Chapter18; Woman scorned- an unlikely ally
Onyx was being careless, she knew. But she didn't care. She had confidence in herself and in her abilities. The day had been spent giving orders and preparing to mobilize a fourth of Hordack's ground forces tomorrow. She was disgusted to learn the robots were still being equipped with substandard programming. Their hard drives were three years out of date when she had left the Horde five years ago!
She recalled a rather unpleasant scene with Hordack.
"It's no wonder the rebels constantly defeat you, humiliating you in the process. Your weapons are below standard, your robotic engineering team is illiterate and the programming is sub-par! Couldn't you at least upgrade the aiming capabilities on the robots so that their A.T.H. is above twenty percent?" Onyx was marching at her masters heels, matching him stride for stride, her voice ringing with indignation.
"Horde Prime does not feel it necessary to upgrade the accuracy to hit programming. The new system would be far too costly- especially-" and here he grimaced as if tasting something wretched, "since the life expectancy of a robot on Etheria is so short." Onyx heaved a frustrated sigh.
"How about obtaining a supply of photon rifles and M.D.G.'s?" Hordack stopped, looking at her incredulously as she drew up to his side. Then he guffawed. It was disgusting listening to him snort as he laughed.
"Do you think this is Eternia? Etheria just isn't worth the expense- at least not according to my brother." His eyes pinched together and bitterness filled his voice, "Horde Prime would never approve even one crate of matter destabilizers, much less enough grenades to be of any use to us. Sorry Adora but you'll just have to make do."
"Dammit Hordack," Onyx hissed through clenched teeth, "I made do for five years, I did not rejoin the Horde to make do!" He squinted narrowly at her.
"No, you rejoined so you could murder one of my henchmen and you betrayed your people's champion to do so." He watched her flinch and smiled.
"It wasn't murder," she whispered, "It was combat." Her voice rose in strength as she turned her dark regard to Hordacks beady little orbs, "he had a better chance than the children he killed now didn't he." Hordack grunted.
"If you don't feel up to this-"
"It's not me who's not up to this!" She snapped, "It's your forces. If I fail it won't be my fault-"
"But you will be blamed." He reminded her. Onyx seethed, her jaw clenched as she tried to restrain her frustrated anger.
"Damned either way, is that it?" She demanded. Hordack smiled grotesquely.
"Welcome to the club my dear." She stormed off angrily. Spirit was in the Whispering woods and she felt like venting her angst. She decided to scope out the terrain surrounding Strathmoore. At least that was the excuse she gave. She merely wanted to be away from the fright zone ,for a little while at least.
She sat atop her Horde-steed as she circled the town of Strathmoore. It would be easy enough to take. The rebels were in an uproar. They were organizing fast but they would not be in time to save Strathmoore.
No. The rebellion would be shocked by the spectacle she would leave for them. She knew that people would die. It was inevitable. It was war. She would put the bodies to use. The people who bled for Etheria tomorrow would not die in vain. They would serve to strengthen the resolve of the rebels and send hundreds running in rage to join them. Strathmoore was a large city. It would be a great coupe for the Horde. Strathmoore being so close to Brightmoon would be counting on it and the rebels for protection. But while the Horde attacked the city Shadow Weaver would be assaulting Brightmoon with the power of shriving.
The Horde's dark mistress of magic could not hope to conquer it as Angella's powers were at their peak plus she had the added protection of the Crystal Castle but it would serve to distract the queen of Brightmoon from the hordes true objective.
Adora carefully noted the half finished wall around the city, burning the details into her mind, the weak spots, the positions of the guards at the gates the smattering of outbuildings belonging to squatters. They would be the first casualties. A woman, back stooped with hard work and age straightened slowly at her approach, resting wearily on a rake she was using to gather hay into bundles before she wrapped it and squinting against the sun.
"G'day, good woman, can I help you?" The woman questioned in a bright cheery voice. She backed up slightly as Adora's steed neared her. Her face went chalk white as the beast moved closer and she backed away in small stumbling steps from the grim and menacing specter of death.
A voice cool and smooth like the waters of the sea flowed over the old woman's skin, a gentle chill resonating with danger and warning.
"Be gone by nightfall. Wicked things approach." The woman could scarcely nod as she backed away in fear, tears falling copiously down her withered and leathery cheeks. Hate and rage rolled off the beast and he whinnied in response to the fear he smelled.
Adora reigned him in sharply, taking one last, hard look at the free town of Strathmoore, then whirling him around, her job done, she gave the beast his lead.
He flew over the terrain, his hooves rapacious as the tore at the earth beneath them, scarring her with ugly prints, gouged into the terra firma. Flames shot from his nostrils as it ran, the stench of hate strong in its sweat soaked skin, clinging to her clothes. She bit back the urge to gag, he thighs clenching the sides of the monster tightly as the jarring ride continued. She was riding along the edges of Spikeheart, the land of the trolls which skirted the Fright Zone when a blast of light energy sent her flying from her horse. The Horde steed continued on.
Adora hit the earth with a jarring thud, her mask flew from her face landing several feet away, she somersaulted over the hard cold earth crying out as she heard a loud crack and pain shot through her left arm, she screamed once in fear and pain right before her head slammed into the ground.
Everything went dark for a moment or two. She struggled to maintain her hold on consciousness. Blinking her eyes, she tried to move but her body refused to respond. Pain coursed through her in waves. Her left arm hung limply at an odd angle beneath her body. She knew she had pulled out from the socket. Her head was throbing angrily where she struck it and her temple burned and stung.
Her right arm moved slowly upward to feel her head. Her fingertips came back bloody. She struggled to rise. Moving her head slowly she realized she'd landed near a tree. She began scooting herself over to the trunk, leaning against it. With her right hand she reached for a prodder at her hip, flicking it on, her gaze darting about frantically trying to see her attacker. She was gasping for air and at the same time struggling not to breathe too deep as her chest thrummed with knifelike agony.
A figure in violet walked calmly towards her, carnation colored hair flowing behind her a trident clutched in two lavender gauntleted arms.
"G-Glimmer." Adora wheezed. The princess of Brightmoon smirked down at her former leader.
"All your fine talk, all your concern, all your words and years of friendship were a lie!" Adora tried to shake her head But Glimmer ignored her. "I trusted you! I believed in you. We all did! And you betrayed us." Her voice usually so full of compassion and love, dripped with hatred and venom. Hurt anger shone vividly in Glimmers blue eyes. "You were the best among us and you turned on us. You're a liar and I hate you! I won't let you hurt my people." Adora looked into Glimmers eyes, reading the resolve therein; she swallowed convulsively. She was in no condition to fight and she could not change into She-Ra and Glimmer was poised with a pointed weapon at her throat to kill her.
"Glimmer…Glimmer, please… let me- let me explain."
"Lies!" Glimmer half hissed, half shouted, " Why would I possibly want to hear any more of your filthy lies!"
"Glimmer, I love the people of this planet. I am doing the best that I can to unify them!"
"We won't be made slaves!" Glimmer shouted defiantly. Adora nodded weakly.
"Exactly. Don't you see," Adora's voice burned with fevered intensity, trembling and unsteady with pain, "I was just like you five years ago, I believed that all we needed was faith in human nature, once everyone knew what they were fighting for they would all fight the Horde. But I was wrong." She laughed, a short barking noise devoid of humor, "The people are dull in their apathy. They don't care about freedom, they are too involved in their own petty squabbles or moldering old traditions to see the true enemy. I will make them see!"
"And what about Justice huh! Or what's right! What about compassion, what about the death of our friends! What about mercy Adora Huh!" Adora moaned, pulling herself up away from the tree, gasping in pain.
"The last time I showed someone mercy he killed five innocent children! Bled their life away into nothing because they meant nothing, not to him! Not to him; but they meant everything to me! They were the reason I fought so doggedly, so hard all those years even when in my deepest heart hope shriveled and died, I kept on- not for me, for them, for the children, for the innocent so they would not ever be forced to face the childhood I had- a bleak and empty one full of sadness and loneliness and pain! When that monster killed them I quit!"
"So you would betray us all, working for a bigger monster and leading his armies against us!" Adora simply nodded.
"You cold bitch! I looked up to you." Her voice lowered to a mere hiss of hate, "We should have done this the first day Adam brought you to the Whispering woods!"
"Glimmer," Adora gasped, panic flaring in her eyes, "you don't want-"
"Can it traitor! It doesn't matter what either of us wants! This is what must be done, I'm going to put you out of my misery once and for all." Hearing the viciousness echoing in Glimmers words, Adoras eyes turned to shards of ice. She tossed the prodder to the ground and wincing at the pain in her left shoulder she held her right arm out to the side, the left hung limply in front of her.
"Kill me then." Her eyes never left the bile filled gaze of the princess. "I am so tired of hurting. Go on, do it! Think you I relish the task of giving orders to scum to enslave the people I love!" Her voice cracked, "make it quick Glimmer… we were close once. Don't make me suffer." A single tear wound a fiery path down her ivory cheek. Glimmer faltered as she watched it fall. She looked to the weapon pointing at Adora's heart as if seeing it for the first time.
"I- Adora I-" a bolt of red slammed into Glimmers midsection sending her to the ground. Adora gazed in shock as she watched the princess of Brightmoon fall in a heap at her feet, the spear falling uselessly from her fingers.
"Glimmer!" Adora cried. She fell to her knees beside her fallen friend. "Glimmer-"
"Rowww, relax Adorrra, she's merely stunned. She'll be fine." Adora looked up to see Catra sauntering toward her, a stun blaster in her hand, a mean little grin stretching across her face.
"What are you doing here?" Adora questioned, her voice sharp, warily watching as Catra holstered the blaster, walking to her side. The Cat woman, with surprisingly gentle hands reached down to help Adora to her feet.
"I saw you leave the fright zone alone." She explained unapologetically, "I was sure you were going to betray us again. I wanted to see where you were going and who you were meeting."
"And?" Adora asked warily, then she gasped in pained surprise, "what are you doing?!" She yelped as Catra grabbed her left arm.
"Rowww, your shoulder's been dislocated, brace yourself against that tree." Adora did as she was instructed. Catra slammed her weight into Adora, pushing her arm back into the socket. Adora screamed in agony, as with a loud pop her arm fell back into place. Tentatively she shrugged her shoulder, wincing at the soreness.
"Thank you." She whispered. Catra shrugged. "What do we do with her?" She asked gesturing to the sleeping Glimmer.
"Leave her." Catra didn't question the order. She took Adora by the elbow and lead her to the Hover Claw she had ridden.
"Rowww, you'll have to ride behind me and hang on tiiightly or you might fall off."
"Catra," Adora asked, "why are you helping me?" Catra was quiet a moment.
"I have always hated you, Hordack loves you; I did everything I could to please him for years- but nothing worked. He always preferrrrred you."
"He doesn't love me," Adora whispered revolted, "I am merely a trophy to him. Hordack doesn't even know what love is!" Catra shrugged dismissively.
"They are one and the same to him, he raised you himself. I was raised by Selatokkians, they are sentient telepathic tigers. They once belonged to an intergalactic circus. Hordack made them guardians of the Dark Jungle. He also made them my guardians. I was almost twelve years before I realized I was not a Selatokkian. My dam was very patient with me when I could not climb and run and jump as she could. Then one day Hordack came and he brought with his my mask. For the first time in my life I was able to hunt with my dam and my sirrrre. But now I had seen Hordack, it was he who gave me the gift of the mask so that I could be a large cat like my family. But I saw now that there were others like me and I wanted to know more of them."
Adora regarded Catra with detached curiosity, she never thought to wonder about Catra and her life before they had met.
"So you were just another one of Hordack's twisted little psychological experiments?" Pain flared anew in Catra's green eyes, Adora saw a spark of vulnerability there she had never seen before. Catra nodded and looked away, her dark hair falling over her face.
"So Hordack took me from my family, placing me in a squadron where I learned to be a hordeswoman." She sighed a soft sound, Adora was shocked to feel her heart responding with compassion to the longing in Catra's voice.
"But I never fit in. I tried going home to the Selatokkians. But I no longer fit therrrre eitherrrr." She was silent a moment and Adora thought she was done. She shifted her weight so she could sit comfortably on the Hover Claw, Catra climbed on, handing Adora a helmet. Adora thought about what Catra said but was a little confused as to how it all had anything to do with Catra helping her. Then the Cat woman spoke again, her voice wry and self deriding and yet filled with a vulnerable yearning for something undefined.
"You are as confused as me. And purrrrhaps just as alone. Neither of us is quite sure who we arrre any morrrre." Adora was silent the ride back as was Catra. Perhaps regretting that she had revealed so much about herself. Adora hurt inside, and for the first time in a while it was not for herself, she hurt for Catra, she was lonely. It was no wonder she was such a bitter and meanspirited person. She didn't know where she fit, she had no definition of her being other than her job as force captain. No friends, no family other than the twisted one Hordack made for her. She decided to see what she could find out in the records about Catra's life, who her parents were, where she came from. If she could use Catra's loneliness to turn her against Hordack, she would prove an invaluable ally.
Onyx was being careless, she knew. But she didn't care. She had confidence in herself and in her abilities. The day had been spent giving orders and preparing to mobilize a fourth of Hordack's ground forces tomorrow. She was disgusted to learn the robots were still being equipped with substandard programming. Their hard drives were three years out of date when she had left the Horde five years ago!
She recalled a rather unpleasant scene with Hordack.
"It's no wonder the rebels constantly defeat you, humiliating you in the process. Your weapons are below standard, your robotic engineering team is illiterate and the programming is sub-par! Couldn't you at least upgrade the aiming capabilities on the robots so that their A.T.H. is above twenty percent?" Onyx was marching at her masters heels, matching him stride for stride, her voice ringing with indignation.
"Horde Prime does not feel it necessary to upgrade the accuracy to hit programming. The new system would be far too costly- especially-" and here he grimaced as if tasting something wretched, "since the life expectancy of a robot on Etheria is so short." Onyx heaved a frustrated sigh.
"How about obtaining a supply of photon rifles and M.D.G.'s?" Hordack stopped, looking at her incredulously as she drew up to his side. Then he guffawed. It was disgusting listening to him snort as he laughed.
"Do you think this is Eternia? Etheria just isn't worth the expense- at least not according to my brother." His eyes pinched together and bitterness filled his voice, "Horde Prime would never approve even one crate of matter destabilizers, much less enough grenades to be of any use to us. Sorry Adora but you'll just have to make do."
"Dammit Hordack," Onyx hissed through clenched teeth, "I made do for five years, I did not rejoin the Horde to make do!" He squinted narrowly at her.
"No, you rejoined so you could murder one of my henchmen and you betrayed your people's champion to do so." He watched her flinch and smiled.
"It wasn't murder," she whispered, "It was combat." Her voice rose in strength as she turned her dark regard to Hordacks beady little orbs, "he had a better chance than the children he killed now didn't he." Hordack grunted.
"If you don't feel up to this-"
"It's not me who's not up to this!" She snapped, "It's your forces. If I fail it won't be my fault-"
"But you will be blamed." He reminded her. Onyx seethed, her jaw clenched as she tried to restrain her frustrated anger.
"Damned either way, is that it?" She demanded. Hordack smiled grotesquely.
"Welcome to the club my dear." She stormed off angrily. Spirit was in the Whispering woods and she felt like venting her angst. She decided to scope out the terrain surrounding Strathmoore. At least that was the excuse she gave. She merely wanted to be away from the fright zone ,for a little while at least.
She sat atop her Horde-steed as she circled the town of Strathmoore. It would be easy enough to take. The rebels were in an uproar. They were organizing fast but they would not be in time to save Strathmoore.
No. The rebellion would be shocked by the spectacle she would leave for them. She knew that people would die. It was inevitable. It was war. She would put the bodies to use. The people who bled for Etheria tomorrow would not die in vain. They would serve to strengthen the resolve of the rebels and send hundreds running in rage to join them. Strathmoore was a large city. It would be a great coupe for the Horde. Strathmoore being so close to Brightmoon would be counting on it and the rebels for protection. But while the Horde attacked the city Shadow Weaver would be assaulting Brightmoon with the power of shriving.
The Horde's dark mistress of magic could not hope to conquer it as Angella's powers were at their peak plus she had the added protection of the Crystal Castle but it would serve to distract the queen of Brightmoon from the hordes true objective.
Adora carefully noted the half finished wall around the city, burning the details into her mind, the weak spots, the positions of the guards at the gates the smattering of outbuildings belonging to squatters. They would be the first casualties. A woman, back stooped with hard work and age straightened slowly at her approach, resting wearily on a rake she was using to gather hay into bundles before she wrapped it and squinting against the sun.
"G'day, good woman, can I help you?" The woman questioned in a bright cheery voice. She backed up slightly as Adora's steed neared her. Her face went chalk white as the beast moved closer and she backed away in small stumbling steps from the grim and menacing specter of death.
A voice cool and smooth like the waters of the sea flowed over the old woman's skin, a gentle chill resonating with danger and warning.
"Be gone by nightfall. Wicked things approach." The woman could scarcely nod as she backed away in fear, tears falling copiously down her withered and leathery cheeks. Hate and rage rolled off the beast and he whinnied in response to the fear he smelled.
Adora reigned him in sharply, taking one last, hard look at the free town of Strathmoore, then whirling him around, her job done, she gave the beast his lead.
He flew over the terrain, his hooves rapacious as the tore at the earth beneath them, scarring her with ugly prints, gouged into the terra firma. Flames shot from his nostrils as it ran, the stench of hate strong in its sweat soaked skin, clinging to her clothes. She bit back the urge to gag, he thighs clenching the sides of the monster tightly as the jarring ride continued. She was riding along the edges of Spikeheart, the land of the trolls which skirted the Fright Zone when a blast of light energy sent her flying from her horse. The Horde steed continued on.
Adora hit the earth with a jarring thud, her mask flew from her face landing several feet away, she somersaulted over the hard cold earth crying out as she heard a loud crack and pain shot through her left arm, she screamed once in fear and pain right before her head slammed into the ground.
Everything went dark for a moment or two. She struggled to maintain her hold on consciousness. Blinking her eyes, she tried to move but her body refused to respond. Pain coursed through her in waves. Her left arm hung limply at an odd angle beneath her body. She knew she had pulled out from the socket. Her head was throbing angrily where she struck it and her temple burned and stung.
Her right arm moved slowly upward to feel her head. Her fingertips came back bloody. She struggled to rise. Moving her head slowly she realized she'd landed near a tree. She began scooting herself over to the trunk, leaning against it. With her right hand she reached for a prodder at her hip, flicking it on, her gaze darting about frantically trying to see her attacker. She was gasping for air and at the same time struggling not to breathe too deep as her chest thrummed with knifelike agony.
A figure in violet walked calmly towards her, carnation colored hair flowing behind her a trident clutched in two lavender gauntleted arms.
"G-Glimmer." Adora wheezed. The princess of Brightmoon smirked down at her former leader.
"All your fine talk, all your concern, all your words and years of friendship were a lie!" Adora tried to shake her head But Glimmer ignored her. "I trusted you! I believed in you. We all did! And you betrayed us." Her voice usually so full of compassion and love, dripped with hatred and venom. Hurt anger shone vividly in Glimmers blue eyes. "You were the best among us and you turned on us. You're a liar and I hate you! I won't let you hurt my people." Adora looked into Glimmers eyes, reading the resolve therein; she swallowed convulsively. She was in no condition to fight and she could not change into She-Ra and Glimmer was poised with a pointed weapon at her throat to kill her.
"Glimmer…Glimmer, please… let me- let me explain."
"Lies!" Glimmer half hissed, half shouted, " Why would I possibly want to hear any more of your filthy lies!"
"Glimmer, I love the people of this planet. I am doing the best that I can to unify them!"
"We won't be made slaves!" Glimmer shouted defiantly. Adora nodded weakly.
"Exactly. Don't you see," Adora's voice burned with fevered intensity, trembling and unsteady with pain, "I was just like you five years ago, I believed that all we needed was faith in human nature, once everyone knew what they were fighting for they would all fight the Horde. But I was wrong." She laughed, a short barking noise devoid of humor, "The people are dull in their apathy. They don't care about freedom, they are too involved in their own petty squabbles or moldering old traditions to see the true enemy. I will make them see!"
"And what about Justice huh! Or what's right! What about compassion, what about the death of our friends! What about mercy Adora Huh!" Adora moaned, pulling herself up away from the tree, gasping in pain.
"The last time I showed someone mercy he killed five innocent children! Bled their life away into nothing because they meant nothing, not to him! Not to him; but they meant everything to me! They were the reason I fought so doggedly, so hard all those years even when in my deepest heart hope shriveled and died, I kept on- not for me, for them, for the children, for the innocent so they would not ever be forced to face the childhood I had- a bleak and empty one full of sadness and loneliness and pain! When that monster killed them I quit!"
"So you would betray us all, working for a bigger monster and leading his armies against us!" Adora simply nodded.
"You cold bitch! I looked up to you." Her voice lowered to a mere hiss of hate, "We should have done this the first day Adam brought you to the Whispering woods!"
"Glimmer," Adora gasped, panic flaring in her eyes, "you don't want-"
"Can it traitor! It doesn't matter what either of us wants! This is what must be done, I'm going to put you out of my misery once and for all." Hearing the viciousness echoing in Glimmers words, Adoras eyes turned to shards of ice. She tossed the prodder to the ground and wincing at the pain in her left shoulder she held her right arm out to the side, the left hung limply in front of her.
"Kill me then." Her eyes never left the bile filled gaze of the princess. "I am so tired of hurting. Go on, do it! Think you I relish the task of giving orders to scum to enslave the people I love!" Her voice cracked, "make it quick Glimmer… we were close once. Don't make me suffer." A single tear wound a fiery path down her ivory cheek. Glimmer faltered as she watched it fall. She looked to the weapon pointing at Adora's heart as if seeing it for the first time.
"I- Adora I-" a bolt of red slammed into Glimmers midsection sending her to the ground. Adora gazed in shock as she watched the princess of Brightmoon fall in a heap at her feet, the spear falling uselessly from her fingers.
"Glimmer!" Adora cried. She fell to her knees beside her fallen friend. "Glimmer-"
"Rowww, relax Adorrra, she's merely stunned. She'll be fine." Adora looked up to see Catra sauntering toward her, a stun blaster in her hand, a mean little grin stretching across her face.
"What are you doing here?" Adora questioned, her voice sharp, warily watching as Catra holstered the blaster, walking to her side. The Cat woman, with surprisingly gentle hands reached down to help Adora to her feet.
"I saw you leave the fright zone alone." She explained unapologetically, "I was sure you were going to betray us again. I wanted to see where you were going and who you were meeting."
"And?" Adora asked warily, then she gasped in pained surprise, "what are you doing?!" She yelped as Catra grabbed her left arm.
"Rowww, your shoulder's been dislocated, brace yourself against that tree." Adora did as she was instructed. Catra slammed her weight into Adora, pushing her arm back into the socket. Adora screamed in agony, as with a loud pop her arm fell back into place. Tentatively she shrugged her shoulder, wincing at the soreness.
"Thank you." She whispered. Catra shrugged. "What do we do with her?" She asked gesturing to the sleeping Glimmer.
"Leave her." Catra didn't question the order. She took Adora by the elbow and lead her to the Hover Claw she had ridden.
"Rowww, you'll have to ride behind me and hang on tiiightly or you might fall off."
"Catra," Adora asked, "why are you helping me?" Catra was quiet a moment.
"I have always hated you, Hordack loves you; I did everything I could to please him for years- but nothing worked. He always preferrrrred you."
"He doesn't love me," Adora whispered revolted, "I am merely a trophy to him. Hordack doesn't even know what love is!" Catra shrugged dismissively.
"They are one and the same to him, he raised you himself. I was raised by Selatokkians, they are sentient telepathic tigers. They once belonged to an intergalactic circus. Hordack made them guardians of the Dark Jungle. He also made them my guardians. I was almost twelve years before I realized I was not a Selatokkian. My dam was very patient with me when I could not climb and run and jump as she could. Then one day Hordack came and he brought with his my mask. For the first time in my life I was able to hunt with my dam and my sirrrre. But now I had seen Hordack, it was he who gave me the gift of the mask so that I could be a large cat like my family. But I saw now that there were others like me and I wanted to know more of them."
Adora regarded Catra with detached curiosity, she never thought to wonder about Catra and her life before they had met.
"So you were just another one of Hordack's twisted little psychological experiments?" Pain flared anew in Catra's green eyes, Adora saw a spark of vulnerability there she had never seen before. Catra nodded and looked away, her dark hair falling over her face.
"So Hordack took me from my family, placing me in a squadron where I learned to be a hordeswoman." She sighed a soft sound, Adora was shocked to feel her heart responding with compassion to the longing in Catra's voice.
"But I never fit in. I tried going home to the Selatokkians. But I no longer fit therrrre eitherrrr." She was silent a moment and Adora thought she was done. She shifted her weight so she could sit comfortably on the Hover Claw, Catra climbed on, handing Adora a helmet. Adora thought about what Catra said but was a little confused as to how it all had anything to do with Catra helping her. Then the Cat woman spoke again, her voice wry and self deriding and yet filled with a vulnerable yearning for something undefined.
"You are as confused as me. And purrrrhaps just as alone. Neither of us is quite sure who we arrre any morrrre." Adora was silent the ride back as was Catra. Perhaps regretting that she had revealed so much about herself. Adora hurt inside, and for the first time in a while it was not for herself, she hurt for Catra, she was lonely. It was no wonder she was such a bitter and meanspirited person. She didn't know where she fit, she had no definition of her being other than her job as force captain. No friends, no family other than the twisted one Hordack made for her. She decided to see what she could find out in the records about Catra's life, who her parents were, where she came from. If she could use Catra's loneliness to turn her against Hordack, she would prove an invaluable ally.
