BUTTERFLY EFFECT

by J.T. King. juan.travis.king@gmail.com

***

DISCLAIMER.
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION.
I DO NOT OWN SHE-RA OR ANY MOTU PROPERTY AND RECEIVE NO MONETARY GAINS FROM
ANYTHING PUBLISHED.
IT IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY.

Recap

***

With collapse looming for The Horde, Hordak tasked his loyal scientist Entrapta to create a way to spy on The Rebellion. She dutifully obliged creating a hidden camera system that she installed into the Rebel butterfly girl Flutterina, who was then cunningly released to return to The Rebellion.

Flutterina returned to The Whispering Woods unawares that she was being recorded in real time by The Horde, who could hear and see what she was transmitting back to them. The system wasn't fool proof as signal issues meant The Horde would get interruptions in what was being transmitted. Flutterina reported back to Adora who accepted what was told to her, giving her hope that they might one day be rid of the evil Horde menace. The Rebellion was unaware they had been infiltrated by The Horde.

***

CHAPTER 3

***

Although The Horde had been monitoring the feeds they had been receiving not much of interest or of use had been coming through. Flutterina had been following Adora's orders to rest up. The feeds that The Horde received were mainly blurry still images and broken audio. Flutterina had interacted with other Rebels but no useful information had come through. The pretty Rebel was getting better with her speech was the only thing The Horde members could really say. Their covert operation was still successful, no Rebel had any suspicions and were openly talking.

Entrapta had used this lull in gathering any vital information to catch up on some much deserved rest. Her down time hadn't been very rejuvenating though, her mind had been racing with trying to find an answer to the question that had really been coursing through her head. How can she improve the transmitting signal. She had used her best equipment making it so no improvements could be made to the transmitter piercing. The Whispering Woods with it's vast and dense collection of trees blocked the signal from within. She had to find an answer.

***

"Flutterina?" A voice called from the other side of the door, followed by knocks.

Flutterina jumped. She had not been expecting guests. When she opened the door she was greeted by Madam Razz and Broom.

"Adora wants to see you asap. She says it's important." Madam Razz said, relaying the important message she was tasked with delivering.

"Tellsh her I'm on my way." Flutterina responded, adrenaline pumping. Her words less slurred after a bit of practice talking with a tongue piercing. She hoped it was a mission against The Horde, she had a personal vendetta against them now and hoped she would be a major catalyst in their demise. Shortly after Madam Razz and Brook took off Flutterina was on her way too.

***

'Kzztt...Ador...fzt...see...krrr...asap...kzztt....says important.' The broken message came through the speakers in The Horde laboratory. Those monitoring the feeds quickly took notice and began to listen intently.

***

"Flutterina! I'm glad you made it. Thank you for coming as soon as you could." Adora greeted her friend. "I wanted to leave you to rest longer but this was urgent. My second in command Glimmer usually meets up with our spy within The Horde. She is currently liaising with her mother at Castle Brightmoon. We have received correspondence from our spy on The Frightzone that she has important information for us and wishes to meet. I have chosen you Flutterina as you can get to the meeting point as quick as possible. I know you are reliable as you've undertaken this mission before. Meet at the usual meeting point."

"I understand Captain. I will be as diligent as possible. I will see you soon when I return with the intel." As she finished speaking Flutterina took to the sky and was on her way to meet The Rebellion's spy.

***

In The Frightzone the Horde had summoned Entrapta to the monitoring lab. Although the message from Adora was broken, Entrapta quickly used her computer knowledge to once again clean up the audio. Her eyes lit up as she made out bits of the message.

"Well Rebel spy it's time you showed yourself." A tone of excitement in her voice, she couldn't believe the lucky circumstances unfolding before her. The Rebels with their somewhat false belief that The Horde was in a worse state than what was actually true allowed one of their top members some time away at Castle Brightmoon. Entrapta believed it would have been ages since they got a break through but she wasn't going to complain, it was about time The Horde got some luck.

***

Darkness began to fall as Flutterina landed at the usual meeting spot; a small thicket near to a small clear lake. The moon reflected of it's surface.

"What's the secret word?" A voice called from behind her. Flutterina dutifully replied with the answer. "Hello Flutterina. Formalities later but I've news to give you."

"What news do you bring?" Flutterina asked as she began to turn round.

"Stop! Don't turn. I need to remain hidden." The figure responded as she dove for cover behind a nearby tree. Flutterina twisted her body back to facing away from the figure instantly.

***

"Curses." The red-haired villainess Entrapta yelled. She was spying on the two Rebels through Flutterina's false eye-spots. She had heard every word and had got excited as their little covert spy began to turn. She would soon find out who was leaking Horde secrets to the Rebellion. Then the figure had stopped Flutterina from turning and thwarting the Horde from seeing their traitorous blabbermouth.

***

"The Rebellion needs to keep pressing The Horde. Recent losses has seen a drop in resources for The Horde. Captured slaves are at an all time low, this means they are not getting enough resources to keep the power going. Soon they'll have to start picking and choosing where to ration energy. Robotic Troop production is slowing as they can't replenish everything, even though they recycle the old troops. This could be the beginning of the end. If Adora can score a big hit somewhere it could be the catalyst that brings The Horde to an end. I recommend the largest energy producing factory, it is located to the East of the Frightzone." The mysterious stranger finished.

"Thank you. I will report this to Adora. Hopefully this will be the end of The Horde." Flutterina responded. She turned towards the lake, preparing to take flight.

"Before you go. How is my cousin?"

"She's fine. I only came because she is seeing her Mother, the lack of Horde advancement meant she was granted some leave time."

"Tell her I miss her and can't wait to see her."

"I shall! Glimmer misses you too."

***

The footage captured it all. Entrapta was busy scanning back through bits. She paid close attention to the moving video, there must be something. The video of Flutterina turning towards the lake was playing in front of her. She turns, her eyespot camera casts a big view of the lake. The compromised rebel dips down slightly as if she is going to jump to take off flying. She stops as something is said. Entrapta pauses the footage and plays the last bit back again.

Entrapta watches the same bit of footage a few more times. There! In the water's reflection as Flutterina stoops down, only a brief moment, the upper torso of a figure. Its not very clear, the ripples in the water aid the traitors want to stay hidden.

"Fuck!" She yells with frustration. Distracting the other Horde member with her. "I can't get a clear view of the rat!"

"You ok?" Mantenna asked with a hint of worry in his voice. Entrapta never swore and was always composed. Something came through his headphones that he knew would cheer her up. "You need to hear this?"

"Not now!"

"No! You REALLY need to hear this." He insisted. Entrapta grabbed her set of headphones and started to replay the audio."

She listened to the audio. '...cousin?.... Glimmer misses you too.' The fools had just let on that whoever the mystery spy is, they were a cousin to Glimmer.

"You were right. We are getting intel we could have only dreamed of. If we can identify the spy we can use them and this knowledge of their relationships to our advantage. The Rebels will see the mighty Horde rise again. I swear it!" Entrapta promised.

"We need to act fast as we cannot afford to let The Rebels launch an attack against us. We will launch a three-pronged attack to keep the Rebels busy and segregated. Under no circumstances can we lose any major architecture, it might cost some resources but we'll get those back." She barked her orders, then sat back and thought a little.

"I could do with Flutterina back here. I want to view all the footage from the six cams, what is recorded on each. My computer gives a general collective view of all six but maybe there's some clue on one of them as to who our leaker is!"

***

Before Flutterina had arrived back at The Whispering Woods to report to Adora what their spy had said, Entrapta had assembled Horde members to prepare a battle strategy to launch in the morning.

Catra had headed the plan of attack, as Force Captain that was kind of her job. With what was briefed to her Catra helped devise the strategy that would see two areas attacked located near to The Whispering Woods, one each side as a divide and conquer tactic. The third prong of the attack would be bigger and further away. An area where if The Horde were successful then they may capture enough slaves to aid their survival, something The Rebellion wouldn't want and would react to by sending their own members to assist with resisting Horde attacks.

The main Horde members would be split into three groups, each tasked with a strategy to capture Flutterina as there was no guarantee which area she would go to. With her having the ability to fly she would be a prime candidate to get to the furthest away attack quickly to start counter measures, this is what The Horde would plan for. Once Flutterina was heading to an area the Horde troops in that area would know which place she was heading and be prepared for her. The other places would be ready if Flutterina were to head there and were also prepared to engage in battle to draw The Rebel's attention.

***

The plan had worked. Launching the troops to separate areas had distracted The Rebels. They thought if they could take more troops out The Horde would be further thrown into chaos. Unfortunately all their plans were known by The Horde the moment they were said when The Rebels held a council to plan counter-measures. Flutterina's microphones picked up some of the audio and allowed The Horde to counter-act the counter-measures.

As predicted Flutterina was sent to the furthest place as she could get there quickly. She would be aided by other members of The Rebellion, all she had to do was hold out until they got there but also be a distraction so that the innocent people could be saved. The plan failed. Knowing when Flutterina was arriving, being in contact with each other and being tactical soon found the Rebel butterfly subdued. Flutterina had hoped to cause chaos but what she found was a highly organised troop who wouldn't break formation. With lasers firing at her in the air she had to ground and this put her face to face with Catra and Leech. A quick battle later and Flutterina was in Leech's arms, her energy leaving her quickly as she succumbed to him. Catra quickly bound the unconscious rebel and she was placed inside a Destructo Tank that had been hollowed out so that the prisoner could be transported undetected. The vehicle quickly turned and began heading back to The Frightzone, carrying the precious cargo that held uninterrupted Rebel intelligence. For good measure the Horde Troop quickly gathered up prisoners and took them too.

By the time Flutterina's backup had arrived, The Horde had already vacated the area. Flutterina and the prisoners were gone. Catching up with them would take time and be tiring, a risk they couldn't afford to take if they were to lose more Rebels to The Horde. They retreated back to base with the bad news.

The Horde's plan went better than expected. Their insight into The Rebellion and the plans they had allowed the Horde to retreat from the two nearby places without engaging in combat. This meant they had caught Flutterina, got new slaves to help them build up resources and had only lost a few troops that Flutterina had taken out. They hoped more good news would come the way of The Horde.

------------ End of Chapter 3---------------