Part 2

Sure enough, the mess hall was packed out. The soldiers and guards of Bright Moon as well as refugees and citizens from all over Ethiria all banded together under one roof. But for all that, the separate table set aside exclusively for the Best Friend Squad by order of Queen Glimmer made it easy for Adora to find them. That was its specific function after all. It wasn't there to elevate them above anyone else, the very reason it was in a totally random position in the same room as everyone else and among a whole cluster of tables, yet it still stood out enough that they could find it in all the confusion. It provided them with the solidity they'd found themselves craving after the war while everyone else could sit at literally any other table they wanted and intermingle freely, granting them the freedom they'd fought for in the first place. It was total chaos, but with just enough organisation to it that no serious incidents took place.

Adora reached them and sat down, smoothing her hair out as she let out a breath and tried to calm her nerves. Only now did she realise just how shaken the morning's events had left her. Seeing Catra in that level of pain again had caused her to feel a level of fear that she'd hoped it would be many years at least before she felt again.

"What happened to you?" Bow asked as he took a bite of a roasted leg of something-or-other. "Where's your food?"

"No time for that!" Adora was aware her breathing sounded incredibly ragged from where she'd basically run to the mess hall. "Look, Catra's not well and we need your help for a mission to the Fright Zone-"

"Whoa, okay, hold it right there!" Glimmer ordered forcefully enough that everyone briefly stopped to stare before shrugging it off and going back to what they were doing. "You're going to have to start again and take it slow because I know you didn't just say the Fright Zone. I know that's not what you said." In an instant, Adora knew there was no way her friend would back down. Steeling herself and collecting her thoughts, she went through it all. She forced herself to keep a slow enough pace and the looks of horror on Bow and Glimmer's faces told her she was doing a good job. But by the time she'd finished their looks of horror had been replaced by determination. Just as Adora knew and expected of them, Catra was their friend. Combined with that, Adora was their friend and Catra was her girlfriend. That meant they would follow her to hell and back if it meant helping one of their own.

"I'll get my arrows." Bow nodded as he finished up his food and picked up his tray to take it to the waste receptacle. Clearly he wanted to waste as little time as possible. It made Adora's heart skip a beat and offered the reassurance she needed that Catra might finally see an end to her torment.

"Get some food and then get ready." Glimmer told her as she stood up. "We'll leave at mid-day once we know everything's ready."

"I'm going to take some back to Catra. She hasn't been able to eat yet." Adora told her. Glimmer nodded before vanishing in a flash of sparkles as she teleported to the waste receptacle and dumped the tray into it. Adora herself rose next and let out a fatigued sigh as she made her way over to the counter and started eyeing up the various choices on offer. Catra had wanted something meaty so she chose a stew with several chunks of what appeared to be mixed types of meat floating in the top and grabbed some sausage rolls along with some mixed fruits for herself. With her tray full, she left for their room, nodding gratefully at someone who saw her coming and held the door for her. He nodded back and she proceeded on and kept a strangle-hold on her tray to avoid losing any of the food.

By the time she'd made it back to the room, Catra was asleep. Adora set the tray on the table and tried to slap her brain into working over how to not get caught up in watching her sleep, irresistibly cute as it was, and wake her gently before the food got cold. It wouldn't be easy since she was in such a vulnerable state of mind, but Adora knew she wasn't entirely without tact. She could do this.

Just as she approached the bed, a movement from the rafters caught the top of her eyeline. She looked up, knowing she hadn't imagined it. Without warning, the shape descended from the rafters and lunged at her almost too fast for her to perceive. She managed to roll out of the way with barely a second in it as the shape went skidding across the floor and crashed into the wall. The second it made impact, it de-cloaked to reveal a now vary familiar form.

"Melog?" Adora ran over to help the alien to its feet. "What are you doing here? You should be with Scorpia!"

"He sensed what was going on." Adora looked over to see Catra sitting up and swinging her feet out of bed. "Plus, I think Scorpia can be too much of a hugger for his tastes." Adora could understand that. Catra had left Melog with Scorpia for the first few days while they established their relationship and worked through an entire lifetime's worth of un-confessed feelings. It had been a good move overall, but the time to let him back in might be coming. Melog and Scorpia definitely weren't proving compatible.

"That makes sense." Adora scratched Melog behind the mane before bringing the food over to Catra and sitting on the bed with her. Catra's eyes lit up as she saw the stew, only to burst out laughing as she saw Adora's food.

"Seriously? Is this the new 'thing' since you came here? Just eating like a rabbit all the time?"

"I'll have you know the fruit here is amazing." Adora lectured her. "Still, I have no doubt you'll try it in your own time. You're still trying to get used to not living on ration bars at the moment."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Catra rolled her eyes. "That was a rough night. So did you talk to them?"

"They're in." Adora nodded. "Let's bring Melog too. You can ride on his back while we run guard detail. I doubt anything should attack us now, but just in case they do..." Catra nodded, filling in the blanks. Melog could cloak them both and stay that way until Adora, Bow and Glimmer dealt with whatever came for them. As annoying as it was for her, they both knew she wasn't in any shape to fight right now.

"Fine." She nodded bitterly, cursing her own weakness in that moment. "I just can't wait to get back to how I should be."

"I know." Adora set the tray aside and hugged her close. "Don't worry. We'll get that thing out of you and you'll be fine." In response, Catra nuzzled in close as one of her hands rested on Adora's back.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Adora replied. "Now finish up. We're moving out at mid-day and we have to prep. For a start, you need to get dressed." Catra nodded and dove into her food. At least she still had an appetite. That in itself told Adora that no matter how bad this was, the mental scars they'd both suffered could still heal. Bright Moon and even Ethiria as a whole were already trying to rebuild and piece themselves together mere days later. They were moving on as though the war hadn't been the most traumatic and long-standing thing in Ethiria's history. Despite the fact that a piece of it was still embedded in Catra, she was also doing everything she could to stay sane. That was what mattered most of all.

The hours before the group was due to leave sped by through Adora's eyes, although she didn't doubt Catra was feeling every second twice over. The way she'd been pacing, rubbing her neck and biting her claws made that obvious. But eventually, it was time to leave. There was a knock at the door followed by Glimmer teleporting into the room as soon as Adora called out for her to come in.

"Okay, I really don't get it." Catra sighed as she sat down on the bed yet again. She'd been pacing furiously, unable to decide whether to stand up or sit down. "Why do you bother knocking when you can just teleport into any room you want?"

"Because it's always polite to knock." Glimmer shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "My mother raised me with manners. Anyway, we're ready when you guys are. Bow is out front, Aunt Casta is holding down the fort for us and I've done all my duties for the day. We can move out any time."

"I've done everything I need to." Adora nodded, turning to her girlfriend. It's on you, Catra. We can move out now or wait if there's something you need to do first. Your choice." Just as Adora expected, Catra didn't have to consider. There wasn't a choice to make.

"Let's go." Adora nodded and grabbed her backpack. It was actually Catra's but she wasn't going to be carrying it since they didn't want to risk putting pressure on her shoulders and damaging her neck further. She knew Catra hated it and she hated denying her any freedom, especially since she'd only just got that back. But Adora had talked it over with her and reassured her that it was only temporary until they got her neck healed.

They walked through the halls of Bright Moon, the noises of the bustling corridors still making Catra jump like there was a nest of fire ants in her shorts. Yet again, it made Adora's heart ache. She'd grown used to it long ago. She knew exactly what Catra was going through, but Catra was the sort who took a lot longer to adjust to changes. Adora had always been the one to help her ease into things and she couldn't help but wonder if, amazing as Catra was, she would ever adjust to Bright Moon. The kind of atmosphere there was worlds apart from anything Catra had ever experienced or even wanted to be part of. It was a definite concern that they both knew they were forcing themselves to ignore. They would have to face it at some point.

The trio met Bow at the front gate. As they all looked to each other, knowing without even asking that they were all ready, they were surprised to see a crowd gathering behind them. It should have served as no surprise. Entrapta was totally unable to keep her mouth shut about anything and it was only a matter of time until Scorpia heard. Clearly she'd wasted no time in passing word that the queen and the Best Friend Squad were about to leave on a mission and so most of Bright Moon had turned out to see them off.

"I bet this was Scorpia's doing." Catra sighed as the princess in question made her way to the front of the crowd. As usual, she had a big grin on her face and was taking great care to keep her tail where everyone could see it so they knew to stay away from it.

"Of course it was." She went to embrace Catra but then the realisation about her neck visibly clicked with her and so she held back. "Well, we had to see you all off and wish you luck."

"Thanks, Scorpia." Catra managed to force a smile and then, much to everyone's amazement, she threw her arms around her. Scorpia stared at her in stunned amazement before gently resting her pincers against Catra's back and planting her chin on top of the smaller woman's head. They didn't stay that way for long, but it was long enough that Adora could see Scorpia was almost moved to tears. The moment in itself was a brilliant one and Adora could see all the other princesses among the crowd looking at them with mixed expressions of anxiety and tension. It was another thing Adora understood all too well. After the restoration of peace throughout Ethiria, they'd all thought it would be many years before anyone needed to go on a mission like this. But Catra had been the one to say she was choosing to view it differently. This wasn't a mission related to the Horde Wars, this was merely one last act to end everything once and for all and tie up loose ends. It was yet another reminder to Adora of why she loved her so damn much.

"Whoa, hold on there!" The sound of wings caused everyone to look up as the majestic equine figure of Swiftwind coming into a panicked landing in front of them blocked out the sun briefly before all but crashing into the ground. "Why go on foot when you have... Swiftwind!" He picked himself up quickly and struck the most dignified pose he could after having just crashed and cast Adora a wink. "Hey, I'm She-Ra's partner. You need me and I can fly you all there in a heartbeat."

"No you can't." Adora reached up and rested a hand on the side of Swiftwind's face. "You won't get enough lift. All four of us would be too heavy. Trust me, you're better at Bright Moon. A lot of the people here have lost everything because of the war and they're looking to rebuild. There are kids here who've been dumped into this situation and don't know why they can't go home and there's parents who don't know where their children are or maybe even the other parent. I need you to help our new morale officer do her job and make sure as many people as possible get the help they need. Okay?" She gazed up at Swiftwind, begging him to realise that this was one of those few times he couldn't help them. He stayed strong for a few seconds, hoping she would back down. But Adora was well aware through their connection that he knew it wasn't happening.

"Okay." He hung his head and Adora pulled him in for a hug. "I'll help Scorpia do whatever she needs to with the refugees." With that, he perked up slightly as a thought struck him. "Oh, by the way, one of the kids said Scorpia's tail was scary because he knew it could sting him so she's thinking about getting something to cover it. Any ideas?"

"Why not ask Perfuma if she could do something?" Glimmer suggested. "I'm sure there's something she could do to cover it in a way that's naturally occurring, won't degrade over time and maybe even has some flowers on it. That should appeal to the kids."

"And I think you're absolutely right!" They looked over to see Perfuma making her way through the crowd. She slipped a hand into Scorpia's pincer and gave her a flirtatious side-eye. "Come see me in the gardens once they've gone. I'm sure we can work something out." The effect it had on Scorpia was nothing short of electric as she flew into action literally ushering everyone off.

"Well good luck, guys. Hope you find everything you're looking for. Send us a post card from the Fright Zone and everything. Wow, it's a lovely day today! No sense in wasting it." Adora, Catra, Bow and Glimmer all burst out laughing as they turned and headed for the woods. They sincerely hoped that wasn't Scorpia's attempt at being subtle. If so, she sucked at it. Then again, they all knew how easy to read she was. Her bright attitude towards the people around her was what made her an amazing person. The fact that she'd assembled everyone to see them off as she had was proof of that. With their morale boosted by the sendoff, they began their journey.