Chapter 17:...But Now I'm Not Alone!
Followers Base, Some Time Later…
Adora was led into the base by Catra and the soldiers, looking around and sighing. Nothing had really changed in four years, save for the place seeming a whole lot bleaker than when she was a willing "guest" of the Followers. A Member no less. The room just seemed...darker than before. She noticed the various soldiers and guards just staring and whispering, some even congratulating Catra on her so called "Victory" over her. It didn't matter, as long as they believed Adora was their prisoner, her plan was working out perfectly. Eventually, Adora's attention was drawn to Doctor Lorraine Santos, now wearing her mask, slowly approaching them. She could already see where Catra was coming from, the way Santos' hair moved, the fact she was practically gliding across the floor. It chilled Adora to the bone.
"Well, it's been a while, my dear Adora." Santos said, her voice reverberating, chilling both of the girls. "You've been a naughty girl, running away from home."
"This isn't my home." Adora calmly replied, despite her terror. "I'm an Avenger now. Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers are my family."
Santos just scoffed and turned to Catra. "You did very well my dear child..." she said, walking over and hugging Catra, causing the neko to start shivering and give Adora a terrified, confused look. Santos then turned to the soldiers surrounding the three of them. "Send Adora to the prison while I figure out what to do with her." The soldiers saluted and dragged Adora off to the prisons. "Catra, you may do whatever you wish. With Adora back, I won't have further need of you."
"Tch, you sound almost proud of that 'Mom'" Catra snarked, only to shut right up when Santos gave her a glare under the mask. With that, Santos retired to her quarters, but Catra noticed she was moving much more slowly, and holding her head. Catra rolled her eyes and silently followed the soldiers down to the prison.
Adora had never seen the prison in her entire time as a member of the Followers, but suffice it to say, it was, as Catra would so bluntly call it, an absolute shithole. She sat on the rickety cot against the wall and waited patiently for her plan to succeed, idly glancing down at the beeping Tracer on her chest. "Tony really coulda made this thing more subtle." She deadpanned. The sound of approaching footsteps caused her to quickly snap her attention to the staircase, where she saw Catra quietly sneaking down and shushing her. "Catra?"
"Hey Adora." Catra replied, walking up to the bars and gripping them slightly. "You're pretty ballsy you know. Letting yourself get captured like this." She said solemnly.
Adora smiled and walked up to the bars to see her. "Yeah, I know it was idiotic, but it was the only way to both ensure you'll be safe, and that the Followers of Inperatio won't be a problem anymore." She explained.
Catra reached out and gently touched the red light on Adora's suit. "Tracking device?"
"Yup." Adora replied. "Do you mind not touching my breasts while I'm in prison?" she added with a slight blush, causing a flustered Catra to retract her hand.
"Who's it link to?" Catra asked.
Adora grinned widely. "Tony had it synced directly to his computer systems. The moment I activated it, the Avengers got the signal. They'll be breaking down the walls any moment now to rescue me." Adora proudly explained.
"If they make it in time. I have no idea what mom is planning." Catra said in reply, leaning closer to the bars.
Adora also leaned slightly closer. "Well, we'll just have to sit tight and hope for the best right?" She responded to her friend.
"I could go find out what she's up to. I've snuck into her chambers before I can do it again." The feline offered.
"It's too dangerous Catra, with me back who knows what she'll do to you." Adora retorted as the two were inches away from one another.
"Persuade me not to Adora." Catra chuckled. "Besides, what you're doing is so much more dangerous. You could have been killed. You don't need to put your life on the line for me Adora."
"Persuade me not to Catra." Adora giggled as the two very nearly touched lips between the bars. Catra very quickly pulled back, much to Adora's surprise.
"I'm gonna go see what she's up to. Please, just sit tight." Catra quickly said, bright red even under her fur as she scampered off to do some recon.
Adora slumped back onto her bed, equally red and thought over what just happened. "I really do love her. Dammit I hate when Tony is right."
Catra silently snuck into Santos's Sanctum. As she neared the door the air seemed to grow much colder. She carefully pushed open the door to see Santos leaning over a desk, head in her hands. As if she wasn't weirded out enough...Santos began to speak.
"I won't do it anymore! It's gone too far!" her normal voice yelled out in both grief and rage.
"You can and you WILL. Otherwise you will never be free..." The more reverberating voice replied, causing Catra's eyes to widen. "I'm sure you've noticed my presence more and more. The moire you wear the mask, the stronger I become. It's a shame your frail body can't bear my glorious might. I wonder if you'll even survive the transfer."
"I'd rather die anyway. I'm not going to make my Catra watch this." Santos replied, slamming her fists down on the table.
"DO YOU DISOBEY ME SANTOS?!" The voice replied in a rage. "I have only allowed your little Kitten to live because she amused me! The body transfer must be done TONIGHT or I will lose my chance forever." Catra was horrified by the implications, and very quickly realized what was really going on. She was hearing the true voice of Inperatio.
"But wiping Adora's mind? Destroying 17 years of her life just so you can force yourself into her brain… You're a monster.." Santos replied, her voice sounding on the verge of tears.
"No Santos, No. YOU are the monster here. You tried so hard to protect your darling daughter at the cost of both Adora's life, and Catra's love for you." Inperatio taunted. "Do you honestly believe, even after you explain it all to her, Catra will EVER forgive you?"
Santos slumped in her chair. "She won't….as well she shouldn't… I regret ever seeking your power out you fucking-" her voice was cut off as a bolt of red lightning shot through her body, causing a horrified squeak from Catra.
This resulted in Santos, still covering her face, quickly whipping around and catching sight of her. "GET OUT!" Both voices cried out in unison, prompting Catra to boplt out of the room quickly in terror.
"I have to warn Adora!"
Catra quickly rushed down the steps top the prison. "Adora, we have a SERIOUS problem." she said in a panic.
"Catra? Catra what's wrong." Adora asked, terrified at seeing her friend so frantic.
"It's no fucking wonder why Santos is so freaky and uses magic. Inperatio is fucking POSSESSING her!" Catra replied quickly. "And It's trying to make her mindwipe you, to take over your body!"
"Are you serious?" Adora said in shock.
"Yes Adora! This is some lovecraftian bullshit!" Catra said. The two then heard the doorway to the prisons open, and Santos hovered in with several soldiers at her side.
"Catra, my darling, you've been snooping I see." she calmly said, her voice fully that of Inperatio. "Guards, restrain Catra and bring her along with me. Furthermore, bring Adora. The time has come..." She ominously declared. The Soldiers went to their duties, seizing Catra and Adora both and dragging them to the shrine in the Great hall. Catra kicked and yowled the whole time, and even Adora was prepared to fight her way out, but Santos put a stop to that with a short burst of lightning to both.
The Entire base was gathered for the ritual, Catra held close enough to the shrine and being forced to watch as Adora's hands were bound and Santos stood over her. "You've been tainted by the world outside." She began. "Unworthy of our master's influence and power. Its truly a pity to have to erase such talent and strategic intellect, but you must be purified before the true ritual can go underway."
Adora looked up at Santos with a fearless glare. "So, the whole reason you've been training me, praising me...putting down Catra… was to make me a vessel for your god." she growled, looking Santos dead in the eye.
Santos hesitated, her mind attempting to assert control, before she spoke up. "You were never truly a person. Just a weapon to be used as I see fit."
"That doesn't answer my question. And that's not the answer Lorraine Santos would have given when I was a child." Adora replied without fear. Again Santos hesitated. "When we were young, you cared about me and Catra. You bandaged us up when we got hurt, helped us through our problems, even went out of the way to protect us from HYDRA when we were still there. If Lorraine Santos is truly still in there, she's as much of a victim of your bullshit as the rest of us!" she yelled out.
Santos shook her head and Inperatio reasserted control, chuckling darkly. "You're brave, I'll give you that child. It's a pity that you and Catra are all alone. Nobody is here to save you." She taunted, reaching for the sides of Adora's head.
Suddenly, the wall burst apart as Mjolnir flew into the room and struck her dead in the chest, launching her across the room. Adora couldn't help but flash a smug grin. "I'm sorry, what was that about me being alone~"
Tony flew overhead, firing his repulsers at several of the followers Soldiers, driving them back with ease as Hulk charged in behind him and went on a rampage. Steve ran in afterwards and saw Catra being restrained. "Catra, lower your head!" he yelled, throwing his shield. Catra did as he said and the shield bounced between her captor's heads, causing them to release her. Thor called Mjolnir back to him and slammed it into the ground to throw a few Followers gunners to the ground. Finally, Clint and Natasha charged in, opening fire the moment enemy targets were in sight.
Catra quickly rushed to Adora's side, slashing the throats of a pair of soldiers who tried to stop her and cut Adora free. The two IMMEDIATELY hugged. Adora looked over as Steve and Natasha ran to her side. "What the hell kept you guys?" she quipped.
"Dramatic timing..." Steve deadpanned back. "Adora, we are going to have a talk about this afterwards. How could you do something so stupid and reckless." he said sternly.
"Dad... I'm your DAUGHTER. Considering the crap you pulled in World War 2, I'm not much different from you."Adora replied.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "You're still in deep trouble young lady. But I'm glad you're safe. You and your friend both." she said, nodding towards Catra as she fired her twin pistols at the soldiers.
"Hey!" Tony yelled out. "Anyone got eyes on Queen Bitch?"
Catra noticed her mother running to her sanctum. "There, her inner sanctum! She's not getting away, not after all this." Catra hissed, beginning to run after her. Adora called her sword back to her hand and went to follow. She stopped to look at the Avengers, currently engaged in battle.
"Go on Adora, we'll be fine." Natasha reassured her.
"Indeed Lady Rogers." Thor added. "You and your feline friend have a glorious duel ahead of you. Slay your villain and win your freedom!"
Adora smiled brightly at her team, her family, and flashed a thumbs up, quickly running after Catra. Neither of them were going to let Santos escape.
Catra and Adora kicked in the doors of Santos's Sanctum, where she was awaiting them, breathing heavily while hunched over her desk. "Mom...it's over." Catra coldy said.
"You're right..." The combined voices replied, before lifting the Desk with her shadow magic and flinging it across the room at them. "OVER FOR YOU!"
The two friends dodged the Desk as it slammed the wall behind hem. Adora drew her sword and got in a combat ready stance. "We take her together." she quietly told Catra.
"Agreed." Catra replied. As soon as Santos fired off a bolt of magic, the two split upp and rushed her from both sides. Catra leapt into the air and swiped at her with her claws. As Santos blocked the strike, Adora charged from behind and threw her sword. Santos deflected the sword only for Catra to claw her across the back. When she turned to fire, Adora grabbed her in a full nelson to make her misfire her magic. Catra took the chance to begin beating on her, letting out all her years of frustration and hate that had been building up her whole life.
Eventually, Santos was able to use her control of shadows to yank the two girls away from her and throw them away. Adora landed and called back her sword, charging at her while Catra used to claws to halt her momentum and launch herself at her. As Catra diverted Santos's attacks, Adora would move in quickly and begin her heavy hitting. Whenever Adora was keeping Santos busy, Catra would leap in to strike at her from behind. The two were fighting as a well oiled team, just as they used to before leaving Hydra. Under her mask, Santos smiled proudly at her children, but Inperatio continued compelling her to attack.
"That's ENOUGH!" She yelled, sending out a magic pulse, throwing Adora and Catra into the wall hard and knocking the wind out of them. "I am done with this game." She glided over to Catra and formed a spear of shadow, which she thrusted directly for Catra's throat. Catra closed her eyes in fear, only for the finishing blow to not come. As she opened her eyes, the spear strike had stopped inches from her, and Santos' hands were shaking. "N-no...no I won't… I WON'T!" Santos yelled, stumbling back and tearing the mask off her face, throwing it aside and slumping to her knees.
Both Catra and Adora nervously approached her, and were stunned at the sorry sight before them. Lorraine Santos's hair was a completely disheveled mess, her skin had grown very pale and rather heavily aged and scarred, and her once bright green eyes were beginning to glaze over a milky white. The look on her face was one of an utterly broken woman. "M-Mom?" Catra said quietly, approaching her.
"Catra….my dear Catra...I am so sorry..." Santos told her, with none of the coldness and hate she usually portrayed, but with genuine grief and sorrow. "I've hurt you. I've hurt you so badly." She gently took one of Catra's hands. "Inperatio...they still crawl in my mind. I treated you so poorly, because it wanted either you or Adora. I wanted to protect you, protect my daughter. And in doing so I hurt you, I pushed you away." She began to quietly cry as she took Catra's other hand as well. "I know nothing I can say will ever make it up to you for what I've done. I cannot, SHOULD not be forgiven. But Inperatio is trying to crawl back in… I-I feel their grip at my spine, their teeth at my ear." Looking back up at her daughter, she brought Catra's hands around her own neck and looked deep into her daughter's eyes. "Never forget, I love you Catra. Please… Don't let them take me again….free me." She begged, tears in her eyes.
Catra was equally tearing up, and Adora looked away as Catra nodded silently. "Goodbye mom.." She tightened her grip and quickly twisted, snapping Santos's neck in a swift motion and letting her limp body drop to the ground. Adora quickly moved up behind Catra, silently hugging her from behind and beginning to comfort her.
"It...was for the best." Adora said, quietly. "She was too far gone..."
"I know." Catra replied, turning around and embracing Adora as she silently wept. "She said she loved me Adora...I waited so long to hear her say that… and now she's gone."
As the two embraced, the rest of the Avengers walked in. Seeing the two, and the carnage of the fight, most of the team wisely hung back while Steve approached his daughter. "You both gonna be okay?" he asked them.
Catra just looked up. "I don't know."
Adora looked at him as well. "But at least we have each other back."
Tony calmly walked over to join the others, opening his faceplate. "We've got SHIELD coming in to pick up the remaining Followers. We should probably get going so we can get you some help Catra." He said. Then he looked up, and the two saw a brief look of shock on his face. He quickly slid his faceplate down and raised a repulser, only to be launched backwards by a tendril of shadow. Quickly all the Avengers gathered together and got prepared for battle. Nervously, Adora and Catra turned to see what was happening, and their eyes were filled with true terror.
The mask was back on Doctor Santos's face, and her body was being lifted by shadows like some disgusting puppet. She looked at the two and a deep, sinister cackle emerged from the corpse's mouth.
"Death is never an escape from me…." The monstrous voice spoke. "For I am Inperatio! I am the Weaving Shadow, the beast that haunts your every nightmare. This body may be cold and dead, but it makes a fine puppet for me to claim my true prize..."
TO BE CONTINUED!
Aaaand CLIFFHANGER! Sorry that was too perfect a time to stop.
Lorraine Santos is dead, and if even one person cries for her I'll have done my job well. But now Inperatio has stopped messing around….
I do not own She-Ra or the MCU
Please avoid all She-Ra spoilers, thanks.
Leave feedback if you enjoyed, I'd love to hear it.
NEXT TIME: The Shadow Unwoven.