A gavel hit the wooden desk with a bang. All 10 tribunal members had taken their seats, led by a man named Gerechtigkeit, who had been elected by a majority vote of the tribunal per Article II, section J of The Compact of Etheria, signed by rulers of all the royal realms and city-states on the planet. Its creation was per Article II, section H, sub-section b of the same document.

“I, Gerechtigkeit, head of this tribunal, as elected by its members, call this trial to order. By the power vested in me by the Compact of Etheria, we shall be hearing testimony today on the case against Catra, formerly second-in-command of the Horde. Our trials against others in the former Horde command structure, such as Scorpia, Kyle, Rogelio, Lonnie, Grizzlor, and Octavia, have already concluded. The trial of Entrapta shall be held later. This trial is of momentous importance to dehordification on this planet since Catra is the highest-ranking member of the former Horde our court system has tried. The tribunal will now hear prosecution’s opening statement. Mr. Frieden, you have the floor.

‘My gratitude to Mr. Gerechtigkeit and to the other honorable members of this tribunal. Today, I would like to make a solid case that Catra, second-in-command of the former Horde, is guilty of all the crimes listed in article II, section M, subsections a-h of The Compact of Etheria. She has not only collaborated with the Horde but aided and abetted an indiscriminate attack on a civilian town, conducted grievous injury of royalty, and engaged in kidnapping. She has also participated in a conspiracy to steal historical artifacts, assisted in climate exploitation for devious ends, assaulted a fortified castle, and attempted to destroy a magical gateway.

‘Mr. Frieden, I’d like to call the first witness to the stand, Ms. Adora Eros, who is coming to us virtually from an undisclosed location. Please lay out, as plainly as you can, for this tribunal, your connection with the defendant.

‘Thank you for calling me to testify here today. It’s funny because no one has called me Adora Eros in my whole life, so that, in and of itself, is a unique experience, hehe. Let me do my best to remember, because it has been some time, I have been on Etheria and even longer since I was part of the Horde, soon-to-be a Horde captain before joining the glorious Rebellion. Since we were kids, both me and Catra would hang out together, sticking up for each other, while the Horde tried to manipulate us with their lies and propaganda. We teased each other, and she even slept at the foot of my bed many nights. We had a strong bond. Although I hadn’t realized it, Catra fully comprehended this and accepted the evils of the Horde! When I tried to convince her to join the Rebellion, after finding the Sword of Protection, so we could become friends again, she refused then, and in other attempts. She continued her quest to move higher up the Horde command structure, trying to prove her worthiness. But it failed in the end. She stayed as a committed collaborator of the Horde, with no shame whatsoever. If she had succeeded, she wouldn’t be in front of this tribunal today!

‘Ms. Eros, we are appreciative of your testimony, but please refrain from statements speculating about the defendant. Having stated that, we need to move on. Shortly after you joined the Rebellion, you witnessed the indiscriminate attack on the civilian town of Thaymor , an independent city-state on Etheria, by the Horde. Luckily, you were able to stop the attack, thanks to the help of your newfound friends. I know it was some time ago, but if you could recall the incident in as much detail as possible, that would be appreciated.

‘Certainly. I had come to Thaymor with Bow and Glimmer, enjoying myself since no parties existed in the Fright Zone. Then suddenly there were blasts all-around. Glimmer and Bow fought off the invading Horde forces…while I confronted Catra, who came out of a tank. When I tried to convince her to come with me, join the Rebellion, she zapped me with a stun gun, and then did so one or two more times. Luckily Glimmer saved me and I transformed into She-Ra in the nick of time…thanks to that, I was able to drive back the Horde, while Catra faded into the smoke, escaping. From time to time, I think about what happened there, and how I left a friend behind, but I remember my greater calling to be a part of the Rebellion, to rid the world of evil.

‘Would any other witnesses like to confirm Ms. Eros’ story about the attack on Thaymor? Princess Glimmer? Bow? Governor Pax? Any resident of Thaymor at the time of the attack?

‘Your honor, I would like to speak.

‘It is so granted, Governor Pax.

‘Thank you. I can remember the attack like it was yesterday. We had one of our annual celebrations that day, for the autumnal equinox. Suddenly, we heard explosions, and everyone began running. Princess Glimmer and Bow helped citizens escape. As part of the city’s guard then, before I became governor of the Republic of Thaymor, I ensured the citizens got to safety and evacuated, protecting them from the Horde. I could see, through my telescope, the destruction, and a cat-like person coming out of a tank, fighting with a blonde-haired woman, electrocuting her with some device, along with the arrival of She-Ra, who saved the day. We are forever grateful for her action and commemorate it every year as “She-Ra Day.”

‘Can you point out, for this tribunal, the “cat-like person” and “blonde-haired woman” you described in your testimony.

Pax pointed to Catra and Adora, confirming what the audience had thought. The trial continued onward.

"Let the record reflect that the witness has identified the “cat-like person” as Catra and the “blonde-haired woman” as Adora. We would like to proceed in our questioning of Adora, Mr. Gerechtigkeit, if that is allowed.

‘It is permitted, fellow tribunal member. Carry on.

‘You have already described your injury at the hands of Catra and her role in the attack on Thaymor. Related to that, I’d like you to talk about another incident you were present for, the attack on the Salineas Sea-Gate , and Catra’s role.

‘I’ll do my best. Me, Glimmer, Bow, and Sea Hawk arrived in Salineas in an attempt to recruit Princess Mermista to join the Princess Alliance. The place was deserted because everyone had evacuated since the Sea-Gate was collapsing while the Horde kept attacking, as Mermista told us. Suddenly, the Horde started attacking on a metal ship, blasting the Sea-Gate. While everyone jumped into action, Catra scratched my face and hurt me as I attempted to fix the Sea-Gate. Due to the ingenious plan of Glimmer and Sea Hawk, the Horde forces were routed, the Sea-Gate was fixed, and Salineas was saved…

‘Ms. Eros, your testimony is invaluable so far. Would any of the other witnesses like to offer their thoughts? Princess Glimmer? Bow? Sea Hawk? Princess Mermista? Other guards of Salineas?

‘Your honors, I’d like to offer my thoughts.

‘Sea Hawk, feel free.

‘There was a grand battle on the choppy seas, the wind blowing in my hair. I rushed to save my sweet Mermista from the clutches of the Horde. I knocked out 50 Horde solders, splashing into the bay, falling off the boat like cannonballs fired from a ship…Glimmer helped me light my ship on fire, causing the Horde ship to blow up in a huge reddish-orange explosion which rocked the seas…we then came together and began singing a sea-shanty about how we were all friends, Bow singing along…

‘That’s uh, not what happened at all. Urrrgh! I guess I’ll have to set the record straight…again. I have to do this all the time.

‘Princess Mermista, tell the tribunal what really happened.

‘Like Adora changed into this eight-foot warrior lady…me and Bow saved her from her deranged “friend,” Catra, who had led the attack on the Sea-Gate…the magical gateway, as you’re calling it…got repaired…Sea-Hawk did light the ship on fire…but like he didn’t even knock out one person. The crew of five people were defeated and we won the day…I can’t forget when She-Ra complemented me in the midst of battle…and yes, Bow and Sea Hawk did sing a sea shanty together…Sea Hawk is just so…annoying…and he often exaggerates.

‘Would anyone else like to speak about this incident?

‘I would.

Fear spread throughout the crowd. No one had expected her to show up. Some even thought that her presence could endanger the whole trial itself, possibly influencing the tribunal members to vote a different way. But the tribunal wasn’t concerned by this guest.

‘Shadow Weaver? Ok…you can testify…but we’ll be watching you.

‘I sent Catra to head a squad of soldiers, some of which were part of the the team of former force-captain Adora, like Lonnie, Rogellio, and Kyle, along with another force captain, Scorpia. My shadow spies had seen them in Seaworthy, so I sent this squad to intercept them. I wanted to bring Adora back to the Fright Zone…where she belonged. If anyone deserves the blame for this, why pin it on Catra…it was my fault.

‘Shadow Weaver, you are a monster! You attacked all those sorcerers on Mystacor. How can we trust anything you say?

‘My fine audience and assembled tribunal members, I have no reason to lie in this circumstance. I am chained up by the rules of this new compact you created. My powers are weak and almost non-existent.

‘Very well. Please put Shadow Weaver in the brig. Her testimony is not needed anymore.

‘Before you take me away, I’d just like to say that I approved of the kidnapping of Bow and Princess Glimmer at the Princess Prom, and the capture of the Sword of Protection…but it was all Catra’s idea…her initiative…although I took credit for it.

‘Bailiffs, her outside the courtroom.

‘We would like to call Princess Glimmer to the witness stand to talk about her kidnapping at the Princess Prom . Mr. Gerechtigkeit, is this allowed?

‘It is, my fellow tribunal member.

‘Princess Glimmer, please talk to the tribunal about the circumstances of your kidnapping from the Princess Prom hosted by Princess Frosta.

‘I’m a bit nervous…but I’ll try. Adora went as my plus-one…and we met Bow there, who went with Perfuma…anyway, I felt nervous all night, feeling Bow was abandoning me for someone else, then heat bombs started going off, causing explosions. In the confusion, I went to find Bow, who had been captured by two Horde soldiers masquerading as Frosta’s guards…but Scorpia knocked me out with poisons in her tail…when I woke up next, I was in the Black Garnet chamber, chained up, with my energy drained by the awful Shadow Weaver. Everything else is fuzzy, but I can attest that Catra was there, as was Scorpia.

‘Thank you for that testimony. We’d like to bring in Bow, the other person who was kidnapped by those Horde soldiers from the Princess Prom.

‘I’m happy to talk about what happened, although Glimmer suffered a much worse fate than I. As I went looking for my cummerbund and for warmth in that cold castle of Princess Frosta. I first saw Scorpia setting up heat bombs and holding the Sword of Protection. When I tried to tell the guards about the problem…they knocked me out, clearly Horde soldiers in disguise. From what Glimmer tells me, I was dragged along the ground by these Horde soldiers to their awaiting ship. One of the next things I remember was sitting in a cell and learning the names of one of those who captured me: Kyle. Apart from this, I can attest that Catra was at the Princess Prom and egging on Adora. She was an integral part of the kidnapping, serving as a distraction while the others did the dirty work.

‘Thank you, Bow, for your testimony. Would anyone else like to talk about the kidnapping?

‘No other takers.

‘We’d like to move onto one of the most important topics which affected this whole planet: climate exploitation for devious ends. While the princesses, royalty, and everyone else here today felt and saw the effects, there are two people which have insider knowledge, according to our sources: Scorpia and Entrapta. We would like to start with Scorpia, who has already been charged with unwarranted surveillance by spying on Princesses, along with assisting with the attack on Bright Moon, kidnapping, and stealing historical artifacts in an earlier trial. Scorpia, please explain your involvement with this scheme, and Catra’s role.

‘Although I see this process as corrupt…and distorted…I have no choice but to testify and set the record straight about my wild cat. Yes, Catra had a role in what you call “climate exploitation,” which froze over the Whispering Woods. But it was for a good end….to do it for the Horde, to disrupt the planet’s magic so that the Horde could defeat the Rebellion . I surely helped in this effort, as did Catra, but Entrapta was key, apart from anyone else, and the whole thing was Ok’d by Hordak, the Supreme Leader of the Horde, may he rest in peace. This trial is all wrong and I won’t stand for it! I will…

Scorpia, wearing handcuffs, had to be zapped with a refined metal static pike, twice as long as a usual spear, created by Bow. Its tip delivered shocks throughout the nervous system of any creature affected by it. It was meant for the court bailiffs to shock anyone who got out of line. He hoped it would never be used, but in this case it seemed justified.

As the bailiffs dragged her away, Perfuma came up to the witness stand, declining to answer any questions, and held a tablet. Entrapta didn’t want to come to the court in person, but like Adora, was willing to participate if she could do so virtually. Perfuma had helped Entrapta practice so she could sound believable in the courtroom.

“Entrapta. Scorpia has testified that you participated in weather manipulation of this planet. Is this true? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

‘Honored tribunal members and guests, I would like to respond to Scorpia’s testimony. Yes, I was key in the manipulation of this planet’s magic, hacking into the Black Garnet runestone, destroyed when I helped rig the implosion of the Fright Zone . Catra had a major role in this manipulation, apart from Hordak, giving us the pull so we could continue the project. I would not, however, like Scorpia, condemn this trial. Although I am saddened by the death of Hordak, due to the fact he was my lab partner on various experiments, I also understand, now, the reason that the planet’s population and rulers are angry at him and the Horde as a whole. With that being said, I am truly sorry for the actions I committed. I can’t excuse them and will not attempt to do so. Rather, I’ll just try to move forward and become a better person. I would…

‘Before you end your testimony today in front of this tribunal, we’d like you to talk about your role in the conspiracy to steal historical artifacts.

‘Sure. I didn’t have a role in the kidnapping at the Princess Prom that has been spoken about by previous witnesses, where Catra, Scorpia, and others, took custody of the Sword of Protection and took two people with them (Bow and Glimmer). I was only a guest there and had not joined the Horde at the time. However, I did participate in the stealing of historical artifacts from the Northern Reach, a desolate region in the polar North of this planet, devoid of life, helping recover First Ones artifacts to help the Horde. Scorpia participated in this, as did Catra, both assisting me, although not always as enthusiastically as I conducted my experiments.

‘Thank you, Entrapta, for your testimony. It shall be considered in your upcoming trial. We appreciate your willingness to participate in this process.

‘It is my pleasure, your honor.

Perfuma got off the witness stand and sat back in the audience seats. The other princesses were surprised to see she had done this, as they didn’t expect Perfuma to be friends with someone like Entrapta, especially since most of the princesses had not forgiven her for her past actions which helped the Horde. In any case, they couldn’t hold anything against Perfuma for her friendships. Although Adora had been infected by a corrupted First Ones artifact in the Northern Reach, witnessed by Bow, Scorpia, Glimmer, and Sea Hawk, Catra herself had stolen an artifact from a very sacred place on the planet, once part of the now-defunct M.A.R.A. system. They called on Adora, again, for her testimony.

“Ms. Eros, we would like to ask you about the time you and Catra were alone inside the Crystal Castle, as it is our understanding that she stole an object from the castle itself. Since the castle has since been destroyed , due to the actions of certain Horde members, your testimony on this topic is invaluable.

‘Like my other memories, this one is a bit fuzzy. I remember coming inside the castle, wanting answers for how I could heal my friend Glimmer, who had been corrupted by Shadow Weaver, causing her to glitch. I wasn’t getting any help, then suddenly I heard “unauthorized access detected” and spin around to see Catra. I protected her at the time, thinking she was still my friend. Clearly, I was wrong, because she abandoned me and left as I fell down a deep, dark hole, I thought, to my death. I didn’t die, luckily, but I surmised she must have taken an object out of the castle. There’s no other reason that would have happened…

‘Again, we appreciate you willingly giving your time here, even from your present location, many light-years away from this planet.

‘There’s one more topic we’d like to discuss today: the Battle of Bright Moon , undoubtedly an assault on a fortified castle. Any of our witnesses who wishes to speak on this topic is welcome, although we would like to hear from Queen Angella, Perfuma, or the guards of Bright Moon during the battle for their perspective.

‘Neigh! I would like to speak.

‘A talking horse? How can we trust you aren’t an illusion?

‘Adora, Bow, Glimmer, and the other princesses can vouch for me.

‘Can any of you confirm he is a real being and not a mirage or trick?

‘I can, as the Princess of Bright Moon, soon-to-be Queen. The horse is named Swift Wind and he’s so, so annoying. He’s a bit of goof, but let him speak anyway.

‘Sure, he can speak before the tribunal, although he cannot fit in the normal witness chair. Swift Wind, what can you recall about the battle?

‘Me, Bow, Glimmer, Adora, and the Bright Moon guards seemed like the only ones fighting against the Horde. We planned a bit, with the help of Queen Angella, one of her top advisers, Netossa, and Spinnerella. Adora felt useless but she was brought back into the fold by Bow and Glimmer…and we used the armory of weapons assembled by Glimmer. Adora transformed into She-Ra and everyone suited up for battle. We all did what we could to defend the castle, but they rushed it with laser blasts, Glimmer kept glitching, but we still destroyed some Horde bots.  The battle seemed lost: Queen Angella almost got killed by a Horde bot, Glimmer had been affected after her time in the Fright Zone by some funky magic from Shadow Weaver. It seemed Catra and Scorpia, who led the forces, would defeat us, even with Princesses Spinnerella and Netossa on our side. In the nick of time, Frosta, Perfuma, Sea Hawk, and Mermista came in and saved the day, turning the tide of the battle. All the princesses held hands, and their powers went through the Sword of Protection, creating a rainbow wave which pushed back the Horde, causing their defeat. It was a glorious day!

‘Would anyone else like to speak on this?

‘I was a guard of the Bright Moon Castle on the day of the battle. I’d like to give my piece about what transpired.

‘Your recollections are important to this trial. Say as much or little as you please.

‘On that day, the sky looked dark, with reddish lightning striking everywhere. I did what I could to ensure that the citizens of the kingdom were protected, moving them to the underground caverns, an area not affected by the attack, as the castle suffered heavy damage during the battle. I was able to watch the battle through a telescope from the caverns. I saw Queen Angella fall and be attacked by the Horde Bot, the deadly fight between Adora and Catra, and much more. Due to my distance from the fighting, I couldn’t see as much detail as others who were involved in the action directly. That’s what I can remember.

‘Before we conclude this part of the trial, testimony from Queen Angella, Perfuma, or any of the others involved at the battle would be welcome.

‘Your honor, I’d like to say something before the tribunal as a witness.

‘It is allowed.

‘Me, and my partner, Spinnerella, were some of the first ones to fight against the Horde, as Swift Wind has pointed out. Adora, who had transformed into She-Ra, had been injured and felt useless after the Horde forces almost captured her, putting her in pain with electrified ropes. I surrounded her, my partner, and Bow with an electric net as the Horde tanks aimed their cannons at us. The Castle has been damaged, with fires throughout, and the sky had been shrouded in darkness. Just then, the other princesses, first Mermista and Sea Hawk, then Perfuma, and finally Frosta, came in to save us, all of whom I can’t thank enough. If that hadn’t happened, we surely would have lost the battle.

‘What about Catra, Princess Netossa?

‘I saw Catra and Adora fighting at one point, Catra taunting Adora, after she was searching through the water for her shield…Adora told me later that they fought in the nearby rock outcroppings, in a deadly fight, as noted by the Bright Moon Castle guard…involving lots of scratches on Adora’s face by Catra…provoking her…distracting her from the battle…but she recovered later…her magic flowed…the sky no longer was as dark…while the Moonstone had been restored…when we combined our powers…Catra was one of those defeated…as part of the Horde itself…and we won the day!

‘If anyone else would like to testify at this point, we are open to hearing them.

No one else replied to the request by the tribunal member. All that remained was the closing statement from the prosecution and another from Catra. The bailiffs walked her up to the witness stand in chains and readied themselves for anything.

‘As you have heard from Governor Pax, Ms. Eros, Bow, Princess Glimmer, Princess Mermista, Princess Netossa, Sea Hawk, Swift Wind, and even Shadow Weaver, Scorpia, and Entrapta, there is a clear case that Catra has not only openly collaborated with the Horde, but she aided and abetted the indiscriminate attack on Thaymor, a civilian town, grievously injured royalty, kidnapped said royalty, was part of a conspiracy to steal historical artifacts, and assisted in weather exploitation for devious ends. These same witnesses also noted how she attempted to destroy the Salineas Sea-Gate, a magical gateway, and assaulted Castle Bright Moon, a fortified castle. While many of these crimes are intertwined with other individuals, she has still committed all of them. I say she should be found guilty on all counts.

‘Having listened to the following testimony and closing statement of Mr. Frieden of the prosecution, we’d like to hear from Catra herself. Although no one has offered to be her defense, due to the justifiable anger at the Horde on this planet, she still has the right to defend herself in the court from the charges brought against her. Catra, what is your comment on the above-named charges?

‘They are completely correct. Since Scorpia has already talked about the illegitimacy of this court, I’ll ignore that right now. I willingly attacked Thaymor, injured royalty, engineered the kidnapping of Bow and Glimmer, and helped steal historical artifacts. I also assisted in weather exploitation for devious ends, as you call it, attempted to destroy the Salineas Sea-Gate, and assaulted the Castle Bright Moon. But I did these all for one reason: Adora abandoned me, just like she abandoned all of you on this planet, left to a location you won’t disclose. I always felt close to Adora, as a friend, and person I admired…you could say I adored Adora…all my actions with the Horde were meant to prove my worthiness in the world, that I matter…I wanted to crush her and the little pipsqueak Rebellion, now codified in that awful Compact you speak of, to turn them to dust. She doesn’t care about me and I don’t care about her, so I aimed to hurt her in the way she hurt me! We see past each other and that’s totally fine with me…I want nothing more to do with a scoundrel like her or the rest of you. Someday, you will regret this day…you’ll see what happens. No one can stop me!

‘With that profound statement, it is time for the members of this tribunal to begin deliberations and make a decision on this case. We will return in 30 minutes.

The room’s crowd talked in subtle whispers, chatting to each other about Catra’s admission of guilt, as they saw it, and what she said about Adora. The other princesses didn’t know what to think and Adora felt apprehensive. No one knew how the tribunal members would vote or what their sentence would be. After all, The Compact of Etheria, which gave those charged with crimes the right to “defend themselves or someone to represent them from the planet itself” (Article II, section D), allowed judges to use “independent legal reasoning to make a decision” (Article II, section E), and stated that lengthy sentences could be applied in Etherian courts for those “who had committed heinous crimes, like former members of the Horde” (Article II, section L). Additionally, Catra, as a person formerly part of the Horde she could not “hold any position of power within the planet's royal realms or city-states” (Article III, section Q), and might be sent to a school for “re-conditioning” (Article III, section R, subsections a-b). There was also a catch: the sentence of former Horde members on the planet would depend on whether they recognize the errors of their past association and whether they agreed to “help rebuild the planet.” This meant that some would have community service as a “punishment for past transgressions” (Article III, section S, subsection a) or something “more severe, perhaps even death” which would be decided by the courts (Article III, section S, subsection b). This was conditioned by the fact that “retaliatory punishments” were prohibited (Article IV, section T), while also influenced by the fact that the “word of rulers and their decrees have the force of law” for royal realms (Article I, section A), and that “traditional indigenous law and custom remain significant” (Article I, section B). Such vagueness added many questions into the case itself and its conclusion.

The door slammed and out walked the 10 tribunal members. They approached their seats, while the bailiffs prepared their static pikes, and Catra remained inside a cage with bars made through magic, courtesy of Angella and Glimmer, but engineered by Bow. Mr. Gerechtigkeit, the tribunal’s head, read the statement:

“After considering the previous testimony and the final statement of the defendant, we have come to a conclusion about this case. We find the defendant, Catra, formerly second-in-command of the Horde, guilty on all counts. We sentence her to life imprisonment in the Northern Reach, which is in effect unless she accepts responsibility for her actions and works to make this planet a better place, renouncing her previous allegiance to the Horde. We feel that having her endure the effects of these crimes in person is more important than death, a punishment allowed for under The Compact of Etheria. She is also, as per Article III, section Q, not allowed to hold any position of power on this planet but will not be sent to a school for re-conditioning, allowing for integration back into society, as under Article III, section R, subsections a-b, since we do not believe that is possible. Our judgment falls under the authority granted by Article II, section L and Article III, section S, subsection b, while considering that “retaliatory punishments” are prohibited, as noted in Article IV, section T.

‘As Mr. Gerechtigkeit, the head of this tribunal, I declare that this case has ended and closed as we have issued our verdict. Due to the lack of counsel for the defendant, this case will not be appealed to a higher court. The sentence is hereby executed. Bailiffs, please cuff the defendant and remove them from the courtroom.

‘Understood, your honor.

As Catra hissed and growled, she marched out of the courtroom, Scorpia shouting “they can’t do this to you, wildcat!” Back in Tokyo, Adora’s phone clicked off, not hearing Catra solemnly declare “I love you, Adora” as the door was about to close. She had heard enough.

Her fingers traced the edges of the shot glass. Only the day before she had helped fight off ‘Angels’ and an assassin attacking her two new friends, Mimi and Rin. The latter told Mimi she was going to the Asogi Consulting office, fielding calls with Teruki Maeno, a child of Yoki and the late Koki. Mimi, a thin or gaunt woman with teenage looks, decided to stay in the apartment, hoping to become a better friend with Adora after their experiences the day before.

“Adora, would you like some vodka? I was about to pour myself some.

‘After that mentally exhausting trial, I’d like to drink something, even a small amount.

Gulping down the alcohol, Pearl shrieked. She had enough of “wild Adora,” saying that she would never tolerate underage drinking, recalling the law in the country that only people over age 20 could drink such spirits. Mimi laughed, reminding her that the law didn’t specify whether it applied to foreigners, with Adora undoubtedly fulfilling this as a person originally born on Eternia but lived most of her life in Etheria. Adora scoffed.

“Pearl, I appreciate your concern…but I am a new person who wants to leave the past behind and chart a new course in the future. Didn’t you say that about yourself at one point?

“Fine. I did say I was a “new Pearl” with “no plan” and I got chased by a police car…when I didn’t have a license…so maybe there are some parallels.

‘You don’t have to worry, Pearl. I only wanted one shot glass, then I’d like to go back to Beach City…to talk with Steven, Connie, and the other Gems.

Pearl pulled in Adora, hugging her intently, as she finished her glass of vodka, putting it down on the hard-wooden table. Both felt better about each other, their embrace calming down tensions between them. Mimi drank her alcohol and had an idea to help.

“Do you need transportation out of Tokyo? I mention that because Lapis and Peri left this morning to visit two friends, they called Anthy and Utena, in Miura.

‘That’s a great offer. But, driving there would take many, many hours, right?

‘Ah, but we don’t need to use that polluting form of transportation. We can use…commuter rail…with trains that travel 70 miles an hour or 110 kilometers per hour as we call it in Japan.

‘Trains? We don’t have many of those back in America.

‘Oh, yes, they are wonderful. There are track lines that go from the newly renovated Shinjuku Station to Sibuya, from there to Shinagawa Station, and onto Kawaski. After that, the train will pass through Kanagawa, Yokohama, Isogo, Kanazawa, and Yokosaka, to name a few cities.  The trip will be about 46 miles, or 74 kilometers , taking less than 40 minutes.

‘Wow, trains run so fast here! For the most part, trains run in America at 60 miles an hour, or 97 kilometers per hour…we’d love to take your high-speed rail!

‘Great, I’ll drive you to the Shinjuku Station. Perhaps I’ll go down to Miura with you.

Mimi slammed the door of Rin’s penthouse apartment and locked it with a key. This was another indication, if you needed another one, of her long-standing relationship with Rin. They didn’t live together, but she did visit the place often, knowing the route to her place, and even storing some of her clothes there, something which Rin allowed. She hopped into her car, ready to drive. This small K-class car could go a decent speed but had turbo chargers, costing little, and consumed very little fuel. Due to her short stature, the car fit her perfectly, as she didn’t mind the limited space. Pearl, skilled at driving, offered to take them to the train station. Mimi agreed to this on the condition she could sit in the passenger seat and chat with Pearl. Adora slunk into the backseat of the car. The car zoomed off to the train station, its speed surprised Mimi.

In no time at all, they reached the train station, parking in the designated spaces, thanks to Mimi serving as the navigator. Stepping out of the car, Adora felt a bit neglected, as Mimi and Pearl continued chatting. Walking through the grand columns of the station, Mimi offered to pay for their tickets. Since they would be traveling 74 kilometers it would come to 740 yen for the base fare (10 yen a KM for long distances) plus 4,000 yen for the commuter rail, coming to a total of 4,740 yen. That would be equivalent of about 44 DelMarva Dollars (DMD), still operating on a system like the archaic and outmoded U.S. Dollars. If she wanted to pay for all their tickets, it would cost 14,220 yen, or about 131 DMD. Adora and Pearl felt a little guilty, so both offered to pitch in the money they had, which only totaled 44 DMD, only enough for one ticket. They promised to pay back Mimi. She insisted, as her treat, she’d pay for their tickets.

Mimi earned an average salary of 5 million yen per year, more than women who worked in the country’s top industries, who took in less than men due to the gender w. Specifically, she earned about 96,154 yen a month, coming out to 801 yen per hour, working only 120 hours per month, lower than the average for Japan. This seemed low, as it only translated to about 7.30 DMD an hour or a total of $46,020 a year. But, her investments in the wide-ranging Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) brought in an additional 4 million yen a year, raising her income up to 9 million a year, equivalent to 82,826 DMD. As a result, she lived a comfortable bourgeois lifestyle, like Rin, in the upper echelon of Japan’s service class, part of two-woman private investigative business, Asogi Consulting, but below the business class or royal families. With this economic security, she felt fine with paying for their tickets. After all, she held a much higher-class status than Pearl or Adora even though Steven’s dad, Greg, had gobs of money. Having paid for the tickets and getting on the train, it sped forward.

While on the train, Mimi pulled out a small bottle of vodka and a plastic cup from her purse, pouring herself a glass. Since their trip was considered “long-distance,” rules deemed eating and drinking acceptable. Neither Adora nor Pearl had ever seen someone drink as much alcohol as Mimi or even Rin. Although she continued to test her limits on Earth, Mimi’s behavior even unnerved Adora. Despite this, they sat together and chatted the whole way about their lives, experiences, and whatnot. Before they knew it, the train had arrived at their destination: Miurakaigan Station. Stepping out of the train and onto the train platform, they walked underneath a metal roof and past green-painted metal polls. A loudspeaker blared:

“Miurakaigan-eki e yōkoso. Kita-iki to Minami-iki no ressha o unkō suru 2tsu no purattofōmu ga arimasu. Basu rain ya sonohoka no kōtsūkikan to no setsuzoku ga kanōdesu. Kiiroi sen no ushiro ni tachi, jōsha suru sai ni eki no hōmu to densha no sukima ni chūi e kudasai. Arigatō, subarashī tsuitachi o!”

(“Welcome to Miurakaigan Station. There are two side platforms which serve northbound and southbound trains. Connections are available to bus lines and other forms of transportation. Please make sure to stand behind the yellow line and mind the gap between the station platform and train when boarding. Thank you and have a wonderful day!”)

Rather than taking the bus down into the Miura, where they would have seen fishing in the nearby harbor or people selling watermelons, but not daikons (Japanese radishes) as the latter wouldn’t be in season until the winter, they walked into the country. Adora, who had been there before, remembered the route, leading the group. Soon they approached the house, with a smiling Anthy tending the garden, with Chu-Chu on her shoulder, greeting them.

“Konnichi wa! Adora, I remember you from before, but I have never met your two friends. You came at just the right time because Lapis and Peri just finished filming their most recent episode of ‘Our Home Now.’ I’m so excited for it! We can share with all those on the LEZU network!

‘Utena, chotto soto ni dete moraemasu ka? Rabendā no kami no joseidearu adora to momo no kami no joseidearu adora ni aisatsu e kudasai... Soe karera o wataachi no ie ni kangei e kudasai.

(‘Utena, can you come outside for a second? I’d like you to greet Adora, a lavender-haired woman, and a peach-haired woman…and welcome them to our home.)

The fusama opened, Utena stepping forward, with braided dark pink hair reaching her waist. This was a sea-change from her usual appearance where her long and wavy hair draped across the right side of her face, her shoulders, and part of her forehead. She wore a flowing asparagus green dress, but not long enough to be a wedding dress. It had been made by Lapis and Peri from their blossoming hemp crop as an early summer present, promising to make something better for her birthday on December 29, when she’d turn 36 years old. Her hair had been braided by Lapis and Peri, following the guidelines of the Pretty Hair Stylist and books from the Buddy Buddwick Public Library in Beach City they had checked out.

She showed them into the house, which seemed empty apart from Steven, Connie, and Greg resting after moving around equipment, helping Lapis and Peri with their online talk show. As they stepped into the house’s ima, they heard three figures step into the light, yelling “SURPRISE!” Instead of going to work, Rin had decided to take the day off, praising her two new “comrades”: Lapis and Peri. Standing between them, her dark green wavy hair draped across the backs of these two gems, wearing a dark green suit with a tie, and glasses, her emerald green eyes staring at Mimi. She hadn’t expected an action like this from her companion, but cheerfully, she accepted it. She guessed that Rin’s humor, charming nature, flirting, and beauty convinced them to hold this event at Utena and Anthy’s house.

“Mimi, kore wa anata e no watashi no okurimonodesu. Tōkyō no taikutsuna shigoto to wa betsuni, issho ni tsuitachi o iwaimasu.

(“Mimi, this is my gift to you, to celebrate a day together, apart from the drudgery of Tokyo.)

‘Rin, arigatō! Kore ī ne kono kuni no jiyū to heiwa o aisuru hidearu 11 tsuki 3-nichi ni watashi no tanjōbi ni nanika o te ni iretai to negatte imasu. Fijī

(‘Thank you so much, Rin! This so nice. I hope you get something for my birthday on November 3rd, a day to love freedom and peace across this nation, and I promise to get you something for your birthday on August 11…maybe we can even climb to Mt. Fiji.)

'Watashi wa sore ga hoshīdesu. Oboete kurete arigatō.

(‘I’d like that. Thanks for remembering.)

Hugging each other, they were joined by Lapis and Peri embracing them, respecting each other whether immortal or Gem. Not knowing Japanese, Pearl and Adora felt a bit out of place, despite cheery faces from Mimi, Rin, and their two fellow Gems. They found Greg, Steven, and Connie sleeping in another room on tatami mats curled around a pink lion. Pearl and Adora then began playfully poking Steven, Connie, and Greg to wake them up. All three awoke with a start when a crepe, cream, and candy, taken out of Pearl’s Gem, were thrown at their faces.

“Pearl, Adora, why…did you do that?

Steven, Connie, Greg, and…Lion, we’d like to go home. If you don’t cooperate, I’m going to have to throw a carp at your face, squirt you with sunscreen, or hit you with sugar cubes…that’s not something you’d want.

‘Fine…Pearl. Don’t you have anything else in that Gem that could help us?

‘I have an ace of clubs, a cheeto, a compass, a cellular phone, a carafe, Sea Pals, a seashell, the Gem sloop, a sticker, tissue paper, photos, and a private phone book.

‘That’s a lot of useless stuff.

‘Are you going to help us or not!

‘Adora…all right! You don’t have to point your sword at our necks.

‘Sorry I’m just tired.

‘Let’s at least tell the others.

Walking down the hallway into the ima, they met Utena, Anthy, Lapis, Mimi, and Peri all laughing at Rin’s jokes. Steven lamented that he, Connie, Greg, Pearl, and Adora were going back to Beach City. Sadness permeated the room.

“You don’t have to go yet! We were just about to play Shogi…you’ll miss it.

‘No, that’s ok. I think we’ll skip it. See you back in Beach City.

‘Sounds good…but we’re not leaving.

‘What do you mean?

‘We’re going to live here with Utena and Anthy for a while. Beach City is nice and all, but it’s so much calmer here…and they are our besties. But we’ll come to visit sometimes!

‘Lapis is right. We don’t hold anything against you or the Gems, but we would rather live our lives somewhere different, among people like us.

‘Well…Lapis…Peri…see you later then. Lion, please take us back to Beach City.

With a tear in his eye, Steven mounted Lion, followed by Pearl, Connie, and Adora with Greg’s head sticking out of magical animal’s pocket dimension. Lion opened a portal before them and jumped in. As the portal faded away, Lapis cried, but Peri calmed her down, reminding her that everything would be OK, as she rested her head upon her companion’s lap, watching her lose to Utena in a game of Shogi while Mimi, Rin, Anthy, and Chu-Chu watched intently.

The events of the next day would shatter the tentative peace Steven assumed had been established after “changing” the Diamond overlords on Homeworld. His perception couldn’t be more wrong…