CHAPTER XXXI: THE BALL
"Neeeeed any help with that?"
"Ack!" A waiter yelped as she spun around, managing not to drop the two trails of food she was taking to a nearby table.
In front of her stood the scorpion princess who had recently joined the Rebellion. Still, even if she knew that, the towering figure sent a chill down her spine.
"N-nono! I got this, don't worry!" The young woman stuttered as she turned around and walked away.
"O-oh… o-okay! Call if you need anything…" Scorpia tried to speak with her usual cheerful tone of voice.
However, as soon as she saw the waiter had gone far enough, her shoulders dropped, and a heavy sigh left her lips.
"Oh man…" The scorpion princess scratched the back of her neck.
"Hey Scorpia!"
Suddenly, a cheerful voice called out her name. Scorpia turned around, a surprised expression on her face as she noticed Perfuma waving at her and sprinting towards her.
"H-hey Perfuma… is everything alright?" Scorpia asked.
The flower princess' euphoric demeanor suddenly dropped. Scorpia immediately noticed it.
"What?! Did I upset her?! H-how did I… I'm such a screw up!" The scorpion princess yelled internally.
"I'm okay but… you don't look like everything's alright… did something happen?" Perfuma asked, stepping forwards.
"Oh… oh! N-no! Everything's totally fine, peach perfect! A-okay!" Scorpia chuckled, finding it harder and harder to maintain her positive behavior under Perfuma's concerned look.
"You don't have to tell me what's wrong Scorpia, but if there's anything I can do, I'd like to help." The flower princess spoke kindly.
"A-ah…" Scorpia suddenly felt her cheeks growing hot, "Well… you see… I…" Scorpia struggled.
"Yes?" Perfuma stepped even closer to her.
"I don't think I really fit in here… I-I mean… I've been trying to help all day… I really care about this ball! I think it was a great idea!"
"Thank you." Perfuma giggled at the compliment.
"B-but people seem… more scared of me than anything else." Scorpia's face fell.
However, the scorpion princess immediately raised it as she felt a pair of soft hands lightly grasping her pincers. She looked at Perfuma who was now smiling again, and her eyes held such kindness that Scorpia wondered if this was exactly what she had missed during her entire life.
"They're afraid because they don't know the real you, Scorpia. I know that you're kind, brave, funny and you have the biggest heart in all of Etheria. I promise you that people will get to see that in time, but I want you to know that I already do."
Okay, Scorpia was definitely blushing now.
"Thank you. N-no one ever said that to me before…" The scorpion princess muttered, unable to look away from the flower princess' eyes.
"How about you help me with a few things? I think I grew some of the flower decorations inside the ball room a tad bigger than they should have been, have you ever done some gardening before?"
"N-no? B-but I can try! I mean, better put these two to work rather than letting them do nothing all day!" Scorpia grinned as she raised her pincers above her head.
"I'm certainly looking forward to it." Perfuma giggled as she put a hand on the scorpion princess' bicep, sliding it upwards until she reached her pincer.
The flower princess grabbed it and began to guide Scorpia towards the ball room.
"Ooooooh boy." The former force captain muttered under her breath.
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"I'm telling you, you gotta try the blue one!" Bow spoke excitedly.
"I think the red one would fit her better." Glimmer said, crossing her arms.
"Well I-" The archer began to argue.
"Thank you guys, I think I'll try them on in my room. Alone. See you tonight!" Adora interrupted the two's bickering.
"But Adora! We have to be there to give you some advice!"
"No no no, I got this. I want the dress I choose to be a surprise… aaaaand I want to chose it quickly so that I can take a nap before the ball. I'm still a little bit tired."
"Okay…" Bow said, clearly disappointed.
"Come on Bow, why don't you help me pick up a dress?" Glimmer tried to cheer him up.
"Yeah, yeah I think I'd like that, come on!"
"Okay, see you tonight Adora!" The young queen said as she suddenly grasped Bow's hand, both of them disappearing in a cloud of sparkles.
Adora heaved a sigh of relief and entered her room.
"Hey, Adora."
The voice made the blonde swirl around, but with a smile on her face.
"Hey, Catra."
The feline's eyes drifted to the set of dresses Adora was carrying under her arm.
"Let me guess, Sparkles and Arrow boy wanted to help you with all that 'choosing the right outfit' stuff?" Catra asked, smirking as she crossed her arms.
"Exactly." Adora chuckled.
"Same here, Scorpia couldn't stop blabbering about the ball and how I should have asked Glimmer if she had something for me to wear that looked like the tuxedo from princess prom." The feline explained.
It was only then that Adora noticed the black pants and the crimson red shirt. The tuxedo's jacket laid on her bed alongside a bow tie. Suddenly, the image of Catra during Princess Prom came back to her mind. The blonde didn't even notice she was blushing until the feline called out to her.
"Everything alright princess?" She spoke in a teasing voice, obviously having noticed how Adora's cheeks had reddened.
"Y-yeah, I just remember that you… uhm… you looked really nice in that tuxedo."
Suddenly, Catra's smug demeanor fell apart. She didn't expect Adora to say something like that. And really, it shouldn't have had that effect on her, it was just a compliment, but something about the way the blonde said it made the feline's stomach feel weird. Still, she chose not to pay attention to the strange feeling and forcefully brought her smirk back on her face.
"I always look great, tuxedo or not." Catra grinned devilishly.
"I-I didn't mean that you don't-" Adora waved her hands in front of her, panic written all over her face.
"Adora, relax, I'm just joking."
The blonde sighed in relief and fell silent. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly before speaking again.
"Would you help me choose one?" She asked tentatively.
"Uhm… y-yeah." Catra replied, wondering what had just caused that slight tremble in her voice.
Adora stepped forward and placed down on her bed three dresses. A red one, the same she wore at Princess Prom if she Catra wasn't mistaken, a blue one, with… ugh… ruffles… and a white one. That's the one that caught the feline's attention. It was long, white dress, with a completely opened back while the front had a v shaped opening.
"Try this one on." Catra spoke before she could think, taking the dress in her hands and handing it to the blonde.
"T-this one?!" Adora asked, her tone a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.
"Yeah, this one, try it."
"Catra… I really don't know…" The blonde began fidgeting nervously.
"Adora, trust me… you'll look great in it." Catra reassured her.
Adora's eyes went wide. She had never heard the feline use that tone. It was… kind… warm… reassuring.
"O-okay… I'll try it on." Adora finally agreed.
"Good." Catra seemed satisfied.
Adora took a good look at the dress. Not a chance that she could wear it with her training top, or any other kind of top…
"Uhm… could you… turn around?" The blonde asked shily.
"Why? Nothing I haven't seen before in the showers after training." The feline cackled.
"C-Catra!" Adora shrieked, going completely red.
"Yeah yeah, okay, I was just joking." Catra kept snickering as she laid the dress on Adora's bed and turned around.
A few minutes went by, then…
"Okay, you can turn around."
Catra did… and found out that even if she tried, she couldn't breathe.
"Uhm… so… how is it?" Adora asked.
The feline just stared in silence.
"I-is it bad?"
"It's all but bad…" Catra whispered. "Turn around, you gotta show me the whole thing."
"Uhm… m-maybe I should change dress… don't you think it's too… too much?" Adora suddenly sounded worried, and that immediately broke Catra out of her trans.
"Adora? Is… is something wrong?"
"Nono! I just… I…" Adora stuttered, averting her eyes from Catra's gaze.
Something inside the feline told her to step closer to the blonde… and so she did. Catra moved closer and took Adora's hand in her own. The two stared at each other for a few moments before Adora turned her back to the feline. That's when Catra noticed them… five, thin, white lines, going from the blonde's shoulder blades to her lower back. Unconsciously, she brough her hand on the scars, gently tracing them with her fingers. Adora's breath itched and her back arched slightly.
"Sorry…" Catra quickly retracted her hand.
Adora turned around and took the feline's hands into her own.
"Catra it's okay, they don't hurt, they're just sensible." The blonde tried to reassure her.
"I'm sorry…" Catra whispered, avoiding Adora's gaze.
"Don't be, it was a long time ago."
"They won't go away… they'll always be there… to remind both of us how awful I am…" The feline muttered as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
"What?! Oh my stars Catra, no no no, you're not awful!" Adora brought her hands to Catra's face and cupped her cheeks, "Listen to me, okay? Catra, I'm serious, I need you to listen to me."
Catra simply raised her face and met the blonde's gaze. Adora used her thumbs to wipe away her tears, as she kept looking at her with that same, hopeful, warm smile that had always made the feline feel weird.
"We hurt each other… a lot… we both did things we regret…"
"Yeah right… as if Etheria's hero ever did something regretful…" Catra scoffed, slightly turning away.
"I regret leaving you every day of my life." Adora spoke in a firm tone of voice, gently pushing the feline's face upwards to meet her gaze.
Catra's breath stopped.
Her eyes widened in surprise at the blonde's words.
"A-Adora…"
"I left you… I promised I'd always be there for you and I left you… I wanted to do the right thing but I never considered how you'd feel… what would have happened to you when I left… I've been selfish… and I almost lost the person I love the most in the entire universe… I'm sorry…" Adora's eyes began to water.
"You don't need to apologize." Catra shook her head.
"Yes… I do… and you did too… life put us in a situation where we made mistakes… but we still found each other again… we still became better people and… I'm happy that we're here… I'm happy you're here… right now…" The blonde gave her a teary smile.
"I'm… I'm happy too."
Catra placed a hand on Adora's and looked at her straight in the eyes. It was as if time had stopped. The two couldn't breath as they both grew closer and closer…
TOCK TOCK!
"Guys! Are you ready?! People are already pouring in! Let's go!"
"Thanks Glitter…"
Adora laughed… and Catra found out it was the most beautiful sound in the world. The blonde pressed their foreheads together and closed her eyes.
"Ready for the ball?"
"Yeah… I'm ready… just a little something…" Catra said as she reached out behind Adora's head and took her ponytail out, letting her hair cascade down her shoulders.
"Power is the greatest thing in this world…" The feline remembered Shadow Weaver's voice, "No, this is." She thought, as she stared at Adora.
"Now we can go."
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Music… bright lights… food… just everything the Fright Zone never had was there, for everyone to enjoy. It had been hard to convince the remnants of the Horde to join the party, but thanks to the promise of more "Rebellion food", the princesses had finally managed to convince them.
The soldiers came in walking cautiously, as if they were expecting a trap, but as soon as they noticed that they had been lead by the palace's staff to a room full of food and music and nothing else, they began to calm down. The people of Bright Moon and many other kingdoms joined them alongside the princesses and despite a few, first awkward moments… all of them began to talk to each other, shily at first, but as time flew by, between music, food and drinks, the atmosphere grew less tense and more relaxed.
"Would you have believed it if someone back in the Fright Zone told us that one day the Horde and the Rebellion would dance and talk and laugh together?" Adora spoke as she looked around the ball room.
"Not in a million years." Catra chuckled.
"So… what do you want to do? Eat something? Are you thirsty? I could get us a few drinks if-"
"Do you wanna dance with me?" The feline suddenly asked.
Adora looked taken aback by the question, but she quickly shrugged the surprise off and smiled.
"Yeah, but do the almighty Lord Catra remember how to without stepping all over my feet?" Adora teased.
"Oh! I'm truly offended Lady Adora! A leader such as myself must excel in a great variety of activities. Dancing is one of them. Allow me to demonstrate." Catra extended a hand towards the blonde.
Adora giggled and took it. They began to dance around the room, alongside many other couples. They got a glimpse of Sea Hawk chanting a new love song to a very pissed looking Mermista, even though Adora could have sworn she had seen the ghost of a smile on the mermaid princess' face. Bow and Glimmer were dancing around, seemingly lost in conversation and… into each other's eyes.
Spinerella and Netossa were standing right next to a column, the first rubbing the latter's back in a soothing manner, whispering something in her ear. Ivy stood in front of one of the tables, thinking of what food to try next before Frosta reached her side with two plates in her hands. The two smiled at each other as the frost princess offered one to the young cadet.
Scorpia was dancing too. Perfuma was holding her pincers and suddenly, the scorpion princess scooped her up and made her swirl around in the air as the flower princess laughed joyfully. When she put her down, the two stared at each other for a few moments. Perfuma bit her lower lip, stood up on her toes, and whispered something in the Scorpia's ear. To say her face had turned red would have been an understatement. The flower princess began to drag her away from the dance floor and Scorpia eagerly obliged.
"Have fun, Scorpia." Catra muttered under her breath as she chuckled.
"What?" Adora asked, not having heard her.
"Oh, I'm a little thirsty, I'll go fetch a drink, you want one?"
"Oh, no thank you, I'm good, I'll just wait for you."
Catra reached one of the tables and looked at the vast multitude of drinks that had been placed on it.
"What to choose… what to choose…" The feline wondered before someone reached her side.
"The red one is sooo sweet! And you have to consume it in these tiny little glasses, which makes it even more enjoyable for me!"
Catra turned around, having recognized immediately the voice.
"Entrapta…" She whispered, noticing how the scientist princess was pouring the red drink in two glasses.
"Hi Catra, are you enjoying the party?" She asked, not an ounce of resentment or anger in her voice.
"Uhm… yeah… yeah I am… what about you?"
"Oh! It would be a great opportunity to study the interactions between sides who had once been at war and now are cooperating towards a common goal… but I really can't leave Hordak alone, and he wasn't allowed to join the party."
At the mention of the former Horde leader, a scowl appeared on the feline's face, but it quickly went away as Entrapta took the two glasses in her hands and began to turn around.
"Welp, I gotta go, enjoy the rest of the night!"
"E-Entrapta wait!" Catra called out to her.
"Huh? What is it Catra?" Entrapta asked, slightly taken aback.
"I… w-why aren't you angry at me?"
"Angry at you? Why should I be?" The scientist princess asked before the realization suddenly hit her. "Ooooooh! Because you sent me to beast island, stole my work and used it to open a hole in the fabric of space and time?"
Catra grimaced at that.
"Yeah! Exactly! I mean, how can you not be?!"
"Were you hurt?" Entrapta suddenly asked.
"W-what?" Catra asked, clearly confused, where was Entrapta trying to go with this?
"Were you hurting in that moment?" The scientist princess pressed on.
Catra remained silent for a few moments before nodding.
"It's something that I understood as I studied all the people I came in contact with. People seem to… lash out sometimes when they're hurt… they do things that they wouldn't normally do… and most importantly, they regret those actions…" Entrapta explained.
"I'm sorry… about everything…" Catra said, her voice just above a whisper.
"Yeah, I know, but it's still nice to hear you say it. And obviously, I forgive you. That's what a good friend does." Entrapta said as she smiled and patted Catra's head with her pigtail. "Now I have to go, tell the others I said hi!"
"Sure…" Catra smiled at the scientist princess before she turned around and walked away.
She filled a glass with the same red drink and gulped it down.
It felt… nice…
To know that Adora had forgiven her…
To know that Mermista had forgiven her…
To know that even Entrapta had forgiven her…
When she walked back to Adora, a pair of drinks in her hands, the blonde immediately noticed the feline's smile. It wasn't devilish or euphoric, just… peacefull.
"Everything alright?" Adora asked.
And that just did it.
All the people around her were happy. Even Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio were chatting with a few soldiers from the Rebellion, smiles on their faces. The princesses were happy, the remnants of the Horde were happy and even though Prime was still out there… it was as if for a single moment he had never even existed. And then… then there was Adora, looking at her with that dumb, warm, kind look that made her feel like every place in the universe could be her home if they were together.
Catra stepped forward and cupped Adora's cheeks before bringing their lips together.
Adora yelped in surprise, her mouth remaining still for a few moments. Then, as she realized what was happening, she closed her eyes, and kissed Catra back.
For a moment, everything was perfect.
The moment after…
Catra wasn't in the ball room anymore.
She looked around frantically, tried to call out for Adora, tried to move… but she found out that she couldn't do any of those things. She could simply stand still and look at her younger self tied to a table, Shadow Weaver towering over her.
"Let me go! I didn't do anything! Please!"
"You didn't do anything?! How dare you lie to me, ungrateful little brat!"
SLAP!
It stung even if the one who had been hit was her younger self.
"Adora told me what you did… do you think that I wouldn't have found out?"
"We didn't do anything wrong! We love each other!"
We love each other…
What… what was happening? Why did this feel so real?! Why didn't she remember any of this?!
"Adora could never love someone as pathetic as you. You're weak, you're just an animal I had to grow because of Lord Hordak's will, nothing more. You don't deserve someone like her, and she certainly doesn't deserve to be dragged down by someone as vile as you."
"You're the vile one! Let me go! Adora!"
"Adora can't hear you now. She's sleeping. I made her forget this… incident…"
"No… no… y-you wouldn't!"
"I wouldn't? I'd do even worse to ensure she'll reach her full potential. Having a side kick has done and will always do wonders to her, but a lover? You'll just be a distraction."
"You're sick."
SLAP!
"Oh, but don't worry. I'll make sure you won't distract her again. She already forgot… you'll do it too."
"No! No! Stop! St-"
Those gray hands grasped the sides of her younger self's head, and the pain she felt… Catra felt it ten times stronger.
Then…
She was finally back…
The music came back…
The chattering of the people around her came back…
Adora came back…
She stepped away from the blonde, who looked as shocked as she did.
"C-Catra…" Adora muttered, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Catra couldn't bear to watch the blonde a moment longer. She turned around and ran away. Even when Adora called out to her, screamed her name, telling her to wait for her… she didn't stop. There was someone she had to meet… and it wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting.
It took Catra twenty minutes of running through endless corridors… but finally, she reached a door that lead her to a garden outside the castle. And there she was… Shadow Weaver… tending to her flowers. The red witch heard her coming. She raised her gaze and stared at Catra.
"Can't you see that I'm busy? I don't have time to-" Shadow Weaver spoke in a bored tone of voice, but became silent as the feline interrupted her.
"I'm going to kill you." Catra hissed between her teeth, her voice dripping hatred and anger as she started to run towards the old witch.
"Have you gone mad?!" Shadow Weaver yelled.
She had just the time to stand up and dodge Catra's claws, they shined under the moonlight as they came down from above her and missed her by a few inches.
"I saw it…" The feline truly sounded out of her mind.
She stepped forward and threw a kick the old witch, who conjured a magic shield which exploded into fragments of light as Catra's hit landed on it.
"What do you think you saw?!" Shadow Weaver shouted in both anger and confusion, rays of darkness erupting from her hands, flying towards the enraged feline.
But even in this state, Catra didn't do one single wrong move, and the red witch didn't manage to hit her… not even once.
"I saw what you did to me and Adora! I saw you erasing our memories!" Catra screamed as she rushed towards her.
Shadow Weaver's eyes widened… and in that exact moment the feline had no more doubts… what she saw was true.
"So, you know…" She said as she conjured a binding spell.
But before it could close around the feline, she jumped in the air. The old witch raised her hand towards Catra as she came down from the sky. The shadow ray missed her by nothing… but the feline didn't miss her target this time. Her foot came in contact with the witch's mask, and a loud cracking noise resonated through the air.
Shadow Weaver fell backwards, a long crack forming in the middle of her mask.
And as soon as she hit the ground, Catra was already on top of her, one hand around her neck, the other raised in the air above her face.
"We loved each other… we loved each other even before all of this! And you took that away!" Catra shouted in anger as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
"I did what I had to! To make sure Adora would reach her full potential! I couldn't have let you drag her down! And I'd do it again if I had to!" Shadow Weaver yelled back.
"You won't ruin any more lives." The feline stated, raising her clawed hand, ready to strike.
The old witch gasped in horror as she saw the claws coming down upon her…
She tried to shield herself but…
The pain never came…
Instead, a scream was heard.
"Catra!"
The feline turned her head and saw Adora sprinting towards her. The blonde reached her side and kneeled down next to her.
"Don't…" Adora pleaded.
"Do you know what she did?! What she has taken from us?!" Catra's voice trembled.
Adora couldn't bear to see her in this state, tears streaming down her cheeks, desperation clear on her face and in her voice. She cupped her cheeks and wiped away her cheeks.
"I know…" Adora muttered, trying to bite back a sob.
"W-what?" The feline replied, shocked.
"I've seen it too… w-when you kissed me…"
She had seen it… she had seen that terrible memory… then why didn't she want to…
"But even after everything she did… she isn't worth it… she isn't worth a single moment of our time." Adora spat, venom in her voice.
She stood up from the ground and offered Catra a hand…
A moment later…
Catra took it.
"A-Adora… my child…" Shadow Weaver muttered, extending a hand towards her.
"I'm not your child… I never was. I will never forgive you for what you've done to us, and if you even try to do something like that again… I'll personally strike you down."
The old witch couldn't believe the blonde's words.
"B-but Adora! E-everything I did, I did it for you!"
"You did it for yourself… I pity you… you'll never know happiness, and I certainly won't let you take ours. Let's go, Catra." Adora said as she gave the feline's hand a light tug.
Catra remained silent as Adora guided her towards the castle.
None of the two turned around when they heard Shadow Weaver calling their names.