Codependency

Part 4 // Who are you talking to?

Pacing the halls, limping less and less every day, was a very bored Adora. There wasn't much to do in the cozy little room Catra had, and Adora only had her attention in little snatches between Catra going off to check on outposts and taking part in battles.
When Catra was back it was usually to change Adora's bandages or sleep. When Catra changed her bandages, she instructed Adora to look away.

"Is it that bad?" Adora would ask, and get a shrug in response.
If she asked to see the damage Catra would just bare her teeth and go back to her task, before grouchily curling up on the bed for a nap.
Now, a week later, Adora spent her time walking about, making sure she didn't weaken too much in her time of recovery. If she was to regain the respect of her superiors and her title, she couldn't just nope around in bed all day, waiting for her wounds to scar over.
In a deep train of thought, Adora hadn't realized that her walk had lead her right up to the Cadet Sleeping Quarters. She paused a few feet from the entrance, unsure if she should go closer. Catra had been pretty nasty about her talking to others. But she was so bored...
"Adora?"

A head had poked out from the doorway of the Cadet Quarters and was staring at Adora.
"It's really you..." Lonnie breathed, before ducking her head back into the room.
Adora stood dumbfounded as shuffling and clattering came from the room and three heads poked out from the door this time. One pale, bony face, Lonnie again, and a green reptilian head all appeared and gaped at Adora as though she'd just pulled an entire Princess from her nose.
"Uh... Hey." Adora said, throwing out her former caution about Catra's orders. These were her friends, too.

"Adora!" Lonnie gasped. "I knew they said you were back, but Catra, and then-"
"But then she wouldn't let us see you for ourselves- Ow!" Kyle interrupted, and got a sharp prod in the ribs with Lonnie's elbow.
Rogelio made a gesture with his arms and gurgle-clicked an odd throat noise greeting to Adora.
"And now you're here..." Lonnie concluded, but her eyes were narrowed.

All three of them seemed to be waiting for something. Their body language was so tense, and they all somehow looked so much older than when she'd seen them just a couple weeks before. Matured, hardened, like real soldiers. Wow, the Horde works fast on us, don't they? Adora smiled as she felt a surge of pride rush over her.

"It's... so good to see you guys." Adora croaked, opening her arms and stepping towards them with the intention of a hug, but Rogelio and Lonnie shuffled back a pace. Kyle seemed to hesitate, before rushing forward and hugging Adora back.

"Oof-" Adora wheezed, her injuries still making her feel shaky. "What's wrong, you two?" she asked Rogelio and Lonnie, who looked a little less worried now.

They both bundled forward together and joined into a group hug with Adora, who reveled in the warmth and affection of other people. It felt great, after the week of coldness and being ignored by Catra. There's no way she can just keep me from talking to my best friends.

Adora, Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio spent the next few hours on one of the bunkbeds, talking and reminiscing about their young trainee days. Adora found it strange they spoke of everything as though it had been lifetimes ago. She and most of the others were only just turned 18, and their first battle had been not even a month ago.

"Sorry about losing Thaymor." Adora blurted suddenly, having an sudden odd, prickling feeling that she needed to find out why everyone was acting so different. Maybe it had something to do with the battle. "I tried to keep everyone in line, I tried! But Catra wouldn't listen..."

Again with the wide-eyed stares. Adora thought those three looked like their eyes could pop out any moment. It was a while before Lonnie finally replied.

"Thaymor? Don't you know? We've had Thaymor for months."

Adora hadn't registered that for a very, very long time. She sat quietly, slowly squinting her eyes. She felt her facial muscles tense as her head spun a hundred miles an hour.
"We... Do?" She finally managed.

"Yeah..." Kyle looked concernedly at her. "It was right after you left, Hordak sent a march on Thaymor while Brightmoon was distracted in how to deal with you."

"Wow, those princesses must have done a terrible job of updating you on the war if you didn't even know that." Lonnie joked, but there was a note of caution creeping into her voice.

"Princesses?" Adora echoed, feeling her stomach drop. "How long- how long was I asleep for?" She said, standing up and banging her head against the top bunk. "Agh!"

"Adora!" Kyle gasped.

"Asleep? You were brought in unconscious not even two weeks ago." Lonnie's voice came through the swarm of pain that Adora was dealing with, and not just from her head. Confusion was warring with her injuries and together, they were making it impossible for Adora to think straight. Hands clutching her head, whispers of images were trying to sneak up at the edges of Adora's memory, but nothing came through. There were things she knew, but she couldn't explain how. The Princess of Dryl was here, in the Fright Zone. The Queen of Brightmoon had a daughter, who could teleport. There were ruins that belonged to "first ones", and a living hologram resided in these old beacons.
"What's going on?" Why do I know things, but I don't know anything? Adora stumbled blindly, wanting to make her way out to the hall.

She felt strong claws grip her shoulders.
"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?" Roared Catra, shaking Adora violently.

Adora let out a shriek of terror and kept her eyes shut tight. "Catra, what's going on!?" She choked out, her voice wavering as Catra pushed and shoved her away from the Cadet Quarters. She heard Rogelio's worried growling and Lonnie's surprised voice echoing down the halls. "Catra, what haven't you told us?" Kyle demanded, but Catra gave no reply. She was still growing when she threw Adora into her room and waved the door to shut.

"What did I tell you," Catra hissed in a low voice, "about talking them?" She displayed her claws and hunched her shoulders as though tended to spring at Adora.

"Catra, you have to tell me what's going on! They said I had been gone for... I don't know, too long. Where have I been? Why do I-" Adora was cut off as ridged claws smashed into the side of her head. Adora screamed and reached instinctively to cover her head, but Catra grabbed both her wrists and backed Adora up until she eventually stumbled and fell back onto the floor, Catra following more gracefully. Adora stared up at Catra as a warm sensation trickled down her head and past her ear. Catra had drawn blood and was now pinning Adora savagely to the ground.

Adora expected to see more unreasonable hostility when she looked Catra in the face, but to her surprise and horror, Catra was grinning with all her teeth. She was enjoying this. She had wanted Adora to break one of her insane rules.

"What did I tell you, Adora?"