The sky had grown chilly. Large and silent flakes of snow drifted from the dark clouds. It coated the world in a white blanket that the Hawk Walker cut through. The vehicle had been traveling for a couple of hours now, and its echoes bounced off the mountains surrounding them. Outside was so cold that water froze. Yet, inside, a regulated system ensured a haven of warmth.
Within the interior of the vehicle, every soul was immersed in their task. The twenty engineers moved efficiently to keep the vehicle perfectly functional while Alf piloted.
The only individuals who appeared to be doing nothing at all were Rod and Oliver. They sat in a cozy, panoramic side cafeteria. Its large window offered an unparalleled spectacle of the world outside: Bluish mountains rose into the sky and were crowned with crazy amounts of snow.
Many wild animals darted and played in synchronicity alongside the Walker: Ice Bunnies, Water Dragons, Smoke Snakes, and a myriad of other untamed creatures seemed to be running alongside the vehicle.
It was a view that captivated them for a time, until Rod's focus changed to Oliver. The man sat across from him at the large cafeteria table, sipping coffee from a steaming mug and engrossed in a mana-infused newspaper. The mug itself was unadorned black, and etched on its surface were three evocative words:
"To My Love"
The Hero's eyes lingered for a few seconds. His mind flashed through memories of Elena again, only to force himself out of them and focus on Catra instead.
"I gotta get a grip…"
"What was that?" Oliver's voice cut through Rod's internal monologue.
He lowered his newspaper.
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about something."
The doctor's gaze lingered with a knowing flicker in his eyes. He returned to his newspaper—a mere pretense.
"You're feeling bad about how you spoke to your kid, aren't you?"
Rod searched the man's face for any hint of judgment, though only found understanding. Before long, he shifted his view back to the frozen panorama.
"Yeah. I messed up."
"Well, everyone makes mistakes. I don't expect the Gun Hero to be immune," the doctor said.
"I'll make it up to her somehow. She would kill me if I told you this, but she loves ponies, especially unicorns. Maybe I should take her to the Elf kingdom, she's always wanted to touch one in real life."
He pictured Catra's face alight with joy.
"You really love your daughter, don't you?"
Oliver mirrored Rod's soft chuckle, though his eyes held a deeper glint.
"Yeah. After…" the Hero stopped himself for a second.
Elena's haunting specter was there… her final smile... ready to stare at him when no one else was.
"After something bad happened to us, I've been the only one looking out for her."
Oliver took a moment to think.
"Yeah. Losing a loved one is a hard pill to swallow. I… well… I know the feeling."
The Hero's head tilted towards him and saw the sadness in his eyes.
"I'm… I'm sorry for your loss."
"Well, what can one do when bad things happen? Only move forward."
Rod's view fell to the bio-metallic interlink on his arm. With a subtle surge of mana, a familiar golden energy shimmered and the gun Elena gave him materialized in his palm.
"Move on?" he thought.
Rod looked back towards Oliver.
"How… how did you move on?" he asked.
Oliver fixed his gaze to the mountains.
"I haven't. Not yet at least. But I think something will happen soon that's gonna change that."
The Hero reflected on his words and focused on the pistol in his hands again. He clenched his jaw for a moment, then dissolved it back into his interlink.
"Did I?" The question echoed in his mind.
Had he really moved on? He had Catra… yet, the truth screamed from the depths of his being: he hadn't. The nightmares were a testament to that fact.
"I… I'm gonna look for Catra," he finally murmured.
Rod abruptly stood up and walked away. Oliver watched him do so with a faint smirk. Something was happening behind the curtains, and he felt satisfaction… at least for now.
On the second floor of the Hawk Walker, Catra and Lofo sat comfortably in a small private room. Their eyes stared at the side window as Cloud Birds flew in alongside the vehicle. Nature truly had a way with beauty. It felt like they were part of a movie.
Lofo's beating heart had yearned to see Catra after her ordeal and was overjoyed to be there. His body could barely stand still. He had his mother, of course, though his desire to simply be near Catra had been an almost unbearable ache.
Their shoulders gently touched while the vehicle moved smoothly through the snow.
"This is perfect," Catra purred and closed her eyes.
It was a sign of affection that made the elf boy's chest bloom with happiness.
"I... I love you," he whispered in a tender declaration.
His words caused the cheetah girl's eyes to flutter open and turn her head. She met his gaze with a blush. Unlike how she normally reacted with her father, the girl leaned in slowly and gently kissed him on the cheek.
"I… like you too…"
To her surprise, Lofo's face deepened in a red similar to hers. Catra chuckled with a soft sound. She was still getting used to showing such emotion. Yet, the warmth in her heart was undeniable.
Both turned to the panoramic window once more. It should have been a perfect moment… though something felt off. The elf boy knew Catra was still bothered by something about her dad and wanted to help her, thus he chose to act.
"I know you're worried about your father… if there's anything you wanna tell me, I'm here for you," he softly said.
The boy's hand gently settled on her shoulder.
"You're right… I… I have a feeling that what I smelled in the sheriff's office was… something relating to my mom…" the cheetah girl confessed, "That smell… I know it. I remember it. I just don't know if it's 100% what I think it is."
Lofo's composure faltered at such words. It made no sense; Elena had been resting peacefully for eleven years in the Garden of Heroes alongside his father. And consequently, his mind concluded it must be a subconscious manifestation of her grief, something he had also experienced previously.
"I think you've had a long journey. You need rest. Just relax and sleep in my arms for a few hours."
Catra smiled and let herself fall deeper into his embrace.
"I hope your arms are softer than a 5-star hotel bed."
"OH! You bet. Hold on, just let me relax my muscles for a few minutes," he responded with a cheeky grin.
"Shut up! You're not that shredded."
Suddenly, a jarring sound pierced the quiet outside of their room. Their gazes slowly turned around and saw powerful crackling yellow electricity flicker outside.
"Oh no…" Lofo whispered.
The next thing they heard were three distinct knocks, followed by a voice filled with suppressed anger.
"I know that BOTH of you are in there…"
"Busted…" Catra murmured.
That intimate space between them was broken when Rod guided Lofo to the main lounge of the vehicle. And, unlike them, Catra was instructed to stay in her room. Though, you know how teenagers are...
"LOFO! I THOUGHT ALF TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE CAPITAL!" Rod's voice exploded.
He paced and ran his hands through his hair.
"OH GOD… WHAT AM I GONNA TELL YOUR MOM? SHE'S GONNA KILL ME…"
The boy simply looked at him with guilt.
"I thought you were better than this. I thought-" Rod was about to continue until a door to their side opened. It was Catra.
"Tadaa!" she exclaimed with delight.
The girl stepped into the lounge clad in a beautiful white and gray snowsuit adorned with flower textures.
Rod's exasperated face dropped completely by such a sight. His daughter's rebellious act left him without words. In contrast, Lofo's face filled with awe. Catra struck a playful pose in front of her boyfriend to compound her father's dismay.
"What do you think? Does it look good on me?"
"I… I… I… YES!" Lofo stammered.
He fumbled for his mana-powered cellphone.
"I- I NEED A PICTURE."
The Hero stayed flabbergasted. He perfectly knew what Catra was doing, and understood there was no way to cease what just started there. The photos, the poses, their smiles… it would take hours for them to stop, even if he interjected. He knew that well.
Because of it, he retreated to Oliver, who sat quietly and observed the domestic chaos behind his newspaper.
"You okay?" the doctor asked.
"It doesn't matter… I'll be dead in a matter of hours… how come I didn't notice him getting on the Walker… wait, how come Alf didn't… ALF!" Rod exclaimed and shot up from his chair.
As if on cue, the machine emerged from a hallway and moved towards them. His optical sensors fixed on the young couple while doing so.
"You do not have to scream. I have ears everywhere, literally," Alf's voice cut through the hero's outburst.
"How come- Why didn't you- Do you know what Alex's gonna do to us when she finds out?"
"You are talking about Lofo, am I correct?"
"YES!"
"Rod, of course I knew he got on the ship. I was the one who let him in."
"You went over a direct command from Alex? To be honest, that's kind of impressive, especially for you…"
"Look, Rod, Lofo needs a little action, particularly now that he's a young adult. He's slowly growing up, and Catra is becoming fertile-" Alf began in a clinical tone.
"WATCH IT. That's not your call to make," Rod snapped.
"I've been analyzing you since two days ago, and something has become apparent. Are you truly unhappy with your daughter's relationship?"
The Hero just remained silent. His gaze did the talking for him.
"You know why they shouldn't be together…"
"I understand your concern, but-"
"Look, Alf, as her guardian, I need you to promise me you won't influence her anymore in any way, okay?"
Alf's optical lenses flickered and drifted to the laughing couple in the distance. Their shared joy made a smirk appear inside his circuits.
"I understand. I promise I will not make a move on your daughter."
"W-WHAT?!"
Their argument was about to escalate, only stopped by a wail of sirens that erupted throughout the Hawk Walker. The sound was so loud that Lofo and Catra covered their ears. Then, the large vehicle shuddered to an abrupt stop.
All heads turned towards Alf, who analyzed data from the Walker's sensors.
"We have reached the contact point," he calmly stated.