by Tracey West
She grabbed the extendable staff from her belt and used it to launch herself up toward the robot. She hit one of its glowing eyes, then thrust the stick into its metal head. The robot exploded, sending Adora flying as it toppled partway back into the pit.
Adora landed, facedown, on a small area of remaining tiles. Two clawed feet walked past her. Catra had shown up after all.
Catra kicked the robot the rest of the way into the pit. Then she smirked at Adora and pointed to the tile Adora was lying on. It flashed red. Then it dropped.
Thinking quickly, Adora swung her staff across the top of the hole. It caught and she dangled above the abyss as Catra peered over the edge.
“Hey, Adora. How’s it hanging?”
“Catra!” Adora said. “Did you really show up late and let us do all the hard parts? That is low, even for you.”
“Aw, you know nothing’s too low for me,” Catra replied.
“Training exercise successfully completed,” came a voice over the speakers.
Catra reached down and offered Adora a hand. “Come on, you look stupid hanging down there.”
By the time Adora and Catra reached the locker room, Adora had stopped being annoyed with her friend. It was a team exercise, after all, and they had succeeded as a team.
“You should have seen your face,” Catra teased as they took off their training gear. “You were like, ‘Aahh! Noooo! Betrayal!’ ”
“Oh come on, Catra, we’re senior cadets now,” Adora replied. “I can’t believe you’re still pulling such childish, immature—” She stopped and pointed behind Catra. “Is that a mouse?”
Catra whirled around, panicked. “What? Where?”
Adora laughed. “Are you ever going to not fall for that?”
Catra got defensive. “I dunno, are you ever going to let it go? That was one time.”
“I know, but for some reason it’s always funny!” Adora shot back.
We’re not exactly even, Adora thought, but it’s something.
“Adora!”
Shadow Weaver’s voice made them both freeze. Adora snapped to attention and saluted.
“Shadow Weaver.”
“You have done well,” Shadow Weaver said, her hair floating behind her. “You have completed your training course in record time.”
“Uh, well, that wasn’t just me you know,” Adora replied. “Catra did, too.”
Shadow Weaver’s gaze turned to Catra. “Ah, yes. How someone as unmotivated as you completed the course in time, I’ll never know.”
“Always serving up those pep talks, huh, Shadow Weaver?” Catra mumbled.
“Silence,” Shadow Weaver said sternly. “Do not be flippant with me, cadet.”
The room went dark, and shadowy tendrils snaked toward Catra. Adora tensed. The commander’s shadow powers still freaked her out sometimes.
Catra’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Shadow Weaver.”
The tendrils receded. “Adora, walk with me,” Shadow Weaver said.
Adora cast an apologetic look at Catra, who groaned and rolled her eyes.
It’s not my fault Shadow Weaver gives Catra a hard time, Adora thought as she followed the commander. Shadow Weaver’s tough on everybody. And maybe if Catra would play by the rules once in a while …
“Lord Hordak has been watching you,” Shadow Weaver said as they moved together down the hall. “He thinks you are a fine candidate for force captain.”
Adora stopped walking. “Force captain? Lord Hordak said that about me?”
Adora was used to praise from Shadow Weaver. But she wasn’t expecting praise from Hordak.
“Oh yes,” Shadow Weaver replied as they began walking again. “He sees great promise in you. In fact, he has given you the honor of leading a squadron in the invasion of the rebel fortress of Thaymor.”
“Thaymor?” Adora asked in thrilled disbelief. “You mean we’re finally seeing active duty?”
“You are seeing active duty,” Shadow Weaver corrected.
Adora frowned. “But I’ll be able to bring my team along, right?”
Shadow Weaver shook her head. “Your team is not ready. They’ll only slow you down.”
Adora took a deep breath. “Shadow Weaver, with respect, they’ve been training hard for this, too,” she said. “And Catra—all she wants is to get out there and prove herself.”
“Then she should have worked harder to prove herself to me.” She pressed a shiny force captain badge bearing the Horde logo into Adora’s hand.
“This is what I’ve raised you for, Adora,” she said. “Now is your chance to prove yourself.”
Adora stared at the badge, her eyes wide with awe.
Shadow Weaver stopped in front of a window with a view of the Fright Zone, a sprawling mass of steel-and-concrete buildings. She put an arm around Adora’s shoulder.
“I saw talent in you from the moment I found you as an orphan child and took you in,” she said. “Is this not what you have wanted since you were old enough to want anything?”
“Yes,” Adora replied.
It is what I’ve always wanted … but not like this, she thought. Maybe I could ask Shadow Weaver to give my team another chance …
“With you at the forefront, we will crush the Bright Moon Rebellion once and for all,” Shadow Weaver said. “Do not disappoint me.”
Then she turned with a swirl of her cloak and vanished.
Despite Glimmer’s protests, the horseman would not change course. After hours of riding, Glimmer accepted her fate. When they finally reached Bright Moon, she was exhausted and resentful.
Castle guards escorted her directly to her mother’s throne room. Queen Angella looked as beautiful as always, with her long, flowing hair and gossamer wings. But her face was cold as she stared at Glimmer.
Glimmer knelt before Angella.
“Your Majesty,” Glimmer said, because even though Angella was her mother, she was still her queen. Then Glimmer stood.
“I’m told you disobeyed orders and led the Rebellion into a dangerous combat situation after you were ordered to retreat,” Queen Angella said.
“I was trying to protect a village from falling into the Horde’s grasp!” Glimmer protested.
“You were reckless and put yourself and the other rebels in danger,” Angella scolded.
“Fighting is SUPPOSED to be dangerous,” Glimmer shot back. “How are we going to hold our own against the Horde if we keep retreating? Pretty soon we won’t have anything left to defend!”
“I’m growing tired of your back talk, Commander Glimmer,” Angella said.
“Why did you even make me a commander if you won’t let me fight?” Glimmer asked.
Angella’s dark eyes flashed. “That’s enough. You’re grounded!”
Glimmer groaned. “Ugh. Mom!”
“You heard me.”
“You never let me do anything!” Glimmer complained.
“We are not having this discussion tonight,” Angella said calmly. “You are embarrassing me in front of my royal court.”
Glimmer put her hands on her hips. “Oh, I’m embarrassing you?”
“Go to your room!” Angella said firmly.
“I’m going!” Glimmer shouted.
Then she stormed out of the throne room.
How can I ever be a Rebellion commander if Mom won’t let me rebel against anything?!
Catra watched Adora leave with Shadow Weaver. When they were out of sight, she kicked a chair.
What does Shadow Weaver know? Catra wondered. I’m the one who finished off that robot, anyway. Not Adora.
She did her best to shake off the mood. The training exercise was over, and that meant there was at least an hour before lunch. She and Adora had been wanting to climb up to the water tower again. It had the best view of the Whispering Woods in the whole Fright Zone.
She dashed out of the locker room to search for Adora. Ten minutes later, she spotted her standing on one of the metal catwalks outside the building.
Catra pounce
d on Adora, knocking her to the ground.
“What’d Shadow Weaver say?” Catra asked. Then she spotted something shining in Adora’s hand. “Hey, what’s this?”
She took the object out of Adora’s hand and climbed up to a support beam overhead, out of Adora’s reach. She recognized the object immediately.
“No way! You’ve been promoted?” she asked.
“Well, kind of …” Adora said, avoiding Catra’s eyes. “I mean, yeah, I guess. But it’s not a big deal.”
Catra’s mind raced with possibilities. If Adora was a force captain, that meant their team would be at the front of the action. They’d be sent on important missions. She’d finally get to explore the world outside the Fright Zone! “Are you kidding? That is awesome!” Catra cheered. “We’re gonna see the world—and conquer it! Adora, I need to blow something up!”
Adora looked away. “Um …”
Catra eyed her suspiciously. “What?”
“Shadow Weaver says you’re not coming,” Adora admitted.
Catra’s pointy ears drooped. She knew Adora was Shadow Weaver’s favorite, but she never imagined Shadow Weaver would separate them like this.
“What is her problem with me?!” Catra asked.
Adora faced her friend. “I mean … you are kind of disrespectful.”
“Why should I respect her?” Catra fumed. “She’s just bitter that she doesn’t have any real power that doesn’t come from Hordak, and everyone knows it.” The next words came out of her mouth without thinking. “But I guess it sure must be easy being a people-pleaser like you.”
Catra leapt from the beam to a higher platform.
“I am not a—” Adora began, but Catra wasn’t in the mood to hear Adora defend herself. She jumped from the platform up to another catwalk and ran out of Adora’s sight.
She climbed up higher and higher until she got to the very top of the building. It was her favorite place to come whenever she was upset—which was a lot—and nobody ever bothered her here, because nobody could climb so high. Nobody except Adora, anyway. Today, Catra hoped Adora hadn’t followed her.
What’s the point of training if I’m never going to get to go anywhere or do anything? she asked herself. She flipped Adora’s badge over in her hands and stared out at the Fright Zone, lost in thought for who knows how long.
Around the time it started getting dark, she heard a clink of metal.
Adora’s grappling hook looped around a pipe and she pulled herself up. Catra turned away from her.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Adora said, sitting next to Catra. “I didn’t even think you wanted to be a force captain.”
“I don’t,” Catra protested. “Here, take your stupid badge.” She flung it at Adora.
“Come on, Catra. This is what I’ve been working for my entire life,” Adora said. “I was hoping you could be … I don’t know … happy for me.”
Catra leapt to her feet. She didn’t really want to be mad at her friend. “Ugh, whatever. It’s not like I even care. I just want to get out of this dump at some point before I die of boredom.”
Adora smirked. “So let’s go.”
She held out a key dangling from a metal ring. Catra was confused. That looked like a skiff key … had Adora snuck into the vehicle bay?
“No way,” Catra said.
“Way,” Adora replied. “Come on!”
The two girls climbed down from the roof and made their way to a flat-bottomed skiff vehicle hidden behind a building.
“I take it all back,” Catra said. “You’re officially awesome. I can’t believe you actually stole a skiff!”
“Borrowed,” Adora corrected her. “Please don’t make me regret this!”
Adora jumped in the driver’s seat, and Catra climbed in behind her. Adora started the engine and the skiff hovered above the ground. They quietly soared away from the buildings and into the desert surrounding the Fright Zone.
But ugh. Adora was driving so slowly.
“I’ve always wanted to drive one of these things,” Catra said, reaching across Adora to grab the rudder. She yanked it back, and the skiff rocketed ahead.
“Whoa!” Adora yelled. “Save us enough fuel to get back!”
“That is a problem for future Adora and Catra,” Catra said with a grin.
Their hair whipped behind them as they zipped across the desert. The taste of freedom energized Catra, and she spurred the skiff on even faster.
Suddenly, Adora’s voice called out in true panic.
“Whoa! Whoa! Catra!”
Catra looked up from the rudder to see a forest of dense trees ahead of them. She slammed on the brakes just in time, and the skiff skidded to a stop before it reached the tree line. The two girls stared at the dark, eerie forest. They heard a rustling chorus of whispers coming from inside.
“What’s that noise?” Catra asked.
“I think this must be the Whispering Woods,” Adora replied. “They say there are monsters in there and the trees move when you’re not looking. Every Horde squadron they’ve sent in there has never come out again.”
Well, we can change that, Catra thought. “Let’s go in.” She stomped on the accelerator and the skiff took off into the woods.
“Ahhhhhhhh!” shrieked Adora.
“Woooooo-hooooo!” Catra cheered.
The skiff rocketed through the dense greenery, snapping vines and breaking branches as it carved a jagged path through the woods.
“Catra, slow down!” Adora begged.
Catra ignored her. This was the most fun she’d had in her whole life!
“Catra! Tree! TREE!” Adora yelled.
This time, Catra looked up—to see a massive tree in their path. She tried to steer away from it, but the skiff was going too fast. Adora grabbed the rudder and pulled up hard. The skiff rocketed upward just before hitting the tree and spiraled crazily through the maze of the tree’s coiled limbs.
Then … whomp! A branch hit Adora, and the force of the impact sent her flying off the skiff.
“Adooooraaaaaaaaa!” Catra cried, trying to control the skiff. But Adora didn’t answer. Only haunting whispers came from the mass of twisted branches.
Her friend was gone.
Glimmer sat at her desk in Bright Moon and wrote in her diary.
“Dear Mom, I know you’ll never read this, but I have to write it somewhere,” she said out loud. “I feel like you don’t respect me.”
Whoosh! An arrow whizzed past Glimmer’s ear! It stuck with a thud into the wall beside her. A note unfurled from the arrow’s shaft: LOOK OUTSIDE.
Glimmer rolled her eyes, yanked the arrow from the wall, and then marched over to the open bedroom window.
“Watch it!” she called down in a loud whisper. “You almost hit me!”
A figure below pushed back its hood to reveal the friendly face of a teenage boy. He grinned up at Glimmer.
“Hey, Glimmer!” he shouted.
“Shhhh!” Glimmer warned. “Bow, what are you doing here?”
Normally, Glimmer would have been thrilled to see her best friend. She had missed him while she was stuck in Elberon. But the last thing she needed was to get in more trouble with her mom.
“Come down here!” Bow shouted.
“I can’t! I’m grounded!” Glimmer hissed.
“What?” Bow yelled. “I can’t hear you!”
Glimmer sighed with frustration. She teleported out of her room in a flash of pink sparkles and appeared behind Bow, shouting in his ear.
“I’m GROUNDED!” she told him.
Bow jumped. “Ah!”
Glimmer grabbed him and teleported both of them back to her room.
“Ugh! I’m so mad at my mom!” she complained.
Bow nodded as he began to fold and pick up the clothes that Glimmer had strewn around the floor.
“Is this about the siege on Elberon?” he asked.
“I was just trying to defend another one of our villages from falling into the Horde’s clutches!” she
replied. “She stationed me all the way out there because it’s too remote to ever get attacked, but then it did, and it was my ONE CHANCE to prove that I can do this. But she acts like I can’t do anything because I’m just a princess. Ugh!”
She teleported up to her high, floating platform bed.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Bow said. “Everyone here is a princess! I’m, like, the only one who’s not a princess.”
Glimmer collapsed dramatically on her bed. “Tell that to my mom!”
Bow held up a folded sweater. “Hey, where does this go?”
“Bottom drawer,” Glimmer instructed.
Glimmer sometimes wondered how she and Bow had become friends. Bow could be compulsively neat, and Glimmer was sometimes careless and messy. Glimmer knew that she could spark to anger in a flash, while Bow usually kept his cool. But they bonded over their love of Bright Moon, and their desire to keep it safe from the Horde.
“Anyway, your mom might have a point,” Bow said. “The only reason you got out of there is because of your teleportation powers, and let’s face it, they don’t always work that well.”
Glimmer scowled. “Looking for support here, Bow!”
He climbed the floating steps to join her. “I’m just saying, if you want to prove yourself, it’s going to take more than running recklessly into any old battle. Luckily, I’ve got just the thing.”
He pulled out a small scanner pad. “Check this out. I detected a piece of First Ones tech in the Whispering Woods. A pretty powerful one, too, by the size of these readings.”
Glimmer perked up. First Ones was the name given to the first inhabitants of Etheria. Nobody knew much about them, but the traces they’d left behind were mysterious and impressive: ruins of beautiful buildings, a language that nobody could decipher, and, most important advanced technology. If someone could unlock First Ones technology, Glimmer knew they could win the war for control of Etheria.
“If you find this First Ones tech and bring it back,” Bow said, “your mom is bound to be impressed.”
Glimmer knew she had to do something big to show her mother she could lead the Rebellion. Maybe this was it.
“I’m in!” she told Bow.
Then she transported them both outside in a flurry of pink sparkles.