Etheria & Beyond #1: Stories Within Stories

#2 Give Me One Reason

Darla kept getting by pummelled by Horde ships as Bow scrambled to keep her flying.

Once the ship stopped shaking Adora rose to her feet.  "How did they find us?"

Entrapta checked over her Tracker Pad.   "Horde Prime may not be able to track Darla, but something onboard is sending up a trace signal.   That must be what they're following."

Adora's eyes widened as the realisation hit her.   "Those flashes Catra's been getting.   That signal's coming from her chip, isn't it?"   Adora grabbed Entrapta's hand as her frustration grew.   "Can trouble stop following her for 5 minutes!"

Bow turned back to them from his chair.  "But wait, Entrapta hasn't fixed the shields yet!"

"Then try not to hit anything!"  Adora yelled back as she and Entrapta disappeared down the corridor.

Unfortunately, Catra was not in the calmest state of mind. But Adora refused to back down. "Catra, Horde Prime is tracking that chip! He's coming for us, right now."

Catra backed away, her hair standing on end as she raised her arm defensively.  Not about to let her lash out, Adora grabbed Catra's wrist and pinned it against the wall.  "So grow up and let us remove it or we're all dead."

Catra's face fell and Adora let go, realising what she'd come close to doing, as Catra sank to the floor.  She wasn't going to force Catra's cooperation this way.  She knew fisticuffs had never led to anything good in the past and she wasn't going to rely on it anymore.  But her remaining anger wouldn't allow her to suppress what she said next.

"We're doing this.  Then if you think hiding from the people you hurt will make you feel better, we'll drop you off and you'll never have to see us again."  Adora's voice faltered on those last few words.

She looked down at Catra as her expression became despondent.  "What am I doing?"

This wasn't how she'd planned to resolve things with Catra.  What happened to just being honest like Glimmer said?  None of this was what Adora wanted...but the damage had been done, she couldn't take it back now.

She took a deep breath.  "You'll never have to see me again."  She turned to walk away, but then.

"Adora wait."  She looked down to see Catra's hand, now grasping her wrist.  She slid it down to Adora's hand, clasping it firmly...yet also tenderly.  "Please..."

Catra had held Adora's hand many times as they'd grown up, but something about the way she was holding it now felt different.  And somehow...made Adora's face feel hot.

Catra raised her head.  "Stay."

With that one word, Catra realised just how tired she was.  Tired of fighting, of being angry, of each wall she'd ever put up throughout every day of her life.  For all the times she'd done so, Catra could no longer understand how she'd mustered the energy for all those pointless, painful things...for such a long time.

As she lowered her head, Catra felt her hand gently being squeezed back.

Adora looked to her oldest friend, the one she missed so much.  Glimmer was right, not everything needed to be spelt out.  Catra's face said everything.

She knelt down beside her.   "As long as it's what you want...I'll be here."

Though her expression remained sombre, Catra nodded.  "I just.....need you right now."

Adora helped her off the floor and back onto the bed.  "It'll be alright.  We won't let this chip keep hurting you."

Entrapta's tools whizzed and whirred.  "Oh absolutely!  Now let me just recap where I'm up to."  She moved behind Catra, peering at her neck.  "Experiment #982 – removal of embedded Horde chip.  Let's begin!"