them. Catra could see all the heartbreak in Glimmer’s gaze — heartbreak that was caused by the women she loved so dearly. Slowly, Catra moved her touch up to Glimmer’s cheek. Hesitantly, she asked with a sense of desperation, “A-Are you still in love with me?”

Glimmer hadn’t thought of that. There was hardly any room for Catra in Glimmer’s thoughts the past month. It was hard to think about anyone besides the hero. Despite the unpleasant scenario, Glimmer was happy to see Catra again after all these years. Even the soft touch on her cheek was welcomed. 

As wrong as it sounded, as much as Glimmer didn’t want to admit it, she wasn’t sure if she had completely fallen out of love with Catra. It felt deceitful to Adora to feel that way. The guilt was brand new, yet long familiar at the same time. Hesitantly, she put her hand atop of Catra’s, before saying her exact thoughts aloud in a hushed tone, “... Maybe there is still something for you… I don’t know, Catra.”

    There was a long pause. Four years of feelings were being unearthed and rediscovered again in both their minds. Catra wanted to say something, but her mind was fumbled and her throat was dry. Even after all these years and in spite of what happened, Catra could feel her love for Glimmer only growing by the second. This was the woman that helped her fix and improve herself. Despite Glimmer being cursed by trauma and tragedy, she was there for Catra. 

“I-I just…” Catra wanted to fix this, for both their sake’s. She didn’t want to lose Glimmer… But Catra remember the reality of the situation that forced her to come to Bright Moon in the first place. The thought alone encouraged Catra to brush her claws through Glimmer’s hair, wanting to cherish the time she had with her.

However, Catra wanted to sort their feelings out before bringing that up. “I just saw Adora, and… something snapped. It was like all the work I’ve done to improve myself was drained right out of me.”

“I should’ve of told her more about you—” Glimmer hesitated to correct herself, “About us, I’m at fault, too, Catra.”

Catra shook her head, “No... I’m… sorry for what I did to you. I wasn’t considerate of your feelings earlier—” Catra shifted her ears back, feeling her heart sink as she humbly acknowledged, “A-And I wasn’t when I left you…”

Glimmer shifted her eyes away, and Catra could see them glistening. Calmly, Catra wrapped her arms around Glimmer. Each of Glimmer’s harsh sobs reverberated against her shoulder, reminding her of the guilt that she held onto for so long. Once more, Catra felt her own tears forming. She pressed Glimmer closer, entangling her hand in her night-sky hair. Affectionately, Catra rubbed her cheek against the side of Glimmer’s head.

“You were so broken, and I just fractured you more...” Catra cooed as she tenderly held the back of Glimmer’s head. Her low, quiet voice seeped of such genuineness, “I am so sorry for that, Glimmer…”

Glimmer sniffled, gulping down the lump in her throat. Attempting to ease herself and get some air, she tucked her chin on Catra’s shoulder. It felt so nostalgic as Catra brushed through her hair, like all those nights she comforted Glimmer back to sleep after her awful nightmares. The ache in her heart contrasted the weak smile on her shaking lips.

Catra’s very soul shattered as Glimmer said, “You weren’t the first woman to break my heart.”

All Catra could mutter was a quiet, “Oh, Glimmer…” Before tighten their hug even more. There was that familiar electricity and race of their rabbit hearts as they held one another — an electricity that violently sparked as Catra kissed the side of Glimmer’s head. Even after all these years, the two still felt their souls entwining. Glimmer didn’t realize how awfully she had missed Catra. So, Catra was right — the two parting ways did break the queen to astronomical levels.

But so did Adora disappearing. It felt wrong to so willingly accept Catra’s attention like this. Glimmer and Adora were… official now? She thought, at least. Perhaps that would be something to bring up when she spoke to Adora. The mere thought of their next conversation only brought more stress to the queen, who knew she had a lot of explaining to do. After Catra began to brush through her hair again, Glimmer began to relax and momentarily forget her stress.

“Your hair looks nice. I really like it like this.” Catra purred, almost flirtatiously.

It felt wrong to blush and adore the compliment. Yet, Glimmer snorted and half-heartedly smiled, “What? Messy?”

Catra quietly laughed with her, “No. It looks so beautiful, Glimmer.”

It felt like Glimmer had been transported back in time, like her and Catra were never separated. The loving gaze from the Magicat was full of heartbreak and passion Glimmer was so familiar with — with both the women she loved. Something inside her was screaming to teleport away as Catra oh so gently grabbed her chin, tipping it up to get a better look into her lavender eyes. Faintly, Glimmer could hear the Magicat affectionately purring.

Catra slowly blinked at her, smirking as she cooed, “You’re still my girl, right?”

It wasn’t moral to like this, right? Adora loved her so much, and she loved Adora more than anyone — more than Catra, even. So why was she so hypnotized as Catra leaned closer? Glimmer wanted to give in, but this wasn’t fair to Adora. Not after she had given Glimmer her heart and soul.

Catra flinched as Glimmer put her hand on her chest, pushing her away. “N-No, Catra.”

The sudden rejection made Catra frown and hang her ears back in shame. Glimmer pivoted around, crossing her arms and stepping away from Catra. “It’s not…” Glimmer sighed, “Things won’t work out between us anymore, Catra. I’m sorry.”

It was tempting to childishly counter, “Oh? Because Adora is back?” However, Catra was tired of their back and forth. No matter how much she hated that the two were together, she couldn’t change Glimmer’s feelings.

Then again, she wasn’t sure how much time she’d have left with Glimmer.

Catra sighed, burying her frustrations and straightening her posture. “Well, I guess I can change the subject now,” It was becoming hard to even think about the situation, “I… didn’t just come to Bright Moon to see you. We need your assistance in Half Moon.”

Glimmer cocked her head, genuinely curious as she pivoted around. “What’s the matter?”

Catra found her throat dry, wanting to cry at the thought. It was very possible that she would once again lose Glimmer again.

Adora could feel her heart shattering. Never had jealousy torn at every fiber of her being nor made her so enraged. She was being pulled apart by the seams. What did she just witness? She hadn’t learned that Catra and Glimmer were in a relationship until a few minutes ago and now…

She was sure she had just seen Glimmer and Catra kiss.

After the honestly childish fight, Adora was starting to blame herself for the situation. Besides, she was the one to land the first punch on Catra and escalate the fight. Perhaps there was a tinge of guilt somewhere as she thought of Glimmer being happy with Catra, only for her loyal feelings for Adora to get in the way of what could’ve been a decent relationship.

Yes, Adora wanted Glimmer to be happy above all. Yet, selfishly, Adora wanted Glimmer all to herself now that they were together. To hold her close and never let her go, never let Catra touch her like that ever again. The mere thought made Adora want to gag or punch a wall. She nearly tore the handle off her own door as she slammed it.

In her eyes, Glimmer was perfect, incapable of doing wrong. It was an image that had screwed her over in the past, and was screwing her over yet again. How could someone so sweet and perfect betray her like that? Adora had offered her heart to Glimmer, and it felt as if it had been brutally ripped from her chest.

She didn’t want to be mad at Glimmer. But as she curled up in her bed, she was furious at someone — and she wasn’t able to tell if it was Glimmer, Catra, or herself. Adora banged her fist against the bed, wishing to dig her nails into her arms. Anger consumed her, and the jealous fire in her gut burned her alive.

Catra had wronged Adora over and over during their rivalry. Withal, this felt just as awful — and possibly even worse — then every little horrible thing the Magicat had done to her. Glimmer was a part of Adora, and it felt like she had been ripped away from her. The mangled scars on Adora’s back, an artifact from the Battle of Bright Moon over a decade prior, was nothing compared to the gaping hole in her chest.

The sound of Glimmer teleporting into the room only made her sob more, and grip more of the sheet. Glimmer’s mere presence was a reminder of how betrayed Adora felt by her. Even so, after Glimmer sat on the bed, Adora wanted to be physically close to her. Adora stopped seeing red as Glimmer fondly ran her fingers through her hair, which was askew because of the fight.

Still, Adora refused to look at her. Tears were dampening the sheets below her cheek, and she didn’t want Glimmer seeing her so weak. She felt like a child, pouting because she wasn’t getting what she wanted. It felt so selfish to be like this — to be so possessive over Glimmer. Glimmer was her guiding constellation and Adora fought so hard to find her way back to her. Withal, was it all for nothing?

“Adora, sweetheart…” Glimmer sympathetically cooed. She shifted closer, enough to allow her thigh to press into Adora’s back. “I’m so, so sorry… I should’ve told you about all of this earlier.”

It wasn’t fair to be angry towards Glimmer. Adora knew she was just as broken as her, and just as reluctant to share such heartbreak. So again, Adora felt like a child as she practically grumbled, “I saw you in the greenhouse. You kissed her.”

Glimmer flinched and quietly gasped. “Oh, no, no…” She denied with a tinge of regret, “Catra tried to kiss me. There’s no use in lying to you — I really thought about accepting it, but I pushed her away at the last second.”

Adora knew Glimmer was telling the truth. It was completely possible that the angle she was viewing the two at had simply tricked her. But the truth didn’t sugar coat any of this for Adora.

“It was a mistake. I’m so sorry…” Glimmer murmured before she leaned down, pressing a kiss on the side of her head. “If you want to be alone, that’s—”

“N-No. Please, stay.” Adora begged, recoiling at how desperate her voice was.

“Okay.” Glimmer calmly spoke, starting to brush through Adora’s messy hair again. “Is this helping?”

Adora simply nodded, curling her form more. It was hard to deny her touch, as it was so relaxing and doting. Slowly, her breathing was starting to become more regulated and calm. Once she felt eased enough, she hesitantly asked Glimmer, “You… were in love with her?”

There was a pause on Glimmer’s part. “I really love you Adora, and I have since before you vanished. After you were gone, I felt so broken. And Catra…” Adora could hear the smile in Glimmer’s voice as she said, “She was there for me. That first impression she gave you earlier was... awful, I know. It’s just… she made me so happy. But in the end, it didn’t work out between us because I still felt so much love for you, Adora.”

That last bit only furthered Adora’s guilt for the situation. “I’m… sorry.”

“No…” Glimmer’s voice was hushed and kind, “You shouldn’t be sorry for anything, Adora. This is all my fault.”

Finally, Adora twisted onto her back. In Glimmer’s eyes, she could see faint tears forming. Adora reached up, brushing her thumb along her soft cheek and catching a tear there. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for this, Glimmer.”

Glimmer smiled, brushing her own touch near one set of scratch marks on Adora’s face. Quietly and feebly, she laughed, “Why didn’t you heal your wounds, silly? Here…”

Softly, Glimmer’s hands glowed as she hovered them over the wounds on Adora’s cheeks. Within moments, Adora could feel the stinging pain stop. Glimmer leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to Adora’s lips. Adora almost followed her as she backed away, saddened that it was so short-lived. With a tinge of sorrow, Glimmer beamed down upon her like a ray of morning light. “Better?”

Adora beamed back, feeling her anger towards Glimmer quickly fading away. Gently, she wrapped her fingers around one of the hands on her cheek. “Much.”

There was a silence between the two. One would expect for it to be tense and awkward, but it lacked any sort of negative emotion — at least from Adora’s perspective. Slowly, Adora sat up, using the fabric of her glove to wipe her tears away. She kept her smile for Glimmer, reaching to ghost the back of her fingers along her cheek. “I love you so much, Glimmer.”

Adora stopped her trail at the end of Glimmer’s chin, softly grasping it. Just barely could she make out Glimmer’s lips starting to tremble before she answered back, “I love you, too, Adora. More than anyone.”

It was only natural to kiss again. Things were starting to feel free between them again. Despite the lingering thought of Catra hanging in the back of her mind, Adora felt overall relieved. Callused fingers floated away from Glimmer’s chin, reaching to brush through her hand. Adora loved how she could hear a faint twinkle with each stroke, a sure fire sign of the joy Glimmer felt around her.

Withal, the twinkles quieted down with each stroke. Trembling hands held onto Adora’s shoulders, and Glimmer began to lightly gasp between their adoring kisses. Each kiss seemed more desperate and languid than the last from Glimmer’s part. Finally, Adora realized Glimmer was starting to cry.

After she pulled away and observed the queen, she could tell she was starting to panic. Something was stressing her out, prompting Adora to frown and kindly ask, “What’s wrong, starlight?”

Glimmer blinked back her tears, attempting but failing to calm herself down. “Catra… came to Bright Moon for a reason, Adora. The Heart of Etheria… I-It’s been surging with immeasurable power.”

Adora had thousands of questions, but didn’t wish to bombard Glimmer. Instead, she gently gripped her shoulders, attempting to guide the queen through this. “Is there a way for us to fix it?”

That question appeared to be the wrong one to ask, because Glimmer erupted with heartbroken tears. Without a second thought, Adora pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping her arms so lovingly around her. In her embrace, Glimmer felt so secure despite the reality at hand. Gently, Adora rocked back and forth, again running her fingers through her sparkling hair.

“Hey, hey….” Adora spoke in a hushed tone, keeping her demeanor calm, “You’re scaring me, Glimmer. Please, tell me — is there a way I can fix this?”

Glimmer buried herself deeper into Adora, nearly digging her nails into the fabric of her jacket. She knew full well how much Adora would absolutely hate the answer. Withal, Glimmer caught up on her breath. Between sobs, she managed to further explain, “We have to reset it.”

    Suddenly, Adora had a dreadful feeling. One that tore open her chest and preyed upon her newfound vulnerability. Still, Adora did her best to remain calm, wanting to hear what all Glimmer had to say. “What do you mean we have to reset it?”

    Glimmer backed away, trembling as she looked into Adora’s eyes. Adora ran her fingers through Glimmer’s hair, hoping that would somewhat help her through this. “There’s a Failsafe code in Mystacor. It can reset the magic but… I-It requires a vessel — someone that can handle that much magic flowing through them…”

    The brave hero immediately offered, “I can do it.”

Glimmer shook her head, trekking her kind touch along Adora’s jaw. “Adora. It can’t be you. The Failsafe will end the She-Ra reincarnation cycle if you use it, even if you live.”

Adora could feel herself starting to tremble akin to Glimmer. The situation sounded horribly dire, and it seemed there was nothing she could do about it. One part of Adora was confused and wanted Glimmer to go further in depth. However, the part buried in reality had a horrifying feeling where all this was going.

The look in Glimmer’s eyes told her everything she needed to know.

“Adora. I’m half-immortal, and I’m the strongest of the Princesses…” Glimmer’s lips contorted, her whole body violently quaking as she sharply breathed in. “It has to be me.”

Immediately, Adora’s thoughts jumped back to Glimmer’s own words; “Even if you live.” It was as if her whole world was shrinking around her, so painfully clamping down on her. Fire was burning her skin, nails were scratching into her back, electricity was tearing through her veins. Her lungs felt like they were filled with cement, ready to be torn open as she found it painful to breathe.

There was no way she couldn’t even begin to prepare herself for Glimmer’s next words. “There’s...” Glimmer could barely keep her tearful eyes open, “A chance I might die, Adora.”

Glimmer truly was a supernova; a luminous, stellar explosion that had a lasting impression on everything around her. Her light would shine brighter than anything that had ever existed in the cosmos.

Withal, in the end, there would be nothing left behind once that light died out.

Chapter Text

  Iron bars caged Adora’s heart. Once again, she felt trapped and imprisoned in her own body. This time around, it was for different reasons. Now, her love for Glimmer flowed so freely between the bars. But it felt like they were unable to reach one another, despite being so physically and spiritually close at the moment. Adora was scared she was holding Glimmer so tightly, she would squeeze the air out of her.

    It scared her to even contemplate the idea of letting her go, or having to get up out of their bed and deal with the terrible fate at hand. The two must have cried there for an hour, but it still didn’t feel like enough time to properly grieve. Truly, the cosmos hated them. It had so cruelly pulled them apart, then brought them back together, only to quash Glimmer where she stood.

    In the depths of her selfish mind, Adora wondered why it had to be Glimmer. She wouldn’t say it aloud, but why couldn’t it have been a different Princess? But it had to be Glimmer who took the Failsafe. She was half-immortal, and was the strongest of the Princesses. Glimmer was likely the only one who could even handle the Failsafe — as the others could very well die on the spot.

    Adora had never been so afraid of anything in her life. Well after they finally left their room, Adora was violently shaking. They teleported back to the gardens, finding Catra and Micah there. Micah was clearly distraught, sobbing into his hands as Catra rubbed his back.

Seeing Catra only worsened Adora’s shivering, rekindling her anger towards her. Quite possibly, she felt the strangest jealousy. Knowing that Micah likely treated Catra with the same love and respect as he gave Adora made her uncomfortable. She could hardly focus on that feeling, especially as Micah and Glimmer locked eyes.

Immediately, Glimmer teleported over, and the two tightly embraced. Glimmer thought that she cried all the tears she had left, but that wasn’t so. Adora had never seen Micah cry until earlier that day — both times at the idea of losing Glimmer. This situation wasn’t fair to either of them. So tragically, Angella had been taken away from them. And now, Glimmer would be taken from Micah. 

“Dad…” Glimmer sobbed, burying her face in his chest, “I’m so sorry…”

“No, angel…” Micah kissed the top of her head, before running his fingers through her hair. It was as if he wanted to hear the twinkle of her sparkles one last time before letting her go. “You have nothing to apologize for. You are so brave and strong… I am so proud you, as I’m sure your mother would be…”

It hurt so much watching them cry. However, looking away only resulted in her exchanging glances with Catra. The Magicat scowled, quickly looking away and twitching her tail back and forth.

“I love you... so much, dad… I… I...” Glimmer sobbed, but was lost for words. She had never felt so afraid. Yes, she was scared to die, even if it meant saving Etheria. However, reality was starting to sink in. Adora had fought so valiantly to find her way back to Glimmer, to finally open up to her. No matter how sincerely Adora could promise Glimmer to keep on living and to move on, she knew her death would severely afflict her.

In the absolute depths of her mind, she knew Adora would likely end her own life if she didn’t survive. That’s what scared her most. Glimmer would be able to put on a fearless facade for everyone, and especially for Adora. But Adora would be able to see right through it, she was always able to do that.

There in her father’s arm, she felt safe — as she had in Adora and Catra’s embrace. The people she loved the most were rallying behind her, offering their support. Micah comforted her through her sobs, “I love you so much, Glimmer... Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Bright Moon while…” Micah cleared his throat, not wanting to accept the full implication of his words, “... You’re gone. Alright?”

Adora had been feeling absolutely sick since Glimmer told her of her fate. But at that moment, she was sure the acidity in her stomach would expel. Catra, too, grew more afraid due to Micah’s words.   

    There was no telling how much longer until the Heart would overflow the planet with magic. There was no proof to say for sure, but Catra now felt every second wasted meant Glimmer would less likely survive. Call it an educated guess or an instinct, but Catra had a feeling that they needed to hurry. Catra had to encourage Glimmer to move along.

However, Catra couldn’t help but think of the night prior, where she spent hours moping instead of informing Glimmer of the situation. Then there was this morning, where she chose to create conflict instead of calmly telling Glimmer about the situation. It was selfish of her, but she didn’t entirely blame herself.

… After all, these power surges started to appear a month ago — around the same time Adora came back. During her moping, Catra realized the two incidents could’ve been connected. Again, Glimmer would be gone from Catra’s life all because of Adora. And this time, she would likely be gone for good. Burying down her resentment towards Adora, Catra touched Micah’s shoulder, informing him, “Micah, sir. I’m sorry, we don’t have much time.”

Reluctantly, Micah backed away from his embrace with Glimmer. But quickly after, he looked over at Adora. Without a moment to lose, the hero and Micah hugged each other tightly. Micah sobbed to Adora, “Please. Bring my baby back to me.”

    Adora held back her own tears, doing her best to be strong for him and Glimmer both. All those years ago, after Horde Prime kidnapped Glimmer, she had promised to bring Micah back his daughter. Although she saved Glimmer, she wasn’t able to personally reunite them. So it was there she swore to him, “I swear Micah, I will. And this time, I won’t break that promise.”

    Catra had informed Bow of the situation via Glimmer’s tablet, all while the queen was mourning with Adora. The plan was to meet up with him and Entrapta in Dryll, and use Mara’s spaceship to fly to Mystacor and Half Moon. The idea was to save Glimmer’s energy, as the Failsafe would drain her magic and life away.

    In a sense, it made Glimmer happy knowing she would be able to see Bow, Jay, Kyle, and Entrapta before all this went down. However, there was no time to meet up with all the Princesses. Glimmer couldn’t stop crying, and knowing she wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to her friends only worsened her emotional state.

    Yet, Glimmer managed to calm herself as she met with Bow. Kyle and Jay waited for Glimmer in a different room, as Bow held Glimmer tightly. The two bawled in silence, as Catra and Adora looked on. Adora had never seen Bow cry so vehemently, and it was absolutely heartbreaking to see him go through this. Yet again, Glimmer wished Bow wouldn’t let go. As with Micah, Adora, and Catra — she didn’t want this feeling of unlimited safety to end. But Bow and her knew time was limited. 

After some time, Kyle and Jay came in. The two fathers and Glimmer bent down to Jay’s level, appearing completely calm and void of the reality at hand.

Jay… He was the first one to show Glimmer that there were more stars in her sky beyond Adora and Catra. Because of him, she realized how badly she wanted a child. She felt as if that was the only way she could love someone unconditionally, and not feel like she had to beg for their forgiveness and start all over. Above all, Glimmer wanted to be the best mother she could to her child — to ensure things wouldn’t end up like they had with her and her own mother.

However, Glimmer was starting to accept that she wouldn’t have her selfish dream. 

“Jay… Honey, listen,” Glimmer held his hand, ensuring they were looking at one another. “There’s a good chance I won’t be coming back from this trip, ever. Do you understand?”

Jay blinked, cocking his head. “You mean, you’ll be gone a long time?”

“No, baby…” Glimmer frowned, holding his hand tighter, “I mean, I’ll be gone forever. I might die, Jay. Do you understand what that means?” Glimmer kept her tone even and unfaltering, somehow calm despite the horrible, negative connotation behind it.

“What does that mean…?” Jay frowned back, starting to pick up on the mood.

Kyle held Jay’s other tiny hand, stroking a thumb over it. “You know how when dad and I have to fix Aunt Entrapta’s robots, I have to take the batteries out? And how they stop working until I put the battery back in?”

Jay nodded, “Yeah?”

“Well… when someone dies,” Kyle was doing his best to hold back his tears, “It’s like someone took their battery out. Except, there’s no way to put it back in.”

“But…” Jay looked over at Glimmer. He took his hands away from both Glimmer and Kyle, reaching up to touch her cheek. “Auntie Glim is okay now...?”

Bow smiled at Jay, his voice cracking as he spoke, “I know. But there’s something important that only Auntie Glimmer can do, and she will likely die because of it.”

“No!” Jay shook his head, “I can help, right?” 

Glimmer was trying so hard to stuff down her tears. “There’s nothing you can do. I know you want to do something, but there’s absolutely no way you can help me. Your dad is going to stay here—”

“No!” Jay lunged forward, seeming desperate as he held onto her. “Don’t leave, Auntie!”

Glimmer held Jay so tightly, running her fingers through his curly hair. Somehow, Adora’s shattered heart broke more at the sorrowful, blank expression on Glimmer’s face. Tears rolled down her cheek, but she was still doing her best to pretend everything would be okay.

This was too much. The reality was starting to hit Adora. Glimmer would be gone. Everyone she loved so compassionately would be left with a painful hole in their heart. All those years of fighting to get back to her truly meant nothing at that point. Suddenly, it was like there were needles in Adora’s lungs. Too overwhelmed by everything, Adora had to walk away.

She found a balcony — quick to breathe in the fresh air it offered. However, her lungs were so heavy under the crushing weight of reality. She hated every breath she took, as she knew Glimmer soon wouldn’t be able to breathe. There had to be a way for Adora to take her place, or for her to do more than just be a useless bystander.

The thought of holding Glimmer’s cold, lifeless body, and begging some non-existent higher being to give her life back — the reality was too heavy for her to handle,  and it was physically sickening her. There was hardly any food in her body. Yet, something forced her to hurl over the edge of the balcony. Behind her, she sensed someone standing. Not caring who it was, Adora simply ranted, “I can’t take this anymore! I can’t let her—”

“Get over it,” Of course, it had to be Catra. “You need to be strong for Glimmer. Stop puking on innocent bystanders and get your ass back in there.”

For once, Adora agreed with Catra. Normally, the hero was full of courage and moxie. However, in the light of losing Glimmer, having to watch her die all over again — Adora was promptly corroding. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the balcony railing, and there was a crack in her shaking voice, "Why does it have to be her, Catra? She… she doesn’t deserve this! How can you be so calm?!”

Quite offended by that, Catra bared her teeth and retracted her nails. “Oh, you think I’m handling well? How do you think I felt when the Queen of Half Moon told me all of this?”

Adora knew it was in poor taste to fight with Catra. Yet, something compelled her so strongly to pivot around and chide, “You didn’t ask if there was another way?! Or if—”

Catra growled. “What?! Wait, are you trying to blame me for this?! It's not my choice, Adora! Besides…" Catra clutched her fists at her sides, her claws nearly digging into her palms. "The Heart started to surge a month ago! That's when you got back here, right?!"

Suddenly, it was as if something jabbed straight through her heart — forcing the pulse to stop altogether. Wide eyes glistened, as Adora repeated Catra’s words to herself over and over. Adora's features weakened, her form slumping away from Catra.

It… was all her fault, wasn't it? Adora backed away, leaning against the railing of the balcony. Shakily, she ran her head through her face, feeling her chest heavy with the reality at hand. She would never forgive herself for this. Glimmer would die, and it would all be Adora's fault. It felt as if her chest was torn open, and her blood was draining from her body.

Etheria didn’t need She-Ra. But at that time, Glimmer did. Adora would get her to the Heart, pray that she would live, and if she didn’t… Adora wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. It would consume her alive, leaving not even her bones behind. Those iron bars that ensnared her heart grew stronger.

Catra crossed her arms and swished her tail back and forth, sighing in her own guilt. “There’s nothing to prove you’re the reason it’s surging, I—” Catra forced the apology out of her throat, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. But Glimmer is stronger than you think, Adora…" Catra peered down, unsure of her next statement, "I… I think she'll make it through this."

Despite her anger towards Catra, Adora was calmed by her words. She took a deep breath in, choking back her tears. "Y-Yeah…" Adora paused a moment, before looking over at Catra. "Hey… We have to stop fighting… It’s not right to do this to her. Hate me all you want, but we have to get along, for Glimmer's sake."

Catra looked away and slouched before begrudgingly agreeing, "Sure. Whatever."

    Well. At least it was a start.

    The ride to Mystacor was absolutely silent. Even Entrapta, who normally wouldn’t keep quiet about how fascinating the ship, was eerily silent. Glimmer sat on the floor between Bow and Adora, holding on tightly to both their hands. There, so close to Glimmer, Adora noticed her right earring was missing. Unbeknownst to her, Glimmer had gifted it to Jay as a parting gift. It was the best Glimmer could do at the time.

As the three sat together, it seemed none of them had any idea what to say to each other.

    I’ll miss you, more than you’ll ever know. Glimmer was already aware of that.

    Why does it have to be you? It has to be her. No one else in Etheria could possibly handle such power from the Failsafe, or such raw magical energy from the Heart — besides She-Ra. But according to Catra, the Failsafe was also designed to kill She-Ra shortly after entering her body, and end her reincarnation cycle.

    All that was able to escape Glimmer was a simple, “I love you both so much…”

Adora entwined her fingers tighter with Glimmer’s. Bow put his head on hers, sniffling in. Losing Adora all those years ago had broken Bow. Definitely not as much as it had broken Glimmer, but it was quite honestly worse than Angella’s passing to him. Adora was a sister to him. But back then, he felt the need to press on and help all those ex-Horde soldiers find a new purpose. It’s what Adora would’ve wanted.

But in the process, he neglected Glimmer. He thought not talking about Adora would help her. It was foolish to think that — as not talking about Angella destroyed Glimmer not long before. Both were at fault for their falling out. He lost Glimmer back then, and it left a hole in his life, one that Kyle, Entrapta, nor any of his friends in Dryll could fill.

Bow knew losing Glimmer for good would break him, far more than losing Adora ever did. In the back of his mind, he was sure Adora wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt of having to let Glimmer sacrifice herself.

Even as Glimmer said, “You both have to move on after this after I’m gone. For me — please promise me that,” Bow knew Adora wouldn’t keep that promise. So, in a sense, Bow had to accept that he would lose both his friends. Even if Adora did trudge through her darkest thoughts, she would be a husk of her former self.

Bow tried to bury his sadness. However, there was no use. Tears spilled onto Glimmer’s shoulder, and for the first time in years, Bow sobbed aloud. He removed his glasses, allowing himself to rub his tears away. Glimmer took her hand away from Adora, pressing herself closer to Bow and holding onto his arm.

“I love you both so much, too. You are like family to me,” Bow sniffled, muffling his sobs with his palm. All those years they were friends, Adora was sure Bow had never broken down like this. Not in front of her, at least. He was always so reserved with his emotions. However, the situation was making everyone behave strangely. It was only natural. Everyone copes with tragedies differently.

Adora didn’t just have to be strong for Glimmer. But for Bow, Micah, and all of Etheria. Pushing back her own tears, she reached out to touch Bow’s arm. “I love you too, Bow. Thank you, both of you… for giving me a family.”

Glimmer subtly smiled to herself. At least Adora would have Bow after all of this. She hoped the two would be able to get through it, together.

    Huntara awaited them as the ship landed in Mystacor. The sight of the guild ahead made Glimmer’s feet feel so heavy. Somewhere within those walls lied her terrible fate. She would die with pride, knowing her life was worth living and that her sacrifice would be for the good of Etheria. However, those she loved would struggle to breathe in the ash left behind.

    Reassuring, callused fingers entwined with her own. Adora was warm and kind, yet her hand shook. The hero felt her courage diminishing in light of the one thing she feared the most — losing Glimmer. In spite of this, Adora gifted her a kind, but small smile. One that showed Glimmer that Adora believed they would survive this together.

    Claws ghosted her knuckles, as Catra entwined her fingers with her other hand. The two had a long, complicated past. While it was apparent she was still working on herself, Catra changed for the better because of Glimmer. Catra’s smirk was far more confident than Adora’s.

    The long familiar, warm touch on her shoulder gave her all the power she’d ever need. Things would never be the same with Bow, not even if she survived this. Still, the year when the two neglected to speak to one another was one of the most painful times of her life. She imagined it was the same for Bow. She had to fight for him, to ensure they would never lose each other again.

    Glimmer felt loved, as if she had the whole world behind her.

    They reached the corridor lined with statues of Mystacor’s greatest sorcerers. Catra perked up at the sight of a statue of Glimmer, wanting to say how proud she was of her. However, her mood seemed to dampened as she laid eyes on a statue of Shadow Weaver. After taking her gaze away from it, she briefly saw Adora glancing at her.

Adora’s attention was taken by the sight before her. Between the statue of Glimmer and Shadow Weaver was a gap. Castaspella was there, alongside a Magicat Adora had never seen before. She had dark slate blue fur, and long, black dreadlocks decorated with beads. Similarly to Catra, she wore a forest green poncho and an emblem of Half Moon. Glimmer briefly ignored the Magicat, teleporting over to her aunt and embracing her.

    “Catra! Nice to see—” The Magicat paused mid-sentence, quickly swiping her gaze across Adora, “Ah. So the First One is back, huh?” She sounded apathetic as her long, bushy tail swished back and forth.

    Naturally, Adora tensed up at the subtle hostility. However, the Magicat didn’t give her attention for long, as she quickly pivoted towards Glimmer. Starkly, her attitude changed Glimmer, as she appeared far more cordial and kind. Glimmer backed from Castaspella, sniffling her tears and letting the Magicat grab onto her hand.

    “Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon, I presume?” She asked before briefly kissing Glimmer’s knuckles, “It’s unfortunate we finally meet during such a dire situation. I am Laverne, Queen of Half Moon. Catra has told me much about you.”

    Adora stopped herself from glaring at Catra, who was stuffing down a blush. Glimmer stayed cordial, in spite of the reality at hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Laverne.”

    Laverne took her hand away, “Would you help Castaspella and I with our unlocking spell? This gap has a passage that leads to the Failsafe.”

    At the mention of the Failsafe, Glimmer momentarily froze up. However, across the way, she could see her friends looking on. Adora gave a feeble smile to her. Feeling inspirited, Glimmer nodded. The three sorceresses back away, letting their hands glow white. A slab between the two statutes glowed, as something clicked and hummed. It slowly moved the side, revealing a dark passageway.

    Laverne held her palm out, sparking green magic in her hand. “Follow my lead. I’m not sure what lies ahead.”

    Everyone filed in one by one. It seemed Huntara and Castaspella were staying at the entrance, in case something were to happen. Glimmer lit up her own palm with magic, hanging near the back of the group with Adora. The passage was long, dark, and plain. It seemed to twist and bend at times, but only very subtly. Humidity seeped through the walls and ceiling, likely from the hot springs above.

    Pink light illuminated Glimmer so alluringly. Adora could see her shimmering hair clearly. It seemed her sparkles had grown duller over the course of the day. To think, hours before, the two were peacefully sitting together drinking tea in the Bright Moon Gardens. Adora once thought nothing could ruin that peaceful bliss.

    She wished to reach out and ask her if she felt alright. Adora knew her answer would be “I’m fine” or the likes. However, it was all only an act to make Adora feel better. Glimmer knew it wouldn’t work, so why did she even bother?

    Each step felt as if they were stepping in mud. Weight was added to Adora’s feet, making it hard to forge onward. Finally, the group slowed as the passage widened out. They entered a pitch-dark room. All around were unlit torches, which Laverne was quick to light up using green mystical fire. As the room was illuminated with the emerald green color, it became apparent it was filled with writings and paintings.

Right away, a certain wall of text caught Laverne’s attention. The group followed her, as she looked at a language Adora had failed to ever see. Catra walked to her side, observing the writings with her. Laverne noted, “It’s written in Old Wesa.”

    Adora cocked her head. “Old Wesa?”

    Laverne pivoted around, nearly scolding Adora. “It was the language of the Ancient Magicats. Thanks to the First Ones, it’s a dead language.”

    Adora decided to keep her mouth shut. For one reason or another, Laverne seemed bitter towards Adora. Catra didn’t pay heed to the tension between the two. Instead, a pedestal in front of the writing caught her attention. It was coated with dust, which easily came off with a swipe of her hand. Beneath the layer she brushed away lied a painting of a Magicat. Her fur was a rusty brown that was discolored in some spots, and her eyes were a striking emerald green. Catra turned to Laverne and asked, “Is that Ahyoka?”

    Catra scooted to the side, allowing the others to get a better look at the painting. The sight made Laverne smile, “Yes,” Laverne turned to the others, “She was our leader during the First One’s occupation. Many believe she was the most powerful sorceress to ever live, as she single-handedly carved the labyrinths that lead to the Heart.”

    Adora was absolutely certain she had never seen a painting of Ahyoka in her life. However, seeing her invoked an odd sense of déjà vu. Perhaps she had seen her before, and merely forgot. As Laverne and Glimmer’s light sprawled across the wall, something caught Adora’s attention. She walked over to the spot, relieved to find First One’s writing. The others circled Adora. Glimmer held her light close to the writings, touching Adora’s arm. “What does it say?”

    Flawlessly, Adora read, “Ahyoka, my love. You taught me there’s more to life than what you can give to other people. However, in the end, I must give my life to protect you and Etheria…” Adora paused, reading the next part to herself over and over to ensure she would say it right, “Thanks to your magic, She-Ra will not reincarnate after I die, and her magic will return to Etheria. No one will be allowed to use her powers for evil ever again. But I still hope we find each other in another life. We deserve a happy ending…”

    As Adora spoke, Glimmer brushed away more dust from the painting on the pedestal. The full piece depicted Ahyoka holding hands with no other than Mara. Glimmer’s eyes widened at the all-too familiar sight. “Mara…” 

It was nice to know more about Mara. However, the reincarnation bit confused Adora. But quickly, a memory came to her, encouraging her to turn towards her two long time friends. “Glimmer, Bow... Do you remember when we first found the spaceship in the Crimson Waste? We saw that recording of Mara, and she said… She said, um—”

    “That you were supposed to be the last one.” The queen wasn’t entirely sure why she was able to remember that situation as clear as day. Then again, how else could Glimmer forget the strange sense of déjà vu she felt back then as she looked at Mara? Perhaps it was because Adora was a reincarnation of the former She-Ra. At least, that’s what she theorized.

    “That fits in with the Old Wesa scrolls we managed to translate,” Laverne mentioned, “The Failsafe was designed to do one of two things; kill She-Ra and end her reincarnation cycle, or to reset the Heart’s magic. However, it’s apparent it failed at one of those jobs.”

    “You’re saying we’re not even sure this will work?” Surprisingly, Bow challenged Laverne.

    Laverne was shocked by his sudden intervention. “Bow, was it? Ahyoka was a great sorceress, but even she was capable of mistakes…” Her glare fell upon Adora, “Just like your First One friend.”

    To Adora, this all felt like a personal attack. Catra could feel a bead of sweat forming on her temple. Defensively, Glimmer’s grip on Adora’s arm tightened.

    “And what is that supposed to mean?” Bow countered, crossing his arms.

    “Is it not common knowledge to the outsiders? How do you not know her people nearly wiped out the Magicats!?” Laverne countered, swishing her tail back and forth.

    They… did? The statement shocked Adora to her core, as she had never heard about that bit of history. Bow knew it would be inconsiderate to challenge Laverne more on the statement. His fathers being historians, he had come across that information before. However, the books only presented it as a theory. The way Laverne told it made it seem more like a fact.

    “That’s why we don’t trust outsiders. Ahyoka trusted the First Ones, and they betrayed us in the end. Now, we protect the Heart to ensure no one tries to use it for evil again,” Laverne leered at Adora once more, “Mara was right about one thing; She-Ra belongs to Etheria and not you.”

    “But that still doesn’t solve the problem here,” Adora kept her tone calm, not wanting to antagonize Laverne, “This is Glimmer’s life. I don’t want her to throw it away like—”

“Adora…” Glimmer frowned, barely able to keep her gaze on Adora. “We don’t have much time left. Let’s get this over with,” Glimmer seemed frustrated and tired as she spoke.

It was enough to calm everyone down. Laverne’s form slumped and her brows furrowed. “My apologies, Glimmer. This whole situation isn’t fair to you, or your friends. But you are right, we do need to move along.”

Stiffly, they continued onward. At the end of the room, there was a door that radiated with bright blue light. The wall surrounding the door was full of text from many languages. Adora approached the First Ones text, reading it aloud, “Beyond this door lies the Failsafe. Only a foolish mortal would volunteer to become its vessel. Use with caution, and travel quickly to Heart.”

Heading its warning, the group seemed slow to enter the vast room. It felt cold, despite being deep below the hot springs. To think, so many years ago, Glimmer fell asleep in Adora’s arms in those hot springs — so blissfully unaware of her own fate that lied in the ground below. Light blue crystals surrounded a stage, humming with the sheer power they held.

It seemed to beckon Glimmer, as if this was truly her destiny — to cruelly die so shortly after the cosmos gifted her hero back to her. If she were to blissfully ignore the reality at hand, there would be no Etheria left for Adora and her to live on — to grow old together and have a family, just as Glimmer had dreamt for so many years.

Glimmer walked ahead of the group. All their gazes dug into her, and a cold silence befell them. The closer she strayed towards the crystals, the louder their hum became. It was as if her terrible fate was excited to strike down upon her soul. Sparks flared from the crystals, as if they knew someone of great power was approaching them.

Glimmer stopped at the base of the stairs that led up to the altar. Physically, her body was pushing itself towards her fate. Withal, her soul was held back by her mortal desires.

“Glimmer!” Adora hollered, rushing up behind her. Before Glimmer could react, she was ensnared in her hero’s warm arms. They snaked around her torso, pressing her back into Adora’s chest. Adora buried her face in Glimmer’s neck, letting her tears trickle down there. “Glimmer, there has to be a way for me to take the Failsafe! I c-can’t let you do this, please!”

Glimmer couldn’t move, immobilized by both Adora’s physical force and the awful sorrow that tortured her so. Stirred by Adora’s actions, Glimmer had to choke back a sob that formed in her throat. “Adora… please… You have to let me go.”

From behind Adora, Bow approached them. He patted Adora’s shoulder, leaning close to her and requesting, “Adora, please listen to her. She can do this.”

Adora was acting so childish. She knew the fate of Etheria was at hand, but she couldn’t let go of Glimmer. So selfishly, she shook her head against Glimmer, sobbing out, “No! Glimmer, please don’t go!”

She was tired of being a hero. She was tired of losing the people she loved. Everything she loved and enjoyed in life had to be sacrificed for a greater good, and she was growing so exhausted of it. Just barely could Glimmer squirm in her arms, enough to turn around and press her cheek to Adora’s chest. Glimmer stayed strong for her, holding in her tears and whispering to her, “I’ll get through this, Adora. I love you.”

Tears freely left slate blue eyes, still trickling down onto the smaller woman. Glimmer seized Adora’s lips with her own. The two wanted the moment to last much longer, but time was running out. Glimmer pulled away, tracing her touch down Adora’s jawline. It took so much just for Adora to stammer out, “I love you, too, starlight. I..."

I believe in you, she wanted to say. However, Adora couldn’t force her out of her. Reality was too crushing on her psyche. Again, she would have to watch Glimmer die because of her. She nearly squeezed the air out of Glimmer’s lungs as she embraced her, so afraid for her life. That grip only became stronger after Glimmer kindly requested, “Please, let me go, Adora.”

Glimmer could feel Adora shivering as she refused, “No!”

“Adora!” Catra badgered, pulling at her sleeve, “You’re wasting time!”

Still, Adora refused to budge, nearly lifting Glimmer off the ground as she held her closer. “Why can’t it be me? Why, why, why—”

“Adora, please!” Bow grabbed her elbow, trying to pull her to no avail.

“Adora… Please, you need to let me go,” Glimmer begged, bunching the fabric of Adora’s shirt beneath her grasp. Glimmer’s brave facade was fading, and tears were staining the fabric beneath her touch.

“No! Stop!” Adora sobbed, “Please, Glimmer—”

Suddenly, magical black ribbons surrounded Adora. Guilt tainted Glimmer as she cast the spell, forcing Adora to her knees. Adora looked up at Glimmer with shock, squirming beneath the ensnarement of the ribbons. “Glimmer!”

Just barely could Adora make out the light shiver of Glimmer’s lips. Lavender eyes glistened with tears, before looking forward to the crystal altar. Without a word, Glimmer teleported there. Sparks began to combust wildly above her, sensing her presence. Before stepping into the absolute center of the platform, Glimmer looked back.

Bow knelt beside Adora, stroking her back as she writhed against the restraints. She breathed desperately through gritting teeth, barely able to keep her damp eyes open. Withal, Glimmer offered her a kind, warm smile. One that radiated the love she felt for Adora. A newfound courage spread through the queen.

“You’ve taken care of others your whole life, Adora,” Glimmer spoke loudly over the roar of the sparks above, “So now, it’s my turn to take care of you.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Glimmer stepped forward. Immediately, the floor beneath her glowed blue and loudly hummed. This triggered the electricity to shoot down, pulsing violently through Glimmer’s body. She promised herself she wouldn’t scream or cry, no matter how painful it was. However, the sparks felt like they were tearing her open from the inside out.

She couldn’t stop screaming, no matter how hard she tried. The sheer power of the crystals was too much. Glimmer could hardly hear Adora hollering for her, begging the others to let her go. Without explanation, Glimmer began to levitate into the air. It was so hard to open her eyes, to see Adora so violently thrashing against her restraints. White dots appeared across Glimmer’s body, apparent that the Failsafe was starting to be implemented.

A heavy pain flowered across her chest. It was tolerable at first, but quickly began to feel as if she was being cut open. Her screams became louder, but turned into desperate sobs as she silently begged for the torture to end.

From afar, a white light encased the room. Glimmer could hardly process that Adora had morphed into She-Ra, and had managed to escape her restraints. The others were quick to respond. Laverne summoned similar black ribbons, attempting to lasso Adora back. However, she tore through them as if they were paper.

“Adora!” Bow begged, tears in his eyes as he summoned an arrow from his quiver. Without a moment to lose, he shot it forward, capturing She-Ra in a strong net. Adora still fought on, fighting the net with all her might. Just like with Laverne and Glimmer’s restraints, she tore through the rope as if it were nothing.

Adora was so close to the altar. Catra attempted to place her anti-magic cuff on Adora, but it was evident that her arm was too thick. Without any effort, Adora shoved Catra aside. Now at the steps, Adora looked on as Glimmer writhed in pain.

“Glimmer!” Adora bellowed, sobbing as her queen looked down at her. “I’m going to get you out of—”

“Adora!” Glimmer hollered, “Stop… It’ll be alright, my love…” The sincerity and kindness in her eyes communicated such a deep emotion that only Adora would understand. One of unconditional love and devotion to one another. Finally, Adora listened to Glimmer. Perhaps she was finally accepting this gift from her.

Her chest began to glow, as a sigil appeared on her chest. The Failsafe had fully entered her system. Glimmer screwed her eyes shut, smiling as she let her consciousness fade.

And as she fell to the ground, Adora was there to catch her — promising to never let her go ever again.

    Everything seemed so familiar yet so alien and new at the same time. In reality, it hadn’t been that long since Glimmer was met with this transcendental state. She couldn’t feel her body or control her vision. Not that the later would matter, as everything was a blinding white.

    Glimmer was entering the otherworldly star-scape dream once again. Her vision began to flicker back, revealing she was being guided down by bright blue shooting stars. As she settled down, she made out her surroundings. Things were so similar to before, with only one key difference — the violets were gone and in their place were chrysanthemums. She didn’t have time to wonder what it all meant, as her eyes settled on a figure not too far away.

    All those years ago, it was like a faded fantasy when she dreamt of first seeing Adora in this dreamscape. It couldn’t be real, it was too good to be true. It was as if some higher being was answering her selfish prayers — that she wanted Adora back, all to herself, and to never allow the cosmos to take her away from her again. And perhaps this was the same divine being answering her other selfish prayer. 

    “... Mom…?”

Why else would her mother be standing before her? It felt like her heart would fall out of her chest, and she’d still be able to feel its rabbit pulse shaking her whole body. She wouldn’t be able to stop her onslaught of tears if she even dared to try. The warmth of her love for her mother spread across her entire body, forcing her to disappear in a cloud of sparkles.

“Mom!” Glimmer bawled as she manifested in front of her. Immediately, Glimmer tumbled into her arms. She thought it would be impossible to ever experience this warmth ever again — the warmth that uniquely belonged to Angella, a warmth so motherly and tender. Glimmer never thought she would miss that it this much. As her mother wrapped her arms around Glimmer, she cocooned them both in her wings.

She could hear the smile in Angella’s voice as she greeted back, “Glimmer… Look at you. You’ve grown to be quite a lovely queen, haven’t you?” Honestly, Glimmer couldn’t remember Angella ever sounding so loving. In the later years of Angella’s life, all the two did was fight. Of course, seeing her mother ripped the wounds of their past. Her guilt was spilling, overflowing, all until—

    Glimmer had never bawled so loudly before. It was practically a scream that left her throat, one that pierced her own ears. She wailed that atrocious, sorrowful cry until she had no air left in her lung. Feebly, she attempted to breathe, but found it too difficult.

At least Glimmer was allowed closure and a chance of making things up to Adora after everything she did to her. Long ago, Glimmer accepted she’d never have closure with her mother. It was a fact that tore her from the inside out, something that only added to the horrid guilt that consumed her soul. Only mere hours before Angella died, she had told her she was a coward. Glimmer remembered the sheer hatred that flowed through her back then. But after Angella was gone, all the malice dissipated.

She had Micah and Adora back, but it still wasn’t fair — she wanted her mother. 

“There, now…” Angella ran her motherly touch through Glimmer’s hair. Still, tears so violently streamed from Glimmer, and each sob shook her body.

"Mom!" Glimmer could hardly wail her words over the lump in her throat. She buried her hot face deeper into her mother’s chest before sobbing out, "I'm s-so… sorry!"

"It’s fine, Glimmer,” Angella held her tighter, “It was my fault things became completely unacceptable between us—”

"No!” Glimmer snapped, gripping her mother’s tunic tightly. “I called you a coward before you… before…" Glimmer couldn't even find the energy to finish her sentence, too overwhelmed by the burning of her chest. More sobs burst from her chest. Her tears were overflowing, staining Angella’s chest.

"Oh, no…” Angella frowned, holding Glimmer’s head closer to her chest. “Dear, have you blamed yourself this whole time?”

Glimmer couldn’t respond beyond her hot tears. They trickled down her cheek, falling onto the ground below. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s— It’s my fault that you’re gone... I don’t know how, but it is. If I didn’t—”

“You need to stop blaming yourself for everything. There was no way for you to stop what happened to me, nor what happened to Adora,” Angella just mentioning it alone flared up more tears in Glimmer’s eyes, forcing another choked sob from her chest. “I should've been more like you.”

Glimmer wondered what she meant — overemotional? Too stubborn for my own good? She wanted to sarcastically answer, but failed to find anything amusing about this situation.

“Look at me, Glimmer…” Angella pulled away, cupping her daughter’s cheek. She beamed as she inspirited, “Taking the Failsafe was undoubtedly noble. You are far more brave and strong than I could ever imagine you growing up to be. The two of us have apologized to one another, so now I should say thank you, Glimmer…”

Glimmer sniffled, wiping her own tears away to get a better look at her mother. “F-For…?”

Angella bent down, taking in Glimmer’s face with both her hands now. “Thank you for fighting for your own life after you were born, as you have given Etheria and I joy that nothing else could ever give…”

All around them, more chrysanthemums began to pop out of the ground. They bloomed so beautifully. Yet, both failed to notice, too absorbed by one another’s presence. Angella herself began to cry, but kept her voice inspiring and calm, “Thank you for becoming a wonderful queen… But most of all…” Angella leaned forward, kissing Glimmer’s forehead, before backing away with a vibrant smile on her face. “Thank you for being my daughter.”

The chrysanthemums were flowering across the endless horizon, a testament for their love for one another. Glimmer’s tears were a sea, but the new ones that emerged from her eyes were ones of joy. Shakily, Glimmer formed a smile, reaching up to grab her mother’s hands. She held them in front of her, sniffling in and calming herself.

“Thank you, mom, for giving me my life and letting me experience the things I have. Thank you for raising me, and dealing with me no matter how difficult or stubborn I was! Thank you…” Glimmer hesitated with her next words, wondering if they were absolutely true. But it made far too much sense. “Thank you for giving Adora and I those dreams together!”

Angella smiled, “It was the best I could do, dear.”

“It was more than enough, mom. Thank you…” Glimmer paused, finding it hard to speak over the lump in her throat, “For being my mother!”

Again, Glimmer fell into her arms, but this time around, a smile coated her face. From above, shooting stars descended, ready to take Glimmer away. Petals from the chrysanthemums flew into the air as the shooting stars fell closer. They encircled Glimmer, pulling her away from Angella. As Glimmer began to float into the air, the two held hands. Despite the reality of the situation, the two kept their smiles.

    “I love you, my little Glimmer of hope… Keep on fighting, for your father, and for Adora,” Angella encouraged, brushing her thumb over Glimmer’s hand.

    “I will,” Glimmer blinked away her tears, feeling herself being pulled by the stars. As she let go of Angella’s hand, she murmured, “I love you too, mom.”

Chapter Text

    Everything was so overstimulating. The quiet hum of the spaceship and the muffled voices outside the room sounded so loud to Adora. Anyone else's touch besides Glimmer's was unwelcome and hated.

They tried to hold her back, they allowed Glimmer to do this to herself. Ever since she caught Glimmer after she took the Failsafe, Adora refused to let her go. Locking herself in the dusty bedroom on the ship seemed to be the only way to calm herself — but that was miserably failing.

The mattress she sat up on was tucked up against the wall. In her arms, Glimmer faintly panted in her sleep. The queen felt cold, and not even a blanket and Adora’s own warmth seemed to help much. Occasionally she subtly writhed, but she was otherwise peaceful. It was as if she was blissfully unaware of the reality at hand.

Every time Adora caught a mere glimpse of the glowing sigil on Glimmer's chest, tears formed in her eyes. It seemed the vibrant Failsafe starkly teased Adora, reminding her that Glimmer's condition was likely her fault. It took Adora a while to notice her own name glowing blue on Glimmer's hand, as it was tucked beneath the queen's chest. Long before, the hero's hand began to glow pink with Glimmer's name.

After that day, Adora had many questions — ones that would likely be answered in due time. She could start asking somewhere. It had been ages since Adora had spoken to Light Hope directly. Ever since the universe where she had brought the siren to her demise, Adora didn’t want to talk to Light Hope. She didn’t care for her opinions after she suggested to Adora to let Glimmer go.

    Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. Without much effort or time passing, she was in that odd, purely black endless reality. Light Hope was before her, glitching as always. "You have many questions, correct?

    Adora was angry at many people, Light Hope included. Yet, she managed to keep her demeanor calm. "Why didn’t you tell me this? About the Failsafe, about Ahyoka?"

    "I was aware of the Failsafe, but I did not think you would ever need it. Ahyoka was a distract—" Light Hope glitched, grimacing and glaring, "—ion to Mara, just as Queen Glimmer has been a distraction to you in the past."

    Adora's knuckles turned white, as she felt her anger boiling. Riled up, she stomped closer to the hologram. "The First Ones wanted to slaughter Etherians! They wanted to control the Heart, to strip the planet of all that it had!" Adora was scared to ask, "You were really okay with that…?"

    Light Hope frowned, as she knew Adora wouldn't be happy with her answer, "… Perhaps, at the time, I excused the First Ones actions. Now, I realize the fatalities that would come of all they planned. Ever since I have defected from my programming, I have realized the error of my ways. One of my mistakes was never—" She glitched, appearing far more guilty than before, "—telling you everything I knew."

    "Light Hope…" Adora crossed her arms, taking in a deep breath before narrowing her eyes. "I’m ready to know who I am, where I came from. Please…! Tell me."

    Light Hope looked down, frowning as she debated with herself. There was no purpose in hiding this information from her. She always found it strange that Adora never even bothered to ask these things in the ten years they traveled together.

"After Mara passed, I was able to intercept the Failsafe code before it was too late. With Mara and the previous She-Ra, the First Ones were able to redirect the Reincarnation cycle to them when they were born. They were chosen by us. However, after Mara passed, the cycle chose you at random… because you are of Etherian blood, Adora."

    That only immediately popped thousands of more questions in her head. Her eyes were wide, as she was trying to sort out what this all meant. All that she managed to ask was, “But… that doesn’t make sense. That would mean—”

    “You were born one thousand years ago.”

    Adora’s jaw dropped, allowing a shocked gasp out. Despite the absolute absurdity, what Light Hope was saying made absolute perfect sense. It explained every strange little thing about her — her vague memories of stars, and possibly even her knowledge of First Ones writings...

    “Your mother was Etherian, and your father was a First One. They escaped Etheria before it was placed in Despondos, and you were born on Eternia. Yet, the cycle still chose you. I needed you back here to complete the plan and reactivate the Heart of Etheria. Nevertheless, something went wrong—”

    Adora was deadpan as she spoke her realization aloud, “My family… They’re gone?” She had long since accepted this fate, ever since Horde Prime made a comment about the First Ones all those years ago. However, hearing it so starkly brought up was upsetting. For the first time since Adora met the program, Light Hope appeared guilty.

    “Adora…” Light Hope attempted to call out.

It was too much — all of this information was too much. Fighting back her tears, she opened her eyes — finding herself back in reality, and just in time, too.    In her arms, Glimmer was panting heavier and rousing awake. Adora propped her up straighter, hoping that would help.

Breathing was a luxury Glimmer thought she’d never take for granted. However, as she woke up, there was such tremendous pressure on her chest, she found it near impossible to breathe. However, the strong, kind arms wrapped around her body held her close to a warm source. Slowly, her eyes blinked open, taking in her surroundings.

    Even in such a weak state, her hair still shimmered as Adora ran her fingers there. Glimmer could hardly hear Adora whisper, “I’m so sorry, starlight…” She had never sounded so small nor sad, taking in a deep breath before stammering out, “I-It should’ve been me. This shouldn’t happen to you—”

    “Please…” Glimmer grasped tightly at her shirt, snuggling her cheek closer against Adora’s chest as she pleaded, “Stop saying that, Adora—”

    “No!” Adora shook her head, “Glimmer… you don’t understand…” She gritted her teeth before she admitted, “This is all my fault!”

    Adora could sob as Glimmer ran her hand down her jawline. There was such warmth and love in her touch, even when she was so frail and weak. Tears welled up as Glimmer asked, so kindly and patiently, “What makes you think that, love?”

    Adora didn’t want to cause more discourse than she already had. Just like earlier that day, it felt like she was kid pouting and pointing her finger. “... Catra… she told me the power surges started a month ago,” she could hardly murmur.

    Glimmer buried down her anger towards Catra, knowing she likely brought up that fact simply to upset Adora or to find someone to blame the situation on. “Oh, Adora… That doesn’t mean anything to me,” Glimmer’s voice was sweet and kind, in spite of everything. She paid no head to the sigil on her chest, or her own labored breathing.

    “It should!” Adora regretted sounding so infuriated, but she truly was. “You’ll be gone because of me—”
    “Adora!” Glimmer seemed to reflect Adora’s frustration, “Even if I knew that before taking the Failsafe, I still would’ve taken it!”

    That was almost enough to take a slice off Adora’s guilt. However, very few things were able to do that for Adora in any situation. Glimmer made circles on Adora’s chest, sighing as she pressed herself closer. “Listen, Adora… I know this will sound weird, but so many weird things happen to us, huh?” Glimmer briefly smiled at her own humor, “I saw… her…”

    Quickly, Adora figured out whom. “... Angella…? Just now?”

    “Yeah. She told me she was the one to help us see each other in those dreams…” Glimmer gazed up at Adora, smiling as she planted a kiss to her cheek. Adora had suspected that the moment she heard the late queen’s voice in the first dream they ever shared. “I promised her I would fight for you… and I intend on keeping that promise…”

    “You were able to talk to her?” It was less so of a question and more of a confirmation. Adora felt a sense of relief for Glimmer. She knew things ended on a bad note before Angella’s death.

    “Mhm,” Glimmer hummed, blinking fresh tears away, “It was nice to finally get closure with her…” Shakily, Glimmer breathed in. Adora continued to stroke through her sparkling hair, hearing it shimmer quietly beneath her touch. “Ever since I lost both of you… I’ve felt like a caged bird with clipped wings. Like, even if I got out, I wouldn’t be able to fly away. But… despite everything happening right now…”

Lavender eyes glistened as they looked up at Adora. Delicately, Glimmer brushed away hair from Adora’s face. “I feel like I’m free. Like, I can fly away and nothing will chase after me. You make me feel safe, Adora.”

Adora’s heart swelled, happy that Glimmer felt that way. She deserved all the happiness in the world. “I feel the same way with you, Glimmer… I’m so free with you, and I want that the rest of my life—” Adora shook her head, before intimately murmuring, “No… I want you the rest of my life, and only you. I… I love you, Glimmer… a-and I promise, I’ll make this up to you.”

Perhaps this was Adora’s idea of proposing. Although, she had no idea how to exactly do that — wasn’t it a bit too early in their relationship for that? Didn’t she need a ring or something? Thankfully, Glimmer reflected the affection — pressing a quick kiss to her lips and murmuring, “I love you, Adora…" Briefly, she paused in her thoughts. ,"Hm… Maybe there is something you can do for me.”

Adora shifted, almost excited to hear that. She would do absolutely anything she asked for if it meant she’d be happier. “What would that be?”

“I want us to promise something to each other… Maybe...” Glimmer said with a smile in her voice, pressing herself deeper into Adora, “ When we get through this…” She appeared bashful as she requested, “We can get married?”

“T-To me…?” Adora was baffled.

Glimmer couldn’t help but giggle. “Of course, silly. I know this is the worst proposal ever, but—”

“No,” Adora was overjoyed, unable to stop herself from smiling down upon Glimmer, “I’d love to, Glimmer. More than anything...” That was a lie. She wanted Glimmer to live and be happy more than anything, no matter what that meant.

“A-Are you sure?” Glimmer began to doubt herself, sounding so small then, “We haven’t even been girlfriends that long… and that whole thing with Catra—”

“It’s behind us,” Honestly, Adora was simply relieved Glimmer finally used the word “girlfriends”. Her voice kept it’s low, intimate tone, “I don’t want to be angry at you ever again. Glimmer, I want to be with you the rest of our lives…”

    Hopefully, Glimmer’s life would go on after giving the Heart the Failsafe. Adora had never wanted anything so badly — for Glimmer to live, for them to have their happy ending. It’s what the two of them deserved, after everything they had been through.

The queen buried herself back in Adora’s chest, appreciating her immense warmth on the cold ship. Glimmer could be straightforward at times, but still, it surprised Adora when she said out of the blue, “I, um… If it’s alright with you, I want kids.”

“I think I do too,” Adora surprised herself by keeping her composure, “I’m horrible with names, so it’s all on you.”

Glimmer hummed, leaning up somewhat to press a kiss on Adora’s cheek. “I… I was thinking... If we have a girl, I want to name her Nova…”

Nova ; the birth of a suddenly appearing, bright star. One whose light could be seen from far away. Their little supernova.

“That’s… perfect,” Adora smiled, mostly at the thought that Glimmer had thought of this in depth — having a family with Adora, having children with her. It was almost flattering in a sense. Adora kissed her forehead before pulling the blanket further up her body. “Hey… You should really rest. We’ll be at Half Moon soon.”

“Hm,” Glimmer quietly grumbled, "Could you talk to me, at least? Your voice relaxes me."

"Oh… um,” Adora was always flattered by any compliment from Glimmer, “What do you want me to talk about?"

"Tell me about one of the dimensions you went to,” Glimmer murmured, closing her eyes and resting herself back on Adora’s chest, “I’ll fall asleep eventually. You’re so warm~”

    It seemed only natural for their conversation to invoke memories of the last dimension Adora ever visited. She smiled, again running her fingers through the shimmering night-sky hair.

"Well…"

    Her first memory of that dimension was waking up to the feeling of sticks and leaves digging into her back. She was beyond exhausted. The dimension previous to that one had dropped her in an unforgivable wilderness — a savanna where the nights were freezing and the days were unbearably hot. There was a drought afflicting the region, and she had struggled simply to find food, let alone water.

    Right as she began to fade out of the last dimension, a beast attacked her during her moment of weakness. The wounds it inflicted was absent in her pleasant, violet-laced dream she shared with her Glimmer. But now, after she brought her hand down to her torso, she could feel blood staining her shirt there. As her eyes fluttered open, she wished to immediately close them and rest up some more, in spite of the unpleasant sensation of lying down on a bush. Slowly, she gave into her fatigue, until…

    “Adora! What are you doing to my azaleas?! Get—”

    The all too familiar voice forced her eyes open, but just barely. Through her hazy vision, she could make out the familiar pink-purple hair of Glimmer. Her chest felt so heavy as she choked out, “Glim… Glimmer…?”

    Glimmer gasped. There was a pause on her end, struggling to process the sight before her. Delicate hands pulled at her shoulders, helping her off the shrub. The flat ground below her felt much more pleasant. Below, Adora could see Glimmer’s glowing hands hovering over her wounds, immediately starting to heal her.

    “I don’t understand, I just saw you, what happened?!” Glimmer demanded, somewhat accepting that she wouldn’t get an answer out of the fatigued woman. Adora hissed as the skin scabbed over, thanks to her magic. Fighting back her fatigue, Adora opened her eyes to get a better look at the Glimmer of this dimension.

    She was beautiful, and so much like the Glimmer of her dreams — long, wavy hair trickled over her shoulders, sparkling with far more vibrancy than she had ever seen. Shakily, Adora reached out to her cheek and smiled up at her. For a moment, Adora wondered if she was back home — back in her own dimension with her own Glimmer.

    “S… Starlight…” Adora murmured out, but her hand went limp. It was too hard to stay awake after that.

    Once her eyes fluttered back open, she quickly realized she was lying down in a soft bed. Her throat was still dry and her stomach desperately rumbled, but her wounds were absent — so it was easy to sit up. She was met with gasps, and she was quick to observe who was in the room with her.

    Herself and Glimmer. It was like she was looking in a mirror. The Adora of that dimension had a scar on her jawline, in the exact same spot where her own was. Yet here, she wore an out indicative of Bright Moon royalty — golden shoulder armor, a pastel lavender tunic, gauntlets, a flowing dull blue cape, and of course, a pink teardrop earring. The doppelgänger’s eyes bulged from her skull, focused on Adora.

    Quickly, Glimmer teleported to the bedside, rubbing Adora’s shoulder. Adora didn't notice before, but Glimmer had prismatic wings akin to her late mother's. “Lie back down. You still look so tired. Don’t worry, you can rest now, you’re safe," Glimmer kindly comforted.

    Adora did as told, looking back at forth at the two. They were both shocked, but Adora was completely used to this strange reality. Glimmer pulled a glass of water from the bedside, offering it to Adora. “Here, drink some water.”

Glimmer sat down on the bed beside her, while the doppelgänger cleared her throat and pulled a chair nearby the bed. Adora finished the cup in one go, sighing as she felt the pressing need to tell her story.

“So, uh…” The other Adora awkwardly whistled as she bounced her leg, “You’re me, huh?”

“Yeah,” Adora stiffly smiled, “A while back, a portal took me from my dimension… Now, I am an interdimensional vagabond. Not by choice.”

The doppelgänger and Glimmer stared at one another, silently exchanging something. She shifted up, grabbing Glimmer by the elbow. Nervously, she laughed before requesting, “Give us a moment, please.”

Within a second, Glimmer teleported the both of them outside the room. Adora could hear their mumbled whispering faintly through the closed door. After sometime, someone opened it, letting it awkwardly creak. Although at first, Adora didn’t see anyone enter. She almost jumped when a child came into her sight, walking beside the bed.

It felt like again, she was looking in a mirror. But the image before her was much smaller and younger than her own. The child wasn’t too old, maybe 5 at most — although, Adora was terrible with knowing how old children were. Her hair was a lighter blonde than her own, but the bottom of her hair was a pink similar to Glimmer’s. Slate blue eyes appeared far too large for her own head as they stared at her.

“Are you my mom’s sister?” the child asked.

For a moment, Adora struggled to process the situation. She had yet to meet a doppelgänger of herself with a child. “Sure, let’s go with that,” Adora ultimately felt bad for lying, but honestly had zero idea where to start with explaining her situation to an actual child.

The child held a plate, which appeared to have toast with strawberries and an absurd amount of a whipped cream. She grunted as she got up on the bed, offering it to her. “I heard you were sick, so I made you breakfast.”

"Oh, that's um, nice… Thank you." Adora was starving and would literally take any food at that moment — hell, even one of those disgusting durians. She took the plate, and the child appeared owlish as Adora scarfed the food down.

Adora felt rude for eating so fast, and felt uncomfortable with the child's curious gaze. She knew it was only natural for her to be so freaked out by her existence.

The door opened, followed by gasps from both women. Glimmer immediately teleported over, grabbing the child from the bed. "Luna!" She scalded before turning to Adora, "Sorry if she bothered—"

"No, you're alright," Adora smiled, appreciating how Glimmer's features softened. Luna still stared Adora down, naturally. It took a second, but it finally clicked in her head, "She's… yours?"

Glimmer beamed, "Yeah. She's ours."

The vagabond knew she was referring to the other Adora, but still couldn't help but blush. The other Adora came over, wrapping her arm around Glimmer. "We have another one the way."

"I'm gonna have a sister, just like you, momma!" Luna bounced as she stared at the other Adora.

Adora had a family, with Glimmer no less. One that was growing, and appeared to be happy together. It was enough to make the vagabond smile and feel hope for her future.

After everything, Adora deserved a happy ending. She just didn't realize it back then.

"How about you get some more rest?" Glimmer suggested, running her kind touch over the hero's hand, "We can talk about your situation after."

Adora felt wrong as her heart started to pace somewhat. But Glimmer was right, she truly was exhausted. "Yeah… um, thank you."

Sleeping on a bed without the elements torturing her was such an honor and privilege. When she woke up, she felt well rested for once. Her clothes were by her bedside, freshly cleaned and the tears sewn back together. Even her pocketbook was there. It made her want to weep how kindly they were treating her.

She wanted to talk to them more, learn more about their lives. Adora began to wonder through the halls of Bright Moon, searching for the family. It was well into the late afternoon, as the halls were stained orange by the evening light. Eventually, the joyous, familiar laughter of Glimmer could be heard. She followed the source, eventually finding her way to the gardens.

At first, upsetting memories of the siren were triggered by the sight of the familiar prismatic wings spread wide. However, seeing Glimmer so joyful as she held Luna was creating something new for Adora. Although the horrible memory lingered in her mind, she couldn't help but feel happy for Glimmer.

She deserved this. She deserved a happy ending and a loving family, no matter the universe.

The other Adora spotted her from afar, waving her down. "Hey…! Uh… me?"

Sometimes seeing how dense and ditsy other versions of herself were made the vagabond feel self-conscious. Still, she approached, watching the mother and child fly above. It felt a bit tense between her and the other Adora, until they both attempted to speak at the same time.

"So, uh—"

"You, uh…" the vagabond blinked.

They spoke again, saying in synchronization, "S-Sorry. Go ahead.”

Again, they paused before the other Adora insisted, “No, you first.”

Having to speak to herself was more painful than the doppelgänger imagined. "I was just going to ask… could you elaborate on the whole ‘interdimensional vagabond' thing? Because I think I got lost somewhere…" Adora's voice trailed off.

"Yeah. You know Horde Prime, right?" The vagabond asked.

“Yeah!" The doppelgänger replied, a bit too excitedly. But quickly, her mood darkened, "He kidnapped Glimmer. After I saved her, we defeated him together, and the two of us put a shield around the planet.”

Adora had heard of many methods others had defeated Horde Prime over the years. But never had she come across one so similar to how she saved Etheria in her own dimension — with the very direct help of Glimmer.

“Then…" The other Adora blushed, anxiously laughing, "After we got home, Glimmer confessed to me. And I confessed to her. You should’ve seen her. We glowed when we kissed. She was amazing…” She kept her gaze up on her wife, “She’s always so amazing. I mean, I still get excited saying 'that's my wife' to strangers..."

Seeing how happy they were, seeing how perfect things seemed here… Adora couldn’t lie, she was jealous. This universe was so much like her own—

Wait. Wait, wait, wait—

    “Mara, I’ve figured it out! Once you find a world that is similar to your own, one that is perfectly in balance, you’ll be able to go home!”    

    It hit her like a brick. Those words were spoken to Adora so long ago by Madam Razz, in the very first dimension she visited. Here she was, in a world so at peace, and so familiar. Things were in balance here. Everything seemed alright.

    Was this it? The dimension she had been looking for? Adora frantically looked over at her doppelgänger, demanding, "I need to talk to Entrapta! Right away, please!”

    It was just like in every dimension when she came across Entrapta. She was beyond excited to meet someone like the vagabond — someone so full of scientific wonders to tell. Entrapta hooked the sword up to some strange machinery. After many visits, Entrapta developed some sort of program. On the screen of the computer was some sort of map. There were many light blue dots in an interconnected web of sorts.

    “That’s us,” Entrapta pointed with her hair at a red, blinking dot in the center, “Right here! All these blue dots are other dimensions!” Then slowly, her hair pointed to a blue dot close to the red one, “I believe this one right here is yours! Going off your theory, we are close in the cosmos because our realities are so similar!”

    Adora looked at the blue dot. That was her home. It was hard to believe just a few pixels on a screen represented so much. Adora walked over, putting her fingers over the dot.

    I’ll be back soon. I promise.

    But for now, she needed to wait — as Entrapta needed to run a few more diagnostic tests and trials. If it meant her getting home in one piece, she would wait with all the patience in the world.

    The wait was tolerable. The Adora and Glimmer of this universe were so kind to her, even if her doppelgänger could be awkward around her at times. Normally, Adora wasn’t fond of children. They confused her to no end, and she deeply struggled to know what they were attempting to say half the time.

    However, things with Luna were different. Perhaps it was because this child was technically her own — just of another dimension. It was a piece of herself manifested into a new life and soul. Once, she was scared of motherhood. It struck deep fear into her being thinking she would end up like Shadow Weaver.

    But the doppelgänger seemed so happy with her life, as did Glimmer. She never imagined Glimmer to be so happy as a mother. Things with Angella and her were so awful at times. The vagabond found it hard to imagine the two of them having children and being happy, decent mothers.

    One day, the doppelgänger was busy, off in another kingdom for a meeting. That left the vagabond alone with the queen and her daughter. Glimmer was full of immense kindness, making lunch for the vagabond. As they ate, the queen took note of how sloppy the vagabond’s table manners were.

    It would be easy to laugh it off. But after all, the hero traveled for 10 years, often not knowing if the meal she was eating would be her last. Luna eyed Adora from across the table, and Glimmer knew her daughter was tempted to reflect the behavior. Glimmer smiled, pulling out a napkin.

    “Here, Adora,” Glimmer patted off sauce from her lips. Adora owlishly blinked, blushing at the touch. Coyly, Glimmer’s tone dipped, “If you’re going to marry me in your dimension, you might want to work on your table manners.”

    The queen’s wink and airy laughter made her heart race a little more than it already was. For a moment, Adora selfishly wished she could have this the rest of her life with her own Glimmer.

    Entrapta was sure she had the portal to where it would work. All she needed was magic from the vagabond and her dimensional doppelgänger. It had been fun the past few weeks in that dimension, like she had an overall sense of relief for the future of her own dimension. But after everything she had done during her travels, she still wasn’t sure if she was the best for Glimmer.

    Without all the trauma of being separated from her loved ones, the doppelgänger was happy and seemed to be without a worry in the world. She didn’t hold the immense guilt that the vagabond did. Adora had to say goodbye to this world, for now. But she deeply hoped that one day, she would have this reality in her home dimension. 

    It surprised Adora when Luna cried — it honestly kind of freaked her out. This child had only known her for a few weeks, how did she manage to get so attached to her?

    Once they were at the lab, both heroes positioned themselves far from the portal. Long before, they had both morphed into their alter egos. Both deities nodded at one another, pointing their swords ahead. Adora took a deep breath in, hoping this would be it — this would finally be her chance to make it back home.

    Finally, Entrapta commanded, “Now!” And the two let their magic loose. As the beams from their swords crossed within the portal, black and multicolored boxes formed there. There was a loud, unpleasant noise, akin to a computer glitching. A rumble shook the lab, and a strong wind blew from the portal. It was strong enough to shift both deities back, but both stood their ground.

    “Just a little longer!” Entrapta hollered. Adora roared, streaming as much of her energy as she possibly could through her sword. If this worked, she would be able to go home after all these years — to see her friends and the Etheria she grew to love. But one soul prevailed above all — the thought of Glimmer pushed her to unbelievable levels. Sparkles surrounded Adora, and suddenly, the beam turned pink.

    There was a strong flashing light that encroached the room, almost blinding both the deities. However, the flash dimmed down, and a content hum sounded from the portal.

    “That’s it! It worked!” Entrapta excitedly hollered from afar. Both deities took their swords down, panting as they morphed back into their regular selves. Adora lied on her knees, clutching her chest as she caught up with her breathing. Were Entrapta’s words true? It couldn’t be that easy, could it?

    She looked back up at the portal. Pink and blue swirled, occasionally sparkling in some places. It was a beautiful, hopeful sight — it made her heart swell knowing the portal would lead her home. She wanted to rush in, to never look back. But first, she had to give her thanks. She could never repay the endless kindness of the three women that helped her get here.

    Glimmer stood by her side, offering a hand. With a smile, Adora took it, standing up. The doppelgänger stood next to her wife. They smiled at one another before the other Adora placed a hand on the vagabond’s shoulder. “Good luck. I hope everything will be alright when you get back. And hey, it was nice meeting another She-Ra.”

    Next, Glimmer took the vagabond in for a tight hug. Adora smiled as she took in the smaller woman, appreciating her kind warmth. After she pulled away, she surprised Adora with a sudden, quick kiss to the cheek. “I know you have a lot on your mind, Adora… But I know I’ll be there for you.”

    Adora knew what she meant by that, and just the thought alone made her smile. In all the years she traveled, her hope faltered when it came to the idea that Glimmer was waiting for her — that she wasn’t married or dating someone else. The thought alone was troubling, but the vagabond never truly had time to mope and sit on these thoughts.

She looked back once last time as the three smiled at her. This would hopefully be the last time she would see those of an alternate dimension. In one sense, she felt immense relief. But another mourned the lives she had met across the cosmos over the years.

    Withal, it was the thought of home that drove her to look forward and begin walking into the portal — never looking back.

    Adora wasn’t sure if Glimmer was asleep or not. Her eyes were closed, but her panting seemed a bit too irregular. Not wanting to stir her awake, Adora merely tucked the blanket over the queen’s shoulders. She smiled down on her, stroking her hair away from her face. Again, she appeared peaceful, as if blissfully unaware of the world around her.

    “I promise, Glimmer… I’ll make sure you get the happy ending you deserve.”

Chapter Text

    Half Moon was a colorful, lively town. The area was semiarid, with very few plants beyond cacti and scraggly trees. Yet, adobe houses with various, colorful pigments lined the street — lined with planters with all sorts of flowers. Magicats and Harpies filled the streets, seeming to celebrate the end of the day by drinking and dancing. Children played in the complex irrigation system, equally joyful and vibrantly laughing.

    To think that the night before, Glimmer and Adora were doing more of the same back in Bright Moon during Princess Prom. The towns people seemed as blissfully of the reality of the world as the two women once were. The town was beautiful, and Adora wished she had been here before all this happened.

    Glimmer seemed fazed and tired as she held onto Adora’s arm. The sleep she managed to catch on the ship seemed to do nothing for her. They wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night, as they needed to reach the Heart as quickly as they could. Cordially, Adora offered, “Do you want me to hold you?”

    Glimmer stubbornly refused, shaking her head. “I’ll be fine. If I need to rest, I’ll tell you.”

    Adora trusted Glimmer with her whole heart, but still was hesitant to believe her words. Glimmer was a fighter, and would work herself until she had no energy left. Even as they climbed the steep staircase leading into the cliffs of the kingdom, Glimmer struggled but failed to say a word. Adora lagged behind with her, holding onto her hand and helping her every step of the way.

    The ground flattened as they reached the top of the staircase. Carved into the side of the cliff was an entrance, blocked off by an intricate metal gate. Two harpies guarded the gate, and one appeared to perk up at the sight of Catra. Her warm gray feathers ruffled up, and she ran her talons through her black hair. She coyly smirked at the Magicat as she approached.

    “Hey, Catra! You’re finally back!” The Harpy’s brown eyes stared at Adora, Glimmer, and Bow, “Who are your friends?”

    Catra could feel Bow’s glare, fully aware he didn’t want to be called her friend. Still, she antagonized him a bit as she said, “Oh, just my great friends, Bow, Queen Glimmer, and—”

    “I’m Adora. I grew up with Catra in the Hor—”

    “Lets…!” Catra interrupted, patting Adora’s shoulder, “ Not bring up the orphanage , please.”

    Adora very quickly caught onto the implication of Catra’s words. Had she not told anyone in Half Moon that she was a former Horde Force Captain? Adora considered scolding her right there.

    “You were an orphan? I never knew that,” The harpy seemed to have a bit of misplaced sympathy for Catra. She frowned at both Adora and Catra, “I’m sorry you two went through that.”

    Adora glared at Catra as she spoke to the harpy, “It’s… alright.”

    “Well, I’m Aella. Sorry we’re meeting under such terrible circumstances. Catra and Laverne know how to get to the Tunnels of Etheria from here,” Aella rattled her staff against the gate, signalling to the unseen gatekeeper that it was alright to open. Slowly, it swung open.

    Laverne thanked Aella before walking ahead. Adora lagged behind, waiting till there was some distance between Laverne and Catra. She grabbed Catra by the elbow, ignoring the bitter growl from her.

    “That’s nice,” Adora sneered, “You haven’t told them you were a Horde commander? I don’t think Laverne would take that information too kindly.”

    Catra jerked her arm away, “I don’t want people knowing about my past, alright?”

    Adora continued her glare, “So, you lie about—"

    “Adora, Catra,” Glimmer plainly snapped, stopping them in their tracks. She was miffed with both of their bickering, but had no energy to keep separating them like children. Instead, she furrowed her brows, begging both, “Please… stop.”

Adora and Catra stared at one another. Quickly after, they both scowled and looked away. They continued on deeper into the cavern. It quickly opened up into a massive ravine. Narrow waterfalls were scattered throughout, the mist that came off them making it nearly impossible to see the night sky far above. In the side of the cavern was the massive palace, made of terracotta. Far above, various birds flew through the mist.

There was a long, narrow brick bridge over an artificially made lake that led to the palace. It felt like a long walk for Glimmer, whose chest felt heavier by the minute. She held onto Adora’s arm, partially as a way to keep up but also a sense of comfort. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous out of her mind. There would be no time to visit the palace, and they simply moved on. Past the palace, the mist concealed a tunnel. But as Laverne entered, they eagerly followed.

The tunnel had a complex tile floor. Perfectly aligned were symbols representative of all the Runestones. Written in many languages, the simple but eerie words “Beware of what lies within,” bordered the pathway. Two Magicats guarded another massive gate. This one was far more intricate than the last. It was a map of Etheria, marked with the various locations of Runestones. Adora’s gaze lingered on that of the Moonstone.

For a moment, she remembered Micah telling her that he once prayed to the Runestone when Glimmer was a small, dying, frail baby. At the time, she saw no purpose in praying to something without a conscious. But at that moment, Adora silently pleaded to the far-off Moonstone — wanting to bring its keeper back to it. Laverne turned to the group, her face stern as the situation they were in.

    “I should warn you… There are many strange creatures in the depths. We have stories and writings left by the Ancient Magicats. They talked about monsters that lurked in the darkest caverns — caverns so dark, that not even us Magicats can see in them. Another is said to drag you into the water, and make you see a false vision of your deepest desires to ensure that you won’t fight to get back out…” Laverne foretold.

    “But they’ve never attacked us before?” Catra noted.

    “With the Heart’s swell of activity and the presence of She-Ra,” Laverne glared at Adora momentarily, “There’s no telling what might happen when we’re down there. We must tread carefully.”

    The gates began to slowly swing open. What lied before them was what appeared to be an average cavern tunnel. The path was a bit uneven at times, but still appeared easily traversable. Down this tunnel was Glimmer’s fate, her destiny.

    The only way for her to feel forgiven by the people she loved would be to save them from their impending doom. And that’s what motivated her to walk into the tunnel, never looking back. Silently, she hoped this wouldn’t be her last time seeing the beautiful Half Moon kingdom.

They were walking for some time before they finally came across a vast room. Above, crystals dimly lit the area. However, they failed to light the bottom of the vast ditch that lied ahead. It seemed to go down forever, and only the faint sound of rapidly running water emerged from it.

Laverne gasped at what appeared to be a remnant of an old, wooden bridge — as all that was left was rope with a few planks attached, dangling from the posts. It looked like it had purposely been destroyed.

    “What…?” Laverne cocked her head, approaching the post, “We just traveled to the Heart’s Chamber not to long ago…? The bridge was perfectly fine?”

    Glimmer stepped forward, “Maybe I can teleport us over there—”

    “No!” Adora and Catra interrupted simultaneously, forcing them to flinch and look at one another. Adora shook it off, stroking Glimmer’s shoulder. “You’re already exhausted. That would put too much pressure on you.”

Glimmer quietly huffed, a bit disappointed she had little use to the others during the journey. Trying to find another solution, Bow looked ahead at the other side. He instantly perked up.

“Well, there are still posts on the other side,” Bow pointed out, “I can hook onto it and help all of you get over there, too.”

Glimmer was quick to offer, “O-Or I can teleport just you over there. It shouldn’t strain my magic too much.”

“ Or , I can take you over there with me,” Bow quickly countered, “It’ll be safer, since you probably can’t climb a rope right now. If something happens on the way over there, then you can use your magic. Deal?”

Glimmer knew the three would badger her to no end if she didn’t agree with Bow. Giving in, she crossed her arms and murmured, “Sure.”

Still, Adora was hesitant. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do it?”

Bow smiled back at her, “Hey, I got it. Besides, you can hold the rope and let the others climb over. You’re the strongest of us.”

She believed in Bow’s abilities. However, she was still reluctant to let Glimmer go. As Bow shot an arrow forward and landed it perfectly through the thick, wooden post on the other side, Adora had a dreadful feeling. Her eyes drifted to the seemingly endless black ditch, as her hearing focused on the sound of rapid water below.

Bow tied the rope around the secure leather strip across his chest for extra insurance. He tugged the rope tightly, assuring it was sturdy before turning back towards Glimmer. Catra tapped his shoulder, kindly offering, “Bow, are you sure you don’t want me to go? I can climb better—”

“No,” Bow seemed resentful with his tone, “We’ll be okay.”

Adora blinked. She had never seen Bow act so bitterly. Even during the war, Bow could be kind to their enemies. At that moment, Adora clicked things in her mind. All that talk of Bow and Glimmer’s strained relationship because of her “poor choices”... All of it finally made sense to her. However, she kept quiet as Catra submissively backed away, eyeing Bow and Glimmer alongside Adora.

Glimmer held onto Bow, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt. Bow clutched her tightly, running to get a good start to his jump. Quickly, the two swooped through the air before Bow swung his feet out. It hurt somewhat as his feet hit the wall, but they were safe. From afar, Adora called out, “Are you alright?!”

Bow looked back, smiling at Adora. “We’re good!”

Glimmer was scared for her life. It was a bad idea to look over Bow’s shoulder to see the endless black ditch. The sight made her want to immediately teleport the two of them. However, to her relief, Bow was pulling them up at a fast rate. She looked back up at the other cliff, smiling at the three there — particularly focusing on Adora. She knew the hero was going through so much, so it made her heart swell seeing Adora smile back.

That peace was quickly distilled as something caught Glimmer’s eye. Below them, she could see a single, sickly yellow eye with a rectangular pupil that glowed strongly above the darkness. She could hear the sound of water sploshing, as if something massive was emerging. Glimmer gasped, gripping Bow tighter and attempting to teleport the two of them without even asking.

To her shock, her magic wasn’t working. She could feel it inside her, but something was preventing her from using it. Glimmer gasped for her, twitching as she recovered from the strain of attempting to teleport. Bow stopped for a moment, curious as to what was happening. “Why did you—”

“Bow!” Glimmer began to holler, ensuring the others could hear her, “There’s something down there! And I-I can’t use my magic!”

Immediately, Adora drew her sword. Without a word, she morphed into She-Ra — her light illuminating the cavern. As the light reached the ditch, Glimmer could more clearly see what lied below. The moment was brief, so she wasn’t able to make out the finer details — but whatever it was, it was huge, and climbing up the cliff with Bow and Glimmer. Adora turned her sword into a hookshot, hollering out, “I’m coming over!”

Laverne quickly held onto her arm, “Hold on! Maybe I can try—” She attempted to cast a spell, but much to her disappointment, it shrived up and failed. “Huh?” Again, she tried, but again, it failed. “No… I can’t use my magic either… What’s going on…?”

Glimmer gasped at the sight below. Suddenly, there wasn’t just one sickly yellow eye, but dozens. She swore there was only one creature down there. Bow was quick to up the pace, panting as the creature approached them. Faster than Bow, the creature’s dark purple tentacles encircled the space over them, blocking him from continuing on. 

Now, the creature was closer than ever, allowing the crystals from above to illuminate it. It was a massive octopus-like creature, with dozens of eyes. All across its body, bright blue lines were now shining. Its body was covered in a shale-like, reflective texture. Glimmer couldn’t take her eyes off the creature, her sight so keenly focused on its eyes.

Adora’s hookshot drilled into the side of the cliff. Catra attempted to interrupt her as she jumped, calling out, “Adora!” She thought it’d be wise for Adora to take her with her, but the deity was too eager to save her friends to plan that far. Without a word, Adora jumped on over. The creature slapped a tentacle down near Adora, but she narrowly dodged it.

Bow struggled, but asked Glimmer, “Hey, grab one of my electrical arrows! Maybe that will…” He flinched as he noticed how limp she felt in his arms, “... Glimmer?”

Glimmer’s eyes were hazed over, and her mind was feeling blank. Above all, she felt a strange desire — one that beckoned her to jump down. A low hum emitted from the creature, one that oddly only Glimmer could hear.

And she gave in.

Bow’s heart stopped as Glimmer rolled off of him, falling to the creature below. Instantly, he snapped around, attempting to grab her by the robe but failing. He nearly sobbed out her name, “Glimmer!”

From afar, Adora watched it unfold. In an instant, the creature wrapped its tentacle around Glimmer’s waist. Quickly, it removed its tentacles from the cliff sides, letting itself free fall backwards into the water below.

“Glimmer!” Without even thinking, Adora dove in after her. The creature retreated, swimming down deep into the fiercely streaming water. As it did, its many eyes gazed into Glimmer, controlling her thoughts, giving her a clear picture of her deepest desires...

It was so peaceful that morning in Bright Moon. Outside, birds sang beautifully, their notes carrying into her bedroom. Strangely, her body felt heavier. But the white kimono she wore was lightweight, and pleasant — so how could that be? That didn’t seem to matter much. She felt so safe in her wife’s warm, strong arms. Nothing would hurt her here. Callused fingers ran through her hair, eventually stroking down her arm. Slowly but surely, her ghosting touch reached her swollen belly.

That’s right. She would get what she always wanted with Adora — a family and a happy ending. It’s what they both deserved, after all. Adora planted a kiss on the side of her head.

“How’s our little supernova doing?” Adora’s voice was low, quiet, in a tone that her wife only used in their most intimate moments.

Glimmer smiled, burying herself deeper into her wife’s chest. “She’s fine. I, on the other hand, am in dire need of kisses.”

Adora quietly laughed, “Anything for you, your majesty,” Before offering her wife an onslaught of kisses. Glimmer heartily laughed back, blushing as Adora’s lips pressed every inch of her face. But suddenly, Glimmer found it hard to breathe. She wasn’t sure what was wrong. Perhaps something with the baby? She clutched her chest, and quickly, Adora propped Glimmer up.

“What’s wrong, Glimmer?” Adora asked, soothing her touch over the small of her back.

“I… I don’t know…” Glimmer panted, as the heaviness spread to her chest. It felt as if something was filling her body, starting in her lungs and weighing her down.

“Starlight…” Adora’s voice started calm, but quickly, her demeanor changed. She shot her grip to Glimmer’s shoulders, firmly holding her. “Snap out of it! Please!” Adora sounded so horribly distorted, as if she was underwater.

And suddenly, Glimmer remembered. As much she wanted this to be real, it wasn’t. It was just a faded fantasy.

Adora slashed another row of the monsters eyes. Already, Adora had injured many of its eyes, and cut off two of its tentacles. That seemed to be all the creature was willing to take, as it finally let go of Glimmer. As she awoke from her dream, Glimmer gasped, accidentally breathing in water. Quickly, Adora grabbed onto her, holding her small frame close. The deity swam to the surface as fast as she could, taking in a deep breath once they were above the water.

Her heart stopped as she heard Glimmer’s wet, strained coughing. Feebly, the queen wrapped her arms around Adora’s neck. Adora could feel her cold body shaking against her.

“Adora…” Glimmer panted out, hugging the deity tighter.

Adora pressed the side of her head against Glimmer’s. “I’m sorry, Glimmer… You’re safe now.”

Adora hated that her words weren’t completely true. Still, the Failsafe cursed the queen. The light emitting from She-Ra allowed them to see in the pitch darkness of the pit. Adora drew her sword, morphing it into hookshot once again. She aimed it high above, near the edge of the cliff where Bow stood — eagerly watching the two. The cavern’s air felt cold as they both traveled upwards.

They were close to the edge. Adora easily scaled the rest of the way, sighing out a breath of relief as she climbed to the flat surface. Bow was there, bending down with the kneeled deity as she held Glimmer close. He hugged both of them, careful not to squeeze Glimmer.

“Glimmer…” Bow’s lips shivered as a tear fell down his cheek, “I’m so sorry…”

However, Glimmer couldn’t comfort either of them. She was growing too exhausted, and gave into the newfound extreme fatigue.

The crackle of the fire echoed through the cavern. However, its warmth provided little comfort for Adora. They had found an alcove, resting there. Laverne’s magic had returned, allowing her to create a mystic fire. Ever since the incident, Adora had been holding onto Glimmer. Again, she was paranoid to let go, afraid something would happen to her again.

Laverne had a weirdly convenient spell to drain the water from Glimmer’s clothing. Adora had long since placed her jacket on her, in the hopes that would help. Even still, Glimmer was shivering and cold. It had been awhile since they stopped to rest and eat, but Adora refused to do either. Laverne and Bow had long since nodded off.

Catra was still awake, staring at the fire in a tense silence. Adora could hardly rip her eyes away from Glimmer, worried that at any moment, she would awaken. The hero was exhausted, but she refused to give into her fatigue. Not when there were potentially monsters out in the cavern.

She found it strange how the octopus creature only grabbed Glimmer. It could’ve easily grabbed Bow as well, but it seemed so focused on Glimmer. Adora had a bad feeling about all of this.

“You should sleep,” Catra’s monotone voice took Adora out of her trance, “Or eat. Something. There’s no use pushing yourself so hard.”

Adora wondered for a second if this was the real Catra, or perhaps some strange illusion created by strange magic of the cavern’s depths. Adora huffed out a dry laugh, “You’re worried about me?”

Catra scowled, curling her form more as her tail swished around. “No, not for you. For Glimmer.”

Alright, that’s better. Adora looked down at Glimmer again, failing to see her rouse beyond her weak, labored snoring. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Mismatched eyes leered at Adora. “There’s no way we can fight monsters like whatever that thing was back there. Not without you. I can’t protect Glimmer from that. So, sleep. I can watch over Glimmer.”

“I’m not letting her go, again. Not after everything that’s happened,” Adora adamantly refused.

Catra bit her lip, wanting to counter with something. Ultimately, she decided it wasn’t best to create more drama with Adora. “Whatever,” she huffed under her breath. There was a tense silence again.

Adora and Catra could still sense malice from one another. That was plainly evident as Adora pried, “Really, why haven’t you told Laverne about your past?”

“Oh?” Catra found her fury being dug up. She pivoted her body towards Adora, pulling her ears back at the hero. “You were gone for ten fucking years, and now you think you know what’s best for my life?”

“Ignoring what you did won’t help anyone. Especially yourself,” Adora found her own anger building, but kept her voice low as not to wake up the others.

Deep down, Catra knew Adora was right. But she’d rather cut off her tail than admit that. “Shut up and go to sleep,” Catra demanded.

“Here we go again,” Adora gripped Glimmer tighter, but still kept her enraged, shaking voice quiet, “You know when you’re wrong, but you can’t get yourself out of the hole you dug. I really wanted to believe you’ve changed, but I’m not sure if I can.”

“I made a lot of mistakes, Adora!” Catra surprisingly seemed less so angry, and more guilt-ridden and sorrowful. She brushed her claws through her hair as she sighed. “Trust me, I know…”

To think there was a time when a much younger Adora looked at Catra with such admiration. But things so quickly changed after she found the Sword in the woods. As the fire illuminated Catra, Adora didn’t feel her heart swell with childish love like it did back then.

“I…” Catra paused, trying to find the right words, “I did horrible things to you and Glimmer both… I never expected you to forgive me, and I still don’t.”

Honestly, Adora had an ounce of sympathy for Catra. Over the years, her anger and resentment towards Catra had faded — instead replaced for a desire to just see her once again. Perhaps it was Adora’s nostalgia for her home dimension and the ones she loved. But after their fight over Glimmer, Adora was starkly reminded of why she struggled to forgive Catra. It felt like Catra had no resentment for the bad things she did. During their fight alone, Catra breached Glimmer’s trust and said such improper things about her.

    Most of all, Catra hurt Glimmer while Adora was gone, and that was something she could never forgive. Adora held Glimmer even tighter, feeling selfishly possessive of her at that moment. She never wanted Catra to touch her again, as just the thought alone was making her more angry.

    “She… She was really depressed after you disappeared,” Catra could only look forward into the warm fire, “She didn’t recharge and lost her connection with the Moonstone… Then, Shadow Weaver tried to take control of it.”

    Adora perked up at the mention of Shadow Weaver. Glimmer had told Adora this information back in Mystacor. But she chose not to tell Catra that, as she wanted to hear her side of things.

    “Something took over me… I don’t know what I was feeling back then. Maybe I didn’t want another person to be used by her… or maybe I thought it was the best way to make up things with Glimmer…” Catra blinked back her tears, and heaved in a shaky breath, “After all, I’m the reason Angella is gone… I don’t know how or why, but Glimmer forgave me so easily…  Maybe because she really needed someone back then.”

    Adora struggled to know how to feel. Anger and envy flared above any emotion. One part was relieved that Catra was willing to admit to her mistakes, namely being her doing in Angella’s departure. There was a slight appreciation for Catra — solely for the fact that she was there for Glimmer whenever she was struggled so badly. Finally, without a war to fight, Glimmer was allowed to mourn and grieve over her trauma.

    “For the longest time, I thought you were the only person who could love me and I could love back, Adora,” Catra finally looked over, dryly laughing, “But I guess… I just needed to meet someone else… Because with Glimmer, things didn’t feel impulsive or naive. It felt...” Mismatched eyes drifted to her former lover, “... Real… Grounded in reality...”

    Adora wanted to be angry. Withal, this was something she finally felt Catra and her had a common ground — they both fell deeply in love with Glimmer. She was unlike anything either had ever come across in their days in the Horde. She was soft, kind, loving, and full of defiance neither had ever seen.

    Catra wanted to touch Glimmer, but she knew full well Adora wouldn’t let her. “I wanted to better myself, so I could be there for her… Being with her was the happiest four years of my life… But… in the end, she couldn’t let go of you,” Catra narrowed her glare towards Adora, “Her happiness depends on you. A little too much, if you ask me.”

    Catra had a point. Since Adora had arrived back, it felt like they were rarely out of each other’s sights. Over time, Glimmer seemed a lot more cheerful than when Adora reunited with her. Back then, her sparkles were dull, and she always felt so nervous and solemn.

It was only natural for Glimmer to be so much happier that Adora was back. But was that dependence too much? Adora couldn’t say for sure. Withal, the same was true for her with Glimmer. She was the reason she kept fighting all those years. Presented with the prospect of Glimmer dying, Adora couldn’t even see a future — as she couldn’t imagine her life without her.

Suddenly, Adora could feel Glimmer rousing. She gasped for air, panicking as if she awoken from a nightmare. Just as quickly, Adora ran her fingers through her the diminishing sparkles of her hair. Catra felt like she was ruining an intimate moment as Adora shushed Glimmer, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“ Sh… You’re safe…” Adora pressed her forehead against Glimmer’s, cooing so soothingly, “I won’t let anything else hurt you…”

“A-Adora… I f-feel so cold,” Glimmer stuttered through chattering teeth.

“Here... Maybe I can try healing you,” Adora offered, holding Glimmer’s cheek. In an instant, she began to glow a familiar pale yellow. But just as quickly, the energy of the Failsafe retaliated. Sparks flew from Adora, making her grunt in pain. Glimmer, on the other hand, was starting to feel better with each passing moment. Withal, seeing Adora having to endure the pain was too much.

“Adora,” Glimmer blinked open her tired eyes, running her shaking hand through Adora’s hair, “You don’t have to—”

“No!” Adora countered, the blue of her eyes barely visible through the bright light she emitted, “Please! Let me do this for you!”

Glimmer felt too tired to protest. Adora endured the pain, gritting her teeth and refusing to let any grunt come out. She didn’t want Glimmer to think it was too much for her to handle. The scratchiness of Glimmer’s lungs began to ease. As she took in a deep, shaky breath, she found that the heaviness of her chest still afflicted her.

Seeing all of this unfold before her made Catra realize something — if she could finally let Glimmer go, Adora would be there to catch her. Adora was willing to put herself through such torture, just for the chance that Glimmer might feel better. As Adora’s light faded, she showed no regret or pain — instead, a deep adoration for the woman in her arms.

“I-Is that better?” Adora’s voice trembled, despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Glimmer feebly smiled up at her, “Yes… Thank you, Adora…”

Adora held her closer, planting her lips against hers. She hated how Glimmer’s still cold body shivered. Idealistically, she wanted to be back in the morning’s light as she watched Glimmer sleep, or in the gardens of Bright Moon. Anywhere but where Glimmer’s destiny lied before them.

They could both feel the clock ticking, pressuring them to push forward.

Adora refused to let go of her. Despite her fatigue, she never felt tired of holding Glimmer. Even as the others offered to carry Glimmer, Adora refused. Adora’s healing had helped ease the harshness of Glimmer’s breathing, but it didn’t stop the strain of the Failsafe on her fragile body. Although she had warmed up, Glimmer looked pale. Adora felt their time was running out.

They tread onward through the mysterious cavern through spiraling paths and open ravines. The deeper they went, the darker it seemed to become — as Laverne’s fire and a few luminous crystals were the only sources of light

    Finally, after what felt like forever, there was a massive mouth to a new cavern system. It was hard to tell how narrow it was further inside, seeing how pitch dark it was. Laverne’s lips contorted as she turned around to the others. “These tunnels are narrow and branch out… but as long as we follow the crystals on the floor, we should be able to find our way to the Heart’s Chamber.”

    Glimmer could feel her pulse stop. “We’re a-almost there?”

    Laverne feebly beamed, “Yes. It shouldn’t take us much longer.”

    Both Adora and Glimmer felt undeniably nervous, beyond of the levels of the others. As Adora took a breath, she could feel a weight pressing down on her. Every step made the reality of the situation more real. Adora felt weak thinking about the fact that she was essentially taking Glimmer to her own grave. The thought alone made her stomach twist and contort to new levels.

    Adora looked down at Glimmer. For a moment, her memory flashed to when the siren was dying in her arms. But as Glimmer ghosted her kind touch of Adora’s cheek, she felt grounded to the vibrant life in her arms. In spite of everything, Glimmer smiled at Adora.

    It felt as if no words needed to be said, as if they could tell what they wanted to say to one another. Instead, they gave into the overwhelming need to push onward into the dark tunnel. Laverne kept her green light lit, illuminating the cavern as they explored deeper. The tunnel was narrow, and the ceiling was short to the ground. Adora worried she would hit her head in some places. True to Laverne’s word, there were crystals along the floor.

    They reached a branching path. Four tunnels were before them, but only one was lit with the luminous crystals. They followed along the path, coming across many branching paths like the first — but always finding a tunnel with the luminous crystals. Catra hung out near the back of the group, occasionally looking over her shoulder. She couldn’t shake the paranoid feeling that they were being watched — or worse, stalked by something… or someone.

    After some time, they reached a huge room. It didn’t appear much different from the other crossroads of the branching paths, other than its size. However, looking down at the many choices of tunnels, no one could see the luminous crystals along any of the paths. Laverne gritted her teeth in frustration, “This isn’t right…”

    Suddenly, Adora had a horrible feeling — as if many eyes were boring onto them. There was a low, quiet hum — one so quiet, Catra and Laverne were the only ones able to hear it clearly. Both Magicats were struggling to tell where the source of the noise was, flickering their ears back and forth to try and get an idea.

    Glimmer’s head felt heavy. So, when she looked up to see a tunnel with various luminous crystals, it took her a moment to process things. Slowly, she blinked, letting her vision adjust to the sight above. For a second, she swore she could see the crystals moving. She tapped Adora’s shoulder, catching her attention.

    “Look up,” Glimmer noted, “There are crystals up there.”

The group looked up into the strange hole. Now, the entire group could hear what sounded like something scratching against rock. As a small rock tumbled down, the group became tense. Catra gasped, reaching for her whip as she realized something — “The crystals are moving! There’s something—”

    In an instant, something jumped and landed on Laverne. It was only a foot or two tall, and its body was coated in the brightly glowing crystals — even its claws were crystalline. Quickly, they were all left in the dark as Laverne struggled to fight it off. Catra grabbed the crystal creature by its long neck, successfully pulling it off Laverne and throwing it to the ground. It aggressively snarled and snapped its stubby maw after Catra kicked it, but coward away — climbing up the ceiling and back into the hole.

    “For the honor of the Rebellion!” Adora chanted, as She-Ra’s energy flowed through her. In the brief moment She-Ra’s light coated the area, the group could see more of the crystal creatures up above.

“Oh… It has friends,” Bow gulped, pulling out an arrow.

“This tunnel over here!” Laverne jerked her chin towards a tunnel near the end of the crossroads as she lit her fire back up, “I’m pretty sure this is the one! C’mon!”

As soon as they began to run, the creatures began to flood the room — crawling from the hole, or simply jumping down. Bow shot his distress signal arrow, the bight flares from it distressing the creatures momentarily and allowing them to run. As they ran, the sound of all the creatures running behind them sounded like flowing water — giving the group a good idea of how many there were.

Adora drew her sword, holding Glimmer’s small form close. Quickly, she pivoted around, slinging a wave of white aura towards the beast. Many fell in its wake, but many were quick to replace the fallen.

“Fuck,” Adora cursed under her breath as she continued to run, wanting to get ahead before attempting her next idea. Again, she whipped around, this time aiming for the ceiling above them.

The light tore through the ceiling, cracking open the rock there. Many boulders tumbled down on the creatures below, squishing many and pinning others by their appendages. Only a few managed to bypass the obstacle, all of them making a mad dash for the group — seeming to focus on She-Ra. The others promptly came to Adora’s side. 

Laverne heaved before letting loose a wild blast of fire. The creatures whimpered as they were charred, many being knocked out by the blast. Bow managed to ensnare many of the creatures with a net. Catra whipped many of the creatures, cracking open the crystals on their back — an apparent source of pain, as evident by the desperate snarling that resulted from the hits.

They were frail, easily going down with slashes and kicks from Adora. Glimmer held on tightly, knowing Adora wouldn’t drop her but still fearing for her life. It wasn’t long until all the creatures had been subdued. The group caught their breath, paranoid as they could hear the scratching and clawing of the creatures on the other side of the fallen rocks. Feeling they were okay to move on, Laverne lit up her hand with the mystical, green fire.

Once again, they were in an open room. But this time, only one wide tunnel lied before them. Laverne beamed, turning back towards the others. “This is it! The tunnel that leads to—”

Again, Laverne’s ears perked up as she heard the low humming. This time, it was far louder than before, and the whole group could hear it. They looked up and around, trying to see if there was another opening — but to no avail. Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, as if something large was approaching. The whole group knitted closer together, all looking forward at the source of the noise. Out of the tunnel emerged a hideous creature, akin to the ones that were chasing them moments prior. However, this one was far taller, easily triple that of She-Ra’s.

“Oh, shit,” Catra cursed.

“Oh… Okay…” Bow panted out, “Laverne, what is that? ”

Laverne’s eyes were wide, as she admitted, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Its face was like that of a bat’s, and its nose like a boar’s. All across its bulky body, bright blue lines were shining. Thick, crystalline claws creaked as they dug into the floor below. Sickly, frizzled brown fur coated its neck, and crystals popped out of its back. As it roared at the group, it exposed its fearsome fangs. Without a moment to lose, Bow shot forward an electrical arrow into its mouth. It landed in the back of its throat, making it loudly bellow in pain.

Laverne let loose a blast of fire, while Adora slashed light towards its face. They were successfully fending the creature off, but not for long. Catra pivoted back, hearing what sounded like drilling from the other side of the rock slide. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she could see the creatures had miraculously chewed through the rock.

Slowly, they began to filter through the many holes they had bore through the rocks. Catra gulped, knowing there was no chance for her to take on that many on her own. “A little help here!”

Bow snapped around, equally horrified by the sight. He pulled out another arrow, shooting out a flare and scaring the creatures. However, many didn’t fall for the trick this time around. The giant creature heaved out a cry, as if to rally its allies. Adora’s heart stopped as the creature’s glowing eyes glared upon her, seeming entirely focused on the woman in her arms.

Its ears vibrated as it lowly hummed. This close up, the hum reverberated through their bodies. Now, the small creatures were rushing towards Adora, seeming entirely focused on her. Laverne kept up her blast of fire against the large creature, successfully keeping it at bay as the others attempted to fight off the smaller ones.

Many began to grab at Adora’s leg, pulling and ripping the cloth of her pants. With a roar, She-Ra stomped down — her magic flowing through the earth. Light tore through many of the creatures, knocking them against the wall of the cavern. However, just as many were swift to replace those so easily tossed away. Soon, Adora’s feet were being weighed down by the sheer amount of creatures holding onto her.

“Get… off me!” Adora cried out, letting her magic flow through her. The bright light that emitted from her blinded the creatures, who were now attempting to pull Glimmer away from her. This only further enraged Adora, who began to haphazardly swing her waves of energy from her sword. “Don’t you dare—”

The giant behind her roared. Pushing through the fire that signed the fur on its chest, it swiped at Laverne. She was tossed into the air, flying until she hit a wall and presumably was knocked out.

“Laverne!” Catra gasped out. Her immediate, loyal desire to go help her queen was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of small creatures that surrounded them. She yelped as they pulled her tail, weighing her down. Soon, her and Bow both were overmastered by the creatures, who simply pinned the two down.

“Adora!” Bow cried out, feeling his arrow being ripped away from his clutch.

Despite the defiant fight Adora put up, the creatures began to overwhelm her as well. She dropped her sword, prioritizing clutching Glimmer as close to her body as she possibly could.

“No! Stay away! Glimmer, I’ll get you out of this!” Adora panted out.

Glimmer was too consumed by fear to speak. The terrified look on her face made Adora want to sob. She wished to flash out another wave of energy, but felt herself growing more exhausted and drained by the minute. The creatures had to pry Adora’s fingers off Glimmer one by one.

Slowly, Adora fell to the ground as the creatures piled atop of her. They covered every inch of her, holding her down as they pulled Glimmer away. Adora could not longer feel the warmth of Glimmer.

“No! Glimmer!” Adora cried, “I won’t let them take you!”

Heavily breathing in, Adora still persisted — holding up an arm and slamming her fist on the ground. Her light shone bright, but the creatures still held onto her. Pushing through the heavy weight, Adora managed to find her footing. As she propped her knee up, she could see Glimmer being dragged away by dozens of the creatures. Adora ignored the creatures biting down into her arm as she held it out.

“Glimmer, try teleporting to me!” Adora grunted through her pain.

Glimmer immediately followed her advice, attempting to teleport. This time around, her magic worked. However, she could only teleport just out of reach of Adora. As she manifested, she panted and twitched, as if using up the last bit of her magic. Glimmer crawled forward, reaching out to Adora as she called out, “Adora, grab onto my hand!”

Glimmer continued pulling herself toward, straining her hand as far out as she could. However, the creatures were quickly encircling her. Adora held her hand out far, just barely within reach.

Withal, it wasn’t enough. It was only by an inch that Adora missed her hand. Just before they could hold onto one another, the creatures began to pull Glimmer away. Adora roared out and thrashed, tearing up at how terrified Glimmer appeared.

“Glimmer! No!” Adora sobbed out, growling as she manifested her sword in her hand. However, the weight of the creatures on her arm was too much, and she couldn’t swing down upon them.

Glimmer screamed as she harnessed the little magic left inside her to blast at the creatures. Unfortunately, there were too many of them for that to make any kind of impact. The giant monster looked on as the smaller, swarming creatures offered Glimmer to it. Glimmer hyperventilated as the creature wrapped its crystal claws around her, seeming uncharacteristically gentle with her. 

“No…” Adora murmured under her labored breath. After they fought so hard, they were being torn apart again. Glimmer screamed as the monster began to walk down the tunnel. However, the smaller creatures still held Adora and the others down. Anger consumed every inch of her. She wished to squeeze the life out of every individual creature that held her down. Her vision was blurry, both with tears and the malice that consumed.

This couldn’t be it. After so many years of fighting, surviving, killing just to find her way back home -- this couldn’t be it. Glimmer was being torn away from her, pulled into the dark depths of the cavern by the vile creature. It was as if Adora’s soul was being torn by the seams, as if another part of her was being ripped from her body. Not once in so many years had Adora felt so much malice and anger, nor sheer dedication.

“No!” Adora could suddenly feel a surge of power — a power completely unfamiliar to her. Not once in her ten years of dimension hoping had she felt this energy. She wasn’t sure what compelled her to cry out, “I won’t let anything ever tear us apart again, Ahyoka!”

    However, Adora had no time to question why she used the ancient Magicat’s name instead of Glimmer’s. Instead, Adora’s light coated every inch of the room. It was so intense, that it signed the creatures that held her down. Pink sparkles, so characteristic of Glimmer, filled the room. Bow and Catra looked in awe as Adora appeared to go through a transformation. Her robe turned dark violet, and shimmered with various sparkles. Bright Moon Violets littered her pale blonde mane. Her breastplate radically changed, now featuring a moon symbol next to the blue gem.

Above the moon was a lavender heart. Golden armor was so luminous, in spite of the minimal light. There was even some of her long hair pulled back into a bun, a kin to how Micah often fashioned his hair. The azure of She-Ra’s eyes was replaced with a blinding white, as she looked dead ahead into the tunnel.

A new fire was sparked in her soul as she stomped through the creatures. They failed to grip onto Adora, as their hands were charred by the light that emitted from her. Slowly, they all filtered off Catra and Bow, allowing them to breathe and process what was happening. As the creatures realized their plight had little use, they began to scurry away back to the other tunnel — knowing they’ve lost this fight. With her sword drawn, Adora rushed forward into the tunnel towards the giant beast.

    Quickly, she caught up to the slow creature. It turned around as it heard her rapid footsteps. Her magic was so powerful, it cracked open the ground beneath her and flowed within it. Out of the cracks in the earth, violets popped up. With a mighty roar, She-Ra stopped in her tracks before leaping up onto the beast’s hind legs. She trialled her sharp sword along its spine as she ran up its body, her magic flowering within it like a contagious disease. Just like the cracks of the earth below, violets popped out of the slash in the creature’s back.

    It writhed in pain, whipping its skinny tail back and forth. It attempted to buck her off, jumping up and attempting to slam her against the ceiling of the tunnel. However, Adora persisted, determined to find her way up the vile creature. She grabbed its ear, using all her strength to snap its head back. She didn’t care for the fear upon its face — only she cared for the life it held in its crystal claws.

    “Let her go!” She-Ra roared, her mighty voice echoing through the tunnel.

    Without a single moment of hesitation, she buried her sword into its head. Magic flowed within it, forcing it to bellow in the magical pain that charred it from the inside. It writhed, its weight shaking the tunnel. The crack on the ceiling caused from its unruly bucking began to open up more. Rocks enclosed the three within the tunnel as the creature felt the last bit of its life slipping away.

    Vile, bright blue blood spewed out of its head as Adora twisted the sword. Finally, the creature fell face down, kicking up dust as it did. Glimmer tumbled onto the ground, but was ultimately safe from being crushed by the creature’s weight. She coughed out the dust, crawling out from beneath the crystal claws.

Glimmer flinched at the sound of She-Ra jumping down onto the ground in front of the monster, her magic flowing into the earth below. More violets popped out the ground, astounding Glimmer with their presence. Lavender eyes looked up with such awe at She-Ra. The queen had many questions, as she was astounded by the sudden transformation of She-Ra. Her light was so enthralling, and almost blinding. Right then, Glimmer could feel the sheer power emitting from Adora, especially as the magic flowed towards Glimmer.

The creature was breathing its dying breaths. However, malice controlled Adora, and it became more evident as she loudly roared and began to blindly slash forward. The creature couldn’t even react as Adora unleashed her furious rage. Adora’s mind was absolutely blank beyond its sole purpose that moment — killing the beast before her.

Glimmer could barely find the strength to stand. Her legs shook out of a mixture of her weakened state and the fear leftover from the moments before. Briefly, Glimmer considered the idea that Adora was corrupted by something. That idea scared her, not knowing if She-Ra would lash out on her, too. But Adora was more important than the possibility of her getting hurt.

“... A-Adora…?” Glimmer quietly called out, unnoticed by Adora. Slowly, Glimmer limped towards her. With her back still turned to Glimmer, Adora couldn’t notice her — continuing to slash the creature’s face. Both their hands glowed with each other’s names, a clear indication of how terribly they needed one another. “Adora…” Glimmer again called, but still was ignored. Tears trickled out of her eyes, worried that Adora was too far gone. Her legs felt so weak beneath her, but she was so close—

“Adora! Stop!” Glimmer sobbed out, as she practically tumbled onto Adora. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around the deity as best she could before pressing herself into her back. Finally, Adora stopped her slashing at the familiar feeling of such a soft, small body. Glimmer buried her face in Adora’s back, pleading out, “It’s okay! Please… calm down, you’re scaring me!”

Glimmer’s words sent a shock wave through Adora’s body — one that made her lose her grip on her sword. It fell down to the ground, clattering loud and echoing down the tunnel. After she blinked, the azure of her eyes began to peak through again. The light that emitted from her dimmed down, until the cavern was only faintly lit by She-Ra’s presence. Adora felt tears trickling down her cheek at the mere memory of the fear she had just felt.

    Shaky breaths escaped the deity. Slowly, she was calming herself down, and becoming rooted back in reality. Her lips shivered, unable to find her words as she anxiously murmured, “I thought… I thought… we were going to lose each other… a-again…”

    “I did, too, Adora…” Glimmer’s voice cracked, and Adora could feel the queen’s hot tears staining her cape. “But I’m okay now… Thank you for saving me.”

    Nothing scared the deity more than the thought of Glimmer being hurt, or the two of them losing each other again. With that in mind, Adora pivoted around. She scooped the shivering queen up, placing her arm beneath her legs. Quickly, she brought her to her level, placing a fierce kiss on her lips. It surprised Glimmer, making her quietly murmur against Adora’s lips. But she quickly gave in, running her fingers through the deity’s majestic hair.

    At that moment, Glimmer was something she needed to live — like the water she drank or the air she breathed. Adora had never loved someone the way she loved Glimmer, nor had she wanted something so badly in her life. Adora couldn’t even begin to theorize what just happened to her. Briefly, she wondered if Light Hope knew anything about it, either. 

    But as they kissed, Adora felt all of it was connected — everything was. The sigils that appeared on their hands, the dreams they experienced… Stars , the strange wave of magic that flowed through Adora in the last universe she visited was something she failed to comprehend. Then there was the strange fact that Adora recognized Ahyoka in the painting she saw back in Mystacor… Perhaps that was connected to why she called out her name.

Whatever the case, Adora felt there was something deep and otherworldly about their love… After she backed away from their kiss in order to look into lavender eyes, Adora was sure of that. Feebly, the deity smiled, pressing her forehead against Glimmer’s. “I love you, Glimmer.”

    Glimmer feebly beamed back, “I love you, too…”

    “Adora! Glimmer!” Bow’s voice from the other side of the rocks caught their attention. Still holding onto Glimmer, Adora made her way past the deceased monster, finding the wall of rocks. There was a very small crack, that allowed the green light of Laverne’s flames to filter through.

    “Are you all alright?” Glimmer asked.

    “Yeah… We’ll be alright, your majesty,” Laverne’s voice sounded weak.

    “Hold on, I can probably move these rocks,” Adora offered, ready to put Glimmer down.

    “No,” Catra spoke, “That will take too long. Go on without us. The chamber is at the end of the tunnel.”

    “You’ll both be okay. You have each other,” Bow comforted. His words rang absolutely true, especially after what just happened. What did they have to fear?

    Adora smiled, running her hand over one of the rocks, “Bow… Catra… Laverne… Thank you so much. We wouldn’t have made it here without you.”

    “Adora?” Bow called out, “Today felt like the old days, didn’t it?”

    “Yeah… We’re all a little different now, but we’re still the Best Friends Squad,” Adora quietly laughed.

    Bow heartily laughed, “Yeah… and Glimmer?” Bow’s voice cracked before he sniffled, “Remember when we were kids, and I shot that arrow on the roof of the castle? Remember how mad Angella was at both of us when you tried to go get it for me?”

    Glimmer sniffled, “Of course I remember.”

    “I never told you this but… I shot it up there because I knew you’d be able to get it back for me… Glimmer,” Bow blinked back his tears that his closest friends couldn’t see, “I’ve always believed in you and Adora since the moment I met both of you.”

    Glimmer’s lips shook into a stronger smile. She put her hand next to Adora’s on the rock, knowing Bow was likely doing the same on the other side. “Bow… You taught me how to be brave, and how to find joy in my life. You are the greatest friend anyone could ask for, and the greatest father Jay could ever have…”

    “You were the first one to believe in me, Bow — the first person to see that I was more than what I was raised to become,” Adora sniffled back her tears.

“Laverne? We haven’t known you that long, but you are a strong, loyal queen, and I can’t thank you enough for guiding us down here. Maybe when I get through this, you can come visit Bright Moon...” Glimmer offered, pausing before she called out, “And Catra? Thank you for truly bettering yourself, and helping me through such a terrible part of my life… It’s not your fault I’m the one that had to take the Failsafe… Alright?”

There was a pause on Catra’s part, before she murmured out, “Alright…”

Faintly, Glimmer could hear her sniffle. She was aware that was something that guilt the Magicat to no end. She wished she could see Catra and Bow one last time before heading towards her destiny.

“Listen, I’m not going to mope too much because Adora knows I will kick her ass if she doesn’t bring you back out of there. So… Adora… I guess I’m trying to say I believe in you, or something,” There was a faint, nervous laughter in the Magicat’s voice, “I know both of you will get out of this…”

Adora felt encouraged by their friends words. She put her hand behind Glimmer’s back, adjusting her so that she was cradling her. Smiling at the crack in the rocks, Adora comforted those on the other side, “We will. Thank you… All of you.”

With that, Adora turned around. She looked down at Glimmer, who smiled at her with all the love and faith in the cosmos. They looked ahead, seeing a faint purple light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m ready for whatever lies ahead,” Glimmer beamed up at Adora, “Because I’ll have you by my side the whole way.”

    Adora smile was a bit more solemn in nature, but still held a sense of hope. “I’ll get you out of this. You deserve a happy ending, Glimmer…”

And Adora took a step towards their destiny. In the wake of her magic, their violets popped out of the cracks in the ground once again.

Chapter Text

The newfound tunnel was unlike any part of the cavern before. The walls were composed of many exposed, lavender-hued geodes that somehow emitted light. All throughout, wisteria vines grew, and their purple blooms matched the walls. Their roots were scattered across the ground, varying in girth. Adora was careful with her steps, aware she could easily trip over the uneven roots.

The ceiling above was smooth rock, that had vein-like rainbow lines surging through it. The deeper Adora went, the brighter the veins became. At times, Adora had to fight through thickets of the weeping wisteria blooms. With each step she took, she grew more anxious. Glimmer's panting was becoming more rigid and desperate, and Adora wasn't sure if she was even conscious — as she hadn’t spoken for quite some time.

For a moment, Adora stopped, looking down at Glimmer. The powerful, brave queen looked so frail and weak, and felt cold to the touch. Lavender barely peeked through her narrowed eyes.

“...’Dora?” Glimmer sounded so disoriented, “I’m… so tired…”

“Don’t worry,” Adora managed to smile, “We’re almost there. Just hold on a little while longer.” Urged to hurry by the sight of Glimmer's pain, Adora pushed on. There was a particularly dense thicket ahead. Holding Glimmer close, she drew her sword, slashing her way through the wisteria.

Bum, bum. Bum, bum. Bum, bum.

Adora could hear what sounded like a heart beating. It was low and rumbled the cavern, but calm and quiet. Adora continued on, holding Glimmer tightly as she hacked and slashed. Suddenly, one of the vines beneath her feet moved on its own accord. Quickly, it wrapped around her leg, boring its root hair into her skin. With all her might, she pulled and slashed at the vine until it snapped away. Panicked, she ran forward through the thicket of blooms. It was so dense, she could hardly see through the other side.

But then, there was a voice… No, two voices. Very simply, it demanded, “Give her to me, First One.”

The hair on her arms stood up on end. Both of them spoke with perfect, haunting synchrony, and were void of emotion. Adora had no clue where the voices came from, but she was absolutely sure she wasn’t imagining it. As she was distracted, the weeping blooms from above slithered down.

They wrapped all around Adora, pulling her arms and choking the air from her throat. She fought back with all her might, hearing branches snap beneath her strength. Her heart stopped as she felt the small frame in her arms being pulled away from her.

“No!” Adora hollered, the magic from the deity shining brightly. However, her light didn’t char the vines. Adora growled, prevailing over the intense strength of the vines — sure she would bruise Glimmer with how intensely she was gripping her.

“You think my own magic will work against me? Foolish…” It was the same voices from before, but far clearer this time around. 

A vine fell down onto Adora’s head — boring roots into her scalp. With what felt like strength akin to her own, Adora was yanked backwards. The vines in front of her swooped, all seeming to focus on the dying woman in her arms. Without much effort, the vines fully embraced Glimmer, ripping her away from Adora. Adora watched in horror as Glimmer disappeared into the thicket within seconds.

“Glimmer!” Adora growled animalistic — her fear for Glimmer’s safety giving her an intense surge of strength that allowed her to snap the vines that held her back. Without another thought, she ventured further into the thicket in search of Glimmer. But wherever she grabbed, she couldn’t find the small, fragile queen anywhere. She even looked on ahead past the thicket, not seeing Glimmer there either.

“Glimmer!” Adora cried out, “Glimmer, please! Where are you?!”

“Adora!”

The hero nearly sobbed as she heard Glimmer’s voice clear as day, echoing from further down in the cavern. Without thinking things through, Adora ran forward, through the wisteria and nearly tripping over the various roots on the floor. Finally, just a little further down, Adora could see Glimmer. Too overwhelmed by a sense of relief, it didn’t even strike her as strange that she was standing up on her own accord, perfectly fine.

    What did strike her as odd, however, was the lack of the Failsafe glowing on her chest. Adora ran her hand down Glimmer’s arm, and the small queen craned her neck up. The edge of her lively eyes gleamed with tears that threatened to spill at any moment. Leaning down somewhat, Adora wiped the smaller woman’s tears away.

    “Glimmer?” Adora cooed, her voice sounding so small, “Are you alright—”

    The sound of Glimmer slapping Adora’s hand away echoed down the tunnel. Shocked by the sudden change in her mood, Adora backed away, looking down at her with an odd sense of fear. Glimmer’s face was flushed in the sheer anger she felt towards Adora at that moment.

    “How could you, Adora?” Glimmer snapped with a cold bitterness — one that Adora hadn’t seen in so many years. Tears trickled down her eyes as she bared her teeth at Adora. “You fear nothing more than hurting me… But you let me do this to myself?”

    All of this seemed so out of nowhere. This wasn’t the same woman that told Adora that she would fight for her until the end. Despite Adora herself believing these things, she knew Glimmer didn’t really think that. But still, hearing it aloud in her voice was doing something to Adora.

    “Glimmer…” Adora whimpered, flinching as Glimmer slapped her hand away.

    “Everything horrible in my life could have been prevented by you!” Glimmer badgered, stomping closer to the deity, “ You could've taken Angella's place in the portal. You could’ve trusted me when I wanted to activate the Heart…” Her anger seemed to fade, replaced by a melancholy trauma as she unbuttoned her robe to expose the row of scars on her shoulder, “ You could’ve saved me from Prime before he did this to me.”

    Adora wanted to reach out and stroke her touch over the scars. Guilt was overwhelming her beyond belief. Each and every word that uttered from Glimmer only weakened Adora’s connection to She-Ra. Quickly, Glimmer fixed the robe back.

    “But most of all…” Glimmer sobbed, looking up with pleading, sorrowful eyes, “I wouldn’t be so fractured if you didn’t go through that portal… It’s like Catra said… I’ve been depending too much on your existence for my happiness…”

    Adora could feel her heart shattering. What Glimmer was saying was almost an exact reflection of her deepest fears… Then again, it was almost too perfect of a reflection. Things weren’t adding up — how was someone who was so frail and close to death now standing on her own accord? Ultimately, it was what Glimmer just said that caught Adora’s attention, forcing her to question aloud, “Wait… How do you know Catra said that? You were—”

    Suddenly, Glimmer began to glow a bright, blinding pink. In an instant, her body seemed to turn into pure obsidian. The odd, humanoid figure was pitch black, polygonal, and translucent, and kept Glimmer’s form somewhat. Adora backed away, manifesting her sword.

“How clever, She-Ra. You saw right through my trick...” Its voice was similar to the one Adora heard earlier before Glimmer was taken by the vines — it was as if two people were speaking at once. The gem-humonoid grew, becoming more akin to She-Ra’s height.

    “Where is Glimmer?!” Adora barked, “And who are you?!”

    “I am all-encompassing,” It started to shimmer, quickly morphing. Adora's eyes went wide, as she realized she was looking at a replica of Mara. Long, dark brown hair flowed from her head, and gray eyes looked back at her. “I am whoever I want to be.”

    With her guard down, the pseudo-Mara grabbed her collar. Without much effort, she tossed her down onto the sloping ground below. As Adora recovered, she looked up to see a perfect replica of Bow standing before her.

    “I am your loved ones,” It now spoke with Bow’s voice, walking over to her. As it did, it slowly morphed into Micah. Adora hesitated to strike back. Even if it was just an apparition, she couldn’t bring herself to hurt Micah. Adora felt sick as it morphed once again, shifting into a replica of Shadow Weaver. “I am the trauma that defines you.”

The morphing being showed no mercy, steaming an array of black, magical ribbons towards her. She was blown back further into the tunnel, her face being scratched up by the various branches. Again she quickly recovered. As she found herself back on her feet, she could see Catra now approaching her on all fours. “I am the ones that have wronged you!”

Under her breath, Adora muttered, “Finally, someone I can punch…”

The being lunged forward, but Adora retaliated. She slashed forward with her sword, feeling it clank against the appreciation’s apparent hard body. The pseudo-Catra fell back, digging her claws into the dirt below. As Adora approached to land another blow, the Magicat’s form contorted.

Adora hesitated, as she realized she was looking down at a now younger version of Catra. However, half her body was black and heavily disfigured. It was a perfect replica of how Catra looked after she was consumed by the alternate universe’s portal over a decade prior.

In her moment of bewildered hesitance, vines caught her ankle. As she struggled with the vines, the strange morphed again — this time, turning into Horde Prime. She knew it was only a phantom. However, just seeing the vile monster fueled the rage in Adora’s soul. With a defiant roar, Adora pulled her leg forward, feeling the vine that ensnared her snap — and just in time. Prime was approaching, claws bared by his side. “I am your greatest enemy, as you are mine.”

    Adora lunged forward, but Prime dodged. Just as quickly, Adora reached up to his tendrils, snapping his head back. Before she could land a blow, it morphed again. Familiar, lavender eyes looked up at her. She gasped as she realized she was now pulling at Angella’s hair. Her wings flared out as Adora backed away, dropping her sword at the sight.

    “I am the guilt that binds you,” Angella’s voice made Adora’s chest cramp with sorrow. Hearing the late queen was down right heartbreaking, immobilizing Adora.

She isn’t real. Fight back. Adora tried to remind herself, but failed so miserably. Angella’s hands flared with magic before shooting forward, making Adora tumble back even further. As Adora once again recovered, she realized she was now in an open cavern. The setting was similar to the tunnel she was in prior, with walls full of colorful, luminous lavender geodes and wisteria covering almost every inch of the place.

Light filtered from the dense canopy of the wisteria above. Veins encroached the cracks of the earth below, spewing out prismatic light. Faintly, Adora could smell the sweet blooms of the wisteria — a stark contrast to the situation at hand.

From the mouth of the tunnel she just emerged from, petals flew through, carried by an eerie breeze. Adora braced herself for whoever emerged, trying to convince herself to fight back no matter who it was. Whoever it was, they weren’t real. It was just an apparition, nothing she couldn’t handle—

But nothing could ever prepare her for the literal phantom that emerged.

The siren’s heels clicked on the rock below as she appeared from the thicket. She ran her hand through her night-sky hair, the sparkles there flaring as powerfully as her own magic. Prismatic wings spread wide, as fierce magic sparked in her hands. With a confident smirk on her face, she boasted, “I am the fear that controls you. I am everything .”

    Just like all those years ago, the siren’s voice pulled her in. It tricked her so easily, beating her into submission. Adora was so paralyzed with fear and guilt, she couldn’t even try to dodge the magic that flowed towards her. She writhed and screamed in pain, falling backwards. As the hero attempted to stand, the siren teleported over.

    “Are you willing to do it all over again, Adora?” The siren grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up into the all too familiar fuchsia, glowing eyes. “Watch me die so you can feel like a hero?”

    “Shut up!” Adora barked, blinking her tears back, “What did you do to her?!” 

    “It’s not what I did to her,” the replica-siren’s eyes narrowed maliciously, “You First Ones use us for your own gain. My poor, naive child is so in love with you, she wishes to make herself a martyr — all to protect you!”

    Every inch of her body was being weighed down by something . This truly was the fear that controlled her. She had convinced herself she would never have to hurt Glimmer again. Just like all those years ago, she was faced with no choice but to hurt her. Her hand shook as she manifested the same sword that ended the siren’s life.

“We had no other choice!” Adora roared out as she slammed her sword on the siren’s side. It landed on her metal breastplate — the impact harshly throwing her onto her back. Adora quickly stood, pointing the sword at the siren’s throat. However, the siren’s moxie failed to fade.

“ You had no other choice!” Her voice drifted, hazed over by some sort of obsessive craze, “I thought I got rid of you all those years ago, Adora… That rift I created in space and time was meant to end you!”

Right then, everything aligned. This being, this thing — whoever it was, knew far too much about Adora. All at once, things were clicking in her mind. Even though she still had no idea who this entity was, so many things were starting to make sense… Whoever stood before her at that moment was responsible for her own disappearance all those years before. 

“It was you…” Adora could hardly murmur, finding it hard to breathe over her own anger, “Why…?”

“Imagine my surprise after being awoken from my slumber to find that She-Ra was once again taken from Etherians and placed into the destiny of a First One — the very race that nearly harvested all of my life force,” The phantom grimaced, her fingers digging into the soil below.

“I am not them !” Adora insisted, “Etheria is my home! A-And, my mother was Etherian—”

“You think I don’t know that?!” The siren barked, as a flurry of vines wrapped around Adora. Aggressively, they pulled her back, allowing the siren to stand safely. Adora tensed up as pink electricity sparked lively from the siren. Just the mere sight reminded her of the unbearable pain she felt during that battle as electricity tore through her flesh. Her back uncomfortably itched with the faded memory, and she found herself struggling to stay in reality.

It was like back when her and Glimmer went to Mystacor before all this — back when Adora failed to tell reality from the strange, demented memory of her past. In her moment of weakness, the electricity from the siren’s palms grew stronger. It flowed forward, immobilizing Adora where she stood. Her screech of pain echoed through the cavern.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Not after She-Ra had experienced such a strange flow of new life and power — not after it felt that destiny was finally on her side. With each passing moment, she felt her body grow weaker. Briefly, she felt her connection to She-Ra flicker, as if she was about to transform back into her regular self.

“I wished to return She-Ra’s magic to an Etherian by ending your pathetic life… However, I made one, very critical oversight…” The siren glowed bright pink as she began to transform. Only slightly did her morphology change — seeing as she now appeared as the Glimmer Adora loved more than anyone in the cosmos. Vines continued to latch onto Adora, keeping her to the floor.

There was absolutely no way she could strike the being in this form. No matter how hard she would try to convince herself, she knew she would be unable to erase the thought from her mind. The replica of the queen approached her, running cold fingers through her glowing blonde hair. Normally, her touch would fill Adora’s body with warmth and ease all the troubles that plagued her mind. However, Adora felt her blood run cold at the foreign yet familiar touch.

 It was as if the being knew full well how to tug at Adora’s heartstrings, seeing the queen’s voice dipped down to a kind, intimate tone — the one she seemed to only use with Adora, “ She harbored some of your magic. Therefore, a fragment of your life exists in her, and anchored you to this dimension…”

A fragment of my life…? Could that mean…? Adora looked down, hardly able to make out the back of her hand that glowed vibrantly pink with Glimmer’s name. A vine snagged Adora’s hair, pulling her line of sight back up to the phantom. How did this being — this thing — even know all of this? Who were they, and how did they possess such power? 

“Please… Tell me, who are you…?” Adora struggled to speak as a vine wrapped around her neck, “What do you want with us?!”

Following her question, the apparition blinked. Now, one eye appeared drastically different — a dramatic show of dark violet fading into a peachy orange, and an iris of magenta and pale yellow. All across her body, glowing veins appeared, akin to the ones on the ceiling and floor of the cavern. They fiercely glowed with a kaleidoscope of colors, as if showing the raw magical energy that emitted from the being.

Her words were simple, but explained everything to Adora. “I am the Heart of Etheria, the very life of the planet herself.”

In the endless bounds of their galaxy, planets aligned. The cosmos could be heard roaring in Adora’s mind, reminding her of all her pain and trauma. Of the lives she had no choice but to end — even the life of someone she loved. Her mind failed to immediately process the Heart’s words, but her very soul knew it made perfect sense.

Everything that had happened to her was the Heart’s inhumane bidding. Being taken from her home, forced to endure a decade of hardship, and so cruelly taken from Glimmer. The vines shifted, and began to glow as they tightened around her. Air was being forced out of her lungs, as was… something else. Adora wasn’t sure what it was.

Adora couldn’t care to notice how she was shaking with anger, wanting to strike the being, wanting to fight — fully knowing it would get neither of them anywhere. The brave hero was lost for words.

All her anger and resentment towards the cosmos was for naught. The cosmos didn’t tear her and Glimmer apart — rather, the being that stood before her was solely responsible. Rage consumed her, tearing at the scar that ghosted her back. Wounds were being so viciously opened before her very eyes.

She-Ra’s roar echoed through the cavern. With all her might, she pulled the vines that restrained her, finally snapping them. Azure eyes disappeared in a ray of glowing white, a fearful testament to the power the deity held. With her sword by her side, she was ready to strike — ready to take her revenge, to release her full rage.

“Adora…?”

Lavender eyes looked up with such genuine fear, Adora stopped dead in her tracks. Tears threatened to spill from her captivating eyes, and her small body trembled. As long as it took the form of Glimmer, Adora was immobilized. It was as if the Heart knew Adora’s deepest fear, and was strategically using it against her.

She’s not real, she’s not real, she’s not real—

No matter how hard she tried to convince herself, it was too much. Her grip on her sword grew weak, allowing it to slip from her hand and clank onto the hard, cold ground below. She couldn’t care for the vines that returned to her ankles, slowly snaking up her body. Easily, she was pulled back onto her knees — and again, that strange feeling of something being taken from her returned. 

The veins that flowered the pseudo-Glimmer’s body changed into a bright yellow, akin to the light that emitted from She-Ra. Adora looked down, seeing the glow of her pale skin slowly dissolve into nothingness. The Heart was the source of all her magic, so it was wise to assume it could easily take it from her. She fought the fatigue that held her down, fighting to keep her connection with She-Ra.

“It’s time to return She-Ra to me, Adora,” The Heart demanded — blinking, and its right eye returning to its strange discoloration.

It was impossible to fight back. As she briefly closed her eyes, her connection to She-Ra was severed, and she had no choice but to turn back into her regular self. She felt like a coward as she sobbed, feeling weak and useless. Was there a way to save Glimmer, or even herself? A sobbed choked out of her throat, and she attempted to cry out, “G-Glim…”

“Give in, Adora,” The Heart spoke loud above Glimmer’s soothing, alluring voice as they all spoke in synchrony, “Your magic belongs to me. It has always belonged to Etheria—”

    The very earth beneath them shook, and the veins in the ground began to multiply. Similarly, the veins across the Heart’s pseudo body multiplied. Adora could feel it — this was a surge of magic, one that was unpredictable and powerful. The apparition grimaced and groaned in pain, hugging both her arms tightly. Still, she stayed determined, glaring at Adora.

    Adora had every reason to hate the Heart, as it took everything from her — her life, her home, her found family… Withal, she understood the Heart needed help. That was her duty as She-Ra — whether the Heart liked it or not.

“Please, let us help you!” Adora strained against the vines that held her, “Your power is becoming too much to handle!”

“I refuse!” The Heart snapped, her fists flying to her sides and clenching the magic that formed in her palms, “If Glimmer injects the Failsafe, she will die!”

Adora wanted to be angry. She wanted to fight and scream until she had Glimmer back. Yet, she fully realized couldn’t be selfish, as the lives of everyone in Etheria depended on it. “Please, there’s still a chance she can survive—”

    The Heart broke out into laughter. “Listen to how selfish you are! Just like the rest of your precious First Ones! Do you not realize why these surges are happening in the first place? Without a She-Ra to share my newfound magic with for the past decade, Etheria is experiencing an imbalance of power,” The fierceness in the queen’s eyes failed to fade as she again morphed into the siren, roaring painfully familiar words to Adora, “This is all… your… fault!”

    Catra was right all along. The surges did have something to do with Adora. She kept trying to tell herself this truly wasn’t her fault, and it was clearer now than ever before that this was all the Heart’s bidding. However, Adora could feel her body growing weak and her head become light.

Much to her discomfort, the vines that entangled her started to bore roots through her clothing and into her skin. They were now powerfully glowing with an array of colors. It was like seeing her own blood spewing from her, but somehow more gruesome. Her skin was becoming paler with each passing moment.

    After the Heart said, “Now, I will finish what I started — I will end this, and your legacy, Adora!” She was sure it wasn’t just her magic being drained from her, but her life, too. The vines were slithering up her body, wrapping around her neck. Even the hand she brought up to try and pull the vine with was soon entangled, too. 

“I can see into your weak mind, mortal…” The siren’s brows furrowed, as her cold hand ran down Adora’s shoulder, “There’s nothing you want more than for her to be happy…”

Before Adora could ask the Heart to elaborate, the phantom before her morphed again. However, this time around, it assumed an entirely new form… if you could call it that. It was a mysterious mist, that seemed to be changing color every passing second, never settling on one hue. In the center of the mist was an eye, similar in color to the one that briefly appeared on the phantom.

It hovered into a thicket of wisteria, seemingly disappearing. Suddenly, the ground shook again, and Adora assumed it was another surge of magic. The veins below on the ground appeared brighter than ever, all flowing to a singular source — a strange, massive chunk of obsidian.

It was far larger than She-Ra, and even larger than the beast she had slaughtered in the tunnels before arriving to the chamber. It was itch black, yet somehow color flowed through it. A single vein crossed the obsidian, appearing to be in the shape of a heartbeat.

The mist phased through the rock. In an instant, the same eye of the being appeared on the piece of obsidian. Through her degrading state of sanity, Adora could finally understand what this transcendental rock was — it was the Heart’s true body and form. Its singular eye looked up into the dense canopy of the wisteria above, which was starting to shift around.

“Perhaps I can give you peace in your final moments,” the two voices of the Heart spoke.

Adora tried to scream as she saw Glimmer’s body being lowered down from the canopy. The queen’s name attempted to spew from the hero’s throat, but it failed. With all her might, Adora pulled on the vine around her throat, allowing her to breathe deeply before hollering out, “G-Glimmer!?”

The descent downward was torturous to watch. It didn’t matter how gentle the Heart was, Adora would nevertheless lose control at the sight. The hero could still feel She-Ra somewhere deep inside her, and tried with all her might to bring the deity back. Withal, her body could only blink with She-Ra’s magical light.

“Please! Don’t hurt her!” Adora wept, barely able to even see Glimmer through her tears, “Do whatever you want to me, but please, don’t—”

“Stop your childish whining, fool. I have no desire to end the life of my own creation,” The Heart’s pupil narrowed, focused on Adora as the vines settled Glimmer to the ground.

From afar, Glimmer looked cold and pale. Adora heaved in her own sobs, her love for Glimmer and malice for the Heart fueling the little energy she had left. Slate eyes refused to leave the queen’s, even after the Heart began to speak again.

“If you give me your life, I’ll remove the Failsafe and all the memories of you from Glimmer… Wouldn’t you want her to forget all the suffering and heartbreak you caused? In the end, we will all receive what we wish for most.”

The hero froze. All their love would be but a fleeting memory between those who knew them. The She-Ra cycle would start anew, and Glimmer as well as all of Etheria could live in peace. After Adora was gone, Glimmer would be able to move on this time. In her deteriorated state, it seemed like a fair exchange.

“Adora…”

That voice… Just barely could she catch a glimpse of her own hand, glowing with Glimmer’s name. Around her hand, sparkles manifested.

“Adora.”

That’s… Adora quivered with an old sense of guilt. Through her fading vision, she could see the image of the late queen, burnt into the back of her mind. Angella…

    “You never gave up on your promise to me, Adora. And I know you remember what I told you and Glimmer before you channeled the magic of Etheria together… Your love for each other—”

“You can’t break our love...” Adora struggled to speak and keep her eyes open, “It’s… one of the most powerful forces… in the cosmos...” 

“You no longer have a choice, hero,” The Heart commanded, as even more vines began to stalk Glimmer.

Adora knew she couldn’t give up. While the Heart’s offer seemed logical and even tempting, it still didn’t account for the sheer, raw power threatening to tear the planet apart. She bore her nails into the vine that ensnared her neck. Upon closing her eyes, she could feel it — the magic pumping through it, her own magic no less. Gritting her teeth, she focused with all she could — all on the image of Glimmer, all the memories they had made since the hero came back her...

Rekindling the love that prevailed the test of space and time. Still finding herself so madly and deeply in love with a woman who had fundamentally become a different person — lacking of her wild confidence, her fierceness and edge… And seeing all of that slowly come back before her eyes. They had both changed and grown, and had both been through so much without one another.

Today wouldn’t be the end of their story — the story that didn’t have to be so sad.  No . They deserved a happy ending.

And right then, Adora could feel her .

    Glimmer felt a vine wrap around her body. One would expect to find such a feeling unwelcome and distressing, but she felt… safe. Not quite like the warmth Adora offered. More like as if for a moment, it was Angella pulling her into a hug. The pain throbbing against her chest and tearing her apart ceased for a moment, as she was overcome with a comforting euphoria. Her sharp, desperate gasps for air stopped, and she felt so light and unburdened.

    Leaves and wisteria flowers grew on the vine encasing her. The new, sudden growth covered her eyes, as if to encourage her to close them. After giving into the vine’s wishes, things began to fade. Adora’s screams for Glimmer to fight back and resist fell on deaf ears. But as clear as day, Glimmer heard the otherworldly voice call for her, “Daughter of the Moonstone…”

    Where once the voice elicited fear, Glimmer now felt a strange sense of comfort. Right then, it truly felt like she was floating. Suddenly, that changed as she felt a gust of wind hit her, and earth beneath her feet. It was… warm. No. It was hot, all around her it was unbearably hot. Almost as if there was a fire nearby. Something awful filled her lungs, scratching at her throat and forcing her to cough.

    Panicked eyes shot open, observing her new surroundings. Soot fell down from the sky and smoke coated the area, nearly making it impossible to see in the night’s darkness. After the wind picked up and cleared some smoke, she was able to see where she was. Glimmer was atop a path on a steep hill, one that led to a village within a valley. Adobe buildings were scattered along the path, and it seemed every house was overflowing with smoke.

    Then it hit Glimmer — the blood-curdling screams from below. Glimmer fought her lungs which betrayed her, attempting to breathe in before teleporting. However, something restrained her magic, causing her to grimace and falter back.

Finally, Glimmer figured it out. This was all a vision. The otherworldly voice distantly spoke, “We are more alike than you realize... I, too, have suffered with guilt… The First Ones took control of me, and used my own power and creations to slaughter our people…”

    On cue, Glimmer looked up to see a mythical, bipedal beast. It was far larger than any of the buildings it crushed beneath its massive claws. The horns on its head spiraled, and the massive crystals protruding from its body didn't appear to slow it down. Its eyes glowed a familiar red, with indecipherable sigils spread across its body. The noise — oh, stars , that horrible, dreadful noise — sounded like nothing she had ever heard before. It was a deep, earth-shaking rumble, that crescendo into an awful, inorganic screech.     It opened its massive jaws, letting a stream of magic pour onto the town below. Buildings crumbled beneath its wake, as it indiscriminately rampaged. Screams filled the air, as soot and ash began to corrupt Glimmer’s vision once again. 

    “They took everything from us, and they drained all the magic from me, until I was but a husk of my former glory.”

    Just barely could Glimmer make out the sound of someone behind her. After pivoting around, her gaze was met with stunning emerald eyes. Before her stood a Magicat, with dark tawny fur and white splotches covering her face and hands. Her black hair was fiercely curly. Immediately, Glimmer recognized her — she was the same Magicat from the mural near the Failsafe… Ahyoka .

    Glimmer felt a strange connection as they looked at one another. It felt like she was with Micah or Angella right then. However, they clearly had absolutely no relation to one another. Glimmer could sense when someone had a connection to a Runestone, but what she was feeling was far different.

    The smoke’s density intensified. Glimmer blinked, and the Magicat was gone. She gasped, her gaze fluttering around and looking for Ahyoka, but failing to find her.

    “I cannot forget my suffering, nor will I ever forgive myself for it. However, you, my child… I can gift you peace of mind, as you gifted me by awakening me from my deep—” The Heart’s voice glitched, “Deep slumber…”

    Glimmer closed her eyes for a fleeting moment, meeting a world of black. Soot faded from the air she breathed, and she felt an overall sense of peace. Around her, reality shifted and glitched. Again, she felt… warm. But unlike last time, this wasn’t the heat of a fire, rather an emotionally comforting warmth. 

Once her curious eyes opened, she was met with a familiar setting. The dull morning sun peeked through the opened windows of her room back in Bright Moon. She was lying on her side in her bed, snuggled up close to a familiar, welcomed warmth. Clawed fingers stroked through her long hair, worshiping the sparkles that flared there.

Catra was sitting up, her legs splayed as she held Glimmer tenderly in her arms. She was wearing an outfit of Bright Moon royalty, with golden shoulder armor, a pale blue cape, and a purple tunic. On one of her ears was a teardrop-shaped earring. Glimmer wore a loose, pure white kimono, and a blue cape that matched Catra’s.

    The Magicat purred, wrapping her tail around Glimmer’s leg. Catra cooed, “Isn’t this always what you wanted? A happy ending? You can have that with me, Glimmer. You’ll always be my girl.”

Her memory was becoming blurry. How did she even end up in this situation? Seeing how tenderly Catra held her, Glimmer couldn’t care. Things with Catra felt so safe, as she knew she’d never let anything bad happen to her. Glimmer smiled against her, pulling herself closer. Catra purred in response, “C’mon, be a little selfish. If you let go of her, I’ll help you forget all your pain and suffering…”

    Her… as in… Glimmer blinked, distantly murmuring, “A-Adora…?”

    “Glimmer!” Suddenly, the apparition of Catra glitched, quickly forming into Adora. Glimmer shot up, looking at her with fear.

Who…? Who is this woman…? All Glimmer knew was her name, seeing her memories were fading, and she was starting to forget. All she knew was this woman was important to her, somehow. Eyes with an ocean of thoughts and suffering pleaded with Glimmer. “You can’t give in!”

    The world around them glitched, fading into a familiar dreamscape. Stars scattered the endless horizon, and violets were below them. They lied in the meadow of violets, gazing at one another in an intense silence. Glimmer struggled to remember who she was, but felt that she was important… But that all changed after Adora cupped her cheek.

Her heart swelled as Adora stroked her thumb across her soft skin. Slowly, things were coming back to her… She was a former Horde solider, like Catra. Somehow innocent, yet brave, courageous, and loyal. Even when they were younger, Glimmer would feel her heart race around her.

To her, Adora was more than just a soldier or She-Ra. She was everything to her. Adora was the breath of life given to her after Angella died. Of all the stars in the sky, Adora shined the brightest.

The two levitated in the air, as Adora kept her kind hold on Glimmer. Two shooting stars began to encircle them, bringing a mild gust of wind with them. Their hair tossed in the wind as they continued to float up, twirling slowly in the air as they shifted closer to one another.

    “Glimmer… I-In a galaxy of stars, you’re my supernova,” Adora stroked a hand through Glimmer’s hair, “Nothing shines brighter than you. Your warmth is far greater than anything in the cosmos…”

Gently, Adora caught Glimmer’s wrist, pulling her hand up to her line of vision. There, she could see Adora’s name brightly glowing blue. Glimmer could see her own name glowing pink on Adora’s hand. “Don’t you see? Our souls are bound together, woven at the seams. What we feel for each other is stronger than the forces that try to tear us apart. There is nothing that can fully describe our love…”

Adora smiled, looking at Glimmer with all the love in the cosmos. Smoothly, she let go of Glimmer’s, before she tightly grabbed onto the back of her robe. Glimmer gripped onto Adora’s arm, feeling the hero shake beneath her touch. Below, their legs were tangled. 

“Glimmer,” Adora seemed like she was losing her breath as she spoke the queen’s name, but carried on with all the passion in the cosmos, “You’re my supernova… The brightest star in my sky…” The shooting stars stalked closer, twinkling bright as if they were emblematic of their souls. Tears trickled from Adora’s eyes, and her lips shivered. Yet, she was able to speak with sincere intimacy, love, and admiration, “You are my everything. And we deserve a happy ending.”

With that, the two leaned forward, sealing the minimal space between them. They glowed as bright as the stars that encircled them. Right then and there, it truly felt like their body and souls were woven together at the seams. Those seams were unbreakable, and would refuse to be torn apart. It felt like the stars were aligning, as if it was destiny for them to find their way back to one another, and have their happy ending. For the first time in a long time, Glimmer felt at peace.

    Somewhere deep within the two resurfaced a new magic. Not of each others, but of Angella — who gifted her magic to the two so many years ago. Glimmer could feel it flowing into her body, overwhelming her until—

    For so many years, she felt like a bird with clipped wings. Unable to fly, wanting to know what it was like to feel truly free, wishing for her feathers to grow back. Still sealed within their powerful kiss, wings ejected from Glimmer’s back. Right there and then in that ethereal dreamworld, Glimmer gained her freedom. And for the first time in her life, Glimmer felt an all-encompassing peace — one that spread from her heart, to her soul, and finally, to the newly sprouted wings on her back.

For a moment, her peace was disturbed as Adora desperately gasped for air. Adora clutched for the base of her throat, appearing to be choking. The visual sparked Glimmer’s memories — they were about to deliver the Failsafe and Adora was currently being choked out by the Heart.

    “Adora!”

Glimmer’s eyes snapped open, revealing them to be glowing bright white. Her whole body glowed an angelic pink, illuminating the surrounding area. The vines that encased her body were disintegrated by the intense light. Her newly formed wings flapped a strong gust as she took off.

Immediately after the vines loosened their grip around Adora’s throat, she heavily gasped for air. Her body desired to give into her spinning vertigo, yet the sight in front of her was like nothing she had ever seen before. Pink light coated the cavern, and Glimmer was indisputably shining brighter than a supernova.

Adora’s mouth was agape and her eyes were wide, feeling as if she was looking at a deity unknown to the rest of Etheria. Briefly did the angel turn around, gifting her gaze to the mortal. Lavender was hazed by the intense white light shining from her eyes. Glimmer smiled at Adora, appearing so regal and almighty as her long hair flowed behind her.

The moment felt exactly like back at the Failsafe. Adora was watching Glimmer become a martyr. She could hear the words she said back then echo in her mind, “You’ve taken care of others your whole life, Adora. So now, it’s my turn to take care of you.”

    And without another thought, Adora was able to smile back at her hero.

Full of courage that was no doubt gifted by Adora, Glimmer flew in front of the Heart. Her prismatic wings were spread wide, flaring with her magic as she floated in place.

The Heart’s pupil widened in fear, “No! Stop! I will give you all that you desire!”

Glimmer ignored its pleas, flying closer. As she placed her hand next to the Heart’s eye, the Failsafe twinkled on Glimmer’s chest. In an instant, a replica of the Failsafe appeared on the Heart. A loud, rhythmic hum started, reverberating through the Heart and Glimmer. The Heart wanted to be angry, to lash out at Glimmer. Yet… the queen had a smile on her face. 

    “You were right. We are alike,” Comfortingly, Glimmer stroked down the smooth surface of the Heart, “Suffering has determined every part of our lives. No matter how hard we’ve tried, we could never fill the fractures it caused.”

    The Heart’s eye narrowed. The Failsafe was flowing through the queen, but she didn’t appear to falter. It should’ve killed her by now, even a half-mortal couldn’t handle the Failsafe. Withal, there was a power the Heart could never truly understand aiding the queen. Sigils began to flower across the Heart. From afar, Adora could barely make them out. Queen Angella, Micah, Bow, Catra… Adora.

“But for every single one of those fractures, there is something beautiful and worth fighting for. And for me, one of those things is Adora,” Glimmer furrowed her brows, “It was horrible what happened to you and Etheria… But I’m not asking you to let go of your pain… Please…” Glimmer planted a kind kiss on the Heart, “Let Adora and I have our happy ending — together.”

    Was this the queen’s true desire? After the Heart dug into her mind and soul, it found that she wanted to be loved unconditionally and faithfully, to feel truly forgiven for the things she had done wrong to the people she held dearest… Perhaps the Heart was blind, or simply didn’t want to accept Glimmer was so deeply in love with a First One.

    However, the angelic being before it was one with a heart of gold. She was the one that brought the Heart back to life, to help it clearly see the world above. In the queen’s memories, it could see all her pain and sorrow. But it could also see her happiness, joy, and appreciation for life.

And her everlasting love and devotion to Adora.

    The Heart didn’t have to forgive the First Ones. It simply had to trust Glimmer — trust that she would ensure She-Ra wouldn’t use her power for wrong, or betray Etheria. Eventually, one day when the mortal’s life would come to an end, She-Ra would be returned to Etheria.

    Finally, the Heart discovered Glimmer’s newfound peace. A loud hum echoed, and the Failsafe was taking its full effect. Magic was flowing from the Heart, being evenly dispersed throughout the planet. All across Etheria, Bright Moon Violets were blooming — in the cracks of stones, in the minimal sunlight of the cavern system, and even in a few spots in the Crimson Waste.

    The Heart now understood Glimmer’s love for Adora — their love for each other exceeded its comprehension. It closed its eye, willing letting the Failsafe take over it. “Glimmer… Thank you.”

    Adora was blinded by light, having to cover her eyes with her elbow to ease the strain. A violent gust whipped around Glimmer as the final part of the Failsafe was absorbed by the Heart. Adora was almost blown away, but held her ground.

And then, an eerie, troubling silence.

Finally, the light disappeared, allowing Adora to hesitantly open her eyes. The Heart remained still with its eye closed, and the crystals lighting the cavern were dim. Weary eyes searched for Glimmer, slowly adjusting to the new light.

“... Glimmer…?” Adora sounded so small then.

It felt like the world was ending as her sight settled on Glimmer’s limp figure. From afar, she could tell Glimmer was still and cold. Her newfound wings were spread across the ground, full of magic and life. Immediately, Adora was compelled to rush over to her. Her voice cracked as she called out, “Glimmer!” with absolute desperation.

Her knees slid on the floor as she fell to her side. Carefully, Adora scooped the smaller woman in her arms. Weaker than she had ever sounded before, Adora called her name out one more time, “Glimmer?”

Feebly, Glimmer smiled up at her, her wings shifting as she roused. With all the strength she could muster, Glimmer cooed, “I’m here, Adora.”

A peculiar mixture of a laugh and a sob emitted from Adora. Glimmer was alive, she had survived inflicting the Failsafe code onto the Heart.

They would have their happy ending.

ANIMATIC

Chapter Text

    There was a true peace flowering throughout Bright Moon. Quite literally, seeing violets could be found throughout the entire kingdom. There was even tranquility to be found in the noisy greenhouse. Joining the chorus of Glimmer’s loud parakeets were two new chicks, both fat and happy thanks to their doting mothers.

    For the first time in her life, Glimmer felt true peace. Despite this, she still felt the need to cover her scars, especially for a ceremony of this magnitude. No amount of coddling from Adora would ever help her get over her fear of exposing the deep damage to her shoulder. The set of scars there represented a fear that would chase her till the end of time.

    Yet, there was a new, heart-shaped scar between her collarbones. It was faint, pale, and often hard to make out. Unlike the scars that tainted her shoulder, she felt no fear as she observed it. She almost wore it with the same pride as she wore her crown.

 It was a testament of her love for Etheria, and those who lived on it. Things would be okay from then on out, and both had a true sense of peace with each other.

Bow was threading Bright Moon violets through her hair, focused on his work. The layered kimono she wore was heavy and long, covering her feet and trailing on the ground. The top layer was deep violet and patterned with the new family crest — a violet next to a moon.

It would be the first time the Queen of Bright Moon would wear such a gown for her wedding. The gown had elements of a traditional Bright Moon sari, but also many layers like that of a ceremonial kimono of her father’s culture. One arm was covered by a long sleeve, while the other was bare and was adorned with various bracelets. She was happy with the gown, feeling it honored both her parent’s cultures. A single moon-shaped earring hung from her right ear, while her left ear remained bare.

    “There! I think that’s enough? What do you think?” Bow gestured his hands out to her hair. Violets were scattered all throughout, with most being clustered at the top of her head. There, she wore a new crown — a metallic moon that encircled a piece of the Moonstone.

Despite her anxiousness, Glimmer managed to smile. “They look wonderful, Bow.”

“Hey, why don’t you uh… try turning on your wings, I guess?”

    Glimmer smiled, and with a deep breath, she focused her energy to her shoulder blades — all while thinking of Adora. Instantaneously, they emerged and spread wide before folding neatly behind her.

    A light gasp uttered from both as they gawked at the mirror. Already, Glimmer could feel her throat becoming dry. It was as if she was looking at her mother right then. The thought yelled loudly in their minds, yet Bow still spoke it aloud, “Wow… You look so much like Angella...”

    Glimmer promised herself to not cry — at least, not until the ceremony. Castaspella had spent far too long on her makeup for that. Over the years, it had been easier to talk about Angella. But naturally, it was difficult to think about her on her wedding day, knowing she wouldn’t be able to see it happen.

Bow was quick to comfort Glimmer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her own hands shook as she covered her mouth, preventing a sob from escaping.

    “Glimmer, hey...” Bow assured, “Angella would be so happy for you — both of you. Look at how beautiful you look,” He backed away somewhat, allowing her to look at herself in the mirror again, “I know she would be so proud of you and how far you’ve come.”

    With a strong sniffle, she looked at herself again. There was pride in her reflection, in spite of the tears in her eyes. She wiped away her tears, turning towards her life-long friend.

“Bow… I’m sorry,” Glimmer’s apology seemed out of nowhere.

“For what? You have nothing to be sorry—”

“No… I made your wedding night horrible, didn’t I?” Glimmer nearly choked on her sobs.

Bow frowned at the mention of that night. There was no use lying to her — their fight back then had worked Bow up enough that it was hard to enjoy the rest of the wedding. Glimmer had a bad habit of being explosive and blaming her problems on others. Over the years, she curbed that problem but perhaps not in the best way. She had grown accustom to blaming herself for everything.

Bow struggled to know how to reply to Glimmer. While he didn’t want to hurt her feelings and fuel her anxious thoughts, he wanted her to feel that she could trust him. With a heavy sigh, he squeezed her shoulder.

“I’ll be honest… After we fought, I couldn’t stop thinking about how angry I was with you... I was only trying to protect you, and you refused to hear my side of the story.”

“And you ended up being right... It wasn’t okay for me to stay with Catra.”

“You were so in love with her and…” Bow shifted his eyes downward, “I didn’t make it any better by basically ignoring you. It wasn’t right and — I swear, we’ve had this conversation like twenty times now,” Bow sounded a bit frustrated, but smiled as he gripped both her shoulders. “There’s no use dwelling on the past. We’re going to make this night great — for everyone.”

Glimmer felt her body easing and her smile returning, “Y-Yeah. You’re right. We can move on.”

“Yeah! There you go,” Bow flashily smiled, wrapped his arms around Glimmer, “I hope you two have a great night. You’ve both saved the world twice at this point, so please , get as drunk as you want.”

She let herself easily give into laughter, entertaining the thought that everything would be alright. Perhaps it wasn’t just a happy ending for her and Adora.

    For the first time in her life, Adora had a sense of pride as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Bright Moon’s finest armorers were brought together to create her breastplate, smelted with rose gold. In the center of the breastplate of a piece of the Moonstone, refined and oval shaped. She wore only one earring, that was the shape of the sun.

Micah’s hands shook somewhat as he finished putting Adora’s hair up into a bun. The two had been relatively quiet, though Adora chopped that up to the both of them being jittery and Micah trying to focus. Perhaps he was excited and nervous to see his daughter finally marry.

    Adora herself was starting to lightly shake. It was hard to lie — she did feel a little nervous right then. No matter how much she practiced her vows, she felt she would blank out or forget something. Adora knew she would hardly be able to focus through the royal pleasantries. To put it simply, she was excited to marry Glimmer.

    Glimmer had proposed to her during the trip to Half Moon. It wasn’t that spectacular, and Adora only casually brought it up again a few weeks after the whole mess — asking if Glimmer was actually being serious.

    “There, kid,” Micah smiled, patting her shoulder.

There was a bit of a tense silence as Adora breathed in deeply and messed with her metal cuffs. Micah stepped away, approaching a small tea table.

“Nervous?” Micah asked while pouring a cup of tea.

“Y-Yeah,” Adora blinked as Micah attempted to hand her the cup. Initially, she didn’t realize he was offering it to her. “Oh, thank you…”

“Hey, can’t be as bad as my ceremony,” Micah laughed quietly at himself, “I guess Bright Moon’s never had a king as short as me before, so I ended up tripping over my own cape.”

Adora nearly choked on her tea at the image. She managed to laugh, but soon, her anxiety crept back. The soon-to-be queen scratched at the back of her neck, sighing aloud once again. Normally, the lavender tea Micah would make for the hero would calm her nerves. However, the scent of the tea reminded her of her own, soon-to-be wife.

    She decided to try and distract herself, just for a little while. “What was your favorite part of that day?”

    Micah smiled at the fond memory, “Well, getting married to Angie, obviously… I was in your shoes, once, Adora. You know, I was just some average fishing village boy that managed to make something of himself. By the luck of the moon, I was able to meet Angie… So, if two schmucks like us can end up with literal angels, I think anything’s possible.”

    That’s something Adora admired about Micah, and why she loved talking to him. At the end of the day, Adora was just an average person who happened to be able to morph in She-Ra. She came from nothing, and was able to become something more out of sheer luck and her strange destiny.

    “Now you tell me. What are you most excited for?” Micah asked, eagerly eyeing her.

    Adora paused for a moment, deeply thinking about his question. “I… don’t know how to word this without sounding… possessive, I guess? But… I’ve never really had anything to call my own… A family, a home — nothing… That’s been especially true for the past ten years.”

    “I can only imagine, kid,” Micah smiled with a deep sense of melancholy. Somewhere within the psyche of the older man, Adora sensed his vast state of understanding. He firmly grabbed her shoulder, dark eyes full of excitement and empathy. “Well… I have to start preparations. Will you be okay?”

    “Yeah,” Adora definitely lied.

    “Alright… See you on the other side, then.”

    The room fell silent after he left. Honestly, her anxiousness was through the roof. She hadn’t seen her fiancé since early in the morning, and it was starting to get to her. Understandably, the two felt unfathomable anxiety when separated for so long.

    Adora looked down on a basket near her mirror. It was full of freshly picked violets, meant to be placed in her hair. She pondered deeper about Micah’s question as she threaded the violets at the base of her bun. Maybe her answer had a more complex meaning. After the Heart debacle, Adora came to accept a melancholy fate — the world no longer needed She-Ra. However, she had found a purpose beyond being a hero.

    That purpose was to be the queen of Bright Moon. To love Glimmer until the end of her time, when her own magic returned to the Heart. And perhaps, one day, she would have a family with Glimmer. Adora would continue to be there for her friends in whatever way they needed her.

All this time, Adora had toiled every fiber of her being, absolutely convinced of one thing — Glimmer needed a hero, and that hero had to be Adora. But in the end, Adora neglected one, major oversight in her logic — she needed Glimmer just as much, like how Etheria needed its moons to help guide its waves to the shore. And the situation in the chamber of the Heart of Etheria only sealed the truth of that fact.

She knew there wasn’t much time left, so she began to practice the vows she had said to herself thousands of times.

“There’s nothing that could ever compare to you,” Adora smiled simply at the idea of finally being able to tell Glimmer this in person, “As you are a Supernova. Your light shines brighter than any—”

“Ew, are those your vows? Blech , talk about sappy…”

Adora snapped to the source of the voice, finding Catra past the open doors of the balcony, sitting on the railing. She appeared formal, with her hair put back into a short ponytail. Additionally, she wore vibrant, intricate bead earrings that dangled down to her shoulders. The puffy white top she wore looked a bit wrinkled, though Adora was simply excited that she had decided to come.

“Catra!” Adora perked up, walking towards Catra as she came off the railings. To her surprise, Catra frowned and shrunk away.

“Okay, never be that excited about me ever again,” Catra was freaked out, calming down as Adora halted in place.

“I’m just— I didn’t think you’d actually—”

“Yeah, I’m here. Try not crying about it,” Catra casually walked past her, offering herself a cup of tea from the kettle.

There was an awkward silence as Adora tried to think of what to say. Catra put her cup down, crossing her arms and looking at Adora. The former enemy’s upbeat demeanor quickly devolved, as she seemed to remember something.

“Hey… This is really out of nowhere, but I wanted to tell you about something that happened awhile back,” Catra frowned, “You think you’d be okay with that? I don’t want to get your mood down—”

“No, it’s fine,” Adora was far too curious to care, but appreciated Catra’s concern.

Catra hesitated, her ears cowering. “I… crossed paths with Shadow Weaver.”

Adora’s heart stopped. “... When?”

“A few months after Glimmer and I broke up. I was traveling across Etheria, and I saw Shadow Weaver in a village with a pitiful sorcery herb stand,” Catra scoffed, “And… we talked. She told me the truth about my past. My mother died at the hands of the Horde… I was stolen from my family, my people, my culture, and I—"

Adora could see Catra’s claws digging into her shoulders at the frustrating memory. However, the hero kept silent, letting her continue on.

“I wanted to be angry, I wanted to lash out, but…” Catra’s frown turned into the smallest smile Adora had ever seen from her, “I walked away and never looked back. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had my emotions under control, and I was under that impression for years . Then…” Mismatched eyes narrowed at Adora, “I saw you with Glimmer.”

Adora knew she did nothing to purposely hurt Catra, but still felt bad for the situation. Even then, there was hardly any malice between the two now.

“Just for a moment, I felt like my old self again — possessive, jealous, and so, so angry… But when we were in the cave, I saw how kind you were to Glimmer… The Failsafe was hurting you when you were healing her, but you kept going,” Catra nervously laughed, “I don’t think I’m that brave. She’s amazing, and deserves so much good in her life.”

Adora almost flinched at the feeling of Catra placing her hand on her shoulder. It was overwhelming as the thought crossed her mind — it had been years since the two had touched beyond their attempts to harm one another.

“And Adora, you’re far better than me,” Catra sniffled, but kept her smile stronger than before, “I could never—”

The Magicat gasped as Adora brought her into a hug. Catra’s movements were jagged and hesitant at first, but slowly she returned the hug.

“Catra…” Adora backed away from the hug, smiling back at her, “I thought a lot about you when I was traveling… About how mad I was with you,” Adora narrowed her gaze merely thinking about it, “Even though you helped us take down Prime, I was still so resentful. But after a while, I met another Catra in a dimension I came across—"

“Jeez, sorry you had to go through that—”

“I mean,” Adora laughed at Catra’s joke, “No, she was… nice to me. It sounds weird, but Bow’s dads adopted you in that universe. And despite the fact that you still went through so much, you seemed more at peace because you had a family…” Adora paused, expecting a response from Catra, but nothing came of it. “I’m sorry I got between you and Glimmer… Because she was the first person to make you feel like you belonged somewhere, wasn’t she?”

Catra seemed emotionless as she nodded, clearing her throat and still offering nothing back.

“I… I get that. She was the first person to offer that kind of safety to me, too… You told me back at the cavern that you never expect me to forgive you.”

    Finally, Catra perked up. It was a bit wishful of her to think that Adora was finally forgiving her, but she ultimately wasn’t bothered by the hero’s answer.

“And honestly, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive what you did to Etheria or me. Not right now, at least. But…” Adora shrugged her shoulders and smiled, “I’m willing to move on. I’m willing to try and fix things with you, because I want you in my life again. You’re family to Glimmer and me, Catra.”

To Adora’s surprise, Catra smiled. Not her usual mischievous or poker-faced smile, but one that was warm and genuine. Catra very simply answered, “Thank you, Adora…”

There was a moment of silence between the two. Years of trauma and hatred one another still refused to fade. It was a scar that marked them deeply, like the set of claw marks on Adora’s back. They accepted then and there that this discomfort wouldn’t fade overnight — nor would it likely ever fade away. But they could start somewhere.

“Oh, hey,” Catra suddenly reached into her pocket, “One more thing… I wanted to give you something.”

The Magicat revealed a refined piece of obsidian, one that easily fit in her palm, “It’s a rare form of obsidian only found in the Tunnels of Etheria. Everyone in Half Moon gets one piece in their lifetime, and they get to decide what they want to do with it. There’s also a lesson that goes with it…”

Catra held the obsidian up to the light. At just the right angle, the light shined through, revealing a kaleidoscope of colors within the dark stone. “Half Moon obsidian is a metaphor for life. From the surface, it can look dark and hopeless. But still, light will always shine through… and you can choose to show others the beauty within.”

Adora’s stare was owlish as Catra handed out the obsidian. As the hero accepted, she expected to be bombarded with ill memories of the battle with the Heart of Etheria. However, she had an odd sense of comfort from the mineral.

In the hero’s expansive imagination, she wondered if this was the Heart’s idea of a blessing.

"Thank you, Catra."

The weather was beautiful that warm evening. Over the horizon, the sun peeked through the trees. The wedding was being held in the gardens of Bright Moon, before a shrine erected in Angella’s honor. It was a stone grave marker, with a slab meant for incense offerings.

“Queen Angella. Gone, but never to be forgotten. A precious life was lost, but her death was not in vain. May she lie here with her beloved one day,” Adora kept reading the inscription over and over. A massive cherry tree sprawled its canopy over the shrine, and its beautiful pink petals were slowly falling to the ground.

Again, Adora let her vast imagination get the better of her, starting to wonder if the petals were a gift from Angella herself — her love falling upon the two and blessing them that day.

Stone lanterns lined the pathway, and paper lanterns hung from the dangling branches, providing a warm light. A trellis was erected in the center of the altar, decorated with palm leaves and bouquets of violets.  Even in the cracks of the stone pathway that led up to the altar, violets grew. It was only fitting that their symbol of love was the main flower for their wedding.

Only their closest friends and loved ones were there. Adora looked out into the small crowd, finding many familiar faces there. Scorpia held her newborn daughter, Thistle… A name Adora found strange but never questioned aloud. Perfuma and Kyle sat nearby, with Clover, Zinnia and Jay between them — all of which bounced impatiently.

Mermista, Seahawk, Frosta, Entrapta, and many of the Rebellion’s allies could be found. Even Swift Wind was there, loudly greeting the guests as they arrived.