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laufeysonsx · 4 months

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Chapter 1

My shoulders hang low as I trudged the old abandoned highway. The weight of moms death heavy on my heart. I have been walking for over a week now since I left the car that I found. 'Why?'' you may ask? Simply because the fuel ran out. I drank my last drop of water 3 days ago and I was down to my last muesli bar. The scorning hot sun shone bright above my head as there was nowhere to shelter from it. The stranded cars were hard to open and had barely any supplies in them. I found a cap, which helped against the sun.

I was walking on eggshells, or so it feels like. Constantly looking around, trying not to make any noise as there were biters everywhere. It drained me. Weeks long of tip toeing my way around the world, without any food or water is hard. I refuse to give up. I made a promise to mom, to make it to that place here, in Virginia. It was the only thing that kept me going these past weeks. If not for mom, I would've ended it a long time ago.

The sun was setting and I saw some small houses coming up. Or was I imagining it? Did I get a sun stroke? I walked, and when I say walked I meant shuffled, faster towards a small town on the side of the road. It had houses on either side. Is this real? I lay my hand on the wooden walls of the house. It is real. ''Oh my god'' I sighed out. Tears of joy fell down my cheeks. Focus Bailey, these houses may contain biters. I unsheathed my dagger and held it up as I knocked on the door. No sound. I cracked open the door, still no sound or movement. Moving in, I noticed that the place was a mess. They must have left in a hurry. I lowered my dagger, keeping it ready when I needed it and walked around. I open the cupboards and found a of bottle of water and cans of peaches and beans. I picked up the bottle and took a sip, savoring the rest for later. I opened another cupboard and found a whole sixpack of bottles. ''Fuck it.'' I said and drank the bottle that I already opened. ''Ahh this is so good.'' I moaned.

I walked around the house, searching the place. I didn't find anything else. I was now upstairs, there were beds, sheets, pillows. This is heaven when you walked for weeks on the road, without any good shelter. I couldn't help but smile. I smiled for the first time since mom died. I sat down on one of the beds and sighed so loud. I had a place to stay for a while. After a few moments I stood op and walked over to the window overlooking the small street. I looked around and saw some movement in on of the alleyways. I carefully walked down the stairs and peeked through the door. I didn't see anyone. I fully stepped outside now.

''Mommy?'' I hear. I whip my head around and see a little girl hugging someone that's laying on the ground. ''Mommy wake up, please'' she says again. You could hear how scared she was. I kneel down and keep my eyes on the little girl. She's across the street. Her mother wasn't moving. ''Mommy...'' she started crying. ''Mommy!'' she screams. The hurt is killing me. This little girl is losing her mother way to young. A tear slides down my cheek. ''Mommy! You are awake!'' she says and I look up at her. The woman is indeed moving now. She grabs the little girl by her arm, ''mommy you are hurting me.'' She says and tries to get out if her grip. ''Ouch!'' she says, ''Let go! Let go of me!'' She yells.

I stand up and run over to them. ''Hey, hey hey, look at me.'' I say in a hushed voice. She turns her head to me and those small grey eyes were full of hurt. I hug her, placing my hand on the back of her head. More tears start to find their way on my cheek as I end her mothers live. The little girl wants to turn around but I stop her. ''Mommy send me to help you.'' I say. I stand up, scooping her up with me. She's sitting on my arm now. ''It's okay sweetheart. I'll keep you save.'' I say. In this moment of time, I didn't care. I lost my mom, she just lost hers. It's like she was sent to me, like a sign to keep going. ''You've got me now'' I hug her as I silently cy.

She leans back on my arm and rests her little hand on my cheeks, ''don't cry'' she says and wipes my cheeks. I look at her, blonde curls falling on her back. I nod, and wipe my face wit my free hand. ''Mommy was in pain.'' She explains. I nod, ''I could see that. I helped mommy, she's up there now.'' I say and point up to the sky. ''Both our mommy's are there.'' I tell her. Her head falls back as she looks up, ''Hi mommy...'' She whispers. A tear escapes her eye and I wipe it away. ''No more crying.'' I say and hold up my pinky, ''Pinky promise?'' I ask. She holds up her small pinky and hooks it around mine. ''Promise.'' She says.

I look up at the sky and smile. ''Thank you.'' I mouth as I walk back to the house I was in. It's save there, for now. I turn my attention back to the little girl. ''So, how old are you?'' I ask. I could see the gears turning in her head and she holds up six fingers. ''Six? Aren't you a big girl!'' I tickle her. She giggles. ''And what is your name?'' I ask. ''Lily'' she smiles. I nod, ''I am Bailey.'' I smile down at her and hold out my hand, she grabs it and shakes it. ''Nice to meet you'' I smile trough the pain. This little girl will now be under my care and I will have to do everything about it to keep her save.

I barricade the front door and walk into the kitchen, at least, from what's left of it and set Lily on the counter top. ''Hungry?'' I ask and she nods. I grab a can of peaches and open it for her. ''Careful, the edges might be sharp.'' I tell her as I give her the can. I put a bottle of water beside her so she has something to drink. ''Can I ask where you and mommy were going?'' I ask. ''Mommy wanted to find a save place to live. One of the monsters grabbed her... Mommy was ill.'' She says and I can feel the sadness. ''I was going to a save place, do you think that mommy knew that? She waited till I was with you.'' I tell her to reassure her. ''Mommy was smart.'' She smiles.

I nod, ''she indeed is.'' I chuckle. I eat a can of beans and look carefully at her. ''Are you hurt?'' I ask her and she shakes her head. ''No, mommy kept me save.'' She says and eats another piece of peach. "Good'' I nod. I pick her up and walk over to the couch. I set her down and I sit next to her. Her blonde curls are tangled and her little face is smudged with dirt. ''Once you're done, shall we go look for a brush and wash cloth?'' I ask her and smile. She nods and eats her peaches. ''Done!'' she says and shows me the empty can. ''Good girl.'' I say and stand up walking to the stairs. ''Come, I need your help finding them.'' I chuckle. I'm really trying to make her happy and include her from now on. She's now relaying in me.

Luckily we found a brush and some cloths. To my surprise, the water was still running and it was warm as well. I could wash her face and I brushed her hair. I found hair ties and put her hair in a bun to prevent it from being snatched by biters. ''That's a lot better, isn't it?'' I ask Lily when I was done with making a bun. She nods and smiles ''Now I can see better!'' She giggles. I chuckle in response. The sun was setting. We could easily stay here for the night. It's save and I barricaded the front door. ''So, are you tired?'' I ask the little girl. ''A little...'' She says and yawns. ''Well, we're in luck, as you saw, there are beds. So we can sleep here if you want?'' She nodded eagerly. I picked her up and brought her to one of the beds, throwing her on one of the beds, earning a giggle in response. I took of her shoes and tucked her in. ''I'll be downstairs for a bit, I'll come up soon okay?'' she looks up at me, ''okay''. I ruffle her bun and walk downstairs. Once I sit back down on the couch I sigh. I bring my knees to my chest and rest my head on my knees. I silently cry. I do believe that mom send her to me, as a sign to keep going. Lily's heartbreak for her mommy broke me. I kept my cool, but it was so hard to kill her mom.

After an hour or so I walked back upstairs and lay myself down on the king-sized bed. My hands founds their way behind my head and I look up at the ceiling, not daring to sleep incase something happens. ''Bailey?'' My head turns to the doorway, ''I can't sleep'' Lily says and rubs her eyes. I open my arm for her. She crawls on bed and lays against me as I wrap my arm around her. I turn on my side and curl around her. ''Try to get some sleep sunshine, I'll keep you save, okay?'' She nods and closes her eyes. Soon her breaths are slow and even. I throw the cover over us and close my eyes too. Within an hour I am asleep.

~~~~~~~~~

''Bailey!'' someone pulls my arm. ''Wake up!'' My eyes fling open and Lily is tugging my arm in panic. ''What is wrong?!'' I say as she points to the stairs. ''Monsters..." She whispers. I sit up straight, ''Are they inside?'' I whisper. She nods. Fuck. I climb out of bed and walk over to the window. There's a fire escape. ''Stay here, I'll grab your shoes and our bags and we'll leave trough the window.'' I tell her as I set her on the bed. I tiptoe to the other room where we left her shoes and bag and look down the stairs. There's at least seven of the biters inside. How? I barricaded the door? No time to thigh about that. I quickly run back to the room where I left Lily. I hear growls and the stairs is creaking. I whip my head over my shoulder and see two biters coming up the stairs. They must have heard me running. ''Shit'' I whisper yell. I softly close the door behind me and lock it. I try to stay calm for Lily, I don't want to scare her. I quickly put on her shoes and put her down on the ground. ''Turn around'' I whisper and she does. I put her backpack on her back.

The door is now moving, the biters walking into it to reach us. I hold my finger up to my lips, indicting to Lily that she needs to be quiet. She nods but I can see that she's scared. I open up the window and pick her up, placing her outside on the fire escape. The door bursts open and the two biters march in, walking over to us. ''Bailey!'' Lily yells. I quickly look down in the alleyway, to my luck there's no biters there. "Go down the steps! I'll be right behind you!'' I say and turn back around. My dagger is already in my hand as one of the biters throws me against the wall. In the corner of my eye I can see Lily staring at me. ''Go! I promised to keep you save, I'll be there!'' I yell and she nods. I plunge my dagger in the skull of the biter and throw its body to the other one, buying me some time to climb out the window. As I'm trying to go down the stairs, the other biter grips my arm. ''Asshole!'' I yell and put my dagger up his nose, it's body going limb. I quickly walk down the stairs and find Lily, hugging her. ''See, you're save.'' I whisper in her ear. Her little arms wrap around my neck and I pick her up, setting her on my hip. ''Let's go.'' I say and lean towards the street. It's full of biters. I curse under my breath. ''we'll have to make a run out of this town.'' I tell Lily and set her down for a bit. I move my backpack to my chest and kneel down. ''Jump'' I tell Lily and she jumps. Her legs go through the bands of my backpack and I hold her up, making sure that she's secure. Her hands grip my shoulders, ''ready?'' I ask over my shoulder. She nods, ''okay, hold tight!'' I say and run onto the street. Heads turning our way as I make a run out of town, dodging every biter that comes close. ''Close your eyes!'' I yell over the growls, She doesn't need to see this.

I feel a tug on my back and notice that a biter is holding on to Lily's bag. I quickly turn around and swipe my dagger in its head. I keep on running and running but the herd is following me on my heels. I'm growing tired. ''Look!'' Lily yells and I see her pointing forward. My eyes follow her little finger and sure enough there's a car coming our way? I keep running towards it as it slows down. A man gets out, ''Duck!'' he yells and I do as he says. He runs up to us and starts to riffle down the biters. ''Are you hurt? Bitten?'' He asks, saying calm. ''N-no!'' I say. ''good, come with me!'' he yells above the growls. I don't even think twice as we run back to the car.

''I'm Aaron, we have a save place where you can stay.'' The man says to us. ''Do you mean... 'that' save place in Virginia?'' I ask Aaron. He nods and smiles, pulling away from the herd. ''oh thank god'' I burst in tears as I hug Lily who's siting in my lap. Aaron grips my shoulder in an kind way and tells me to relax, as it's an 30 minute drive. ''So who are you?'' Aaron asks. ''I'm Bailey, this is Lily, we found each other yesterday.'' I try to smile as I think back on how we met. Aaron nods, ''I am Aaron, as you know, and I drive around to see if there's people in need and give them the choice to come back to Alexandria.'' He smiles.

''We're close.'' Aarond nods towards a sign that says 'Alexandria, this way'. ''Do you think his is where our mommy's wanted us to go?'' I ask Lily as I see high walls and a big gate. ''I think so!'' She giggles as the gate opens.

''You are finally save. I will let Deanna know that I came back, she'll help you get settled.'' Aaron says and gets out of the car. The gates close behind us and I look around. It's just like a normal neighborhood. People are smiling, children are playing outside. I look down at Lily, her eyes almost popping out of her head. She looks up at me and smiles, holing up her arms. I hug her tight.

''I think we can call this our new home!'' I smile and look back up at the sky. ''We're home mom.'' I say and my eyes fill with tears.

#dixon #daryldixon #dryl #twd #thewalkingdead #fanfic #fanfiction #love #darylxreader #crossbow #alexandria

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mynerdylockscreens · 2 years

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some general aesthetic lockscreens of plumeria, the kingdom of snows, and dryl from she-ra and the princesses of power!

part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5 / part 6

like or reblog if you use these!

#phone wallpaper #phone lockscreen #she-ra and the princesses of power #srpop #spop #spop scenery #plumeria #the kingdom of snows #dryl #general aesthetic

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abneyart · 2 years

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Sexy Entrapta Week 2022

Day Three: Formal Friday

I have been trying for (oh god it's literally been) years now to nail down Dryl culture stuff for my headcanon, and this is the closest I have gotten to something I might like? I think of it like a coronation outfit. Entrapta probably wore it once and then hasn't touched it since lol. I took some inspiration from the og Entrapta, from Glimmer's coronation robe thing, and (believe it or not) Hordak's armor; I figure the parts that are in the new armor that aren't present in what we know about Horde clone uniform is Entrapta's own creation, so maybe it came from her home kingdom? I dig the dark metal elements...not sold on the rest of the colors. I also wanted the clothes to be distinctive from the other kingdoms while staying true to the overall style of the show--I hc that Dryl is a pretty isolated kingdom in terms of culture, so I let myself get a little bit funky with it

We all know that fashion design is NOT my strong suit haha

What do you think?

#abneyart #fanart #entrapta #dryl #spop

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yourfellowhuman07 · 11 months

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Where Do We Go Now?

A She-ra: Princess of Power 2018 fanfiction

The war is finally over. Prime is dead, the hive mind is broken, and everyone is reunited with their loved ones. However, there are some questions left unanswered. What will be the fate of Catra and Hordak? What are these new memories Wrong Hordak has? What is Etheria's place in the wider universe? Where do we go now?

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Hey guys, here's chapter 25. I wrote most of this morning, so I'm sorry if this is so short and not the best quality. This past week had been hectic for me. Still thank you for the support I have gotten.

I'll say this again if you have any questions or need to say anything to me please comment it or use my asks box (or whatever it is called I'm new). Have a great rest of your week.

___________________

Chapter 25: System One

The six brothers walked into the mountain. Hordak led the way through the winding pathways highlighted by the map Entrapta made him. The lights in the cave were dim, which wasn’t a problem since they could see just fine even if it was pitch black. When they turned the next corner, they shut their eyes at the sudden abundance of light illuminating the larger cavern. After letting their eyes adjust, they saw rows of shops and vendors coming out of every nook and cranny bathed in soft blue and purple lights.

Many of the smaller vendors sold handmade crafts. Most of it was jewelry made from the gemstones found deep in the mines of Dryl along with other amenities made from leather, iron, and even clothing. The larger shops in the center had more professional brands that could be found in some of the other countries across Etheria.

The six brothers made their way through the winding roads of the market. Whispers wove their way through the hustle and bustle of the masses. The glances and glares from the crowd unsettled the brothers, all except Hordak who was used to looks of disgust and whispers of contempt.

ZD tapped Hordak on the shoulder.

“Yes?”

“What is that?” ZD pointed at a black building with silver trimming. Just inside the window, a person was sitting in a chair while another person made black marks on their skin with a pen-like device.

“It is a tattoo parlor.”

“What is a tattoo?”

“Come with me,” Hordak guided his brothers to the shop’s window. “A tattoo is a permanent piece of art embedded within the skin. This is achieved by puncturing the skin with needles and inserting ink.”

“Can I get a tattoo?”

“I would advise against that. A tattoo can only be removed with lasers, otherwise, it is completely permanent; thus, much thought and consideration must be put in before attaining one.” ZD’s ears drooped. “However, if you can come up with a fitting design with ample thought, I will pay for it.” ZD’s face lit up.

“Thank you, HK.” ZD gave a small bow.

“What are they doing there?” LD pointed at two people in the back of the shop. One was sitting on a stool while another person held a device to their ear.

“That person is getting their ears pierced. Many beings decide to make harmless holes in their body, and insert jewelry.”

“Is that reversible?”

“I believe so, once the hole is healed up.”

All five gave Hordak a pleading look. He sighed and pulled out his wallet.

________________________

“JJ, did you seriously have to yelp when the woman pierced your ears?” TD asked as they exited the shop.

“I just didn’t expect it to hurt.” JJ’s ears drooped in embarrassment.

“It didn’t even hurt!”

“I- uh. Shut up!”

LD walked up to Hordak.

“Hey HK, do you think maybe we could get She-Ra to grow our hair out too? Just whenever is possible.”

“I will ask her about it.”

“Thank you… where are they going?” LD pointed to the rest of his brothers running off into the crowd.

“Come on, let’s go chase after them.” LD ran off to find them and Hordak tried to follow him, but something was holding him back. He turned around to find a short middle-aged woman with lilac skin and dark purple hair holding onto one of his overall straps. As he looked into her cerulean eyes he saw a kind of wisdom that reminded him of his mother.

“You are the former Lord Hordak, are you not?” She asked, letting go of him.

“I- I am, madam.”

“I had a feeling. I’m Morella, the overseer of System One of Dryl. Many people call me Mother Morella.” She stuck out her hand for Hordak to shake. He took it nervously, trying to regain his stability.

“Ah yes, Entrapta has mentioned you before. It is an honor to meet you, madam. May I ask what you require of me?”

“I simply wanted to meet to person our dear Princess was in a relationship with.”

“How did you know?”

“Word travels fast within the mines of Dryl. Besides, by the way, she spoke of you, it was only a matter of time before you two got together.”

“What did she say?”

“It was more how she said it. She spoke with such admiration about you. I can’t describe it, I just know things.” Hordak’s ears flicked down, and his cheeks flushed.

“Is there anything else you need, madam?”

“I only ask that you protect Princess Entrapta. You of all people should know how reckless she can be.”

Hordak looked into her warm eyes.

“Rest assured madam, for as long as my heart beats Princess Entrapta and all she holds dear will be my priority.”

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By the way, Morella is whatever species held that party/ trap in season five. I don't know if the name was mentioned because I haven't watched the show in a while. Oops.

Update: It was Elberon

Also fixed the errors that Grammarly pointed out after I posted this.

#spop #hordak #entrapta #entrapdak #hyperfixation #she ra #spop fanfic #fanfic #horde clones #horde clone ocs #my ocs #Dryl

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freedfromthegalactichivemind · 1 year

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Another thing I wish more people would do worldubilding wise is use the fact that I think Dryl is supposed to be a mining Kingdom.

They are miners

(With good old fashion Union jobs :P)

Yep. Well, some people think it's just Entrapta, her kitchen-staff and a bunch or robots, but we saw a couple of people looking over the Horde-occupation and turning away like they'd just had to flee their homeland, so I like to think that there are people there. Oh, and that goblin-dude who came out of the floor. They were there. In the original series, Dryl (pronounced differently) was expressly a bunch of miners mining a mysterious substance called Etherium. I can see Dryl full of unions - the First Ones Tech Miners Local 99, the Dryl Steelworkers, and for the castle staff, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union* (of Dryl). *My dad's union, when he was working - as a butcher.

#dryl #entrapta #entrapta is a tax evader not a union crusher

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emperorsfoot · 2 years

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I would like to propose an OT3:

Entrapta/Hordak/Faceless One

#entrapdak #entrapdak plus one #ot3 #poly #motu #masters of the universe #hordak #entrapta #the faceless one #Nikolas powers #Nickolas powers #Zalesia #dryl #fright zone #evil-lyn #evil-lyn's parents

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tallysgreatestfan · 1 year

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She-Ra Places aesthetics ➤ Dryl

#She-Ra #spop #Dryl #moodbord #aesthetic #place aesthetic

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cirusthecitrus · 1 year

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Entrapdak Positivity Month 2023 Day 2: Cake

Happy Birth Queen u-u (It is still Entrapta's Birthday somewhere in the world so technically I'm not late :P)

#entrapdak #entrapdak positivity month #entrapta #hordak #wrong hordak #imp #scorpia #bow #adora #some backstory: hordak lost a bet to dryl's kitchen staff and and now he's a part of entrapta's present #anyway rip bow you will be missed

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edge-lorde · 1 year

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i lost 3 full days of working on the comic due to having a "~*~JoB~*~" i had to do stuff for... i was on track to finishing it this weekend but now i probably wont. work picks up again monday so hopefully ill be able to finish next weekend but idk.

my sister drew this panel of Dryl and i inked and colored it, and im very happy with how it turned out

#shera #spop #drawing #dryl #doodle #ink #pen #brush pen #water color #traditional art #comic update

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thatfreak03 · 28 days

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(Sorry for any spelling, grammar, or drawing mistakes)

I drew Entrapta in a Hexside uniform. I know Entrapta is probably too old to attend Hexside but screw it.

I think Entrapta would want to study everything like Luz, but I think her favorite types of magic would be abomination and construction magic.

#the owl house #toh #she-ra and the princesses of power #she-ra #she-ra entrapta #she-ra and the princesses of power entrapta #princess entrapta #princess entrapta of dryl #entrapta #dana terrace's the owl house #crossover #nd stevenson's she-ra and the princesses of power

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danitza-drtc · 1 year

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I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Great New Year, my dear Entrapdak fandom!! I Hope that you has a Great time, God bless you 💯🎄💖😘😘😘

Really I am happy to finish this fanart on time, well this is like continuation of my Christmas Entrapdak fanart 2020 but only with Entrapta and Hordak.

Note: this fanart along with other drawings I made, are being part of the Entradak Zine 4. Really I´m very happy to have participated together with other entrapdak fans in this beautiful project 😙😙😙🤗.

#entrapdak #entrapdak christmas #2022 #entrapta #hordak #christmas in dryl #entrapdak zine 4 #my art and fanart

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serjaimelannister · 2 months

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i had to get up earlier than usual today for an off-site work thing and, already being an emotional wreck last night, allowed myself the rare benadryl as a treat. anyway i spent the whole day unfort. still doing work stuff but away from the office and on. wait for it. seven and a half hours of sleep. and as a result literally feel like i could lift a car

#fucked up and evil how the dryl loses effect and gives you dementia if you keep taking it long term tho

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stepfordgoth · 3 months

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*takes two benadryl to fall asleep*

My brain, every fucking time: we poppin bennys lmao literally getting so fucking drylled in the club tonight bitch don't fuck with me when I'm off the dryls etc !!!!!

#im insane lmao #i told my husband ''yeah im on the dryls right now'' and he said ''on the dryls? shut the fuck up'' lmao #nobody understands my genius

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freedfromthegalactichivemind · 1 year

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The Gray Kind

She-Ra fanfiction Mild shipping. Catradora, Entrapdak, others hinted at / mentioned. Characters: Adora, Catra, Bow, Glimmer, Scorpia, Entrapta, Hordak, Horde Clones Genres: Slice of Life, Comedy. Post-canon. Rating: PG / Teen, just because Catra uses a few naughty no-no words as a treat. Inspired by: A trip to see my family across the country and a visit to get some takeout from a hole in the wall that I grew up with. Summary: Adora is nostalgic for a few things - small things - from the Horde. She finds herself missing ration bars, of all things, and seeks out the secret to their lost recipe. Also on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46812565

The Gray Kind Adora picked at her plate of food at the royal table. It was laid out with a fancy gelatin, beautiful fruits cut into fancy heart and star shapes, delicate cured meats and cheeses and delightful, fluffy biscuits. This was not normal for her, to pick rather than scarf and her friends noticed. “What’s wrong with you?” Catra asked through a mouthful of ham and biscuit. Glimmer gave her a glare from across the table. Catra had never had the best table-manners and, then again, neither had Adora. People who’d been raised in the Horde encountering good food for the first time tended to be none too delicate in their devouring. Catra got, perhaps, a special pass just because everyone was glad that she was navigating basic morals and learning how to live a life not based on conquest. She was also fairly new to eating at the royal table after spending the last year and a half in encampments working on rebuilding projects as per her reformation guidelines and being used to soldier’s mess-tents, where eating food quickly took priority to eating it delicately. Adora knew better and had learned to be dainty enough for the Queen’s guards and dignitaries, but she’d never been this dainty before. “Oh, nothing,” Adora tried to deflect. “We haven’t seen you pick at a plate like this since we fighting the Galactic Horde!” Bow pointed out. “Please tell us what’s wrong. We’re your friends.” “I promise I wasn’t in the kitchen this time!” Glimmer joked, holding up her hands. Adora took a little bite of a star-shaped white fruit and looked wistful. “It’s wonderful, really, but I’ve just gotten to thinking how much I miss ration bars.” Everyone’s eyes went wide. “Huh?” Glimmer half-yelped. “Are you insulting Chef’s cooking? If so, I’ve got to know, I mean… she’s not going to be happy if she’s off her game.” “Are you sick?” Catra asked. “Seriously, Adora, do you have a fever?” “No, the food’s great!” Adora assured, “As always! It’s better than I could ask for! It’s just… I guess I’m feeling nostalgic…or something.” “For the Horde?” said Bow, incredulous. “A little,” Adora admitted. She gave Catra a demure glance. “I mean, the best part of being in the Horde is right here, but…” “It was terrible.” Catra huffed. “Not always!” “All we did was train. Or sneak off somewhere and had to worry about getting caught doing ‘unauthorized activities.’ Things could fly under Hordak’s lack-of-nose but not a lot got past Shadow Weaver. It was dismal and stinky…” “Says the person who wanted to rule it,” Glimmer noted, snarkily. “We’re all allowed to be young and stupid, right?” Catra held her upper arms uncomfortably. “Let’s… not bring this up.” “Besides,” Glimmer added, “It’s not like you can’t go back, it’s just different now, better! New Scorpioni is lush and green because of the She-Ra magic and the safe release of the Heart of Etheria! I bet we can find all of your old make-out spots and revisit them and they’ll look a lot better now!” Adora looked at her boots, her face going absolutely red at the joke about “make-out spots.” Catra’s fur was puffed up. “It’s not really that,” Adora said after a pause. “It’s just… have you ever gotten a taste for something and you haven’t had it in a long time? I haven’t had a ration bar in forever! They were hearty and filling…” “And bland. And weird,” Catra added. “Good riddance!” “I thought you liked actual food!” Bow questioned. “I do! I do! I love it!” Adora said, holding her hands up. “You know me! I deplete the ice cream stocks almost as bad as Mermista! It’s just… you know… I guess I’m a little tired of… fancy.” “This isn’t fancy!” Glimmer retorted. “This is a pretty basic dinner. You were right beside me at my coronation, and at the Primefall ceremony and…” “I know, this is everyday, but it’s still ‘fancy’ to me. It always has been.” “I know!” Bow gasped, “It’s the party-thing all over again! You had to get used to parties! You didn’t even know what they were!” “Pheh, Adora’s such a square,” Catra teased. “Always by the book, we could barely get her into anything contraband because she believed in the Horde’s mission to save the people of the planet from the eeeeevil princesses. But… yeah… we didn’t do a lot of fun stuff in the Horde except beating each other up. I still can’t believe you’re nostalgic for the food, though! How can that even…be a thing?” Catra stuffed another meat-laden biscuit into her mouth. She munched and swallowed it down dramatically. “The stuff was objectively garbage.” “I know, right?” Adora said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. “But they had just the right amount of salt on them… and that red sauce that Commander Cobalt made sometimes – I don’t know it was made from, where he got it or what it even was, but it was perfect with the gray ones! It even made the brown ones taste better!” “They were nutrition, not pleasure,” Catra reminded. “Yeah… but… I kind of miss some things from… what used to be home.” ____________________________ Later that night, Catra was hanging up her daytime clothes while Adora was washing her face in the bathroom sink of their private chambers. “Do you really miss the Horde?” Catra asked, “I don’t miss anything about it. Everything about it was miserable – except maybe when I took over and got to push ol’ Hordak around. I have to admit, that was kind of fun. But… you know… it’s hard for me to be nostalgic when the only reason I was there was because I got dumped off there in a box and Shadow Weaver only let you ‘keep’ me because you thought I was a kitten.” “You are a kitten,” Adora said, turning around with a cheeky grin.

“But I grew up. Surprised the hell out of everyone that I wasn’t the species they thought I was. We’re free now. We aren’t following anyone’s orders, living in fear anymore and we get to eat what we like. Why would you want anything else?”

“Just a flavor I miss,” Adora said, shirking on a sheer white nightgown over her underclothes. Whether it, or they, would stay on the entire night was up to them. Catra was giving Adora a frisky smile while Adora was giving Catra a tired one. Maybe it was going to be just one of those “cuddle and talk” nights.

Catra sighed as she sat down on their bed. The tip of her tail lashed with a tremor of agitation. “To tell the truth,” she admitted. “I kind of miss them, too.”

“Heh, really?” Adora asked.

“Maybe not the brown ones. The green ones were a little better. The gray ones… were actually kind of good – especially with that weird sauce. The stuff was just a little bit spicy, not too much. I don’t know if it would go with anything else! It was just perfect with the bars – they somehow, SOMEHOW worked! I swear, Adora! The people here in Bright Moon just put cream sauce and their fancy berry jams on everything… If I never see a béchamel again, It’ll be too soon!”

Adora softly laughed. “I know they’ll never understand it! Horde-food is, as you said, just ‘objectively bad.’ The most cost-effective ingredients…reconstituted whatsit! We could have been eating a bunch of bugs for all we know!”

“I have to keep up appearances, you know,” Catra said, her ears drooping. “Sparkles and Arrow Boy and the staff and the citizens all accept you and whatever quirks you have because you’re She-Ra. I screwed up in a way I can never come back from, so I can’t talk about missing anything about the Horde. I have to be polite and eat their food and just get used to being all…civilized, I guess.” She turned away when Adora sat down next to her. “I’m still only here because I’m your pet.”

“I wouldn’t say that. You did a lot…in the end, I mean… fighting Prime. You were the key to his downfall – you and I and all of our friends. Don’t ever forget that. I would not be here without you.”

“It doesn’t really make up for the damage I caused up until then. And… if Entrapta is to be believed, even fuckin’ Hordak helped to take down Prime and you don’t see anyone inviting him over for tea.”

“He wouldn’t come,” Adora offered. “I actually invited him once. Entrapta said he wasn’t feeling well.”

They sat in silence until Catra turned back to Adora. “I feel like I have to try so hard… so they don’t feel like I’m a threat anymore, I mean.”

“You don’t have to try as hard as you think you do,” Adora offered. She cupped Catra’s cheek and ran a thumb over it. She ran the tips of her fingers up to touch the back of her ear in just the way that Catra liked.

“Maybe we can take a trip to visit Scorpia and see if she knows anything about our old crappy food,” Catra said. “It would be just like her to keep making the junk.”

“It’s been a long day,” Adora replied with a frisky smile. “I think we should both go to bed.”

____________________________________

“I’m afraid we don’t have the technology anymore,” Scorpia said as she, Catra and Adora walked in the shade. “Those machines all broke down when the vines got up in them and no one’s bothered to fix them.”

Various people milled about. Many carried or carted construction-supplies as even over one year after Primefall, there was quite a lot of repair to be done, as well as new building of infrastructure and housing as people moved into the former Fright Zone. Gardeners in big floppy sun-hats trimmed vines and bushes – and not all of them had metal shears. Some had claws. Scoriponi people who’d been scattered throughout Etheria were returning to their ancient homeland under the rule of their ex-soldier-Princess (although Scorpia would be the last to say that she really ruled the land, the Princess-stuff being new to her. She billed herself more like a loose organizer with something of a Force Captain’s ways, still). Ex Horde-soldiers that both Catra and Adora recognized seemed to be making a good life for themselves here. There were even a few clones.

“Do you know the old recipes, at least?” Adora implored.

“Nope! Can’t say that I do! Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have some of my special tea? Or crumpets? Perfuma taught me how to make great crumpets. Oh! And Entrapta’s kitchen staff taught me a recipe for these miniature scones! They’re just wonderful!”

“Nah,” Catra said, pointing a teasing finger at Adora. “Blondie here is really hankering for some old school straight-up garbage-food.”

“Do you know where Commander Cobalt got off to, at least?” Adora asked. “We need something from him, too.”

“The last I saw him, he and Captain Grizzlor were going to make a new life for themselves in the Crimson Waste – they were going to try to open up a bar or something.”

“We like what you’ve done with the place,” Adora offered.

“I’m not sure it’s what my family had when I was too little to remember…before the Horde.” Scorpia was sheepish. She rubbed the back of her neck with her right claw. “I’m trying, though… and making it our own. We’re keeping most of the growth here, trying to make it into gardens. Perfuma and I kind of…have extended visits with each other? I don’t really like living out of a tent or in a tree-hollow in Plumeria, I’m more of an indoor-gal, so it’s kind of a compromise.”

Catra held an arm and lashed her tail. “I can’t say that I’m not still getting used to the Bright Moon lifestyle, either.”

“Yeah… it can be a little much,” Adora admitted. “It’s why we’re getting a bit nostalgic.”

“For crap,” Catra asserted.

“Yeah…for crap…I guess,” Adora conceded.

“You could try asking Hordak,” Scorpia suggested. “He invented the ration bars, so he’d know all about them!”

Catra turned on her heel and put herself into a position to walk straight back to the skiff that she and Adora had come in on. “Nope!”

________________________________________

Adora found herself alone on the dark mountain trail leading up to the Crypto Castle in Dryl. She was bound and determined to find answers, even as Catra was content to forget about it and go back to cream sauces and berry jams over smoked river-fish and delicate cured meats.

Being greeted by robots did feel unnatural and being greeted by clones almost as much so – each face essentially the same, save for how many new eye colors and hair colors they were now displaying. As uncanny as they were by their left-of-standard-humanoid nature, the clones in settlement in Dryl made Adora smile. They were very warm to her, welcoming. They were experimenting with a wide variety of clothing – trousers, dresses, big weird hats with feathers…sandals with socks. They’d developed a variety of little quirks, somewhat exaggerated in each individual expressly to stand out – as individuals. They certainly were developing their own culture apart from their collective past quite rapidly and Adora had never before seen people so full of what seemed to be a collective joy.

They were free now and they reveled in it.

A lovely spacebat with eyes that had gone a warm light brown named Acorn escorted Adora inside. “Oh, and you might want to duck now,” he casually said after several minutes as they walked along.

At that moment, Adora sensed a disturbance in the air and heard a “Whoosh!” Acorn grabbed her shoulder and they ducked down just as a blade swept past their heads, parting a hair at the very top of Adora’s head. Her eyes were wide and her teeth were clenched.

“Entrapta has disabled most of the castle traps,” Acorn tried to assure her, “but a few parts of the security system are still armed. We’ve all gotten to know which ones and where by now, but guests need a little help.”

“Um… thank you… Mr. Acorn,” Adora squeaked out.

“ADORA!”

That loud, nasal voice could only belong to one person. Entrapta slipped down out of the ceiling and ambulated on her hair to greet her in the front hall. “I’m so glad you’re here! Will you do a She-Ra transformation for me up in my lab? I wanted to run some more tests…”

“Um…” Adora said awkwardly, penting her index fingers together. “Believe it or not, I’m actually here to see Hordak.”

“Oh, I’ll tell him right away!”

________________________________

“If this is about the prosthetics-project, tell the Queen that we are still working out some critical errors in the cybernetics.”

Hordak stood with his back to her. His armored arms were crossed. He stood over a table upon which was what appeared to be an artificial arm composed of a kind of material somewhat resembling First Ones’ crystalline. It had a gap in the middle, composed of an independently-swiveling radius and ulna.

“And the Salineas water-purification machines should be ready in a month’s time if Mermista’s engineers decide to actually follow our blueprints instead of insisting upon their stubborn continuance to be suspicious of us. Let it be known that Entrapta’s brilliance more than makes up for my… war criminal inclinations. I will go back to that kingdom in chains once again if it would assure the populace of my contrition…”

“I’m not here for any of that,” Adora said with an anxious, insincere laugh. “I am here asking after a recipe.”

“A recipe?” Hordak turned around, his ears perking up with utter incredulousness. “You may wish to speak with Baker regarding your request. I have barely begun to understand…food.”

“He loves mangoes!” Entrapta chimed. She stuck her face in her tablet and let her fingers slide over it. “We’ve got some more heavy-ore to trade if Plumeria is interested in sending us more fruit and seeds and tree-saplings! The bats are just wild about fruit! And Dryl has many new subjects to keep fed now that they’re weaning off the amniotic fluid! Any kind! It doesn’t matter! Did you know that they can even eat berries that are poisonous to us? I had a panic when Wrongie got into some nightshade, but he was just fine!”

“Ration bars,” Adora asked, ignoring Entrapta’s tangent and looking Hordak straight in his deep red eyes. “I want to learn how to make the old Horde ration bars.”

“Ration bars?” Hordak asked, “Whatever for? Does not Bright Moon already have a nutrition program for their army? Are you planning another interstellar journey and require something easy to store?”

“Okay, this is going to sound weird, but here goes…” Adora caught her breath. “I kind of miss the taste of them?”

Hordak snorted. His ears went sideways.

“Do you also wish to know the makings of Galactic Horde amniotic fluid?” he sarcastically inquired.

“No, no,” Adora said, holding her hands up, “That’s fine. It’s just… I got so used to eating the bars as a kid that I sort of miss them now that I haven’t had them in a long time?”

“And I thought that once one discovered flavor that one was never supposed to go back,” Hordak said, turning around again, tinkering with the arm on the table. “As you wish. I will share the components of the bars. No doubt you will find yourself disappointed in them all over again.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I am no longer a sir or a lord,” Hordak reminded her. “I am merely a failed conqueror, a defective clone, a war criminal making pitiful attempts at atonement and… Entrapta’s.”

Hordak grabbed a tablet off a shelf and pressed several places on the screen with casual clawed fingers. “Ah, yes, here it is. Brown, green and gray. Each had a base of common grains – generally wheat and barley, whatever we took from annexed farmlands. Vegetal components consisted of sea grasses harvested by the Horde navy and freshwater algal blooms, spirulina and the like… Ah, yes… a protein component of various insects that infested the Fright Zone – pest control and nutrition all in one. Imp couldn’t control all of the pests on his own as much as he liked to try…”

“Insects?” Adora made a face.

“Four-footed livestock animals were thrown into the mix when we were able, but yes,” Hordak said with a nod, not looking away from the pad, “Insects were the most reliable resource. I assure you that they were thoroughly cleansed and cooked so that the ones found in the sewers would not infect the soldiers with any of the diseases that the planetary natives are so prone to in regards to contact with waste and the creatures that happen to live in it.”

Adora made another, more wrinkled up face.

“Tell me that sewer-bugs weren’t in the gray ones…” she pleaded with a wince.

“We tended to source the higher quality gray mix from annexed farmland. Most of it was made of what you would call…what is it again? The curled-furred especially stupid animals? Mutton? And the eggs of the common domestic birds?”

“Yep!” Entrapta chimed.

Adora breathed a sigh of relief. King Micah had been trying to impress upon her the joys of insects as cuisine, but she had yet to take to it – and even he eschewed the idea of the spindly-legged crawly brown sewer-scuttlers.

At least one thing she’d liked to eat in the past – her favorite kind of bar – was made of something decent.

“Oh, and myself,” Hordak added.

“Huh?” Adora asked.

Hordak set the pad down on the worktable and regarded her with a straight face. He gestured to his chest. “Myself,” he repeated.

“I…am afraid that I do not understand?”

“The gray bars provided an extra nutrient-boost to the troops. A part of their component was a cloned matrix of my own cells.”

Adora’s jaw dropped in horror.

Hordak smiled wickedly as he tugged at one of the thigh-slits of his tabard-dress. Entrapta grinned ear to ear. “Remember, Entrapta, how I showed you the harvest-point? Right here, from a small sample of my right thigh-muscle.”

“Well, those thighs are your best feature other than your brain!”

Hordak smacked his thigh playfully (for Entrapta) and put down his dress. His ears were perked and he had an undeniable sharp-toothed grin at Adora’s discomfort.

“Oh, dear moons, I know what you taste like…”

“He’s quite a snack, isn’t he?” Entrapta said, sidling up to the spacebat and wrapping a tail of hair around his waist.

“I…know…what…you…taste…like…”

“Not truly,” Hordak said. “The treatment necessary to foster vat-growth rendered out any flavor you might find in conventional meat. It should come as no surprise to you. Clone-components made up a significant portion of our amniotic fluid.” Hordak’s ears tipped back and he looked ceilingward, thoughtful. “What used to be ‘waste-management’ and ‘humanoid-resources’ in space is something we have since rejected in regards to a newfound respect for personhood, but I cannot say that I had these qualms back when I ran the Etherian Horde.”

“I’ve…eaten you…or some of you…”

“I am afraid so, Adora.”

“Adora?” Entrapta asked in concern, “You look a little green…”

_____________________________________

In the end, Adora somehow tracked down the recipe for Commander Cobalt’s special sauce – a mix of tomato and peppers with a few stray seasonings thrown in (all vegetation-based).

She found out that it was quite good with fried potatoes and with crispy fried fish.

Adora was content to never eat a gray ration bar again.

__________________________

END.

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