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Catra rushed through the town, buildings already crumbling as the people ran for their lives. She needed to find a way to stop this, to protect them, to redeem herself for all of the horror she had been complicit in. She saw a tank making it’s way over the rubble and dashed in front of it.
“Stop!” Catra threw her arms out as the tank screeched to a halt in front of her. She would wait until they recognized her as Horde, let their guard down, then strike. But when the hatch opened, it wasn’t some faceless Horde soldier that emerged, it was Adora
“Catra!” The relief on her face was evident.
“Adora?” Catra stood stunned as Adora climbed out of the tank and slid down the side.
“I’ve been looking all over for you!” Adora grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her in for a hug.
Catra’s arms rose as if to hold her back but she let them fall to her sides instead. “You came for me?” Hope rose in her chest against her will.
“Thaymor was supposed to be my first mission. ‘Cover for me Adora, no one will even know I’m gone.’ Seriously, did you just immediately get captured right after you snuck out or-“ Adora lifted her hand as if to pluck the flower from behind her ear. “What are you wearing?”
Catra threw the flower to the ground, a blush staining her cheeks. “Look, there’s no time. We have to put a stop to this.” She motioned to the destruction around them.
“Why? This is the mission Catra, the rebel fortress of Thaymor will be defeated today,” Adora said as if it were obvious.
“Look around! This is a civilian town. These aren’t insurgents, they’re innocent people!”
“Yeah, sure, innocent people who have been acting against the horde,” Adora dismissed her words and grabbed her hand to lead her back to the tank. “Now come on, let’s finish this and get back to the fright zone. Shadow Weaver is not happy that you snuck out but if we win this battle she might forgive you. Maybe she’ll even let you come next time.”
Catra felt a tremor of fear at the idea of going back and subjecting herself to Shadow Weaver’s torture. She pulled her hand away, letting the hurt look on Adora’s face take hold of her heart. She couldn’t afford to be weak, she couldn’t let Adora sway her decision. “Adora, no. I can’t go back. Not until the horde leaves this town alone. You have to help me!” Adora was good, Adora wouldn’t stand for the kind of evil that forced civilians from their homes.
“Help you what? Fight with the rebellion? What are you trying to say?” Adora didn’t understand. She never understood.
“I’m saying this is wrong. You have to see that. They’ve been lying to us, manipulating us our whole lives! Hordak, Shadow Weaver, all of them!” Catra’s voice was desperate, begging Adora to choose her side, just this once.
“Catra, I know Shadow Weaver is hard on you but we’re doing what’s best for Etheria. You know that.” Adora clenched her fists in frustration.
“By hurting innocent people? How could you possibly be ok with that?” Catra appealed to Adora’s kindness.
“Some sacrifices are necessary to bring order.” She put her hands on Catra’s shoulders with a sad smile. “Besides, one day we’ll be calling the shots and we can do whatever needs to be done, together. Now come on, can we go home already?”
An explosion far too close startled Catra, the screaming in the air strengthening her resolve. She knew what Adora meant and she knew what it felt like to be the sacrifice that gave them more time to rise through the ranks. It wasn’t something she wanted for anyone else. “I’m not going home Adora. I can’t, not after everything I’ve seen.” She took Adora’s hand. “Come with me, you don’t have to go back there, we can fix this.”
Adora pulled away from her, horror written all over her face. “These people are rebels! You’ve known them for what? A couple hours? And now you’re going to throw away everything for them? What did they do to you?” She reached out but didn’t make contact again.
“They didn’t do anything, but I have to do something.” Adora hadn’t seen what she had, Adora didn’t know what a party was or what peace felt like and Catra couldn’t show her, not there on the battlefield. “I’m sorry Adora.” She turned her back to her oldest friend, her only friend, the person who filled up her whole heart.
Adora jabbed her baton into Catra’s back and shocked her, the pain sending her twitching to the ground. “I’m not letting you leave, you’ll only make things worse for yourself.”
“Adora!” She looked up to see a determined look on Adora’s face, she knew that look, the one where Adora thought she was right and no one else could convince her otherwise. She rose to her knees, eying the baton, getting ready to pounce.
Adora shocked her again and she shouted in pain. “I’m sorry, but this is the way it has to be.” Adora’s lips twisted into a frown at the sight of Catra’s pain.
“Why are you doing this?” She didn’t have to ask, she knew why Adora was doing it. Adora thought the Horde was good, she thought Catra was brainwashed, she thought that she was protecting her by dragging her back to the root of all of their problems. Adora would always protect her, it was one of the things she loved about her, but Adora also wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to achieve her aims and right now, Catra was standing in the way of her own safety.
Adora loomed over her, “Because you betrayed everything we believe in! And if I don’t bring you back, your punishment will be worse. So enough with your weird little identity crisis and let’s go home already, or do I need to zap you again?”