Forever Fallen (Catra x OC She-Ra Fanfic)

5. The Fright Zone

Catra had kept Harley close to her the entire journey to The Fright Zone and Harley figured it was out of fear that she'd try to escape again or cause more chaos than she already had, but Harley didn't mind.

Not only did Harley have company the entire ride but Catra didn't treat her like a rag doll anymore. Catra seemed bewildered by Harley now.

The Horde had walked through the dense, swampy bushlands of what Catra described as The Whispering Woods to where a series of 'skiffs' waited, perched gently above luscious, peach-coloured grasslands that mesmerised Harley.

The girl was brought onto a skiff with Catra and all she did was sit by the 'boat's ledge and gaze out over the acres of rough, meadows, highlighted pink and gold from the smouldering sun that lit up the horizon, and Catra watched her.

Harley was sure she had a wide-eyed, childish look of astonishment written plainly on her face the whole time but she didn't care. This world-- this Etheria-- was so different to her own. Where towering, grey concrete cubes pierced the sky that was blocked by dark clouds in her city, Etheria had long, gorgeous expanses of pastures and grasslands with no skyscrapers in sight.

Then they reached The Fright Zone.

Tucked within the heart of a sandy wasteland were spires of pipelines and factories. It was almost like a scrapyard and despite the wicked arches and serpentine crescents of The Fright Zone, it reminded Harley of her home. Although, there was a bit more colour in The Fright Zone, like deep, crimson red and orange hues of reflected sunlight against the industrial metal sheets of the exterior walls, but that was about it.

Catra steered Harley through a rabbit warren of narrow corridors reminiscent of an 'Alien' film, her shoulders back and her head held high. To Harley, Catra looked like she was in her element; like the queen of The Fright Zone, and though Harley was her prisoner and her fate was about to be decided, she sure as hell thought Catra looked badass and hot-- gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss, if you will.

Suddenly, Catra stopped at a set of doors that hissed and slid open and Harley stared at the room before her.

A series of steps led up to a sinister throne and Harley gulped. This was going to be where her future was to be determined.

A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as Catra brought her inside and the doors whistled as they shut behind them.

Catra turned to Harley, smouldering heterochromatic eyes (the only hetero thing about Catra, Harley hoped) finding Harley's in the smokey, menacing throne room.

A pipe to Harley's left let out a creak and wheeze and Harley jolted into Catra who huffed and kept a firm grip on Harley's shoulder, black nails retracted and the girl's nerves calmed somewhat at her touch.

"Did it work?" Came a voice from the darkness to their right and Catra laughed, taking ahold of Harley's elbow and dragging her under a dim archway.

"Like a charm." Catra smirked, "The plan is underway,"

There was movement and two red dots stared at Harley blankly before a tall, broad figure emerged from the shadows. It was some kind of cyborg with skeletal features and... Elf ears? How odd.

"And who is this you've brought into my sanctum, Catra?" He spoke again, voice deep and throaty-- kind of villainous too, in a way, and he sure looked the part as well.

Catra glanced up at Harley before turning back to the man, "she's a princess, Lord Hordak,"

"Again, I'm not a princess-- Just in case you forgot from last time, I can tell you're a busy woman and all and--" Harley started but was cut off.