Early AF A/N: it will almost always be in Athena's POV but a few parts will be in Catra's or Third POV
Athena POV
I change into my cadet uniform as Adora brushes her teeth. She spits the swings around shooting finger guns. She adds a 'pew pew' and punches a punching bag a few times. By this time, I'm done changing and walk over to her.
"You still have your hair poof," I say chuckling and patting it.
"Hey!" Adora replies while slapping my hand away, "It's an awesome hair poof." She turns away pouting.
I step back and bow forward to Adora, "I apologize for my words, Adora's Sacred Hair Poof." She just laughs before shoving me.
"Go ahead, I'll wait for Catra," she says and I comply. I move away but not before I hear Adora go 'Hey, princess. You lookin' at me!?' while kicking the bag. I laugh a bit before heading out.
"All squadrons, report to training area immediately for evaluation," a woman says over the PA. I rush over and Adora appears not long after
"Anyone seen Catra?" She asks us and all shake our heads no.
A Horde Commander catches our attention, "At attention, cadets. Your simulation is about to begin. Here's your scenario. You'll be passing through the treacherous Whispering Woods to reach the heart of the rebel insurgency, Bright Moon." He says and Kyle whimpers a bit, "Your mission is to defeat the Queen of the Princesses and liberate Bright Moon in Lord Hordak's name. Where's Catra?"
"She'll be here. I promise," I say and he side-eyes me while mumbling.
"Mm-hmm. The Whispering Woods is full of princesses. Vicious, violent instigators. They will take you out if given the chance. Don't give it to them. Good luck, recruits." He says and we all rush inside. A purple princess immediately appears overhead.
"Watch out!!" Adora calls out. I sniff the air while dodging an attack from the princess. I smirk when I smell Catra from above me. I see her jump from a make-shift tree to another in the corner of my eye but it looks like nobody else has seen her.
"Oh no no no no," Kyle exclaims as Adora throws an explosive and we run deeper into the area. Kyle gets hit from behind us and he groans as a red 'X' appears on his chest plate.
"Ugh. Seriously, Kyle!?" I say and he looks guilty. Three more princesses show up and Adora yells for us to run, "Seriously, Kyle!!?" Red hexagons appear under our feet while we run but Adora and I expertly manuever around them. An orb shoots from the floor and turns into a large robot. Adora runs at it with her saber while I use my claws to damage it. I jump on top and destroy its gun while Adora attacks it's legs. The robot finally sinks back into the floor as Adora smashes it's legs. Adora falls facedown on the ground but I land swiftly on my feet. Catra jumps down and smirks at me while pushing the robot the rest of the way into the hole. She strides over to Adora and points to the red hexagon that appears below her. Adora yells as she falls but uses her saber to catch her.
"Hey, Adora. How's it hanging?" Catra says
"You really had to show up at the end? I'd say that's low, but nothing's too low for you" I say and she turns to me.
"At least you know it. Now help me, Adora looks stupid hanging there," she laughs and we both pull Adora out. After she's out, Catra looks at her face closely while holding her chin, "Hmm. Is it just be or does that hair poof make your forehead even bigger?"
It's silent before I bust out laughing and Catra soon joins while Adora covers her poof and forehead in embarrassment. "It's not that bad, Adora." I say and she looks at me thankful.
"Training exercise successfully completed," the woman's voice says over the PA.
After we got back into the locker rooms, Catra was making fun of Adora, "You should've seen your face. You were like, "Aah, no! Betrayal." She says while falling to the floor.
"She's not wrong," I say and Adora glares at me playfully, "Now get off the floor, Catra." I lean down and pull her up as she playfully guess limp in my arms to make it more difficult. I sigh and pick her up bridle style.
"What are you doing!?" Catra shrieks and tries to claw her way out my arms.
"You wouldn't get up so I made you," I say though it's a bit muffled because Catra is pushing me away by my face. She stops after realizing that it's not gonna do anything and just peacefully settles in my arms while embarrassed.
"C'mon Catra. We're senior cadets now. I can't believe you're still pulling such childish, immature-- Is that a mouse?!" Adora yells and points.
"What!? Where!?" Catra and I both shriek and I immediately drop her before quickly coming to my senses and catching her again.
"Are you ever going to not fall for that?" Adora asks, laughing.
"I don't know. Are you ever going to let it go?" I growl and she looks at me surprised. I was a little pissed that she almost made drop Catra. I mean, she could've been hurt.
"Yeah, it was one time!" Catra adds. I carefully set her back on the ground and she holds my arm when I smell Shadow Weaver approaching.
"I know, but for some reason it's always funny." Adora laughs before Shadow Weaver calls her name. We all stand straight and Catra let's go. I squeeze my fists when she looks at me.
"You have done well. You've completed your training course in record time." Shadow Weaver says to Adora.
Adora looks to the ground before replying, "Uh, well, that wasn't just me. You know, Catra and Athena did, too."
Shadow Weaver looks at us in distaste, "Ah, yes. How someone as unmotivated as you two completed the course in that time, I'll never know." I clench my hands more and feel my claws dig into my palms.
"Always serving up those pep talks, huh, Shadow Weaver?" I say glaring at her.
"Silence. Do not be flippant with me, cadet." She says and I scoff while looking at her straight in the eye.
"Heh. That's funny coming from you," I snarl and Adora and Catra look at me shocked.
"Hm," Shadow Weaver's black and red magic surrounds me and lifts me off the ground by my neck. I choke a bit before growling.
"Heh. You're such a bitch," I laugh and Catra looks at me scared while Adora just stares shocked, "I've been through this before so you're dumber than I thought if you think it's gonna work on me." Shadow Weaver grimaces under her mask before letting go in defeat.
"Nothing seems to work on you anymore, Athena. I'll have to find an alternative," she says.
"You have fun with that," I call as Shadow Weaver walks away after telling Adora to walk with her. As soon as they are out of sight, Catra rushes to my side and checks me over.
"You idiot!!" She exclaims, "Shadow Weaver could've killed you!!" She looks generally worried.
"Nah. Hordick wouldn't have allowed it. He knows I'm too useful to him. Nobody knows how to get information like I do." I grin and she smiles shakily.
"At least you're useful for something," Catra says and turns away.
"Hey, don't talk like that. You're useful. Very useful," I say and grab her face to make her look at me, "You're useful me. You always will be." She smiles a bit.
"Yeah, yeah," she rests her head against mine and chuckles, "This is not because I like you."
"Sure," I say and Catra smacks my arm before pulling my tail. I whimper in pain before quickly covering my mouth. Catra leans back and stares at me, "Did you just whimper?" She whispers. My cheeks turn red and I look away. "Oh, OH! You did! You really did!?" Catra frantically looks me over and pins me against the locker, "Do it again!!" Her tail waves back in forth excitedly, her eyes dilated.
"Are you in heat or something? Why?" I ask.
"No, it was cute so do it again," she says and stares at me.
"I was in pain so, no!"
"So, you'll do it again if I pull your tail again?" I quickly grab my tail to make sure she doesn't do it again.
"No!!" I exclaim and she shrinks back, "Are you sure that you don't like me?" I say and Catra turns red.
"It's not because I like you!!" She yells and pushes me a bit.
"Oh. Bummer," I say and she stares at me. I cock my head and she looks away, "C'mon. Let's go to our usual spot while we wait for Adora," I say and grab her wrist. She stumbles behind me so I pick her up bridle style again and she yells. I chuckle as she just sinks into me this time instead of struggling.
(Wholesome moments with Athena and Catra😍)
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Catra and I are sitting in silence when Adora climbs up. She stops half way and stares out across the city. She takes a shiny thing out of her pocket and looks at it with a sour look. Catra jumps down and pins her to the ground before grabbing the item and analyzing it.
"What'd she say?" I ask while Adora tries to get her stuff back, "Catra," I say and she tosses it up to me, "No, way. You've been promoted?"
"Well, kind of. I mean, yeah, I guess. Heh. But it's not a big deal," she says.
"Are you kidding? That is awesome. We're gonna see the world and conquer it. Adora, I need to blow something up," Catra exclaims while purring loudly. Heh, that was cute, I think before frowning. Something isn't right about this.
"Umm.. Shadow Weaver says you're not coming, either of you," Adora says. Yup, there it is.
"What? Our time was just as good as yours today. What is her problem with me?" Catra says.
"I mean, you are kind of disrespectful. Especially you, Athena," Adora says.
"Why should I respect her? She's a complete bitch. She can't do anything to hurt me so I honestly don't care. Even if she did, I could probably easily kill her, or at least hurt her a lot," I say and Adora stares at me shocked while Catra cocks her head at me while staring, like she was trying to figure me out, "What?" I ask when it's still silent.
"Nothing," Adora says and looks away. She's totally judging, I think before grabbing Catra and going back to where we were. Adora catches up not long after, "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't even think you wanted to be a Force Captain."
Catra looks away before tossing Adora her badge, " I don't. Here, take your stupid badge."
"Come on, Catra. This is what I have been working for my entire life. I was hoping you could be, I don't know, happy for me," Adora says. The hell? I think why should she be happy for you. You're leaving her.
"Ugh, whatever," Catra says, "It's not like I even care. I just wanna get out of this dump at some point before I die of boredom."
"Hey," I say jumping on the railing and looking at her, "You've got me. I'm not gonna leave you. Unless I get kidnapped but I don't think that will happen. So if I'm not here, I promise it's because I was forced to leave." Catra smiles at me.
"I wonder what's even outside the Fright Zone anyway," she says and I grin.
"Well why don't we find out?" I say and pull out a key.
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"What the heck, Athena!?" Adora shouts, "How'd you even get my key?"
"I took it when I grabbed Catra earlier," I say and she glares at me while Catra laughs.
"Well why'd you bring me a long!?" She shrieks.
"I didn't," I say and turn back to the steering...thing.
"Save enough fuel to get back," she says and I frown. Does she ever shut up!?
"That is a problem for future us," Catra says, "Hey, can I drive?"
"Sure, do you know how?" I ask and she shakes her head, "Want me to show you how?" I show her the basics and Catra takes over easily. Although, Adora tries to take control.
"I'm driving, I want it," Adora says while trying to take it from Catra.
"Hey, stop," I say and she glares at me, "Catra's driving and if you distract her we could crash." Adora scoffs and sits in the back. A few minutes later, she starts up again. I give up and take the controls while they argue. Something crashes into me, making the handle go forward sending us into a forest. I try to maneuver around everything but I send us to the ground instead.
"What the heck!!" Adora exclaims, "Why did you do that!?"
"Do what!?" I yell and turn to Catra but I don't see her, "Catra!?"
"You made us crash!!" Adora yells.
"Yeah sure, think whatever you want, Adora. I'm going to go look for Catra," I say. I jump into one of the trees and sniff around, trying to find her scent. I jump tree to tree, looking around, "Catra!? Catra, where are you!?" I'm starting to get worried. The Whispering Woods is a very dangerous place. I should know since that's where most of the experiments happened. If Shadow Weaver hadn't found me wandering around, I'd probably be dead. I still hate her guts though. I stop when I here a sound behind me, "Catra?" A laugh echos throughout the woods.
"You scared?" Someone says from behind me. I turn and my hand goes straight to their neck, "Hey! Hey, it's just me!"
"Oh. Catra," I say and move my hand away, "Sorry 'bout that. But, how'd you mask your scent?"
"I think it's this plant," she says while showing me a green and black leaf. My eyes widen and I smack it away, "Ow! What was that for!?"
"Oh. Sorry again. I'm very allergic to it so I thought there's a chance you could be too. Trust me, it's not fun," I say and she looks at me weirdly while holding her hand.
"You've been here before?" Catra asks.
"Yeah, it's where Shadow Weaver found me."
"How come you never told me?" She asks.
"I don't really like talking about my past, at least what I remember from it. And, y'know, you never asked," I say and she nudges me, "It'd be better to just show you instead of explaining." I get up and stick my hand out. She takes it and I drop down with her in my arms once again.