Chapter Text
Once it stopped being unsettling, the Whispering Woods were without a doubt the most boring place Catra had ever been to. They'd been walking for what felt like days now, and she could tell Adora had no idea where they were supposed to go either.
So...
Catra stopped focusing on the strangely familiar scenery to ward off the presence gently poking at her mind. She could tell Adora wanted to talk. About what, she had no idea. She couldn't sense far into Adora's mind without permission, and vice versa. That was one of the few things they'd learned about their... situation. It didn't help much.
If it's about the rock, Adora, yes I think we've passed it three times now. We don't have to do the weird mind-talk thing about it.
She hoped that was what she'd wanted to talk about, but she knew better. Adora was quick to confirm her suspicions.
You know that's not what I wanted to talk about, but if that bothers you so much...
When the mental suggestion to mark the rock with their sword popped up, Catra went along with it. It wasn't a bad idea, but it probably wouldn't help them much. At least they'd know for sure when the woods would eventually mislead them right back to this spot.
They took a moment to admire their handiwork, then kept going.
There. Now... I feel like we need to talk.
Really? What could we possibly have to talk about, Adora??
She-Ra's eyes rolled for two different reasons. But both her sides had wanted to do so, so they did.
Great job expressing sarcasm even like... this, but I'm serious. There's a lot we need to talk about, and not just this situation. If you'd let me, we could--
Oh, great. Once again, I'm the problem here.
...Well you -did- try to interrupt my transformation.
Rage swelled up in their chest. It wasn't hard to tell which side it was coming from.
And you wouldn't, if the Horde had something like She-Ra? What do you want me to say? 'I'm sorry for flinging us into a mess I didn't know would happen'? 'I'm sorry for trying out what seemed like a viable tactic, like we were both taught'?
Those days are over. I'm not--
I know! You're not part of the Horde anymore! You're not going back and you never will- you've made that clear time and time again! Do you want a medal for your moral superiority or something?
You know that's not true.
Do I, Miss Golden Girl? I bet you hate this. Being stuck with a mangy, lowly magicat stray you played with for a couple years then dropped as soon as it was convenient for you. Do I remind you of your mistakes, Adora? Am I a reminder that you're not so perfect after all?
Adora... didn't know how to respond to that. It left her with a lot more to grapple with than she was comfortable with. It didn't help that Catra decided to hide her feelings away after that, so she had no idea how her reluctant counterpart was doing. She-Ra continued on almost mechanically. Both sides of her were too busy wrapped up in their own minds to really focus on anything else.
Finally, Adora decided to ask the question that'd been plaguing her the most.
Is that really what you think I feel about all this?
Catra didn't respond. She-Ra's arms moved to hug her own frame, half in anxiousness and half in drawn-off self defense. That should have been enough of an answer for her. But worry still trailed right behind her. Worry that she was closer to the truth of the matter, but still so wrapped up in herself to focus on Catra.
Then it hit her.
...Or is that what you think about yourself?
She-Ra stopped dead in her tracks. The grip on her arms tightened, along with the tension in her shoulders. But those weren't the only answers she got this time.
How could I not?
The voice was quiet and... vulnerable. More vulnerable than she'd heard in... well, quite a long time.
Because Shadow Weaver was wrong about you. About both of us. I know it's hard to shake, but you don't have to have that mindset about yourself anymore. You shouldn't.
Says the favorite to the second placer. Says the one who can turn into an eight-foot goddess at will to her unlucky hitchhiker. Says the one who left the Horde without a second thought to the person who only stuck with the Horde for the other.
You... only stayed with the Horde... because of me?
Fuckin' duh, Adora. It was hell, but I was willing to stick it out for...
Me. I... I had no idea.
Of course you didn't. And now you don't have to worry about it. Things have changed a lot since then, and so have we. So let's just... leave it at that, okay? This whole thing is weird enough. We don't need to make it weirder with the mushy-gushy weak ""feelings"" talk.
Talking your feelings out isn't weakness, Catra.
Says the princess.
Says the princess you described as an eight-foot goddess earlier.
The tension in She-Ra eased a little bit. A ghost of a smile graced her lips.
...Fair enough.
Her arms dropped back to her sides.
Let's keep going. I don't wanna spend the rest of my life as some gawking idiot in the Whispering Woods.
Okay. ...And Catra?
Yeah?
I'm sorry.
For what?
For everything. For not realizing how bad things were sooner. For not thinking about you before I left the Horde. For making you feel like you were second best, or at least letting you feel that way. I don't regret leaving, but I do regret that I wasn't a better friend to you. You deserved that.
Catra didn't respond, but she didn't curl up into herself more. So that was some sort of progress.
One more question?
Shoot.
If I had asked you to come with me before I left the Horde, before I became She-Ra, would you have accepted?
Once again, no response. But She-Ra moved on once again, confident and in-the-moment. Adora couldn't really explain why, but she felt like she knew exactly where to go now. It didn't take long after that to come face to face with the glittering scion of the First Ones' Temple. For the first time in a while, She-Ra spoke.
"Eternia."
Time for some answers, Catra. She told her partner as She-Ra stepped down into the familiar Temple.
Finally.