Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Catra had grown up her whole life exhausted. 

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Being exhausted kept Catra on her feet, alert and ready to fight for a spot of her own in Ms Weaver's Home for Orphans. At the fragile, impressionable age of five, Catra became an orphan, her barely present parents disappearing for an infinite amount of time this time. 

She was indeed a disobedient child with a mane of unruly hair and heterochromatic eyes that just signalled chaos. After being bounced from foster home to foster home, she soon found herself as Ms Weaver's charge. It was not a pleasurable experience, from the beginning.

 On paper, she looked terrific. A strict yet caring motherly figure to Catra and the rest of the unfortunate orphans that she housed; she was a great caretaker. 

But, go beneath the surface, and you would begin to see the cracks. You'd see how Ms Weaver would regularly pick favourites and nitpick at the ones that didn't manage to reach her ridiculously high standards. And in some cases, even leave physical and mental scars. 

Ms Weaver mainly had it out for Catra; her wild behaviour and carefree spirit had no place in her household. She had a standard of living up to, of course. All wards in the care of the seemingly immaculate woman must be perfect, orderly, obedient. 

Catra was not fast to conform to what her caretaker wanted her to be; she had a knack for making sure that she wasn't tied down by anyone; friends and family alike. She remembers snapshots of her mother and father being utterly exhausted with her most of the time.

Maybe that was the exhaustion currently claiming the young girl; passed on from her parents to her. 

Ms Weaver didn't shut it down entirely, but after too many harsh words and bruises littering her body here and there, Catra learned how to keep it in check; how to keep herself in check. 

Still, first impressions were hard to take back, and Ms Weaver's opinion of her was evident. Two months into her stay at the orphanage home, and Catra was sure that she was going to return to the state shelter centre very soon. 

But then, something happened. Or to put in a less eloquent way, Ms Weaver saw a means through which Catra could be made useful to her. 

Catra didn't know anyone was watching, let alone of all people, her foster parent who despised her. Unbeknown to Ms Weaver, Catra, thanks to a kind neighbour whose name she has forgotten now, had been enrolled in dance classes at the community centre since she was two. 

It hadn't been much at all, a dance teacher who barely showed up, a dingy mustard-coloured room and an old stereo that only worked if you hit it three times. But Catra wouldn't have traded it for the world. It was the only time of day where she could be away from her parents and home and do whatever she wanted to do. 

On days when no one else would show up, including the teacher, Catra would tune the stereo, and change the channels until she found an upbeat, funky song to dance to like no one was looking, which they usually weren't.

No one had ever seen Catra dance either until Ms Weaver discovered her. Catra remembered that day clearly; she even remembered the song. It was a cheerful, upbeat song that had come out a few years ago and was still popular enough to play again on the radio. 

As Catra hummed along to the chorus, she remembered the step she had done as she realized someone was watching her. Her body twisted and turned and flowed just like it was something that was in her genetic code like it was something natural and irreversible.

Catra had very few moments of freedom ever since Ms Weaver had taken her in; she could no longer hum while doing her chores or roughhouse with the older boys; so this was the only time she could be herself, with no outside pressure or anxiety.

At least, it was until Catra heard the frightening sound of Ms Weaver's hands colliding together in applause and a smart smirk covering her lips. It eventually turned into a smile; something that comforted the young girl as her caretaker bent down so that she could meet with Catra, eye-to-eye.

"You're very talented, Catra," she said quietly so that only the girl could hear. At such a young age, it was easy for Catra to hold onto Ms Weaver's words like it was gospel. No one had ever praised her like that so to hear it from someone who previously had nothing but scorn for her...was everything. 

"I used to be just like you." she continues, now tucking a lock of Catra's wild hair behind her ear which makes the girl's cheeks flush red. "You like dancing?" she asked to which Catra nodded dutifully, still a bit scared to speak. 

A moment of silence passes as the older woman examines with Catra with a dose of curiosity that she'd never registered with young orphan before. Ms Weaver reaches out for Catra's hand, grasping it caringly before looking up at the girl with a tender smile. 

"How would you like to do that for the rest of your life?"

And just like that, Catra's life path was determined at the young age of five. 

-

Now, at 16, probably the only thing about Ms Weaver that Catra didn't wholly resent was her insistence on putting Catra into all sorts of dance and performance classes, despite the hefty fee. 

At the age of five, Catra learnt all types of dancing from contemporary to free-style to the types she hated; ballet to the styles of dance that she adored; hip-hop. No matter what dance it was though, even if it was ballet; which she was quite good at actually; she'd love it and cherish it. She knew, deep down, dance was her ticket out of a life of mediocracy and into one of happiness and comfort instead. 

It didn't take long for the girl to realize that even though she was the one attending the classes and whose effort was going into it; the only reason she was going to these classes; was for Ms Weaver's benefit. 

The years passed by, sooner or later, and Catra, along with a few other orphans her age, grew up. As she grew up and matured from a naive little child, she soon figured out the truth; faster than Ms Weaver wanted her to. 

Horde Academy was a shiny, industrial school just a couple blocks away from the orphanage. It wasn't bright or cheerful. Instead, it was darker and more intense. It was a school for those particularly gifted and talented in both academics or culturally. The principal of that school, Mr Hordak, prided himself on producing successful individuals who conquered and gained power over all others in life. 

And it was no surprise to anyone that Ms Weaver desired power. 

Catra fit the pieces together pretty quickly. Everyone knew that Catra was the best dancer in the class and on their side of town; no one matched her passion and quick motions that made her a magnificent sight to watch. Her talent immediately made her Horde bound. 

Something like what Catra had was not something often found in a desolate neighbourhood like the Fright Zone. It was no surprise to the teenage girl when Ms Weaver pulled her aside one day after school and dance classes and informed that effective immediately she'd be going to Horde Academy. 

It's not like Catra didn't put up a fight. She did, practically growling and hissing at Ms Weaver in disgust. Horde Academy was not where she wanted to be, no matter how much of a redeeming 'influence' it'd be for her. She liked her life. 

Well, 'like' would be a strong word. 'Like' would mean that Catra did normal teen things like having friends or watching trashy movies or fantasizing about her various crushes. She had none of that; she barely had any friends. She didn't exactly get along with the other orphans her age who were Ms Weaver's charges, just like her. 

Kyle was pretty much useless, an anxious mess and just being around him made Catra wanted to scratch out her eyes. Rogelio was pretty quiet and never really bothered her, opting to whisper with Kyle; they were pretty close friends. And then, there was Lonnie. 

Lonnie was complicated; so Catra didn't like to think about her. 

Whatever it may be, the point was while Catra didn't have a regular, stereotypical teenage life, she still liked it. Her routine was enjoyable, she adored going to her classes for herself, and she took solace in being alone. She even enjoyed the turbulent and uncertain relationship she had with Lonnie and the few words she and Rogelio would exchange from time to time. 

But, all that changed once she enrolled in Horde Academy. The teachers were harsh; both the academic and the dance ones; there was no time for free-style or fun routines but only ballet and sometimes broadway type. She still managed to find some comfort in these dance classes; because the rest of her day would go on worst and worst. All the pressure, the subjects that Catra couldn't understand and the expectations were slowly leading her into a chaotic abyss of exhaustion. 

So, yes. Catra felt consumed by everything; it draining her from any small spots of happiness she could manage to retain here and there. 

And she didn't know how much she could take. 

-

Adora didn't know what her life would have been if not for the Brightmoon Family. 

Adora was an orphan since birth. The young girl was fortunate enough to be adopted by loving parents Angella and Micah Brightmoon when she was just a year old. They had always wanted to adopt a baby, and it was perfect, seeing that their daughter, Glimmer, was the same age as Adora. It was easy for the doting parents to treat Adora as one of their own; they had never met a child with such curiosity and kindness before except their very own. 

Adora and Glimmer became close friends fast, doing everything together, even though their personalities were quite different. Glimmer was wild, naughty and highly protective of her friends which at the time included just Adora. 

Adora and Glimmer did everything together, and soon, in kindergarten, Bow joined them, a creative boy who had an abnormal obsession with arrows and tech; though he'd never let his dads know. All of them together were the best-friend squad; always together, never apart. Adora never really thought about her life in any other way. 

She especially didn't like thinking about her life if the Brightmoon family never took her in; if she was a just sad orphan, stuck in a broken system. Maybe she would have made different friends and became a different person. Or perhaps she'd be worse off. So, Adora doesn't like focusing on that. Instead, she thinks about the family she does have and the people she has in her life that love her. 

Adora was always a very sporty kind of girl; she liked soccer and basketball and even hockey; she was full of energy, and she'd been exercising ever since she could. Glimmer often rolls her eyes at the blonde girl, whining: "Do you ever stop moving?" at which Adora would stick her tongue out, and Bow would chuckle before changing the topic. 

For the longest time, Adora thought that was what her passion was: sports. She remembers being ten and having dreams of being a professional basketball player, an unrivalled master at what she did, loved by all.

That was all, of course, before she discovered the world of dance. 

Her adoptive parents, or as she called them, her parents, ran a very elite boarding school for teenagers. It was a pristine, shiny, exclusive school that the coupled named after their family: Brightmoon Boarding. They were the most successful and renowned school in all the lands of Etheria. All the famous personalities and successes of Etheria spent at least a year at Brightmoon, cultivating their art and sciences. 

Because of this, Angella had insisted that Adora, Glimmer and Bow visited the boarding school at least once; it was something the wise mother had her heart set on for quite some time. So, they did. 

At the age of 12, Adora along with her family and Bow, they finally visited the gleaming school known as Brightmoon Boarding. The experience was terrific; everyone at the school gave them the V.I.P treatment since Angella and Micah escorted them around. They got to peek into all of the classes; from the academic ones that focused on complicated topics like chemistry and aerodynamics; to the cultural ones that focused on performance, singing and something that intrigued Adora a lot: dancing.

Adora had never really seen anyone dance like that before. Of course, she has seen Angella and Micah slow-dance together at the parties they often threw for them and their friends. She had been with Glimmer as she got her first radio and the both of them playfully danced along to the tune. 

But she'd never seen anything like this. 

A muscular woman with long, flowing blond hair and dark, umber skin spun across the room. There was a pleasant tone of a piano playing the background with the pace of the notes continually changing in an elegant and refined way. Her movements were simply breathtaking, and she was in complete control over her body and how she moved. Every single bend and twist that her body did was deliberate, and the peaceful look on her face just sold it all. 

This situation wasn't exactly on the schedule either. Adora had somehow gotten separated from Glimmer and Bow as Angella had let them start to wander the school alone. By a beautiful twist of faith or maybe even divine intervention, Adora had come across this woman.

She was so entranced by the display of pure, irrevocable talent that she barely noticed as the woman's movements slowed and she turned her head to look at the short little girl. Adora remembers her bold voice calling out before her body stopped moving. 

"I wasn't aware I had an audience." The woman's sudden and loud baritone took Adora off guard as she scrambled her words as an attempt to make an excuse. The tall woman just laughed her off. 

"Don't worry, dear. I work well with an audience," the dancer states, her voice filling the room like warm honey on a chilly day. "Keeps me on my feet." she grins widely. 

"Can I help you?" 

Adora had so many things she wanted to say; so many questions she needed to ask: like how did the girl do that, did the dancer even know how wonderful it looked when she did do that and could you do it again? Questions and answers and incredible morsels of things filled Adora's head as she opened her mouth to give the awe-inspiring girl a response but what came out was:

"Can you teach me how to do that?" 

The woman was shocked at first before quickly recovering with a quick grin and a certain gleam in her eyes like she knew that was what Adora would ask. Her answer was instant, and it filled up Adora with excitement like never before. 

"Sure. If you're willing to learn." 

-

Adora soon learnt that the dancer's name was Mara. She didn't have any last name, to speak of. As soon as Mara answered one of her questions, she asked another one. And then another one. And another one.

Well, could you blame the girl? She was curious!

Thankfully Mara didn't find Adora or all of her invasive questions annoying but instead just chuckled to herself before answering them with relative ease. Soon, Adora came to know a lot about Mara. 

Mara was an alumnus of the school who just returned from her travels all over the world to come back to Brightmoon Boarding and to Angella and Micah. Mara, like Adora, was also an orphan. Although she didn't get adopted by parents as nurturing and kind as Angella and Micah, she moulded herself into a brilliant dancer all by herself. Eventually, she got into this school by impressing Angella herself.

From there, she had blossomed into various staring roles, on and off-broadway as a professional ballet and broadway dancer. She'd choreographed award-winning dances and won a few for herself even. As Mara kept on telling Adora stories about all the things she had done and the places she had seen after graduating Brightmoon, Adora fell in love with the life that Mara was living. 

Suddenly, without Adora noticing, they were at the Brightmoon's entrance where her parents, along with Bow and Glimmer, were waiting for her. The pair of friends immediately charged into the blonde girl's arms and telling Adora how much they looked for her and Bow exclaiming several times, "We thought you were dead!" which brought everyone, including Mara, into hysterics. 

The Brightmoons invited Mara to take a break with them and have some lunch with them. There, not only Adora but Glimmer and Bow also became entranced with the graceful dancer much to Angella and Micah's amusement. The topic of Adora's million-dollar-question came up pretty soon, much to the girl's embarrassment. 

"Adora asked me if I could teach her how to dance," Mara said directly in between bites of foods and sips of Brightmoon's delicate jasmine tea. Angella's eyes brightened up in both curiosity and amusement as Micah just smiled. Glimmer playfully jabbed Adora in the shoulder with a dragging yet teasing voice. "I never knew you were into ballet!" 

Adora flushed a deep crimson red. "I'm not! Well, I wasn't before. But it just looks so  majestic !" As Adora says the word "majestic", a dreamy, far-off look comes over Adora's face, one that was preoccupied with thoughts that weren't presenting themselves at the table. 

Angella smiled calmly. "That's simply wonderful, Adora! I'm sure you can learn how to if you simply put your mind to it, darling," she advised wisely.

Bow chimed in too, ever the enthusiast. "Yeah! Glimmer and I can even take classes with you! It'd be something great to learn!" His eyes shimmered as Glimmer gasped before grabbing Bow's forearm, talking about what a great idea it was. 

Adora was about to say something, maybe a quick quip about how Bow and Glimmer or even something heartfelt about how great her two best friends were when Mara began speaking. "I'd love to teach all of you." she paused for a moment before raising an eyebrow towards Adora. "Especially Adora. You truly remind me of myself." 

Those simple words followed by words of agreement from both Angella and Micah cemented Adora's future path, it veering from her previous one into something much more enthralling, in her opinion. 

-

The years went by for both young dancers, only miles away, but to someone watching from afar, they would seem like they were universes apart. As they changed from young, gullible kids to wide-eyed, ambitious teenagers; they evolved.

Since that faithful day, Adora along with Bow and Glimmer had been training with Mara in the art of dance, specifically ballet. Things didn't exactly go the way they planned. Adora, for one, was a natural; she picked up on intricate moves and sequences and other tips and tricks of the dance that were impossible for newbies to pick up. 

Bow wasn't all too bad at it; he wasn't a natural like Adora was, but he kept up, graceful enough to be in check with his body and it's movements. Glimmer quit after one class, deciding that all the things about poise and balance weren't "for her" and instead spent more time with her father in the Brightmoon lab, learning more about chemistry and explosive reactions. 

Adora quickly changed from just a newbie and advanced the levels of ballet so much that she reached the level of someone that would have been training since the age of two. Mara was thoroughly impressed; she had never seen so much talent. "The talent you have, Adora..." she had said to her one day after driving her back from a late class. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen."

Mara stopped at a red light and turned to look at Adora. "It's raw talent, my dear. And I would love to see you use it if you want to." She cocked her head slightly so that she could meet Adora's crystalline blue eyes a little better. "But it's your choice entirely." 

Adora wanted to do it. She adored ballet; she loved everything about it; the training, the poise, the control that came with it; and Mara just made her love it more. So, if Mara, the most graceful and astonishing dancer she had ever seen, thought that she had real talent, she was going to believe her.  

So, Adora started. She began to go to dancing competitions and recitals and spent more and more time in the studio with Mara; in the mornings before school and after school as well. Angella and Micah were worried this would wear her out; make her dreadfully tired among other things, but she didn't suffer at all because of it. Of all things, it made Adora invigorated and ready to take on the next day as they came. Of course, Mara didn't let her work herself to the bone. 

Despite Adora's insistence, the woman didn't let the girl work on weekends or during the holidays unless they had a competition coming up. This frustrated Adora since she hadn't won a contest yet. She had all the right components, her scores were tight, and her numbers stood out for the rest, that much she knew. But she still didn't manage to place which she had to admit discouraged, despite the warnings that Mara always gave her. 

"No matter how good you are or how bad the other girls may be in comparison, you will not win." When Adora started to protest, saying that "that made no sense", Mara shushed quickly before pointing to herself in a wordless gesture. 

"Let me explain. These girls have been trained for this since they could walk. Some even before that. Their parents had gone through this circuit before, and they put their kids with the best dance companies they are. They know how this all goes. And unless they see you; you're not going to place." Mara pauses for a moment, giving fourteen-year-old Adora a chance to protest. 

"That's so unfair! I bet those girls only do it to please their parents!" Adora said intently, a small flame of fury bursting in eyes before she tugged on her tight ponytail a couple of times. 

Mara grabbed Adora's hands in a comforting manner, tracing patterns on the top of her hands, trying to calm the girl down. "I know, I know. It is unfair. But I'm going to tell you what I wish I could have had my dance teacher say to me."

"That winning doesn't matter, and you know my real worth?" Adora says in a light, cheerful voice.

Mara snorted. "No, of course not. Winning does matter, not because that's how you know you're good. But because that's how they know you're  brilliant . And that, unfortunately, matters." The woman takes a deep breath. 

"But, here's the key to winning. You have to keep coming back. Right now, you're a newbie, Adora. And newbies don't place, no matter what." Mara narrows her eyes and fixes Adora with a fierce glance which makes her raise her eyebrows in question. "But, when they realize, you're not a newbie, that's when you'll get them?"

"I'll get them?" Adora asked her, question and doubt evident in her voice as Mara tightens her grasp on her hand. 

"Damn right, you'll get them."

And so Adora did. The first competition Adora won in was the one in Thaymor, a medium-sized industrial town just on the outskirts of Brightmoon. It wasn't any different from any of the other competitions that Adora participated in; her scores had been the same, her movements were just as tight, and her legs were just as straight. The only difference was that it had been roughly a year since she had started on the competition circuit. 

Adora won first place. 

I'm here,  Adora remembers triumphantly thinking as she felt the weight of the medal hanging around her neck and her family; her parents, Glimmer, Bow and of course, Mara; cheering for her.  I'm finally here.

-

Two years later, elsewhere .

"Catra Weaver's presence is requested in Mr Hordak's office immediately!" This shrill, automatic voice, burning a hole into Catra's head, came down to the classroom through the speakerphone. This announcement caused all students currently in Mrs Octavia Maths class to look to the back of the room where the girl in question, undoubtedly was. 

Well, barely was. There was no question to the fact that Catra was known for her tardiness, among other things. What information you could get about Catra depended on who you asked.

 If you asked her classmates, they would whisper things about her being scary, practically horrifying and mean. Most of them hated her, even the ones from the orphanage, who she had grown up with, under Ms Weaver's care. Only a few of them; namely Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle; could tolerate her. 

If you asked her teachers, they had more than enough things to say about how disagreeable Catra was. Disobedient, never follows the rules, good for nothing, troublemaker; the litany of insults that they threw her way almost every day were ever-growing, much to Catra's growing indifference. 

However, if you asked the girl herself, though no one ever did, what she thought about herself...well, it wouldn't be pretty either. 

Mrs Octavia's voice, filled with frustration, reached the girl who still had not made it out of her chair. "Catra, your presence has been requested by Mr Hordak."

Mrs Octavia voice's and the incessant whispers that filled up the classroom caused the girl to lift her head and remove the hood of her crimson hoody, showcasing the girl's scar-ridden and tired face. "So, I heard," she says slyly before smirking at the teacher and shrugging carelessly. "So?"

Mrs Octavia was always quick to anger, especially when it came to matters involving Catra. The teacher had had it out for her ever since she started at this school and caused a regrettable accident that had her wearing a literal eye-patch for the rest of that year. Catra never even got caught in being the one behind it, giving Mrs Octavia motive to make sure Catra landed in enough trouble to last her a lifetime. 

"Did you hear me, Ms Weaver?" The woman practically hissed, jumping up from her seat suddenly, only to begin stalking towards Catra with genuine anger. Catra sat in her chair still, arms folded nonchalantly and a pleased look on her face. 

"I don't have any hearing inabilities, Mrs Octavia," Catra said, in a faux innocent voice, it's coating so rich with sugar that if the girl heard it from someone else, she would have gotten a headache. This smart remark only makes the teacher practically jog until she reached Catra's desk, her eyes filled with anger and vengeance. 

Catra simply smirked. She knew that Mrs Octavia couldn't do anything to her; at least not anything violent; there were video cameras in the classroom for a reason. It wasn't that Mr Hordak was worried about the well-being of all students, it was more so that he couldn't deal with any new scandal coming out and destroying his reputation even more so. 

Mrs Octavia took a deep breath, in through her nose and out through her mouth, visibly trying to calm down. The sight was so comedic that Catra couldn't help but let out a sly chuckle, which only succeeded in enlarging the bulging vein that was building slowly in the teacher's forehead. 

She cocked her head to the side, before cooing playfully. "Aw...Am I stressing you out,  Ma'am? " She emphasizes the word 'Ma'am', knowing from personal experience how much Mrs Octavia hated that word. 

As Mrs Octavia opened her mouth; probably to insult her with every derogatory word she knew and then some, Catra quickly scrambled to her feet and darted towards the teacher's table, causing Mrs Octavia to gasp quite melodramatically and make a few students groan with her "antics". Catra grabbed the already filled in hall pass from the table before walking on towards the door. 

"Now, I'd love to hear what you really think about me, Ma'am. But, unfortunately..." Catra flicked her tongue against her sharp teeth, creating a sound that she knew annoyed the hell out of Mrs Octavia, "...duty calls."

And with that, Catra hurries out of the door before she could see the vengeful face of the teacher rise up in anger or any of the student's reactions. She closes the door and pauses for a moment, pressing the back of her head against the door. 

She grins wickedly when she hears the agitated screech of Mrs Octavia, followed by the student's infectious laughter. 

Say what you'd like about Catra, but she knows how to put on a great show, that much was certain. 

-

Catra hated this place. 

The Principal's Room, Hordak's Office; something that the students had commonly nicknamed as "Hordak's Sanctum", as an ode to how absolutely creepy and eerie it was. 

First of all, it had none of the spotlessness and perfection that the rest of Horde Academy seemed to emulate. Not only was it different from the rest of the school, but it was messy. Bits and pieces of things were lying around, and its' floors were always dirty. No one even knew what colour his desk was any more. 

Hordak himself gave off a truly vile vibe. Just looking at the man with his eerily parchment-white skin, reddish beady eyes and his body of..odd proportions to say the least. Something in the air around him or even just in her office gave off a disturbing feeling that was currently quelling in Catra's chest. 

His secretary, Imp, had told her to come in. Imp was a curious thing, wearing dark clothing with neon orange stripes here and there, but it sort of fit Hordak's whole creepy tone that he was trying and succeeding to implement. And now here she was, called in by Hordak himself, something that really didn't happen as much as it should have.

Most of her misbehaviours were dealt with by Mr Hordak, through Imp, rather than a face-to-face talk. Like Imp often said, kind of like it was an appointed script, "Mr Hordak has more important things to deal with, more important than a flippant student." 

It was important to mention, like all the staff here, Imp also was an asshole. 

Catra honestly starts to consider the possibility that Hordak was never going to come; she wasn't really known for her patience. She began to wonder how tight a fit she would be through that small window Hordak had to the left when the door swung open to reveal the man himself.

Catra gulped heavily. Mr Hordak wasn't one you'd see around often, but when you do, it was sure as hell intimidating. 

"Catra Weaver." He began stoically. "We have some business to talk about."

Catra was a reasonably smart girl. Despite all the idiotic antics, she would often get up to, she knew the rules. All the intricacies of her life, the politics that came into play at Horde Academy, she knew all about it. She just didn't find it in herself to care. After all, no matter what she did, how good she played at this game, she always ended up in the same position; so what was the use?

"Sir," she said dutifully, a playful smirk playing at her lips. "How can I be of service to you?" she says, drawing out her words dramatically and in a way she knew that Hordak would simply detest. He immediately flies off to the defence, his voice raising loudly and brutally. 

"Do not be impudent with me, Catra! I gave you your spot here, and I can take it away at a moment's notice!" 

Catra held back the urge to roll her eyes and scoff.  Yeah, right.  She knew as well as anyone did that Horde Academy needed her. Without her, they had no one representing them for the precious funding that Hordak needed. He, of course, claimed that the funding went towards the Arts and providing new programs and opportunities for young, talented new artists when in reality, everyone knew the funding only went to his own pocket. 

Pick your battles,  Catra reminded herself. She let a pleasant smile come over her features, masking any sign of a grudge that she had against him. "I apologize, sir." 

They both knew she wasn't really sorry. 

"Well, then." He pauses, adjusting himself in his dirty-brown leather chair, arching his back straight so that he could tower over the girl, even in this position. "For once, Ms Weaver, I'm not here to pull you up for something you did."

Oh. This was different.  Catra's surprise is easy to see with her now wide eyes and raised eyebrows along with her slightly open mouth. She really never had landed here or even just by Imp's desk without having blown something up or having punched some white guy who tried to pull at her bra.  Interesting...

"Of course, you're surprised. Your mother said you'd be-" Hordak sneered ignorantly as Catra rose to attention, her teeth clashing together in a very unappealing way. 

"Ms Weaver is not my mother." The words are so finite and merely the truth, that they feel right, leaving Catra's mouth. She's right;  that woman;  is not her mother and never had even been close to something like that. Hordak seems unbothered by Catra's sudden statement, though the girl herself can feel shivers pass through her forearm simply because of it. 

"Right." He says neutrally. "Well, anyway, she said you'd be caught off guard." 

Catra crosses her arms across her chest, leaning back in her seat with a suspicious look on her face. "Well. Is anyone gonna tell me about this magical thing that I'm going to be caught off guard by?" Her tone is mocking, and she does nothing but preen when she catches the disapproving look that Hordak gives her. 

The 'choosing battles' thing never lasts long with Catra. 

Hordak places his hands on his desk, folding them together and intermingling his fingers. "Have you heard of Brightmoon Boarding School, Catra?" 

Catra nodded. "Like, who hasn't? It's that shiny place for the rich and talented kids, right?" she mentally scoffs at the idea of a bunch prim and proper rich kids like that go to school in that stupid uniform she's seen around. 

"That's the place. The principals of the school, Angella and Micah Brightmoon, don't like the rivalry we have between schools. They say it's blocking community relations." The way that Hordak spits out the word community relations is like he's spitting up some poison that someone put in his tea. Which wouldn't be a bad idea, honestly...

Hordak continues. "Although, I could care less about bridging that gap, a joint initiative with them would help our image. Horde Academy...has a misunderstood image." At this, Catra couldn't help but snort. That'd be an understatement. A place that was literally nicknamed in all the papers as the "Evil Horde" obviously didn't have the most excellent representation. 

Hordak just ignored her. He decided this would go by a lot quicker if he just said what needed to be and send her off on her way. "So, an agreement has been reached between the other school and us. We're sending about half a dozen students of the Horde to Brightmoon. Including...you." 

Catra let out a sharp yelp, a very indignant noise of disagreement. "What? You can't do that! Not without permission!" Hordak, who clearly had enough of the girl's frivolous antics, slammed his fist on the desk, making a crashing sound of wood. 

"That is enough, Catra! This is important, and I will not have someone as inconsequential as you mess it up for me!" The words ' inconsequential'  and  'you'  are spat out like a bitter taste, thoroughly expelled and expunged from Hordak's mouth. 

Usually, Catra would stay quiet; okay then, he wants to send me to a boarding school, can't be worst than staying with Ms Weaver in that dingy place. But something was wrong about this whole situation; why was she the only one here to hear this when about half a dozen other people were going with her. 

"You need me," Catra states after a pause, letting Hordak's anger slowly dissipate before giggling to herself and repeating the sentence to herself quietly. "You need me. Oh, this is rich," she said to herself, whispering. 

"Are you done, gloating?" Hordak asked pettily to which she shrugged and replied. "Just about. But the question is...why do you need me, Sir?"

As Hordak quickly explained why they needed her, to save himself from further embarrassment, she reckoned, Catra just shook her head in disbelief before agreeing with the slyest, sharpest grin ever. Why not? 

"I'll do it, sir." 

-

Soon after that Hordak signed Catra's hall pass and, for the lack of a better word, "threw" Catra out of his office, like a nasty parasite. "You leave this Friday, and I have no doubt that you'll be skipping the days leading up to that." He began to say as both of them stood up, and he handed her the pass. 

"Wise," Catra commented, her Cheshire-like smirk still plastered on her face. Hordak made a warning sound, which Catra wholly ignored. 

"So, at least attend the rest of your classes, Ms Weaver." The verbal reminder of her foster mother simply cemented the fact that she would not. A droning bell rang throughout the schools, which caused the students to leave from their classes and navigate to the very last one before lunch. "Go!" he snarled violently.

Catra wasn't even the least bit offended. Between Ms Weaver and just the general hate she received in her life from adults, she was used to being yelled at for no particular reason at all. "As you command, Sir," she states, melodramatically, exiting the room quickly after that.

Sidestepping out of the room and passing by Imp's desk, Catra wondered what she would do. She obviously was not going back to class; her dance classes only started a whole period after lunch, and she really wasn't in the mood for some far-thought out Physics that would no doubt go over her head. The young girl took out her ratty, barely working phone and well,  stolen  phone out of her back pocket, quickly drafting a message to Lonnie. 

To fuckin bitch-

Hey, loser. 

Wanna bunk? Under the bleachers?

As Catra started to make her way through the halls of the school, wondering what she'd do if Lonnie didn't answer, her phone pinged importantly, and a quiet, satisfied smirk spread over the girl's lips.

From fuckin bitch-

And you think I'm easy. 

Catra snorted playfully, arching her back against one of the lockers that no one was around.  Lonnie. She was so stupid sometimes.

To fuckin bitch-

Shut up and meet me there.

Her response was instant. 

From fuckin bitch-

Be there in 5. 

Catra slipped her phone back into her pocket, before covering her face with her crimson hood and leisurely strolling to the bleachers, making sure that she'd be making the girl wait way longer than she had to. The look on Lonnie's face would  definitely  be worth it.

-

The bleachers that Catra and Lonnie texted about aren't some typical bleachers that everyone in Horde Academy knew about. They would in no way not get caught if they just hopped under there and tried to be silent. Having silence was never a sure bet anyway, not with the two of them and what they got up to-

Just the thought of that, though Catra would never admit, not even at gunpoint, brought a blush to her face. Despite all her big talk, the only person Catra had gotten close to in  that way,  was Lonnie. And their relationship mainly blossomed because of puberty, hormones and close quarters. Catra was actually very shy when it came to things like romance and feelings. 

Though, she'd never let anyone know that.

The bleachers were a small enclosure-type place; hidden in the nook behind the dance studio where they all danced during the mornings and the later afternoons. And the area itself was always 100% empty after the mornings and before lunch; which made it the perfect spot for Catra and Lonnie to often bunk class. 

Catra sneaked into the enclosure by crawling under the rectangular broken gate that was made of steel. It was always a tight fit, but because of Catra's increased flexibility, it honestly was easy enough. She's about to spring herself free from the firm spot when she hears a droning, self-confident voice echo from the place in front of her. 

"You know you look like an actual cat when you do that right?" Lonnie snickers in front of her, blocking the ledge with which's help she usually gets free. Catra finds herself quipping back. "You know, sometimes I think my name and my life is just a cruel joke." Lonnie snorts before rolling her eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Your life is pathetic. Now, come on, get out from there. You're already late!" Lonnie complained without any actual bite behind her words, reaching out her arm so that she could hoist Catra up. 

"You know, late is early." Catra quipped, a playful smile licking at her lips, as she got to her feet, her fingers still intermingled with Lonnie's. 

"Is it now?" Lonnie asked lowly, fastening her grip on Catra's hand and letting her fingers be cemented in the spots between hers. Catra hummed in agreement before getting closer to Lonnie and running a few stray fingers through her loose brown hair. 

"Trying something new?" Catra asked before letting go for the few strands of hair she was holding onto. "I liked your braids." 

"You nearly scratched them out last night," Lonnie said, very matter-of-fact. "I thought I'd lessen the possibility of that happening," she said, smirking. Catra tugged on one of her loose ends of hair, causing the other girl to yelp. "Asshole," Catra comments with a sly smile.

"Takes one to know one, Catra," Lonnie said so lowly that the girl was pretty sure it was a whisper. Catra smirked. She knew what Lonnie's low voice meant. Whenever they snuck around, doing things that...well, they weren't supposed to, their voices would get quiet, vacant, just like whispers. 

Catra liked it. She took this opportunity to trail her fingers up Lonnie's neck so that she could push Lonnie towards her, ever so slightly and set off the next sequence of events as quickly as possible. 

Lonnie took the hint, her warm mouth enveloping Catra's as they turn into a mixture of warmth, tenderness and each other. They keep on kissing until kissing turns to touch, and when touching turns to it, Catra makes sure to close her eyes and let herself lose control. 

After all, this is the only way she ever knew how to. 

-

They both finish quickly; pun intended, Catra can't help but quip mentally to herself. Lonnie is off her as soon as possible as she usually is. Catra can't say that she really minds; despite doing this with Lonnie, on-again and off-again for two years; they never really talked about it after. They spoke about how bitchy Ms Weaver was or how hard the new dance that they had to learn was. But never about what they just did; about what they said-

It was easier that way. They both got a place to vent out their hormone-induced emotions with any complications like feelings or upsetting one another. They did a pretty good job at hiding it too and they usually only do this when they were bunking class together or at 'home' when everyone else was fast asleep and neither of them could. 

Catra wondered what Lonnie really thought of her sometimes. It couldn't be something genuinely vile and disgusting, right? Or else she wouldn't be doing this with her. But it probably wasn't anything grand either. Catra gnaws onto her bottom lip. 

The thought upsets her for some reason.

"Catra," Lonnie calls from the other side of the enclosure. She's sitting at her usual spot, having climbed up to the high edge of the building. It was a great place to smoke. Catra grinned at the sight. 

"Trying to do a repeat of the last time we were here?" Catra asked, reminding the girl of last month when the two girls got drunk; with Catra's secret stash; climbed up to the ledge and Lonnie fell off with a yelp, leaving her with an embarrassing scar on her left cheek. Lonnie's face grew red. 

"That was one time! Plus, I haven't chugged a whole can of beer this time, I'm golden!" she exclaimed comedically, waving her arms around, a carefree smirk on her face. "Come on, join me. The view's nice," she stated before turning her gaze towards it.

Catra shrugged, she wasn't the one who fell. And unlike Lonnie she had impeccable balance, thank you very much. "Fine. If you say so." Climbing up was almost too easy; sometimes she wonders if her birth parents gave her the name 'Catra' to torture her or just to indicate her she was secretly part-cat. 

The former was probably more likely, in all honesty. 

"What's this hubbub about the view?" she asked as she reached the edge of the building and settled down there with Lonnie. The girl just hummed in response. "Don't you think it's peaceful up here?" she questioned, gesturing to the view around them. 

"No responsibilities, no dancing or Weaver...just the sky and the clouds. It's pretty beautiful, don't you think." Lonnie said it more as a statement rather than a question, but Catra responded anyway.

"I guess it is. But I've never really thought about it." Catra admitted, leaning her head against the building's cement wall, mulling the concept over. "But you know what I think is beautiful?" Catra asked almost wickedly with a sharp grin on her face. 

"I'm afraid of the answer," Lonnie stated bluntly at which Catra casually flipped her finger, ignoring her otherwise. The girl snorted while waiting for Catra's reply. 

"Those dark, cold days like we had last week. With all that rain and darkness and kids running around and getting wet in the chaos of it all.." Catra starts with a certain chaotic gleam in her eyes when Lonnie groans loudly. "Shut up," she whines pleadingly, a distant look in her eyes. "Not my perfect day." 

"Destruction..." Catra continues with a shit-eating grin, truly joyed at the aspect of annoying Lonnie. "...terror, the works!" she exclaims as Lonnie throws a notebook at her which squarely hits her in the chest. "Ow!" she whines before tossing the journal back to the brown-haired girl. "What was that for?"

"Serves you right," Lonnie commented off-handedly to which Catra responds to with a stuck-out tongue before they both laugh and settle back into relative silence. 

That's when Catra remembered about Imp and Hordak and their conversation; she should probably clue Lonnie in, for her own sake at least. "So..." Catra begins. "Hordak summoned me to his sanctum today, did you hear?" 

Lonnie nodded. "Yeah, it was kinda hard to ignore Imp's droning voice. God, he is annoying." Catra groaned in agreement. 

"Isn't he, though? So, Hordak, after making me wait for 20 minutes, tells me that he's sending half a dozen students, including the both of us, to Brightmoon. 

Lonnie raised her eyebrows in question. "What, just like that? He can't do that!" Catra shrugged, not really knowing what to say in response. "Hordak does what Hordak wants. Also, our wonderful caretaker was involved in the process." Catra states with a look of disgust on her face. 

The other girl makes a retching sound. "Ugh, of course, she was. So, what's the plan anyway? We're just being sent there for..." Lonnie questioned to which Catra shrugged. 

"For the rest of this semester but I doubt they'd keep us for that long. Hordak said they wanna clear up the Horde's image." Both Lonnie and Catra snorted at that image; all the cleaning disinfectant in the world couldn't clear up all the nasty things that everyone thought about the Horde. 

Lonnie shrugs. "I mean, I don't really mind. We wouldn't have to stay with Weaver for a while." Catra couldn't help but agree, there were some perks to this whole Brightmoon thing. Free food, no Ms Weaver and a comfy bed.

"I guess so," Catra said musing when she suddenly remembers the other thing that Hordak wanted her to do, instantly bringing a sour look across her features. Lonnie noticed this. 

"Why the long face? You suddenly attached to Weaver and her ratty-ass food?" she asked, melodramatically causing Catra to giggle in that way of hers that she did when she actually found something funny. 

"No. Just Hordak wants me to get closer to one of the girls there and recruit her to Horde Academy," Catra told Lonnie whose face just kept on creasing in confusion. 

"Why you? It's not like you're particularly sociable..or nice." Lonnie chuckled to herself before Catra crawled to her side and poked the girl at the underside of her hip. "You're so rude. You're talking to me, aren't you?" she pointed out, albeit a bit obviously. 

Lonnie rolled her eyes. "Pickings are getting slim, what can I say?" she teased to which Catra replied with a very tactful "Fuck you." 

"Anyways." Catra continues, much to Lonnie's amusement, "Hordak said they'll actually take me nationals if I do this."

"And you believe him?"

"There was a pen and paper involved so yes. I believe Hordak." Catra informs her, before turning her gaze from Lonnie's face to the open blue sky. She was right, it was kind of beautiful. 

"Damn..who is this girl?" Lonnie asked, curiously with the same curiosity that Catra had since she really didn't know. 

Catra shrugged as she told her as much. "Beats me. Hordak says Weaver will tell me," she stopped suddenly, pausing for dramatic effect,  "when the time comes, Catra!"  pulling out her best Hordak impression. 

The two girls practically cackle with laughter, the topic of the mystery girl soon forgotten.

-

"Okay, one from time from the top everyone!" One of the teachers, Miss Hope, who was Mara's teaching assistant chimed in. 

"Everyone, please remember!" She whined vocally, making sure that all the students that were simply resting their eyes were still paying attention. "Bow, you need to make your moves more precise! You control your body, your body doesn't control you! Mermista and Perfuma, if I see your legs bent again, I'll straighten them myself. And Adora! I need to see graceful spin into a drop, not clumsy spin, clumsy drop. Got it?" 

The chorus of truly exhausted students replied back. "Yes, Miss Hope." in their dreary, uninspired voices of theirs. 

Bow quickly shuffled over to Adora to take his position. "Adora, where's Mara, again?" Bow was the never the type of guy to say anything negative about anyone, but Adora knew that he wasn't a fan of Miss Hope's classes; they were too fast-paced for him. 

"She still has that stomach virus, but she should be back to class by Monday," Adora replies dutifully while wiping off the sweat pooling on her forehead. She could hear her best friend groan, but it was no matter since Miss Hope's voice announced their start again, along with the music. "One, two. And a one, two, three, four, go!" 

The group of four; Adora, Bow, Mermista and Perfuma; movements went into full swing. As she let the rest of her classmates' moves float by her and let the music fly away and over her head, Adora worked on making sure this routine was perfect. It almost was, she knew it was. It was just that stupid drop that always messed her up. Mara had just started working on her with it when she managed to catch some silly stomach virus and was bedridden for a week. 

Adora knew that she was supposed to have this choreography done by now. Mara wouldn't always be there to coach her through it. So, she simply had to get this routine down flawlessly; maybe then Miss Hope would end this session and let them off for lunch a few minutes early. If not for her, for at least Bow's sake, the poor guy. 

Adora kept focus; raising her left upper thigh up before using the momentum it gave her to spin gracefully into Bow; who was also turning in the same way. They both met dramatically, bowing before each other, signalling the fact that they were both royalty as a part of the theme of their piece. 

After the bowing came the tricky part; the coupled dance that Adora and Bow had to do with Mermista and Perfuma respectively; their suitors at the ball. The lively, peaceful dance was to turn into a crime of passion in the end; with Bow, Mermista and Perfuma actually aiming to eliminate Adora as a plot-twist. This is what leads to the dreaded spin into a drop that Adora had been struggling with. 

As she twirled in Mermista's arms with a gleeful smile, as a part of the dance, she tried not to think about that dreaded spin and drop. Her anxiety started to get the best of her, her eyes darting around the room as Bow caught her eyes and mouthed a barely visible, "Calm down," to her.

Adora mentally decided to take his advice, turning her attention back to the dance and her movements, tactfully remembering to keep her legs exact as Perfuma slid her under her arm, to get her to the centre of the room where Perfuma, Mermista and Bow each take turn spinning her.  I need to use this momentum , Adora reminded herself,  to keep on spinning until I fall.

Which she did. Adora kept on spinning, dragging them out as far as possible before she saw the signal that she was supposed to fall, right here on the centre floor. She did so without letting her legs give off, holding that betrayed yet dismayed expression on her face until she heard Miss Hope clap her hands together. 

On hearing this revered sound, which meant that practice for this routine was finally over, at least for today and Adora was so relieved that she almost cried tears of happiness after allowing her legs to grow slack and tired. Propping herself up the elbows, she looked at Miss Hope and her still emotionless face. 

"Okay, a few notes." Miss Hope said which made Adora stomach practically turn in on herself. She really hoped that she had gotten the drop perfect this time or she was going to hit something very violently. Miss Hope cleared her throat. 

"Mermista, your legs were good this time, but I need to see that emotion of regret on your face when you realize what you've done. Perfuma, your legs still need work. Bow, adequate job on the control, keep it up. And Adora." she paused for a moment to look at the girl still lying on the floor. "Good job on the spin and drop. Also, get up and off the floor. You're dismissed." The woman said quickly before exiting the room. 

Exhausted cheers from the students exploded throughout the room the second she left, even from Adora as she stayed immobile on the floor, curled up on her side. 

"Uh..." Adora began to moan. "My body...hurts. Pain!" she exclaims, melodramatically before Bow bent down and offered her a hand so that she could get up. The girl gave him a grateful smile before taking his hand. "Thanks." she managed to get out before wordlessly taking the bottle of water he was offering her. 

He chuckled. "You're welcome. Now, come on. Let's get cleaned up before lunch so we can sit with Glimmer."

Adora enthusiastically agreed, grabbing her stuff and heading out of the backdoor with all the rest of her classmates, leaving behind the room of sweat and anguish. 

-

A shower did wonders for everyone; Adora included. By the time Adora has cleaned up and has changed back into her comfortable school uniform, she's just in time to meet Glimmer who were waiting for her at their table; where they'd always sit along with Bow and sometimes a few other of their classmates. 

"Hey, Glimmer!" Adora says, catching her sister's and best friend's attention which was currently plastered onto the girl's sparkly phone. The girl immediately looks up, and her face brightens up. "Hey, stranger! I didn't see you today, you left the house so early!" Glimmer pouted with the same whiny voice that she had ever since they were kids. 

Adora snorted. "Sorry, Miss Hope wanted me to get a head-start on the routine she taught Mermista, Perfuma and Bow today. Speaking of, where is Bow?" she questioned, cocking her head, looking for him. "He said he was already at the table."

Glimmer grinned widely. "Yeah, Bow was here. We played rock-paper-scissors for who had to get the lunch order today. Spoiler alert, I won!" she said confidently, pointing her thumb towards her puffed out chest. Adora shook her head at Glimmer, she had always been competitive since childhood. 

"Yeah, yeah, you're very macho at being the undefeated rock-paper-scissors champ!" Adora mocked playfully at which Glimmer stuck out her tongue at. Adora snorted; she was about to ask how Glimmer's day was when Bow appeared at the table with all their orders.

"Okay, I didn't do this cause I lost!" Bow exclaimed in that defensive voice of his. "I did it cause I'm nice!" he claimed as he distributed today's lunch, Thursday burgers; to the girls before sitting down next to Glimmer and grabbing his own. 

"Sure, you are, Bow." Glimmer mocked. "Sure, you are!" Bow only grinned widely at the short-haired girl in response as Adora giggled at their antics before digging deep into her burger, both her and Bow practically ravaging the meal.

"Woah, I forgot how hungry you guys get after learning a new routine!" Glimmer remarked before taking gracious bites out of her own burger. The only response that Adora could give her was delivered between messy swallows, followed by a rushed apology for her manners. Glimmer and Bow laughed, so Adora thinks she did something right, at least. 

"Anyway." Glimmer begins, "Since you weren't at breakfast, you missed the latest school gossip." At this proclamation, Bow snorts a little. "Gossip? I wasn't aware your mom was one to gossip."

"She's not," Adora confirmed while raising her eyebrows at Glimmer who waved both of her off. "Fine, gossip, news, whatever, you missed it! Do you wanna know or not?" Glimmer said impatiently with a mini-pout. 

Adora smiled kindly at Glimmer. "Go ahead, what did I miss?" Bow nodded along with her, wanting to know as well.

"Well, you know, Horde Academy?"

Adora made a horrified face. "The Evil Horde?" 

Glimmer scoffed. "That's just a stupid nickname that the press gave the academy after the principal got arrested for like a day."

"Arrested?" Bow echoed in shock. He wasn't really one to know scandalous things about other people unless told explicitly by someone, usually Glimmer and sometimes Adora, though she was generally as clueless as him. "What for?"

Glimmer squinted, as though, she was trying to remember. "Money laundering, assault, possession...I looked it up after Mom told me about their deal today morning." 

"Their deal?" Adora echoed disbelievably. "Mom and Dad are taking a deal with that Hordak guy?" Glimmer shrugged. "So they say. They say they want to bridge community relations between the students in both parts of Etheria. Dad used to go there, remember?" 

"Oh, right. Dad doesn't really like talking about it, does it?" Adora mused thoughtfully, thinking of the rare instances where her dad mentioned the Horde Academy. He went there until he was 18 and from what little he's said, it didn't sound like a pleasurable experience. 

"Yeah but I guess he realized it's not the kids' fault, right? He said he would have loved a program like what Dad and Mom thought up when he was our age!" Glimmer explains while popping a couple stray french fries in her mouth. 

"What is the program, anyway?" Bow asks, giving Adora a much-needed opportunity to take another bite of her burger. 

As Glimmer goes into explaining the program, Adora has to admit; it's a pretty sweet deal. Half a dozen kids or so from the Horde Academy, specifically the ones on scholarships or financial aid, will attend Brightmoon Boarding for a semester. Some will sing and dance while others will do tech and science stuff and some both. They get free accommodation and honestly, the opportunity of a lifetime. 

"I can't wait to meet them all!" Adora exclaims, Bow's overwhelming positivity rubbing off on her from time to time. "Sucks that we'll have to move into real dorms now though. And not even with each other but with random strangers we don't know." 

Glimmer shrugged her shoulders. "It was time. Besides, we'll still be a door down from each other. And we'll still see Mom and Dad every day in the halls. Just as a bonus, we don't have to do chores anymore!" Glimmer says happily, fist-bumping the air. 

Adora snorted. "If you say so." From there, the conversation changed as Bow asked Glimmer how her day went, and she launched into this story about her new chemistry teacher. As Glimmer recounts the story and they all laugh in amusement, Adora can't help but wonder what kind of person she would end up with as a roommate. 

-

It was the night before they left for Brightmoon Boarding and Catra had just started packing. 

Much to Hordak's accuracy, Catra had skipped the two days leading up to today; opting to instead sneak around the Fright Zone and hanging out with a few other unsavoury characters, drinking and sometimes smoking. It was a blur of a couple of days if she was honest, but it was fun; her last few days off before Brightmoon, she quipped to Scorpia and Entrapta who were beside her all the while.

Beside hers and Lonnie's relationship under the sheets, they didn't really treat each other as friends outside of that, ignoring and feigning annoyance mostly. Sometimes it was genuine annoyance which would usually then culminate that night in Catra's bedroom. But they weren't friends. 

Catra didn't really have friends either, not until she met Scorpia and Entrapta at Horde Academy.  I guess that place was good for something , she mused from time to time. Scorpia was a lovable sweetheart, someone that everybody loved, even Mrs Octavia. And Mrs Octavia hated everything and everyone. She was in the Arts' program just like Catra, and they were often paired together for duets. 

Entrapta was a nerdy tech geek, opting to spend most of her time blowing things up and creating superficial A.I to help her friends. She wasn't really good at feelings or emotions or even just people either, kind of like Catra, opting to instead focus all of her on tech. However, step-by-step, with Scorpia's warm hugs and Catra's reluctant support, she was getting better at it. 

And even though, Catra would never admit to their faces, the two of them, with their goofy anecdotes and friendly reassurances, they had really changed her life in a good way.

And Catra would rather die at gunpoint than let them know that. 

Now, she was here, bent over a small red suitcase, trying to think of things that she'd need in Brightmoon. And honestly, Catra had no idea what to take, she had never packed before in her life. 

It's not like she had a lot of personal belongings. All her photos that she had were on her phone, and she always kept the friendship bracelets that Scorpia gave her in her backpack anyway, though she'd never let the girl know that. Brightmoon was supplying her with new books and the other things she may need; including that god-awful school uniform.

Her clothes didn't take up that much place, and neither did her dance gear; Ms Weaver never gave her enough money to afford the good stuff anyway; she pretty much wore hand-me-downs or clothes that she got at goodwill. The few times that Catra got the type of clothes she likes and ones that actually fit her, she had to shoplift it herself or nab it from others' people's bin; despite Scorpia chastising her. 

"It's not like I'm stealing from people like us!" Catra would often say, waving the taller girl off. "It's just from those rich, popular girls that have ten of the same top." 

Scorpia didn't really have a response to that, just changing the subject and quietly enjoying her best friend's happiness, as she spun around in her new, shiny clothes. 

Ms Weaver never even noticed that the clothes she was wearing weren't the ones she had gotten the young girl. But, after all, Ms Weaver never really noticed Catra at all, unless she needed something from here. 

"Catra!" That shrill, irritating voice echoed through the room suddenly, causing the girl to jump at this sudden intrusion and yelp. 

"Ah! God, make a noise! You scared me, Weaver!" Catra hissed furiously at her, bracing her teeth in anger. Ms Weaver narrowed her eyes annoyingly before stepping closer to Catra and tightening her grasp on the girl's hand firmly. 

"It's Ms Weaver to you, Catra! Just because I've given preferential treatment to you in the past doesn't mean you can disrespect me. Tread wisely, girl." As she went on her spiel, her grasp got on Catra got tighter and tighter, digging even her fingernails into the girl's forearm. Catra gasped audibly as she felt nail pierce her supple skin. 

"Stop!" Catra screeched, at which Ms Weaver simply loosened her grasp, not letting go entirely. "I understand, Ms Weaver," Catra said, hating how small and weak her voice sounded. 

Ms Weaver lets her forearm go, resting her arms down her sides instead. "Very good. I'm here to elaborate to you about your stay at Brightmoon." Catra spares a quick glance at Ms Weaver's face before rubbing her left arm sorely. 

"I've already been informed," Catra tells her, her voice sharp. "Hordak brought me to his office and told me personally. And plus, I got the email at lunch like everyone else too." Catra scoffed mentally; it was just like the Horde to deliver the news that they were to be transferred to another school. "Very in-depth and personal," she says neutrally, trying not to anger her caretaker again. 

"It was a very throughout email." Ms Weaver informs her icily. "And I'm here about your specific task, that one that Mr Hordak mentioned. Unless you already forgot?" she asked, her lips twisting into a cruel smile. 

Catra looked up at Ms Weaver, her face screwed up in irritation. She had, but that was none of Weaver's business as usual. "No, I didn't." she lied while biting the inside of her cheek. Catra turned back to her open suitcase and continued stuffing clothes into it. "So, what about it?"

Ms Weaver tossed a thin, brown file onto Catra's bed. "All the information about the girl should be in there," she said, pausing to think. "The girl's a great asset to Brightmoon. She came onto the scene late, when she was about thirteen and didn't win until she was fourteen. Since then, she's had two very successful seasons. She's won many county titles and won at nationals twice, in three different categories." Ms Weaver droned on, giving the girl a bunch of statistical information. 

"So? Sure, she's talented, but what makes her so special?" Catra aked dismissively, closing up her small suitcase before plopping down her on the bed and holding the unopened file in her hands. 

There was an unsettling gleam in Ms Weaver's red eyes. "She's also the adopted daughter of Angella and Micah Brightmoon; which will make it all the more devasting when we take her away from them." 

Catra snorted. Of course, the girl was. This girl had everything going for her; wealthy parents, talent and probably more than enough friends than she needed; it was going to be a joy messing with these girl's head. Catra opened up the file, skimming over the bare contents. 

Really? Her name is Adora? 

I mean, it's not like she had much wiggle room, her name was  Catra.  But still, Adora? Was there ever another way that indicated that she was a spoiled, rich kid? 

"I'll leave you to it. I expect you to report back to me daily." Ms Weaver informed her as Catra mentally scoffed. Yeah, that was not happening, Catra was seriously considering just blocking the vindictive woman's number as soon as she left. 

"Of course, Ms Weaver," Catra replied and well, lied dutifully anyway. It was easier to just agree with whatever the woman said, it made the process go by much quicker. 

Ms Weaver surveyed her face for a moment, as though looking for any flaw or blemish to question and critique. "Alright. Don't forget to do your chores before going to bed."

Catra didn't care to respond just rolling her eyes instead; just like Weaver to give her a ton of new chores to do before she has to go; classic. As Ms Weaver leaves, Catra can't help but look through the Brightmoon girl's file once again. 

Catra scanned her eyes throughout the pages critically, looking for any imperfection, anything that would make Adora just a little more human and less...well, perfect. 

Nothing. 

At the very last page, there are two pictures included; one's just a headshot of hers, and one's a picture of her with her family and friends. Catra picks up the first picture; the one of only the girl; Adora. Catra frowns as she examines it. 

Who was this girl really? Under all that airy smile and glassy, blue eyes? What did she think about when she went to sleep? What was her passion?

Catra thought to herself, that if she could, she should find out. 

Just as a side-goal or something. 

-

It was absolutely an ungodly hour when Catra and the rest of her foster siblings; Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle; were awoken by one demonic caretaker, Ms Weaver herself.

"Six AM shouldn't even be considered as a time," Catra mutters murderously to Lonnie as they were both in the line for the bathroom. Kyle had somehow snuck into it before everyone else, including Weaver, woke up. And, of course, he gave first dibs to Rogelio, the asshole. 

Which left Catra and Lonnie standing in line for the toilet before they had to get to Brightmoon. And neither of them were in a mood to be kept waiting. Lonnie started pounding on the door violently, practically screeching. "Rogelio, if you don't get out of here soon, I will murder you!" 

Catra was almost scared of the girl; her eyes were red, and there was something ragged and black smudged under her eyes. 

Well, 'almost' being the key-word. Catra smirked. "Rough night?" she asked in a whisper, her canary-like grin earning her a harsh jab to the stomach. "Ow! I didn't do anything!"

"You know very well I didn't get any sleep last night!" Lonnie hissed under her breath to which Catra shrugged. 

"I thought you said you weren't tired!" The girl protested before leaning against the wall, rubbing her eyes together. She really hasn't gotten enough sleep either but probably more than Lonnie did. 

Lonnie joined her, leaning against the same, letting their shoulders touch. "Well, I am now, aren't I?" she pointed out sleepily before letting out a huge yawn and resting her head on Catra's shoulder.

Catra immediately stiffened up; probably because she was way more lucid than Lonnie right now and also because they didn't do this kind of stuff. They didn't just have casual discussions about sleep while waiting for the bathroom, and they definitely didn't get this close and intimate with each other, where other people could see. Thoughts about Ms Weaver and all the times that she had almost caught them together and the fear that came along with it surrounded her mind, causing her to pull out her shoulder from under Lonnie's head, causing the girl to yelp suddenly. 

"What was that for?" Lonnie demanded, angry and understandably so. She's about to yell at Catra some more before she met Catra's eyes and saw the edges of her cheek; all light and rosy. 

"Oh." Lonnie breathes, realizing what she had done and feeling her cheeks blush as well. 

Catra is about to say something to defuse the situation like, "It's fine, don't worry." or even just tease her and try to make the whole conversation less tense and climatic when Rogelio suddenly opens the bathroom door and Lonnie barges in, shoving the boy to the side with a rude, "Move!"

Catra almost misses the feeling of the girl's head on her shoulder as she waits for Lonnie to be done, feeling an odd tingling sensation penetrate her skin. 

-

Catra barely gets enough time to have a shower and eat before Ms Weaver forces all of them out of the house. As they all gather on the porch of the house, the woman gives them a brief speech. 

"All of you have been handpicked by Mr Hordak to attend Brightmoon Boarding. This is an event of immense importance that you all do not honest. Mess this up and trust me, on your return, you will reap the consequences." she ends grimly with what Catra thinks is pure evil in her eyes. 

The True Witch of all Shadows and Evil,  Catra recalls, remembering the nickname that Lonnie gave her one time. Catra snorts quietly, looking over to see if Lonnie is thinking of the same thing before frowning and seeing that the girl is instead staring at the floor. 

"Now, go. The bus will pull up the entrance of the Horde in ten minutes." Ms Weaver informs them dismissively before going back into the house with no goodbye of any sort. 

Catra hears Rogelio whisper, "Good riddance," under his breath and Catra probably would have joined in with a few choice words herself if she wasn't trying to catch a glimpse of Lonnie who was already trudging out into the street. 

Catra is about to walk up to her, damned whatever Kyle and Rogelio think when Entrapta's lively voice creeps up on her. "Catra!" Her surprise allows Scorpia to wrap the short girl in a warm, crushing hug. "Scorpia, we just saw each other yesterday!" Catra protested, not noticing Lonnie's scarce glance her way. 

Lonnie doesn't stare for long after that. 

-

After all the Horde students, all seven of them, including a new admission that Catra didn't really know, pile into the bus, the journey to Brightmoon Boarding goes by quite smoothly. 

Lonnie falls asleep quickly, her headphones playing relaxing music into her ears. Kyle and Rogelio stick to each other like glue, as usual, talking and whispering about whatever they always did. Entrapta and Scorpia chatted and gossiped livelily, trying to include the new admission; a student named Double Trouble who dressed in all green; with Catra chiming in here and there. Catra mainly just looked out of the window and sometimes let her gaze wander to Lonnie and her peaceful, sleeping face. 

Eventually, Catra fell asleep, her thoughts filled with the prospect of her new roommate, what Lonnie thought of her and everything else in the between as the bus drives them to the elusive Brightmoon, hours and hours away from the Frightzone and the Horde. 

Catra wakes up three hours later, just a couple minutes before they foray into the exquisite and prestigious boarding school that they were going to be staying for God knows how long. Catra gives a fond glance to both Scorpia and Entrapta who are 'ooh-ing' and 'ahh-ing' to the large and vivid campus. She lets her gaze fall on Lonnie once again, who's now awake, her eyes tinged with curiosity and mischief; it makes her smile, even though the brunette doesn't notice her. 

The bus stops suddenly, right at the foot of the entrance, with the pearl-coated and shiny doors suddenly opening wide open for them, along with the bus door opening as well. 

All the Fright Zone kids are caught off-guard, not really knowing what to do before Catra decided to dust herself off and grin widely. "Well," she starts innocently enough. "Let's give them hell." 

Encouraged by the cheers of her fellow Horde Academy classmates, Catra marches out of the bus, friends by her side and only one thought in her head. 

Where are you, Adora?

-

Adora's parents were so excited by this new initiative that they cancelled classes on Friday, giving the Brightmoon kids a long weekend and a chance to welcome the new exchange students. Adora really had never seen her dad was nervous and excited at the same time, which Micah told her as much as they walked through the halls together; Glimmer helping Angella arrange the class schedules. 

"Why are you so nervous, Dad?" Adora asked carefully, not really sure how to broach the subject. Micah considered his daughter's words carefully. 

"I was like them too, you know? I wasn't exactly from the Fright Zone, but I was still an orphan and your aunt and I were raised in the same orphanage as some of these kids are," he admitted, albeit a bit shamefully. 

"Really?" Adora questioned, curiosity really seeping into her now. There was so much about her father that she just didn't know. "You think you have similarities with those kids? I mean, were you raised by the same person?" she asked as Micah's movements stilled, grabbing onto his daughter's shoulder for comfort. 

"Dad!" Adora said suddenly, worrying if she had said something wrong. "Are you okay?" Micah shook his head before giving her a small smile. "Don't worry, everything's fine, Adora. But yes," he said shortly, narrowing his eyes like he was reliving a memory. "We were raised by the same person. And I-" he spared a quick glance to his daughter. "I am going to make sure that they never have to go back to her." 

Adora's eyes softened; only now did she understand her father's deep connection to this program and especially to these kids that didn't even know yet. "I know you are, Dad," Adora said kindly, smiling up at him with a relaxed smile. 

They both stayed like that, smiling up at each other, for a moment before Micah told her that they should probably get to Angella and start helping out. Adora couldn't help but agree. 

-

By the time, the two of them got there, the kids were gathered there, massing in a large, clustered group. Seeing her dad's plan go into action, especially after hearing why it was so important, made Adora's chest swell with pride and responsibility. She had to make sure things go exactly as planned, for Dad, at least. 

Angella started to address the students after a few moments. "Welcome to Brightmoon Boarding! It is truly an honour to have you all here with us. I hope you're as thrilled to be here as we are to have you!" As her mom continued her speech, listing all the formalities and the agreement that they had made with the Horde, Adora scanned the crowd and studied her future classmates. 

"Here, at Brightmoon Boarding, you'll have opportunities to truly gage the things that your future life has to offer and truly experience life in the fullest." Angella continued, her voice gaining momentum, word by word. Adora finds that most of the faces are friendly, bound with incredulous and joyful smiles. A girl with the most majestic purple hair she has ever seen brightens up as soon as Angella mentions their tech facilities. Another girl with short, white hair is smiling throughout the whole speech. A boy with standard blond hair is grinning widely while looking around the lavish entrance. The rest are just curious and cooly taking in their surroundings with an intrigued look on their faces.

Well, all but one girl. This one girl is standing with her arms crossed across her chest with a frown on her face. And now, Adora has to admit. 

She's never seen a girl quite as breathtaking as this one. From where Adora's standing, she can't quite spot every inch and crevice of hers, but she has a pretty good idea, standing right here. First off, her skin is a gorgeous shade of honey brown, like the colour of a crisp leaf on a late Autumn day. It stays that way all the way down, right from her forehead to the spare bit of skin right at her ankles. She also has a patch of freckles right under her eyes which happen to be heterochromatic, something Adora thought only existed in storybooks; with one blue eye and one yellow. 

It's no surprise that Adora is staring really. Honestly, she's more surprised that no one else is. How could it be that Adora was the only one in all of Brightmoon with working eyes? Why was it that no one else here could see how absolutely gorgeous she was? Adora was staring, and she was staring intently, so she shouldn't be surprised when the girl  notices her staring . 

Adora is literally frozen stiff when the girl turns her head around and looks at her. What was she going to do? Flip her the middle finger? Switch places with her friend? Or report her to the principal, Adora's literal mother? The blonde girl wanted to curl up into a little ball of regret and shame and never come out. Why did she do this? What would the girl think of her?

But, to her absolute relief, she does none of those things. All she does is lock Adora with a piercing look, her lips curling into a joyful smirk. And then the unimaginable happens. 

She winks. 

She winks in the cutest way possible; all quick and wise, so fast that Adora's not even sure it happened. But, of course, it happened. There was really no other explanation to why Adora's face was growing so red and why she felt like her legs were collapsing in on themselves. Adora immediately drags her gaze away from the girl, instead, trying to focus on the speech that her mother, (oh god, her mother was still here) was passionately giving. 

A few moments later, Adora checks on the girl again. She's now entirely focused on Angella's speech with a shameless grin on her face, wide from ear to ear. 

Adora pressed her lips together, trying to compress a goofy smile.  At least I made her smile,  she can't help but think to herself. 

-

Unfortunately, unlike Glimmer, Adora wasn't given the job of showing the exchange students around. Instead, she gets stuck with decorating the hall for a welcome party later tonight, along with Perfuma, Bow and Starla. 

Which is fine. But, it just means that Adora won't get to see that pretty girl again, at least not up close and personal. Adora's sure she'll see her around the school, in fact, she makes a point that she will, later at the dance tonight. 

She just wished she could get to see her a little sooner-

"Adora!" Starla interrupted her messy bundle of thoughts suddenly. "It's been so long!" 

Adora manages to smile, pushing the gorgeous girl away from her mind for a moment, taking in the girl who she hadn't see in almost a full year. "Starla! Now, where have you been?" 

Starla waved her off, running a hand through her messy yellow hair, trying to flatten it down. "You know how Jewelstar and Tallstar are! Always travelling and hopping from one country to the next! They're in Argentina right now." Starla informed her while helping her hang out a purple coloured banner up. 

"Are you actually gonna stay at Brightmoon this time?" Adora teased, bringing back the time that Starla skipped her ballet practical to backpacking with her siblings in the Indes. Starla flushed red. "That was one time! And besides, I've made them promise to let me finish my schoolyear this time. No impromptu road trips." Starla promised, placing her palm on her chest. "Hand on heart and all."

Adora chuckled. "You're such a dork, Starla." to which Starla just shrugged before walking back to the decorations table with Adora, who was becoming increasingly distracted. "You okay, Adora?" she asked, in a somewhat serious tone. 

"Of course!" Adora reassured, placing a comforting on Starla's shoulder. "I'm fine, I'm just thinking about...stuff! I'll be fine!"

Update from a few hours later; Adora was not okay. 

After having finished doing the decorations for the dance while catching up with Starla and chatting with Perfuma and Bow, she was walking back to her dorm room; which she just moved into; her thoughts now full of that girl who she saw in the morning. 

She wondered a lot of things about her; what was her story, was she a dancer like Adora? Was she as beautiful closeup? And finally, what was her name?

Adora tried to push all the incessant and personal questions far away from her mind as she came closer to the dorms,. Instead, she started wondering who her dormmate was going to be; out of the girls from the girls she saw during Angella's speech, the one with the luscious purple hair looked the most interesting. But even then, the one with that short platinum blonde hair looked cool too.

Adora stops as soon as she reached her dorm room, seeing a new name plastered on the door along with hers. 

Catra.

Adora couldn't help but snort as she swung the open. Who in the hell would decide to name their kid Catra? It was-

"Hey, Adora." A sly, smug sounding voice echoed throughout the dorm room. There on the previously vacant bed was her. Adora's roommate. The girl who she was now destined to spend the rest of the semester being unbearably close to. 

Adora's mouth dropped agape. She couldn't believe her eyes or her luck.

It was her. 

Chapter Text

Catra knew it the instant that someone was staring at her.

It wasn't hard to figure out; just like Catra said before; she was sharp and alert at the best of times. She had to be; to survive and find a place for herself at Ms Weaver's home; you had to make sure you were better, quicker than anyone else. No one was going to save a seat at the table for you or keep your dinner warm. It was everybody for themselves, in the world and otherwise. 

Even after Ms Weaver chose a select number of kids to adopt and 'take care of officially; which was a lax term if we're honest; she still made sure you had to earn your keep to save your place. Even though Catra had a little bit of leverage with her dancing competition money, keeping Ms Weaver out of the black, she still knew the rules. Step an inch out of line, and it's back to the over-crowded, underfunded orphanage for you.

The young girl learned to use this alertness of hers to her advantage; this way, she was always alert and aware of everything happening around her; especially in enemy territory. Maybe 'enemy territory' was a bit of the stretch; Brightmoon certainly didn't meet the criteria. It was an illuminant place with high ceilings and elegant artistry all around them, but then again, Catra had never been one to keep her guard down. 

She remembers looking at the group of Horde Academy students that came along with her to Brightmoon; most of their faces smitten with adoration and infatuation for the place. Catra can't say that she could blame them; even she couldn't stop and admire the decadent entranceway, her mouth turning slightly agape; but still. This was no time to relax, after all, she was here for a different reason; one more vile and sinister than the others. 

She watched as her expression stayed the same as Lonnie's, Rogelio's and even the new student's one; their name was Double Trouble, Catra mused silently. It appears she was not the only one trying to keep their guard up, for whatever reason it may be. 

And apparently, Catra had kept her guard up for an excellent reason. She could practically feel someone's eyes burning a hole in the back of her skull. It pissed her off; who the hell was looking at her and why?  I swear if it's some creepy guy, I'm going to get suspended so fast-  Catra thought as she quickly averted her eyes from the speech one of the principal's of Brightmoon was giving.  Leave it to Weaver to make sure my first interaction in this school is-

Oh.

It wasn't a creepy guy; not in the slightest. It was actually a quite cute girl; someone whose whole clothes and demeanour just pointed to the fact that she had clearly never struggled in her life. Everything about her screamed spoiled and perky; not snobby though which was a welcome change from the usual look she'd see from girls who looked like her. Her skin looked like smooth porcelain, and Catra thinks she had never seen bluer eyes in her life- that's when the girl makes the connection. 

She fit the description; pale skin, a blonde girl, blue eyes and standing so close to the principals of Brightmoon. Catra smirked to herself, looking at the girl's guilt-stricken expression.  So, this is Adora Bright. 

God, that's a dumb last name. 

Catra knew she didn't need to start her task already; hell she knew that once Catra was here and out of Weaver's and Hordak's grasp, the girl didn't need to do anything, and even so, Catra hadn't decided if she was going to do something. But, there was just something about the girl's face and how embarrassed she was that she was caught. 

She was staring at me,  Catra realized as her smirk grew even more prominent, mischief highlighted in her eyes. And honestly, could you really blame Catra when she took this opportunity to fluster a rich, pretty girl who clearly thought there was something quite poignant about Catra's face. Joy bubbled into Catra's features as she quickly winked at the girl, turning the girl into a nervous wreck before going back to the speech that the principal was giving.

She had to admit that she couldn't help but let a wide grin spread throughout her face; her ego growing ever so slightly. Unlike the persona that Catra depended on, she wasn't used to people noticing her, not like that. Catra wasn't one of those cliché, good-for-nothing girls who didn't know she was 'beautiful', of course, she wasn't completely clueless. She knew that something was striking about herself with her bi-coloured eyes, sharp jawline and umber skin tone. She knew she caught eyes, but most people didn't keep looking, her unpleasant expression on her scaring most people off. 

It was nice to see someone who wasn't completely scared off. Well, until Catra purposefully scared Adora off. 

Still, Catra couldn't help but enjoy the warm feeling starting to settle in her tight chest, feeling her chest loosen up very slightly, and her breathing becomes less staggered and more relaxed.  

-

Instead of giving the Horde exchange students a lengthy speech, detailing all the things that they have to do and the things that are prohibited, Mrs Angella Bright concluded her speech quick enough, saying that all the other rules and regulations that they had to abide by would be related to them by the student representatives. 

"We know things run differently here and it's a large change from Horde Academy," she said sharply, her eyes scanning the crowd intrusively. "But we also know that many of you don't appreciate our authority as the 'adults' and we understand that quite well to be honest. So, please feel free to take up your grievances with the appointed student representatives." With this, Mrs Angella gestured to the excitable girl next to her, who was practically bursting in anticipation. 

"Glimmer Bright will be your head student representative. She will be in charge of any problems and questions you may have. She will also be giving you a tour of Brightmoon and showing you to your dorms. Ms Bright will be explaining the rest." she said formally without offering even a look towards the other girl; Catra hummed silently to herself as she saw Glimmer's face crease in rejection.

The seeds of conflict. 

The girl's face almost instantly changes and lights up as the principal and her mother steps away from the centre of the room, as she rushes to take her spot. "Alright!" The girl's energetic voice boomed throughout the room so loudly it made Catra wince. "As Mrs Bright said, I'm Glimmer Bright. I'm going to be your head student representative. I will be joining some of you in the Cultural and Science intensives." 

Glimmer continues, "This weekend has basically been designed so that all of you can become acquainted with not only Brightmoon and the staff, but to the other students, as well. Remember, even though your semester at Brightmoon is meant for your own cultural and educational enrichment, this weekend, it's time for you to relax and enjoy yourselves a bit." Catra narrowed her eyes at this. Relax? Enjoy yourselves? She didn't know how much this girl or even her fellow students knew about this program, but she knew one thing.

There was absolutely nothing to enjoy here. The only reason Catra, fuck, any one of them were here, was to take out the competition. 

And as fast as Catra's guard had been taken down by a pretty girl with sparkling blue eyes, it was put up again by just a few simple words. 

"Now, if you'll follow me." The girl is still saying something as her eyes glint in excitement. "Welcome to Brightmoon, officially!"

-

Catra didn't know what Brightmoon was trying to pull. 

There had to be something; no one could be so selflessly kind, and no place could be so magical; without an ugly secret behind it. The more and more Catra forayed through the school, with the way too talkative and excitable girl leading her and everyone else  (what was her name? Glitter? Sparkles?)  on the most extensive tour ever. 

"Brightmoon Boarding wasn't always a school for high schoolers! It used to be a very prestigious, very high-scale college for well...trust-fund babies and other people of the like. That was the college run by Mrs Bright's parents and when they suddenly decided to retire, and they gave this property to her...well she decided she wanted to be different!" Sparkles gushed emotionally as they walked down a long, narrow hallway, the walls filled with portraits of not only the Bright family but all the students that had attended the school since the establishment of it. 

Catra idly wondered if any of the Horde students would stick around long enough for them to take part in that sea of smiling, bliss faces. 

"So, her and along with Mr Micah Bright decided to found this school for the sole purpose that kids like us, would be able to have a well-rounded experience!" The girl exclaimed, gesturing to herself and the group in front of her. Catra had to scoff; this girl really was naive, wasn't she? 

This scoff somehow echoed throughout the empty hall, causing everyone in the group to chuckle humourlessly. No one who knew Catra would expect any less; Catra was always the first one to point out something's irony or make a sarcastic comment. "Classic Catra!" Scorpia exclaimed before wrapping an arm around the shorter girl's shoulder. "That's our wildcat!" Scorpia smiled widely at Sparkles whose face was fixed into an irritated scowl, sent Catra's way. 

"Right!" Sparkles exclaimed once again, trying to return to her previous cheery demeanour. Catra didn't fall for it. 

"Log 23 upon entrance of Brightmoon!" Entrapta chirped joyfully as she made her way to Catra's side before poking at her hands and face mechanically, despite the girl's furious protests. "Entrapta, what do you think you're doing?" Catra hissed furiously, swatting the girl away while screwing up her face. 

Entrapta is non-plussed at this; either used to the girl's behaviour or not caring about it in general; she's known in the Horde as the intrusive girl who has no respect for personal space and has gotten in trouble in some many times for intruding Hordak's sanctum or the teacher's lounge, landing her in hour-long detentions. That's actually how Catra got to know her, unsurprisingly enough. 

"Subject #4 shows resistance to new surroundings. This is compatible with previous experiments conducted with the subject. She also has a history of general rudeness as a result of a disturbing and stressful childhood." she says in a way that makes it sound like general knowledge.

Catra barred her teeth. "I didn't have- okay, whatever! I'm going to murder you," she seethed in between her teeth, her eyes practically popping out her skull. Entrapta thought about this for a moment, her forehead creasing in thought. 

"Negative!" she suddenly exclaims before rushing over to stop Catra in her tracks. "Ah!" Catra practically squeaked out before stomping her feet. "Entrapta, let me go!"

"You often mutter statements, mainly of violence of hatred, but from extensive research, I've concluded that you use this to hide your real emotions, like joy, sadness, frustration, love, as a coping mechanism. So, the only reason you stated you'd murder me is that you're either frustrated with our new school or because you love me as a friend!" Entrapta said triumphantly before moving to Scorpia's side, whose eyes were filled with joy. 

"I knew you loved me, wildcat!" Scorpia exclaimed cheerfully, her arms embracing Catra in a tight hug. Catra groaned loudly, quickly escaping from the girl's almost suffocating embrace. 

"I hate you both so much." The girl mumbled, walking away from both Scorpia and Entrapta, hearing their statements of: "I love you too!" and "Science never lies!" followed by the beginnings of her next recording, "Subject #8. is acclimating quickly.." fade away as she walks to the front of the group of students. 

Catra spots Lonnie close to the edge of the group and eyes her warily. They still hadn't talked since that morning, not even to squabble like they usually did. The girl still didn't understand why Lonnie had been so affected by this; it's not like Catra had initiated anything! And honestly, it was quite irritating. Catra furrowed her eyebrows before moving to the spot next to Lonnie, walking next to her silently. 

Lonnie stopped, her eyes narrowed at the other girl sharply. "Catra." Her words were muttered almost violently, and Catra recognized the familiar look of fury on the girl's face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she muttered before starting to walk again. 

Catra shrugged before following Lonnie, skipping up to match her pace, "I'm walking, idiot." Her words are blunt and mocking as she rolls her eyes. "But I wasn't aware you needed a play-by-play of my every move,  Lonnie ." Catra elongates her pronunciation of the girl's name, flicking her tongue out in the way she knew irritated the girl. 

The girl stared at her, unassumed, as Sparkles continued on her spiel of praising Brightmoon. Catra probably should have paid attention; there probably was something important in all the drivel that the annoyingly perky girl was spewing; but as usual, Catra couldn't bring herself to care. She could always just ask Scorpia, hell even Entrapta, she probably recorded all her thoughts throughout all of the girl's blabbering. 

"What do you want?" Lonnie asks softly after a beat, something conflicting reflecting in her eyes. 

Catra stiffened before she cleared her throat with an abrupt cough. "I want to walk," she says so simply that Catra feels stupid using that as an excuse to be close to Lonnie. "And also, Scorpia and Entrapta are driving me up the wall, and you're the only other viable option." 

Lonnie snorts at this, and Catra feels triumphant when she sees a small grin pass over the girl's face. "What, you don't want to hang lovey-dovey Kyle and Rogelio?" To this, Catra makes a retching sound, screwing up her face rudely. 

"I'd literally do anything else." Catra deadpanned with a grave look on her face, making Lonnie chuckle lowly before she looked at her with an endearing expression. 

"I still can't stand you, asshole," Lonnie says, a scornful look on her face, her endearing expression gone as fast as it came. 

Catra scoffs before she averts her gaze to look at Sparkles and the rest of her classmates; this hallway is coming to an end, and she can already see a bend to the next one; she sees Sparkles continuing to blabber about whatever but can't bring herself to care. 

She moves a little closer to Lonnie. 

"The feeling's mutual." And Catra tries so hard to hide the endearment, the want, the affection, in her voice that it hurts. 

-

The rest of the tour through Brightmoon is pretty uneventful. Sparkles show them everything, and by everything, Catra means everything.

Considering that Sparkles' parents owned and ran this place, she knew this place really well. She showed them every hallway, every classroom, every laboratory (which Entrapta nearly snuck into before Scorpia caught her) and every dance studio (which Catra had to keep herself from going crazy over. Instead, she made a quip about how 'sparkly' it was, making everyone laugh and made Sparkles shoot her a death glare.)

Catra didn't really mind getting on Sparkles' wrong side; she had been around too many girls like her. The ones with a perfect life and anything else they could dream of, the ones that never had to struggle a single day of their lives. Catra detested people like that; especially the ones like her who definitely only got in because of her parents. 

So, yeah, Catra really fucking enjoyed messing with her. 

"Okay!" Sparkles exclaimed brightly, her eyes gleaming with cheerfulness. "And last but not least, here are the dorms!' she says with a natural smile as they turn onto a right corner to see a bunch of dorms, hidden behind pearly and opaline doors. 

"As apart of this year's Brightmoon-Horde exchange program, each of you will be roomed with another Brightmoon student. You can use this opportunity to get to know us better and learn more about what we do here at Brightmoon!" Sparkles continue energetically, waving her arms around.

Catra rolls her eyes. God, all the people here were so energetic and peppy, she didn't get how they stayed this cheerful and positive all the time. How did they do it?

"Weed. A bunch of Weed." Lonnie says suddenly, snapping Catra out of her thoughts suddenly. When the girl stared at her, she rolls her eyes. "You were thinking out loud, asshole."  Oh, shit. 

Catra and Lonnie stare at each other for a moment, their eyes catching each other before bursting out in a combination of laughs and snorts, grabbing everyone's attention. 

"Oh! Oh!" Entrapta perks up as she notices the both of them and sprints over to them, "Subject #4 and Subject #1 are experiencing uncontrollable laughter over something. This is unusual since they usually hate each other! What is the magnificent thing the two of you are bonding over?" Entrapta asked, fascinated by the two of them like they were an experiment. 

They looked at each other in unison with mock seriousness before bursting out in laughter again, causing everyone to burst out into their own chuckles, except Entrapta, who needed an answer and Glimmer who didn't know what was going on.

"Weed." Catra whispers ceremonially, her words softer than a whisper. 

This time, the entire hallway bursts out in almost maniacally loud laughter, Catra and Lonnie howling the loudest of them all. Catra scans the crowd proudly; even Entrapta had stepped away from recorder for a moment to give out a sharp giggle. And if Catra wasn't mistaken, wasn't that all severe and joyful Ms Sparkles herself, letting out a few good-humoured laughs herself. 

Huh,  Catra couldn't help but think to herself. Maybe these Brightmoon people did have a soul. 

-

Their tour concluded shortly after that; Sparkles leaving them with the news that a surprise was being prepared for them. 

"The rest of the student representatives have been working hard on this surprise, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did making it!" Sparkles exclaimed with a gleaming smile. "Here's where I leave you, guys! I hope you enjoyed the tour and..."

As Sparkles continued on her last spiel of information, Lonnie whispered to Catra. "Your roommate is that Adora girl, right?"

Catra smirked just thinking about the girl with her blonde ponytail and doe-like blue eyes. "That's her."

"You nervous?" Lonnie asked, averting her gaze from Catra's face to examine the doors and see if her name was engraved on any of them. Catra thought about it for a moment; she thought about how Adora looked at her today while her mother was giving a speech and how embarrassed the girl was when she got caught. And then she grinned wickedly. 

"I couldn't be more excited," Catra replied before giving Lonnie a quick wink, causing the girl to flush a deep red. 

"That will be all! Your luggage should already be in your room, but if it isn't, please don't hesitate to inform me! Alright, see you all soon!" Sparkles finished finally already off running in the opposite direction mumbling something like, "I'm so late! My mom is going to  kill me!" 

 Catra turned to look at Sparkles' retreating figure, wondering what exactly her relationship with her mother was. And how, in the world, were those two women related?

"So, do you want to..." Catra begins, turning to Lonnie to ask her if she wanted to find out in which dorms they were staying in when she realized that Lonnie was gone. "Oh," she breathed, trying not to let the disappointment poison her tongue, though she could feel it wrap all around her anyway.

It's not like Catra didn't remember the rules that Lonnie and her agreed upon when they started this whole thing.  No hanging out with. No talking in public. And we are NOT friends. 

It's not like Catra wanted to hang out with Lonnie! She didn't like her, of course, she didn't.  It was just natural, Catra protested to herself in her head.

Her intrusive thoughts were interrupted with Scorpia engulfing Catra in yet another very close and personal hug. "Scorpia!" Catra practically screeched as Entrapta spun around them about a dozen times, blabbering mindlessly into her recorder about 'growth' or something else stupid. 

"Scorpia! Let me down!" Catra thrashed around in the tall girl's embrace, trying to escape her tight, over-bearing embrace. "Please!"

Scorpia frowned and reluctantly let her down. "Only cause you said please," she stated with a mock frown before grabbing Catra by the shoulders. "Can you believe we're really at Brightmoon, wildcat?"

"Please don't call me that," was Catra's answer as the three of them started walking down the hallway in search for their dorm room. Catra scoffed as if recalling a memory. "I still can't believe you were going to go here instead of the Horde." 

It was true; Scorpia's family used to own almost all of the Fright Zone, including the land that Horde Academy was built on. Hordak had been trying to bid out Scorpia's family, namely her grandfather, for years and just before the girl was to start her life at Brightmoon Boarding, Hordak succeeded. Catra never ever really asked about how Scorpia felt moving from the grandeur of Etheria to the run-down, undeveloped area of the Fright Zone. 

She wondered if she resented her family, but then again, Scorpia seemed like the type of person who never resented anyone despite how much she had the right to; Catra included. 

"Scorpia!" Entrapta exclaimed her long purple ponytail (don't ask how) pointing to a door on the far right. "There's your name! How enthralling!" Entrapta exclaimed, clapping her hands together. 

"Oh, gosh!" Scorpia exclaimed, suddenly nervous. "Oh god, it's all so real now! What if I don't fit in? What if no one likes me here?"

Entrapta pulled a small electronic device, pressing the buttons on it furiously, her eyebrows furrowing deeply. "That's statically impossible! When looking at your liked-disliked ratio, you have a strong number in our favour!" Entrapta said brightly in what both Catra and Scorpia assumed was a comforting manner. 

Scorpia smiled nervously at the girl. "Thanks, Entrapta..." Catra couldn't help but cautiously place a hand on the taller girl's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Scorpia, everyone is gonna love you! Trust me." 

Catra gave the girl the smallest grin. "I mean, you got me to be friends with you, you can literally do anything!" This made Scorpia gasp dramatically, raising her hands up to cover her mouth. "You admitted that we're friends!" 

Catra rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, fine! We're friends! Happy?" she exclaimed, pouting her lips, trying to avoid the girl's endearing look. "Now, go! We've gotta unpack!" 

Scorpia nodded fiercely before sending both of them a confident thumbs-up. "I can do this!" she said, mostly to herself, rather than Catra and Entrapta.

"Yes, of course, you can!" Entrapta blurted out as she spun around Scorpia excitedly. "That's what the  data  said!"

"Data or otherwise..." Catra started before gesturing to the white door with Scorpia's and her roommate's name on it. "...anyone with the name 'Perfuma', has to be easy to get along with."

Scorpia nodded, giving her friends one last goodbye hug, much to Catra's protests, before disappearing into her dorm room. 

"Entrapta, come on!" Catra called, rolling her eyes as she watched the girl crawl on the floor while speaking into her recorder. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Studying Brightmoon's insect population!" 

"Oh my god-"

As they foray into the hallway, they find Entrapta's dorm and Catra can't help but snort with laughter when she finds out that Sparkles (her name is Glimmer, so she was close anyways) is Entrapta's roommate. The girl herself seems very pleased with this discovery.

"Fascinating! The biological daughter of the principals' of Brightmoon! Imagine all the data I can collect!" Entrapta gushed before rushing into the room before Catra could even ask what the hell she was planning.

Biological... Catra mused, thinking pensively,  that definitely wasn't in the file, but I should have known that Adora was adopted. There is definitely a lack of blonde hair and blue eyes. 

And finally Catra, at the very middle of the hallway, met her door, tracing the names plastered onto it. 

Catra.

Adora. 

Catra couldn't help but notice that the door immediately opposite of hers, was Lonnie's. She narrowed her eyes as she studied the door, reading the names on the door, 'Lonnie' and 'Starla'. Catra scanned the hallways vigilantly, only Kyle and Rogelio left outside, them hanging out and not wanting to get into their separate dorms. No sign of Lonnie which meant she was off skulking somewhere else or already inside.

Not that she cared or anything-

Catra heaved a deep sigh before turning to open the door of her dorm, her thoughts preoccupied with the events of today and Lonnie and everything-

Woah.

The girl couldn't help but gape at the sight of the room in front of her, Catra swore she had never seen such an opulent bedroom before. It was large; more massive than any place Catra had ever stayed at, even after Ms Weaver took her and the rest of the foster kids she wanted and moved them into a house.  It was even more significant than Ms Weaver's room,  Catra couldn't help but note spitefully, wanting to smirk at her.  Look at me now, old lady. 

The room is divided precisely in half with the same pastel, lilac coloured walls Catra had seen all around Brightmoon. Both of the beds were pushed up against the wall, plush and lavish and unlike anything Catra had seen.

 The bed, itself, is a sight for sore eyes; it clothed with more fluffy pillows and soft blankets that Catra could have imagined. She's so tired that she wants nothing more than to fall onto it, letting the exhaustion of the day fill her bones and take over her. The concept tempts her as she saunters to the foot of the vacant bed and runs her fingers over the soft fabric. 

Now Catra would never admit this to anyone, not even if it was a matter of life and death, but the girl let out a short whimper as she felt the silky bedsheets caress her palm, nearly compelling her to sink under the comfort of the covers. 

No,  Catra protested silently. Investigating first.  The rest of the room, the other half that is, was decorated to the brim and thoroughly personalized.  That must be the other's girl place—Adora's side. 

The girl grinned wickedly, her exhaustion was forgotten in place of discovery. It wasn't like Catra knew it wasn't wrong, oh she did, she knew indeed. It was just that she didn't care. And it's not like she was going to do anything particularly vile or disgusting- she wasn't Kyle!

Then again, Kyle never really did anything of the sort. It was easy to blame everything on Kyle. 

She was just curious.  I mean, who wouldn't be, she rationalized to herself in her head. The adopted daughter of the principals of Brightmoon with dance and sports intensive; a combination that usually didn't mix. 

Plus, she was the sister of that annoying Sparkles girl  (Catra decided she liked Sparkles better)  and that had to come with truly psychotic roots, right? They had to something in here to prove that the Bright family wasn't as great as they seemed out to be. 

Catra wandered over to Adora's side of the room, regarding her bed, her cubbies, her closet, her desk and all other of her personal effects with a judgemental eye. All above her bed was a variety of posters that signified what kind of person she was. The girl couldn't help but let a scowl come to her face as she noticed how cliche all of her posters were. With mostly ballet posters littering her wall along with some horse posters and maybe a band poster here and there, Catra had never seen less of a stereotypical thing. 

Ugh,  Catra can't help but think as she notices a blonde pop star whose name she didn't care enough to recall.  She's one of those. Tragic. 

The rest of her room was filled with things that Catra never had; trophies and medals of competitions she had won, polaroid pictures of her with friends and more formal ones of her with her family; and Catra would be lying if she said she never wondered what having all of those precious things would be like. 

There was really nothing else to her room; no sordid secrets, no dramatic past; and Catra was not going to go into her closet and cubbies to find out if she had dreaded fashion sense too; even she had her limits! And being a peeping, pervy tom is where she drew the line. 

Disappointed, the girl let out an exhausted sigh, heading back to her bed and plopping her body down the ridiculously comfy sheets. She let out a frustrated groan, punching one of the throw pillows on the bed harshly. It wasn't fair, she can't be that perfect, she just can't! No one is that perfect, that has to be something, anything!

Or maybe,  an unhelpful voice piped in the back of her head,  you're just too messed up. After all, everyone looks perfect in comparison to you. You're just...

Broken, an eerily familiar tone echoed inside her, a brooding voice from one of her many nightmares visited Catra, jolting her off the bed and back to her feet. 

"Fuck," Catra swore quietly, running her hands up and down her arms, suddenly feeling all too vulnerable. The girl immediately decided to busy herself, practically attacking her suitcase while trying to pry to open. 

It was a usual coping mechanism, distract herself with something else; be it dance or chores or even other people; it was easiest to act like everything was fine when Catra's mind was distracted. 

Eventually, it let up, and she opened up the lid of the suitcase (damn her nails), and occupied herself with hanging up her shoplifted posters and carelessly hanging her clothes on mostly broken hangers. And even as she did it all, making the room look a little less immaculate and more her own, the disturning tone of voice still echoed in her head,  her voice unrelenting. 

Broken.  The word swept around Catra like a miserable wisp, constantly suffocating her and rendering her powerless. Catra hated it, she hated how even miles apart and hours away, Ms Weaver still had the effect of making her feel like nothing at all. 

Maybe there was a reason for that, perhaps she was right.

Maybe Catra really was nothing at all. 

-

Adora must have been a terrible person in a past life. 

She must have committed atrocities beyond belief in some alternate universe. She would have been evil; like actually a horrible person, like killing civilians, poisoning lands, defeating the good guys type of awful for this cruel and truly unjust punishment. 

Because at this very moment, the girl could see her life flashing before her eyes. This is not happening, she repeated to herself, her eyes wide and glassy at sight before her.

This is not happening.

But no matter how many times Adora repeated the phrase to herself in her head and how long she stood there in the doorway of her dorm, her mouth agape, it wouldn't change the fact that there on the vacant bed was the girl she was so blatantly staring at. The girl who she couldn't help but think about for the whole day and the girl who she was adamant about finding.

Honestly, Adora shouldn't be this horrified. This is what she wanted, she wanted to find her, and here she was, practically dropped into the girl's lap.  Say something!  Adora tried to will herself but no avail, still just standing there, like an absolute fool. Oh my god, she is such an idiot-

"Cat got your tongue?" The girl,  Catra,  asked, a wild smirk covering her lips viciously. Adora wished it wasn't as compelling as it was, in reality. In reality, it was incredibly alluring, like a simple spell that had taken over the girl in one full-swept movement. 

"Uhm..." Adora managed to get out, her head spinning and her nerves shot to hell with anxiety. God, maybe she had to go back on her meds, perhaps that's why she was feeling like this, all tongue-tied and awkward. "This is my dorm," Adora burst out with the words, wanting to hit her head against the wall at how absolutely foolish she was acting.

Catra snorted before hoisting herself off the bed and moving closer to the doorway and to Adora, much to the girl's nerves. The blonde girl felt herself stiffen. What was it about this girl, about Catra, that made her so on edge and just so damn uneasy?

I'm not sure I don't like it though,  the thought pierced through Adora's head, dizzying her a little, causing her to lean against the doorframe a little, feeling her sneakers scuff against the shiny Brightmoon floor. 

Catra noticed this as she approached the girl, crossing her arms across her chest and raising her eyebrows in question. "Relax, dude," she said after a beat, her voice all tranquil and calm, with none of the slyness hidden behind it anymore. "I was just messing you with. It's kind of my thing," she said, offering this as an explanation, leaning against the other side of the doorframe. 

"Oh," Adora breathed out, her anxiety disappearing a little and taking a deep breath and letting her breathing return to normal, just like her therapist taught her how to do. Catra said nothing, allowing a somewhat amused expression to cover her face. 

"I hope I didn't scare you," she said sarcastically, a teasing and somewhat mocking expression, like before, returning to her face, her amusement only growing as Adora's cheek shone red. 

"I don't get scared!" Adora protested vehemently before crossing her arms across her chest defensively, "You just-"

"Scared you?" Catra offered with a cocky smile. 

"No! I was just-" Adora rushed to explain herself before Catra started giggling in a genuinely infectious way, her heterochromatic eyes lighting up in enjoyment. "Let me guess. You're messing with me, again?" she asked, her tone lighter than before. 

Catra nodded carelessly before shrugging. "It's kind of my thing. You'll get used to it, soon enough." The girl grinned at her wildly before holding out her hand for Adora to shake. 

"As the door said, I'm Catra, dance and singing intensive." The girl says somewhat monotonously like it was from a script given to her by someone else. Maybe it was, Adora knew very little about what went on behind the walls of the Horde. 

Adora grasped her hand and shook it warmly, trying to bring their conversation back to the amusing tone it was. "Adora but you knew that, clearly," she pointed out cheekily, causing the other girl to smirk slightly, reminded of her bold proclamation at the beginning of their conservation. 

"Let me guess." Catra started shortly before gazing at the blonde girl intensely with a curious expression. "Dance and Sports intensive?" 

Adora was taken aback for a moment, the surprise so unmistakable on her face that she didn't even bother bluffing and saying that those weren't her intensives. "Are you psychic or something?" she questioned, scoffing at her own suggestion. 

Catra shrugged. "Just a gut feeling. You'll have to deal with those since we're stuck together for a while." The girl smirked at her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Nice to meet you, Ms Adora Bright," she said before walking away, turning on her heels and walking down the hall.

Adora's eyes widened, how did she know her last name? Who exactly was this girl? "How...why, do you know my last name?" she asked, shocked and honestly, just put-off. 

"I told you, you'll just have to deal with it." Catra replied cooly before turning her head so that she could meet Adora's eyes. "See you around,  roomie."

And then, Catra was gone before Adora could say anything else, walking down the hallway and disappearing without another word.  That was...odd,  Adora thought before returning to her room, closing the door shut behind her. 

"Who the hell is she?" Adora couldn't help but wonder aloud, her whispers echoing through the room as she plopped down on her bed, leaning against the bedpost, exhausted by the days' events. 

Her phone that was stuck in her pocket started to buzz with notifications. Sighing, Adora took out her phone to be met with a symphony of messages from her group chat. 

From:  THE BEST FRIEND SQUAD !!

Bow: Guys, have you met your roommates yet? 

Bow: Mine is friendly, kinda quiet though. 

Glimmer: Don't ASK!!!

Adora snorted, accustomed to her best friend's and sister's melodramatics. Despite her 'can-do' attitude at lunch the other day, she confided to the both of them that she was completely freaked out about the whole roommates' situation later. 

"What if you both like your roommates better than me?" Glimmer had whined late on Saturday night to Adora and Bow during their routine sleepover. 

"Glimmer, that's not going to happen!" Bow protested, comforting her by rubbing the back of her shoulder. "We're your best friends, and we love you! We are still going to be super close."

"Exactly, Glimmer! Don't worry, you'll always be my favourite!" Adora insisted, giving the girl a quick embrace and a kiss on the forehead. "We're the best friend squad, and a few new people aren't going to change that." 

"Right..." Glimmer started sarcastically before catching a glimpse at her friend's exasperated faces. "No, you guys are right! I just get...insecure sometimes."

"That's completely fine, Glimmer. And whenever you feel like that, you can talk to us!" Bow exclaimed, gesturing to himself and Adora. "You're not alone." 

Adora thought that would be that since all it usually took with Glimmer were a few reassuring words and best friend group-hugs. Apparently not this time around. Adora shook her head as she typed out her response.

Adora: What's wrong, Glimmer? Is it mom?

Glimmer: Ugh, don't mention Mom, I'm so mad at her. 

Glimmer: My roommate is driving me up the wall!

Bow: Come on, she can't be that horrible, Glimmer!

Glimmer: Are you sure?? Cause I, for one, think she's nuts!

Glimmer: She's taking everything apart, Bow!!

As Adora let Glimmer and Bow debate about the girl's new roommate, she can't help but think about her own roommate, as complicated as she may be. Despite all the shifty comments and the 'messing with her' in general; something that Adora would usually hate; she couldn't help but be taken by her, by Catra.

She was indeed like no one she ever met. Catra was, first of all, beautiful beyond anyone Adora had ever noticed. And not only was she gorgeous but the girl could tell she was smart and confident; someone who didn't second-guess herself, something that Adora had wanted for what seems like forever. 

And lastly, Catra just seemed...real. 

That was it honestly, she didn't need to offer any other elaborate explanation or logic to why she was intrigued by the girl, as curious and invasive as she was. Catra was real and talking to her felt natural, like they had always known each other.

Almost like they were meant to know each other. 

The furious, constant buzzing of her phone dragged her out of her reverie and returned her to the land of the living, bringing to her attention Glimmer's desperate pleas for help and Bow's statements of reassurance. Adora snorted, tapping at her phone and returning to the conversation, thoughts about her roommate, leaving her mind.

-

After calming Glimmer down and telling her and Bow to come over to her dorm, Adora couldn't help but analyze her roommate's (Catra's) side of the room.

It's not like she went over there and went through her stuff, that would be a complete invasion of privacy! Adora just examined her things from afar, checking out all the little intricacies and parts that made the room a little more "Catra", as it were. Her side of the room was a lot barer than what Adora did for hers; with only a few stark posters hung up on the wall and barely any photos or any personalized attachments. 

Catra's belongings reminded Adora of the stories that her Mom and Dad would tell her when she and Glimmer were smaller; about the various types of travellers and nomads that moved from village to village and how they only had a select number of belongings with them, not by necessity but rather than choice. They believed seeing the world and discovering new places and cultures was more important than worldly possessions. 

Adora couldn't help but mindlessly wonder which category the girl would fall into; the ones who believed that belongings were nothing but a crutch by which other people were trapped by or the ones who simply didn't have them?

As she recalls her conversation with her father this morning, remembering the grievance in his eyes, his clenched chin and stiff demeanour; Adora thinks that unfortunately the latter would be more likely. 

"Hey!" Suddenly, the door bursts open, catching Adora off guard, before she lets a relaxed smile pass through her lips. It was just Glimmer and Bow, thankfully. The girl flushes deeply merely thinking about what if it was Catra coming in, just in time to catch her-

Well, that didn't matter. It wasn't Catra, it was Glimmer and Bow, her best friends. 

"Geez, guys, you scared me!" Adora exclaimed, walking towards the pair; Glimmer who had collapsed on the bed, exasperated and Bow who just waved at her from beside her bed, still trying to console Glimmer.

"Is this still going on?" Adora asked concerned, grabbing the shorter girl's shoulder and hoisting her up despite her vocal protests. 

"She's crazy! And her hair is way too long!" Glimmer pouted, puffing out her cheeks and looking at both of her friends with a betrayed look on her. "And you too should agree with me!"

"But Entrapta is really cool!" Bow pointed out with a sheepish look on his face. "She's an icon in the Etherian Makers' Community, and her inventions are way more advanced than anything a high-school student or even a college student! She's brilliant!" Bow concluded with a melodramatic gasp and an awed look on his face. 

Glimmer rolled her eyes, "Fine, okay, she's super talented and smart, blah, blah, blah. But she's a terror to be roommates with! By the time Mom finished yelling at me, our room was trashed!" 

Adora winced. "Why was Mom mad at you this time?" Unlike Adora's relationship with her parents, which was pleasant for the most part, unless she tagged along with Glimmer on some mischievous task that the girl had thought up. But apart from that, her relationship with both her Mom and Dad was simple. Glimmer, on the other hand, was more...complicated.

Glimmer had always been her father's favourite, his "Princess", and he always gave her the best of the best. Glimmer leant on this, cherishing it for all it was; a father's unconditional and undying love. Her mother, on the other hand, was a tougher nut to crack. 

She was always pushing Glimmer to be better; to think carefully and be wiser and in essence, more like the woman herself. This, of course, caused a rift between the mother-daughter pair; causing Glimmer to distance herself from her mother as the years went by and getting into more and more arguments with her. 

"Ugh! She was just yelling at me and telling me how I messed up the tour and made it too long! Apparently, I was just supposed to show them everything on the way to the dorms, not the entire school..." Glimmer paused, a sheepish although a somewhat reluctant smile coming over her lips. "She didn't tell me that, how was I supposed to know? I'm not psychic!" 

Adora sighed before giving her sister a sympathetic look. "You know, Mom, Glimmer. She likes things to go as planned. Plus, she knows how important this is to Dad. Mom just wants this all to go perfectly," she reasoned with the pouting girl whose frustrated expression softened slightly at the mention of their father. If there was one thing that all the three women in the Bright family agreed upon, it was their mutual love for Micah.

A moment passed with Adora and Bow smiling at her brightly before she groaned loudly, grabbing a pillow and covering her face with it. "Ugh, fine. I'll try being nicer to her. But, this does not mean I forgive her!" Glimmer protested, pointing an adamant finger towards Adora. 

The girl smirked slightly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Glimmer. Anyways...," she said, changing the topic to something a little less problematic, "...what do you think about all the new students? Anyone stand out?"

Glimmer perked up a little as she always did when she was about to gossip with her two best friends about something that only she knew. "Well, most of them seem really interesting! There was this really tall girl with short white hair that always kept the peace, so that was nice. She even kept Entrapta in check..." Glimmer huffed at the reminder of her...exuberent roommate. 

"I still don't get why you dislike her so much," Adora said idly, leaning back on the bed, letting the comfort of the sheets relax her. Glimmer rolled her eyes. "She's not horrible, she's just...not who I wanted my roommate to be. I wanted someone quiet, maybe not so...dismissive. She doesn't even listen to me!"

Bow gently put a hand to her shoulder, squeezing it ever so slightly, causing Glimmer to flush a light shade of crimson. "I'm sure Entrapta has a reason for why she acts the way she does. I'm sure you'll both warm up to each other soon enough!"

Glimmer locked eyes with Bow for a moment, her eyes practically shining with adoration. "Yeah, you're right, I'm sure it'll all be fine, soon." They stay like that for a while, their eyes locked, Bow's hand still on Glimmer's shoulder, stuck together like there was no one else in the room. 

Except for Adora.

It took everything that Adora had not to walk out of her room, yelling a line of explicit swears their way. It's not like Adora hated the idea of the two of them dating, she actually thought the couple was perfect for each other. Only if they would actually get together! Both of them had been having moments like this since they were twelve and these were only the ones Adora was privy to. She didn't want to think about how close they had gotten when she wasn't watching-

Anyways, it was practically anger-inducing. Adora just wished she could just tell both of them to get it together and start dating already, but no, that was their decision, not hers. Adora had to admit, though, the concept of doing just that was extremely tempting. 

Adora cleared her throat, staring everywhere except at their faces, before shooting Glimmer an incredulous look. "Did anyone else catch your eye, Glimmer?"

This question made both her and Bow snap out of the mutual love-struck reverie that they were in; causing them to stutter and move away from each other. Adora scoffed, rolling her eyes.  Idiots. 

"Uhm...not really." Glimmer said, her face now entirely red, as she faced towards Adora. "The rest of them were pretty quiet, except that girl and Entrapta...and that other girl, oh my god!" Glimmer exclaimed suddenly, as of a bunch of repressed memories flooded into her head. "It's like she had a personal vendetta against me or something! She had a smart remark for everything I said. God, annoying girl with her sly smirk!" 

Oh no... Adora felt a sense of dread come over her as she winced and looked at the other side of the room.  It can't be her. 

"Let me guess." Adora started with a tired voice.  Please don't be Catra, please don't be her.  "Brown hair, different coloured eyes, kind of freckles on her cheeks?" 

Glimmer narrowed her eyes, throwing a questioning look to her sister and raising her eyebrows. "Yeah, that's exactly what she looks like. How do you know her?" 

Wow, the world really wasn't on Adora's side today, was it?  "She's my roommate," she shortly informs, sitting up and crossing her arms across her chest. 

Glimmer gasped. "You're kidding! This is great!"

Adora squinted in Glimmer's direction. "And why is that?" 

"Well, at least, someone has a worst roommate than me!"

This statement earned Glimmer a pillow straight to the face, causing Glimmer to gasp in betrayal and repay the favour. Before anyone knew it, the Best Friend Squad was caught in the middle of a full-on pillow fight, screams, yells and all. 

-

Mara, thankfully, finally feels healthy enough to go back to teaching at Brightmoon.

She couldn't be more relieved. Despite Angella's and her doctor's vehement protests about taking some time for herself and not running herself into the ground, Mara was going absolutely stir-crazy without having something to do and somewhere to channel her energy into. 

Now that she was fully recovered (and no, she was not faking it, thank you very much), she could finally go back to focusing on teaching her pupils and training all of them for the Mystacoar's competition next month. Although a lot of changes had happened since she took this weeks' leave. 

At least, that's what Angella told her over the phone after she had confirmed with Dr Reinour that Mara had actually recovered, ("I knew you'd want to come in straight in if Micah and I had told you at the time!" Angella had practically scolded her down the phone to which Mara just scoffed and practically begged the woman to come over and tell her everything.)

Even though Mara had changed a lot since her young and impressionable age of being a teenager, some things had no doubt stayed the same; including her childish fear of being left out, causing her to whine and pout most of the time. Most people didn't really mind it, some even found it endearing, Micah and Angella being some of them.

Then again, some, not all. 

Mara heaved a sigh, reaching for her phone and checking her messages once again. Nothing from Hope, as usual. Since the day that Angella sent her home; which was the same day that Hope and she had the hugest argument ever; Mara hadn't heard anything from the woman.

Her relationship with Light Hope was intriguing, to say the least. They knew each other since they were in middle school; just two poor kids living in a poor neighbourhood, with only each other for company; they stuck together, through everything. They had always done everything together from dancing to schooling, so it was apparent that when Mara applied to Brightmoon that she did too. 

Both of them had a relationship that was clearly not platonic; stuck to each other like glue, even though they claimed they were just friends, there was always something under the surface, just waiting to come out, if you will. 

Being accepted into Brightmoon and getting to be roommates with each other, took Mara's and Hope's relationship to the next level as they confessed their feelings to one another and started dating. For a while, everything seemed perfect, even after graduating from Brightmoon, they stayed together. 

But then, slowly, things started to decay. Being together began to get exhausting, too much effort needed to be put in, and Hope never wanted what Mara did. Mara wanted to live life there was no end nearby, be reckless and do things, despite the consequence. Hope wanted a calculated life with no risk, a comfortable one. She pleaded to Mara, "We can get everything we want! I know you don't want to go back to Etheria, but it's our home! And we can be together! Please, Mara! For me." 

And as usual, Mara couldn't help but be putty in Hope's hands, agreeing to take the position that Angella offered her; head dance instructor and Hope was her teaching assistant; it was perfect. Well, according to Hope, it was perfect. 

As much as Mara loved teaching and cherished all her brilliant students, this is not what she had planned for her life. She never wanted to be trapped in one place, attached to her old home and all the memories; good and evil; filling up her skull. It took a lot for Mara to finally tell Hope what was bothering her; all of her frustrations and impediments spilling out of her one night.

That fateful night had been two months ago, resulting in Hope breaking up with Mara and the woman herself feeling broken. That's all that it had taken, one flimsy argument and the years of love, trust, support that they had built, was gone.  

It's not like Hope didn't have a right to be angry; she was right, Mara could be selfish and childish at times, requesting to Hope to listen to her and do exactly what she did. Like Hope had said that night, that wasn't how a relationship worked.

You did it for her, though.  An unhelpful thought piped in the back of Mara's head. She pushed the image away as soon as it came, not focusing on what it really meant. 

Since their breakup, they still had to work together at Brightmoon, leading to various arguments and squabbles, in and outside the school. It had all came to a head a week ago as they argued in the most vicious way they knew how. With Mara sick and not herself, it allowed Hope to say whatever cruel and nasty thing she wanted. 

It had really left an imprint on Mara, causing her to go home (which used to be their home, still filled with memories of the two of them together) crestfallen. This couldn't be the end for them, not after all this time, not after all these years. 

But without a single call or text, not even to check if Mara was okay, her belief in Hope was slowly dwindling away, getting replaced with rising fury. I shouldn't get mad at her, though.  Mara huffed to herself, putting her phone down. I said things too. Plus, I'm sure I can sort things out tonight. I have to. 

Today, for some reason, there was a get-together of all the Brightmoon students and teachers tonight. It wasn't too much of a formal thing, as Angella had informed her the day before, just a large dinner and some entertainment. Mara really wasn't sure who or what brought this on; did she forget someone's birthday?

Her spiel of thoughts was interrupted as she heard someone knocking at her and practically rushed to open it, eager to talk to Angella and catch up on all the happenings at Brightmoon. She was longing for an escape from all of her intrusive thoughts about Hope and their relationship. Not only that, but she also wanted to know how Adora was doing. She knew that Adora never really flourished under Hope's training. She catches her breath, thrusting her phone into her other hand before swinging the door of the house open to see...

Mara leaves her mouth hanging open slightly as her grasp on her phone loosens and it tumbles to the group with a brash smash sound, causing both her and the woman at the door to wince. 

"Hope!" Mara exclaims after picking up her phone (mostly unharmed, thankfully), her eyes full of surprise and giddiness, excited that for once her girlfriend ( ex-girlfriend)  decided to take the initiative and be the bigger person. "I didn't think I'd see you until tonight."

Hope's eyes wavered, looking anywhere but at Mara's delighted face. "Angella got preoccupied with the arrangements at the school. So, she sent me instead," she says formally, clasping her hands tightly together. She raised a careful eyebrow. "May I come in?"

Mara snapped to attention before giving Hope a grateful smile. "Of course! Sorry, I just haven't heard from you in so long..." she trailed off awkwardly after leading Hope into what used to be their house. 

"Well," Hope started before clearing her throat with a loud cough. "...we both weren't exactly very kind to each other last week."

Yeah, no kidding.  Mara snorted before turning to Hope with a soft expression. "Yeah, we really weren't." Both of them lock eyes for a moment, Hope's eyes full of tension and anxiety while Mara's eyes still gleamed with anticipation, she couldn't help but have faith in the woman. Stories like theirs, Mara reminded herself, they don't just end. 

"Can I get you anything?" Mara offered brightly, stalking up off to the kitchen before Hope can respond. "I had Angella's favourite coffee and brisket out for her, but I'm sure there's something in here you'd like as well!" she exclaims as Mara catches Hope entering the kitchen without prompting. Her smile widens, this is good, right? It has to be good!

"So, pick your poison! Jasmine, green or just regular old tea?" she asked jovially, picking the tea packets of all three of them and setting them on the counter before meeting Hope's eyes and smiling brightly at her, not noticing the dismal, almost horrified look on the woman's face. 

"Hope?" Mara questioned, the joyful expression on her face dropping slightly. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

There it was, Hope's saving grace, as Mara would come to call it on bitter, sleepless nights far away from now, where she'd wrestle with herself and her barren head, filled with thoughts of the very first girl she ever loved. The girl who made her whole, the one that seemingly made her better than she already was,  the girl that broke her heart. 

"Mara." Hope started, shifting her eyes to look right at the woman and then look away. "I'm leaving."

It wasn't that day two months ago that their story came to a close. Neither was it a week ago when they had a yelling-match with Hope as the only competitor. No, no.

No, no. Now, it was over. 

-

Catra would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy seeing Entrapta trash Sparkles' room.

The best part of this was that the girl had no idea what she was doing; or that when Glimmer left, 'running at an abnormally fast pace', as Entrapta put it, that she was escaping the hellscape that the scientist girl had created for her. Without meaning to, of course. 

Which just made it all feel sweeter if Catra had to be honest. Chaos, in any way, shape and form, brought the girl instant joy, revelling the disorder of it all. So, as Entrapta spun around the room, manically laughing at times, before fusing something shut with a very illegal blowtorch, Catra didn't even try and hide the sly, chaotic grin of hers.

"What is happening here?" Scorpia stage-whispered to her, in the most transparent way ever. It was a good thing that Entrapta's social skills or her capability of picking up cues were sorely lacking; not that she would entirely care either way. 

Catra rolled her eyes before grinning widely and gesturing to the disarray of the dorm room "This is beautiful. What are you talking about?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement for a moment as she surveyed the scene. "Scorpia, I need to blow something up now!" 

Scorpia only offered her a slight grimace, instead of her usual argument about how blowing up things were dangerous and not responsible that she would always give with a doting expression on her face. Catra furrowed her eyebrows; as much as she disliked Scorpia's useless spiels, she was used to hearing them all the time. Something was up.

Catra nudged Scorpia's shoulder against hers, bringing the woman back to reality, "Hey. You good? Is this about the whole roommate thing?" Catra paused before leaning against the only wall that Entrapta had not destroyed so far. "Have you met them yet?"

Scorpia scoffed, somewhat self-depreciatingly. "Oh, yes, I did," she huffed, leaning against the same wall. Catra screwed up her face. "Well, what is it? Is she mean? Ooh, is she a bitch?" 

Catra punched her fist into the open palm of her other hand. "If so, I will be more than happy to take care of that for you." It wouldn't be the first time that Catra had beat someone up for her friends. She wasn't the best with emotions or even just telling other people how she felt about things, so her mode of communication was mainly through beating people up, mostly bullies. 

As a result, she had beaten up many assholes that bothered Scorpia and Entrapta; like she said many times, it was the way she showed affection. "I wouldn't beat people up just for  anyone, you know?" Catra had pointed out one day as Scorpia was taking care of her wounds. 

This led to Scorpia immediately engulfing her in a bear hug, causing all of the bandages to fall apart and Catra to try escape, kicking and screaming, white Entrapta watched, eating her tiny pastries and talking to her recorder. 

"No, no, it's nothing like that!" Scorpia said quickly, waving her hands in a contradictory manner, causing Catra to slump back slightly. Beating up people was so much better and faster too. "What is it, then?" 

Scorpia pauses for a moment, her face tensed up in thought and Catra almost expects her to stay like that before eventually giving up. "She's too nice!" Scorpia exclaimed suddenly, her voice booming so loud that even Entrapta stopped skidding around the room for a moment to see what was going on. 

Catra was genuinely confused. "What? That's your huge problem? Your roommate is too nice?" She felt like she wanted to put her head through a brick wall, this was all too fucking much. 

"Fascinating!" Oh God, here they went again with Entrapta and her stupid recorder. "So, you're saying that being around this roommate of yours..."

"Her name's Perfuma." Scorpia sighs dejectedly, like her name itself, made her morose. 

"So, you're saying that this Perfuma is...too nice?" Entrapta prompted before waving the recorder in her face, her eyes gleaming in exhilaration. "Yes, exactly!" Scorpia exclaimed, flailing her hands around in the air. "She helped with unpacking since I was so bad at it and then she did some meditation with me and reassured me that everyone would love me!"

"How horrible of her. She sounds just awful." Catra droned sarcastically as Entrapta furrowed her brows, letting a confused expression cover her face. "That doesn't make any sense! The data indicates that you both should get along!"

"I never said that we didn't get along! She's just- a lot. And it just feels weird." Scorpia mumbles, a slight red blush appearing on her cheeks as Entrapta fumbled around the room, grabbing more instruments and mumbling something about 'tests'. Catra rolled her eyes. As smart as both Entrapta and Scorpia were, sometimes they were real idiots.

"It sounds like you like her," Catra remarks drily, causing the blush on Scorpia's face to grow brighter as she waved her hands around, flustered. "What? No! I don't like her!"

Entrapta brightened up again. "Fascinating! Your cheeks are now 14% redder than usual, indicating strong feelings of some kind. People call this a 'crush'!" Entrapta started to run around again, her maniacal laughter bouncing off the walls. "I've figured it out! You have a crush on Perfuma! I'll hack into the Brightmoon and find out more about her!" Her fingers ran excitedly on her tablet's screen, moving faster than both of them could react; Scorpia in fear and Catra in amusement. 

Scorpia's eyes widened in horror. "Entrapta, no!" 

With Scorpia desperately trying to pry the tablet from Entrapta's firm hands and Entrapta whining about 'research' and 'progress', Catra let her mind wander, in particular to the events of the day. Honestly, her first day at Brightmoon hadn't been so bad. 

Sure, there was the annoyance of that Adora girl being perfect, but that had seemingly resolved itself as soon as she actually talked to the girl and saw that she was nothing even close to flawless. She was nervous, jittery and seemed frazzled every time Catra teased her. It was pretty fun messing with her. 

She wasn't that bad to talk to either. Adora is more than what I expected.  Catra admitted to herself quietly, that fact only to be known to herself and no one else, hopefully. Ms Weaver would kill her if she knew she was spending more time thinking about Adora was a person, rather than how to manipulate her. 

The other great thing about Brightmoon was that Ms Weaver was no longer a presence. Catra had no idea how affected she was by the woman until she spent a full day away from her. No nagging, no hurtful words and no bruises had been spent on her arm yet, which all in all, meant it was a good day. She doesn't remember the last time she spent this much time away from the woman, it must have been years.

It felt good, though. Really good. 

Her thoughts eventually gravitate towards the big 'surprise' that Brightmoon had planned for them. According to Entrapta, who had, of course, hacked into Glimmer's computer system (honestly, if someone was going to be expelled, it was going to be Entrapta), it wasn't anything that huge. A large dinner in the hall, followed by dancing and mingling with other Brightmoon students and teachers. 

The food part honestly didn't sound that awful. Whatever food Brightmoon had to offer had to be better than the stuff that the Horde and Ms Weaver had Catra eat. It was a relatively simple plan that Brightmoon had devised; a friendly dinner followed by entertainment and conversation. Nice. Straightforward. 

Too bad Catra didn't like either of those things. 

"Hey, Scorpia?" Catra snapped out of her daydreams to see Scorpia have Entrapta pinned to the ground while using only two of her fingers. The girl felt her mouth drop open. God, Scorpia was strong.

"I didn't even leave the room!" Catra protested before groaning angrily into her palms. "Scorpia, release her!"

"She'll hack Brightmoon and-"

Catra rolled her eyes. "That's kind of Entrapta's thing. Leave her be, you don't have to listen to anything she has to say about the Perfume girl that you don't want to," she explained, crossing her arms across her chest.

Scorpia heaved a sigh before letting Entrapta go, who immediately lept for her tablet, "Her name is Perfuma."

"Whatever. Listen, you know that thing we have tonight?" A mischievous smile already painted Catra's mouth. 

Scorpia nodded, "The surprise? Yeah, what about it?"

Catra walked over to Scorpia. "It's time to show these Brightmoon slickers how the Horde does it. An exchange of...cultures, if you will." She shrugged as Scorpia sent her a warning look. 

"What are you planning?"

"Nothing!" Catra insisted before relenting under the girl's intense glare. "Fine but I promise it's nothing bad."

A sly smirk.

"Can I borrow your red lipstick?"