Epilogue
The crowds of Bright Moon had turned out en-mass for the occasion. No one was surprised. Not only was it Scorpia who spread the word which instantly meant everyone was going to be at the sendoff, but also because this signified a major event in Ethiria's history: the first settlement to undergo reconstruction after the great war. Adora and Glimmer had both expressed a hope that this would inspire the other settlements and cities to go and rebuild.
Adora and Catra stood at the gates, Glimmer and Bow at the head of the crowd about to wave them off, alongside Scorpia whose tail was now adorned with a vine netting that was dotted with flowers. She was clearly loving it and apparently the kids had been much less afraid of her lately.
"I wish you didn't have to go!" Fighting back tears, she gathered Catra and Adora into her arms. They managed to return the hug and she eventually let them go. As she stepped back, Bow and Glimmer came forward to exchange hugs
"You know, I was unsure when you first came here." Bow confessed, looking straight at Adora. "As time went on, I never even imagined we'd have to say goodbye."
"Then don't." Catra let go of Glimmer and worked her neck to get the stiffness out. It had healed well, helped along by massages and hot water bottles provided by Adora. She'd shown a surprising knack for tending to her injuries even when not in She-Ra form. "Look, I never liked Shadow Weaver. She was a monstrous bitch and basically raised us to hate her. Or me, anyway. I don't suppose Adora ever told you much about our time with her?"
"No." Glimmer replied in a curious voice as Catra shrugged off a glare from Adora.
"No." Catra muttered, nodding. "Well, there's one thing she told me that proves even the most evil people say at least one thing worth remembering. Never say goodbye. If you don't say goodbye, then no one can ever be truly gone. They're just not here right now. I think it's smart, although she said it like it was supposed to move me to tears or something. Never did much for me." As she spoke, Bow and Glimmer seemed to ponder her words while Scorpia looked ready to break down into a sobbing mess. Adora wrapped an arm around Catra, her hand scratching at the back of her neck as she leaned into her and let out a purr.
"You know, I didn't really know Shadow Weaver." Bow shrugged. "Not as well as you, Adora, Glimmer, Glimmer's mom and everyone else here at Bright Moon all did. I kind of got left out on that one. But she sounds for all her faults like she was a smart woman."
"She was." Adora nodded. "She really was. She was terrible at the whole 'life decisions' thing, though." That got a laugh from everyone. Bow and Glimmer moved in for one last hug. The four of them together made it feel like the kind of moment that Adora and Catra would wish could last forever. But as they'd learned, then it wouldn't be a moment. It wouldn't be special. Reluctantly, they let go of each other and Adora and Catra stepped back towards the crowd of people from Elberon who'd finished packing and were just setting out. "See you at the party, guys." With that, they turned and left. They walked away and headed down to where the people of Elberon waited for them, Adora trying her hardest not to turn back and look at her friends. She could feel them though, waving behind her while fighting back tears. Leaving left her feeling numb, but she knew this wasn't the closing of a door. This was the opening of a new one. This was a new chapter in her life; one that would include Catra on a more solid and guaranteed level than was ever possible before. That very thought made Adora's heart swell. The girl who, on a number of occasions, had come so close to being her executioner now walked beside her as a monument to her future. And she wouldn't have had it any other way.
End!