Chapter Text
The Battle of Brightmoon had passed, but Adora still dreams of Catra. She imagines Catra's blue and yellow irises, her laugh, her fangs when she smiles. Sometimes she envisions them as children, running through the Fright Zone, comforting her after Shadow Weaver's insults. Sometimes she remembers Catra looking at her, pain and almost disgust in her eyes, as she announces she's going to leave the horde, dust in her eyes and screams behind her.
I wanted us to leave together. We were always meant to stay together.
Other nights she dreams of Catra leaving her to die on that cliff. How could that person be her best friend of ten years? No. Catra could change, she could be the Catra she knew again.
She wakes up in a sweat, a scream in her throat.
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"....you wanna be next?" Catra yells as she brandishes the tazer, pointing it at Scorpia without a second thought. Scorpia's eyes widen, and inside, she feels her heart shatter. This is who Catra really is. Not the strong, competent, woman who took the time to point out Scorpia's accomplishments and make her feel special. This was someone....cold, calculating, someone willing to taze Entrapta, one of their best friends. until she was unconscious and then ship her off to Beast Island without a second thought.
".....we could, you know, be happy." She thought back to that night in the Crimson Wastes,whispering that to Catra. She and Catra belonged there, ruling together, not here, not like this. She always knew Catra could be a kind person, she could be better , she didn't have to hurt anyone.
I'm not sure I really know anything anymore.
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Shit, she's strong!
Her sword clanged against Scorpia's claws as they fought atop the bridge. Even in her She-Ra form, she was struggling. Catra might have known all her weaknesses from their sparring together, but this other woman had the sheer advantage of strength and good fighting skills. Adora found herself strangely.....enjoying the challenge of the fight. There were no emotions, the way there was with Catra. She just wanted to win . She was also really buff too, and Adora had always appreciated.... Adora, you're literally in the middle of battle, get your head out of the gutter.
Dammit. Her concentration broken, Scorpia deftly grabbed her arm and sent her sword careening into the water below. The fight turned south from there, and Adora was only saved by the timely arrival of the other princesses.
On the way back to Brightmoon, the princesses were all gathered together, celebrating their victory. Since they had all joined together, the rebellion had Adora thought back on Light Hope's words. I'm the one called to unite all the princesses, to restore balance to Etheria. How can I even do that?
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For the first time, I feel like a princess. Scorpia focused on her trademark winged eyeliner as she got ready for the Princess Prom.
When she used to read fairy tales growing up, a brave knight would come save princesses from whatever troubles they faced. During the harsh training of the Horde, Scorpia used to wish on falling stars for a knight to come save her. But this is real life. I may be a princess, but no one is coming to save me. Strangely enough, she found herself quickly rising through the ranks of the Horde. What she lacked in harshness, she made up for by being well liked. What she lacked in tactical ability, she made up for in strength. The Horde had became her family.
When she and Catra arrived at the prom, Adora frantically tried to explain to Frosta why they shouldn't be allowed in.
She has guts to take on Princess Frosta like that. Scorpia thought to herself. Does she just not know basic etiquette? She's with Princess Glimmer, so I'm guessing Glimmer made her aware of basic social rules at least.
"They're up to something, I can feel it!" Adora's voice echoed through the halls, her blue eyes bright.
So she's just a spitfire, hm? Scorpia's eyes darted over to Adora, and she smiled in spite of herself. She went against the status quo, and even though she was Scorpia's enemy, she felt an ounce of respect for the honey-blonde woman.
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Why am I the one stuck taking care of this girl? I just wanted to spend time with Catra..... Scorpia sighed as a loopy Adora ran outside the base, sticking her tongue out to get a snowflake. Crap. She noticed a corrupted creature start to approach them and quickly grabbed Adora, easily maneuvering her inside.
"Change of plans: how about we stay inside?"
"Yay, girls night in!" Adora laughed as she collapsed in Scorpia's arms. Scorpia was concerned, but couldn't help but laugh internally. She had never seen the other woman so relaxed before, and it was pretty funny when she hit Scorpia with that mop. She let her thoughts wander and tried to imagine what Adora was like normally, outside of battle and outside of her loopy state. Wait, why do I even care? She disliked the woman on principal, for hurting Catra. Yet Scorpia's protective nature still kicked in when Adora was like this.
It was after her heart-to-heart with Sea Hawk when Adora,still in her almost-drunken state, piped up, "You guys are good friends. And good people."
Scorpia had to admit, she understood why people turned to Adora, why they were letting this girl from the Horde lead the rebellion.
"I'm brave, strong, give great hugs, and am loyal." She could feel Adora leaning into her, almost hugging her, her hands wrapped around Scorpia's shoulder. And Scorpia felt herself.....hugging Adora back. I'm only doing this because she's not in the right state of mind right now, because she needs someone to protect her, because Catra asked, because....
Maybe I don't need a reason.
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"Everyone keeps telling me everything is perfect, but it's not!" Catra, Lonnie, and the others all stood around her, their mouths in shock. Adora knew something was off, she kept having memories she shouldn't be having.... "Everyone except Scorpia." She thought back to the force captain who had immediately disliked her, even in this seemingly perfect world. We may be enemies, but she's all I have right now.
“....and after my plan works, you can go back to hating me.”
“If we get through this, I won’t hate you. Just dislike you a reasonable amount. Deal?”
“Deal.” She shook Scorpia’s claw, then gently took it to lead her through the hallway.
To no one’s surprise, they found themselves bickering and shushing each other through the plan, but Adora was surprised that they were actually pulling it off. They actually made a semi-decent team. She ended up not dropping Scorpia's claw even when she could have, and she didn't have a reason why.
“You need to focus, okay? Nothing else matters!” She snapped, trying to get Scorpia to calm down after she had knocked out the guards. Geez, what was she like as a kid if she cries like this now? Adora wondered what it would have been like if she and Scorpia had grown up together instead of Catra. She could actually see them....getting along. Maybe she would have left with me. Not that it matters.
It was when they were hiding in Hordak’s lab, one second before everything went to hell, their faces close, when Adora took in Scorpia’s dark brown eyes, the slope of her nose, and a dangerous thought crossed her mind.
I could kiss her right now.
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Adora is the one holding the rebellion together now, while Glimmer mourns and the other princesses are shaken up. Queen Angella’s loss has been a devastating blow. They need an unexpected blessing. They need someone with insider information or a runestone. They need.....
Her jaw drops open when a guard escorts Scorpia into the war room, saying she wants to join the rebellion.
They grew up in adjoining barracks but never met until now. They were so similar yet so different, had spent months dancing around each other, two winking stars never destined to meet, two lost princesses. Maybe destiny meant for Scorpia to stay in the horde, for Adora to be She-Ra, for them to just stay as enemies.
Maybe destiny was wrong.
“So what do you think? Breaking into the Horde and stealing back my family’s runestone sounds so crazy but...”
“We really could do it. Together.” Adora smiled up at Scorpia. “There’s no one else I’d rather break into the Fright Zone with.”