I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Just Like Having You Around(Part 1)
Frankly, Adora doesn't know which is worse: the kitten heels she's reluctantly slipped her feet into for the night, or her raging paranoia that something is going to go wrong. Whenever. any second.
However, the clocks keep ticking and, so far, there is no crisis.
Adora twists her ankles, bounces on the balls of her feet, and even lifts her legs one at a time, pushing her knees out as far as her dress will allow, avoiding the worried glances other guests cast her way. Bunch of busybodies.
"Just stretching the hamstrings!" she reassures them cheerfully. Anything to take the pressure off her sore heels.
Damn Glimmer for dragging her into this mess.
For the first time all night, Adora doesn't have a lock on Catra. She has no idea where her former best friend is or what she's up to. Maybe Catra is sampling the buffet or dancing with that silver-haired beast with the fierce red claws and sneaky black number. Her eye twitches, and her fingers squeeze the skirt of her dress into tight fists, but she doesn't stop smiling and nodding at whatever Bow and Perfuma are talking about now.
"—and I told you that hyacinths are only in season during—"
"But they never listen! They never listen, Adora, and it's not just disrespectful to Plumeria, it's...
Gah, she thinks to herself, eager to shut them both up somehow. When will it end!
Her nerves are absolutely frayed. Spending almost two hours following every step of your mortal enemy will do that to a person. Adora lost count of how many times she lunged to intercept Catra, only to realize a moment too late that she was simply looking for another snack. Or how quickly she jumped off to investigate a place Catra had just left only to discover a cheeky note buried at the bottom of a trash can.
Hi Adora :)
She grits her teeth just thinking about the total humiliation of it all. That little smiley face, the one pretending to look like Catra, hastily scribbled on the corner of hers also sent her plummeting.
Catra has always known how to get inside her head.
Grumbling under her breath, Adora rudely interrupts Perfuma's passionate tangent about improper plant care. "Listen, I'm going to get some air."
She walks away from her, fists clenched at her sides, as Perfuma happily waves goodbye and Bow casts anxious glances around the room. Even through her annoyance, Adora suspects that he is looking for Glimmer, who has been in a bad mood all night on the second level. For a long time, Bow belonged not only to Bright Moon but also to Glimmer, and now it's clear that she has no idea what to do with him.
It's also obvious, at least to Adora, that Glimmer is unaware of her own feelings. Poor thing, she thinks, shaking her head. After all this time, the girl is still totally unconscious.
Banishing these worries, Adora runs up the main staircase to the second floor, which is far less populated than the first, and winds aimlessly through several white glass corridors until she comes to two wide-open double doors that lead out onto the stairs. an abandoned balcony. She stands by the door, looking up at the starry sky.
Her fingers ache from clenching into fists all night. The dress she is wearing is sleeveless and has a high neck, and is such a vibrant shade of red that one could argue that she has just come from the battlefield. But not a normal one, obviously. As she is beginning to realize, dances and dances can be a different kind of battle.
What. This flimsy thing is just a dress, after all, not bloody armor. However, to be honest, Adora would prefer the armor. Not so much blood. That's more of a Catra thing.
"Gods." She hits her forehead with the palm of her hand. What is she talking about? "Shut up, brain!"
It's pretty clear why she feels unbalanced. The sudden presences of Catra and Scorpia tore her night apart. For days now she has been preparing for an evening of light socializing and subtle networking with the other princesses and her entourage. Maybe a trip or two to the fancy buffet. Not for a second did she consider the possibility of a Horde invasion. Even if said invasion is actually just two well-dressed young women.
Adora sighs and leans against the door frame. Her dress hisses around her knees. Following Catra all night and falling for her tricks over and over again has given him a huge headache. It's like a giant ice pick, pricking her temples with every beat of her heart. If only-
"Oh, you too?"
The dry, flat voice comes from behind her, and Adora straightens up, instantly flustered. Her hand flexes, about to reach for her sword, but then her gaze falls on the approaching shadow and she relaxes. A wry smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.
"Mermista". Adora shrugs, a shy expression crossing her face. "I needed a break from all… that. You know."
The Princess of Salineas approaches slowly, without haste or inconvenience. So, the usual state of it. Mermista's brown eyes are deep and inviting, warm as chocolate truffles, and there's a calmness about them that also soothes Adora. Her teal hair has been pulled back into a high ponytail, the front pieces of it framing her face in a way that she had Sea Hawk practically drooling before. Her jewelry and her dress have different shades of gold, cerulean, teal, and indigo. The outfit is beautiful, which is not surprising, and she looks even brighter against her dark skin.
"Tell me about it." Mermista rushes past Adora and hunches against the balcony railing. "Sea Hawk is demanding that I give him my drink order. He has been relentless about it."
"...Why?"
She shrugs and looks out the side at the frozen garden below. "So you can go find it for me, I guess. He likes to be... useful, and I think being here, surrounded by so many people with powers, makes him feel... the opposite.
Intrigued despite herself, Adora rests her elbows on the railing and gives the princess a thoughtful look. "Are you two dating?"
Mermista exaggerates a shudder. "Oh, absolutely not. I can't go out with Sea Hawk. He is too pretty. "
Say oh! Adora snorts and rolls her eyes. "You are one to speak!"
The princess raises a single eyebrow and slurs, "What does that mean, oh holy She-Ra?"
The mention of her alter ego makes Adora instinctively reach for her sword, but again, not there. Her chest contracts and she shifts eagerly on her feet. She doesn't like being separated from him, even in these understandably benign circumstances. She feels as if a limb has been temporarily amputated. Her world gets a little out of control without the familiar weight on her back.