Magic of Etheria

Chapter 11 | Catra

'Okay, I'm ready.' She looked around for a moment, before pointing to the pillows, 'Can we lay down?'

I nodded, 'Yeah, of course.' I took the elastic out of my hair, letting it drop down and cover my shoulders.

Catra seemed to smile at me before moving up the bed and lying on her back, her head against the pillow. I moved back up the bed, before lying next to her in the same position. We were both looking at the ceiling, taking a moment. Then I felt movement next to me, and I started to turn my head but was stopped by Catra's hand on my cheek. 'No, please. Don't look at me. Not yet.' I nodded and looked back at the ceiling.

I think she was lying on her side, staring at my face. I felt her hand on my cheek, touching it gently. She then held onto my hand, before pulling it towards her and holding it tightly between both of hers.

Catra took a deep, shuddering breath before squeezing my hand once more.

Then she began.

'You were always my number one priority, Adora. Our friendship was the most important thing to me in the whole world. What I didn't realise, is that it wasn't the same for you.

'It hurt. When you left. When I realised you weren't coming back. I had been so excited to find you in Thaymor, I remember throwing myself on you and feeling so relieved you were okay.

'But then you started telling me to stop, to call off the attack. I panicked, I zapped you, I didn't know what to do. That was the first time I saw She-Ra. As soon I saw her turn into you my heart... it felt like a part of me died. I ran. I ran away. It hurt to run from you, but I felt so betrayed.

'Everything we had ever whispered to each other in the night, hiding from Shadow Weaver. All those promises and plans we made under the blankets, on the rooftops... it all felt like a lie. Like you had lied to me the whole time and then just abandoned me like I was nothing. Worthless. Pointless. A distraction.

'I scratched the drawing of your face off the bunk. I ripped up your mattress while crying my eyes out because you were gone. Without you I didn't know what to do. Everything I ever wanted was to rule the Fright Zone with you and you just left me. Alone.

'Hordak made me Force Captain. I didn't fully understand why, but it gave me a purpose again. For the first time I felt like maybe I didn't need you. I could do it on my own. But I still dressed up nice for you, at the Prom, did you notice? That was for you. I almost kissed you like three times that night. You looked so beautiful. But the plan went ahead.

'We took Sparkles and Arrow Boy. I took your sword. I felt a victory for the first time in a long time. But what Shadow Weaver was doing to Glimmer... what she would have done to you... I had to get you out of there. I gave you your sword and you asked me why. It's because I loved you, dummy. I didn't want you to get captured again, I didn't want Shadow Weaver to hurt you. Anything but that.

'After we found Entrapta... I felt like she would turn the tide of the war. She had so much potential for making weapons, and she didn't seem to mind when I used them against you. It was her that told me where to look for First Ones tech, and I found you there. I followed you, into that temple. It was hard, being in there with you. It showed us memories of us as kids. I felt so confused. I loved you. But you were my enemy. I said horrible things to you that I didn't mean and left you there. It hurt so much but I convinced myself it was right.

'Then Hordak gave us permission to use the Black Garnet. Shadow Weaver didn't like it and attacked us. I beat her. I think she knew that once Hordak gave us the runestone she would no longer be needed. We used it to attack you. Froze the woods. Marched on Bright Moon. It felt so good to get so close. That was where you were. It was where you lived. I wanted to destroy it. If I destroyed it maybe you would return to me.