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It's not that Scorpia isn't happy here. She is! She's made so many new friends, and Frosta invented this game last week where they see how big she has to make an ice boulder before Scorpia can't crush it with her pincers which was awesome, and even salad is starting to taste pretty okay!

But Catra's always doing her own thing with Adora, and sometimes, the feeling of you don't fit in here and why would they like someone like you anyway lingers. And yeah, she knows, it's probably just the shadows of the Horde in her mind playing tricks on her, but… still. Bow has Glimmer, and Sea Hawk has Mermista, and Frosta also has Glimmer: everyone has their someone, their person, here at Brightmoon, and Scorpia just… doesn't have that.

There are lots of things that Scorpia loves about herself and she knows it's nothing personal against her, but there are only so many times she can repeat I am brave, strong, loyal, and I give great hugs in the mirror before the mantra feels empty and she can't stave off that lonely feeling, that no one here really gets her or cares.

Sometimes, she really wishes she could talk to her moms.

The self-doubt wakes her up early: not too early for a morning person like Scorpia, but since the sun isn't even up yet it's too early for anyone else to keep her company. So she makes her way down to the gardens, hoping the fresh air will put her at ease the way her restless night has not.

To her surprise, someone is already there.

"Scorpia!" Perfuma calls, greeting her— with the same delight she greets everyone, Scorpia's not special— "Have you come to welcome the morning too?"

In her surprise at finding someone else awake, Scorpia hadn't noticed Perfuma's legs folded in lotus pose, palms face up to the sky. That was right, she had heard Bow mention Perfuma's morning rituals, but she doesn't really know what that entails. The words are out of her mouth before she can worry about looking like a fool in front of one of the very people whose friendship she desperately craves. "Oh, uh, no. I'm not quite sure how."

Immediately, Perfuma brightens. "I would be happy to show you!"

Scorpia swallows once, then twice. "O-okay." She allows her legs to fold beneath her, crisscross applesauce, and lets her pincers rest on her knees. "Like this?"

The smile she receives is blinding. "Yes! You're doing it perfectly."

"Now what?" Scorpia asks.

"Now, we meditate and reflect on the beauty of nature around us."

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Scorpia cracks an eye, peeking at Perfuma. She looks so serene in the barely-there morning light, breathing in and out at such an even pace; Scorpia's sure her own pose doesn't look like that. Plus, she just makes so much noise, no matter how hard she tries to be quiet.

Fudgenuts. Scorpia groans and drops her head into her pincers in frustration. "I'm sorry, I must be doing this all wrong."

In less than a second, Perfuma is kneeling next to her, and soothing hands land on her shoulders. "Not at all! Your company alone is enough to be doing this right." She sits back and waves a hand. "Besides, I know a lot of people aren't really into this kind of thing and don't want to spend time doing this, especially not so early! Lots of people back in Plumeria appreciate mediation and feel the same way as me, but I understand Brightmoon is different." She pauses for just a moment. "They try! But after Glimmer kept falling asleep and Frosta couldn't sit still, I didn't want to force them to spend this time with me, and I don't want to force you to either—"

"What? No—no that's not it at all, you're so kind and wonderful, and you always listen to me when no one else does, and I love spending time with you, and—" Wait. When did she get this close to Perfuma? Their faces are practically touching, and Scorpia throws herself backward with a whoosh that leaves her lungs when her back hits the ground. Stupid. Catra's always telling her she has to respect personal space and here she was ignoring it again.

Perfuma interrupts her mental beration. "No! No, you made me realize, individual mediation isn't working. I haven't had someone meditate with me for so long, and it doesn't work quite the same as solo meditation. Let's welcome the morning's energy in other ways!"

Okay, Scorpia nods. She's willing to try anything Perfuma comes up with; she doesn't want their time together to come to an end even as the sun creeps up over the horizon. Perfuma hums in excitement and wiggles her fingers. "I know! Let's say things we like about the other to get the positive energy flowing. I'll start!"

This… was not what Scorpia was expecting. Perfuma didn't need to compliment her just because she felt like she had to. But before she can voice that thought, Perfuma says, "The way you value our friends and your loyalty to them inspires me."

Oh. Well, yeah, Scorpia does pride herself on her scorpion's loyalty. Perfuma was so good at friendship too! "Whenever you talk to someone, you make them feel so comfortable and welcome."

"Your hugs are so warm!"

"I'm so impressed with your gardens! They're always beautiful and smell so nice."

"You looked beautiful at Princess Prom."

Scorpia blinks. "Really?"

Perfuma nods excitedly. "Not just beautiful, gorgeous! I could feel your aura and I could just tell that you were a positive, friendly person. I wanted to meet you so bad!" Her face falls. "Of course, then you kidnapped Bow."

Her body turns to stone, her heart dropping out of her chest and falling, falling, falling—

A flower pops into Perfuma's hair, and she perks up again. "But that's what this is all about! Banishing the negative energy and welcoming the positive." Perfuma places her hand over her heart, looking earnestly into Scorpia's eyes. "I forgive you, Scorpia, and I'm so happy you're here with us now. We all are."

The sun has just risen and with it Scorpia's spirit, reborn again aflame with fire she did not know she had and she can feel the crackle of her powers cross her skin as she stares into warm brown eyes that have not left hers.

This moment between them could last an eternity, and Scorpia would still want it to last longer.

Then with a leap, Perfuma bounds to her feet, twirling on her toes in the willowy grass, and says, "I feel so refreshed!" She pauses in content contemplation, tapping the tips of her spread fingers together. "Perhaps my morning ritual had become stagnant. I focused so much on the environment and my love for it, that I forgot how important celebrating people who you love is as well." She turns to her Scorpia and continues, "Thank you, Scorpia, for reminding me."

All of a sudden lithe hands wrap around hers, and they're so warm under the rough calluses from tending field after field of flowers, and at the same time, Scorpia revels in the softness of the touch. "Would you like to join me again tomorrow?"

With her face framed by a halo of sunrise, Scorpia doesn't think she has ever seen someone so radiant. In this moment, she doesn't think she could deny Perfuma anything. Nor would she ever want to.

"Yeah." Scorpia smiles. "Yeah, I'd like that."

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