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"All right, that's it, you go talk to your girlfriend."
Glimmer stormed down the hallway of Brightmoon Castle, a scowl on her face as she stomped passed Adora. She shoved a piece of paper into Adora's stomach.
"Wait, Glimmer, what is this? What's going on?"
Glimmer clenched her fist. "That is an invitation, for all of us, to a celebration in Salineas. They've finished rebuilding the city. Three years after the Prime invasion, and it's finally back in all its glory."
Adora glanced at the letter for a moment before returning her gaze to Glimmer. "Oh, I get it. Another Salineas thing. Catra isn't invited, is she? I'll go talk to her -"
"No, Catra is invited! That's the whole problem! I was so excited to tell her when I got the letter. I thought she would be thrilled that she finally gets to see the city - ahem, properly - but she's blowing it off! She told me she doesn't want to go, and she doesn't want to talk about it. Can you believe that? Mermista is finally ready to give her an invitation, and Catra is just being so -"
Adora raised her eyebrow. "- like Catra?"
Glimmer folded her arms. " - so difficult! Please, just go talk to her? I really want her to come. It would hardly be the Best Friend Squad without her."
Adora looked at Glimmer with determination. "I can talk to her."
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Adora found Catra lazing on their bed, the sun beaming through their large windows. Catra looked up and smiled. "Hey, Adora."
Adora sat down on the bed beside Catra, returning her smile. She slid her hand into Catra's. "Hey." Adora looked at Catra for a moment, letting the affection flow out of her eyes, before looking down into her lap. She started to speak. "So, I uh - I just talked to Glimmer. I think it's - I think it's great that Mermista finally invited you to Salineas! I'm excited that we get to go together this time."
Catra narrowed her eyes, her smile fading. She pulled her hand away from Adora and exhaled. "Sparkles must not have told you, then. I'm not going." Catra turned away from Adora, curling into herself.
Adora frowned. "Catra, I know this must be hard. But, it's been nearly four years now since - you know, since the last time you were there. And you've done so much to help rebuild. Mermista knows that. That's probably why she's inviting you now."
It was true that Catra had been particularly dedicated to helping with the Salineas effort. Whatever materials Salineas needed, Catra was always willing to gather them. Whatever she could do that didn't involve physically going there, she was always eager to do.
Catra turned and faced Adora. She took a deep breath. "Adora, it's not just - it's not just about last time."
Adora furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? I mean - after Prime and everything - who even knows what the people there remember about you. And I'm just - I'm so excited for the people of Salineas to get to know you. The real you. Not to mention there is so much good food there that you haven't had a chance to try yet -"
Catra let out a small giggle. "Of course you're thinking about the food, you dummy." They both laughed for a small moment before Catra spoke again. "But - Adora, listen." Catra sighed. "Do you remember the last time we were both there?"
Adora felt a small shiver. Her mind replayed an old memory - recharging the Sea Gate, Catra taunting her, her dogged determination to prove herself as She-Ra - before returning her focus to Catra. "...oh. Wow, that was what, almost six years ago now?"
Catra looked down at her lap. She spoke in a hushed tone. "That was the first time I saw you after you left the Horde."
Adora's heart sank. Over the last three years, she and Catra had talked many times about their years fighting. Things that they said to each other that they never meant to say, things that they did to each other that they promised never to do again. But this particular instance hadn't come up - at least, not that Adora could remember. "Catra..."
Adora reached her hand for Catra's again. Catra let her hand squeeze Adora's before speaking again, a hushed and self-effacing laugh escaping from her mouth. "I told myself so many times that you would come back to the Horde as soon as you saw me again. I invented this version of that meeting in my head where all I'd have to do is tease you, and you'd come back. I thought you missed me."
"Catra, I did miss you -"
"- But, that's not what happened. And we both know that I was terrible at expressing how I felt. But, I know that I was trying to say that I missed you. I missed you so much. And you just looked at me like I didn't matter at all. Like I was just a nuisance, at best. And I have this image, where I'm floating in the water. I'm cold, and wet, and alone - and I'm staring up at you with your new friends - and you look so happy without me. You're happy because I'm not there anymore. Even after everything, that memory is still one of the worst memories of my life. I felt so worthless."
Adora noticed the tears gathering in Catra's eyes, and she squeezed her hand tighter. Catra rubbed her eyes with her free hand before speaking again. "And I know that you were right to leave the Horde, and I know I should have come with you, and I know that we were definitely the bad guys or whatever. I know, I know. But - that moment still hurts. And I'm afraid that seeing Salineas again will just bring it all back for me. I'm afraid of ever feeling that way again."
Adora pulled Catra into a hug, letting her hand run through Catra's hair. Adora whispered. "You were never worthless. I never once thought, not even for a second, that you were worthless."
Catra curled into Adora's embrace, lifting her face up to meet Adora's eyes. "You promise?"
Adora gave her an assuring smile. "I promise."
Adora held Catra for a moment, letting the warmth of the embrace comfort Catra until she heard a soft purr rumble through their bodies. Adora pulled slightly away, before looking down at Catra with one eyebrow raised and a smirk adorning her face. "So, are you trying to tell me that you burned down a whole city just because you couldn't get over me?"
Catra pushed Adora away, a blush raging across her face. "What? No! Shut up!"
Adora laughed. "You did!"
Catra shoved Adora again playfully. "I did not! I was trying to win a war! And it totally worked, and we were winning, by the way!" Adora laughed harder. Catra's face was flushed red, embarrassed, but she couldn't manage to hide her smile. "You're such an idiot."
Adora returned Catra's smile and grabbed her hand again. "Hey, uh – thank you. For telling me about Salineas. I can see why you don't want to go there."
Catra cast her gaze down towards herself. "Yeah..."
A strange thought lit up in Adora's mind. She reached her hand for her winged rebellion pin on her jacket and started playing with it between her fingers. She turned to Catra again. "You don't have to come, Catra. I totally understand why you don't want to come. But, if you decide you want to - I promise it will be different this time. We'll have a really good time together."
Catra looked at Adora to see a dopey, hopeful smile spreading across her face. Catra knew that she couldn't say no - not flatly, at least, not again. "Ugh, fine. I'll think about it, Adora. The party isn't for a week, anyway."
Adora kissed Catra on the forehead. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, dummy."
----------------
“Did she, I don’t know, indicate whether she was leaning one way or the other?” Glimmer was putting on her shoes, grunting through her words, as Adora and Bow put the finishing touches onto their formal outfits. The day of the party had arrived, and Catra was still undecided.
Adora put her hair into a ponytail, secured by a floral hair pin. “Not really. I mean, she has a good reason why she doesn’t want to go – I don’t want to pressure her. It’s totally up to her.”
Glimmer looked up from her shoes. “Okay, but I want her to come. Doesn’t she want to finally see Salineas with us? I just feel like it would be incomplete without her.”
Bow put his hands on Glimmer’s shoulder. “I think the Best Friend’s Squad can understand if one of us doesn’t want to do something. ”
Bow gave Adora a knowing look, and Adora sighed. “Yeah, I guess it’s just some stuff we haven’t really worked all the way through yet.”
Glimmer groaned. “Okay, but will Mermista understand?”
“Will Mermista understand what?” Catra, dressed in a maroon suit with her hair pulled up, stood in the doorway. Adora, Bow, and Glimmer all whipped their heads toward her as soon as she spoke.
“Wow… “ Adora blushed, covering her cheek with her hand as she stared at her girlfriend.
Catra smirked. “What, you didn’t think I was actually gonna miss Salineas finally admitting that I’m the life of the party, did you?”
Glimmer shot her fists into the air. “You’re coming?!?” She rushed towards Catra and pulled her into a hug.
Catra laughed and pushed Glimmer away. “Yes, yes, I’m coming. Now, get off of me.”
Glimmer giggled and stepped away, before grabbing Catra’s hand. “But wait! I haven’t explained to you the protocols for Salineas yet! This is a formal party, after all.”
Catra groaned. “Ugh, are you serious, Sparkles?”
Glimmer looked determined. “Oh, yes. We have to go over so many things before we leave. Come with me!”
Glimmer led Catra away from the other two, but not before Catra shot a small smile at Adora as she left. Adora’s heart skipped as she returned the gesture.
After Glimmer and Catra were gone, Adora turned away from the door and picked up her winged Rebellion pin from the nearby desk and started running it through her fingers. She had taken it off to put on her formal dress. As the gold pin flickered in her hands, a now familiar thought lit up her mind.
“Bow…” Adora started. Bow turned around to see Adora looking down at her pin, smiling slightly. “Bow, I think I’m going to propose to Catra tonight.”
Bow’s body shivered with surprise. “What? Propose? I mean, in Salineas? Tonight? Are you sure?”
Adora laughed. “You know I’ve been planning on doing this for a while now. Why are you surprised?”
Bow approached Adora and sat down by her side. “Oh, I know, it’s just – I always thought you would do it in the Whispering Woods, or maybe where we defeated Horde Prime. Glimmer proposed to me near the tree where we first met. Why Salineas? Doesn’t Catra hate it there? I mean, hasn’t this whole thing been pretty up in the air until just now?”
Adora tried to articulate her thoughts. “Catra didn’t want to go to Salineas because the last time we were both there, I treated her – I made her feel unwanted. She said it was one of the worst memories of her life. But what if this time, I show her how much she is wanted?”
Bow leaned back. “But this is Catra – are you sure she won’t be, I don’t know, picky about where you do this? I’m just trying to make sure this is the best idea.”
“For some reason, ever since she told me how she felt about the last time we were there – I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. And I wasn’t really sure if she was going to come, so I wasn’t sure it was going to happen this way. But now that I know she’s coming – I mean if the party is horrible and Catra is clearly not happy in Salineas at all, well then I won’t do it, but if everything goes well – I think I’m going to do it tonight, Bow.”
Bow smiled at Adora. “Well if you’re sure – oh my gosh, I’m so excited!” Bow hugged Adora before rising from his seat. He paced the floor for a moment before speaking. “Should I even tell Glimmer?”
“Tell me what, Bow?” Glimmer and Catra had returned. Adora hurriedly put the Rebellion pin behind her back, smiling innocently.
Bow waved his hands. “Oh! Uhhh… Adora and I were just talking about… well, we were talking about how Mermista is definitely going to have your favorite strawberry cake at the party, but now I guess the surprised is ruined.”
Glimmer scoffed. “Bow, I know what is going to be at the party. I already knew that she was going to have strawberry cake. We’ve definitely already talked about this.”
Bow laughed nervously. “Haha, oh that’s right. So then, no harm done, right?”
Catra walked behind Bow and stood at Adora’s side. She took Adora’s hand before whispering. “What’s going on with Arrow Boy? Is everything all right?”
Adora slipped the Rebellion pin in her dress pocket with her free hand. Glimmer and Bow continued to talk, walking out of the room. Adora turned to Catra. “Oh, uhh, yeah. I think he’s fine. Probably just nervous for the party.”
Catra’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, Bow is literally never nervous for parties. What’s happening here?” Adora started sweating. Catra gave Adora a taunting look. “Honestly, you look a little nervous yourself, princess.”
Adora smirked and looked at Catra. “Well, you try staying calm when your girlfriend looks as good as you do right now.”
Catra laughed. “Oh, I think I have some idea of what that feels like.”
Adora smiled, before bumping Catra’s shoulder. “Hey – I’m really glad you decided to come.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t duck out again after having to endure Sparkles explain Salinean history to me for a good ten minutes.”
“Yeah, well, you might have to endure even more of that, considering this is a celebration of Salineas.”
Catra groaned. “Ugh, you really are lucky I love you.”
Adora kissed Catra on the cheek. “Yeah, I know.”
Catra nearly melted, before she shoved Adora playfully. “Stop! You’re such an idiot, Adora.”
Glimmer popped her head back through the door. “You’re both being idiots - hurry up! We’re leaving in like five minutes!”
Adora walked forward before turning back towards Catra. She extended her hand. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
Catra took Adora’s hand.
----------------------------------------
The festival celebrating the reconstruction of Salineas was held in the center of the rebuilt city, with lights on strings adorning the edges of the town square. When the Best Friend Squad approached the party, it was already in full swing, with a large crowd of Salinean people dancing and celebrating.
Catra squeezed Adora’s hand as they approached the crowd, a nervous gesture Adora immediately recognized. She turned to Catra with concern and whispered. “Are you okay?”
Catra was startled to hear Adora. She whispered back. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. It’s just – weird, to be back here, you know.”
Catra was sweating, her eyes darting across the faces of the people as they passed through them. Glimmer was saying something about trying to find Mermista and Seahawk, but Catra could hardly pay attention. She couldn’t dodge the thought that all these people – the people she had so wantonly displaced - resented her for being here. She saw faces of disgust everywhere she looked.
Adora pulled Catra closer to herself to try and comfort her. “It’s okay, Catra. I promise – everything is going to be fine.”
Catra looked at Adora to try and calm herself, but she got distracted when she saw a group of people whispering behind her. The dark edges of her eyes closed in as she pulled away from Adora, a scowl on her face. “You don’t know that, Adora.”
Adora tried to grab back onto Catra’s hand, but she recognized the beginning of a breakdown. Adora nudged Glimmer and Bow, and they both turned to see Catra, wide-eyed and terrified. Glimmer spoke. “Catra, it’s okay. Please take a deep breath. It’s going to be fine. You were invited here.”
Catra tried to crawl out of the shadow space in her mind, but Glimmer’s words barely registered. Instead, she heard a Salinean woman, somewhere in the crowd, speaking clearly. “Yeah, that was one of the things we lost in the Horde attack...”
Catra tensed up to avoid from collapsing. She looked firmly at the rest of the group. “I think it was a mistake for me to come here. I’m – I’m just going to go. I don’t know how you convinced me to do this.”
Catra turned to leave, but Adora grabbed her hand before she could turn away. “Catra, please don’t leave.”
Catra pulled her hand away. She whispered sourly. “It must be nice to have no regrets like you. Everybody knows you’re the hero. You have no idea what it’s like to be running away from what you’ve done – or who you used to be. Just please - leave me alone, Adora.”
Catra rushed away from the others, getting lost in the crowd, as Adora shrunk back towards Glimmer and Bow. Adora gripped the Rebellion pin in her pocket, as her heart sunk. Bow put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey - It's okay. I think this was just too soon for her."
Adora wiped away the tears in her eyes as she looked at her friends. "I just really wanted this to go well."
Bow noticed that she had taken the pin out of her pocket and was fidgeting with it in her hand. He gave Adora a knowing smile. "I mean, I did try to tell you. I won't say I was right..."
Glimmer spoke up. "Why does she have to be like this! Everything was going well! We were all together, she had finally decided to come, and now-" Glimmer stopped when she noticed Adora playing with the pin. "-wait, why are you.... were you going to...?"
Adora wiped another tear from her eye as she put it back into her pocket. "It's okay, it's okay. It was a terrible idea, anyway."
Glimmer grabbed Adora's hand. "I swear, I'm going to kill that cat."
Adora sniffed away the last drops and let out a small chuckle . “Please don’t.”
Adora allowed herself to give an assuring smile to Glimmer, before the group got interrupted by a boisterous greeting. “Friends! Oh, it is so good to see you all here!” Seahawk gathered the three of them into a group hug, before looking down at them quizzically. “Mermista will be so happy to see you all! But I do say – where is our feline friend?”
Adora looked down. “She couldn’t make it.”
Seahawk studied Adora’s face before responding. “I see. Well, I can’t say Mermista won’t be disappointed. But she will still want to see you all as soon as possible! Here, come with me. I will take you to her.” Seahawk raised his finger into the air. “A Salineas rebuilt celebratory party adventure!”
-----------------------
Catra had nearly reached the end of the town square, and the end of the crowds. She had no idea how she was going to get out of Salineas – without Glimmer to teleport her out, she knew she was probably stuck there. She was looking for a place to be alone, at the very least.
She almost immediately regretted leaving. Fear sustained her for a few minutes as she stomped away from the group, but before long, she was properly lost. She slowed down, unclenched her fists, and signed. She looked around to see if she could catch a glimpse of her friends, but she also had no idea what she would say. And she was still terrified that nobody wanted her to be there.
When Catra reached the end of the crowd, she stopped and looked around for some place she could climb to – some place where she could get up high and maybe find Adora again. She hadn’t been looking for too long when she felt a tug on her tail.
Catra whipped around, the hair on her head raising as she turned. She looked down to see a small Salinean child giggling up at her. The child leaped behind her again, chasing her tail around her body.
Catra felt a laugh bubbling up through her throat. She softened her voice as she let it out. “Uh – hello, why are you chasing my tail?”
The child beamed up at her. “It’s silly! Why do you have a tail? I wish I had a tail!”
Catra smirked as she whipped her tail around , allowing the child to jump and chase after it. “I don’t know why I have a tail – I was just born that way, I guess.”
The child made a big leap for the tail, but Catra moved it out of the way just before the kid could get it into h er hands. They crashed down onto the floor, and Catra smirked again. The Salinean child rose to her feet and brushed the dirt off her pants. “I’m Aquaria – what’s your name?”
Catra squatted down so she was at eye level with Aquaria, and she reached out her hand for a shake. “I’m Catra. Nice to meet you.”
They both smiled at each other, before a Salinean couple came barreling towards them. “Oh, Aquaria, there you are! We have been worried sick!”
Catra stood up and shrunk back. Aquaria ran to her parents and let them squeeze her into their arms. Her father spoke. “This crowd is big, Aquaria – it’s easy to get lost. You can’t just run off alone.”
Aquaria giggled in their arms. “I’m five years old, Dad. I’m not a baby. And I met a new friend!”
When her dad put her down, Aquaria rushed over to Catra and took her hand. Catra stepped forward tentatively. Aquaria giggled.“Look, this is Catra! She has a tail!”
Catra waved her hand in greeting. Aquaria’s mom retook Aquaria into her arms, and looked at Catra curiously. Her eyes widened before she looked down at her daughter. “Oh my goodness, Aquaria! Do you know who this is?”
Catra’s anxiety flooded her body. She knew the people here recognized her – she shrunk back again, ready for rejection. Aquaria’s mom spoke to Aquaria again. “Do you remember learning about when She-Ra saved the universe from Horde Prime?”
Aquaria looked down thoughtfully, before her face lit up. “Ohhhhh! This is that Catra?”
Her mother nodded. “You didn’t know that you made friends with a hero, did you?” Aquaria’s mother turned to face Catra. “I’m so sorry if Aquaria bothered you. It’s really an honor to meet you.”
Catra stepped forward, shocked and hardly able to find any words. “Oh – uh, no, it’s fine.” Catra smiled at Aquaria. “It was uh – it was good to meet you, Aquaria.”
Aquaria smiled at Catra. “It was good to meet you, too.”
Aquaria’s father put her arm around his partner. “Well, we really ought to get back to our friends. We hope we get to see you around some more!” The family turned around and started walking back through the crowd. Before they got too far away, Catra heard Aquaria cheer. “Look! It’s Princess Mermista!”
Catra looked through the crowd and saw Mermista walking towards her. She took a hesitant step forward. “Hey there, water princess.”
Mermista folded her arms. “Ugh, I hate it when you call me that.”
Catra felt the weight of silence fall between them. It was never exactly friendly between Catra and Mermista. Mermista couldn’t forgive Catra for what she did to Salineas, and Catra never wanted to push her too far. For all the apologies Catra made after the war, Mermista and her were never on perfect terms, and Catra didn’t expect that to change.
Mermista stepped forward and spoke again. “Look, I want to show you something. So just follow me.”
---------------------------
Catra followed Mermista through the crowd, keeping a healthy distance behind the water princess. Catra darted her eyes through the throngs of people, keeping an eye out for Adora, but she couldn’t make out any identifying features in the sea of Salinean celebrators.
Catra noticed that Mermista was leading them both into what looked like a shrine, surrounded on all sides by waterfalls. The water flowed passed the doorway, which was the only opening available to enter the circle. As they entered the shrine, Mermista slowed down, and allowed Catra time to look around the cathedral-like space they were entering.
On the side opposite from the door of the shrine, a large marble tablet stood tall and intimidating. Water flowed through the cracks in the marble, and Catra approached the obelisk to get a closer look. On the marble, names were etched – hundreds of names of Etherians from all over the world.
“We built this to honor all the people who helped us rebuild Salineas.” Mermista spoke softly, and Catra turned to listen to her words. “Look, over here you might find some names you’ll recognize.” Mermista pointed out a particular spot on the marble, and Catra leaned in to read the names aloud.
Entrapta – Princess of Dryll
Scorpia – Princess of the Scorpion Kingdom
Wrong Hordak – Head Chef of Brightmoon
Glimmer – Queen of Brightmoon
Bow – Master Archer of Brightmoon
Adora – She-Ra, Princess of Power
Catra stopped after she read Adora’s name. She considered leaving to go find Adora, but Mermista had a longing and determined face that Catra had never seen directed toward her. She returned to the marble and saw the next name.
Catra – Hero of Etheria.
Catra’s eyes widened. A lump rose in her throat, and she turned to face Mermista again. “..why… but – Mermista, that isn’t fair. I – you know what I did. Salineas had to be rebuilt because of me. Why is my name on here?”
Mermista smirked. “That’s what I wanted you to see.” She looked down at her folded arms, speaking to Catra quietly but with determination. “I do know what you did – and I still don’t think I’ve entirely forgiven you for it. I’ve had such a hard time accepting that you are just part of us now. I spent a long time thinking that it wasn’t fair – that you didn’t deserve to be welcomed back. I kept telling myself that if everybody had to see and feel what you did to Salineas, like I did, you wouldn’t be allowed to stay with us. And I didn’t allow you to come to Salineas for years because I felt like you absolutely didn’t deserve to come back here.”
Catra looked down solemnly. She expected a confrontation with Mermista, and this one hit her hard, but she could also tell that this one was different than any of their previous conversations. Her curiosity kept her going.
Mermista spoke again. “But, like, I’ve also seen a different side of you over the past three years. I didn’t want to – for years I didn’t want to believe that the person who destroyed my home was also this kind, funny, courageous person – but I couldn’t keep lying to myself. I see how happy you make Adora – and I know how much work you put into getting the materials we needed to rebuild Salineas. You earned a place on this wall. And you earned the chance to prove that you can live up to the reputation you have among even the Salinean people. Everybody remembers you for how you saved the universe from Horde Prime – like that family you met earlier.”
Catra’s face wrinkled. “Oh, you saw that?”
Mermista continued. “I overheard some of the conversation. The point is – Salineas remembers Catra, much like the rest of Etheria, as the hero that saved She-Ra. I remember Catra as both a monster that destroyed my home – and as the hero that risked her life to save my friends. I haven’t been able to hold both these pictures in my head very well. But I’m going to start trying harder to see you as I think you are now . And I think that’s the good part of you.”
Catra felt tears in the corner of her eyes as she tried to accept Mermista’s words. “Mermista, look, I -”
Mermista interrupted her. “ Ugh, basically I’m just saying that you are welcome in Salineas now and we can probably be friends. Probably. That’s it.”
Catra nodded. “Okay.”
Mermista turned around and shrugged her shoulders. “It’s whatever.”
They both stood there in silence for a moment, before Mermista spoke up again. “By the way, where is Adora? I kind of expected to run into you both at the same time, so I don’t really get why I found you all alone-”
At that moment, Seahawk, Adora, and the others came through the entrance. Seahawk smiled and raised his hand into the air triumphantly. “Ahh, you see? I always know exactly where to find my dearest Mermista!”
Glimmer rolled her eyes. “You’ve literally been dragging us around for an hour because you had no idea where she was.”
Seahawk jumped into Mermista’s arms, and Mermista begrudgingly caught him and held him. Seahawk spoke. “Well, my dearest, look! I’ve found our friends! Although I’m disappointed to say that the cat is not with them.”
Mermista blushed and turned away from Seahawk. “Well, don’t worry - I’ve kind of already found Catra.”
Adora perked up and looked behind Mermista and Seahawk to see Catra.
“Hey, Adora.”
Adora ran forward and hugged Catra. “You’re still here? You didn’t really leave?”
Catra returned the hug. “Yeah, I’m still here.” They pulled slightly apart before Catra joked. “It’s not like I could have gotten far anyway. Not without Glimmer. You know I’m not about to get on a boat or anything.”
They both laughed, before Glimmer and Bow brought them both into a group hug. Glimmer bumped Catra’s side with her elbow. “I’m so glad you didn’t really leave. Seahawk told me that they are planning on playing Qwestions tonight.”
Catra smirked at Glimmer. “Oh, well I hope everybody is prepared to lose to us again.”
Glimmer laughed, high-fiving Catra. “Yes!”
Bow and Adora rolled their eyes, before Catra spoke again. “Hey – I’m sorry for leaving like that. It was weird. I just – I felt like I didn’t belong here. I feel better now.” Catra gave a knowing look to Mermista, who finally put Seahawk down as she nodded in return.
Adora grabbed Catra’s hand and smirked. “Well, Catra, I’ll only forgive you if you come and dance with me.”
Catra laughed. “Right now, Adora?”
Adora started leading Catra out of the shrine and back towards the crowds. “Absolutely.”
------------------------------------------
The dance floor, in the middle of the town square, was difficult to reach through the crowds. Adora held onto Catra’s hand as they weaved through the throngs of people.
An opening finally revealed itself, and Adora clutched Catra’s hand as she prepared to rush through, but a group of kids jumped in front of Adora and blocked her path.
“See, I told you! This is my friend, Catra. She has a tail! See!” The kid in front of the others pointed at Catra, as Catra let go of Adora’s hand and waved at the kids. Adora looked at Catra with a question on her face, as Catra got down low to speak with the kids. “Hi, Aquaria. It’s good to see you again! It’s nice to meet the rest of you too.” Catra shook all their hands before rising to her feet again. Adora still gave Catra a bewildered look, which Catra returned with a small smirk. “Adora, don’t worry – these are just my adoring fans. Don’t be jealous or anything.”
Adora let out a small laugh, before Catra lowered herself down to the floor again, pulling Adora gently down with her. “Hey Aquaria – this is my friend Adora.”
Adora shook Aquaria’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Aquaria. I’m a big fan of Catra’s too.”
Aquaria laughed, and Catra blushed. She elbowed Adora before speaking to the kids. “Hey, guess what – Adora’s actually got a really cool secret that I bet she wants to show you. You’ll really like this.”
Adora looked at Catra with a confused expression on her face, before she realized what Catra meant. She shook her head in mock annoyance and whispered to Catra.“Fine, but I’m only doing this for you.”
Catra laughed and whispered back. “You love this.”
Adora stuck out her hand and a sword appeared. The kids collectively gasped, before Adora shouted “For the Honor of Grayskull!”
She-Ra appeared, already laughing, as all the kids shouted “She-Ra!” and jumped on her. Catra stood back and watched as She-Ra juggled all the kids, holding some of them on her back and some of them in her arms. Catra smiled softly, and She-Ra looked and returned the gesture. After a few minutes, Catra approached She-Ra and spoke to the kids. “All right, all right – I think it’s probably time for us to go, since I still owe ‘She-Ra’ here a dance.”
The kids dropped off She-Ra’s back and arms, as Catra grabbed her hand. “C’mon, Adora.”
As soon as Catra said her name, She-Ra transformed back into Adora. The kids sighed a collective “awww”, but Catra assured them they would get to play again later. The kids scampered away, and Adora squeezed tighter onto Catra’s hand. “I can’t believe you made friends with a bunch of Salinean kids without me.”
Catra laughed. “Is it so hard to believe that I have some fans of my own?”
Adora beamed. “No, I mean – I mean you were really sweet with them.” Catra grinned, before Adora pulled her the rest of the way to the dance floor. “Now, let’s dance.”
-----------------------------------
The party was dying down as the sun was starting to set. Adora and Catra had just finished a game of Qwestions, and were laughing as they exited the dining hall together.
“I can’t believe you and Glimmer still won. I could have sworn Bow and I had you this time.”
Catra laughed. “C’mon, Adora, you guys weren’t even close. Scorpia and Entrapta had a better chance, and we were way ahead of them too.”
Adora put her hands on her hips. “Oh, really? You’re just that much better than me?”
Catra smirked. “At that game? Yeah, obviously.”
Adora bumped her shoulder against Catra’s “I bet I can beat you to the Sea Gate.”
Catra looked up and saw the Sea Gate a few hundred yards away from them. “You’re on, you dummy.”
They laughed as they raced past the Salinean buildings, climbing towards the Sea Gate. Catra sat down on the edge overlooking the sea. A couple seconds later, Adora tumbled down next to her. Catra laughed. Adora complained. “You cheated! You always cheat.
Catra cackled. “Adora, one of these days you’re just going to have to accept that I’m faster than you.”
Adora stuck out her tongue. “Never.”
They both laughed, before Catra looked out towards the setting sun. The water was reflecting orange and red, and it lit up both their faces with a yellow glow. Catra let her hand find Adora’s. She squeezed tightly as she looked into Adora’s eyes. “You kept your promise, didn’t you?”
Adora searched Catra’s eyes before responding. “What do you mean?”
Catra smiled. “You said that everything would be fine tonight – and it was. It was better than fine. I had a really good time, and now I get to just sit here and watch the sunset with you.”
Catra laid her head on Adora’s shoulder. Adora felt her heart flutter, feeling the warmth of the girl she loved. She reached for her dress pocket, and felt the Rebellion pin calling out to her again. “Catra – do you remember what you said to me the last time we were here?”
Catra’s eyes widened, as she raised her head from Adora’s shoulder. She noticed that she and Adora were sitting right in the same spot they had fought more than six years ago. Painful memories flooded back into her mind, and she shivered to shake them off. “Adora – I don’t want to, uh – I don’t-”
Adora grabbed Catra’s hand. “Catra – look at me.”
Catra looked to see Adora’s dopey smile, with the sun reflecting out of her eyes and nothing but trust and love coming out of her face. She felt her shoulders relax, as she melted into Adora’s gaze. Adora kept her eyes on Catra. “- last time we were here, you uh – “ she laughed “-you mocked me with your Force Captain badge. You said that you thought it was the thing I wanted most in the whole world.”
Catra kept her eyes locked on Adora trusting look, trying not to get overwhelmed. She took a quick breath. “Yeah, I was trying – I don’t know what I was trying to do. I just wanted you to come back home.”
Adora squeezed Catra’s hand. “At the time, I thought that what I wanted most in the world was to be She-Ra. To fulfill my destiny and be the hero Etheria needed me to be. That’s why I was so – that’s why I acted the way I did. I was so dedicated to being that hero that I couldn’t let anything get in the way.”
Catra looked into Adora’s eyes, trying to find where she was going. “Adora...”
Adora put her hand on Catra’s cheek. “I was wrong. That isn’t what I want most in the world.” Catra leaned into Adora’s touch. Adora let her hand drop, and she looked down at her lap. “What I want most is to wake up, everyday, next to somebody who loves me for exactly who I am. What I want most in the world is to be challenged, everyday, by somebody so much braver than I could ever hope to be.” She took the rebellion pin out of her pocket and started playing with it in her hands. “What I want most in the whole world is to spend the rest of my life with you, Catra.”
Catra felt tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She smiled and reached for Adora’s hand, and Adora raised them both up to their feet. Catra looked and saw Adora playing with the Rebellion pin in her other hand. She looked at Adora, puzzled for a moment. “Adora, what are you – why are you playing with that pin?”
Adora gave Catra another dopey smile. She laughed a bit, tears coming out of her eyes, before she continued. “Don’t you get it, Catra? I love you. I always have. So please - ” she got down on one knee and offered the pin “- marry me?”
Catra gasped. She looked at Adora’s longing eyes, and time seemed to stop. She looked out at the setting sun, and for a moment, she felt like she could see the past version of herself, six years ago, looking up at this exact spot. She saw her past-self longing for exactly this – exactly this kind of acceptance. She smiled softly at the vision below her. You’ll never guess where you’ll end up. You’ll never guess how lucky you’ll be. She looked back at Adora. “Yes, absolutely yes, you dummy.”
Adora rose to her feet and pulled Catra in for a fierce kiss. Catra felt the tears come pouring out of her eyes, as she kissed Adora back. After the kiss broke, Adora hugged her and swayed with her. “I love you so much, Catra. I love you so much.”
Catra squeezed Adora in return. “I love you, too.”