Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

She sank further into the cushioned seat of the Brightmoon library as boisterous laughter echoed from the courtyard below. 

Today marked the 5 year anniversary since the Horde had been defeated. Well, defeat might be a bit of an omission. In reality, the Horde crumbled after its leadership never returned from the portal. They never found out Catra’s fate, but considering what was left of Hordak’s body, Adora didn’t think she could stomach the truth. The truth had turned Hordak into an eviscerated pile of sludge that stained the Fright Zone’s floors. However, the people of Etheria didn’t have to live with the truth. For them, it marked the death of a tyrant as well as his second in command. For Adora, she lost her best friend that day, and now people gather in the streets to celebrate their deaths. 

Glimmer had begged Adora to join in on the festivities, claiming that she didn't want to see Adora sulking in the library again this year. Adora wanted to enjoy the celebration, to be free of the guilt that crushed her heart and made it difficult to breathe. However, she couldn’t bear the thought of putting Catra out of her mind, to let herself get lost in the celebrations. If she could, it would mean letting go of Catra for real, and she couldn’t even stomach the thought.

 She had constructed a small grave dedicated to Catra atop the Fright Zone: the place they had shared together. She had visited every month for the first year and written dozens of letters to read at her gravestone, but none of it made heartache go away.

As time passed, Adora wrote fewer letters to Catra. The main reason being she didn’t have much to say anymore, nothing that hadn’t already been spoken. However, it also hurt to put herself in that much pain. Instead, she decided to only visit once a year on the day after Catra’s death. She picked the day after to not draw suspicion to herself. No one really knew that she still grieved Catra’s death because she knew her friend’s opinion of the former Force Captain - the very one that had taken Glimmer’s mom from her. Anyways,  it was better this way, to grieve alone. She sighed as she glanced down at the half-written letter in her hand. 

"I thought I'd find you here." Bow's chipper voice sounded out from the archway leading into the library. 

"Yeah," Adora startled, hiding the letter under a stack of papers, "I like the peace and quiet, and partying is so draining. You know what I mean?" 

"For the 8 years I have known you, Adora," Bow plopped down in the seat in front of her, "you have never been good at lying." 

"That obvious?" Adora sank further into her chair as she picked up the book she was pretending to read. 

"Oh big time," Bow laughed. 

The two fall silent for a bit while Adora reads the same page over and over. 

Bow said, "I am sorry about Glimmer pestering you today, or... uh... I guess all week about the celebration." 

"You mean more like all month." Adora sighed at Bow. "It's not that I don't want to attend, it's just..." 

"You lost your best friend today." 

Adora thought she had come to terms with reality a long time ago, but hearing Bow utter the words rip open the wound and tears start flooding over. “Yeah,” Adora sighed.

"Oh, hey hey" Bow got up from his seat to wrap Adora in a hug, "I am sorry. I didn't make you; I didn't realize it was still hurting you this much." 

"No, it's ok," Adora's muffled voice speaks against Bow's shoulder. "I thought I was better too. I have done so much that I couldn't possibly have done 5 years ago. I mean look at all the good we’ve done: rebuilding the Fright Zone, restoring destroyed villages. But it still just hurts." 

"They say grief is like an ocean," Bow started before he was quickly interrupted. 

"About to drop some of your dads' wisdom on me" Adora attempted to joke through the tears. 

"Hey, I promise this is a good one." Bow pulled back from the hug. 

"Fine. Ok. Lay it on me." 

"Grief is like an ocean full of waves. At first, those waves of grief are so overwhelming it is hard to just breathe. Over time, they get less and less powerful as we learn to live with the grief, but every so often that large tidal wave comes back. It can be triggered by anything: eating their favorite food, seeing something you want to show them, the day they died. It's ok to feel this way Adora from time to time. It's only natural, and it doesn't mean that all that progress you made was wasted." Bow smiled. 

"Thanks, Bow.” Adora took a deep breath letting the words sink in. “How are your dads so wise?" Adora teased. 

Bow chuckled, "mostly old age plus an addiction to historic philosophers." 

"Adora sniffles as she wipes the last tear from her eyes, "How did you know? About Catra”

“You seriously didn’t think I wouldn’t notice you sneaking off to visit her grave? I’d like to think I am a good enough friend to notice when you are grieving.”

“Do the others know?” Adora asked, her voice trembling, thinking about what vile words would escape Glimmer’s mouth if she knew. 

That monster took my mother!

 If Catra hadn’t died in the portal, I would have killed her myself. 

How were you EVER friends with her? 

The venom of Glimmer’s anger ripped through Adora’s thoughts.

“I think Scorpia and by extension Perfuma are the only other ones that know.” Bow responded, “and I don’t think you have anything to worry about from them… Scorpia would understand.”

Adora took a deep sigh of relief, “Can you not tell Glimmer about this? I know how much she still hates Catra for what happened with the portal." 

Bow mimes zipping his lip and throwing away the key, "wasn't planning on it."

 “Thanks, Bow,” Adora wiped the last tear from her eye.

"Can I ask you a question?" Bow's voice is filled with hesitation.

"Sure," Adora said while straightening up in her chair.

"What exactly were you and Catra?"

"Umm," Adora winced, "I don't really know. Looking back on it. It is clear we were more than just friends. I mean we shared a fucking bed together. We did everything together. We promised to stay together forever…” Adora’s gaze shifted from Bow to black expanse outside. “I wish I realized it sooner."

"That you loved her?"

Adora smiled, "yeah... Am I that easy to read?"

"I mean you haven't really been looking for a new relationship and the way you use to follow Catra around the battlefield. It's pretty obvious."

"Do you think she felt the same way?" Adora asked, her voice breaking.

"I don't know if any of us could answer that. The only two that really knew Catra from our group are Entrapta and Scorpia, and they don’t really talk about Catra."

"I mean it's not like it really matters anymore. She's gone, and I am still here." Adora glanced down at the letter poking out of the stack of papers.

Bow reached over, placing a hand on Adora's shoulder. "Either way, I think she cared a lot about you, Adora. Even if she showed it in some pretty awful ways."

Adora chuckled. "I mean she did try destroying the entire world to get back at me."

“That she did. That she did,” Bow smiled as climbed out of his chair, ''alright, I should get back to the festivities before Glimmer starts a search party for me. If you need me, you know where to find me.” Bow crossed the room making way for the exit before taking one last glance at Adora...

"Sure you aren't gonna be busy with your toddler?" 

"Can't promise I won't have to emergency change a diaper during the therapy session, but I can promise my time. Goodnight Adora." 

"'Night Bow." 

After Bow slipped out into the darkness of the hallway, Adora turned her gaze to the festivities below. Hundreds of lights danced on the ground below as the last rays of sunlight dipped behind the horizon, and for a while, she let herself be lulled into the rhythmic patterns of the world below as her focus drifted towards the night sky. I thought crept into her mind as she stared into the empty void, and she began to write.

Chapter Text

Miniscule, crumbling pieces of reality poured into the sky like raindrops in reverse. They swirled into the purple abyss above. Its ever-encroaching maw looming greater and greater.

Glimmer and Bow gone, devoured by the falling world around them.

"Heeeeeey Adora," Catra's voice distorted almost beyond recognition. Her form is wrong. Corrupted and broken. Split into two halves: one violent, betrayed, hurt; the other the Catra, just Catra. An evil grin spread across her face.

The ensuing fight is blinding. Reality distorts and twists around them into every arena they have ever fought in.

"You took everything from me!" Catra's distorted voice calls out.

It dons on Adora. I was her EVERYTHING.

Catra's form, almost entirely shadow, leaps at Adora. Weaving underneath, Adora shoves the magicat back with her elbow.

Smog swirls around them. For miles, mechanical machinery and smoke dominate the horizon. A thin railing separates Catra from a few hundred feet drop.

The shadows shrink back as Catra recognizes her surroundings. This is… was their place.

She glares back at Adora. The shadows held in stalemate.

"I'm sorry Catra," Adora pleads, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I didn't want to lose you. I didn't mean to abandon you."

"Too little, too late Adora" Catra spits out. The shadows still locked in place.

"You know for the first few weeks in Brightmoon, I couldn't sleep without you. I would lie awake at night and try to persuade myself not to run back to the Fight Zone, so I could hold you again."

"What does any of that matter? You didn't come back!" The shadows begin to creep over Catra's form.

"Because I wanted you to know the truth because this will probably be the last time I have the chance…” Adora lets out a deep sigh, “if I didn't have this stupid destiny, I would have chosen to be with you every, single, time."

The shadows stop.

Catra is stunned into silence. Her fist clenches and unclenches as she tries to make sense of what Adora just said. "What do you mean this is the last chance?" The worry is thick in Catra's voice.

The Fright Zone dissolves around them leaving them in a small metallic platform below a swirling vortex. In the epicenter, the Blade of Protection hangs aloft.

"Entrapta told me that someone has to stay behind to stop the portal from destroying everything. To save everyone. That someone is me." Tears are streaming down Adora's face.

"Why does it always have to be you?" The shadows around Catra have retreated to her right ear. Her eyes are wide.

Adora seizes the opportunity and pulls Catra into a hug. "Because a stupid rogue A.I. stole me from my family and brought me to Etheria. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve come to love Etheria and the people in it a lot…” Adora bites her lip, ”Especially you."

Catra stiffens in Adora's grasp. "No, Adora." It's barely a whisper and the way she says Adora, it’s as if nothing bad ever happened between them. No Shadow Weaver, no grand destiny, no war. It would be nice to stay here. In a perfect world.

But Adora pulls back. "I have to, Catra."

The last of the shadow flickers away, and Catra turns to let Adora pass.

However, as Adora approaches the sword, she feels Catra's claws dig into her arm and pivot her away from the sword. 

"I’m sorry, Adora." Then with a strong push, reality is falling all around Adora as the platform shrinks from view. Her last vision is of Catra staring up at the sword.

Adora snapped awake, cold sweat forming on her, and a scream captured in her lungs. After a few glances at her surrounding, the mounting terror subsided. She sat atop the Fright Zone, and there was no crumbling reality or swirling vortex. Just a tombstone and blanket over her shoulders.

Memory of how she got here returned to Adora. She had left early this morning to go to the Fright Zone. This way, she could deliver Catra's letter to her without anyone catching her leaving. Then once she scaled to the top of the Fright Zone, the sun beaming over the now plant-covered buildings captivated her. She could spare a few moments and bask in the sun, which had quickly stumbled into unwanted sleep. Now, the sun rested a short way above the horizon.

The one thing that Adora could not remember was the blanket. She hadn't brought it with her, and yet here she is shielded from the frosty morning. Catra would have scolded her for being so stupid to fall asleep in 40-degree weather with just a jacket on.

If she concentrates hard enough, Adora could even hear Catra scold in her sarcastic tone, "Adora, you are gonna fucking freeze to death out here. What were you thinking? Oh that's right, you weren't" and then a softer, "you gotta learn to take care of yourself, dummy. There’s only so much I can do."

Tears well up in Adora's eyes. but before they could break, she heard the creaking of metal behind her. Choking a sob, she glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of a familiar face: Scorpia.

In Scorpia's two pincers, she carried two cups of steaming liquid: most likely tea based on the grassy aroma that filled the cold morning air.

"Oh, hey," Scorpia said as she noticed Adora awake and moving, "peppermint tea?" Scorpia offered a cup to Adora, which Adora took gratefully. The warmth of the tea spread quickly through Adora’s hands.

Scorpia sat beside Adora filling the air with the sound of popping carapaces and loud “oof”. The two sat in silence gazing over the clear morning sky of the Fright Zone.

It should be nice, calm, and relaxing. However, Adora couldn't shake the nervous energy building up in her. She thought she had been the only person to know that this grave was up here, but right next to her sat physical evidence that she hadn't been as sneaky as she thought. Bow had suggested that Scorpia would at least understand, but if she knew and Bow knew, who else among their friends was aware of Adora's weakness? She bit her tongue thinking about the chaos that would break loose if Glimmer knew. She took a long sip of her tea trying not to let the thought consume her.

"Y'know," Scorpia broke the silence, "I see why Catra liked this place so much. It's easy to get lost up here."

Adora froze up not knowing what to say. Scorpia will understand. Scorpia will understand. She repeated the mantra in her head without sparing Scorpia a glance.

Eventually, Adora felt a pincer on her shoulder, and she shifted to look at Scorpia. Concern grew on Scorpia's face.

"You doing okay over there?" Scorpia asked, concern present in her words.

Adora shook her head, unable to speak.

"Hey. Look at me," Scorpia requested as Adora attempted to shift her focus elsewhere. "Just breathe. In and out. Nice and slow."

Adora followed Scorpia's instructions, and with each breath, she could feel the iron grip around her lungs slowly loosening. 

"Thank you," Adora managed with a weak smile.

"Don't mention it," Scorpia said, "it's just something Perfuma taught me."

Scorpia paused for a second, looking Adora up and down as if she was examining her. 

"Do you wanna talk about her?" Scorpia chanced.

"I don't know." Adora sighed in defeat.

"Y'know, another thing Perfuma taught me is that sharing your grief with others helps lessen the burden you are carrying."

Adora took another sip of her tea, "I guess I still can't believe she's gone."

"Me too. Sometimes, when I am walking around the Fright Zone, I just expect her to pop out around the corner with some sarcastic comment about eating brown ration bars for the millionth time."

"Stars, she hated those ones." Adora laughed softly. "They tasted like gross, grainy paste. We much preferred the gray ones.”

"Hold up. I will not let blasphemy be said about my brown ration bars."

"Oh, you liked them? How?!"

"The gray ones just weirded me out. I mean like what food is gray?"

Adora swirled her tea around trying to come up with any gray food she had eaten after the Fright Zone but came up blank.

Adora shrugged, "touche"

Scorpia's eyes shifted over from Adora to the tombstone.

"Thanks for remembering her," Scorpia said as she gestured to the grave with her free hand. "Not a lot of people want to."

"I mean that's kind of my fault," Adora admitted as she hugged her left knee close to her chest.

"Adora, it's not your fault that Catra didn't leave the Horde." Scorpia rested a reassuring claw on Adora's shoulder.

"No, I mean,” Adora whispered. “She died a hero."

Scorpia gave Adora a confused look followed by a “huh?”

"Well, remember how we were in the portal?"

Scorpia nodded slowly.

"Well," Adora continued, "someone needed to stay behind to close the portal. It was supposed to be me…"

"But Catra was the one that stayed behind and closed it." Scorpia finished.

Adora nodded as a few stray tears ran down her face.

"Why haven't you told anyone?" Scorpia asked. Adora could see the renewed grief building up in Scorpia's blue eyes.

"Everyone hated Catra after the portal," Adora grimaced as the tears continued to flow, "Especially after we got back to Brightmoon and Angella was gone. I thought I knew what happened, but why were they both gone? I thought only one of them had to stay behind, and then I got scared. Scared that if I shared the truth, someone would point out that obvious detail. Convince me that Catra wanted the world to end. That Angella had been the one to stop her.” Adora sucked in a shaky breath, willing the tears to stop. ”I just wanted to believe that in that final moment she was that girl I fell in love with all those years ago."

"I am sorry," Scorpia patted Adora's back, "I didn't know you felt that way about her."

"I always did," Adora smiled weakly, "but it's not fair to you... I know you two were close too." Adora barely got out the last few words.

Scorpia chuckled, "not in that way… I might have had a crush on her, but I see now that there was no way she would have ever reciprocated it."

"Why's that?"

"Just a feeling." Scorpia gave Adora a knowing look that Adora felt was supposed to mean something, but she couldn’t put the pieces together.

Scorpia looked deep in thought before she said, "So if Catra was the one to stay behind in the portal, what happened to Angella?"

"Like I said, I don't know."

"Maybe they both had to stay behind. I could ask Entrapta. She might know something we don’t. Give you hope that Catra did the right thing in the end."

Adora shrugged, "maybe... honestly though. I am still scared to know the truth. I just want to believe she did the right thing. That she wasn’t a monster like everyone else said." Glimmer had engraved that sentiment deep into Adora's consciousness.

"I think I understand," Scorpia sighed as she turned to face Adora again. Her eyes held a look of fierce determination. "I knew her best after you left, and while she was a flawed individual, she wasn't a monster that wanted to end the world. Under her command, she stopped attacks on civilian towns, executions of Alliance prisoners, and kidnapping of new cadets. I don't even think she knew how dangerous the portal really was."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Most people would rather see Catra for what she represented than who she was: a Hordak's hand of destruction and terror."

"Stars, how was I so blind to all that?"

"Hey, don't beat yourself up too hard. Not all of it was out in the open, and I feel like a lot of people want to keep it that way. It's why I skip out on Liberation Day. It paints this awful picture that everything about the Horde was evil, even those who were born into it."

Adora chuckled softly, "me too. Y’know I never really feel like I fit in with the other Princesses. Bow and Glimmer tried, but they never really got what I went through. How the Horde broke me and forged me into a tool. How it broke all of us, Catra probably the most. I just wish they knew the real her."

"And that's our mission," Scorpia stated, "we have to remember the real Catra because no one else will."

"Damn right,” Adora reached into her coat and began to fiddle with the letter she had written, “thanks, Scorpia. This… this helped a lot."

"Always glad to talk, and it was nice. Usually, I share these things with Perfuma, but she doesn’t get what it was like. She also didn’t know Catra." Scorpia smiled broadly.

Adora paused for a moment as she pulled out the letter."Would you mind if I had a moment alone with Catra? I kind of have this thing… where I write her letters and read them to her grave. I know it's kind of silly, but it helps."

"I don't think it's silly," Scorpia said as she gathered the teacups, "and of course. I probably have some queenly duties I should attend to, which is still such a weird thing to say."

"I know what you mean, and thanks again," Adora said as Scorpia climbed to her feet.

"Y'know I'm a hugger, right?" Scorpia stated as she opened her arms. Adora snorted as she got up and embraced Scorpia. It was far from as bone-crushing as Catra had made it seem, or maybe Scorpia had just gotten better at it. Whatever the case, it felt nice.

Stepping out of the hug, Scorpia gestured to the grave, "If you ever want to talk about her, I am more than willing to reminisce about the good old days."

"I might have to take you up on that offer," Adora said.

"See you around, Adora."

"Bye, Scorpia." With that, Scorpia began her descent down the rickety platforming, and Adora turned to face Catra's grave.

Unraveling the letter in Adora's palm, she let out a shaky breath and read from the paper, “Hey Catra. It’s been a while…” 

“You wouldn’t believe what it’s like in the Fright Zone now. It’s strange how slowly, the constant noise of machinery and pipes had been replaced by merchants selling clothes in the street. Children playing in the grassy gnolls. Birds chirping in the Spring air.”

“This is always what I imagined it would look like when we would rule the world. No more kids fighting in a senseless war. No more hiding the moments people shared amongst themselves in the dark, the moments I shared with you. I wish I could show you it.”

“Shadow Weaver died this year. I don’t know how you would have taken that news. I knew how much you hated her, despised her, and for good reason. She treated you like shit. Always making you feel like you were less than me. Making me think my only worth was what I could give to others. She broke us. I just wish I realized sooner, maybe you would still be here then.”

“I found a picture of us from before everything—the one we took on Kyle’s camera that he got from all that raid junk. God, we were so young back then. Unscarred and unaware of the world that awaited us. I wish I could reach back into that photograph and make things right this time. Tell you how much I loved you. Take you away from this place. Protect you. I guess it’s too late for that now.”

“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss you. I miss your smile. I miss that gleam in your eyes when you would beat me in the sparring match. I miss the nights you would spend cuddling up in my arms because the other cadets had been mean to you. I even miss you snoring at the bottom of the bunk.”

“Those are the things I remember about you. I am going to try to hold onto the good memories instead of the bad ones. Because those break my heart.”

“I’m sorry things ended this way. I really am. It should have been me.”

“Love, Adora.”

Adora placed the letter at the foot of the headstone and then let all those tears she was holding back flow.

Chapter Text

The sun hung low in the sky as the hoverbike kicked up sand into the air. The bike was small, angular with two open slots at the front for plasma cannons: standard grade for Horde Legionnaires. Ahead of the rider, a town rested between the sandy dunes. The square, stone buildings' mosaics had been chipped by desert winds. A stillness fell over the town as the newcomer rode her bike through the near-empty streets. She stopped once she had arrived at a small oasis in the center of town. Stepping off her bike, the Legionnaire surveyed her surroundings. A small crowd clamored out of the narrow streets and stone houses. To onlookers, they saw a figure in dark grey armor outlined by red stripes, her metallic mask obscuring all personal details except for pointed ears and a mane that erupted for the back of her head.

Someone in the crowd whispered, "a Legionnaire on Titan. What does the Horde want here?" 

"What I want is the rogue magic user that has been terrorizing this town," the metallic and smooth voice of the rider echoed throughout the city square. 

Hushed whispers sprang up throughout the gathering crowd until a gruff man with an eyepatch stepped forward. 

"I have no love for you Legionnaires or the Horde," the man spoke, his voice grizzled with age, "but if you can take out that rotten bully, you'd have my respect. His name is Lachance, and when he comes to town, he rides in on his mule from the East. My bet is he has a camp out there where he takes all of our stolen shit." 

The masked Legionnaire turned away from the crowd and mounted her bike, but before she took off, she tossed a bag of silver toward her informant. The coins clinked as they slid across the stone pavement. 

"Thank you for the information," she stated. 

"We don't need your money," the man spat back, "now get out of here." 

With that, the Legionnaire revved her engines and drove off into the snaking roads heading eastward out of the city. 

--- 

It did not take long for the Legionnaire to find a set of tracks leading her to a cave on the outskirts of the desert. 

The hideaway smelled of rotten fish. Piles of garbage littered the floor, but the lack of the alleged mule told her that her prey wasn't home. Therefore, she parked her bike behind a nearby boulder and waited. Her prey would come to her. 

--- 

The sun had dipped behind the sandy mountains when a hooded man riding a mule appeared. The Legionnaire crept out from behind the rock, setting herself in the path of the hooded man. 

"Lachance Blackwell," the Legionnaire shouted out in the dunes. 

The hooded man stopped his advance and shouted back, "So the Legion finally caught up with me, huh? And they only sent one Legionnaire. Rookie mistake." 

Before the Legionnaire could get another word in, a bright glow emanated from the man's hands followed by wisps of fire. Sidestepping the blast, an explosion rocked the ground behind the Legionnaire. 

She began darting across the hills while ducking and weaving through the blasts of fire. A near miss filled her nostrils with smoke, but it didn't matter what else Lachance could throw at her because she was within range. With a flick of her wrist, she ripped Lachance off of his mount and sent him tumbling towards her. Holding her focus, she pulled him right in front of her. His eyes grew wide as he kicked and writhed, attempting to fight against the web of energy that constricted his body. His attempts became more frantic with each failure.

"You know as well as I do that you don't have the strength to break free," the Legionnaire sneered. 

"What? How?!" Lachance shouted as his attempts to break free increased in panic. 

"Should have stuck around with the Resistance instead of turning to petty crime," the Legionnaire chuckled to herself as she placed her thumb on Lachance's head. "This will only hurt a bit." 

Screams of agony filled the cooling night sky. 

After Lachance collapsed to the ground, the Legionnaire walked back to her bike. Lachance pulled himself from the ground and attempted to throw another bolt of fire towards the Legionnaire, but there was no glow. The Legionnaire cackled as Lachance slumped back into the cooling sands.

"What did you do to me?" the man screamed as he stumbled back to the ground. 

"Evened the playing field," the Legionnaire mocked as she climbed back onto her bike. "I would avoid any towns you ransacked. I don't think they would treat you as kindly as I have." 

Whatever Lachance said next was drowned out by the revving of the hoverbike's engine. 

--- 

Speeding through the empty desert, the Legionnaire turned her gaze towards the starlit sky above her. Even after all these years, the beauty of the swirling expanse never failed to fill her with awe. 

As her gaze shifted downwards, she caught sight of a figure drenched in black, swirling ichor. Its white eyes followed her.

A pinging sound tore her attention from the otherworldly onlooker. A notification flashed on her bike's HUD: Emergency Meeting - Report to the Spire. 

Catra sighed. Empty space filled the place where the figure had been standing. No rest for the wicked.

---

When she had first arrived on the Spire, she had not expected to be the only Legionnaire in attendance at this meeting, but here she was, alone with Horde Prime.

"Ah Cyra," he spoke, his voice calm and smooth despite the faint static that barely amounted to louder than a whisper, "I am glad you could get here on such short notice."

"I would hate to keep you waiting, Horde Prime," Catra responded as she took to Horde Prime's side. In front of them, an orange and violet planet awaited just beyond the viewport. Small explosions erupted across the surface of the planet.

Horde Prime’s gaunt figure had always haunted Catra. No one knew what species he hailed from, but there was no doubt that he was the last of his kind. Whatever remained of his original physiology had been taken piece by piece and replaced by mechanical parts that littered his imposing form. Regardless of what he was, he was a demon on the battlefield. Catra had only once seen him in combat when he dispatched a group of rebel forces that had made an assassination attempt on him. The visuals of those rebel soldiers being ripped apart still lingered in the worst of Catra's nightmares. The screams burned a visceral image into her brain.

"Our mission is almost at its end," Horde Prime gloated.

"Meaning?" Catra asked. 

"You see, Cyra," Horde Prime began as he slid across the floor to a terminal. With a few clicks, the viewport transformed into a screen displaying a green, vibrant planet. "In the early stages of this war, I fought against the greatest tyrants of all: the Ethernians. Many know them today as the First Ones. In their final acts of desperation, they created a weapon capable of destroying all life in the universe because to them, dying was a better alternative to giving up their monopoly on power."

"However, before the weapon could be fired, it simply disappeared. At first, I thought the Etherians had just destroyed themselves, but five years ago, I received a transmission from an unknown quadrant of space, a message from my brother. It claimed that Etheria still existed. That it had been locked in a dimension outside our own. That one final Eternian yet lived: She-Ra. And now I have found a way in." 

Horde Prime crossed the room and placed his hand on Catra's shoulder. "This is where you come in, Cyra."

Catra willed herself not to react as the wisps of Horde Prime's mind danced across hers probing for weaknesses. Sweat pooled on her face as the strain began to wear on her. Eventually, the tendrils of his mind detracted and he smiled.

"I want you to claim this weapon for the Horde. With it, we can liberate the universe from magic once and for all."

"Yes, my lord," Catra bowed.

"Good. I have sent over the mission details. Assemble a task force of the Legionnaires that you trust most and keep this mission under wraps. I fear a mole has infiltrated the Legionnaires and has been feeding the Resistance information."

"I have had a similar feeling. They have been one step ahead of us for too long without one. Worry not though. I have the perfect team in mind."

"Excellent. You are dismissed. Make me proud, Cyra."

"Always," Catra bowed one final time before pivoting on her heels and making for the exit.

Etheria had been found. What a strange feeling to finally be returning home. Catra pushed the thoughts from her mind as she walked the labyrinth of metal hallways that made up the Spire. If it weren’t for her visor telling her what turns to take, she would have surely been lost.

See, the Spire was not designed for biological life forms to live in let alone navigate. The original station only needed to serve machines and Horde Prime himself. However, while in his quest to extinguish magic users from the known universe, Horde Prime had consistently been disappointed by the robot’s feeble intelligence. At first, he created his brother, Hordak, to help oversee the machines. Then, the Legionnaires came: a highly skilled group of warriors dedicated to combatting those who wield magic. With them, the Legionnaires built armies of trained soldiers to aid them in their conquest against magic users, and with each fallen world, came a need for government, lest the planet fell to anarchy. From one mad, alien god’s desire to end magic rose an entire empire: the Horde. Now, the remnants of that early beginning could be seen everywhere in the ancient space station.

Knowing the truth had put many things into perspective for Catra. They must have looked like little children playing with dolls back in Etheria, unaware of the true war being waged in regions beyond Despondos, and soon, the people of Etheria would be confronted with this awful truth.

With the slow creaking of the blast door, Catra stepped into the most recent addition to the Spire: the Legionnaire headquarters. With one last twisting corridor, Catra found herself in a sterile metallic plaza. Two mechanics saluted Catra as she passed by to which she returned a small wave. The taller of the two suggested that they should all grab drinks when Catra was done with her “official” Legionnaire duty. She never understood why, but the people under her command seemed to always want to spend time with her. At first, she had thought it was to work their way into her favor, but as time went on, she became genuinely convinced that these people actually wanted to spend time with her. A concept that was as foreign to her as the stars or planets with two suns.

Catra took the first left from the plaza and ended up in the cafeteria: a long room decked with the most uncomfortable metal tables and seats one could create. It was in between meal time, so the room sat in silence except for the occasional rattling of pipes. At the other end of the room sat two individuals locked in an intense conversation.

The taller of the two wore black armor similar to Catra’s, but instead of red stripes outlining the armor, he had blue. Atop his head sat a mop of dirty blonde hair, and his eyes shone a greyish blue. Next to him on the table rested a horned skull-shaped helmet. 

The other figure sat with a slouch. Her skin shone a pastel shade of pink, and across her eyes rested a crimson blindfold. She was adorned in robes of similar color with a hood resting behind her. Her bald head tilted as Catra approached the table as if she was already aware of Catra’s presence.

“It’s just so bullshit that Horde Prime has us wasting time hunting low-level,magic-wielding scum,” the blonde Legionnaire complained, “we could be on the front lines right now taking it to the Resistance.”

“You’re just mad that that last guy got you straight across the face with lightning,” the one in crimson robes jabbed.

“Getting hit by low-level, magic-wielding scum,” Catra teased as she sat down at the table, “what has become of the almighty Adam?”

“It was just a lucky hit,” Adam muttered into his shoulder while the other two Legionnaires chuckled.

“Well,” Catra began as she popped a small disk off her belt and flung it into the middle of the table, “I think you will be happy to know we are done with the small fries.” The disk lit up displaying the lush green world of Etheria.

“What’s that?” the one in crimson robes asked.

“That is the big one, Lithra.” Adam’s expression lit up looking at the hologram.

“You familiar with Etheria?” Catra asked attempting to look disinterested.

“When I lived in the Eternian refugee colonies,” Adam answered leaning back in his chairs, “everyone always talked about this “legendary” planet: Etheria. That one day the great warrior, She-Ra would liberate us from Horde Prime’s tyranny, and yet none ever came.” The malice drips off those last words.

“Good, save that energy for the mission,” Catra advised, “before I brief you on the mission, none of these details must leave this meeting. Am I understood?”

Both Legionnaires nodded at Catra.

“Excellent, let us begin.”

With that, Catra began laying out the mission, omitting as many details as possible to avoid leaking information that didn’t pertain to the mission at hand. Their objective was simple: find a way to get Etheria out of Despondos. With the way things currently resided, the Horde could only send small battalions of troops onto the planet through a rip in space; therefore, a large-scale invasion was off the table. This first mission was all about reconnaissance.

“Adam and I will station our dreadnaughts above the rip in space,” Catra said as she switched the tapped on her gauntlet bringing up more diagrams, “and take a ground shuttle for the expeditions. Are there any questions?”

Both Legionnaires shook their heads.

“Alright,” Catra stood up, “we leave in 0400 hours. Adam, make sure your ship is prepped and ready to go. Lithra, you will be staying on my ship for the duration of this mission, and if everything goes to plan, I think it's time you finally get your stripes and armor.”

“That would be…” Lithra’s face twitched with the slightest amount of excitement before being stifled, “I mean, I would be honored.”

“Of course,” Catra said, “you deserve it, lieutenant. Dismissed.”

Lithra nodded and hurried off clearly still trying to hide her excitement.

“Are you sure it's a wise idea to promote her,” Adam winced, “she is… unstable.”

“But fiercely loyal and a competent leader,” Catra glared at Adam, “she reminds me of an old friend. It’s rare you get this far in this profession and still have those traits.”

“Whatever you say, commandant.” Adam let out a heavy sigh, “so do you think this could really be it?”

“I hope so.” 

“Imagine it,” Adam's eyes darkened, “a universe free of magical tyrants. No more jackasses with too much power dictating whether or not you get to live every day.”

“I am sorry about your family,” Catra said, sensing the anguish in Adam’s voice.

“Don’t be. Soon their memory will have been avenged.”

A silence fell between the two Legionnaires, but before Catra could make the move to leave, Adam spoke again.

“Y’know,” he said, “I never heard your story about why you hate magic.”

“There’s not much to say,” Catra began, “my guardian tortured me, so I would end up just like her. And look at me now.”

“Whoever they were,” Adam boasted, “they would be terrified of what you have grown beyond.”

“Yeah…” Catra almost chuckled at the irony. She was exactly what Shadow Weaver wanted her to be.

---

The ship lurched as it made the jump to hyperspace. The stars stretching into lines outside the viewport. It would be twelve hours before they arrived at the gate to Etheria; therefore, Catra stalked the halls of her ship, making one last check of all the systems. Each time she passed a darkened corridor, a pair of white eyes peered out at her. Their source, a figure clothed in shadows, remained elusive. 

As she finished talking with a group of soldiers playing poker in the breakroom, she walked out into the hallway where Lithra was leaning against a wall waiting for her.

“Uh commandant,” Lithra stammered, “may I have a word with you.”

“Walk with me?” Catra posed as she gestured down the hallway, “also when we are on my ship, you can drop the formalities. They’re all kind of bullshit anyway.”

“Sure, commanda… I mean Cyra.”

“Good enough. So what’s it you wanted to talk about?”

“It’s just I’ve been thinking about the mission, andI’vereaduponallthefilespertainingtoEtheriaandIamjustworriedabouthowpowerfulsomeofthesemagicusersaresupposedbeand…”

Catra raised her hand to stop Lithra as she clutched her head trying to suppress the annoyance bubbling to the surface. She managed to suppress it enough to get out “let’s cut to the chase” in the most neutral tone possible. 

“It’s just, I’m scared,” Lithra admitted.

“Scared about what?” Catra asked, turning her mask to face Lithra.

“About the magic. It’s just that I read your file, and I realized we had a lot of similarities about the abuse we suffered, and I thought maybe you could…”

Catra stopped in her tracks, “You did what?!” The venom dripped off each word.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any…”

Catra grabbed Lithra by the collar of her robes. “Let me tell you something. You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through! I’ve always said. Some people have bad days, I’ve had a bad life! There have only been two people in my life that I have cared about. The first one mentally abused me, and the other one abandoned me. So don’t act like you know just because you found something relatable in my file.”

The anger flowed over Catra, and to someone with Legionnaire senses, it was palpable in the air. She opened her mouth to unleash more vitriol when Lithra stifled a soft sob. All the anger dissipated in a flash, and its place, overwhelming guilt. It suffocated the air around her.

Catra let go of Lithra and breathed a quiet apology before ducking into a side passage. Her vision began to blur at the edges as she exited out into a dark, empty corridor. 

She felt its chin lean over her shoulder; the whites of its eyes in the corner of her vision. 

Then its horrible broken voice filled the void. Today it sounded like Shadow Weaver, “You hurt people Catra. That’s what you do. You’ll never be more than that, and when Adora learns the truth, she will abandon you too. Oh wait, she already has.” 

Catra clawed at the mask on her head, unable to breathe as she collapsed to her knees. The shadowy aspiration laughed as it crouched in front of her.

“Why do you bother? Just let me in already.”

“No,” Catra choked out as she stumbled to her feet, placing her hand on the wall for support. 

“You can’t run forever, Catra.”

Catra sluggishly walked down the corridors finding her way to her chamber. Before she opened the door, she took a moment to collect herself. Then, she pressed her palm up to the biometric scanner, and the blast door slid open with a swoosh.

Sitting atop the small bed across from hers, a scrappy, magicat teenager with blonde fur and dark grey jumpsuit tinkered with a circular device. Their blue eyes shot up to meet Catra’s and a smile spread across their face.

“Cyra!” they called jumping off the bed, “how was the ship inspection?”

Catra chuckled as she rustled the magicat’s head, “As boring as you might expect, Finn.” She then gestures to the robot in Finn’s arms, “how goes robot repair training?”

“Probably the most fun I’ve had as a Legionnaire’s apprentice!” Finn declared.

“Figured you’d like it,” Catra said as she sat down in a nearby chair. 

Her eyes caught on the shadowy apparition in the reflection of the viewport. It hovered above Finn with a look of malice in its eyes. It didn’t need to say anything. The message was clear: how long until you hurt them too?

She pushed the thought out of her mind and turned back to Finn, “why don’t you tell me about it?”

Finn smiled a toothy grin and began excitedly explaining each piece of the machine.

I am not Shadow Weaver. I am not Shadow Weaver. I am not Shadow Weaver…

Chapter Text

The bright pastel pinks of the Brightmoon’s war room did little to calm Adora’s frayed nerves. She had maybe had five minutes alone before Bow burst in ushering her to an emergency meeting. Hushed conversations filled the room as each member tried to speculate the reason for the sudden meeting. Sea Hawk suggested that perhaps a new sea beast had awoken and was now threatening the shores. To this, Mermista slapped him on the back of the head. Netossa and Spineralla shared worrying glances with one another while Frosta continued her rant about a secret army rising in Crimson Waste.

Perfuma, who sat adjacent to Adora, leaned over to ask, "So how did your date go with Alexandria?" 

Adora's face turned bright crimson, "Uh not very well. We just didn't vibe, y'know?" 

"Adora, that is what you have said about the last 10 girls you have tried dating. I am starting to think you don’t want to find someone, which is fine, but." Perfuma started as she leaned back into her chair. 

"Who said I wasn’t looking? Of course, I’m looking. Did someone tell you that?" Adora stammered as she made a pointed look at Scorpia who just shrugged. 

"Are we talking about Adora's love life?" Frosta practically squealed from across the table. Despite her increase in stature over the last ten years, Frosta was still able to hit those higher decibels when she wanted to. 

Conversation throughout the table died down as everyone turned to face Adora. 

"Absolutely not," Adora said while her face deepened in tone even further. 

"Oh great. My faaavorite conversation topic," Mermista groaned. 

"I was just asking Adora how her date went," Perfuma tried to steer the conversation away to spare Adora from more embarrassment. 

"Oh, Adora! You must tell us all about your daring adventure with this new maiden," Seahawk said as he attempted to stand on his chair, but didn't because of Mermista holding him down. 

"It's not even worth talking about anymore," Mermista said, "it's clear Adora is not interested in anyone we set her up with." 

"You are just mad that she has turned down your suggestions the most," Frosta teased.

“Guys,” Scorpia tried to cut in, “maybe we should give Adora a bre…” 

"Maybe she has found her maiden," Seahawk sang, "but she lacks the courage to ask her out." 

"We could ask her for you!" Frosta added. 

Adora sent Bow a pleading look.

“I think Scorpia is right,” Bow said, “Adora’s love life really isn’t our business.”

“Laaaaame,” Frosta crossed her arms as she leaned back into her chair. 

The room grew uncomfortably quiet as the anxiety crept back into everyone's minds. 

The doors swung open and slammed against the walls with a loud thud. Glimmer stormed into the room, and in her hands, she carried a device that looks like a destroyed Horde drone. A large dent sunk into its metal casing and wires poked through the cracks.

Glimmer placed it on the center table before taking her seat next to her husband at the head of the table. Entrapta followed afterward, her face buried in her datapad. 

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Glimmer began, "I would not have called such a sudden meeting if there wasn't a severe reason. I am afraid to report that this is probably the worst." She gestured to the drone. 

Adora simply rolled her eyes. Glimmer always called such meetings for trivial reasons like assigning members of the council to a decoration committee for Freedom Day and selecting Adora to lead the committee. Then when serious matters occurred, she rarely took the time to ask the members of the Princess Alliance for their opinions. For example, when she spared Shadow Weaver from being thrown into the deepest cell in the Frost Kingdom. Adora’s blood still boiled.

"Yesterday morning," Glimmer continued, "this device was seen landing in the remains of the Fright Zone. A villager nearby saw the device and shot it out of the sky. From Entrapta's analysis, the device was made in the last 5 years, and it appears to have been transmitting to an unknown location. What we do know is that this location is nowhere on Etheria." 

The room fell silent at the end of Glimmer's report. The anxiety that filled the room would have been enough to blind someone if visible. Everyone glanced at each to see who would break the silence. 

Adora would have been the first to break the silence, but her mouth was clamped shut in surprise-- an actually important and dire meeting.

Perfuma was the first to speak, "Does that mean a Horde attack is imminent?" 

"We can't cross it off from the list of possibilities," Glimmer responded. 

Entrapta spoke next, "prior to today, we were unaware of any life outside of our planet. Regardless if an attack is imminent, this is a huge scientific discovery! However, in case of an imminent attack, I have started triangulating where the signal was sent to." 

"What do we do in the meantime?" Frosta asked through gritted teeth. 

"My aunt is working with the mages at Mystacor to create a defense strategy using magic," Glimmer stated. "I have also sent Juliet to oversee the creation of bots and other weaponry." 

"We still have many of the bot designs I helped create during my time in the Horde. This will prove immensely useful in case of an attack," Entrapta chirped. 

"How is the Horde back?" Scorpia asked, her gaze shifting from person to person.

"Shadow Weaver," Adora locked eyes with Glimmer and grimaced when her name fell off her tongue, "told us that Hordak was trying to bring in an even larger army through the portal. This must be them."

"What can we do to help?" Mermista stood up. Her apathetic body language was replaced with fiery energy.

"Right now," Bow began, "we don't know what they want. I would suggest that we all return to our own kingdoms to bolster their defenses and wait for further information."

"What if we already know what they want?" Netossa said. Everyone focused their attention on her.

"What do you mean, honey?" Spineralla asked as she grabbed her wife's hand.

"Why would they scout out the Fright Zone of all places?" Netossa proposed the question to the group. "Why not Brightmoon? The literal capital of our world."

"One theory I have," Entrapta began as she displayed a hologram of her data, "the portal incident left a hole into our pocket dimension. Meaning, that they are using that as their entrance. This is all hypothetical, but it would give us a large advantage if they could only enter through one gate.

"Assuming that theory is correct", Netossa inferred, "the Horde has to come through the Fright Zone, meaning we can center our defenses there."

"Until we have that confirmed," Glimmer leaped from her seat, "we can not sacrifice all our resources to defend the Fright Zone because if we are wrong then we've left every other kingdom exposed. I think our best bet is to focus on bolstering defenses as Bow said."

"So we just sit on our hands and do nothing?" Adora stood up, hands on the table. "This army is like nothing we have ever faced before. They are larger than the original Horde, and more advanced than the original Horde. The only reason we won last time is that their leadership died… We can't just sit still on this one! I vote we all send a battalion of troops to the Fright Zone that way we are covered if that is their target or entry point."

"Adora," Glimmer retorted, "are you even listening to yourself? There is zero concrete evidence that the Fright Zone is their target. For all we know, they could have sent dozens of drones, and we only managed to find one."

"What I am saying is that we need to take every possible advantage we can because if we wait, until their forces are at our doorstep, then it's too late."

"So what? We go around chasing poorly thought-out leads?! Last time we did that it nearly destroyed the whole fucking world! We are lucky it decided to take that Horde scum with it!"

"When did you become your mom?!"

"Don't bring her into this!"

Perfuma interjected, "Ok, let's not go here."

"Stay out of this," Adora gritted as Glimmer glared at Perfuma to stop talking.

Scorpia launched up from her seat and leaned in between Adora and Glimmer. "This isn't getting us anywhere, guys. I say let's put this to a vote. This isn't just a decision for one of us to make."

"Seconded," Frosta called out.

Pulled away from their anger, Adora and Glimmer were forced to face the room. Each person had a pained look on their face. The anger flushed from Adora's face as she sat down in her chair.

Bow coughed, "I agree with Scorpia. The best way to handle this is a vote."

"All in favor of sending a battalion of troops to reinforce and investigate the Fright Zone, say I." Bow instructed.

Adora, Sea Hawk, Frosta, Scorpia, and Netossa all said "I".

"All in favor of playing on the defensive. say I." Bow said.

Bow, Glimmer, Spineralla, Mermista, and Perfuma joined the opposition.

"Entrapta," Bow waved his hand in front of Entrapta’s datapad, "you didn't vote."

"Oh sorry!" Entrapta squealed as she ripped her head away from her datapad. "What were we voting on?"

A collective sigh filled the room.

"Whether or not we should spare resources to investigate the Fright Zone." Bow's hand hit the top of his head.

"Oooooh," Entrapta's eyes lit up! "I am all in favor of investigating the Fright Zone in case remnants of the portal are still floating around."

"Ok, so the final vote is 6 to 5 in favor of investigating the Fright Zone. What exactly is our plan, Adora?" Bow glanced over to Adora.

"It's clear our best bet is to follow Entrapta's hypothesis," Adora stated, "I will lead a small battalion consisting of any troops we can spare. Entrapta will accompany us to complete her research of the portal."

Glimmer looked like she was about to erupt. "We can't risk She-Ra on a wild goose chase," Glimmer fumed.

Adora, restraining herself, said, "I am one of the few people we can spare when it comes to planning defenses. Everyone else needs to be in their kingdom preparing for the worst."

Glimmer attempted to argue with Adora, but Adora was right. Eventually, Glimmer slumped into her seat defeated, and muttered, “just don’t let them get the sword this time.”

Adora bit down on her tongue willing herself not to escalate things further.

The rest of the meeting flew by in a haze as Adora spoke with each Princess about what resources they could spare for this mission.

With all the details honed out, Adora announced, "I will leave you all to discuss defense strategies while I round up the troops."

Adora bowed and exited the war room. She heard Entrapta's frantic footsteps behind her before the mad scientist darted down another hallway, most likely to retrieve her gear. However, there remained another set of footsteps drawing closer to her.

"Glimmer," Adora said as she pivoted around to see Bow standing behind her, "or eh, Bow. Sorry, I thought…"

Bow attempted to force a smile but it looked more like a grimace. "Adora, promise me you aren't going all in on this plan because it involves the portal."

"No of course not," Adora said trying to hide any insecurity in her voice.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up about," Bow leaned in close, "her…"

"I'm not. I just believe this is our best option right now."

"If you promise?"

Adora hated promises. She always failed to keep them, and here she was about to break another one.

"I promise." She lied.

Bow didn't look convinced, but he let it go and changed the subject. "I know it's been going on for a while now, but what's happening between you and Glimmer?"

Adora sighed, "I don't know. She just changed after the portal. She trusted Shadow Weaver despite my warnings, and it nearly killed her. It's like she doesn't trust me anymore. She thinks every idea I have is a bad one, that I am too stupid to care for myself. And I get that Catra killed her mom, but that doesn't mean she gets a free pass to say such vile things about her all the time… I am just tired of it, Bow."

Bow nodded solemnly. "I mean you weren’t much better in there. You guys should try talking about it. I miss when you guys were friends."

"Maybe once this is all over," Adora turned and stormed down the hallway.

Chapter Text

Calm washed over Catra as she floated in ethereal nothingness. Millions of small lights flickered in and out all around her, and then like tidal waves, she could feel the shifting momentum of the universe, of every living being.

Slowly, Catra opened her eyes and lowered herself to the ground, letting the undercurrents of the universe flow away. Across from her, Finn sat in a similar stance to her. Their face wrinkled as they tried to enter that ethereal state: a clear sign of mounting frustration that plagued all of their mindful studies.

Catra couldn’t help but smile at the little magicat as they popped one eye open to check if Catra was watching. They were so cute this way. A part of Catra felt guilty. This child was supposed to be forged into a powerful weapon for the Horde, a Legionnaire like herself, but every time Catra looked at her apprentice, she couldn’t turn them into that tool. 

Maybe it was because they reminded her of herself when she was that age. Maybe it's because she couldn’t bring herself to continue the cycle of abuse. Or perhaps sometimes she thinks that Finn kind of looks like a child Adora and her could have had together. 

She shakes her head at such a silly notion; she and Adora together, such a thing would never, could never happen. She burnt that bridge forever ago if it had even been there in the first place.

No, the reason she couldn’t break Finn was simple. To Catra, Finn was everything that was good in the universe. The way they bounded endlessly whenever they got to work on a new piece of technology or learned a new combat maneuver. The fact that they tackled every challenge with unbridled optimism, never compromising for half measures. The way they brought out the best in everyone. All of it stirred something deep inside Catra something that had long since been purged by shadows.

“This is boring,” Finn proclaimed as they opened their eyes.

“You say that, but this is the only way you will ever learn how to manipulate the essence of the universe,” Catra chuckled, “and I know how desperately you want to fling things into walls with just your mind.”

Finn pouted as they swayed left and right, “but none of this is working.”

“Hmm,” Catra stood up and made her way over to a small shelf in her quarters. Picking a box-shaped object, she turned and tossed it to Finn. “Try this.”

“A puzzle box?” Finn asked. The confusion spread across their face like wildfire.

“Yes,” Catra sat back down opposite Finn, “in order to tap into the essence that surrounds us, you must be focused, and the only…”

Catra paused as she glanced at her apprentice who was in the process of twisting and turning the puzzle box in their hands. “The only time when I see you that focused is when you are working on machines.”

Finn’s blue eyes darted up, “Huh, what did you say?”

Catra grinned while shaking her head, “never mind. Just focus on the box and let everything else fade away.”

Finn nodded as they continued about their quest to solve the box. Within a few seconds, they slowly began to levitate off the ground. 

“Not getting anywhere, huh?” Catra teased.

“What?” Finn said as they first looked at Catra and then down to the floor which was now almost a whole foot below them. The excitement lit up in Finn’s eyes before they promptly plummeted to the ground.

Catra burst out laughing.

“That’s not funny,” Finn whined as they scrambled back to their feet.

“Kind of is, squirt,” Catra said as she reached across to ruffle Finn’s hair. “Ok, I’ve gotta go check on Teela. Make sure she doesn’t have us on a direct course for a supernova or something.”

A mischievous smile formed on Finn’s face.

“I don’t like that look, kid,” Catra sighed.

“Are you and Teela dating?” Finn asked as they feigned the sweetest voice they could muster.

“No,” Catra sputtered, “who told you that?”

“Adam did!”

“Of course that stupid oaf did.” Catra shook her, “the answer is no. We are not dating.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because Teela’s as straight as an arrow, and she’s not my type.”

“And what is your type?”

“I’m not answering that. Y’know you can be a real brat sometimes.” 

“Teela says I get it from you.”

“She would say that… Anyways, I should be off. Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone, and keep working on that. I wanna see you levitate without that puzzle box by the time I get back. See you, kid.”

“Bye, Mom.”

Catra was already in the process of stepping through the blast door when the word Mom reached her ears. Finn had never called her that.

Salt touched Catra’s mouth as she pulled her helmet over her head. It wasn’t befitting for her soldiers to see her cry.

---

Dozens of conversations echoed throughout the bridge as the dreadnought sliced through space. At the center of the chaos, a woman with auburn hair stood resolute. She wore a sleek black military outfit emboldened with the Horde symbol on her right shoulder. Every few seconds, her gaze would shift between a select handful of monitors displaying information about their current hyperspace jump, all of it incomprehensible to Catra who sat a short ways back taking in the scene.

“You going to sit there all day?” the woman asked without taking her eyes off of her task, “or did you have something you wanted to talk about?”

“Not happy to see me, Teela?” Catra teased as she crossed her arms.

“What would give you that impression?” Teela tore her focus from the monitors to send Catra a heated glare.

“Gut feeling.” Catra shrugged, taking a few steps closer to Teela.

“You truly are insufferable.” Teela shook her head, a faint smile creeping into her lips.

“Y’know, if I am so insufferable, YOU can request to be put on a different dreadnought under a different Legionnaire.” 

“You should take that as a compliment that I don’t. You are the least insufferable of your lot.”

“I’m flattered,” Catra said as she slung an arm around Teela, “but what about tall, blonde, and muscular?”

Teela scoffed while shrugging off Catra’s arm, “do not bring up that brutish oaf you call a friend.”

“C’mon, he’s only kind of an oaf… most of the time.”

“My point stands.”

“Doesn’t stop you from ogling his muscles though.” A wicked smile spread across Catra’s face.

A blush crept up Teela’s neck as she pulled her attention away from Catra and focused on a corner of the bridge with no activity. “I hate you.”

“Of course you do,” Catra laughed, and deciding to give her friend a break, she switched topics. “So how close are we to Etheria?”

Taking another moment to suppress the heat in her face, Teela examined two monitors before saying, “about another hour or so. You really think this is going to be it?”

“No, but it puts us closer to winning,” Catra placed two hands on the railing and peered into the streaks of light flying by in the viewport, “the real question is whether Horde Prime can defeat She-Ra.”

“The legendary warrior? You think she’s real?” Teela shot Catra a skeptical look.

“I have the scars to prove it,” Catra turned around to face Teela; a forlorn expression painted over Catra’s face if anyone could see it.

“Looks like our mission is clear then.” Teela spared Catra a quick sidewise glance that began to linger.

“That it is.” 

Teela continued to stare Catra down, a question attempting to form on Teela’s lips. Teela’s green eyes carefully scanned over Catra like they could pierce any secret.

“Just spit it out,” Catra spat, a sinking feeling building in the pit of her stomach. She knew that look.

“Is she the one?” Teela whispered. Her normal icy composer cracked under the fear of the potential fallback of asking such a question.

Catra groaned throwing her head upwards while leaning further into the railing; her eyes could have burned holes through the steel casing separating the bridge from the vacuum of space. A few moments passed in burning agony as Catra fought back every emotion screaming to be let out.

Suppressing the shadows clutching at her vision, Catra dropped her sight back to Teela. When Catra’s eyes met Teela’s through her helmet, she noted the concern etched into Teela’s face. She couldn’t hide this, not from one of her only remaining friends, so she laid it all out, “yeah, she is.” 

Stepping away from her post, Teela crossed to the railing right beside Catra, and while taking her friend in, she asked, “what was she like?”

Who really was Adora? For a long time, Catra felt like she could have answered that question without a single thought of doubt, but Catra never really knew the real Adora. Her Adora would never have abandoned her, but the real Adora did…

She stopped herself. She had spent enough time in that pit trying to crawl her way out for any reason why. Instead, Catra focused on the good: the things she knew about the real Adora. 

Grinning, Catra started, “she was a dork, but in a good way. Her smile was infectious, and she had a way of brightening up every shitty situation… She was my only friend, for a long time. I was so violent back then. Lashing out at everything, but every time I pushed her away, she came back with even more determination to be my friend…”

Catra choked back tears, not that anyone but Teela would have known, but it still felt wrong to be vulnerable in front of others. In response, Teela placed a tentative hand on Catra’s shoulder providing support and leading Catra to the hallway outside the bridge. Giving a quick squeeze, Teela encouraged Catra to keep going, so Catra did.

“I loved her, and I still kept hurting her… Eventually, I pushed her too hard, and she didn’t come back. I hurt her intentionally because I felt so betrayed, but in reality, I was a monster unworthy of her love, and it wasn’t just her. I hurt a lot of other people too while I was lashing out against an unjust world. Hell, I still am. I lost my temper at poor old Lithra for just asking a stupid question…

“That’s why I’m here, for atonement. To do that one right thing in my life.”

Teela grabbed Catra and pulled her into a very stiff hug which stifled Catra’s sniffling. 

“Wow,” Catra exclaimed trying to hide how shaky her voice was, “I never thought I would get a hug from the touch-averse Teela.”

Pulling away from the hug, Teela circumvented Catra’s deflection, “I don’t think you are a monster. Insufferable and annoying, but never a monster.”

“You didn’t know me back…” Catra tried.

“Doesn’t matter,” Teela said very matter of factly, “you aren’t the you of yesterday. Take pride in that.”

Catra lifted her helmet up and wiped away a few of the stray tears. “Thanks…”

Teela looked away before asking, “What will you do if you have to fight her down there?”

Catra sighed, “what I have to.”

“Ok,” Teela said in an icy tone, clearly unhappy with the answer but not willing to push it further. Instead, she pivoted, “what does she look like?”

To this, Catra actually laughed, “you are not gonna stop giving me shit for this, but…” Catra pulled out a crumpled-up photograph of two young girls. Adora had just started tying her hair up with that stupid hair poof, and Catra’s hair was gnarly and unkempt. The picture was taken on the camera Kyle stole from the raid junk pile. God, what Catra wouldn’t give to go back to such simple times and make things right this time. 

“Guess we both have a type?” Teela teased as a devious smile formed on her lips.

“That we do. Imagine if they were siblings.”

“How the fuck would that even work?”

The two burst out into laughter.

---

A strange distorted noise scattered across the metal exterior of the shuttle as it flew through the temporal distortion. The journey wouldn't take more than half an hour, but the fur on Catra's body wouldn't settle down. Something about flying through the bounds of reality left an uncomfortable and bitter taste on her tongue.

The initial infiltration party was small: herself, Lithra, Adam, and a dozen of Horde Prime's chrome white robots.

Lithra sat across from Catra; her focus entirely spent on battle meditation. Adam, on the other hand, sat one seat down from Catra. He polished his skull-shaped helmet and hummed quietly to himself. Something about the song escaping from Adam's lips reminded Catra of a time-long sensed past: a faded memory of Adora humming to Catra while she treated a small scrape Catra had received while running around the Fright Zone.

Satisfied with his work, Adam placed his helmet on the seat next to him and met Catra's eyes, who up until this point had been staring at Adam with some awe. After realizing what she'd done Catra gave a little nod before looking away.

"Sorry, that song just brought me back," Catra mumbled as she played with one of her gloves.

"My mom use to sing it to me before bed," Adam said with reverence in his tone, “there were lyrics once, but I can’t remember them anymore.”

“Is it a common nursery rhyme or something? Maybe you can find the lyrics.” Catra posed as she flexed her claws causing them to ignite in white plasma before snuffing out.

“No, I’ve never heard it anywhere else. I use to, y’know, obsess over finding it. I think it’s something my mom just made up, so it sucks because it feels like I’ve lost another piece of her.”

Catra reached out a hand to place on Adam’s shoulder, “Hey at least you can remember her, that’s something.”

“I know,” Adam straightened his back and paused for a long, silent moment, the sound of the abyss its only company. He then said, “hey, uh, Cyra.”

“Hm?” Catra responded as began inspecting her armor.

“I just wanted to thank you.”

“What for?”

“Everything.”

“Well, that’s vague, and I am pretty sure there I things you don’t wanna thank me for.”

Adam chuckled at that. Another pregnant pause filled the space between the two Legionnaires “I mean -- I was so lost when you found me on that Vestril outpost all those years ago. I had just lost my best friend in our quest for vengeance, and even with killing that magi-scum, there was no relief, no vindication. All I had was another body to bury.

“It was then that you found me at my lowest point, and you gave me a purpose again. If you hadn’t been there…” Adam gulped, “I don’t know where I would be right now. Probably some gutter with a blaster hole in my side.

“Instead, I have you, Teela, and something to fight for: a universe free of magic. For the first time in a long time, I feel like things might be ok.”

Guilt gnawed at the back of Catra’s brain. She could hear the whispers of the shade at the back of her neck: he thanks you, but you have damned him. What will he think when he learns the truth? He will hate you like the rest of them.

Pushing them down, Catra attempted to speak, “You don’t need to thank me, really. I just saw a broken man who needed a second chance.” The lies burned Catra’s throat.

“Not many people get a second chance, so at least let me thank you for that,” Adam attempted to make Catra’s actions seem heroic when they were the farthest thing from that. She picked Adam because she needed a weapon, and his rage fit that bill. She didn’t mean to become his friend, to genuinely care for him. Now, it would hurt when all came to pass.

Before Catra could continue to argue, a robotic voice blared over the ship’s intercom: “landing in T-minus 1 minute.”

The ship began to rattle as the descent into Etheria’s atmosphere blasted bundles of atmospheric pressure at them. 

---

Catra sunk her claws into the now fading tower that haunted her memories. Each jump led her closer and closer to the top. Eventually, she pulled herself over the ledge leaving her old home sprawling out in front of her. It looked alien. The oppressive smog no longer clung over the factory buildings. People, not soldiers, wandered the streets. She desperately wished she could take off her helmet and breathe in the air but didn’t.

Instead, her gaze fell upon a small stone slab across the platform. Crouching down in front of it, Catra read the faint inscription: 

In memory of Catra

Lost but never forgotten

She briefly wondered who would have gone to all this effort to remember her. She didn’t deserve this, but then her eyes got caught on a faint piece of paper held down by a rock in front of the grave. It fluttered in the wind. Pulling it out from underneath the stone, she unfolded it and stared at the loopy handwriting of her oldest friend. She read all of it.

Before the shade could creep out and burden Catra with doubt, she released the paper into the wind and whispered, “I promise.”

Chapter Text

Adora kept a slow pace behind Entrapta as she skittered around the Fright Zone placing down sensors. The whole time Adora tried to make sense of the madness and then eventually decided there was a reason her main gimmick was turning into an 8-foot warrior and not technology. 

The remaining guards that had been spared, about a dozen or so, combed through the rest of the Fright Zone looking for abnormal clues that would point to Horde's presence. So far, they had come up with nothing. 

Eventually, Entrapta began setting up the last sensor, which happened to be at the highest point of the Fright Zone. Adora glanced over to Catra’s grave when it appeared Entrapta was too far gone in her work to notice.

It felt strange being back so soon. When the portal incident had happened, Adora would visit any free chance she could. Now, it was saved as a once-a-year event. It helped mask the pain.

While looking over the grave, Adora noted that the letter she left was gone. It sent a shiver down Adora’s spine. Who had seen it? Scorpia? Perfuma? She prayed it had only been taken by the wind.

Lost in her thoughts, Adora barely registered Entrapta walking over to the grave and placing one hand on it with a small smile. Entrapta then turned around and grabbed Adora by the arm.

“Come on!” Entrapta squealed as the two made their way back down the rickety platforms, “we’ve got data to analyze!”

— — —

Taking a seat on some boxes adjacent to Entrapa’s jury-rigged command center, Adora leaned back and took a few moments to calm down from before. It was oddly relaxing listening to Entrapta press keys, mutter under her breath, and skip around the place.

However, a pink shimmering effect quickly stole any semblance of relaxation Adora could find as Glimmer and Bow apparated into the covered tarp that served as the command center. Adora’s eyes immediately met Glimmer’s.

Bow, seeing a disaster in the making, interceded by stepping in-between Glimmer and Adora.

“Uh, hey guys.” Adora pulled herself up from her relaxed pose, “what are you doing here?”

Bow cut Glimmer off before she could say anything, “I found something!” He waved his tracker pad in the air with a toothy grin.

“And demanded I bring him right away,” Glimmer muttered to herself loud enough for everyone to hear.

Entrapta perked up at Bow’s words as she scrambled over, “Oooh, what is it?”

“Well, while I was examining the Horde drone, I noticed a peculiar energy emanating off of it.” Entrapta leaned over Bow’s shoulder as he began swiping through menus on his tracker pad.

Meanwhile, Adora locked eyes with Glimmer again, which then resulted in Glimmer slipping past her husband.

“Adora.” Glimmer said, her tone passive.

“Glimmer,” Adora replied, not letting any of the anger from their last argument resurface.

“Have you and Entrapta found anything yet?” Glimmer asked as she took in their setup.

“No, we just finished putting the last sensor up a few minutes before you and Bow arrived.”

“I see.”

Adora could feel her blood boiling, “What’s that mean?”

“Nothing,” Glimmer said with her fakest smile.

“Well,” Adora stood from the box she was sitting on, “we’ll message you when Bow’s done then you can come back and get him.”

Glimmer scoffed, “do you think you can force me to leave?”

“I thought you believed this was a waste of time,” Adora gestured to her surroundings. 

“I do, but Bow forced me to take him here. So, I’m humoring him.”

“Humoring him? You. Self. Conceited…”

“Don’t. Finish. That.”

At this point, Adora and Glimmer were mere inches apart, and fire burned in their eyes, but before any more vitriol could be leveled by either of them, Bow’s voice cut through the anger.

“You two are ridiculous!” Bow shouted; clear outrage etched into his face. An emotion very rarely associated with the archer; therefore, making its appearance even more pronounced. “You can’t even last ten seconds without getting into a pissing match with each other! Like what the hell!? C’mon guys! You used to be such good friends; what happened?!” The exasperation hung thick in Bow’s voice.

“It’s her fault.”

“If she could just listen to me.”

Both Adora’s and Glimmer’s words collided head-on as they scrambled for justification. Bow just placed his hand on the bridge of his nose. At the sound of a beep from the command center, Entrapta jumped at the opportunity to distance herself from this dispute.

“I don’t care who started it,” Bow sighed, “I’m just tired of being the mediator between you two because you both fail to act like adults.”

Neither Adora nor Glimmer could form a rebuttal, but they didn’t have to as Entrapta cut in, “I know what they were looking for!”

Adora looked over to Entrapta and asked, “Really? What is it?”

“The coordinates for Beast Island! I found a recent query that ran against the old Horde database.”

Adora stilled at Entrapta’s revelation. A sinking pit began forming in her stomach.

Bow took the information and ran with it. With a few taps on his tracker pad, he sent a message back to Bright Moon, “The Horde was looking for the coordinates to some place called Beast Island.”

“Beast Island!?” A concerned voice garbled back through the tracker pad, probably Scorpia.

Adora turned to face Entrapta, “How long ago was that query made?”

Entrapta paused her typing to respond, “about… five minutes…” The realization hit Entrapta, Glimmer, and Adora all at once, and if you were Glimmer, it actually hit you. 

Glimmer went flying back crashing into Entrapta causing them both to flail over the command center toppling monitors over. In Glimmer’s place, a man with a bright red and skull-shaped helmet stood. The Horde insignia emboldened in his right shoulder pad, a red cape sprawling out behind him, and in his hands, two blades thrumming with plasma.

Recovering from the hit, Glimmer grabbed onto Bow, Adora, and Entrapta, and in a single stinging moment, they were transported a short distance away into the middle of a street in the former Fright Zone.

“Ugh, why aren’t we back in Bright Moon,” Glimmer grumbled as she pushed herself off the ground.

However, before anyone could get a reply in, green beams of plasma ripped into the nearby walls. 

Turning around, Adora was greeted by three metallic robots with arm cannons, all aiming at them. An arrow struck through the one on the right causing it to crash into the ground unresponsive, but before Bow could get another shot in, more bolts of plasma rocketed toward them. Ducking behind a nearby dumpster, Adora transformed her bracelet into the Sword of Protection.

Holding the sword aloft, Adora shouted, “For the Honor…” but she was cut off when a force tore the blade from her hands.

The blade flew across the street toward a woman wearing black armor. Adora couldn’t make out any distinguishing features besides a large mane that erupted out from behind a smooth helmet; however, Adora could feel her opponent maliciously smiling at her.

Adora then felt Glimmer’s hand on her again followed by hushed pleas, “c’mon, c’mon, why won’t this work?”

“I’ve got this one,” Adora pointed to the masked warrior, “you two work on clearing a way out of here.” She looked at Bow and Glimmer. “And Entrapta, please stay put.”

Entrapta nodded, but Adora didn’t see it as she ran toward the armored woman. Stopping a few feet from her enemy, Adora began to slowly circle the woman, but the woman made no move to do the same. Instead, she simply studied Adora like a wolf staring down an easy meal. Eventually, Adora sprung forward attempting to grab the blade that remained clenched in her enemy’s hand, but as she got close, her enemy sidestepped her leaving a foot out that Adora had to roll away from or trip. Clambering back to her feet, Adora barely had enough time to block an incoming kick from the side. The impact of the hit sent Adora skidding slightly to her side, and as quickly as the armored woman had attacked, she retreated.

The battle continued like this for several more seconds. They would take turns being the one to attack like a game of tug of war, but each time Adora came out more bruised and battered. It was like her opponent knew her every move and was carefully plotting her strategy around that. It was a losing battle, and Adora knew it. Turning back to Bow and Glimmer, she noted they were now fighting the skull-masked man from early and a lady in long robes. From the looks of it, things were going just as poorly over there as they were for her. 

Adora turned back towards her opponent. The only way she could claim victory is if she got her sword back. She steeled herself and charged forward feigning a right hook only to pivot all her momentum into a sideways kick.

Adora could have sworn she heard a faint, metallic chuckle emanate from the armored woman as she caught Adora’s leg in her open hand. Then the wind was knocked out of her as the armored woman slammed the pommel of the Sword of Protection into her gut sending her backward. The feeling of cold hard cement smashed into Adora’s back as she hit the side of the alleyway, and she crumpled to the ground.

This was it. Adora could barely pull herself off the ground when she heard the distinct sound of metal clanking against the pavement. The Sword of Protection lay in front of her. Her enemy had given her her weapon back. The armored woman was either an honorable fool or completely confident she could beat Adora. It stirred a swift beat of anger into Adora’s heart as she grabbed the blade and quickly transformed. Her opponent made no noticeable reaction to the gold light that now filled the alleyway beyond flexing her hands which caused claws made of pure white plasma to sprout into existence.

The two stared each other down, neither willing to make a move in this new combat arrangement. Eventually, the armored woman flicked her wrist causing a force to push Adora from behind. Narrowly, Adora raised her blade to block the oncoming claws. The white plasma, while not cutting through her blade, left scratch marks along it.

Using the momentum from her opponent’s attack, Adora pushed herself backward from her enemy. The two began circling each other again, and then, it happened.

Noting the slight twitch in the armored woman’s hand, Adora leaned forward dodging the kinetic force that attempted to throw her off course. Following her lean, Adora slashed across with her blade which was promptly blocked by her opponent’s claws crisscrossed over. Stepping to the side and taking one hand off her blade, Adora trailed forward causing her opponent to stumble forward right into Adora’s fist. 

The armored woman staggered backward. A long crack formed in her helmet from the impact of the punch. She burst into a venomous chuckle and then spoke, her voice using the static, “Catra said you would be a challenge. I am glad you lived up to her praise.”

Adora stood dumbfounded for a brief moment before focusing back in on the fight. She asked, surpassing the shakiness in her voice, “you know Catra? How? She’s dead.”

“Yes,” the woman sneered, “she is thanks to me. She put up a good fight.”

A bloodlust Adora had never known overwhelmed her like water rushing out of a busted dam. Catra had lived. She had been out there somewhere beyond the portal. There was a chance that they could have seen each other again. But this wretched being that stood before her had taken that chance away. Adora would never see Catra again, and as much as that fact stung, it was nothing to the inferno of hate Adora felt towards her enemy.

She charged, throwing all caution to the wind, a wide swing overhead swing that would have done some serious damage if it wasn’t so easily telegraphed.

The armored woman sidestepped the attack and brushed up against Adora whispering, “disappointing, so easily played, She’Ra.”

An electric current pulsed through Adora’s body causing her to convulse widely. She dropped the sword of protection. It clattered to the pavement followed by Adora. Then only darkness as a voice rang out into the void. Adora couldn’t be certain what was said, but it sounded like “I’m sorry.”

— — —

Adora woke with a jolt as she was yanked off the floor. At least, she thought it was the floor. Her vision swam with muted colors and vague shapes. At first, she wasn’t sure what she was seeing, but it slowly clicked in her mind. She had a burlap bag over her head. She tried moving her arms to lift the bag off her head, but they were bound behind her by some metallic device that coldly pressed into her. She would have tried calling out for help but her mouth was gagged by cloth.

Her feet felt wobbly as a force pushed her onwards. Behind her, she heard a high-pitched grunt that could only be Glimmer. At least she had one ally if you could call Glimmer that. She hoped that Bow or Entrapta or any of the guards had escaped to warn the Princess Alliance as she trudged forward.

On route to their destination, Adora had fallen three times, and each time, she had been roughly pulled from the floor and forced to march onwards.

Eventually, whoever was pushing Adora onward yanked back her handcuffs and then tossed her to her knees. A hand ripped the burlap bag off, revealing a long and wide hallway composed of dark grey metal. 

Beside her, Bow, Entrapta, and Glimmer were assembled in a line, all of them kneeling. In front of them stood the armored woman and her two accomplices from earlier. 

Stepping forward, the armored woman approached Adora before kneeling in front of her. A quick slash of her plasma made claws melt through the cloth fabric that prevented Adora from speaking.

With her voice free, Adora weakly lunged at her assailant and barked, “you might have won now, but our friends are coming for us!” Her anger, duller than before, still rippled through her.

The armored woman seemed unfazed by Adora’s outburst, “the mighty She’Ra reduced to a sniveling dog. Your friends aren’t coming because they don’t have means of traveling into outer space.”

“They’ll find a way,” Adora gritted through her teeth.

“Oh poor dear, girl,” the woman cupped Adora’s check, “they won’t, and even if they do, it will be too late. With you captured, Horde Prime has practically won. All he just needs to do now is claim the weapon buried beneath Etheria and use you to activate it.”

“I’ll never do that,” Adora tried to pull her face free from the woman’s hand but couldn’t.

“You won’t have a choice, but your heroic declarations are admirable if completely inconsequential. It’s over. Even Queen Angela and her mighty Rebellion couldn’t save you.”

Adora didn’t need to see Glimmer’s face to know how wide her eyes had gotten. Their relationship might be in tatters right now, but Adora wasn’t cruel enough to not pry for more information. “What do you mean? Queen Angela is dead?”

“I wish,” the armor woman’s laugh distorted through the helmet, “that thorn in my side never seems to stay dead, but soon it won’t matter.”

Then, the armored woman brushed up against Adora’s ear and whispered, “good luck.” Then a warm sensation washed over Adora’s cheek emanating from the armored woman’s hand. It felt renewing as the pain from Adora’s bruising and wounds lessoned. No one seemed to notice this act which furthered Adora’s confusion. Just what was this woman’s game?

Quickly, the woman pulled away and approached her accomplices before gesturing to Adora and the rest.

“Take them to the prison block. We make course for the Citadel.”

“What about the mission?” The robed one spoke up.

“This prize is far more important than the mission.”

— — —

A maze of twisting corridors later, the group found themselves in a minute cell, un-cuffed and un-gagged.

A whirlwind of emotions threatened to tear through Adora as she slumped against one of the cell walls, but she clamped down on them hard. As much as she wanted to wallow in her grief, she had to protect her friends and get out of her. There would be time for grief later if there was a later to be had.

However, one stray thought that Adora couldn’t stop replaying in her head was how the armored woman had helped her. Maybe, the woman was just toying with Adora more.

Adora was jostled by her thoughts when Glimmer muttered, “I can’t believe she is still alive…”

The worst part of Adora wanted to be furious. Glimmer had harped for ages about Catra’s evil, about how she killed Glimmer’s mom. However, as fate would have it, Angella survived and Catra didn’t. The universe, despite all of Glimmer’s vile actions, had decided to offer her this nugget of hope, while Adora received nothing. It was jealousy, plain and simple.

Adora pushed the envy down. Even if Glimmer and Adora weren’t on the best of terms, Adora didn’t need to be cruel and vile. She didn’t need to return Glimmer’s bitter words. However, she couldn’t force herself to be joyous at this moment. The fragments from Catra’s supposed death still dug deeply into Adora’s well-being.

Instead, she went the pragmatic route.

“How do we know she’s telling the truth?” Adora’s said.

Glimmer’s eyes shot over to her, “what do you mean?”

“Well, when we were fighting,” Adora explained, “the armored woman said things… things that tripped me up… caused me to lose focus. She could be doing the same here?”

“What does she get from telling me my mom is alive when she isn’t?” A part of Glimmer sounded hurt.

“Sick satisfaction when you find out the truth?” Adora’s tone held notes of solemnness.

Glimmer looked angry, but under that, Adora saw raw pain and fear. 

Stars, Adora hadn’t meant to be so cruel, but what else could her actions be defined by? 

An apology was on the tip of her tongue when Bow stopped pacing, which he had started from the second they arrived in the cell. He said, “I don’t think that’s it.”

Everyone, including Entrapta who had been hunched over her datapad, focused on Bow giving him the green light to continue.

“I mean, why did she give us all that information?” Bow asked as his head shifted to each person in the cell.

“To gloat?” Adora offered.

“That’s what I thought in the moment, too, but something doesn’t add up.”

“What do you mean,” Glimmer implored as she stood up from where she was seated.

“For instance, why are we in a cell with only two beds?”

Both Adora and Glimmer glanced at the bunk bed and then back to Bow.

“And why didn’t they take Entrapta’s datapad?” Bow gestured to Entrapta.

“So you think there’s…” Adora started and Glimmer finished, “an inside mole!?”

“Bingo,” is all Bow offered before, as if by divine providence, the red plasma beams that locked the cell shut fizzled. Then, the lights in the entire cell block shut off leaving only the red emergency lights to fill the void.

“HAHA!” Entrapta shouted as she jumped to her feet waving the data pad around, “I concur that Bow is most definitely correct. That is by far the easiest attempt I have ever had hacking into such a high-tech facility, and oh stars, this is so much data! I can’t wait to analyze it!!”

Adora climbed to her feet and practically dragged Entrapta out of the holding cell, “we’ve got time for that later. Let’s go, guys!”

Bow piped up as the group began running down one long corridor, “Entrapta, did you manage to get the schematics for this place?”

“Of course,” Entrapta had taken the lead at this point, “there should be a hangar bay… just around this corner!”

The group spanned around the corner only to be greeted by a hallway full of silver, chromatic robots. It appeared the robots had been waiting for them as each leveled a blaster at the group.

“Uh guys,” Entrapta squeaked, “these robots aren’t on this network.”

Adora grabbed Entrapta and was about to pull her back around the corner when the distinct sound of plasma filled the air. Adora held her eyes shut. It should have been over. There was no way she could get both of them around the corner fast enough, but no burning pain came.

Eventually, Adora opened her eyes, and what awaited her confused her beyond belief. At the other end of the hallway stood the armored woman, white plasma casting a light on the hallway around her. The first robot in front of her collapsed to the ground, exposed circuitry jutting out where it had been cut.

The other robots swung around to face the armored woman, charging their arm cannons. Meanwhile, the woman blitzed the next robot, slicing it in half before suspending a green beam in the air with just a gesture of her hand. Then with one twist, she sent it back into the robot that had fired it. Using the same power, she ripped another robot in half with just a flick of the wrist. Two more blasts went flying at her which she deflected back at the bots with her plasma claws. 

The smell of burnt metal filled the room as the last of the robots crashed to the ground, and standing in its wake, the masked woman sheathed her claws and beckoned to Adora as if to say: “follow me.”

Chapter Text

She just had to calm down. Within the hour, her ship’s Etherian guests would board a transport shuttle making for the resistance fleet that was stationed in a nearby star system. Her cover would be safe, and they would all be one step closer to putting an end to all this madness, but a heavy knot of easiness would not uncurl itself. Something wasn’t right.

As Catra rounded a corner heading to her room, she was greeted by the red acrylics of Adam’s helmet.

“Cyra,” he called out, “I was just looking for you.”

“I am in a hurry. What is it?” Catra snapped. She didn’t have time for Adam’s prattling right now, and… Wait, shouldn’t Adam be back on his dreadnought? The knot just got tighter.

“Someone’s in a mood today,” Adam crossed his arms, “anyways, I think I might have found something.”

“Something? You are going to have to be a little more specific than that.” Catra’s patience was running dangerously thin.

“Y’know,” then Adam leaned in and whispered, “the traitor.”

Catra’s heart hammered through her chest, and if she hadn’t been wearing a mask, she was sure her face was stained with guilt. Collecting herself, she pulled Adam into a nearby and empty corridor.

“How do you know about that?” Catra hissed, her voice deadly quiet.

“Horde Prime informed me before we left the Citadel.” Adam spared a glance down both sides of the corridor.

“What did you find?” Catra bit back the nervous energy burning through her body.

“Something felt wrong, so I had some of my detail follow the prisoners. Currently, the prisoners are being held in a single cell. I already apprehended the soldier that put them there, but he isn’t cracking. Said something about it being his direct orders from you, but that’s nonsense.”

If there was anything Catra could rely on it, it was Adam’s blind optimism in her. She only hoped that he would be able to stitch himself back together when the truth came out. 

However, that was the least of her concerns right now. This whole situation was royally fucked.

Pulling away from Adam, Catra started pacing back in forth in the neon-lit corridor. She could salvage this, somehow, but it would come at a cost. One she knew she would be paying one day.

Steeling herself, she stopped and faced Adam, “Get back to your ship. This conspiracy could be further reaching than we expect. I am going down to the prisoners to make sure they are escorted to separate cells. I will contact you when that is done.”

“Are you sure that is wise?” Adam asked, a tinge of hesitancy in his voice.

“Besides you and Teela, I am the only person I can trust to make sure this gets done.”

Adam nodded his head, “let me know when you are done.”

“Of course.” With that, the two Legionnaires started in separate directions. Catra had a singular focus bouncing around her head: keep them safe. She let out an exhausted sigh before rounding the same corner from earlier.

Catra bumped into Lithra as she rounded the corner. With a quick apologetic grunt, Catra hurried to her room. Placing her palm on the biometric scanner, she was greeted by a very frustrated Finn trying to levitate without the usage of their puzzle cube. Their blue eyes instantly flickered to Catra as she entered.

“Mom!” They cried out rushing to hug Catra. 

It tore at her heartstring as she returned the embrace. This was the last time they would ever get to do this. Tears would have threatened to start spilling if adrenaline hadn’t been coursing through her veins. Instead, she broke from the hug and kneeled in front of her… kid? Yeah, her kid.

“Hey kid,” Catra took off her helmet and forced a smile, “I just ran into Teela. The shuttle in Hanger C is reporting bad diagnostics. I was thinking it would be a perfect opportunity to test out those repair skills.”

Finn’s face lit up, “YES YES YES!” They then spun around and began digging through the closet for all their relevant tools.

After assembling their toolkit, they dashed out from the closet and asked, “are you gonna come with me?”

Ruffling Finn’s hair, Catra sighed, “not today kid. Got some more Legionnaire business to take care of.”

“Ok! Can we get dinner after you finish with the ‘Legionnaire' business?”

One little lie, it wouldn’t hurt that much. “Sure kid. Anything you want.”

“Really!?” Finn started jumping around bursting with excitement.

Biting back the tears forming at the corners of her eyes, Catra placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder, “I am so proud of you, Finn. You are going to do amazing things. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom!” They said as their eyes met Catra’s. A concerned look grew over their face. “Is everything ok?”

“Yeah,” Catra choked still holding back the floodgates, “you’ve just grown up so much. It’s hard to remember when you were just a little runt.”

“Mooooooom,” Finn groaned, “that’s embarrassing.”

“Part of being a parent. Now, go. I expect you to have figured out that shuttle by the time I am done.”

Finn gave a salute and quick goodbye before taking off an all fours down the hallway.

As the blast door slammed shut, Catra took in her and Finn’s room one last time. The little drawing they had scrawled together hung from the walls. The claw markings designated Finn’s height. The little robot they had been tinkering with in their free time. Her cheeks felt damp, so she raised her hand only to realize she was crying. For the briefest moment, she just let herself feel it. All the pain and grief threatened to suffocate her, but instead, she steeled herself. This was always the final outcome. People like Catra were expendable. She needed to be.

Catra spoke into her wrist, “DT, I need you in the security room instead. I’m taking lead on this one.”

“Ok, darling.” A silky voice responded.

Catra pulled her helmet over her head before marching out of her the only place that had felt like home in years.

———

During their fight, Catra hadn’t gotten a moment to actually see Adora, but Goddess, there she was, still sporting her stupid hair poof. Her muscles were lean, less pronounced since their last encounter. Peace whittled away at a warrior’s physique. Catra had to suppress the urge to reach out and touch her, really proving that they were both there, together again. 

However, Adora looked like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to follow Catra or punch her in the face. Stoic heroism had always been the mask Adora donned when feelings were too scary to deal with, but that couldn’t fool Catra. She always saw through the facade — the minor twist of the lips, intense stare, slight fidget of the hands.

A part of Catra felt immensely guilty for lying about her own fate, especially after reading the letter. 

The letter. It brought so many unwanted feelings because for so long Catra had shouldered the burden of thinking Adora hated her. Instead, Adora was here readying to punch her only savior over what they had supposedly done to their “friend.” The friend that had betrayed her at every corner.

Eventually, Adora’s brows knitted and she conceded her anger when she looked back at her friends. Catra had forgotten they were there for a moment, gotten wrapped up in Adora’s warmth that she always exuded. 

Catra’s thoughts were pierced when Adora settled on asking, “why are you helping us?”

Catra just shrugged, “viva la revolución?” 

Sparkles piped up next, “are you really with the resistance?”

Nodding, Catra reached for the Sword of Protection that hung from her waist. Spinning it, Catra offered the hilt to Adora, who took it hesitantly. If every molecule in Catra’s body wasn’t vibrating with anxiety, she might have let out a chuckle at the deja vu. Had it really only been seven years since Catra had let Adora and Sparkles escape the Fright Zone? Goddess, what a fool she had been. She could have left with them, before everything had gotten so messed up. 

However, the past wasn’t worth dwelling on now. Catra’s final hour was rapidly approaching. Therefore, she moved to hand Arrow his Bow and Glimmer her staff, and then she turned on her heel and started down the corridor keeping her ears open for any danger.

“Is my mom… alive?” Catra had never heard Sparkles sound so… small.

“Yes, she is.” Catra whispered as she raised a hand indicating the group stop walking. She then gestured to the nearby wall before pressing herself up against it. The rest of the goon squad followed. As they waited, Sparkles choke out a sob, and it stung Catra’s heart. This was her fault. All of it.

Trying to keep her focus ahead of herself, Catra kept feeling the need to look back at the rest of the group, but her fear of facing Entrapta prevented her from acting on it. 

Entrapta’s fate weighed heavily on Catra for the past five years because she had practically sent the scientist to her death. Supposedly not though, as the very woman now stood only a few paces behind her. Catra prayed that Scorpia had stepped in and saved Entrapta before she reached Beast Island.

Out of all the Etheria folks, Entrapta had changed the least. She still looked at every piece of technology as if it was the sole thing in the entire universe. Catra found solace in that.

After a few prolonged seconds of waiting, a group of robots patrolled through the hallway. It appeared DT had prevented the alarms from sounding. She let out a breath of relief before beckoning the group to continue following her.

As the group rounded the next corner, Adora moved to be just a step behind Catra and then cleared her throat.

“What you said about Catra,” Adora’s voice was so hesitant and fragile, “is she really… dead?” She barely chokes out the last word.

Catra’s heart broke at the raw fear that clung to Adora’s words. As misguided as it was, some part of Adora still cared so deeply about her. In that brief moment, Catra wanted to do nothing more than rip off the stupid helmet and hold Adora as tightly as possible and tell her it would all be alright, but that wasn’t possible. It had to be this way. Catra was always a cancer that fed off Adora. At least this way, Adora can have the closure she needs.

“Yes,” Catra breathed trying to steady the shakiness in her voice, “I killed her.”

Adora’s voice strangled a gasp that was laced with sadness, “why?”

“Her position was comprised. It was the only option…”

Out of the corner of her eyes, Catra saw tears streaming down Adora’s face. Goddess, this hurt.

“I’m sorry. I wish it hadn’t come to that, but she stood resolute to the end…” Catra took a deep breath. “There are some words she wanted me to pass on to you.”

Adora’s tears briefly stopped as her focus returned to Catra.

“She wanted you to know she was sorry. For all of it.” And that she loved you. But she is too much of a coward to include that last part. “She also made me promise to keep you safe.”

The blonde warrior let out a pained laugh filled with only grief, and then she muttered just under her breath, “promise?”

Promise.

Tears stung at the edge of Catra’s vision. She felt her control slipping. She could end this all right now. Just take off the mask.

Then as they passed another intersection of corridors, Catra spotted a shadowy figure smiling at her. You hurt peopled Catra. That’s what you do. 

So she bit her tongue. It was better this way. Soon, it would be over.

The path to Hanger C, barring walking into the cafeteria or engine room, required weaving through the mirage of metallic corridors that seemed to stretch on indefinitely. The only room the group had to pass through was the storage room, which at this current moment should have been empty. However, a cloaked figure blocked the exit on the other side of the room.

“Cyra,” the cloaked woman called out, her voice lithe with disappointment, “I can’t say I’m surprised. Something always seemed… off about you. To think you would turn traitor though, tsk tsk.”

“I’d like to say I am a disappointment to the bitter end,” then without waiting for Lithra to continue her triumphant tirade, Catra dropped to all fours and sprinted at Lithra.

Lithra, who wasn’t anticipating such a sudden attack, stumbled into a defensive pose before Catra leapt over the cloaked woman dragging one of her back claws to catch Lithra’s hood. A loud thud filled the room as Catra’s momentum brought Lithra’s head slamming into the floor. 

Turning back to the group, Catra shouted, “go! It’s a straight shot! I’ve got this one!”

Taking no time to hesitate, the rest of the room used Lithra’s dazed state to escape into the next corridor. Meanwhile, Catra extracted her plasma-based claws and slashed the door controls causing the blast door to crash shut.

Lithra pulled herself back to her feet and returned to her defensive pose snarling; her tattoos started glowing a violent crimson. Catra just scoffed as she began to circle her opponent. Lithra attempted to use the rhythms of the universe to launch some crates at Catra, but Catra leveraged her speed to close the distance before Lithra could even flick her wrist. A knee to the chest sent Lithra toppling into a pile of boxes.

Pushing her momentum in the fight, Catra charged the still-stacked crates to the left of Lithra’s clamoring form. Gracefully climbing the boxes, Catra tapped into some of the latent magic she had stolen from a rogue magic wielder. A blue stream of lightning stretched out from the tips of her fingers. The lightning arched through the air crashing into the Lithra sending her rolling into more supply crates. The sound of splintering wood echoed throughout the room, and static hung floating in the air as Catra leaped right leg facing forward.

However, Lithra had recovered, and now, her talons gripped onto Catra’s leg. A fire burned in Lithra’s eyes, and with a powerful twist and pull, Lithra flung Catra into the open space beside her. 

Catra, before impacting on the floor, pivoted her body into a roll than spun around to face Lithra. If Catra had been a few seconds slower, her head would have collided with Lithra’s fist; instead, Catra ducked to the side raking her plasma claws across Lithra’s abdomen. 

The victory of landing a serious blow was cut short as crimson tendrils latched onto Catra’s arm yanking her back towards Lithra. Pain coursed through Catra’s skull as she stumbled backward; cracks formed in her helmet. Did she just get head-butted? Considering Lithra’s maniacal grin, the answer would have to be yes.

Unable to react fast enough, Catra was yanked forward again by the crimson tendril that connected to Lithra’s tattoos. A knee collided with Catra’s chest forcing the air out of her body. Raising her free hand, Catra sliced through the crimson tendrils with her claws, noting how it burned away the fabric. Meanwhile, Lithra threw a punch leveled at Catra’s face, but this time, Catra deflected the blow with her now free arm.

The two began exchanging attacks with neither side landing direct blows. However, the fight continued to advance in Lithra’s favor as Catra’s back approached the series of boxes and crates that she had launched Lithra into earlier. 

At this range, using magic or the rhythms would open Catra to an attack, but it was clear that even after all these years, Catra’s fighting style did not lend itself to close-quarters hand-to-hand combat. She had always relied on bait and switch, dancing around her opponents. None of which was feasible at the intensity of attacks being thrown her way. However, she did have one still useful tool in her arsenal: her snark. She knew just where to strike to make it hurt. Shadow Weaver had taught her well.

“You wanna know why I did it?” Catra spat out as she braced her arm against another kick.

“Because you are a magic sympathizing scum,” Lithra grit through her teeth as she jumped into the air dodging Catra’s attempt at sweeping her legs out from under her.

“As if I give a shit about those losers,” Catra laughed weaving her way through a flurry of blows, “no, I just pick the winning side that way I never end up on the bottom again. Kind of like your brother. Turning on his poor, dear sister.”

Lithra gritted her teeth as she lunged forward attempting to deliver a sloppy punch that Catra caught easily. Catra’s eyes then focused over the series of burn scars that dotted Lithra’s arm, “did he give you these burn marks or was it your mentor? Does it even matter?”

Growling, Lithra ripped her arm back and pivoted on her heels attempting to round-house kick Catra right across the face; however, Catra slipped under the kick and then moved right beside Lithra. A swift jab of her elbow sent Lithra crashing to the floor.

“Y’know, you were right,“ Catra drawled as she slowly approached Lithra. “We are a lot alike, but you see there is a key difference between you and me. I see power, and I take it. You, on the other hand, play by their rules thinking that they will keep you safe like a scared child…”

Crimson bindings flared towards Catra which she snatched out of the air before they could latch onto any part of her. A pit formed in Catra’s stomach as she steeled her resolve. Fire erupted from her palms running down the length of the crimson tendrils causing Lithra to lash out screaming. Her shrieks reverberated off the steel walls of the storage room, racking Catra’s mind.

Rushing forward, Catra delivered a kick to Lithra’s head silencing her as she slammed into the chromatic flooring. 

Snapping her fingers, the flames flickered out only barely licking over Lithra’s skin. Catra leaned down to check Lithra’s pulse. A faint beat caused Catra to exhale a shaky breath she had been holding. 

Despite ending the fight without taking a life, Catra felt like puking. The fear had been so visceral in Lithra’s eyes. How many times had her mentor tortured her with fire? Her brother? To use this woman’s most primal fear as a weapon to break her was not a thought Catra liked dwelling on. 

Maybe it was something that Catra felt so disgusted with herself, that she wasn’t as bad as Shadow Weaver. Unlike her, at least Catra felt some remorse. Did it make her a good person? No. Not to her anyway, but it made it easier to live with.

An alarm blared overhead as red lights reflected off the many fractured pieces of Catra’s mask.

Static blared in Catra’s ear as DT’s voice came through, “Darling, things aren’t looking too good over here. What’s your ETA to the hanger?”

Catra glanced up from Lithra’s unconscious form as a whole battalion of robots poured through the open blast door. 

“Fuck,” Catra breathed out as she shifted back to a fighting stance, “can you get them out of there?”

“No, they barreled into a patrol of bots,” DT replied, tension apparent in their voice, “the tall one is leading the charge to the shuttle, but it’s slow progress.”

“I have to do everything myself,” Catra rolled behind a set of crates as green energy beams started tearing through the air. 

She sighed as she channeled a bit of the magic she had stolen from Glimmer, “Goddess, let this work,” and then in a puff of pink sparkles, Catra disappeared.