Author's Notes:

So… This is another short chapter… Sorry, not sorry.

Histories and Chemistries

XIII

It was a little weird, going back to the lair of The Horde.

The place was as uptight and cold as she remembered it.

She wanted to leave as soon as she stepped foot into this place. It brought back too many awful memories.

But she knew she couldn't leave.

She saw Kyle, who, upon noticing her arrival, quickly rushed to greet her. "A-Adora, I'm so sorry! I didn't know what was happening! I-"

She held up her hand. He clamped her mouth shut.

She looked at each and every one of the members, who were either grinning or scowling at her.

"Who did it?"

His eyes widened at her whisper. He took a step back, gulping, before whispering lowly in her ear, "The three on the right corner. The one with bandages."

She swallowed. "Thanks, Kyle. Now go. Before things get ugly."

The boy couldn't run faster.

Now, it was just her and The Horde, who was all surrounding her.

She gazed at them again, this time, reading how well they could fight based on their bodies.

The Horde had grown since she last left it.

Many members had come.

… Apparently, none of them knew how to fight.

Good. It'll make things easier.

She stalked up towards the three who she knew were the ones to make Catra like that. She smirked, gazing at the many bruises and scratches adorning their bodies.

You really put a number on them, didn't you, Catra?

The image of Catra flashed across her mind, looking defeated and solemn and quiet, nothing like the Catra she knew.

They're the ones who did this to her.

Her hands began to tremble, aching to be turned into fists. But she didn't do it. Not yet.

They looked at her, clearly expecting her to say something.

So she opened her mouth…

And closed it before giving them quick, painful punches.

What came next could hardly be called a fight.

She was ruthless, unforgiving. And she was winning.

There was a reason why Shadow Weaver used to favor her over any other members.

There was a reason why Shadow Weaver still favored her even after she left out of her own volitions.

She was the strongest.

She was the fastest.

She was the most ruthless.

But above all… she was pissed.

Because of them, Catra was hurt.

"Adora…"

That voice… it made her stop in her tracks. It made all of them stop (the ones that were still standing).

Her hands were bloodied. Her body, trembling and sweating. Her hair, no longer tied up.

She was a wreck.

But she fared better than The Horde.

None of them were able to touch her, much less bruise her.

"Adora, come now."

Finally, Adora snapped her head to none other than Shadow Weaver.

She gritted her teeth, newfound anger enveloping her. "Why should I?"

"Because I doubt you came here just to beat up those imbeciles." She was already leaving, walking into another room - her private room. She looked at her expectantly. "And also because we need to talk, my dearest Adora."

The old, disgusting nickname sent her shivers.

Marching into the room, Adora braced herself to face her old mother-figure.

"Let me guess, you want me to rejoin The Horde?"

The woman sat on her chair, tilting her head to the side. "Why yes. The action you've made today proves that you're still the best."

Adora gaped at her. "You do realize that I just beat up your gang, right?"

She didn't seem bothered. At all. "Yes. Almost twenty or so people. And yet you are unharmed."

Adora stepped back, wondering why this woman was so… obsessed over her. She shook her head, almost frightened. "No. For the last time, no. I don't want to be a part of your stupid gang anymore."

Shadow's eyes pierced into hers, amusement dancing within them. Adora felt vulnerable. She refused to show it. Yet she had a feeling the woman knew.

"... That's not the only reason why you want to see me, is it, Adora?"

It wasn't.

"It's over, Shadow Weaver," she said as if it was the truth. "The Horde. Everything. It's all over. I'm ending it all."

Shadow Weaver was disappointed. Angry. But she didn't scream, didn't throw anything. Didn't do anything. She just stared at her. She did her best to stare back.

The room felt stifling.

"Ask away, Adora." Shadow Weaver's voice was almost lighthearted as if she'd been waiting for this moment to come for a very long time. She probably had. "I can read you better than anyone. I know you've been itching to ask." Adora looked away, ashamed. It prompted the woman to chuckle. "I have no reason to lie, Adora. Not when everything is, as you say, over."

It felt… like she was facing Pandora's box.

It was such a simple question…

But it was one Catra didn't want her to ask.

Adora wasn't oblivious. Catra had been acting off even before she left The Horde. She'd avoid her. She'd refused to talk to her. And sometimes she'd look at her with this 'look' as if she was more than who she really was.

Catra was hiding something. Something important. And it was eating her away.

I'm sorry, Catra…

"What is Catra hiding from me?"

To be Continued

Author's Notes:

Not only is it a short chapter, but it ends on a cliffhanger too. Yaiks.

Good news is, I never planned for Shadow and Adora's conversation to go on. This story isn't about them, after all. It's about Catra and Adora, so I try my best to shift the attention to them. Also, another good news is that the next chapter will finally have Adora confront Catra on this big secret. Yay!