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And then there was light.
The hums and sounds of machinery of the fright zone were nowhere to be heard and for a split second Catra doesn't remember where she is. She is laid on her back, wrapped and buried under plush covers that feel nice around her sore body.
“Adora!”
The gears in her mind set in motion, the images and sounds of the previous day still fresh in her mind, she feels like she has been sleeping and dreaming about it for ages, and even awake at this moment she can't stop thinking about it...
She remembers saving Sparkles and herself by playing the game she was good at with Prime. She offered the heart of Etheria and her servitude in order to gain his trust, and when the time was right, she would strike the galactic overlord and save the day.
But Prime was two steps ahead of her, and with what she thought was a solid plan, she unknowingly served the princesses and Adora to him in a silver platter. The heart of Etheria according to Prime, was bound and locked to its current users, and to harness all power he would just replace the current Administrator.
Bound and chained in place like the other princesses, Catra was made witness hellish contraptions and devices prod and poke Adora, Prime wanted control and all the secrets about She-Ra and the first ones, and Adora had it all in her mind.
Adora resisted to the best of her abilities, but without She-Ra and the princesses, she didn't last long.
“I'm sorry…”
The sight of Adora’s body broke her. She wanted to cry, scream and tear up the madman in front of her. Prime mocked the impotent magicat for all of her failures, and before he proceeded to end her existence, a flash of light fills the area, and makes time stand still. A calm voice next to her caught her attention:
“I've been looking for you all over Katriska, I’ve restored your rune stone so that you can help Mara with this very mean person, come on dearie wear your crown proud, show him what the queen of the magicats can do!”
Catra had no idea what the woman was talking about, but the sight of the glowing headpiece was all she needed to understand what she had to do. The mask was hot against her face, and from it she could hear the voices of a thousand generations that came before her. All whispering and sharing their wisdom and power to turn the tide of the battle.
“I need you…”
Catra ascended, she became a being of power turning berserk with strength and speed she didn't know she possessed. She assaulted Prime relentlessly again and again, giving the other princesses plenty of room for them to join and act.
What the princesses did to defeat Prime was not clear to her. In her frenzy all she could remember was how she eventually came to hold Adora side and held her in arms, and how she begged with all of her might for the heart of Etheria to grant her one last request...
“I love you…”
The heart of Etheria replied back:
“You are recognized as the new Administrator. WARNING be aware that significant changes such as your inquiry will require the consumption of all of the Administrators energy as well as revoking their existence, please choose your words wisely little one.”
“I want to make things right, say the right words, fix all mistakes. But I am an animal, you can see from all that I ever did. I don't have joy, they didn't teach me kindness, I don't know how to do good, the bastard didn't let me learn how to be happy. But if you are all powerful and all knowing… you'll figure it out. Look into my heart, everything you need is in there, it has to be!
Damn it all, I can't think of anything, except something corny Adora would say… here goes! HAPPINESS FREEDOM! AND NO ONE GOES UNSATISFIED!” (1)
An instant later a pillar of light engulfed her, and it was all over.
Yet she was still alive thinking about it.
Catra raises from bed as she focuses on her surroundings, taking in every detail of the room in order to distract her mind and forget.
Large curtains dim the light from the outside and give the pastel walls an annoying glow... She pushes the covers off and reveals several bandages on her arms and legs. All which strangely don't hurt like they look they should, the bright moon wizards must have spent hours treating her wounds and she was grateful for that.
Catra notices a set of clothes on the chair next to bed, it was Adora's signature Red jacket and pants, all worn down from constant use. Catra sends her eyes across all of the room, she was surrounded by many of Adora’s belongings.
Catra figures it was poetic justice to be locked up in what used to be Adora’s room, every trinket and item a reminder and punishment.
Catra notices a worn out envelope on the nightstand to her right, and curiosity takes over. She slips off from bed and grabs the letter. Adora’s handwriting invites her to read:
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Dear Catra,
You are my enemy now, and you always will be. I know that now. All this time I had hoped that you would see the light. Hope that you would realize that Etheria is a beautiful place that needs to be saved and not destroyed.
I have no more hope now and that makes me sad. So sad, because I miss you Catra, and I will always miss you.
I miss your smile, I miss the gleam in your eye when you would beat me in a race during training, miss laughing with you when we would play a prank on one of the other cadets in the barracks. I even miss you snoring in the bunk above me
Those are the things I remember when I think about you. I'm going to try to remember the good things about you, instead of the bad ones, because those break my heart.
I'm sorry things ended up like this. I really am. But even if we could go back in time, I wouldn't do things any other way.
Love
Adora.
P.D: I will never send this but it feels good to write it down
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Catra’s vision gets blurry as tears pool in her eyes. She holds the letter close to her chest with bitter sweetness, she can't seem to be able to cry anymore and instead wonders of all the realities where she took the right choices and was happy alongside Adora.
The door to the room creaks open and she wipes away the tears as to not show weakness to her captors, and before she has a chance to turn around, she is caught in a loving embrace.
“Hey Catra you're awake!!!”
Catra could not believe her eyes, she was being held by the woman she wished to have all the happiness in the world.
Adora was crying and nuzzling her close, calling out her name with the sweetest loving tone ever. Catra didn't want to spoil the moment or wake up from this dream, she was supposed to be consumed by the process, and she pushed her luck.
A rush of emotions course through her body, she had spent the last couple years in regret for never confessing to Adora, never telling her how happy she made her, how she wanted to spend her life by her side. If only she had said those words sooner.
Catra wastes not a single moment, and without notice cups Adora’s damp cheeks in hands, pulling their faces closer, forehead to forehead, loving that startled expression on Adora’s face.
After a moment that seemed to span for a lifetime they both knew what to do.
The kiss was gentle, pure and full of emotion. Both girls felt the world fade away and become just them. There was no need for words, they knew well what they meant for each other.
Each kiss washed away all regret and pain from their hearts, every purr and whimper was an unspoken forgiveness. Catra didn't know she could feel this happy ever.
“Adora… but the heart of Etheria, I’m not supposed to be…”
Adora hushes her lover with a gentle nip to her lips, her warm breath felt so well against her face. “You brought all of us all back from the void. You sacrificed yourself for everyone's happiness but your own. I thought I lost you forever as well”
“But why am I still here…?” Said Catra still in confusion.
“Because I need you dummy, because I love you and can't imagine living without you. The heart of Etheria brought you back for me and everyone else.”
At this point the whimpering feline was overwhelmed with joy, she would have a chance to make things right, learn to be happy, and most importantly live free and in love with Adora.
The world of Etheria was theirs to cherish, its beauty and life worth saving and protecting. There was a plethora of first ones tech and knowledge still to unravel. A task the princesses, queen Angella and even Mara would be happy to help with.
Catra and Adora had no idea what the future would bring, but they would face it all together.
End <3
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