(A/N: Check out chapter 5 and chapter 23 for a couple of new illustrations by @apples_dashie and @the.r.account!
Apologies for the delay in this chapter, but my brain was stuck on my 'dive into me' AU that I started in my Tales from Bright Moon book.
With all that out the way, enjoy!)
'So, how do we prove that it's been Iceric this whole time?' I asked, throwing the question out there. We were all thinking it, at least I think we were. I hope we were. Seeing the expressions on Bow and Glimmer's faces through the tracker pad shift to more thoughtful ones, as opposed to the downright suspicious ones they had before, kind of hinted they were thinking about something else beforehand.
But what?
'We could just capture him. Torture him into telling us everything?' Catra suggested from her position in my lap. I batted her tail away from my face.
'Catra! We can't do that... it wouldn't be, um...' I forgot what I was going to say as Catra leant her head back against my shoulder, looking up at me with wide, adoring eyes. I couldn't hold myself back from planting a soft kiss against her forehead and gently squeezing my arms around her waist.
Glimmer's eyes narrowed and Bow beamed a wide smile. I could tell I was going to be interrogated about this later, but for now neither of them commented.
'Why don't we just show up and see what happens? The entire Princess Alliance is going to be there, whatever happens we'll be fine!' Bow provided, bouncing a little as if to emphasise his boundless optimism.
Glimmer sighed and rest her head on his shoulder as I buried a hand in Catra's hair, scratching behind her ear. Catra then let her eyes drift closed and she leaned into the touch, purring softly.
'It really says something that "wing it" is our best plan so far.' Glimmer mused, content to just close her eyes and melt into Bow.
'In my defence, "wing it" was not what I said.'
'It was implied, Bow.'
'Yeaahh, you're right.' He chuckled, knowing better than to stoke the flames of an apparently tired Glimmer.
Catra shifted in my lap, bringing up her legs and tucking her head under my chin. I chuckled when I heard her growl; apparently removing my hand for a second to let her get settled was not allowed. Her purr continued when I replaced my hand and resumed providing her with her coveted ear scritches.
'Bow and I will be arriving tomorrow in time for the Prom, so you two make sure to stay out of trouble until then. Okay?' Glimmer warned, trying to sound authoritative but failing as she steadily succumbed to her sudden bout of tiredness. Bow just smiled fondly at his girlfriend, reaching up to take off her crown when it started running up her forehead at an odd angle.
'Okay, Glim. I'm not sure much can go wrong overnight, and we've managed to keep quiet in Lanche and Ava's house for a whole day without any problems.' I said, keeping my voice down. I could feel Catra's breathing getting deeper by the second, which meant any moment now she'd be dropping off. It was either the excitement from the last few days catching up with her, or she was ridiculously comfortable and my hand in her hair was helping to lull her to sleep.
'Yes, but it's you two. And from the look of Catra I'm not convinced you'll make it through tonight–' Glimmer interrupted herself with a yawn, '–keeping quiet.'
'I make no promises... Sparkles.' Catra grumbled quietly from her position over my chest.
'Ugh, you two are so gross.' Glimmer dismissed us with a lazy wave of her hand and then, finally, flopped down into Bow's lap.
'What Glimmer means to say,' Bow started, fondly shaking his head, 'is that we can't wait to see you tomorrow for the first actual Princess Prom since the war ended! Even if, you know, Frosta's advisor may be planning on completely ruining it.'
'Ha. Well, as long as he doesn't use heat-bombs and crash the ceiling onto us, I'm sure we'll be fine.' I smiled as the ear under my hand twitched, the faintest sign that Catra was actually somewhat paying attention.
She made an amused noise in response, which just merged with her ongoing content and blissful purring. 'Hmm... Don't tempt me...'
After that, the conversation entered a peaceful lull, Bow and I just contentedly stroking through our girlfriend's hair while they... fell asleep? Bow and I shared a bemused glance before stifling a laugh.
'Did both Glim and Catra just–'
'Fall asleep? Yeah, looks like it. I think Catra's just... happy, maybe. Comfortable. The last couple days have been really great. I think she's been able to relax a bit despite us literally hiding out here.'
'That's good, it really is great to see you two getting along again.' Bow said, looking at us through the tracker pad with a soft smile and wide heart-eyes.
'What about you? Why has Bright Moon's queen just collapsed?' I asked, quirking a brow.
Bow furrowed his brow and grimaced apologetically. 'Uhh... I don't think she wants me saying too much. But she's kinda been rushing around while you've been gone and she finally finished up what she was doing today.'
Interesting. 'Well if you're not allowed to tell me I won't pry. You're just lucky Catra's asleep because she would not let it go until you tell her.'
'I... have to agree with that statement. She was doing this thing before where I swear her eyes doubled in size. It was so cute! I just can't say no to that adorable widdle face.'
'Oh, yeah, that was one of her favourite tricks when we were younger. Always worked a treat on Kyle. She'd get him to swap ration bars with her if he got one of the grey ones and she got a brown. The grey ones were always better.'
'I can't even begin to imagine what they tasted like. But, remembering your face when you ate real food for the first time? They can't be good.'
'Yeah they were... not great. They had all the stuff in them you needed to be fit and strong, but... yeah. Not amazing. Hey! Maybe we can see if there's any left in the Fright Zone for you to try, and maybe Catra and I could show you around where we grew up. That could be a fun Best Friend Squad trip, right?'
'That... sounds great, Adora. Although, part of me is reluctant to see exactly what kinds of conditions you grew up in, and I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff there that you've not thought about in a long time. But, in case you do see something that triggers a... weird memory, I guess we'll be there to support you. Both of you.'
'Yeah, thanks Bow. I want to. I want to go back with Catra but... I don't know if just me and her going alone would be a good idea. So, I guess... I'm glad you'd be okay to go along with us.'
'Of course, Adora. That's what best friends do.'
'Thanks, Bow.'
'As much as I would love staying up late to talk, I should probably go,' Bow said, reaching over a sleeping Glimmer to pick up the tracking pad. His face filled the screen not a moment later. 'If I don't make Glimmer change into her pyjamas, she'll kill me in the morning. Just-woken-up Glimmer is much scarier than super-tired Glimmer.'
Adora giggled quietly, very aware of the sleeping feline slumping further into her lap. 'Okay Bow, see you tomorrow.'
'You will. Goodnight, Adora.'
'Goodnight.'
▬▬▬▬▬▬
The morning of the Prom was a flurry of activity from the moment we woke up to a loud banging on the door of the bedroom Catra and I were sharing in Lanche and Ava's house.
'If you two aren't up and dressed in five minutes I'm breaking this door down! We're going to be late!'
Luckily, I'd pinged Glimmer our location the day before so she could easily find us. Not so luckily – we'd slept in.
Catra growled. Like a proper growl, a scary one, against the pulse point at my neck. She was draped over me, completely naked against my equally naked self.
Yes, okay, maybe I had given in when Catra started protesting halfway through us getting changed the night before. In her defence, I had just nudged her awake from the very peaceful sleep she'd slipped into. In my defence... well, naked Catra. Cuddles. Soft, warm fur...
Who was I to refuse the woman I planned to propose to?
Oh.
That's today.
I'm proposing today.
With that thought in mind, getting up and ready became much more exciting than it seemed it would be just a moment beforehand.
As soon as we were ready and Glimmer's foot looked like it was about to impatiently tap a hole through the floor, we thanked the "avalanche" siblings for their help, thanked their parents for putting up with us for a whole day, and then made to leave. But not before Ava managed to coax Catra into one of the most adorable hugs I've ever witnessed.
I was just a little bit jealous.
Of a child.
But then I took another moment to see how gentle Catra was when leaning back from the hug, looking at Ava with such kind eyes the likes of which I've hardly ever seen her show another person, and my heart panged with a new kind of longing.
A new longing, yes. But a scary one. One that's definitely too soon. One that can wait.
One thing at a time, Adora.
Propose first, then get married, then...
... Then we'll see.
I squeezed the golden wing in my hand, the meaning behind it lying heavy in my heart, and joined hands with Glimmer.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
'Ta-Da!'
'What's this?'
'Your dress! What do you think? Frosta wanted this Prom to be ice-themed, very original, so everyone's wearing cold colours. Whites and blues and such.'
'Is Catra—'
'Yes, you're matching with Catra. Don't worry, we picked her out a killer suit. Part of me is more excited to see her than you...'
'Hey! That's my girlfriend you're picturing, you know.'
'How exactly am I supposed to know? You two have been at the opposite end of every room you're in together for weeks! Then you go on a trip where you're supposed to be tracking down the leader of a dangerous group, but Catra just loads that job onto Double Trouble! And then, what, you elope!?'
'Woah, okay. One: we did not elope. Two—'
'Okay! Whatever. Look, I'm happy for you, I am. But seeing you fight was not fun.'
'Yeah, sorry about that. You were right; we really did just need to talk to each other.'
'See? I'm always right.'
'Well...'
'Shut it! Now, put that dress on before your girlfriend storms in here when you're not wearing it. Speaking of, I'm going to go check on Bow and Catra. I want to see the look on her face when she sees you.' Glimmer paused at the door, looking back at me with a glint in her eye that made me swallow nervously. 'And I want to see your face when you see her.'
Once the door closed behind her, I looked down at the folded bundle of light blue that Glimmer had left me with.
The dress looked phenomenal when I held it out in front of me. It had just the right amount of areas for skin to show through, in all the places that I knew Catra would love to see. The back was almost completely bare, with the front leading down from the neck. My shoulders and collarbones would also be on display, and I briefly imagined Catra's hands making the most of the exposure.
Wasting no more time, I set to work undressing myself and changing into the dress. It took me a moment to work out exactly how it fit over my head, but I was able to work it out eventually through some annoyingly testing trial and error. Eventually, I managed it, then set to work trying to tie the back of the neck together. Briefly, I wondered how I would be able to defend myself if Iceric had some kind of attack planned, but that was a problem for future Adora. The Adora standing in front of the mirror in the small guest room within Frosta's castle just wanted to impress her girlfriend and (hopefully) future fiancée.
Hopefully? Catra wouldn't say no, right? Not after all this? I practically told her I would propose a couple days ago after we escaped from that ice cell and rescued the missing people. She didn't seem opposed to it then. But people can change their minds... No, Adora, focus! Just ask, then take it from there.
The sound of the door opening behind me brought me back to the present, where I was still struggling to do up my dress. 'Glimmer, thank the stars, I need help with my—'
'Hey, Adora.'
My brain immediately ceased to function.
'How's it hangin'?'
Catra. Just talking. All she's doing is talking, but why does it sound so good? Her voice is lower than usual, sultrier, with an intent and desire behind it that I'm very familiar with.
'Need a hand?'
Please put your hands on me.
'Please.'
Catra hummed to herself and walked up directly behind me. I saw the briefest flash of blue in the reflection of the mirror as she moved but she was hidden from view before I could get a good enough look.
Next, her hands appeared at my hips, slowly working their way upwards, over the dip of my waist, past my ribs, across the bare expanse of my back, dipping between my shoulder blades then finally coming to a rest at my shoulders, her fingertips only just brushing my collarbones. My skin turned to gooseflesh under her touch and a shiver ran down my spine. I heard a soft chuckle, followed by a firm kiss to the exposed skin at the back of my neck where I had still, so far, failed to tie the dress up.
'Sparkles got you all dressed up for me, didn't she?'
I nodded, incapable of speech.
'You look amazing. Let me do up your dress, and then maybe I'll let you turn around.'
'Okay.' I whispered, nodding to my own reflection in the mirror.
Catra's hands then left my shoulders and released the offending fabric from my grip, but I kept my hands there to continue holding up my hair. It was half up – Glimmer had insisted that she do something else, anything else with it, so I relented and allowed her to tie some of it back so that it stays out of my eyes in case I need to move or fight in the near future.
'There.' Catra whispered, dropping her hands from my neck to trace along the scars on my back, the ones from before I knew how to heal with She-Ra's magic. 'Your scars are showing, don't you mind?'
'No.' I said. Because it's true. 'They're a part of me. Just as much as you are.'
'You're such a sap.'
'I mean it, Catra.'
'I know, dummy.'
'Can I see you?'
I could almost feel the smirk boring a hole in my back, but the feeling of Catra's claws lightly pressing against my skin left trails of fire in their wake. 'You want to see me?'
'I do.'
'Why?'
'"Why"?'
'Yeah, why, princess?'
'Because... because I want to see how handsome you are, and I'm going crazy trying to imagine it.'
The light pressure of her claws against my back vanished and I heard Catra step back from me by a few paces. 'Alright, dummy. You can look.'
I took a moment to prepare myself, breathing a deep breath in and out, before turning around as slowly as I could physically manage despite my excitement.
And then, regardless of how grounded I thought I was, how well I was hoping to take seeing Catra in a suit again, I was blown away speechless anyway.
She was blushing, a hand rubbing the back of her neck nervously. But she had no reason to be nervous, no reason to be shy. Cool, confident Catra, wearing a suit that looks this good on her, was nervous?
Her hair was up. That was new. It was only a small ponytail, but it was enough to keep her hair off her shoulders.
As my gaze dropped to her shoulders, I was finally able to take in the whole spectacle. Catra looked amazing, stunning, and so, so handsome. Her suit was a dark blue, comprised of trousers that she's (so far) managed to resist clawing holes into, as well as a very nice waistcoat. The sleeves of her white shirt were rolled up to her elbows, showing off her forearms, and the top two buttons on the front undone just enough to hint at the sharpness of her collarbones. Altogether, it's like this suit on Catra was made just to short-circuit my brain. Her waist, her hips, her arms, her neck... I wanted to touch every part of her, hold her close and...
That's when I realised Catra was staring at me too. I watched as her pupils darted all over me and the dress, taking me in with so much focus. 'Adora... you look—'
A sudden pink flash accompanied by a shout of 'You guys better be decent!' suddenly filled the small room as Glimmer teleported her and Bow inside. They both looked between us, at our outfits, at our flushed faces, then at each other. They had a silent conversation for a second, nodded, then looked back at us with the most knowing smirks I've ever seen.
Catra narrowed her eyes immediately. 'What's that look for, what did you do?'
'Yeah, guys, I know you said you picked out our clothes but... I almost died when I saw Catra.'
'Adora and I almost died, Sparkles. What's the big idea!?'
'You're both so adorably dramatic.' Bow observed, wrapping an arm around Glimmer's shoulders.
'Well, just in case you were still being stubborn and not talking to each other, we came up with a little back-up plan...' Glimmer started.
"We"? Who's "we"?
'And this little back-up plan of yours, Sparkles, was to have Adora and I accidentally seduce each other, is that it?' Catra shot back. But I flushed even redder at the thought that I've just seduced Catra by turning around in a dress and barely saying anything. Truth be told, Catra had me as soon as she said "Hey, Adora" when she walked in, but that suit on her was doing dangerous things to the heat between my legs.
'Uhh... well, yeah, pretty much. But – looking at Adora's bright red face, and considering that your tail hasn't stopped going crazy, I think the plan would have worked just fine.' Glimmer's confident smirk didn't waver once, even if Bow's face was steadily turning from confidently smirking to excitable beaming.
'Whatever.' Catra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
'Just admit it, Horde Scum, your girl's hot as fu–'
'Can it, Sparkles!'
With Catra glaring at Glimmer and Bow moving to mediate between the two of them as they entered some kind of argument of "I was just trying to help, why are you so mad!" and "I didn't need your help!" back to "But you both look great, shut up and enjoy it!", I slipped away to attach the golden wing to my dress where it will stay until I pass it on to its new owner. If she accepts it. Which she will.
She will, right?
▬▬▬▬▬▬
The ballroom was exactly as I remembered it. Enormously tall ceilings, extravagant decor, tons of food, and loads of people dressed extravagantly in winter-themed Ball clothes. I could only wonder which of these people were princesses and which were their plus ones; everyone was just dressed so nice. The band played some kind of funky music while we waited for the host to officially announce the Prom's commencement.
I was stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Catra, when Bow appeared next to me. He smiled sheepishly and fiddled with the snowflake buttons on his light blue dinner jacket.
'Alright, Bow, what's happening? You're making me nervous.'
'Oh! What? I mean, nothing's happening. Not yet anyway.' I narrowed my eyes. And people tell me I'm a bad liar? 'Yes, okay. Nothing's happening yet. My Dads have decided to move to Bright Moon.'
'Oh! Bow that's great!'
'Yeah... I haven't told Glimmer yet, but I wanted to run this by you before I just blurted it out of nowhere. Do you think I should ask her to appoint them roles within the castle? Like Royal Archivists, or Royal Researchers, or something?'
'I don't know, Bow. Have you talked to them about it?'
'Well... Not really. But the issue of funding has come up a few times. I don't know if I'm overstepping but having a Royal contract would open up so many more opportunities for them. I know they love doing research, into pretty much everything, but they've had to cut back on other projects due to funding difficulties since the war escalated. Not to mention our home in the woods was kind of trashed. The ceiling caved in at some point.'
'Oh no.'
'Yeah, so it would cost too much to fix. Which is why they're moving and—'
'Bow!' I interrupted, stopping him from spiralling any further. 'I think it's a great idea. Your dads are both great guys who love what they do. Having them closer to Bright Moon would mean I could help them more with translations too. Speak to Glimmer, then sit down with her, Micah, and your dads and talk it all through together.'
'Yeah, okay. Thanks, Adora.'
'No problem. I have no idea where that came from. Maybe I'm picking up some of what Catra's putting down—'
'You're proposing today, aren't you?'
I froze. 'What?'
'You're focused, but probably more focused than I've ever seen you.'
'Oh, right.'
'Good luck, Adora. I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious too. But if anyone notices anything, it'll be Catra. Nothing gets past her. I'm going to go find Glimmer before they announce the first dance.'
'Thanks, Bow. And enjoy yourself.'
'You too Adora.'
I watched him disappear into the crowd and continued scanning it for any sign of Catra in her amazing suit. It was a sea of whites and blues. A few pink accents here and there. But by-and-large everyone had met the themed clothing request head-on and smashed it. I could make out a few familiar faces in the crowd. Spinnerella and Netossa were already dancing despite being the only ones doing so, Mermista was grabbing a drink while an attentive Sea Hawk kept offering up each item of the buffet one at a time, and Entrapta was here sitting on the shoulders of... Tall, pale, magenta hair... Wrong Hordak? Typically, Entrapta was the only person not dressed up, her overalls stained as usual. But Wrong Hordak was quite the picture in his three-piece suit and snowflake tutu combo. They both looked like they were having a great time, for very different reasons, and no-one seemed at all phased by a pink-haired suit-wearing tutu-sporting clone allowing Entrapta to ride on his shoulders around the ballroom.
Then all but one of the lights dimmed, lighting up the staircase to the throne where Frosta now stood. She looked out across her guests and raised a hand for silence.
'Hey nerds! I don't want to hear a single one of you call me "Revered Hostess" tonight or I might actually gag.' A few laughs sounded from the gathered guests. A cough. 'Ahem! Anyway, welcome everybody! Princesses and plus ones alike, to the All-Princess Ball Winter Wonderland 2.0! This time we go by my rules because we're in my house. Not the rules of some centuries year-old tradition that none of us were even around to remember the founding of. Dance however you like, eat whatever you want, do and say whatever you want. But nothing too dangerous! The guards are here for everyone's safety, and that includes protecting you from yourselves if anyone fancies taking a nose-dive off the balcony. And with that, I officially announce the first dance of the Ball!'
Catra suddenly appeared next to me from nowhere, scaring the life out of me and beaming like a love-struck... well me, because I was beaming too. 'Hey dummy, what have you been up to? I was just chatting with Scorpia.' Before I had chance to reply Catra grabbed me by the hand and quickly pulled me towards the main floor where other couples were pairing up. 'Dance with me! This is our song!'
'Our song!?'
'Yeah, the one we danced to last time?'
'Oh, is it? I was, uhm... a little too distracted last time to really pay attention.'
Catra grinned and stopped us in the middle of the floor, effectively surrounding us with other couples. 'Oh really?' She asked, an eyebrow raised, cocky smirk engaged.
Engaged.
I shook my head to stop myself spacing out and spoke before Catra could question it. 'Yeah, I had to make sure you weren't up to something and, you know, that suit.'
The smirk grew wider, as if defying the laws of smirks, baring a fang for my own personal torture. 'That suit, huh? You liked it?'
'Catra, I literally forgot how to speak when I saw you.' I confessed as we began to step around the dance floor, hands and eyes never leaving the other.
'I'd have loved to have seen your face.'
'You saw my face earlier when I saw this suit, although this one's definitely a contender for top spot.'
'Top spot? Considering I've only worn two suits it's not much of a competition.'
'Oh, I don't know, seems to me like it could get pretty... heated.'
'Is that a heat bombs joke or are you suggesting something, princess?'
'Hmm. Maybe you'll find out.'
'Maybe I will.'
'Also, I would never joke about bombs. I know how much they mean to you.'
'Jokes or bombs?'
'Yes.'
'Ha!'
'Plus, I'm not about to joke about bombs just in case, you know, there actually are some. I'm not you.'
Catra grinned and I saw that mischievous glint in her eye. 'Whatever do you mean, Adora? I would never joke about bombs before setting some off.'
'"Having a blast"? Really?' It was true that I had eventually got the joke, but Catra didn't need to know that it only occurred to me three weeks after the fact.
'Hey! I actually was having a blast. I had your eyes on me for the whole thing. I mean, sure, it was part of the plan, but it was also... nice for... you know, other reasons.'
'Uh-huh. Is that why you dipped me?'
'Is that why you raised your thigh between my legs?'
'That's part of the move!'
'Poor defence, Adora. You'll have to try better than that.'
'No, it is! I did my research. I bet you liked it a whole lot more than you let on, didn't you?'
'What! No! Why would you—'
'Why would I what?'
'Hey, Adora, this is unrelated but when did you start leading our dance?'
'I don't know what you mean.'
'I think you d-AHH!'
And just like that I was looking down into Catra's beautiful mis-matched eyes, and Catra was staring back up at me. I watched closely as her pupils began dilating, an inky blackness spreading across those wonderful pools of sapphire and amber. I could only imagine my eyes were doing the same as I watched Catra's tongue poke out to lick her lips and leave them parted.
An open invitation.
One I would never refuse.
And, of course, the kiss was perfect.
Catra's lips met mine readily, her arms wrapping around my neck both to hold herself up and keep us close. The rest of the room ceased to exist except for Catra. Catra. Catra. All I could think and feel was her, the ways she felt against me as I squeezed my arms around her, gently guiding her back to a standing position. The way she kept making the smallest of sounds. The way I greedily swallowed them all. The press of her lips against mine after every time we parted just for a moment. The way she—
'Guys, seriously, just get a room already!' Mermista's voice cut through the illusion and suddenly I remembered it wasn't just me and Catra in the room.
I opened my eyes and laughed nervously, blushing as my eyes scanned the crowd of friends and guests that seemed to have formed around us.
Right. I'm She-Ra.
Of course people are going to be watching.
'Yay!' Perfuma's happy and high-pitched voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, quickly followed by her rapid clapping. 'I'm so pleased for you two making up with one another. Love really is so beautiful.' If anyone else noticed her looking wistfully at Scorpia when she said that last part, they didn't comment.
'I don't know... Looked more like making out to me.' Netossa teased from the other side of the crowd, earning a few laughs and whistles. Someone clapped, and then more people started clapping, and then for some reason we were receiving applause.
Embarrassed, I sought out Catra's face to see how she was taking it and... She... Was just... Staring at me. I found myself blushing redder under her gaze than the applause as her eyes, wide and full of love, took in every part of my face as if committing it to memory.
'Catra?'
'You're beautiful, Adora. I love you.'
Against all odds I felt my blush spread even further as I smiled a dopey love-struck grin at my girlfriend.
'I love you too, Catra.'
'All our friends are clapping for us.'
'They are.'
'They must like you or something.'
'They like you too.'
'Whatever.'
Truthfully, I almost did it then and there. I was seconds away from reaching for the pin where it was attached to my dress. Will you marry me? was on the tip of my tongue and I felt so, so ready to ask it. Surrounded by our friends giving us their full support, Catra's eyes just so full of love to the point where I could see it; and it was all for me.
But I'd forgotten about the one thing that could ruin the party.
Catra didn't miss it. Despite everyone clapping and cheering, her ears still perked up, registering the sound that didn't belong.
A chirrup.
A warning.
Melog.
They had been a last-minute addition to the plan. The plan that was still, effectively, wing it. Apparently, when Glimmer was getting ready to teleport the small gathering of people from Bright Moon to Frosta's Castle, Melog had decided to invite themselves along. No one noticed at first, of course, because they were invisible. Or they were, until Glimmer teleported Catra and I into the castle from the lower level of the kingdom and Melog effectively tackled Catra to the ground.
Now, Catra was receiving a warning from an invisible Melog, hiding somewhere in the room, that Iceric had arrived. We weren't sure when he would show up, or even if he would show up, but the way Catra's ears twitched and her eyes went wide and focused told me all I needed to know.
'Hey! Let me go!'
The sounds of Frosta resisting soon followed, and Catra whizzed around in my arms to face the throne. Everyone stopped clapping and did the same, looking up the stairs toward where two of Frosta's own guards were holding her aloft by the arms, her legs swinging wildly as she tried to kick at her captors.
One figure stood before her, facing the crowd with a face of stern indifference. His long grey hair was tied back in a low ponytail. Old, stony eyes looked out across the gathering of princesses from under those thick dark eyebrows. He chuffed to himself when all attention was on their little show at the top of the stairs near the throne.
'I'm going to sneak away, see how many other guards are around.' Catra whispered, turning quickly to peck me on the cheek before disappearing into the crowd.
My gaze followed her until another voice filled the ballroom and commanded everyone's attention.
'Greetings, esteemed guests of Princess Frosta's Winter Wonderland All-Princess Ball!' Iceric boomed from the top of the stairs. The band had stopped playing its music at some point, but I hadn't noticed when. 'By the will of the people, Princess Frosta is to be removed from her station as ruler of the Kingdom of Snows, effective immediately. Her reign has been looked upon with disdain for many years. She is too young to rule, she made impulse decisions, was too eager to please and worst of all, involved our once peaceful and neutral kingdom in a war we wanted no part of. During her time away from her post, I took charge as Steward, and led this kingdom as if it were my own. The people wish for my rule to continue, and as Steward I must carry out the will of the people. Any objections?'
'Is this the will of the people!? Or just your will?' Glimmer shouted from the ballroom floor. Iceric didn't so much as flinch.
'Very well,' he began again, ignoring Glimmer entirely, 'then if there are no objections—'
'Ahem!' Someone cleared their throat loud enough to interrupt Iceric. I looked around for the source and noticed Catra, who had slipped on her First Ones' tech during the confusion, lowering a gloved and glowing fist from in front of her mouth. I couldn't help but marvel at the confident yet utterly perplexed expression adorning her features. 'I don't even know where to start. You know... We had an entire, practically fool proof plan for how to out you as the leader of the Stewards, and yet you stand in front of the entire Princess Alliance and do it yourself. Are you, by any chance, an idiot?'
Iceric glared at her something fierce. He was not happy that Catra had just interrupted him to call him out and brand him an idiot. The obvious bluff about us having a plan almost made me laugh out loud, but I managed to control myself enough to watch this play out.
'Who, exactly, do you think you are?' Iceric spat the words like venom out into the ballroom, face contorting in anger.
'My name is Catra. Royal Advisor to Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon. You had me imprisoned alongside Adora two days ago and we escaped, freeing others who dared to speak out against you, and others you were using as leverage. Some of them were children.'
'Catra? As in Force Captain Catra?' Iceric asked, effectively ignoring everything else she just said. He knew exactly who she was, he invited her here, but he was choosing instead to weave a dialogue of his own. 'You spent the better part of the last two years personally leading the Horde's ground forces. Do you even know of the destruction and death you've caused? You are a blight on this planet, and we would benefit being rid of your existence! You are dangerous, not to be trusted, and if the Princess Alliance had any kind of sense you would be put to death for your crimes!'
I could barely believe what I was hearing and opened my mouth to voice my protest but stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Glimmer. She was smiling and gestured to look around us.
At first, I looked at Catra. Her eyes were closed, like she'd been expecting this kind of verbal attack as soon as she said her name.
But then I looked around at everybody else. Not one of the others in attendance was looking at Catra with anything even close to hatred, and those that were looking looked at her like they could not believe what they were hearing.
'Catra is a good person, and a good friend!' Scorpia announced, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. Iceric scoffed, but before he could say anything—
'Catra singlehandedly began the rebuilding of Salineas!' Mermista added with a fire in her eyes.
'Catra almost gave her life to defend Erelandia!' Spinnerella yelled with Netossa hanging off her arm, both wives glaring daggers up at Iceric.
'Catra helped me learn more about my family and make more friends to help with my research and experiments!' Entrapta contributed from atop Wrong Hordak's shoulders.
'Catra was among those who patrolled Thaymor when there was threat of danger!' One of the other princesses in the crowd yelled.
'And Elberon!' Another added.
'As well as Plumeria!' Perfuma's voice rose up. 'Catra has been working on herself and making up for everything she did, and she's earnt our trust and friendship along the way.'
I looked around at all my friends as they defended Catra, the woman they fought against for three years, like a friend they've known all their lives. I could feel myself welling up with emotion at this show of support, but the first tear didn't fall until I looked at Catra herself.
She was looking at me. Smiling. Tears of her own falling down her cheeks. I couldn't even imagine how this moment felt for her, for all the people she used to fight against stick up for her like family. I watched as she swallowed and took a deep, shuddering breath before walking over to me and resting our foreheads together.
'Catra—'
'Don't speak. You don't need to defend me. Just– let me handle this. Okay? And... Thank you, Adora. For this. For all of this. For, I don't know, giving me somewhere to belong. A people to belong to. It's... it's different, and I'm never going to take it for granted.'
I nodded and reached up to cradle her face in my hands, wiping away the tears lining her face.
'I love you.' I whispered.
Catra chuckled. Such a soft, quiet sound. 'I said not to speak, dummy.' She planted a quick kiss against my nose. 'But I love you too.'
I hadn't realised it, too absorbed by having Catra in front of me, but Frosta had managed to break free of her captors up there with Iceric and had formed a slope out of the staircase that she slid down to get away from them. Both the guards stood, frozen, encased in their own separate blocks of ice. Iceric simply watched the event unfold, unfazed, and allowed Frosta to join up with the rest of us down below.
Catra turned away from me, her fingers brushing mine fleetingly, and walked to join Frosta at the front of our gathering. All eyes were on Iceric.
'Very well.' He said simply before holding out a hand ahead of him. A ball of black and purple energy formed in his palm, but before it grew too large he slapped his hand down on the ice of the floor below him.
At first, nothing happened.
'Wait,' Glimmer started, 'was that—'
She was cut off by what followed.
The ice around Iceric's feet grew dark, and that darkness spread quickly throughout the rest of the ballroom. Everything formed by ice and magic turned dark, glowing with the unmistakable aura of dark magic.
'He's got dark magic.' I observed out loud, summoning She-Ra's sword almost by instinct. Everything in me was screaming that this was bad news, that we should either run and escape or stand and fight. But that decision was made for me when Catra stepped forwards, her tech shining bright.
Catra lifted an arm, sending a magical purple whirlwind careening towards him at the top of the slope.
He barely reacted, simply flicking his wrist to erect a wall of ice, corrupted by dark magic, between himself and Catra's wind magic. It hadn't been anywhere close to what she was fully capable of, but she'd been able to make him show his hand. If I could see her face, I'd bet she'd be smirking.
'Behold:' Iceric announced, 'the culmination of dark magic and ice magic. Black Ice!' He pushed against the wall of black ice in front of him, sending it flying down the slope towards Catra.
Everyone else moved out of the way automatically, but Catra simply summoned a large energy shield and crouched behind it, allowing it to absorb the potential energy that would have transferred had the wall of black ice hit her straight on. The shield kept the wall from impacting Catra, but the icy floor meant that she slid back regardless, pushed by the force behind the wall. She tried digging her claws in, but it didn't slow the wall's progression. She growled with frustration and exertion, then pushed off from the wall, aimed the shield down, and released the pulse. The force of it propelled her up and over the wall and she landed in the middle of the ballroom, rolling once before springing back up onto her feet. The wall of ice stopped behind her almost immediately.
'Impressive.' Iceric remarked blandly.
'Catra!' I heard myself shout. I stepped forward, joining her in the centre of the room and aiming my sword up toward Iceric. 'You're going to regret that!'
'I sincerely doubt it.'
'Wildcat!' Scorpia shouted, stepping forward, her claws crackling with red electricity. 'Don't worry buddy, we're all here to back you up. No one attacks one of the Super Pal Trio and gets away with it!'
'Ooooo, an altercation! Please give me just a moment to set up my instruments!' Entrapta declared, tapping on Wrong Hordak's head excitedly, mussing up his once slicked-back hair.
'Don't worry Catra, we're all on your side.' Perfuma said, drawing on her power to create vines along the ground to give us all some purchase against the black ice on the ground.
'Every one of us!' Glimmer appeared next to me, her fists shining with orbs of sparkly magic.
'Say my name!' Netossa shouted, forming two small net balls in her hands ready to toss.
'Not sure about the new catchphrase, darling.' Spinnerella said, winking at her wife before summoning magical winds around her arms.
'I'm here too, don't make a big thing about it.' Mermista droned from behind me.
'But, Mermista, my guiding star, my muse; such an occasion calls for... a BATTLE SHANTY OF—'
'NO!' Mermista yelled, shutting down Sea Hawk before he could break out into song.
'Ha-ha!' Bow yelled, pulling a new foldable bow out from under his jacket. 'I smuggled in my new bow in case this happened!'
'Ooooo,' Entrapta leant down from Wrong Hordak's shoulders to get a closer look. 'Where have you hidden the arrows?'
'Oh! Uh...' Bow shifted nervously while patting down his jacket, rapidly searching for arrows.
'Don't worry, wonder boy, I'm out too. I can't form any ice without it getting corrupted by Iceric's dark magic influence.' Frosta sulked, grabbing onto the corner of Bow's suit jacket.
Bow looked to me as if asking what he should do. I looked around quickly, scanning over everyone else still in the ballroom. 'Bow, Frosta; make sure everyone in here who isn't a magical princess is safe. Get them out of harm's way.'
They nodded, looking suddenly determined. Bow tucked his bow back into his jacket and began leading the other Ball guests up the staircase opposite Iceric, all of them being careful not to touch the wall he had flung toward Catra. Entrapta, Wrong Hordak and Sea Hawk also went with them, helping to direct the sudden small evacuation.
'Are you all quite finished?' Iceric deadpanned from up near Frosta's throne.
I looked back at him, joined hands with Catra, and smirked up at him. 'You're outnumbered, all of us together can easily overpower you. Just make this easy and surrender now.'
'I think not! It's over for you, Princesses!' He spat. 'I have the high ground!'
'Don't you think you're underestimating us, just a little?' I asked, smiling when I felt Catra's hand squeeze mine. 'For the honour of Grayskull!'
The glow of my tranformation soon subsided, and then She-Ra took my place standing among all my friends, still holding on tight to Catra's hand.
'Don't try it!' Iceric yelled, readying his hands as they began to glow with a deathly purple light.
I lifted my sword, letting my magic flow into it. The gem in the hilt began glowing a bright blue, and the sword shone with a golden light. That light then flowed down my arm, and I felt the aura surround me as She-Ra's magic became concentrated, more focused, ready to be unleashed. Around me, all the other princesses readied their magics too, glowing their respective colours and taking their stances. Catra let go of my hand, readying both of her fists as four different glows began surrounding her. Water and wind magic encircled one fist, with plant and electricity magic circling the other. She was calling upon each of the magics she's been able to practice with since finding her power, baring them all at once and controlling them, ready to unleash it alongside the rest of us at our combined foe. I swelled with pride as I looked around me at my friends, all ready to fight this dark mage who, all things considered, none of us had expected to last even a second.
Because none of us expected what happened next.
Before I could give the signal to attack, Iceric pushed down with his hands. Almost immediately, the floor beneath our feet melted, and we sunk into it quickly. Iceric then lifted his hands again, and the floor froze over once more.
There were shouts and yells of surprise from all around me, but one shout stood out more than the others.
Catra.
'Ahh!!' She immediately dropped her magic, instead clawing at the ice around her mostly bare feet. 'Cold!' She yelled through gritted teeth, fighting back the pain of her feet being suddenly soaked and frozen.
'Catra!' I tried to move toward her, to help her out the ice, but my own feet were equally frozen in place. Thanks to my boots, the cold wasn't effecting me as much and the same was true for the rest of our friends. I tried to break free, but She-Ra's brute strength wasn't enough to break the blackened ice.
I only noticed too late that we had hesitated too long.
Iceric, however, did not hesitate. He formed his hands into fists and began punching them forwards, one after another, throwing block after block of black ice towards us.
Luckily, Netossa had kept her eyes on him. 'Incoming!'
Perfuma responded quickly, throwing up a shield of vines to cover herself and Scorpia.
Netossa flung out two nets, securing another two blocks of ice.
Glimmer teleported out of the ice, grabbed one of the ice blocks out of the air, and teleported herself into position to fling it back toward Iceric. He stopped it mid-air before it made contact, but it was a good enough distraction for Glimmer to teleport back and get Catra out.
I watched as Catra immediately began rubbing at her feet, getting some warmth back, and wasted no time in yelling 'NOW!'
All the princesses who were still able to attack unleashed their magic at once, with mine soon joining them. Our magic combined in the air, forming a rainbow beam of glowing magical energy directed straight for Iceric where he stood looking down at all of us.
Before it made contact, Iceric lifted his arms in a defensive stance, and a wall of black ice formed ahead of him. The magical beam struck straight into the wall, but it didn't so much as crack. Instead, it was almost as if the dark magic inside the wall of ice was absorbing, or nullifying, our combined magics.
'Keep going!' I shouted, pouring more magic into the blast. Catra was soon on her feet again, adding her own combined magic to the cocktail as it barrelled into the immovable wall.
'Dark magic is a mysterious power!' Iceric called from behind the wall. 'No one fully understands all of its secrets. Some use it to leach power from others! Some use it to form power from themselves. But I... I have managed to unlock a way of corrupting your princess magic into dark magic. Testing for years on parts of the castle and on the Fractal Flake itself! None of your magic can break my barrier, because as soon as it makes contact it becomes dark magic and has no effect! Give up now! For the Age of Princesses has come to its grand conclu—'
Something cut Iceric off.
The darkness surrounding us, all the dark magic within the castle itself, seemed to ebb away until it vanished completely. We all dropped our arms, cancelling the magical beam, watching as the ballroom returned to its previous state. Frosta appeared before us almost instantly, sliding down an ice slide of her own making, and releasing us from the floor before reforming it under our feet. At the top of the stairs, near the throne, the wall of black ice that had been protecting Iceric crumbled to reveal the Steward on his knees.
Then he fell forwards, crumpling onto the ground and sliding down the slope left by Frosta's escape until he eased to a stop in front of us.
'Arrest this man!' Frosta yelled, and two guards immediately complied. It was suddenly very clear who their true ruler was and if they wanted to keep their jobs... Frosta could certainly keep them in line, and she was more than capable of handling herself.
But while that was going on, I couldn't help but notice the figure that still loomed by the throne.
It was a guard, holding a stun baton.
They pulled back their hood.
A toothy grin. Long green ears, flowing blonde hair, reptilian eyes.
'Really? You're all so dramatic. Not that I don't love that, don't get me wrong, but this farce of a coup was starting to drag, don't you agree?'
Double Trouble.
I started laughing. Catra joined in. Then suddenly everyone else was laughing too. After all that, DT had just wandered up behind him and zapped the wannabe ruler while he was successfully defending himself. The absurdity of us winning using such a method was not lost on any of us, but none of us cared to comment on it. Instead, all I could think was...
Now that's a spy.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
After Iceric was arrested and Frosta used the Fractal Flake to repair what damage the ballroom had sustained, the All-Princess Ball continued as normal. Despite Iceric's... interruption and interference, all the guests were happy to return – even if they were mostly interested in trying to talk to the Princess Alliance about what had happened. We tried to find DT after the fact, but no matter where we looked, we couldn't find them. They'd vanished into thin air.
The guards in attendance admitted to following Iceric's orders, but only because he had threatened them and their families. Frosta said she would deal with matters much more closely once the Ball was over and root out any who had been fully indoctrinated under Iceric's madness.
We're pretty sure it was madness anyway, because a search of his private study with Melog sniffing around revealed that he had some kind of shrine to a First Ones crystal, glowing bright green and whispering in the same way it had been when I smashed the one lodged in Ol'Pointy's claw. Thankfully, no-one touched this one, and Entrapta took careful measures to ensure that it was securely packaged for their trip back to Dryl. She planned to perform experiments on the crystal, to see how they were able to influence the minds of others. So far, her hypothesis is that they do it by touch, a more direct method, and the vocal projection, a more subtle method which likely caused Iceric's madness.
Once everyone was settled, and the party was back in full swing, I leant down to whisper in Glimmer's ear. 'I'm just going to get some air. If Catra wonders where I am tell her... tell her I'm in Frosta's ice sculpture garden.'
Glimmer spun round to look at me, all nervous and red-faced, and beamed a wide smile. 'I will, don't worry.'
'Okay, thanks.'
Frosta's ice sculpture garden wasn't far. It was where Glimmer teleported us to when we first arrived earlier in the day. Still part of the castle, but without a ceiling to obstruct the beautiful view of the magical sky, the stars, and three of Etheria's moons shining bright. The sculptures themselves were... interesting. Some depicted a super-buff Frosta battling a range of scary looking monsters, but some were less intense. Like the sculpture of a tree. Just a tree. But, I supposed, there weren't any trees in the Kingdom of Snows, so perhaps she wanted to try to make one of her own, the only way she knows how. One of the last and biggest sculptures in the garden was a scene depicting She-Ra, my new form, versus what I could only guess was Frosta as the Winter's Bane coming at me with a dangerous looking Snowstrike.
I paused while looking at that sculpture, and let my mind wander back to why I had slipped away from the party in the first place. I had almost proposed to Catra before Iceric interrupted, would it still be okay to do it now that he'd been arrested? What would I even say?
'Adora? You out here?' Catra's voice filled the silence, permeating the peaceful tranquillity and almost making me panic on the spot, like she'd somehow be able to know what I was thinking just because she's managed to find where I ran off to.
'Yeah,' I called back, 'over here!'
Catra found me easily after that and scoffed when she saw what I was looking at. 'My money's on Frosta. Girl has a mean punch.'
'Yeah, she does.'
'Are you okay?' Catra punctuated the question with a supportive hand on my shoulder. I smiled, placing my own hand over it, squeezing gently.
'Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking.'
'Well don't think too hard; you'll melt the whole castle.' Catra teased with a cheeky smirk.
'Oh, har har. No, I was just thinking about what happened back there. Everyone stood up for you. Defended you. It was... really amazing.'
'Yeah that was... that was a lot, honestly. I don't think I realised that everyone does, kind of, accept me now? I guess? I guess I just never expected it to happen.'
I turned to face her at that, frowning slightly at the insinuation that she was still unforgivable. Catra didn't look upset, per se, but she did look thoughtful. She caught me staring and smiled immediately, her eyes lighting up. 'What are you staring at, you creep?'
'You.' I said simply, soaking in the way her cheeks blazed red at the word. I smiled and lifted a hand to stoke a thumb across her cheek. 'Always you.'
I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it now. I'm going to ask her, and it will be fine.
I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. My hands at my sides, balled into fists, while I worked up the courage to ask a stupid question of the woman I love.
No, it's not stupid. It's important. It's our future. It's everything I never knew I wanted, never knew I needed. To have and to hold Catra for the rest of my life, as my wife, and just be with her in any way we want to be.
I'm going to ask. It'll be fine. She loves me. There's no denying it. She wants this just as much as I do. She's said so herself. Everything will be fine.
'Adora? What's on your mind? Talk to me.' Catra stepped forward, taking both my hands in hers, squeezing them gently to reassure me. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and looked her in the eye.
When my eyes met hers and saw the amount of love in them, directed at me, all my fears and anxieties about asking her to marry me just... vanished.
'Catra... I love you.' When I saw she was about to respond I reached up, placing my index finger against her lips. 'No, wait, let me finish, then you can say it all you want – if you still want to.' Catra looked like she was about to protest for a second, but relented, nodding. I lowered my hand back down to hold hers once again. 'I love you, Catra. It feels so good to say, so right, and I know it's because it's the truth. It's always been the truth, even if it took me forever to figure out the words. I know now that I've always loved you. You were always there for me, and I was always there for you. We looked out for each other.'
I looked away from her eyes, scanning the ice sculptures around us as if they may come to life any second. 'Neither of us came away from the war without our scars, on the inside and on the outside, and we'll both need more time to fully heal...' I looked back at Catra, searching her gaze. 'So, putting everything else on hold for just a second, leaving just me and you in this moment, right now...' I let go of her hands and reached up to where the wing clip was pinned to my dress, taking it off before running my thumb over the smooth surface. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. 'Catra... I want for us to stay together, to continue healing together, to always look out for each other... I've always loved you, and I always will, and I promise to cherish you for the rest of our lives no matter what you say next, so... Catra...' I choked back a small cry but stopped when I felt Catra's hand on my cheek. She caught a rogue tear with her thumb and looked up at me with eyes full of nothing but love and understanding.
'Say it.' She whispered.
I swallowed and held out the golden pin.
'... Marry me?'
Catra smiled, grinned, perhaps the widest and purest smile I've ever seen. Then, as if it was the easiest thing in the world, she picked the wing out of my hand, clipped it to the top of her waistcoat, and looked me in the eye – I could swear in that moment she was glowing, shining, with the radiance of pure and utter joy.
'I'm all yours, Adora.' Catra whispered, stepping forwards to wrap her arms around my waist and bury her face in my neck, purring softly while peppering small kisses in a line from my collarbone up to my jaw.
I chuckled, lost for words, as a few rogue tears fell from my eyes and dripped down my cheeks into Catra's hair. Just holding her, my hands spreading over her back to keep her close, a content smile on my face. I'm not entirely sure what I had expected: fireworks, maybe? Some kind of inner turmoil forcing my stomach into knots of nerves?
But no, none of that happened.
In that moment, standing there while holding Catra, my fiancée, as close as I possibly could, all I felt was...
Peace.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
'Ugh! I'm so glad you two have stopped fighting. That was exhausting! I never want to be subjected to that ever again.' Glimmer groaned and slumped onto Bow dramatically and he chuckled while bracing to hold her up.
Catra and I returned to the ballroom floor after a few minutes of... well... kissing. Kissing and hugging. Maybe some crying. It was quite emotional.
'Yeah, it's great to see you getting along again.' Bow added, cradling his girlfriend against him. 'I do not handle conflict well, the last time Adora and Glimmer fought for real was extremely stressful and emotionally taxing!'
'Well–' I began to interject but Catra beat me to it.
'I don't know what you guys are talking about, Adora and I have never fought, ever.'
I looked over to see her somehow managing to pull-off a face of pure indifference, but the swish of her tail and the flick of her ear suggested she was only just holding back a cocky smirk. I, however, was awful at hiding any kind of facial emotion and broke out into a stupidly large grin.
'You're both impossible, I can't believe—' Glimmer cut herself off and her eyes grew two sizes when she noticed the pin on Catra's suit. '—AAAHH! BOW!' She started jumping on the spot and slapping Bow's shoulder excitedly. 'BOW! Bow she did it! I can't believe Adora actually managed to beat you to it!'
I didn't miss the shade of red of that Bow's face turned, but before I could question it I was smothered in a powerful hug from behind and pressed up against Catra.
'Hey there, gal-pals! What's all the excitement? Ooo are we still celebrating beating that awful guy!? This calls for a dunk in the chocolate fountain! Please tell me there's a chocolate fountain because I would love—'
'Scorpia!' Glimmer yelled above the larger woman's monologue as well as mine and Catra startled wheezing as our life was slowly being squeezed out of us. 'Adora proposed to Catra!'
The death grip Catra and I had been in suddenly dropped. We both I held onto each other while catching our breath, and when I looked up at Scorpia I almost burst out laughing. She was frozen in place, just staring wide-eyed at the pin on Catra's suit.
Suddenly realising she was under the scrutiny of her best friend, Catra became sheepish, reaching up a hand to rub the back of her neck. 'Uh, yeah Scorp I'm...' She looked at me, and I smiled, wrapping a hand around her waist, squeezing affectionately. Catra kissed me on the cheek, causing my face to turn bright red and my eyes to meet hers just as she said: 'I'm getting married to the most beautiful woman in the universe.'
If Scorpia responded... Stars, if anyone said anything after that, I didn't hear it. Mainly because Catra had reached up, wrapped her arms around my neck, and pulled me into a searing kiss. Before I knew it, my arms were around her waist, holding her close while we kissed each other and not caring if anyone was watching.
Nothing else mattered.
Catra was marrying me.
I was marrying Catra.
Nothing else even came close.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
'Hey, Adora,' a pretty lady with interesting ears said as she walked up to me, 'enjoying the party, aren't you?'
'Hey! You look like a cat! That's amazing. You're so pretty. Are you single? We should totally just get married like right now.'
'Ah, sorry babe I'm already engaged. This killer blonde asked me to marry her earlier tonight.'
'What!? That's no fair – you've got to marry me! You're too pretty for anyone else.'
'Wow, you're really confident with yourself when you're drunk, huh?' She caught me when I stumbled a little, holding onto my arms to stop me from swaying.
'Uhuh. It's true. I know you like what you see, you wish you could marry this. Too bad you're marrying some other loser.'
'Y'know, you're totally right. I am marrying a complete dork. But you know what? She's my dork, and I love her, and I wouldn't trade her for anything. Not even you, hotshot.'
'That's a shame. She's really lucky. I wish I was her.'
'I'm the lucky one, princess.'
'Nuh-uh! And only Catra can call me that.'
'Oh yeah, and who's she?'
'She's... Catra's my... OH! I am getting married! I'm so happy! Did you know she said "yes"?'
'I did.'
'Well, she didn't say "yes" exactly. She said "I'm all yours", do you think that means "yes"?'
'Yeah, I think it does."
'Okay, that's good. Do you know where she is? I wanna cuddle. She's so soft and warm and she's wearing a really nice suit that makes her butt look nice. Heh, butt.'
'Oh, I dunno, I'll go find her. Wait here, okay?'
'Yeah, okay. I love Catra. Her eyes are so nice. But are they nicer than her butt? Hey, you have nice eyes too!'
'Close your eyes, for me okay, then when you open them again Catra will be here, alright?'
'Mmm, okay.'
I closed my eyes and the pressure of the woman's hands left my arms. It felt like someone walked around me in a circle, but then I felt nice soft warm hands on my cheeks and forgot all about it.
'Etheria to Adora? It's me, I came to find you.'
'Oh! Catra! You found me! Thank you! Make sure to thank the other hot cat lady for finding you for me.'
'Wow, princess, we've only been engaged for a few hours and you're already calling other women hot?'
'Wha– no! She looked like you! Don't worry, she's already getting married to some other blonde loser.'
'She sounds really lucky.'
'I'm the luckiest! Because I get to marry Catra, my best friend. I love her. I know her favourite number, it's:—'
'Hey, Sparkles, we could do with a lift home. I think Adora needs a lie down.'
'No, I don't! I'm fiiine!'
'Princess, I love you, but you're hardly piecing your words together. I can just barely understand what you're saying.'
'What? No, I'm not! All my words are great!'
'Until now, apparently. Because I actually didn't understand any of that. Wait, Adora– Adora NO! Get back here! Put that drink down! Adora! Stop!'
And that's all I remember.
(A/N: Once again, @the.r.account is to blame for the amazing illustration work in this chapter!
I'm going to be trying on focusing on this story from now on and getting it finished, so hopefully the next update won't take me a whole month to put out!
Until next time!)