1364 Words (Is this long enough? too long?)

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The shiny princess stared accusingly. "Why do you have She-ra's sword!?"

Adora shook her head, confused and tired. "I don't know who you are or what that is, but give me that sword!" She made a leap forwards, knocking crop-top to the ground and grabbing the sword from sparkles. 

The boy shouted from the ground; "Glimmer, don't let her have it!" but he was too late, Adora had wrestled it out of Glimmer's grip and sprinted into the underbrush. Glimmer shook her head and did the weird phase thing, stepping forwards a few feet.

She looked back at the boy, "Bow, come on, now!"

They tried to follow Adora's trail, but the Horde cadet knew how to avoid being tracked. Until there was a screech from her and the two knew exactly where she was. 

They sprinted in the direction of the noise, and literally ran into Adora, who was unfortunately face to face with a massive beetle. The thing clacked its pincers together and advanced towards the three teens. Bow and Glimmer backed away, but Adora was frozen. She held up her hand, palm towards the bug-beast and slowly stepped forwards. 

Glimmer groaned. Now she would have to take the sword off the girl's mauled body. Blood made her stomach queasy. 

Adora continued towards the massive beetle, still holding her hand out. The thing was gradually slowing it's charge, like it was hypnotized. It came to a stop mere feet from Adora, almost touching her hand. It's breath smelled like carrion. Adora's concentration was broken as she coughed from the stink, and the beast broke out if it's daze. 

It reared up, but Bow had already nocked his arrow, and as the bug was in the air, he shot it's vulnerable stomach 1..2..3 times. 

It was still alive, but it shrieked in pain and fled back into the trees. 

The three released the breaths they didn't know they were holding. Adora looked down at the sword in shock, scared and happy because WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON and SHE DISCOVERED HER MUTATION!! Catra's gonna be excited! 

Glimmer and Bow tackled her. She squirmed out of their - honestly weak - grip. They were about to lunge at her again, but she dropped the sword, putting her foot on the blade to keep it in place, and held up her hands to stop them. 

"Okay, okay, time out!" 

Glimmer frowned. "That's not how this works, give us the sword!"

"Why do you want the sword?"

"It's First One's tech, duh. And you are obviously She-ra, so you need to come too."

"Come where? And who is the first one?" 

"To - "

Bow cut in at that point, "Glimmer! We don't know who she is! Don't tell her about BM." He turned to Adora "And stop trying to run away! We need to at least attempt to talk this out."

Glimmer stomped her foot. "There isn't any time! We need to go now!" 

Adora frowned and looked at Glimmer. "Are you a princess or a mutation?"

Glimmer frowned at her. "I am Glimmer, daughter of Queen Angela, duh. The princess of Bri-"

"Hushshsh" Bow cut in again. "Look, she has a Horde tattoo! She's one of them!" 

Adora shifted her shirt to cover the Horde symbol on her shoulder better, uneasy for some reason. "And? President Prime picked me specifically to be his guard. I am one of the strongest and most loyal" She lifted her head, proud. 

Glimmer smacked her. "You miserable asshole! You have the nerve to proud of being among those ... those murderers!" She was outraged. 

Adora, genuinely confused, shook her head. "No! They are good! It's the princesses who are murderers and traitors!"

Glimmer grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the woods. A moment later, they emerged from the cover of the forest onto a cliff, overlooking what looked like the remains of a small village. It was obviously a few months old, but the damage was apparent. The former buildings were piles of ash and wreckage, the least damaged structure was three walls, barely holding up a roof. There were bones littered across the streets, or what were the streets. Deep ruts from tanks scored the ground, fields for crops were ravaged and food was rotten.

Adora was shaken. Her - her side caused this, didn't they. "B-but why?" She went limp. 

Glimmer felt some sympathy. The girl obviously hadn't known. She reached towards Adora to comfort her somehow, but withdrew when she realized that this could be an elaborate trick. Or maybe she was sincere. Only one way to know. 

"We leave for base camp now, and Brightmoon in three days. Come on Bow, and ...uh."

"Adora." Her voice was hollow and numb, and her soul shocked by this revelation.

 - - - 

After trekking through the woods, at the trio arrived at a small trail, barely noticable unless you knew what to look for. Adora didn't even realize that they were on a trail until she saw that there was a new steadiness to the ground under her feet.

Until then, Adora had walked at a steady pace, ignoring her surroundings and instead having an existential crisis. Glimmer and Bow nervously flanked her, always ready to pull out their weapons again at the slightest sign of hostility.  The trio ducked into the bushes, pushed by Glimmer as a few guards passed by. 

Adora, who had finally snapped out of her existential crisis, was surprised, "Why are you hiding from your own people?" she questioned Glimmer. 

"Maybe a sworn enemy of my people, a.k.a. you, would be totally welcome in our secret base of operations, but i'm not sure the odd are to great." Glimmer sarcastically responded.

"Don't call me that." 

Glimmer lifted an eyebrow. 

"I'm not .... i don't want to be that anymore." Adora looked down, feeling smaller than she had in a long time. "And, anyway, why can't you two be seen?"

"Weelll... maybe ... we...sorta ... were supposed to be at training...this whole time."

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At the base camp training grounds, two poorly dressed scarecrows, one pink and sparkly, the other vaguely resembling a short tree wearing a crop-top, were buffeted by the wind

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"And," Glimmer paused, "I don't want to run into my mom just yet."

Adora shook her head impatiently. "Then show me where I can sleep until you have your shit together."

Bow gasped and covered Glimmers ears "Language!"

Glimmer batted his hands away, "Oh fuck you"

Bow grasped at his chest like he was having a heart attack "You heathens!! Killing me with vile words!!" 

Glimmer and Adora giggled at his theatrics, but quickly quieted themselves as they heard more footsteps. 

"Come on" Glimmer pulled Adora and Bow behind her as she made a break for the largest tent in the clearing, which was built into a nearby cliff face Adora hadn't noticed before. 

She and Bow scrambled under the edge as Glimmer held it up for them, and Glimmer used sparkle magic to phase through the walls. 

Adora looked around in awe. "What a tent!" 

Glimmer looked injured, "It is a yurt, thank you very much."

"Erm, okay." Adora took a few steps and immediately tripped. "Is there a light in here?" 

Glimmer turned on the light and revealed a massive room. She sighed in relief, "I was worried we would come into an occupied room. Alright, Adora. I know this is a bit small, but you can stay the night here. Bow and I will break the news gently to my mom. You stay put. Don't leave, and don't let other people see you, okay?" 

Adora nodded and was about to ask where she was supposed to sleep, but the two were gone before she could form a word.

"Smart," She muttered "Leaving a potential threat unattended in the center of camp. I coul-"

She cut herself off with a yawn. 

"I could go to sleep."

Then, Adora promptly curled up in a corner facing the door and passed out. 

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What do you guys think so far??? I get a little uninspired every now and then and have to wait til my sleep-deprived rabid raccoon of a brain is like "Let's do this!!!" and write as fast as I can for the five minutes my brain has the motivation chipmunk captured.