You guys can play the fan song of the same name if you want. It's why I did what I did with the chapter title.
Gold Light, Green Light
Chapter 11
After the War
Adora's eyes snapped open. Above her was a bright aurora, colors dancing with the stars in the sky.
She picked herself up, seeing they were in a field of rolling green, then heard a groaning next to her.
"Did you see who was driving that skiff?"
Catra wrenched herself up, catching Adora's gaze.
"Did…did we win?
Adora laughed, pulling Catra into a kiss.
"Yeah, we won. It's over. He's gone."
Catra gave a small laugh and touched her forehead to Adora's.
"Good riddance."
They stayed like that for a while, feeling the warm wind blow around them and drinking in each other's presence. The only sound was Catra's purring.
"Hey, Catra?"
"Yeah?"
"It was Horde Prime's hands we pried it out of, but we got our happy ending."
And Catra started to laugh, tears of happiness welling up. Adora kissed the tears off her cheeks, laughter welling up in her too. They laughed and cried and kissed and reveled in this, a happy ending after so much pain.
oOo
The key members of the Rebellion picked their way closer to each other. Sea Hawk held Mermista close, the latter having taken a bad hit in the final minutes. Scorpia was carrying Frosta on her shoulders. Netossa and Spinnerella were checking each other for injuries. Glimmer and Micah supported Castaspella between them. Perfuma was muttering about what healing herbs they'd need. Bow, Entrapta, and Melog exited the tower, a familiar figure with them.
"Is that who I think it is?" Glimmer asked.
"Afraid so," Bow replied.
"And we're just, like, okay with this?" Mermista asked, eyeing how Entrapta had practically wrapped herself around Hordak's arm.
Entrapta heard this and gave Mermista a surprisingly jarring death glare.
"I think we're cool, for now at least," Bow replied.
Castaspella yelped suddenly.
"Micah, can you feel that?"
Micah focused for a moment, then his eyes snapped open in shock.
"Woah! That's some kick!"
"Translation, please?" Netossa asked.
"The magical fields of the planet," Micah said, "They've undergone a fundamental shift. I feel more energy in the air than I've ever felt before.
"Then they did it!" Glimmer gasped, "They set the magic free!"
Bow poked at his tracker pad, a look of concentration on his face.
"Kyle, come in. Do you read?"
Kyle's voice issued from the pad.
"Loud and clear, Bow!"
"Give me a sit-rep. What do you see out there?"
"Lot of crazy stuff going on. I've got drone eyes all over Etheria, and everywhere I look, Horde tech has been knocked out and clones are stumbling around. No hostile movements. They see more confused than anything else."
"It looks to be the same here," Spinnerella said, pointing at a few nearby clones blinking at the sky in confusion.
"They are disconnected from the hivemind," Hordak spoke up, "I experienced the same symptoms when I was first banished to Etheria. Without it, they are operating solely on their own senses and memories, and the average clone is not used to that. However, if this phenomenon isn't limited to here, but is in fact as widespread as your intelligence states, then that can only mean one thing."
Hordak took a deep breath, a look on his face somewhere between amazement and confusion.
"Horde Prime is dead."
Everyone stared at him. Finally, Glimmer started to laugh.
"He's gone. Adora and Catra did it! They destroyed the Heart, freed the magic, and wiped Prime out of existence. He's gone! We won!"
Laughter started to bubble up from the group. Netossa dipped Spinnerella into a kiss. Frosta let out a whoop of victory from her position atop Scorpia. Perfuma lunged to Scorpia to hug her, which the other woman easily returned. Entrapta clung tighter to Hordak, speaking a mile a minute. Bow told Kyle to start spreading the word before pulling Glimmer into hug. Sea Hawk pulled Mermista into an impromptu dance, Mermista telling him to slow down but not actually meaning it if her laughter was any judge. Swift Wind took to the sky, looping through the air in joy. Micah and Castaspella kept sensing the magical fields, eyes wide in wonder at the new sensations.
Across the battlefield, soldiers threw down their weapons and embraced each other, laughing at their victory. The threat was gone, the world was safe.
Two people crested the hill, looking down at the joyful chaos. They held hands as they picked their way down the hillside, only letting go once they reached friends.
Bow and Glimmer immediately tackle-hugged them, and the Best Friend Squad went down in a tangle of limbs and laughter.
When they finally got up, Adora and Glimmer started talking each other's ears off. Catra spotted someone in the crowd and grimaced. Catching sight of this, Bow nudged her and gave her an encouraging smile.
Catra made her away over, clearing her throat when she was close enough.
"Hey, Scorpia," she said hesitantly.
Scorpia paused in her conversation with Perfuma, then took Frosta down from where the ice princess had been seated on her shoulders.
"Look, I—"
Scorpia lunged, picking Catra up and squeezing her into a tight hug.
"And there it is," Catra wheezed.
"You know I'm a hugger," Scorpia said smugly.
Catra took this as a measure of forgiveness and smiled. Her smile dipped a bit when Perfuma and Frosta piled on.
"Okay, you guys are crushing me!"
Adora heard the shout and whipped her head around, but her worry vanished upon seeing what was going on.
"Guess Scorpia forgives her. Catra was worried about that."
"I still don't know why she was," Bow replied, "Super-hard exterior, sweet and gooey center, that's Scorpia."
"So, what now?" Glimmer asked.
Adora breathed deeply, feeling a weight lift.
"Now…we start living."
oOo
Bright Moon had been settled on as the base of operations for rebuilding Etheria. For a long time afterward, there would be people coming and going. Plans would be made, aid would be directed, and new treaties to protect this new future would be made.
One of the first big questions was what to do about Hordak. On the one hand, he started the war in the first place. All the damage that the Horde had done over the years started with him. Even if he wasn't involved in day-to-day things for most of that time, he still started the fight, still set the policies that had led to so much pain.
On the other hand, seeing what Horde Prime was like and how he had conducted his business, an argument could be made that Hordak had fallen back on what he knew when faced with a new paradigm. Hordak himself had admitted that he had never taken his banishment well, and most of his actions had been trying to find a way home, as well as prove to his big brother that he still had worth. In hindsight, that last bit had been an exercise in futility, but serving Prime had been all he had known, so it was the only thing he could truly dedicate himself to.
Entrapta had argued passionately on Hordak's behalf. Later accounts by the princesses would have it that they'd never seen Entrapta so determined. Her arguments were extensive, her entire being dedicated to the single goal of helping Hordak, because she truly didn't believe he was entirely at fault.
"He still did horrible things," Glimmer said.
"He didn't know they were horrible, and by the time he did, he was in too deep to stop! Can you really punish him for that?" Entrapta argued, "I know that doesn't invalidate all he did, but that has to count for something!"
Hordak had little to say for himself. He was a model prisoner, rarely speaking but not arguing with orders given. He seemed resigned to the entire process.
When he was asked to speak, he was fairly blunt about everything. He agreed on Entrapta's point that he'd fallen back on what he knew, but chalked his continuance of the Horde more as apathy than anything else. Running it was just something he did after a while. It wasn't until Entrapta came into his life that he started climbing out of his rut. As it stood now, his taste for conquest had been thoroughly crushed. The prospect of picking it back up left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"If you ask me if I grieve, if a feel apologetic for all I have done…that is a complicated question. Mostly, no, I do not. I have tried in these quiet hours to generate the correct emotion, but it does not come. I have regrets, but they are…complicated. Nothing is quite so easy as you all likely wish."
He looked at them all with an expression somewhere between somberness and schadenfreude.
"You all wished to slay a mighty dragon that had been terrorizing your land for so long, but when you got to the cave, you found only a withered creature that was a shadow of its former self. I do not envy you your position."
Finally, the big question was asked: if he were allowed to go free, what would he do? Where would he go?
"Somewhere quiet, I think. Little jolts of excitement are fine, but…mostly, I'd rather be left alone to tinker. To live on terms I set myself, without the shadow of Prime looming over me. But as for conquest, restarting the Horde? No, no I think not. I have had my fill of war's fury, and I shall not have any more of it."
The deliberations were long, but in the end, Adora said it best.
"The war is over. Let's let it remain that way."
So Hordak was sentenced to what was effectively community service. Under the guidance of the Princess Alliance and the stewardship of Entrapta, he would serve to help repair the damage done to Etheria.
"We call it restorative justice," Glimmer said, "Basically, you're still being punished, but you're being given the chance to fix what you broke."
It was an offer that was readily accepted by Hordak and Entrapta, especially since the former was half-convinced that he would have been sent to Beast Island. This was an idea that Adora and Micah had quickly squashed. Having experienced its horrors, they would not wish Beast Island on anyone.
The next debate was over the now-leaderless clones. Thankfully, that was much shorter. Interviewing one clone had been an exercise in futility. All it did was cry over being alone, of not hearing the voices of its brothers or Horde Prime.
"Honestly, I'm not surprised," Hordak commented, "I was fairly broken up over being disconnected from the hivemind. The difference is that my genetic degradation had already started affecting my mind, making me more susceptible to bending or breaking my programming."
"You're saying you were more likely to think for yourself, and that helped when you were kicked out?" Adora asked.
"Yes, although only to a degree. It still took time for me to mature enough mentally to function on my own. The rest of the clones will not have that luxury."
"They do seem pretty directionless, from what we've observed," Bow said.
"Directionless? The poor things are practically babies!" Entrapta argued, "They're even worse off than Hordak's own lousy beginning—no offense—"
"None taken."
"—so they shouldn't be held accountable for Prime's actions. And we broke them, so they're our responsibility!"
They all ended up in Dryl with Entrapta, where she and Hordak could monitor them in a safe environment and acclimate them to their new reality. The princesses figured that the common Etherian might be a little leery of them for a while, so it worked out.
And as for the rest of the former Horde, most of them seemed perfectly willing to fade into the woodwork. Amnesty was offered to the common soldier, and it was eagerly taken. Soldiers of all stripes began to slowly integrate themselves into the various kingdoms. Dryl and the newly-reborn Scorpion Kingdom received the lion's share, but old soldiers found their way to all corners of Etheria, starting new lives wherever they could.
The higher-ups in the Horde were harder. Some willingly surrendered, following Hordak's lead in restorative justice. They took reduced sentences in exchange for work on rebuilding the damaged kingdoms. Some refused all offers, and ended up imprisoned. And a very small number ended up trying to fight their way out. Stories would be told of Force Captain Octavia's last stand, of how she dueled Mermista one-on-one before losing her footing and falling into rocky waters to her death. Of the fighters, only Captain Vultak escaped unscathed, disappearing into the Crimson Wastes. Huntara was still tracking him.
Once the biggest problems were out of the way, the work of rebuilding began in earnest…
oOo
Catra looked over several papers at once, eyes flicking from them to the holographic map at random intervals.
Glimmer just blinked on shock. When Catra had tagged along to the meeting room, she expected her to stay by the wayside and make snarky comments while she, Adora, and Bow did actual work. Maybe interspersed with a comment that left Adora blushing, because that was just life now.
Shows what she knew for not believing her friends when they said that Catra had a keen strategic mind. And fool on her for not remembering all the battles Catra had led.
Maybe it was because military planning was different from peacetime relief operations. But either way, Catra had been surprisingly attentive to the job at hand.
Now if only Glimmer could get Adora to stop smirking at her.
"Okay, I think I've got it," Catra said suddenly, "Scorpia is working on getting the forges in the old Fight Zone converted, so metalwork will probably be their biggest export. We can use that for getting proper trade up and running. Perfuma and Mermista have breadbasket operations cornered, between farming and fishing, so what we need is a way to get that food to where it needs to be quickly and efficiently. Half the problem with food transport is getting it to a place without it spoiling on you, so we need to make good use of fast routes until Entrapta can crack mass production of those cooling units her and Hordak are experimenting with. Maybe conscript old Horde transports, they're a lot faster than the horses most of the kingdoms use. There are plenty of Horde soldiers that are skiff-trained and looking for work, put them up to it."
She drew several lines on the map, then paused on one in particular.
"This one is risky. The terrain means that it's prime for ambush by bandits. We've been seeing a few coming up recently."
"That's true," Bow said, "I was going to ride along with the next shipment out of Bright Moon, keep an eye out."
"Archer's eyes would be good for that. We should send a few soldiers along with any transports taking this route, and we should work on flushing out and taking out any bandit groups. I'll take a look out on the area later."
"Do you want help?" Adora asked.
"Nah, this should just be a scouting mission. Me and Melog can move faster on our own."
Catra continued to lay out a few more ideas, and then sat back with a smug look on her face.
"Do you need job?" Glimmer asked, "You have a job now. You're on my advisory board. See my dad after the meeting for the details."
Adora snickered.
"Sure," Catra shrugged, "I was hoping for something that'll let me stay in Bright Moon."
She gave Adora a significant look, and Adora smiled.
oOo
Adora was working on something in her forge when Bow came to see her. A part of him felt guilty for intruding on her, since blacksmithing was how she relaxed. As much as others might be confused at how such a strenuous activity could be relaxing, he actually got it. He was similar when he was crafting new arrows, after all. But he had a problem and he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand it.
He'd waited until she stopped hammering to call out. Adora held up a finger and dunked her project in the water barrel before addressing him.
"What's up, Bow?"
"We've been real busy lately, so I haven't had a chance to…ask you about something."
Bow shifted from one foot to the other. Adora hummed in confusion.
"Bow, is something wrong?"
"No, no, no…at least, I don't think so…"
"Then why do you look like you killed someone's pet—"
"Glimmer and I kissed!" he blurted out.
Adora's mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"It was right before the big final battle. She hugged me tight, super worried, said she couldn't lose me too. We talked it out, and then suddenly she was kissing me, and I was kissing her, and we haven't really talked about it since, like was it a one-time thing, heat of the moment, or is there something else there? I've known her my whole life, and now I'm looking back at everything and second-guessing myself, like, was I feeling this way the whole time and never known it, is she in the same boat, what's going on? I am freaking out, Adora! You're in a relationship, help me!"
He finally stopped, and Adora shook herself back into focus.
"You think I have any answers for you?" Adora asked incredulously, "I'm working practically blind with Catra! There's a part of me that's constantly worried that I'll do or say the wrong thing and she'll freak out. I keep counting down the days until we can see that therapist so we can start to fix things and neither of us have to keep tiptoeing through a minefield!"
Bow moaned, dragging his hands down his face. Adora took that opportunity to hug him.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for you. I'll support you two no matter what you decide. But if you really want advice, I suggest Spinnerella and Netossa. Catra went to them a while back, and she had nothing but good things to say about the conversation."
Bow slowly calmed down, returned the hug, and thanked Adora for the advice.
Ironically, when he went to their married friends, he found Glimmer trying to have the exact same conversation. The older women ended up mediating, then quietly excused themselves from the resulting romantic moment.
Such was life.
oOo
Perfuma dug her fingers into the soil, frowning.
"It's weak, but it might be doable. It'll take a lot of work, though."
"So what do you suggest?" Scorpia asked.
"There's a type of grass that is extremely hardy. It can grow in fairly infertile soil. That will be the first step, as it can also absorb a lot of the pollutants in the soil. Doing so will kill the grass, but that's what you want. You just need to remove the grass before it can rot and release those pollutants back into the soil."
"Got it. How'd you find that grass, anyway?"
"We use it for reclamation, step one in making soil fertile again," Perfuma shrugged, standing up and brushing the dirt off her hand, "It helped after we drove the Horde out of Plumeria and started trying to fix the damage from them poisoning the land. Now, once you're sure the grasses have sucked all the toxins out, I recommend clover, soy beans, and millet. You can harvest some from the latter two crops, and leave the rest behind to rot. Compost won't go amiss either."
"I get it. The rotting plants will put nutrients into the soil," Scorpia said.
"And those plants specifically can give a lot back, yes. You may have to go through several rounds of beans before you can be sure the soil is suitable for other crops. And it's good to get in the habit of field rotation. Keep a crop of the beans in addition to whatever else you're growing, and when it's time to replant, put the beans in a different plot—"
"So that the other crops can take advantage of the newly-rich soil, great!" Scorpia squealed, "Thanks for your help, Perfuma. This'll be super-helpful. Now I just have to convince some of the old soldiers that they need to work the fields, not just the forges."
"Just because metalwork is shaping up to be your kingdom's thing doesn't mean you should ignore agriculture," Perfuma nodded, "Growing your own food will leave you less reliant on imports."
"We're a fairly weak kingdom, all things considered," Scorpia frowned, "A lot of Etherians are going to be giving us the side-eye for a long time. I want to be a good leader, and that means having all the bases covered."
"It's funny you bring that up. Being a good leader means also taking care of yourself. If you're out of balance, you can't run things effectively. I wanted to invite you to a class I'm teaching on meditation."
"I don't know…"
"Catra will be there."
Scorpia blinked at her.
"What?"
"Yeah, I convinced her to give it a shot. It'll be good for you both, I think. You both have some stress you need to learn to deal with. Different stress, mind, different traumas, but still…"
"Maybe we should get Adora to join, then," Scorpia joked.
"Oh, we tried that once. But Adora doesn't have the patience for most meditation, and eventually gave up," Perfuma shrugged, "Although we did discover her spirit animal! A falcon, interestingly."
"No, I can kind of see it."
Scorpia tapped her claws together before nodding.
"Okay, I'll try it. When is it?"
Perfuma rattled off a date and time, and the two continued to walk through the area that Scorpia had set aside for the farming attempt. Somewhere between irrigation and pest control, a familiar feeling struck Scorpia, and it slowly grew the more she talked with Perfuma. It was something she'd idly thought about during their time together in the Rebellion, but with no threat on the horizon, the thought started to make itself more and more known.
Finally, as they were finishing up and Perfuma was about to mount her horse, Scorpia spoke up.
"Hey, listen, Perfuma," she said slowly, shuffling her feet, "You're…you're a really good friend. You're kind, you're smart, you're really pretty…I was just kind of wondering if you wanted to do something…or not, if you really don't feel like—"
Perfuma reached up and put her finger over Scorpia's lips.
"I'm…open to exploring whatever happens next."
She smiled at Scorpia before getting on her horse.
"Maybe some tea after the meditation lesson?"
"Tea! Yes, tea is good! Tea sounds…super."
Perfuma giggled a bit before bidding her good-bye and riding off.
Scorpia stood their waving until she couldn't make out Perfuma anymore, then pumped her claw.
"I've got a shot!"
oOo
The Salineas Sea Gate flickered on and off. Parts of it started to solidify, but other parts didn't. Hordak scowled as he worked the console.
"Power fluctuations seem to be centered around the upper portions…maybe…"
He trailed off, muttering. Entrapta let him. She worked with him enough to know when to let him think.
Mermista crested the top of the stairs.
"How's it coming?" she asked.
"Nearly there, I think. The invasion by the Horde and subsequent chaos of Prime damaged the superstructure of the Gate," Entrapta replied, "But I think we're almost done. Then Adora can come in all glowy and initiate the full recharge."
"Think her sword will still work?"
"If it doesn't, the ring's energy can provide an adequate jumpstart. It's surprisingly versatile."
"Entrapta, can you check the connections at the top?" Hordak spoke up, "I think we might have a few loose ones."
"On it!" Entrapta chirped before climbing the Gate's outer wall with her hair.
Once she was far enough up, Hordak turned to Mermista.
"Princess, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure, I guess."
"I didn't wish to bring this up in front of Entrapta, no need to squash her enthusiasm, but why are we bothering with this? The Sea Gate is a potent defensive structure, but the war is over. Surely its purpose is moot now?"
"Well, for one thing, it's good for keeping off pirates," Mermista shrugged.
"Between your power, your kingdom's navy, and your lover's connections, I highly doubt pirates are truly that big of a problem," Hordak deadpanned.
"You're right, but pirates aren't the biggest reason."
Mermista turned to observe the Sea Gate, her face softening.
"This thing has been standing for over a thousand years. Salineas got started because of it. It's a symbol of the kingdom. Most of my people consider it a cultural site first and a defensive fortification second. So, even if it's never used for protection again, repairing it means giving my people back a symbol of hope. And after everything that's happened to them recently, they need that hope."
Hordak pondered that for a moment, then nodded.
"Thank you, I had wondered about that."
"No problem," Mermista shrugged, "You're out here fixing the thing, you might as well know why."
Left unsaid was that Hordak had a major hand in breaking it in the first place. But by mutual silent agreement upon arriving in Salineas for the start of repairs, the two had agreed not to bring it up. The citizens of Salineas had likewise kept their distance, although that was mostly thanks to threats of severe punishment to any trying to interfere with the work, threats that Mermista had handed down the previous week in anticipation of any difficulties. A few foolhardy souls tried to test this, as tends to happen, but were taken care of by the guards before getting near the genius princess and the ex-warlord.
Mermista would never like Hordak, but she at least respected that he was here to make reparations. Dealing with idiots trying to attack him and his work was the least she could do.
And she didn't want to deal with Entrapta's sad eyes if something did happen…
oOo
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the former Horde soldiers opened up a bar in the former Fright Zone. It was into this establishment that Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio entered. After getting their drinks, they sat at a booth.
"Crazy times we're living in, huh?" Lonnie said.
Rogelio hissed in agreement.
"You know, moments like this, it makes you want to say something profound," Kyle said.
There was a moment of silence.
"Not feeling it either, huh?"
"Nope."
Hisss.
"So, what's next for you, Lonnie?" Kyle asked.
"Honestly, after everything, I'm tired of fighting," Lonnie shrugged, "I was going to sign up for that farm Scorpia's trying to start up. Should be quiet. You?"
"Still into engineering," Kyle replied, "But instead of spy drones, I'm going to be helping reconfigure the old machinery. I was at a meeting about that earlier, the ideas were flying! It'll definitely keep me busy."
Rogelio gave a hissing laugh. Then through a mixture of growls and hand signs, he took his turn.
"Medicine? Really?" Lonnie asked.
"No, I can kind of see it," Kyle said, "He's always been interested in that kind of thing. Remember, he was usually the one patching me up."
Lonnie made a noise like dawning comprehension.
"Oh, yeah. I didn't get hurt very often, and Adora and Catra usually took care of each other."
"Speaking of whom, you still owe me over the bet."
Lonnie grumbled, and Rogelio laughed at her misfortune.
"I told you, Lonnie," Kyle said, "That was building up for ages, they just didn't see it. You didn't really think they'd be oblivious forever, did you?"
"Oh, can it!"
They lapsed into companionable silence for a moment, then Lonnie raised her glass.
"Here's to the future, then."
The boys clicked their glasses to hers, agreeing.
oOo
"I'm sorry you missed out on it all," Adora said.
Mara shrugged.
"This ship isn't armed. It's an exploration vessel, built for speed and stability. It has particle shields, but they're for space debris, not heavy combat. If I had been there, I'd have been shot down in a heartbeat."
Adora grimaced. Mara had hit upon a subject that she wasn't sure how to addressed.
"Screw it, in for a bronze chip," she whispered before raising her voice, "I actually wanted to talk to you about that."
"About what?"
"Technically speaking, you're trapped. You can't leave the ship. You not…free, really."
Mara gave her a funny look.
Then the Starshine shuddered. Adora could see the trees disappearing from the windows.
"You underestimate just how much control I have over this ship," Mara said as they rose into the sky, "It is my body. The engines are my legs, the sensors my eyes and ears. Do I miss the feel of the wind through my hair and across my skin? Hell yes, but I have another chance to live now. I'm choosing to look at the brighter side of things, appreciate what I have."
Adora pondered this for a moment while the ship leveled out.
"Well then…since you are a spaceship, you don't have to stay. The war's over, the universe is opened up. You could go off and explore and why are you laughing at me?"
Mara muffled her snickers.
"Making a lot of presumptions here, aren't you? Adora, this world is my home. My friends are here. And there's still this blonde punk flailing around with awesome magical powers and responsibility that could benefit from the guidance of this old solider. Sorry, Adora. You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Adora gave a relieved laugh.
"I actually hoped you'd stick around. I just don't want you feeling trapped."
"It's not trapped if it's my choice," Mara replied.
Adora hummed in reply. Then she asked if Mara could bring them up a little higher.
"I strangely don't feel as comfortable trying this from the ground."
Adora walked to the edge of the gangplank, looking out over the empty air and the ground far below. She could see Swift Wind flying in the distance, free as a bird.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The wind rushed around her as she fell. Then she felt the soothing heat of the ringpower envelop her.
Adora shot through the air on an upward trajectory, whooping in delight. She shot past Swift Wind, and her horse neighed in glee and increased his speed to join her. They dove and looped through the air above Bright Moon without a care.
"Enjoyable, isn't it?" Swift Wind called out.
"Heck yeah!" Adora shouted back, "Catch me if you can, Swifty!"
She shot off, and Swift Wind snorted.
"Oh, it's on!"
oOo
Catra took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Adora reached out and squeezed her hand.
"You ready for this?"
"As I'll ever be. You?"
"I think so, yeah."
Together, they walked through the doorway into a pleasantly decorated room. The walls were a soft blue, and there was a plush sofa against one wall. The woman in the other chair looked up from her notepad and smiled at them.
"Adora, Catra. Welcome. I'm Doctor Ransdottir, but you can call me Grace. Have a seat and we'll get started."
oOo
Later, Catra flopped onto the bed, groaning.
"That was exhausting…"
"Just remember what Glimmer and Micah said: first session is usually the worst," Adora replied, sitting down next to her girlfriend.
Catra just groaned again.
"At least we were able to break for dinner."
Another groan.
Adora finally let it be, and got up to get ready for bed. Catra eventually joined her, slipping on an old shirt of Adora's that she'd tore specifically to claim it for her own.
As they crawled into bed, Catra sighed.
"I know this is going to help eventually…but I just feel so strung out."
"Yeah, me too," Adora said, "I think you got the worst of it, but I feel pretty drained myself. I'm proud of you for doing it, though."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. It felt good to talk about it, get it off your mind, right?"
And as Catra thought, she found herself agreeing. It felt right, or as right as anything involving their nightmarish childhoods could be. It felt…
"Clean," she said, "Like I'm washing it away."
"Fresh start," Adora nodded, agreeing, "No more war. No more suffering…"
"No more lying awake at night because of how lonely you are…"
"No more being punished for petty reasons…"
"No more looking over your shoulder…"
"No more Shadow Weaver…"
"No more Prime…"
"Just friendship and love," Adora finished, "Just us."
"Like how it always should have been," Catra smiled.
The two gazed at each other for a time. Then the kissing started. Soft and light, the warmth building within them with every passing moment.
And soon it was only them. Adora and Catra, together in all things.
A happy ending at last…
NOT the end!
See you all in a few weeks. Happy Thanksgiving. Don't do anything stupid, we're still in the midst of a pandemic.