Codependency

Part 8 // I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

"I'm sorry. I would really like to let you sleep longer, Adora, but we must speak!"
Adora was startled out of her dreamless doze at the gentle tone.
"Catra?" Adora stared at the cell wall, which was still closed.
The princess was speaking to her.
"It's just me, Perfuma. Catra has not returned, do not fret!"
Adora heaved a groan that echoed throughout the prison.
The woman peering into Adora's cell shifted in the sitting position she was holding.
"Adora... Please tell me what's going on with you." The princess implored. "I take it... that the Horde, or Catra, did something to your memories. That much is obvious."
Adora shifted her glare to the princess.
"I won't fall for rebellion manipulation tactics. Save it for your execution, Princess."
Perfuma gazed sadly at her, and Adora saw deep fondness in her gestures.
"Adora, you must try to remember. Do you remember Glimmer, Bow?"
Adora was about to snap at her again, when something came to her realization.
I can garner information from this princess. I don't have to fall for her tricks... I just have to learn what I want to know.
Adora reluctantly crawled over to sit in front of the princess. She fixed the woman with a cold stare. Perfuma looked as if she could tell Adora was suspicious with her, but she seemed more than willing to talk to her.
"I don't know you. How do you know me?" Adora demanded.
Perfuma clasped her hands together with a sad smile.
"You are the legendary She-ra..." she began, but Adora cut her off.
"Explain it to me without She-ra." Catra doesn't want me to know about She-ra.
Perfuma seemed like she might protest, but then probably thought that she might not get another chance to talk to Adora if she didn't comply.
"You... saved my kingdom. Plumeria, the land of nature." Perfuma spoke with reverent gratefulness.
"I helped rebels." Adora croaked. No wonder Catra hates me so much.
"You helped the world." Perfuma said sweetly. "You are brave and selfless, and... oh Adora, we've missed you!"
Adora looked through narrowed eyes at the weepy girl.
Is this how Princesses act?
Adora could almost garner some sympathy, but she refused.
It's an act. Well, I can pretend too, Princess.
"So I helped the world." Adora murmured. "Tell me about Bow and Sparkles."
Perfuma let out a soft breath.
"Do you mean... Princess Glimmer? Ahaha, that's quite a Catra thing to say..." the princess looked faintly nervous, like she didn't want to believe Adora had spoken like that.
"Right..." Perfuma continued. "Princess Glimmer and Bow are our friends. You three are... inseparable." Pleasant memories were clearly playing over behind Perfuma's eyes. "You, Bow and Glimmer came to save my kingdom, and countless other cities. You liberated so many innocent civilians from the Horde's grasp."

Adora listened in stoic silence to the princess' story of Adora's supposed disgraceful treachery to the Horde. The times she and Catra had been at one another's throats, names that sparked flashes of memory, false proclaims of Adora's heroism. It made her sick. Her wounds started to ache again...
Perfuma's story trailed into a gasp as she let her gaze roam over Adora's bandages.
"I have been meaning to ask about your injuries, Adora." Perfuma said, her voice thick with concern.
Adora yanked the loose bandage from her arm. It showed off a nasty, but scabbing-over gash down her shoulder and past her elbow.
"Catra gave me these." Adora said with fervent delight.
Perfuma's eyes were wide with horror.
"This is horrible! I... I must help you. Please, let me try to help. I realize that Catra was using my powers for medicine, but I did not know it was for you. I would have given her the best herbs."
Adora was going to refuse her and tell her off, but she was struck with a thought.
Can I reach her at all? If I can get a hold of this Princess...
Adora let herself visibly relax.
"How do you think you can help me? These walls are see-through, but they're pretty solid."
Perfuma's eyes lit up, and her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I have discovered in my time here that I can send a dead plant through the cell's sensors. If I can manage to push through the tip of a wilted leaf-wrap to you, you can get into the herbs inside of it!"
Adora allowed herself a small smile.
"If you think you can, I would appreciate the help." Adora lied.
Perfuma unclamped her hands and held them a few inches from the screen in front of Adora.
"Just pull the vine through to your side whenever you can grab hold of it." She instructed, as Adora watched a green sprout snake out of Perfuma's wrist and slither down her hand, reaching past her fingers. The end of the vine bloomed into a large leaf, which then wilted and softened. Perfuma let her free hand conjure several flowers and roots, which seemed to grind themselves to paste in the air before settling in the leaf-wrap. Adora watched the magic at work with feigned excitement.
"Here..." Perfuma cooed, as the leaf buzzed against the screen. Perfuma's brow tensed in concentration and her vine thickened. The living part of Perfuma's plant was looking strong enough to do what Adora wanted. Adora watched the wilted leaf push slowly through the screen, and when Adora could safely grab it firmly, she did. And then she yanked hard.
The tension in the vine was instant, Perfuma's hand was slammed against the burning screen. The princess howled in pain and grabbed her wrist, pulling with failing strength. Adora didn't let up, grunting with effort while she watched the princess' hand singe and burn. Purple electricity crackled down the girl's body and her throws of shock filled Adora with satisfaction. Perfuma appeared to concentrate again for a split moment, before the vine wilted completely and snapped away, throwing Perfuma and Adora back in their cells.
Adora dropped the vine with a growl and rushed over to the screen to see her damage. Perfuma lay on her side, holding her trembling fist.
Before Adora could do or say anything else, she heard the thrumming of running footsteps approaching.

Catra?
Two Horde soldiers, presumably the guards from the entrance gateway, came thundering towards the cells. Kyle and a soldier unknown to Adora scrambled to a halt in front of them and stared with wide, confused expressions. Adora grabbed up the vine from the floor and held it towards Kyle.
"Look at this," she said, her voice rasping, "I can still hurt princesses. Tell Catra. Please."
Kyle stared from Adora, to Perfuma, to his companion.
"We... we sh-should probably tell Hordak that his prison has a flaw." Kyle stammered.
Adora threw the vine towards Kyle and it went splat against the sizzling screen.
"I said tell Catra. Get her over here, show her what I did!"
Kyle looked at Adora for a hesitant moment, before shaking his head.
"She'll find out soon enough. We have to tell Hordak n-now." He stuttered.
Adora glared at him, but a spark of hope lit her belly. Her momentary pride was dampened by a whimper of pain from the next cell over. Adora turned to look at the princess, who was now sitting on her knees and shakily growing a plant to soothe her burn. There was a brief second where Adora felt bad... but she pushed the feeling down.
Catra will have to notice me now. Hordak won't let her pawn me off to the prison if I'm trouble.