Silence reigned in The Fright Zone. It was whatever passed for night in the facility, where the machines thrummed somewhere in the background and the Horde's underlings went to their beds. But Catra knew that just the appearance of absence wasn't enough – she'd been burned by that expectation before, and she took advantage of it enough.
And no matter how much she needed it, she needed her secret kept more. So she prowled, along gutters and hallways and ceilings, until she was sure that no eyes were following her. The night was hers to take, which suited her fine.
The training room was easy enough to get into, and if anyone asked, she'd just say that she was training. And if they kept asking, she'd just give them a tongue-lashing and some miserable duty in a dismal corner somewhere. She had that power.
Not that it helped when the walls closed in around her. When the weight of responsibility and appearances and everyone else's opinions ran her into the ground. It was her own fault, really, her own head, but she could handle that. She didn't really need this. It just helped, like a coat in cold weather.
Catra flicked the switch on the wall and the projectors started up. Her clawed fingers darted over the console, going to her personal files, to the program called "Stress Testing 07". It didn't stand out among any of the others, and nobody would have tried it even if they did figure out her password. Wasn't like she spent much time training anyway.
A figure blinked into existence. She was tall, with soft blonde hair and bright blue eyes and a smile. Her hand was on her hip.
"Missed me, huh?" The holographic Adora cocked an eyebrow at Catra. "It's not even been a day."
"Shut up." Catra scowled as she prowled over to her friend. "I though you'd get lonely. You're kinda clingy that way. Always were, to be honest."
"I'm a hologram, Catra. I don't have any emotions," Adora said.
"Eh," Catra shrugged, "you have a...what'd Entrapta call it...reasonable facsimile."
"It was clever of you to tell her it was for training, I'll give you that." Adora smiled, turning her head to keep track of Catra as she walked around her. "But, we both know that's not why you're here."
"I can beat Adora any time I want!" Catra hissed. "So no, I'm not here to train."
"So stop being so sassy and come over here." Adora turned fully around and held her arms out to Catra. The latter hesitated for a moment, enough to satisfy her dignity, before she stepped up to wrap her arms around the representation of Adora. She could feel the metal frame that served to host the hologram, but she could put that to the side for the sake of pretending. She lingered there for a moment, then pushed her weight against Adora until they both toppled to the floor.
"You really need it today, huh?" Adora ran her hands through Catra's mane. "It's okay. Tell me all about it."
"Don't know why I should," Catra huffed as she nestled her head against Adora's chest. "Not like anything's changed. Holdak is still a top-grade jerk, he's almost as bad as Shadow Weaver, acting like I've not done anything when I'm the most successful Force Captain the Horde has had in years! Entrapta talks like she swallowed a dictionary, Lonnie keeps giving me the side-eye like I'm not doing her a favor by being in charge. She'd be stuck cleaning toilets if it weren't for me."
"You have it pretty rough," Adora agreed. "What about Scorpia? Is she still being herself?"
"Yeah. She's fine, and all, but she keeps trying to act like I'm her friend." Catra's hands curled at her sides, but she'd already dug gouges into her palm from all her frustrated fist-clenching. "She's not my friend. She won't ever be. Nobody's gonna replace..." The words died in her throat.
"Replace me?" Adora laughed softly. It was like music to Catra's ears. It always had been. She hadn't heard it from the girl herself in way too long. "You still think of me like that?"
"Like I could stop." Catra wasn't going to let the tears come to her eyes, but they always found a way.
"You don't have to, you know." Adora reached down to cup Catra's cheek and draw their eyes together. Having her so close, their eyes together, made Catra weak in the knees. "You could always come and find me and we could be together. Just like old times."
"No way." Catra shook her head. "I didn't come here for you to act like she… You, always do. I get enough of that when we fight. Come on, Catra! Meet my new friends, Catra! Stop being selfish! They're so much better than you, Catra! Step right back into my shadow, Catra!" She took in a deep breath to steady herself. She was meant to be relaxing, not getting herself worked up. "Who programmed you to talk like that, anyway? I didn't ask for it."
"You asked for me to act like Adora would," Adora pointed out, "And that's what she'd say. Take it up with her."
"Like I haven't tried..." Catra sighed. "Whatever. I shouldn't say anything. The only way we're gonna be together is if there aren't any Princesses left for her to side with. Then she'll come back. Won't she?"
The hologram remained silent.
"Won't she?"
"If you waant some time together, just you and me, we've got some right now." Adora slid her fingers through Catra's. The metal digits were cool. "Why don't we dance again? You liked it last time."
"I...I guess." Catra let herself be pulled up by Adora. There was a little click as the holograms shifted. She was in her suit again, Adora in the red dress she'd worn at the Princess Ball. "Just like we talked about," she said, as she placed a hand on Adora's waist.
"Not just like them," Adora said, as she let Catra take the lead. "You're gonna have to install lips on me before we can do that."
"Shut up..." Catra hissed and let herself go in the dance. Her worries weren't gone, but they were suppressed in the time they had together. She didn't have Adora, either. Until she did, the illusion would have to do.