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Chapter Text

Prologue

If the people of Etheria had to be known for one thing, they would be known for their loud parties and their tendency to throw grand celebrations for any occasion they saw fit. So, what better way to infiltrate the enemy’s territory by attending one of these parties disguised as a guest? The thumping music and bustling atmosphere would make easy work for a Horde spy to slip in and gather information undetected. Knowing this, the Horde decided that their cadets must be equipped with the skills needed to blend into these crowds and one of them included knowing how to perform a popular dance the people of Etheria loved– the ballroom dance.

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Chapter 1
The Horde
1.5 years before the war

It was another blistering hot afternoon in the Fright Zone and the Horde’s full metal structures made it feel like you were a pie being baked in an oven. Along one of the metal hallways, the sound of two pairs of feet pounding down on the floor, accompanied by a string of juvenile insults, could be heard.

Catra yanked Adora’s ponytail back, determined to win the race of who could reach the dance room first. Initially, Adora had a head-start. She had raced down the hallway while Catra was still keeping her sparring gear and called out that ‘the last one there is a dumbface’. It turned into a dirty race of hair pulling, shoulder shoving and foot tripping. It didn't start out fair so it certainly wasn’t going to end fair.

The young girls closed in on the dance room, both sharing the taste of victory on the tip of their tongues but only one of them would be able to fully relish its sweet flavour. Adora shoved Catra into a wall before slamming her fist down on the door’s keypad. The door to the dance room opened but before Adora could enter, Catra managed to recover quick enough to grab Adora’s hair, yanking her back again. Catra thrusted Adora behind her and used that same momentum to slip through the open doorway, claiming victory.

“That was way too easy. You should cut that dumbface ponytail off then maybe you’d stand a chance at winning.” Catra teased, now twirling around the big empty room with her arms stretched wide open. “Or don’t. I wouldn’t mind you losing all the ti– “.

Adora lunged at Catra, knocking them both to the floor with a solid thud. They began pulling and tugging at each others’ hair, limbs and clothes, both girls trying desperately to gain the upper hand and pin the other down.

“You cheated!”

“You cheated first!”

“Cadets!” Octavia entered the dance room. “Was the sparring session not enough for the both of you? Get up from the floor.”

Adora and Catra sprang up to salute Octavia, their bodies going as straight and rigid as a rod. “Force Captain Octavia. Our apologies. It won’t happen again.” Adora spoke for both of them, a light blush stinging at her cheeks.

Octavia eyed the girls. It wasn’t their first time getting caught like this. But Octavia knew Adora and Catra were promising soldiers, always out-performing their fellow cadets in every class, even in dance. As unconvinced as she was, she decided to let them off. “Your technique was horrendous and you’d both be killed in an instant. Get ready for dance lesson. You are dismissed.”

The girls relaxed and fellow cadets started filing into the room. The dance room was spacious and had a high ceiling. Stacks of chairs were lined up along the walls adjacent to its entrance and a small desk with a sound system was stuffed into a corner. The cadets took their places at their usual spot with their assigned dance partner where they all formed a big circle in the middle of the room. A strange mix of indifference and relief started to permeate the air as more cadets came in. While some were happy to take a break from the gruelling training the Horde has to offer, most were unenthusiastic and would rather be back in their bunks sleeping.

Adora and Catra, however, loved to dance. Some days it was the only thing they looked forward to. The girls would never admit it out loud, but they enjoyed dancing with each other more than they did tackling or sparring or even stealing grey bars from Kyle.

Sometimes, when they were meant to be sleeping, they would sneak away from their bunks and out into the dark hallway where they would dance. Or if the moons were big and full that night, they would climb up onto the rooftops outside where the night guards weren’t patrolling and the only sounds that could be heard were their giggles and their hearts beating in unison.

Adora and Catra made their way to their usual spot and stood facing each other. Catra’s eyes narrowed and a smirk crept along her face. She lifted a single fingernail and pressed it against the middle of Adora’s forehead. “You could fill Etheria’s entire ocean with just the sweat dripping from your forehead.”

Adora swatted Catra’s hand away. “You’ve already made the forehead joke today. And it's hot, dummy.” Catra let her hand drop at her side, a smirk still plastered on her face.

Octavia clapped her hands together before announcing, “Alright. Take your places, everyone. We’re going to continue what we practised last week.” She began to turn away when she stopped in her tracks and turned to face Kyle. “Oh, and Kyle..” Every head turned to where Kyle was standing. “Let’s not have another ‘break-dancing’ incident this time, shall we?”

Octavia walked over to the sound system and turned it on. The speakers popped as it was jolted awake by the surge of electricity flowing through it. Soon, smooth melodic music started to fill the vacant spaces of the room and made its home in the cadets’ ears. It was briefly distrubed by a crackling sound as Octavia adjusted the volume knob.

Those sounds– the crackling, the popping. Adora and Catra loved to hear them. No matter how jarring it sounded to others, it signified to the girls that they had a reason to dance. That they could dance openly. That they wouldn’t get teased like they did when a few cadets caught them stealing a twirl or a dip in the locker rooms when they thought they were alone. That right now, they didn’t have to think about their duties as Horde soldiers and they could instead let the music swallow them whole and transport them into a different world where no one could disturb them.

Simultaneously, every pair reached for their partner, some begrudgingly. Each pair was made up of a follower and a leader and even though Catra assumed the follower role, she always held out her hand to Adora first.

“May I have this dance?” Catra asked with a playful upturn on the corner of her lips, exposing the pointed part of her canine teeth. Catra always asked this question before they danced and no matter how many times she asked, a blush would always threaten to take over Adora’s face. Luckily for Adora, she already had a pink flush thanks to the sweltering heat.

Adora was aware of Catra’s teasing. She noticed recently that the teasing ramped up ten fold and it felt as though Catra’s new hobby was to find different ways to make Adora’s face turn as red as her uniform. But Adora would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t like it. Every flash of a playful smile or teasing touch of a sharp nail or a tail sweeping strategically across her legs would send fireworks reverberating through her entire body. But despite her heart hammering in her chest and the blood rushing to her face every time Catra asked that question, she refused to give her any satisfaction and feigned indifference. Adora swallowed and replied as coolly as she could muster, “How chivalrous of you.”

Adora accepted the waiting hand and Catra’s face suddenly contorted into a grimace. “Ugh! Your hands are all sweaty again.” Something stirred in Adora’s chest. If Catra could tease then so could she. With her aloof facade filling her with confidence, she tightened her grip and pulled Catra towards her, their torsos now touching. “Shut up, dummy.”

Catra’s eyes widened with surprise at Adora’s bold retaliation for a split second before returning to her usual narrowed gaze. Adora felt, in her mind, that the pink tinge now growing on Catra’s cheeks was a fair trade.

Once Octavia saw that everyone was ready, she counted them in, in time with the music. Feet started shuffling against the dance room floor. The room started to move slowly, like old rusty machine gears being brought back to life after years of neglect. Each pair was trying to find their pace and footing, easing into the rising and falling motion of the dance. Octavia clapped to the song’s time signature, helping the cadets keep to the tempo. She was like a hawk, observing the room from the sidelines. She kept an eye out for improper posture or incorrect footwork and whenever she caught one, she made no hesitation to point it out.

“Keep your chin up, cadet.”
“Watch your footwork.”
“Let keep to the tempo, cadets.”
“Kyle! What on Etheria are you doing now?!”

But with Adora and Catra, she need not have glanced at them at all. Right from the start they immediately fell into rhythm. Their feet gilded expertly along the floor, not making a sound. They followed the music, letting it take them away into their own little bubble. When the Horde first incorporated dance lessons into their curriculum, they were hesitant. But they quickly learnt it felt something like sparring. With sparring, you have to be intune with your opponent–anticipating their every move, countering it swiftly and striking back. In order to do that, your body has to manoeuvre in a way that is fluid, precise and confident, much like it is when you dance.

As the music intensified, so did their movements. They were dancing with such precision and vigour that some cadets couldn’t help but stop and stare. Their blissful energy radiated throughout the room, collecting and gathering the cadet’s attention one by one and pulled them into a trance. They watched as the two executed spins gracefully, their footwork so precise you would think they had been dancing with each other for a lifetime. Soon, every pair caught on to what was happening and stopped, captivated by their exquisite display. They watched not with envy, but in awe.

Adora and Catra were oblivious to the stares that surrounded them. Their only focus was on each other and the music that drove them. Their eyes never left the other and the world around them turned into nothing but a blur of colours that made up the dance room.

They spun and spun and spun, commanded by the music entwining itself around their heads, matching the rising intensity of the song as it neared its end. On the final powerful note of the song, Adora led Catra into a dip, a move they had practiced countless of times that now came naturally to them. Catra let Adora take her weight, entrusting her dance partner to support her. It is at this point of their dance, as the last note of the song rang out into the air and dissipated, that they felt as if nothing could come between them. As long as they were together spinning, dancing, giggling, smiling, holding each other in their arms, nothing would dare hurt them. Having their arms wrapped tightly around marked a silent promise of security and protection.

Their chests heaved up and down, blowing hot breaths in each other's faces as they tried to catch it. Adora’s damp shirt clung to her torso and this time Catra didn’t mind the sweat. In truth, she never minded at all.

-

Night fell and Adora tossed and turned in her bed. She willed her mind to shut off, but the more she forced herself to relax, the more restless she got. Adora kicked the sheets off with a huff and stared at the bottom of the top bunk’s mattress. She couldn’t lie still. Her mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Shadow Weaver said about the possibility of a promotion for her in the near future. Shadow Weaver told her that she had the potential to become a great leader. To lead the Horde to victory one day. Adora should have been flattered, proud of herself even. But, she felt nothing but dread. It was too much for her.

Adora already channels all her energy into being the perfect soldier Shadow Weaver envisions her to be. But even her best isn’t perfect. Shadow Weaver lets slide a slip up or two. She’s still a cadet after all. However, she was told if she was to be promoted to Force Captain, there would be no more room for errors. Everything would be so different and she feared that her relationship with Catra would change too.

Adora couldn’t get a full breath of air in. Her thoughts of the ‘what-if’s’ and new responsibilities were suffocating her. Her body was hot, her mouth dry. The room suddenly felt like it was shrinking, leaving less room for her thoughts as they began to press down on her chest, squeezing the air out of her. She was struggling to breathe, only managing to take short quick breaths. The room kept shrinking and shrinking, her thoughts pressing down harder and harder until Adora couldn’t take it anymore. She bolted for the door. She ran down the hallway as fast as she could, not daring to look back in case her thoughts were following her. She didn’t want to see them if they were. She ran to the only place she felt safe.

Adora let her feet dangle off the edge of the roof top structure. The wind howled and whipped at her face, sweeping her hair back. The moon was full tonight and gently illuminated the ground and structures below. She took a deep breath of the cool night air in, relieved to finally be able to breathe. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the wind and the dull humming of the Horde’s machinery. Here, her mind went still. She thought of nothing. She only wished Catra was beside her.

“You okay?”

Adora twisted around to see Catra standing behind her, a worried look on her face. Adora tried to smile, but she felt it came out more like a pained grimace. “Yeah. Just needed some air. Did I wake you up?”

“You kicked your blanket on top of me, so yeah. I was about to throw it back but you looked… panicked. I asked what was wrong and you ran away.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”

She felt Catra slump down beside her and Adora rested her head on Catra’s shoulder. They watched as dark clouds slowly inched across the blackened sky. They sat together like this for a while, not saying a word. They didn’t need to.

Adora was the first one to break the silence. “Do you think we’ll stay friends forever?”

Adora could feel Catra shift. “What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know. Shadow Weaver said I might become a Force Captain,”

Catra pushed Adora off her shoulder and looked at her with wide eyes. “That’s great, Adora! Why do you look so sad?”

Adora twisted her fingers in her lap, avoiding Catra’s gaze. She thought about it, selecting her words carefully, the silence stretching on as every second passed. “Because I don’t want to lose you,”

Catra cocked her head. Her voice came out softly, “How would you lose me? I’ll be right here, dummy.”

Adora sighed. “Being a Force Captain means taking on more responsibilities. We won’t have time to see each other because I’ll be so busy doing… Force Captain-y things! I’ll be with the other Force Captains planning operations and they have their own separate units to sleep in. I would even have to start giving you orders!”

Catra gazed up at the pitch black sky solemnly, then back at Adora. The wind howled again in the distance. “Well, maybe you’re right. Maybe we won’t see each other as often,” Catra placed a hand on top of Adora’s, “But that doesn’t mean we won’t still be friends. Force Captain or cadet or whatever, we’ll always look out for each other. We promised, right?”

Adora smiled, touched at Catra’s rare tenderness. She turned her hand upwards and interlaced her fingers with Catra’s. They pressed their foreheads together. Adora replied, barely above a whisper, “Yeah, we promised,”

Adora wished time would stand still. She wanted to stay up here with Catra forever. She didn’t want to go back to sleep only to wake up to another day of training. She liked whenever they had moments like these– promising to keep each other safe. She took in every second to savour this moment; the softness of Catra’s hand, the warm breath tickling her face and the contrasting cool air blowing against her skin. Being with Catra made her chest swell and stomach drop all at once. It was like crash landing a Skiff, but the rush of it makes you want to do it all over again.

Catra pulled away. “Besides! Your promotion isn’t confirmed. Maybe they’ll come to their senses and give it to me instead!” Adora rolled her eyes. She tried to stop the smile spreading across her face and was completely failing at it. Adora nudged Catra with her shoulder. “You’re such a dummy,”

Catra snickered then stood up, stretching her arms and legs out with a yawn. “Now, since we’re here,” She then jumped off the ledge to a lower section of the rooftop and extended a hand up towards Adora.

“May I have this dance, my Force Captain?”

Chapter Text

Adora and Glimmer walked up the steps that led to the main entrance of the Kingdom of Snows castle. Bow and Perfuma had already gone ahead a few hours before. They saw two guards in front stationed just before the entrance. One of the guards halted them and checked for any concealed weapons. When none were found, the guard signalled to the other to open the door for them. A gust of chilly wind came through that swept their hair and dresses back as the door opened, causing them to shiver slightly.

The entrance led to the main lobby where a handful of invited guests, gathered in their own little groups, were exchanging pleasantries. To the right, muffled laughter and chatter could be heard through a grand double door made of ice, decorated with elegant snowflake patterns. There was a sign above it that read “Ball Room”. When the guard that was stationed in front of the door caught sight of Glimmer, he gave the her a warm smile.

“Good evening, Princess Glimmer and Miss Adora. You both look very lovely tonight,” The guard stepped aside to allow them in. “Please enjoy the party.”

Adora gasped as they entered the ballroom. The ballroom was much bigger than what Adora had imagined it to be. The walls and decorations made of ice reflected the lights, giving the effect that the whole room was shimmering and sparkling. Beautiful ice chandeliers and icicles were hanging from the high ceiling and ice statues that were masterfully sculpted were dotted around the room. The room was bustling. All around were happy faces. Guests were smiling and laughing among their groups. Servers were skillfully navigating their way around the crowd with trays in their hands, offering small bites and drinks. Soft musical notes filled the air along with chatter and the clinking of glasses.

But what Adora could only feast her eyes on was the long buffet table that spanned across the length of the room. It was topped with an array of exotic foods that Adora could have only dreamt of eating when she was back in the Horde. Various kinds of roasted meats, bread, soups, salads, pastries and desserts lined the table waiting to be consumed by hungry guests. Or one hungry Adora. The smell of the salty succulent meat wafted over to Adora, making her mouth water instantly.

“This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” Adora said, not taking her eyes off the buffet table. Glimmer chuckled and squeezed on Adora’s arm. “We can eat later. We have business to attend to first.”

Adora deflated noticeably, unable to conceal her disappointment. But Glimmer was right. They had to speak to Frosta first. Adora stored the images of roasted meats and pastries in the back of her mind and continued onward through the crowd towards the raised platform where Frosta was.

They joined the line of other guests waiting to greet the hostess. Adora used this time to psych herself up. She was meeting the ruler of the most powerful kingdom of all of Etheria. Having Frosta on their side would be a huge asset to the Rebellion and could even potentially tip the scales of them winning the war. She couldn’t make a fool of herself. This was too important. As they got closer to the front of the line, Adora’s heart started to hammer in her chest. She rehearsed what she was going to say over and over in her head, ignoring the warm moisture under her armpits despite the cool temperature of the castle.

The guests in front of them greeted Frosta and left. Now it was their turn. Adora mustered every bit of courage she had in her body. With their heads down and eyes to the floor, the two walked up to the Ice Princess and bowed deeply at the waist. Adora took a deep breath, reminding herself to be confident. She came up from her bow and started to speak.

‘YOU’RE A CHILD?!”

Adora clamped her hands to her mouth, but it was too late. Some of the guests gasped softly, their heads turning towards Adora. Glimmer tried to smile through a grimace. “Good evening, Princess Frosta. Thank you for inviting us to the annual Princess Prom. It's such an honour to be here.”

If Frosta was affected by Adora’s out cry, she didn’t show it. “Please enjoy the ball, Princess Glimmer and Honorary Princess Adora.” Frosta spoke, her face stoic.

“Forgive me for being so rude, Princess Frosta.” Adora said and bowed again for good measure. “ I didn’t realise you were.... um,” She searched the air for the right word to use.

‘A child’ was definitely inappropriate.
‘12’? She looked like she was around that age. But no, it wouldn’t do.

“So young.” Adora decided.

“It’s wise to familiarise yourself with the host of the party you were invited to before attending.” Frosta said.

“Right,” Adora swallowed thickly and plucked her courage back up. “Princess Frosta, if we may be so bold, we’d like to formally invite you to join-”

“The Rebellion.”

Adora stammarded, “Oh, you know about The Rebellion? Would you accept our invitation?”

“Yes.” Frosta replied.

“Oh. Well, that was eas-”

“Yes, I know about The Rebellion. Princesses talk, you know. And no, I won’t be accepting your invitation to join.”

Adora’s mouth hung open. “The Horde is moving rapidly! They're invading our land and disrupting the peace of Etheria!”

“We are able to defend the Kingdom of Snows just fine. We do not need the assistance of a rebellion group.”

“But that’s exactly why we are requesting you to be on our side! You have the strongest military defence in all of Etheria. If you join us, we’d have a better chance at taking them down. And the Horde isn’t attacking the Kingdom of Snows right now because your position is too far out of their reach for you to be on their priority. But that could change very soon if the Horde-”

“I’ve made my decision. I am not interested. My only focus is on keeping my people safe, not dilly-dallying with other Princesses. And I’m trying to host a ball at the moment so I would appreciate it if you would not keep my guests waiting.”

“Yeah, Adora.” A voice called from behind them.

Adora bristled. She knew that phrase, paired with that sultry voice, all too well. Adora turned, ready to confront Catra for invading the ball but she stopped short when she saw Catra dressed in a suit and her arms linked around someone else’s. Adora craned her neck to meet the eyes of a tall muscular woman, half human and half scorpion. The woman wore a sleeveless black fitted dress that accentuated her curves as well as showed off her toned arms. The woman looked down and gave Adora a warm toothy grin. Adora instantly wanted to punch that smile off her face. She returned her attention to Catra.

“What are you doing here, Catra?” Adora scowled. She wasn’t sure if it came from seeing Catra here or at the fact that her arm was threaded with this strange woman.

“It’s nice to see you too,” Catra replied, a smirk plastered on her face as usual.

Glimmer chimed in. “They can’t be here! They’re Horde soldiers!” She turned to Frosta. “You need to get them out. They are-”

Frosta held out a hand, annoyance plain on her face. “-Invited guests,” Frosta finished for Glimmer. “The annual Princess Prom has been a neutral ground for thousands of years and that will not change today. All those invited and their plus ones of their choosing are welcomed. This invitation extends to Horde soldiers. Scorpia and Catra, I apologise on behalf of these guests. Please enjoy the ball.”

“Thank you, Princess Frosta.” Scorpia brought her free hand to her chest and bowed her head.

“Yeah, Adora. Enjoy the ball,” Catra wrapped her arms tighter around Scorpia’s arm. “I know we will,” The pair turned and began walking down the steps but not before Catra looked back and shot Adora a wink.

Adora saw red. She couldn’t believe the nerve of Catra. It took every fibre of her being to refrain from storming up to them and tearing Catra away and beating her to a pulp. She was sure her face had turned as scarlet as her dress. And who was this Scorpia lady anyway? And why was Catra clinging on to her so much? Adora stood there fuming and Glimmer had to usher her down the steps before Frosta’s guards got too close to them.

“They’re up to something, Glimmer. I can feel it.” Adora said as they reached the base of the stairs. She led Glimmer to the edge of the room, away from the crowd so no one could hear them.

“I know,” Glimmer replied. “We’ve got to find out what they’re planning and quickly. For all we know, everyone’s lives could be in danger. We should follow them around and-“ Glimmer stopped abruptly, her mouth hanging open on her last thought. Adora raised a questioning eyebrow. She followed Glimmer’s gaze and realised why her friend had froze.

There in the crowd, surrounded by a handful of well dressed guests in long gowns and tapered suits, was Bow. And on Bow’s arm was Perfuma. From the laughter that followed Bow’s conversation, they seemed to be having a good time.

Adora could sense Glimmer was tense. Her expression turned from surprise to annoyance and her fists curled into a tight ball on either side of her hips. Adora gingerly placed a hand on Glimmer's shoulder, “Glimmer, I-“

“No,” Glimmer interjected. “It’s fine. We can handle this on our own. Let them have their fun,”

Adora frowned. “Are you sure? We can-“

“Yes, Adora! I said it was fine!” Glimmer pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath in. “You go after Catra and I’ll handle Scorpia. See what you can find.”

With that, Glimmer set off to find Scorpia, leaving Adora alone by the side of the buffet table. Adora looked longingly at the pastry and dessert section. They’d have to wait again.

It didn’t take Adora long to find Catra. She was by herself leaning against an ice pillar at the far corner of the room. One leg was crossed nonchalantly over the other and she had both hands in her pockets. She seemed to be observing the crowd. Adora hid behind a group of guests and waited anxiously for Catra’s next move. Adora never took her eyes off her, not even when a server offered her a drink.

As Adora watched Catra, she realised that she had never seen Catra dressed up like this before. In fact, she realised this was their first time seeing each other wearing something other than their uniform. Back in the Horde, Adora knew they would eventually have to see each other in fancy clothes when they were inevitably sent out on a spy mission, but Adora never thought their first time would be the two of them on opposing sides.

In the past, Adora often fantasised about what they would have worn to such parties and it made sense to Adora now that Catra chose to wear a suit. She noticed it fit Catra smartly, and the undone bow tie hanging around an unbutton collar added a flare of casual rebelliousness that was right up Catra’s alley. It even amused Adora a little when she saw that Catra had made neat cuts in her trousers, the same way she made cuts in her regular pants. She looked so dashing, it annoyed Adora. Suddenly, she started to feel insecure about her own dress. She wondered if she should have worn a suit too or if she should have worn a black dress instead of a red one. Adora quickly shook her head, as if the motion could shake those thoughts out of her mind. She needed to refocus.

She glanced back at the pillar Catra was leaning on and to her alarm Catra was nowhere to be seen. Adora cursed herself for getting distracted but luckily she caught movement of a flick of a brown tail behind the pillar. Catra was definitely up to something. Adora shoved through the group she was hidden behind and sprinted across the room, narrowly missing a server carrying a tray full of drinks in the process.

She reached the pillar and grabbed Catra by her collar. Adora glanced over to the pillar but before she could react, Catra shoved a hand in her face. Annoyance started to bubble inside Adora’s chest. Catra slipped out of Adora’s grip and disappeared into the crowd, out of sight. Adora didn’t bother to chase after her. She looked back at the pillar and all annoyance she felt was immediately replaced by an ache in her heart. Etched in the ice was the phrase “HEY, ADORA” and poorly drawn cartoon figures of her and Catra in their dress outfits. It painfully reminded her of all the etchings Catra used to do on the Horde’s walls when they were younger.

-

Adora found Glimmer on the second floor’s interior balcony. She was propped up on a couch with her front leaning against the plush backrest, overlooking the ballroom. Adora slumped by her side.

“Did you find anything?” Adora asked.

“I found out Scorpia really likes crunchy pretzel sticks.” Glimmer said with a sigh. “You?”

Images of Catra’s various wall etching flashed through Adora’s mind and she suppressed the ache that rose in her chest again. “Nothing so far.”

Glimmer sighed. “Maybe they aren’t planning anything after all.” A beat passed and then she slammed a fist down on the top of the couch. “All of this is just so stupid!”

Adora was alarmed by Glimmer’s uncharacteristic lack of determination. “Hey, it’s not so bad,”

“But it is, Adora! We couldn’t get Frosta to join the Rebellion. Catra and Scorpia played us. And Bow’s having so much fun without me!” Glimmer was exasperated. She buried her face in her hands. Adora propped herself up to join Glimmer at overlooking the ball. She spotted Bow among the crowd again, still chatting with the same group of people.

“Bow’s been your best friend since you guys were kids. You know him better than anyone else here, Glimmer,” Adora patted the younger girl’s shoulder. “I’ve only known you guys for a short amount of time, but I can tell you two care about each other. He’d never do anything to hurt you.”

Glimmer sniffled. “Yeah, you’re right. I might have been a bit too jealous,” Glimmer said, wiping her nose in the crook of her elbow. “It’s just that this is the first time we haven’t gone together.”

“Your bond with Bow is strong. A night with other people isn’t going to put a wedge between you two. Bow probably knows this,” Adora tried to reason. “Plus, he’s not the kind to drop a friendship and run off with other people just like that!” When Adora finished that last sentence, she wished she’d never said it at all.

Drop a friendship.
Run off with other people.
Just like that.

Those words bounced around her head and crashed into each other with a loud bang, the collisions giving her a splitting headache. The sudden realisation sucked all of the wind out of her.

She had done just that to Catra. She had run off with Bow and Glimmer and left Catra in the dust. Adora hoped Catra didn't feel like she abandoned her, but Adora knew that was probably wishful thinking. Adora scanned the ballroom for Catra, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Adora resigned. Even if she had spotted Catra, what could she do? She has extended a hand out towards Catra multiple times, asking her to join the Rebellion but she’s rejected her every time. This wouldn’t be any different.

Suddenly the lights dimmed, casting Adora and Glimmer in shadow. Bright spotlights hung overhead turned on, their bulbs buzzing, shining white light on the stage and directing everyone’s attention. A fast rhythmic beat of a snare and kick drum alternating cut through the air, sending a rush of energy no one could ignore. The kick of the drum vibrated through Adora’s chest so intensely, she was sure each kick was driving her heart to beat. It was followed by a catchy bass line to match, stringing out groovy notes. The rhythm guitar joined in next, its tone loud and crunchy, making the tune coming off the stage even more irresistible. The lead singer of the band swaggered up to the microphone stand at the centre of the stage and called out, “Are you ready to dance?!”

Guests cheered with excitement as they made a beeline straight towards the dance floor. Adora saw Bow being ushered with Perfuma by their group despite a noticeable protest from him. She watched as Perfuma dragged Bow onto the dance floor. And then she watched as the worry on his brow was replaced by a smile on his face as he began to move his body to the music. Adora snuck a glance at Glimmer who she suspected had also watched the entire thing play out.

A thought fluttered through Adora’s mind– here they were, abandoner and abandonee, sitting together with an ache in their hearts.

Adora cringed at that thought. Glimmer was right about one thing. This was stupid! They shouldn’t be here sulking. They hadn’t done anything wrong! Bow was still Glimmer’s best friend at the end of the night and Catra had made her choice. It would be a shame to waste the night away like this. Adora stood up, and pulled Glimmer up with her. “Come on, let’s dance!”

Glimmer’s eyes widened with surprise. “What? But I don’t know how to dance! I’ve only ever danced with Bow. I haven’t danced with anyone else before.” Glimmer looked at her feet. Her arms were wrapped across her chest.

Adora took Glimmer’s hands in hers. “Then let this be the first time! Come on, Glimmer! Let’s have some fun! Catra doesn’t seem to be doing anything awful besides finding ways to annoy me and Bow can’t be the only one having fun tonight! Let’s go!”

Glimmer bit the bottom of her lip. Worry etched across her face as she looked over her shoulder at the dance floor again. She watched as limbs poked out from the crowd and flailed in the air. Her worried expression was soon replaced by a big smile as Adora bounced up and down on her toes with a pout on her lips, pleading for ‘at least one dance’. Glimmer rolled her eyes but couldn’t conceal the smile spreading across her face. “Okay, fine! Let’s go!”

Adora squealed in delight and the two girls raced across the second floor towards the stairs. They laughed and giggled, hand in hand, trying not to trip as they descended the stairs and merged into the crowd of dancing guests. Adora led them in, squeezing their way through to an empty space where the two had enough room to dance together.

Adora had never heard this kind of music in the Horde before but the fast paced tune was infectious. She shut her mind off and let her body decide the moves, feeling the bass and kick of the drums rattle her bones. Adora missed dancing, and she definitely liked this genre of music to dance to- letting yourself go and moving your body in whatever way that felt good. No restrictions, just you and the music.

Adora grabbed hold of Glimmer’s hands and they danced and bounced together, twisting their body at their hips. Adora led Glimmer into a spin and Glimmer did the same. They laughed as they tripped over each other’s feet and they continued to dance and pull each other into spins. Sometimes they bumped into other party goers and sometimes they got bumped into. But neither party seemed to care or even notice. All anyone could do was dance. The moment someone stepped onto the dance floor, they were hypnotised. The urgency to dance within them felt as though if they stopped, they might drop dead.

Adora and Glimmer carried on like this, song after song, swearing that the previous one would be the last until another infectious tune filled their ears and then they’d have no choice but to dance again. Luckily, the band decided that for them. The lead singer announced that the next song would be their last for the night and a chorus of disappointed “aww”s escaped from the crowd.

The cymbals crashed and the guitar players strung out another infectious tune. For this song, a group of trumpet players joined the band on stage. The tone of the trumpets were brilliant and bright and paired wonderfully with the band, bringing the crowd to a fever pitch.

Adora and Glimmer were consumed. They let themselves go, savouring the music coursing through them. Their feet moved feverishly as if they were stepping on hot coal. Around them, top collar buttons and ties were undone, and once pinned up hair were let loose. Dress shirts were untucked and heels had been abandoned, scattered haphazardly on the dance floor. If an onlooker were to witness the state of how the guests were dressed and flailing about, they wouldn’t think that they had attended a fancy sophisticated ball just this evening.

Adora and Glimmer twisted and turned around each other, their interlocked hands wrapping around above their heads as they brought the other into spins. They had gotten quite good at dancing with each other. They no longer tripped over their feet. They had grown more bold in their movements with each song that played, and now reaching the end of the night, they were fearless. Other party goers started to notice them and moved to give them space. It was like a ripple had travelled through the crowd sending a message for everyone to look in their direction. Soon enough, a circle formed around Adora and Glimmer and they were the centre of attention. They cheered them on, eagerly watching and captivated.

Adora knew they were being watched and she felt a strange deep pleasure stirring within her. She liked that they had captured everyone’s attention. It brought her back to her time in the Horde where she and Catra would steal the spotlight every dance lesson. Adora didn’t want them to look away and she could see the lead singer urging them on. She wanted the crowd to cheer more, so she decided to give them something to cheer for.

Adora led Glimmer to the edge of their circle and let go of her. She moved back to the centre, bent her knees slightly and stretched her arms out towards Glimmer.

“Run towards me! I’ll catch you!” Adora yelled, her voice competing with the drums. It was the only instrument playing now, heightening the anticipation in everyone as they watched. Glimmer’s eyes widened, uncertainty on her face, “What are you doing?!”

All eyes were on them. Adora was determined, “Trust me!”

Adora didn’t know what crossed Glimmer’s mind at that moment, but she knew Glimmer trusted her when the worried look on her face vanished.

Glimmer ran.

She took a leap of faith and jumped into Adora’s outstretched arms. Cymbals crashed and the crowd cheered ferociously. They had never seen a move like this before. With her strong arms, Adora lifted Glimmer up over her head by her waist and spun around in circles. Adora’s heart soared and Glimmer laughed. The band resumed playing the rest of the song and everyone danced until the last note strung out. The lead singer thanked the crowd and everyone clapped and hollered as they walked off stage, disappearing behind the curtains. The crowd on the dance floor began to thin as tired party goers went to search for something to quench their thirst.

“That was so much fun! Where'd you learn to dance like that?” Glimmer asked through ragged breaths, her eyes sparkling.

“Oh, well I might have incorporated a few things I learned back in the Horde.” Adora replied, a small blush warming her cheeks

“You were so great! Thanks for bringing me out onto the dance floor. I really needed to get out of my head for a while. I should probably go find Bow now and check on him. And also apologise for being so stand-offish this whole night.” Adora nodded and Glimmer began to turn away but stopped. “You’ll be okay by yourself for a bit?”

Adora smiled. “Of course. Go on and find Bow. I’ll finally be by the buffet table.” Glimmer chuckled and shook her head but said nothing. Adora watched as Glimmer slipped past a few guests and then disappeared in a rain of sparkles.

This night went as well as it could have gone. They weren’t successful in recruiting Frosta into the Rebellion, but at least Catra didn’t cause any trouble and Adora was able to dance again. She was also glad Glimmer was in a better mood and off to mend her relationship with Bow. At least one of them was able to make amends.

Adora sighed. She did have fun tonight. But all the fun in the world couldn’t ease the sting that came whenever she thought of Catra. Maybe stuffing her face with sweet cream filled pastries would make her feel a bit better. Adora started for the buffet table when the same sultry voice sounded from behind, stopping her in her tracks.

“May I have this dance?”

Chapter Text

Adora was frozen in place. She hasn’t heard that phrase in months. The familiarity of it made tiny bells ring in her head, sending a tingling sensation tickling down her spine and arms. She didn’t dare turn around in case it was just her imagination playing tricks. She didn’t want to feel disappointment and she didn’t want to feel the shame that came at how disappointed she would be if she found out it wasn’t real. But she had to know. She steeled herself and turned.

Adora’s breath hitched. Catra really was there. Her hand was held out towards her expectantly like it had done only months ago. Her eyes were narrowed and she had the tiniest upturn at the corner of her mouth. Adora had to stop herself from reaching out. She wanted to accept her hand, to be selfish for one night and have Catra to herself. It would only be a dance after all. But she knew couldn’t. She had people depending on her- the whole of Etheria depending on her. To dance with a Horde Force Captain would be a scandal.

“Why would I dance with you?” It stung her when the words left Adora’s mouth.

Catra shrugged, “For old time’s sake,”

“There’s no music playing,”

“That never stopped us before.” Adora’s cheeks warmed at the memories that surfaced of the two of them sneaking away and dancing at night, humming the tunes they remembered from their lessons. Adora glanced around anxiously. The dance floor had almost completely cleared. Her mind was saying ‘no’ but her body was screaming ‘yes’. She clenched her fists into a ball, hoping that tensing her body would refrain her from doing what she desperately wanted.

Catra had probably sensed Adora’s unease as her hand lowered slightly, “It’s up to you.”

This should be an easy decision for Adora to make. All she had to do was turn around and walk away. Leave without looking back. Find Bow and Glimmer and return to Bright Moon. Lie in her bed and get a good night’s sleep. Discuss their new plans the next morning over breakfast.

Or she could clasp Catra’s hand in hers. Play out the night she’s dreamt of a hundred times in the darkness of her bedroom. Hold Catra in her arms again and pretend, just for one night, that everything was back to the way it was. That they were best friends and not enemies at each other’s throats.

Before Adora’s better judgment could stop her, she fitted her hand with Catra’s, ignoring the tingling sensation that shot through her arm as their hands touched. The smile on Catra’s face grew. Catra was about to switch their hand positions but Adora stopped her. “You lead this time,” Adora reasoned if she wasn’t the one leading, it wouldn’t be as bad.

“Okay. Which song would you like, Princess?” Adora blushed, hating and loving the fact Catra still had this hold on her. She quickly spat out an answer. “The one that was our favourite,” Catra purred in agreement.

Catra began to hum the beginning of their song. It was a slow one. They took small steps, but were still as graceful and precise as ever. They had danced to this song countless times under the moonlight. To them, it was muscle memory now. Adora listened to Catra’s smooth humming, transporting her back to the rooftops she and Catra would dance on together. Having Catra in her hands like this felt surreal. It was quite literally a dream come true. It felt wrong but at the same time so undeniably good.

Adora let Catra lead her into a spin and pull her back. She could see a smile playing on Catra’s lips, exposing her canines as she continued to hum.

“You’re not too bad, Princess,” Catra said.

Adora scoffed, “I was expecting you to trip over your own tail,”

Catra laughed and Adora’s heart fluttered, “Give me some credit. I was good in class.”

Adora couldn’t help the small smile growing on her own lips. Catra was more than just ‘good’. She was one of the best. They both were.

They continued to dance. Each spin Adora was brought into left her less tense than the last. She hummed along softly with Catra, unable to resist the temptation anymore. She brought herself closer to Catra as they danced, their torsos and thighs pressed together as their feet glided across the floor. Adora knew she would only get this for one night, so she savoured as much of this moment as she could. Catra’s hand on the small of her back, the sound of her voice, the sweet familiar scent of her fur. Adora collected these sensories of Catra and stored them neatly in her mind.

If Bow and Glimmer were watching, she didn’t care. She would deal with their scorn later. Dancing with Catra again was more than she could have hoped for in a war against each other. She had risked everything taking Catra’s hand, and yet, she would do it again.

Catra hummed out the last note of the song and brought Adora into a dip. Adora wrapped her arms around Catra’s neck while Catra had her arms wrapped around Adora’s waist. It felt so natural to hold each other like this, almost like they were never meant to be enemies in the first place.

Catra helped Adora up while a couple of guests clapped politely for them. Catra threw her head back and let out a hearty laugh, her hand still on Adora’s waist. “I didn’t know you still had it, Adora. They sure liked it,” She gestured to the guests who had already gone back to conversing within their groups.

Adora stared at Catra. She watched as crinkles formed at the corner of her eyes when she laughed. She watched as a glimmer of light twinkled in her eyes while she spoke. She watched as a charming smile spread across her face, revealing the canines Adora loved. This Catra in front of her now was completely different to the Catra on the battlefield. She looked so relaxed, so carefree. Adora knew instantly that this Catra was hers.

But a sudden realisation struck down on Adora’s heart, splitting it into two broken halves. This Catra wasn’t hers anymore.

All her life, Adora had grown up with Catra. They had taken every class together, eaten every meal together, had naps together, played together, and got in trouble together. They would refuse to do anything unless the other was present. And now for the first time in their lives, despite all the promises they made and swore to keep, they were no longer a part of each other’s lives in the way they had hoped.

Adora had countless sleepless nights of tossing and turning where she thought about Catra and how she could get her to join the Rebellion. Adora couldn’t stand another night of it. She wanted Catra back. She would fall to her knees and rip her beating heart out of her own chest and give it to Catra if it meant she would be by her side again. But Adora couldn’t do that. Not here. Instead, she did the only thing she could do.

She wept.

Tears spilled out of her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Adora slumped forward and buried her face in Catra’s shoulder pad, the thick fabric muffling her cries. She clutched Catra’s blazer as she shook uncontrollably. All of the emotions she had been bottling up came flooding out, staining Catra’s blazer a darker colour. In between sobs, Adora let out the words she had been repeating to herself as she lay awake every night.

“I miss you, Catra.”

Adora kept sobbing until she felt Catra gently peel her off of her shoulder. Catra’s brows were knitted together and the look in her eyes was intense. Adora was sure Catra thought she looked like a slobbering mess. She felt like it. But she couldn’t care less. She needed Catra to know how she felt since the day she left the Horde. That every waking moment felt like a part of her was missing.

“Please. Come with me,”

Catra’s eyes softened. She cupped Adora’s face with both hands and gently wiped the tears away with her thumbs. Adora closed her eyes, more tears spilling, and leaned into Catra’s touch. Catra pressed their foreheads together and Adora could feel Catra’s warm breath tickling her upper lip. Adora let hope swell in her chest for the first time, “Please.”

“Adora, I-“ Before Catra could finish, her eyes widened with panic, and her eyebrows shot up to the top of her head. She lunged at Adora, knocking both of them to the ground.

KA-BOOM

A series of loud explosions ripped through the ballroom sending all of the guests tumbling to the floor, screaming. The explosions had knocked out the supporting pillars of the castle, causing its whole structure to shake and crumble. The room was in utter chaos. Everyone was terrified. Shards of broken glass and ice were scattered on the floor. Guests were scrambling to their feet, trying to avoid the icicles and chandeliers that came crashing down. Guards came flooding into the ballroom, directing everyone to the nearest exit.

Adora was disoriented from the blast. One moment Catra was gently stroking her cheek and then the next her back was slammed against the cold ground. The sounds of terrified screaming and ice crackling under heavy weight filled her head. She could feel a mass on top of her. Catra. They had to get out before they were crushed. Adora tried to grab her, but Catra was quick and sprang to her feet. Adora rubbed her eyes, trying to see through her tears and puffy eyelids. She frantically searched for Catra, guests narrowly avoiding trampling over her as they raced to the exits. She spotted Catra a few feet in front of her with her back turned.

The stampede of guests made it hard for Adora to find room to stand up. She wanted to tell Catra that they had to leave, but she couldn’t find her voice. It was lodged in her throat along with a lump of fear. She could only manage to croak out Catra’s name but even that got lost in the chaos around her. Catra looked over her shoulder. She muttered, barely audible for Adora to hear, “It’s over, Adora.”

Catra leapt, running on all fours towards the exit, leaving Adora behind with a heart crumbling like the castle she was in.

Chapter Text

Catra’s tail flicked. It does that when she’s annoyed. She watched from the second floor interior balcony, her sharp nails digging into the ice hand railing, almost shattering it under the pressure.

She cursed the band playing. She cursed the flailing idiots on the dance floor. She cursed the one specific idiot in the crowd donned in a red dress. The one that was dancing with this other glittering purple sparkling idiot. Catra pushed away from the railing and paced, her arms crossed against her chest.

The night went according to plan. As much as she hates to admit it, her and Scorpia make a good team. Distracting the two girls while their small team of Horde spies strapped strategically hidden bombs around the castle - on pillars, chandeliers, under tables. It seemed a bit of an overkill, but they couldn’t risk it. Catra needed to make sure they sent a message to every village and town of Etheria. They will make them all burn.

Catra turned to Scorpia, “How much longer? I'll turn into a popsicle by the time this place comes crashing down.” Catra watched her breath dissipate.

Scorpia perked up from the lounge chair and pulled out a device with numbers counting down on its screen. “We’re actually way ahead of schedule! It was pretty easy for our guys once the band started playing and basically pooled everyone to the dance floor. T-mius 12 minutes and 40 seconds!... Oh! Now we have 12 minutes and 36 seconds.”

Catra sighed and continued to pace. She couldn’t shake this feeling. Her eyes were pulled to the dance floor below. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t look away. The pair stood out like a sore thumb to her. Red and purple. Adora and Glimmer. She should be pleased, shouldn’t she? Her plan had worked and their guards were down. That’s what she wanted. And yet there’s this unexplainable feeling broiling deep in her chest. Like a perpetual growl that never makes its way out. It’s something she’s never felt before. Her tail flicked again.

Suddenly, the crowd started to shift and morph, taking on a new shape. A circular gaping hole in the crowd had formed and Catra could see the shimmering blue dance floor that was covered moments before. In that empty circle were two figures dancing with so much vigor it was hard to ignore. So Catra watched, and the feeling in her chest grew more intense like a wild fire lit from a match.

That should be us.

Catra shook her head. What a stupid thought. She left that life behind. It was gone. It vanished the moment Adora left her in that forest.

“Uh, Wildcat?”

Catra hadn’t realised she stopped pacing. She found herself at the railing again, her abdomen pressed against it, like she could have walked off the edge had the railing not been there.

“You okay there?” Scorpia’s voice was faint, laced with concern Catra wasn’t used to.

“Time?” The air around them was cold.

“T-minus 11 minutes 27 seconds.”

The crowd roared between them as Adora lifted Glimmer up in the air and spun around. Scorpia flinched when the railing by Catra suddenly shattered, shards falling and scattering by her feet.