Out of the Frying Pan

Princess Prom

Adora finds focusing on preparing for 'prom' a welcome task but no one else seems interested. Glimmer won't stop fussing over Bow going with someone else. It makes it hard to pay attention to her planning board.

"Catra," Glimmer is saying, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Why don't people like me?"

"Of course people like you," Adora says. "You're really nice."

"Please, Catra," Glimmer begs. "You're mean! You'll tell me the truth!"

"How would I know!"

Glimmer whines, "Well, why don't you like me?" Adora winces.

"You ask annoying questions!"

"Okay, okay, what else?"

"Look it's not - I don't care you're asking questions. All I think about you is what your mom's going to do to me if anything goes wrong! Look, I don't know why people like people, okay? Everybody but Adora's always hated me."

"I don't hate you," Glimmer says.

Catra laughs. "Oh so this honesty thing is one-way, huh?"

"I don't hate you!" Glimmer insists. "Okay, I don't, I don't really like you. I barely know you! And you're awful to Adora a lot."

"She's really not awful - " Adora tries.

Glimmer ignores her yet again and continues, "But you're risking your life fighting the Horde. You're not a princess. It's not your responsibility. You don't have special powers. And you think everyone hates you. But you're there every time, for Adora, and for everybody, even when you're scared."

"I'm not scared!"

"You're scared of everything that isn't food or Adora," Glimmer retorts. "And I saw that time you jumped when you turned and saw a banana."

"I was surprised, not scared," Catra says sourly. "And you're scared of dead mice! That's way stupider because they're dead!"

Adora bangs her head on her planning board. "Please let's prepare for the party."

"You dropped a weasel on me!"

"Well I didn't mean to, obviously! I wouldn't waste a mouse on you!"

"Pleeeeeeeeease," Adora begs.

And maybe if they'd listened to her and helped her prepare, she wouldn't have been surprised to see a kid greeting them from the throne and wouldn't have then blurted out how surprised she was and then eleven-and-three-quarters Frosta wouldn't hate her already.

"You're really off your game," Catra mutters as they walk away. "Normally people love you."

"It's fine," Adora says, like her heart isn't pounding hard enough to crack her ribs. "There's time to win her over. And there's lots of other princesses here too."

"...yeah," Catra says, eyeing the crowd. "Never really realized there's this many."

And it's Glimmer who actually knows them, but Glimmer doesn't want to help run introductions because she's still fretting over Bow, who isn't even here yet, but Adora can handle - since when are force captains invited?

She sprints back to the throne. "Revered hostess, she's from the Horde!"

The force captain tries to wave. "Hi, Catra, Adora."

"What are you and Shadow Weaver planning?" Adora demands. "I won't let you get away with this!"

"I - I just -" the force captain stammers. "I figured you guys...you'd be here, and..."