Catra had her back turned on Adora that entire night.
Even when Adora woke that next morning, she turned to see Catra still facing away from her. She let out a small sigh, knowing Catra would be like this after their argument the previous day. Adora was at least thankful that Catra stayed in the same bed as her.
The day was bright by the time Adora had showered and gotten into some clothes. She knew Catra was awake and pretending to be asleep, but she decided to avoid pointing it out. Whether Catra's outburst was justified or not, that didn't change the fact she was going through a lot. It was hard to blame her.
Adora left her room and found Bright Moon to still be as quiet as it was yesterday. The effects of yesterday's events still rung throughout the halls as Adora's footsteps were the only sounds echoing and bouncing off the walls.
Adora approached Mara's room and raised a fist, giving a few knocks. Considering what she had heard about Light Hope the previous night, Adora understood if Mara didn't feel up for anything today. She waited a few seconds and was ready to leave before Mara answered.
"Come in! Sorry, I was just getting changed!" Mara called from inside the room. Adora gave out a small sigh of relief and opened the door to find Mara inspecting herself in a nearby mirror as she tied her hair up into a waist-length braid. "Good morning, Adora."
"Good morning to you too," Adora smiled as she stood by the door. "How are you feeling? You know we don't have to go anywhere today, right? I don't want to force you if you're still processing everything about Light Hope…"
Mara's hands froze as she held onto her hair, her eyes directed towards the floor upon hearing that name. She sighed, before shaking her head. "I'll be alright. I reckon she'd want me to go out and get some fresh air. It's… It's a lot to process. But I won't be making any progress just laying around here all day. That's not me."
"I'm really proud of you, Mara. I was worried with telling you about Light Hope that you'd be upset at me," Adora admitted as Mara finished up her hair, approaching Adora with a smile.
"Well, you know… I'd rather know the blunt truth than be lied to. I spent… almost my whole life living a lie. The last thing I want is more of them piling up," Mara said, her voice trailing off as she gazed at the floor, her thoughts being directed at a difficult past. Adora noticed her wandering eyes, and placed a hand on Mara's shoulder suddenly, snapping her back to reality.
"I promise, there will be nothing but the truth between us, okay? Now let's go. I've been excited to show you this place. I think you'll love it," Adora smiled as she walked on ahead, waving a hand for Mara to follow her.
It was a peaceful and beautiful day as Adora and Mara left for the Whispering Woods. The world lit up and highlighted the green of the forest, and how alive everything was now that the planet was saved. For Mara, it almost looked the same as always.
"Now if I remember correctly, it shouldn't be too far…" Adora spoke as she walked ahead of Mara, trying to remember her directions. In the meantime, she still decided to talk. "So how are things going with you? Like… this is a really confusing situation, but you seem to be going with it."
"It is bizarre, isn't it?" Mara chuckled. "To be honest, the thing I've most struggled with is how to act around Felinia. Should I thank her for bringing me back? It's not like it was her choice, right? Plus, because of her curse, I've been feeling… a lot more melancholic than usual. It's like there's some layer of sadness on my heart that I just can't get out… And I think it's because of how we share emotions."
"It's hard to blame her for any of that though, is it? Catra and Glimmer are treating her harshly but… I can't help but feel sorry for her. She's completely isolated herself for the last two decades. I can tell she's trying… She's just making a lot of mistakes," Adora commented.
"I suppose I should talk to her at some point, though I think that'll just make her… uncomfortable," Mara sighed, "the one time we've talked is when she came to me a couple of days ago and apologized to me. I wasn't sure what she was sorry about until she explained her curse… I think I'm on your side of things. She's really having a rough time and she needs all the help she can get."
"I just hope Catra comes around," Adora said.
A few more minutes of wandering passed, before Adora finally perked up. "Oh! Here we are! Mara, close your eyes!" Adora commanded.
Mara hesitated for a few seconds, before trusting in Adora and shutting her eyes as Adora grabbed her wrist, dragging her a few steps and being careful not to run Mara into anything. "Wait, are you leading me into some gigantic flower field? Because I will love you for eternity if you're doing that."
"No, but I'll keep that in mind for future reference," Adora smirked as she finally came to stop. "Alright Mara… Open your eyes and try not to pass out."
Mara slowly raised her eyelids, looking up at the sight before her. A spaceship that was almost instantly recognizable, parked on an open piece of land in the Whispering Woods. Mara put her hands over her mouth as she gazed upon the ship, and she gasped in joy as she looked at Adora. "It's still here?!"
"We found it a while back, along with your message. So I guess we can conclude that this…" Adora gestured her hand towards the spaceship, "is yours?"
Mara nodded as she stepped towards the ship, looking around and almost hesitating to step inside. "This is the ship Light Hope and I used…" Mara commented as she approached the door, Adora following in behind her.
When Mara entered, she looked around the interior. "It almost looks the exact same… Though I can tell it was used recently."
"Yeah, well… We kinda needed to make a stop in space to rescue our friends and all. Hope you don't mind. Oh, and for future reference, a friend of ours decided to name the ship Darla," Adora chuckled awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head, but Mara shook her head in response as she continued to gaze around the space.
"If a ship hasn't been used in a thousand years, I think it's free for anyone. And I love the name," Mara shrugged with a smile. Adora laughed for a bit, before suddenly clapping her hands together.
"Oh! Before I forget…" Adora mumbled as she went to the back part of the ship where rations are stored. She talked to herself in the other room for a few seconds as she searched around, Mara taking a seat in the pilot's chair in the meantime before Adora suddenly cried out, "there it is!"
Mara turned to find Adora emerging from the rations room, carrying a small plate in her hand. And in that plate…
"Here. A pie for you, Mara. Its been waiting for a while."
Adora offered the pie towards Mara, who stared at it in bewilderment as she slowly took it in her hands. "This… seems familiar…"
"Well, if you remember, we both had to help a certain old lady gather some ingredients for it. And she left it on that exact chair for you. I wasn't sure why we saved it at first… But I guess I always had a feeling it was meant just for you and no one else," Adora smiled as Mara stared down at the pie in her hands.
"Madame Razz…" Mara whispered to herself, a small smile appearing on her face. "I should really pay a visit to her soon and see how she's doing… You don't want any of this?" Mara asked, offering some of the pie to Adora.
"It's a pie for Mara. Not a pie for Adora's grubby little hands," Adora said. She took a seat next to Mara as the woman took a single bite of the pie, her eyes widening at the taste as she chewed on it.
"Well, what do you know? Madame Razz is a pretty good cook," Mara complimented as she finally ate the pie that had been meant for her for so long. Adora couldn't help but smile as Mara dug in, but eventually, the smile faded.
In the end, this wasn't the real Mara. A mere clone made by a curse. Therefore, did she even have the right to have this pie? Was it okay to bring her to a ship where the real Mara died? Adora had been questioning these things for hours now, and yet no conclusion was in sight.
"I wish I could share this with Light Hope somehow," Mara sighed. "I mean, she can't eat but… I'm sure we'd find a way. We always did."
Adora looked to Mara, and saw that even though she was smiling, her lips were beginning to wobble. Tears soon formed in Mara's eyes as she held the pie in her hands, and Adora slowly placed a hand on Mara's shoulder, comforting her. "I think she'd like that."
"It just…" Mara shuddered. "It wasn't fair. She and I loved each other so much and… that love was taken away. Now we can't have it ever again. The First Ones… All they did was take away everything that was beautiful about life. And I let them do that for so long… I just wanted a normal life and I... I didn't want to die in this ship…"
Mara let out her first sob as Adora continued to rub her shoulder, trying to find the right words to say. "I'm sorry, Mara… and I'm sorry I nearly threw my life away when you went through something like this. If it hadn't been for you and Catra, I…" Adora sighed. "I was so selfish…"
"Adora… I don't blame you for wanting to save the world and your friends. I find that so admirable about you. But I just wanted you to live your best life as well," Mara said, looking at Adora. "I'm proud of you for finding a way to live."
"I…" Adora chokes for a bit, before shaking her head. "I just wish the same applied for you, Mara…"
"Hey," Mara put her hand over Adora's on her shoulder, speaking softly. "It's okay, Adora. You're living for both of us now. I'm happy that you represent what She-Ra is truly meant to be. I would say I'm happy to be alive again, but… these are weird circumstances."
"Speaking of She-Ra, I've actually been wondering…" Adora looked up to Mara. "Can you still transform at all?"
"I… I'm not sure. I haven't tried," Mara shook her head, before letting out a deep breath. "I don't really want to, either. I… I never want to transform into She-Ra again. I know it sounds selfish, but… I never wanted to be her. I never wanted that burden on my life. I never wanted to have that weight. So… I made a vow a couple of days back. Unless I desperately need to… I want to avoid becoming She-Ra at all costs. Because… all it ever brought me was pain."
Adora didn't hesitate to nod her head. "I completely understand, Mara. I will never pressure you. You deserve to be just Mara. Not 'the previous She-Ra'. I promise, I won't ever let that weight burden you. You won't have to become She-Ra on my watch," Adora grinned with a thumbs up.
Mara chuckled a bit, before displaying a warm smile. "I appreciate it, Adora. Although, you say that like I'm going to be around for ages. I mean… let's be realistic here. How long does everyone expect me to stick around for? I… I'm just a clone. Felinia mentioned that to get rid of me would mean killing me. And…" Mara swallowed, her hands shaking slightly. "That… scares me."
Adora narrowed her eyebrows. "You're still afraid of dying?"
"Pathetic, right?" Mara chuckled. "I mean… I've died once before. And I don't think you can call… whatever this is, alive. And yet… I'm terrified to die. Just like when I was on this ship a thousand years back. I was so scared, I cried. Death… terrifies me. And I don't want to go through it again. But that's a selfish decision to make, isn't it?"
Adora looked to Mara and shook her head. "Being scared of death is normal, I think. There's nothing wrong with it. And… Well, so far, you haven't caused any issues. On the contrary, you're the only person keeping me sane this past day. Everyone else is going through so much… it's nice to have someone to talk to. I was wondering what we were going to do with you when you first came back… But I think I've made up my mind mostly."
"And what's your decision?" Mara asked.
"… I don't want you to go," Adora admitted. "I… I keep thinking about the life you had. How unfair it was. How much better you deserved. Now here you are, having pie on your old ship in the middle of some beautiful woods. Maybe you're hollow, but… you're Mara to me. And I think you deserve a better chance at life. Just like how Catra earned a second chance at happiness. So if they decide they want to kill you… I won't let them."
Mara looked at Adora for a few silent seconds after she finished speaking, and slowly, she reached out, taking Adora's hand in her own. "… I guess we're pretty selfish, huh? Because… I don't want to go either. I want to live and be happy this time."
Adora scoffed, squeezing Mara's hand tight. "Maybe we are selfish. But dammit, we can be selfish together. I want to see that smile of yours every day, Mara. You deserve to be happy and love life."
And on that ship, the selfish She-Ra's shared a pie together, and chose life yet again.
It almost seemed like yesterday that Angella scolded Glimmer for launching an unnecessary attack against the Horde whilst she sat on that very throne.
Angella looked up to the throne she used to sit in for official business. Though, to be honest, she never was a very big fan of it. It wasn't the most comfortable chair ever. Still, the power it held was undeniable.
She had been standing in the throne room for the last fifteen minutes, and Glimmer had been watching her for the last five. She had been hesitating to speak to her mother since yesterday, since she had no idea what to even say.
But it was going to happen eventually. Angella wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Glimmer slowly approached the throne, and her footsteps echoed throughout the room, alerting Angella to her presence. The older woman smiled warmly at seeing her daughter, turning to face her. "Good afternoon, Glimmer. How are you feeling?"
It was a simple question, and yet there was no simple answer that came to Glimmer's mind. She was approaching her mother, who was merely a hollow clone brought about by a wicked curse. She had a thousand words to say, and yet none of them would be right. So instead, she avoided the subject as she nodded to the throne. "Are you thinking of taking back the role of Queen?"
Angella smiled, a few warm chuckles coming from her as she shook her head. "My time as Queen has come to an end, Glimmer. That throne is for you. Even if I could take it back, I wouldn't want to. I have faith you are bringing pride to Bright Moon, just like I thought you would."
Glimmer sighed as she approached the throne. She looked up at the mighty place she had barely sat in since she became Queen. She attempted to turn around and make eye contact with Angella, but every time she tried, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. "Are… Are you sure, mom? I mean… You're such a wonderful Queen…"
Angella let out a sad sigh. "I'm quite sure. My current state is… complex. But the fact is, I am longer with this world. Bright Moon cannot be ruled by a… a hollow being."
"But you were incredible!" Glimmer suddenly cried out. "You made so many people happy and you were always so direct and wonderful and… I'm nothing like that! Nothing!" She finally began to face Angella, but this time, she had tears welling in her eyes. "I was nearly responsible for the destruction of this planet! I've made so, so many bad choices in such a short span of time! I could never protect my people like you did!"
"Glimmer…" Angella spoke softly, but her daughter wasn't done.
"I hate how much suffering I brought about! I hate how miserable I make people! I hate the fact that you're not here anymore! I hate…" Glimmer choked on a sob, gripping her wrist tight as her lips wobbled. "I hate myself…"
Angella looked down at Glimmer in silence, her daughter's tears staining the floor. "If you were here, everything would be better. It… It should've been me. I should've been the one to give up my life. At least that way, we'd still have you and be confident. I…"
Glimmer was cut off as she felt Angella's arms slowly wrap around her, pulling her close for a gentle hug. Angella's hand ran through Glimmer's hair, and it immediately sent a plethora of memories and nostalgia into Glimmer's mind. Years of love, arguments and connection with her mother came rushing back at the feeling of her mother's hand running through her silky smooth hair.
This only served to make Glimmer sob louder as she held onto Angella's long, blue cape tightly. "Do you remember my greatest mistake, Glimmer?" Angella asked.
"… The battle you ordered that 'killed' dad and split the Princess Alliance," Glimmer answered.
"I had been ruling for quite a while when that happened, but I don't think I ever forgave myself for it," Angella admitted. "I was devastated. Losing the man I love hurt… But it also hurt that I thought I had taken away your father. I blamed myself for years. And I was a coward for so many years after. It was the greatest regret of my life."
"But… dad's alive now," Glimmer responded.
"Whilst that may be true, it does not change the fact that I let my grief lead the alliance into a long stage of hiding. I was responsible for letting the Horde hurt so many because I had just… given up. I had become a coward," Angella's voice trailed off for a few seconds, before she shook her head. "What I'm trying to say is… Even as Queen, I made grave mistakes. At the end of the day, we still have a soul. And a soul is a flawed thing. No Queen is expected to be absolutely perfect, Glimmer. I am not some standard you need to live up to."
"But… my mistakes were so terrible…" Glimmer sobbed.
"As were mine. And I'm sure if you were to ask any of the other Princesses, they could list their greatest mistakes as well. It's easy to let those mistakes take over everything else. After all, no one is a harsher critic of you than your own self. But you mustn't ignore the good you have done as well, Glimmer. I look around at a beautiful world, and I know that you helped in building it alongside some wonderful friends you made, and an alliance you helped reform after I failed to uphold it."
Glimmer struggled to find a way to respond, and Angella could tell. She held Glimmer closer, and whispered. "I am so, so proud of you, Glimmer. I always have been and I always will be. But I didn't have you just so you could be a great Queen some day. I had you because I wanted you to lead a happy and wonderful life."
Glimmer choked up for a few seconds, and let out a shaky sigh. "Even though this… isn't really you… I still think I needed those words…" Glimmer admitted. "And I treated Felinia like crap after you came back. But now… I just want you here. Not as a Queen, but… just as my mom."
"For as long as you need me, I will be here," Angella smiled, running her hand through Glimmer's hair one last time. Glimmer felt tingles all throughout her spine, and they exploded into beautiful laughter as she wiped her eyes clean of tears.
"I guess we should probably tell dad about all this soon," Glimmer said. "He's in Mystacor at the moment with Castaspella, but I think we should go see him."
"I…" Angella stuttered for a few moments, and she put on a smile, albeit an awkward one. "Whilst that sounds wonderful, are we quite sure it's alright to see him in… this state? It's not like I'm really alive…"
Glimmer felt her smile fade. It's not like she disagreed with her mother, but it was difficult to face that truth. This wasn't Angella. Micah had already grieved for his wife. "… It was just a dumb suggestion. Forget it," Glimmer sighed.
"Now hold on," Angella interrupted. "I… I'm not completely refusing. Just… perhaps we should give it time. How is he, anyway? He hasn't… forgotten about me, has he?"
Glimmer chuckled slightly as she shook her head. "I think that's impossible. He always loved you, and I think he always will love you. You're his world. I can tell he misses you."
Angella looked down at Glimmer and smiled, but soon enough, even her lips began to wobble as she felt stinging tears form in her eyes. Wordlessly, Angella held onto Glimmer again, and the two of them embraced closely as they both sobbed. Angella tried to quiet her sounds, but it was to no avail.
But hearing her mother cry just made Glimmer all the more glad that she was back. And she never wanted to let go.
Adora was so lost in conversation and exploring with Mara that she was surprised when night began to roll about. She and Mara had arrived back at Bright Moon just when it began to go dark, and as they wished each other a good night, Adora knew she had one more issue to face on that day.
She approached her and Catra's bedroom. In her stomach, she almost feared she'd open the door to find Catra gone without even leaving a note. She hesitated to open the door because of this. What if she had disappeared for good this time?
But eventually, she came to the conclusion that she'd never know unless she opened this door. And so, Adora turned the knob, and suddenly barged in.
She glanced to the bed to find that Catra wasn't even there, and Adora almost felt her heart sink to her stomach.
Adora quickly scanned the rest of the room. "Catra? Are you here?" Adora asked, slowly entering. There was no way she had ran away again. Adora didn't want this to happen. But just when that guilt began to creep in, the door to the bathroom suddenly opened.
Catra stood at that door, having just emerged from the shower with a towel wrapped around her body as she looked at her girlfriend. "Oh. Hey, Adora. I was wondering where you had gone off to," Catra spoke in a casual tone as Adora took a second to recover from her heart attack.
"I was… out with Mara. I know that sounds weird but we really just… clicked. We almost lost track of time," Adora admitted. Catra gave a gentle smile as Adora took a seat on the bed. "How have you been today?"
"Just… thinking a lot. About everything," Catra said as she started picking out some comfortable clothes to wear, changing into them. "I… I need to apologize to you. About yesterday morning. You were right. I was being a hypocrite towards Felinia. I'm sorry."
"Catra…" Adora sighed. "I'm the one that should be apologizing. I said some stuff that sounded wrong… I was too harsh on you. You're going through so much. You have every right to be upset. I just… I don't think it's fair that Felinia gets the brunt of it. I think she knows she's screwed up a lot, but she's really trying. But that still doesn't take away your right to be upset about… all this. You know I'd never give up on you, right?"
Catra scoffed. "You already proved that. Trust me. And you're right. It's not fair that I take out my anger on Felinia a bunch… It's just… I wish she wouldn't make so many mistakes and I wish she'd be upfront with all of us. That's all. But… I guess I should give her a chance. Everything has been so messed up that I keep having to remember that she's my sister first and foremost, and she really does care about me."
"I think giving her a chance is a good idea. And I'm going to try to be more understanding of you. I'm meant to be here for you, not against you. We're not fighting anymore. I love you, Catra. I always will," Adora smiled, standing up and approaching Catra as she put a jacket on.
"I love you too, you big dummy," Catra smiled, leaning up and slowly resting her hands on Adora's cheeks before pressing her lips against Adora's. A wave of relief overcame the both of them as they shared their first kiss in a while. Adora ran her hand through Catra's short hair as they kissed, and Catra held her girlfriend close.
They slowly separated and pushed their foreheads together gently. "You're the dummy," Adora teased, and Catra chuckled.
"I'm going to head out for a bit, okay? I promise I'll be back before morning," Catra said as she let go of Adora, heading for the door.
"Alright. Can I ask where you're going?" Adora spoke. Catra opened the door, and stood still for a few moments, before turning and facing Adora.
"I'm going to talk to my sister and… see if we can make things right between us."