A/N: Hi, I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I was working on some other projects and real life has been mad busy in JMI land. But I have good news! Part of why this update took so long is because I've been working on several chapters at once while I kinda worked out the upcoming timeline. Chapter 19 is close to finished and should easily be up within a week. Chapter 20 is coming along decently too, so you can probably expect that fairly soon as well.
Anybody else scared and excited for season 4? Like I keep thinking Catra's gotten evil enough but ohhhh no they're really going there, aren't they? At least this one will be a full season so hopefully we'll get some kind of turn near the end... anyway, this is totally unrelated! Enjoy the chapter!
CONTENT WARNING for emotional child abuse.
Legs dangling from a tree branch, Adora mindlessly swings them back and forth, back and forth. Her eyes are on the frosty leaves but her mind is far away in the Fright Zone. More specifically, in her old bunk, with a warm cat girl sprawled atop her, head nestled in her chest. Catra snores sometimes, but she also purrs in her sleep if Adora finds just the right spots to scratch. Behind her ears, the base of her tail, the back of her head just above her neck. For someone so outwardly hostile, Catra sure loves affection. From Adora, anyway. Maybe from other people too, but she prefers not to think about that.
It's hard, though. To focus on the good and not worry about the things she can't control. Like who else could be cuddling Catra, and why she hasn't shown up yet. It's been four days and fourteen - no, fifteen hours since Adora freed her, but she's seen neither hide nor hair of the Force Captain. Catra could be in trouble, unable to get to her. Or she could be laughing with her new friends at Adora's naivety, how easily she got her to betray her allies.
Each passing hour eats at Adora's gut, makes her hands fidget and thoughts race. The worst part, though, is how she can't do anything about it. She is unwelcome in the Fright Zone, to say the least, so she can't very well go and check on Catra. And she can't go back to Bright Moon either, find reassurance in the arms of Glimmer and Bow. She chose this lonely existence. Isolated herself from everyone she cares about for the sake of doing the right thing.
Right about now, Adora thinks doing the right thing can get fucked. She may be the vessel of She-Ra, but Adora is only human. She aches with the need to be touched, to be held and heard and understood. Light Hope isn't much good for any of that.
As far as sentient beings go, Light Hope has got to be the most insensitive one Adora has ever met. Not mean, exactly, just unaware. It's not her fault, her creators couldn't exactly program a soul into her, but it takes a certain level of cold cruelty to force someone to fight a simulation of the person they are in love with. And Adora couldn't even fully explain why it upset her so much, not without getting another lecture about the danger of her attachments. Of course Light Hope knows how Adora feels about Catra, or felt prior to the brain scan, but there are the more recent developments she's unaware of, and those make all the difference. Fighting her ex-best friend she happens to be in love with is bad enough. Fighting the girl she so recently kissed and cuddled and sacrificed her happiness for takes this shit to a whole nother level.
Admittedly, she knows she may be overreacting because of her particular sensitivity to this topic. Adora really, really doesn't like other people telling her how she should feel about Catra. Glimmer's rants, Light Hope's lectures and damn simulations, and… and…
"You know Catra doesn't actually care about you," Shadow Weaver warned condescendingly, looking down on Adora. "She's latched onto you because you have power. She's a leech. A parasite. And you're too foolish and sentimental to pry her off."
"That's not true," protested Adora. "She's my best friend. She likes me for who I am."
"Don't be silly, Adora," Shadow Weaver scolded her. "No one likes you for who you are, they like you for what you can give them. Power, safety, influence. Popularity isn't always as it seems." She chuckled quietly, almost under her breath. "Everyone sees that you're special but you."
Adora knew Shadow Weaver was trying to tell her something more, but her mind was stuck on one thought. Her lip quivered as she asked, "Do you like me, Shadow Weaver?"
Shadow Weaver rolled her eyes, Adora could hear it in her sigh and exasperated voice. "Sometimes, yes," she said. "When you're not being so thick and tiresome."
Adora had to blink away, eyes burning and begging to form tears. A hand on her cheek brought her gaze back to Shadow Weaver. Fingertips brushing Adora's hungry skin, she spoke with affection this time. "Whether I like you or not at any given moment is irrelevant. Our connection is deeper than that. You have a special place in my heart, Adora."
Adora looked up at her with hopeful, eager eyes. "I do?"
"Oh come now, you know that," Shadow Weaver scolded her again, but with a teasing warmth this time. Tucking some stray hairs behind Adora's ear, she said, "None of those children understand you like I do. Don't let them hold you back from the great things we are destined to do together."
A tear cuts a trail over Adora's cheekbone, hot and wet and heavy. She lets it roll down her cheek and drip off her chin, not bothering to wipe her cheeks until more follow in its wake. Sniffling, she tries to blink away the sting in her eyes, the sorrow in her heart. Whether she's grieving her maternal figure or what she did to her, she's not sure.
What she is sure of, is that she's terribly lonely.
Sighing away the pain, Adora closes her eyes and lets her imagination patch the invisible wound. The branches behind her rustle ever so slightly, like the movement of a squirrel or the wind. She doesn't flinch, only smile when the branch bows a bit under a new weight. Her cheeks flush with the sensation of proximity, and a shudder runs down her spine when she hears and feels the hot whisper against her ear. "Hey, Adora…"
The actual sound of someone in the underbrush snaps Adora back to reality. In one fluid motion she draws her legs up into the foliage and pushes herself into a squat, balancing on the branch. Quietly drawing her sword, she steadies her nerves with calm breaths and peers down through the lower branches.
Whoever they are, they're sure not trying to be stealthy. Frozen twigs snap underfoot, half-thawed grass rustling against their boots. The woods are starting to melt and regrow, barely, but sneaking around is still difficult. If the visitor was Catra she would still find a way - stealth is basically her greatest talent other than being a dick. Adora can't help a touch of disappointment but hopes it's a friend nonetheless. Though to be fair, those are in short supply right now.
"Adora?"
The familiar voice lights up Adora's face with an ecstatic grin.
"Bow!" She clambers down the slippery branches and trunk with significantly less care than she should be taking. Broken bones are a small price to pay for company in her current situation. Dropping to the ground, she runs to her smiling friend and throws her arms around his shoulders. "Hey!"
Bow's warm, strong arms cinch around Adora's waist and she sighs, resting her chin on his shoulder. They linger in the embrace, and Adora savors every second of warmth, pressure, proximity.
"Been a while since you've seen another human?" he guesses.
Adora chuckles into his collarbone, giving one more squeeze before pulling back. Even now, she's reluctant to let him go. Maybe she has learned her lesson, unfortunately too late.
"Light Hope's a good teacher and all, but she's not really friend material," she admits.
Gesturing at the frozen forest, Bow says, "Don't get me wrong, this is still a disaster, but on the bright side it made finding you much easier." Adora's lips fall into a frown and his quickly follow. "What?"
"That'll make it easier for other people to find me too," reasons Adora. "Bright Moon guards, for instance."
His brow furrows in thought a moment before he shakes his head and concludes, "If they were gonna arrest you, they would've done it when you were there."
Snorting bitterly, Adora mutters, "Why not wait until my guard is down? Seems to be Glimmer's MO."
Bow's eyes flick away and a shockwave of regret makes Adora's muscles tense, draining the blood from her bowing head. "Sorry."
"It's fine," says Bow, squinting slightly at nothing in particular. His hands go to his hip pockets and Adora's stomach drops and tumbles.
It's not fine.
She always says the wrong thing. Of course Adora would find a way to alienate her most loyal friend. Hell, she's done it before.
"Shit," she mumbles, smacking herself in the forehead. "Really, I'm sorry. About everything. I didn't mean to drag you into the middle of this."
"I already am," says Bow, lips twitching with a half-hearted smile. "Just kinda how it is."
The warmth in his gaze is reassuring, soothing Adora's frazzled nerves. The tension in her body melts away, immediately replaced by cloying awkwardness that makes her want to look literally anywhere else than into his kind eyes. Glancing at the overcast sky, she suggests, "Let's get inside. Looks like it's gonna rain."
Bow hesitates, eyes flicking past her nervously. "Uhhh…"
"What?"
His voice cracks slightly as he reminds her, "Last time I went in there I got attacked by giant robot spiders."
"Yeah, well, it's different now," blusters Adora. "I live there, the place knows me. I can call them off."
"...Okay."
Looping her arm through his, Adora tugs him along towards the Beacon. "Just don't talk or touch anything until we get to the atrium, then I'll talk to Light Hope."
Though clearly uncertain, Bow follows Adora across the clearing, then down the ramp when it opens in her presence. Despite his misgivings, he puts his trust in her. After everything, that means a lot.
If Adora was any good at putting feelings into words, she might try to say as much. But she isn't, so she says nothing until they're clear of the entrance hallway.
"Light Hope?" she calls as they enter the cavernous atrium.
The holographic host flickers into existence in front of her. "Adora, do you already want to-" Light Hope stops abruptly, eyes locked on Bow. Her tone is suddenly harsh as she says, "I detect an unauthorized presence. What is the meaning of this, Adora?"
Leaning in a little, Bow murmurs in Adora's ear. "I told you…"
Lightly elbowing him in the ribs, Adora smiles up at her teacher and broaches, "Light Hope, you know Bow. You've seen him in my memories, and he came here before with Swift Wind, to save me."
"You did not need saving," counters Light Hope. "You were perfectly-"
"-useless," Adora finishes for her. "They needed me in Bright Moon." Seeing Light Hope's features hardening even more, she tosses a hand in the air and argues, "Besides, they didn't know I was safe. Your elementals attacked them."
"Because they are programmed to attack unauthorized beings," she replies flatly.
Well, this tactic clearly isn't working. Consciously relaxing her stance, Adora places a hand on Bow's shoulder and speaks calmly, reassuringly. She hopes.
"Look, Bow is my… my ally," she says, knowing better than to drop the F bomb in front of Light Hope. "He's an ally of She-Ra. I promise, he won't cause any trouble."
Bow waves shyly as Light Hope appraises him with narrowed eyes. Finally she relents, "As you wish. I will permit the presence of this 'Bow' you speak of. But if he tampers with anything-"
"He'll be spider food," says Adora. "We know."
"Thanks, Light Hope!" Bow calls out, waving once again.
"You are welcome, young man," replies Light Hope, something like a smile crossing her face. Holding his gaze, she warns him, "Do not make me regret this allowance."
Adora drags him away in the midst of his promises to be good, towing him toward one of the many hallways. It's a short walk to the room Light Hope prepared for her when she moved in.
As the door slides shut behind them, Bow stares incredulously at the bare bones setup. In addition to the cot-size bed, there's only a small dresser and a table with a single chair. Why would Adora need a second chair, after all? She's not supposed to have friends.
Smirking over his shoulder as he saunters into the room, Bow asks, "Uh, does Light Hope know anything about princesses?"
"Hey, you know I'm not like a regular princess," Adora reminds him. This lack of luxury doesn't bother her. In fact, it's comforting. It's like home.
Well, one of her past homes.
Wandering over to the bed, Bow sits down and immediately pokes the mattress, a scandalized look on his face. "Adora, this is like a slab of rock. How do you sleep on this thing?"
"It's what I'm used to," she says blandly.
Bow's expression melts into sheepishness, his eyes falling to the bed. Smiling ironically, he chuckles, "Sorry, I really shouldn't mock your culture, should I?"
Adora can't tell if he's making a joke or being serious. Or both. Ugh.
"If that's what you wanna call it," she snorts. Joining him on the bed, she says, "Look, it's not something I'm proud of, but where I grew up is part of who I am."
A playful grin curls Bow's lips. "So you can take the girl out of the Horde, but not the Horde out of the girl?"
Adora grunts in amusement. "Something like that."
She fills him in on life in the Crystal Castle, including some of her training mishaps. Not the simulation of Catra, that's a little too raw, but there was one where a spider picked her up by the ankle and froze, leaving her dangling there for a couple minutes while Light Hope and the rest of the system rebooted. Bow repays her with tales from Bright Moon, like Swift Wind demanding a chair for their next meeting and an ice-related prank Mermista and Frosta played on Perfuma and Glimmer.
At the mention of one of her (presumably) ex best-friends, Adora's face falls. They've been carefully dancing around any heavy topics, but the tension physically pains her. Fingers winding in her sleeve cuff, she takes a deep breath and asks, "How is Glimmer, anyway?"
"She's fine," Bow answers automatically.
Adora tips her head, skewering him with her eyes. "Bullshit." He opens his mouth but she cuts him off. "I'm asking 'cause I wanna know, not 'cause I wanna feel better."
Bow shifts, frowning slightly as his eyes go distant. "She's… she's hurt."
Adora's mouth twitches. "Because I let Catra go?"
Drawing out a long hum, Bow squirms. "I think it's more that she thinks you care more about Catra than her." He grimaces apologetically, but Adora can't help but react.
"That's not fair," she protests. "That's not why I did any of it. It had nothing to do with Glimmer."
"Exactly," Bow says evenly. "You cared so much about freeing Catra that she thinks you didn't even think about how it would make her feel."
"I did, actually," snaps Adora. "But it wasn't about how it would make her feel. I was doing what I thought was right."
Her proud posture deflates as the words sink in. A self-deprecating snort bursts from her lips. "That seems to be an ongoing theme with me," she mumbles.
Bow squeezes her knee, and she unconsciously covers his hand with hers. "What can I do to make it right?" she asks, clinging desperately to his fingers. "I hate this so much, but I'm not gonna put Catra back in prison. I can't."
Shaking his head with a sigh, Bow admits, "I'm not sure, Adora. Find some way to show her she matters to you, I guess."
Adora's forehead scrunches up as she considers this. Glimmer and Catra do have very similar personalities, and when she did that for Catra it seemed to fix things a bit. At the time, at least.
Catra's probably just busy, right? Busy terrorizing the planet, formulating plans to destroy her and all the other princesses…
A beeping sound cuts through Adora's thoughts, quickly followed by Bow's voice. "Speak of the devil…"
Her face and voice go hard. "What?"
"Sorry, poor choice of words." Bow chuckles sheepishly. "My tracker pad's detecting a Horde presence in the woods," he explains, whipping the gadget out of his belt.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hopping off the bed, Adora draws her sword and transforms. "Let's go kick some Horde butt!"
They charge out of the ruins and into the frozen forest, following the tech signal. Adora's heart pounds as they run, harder than the situation calls for. Her hands sweat, making the sword slip in her grip.
Excitement, anger, and disappointment clash in Adora's gut when they encounter a group of three Horde bots barrelling through the underbrush. Only bots. They make quick work of them, between trick arrows and a magic sword. In mere minutes Adora is sheathing her weapon, frowning at the defeated machines.
"Guess that grace period is over," she remarks as Bow steps up beside her. She tips her head down to meet his gaze. "You think there'll be more?"
"Oh, definitely. But not for a few hours, at least." The assuredness in Bow's tone lifts Adora's eyebrows, and he explains, "This started yesterday morning. They just keep sending waves of bots running through the woods. We were planning to discuss sending the other princesses home yesterday, but that's gonna have to wait."
Adora hums. "I remember. That's bad timing."
"Yeah, awfully convenient," Bow frowns. "Almost like they knew what we were talking about."
Mouth dropping open, Adora raises her hands in protest. "Don't look at me!"
"Oh- no, crap, I didn't mean it like that!" he backpedals quickly. "I know you're not a traitor. I meant I wonder if Entrapta or someone else found a way to spy on us."
"Or maybe it's just a coincidence," muses Adora.
"Maybe," he says, but he sounds far from convinced.
"They causing a lot of trouble?"
"Kind of? They're not exactly attacking the woods but they're trampling everything and causing more damage." He sighs, taking in the destruction around them. "How are they ever supposed to regrow like this?"
Adora frowns. "Have any bots made it to Bright Moon yet?"
"No, we've been holding them off pretty easy. They're not even sending that many, I don't think they're trying to mount an attack. Maybe they're just scouts?"
"Or a distraction tactic," grumbles Adora. "Catra loves those."
Bow squints. "You think she's behind this?"
"No fucking clue," Adora says shortly, scowling at the ground.
Adora's sulking is rudely interrupted by the clanking of mechanical limbs in the distance. Between them and Bright Moon. Her head snaps up. "Did we miss one?"
Bow's already pulling out his tracker pad. His face falls. "Crap, they must've split up on our way here." Tucking it back in his belt, he jerks his head urgently towards Bright Moon. "Come on, we gotta hurry!"
As they take off in pursuit, Adora reasons, "At least if it's just bots the protection spell will stop them before they can do any damage, right?"
"Unless they've developed a long range canon or something," Bow grunts through hard puffs of breath. "Who knows what Entrapta's gotten up to?"
Adora squints, examining his downcast features. She's sure she heard a note of bitterness in his voice, similar to when she was talking about Catra. Maybe that shouldn't be a surprise. Adora wasn't really around to see Bow process the news of Entrapta's betrayal, but she was his idol. It must have hurt.
"If they brought tanks, we're screwed," he adds, pulling Adora from her thoughts.
"No, that definitely sounded like bots," she assures him. "Trust me, I'd know."
They catch up to the machines in a small clearing near the edge of the forest. There's only two so they wordlessly split up, each taking one.
"Hey!" Adora shouts. As the bot slows and turns to take her on, Adora tries transforming her sword into a lasso, hoping to rope its legs out from under it. Unfortunately the damn thing turns into a mug, leaving her gaping at the useless implement. With the bot now focused on her, she improvises and hurls it at her enemy.
When the bot rears back in shock, she slides under it, scooping up the mug on the way. While it's turning again, trying to locate her, she reverts her weapon back to a sword and takes a swipe at the nearest leg. The bot emits a mechanical squeal and shoots a laser beam that Adora deftly blocks with her sword. It tries to stomp on her with the damaged limb, but ends up listing forward, allowing Adora to jump up with She-Ra strength and cling to its spherical body. Raising her arm with a battle cry, she smashes the bot with the butt end of her sword, leaving a huge dent in the metal casing.
The robot stumbles, making an awful whirring sound before suddenly tipping backward, sending Adora tumbling off with a yelp of surprise. Her back hits the ground with a heavy thud, knocking most of the air out of her lungs. What's left escapes in a weary groan. She feels her magical energy ebb, her hold on She-Ra slipping, but a quick glance up assures her that the bot is even woozier. It flicks its legs at odd intervals, continuing its disjointed whirring noises as it tries to get its bearings or right itself. It's essentially toast.
Sighing with relief, Adora allows herself to detransform. Her eyes blink themselves back into focus, and she's just starting to think maybe she can pick herself back up when a sharp voice cuts through her muddled thoughts.
"Bow, there you are!"
Adora's heart jumps, her mouth going dry. That voice. Longing and dread course through her veins, pleasant memories comforting and tormenting her all at once.
"Why did you take your tracker pad?" Glimmer's tone has gone from relieved to scolding. Adora can hear her usual aggressive gait as she stomps closer. "That's our early warning system, we barely saw the bots coming in time!"
"I was using it to track First One's tech."
Adora rolls over with a groan, pushing herself to her hands and knees as the conversation continues.
"What tech?"
"The, um…" Bow sounds nervous. "The Sword of Protection."
"You didn't!"
Glimmer's tone is full of shock and disbelief, so Adora decides to prove Bow's story. Giving her head one last shake, she gets to her feet and rounds the fallen bot, stepping out into the open. Glimmer's eyes bulge as they settle on her, then narrow. Adora's attempt at a casual shrug does not match her boastful grin.
"What?" she gloats, nodding backwards at the deformed bot. "You didn't think Bow did that all by himself, did you?" Quickly glancing at Bow, she adds, "No offense."
"None taken," he replies with a hand wave. "I'm a sniper, not a brawler."
Glimmer's arms cross over her chest. "Hello, She-Ra."
The words are like a blast of ice water to the face. Adora would know. The cold showers back at the Horde were always a shock even when you were expecting it. And she was expecting a frosty reception. But 'She-Ra'? Really?
Anger and anguish battle in Adora's gut, and in her face. Fighting to keep her expression neutral, she nods respectfully. "Princess Glimmer." She bends in a formal bow for good measure. Two can play that game.
Glimmer's eyes roll and flick to Bow. "We've been holding off the bots just fine. We didn't need to involve her."
Bow definitely didn't come to her for that reason, but Adora doesn't want to cause any more drama for them. Before he can answer, she deflects, "I'm always happy to help. I told you."
"I think you've helped enough," Glimmer retorts hotly. Rather than making Adora's heart sink, the flash of emotion gives her a glimmer of hope. Anger is better than indifferent hostility, she knows that from her experiences with Catra. Anger means she still has a place in Glimmer's heart, that she still means something to her.
"Adora!" calls an excited voice from above.
A huge grin bursts onto Adora's face as she looks up. Swift Wind waves one of his hooves and swoops down from the sky, carrying Perfuma, Mermista and Frosta on his back. Netossa and Spinneralla must be back guarding the castle, they seem to do that a lot.
"Hey, stranger!" he greets her as he touches down. Trotting over, he nuzzles her face with his snout, and she eagerly pets his fiery mane as the princesses dismount. "How's training going? Are your stats still going up?"
"Duh," brags Adora. "I'm gonna be the best She-Ra Etheria has ever seen."
"Oh, good, a more powerful wild card," Mermista deadpans, arms crossing nonchalantly. "Just what we need."
"A more powerful ally, you mean," stresses Adora, narrowing her eyes. Mermista only raises an eyebrow. Gesturing to the princess at Mermista's side, Adora insists, "Glimmer's the one who wanted me to still come to the Alliance meetings."
All eyes flick to Glimmer and she shrugs. "It's true. As long as a certain someone is not involved, we can trust She-Ra to fight for us. If we need her."
"Sure," drawls Mermista, "but isn't that certain someone the one who attacked all our kingdoms?"
"Not mine," Perfuma pipes up from behind her.
Smirking slyly, Mermista hides her hint of a smile by looking away. "All the important ones, then."
"Hey!" snaps Perfuma.
"You can say her name, okay?" Adora interjects, dragging fingers through her hair in frustration. "Jeez. And I will fight Catra if it comes down to it, I said that in my letter to your mom," she adds, catching Glimmer's eye.
"Yeah, I know," Glimmer says flatly. "You were obviously really upset to be letting her down." She sounds annoyed, or maybe hurt? Adora has no time to reflect on why, because Swift Wind is stepping between them.
"Okay, look, we've established we're all on the same side, okay?" he says, pointedly looking from one princess to the other. "Fighting amongst ourselves solves nothing." Tipping his head back, he rests a hoof proudly on his chest. "It's like Queen Angella said: 'disunity among the Alliance can only lead to disaster.'"
No one dares argue, and Adora can't help a smug little smile. Peeking around her flamboyant steed, she cracks, "Maybe you guys should get him that chair."
Bow snorts and Glimmer throws him a look. She's just turning that glare on Adora when her eyes suddenly bulge with panic. "Adora!"
Adora hears a mechanical creak behind her just as Glimmer's body hits her out of nowhere. A second later she's on the ground, watching the robotic leg that was hanging above her come crashing down from ten feet away. While she's hopping up and drawing her sword to put the bot out of its misery, an arrow goes flying into its laser eye. It fully collapses, whirring sounds fading to nothing.
"You guys okay?" asks Bow, hustling to her side.
"Yeah, thanks." Looking down and giving her savior a weak smile, Adora extends a hand to help her up. "Thanks, Glim."
Glimmer squints at Adora's hand but doesn't take it, teleporting herself up to land on her feet. Eyes still narrowed, she peers up at Adora and remarks, "You're a princess. We watch each other's backs."
Adora's arm falls limply to her side. She's not always the greatest at deciphering hidden meanings, but she hears the words under this seemingly inspirational statement loud and clear. I'd save any of our allies. Don't think you're special. Her eyes prickle and Glimmer looks away with a pained expression.
"If that's it for this wave, we might as well head back," declares Glimmer, her voice conspicuously strained. Side eyeing her best friend, she asks, "You coming, Bow?"
Hesitating to follow Glimmer as she joins the others, Bow glances back at Adora. She pastes on a brave smile and gives him a nod of reassurance. "It's okay. I'm tired."
"You're all alone," he says quietly, concern clouding his features.
"I chose that," states Adora. Pulling him into a hug, she closes her eyes and relishes the contact for just a couple seconds. She'd trap him for longer if she didn't know it would piss Glimmer off and he'd have to deal with the consequences. He's already in enough shit for sneaking off to visit her. Letting go, she claps a hand on his non-armored shoulder and gives one final squeeze. "It was good to see you."
"You too," he replies, throat bobbing slightly.
Turning away from him before her stinging eyes shed tears, Adora calls out to the group, "Let me know if you need my help, with any of the attacks. No point doing all that training if I don't put it to use."
"Sure, Adora," Glimmer says coolly as Bow makes his way over. "We'll let you know."
While the princesses minus Glimmer climb up onto his back, Swift Wind tosses his mane and calls out, "Bye, Adora! Call if you need me, okay?"
"Nah, I should be good," Adora answers, scrunching up her face playfully. "Enjoy your non-frozen apples, Swiftie."
"Yes, ma'am!" With that he gallops up some speed and takes off, soaring over the treetops back inside the kingdom.
Adora's eyes fall from the sky just in time to see Bow watching her with concern over his shoulder before Glimmer throws her arms around him. She delays just long enough to give Adora a pointed look before teleporting them both away.
As the pink poof disappears in Glimmer's wake, Adora finally releases the strangled sound caught in her throat. She gasps, bending over to rest her hands on her knees as her chest tightens painfully. She manages a few wheezes before sobs begin to catch in her throat, making her choke on her tears. They flow freely down her cheeks, streaming from her chin and splashing on the frosty earth.
Adora's head begins to spin, churning with her fears and anxiety, fueled by haunting words.
"The princesses don't care about you." The tingle of shadowy fingers trailing along her cheekbone makes Adora shudder even in the present. "They want to use you for your strength."
…She was right.
Adora laughs. What begins as a chuckle crescendos into a raucous laugh that has her tipping forward and landing on her hands and knees. She's heaving again, cackling, unable to catch her breath. Shadow Weaver was manipulative. Shadow Weaver was evil. And Shadow Weaver was right.
They really don't care about her. They only care about She-Ra.
"No one likes you for who you are, they like you for what you can give them."
Now they don't even need She-Ra, and they definitely don't need Adora. Glimmer only warmed up to Adora because she was useful, and now that her loyalty's been called into question she's been cast aside. Glimmer doesn't need her anymore. Doesn't want her anymore.
"No one likes you for who you are."
Sobs and guffaws mingle in Adora's staccato breaths until a loud wail breaks through, voicing her torment for the whole forest to hear. She punches the ground, screaming obscenities until her knuckles throb and her throat burns and swells. Able only to whimper, she buries her face in her hands, letting tears drip between her bleeding knuckles.
Finally her eyes run dry and she sniffles, blinking away the tears weighing down her lashes. Yearning eyes peer up at the spires of Castle Bright Moon, visible above the treeline from this close. From this far away.
"No one likes you."
A/N: Adora x Therapy y'all
Kudos to any of my fellow Millennials who had a "I'm a cool princess!" moment :D