Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Then let's do this. Together." Adora speaks. This small moment of peace is blissful. Finally, at long last, the war is over. Catra is finally with the Rebellion, She-Ra has returned stronger than ever-
"Did we ever find out what Grayskull is?" Adora asks suddenly, slightly pulling away from the group.
"You didn't even know what you were fighting for the honour of? Why am I not surprised?" Catra asks, rolling her mismatched eyes.
"Actually, about that-" Glimmer begins, but is interrupted by a mewling from the top of the hill that the group had just rolled down.
Melog runs down to Catra, mewling in relief and happiness. Catra giggles as the alien cat jumps at her and nuzzles against her. They sit in the grass, as Catra lovingly embraces Melog. Adora’s smile deepens, in complete adoration at the sight before her. All she’s ever wanted is right here. She watches fondly as her girlfriend (was she her girlfriend though, they'd not really had time to label their relationship what with the end of the war) reunites with her pet, eyes filled with warmth. Glimmer and Bow exchange a soft look.
"Glimmer!" A voice shouts from the top of the hill that the Best Friend Squad had just rolled down. It is Glimmer's father, Micah. The group looks up at the former King of Bright Moon as he approaches them.
"I just got word from the General. It's safe for us to go back to Bright Moon!" Micah announces. Glimmer squeals in excitement.
"I haven't been home in such a long time!" She exclaims, grinning. Bow wraps an arm around Glimmer's shoulders, smiling at her. Adora and Catra smile at the motion.
"It'll be so good to finally have an actual bed to sleep on." Bow sighs in relief.
"No more rations!" Glimmer adds. Bow and Adora exchange a glance with Micah.
"All of the food at Bright Moon was supplied to the Rebellion, and to the surrounding villages of Bright Moon. It is likely that there will be no food in Bright Moon for a few more days." Micah explains, frowning.
"Well that's okay! We still have some supplies on the ship that we can use. I can make more dumplings!" Glimmer responds optimistically. Bow and Adora grin at the thought. Even Catra had to admit she liked the thought of the dumplings.
"Did you say dumplings? Like your mom's dumplings?" Micah asks. Glimmer nods.
"We used to make them all the time when I was little. We've never really been that good at cooking, so it's the only thing we ever made." Glimmer explains.
"She made them for our first date." Micah tells, a fond smile on his face, with a little voice crack. Glimmer smiles.
"Do you mind if me and my friends make a stop off before we go back to Bright Moon?" Glimmer asks Micah, referencing Catra, Adora and Bow with her hand. Micah raises a brow, but does not question his daughter.
"Sure, sweetheart. You don't have to ask for my permission to do things you know." Micah smiles.
"I know, I just don't want to leave you in the lurch. I can teleport you back to Bright Moon?" Glimmer offers. At that moment, Castaspella arrives, opening her arms wide in joy.
"Oh Adora! Where do I begin?" She says, hugging the blonde.
"We were so worried!" Castaspella continued, holding the blonde tighter. Adora smiles, uncomfortable with how tight the embrace is, and looks back at Catra.
"I was okay as long as I was with Catra."
"You're such a sap." Catra sighs, but smiles at Adora.
"I'm glad that you're okay too, Catra." Castaspella smiles, letting go of Adora. Catra's eyes widen at the statement. Whilst never directly facing Castaspella in battle, they had been on opposing sides of the war. Yet, Castaspella chose to trust her simply because Adora, Glimmer and Bow did. In Mystacor especially, they had seemed like allies, but Catra had only thought it was because Glimmer, Bow and Adora had vouched for her. Now, it seemed like Castaspella actually cared for Catra. Melog snuggles against Catra, glowing at Catra's sense of happiness.
"I'm going to teleport my dad back to Bright Moon." Glimmer states. "Do you want to keep him company, Auntie?" "Of course, of course. Will you not be staying?" Castaspella asks.
"I have something I need to show Adora and Catra first." Glimmer reveals, piquing her friends' interest.
"Well in that case, don't let me keep you waiting. Let's go!" Castaspella speaks.
“I’ll come with you!” Bow speaks, as Glimmer holds out her hands to teleport her family. It had been so long since Glimmer had been able to use that word. The thought of it made her heart warm.
As Glimmer, Bow, Micah and Castaspella teleport away, Adora turns to look at Catra.
“So what do you think they wanna show us?” She asks, looping her arms around Catra’s neck. Catra places her hands gently on Adora’s waist, conscious of the injuries that had been there after the blonde had been attacked by the First One monster.
“Not a clue. Sounds fun though.” Catra admits, surprising Adora. The brunette sighs, and rolls her eyes once again.
“Stop looking at me like that. This is not because I like them.” Catra pouts. Adora has heard that line for her whole life, she knows Catra’s lying.
“Funny.” Adora starts. “You’ve always said that you don’t like me, yet your declaration of love for me just saved Etheria. The whole universe.”
Catra goes silent for a moment, before she sighs.
“Fine. Whatever, they’re okay I guess.” Catra grumbles, but Adora can identify the mirth in the feline’s mismatched eyes with ease.
“So, you love me, huh?” Adora teases. Catra growls.
“Ugh, I knew you’d be weird about this.” She replies. Adora smirks, before gently moving her hands over Catra’s cheeks. The brunette’s tan cheeks flare red, and before she knows it, Adora has pulled her in for a kiss. No kiss would ever beat the one they’d had only moments ago at the Heart of Etheria, but Catra held onto every intimate moment like a lifeline. Down near the Heart of Etheria, Prime had asked her, shortly before Shadow Weaver’s interference, was it worth it? As Catra stands, her hands tightening slightly on Adora’s waist, her lips against Adora’s she decides. It was all be worth it. Her actions would haunt her for a long time yet, but she finally had Adora. And truly, she had everything she ever wanted.
Glimmer and Bow teleport back to the field, unnoticed by Catra and Adora. Bow’s mouth falls open, whilst Glimmer smirks.
“I called it.” She speaks. Adora and Catra immediately break their kiss, Adora looking mildly caught off guard, Catra looking completely embarrassed. But not ashamed. Never ashamed.
Adora clears her throat awkwardly.
"So, this thing you wanted to show us. Uh, what is it?" She asks.
"Come with us." Glimmer speaks, smiling. Catra and Adora exchange a confused glance, Catra's slightly apprehensive.
"You'll be okay." Adora smiles. Catra grunts.
"Ugh, fine." Catra takes Adora's hand as the blonde grabs Glimmer's shoulder. Together, the squad teleport away.

When Catra next opens her eyes, they are stood outside the Crystal Castle. Catra remembers being here, not long after Adora had defected from the Horde. She had followed the blonde into the tower, and it was there that their friendship had truly been tested. That was so long ago.
"What are we doing back here?" Adora inquires. It had been only mere hours since she, Glimmer and Bow had come here to find and destroy the Heart of Etheria. Standing next to the Crystal Castle is George and Lance, Bow's fathers.
"Adora! And Glimmer too! And-" George pauses.
"It's Catra, isn't it?" Lance asks. Catra nods, holding out a tentative hand. Bow, Glimmer and Adora smile at her gesture.
"So nice to meet you!" George says, shaking Catra's hand enthusiastically.
"You know, Adora actually talks about you quite a-" Adora clears her throat, cutting George off. Catra smirks smugly at Adora, whose cheeks go pink.
"Anyway." Adora says pointedly.
"Right, right. We told you about how we found information on the failsafe here, right?" Bow begins.
"Yeah, what about it?" Catra asks.
"We didn't exactly tell you everything. We didn't want Adora to be stressing any more than she already was." Bow continues, piquing Adora's interest. The archer nods his head towards the opening of the Crystal Castle, prompting Adora to allow them access. The group walk down the slant and into the Crystal Castle. They take a different path than the one that eventually led to the Heart of Etheria, and instead take the path that leads to the chamber where Glimmer, Bow and Adora had been in after they had first met, three long years ago.
"We found George and Lance here, hiding out." Glimmer explains.
"We've been researching into Mara's time, and have a lot of research they've gathered, but only you, Adora, can fully read and understand the writing of the First Ones." Lance explains, referencing to the AI in the centre of the room.
"But that's just a hologram, like Light-" Adora stops. Light Hope wasn't just a hologram though, was she? She was much more. Mara had known that, and Adora did too.
"I-I'm sorry. About what happened with Light Hope. I made a mistake, and-" Glimmer says, noticing Adora's pause, but the blonde cuts her off.
"It wasn't her fault. We were all doing what we thought was right. It doesn't matter now. Continue." Adora says, addressing Lance.
"So what exactly are you guys trying to say here?" Catra asks, her arms folded.
"Can I do the voice?" Bow asks Glimmer, excitedly.
"You are just like your dads." Glimmer laughs, but nods.
"For the honour of Grayskull!" Bow cries out. The room flickers, as Catra and Adora glance on.
"You guys are so dramatic." Catra comments. A hologram appears before Bow, a sky full of-
"Constellations!" Adora realises. She reaches for the hologram.
"You need to find the words 'Friend of Mara'." Bow instructs. Adora complies, as Catra and Glimmer watch on. Once the words are pulled together, a bright light flashes, and the hologram speaks.
"Greetings, friends of Mara. There is one recording available. Would you like to review?"
"Yes." Adora speaks. A holographic voice plays.
"This is our last transmission. If anyone's hearing this, you need to listen. There is a failsafe for the Heart of Etheria. It will allow you to destroy the Heart, and end this for good. It's at the Arxia outpost, but we lost touch with them a week ago. If there's anyone left out there, you need to find it. Mara bought us time, but it's too late for us. This is Rebel Squadron Grayskull. And for the last time, we're signing off." The voice disappears, as Adora gawps helplessly at the hologram as it disappears. "Rebel Squadron Grayskull?" She repeats.
"The First One's had their own rebellion, that we already know." Bow states.
"I can't shake the feeling that Grayskull is important somehow. Not just to Mara, but...to me." Adora speaks. Glimmer and Bow hug her, as Catra tentatively stands to the side. It stil feels so odd being here. Glimmer, Bow and Adora have had three years together where they've become inseparable. Catra and Adora? They've been battling constantly for the past three years. And Catra's beginning to accept Bow and Glimmer, she is, but she still feels like a misplaced piece of the puzzle.
Adora looks up, and sees Catra, looking lost. The blonde smiles, and holds her hand out to Catra. Bow and Glimmer copy the action, and Catra stares at their hands, perplexed.
"Come on, Horde Scum." Glimmer speaks in a teasing tone. Catra grunts, but takes Adora and Glimmer's outheld hands.
"We'll figure it out, you know. We're the Best Friend Squad." Bow says.
"Maybe my dad and Aunt Casta can help? With the records from the library, and the knowledge they learned in the Sorceror's Guild, surely they must know something about Grayskull?" Glimmer suggests.
"Prime." Catra suddenly says. The group look at her.
"On Prime's ship. When you came to save me. He said that he stomped the First Ones' empire under his feet. Maybe there are records on the Velvet Glove of the First Ones. Maybe he knew something about Grayskull?" Catra suggests.
"That's not bad reasoning, Catra. We should convene next week at The Library. Bright Moon still needs ground work, and The Library still needs some cleaning up, but if we convene in a week, we can gather sources of our information so far and see if we can form any links." Lance suggests.
"Great thinking, Dad."
"Then it's settled. Now, I don't know about you guys, but there is a warm room in Bright Moon with my name on it, and it's calling out to me." Glimmer smiles, as the group walk out of the chamber.
"I think I'm going to stay with my dads for the night." Bow says.
"Bow, you really don't-" George begins.
"He was really worried about you." Glimmer intercepts. "He should spend some time at home."
George and Lance smile, both at Glimmer and Bow, before smiling.
"You know, we should get the baby photos out for Glimmer, Adora and Catra. We never got to show Glimmer and Adora." George laughs, as Bow's face turns red.
"Absolutely not." He protests.
"The bubble baths!" Glimmer and Adora exclaim in sync.
"What's going on?" Catra asks, once again feeling out of the loop.
"The first time we met George and Lance, they wanted to show us Bow's baby pictures, but he protested." Adora exclaims.
"Would you want yours to be shown?" Bow asks indignantly.
"Me and Catra don't have any. The Horde wasn't big on pictures, unless you had a rank of course." Adora explains.
"You know, I bet Sparkles here has some real cute ones." Catra teases. Glimmer swipes for the feline girl with a fist full of sparkles, which Catra easily dodges.
"Careful Sparkles." Catra smirks.
"Come on, you two. Let's get back to Bright Moon in peace." Adora smiles, taking Catra's hand. Glimmer notices the gesture, smirking.
"Shut it." Catra speaks, noticing the expression.
"Are you guys okay if we go on ahead?" Glimmer asks George, Lance and Bow.
"Of course, of course!" George smiles.
"Get home safely." Lance says.
"Call me when you're back?" Bow asks Glimmer. The Queen smiles.
"I will." She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, before turning back to Adora and Catra.
"Bright Moon, here we come." She exclaims.

"I hate when you do that." Catra grumbles, as the girls appear in Bright Moon, right outside the castle. The group turn around to observe the damage around them. The ground is ruptured from attacks from bots, the Moonstone chamber slightly crumbling, however, the Moonstone is still in tact, the moat around Bright Moon is of a dull colour, and a part of the castle has been completely blasted. Next to the castle is a Horde Spire. Glimmer gasps.
"My home..." She whispers, saddened.
"It'll be okay. I'll fix it." Adora says, putting a hand on Glimmer's shoulder.
"She-Ra can't get rid of a spire." Glimmer points out.
"Glimmer." Adora says pointedly.
"We will fix it." The blonde reassures. "But let's save it for tomorrow. We all need sleep."
"Adora's right, Sparkles. We'll get rid of the spire, and find out about Grayskull, but we'll do it after a good long rest." Catra says, strolling forward. Adora and Glimmer smile.
"Now come on." Catra says, holding her hand out to Adora. The blonde looks down at the tan hand, and has a flicker of a memory from down at the Heart of Etheria. A gloved outheld hand, Catra with her long hair returned, years in the future. Their future. For a moment, Adora is scared that the hand will disappear. But as she takes it, she feels Catra's warm skin against hers, and she knows this is real. The mystery of Grayskull could wait another day.

Chapter Text

A green pool. Swimming, helplessly. The helmet-mask Catra had worn for so many of years swept away. Struggled breaths, the constriction of her chest. The sharp stabbing pain in the back of the neck. So many voices, overlapping. It's so loud. The rest had been a blur. After all, her body was no longer hers, she wasn't in control. Prime was. The memories appear in blurred flashes. Prime crushing the helmet-mask, the clones cutting her hair, fitting her with the white Horde uniform that all the clones wore.

Days went by. Three, maybe four? And then she heard it. Adora. Here, on the Velvet Glove, calling out to her. Catra had warned her not to come. What was she thinking? And Catra found the strength to call back. Or at least she thought she'd found the strength. But it turns out it was all a part of Prime's sick plan to get Adora to surrender She-Ra. Prime was controlling her movements once again.

More flashes appear. Slashing at Adora, the punches, the words Catra had told her. How Prime would win, how he was basically inevitable. She remembers the hurt in Adora's eyes, the pain, the fear. That desperate blue seeping through the green of Prime's hold. That disgusting green. Stars above, Catra hated that colour now. The noise gets louder, consuming her. Electricity courses through her body, an after effect of crashing into Prime's screen.

She gets control of herself back, if only for a moment, and tells Adora that she should have stayed away, but Adora is persistent. Catra knows she must make a sacrifice, a true sacrifice for the greater good. She will save Adora, she promises. So she drives herself to the cliff, but Adora reaches out to her. For a moment, it seems like there could be a different way out. But Prime does now allow it, and Catra falls to her doom. Adora follows her, persistent to the end. Except this time, the blonde girl cannot summon She-Ra, for she too is lay unconscious after the fall. Clones drag Catra and Adora away.

Prime finds Bow and Glimmer and Entrapta on his ship. He restrains Darla, cutting off the trio's only way of escape. He keeps them prisoner, torturing them, trying to find out how to use the Heart of Etheria to 'bring peace'. Eventually, Glimmer cracks, too weak to withstand any more suffering. She tells him that the Sword of Protection is the key to the Heart. And that's when Entrapta reveals that Adora shattered the sword, and that its runestone is incapable of anything now. Prime gets angry. Adora was being serious when she said that she would not give him She-Ra...because she no longer had She-Ra. But it's alright, Prime reasons. If he can use Hordak's old lab and gather his research, he can find an alternative way to use the Heart. After all, he can't use She-Ra anymore. Because Adora is dead.

Prime comes to Etheria, shows Catra and Adora's lifeless bodies as a type of trophy, a token, if you will, of his victory. He brags of how he has Glimmer, their precious Queen, prisoner. He reveals her, lay on the ground, her hair messy, eyes without the light that once illuminated them, the droplet of her crown barely hanging on. Her skin has paled due to the amount of time she has spent away from her runestone. Her face shows lines of cuts, scars, bruises, all of which she has endured whilst trying not to reveal the truth about the Heart of Etheria. But she has failed. She is powerless, broken. Micah and Castaspella scream out. Bow's dads notice him lay alongside her, his shoulder armour shattered, his stomach baring bruises from the torture Prime has inflicted upon him. Then there is Entrapta, cuffed to the wall, as Catra and Scorpia had done to her, a long three years ago when they had first met, and thought Entrapta was on the side of the Rebellion. That was a mistake, all Entrapta cared for was science. And here, she had lots of it, but the fun of it was gone, replaced by only misery. Her pigtails have been cut shorter, less effective, her dungarees are ripped, her eyes dull. Prime has tortured each of them to within an inch of their lives. And Adora is dead.

Prime succeeds in his plan. He discovers how to use the Heart, without Adora, or She-Ra or any of the elemental princesses. He builds a drill, a horrible spiked green drill that digs into the ground, and he seizes the Heart. Families gather, holding onto each other in their final moments. Prime has the mercy of teleporting an almost-lifeless Glimmer and Bow down to their families, who weep and howl in despair. The ground tears open, green fire erupting out of it, a sign of Prime's control on the Heart. His clones gather, victorious. Prime sneers, gloating of how all that is left for Etheria is a terrible and eternal night. This is it. This is really the end. Prime has won. And Adora is dead.

Catra sits bolt upright, panting, screaming. Melog sits on the edge of the bed, now red, their mane bristled. Adora stirs, and sits up immediately when she hears Catra's sobs. She notices how fear and panic flicker in Catra's eyes. She notices the rapid and distraught rise and fall of Catra's chest. Sweat drips down her face, a sure sign of her hysteria. Tears are falling from her heterochromatic eyes. Her tail is bristled. The sight of Catra like this breaks Adora's hearts.
"Catra?" Adora asks. Catra turns to her, sees the blonde sitting next to her.

She takes everything in. How Adora's eyes always seem to reflect the sky, how they hold the light of the room. She glances over Adora's cheeks, which currently have a warm rose tint to them. Adora's lips...soft, pink and curved into a frown. A worried frown. Catra acknowledges the dumb hair poof, how Adora's hair is still tied in a ponytail. She really was going to be bald by her thirties. Catra moves a hand forward, and gently pulls the hair band from Adora's hair. Her blonde hair falls loose, with a wave from where the ponytail has been. Adora glances at Catra, confused. The brunette is quiet, her breathing ragged, her eyes full of tears.

"Catra, what happened?" Adora asks again.
"I-I" Catra stammers, hiccupping.
"I had a nightmare." The brunette discloses, racking with sobs. Adora immediately wraps her arms around the brunette, as she cries.
"What happened? You can tell me everything. Or we don't have to talk about it, if you don't want." Adora says, placing a kiss onto Catra's forehead. It is warm, a little sticky. Catra sighs, cuddling closer to Adora, inhaling her soft vanilla scent, holding onto her tightly. Is this real? Is it one of Prime's tricks? This is Catra's deepest dream, being loved by Adora. It is all she has ever wanted, just her and Adora. Prime could easily prey on that, he had done when he'd chipped her.

"Oh Catra." Adora whispers. Catra tilts her head up, and she takes Adora's chin in her thumb and index finger, and pulls Adora closer to her. The blonde explores Catra's eyes, so beautiful and bright in the darkness of the night. Nobody else could make that combination of blue and yellow work. Only Catra. It would only be ever Catra, the one for her. As Catra captures Adora's lips, the blonde can feel Catra's tears on her face. Except, now Adora is crying too. She barely notices, getting so caught up in the feeling of Catra's lips on hers. They were both so broken and exposed, still so raw from the war. They're allowed this moment, aren't they? This one small moment of vulnerability after three long years spent apart, after facing the end of the universe. They deserve this, they do. Adora is sure of it.

As they separate, Catra sighs, smiling.
"That's better." She says. Adora grins.
"Who's the dummy now?" The blonde asks, slightly lovestruck.
"Shut up." Catra speaks, laughing slightly. Adora wipes the tears from Catra's eyes, running a finger over Catra's soft, tear stained cheeks.
"You're beautiful." Adora whispers.
"I dreamt about Prime." Catra reveals, breaking the moment. Adora's eyes widen, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.
"Oh, darling." She says. Catra giggles softly.
"Don't think you've ever given me a nickname before." She jokes.
"Is it okay?" Adora asks, frowning. Catra places a soft kiss on Adora's lips.
"Yes...dummy." The two girls laugh softly, quietly, before the moment becomes sombre again.

"We don't have to talk-" Adora starts.
"No, I want to. I need to." Catra says, running her hands through her short hair. Oh stars, here come the tears again. She had loved her long, thick hair. When Prime had cut it, he had taken a huge part of her identity. And admittedly, it made her feel very lost.
"The flashes again?" Adora asks. Catra nods, as Melog snuggles into her. Catra smiles at her pet.
"I mean, yeah, kinda." Catra says. Adora tilts her head.
"Yeah it is the flashes. But they're worse. You died, Adora." Catra says, shaking. Adora cuddles her closer.
"If this is about the Heart-" Adora begins.
"No, in my nightmare. You didn't even make it out of the Velvet Glove. You died after jumping after me. We both did. Prime...he-he-" Catra begins to stammer, her chest rising and falling again with panic. Adora rubs her thumb over Catra's hand, comforting her.

"He kept Sparkles and Arrow Boy and Entrapta prisoner...he tortured them. Just to find out about the Heart, to control it. He...he succeeded. He destroyed everything. He nearly killed Spa-I mean, Glimmer, and Bow, but he left them to die with the rest of Etheria...and you-" Catra cries out again. Adora's heart breaks, as she wraps her arms around her girlfriend. They were both broken. And perhaps that was what made them perfect for each other.

"I just want to focus on the Grayskull mission." Catra says, wiping her hands over her face.
"Catra, that isn't important." Adora chides. "What matters is you."
"No. What matters is you Adora. You have spent so long helping other people, putting them first. It's time to put yourself first." Catra reprimands. Adora smiles at the brunette. Stars above, she loves her.

"It's important that this mission gives you some clarity." Catra continues. Melog nods their head in agreement. Adora pets their blue mane lovingly.
"I feel like finding out about Mara's rebellion was a huge clue. But I also feel that there's more to it." Adora sighs. Catra puts a gentle hand on Adora's shoulder.
"We can talk about all of that in the morning. Come on, let's go back to sleep." Catra murmurs.
"What about your flashes?" Adora asks worriedly. Catra lies down and wraps Adora's arm around her waist. She smiles up at Adora, who gets the message.

Adora and Catra hold each other close, being as gentle as they can with each other. At last the war is over, but there is still so much to do, so much to learn. Starting with the mystery of Grayskull. Catra knows how much this means to Adora, and if it can get the blonde to think about herself for once, then it would be worth it. Adora smiles as Catra's eyes droop sleepily. The feline girl's tail wraps around Adora's leg, just like it had done that night they'd shared a bed on Mara's ship. [1] Adora lets the gentle movement of Catra's tail, as well as the brunette's soft snores lull her back to sleep. Because after all, the war is over, and hers and Catra's relationship is beginning. And that is enough.