#specifically when it comes to teasing catra

[call-me-double-trouble]

Hello fellow Double Trouble fan!

I’ve been sitting on the idea of a fanfic where Double Trouble returns to their home and reflects on their life but I keep putting it off.

What do you think Double Trouble’s motives were when they became Catra’s spy? Despite the danger they were putting themselves in by working for the Horde (Hordak could have had them killed or imprisoned if he wanted to I mean), they didn’t seem to have a problem with it.

I know they did it for money and asked for payment for their work (and information that one time) but they could have gotten an acting job from anywhere. It didn’t have to be specifically the Horde.

I can’t help but think there’s something else driving Double Trouble. They’re simultaneously allies to both sides but friends to no one and their ‘for a price of course’ line with Catra after saving her could have also served as a way to keep her at arms length from them.

Maybe I’m looking too deep there but if that’s the case and DT really doesn’t want anyone getting too close to them or for themselves to get too attached to anyone else, it might makes sense that they don’t fully align with the Horde or the Princesses.

Sorry that I’m rambling, I’m just curious what you think! 😅

Squeeeeee I'm so excited about this ask!

My answer is long, so I'm putting it under a cut.

Since the backstory you give them will impact this, let's start with what we know in canon or can infer.

DT is morally-gray and neutral. They don't care who they work for, so long as they get paid and cause some drama and chaos along the way. Survival is their main goal. They want to be on the winning side, but they also want to have fun. This is why the didn't side with Prime--they were too bored posing as a clone. I think this may have impacted why they offered their business to Catra first. She seemed more fun, more chaotic, more willing to let them toy with people how they clearly enjoy doing. Their motives for switching sides were a lot more survival based.

DT brings up survival a few times. "The best way to survive is always to join the winning side." If we assume that DT lives in the Crimson Waste, or even somewhere else that has felt the effects of the war pretty strongly, we can see why that would be one of their main deciding factors. DT is a self-preservationalist, ensuring they come out on top, no matter who they have to back-stab and manipulate along the way. They look out for number one likely because they're the ONLY one looking out for themselves. I don't think it's reading too deep to infer that DT avoids developing relationships and connections with others, and I think that's a survival tactic for them--can't get betrayed if there's no one there to betray you. One of the rules in the Crimson Waste is "trust no one," and I'll bet DT is just as subject to that as anyone living there (or spending a lot of time there--due to DT being a mercenary, spy, and likely having been involved in criminal activity of some kind, it's safe to assume that they've spent a lot of time in the Crimson Waste, regardless of whether they were born and raised there, moved there, or don't reside there at all but find lots of work there).

Given that DT has the moral backbone of a chocolate eclair, I think they did get more enjoyment out of being a Horde spy than they would have if they'd started with the Rebellion. They loved watching the princesses mope and lose morale, and they loved teasing Glimmer. Although DT is a neutral character who didn't align with the goals of the Horde, they definitely find amusement in other people having a bad time, especially if they helped cause it. As @.sheblah put it, DT can be a little evil, as a treat, but it's not their main reason for doing things. However, I do think it's something that would have swayed them to team up with Catra rather than the Rebellion.

This one is more speculation, but I personally think DT saw Catra as a bit of a kindred spirit. I think they were able to pinpoint her habit of pushing others away because they do it, too--the only difference being that Catra isn't aware/is in denial about it, and DT strategically distances themselves due to inherent distrust of others/caring about themselves above all else. I do think DT liked Catra, as they certainly seem to get along with her and like making her smile, but I don't think that would stop them from betraying someone. If anything, I feel like it may have fueled it. I see DT as someone who self-sabotages relationships to remain solitary. "Oh no, we're becoming actual friends. Better stab her in the back and tear down everything she cares about so she'll hate me, and then there's no possible way I could care about her. I have a reputation to uphold!"--something like that. You can add an extra layer if you interpret then as having a crush on Catra by seeing their interactions with her, especially "kitten" and the infamous chin-grab, as flirty, but this is more up to speculation, and you can take it or leave it.

Now, onto more fanfic backstory goodness.

Since DT doesn't have a backstory in canon, you can make up ANYTHING. What kind of family they came from (if any at all--many go the orphan route), where they grew up, what may have happened in their past to shape who they are today. I, myself, have multiple different backstories for them.

It's possible DT joined the Horde because they wanted to spite someone. It may be because they didn't remember or care how the Horde had hurt them or anyone they knew in the past (if at all). It may be because they'd had a hard life and needed a lucky break. Maybe they were desperate for money, either for themselves or for someone else that they were sending it back to, such as a family member. Maybe they were angry at the hand they'd been dealt in the world and just wanted to screw things up for everyone else for once. Maybe it was because they had a feeling there was something special about Catra that drew them to her. Maybe they felt they could help her in their own little way. Maybe they just loved the thrill of it all, the drama. Maybe their goal was to take down the Horde from the inside the whole time. Maybe Catra just looked more like someone who'd hire them than the Rebellion. Maybe they truly didn't care and just flipped a coin.

It's all up to you, and giving them a motive shaped by their backstory could help you decide if they feel any guilt or have any regrets about their role in the war.

I hope this helped! I'm always happy to talk about DT, so don't be shy!

And scene!

[hellofromthe-otter-slide]

prompts list asks!

(fandoms: choose from bly manor, hill house, spop, steven universe, suitor armor… or anything else we’ve talked about, lol)

fluff 22, 30, 49

Here, have some dumb She-Ra fluff to make up for what I previously wrote.

Prompts:

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"You weren't supposed to hear that!"

"They're such an idiot. My idiot, but still."

Fic:

Catra watches Adora fall under the weight of kids trying to take down the mighty She-Ra, and even though she tries looking unimpressed, she knows her tail is giving her away.

It's swaying happily, and Catra thinks of grabbing it and holding it close, but she's been around these Bright Moon idiots for so long now that she thinks that would be an even worse giveaway.

She hopes that no one is paying attention to her watching her girlfriend, but as the minutes pass by, she feels eyes and turns to see Bow watching her with his dumb, stupid grin.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"You're just so cute!" Bow's voice rises a few octaves, "You practically have hearts in your eyes."

"I can and will throw you off of another cliff."

"No, you won't," Bow comes up and wraps an arm around her, pulling her close, and Catra pushes her hands against his chest and stomach to fight it, "We're friends now, Catra."

"No, we are not," Catra finally manages to push hard enough to get out of the hug, and Bow stumbles and laughs.

"I heard you tell Adora that I'm your favorite person to be around at Bright Moon," Bow teases.

"Hey!" Catra tackles him, and Bow falls against soft grass, his laughter barely subsiding, "You weren't supposed to hear that!"

"Talk quieter next time, then."

"Don't eavesdrop, you jerk."

"I can't help it when you're practically shouting it down the hall," Bow catches sight of one of the townspeople walking by, and he shouts out, "Hey, did you know that Catra thinks of me as her best friend!"

Catra pushes a hand against Bow's cheek to get him to stop, but he starts shouting it at anyone who will listen.

It starts attracting attention, and the little kids tackling Adora are more interested in watching whatever is going on between Bow and Catra, and Adora is left sitting on the grass, her brows coming together in confusion.

Glimmer teleports right beside Adora and sits down.

"What's happening now?" Adora asks, brushing a few stray blades of grass out of her hair.

"Bow is informing the entire town that Catra said they were best friends."

Adora laughs. "How is he still alive?"

"Because even if he's an idiot," Glimmer pauses, rolls her eyes, but smiles, "I guess he's my idiot," and the smile gets softer, "He loves poking fun at Catra, and really, what better way to do it than with an audience?"

"We should probably break it up," Adora suggests, but she leans back on her hands and makes no move to get up.

"Yeah, probably," Glimmer lies back on the soft grass, "In a minute."

[catrasredemption-moved]

Writing prompt only if you want to. Adora explaining how she really got She-Ra back to the Bow & Glimmer and possibly Catra ?

Ps love this blog ❤️

“Aaaaawwww, she’s so cute when she sleeps.”

“She’s quieter when she sleeps.”

Adora rolled her eyes, watching Catra with undisguised fondness. She hadn’t lasted very long after joining them on the bridge; everything about her screamed “I haven’t slept well in at least year��, and now that she was finally somewhat safe, she was crashing.

What was surprising was that she had let herself crash. She’d eaten a bun then curled in on herself, ears drooping, eyes fluttering. It seemed like instinct reminded her to lie down right before she passed out. Sitting between Glimmer and Blow, with Adora, Entrapta, and a clone less than ten feet away.

Truly a day of miracles.

“Soooooo,” Glimmer said with a grin. “She-Ra’s back.”

“Yeah, we talked about this already.”

“Did we? I mean, I know what you told us, but there has to be more to it than just ‘suddenly I knew I could do it.’”

Adora made a face. “I don’t know how else to explain it, Glimmer. I still don’t know how I did it.”

“Well, can you tell us about what happened before you transformed both times?” Bow suggested. “Maybe we can help figure it out.”

The image of Catra’s broken body on the floor flashed through Adora’s mind; she shivered, ducking her head. “I... I don’t... think I can.”

“Why not?”

“Because of what happened to Catra?” Glimmer guessed. Adora winced. “We saw her before you healed her. She stopped breathing.” Bow looked between Glimmer and Adora. They were treading on dangerous ground now. “What happened?”

Adora took a long moment to collect herself. “Horde Prime used the chip to electrocute her,” she said finally. “And she fell over the edge of the bridge.” Glimmer and Bow gasped. “I was scared. I was so scared. All I could think about was losing her, and... whoosh. Princess.”

Glimmer looked at Catra, then at Adora. “So she sacrificed her life for you, and you turned into a eight-foot-tall warrior for her?”

“Yeah... I guess so.” Adora laughed.

“What do you mean She-Ra’s back?”

Oops. Adora winced, looking at Catra. She was glaring her with one eye open. “Sorry, did we wake you-”

“Did She-Ra go somewhere?”

Glimmer and Bow exchanged looks. Of course Adora hadn’t had time to tell Catra yet. “Well, I... I kind of broke the sword to stop the Heart of Etheria.”

“You did what?!” Catra shot up, wide awake now. “Please tell me you knew going on to that ship that you could still summon the sword.”

Adora rubbed the back of her head, smiling weakly. “Well...”

Catra’s eyes narrowed. “Please tell me you didn’t walk onto that ship after I specifically said, ‘don’t come here, Prime’s ready for you’ without a backup plan.”

“I... You were in danger!”

“Seriously?!” Catra threw her hands in the air. “I can’t believe I risked my life for your dumb ass.”

“Okay, rude,” Adora huffed. “Besides, it worked.”

“Has anyone checked you for brain damage lately? The Rebellion really should be worried about its best warrior having a functioning brain.”

“Aaawww, you think I’m the Rebellion’s best warrior? That’s so sweet,” Adora teased.

“It’s not like there’s an expensive selection to choose from.”

“Sitting right here,” Glimmer grumbled while Bow stared at Catra, clearly offended.

“Ignore her,” Adora said with a smirk. “She’s just mad because I’ve always been the better fighter.”

Catra scoffed. “And yet I’m not the one who had three concussions before I turned fifteen, so who’s really winning this?”

And it was then Glimmer and Bow realized they would never know another moment of peace.

[cruelfeline]

That earlier post got me thinking about the difference between Horde Prime’s anger, and Hordak’s. Namely in terms of where it comes from and what its purpose is. Because my word, but there is a discrepancy, and it’s the sort of thing that I feel sheds quite a bit of light on how differently the two of them see the world.

When we meet Horde Prime, he is the picture of calm and collected, the classic affably evil villain who appears entirely in control of everything. And for a good portion of his time in the story, he is. He controls what we understand to be a vast empire. He controls the physical, mental, and emotional lives of countless clones who worship him entirely. He is totally in command of everything he interacts with.

So when we see his first angry outburst, it is less an “outburst” and more a targeted weapon. Horde Prime turns his vicious ire onto a trembling, pleading Hordak specifically to frighten him. To dominate him. To terrorize and punish him for the moral crime of taking a name and exerting his will. There is no loss of control here; once Hordak is dealt with, Prime calmly returns to his default cool, collected state. He is entirely the master of this situation, and when he exhibits anger, it is specifically to harm someone over whom he has power. 

An important aspect of this, one that differs from what we see in Hordak and adds a significant level of cruelty to Prime, is that he is so legitimately mighty that this sort of fear-based punishment has nothing to do with self defense or personal safety. It truly appears geared towards inflicting suffering on others for his own glorification. Essentially: when he turns his anger on Hordak, it is not because Hordak poses any sort of actual threat that needs to be fought off. It is purely to hurt him in a way that strokes Prime’s ego.

This use of anger, of violence, to hurt and punish others seems to be the chief purpose Prime has for the emotion. Granted, as the show continues and he loses his dominant position due to our heroes’ efforts, his expressions of anger fall more in line with frustrated outbursts, but to my mind, this is the exception rather than the norm for him. After all, he has been dominant for so, so long. And because he has been comfortably in charge, he has had little to be frustrated about. Thus, Prime’s anger is largely a weapon of manipulation and enforced fear, rather than a reaction to a lack of control until the very latter portion of the series.

Now: Hordak.

Hordak is very different. Hordak, given the deeply unfortunate circumstances he faces, has had everything to be frustrated about: his illness, his failed projects, his precarious leadership position. And because of these things, particularly said precarious leadership position, he does not enjoy the easy dominance that Prime enjoys. Every moment Hordak spends in command of the Etherian Horde is one during which he has to hide his defect and maintain the facade of all-powerful ruler. It is a stressful thing that threatens to fall apart the moment his ruse falters, not only shaming him but putting him in potentially great physical danger.

which... y’know... happens in season four via Catra; so not a false worry

Because of this, Hordak exhibits anger far more constantly than Prime; he is almost perpetually grumpy, ready to snarl at a moment’s notice since his reasons for anger are ever-present. Furthermore, he uses said anger less as a tool to hurt people for his own personal pleasure and more as a negative coping mechanism combined with a method of personal defense.

The negative coping mechanism is probably what we see most often: whenever things don’t go Hordak’s way, he lashes out. The most common casualty of this is a piece of property (RIP lil’ green wrench) rather than an actual person, strongly marking this form of anger as one used to vent frustration rather than to influence others in any way. Hordak, along with his brothers, functions under a doctrine of minimizing emotional expression. As a result, his ability to cope with negative experiences via a healthy expression of the resulting emotions is heavily stunted, leading to the outbursts we see. It’s not a positive aspect of his character by any means, but it is an understandable one: he never learned how to manage failure and disappointment in a constructive way, so he suppresses the related emotions until they come to a head and manifest in violent anger.

This is akin to what Prime exhibits in the late stages of his life, but because Hordak constantly experiences such vexing frustration, he expresses this sort of anger far more consistently than Prime does, to the point that I would hazard to say that it is his norm.

Now, looking at Hordak expressing anger and using violence targeting other people, we again can see that he differs from Prime. Prime, as stated before, has all of the power and thus no real need for this sort of violence-based maintenance of control and self-defense. When he wields his anger, it is to cause hurt. Hordak? Hordak has that fragile leadership standing alongside a frightening lack of personal agency, and so he does use his anger to attempt to maintain both. He wields it both to protect himself from people and to regain control when he loses it. Various instances come to mind (besides him trying to drive Entrapta out of his sanctum via Yelling (c)).

One involves Adora in the moments leading up to the portal activation at the end of season three. When Adora threatens to thwart Hordak’s plans and utters that awful word, “fail,” he reacts. He reacts to two things: the concept of Adora has a dangerous enemy, and the loss of control over his own life via the threat of failure. When he turns his anger on her (and later displaces it onto Entrapta when said anger causes his armor to glitch) it is to combat these two adversarial things in order to maintain his own safety and stability. Hurting Adora as some sort of twisted moral punishment is not the intent here; protecting himself, from both physical and emotional threats, is.

Another instance involves throwing machinery and yelling at Catra after the portal incident, once she mentions Entrapta. This marks another moment of Hordak combating the sense of losing control. He experiences emotional pain due to Entrapta’s mention, likely suffering feelings of loss and shame and abandonment, and in order to regain control over the situation, to feel less vulnerable, he directs his anger at the source of discomfort: Catra. 

In a similar instance, he throws a chip at Imp when the little spy teases him with Entrapta’s name, again seeking to defend himself against the unpleasant feelings her memory brings.

When Shadow Weaver and the Princesses invade his Sanctum, he loses composure and turns furious, throwing a column at them in an attempt to defend himself and his most private quarters. 

He does the same once he learns of Catra’s lies, erupting into a true rage once she further prods at his insecurities by asserting that Prime will not want him due to his being a defective mistake. 

Over and over, Hordak uses his anger to both protect himself from potentially dangerous people and to attempt to regain control over situations he feels are slipping from his grasp. Often when facing increased personal vulnerability. All of these moments show this very different set of reasons for expressing this potentially violent emotion compared to Prime.

It’s an interesting contrast, isn’t it? And one that serves to highlight the very different lives these two characters lead: one a cruel cult leader who has almost unfathomable power over his worshipers, the other a traumatized man trying to obtain power and security and stability in a life where he has nearly none. And their anger provides an intriguing lens through which to assess this contrast.

[wackextravaganza]

So like I’ve seen a lot of people (when I say a lot I mean like 3 lmao) being like “Catra asking Adora to stay wasn’t really a redemption” or something like that and it’s been bugging me for quite a while but I think I finally gathered my thoughts on the subject so I just wanted to talk about what I thought was the peak of her redemption, in my personal opinion. Of course, I think there were definitely areas of improvement in terms of Catra’s redemption (I would’ve really liked for her to have a proper conversation with the people she hurt and address her wrongdoings but we can’t always get what we want and ik they had a limited number of episodes). Anyway, this is gonna be a lot of brain dump and general incoherency so brace yourself lmao.

So, I feel like the peak of Catra’s redemption (in the show anyway, it’s obviously not done yet) was going back for Adora and taking her to the heart. And I know that might be obvious but I just thought that was a really important part of their relationship which might be slightly overlooked.

Catra has always hated Adora’s martyr/hero complex. At the beginning of the series, she calls her a people pleaser (she was teasing her but it’s still significant and hints at a potential resentment) and just generally dislikes the way she tries to be a hero all the time. Then in “Promise”, it’s abundantly clear that Catra heavily resents Adora’s hero complex, saying that she (Catra) doesn’t need Adora to protect her because she never really protected her in a way that mattered anyway. Later on, she becomes envious of the praise she gets and uses Adora’s need to be a hero and be responsible for everyone to her advantage (blaming her for the portal, capturing the civilian town in S4, etc.).

In season 5, she continues to resent Adora; in episode 6, Catra tells her that she shouldn’t have come back for her but she just “loves feeling like a hero”. This line in particular was quite interesting, because it almost implies that Catra doesn’t think Adora cares about her, that she’s simply fulfilling some sort of obligation to save everyone. This is further reinforced in Failsafe/Heart Pt.1 when she doesn’t think Adora wants her and will always put her hero/martyr complex above everything. Like, yeah, Adora saved her, but to Catra, was probably just her innate desire to save everyone driving her decision, rather than her wanting Catra herself. Of course, that’s not true and we know Adora loves her, but I don’t blame Catra for thinking Adora doesn’t want her. Because to Catra, everything that Adora has done has been to save her, whether it’s trying to get her to join the rebellion, rescuing her from Horde Prime, or even taking the Failsafe to the heart to protect her, as well as everyone else on Etheria. As far as Catra is concerned, Adora would do the same for anyone, so Adora can’t possibly want Catra in the same way Catra wants her.

But at the end of Failsafe, Catra isn’t just upset that Adora doesn’t want her, but that her hero complex is so deeply engraved within her that she has absolutely no regard for her own life and worth. This is different from earlier on in the series, where Catra selfishly wanted Adora and wanted Adora to selfishly want her too. At the end of season 3 (in “Remember” specifically), it’s clear that Catra’s priority is simply being with Adora, and everything else comes secondary to that. Her love was completely selfish. However, in season 5, Catra also takes Adora’s own wellbeing into account, and it pains her to see Adora throw away her life so carelessly in order to protect the people she loves. So Catra is upset that Adora doesn’t want her, but also that she doesn’t take her own wants into account. Yet when she leaves, she says, “That’s what you want, that’s what you’ll always choose”; here, we see her falling back into her previous mindset, that Adora is choosing to be self-sacrificial and only wants to save Catra because of that.

That’s what makes Catra going back for Adora and making sure she gets to the heart so important: it’s a completely selfless act. She pushes aside the fact that Adora doesn’t want her, she pushes aside the fact that Adora’s martyr complex makes her unaware of her own wants and she gives Adora the opportunity to go to the heart and fulfil her supposed heroic desire. And she wants her to go with Shadow Weaver nonetheless, a person who has caused Catra (and Adora) nothing but suffering and is responsible for all the turmoil in her and Adora’s relationship. She doesn’t like it, obviously, but she loves Adora enough to respect her decision and not to prevent her from saving everyone because of her own selfishness. And then Catra taking Adora to the heart herself was a direct representation of Catra’s selflessness, reinforcing the idea that Catra loves Adora so much that she wants her to do what she wants with her life and what makes her happy, even if that happiness isn’t created by, nor is it dependent on, her relationship with Catra. For me, this was the peak of her redemption arc, because it demonstrates her transition from loving Adora selfishly to loving her selflessly, and I think that’s really important. And Catra asking her to stay was maybe selfish (as love usually is) but I feel like she wanted Adora to stay for herself as well, which also displays her consideration of others and selflessness.

Anyway I hope that made sense lmao I think I went off topic a bit but yeah I thought that was a really pivotal moment in Catra’s arc that might not be addressed as much as the whole confession scene (which is fair).

[spoplight]

standing on the edge of tonight

Would you look at that, here I am! I’ve never written a She-Ra fic before, but I wanted to give it a try, so I wrote this short pre-canon fic! I hope it’s somewhat in-character. I’m open to prompts, fic recs, and generally anyone who would like to say hi as I explore the fandom! Also, if you’d like to be added to a taglist, I can make one!

(Title is from The Edge Of Tonight by All Time Low. This fic is on Ao3 here!)

Words: 2742

Pairings: Catradora (pre-canon and pre-romantic)

Warnings: self-deprecation and self-hatred, implied abuse

“I‘m never going to be Force Captain.”

Catra raises her eyebrows as Adora practically tosses herself at the railing. She sinks low onto it and grumbles in protest. Of what, Adora’s not really sure. Of something.

“You’re kidding, right?” Catra teases. “Of course you’re gonna be Force Captain. You’re all law-abiding and boring, it’s bound to happen.”

“Boring?”

Catra smirks.

Adora sticks her tongue out, and usually this would lead to a play-fight, where Adora can grab Catra in a headlock or Catra can shove her to the side. Or they’ll just and catch each other. It’s a great night for a race, the sky warm and dark, and nobody expects them inside for a little while longer.

But Adora can’t find the heart.

She sighs, sinking further down on the railing and running a hand along the edge. Her hand catches on the rust. The wind ruffles her hair and she sighs again, tracing shapes in the clouds, feeling a loose and wavy kind of tired. She should be in bed. It’d be easier if she was in bed, getting sleep for tomorrow, but she’d come out here with Catra anyway. Of course she had. She couldn’t imagine just leaving Catra here alone, no matter how tired Adora felt.

No matter how terrible she feels right now, wind whipping her ponytail, staring into the clouds.

“Adora?” Catra asks in her special I’m-totally-not-worried tone. “Did something happen? Did--did Shadow Weaver--”

“No!” Adora interrupts. “No, nothing like that. I just--”

The words won’t come. She feels awful, she knows that much. So awful she can’t begin to imagine putting up a front like usual. Maybe she should try anyway. It’s not becoming of a Horde soldier to sulk.

Adora tries for a smile. It barely makes it onto her face before sinking away. So much for that.

“It’s fine,” Adora says anyway, convincing no one and only said for the sake of filling the silence.

“Doesn’t sound fine.”

Catra’s perched on the railing, tail around her legs, and Adora would be scared if she didn’t know Catra well. She swears Catra has never fallen in her life. It’s a long, dark drop below, and Catra swings her legs out over it, like she knows exactly what’s at the bottom and is positive she’d survive it.

“Adora?” Catra asks again.

“How was your day?” Adora blurts out, her voice too sharp. She can’t think of what else to do. “Pull any good pranks on Kyle?”

Maybe Catra wants the change of pace as much as Adora does, because her face splits in a smile and she begins rambling about some prank involving ration bars and an old helmet. Adora tries to listen, she really does. But everything’s so heavy tonight, and Catra’s words fall far below them before Adora can catch them.

“And then--Adora? Adora!”

“Here!” Adora jerks her head up. “I--”

“Adora,” Catra says, eyes unreadable if you were anyone but Adora, who knows those yellow eyes better than her own. “You weren’t listening.”

“Sorry.” Adora gives Catra a sheepish grin. “What were you saying?”

Catra tilts her head, tail lashing behind her. “Something’s definitely wrong. What is it? Who do I need to scratch? I will, don’t test me--”

“No one!” Adora looks pleadingly at Catra, who glares back, and Adora has a sinking feeling that Catra might just attack everyone if she doesn’t get a specific name.

Adora sighs.

“Nothing,” she says. “I--I just had training earlier, and Shadow Weaver--”

“I knew it!” Catra exclaims. “What’d she do?”

“Nothing!” Adora insists. “Catra, she’s not--”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” Catra rolls her eyes. “Fine. What did Shadow Weaver, in her infinite wisdom and out of the goodness of her heart, say to you?”

Adora hesitates. “I didn’t do well in training.”

“No duh, you were sick last week.” Catra shrugs. “I still stay you should have taken a day off. It’s a good excuse to slack.”

“The Horde never rests,” Adora reminds her. “And it was just a cold.”

“Whatever.” Catra waves a hand. “So you were tired and didn’t get a perfect score on whatever weird simulation they cooked up today. Big deal. You’re still everyone’s favorite.”

Adora flinches despite herself. Catra’s eyes narrow, and Adora feels uncomfortably like they’re sparring, like Catra’s sizing her up and deciding whether to fight back.

“And Shadow Weaver,” Adora continues when Catra doesn’t say a word, “said that--that I couldn’t slack off like this. I’d be embarrassing both of us, and just because--” Adora cuts herself off. Catra doesn’t need to hear that part.

“What?” Catra asks anyway. Always so smart. Adora loves it, and tonight she wishes Catra would back off. For both their sakes.

“Nothing,” says Adora again, like that’ll make it true. “You don’t want to hear it.”

“Try me.” Catra’s hands are stiff on the railing. “Haven’t got all night, Adora.”

“She--” Adora bites her lip. “She said I couldn’t expect to succeed just because I wasn’t as--lazy--as you.”

There’s a long, bottomless silence.

“What?” Catra laughs. “Hey, you aren’t seriously worried that’ll bother me, right? Nothing I haven’t heard before! I work hard to do nothing, Adora, relax. It’s a compliment!”

“You should try harder,” Adora says, gladly jumping at the familiar argument. “It’s important for you to do your best.”

“Important for who, Shadow Weaver? Or Hordak in his stupid sanctum?” Catra swings around the railing, leaning back and tossing an arm over the side. “Why bother? Too much work. All the rest of you can take care of it--I don’t care.”

“You won’t become a Force Captain if you act like that.”

“Who said I wanted to be a Captain?” Catra snorts. “I don’t need any of those stupid little badges. I don’t care what they think of me.” She stills. “But you do.”

“Of course I do,” Adora says. “I’m going to be a Horde Captain. I’ll make myself useful--I’m a good fighter, they could use me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Catra gives her a long look, and Adora gets the feeling she’s being judged, though she’s not sure what for.

“I get that,” Catra says, “but maybe keep that between us?”

“Why?”

“You’re putting it all out there,” Catra explains. “Why don’t you ever hold back? Choose how they see you, instead of letting yourself out in the open like that.”

“They see me for who I am,” Adora argues. “There’s no point in hiding it--I am a Horde soldier.”

“You are a Horde soldier,” Catra repeats. “And what happens when you aren’t enough? Like today?”

Catra doesn’t mean to hurt her. Adora knows that. But it stings, and Adora stares into the shifting sky to hide the prickling of her eyes.

“Today was an off day,” she says, keeping her voice steady. “I was tired. I’ll be better tomorrow.”

“And one day you’ll be tired again.” Catra watches Adora out of the corner of her eye. “One day they’ll stop giving you a tomorrow, Adora, it’d be so much harder to fall if you tried a little less!”

“What else am I supposed to?” Adora snaps.

“I don’t know!” Catra’s tail twitches, and her hands jerk, and she’s frustrated and so is Adora, and they’re pulled tight and ready to snap. “Lie low? Stop making a spectacle of your weaknesses? You’re so earnest all the time, can’t you set your standards a little lower?”

“I’m not going to fail to make you look better!”

Adora hates the words the moment they leave her mouth. Catra flinches back, eyes wide, and before Adora can do anything--what? What would she do?--Catra is turning away.

“Wait!” Adora yells, reaching out a hand. Catra runs down past the railing and jumps to a nearby pipe, and soon she’ll be out of reach, somewhere in the maze of metal that makes up their home.

“Wait! Catra! Please!”

Catra’s leaving. Catra’s leaving, because Adora messed up. It’s all her fault, she should have gone straight to bed and not bothered her best friend, how is she supposed to ever be Force Captain if she’s such a failure--

“I’m sorry!” Adora bursts out. “Catra, I’m sorry, and I’ll find you if I have to, but if you can, please stay!”

Catra is quiet, frozen, her tail twitching and her ears flat, balanced on the edge of a pipe and one jump from disappearing.

“I’m sorry,” Adora pleads, hearing her voice crack. “I didn’t mean that. I’m tired, I’m--I’m frustrated--please, Catra!”

There’s another long silence that sinks past them slowly. Adora feels vaguely like she’s falling, like the platform beneath her feet is tilting and giving way.

“Don’t leave,” Adora whispers. “Please.”

Catra glances back at her, and she can try to hide it all she wants, but Adora sees the tightness around her eyes.

“This isn’t about me,” Catra says slowly.

“I know,” Adora says, relief flooding her. ��I know, I know, and we can talk about it if you stay.”

Slowly, so slowly, Catra inches her way back to the railing. She sits on it, hands around her knees, the wind blowing her hair. She’s not looking at Adora.

Adora’s apologized, but her words still hang in the air, and she doesn’t know what to do next.

“I was just trying to help,” Catra says quietly, her voice hard. “I just wanted to--you’re gonna get hurt, and I was trying to keep you safe.”

Adora laughs a bit, because it’s so strange to hear that. “No, that’s me, that’s what I do for you.”

“Yeah, and it’s not--” Catra huffs and starts again. “It isn’t--I’m not the only one in danger here, right?”

“Danger?” Adora repeats, and laughs again, because what else can she do? “Danger--Catra, this is our home!”

“And?” Catra gives Adora a challenging look, and Adora doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t get it. What is Catra saying--that Adora’s not safe? Of course Adora’s safe. There’s nowhere safer than here, in the heart of the Horde, under Shadow Weaver’s wing. If Adora trains hard, like she has her whole life, she’ll be the best. She’ll be worthy of everyone who gave her a chance. That’s how it is. It’s always been safe--it’s been everything Adora’s ever known.

And the only way to keep Catra safe is to be strong.

“Who am I kidding?” Catra mutters. “Of course you’re not. And of course hiding won’t work for you. You’re you and I’m me and--you could never pull it off.”

That makes sense. Catra is the one who hides, because Catra is the one who’s in trouble, because Catra is the one who gets herself into trouble. Catra is the one everyone hates. Adora isn’t like that.

Adora has never needed to hide.

But also, that doesnt make sense. Because Catra’s tone is tight and angry and sad and pointed in all the wrong places. Catra is upset, and Adora doesn’t know why.

“What do you mean?” Adora asks, hoping to coax Catra further.

Catra’s silent for a long, long time. “I worry about you, Adora.”

Adora’s breath catches in her throat.

“I get that it’s different. I get that everyone likes you. I get that you’re not the one who makes mistakes.” Catra turns to her, eyes wide. “But you’re setting yourself up for--Adora, can’t you keep yourself safe? Don’t you want to?”

“I am safe,” Adora says, feeling weirdly close to tears.

“You’re not going to be!” Catra waves a hand at her. “You’re always just so--so--insufferable! And you try too had, and--and if you’re so obvious about what you want, someone’s going to try and take it away!”

There’s a long, thick silence once again, and Adora’s chest is cold.

“Catra?” she asks softly.

Catra turns away. “Forget it.”

“Catra--”

“I said, forget it!”

Adora lets her voice grow quiet. “Is that why you don’t care about the Horde?”

“I don’t care about it,” Catra snaps. “You’ll do all the work and I can take half the credit, like always.”

Adora lets out a long breath. “Maybe--maybe if you let yourself have what you want, you could get it?”

Catra laughs. It’s an empty, harsh sound, and Adora hates it. “The world doesn’t work that way.”

“It could.”

“It doesn’t.”

Adora stares at her hands.

“Do you think,” she says slowly, “I could ever be a Force Captain?”

Because if Catra needs it, she will be. If Catra needs safety, she’ll give it. If Catra says Adora can do it, she can.

“Yeah, obviously,” Catra says, like it’s a fact. Something they learn in training. Princesses are the enemy, you don’t disrespect Shadow Weaver, and Adora is going to be the best one day. “Glad you’re done being stupid about that. You’ll be Force Captain and I’ll use that to get extra rations.”

“You’ll be Force Captain too,” Adora corrects. “Or--or higher, even. We could be more than that.”

“Could we?”

“Of course!”

“We could,” Catra says, as if Adora’s saying facts too, as if Adora is somehow convincing her by virtue of existing. Catra smiles. “I think we’d do a good job running the Horde.”

“We’d crush the princesses,” Adora says, beginning to smile back. “We’d both get new rations without needing to steal extra, we’d prank Kyle--”

“We’d see active duty,” Catra adds. “We’d see the world.”

“We’ll see the world.” Adora stares into the sky. “And we’ll--we’ll make it however we want. We’ll make it ours, just you and me.”

“Me and you,” Catra says, and in the light of the night sky, balanced against the wind, she looks like she really could conquer the world.

If she can do it, so can Adora.

If Catra needs it--if they both need it--Adora can try hard enough for both of them.

And they’ll make a world where they’re together, for as many nights as they need.

“Sounds like a plan,” Adora says, grinning.

“Sounds like the best plan.” Catra shrugs. “And, I mean, I guess you’ll have to train harder, if you want to rule the world and everything.”

“Yeah,” Adora admits. “So--”

“So I heard the training room is still open,” Catra finishes, looking at Adora hesitantly. “And I wouldn’t be caught dead doing extra credit, and this is not because I like you, but if you really need it--”

“You’d practice with me?” Adora’s eyes widen. “Really?”

Catra hisses and blushes. “Maybe--shut up! This doesn’t mean anything!”

But it does, and they both know it.

“Okay,” Adora says. “Let’s practice.”

“Great!” Catra jumps off the railing with a grin. “And I’m not gonna go easy on you.”

“I’ll still win!”

“You wish!”

Adora bumps Catra’s shoulder, and Catra bumps back, and now they’re chasing each other down the hallway, laughing, smiling so wide that Adora’s heart is going to burst from her chest. Catra’s laughing. Catra’s laughing and teasing Adora and it’s just the two of them, and nothing bad can happen as long as they’re together.

This is why Adora tries.

This is what Adora will fight for, and this is what she’ll do anything to protect. This is the world she will create, piece by piece, and this is the world she will train to deserve.

Her hand slips into Catra’s. Catra squeezes it. Adora squeezes back.

In the end, all Adora wants is this--for Catra to be happy.

And if Adora has to succeed, she will. If she has to lead, she will. If she has to be the best and the strongest and the fastest, if that keeps Catra safe and happy and under control and by her side, she will be.

Adora and Catra will rule the world together, and Adora can’t wait to see it.

But for now, it’s late, and they’re breaking into the training room. For now, Adora needs to prepare for a sparring session. For now, she has a long way yet to go.

And she won’t fail. She won’t stumble. She won’t fall.

Catra can land on her feet, Catra can hide and run and survive in the way only Catra can, but Adora gets one chance to make everyone proud.

Adora will rise, because she doesn’t have a choice.

And she’ll carve out a piece of the world for them. They deserve it, because the world has refused to give it willingly, and Catra needs a place to stay.

Adora will make that for her. It’s the least she can do.

Come anything, Adora will stay by her side.

[persephx]

the direction of the arrow

Happy Bi Visibility day.

read on ao3

Bow knows Glimmer, okay? He knows her better than he knows anyone. He knows that she won’t have any problem with it. Hell, he knows no one is going to have any problem with it. How hypocritical would it be if Adora and Catra had a problem? And still, he keeps it secret. It’s his biggest and most well-kept secret. His only secret, when it comes to Glimmer. They don’t have secrets, you know? They aren’t the perfect couple, but they didn’t have secrets when they were just friends and they certainly don’t have them now. Well, except this one —and his dads, for a while, but that doesn’t count.

He wants to tell her. He is going to tell her, because he wants to share this part of him. It’s not going to change anything about them. Not really. Not if it goes how he’s sure it’s going to go. There’s still the small fear that he’s wrong. There’s the sliver of darkness that has been wrapped around his throat for years and he wants to get rid of it.

Today is the day.

He really wants today to be the day, but he’s wanted that before. He has tried to tell Glimmer thrice before today, and each time, he felt the tendril get tighter and tighter until he gave up and came with something else to say. The first time he had tried it, he hadn’t even known there was a name for what he felt. They had been kids and he had known, and he had wanted to share. He knew perfectly there was nothing wrong with him, he knew there was nothing wrong with liking boys, he had too dads, he knew. But he hadn’t known, back then, that liking both was also a thing, that it was okay. He wanted to share it with his friend, and then the thought had assaulted him: what if that wasn’t how it was supposed to go? So, instead of telling her his secret, he had ended up telling Glimmer about a weird animal from the Whispering Woods.

The second time had been after one of the royal events Glimmer was always dragging him to. They had been at Glimmer’s  bed, in their pj’s and eating their weigh’s worth on ice cream. It had been a few months before they had crossed paths with Adora, and their lives were definitely calmer then. There had been a boy at the event, from the Kingdom of Snows, that had caught his eyes. Not only had he been the prettiest guy Bow had seen ever, but he had also smirked at him. Like he knew. Boy had even choked on his food. In the end, he couldn’t do it then; it hadn’t mattered to the darkness in his throat that Glimmer was perfectly fine with Netossa and Spinnerella. So, instead, he had gushed about the food.

The third time, it had been little after they had made up after rescuing Glimmer from the Horde. He had decided that he had wanted to let everything out before it became a big deal, no matter that it was already a big deal, after not telling her for so long. He hadn’t done it. He had been so relieved over making up that he hadn’t wanted to ruin it, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a possibility.

And so, Bow has a secret that he’s kept for ten years. He needs to tell his girlfriend. No. He wants to tell his girlfriend about it. And it’s not going to change anything, he repeats to himself in a firm tone. He has been doing that for hours, and it still hasn’t calmed him, although he still has hopes.

“Hey Glim,” he finally says.

They are alone in the Queen’s quarters. Glimmer’s. Glimmer, the Queen of Bright Moon and his girlfriend. That thought makes him need to clear his throat, but the knot there doesn’t lighten.

“Yeah?” she asks from where she’s practicing her magic.

She doesn’t make a habit of practicing in the bedroom, but Micah has been teaching him specific spells and she’s gotten better. And cockier. He can’t wait until she breaks a priceless vase, again, and gets a scolding from Helion, again. In any other situation, he would have teased her, but instead, he clears his throat again and tries to keep a steady voice when he talks.

“Can we speak for a moment?”

Glimmer drops her stance and focuses on him. She’s frowning. She can tell it’s important, and her eyes show her worry. She nods and walks to sit next to him in the window sit. He’s tense as a wooden plank, and he bets she can tell. She doesn’t comment on it. “Is something wrong?” she asks, instead.

“No.” Except it might be. He doesn’t know yet. Well, he knows, but he’s scared because ‘you never know’.

This time is different than the other ones, though. There’s something different when he looks at Glimmer, a certain… certitude that wasn’t there the other times. This is Glimmer. She’s shown him multiple times the type of person she is. There is no way in hell that she wouldn’t accept him.

He clears his throat yet again.

“I am bisexual.”

It comes out as a whisper, but he’s sure she’s heard it perfectly.

The room is silent for a moment. Then, Glimmer speaks. “Okay,” she says slowly. “I don’t… know what to say,” she tells him, and for a moment, his body goes cold. She’s going to say that he’s wrong. He tenses even more, and she must have felt it, because she puts her hand in his arm and makes him look at her. Her eyes are bright and the sparkles in her hair are as radiant as ever. She’s beautiful, and she’s going to reject him, he’s sure. “Thank you for telling me.”

He stops breathing for a moment.

Is that… all?

He frowns and nods.

“Are you…?” she stops herself and looks away for a moment, but it looks more like she’s thinking than that she doesn’t want to look at him. “Does this change anything?”

“No.” His answer is immediate, firm. She just nods. He thinks that he might have been too rough, too fast. “I don’t want this to change anything, if it doesn’t change anything for you.”

“It doesn’t,” she assures him. “So, you aren’t telling me this because you’ve… I don’t know, discovered that you like someone else, right?”

“No.” He turns to look at her fully and frowns. “I like you. I love you.”

“That’s good. It might have been awkward otherwise,” she chuckles. He’s too high-strung to laugh with her, but he appreciates the tone.

“I want to be with you.”

“Okay, Bow. I want to be with you, too.”

“I didn’t want to… hide it from you.”

“And I thank you for that. It really means a lot.” He believes her, with the tone she’s using it would be impossible for him not to. “I wasn’t ready for this talk, so I’m not sure what else should I say, but I just wanted to tell you that, thank you for telling me.”

“I wasn’t too obvious, then?” He’s trying to joke around, and even though he doesn’t quite get his tone to sound right, Glimmer understands what he’s doing.

She purses her lips and it looks like she might be holding back a laugh, which baffles Bow. “Sea Hawk.”

He blushes instantly.

“No.”

“It was… pretty obvious.” She’s outright laughing now.

“It was not.”

She rolls her eyes. “Sure sweetheart.”

They stay in silence for a moment, but then he grumbles “I did not like Sea Hawk.”

“You had a huge crush on him!”

“I did not!”

“Bow, you sang with him.”

“Singing doesn’t mean having a crush on someone!”

They look at each other for a moment and then they burst out laughing. The weight on Bow’s chest has disappeared along with the tendrils of darkness around his throat.

“I love you,” he tells her when they stop laughing.

She looks at him with softness irradiating from her eyes. “I love you too, Bow.”

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Can someone tell me why people love these characters, draco, ben solo, lotor, kuvira and catra, but they hate azula, saying that she does not deserve a redemption but that the others do (they already have it). she is a girl ( 14 years) compared to others. I like most of those mentioned, including Azula. but I don't understand why there is so much hatred towards her. I do not justify the bad thing that Azula did but she deserves better.

Tbh I don’t think that I can really answer this because I don’t share that opinion at all. But it’s something that has kind of always bothered me. Though generally the people who hate Azula tend to hate Kuvira too (at least from what I’ve seen anyhow). What bothers me is, as you mentioned, she’s really young compared to Ben, Lotor, and Kuvira. 

My guess is that they just don’t like her personality type. Like idk she’s more cold compared to the others. She’s got that no bullshit, straight to the point hbic energy and I think that maybe some people don’t like that?

I think another big factor is that she wasn’t portrayed as a sympathetic character until the very end (but then again, neither was Draco). I feel like people are more inclined to love an antagonist who has sprinkles of pitiful aspects right from the start. With Azula everything seems fine for her until you realize that it really isn’t.

Idk, she just gets so much hate lately and it’s annoying as hell. I will say it to the end of time, tag etiquette people! I don’t care if you don’t like Azula. I don’t care if you hate her. But keep that shit out of the fan tags and in the anti-tags. It’s rude as hell to post hate in fan tags, end of story. At that point you’re just instigating. 

But I digress; it kind of bothers me how little sympathy Azula gets. Especially considering that she’s just a kid. Like she would only be a little freshman, if she were a real person. She’s an abuse victim. Like you said, that’s no excuse for taking up abusive tendencies. But also I don’t get this mentality that she’s already too far gone. 

As for the people who don’t think that she should be redeemed; the one reason that really stood out to is character interpretation. I came across and chatted with a person who likes Azula. But they like her as an antagonist. And they just enjoy evil characters being evil. 

This person also mentioned that they didn’t see her as having redeeming qualities (or something to that effect) and that, that was exactly why they liked her. Obviously I disagree with this but I thought that it was interesting because not everyone who doesn’t want her to be redeemed hates her.

Which brings me to my next possible reason; I’ve also seen fans say that they didn’t want her redeemed because they were afraid she would be out of character or that in the process she would lose a trait or a few traits that had drawn said fans to her in the first place. Basically they’re afraid that the redemption would be poorly done and not suit her. Which is very fair.

As for the people who don’t like her. I think that it’s that simple. They don’t want her redeemed because they don’t like her. They’re biased and they can’t see any good in her at all and therefore they can’t see redemption as a possibility. To be honest I feel like even if she got redeemed they’d still hate on her because she has ‘an unforgivable past’. That’s what happened with Regina Mills. But in this fandom that would drive me apeshit because odds are, these same people are the ones that jump trough hoops to excuse and/or ignore every bad thing Zuko has done. I'm not saying that this applies to all Zuko fans of course, just a handful. I’m also not saying that everyone who hates Azula is a Zuko fan; I know so many people who are fans of both (and bless all of your souls for that). Bottom line is that I think that there’s a huge bias and (a kind of hypocritical) double standard when it comes to Azula both from fans and characters in the show. More specifically when it comes to Azula compared to Zuko.

What really gets to me though is the sheer hostility that Azula fans tend to get when saying that they’d like her to be redeemed. Like so many times I feel like they are getting brushed off and aren’t being taken seriously. I feel like they are met with a lot of mockery and teasing too. There have been accusations that they don’t understand her character and/or don’t like her for what she is. People just seem to act so condescending. Granted I’ve also seen people get swarmed for saying that she doesn’t deserve a redemption. But as of late I have trouble sympathizing with them because, again, they’re in the fan tags. If you post hate in fan tags, displeased responses are fair game. I won’t join the chat mob, but I’m not gonna feel bad for the instigator either.

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and I try to engage in conversation just to see different sides and perspectives on things. But lately I haven’t been able to do that because discourse has been so hostile. So I’m pretty much running on assumptions. 

[marvelsassbutts]

Silences

   Link on AO3!

     It’s strange having to get used to peace. To a quiet hallway, a filling dinner. A hand resting in your own. More than anything though, it’s strange having to get used to a bed; specifically the comfort of one.

    Sleep was never a comforting experience for Catra though. If anything, sleep was a moment between rage and chaos, plagued by its own grueling nightmares. Sleep, in her experience, did not guarantee peace. Sleep was another thing to get used to.

    Catra stretches out over the bed for the tenth time in the past few minutes, back on a downward slope, knees tucked beneath her, and her claws tearing up a different section of the comforter. She curls her body in on itself and shuts her eyes, afraid that if she keeps them open she will actually see herself sinking into the mattress which would only further her aggravation and, by default, her inability to go to sleep.

    “This is ridiculous,” she grumbles as she sits up for the eleventh time that night. “Stupid bed in stupid Bright Moon.” Catra picks up a pillow and slams it down on the mattress. As she goes about “fluffing” it each word is punctuated with a punch. “Stupid! Princess! Comfort!” Catra throws her body down, landing face down on the pillow, and screams. “What’s the point?”

    When Catra sits up again it comes with a purpose. A purpose to find comfort and if that cannot be achieved then to at least go somewhere to complain about it. So, naturally, her purpose forms into leaving her bedroom to make the short trip across the hall to Adora’s.

    When she steps out of her room she’s hit immediately by the silence of the corridors. No distant sounds of dripping water from loose pipes, no slamming steel doors as soldiers make their nightly patrol. No shadows hissing just inches from her ears and consuming her into the darkness of an unfortunate night.

    There’s only the peaceful kind of silence.

    And Catra’s not used to it.

    She scampers across the small distance between her door and Adora’s and opens it carefully, thankful for Bright Moon’s interior upkeep that prevents any sort of creaking that would have been customary in the Fright Zone, and shuts it behind her once inside, her full body against it as she cranes her neck to see Adora sleeping in her bed, her body almost entirely consumed by the mattress.

    “Adora,” Catra whispers and takes a step forward when she doesn't move. “Hey, Adora,” she whispers again, this time letting her voice sound a little stronger. Again, Adora doesn’t move and Catra walks more fully into the room, her eyes ignoring the leftover battle plans and breakdowns tacked to the walls as they remain trained only on Adora.

    Catra stands over Adora and leans forward. “Adora…. Adora, wake up.” Adora continues to sleep or continues to be dead seeing as both would make sense for how much she was moving. “Adora, get up,” Catra demands, no longer interested in waking her up with a kind voice. Catra leans forward more and shakes Adora’s body once…twice…seventeen times. “Adora, come on!” Catra moves to place her knee on Adora’s bed and lifts the rest of her body with it. As soon as Adora sinks (more than she already has) her body shoots up and her hand swipes a strike across Catra’s face.

    Catra shrieks and jumps back to the foot of Adora’s bed, her hand cradling the side of her face.

    “Catra? Catra! Ooo! Ooo! I’m sorry!”

    “What was that for?!”

    “I’m still a little jumpy from everything! I couldn’t tell if it was you or a clone or-”

    “And slapping is the best defense you can think of?!” Catra snarls as she rubs against the side of her face. “You can say six words and become basically invincible but you chose to slap me?”

    “It got you to back off didn’t it?”

    Catra groans to herself and tucks her legs up against her body, her tail wrapping itself around them as the end of it flicks back and forth. Sitting in her brooding state, Catra notices the unmistakable feeling of her body sinking into the plush around her. She grumbles unintelligibly and crosses her arms.

    This bed is just as bad as the last one.

    The bed dips again, not from Catra’s weight, but from the movement of someone else’s as Adora crawls her way over to Catra and places a hand on the side of her face that had recently been slapped.

    Alright, maybe not just as bad.

    Adora squints, using the lone glow of the moonlight to inspect the slightly rumpled fur on Catra’s left cheek. Adora brushes a thumb over it and sweeps her view from the reddened spot to Catra’s eyes and back again. “I’m sorry, Catra,” she leans forward and kisses the spot and Catra’s nerves come to life with the sensation. Oh right, she thinks as her tail ceases its flicking and instead wraps itself lightly around Adora’s lowered wrist, we can do that now.

    Catra smiles and leans forward enough to rest her forehead against Adora’s. “It’s fine. I’ve gotten worse from you before, right?”

    Catra can feel Adora’s eyebrows furrow against her forehead.

    When Adora pulls back Catra frowns at the loss of contact. Her tail loses its grip on Adora’s wrist and she’s left feeling horribly alone. Isolated once again from the one person that holds her happiness and responsible for depriving that same person of her own happiness. Catra can’t ignore the way Adora’s shoulders have slumped forward and how her eyes have moved slowly down from looking into Catra’s, to staring at her cheek, to going over each inch of her body that suffered injury from her, to finally resting on her own hands which were open and limp in her lap.

    Catra’s ears flatten at the sight of Adora’s upset.

    “I’m sorry-”

    “It’s okay, Catra,” Adora interjects and Catra wants to believe it’s true but the sad, almost forced smile that Adora tries to push onto her face makes Catra understand that it’s not. That her words sliced a lot deeper than she intended them to and she was at a loss for what to do next.

    The silence between them stretches on for a millenia, maybe two, and the whole time Catra’s eyes stay fixed on her tail and the lack of its encircling around anything.

    “What are you doing up so late?” Catra looks up and sees Adora’s sadness has been replaced with concern and she uses it as an opportunity. Catra crawls across the mattress, across the distance between them and buries her head in Adora’s chest. Adora adjusts her body as the rest of Catra makes its way over. She opens her legs and moves her arms out of the way to allow for the rest of Catra’s body to be compact and comfortable between her thighs. Catra sits in that position for a moment, a beat long enough to give the rest of her apology, to let Adora know that she knows that she’s safe with her. That her body, her essence, her aura, her everything is a home now. A haven.

    Adora raises her hands to Catra’s head and scratches behind her ears.

    “My bed’s too soft,” Catra mumbles into Adora’s chest and is rewarded with the sound and feeling of Adora’s laughter.

    “Yeah, it’s the worst,” she says and lets a hand slip down to Catra’s neck. “I had that same problem when I got here.”

    Catra pulls back to look Adora in the eyes. She’ll later tell herself it was to make sure Adora wasn’t lying for her sake; anything to avoid admitting she just missed Adora’s eyes. She’s not used to being allowed to miss things like that. Not yet. “Really?”

    “Mmhm. Bed too soft, no one at the foot of it to keep my feet warm.”

    Catra’s ears perk up at the confession and her lips tug themselves into a small, embarrassed smile.

    “You’re blushing.”

    “I am not!” Catra defends but still lowers her head to Adora’s shoulder to avoid having her face looked at anymore.

    Adora laughs again, this one sounding more childlike and teasing. She knows she has the upperhand and with one quiet snort the laugh starts bordering on a giggle. She sits up again and looks Adora in her eyes.

    “You missed that, huh?”

    Adora grins. “Just on the especially cold nights.” The admission of only sometimes missing Catra causes her to frown and pull back from Adora. “Every other night I wanted you up here.”

    Adora lays down, pulling Catra with her so that her body ends up on top of hers, her head tucked under her chin.

    Catra blushes again but allows for it because she knows Adora can’t see it.

    “You can sleep here. I’m not as soft as the bed.”

    “No kidding,” Catra responds as her tail skirts itself over one of Adora’s biceps before wrapping itself around it. She laughs when Adora flexes and moves her tail under her nose until she giggles and swats it away to let it return to its position around her arm.

    “Get some sleep, Catra,” Adora whispers and presses another kiss to the top of her head. “You have years to make up for.”

    “Try not to trash around too much, Princess, I don’t wanna go flying.”

    Adora snorts,“You’d better hang on.”

    Catra smiles and does the best she can to wrap her arms around Adora’s body.

    Adora wraps her own around Catra and mumbles an, “I got you,” into her hair. Only a minute later her words are replaced by soft snores and Catra is left alone with the room and its silence.

    The kind of silence that is underscored by the sound of a heartbeat and the steady vibrato of a purr. The kind that comes from being body to body, skin to skin, heart to heart with someone you love. Someone you’ve waited for. Someone you’ll have forever with.

    The peaceful kind of silence.

[thoughtfulfangirling]

Something I've been wanting to write about for some time is how thoroughly the arc between Glimmer and Adora in season 4 parallel Catra and Adora's relationships and in this way, creates space for Catra's redemption, both for the characters in universe and for us as the audience. (btw who edits or revises things before posting them? Not me! Good luck!)

I remember thinking while watching season 5 for the first time and observing Catra and Glimmer's bonding, how Glimmer isn't quite as angry with Catra as one might expect given Catra's actions resulting in Angella's sacrifice. But it occurred to me: Glimmer's mistake just before the events of season 5 could have been just as destructive as Catra's in season 3, wherein that sacrifice took place. 

Since then, I've been pretty blown away on the similarities between these arcs, and it came to a sort of head today while rewatching the first episode via Netflix Party with a friend of mine who is also still reeling over the season 5 finale. 

In the first episode, Adora refuses to let Catra come back with her to the Whispering Woods to find what called out to her. She does this despite Catra's wanting to go with her because Adora fears that the consequences to Catra if they're caught would be too great. This means Catra isn't there when Adora makes her discovery about the Hoard. Catra isn't there nor a part of the decision of Adora's to abandon the Hoard. What might have been different if Adora had allowed her to come along? 

But that's the thing. At that point in time in that first episode, it's not just Catra grossly influenced by the manipulations and abuses of Shadow Weaver, but even while more subtle, it's just as prevalent in Adora, and her acting on that which lays at least one foundational brick in the wall that springs up between them. 

It's very well articulated in this Fandomentals article how Adora had to draw in on herself and her impulses and be the best that she can be in order to protect Catra. 

"Adora wasn’t always like this. Her goofball side shows up lots of times in young adulthood, and we see that as a kid she wasn’t afraid to get in a bit of trouble. Not only did she tease Octavia to goad a violent reaction for her and Catra’s amusement, the excursion into the Black Garnet chamber was arguably her idea. That unfortunate encounter clearly stuck with Adora despite her not being the one who got in trouble...

...The thing Catra does not realize is that part of Adora’s drive to be good in Shadow Weaver’s eyes came from a desire to protect her. Shadow Weaver made Catra out to be a bad influence and threatened her because of it. If Adora was really really good and showed that Catra was not having a negative effect on her, then Shadow Weaver would have no reason to follow through."

And this drive to protect becomes a habit for Adora, a driving need. It's tied very much into the idea that if she can just keep doing everything she can to keep someone safe, she can keep bad things from happening to those she loves. 

She carries this into her new relationships, and notably here, with Glimmer. It's only enhanced by Adora's feelings of always sacrificing her self for what she can do for others in the S3 finale when she has to sit on the sideline while Angella sacrifices herself in what Adora feels is her place. Not only does Adora walk away from that moment feeling that unless she can save the world, it should have been her, but she interprets Angella's last command to "take care of each other" as an order for Adora to protect Glimmer. It might also be worth nothing that the season ends with Adora being clear with Catra that she is done covering for her, that it's time for Catra to bear the responsibilities of her actions for herself and that Adora no longer accepts responsibility for her. I think it's not unlikely that this creates a bit of a vacuum for Adora, one which Angella seemed to suggest someone else for which to fill. 

And the ramifications of that pulse ever more strongly as season 4 progresses. Adora hides behind the idea that this new sense of protectiveness for Glimmer is because Glimmer is the queen, but anyone can see that Glimmer needs to be a part of things and is more competent and capable than ever, and so it seems only reasonable to assume that Adora has gotten caught up in this protection impulse. And while Glimmer's own sense of desperation at the Hoard's advances and the death of her mother propel her ever ready anger and frustration, Adora's need to keep leaving Glimmer behind drives a wedge down between them. It's easy to see Glimmer's anger and her sharp tongue and her bursts of frustration as at fault and the cause of these issues—just like it is easy to see Catra's impulsiveness and possessiveness to appear to be the cause of all her and Adora's issues. But in reality, it's a two person game. Adora's behaviors are at least as destructive to these relationships, if less obviously visible. 

So just like Adora makes a decision about going to the Whispering Woods and defect from the Hoard after leaving Catra in the Fright Zone, Adora leaves Glimmer behind at the end of Season 4 to, as she did in the beginning, do what was right at all costs.

Between getting information Adora doesn't get about Horde Prime arriving at any moment to Etheria followed by the blow that once again, just like many times before this season, Adora and Bow have gone off on a mission on their own, she makes a rash decision to try and use The Heart of Etheria. 

In season 3, Adora tells Catra not to open the portal or the world could be destroyed. In season 4, Adora tells Glimmer the Heart of Etheria cannot be used without the world being destroyed. Catra pulls the lever, and Glimmer activates The Heart. The consequences of Catra's actions result in Angella's sacrifice. The consequences of Glimmer's actions pulls Etheria out of Despondos, into the path of Hoard Prime, and causes Adora to lose She Ra. 

It's arguable what all Glimmer could be aware in regards to these consequences by the time she is taken prisoner, but it stands to reason she might truly believe, in the confines of ship and her cell until she hears further from Prime, that Adora could have been right, and she could have been transported off a planet just before it's destruction. Certainly she believes that the scale of her mistake is quite grave as she truly has a sense of carrying a hell of a burden. 

So I think there's some awareness there, when it's Catra and Glimmer, lost in space in brand new and uncharted, horrifying waters that there is a certain likeness of their experiences. It created the space, I think, for Glimmer to recognize how easy it is to make catastrophic mistakes out of anger and pain and even well intentioned desperation. It shows the audience that given faith in Glimmer's heart and intentions and her own remorse, she is worthy of forgiveness. 

And it just strikes me that it had to be Glimmer. Glimmer had to be the first to see this good in Catra, and it had to be Glimmer who saw hope in her, because Glimmer lost the most to Catra, something that can't be recovered. 

The episode in which it's decided to go back to save Catra is one in which Glimmer spends the entire episode seeking Bow's forgiveness for a wrong even she feels she can never make up for and is only resolved when she says that she can't expect it but that she won't give up. She knows what it means to have messed up irreparably and that this doesn't mean one should just stop trying. 

Glimmer: Look, I know you're still mad at me. Maybe you'll be mad at me for a really long time. I deserve it! And maybe— Maybe we'll— Maybe we'll never be friends like we used to be. But I'm not going to stop trying to make it better. I made a mistake with the Heart of Etheria. I should have listened to you, and I'm sorry. You get to be mad, for as long as you need to be. But I'm not going anywhere, and when you're ready, I'll be here.

Adora witnesses this, and it's then that she truly decides they need to go back for Catra. When she approaches the topic, the 'camera' is on her and Glimmer. Bow is there, but she's telling Glimmer, rambling as she tries to get to the point, knowing what Catra took from Glimmer specifically because she needs Glimmer to understand and, I think, give her this blessing, because it's Glimmer who was most hurt by Catra's past bad actions. And Glimmer gives it. 

Glimmer: Catra sacrificed herself to save me. Whatever you need to do, I'm with you. 

Angella is gone, but Catra is still here. Glimmer knows what it is to mess up profoundly, and she also felt real horror and trauma imprisoned on the Hoard ship. It certainly means Something that Catra risked everything to get Glimmer out, and I think even that it means something that she did it to protect Adora, just like Angella in many ways made her sacrifice largely as a means to protect and save Glimmer.

It is meaningful and impactful that Glimmer plays such a large role in Catra's redemption and that she is cheering her on as she walks the difficult path of admitting and making up for past mistakes. Catra, in some ways, learned how to make things right from Glimmer. Catra watched as Glimmer came to her to end the Hoard's reign at the end of Season 4. Catra watches the realization hit Glimmer that her choice was wrong, destructive as she collapses on the ground being sapped of her power.

Glimmer: Adora was right! Light Hope, used me. She activated the Heart! 

Catra: So? I thought you wanted to win. Use your weapon. 

Glimmer: I can't! It would destroy everything. I have to try and stop it.

Catra clearly followed Glimmer as she struggled back to the Black Garnet to attempt to destroy the garnet and make right the wrong she did. She must have watched Glimmer strike impotently at the garnet until she collapsed. And finally when they are stuck on Hoard Prime's ship together, and they know Adora is on her way to attempt to rescue Glimmer, Glimmer makes that statement, "Do one good thing in your life." 

Catra's redemption has so many moving parts. The show really took it's time to put so many pieces in place, from everything it did with Shadow Weaver (oh hey, also note Shadow Weaver's presence with Glimmer and how it effects her and Adora's relationship too in S4), Entraptra, Scorpia, Double Trouble, etc to put Catra emotionally just in the right place to really hear Glimmer. And part of why she can hear Glimmer, is because she just witnessed Glimmer in her place. She shouts at Glimmer after those words that she knows nothing about her, but the truth is, I think Catra was seeing quite a bit of herself in Glimmer just then, and found herself wanting. So, finally, she strove to do better. 

It honestly is just so beautifully done. I can't blame anyone for wanting more time with Catra's redemption, but I do think it was well earned. Glimmer offers a good prep in how a character can be misled and even estranged by the protagonist that leads to bad places. It creates a point of understanding and an example for the in universe characters to jump off of. I definitely saw in Glimmer's enthusiasm for Catra's joining the team a sense of 'if they can forgive her, then they can forgive me.' And it doesn't seem unlikely that Catra even had the exact same thought when she decided to risk Prime's wrath to save Glimmer. Despite her cynical nature, I think she found a spark of hope in her, and she made a leap of faith. 

And I think in this way too, we were more ready to accept Catra's redemption. So many pillars were put up in many places by the creators, and even while I can't fault anyone for wanting some tweaks or changes, I think spop did a fantastic job on this redemption and felt it truly earned by the end of the season. 

But then again, I might be biased in laying so much credit on Glimmer, cause Glimmer did nothing wrong, and they had to forgive her, and she’s wonderful and perfect! 

[babyspacebatclone]

Regarding the entire “SPoP is just a kids’ show! Stop trying to apply logic (analysis of the “war” aspect) or find deeper meaning (accusations of ableism and unfortunate fantasy racial implications).”

There are two problems SPoP is facing against “it’s just a kids’ show. One is not necessarily its fault, although it seems they leaned into it pretty heavily and so are not completely free of it. The second is entirely on the show.

The first is the context of which She Ra was released - basically, in a post Avatar the Last Airbender world, and to a lesser extent following shows such as MLP:FiM and Gravity Falls. Of course, Western cartoons with in-depth mythologies and teased elements existed before AtLA (Gargoyles comes immediately to mind), but AtLA definitely changed the game about what could not only be shown/stated in a Y-7 cartoon (death if an entire people explicitly stated in the first few episodes to bring home the point) but also what could be talked about (effects of child abuse with Zuko and Azula being prominent). It spanned three seasons, with novels worth of backstory.

Suddenly, a Western cartoon didn’t have to be “just a kids’ show.” It’s not fair to expect every show to live up to that, but now it has been proven to be possible.

Did She Ra ever promise in marketing to be the next AtLA? I have no idea, being completely ignorant of anything during the run, but I also doubt it. Did at least marketing hope to ride on the coattails of “myth arc” style cartoons, drawing in more viewers? Undoubtedly. It’s a nostalgic property, emphasizing modern concerns (women’s power, LGBT+) and streamed through a mainstream service. Of course they’d want to fill their numbers with older viewers hoping for the next big story.

So, it’s not fair to put the expectation of being the next AtLA on SPoP going in, but it’s also to be expected that the fans would want it.

But what about the series itself? What did the show promise?

Unfortunately, I believe the show set up more than it could deliver here, and that is on the show runners and any execs that axed anything that might potentially have improved the situation (although from the sounds of show runners meta, I don’t know how much this contributed).

What did the show do to tease fans with complex myth arcs? Obviously, it doled out information on a “need to know” basis, leaving room for speculation and theorization. Scorpia being a princess and what that would mean about the Black Garnet, for example, is a perfect set up for this. The use of First One’s writing might have been initially been intended as an insider joke, the translations said to be released for “marketing,” but they still went forwards and then incorportated key phrases that would require fan translation - feeding more interest in searching for more clues. And finally, it paid off with some big foreshadowed twists, specifically Lighht Hope’s ulterior programming and the truth about the Heart of Etheria.

You can’t leave cryptic messages the fans can translate, twist our perspective of the “Benevolent Forerunner Race,” and then claim the fans are reading too far into things. You can claim the fans are going further than you intended, but you started them on this path.

And how do we know there’s disappointing, unresolved ends to these paths, and not more backstory like explored in the AtLA comics? The Crew Ra admitted it.

At first, when I heard that some of the Crew Ra had “headcanon” about Imp’s origins - that he was an attempt by Hordak to clone himself a stable body hybridized with Etherian animal DNA - it seemed cool. It made the Crew human, fans like us.

But how much harder would it have been to make it canon? Animals on Beast Island were apparently designed specifically to imply this missing link to Imp, and appear in the show; why can’t this then just be written into the show bible, a canon background that just isn’t said aloud in the show.

The most obvious answer, and the only reasonable one without further evidence, is that the people in control of the show bible just didn’t care. Didn’t care about what Imp was, other than a character from the previous She Ra. Didn’t care who Frosta’s parents were, or why she’s been ruling since 8. Didn’t care what actually happened with the Scorpian Kindgom when Hordak “overthrew” it, because that detail mattered less to them than the fact that Angella describes her husband’s (falsely assumed) death was one of Hordak’s “first victims.”

So the fans shouldn’t care, either, right?

No. The show runners can’t have it both ways. They can’t present the show as deep (question the facts you were raised with, because they may be biased by cruel predecessors!) and relevant (people should be allowed to be openly homosexual and nonbinary) and then only accept discussion on points they themselves raised.

Especially since many of the questions I hear asked without answer have been raised, towards others, within the show itself:

What measure is a victim? (Catra is a victim of Shadow Weaver’s abuse, Frosta twice questions the ethics of attacking Etherians, both Horde and chipped, but Prime’s clones are faceless mooks?)

What measure is acceptance? (Why are all but one of the princesses all-but-human looking, including the half-angel Glimmer, on a world of beast people? Why not explicitly condone literal physical abuse of a person [Entrapta, hair pulling and leashing] by her supposed friends for being “different” if we’re supposed to openly accept divergent sexualities? Neurodivergence doesn’t measure up to gender divergence?)

What measure is redemption?

SPoP started these discussions. It might not be fair to hold it to the same standard as AtLA for depth, but the show runners are the ones that copied elements of its formula to tell their story.

It’s not a serious war drama the way AtLA is. But how much effort could it have taken the show runners to at least look into more of their own questions, especially when others on the crew imply on social media they were asking for the same?

Note: Links will be added in a follow-up post; I’m on mobile, so it will take a bit to compile them. I’m aiming for tomorrow. If anyone who can have multiple windows open can send me direct links to relevant Tweets or at least screenshots I know I’ve seen here on Tumblr, that would be appreciated!

[midnightechoes]

JACKETS - Chapter 1: Rift Hollow

A She-Ra and the Princesses of Power fanfic

Chapter: 1 of 36

Rating: Explicit

Ships: Catradora (primary), Pertrapta (secondary)

Summary: It's been a year since the Battle of Bright Moon (S1 Finale). The war between the Horde and the Rebellion has ground into something of a stalemate as both sides continue to search for ways to gain an advantage. Adora wants to be the hero the Rebellion deserves, but still wrestles with her feelings about the friend she left behind, who despite Light Hope's constant advice, she can't seem to let go of.Meanwhile, Catra has emerged as a highly successful 2nd-In-Command of the Horde, gaining the respect of her soldiers, and even, dare she say, making something of a life for herself. Yet everything always seems to come back to the friend she's tried so hard to forget.

Jackets is a continuation of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power after season 1. It does not take events of season 2 or later into account.

Read on AO3!

--

Hi! Welcome to the first fleshed out, multi-chapter thing I've written in years! I loved She-Ra and the Princesses of Power so much it's inspired this huge burst of creativity, so let's see how this goes! I'm not going to state how many chapters it'll be yet because I'm not exactly sure, but this will probably end up being pretty long.

I'll probably be adjusting and adding tags as I go and think of them. I'll also be using this section for chapter-specific trigger warnings.

Okay, so I know that in the summary it says that "Jackets" takes place a year after the Battle of Bright Moon, but chapter 1 actually takes place only 4 months after the Battle of Bright Moon. That's because chapter 1 is sort of a prologue.

Also, because there will eventually feature explicit sexual wlw content I want to make sure to establish that ALL CHARACTERS DEPICTED are over the age of 18. Speaking of the smut though, don't expect it like every chapter, or even every other chapter. "Jackets" is very story heavy, if you're just looking for non-stop sex it maaaaay not be the fic for you.

--

Adora was staring at Catra’s outstretched hand. The catgirl had one of her trademark smirks on her face, and Adora couldn’t tell why. Adora had been taken aback by Catra’s choice of clothes. A striking, dark plum colored suit with magenta accents and matching button down blouse. Her bowtie dangled around her neck, untied. Dirty tactics, Catra.

Since the moment Catra and Scorpia had arrived, Adora couldn’t help but fixate on her best friend. Ex-best friend? Friend-with-complications? She knew they were up to something, but so far the best Adora could tell, Catra had come just to tease her. And now this. The smirk had gotten bigger, exposing one of Catra’s razor sharp canines. For the first time Adora payed attention to the music that was beginning to play. A jazzy little ballroom number. Adora resolved herself and lifted her hand to meet Catra’s. It seemed that playing her game was going to be the only way to figure this out.

Presentation and ritual were important to the Horde, even in matters of celebration. There were no parties. No spontaneous dancing in the aisles. No raucous shanties spun out of nothing. Ballroom dancing was the liveliest the Horde allowed. Even then, they made you practice it until it wasn’t fun anymore. Except when Adora and Catra practiced together. According to their instructor, Essteare, they were horrible at it. Too much improvisation. Too much laughing. Too many erratic motions. Gliding across that room, swaying and spinning in Catra’s arms, were some of the only times away from Force Captain training where Adora felt truly alive.

Essteare would have been so proud of this moment. Adora and Catra, hands pressed together, free arms bent at 90 degrees behind their backs. Tight. Precise.

Adora hated it.

“I know you’re up to something. I’m going to figure out what,” Adora said as they slowly circled around each other.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just here to enjoy myself.”

“We both know that’s not true, Catra,” Adora huffed as she spun Catra away. She turned to receive the next dancer.

There was nobody there.

“Huh.” Adora blinked at the empty dance floor.

Catra slammed back into Adora, resting her head on Adora’s shoulder. “Just us this time,” Catra breathed. “Everyone else is gone.” In one smooth motion Catra grabbed and dipped Adora. Their faces were inches apart. Adora could feel every drop of blood she had flooding her cheeks. “Lucky them,” Catra hissed.

“Wait, what?” The statement smacked into Adora.

“They’ve managed to get away from you,” Catra scoffed as she twirled Adora.

Adora was trying to regain her balance. “They’re my friends! They- They wouldn’t-”

Catra slammed into Adora again, knocking the rest of her statement out of her. She grabbed Adora’s hands and led her into a slow waltz. “Wouldn’t what? Want to be around you? Want to be in the blast radius of the inevitable ticking time bomb that is Adora?”

“I- I try not to be,” Adora was struggling to focus. She was trying to pull her hands free, but Catra’s grip was iron tight.

“Even if they haven’t figured it out yet, they will,” Catra sneered. “Getting away from you was the best thing to happen to me. I have friends now. REAL friends, not just someone using me as an emotional crutch!”

“I’m glad you have friends. I’m happy for you, Catra, I really am.”

“People respect me now. They look up to me. The Horde believes in ME. All thanks to ditching you.”

Honestly, it was shocking how tight Catra’s grip was. Even if she was She-Ra, Adora wasn’t sure she would have been able to break free of it.

Catra pulled her in. Their bodies were pressed together. Adora could feel the heat coming off Catra. “Let’s face it, I’ve done the world a favor,” Catra whispered into Adora’s ear.

Adora pulled her head back so she could look Catra in the eyes. There was something sinister in her stare. Every word Catra said slammed into Adora’s chest. Tearing. Pulling. It felt like Adora’s heart had a python wrapped around it, squeezing the life out of it. 

“I don’t understand,” Adora airily breathed.

Catra let Adora go, and slowly backed away. The smirk had morphed into a wild grin. Almost feral. Almost evil. Catra’s claws were fully extended, soaked in red. Adora opened her mouth to plead with Catra to explain what she meant, but nothing came out. Just a huff of air, and a labored grunt. A blurriness was starting to creep into her vision.

It was then that Adora realized that she was getting light-headed. Her abdomen felt like it was on fire. She looked down. It took a second for Adora to concentrate enough to focus her eyes.

There was a giant gash in Adora’s stomach. Blood was gushing profusely from it. “Ca…Cat… tra,” Adora managed to push out as she collapsed onto the ground.

--- 

  Adora bolted up into a sitting position. Tears were pooling at the corners of her eyes. Her chest was heaving, unable to catch her breath. She ripped her covers off and patted around her stomach. No blood. No hole or gash. No claw marks. There was no chance that there would be. This was more just busywork to calm herself down.

It was working.

As Adora’s breathing slowed to normal, as she wiped away the sticky residue of tears around her eyes, reality started coming back into view. Her bed. Her dark room in Bright Moon Castle, lit only by the moons high above in the sky. Judging from their positions, it was around 3 in the morning. A cool breeze was wafting in through the open doorway to her balcony. The breeze hit Adora, drawing goosebumps on her skin. Adora spun her legs around and dangled them off her bed. She sat there, at the edge of her bed, intently staring at seemingly nothing.

This wasn’t the first time Adora had that dream. Sometimes it went that way. Sometimes it went in a much more pleasant direction. Adora craned her arm around and gently traced the four gashes that ran halfway down her back, starting from her shoulder blade. The other side of her back had a matching set. It had been four months since the battle of Bright Moon, and the scratches on Adora’s back still hadn’t disappeared. She had, for some time now, come to accept that they wouldn’t.

Scars.

She-Ra doesn’t scar.

At least, She-Ra never had before, or since, for that matter. What damage She-Ra did get never carried back into Adora. Except these. Adora knew that Catra’s claws were something to fear. She’d seen them glide through solid metal as one might run their fingers through water. She’d even been on the receiving end of a few nicks from them. Granted, those instances were met with Catra being beside-herself distraught with what she had done, not maniacal glee.

Adora kept telling people that they were a statement Catra was trying to send to her. That wasn’t entirely true though. Adora knew that. They were the punctuation to the statements Catra had told her back during their ordeal in the Crystal Castle. Adora still hadn’t told anyone about what happened there, not even Glimmer and Bow. The entire extent of hers and Catra’s friendship was something Adora tried not to talk about. She thought it would make things between her and her new friends messier than they needed to be. Which meant that the Crystal Castle ordeal was something that she’d kept to herself. 

She wouldn’t even know where to start at this point. Catra never summoned just one clear emotion anymore. It was this ball. Lumpy. Messy. That would press down on her chest and stick in her throat. Safer to just not bring it up at all than try sorting through it.

Not that she felt great about lying to her best friends. Then again, her and Catra apparently spent a lot of their lives not being honest with each other. Maybe this was just how Adora did friendship. The thought did something awful to the pit of her stomach. A strong gust of wind billowed in, causing Adora to shiver. Just enough to jolt Adora out of this pit of self-loathing that she had found herself in. A pit that she had spent far too many nights in recently.

Chances of getting back to sleep were out of the question at this point. Adora got dressed into a sporty tank top and workout leggings. As was becoming a frequent custom, if sleep wasn’t going to happen, Adora decided to do the one thing that still cleared her mind: training.

--- 

  All things considered, Rift Hollow wasn’t a strategically important part of the Horde. It was hours southeast of the Fright Zone by skiff. A small farming town, it mainly supplied food for a few of the security checkpoints along the southeast border of the Horde.

Under normal circumstances, reports of civil unrest in Rift Hollow probably wouldn’t warrant even a Force Captain making the trip, let alone Lord Hordak’s second-in-command. Catra wasn’t concerned with the problems of Rift Hollow, though. After the initial thrill of her promotion, the realities of the work set in. While unsuccessful, the assault on Bright Moon had been a great audition for Catra, but it had also left the Horde forces in shambles. These first four months as Force General had been dedicated to refortifying the ranks of the Horde’s army.

Catra’s personal project had been to put together a squad that she could trust. Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle were natural choices. Well, maybe not Kyle, but his inclusion was essential to get Rogelio on board. They’d seen minor field work before as Cadets, but today was their first big day as Rank Soldiers. Catra wanted to be on hand to see how they performed.

The transport skiff lurched to a stop near the entrance of the town. Catra stood below deck, looking over the status report on Rift Hollow. Above her Force Captain Octavia was barking orders at the squads. Catra rubbed the bridge of her nose. Even now as Octavia’s superior, something about that woman just grated at Catra. She couldn’t argue with Octavia’s effectiveness, though. She was just so damn annoying. Or maybe it was just that this trip had been annoying. Hours of traveling through the Horde countryside just to come yell at some farmers. Or maybe… Maybe it was just everything. Truth be told when Lord Hordak had promoted her, Catra mostly envisioned hanging out with Entrapta and Scorpia to come up with plans to take down those princesses, not… reports. Or staff updates. Or overseeing training.  

Octavia was finishing up. Catra let out a yawn before tossing down her notes and making her way up the stairs.

Octavia’s squad of rookies was tasked with securing the perimeter near the skiff and the entrance of the town. Catra led her squad of Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio into Rift Hollow. The townsfolk gave them a wide berth. Their fear was apparent. Catra enjoyed the feeling. They met with a local Horde security officer— a lanky, teal-skinned fellow named Norn— near the center of town.

At the sight of Catra, Norn stiffened up and saluted. “Force General! Ma’am? So sorry, we weren’t expecting you! Had we known that-” Norn started.

Catra waved him off. “Relax, Officer, you’re fine. I’m just here to make sure my newbies are ready. Now, what’s the latest?”

“Fourth day of protests. Most of the farmers have halted work entirely.”

“Can’t have that now, can we. Where are they?”

“Follow me, I’ll show you.” Norn led Catra’s squad through the town. Within a few minutes they were at the edge of the farmlands where a group of farmers were forming a pretty meager blockade and taunting the one Horde security officer already there. At the sight of Catra the farmers began yelling. The details of what they were saying were lost as too many voices overlapped each other.

Catra snapped her finger at Kyle. He lifted a horn up and pressed the button. A screeching sound filled the area, causing everyone to fall silent. Catra patiently waited until the horn died down. She had everyone’s attention. Even some of the townsfolk were making their way to see what all the common was about.

“Citizens of the Horde,” Catra began.

“You mean citizens of Rift Hollow!” a man called out from the crowd.

“ Excuse me ?” Catra growled. The man was easy to find, especially since as soon as Catra started moving forward everyone else moved away from him as if he was contagious. To his credit, the man didn’t back down. He did gulp hard as Catra bared down on him, so only but so much credit. “You’re first and foremost a citizen of the Horde. Got it?”

The man mustered all the courage he could. “I was a citizen of Rift Hollow long before the Horde. And I’ll be one after the Horde, too.”

Catra didn’t respond for a moment. She examined the man in front of her. Had to be in his mid-forties, easily. Without warning, Catra spun, jerked her arm up and connected with a backhanded slap that sent the man careening to the ground.

All of Rift Hollow ground to a halt. Dozens of pairs of eyes were trained on Catra. She flicked her hand in a couple of motions in the general direction of her squad. Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle began spreading out.

“Okay. Gonna say this one time,” Catra announced. “Thanks to these little fits, Rift Hollow hasn’t made its production quotas in two months. You WILL make your quota next month. If you don’t, the next visit will involve tanks. Got it? Now, for the rest of today I’m imposing a curfew, starting now! Everyone, go home. Anyone caught protesting, or out at all, will be disciplined.”

A couple of the farmers helped the man that Catra had struck up to his feet. Nobody was leaving. “We can’t be treated this way. We’re human beings dammit,” the man huffed.

“Yeah, stupid ones. Squad!” Catra called out. On cue Lonnie and Rogelio turned on their stun spears. Impressive weapons that had Entrapta written all over them. Kyle followed suit just seconds after them. Lonnie and Rogelio jammed the closest protesters, who dropped to the ground immediately in pain. 

Panic struck the town. People started fleeing in every direction. A few tried to fight back. Lonnie and Rogelio were making those few immediately regret their decisions. Even Kyle was taking control of his area. The Horde security officers were assisting.

Kyle was trying to focus on herding the citizens back to their homes instead of engaging in physical altercations. “Focus, Ky. Focus. You can do this. Just focus,” he kept chanting to himself. He came across a couple of surly farmers who didn’t much want to move or go home. “Re-return to your houses now, fellas!” Kyle yelped. They just glared at him. “Please!” he added. The two men instead began approaching Kyle. In a panic, Kyle jabbed out his spear. Sparks flickered as it connected with the first man, who fell over immediately. He swung the spear to the next man, dropping him also.

“Not bad, Ky!” Kyle assured himself. He spun around confidently, only to realize that another man had snuck up on him. The old man still seemed pretty spry for someone who looked to be in their seventies. He had a big pitchfork that he was rattling at Kyle. “Oh no,” Kyle whispered.

Meanwhile, Catra had her attention trained on the man that she had struck originally. He seemed determined to stand his ground. Catra smirked while one hand rested firmly on her hip. “Look at what you’ve done.”

“What I’ve done?! I didn’t threaten a whole town! I didn’t sic guards on people to force them into their homes! I-”

Didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence. Catra’s claws slashed into his face. The man screamed out. He staggered backwards as his hand shot to his cheek, which was burning with pain. His legs were shaky as he tried desperately to regain his footing. There was no time, a front kick landed squarely into the stomach. Breath knocked out of him, he collapsed onto the ground. He was coughing, gasping, trying to do something to get air back into his lungs. Hordak’s second-in-command stood over the doomed soul and flashed her claws, her smile slowly creeping into an ever-widening grin.

A familiar screaming broke Catra’s concentration. Without even looking Catra had a good idea what she was about to see. The Force General let out a sigh as she spun around. Some yards away, Kyle was standing, a pitchfork plunged into his shoulder. Catra’s interest in the man she was assaulting waned.

Holding the pitchfork that was jammed into Kyle was the old man he had just encountered. Out of nowhere came Rogelio, jamming his stun spear into the old man’s side. Electricity shot through his body, causing him to collapse to the ground . All 6’7” of the stocky green lizard man towered over the elder. Terror washed over his face as Rogelio began cracking his knuckles one by one. Rogelio’s eyes were squinting at the man on the ground. His fangs were bared and an uncharacteristic rumble came out of him as he began stalking towards the old man when he felt something tug at his pants leg. Rogelio looked down to see Kyle.

“Rohé, sweetie please, don’t,” Kyle was able to force out. Rogelio reached down for the pitchfork wedged into Kyle. The prongs were almost half of the way inside of the wincing blond man. With one confident tug the pitchfork slid out of him, a couple spurts of blood followed. Kyle wailed out in pain. Rogelio grimaced at the blood trickling out. Thinking as quickly as he could, he tore the sleeve of his undershirt off and pressed it against the wounds. He gingerly scooped up the frail, barely-conscious man and cradled him in his arms.

Catra appeared next to them. “Rogelio, get Kyle back to the transport, and tell Octavia to get her squad over here!” Without hesitation Rogelio took off.

“Dammit, Kyle,” Catra sighed to herself.

--- 

  Before he even opened his eyes, the noises flooding Kyle’s ears were painting a picture. A rhythmic beeping that was keeping time with his heartbeat. The low hum of the various machines in the room. A hissing sound was sprinkling down from the halogen lights above him. Under all of it was a soft, constant scratching noise that Kyle couldn’t quite place.

Kyle ventured to pry his eyes open. It took a moment for his vision to come into focus. Everything was as expected. A Horde infirmary. Judging from the better than average state of upkeep, he was probably in Horde Command, the military city at the center of the Fright Zone, where Fright Spire, Lord Hordak’s base of operations, resided. Home.

Just to Kyle’s left was the source of the mystery scratching. Catra was sitting haphazardly in a chair, one leg dangling over the armrest while the other seemingly crumpled onto the ground. Every minute or two her tail would tap the floor. She hadn’t looked up yet from the paper notepad she was holding as she steadily scratched a pencil along it. From his angle Kyle couldn’t make out what she was doing.

“Whatcha drawing?” Kyle croaked.

“Drawing?”

“Oh, I thought you might be doodling something.”

“What am I, 12?”

“You used to love-”

“Reports, Ky. I’m filling out today’s mission report, which you missed the end of. Long story short, Rift Hollow is complying,” Catra gloated. She slowly pushed herself up and approached the side of Kyle’s bed.

“Nothing permanent. Doc patched you up good, even with Rogelio breathing down his neck the whole time.”

“He worries.”

“I know. I’ll go get him in a minute. He’ll be happy to hear that you’re up. Only reason why he wasn’t here is because I was getting worried he was going to pace a groove into the floor.”

Their conversation died down. They let an awkward silence pass over them for a moment before Catra patted Kyle on the shoulder.

“I’m taking you back out of the field.”

“What? No! I can do this, Catra!”

“Kyle, you let an old man wreck you on your first day! Look, I didn’t put any of the details into the report. This isn’t going to affect your permanent record.”

“Really, Catra, please, I’ll do better next time! I promise! I-”

Catra waved her hand in front of him. “This isn’t a debate. I even talked to Rogelio already. He agreed, you’ll be more safe here. We’ll find something else for you.”

“He’s my boyfriend, not my father! He doesn’t get to decide what I do and don’t do!” Kyle fumed. A fire was bubbling up inside of him and spilling over. This probably didn’t fit very well into the doctor’s ‘rest and recuperation’ plan.

“No, I get to decide,” Catra huffed, done with this conversation. “And I did. Kyle, on your first day you couldn’t even subdue a simple-”

“-Grandfather!”

Kyle hadn’t meant to blurt it out. Both of his hands immediately shot up to his mouth as his eyes bulged in his head. He could only muster looking up at Catra for a split second before lowering his gaze back down. She was silent, glaring at him intently. Her mouth was slightly agape.

He didn’t often win arguments with Catra. Kyle was pretty certain he hadn’t won this either. But maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t lost it either.

“What?” Catra floated out. It was softer and more inviting than anything Kyle had heard from her in months.

Kyle inhaled hard, sucking in as much air, and courage, as his lungs could hold. “I hacked into the digital records a few years back. I just… I just wanted to know where I came from. That’s when I found them. My family. Four generations, all farmers in Rift Hollow. I’ll be the first to not.”

Catra sat down on the side of Kyle’s bed. “What happened?”

“Don’t know. That part wasn’t in the file. Something... happened to my parents. And the rest of my family had to give me up to the Horde.

“I… I check in on them now and again. Just to make sure they’re okay. My family doesn’t even know I’m alive,” Kyle sniffed.

It lasted only for a brief second, but Kyle was sure he had seen it. A flicker on Catra’s face. The scrunching at the bridge of her nose. The soft frown. 

Compassion.

Just for that second, though, then Force General Catra was back. “You’re a Horde soldier. We’re your family now. The only one that matters at least.”

Catra patted Kyle on the shoulder again. “And that detail aside, I still have concerns about you out in the field,” Catra conceded. Kyle hung his head. Catra scratched the back of her neck. A friend, a loyal friend, was crushed. It was plainly written on his face. Catra didn’t want to leave him like this. She’s better than that.

Think Catra.

Think.

Ah-ha!

The germ of an idea bubbled into Catra’s mind. She looked over to Kyle and gently slapped him on the arm. “Forget fieldwork. You managed to hack into the Horde mainframe all by yourself?”

Kyle perked up. “Huh? Oh, yeah, why do you ask?”

 ---

  First came writing reports. Then came filing them into the computer. Catra knew it was probably faster to just write them on the computer in the first place, but she had an easier time collecting her thoughts through a pencil than she did on a keyboard.

It had been a full day, and these reports had taken her late into the evening. All that was left was Kyle’s. It was getting late, Catra could feel it in her body, which was calling for her bed. A cruel thing, really, seeing as how Catra knew that when she got there all she’d do is lie awake for hours, trying to pick out all the various hums and clanks of all the machines that kept the Fright Zone going.

Focus, or lack of focus actually, wasn’t helping either. Catra kept thinking about Kyle. Well, Kyle’s family.

Family.

Family…

Catra sighed. With a few clicks, she found herself in another program. A Horde directory. Only available to the highest ranking members. Something Catra only had available to her for four months now. She typed her name in and hit the little button with a magnifying glass. The results popped up, causing Catra to sigh yet again. Longer this time though. She allowed the sigh to deflate her as she slumped into her chair.

Oh, look, it’s your file. And hey, under “Known Relatives” it lists “None”. Just like the last three times you did this. You and None really need to hang out sometime and trade family recipes or something. I mean, you don’t have any, but maybe they will!

The Horde is your family. This is all you have.

[sayaratyriea]

really though, i’m feeling... a LOT of feelings about the she-ra finale. this is everything i’ve ever wanted?

i feel like a lot of representation, especially in other netflix shows, is going through the queer version of the “Strong Female Character” phase. kipo and season 2 of the hollow come to mind specifically... they have queer main characters! this is great! (neither one is white either, which is cool.) but there’s this Thing they both do to confirm it that leaves me feeling unsatisfied. like... there has to be A Scene. they want to say unambiguously, this character is gay, they want to say the word (and that’s great! good for them!), but they don’t want to bloat the cast with a love interest (or, the more cynical part of me says, make TWO gay male leads... looking at you, hollow, Let Adam And Reeve Be Gay). so in order to do that they squeeze in these really weird coming out scenes? and it’s never just the off handed mention, they both very specifically set it up by teasing romance with their main female character, and then pushing the gay guy into a corner where he has to awkwardly go “actually i’m gay” and there has to be a Moment(tm) and i don’t like those scenes that much. they feel ham-fisted and uncomfortable, like the characters are backed into a corner, it doesn’t feel like it’s happening on their terms. to me it’s the gay equivalent of that one female action hero who has to be like, “look at me i’m a GIRL and i’m TOUGH”.... or more accurately, those worlds in fiction where maybe we get nuanced ladies but their setting has to constantly remind us that it’s so SPECIAL because they’re WOMEN and LOOK HOW FEMALE THEY ARE while saving the day! the awkward “actually i’m gay” scenes have the same kind of vibe for me. and that’s an important phase of evolution for acceptance and representation, i think. it’s a breath of fresh air for a lot of people. but at the same time it feels like it’s... subtly still putting a line between these characters and “normal.”

but she-ra doesn’t do that. they just exist. nobody gives a shit and they just exist. it’s not “wait netossa and spinnerella are MARRIED??” they just go “aw look some cute background characters” and move on. it’s not “omg bow you have gay dads??” it’s “omg bow your dads don’t know you’re a rebel??” and nobody gives a shit that they’re gay. they introduce double trouble, a canonically non-binary character, and nobody gives a shit! there’s no “so you’re NOT a boy or a girl???” and no forcing DT to explain their entire gender, it’s just “double trouble is a problem, we hate them,” moving on. adora’s in love with catra. nobody gives a fuck that it’s queer, it’s just there.... it feels normal. the universe doesn’t question it, the universe doesn’t challenge it, they’re allowed to just be. and maybe that skips some of the requisite conversations back in reality (can’t 100% pin someone as NB without asking unless they’re wearing their pronouns on their body, and i’m sure moments like the awkward coming out scenes absolutely happen!) but in the realm of fiction it’s just... it feels so much better. she-ra is gay as fuck and nobody in-universe gives a shit. and it doesn’t feel so alienating, it doesn’t feel unexpected or shoehorned in, it doesn’t feel like it’s added for brownie points or tacked on after the fact. it doesn’t remind me that reality still won’t see me as normal... and that’s ultimately all i’ve ever wanted out of my queer fiction, and the ONLY other story i’ve consumed that did this was fucking homestuck. (and still not ENTIRELY, because like... it’s homestuck... and it actually went downhill with this in act 6. but nobody gave a shit that rose and kanaya were gay and that was nice.)

and there’s a place for The Coming Out Scene, always, but i personally find it so much more validating when things just... exist without having to be questioned.

[youngjusticeslut]

Weakness

Fandom: She Ra and the Princesses of Power Links: FF.net // AO3 Characters:  Catra, mentions of Adora and Shadow Weaver Ships: Mentions of past Catradora Summary: Catra deals with her lingering feelings as she recovers from the portal. Rating: K+ Word Count: 1,632 Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters.

I can help you.

The hallways of the Fright Zone, once looming, bleak and immaculate, now lay covered in debris. The younger cadets cleaned up the mess, supervised by various Force Captains. Cleaning was beneath them, it seemed. Their pride came at a cost; little fingers could only lift and carry so much rubble. It would be ages before the Fright Zone was restored to its former glory.  

Catra supposed she had herself to blame.

At the moment, however, she was beyond guilt. The left side of her face ached and was beginning to swell. Her right arm tingled from the loss in the portal realm. A ringing noise permeated her ears, heightening her overall discomfort.  

Above all, the worst consequence was the memories. If Catra allowed herself to linger, she could still feel the softness of Adora’s hand in her own. The fleeting admiration in her blue eyes when things had been perfect. So perfect. The good memories didn’t last as long as she wanted them to. The kindness in Adora’s eyes would eventually change to confusion, then unfiltered rage, narrowing at her in a way that meant there would be no going back. Adora would never forgive her.

I can offer you a way out.

Her bedroom was only a short walk from Hordak’s sanctum, but between the destruction, the whispers and glances of the cadets cleaning up, and the burning pit in her stomach, it felt like ages before Catra finally reached it. She was careful to close the door as soft as she could, refusing to betray a hint of her bubbling emotions. Never again. In that regard, Catra was willing to accept all the blame.  

A sharp pain enveloped her arm, white-hot and sudden. She growled, her fingernails buried in her shoulder in an attempt to contain it, but the past few hours had taught her that there was nothing to do but wait. Slowly, the sensation dulled from a burning flame to a content ember, warm and not nearly comforting. When it had finally subsided, Catra let go of her arm, ignoring the sharp sting in her eyes from the refusal to cry.

No more.

Long ago, she’d been mocked for her tears. Catra didn’t remember much of where she’d come from, or her life before the Fright Zone. But she remembered the tears. Upon arriving, all she did was cry. Force Captains had punished her. Other cadets had teased her, dubbing her ‘crybaby’ until she’d grown bold enough to attack them. Shadow Weaver had taken a specific displeasure in her tears, often subduing Catra in agonizing waves until she had bigger problems to worry about, like breathing.

Still, it seemed that she had never quite learned her lesson. A dumb decision, really. It would have been in her best interest to learn. To stop succumbing to her pitiful emotions and toughen herself up once and for all. Yet despite the punishments, the names, the general disdain others had for everything about her, Catra had allowed herself to remain vulnerable. In this vulnerability, she had Adora.

Adora’s love had kept her going. When there were tears, Adora would be there with a comforting word and fingers running through her hair. With her, she could laugh and let herself be cared for. Within reason, of course. The harder she fought, the more Adora cared. Every fight was met with a scolding, every cut and bruise patched up with small, nimble fingers. The longer Catra thought about it, the more she wanted to collapse on her bed and let the grief overwhelm her.

She purposefully turned from her bed, yanking off her face-protector and tossing it to the side. Adora was gone; she’d left her. Adora left her behind to become a princess, to frolic around and save the day with her new friends. Like Catra had never even existed in the first place. Maybe she shouldn’t have; the world would certainly be better off without her. No one really needed her around. Shadow Weaver had Adora. Adora had her little friends and her new princess squad. Not even Hordak truly needed her around.

Her teeth clenched together, and she stopped herself just mere seconds before slamming her fist against the wall. Catra could make herself useful. Forget Adora. Forget Shadow Weaver. Hordak would see what she could do, especially now that she’d sent Entrapta away. Scorpia still listened to her, as did the rest of her Crimson Waste crew. There was still hope, still a way she could make her place in this world.

“They’ll see,” she muttered to herself, pushing herself off the wall and making her way towards the mirror. The reflection that met her seemed someone new, a stranger. She held herself straight, no longer slouching. Her eyes, once wide and clamoring for approval now seemed hardened, more cautious. It was as if she’d aged years in a matter of hours; she respected it. Yet, something was off.

Catra’s fingers found themselves in her gray tufts, tugging the short strands with a frown. The sensation reminded her of the last time she’d done this. Shadow Weaver had pulled her in, only to use her. It hadn’t been the first time, but this time it left a mark on her. This time, it had been a personal attack. A weakness, left and exploited for Shadow Weaver’s personal gain. For her to get back to Adora.

Don’t make me destroy you too.

Within moments she flung herself towards her dresser, rummaging in the first drawer for her knife from the Crimson Waste. How could she have missed this? She’d been so focused on the portal, on Adora, that she hadn’t even thought to consider Shadow Weaver’s claim on her. The moment the knife was in her hand, she returned to the mirror, anger shaking her to the core. She could still hear the soothing words. The delicate touch, oh so tender and sweet. Everything she’d ever wanted to hear and feel finally coming true.

Catra grasped a handful of the gray locks and brought the knife to it, hacking it forcefully and ignoring the pain. She refused to allow herself any weakness, not anymore. Not if she was to make something of herself.

As she cut, she heard Adora’s laughter. Flashes of their childhood surrendered themselves to her memory. Nights together, laying side by side as Adora smoothed out the tangled knots in her hair. Fighting each other, Catra growing stronger but Adora always having the upper hand. Shadow Weaver’s pets and praises and promises, all to her favorite ward and leaving Catra untouched, unloved.

Breathing hard, Catra hacked each gray lock to bits, everything in her mind screaming for the memories to go away. She didn’t want them anymore. She didn’t want to feel this way anymore, and not ever again. If there was anything left of her heart, it would no longer cry for Adora. It would never long for an unattainable love again, not from her, and especially not from Shadow Weaver. Not when it brought nothing with it but heartache.

When she was finished, Catra set the knife down. Her chest puffed up and down, needing air, but she ignored it in favor of staring at her handiwork. What remained of the gray tufts was nothing short of a disaster, abysmally uneven and comical to look at. Still, it made her smile. They were gone. Later, she’d steal Scorpia’s clippers and neaten it up. For now, she remained content. Her face-protector would hide the damage, for now. If anyone felt bold enough to say anything, she’d put them on the next transport to Beast Island.

Catra ran her hands over her hair, smoothing down the wild tangles and taming it into place. Not a bad look, really. It was long-past time she finally got herself together. Everything once important to her was gone, lost forever in a series of events she could never change. With nothing more to lose, she was ready to change. After sliding on her protector again, she smirked to herself; for once, Adora had been right.

She’d made her choices. Now it was time to live with them.

[ghostmartyr]

Would you say Ymir is more catlike or wolfish in her mannerisms? I love when I hear ppl describe her grins/smirks as "wolfish/catlike". I mean I know they're just expressions an all but I just wanted to know which animal reminds you of her more, strange as that sounds. also, aside from the freckles, do you think Catra and Ymir bear similarities?? *apologizes for the weird animal asks*

I only got this one, did I miss others?

Hee. “Bear similarities.”

Wolf. The cat mannerisms of knocking things over when bored line up, as well as displaying affection through a willingness to stay in the same room and ignore you, and she and Catra definitely share the same teasing jerk approach to the people they love, but.

Lone wolves aren’t a thing. You’ve gotta have that pack. Territorial barking that really amounts to sad puppy eyes. Very large teeth. Will lick the face. Mate for life.

Ymir wants to be the sleek back alley cat who gives no fucks, but she is basically a golden retriever. The key is the wagging tail.

Really, a case can be made for either. Especially once you get into the larger species of cat. I think what makes me reach for the wolfish side is how actively social Ymir is, and her ease with her physical presence. She can fuck you up with one bite, and she’s confident in that.

Purely in the land of fiction, without getting into the personalities of individual animals, feline analogies go with a kind of sneaky, subtle grace. Maybe with a dash of troll, but if you need to pick the cat up, the main obstacle is getting a hand on the cat. Sure, it will scratch the heck out of you and a bad time will be had by all, but a solid grip wins you the engagement. It’s a brat because you allow it.

Whether that’s true or not, such is the impression.

(See Adora and Catra. Adora believes in her ability to contain Catra’s harm.)

With wolves, there’s an underlying respect that yes, yes this creature could rip you limb from limb.

Then you’ve got the person who spends the most time with the wolf assuring everyone that no, it would never do that. It’s really just a dumb puppy.

(See Historia attempting to explain Ymir to the 104th.)

Ymir’s got tons of cat qualities. ‘Wolf’ suggests that they’re backed by a little more danger than a few bloody scratches.

On her and Catra specifically, they share a demeanor. That’s it. They’re both damaged jerks, but Ymir’s damage leads to her being a jerk to help people. Ymir cares about her people more than she cares about herself. Fundamentally. Catra actually will put herself first.

That difference is probably most simply identified through their insecurity levels. Catra is at the point of being willing to set everything she ever possibly could care about on fire to deny Adora victory. It does nothing for her, but she’s past wanting a real victory. Her victory is defined through other people losing.

Ymir can’t talk to the girl she loves like a person, but she knows where she stands, and no one’s pushing her off that hill. She does not like that she’s willing to die for people who are not her. When push comes to shove, she’ll still roll with it.

Behaviorally, they’ve got a lot in common, but Ymir is emotionally healthy, and that allows for some major core differences.

Thank you muchly for the ask! Animals rock.

[thatone-highlighter]

Some stuff for Shera season 3 before I die from season 4 and exams

Ignore the bad formatting I copy and pasted from notes and when I tried to fix it I deleted a chunk

She-ra season 3

Thoughts

Adora's backstory

It gives a reason for her specifically to be able to wield the sword other that her being ‘the chosen one’ but doesn’t explain how it works entirely like does the sword work for ANY first one or just one specific first one if it’s the second one how convenient that it just happened to be Adora . How was the first portal formed Mara did the thing to stop portals 1000s of years ago how did hordak open one to get Adora through those 20odd years ago and how did the world not fall apart then

I called it I connected the field in the trailer to the field shown in adoras flashback thing and I was right they are the same one I only got what the purple thing is wrong

Shadow weaver

I don’t think she’s been redeemed I think it’s more of a mutual agreement that they won’t kill each other for now the whole the enemy of my enemy is my friend thing fits right I think she could teach glimmer magic and some spells as well to assist them in the inevitable fight with the rest of the horde and being a princess and the daughter of such a powerful caster she could do some very powerful spells shadow weaver could also assist madam razz in teaching Adora about what she really is and how to control her powers because light Hope sucks

Light hope and Mara

Light hope was probably the reason Mara ‘snapped’ I don’t think she really did snap it’s just either how she interpreted it because she turned on her in the flash back showing ‘snapped’ Mara she-ra she has the red lines in her like when adoras shera gets infected with entraptas ‘murder virus’ so I don’t think that she really snapped light hope just doesn’t want adora to cut her off again or she honestly just doesn’t understand what Maras motives where we’ve seen that she doesn’t know much like the fact the babies don’t remember stuff was unknown to her so maybe light hope saw Mara destroying everything and disconnecting them from everyone else and taking them to despandos and saw that Mara must have snapped and not that she wa trying to protect everyone like Mara said she wouldn’t be remembered as a hero and she knew it and she still did it in the flash back if Mara ‘snapping’ she is shown to be whiter than the colour she is in the ‘perfect’ universe I think this is from one of 3 causes 1the crew hadn’t finalised her design by that point 2 she ras glow made her seem brighter 3 the tint of yellow-white on the screen made her look whiter . This is because you can still tell that her skin is darker than adoras shera what exactly did Mara do to get rid of the portal capabilities does it only apply to a portal made with the sword of protection for if it does why bother if she was supposed to be the last shera if not how did hordak Create the portal that brought Adora through

The ‘perfect’ reality

St first I was excited because I thought we were getting an episode of what would have happened had Adora never left the horde and I thought it would be fun.I was wrong. It was really interesting to watch it play out even if it still almost makes me cry after watching it 4-5 times everything seemed a little off even with the normal interactions like when Lonnie is thanking adora the way she talks just seems.. off like even then somthing was wrong catra was happy without the years of abuse and neglect she is happy and it’s great the first thing adora instinctively remembers is how shadow weaver treats catra and gasps when shadow weaver gets close and has a giant smile when she doesn’t do anything and is just fine how come adora sees madame razz in certain spots and not others and why does the informations guy behave like there is a screen there when he’s first saying the information and is it two different occasions where they’re there or just it skipped adora getting the sheets what was entraptas line of ‘I’m not really here’ about did she die is she saying the reality isn’t real if so why wasn’t it ‘we’re not really here’ that would make more sense for her to refer to all of them not specifically herself WHY didn’t bow rip his shirt open and why can’t glimmer teleport as much did she learn to get better through sneaking around I also liked the emphasis placed in her shoes when they don’t have toes and how they show the toe caps being back once they are back at bright moon in normal reality will angella return I think she might come back through the portal when horde prime comes back and is Mara also trapped in the inside of the portal from the last time she stopped it why easy the horde just immediately gone why was it there in the first place if it was so fast to disappear was micha still there even when the horde was still present why did it pick the decision to go with the rebellion as the decision to change when catra finally decided to admit that everything was wrong she was attacking adora with the intent to kill those where killing blows how exactly did catra perfectly position where she was in relation to the environment to go after adora like that when it kept changing when catra was attacking it kept going to places where she won where as when adora refused to let catra convince her it was all her fault it goes to the world falling apart while adora is falling she just sadly accepts that she failed and sits there to fall until she diaspears angella made a very nice and heart breaking spaech to adora then sacrifices herself for everyone in a way which is NOT fair for ANY of our emotions just why did they have to do that now my littke baby glimmer has no parents

The crimson waste/huntara

Adora has SUCH a crush on huntara and is so adorable and it’s also really gay which makes it even better huntara actually starting to like Adora too is so cute even if she gets teased for it. Glimmer just being happy to follow Adora and support her is also cute especially seeing how protective she was in the previous episode. Now that I think about it was the line ‘no we’re supporting her’ directed towards the going to the crimson waste to look for the centre and the Mara thing or was it towards Adora and huntaras interactions I’m not sure now

Catra

When season 4 come I hope catra faces the consequences of her actions like maybe scorpia might actually lose hope in her once she finds out she might get sent to beast island once hordak finds out she lied(side note entrapta better not be freaking dead for real this time) and if she does I hope Lonnie replaces her Lonnie deserves better she’s by far the best candidate for force captain that we’ve seen she cares for her friends can support them when they need it can actually do her job has speaking lines and she would make for an amazing antagonist for a season or 2 . Back to scorpia I hope she does alright after finding out what catra did and remembering what she did to entrapta who has only ever been good to her and how quickly catra turned back on scorpia

Glimmer+shadow weaver (ft. bow+adora)

With queen Angella effectively dead glimmer might go looking for another person to fill in that role in her life and she might turn to shadow weaver for that support. If glimmer tries to do this I think one of two things will happen with adora 1 adora will be completely against this and try her best to convince glimmer not to look to shadow weaver for advice or as a motherly figure and when glimmer inevitably goes to shadow weaver anyways it will weaken their relationship and/or adoras trust in glimmer until shadow weaver betrays/ starts to show her true intentions and once glimmer finds/ figures it out she will go and ask for adoras help and will ask her how they can fix things (both in terms of their relationship and about whatever the consequences of what shadow weaver did are) or 2adora will see that glimmer -the person who like a week ago would have taken any chance she could to punch her out- is giving shadow weaver all of this trust and is looking to shadow weaver for advice and adora might start to think that shadow weaver really had changed and start to lower her guard letting shadow weaver minipulate her again and eventually shadow weaver will betray the both of them and they will both be left there feeling completely abandoned

I’m not sure what bows place in either of these Scenarios would be but I feel like hell would probably be used as like a 3rd party thing (being the only one of the trio that hasn’t been directly influenced by shadow weaver) and try to convince his friends that they should stay away from shadow weaver or he might see them being happy or something and leave them thinking the possible negatives of whatever shadow weaver could possibly do seem to be outweighed by the positives in his friend lives

In terms of the first possibility of glimmer/Adora bow might side with Adora and try to convince glimmer that this is not a healthy way of projecting her emotions and to not use shadow weaver for a motherly figure and remind her of all the things that Adora does/did as a result of how shadow weaver raised her(e.g. Adora sleeping with a knife, not being able to relax etc)

Also how is glimmer going to handle her new responsibilities as queen of bright moon (also why was angella queen but every where else had a king then a princess) and maybe all of etheria like is brightmoon the ‘capital’ so to speak cuz everyone seems to give all this respect to the queen and there was the base of the original princess alliance plus that seems to be the main efforts that the horde put into taking also its protected by the whispering woods and EVERYONE was shook that it got frozen and fell apart leaving brightmoon vulnerable. How is little baby glimmer gunna Handle all of that especially after what just happened you know not just with her mum effectively dying also with the new stuff with Mara knowing adoras a first one and this shadow weaver stuff (basically just her existing)all this stuff happens and nobody got any time to proseess they are all going to need therapy not just catra

Swift wind and sea hawk

Sea hawk first Well if you think about it there was no chance for him to show up. Shadow weaver shows up then they go to the crimson waste where why would sea hawk be there and then adora gets captured so they go to the fright zone then we’re in the ‘perfect reality’ so unless he was like chilling in either bright moon or the fright zone he wouldn’t have been anywhere near them (in the perfect reality the war never happened and the alience never fell apart so glimmer never needed a captain to get to mermistas kingdom so they never met him there)

Then we’ve got swift wind. Swift wind being in any of the situations wouldn’t have really added anything to the plot maybe he could have shown up when they were thrown in the pit by huntara and co but that’s really the only time it would have made much sense. He COULD have shown up when they where breaking into the fright zone and helped with that but other than those two options I’ve got nothing having him anywheee else wouldn’t really make any sense he really would have just gotten in the way so it was a good call to just leave him out and focus on the other characters plus in the ‘perfect’ reality adora isn’t she-ra so swift wind is still a regular horse and therefore technically isn’t really a proper character for those two episodes

So over all neither of them really could have appeared this season maybe they will next time (most likely with swiftwind if we’re getting anything to do with light hope too) but I don’t really mind either way I like sea hawks interactions with glimmer and how she gets happy when she cheers him up a bit by being his crew but I don’t really care at all with swift wind tho he might help with somthing light hope related seeing as he was involved last time

The princess alliance pt1+2

So we’ve got the new princess alliance feturing spinnarella nettossa glimmer adora frosta mermista perfuma bow and sea hawk (part time entrapta) who all work together and do stuff like glimmer losing her powers being gay spreading the gay and more

Then you’ve got the original princess alliance that consisted of KING micha queen angella merimistas dad and I don’t think we’ve herd anything about the rest of them but it’s assumed that some of the other parents where a part I think frostas dad or somthing might have been but based on the time gaps we’ve been given frosta wouldn’t have even been born by the time the alliance fell apart because it fell apart once micha died and he died given that flashback in ‘remember’ when she was let’s say 3-4 and if we guess that she’s about 17 or so now then that means it has been apart for about 14-15 years and frosta has just cannonacly turned 12 so even if you be very generous with how old glimmer is in that flash back and say maybe even 5-6 then that still leaves you with a very very small chance that at the highest end of that frosta might have maybe been just born then taking into account the fact that she took the throne at 8 I assume because of a few deaths she would not have gotten much of a chance to learn much about the old alliance unless they where like very important stories passed down like tales of war

Their ages

So I think they are in like a few groups so here we go! We know frostas 12 so that’s easy and we also know that entraptas late 20s early 30s so we’ll say about 30 for her . 17-19 or so I think for glimmer bow adora mermista catra lonnie Kyle Rogelio then I think alitttle older at maybe 20-22 for Perfuma sea hawk then going from ther I think angella is about the same age as micha and if you do some math with him being about 12 in the light spinner episode and glimmer being about 17 then he is at youngest in his early to mid 30s so I’d say that’s the age for them. Hordak is like 100s of years old so I won’t go into that madme razz is ancient there is no way to work that out but if she was there for Mara she’s over 1000 years old at least

Now for shadow weaver when she says ‘take pity on an old woman’ to catra she really is serious assuming that she has that average life span of a human, ok let’s go so in the light spinner episode she is a full grown adult and presumably has been for a while so we can guess she’s mid to late 20s let’s use 27 for numbers sake then she’d have to be at the horde for a while to teach the level of 2nd in command so that’s a few years then she gets adora when she’s a baby and we know adoras about 17 so if we go from that she is at the very least almost 50 which if that is the case and she does have the average lifespan of a real human good job shadow weaver for reaching that age and still being able to do all the things you do